Chapter Twenty-Eight, Duelling Disaster

A few days later, Izzy had approached Professor Flitwick at the end of her last lesson, Charms, due to the encouragement of not only Fred and George, her friends (including Luna, Celeste and Kellah) but also Sirius and Remus.
"Professor Flitwick?" Izzy called nervously.
"Ah, Miss Potter. What can I help you with?" Professor Flitwick acknowledged, looking curiously at his favourite student, not that he'd admit that to anyone, mind.
"I've made my decision about the choir. I'd like to join, please." Izzy replied, after taking a deep breath to collect herself.
"Excellent!" Professor Flitwick crowded in delight, climbing down from his chair until he was standing before Izzy.

"I'm delighted to hear that, truly. You'll be an excellent addition to the choir, now, rehearsals are every Thursday before dinner at 17:00 pm, and every other Sunday at 15:30 pm. However, if I find that you are not up to date with all of your assignments and homework your position will be revoked." He added sternly, before smiling widely at her once again. "Your mother and father will be so incredibly proud of you as I know Sirius and Remus no doubt are. They were talking excitedly about it in the staff room the last few days." He continued. "You will also need to find yourself a toad."
"Neville said I could use Trevor, his toad." Izzy revealed.
"Excellent. Now, off you go. I'm sure you'd like to get a head start on your homework before dinner." Professor Flitwick suggested.
"Of course. Enjoy your afternoon Professor." Izzy bid as she made her way up to the Gryffindor common room.

"What's going on?" Izzy asked Oliver, who had just moved away from the notice board.
"Duelling Club held on Friday before dinner at 17:00. It's being run by Professors Flitwick, Lupin and Black, if Professor Lupin can't make it. It should be interesting as Professor Flitwick is a Duelling Champion, Professor Lupin our D.A.D.A Professor and Professor Black covers for him sometimes. Anyway, congratulations on making the choir, Izzy." Oliver exclaimed exuberantly, pulling Izzy into a hug. Ron, Neville and Hermione had explained why Izzy wasn't with them.
"Thanks Oliver." Izzy returned shyly, giving him a brief hug.
"It's okay, fiery Cub." Oliver teased, laughing as she swatted at his arm for the nickname. Dodging again, still chuckling, Oliver headed over to the other Sixth years for their study session while Izzy went to check out the board.

Students please note: a Duelling club has been organised by Professors Flitwick and Lupin with appearances of Professor Black.

This club is for Second years to Seventh years and shall be held on Fridays at 17:00 in the Great Hall.

Any questions, see your Head of House or the stated Professors.

"Izzy, did you see it?" Ron exclaimed excitedly, looking up from his Potion essay, hearing Izzy's approach to the sofas in front of the fireplace where Ron, Neville, Hermione, Kellah and Celeste were completing their homework (Fay had a detention with Snape).
"Did you give Professor Flitwick your answer?" Neville mentioned curiously.
"What answer?" Kellah and Celeste inquired intrigued, paying attention now. Despite not getting along very well with Hermione they were good friends with Izzy and often made every effort to spend time with their friend, even if it was just doing homework together.

"I did." Izzy agreed, sitting down in an armchair opposite Hermione. Neville and Ron were sitting on the floor with their backs to the fireplace with their work on the coffee table and Celeste and Kellah were on the sofa. "It's going to be interesting, I can't wait." She added excitedly, pulling out her Potion book, Potions notebook, ink, quill and parchment to get started. "I just accepted the position to be in the choir. Professor Flitwick asked me to be a part of the Choir after he heard me singing when I was walking with Fred the other day." She explained to Celeste and Kellah.

"Izzy, that's amazing!" Kellah and Celeste hollered loudly, their voices full of pride and excitement for their friend. Kellah's voice being the loudest carried across the Common Room, attracting Percy, the Chasers, Lee Jordan and Fred and George. The latter three who had just entered the Common Room, no doubt after pulling a prank on someone.

"What's going on?" Angelina asked her sister, her chocolate brown eyes shining with inquisitiveness and curiosity.
"Izzy got accepted into the Frog Choir!" Kellah told her sister exuberantly, bouncing in her seat slightly.
"Izzy, that's amazing!" Fred crowed, bounding forwards, placing a kiss to Izzy's cheek causing the Gryffindor Seeker to blush a scarlet red while her hair turned a luminous pink as the three Chasers awed at them.
"Congratulations Izzy-bear." George congratulated, pulling Izzy into a side hug. At that, congratulations washed over Izzy who was feeling more than a little flustered over all the praise she was receiving having not received any for the first ten years of her life.

Seeing and feeling how flustered Izzy was getting, Fred gave a pointed look to George, Lee and Percy who helped get the attention off of Izzy.
"Thank you." Izzy sighed with relief once it was just her best friends and Fred around her now.
"It's okay." Fred assured, taking her hand and giving it a comforting squeeze. "I'm always going to be here for you."
"I'm always going to be here for you too, Fred." Izzy muttered shyly, but offered her own comforting squeeze accompanied with a small smile. Smiling a blinding smile, Fred kissed Izzy's cheek once more before moving off over to George and Lee allowing Izzy to finish her homework.
'I will get her more comfortable with me.' Fred thought happily, starting on planning on some new prank products with his twin. Satisfied for how he and Izzy were progressing as the bond hummed happily within the pair.

***

Friday evening after Izzy's second session with her Mind Healer, she rushed from the Hospital Wing to the Great Hall not wanting to miss the start of the Duelling Club. Upon entering the Great Hall, Izzy noticed the house tables were gone and instead, the middle of the hall was taken up by a long raised platform and was surrounded by every Second through Seventh year for every house, Professor Flitwick and Remus were on the platform talking while Sirius and Professor Snape patrolled on opposite sides of the Hall. Standing in the doorway Izzy's eyes darted all over trying to find her friends when a sudden shout attracted her attention to the left side of the Hall.
"IZZY!! Over here!" Ron shouted, waving his arms above his head.

Shaking her head fondly Izzy made her way over to him, Neville and Hermione stood on either side of him; Oliver, Percy, Fred and George were behind them; Lee, Seamus and Dean were next to Ron with the rest of their house spread around them with some Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws mixed in.
"Excuse me." Izzy muttered, pushing her way towards her friends and apologising if she elbowed or stood on someone's feet.
"Everything alright, Pup?" Sirius fretted, concern shone in his grey eyes and in his voice as he made his way over to his daughter.
"I'm okay, Siri." Izzy muttered with a tense smile.
"It'll get easier, I promise." Sirius swore, kissing her forehead and enveloping Izzy in a hug which she readily returned. Before anymore could be said Professor Flitwick called everyone to order.

"Alright, settle down please. Settle down." Professor Flitwick called loudly, the racket of numerous conversations ringing around the Hall tapered off to whispers until they finally disappeared altogether. "Thank you. Now, due to the events happening currently, the Headmistress, Professor Lupin and I have agreed to restart the Duelling Club." Flitwick announced, all of the students eating his words as they listened attentively. Eagerly looking forward to what spells they will learn as they finally had a D.A.D.A Professor who was more than competent, and add in Flitwick who was a Duelling Champion for several years running now; they could barely keep still with the excessive excited energy and were thoroughly looking forward to this.

"But," Remus's stern voice cut through the excited whispers. "If you fail to complete your schoolwork, use these spells to target other students purposely your right to attend this club will be revoked and no one will be able to reinstate you to this club, is that understood?"
Mumbles of, 'yes Professor,' fluttered through the Hall.
"What you will learn in this club will be: the correct duelling stance, the Disarming charm and the Protego charm to start off with." Professor Flitwick informed them. "To demonstrate."
Everyone watched eagerly as the two Professors walked them all through the correct duelling stances and got them to copy, from where they stood.

Once they were satisfied they had that nailed, they faced each other and held their wands in front of their faces before bowing to each other. Once up right they walked ten paces from each other before spinning around to face each other; each in a different stance.
Flitwick was standing with his left side facing the right side of the Hall, wand pointing at Remus while his right arm was behind his back, and his right foot was slanted behind his left at hips width apart. Whereas, Remus was standing facing forward legs in the same stance with left arm out in front and his wand arm behind his head aimed at Flitwick.
"Expelliarmus!" Flitwick shouted, bringing his right leg forward so the wand movement was cast under his right arm.
"Protego!" Remus yelled, whipping his wand from above his head to in front of him with his left arm across his middle as he deflected the spell.

They cast a few more spells at each other showing their repertoire and how to deflect spells. The students, mainly a few certain Slytherins, were shocked that the quiet and humble Professor could look so deadly while duelling and could hold his own against a Duelling Champion, (Izzy looked disappointed when she heard Draco's jeering comments causing Draco to suddenly become quiet a frown upon his face when he noticed the disappointment in her emerald gaze); however, Flitwick wasn't the Duelling Champion for nothing, and in a few quick movements Remus was disarmed and knocked down by a Knock-back Jinx. Chuckling Remus climbed to his feet, bowing to Professor Flitwick as he accepted his wand back.
"Now, I think we should have a volunteer pair." Professor Flitwick announced. "Miss Potter, how about you come join us." Flitwick beckoned.

"Good luck pup." Sirius whispered.
"Thanks Siri." Izzy muttered.
"How about -" Remus started only to be interrupted by Professor Snape.
"Might I suggest someone from my own house?" Snape drawled, climbing on to the platform and walking towards them.
"Ahh, yes, of course." Flitwick agreed dubiously. 
"Malfoy perhaps?" Snape remarked, spinning around to point at Draco before anyone had the chance to say anything else. Sighing as Draco climbed onto the platform, Remus climbed off to stand beside Sirius behind Fred, George, Percy and Oliver.
Flitwick's eyes danced nervously between the pair. "Wands at the ready." He called nervously.

Draco and Izzy bowed, but only slightly as they kept their eyes on each other.
"Scared Pottah?" Draco mocked.
"You wish." Izzy muttered slowly, earning smirks from Lee, Seamus and Dean. Flitwick and Snape moved to the ends of the platform leaving Draco and Izzy alone in the middle, not only to give them room but to avoid being hit by stray spells.
"Now, on the count of three I want you to Disarm your opponent. Only Disarm. I don't want to have to send anyone to the Hospital Wing." Flitwick warned, his voice stern as Draco and Izzy separated and got into a similar stance to the one Remus had used but they had their wand arm out in front of them and the other arm up behind their head. "One. Two-"
"Everte Statum!" Draco shouted, casting his charm before Flitwick could finish the countdown, sending Izzy somersaulting through the air only to crash land, hard, in front of Flitwick on her previously-broken right arm. 

Shouts and jeering laughter filled the Great Hall mingling together and creating an unseemly din, as those who cared for Izzy shouted in outrage while certain Slytherins laughed raucously at Izzy's misfortune. Draco stood with a self-satisfied smirk upon his face which disappeared when Izzy sat up unharmed, a fierce glare upon her face and her hair now a blood red, causing Snape to startle as a memory of that awful time at the lake after his OWLs filtered through his mind for all but a second until he reinforced his mental shields and scowled at her despite not doing anything wrong other than looking like a carbon copy of her mother; more-so than she already did.
"Mister Malfoy, I said disarm only!" Flitwick reprimanded unimpressed. "Severus!" He cajoled but the dower Professor did nothing. Jumping to her feet, anger coursing through her, Izzy got back into the duelling stance.

"Rictusempra!" Izzy enunciated hotly, a purple light shot rapidly towards Draco sending him flying through the air until he landed at Snape's feet as laughs filtered around the Hall again.
"Disarm only!" Remus reprimanded the pair, all but ready to end the duel between them but Severus had other ideas as he looked at Draco in disgust, forcing him to his feet by a tight grip on his robes, and forced Draco to face Izzy once again.
"Snape! Enough!" Remus, Sirius and Flitwick shouted, but they were ignored as Draco cast a rather dangerous spell.
"Serpensortia!" Draco snarled, spinning forward as he cast the spell causing a cobra to appear between him and Izzy with the snake's gaze fixed on Izzy.

Izzy stood up looking like she was suddenly in a trance, her eyes fixed upon the snake. The words that tumbled from her lips shocked everyone in attendance causing words to die in their throats.
'Hello, I'm sorry you were brought here!'
'Speaker? Where am I?' The snake asked agitatedly, turning around to hiss aggressively at Justin.
'Leave him alone!'
Leave him!'
'LEAVE HIM!!' Izzy demanded, as the snake was about to attack only to finally obey and settle down, hissing docility on the platform facing Izzy.
"Vipera Evanesca." Snape said, causing the snake to vanish and Izzy to come out of her trance, blinking rapidly.

"WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT!" Justin snapped, looking at her with revulsion in his eyes along with his friends, while Izzy's friends glared at them.
Her hair changed to a pale blue-green colour with her confusion that was clear on her face. Looking around she saw nothing but love, acceptance and sympathy on Sirius and Remus's face; confusion and acceptance on Flitwick's; hesitance on Snape's; but revulsion on many student's faces. Not thinking twice Izzy took off out of the Hall with Ron, Neville and Hermione following hurriedly behind her.
"You're an idiot!" Fred snapped at the Hufflepuffs. "If you had paid any attention you'd have noticed that Izzy was getting it to back off, but instead you let your fear and prejudice control and blind you!" Seeing their unrelenting faces Fred huffed and turned his back on them. "I think we've found some new test subjects." He whispered to George and Lee.

"That we have Freddie." George agreed maliciously.
"Don't worry Fred, any who dare hurt Izzy, will be pranked relentlessly." Lee promised.
"We'll help." Kellah and Celeste announced, not caring they had been eavesdropping. Not saying a word Fred, George, Lee and their two new accomplices smirked mischievously with a promise of pain to those who dared upset Izzy.
"Anyone who targets Izzy will be put into detention with me!" Sirius announced, shaking with repressed anger, as whispers were already spreading around the Hall about how his precious pup was the next Dark Lady. "And trust me, you will not like the consequences of your actions!" He promised dangerously. "Let's go, Remus." Sirius added, leaving the Hall for the Gryffindor Tower where he knew Izzy would have escaped to.

***

"Izzy, why didn't you tell us you're a Parseltongue?" Ron questioned, as soon as they reached the common room, a slight hint of hurt and confusion in his tone which died with Izzy's reply.
"What?" Izzy replied, confused about what was happening to her. 'Why can I never stop being a freak!'
"You can talk to snakes." Hermione elaborated.
"I know." Izzy quipped. "I mean, I accidentally set a python on my cousin at the zoo, once. Once." Izzy empathised, slumping down into a chair. "It's not a common gift, is it?" She questioned, looking pleadingly at her friends. Ron and Neville kneeled down in front of Izzy, their hands resting on her knees as she covered her face, while Hermione stood in front of her, behind the boys.
"No it's not." Neville emphasised sadly.

"Why do I always have to be such a freak!" Izzy suddenly burst out throwing her hands in the air in agitation, the vitriol in her tone on the last word surprised her friends.
"Izzy you are not a freak!" Neville and Ron affirmed, gently taking her hands in their own. "No, listen to us." They added firmly, when she opened her mouth. "No matter what those people said to you or made you believe they were wrong. You are not a freak but an incredibly selfless and, an amazing person, and our best friend; our sister." Tears glistened in their eyes as they watched tears pour down Izzy's olive cheeks. Unbeknownst to them, Sirius, Remus, Lee, Kellah, Celeste and the twins were in a similar state to Neville and Ron. They had come in just in time to hear the vitriol Izzy spat directed towards herself.
"This is bad." Hermione moaned, earning glares not just from the two boys in front of her.

"What's bad?" Izzy fumed. "If I hadn't told the snake not to attack Justin -"
"Oh, that's what you said to it." Hermione mocked.
"You were all there! You heard me!" Izzy exploded with frustration.
"Izzy, we heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language." Neville gently informed her.
"I spoke a different language?" Izzy asked, shocked. "I didn't realise that - How can I speak a language without knowing I can?"
"I don't know, Izzy, but it sounded like you were egging the snake on or something." Hermione nagged.
"Hermione!" Neville and Ron snapped, appalled. 'Couldn't she see she was making Izzy more upset?' was the thought floating through Neville and Ron's mind.

"But I wasn't!" Izzy implored, getting angry and upset, and willing her friends to believe her.
"We know that Izzy." Ron and Neville assured, taking her hands and giving them a comforting squeeze.
"But, now the whole school is going to think Salazar Slytherin is your great-great-great grandfather. I know you know the reason why the Slytherin house's emblem is a serpent. He was a Parselmouth, he can talk to snakes too." Hermione explained despondently.
"But he's not!" Izzy snapped, faltering slightly.
"He lived a thousand years ago for all we know, you could be his granddaughter." Hermione implied, shrugging her shoulders.
"No! Hermione, you're not listening to me!" Izzy griped. "I did an inheritance test at Gringotts before First year. He is not related to me!"

"Enough!" Sirius snapped, when Hermione went to talk again, stepping out of the shadowy entrance along with Remus, Lee, Fred and George, Kellah and Celeste. "Izzy, it doesn't matter how you have this gift, it is amazing that you do and you saved Justin's life whether the fools want to admit it or not. You are not a freak, yes we heard, you are an uncommonly kind young woman and are incredibly gifted; however, despite the bad things that have happened to you, you have remained uncommonly kind and I do not want you to change or let these events change who you are.

Ever. What would I do without my pup, huh?" Sirius smiled when Izzy giggled wetly at him. Smiling sadly Sirius kneeled by the side of the chair wiping the tears from her cheeks.
"We're all here for you Izzy." Lee promised.
"Kellah and I have joined the Terrible Trio to prank anyone who hurts or upsets you." Celeste informed her kind friend, hating to see her cry.
"We'll help." Ron and Neville announced.

"If you need any prank ideas just come to Sirius or I. No one upsets my Cub." Remus declared, smirking as his amber eyes glinted with an edge to them.
"Anyone who hurts my sister they're going down." George announced menacingly, cracking his knuckles and getting a laugh from Izzy.
"Not only are you my friend and soulmate, Izzy, I care a lot for you and if they think there won't be repercussions for it then they can think again." Fred interjected, coming forward to kiss Izzy's cheek.
"Thanks guys. Siri, Moony." Izzy said softly, a gentle smile upon her face.

"Now, why don't you go have a shower, pup, and when you're done I'll brush your hair by the fire." Sirius bargained, knowing they both loved spending time together.
"Okay." Izzy agreed happily, racing up the stairs to the Girls Dormitories and the bathroom leaving the others to plot or argue with Hermione, she didn't particularly care right now.

Happy early birthday to LaurenTuckley