"You're sure it was Malfoy?" Ron asked seriously. It was the Thursday after the try-outs for the Gryffindor team. Danny had been a bit reluctant to tell Harry and the others about it. Malfoy could've just been looking for some first year to abuse, and he didn't want to annoy them with anything stupid. But he kept watching the Marauder's Map every night, and when he saw Malfoy sneaking around the same dungeon twice, without another soul around, he thought he'd better say something. Harry and Ron had used their free hour before Defence Against the Dark Arts to come up, and were now with Danny, Sam and Tucker in Danny's room.
"I'm sure," Danny replied, unfolding the Map, "And he's always going by this dungeon," he pointed it out.
"That one's off-limits to students," Ron said, a strange grin on his face, "Oh, I'd love to get Malfoy for something. We'll see if he can hold onto his prefect badge this year –"
"Do you even know what's in there?" Sam interrupted, wiping some of the excitement off Ron's face.
"Do you?" he countered.
"I know it's one of three dungeons off-limits to students and used to be used by Rowena Ravenclaw," she threw Hogwarts, A History at him; he let it graze his shoulder as he stared at her in disbelief.
"A month!" he turned to Harry, "Just over a month since she learned about our world and she's already a walking encyclopaedia about everything! She can't even do magic!"
"Why's it off-limits?" Harry asked, ignoring Ron.
"I'll bet there's some Dark Magic hidden in there," Ron immediately jumped to a conclusion that would warrant Malfoy's being expelled.
"Maybe he's got a bunch of magic cameras to spy on people to try and frame 'em," Tucker said.
"That stuff doesn't work in Hogwarts," Ron argued.
"Magic ones could!"
"We would've seen them!"
"He could make them invisible!"
"Sixth years haven't started on Disillusionment Charms yet!"
"Ravenclaw didn't use Dark Magic and he couldn't have set all those cameras up without notice," Sam said dryly. Now both Tucker and Ron turned to her, half-shocked, half-angry.
"Do you know what's in there?" they said together.
"No."
"So we could be right!" they declared. But Danny took Sam's word for it, and, knowing how much time she'd spent reading with Hermione, so did Harry.
"Can I have my cloak back?" Harry asked as Ron and Tucker continued to argue with Sam.
"Why?"
"You want to check out the dungeon?" Danny caught on.
"When'll you be here?"
"About midnight," they heard a bell ring.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts," Ron grabbed his bags, still looking a bit flustered, "With Snape teaching today, I'd rather skip it."
----
"And they're sure it was Draco?" Hermione whispered. Snape had not arrived yet, and Harry and Ron had taken the opportunity to tell her what Danny saw.
"We're going down to the dungeon tonight," Harry said; he had gotten the Invisibility Cloak back and now had it in his bag along with his books, parchment, and quill.
"Couldn't Danny just go down there on his own anytime? I mean, everyone thinks he's a school ghost, there's no rule against him going down to the dungeons..."
"You worry too much," Ron said. As he did, Snape flung the doors open, marching up towards the desk. Harry felt himself burning as he turned around to face the class. He had not changed at all; he still wore the same black robes, still had the same, greasy hair, and gave Harry the same look of loathing he always had.
"It seems that Professor Lupin has been having you all go through the Blade Charm in anticipation for his little Duelling Club. Very unwise. Very unwise indeed," the already unhappy class grew even more unnerved, "to think that there will be nothing but bladework. As he should have told you, it is a rarity for the Blade Charm to be used at all anymore. Come with me," he strode back down through the seats and down towards the Great Hall. With great reluctance and loathing, the class followed. A new stage, running the full length of the room and wider, was in the centre. Harry saw why it had been widened; it needed to fit in the diameter of the circle of La Verdadera Destreza.
"You will now witness what you shall truly be up against in Lupin's little club," Snape seemed to fly like a bat onto the stage. "I shall put on a demonstration with one of you. Who will it be?" Harry thought he knew the answer already. Snape's eyes fixed on his.
"Potter," he said with a twisted smile, "Come up here," Harry said nothing. Keeping his eyes locked on Snape's he climbed up onto the stage.
"You should know the formalities of duelling by now, Potter," Snape drew out his wand, "I see no point in repeating them," Harry yanked his own wand from his robes. They barely inclined their heads, and quickly assumed the combative position.
"If at any point one of should choose to use the Blade Charm, the other must do the same, and it shall not change until the person who originally performed the Charm ends it. Finnigan, count," Snape hissed. Seamus gulped and started.
"One...two...three –"
But Snape had already started on "two:" a flash of scarlet light flew out of his wand, and Harry was just barely able to conjure a Shielding Charm in time.
"Impedimenta!" Harry countered, Snape raised his own Charm to defend and shot a Stunning Spell at Harry.
"Protego!" the spell fired back at Snape, who ducked low to the ground to avoid it.
"Expelliarmus!" they shouted in unison; the spells collided with each other in mid-air, letting off an orange-red flash and knocking them both back to the edge of the stage.
"Tarantallegra!" Snape bellowed, looking enraged.
"Protego!"
"Sabreus!" Snape's wand became a frightening-looking small sword, the guard and grip black and the blade a dark steel. Harry performed the Shielding Charm for defence against the blades and conjured his own sword. Snape came down on him like a hawk, swinging his sword around like a madman. Harry was barely able to parry, and forcing Snape into a retreat was impossible. Snape could see this, and showed no signs of going back to wands anytime soon. Harry saw one way to force his hand. He managed a good parry, retreated a bit, and fell into the La Verdadera Destreza on guard stance. Snape sneered and did the same. They stepped along the patterns of the style's circle, not taking their eyes off the others blade. Dead silence settled over the room, the class holding its breath. Snape made one step too deep, and Harry noticed. His blade shot out; Snape leapt out of the circle, stumbling and falling flat on his back.
"Wandisimo!" he cried the moment he got back on his feet. Harry removed the blade shields and did the same. For a brief moment everything was still.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted.
"Protego! Rictusempra!" the jet of silver sped towards Snape, too fast for him to counter. Snape began cackling uncontrollably, but did not attempt to counter Harry's attack. He pointed his wand at himself, wheezed, "Finite!" and settled back, a death glare in his eye.
"Relashio!" thousands of fiery red sparks shout out Snape's wand. Harry, not able to retreat without falling off the stage, dived forward. His robes caught flame; he quickly tossed them off, Dean stomping on the fire.
"Impressive, Potter," Snape hissed, throwing his own robe aside as Harry tore off his tie and rolled up his sleeves, "Perhaps Gryffindor did earn three or four of the points Lupin has been throwing around this class," they raised their wands again.
"Stupefy!" "Impedimenta!" they went at the same time. Harry dropped to his knees, the spell flying over his head; Snape was hit square in the chest, falling back.
"Expelliarmus!" he whirled to his feet.
"Protego!"
"Serpensortia!" a long black snake shot out of the end of Snape's wand, raising itself up to strike.
"Reducto!" Harry sent the snake flying back in Snape's direction, who waved his wand. The snake vanished in a puff of black smoke.
"Stupefy!" Harry seized his opportunity; the Stunner made a direct hit, and Snape fell on the stage, unconscious. The class looked on in shock for a moment, then broke into applause.
"Ennervate," Harry said through gasps of breath; Snape dragged himself to his feet, cold, dead fury covering every inch of his face.
"Five points from Gryffindor," he hissed, ending the cheering of the class, "You do not ignore the rules of right of way, Potter. We will return to the classroom," he turned to face the class, whose looks of fury rivalled his own, "You will spend your time reading on curses and countercurses," he jumped down from the stage, retrieved his robes, and led the class upstairs.
"You ignored the rules of right of way?" Ron stared in shock and fury after Snape, "The bloody hell with that! You had right of way! He never countered!"
"That was really unfair," Hermione agreed, "Five points for winning!" Harry, however, didn't care if Snape had taken fifty points. The fact remained that he, Harry had defeated him in a duel; a mock duel for demonstration, but a duel nonetheless. With this knowledge of always having this one over Snape, he couldn't help but feel pleased.
----
Danny paced the room, occasionally looking up at the clock or looking over the Marauder's Map. It was a quarter to midnight. Tucker had thought of coming with him and Harry, but he turned in early and trying to wake him up was like trying to teach a rock to talk. Sam didn't think it was a good idea, saying Danny didn't know enough about magic and the kinds of enchantments that could be placed outdoors. Danny thought Ron had a point; Sam knew a bit too much about the wizarding world too soon.
"Five 'til," Danny muttered to himself, reading the clock. He looked down at the Map; the ribbon labelled "Harry Potter" had just left the Gryffindor common room, everyone else in bed. Danny set the Map down, went ghost, and dug his wand out of his dresser. Soon after, a light knock came at the door.
"Ready?" Harry pulled back the Invisibility Cloak so Danny could see his face.
"Let's go," he grabbed the Map they headed down the corridor.
"Lumos," they said together; their wands lit up, Danny's now as bright as Harry's, though still tinted green.
"Which of the dungeons was it again?" Harry whispered as they headed down the stairs.
"This one," rhe ribbon labelled "Argus Filch" was sneaking around it.
"Damn!" Harry cursed. Permission or not, Filch would likely have something to say about Danny going into the dungeon, and Harry would also need to get past him.
"Wait," ahead of them was Peeves. They looked up and saw the poltergeist stop in front of them, looking nervous.
"Danny boy!" he smiled unconvincingly, "All is well, I hope?"
"Yeah..." Danny eyed the Map again, "Hey, I'm doing some exploring, but Filch is by the place I was going to. You think you could get him away for a while?"
"Of course, young Danny!" Peeves suddenly looked excited, "Of course!" cackling lightly, he flew off down the stairs.
"You can control Peeves?" Harry asked, astonished. Danny smirked.
"Blasted him once in the hallway, he's been a big chicken ever since."
"Where have you been the past six years?" laughing quietly, they continued down the stairs. Once and a while the staircases moved, and a painting shouted for them to put their wands out so they could go back to sleep, but no one else came along ahead of them. After a few minutes, they reached the floor where the entrance to the dungeon was.
"Anyone up ahead?" Danny checked the Map. The ribbon "Severus Snape" was following the footsteps up and towards the corner ahead of them.
"Wipe the map!" Danny hissed.
"Mischief managed," Danny said quickly, giving the Map to Harry, "Nox," Harry put out his own wand. A minute later Severus Snape's wand lit up, and he flew over to Danny like a large and menacing bat, looking extremely ill-tempered.
"Well, well," he hissed, "Our newest ghost out and about the castle at night. With the ability to hold a wand," his eyes darted down to Danny's right hand, "Very curious."
"Dumbledore never said I couldn't walk around," Danny said, moving the wand behind his back. Snape's lips twisted into a nasty smile. There was something creepy about him.
"Indeed. But you'll forgive me; I must have misheard. I was so sure though that there were two voices ahead of me. Surely you couldn't have been both. Is there anyone else with you? Muggles, perhaps?" Danny felt a drop of sweat trickle down the side of his face. Did he know?
"Perhaps no one has told you, ghost child, but I am a member of the Order of the Phoenix."
"Huh? Oh!" Danny sighed, "For a second there, I..."
"But I did not think that bringing you and your little friends here was a wise choice," Snape fixed a piercing stare on Danny, "Not a wise choice at all. Three Muggles, one of whom is half ghost, in an all-wizard school. Does that sound entirely right to you?" Danny didn't answer, but stared determinedly back. Snape's smile grew wider.
"Be warned, ghost boy. Dumbledore's permission or not, it is not...prudent for Muggles to roam these corridors alone. Even those with the powers of a ghost," Snape swept passed him, flicking his wand out when a painting shouted at him. Danny stared after him for a moment. He didn't seem like someone who'd be in the Order.
"Lumos," the light on his wand came back, "Harry? You still there?" a hand, seemingly from nowhere, handed him the Map.
"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," the contents sprang back up from the parchment, "Let's get going," they continued until they arrived at the locked black door.
"Alohomora," Harry stretched his wand out from under the Cloak; nothing happened.
"It's locked."
"Then how could Malfoy get in? He can't have the key. Not if Ravenclaw used this dungeon."
"We don't need to open the lock," Danny felt around a bit, grabbed Harry's shoulder, and phased them through the door. Inside was a dark, black hallway, branching off into two passageways. An eerie green glow seemed to seep out of where the curved walls met the damp floor; this was the only light source. The air seemed as cold as when a dementor drew near.
"Not much, is it?" Danny laughed, but didn't feel very happy. They made their way over to where the hallway split into the passageways.
"Let's split up," Harry threw off his cloak, "I'll head right, you head left. If you find anything, come back here. If I'm not back in five minutes, come after me. I'll do the same."
"Right," Danny turned around; the green glow had vanished down the left passageway, leaving his wand as the only light, "Lumos Maxima's how you make this light brighter, right?" but Harry was already gone.
----
Unlike the left passage, the right still held the green glow from the floor. Somehow, though, this made the place seem even less present than if there had been no light. Harry could hear dripping water around him, and twice stepped in rather deep pools of water. There was no sign of anything up ahead; in fact, it was a dead end. Harry looked at the wall in front of him; maybe it was a barrier like in Diagon Alley. He tapped on a few bricks with his wand; the last one he hit (he couldn't tell which, as the glare from his Lumos spell blurred his eyes), the bricks pulled back, revealing a completely dark, black chamber.
"Lumos Maxima," the light at the end of his wand became significantly brighter. He went on, finding a spiral staircase right ahead. As he headed up, the walls and floor seemed to become less and less damp and decaying. He soon found himself in a wooden room filled with cleaning supplies. Something meowed down by his feet. Mrs. Norris, Filch's cat, was staring up at him. Before he could stop her, she took off towards the exit on the other side of the room, where Harry could here a wheezy voice shouting furiously.
"You just wait, Peeves! I'll have you this time, I'll have you!" Harry stood as if rooted to the spot, too nervous to move.
"What is it, my sweet?" he heard Filch ask Mrs. Norris, "Is there someone in there?" snapping to his senses, Harry moved back, almost tripping over to the stairs. When Filch's long shadow appeared coming in from the exit, he whirled around, almost flying down the stairs and taking off down the passage. He could hear a yell from behind him and the rusty handle of Filch's lantern creaking as he fell over a pool and picked himself up again. When he reached the main hall he grabbed at his cloak and took off down the left passage.
----
Danny forced down a yawn as he continued on; there were no twists and turns to this passage, just a straight path that held nothing. There seemed to be no sign of an end either.
"Hope Harry's having fun," he muttered. He slipped on some water and fell forward, crashing into a darkwood door with a rusted old handle.
"Finally," Danny said, rubbing his head, "Wonder what's in here?" before he could phase through the door, however, he heard someone running towards him. Harry looked overcome with panic, and Danny could hear another set of footsteps behind him. He went invisible and threw himself against the wall; Harry just pulled his cloak around himself and went up against the opposite wall. Wheezing like a madman and looking overcome with rage, the caretaker Argus Filch came to a halt just outside the door.
"Come out!" he screamed, "I know you're there!" he pounded on the door, "Whoever you are, I have you! You won't get away this time! I'll stand out here all night if I have to! You'll need to come out sooner or later!" Danny motioned with his eyes down the passageway, hoping Harry noticed. He lifted himself off the ground and floated back down the passage, not touching back down until he was by the dungeon door. A few minutes later, Harry drew back the Cloak so Danny could see his face, and they phased through the door.