Under a Spell... - Book 2

The Duelling Club

Before I knew it, it was December. Harry, Hermione and Ron were all staying for the holidays this time. Hermione kept me informed still of what was happening with Harry - mainly detentions with Severus but I was happy for the information even if she wasn't tutoring me anymore. Gilderoy was planning a duelling club for his own entertainment purposes which was a good idea apparently. He was told he needed an assistant though by Albus as I knew he didn't trust him! I offered up Severus on a big gold platter talking about his experience and expertise in the area. Gilderoy just gobbled up the information I was saying. I would've loved to thrash Gilderoy myself but it wasn't in the school's best interest as Albus so kindly stated.

A week later, a notice was posted on all the common room boards letting everyone know that the first duelling meeting would take place at 8pm in the Great Hall. When I got to the Great Hall that evening, a long stage had replaced all the house dining tables and the room was crowded with students eager to find out who would be teaching them. Unfortunate to say - some students weren't happy to find out it was Gilderoy.

Gilderoy announced "Gather round. Can everybody see me? Can you all hear me?" He was met with silence. "Excellent" He remarked in a hushed tone. "In light of the dark events of recent weeks Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this Duelling Club to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions. For full details, see my published works." He threw his cloak into the audience at a group of fifth years eyeing them wrongly.

My attention was taken away from the stage as Parvati Patil tapped me on the shoulder. I swirled around. "Yes?" I enquired giving her time to speak. "Professor Dumbledore would like to see you in his office immediately!" She told me hastily as her eyes flickered over to the raised platform.

"Alright then but you have to come tell me what happens later? Ok?" I ask hopeful. "Deal!" She murmurs keeping her eyes entirely focused on the start-up match between Severus and Gilderoy.

I stroll out, annoyed that I wouldn't have the chance to see Severus win against Gilderoy!

As soon as I got up to Albus' office, I noticed Fawkes was looking rather frail and weak. I listened closely to catch a few lines of rhyming - no doubt the Sorting Hat had already started trying to make up a new song for next year.

"Rose, please sit" Albus requested as he made his way down the curved staircase. He stroked Fawkes calmly as I fidgeted in my seat. "Rose I need you to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. If the person behind these attacks doesn't get caught soon, it's possible the school may be closed permanently. I need to tell you that the Chamber of Secrets has been open before..." "Wait, what? This has happened before; when?" I ordered. "About fifty years ago; which resulted in a death." I nodded gently, letting the information sink in.

"Can I go? I want to make it for the final duels?" I asked hopeful. Albus nodded, then muttered "Yes but if anything happens please let me know." I stood up and raced out of the office as I wanted to catch the last duels. I turned round the corner to see the Great Hall doors being flooded with students. As the throng passed me, I noticed Hermione deep in thought. I waited for the crowd to clear before I walked in to find just Gilderoy, Severus and Parvati left. As soon as I reached the platform, Parvati came straight over to me. "You missed everything!" I looked at her weirdly. "Where do I start? Ummm, ok. Professor Snape flung Professor Lockhart onto his back. And then the Professors pulled up a student each to duel; it was Draco and Harry. This is when it got really interesting and weird. Draco conjured up a snake and Harry stepped towards it and started speaking." She uttered in an odd voice. "Why; what's wrong with that?" I questioned, confused.

"Well he was speaking or hissing some rather strange noises I mean it nearly attacked Justin. And that's when we were all dismissed. I hope that was alright" She hoped. "That was fine - thank you. Talk to you later." Parvati smiled at me before leaving the hall.

I wanted to watch it for myself! I stepped out of the Great Hall and took my time-turner out and spun back an hour or so. I hid down an empty corridor waiting for eight o'clock. "Rose, why are you standing in the middle of the corridor? Come on, I'll get you a front row view of the duel." Severus wondered. I was swept along with Severus into the Great Hall knowing that if I saw myself I would be messing with time.

Luckily, myself didn't see me. I ducked tying up a fake shoelace before watching myself leave. Severus and Gilderoy's showdown had me crying from laughing too hard - Gilderoy was getting thrashed if only it lasted longer. Harry's talk with the snake disturbed me somewhat as I couldn't even understand what he was saying but I could hear the snake's thoughts.

As soon as it was all over, I made my way back to my quarters as Severus went to give Albus a full debriefing of what happened. Over the next couple of days, the winter weather had turned into a blizzard which was most welcome as it was the last days of term before the Christmas holidays. I was minding my business walking towards my next classroom when all of a sudden I heard scraps of a thought. "They all must die. Kill. Kill. Kill..." It faded away as I tried chasing it down and round the corridors but it was racing ahead of me. I made my way to Albus' office rather slowly contemplating what had happened again, not noticing Harry coming down the steps of the gargoyle. "Harry?" I exclaimed as I bumped into him. His gaze flashed up to me. "Professor Ocwall?" Harry addressed me. "Rose - please." A brief pause ensued as I studied him. I was wrong to but I wanted to help in some small way! 'I should have told Dumbledore but he would probably think I'm insane to hear voices. Hermione did say it was a bad omen!' I almost gasped.

"Harry, I don't believe that you are in any way related to Salazar Slytherin, ok?" Harry nodded dismissively before wandering off. I talked politely to the gargoyle as I went up for I knew the gargoyle was imbued with magic and managed to have some half-formed thoughts. I knocked gently on the door in front of me for it to be dragged open by Hagrid. "Rose" He boomed. "Hagrid" I nodded to him as he walked out past me shutting the door firmly.

I walked towards the desk until I spotted Fawkes - he had been reborn since my last visit. I carefully moved my hand to stroke his back feathers as he was still so tiny. "Rose, what can I do for you?" Albus enquired as he moved down the steps silently. "Well you said to report anything strange." He nodded for me to continue. "As I can hear thoughts, I am able to hear a voice of sorts before the attacks take place however Harry is able to hear it as well and as he is a Parselmouth, it would most likely be some kind of snake." As our meeting concluded, Christmas was nearing ever closer.

After helping out Minerva with one of her classes in my free period, I watched as Fred and George cleared the corridor for Harry saying he was a very evil wizard indeed. Percy thought it was very immature behaviour and Ginny had rather a different take on it - she burst into tears and ran off every time. This time I followed her as she looked even more distraught to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom which was normal as it was a girl's bathroom so I left her there giving her time to calm down. Not many people decided to stay at Hogwarts this Christmas as they were safer at home - only the Weasleys, Harry, Hermione, Draco and a few stragglers from each house remained for the festivities. I stayed too as I probably preferred Christmas at the castle as I wouldn't have to cook just for me.

I had sent a bottle of Occamy Egg Yolk Shampoo and a dozen rare potion ingredients to Severus, an Advanced Copy of Magical Creatures and Their Habitats to Hermione as well as a revealer, an assortment of sweets to Ron, a box of lemon sherbets to Albus, a box of joke items I had created myself for both the twins, a bottle of butterbeer for each of the staff members and a warm cloak as well as treats for Hedwig along with a couple of sets of ordinary clothes as Harry's old ones were looking rather tattered and frayed.

I knew the whispers surrounding the Heir of Slytherin were directed towards Harry.