"Ginny Weasley and the Memory of Power" by Jedi Amoira
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Disclaimer--If you see something you like just assume I don't own it, and you'll be fine. All of Lockhart and Snape's dialogue is taken from the book, and is the property of JK Rowling. No copyright infringement is intended. I hope JK Rowling, the movies, and my fellow fanfic writers take my imitation in the manner in which it is meant--sincere flattery of their skills.

A/N--I have some great reviewers, but an author writes for praise, and I need more! I may not own any of this, but I have worked very hard and do love this story. If you like it, please say so. And please respect my work and don't print or post it elsewhere without my knowledge. Thanks!
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A few days later, Professor McGonagall came into the Common Room. While not unheard of, her presence was unusual enough to make people sit up and take notice. "It hardly seems possible, but this is second week of December. Before we know it, the Christmas will upon us. For those of you interested in spending the holiday with us, I need to collect your names."

Ginny felt very grown up as she joined the small group waiting to sign the list. Longing for the Burrow, for Bill and Charlie, for Mum and Dad hit her unbidden, and her hand shook slightly as she signed the list. She saw with a shock she was the only first year from Gryffindor planning to stay, and loneliness cut through her like a gust of icy wind. Shivering, Ginny glanced over at Ron, but he, Harry, and Hermione had their heads close together, whispering something.

The chill stayed with her, a dark cloud over her head, darkening her mood until she walked into Potions and Bion greeted her with "We're going right?"

Ginny blinked, glancing around behind her to make sure he was talking to her. "Going to what?"

"Duel," Bion said, as if it should have been obvious.

"Have you been inhaling the fumes off Snape's jars again?," Ginny asked anxiously.

Bion did something most unbecoming the dignified wisdom of a Ravenclaw, and snickered. "Didn't you see the sign in the Entrance Hall?"

Ginny waited, confident her blank stare was answer enough.

"Tonight is the first meeting of Hogwarts new Dueling Club," Bion explained grandly.

"Professor Flitwick is going to show us the basics?," Ginny asked excitedly.

Bion frowned. "I don't think so," he said, the end of his sentence considerably quieter than the beginning as Snape narrowed beady eyes in their direction. "But whoever's teaching, lessons might come in handy."

The offhand reference to the Chamber of Secrets and the attack on Colin hardened Ginny's muscles with a combination of angry disapproval and nervous guilt. "Are you okay, Ginny?" Bion asked.

"What? Oh sure. It sounds interesting...the club, I mean."

"So you'll meet me in the Entrance Hall? We can go together."

"Aren't any of the other Ravenclaws interested?" Ginny gave the cauldron the requisite three stirs counterclockwise.

"Well, yeah. But we'll probably need partners for the practice duels, and it doesn't seem right to have any partner but you."

Warmed by a sudden break in her stormy mood, Ginny grinned. "Maybe you have a point, at that."

"This is not a Speech Slurp," Snape interrupted disprovingly. "I will start taking points if all the talking in this room does not cease immediately. Is that clear?"

Ginny waited until she was sure he wasn't looking, and stuck her tongue out at him. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Bion had twisted his face into a ridiculous knot and was gesturing with his arms in gross mimicry of Snape's batlike movements. Only the thought that detention from Snape would prevent them from attending the Dueling Club meeting kept Ginny from laughing.


"I should have gotten us detention," she said emphatically as the Dueling Instructor-Instructors-walked out onto the makeshift stage.

Bion turned toward her, somewhat hampered by the press of students all around them, and gave her an inquiring look.

"It would be better than having to listen to Lockhart," Ginny hissed, jerking her head in the direction of his swirling plum robes.

Bion shrugged, wiggled his eyebrows, and repeated his mimed impression of Lockhart's companion.

"Gather round, gather round," called Lockhart. "Can everyone see me?" Ginny rolled her eyes. Bion smirked. "Can everyone hear me?" Ginny groaned. Bion glanced over and snickered. "Now Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club to train you in case you ever need to defend yourselves, as I have done countless times-see my published works." He paused for applause. There was a smattering of confused clapping as students craned their heads, trying to gauge one another's reactions. "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape. He tells me he knows a bit about dueling himself, and has sportingly agreed to help with a bit of a demonstration before we begin."

"Uh-oh," Ginny breathed, slightly awed.


"This ought to be good," Bion agreed reverently.

"Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry-you'll still have your Potions Master when I'm done with him."

"Blast," Bion said. Ginny grinned.

Snape was looking as if he wouldn't say the same for Lockhart, and Ginny found herself hoping he had a point.

Lockhart and Snape faced one another; Lockhart with an elaborate bow, Snape with a jerk of his head more designed to demand they get with it than acknowledge his opponent. "As you see," Lockhart proclaimed, "Our wands are in the accepted combative position. On the count of three, we will cast our first spells."

"One-two-three--"

"Expelliarmus," Snape shouted, blasting Lockhart off his feet in a flash of scarlet light. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Ginny thought that was odd-for some reason she'd have expected any spell from Snape's wand to Slytherin silver or green...though of course that was ridiculous....

Lockhart hit the wall several feet from the stage with an impressive thump and slid down it like raindrops on a window pane; several students gasped. Ginny looked instinctively toward the sound of cheering, caught sight of distinctive silver-blonde hair and shivered. Lockhart lurched uncomfortably upright.

"There you have it," he said, his voice noticeably shaky. "That was a Disarming Charm-as you see, I've lost my wand-Thank you, Miss Brown-an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but, if I may say so, it was painfully obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been--" Lockhart seemed to be faltering slightly under the feral gleam slowly radiating through Snape's face. "Only too easy. But...Enough demonstrating!"