In the second week of December, Professor Snape came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. All five of us signed his list, knowing the Rotten Trio had decided to stay. They had begun to act very suspicious, and we were going to figure out why.
"Another reason could be 'cause the Weasley's don't have room in that place they call a house." Lydia huffed, getting ready for Potions.
Draco smirked in agreement and Crabbe rolled his eyes, picking up our things and walking out.
Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients.
"Draco pass the wormtails." I asked him, batting my eyelashes.
He flushed slightly and began to stutter, nodding and picking up the vial.
"Here Vanice."
Giggling, I smiled and sprinkled some into my potion, just in time as Snape prowled through the fumes and towards us. He was making waspish remarks about the Gryffindors' work while we sniggered appreciatively.
Behind us, Crabbe and Goyle kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Weasley and Potter. They muttered under their breaths but kept quiet, knowing they would get a detention if they tried to defend themselves.
"Stop! That's not what goes in next!"
I spun around to my left, still holding the vial of wormtails between my thumb and forefinger. At the table to the right of us, Lydia was arguing with Parkinson, using her arm to block the vial of newt eyes that was about to be tipped in.
"I know what I'm doing!" Parkinson hissed back, trying to drop in the vials contents.
Rolling my eyes and handing my wormtails back to Draco, I rolled up my sleeve and stalked over to Pansy, pushing away Longbottom and shoving Granger out of my way. Lydia looked up in time to see me grab Pansy's robe and yank her back. Her newt eyes scattered across the floor and in a swift movement, I grabbed the parchment of instructions and shoved them under her nose.
"Wormtails, Parkinson. Wormtails." I spat.
Lydia giggled a thanks to me and I headed back to my cauldron, brushing my loose hairs back into my messy bun. Draco smiled at me and started to fix my hair himself when I felt another small wave of heat brush over my cheeks.
I giggled his name softly and he removed my hands from my face, smirking slightly as he saw my reddened face.
"You can tell Pansy off without a trouble," He mumbled, smiling and blushing "yet when it comes to us you just turn pink."
Before I could reply or even think of what to do, chaos erupted seconds later.
Goyle's potion abruptly exploded, showering the whole class. Lydia shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit us. I got a good splash on my lips, making my head heavier to hold up, and Lydia was screaming as her ear began to grow largely. Draco got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate. Crabbe seemed to have managed to avoid being hit with the solution, and he was trying to help us all sit down and stop panicking.
Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened, and I saw his eyes flicker with fury.
"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft - when I find out who did this -"
Lydia and I hurried forward, pushing past Draco and Crabbe, his head drooping with the weight of his nose like a small melon. As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, I glared around to see who wasn't hit and who could be responsible.
Potter was clean.
Being unable to talk through gigantic puffed up lips, I elbowed Lydia, who's ear were slowly deflating, and pointed the Three Gryffindorks.
"Snape knows Van. Trust me." She growled, patting her ears gently.
When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out some twisted black remains of a firework. There was a sudden hush.
"If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled."
"My father will-"
I placed my hand over Draco's mouth and shook my head, knowing Snape was raging with anger and was not in the mood for anymore conversations. Ten minutes later, the bell rang and we hurried out, heading to the Common Room.
As we rushed inside, we saw a small knot of Second, Third, First and Fifth years gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up.
Theo Nott and Jean Hatcher beckoned us over, looking excited.
"They're starting a Dueling Club!" Jean exclaimed.
"Could be useful," Crabbe said to Goyle and Draco as we kept walking to our dormitories. "Should we go?"
"Of course we will, Crabbe. If anyone needs to learn how to hurt people with magic, it's us." I said, smirking.
At eight o'clock that evening, we hurried back to the Great Hall, pulling a drowsy Lydia along.
"Really, I could've slept longer." She yawned as we entered.
The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" asked Crabbe as we pushed through the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff crowd. "Someone with skill, and pain tolerance."
Someone bumped into me and quickly turned around, apologizing.
"Sorry, didn't see you." He said, and I quickly recognized him as Cedric Diggory.
"You will soon enough..." I hissed under my breath.
We made our way to the Slytherins, heading towards the front of the stage.
"As long as it's not -" Draco began, but he ended in a groan.
I followed his glare and saw Gilderoy Lockhart walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum.
"He's so attractive." Lydia sighed dreamily, beginning to wake up.
"Why don't you tell him that?" I giggled as I laid back in Draco's arms.
Lydia pouted.
"Because, unlike you two, I totally don't stand a chance with our age difference."
The color pink began to creep on around the bridge of my nose, and Draco dug his face in my neck. I could feel the heat from his blushing and I smiled.
"There's gonna be some fun!" Theo cried, and we turned to see Snape, wearing his usual black, striding to the stage with Lockhart. He looked around and saw us, nodding his head while giving us a small smirk.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence, smiling.
"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."
I rolled my eyes, beginning to tap my foot in agitation. Lydia was paying close attention, and I noticed that so was every girl, besides Millicent, Pansy and I.
"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!"
"Good luck with that." Draco hissed with annoyance.
I giggled quietly and he tightened his arms around my waist softly.
"Wouldn't it be good if Snape finished him off?" Goyle muttered in Crabbe's ear.
Snape's upper lip was curling. I wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at anyone like that they'd have been running as fast as they could in the opposite direction.
Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much ridiculous twirling of his hands, whereas 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 us. "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," I murmured, watching Snape bare his teeth.
"One - two - three -"
Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent.
Snape 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 I cheered, along with some of the other Slytherins. Lydia was double teaming, clapping her hands while dancing on her tiptoes.
"Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"Who cares?" said Draco and Goyle together.
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," he began to walk back, dusting his robes off and flashing a smile, "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 . . ."
Snape 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 -"
Draco and I stayed together, whilst Lydia grabbed Goyle and Crabbe stuck with Zabini.
The professors moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Longbottom with Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Potter and Weasley first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter -"
Potter moved automatically toward Granger.
"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter."
I saw Draco make a face and reluctantly let go of me, and I pouted.
"And you, Miss Granger - you can partner Miss Crypton."
Our expressions quickly changed from disappointed to nasty grins.
Draco and I strutted over, smirking. Granger gave me a weak smile, and I sneered, letting her to know that I still despised her.
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"
Potter and Draco barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other. I bowed slightly, making sure I watched Granger carefully. She made a quick nod and began mumbling spells to herself.
"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 didn't wait for "three". My wand snapped forward and I saw the spell hit her hard. Granger flew back, stumbling.
Despite myself, I laughed aloud, glancing around to see how everyone was doing. Draco had also hit Potter and was smiling smugly but before I could see anymore, I was smacked with a jet of silver light in the stomach and I doubled up, wheezing.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd.
Gasping for breath, I shot another hex at her, making a dark red spark, and she returned it nervously, stepping back with each spell. We kept missing, and I was getting more and more agitated with each hex I sent. Eventually, we stopped, catching our breaths, trying to decide what to do next; whether to continue or call it a truce. We were evenly matched. But I was not going to lose to a Muggle-born. Furious and aggravated, I tossed my wand to my left on the floor and jumped at Granger, tackling her and knocking her down.
"Stop! Stop!" I heard Lockhart scream, but Snape took charge.
"Finite Incantatem!" he shouted.
A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Crabbe and Zabini were lying on the floor, panting; Lydia was covered in ash and coughing as Goyle was trying to catch his breath, rubbing his legs in annoyance.
Granger and I were still moving; I had managed to pin her below me, keeping her to the floor and yanking at her robes as she wriggled around to escape. She was whimpering in pain and both our wands lay forgotten on the floor.
"Let me go!" She squealed, struggling. "Crypton, let go!"
Potter jumped forward and tried prying me off her, but I stayed put, yanking her hair, letting out all the anger I had towards her.
"Don't touch her, Potter." Draco snarled, shoving him off me. Gingerly, he hooked his arm around my waist and carried me to Lydia and Goyle, picking up my wand in the process.
"You should have let her punch those rat teeth out." Lydia hissed, smoothing out my hair and glaring at Granger.
Laughing, I saw Lockhart trying to restore calm to the chaos the had erupted. Draco grabbed my hand and held it, pulling me close as Weasley and Potter gave us angry glares. A few Gryffindork girls were crowding around Granger, asking if she was alright and if she was hurt. I rolled my eyes at the stupid gestures.
"Dear, dear," he said, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Bulstrode ...
Careful there, Miss Fawcett ... Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Parkinson...
"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 Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. He seemed to be in a sour mood, worse than usual, and that usually meant plans were not going to our accord.
"Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you -"
"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said 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."
We snickered and Longbottom's round, pink face went pinker.
"Very well, Potter and -"
"May I suggest someone from my own house?" Snape interrupted, waving his hands towards the Slytherins.
"Splendid idea, Professor!" Lockhart exclaimed, clapping his hands
"Then Mr. Malfoy, perhaps." said Snape with a wicked smile.
Lydia, Crabbe, Goyle and I, along with a few other Slytherins clapped our hands with smirks. Draco smiled smugly and let go of my hand, going towards Snape to the stage.
"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. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops -my wand is a little overexcited -"
Snape moved closer to Draco, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Then Draco smirked too, looking at Potter.
Potter looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
They walked up to the stage, towards each other in the middle and raised their wands.
"Scared?" Draco muttered, raising an eyebrow.
"You wish," Potter replied, and I bawled my hands up into fists.
Lockhart cuffed Potter's shoulder and shook him gently, smiling. Then he walked to the other end and flashed us all a smile.
"Three - two - one - go!" he shouted.
Draco raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"
The end of his wand exploded. We watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.
"That sounds like my name." Lydia giggled, watching the snake slither towards Potter.
"It's so lovely." I mumbled, and the snake twitched it's face towards me, then went back to Potter.
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of him standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "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.
"...attack..." A hissing voice suddenly said, and it sounded enraged.
I spun around to see where it came from and saw nothing, just everyone panicking and running from the scene.
The snake started hissing furiously, and it slithered straight toward Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
"Leavess hiss alssone!" Potter hissed stupidly, and miraculously - inexplicably - the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Potter.
I knew what he had said, some what; It was muffled, in some strange way where I could partially make out what he had shouted: "Leave him alone!"
The snake wouldn't attack anyone now, and I felt as if it was communicating with Lighting Scar.
"What do you think you're playing at?" The Hufflepuff suddenly shouted angrily at Potter, then turned and stormed out of the hall.
Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Potter in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and I was dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls.
"He speaks Parseltongue..." Draco mumbled behind me, and I noticed that Lydia was pulling Crabbe and Goyle our of the Great Hall, motioning for us to follow.
"Draco, I knew what he said-"
"Not here, Vanice." He hushed me, grabbing my hand and guiding me out.
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OH MY GOSH. SHE KINDA UNDERSTOOD. Hah, so thanks for reading! If anyone is..no one is really giving reviews. I actually wouldn't mind if only ONE person reviews a chapter. It's all I really want.
•Q.O.C...
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Never Tickle A Sleeping Dragon!