Sirius Black daughter - Athena Black (Book 2)

Ten

Two weeks later, Athena, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were walking across the entrance hall when they saw a small knot of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited. 

"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days. ..." 

"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?"said Ron, but he, too, read the sign with interest. 

"Could be useful," he said to Harry and Hermione as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?" 

Athena was all for it, so at eight o'clock that evening, she along with the trio, 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 wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd.

 "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young — maybe it'll be him." Athena said.

 "As long as it's not —" Harry began, but he ended on a groan: Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

Athena was smirking and trying hard not to snort. She knew Snape was going to beat the shit out of Lockhart.

Lockhart then introduced himself and Snape and of course flexed on how he has dueled in many occasions. 

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, where as Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them. 

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "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, watching Snape baring his teeth. 

"One — two — three —"Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent; Snape cried: "Expelliarmus!" 

There was a dazzling flash of scarletlight and Lockhart was blasted off his feet: He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.Draco and some of the other Slytherins cheered and so did Athena. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. 

"Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers. 

"Who cares?" said Harry and Ron together. 

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. 

"Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm — as you see, I've lost my wand — ah, thank you, Miss Brown— yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, 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 ..."

Then Lockhart and Snape started to pair the students and Ron ended up with Seamus, Harry with Draco and Hermione with Millicent . Athena ended up with Pansy - Bad luck.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on theplatform. "And bow!"  

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

"Expelliarmus!" Athena cried even before Pansy could raise her wand.

She went flying hit the wall and probably fell unconscious. Athena smirked inwardly and looked around to see what the others were doing. A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain; both their wands lay forgotten on the floor.

She glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. 

"Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —" Lockhart started.

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a match box." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. 

"How about Malfoy and Potter?"said Snape with a twisted smile. 

"oh no, shit." Athena whispered and moved closer to where Draco and Harry were standing.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. 

"Now, Harry," said Lockhart. "When Draco points his wand at you, you do this. " 

He raised his own wand, attempted a complicated sort of wiggling action, and dropped it. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up.

"Whoops —my wand is a little over excited —" Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?" 

"Just do what I did, Harry!" 

"What, drop my wand?"

But Lockhart wasn't listening. "Three — two — one — go!" he shouted. 

Draco raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!" 

The end of his wand exploded. Athena watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between Harry and Draco, and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor. Athena moved two steps back and was eyeing at Snape. 

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye  to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it. ..." 

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. 

He brandished hiswand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike. Athena pulled Justin out of the snake's veiw and it turned on her. She stood eyeing the snake. Harry walked towards her and said something in gibberish. He said something again. It wasn't gibberish..... he was speaking in parseltongue.