Finally, the day had come. First match of the season. First match of my life. I was too nervous to eat anything as we sat at the table for breakfast.
"Butterflies?" Harry asked suddenly, startling me. At my confused look he gave a patient smile. "I was so nervous before my first game, I almost threw up."
I gave him a small smile. "Nervous? Me? No way." I waved my hand then swiped the hair off my shoulder. Harry nodded, pretending to believe my front.
"You're right, you've got absolutely nothing to be worried about." He nudged my shoulder and then we stood to make our way down to the quidditch pitch. After getting dressed, Oliver Wood sat us down for our pregame pep talk. His talks only served to make me more nauseous. I maintained an unaffected face though. I was an excellent liar, Oliver seemed to believe it anyways.
"Slytherin has better brooms than us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better people on our brooms." He paused to wink at me, fraying what little nerves I had left. "We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers —"("Too true," muttered George Weasley. "I haven't been properly dry since August") "— and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little bit of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team." My face twisted into a grimace. I didn't think Oliver knew Draco was my cousin, or he wouldn't have been quite so harsh. I did want to beat Draco, I really, truly, desperately did, but he's still my cousin.
Chest heaving with emotion after his spiel, Wood turned to Harry.
"It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."
"So no pressure, Harry" said Fred, winking at him. I reached over George and gave Harry a reassuring shoulder squeeze, the equivalent of a bear hug from me. Harry gave me a grateful smile. We all stood up and I asked him, "Butterflies?"
"Nervous? Me? No way." He apparently felt fine enough to tease. I gave him a light elbow to the ribs.
As we walked out onto the pitch, a roar of noise greeted us; mainly cheers, because Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were anxious to see Slytherin beaten, but the Slytherins in the crowd made their boos and hisses heard, too. Madam Hooch, the Quidditch teacher, asked Flint and Wood to shake hands, which they did, giving each other threatening stares and gripping rather harder than was necessary.
"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch. "Three… two… one…"
With a roar from the crowd to speed them upward, the fourteen players rose toward the leaden sky. I took off like a dart in the move I'd practiced a thousand times. The quicker we were able to get into position, the more advantage we held over Slytherin. I was gone before anyone was able to catch up and Angela made a long toss across the pitch to where I was still racing. I glanced over my shoulder for only a fraction of a second, enough to gauge where the ball was coming, and then I gave another burst of speed to catch it then loped the ball through the right hoop before the keeper even knew what hit him.
Off to a great start.
The subsequent plays did not go so well. We managed to get them at first mostly using the element of surprise but after that, there was no way for us to outrun their brooms. I'd never seen them move so fast. The game required so much of my focus, I wasn't able to spare even a glance to see how my cousin or Harry were doing.
I flew my absolute hardest. However, it was for naught. The first score was the only point we got on the board for the next thirty minutes. Rain fell, only making the game that much tougher. I thought I was prepared for this, I was severely mistaken. I took two bludgers to the ribs (Fred and George were no where to be found and I had been too preoccupied with the ball tucked under my arm to notice). The first time I dropped the quaffle but the second time I managed to hang on to it, only to be plowed over by one of the larger Slytherins.
I went keening and only managed to right myself when Madam Hooch's whistle rang out. I assumed she was calling the foul but then I saw Harry, Fred, and George diving for the ground, trying to avoid a mad Bludger. It almost looked like it was aiming at them.
"What's going on?" said Wood as the Gryffindor team huddled together, while Slytherins in the crowd jeered. "We're being flattened. Fred, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Elizabeth from scoring?"
"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver," said George angrily. "Someone's fixed it — it won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherins must have done something to it."
"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then…" said Oliver, anxiously. Madam Hooch was walking toward us.
"Listen," said Harry as she came nearer and nearer, "with you two flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the rogue one. I don't want Elizabeth or anyone else getting hurt because you guys are focusing on me."
"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."
Oliver was looking from Harry to the Weasleys to me and Angela.
"Oliver, this is insane," said Alicia angrily. "You can't let Harry deal with that thing on his own. Let's ask for an inquiry…"
"I agree." I wheezed.
"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Harry. "And we're not losing to Slytherin just because of a crazy Bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone!"
"This is all your fault," George said angrily to Wood. "'Get the Snitch or die trying,' what a stupid thing to tell him —"
Madam Hooch had joined us.
"Ready to resume play?" she asked Wood.
Wood looked at the determined look on Harry's face.
"All right," he said. "Fred, George, you heard Harry — leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."
"Ol-" I began to protest.
"I'm your Captain, Elizabeth, and you'll do as I tell you." Oliver scolded. I set my jaw and challenged his stare but he refused to back down.
"Harry, this is ins-" I spun around to confront Harry but he was already taking to the sky.
The rain was falling more heavily now. On Madam Hooch's whistle, we kicked hard into the air. I spent the rest of the game so worried about Harry, and Draco getting caught in the cross fire, that I played terribly. I missed passes and got hit by bludgers and other players and had the quaffel stolen right out from my fingertips. But it made me so anxious watching Harry duck and swerve and dive and narrowly miss losing his head time and time again.
"Black!" Wood screamed from his spot at the goal post. "Get your head in the game or you'll spend the next week flying laps all practice." Grimacing I nodded and shot one last glance at Harry, just in time to see- WHAM.
The Bludger had hit him at last, smashed into his elbow, and I watched Harry's arm bend into an unnatural angle.
"Harry!" I shouted and raced towards him as he slid sideways on his broom. But then I watched him do the stupidest thing I've ever seen in my life, with one knee still crooked over the broom, his right arm dangling useless at his side — the Bludger came pelting back for a second attack, this time zooming at his face — Harry swerved out of the way and then dove. He took his remaining hand off his broom and made a wild snatch, fingers closing on the Snitch right as I finally reached him. Unable to slow down enough from the speed I had been going, I crashed into him as he slipped off his broom, careening us sideways. I held on as tight as I could while slowing and lowering us down to the ground.
Harry seemed to momentarily black out from the pain before coming back to once we hit the ground. "Aha," he said vaguely. "We've won."
And he fainted. I pulled out my wand but before I was able to do anything, Gilderoy Lockhart, of all the idiots on God's green earth, ran up to us and took my wand. "You are a student, young Lady. I will not have you performing this type of magic on a fellow student."
This seemed to wake Harry up because before I could retort, Harry groaned. "Oh, no, not you."
"Doesn't know what he's saying," said Lockhart loudly to the anxious crowd of Gryffindors pressing around us. "Not to worry, Harry. I'm about to fix your arm."
"No!" said Harry. "I'll keep it like this, thanks…"
He tried to sit up, but I pressed his shoulder down. "Sir, I don't think…" Click.
"I don't want a photo of this, Colin," Harry said loudly.
"Lie back, Harry," said Lockhart soothingly. "It's a simple charm I've used countless times —"
"Why can't I just go to the hospital wing?" said Harry through clenched teeth.
"He should really, Professor," said a muddy Wood, who couldn't help grinning even though his Seeker was injured. "Great capture, Harry, really spectacular, your best yet, I'd say —"
I glared at him and his grin fell.
"Stand back," said Lockhart, who was rolling up his jade-green sleeves.
"No — don't —" said Harry weakly, but Lockhart was twirling his wand and a second later had directed it straight at Harry's arm.
After Lockhart uttered the spell, Harry's arm remained at a weird angle. Only this time it wasn't a sharp angle, it was rounded like rubber.
"Ah," said Lockhart. "Yes. Well, that can sometimes happen. But the point is, the bones are no longer broken. That's the thing to bear in mind. So, Harry, just toddle up to the hospital wing — Miss Black, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, would you escort him? — and Madam Pomfrey will be able to — er — tidy you up a bit."
I stared in shock. Lockhart hadn't mended Harry's bones. He had removed them.
Madam Pomfrey wasn't at all pleased.
"You should have come straight to me!" she raged, holding up the sad, limp remainder of what, half an hour before, had been a working arm. "I can mend bones in a second — but growing them back — Elizabeth, you of all people know better!"
"I know, I tried, I was just about to levitate him when Lockhart showed up.
"You will be able to, won't you?" Harry interrupted desperately. "Regrow my bones, I mean."
"I'll be able to, certainly, but it will be painful," said Madam Pomfrey grimly, throwing Harry a pair of pajamas. "You'll have to stay the night…"
Hermione and I stepped outside the curtain while Ron helped Harry change.
"How can you stick up for Lockhart now, Hermione, eh?" Ron called through the curtain. "If Harry had wanted deboning he would have asked."
"Anyone can make a mistake," said Hermione. "And it doesn't hurt anymore, does it, Harry?"
"No," said Harry, getting into bed. "But it doesn't do anything else either."
"Seriously, Hermione? The dude's a lunatic."
Madam Pomfrey came in holding a large bottle of Skele-Gro. I grimaced.
"You're in for a rough night," she said, pouring out a steaming beakerful and handing it to him. "Regrowing bones is a nasty business."
Still tut-tutting about dangerous sports and inept teachers, Madam Pomfrey retreated, leaving us to help Harry gulp down some water. "We won, though," said Ron, a grin breaking across his face. "That was some catch you made. Malfoy's face… he looked ready to kill…"
"I want to know how he fixed that Bludger," said Hermione darkly.
"We can add that to the list of questions we'll ask him when we've taken the Polyjuice Potion," said Harry, sinking back onto his pillows. "I hope it tastes better than this stuff…"
"If it's got bits of Slytherins in it? You've got to be joking," said Ron.
"Polyjuice potion?" I raised my eyebrows, not sure if I actually wanted to know. Harry looked about to explain when the door of the hospital wing burst open. Filthy and soaking wet, the rest of the Gryffindor team had arrived to see Harry.
"Unbelievable flying, Harry," said George. "I've just seen Marcus Flint yelling at Malfoy. Something about having the Snitch on top of his head and not noticing. Malfoy didn't seem too happy." They had brought cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice; they gathered around Harry's bed and were just getting started on what promised to be a good party when Madam Pomfrey came storming over, shouting, "This boy needs rest, he's got thirty-three bones to regrow! Out! OUT!"
I gave Harry a sad smile and followed the gang out of the hospital wing.
"Hell of a first game, eh?" Fred elbowed me in the ribs after we entered the common room. I drew in a sharp breath of air, clutching my ribs. "Elizabeth, are you okay?"
"I'm fine. Just took a few bludgers to the ribs because my beaters weren't watching my back." I snapped and then instantly regretted it. Both Twins' faces fell.
"We didn't mean," Fred started.
"We were just looking out for Harry." George finished.
"I know. I didn't mean it. You can't be two places at once and Harry needed you. I should have been paying more attention." I said miserably. I was tired, sore, dirty, worried about Harry and now guilty about snapping at the Weasleys for something that wasn't their fault. "I think I'm going to take a shower and go to bed." I said glumly and quickly retreated.
The shower, normally my best friend, was miserable. I couldn't lift my left arm above my head because of the pain. I waited until I was scrubbed clean before looking at the damage then cringed. The entire left side of my torso was covered in dark nasty bruises. I probably cracked a rib.
Ignoring my roommates when I left the bathroom, I broke into my potions stash. I wasn't nearly as well stocked as the hospital wing but I'd dealt with my fair share of broken bones and gnarly bruises over the years I'd been playing quidditch. I'd developed a skill for patching myself and my cousin up after numerous injuries and so I kept some of the disgusting potion in my stash for that reason, as well as a mild pain reliever. After binding my ribs, I laid down to bed and, despite Lavender's incessant gossip, was able to fall asleep easily.
The next morning I didn't wake up until well after breakfast due to the pain relief potion. Luckily it was a Saturday so I wasn't late to class. Moving slowly, I got dressed and meandered downstairs, intending to make my way down to the dungeons. Half way there, I ran into one of my targets, heading in the same direction I was.
"Draco, hey." I greeted. My cousin looked awful. He looked like he hadn't really showered the night before, nor had he slept. The bags under his eyes looked thick enough to sleep on.
"Hello cousin, have you come to gloat?" He sneered. I really did catch him in a bad mood.
"Of course not. I was coming to make sure you were okay, especially with that rogue bludger and all."
"Oh, right." Draco sighed. "Yeah, I got close a few times but it didn't take me out. Are you heading downstairs?" He asked when I kept pace with him.
"Yeah, I'm going to see Severus too. What did you think of your first game?"
"It was awful. Flint flayed me alive after the game. I haven't had the courage to face the team yet." He admitted. I grimaced.
"To be fair, the play Harry made was reckless and insane. I truly played awful. The worst I've ever played in my life."
"I know. How do your ribs feel, by the way?"
I looked at him, surprised. "They're healing, I took some potion last night. How did you know…"
"Why do you think I missed the snitch right by my head?" He asked. I raised my eyebrows in question. "I was busy watching out for you. Lord knows the Weasleys were too absorbed with precious Harry Potter, someone had to look out for you. I almost fell off my broom when that bludger took you out the first time."
In an unexpected and more than rare move, I stopped and wrapped my arms around Draco's torso. After a moment of surprise he hugged me back gently.
"I think, in the end," I pulled back and straightened my clothes. "It's just going to be you and me. No one else is going to have our backs, not our parents, not our friends, not this school. None but each other. But that's enough."
Draco paused a moment to think about it then nodded. "You're right. And that's enough. Don't go thinking this means I actually like your or anything."
"Wouldn't dream of it." I shoulder bumped him and he bumped me back then we departed ways, him to face his team, and me to seek my Godfather.
"Do you know why that bludger was going after Harry?" My godfather was sitting behind his desk with his wand hovering over the bludgers in question. The older man raised his eyebrows at me, the only acknowledgement of my existence for the next seven minutes. Then he set his wand down and leaned back in his chair with a sigh.
"It seems to be elf magic." He stated blandly. "It's the only magic powerful and obscure enough to have managed this kind of a jinx."
My lips twisted. "What would a house elf want with Harry? Why would they try to hurt him?" I thought to the only house elf I really knew anything about, Dobby. Imagining sweet Dobby, or a creature like him, trying to hurt Harry was unthinkable. It didn't seem within the realm of possibility.
"I've no idea. But the door to Madam Hooch's office remained locked with a spell and the only people who can apparate inside of Hogwarts are house elves. And the only creatures that can leave an untraceable spell like this are house elves. It just doesn't make sense."
"You think it's related to the Chamber of Secrets? That's all anyone's really talking about. Maybe because his mom was a muggle born?" It seemed far fetched but it was an idea.
"It seems too big a coincidence to not be related to the opening of the Chamber, but I don't think this involves a student."
"Will Harry be benched until we figure out who's got it out for him?" I took the seat across from my godfather, wringing my hands.
"I can recommend it but you know how that'll sound coming from me. For all I know, the boy probably suspects I'm behind the attack." Severus rolled his eyes. I couldn't help but mimic him.
"You're probably right. If you let me tell him what you did for him last semester, and how you feel-"
"You have no idea what you are talking about." He said sharply. I met his glare with a matching one. Severus Snape didn't intimidate me. And maybe that was the point. He knew if people knew him the way I did, no one would be intimidated by him and that was his biggest defense mechanism.
"You're right, I'm sorry. What's going to be done about the Chamber?"
"I have no idea. We've been trying to find it for weeks. We have no idea how it even came open." He looked older then, like the stress was weighing on him.
"I can look into it a little if you want. I'm sure Hermione and the wonder twins know something about it that they're not letting on to anyone."
"You will do no such thing, young lady. I don't want you getting involved in any of this. And if you do hear something I want it brought straight to me, don't go investigating further."
"Yes, sir." I smirked and the old man gave an exasperated sigh as I left his classroom.
After my meeting with Severus, despite his warnings, I sought out Hermione. She was, as I'd assumed, in the library.
"Hey, Hermione." I sat down next to her. She didn't acknowledge me for a bit. "I need to know what you know about the Chamber of Secrets." I said and she set her book down instantly.
"I don't know what you're talking about." She responded airily.
I rolled my eyes. "I know you and Beevus and Butthead have something brewing in your minds. Harry mentioned Polyjuice Potion." I waggled my eyebrows at her.
Hermione groaned. "That boy has no concept of keeping a secret." She paused for a moment. "You're not going to like it." She said after a moment.
I gave her my best 'lay it on me' look. Hermione sighed and admitted. "We think it's Draco." I groaned. "We're going to take Polyjuice potion to make ourselves look like Slytherins to get a confession out of him."
I stared at Hermione for several beats and then I laughed. "This is what the dream team came up with? You've got to be kidding me." After being shushed by the librarian, I quieted my giggles. "I'm going to find out what this thing is all about and who's got it out for Harry. You guys feel free to question my cousin. I might ask to come along just for the entertainment value."
I continued to chuckle as I left the library, nearly running over the youngest Weasley in the process. "Ginny, right?" I asked, seeming to startle her. The girl looked even worse than Draco had this morning. She almost looked haunted. She had deep bags under her bloodshot eyes, made more obvious by her sallow skin. Her hair was unwashed and she was fidgety, rubbing at her elbows and glancing around.
"Are you alright?" I asked, placing a hand on her shoulder to keep her focused.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just… not sleeping well is all." She admitted. I sympathized.
"It's hard the first year, getting used to living away from home and living with a bunch of strangers. Plus the pressures of school work. I totally get it. But you can't let that kind of stuff get to you. You've got to find some time to relax and do things you enjoy." I told her.
"Yeah, you're right." She gave a small smile. "Thanks." She sped away quickly. I furrowed my eyebrows. I should let the Weasley twins know she's not adjusting well. I hesitated to face them though.
Almost as if summoned by my thoughts, I ran into the twins when I reached the end of the hallway toward the Great Hall. I almost bolted but I knew that would only make it worse.
"Hey Fred, George," I began, "I wanted to apologize for yesterday. I shouldn't have said that to you."
"No, it's okay. We should apologize," Fred began.
"It was our job to keep you from getting hurt and we failed." George said.
"You were trusting us to cover you." Fred added.
"How is Harry doing, have you seen him?" I asked.
"Not since yesterday, like you." George said.
"He'll be fine. How are you doing?" Fred asked.
"I'm okay." I scratched my elbow unconsciously, which made me think of my weird encounter with Ginny. "Hey, is your sister doing okay?"
"Ginny?" George asked and I wanted to roll my eyes and say, no your other sister.
But instead I said, "Yeah, I ran into her in the hallway, almost literally, and she didn't look so good. She said she's not sleeping well. Maybe you should check in on her."
"We will." Fred said.
"Thanks for letting us know." George clapped my shoulder and then the twins went back the way I came.
I learned that day at lunch that Colin Creevy, the kid who was trying to take Harry's picture when he was hit by the bludger had been petrified like Filch's cat the night before. My unease about the situation began to grow.
After a few weeks of nothing happening we started falling back into our normal routines. When Severus announced that we were to begin dueling I was overjoyed. I enjoyed dueling and was looking forward to showing all my classmates up. The first duel was to take place in the Great Hall that evening. I entered in with Hermione, Ron, Harry (thankfully fully recovered) and Neville.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as we edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young — maybe it'll be him."
"As long as it's not —" Harry began, but he ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by Severus, wearing his usual black.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions — for full details, see my published works.
"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry — you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
I rolled my eyes. What a phony. Glancing at Hermione, I could see she was buying it.
Lockhart and Severus turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Professor Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.
"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, pointing at Snape, who was baring his teeth.
"One — two — three —"
Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Severus cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.
Draco and some of the other Slytherins cheered. I couldn't help but join them with a whoop of my own. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers. I shook my head at her.
"Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together. I had to agree.
Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.
"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown — yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy — however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"
Severus was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me —"
They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter —"
Harry moved automatically toward me.
"I don't think so," said Severus, smiling coldly. "Miss Black would take it easy on you. Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. Miss Granger — you can partner Miss Bulstrode. Miss Black, Miss Parkinson." I stopped myself from groaning as the Slytherins in question strutted over. Pansy, of course, was draped over Draco. Gag. He pushed her off and stood in front of Harry, ready to face off. Pansy pouted and came to stand in front of me.
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"
I bowed respectfully, as I'd been taught. Pansy gave a girly curtsy that set my teeth on edge.
"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one… two… three —"
I shot an easy disarming jinx at Pansy and then watched Draco and Harry.
Draco struck early, hitting Harry with a jinx. He stumbled but then Harry pointed his wand straight at Draco and shouted, "Rictusempra!"
A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Then, gasping for breath, Draco pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked, "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.
"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Draco stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.
A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry leapt forward and tried to pull Millicent off. I moved to help. What a barbarian.
"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan…"
"Careful there, Miss Fawcett… Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second,"
"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Severus, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Professor Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" he said with a twisted smile.
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Draco into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. I grew nervous, what was Severus thinking?
"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this."
He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Severus smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops— my wand is a little overexcited—"
Severus moved closer to Draco, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Draco smirked, too. One of them was going to end up in the hospital wing after this was all over, I just knew it.
"Three — two — one — go!" Lockhart shouted.
Draco raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded. A long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between the two of them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
"Don't move, Potter," said Severus"I'll get rid of it…"
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
Harry moved towards the snake and hissed at it. The snake seemed to contemplate for a moment before backing away. Then he looked up at Justin, grinning.
"What do you think you're playing at?" he shouted, and before Harry could say anything, Justin had turned and stormed out of the hall.
Severus stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Severus, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look. I knew what he was thinking. Harry spoke Parseltongue.
"Come on," said Ron told Harry. "Move — come on —"
Ron steered him out of the hall, Hermione and I hurrying alongside them. As we went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something. We dragged him all the way up to the empty Gryffindor common room.
Then Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell
us?"
"I'm a what?" said Harry.
"A Parselmouth!" said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"
"I know," said Harry. "I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I accidentally set a boa constrictor on my cousin Dudley at the zoo once — long story — but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil and I sort of set it free without meaning to that was before I knew I was a wizard —"
"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.
"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."
"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."
"What's bad?" said Harry, starting to feel quite angry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin —"
"Oh, that's what you said to it?"
"What d'you mean? You were there — you heard me —"
"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything — no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something — it was creepy, you know —"
Harry gaped at him.
"I spoke a different language? But — I didn't realize — how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it?"
Ron shook his head. I couldn't help a little bit of worry showing on my face. Harry seemed to see it and he gulped.
"D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake biting off Justin's head?" he said. "What does it matter how I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless Hunt?"
"It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last in a hushed voice, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why the symbol of Slytherin House is a serpent."
Harry's mouth fell open.
"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great-great-grandson or something —"
"But I'm not," said Harry, with a panic he couldn't quite explain.
"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."
I knew how Harry felt. People had been blaming me this whole time, because of my father. But it was a little strange that he could speak Parseltongue. It seemed like too much to be another coincidence.