Magic Behind The Pages (Fred Weasley)

Chapter 70

"I'm signing up for professor Lockhart's duelling club." Fred announced at lunch the next week.

"So am I." George added excitedly.

Cordelia snapped, "Why? He's a nut with an annoying smile."

Fred ignored her comment, "We're signing up because we know we can beat anyone who goes against us. George and I are very good at duelling."

Lylie spit her pumpkin juice into her cup, "Since when?!"

George countered ferociously, "Since ALWAYS."

Lylie chuckled lightly, "Right."

"Why don't YOU sign up, we'll show you just how good we are at duelling." Fred stood up and put his hands firmly on the table.

"Fine then, I will. After I sign up, I'll beat BOTH your little bums." Lylie snickered and marched out of the Great Hall.

Aria grinned, "You have no idea how to duel, right?" She paused, "You just said that to get her to join."

Fred laughed heartily, "Yeah, we have no clue how to duel."

George shrugged, "Better shape up, then, shall we?"

*

"Gather 'round! Gather ... 'round." Lockhart's voice boomed throughout the hall as he stepped onto the raised platform.

Fred, George and Lylie came up to the stage, standing behind a lot of first years and second years.

"Can everybody see me?" Lockhart slowly turned around in a circle, "Can you all hear me?" He paused, "Excellent."

Lockhart continued his introductory speech, "In light of the dark devotes, of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club, to train you all up, incase you ever need to defend yourself." He flashed a cocky smile, "As I, myself, have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works."

He dramatically yanked off his cape and threw it into the the crowd. A lucky girl in Lylie's year caught it, she gasped, she was flattered, and grinned uncontrollably.

"Let me introduce, my assistant, Proffesor Snape." Lockhart waved his hand in the direction of the steps up to the small platform.

Snape slowly mounted the steps and walked leisurely to his spot on the stage. Lockhart continued, "He has sportively agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now I don't want ANY of you youngsters to worry, you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him." Lockhart flashed another vain smile, "Never fear."

Fred rubbed his palms together, "I'm so excited to see Lockhart's bum get kicked."

The two professors flicked their wands up to their noses, making full eye contact. They each flicked their wands to their sides, still not losing eye contact. The two grown men scowled at each other, then quickly turned around and walked to opposite ends of the platform.

The fierce professors whipped around, wands at the ready. Fred let out a hushed squeal, George snorted.

Lockhart counted from one, "1, 2 ... 3 -" Snape instantly swished his wand while yelling, "Expelliarmus!"

Lockhart's wand was thrown from his hand and he was knocked off his feet.

Fred couldn't contain himself, "BAHAHAHA!"

Lylie smacked his arm, she muttered, "Will you stop?"

"BAHAHA - Lylie, I can't be bothered right now. BAHAHAHA!"

Lockhart scrambled off his feet and exclaimed, "An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying, it was PRETTY OBVIOUS, what you were about to do. And if I had wanted to stop you, it wouldn't been only too easy."

Snape glared, he muttered through clenched teeth, "Perhaps it would prudent, to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells ... Professor."

There was a gap in speech, before Lockhart chuckled unconvincingly, "An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape!" He looked around, "Uh ... Let's have a volunteer pair ... Uhm ... Potter! Weasley! How 'bout you?"

Snape sneered, "Weasley's wand causes devastation over the simplest spell. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox." He paused, "Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy, perhaps?"

Harry and Draco stepped on stage and swaggered to the center. Lockhart instructed, "Wands at the ready!"

Draco snarled, loud enough for the closer students to hear, "Scared, Potter?"

Harry spat, "You wish."

"On the count of the three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent. ONLY to disarm. We don't want any accidents here." Lockhart took a deep breath, "One, two -"

Draco cast his spell, "Evertix Statrum!" A blinding purple light shot out of the tip of Draco's wand. It mangled Harry in strobes of light, twisting him and turning him around in the air before throwing him onto the hollow platform.

Lylie puffed, "That's not fair! Someone do something!"

Fred laughed, "Why? It's entertaining."

Harry's hand trembled as he shouted, "Rictosempra!" A small white light burst out of Harry's wand, hurling Draco across the stage, making him land in the splits.

Snape pursed his lips, he grabbed Draco's collar and yanked him upward. He then thrust him back toward Harry.

Lockhart repeated angrily, "I said DISARM ONLY."

"Serpent Sorcia!" Draco cast a spell, shooting a large, olive green snake from his wand. Harry's eyes widened as he slowly backed up, the snake slithered forward, it's eyes narrowing on Harry.

Snape began rushing toward the snake, "Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you."

Lockhart stopped him, "Allow me, Professor Snape." He chanted, "Volaté Ascenderay!" A strobe of light flashed at the snake, flinging it into the air, then dropping it, unharmed.

Harry began speaking in a breathy, unknown language. His words strung together like he was singing. Lylie grabbed Fred's hand as the crowd backed away from the platform.

"Harry's hypnotizing the snake!" Lylie said, freaking out silently.

The snake slowly moved toward a Hufflepuff named Justin Finch-Fletchley. Justin gulped and stepped back. Harry continued to hypnotize the snake, putting it into an unbreakable trance.

Snape recited a complicated spell, burning the snake to ashes. Lylie relaxed and slowly released Fred's hand from her tight grasp.

Justin had a bead of sweat on his eyebrow, he was panting in fear as he snapped with a quivering lip, "What are you playing at?"

Fred whispered into Lylie's ear, "Let's go."