Chapter 2 – The Duelling Club

Monday, September 2, 2002

"Audrey! Audrey! You're never going to believe what happened to me!" said Genna to Audrey, who had just joined her in a train compartment.

Genna hadn't seen her best friend all summer. While Genna had spent most of her time working with her father at the store in Hidden Alley, Audrey had spent the summer at her aunt's summer house in Gaspésie. Ever since they had met, it was the first time they had spent such a long time apart.

"What?" asked Audrey.

"I'm Quidditch Captain!"

"No way!"

"Way!"

"Wow!"

"Isn't that unbelievable? Who would have thought I would end up Quidditch Captain?"

"About everybody in our House," answered Audrey, rolling her eyes.

Genna had joined the Quidditch team in her second year at St. Leandre. When she had shown up at tryouts with an old school broom in one hand and her crutch in the other one, everybody had laughed at her. 'How can this crippled girl be any good?' they had wondered. However, as soon as she had sat on her broom and chased the golden snitch, nobody had laughed anymore. She had been by far the best Seeker the Fire House had ever had.

Her father had been so proud of her that he had bought her a Firebolt as a birthday present. Ever since, she had been the dread of all the other teams and she was yet to lose the snitch to an opposing Seeker. Some even spread rumours that she may be as good as Viktor Krum, but somehow Genna highly doubted it. Viktor Krum was world renowned after all... and she was only the Fire House Seeker.

"Stop selling yourself so short, Genna," said Audrey. "You are that good! The Headmaster would have been completely out of his mind if he hadn't given you the captaincy. You more than deserve it."

Genna grinned at her friend.

They were on their way to a sixth year which was rather promising to Genna. She had Quidditch and her study would take a turn for the most interesting. Sixth year was when wizards began to specialize and Genna had decided to remain at St. Leandre instead of transferring to a Muggle college or further her study in another wizarding school outside of the province, like a lot of other students at did.

The province's Muggle schooling system was set in a way that after five years of secondary school, students would go to college for two years and then move on to the University. Students could also remain in college for three years and get a technical degree. Wizarding students who wished to pursue certain career paths were encouraged to pursue a Muggle education. It was the case for instance for wizards who wanted to pursue law. The Canadian wizarding community strongly believed that in order to be effective in most wizarding professional positions, especially within the Ministry, wizards needed to learn the same basics as Muggles. Besides, one of Canada's most prestigious university, University McGill located in Montreal, was founded by one of the most illustrious Canadian wizards of all time.

If a student chose to attend a Muggle school, the St. Leandre diploma was converted to the equivalent of a Muggle secondary school diploma from a private school. To this date, no Muggles had ever had any reasons to doubt St. Leandre Secondary School Diploma was anything but legitimate.

Some other fifth-year students also decided to return to their province or state of origin and study further magic there in apprenticeship or at other school of magic.

The last path offered to wizarding students was the path of pure magic. While each student who took this path remained at St. Leandre for another two years, they would follow their education with an apprenticeship which could last for up to four years.

As far as Genna was concerned, she didn't really know what she wanted to do other than play Quidditch. She was also very good at Defence but she doubt she could make a career of it due to her physical limitations. But overall, Genna was optimistic. Things did look rather good for her and she could not wait to see what the year had in store.

"Do you want banana bread?" she asked her friend, standing up.

Genna knew there were no point asking. Audrey didn't really care for banana bread but she had to offer anyway. For only answer, Audrey rolled her eyes.

"I'll be right back then," said Genna with a grin.

She grabbed her crutches and left to find the trolley.

ghghghghghghghgh

Seventeen-year-old Marcus walked into the train looking for a compartment, glad the summer was finally over. His father had insisted he took an internship at the Ministry in the Prosecutor's office, which Marcus cared nothing about. He had had to build cases against people for minor violations on the usage of magic, most of which he thought were frivolous and unjustified. It had sickened him to think people devoted their time to such activities when, in fact, the prosecuted people only needed help and education, not punishment.

To make matters even worse, his parents had invited the sixteen-year-old daughter of an important Ontarian pure blood family, with more than one hint that she was to be considered as a proper candidate to become his wife as soon as they were done with school.

She was pretty enough but she could not walk and talk at the same time. After a month of hearing her talk about her hair and nails, Marcus was ready to lock himself in his room and never come out again. His sister Amanda had sized up the girl very well and would imitate her vapid expressions behind her back, which amused Marcus greatly. Marcus could not understand why his parents didn't see something even his eleven-year-old sister could see. But then again, they probably expected an alliance, not a real marriage.

And all that time, the only thing Marcus could think about was Genna. She was the star of their year, always surrounded by people who just loved her company. She was the best Seeker the school had had in years, despite her handicap which many had thought would have prevented her from being good at any physical activities. She was also an accomplished duellist and from what Marcus had heard, not a lot of people wanted to face her.

But Marcus had never had the chance to be in the same Defence class as her. In fact, he had only had one potion class in his second year and one charm class in his fourth year with her. Marcus hoped she was one of the returning students and that he would be luckier this year and have her in some of his classes.

Marcus, unbeknownst to his parents, had taken the Healer path. His parents were convinced he was pursuing his studies in Defence to join the Law Enforcement office. While he enjoyed Defence, he didn't like it enough to make a career in it.

He wondered for a moment what path Genna had chosen, if she was to return. But out of the forty or so returning students in their year, Marcus seriously doubted Genna even knew he existed, even if he was, all things considered, relatively good looking.

Last year, some girls from Water had tried to throw themselves at him but he had pushed them away, simply not interested. After a few rejections, a rumour that he was gay had emerged, and he had dated a girl from Air for a few months to stop it. He didn't feel good about dating a girl he didn't really fancy, but he had felt a lot better when she had broken up with him to date one of the Quidditch players from the Water team.

As he walked down the long hallway, Marcus saw a compartment occupied only by one girl he didn't know very well. She was in his year, in Fire, he thought, but he didn't think they had a lot of classes together in the past. He remembered her from when she had tutored his best friend in French but he never really got to meet her. If he remembered right, she was also friends with Genna.

"Is there still room in your compartment?" he asked her, poking his head in.

"Sure, be our guest," she answered in a French accented English.

"Thank you," he said, pulling his trunk in with him.

He put his trunk on the rack and sat down across from her with a book on Healing he had got at a second-hand store in Hidden Alley. Healing was all he had ever wanted to do and he was good at it. He had taken Healing as his optional class since third year and he had loved every second of it. He was lucky his parents didn't care enough about him to know which classes he was taking, as he knew he would never have heard the end of it. He was also surprisingly good at any type of defensive spells, even if he was only average on attacks.

He had only been reading for a few minutes when the door opened again. Marcus looked up and saw a radiant Genna walk in, holding banana bread as best she could with her crutches.

"I found her, Audrey," she told the girl who was already in the compartment. "She was in the first wagon."

"Then you should have waited."

"Not a chance! If I had waited, they would have been all sold!"

"You and your banana bread! You're pathetic!"

"And you like me just the same."

Genna sat in front of him and threw him a radiant smile.

"Hi!" she said. "You're Marcus, right? From Air, right?"

"Yes," he answered, smiling also.

She knew who he was!

"I thought I recognized you," she said. "Where are your friends, Steve Smith and Dennis Goldman?"

Marcus lost his smile thinking this was not good. Steve and Dennis had tormented Genna mercilessly in their first year. They had started the game "Pushing Genna" in which scores were given to the players when they would push or trip her in anyway. Points were given depending on if Genna fell or not. The game had gone on for a few months before a teacher witnessed it and gave detention to the culprits. Marcus, who had been with Steve and Dennis because he didn't yet know anybody else, had been found guilty by association. But in reality, he felt guilty because he hadn't done anything to stop it.

Detention had been revealing for Marcus. He had been sent to the infirmary to assist the nurse, who had quite a few students who had come down with the flu. His task had been to get as much warm broth as possible into them, liquid that was mixed with a healing draught. His friends, on the other hand, had been sent to clean some of the bathrooms, without using any magic. While his friends thought he had had the worse detention, he thought otherwise. He had greatly enjoyed helping Nurse Feelgood. It had felt right. It had felt like something he would love to do when he grew older.

His conversation with the Headmaster afterwards had been revealing as well.

"Marcus, tell me, do you know why I sent you to do your detention in the infirmary?" had asked Headmaster Flynn.

"Because I pushed Genna," he had answered, looking at the floor in remorse.

"You and I both know you didn't push Miss Hudon, dear child. And I didn't ask you why you were in detention but why I sent you to the infirmary."

Marcus had looked at the Headmaster puzzled.

"I sent you to the infirmary because I knew you would like it," he had said to a Marcus who had his mouth open wide in surprise. "You see, Marcus, I know you never participated in this little game your 'friends' created..."

Marcus wondered how he had known and, if he had known, why he hadn't stopped it earlier.

"I didn't stop it earlier because nobody had deemed it important enough to bring it to my attention," he had explained, throwing nasty looks at the portraits on his office walls.

The portraits looked away, as if ashamed of themselves.

"Marcus," he has said gently, looking back at him. "I wanted you to have your detention in the infirmary to show you that there were better ways for you to spend your time. I think you are a very good kid who happens to be hanging out with the wrong crowd. So I want you to do another 'detention' at the infirmary tomorrow and do try to make some new friends."

Marcus had gladly done a few more days of 'detention' and did in fact make some new friends. But being remembered as Steve's and Dennis' friend by Genna was not something he really wanted.

"Actually, I don't know," he answered her as lightly as he could. "I haven't kept in touch with them, really."

"Oh!" she said simply.

After a few moments of silence, Marcus picked up his book again. He was interrupted a few minutes later when the door opened again.

"May I join you?" asked Marcus' best friend, Mathiew Swanson. "Oh! Hi Audrey!"

Mathiew had been a transfer student in their third year. He came from British Colombia and hadn't spoken a word of French on his arrival. He had been sorted into Air and had been assigned to Marcus' dormitory. Audrey had been assigned to teach him French and Marcus had taught him the ways of the school. Mathiew had not been impressed with most of the other English students, especially those in the Water House, and found them rather snobby and full of themselves.

Mathiew took a seat and turned to Marcus.

"That idiot has been bullying some first-year again. It's bad enough that they're frightened as it is, being new and all. I wonder why the school hasn't put a stop to it."

Marcus knew perfectly well who Mathiew was referring to: Steve. Steve had become quite the bully and loved to pick on anybody who was younger than him, and sometimes even some who were older. Most people hated him, except his inner circle, and quite a few were afraid of him, even some in his inner circle. Marcus was glad he had got detention in his first year as he wouldn't want to be associated with him anymore. It was bad enough when he had to put up with him in the summer as Steve lived on the same street as him.

"I hope the Water House will not make him House President again," added Mathiew.

Every year, at the beginning of the year, each House elected a representative board comprised of a President, Vice-President, and Secretary. In addition to representing their House at school meetings, the elected students would assist the school staff with keeping the peace in the corridors.

Last year, the Water House had elected Steve Smith as their President.

"You know, they may have done so because they're afraid of him," said Marcus seriously.

"Well, I can see that," said Mathiew. "I can easily hear him telling them all to vote for him or he would kick their butt to the moon and back. Bastard! There's nothing to like about him, I'm telling you!"

Marcus chanced a glance at Genna. She was looking at Mathiew with an expression of vivid interest. Even if the 'Pushing Genna' game had been officially stopped years ago, Marcus had no doubt it had continued when everybody had their back turned and when there were no paintings around.

She looked up at him and he gave her a small discrete smile, to which she responded.

"Listen, we really got to gang up on the dude and kick his butt too," continued Mathiew with bravado. "Maybe if we kick it hard enough, he'll leave everyone else alone."

"Please, if you do, don't forget to invite me to the party!" said Audrey, pointing at herself.

"I would love to be there, too," said Genna.

"Well then, that's four of us!" said Mathiew. "Maybe we oughta find some additional support and do it!"

ghghghghghghghgh

And Genna did!

Classes had been in session for two weeks when the Advanced Defence teacher organized the Duelling Club for the sixth- and seventh-year students in order to perfect their spell work and defensive abilities. Every sixth- and seventh-year student looked forward to joining the Duelling Club, as it was the most elite Club at St. Leandre.

Marcus had been happy to find out Genna had joined the Club also, which met every Tuesday night after dinner. However, he was not very happy to see that Steve Smith, Dennis Goldman and three of their other friends had joined also. But it had to be expected. The prestige alone made most of the sixth- or seventh-year joined the Club, and Steve and Dennis would certainly not pass the occasion to put such an illustrious membership on their resumé.

"Okay, all! Let's pair up!" called Professor Shield.

Marcus was defeated in the first round so he joined Audrey who had also been defeated.

"She's good, isn't she?" asked Marcus, looking at Genna.

"Actually, she's the best," answered Audrey. "You'll see. She'll beat them all."

In the semi-final, in which the duels took place one at the time on the duelling stage, Genna faced Steve.

"You want me to fight this?" asked Steve with a smirk. "I'll destroy it."

In all the time Marcus had known him, Steve had never referred to Genna as a person, only as a thing.

"The idiot!" said Audrey between clenched teeth. "He is so going to regret this."

"Mr Smith," said Professor Shield, "you'll face her, and do not count your chickens before your eggs have hatched," he added, with a knowing smile.

Marcus looked at Genna who was frowning in concentration.

"You remember on the train, when we said we would kick his butt?" asked Audrey quietly to Marcus, and to Mathiew who had joined them while awaiting his own turn in the semi-final.

Marcus nodded.

"Well, watch this!"

Steve negligently threw an Expelliarmus spell at Genna, which she blocked easily. He then cast a full body-binding curse, then another disarming spell. Genna, with an amused smile, blocked them also. Her smiling made Steve angry and he yelled four consecutive offensive spells, which Genna blocked again. As soon as he took a breath, Genna finally went on the offensive.

Her spells were visibly more powerful than Steve's. Steve blocked her first few but with some difficulty. Then, as Genna's spells kept on coming, he could block fewer and fewer of them, tiring quickly. The duel ended when Genna sent him flying across the room with a non-verbal spell. As Steve landed on the floor, the class looked at Genna in stunned silence for a few moments before exploding in cheers and applauses.

"Told you," said Audrey to Marcus who was applauding with the rest of the students.

Genna was walking towards Audrey, Marcus and Mathiew with a smile on her face when she was suddenly hit by a curse on the side of her body. Bleeding profusely for a long cut, she fell to the floor. In less time than it took for Marcus to take a breath, he was kneeling next to her, his focus stone in his hand, and immediately began to cast the strongest spell he knew to stop the flow of blood. A moment later, Professor Shield and Audrey joined him to give him any assistance they could. A few minutes later, Nurse Feelgood and Headmaster Flynn arrived in the classroom. By that time, Marcus was sweating profusely with the effort of his spellcasting.

"You can let go now, Mr Tyler. She'll be okay," said Nurse Feelgood, gently putting her hand on his shoulder.

Marcus stopped and shakily got to his feet. Once Nurse Feelgood had Genna on the stretcher and took her away, Marcus looked around. Mathiew was holding Steve in a full body-bind curse and the Headmaster was trying to convince him to let go. Marcus walked to Mathiew and saw the pure anger on his face, and the look of pure fear on Steve's. It would have been rather funny if the situation was not so tense.

"Headmaster, he's lucky I'm only holding him in a bind," said Mathiew through clenched teeth. "He deserves so much worse."

"Yes, Mr Swanson, he does," agreed the Headmaster. "But..."

"Mathiew, it's not our place to punish him," interrupted Marcus gently.

Marcus wondered what Steve had done to Mathiew to make him so angry.

"And who will punish him for what he does to everybody else in the school? Who will? Nobody ever has!"

"Mathiew, let go," said Marcus, putting his hand on Mathew's arm. "You're not like him. Don't bring yourself down to his level."

After a few more moments of staring at the terrified Steve, Mathiew let go and looked at Marcus, pain reflecting in his eyes. He left the classroom without adding a word.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Audrey, watching Mathiew leave.

"Don't know," answered Marcus, worried.

Marcus didn't try to find Mathiew right away. He figured Mathiew needed time to himself. He found him later that night in their dormitory.

Mathiew was sitting by the window, looking outside, lost in his thoughts. Marcus didn't try to intrude as he knew Mathiew would talk when he was ready. And Marcus didn't have to wait for long. Marcus was putting his books and backpack away when Mathiew asked: "You must be wondering why?"

"Well, yeah," said Marcus lightly. "But it's not my place to ask."

Marcus was afraid Mathiew was also in love with Genna. He wondered for a moment what he would do if his friend was, as he, himself, had very strong feelings towards the girl.

"During the summer, I was with my friend, my male friend, in the Muggle part of the city. He's a Muggle, you see. We were in the Village, Marcus," he said, looking up at Marcus. "We were in the Village, at a terrace, enjoying the sun and lunch, holding hands when Dennis walked by.

"He saw us, Marcus. He found out I'm gay!"

Marcus just looked at him. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't known, nor had he ever imagined his best friend could be gay.

"Are you disgusted, Marcus? Are you?" he asked nastily. "I'm a damn queer!"

"So," Marcus finally said slowly. "Are you the same person you were last year?"

"Well, yes," answered Mathiew, surprised by the question.

"You didn't disgust me last year. Why would you now?"

Mathiew appeared so relieved that Marcus' heart went to him.

"Well, you can imagine, Dennis told Steve and all their friends," said Mathiew. "I'm always careful with them around but apparently, I wasn't enough.

"Three days ago, they caught me on my way from Care of Magical Creatures."

"What did they do to you?" asked Marcus with a frown.

Mathiew raised his shirt. His torso had numerous bruises and they looked rather painful. Marcus would not have been surprised if some of Mathiew's ribs were broken. In fact, Marcus was surprised Mathiew could function at all with the pain he must be in.

"Mathiew, how did you manage the pain?"

"I... I may have made some pain potion," answered Mathiew, looking away.

"Pretty strong one, I bet," said Marcus with a chuckle. "Take off your shirt," he added.

Mathiew frowned.

"I'm not propositioning you," said Marcus, rolling his eyes. "I just want to heal you. By the way, why didn't you tell me before? I could have healed you right away, you know."

"Well, to tell you the truth, I hadn't quite figured out how to tell my best friend that I was a fag and got beaten up for it," answered Mathiew lightly.

Marcus chuckled.

"Imagine that," he said, starting to heal his friend.

"So, you don't mind me being gay and all?" asked Mathiew after a few moments of silence.

"Nope. Why should I?"

"Well, I might fancy you," answered Mathiew flippantly.

"I'm flattered, buddy, but I like girls... Actually, I like one girl," he added quietly, still concentrating on his healing.

"What?! Who?"

Marcus, still focused on his healing spell, did not answer right away.

"Genna," he finally whispered.

"No way! For real?"

"Yeah, since the first time I saw her before the Sorting Ceremony in our first year."

"Wait a minute! Why didn't you tell me? I mean, aren't I your best friend? And what about this other girl you dated last year?"

"Well, you'll think I'm an idiot. I dated her because people were starting rumours that I was gay... which is stupid when you think about it since you're the one who is!" he added with an amused smile. "I wondered why I never heard any rumours about you, come to think of it.

"And I didn't tell you because it's just not something we ever talked about. Well, now I sorta kinda know why, really."

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"I don't know. I haven't done anything so far. Let's face it, she's a Frenchie and I'm an English. On top of it all, she's the star Seeker of the school. As for me, I'm just one guy among many. I doubt she knows more than my name."

"Well, she now knows you're a good healer," said Mathiew with a positive nod.

"I doubt it," said Marcus. "She wasn't even conscious."

"And you really think that friend of hers won't tell her the cute guy from Air healed her?"

Marcus was a little taken aback. He was not used to having a guy telling him he was cute. He guessed he would have to get use to it, and quickly.

"So, what will you do about being gay?" asked Marcus after a few moments of silence. "It's bound to get out."

"Yeah, I guess so," said Mathiew. "But let's look on the bright side: the Frenchies won't care and the English who are worth a damn won't care either. That leaves..."

"The bullies and the snobs," said Marcus, putting his wand away as he was done healing his friend. "Better?" he asked.

"Yeah! A lot! Thanks!" answered Mathiew, putting his shirt back on.

"Don't mention it."

"So, what if I go to the Great Hall and announce it to everybody? You think that would take care of rumours and maybe even the bullies?"

"I would imagine so," said Marcus amused by this friend, but seriously doubting he would dare do such a thing.

But finally coming out with his secret must have liberated Mathiew more than Marcus had imagined. Effectively, when Marcus went down for breakfast the next morning, he found the Great Hall in an uproar. People were talking animatedly to one another.

"Your friend is quite the news this morning," said Audrey amused, walking by him on her way out.

"What do you mean?" asked Marcus with a frown.

"He's gone all around the Hall telling everybody he's gay."

Marcus couldn't help it: he just laughed. He searched the crowd and found Mathiew at the Earth House table, joking around with some of the French students from their year. Marcus then looked at the Water House table. The look on Steve's face was actually comical. He just looked annoyed, as if somebody had taken his favourite toy away from him. In this case, Marcus had no doubt that losing the ability to blackmail and bully Mathiew would be quite the equivalent of losing one's favourite toy.

"You know, trust Mathiew to make life interesting," he told Audrey. "By the way, how's Genna?" he asked, becoming serious.

"She's okay. She's still in the infirmary and hasn't woken up yet but she will be fine. Nurse Feelgood said you most probably saved her life. She would have bled out had you not been there."

Marcus shuddered at the thought of Genna dying.

"Then I'm glad I could help," he simply said. "Would you tell her I said 'Hi'?"

"Sure, but why don't you visit her later? I'm pretty sure she'll wake up sometimes today."

"I might," he said, liking the idea.

Marcus left Audrey and went to his House table. He had just begun to eat breakfast when Mathiew came and sat next to him.

"Did you see the look on Steve's face?" he asked with a huge grin.

"Yeah," answered Marcus amused. "I take it being out of the closet agrees with you?"

"You have no idea! I love it! No hiding anymore. And we were right: the Frenchies just don't care and the English who are worth it don't either. Why did I wait so long? I'm stupid, really!"

"If you say so."

Mathiew playfully punched him in the arm and served himself some breakfast.

ghghghghghghghgh

Genna was sore. She had just woken up and her entire side burned and itched from the healing of her cut. She looked around and saw Audrey sitting in the chair next to her bed.

"Audrey, what happened? What time is it?"

"It's morning. And you were attacked by Steve when you turned your back. I've never heard the curse he used, but Marcus knew exactly what to do. As a matter of fact, he saved your life."

"He did?"

"Yes. The nurse said you would have bled to death if he hadn't been there."

"Oh!" said Genna, looking away.

Marcus.

The more she was around him, the more confused she was. The guy was certainly cute and not at all vain like she had first thought. As a matter of fact, he was the quiet one when compared to Mathiew. He was in two of her classes this year: Defence and Charms. And she had to admit, since she had seen him on the train, she had been always very aware of him.

"Genna!" exclaimed Audrey, bringing her back to the present. "You like him!"

"What?! No!" said Genna. "Well, he's cute and all, but I don't really know him."

"Oh! Merlin!" said Audrey. "You do like him! You're blushing!"

"I'm not!" Genna protested.

But at the same time, she wondered if Audrey may not be right.

"Well, he may come and visit later."

"But, I look awful!" exclaimed Genna.

And this reply surprised even her. She was not the type to usually care about what others thought of the way she looked.

"Well, you were just attacked," replied Audrey. "I don't think he'll expect you to look like you were going out on the town!"

Genna sighed, knowing she didn't really have a say in the matter.