Fears | June Potter and the Haunting Voice | Book 1

Chapter Eleven; News of a Language

Chapter Eleven; New of a Language

   "Face your partners!" called Lockhart, back on the platform. "And bow!"

  June and Theodore Nott bowed to each other.

  "Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents — only to disarm them — we don't want any accidents — one . . . two . . . three —"

  June waved her wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" easily copying Professor Snape. In an instant, Theodore was off his feet and on the ground. His wand was held firmly in June's hand. With a smile for the spell following through, June walked over her partner and helped him up and returned his want.

  "Surprised a first-year was able to do that spell," Theodore teased.

  "Surprised a second-year couldn't block," June shot back with, a grin.

  "Alright, alright, nice work -"

  "I said disarm only!" Lockhart roared in alarm over the heads of the battling crowd.

  "People are taking this way too seriously," June concluded.

  "Yeah -"

  Again Theodore was cut off by Lockhart yelling over the crowd, this time he was yelling, "Stop! Stop!"

  June looked over to where the noise was coming from. A haze of greenish smoke was hovering over the scene. Both Neville and Justin were lying on the floor, panting; Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done; but Hermione and Millicent Bulstrode were still moving; Millicent had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain. Both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Harry kept forward and tried to pull Millicent off. June went to help but Theodore held her back. June went to argue but Theodore reasoned with her as well as pointed out that the girl was ten sizes bigger than her. As they argued, Harry had managed to break Bulstrode off of Hermione.

  "Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan. . . . Careful there, Miss Fawcett. . . . Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot —

  "I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted, and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair — Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you —"

  "A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over like a large and malevolent bat. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile.

  "Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room.

  "Nott, come one. We're getting a better view of this," June told him, taking his wrist and pulled him through the crowd.

  Once they got to the front, the notice Lockhart drops his wand. Snape smirked as Lockhart quickly picked it up, saying, "Whoops — my wand is a little overexcited —" Snape moved closer to Malfoy, bent down, and whispered something in his ear. Malfoy smirked, too. June nervously looked to her brother.

  Harry looked up nervously at Lockhart and said, "Professor, could you show me that blocking thing again?"

  Malfoy and Harry muttered something to each other, then Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"