Harry and Caleb were walking down the hall trading blows like Pokémon cards while students around them shuffled out of the way. It had been three months and they already were developing quite the reputation. Everyone knew not to get in their way. Anyone caught in the crossfires should have known better. Even Snape knew that by now.
For some reason Professor Snape was the only teacher who could control the two boys other than perhaps Professor Sprout, the only other professor who still tried was Lockhart and everyone knew his pathetic "attempts" only made the two go at it even harder.
"Say Scamander didn't your mother ever tell you not to talk if you aint got nothing smart to say?" Harry taunted, shoving the taller boy and making him stumble forward.
"Not as far as I know," Caleb said sneering at Harry's head "she was dead long before I had the opportunity to talk,"
"If only I were so lucky," Harry responded making Caleb chuckle.
It was strange to watch them interact. They were so similar that they could have been brothers. They fought like dogs. Like two rabid dogs. The only time they weren't fighting each-other was when they were fighting someone else.
Julian, a second year Gryffindor was the first victim of their temperament. He had clumsily knocked over their potion in class and surprisingly it was Harry who snapped.
"Why don't you watch it, Meyers?!" Harry yelled, shoving Julian's shoulder harshly.
"Yeah, Meyers," Caleb joined in jumping off of the table he was sitting on.
Snape watched with amusement from the back of the room, seeming in a happy mood. Or if anything he seemed bored with the interaction and did not immediately tell them to knock it off. He even allowed the two to continue.
"Hey look man it was an accident!" Julian said, throwing his hands above his head.
"Ay, accident smack-sha-dent" Caleb said through clenched teeth.
"How bout I accidentally shove your teeth down your throat?" Harry growled, grabbing Julian's collar.
"Look fellas it's just a potion," Julian said, paling.
"Yeah and you can JUST remake it for us then can't you?" Harry snapped.
"Hey, come on, Harry," Ron said, standing up nearby "you heard the kid, it was an accident,"
"How about you stay out of it, Weasel," Caleb sneered.
Ron immediately went red with anger.
"You're just gonna let him talk to me like that?" Ron yelled with a high pitch.
"Shut up, Ron," Harry growled, tightening his grip on the taller boy.
"Look, guys, I'll make you a new potion, just relax, yeah?" Julian wheezed.
"See I'd like to take you up on that offer, I really would," Harry started.
"But you went and told us what to do," Caleb continued, closing in on their prey.
"And well, see we don't take too kindly to being bossed around," Harry finished.
"I'm not-"
Caleb picked at his fingernails and looked down at the Gryffindor.
"I'd choose my next words very carefully if I were you," he said, lowly.
"They may be your last," Harry lifted a fist.
"Weasley, sit down," Snape said at last "Scamander, Potter, take your seats you both passed today's lesson and you know that since I checked your potion twenty minutes ago. Meyers clean up that mess,"
Harry and Caleb backed off of the kid and slammed down in their chairs. Harry immediately went to finishing his notes, ignoring the almost constant stares on his back. Caleb glared back making several students squeak in fear. Ron glared at Harry and slowly sat back down.
It was becoming obvious that for no seemingly obvious reason Snape's new favorite students were, besides Draco of course, Harry Potter and Caleb Scamander themselves. Caleb was clearly due to the fact that he was Draco's best friend and, well Harry was, people supposed, was because Harry was Draco's pet. Either way Draco took to them and Snape took to Draco.
There were perks to being Snape's favorite. You got to sit on the table or lean on chairs, you were given extra help and decent grades. You could, potentially, even get away with talking back. Of course, for some odd reason, Harry and Caleb never used that opportunity. With other teachers they didn't hesitate.
In Transformation they told McGonagol to transform them into a tea cozy so they didn't have to listen to her rambling. Simultaneously. In front of the whole class. She nearly blew up from rage.
In Defense they called Lockhart a 'Humongous wasteland of inferiority which could deplete the will to live from the entire civilization of America due to how egotistical he actually is' he was very confused and spent most of the class looking as if he was trying to figure out the definition of half the words.
They even told Professor Flitwick that he should "swish and flick his wand right up his arse" which shocked the teacher so much that he forgot to assign them detention.
The only two teachers, and there were quite a few, that they simply did not show disrespect were Professors Sprout and Snape and no one had any idea as to why.
One day Dumbledore called the attention of the entire school and made an important announcement.
"Hogwarts will be sporting a dueling club," he said simply "sign up sheets will be in the great hall after lunch, it will be divided into age groups and hosted this Thursday at eight o'clock,"
