Duelling

Months passed by quickly as Edward kicked back and relaxed throughout. During this time, there had been a lot of talk about the Chamber of Secrets.

***

"Sir, what is the Chamber of Secrets?" Hermione inquired.

The whole room fell deadly silent. Nobody could forget the terrifying message written on the wall and the miserable feline strung unnaturally stiff next to it.

"Miss Granger, I can assure you the Chamber of Secrets is nothing more than a rumour," Professor Binns tried to silence her. "Now does anyone else have a qu-"

"But all rumours are based on some element of fact, surely?"

This resonated with the fearful students, who all turned to look to Binns with wide, expecting eyes.

Binns pondered for a short moment which felt like an agonizing eternity for the anxious class.

"Well as you all know..."

Binns explained it just as he had in the books with just a tiny detail at the end.

"Reportedly, he also created the chamber out of fear for Saint Edward, who's stepson Merlin, as we all know, was a Muggleborn. He thought that the creature inside could defend Hogwarts and himself against the Saint's wrath."

Uncomfortable shuffling was all that could be heard in the classroom.

"It's all nonsense anyway! Class dismissed!"

***

Anyway, one of Edward's proudest and most convenient inventions during this time was a shape shifting object with minor sentience.

The object could change into anything he thought of and would do as he commanded with his mind; it wasn't very powerful, but it was convenient when he needed to finish and assignment or forgot his keys.

Yes. Those exciting things were what he used it for.

Originally, he had got the idea for the object when studying Metamorphmagi and wondered if an object could have the same ability. He'd also taken a bit of inspiration from Rita Skeeter's pen that wrote for her.

Currently, he was thinking of ways to improve it when Ron burst into the room.

"Hey Edward! D'ya know Lockhart's creating a duelling club?" Ron exclaimed excitedly.

Edward just shrugged his shoulders.

"C'mon, everybody knows you're the strongest in the year. Maybe we'll even get the chance to get payback on Malfoy for what he said to Hermione."

After much pleading from Ron, Edward agreed to go. He was planning on going anyway, but he liked acting as the cold and aloof type.

Yes, he was a massive chuuni.

***

"Gather round! Gather round!" Lockhart shouted as he stepped onto the podium.

"In light of the dark events of recent weeks, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little duelling club..."

Lockhart spoke for a bit, until he eventually brought out Snape, who looked just as venomous as ever, although now he had a devilish glint in his eye as he glared at his prey - Lockhart.

The duel between the two came to its obvious conclusion - with Lockhart sent flying and Snape with a satisfied grin.

After that, a couple of duels happened until it was finally Edward's turn.

Hands behind his head, relaxed, Edward ambled toward the podium and faced his opponent.

They were a black-haired Slytherin with cold, arrogant eyes, a crooked nose and a permanent sneering expression. He was in his fourth year.

"I advise you to forfeit before you get hurt. I don't care what household you're from."

Edward just smiled, like he was speaking to a child... because he was.

This only served to infuriate the fourth year, as he snorted and turned his back, taking his duelling position.

Lockhart began his countdown as they faced eachother.

"3..."

Conceited, the boy turned his nose up at the second year in front of him, and clutching his wand in anticipation.

"2..."

Meanwhile, Edward stood there with no sense of urgency, looking at his surroundings.

"1..."

"Ex-"

Before the boy could even finish his casting, a ray of red sent him soaring out of a window.

Shocked, everyone rushed to the window, only to see a boy hanging by his robe off of a gargoyle.

"I want my Mum..." he whined.

Silent, the whole room turned towards Edward, who was scratching the back of his head awkwardly.

"Did I win?"

Well, he had used a disarming spell; just...it did a little more than disarm.

Once the boy had been rescued from his precarious position, the duels continued, soon reaching Harry and Draco's.

The duel progressed as usual. Draco was a little rat and attacked early, Harry retaliated - who would've guessed - Draco sent out a snake.

Harry spoke to the snake in Parseltongue, trying to convince it to leave Justin alone, unknown to everybody else, Justin included.

Snape was about to burn the snake when Edward stepped in.

He spoke in Parseltongue like Harry, but his was much more commanding and an almost tangible force emanated from his every hiss, constraining the snake to submit.

After Edward talking to it, the snake seemed to become completely docile as it slithered up Edward's arm and rested over his shoulder.

While this was happening, the rest of the class watched, their jaws dropped. There was not only one Parselmouth but two!

"Hey Alfred, come over here!"

A boy, normally energetic, timidly followed Edward's command.

When he stood in front of Edward, he felt his head being touched and a strange feeling of weightlessness but, at the same time, strength, flowed through his body.

This was Edward cleansing his bloodline. It seemed after a couple of generations refusing to use it (probably because of superstition), the Parseltongue, and language ability as a whole, had been blocked.

"Now try to speak to the snake."

Looking at him as if he was crazy, Alfred turned to the madman.

"W-what why would I-"

"Just do it."

With a little convincing (mainly intimidation), Alfred tried to speak to the snake and ended up being successful. It crawled up the visibly uncomfortable Alfred's arm.

The class' jaw dropped even lower. Make that 3 Parselmouths.

"Well, dueling was fun, goodbye."

Edward waved and dawdled back to the Gryffindor common room, a snake still chilling around his shoulders.

"Who is he?" a girl at the back asked her friend.

"You should be asking what he is? A monster, I can tell you that much!"