The Forging of the Bonds

Chapter 4. The Fencing Club.

Elizabeth entered the Great Hall. Nadine, despite all her insistence, refused to come. They had a gigantic argument about Professor Potter. Nadine claimed he took points off Nott and Goyle because they were Slytherins, and Elizabeth said it was because they were practically snogging in class. Neither one convinced, Elizabeth left early for the first Fencing Club meeting.

Professor Potter was already there, as were several fencing swords, neatly stacked in a corner. Elizabeth, as soon as she learned about the fencing club, sent her father an owl so she could have her own sword sent to her. She took it out, inspecting the blade.

"Good evening, Miss Malfoy," he said.

How does he know who came in when he's looking away, she thought. It's creepy.

"The window reflects," he said.

Okay, does that make things more or less creepy? She couldn't decide. It explained why he knew it was here... and it made it seem that he knew that that was exactly what she was thinking.

"Sir? May I ask you something?" she said, before more creepy things happened.

"What is it?"

"What happened the last time there was a Triwizard Tournament? When--"

"When I illegally entered and won by killing the other Hogwarts champion?"

"I didn't--"

"I've learned to listen to rumors--there's usually a grain of truth to them."

"What really happened?"

"The short version is, the Defense teacher that year was a Death Eater in disguise." He waited for Elizabeth to process the information. "He and Voldemort--who didn't yet have a full body--cooked up a plan for him to return in full strength. To do that, they needed my blood. So, the Death Eater made sure I would be picked to compete, then made sure I'd win. I didn't know it at the time, of course. He was very clever about it."

"And the other champion? Ced--"

"Cedric Diggory. The third task of the Tournament was set up so that the first person to touch the Triwizard Cup would be the winner. The Death Eater managed to take out the other two, so it was Cedric and me. We made it to the cup. Either of us could have claimed it."

"You did?"

He shook his head. "He insisted I take it, and I insisted he take it. In the end, we decided to do it together."

He sighed, then continued. "The Cup was a Portkey, and it took us to Voldemort. He needed to use my blood for the resurrection, but he didn't care about Cedric. So he killed him."

Elizabeth nodded. She didn't know what to ask next, and then other people started coming in. She retreated back.

There were more people than she expected, although she and two second-year boys were the only Slytherins. Laura Whittle came in, immediately followed by David Jordan and Katherine Longbottom, but Michael Weasley wasn't anywhere to be seen. The three Gryffindors rarely split up, so this was quite unusual.

Before long, about thirty people were in the Hall. Professor Potter strolled around the room, sword in hand. Elizabeth wasn't sure what to think about this. Potter made it difficult to relax around him. She supposed it made sense for him to make students be constantly aware of their surroundings, but this might have been too much. All their Defense teachers were war veterans, and she, like all other students, sometimes wanted to get up and shout that the war was over. Since it would probably lose her fifty points from Slytherin, she suppressed the urge. She didn't get that urge with Potter... yet.

"Welcome to the Hogwarts Fencing Club," Potter said. "Since this year, even those on their house Quidditch teams will not have an opportunity for their usual exercise, this is a good way to get some physical activity. Besides," he added, "it's fun, and for some of you, could prove useful."

"Useful?" David Jordan scowled. "For what?"

"You might be surprised, Mr. Jordan," Potter replied. "For one thing, fencing is an inherent part of Auror training."

"Auror training?" a third year Ravenclaw said incredulously.

"Yes. They use it to teach you to notice danger instinctively and immediately, to focus the mind properly. And to break the over-reliance on wands that some wizards develop."

"Where's the gear?" Laura Whittle asked.

"What gear?" Potter replied.

"Protective gear... you're not suggesting we just pick up these swords and fence... sir?"

Potter stopped. "Fencing has a strong tradition in both the wizard and the Muggle world, but the protective gear you speak of is a Muggle invention--and a rather recent one at that. Wizards use specialized shield charms cast on the swords--and sometimes on themselves. However, you should know that official wizarding fencing tournaments are always fought without these charms--and with real swords."

"Now don't worry--these swords had the charms cast on them, and they are blunt. So--pick a sword, and let's see some fencing."

Potter spent most of the next two hours instructing students, teaching them proper stances, grips, and moves. He watched Elizabeth out of the corner of his eye, but he clearly decided that she knew what she was doing. She smiled. She was easily the most experienced fencer in the room. Even Kate Longbottom, with her very fast, yet reserved style was no match for her.

"Too bad, Longbottom," she said, having touched her neck with the tip of the sword.

"Miss Malfoy, you seem to have trouble finding a challenge," Potter said. "Perhaps I could remedy that?"

Elizabeth stirred, then stepped forward. He raised his sword in front of him, and bowed. She bowed back, then stood ready.

He attacked first, and she stepped back for a good block. However, that attack was feint, forcing her to turn and meet it. Before she could recover the opening, Potter's sword went through it. She felt it touch.

Damn, she thought. They faced each other again.

This time, she launched the first attack. Potter blocked, then attacked himself, attempting to strike her left side. She parried, and, as she moved forward to attack him, Potter ducked. Not prepared for a strike from below, she felt the edge of Potter's blade on her right leg.

Refusing to give up, she faced him again. She remembered a trick that served her well in several tournaments. It was difficult to do properly, but she succeeded in learning it.

Stepping back, she raised her sword to block any attack and jumped forward, hoping she'd get close enough to score.

Potter stepped out of the way, and she felt a tap on her shoulder just as she landed. She couldn't believe it. People weren't supposed to be that fast.

Having been to a number of wizarding fencing tournaments, she knew she was a decent fencer. Her father, who'd taught her, was a very good fencer.

Harry Potter... Harry Potter was a master.

"I think that should wrap it up for this week," he said. It was quite late.

Elizabeth stayed behind while the other students left. Potter began gathering up the swords, but then looked around and saw here.

"Miss Malfoy," he smiled. "You did very well."

"I lost."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of," he said. "If you beat me, I wouldn't deserve to be the instructor, would I? I have been beaten by my instructors plenty of times."

"Have you been beaten in a tournament?" she asked.

"Yes. Twice."

"Only twice?"

"Yes. First time by my first wife." He quietly laughed. "It was rather embarrassing."

Elizabeth didn't know Potter had been married, much less twice. "Who was the second person?"

"Your father. Goodnight, Miss Malfoy." He strode out of the Hall.

At the exit, he turned, waved his wand, and the House tables flew from the walls and arranged themselves in familiar position.

"Goodnight, Professor," she said, and headed off to the Slytherin dormitories. The more she learned about her father's relationship with Harry Potter, the more she didn't know.