Bella and the Chamber (Book Two)

Chapter Twenty Five

One week later, the four of us were walking across the Entrance Hall when we saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice-board. I never read that thing, it never has anything important on it. Seamus and Dean saw us and beckoned us over, both looking excited.

"They're starting a Dueling Culb!" Seamus told us. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind duelling lessons, they might come in handy one of these days..."

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" I snicker as Ron read the sign with interest.

"Could be useful," Ron said to us as we went to dinner. "Shall we go?"

Harry and Hermione were all up for it, but it took them a while to convince me to go. I just didn't like the idea of duelling, even if it's under the teacher's watchful eye. After a while, they all convinced me to go. Yay me. So, at eight o'clock that evening, we hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

I so don't want to do this.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" Hermione asked as we edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a duelling champion when he was young, maybe it'll be him"

"As long as it's not-" I began, but ended with a groan: Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and was accompanied by Professor Snape, wearing his usual black. 

"Just our luck," Harry whispered to me.  He too sounded unhappy about this.

Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me? Excellent!"

Kill. Me. Now.

"Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Duelling Club," Lockhart went on, "to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape. He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling 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?" Ron muttered to us and I chuckled. 

Snape's upper lip was curling. I wondered why Lockhart was still smiling; if Snape had been looking at me like that I'd have been running as fast as I could in the opposite direction.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them. Why oh why did that sound so dirty?

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told us. "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, grabbing ahold of my hand. I watched as Snape bared his teeth.

"One - two - three-"

Both of them swung their wands up and over their shoulders. Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: he flew backwards off the stage, smashed into the wall and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.

Malfoy and some other Slytherins cheered. I grinned and Hermione was dancing on her tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.