The Joker Rising

Some Learning to be Done

In Red and green two names were on the board. Hermione nearly choked when she saw 'Hermione Granger' next to 'Hadrian Pairer'. She looked at the raven-haired boy standing on the other end of the room.

Hadrian had a strange look on his face. "Strange, I only wrote Hadrian on the paper," he said as he turned to face the platform.

The hall was clapping politely for the two fourth years, as they made their way to the respective ends. Hermione, the smarted witch her age, looked around nervously. What was she to do now? She couldn't back out of the duel now, since once the cup spat out your name you had to duel. she couldn't win in a duel with Hadrian, the Joker, it wasn't possible. she looked at Hadrian who gave Hermione a cruel smile before he walked up to the platform. Hermione followed quickly and tried to work out what she was going to do. Before they both got onto the platform Hermione whispered to Hadrian quickly.

"Remember Hadrian, I'm a girl and gentlemen's let the ladies win." Hadrian only smirked back and answered her in a whisper. "Not right now you not. You're my dueling partner."

With that the two climbed onto the platform. Damien and Ron were watching the entire scene, not daring to take their eyes away from the two boys on the platform. Damien whispered to Ron. "This is going to be interesting!"

"I'll say." Ron was torn between wanting to stop this or see it continue. It was more of a fear of Hadrian than hatred but that is a huge opposite than Micheal. Though for some reason he never showed to class, it was just Hermione and him who made it, Micheal seemed to have disappeared. Probably some Bow-who- no don't think about it. Damn Hadrian.

They watched along with the other students as Hadrian and Hermione bowed to each other. Hadrian allowed Hermione to take the first shot. Hermione concentrated on what Hadrian had said, before firing a 'Stupefy' hex at him. 'He's just a dueling partner, not The Joker, just a dueling partner.

Hadrian easily deflected the hex and sent the 'expelleramus' spell at Hermione. Hermione seemed to relax slightly as she blocked the simple disarming spell. That was precisely what Hadrian wanted. As soon as he saw the visible relaxation in Hermione, Hadrian sent a 'jelly legs' jinx at Hermione. She only barely managed to block the jinx and her brown eyes narrowed in Hadrian's direction. Hadrian sent Hermione a vicious sneer. Hermione decided it was time to play more like a Slytherin than a Gryffindor.

"Titillando" She bellowed and watched as the jet of light went speeding in Hadrian's direction.

Hadrian waited until the light was only seconds away from making impact and then almost lazily deflected the spell so that it went zooming back to Hermione and hit straight in the chest, causing her to be lifted in the air and thrown back. Hermione landed on his back and groaned. Hadrian heard the cheers of the many Slytherin students watching the duel.

Hermione was on her feet in no time. She aimed another jinx at Hadrian.

"limax vomite" she sent a jinx that would make Hadrian vomit up slugs. Hadrian again waited for the spell to come near him and he simply moved out of the way at the last possible moment. This earned Hadrian another round of oohs and awes. The students of Hogwarts had never seen anyone with such good reflexes.

Hermione was beginning to lose her temper. She couldn't bear the thought of losing. She was the smartest witch in the grade, though it was something only Ron and Micheal wanted. She didn't lose at anything. She decided to play rough.

"Pungens" She hissed and sent a burning hex at Hadrian.

However, Hadrian brought up his shield just as the spell reached him and the spell died as soon as it hit the translucent shield. The students gasped, the shields that most students were able to bring up were nothing more than a faint white mist that would protect against very simple and weak spells but would crumble if anything stronger than an 'expellaramus' was cast.

James Potter was staring at the shield as well. Of course, he knew all about Hadrian, his son, and had expected him to show dueling skills such as these but the sight of such a brilliantly conjured shield still took his breath away even though he really wanted to be mad.

Hadrian brought down his shield and grinned maliciously at Hermione.

"You want to play dirty well...My turn." Hadrian hissed at her.

"Expulso" Hadrian yelled and the white light hit Hermione in the chest. Hermione was then lifted into the air and slammed against the wall. She crumpled to the ground. A very worried and angry James Potter rushed towards her. Hermione though was helped up and immediately Hermione's face had turned red in anger. Damien was clapping along with the rest of the students, except for the other Gryffindor's who were shooting Hadrian very dirty looks. Slowly Hermione neared Hadrian again and raised her wand.

"Deprimo...Incarcerous" Hermione shouted out two curses, one after another and watched as the two gold and green jets of light sped towards Hadrian. One of the spells was aimed at Hadrian's head while the other was aimed at his stomach. Hadrian knew that his shield wouldn't be able to block two places at once, so he let his instinct take over. Hadrian brought up his full body block shield and the two spells hit off the shield and died. The students in the hall gasped once again as did James. He did not know Hadrian could do that.

James watched with an open mouth as he took in the sight before him. Hadrian was standing inside a shimmering translucent bubble. Hadrian brought down his shield and smirked at the look of shock on everyone's faces. He then faced a terrified looking Hermione. He raised his wand and shouted out the next curse.

"Everte Statum"

At once Hermione was blasted off the platform and the Gryffindor landed quite painfully on her back. She definitely learned nothing is as it seemed. The students had never seen anyone so violently being thrown off the platform. The students started cheering as James Potter stepped up and declared Hadrian the winner of the duel.

The entire hall was screaming words of praise to Hadrian and applauding him. Hadrian looked at the sea of students before him and didn't know how to react. He hastily got down from the platform and tried to make his way out but James Potter just had to stop him.

"Hadrian Paire! Please come to the front of the hall."

Hadrian obeyed and wondered if he was going to be banned from the club because of Hermione and his wand taken away when he just got it back. He was still frustrated with Dumbledore thinking he could just tamper with his wand, but he and Marcus were 'good boys' so he allowed them to have it with them at all times. He also did not use any labeled dark curses and what happened at the end was just for a laugh. Hadrian decided he did not really care if he was banned, it wasn't much fun if you couldn't use any real curses anyway.

Hadrian stood in front of the Auror as he looked at him intently. "Mr Paire, I would like to see you perform the blocking spell for me once again." Hadrian was taken aback. He wasn't expecting that from the dueling teacher and his father, who he has been ignoring so far. He stood a few steps away from the Auror and held his wand out in front of himself, ready for the attack. "Stupefy" Hadrian once again brought up a perfect blocking translucent shield and killed the stupefy hex instantly. James institutionally, his face beamed with a sense of pride for his son. He then addressed the students that were standing and watching them, "this is an excellent example of a shield that all of you should work for..."

The door slowly shut behind the raven-haired teen, the long day was coming to a close with training, his emerald eyes scanned the room. 'Good they were already running.' he smiled; it had been only a few weeks training his twin, but Damian wanted to join in, so he let him. But annoyingly the know-it-all demanded to be a part of it. Then he was forced to take the red head as well, let's just say their first lesson didn't go the way they thought it would, but they are learning. Just...painfully...slow...

"Grab a weapon!" he shouted out to the room freezing the four teens in the middle of their run. "It's time to learn something. Damian, you will be with me in this lesson."