The Dueling Club

A few weeks later, there was a notice about a Dueling Club all students were required to attend. Normally, I would've looked forward to such a thing, but Lockhart was in charge of the affair. Within two minutes, I was bored to death.

"Can you all see me? Can you all hear me?" he said. "Now, in light of recent events, Professor Dumbledore's granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works." He threw his cloak to a swarm of girls who fought over it.

"I think you're the only girl in the entire school that's not fawning over him," Cedric whispered.

"I know what I like in my men and he's not it," I whispered back.

Cedric looked interested, but couldn't ask questions as Lockhart went on with, "Allow me to introduce my assistant, Professor Snape." Professor Snape walked up and looked cold as usual. "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 bit back a laugh. While Professor Snape and I had our differences, I knew Snape was a good opponent in a duel and he could easily wipe the floor with Lockhart. They walked up to each other, held up their wands and bowed to each before walking away. Snape then raised his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" and sent Lockhart flying across the room.

"Do you think he's alright?" asked Hermione.

"Who cares?" asked Ron, high-fiving me.

"Well done, Professor, showing them that. But if I may say so, it was pretty obvious what you were about to do and if I had wanted to stop you myself, it would've been too easy," said Lockhart.

"Perhaps it would prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor," said Professor Snape.

"An excellent suggestion, Professor! Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter, Weasely, how about you?" said Lockhart.

"Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own House? Malfoy perhaps?" He had Malfoy get up on with me.

"On the count of three, I want you to duel. But disarm only. We don't want any accidents here. Wands at the ready!"

Malfoy and I held up our wands.

"Scared, Potter?" said Malfoy.

"You wish," I growled.

We bowed and then stepped back, raising our wands. Before Lockhart could count to three, Malfoy shouted, "Everte Stateum!" and sent me flying backwards and landing painfully onto the floor.

Okay, two could play at this game. "Rictasempra!" I shouted, sending Malfoy spinning into the air and landing painfully on his rear as he was shoved back up by Professor Snape.

"I said disarm only!" shouted Lockhart.

"Serpine Sortia!" shouted Malfoy, and a cobra emerged from his wand.

"Don't move, Potter, I'll get rid of it for you," said Professor Snape.

"Allow me Professor Snape," said Lockhart. "Alarte Ascendare!" But the snake just flew up into the air and landed on the floor madder than ever. It hissed and started slithering toward Justin Finch-Finchley, a Hufflepuff whom my friends and I were acquainted with. Justin looked afraid of it.

"Leave him alone!" I snarled at the snake. "Get away from Justin, now. Don't attack him." The snake just continued to hiss at Justin and looked like it was about to bite him. "I said, leave him alone!"

The snake turned around and hissed at me, but then it seemed to obey me as its black eyes met my green ones.

"Vipera Evanesca," said Professor Snape, as he got rid of the snake.

"What're you playing at, Potter?" Justin shouted.

It was then that I realized everyone was staring at me with horror and fear and disgust. I was confused. What had I done wrong? Cedric then beckoned for me to follow him and Ron and Hermione and I did. No one said a word until we were in an empty class room.

"You're a Parselmouth, why didn't you tell us?" Ron said, breaking the silence.

"I'm a what?" I asked, confused.

"You can talk to snakes," said Cedric.

"Yeah, so what? I've done it before. Once, I accidentally set a python on Dudley before I knew I was a witch, but that was just once. What's the big deal? Other people can do it here, can't they?"

"No, they can't," said Hermione. "It's not a very common gift, Helena. This is bad."

"What's so bad?" I demanded. "If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin—"

"Is that what you said to it?" Ron interrupted.

"For crying out loud, Ron, you were there! You heard me!"

"Actually, we didn't," said Cedric. "You were speaking Parseltongue, snake language. All we heard was hissing. It sounded like English to you, but not to us because we can't speak to snakes like you."

"Helena, listen to me. There's a reason the symbol of the Slytherin House is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. He could talk to snakes too," said Hermione.

"Exactly!" said Ron. "Now the whole school's going to think you're his great-great-great granddaughter or something."

"But I'm not!" I protested. "I-I can't be."

"He lived a thousand years ago, for all we know, you could be," said Hermione.

I was too shocked to speak. My mind was reeling. Could I be a descendant of Salazar Slytherin? I didn't know anything about my father's family; the Dursleys had always forbid questions about my parents. But I was in Gryffindor. The Sorting Hat wouldn't have put me here if I had Slytherin's blood in me. But then I remembered the Hat had wanted to put me in Slytherin. Had it been wrong?

Ron and Hermione's fears proved to be justified as now the entire school minus the Weasleys, Neville, Gryffindor's Qudditch team, the staff and Cedric, thought that I was Slytherin's Heir, even though the legend spoke of an Heir, not an Heiress. Fred and George kept poking jokes at it, and while they did cheer me up a bit, they didn't help the problem. People kept avoiding me like the plague, whispering behind my back and practically jumping out of their skin if I spoke to them.

I tried not to let it get to me, but late at night it became too much and I ended up holding Snuffles close as I tried not to cry. I kept trying to find Justine to talk to him, but no such luck. Eventually, I asked Cedric to talk to him for me as he was a Hufflepuff and Cedric agreed to try.

As it had snowed heavily, during break, we met up to build a snowman. We were having fun and after we'd finished, I asked, "Cedric?"

"Yeah, Helena?"

"Did you talk to Justin?"

Ron winced. "He did. He cornered him two hours ago."

"And?" I pressed. "What happened?"

"Well, there was a bit of a tiff," said Hermione, uneasily. "Cedric acted before Ron and I could stop him."

"What happened?" I repeated.

"I went to talk to Justin. I told him about what happened at the Dueling Club and how you didn't know about your gift before. But he refused to believe me and said I was just plain crazy to be hanging around you when you were clearly a—" He let out a growl and pounded the snow in his hands. "I don't want to say it. That was when I hexed him and told him to never talk about you like that again."

While I did appreciate Cedric standing up for me, he shouldn't have hexed his own House member. "I'm sorry."

"You've got nothing to be sorry for," he said. "None of this is your fault. Soon, we'll have your name cleared up, I promise."

I nodded and checked my watch. "I'm going to go grab something eat. I'll see you later." I went back inside and hadn't gone far when I saw Nearly Headless Nick floating six inches about the ground smoky black and steaming with his head hanging off. And there on the floor was Justin, looking scared and boring the visible effects from Cedric's jinx.

"Caught in the act," said Filch, startling me. "I'll have you out this time, Potter. Mark my words!"

Before I could stop him, he'd gone and gotten Professor McGonagall. "Professor, I swear I didn't do this!" I said, before she could speak. "I've been outside for the last hour. I only found him two second ago, I swear."

"Helena, I believe you, but this is out of my hands," said Professor McGonagall. She took me to a large gargoyle after Filch took away Justin and Nick. "Professor Dumbledore will be waiting for you. Sherbet Lemon." The gargoyle began moving and I got on the staircase which led to Dumbledore's office.

It was quite fascinating with the dozens of portraits and gold and silver gizmos. Then I saw a beautiful swan-sized bird of red and gold that looked quite old. It chirped at me and I smiled at it and then it burst into flames.

"Good day, Helena," said Professor Dumbledore, startling me.

"Professor, I'm sorry. Your bird just caught fire. I couldn't do anything to stop it," I stammered.

"Relax, dear girl. Fawkes is a phoenix," he explained. "Phoenixes burst into flame when they're about to die and then they are reborn from the ashes. A pity you had to see him on a burning day. He's really quite handsome" A small phoenix hatchling emerged from the ashes, making us both smile. "Ah, remarkable creatures, phoenixes. They can carry immensely heavy loads and their tears have healing powers. And they make the most faithful pets."

"He's lovely," I said, softly as I stroked his head. But then I remembered why I was there. "Professor, I'm sorry, but I really didn't attack those people. I swear I didn't."

"I know you didn't, Helena," said Professor Dumbledore. "I never suspected you in the first place. I don't see why I should know."

"Th-thank you," I said, quite surprised. "Professor, are the Mandrakes any closer to maturity now?"

"Professor Sprout says that they'll be ready within a few weeks or so," said Professor Dumbledore. "In the meantime I have something I wish to ask you. Is there something you wish to tell me, Helena?"

For a moment, I considered telling him about everything, but then I couldn't. "No, sir," I lied. "There's nothing."

Professor Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. "Very well," he said. "You may go back to your business, Helena. But please be cautious."

"I will sir."

I walked back down to the Great Hall and explained to the others why I was delayed and this made them more determined to finish up the Polyjuice Potion.