ꜱᴇʀᴘᴇɴᴛɪɴᴇ ꜱᴇʀɪᴇꜱ | ᴛᴏᴍɪᴏɴᴇ

Whispers from the Past, ch. 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

A dueling competition.

But not just any dueling competition. This one was considered the Underground competition where all able and willing witches and wizards around the world competed. Death Eaters and Ministry workers alike attended as though equals; the Underground competition was ground zero, all fighting happened on the dueling stage. The prize was big—a whole pouch the size of a stomach, full of galleons. It was more than enough to get the Polyjuice potion ingredients. Any word of there being a competition was always exchanged by word of mouth for safety reasons. Snape had to travel around to confirm the rumors were true that it was really going to happen. He had recorded all the information he collected on the piece of parchment Harmony now held in her hands.

"A dueling competition?" she said. She gaped at Snape and then handed the paper back to him, "Well, good luck with that."

He raised an eyebrow at her.

Her arm dropped when he didn't take it from her. "You can't be serious. Me? I got an Exceeds Expectations in Defense Against the Darks, you know." She added quietly, "One of the only Outstanding's I didn't get in OWLs."

"You don't think you can do it," Snape said.

"No," she looked down in shame, "I couldn't. So many powerful witches and wizards will undoubtedly be there."

"Undoubtedly."

"Then why me?"

"Don't be so modest," he said. "I know you have been trained under the Dark Lord himself. You just don't know how good you are because you have not tested yourself properly against anyone else." Before she could reply, he turned around, and walked to the door. He looked back at her and beckoned a finger toward him for her to follow.

"Oh, I think I know what's coming," Harmony mumbled under her breath as she followed him out of the room.

She followed him outside. As they moved into the fields, Snape eventually held a hand up for her to stop, but he kept walking until he was about ten meters away. Then he spun on his heel to face her, his face void of emotion.

"Wand at the ready," he said holding his wand before him.

Harmony shifted from foot to foot, though she drew her wand. "Is this such a good idea?"

Before the last syllable left her mouth Snape shot a fiery red spell at her, and if Harmony had not been quick enough she would have flown off her feet.

"Sir!" she exclaimed, wide-eyed with surprise when she straightened herself.

"You want to know if you are capable," said Snape, "here is your chance." He cast another spell which Harmony deflected as though it were merely a fly. "Come now, fight back! It will get your mind off the horcrux."

"That's impossible," Harmony said through gritted teeth and she sent a curse at him, which he deflected with a snide smile. She knew she was only giving him what he wanted, but she felt a sudden urge to prove herself. A trait brought on by Voldemort's horcrux?

Snape would be on the offense, sending spells at her as slick and easy as breathing, leaving Harmony to defend herself at a steady pace. But eventually the tide would turn and she would be on the offense, attacking him with her large spell repertoire. Though his spells were somewhat powerful, he was slow to conjure them.

"You're holding back," Harmony said, feeling a twinge of annoyance. He doesn't think I can handle him, she thought bitterly. She heightened her performance and bombarded spell after spell at him. "Come on!" she shouted, "I thought you were trying to challenge me!" Every memory of Snape giving her trouble at Hogwarts now came pouring out in the form of her powerful spells. She gritted her teeth angrily and aimed a spell near his torso. Just before he deflected it, the light from the spell illuminated his face. His forehead was slick with sweat. Harmony immediately ceased fire and Snape doubled over hands on knees.