An Unexpected Lesson

You besting Ron Weasley on a broom had been the talk of the Slytherin first years… at least until Malfoy returned. He gleefully told everyone how he’d talked to his godfather, Professor Snape, and had gotten off scot free. He took every chance he could to laugh and gloat about getting Harry Potter expelled.

“You got him expelled, did you?” you questioned as your group of Slytherins headed into the Great Hall for dinner. “Then what’s he doing over there?”

Sure enough, Harry Potter was sitting at the Gryffindor table with Ron Weasley. Ron’s fifteen-year-old twin brothers were discussing something with them. All four boys seemed to be in high spirits.

“That’s not the face of someone who’s been expelled,” you noted. “Maybe he managed to weasel out of getting punished like you did?”

Draco shot you an annoyed glare but then grinned as he came up with a new idea. “We’ll see about that.” He turned and barked at Vincent and Gregory. “Come on, you two.”

Malfoy headed for the Gryffindor table with Crabbe and Goyle in tow. You looked at the other Slytherins before your natural curiosity won out and you raced after the three of them. By the time Draco reached the Gryffindor table, the Weasley twins had left and you had managed to weave around Goyle so you were only a step behind the pale blonde boy.

“Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting on the train back to the muggles?”

“You’re a lot braver now that you’re back on the ground and you’ve got your little friends with you,” Harry said coolly.

You looked over at Malfoy and once again mouthed the word ‘friend’. Plus, Crabbe and Goyle couldn’t exactly be described as ‘little’.

“I’d take you on anytime on my own,” Malfoy said. “Tonight, if you want. Wizard’s duel. Wands only - no contact. What the matter? Never heard of a Wizard’s duel before, I suppose?”

“Wait... what?” you asked. That had come out of nowhere.

“Of course he has,” said Ron, wheeling around. “I’m his second, who’s yours?”

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle like he was sizing them up. But then he looked at you and smirked. “Gaunt,” he said. “He’s been practicing jinxes all week.”

“Wait… what!?” you asked again. Now you were involved?

“Midnight all right?” Malfoy continued. “We’ll meet in the Trophy Room; that’s always unlocked.”

Draco leered at Harry and Ron then marched off with Crabbe and Goyle.

You looked from one party to the other. “Okay… what just happened!?”

“Didn’t you hear your slimy friend, Gaunt?” Ron taunted you. “We’re dueling. You had your fun showing off on a broomstick but now we’ll see if you’re any good with a wand.”

“Oh? So we’re really doing this then?” you questioned. “Fine. I’m up for a Wizard’s duel. But since Potter likely doesn’t even know what a second is and is even less likely to know a spell that’ll do any damage… what do you say you and I duel first to show him how it’s done?”

“Fine, you’re on,” Ron said. He was clearly still smarting after you made him look stupid during the Flying Lesson.

You decided to goad him a bit. “But, fair warning, Malfoy wasn’t lying... I was studying jinxes this week.” It was true. You had been studying the Knockback Jinx all weekend. “I learned a new one just this morning.” Thanks to Gemma Farley you had finally learned the Knockback Jinx that morning. Which brought your grand total up to one. “I suggest that you do some research in order to make it a challenge for me. Maybe take a trip to the library for the first time since coming to the school.” You smirked and stage-whispered to Ron, “The library’s the place with all the books that Granger practically lives in.”

You spotted the bushy-haired muggleborn girl sitting across the table looking appalled.

Ron’s face went red as his temper flared. He was really too easy to needle. “You won’t be so smug after I wipe the floor with you!”

“Good luck with that, Weasley,” you retorted before you walked away. You strained your ear and were able to hear Harry ask Ron what a Wizard’s duel was. You’d been spot on with your assumption. Harry had no clue what a Wizard duel or a second was. Ron had accepted on his behalf and then you had goaded him into accepting a duel of his own. It would take a small miracle for Harry and Ron to learn a halfway decent spell in the span of a few hours.

You were feeling quite confident by the time you made it back to the Slytherin table and sat down beside Draco Malfoy.

“So…” you prompted, “do you think you can take Potter in that Wizard’s duel?”

Draco looked at you like you were stupid. “Don’t be ridiculous. We’re not going anywhere near the Trophy Room tonight. We’re going to tip off that stupid squib caretaker so he can catch Potter and Weasley out after curfew. They’ll be expelled for sure this time.”

You glared at your roommate in utter disgust. Of all the downright cowardly moves… He’d roped you into a Wizard’s duel - a battle of honor. AND HE WOULDN’T EVEN HAVE THE GALL TO SHOW UP!?

“Come with me,” you growled as you grabbed him by the shoulder and yanked him to his feet. “You wanted me involved in this. Now I’m involved.” Crabbe and Goyle jumped up but they were on the other side of the table so they couldn’t stop you from dragging Draco out of the Great Hall.

The hulking duo came charging out into the entrance hall a couple seconds after you. You stepped back from Malfoy and held up your hands. “Easy, boys, we’re just going to talk. Would you keep an eye on the Great Hall and make sure no one’s coming.”

Malfoy shot you an annoyed glare then looked over at his bodyguards. “Do it.” He folded his arms across his chest and looked back at you. “What’s the big idea, Gaunt?”

“Draco, it’s come to my attention that people seem to think you and I are friends,” you stated. “Well, as your **** friend, it reflects poorly on me when you do things like challenge people to Wizard’s duels with no intention of showing up. It reflects poorly on me, it reflects poorly on your family, and it reflects poorly on Slytherin House. Stunts like this are the reason why most of the school hates us!”

Draco looked irritated, “Who do you think you are? No one tells me what to do!”

“I am a descendant of Salazar Slytherin!” you growled. “The wizard that the house you reside in is named after. I am the last of the Gaunt Family! A family line that can be traced back in England even further than yours! I’m in Slytherin because I have a family legacy to uphold and rebuild! And I’m not going to be able to do that with you going around and roping me into Wizard’s duels that you’re not even going to bother showing up for! You might be content with your family name being a synonym for ‘bad faith’ but I’m not. As a descendant of Slytherin and as your friend, I expect better from you! I expect better from every Slytherin!”

Draco stubbornly met your eyes.

You decided to pull out your trump card - a secret trick that you hadn’t even thought about using since coming to Hogwarts. You felt a pulse of magic behind your eyes as you stared into Draco’s grey ones. “We are going to the trophy room tonight. And we are going to duel Harry Potter and Ron Weasley as you said.”

“Snape’s coming!” Goyle suddenly called out.

You broke eye contact with Draco and looked up in time to see your Head of House come swooping out of the Great Hall with his black robes billowing behind him.

“What... is going on here?” Professor Snape demanded in his usual cold calm voice.

“Draco and I were having a disagreement,” you admitted, “I brought him out here away from the prying eyes and ears in the Great Hall so we could resolve it in private.”

“And… have you… reached a consensus?” Professor Snape inquired as his dark eyes bore into yours.

“Yes, sir,” Draco answered. “We have an understanding now.”

“Carry on then,” Professor Snape said. “But mind yourselves when you’re in the Great Hall. You may be first years but you are both reputable figures in Slytherin. It will not do for you to cause disruptions during meals.” Professor Snape’s robes swished as he turned and stalked back into the Great Hall.

“So… do you know any spells to help you in a duel?” you asked Malfoy.

“There’s this one curse that father was teaching me after I got my wand,” Draco replied. “I haven’t got it fully mastered yet.”

You considered it for a moment then nodded, “Alright, here’s what we’re going to do... we’re going to go back into the Great Hall and have dinner so we have plenty of energy. Then you’re going to do what I did this morning and ask an older student to help you with your curse. In the meantime, I’m going to head to the library to see if I can find any easy jinxes or hexes that I can learn quickly to boost my arsenal.”

“I can do that,” Draco agreed. He unfolded his arms and turned back to Crabbe and Goyle. “Let’s go.”

You watched as they went back into the Great Hall. You waited and took a pair of deep, soothing breaths then followed after them. You didn’t know if Draco could actually take Harry Potter in a duel. You didn’t even know what this curse of his was. But you couldn’t afford for your image to suffer from failing to show up for a Wizard’s duel. Because if Harry and Ron got in trouble they were sure to tell everyone that you and Draco had chickened out. Maybe Draco would have eventually caved to your reasoning on his own. But you decided to **** the issue. Growing up you’d noticed that your serpent-like eyes gave you the ability to charm and influence people. It was how you convinced the Ministry officials to give you tips and share classified information. How else would you have learned that you were a relative of the Dark Lord Voldemort? This was what Malfoy got for roping you into his scheme without asking first. He wanted you to be involved... now you were.

The rest of dinner continued uneventfully. You finished eating early and left the Great Hall by seven. Since the library closed at eight, that gave you an hour to get to the library and find a book with a simple dueling spell that you could learn quickly. When you got there you immediately went to the section on defensive texts and began your search.

You hadn’t been at it for over a minute before Hermione Granger came stomping in. She noticed you and did a funny little dance as she tried to decide between pretending that you didn’t exist or giving you a piece of her mind. Eventually, her bossy nature won out.

“I can’t believe you!” the thirteen-year-old witch marched over full of righteous indignation.

“Keep your voice down, Granger, this is a library,” you retorted.

Granger lowered her voice to an angry whisper. “Just when I start to think that you might be different from those other Slytherins… you go and throw your lot in with Malfoy.”

“Granger, there are certain expectations for Slytherins that you’re unaware of,” you replied, “Chief among them is that we’re required to present a united front in public.” You felt the sudden urge to say something scathing to the bossy girl such as ‘you might like it since it would make people think you actually have friends’. But that seemed like something Pansy Parkinson would say and you strived not to be like her. So you held your tongue. Granger was a bossy know-it-all but she didn’t deserve that.

“You and I both know that Malfoy only challenged them to get them in trouble!” Granger persisted.

“That may have been his original plan,” you admitted, “But I’ll have you know that I ensured that he would actually show up for the duel. There are currently seven people in the school who know about the duel tonight. Harry, Ron, Draco, and I wouldn’t sabotage ourselves. Vincent and Gregory barely breathe without Draco’s say so. That leaves only one person who could get us in trouble.” You stared hard into her brown eyes. “And I’m warning you now, my ancestor built this castle, if you rat us out... I won’t be expelled but I will spend every waking moment making your life here a living hell.”

Granger took a deep breath. But she didn’t back down from your threat. Yet another reason why the Sorting Hat had put her in Gryffindor instead of Ravenclaw.

“I should tell!” the bushy-haired girl insisted. “You’re breaking the rules! Someone needs to put a stop to this nonsense!”

“Nonsense?” you repeated archly. “Nonsense? A Wizard’s duel is a battle of honor. Potter and Weasley might not know that but it’s not the type of challenge you can turn your back on. You’re a muggleborn, Granger, you don’t have a family legacy resting on your shoulders. So why don’t you make use of the library and do some research? Because spouting off and putting down things that you don’t understand makes you seem ignorant and stupid. And that doesn’t suit you. Maybe one day you’ll realise that some things are worth breaking the rules for.”

Granger’s potential response was cut off by the arrival of two more familiar Gryffindors.

“See, I told you this was where the library was,” Harry told Ron.

“Wow, they actually took my advice,” you remarked. “Small wonders never cease.”

You gave Granger one last glance before you slipped around to the next shelf so that Harry and Ron wouldn’t spot you lurking in the defense section. Granger huffed and shot Harry and Ron a scathing look before she went off to claim a table. Apparently, the two Gryffindors were getting the silent treatment while you were the one she opted to boss around.

It took Harry and Ron a fair bit longer to find the defense section than it did for you. But that was due to their lack of experience in the library. You strained your ears and listened to them as they searched through the books on defense.

“So what’re we looking for exactly?” Ron asked.

“I don’t know,” Harry admitted, “Something that’ll give us an edge up against Malfoy and Gaunt. Do you think they really know a bunch of jinxes?”

“Could be a lie,” Ron said. “I wouldn’t put it passed Malfoy’s father to teach him Dark Magic. So if he tries to curse you, you’d better dodge it, because I can’t remember how to block them.”

“Hey, I remember this book,” Harry suddenly called out.

“‘Curses and Counter-Curses’?” Ron apparently read off the title.

“I saw this book when I was shopping at Diagon Alley,” Harry explained. “I wanted to learn how to curse my cousin Dudley but Hagrid stopped me.”

Ron read the subheader off of the book, “‘Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss, Jelly-Legs, Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More.’ Those sound like good options. Do you reckon we could learn something in a few hours?”

“Hagrid said the spells were too advanced,” Harry admitted, “But maybe we could find an easy one…” It sounded like he was paging through the book. “A lot of the spells are curses but there are one or two jinxes and a few hexes…”

“Then let’s find a table - preferably as far from that bossy know-it-all as possible,” Ron decided. “We can pick a spell to study before the library closes.”

You flattened yourself against the shelf to keep from being seen and watched as Harry and Ron snuck off with the book. Once they were gone, you slipped back into the defense section and continued your own search. A book on dueling briefly caught your eye.

“Th-that book may be t-too advanced for you, M-Mister Gaunt.”

You jumped and turned to see Professor Quirrell behind you. “What’re you doing here… professor?”

“I am the D-Defense p-professor,” Professor Quirrell reminded you. “You’d b-best put that b-book back.”

“Great...” you grumbled as you returned the book to the shelf while Professor Quirrell turned to depart. “I guess I’ll need to find some other way to out-duel Potter and Weasley.”

“What was that!?”

You jumped at the sudden voice and whirled around. Professor Quirrell was facing the other direction. “Er… what?”

Professor Quirrell turned to you, “M-Mister Gaunt… d-did you j-just say you were looking to d-d-duel Harry P-Potter?”

“Er… no,” you lied. “That would be against the rules.” But then you decided to push your luck and see if you could get a tip or some advice from the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. Maybe he could point you in the right direction. “But… since you are the Defense professor… do you know a spell I could learn for a hypothetical duel that isn’t too advanced?”

“...” Professor Quirrell paused for a moment almost as if he was listening to something you couldn’t hear. Eventually, he spoke. “Come with me, boy. It’s time for a practical lesson.”

He’d actually agreed!? You shrugged and followed Professor Quirrell out of the library. Something about the Defense professor’s change in attitude and demeanor rubbed you the wrong way. But he was still a professor. Headmaster Dumbledore wouldn’t hire anyone dangerous, right?

Professor Quirrell led you into an unused classroom. “What spells do you know?”

“Well… I learned the Knockback Jinx,” you answered.

“Show me,” Professor Quirrell instructed as he levitated a dusty desk and set it in front of the classroom.

You drew your wand and stood sideways as you faced the desk. You locked your eyes on your target and decided to show off with the charged version of the spell. “Fliiipendo!” BANG! The purple light blasted the desk and smashed it against the wall at the front of the classroom.

Professor Quirrell stared after the desk for a moment then turned to look at you. “We’re not scheduled to cover that spell until the end of the second term. How did you learn the charged version?”

“Prefect Gemma Farley taught me this morning,” you answered.

“Using the charged version will earn you extra credit on this year’s final exam,” Professor Quirrell informed you. “What else do you know?”

“Er… that’s it,” you confessed. “I finally managed to transfigure my matchstick into a needle this week. Professor Flitwick taught us the Fire-Making Charm and Professor Sprout showed us how it would help in Herbology. Kingsley Shacklebolt, one of the officials that the Ministry appointed to look after me, once told me that it’s important to have counters for your own spells. So I learned the Water-Making Charm in case I ever needed to put out a fire that I caused. I’ve learned a few other simple charms but nothing that’s useful in a duel.”

“Are you familiar with the Stinging Hex?” Professor Quirrell asked.

“Hex?” you repeated. “Blaise Zabini once mentioned that one of his step-fathers used that spell as a punishment. But he called it the Stinging Jinx.”

“It’s similar to the Knockback Jinx in that there’s a regular version and there’s also a charged version,” Professor Quirrell lectured you. “Do you remember the theory behind the classifications of jinxes, hexes, and curses from class?”

“Er… yes,” you answered. “A jinx is usually a minor inconvenience. The spell will only last as long as you maintain eye contact with your target. The effects are usually simple to reverse. A hex has longer lasting lingering results and is sometimes painful. A curse is the darkest and longest lasting and either causes **** damage or can’t be reversed unless someone casts the counter-curse.”

“That’s an adequate explanation,” the Defense professor said. “As I said, there are two versions of the Stinging Jinx. The regular version causes a brief jolt of stinging pain that only lasts as long as you’re looking at your target. At worst, it leaves behind a welt. The charged version can actually be classified as a hex. It causes lingering pain and swelling in the targeted area.”

“But I don’t want to hurt anyone,” you protested.

“Do you want my help or not?” Professor Quirrell asked in an unexpectedly hard voice.

“Yes, sir,” you quickly answered.

“I’ll teach you both versions,” Professor Quirrell informed you. “The incantation is ‘Pungo’. That’s Latin for ‘to sting’. There is no wand motion. You simply point your wand. The trick is to give it a twist when you reach the second syllable of the incantation and push your magic out through it. Watch me first…” Professor Quirrell pointed his wand at the desk you had smashed into the wall with your jinx. “Pungo!” He twisted his wand and a white bolt of light shot out from it and struck the desk. “Now you.”

You noticed that the professor’s spell had made a crack where it had struck. You pointed your wand at the desk and channeled your magic. “Pun-go!” You gave your wand a twist and hit the desk with a white light. There was another crack on the desk next to the first one. “Whoa, I did it on the first try!”

“Do it again,” Professor Quirrell ordered.

Point and twist. “Pungo!” A while bolt struck the chair and left behind a third crack.

“Good,” Professor Quirrell said. “Now for the charged version.” You opened your mouth to protest but he talked right over you. “The incantation is the same. The difference is that instead of just pointing your wand, you make a jabbing motion and then twist. Like you’re stabbing someone.”

You flinched at the description. Stab someone? What kind of thirteen-year-old did he think you were?

“Think about something that irritates you while you channel your magic,” Professor Quirrell continued. “The most powerful magic is fueled by emotions. The Stinging Hex causes pain and irritation so you must pass on your irritation to your target. Try it.”

The Defense professor was majorly creeping you out at this point. You hadn’t failed to notice that he had not stuttered once since the unexpected lesson had begun. You also didn’t have the courage to refuse. A fully trained wizard who talked about stabbing someone wasn’t a person that you wanted to upset by refusing their commands.

You pulled back your arm and shot it forward then twisted your wand, “Pungo!” Another bolt of white light shot from your wand. It was thicker than the previous bolts. When it struck the desk, the crack it left behind was larger and deeper.

“Again!” Professor Quirrell ordered. “I told you. Use your irritation.”

Jab and twist. “Pungo!” Another deep crack was scratched into the chair.

“You’re not trying hard enough,” Professor Quirrell berated you. “Put your emotion into it!”

You thought about how annoyed and irritated Quirrell was making you feel then. Jab and twist. “PUNGO!” An even bigger white light shot out from your wand and struck the crack-covered desk. Your eyes went wide in shock as your spell punched a hole through it.

“Well, there it is,” Professor Quirrell concluded. “One point to Slytherin for learning an advanced spell. Good luck in your hypothetical duel, Mr. Gaunt.”

You barely registered the house point as the Defense professor walked out of the classroom. You turned your attention back to the desk and approached it. The cracks you had made in the wood had joined together which allowed your last spell to pierce through. But this was a desk. The thought of what this hex would do to a flesh and blood person disturbed you.

Your stomach flipped. But this wasn’t the funny flip that made you feel warm when you thought about your lesson with Gemma Farley. The stomach flip caused by this lesson made you feel sick and like there was a rock in your stomach.

Could you tell anyone about Professor Quirrell’s strange behavior? The other Slytherins made jokes about how nervous and pathetic he was. After Defense Against the Dark Arts earlier that day, Draco had claimed that Professor Quirrell wouldn’t win a fight with a flobberworm. No one took the man seriously. If you brought up your concerns about the Defense professor to another Slytherin they’d laugh at you. Also, the thought of Professor Quirrell finding out that you told people about his strange behavior terrified you.

You took one last look at the hole you put in the desk then rushed out of the classroom and returned to the Slytherin common room. You spotted the other first years but you didn’t feel like joining them.

Millicent saw you going by and called out to you, “Marvolo, are you alright? You look pale?”

“I… I’m not feeling so good,” you replied. “I think I’ll turn in early tonight.”

You retreated to the relative safety of your room. You still fully intended on joining Draco for your duel against Harry and Ron at midnight. Especially after you had gone through the trouble of ensuring that Malfoy would actually go. But a few hours alone would give you some time to calm down and gather your thoughts.

Why had Professor Quirrell helped you? He’d heard you grumble about dueling Harry and Ron and then taught you a hex that seemed borderline dark. Did he actually intend for you to use the Stinging Hex on Harry and Ron?

---

Marvolo Gaunt House Point Ledger

Quirinius Quirrell: +1

New Total: +17

Points awarded by: SS, RH, QQ