Chapter 31: Wizard's Duel

"I can't believe this happened! Oh, poor Colin!" said Hermione, as we rushed towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom after leaving the school potions store in the dungeons that morning.

"I know the kid's a right little bugger, but I must say, he didn't deserve that." I said, slowing down a bit so Hermione could catch up with my long legs.

We had overheard the professors talking about Colin being found petrified the night before. He was only 11. Malfoy was a monster to be attacking bloody first years.

We figured that after we heard the news, it would be a great time to start preparing the potion, so as soon as we were done with breakfast, we went and got what we could from the student stores potion room, gathered a cauldron up, and made our way to the bathroom.

Once we made it in (and after we begged and pleaded Myrtle not to rat us out), I helped Hermione set up and prepared what she needed me to. She then set the cauldron up over one of the toilets, and lit one of her bluebell fires under it. Being waterproof, the fire burned as if it were in a fireplace with no moisture around.

"So this is really going to take a month?" I asked. "Not to rush, but is there any way to cut the time?"

Hermione shook her head. "No. As I said, some of the ingredients will be hard to get. And the potion making will be very tedious. There are certain-"

"What's that?" I said, interrupting her. I thought I had heard the door open.

Hermione and I froze. Fine idea. Just freeze up and maybe we would turn invisible.

"It's me." came a voice. Hermione and I ducked into the at all,closing the door. Hermione gasped as she peeked through the keyhole in the door.

"Harry!" she said, opening the stall door. "You gave us such a fright, come in. How's your arm?"

"Fine," said Harry, squeezing into the stall. "What's that there?"

"We would've come to meet you, but we decided to get started on the Polyjuice Potion " I said as Harry locked the stall door. "We've decided this is the safest place to hide it."

"You'd never guess what happened." said Harry. "Colin-"

"We already know, we heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick this morning." interrupted Hermione. "That's why we decided we'd better get going."

"The sooner we get a confession out of Malfoy, the better." I said. "Do you know what I think? He was in such a foul temper after the Quidditch match, he took it out on Colin."

"There's something else," said Harry, as we watched Hermione tear bundles of knotgrass and throw them into the potion. "Dobby came to visit me in the middle of the night."

We listened closely as Harry told us how it was Dobby who had sealed up the platform so we couldn't get through, as well set the bludger on Harry to get him sent home (in some sick twisted thought process), and how Dobby had accidentally told him that history was going to repeat itself.

"The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before?" Hermione said.

"This settles it!" I said triumphantly. "Lucius Malfoy must've opened the Chamber when he was at school here and now he's told dear old Draco how to do it. It's obvious. Wish Dobby would have told you what kind of monster is in there, though. I want to know how come nobody's noticed it sneaking around the school."

"Maybe it can make itself invisible," said Hermione, forcing leeches to the bottom of the cauldron. "Or maybe it can disguise itself. Pretend to be a suit of armor or something. I've read about Chameleon Ghouls."

"You read too much, Hermione." I joked, pouring dead lacewings on top of the leeches. "So Dobby stopped us from getting on the train and broke your arm. You know what, Harry? If he doesn't stop trying to save your life he's going to kill you."

Harry chuckled. Hermione didn't see what was so funny.

The news that Colin Creevey had been attacked and was now petrified as well had been known by the entire school by Monday morning. Rumors were spread around like wildfire, and the first years stayed traveling in packs, scared to be the next victims.

Ginny, who sat next to Colin in Charms, was completely beside herself. Fred and George tried to cheer her up, but was totally going about it the wrong way. They were taking turns covering themselves with fur or boils and jumping out at her from behind statues. They stopped when Percy started threatening to tell Mum.

I tried my best to make her happy, but she was beginning to distance herself. Whenever I would try and talk to her, she would shut down and say that she was fine, when you could totally tell that she wasn't.

"Ginny, how bout a fly?" I asked her one Saturday while Harry was helping Hermione with the potion. I had helped her during Harry's practice, so now it was his turn.

Ginny looked at me as if she were stunned. I don't think she expected me to try to talk to her. I had been a bit neglectful as a big brother.

"No, I'm fine." said Ginny as she wrote in her little black book.

"Awh, come on, Gin. You used to love flying with me at home." I said, poking my lip out at her to try to convince her.

She grinned, but didn't give me much. "I'm okay. Besides, I have homework to catch up on. Maybe another time."

I felt bad, but I couldn't force her. So I just nodded and went to help Harry and Hermione.

In the second week of December, Professor McGonagall came around as usual, collecting names of those who would be staying at school for Christmas. Harry and I signed up, and even though I knew that it had hurt her, Hermione signed her name as well. Malfoy was staying as well, which struck us as very suspicious. Why would he want to spend Christmas in the castle for? Still, it provided the perfect time to use the Polyjuice Potion and try to get a confession out of him.

Unfortunately, the potion was only half finished. We still needed the bicorn horn and the boomslang skin, and the only place we were going to get them was from Snape's private stores, and none of us were too keen on the idea of stealing from there.

"What we need is a diversion." said Hermione, as we headed for dreaded double Potions. "Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need. I think I'd better do the actual stealing. You two will be expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."

"That, and you know more about what to get than we do." I said. "Still, with it being Snape and all, it's still a huge risk you're taking."

"I'll be alright." she tried to reassure me, and herself.

Harry attempted a smile. He knew that things were gonna be bad.

Potions lessons took place in one of the large dungeons. Thursday afternoon's lesson proceeded in the usual way. Twenty cauldrons stood steaming between the wooden desks, on which stood brass scales and jars of ingredients. Snape prowled through the fumes, making nasty remarks about us Gryffindors' work, while the Slytherins were praised and shown favoritism. Malfoy, who was Snape's favorite student, kept flicking puffer-fish eyes at Harry and I. Something that was annoying the fuck out of me, but also we knew that if we retaliated, we would get detention faster than you could say unfair.

We were making swelling solutions, and harry and I's were far too runny. We were too busy concentrating on when Hermione was going to signal us to do something. Finally, Hermione gave us a slight nod, and Harry ducked swiftly down behind his cauldron, pulled one of Fred's Filibuster fireworks out of his pocket, and gave it a poke with his wand. The firework began to fizz and sputter. Harry then stood up, took aim, and lobbed it into the air, where it landed right where he wanted it, in Goyle's cauldron.

Goyle's potion exploded, showering the entire class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon, Goyle's already slab of meat sized hands had swelled up to the size of dinner plates. Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened. Through the confusion, Harry and I saw Hermione slip quietly into Snape's office.

"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft! When I find out who did this..."

Harry and I tried not to laugh as he watched Malfoy hurry forward, his head drooping with the weight of a nose that looked like a watermelon. A few seconds later, we saw Hermione slide back into the dungeon, the front of her robes bulging.

After class, we rushed back to the potion, where Hermione proceeded to throw the new ingredients into the cauldron and stir.

"It'll be ready in two weeks." she said happily.

"Snape can't prove it was you." I said reassuringly to Harry, who seemed to be under the impression that Snape knew he did it. "What can he do?"

"Knowing Snape, something foul," said Harry.

A week later, we were walking across the entrance hall when we saw a small group of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus and Dean called 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?" I asked, laughingly. However, I couldn't help but he intrigued. I've always wanted to learn how to properly duel, and not by listening to Percy read about it out loud "Still, could be useful. Shall we go?"

They both nodded, so at eight o'clock that evening we hurried back to the Great Hall, where the long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. Most of the school was already there.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young, maybe it'll be him."

"As long as it's not- Oh bloody hell."groaned Harry.

Lockhart was walking onto the stage, in deep purple robes, looking like a ripe plum. Snape was with him in his usual depressing black.

"Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!" bellowed Lockhart over the crowd.

"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.

Merlin, I hated the arrogant tosser. I hated even more that Hermione and some of the other girls were making googly eyes at the bloody prat.

"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!"

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" I whispered in Harry's ear, who laughed.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed, at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling and fluttering and other utter nonsense of his hands. Snape, however, jerked his head slightly, as if he was already over it. 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 said. "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, as Snape had a slight out for blood look on his face.

"One - two - three-"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent.

"Expelliarmus!" cried out Snape.

There was a dazzling flash of red 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. A lot of us were laughing. Hermione looked as if she wanted to rub to his bloody side.

"Do you think he's all right?" she asked, peeking through her fingers.

"Who cares?" said Harry and I together.

Lockhart looked like a jumbled up pile of grapes. He got up off the floor like Charlie did once when he had came in drunk after his graduation party a couple years back. Mum was livid.

"Well, there you have it!" he said, feebly climbing 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 as if he wanted to off Lockhart right then and there. 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 I 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 a vicious smile. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger - you can partner Miss Bulstrode."

Hermione looked over at the tank of a girl called Millicent and winced. It was widely known that Millicent was a bruiser. She was worse than most blokes when it came to brawls. I certainly wouldn't have wanted to tango with her.

Malfoy came over, smirking as he stood in front of Harry. I stood in front of Seamus and said a quick prayer that the fool wouldn't blow me up

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"

As I came up from my bow, I looked over and notices that Harry nor Malfoy had done it. They stood perfectly straight and still, if looks could kill, they both would have fallen down dead.

"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-"

Malfoy had started on two, his spell hit Harry so hard he stumbled back, almost falling on his ass. Harry quickly composed himself, pointed his wand straight at Malfoy, and shouted, " Rictusempra! "

A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm. Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees. "Tarantallegra!" he said, and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of his control in a kind of quickstep.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge. "Finite Incantatem!" he shouted. Harry's feet stopped dancing, Malfoy stopped laughing, and they were able to look up.

The room was filled with mayhem. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting, I was holding up Seamus, apologizing because my broken wand had sent a small explosion to his face, instead of the other way around.

Fucking Millicent Bulstrode had Hermione in a headlock, with Hermione yelling in pain. Apparently, neither one had even gotten the chance to properly duel with wands. Harry leapt forward and pulled Millicent off. He struggled against the boulder of a girl, and I quickly pulled Hermione out from under her.

"Dear, dear." said Lockhart, making his way 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."

"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells." said Lockhart finally.

Gee, ya think?

"Let's have a volunteer pair" he said, snapping his fingers. "Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape. "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 looked embarrassed. I felt bad for the bloke.

"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 we all backed away to give them room.

Lockhart looked like he was giving Harry some pointers. In the process of that, he flailed around so much, that the wanker dropped his own wand.

I looked to the other end, and Snape appeared to be doing the same thing for Malfoy. He smirked as if he had something up his sleeve. Sneaky gits.

They walked over and met each other in the middle of the room.

"Scared, Potter?" we heard Malfoy mutter.

"You wish." said Harry out of the corner of his mouth.

Lee Jordan, George, and I exchanged looks. This was going to be good.

"Just do what I did, Harry!" said Lockhart, stepping away.

"What, drop my wand?" said Harry.

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

Malfoy raised his wand quickly, did some fancy flailing, and yelled, " Serpensortia!"

Out of his wand popped out a long and black cobra. Harry froze as he watched it raise up and prepare to strike. There were assorted screams as the rest of us backed up as fast as we could.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape, as if he didn't give a damn about a fucking snake ready to kill a child. "I'll get rid of it..."

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart, jumping in front of him. He waved his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang. Instead of the snake vanishing, it flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack, thus pissing it off. It slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs out and ready to strike.

Suddenly, Harry started talking to the snake, but it wasn't regular talking. He was hissing in a foreign language at it. Every time he hissed a command, the snake looked attentively at Harry, as if it was actually listening to him.

"Bloody hell." I whispered. Everyone else just stared.

The snake turned again to Justin, looking as if he was preparing to strike, but also thinking about it. Harry hissed again, and the snake turned back to him. It was the barmiest thing I had ever seen.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Justin shouted angrily at Harry. He then turned and ran out of the hall.

Snape stepped forward, waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. He and the others eyed Harry. Some looked confused. Others looked scared.

"Come on." I said, moving towards him and pushing him along. voice in his ear.

I steered him out of the hall, Hermione rushing by my side. I hurried him along to the tower, not stopping to pay attention to anyone. We didn't talk until we reached Gryffindor common room.

I pushed Harry into a chair. "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

"I'm a what?" said Harry.

"A Parselmouth!" I repeated, a little fearful myself. "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.

Hermione and I looked at each other, and then back at him. I knew he hated his cousin, but...

"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." finished Harry.

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil? Barmy, mate." I said.

"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Oh, no they can't. It's not a very common gift. Harry, this is bad."

"What's bad?" said Harry, getting 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?" I asked.

"What do you mean? You were there - you heard me!"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue. 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?"

Harry looked completely flabbergasted.

"I spoke a different language? But - I didn't realize - how can I speak a language without knowing I can speak it? Do 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 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." whispered Hermione.

Harry's mouth fell open, mortified.

"Exactly." I said. "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, looking sour.

"You'll find that hard to prove." said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago. For all we know, you could be."

The next morning, we had woken up to a blizzard. Thanks to that, Herbology class was canceled, so we got to have a free period

As I proceeded so whip Hermione's ass in a game of wizard chess, Harry sat beside me, moving around and looking uncomfortable. It was really messing with my concentration.

"For heaven's sake, Harry," said Hermione, frustrated because one of my bishops was wrestling her knight off his horse and dragging him off the board. "Go and find Justin if it's so important to you."

"You're right." said Harry, standing up. "I need to make him see reason."

He rushed out, leaving Hermione and I to our game.

"Finally," I said. "I can properly concentrate now that Harry isn't bouncing his leg and moving the bench."

"You don't need to concentrate at all." grumbled Hermione, as she made her rook take one of my pawns. "You're already good enough."

"Jealous?"

"Hardly." said Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"Yes you are." I teased. "You're just mad that you're not good at everything."

Hermione huffed as she watched my knight demolish her rook. "I never claimed to be good at everything, Ronald."

"I know. Really, if it bothers you so much, I can give you a few pointers."

"That's fine. I already learn by playing you."

I looked at the board and grinned. "Well you're not learning much. Checkmate."

Hermione looked down at the board, and then back up at me. "I really hate you sometimes." she said in mock annoyance.

I stood up and stretched. "No you don't, you love me. I complete you. Without me, your life would be dull."

"You're insufferable."

"So, how do your parents feel about you not coming home for the holidays?" I asked as I sat back down.

Hermione sighed. "Well, they didn't particularly like it. Dad seemed as if he wasn't too keen on the idea, but Mum said that it was the right thing to do, as I had said I wanted to catch up on some work."

"So you lied to them?"

"I had to, didn't I? If I had told them that I was staying to change into someone else by drinking a questionable potion so we can get information out of some evil kid, I don't think that would have bode well."

"Well, that's true. I keep forgetting that your parents aren't a part of the wizarding world."

"I don't see how." said Hermione, suddenly seeming gloomy. "I am a Muggleborn, after all."

I made a face. "Now you know damn well I don't even think about it like that. Okay, you're a Muggleborn. And? That doesn't make you any less of a witch."

Hermione looked at me and smiled. Her eyes seemed a bit glossy. I was really hoping she wouldn't cry. I didn't know how to properly deal with crying girls that were not my sister. Hell, I barely knew how to deal with her.

"Thanks, Ron." she said, thankfully tear free.

"Anytime."

We played a couple more rounds of chess and then Hermione grew tired of me winning. She decided to start on her Charms essay (that mind you, wasn't due until next term), so I had decided to write a letter to Mum and Bill. After about two hours, we were starting to get concerned. Harry hadn't came back yet. We were about to go and look for him when Harry came bursting through the hole.

He ran up to the couch we were both sitting on, out of breath. He looked completely worn out and scared.

"Harry, what's-"

"I have so much to tell you!" he whispered in an anxious voice.