A Changed Lestrange (1-2) (under editing)

16: An Enemy Of An Enemy

The always-pompous Gilderoy Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me?"

"Unfortunately, unfortunately." said Ashton loud enough for the nearby to hear him.

"Excellent!" said Lockhart. "Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club, to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published bestselling works."

"How about I just read a Muggle book? After all, they were written by two people with the same wizarding knowledge." smirked Ashton, causing Ron to almost kill himself with laughter.

"Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape," said Lockhart, ignoring Ashton. "He tells me he knows a tiny bit of dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin."

Snape stood in front of Lockhart, both having their wands at the ready.

"Now, we shall begin the demonstration. None of you need to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!" Lockhart positioned himself. "One... two... three."

Lockhart had barely finished his counting before Snape fired his spell.

"Expelliarmus!" he chanted, as a ray of light shot towards Lockhart and blasted him all the way across the Great Hall. 

Ashton felt a wicked smile bewitch his face.

"Do you think he's alright?" asked Hermione anxiously, almost as if she was prepared to give him mouth-to-mouth.

"Who cares?" said Ron excitedly.

Lockhart slowly got up, and with his trademark pompous smile on his face that attracted many underage girls to his so-called 'charm', said, "An excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind me saying - it was pretty obvious what you're about to do and if I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy."

"Likely story." said Ashton, in disbelief he was on the side of Severus Snape for once.

"Enough demonstrating!" said Lockhart, faltering under Snape's murderous glare. I'm going to sort you all into dueling pairs."

"Allow me," said Snape silkily. "Time to split up the dream team, I think. Weasley, you can partner with Finnegan, Potter, go and partner with Thomas, Lestrange-" Ashton began shifting awkwardly towards Lockhart. Snape had to stifle a laugh. "you can go with Mr Malfoy. And Miss Granger, you can go with Miss Bullstrode."

Ashton smirked, rubbing his hands together at the sight of his cousin readying himself for a duel.

"Time to see who's really the shame of the family, Lestrange." said Malfoy snidely, but Ashton ignored it. He knew in his head that he was twice as good a wizard as Malfoy will ever be. 

"Dear, dear, Draco. Whatever will Uncle Lucius think if you lose to a blood traitor like me?"

"You become what you surround yourself with, Ashie. Potter, Weasley and that Mu-" he thought better than to utter that word in Ashton's presence after last time. "You really disgrace yourself."

"Hmph. We'll see, Malfoy."

The pair got their wands at the ready and Ron, done with attempting to duel Seamus Finnegan with his wand still faulty, turned his attention to the duel. 

"One... two... three..."

"Tarantallegra!" yelled Ashton before Malfoy had a chance to do anything. The charm hit Malfoy like a bullet, and suddenly his legs were wildly out of control. His wand dropped out of his hand while his legs began swinging him all over the place. "What's the matter, Drakie? Did Daddy never teach you how to do duel properly?"