Snape's Petty Revenge
"Can everybody see me?" Gilderoy Lockhart asked as he surveyed the students. "Can everybody hear me?"
Severus took a subtle, measured breath as he reminded himself of his duties. Lockhart had been invited by McGonagall as a sort of guest professor... or rather, Lockhart had invited himself. Neither Severus nor Lily had any idea why someone like Lockhart would be allowed to teach children in any capacity outside of his celebrity status, but at least he wasn't as incompetent as he'd been in his original life. Severus had made sure of that.
"Now then," Lockhart said, flashing a smile at the students, "Headmistress McGonagall has been gracious enough to invite me back to Hogwarts for the purpose of becoming the school's very first dueling instructor! Of course, I'm not discounting Professors Snape and Lupin for forming the Dueling Club when they themselves were students, but we are, of course, speaking in an official sense. I will also be overseeing the Dueling Club itself, hence my presence here today, for which I'm sure we're all pleasantly surprised."
Severus felt the veins in his forehead throbbing at Lockhart's inane chattering. He glanced over at the students present; Harry, Neville, and their male friends had skeptical looks on their faces, while the girls were all but swooning over the guest professor. Alice's cheeks were slightly pink, and her eyes were locked on Lockhart.
"Let's begin with a few demonstrations, shall we?" Lockhart twirled and paced the dueling stage. "Please welcome my assistant for the day: Professor Snape!"
Severus walked through the crowd of students, wordlessly parting them as he levitated himself onto the stage.
"Don't worry," Lockhart said smugly. "Your Potions Master will still be in one piece when I'm through with him."
It seemed Lockhart was just as arrogant now as he'd been the first time around. Severus would have to correct that.
Severus and Lockhart approached one another and raised their respective wands. "Best of luck, Severus," Lockhart said, just before turning to wink at the crowd.
... and that was it. "And to you, Lockhart." Severus was going to enjoy sending this wanker into a wall.
The two of them backed away and began pacing to their respective ends of the stage. Severus took his last step and turned, taking his dueling stance.
"Wands at the ready," Lockhart called out. "Three... two... one... begin! Expelliarmus!"
Lockhart's spell shot forward at Severus, but Severus easily caught it in his own Shield Charm before flinging it back with greater force. The light struck Lockhart center of mass and shot him off the stage, and he landed flat on his back. A majority of the girls in the crowd gasped in shock, while the boys, excluding Neville, laughed out loud. Severus glanced at Alice, who remained expressionless aside from her wide eyes. Her eyes found his, and they shared a look.
Severus subtly winked, and Alice's lip twitched, hiding her smile.