"Blake! Blake!"
Huh?
Lupin's voice shook him out of his stupor.
"Harry and I have decided to call it a day," Lupin said. Blake glanced at the Gryffindor boy, who unsurprisingly looked less than pleased.
"If you're still up for that other matter-"
"Yes!" Blake immediately responded, almost shouting as his eyes lit up brightly, grateful for the distraction. "I mean, yes, I am, Professor."
"Very well," Lupin said as he turned to Greengrass. "I suppose you'll be wanting to watch, Daphne?"
"If that's alright with you, Professor," she responded, her politeness making Blake roll his eyes. Harry looked on in confusion.
Lupin chuckled.
"Of course, Daphne, but I'm not the only one duelling," he said, inclining his head towards Blake, who almost let out a snigger.
"Ah, I see," Daphne said, trying and almost succeeding in keeping the same tone of voice. "Would it be alright if I watched your duel with Professor Lupin, Renshaw?"
"That's Mr Renshaw to you, Greengrass," Blake said with a straight face, trying to mimic her normal, pompous manner of talking. The girl's eye twitched.
"Mr Renshaw, then?" she said, her voice slightly more strained.
Blake sighed loudly. "I'll think about it."
Before Greengrass could respond, Harry butted in.
"Wait - why're you duelling?" he asked, wide eyed and confused.
"Why not?" Blake said, shrugging. "It's good practice, and I want to see how I'd hold up against an adult."
Harry didn't seem to have a response for that. Blake and Lupin got into position, standing across from each other, while Greengrass and Harry made their way to opposite corners of the room.
"On the count of three?" Lupin asked. Blake nodded. "Daphne, if you would…"
"Of course, Professor."
Blake and Lupin's eyes met.
Bow. They bowed.
Combat Position. Blake held his wand directly out in front of him, pointing at Lupin, as he crouched slightly, left foot slightly in front of his right, and heels off the ground. Lupin held his wand across his face, standing tall.
Count.
"3!"
Greengrass's voice echoed across the deathly silent room.
"2!"
If this was a real fight, I'd be more tactical, but I'm trying to measure my power against his. I'm going all out.
"1!"
Can't use any of the Dark spells I've learnt though - Lupin would shout. Oh well…
"Begin!"
"Stupefy!"
"Protego!"
Blake managed to get off the first spell, but Lupin was quick to respond with a shield. The pair circled each other, Before Blake could decide on the best plan, Lupin attacked.
"Incendio! Aguamenti! Reducto!"
Blake's eyes widened as he realised what his opponent's intention was. No point in a shield… this is the best choice! Ignoring the cries of worry from Harry and Greengrass, he ran headfirst towards the flames and curses.
"Finite Incantatem! Confrigo!"
Blake's counter strategy worked perfectly, as the floor beneath Lupin's feet exploded. The werewolf's eyes widened in shock, but it was too late.
"Stupefy!"
The red jet of light struck Lupin directly in the chest, and he crumpled on the ground.
Harry cried out again, making his way over to Lupin, and Greengrass announced, "Renshaw wins."
She didn't sound very surprised.
Duels aren't very long, Blake thought, sighing. A real fight would've been much more different - way more defensive, and offensive, and powerful, and desperate - pretty much different in every way.
The two Slytherins made their way over to Harry, who was holding Lupin's crumpled form.
"Move, Harry," Blake said gently. "Rennervate!"
Lupin stirred, and gradually sat up.
"I - I lost?" he said in disbelief.
"I guess I got lucky," Blake said with a small smile, helping the Professor to his feet.
"I doubt it," Lupin sighed. "It appears that I underestimated you grossly, Blake. But seriously, a third year being able to use Stupefy? And Confrigo? Especially in such a controlled manner!"
"Practice, sir," Blake said.
"And I suppose practice is how you saw through the combination set-up that's taught to Aurors?" Lupin said, laughing. He's taking the loss to a third year surprisingly well, Blake thought. He decided Lupin was officially his second favourite teacher.
"At any rate, I can't say I'm particularly happy with the outcome of that duel, if I'm being perfectly honest," the man admitted. "A Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, losing to a third year!"
"We won't tell anyone, Professor," Greengrass said.
"And if you want a rematch, I'm very ready," Blake added quickly. "If you underestimated me, it doesn't count - next time will be the real thing, right, Professor?"
Lupin laughed.
"Can you do it next time we have a Patronus lesson?" Harry asked. "I want to watch too."
"Of course, Harry," Lupin said warmly. "And perhaps Blake can teach you a thing or two about duelling as well. Merlin knows…" the teacher trailed off suddenly, but the implication, intentional or not, was clear. Merlin knows you'll need it.
/
Greengrass, Harry and Blake made their way down from the classroom together.
"Harry?" Blake said, suddenly remembering something he'd been meaning to ask.
"Yeah?"
"This might sound weird but - I don't suppose you've seen a black dog wandering around, have you?"
Harry stopped dead in his tracks, spluttering for a moment.
"Yeah, I have! You've seen it too?" he said, sounding almost excited.
Greengrass and Blake exchanged a look, remembering their earlier conversation.
"We should find out if Potter's seen Black's Animagi form," Greengrass said discreetly in Charms.
Blake looked at her oddly.
"You're right, but why do you care about what happens to Harry?"
"I'm not heartless," she snapped. "And besides, you care about him, don't you?"
"So?"
"So why shouldn't I? Besides, I've no desire to have a dead person in my conscience, and if Potter's seen him, that means he's close, doesn't it?"
"Once or twice, yeah," Blake lied. "Where have you seen it?"
"Once near Privet Drive, a couple times around the Quidditch field - to be honest, I can't really remember," Harry frowned, before whispering conspiratorially. "But in divination, Professor Trelawney said that it's-"
"The Grim," Greengrass finished, unable to keep the sneer off her face. Blake found himself grinning at the rare display of malice.
"Exactly!" Harry beamed. "How did you know?"
"She's been harping on about that for the entire term," Greengrass said dismissively, returning to her air of superiority. "It's - well, to put it how a peasant like Renshaw would put it - bullsh*t."
"Shut up, you prissy princess. And I was right - I told you Divination was useless!"
"Firstly, I am not prissy. Secondly, being called a princess is not an insult. And finally, Divination is not useless - Trelawney is just a fool." For some odd reason, Greengrass's cheeks were tinted red. Embarrassment, Blake deduced smugly. She just knows I'm right.
Before Blake could respond, Harry quickly took the opportunity to speak.
"Well, I wouldn't want to interrupt anything," he said with a small smirk and in a tone that oddly resembled Lockhart's - as if he was all knowing and highly intelligent, as if he knew things you did not. Interrupt what? Blake wondered, his cheeks heating up as he guessed what Harry might've been talking about. No way, he wasn't thinking of that.
"If the dog's not an issue, I'm off to bed - see you both later!"
"Interrupt what?" Blake asked Harry as the latter walked towards Gryffindor Tower, only laughing in response.
"What was he talking about?" Blake asked, turning back around to Greengrass, who still looked red.
"Not got a clue," she responded, turning around quickly. "I'm tired, so I'll be going straight to bed. Goodnight."
"Uh… goodnight?" Blake half-said, half-asked.
As he watched the girl walk away, Blake shook his head and muttered to himself.
"That girl is so confusing."
AN: If you would like to view up to 20 more bonus chapters on all my fics so far including this one, and would also like to support me, please visit my P@TR30N, at pa tr eon.com / GhidorahWriter (remove the spaces).
Thanks for reading and make sure ADD to your COLLECTION and VOTE with POWER STONES! Once we hit 25, I'll release another BONUS chapter!