Chapter three: A Midnight Duel
At nine o'clock precisely, Harry turned up. Hermione and Ron were already waiting for their friend. Silently they threw the invisibility cloak over their heads. The night was cold and little snowflakes bounced on the cold breath of the northern wind when the three friends opened the wooden gate that led to the gardens that lay gloomy in the shade of the Forbidden Forest. Ron was sniffling loudly. Hermione turned around and looked in the face of the red-haired boy. "Will you knock it off Mister Weasley! Or do you want to blow our cover?" she sneered. "Sorry": Ron muttered and silently they continued their way, following the amber coloured path that led straight passed the greenhouses. Harry looked behind him and grinned. He saw their footprints in the snow and with every step another pair of them seemed to appear as by magic. The stars were shining dully tonight and surrounded the moon that played hide and seek with the large clouds that slowly emerged from the horizon that looked remarkably bright. A thick mist was hanging above the white grass fields. Harry could see the Quidditch field laying quietly in the light of the moon. The flags on the colourful towers were slowly moving, calmly enjoying the breeze. There was nothing out of order Harry thought, as his friends descended one of the limestone staircases that let to Hagrid's little hut. Darkness was falling rapidly now and the willows planted at the southern walls were casting their shadows playfully on the brick walls. Nothing was moving. The wind suddenly stopped its whistling and the snow stopped squeaking underneath their shoes. A dark cloud passed the moon and darkness surrounded Harry. Suddenly Hermione, who was taking the lead stopped, which caused Ron to bounce against her and which made Harry, who was taking the rear end, knocking his head against Ron's.
- "Be quiet": Hermione whispered angrily.
- "Cheez, you would want to warn us next time you stop all of a sudden": Ron started to whine, touching the bruise at the back of his head. A bulb as huge as a mushroom was slowly growing between the red hairs on his head.
- "Be quiet Ron!" Hermione repeated, grabbing Ron's arm. The red-haired boy frowned for a second and then raised his shoulders muttering a few excuses. Hermione sighed and looked at Harry.
- "Look there!" she said and pointed at the grass field laying in front of them. Harry stood on his toes to see what Hermione meant, but he couldn't see anything. Annoyed by the inability to spot a single disturbance, Harry sighed and slid his glasses at the point of his nose. He was about to give up, as suddenly he saw little sparks of green fire sprouting out of the ground.
-"That must be Malfoy" he whispered and he slid off the hill on which they were standing, followed by Hermione and a surprised Ron Weasley.
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The journey to the grass fields wasn't as easy as Hermione had expected. Huge roots were sticking as hidden traps underneath the pureness of the snow. Ron fell several times, tasting the coldness of the snow that found a way into his sweater and trousers. He hated this white fury that seemed to attach to him every time he tripped. His red scarf was already wet by the many unpleasant drops. Even Hermione had difficulties standing up. The snow seemed to suck at her boots. More than once, she had to stop and catch her breath. Harry on the other hand marched through the white blanket like he was walking on a straight, smooth road. Something in him was making him stronger than he had every imagined. He was sweating tremendously but he didn't care. The thought of finding that creepy Draco down there was aching in the back of his mind. Finally the three friends reached the end of the slope. Packed up like a couple of eggs in a frying pan, they sat together and looked from underneath the invisibility cloak at the weird scenery that was taking place a few inches away. Malfoy and his two friends Goyle and Crabbe were hysterically dancing around a black cauldron. From underneath it, flames burst out and danced in the icy air until they were swallowed by the clouds above. Their cruel laughter made Harry shiver. He saw how Malfoy put on a heavy, velvet cloak and was spreading his arms, followed by his companions who copied every move Draco made. The three figures dancing around the smoky cauldron made Harry think of witches in the Middle Ages who tried to practise secret spells in the dark woods that separated villages and towns from each other. Attentively Harry listened to the song his archenemy was singing. Malfoy had a clear soprano voice, and it bedazzled Harry completely. Who would ever have guessed that Draco would fit in perfectly in a cathedral's choir? Harry giggled and winked at Hermione, who clearly was thinking the same thought as she showed her white teeth. The lyrics however were nevertheless fitted to be sung in a Cathedral; words of wickedness, as cruel the boy who sang them. Harry felt Ron stiffen as he heard the lines flutter through the nightly sky.
Slytherin, Slytherin as mean as can be
Making malice pour out of me
Filling my heart to the brim with cruelty
Slicing my soul with infinity
Help us to find darkness inside
Show us the will to dominate all life
For Slytherin in heart and bones
Turning soft-spots into stone
Gryffindor is our prey at hand
Make them once and for all understand
That Slytherin embodies this Hogwarts School
It is our black wizardry that rules!
Slytherin, Slytherin, makes us strong
Slytherin, Slytherin, the house to which we belong
Slytherin!
As Malfoy sang his last phrase, he conjured a couple of wands from underneath his cloak. Goyle and Crabbe were looking with big eyes as their friend made a little pirouette and started to run around the black kettle that started to simmer dangerously, changing colour more rapidly as Draco was screaming more intensely. At the highlight of his performance he suddenly stopped and gazed through the damps of the smouldering cauldron at his companions in crime. His evil smile made them scared as they backed up a little. Draco's blond hair was waving on the wind that suddenly began to whistle again through the tree tops. An owl shrieked and flew away. Harry bit his lip. What was Malfoy up to? Nervously he looked at Ron. The red-haired was staring obsessed at the black cauldron that let out thicker fumes than before. Draco bent over the cauldron. A high girlish giggle escaped his throat.
- "It's time we showed who is really the boss at Hogwarts! I, Draco, scion of the great Malfoy-family, will now get rid once and for all of those annoying Gryffindors who made my life so miserably. Once that annoying Potter is here, I will challenge him to a duel!
Harry gasped as he heard his name flow over the lips of his most hated fiend. His hands clamped some snow that instantly melted in his warm palms. Meanwhile, Draco pointed at Goyle and Crabbe. The two comrades slowly approached Draco who impatiently looked at his friends. Once they were in front of him, he threw them two wands. Goyle caught his without trouble. But Crabbe… The poor boy had to dive into the snow to catch the wand, badly bruising his arms. A little stream of blood flowed out of his nose. Goyle helped his friend up his feet again, staring at Malfoy in a scared way. The blond boy was walking towards Crabbe. He is up to something, Harry thought, as he looked repulsed at Malfoy who stopped in front of the bleeding boy. His tiny, white finger slowly touched the boy's lips, which were coloured by the red substance pouring out of his nostrils.
- "What a pitiful waste of good wizard's blood!"
Draco's eyes flickered as he brought his finger to his own mouth and sucked away the blood.
- "How I wished this was Potter's blood!"
Now it was Harry's time to stiffen up. The hatred towards Malfoy was boiling inside his veins. He was ready to stand up and reveal himself, but Hermione could hold him down by pushing with full weight on his shoulders. Goyle suddenly looked their way. Did he notice anything? The boy looked a bit dull at the garden entrance. He nodded and then focused on Draco again, as he ordered Goyle and Crabbe to be ready any second.
- "NOW you can proof yourself as a wizard, my dear boys. I want you to cast a tremendous spell on me!"
For an instant, the two boys stared at Draco who was standing in front of the cauldron, tempting them as he hit his hand harshly against Goyle's cheek. "COME ON, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR" he screamed. Crabbe was the first one to cast a spell. With a loud voice he condemned Draco to turn into a frog, as Goyle wished for Draco to petrify immediately. Harry looked surprised as Hermione was writing the words down a piece of paper she had found inside her pockets. As she saw Harry's face she smiled and murmured that it could come in handy someday. But Harry was more surprised as he saw Crabbe turn into a frog and to see Goyle struck down, totally turned into stone. He heard the high voice of Draco echoing through the garden.
- "It worked!!!! Those stupid Gryffindors won't even know what hit them! My reverse spell worked!"
That was it. Harry couldn't take it any longer. Before Hermione could stop him, he had whooped off the cape. Draco was surprised when he suddenly came eye to eye with his most hated enemy. But the surprised glance quickly was replaced by one of mockery.
- "Well, well, Harry Potter, ready to fight me!"
- "That's right Malfoy. This time I won't spare you!"
- "Boohoo, I quiver with FEAR!"
- You should, because you won't be able to quiver when I'm done with you!
The two archenemies were making circles around the cauldron. Draco snapped his fingers when he saw Hermione and Ron appearing from underneath the invisibility cloak. A purple cloud surrounded the group of youngsters standing in the garden, popping Goyle and Crabbe back to their normal selves. Draco laughed and picked Harry's wand out of his pocket. The black wand was shining mysteriously in the light of the moon, who had won its fight with the dark clouds.
- "Ready for a little magic, Potter!"
- "Nice try Malfoy, but this time, I'll get you with my bare hands."
Harry made his hand into a fist. The collision was huge when it hit Draco's left cheek. Harry even thought he heard something crack. But his sudden reaction was responded by a fist in his stomach. Like a madman, Harry dropped on Malfoy, but the blond boy had seen the sudden danger and had figured out a save landing on the snow. The two enemies were scratching and biting each other, ripping out each other's hair. Blood splattered everywhere as Harry broke Draco's nose. A loud scream echoed through the garden. For a moment Harry stood frozen, seeing Malfoy shake underneath his body as a fish on a hook. This abrupt reaction left Draco time to think. With a clever move he threw Harry of his body and placed his hand on the black-haired boy's throat. Harry felt how he was strangled and tried to escape this horrible death. Helplessly he looked Hermione and Ron, who were struggling with Goyle and Crabbe. It was useless to accept any cooperation of his friends. He felt Draco's warm breath on his cheek. "I'll kill you Potter": he heard him whispering, unleashing a wave of hot air mixed with burning saliva on Harry's face. What should he do? Harry was totally confused. He had underestimated Malfoy's strength. Suddenly Harry slammed his head against Malfoy's. They both screamed of pain.
- "Now it's enough" Draco yelled!
The boy stood up rapidly and took his own wand out of his black cloak. He pointed the white end of it under Harry's chin.
-"Your story ends here!" he giggled.
He looked once more in the brown eyes of Harry. Then his lips slowly started to pronounce a spell which would finish Harry off!
TO BE CONTINUED
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Cliff-hanger? Never heard of that term before :p Anyway thanks for the reviews, and if you are still interested, please do continue!
A new chapter will be up shortly
Thomas xxx