Disclaimer; I didn't write the Harry Potter books and all those characters
belong to JK Rowling.
Chapter 8
Ginny lay sprawled across her comfortable four poster bed counting the loose threads as she chatted to her elder brothers. "So, what do you think?" she questioned "About what?" returned George. "The whole duelling contest! What else would I be talking about?" she cried exasperated. "Oh, that," said George waving it aside regally, "We will win, of course, simple as that." Ginny frowned as she pushed her long red hair aside, "I think Draco's up to something, he keeps giving me sly smiles in the corridor, and Crabbe and Goyle do too." She shuddered at the thought of their ugly ape-like grimaces. "Up to something!" cried Fred hotly, "Of course he is. He's a Slytherin. Slytherin equals nasty planning schemes. They are bound to have worked out some elaborate plan. The point is Ginny darling, it won't be as good as the one we have come up with. Remember we do have the brains of Britain on our side." She rolled over, ignoring them. No matter what people kept telling her she felt sure that Draco was planning something and the Gryfindors were being so cock sure of themselves they were bound to miss some vital point.
"You never know, maybe the slimeball fancies you!" joked Fred punching her gently and laughing at his own joke.
Jezebel and Amanda stalked into the Slytherin common room. There was more cheer in the fiery pits of Hell, then in their spirits. Amanda flopped onto her bed and tried for the umpteenth time to play her CDs. No matter how many times the others told her that muggle electric things wouldn't work at Hogwarts she pointedly ignored them, and still the Red Hot Chilli Peppers were not making a sound. Draco and his cronies moved slightly further away, she may have been in his house, but he was still convincing everyone that Muggles, like her, were nothing but Mudbloods. Come on she wasn't even good at potions! (the mark of a true Slytherin) Draco gave her another of his (he thought) threatening and scary glances and carried on reading, 'Simple spells for simple people -a guide to duelling' (aptly titled) It included detailed pictures of young wizards waving wands about. Actually this was what Crabbe's father had bought for him on receiving the owl with news that his son had been picked. Draco was reading it whilst making sarcastic comments about how many dustmites were crawling inside the empty space between his ears. This all was down to one thing: The Slytherins were all miserable, sorrowful and sunk into despair.
It had begun a few days ago, not with the Gryfindors, with the Ravenclaws. They were flashing around their new highly sophisticated duelling books and talking endlessly about no matter what the Slytherins did-they could not win. At first very few had been bothered, just pure Ravenclaw-like boasts. Then the Hufflepuffs had joined in. Now this was peculiar, the Huflepuffs were not normally regarded for their boastful manner, yet here they were as proud as peacocks. Once the Gryfindors joined in the Slytherins began to discover that the classes they shared were becoming unbearable. "How are your duelling skills coming Crabbe and Goyle?" they taunted. "Ah! Crabbe, but wait, part of you is missing I can't see your Siamese twin anywhere- he must be looking for his brain." They even dared tease Draco, "Shame that your father can't buy you a genius mind, pulling the same trick as on that seeker deal. In fact Draco had done a lot of revision, he had revised many spells and practised with Pansy often, so he had been fairly confident. One evening Snape had done a prep talk with them about not obeying the rules, As if he needed to be told to cheat. Cheating was a main part of he duelled. Not obviously of course as Dumbledore would be watching, he was clever enough to work that out. No matter what he said the other houses seemed so confident that the nervousness was breaking in to all the Slytherins. Losing was not in their nature.
Back in the Gryfindor common room the contesters sat up in bed talking full of unsatisfied worries. Gemma was polishing her wand for the last time so that it gleamed like a topaz in the moonlight. Harry yawned and groaned, "I'm going to bed now, I need some energy for tomorrow." Ron's mouth became an 'O' like an astonished goldfish, staring at his friend, "To bed? On an exciting night like this? It's only nine o' clock!" "If I don't go to bed my reflexes will not be as quick for the duel," sighed Harry as one teaching a small child. "I think I will join you," agreed Hermione, and was then followed by Ruth and Gemma. Ron lay on his own and drew the curtains around himself after receiving a chaste and loving good night kiss from Vixie Pixie. "Good luck everyone," was the last cry they heard before waking on the dreaded day of the duels.
The staff room late at night was normally a fairly friendly place, the teachers had their differences, but the chance to relax forced them to be forgotten. However the atmosphere tonight was tense and bitter. Dumbledore was the only one who remained with a twinkle in his eye. Although Lee Jordan had his bookings taken off him the bets among the adults were still taking place. "Harry to win his duel, but Gryfindor to come second," was Flitwick's cry. "Slytherin to win overall and Ravenclaw second," was Snape's. Yet there were more complicated bettings; "Hannah to lose against Draco, but Draco cheats and is disqualified, so Hannah wins." The butterbeer lay untouched and cold in their mugs, for the professors were too busy. Worry's and fears, bets and boasts, but throughout Hogwarts the highest feeling was anticipation.
Authors Note; Waaaaah! Just had to cope with the insane misery that goes by the name of SATs!!!! Evil higher Maths paper!!!!! I know nothing about inequalities or loci!!! At least I should have done OK on my English exam! Guess what? On Saturday I am going to see thebandwithnoname and YFRIDAY at Alton Towers again! Is anyone else on ff going? This chapter is just everyone waiting with high strung nerves for the duel, which is why I called it Anticipation. (duh!) Next comes the duels, who will win? What is the Gryfindors great plan? Are the Slytherins up to something as Ginny seems to think? Nah, now you have to wait at the climax!
Chapter 8
Ginny lay sprawled across her comfortable four poster bed counting the loose threads as she chatted to her elder brothers. "So, what do you think?" she questioned "About what?" returned George. "The whole duelling contest! What else would I be talking about?" she cried exasperated. "Oh, that," said George waving it aside regally, "We will win, of course, simple as that." Ginny frowned as she pushed her long red hair aside, "I think Draco's up to something, he keeps giving me sly smiles in the corridor, and Crabbe and Goyle do too." She shuddered at the thought of their ugly ape-like grimaces. "Up to something!" cried Fred hotly, "Of course he is. He's a Slytherin. Slytherin equals nasty planning schemes. They are bound to have worked out some elaborate plan. The point is Ginny darling, it won't be as good as the one we have come up with. Remember we do have the brains of Britain on our side." She rolled over, ignoring them. No matter what people kept telling her she felt sure that Draco was planning something and the Gryfindors were being so cock sure of themselves they were bound to miss some vital point.
"You never know, maybe the slimeball fancies you!" joked Fred punching her gently and laughing at his own joke.
Jezebel and Amanda stalked into the Slytherin common room. There was more cheer in the fiery pits of Hell, then in their spirits. Amanda flopped onto her bed and tried for the umpteenth time to play her CDs. No matter how many times the others told her that muggle electric things wouldn't work at Hogwarts she pointedly ignored them, and still the Red Hot Chilli Peppers were not making a sound. Draco and his cronies moved slightly further away, she may have been in his house, but he was still convincing everyone that Muggles, like her, were nothing but Mudbloods. Come on she wasn't even good at potions! (the mark of a true Slytherin) Draco gave her another of his (he thought) threatening and scary glances and carried on reading, 'Simple spells for simple people -a guide to duelling' (aptly titled) It included detailed pictures of young wizards waving wands about. Actually this was what Crabbe's father had bought for him on receiving the owl with news that his son had been picked. Draco was reading it whilst making sarcastic comments about how many dustmites were crawling inside the empty space between his ears. This all was down to one thing: The Slytherins were all miserable, sorrowful and sunk into despair.
It had begun a few days ago, not with the Gryfindors, with the Ravenclaws. They were flashing around their new highly sophisticated duelling books and talking endlessly about no matter what the Slytherins did-they could not win. At first very few had been bothered, just pure Ravenclaw-like boasts. Then the Hufflepuffs had joined in. Now this was peculiar, the Huflepuffs were not normally regarded for their boastful manner, yet here they were as proud as peacocks. Once the Gryfindors joined in the Slytherins began to discover that the classes they shared were becoming unbearable. "How are your duelling skills coming Crabbe and Goyle?" they taunted. "Ah! Crabbe, but wait, part of you is missing I can't see your Siamese twin anywhere- he must be looking for his brain." They even dared tease Draco, "Shame that your father can't buy you a genius mind, pulling the same trick as on that seeker deal. In fact Draco had done a lot of revision, he had revised many spells and practised with Pansy often, so he had been fairly confident. One evening Snape had done a prep talk with them about not obeying the rules, As if he needed to be told to cheat. Cheating was a main part of he duelled. Not obviously of course as Dumbledore would be watching, he was clever enough to work that out. No matter what he said the other houses seemed so confident that the nervousness was breaking in to all the Slytherins. Losing was not in their nature.
Back in the Gryfindor common room the contesters sat up in bed talking full of unsatisfied worries. Gemma was polishing her wand for the last time so that it gleamed like a topaz in the moonlight. Harry yawned and groaned, "I'm going to bed now, I need some energy for tomorrow." Ron's mouth became an 'O' like an astonished goldfish, staring at his friend, "To bed? On an exciting night like this? It's only nine o' clock!" "If I don't go to bed my reflexes will not be as quick for the duel," sighed Harry as one teaching a small child. "I think I will join you," agreed Hermione, and was then followed by Ruth and Gemma. Ron lay on his own and drew the curtains around himself after receiving a chaste and loving good night kiss from Vixie Pixie. "Good luck everyone," was the last cry they heard before waking on the dreaded day of the duels.
The staff room late at night was normally a fairly friendly place, the teachers had their differences, but the chance to relax forced them to be forgotten. However the atmosphere tonight was tense and bitter. Dumbledore was the only one who remained with a twinkle in his eye. Although Lee Jordan had his bookings taken off him the bets among the adults were still taking place. "Harry to win his duel, but Gryfindor to come second," was Flitwick's cry. "Slytherin to win overall and Ravenclaw second," was Snape's. Yet there were more complicated bettings; "Hannah to lose against Draco, but Draco cheats and is disqualified, so Hannah wins." The butterbeer lay untouched and cold in their mugs, for the professors were too busy. Worry's and fears, bets and boasts, but throughout Hogwarts the highest feeling was anticipation.
Authors Note; Waaaaah! Just had to cope with the insane misery that goes by the name of SATs!!!! Evil higher Maths paper!!!!! I know nothing about inequalities or loci!!! At least I should have done OK on my English exam! Guess what? On Saturday I am going to see thebandwithnoname and YFRIDAY at Alton Towers again! Is anyone else on ff going? This chapter is just everyone waiting with high strung nerves for the duel, which is why I called it Anticipation. (duh!) Next comes the duels, who will win? What is the Gryfindors great plan? Are the Slytherins up to something as Ginny seems to think? Nah, now you have to wait at the climax!