CHAPTER 11 - IT'S TIME TO DUEL! 1

If you got the reference, you must be someone amazing!

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When they were leaving the class, Andrew was so enraged, he couldn't hide the anger on his face.

He left in hurried and heavy steps, making his colleagues and friends from Gryffindor, to watch in fear his physical strength, even Madame Hooch, was impressed to see how perfectly his steps were marked on the ground.

At that moment, she had an idea that would make Gryffindor later, jump happily like never before.

Hermione, knowing how her best friend was feeling, decided that she would accompany him and try to calm him down, Ron and the others were afraid to get in his way and become collateral victims, so they decided that it would be better to wait for him to calm down. The Slytherins, on the other hand, made jokes and insulted him as Andrew walked away, even given him a new nickname, the hot-blooded traitor.

"Hey Andrew, you need to calm down a little bit, the way you are, you'll end up breaking some rules!" She looked at him with concern.

"I ... Hermione, Malfoy is going overboard, I need to do something with this bastard!" Andrew punched the wall as he spoke, leaving the mark of his fist stuck in the wall.

Hermione looked at the mark on the wall for a few seconds, but then she awakened and kept trying to calm him down.

"Andrew, please don't do anything you will regret! Why don't you come with me to the library, let's study for a while, when you are calmer, we can go to dinner."

Sighing, he just nodded and followed her.

...

Later that day, in the Headmaster's office, Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch looked at each other.

"Did you come because of the situation between Potter and Malfoy?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Not really, I came to offer help to Gryffindor, I believe I found the perfect person to help you guys win this year."

"What?! Who? Are you talking about the second-year students?"

"Actually -" Before she could finish, Professor Dumbledore entered the office.

"Oh, good afternoon, Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch. Can I help you with anything?"

"I would like to suggest a first-year student for the Gryffindor Quidditch team." McGonagall took the initiative.

"Oh, you too?"

"What do you mean by that? Did you saw the kid's feats too?"

"Ah yes, it was really impressive, I never saw anyone with a talent like that for the position in my time teaching at Hogwarts."

Professor McGonagall smiled at Madam Hooch's assessment.

"Why don't we say it at the same time then?"

"If you insist."

Dumbledore, seeing the interaction of the two, smiled mysteriously as he stroked his beard, the sparkle in his eyes seemed to suggest that he knew more about the subject than the two could imagine.

"We want Harry to play at the quidditch team..."

"We want Andrew to play at the quidditch team..."

They looked at each other confused.

"Hoho, I approve of your request, if that's all, I'll go now, I still have other things to do, see you at dinner..." Said Dumbledore as he ran out of the office.

...

Sitting at the Gryffindor table, Harry, Ron, and Andrew were whispering, trying not to attract the attention of others.

"You're joking." That was Ron's reaction to hearing what happened after Harry left the grounds with Professor McGonagall, Andrew could only look with his mouth agape, too shocked to think.

"Seeker?" said Ron. "But first years never — you must be the youngest House player in about —"

"— a century," said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. "Wood told me."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

"Hahaha! That's amazing Harry! Congratulations! When will you start?" Andrew patted his shoulder with a smile on his face.

Harry smiled at him and nodded before saying.

"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry and Andrew, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too — Beaters, or so we were in the past, but this might end up changing." George looked at Andrew.

Ron, Harry, and Andrew looked at them with confusion on their eyes.

"You don't know the recent news huh?" Fred whispered. "Wood told us before we came here, he said, 'Hey, can you two tell the other boy from the first-years, Andrew, that he was given a chance to play at the position of the beater?'..."

"What? Why!?" Andrew looked at them, without knowing how things turned out that way.

"It's because of your new piece of art," said George. "Look."

He put a photo in the table, on it, you could see Andrew's punch mark on the wall of the castle.

"You are the one who did that? We thought it was some kind of joke when we were leaving the grounds!" Ron looked at Andrew, with a pale face.

Harry looked at the photo and gasped, "Andrew, how are you so strong? Did you eat something weird when you were a child?"

Before Andrew could answer, Fred started to speak.

"Well, we haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You two must be good, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcomed turned up: Malfoy, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Having the last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

If stares could kill, Andrew's stares would have killed Malfoy a few times by now.

"You're really brave when there are people around, aren't you?" Andrew's fork got stuck on the table when he hit it on the table as he looked at the rat-boy.

"Humph, you're thinking too highly of yourself, the last time, you only got us because of your sneak attack, things would be different if we had our wands! But I'm not here for you today." he turned to Harry.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only — no contact." Harry had a confused look on his face after hearing Malfoy's words. "What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?"

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. He was about to say something but stopped and after looking at Andrew who looked like a tiger showing his fangs, continued. "Andrew is his second, who's yours?"

Malfoy looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

Harry looked at Ron and Andrew.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, Andrew's my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"I agree with his words, a good punch can knock out even the most powerful of wizards, but if you want Harry, I can duel in your place, I'll make sure he gets the best spanking of his life!" Andrew had a dangerous aura around him as he spoke.

"Excuse me."

They looked up, it was Hermione.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place? Ouch!" Andrew slapped Ron on the head after he finished speaking.

"Why did you do that?"

"She's my friend, you dunderhead!"

Hermione ignored Ron but was touched seeing Andrew's actions.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying —"

Ron was about to say something, but he noticed that Andrew was looking at him, so he gulped and kept quiet.

"— and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you. Also —" she looked at Andrew. "I don't want you to get in trouble Andrew! What if you end up expelled!?"

Andrew smiled at Hermione, feeling happy by the girl's concerning herself with him.

Andrew got up and hold her hands, trying to reassure her, "Don't worry Hermione, I promise you, we won't get in trouble or lose any points, I need to teach Malfoy a lesson, and since he came to my doorstep, I can not refuse him, it wouldn't be polite of me hehe!"

Harry and Ron looked at each other, feeling sick of the duo's interaction.