The Doctor smiled apologetically.
"Yeah about that... You really shouldn't have let me get so close." The Doctor revealed a button. "Now I'm giving you a final chance - 'cause I don't want to have to do this - run before I activate the device that's going to disintegrate every cell in your bodies."
The goblin swallowed nervously. He could see that she wasn't kidding - her eyes were harder than stone. His 'excellent idea' didn't seem so promising now. The foolish goblin had simply searched for her weaknesses but he had never really thought about what happened to the enemies she'd defeated.
It had been such a good idea! Exploit one of the Doctor's weaknesses so so couldn't think of a plan and had no gadgets with her. Somehow, she had still defeated them - with a spoon of all things! He, the sword master's apprentice had been defeated by a spoon. Not even a spoon made of goblin steel, no. A Muggle spoon.
The second goblin shifted nervously as the Oncoming Storm looked at him threateningly. His eyes looked nervously at the button the girl was so close to pressing and decided not to risk it. He may have been a coward but at least cowards survived. He dropped his sword with a clank and rushed as far away from there as he could possibly get.
His sword was caught by a murderous Sally-Anne who looked like she wanted to chase after him, threaten him and see how he liked it!
The first goblin shifted some more still not quite sure what to do.
"Tell me, goblin, where did you hear of me?"
"Why?" the goblin said, voice trembling.
"Simple curiousity." The Doctor returned lightly but she was watching him intently.
That was the straw that broke the camel's back and without a backward glance, the goblin took off like a maniac. He looked like he was running for his life (he was - or at least he thought so). He left his sword behind - it would only slow him down - and actually managed to pass the other goblin as they fled.
The Doctor picked up the sword, tested it and then passed it on to Justin. "Remind me to teach you how to fence." she remarked.
Sally-Anne, still shaken moved over to sit by her rescuer. Although intimidated, the AE members had made a pact and they all came forward from where they had been watching at the front of the audience. They may have been too terrified to fight but they had been able to help by passing Sally-Anne the Doctor's device.
The rest of the school watched mutely. The Gryffindors, Ravenclaws and Slytherins were finally realising why Hufflepuff's were not lesser. When pushed, they could completely annihilate their attackers and even sword fight with spoons - OK maybe not all of them.
The Hufflepuffs themselves were watching surprised at the transformation of Hermione Granger: bubbly, kind, socially awkward and a mad genius into protective, dangerous friend.
The students with common sense vowed never to get on the wrong side of Hufflepuffs - especially Hermione Granger. Ever.