58) The team

28 October 1976

James Potter looked at the figure of Severus Prince who was standing calmly at the other end of the room.

The bastard had simply won another duel. And the worse, he had made it seem like a child's play. It was so infuriating that his blood boiled in anger seeing it.

Nowadays the bastard simply walked, erected a shield and then sent only a single spell to his opponent when his opponent was completely tired. The single spell was enough for his tired opponent who was too late or weak enough to shield properly. Unlike where he had showed him as a fool infront of Hogwarts, he had simply changed his style after their duel. It made things more humiliating for him.

It was like as the bastard had a habit of eat, defeat and repeat.

It irked him to no end. Prince had been of the same skill as him and now his skills surpassed him greatly. It was as if he was being guided by someone stronger.

James firmly believed that he was allied with the Death Eaters. It would explain his recent surge in skills and change of habits. The bastard had changed completely afterall.

Earlier he could easily provoke Prince and direct him to a confrontation with them. However nowadays it was too difficult as he was no longer affected by insults and scornful remarks. It was as if he had became a saint who was not affected by anything.

James saw his opponent getting up from his earlier position. He looked as the 6th Year Ravenclaw Prefect simply walked back amongst the huge cheers and catcalls from Slytherin students.

The Ravenclaws were however welcoming back their Prefect with consoling faces. Faces which showed understandings unlike the Slytherins.

Harry who was present there too looked curiously at the duel which had taken place.

Stebbins was good but Prince was simply better. Harry was quite amazed at the stamina of Severus Prince though. He had never seen anyone duel like that.

Standing silently while the enemy tried hard to penentrate the shield with his spells. All the spells tried by Stebbins didn't made any difference and were just deflected back to him by the shield. There was only a slight strain in the shield which still resisted back the spells. The spells used had completely drained Stebbins and he was all too easy for Prince who had simply knocked him back to the ground.

Harry was however confused at the completely different persona of a young Severus. The adult Severus was a duellist who preferred attacking with the use of Legilimency at his foes. He remembered the confrontation between him and the Killer of Albus Dumbledore.

"Close your mind Potter!" were the words of him when he had thrashed him to the grounds of forbidden forest. The inhumane anger and rage the man possessed terrifying him at times.

The younger Severus was however much laid back and duelled completely relaxed. Preferring to not show his skills which he possessed much. He didn't attacked with his usual spells but simply used simple basic ones.

Harry still remembered the hex which he had fired on him. He had felt huge pain on his cheeks and had been flipped back to the ground on his back. It had felt like a whip to his face.

Severus for his part simply walked after his opponent was on his back. The rules were simple today. The one on his back first will lose the match.

He walked back to the Slytherin area amidst the applause and the various glares which he was receiving from various places.

Alastor Moody was teaching them more about duelling from the last two days. He was tasked to find the top 10 duellists in Hogwarts this time who all will participate in the Duelling Competition between the three schools.

"Now Harry Potter and Carter Shae," Moody said with a grunt as he sent two more students who were shortlisted for the tournament by Professor Hart. He was by no means a duellist. There was much difference between a fight and duel.

Though he trusted Hart, Flitwick's and Dumbledore's decision on the selected ones, he still wanted to test them. He wanted to see if any of them had real steel in their blood for fighting. He will have to select the best 10 afterall.

He for damn sure will not go easy on them. The Minister wanted a champion and his prestige and reputation laid on line this time.

There was only two days time before the other two schools arrived in Hogwarts for the tournament. He had to select the ones today otherwise there won't be much time left for personally instructing them.

There was much pressure on him. Even Albus knew that Hogwarts shouldn't lose or there will be much pressure on him too.

He gave a glance at the Potter boy from future. He had seen many things in his life.

Mangled corpses that could hardly be recognised by anyone. Death Eaters and criminals whose henious acts so disgusting alone that boiled his blood to think of directly killing them.

However he had never thought to meet a time traveller, but then again magic was a force which was beyond understanding of human minds.

Alastor had to admit that the boy was indeed good in defence as he looked at the duel which was taking place. He had a natural instinct for martial aspects of magic. Something which he could see from his battle with the Hufflepuff boy.

He had the instinct of an impressive dueller.

The only other one in his opinions were that Longbottom boy, Fortescue girl, Black girl and the Nott boy. The Greengrass girl was another but she was a Heiress and as such Alastor didn't believed that she wanted to make Duelling as career. Their postures simply told him about the outcome of the battle.

Some had impressed him like that Prince boy but he couldn't judge him clearly as the boy was simply standing in a single place all the way. His duelling style was good. Tiring enemies first was an excellent idea. But it must only be done when you have the endurance for it. The boy had yet to battle some of the students.

Nonetheless he was neutral as he inspected everything with a calm gaze.

After three minutes of impressive duelling, Potter won as Alastor had expected.

"Lily Evans and Mary Macdonald," Alastor called out as he looked at the two witches who were sitting together.

They eyed each other before giving each other a smile and an understanding nod. Alastor had the urge to roll his eyes at that.

Two Hours Later....

Severus was thoroughly bored after the whole debacle of duelling between the students. While he liked battling his fellow schoolmates, it was getting boring to simply watch others.

Alastor Moody was a respected auror. He respected him much due to the fighting nature of the man. The man's achievements and his skills earning him much respect in his eyes.

Though at this point he firmly believed that Alastor Moody knew the secret of Hardy Potter and distrusted him like the trio.

It wasn't hard to discern with the hopeful gaze he had for a moment looking at Harry Potter. It gave away that he knew the secret of Harry Potter.

Dumbledore was present with other teachers during the lunch time as he looked at the students who had assembled in the Hall.

Severus looked around and saw that most of the students were looking eagerly at him.

"Excuse me for a minute. Before we have lunch I have an important announcement to make to you all," Dumbledore stood up as he spoke clearing his throat.

Severus looked at the Headmaster a little confused. What was he going to say? He couldn't help but anticipate a little. The hall was immediately silenced at his words as everyone wondered the same.

"As you all now. Two days from now. We will be receiving students of other schools. As I have stated earlier during the opening feast. There will be a duelling competition between students of the three schools. There will be two events of duelling as stated earlier. One where everyone can show their skills against each other. And the other, where the best of students will showcase their talents against each others for three consecutive days in front of guests and one whose rounds are kept a secret," Dumbledore said looking at the students infront of him who had became eager once again hearing his words.

"Now for the second event. Some of the students among you have been shortlisted for this particular even. I hope that they will prove their skills infront of everyone in the duelling event and make Hogwarts champion once again," Dumbledore said to the crowd of students with twinkling eyes of his own.

"The following students please remain in the Great Hall after the lunch," Dumbledore said as he took out a piece of paper from his pocket.

"James Potter, Sirius Black, Izar Nott, Evan Rosier, Rodrick Davies, Frank Longbottom, Ronald Whitby, Dennis Crawford. Alice Fortescue, Amelia Bones, Lily Evans, Narcissa Black, Laena Greengrass, Hermione Granger, Dorcas Meadows," He spoke as the aforementioned students were started to be gawked by the other students.

"Captaining them would be none other than Mr Harry Potter," Dumbledore said as the Gryffindors started to clap for Harry who just wanted to avoid the attention on him once again. There were loud whistles and cheers for him as Harry was congratulated by everyone of his house.

"The Vice Captain of this team will be none other than Mr Severus Prince," Dumbledore announced cheerfully as this time it was the Slytherins who started to appreciate loudly.

Severus didn't showed an ounce of emotion for the whole time as his gaze went on to the twinkling and jovial face of Albus Dumbledore.

'Twinkle eyed twit,' he thought inwardly as he groaned a little at the new found Vice Captain title of his.

He really hated Hogwarts sometimes.

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