The morning? of the duelling club announcement so...*calculates* three weeks later? *checks notes* Yep. I calculated it right.

Three weeks later

As I walked towards the Great Hall for my daily dose of coffee, I noticed a bunch of students flocking the notice board in the Entrance Hall. Unfortunately, since I'm curious by nature, I went to look at what is causing the commotion after a few seconds.

Hmm, they're starting a duelling club...interesting. Dam it, it's hosted by Lockhart! Wait...Professor Valour is co-hosting, what the hell, I might just as well have some fun with it.

So I signed up, right underneath Granger. I wouldn't mind having a little revenge on the snooping know-it-all.

***

8 o'clock that night in the Great Hall

"Hey look they did some remodelling!" I said with feigned interest to Draco. He snorted.

"The first duelling lesson hasn't even started, yet you're already starting with your snark. Really, Rose?" He said. I shrugged my shoulders. "Had a boring day." I lied.

Truth be told, I was using my snarky attitude and rude remarks to distract myself from the fact that 3 weeks ago, another victim was petrified. This time a 'Muggleborn' student from Gryffindor.

[A/N: Oh, yeah...Rose has her own (*coughs* borrowed *coughs*) opinion about "Muggleborns". I might write a piece on that...maybe]

We didn't have to wait long before Lockhart and Professor Valour showed up, Professor Snape following not far behind.

[The following bits and pieces are extracted from JK Rowling's book; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Chapter 11!]

"Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!" The vain 'Professor' asked us. I snorted inwardly, silently pleading that either Snape or Valour would take over for him now. Alas, no such luck.

"Now, Headmaster Dumbledore has granted me-" Professor Valour cleared his throat loudly and Professor Snape gave Lockhart a pointed look. "-and Professor Valour-" he added, causing the Slytherins (mostly male, blasted girls were secretly a part of Lockhart's fan club) to snigger.

"-Permission to start this little Duelling Club, to train you all up in case you ever need to defend yourselves-" He said, most likely stopping himself from referring to his numerous adventures where he had to 'defend' himself.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said the pathetic excuse for a DADA professor, flashing a wide, but annoyingly bright, smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about duelling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry - you'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

I snorted quietly. "More likely they would have to worry about whether or not you'll be still standing after Snape finishes you off," I muttered quietly to which Draco, Crabbe and Goyle sniggered. I wouldn't be surprised if Snape injured Lockhart on purpose, considering most would've run had they been at the end of Snape's sneer. I couldn't help but overhear Ron muttering 'Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?' to Harry. Huh, so they hate Snape that much? Granted, Snape isn't overly fond of Gryffindors...or any other House besides Slytherin for that matter.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; Lockhart flamboyantly, Snape stiffly. Then they raised their wands in proper duelling fashion.

"On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course," Lockhart continued.

"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry and I murmured simultaneously. I grinned at Harry and mouthed 'Jinx' having overheard him, he smirked at me.

"One - two - three -" Snape roared: "Expelliarmus!" Lockhart was blasted off his feet before he could even say a spell. He flew backwards off the stage, smashed into the wall and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. As predicted, all the Slytherins present cheered for their Head of House. I glanced at the Golden Trio and saw Hermione looking worriedly at Lockhart, bloody fan-girl.

Lockhart stood up unsteadily and climbed back onto the platform. "Well, there you have it! That was a Disarming Charm - as you see, I've lost my wand - ah, thank you, Miss Brown. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy. However, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

If looks could kill, Lockhart would've been 6 feet underneath already, considering the way Spape looked at him. I sniggered at the thought of a dead Lockhart.

"If you two are done demonstrating, I think it's time to put the students in pairs," said Professor Valour impatiently. "Professor Snape will help me assemble the duelling pairs, I think you've done your part, Professor Lockhart."

As expected, Snape paired Draco with Harry, while Professor Valour paired me with Hermione Granger. Perfect, it's as if he knew I still had a bone to pick with the Know-it-all witch.

"Miss. Granger, Miss. Monroe, you're up first!" Professor Valour announced. I started to climb up the platform when Granger opened her mouth.

"Professor! Don't you think it's a bit unfair to pair up a Second-year with a Third-year?" Granger stammered.

I snorted. Chicken. Professor Valour looked at her with incredulity and said: "Miss. Granger, I was told that you are the brightest witch of the century. I assumed that you would know at least some spells above your year! But if you aren't confident in your abilities -" 

"Of course not, Professor! I didn't mean to sound insecure about my abilities, it's just-" Granger started. "Then get on the platform and go duel, Miss Granger." He said impatiently pointing towards the stage where I waited for her patiently.

"Take your positions, girls!" Lockhart told us. "Now, bow nicely. Yes, very good! Wands at the ready!"

"Is the Gryffindor Know-it-all scared of a little duel?" I taunted her, smirking at her pale face. "Hardly!" She retorted.

"On the count of three! One - two - three!" Valour barked.

[A/N: Hermione Granger = HG/Rose Monroe=RM]

HG: "Expelliarmus!"

RM: "Protego! Flipendo!"

Granger was knocked backwards. "Come on, Granger. You can do better than that!" I snapped at her, twirling my Pinewood wand in my hand. She groaned, getting up and casting her second spell.

HG: "Petrificus Totalus!"

"You missed, Granger!" I yelled, dodging her spell elegantly.

HG: "Tarantallegra!"

I dodged her spell, again. Right then, let's raise the difficulty a bit.

RM: "Incarcerous!"

Granger had a look of confusion on her face as the spell hurled its way towards her, looks like the 'brightest witch of the century' doesn't know all her spells. Granted, that's a Fourth-year spell.

The spell hit its target and Granger got tied up in ropes, falling backwards on the floor.

The duel was over, I won of course. Merlin, it felt good to get back at her for snooping around my past!

The Hall was silent for a few moments until Professor Snape broke it.

"Potter, Malfoy. You're next!" he barked.

Oh boy, here we go. This can't end well.

Draco and Harry faced each other, barely bowed and raised their wands.

"No harmful spells, gentleman! One...two...three!" Professor Valour said.

As always, Draco didn't listen. He fired a spell on 'two' instead of 'three' and Harry stumbled. Come on Draco, you can do better than that.

Harry pointed his wand at Draco and shouted, "Rictusempra!"

A jet of silver light hit Draco in the stomach and he doubled up, wheezing. A tickling charm, nice.

"Tarantallegra!" Draco gasped and the next moment Harry started to dance the Quickstep.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart, but Snape took charge.

"Finite Incantatem!" Snape shouted; cancelling both spells on the boys.

"I think I'd better teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. "Let's have a volunteer pair - Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you?"

I snorted. "A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape. "Longbottom causes devastation with the simplest of spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a matchbox. How about Malfoy and Potter?" said Snape with a twisted smile. Poor Harry, Snape really does have it out for him.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart.

"Now, Harry when Draco points his wand at you, you do this," said Lockhart, making stupid wand gestures that is obviously not going to work, dropping his wand in the process. "Whoops - my wand is a little over-excited."

Snape moved closer to Draco, bent down and whispered the Serpent Summoning spell. Draco smirked and I groaned inwardly.

'No, Draco it's a bad idea!' I said in his head. 'Sod off, Rose! Let me have some fun.' he replied.

I rolled my eyes. Boys, honestly!

Draco and Harry faced one another once more. "Scared, Potter?" muttered Draco with a smirk. "You wish," said Harry.

Lockhart cuffed Harry merrily on the shoulder. "Just do what I did, Harry!"

"What, drop my wand?"

But Lockhart already moved on. "Three - two - one - go!" he shouted.

Draco raised his wand and bellowed, "Serpensortia!"

The end of his wand exploded and a long, black snake shot out of it, it fell heavily onto the floor between them and raised itself, ready to strike. The hall was filled with ear-piercing screams as the students moved back, away from the snake.

The Professors, Snape and Lockhart attempted to get rid of the snake, but Lockhart, like the idiot he is, only made the snake more pissed off and the snake made its way towards Finch-Fletchley. The next moment, Harry started hissing at the snake - knowing him, asking it to back off - and the hall fell deathly silent.

Shit. Harry's a Parselmouth. He has no idea what people will accuse him of because of this. They'll think he's the Heir of Slytherin and that he is behind the attacks. Shit.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Finch-Fletchley shouted before storming out of the Hall. Snape stepped forward and banished the snake. Weasley started tugging at Harry's robe and dragged him out of the Hall, Granger following close by.

"Well, shit," said Draco voicing my thoughts. "Hmm, shit indeed. Come on let's go back to the common room," I replied.

Harry is going to have a hard time until the person behind the attacks is stopped.