The Unknown: A Harry Potter Story

Chapter 12: Halloween

Professor Snape was furious, threatening to take away one hundred house points from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor due to Frederick and Jason "ganging up" on Silas. Snape had just finished informing Frederick and Jason that he planned to have them expelled when Professor Flitwick arrived on the scene. Flitwick spoke in private with Snape, and when they returned Snape seemed to have calmed down.

"Now that we've all calmed down a bit, why don't you three explain what happened here?" Professor Flitwick asked.

Surprisingly, Frederick was the first to start talking. "It's all my fault Professors," he said. "I wanted to learn how to duel, I know that dueling isn't allowed on campus but I really wanted to learn, so I asked Jason and Silas to teach me. We were just doing practice matches."

From the look in his eyes, Professor Snape didn't believe Frederick's story at all. "I would recommend you try again," Snape said coldly. "If I hear another lie then the consequences will be severe."

Jason began to talk. "What happened was-"

"It's my fault," Silas cut him off. "I challenged them to a duel. Frederick and Jason tried to talk me out of it, but I wouldn't listen and hit Frederick with a spell. When I started to cast at Jason he defended himself and disarmed me. That's everything that happened."

"Silas, Fortescue," Snape seemed to accept Silas' confession. "The two of you will be serving detention with me every night until I decide otherwise. All three of you will also lose fifty house points."

"Professor Snape," Flitwick started. "Perhaps that is a little harsh. Can't we come to a lighter punishment? Mr. Diggory did nothing wrong, and Mr. Fortescue was just defending himself. Mr. Silas also admitted he was in the wrong. That shows great personal character."

Snape considered for a minute. "Silas, Fortescue you will still serve detention. Unsanctioned duels are strictly forbidden and you will not go unpunished, but none of you will lose house points. All of you are to return to your dormitories for the rest of the day. That is my final word."

"Come on boys," Flitwick addressed them. "Let's get you all back to the castle and cleaned up."

As the three boys passed Professor Snape and followed Professor Flitwick to the castle, Snape had one more thing to say. "Filius. It is rather strange that a first-year such as Mr. Fortescue would be so proficient in both the shielding and disarming charms. Those are both rather difficult, I know of quite a few Hogwarts graduates that can't cast either of those spells. If one didn't know any better, one would think that he had lessons from a professional duelist. What do you think?"

"I'm not sure," Professor Flitwick grinned behind Snape's back. "One might think that, but one might also wonder where Mr. Fortesuce would find such a duelist willing to teach him. He's a bright young lad. Maybe he learned them himself?"

The days passed by quickly following Jason's duel with Silas. The most exciting thing to happen to Jason after the duel occurred the day after it when his broom arrived from home. Jason flew a Nimbus 1700 that Grandpa Richard had bought for him when his junior league quidditch team had made it to nationals. The Nimbus 1700 used to be the top broom on the market until the Nimbus company came out with the Nimbus 2000. The same model of broom that Professor McGonagall had gotten for Harry. As quidditch practice got into full swing, Jason was feeling very excited over the prospect of a new quidditch season. The only thing to dull his excitement was detention with Snape.

Jason and Silas spent every night cleaning the potions room and organizing the potions storeroom until Snape was satisfied. The process would take long into the night, even some nights passing curfew as Snape was hardly ever satisfied. On the first Saturday of Jason's detention, he went into the potions room excited since the room wasn't in use that day and wouldn't need to be cleaned. Jason was sorely mistaken, as Snape with a cruel grin and the flick of his wand sent the chairs in the room flying, covered the floors and tables with dirt, and sent all of the neatly organized ingredients that Jason had spent hours organizing the night before, scattering around the room. Snape became increasingly harsh on Jason on nights before quidditch practice, having Jason work into the early morning hours, long after Silas had been allowed to leave, to ensure he was exhausted during practice the next day.