Chapter 14: The Midnight Duel
12th Sept 1991
I was sitting in the infirmary with Hermione at Neville's side. Poor Neville had fallen off the broom and broken his wrist, after which he was taken to the infirmary by Madam Hooch. If I had been there, I could have prevented this. Unfortunately Gryffindors shared flying classes with Slytherins. Our own flying practice with the Hufflepuffs took place on Monday. Hermione had been very nervous but I have talked her through my own years of flying experience. Thankfully the class that been without incident and no one had gotten hurt.
"How are you doing, Neville?" I enquired, "Does it still hurt?" Given the height he fell from it must've hurt a lot.
"I am fine. Madam Pomfrey gave me a potion. It doesn't hurt anymore," he said, not looking at me.
"I could tell there was something bothering him. "Neville, what's wrong?" I gently asked.
He turned to me and I could tell that he was holding back tears.
"Everyone thinks that I am a failure. I can't do anything right. No matter how hard I try," saying so, he turned his head away. "I just wish I was good at something...like you and Hermione. I am just so bad at magic. Maybe I am a failure."
"Oh Neville", Hermione said, taking his hand.
I took his other hand. "Look at me, Neville", I said, and he complied. "There is nothing wrong with you. I see greatness in you, Neville, more than any other boy in this school. You simply lack confidence and the right tools. Take this year to build up your confidence and knowledge, and in the summer I will provide you with the tools necessary. When next year arrives, you will show everyone what you are capable of."
At the end, he was looking at me with shining eyes. "Do you really mean that, Ben?"
"Every word," I said with a smile, "Believe it."
Hermione was giving me with a strange look. I was going to ask her about it when Harry entered the infirmary.
"Neville, are you alright?" Harry said, coming over to his side, "How is your wrist?"
"It's fine, Harry. It doesn't hurt anymore. Madam Pomfrey said I could leave tonight, although I might miss dinner."
"Oh, okay. I will save you something to eat in the common room, then" he said with a relieved look. "And here, I picked it up for you."
He took out Neville's remembrall from his pocket and handed it over.
"Thanks, Harry", said Neville, taking it back. "What happened after I left?"
Harry gave a big smile and started telling us everything. How Malfoy picked up the remembrall, how Harry got it back after a 50-foot dive, how McGonagall saw him doing it, and that led to Harry becoming the new gryffindor Seeker.
"Harry, that was so dangerous!" said Hermione, appropriately scared. "You could have been seriously hurt."
Harry had the grace to look a bit apologetic.
"But he wasn't", I said. "And now he is the Gryffindor seeker, the youngest in a century, in fact. Well done, Harry", I clapped him in the shoulder. "Your dad would've been proud. He was a Gryffindor chaser, after all."
Harry's face broke out into a huge grin, but I had just remembered his malnutrition problem. I excused myself and went to talk to Madam Pomfrey. She was soon casting diagnostic spells on Harry, and followed that by prescribing a regimen of nutritional potions. She assured him that if he completed the course, he'd reach the normal size of a boy his age within 2 years. We said goodbye to Neville for now, and went to the Great Hall for dinner.
We were halfway through our meal when the blonde ferret decided to make an appearance.
"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the muggles?"
"You're a lot braver now that you're on the ground and you have got your little friends with you," said Harry cooly.
"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only - no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"
"Of course he has. He's just wondering if you're worth wasting his sleep," I said with a smirk. "I'm his second. Who's yours?"
Malfoy scowled at me, before looking at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight, all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."
As Malfoy left, Harry rounded to me. "What's a wizard's duel? And what do you mean, you're my second?"
"Well, a wizard's duel is, as the name suggests, formal magical combat between two or more witches and wizards. In our world, dueling is a sport similar to fencing in the muggle world.
A second is there in case you die. But relax, because people only die in proper duels between real wizards. The best Malfoy and you will be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you know any real magic yet. He probably expected you to refuse and then he would've made fun of you."
I had half a mind to make the ferret start farting again, but I was forced to stay my hand. Harry needed to find out about Fluffy and the trap door he was guarding. It was an important step in the quest to confront voldemort.
"You shouldn't do it. There is a high chance Malfoy might not show up at all," said Hermione, ever the voice of reason. "You will get in so much trouble if you get caught."
"Well then, you should come with us, to make sure we stay out of trouble,eh?" I replied with a cheeky smile.
At half past eleven, Hermione and I exited our common room and went to the Gryffindor dormitory where we met Harry and Neville, who had been released from the infirmary a couple of hours ago. Hermione once again tried to persuade us not to go, but Harry said that if he did not show up Malfoy would never let it go and tell everyone that he is a coward. She finally gave up and followed us as we made our way to the third floor, where the trophy room was situated.
Malfoy and Crabbe where obviously not here. We spent sometime looking at the crystal trophy cases. Cups, shields, plates and statues made of silver and gold danced in the moonlight. Soon, we heard a voice. Unfortunately it belonged to Filch. I waved at the others and had them follow me into a gallery full of suits of armour. I had my mini map up and running and I made sure to lead us straight towards the forbidden corridor.
We went past a tapestry, through a secret passageway and came out near the charms classroom, where we once again heard noises, this time courtesy of Peeves. We went to the end of the corridor and found a locked door. Hermione, now thoroughly miffed that we had ignored her sound advise and walked into an obvious trap, stalked to the front and opened the lock with the 'Alohomora' charm.
As my friends where too preoccupied with the thought of getting caught, none of them took notice of the room's only occupant, but I did. The Cerberus was sleeping, but it's snouts started twitching the moment we entered. By the time the poltergeist went away, Fluffy had stood up and was regarding us with confused eyes. It's growls soon attracted the attention of the others, and once again we were running for our lives. We did not stop until we reached the fat lady's portrait.
"Merlin's Beard! What are they doing keep a cerberus in a school filled with children?" Neville finally let out, once he had got his breath under control.
"It's obviously guarding something," said Hermione, still looking very cross.
Seeing Harry and Neville's confused expressions, I clarified, "There was a trapdoor underneath the dog. It must've been standing guard over something."
We said goodnight and the boys made their exit. Soon, we came up to the bronze knocker and entered the Ravenclaw common room after answering the riddle. Hermione was still looking angry so I tried to placate her.
"Hermione, I know tonight was a mistake," I said, looking at her. "We should not have gone to the trophy room. It was stupid. But ask yourself this: when you are old and grey, sitting by your grandkids, reminiscing about your days at Hogwarts, what are you most likely to remember? The lectures you heard in class? The spells you learnt from books? Or the stupid misadventures you shared with your friends?"
I left her with that tidbit to think about, and made my way to my room. I was almost at the top of the staircase, when Hermione called out, "Hey, Ben?"
"Yeah?" I asked.
"Earlier you told Neville that he was going to be a great wizard someday. Do you think I will be great at magic too?" she asked, not looking me in the eye.
I smiled at her. "Of course. In fact, you will be the smartest witch in our generation. Just remember to have some fun every once in a while. Good night, Hermione."
"Good night, Ben" she said, leaving for her room with a smile.
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31st Oct 1991
It's hard to believe that it's already been 2 months since that day I arrived. But when you fall into a routine, it's easy to lose track of time. Everyday I would wake up at 5:45 and go to the Room of Requirement for my morning workout. After an hour, I would return and go to the Great Hall and have breakfast with my friends. We usually have two classes per day, except on tuesdays and thursdays, when we have three of them.
As usual, classes continue to be utterly boring. Sigh, the perils of learning ahead! Except Herbology and Potions, where we have to pay continuous attention in the greenhouse and lab, I usually finish the homework assignment in the class itself after performing whatever simple spell or transfiguration was presented to us.
In charms, we have learnt the wand-lighting charm - lumos, the wand extinguishing charm - nox, the locking spell - colloportus and the unlocking spell - Alohomora. It was honestly bizarre watching these children who grew up in wizarding families, like Ron Weasley and Susan Bones, not being able to perform something as easy as the wand lighting charm in the first class. In fact, it took multiple classes for each charm before Professor Flitwick declared that the class was ready to move on to the next one.
Defence against the Dark Arts has been a complete let down. Because of Quirrel's fake stutter, he made it look like he had difficulty casting spells. Thus, with no proper demonstration most of the students were lagging behind in the practicals. So far we have only learnt the Vermilious spell that shoots red Sparks, and the Verdimillious spell that shoots green Sparks. That's it. In theory classes, we have covered Imps, ghosts and gnomes.
Transfiguration is, without a doubt the most difficult subject for all first years. After all, to transfigure one object into another, you had to know and remember everything about both objects. It took an entire month before Professor McGonagall declared that everyone had satisfactorily turned their matchsticks into needles. Of course, Ravenclaws only had transfiguration on Wednesdays, so basically it took four classes. Up till now the only other spell we have been taught are switching spells, used to switch the position of two objects.
We have made steady progress in potions, thanks to Snape's no-nonsense attitude. Unlike the Gryffindor-Slytherin sessions, Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff sessions are peaceful, amiable even. So far, we have completed the cure for boils potion as well as the wiggenweld portion, a useful concoction that sterilizes and heals minor injuries, and is the antidote to the Draught of living death. Snape must've realised that I had practiced at home, given the perfect state of my potions. But if he knew, he gave no indication of it.
Herbology lessons took place in Greenhouse 1, where the most benign plants were kept. We have read about some of the more dangerous plants such as Devil's Snare and Venomous Tentacula in the theory classes, but so far we have only encountered Puffapods, a magical plant that produced large pink seed-pots full of shining beans, which instantly flower when they come into contact with any solid object, and Bouncing Bulb an annoying plant that jumps around if it is not properly restrained.
We have Astronomy on Tuesdays at night. So far, we have only observed the stars, the planets and their moons through the telescopes and learnt various facts about them. Soon we will start tracking the movements of these celestial bodies in our star charts.
History of Magic maintained its spot as the most boring subject taught at Hogwarts. Listening to Binns was actually counter-productive as it was impossible to stay awake listening to his monotonous voice. So I just shut my ears and finish my essays during the class. So far Binns has talked about Elfric the Eager and Uric the Oddball.
After dinner, I would make my way to the Room of Requirement to continue my practice and to work on my projects. Now that my map was complete, I have started on a new project: portals. I don't think it will get old no matter how many times I say it - wizards are lazy. The moment they have something that looks like a possible solution, they give up on everything else. It's not even about scratching the surface, more like touching the surface.
Every witch and wizard knows about Apparation. Most of them can do it frequently. But ask them how it happens, and they will tell you something bogus like the three Ds - determination, destination, deliberation. It's the same situation as the wand patterns. They just do it and it works, but they don't know why or how.
Fortunately, I came across a book in the Room of Requirement that explained how apparation works. When a wizard wants to apparate and thinks of a location, magic forms a bridge between the wizard's position in space to a similar position in the space of the place he wants to appear in. But there must be something that magic can latch on to. Usually it's air particles. That's why there is a cracking sound whenever someone apparates, because of rapid compression and decompression of air.
The reason apparation is so uncomfortable is because with intent and magic wizards can open the bridge, but it is something so unnatural that the physical world instantly tries to close it. The greater the mass to be transported and the larger the distance, the more the magic required and the more room for error. Moreover, it takes a lot of magic to connect the bridge even momentarily. Which is why only NEWT level students are taught how to apparate. Many wizards have tried but found it extremely hard to increase the diameter of the bridge. Thus the feeling of being forced through an extremely narrow pipe.
Now that sounds like opening a wormhole. And what you need to open a wormhole and maintain it, is negative energy or rather anti-gravity. So why don't I use Gravity magic to broaden the bridge as well as Spatial magic to stabilize the spatial turbulence between connected spaces. It sounds easy, but there are a lot of calculations involved. It will take months, but hopefully I will be done before the end of the school year.
For your information, there is already a spell in the Spatial Magic section of the Grimoire for opening portals. Why are you wasting your time trying to modify apparation then, you ask?
There's a reason everyone, young or old loves Hogwarts. The idea of an institution freely teaching kids magic regardless of their origin, even at the school's own expense, is an extremely noble one. Most of the kids repay that debt by becoming a part of our society.
Unfortunately I wouldn't be staying here for a long time. So, this is my way of repaying the Wizarding World for everything it has given me. A safer way to travel without the risk of splinching. And a few other things. After all, it's not just Lannisters that pay their debts.
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