The next day happened to be Dueling Club day.
Yes—Dumbledore hadn't cancelled the class even though the Basilisk incident was over. Maybe he felt it was good for the students to learn how not to die.
Gilderoy Lockhart, whose office was still in post–surgery chaos, didn't bother cleaning up. He ran straight to Arthur and invited him to today's club.
Arthur could guess why. Lockhart wanted to settle accounts with Snape.
Back in the first lesson, Snape had sent him flying with a single Expelliarmus. For a man who lived on face and adoring fans, that was unforgettable humiliation.
And the reason he called Arthur along was obvious too—this was a "boss, look how useful I am" moment. If he didn't keep showing value, what if the boss shelved him?
"You sure you can fight Snape like that?" Arthur asked, eyeing his black eye-bags.
He looked exactly like a college kid who'd pulled an all-nighter gaming and showed up to an 8 a.m. lecture with a death wish.
Arthur was genuinely worried Lockhart would just fall asleep before Snape even raised his wand.
"Relax, boss. I feel fantastic. I feel like I'm twenty again."
Lockhart thumped his chest.
Arthur took a closer look—huh. He did look younger. Must be that Vitality +1 rune doing work. It had boosted his body enough that he'd bounced back to his prime.
Right now you could probably make him stay up three nights and run 3,000 meters afterward.
Arthur sighed inwardly. Youth is really nice.
…Then remembered he was thirteen.
Never mind.
Hogwarts was buzzing again that morning.
Last time it had been this lively was two months ago, when the school announced the "Find the Chamber" event and all the students basically ransacked Hogwarts from cellar to tower. If "no damaging school property" hadn't been in the rules, they would have ripped the walls open.
This time, the reason was simpler:
Lockhart was going to duel Professor Snape. Again. In public.
Every boy was laughing at Lockhart's overconfidence.
Every Lockhart fangirl was squealing that this time their idol was going to get serious.
In the Dueling Club room, Snape and Lockhart stood on opposite ends of a raised platform—much wider than the original one Lockhart had picked.
Snape had chosen this classroom after the very first session. Of course his dueling platform was better. Snape was Snape.
He looked at Lockhart across the ring and didn't know what game the man was playing. But those panda eyes made him suspicious—was Lockhart trying to fake an injury and extort him?
The two bowed as per the rules.
Next second—a flash of red shot straight at him.
Only after the spell did Lockhart's chanting voice reach him:
"Expelliarmus!"
Snape's wand flew.
Snape himself flew.
He landed on his behind in front of every student.
For a moment, Snape doubted reality.
Had he… just been disarmed… by a peacock?
He snapped out of it immediately—this was not the time to stare blankly.
"Accio wand."
A neat, wandless spell—his wand leaped back to his hand.
Then the real duel started.
Spell against spell, colour against colour, the sound of magic clashing filled the room.
The students below were stunned.
The girls were awestruck—their Lockhart was so strong?!
The boys had only two words left in their heads: "Holy. Sh*t."
Even so, Lockhart slowly started losing ground.
He'd stayed up all night testing every spell he now had working, and trying out the runes Arthur had engraved on him. That burned mana. So what they were seeing right now was only 60–70% of his actual new level.
But Lockhart wasn't panicking.
He waited… waited… then caught one opening in Snape's rhythm—
—and fired his only attack rune.
A bolt of lightning burst from his wand-tip.
It was rune-casting, so no incantation, no tell, and lightning is lightning—fast.
Snape had no time to react.
For one beautiful second, Severus Snape was physically, literally electrocuted.
When the light faded, Snape's hair was a full explosion afro.
Every student howled with laughter—especially the Gryffindors.
Snape, expression dark, dropped, "Professor Lockhart will continue the lesson," and spun on his heel right out of the room.
The applause that followed was deafening. Only a few Slytherins stayed sour.
After class, Hermione dragged Arthur aside.
"Since when is Lockhart that good? He couldn't even do Wingardium Leviosa properly before."
"Lockhart was useless because his body was messed up," Arthur said, raising a brow at her. "What if someone fixed it?"
"You did it? But… why?"
Hermione really didn't get it. Arthur had spoken of Lockhart with utter disdain before. Why help him?
Arthur gave her a look. "Obviously for a certain little witch who wants to be Minister for Magic. Lockhart's whole thing is controlling public opinion. With him, your spell launch will be way louder."
Hermione hadn't expected that.
Warmth flooded her chest. Her cousin kept opening doors for her—and she hadn't had much to give back.
Without thinking, she threw her arms around him.
Arthur blinked, but hugged her back and ruffled her hair.
At that exact moment, Ranni walked out of the Zen Garden.
Ranni: "…Perhaps I came at a bad time."
Arthur, on reflex, said, "No, you came at the perfect time."
And immediately regretted it. Why was he like this. Now he could only commit to the bit.
He reached out and pulled Ranni in too.
Ranni: ❓
Hermione: ❓❓
Hermione hadn't expected someone to compete for hugging rights.
After a while, Arthur released them both and said, completely deadpan, "Nice weather. Let's go fishing."
As if nothing had happened.
So, the students in the corridor saw: Arthur, holding one girl in each hand, strolling out of the castle.
Besides Christmas, Hogwarts also had an Easter break—two whole weeks.
Arthur had never understood it. Christmas, Easter—both church festivals. Wizards didn't believe in that, they were the church's mortal enemies. So why celebrate?
He'd asked Snape.
Snape hadn't answered. He just said, "Name one school that doesn't take a holiday."
Arthur conceded the point.
What surprised him was—right before the break, Draco came to him.
"About… making me stronger—I've talked to Father. He'd also like to invite you to our home."
Arthur thought: Invite me? More like "I don't trust you, so do it where I can watch."
"Alright. I'll visit in a couple days," Arthur said. Perfectly reasonable for a father to care.
He took the invitation, then boarded the Hogwarts Express with Hermione and Ranni.
Back home, he had to explain Radahn and Rya to the Grangers.
His future brother-in-law Radahn was not the sort to stay invisible—Arthur had barely gotten home when Radahn revealed himself.
As for Rya, she was basically glued to Arthur's shoulder 24/7.
So the Granger household welcomed two new "family members."
The next morning, Arthur was just about to leave for Malfoy Manor—
When Snape showed up.
"Lia is in labour!"
Arthur: ???
"…Why are you telling me? Do you think I can deliver a baby?"
Snape didn't have time for his nonsense. "Get me Mrs. Granger."
Ah. So he wasn't here for Arthur.
Arthur went back inside, called Mrs. Granger at work, and told her to get ready.
She was still processing that when—pop—Arthur and Snape Apparated right in front of her.
"Professor Snape says Lia's giving birth and wants you to help deliver," Arthur said.
Mrs. Granger: "What?! I don't do deliveries! Shouldn't we go to a hospital?!"
"We've got wizarding birthing potions," Arthur said, waving it off. "They make it easy. You just need to cut the cord and handle the baby. Snape's not really… built for that."
Arthur had actually suggested taking Lia to a hospital. Snape refused—he didn't trust Muggle medicine. And he didn't have many friends to call. (Lucius was male. That didn't help.)
So Mrs. Granger could only be pushed onto the stage.
Arthur Apparated her back. She handled it well—no puking, no dizziness. His modified Apparition was working.
But this wasn't the time to gloat.
Snape led her into his home and stopped at Lia's door.
He handed her two potions.
"This blue one—have her drink it once you're in. The baby will come out smoothly. The other one's for after you cut the cord—restores strength."
Mrs. Granger took them, took a breath, and went in.
It was actually much easier than she'd imagined. Snape's potion widened the birth canal enough for the baby to just… slide out.
She followed what she'd seen years ago giving birth to Hermione, plus whatever she remembered from medical books, and muddled through.
Outside, Arthur and Snape soon heard a baby crying.
A moment later, Mrs. Granger came out, muttering that if she'd had this potion back then, Hermione's birth would've been a breeze.
"All done. It's a girl. You can go in," she told Snape.
Snape thanked her and rushed inside.
Arthur glanced at Mrs. Granger's clothes. "You might want to go change first. Then come back."
She looked down—yep, fluids. "You're right. Go on in, I'll come back after I change."
She left.
Arthur stepped into the room.
Snape was awkwardly trying to take the baby from Lia. It was so funny Arthur couldn't help himself.
"You support the back, neck, and head with one hand; the other hand under the hips," Arthur said.
Snape did as told. The baby, now held right, gave a tiny smile.
Snape smiled back.
It was the happiest Arthur had ever seen him.
…Then the baby started wailing.
Snape froze and looked at Arthur for help.
Arthur sighed. He didn't know where Snape had stuffed all the childcare notes Mrs. Granger had taught him—Arthur had only listened in and he remembered more.
"She's probably hungry. Give her back to Lia. We'll go out and let her feed."
Snape nodded, handed the baby back, and went out with Arthur.
Snape: electrocuted yesterday
Snape: dad today
Life came at you fast.
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