"Dueling club, could be useful," Ron said to Harry and Hermione.
"I wonder who's teaching it?" Hermione wondered out loud. "Flitwick would be a good choice. I heard he was a champion duelist before he started teaching."
They wandered into the great hall where most of the student body was gathering for the dueling club. Hermione wasn't quite sure that they would all fit, even if they did for supper.
The tables had been removed and a stage was up where the teacher's table had been. It felt like more candles were floating than normal, which seemed like both a good and bad thing. Regardless they were ready and it looked like there was going to be enough space.
"As long as it's not Lockhart…" Harry trailed off.
It was Professor Gilderoy Lockhart who was the teacher in charge of the dueling club. And Professor Snape was there to assist. At least someone slightly competent was there to help. Hermione still didn't believe that Professor Lockhart was a complete idiot, but he didn't seem to be able to control a classroom much less almost the whole student population.
Hermione tuned most of the rest of the lecture Professor Lockhart started to give. Professor Snape quickly disarmed him, sending Lockhart flying.
"Do you think he's okay?" Hermione asked.
"It's Lockhart," Ron said. "He'll be fine."
Harry's face clearly said that he would be fine if Lockhart wasn't, but he soon stood up and retrieved his wand from Lavender.
"Right. Now, it was oh so clear what you were going to do my dear Professor Snape," Lockhart said. "But I thought it would be good to show the children what the disarming spell can do."
Ultimately they were all paired off. Hermione was with Millicent Bulstrode, a rather large Slytherin girl. She was not looking forward to the duel.
Before she knew it, she was in a headlock and cursing herself. Her wand was on the floor, next to Millicent's. She took a few deep breaths, making sure that she angled her throat into Milicent's elbow so she wouldn't get her air cut off.
Harry jumped at her before she could do much more. Eventually Millicent let go. Trying to hold onto two people, even when they were smaller than her, had to be hard.
Eventually the entire room calmed down. But it looked like there were any number of people who had gotten into fights.
"My goodness, I suppose I had better show you how to block unfriendly spells first," Lockhart said. "Let's have a pair up here. Longbottom and Finch-Fletchy, how about you?"
Eventually it was agreed that it might not be a good idea to have Neville be a demonstration partner. Harry and Malfoy got pulled up instead. How that was any better Hermione had yet to understand.
The night ended in chaos and confusion when Harry wound up talking to a snake. Hermione headed back to her dorm confused and determined to figure it out.