Emrys Riddle and the Chamber of Secrets (Book 2 of The Four Ribbons Series)

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Duel Of Snakes

It was the day of the quidditch game against Gryffindor, when I started to become aware of the fact that Cass was intentionally trying to profit off the fact that our DADA teacher was a celebrity. She constantly asked for him to sign things at the beginning of class, at the end, when passing him in the hallway, even during lunch when she could.

" I think you have a problem."

" Possibly." She said when I caught her sneaking a quill she had lent him after he had 'lost' his.

Spencer, who had donned hair the color of pure gold, was waiting with Jackie down at the pitch. We found seats in one of the taller stands, and I rolled my eyes when Cass began to sarcastically wave a little Gryffindor flag around. We would have been cheering on Slytherin, but had decided not to when it was announced that Malfoy was the new Seeker. Bludgers began to attack Harry as he flew around looking for the golden snitch, and by the time he caught it, he broken his arm and was lying on the field, just as he done last year.

" Can't this boy go one game without falling off his broom?" Cass asked as everyone surged onto the field to congratulate him. By the time the four of us made it to him, Lockheart had made his injury worse by removing all the bones from his arm.

The next day, it was announced that someone else had been attacked. The first year I had seen with Harry, Colin Creevy, had been found on the stairs not far from the infirmary. Spencer, Cass, Jackie and I were silent at breakfast that morning, though I knew they were glancing at me as if waiting for me to say something, and then Jackie asked, " So, who do you think it is?"

" There's no telling without any clues." Spencer said poking at his eggs. " Emrys, is there anythi-"

" No." I responded shaking my head and they all went silent, before Cass stood up and pulled on her backpack. " We should get to potions before Snape gets an excuse to snap at us."

" Bye, Jackie." We all called out before the three of us made our back to the dungeons for class, but as we were leaving, Cass and I caught Spencer glancing back toward the Hufflepuff table with a dreamy look. " He's doing it again." Cass whispered to me and we both began to snicker as Spencer's hair burned pink. He ran off and Cass let out a sigh, " Our poor little Spence is in love. We should find out who it is."

" Leave him alone, Cass." I told her rolling my eyes and Cass stomped her foot childishly. " Fine, then I'll just do it myself." She declared before storming off in the same direction that Spencer went, leave me to trail along behind her with a sigh. This wasn't going to end well.

**************

The break was drawing closer, and though my friends had once again offered to stay with me for holidays, I told them there was no need. I had concluded that Harry, Ron and Hermione were up to something because at one point during a potion lesson they had used a glitter bomb they had borrowed from Jackie to use on Snape.

Excitement filled the common room the afternoon after that very class, a dueling lesson had been set up for students, and Jackie met us at the door with a huge grin on her face. " Maybe this isn't such a good idea." I muttered.

" It'll be fine, come on." Cass said before she and the others dragged me inside to join the other students. We found a spot next to Harry, Ron, and Hermione jut as Snape and Lockheart stepped onto the stage. " Gather round, gather round. Can you all hear me, can you all see me?" Lockheart called out. " Excellent. Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club, to train you all 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 tell me he knows a little, tiny bit, about dueling himself, and has sportingly, agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin."

" Snape is gonna kill him." Cass whispered.

" Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry, you'll still have your potions master when I'm through with him.  Lockheart chuckled. " Never fear."

" Yep, definitely." Spencer agreed.

The two wizards faced each other, bowed, and raised their wands out in front of them as if holding a sword. " As you can see, we are holding our wands in the excepted combative position." Lockheart told the crowd. " On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

" 1...2..3." Lockheart counted and Snape struck. " Expelliarmus." He cried. Lockheart was knocked off his feet, and thrown through the air, where he hit the wall behind him. Cheers filled the air, though none cheered louder then Spencer, who saw it as a sign of justice. Lockheart tried to play off his loss, but it was obvious that he had not been expecting it.

They were set up into pairs, I ended up with Spencer, while Cass was with Jackie. Spencer and I bowed to one another and then raised our wands. " Expelliarmus." We both cried and our wands flew off in separate directions. I glanced around before snapping my fingers, a minute later our wands had returned. " Cool." Spencer muttered before ducking as Jackie's wand came flying in our direction.

Lockheart and Snape called everyone to a stop when it became clear that none of us knew how to block; well, most of us. They called Harry and Malfoy up on to the stage to demonstrate, but when Malfoy delievered his first spell for Harry to block, it was not something that could be blocked.

Malfoy had conjured a snake.

Lockheart tried to get rid of it, but only succeeded in throwing it into the air. Now angry, the snake turned on the students. " Emrys, do something." Jackie whispered lowly to me but before I could respond, Harry began to speak to it.

" Well, well." Cass said as Ron and Hermione led Harry away once the Snake had been taken care of.

I wasn't the only parcelmouth in Hogwarts, it seems.