Updated: Wednesday 9th March 2005

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Forty Four: The Duel

The prank had gone as planned. Ernst and his complete klutz of a older brother (who had in fact been expelled from Durmstrang, not graduated) fell right into the trap. Remus had collected Estella from Hogwarts Friday afternoon as was the norm, thus establishing her alibi, and the pair had rushed off to the Shrieking Shack to prepare.

Harry, of course, had no idea he had been implicated in their plan for he was not really needed. Estella wasn't really going to duel anyone. It was hardly the Marauder way to do exactly what you said you were going to do. Instead, Godfather and child whittled the time they spent waiting for their party guests to show up by lying in the backyard of the Shrieking Shack stargazing. It was an unspoken agreement that they wouldn't go inside.

Too many memories.

If not for the plausible cover that the shack was off Ministry radar (Remus insisted it was actually true; thus enacting Marauder Rule number 3: Always inject a truth into your façade.) they would not have gone there at all. However, desperate times called for desperate measures.

The plan was simple. Ernst and his second were to turn up for the duel to see Estella alone and without the infamous Harry Potter as her second. Ernst would then predictably start teasing her about it, upon which time Estella would strike. With Remus' help (as he stood in the shadows whispering spells), Estella would have her foes convinced that they were standing on unstable magical ground.

Muggle literature could prove to be so inspirational.

In the moments that were to follow, Ernst and his brother had been subjected to scenes and scenarios from the likes of Pinocchio and Alice in Wonderland. Being of staunchly pureblood lines, they had no clue as to what was really going on, and believed everything they were experiencing. As such, they didn't hesitate in grovelling for Estella's help when they saw she held the upper hand.

Everything was going perfectly. She had them grovelling at her feet in all their transfigured fairy tale character glory and was just about to show them the polaroid photos Remus had taken of them in such ridiculous garb and tell them the Muggle significance (effectively blackmailing them into submission) when the unexpected happened. None other than Severus Snape turned up.

They had forgotten that a particular favourable batch of nightshade grew wildly in the Shrieking Shack's garden and Severus habitually chose to harvest the plant when he didn't have his niece in his quarters.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here?" Severus bellowed as he saw his niece the last place he'd ever expect her to be.

Estella looked at him innocently, then looked to the strangely dressed boys before her, her mind working into overdrive. "Oh no!" She said to her cohorts. "Boggart! Draw your wands!"

The boys stared from Estella to a seething potions master incredulously. "Are you sure its not really your uncle?" One of them said quietly.

"Why, when Boggarts are notorious for dark places such as this?" Estella asked. "Tell me, boys, what was your deepest fear in coming here? Let me guess, it was getting caught. Am I right?"

The boys nodded slowly, realisation coming to them.

"Well, point your wand at the boggart and say the following spell: 'Riddikulus'"

"Riddikulus!" Both boys screamed at Severus, who was becoming secretly intrigued by his niece's insubordination.

"Boo!" Severus said bemusedly as the boys stared at his unchanged form in shock.

"Uh, Black…" The shorter one said. "I, er, really think he's really your Uncle."

Estella laughed. "Of course he's really my uncle!" She revealed, smirking, her arms crossed over her chest as she tapped her wand on her chin. "It was absolutely ridiculous for you to believe otherwise!"

"I knew it was not a real spell." The older boy said defensively.

"Oh I do assure you it is the correct spell to confuse a real Boggart." Severus drawled boorishly as he too stood there with his arms crossed over his chest. "I can arrange a demonstration if you so desire to see your greatest fear up close and personal. My dungeons are seething with Boggarts. Isn't that right, Estella?"

Estella nodded fiercely. "I find one every other day in my closet or under my bed. That's why I learnt the charm."

OK, so she had an encounter with a Boggart in her bedroom once. And she had been too busy running away to incant anything, let alone learn a charm. She only knew of the spell from example. She'd never cast it.

"Anyway, I thought you graduated from Durmstrang!" Estella sneered, looking at Ernst's older brother. "Didn't they teach you anything? Boggarts are third year material!"

The boys gaped at her, flabbergasted.

"Oh sod off," she said eventually, boring of the game. "I don't know why I let myself get so worked up over the likes of you. You're both pathetically gullible and stupid!"

She held up two Muggle story books, showing them the pictures and revelling in the realisations that were beginning to hit home in the boy's eyes. "Good thing you're off to Durmstrang next year, Ernst. You wouldn't last five minutes in Hogwarts." Then, waving a few photos, she smiled wistfully. "At least I will always have this night to remember… and these photos."

The boys looked at her, duped. "Why you… you… you…"

Estella raised an eyebrow and glared at the boys. "Go on, I dare you." She begged.

"You're not worth it." Ernst said snootily, eyeing Severus warily. "C'mon bro, let's get out of here."

With that, the boys left. Estella looked forebodingly at her Uncle. "Hallo, Uncle Sev." She said conversationally. "Fancy, er, bumping into you here."

"Indeed." Severus replied shortly, raising his eyebrow expectantly. "Care to explain?"

End Chapter: The Duel