Rebekah sent Hedwig off with a letter. She would be back for the Christmas holidays but she had asked Snape to burn her original copy of her journal. She wanted to keep her tradition up but she wouldn't be able to if she went home. None of the Second year Slytherins were going to stay during the Holidays, save Goyle and Crabbe.
Mrs Malfoy almost forced Draco to not sign the list of names, she would be very angry and would send him to his grandfather's as a punishment. For now, he didn't have a punishment but simply a good warning and a greater lecture when he arrived home for the holidays.
Rebekah wasn't happy, nor were any of the Slytherins for that matter, that Lockhart would be teaching them in the Dueling Club. Snape was also there, his dark presence a warm sight to the Second year Slytherins. None of them could last another lesson listening to Lockhart talking about himself, or one of his 'excellent and thrilling adventures' that he wrote and taught about. They had enough of that and him in his lessons.
"Professor Dumbledore has granted permission to start this Dueling club, to train you in case you ever need to defend yourselves, just as I have done on countless adventures. There are full details in my published works," He smiled widely. "Here is my assistant, Professor Snape. He says that he knows a little bit about duelling and has delightfully agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. None of you worry, you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him!"
"I hope Snape rids us of him instead, completely and utterly rids us of him," Daphne said to the group in a low voice. The rest laughed with a spiteful tone.
"I agree," Rebekah turned her head to the side, flipping her hair back a little. "It wouldn't make any difference if he was here or not, we haven't learnt anything in his lessons anyway. I'm still annoyed about the bone thing."
Snape's lip curled bitterly, displaying his hatred of the man. Any sane person would cower and run away from the display of malice.
Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed. Lockhart did a low bow with a twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head in a nod. They raised their wands, like a knight would a sword, in front of them.
"As you all can see, we're holding our wands in the correct position. On three, we will cast our first spells. No one will aim to kill, you all need us, and I hope you all would be sad at our demise."
They swung their wands upwards, pointing the magical device at their opponent. Snape cry of "EXPELLIARMUS!" resulted in a dazzling scarlet light and Lockhart being blasted off his feet. He was sent backwards off the stage, smashing into the wall, and sliding down to sprawl on the floor, like a puppet not in use.
The Slytherins cheered loudly, "WAAAAAY!" It was the best thing they saw all year, and it was even better that their Head of House did it.
"The Disarming spell," He said, getting back onto the platform. " As you can see, I've lost my wand. What an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape! But if you don't mind me, it was obvious what you were about to do. If I'd wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy, but I felt it would be instructive to let them see what could happen today."
Snape obviously minded, if his death stare was anything to go by. Lockhart saw, gulped and then decided that it was enough demonstrating. Rebekah hoped to be paired with one of the Ravenclaws or Slytherins; she might have a partner that could challenge her. She was paired with Draco, at least she could do what she wanted without getting in some trouble.
Rebekah slipped her robes off, leaving her in her white shirt, tie and trousers. She pulled her hair back into a low ponytail with a flicker of her fingers towards the base of her neck, Daphne grabbed the robe before it could fall onto the floor, taking everyone's and placing them to the side. She wasn't the duelling type.
"Face your partners and bow!"
Rebekah didn't even nod, straight away getting in the offensive stance. The two did not take their eyes off each other.
"Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents. One . . . two . . . three —"
At Two, Rebekah slashed her wand downwards, projecting a shield, and Draco yelled, "RICTUSEMPRA!" A jet of silver light came from his wand, hitting the shield and dispersing quickly.
"Well done, Miss Potter. Much like myself, she was able to interpret her opponent's moves, quickly defending herself with a shield," Lockhart said as he watched the exchange.
Snape was behind Rebekah, watching over the duel. "Do not show fear, hit with intent. But I suggest you stop and think, do you really want everything to know that you can do wordless magic? At least mouth them."
"Alright, thanks, Professor," Rebekah said, taking her foot back as Draco sent another spell towards her. She dodged out of the way, shouting, "TARANTALLEGRA!", then she said, "Like that?"
She chuckled as Draco danced, he tried to stay upright and failed, falling onto his bum and back. She was still very hurt by what he had said months ago. Draco was shunned by the whole group still, until Rebekah forgave him. He had been forced to hang out with Crabbe and Goyle, as they were the only ones who were dim enough to accept him.
"Stop. Stop!" Lockhart said. But he was too slow. Snape went into Professor mode, after chuckling at the hilarious sight.
"FINITE INCANTATEM!" He shouted, reversing the spell and stopping it.
There was a pause in their duel, Rebekah overlooked the rest of the duels around her. A haze of greenish smoke hovered. Most of the other duels also stopped, mostly because they were hurt and needed to rest. Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode still moved. Bulstrode had her by the head in a headlock, making Hermione whimper in pain. Their wands were forgotten on the floor.
"Bulstrode, be careful with her!" Rebekah yelled at the girl. Bulstrode stopped and dropped Hermione at Rebekah's glare, nodding.
"I'd better teach you how to block spells," Lockhart said. "Let's have a volunteer pair, what about Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley,"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," Snape snided his next words. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left up to the hospital wing in a small bottle."
Longbottom's round face went pink as the Slytherins laughed, gaining glares from many of the students.
"How about Mr Malfoy and Miss Potter?" Snape said with a twisted smile, matching the two students as he spoke. She nodded eagerly and smiled brightly at Lockhart. She watched as everyone moved away, cautious.
"Excellent idea!" Lockhart said. "When Malfoy points his wand at you, you do this."
He had a mishap with his wand, doing the completely wrong thing and made Rebekah step back. She still smiled bright, she already knew what was going to happen. Snape moved closer to Draco. Snape whispered something, Draco smiled in surprise then in mischief.
"You're going down, Potter. You'll regret humiliating me."
"Just wait and see then," Rebekah looked up to Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking spell again?"
He smiled. "Just do what I did, Rebekah!"
"What? Lose control of my wand and drop it?" Rebekah whispered, then said louder, "I would prefer it if you called me Miss Potter,"
He wasn't even listening.
Pathetic.
"Scared, Potter?" Draco said as they both raised their wands.
"Three, two, one — go!" Lockhart shouted.
Rebekah bared her teeth in anger at being threatened. "You wish!"
Draco jerked his wand quickly and yelled, "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded with white light, and from that white light came a long black snake. It fell between Draco and Rebekah, raising itself and ready to strike. People screamed and moved away even more.
"No one move," Snape said to the group.
"Allow me!" Lockhart moved his wand to point at the snake.
BANG!
The snake didn't disappear, it went up several feet and fell back, hissing violently. It slithered to the closest person, Finch-Fletchley, raising itself and exposing its fangs. The snake was ready to strike.
Rebekah had this instinct to move, to run, to take the serpent and get it away from these horrible people that wished it harm. She had to swallow that instinct and allow saner thoughts through, she needed a way to get the snake before it attacked and was killed.
Everyone watched as Rebekah strode over to the snake, stopping two metres away and bowed her head. She locked her eyes with the creature, and whispered, "Come here, darling serpent, I won't hurt you like they would. See? I can speak your tongue."
"Speaker, I have never met a speaker before this fool took me from my glorious home," The black snake slithered over to Rebekah as she placed her palm on the floor, it slowly twirled its body around her arm, resting at her right shoulder. "It is pleasant to see someone like you, it has been too long since the last has tried to speak and fail miserably."
She stroked its head with her free hand, the pentagon-shaped cufflinks shone with a certain pride as the light cascaded off of the Potter crest. Rebekah smiled as she flicked her wand outwards, shouting "EXPELLIARMUS!", and then swished it upwards and then down, saying "LOCOMOTOR WIBBLY!"
Draco's wand flew to the side, hitting the wall. He collapsed as the wand fell to the floor, falling onto his knees and then onto his chest. The group of students didn't move, only muttered under their breaths as Rebekah stood there, baring her teeth in triumphant pride. She bowed at her waist slightly, leaving the arm entwined with the serpent out and her right bent in, placing her wand away.
"How was that for me 'going down' as you say it?" Rebekah began to walk forward. Draco thought it was to get closer to him, but in fact, it was because Rebekah had to ask Snape something before the lesson finished. "Professor, can I keep this serpent? They've behaved so well so far, It would be a shame to waste magic to send them back."
"It's a snake!" Lockhart said, coming to them. "Sweet, sweet Rebekah, you should know that snakes are not pets. They're too dangerous!"
"I wasn't talking to you, Lockhart, I was speaking to my Head of House," Rebekah's smile dropped suddenly, her eyes, once electric green, turned Avada Kedavra green. "What I do does not have anything to do with you. After all, you'll be gone by the end of the year."
"We'll see the Headmaster about it, come," Snape said and dismissed the whole room.
Rebekah hissed to the snake as she passed Draco, he gave her a very wary look and sneered. The snake snapped its fang at him but Rebekah acted like nothing happened.
She wasn't a good enemy to have for one's health, or status, or reputation.
Now the whole school would know that she was a Parselmouth, it couldn't be helped but it would make things interesting in the coming weeks. She was left to her own devices if her group of friends weren't with her. No one bothered her anymore in the library, none of the other Houses asked her if she would help them with their school work.