Chapter 13

"Alright. Let's begin."

Nearly a hundred students crowded around Harry and Malfoy to watch this covert Wizard's Duel. They both drew their wands and waited for the signal from Professor Sprout who stood halfway between them as the official.

"One"

Harry drew in a breath and the wand tingled in his grip.

"Two"

He let out his breath and squeezed the wand tighter.

"Three"

"Contego!"
Harry's voice boomed down the hallway. He had been concentrating on his spell so hard that he barely heard the gasp from the crowd.

He had correctly picked a defensive spell to protect himself from Malfoy's disarming spell - 'Expelliarmus'. Malfoy looked at Harry in confusion and surprise. That spell should have knocked Harry to the ground but instead, he stood there unharmed.

Professor Sprout stepped forward.
"Well done, both of you. Alright. Round two."

Harry took another deep breath and let it out slowly. He glanced to his side and saw Hermione beaming at him (and chewing her lower lip anxiously) and Ron cheering wildly. He smiled back at them.

"Ready? One"

Harry closed his eyes.

"Two"

The sounds of the hallway faded away.

"Three"

Harry opened his eyes in time to see sparks fly from the end of his wand and Malfoy being pushed back to the wall. A huge cheer went up from the crowd. Malfoy had never gotten off his spell! But because he didn't drop his wand, they would do another round.

"No disarment. Round three." Professor Sprout said.

Harry didn't see Malfoy nod to Goyle - but Ron did. Because Ron didn't trust Malfoy to fight fair, he'd been watching him intently. Goyle slowly slid closer to Professor Sprout. Then, very slyly, he pulled out a leather pouch and sprinkled something at Sprout's feet.

"Hey! What are you doing?! Look out!" Ron shouted as he tried to push his way over.

Goyle looked up - caught red-handed - dropped the pouch and tried to run but several students tackled him. Just as Professor Sprout looked down at her feet, a cloud of gray smoke rose up and she collapsed.

Nearly everyone rushed over to the Professor and someone said, "She's asleep!"
Hermione correctly said, "It must be asphodel! No other powder works that fast. But how? Only Professor Snape has access to asphodel ..."

Now all eyes turned to Malfoy. He was standing with his wand drawn, fury etched in his face.

"Now we're going to finish this, Potter." he ground out through clenched teeth.

Harry shook his head in disbelief.
"You drugged a Professor?! Are you mad?"

"Coward!" He pointed his wand at Harry. "I always knew you were a coward!"

"I'm not a coward."
He took his dueling position again.

"Harry, no! Don't!" Hermione said, touching Harry's arm. "He's lost his mind. He's dangerous!"

Harry gently took her hand off his arm.
"Don't worry." He looked at Malfoy. "Someone count us down."

Ron stood where Professor Sprout had.

"Ready? One"

"Two"

Harry gripped and regripped his wand, the strange tingling going up from his wand through his arm.

"Three"

Brilliant bolts of light flew from Harry's wand and knocked Malfoy end over end until he hit the back wall again. His wand flew from his hand and fell in two pieces on the floor. Malfoy lay there gasping for breath, his eyes wild with anger, shock and disbelief.

As the crowd cheered the victory, Harry walked slowly over to Malfoy and did the most extraordinary thing. He offered Malfoy his hand.

"I don't want to be your enemy. I never did." Harry said.

The crowd quieted down waiting for Malfoy's response.

But Malfoy was beyond acknowledging this act of honor. He'd been thoroughly defeated by his enemy in front of the school. How could he live this down?

With a sneer on his face, Malfoy knocked Harry's hand away. He stood up, straightened his robe.

"Don't flatter yourself." He said as he spit at Harry's feet. "This isn't over. Not by a long shot. Don't ever turn your back on me, Potter."

As Harry backed away, Malfoy reached into his robe and pulled out his own leather pouch.

A cry erupted from the crowd and everyone tried to get away from him. People started pushing and shouting, panic was setting in.

Suddenly a voice came booming through the hallway.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!!?"

For the first (and perhaps last) time in Harry's life, he was glad to see Snape.

Professor Severus Snape was standing at the end of the hallway in a full blown rage. His black eyes snapped to each and every face as though assessing guilt. When he got to Harry, his lips pulled up in a sneer.

"Illegal dueling, Potter?" a grin of delight distorted his face. As visions of Harry's expulsion danced in front of him, he saw poor Professor Sprout.

"WHO DID THIS?!?!?"

Those who could pull their eyes away from Snape, pointed toward Malfoy. But there was no one there! Malfoy had disappeared! Somehow he'd managed to slip away! More frightened cries erupted from the younger students.

"Potter, Granger and Weasley. Should I be surprised?"

"Sir, it was Malfoy and Goyle who did this to Professor Sprout." A prefect from Hufflepuff had stepped forward. "I saw the whole thing."

"Did you now? And why didn't you stop this illegal duel? Why didn't you notify the head of your house?"

The prefect slumped his shoulders and mumbled something unintelligible - clearly cut to the quick by Snape's infamous temper. Snape had a way of speaking that flowed like honey but was sharp and cutting like a knife.

"Bring him here." Snape motioned to the students who had Goyle in their impromptu custody. "What happened?"

Goyle swallowed and looked away. Snape narrowed his eyes and curled his lip."Not talking, Mr. Goyle? Should I use something to loosen your lips? I can't promise it won't be painless..."

Goyle shook his head, his eyes wide with fear.
"It was Draco, Sir. He told me to do it. He said ... he said ..."

Professor Snape knelt down beside Professor Sprout and sniffed. He noted the powder at her feet and frowned.

" 'He said' what, Mr. Goyle?"

"He said he was gonna teach Potter a lesson, sir."

"I see. And was part of the lesson to break into my office and steal from me?"
Snape drew himself up to his full imposing height and drew the edges of his cloak close to him. A chill ran up Harry's spine at this sight. He couldn't help but be reminded of the Death-Eaters and the fact that Snape used to be one.

"You!" Snape motioned to the Hufflepuff prefect. "Carefully move the Professor into one of the nearby classrooms then notify Mrs. Pomfrey that we'll be bringing the Professor up to the hospital after I administer the antidote."

The prefect nodded and hurriedly gathered some students to do Snape's bidding.

"Where did Mr. Malfoy go?" Snape asked.

Goyle shrugged his shoulders and shook his head. Everyone else in the hallway did pretty much the same thing.

"None of you saw anything?" he made a sound of disgust. "Very well. Report to the Headmaster's office immediately." He glared at Harry, Hermione, Ron and Goyle (still being held by several students.)

Snape disappeared down the hallway leaving them in a state of confusion. They slowly started walking toward Dumbledore's office, trying to grasp the recent events.

"I can't believe what happened!" Harry said.

"I know! Attacking a Professor? He'll be expelled for sure!" Hermione said, shaking her head in disbelief.

"Yeah. Isn't it fantastic?" Ron said, a huge smile on his face. "This has to be the happiest day of my life!"

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A/N: My most sincere apologies for taking so long between chapters. I was caught up in Halloween (costumes and decorations). But now the story can continue! Thanks for all of your reviews! One or two more chapters should do it!