The Fifth Year

CHAPTER II: RETURN OF THE TON TONGUE TOFFEE

Friday mornings were spent in the library doing preparatory work for the OWL exams; but most found it a most relaxing time to socialize between the houses.

"It’s a brilliant plan," remarked Ron.

"Shhh…" Hermione tried to concentrate at a table nearby. Scoring well on the OWL exams was very important to her, more so than her duties as a prefect.

"Here." Harry pulled out a small parcel from his pocket revealing the toffees.

"Ohhh, thanks." Neville helped himself to one, but Harry quickly slapped his hand.

"No, these aren’t for you."

"Oh, those are the Ton Tongue Toffees."

"Neville, you must remember not to eat them." Draco Malfoy and his sidekicks, Crabbe and Goyle, entered the library. Harry and Ron began snickering.

"Shhhh! Some people are trying to work here!" Hermione exclaimed.

"I just hope I can do this," Neville whispered.

"You don’t have to do anything but sit there…really."

"Will I get in trouble?"

"No way."

"Not at all. Since Malfoy’s got a bad habit of taking what doesn’t belong to him…he’ll be the last person to place blame!" Ron opened the parcel and spilled the wrapped toffees onto the tabletop.

"Ok, here he comes."

"See you, Neville." Ron and Harry took their piles of books and disappeared behind some tall book shelves.

"Lookie, lookie what Neville has here!" Malfoy and his goons moved in closer.

"A parcel from you Gran? Why don’t you share?" Crabbe grabbed at the toffee.

"No, don’t touch them!" Neville played at trying to protect his sweets.

"It will ruin your dinner and you wouldn’t want to do that, would you?" Malfoy sneered.

"Go scratch!" Neville snapped as he tried to hard his toffees from the greedy eyes of the three. Ron and Harry peered at goings-on from behind a stack of books.

"What are you two up to?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing," Ron beamed.

"I know you’re lying."

"Shhh…quiet," Harry whispered…he grabbed Ron and pointed at Malfoy seizing a handful of the toffees.

"You guys are going to get into a lot of trouble."

"Say’s who?" Ron retorted. Crabbe, Goyle and Malfoy chomped greedily on the delectables. Neville nervously, pushed his seat from the table, grabbed his things and left the library. "See ya."

Seconds later…"What the…" Crabbe exclaimed. Before he could say another word his tongue grew to an enormous size before their eyes.

"I see Fred and George have been busy at work all summer…I’m going to get Professor McGonagall," Hermione stated. Ron grabbed her arm.

"Why would you do that?"

"It’s my job as Prefect."

"It’s your job as prefect," Ron mimicked her. "Ever since you got that dratted job, you’ve been so uptight…what’s wrong with you? Where’s your sense of humor? What ever happened to the Hermione we knew and loved?" Hermione ripped away from Ron and disappeared. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry who was rolling on the floor laughing at the sight of Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle who looked so helpless as the other students enjoyed the spectacle as well.

"What’s her problem?" Ron muttered.

Harry shrugged.

"We’d better get out of here." Harry and Ron snuck unnoticed out of the library into the corridor. The laughter echoed in the hallway. Harry stared at another notice for "Visiting Day."

"Are your parent coming?"

"I believe they are. I think Bill is too. You know, I think there’s something major set to happen, non-Hogwarts related, on that weekend."

"What do you mean?"

"Dad said something about ministry people being concerned with ‘Visiting Day’. Cornelius Fudge spreading some rumors most likely to discredit Dumbledore."

"Order of the Phoenix?" A wide-eyed Harry turned towards Ron. "Shhh...did you hear something?"

"What?" Harry noticed that the laughter from the library was no longer. "It’s too quiet."

"Ahem." Professor McGonagall with her wand in hand stood at the entrance to the library. They both wondered how the professor managed to slip past them without them knowing.

"You, boys and your shenanigans…detention for both of you and ten points from Gryffindor…you will go to your rooms where you will be having dinner. Misters Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle are not pleased with your antics, nor am I frankly."

"What did we do?" Ron asked.

"Don’t try my patience," Professor McGonagall answered as Hermione appeared at her side. Hermione, will you please help untangle Mr. Crabbe from Mr. Malfoy. Mr. Goyle, please get away from Miss Patil."

Hermione and the Professor stepped back into the library.

 

OWL POST

Later that evening, Hedwig, Harry’s owl which was a gift from Hagrid five years ago, dropped a letter in Harry’s hands before settling in the corner of the room. Pigwidgeon, Ron’s hyperactive owl, quickly followed her entrance. Pig, as Ron liked to call her, fluttered into the window and buzzed about Harry’s head. "It must be a letter from Sirius."

After a few minutes of his attempts to grab hold of Pig, Ron quickly took control of the situation and grabbed the owl as Harry untied the letters. Pig flew to a perch aside Hedwig who let out a hoot of disapproval.

There were two letters. The first was from Fleur Delacour, a graduate from Beauxbatons Academy whom Harry had competed against at last year’s Triwizard Tournament. She now worked for the Ministry.

 

MON CHER, ‘ARRY,

WILL BE SEEING YOU SOON AT ‘OGWARTS. ‘OPE YOU ARE WELL.

FLEUR

"Fleur’s coming to Hogwarts?" Harry told Ron.

"For visiting weekend?"

"I’m not sure." Harry opened his next letter that had to be from Sirius.

HARRY,

I HOPE THIS LETTER FIND YOU WELL. I’VE BEEN BUSY WITH THE GOINGS ON OF THE ORDER, BUT WILL BE AROUND FOR A VISIT SOON ENOUGH. GIVE MY BEST TO RON, HERMIONE AND PROFESSOR YARDLEY. ON SECOND THOUGHT – NOT A WORD ABOUT ME TO THE PROFESSOR. IT HAS BEEN AGES SINCE WE’VE BEEN ON GOOD TERMS – HAVING A GREAT DEAL OF UNFINISHED BUSINESS BETWEEN US. I HOPE YOU’VE BEEN FLYING WELL.

BEST,

SIRIUS

Getting back into the Quidditch matches was what Harry had been enjoying the most, since last season was postponed due to the Tournament. If he could, Harry wished that he could wipe away the horrible memories surrounding the Goblet of Fire, the loss of Cedric Diggory and the events that ensued. If he could only turn back time…but Dumbledore once said you can’t bring people back to life. Harry wondered if this could be done perhaps using the Dark Arts.

"What did he say?" Ron asked. Harry handed Ron the letter and went to give his Firebolt a polish.

"Oh, so there was something between he and Professor Yardley." Ron skimmed the letter.

"I guess."

"Unfinished business."

"Possibly."

"Well, my Dad didn’t want to talk about it, that’s for sure," Ron added. Arthur Weasley worked for the Ministry in the Misuse of Muggle Artifact Department. Harry knew him to be quite an honest and forthcoming wizard. If he didn’t want to talk about Sirius’ relationship with Professor Yardley, he must have a very good reason.

Detention was spent in the library with Madame Pince relabelling dusty and moldy old books. Harry couldn’t complain. Detention was far better that the lonely years with the Dursleys at 4 Privet Drive prior to acceptance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, before he knew about anything magical. Besides, the satisfaction of Malfoy’s expression when he was slipped the Ton Tongue Toffee was classic enough to get a giggle from Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw seeker with whom Harry had the biggest crush. Fortunately, the hours flew by considering Ron joined Harry with the tedious task.

As Ron and Harry finished up in the library around midnight, they were surprised to see an opening in the secret panel in the wall, known to Harry and Ron as the secret entrance to Headmaster Dumbledore’s office.

"It must be some secret late night meeting," Ron stated. They watched as Flitwick, Sinistra, Trelawney, Binns, Sprout, Vector, Hooch, McGonagall, Snape, Yardley and…

"Hagrid!" Harry and Ron yelled and ran forth to the gentle half-giant, Rubeus Hagrid.

"Hagrid, you’re back!"

"’Lo boys. Hope you’ve been good while I’ve been away."

"Where have you been."

"Well...I’ve…" Hagrid’s sentence was cut short, for Snape was all ears and flashed Hagrid a glance as cold as a dozen sharp knives. "Well, that’s for me to know and ye not to find out…that’s all I can say. Gots a bit of work to do tonight in preparation for the classes, but why don’t ye come by the hut later in the week and we’ll have tea and catch up? Now, ye better run along now." Harry and Ron headed back to their tower wondering what the meeting could have been about. "And don’t ye go nosin’ about makin’ them speculations, neither!"

 

MAKING AMENDS

"Hi there," Ron whispered to Harry as he spilled his bag of books upon the floor. "It looks like I have lots of reading to do. I was wondering if you could help me study perhaps before class tomorrow."

"Sorry, I can’t. I have Quidditch tomorrow morning, but why don’t you ask Hermione if you can join her study group?"

Hermione looking up from her books glared at Harry for even making the suggestion.

"Her? She and I are…well, not talking." Ron wrinkled his face. "I’m afraid she still wants nothing to do with me."

Harry remembered how things were when he and Ron were giving each other the silent treatment after Harry’s name had mysteriously turned up in the Goblet of Fire. "Why don’t you just talk to her."

"No, way. It’s better off like this. Besides, no one likes a tattletale," Ron stated loudly enough so that Hermione could overhear him. Ron opened his book and began to read.

Harry was tired of being the "go-between" since Hermione and Ron stopped being friends. It all began at the start of the term with a few careless comments from Ron about witches not being as strong as wizards. It intensified following the Ten Tongue Toffee incident, when Hermione, the prefect, got them detentions. Yet, it was Hermione who was rather unrelenting when it came to Ron infringing on any sort of rule; such as smuggling cakes from the dining hall to allowing Pig to fly freely around the common room as the fifth year Gryffindors began their OWL study group. It almost seemed a surprise that they had ever been friends.

"Just apologize to her," Harry said, "The silent treatment is just immature."

"Well, I am immature."

"She’s been a good friend to you, plus you could use her help in terms of studying for class."

"I could…" The shadow of realization fell upon Ron’s face.

"And the O.W.L.s."

"I suppose."

"And I’m sure she won’t be so hard on you if you break the rules."

"Why should I apologize! She had to be…so Little Miss Perfect all the time. It’s aggravating I tell you!" Ron was too stubborn to give into Harry’s reasoning.

On a different day Harry found himself trying to coax Hermione into apologizing to Ron. Hermione was stomping down the corridor doing her monitoring rounds. Harry kept up to her brisk pace.

"He won’t give in, will he? He’d rather I make the apology since I am ‘the girl’, which translates as being ‘I am weak’."

"He would never say those things," Harry defended him. "He likes you…a great deal." Hermione stopped in her tracks. "Really, he does…why do you think he’s acting like this? Besides, you guys have bickered all the time in the past and nothing like this has happened before has it?" Harry realized that Hermione may have misunderstood his plea; for she had it in her mind that Ron liked her more than a friend, but as a boy liking a girl, a wizard liking a witch. Harry decided to go along with it anyway. After a moment of initial shock wore off, she snapped out of her daze.

"Awww, shut it Harry." Hermione stormed off.

It was on Sunday as Harry sat between Hermione in the common room when he decided he had enough; but he had to have a plan. The three sat in the common room completing their schoolwork.

"Any word on when Fleur’s coming to Hogwarts yet?" Ron asked taking a break and plopping on the couch next to Harry.

"No news as of late."

"Why can’t girls at Hogwarts be pretty like Fleur?" Ron’s statement seemed to annoy Hermione. Harry jumped in for preventative purposes.

"Well, I remember you saying at one point that you thought Hermione was very pretty."

"I did not!" Ron jumped from his seat. "I didn’t say it! I didn’t!" Ron’s face burned a bright red as he appeared guiltier by the minute. Harry looked at Hermione who almost smiled.

"Yes, you did…when you saw Hermione with Viktor Krum at the Yule Ball!" Harry added. Hermione looked up in surprise. Viktor Krum, student at Durmstrang and champion of the Quidditch World Cup, had asked her out of all the girls to attend the ball with him; which somehow seemed to make Ron instantly dislike his onetime hero.

"I….I would never ever say that…Just look at her! She’s…She’s…" Ron couldn’t say that she was ugly, because what Harry said was true. He thought she looked magical all dressed up in the winter of last year. "She’s not Fleur." Ron tried to correct the situation, but to no avail.

"Harry, tell Ron that he’s an ugly git and no one their right mind would EVER be interested in him." Hermione’s words hit Ron like a ton of bricks. His face flushed to the deepest shade of red. Harry was uncertain if it was anger bubbling to the surface or it was merely embarrassment. Hermione closed her book, stood up and pushed Ron out of her way, which incited him all the more. Harry stepped in between them

"Look you two…cut it out! If you can’t be friends, then maybe Draco Malfoy was right…I made a mistake in choosing you over him." Harry for once doubled over in anger.

"You can’t mean that Harry," Ron said.

"He’s just mad," analyzed Hermione. She and Ron stepped closer to Harry.

"Hopping mad…maybe you should be committed to a muggle hospital for crazy people," Ron joked to Hermione who laughed in response. Harry felt himself calmer in an instant.

"Look Hermione, I’m really sorry," Ron apologized and his cheeks flushed with a different shade of red.

"Me too…I’ve been not so nice to you. Well, to the both of you. There’s been a lot on my mind." Hermione never appeared so sweet and sincere.

"Boy, do I know that. I am sorry as well," Ron added.

"So, friends again?" Hermione held out her hand and Ron’s eagerly met hers and they shook on it.

"Well, great then! How about we snicker some sweets from the kitchen?" Ron asked.

"Sounds fun! I’ve been meaning to pay a visit to Winky." Hermione gathered her things.

"What? You aren’t going to kiss and make up?" Harry asked.

"Eeeew!" "Gross!" Ron and Hermione said almost simultaneously.

"That’s the foulest idea you’ve ever come up with!" Ron scrunched up his face in disgust.

The Weasley twins came into the room nearly stumbling over each other. A look of urgency was on both their faces. Other Gryffindors entered the common room upon hearing the commotion.

"Have you seen the Daily Prophet?" Fred thrust the paper at Ron who read the headline aloud, "Muggle News: Five Hundred Graves Plots Robbed Thought to Be Related to Witchcraft!"

"What’s going to happen?" Harry asked. George shook his head with sheer concern, they had never seen him look so serious in his life. "It’s not good at all."

"The muggles may start up a witch hunt," Fred concluded.

"How bad could that be?" Ron asked remembering the tales of Wendelin the Weird enjoying being burnt at the stake.

"They don’t burn witches anymore silly. They kill them." Fred pointed out the news article.

Hermione plainly stated. "There are no real records of witches and wizards since they live in a world apart from the muggles or so says the book "Anti-Witchcraft: A Wizard’s Translation to A Muggle’s Guide to Exterminating the World of Witches and Wizards."

"Can we fight back?" Harry asked.

"How? Kill all the Muggles? You’re starting to sound like a Slytherin!" Lee Jordan jumped in on the conversation.

"That’s lunacy!" Hermione cried.

"Do you think this is somehow tied to He-Who-Must-Not…?" Ron asked Harry. The others turned to Harry for his response.

"Could be. He’d want to kill all non-wizards, right?" Harry absentmindedly rubbed the thunderbolt shaped scar on his forehead given to him by Voldemort before he murdered his parents.

"Muggles and mudblood’s too!" Seamus Finnigan added.

"We can only wait and see." Hermione appeared quite agitated, for she wondered if her name was high on Voldemort’s list.

 

THE FIRST OF OCTOBER

One would be surprised at the number and diversity of students present at the first meeting of the Dueling Club; considering the two professors running the activity had both at one time been members of Slytherin. Everyone knew that the Slytherin House was infamous for producing wizards (dark wizards at that) partial to unfair displays of advantage towards their own kind. Yet, from whispers amongst the Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and even Gryffindors such as Harry, Ron and Hermione; it was becoming common knowledge that Professor Yardley stood to exceed all expectations. The tensions between Professors’ Snape and Yardley could be seen in the Great Hall at meals, down every corridor and were blatantly apparent to every student at Hogwarts. If there wasn’t a quick round of vicious wordplay between the two, there were the seething side-glances and the underhanded remarks that seemed their only mode of communication with one another. Snape and Yardley seemed mortal enemies who were using the Dueling Club for their own means to get at each other’s throats. It was Ron who came to the conclusion that it had something to do with Snape’s sordid past as a Death Eater; but as of yet his theories could not be confirmed. Harry assured Ron that they would inundate Hagrid with all these questions some afternoon later in the week; but they were itching to know.

Professor Yardley sat quietly in thought on a short wall outlining the area, as scores of students buzzed with excitement.

"Ten galleons on Snape for an easy win," Malfoy told Goyle. He made a rather hideous face at Hermione.

"When Snape’s done with her she’ll be pleading for mercy," Malfoy continued as Millicent Bulstrode with Pansy Parkinson pushed through the crowd almost knocking Malfoy to his knees

"Stuff it, Draco," bullied Millicent. Hermione was surprised to ever find anything in common with Millicent Bulstrode of all people. She only could assume that they were merely in agreement since this was a battle of witches versus wizards.

The arrival of Professor Snape quickly hushed the mass of students eager to begin. He was surprised to see those like Colin and Dennis Creevey, Neville Longbottom, Lavender Brown, Parvati and Padma Patil, who never showed prior interest or talent in spells and so forth

"This is quite the surprise. For those who may not know it, this is the Dueling Club." In an attempt at intimidation, Snape’s eyes lingered for a few more seconds on Neville and the swarm of first year Hufflepuff girls who gave their full attention. "Since there is such a large number of you, we will be breaking into two sections in order to train…if Professor Yardley has no objections, of course." Snape glanced at Yardley who was now on her feet.

"No objections."

"Good. Now, let’s get started." Snape began to divide the crowd into two groups. It was no surprise that the students nearest to him where his Slytherin favorites. "Now, in continuation of the tradition Professor Lockhart started many years back…" There were giggles from those year five and above, for they remembered how Snape knocked Lockhart off his feet within a three second mark. Snape cleared his throat in order to quiet everyone. "Professor Yardley and I will demonstrate for you proper dueling."

Snape’s upper lip curled making him appear quite sinister. He turned to face Yardley who had already taken position with her wand drawn.

"Mind you…no playing dirty…" To the dismay of the few supporters of Snape that included Malfoy and his cohorts, Yardley seemed just as confident. Snape nodded in assent and she bowed her head in recognition.

"You may have first draw," Yardley stated.

"Ladies first," Snape argued, "Well, on second thought…" Before Snape had uttered the word "Expelliarmus", the disarming spell, Yardley cast the first spell.

"Aegirio Incendo." A protective shield of light surrounded Yardley tenths of seconds before Snape’s spell, headed in her direction. Yardley smiled in contentment as the shield absorbed his spell. Harry, Ron and Hermione amongst other students cheered for her.

"Flagro Glomero!" Snape cast a spell creating a fireball that shot like a cannon from his wand. Snape’s supporters, mostly boys in Slytherin and students looking to better their grades in potions, cheered for Snape and jeered when her shield absorbed the fireball.

"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed.

"I’ve read that those shields are not conjured by wands and are not actual fire, but through intensive mediation they can absorb a great deal…which is why she was so quiet when we first arrived," Hermione proudly stated.

"Succido!" Yardley pointed the wand at the grass that turned rather slick beneath Snape causing him to slip and fall backward to the ground. Many in the crowd began to giggle. The angrier Snape became, the more intensive were his spells.

"Wow, that’s smart," commented Ginny Weasley, the youngest of the Weasley family.

"Flagro Glomero!" Snape still on the ground waved his wand several times shooting out multiple fireballs thereby destroying her shield much to Yardley’s dismay. Just as he rose to his feet…

"Aura Multiplica!" Yardley created clones of herself, which made it difficult for Snape to distinguish which was in fact the real professor. Hermione explained that this tactic was a major defense spell that they would most likely not be learning at Hogwarts. Harry was worried that Malfoy or one of his goons would try something underhanded to Snape’s advantage, so he kept a watchful eye.

Having little patience for her tactics, Snape incanted. "Levamentarius multiplicius!" Fire blue lightening bolts burst forth nearly missing the real Yardley. Yardley’s temper began to swell.

"Flexius!" she cried as Snape’s wand began to bend. He found it difficult to point his wand at any object in particular without it wobbling like one of the Weasley twin’s fake rubber wands.

"Reptilioso!" The students gasped. Yardley quickly grew angered as the skin on her arms painfully bubbled.

"That’s cheating!" cried Ginny Weasley, who’s quiet voice was drowned out by the comments of her fellow students.

"I thought we agreed, no playing dirty," Yardley sneered, watching reptilian scales crawl up her arms forming a hard case. She was obviously turning into a reptile of some sort and had limited time left.

"Ugh, that looks painful." Cho Chang cringed as she spoke, but it was true. Yardley was in visible pain.

"Applaudius!" Yardley waved her wand at Snape who in turn began to clap his hands uncontrollably almost dropping his wand. Snape was having more difficulties casting spells, but soon Yardley wouldn’t be able to cast spells given her hands would lack opposable thumbs.

"Flago glomero!" Snape spit.

"But she doesn’t have a shield!" screamed Hermione. Yardley ducked and the fireball flew overhead.

"Flago glomero gigantico!" Yardley hissed. Appearing to float above the reptilian Yardley was a gigantic fireball suspended by some force other than her wand which now lay on the ground.

"How is she doing that?" Harry asked Hermione.

"I have no idea," Hermione answered as wide-eyed as the rest.

"Wow, really?" Ron was surprised. "Finally, something you don’t know." Hermione ignored his comment.

The fireball licked at the air waiting to be directed to its target. There is no doubt that it would have brought great amounts of harm to Snape, the landscaping of the field and immediate danger to the students. So, it was especially good timing when Professor McGonagall who had herself witnessed most of the events rushed out of the castle and exclaimed "Professor Yardley! Professor Snape! What is going on here? Finite Incantatem!" And suddenly, everything was back to normal with the exception of some burnt out patches of grass and the twinkling eyes of the students. Yardley and Snape were seething with pent-up fury, not to mention exhaustion. They did not dare to even glance at each other. "Students, that is all there is of the Dueling Club for today. You will go back to your respective houses immediately. I do not wish to hear one word from the lot of you or you will receive a detention." The students quickly complied, holding their insides until they could get out of McGonagall’s vantagepoint in order to discuss the battle between Snape and Yardley.

"Who would you say won?" asked Ron as they climbed the stairs to their tower.

"I’d say Yardley," Hermione answered.

"Of course you would," answered Ron, "But of course you would be absolutely correct!" Ron didn’t want to start an argument with her. Harry snickered before adding, "Clearly, Professor Yardley."

"They were certainly out to do each other in," Lavender Brown added.

"I wonder what would have happened if Professor McGonagall hadn’t stepped in?" Dean Thomas asked.

"Well, fortunately for them, she had." Hermione approached the painting of the Fat Lady. "Pontificate." The painting flung open and the house members stepped inside.

"I wonder what’s going to happen to Yardley and Snape?" Harry asked.

"Detentions," Ron joked.

At dinner the Great Hall was a bit more quiet that usual, for all the students waited to see the consequences which would befall the two professors, who at Dumbledore’s insistence now sat side-by-side at the Head Table with their eyes downcast and an air of seriousness about them. The students whispered about the events, but kept their volume down for they feared as the rumors blew out of proportion the Dueling Club would cease to exist. Through the first two courses the echo of dropped silverware was the only noises of note, but preceding dessert…

"I have an announcement to make," Dumbledore rose from his seat. His face cast a look so grim as if death had once again come to Hogwarts. "There are rumors…that Hogwarts is in the greatest of danger in the months to come. These rumors are coming from both the wizarding and non-wizarding communities. I have spoken with Beauxbatons and Durmstrang who have already implemented emergency procedures to close their schools!" At once hundreds of voices collided as the hall fell into uproar. Students spoke nervously about their families and turned to each other with something they had never known before – Fear.

"Ominous," Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, floated past Harry and Ron. His face looked dim. "I’m afraid there is something quite ominous afoot, my young friends." And with that the house ghost left the Great Hall and disappeared from sight.

Dumbledore’s face eased as he tried to lighten the atmosphere. "Please, please…not to worry…we do not plan to close down Hogwarts anytime soon, but we wish to implement further security measures just in case. Your parents have been notified of the procedure. All is well…Now, let’s to the custard tarts!"

Professor McGonagall tapped Professor Dumbledore on the shoulder. At once he suddenly remembered something he had forgotten. He stood once again, "Ah, yes, one more thing…" The Great Hall quieted once again. "I would like to add…the first meeting of this year’s Dueling Club was in Professor McGonagall’s words ‘Near catastrophic’." Minerva McGonagall nodded in assent, her lips pressed tightly together as she glanced around the room as to quell any smirks or whispered comments. At this point Yardley and Snape were staring at Dumbledore, trying to ascertain what punishments awaited them. "I, having not been present to witness the event," Dumbledore chuckled, "Though I’ve heard it was quite a show, can assure you that Hogwarts does not at any time condone such actions as that of Professor Yardley and Professor Snape…That the professors were merely demonstrating the power and the dangers of witchcraft and wizardry that, of course, none of you are to ever inflict upon one another. So, let us give applause to Professor Yardley and Professor Snape for opening out eyes to this fact. The Dueling Club will continue according to schedule." Dumbledore took two saucer sized custard tarts and passed the plate to Professor McGonagall, who was in as much shock as Snape and Yardley as well as the rest of the students. Her face eased upon realizing that Dumbledore’s decision was for the best, for there were dark days ahead. The Great Hall exploded in applause and cheers as Dumbledore urged the two stunned professors to stand and take a bow.