𝐏𝐘𝐑𝐎𝐏𝐇𝐎𝐁𝐈𝐀 | Remus Lupin (2)

(𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞 𝟏𝟏) the duelling club

Athena tilted her head slightly to the side with a small smirk which caused Snape to glare even more. However she knew he found it amusing really.

"One – two – three –"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Athena cried: "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Snape was hit by the blast. He flew backwards a few paces before he caught himself, even more angered than he had been before.

Many of the students cheered loudly for Athena and she took a rather comical bow with a light smile playing on her lips. Lockhart was clapping too, causing Snape evident frustration.

"Well, there you have it!" Lockhart called said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm – as you see, Professor Snape has lost his wand – ah, thank you, Miss Brown – yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Sinistra"

Lockhart passed Snape's wand back to him in a frustrated snatch.

"If you don't mind my saying so" Snape sneered at Athena "it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy – however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

"Yes I can imagine it would have be so easy for you" Athena drawled sarcastically.

Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said,

"Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professors if you'd like to help me –"

They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Athena teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry and Ron first.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter –"

Harry moved automatically towards Hermione.

"I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. Miss Granger – you can partner with Miss Bulstrode."

Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Millicent Bulstrode was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.

Athena felt that these pairings weren't a brilliant idea. She looked nervously towards Harry to see that Malfoy was sneering at him. Malfoy had it in for Harry at the best of times however since Gryffindor's success in the match against Slytherin, it had been even worse.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, bock on the platform. "And bow!"
Harry and Malfoy barely inclined their heads, not taking their eyes off each other.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents – only to disarm them – we don't want any accidents – one...two...three –"

"Harry swung his wand high, but Malfoy had already started on "two". Athena watched his spell hit Harry so hard that he tumbled backwards. He stumbled, but everything still seemed to be working, and wasting no more time, Harry pointed his wand straight at Malfoy and shouted, "Rictusempra!"

A jet of silver light hit Malfoy in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing.

"I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd, as Malfoy sank to his knees; Harry had hit him with a Tickling Charm, and he could barely move for laughing. Malfoy pointed his wand at Harry's knees, choked,

"Tarantallegra!" and the next second Harry's legs began to jerk around out of control in a kind of quickstep.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Athena was already striding over. She should have suspected that something like this would happen. She wondered why Snape had bothered putting them together in the first place.