Alexandra Dursley {Golden Trio}

Chapter 102 - Duelling Club Reinstated

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 The second week was much like the first. Al began to get the hang of silent incantations, and decided she would introduce them to her advanced Duelling Club after Christmas. Potions was going as well as it had before, and Al was really enjoying herself without the stress of Snape. In fact, she hardly ever saw Snape anymore. It was brilliant.

 Saturday brought the Duelling Club, and unsurprisingly no more post other than her weekly letter from George. She was beginning to worry about Remus. She hadn't heard from him in so long.

 Al arrived to a crowd of students outside the Charms classroom. She pushed her way inside, wondering what was going on. But once she got in, she realised. They were all there for the Duelling Club. People were sat on every desk and chair available and it was absolutely packed. Bloody Voldemort.

 Al clambered up onto a desk and called for silence. People quickly obeyed. "Alright, we're not all going to fit in here," she called, "So can everyone please calmly proceed to the Great Hall and we'll get started in there." There was a scraping and chattering as people rushed out the room to be the first to the Great Hall. Al peered round for Flitwick, but couldn't see him anywhere. Clearly he hadn't arrived yet. "Anne!" she called to a familiar fourth-year Hufflepuff, who turned around with a friendly smile. "Could you please stay behind and tell Professor Flitwick where we've gone?"

 "Sure!" Anne said brightly, "Did you have a nice summer?"

 "Yeah," Al said, surprised, "Yeah it was nice. You?"

 "It was good, thanks," Anne said, "Went to Italy with my parents."

 "Ooh, that sounds nice," Al said, "Well, I need to get going." And she went after the crowd into the hall. Al looked down at her sign-up sheet as she walked in. There were only about fifty people on it, and at least a hundred had turned up. "Right," Al called, and quiet fell over the Great Hall, "First off, if you were in the advanced group last year, you can go. I'll see you in the Charms classroom on Tuesday."

 Twenty people filed out, Ron, Hermione and Harry among them. She smiled and waved at them and they returned it. "Second, if you haven't signed up, please do it here-" she waved the sheet in the air and put it on the end of the Hufflepuff table, "I need your name, house and year."

 She moved out the way as a queue formed and stood on a Ravenclaw bench instead. "Thirdly, if you were here last year, I'd like you to stand on this side-" she indicated the Slytherin table, "-and if you're new I'd like you on that side-"she indicated the Gryffindor table.

 She watched as people split into two groups and the people signing up moved to the larger Gryffindor side. She recognised a few people, a lot of them she'd only spoken to for the first time last year. Flitwick arrived and moved the tables to one side and she paired everyone up. One or two of the newcomers tutted at being paired up with people from other houses, but the thirty-odd regulars just grinned. They'd missed it last year like she had, and were clearly just glad to be back.

 Al went around and placed markers around the room so people didn't go into others' space, and checked everyone knew the two paint splattering spells. Half an hour in and they finally got going with duelling, and Al walked around with her parchment, deciding who she could promote. Ginny and Neville were really going for it, and Al was surprised their wands weren't smoking. Ginny got the most hits in, but Neville was really standing his ground.

 Al managed to put the majority of the DA members up for promotion, and even some of the Duelling Club members, like Marlene, who'd been coming from the start and was now best friends with Anne, who was also promoted. Al tidied up the mess with Flitwick at the end feeling very proud of everyone. "Right, so the advanced group is now at about fifty," Al said, "So I'm not sure the Charms room will be big enough. Can we get the Great Hall from seven to half eight on a Tuesday night?"

 "Yes, that should be fine," Flitwick said, "I'll speak to the Headmaster and put a notice up that dinner will end half an hour early. It's excellent that it's so popular all of a sudden."

 "Well I think a lot of parents have got involved," Al explained, "I've had a few letters over the last week from various people saying thank you for running it."

 "Yes, I have too," Flitwick said, putting the tables back for dinner, "But still - the tournament's going to be very good this year."

 Al smiled and bid goodbye to Flitwick before hurrying out the Great Hall. She wanted to do her Arithmancy charts before dinner. In her hurry, she almost bumped into Slughorn, who was making his way into the hall. "Al, my dear!" he exclaimed, "Just who I was looking for! I'm having a little party in my office with some of your classmates - spot of supper, you know. I'd be delighted if you could come?"

 "Oh," Al said brightly, taken by surprise, "I'd love to. What time should I be there?"

 "Seven o'clock, my office," he said, "We've got one or two newcomers too."

 "OK," Al said, "Thanks Professor." Al headed down to the common room, smiling at a few of her fellow Slytherins as she passed, before arriving and sitting down at the table with Daphne and Theo, who were doing Herbology essays together. "I'm so glad I dropped that," Al said, labelling her Malgven graph, "It looks revolting."

 "It's not that bad," Daphne said, flicking through her textbook.

 "Yes, it is," Theo insisted, "How was the rest of the Duelling Club?"

 "Oh, yeah, you guys left at the start," Al said, "It was alright. Most people weren't too bad, just need to work on aim and speed. We're moving the advanced group to the Great Hall, now. Just so you know." Al spent the hour doing her Arithmancy homework, and then made a start on her Transfiguration essay until it got to quarter to six.

 "Shall we head to dinner?" Daphne asked, checking her watch.

 "No, I've got a dinner with the Slug Club," Al said and Theo rolled his eyes playfully. "It's your bloody fault," she protested with a grin, "If you hadn't called him over that first lesson-"

 "If I remember correctly," Theo said, grabbing Daphne's hand, "It's Dumbledore's fault."

 "Most things are," Al mumbled as they left the common room.