Chapter Sixteen – The Dueling Club

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now laying as though dead in the Hospital Wing had spread through the entire school by Monday morning. This caused the air in the school to become thick with suspicion, and rumors of 'what actually happened' and 'who did it' began to spread faster than a cold. The first years were now moving around the castle in tight-knit groups, as though scared that they would be attacked if they dared to venture forth alone.

Ginny Weasley, who sat next to Colin Creevy in Charms, was very distraught, and Harry thought that Fred and George were going about cheering her up the wrong way. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues. They only stopped when Percy, apoplectic with rage, told them that he was going to write to Mrs Weasley and tell her that Ginny was having nightmares. Meanwhile, hidden from the teachers, a roaring trade of talismans, amulets, and other 'protective' devices were sweeping the school.

In the second week of December, Professor Flitwick came around as usual to collect the names of the students who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry sadly had to put his name down because Severus had informed him that not only was he being forced to stay during Christmas this year by Dumbledore, but Remus was being forced by his boss to stay where he was longer and thus would not be back in time for Christmas. Not only that, but Draco had also informed Harry that his parents would be away for Christmas, so Draco would also be staying at the castle this year.

A week later found Harry and Luna walking towards the Great Hall to meet with Myari and Draco. They found the two in a small knot of people gathering around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had been pinned up that morning. Harry and Luna quickly pushed their way up to the front of the knot where Myari and Draco were.

"They're starting a Dueling Club!" Myari told them excitedly. "The first meeting is tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days."

"My father has been teaching me dueling since I was old enough to walk." Draco informed them in a bored tone. Harry read the posted sign with interest, he had been curious about wizard duels ever since he had read about them.

"I think I'll join the lesson tonight." Harry muttered just loud enough for his friends to hear him.

"Well, then, I guess I'll join you and show you how duels are really done." Draco announced causing Myari and Luna to share a knowing smile.

"Well then, I guess since the two of you are going, then me and Luna will join you." Myari said and Luna nodded. And so, at eight o'clock that evening the group of four made their way back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating over head. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and whispering excitedly to each other.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" Myari asked as the group maneuvered themselves through the crowd so that they were in front next to the stage.

"I hope it's Flitwick, he's told me that he was a dueling champion when he was younger." Harry informed them as he rested his arms on the stage as Luna leaned against his side with a whimsical sigh while resting her chin on his shoulder.

"I bet it's going to be Severus, he's been helping father teach me." Draco said as he glared at Luna before wrapping his arms around Harry, hugging him from the back, not even seeming to bother Luna who just shifted so that she could continue to practically lay on Harry. Myari, feeling left out, wrapped her arms around Luna, hugging her from the back as well.

"As long as it's not Lockhart, than I am fine." Myari said before Lockhart, dressed in robes of deep plum, walked into the room and up on the stage accompanied by Severus, wearing his usual black, causing the girl to groan. "Well, at least we have Professor Snape here, we might actually learn something." She muttered causing the small group to chuckle.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence before calling for the students to "Gather round, gather round!" The crowd tightened around the stage, causing Harry and Luna to grunt when they were pushed into the stage, this caused both Myari and Draco to growl and snap for the other students to "Back the fuck up!" The other students, scared at what these two would do to them actually took a half step back.

"Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me?" Lockhart asked and received confirmation from the students. "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 yourself as I, myself, have done on countless occasions-" at that Myari coughed out a 'bullshit' causing Draco to start laughing while Harry and Luna just smiled at them, however, Lockhart continued as if he didn't hear them, "-for full details, see my published works." Lockhart smiled and winked at some fangirls who began to titter.

"Now, enough about me, let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape." Lockhart said 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." Harry watched as Severus's upper lip curled, alerting Harry that Severus was not here willingly. "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!"

Severus and Lockhart walked towards each other, stopping in the middle of the stage right in front of Harry and his group and bowed (well, Lockhart bowed with much twirling of his hands, whereas Severus jerked his head irritably). They raised their wands in front of their face before being swung to their sides, from everything he had read Harry knew that this was the 'Present Arms'. Severus and Lockhart did an About-Face so they were now facing from each other and each took five steps to the ends of the stage. With another quick About-Face, they were once again facing each other, their wands held out in front them like swords ready to strike.

However, in Harry's mind's eyes, they were no longer holding wands but actual swords. Harry looked around the Great Hall which had changed into a battlefield that was covered with fallen knights from both sides, giving Harry a strange sense of Déjà vu. Harry looked back at Severus and Lockhart, the remaining knights, both covered in blood and wounds. The both of them were breathing hard and looking ready to collapse, but both refusing to allow the other side to win this battle. All while Harry sat there, untouched, waiting for either one or both to collapse so that his job could be done with. Finally, the two remaining knights charged at each other; however, before their swords could connect with each other, Harry was brought out of the scene by Lockhart.

"As you can see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position." Lockhart informed the crowed as Harry glanced around the Great Hall to see that was back to being the Great Hall instead of a battle field. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spell. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I'm surprised Severus hasn't killed him already." Draco murmured, Harry glanced at Severus in time to see the man bare his teeth at Lockhart while tightening his hold on his wand.

"One – two – three –"

Both professors swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent as Severus cried "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. The man flew backwards off the stage, smashed into the wall, before sliding down it to sprawl on the floor. It was silent for half a second before Harry let out a bark of laughter, this allowed the Slytherins to begin cheering. Myari 'Whoop'ed and clapped while jumping up and down.

"Do it again!" Draco called out while laughing. Severus smirked proudly at them as Lockhart finally began to climb unsteadily to his feet. His had had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end.

"Well. There you have it!" He coughed out, tottering back onto the stage as he got his breath back. "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 me 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..." Lockhart trailed off at Severus's murderous look. "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 –"

The two of them moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-fletchley. Harry caught sight of Haiden and Ron inching towards each other, obviously hoping that Lockhart would pair them together, however, Severus reached them before Lockhart could.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think." He sneered. "Weasley, you can partner with Harry. Potter –" Haiden hand begun to automatically move towards Hermione. "I don't think so." Severus said, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here." Draco confidently walked over to Severus. "Let's see what you can make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger –" Harry watched as Severus's eyes flew between Luna and Myari for a few seconds before looking back at the nervous Hermione, "you can partner up with Miss Rose, Miss Lovegood will take over for who ever needs it." The groups quickly paired up with their assigned partners while Luna sat on the stage waiting for a chance. Harry caught Draco smirking at Haiden who just sneered at him, before he, himself, gave Ron a weak smile only to receive a sneer from the boy.

"Face your partners!" Lockhart called, back on the stage. "And bow." Harry bowed at Ron, who he noted barely inclined his head. "Wands at the ready!" Lockhart said and Harry quickly got into the same stance that he had seen Severus get into in the demonstration. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents – only to disarm them – we don't want any accidents –one... two –"

Harry had to quickly throw up a shield charm before Lockhart could even finish counting to three as Ron threw a snot-green colored spell at two. Whatever spell Ron had cast at him easily bounced off of Harry's shield and flew past Lockhart who had to dive out of the way, the spell hit the wall and began tov sizzle as if acid had been thrown on it. It didn't take long for Harry to realize that Ron had just tried to seriously harm him, and anger quickly took him over and he retaliated by firing three spells in quick session. The first one hit Ron, locking him in place, the second one hit him causing the boy to scream in pain, while the third one forced Ron to bend over backwards while his feet were still glued to the floor.

While this was happening, Haiden had swung his wand to cast a spell, however, Draco had beaten him to it, having cast a spell on 'two'. Draco's spell hit Haiden so hard that he felt as though he'd been hit over the head with a saucepan. He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working and, wasting no more time, Haiden pointed his wand straight at Draco and shouted 'Rictusempra!" A jet of silver light hit Draco in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

"I said 'disarm only'!" Lockhart shouted in alarm after having to dodge Ron's spell looking over at the group in front of him. Ron was bent over backwards, Draco wheezing in pained laughter having been hit with a Tickling Charm by Haiden. Harry was now using his wand like the hilt of a whip and had begun to whip Ron with a spell that he had learned from a book in the Restricted Section, a murderous look in his eyes. A handful of students around them were watching in fascinated horror.

Draco pointed his wand at Haiden's knees and choked out "Tarantallegra!" and the next second Haiden's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.

"Stop! Stop!" Lockhart screamed, however Severus took charge and he quickly grabbed Harry and pulled him away from Ron.

"Finite Incantatem!" He shouted as he waved his wand; Ron collapsed fully on the ground panting, Draco's pained laughter stopped, and Haiden's feet stopped their dance. The three of them looked up at Severus who held a still murderous looking Harry to his side as he walked back up onto the stage to survey the damage.

A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene brought by Ron's spell hitting and melting part of the wall. Both Neville and Justin were laying on the floor, panting. Ron was still on the ground with whip marks and a few open cuts, moaning in pain in between pants. Hermione and Myari were a few of the students watching harry in fascinated horror. And Harry was clutching tightly to Severus's cloak, his breathing finally slowing down.

"Dear, dear." Lockhart said, 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, Boot – I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells." Lockhart said standing, flustered, in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Severus, whose black eyes glinted in annoyance, before looking away quickly. "Let's have a volunteer pair – Longbottom and Finch-fletchley, how about you –"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart." Severus said, handing the now much calmer Harry over to Luna as he quickly glided over to Lockhart 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." Severus said with a twisted smile.

"Excellent idea!" Lockhart said, gesturing Harry and Draco into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room, while they began to whisper in confusion.

"Not that Potter!" Severus hissed out, gently pulling a confused and worried Harry to the side while pushing Haiden into the ring, causing the young boy to stumble awkwardly.

"Even better!" Lockhart cried walking over to Haiden. "Now, Haiden," Harry was able to over hear, "when Draco points his wand at you, you do this." The man raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action causing him to drop his own wand. Severus, having caught that, smirked and Lockhart quickly picked his wand up, saying: "Whoops – my wand is a little overexcited–"

Severus moved closer to Draco, away from Harry, bent down and whispered something in his ear. Draco smirked at what ever Severus told him. Harry watched as his brother nervously looked up at Lockhart. "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"

"Scared, Potter?" Draco hissed at Haiden.

"You wish." Haiden hissed back before Lockhart cuffed Haiden merrily on the shoulder.

"Just do what I did, Haiden!" He told Haiden.

"What, drop my wand?" Haiden asked causing Harry to chuckle, however, Lockhart was no longer paying any attention to Haiden.

"Three – two – one – go!" Lockhart shouted.

Quickly, before Haiden could react, Draco raised his wand and bellowed: "Serpensortia!" The end of his wand exploded and a long black snake shot out of it. The snake fell heavily onto the floor between the two boys before raising itself, ready to strike. There was pause as what happened registered in the minds of the other students before the rest of the student body, besides Harry, screamed and quickly backed away from the snake, clearing the floor.

"Don't move, Potter, I'll get rid of it." Severus said lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Haiden standing motionless, eye to eye with an angry snake. Severus made to get rid of the snake when it shifted, about to strike, only to be stopped by Harry.

"Leave him alone." Harry hissed at the snake, causing everyone to look at him in shock as the students around him shifted away from him. The snake hissed angrily at him but turned away from Haiden, locking eyes with Ron and started to head towards the terrified boy. "Don't even think about it."

"You are not my master." The snake hissed at him. "I was created to attack, if I am not allowed to bite the one I was created to bite, then I shall bite whoever I please."

"If you must bite someone, then bite me." Harry hissed at the snake who paused for a second before continuing toward Ron. "Listen to me!" Harry hiss out, stomping his foot, this caused the snake to finally look at Harry. "I am your master now! You will listen to me! You will not bite that boy! You will bite me!" The snake hissed and shook as if it were trying to fight off something, only to stop seconds later before it began to slowly slither towards Harry, who knelt down and presented his arm to the snake. However, before the snake could open it's mouth to bite Harry, it went up in flames. Harry locked eyes with Severus who was giving him a guarded look.

"You just tried to kill me!" Ron yelled shocking Harry. "You all saw that! He just tried to kill me!" The crowd around them began to murmur as Harry looked around in shocked confusion.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about? If it weren't for me you'd have been bitten. And plus everyone here just heard me tell the snake to not bite you." Harry told Ron with a confused laugh as he looked at the other students who were now refusing to look him in the eye, confusing and scaring Harry. What was going on? He flinched when someone placed a calming hand on his shoulder and turned to see that someone had been Myari.

"Actually, Harry, all we heard was you hissing at the snake." She calmly explained to him.

"What?" Harry asked, looking past her at Luna and Hermione who both nodded. "B-but, no, I-I was speaking English! It was clear as day! And the snake, it-it... it spoke... back." Harry's mind raced as he looked back at what just happened, finally realizing that he was speaking with a snake, just like back at the zoo. He locked eyes with Myari. "I wasn't speaking English, was I?" He asked in a whisper as his eyes teared up.

"No, you were speaking Parselmouth." She whispered back.

"You're the one attacking students, aren't you!" Ron yelled, reminding Harry that he was still there. "Admit it! You're the one that is opening the Chamber and is attacking people!" Ron accused and the crowed around them shifted and whispers began around them.

"No!" Harry cried, his tears falling as he tried to look at the other students to show them that he was innocent, but they were refusing to look at him. "I haven't attacked anyone!"

"You just attacked me!" Ron cried pointing to the empty place where the two of them had been paired up just moments before. "Everyone here saw you not only whipping me, but they just heard you hissing at the snake ordering it to attack me!" This caused more whispers and murmurs in the crowd watching them.

"No! That wasn't – I was just defending myself! I swear!" Harry cried, begging for Ron and the other students to believe him. "And, with the snake, I wasn't ordering it to attack you! I was ordering it to attack me!" The accusing looks from Ron and the other students had Harry backing up, fearful of what they would do to him. Suddenly his view of Ron was blocked by Hermione who was now standing in between him and Ron, her arms spread as if trying to protect him from Ron and the other students.

"Stop this right now!" Hermione cried as Myari quickly made her way to stand beside the girl, while Luna and Draco made their way over to Harry, both of them wrapping a protective arm around him. "Why are you automatically assuming that Harry was ordering that snake to attack you? If you had been paying attention the snake had started to move away from you and toward Harry." Hermione defended.

"You're clearly not in your right mind! It's clear that you've been cursed by Harry to believe that he's innocent! Just a few months ago you were telling both me and Haiden that Harry was clearly the one attacking people! It was only after you were alone with him in the restricted section that you're now suddenly defending him!" Ron cried and tried to grab at Hermione only to have his hand quickly slapped away by Myari who had now quickly gotten in between Hermione and Ron.

"Mr. Weasley, that is a dangerous claim to be making, especially without any proof. A claim like that could ruin someone's wizarding life. I would be care of the lies you're spreading." Severus hissed out. "I believe it's save to say that tonight's club meeting is officially over." Before anyone could do or say anything else to Harry, Hermione, Myari, Luna, and Draco quickly led Harry out of the room. As they passed, the students that were on the either side of the group quickly back away as though they were scared of touching Harry. No one in the group spoke until they felt that they had gotten to the safety of the Ravenclaw Tower, having silently agreed that this place would be the safest place for Harry at the moment.

The group quickly made their way to Harry's dormitory before they each found a place to settle as everyone got their thoughts together. Harry had curled up on his bed, knees to his chest and face in his knees while Loki rubbed up against him. Draco was the closest to him, leaning against his desk while staring at the floor, a blank expression on his face. Hermione was pacing back and forth while she rung her hands. Myari and Luna were leaning against the pillar in the middle of the room, Myari was watching Hermione worriedly while Luna was playing absent mindedly with her hair.

"So," Draco started awkwardly after a few tense moments causing Harry to flinch, not having expected anyone to suddenly start talking, "you can talk to snakes," Harry shifted so that he could look at the boy over his knees, "that's cool."

"Why didn't you warn any of us that you were a Parselmouth?" Myari asked with a sigh.

"I didn't know that I was a Parselmouth." Harry told them quietly. "I mean, it's not as if I've had many chances to experiment. This was probably the second or third time I've ever actually spoken with a snake."

"What were the other times?" Hermione asked as she finally stopped pacing.

"I kind of accidently let loose a Boa Constrictor." Harry muttered receiving shocked looks from everyone besides Luna.

"What?" Draco asked.

"You mean, that actually happened?" Hermione asked.

"It was an accident!" Harry cried raising his head off his knees as his arms shot out, as if hoping to try and stop his friends from leaving, even thou none of them looked like they were going to leave. "I didn't even know what was happening! I swear! It was the summer me and my brother got our letters! I hadn't even realized that I was actually speaking with the Boa Constrictor!"

"Whoa, Harry, calm down and start from the beginning." Myari told him and Harry took a deep, calming breath.

"It happened during my cousin Dudley's birthday. Now, normally me and Haiden weren't allowed to join our relatives when they celebrated Dudley's birthday, we usually were shipped off to our neighbor to watch us. However, that day our neighbor called, last minute, to inform our aunt and uncle that she couldn't take us because she had broken her leg. Without any place to leave us, our aunt and uncle were forced to take me and my brother to the zoo, it was our first time ever going to the zoo." Harry gave a small smile as he remembered being so excited and happy at finally getting to go to the zoo. "We got to share an ice pop." Harry's mind barely registered the sad smile Hermione gave him.

"It happened in the reptile room. I began to talk with the Boa Constrictor and it began reacting to me, nodding and shaking its head to my questions. However, Haiden stopped our conversation when he grabbed my arm, and then we were shoved to the ground by our cousin. What happened next happened too fast for me to stop, I felt a strange sensation in the back of my nasal and, before I could react, the glass keeping the Boa Constrictor in it's encloser was gone." He looked at Hermione at her gasp. "It didn't attack anyone and I never even asked it to attack any one! I wouldn't do that! Please, you have to believe me!" Harry cried, so desperate for his friends to believe him that he lost what little control he had over his magic causing everything not bolted to the ground or wall to start to float, including him and his friends.

"Calm down, Harry, no one in this room believes that you would attack someone with out provocation." Luna informed him, Harry looked from her to the others, receiving confirmation. Relief flooded him, allowing his magic to release its hold on them, and everything else, and dropping them back down, earning a grunt from Draco as he landed on the edge of the desk. Rubbing his back, Draco quickly moved from his spot to take a seat next to Harry before pulling him into a hug.

"You could be an actual cold blooded assassin and I would still be on your side." Draco whispered into Harry's ear.

"I'm cool with you being a Parselmouth, one of the elders in my village is a Parselmouth." Myari informed Harry with a warm smile.

"It's not the ability that defines a person, it's how the person uses the ability." Hermione told Harry, giving him a small smile.

"The mud–" Draco gave an awkward cough at the hard look both Harry and Hermione was now giving him. "I mean – Granger is right. Salazar Slytherin was said to be a Parselmouth, that's why he chose to have a serpent has the Slytherin House crest."

"I know," Harry said with a sigh. "I also know that he wasn't as bad as everyone makes him out to be. Yes, he was strict with who could or could not enter –" Harry suddenly cut himself off and his eyes widened as his mind finally connected the clues to what the disembodied voice he was hearing was. "It's a serpent." He whispered as he locked eyes with Luna who was giving him a sad smile.

"What?" Draco asked.

"The voice I've been hearing, it's not disembodied, it's from a serpent." Harry explained, before he closed his eyes. "The monster of the Chamber is a serpent."

"Hold on, back up, you've been hearing a disembodied voice?" Draco asked.

"That's not important right now, Draco, what is important is that we now know that the monster in the Chamber of Secrets is a serpent."

"We do?" Hermione asked. "How do we know that?"

"It's obvious." Harry told them receiving confused looks from everyone but Luna who was now playing with Loki who had gotten board of being ignored by Harry and had wondered over to the girl.

"It is?" Myari asked.

"Okay, so, what do we know? We know that Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth. We know that he created a secret chamber somewhere in Hogwarts. We know that he put a monster in the chamber before he died. We know that it had to be something that only he could control. Now, putting all the clues together, we know that the monster has to be a serpent. You still with me?" He asked and received nods from his friends. "Good." Harry shot up from his bed and grabbed a thick tome off his desk, it was clear that he was in research mode. "Now, we know it can't be just any serpent, it has to be something that was not only terrifying and powerful but also could still be alive after all this time." Myari, Hermione and Draco quickly gather around Harry as he thumbed through the tome that they were able to see was a book of magical creatures. Harry's hand froze on the Demiguise page. "Has-has any one seen or heard Hagrid's rooster's lately?" Myari and Draco looked at him in confusion.

"You know, now that you mention it, no I haven't." Hermione told him causing him to drop the tome in shocked horror.

"It's a Basilisk." He whispered causing Draco and Myari to pale.

"But I thought Basilisks killed people, not petrify them." Hermione said as she looked both confused and scared as Harry covered his face with his hands while turned and allowing Draco to hold him closely in a protective yet comforting hug.

"If you look directly at it." He told her, his voice slightly muffled. "If you remember correctly, the night we found Mrs Norris, there was a puddle of water. If she had seen the Basilisk through the reflection of the puddle it would account to why she was petrified instead of killed. It also explains how I was able to accidently follow the voice to her."

"But-but what about Colin?" Myari asked, clearly desperate to prove him wrong.

"The first year that's been following Haiden around with a camera attached to him? If the rumors are true and he really was trying to sneak into the Hospital Wing to get a picture of Haiden, then he would have most likely tried to take a picture the Basilisk, and looked at it's eyes through the lenses of his camera." Harry told them and they all fell into a heavy silence as it was clear that the evidence pointed at the monster of the chamber was a Basilisk.

"You know, Harry," Luna called out, shocking the small group and causing them to look at her as she stood up with Loki in her arms, "if you're correct and the monster really is a Basilisk, then this isn't looking good for you. Seeing as, as far as anyone knows, you are the only living person in Hogwarts that can speak Parselmouth."