Atelophobia

10_ dueling club

Lenore

The start of October also means the start of dueling club, which I was thoroughly looking forward to.

It's my first year as President, and I have some ideas that I can't wait to implement.

It was an absolute joke when Lockhart—thank god he was fired—taught us in second year, and since then students have gotten together every year.

I was lucky enough to have been elected, though Nott is still bitter about it; he never fails to remind me.

I start setting the table and mats up when I hear footstepts behind me, and to my displeasure, it's Nott.

"What do you want, Nott?"

"If it were me we'd be learning far more spells than this," he says as he stands by my side at the table, gazing over the outline for the day over my shoulder.

"Tell the Professors that, then," I say sharply.

I would never tell him this, but I wish we could learn more, too.

Even though the club is run by students, the Professors are still ultimately in charge.

By seventh year, we've learned just about every legal spell possible, and it was a getting a bit boring without the challenge.

"I will, you forget that I'm Snape's favorite," he grins.

"I thought Malfoy was his favorite?" I cross my arms.

He shrugs, "Well, second favorite then. Either way, I'm still higher up on his favorites list than you."

I could tell he meant it as a joke, and I might have taken it as one if it hadn't been for what happened a few classes ago.

"Have to love almost being expelled because I didn't make that list," I say sarcastically and turn away to finish setting up the room.

"And who's the reason you're not expelled?" He raises an eyebrow.

I roll my eyes.

"It's not like I owe you my life or anything, Nott."

"What do you owe me then?" He asks with a smirk.

"Nothing, I didn't ask for you say anything."

"But I still said something, didn't I?"

His playful tone is gone, and deep down I wonder why he really did it.

I know he said it was because of the project, but if we were in each other's shoes I wouldn't been more than happy to rid of him as my partner, even if it wasn't fair for me.

I swallow my pride before I reply. "Thank you, Nott. Really."

After all, I wouldn't be here at all if it wasn't for him.

Flitwick, thought he's head of Ravenclaw, wouldn't have had a say, and Dumbledore wouldn't protect me like he does the golden trio.

"No problem, Dalton."

He smiles ever so softly at me, and merlin it was so genuine that for a second I thought it was a different Theodore Nott I was talking to.

He helps me finish setting up the room when everyone else starts to arrive, from first years to sixth and of all different houses.

I see my younger brother among the crowd with his other third-year friends, ignoring me as always.

My mom and I joke about how much he hates to be seen in public with our family; one of these days I might mess with him and make a scene about being his older sister.