A week later, we were walking across the entrance hall with Harry, Ron, and Hermione when we saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned us over, looking excited.
"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days. . . ."
"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest.
"Could be useful," he said to us as we went into dinner. "Shall we go?"
"Yes we should!" I said enthusiastically. "Not enough people have seen what I can do yet!"
"Isn't both of Slytherin's and Gryffindor's Quidditch teams as well as Madam Hooch and myself enough?" said Daniela Pattinson, who was sat down at the table already.
"Those weren't really duels" I told her "There were only 3 spells cast in total across all of those. Proper duels are at least sustained for a while. Anyway, you of all people should be first in line, as you're muggle born, so you're most at risk at the moment!"
"Thanks for the reminder!" she said bitterly.
"Well, you weren't going to go otherwise, were you?" I replied
"Look, Daniela, we'll all go together, and we'll make sure you're up against one of us, then it'll be ok" said Demelza.
Daniela bit her lip
"Oh, alright then!" she said "I suppose I am more at risk after all!"
So at eight o'clock that evening we hurried 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 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?" 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."
A horrible thought came over me at these words.
"Bet you five Galleons it's Snape" I said, turning to Demelza and Amy.
"10 Galleons it's Lockhart" replied Amy.
"15 galleons it's both" said Demelza, looking pointedly over our shoulders.
Amy and I turned sharply around, and we both groaned.
"You both owe me 15 Galleons" Demelza said cheekily.
Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.
"We... never actually shook hands on any of those bets" said Amy slowly.
"I had my fingers crossed" I added. "Plus you only said it once you saw them walking in".
"You don't actually have any galleons anyway!" came a sneering voice.
Draco Malfoy was walking in late, along with Crabbe and Goyle, and Avery, Mulciber and Yaxley bought up the rear.
I wanted to jinx him in retaliation, but before I could, Lockhart began to talk.
"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!"
Snape's upper lip was curling.
Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much 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 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, watching Snape baring 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.
Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"Who cares?" said Harry, Ron, Demelza, Amy, Daniela and I all at once. Several people laughed and Hermione blushed and bit her lip, highly embarrassed.
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 . . ."
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 —"
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 Hermione.
"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger — you can partner Miss Bulstrode."
Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.
Snape then approached us, and before we could do anything, he had partnered me with Avery, Demelza with Mulciber, and Amy with Yaxley. Daniela was left with another Slytherin boy I didn't know the name of.
"Sorry" said Demelza as Snape moved away.
"Not your fault, don't worry" replied Daniela.
"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform.
"And bow!"
Avery and I moved our heads forward as minutely as we possibly could.
"Should be piss easy for you this, shouldn't it!" she said "With what you're getting up to outside the classroom!"
A few people looked towards us at these words, but before anyone could ask any questions, Lockhart spoke again.
"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 —"
Disarming was the last thing on almost everyone's minds though, as the majority of us were paired up with someone we disliked. Straight away, I was slammed onto the ground, as Avery had hit me with a Knockback Jinx. I instantly responded, sending a Startleling Charm right back at her, and she was scared witless, as this caused the person to experience loud banging sounds right up against their ears. I took advantage of her distraction to fire Petrificus Totalus, which caused her to smash to the floor, stiff as a board. I'd beaten her with ease, but looking around, it appeared I was the only one who had, as many people were suffering from a variety of spells.
Harry was dancing around in a bizarre manner, he'd been hit with Tarrantalegera, while Malfoy was laughing under the effects of a Tickleling Jinx. Demelza was doubled over and choking and Yaxley was suffering from Amy's curse of the bogies, howling in pain on the floor. Daniela, to my great surprise and relief, was unharmed, and had the Slytherin boy retching on the ground under the effects of a Slug Vomiting Hex.
"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.
"Finite Incantatem!" he shouted; Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, Avery was thawed, Demelza stopped choking, the Slytherin boy stopped vomiting and we 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 pulled Millicent off. It was difficult: She was a lot bigger than he was.
"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, Boot —
"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," He glanced at Snape, 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 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?" said Snape with a twisted smile.
"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.
"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 Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"
"Scared?" muttered Malfoy, so that Lockhart couldn't hear him.
"You wish," said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.
Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"
"What, drop my wand?"
But Lockhart wasn't listening.
"Three — two — one — go!" he shouted.
Malfoy 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 them, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor. Even I felt the need to move, I wasn't very afraid of snakes, but I still didn't feel happy to get close to one. What on earth was Snape thinking, letting Malfoy do that?
"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry 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. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
Then I saw something utterly unbelievable. Harry walked towards the snake, and opened his mouth. But instead of English, some very unsettling hissing sounds came from his mouth, and the snake, incredibly, fell docile and moved towards him instead. He was a Parselmouth! Shit, this wasn't going to help the rumours of him being Slytherin's heir one bit!
Justin, however, looked angry and scared, instead of grateful.
"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. Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way: It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Harry didn't like it. Neither did any of us, and straight away, we all went up to Harry and dragged him out of the room.
"Come on," said Ron, "Move, come on!"
As we went through the doors, the people on either side drew away as though they were frightened of catching something.
We didn't explain anything until we had 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 —"
"Yeah Harry" I said "the only known people who can speak Parseltongue are dark wizards, in fact I heard a rumour You-Know-Who himself was one. Perhaps it's a side effect from when he attacked you".
Harry gaped at us.
"I spoke a different language? But — I didn't realize"
Both Ron and Hermione were looking as though someone had died.
"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."
We all sat in silence for a while, before eventually it became very late, and Mary made a good point by suggesting we go up to bed.
The first and second years in our group split and didn't say another word to each other. Demelza, Amy, Daniela and I began a conversation once we were back in our dormitory.
"What do you think?" said Amy "Reckon there's a chance Harry's the heir?"
"Come off it" I said, in a voice I hoped merely appeared skeptical to them.
"I think it's a possibility, as much as I hate to say it" said Demelza
"Seriously?!" I cried "Harry is one of our best mates, he'd never attack anyone without good reason, let alone Muggleborns! D, you saw him at my house, you've seen him all school year, you know he's not that kinda guy, come on!"
"Look, Ginny, you're not considering the facts" replied Demelza. "Harry hates those Muggle he lives with, he was already found at the scene of one of the attacks, and he's a bloody Parselmouth! You even said it yourself, only dark wizards have ever been known to do that!"
"Harry only hates those Muggles because they abuse him! There's a good reason Ron, Fred and George had to go and rescue him this summer! Also, just because only dark wizards have been Parselmouths before, doesn't mean that it's impossible for light ones to be!"
"How come he was at the scene of Ms' Norris's attack then?"
I bit my lip. How could I answer that without incriminating myself?
"See? Look, mate, I'm not saying this to make you feel like shit, it's just that there's some dodgy stuff happening around Harry at the moment. We have to consider him a suspect until it's ruled out. I'm not saying I think it's definitely him, but we have to keep this stuff in mind when we're around him"
"I agree with Demelza" said Mary
"What do you think, Daniela?" asked Amy
Daniela bit her lip, then said
"I'm not sure about it all, I think you both make good points. I just hope they can catch the real culprit before they catch me".