Chapter 20

The Duelling Club

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Professor Fox brought his class to the Great Hall. He had promised the students that once Christmas was over they would start some basic duelling just like Lockhart had tried in Second Year. That was how Harry discovered he was a Parseltongue and the school had thought he was the Heir of Slytherin.

Professor Trelawney's prediction for Neville and some other students getting the flu in January came true. Neville was feeling miserable and after his fifth sneeze in two seconds and uncontrollable coughing he was sent to the hospital wing and told to rest.

This slightly unnerved Ron and turning to Harry said,

"Harry, can you remember Trelawney predicted that."

"Ron" Harry sighed, "Who doesn't get the flu in January? Nothing that woman ever says comes true, now come on Hermione is waiting for us."

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"Afternoon class" Fox started. "I need you divide up into pairs. Now before you all select your own partners, I know the Gryffindors will stay together and the Slytherins like wise, I have a list here already of who will be paired with who"

As the students groaned they didn't notice Snape walking into the hall.

"Ah, Professor Snape, welcome. We were just getting started" Fox said smiling at the Potions teacher.

"What's he doing here?" Ron whispered to Harry

"No idea, probably here to watch his Slytherins and gloat" Harry replied never taking his eyes off the dark haired teacher.

The boys' conversation was interrupted when they heard,

"Ron Weasley, you will partner with Gregory Goyle"

"Goyle" Ron repeated with a horrified look on his face, Goyle smiled an evil smile at Ron and cracked his knuckles.

"Good luck" Harry whispered.

"Hermione Granger" Fox continued, "You will pair up with Pansy Parkinson."

Hermione sighed and saying goodbye to Harry she wend and joined Pansy. Dean was paired with Crabbe and Seamus got Nott.

As the two houses merged the number of students not paired was decreasing rapidly.

"Draco Malfoy" Fox called out

Harry's heart beat got faster. He hoped that the Professor would spare him and for once put Malfoy with someone else.

"You were paired with Mr. Longbottom, but unfortunately he's not well, so we will see at the end if we have an odd number."

Harry sighed a breath of relief, it wasn't that he didn't want to duel against Malfoy; it was that he didn't feel the best and he thought maybe he was getting Neville's flu after all. He didn't need Malfoy taking advantage of this.

The numbers became less Harry started to count the remaining Slytherins against the remaining Gryffindors, he noticed they also were missing a student.

"Harry Potter" Fox's voice called, "I have been informed that your partner is currently in the hospital wing after an encounter with one of Hagrid's odd creatures. So you will partner with Mr. Malfoy"

Harry's heart dropped what rotten luck. He looked at Snape who had a slight grin on his face and then looking at his friends he saw Ron giving him a concerned look and then mouthing "Good Luck." Nodding his head confidently Harry walked over to Malfoy.

The two boys stood face to face wands raised. Malfoy knew that Cho had started to double the dosage and he knew Harry wasn't in full health. All you had to do was look into the boy's eyes and you could tell something wasn't right; the bright green sparkle looked tired and drained. Malfoy didn't want anyone becoming suspicious so he wasn't going to use too much force. He knew that the more poison Harry took the weaker he would become, and at this stage he had been taking it unawares since November.

Watching Harry coughing slightly Malfoy grinned to himself, it was only going to be a matter of time before the Boy-who-lived would be brought down. Whispering an undo spell he opened Harry's shoe lace.

"You're lace is undone Potter" he said smiling a concerned smile. "Can't have you trip"

As Harry bent down to fix it Malfoy opened a small vial and applied a small amount of the potion on to his fingers. Rubbing his hands together pretending he was cold when he was finished, in case anyone saw.

"We're all friends here so everyone shake hands and then wands at the ready" Fox called out to the group of students. We'll start with the disarming spell and in case you have forgotten its Expelliarmus. Now one at a time."

Malfoy grinned. He gave his hand to Harry.

"This doesn't change anything Potter but as we all have to do it"

Harry took Malfoy's hand and shook it. Malfoy kept the hand for a few minutes longer until Harry forcefully removed it from Malfoy's clasp. Pretending to sneeze into his hand Malfoy produced a handkerchief from his robes and wiped his hands and whispering a cleaning spell under his breath he made sure the poison was cleaned off his hands.

The spells started firing backwards and forwards.

Malfoy sneered, "Disarming is kids stuff. Father showed me that when I was three!"

Malfoy was interrupted by Fox saying,"Mr Malfoy, Mr Potter, do we have a problem? I don't see any spell casting or disarming going on between the two of you"

"Sorry Sir" Harry replied, "We were just getting started"

To answer his Professor Harry had to turn his back to Malfoy and Malfoy took full advantage. Harry wasn't ready for the first blow to hit him and he fell forward from the impact as his wand flew out of his hand.

"First rule of combat Potter" Snape sneered, "Never turn your back on your opponent"

"Good advice, Professor Snape" Fox said grinning, then addressing the whole class. "Mr Malfoy has demonstrated a valuable lesson to Mr Potter; remember at all times never leave your back unguarded. Stand to the side so you can see both front and back from the corner of your eye. Everyone carry on, you okay Mr Potter?"

Harry picked himself off the floor and rubbed his knees that had landed on the hard floor. How could he have been so stupid leaving his back wide open but then he never thought Malfoy would attack when another student was talking to a teacher but this was Malfoy he was referring to. He swore to himself for being so stupid.

"So you and Cho?" Malfoy asked raising his eyebrow

"Leave her alone!" Harry replied with anger in his eyes

"Oooh! Possessive aren't we Potter. I really think she could do so much better"

"I said leave her alone" Harry spat

"Relax Potter; I'm not interested in used goods"

Harry flew at Malfoy wand raised.

"Take that back Malfoy, or I'll hex you so badly Madam Pomfrey won't be able to help you"

"As I recall, you're the only one with your own bed in the hospital wing Potter" Malfoy responded.

At this stage the class had started to notice they stopped what they were doing and watched the two rivals shouting at each other. Professor Fox went to say something but Snape quickly whispered to the man and Fox changed his mind.

Harry raised his wand and pointed it once more at Malfoy shouting,

"Expelliarmus"

Malfoy blocked the spell but his aim was slightly off due to the forcefulness of Harry's shot. The spells continued back and forth, both boys ducking and blocking each others curses and counter curses. Rays of coloured light coming from either wand.

"Protego" Harry shouted as a ray of blue light came towards him.

The previous shot had hit him and the impact had dazed him. His blocking spell wasn't that strong but it gave him a few minutes to gather himself. His back from the landing on the floor hurt and his wand was beginning to feel very light in his hand.

"Stupefy" he shouted

His blocking spell vanished but his aim was off because he was concentrating on his wand. It felt like one of Dudley's toys that worked with batteries but the batteries were nearly gone, it still worked but not as efficiently and the spell was quite weak.

"Is that the best you can do Scarhead?" Malfoy laughed

Harry raised his wand once more and took a step back but he suddenly felt afraid. He was seeing two of Malfoy as if he had crossed his eyes, he started to sweat and as he raised his wand he forgot what he was going to say. His head was spinning and Malfoy was swimming in and out of focus. Malfoy saw Harry was struggling and with full force shouted a curse that Harry didn't catch.

He was wide open and the blast hit him full force in the chest. Once more he collided with the ground but this time he hit the back of his head off the hard floor and everything went black.

"Harry" Hermione cried as herself and Ron went to run over to him.

"SILENCE" Snape shouted. "You will all return to your common rooms. I will deal with Mr Potter. Mr Malfoy" he said lowering his voice, "Please wait for me in my classroom"

As the students left the hall Fox turned to Snape.

"The boy is out cold Severus, I think it's from banging his head, but did you notice how he hesitated before he went to take his shot"

"Potter is too careful for his own good, always hesitating. Malfoy just took advantage of the situation like any normal duel"

Snape had seen Harry wait and had his own suspicions from the way Harry was acting but Snape wasn't going to show Fox this.

"I'll deal with my student" he said sharply, "but if Potter can't handle himself in a basic supervised duelling club then we have a problem"

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Snape left through a side door as Madam Pomfrey entered through the main one. He didn't go straight to his classroom he turned up to Dumbledore's office.

"And you say Harry looked disorientated Severus?" Dumbledore asked from behind his desk.

"Yes Headmaster" Snape replied, "He had been hit earlier by Malfoy but had returned with a good clear shot but something wasn't right. He kept looking at his wand arm and to his wand"

"His wand?" McGonagall repeated just to confirm she had heard him correctly

"Yes his wand, it was like he knew something wasn't right with it, but Malfoy doesn't know any magic that could affect someone's wand" Snape said

"Ah, but we don't know what exactly Mr Malfoy has been shown by his Father"

"This is true Minerva" Dumbledore spoke, "but I think Severus and Claude would recognise Dark Magic. Where is Mr Malfoy now?"

"He's waiting for me in my classroom" Snape replied as he headed for the door

"Good, just ask the boy to explain what he did and what happened"

"I do know how to handle my students and especially if their Surname is Malfoy. Potter is in the hospital wing, that boy should have his own bed there at this stage"

Snape left the Headmaster laughing as he headed for his classroom.

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End of chapter