"Mister Potter, a word if you will."
The boy let out a sigh. He had just about made it out the door of Potions, during which the professor had been anything but subtle in her attention towards him. He quickly went through a list of possible excuses to not deal with the woman, but nothing seemed plausible. Thus, he waved goodbye to his sisters and waited until the last student departed.
"Yes Professor?" If his tone was a bit sickly sweet mixed with annoyed sarcasm, then who would blame him?
She didn't so much as quirk an eyebrow, "There is something I wish to discuss with you."
"And that would be?"
The woman turned and grabbed a piece of parchment from her desk before striding over to where he was standing and handing it to him. "Your participation."
He glanced it over, eyes widening before narrowing in mistrust. "You want to start a second dueling club?"
"It has already been formed. Attendance is quite high."
Harry switched his gaze between the woman and the paper in his hand before snorting with the shake of his head, "You must really be desperate if this is what you are resorting to."
"I'm not sure what you mean."
The boy-who-lived rolled his eyes, "A second dueling club? What's next, you're going to start a second Defense Class? Maybe ask Dumbledore to create a second Slytherin House so you can be the head of it instead of Grace?"
Snape stared for a moment, before giving her, calm and practical, response. "I believe it would be in your best interest to join."
"Pass, hard pass in fact."
"Your reasoning?"
He shook his head at how genuinely curious she sounded, like it wasn't obvious already. "Because I'm already in a dueling club. Because the current head of it is my Head of House, the same one who is also my mentor and giving me private lessons. Because I have no interest in being stuck in the middle of your…" he frowned before running his hand over his face in annoyance, "Bloody hell I don't know what you would call it, but your…" he seemed to struggle for the correct term for a moment before giving up, "Dick measuring contest, whatever you want to call it, this whole 'I'm better than her and let me prove it' thing you two have going on. I don't know what she did to piss you off so badly, but don't you think this is more than a little ridiculous?"
Serena was silent for a moment, before shaking her head, "I do not find attacks on students to be ridiculous at all."
Harry stared as he processed what had been said. His own reply was low, almost whispered, "Do you honestly think Grace is behind the attacks, or are you just using it as an excuse?"
"You said it yourself did you not? It is a Basilisk, and the only way to control it, and gain access to the Chamber of Secrets is by being a Parselmouth. Since you two are the only possible explanations and you have been alibied during the periods surrounding the attacks it only leaves one possible explanation."
"Because no one else could manage to infiltrate Hogwarts and do something like that, right?"
Snape quirked an eyebrow, almost as if this were a challenge, "Someone who is both a Parselmouth and knows the location of the Chamber?"
"Those sort of go hand in hand, to find it you need to talk to snakes, and those most interested in finding it are the ones who usually have the trait."
"Such as Riddle. You are also ignoring the Wards around the school that prevent intrusion."
Another roll of his eyes, this one painfully obvious, "Yeah, because no one could ever get through those in one way or another. We had a literal thief as a professor last year if you recall."
He saw the flash of frustration in her eyes, not necessarily anger like he thought, from their argument, "You are choosing to ignore all of the facts in favor of blind theories."
"And you are relying on circumstantial evidence just because you dislike the accused." With that he turned and left, the woman watching him go without protest.
****
"Where do you stand?"
Pandora halted, eyebrow quirking before she turned to face her cousin. It had been a while since the two had a full confrontation. Even with their families meeting up during the break, as was customary, they had barely exchanged more than the formal nod and pleasantries.
"I'm surprised you bother to ask."
Delphini's eyes narrowed at the attempted misdirection, "We are family."
"Since when does that truly matter to a Slytherin?" She countered, earning the slightest of nods, likely more of a subconscious response than an actual reply. "Since you are so eager, where is it that you stand?"
The silence stretched on between the two heiresses before Bellatrix's daughter broke it, "Evidence is mounting against Riddle."
"And yet it is more coincidence than anything."
"You believe her innocence?"
Pandora smirked, "Harry believes her, which is good enough for me." Her answer had the desired effect, and an ugly sneer quickly formed on the opposing witch's face.
"You base your decision on some… boy!?"
The smug grin fell almost immediately. Pandora had been hoping for something different, maybe even some jealousy, but if that was going to be the other's reaction… "Considering he is close enough to know whether the woman is to be trusted, intelligent enough to know if he is being manipulated, and talented enough bring your ego crashing into the dirt where it belongs? Yes. The fact he is my future husband only reinforces this."
Her cousin stared in shock for a moment, before snorting, "If you want to lower yourself down to such low standards be my guest, some of us have greater aspirations than wasting time with some worthless male."
"Take care Delphini" the Malfoy heiress replied, an edge creeping into her tone, "by all accounts those who have taunted or ridiculed my future betrothed are often… dealt with rather harshly this year." With that she turned and left, leaving a paling witch behind.
****
It probably wasn't the best idea he'd ever had, although definitely not the worst. After a few days of internal debate Harry had opted to at least partially accept the invitation given to him by Snape. He wasn't joining the club, merely showing up to see what others were hoping to accomplish with a change in scenery as it were.
The room chosen was much the same as what Riddle used. Large and open, a dressing area in one corner and in the center a long, raised platform. Despite doing his best to sneak in and stay in the background Serena noticed his presence almost immediately and look as if she were going to approach him when someone beat her to it.
"Ah Harry there you are! I see you decided to attend the first meeting of my personal dueling club. Clearly, you've heard of my renowned skill in the art."
The boy-who-lived just managed not to roll his eyes at the fraud, but it took effort akin to resisting the Imperius Curse. "Just wondering what the difference in clubs would be." He responded, loud enough for the others to hear, loud enough for more than a few of them to squirm a bit.
Good
Still, Lockhart was their typical ridiculous self, including the 'costume' she had chosen to wear and an over-the-top grin. "I can guarantee you that anything taught in the other will be easily outshined by what you will learn here, under my tutelage."
Harry could almost guarantee that was a boldfaced lie, but other things were different so maybe it wouldn't hurt to give them the benefit of the doubt. He remembered that Snape was skilled in his own world, but also wasn't as awful deep down.
Before he could consider the benefits and drawbacks any further, the cheerful woman had made her way back towards the dueling platform. "Gather around children, don't be shy. I think a demonstration will be just the sort of thing to clear up any lingering concerns hm? Now normally I would not stoop to humbling a fellow instructor in such a public display but if you would be so kind as to have a bit of a spar with me, Professor Snape."
Said woman merely glared before giving a curt nod and taking her place on the opposing end. As in his own timeline Harry watched the two bow, before taking up their dueling stances. Now, however, things were different. The boy-who-lived wasn't some naïve second year anymore, he had dueled against trained wizards and witches, received proper instructions, lived through hell.
Lockhart's stance wasn't just untrained, it was bordering on foolish for the one using it. Her center of gravity was off, and a badly received spell could easily result in a sprain or worse. Snape's, naturally, was more efficient, but still lacked the edge that Grace had instructed him on.
How different two people who claimed the same skills could be.
The challenger struck first, as usual, and just as before the flash of light was dispersed without so much as a flicker of annoyance from the Potion's mistress. She retaliated brutally, and the spell earned winces from several of those in attendance as well as a resounding crack of at least the newest professor's pride, if not a few bones.
With her opponent obviously defeated, and currently sprawled out on the platform, Snape's posture straightened, a look of smug superiority mixed with pride appearing on her face as her gaze was cast out over the room and those watching.
Then, it lingered. Harry blinked in confusion as she stared straight at him, almost in expectation. Did she want something? Was she expecting applause?
In that moment the wizard made a startling realization. She thought her 'victory' would earn his favor or respect. When he took more than a moment to think about it such a thing made sense. Didn't men show off to 'prove themselves' to women where he had originated? Hadn't Dudley more than once gloated over beating up a small kid when there were cute girls nearby?
It made him frown in disgust before he turned and left the stunned silence behind.
_______________________
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