Chapter 7: The Dueling Club

"Are you sure that Cho Chang said she didn't send the cupcakes?" Sirius Black asked.

"Absolutely, Sirius." Harry replied.

"Harry, it's Professor Black now." Hermione scolded the Boy-Who-Lived.

"Either way, let's take the cupcakes for Professor Slughorn." Sirius said.

Meanwhile, the Slytherins were lamenting their loss. "How come they didn't eat the cupcakes?" Gregory Goyle moaned.

"What if they found out?" Vincent Crabbe asked. "What will we do?"

"There's no need to worry, fellow Slytherins." Theodore Nott said. "We might have lost Professor Snape but our new Potions Master is also our new Head of House. He'll cover our tracks."

However, Slughorn was more honest than that. "You were right about bringing this to my attention, Sirius." The returned Potions Master said. "Those cupcakes were laced with a Sleeping Draught."

"Those slimy snakes!" Ron exploded. "Using our…" Hermione nudged him and continued. "…trust on human nature."

If Professor Slughorn found anything odd on this, he didn't act on it. "You can't be sure it was their work. Someone else might have decided to pull a prank on you."

"Come on, Horace, it's so obvious." Sirius pleaded. "Just give them some Veritaserum and the truth will come to light."

"I wonder what I would have found out if I were allowed to use it on you and James." Professor Slughorn replied.

"On a second thought, maybe I exaggerated with this." Sirius sheepishly replied.

Meanwhile, Theodore Nott was looking for Crabbe and Goyle but only found Goyle. "Where's Crabbe?" He asked.

"Looking for some dark artifact to use against Potter and his friends." Gregory Goyle explained.

As a matter of fact, Vincent Crabbe was walking by the seventh floor of Hogwarts Castle while thinking about his newfound need for dark artifacts when a door he failed to notice before opened. Curious about this new room, Crabbe looked around.

Later on, Ron Weasley was still sad about the fact the Slytherins wouldn't be punished. "Slughorn is favouring his Slytherins, I'm saying." He accused.

"Professor Slughorn, Ron." Hermione replied. "And there's really no solid evidence linking the Slytherins to this. You're only mad he didn't invite you to join the Slug Club."

"Look!" Said Harry while pointing at a sign.

"Another dueling club?" Ron moaned. "Well, it's not like Lockhart would be here to ruin it like last time."

When they arrived at the club, they were surprised at seeing Vincent Crabbe wearing a tiara. "What is Crabbe doing with a tiara?" Ron asked.

"And why are the Ravenclaws staring at it like they know it from somewhere?" Hermione asked in reply.

"That slimy snake probably stole it from some Ravenclaw girl." Ron suggested.

"That's Rowena Ravenclaw's lost diadem." Said Luna Lovegood as she approached the Gryffindor Golden Trio.

"The what?" Harry and Ron asked.

"Don't you ever read Hogwarts: A History?" An exasperated Hermione Granger asked. "Rowena Ravenclaw was said to have a diadem that was the cause of her intelligence. While Crabbe's tiara does look like the diadem as portrayed in the book, I can't believe her diadem, said to have been lost during her day, is the tiara Crabbe's wearing."

"Well, it seems Professor Flitwick can believe." Luna commented as she saw the Head of Ravenclaw House approaching Vincent Crabbe.

"I can't believe it!" Professor Flitwick squealed in delight. "It is Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem! Where did you find it?"

"It was at some abandoned room with a lot of junk by the seventh floor, Professor." Crabbe explained.

Knowing about the Come and Go Room, Flitwick understood what Crabbe was talking about. "Good work, Mr. Crabbe. Four hundred points to Slytherin!" Even the Ravenclaws, who were somewhat happy the diadem had been found, disliked the idea of Slytherin House winning so many points at once. Professor Flitwick then performed some tests on the diadem. "What? Someone placed a really dark curse on Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem? Sirius, you oversee the club. I'll report this to Professor Dumbledore."

Sirius Black then addressed to the students. "Well, Filius and I had planned into making a demonstration duel but, well, let's just call for volunteers."

Several students raised their hands. "Cormac McLaggen and Zacharias Smith."

"Are you sure about it, Professor Black?" Smith asked. "McLaggen is probably still recovering from all those doxy eggs he ate as part of some bet."

"I can beat you with my wand on my back." McLaggen replied.

"Keep your wand where you can see them, McLaggen." Sirius ordered. With all arguing over, the duel began. A few moments later, Sirius Black ended it and then went to explain all Cormac and Zacharias did right and wrong.

Meanwhile, at the Headmaster's office, Albus Dumbledore finished his diagnosis about the diadem. "It was like I feared. Voldemort left a piece of his soul."

"Do you mean a Horcrux?" A scared Professor Flitwick asked. He was understandably horrified.

"Yes." Headmaster Dumbledore solemnly answered as he pulled the Sword of Gryffindor.

"What are you going to do, Albus?" Flitwick asked.

"Harry Potter stabbed Slytherin's basilisk with Gryffindor's sword." Dumbledore explained. "There's now basilisk venom covering it, which can destroy the Horcrux."

While saddened by the idea of having the diadem destroyed soon after it had been found, Flitwick understood there was no other way as Dumbledore stabbed the diadem with the sword. "Well, at least He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named can finally die now." He commented.

"Unfortunately, Filius, I'm afraid we haven't destroyed all of Voldemort's horcruxes."

"HE MADE MORE!"

"Yes, Filius." Dumbledore sadly answered. "The diary, for exemple, was one. And it was recently discovered Voldemort did the same to Salazar Slytherin's locket."

"Did You-Know-Who entrust them to his allies?" Flitwick asked.

"Voldemort might have left one with the Lestranges, I suppose." Dumbledore conceded. "Maybe Sirius might help with this."

"What will we do about Vincent Crabbe?" Flitwick asked. "Who knows what You-Know-Who will do about it when he gets word of Crabbe finding one his Horcruxes?"

"You're right, Filius." Dumbledore replied. "We must do something to protect him from Voldemort's wrath."

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