Ch 12 Pt 2

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and then pointed them at their opponent. Snape cried, "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light. Lockhart tried not to snicker as he sidestepped the spell. He held up his hand in a motion to halt the duel. Snape looked more furious than before.

"Notice how I did not attempt to block the spell! Instead I conserved my magical strength by letting it pass me harmlessly," he explained. "Many duels go not to the Wizard with the most power or the one who knows the most spells, but to the Wizard who uses his strength sparingly and allows his opponent to wear himself down, and then takes advantage of any mistakes." He smiled tauntingly at the Potions professor. "Again, Professor Snape."

The students watched, stunned, as the two Wizards appeared to dance as their spells flew across the platform. Before the meeting, the two had exchanged a list of spells they would restrict themselves to, nothing a Fourth Year student did not know. As a result, the students heard many of the spells they knew.

Gilderoy emerged triumphant. While Professor Snape had spent several years duelling with Death Eaters, for the last ten he had only taught potions — he was rusty. Harry/Gilderoy, on the other hand, had spent the last five years in almost daily deadly battle. At the end of the first ten seconds, Professor Snape knew that Gilderoy could take him down at any time, and that he was prolonging the fight to provide the students with an exhibition of his talent. It infuriated the Death Eater, who sorely wanted to wipe that maddening lazy grin from the other professor's face, but knew he daren't resort to the more deadly spells he knew. And if he did, just what deadly spells did the fop know? Snape had never dreamed that the twit was better at duelling than himself.

It was a jelly-legs spell that started his downfall. A mere misstep, then the leg-locker spell, the langlock, followed by a simple Accio. Professor Snape glared at Gilderoy.

"You see, it takes only a moment's lapse in concentration to lose a duel." He finited the spells on Snape.

"Let's see how the Witches handle duels, shall we? Professor Sinistra and Professor McGonagall? How about a demonstration?" He stepped off the platform to the floor.

Shortly after the excited urgings of the students, the two Witches were at either end of the platform, glaring half-heartedly at the dandy for putting them on the spot. Gilderoy and Snape watched as the two women exchanged salvos of spells, dodging and blocking as needed. As they applauded Sinistra's win, Gilderoy said loudly, "Ah, Professor Snape, I do believe it might be educational for the two us to challenge the ladies to a Doubles Duel."

Before the other could object, he mounted the steps to the platform and said, "Excellent show, ladies, excellent! Now children," he turned and addressed his audience, posing dramatically. "Not all duels are fought on a one-to-one basis, and in real life it is wise to remember that others might be about on the field that you need to watch. So, ladies," he turned to the two women still panting a bit from their exercise, "What would you say to quick Doubles Duel, Wizards against Witches?"

The two stared at him while Snape positively glared.

"Excellent, I knew you would agree." He ploughed over any chance they might have had to object, taking their surprised silence for assent.

"Now, then, children. As you all know, Professor McGonagall is an expert at transfigurations, and that last duel rather unfairly handicapped her by restricting her to Fourth Year or below spells — she couldn't really use her talents. So, for the Doubles Duel the only restrictions will be no Dark Spells."

The Hall buzzed with excitement as the students happily anticipated seeing such an unusual duel.

"Come, come, Professor Snape," Lockhart said, waving the scowling man to the platform. As the Wizard reluctantly climbed the steps, the D.A.D.A. Professor said, "We'll make this simple, the first team to incapacitate one of the other team, or to deprive one of them of his or her wand shall be the winner." He paused just long enough to get a nod from the women. "And to make it a bit more fun, the losing team shall treat the other team to a supper date at The Three Broomsticks this Friday," Gilderoy managed to pop out before Harry could stop him. The students burst into cheers and laughter, making it impossible for the other three to decline without looking petulant.

Moments later, the four were at battle. Gilderoy started things off with a quick avis to provide McGonagall with some ammunition. After that, he merely tried to stay out of the way, using his shield far more than he had with Snape. Snape was clearly unused to working with a teammate and thus tried to focus on one opponent expecting Gilderoy to do the same. The ladies had quickly cottoned to the idea of teamwork and Minerva worked primarily on defence while Aurora worked on offense. Gilderoy worked mostly defence and only occasionally attacked, making it just a matter of time before Aurora hit Severus with a spell and putting him out of the competition.

Laughing delightedly, Gilderoy said, "Excellent show ladies, excellent! So, Professor Snape and I shall meet you in the Entryway at, say, seven tomorrow evening?"

Blushing slightly, the two women quickly assented. Snape was scowling worse than ever. "Tut, tut, Severus, we just won a date with two lovely Witches, you should be smiling," he said as he finited the hex on the other. The closer students, overhearing what he had said, snickered, making the Potions Professor's scowl deepen.

With the Headmaster's assistance, they quickly divided the students into rows facing each other, with protection enchantments behind each row. They then had the students practice shielding and using a jelly-legs hex. Gilderoy said, "Any student using a spell other than jelly-legs will spend a detention with Mr. Filch!" With that injunction, the next hour passed quickly as the professors helped the students master techniques. Afterwards, Gilderoy happily announced that the duelling club would meet every Thursday. The students dispersed to their dorms, tired and excited over what they had learned.

The next evening Gilderoy had almost to drag Professor Snape from his dungeon office. "I did not agree to a date, Professor Lockhart! This is entirely your fault." His scowl, if anything was worse than the day before. "I have no interest in a tea date!"

"Come, come, Severus," Gilderoy said with a beaming smile. "It's just a little get together with a couple of our feminine associates here at Hogwarts. A little chance to let our hair down and have a good time without the worries of students, grading, or schedules. Who knows what might happen?"

Snape stopped dead in the corridor. "Are you mad?" he demanded, eyes narrowed as he stared at the D.A.D.A. professor.

"Not at all, not at all. I'm just looking for a bit of fun and relaxation, and a tea with two lovely Witches should do just that," Gilderoy replied complacently. He frowned and turned to face the other Wizard. "Unless . . . you prefer the company of Wizards?" He watched with a self-satisfied smile as Snape's eyes widened at the implication. "If you'd really rather not meet with our dates for the night, I'd be quite happy to tender your apologies and say that you are unable to accompany us due to unforeseen requirements on your potion-making abilities. I'm sure they would understand that providing an emergency potion to St. Mungos would take priority over supper." He winked at the increasingly furious Wizard, "I won't mention the real reason, of course. That would be gauche."

Snape's hand twitched towards his wand pocket. "I do not prefer the company of Wizards," he ground out through clenched teeth.

"Excellent!" He positively beamed happiness at the other. "I did not like to think I had made such a grievous error in your proclivities. I'm sure the ladies will be most pleased to see us." He turned and headed down the corridor. God, it felt great to take the micky out of that stuck-up prat. He could almost see the steam coming out of the Wizard's ears.

They arrived at the Entry Hall only a few minutes before the ladies did. Tea in the Great Hall was usually over by seven at the latest, and there were an unusual number of students hanging about. Gilderoy loved an audience, but it was rather clear this audience, mostly Witches, were here to spy on their professors. While he didn't care, he couldn't let things stand as they were — the ladies might not like the obvious voyeuristic aspects of their students.

"Ah, children, how nice to see you all," he paused and bestowed a brilliant smile upon the gathered students. A number of the Witches sighed. "But you shouldn't loiter in the Entry Hall . . . don't you have homework assignments? I'm sure I remembered giving out an assignment in my marvellous Defence Against Dark Arts class." With a disappointed, "aw. . . ," the Hall cleared out remarkably quickly. A few of the smarter Witches went back into the Great Hall and peeked around the edges of the two doors.

Gilderoy was sure the two ladies understood why they passed a large stream of students, mostly Witches, suddenly leaving the area of the Great Hall.

While the two women were not dressed to the nines, they were dressed in non-school robes open at the fronts over flattering dresses. Harry was startled to realize that both women had a fair amount of cleavage and didn't mind showing it.

Gilderoy was, of course, the best dressed of the quartet while Snape was the worst. Not that he was wearing old or worn robes, they were nice, just not that nice. One got the feeling he didn't usually need anything other than school robes and so had a very small selection in his closet. That his hair looked like someone had dumped a vat of grease on it didn't help his appearance any. Snape had sneeringly refused to use any of the hair products Gilderoy had recommended earlier in the day to tame the Potions Professor's stringy hair.

Lockhart had reserved two tables for the couples, close enough together that they could talk if they wished, yet not so close as to preclude a private conversation should either couple desire it. He steered Minerva to one table, leaving Snape to seat Sinistra. They had a lovely lamb, with wine. Gilderoy discovered that Minerva had once been married. "No, really?" he said in surprise.

"Really." She smiled sadly. "I used to work for the Ministry and became quite close with my boss, Elphinstone Urquart. He was quite brilliant, and handsome, too." She momentarily put her hand on Gilderoy's, eyes sparkling. She sat back. "I was . . . dissatisfied with the way the Ministry worked and when Albus offered me a position at Hogwarts, I readily accepted." She stopped and took a drink of her wine. "Elp visited frequently and during one visit, he proposed." She paused and smiled, remembering. "I said no. I was still in love with Dougal McGregor." She sighed softly. "I met Doug after I graduated, but he was a Muggle and I just couldn't see giving up magic. I thought that was the end of my love life."

She shook her head. "But Elp was persistent. In 1981 Doug died in an accident." She looked down at the table. "That summer Elp proposed again during a summertime stroll around the lake here at Hogwarts. We were married in 1982 and bought a cottage in Hogsmeade, which I still have, actually. I rent it out." She was silent for a few minutes. "I was very happy. We were very happy. Then, three years later, Elp died from a bite by a Venomous Tentacula." She sat reminiscing silently for a few minutes. Gilderoy left her to it. Harry and Gilderoy had learned more about their Transfigurations Professor in the past ten minutes than in the entire combined thirteen years they had spent at Hogwarts.

Gilderoy studied the woman. She had been singularly unlucky in love. On the other hand, his experience over the years had taught him that widows were much more appreciative of his attentions than the younger Witches. The younger ones expected to capture his heart and live a life of adventure with plenty of galleons to spend. The widows were more . . . grounded. They had security in their jobs or estates. They were not looking to hand over control of their lives to a Wizard. They had far more freedom if they stayed . . . unattached.

Harry was not a virgin — you can't make it through seven years of war without giving in to base desires. Knowing either or both might be dead by that time the next day added urgency to temporary relationships as both attempted to forget their near-death experience hours before in a celebration of life. A few times, he had not even known the Witch's name, although they always seemed to know his.

But! McGonagall?

Fortunately, while Harry took over in matters dealing with conflict, Gilderoy had vastly more experience in dealing with Witches. And after three glasses of wine, Harry's resistance to Gilderoy's manipulations was not very determined.

Minerva looked up, "Well, Gilderoy, I must say you have done well for yourself since graduating."