Animal [Harry Potter ~ Dean Thomas]

Duel

CHAPTER THREE

Seamus could hardly believe it when Dean told him about Finley attacking Pansy Parkinson in front of everyone in the Courtyard. He wished that Neville hadn't gotten himself covered in boils just so he could witness such an event. Finley joined them for dinner at the Gryffindor table once again and discussed her conversation with their Headmaster.

"So Pansy got a bigger punishment even when she did nothing in the fight?" Dean asked.

"Only because she called me a Mudblood," Finley answered.

Seamus' face fell when he heard Finley mention the word. She caught this and turned to the Irish boy, seeing him stare at his plate of steak and potatoes.

"I should've told you what it meant," he murmured. "I just didn't want you guys knowing that there's prejudice against you guys in the Wizarding World."

"Don't worry, Seamus," Finley assured the boy. "At least now she won't call us that again."

"I wouldn't bet on it."

The three of them turned their heads in the direction of Blaise Zabini who stood behind Seamus. Dean gulped in fear, wondering what he could possibly be doing here.

"You're Warren, right?" Blaise asked.

"Yeah," Finley confirmed, not a hint of fear in her voice.

"Pansy doesn't want to be seen near you only because of Dumbledore, so she sent me here," the Slytherin boy began. "Meet us at the Black Lake after class next Friday."

"And why should we?" Dean questioned Blaise.

"If Muddy Bloody here wanted a fight, she's got one, but Pansy won't fight like a Muggle. She wants a proper duel."

"Quit calling me that," Finley hissed.

Blaise simply let out a soft chuckle and smirked. "You should know that you can't run to Dumbledore every time someone hurts your feelings, Warren. You have to handle it the way any witch or wizard would- not like a Muggle."

The boy immediately left, leaving the three of them feeling irked. Finley had to hold back from staring at Pansy from the Gryffindor table. She thought about all the spells she had gone through in her books, but she had never actually attempted to use any of them. Pansy had an advantage in the duel only because she was pureblood. It would take Finley forever to conjure at least one defensive spell and she couldn't do it without someone's help.

"What am I going to do in the duel?"

"I'm more concerned about who will be your second," Seamus mentioned. Finley and Dean gave him a look of confusion, causing the boy to sigh and explain. "In a proper wizard's duel, you've got to have a second so they can take over for you if you die."

"No no no," Dean shook his head, pointing a finger to Finley, "you will not take part in something that could kill you."

"She's not going to kill me, Dean," Finley said as a matter of fact. "Besides, have you ever considered the possibility that I could potentially kill her?"

"No one's going to die!" Seamus said finally. "I just want to be your second. I want to act like I was a part of something this cool."

Finley giggled and nodded her head. "Sure, Seamus, you can be my second."

"I'll bring honor to your name if you die," Seamus said proudly.

Finley stopped Dean from expressing his doubts before he could even open his mouth. "I'm not going to die, Dean."