Mudblood

Hogwarts Christmas

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During the second week of December McGonagall went around collecting the names of the students who'd be staying over the break this year. Milicent was shocked when Lyssa jotted her name down. Lyssa hadn't told Milicent about the letters from the week before and her friend knew something was up, but, Milicent knew better than to ask.

It was an odd arrangement the two of them had. Milicent had been at the bottom of Pansy's little group the year before and so she thought that maybe switching sides would be better for her. They both knew this though, so even after four months of tentative friendship they had still kept each other at arm's length. Milicent, for fear her parents would find out about their friendship and Lyssa because she knew that Milicent's commitment to her was dubious at best.

A few days before winter break was set to begin a notice for a dueling club appeared on the bulletin board in the common room. Set to take place that evening, Lyssa's small group of unwilling friends agreed to see what it was all about.

So that evening at eight o'clock the Slytherins ventured to the great hall. The tables had vanished and a large stage had appeared in their wake. Most of the school seemed to have gathered; their wands were out and there was a palpable electricity in the air.

A few moments later Professor Lockhart, wearing a set of deep plum robes, strode out onto the stage followed closely by Professor Snape.

Lockhart waved his arm for silence and called to make sure everyone could see and hear him. Dumbledore had given him permission to start this little club it seemed and Professor Snape was playing the role of assistant. Lockhart made sure that everyone knew that they would still have a potions master by the end of the night.

"I don't think it's Snape we have to worry about," Malfoy chided. Lyssa tried not to laugh but failed.

Lockhart demonstrated the accepted combative position in which to hold their wands and he and Snape stood on opposite ends of the stage. Lockhart was blasted back when Snape used the disarming spell. Lockhart said he was going to show them to block unfriendly spells. Once all that was done the professors moved about the crowd to pair them off so they could practice duelling.

Professor Snape reached the Gryffindors before Lockhart and, much to Lyssa's chagrin, decided that Harry's little trio should be paired with Slytherins. Milicent went against Hermione, Malfoy was to face Harry, and Lyssa was squaring off with Ron.

Just great, Lyssa thought thinking back to the day on the quidditch pitch, she gets the one with a wand so unpredictable she could end up in the hospital wing.

"Face your partners!" Lockhart called. Lyssa stared Ron down, willing him to just combust on the spot so she wouldn't have to duel him. "Wands at the ready!" Lockhart shouted, "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent - only to disarm them - we don't want any accidents. One - Two - Three!"

Ron moved his wand to cast the spell but Lyssa was too fast. Maybe she had started on two but a small neglect of the rules could be the difference between Christmas break in the hospital wing versus in the common room. So, in Lyssa's mind, her actions were justified.

"Expeliarmus!" Lyssa cried and Ron's wand flew from his hand. He moved to retrieve it but Lyssa raised her wand at him, "Leave it, Weasley, you might seriously hurt someone with that thing." She gestured to his heavily spello-taped wand on the ground. Ron made a face of chagrin but left the wand where it was.

She and Ron then turned their sights to Malfoy and Harry's duel next to them. The boys were aiming to do a lot more than disarm and the jinxes were getting harsher. All of a sudden a snake came shooting out of the end of Malfoy's wand.