Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 30: The Dueling Club

17 December 1992
8:00 p.m.

The first meeting of the Dueling Association was open to all Hogwarts students, though if interest were high enough, future sessions would most likely be broken up by class year. Most of Slytherin House came in a show of mutual support for Harry and Draco after the prank played on the Quidditch team earlier that evening. Of course, "support" among Slytherins was conditional, and Harry felt strongly that he needed to make some sort of power play during the meeting to maintain any influence over the House's response to what had happened.

The Great Hall had been cleared of all furniture except one long table in the center of the room which would serve as the dueling platform and a few smaller tables set up in the corners for refreshments. As the Slytherins entered, a group of Gryffindors centered around Jim laughed openly and pointed at the Quidditch Team members. Harry's own Gryffindor friends were not among them. Neville was in the Library trying to catch up on a Transfiguration essay, while Hermione and Luna were off doing something or other for Team Mysterioso. Harry paused and then walked over to the Gryffindors.

"Jim, a word please?" he said firmly before walking away from the group towards an empty area. With some reluctance, Jim followed him.

"Yes, Harry?" Jim asked guardedly.

"I've been thinking about what I said after our last detention with Lockhart. I was wrong. I see that now."

Jim blinked in surprise at the unexpected comment. "So you do think it's possible for us to be more like brothers?"

Harry laughed bitterly. "Of course not! No, I mean I no longer think it's possible for us to avoid being enemies."

"What?! Harry, is this because of what happened earlier in the foyer...?"

"In part. I don't think you were personally responsible for the prank played on us – you certainly don't have the skill for it, though you might have been involved. No, mainly, I've just been thinking about you and me for some time now – ever since the day after our Quidditch match, in fact – and I've honestly just come to the conclusion that I will never have any lasting happiness of any kind so long as you're on hand to ruin it for me!"

Jim was silent for several seconds as he absorbed his brother's declaration of war. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because our last conversation probably left you with a live-and-let-live impression from me. Whatever happens now, I don't want you running around claiming that I tricked you into dropping your guard. I don't want you to pretend that you didn't know I was coming for you. Not very Slytherin of me, I know, but my Gryffindor side insists that I beat you fairly as well as decisively."

Jim's face darkened. "Fair enough. Game on." Both brothers scowled at each other before returning to their respective groups.

At about that time, several faculty members entered the room. Lily Potter and Pomona Sprout entered first. Lily noticed her two sons as they separated with each bearing angry expressions. Jim acknowledged his mother with a nod, while Harry ignored her completely. Before she could speak to either boy, Gilderoy Lockhart strode into the room with a flourish wearing a stylish dueling outfight with a half-cape flung over his shoulder. On his left arm was a white satin gauntlet that doubled as a wand holster. Profs. Snape and Flitwick entered behind him.

"Good evening, students and faculty! And welcome to the first of what I hope will be many meetings for the Hogwarts Dueling Association!" Behind him, Snape's lip curled slightly. The DADA instructor continued his opening remarks for another five minutes, including a brief history of professional dueling, an introduction of the members of Team Counterstrike (all of whom he asked to come forward and stand next to the dueling platform as they were introduced), and an explanation of the rules of ping-pong punctuated by five bad jokes and three "ha-Has," each of which made Harry visibly wince.