It wasn't that the staff at Hogwarts weren't happy about the idea of a Dueling Club. In fact, Professor Filius Flitwick had been requesting one for years. So they were delighted, or privately happy as one Potions Master refused to show any excitement about the matter, that the students were going to finally get some practical skill. As the current Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was frankly a narcissistic moron.

So when Professor Minerva McGonagall approached Filius to give him congratulations on his new club, something he wanted to start for years, he was sad and slightly worried to report that he wasn't in charge. In fact, he wasn't in any way a part of it.

When Minerva reluctantly inquired who was in charge. Flitwick bitterly replied with one word that ruined everyone's week.

"Lockhart."

So that is when everything started to go down. Minerva quickly spread the news to the rest of the staff. Each of them started to congratulate Lockhart with the fakest smile they could muster. Except for Professor Severus Snape, of course, who just scowled and muttered a comment under his breath about hoping to see one of the first years 'accidentally throw him across the room during breakfast the next morning. Earning a stern glare from Albus, chuckles from the staff who heard him and Lockhart was too busy praising himself to the Gryffindors to hear anything.

Filius and Severus were most against the idea of Lockhart heading the duelling club. The rest of the staff had spent the morning protesting to the Headmaster Albus Dumbeldore, who told them he "couldn't do anything about it."

Oh, OK. Sure, he couldn't. It wasn't like he was the most powerful wizard in Scotland. It wasn't like he was the Headmaster. It wasn't like he didn't know Lockhart was a fraud like the rest of the staff.

So the staff were passive-aggressive for three hours at the beginning of the afternoon. More detentions had been given out then in three weeks. They all were almost acting like Severus, which made the students more concerned than anyone thought possible. Lockhart was still his idiot self. Bragging to anyone who would listen that he was a master at potions and duelling.

This made both Severus and Filius want to test their magic abilities on him.

Then the next day, Lockhart burst into the staff room. Luckily the staff had mostly finished their first cup of coffee, so no matter how much they wanted to, they had enough self-restraint to not hex him out the nearest window. He announced with an arrogant puff of his chest that he needed a partner to demonstrate how to properly duel. How he, Lockhart, needed someone to defeat to make himself feel better.

So when Filiwich announced he would volunteer for such an honour, Lockhart rejected him with a flimsy excuse and studdering. He probably reasoned that Filius would no doubt defeat him easily as Filius was a duelling champion and was clearly, despite his honest attempt to hide it, that he wanted to lightly burn Lockhart.

So he went past Trewlany, who was probably his only fan on the staff but was so...insane...(?)that he would probably die from one wrong spell taken from her. While she screamed about the grim. The next was Charity Bardage. She was quite clear on how she wouldn't hold back if they got into a duel. So he passed by her. Ignoring the look of pure hatred she was sending him. Then he stood in front of a small table near the corner of the room, next to the fireplace and a window was shining down on the table. That was a special table. It was reserved for Albus, Minerva and Severus only. At that moment, Albus was sitting across the room in his comfy leather armchair in front of the fireplace so only Severus and Minerva were present. Minerva and Severus were drinking their coffee and grading papers.

Minerva, at least looked up to acknowledge his presence. Her expression was neutral. As if she just didn't care. But inside, oh, inside she was praying he picked her so she could blast him across the room. The thought almost made her smile. Severus on the other hand was scowling at his paper. He knew Lockhart was there and was probably going to ask Minerva to do it because there was no way he was going to ask Severus. He was more than fine with that. He was scowling because whatever Dunderhead wrote the paper in front of him was either more stupid than Lockhart or was purposely making fun of his teaching because the student had gotten nearly every question wrong in relation to the process of brewing...

Neville Longbottom was clumsily written in haste at the top of the page.

He should have known.

Lockhart knew of Minerva's strength, so he passed her up. But Severus was a mystery. In all honestly, Severus was a thin, jaded man who didn't seem all that strong despite his rude behaviour. He seemed to have more bark than bite. He was his last option so he put on a sick smile that would charm any love-infested teenager and looked to the young potions master.

"Ah, Severus!" He chirped. Minerva smiled as she took a sip of her coffee. The rest of the staff, even Albus leaned forward a little in anticipation. "How would you like the honour of being my duelling partner?"

Severus's black eyes snapped up and he opened his mouth to flatly refuse before Minerva subtly kicked him under the table as a signal. They glared at each other for a moment as if in silent communication before Severus smirked and looked back to Lockhart.

"Of course. I would love to."

Lockhart clapped his hands together in glee. Not considering for one moment that a very talented wizard just agreed to make him humiliated on the day they were to duel. He turned around and began a speech about something involving fame, being better than everyone in a jumbled mess of words and trying to shove other advertisements for his stupid books for nearly skipping out of the room. Everyone was silent for a moment.

"Would it be too much to ask...For you to...Let's say...Break his skull?" Charity asked with a blush. Pomona Sprout nearly choked on her coffee and was soon laughing with Filius. Albus, as much as he would later deny was covering his mouth with his hand as his body shook from laughing at the mental image it gave him. Minerva looked rather proudly towards Severus and Severus wasn't exactly confirming nor denying he would do something like that.

Charity looked absolutely delighted and Trewlany looked like she was about to be sick. Not all the staff were there, but it was clear they would also not entirely object to that incident.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Severus?"

"Aren't you the one who kicked me to do this?"

"Stop trying to be a smartass."

"Stop kicking me to do idiotic things and I will consider it."

"You could have still rejected him!"

"You would have figure out a way to get revenge. Maybe buying your entire Quittch team those stupid expensive new brooms?"

"Says the man who did the exact same thing three weeks into the new school term."

"Stop blaming me for Lucius's actions!"

"You accepted them!"

"They would have never forgiven me if I didn't."

"Oh, so you are a sellout now? Since when did you care what they thought?"

"Since Lucius threatened my pay."

Minerva and Severus went into an uncomfortable silence as they stood against the wall in front of the giant double doors of the great hall. Which was quickly filling up with lovesick girls, boys waiting to see Lockhart get recked by a student and Slytherins going in to support their head of house.

"He...Did...What?"

"Oh, for the love of- I didn't tell you that to go all mother protective!" Severus rolled his eyes as Minerva clenched her fists together. "Calm down!"

"How dare he threaten your pay! Not all of us are rich! Maybe-"

"Maybe he will bankrupt you if his SON hears you insulting him." Severus hissed. Nudging her in the direction of Draco Malfoy who was strutting down the hall with his two henchmen. "Watch your mouth. My snakes are always listening."

"Slytherin is far too paranoid," Minerva replied with a deep sigh. "You need to help your house loosen up."

"Why? So we can all die off? Paranoia is what has kept us alive for years. We need it. Especially now."

"Alright. I will relent for now. Just make sure you prove to the students that, Gilderoy Lockhart is no more capable of magic than the minister of Magic." Minerva pleaded.

"Fudge might actually be better at magic than him." Severus pointed out.

"...I wouldn't be surprised if that was the case." Minerva admitted. The last of the students were now inside the Great Hall. Lockhart's voice started to carry into the hall. Severus sighed as the pair began to move forward into the hall with professionalism. They took a quick glance to the darkened part of the hall. Where a few teachers stood in silence. Waiting to see the disaster that was about to befall Lockhart.

"Good luck, Severus. Try not to kill him."

"As tempting as that is, I will try not to," Severus replied. Minerva chuckled as she quietly moved away to join the other Professors. The students were far too entranced by Lockhart, even if they hated him, to notice the delighted teachers in the back as Lockhart on the long stage looked to the other side to see Severus had moved to his needed position.

"Now, let me introduce my assistant...Professor Snape!"

Severus started his way up the stage. Most of the girls were convinced Lockhart was going to win. But for once, for a brief moment of time the boys and the girls who weren't fooled by Lockhart's pretty looks and creepy irritating smile. His Slytherins supported him and believed him to win as well. Even if a few girls wanted to date Lockhart, they had a house to support.

"He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now, I don't want any of you, youngsters, to worry. You will still have your Potions master when I am through with him. Never fear." He announced with a cocky tilt of his head. A few teachers snorted in amusement in the back and others just smiled and looked delighted.

They pulled out their wands and prepared for the fight. They gave short bows before turning their back to each other and walking a few meters away, before turning around once more in fighting positions for the duel.

"I, 2..." Lockhart began to point down, somehow still looking cocky and self-interested. Probably already basking in the glory he assumed he was going to receive.

"3."

Severus paused for two seconds, giving him a chance to make the first move for a fighting chance. Nothing. Lockhart must think Severus was scared. Oh, how wrong he was. So Severus shot a spell back. Making sure to say the spell slowly to give him a chance to deflect. To do anything. So that, Severus had reason to completely destroy him worse in the next spell.

But he didn't. In fact, he stood there with a dumb expression on his face as Severus spoke the spell.

"Expelliarmus!"

He must have applied too much magic into the spell. It was only supposed to push him back a little bit but instead, he went flying into the air and hit the stage a few meters away with a loud bang. He groaned as the students exclaimed and winced. Drowning out the quiet cheers, light claps and the sounds of Professors' high-fiving.

"Do you think he is alright?"

"Who cares!"

Severus smirked. His week and the rest of the Professors' week just got a lot better.

-The End-