19 Years (HP - Drarry)

Chapter 23: A Troll in the Dungeon?

"A what?" Minerva frowned. Neville looked interested - perhaps he had some idea of what Harry meant, Draco thought.

"An assembly. Muggle schools have them. They're like... Like how Dumbledore always did announcements, just before dinner, only during the school day. Everybody has a break from classes - "

Minerva frowned. Harry hesitated. "...Or we could do it during lunch, or dinner, it doesn't really matter. Anyway, everybody would gather here, I suppose, though we'd have to move the tables, or on the Quidditch pitch, or... well somewhere that everybody would fit, obviously. And then Draco and I would duel - for instructional purposes - just to give the students some idea of what it's like. Most of them haven't seen a duel, just heard of them."

Minerva was frowning, but Neville looked intrigued.

"We could set up ground rules first, obviously," Draco added. "Agree on which spells would be allowed and which would be off the table, as it were - "Harry grinned at his pun, rolling his eyes, and Draco grinned back - "and we obviously wouldn't actually be trying to hurt each other."

"Just embarrass, maybe," Harry added, and Draco snorted.

"Quite. Anyway, it would all be quite safe, and..." he paused, searching for the right word.

"...Educational," Harry finished for him.

Neville was nodding along, by this point, grinning widely. "Quite so, quite so. Fabulous idea, boys. You should get to work planning it out right away."

Minerva coughed. "You're actually letting them do this?"

Neville slanted a very significant look at her. Draco wondered what that was all about, and then if he really wanted to know. Then Neville turned that same look on Teddy and Pomfrey, and Draco decided he definitely didn't. That look boded trouble.

"But of course, Minerva, dear." Neville said. "They're adults now. They won't hurt one another."

"Right," she muttered. "Of course they won't."

Draco wanted to bridle at her lack of trust in them, but found that he rather sympathized instead. It was... going against nature, it seemed, to expect that he and Harry could stage a mock-duel and not have something go horribly wrong. He wished he could have the kind of confidence Harry and Neville did, but... Well. He'd just have to do his best not to let things get out of hand. Not that he had a good track record there, either, where Harry was concerned, he thought, frowning. Perhaps this wasn't such a good idea, after all.

"Ahem!"

Draco looked up sharply. Neville had risen, while he'd been busy struggling with self-doubt, and now faced the expectant students. Neville tapped his water glass, the magically-amplified bell-like tone ringing loudly in the suddenly-silent room.

"Ah," Neville said, looking around the room. "Good. Now that I've gotten your attention, I'd like to make an announcement. Professor Potter and Professor Malfoy have just been speaking with me, regarding a brilliant idea they've had. I've given their plan the go-ahead, and I thought I'd share it with you all now, so that you can have time to speculate and place bets on the outcome. Now, now, Mister Zabini, don't give me that face - I'm well aware that you represent the interests of Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes in the student body's illicit - and significant - gambling preoccupation." There was a wave of uneasy mutters, and Neville raised his hand. "Silence, if you please. Thank you. Now, as I was saying, I'm not going to attempt to quash your business, Mister Zabini, Mister Finnegan. Rather, I'd like a word with you after dinner, as I've several bets I wish to place myself."

Minerva rolled her eyes and heaved a put-upon sigh. Harry grinned at Draco, who found himself grinning back.

"Now," Neville said, turning to indicate a bemused Harry and Draco, "I'm quite pleased to announce that some time in the near future, Professors Potter and Malfoy will be entertaining us all with a mock-duel."

The mutters started up again, louder this time. Neville raised his voice. "Not, perhaps, a strict re-enactment of their past, rather infamous duels - but, I hope, a demonstration of proper dueling form and technique, the variety and scope of curses one can bring to bear on one's opponent, and the truly clever ways in which one can devastate and quite thoroughly embarrass one's opponent without actually hurting him. Or her." He stroked his beard, managing, as Dumbledore always had, to look both wise and mysterious. "Now," he continued gently, "let us all do our best not to pester our two newest professors, and to treat them with the respect that they - and their positions - deserve."

He turned back to regard them, a decided twinkle in his eye. For a moment, Draco saw Dumbledore standing before him, instead of Neville, and a chill ran down his spine. Then Neville spoke, and the spell was broken.

"Gentlemen," Neville said, inclining his head to them. "I look forward to it."