CH 128

Now clearly furious, the blond boy snarled, "I will not be made fun of in front of my friends, Potter. I demand satisfaction!" "Why?" asked Harry. "Your right hand not giving it to you any more? I'm actually surprised you've advanced enough through puberty that you're even capable of such an act."

That elicited a number of sniggers and laughter from those who heard. Even bully boy number one cracked a bit of a small smile at that one.

"I challenge you to a duel, Potter," he snarled. In a quieter voice he ominously said, "Trophy Room; at midnight."

"Well, I accept the challenge of a wizard's duel, Mister Malfoy," said Harry a bit louder. "However, I'm afraid holding one in the trophy room after curfew would break the rules. Therefore, we shall hold it right now."

Harry rose from the table and, looking towards the head table, said, "Mister Malfoy has just challenged me, in public, to a wizard's duel. I have accepted. Professor Flitwick, as a duelling master, I ask that you officiate and we get it out of the way right now."

"What?" said Malfoy, clearly startled by the development.

Professor Flitwick clapped his hands a couple of times in glee and hurried around the head table to stand in front of it.

"I challenged you to a wizard's duel in the trophy room, Potter," tried Malfoy.

"No, you did not, Mister Malfoy," replied Harry with a smirk. "As you did not attempt to provide conditions first; you challenged me to an open wizard's duel. Only then did you attempt to name the time and place.

"I, as the challenged, and as per the rules of wizard duels, name the time and place. And I name right here and right now." Dumbledore stood and said, "This wizard's duel will not be open, Mister Potter and Mister Malfoy. You are limited to non-lethal spells, no unforgivables, and the duel will end on International competition rules of one participant or the other being rendered unable to continue, or bowing out. There shall be no Seconds."

Harry bowed to the old man and said, "As you wish, Headmaster."

Meantime, Professor Flitwick had configured a duelling platform across the hall just in front of the head table, and was in the process of configuring wards to protect everyone else.

"Harry," whispered Daphne, standing up and stepping close to him showing a little fear. "Are you sure about this?"

Harry nodded and said, "Yeah, I've kind of been expecting something like this. If not from Malfoy, it would have been someone else, especially from Slytherin, sooner or later."

Looking over at Malfoy, Harry could see the boy had turned quite white with fear.

"Gentlemen," said Professor Flitwick. "The duelling platform is ready for you. Please take your places."

Harry quickly mounted the platform and stood waiting at the Gryffindor end.

Malfoy, clearly quite reluctantly, moved up and mounted the platform at the Slytherin end. He knew he had gotten himself into the situation. However, he could not back out without appearing weak.

"Gentlemen," said Professor Flitwick clearly and firmly. "You have chosen to engage in a wizard's duel. The rules, as per International competition rules, include no unforgivables, no clearly lethal curses, and ends when either participant is unable to continue, or leaves the platform. No spells may be cast once it becomes immediately apparent either participant is unable to continue or leaves the platform.

"Wands out; we begin when I say 'three'; if it does not end earlier, it ends when I say 'halt'.

Harry flicked his wand out into his hand and stood slightly leading with his right side, right foot forward but with his weight evenly distributed between his two feet.

Seeing both ready, Professor Flitwick called, "One - two - THREE!"

Harry allowed Malfoy to cast the first spell, an Expulsion Curse, Expulso, that would have flung Harry off the back of the platform if it hit. It was good choice as the incantation was quick and the wand movement a short flick and jab motion.

However, Malfoy cast in a bit of a panic and it didn't even require Harry to move as it clearly missed him to his left.

Harry chuckled back before, almost lazily and quietly, hitting Malfoy with a Disarming Spell. Though given quietly and almost gently, Harry's Expelliarmus struck Malfoy's wand, clearly hurting the boy's wand hand, and causing his hawthorn wand to gently flip through the air as it passed beyond the wards and clattered to the floor next to the Hufflepuff table.

"Halt!" snapped out the Professor as soon as the wand left the warded area.

Malfoy stood there cradling his hand and glaring murderously back at Harry.

"Madam Pomfrey, if you would?" asked Dumbledore. Harry said in a denigrating tone, "Really, Mister Malfoy; you may want to consider learning to shield before you approach me for a duel, in future. It really wasn't worth the effort Professor Flitwick went through to set up the duelling platform in the first place."

As Madam Pomfrey was checking Malfoy's hand she said, "Ooh-ooh!" *Tsk, tsk, tsk* "It's broken, dear boy. Two fingers, the thumb and one in the hand itself."

With her arm wrapped around his shoulders, the medi-witch guided Malfoy off the platform and towards the doors and said, "What an absolutely silly thing to do. Challenging someone to a duel when you cannot even cast a basic shield? Honestly!"

Harry returned to his friends with a hug from Daphne and congratulatory praises from those nearby. It wasn't until mid the next week before Dumbledore, once more, summoned Harry to his office.

Walking in with Daphne and Professor Flitwick, Harry said, "You know, Albus, I'm rapidly getting to the stage where I'm considering having my own personal chairs installed in here."

Dumbledore just smiled and transfigured the chair before his desk into a better version of the love seat Harry had created towards the end of last year.

'He definitely wants something,' he thought, looking askance at Daphne as he assisted her into her seat. He could see Daphne had reached the same conclusion.

After he'd sat down, Dumbledore had his eyes twinkling away with his beloved grandfather expression on; and asked, "And how are you today, Harry?" "I'm alright, thank you, Albus," said Harry. "And so, I believe, is Miss Greengrass."

"Hmmm..." said Dumbledore. "I needed to talk with you concerning some items that were removed from my office and quarters here just after Christmas Day."

"You think I may have stolen them, Albus?" asked Harry with an expression of shock bordering on righteous indignation.

"No, no!" he quickly replied. "I believe, however, that agents acting on your behalf took them not knowing I had your father'spermission to hold onto them for a while."

"Ah!" said Harry. "That would be the same permission I clearly and conclusively revoked soon after the beginning of the school year. You'll also recall that at the beginning of November I clearly informed you that you had until Christmas Day to return that which still remained in your possession or control; or, I would make arrangements for them to be taken from you.

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