19 Chapter 18

Waking up on Sunday morning, Harry found that his bones had fused, but his arm still moved poorly. The winter sun was shining outside the window. Rising in bed, Harry saw that the bed Colin was lying on had been partitioned off by a screen. Madam Pomfrey, noticing that Harry was awake, brought in breakfast, and while Harry clumsily ate his oatmeal with his left hand, she bent and unbent his other hand and each finger separately.

- 'You are well,' Madam Pomfrey announced. - You will have breakfast and you will be able to go."

Leaving the school infirmary, Harry went straight to his room to finish his homework for his core subjects. After spending a few hours completing his assignments, Harry decided to take a little walk: remembering the strange attack, the boy was not going to go far from the dungeons.

By Monday, the news that Colin had been attacked and was lying petrified in hospital had spread throughout the school. There were the most unbelievable rumours, one scarier than the other. Freshers were afraid to go out alone in case someone attacked.

Secretly from their teachers, they started selling talismans, amulets and other amulets.

Neville Longbottom had a huge bulb, a well-sharpened red crystal, and a rotten tadpole tail, though many people told him he was safe because he was a pureblood wizard.

- After all, everyone knows I'm almost a squib too. - Neville shuddered with fear.

- 'If you were a squib, Hogwarts wouldn't accept you. Neville, you're not a squib, you're just very insecure. And anyone who says you're almost a squib is a complete cretin and an idiot, and don't pay attention to cretins' opinions, Neville," Harry said as he walked with Longbottom after his wizarding lesson.

- Thanks for the support Harry, you're a good mate," the sophomore said.

Time passed, there were no new attacks and most of the students relaxed a bit, but there was still an atmosphere of fear in the school. One day, as Harry entered the Great Hall, he saw a group of students reading another parchment on the notice board. One of the Gryffindors, Finnigan, seemed to be cheering loudly about something.

- Dueling Club is opening! Genius! - Seamus exclaimed. - The first meeting will be held today. Perfect timing!

Having decided to go to the first meeting of the Dueling Club, Harry was hoping that the coach would be Professor Flitwick, who had been a four-time duelling champion in his youth, or, better yet, the Headmistress herself. However, when he saw Lockhart standing on the platform, Potter mentally cursed both the charlatan and the late Dumbledore.

- Come closer! More! Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me? Good! After much persuasion, Headmistress Le Fey has approved my proposal for a Dueling Club at the school. By attending the club, you will learn how to defend yourself if the occasion calls for it. And my life experience tells me that such circumstances are not uncommon. Read about it in my books. I will be assisted by the headmistress herself," Lockhart said with a white-toothed smile.

- She knows a bit about duelling, so she has kindly agreed to help me. Now we will show you how duelists fight with wands. Don't worry my young friends, everything will be fine.

"What's the matter with that jackass, Morgana can take out that Lockhart goon in no time. She won't even have to lift a finger. I guess I should watch Lockhart's humiliation," Harry smiled bloodily at his thoughts, luckily no one was paying attention to Potter or the Slytherin would be in trouble.

Morgana looked at Lockhart, keeping a cold expression on her face. And Lockhart continued to smile. The duelists turned to each other and saluted: the sorceress curtsied, Lockhart bowed gracefully, and then took a step back. In the manner of swords, both duelists raised their wands.

- Notice how they hold their wands in this position," Lockhart explained to the hushed students. - "On the count of three, spells are cast. No death curses, of course.

- One, two, three... The wands rose, and Morgana slowly pronounced:

- Expelliarmus!

Blindingly bright lightning flashed and Lockhart was thrown several metres against the wall, he hit it hard, slid down the wall and stretched out on the scaffolding. Many students giggled. Hermione stood on her tiptoes and pressed her palm to her mouth fearfully.

- Is he alive? - She whispered.

- 'He better not be,' Harry replied confidently, standing next to Hermione.

Lockhart jumped to his feet.

- 'Great message! - He said. - The Headmistress has cast a Disarming spell, and as you can see, I've lost my weapon. Thank you, Miss Brown! Without my wand, I'm as good as dead. Bravo, Professor Le Fey, bravo! Forgive me, it would have been easy for me to recognise your plan and fend you off. But it's very useful for students to see...

Morgana grumbled angrily, and Lockharts added: - This is the end of the demonstration. Let's get straight to the training. I will now divide you into pairs. Madam Headmistress, could you help me?

Lockharts placed Neville against Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Morgana walked over to Harry and Hermione. Potter wanted to pair up with his friend, but the headmistress decided otherwise.

- No!" objected Morgana with a small smile. - Mr Malfoy, come over here. Let's see Harry Potter fight you. And you, Miss Granger, will go up against Miss Bulstrode.

Malfoy, smiling arrogantly, stood where he was told. A dense, heavy-jawed girl who looked exactly like the wicked witch from the book 'Holidays with a Hag' took a seat across from Hermione. Hermione smiled at her, but she gave her a dismissive snort.

- Exchange greetings! - Lockharts commanded from the scaffolding. Harry and Malfoy nodded, keeping their eyes on each other.

- Wands at the ready! On the count of three, try to disarm your opponent. Disarm only, no violence. One. two. three!

Harry raised his wand, but Malfoy beat him to it, starting the fight on the count of two. Harry felt as if he had been hit over the head with a poker. He staggered, but kept on his feet, pointed his wand at Malfoy and shouted:

- Rictusempra! Silver lightning struck him in the stomach, he hiccupped loudly and ducked.

- I said no violence! - Lockhart wailed fearfully, looking over their heads as Malfoy slumped to the floor. Harry tickled Malfoy, and the latter laughed uncontrollably. You can't beat a man lying down," Harry's mind flashed, and he lowered his wand. Malfoy, taking a breath, took advantage of this and pointed his wand at Harry's legs.

- Tarantallegra! - he exclaimed. However, Potter managed to put up a shield, which Malfoy's spell shattered. Deciding to take a little breather, the opponents looked around the battle scene, which was shrouded in a greenish haze. Neville and Justin lay on the floor, almost breathless. Pale as a dead man, Seamus was floating in the air and Weasel was apologising for the actions of his disabled wand. Hermione and Milicenta were still fighting, albeit hand-to-hand, throwing their wands to the floor. Harry rushed to her aid and pulled his opponent away from Hermione with difficulty: she was twice as heavy as he was.

- Oh, oh, oh! - Was running from one duelist to the other Lockhart. - Get up, Macmillan! Careful, Miss Fawcett! Push hard, Booth and the bleeding will stop. I think we'd better get on the defensive. - He looked at Morgana confusedly, but seeing the hard glint in her eyes, he pulled himself together and said in a firm voice:

- 'Calling for two volunteers. Weasley, Finch-Fletchley, would you like to give it a go?

- 'Not a good idea, Professor Lockhart,' Morgana looked at the blonde peacock with disdain.

- Weasley's wand is broken, even the simplest spell could do so much damage that Finch-Fletchley's remains would have to be carried to the hospital in a matchbox."

Ronald Weasley flushed with anger at this statement but quickly pulled himself together and stepped away from the dais.

- 'I'd suggest Malfoy and Potter again,' the black-haired wizard said, winking at Harry.

- Great! - With a wave of his hand, Lockhart invited Draco and Harry to the centre of the hall. The crowd parted.

- Draco lunges with his wand and you, Harry, return the favour." Lockhart started to draw a pattern in the air but dropped his wand. Morgana grinned and Lockhart picked up his wand and shook his head reproachfully:

- "You naughty girl! What a naughty girl you've been today!

Malfoy looked at his opponent with a nasty smirk. Harry noticed this and returned the favour.

- Three... two... one!

Malfoy instantly swung his wand and shouted: - Serpensortia! There was a sound like a gunshot. A long black snake flew out of Malfoy's wand and fell to the floor. The onlookers standing in front of them recoiled in horror. Someone cried out exhaustedly.

- Don't move, Harry," said Morgana, "I'll clean it up.

- No, let me!" - Lockhart said, pointing his wand at the snake. But the snake didn't disappear, it flew into the air and flopped to the floor again. It hissed, slid towards Justin Finch-Fletchy, rose on its tail and opened its jaws, preparing to strike.

- Igitur evanescent cum creature,» Harry said, and immediately a dark beam flew out of his wand, quickly destroying the snake.

Deciding to teach Malfoy a lesson for trying to sic a snake on him, Harry quickly turned to the white-haired Slytherin and shouted: - Levicorpus.

A yellow-orange beam flew out of Potter's wand and quickly struck Draco Malfoy, hanging him upside down.

- Malfoy, for breaking the rules of the duel and using a potentially dangerous spell, a month's detention at Filch's," Morgana shouted at the white-haired sophomore.

- My father will find out about this..." Malfoy tried to shriek, but immediately grabbed his tailbone, receiving a powerful stinging spell from the headmistress.

- Mr Malfoy, be quiet. Not another word. And don't you dare invoke your father's name, those threats are nothing to me," the black-haired sorceress glanced eloquently at the sophomore, and he stopped fiddling. Morgana then ordered the headmen to lead the students away.

As soon as the students left, the brunette threw Lockhart a look that made him wet himself and quickly ran off, leaving Morgana alone.

*****

Deciding to distract himself from thoughts of what had happened at the Dueling Club, Harry walked outside and stared off into the distance as he walked across the wooden bridge.

Walking back into the castle and up to the third floor, Harry heard the school caretaker Filch cursing.

- ... working for me again! Cleaning up here all night! Like there's nothing else to do! No way, there's a limit to what you can do. I'm going to the headmistress right now!

As Harry rounded the corner and was at the very spot where someone had attacked Mrs Norris, he realised why the poor girl was so angry: there was a flood in the corridor, and the water seemed to be rising. The water was flowing from underneath Plaza Myrtle's bathroom door. Filch's screams subsided, replaced by Myrtle's wails, which echoed off the stone walls. Determined to find out what was wrong, Harry stepped cautiously into the bathroom.

Myrtle was sobbing loudly, as loud as ever. It was semi-dark in the toilet, the candles had been washed away by the streams of water flooding the walls and floor.

- What's the matter, Myrtle?

- Who's there? - answered the unhappy Myrtle. - Have you come to throw something else at me?

 Harry approached her stall.

- Why should I throw anything at you? - he asked.

- How should I know? - shrieked Myrtle, diving out of the tank with another wave that hit the floor. - I'm sitting here, minding my own business, not bothering anyone. And all of a sudden books are being thrown at me!

- But nothing's going to happen to you," Harry argued reasonably. - The book will just fly through you, that's all. Having said those words, Harry immediately repented. Myrtle flew upwards and shrieked shrilly:

- So we're supposed to throw things at poor Myrtle? She can't feel anything anyway! Ten points to whoever hits her in the stomach! Fifty points to whoever hits her in the head! It's a wonderful game! But I don't like it.

- Who was throwing things at you? - Harry asked.

- I have no idea. Here I am, in the knee of a siphon, thinking of death, and this thing pierces the top of my head. - Myrtle looked fiercely at the Slytherin.

- 'There it is, under the sink, it's been washed there.

Harry leaned over and saw a small thin book. It had a frayed black cover and was wet, like everything in the toilet. Carefully picking it up and drying it with a spell, Potter slipped the find into his bag.

Returning to the Slytherin common room and locking himself in his room, Harry looked again at the book labelled 'Tom Riddle's Diary.

'That's odd, usually, girls keep diaries, something's not right here,' Harry thought and deciding to deal with the diary later, put it away in his bag before laying down on his bed and falling asleep.

*****

It had been a few days since the sophomore had found the strange diary. Harry hid the find in a special box, on which he cast a protection spell. And so far, the boy hadn't touched the find. Harry seriously considered not carrying his find to the headmistress. But for now, the sophomore was afraid to. Morgana had been very annoyed with him lately because of Lockhart's actions, and knowing her temper, Potter decided to stay out of her way.

As he entered the Great Hall and made his way to his seat at the faculty table, Harry noticed that Snape's seat was empty. Many students, noticing the absence of the noxious potions professor, whispered. It was extremely strange.

- Daphne, do you know why our Dean is absent? - Harry turned to his blonde classmate, taking a seat next to her.

- No," Greengrass replied, hiding her bewilderment. For a while, only the chatter of students from all four faculties could be heard in the Great Hall, but it quickly stopped as soon as two people entered the room. Leading the way, as always, was the headmistress. A little behind Morgana stood a tall, dark-haired sorceress in a long black dress.

- 'So, dear students, especially Slytherin students, I have some important news for you. Professor Snape has been relieved of his duties as Dean of Slytherin Faculty by me, and he will only teach Potions for the rest of the year. We will have a new Potions professor next academic year. Negotiations are currently underway with a candidate. In the meantime, let me introduce you to the new Dean of Slytherin, Bellatrix Black," Morgana said, stepping away from the podium and allowing the black-haired wizard to step forward.

In the time since her release from Azkaban and the announcement of her acquittal, Bellatrix had changed a lot thanks to the healers at the private clinic. The brunette had regained all of her beauty, shrugging off the effects of her long stay in the company of Dementors. The light of life was back in Black's eyes. But most importantly, Bellatrix was able to get a divorce and return to her family. Unfortunately for Sirius, the witch doctors had discovered he had several illnesses, and so his cousin remained in the orphanage for a while longer.

"And it's for the best," Bella thought as the headmistress gave her speech. One of the best graduates of the green faculty, Black studied her future charges with special care. But as soon as Bellatrix saw Harry at her faculty table, a smile graced her face at the same hour. And joy took complete possession of the wizardess. She was happy that her godson was in the same faculty as she had once been, unlike the naughty boy Sirius.

Bella, barely containing her excitement, gave the traditional welcome speech, watching the reactions of not only the Slytherins but students from other faculties as well.

Listening to his godmother's speech, Harry was in a slight stupor and was shocked by this turn of events. But the sophomore quickly got over his excitement and continued to listen to his new Dean's speech. Thanks to this news, the decision of how to take the diary to the headmistress soon slipped the boy's mind.

After the new Dean of Slytherin finished her speech, a sullen Snape entered the hall, cast a hateful glance in Bellatrix's direction and sat down away from her.

"Well, Snape doesn't change," the wizardess thought cheerfully as she settled back into her seat.

After lunch was over and many of the professors and some of the students had left, Bellatrix decided to approach her godson. Slowly walking over to where Harry was sitting, Black noticed that Malfoy, clearly unhappy with the change in the head of the faculty, had decided to voice his grievances to Potter.

- 'Listen to me Potter, I'm pretty sure it's your fault that my godfather was removed as Dean. Tell me, what did you do for the Headmistress that she decided to remove Professor Snape? - Malfoy looked angrily at his fellow student.

- 'Malfoy, I don't care about your baseless accusations. I didn't ask Headmistress Le Fey to change the Dean. That was her decision. And just because he was your godfather who gave you preferential treatment and covered up your antics doesn't do him any honour," Harry objected, then stood up from his seat and headed for the exit. Malfoy, however, had other plans.

- 'Wait, Potter, I'm not done with you yet, you filthy half-breed,' Draco shouted furiously and tried to curse his classmate from behind.

- Don't you dare! - A determined female voice made Harry turn around and see a bright beam fly out of Bellatrix's wand and hit Malfoy, causing the white-haired sophomore to turn into a ferret. Raised into the air by a levitation spell, the beast began to squeak loudly.

- I'll show you how to attack from behind! You are vile, cowardly, vile, despicable, sneaky, worthless...'' - Bellatrix said loudly, lifting and lowering Malfoy in his temporary beast form. The students who hadn't had time to leave the Great Hall laughed loudly, including Harry. With a wink to her godson, Black continued the exorcism on Malfoy.

But then Professor McGonagall came running up, who had a perfect view of the unfolding picture of the blonde sophomore's punishment.

- Professor Black! What are you doing? - she exclaimed indignantly.

- 'Teaching,' Bellatrix replied as she continued to levitate the squeaking monster.

- 'This? That's a student?

- A ferret to be exact," Bellatrix said with a smile on her face. But the Dean of Gryffindor quickly cancelled the forced transfiguration spell. Malfoy, who had returned to his human form, fell to the floor but quickly got up.

- I'm going to tell my father everything! - Shouted the blond-haired boy.

- What did you say? That's a threat! I'll tell your father things that will make even your greasy hair stand on end! You won't get away with it! - Bellatrix didn't hesitate and unleashed several stinging spells in Malfoy's direction, giving the sophomore a short chase.

The blond roared and hurried away, falling to the floor now and then. The unwitting spectators of Malfoy's humiliation laughed loudly. Harry, as well as all those who disliked Malfoy, smiled contentedly.

- Professor Black, we never use transfiguration as a punishment! -McGonagall declared indignantly as Bella made sure Malfoy had escaped and returned to the hall.

- 'I'm sorry, but I will punish my lowly nephew as I see fit. Now, godson, come here, let me hug you,» Bella turned away from the Dean of Gryffindor, smiled warmly at the green-eyed sophomore and hugged him gently.

- Hello, Godmother," Harry said, breaking free from the black-haired wizard's soft embrace.

Then, taking the boy's hand, Black led him into her office. Bellatrix had a lot of things she wanted to talk to Harry about.