++++++ I'm having some family drama atm and it's not good.

I'll still be posting but not as much as I would like cause it's pretty much like a brick has hit me in the face.

Everything's okay-no one's passed or is ill-it's more emotional than anything.

I hope you enjoy the chapter, sorry it's short but I felt like you guys were owed since you're so patient with me.

Love you all.

I do not own.

Thirty-Eight

The Duelling Club took place in the Great Hall, that Friday night at seven.

Hermione had to practically drag Harley kicking and screaming from the Ravenclaw common room. Ginny and Zara eagerly joined the two girls whilst waiting for first year student Luna Lovegood.

They were the last to get to the hall but no one seemed to notice.

"Gather 'round, gather 'round, gather 'round! Can everybody see me?" Lockhart yelled to the students.

"I wish I couldn't see you," Dudley muttered under his breath. "His a prat."

Harley suppressed a giggle when Hermione and Pansy glared at her.

"Excellent!" Lockhart exclaimed. "Now, in light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done one countless occasions-for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistance, Professor Snape." From the other side of the duelling stage, Ron laughed at the look on Snape's face. "He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. I don't want any of you youngsters to worry-you'll still have your potions master when I'm through with him, never fear."

The two men took their positions.

"One, two, three,-"

"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted.

Lockhart's wand was yanked out of his hand and he was thrown back across the room. Harley and Draco dissolved into fits of uncontrollable silent laughter whilst Lockhart picked himself up off the ground. "An excellent idea to show them that spell, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, it was very obvious what you were about to do. And if I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy."

Harley was sure that Snape rolled his eyes.

"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells first," he advised.

Lockhart grinned. "A fantastic suggestion, Professor Snape. How about we have two volunteers….Potter and Malfoy! Nothing like a little friendly rivalry."

Draco and Harley reluctantly got to their feet and made their way up to the duelling stage. "Ready to get our butt kicked, Potter?" Draco smirked.

"Bring it on, Malfoy," Harley joked back.

"Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted. "On the count of three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent-only disarm! We don't want any accidents! One, two-"

"Everte statium!" Draco shouted.

"Protego!" Harley yelled, casting a shielding charm to protect herself. "Locomotor Wibbly!"

"Protego!" Draco replied.

"What are you doing?" Lockhart yelled. "I said disarm only!"

Draco grinned. It was one thing to practice spells over the holidays without a wand but to get to actually do it, it was too much fun. "Serpensortia!" he yelled, shooting a snake out of the end of his wand.

"Don't move Miss Potter," Snape ordered as the cobra came to eye-level with Harley.

Harley gulped. Dudley and Neville were having a hard time holding Prongs back as the animal was trying to protect his bonded mate.

"Allow me, Professor Snape," Lockhart grinned. "Alarte ascendare!"

Nothing happened.

The snake turned its attention towards Ron. "Don't!" Harley ordered. It sounded fine to her, but to everyone else, her speech was a series of what sounded like hissing causing the already silent students to turn pale in horror.

"Vipera evenesca," Snape spoke, casting a spell to remove the snake.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron shouted.

Draco's was opening his mouth and closing it like a fish. "You-"

Everyone in the Great Hall started buzzing and talking about Harley as she jumped off the duelling stage and took off running with Prongs chasing after her.

The Musketeer's found Harley and Prongs down at the lake the next morning. She'd pretended to be asleep when Hermione finally got back to the dorms. She woke up the next morning and made her way to the kitchens to get some breakfast for her and Prongs-there was no way she was brave enough to face the student body-whatever she'd done last night with the snake, they were all scared of her.

"I don't think it's a good idea for you to be without someone currently with you," Pansy told their friend. She sat down. "It's all over the school-that you're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you say anything?"

Harley stared at her friend. "I'm a what?"

"She means talk to snakes," Neville answered.

She raised an eyebrow and laughed. "I did not."

Hermione nodded. "Yes, you did. You spoke Parselmouth…before you ask-no it's not common in the Wizarding world. It's bad."

"Bad?" Harley grumbled. "What would have been bad was the snake attacking Ron. All I did was tell it not to attack him!"

"Oh, so that's what you said," Draco frowned.

"You were there!" Harley shouted. "You heard me!"

"I heard you speak like a snake," Dudley told his cousin. "Snake language," he hissed.

"How can I speak a different language without knowing I can speak it?" Harley snapped.

Hermione shrugged. "I don't know, Harley. If I hadn't known any better it sounded like you were egging the snake on. There's a reason that the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes, too."

Harley stood up. "So what? We're supposed to be related now?" she asked angrily.

"He lived a thousand years ago," Pansy shrugged. "For all we know, you could be."

Harley stormed off away from her friends. She barely got inside the school before running into Cedric.

"Hey you," Cedric smiled.

"Why are you talking to me?" she asked him.

Cedric raised an eyebrow. "Cause we're friends…why wouldn't I be talking to you?"

"So you didn't hear what happened?" she frowned.

He smiled. "Of course I heard. Ronald Weasley hasn't stopped running his mouth over how you set the snake on him. But why would I believe that?"

Her scowl quickly turned into a soft smile. "Thank you."

"Would you like to join me in the potions lab?" Cedric inquired. "Professor Snape said I could work on an assignment as long as I don't destroy anything."

"I'd like that," Harley answered. The red-head followed Cedric to the potions labs where the two worked on Cedric's assignment until Snape found them shortly after lunch.

"Ah-Miss Potter-just the student I've been looking for," Snape spoke, scaring the crap out of them. "Mr Diggory…have you both been here all morning?"

"Since after breakfast," Cedric shrugged. "So before nine…why?"

"There's been another attack," Snape advised them. "Justin Fitch-Fletchley and Nearly Headless Nick."

Harley cocked her head to the side. "How does a ghost get petrified?" she questioned.

Snape ignored her. "I shall advised Dumbledore that you have an alibi."

Harley went to say something but Cedric stopped her. "She's been here all morning, sir. I will swear under oath."

"Very well," Snape smiled. "Continue on with your potions. Afterward, Mr Diggory, escort Miss Potter back to her house so she can pack to return home for Christmas. Good afternoon."

Harley sighed. "And to think I wanted to stay here over Christmas. I'm such an idiot."

"Pass me the Gilly Weed," Cedric smiled, changing the subject.

++++++ Awww...Cedric and Harley moment ++++++