The next day, it was another Quidditch match. One that Lili wished she could skip, but she knew she shouldn't. Her eyes trailed George, both watching his Beater technique and him himself. Cedric noticed and nudged her.
"What?" Lili asked, pushing him slightly.
"You're watching him."
"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm watching the game."
"You can't fool me, Lili."
"Okay, fine. But I'm just looking at his technique. I'm a beater like me, and I'm still new to the game. So I'm watching what he's doing."
"Mmhmm. Tell yourself that."
"Oh, leave off!" She pushed him, then sighed. He could tell that something was wrong.
"But seriously. I can tell that something was wrong. You were like this last night."
Lili simply sighed, knowing that she was going to have to yell over the crowd. She walked through the crowd and headed to a quiet area, Cedric following.
"OK, so...I'm just so conflicted over this whole thing. Everyone thinks that the Heir of Slytherin is Draco because, well, he's Draco. I guess by that conclusion, I'm just as likely to be the Heir of Slytherin? I mean we're basically identical twins. But no one thinks that because I'm in Hufflepuff. And I know that it's not Draco but everyone is telling me it is."
"Why do you think he's not the Heir?"
"Because we're not closely related enough to Salazar! The Gaunts are the only direct descendants of him, and as far as I'm aware they're all dead. Hell, I'm pretty sure Potter is more closely related to him than we are. And yeah, Draco hates muggles, but he doesn't want to murder them."
"Do you ever think that maybe Draco's not as innocent as you think?"
"No, I know he is. Not innocent per se, but he's not the Heir. I know my brother. I don't care if we're in different houses, I know what he's like. And he's not the Heir."
--
The next day, it was the first meeting of the dueling club. Lili watched from beside Hannah Abbott. The girl beside her was fawning over Lockhart on the stage, but Lili still didn't get it.
"Gather round! Gather round!" Lockhart yelled. "Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent. In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little Dueling Club, to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions - for full details, see my published works."
Snape joined him on stage, and Lockhart continued his spiel. "Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape. He has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration. Now I don't want any of you youngsters to worry. You'll still have your Potions Master when I'm through with him, never fear?"
Lili rolled her eyes, watching as the men turned away from each other and walked ten paces forward. They spin, wands poised like swords. "As you can see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart explained. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course. One...two...three..."
"Expelliarmus!" Snape yelled, a flash of red light blasting Lockhart off his feet and into a wall behind them. Lili stifled her laughter as Lockhart stood, shaken.
"Well, there you have it. That was a Disarming Charm. As you see, I've lost my wand." Hermione returned it to him. "Ah, thank you, Miss Granger. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have only been too easy..."
"Perhaps it would be prudent to first teach the students to block unfriendly spells, Professor."
"An excellent suggestion, Professor Snape. Let's have a volunteer pair. Potter, Weasley, how about you?"
"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. Malfoy, perhaps."
Lili watched as her brother and Harry climbed onto the stage, reluctantly bowing to each other.
"Scared, Potter?" Draco taunted in typical fashion.
"You wish," Harry spat back.
The pair turned, walked ten paces away and then turned back with their wands poised.
Lockhart explained the rules to the pair. "Wands at the ready! When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponent - only to disarm. We don't want any accidents. One...two...thr-"
Draco fired early, knocking Harry off his feet with a blast of white light. Harry jumped up, firing a spell back. "Rictusempra!" Draco was hit dead in the stomach and doubled over, wheezing.
"I said disarm only!" Lockhart yelled.
"Serpensortia!" Draco cast, the tip of his wand turning into a long black snake.
Lili looked to see Snape smiling with amusement. He stepped forward. "Don't move, Potter. I'll get rid of it for you."
"Allow me!" Lockhart flicked his wand. The snake flew into the air and hissed with rage, slithering straight towards another Hufflepuff boy.
Harry started to speak something, hissing and attempting to talk to the snake. The snake looked at him, then turned back to the Hufflepuff boy. Harry spoke to it again, the snake dropping to the floor. He held his hand out to the Hufflepuff boy, who Lili finally recognised as Justin Finch-Fletchley.
"What are you playing at?" Justin backed away, as did everyone else in the room. Harry looked around to see this. Ron grabed his arm and they left.
The Malfoy twins caught each other's eyes, sharing the same look. Potter had to be a Parselmouth.
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