The Shadow of Slytherin

The duel

A sigh of relief rolls over your lips when you find out you will not share it with that obnoxious girl, Imelda, as one of the others had called her.

Boys and girls are separated at Hogwarts, you have been told, the old traditional way. However, it is not uncommon for the magical community to be open to experimenting with the same gender, orgies have been a great topic for ages, and thus, after the debate of April 1843, the rooms were randomly assigned.

Soon after in the Winter of 1843, about the time of yule, the realisation came up that those arrangements might not be the best option and thus the assignment of rooms, a terrible decision in which all factors needed to be valued, fell onto the head students.

The room, you have been assigned to has four beds in it, the walls and all the fabrics green, you let out another sigh, drop onto the bed and stare at the ceiling, at least that is stone and not green. Though you wished for something more lively, like the fields you lay upon not too long ago, or even the trees beyond the castle walls, a different green, yet still green. Your mind clear, you look at the different decorations around the other beds, from trousers in a variety of fabrics to skirts and wall hangers with people and places you have never seen or heard of. A home for those students. Your part of the room, empty with only the small bag of clothing you had on you on your journey to Hogwarts, ripped, burnt, the shoes stained from mud and fire. Not a single possession you could place to make you feel at home.

Except for an old portrait of a young woman, holding a child on her arm. The long blonde hair falling over her shoulder as the child grabs a strand and smiles into the camera. "Hey, mum" you say as you place the photo onto the bedside table, "Welcome to our new home"

The robe adjusted, the tie loosened as it sits tight around your neck, you head out, through the common room as you want to get to your first class. Even more so, exploring the castle and grounds.

"Heard you got smoked by a dragon, almost burnt alive, like a real witch" an unfamiliar voice comes from behind you, but you ignore it, focussed on the field guide book and the many pages that wait to be filled with notes and from what you see photographs, samples and some information.

"Oh, yeah, like in Salem. Hey, Salem!" Imelda jumps off the couch and heads over to you, "That name fits, Salem. Since you don't want to introduce yourself. We will just call you that"

Not giving her a single look, you walk on, the book in hand and head out of the common room in direction of professor Fig's classroom to ask something, but stop when you spot Ominis walk into another direction. Curious, you decide to follow him and end up in front of the 'Defence against the dark Arts' classroom. Perfect, you think, one out of two for the day.

Standing in the middle of class, you watch as Professor Hecat casts a spell on a training dummy. As soon as the spell hits it, it lifts off, the wheels creaking as they roll mid air, and floats about three feet above ground.

Curious, you have a seat and listen as she explains how to cast the spell, but upon noticing you, she waves for you to come to the front of class. "Mx Morningstar, will you show us how to perform the spell?"

With a deep breath, you gather all your confidence, repeat the incantation and motion the Professor has shown, and cast the spell on the dummy, in the corner of your eye the other students rest their heads on their hands or the desks in front of them, close to no interest painted on their faces. However, you enjoy the class and professor Hecat's way of letting you test the spell yourself.

"Well done. Now, let's make this more interesting, shall we?" Gesturing you to step aside, she waves her wand and the desks pull aside, Ominis, who had not seen what happened, almost dropping to the ground, but you catch him and help him up.

"Are you all right?"

Shaking his head, he turns to you. "She could have given a warning"

"She should have" you agree as you stare at Professor Hecat, who smiles as she spots you next to Ominis. "But I suppose you need to be prepared for the things you do not see coming"

"I never see anything coming" Ominis scoffs as he pushes his elbow into your side and pulls out his wand to navigate.

The hands clapped together, Professor Hecat stands in the middle of the room and eyes each and every student around. "Now, who will teach our new student how to use the spell? No one, then how about a duel?"

Chuckling, another student steps forward, freckles plastered all over his face, the eyes as brown as the wood of his wand, with some specks of green in them. "If you need a duellist, I am just the right one for that" He walks towards the middle where a pattern of moons forms on the ground.

"Well then" you say as you walk onto the most outer moon.

Scoffing, Ominis walks closer to you and nods towards the other boy. "Good luck"

"Thank you"

"Oh, you are taking their side now" the boy grunts as he lifts his wand. "Let's see how good you are"

"Now, now, this is not an actual fight, you are here to teach them how to use the spell, not make them forget who they are or put them in the hospital wing"

A great smile on your face, you lift your wand as well and wait for a signal from Professor Hecat. "No promises"

As soon as you speak, professor Hecat gives you a side eye as a warning, but when she claps her hands for the two of you to duel, the levioso spell hits the other boy and a dozen strikes later, he flies through the room against the wall on the opposite side.

Laughing, you place your wand back inside your cloak and head over to the other side of the duelling platform to check on the other student, but before you reach him, he jacks up and stares at you. "Still alive, over there?"

"That was one hell of a duel" He says as he rises from the ground, brushes off some dust and dirt and holds out his hand. "Sebastian Sallow, by the way"

"Pleasure to meet you, I am-"

In that moment another Slytherin student walks over and pats you on the shoulder, "Well done, Salem. For someone who can kill a dragon we are glad you can withstand this one" the head nodded towards Sebastian, the boy grins, then heads out of the room, chatting with someone else as if he had never spoken to you.

"Well then, Salem. You know there is a duelling club, if you are interested. I mean to duel with me, not against"

Chuckling, you step aside as Ominis walks past and nod. "Sounds like fun, count me in"

And so the adventure begins...