Samuel, Wayne, Susan and Megan sat at the Hufflepuff table at the starting feast
"What are you looking for Sam?" asked Megan
"I am looking for useful first years Miss Jones"
"And what constitutes useful?" Megan inquired
"I am rebuilding…"
"Your Ancient and Noble Houses, yes Sam, we know." Cut in Wayne
"Then what don't you understand?" replied Samuel
"What will first years do for you? Sureley you need to skim the upper years?"
"I cannot manage those outside Hogwarts whilst I am still inside, I need of our age or below."
"Lucky them" Wayne stated with a sigh"
"Ooh look, there's Lockheart!" Cut in Hannah, many of the women at the table cooed and decended into chatter. Gilderoy Lockheart was quite the adventurer before taking up the DADA post at Hogwarts, Samuel respected that, and could not wait to meet the man in lessons. However, in lessons, the man never failed to disappoint, one time he thought that the cage in the corner of his room that rattled occasionally might be used in a lesson finally, but evidently not. Roumour had it that the cage contained a swarm of violent beasts.
"You'd think that if he was so brave and a good teacher, that people would at least be able to learn the name of the beasts that attacked them?" whispered Wayne to Samuel one lesson
"It is possible he did not name them, and instead set them upon the class, who were unready for battle. 'Tis a shame, I would have liked to have a go with whatever it was."
"Now, Now students, why don't we re-create the section from Voyages with Vampires, the bestselling novel, where I first came across the fiend." Announced Lockheart, Wayne giggled, Samuel gave him an odd look "Ah yes, Mr Armstrong-Mason isn't it? Why don't you come up here?" Samuel stood at the front of the class. "Now Mr Armstrong-Mason, if you'll be the Vampire, raide your wand like this, is that Pine?"
"Applewood Professor"
"A strong wood, like my own wand, it will do nicely, a darksteel core?"
"Yes professor"
"I learnt how to forge darksteel myself when I was in Iberia, but I prefer wandwork to swordsmanship" he looked to the class "details of my swordsmanship can be found in the later chapters, where I taught the art to Bosnian peasants to use with their stakes" he grinned
"But professor, Voyages with Vampires is set in Bulgaria and the Black Sea" Justin Finch-Flechley pointed out
"Ah, yes, well I used the same technique in Bosnia later to help them deal with their own Vampire problem." Replied Lockheart "Now, the Vampire Mr Armstrong-Mason" Lockheart looked back to Samuel, who had a dark look on his face "Erm, how about to go sit down, good show, 5 points to Hufflepuff." Samuel returned to his seat.
"What's got you down Sam? You've been acting odd since Defence" questioned Susan
"Applewood is not a combat wood." Sam murmured
"What?"
"Applewood, Susan, is not a combat wood, Applewood wands belong to wizards who are gifted in languages and long lived… and loved" Samuel stated, murmuring the last bit. "That is what Ollivander told me once my wand was finished, they belong to persons of great charm."
"Great charm eh? Nice for some" Wayne said
"Do you speak any other languages Samuel?" Asked Megan
"Just French, Latin, Norweigan and Russian."
"Just?!" exclaimed Wayne, "I thought Megan was supposed to be the Huffleclaw?"
"And how did you work that out? Susan pressed
"Well, Megan spends all the time she's not with you or us in the library, Sam's the Slytherpuff because he's ambitious and uptight, you're the Gryffinpuff because you're terrifying when angry, and I'm the true Hufflepuff because I'm so nice and all." Susan looked very angry, Megan blushed at the praise, Sam looked thoughtful, "see Susan, you're angry AND you're scary, wait, what are you…"
He started running.
"Well that's gotten rid of him, I'll hex him later when he thinks he's safe."
"There is something afoot about Lockheart." Stated Samuel
"Pardon?"
"Poor wandlore, poor geography, poor defence. And he does NOT know darksteel forging, all smiths carry one piece of their work at all times, it is a tradition."
"Poor defence?"
"His wand grip is loose, he was liable to loose his wand with his gesticulations."
"Gesticulations?" Wayne giggled from round a corner
"Don't hex him too badly Bones"
"I'll do my best" Susan replied with an innocent smile which quickly turned evil, who then chased off after Wayne
"So, Jones…" Samuel turned to Megan, who jumped
"Jones?"
"Bones insisted that I drop the titles to people who I know, she said it was rude to be so polite."
"You can just call me Megan, Samel"
"Well, erm" Samuel stuttered, "Shall we peruse the library, Jones?"
"Please" replied Megan, desperate for the awkwardness to end.
Samuel was in the Hufflepuff common room when Susan and Wayne came in with many of the first year Hufflepuffs who were shouting about someone killing a cat.
"You'll never guess who petrified Mrs Norris, Sam" Wayne asked, and before Samuel could answer he added "Your liege, Lord Potter."
"I see, I suppose I should curse Mr Filch then if House Potter has declared him an enemy."
"I would clarify with your Lord before launching an offensive my Lord" Susan pointed out
"A spectacular idea Heir Bones"
"We're confined to dormitories tonight though"
"Ah."
It was another week before Samuel could meet with Harry Potter, just before the Slytherin quidditch game, he marched into the Gryfindoor changing rooms.D
"Oi, what the hell are you doing here?"
"What do we have here George?"
"Why if it isn't our Harry's vassal Lord Armstrong-Mason"
"I wonder what he's here for?"
"I am here to speak to Lord Potter"
"Do it later, we have a game in 20 minutes" stated Oliver Wood
"It'll only take a minute captain"
"As you wish Potter" he acquiesced, Fred and George hovered within earshot.
"Concerning your assault on House Filch" Samuel started, and Fred and George burst out laughing, "Do you need House Armstrong and Mason support in your war, I could assault Mr Filch's office, or him directly if your battle has stalled."
"Erm, I didn't attack Mrs Norris"
"She attacked you? I will not stand for this my Lord!"
"Tell you what Armstrong-Mason" George cut in "as allies of Harry Potter, we shall join your assault"
"Yes we will indeed" agreed Fred "later today"
"After quidditch"
"A three pronged assault on our deadly enemy"
"How glorious"
"Good day to you my Lord" they bowed in unison and dragged Harry out toward the pitch
"But I don't want him to assault Filch's office!" Harry said
"Sssssh Harry"
"We've been waiting for someone to join us for three years"
"I thought it was just us"
"You've done us a great service assembling such a team of allies."
"Well done Harry, Filch won't know what hit him"
"Mr Filch, George"
"My Apologies Fred, MR Filch."
"Are you quite finished?" asked Oliver
"Well…" they both replied.
The game was going poorly for Gryffindor, the score was 60-0 to Slytherin and it was raining. A bludger narrowly missed the two seekers, Potter looked like he had seen the snitch, but another bludger had come round and was constantly pestering him. Samuel hadn't seen the Slytherin beaters in a while, their formation was poor, but they made up for it with aggression. The Weasley twins were much better, able to set up one-two's to break up the Slytherin chaser pushes. It was all for naught as the bludger now singularly targeted Potter. Samuel stood and he felt the pull on his shoulder, he drew his wand and sword, but was not transported. Potter grabbed the snitch but was then smashed on the elbow by the bludger, crashing off his broom, Samuel then felt the pull, strongly, and appeared on the pitch, Potter falling to the floor beside him, just out of catching radius. The crowd cheered when they saw Harry had caught the snitch, then Samuel heard the bludger behind him and pushed Harry back down to the floor
"Get down my Lord!" he turned toward the noise, putting himself between it and Potter, the bludger was too close to take down at range, so Samuel swung his sword, catching the bludger and sending it careening off into the sky, it rounded back round, Samuel cast bombardment hexes at it, then swung his sword once again, cutting the bludger in two and firing the halves down at the floor. A crowd began to assemble and Samuel heard Lockheart run up to Harry and start talking to him
"No sir, I'll just wait for Madam Pomfrey"
"Nonsense, I'll have it fixed in a jiffy! Now give it here" there was a flash and Harry's arm started to bend, the Gryffindor team gathered around the three and gaeve a mix of disgusted 'eurgh' and glares at Lockheart.
"Now, now Harry, why don't we just get Madam Pomfrey to look at it, you see, the bone is not broken anymore here"
"Not Broken!" shouted Hagrid, who emerged out of the crowd "Ther's no bones left!"
"I suggest you leave Professor, before I hex you for assaulting my Lord." Samuel stated, Lockheart left quickly.
"Thanks, Samuel, if only you had gotten to him quicker."
"I apologise my Lord, I mistook him for a competent wizard once before too, I shall not be fooled a third time." He said as he carried Harry back indoors under the watchful eye of Madam Pomfrey.
"It's fine" Harry replied. The look on most of the quidditch team's faces did not look to agree, the look on Heir Wood's face was outright murderous. They had all gathered round Harry's bed.
"Shall we widen our assault to include Mr Lockheart Harry?" asked Fred or George.
"It would appear he too has assaulted our noble Lord." Stated the other
"Come, fellow Ally of House Potter"
"We must plan our war for vengeance"
"Good day to you Quiddich Fighters" they said, nodding to Oliver, Alicia, Angeline and Katie.
"And adieu to the faculty" they said to Madam Pomfrey, who gave them a puzzled look.
"Please, lead on, my Lord" they said together to Samuel, who marched off with them out of the hospital wing.