Fencing: The Link Between Hate and Love

Prologue

Hogwarts offered the best education possible in the magical world and took pride in that. Since dark times were what they lived in and the Dark Lord was out there, the Order had been working on secret tasks.

Dumbledore was a bit calmer with the situation than he had been before, but not too calm. He believed that the future of the magic community was truly in the hands of the youth and wanted to protect them any way he could. He believed that students shouldn't rely solely on their magical skills and powers because they could also get into a situation where their magic would not work, where they wouldn't be able to use it, or where it simply wouldn't be enough. What would they do then? They would be helpless. He believed his students should learn other fighting skills besides magic.

This worried Dumbledore as he sat on his large oak chair in his office. What fighting skills could he teach his students? Skills that would help them sharpen their dueling skills and give them a new way to fight back? He slowly rose and went to one of the many shelves in his large office. His hands grabbed the pensive and carried it to his desk. Sitting on his chair once more, he stretched his head out and looked into the pensive. After sorting through his many, many memories, he came upon one that he thought might be the answer to his question.

Two men were fencing on the roof of a building. One was tall with slick, unruly, coal black hair. The other was a rather thin young man by the name of Sirius Black. Black and the other man, one that went by the name of James Potter, were fencing with the instruction of Albus Dumbledore on the side. The memory faded and Dumbledore was back in his workplace. He knew what to do now.

Chapter One

Hermione descended the stairs to the Gryffindor common room and sat on the couch. She looked around and found no one there, except herself. It was pretty early after all, so she assumed that everyone was still asleep and would wake up in half an hour or so. With that in mind, she decided to go to the Great Hall for some breakfast and maybe stop by the library sometime later.

Contrary to her earlier assumption, the Great Hall was buzzing with students chattering excitedly. She looked around to find that all four tables were engaged in some sort of conversation. She went to the Gryffindor table and sat next to Ginny.

"Hey Ginny!" she greeted her friend.

Ginny jumped while swallowing her porridge. She turned around to see that it was Hermione who had startled her.

"Oh, hey Hermione. You startled me."

"I'm sorry Ginny, I didn't mean to. No one in the common room was awake, so I decided to come down and get some breakfast. What is everyone talking about anyway? I have never seen the Great Hall this noisy."

Ginny looked at Hermione as if the girl had grown an extra head.

"You have got to be kidding. Haven't you read all the notices posted everywhere?"

"See what?" Harry asked Ginny as he sat next to Hermione.

"Yeah, what is everyone chatting about?" Ron asked as well while he sat next to his sister.

"Where have you all been, in a cave perhaps?

A new class has been added to the curriculum. Fencing."

Ron who was piling enough food for two people on his plate turned around immediately.

"Fencing? What is that?"

"It's a Muggle sport. It looks like a wizard's duel but it has no wands and no magic. It involves two people fighting against one another using a foil or some type of sword depending on the type of fencing we will learn as there are three kinds. It is just like dueling but with a Muggle weapon. It can really kill you if you don't know how to use it," Harry answered while piling food on his plate.

"Wow Harry! How do you know all this?" Hermione asked, amazed.

"My cousin had a friend that took fencing and I saw him try to teach my cousin but it never worked because my cousin is too fat and not fast enough," Harry answered, shrugging.

"Well, I guess I'll like the class then. It doesn't involve a book and it sounds like a wizard's duel. What could be better?" Ron commented happily.

"Oh, don't get too excited just yet. You will like the class even more after you find out who teaches it," Ginny said sarcastically. She had stopped eating and had turned to look at Ron.

"Who?" Ron asked rather too quickly.

"Snape. He will be teaching it."

"Snape? What does he know about Fencing? This will be horrible! He will make the whole experience a living hell. It's not enough we have him for Potions, now we have to have him for something else too?" Ron's mood had changed dramatically.

"Oh, cheer up Ron. Snape will be teaching the class with Lupin, as the class needs two teachers for demonstrations. It isn't all bad now is it?" Seamus said as he joined the table.

"But don't cheer up yet. It gets better," Ginny continued with the same sarcastic voice. "We have to share the class with the Slytherins-"

"What?!" Everyone chimed at the same time.

"-for the whole year. Hufflepuffs will have class with the Ravenclaws," Ginny finished.

"Who cares!" Hermione intervened. Everyone was surprised to hear her talk. She never really cared about classes that didn't involve reading books. "We can just team up with each other. We don't have to team up with the Slytherins."

"I hope you are right, Hermione. I really hope you are." Ron sighed.

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Hermione, Harry, and Ron entered the classroom which was where they were supposed to report for their Fencing class. They couldn't wait to see how their first class would turn out. They took their seats at the back of the room, as far from Snape as possible, and had started talking when the Potion's Master entered the room followed by Professor Lupin.

"Sit down and be quiet. This is your first Fencing lesson. You will not be actually fencing today. Professor Lupin and I will teach you the History of Fencing first. We wouldn't want you weaklings to accordantly stab yourselves to death, now would we? Also, partners will be chosen today. You shall practice with your partners all the time that practice will be involved. Now, Professor Lupin will continue this as I look at the name lists." Snape finished and went to his desk. He took a stack of papers out of a drawer and began scribbling something.

"Fencing Class will take place every day for one hour," Lupin continued. "There will be after school practice for an hour as well; either Professor Snape or me will be there to supervise you. Also, a journal entry shall be kept of all after school practices every day. It will be checked at the end of every semester and it will be a major part of your grade in this class. We will begin with foot work. A test will be given to you to see if you have mastered the foot work required in fencing. Once the test has been passed, you will be able to start practicing with a weapon."

As Professor Lupin finished, Snape came up to the front of the class once more. He looked at Lupin as if it killed him every second he was in the same room with him. He hated Lupin and now he had to work with him. Trust Dumbledore to do something like this to him.

"

"This is horrible," Hermione said, turning to Harry and Ron, knowing that her name wouldn't be called until much later.

"He is assigning us partners. Who knows whom we will end up with? I really thought it would be ok, but now I am not so sure," Ron added.

"...Weasley and Goyle..."

Ron looked startled as he heard his name being called. He looked at Hermione and Harry and they shrugged. Irritated, he got up and went to sit next to Goyle.

"...Potter and Crabbe..." Snape continued.

Harry got up, gave Hermione the 'everything-will-be-fine' look and walked to the other end of the room where Crabbe was sitting.

If the Gryffindors were not happy with this situation, the Slytherins were practically chiming smoke through their heads. They usually liked Snape. He was their favorite teacher as he always favoured them. Now, they were positively furious and the idea of keeping their mouth shut for the sake of their house points was not helping.

"...and lastly, Granger and Malfoy. Everyone get acquainted with your partners. Take out your notebooks and copy what will be on the board."

"What!" Hermione couldn't help but exclaim rather loudly. She had tried not to complain, but this was beyond limits. Malfoy?

"Did you say something Ms. Granger?" Snape asked, fully aware that she had said something. Oh, he was going to enjoy taking points from Gryffindor right about...

"No, nothing professor," Hermione answered, knowing that house points were at stake. She still couldn't believe it. Malfoy. The bastard called her Mudblood and insulted and humiliated her in any way possible every time he saw her and now she had to work with him for a whole year, not to mention after school practice.

On the other side of the room, Malfoy was outraged as well. He would have to work with a filthy Mudblood for a whole year. What was professor Snape thinking?

Hermione got up and went to sit next to Malfoy, who now had a horrible grin in his face. God, this was going to be a long year.