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Chapter 146
Lockhart staggered back to his feet. His hat had fallen off, and his carefully styled golden curls now looked like an upside-down broom.
"Excellent!" he declared as he climbed awkwardly back onto the platform. "As you've just seen, I've demonstrated the consequences of being unprepared."
"That was the standard Disarming Charm. Had I not allowed it, my wand would never have left my hand. Thank you, Miss Brown, for the excellent suggestion, and thank you, Professor Snape, for demonstrating the technique. A wonderful idea indeed."
He straightened his robes dramatically.
"Of course, Professor Snape's intentions were rather obvious. Had I wished to stop him, it would have been quite simple. However, I felt it was important to allow everyone to learn from the experience."
Snape's face darkened instantly.
Whatever Lockhart whispered to him afterward was enough to keep him silent.
"Now then!" Lockhart announced loudly. "The demonstration is over. Professor Snape and I will pair everyone up."
The two professors moved through the crowd, assigning partners.
Lockhart paired Justin Finch-Fletchley with Neville Longbottom.
When Snape reached Harry and Ron, a cold smile spread across his face.
"These two should be separated."
"Weasley, you'll partner with Finnigan. As for Potter..."
Harry caught the malicious glint in Snape's eyes and instinctively took a step backward.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," Snape said coldly.
"Malfoy, come here. Let's see what happens when the famous Harry Potter faces Mr. Malfoy."
He turned toward Hermione.
"Miss Granger, you'll be paired with Miss Bulstrode."
Malfoy strode forward with his usual Slytherin arrogance, looking thoroughly pleased with himself.
Beside him stood Millicent Bulstrode, a large Slytherin girl whose appearance reminded Harry of one of the illustrations from Lockhart's books. She was tall, broad-shouldered, and heavily built, resembling a moving wall.
Hermione forced a polite smile, which Millicent completely ignored.
"Face your partners!" Lockhart called from the stage.
"And bow!"
Harry and Malfoy bowed stiffly without taking their eyes off one another.
Their gazes locked.
"Raise your wands!" Lockhart shouted.
"When I count to three, cast the Disarming Charm. Remember—disarm only! We don't want anyone trying anything dangerous. One... two... three!"
Malfoy moved before Lockhart even finished saying "two."
A flash of white light shot toward Harry.
Thanks to his training, Harry ducked immediately and avoided the spell.
"Expelliarmus!"
A brilliant red beam burst from Harry's wand.
Malfoy twisted aside like a snake, narrowly avoiding the attack.
Then he countered.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Harry dodged again, moving like a boxer slipping a punch.
"Rictusempra!"
A silver streak shot toward Malfoy.
Once again, Malfoy escaped with surprising agility.
Then his expression changed.
"Let's try something different."
He pointed his wand and shouted,
"Serpensortia!"
With a loud crack, a long black snake burst from the tip of his wand and landed heavily between them.
The snake reared up, tongue flicking in and out, ready to strike.
Harry stared at it.
Behind the snake, Malfoy stood with his wand aimed directly at him.
For a moment, Harry hesitated.
Around them, students screamed and stumbled backward, clearing the area entirely.
"My goodness!" Lockhart cried.
"I only told you to disarm each other! Stand back, everyone! I'll get rid of it!"
He raised his wand toward the snake.
Before he could act, however, the snake suddenly leapt into the air and crashed back to the floor.
Furious, it hissed and lunged directly at Harry.
Harry remained perfectly calm.
Throughout the duel, he had been unusually composed—more composed than most of the Slytherins.
Without even thinking, he spoke.
"Back."
A miracle occurred.
The snake froze.
Then it lowered itself and actually retreated a step.
Harry stared into its eyes.
Somehow, he could understand it.
The snake would never attack him.
He knew it with absolute certainty.
The sensation was strange and impossible to explain, yet undeniably real.
Malfoy's expression became incredibly complicated.
He had completely forgotten about the duel.
Disbelief.
Jealousy.
Hatred.
Resentment.
All of it was written plainly across his face.
Snape stepped forward and flicked his wand.
The snake vanished in a puff of black smoke.
Then he looked at Harry.
The expression in his eyes sent a chill down Harry's spine.
Calculating.
Thoughtful.
Cunning.
Dangerous.
For the first time, Harry felt uneasy.
Whispers spread throughout the Great Hall.
Students stared at him strangely.
Whenever Harry met their gaze, they immediately looked away.
The murmuring only grew louder.
A sense of dread began to settle in his chest.
Then Ron hurried over and grabbed his sleeve.
"Come on," he whispered urgently.
"Let's get out of here."
Ron pulled Harry toward the exit while Hermione followed close behind.
As they passed through the crowd, students instinctively moved aside, creating a wide path as though Harry carried some contagious curse.
Harry had no idea what was happening.
Neither Ron nor Hermione spoke.
The three hurried back to the nearly empty Gryffindor common room.
Once inside, Ron pushed Harry into an armchair.
"You can speak Parseltongue!" he blurted out.
"You never told us!"
"What?" Harry asked in disbelief.
"I can speak what?"
"Parseltongue!" Ron snapped.
"Everyone saw you talking to that snake."
Harry suddenly understood.
"So that's what it was?"
"I've done it before. Back at the zoo, I accidentally released a boa constrictor. It went after my cousin Dudley. That was years ago—before I even knew I was a wizard."
"I thought it was normal," Harry said blankly.
"I figured all wizards could do it."
"No," Ron replied seriously.
"Ordinary wizards can't do that. You were speaking an entirely different language."
"A different language?"
"The language of snakes," Ron said.
"You hissed at it, gave it commands, and made it back away. The whole thing was terrifying."
Ron shook his head.
"You scared everyone half to death."
(To be continued)