I am horrible with scheduling.
...
Rodrick watched on passively as Harry and Draco continuously and amusingly failed to get the upper hand over each other. They were currently in the middle of another duel that looked to end in a draw.
After the first duel they'd managed to draw out for over 15 minutes, he decided to set a time limit.
His smaller then usual group had been meeting in this particular classroom for weeks in order to 'practice.' Nott and Blaise were resting at opposite walls, Blaise on Harry's side and Nott on Draco's. He couldn't really trust Nott not to interfere with Harry in any way.
Both of them had duelled before the one going on in front of him.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry suddenly shot of his signature spell. Only to be dully rebound by Draco's.
They weren't allowed to use any lethal spells. It was mostly to get them moving about more but both of them seemed stuck in the habit of standing still. Honestly a Protego could only do so much.
Blaise and Nott had managed to get it quickly, or likely had prior experience. Which was why he'd been pitting them agaisnt each other.
If he had to rank them, he'd put Nott at the top followed by Blaise. Harry and Draco were currently equal. Draco had started improv-
"Serpensortia!" Draco made the same mistake for the third time in a row.
'Well, never mind.'
Using a snake against Parseltongue.
'Honestly,' Rodrick shook his head.
Draco had at first been Harry's better, though that had evened out with time. Harry was a rather quick learner. He intended to put him up against Nott the moment he started regularly winning against Draco. Not that the Malfoy was bad... Harry was just faster at adapting. Though he also tended to make really stupid decisi-
"Expecto Patronum!"
Rodrick sighed. Harry refused to budge on not using that move as a distraction, citing the fact it worked on him made it worthwhile.
Draco soundly replied with a fire spell.
'Hopefully that'll teach him.'
"Enough!" Rodrick suddenly called out before Malfoy accidentally barbecued Hogwart's other champion. "Another draw," He added on dryly.
They spent about an hour, sometimes two, a day here. McGonogall had been more then supportive of the idea. Mostly for Harry's sake. Draco and the others jumped on quickly after that.
"I can keep going!" Harry replied indigently, while Malfoy took in a breather.
"Sure, up to go against me?" Rodrick questioned with a smile.
Just as always, he deflated quickly. Rodrick snorted before quickly returning all the tables back to their place.
"So where'd I mess up that time?"
It didn't matter who asked it, at least one always did.
"Where do I even begin?" He sighed as he turned to Harry.
...
Usually after having them go through a few rounds with each other, he'd have the four of them go against him. Which was unfair for either side. Mostly because they kept on banning certain spells after they proved too effective. And, of course, he kept on cheating.
After the first time he used an Imperius to take control over one of them, they'd unanimously banned it. Then he started going invisibile and proceeded to get that banned as well.
To put it bluntly, they kept on banning anything that remotely gave him an advantage. Sure it got harder and harder to fight but...
And this was the biggest issue each of them seemed to hav-
"Actually, can we duel you again?" Harry suddenly questioned.
He could see Nott pale somewhat at the thought, which was oddly funny. Nott was the best out of the four of them, if anything, he was likely as good as Diggory. And he'd managed to hold off three Slytherins a year above him.
"Alright then," Rodrick smiled as he got up and proceeded to, once again, move all of the furniture out of the way. Didn't want them burning again. No he didn't use fiendfyre... Not that he wasn't tempted. Harry had ended that particular duel and banned it the moment he'd started considering it. How he'd known, Rodrick still hadn't figured out.
The others all got into position, making a square around him. Good enough tactic, rarely ever worked due to friendly fire. They were far from been in sync with each other. Still, funnily enough, Draco and Harry worked rather well when it was just the two of them.
"Remember, no Phoenix magic!" Blaise called out.
"Or Unforgivables..." Nott added on. The Imperius really had caught him completely off-guard.
"No invisibility!" Blaise added on.
"Flying," They started listing things...
This was, all in all, routine.
"Incarcerous."
"Fiendfyre!" Harry suddenly yelled off.
Rodrick rolled his eyes, "Are you done?"
The four glanced at each other. Draco sneered at Harry.
'Maybe he could use that...' Rodrick thought with a sudden smile.
"No Confundus"
"Oh screw you," Rodrick sneered at Harry, earning a grin. 'How the hell did he know?'
"Ready?" Rodrick asked with returned determination.
Harry pursed his lips for a second before nodding once.
"3... 2... 1!" Blaise helpfully offered the countdown.
He turned all four them into Guinea pigs.
...
"We forgot Transfiguration... Why do we always forget Transfiguration?" Nott asked with a sigh.
"Because, we just assume Phoenix magic covers it..." Harry sent him a mock-glare.
It didn't.
That was generally how a third of he duels between him and them usually went, though when they did remember to stop him from using it... It was certainly strainful enough. Rodrick didn't win all of them, but he certainly didn't lose enough for it to be called fair. Or for them to be remotely happy about the whole thing.
The biggest reason wasn't power or skill. The biggest one was because they refused to everything they knew, no, they only used what they thought counted as a duelling spell. Which limited them far too much. Though Harry certainly seemed to pick up on it, with his sudden and more consistent usage of a Patronus as a distraction.
It wasn't a bad idea, he just found it extremely annoying.
Before anyone could add anything else, there was a sudden knock at the door.
Rodrick blinked as he turned, the door was of course locked, though the window certainly let him see through it. Only he made sure it was one way. He wasn't under Human Transfiguration. Seeing Blonde Hair, he smiled knowing it was Luna.
He cast off the spell anyway. There were two chords showing up.
"Lovegood?" Malfoy asked with a frown before his eyes fell on what Rodrick assumed was a first year Ravenclaw.
"Yes, Luna?"
Luna eyed the others for a moment before shrugging and using her wand to call one of the chairs towards her.
"Summonin-" Draco started, wide-eyed, and Rodrick promptly put all four of them under a silencing charm.
He was amused to see Harry smack Malfoy over the head for it. Before it could escalate further, he stunned both of them.
"Congratulations on mastering Summoning," Rodrick turned back and smiled at the girl.
Luna grinned before calling another chair for her friend.
Rodrick decided to set everything back in order.
"So what can I do for you and your friend?"
"Ah, well..." Luna started as she reached into her own bag, taking out a first-year book.
...
The first year; Helen Dawlish, had been having some problems with some of her classmates. Now, a student usually went to their head of house but... She'd went to Luna, because Luna was rather well known for her interactions with him. And of course the fact it involved two Slytherins.
"So you know who did it?" Rodrick questioned the somewhat timid girl. He couldn't blame her, she'd been promised a meeting with him and luna alone, not with four others aswell. Rodrick didn't doubt the fact her going to Luna was likely hard enough.
Which of course meant, everything regarding her had been told to him by Luna. Whether the girl realised her housemate was uncomfortable or not was unknown.
She seemed to hesitate before nodding. Rodrick smiled in an attempt to get her to calm down.
"Stop." Luna raised a finger in front of him. "Don't be rude."
Rodrick gave her a deadpan look. "So? Who charmed your book?" He turned back to the first year.
"Oh she said-"
"Luna?"
"Yes?"
"Let her tell me," He chuckled.
Luna seemed to frown for a moment as she turned towards her nervous housemate.
"Don't worry, there won't be any repercussions for you," He smiled again.
"Repercussions?" She questioned him back wide-eyed.
Rodrick nodded.
She looked back down at the book in his hands. The snakes had long since disappeared. Whoever it was-
"Avery, and his friend..."
Avery had somehow found a spell that let him transfigure all of the letters in the girls book to hissing snakes. Though, odds were, he'd probably had an older year do it for him. Probably Warrington.
"Do you know the friend's name?" Rodrik questioned again, as he reached into his pockets.
"... What are you going to do?" Dawlish questioned him concerned, earning an amused look.
"Don't worry," He chuckled, "Nothing harmful, if anything, it'll mostly be a prank." He winked.
"Your sense of humour isn't exactly normal," Luna added on, crossing her arms.
He turned back to the upset girl. "Luna, one girl at a time." He remarked, amused to see her lose her composure. So she had another problem for him after all.
He shook his head, "I need a day off..." before anyone could comment on that further, he turned back to the younger girl. "So, you know who they are?"
She nodded again and actually told him.
Rodrick simply took out the solution he intended to use for the second task, it wasn't complete yet, but this would certainly make for a good chance to test it. Making it randomly portkey someone to a general area, Ie the headmasters office and/or Hogwarts lake was easy enough, making it send them off to a single, concise location was much harder.
He turned back to the four others behind him and covered them under a invisibility charm. Waved his wand and summoned two more chairs, placing them on his free side.
"What are you doing?" Luna questioned curiously.
Rodrick ignored that in favor of writing a few runic scriptures onto the summoned chairs.
"Well, naturally, summoning our troublemakers."
"How?" The first year questioned, a strange look in her eye, her nervousness long forgotten.
Sorting Hat certainly got her right.
He levitated his modified rubber ball and duplicated it using the Gemino curse. Before giving both of them the two names he wanted.
Luna's eyes widened as the two magical items suddenly rocketed past her hair.
Rodrick had a sheepish grin on his face. "Sorry,"
"Right," Luna rolled her eyes.
Before long, two first year slytherins suddenly appeared out of thin air, landing ontop of both chairs.
Luna's expression, other then a raised eyebrow, didn't change. The first year Ravenclaw on the other practically fell of her seat.
"What the-" The first questioned
"AH!" While the second screamed.
It was sadly, Avery that screamed.
"Hello," Rodrick greeted both of them.
Avery had the nerve to scream again.
Rodrick twitched.
"Oh crap... See what did I tell yo-" Pucey suddenly started on a tirade as he turned to glare at Avery.
Rodrick sighed as he put him under a silencing charm. The same one as his friends. Except the first year couldn't see where all the other sudden voices came from.
After a few minutes of panicked screaming, the first year was stunned.
"Rodrick..." Luna frowned at him.
"What?"
Avery eventually managed to calm down as he took notice of his surroundings. When his eyes landed on the Ravenclaw in his class...
"Oh crap, how'd you know?"
Rodrick sweat dropped. "Ok... I was going to make this as fair as possible... But honestly?" Seriously... Did a Slytherin literally just admit to everything he hadn't been yet accused off.. He quickly turned to Helen. "He has a crush on you,"
It was amusing how quickly 11 year olds turned red out of sheer embarrassment.
"What!? I Do no-" Rodrick silenced him.
"See, he has no idea how to actually admit to liking you and somehow thought you'd appreciate his efforts... Well, now you know," He finished with a grin. "Do tell as many students you come across."
"Re-really?" she questioned bemused. "My mom says I am not old enough for that."
"Oh definitely not, and Avery's not even worth it," Rodrick waved her off.
"I am not sure what to say to that..." She said, looking down.
Rodrick chuckled. "If he does anything else, let me know."
The girl blinked a few times before getting up, grabbing her book and thanking him with a bow. "Thank you for fixing my book."
"Man, we're we ever that formal?" He questioned Luna.
"You certainly weren't," She looked like she was trying to hold her laughter.
When the girl left through the door, a small smile on her face. Rodrick un-stunned the friend and un-silenced the now fuming Avery.
"Don't do anything that stupid again, next time I might actually hurt you."
The friend certainly got the hint quickly.
"There's really no reason-" Luna's words fell on deaf ears. Literally.
Avery simply frowned, "Didn't you do that sort of thing last year?"
Rodrick had to hold the urge to snort, he simply nodded. Was Avery trying to emulate him? Still, expecting the coming words, he added on.
"Difference is, the whole house agreed, and everyone involved knew. What you did was stupid, reckless and overall pointless. Interfering with her education is a good way to get an earful out of Flitwick, which then goes to Snape and then falls on me, I don't appreciate the extra work. Besides, what I did mostly focused outside of classes, the most damaging event was set after everyone's responsibilities had disappeared. If you act like a Gryffindor, I'll treat you like one, understand?" He questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Avery pursed his lips as he looked down. "It was Warringtons idea..."
"I figured." And with those words, Avery got up, completely unsurprised his response, along with his friend and simply left through the door.
When both were out of sight, Rodrick finally relaxed back onto his seat. And of course brought the rest out of their confinements. Nott and Blaise were both sat on a seat, amused looks in their eyes. Malfoy was pacing and Harry was taking a nap.
Luna's look seemed to soften at the wary looking wizard at the very least.
"So, what'd you need?" He questioned, his attention fully focused again.
She didn't seem to want to hold his gaze.
"Luna?"
"It's about the Yule ball..." She managed to let out with a sigh.
"Oh, you want to go?" he questioned passively, she wasn't the first third year that had come asking him. Though he probably won't reject her like his cousin. Weasley interactions never ended well. Though he hadn't really had that many... Regardless, he just told Ginny to ask a fourth year Gryffindor.
She frowned as she looked back up, "Can I?"
"Sure, you have anyone you want to take in mind?"
She blinked at him, "Yes... What about Astoria? She want's to go as well..."
Rodrick's expression quickly changed. "Why?"
"The food."
A smile slowly took up his features, "Oh, alright then. So, who'd you want to go with?"
"Well... He's in my year... His name's Rolf. Rolf Scamander."
Rodrick tilted his head at the words. "I didn't know there was a Scamander in Hogwarts."
...
It didn't take that long to make up a solution for her, it was pretty simple really. He'd take her, Daphne would take Rolf and they'd just swap as soon as they got through what-ever idea of security the headmaster was likely going for.
Argus Filch.
As for Astoria? Draco hadn't planned on showing up with a date. No he intended to show up and just take someone else's. So Rodrick just told him to take Astoria with him up until then.
He was actually looking forward to who Malfoy intended to try and steal.
He really hoped it was Ron's date. Petty? Maybe. Would it be funny? Definitely. Was he perhaps a bad person for thinking like that? If he wasn't, he was a bad person for something else anyway.
"Ok!" Rodrick suddenly called out as he stood up, noting Nott who barely seemed to hold his own laughter at Draco's situation.
"Taking a second year. Really Draco?"
"Aren't you going with Tracey?" Draco called back.
"No... Where'd that come from?"
"Yes you are." Rodrick replied.
"Since when!?"
"She intends to ask you anyway," Rodrick shrugged.
"... Am I even allowed to say no?"
"Yes, but there'll be repercussions for that." Rodrick smiled.
"Rodrick..." Luna frowned again.
"What? Tracey told me to say that."
"I seriously doubt that." Luna added on.
'Man... Where was this coming from? All this Aggression?'
"Luna, are you okay?" He questioned the girl.
"Huh, you doubt things too..." Harry added on at the same time.
She sighed. "Rodrick. Take a break. You definitely need it." She got up and promptly left the classroom.
"What was that about?" He questioned bemused.
"She's your friend." Harry shrugged. "If you don't know, how am I suppose to?"
"So... Now what?" Nott questioned as each of them simply stared around the room.
"There's a test on poisons tomorow isn't there?" Harry added on, only to be completely ignored. 'Right, Slytherins don't actually have to try at Potions...'
"Another round?" Rodrick offered.
"You know, she might be right... You do need a break." Blaise remarked with a frown as he stared at him.
"Where is all this coming from?"
...
Author notes: Next chapter will cover things up to and finishing the Yula Ball. The first part of it will either lighthearted or involve a good amount of conflict. It'll be set in Hogsmeade.