Smoker (Mattheo Riddle fic)

31: Duelling

(05th of December) Today is one of our first practical DADA lessons since last year. These lessons used to be more frequent, until Adrian nearly killed one of the Gryffindors and it got disallowed for the rest of fourth year. Now we are only allowed a few lessons per term.

"Sit down." Snape shouts when he gets into the classroom. He waits for everyone to fall silent before beginning his next sentence. "Today, we are duelling, go to the great hall." Everyone immediately begins to talk and get excited, heading for the door. "Miss Diggory, a word."

Pansy throws me a concerned look, which I return, then turn to face Snape. He waits until the class is empty before speaking. "How are you finding school life, without, your brother?" He turns and walks to the window while speaking.

I'm stunned that checking on me was even something he would have though to do. I lean against the desk behind me. "Free-ing." I reply. "Although, its been two weeks and I still haven't got those detentions yet." He turns to face me, and waits for me to understand. "That was your doing, I suppose?"

"I didn't feel the detentions were, necessary." He replies "I suggested that Dumbledore refrain from implementing them."

"Why?"

"I never liked your brother." He turns his attention away from me and begins to walk towards the door.

I'm extremely confused, but I go with it. I follow him out of the door and join the rest of my group outside so we can walk to the hall.

"What did he want?" Enzo asks me.

"He removed my detentions for punching Cedric."

"Voluntarily?"

I nod.

"What the fuck has gotten into him?" Draco scoffs.

The tables have been moved from the hall. Now a wider one, almost like a stage, stretches directly down the middle. Snape appears at the end of the table and walks into the middle. "I, will be pairing you for the duels. I expect nothing extravagant. I don't want to take anyone to the infirmary because its a. Waste. Of. My. Time." He looks around to pick the first duel. "Mr Nott and Miss Spinnet. Up now."

Theo grins and pats me on the back. "Lucky me." He clambers up onto the table and goes to the far end. Alicia gets up onto the other side. Alicia may be skilled in knocking people from brooms, but definitely not in wand combat. Theo sends her stumbling off the end of the table, falling onto her friends in a matter of seconds. Most people cheer from our end. He takes a bow and jumps off the end. "You are welcome Evelyn."

This goes on for a while, until around half of us have had a go.

"Miss Diggory and.. Miss Abbott."

I instantly smile and my friends begin to laugh and clap as I get up onto the table. Hannah gets up on the other side, looking confident.

"Expelliarmus." I throw at her. She blocks it. Then she continuously throws spells at me. One after the other after another. I block them all easily. Eventually she is running out of things to say and leaves a gap in her defense.

"Petrificus Totalus." I shout back, it hits her directly. She instantly freezes up. I walk down the other end of the table and give her a small push so she lands flat on her back. I smile, turning back to my end and jumping off. Her friends have to slide her off the table and hold her upright.

"Thankyou for the extremities Miss Diggory." Snape says, standing back up on the table. The bell rings and everyone sighs.

"I didn't get a fucking go." Mattheo mutters.

We are almost out the door when Snape shouts. "Miss Diggory would you please undo Miss Abbott's curse."

I sigh, then turn around and undo it. Her body unfreezes and she has an immediate angry look on her face. "What the fuck Evelyn?" She walks towards me but one her friends hold her back.

"Shut you up for a bit didn't it." I reply, turning around and catching up with my friends.