The first round of dueling passed more quickly than Hermione thought it would. With three separate platforms, they were able to rotate through all the first round pairs in a matter of an hour. The longest battle had predictably been between Draco and Severus, both of whom favored the offensive rather than the defensive when dueling. They'd engaged in a delicate game of give and take, testing one another's reflexes and spell repertoire with a series of showy flashes and bangs on Draco's part and more subtle misdirection on Snape's. Severus managed to disarm Draco with a combination shield, light flash, and confundus that found the younger Malfoy facing the wrong direction and partially blinded for five minutes after.

The other duels were no less exciting. Kingsley Shacklebolt narrowly defeated Minerva by charming her hair to escape the confines of its bun and attack her face like a sea leviathan while he disarmed her. Neville bested Ronald with a simple but particularly well-timed flippendo , leaving the redhead muttering "I meant to let him do that." Neville's was gathering some rather shocked looks from his second and third years, who - despite knowing of their professor's war-time heroism - had a hard time connecting their mild-mannered Herbology professor to the talented duelist they'd just watched defeat a top-notch auror.

Molly handily defeated Mohinder Bhatti by causing the younger man to fumble his own wand. He'd been so surprised the strength and rapid-fire nature of the Weasley matriarch's spell-casting that he'd cast two simple shields before allowing his own wand to drop from between his numb fingers. He laughed a bit at his own clumsiness before congratulating Molly on her success before retreating to the corner, shamefaced. Only once Minerva informed him that Molly had dueled Bellatrix Black to the death in the Battle of Hogwarts did Mohinder perk up a it.

Luna Lovegood nearly bested Harry when she used her characteristic absent-mindedness to focus at something over the auror's left shoulder just as the duel began. Harry narrowly blocked the stupify she sent his way before retaliating with a time-limited lysergia jinx that made Luna chase after a hallucination calling after the "snicking snicksnatches!"

Lucius lost his battle to Theo Nott after the younger wizard charmed the elder Malfoy's hair and robes a horrifying shade of puce. Lucius could be heard proudly proclaiming that he'd sonner lose a duel than win one while attired in such a horrifying color. This caused Throfinn Rowle to laugh aloud during his duel with Mafalda Hopkirk, who - previous champion that she was - took advantage by causing the laugh to descent into the wizard's throat, which gave him a case of hiccups so severe that he couldn't cast correctly, wandlessly of otherwise.

Hermione and Bill's duel ended when Hermione tossed a handful of confetti in the air and transformed it into a full flock of seagulls to attack the eldest Weasley son. Bill shook her head in wonder at her ingenuity and Ron's loudly voiced commentary on the sidelines. "It's like I told you, Harry. Brilliant, but scary ."

The entire hall took a well deserved break for light refreshments as they rested before the second round of duels. During the interval, Filius hurriedly waved his hand over the displayed brackets to reveal the next set of match-ups.

Molly Weasley vs. Kingsley Shacklebolt Severus Snape vs. Neville Longbottom Theo Nott vs. Harry Potter Mafalda Hopkirk vs. Hermione Granger

In the end, the second round of duels went more quickly than the first. All the combatants were now aware of some of the more particular tricks of the other contestants, and were therefore shooting more quickly and offensively than before. In short order, Molly, Severus, Harry, and Hermione were declared the victors or their respective duels and another interval was called as the final matchups were announced: Harry v. Severus and Molly v. Hermione. Severus spotted Hermione chatting with Mafalda and joined the duo as tea and biscuits appeared on the small tables at the edges of the Great Hall.

Severus was watching Filius and Minerva dismantle two of the platforms as he listened to Mafalda with half an ear. "If I were a few years younger, you never would've gotten me with that bat-bogey hex. Nice work, by the way. I've never seen bats quite that large! Or neon."

Hermione laughed. "Thank Ginny Potter for that one. She had the bat-bogey hex perfected by the end of her second year. She can make them pulse in changing colors like a deranged disco if she wants."

"That's...disgusting," Mafalda cackled. "I meant to congratulate you and Professor Snape on your engagement, by the way. It's quite the talk at the Ministry."

Severus frowned, redirecting his gaze toward the undersecretary for Muggle Misdirection. "I wasn't aware the Ministry was aware of our relationship," he said coldly. It wasn't that he wanted to keep his engagement a secret, but having it batted around the halls of the most insipid bureaucratic institution in Britain was a bit much.

"Oh, Mr. Weasley there," she said gesturing toward Ron, "was bemoaning his friend's fate rather dramatically - and comically, I might add - in the cafeteria a few weeks ago. I'm afraid news traveled quite quickly after than."

"Hn," was his only reply to such a revelation. Hermione merely rolled her eyes in frustrated acceptance.

Soon, Filius clapped his hands to reconvene the final four competitors. Hermione and Molly would be dueling first, followed by Severus and Harry.

Severus watched with pride as Hermione took her place on the dais. The two women hugged warmly and Molly extended an invitation to come to Sunday dinner soon, which Hermione accepted before they took their respective places for the duel.

The battle was quick and fierce, with both women vying for supremacy. Mafalda leaned in and whispered in Severus's ear. "If she hadn't been so determined to start her family early, that woman could have had the dueling world at her feet."

"I hadn't realized she dueled at all, actually," Severus replied, not taking his eyes from the competitors.

"Oh, yes. Bested me more than once in our school days, for all that she was two years younger. "How do you think she caught the eye of young Arthur to begin with?"

"I had rather assumed it happened naturally," he replied.

Mafalda's chuckle was one of deep satisfaction. "Oh, my dear boy. You'll learn that some wizards just love a dominant witch."

The duel finished when Molly disarmed Hermione with a flourish, catching the younger witch's wand and then conjuring a small flannel for the red-faced professor to dab her face. "And that, Molly Weasley, is why I endeavor never to raise your hackles!" Hermione said with a laugh.

"No shame in a good duel, love!" Molly said with a maternal smile. "You tend to leave yourself open after your jinxes. We'll have to work on your follow through after lunch on Sunday."

"I look forward to it. Severus, love, you'd better watch yourself. If you win, you'll have to fight Molly...and she's a right terror!" Hermione proclaimed as she rejoined Mafalda and Severus.

"Duly noted. Molly, Mafalda, your servant," he said with a little bow and he mounted the dais opposite Potter.

They signaled their readiness and began, fighting fiercely. Severus was annoyed to see Potter block his levicorpus and snarled as he dodged the series of hexes - some of which not even he recognized - that flew his way shortly after. He knew Potter was quickly rising in the MLE ranks, but he hadn't realized that the boy's combat skills had improved this dramatically. He seemed particularly gifted in rapid-fire transfiguration, a talent so like James Potter's that it made Severus double his efforts to disarm the boy.

He was drawn up short when Harry shouted leaenortia feroxis and then performed a perfect should roll to avoid the follow-up hex that Snape sent his way. He watched, bewildered, as pride of angry and, dare he say it, hungry looking lionesses poured forth from Potter's wand. The sight was surprising enough the Severus hesitated, providing a window of time just large enough for Harry Potter, the boy who lived-to-prove-him-wrong, to disarm him.

"Well, I'll be damned," he said, dumbfounded. "Well fought Potter. Now would you kindly mind calling off your protectors?" he asked as the lionesses advanced, growls rumbling in their throats.

Harry grinned and banished the lionesses, bowing to Snape and then turning toward Filius. "Professor Flitwick, I think I would like to be co-victor with Molly rather than dueling her."

"Whatever for, Mr. Potter? That was some very inventive wandwork! I'm sure we'd all like to see more."

Harry snickered and sent a sidelong look at his mother-in-law. "As much as I'd like to help you with that, I have a vested interest in a peaceful homelife. You see, if I defeat Molly my wife will kill me."

"But -" Filius interjected.

"- and," Harry continued, undeterred, "If I lose to Molly, my wife will kill me."

Filius relented, a smile on his face. "Of course, Auror Potter. Very well, then. I proclaim Harry Potter and Molly Weasley co-victors of Spring Hogwarts Dueling Competition! Well done, both of you."

Harry held out his wand hand to shake Molly's as duelling tradition dictated, only to have it knocked aside when she pulled him into a tight hug. "Silly boy," she said. "And sweet of you to worry after Ginny so."

"Thanks, Molly, but I was actually more worried about Arthur! He finally figured out how to that weed wacker I got him works. That last thing I need is for him to come at me with that thing," the boy wonder replied to the laughing crowd.

The atmosphere in the hall was buoyant after that, and Severus quickly found himself answering the questions of many of his defense students as the grilled him on dueling stance and technique. They all enjoyed another round of tea and cakes as the duelers recovered from there exertions and conversed together, but within a few minutes Severus found himself looking for Hermione as he edged his way toward the door. He'd just reached out to tug on her robes - the savvy couple's universal signal of time to make our excuses - when Filius cleared his throat.

"Now we have crowned our victors for today's matches, and I do hope that you all took note of some of the techniques employed by many of our contestants today. However, the fun isn't over yet!"

Severus bit back a groan. Damn.

"Yes! Where are...there!" Filius pointed and raised his voice. "Professors Snape and Granger, I'm afraid we're not quite done with you yet. I believe you have agreed to a rematch of the duel from our Fall demonstration. If you've both recovered sufficiently?"

Hermione tilted her head toward Severus in confirmation before turning back to the diminutive Charms professor. "Of course, Professor Flitwick. We're at your disposal."

"Excellent!" he squeaked in return. "Then shall we begin?"