Chapter 36 - Parseltongue Is Kinda Cool

When the two professors were finally finished with their demonstration, Lockhart looked worse for wear while Snape looked the same as ever.

" I must say professor Snape, that it was quite obvious what spells you were about to use. " The flamboyant man states as he walks to the broody man with a small limp.

" Perhaps we should teach the students how to defend themselves against unkind spells professor Lockhart. " Snape grits out followed by a smirk.

" Alright then, let's have a volunteer pair up here shall we? " Lockhart says inbetween breaths while dusting himself off attempting to hide his embarrassment.

" Potter, Weasely, how about you? " The man says but was shot down immediately by Snape.

" Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? " Lockhart was clearly reluctant to do so.

Snape was taunting him when he placed his hands up in a suggesting way, " Malfoy perhaps? "

With a quick dramatic turn and a wave of his hand, Draco had to leave the three and head to the platform to duel Harry while Snape went to one end of the platform.

With just a simple look at Gilderoy Lockhart, Annie could tell that the man was extremely anxious but couldn't tell what it was exactly.

Heading to the opposite end of the platform, and a quick " Goodluck Potter. " to Harry, Lockhart takes his position at the other end and faces the two boys in the middle.

" Wands at the ready! " Lockhart exclaims when the two get into place. Wands to their faces, Draco can't help and taunt the boy, it was a habit that he knows he has to get rid of at some point in the future.

" Scared Potter? " He was internally screaming to himself while a smirk was on his face. " You wish. " Was the boys reply. Draco was mentally slapping himself at this point but played it cool.

Walking away from each other, the two stop in front of the professors and turn to face each other with their wands at the ready.

" On the count of three, You will cast your spells to disarm your opponents, only to disarm! " Lockhart stresses before beginning his countdown.

" Three! " Lockhart starts.

Draco was in a state of inner turmoil at the count of two making him cast his spell early and hit Harry right on the c.h.e.s.t.

" Oof, that's gotta hurt. " Louis says as he grabs a handful of popcorn and munches on it.

Being sent a good five feet back, Harry was helped back up on his feet by Lockhart and dusted off before facing Draco again.

Harry in turn, sent his spell to Draco in an attempt to get even with him " Rictusempra! " This made Draco also fly back a good five feet.

" I said disarm only! " Lockhart exclaims slightly peeved. ' Like my body's going to listen to my brain at this point in time. ' Draco mentally remarks, which wasn't wrong.

His body was functioning on pure adrenaline and his mouth was moving faster than his brain could think.

" Serpensortia! " He blurts out and conjures a snake from his wand. The snake makes Harry uncertain whether to do something or not.

Professor Snape decides to do something about it and walks up, " Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you. " But Lockhart ' bravely ' stops him in his tracks.

" Allow me, professor Snape! " Without hesitation he points his wand at the snake and casts his spell " Alarte Ascendare! " All it did, was make the snake go up into the air and drop back down.

With the snake more agitated now because of Lockhart, Harry - looking as if he was possessed, walks to the snake and places his hand out.

Snake like sounds leave his mouth which makes the snake turn to him. When the snake doesn't really listen, Harry hisses out even more making the snake become more tame.

" Is that what I think it is? " Louis asks as he sits up even more in his seat, slurping his smoothie louder than ever. " Parseltongue? " Richard states in questioning tone as he looks at the situation closer, munching faster on his popcorn.

" And who'd think there would be no other surprises this year. " Annie mutters as she takes a bite of her hotdog. " Where'd the hotdog come from? " Louis asks looking at it.

" Accio hotdog? " Annie says and another hotdog flies into her hand. " Thank you! " Louis happily says as he takes the hotdog and bites into it.

The snake successfully stops and everyone is silent, if one ignored the popcorn crunches and smoothie slurps.

" He speaks Parseltongue..." One whispers " We should go before he sets it lose on us..." Another whispers. When everyone evacuates the area only the three Princeton's, Draco, the golden trio, and the two professors were left.

" Would you stop with the slurping! " Snape grits out looking at the three still in their seats, it only made them slurp louder.

" What happened? Why did everyone look scared? " Harry asks his best friends, confused on why they were scared of him.

" Done Draco? Can we go now? I owe a certain someone an apology for leaving without a word. " Louis asks, completely ignoring the tense atmosphere in the room.

Turning their attention to the three Princeton's waiting at the doors, and looking back to Draco Malfoy, none of the five really knew what was happening even after Draco left.

" Hey 'moine, weren't they..." Ron asks for confirmation, " Yes, they were. Though I don't get why they were here in the first place. " Hermoine says more to herself then to Ron.

" Anyways! We should probably get going now, just leave the snake to me and head on to your next class! " Lockhart says as he begins to bring the students out of the room.

• • •

" So, Draco signed me up for this duelling thingy that was supposed to help us defend ourselves. " Louis starts his explanation to Meister.

" I was there against my will, so it's not my fault. " Annie smacks him up the head, " OW! Your getting more violent as the days pass, you know that? " Louis says as he rubs his head.

" anyways, since I was already there I figured I'd have a look at how the club would be if I were to stay. " Meister tosses a pebble at the boy who swiftly dodges it.

" What was that for! " He exclaims, ' Just get to the point. ' Meister says impatiently since he has a meeting to attend soon.

" Alright, alright, long story short Lockhart is a horrible liar and teacher and Harry can speak Parseltongue apparently. " Cricket noises was present throughout the silence.

" Ahem. " Annie awkwardly coughs as she shifts about. " But you gotta admit. " Louis says at last, " What? " Draco asks " Parseltongue is cool. "

• • •

Walking into Hogwarts the small group was greeted by Peeves floating frantically around the school, shouting about Harry being caught red handed.

" What was that about? " Annie says once Peeves was gone from the area, " Dont know, dont really care. " Louis says as he resumes walking.

Bandit pokes his head out of the hoodie's pocket signalling that he had just woken up from his nap. " Want some snacks? " Louis asks and receives a nod of Bandit's head in response.