Accio Evans

Chapter 45: Injury

Recap: Benjy is attacked in the hallway by Mulciber, Avery and Regulus Black. Professor Bensheath, the defence teacher, breaks it up and sorts out the mess.

Professor Sprout scares the seventh years during a NEWT lesson by announcing that the Auror Academy would only accept applicants that had four outstanding grades or more. Alice is freaking out, Lily is freaking out because she doesn't want to fail Transfiguration. In the midst of all the chaos, Samia Rain gets bitten by a venomous Tantacula and class is cut short of an annoyed Professor Sprout escorts the Ravenclaw to the Hospital Wing.

The Friday meeting, the group are all very nervous. Professor Dumbledore enters; bring Marlene McKinnon and Emmeline Vance with him. He explains about the Order of the Phoenix and that he wants them to join but stresses they will not be able to do so until after graduation. Hestia is very jealous of Marlene, Sirius is oblivious.

Lily and James go to Heads office to collect some appears and Lily tells James she wants to join the order, James agrees.

The first lesson of the day was Defence Against the Dark Arts; Lily, as much as she loved the subject, was not looking forward to the lesson. Virtually every single one of her teachers was fretting about the NEWT exams and if she heard about the importance of these exams one more time, she might actually strangle someone. Professor Bensheath's class however, was a welcome relief.

"You've all worked hard, very hard," he addressed the class of seventh years. "And I believe there will be some incredibly high grades in this class." The young Professor's moss green eyes wandered over to the table of Marauders who were absently flicking pieces of rolled paper at each other and poignantly ignoring their praise. Raising an eyebrow, the Professor returned to addressing the rest of the class. "But the practical portion of the exam may be a struggle for some of you. Now, I believe duelling may be on the paper, so I thought this lesson we could practice this, in a safe and controlled environment that is." The Professor smiled as several class members shot excited glances between themselves and hushed whispers broke out all around the room. "Now there will be some rules." The Professor added, the Marauders – who were now intently listening, sighed. "No spells that will severely hurt, disfigure or transfigure your opponent. No spells that will damage the classroom or anyone else watching the duel. If I believe you have used a spell that I deem inappropriate, five points will be taken from your house and you will forfeit the duel. There will be ten house points on offer for the winner of each. Now, let's push these tables back and set up the chairs down the far walls and we can start!" clapping his hands together in an excited motion, the Professor gave the students their starting orders, to which they set about with great gusto. That is, except Calix Mulciber; the large Slytherin boy stood, making no attempt to join in the furniture rearranging but concentrated on sending Sirius Black death glares, and praying he got the pathetic blood traitor as a duelling partner.

"I'll pull two names out the hat – the first will go to the far end of the room, the second will go to the other. You will prepare yourselves, and on my call the duel will start. I will allow the duelling to begin until it reaches a close, or if I don't see a clear winner emerging, I will put a stop to it and call it a draw. Now first two names:" the Professor shouted over the chatter of the class, at the sound of his voice, the class hushed to silence. "Danha Greengrass," the Slytherin Prefect stood and took her position at the end of the room, a small smirk crossing her features. "And, Remus Lupin." The Professor finished. With a nudge of encouragement from Lily, Remus reluctantly stood. He knew he was good about Defence Against the Dark Arts, it was probably his best subject – and if he was being brutally honest, he was probably best in their year, maybe even as good as Professor Bensheath, maybe even better on a good day; but none of this prepared him for duelling in front of all his classmates and friends. Remus knew Danha was a poor dueller, she'd come along to one session of the duelling club last year and had been defeated with two spells, she hadn't come along since, but he didn't feel confident duelling in front of the class, what if he did something stupid and managed to turn his nose into a banana or something? He'd never live that down!