37 Ch.37 Taking out Dad… Not like that. Pt.1

A few weeks have passed since well, the last time I had talked to Hermione about the whole Slytherin's heir debacle. She doesn't think it's me and had asked for my help, sparingly though. It's because of Ron and Harry, they think I might know more than I lead on, which is quite perceptive of the lot, although I think it's more Harry than Ron, he outright believes that it's me.

After the very bleak weeks we have finally gathered in the library to "study" It hasn't been easy to lie to them, but I can't really tell them that I know who's the one behind it all and what's causing it all now can I?

So I have been just laying low and just been reading books on monsters and such, and the deeper I got in the rabbit hole, the more I found out. 

Right now I'm reading a book that I had copied from the ROR. It was about magical beasts and how to incorporate different beasts into one's body and make it stronger and gain particular traits from the said beasts. It was an interesting read.

It had told successful ways to complete the rituals with different beasts like Wapus cat, Thunderbird and other more rare creature's like Basilisk, Dragons and Pheonix. 

But the rituals them selves were very complicated and dated, the language was the biggest obstacle, other than the obscure ingredients used in the process. I was considering if I wanted to do it myself. 

That's when I felt a tug on my robe, it was Astoria, she looked interested in what I was reading. She looked at the book and asked, "What are you reading? What's that language?"

I closed the book and smiled, "It's old English." I looked at her and asked, "You should be able to read it… have you been skipping the lessons?"

She grunted and stomped her feet and said, "Ugh, but it's boring and useless not to mention."

I chuckled and then Hermione looked at the book I was holding and asked, "You are really taking an interest in the monsters, any reason?"

I scoffed and said, "Yeah, cause they cool… " I looked at Ted to back me up and nodded "Totally" 

Tori understood the situation and tried to change the topic, "So heard there has been another attack…"

I nodded and sighed, "Yeah, that Hufflepuff kid, that kept taking your Brother's photo. Shame." 

Tracey but interjected and said, "Yeah, but on the flip side we are going to get the dueling lesson." 

I then remembered the whole thing with Harry and the snake and now it will Tori and that snake… that somehow felt weird thinking about it. I shuddered by thought of it and said, "Yeah, but it's Lockhart, so I don't have much high hopes for it." 

Hermione Scoffed and dejected, "I think that Professor Lockhart can teach us something, good."

The comment got a little laugh out of me but then Daphne lightly elbowed me and said, "We're still in Library…" I looked at Hermione and leaned in closer to the table and asked, "If you have such confidence in him, then would you care for a wager?"

She looked at me confused and my proposition for a bet send a shiver down Daphne and Tori, they had lost to me, but still I hadn't asked for anything and that was worse for them, somehow. Although Hermione was considering it, Tracey shook her head and said, "Don't do it he is going to win… he did this once and won."

Tori mouthed, "Don't do it." While Daphne shook her head and I looked at the two and they stopped and I went back to Hermione. I had a smirk on my face and asked, "What happed? I thought you believed in him?"

She couldn't accept that I was teasing her about it and she said, "I accept."

I looked at her and nodded my head and said, "Okay if you win, I will do anything you say no questions asked." 

She looked skeptical and she asked, "What do you get if you win?" 

I shrugged my shoulders and said, "The same… but whatever the winner asks, you have to do." She gulped the saliva pooling in her mouth and seriously thought about it but I said, "You know what, maybe you shouldn't… you should just accept that you are chicken."

Ted fulling the fire and being my best friend said, "kinda hard to imagine, a Gryffindor being this afraid… are you sure you in the right house?" And that was the last straw she looked solemnly at Ted and me and both of us had a smirk on our face and she sighed and said, "Fine."

 I smiled and moved my hand forward and she shook it. Tracey sighed, "Poor fool…"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

We all were gathered in the hall for the demonstration. We had been waiting for Lockhart to start this thing I was itching to get that favour.

Then Lockhart came prancing around the table and said "Gather around children. Can everybody hear me? Can everybody see me? Excellent."

He turned and continued " In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Prof. Dumbledore has granted me the permission to start this duelling club. So that I could train you to be able to defend yourself. As I myself has done on countless occasions. For full details see my published works." He then removed his robe and threw the robe towards the crowd. and the girls gasped.

I never had wanted to punch someone as hard as him. I was standing with Tori and Daphne and other Slytherins and Harry was practically staring me to death. I thought to tease Tori and said in a hushed tone near her ears "It looks like your brother likes me."

She turned her face with a shocked expression, she saw me smiling and slapped me on my chest lightly and said, "Can't you be serious for one second." She grunted and said in a hush tone, "He thinks it's you… why is he so stubborn."

I chuckled and said under my breath, "Look who's talking." She squinted and asked, "Did you say anything?"

I shook my head and said, "I didn't." I saw Harry meet with Justin, I wondered what would happed to the poor chap now that Harry won't be able to save him. I was still thinking that he wasn't a parselmouth but I could be wrong, I will know what I'm working with later.

Lockhart continued with his pageantry and I wasn't the only one who had this urge to just poke him in the eyes "Let me introduce you to my assistant Prof. Snape" Snape somehow looked more disinterested than he regularly does. He looked like that kid whose mom made him talk to the unpopular kid so that the kid doesn't feel lonely. Lockhart continued "He has sportingly agreed to help."

I then looked to my right and said to Ted he was writing something on his pad it was the odds of the duel and he asked "Want some action on this?"

I smiled and nodded, "You don't have to ask twice. Who else are in on it?" 

He smiled and pointed at some students and said, "Got some wagers from some stupid girls and some Hufflepuff's still think that Lockhart is going to win."

I chuckled and said, "Damn these guys are fools and we would be bigger fools if we didn't take their money. Here tell me the odds."

He had an evil smile and said "One out of ten Snape losses."

I grinned and said "Here take my money,"

Daphne scoffed and said, "The one time you support our house and you bet on it?"

I scoffed and said, "As if, I have been betting on all the Quidditch matches." As I finished the sentence Tori and Daphne looked at me and I said, "What? Why are you making those faces?"

Tori asked in confused, "Don't you have enough money?"

I smiled at them, "Ah, you guys are so innocent… it's not always about the money…" I chuckled and said, "You guys sure are cute." 

Lockhart spoke up and they looked at him hiding their faces "He is going to help with a demonstration. Now I assure you everything will be fine. I don't want any of you, youngsters, to Worry." He stopped and continued with a lot of arrogance in his tone and said "You will still have your potions master. When I am through with him. Never fear"

The Girls looked at Ted and me smiling like we were some kind of fools and they said in a disappointing tone. "Boys."

Snape and Lockhart came face to face and took stance bowed and took positions, the countdown began "One, Two, Three."

Snape was faster and said "Expeliamus" and Lockhart had lost and a thundering cheer came from Slytherin house and many at the Griffindor house which surprising to Snape. But the reason for their cheering was money.

I then looked at Hermione and she had an ashen face filled with regret as to why did she betting on Lockhart. Her eyes then darted towards me and I smiled and waved at her and she just slumped her shoulders.

Lockhart grunted and got up from the table "An excellent demonstration prof. Snape. But if you don't mind me saying it was pretty obvious. What you were about to do, and had I wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy."

In a hushed tone, I said to Ted, "Yeah tell yourself that see if that helps your ego." He snickered.

Snape shrugged his shoulder and suggested, "Perhaps, it would be prudent to first teach students how to block unfriendly spells prof."

Lockhart looked lost, but it came to him a little late and he agreed "An excellent idea professor Snape! Let's call some volunteers." He looked and said, "Potter, Weasly how about you?"

Ron was very happy for a second before he heard Snape talk "Weasley's wands cause devastation, with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Mr potter in a Matchbox to the Hospital Wing." 

He paused from a moment then said, "Might I suggest someone from my own house?" Draco looked happy and was moving towards the podium but when he heard "Perhaps Jonathan?" He looked at me and directed me to go. That sure was a little unexpected of him.

I nodded to him and said to Ted "Stack me against potter."

Ted looked confused and asked "Why? You will be able to end him like that *snap*."

I then looked at Ted and then he got it and he said "House always wins"

I smiled and said, "You catch on quickly." I looked at Tori and said, "Sorry." She sighed and I walked up to the table and Draco glared at me. I patted his back and said "Maybe next time, princess." he looked like he was about to burst with anger.

I climbed on the table and I came face to face with Harry. Lockhart said "Wands at the ready."

We took out our wand and I saw the look in his eyes and said, "Want to say something?"

Harry grunted and said, "I will take you down."

I smiled and said "It's good to dream Potter. Don't worry I won't hurt you too much."

I bowed but he didn't, it was disrespectful. We moved away and took a stance we took Normal stance that helped me in Dogging.

Lockhart said "On the count of three cast your charms on the count of three. Cast your charms to disarm your opponent and only to disarm them. we don't want any accidents here." He started the count and the adrenaline started to rise within me, I remember the rush I used to get when I was training with… him "One, two, three."

He cast a charm first and it was not Expelliamus it was "Rictusempra!". A beam of white light came towards me I dodged it easily I just stepped to my right and it passed through. I said, mockingly "Is that all Harry come on… do better." The slytherin's laughed while Gryffindor got angry.

He then grunted and I said, "Now, it's getting interesting." He unleashed a flurry of spells towards me but before he could cast them I cast one of my one "corps rapide." The spell helped you to move quickly I was significantly faster and with the help of that spell, I was able to doge all of the spell.

As I dodged the spells all the spectators were in awe I said: "Come on Harry, I'm getting bored here." I was provoking him so that he would make a mistake.

He still cast many spells like the pinching spell, the boil spell, the slug spell and so on. I winked and said, "Sorry, Harry." and as he was out of breath and I said " Let's end this Expelliamus! Rictusempra!"

He got disarmed and then got knocked down. The crowd went wild. And I walked to him and said, "At least it wasn't too boring." I moved towards the crowed and got down from the table and the Slytherins genuinely cheered for me which wasn't new for me but it did feel odd. I then walked towards my group and asked "How did you like my performance?"

Tori wasn't happy and she grumbled, "You could have ended it in seconds. Why did you drag it so long?"

I walked closer to her and said "If I have learned anything from Lockhart it is that presentation is everything. And I like to show off."

Ted then tapped on my shoulderand I asked "How much?"

Ted said "110 Galleons total."

I Chuckled said "Nice." Honestly, that kind of money was nothing to me but I won them so they felt good.

Lockhart said with a smile and clapped but he seemed a bit pissed. Snape wasn't that different he didn't show much of expression on his face but I think he was a bit pissed and amused at the same time, Lockhart said, "That was an exceptional demonstration by Mr Jonathan and Mr Potter. Now the next one. How about Miss Hermione and Draco." looks like Lockhart took pity on Draco.

Hermione was nervous so we decided to cheer her our friend and I didn't even have to ask them. We were anomalies within the system of this School. Few Slytherins cheering for a Griffindor, quite unusual I must say.

Draco and the other Slytherins didn't like that one bit. He looked at her and said, "Scared mudblood."

She scoffed and said, "We'll see in a bit who's scared."

Neither of them Bowed and Lockhart said "On the count of three cast your charms on the count of three. Cast your charms to disarm your opponents this time please?"

Lockhart said "One, Two" and on two Draco did the opposite and used "Serpensortia!" and a snake came. It hissed and slithered on the table

and Snape slapped the back of the head of Draco and said "Don't move miss Granger. I will get it for you."

But was stopped by Lockhart and said "Allow me, Prof. Snape" and pointed his wand at the snake and said "Alarte Acendare!" and the spell launched the snake sky high and now the snake was pissed. The snake kind of moved towards Justin. It was trying to scare everyone. It wouldn't have killed him if he had moved which he did. 

I was looking at Harry intently but then Tori was about to speak, but I grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly and she moaned in pain and looked at me and I said, "What?" That was enough time for Snape to snap out of it, he took his wand and made quick work of the snake.

Everyone sighed in relief and everything came back to normal. And Now I know all the things I need to know I can do it. I can take out my Dad. I shuddered about what I just said and Tori asked, "Can you let me go now?" 

I looked at her and said, "NO."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Section with Cotton 🐍

I hope you all liked the chapter, I know it's a long one and it kinda ends on a weird point but It's more like a 2 parter