Clara Diggory, Girl of Secrets - a HP fanfic

Chapter 11 - Parseltongue

I woke up slightly before Harry did, and Madam Pomfrey told me to leave and go down to breakfast. I looked over at Colin's bed on the way out, but curtains had been put around it, blocking the view.

At breakfast, I would normally sit next to Malfoy, but this time I just took a seat on the end of the table, alone. I could feel his eyes on me, and soon enough, he came to sit next to me, concerned.

“What's wrong?” He asked. I focused on my toast and shook my head.

“Not here. Later.”

After I'd finished, I walked to the courtyard and sat in a corner, away from everyone else. Malfoy appeared not too long after, and sat next to me, putting an arm around my shoulder.

“What is it?” He asked.

“There's been another attack,” I said. His eyes widened.

“Who?” He said, lowering his voice.

“Colin Creevey.”

Draco was silent. We sat there quietly for a while, until I saw Ginny and rushed over to her.

“You all right?” I asked.

“Not really,” She sighed.

“What's wrong?”

“There was another attack last night – Ron  and Hermione heard Professor McGonagall telling Professor Flitwick earlier,” She said.

“I know,” I said. “It's horrible.”

“But who's doing it?” She said, slightly distraught. “And why?”

“Who knows,” I said.

***

In the second week of December Professor McGonagall began collecting names of who would be staying for Christmas. I signed myself onto the list, not bothering to write home. I already knew what the answer would be.

Cedric had written to me once a month, saying that it didn't matter which house I was in, but it did. My parents hadn't written since that first letter, and if I'm honest, I didn't want them to.

Malfoy was staying too, which was odd. Though he'd asked me if I was staying for Christmas before signing his name down, which was odder. It was strange being friends with him; he was nice whenever it was just me and him, but whenever someone else was present he became his usual snotty, snarky self.

A week later, I was walking across the Entrance Hall with Ginny when we noticed a group of people gathered around the notice board. We approached it and saw the new piece of parchment was advertising a Duelling Club, starting tonight. I turned to Ginny.

“Could come in handy,” I said. “I mean, what with all that's going on.”

Ginny agreed, so at eight that evening we went to the Great Hall. The dining tables were no longer there, but a golden stage had been placed along one wall. It seemed like most of the school were packed in there.

Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, followed by Snape. He waved an arm for silence and called, “Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can everyone hear me? Excellent!

“Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little 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.

“Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape,” Said Lockhart, smiling widely with those bright white teeth. “He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry – you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!”