The Necromancer Amulet

Author's Notes: Thanks to both Elysia Snape and DarkLadyofSlytherin for encouragements and excellent beta-reading!

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Chapter Ten - The Duelling Class

The next morning, a house-elf brought Secessa news of an emergency staff gathering before breakfast. As she entered the staff room, she saw that most teachers were already there, looking worried and muttering to each other. It was still dark outside, and a few flickering lights spread a soft glow through the panelled room. Snape stood there also, silent and brooding as usual, and she tried her best not to look at him.

When the Headmaster entered, the teachers silenced immediately. He seemed more tired and weary than usual, and his light eyes were solemn, lacking their usual twinkle.

"I believe you are all aware of the present rift in the wizarding world," he said quietly. "And sadly, it is deepening. Last night, I received news that Lord Voldemort - "

Several teachers gasped, and Dumbledore nodded gravely before continuing.

"- has overpowered the wizard guards at Azkaban Prison. All Death Eaters imprisoned there have been released, and follow his bidding once more."

The Muggle Studies witch, Alicia Winkle, put a hand over her mouth in shock. Several others also looked very worried, but there was a fraction of teachers, including Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape, that looked calm and determined.

"This means, of course, that his chances of establishing a new rule have been greatly increased. Already, the giants and the Dementors follow him, and I am afraid he will have no qualms about using them ruthlessly to achieve his goals."

"When Voldemort -"

Again, the Headmaster was briefly interrupted by a number of gasps, and Secessa frowned, annoyed at the cowardice displayed by her colleagues. Professor McGonagall's lips thinned slightly in agreement.

"- feels strong enough, I have no doubts that he will strike out - and his main targets are likely to be, I am sad to say, the Ministry of Magic and Hogwarts," Dumbledore continued calmly. "During the last war, as some of you might remember, Hogwarts was the last stronghold. He is well aware of this, and will try to prevent it from happening again. Our school is now under threat, perhaps a greater threat than ever before, and I will understand if some of you wish to leave us."

Secessa looked curiously around the room, to see if anyone would accept the offer. There was a long silence.

Finally, the Ancient Runes teacher, Professor Futharkh, a gangly but stern, white-haired man with a proud nose, spoke.

"We have never deserted you before, Headmaster," he said in a steely voice, "and hence I don't believe anyone will do so today." He looked around the room as if daring anyone to say anything different. Several teachers nodded.

"Well," Dumbledore said, "then there is the issue of the castle defence. The heads of houses will be responsible for the safety of their own students, of course. But I would be grateful if there were some teachers who would consider assisting me with the immediate defence of the castle grounds as well."

Secessa raised her hand, as did Hagrid. The others looked down at the floor, except the heads of houses who stood their ground firmly with determined faces. Professor Sinistra, the Astronomy teacher, had a look around and then defiantly raised her hand as well. Dumbledore nodded.

"Thank you. I will also arrange for outside help, so that we will not be overpowered if something does happen. As for the rest of you, I will expect you to divide yourselves between the houses and give your support to the Heads. Are there any questions?"

No one spoke.

"Good. I will also ask all of you to keep an eye out for Mr Potter, and see to that he does not wander off on his own."

Snape issued a soft 'humph'. Secessa looked at him from the corner of her eye, feeling a bit embarrassed about following him the previous night. He seemed to flick a glance at her just then and she hastily looked down. Just like an ashamed schoolgirl would - this is unbearable!

Dumbledore smiled, but his eyes were grave.

"I will not retain you from your breakfast any longer! If anyone would like to speak to me today, I will be in my office as usual. Thank you."

With that, the teachers dispersed and left the room muttering to each other, most walking down the corridor towards the Main Hall. Secessa was about to follow them when Dumbledore walked up to her.

"Secessa, a word if you please."

"Certainly, Headmaster."

They waited for the other teachers to leave. As Snape was about to exit, Dumbledore turned to him.

"Please stay, Severus."

The Potions master nodded in response, silently closed the door, and strode up to them. Secessa frowned, her insides tensing, but she tried to look as innocent and unconcerned as she could.

"Secessa, I am concerned for our students' safety," said the Headmaster gravely, "and I would like them to be trained even harder in the arts of defence."

She sighed inwardly with relief. For a moment, she had thought she would be reprimanded for skulking about in the dungeons.

"Yes, Headmaster. Am I to extend the time of my lessons?"

"Unfortunately, it is hard to change scheduled timetables, and I do not wish for other subjects to be neglected either. Instead, I would like you to give evening lessons in duelling practice. Severus has kindly agreed to assist you, as he has excellent experience in the field."

Secessa glanced at Severus Snape, whose expression was unreadable, and then she looked back at Dumbledore, wide-eyed. It was possibly the worst idea she had ever heard of! How on earth were they supposed to be able to co-operate?

"For all students?" she managed to ask. Dumbledore shook his head decisively.

"Fifth-years and upwards. We cannot tax the youngest ones too hard. Choose from the students the ones you think will be most able. Remember that this has to be a voluntary class. Now, if Severus and you would agree on a time..."

The three of them agreed on Wednesdays every second week (not to disrupt quidditch practice too much), which meant that there would be only one class before Christmas. Then Dumbledore swept them both off to breakfast, leaving them with little time to plan the event.

Secessa could not make herself speak to Snape during breakfast - she felt embarrassed whenever she looked at him and hated herself for it. However, since he did not approach her about the duelling practice either, she decided to plan it herself; he was only assisting, after all.

*

The students were tense that week due to the news of the prison outbreak, except for a gang of Slytherins who seemed to view the event with glee. Copies of the Daily Prophet were read and re-read constantly, and the students stayed inside their common rooms, escaping the depressing downpour of rain that had cleansed the grounds of snow in a matter of hours. Several of Secessa's pupils approached her after she had announced the duelling practice, in what seemed to be an effort to quench their restlessness. Of course, her NEWT students were automatically qualified, but there was also a group of fifth-years that she put down on her list. After doing this, she sent it to Snape to be looked over, and received it back with a few additions of Slytherin names. She shrugged at that - it was his responsibility after all.

Wednesday the last week of term had been set as the date for the event, and when the evening approached, Secessa began to feel slightly nervous. A demonstration of a proper duel would have to take place, of course, so she would have to fight Snape whom she guessed was a worthy opponent.

As she was still early entering the large classroom set aside for their use, she started re-organising the desks with her wand so that they piled up by the walls. When she had conjured up several pieces of a platform and begun to fit them together, the door opened and Snape entered clad in a strict, black duelling-frock pinned up to the neck. She had one glance at him and then continued her work, satisfied that she, too, had changed from her teacher's robes, and was wearing a solemn dress more fit for duelling.

"I thought we might start with a demonstration of a duel tonight", she said to him casually while putting together the pieces of the soon-to-be-duelling-platform, "and I wish for you to attack me so that I can show how a defensive battle might be fought."

"I assure you I will be gentle." She could not see his face, but his quiet words carried a hint of mockery. Pausing her work to look back at him, she saw that beneath his solemn composure, his eyes glittered amusedly; perhaps he was thinking about how easily he had apprehended her in the dungeons. Her cheeks reddened.

"Well, actually, I want you to attack me as hard as you can," she said tartly. "I want to give an example to the students of what they may be fighting, if there is an attack on this castle."

Snape raised an eyebrow, and when he spoke, his voice was cold. "If there is an attack I sincerely hope that we will be defending them. I was under the impression that the students should learn how to save their own skins, not how to get themselves killed by attacking Death Eaters."

"Not knowing what they might be up against might be even more dangerous for them," she answered him forcefully. "The demonstration must be real."

He strode up close to her, a little angry-looking now. "I am not quite sure where you got this idea from, but you must discard it at once. You neglect the safety of the students in your efforts to show off. I will not allow it!"

She stared back at him, thankful for the anger that rid her mind of nervousness. "This is my class, and I will run it as I see fit," she snapped. "I assure you that I am fully capable of defending myself. Or is it perhaps so that you are afraid of what I might throw back at you, if my arms are not tied back?"

He snorted. For a few seconds they were glaring at each other, eyes blazing. Then he stood back a little, smiling nastily.

"Very well, you shall have your little performance," he said smoothly. "And you will of course take personal responsibility for all damage caused? Be assured, I will see to that the Headmaster hears about this."

"Fine," she said curtly. Bloody Headmaster's pet.

At that moment, the students started pouring in. Secessa continued putting together the last pieces of the platform, and Snape, to his credit and her immense surprise, helped her grumpily.

When the last student had entered, Secessa stood up on the platform. She cleared her throat, and the students became silent immediately. The Potions Professor gave them his usual murderous look while she spoke.

"Welcome to the duelling class! Tonight we will explore the advanced techniques of duelling so that in times of danger, you shall be able to defend yourselves."

Several of the students, many of them sixth-years, looked tense. Some of the girls giggled nervously and Secessa silenced them with a look.

"In times of extreme danger, however, there is sense in running away after having slowed your target down with an appropriate spell. There is much to be won by cunning."

She glanced at the Snape. He did not look mollified at all. She decided to ignore him, scolding herself for trying to appease him when he clearly did not deserve it.

"When you stand against an enemy that you cannot defeat of escape, however, good reflexes in defence are imperative," she continued. "Tonight we shall practice those reflexes in an attack-and-defence type duelling form where one party attacks and one party defends him- or herself. Professor Snape and I will demonstrate this technique to you."

And with that, they entered their positions on the platform, wands out. Severus Snape stood tall and dark at the opposite end, his glinting eyes fixed on hers. Secessa looked out at the students.

"I will ask for a volunteer to yell 'time' after three minutes. Is there such a volunteer?"

Miss Granger raised her hand.

"Thank you, Miss Granger."

Secessa conjured up a graded hourglass and levitated it to Miss Granger. The room was ominously silent as Secessa locked eyes with her opponent again, and she smiled, without meaning an inch of it. With a curl of his lip, he gave her the slightest unpleasant smile back.

"Then we begin", she muttered.

They bowed to each other curtly, never severing eye contact. Then they raised their wands, and she waited.

Snape suddenly swung his wand and shouted, "Expelliarmus!" Immediately, she jerked her own wand and answered, "Protego!" The scarlet jet of light was reversed a few feet from her chest and flung back at the Potions master, who barely had time to step aside. He raised an eyebrow as the jet crashed into the wall behind him. Then he put his wand back into position determinedly.

"Stupefy!" he yelled with another precise wand-flourish, and she hardly had time to mutter, "Corpus Impervio" before the spell hit a shining shell that just had time to envelope her body, and he immediately sent a hurling hex her way. She splurted out the deflection just in time at the same time as he yelled, "Impedimenta!" She was lucky that her corpus impervio spell was still holding as the light hit home, her body shield faded with the force of it, and she staggered.

Well then, she thought as she got back into position, time to get the pace up. She waved her wand and muttered, "Obscura." The air around her grew hazy and she moved a step to the side. Snape's next spell missed her by two inches and hit the mist that was cast to confuse his aim, and he angrily flew two curses and a lightning jet straight at her, which she countered equally fast with two counter-curses and an air-shield.

She was moving around now, like in a dance, the air still veiling her, her eyes fixed on her opponent. Snape's eyes blazed as he threw jets of fire, hexes and curses (some very peculiar that she had to just evade) at her, and she answered equally fast with counter-spells and spells of protection, that burst into his scarlet jets with flashes of silver. The room was drenched in the sounds of blasts crashing into the walls and the 'crackle' and 'gong' sound of spells colliding. Snape had just managed to de-obscure her and conjure up an evil-looking giant tarantula in quick succession when Miss Granger stammered "T...time".

The silence was deafening as the smoke began to clear. Secessa pointed her wand at the spider scuttling towards her, but before she had time to get rid of it, a small string of green light erupted from her wand and hit the tarantula, which stopped its movement and grew completely still. Not understanding what had happened, she stared at it. Her hand was very cold.

Suddenly the spider disappeared in a wisp of scarlet smoke, and looking up, she saw Snape stride closer, putting his wand away in a side pocket. He scrutinised her with narrowing eyes for a moment, and then he placed himself next to her, facing the class. She stared at him for a few seconds and then turned to focus on the students. They were very pale, and she felt a bit ill as well. What the hell happened to that spider? How could I have controlled it without casting any spells? She tried to breathe normally as she addressed the class.

"Now I would like you all to divide into pairs, and practice this technique. You will take turns to be the defensive or offensive party. The offensive party may only use the Expelliarmus, Impedimenta and Rictusempra spells, for now. Two pairs at a time will duel for two times two minutes, and Professor Snape and I will oversee those pairs. The rest of you will watch." Waving her wand, she conjured up rows of black, squashy cushions along the platform sides. "Can I have four starting volunteers?"

The pairs were formed and the practice started. The sixth-years did very well, but some of the fifth-years and seventh-years were worse off, and Snape smiled wickedly at her despair at some of them, seemingly enjoying issuing snide comments and very little help to those that came his way. She was thankful when the lesson ended, as her angry temper at his abysmal teaching was beginning to show.

"Remember," she told the class strictly, before they scrambled up from the floor to leave, "you are not allowed to practice duelling without supervision. The next duelling session will be set after the Christmas period, so the date will be announced later. It is late, so you should all go straight to your dormitories."

She sighed deeply with relief as the students poured out of the classroom. Without even looking at Snape, who was standing a few feet away from her, she started piling up the parts of the platform and re-arranging the classroom furniture, fuming inwardly as she ordered the chairs and desks to swirl about in a rather too hectic fashion. He stood quiet for a while, and then he helped her. When they were almost finished, he turned to her, looking savagely victorious.

"Perhaps next time you will consult me in the practices appropriate for students with no experience of duelling," he said softly.

She levitated the last piece of platform towards the big pile in the corner with forced calm, not letting him get the pleasure of seeing her anger. She found it hard to keep her wand still.

"They have the knowledge, all they need is some work on their reflexes," she said as lightly as she could as the platform piece dropped down with a soft 'clunk'.

He gave her a superior smile.

"We'll see. I will be fully content to watch another lesson, as I find the scenario quite amusing. But I suggest that you drop some of your weaker students. That would waste less of our time."

She glared at him furiously, and then something caught her eye and she bent down to pick up a wand from the floor; it seemed to have fallen underneath the platform during the lesson. Snape walked up to her, had a look at it, and snorted.

"Longbottoms, no doubt." She could clearly hear the contempt in the smooth words.

Secessa nodded curtly and put it amongst her teaching scrolls. "I will hand it to Minerva tomorrow," she snapped irritably. "I think she teaches sixth year transfiguration on Thursdays." She tried to calm herself, but her rage was building relentlessly.

"Actually, I am quite surprised that boy manages to flick a wand at all," he said matter-of-factly. "You would do him a great service if you dropped him from your class."

That did it for Secessa. In the blink of an eye her wand was out and her scrolls had fallen to the floor. Snape quickly drew out his own, his eyes flickering apprehensively. "Don't you ever assume to tell me how to handle my students, " she said through gritted teeth. "Is it not enough that you interfere with their learning? Do you think I didn't see how you overlooked that tripping hex that Malfoy cast on Granger? Or how you failed to stop Miss Parkinson from cursing Mr Weasley? My patience with you is growing very short indeed! Do you think I will not retaliate? You forget where I come from, Severus Snape."

"I assure you," he said with well-balanced words, his eyes darting between her eyes and her wand. "That is something I would never forget." Somehow he made it sound like a threat.

"If you ever interfere with any of my classes again..." she began sinisterly, aiming her wand between his eyes, but at the same moment, the door was thrust ajar and Neville Longbottom ran two steps into the room and then stopped dead.

They both looked at him for a few seconds, instinctively lowering their wands with haste, and then Snape turned towards him slowly, crossing his arms.

"What are you doing here?" he asked the boy in a dangerously quiet voice.

Longbottom took a step backwards, frightened.

"I...left my wand..." he stammered.

"And what especially worthless part of your minute brain decided that coming down here to get it was a good idea?" Snape continued, his black eyes flashing. "Weren't you told, just now, to go straight to your dormitory?"

The boy looked pleadingly to Secessa for help, but the look on her face could not have been very comforting, for he took another step backwards, white-faced, his back touching the door.

"We are going to go see Professor McGonagall," Snape snapped. "Now!"

"His wand, please!" he said, as he turned to Secessa and she gave it to him, incensed.

Then he swirled out of the room with Longbottom in tow, and she was left standing facing the door, shaking slightly. It had been a while since she had threatened a fellow teacher, and she was sure it would lead to no good. It never, ever did.

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Author notes: Why stop here, when you can read more? Thanks for reading and please review!