Chapter-46: Business Booming

Ronan knew what exactly he was getting into when he started the fight club. Something was exhilarating about watching things fight each other, and he wanted to capitalize on this and start his fighting club. He figured that wizards might not be so interested in watching and fighting with each other puppets, which was not a problem for him, because if he would have stuck to the business model he created, then he would not have faced any monetary problems to maintain the club. Hell, he would make a lot of money instead.

The only problem was that he seriously underestimated how hit his idea would be. He had put 2 galleons as the joining fee, with 10 sickles as the repairing feel. But the popularity and gossip raised the reputation of his club to such a level that people were throwing themselves at him to get in. Things were rough, especially in the Slytherin dorms. He had somehow managed to get the heirs of many influential families heir in his club, which had made his club a very hot commodity.

Seeing the popularity, he was very happy. He didnt get greedy and started recruiting without a stop, he maintained the club as an exclusive thing. But he did increase the meeting per week from once to thrice a week. And this decision was appreciated by most of the members…

That week when Ronan and his friends were walking towards the great hall, they saw a small group of people gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had just been pinned up. They were all looking rather excited looking at the board, which aroused their curiosity.

A first-year Slytherin student came out of the crowd and was heading to the great hall, when Draco yelled, "Oi, you." The girl turned towards him, "Come here," The girly warily came to them.

"What is on the notice board?" Ronan asked, who was standing beside him.

"They're starting a Dueling Club!" she said. "The first meeting is tonight at 8 o'clock! Everyone is excited as they might come in handy one of these days. . . ."

"Why? Are you mudblood or halfblood?" the girl swiftly shook her head. Draco smiled, he was about to have fun bullying the girl when Ronan butted in, "You can go now," the girl ran away.

Draco passed him a look, "Oh come on.. I am hungry," with that everyone went away, forgetting about what happened…

At eight o'clock that evening, Ronan and his friend hurried back to the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" asked Pancy as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Lockhart himself would be teaching us. I heard that he was a dueling champion when he was in school.. Maybe it'll be him." Ronan only smiled at the remark.

On cue, Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.

Lockhart waved his arm for silence and called, "Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"

As the students gathered, he continued, "Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions.." The man stopped, expecting some reaction, but he didnt receive none, so he continued, "For full details, see my published works."

He then gestured toward the cold-faced professor standing by his side, "Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry… you will still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

Ronan smiled as he saw Snape's upper lip curling. Looking at such a face, he truly wondered how dense could Lockhart be.

Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Ronan murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.

"One — two — three —"

Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent.

Snape cried, "Expelliarmus!"

There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor. Seeing which every single one of the Slytherin cheered.

Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. "Well, there you have it!" he said, climbing back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm.. as you see, I have lost my wand…" One of the Gryffindors passed his wand back, "Ah, thank you, Miss Brown," making the girl smile.

Then Lockhart faced his opponent again, "Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy… however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see . . ."

Seeing the seething face of Snape, Ronan started smiling. This time, it seemed that Lockhart saw the murderous look on Snape's face because he turned the class around, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me…"

Daphne moved to Ronan's partner, while Blaise and Pancy patterned up. They were about to start when they heard Professor Snape call out, "Mr. Johanson come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous seeker of the school, Harry Potter,"

Ronan shrugged and moved towards Harry. Snape went and sorted the other part of his gang as well as Longbottom's gang in such a way they were all facing opponents of different houses. To humiliate Potter, Snape made their duel on the platform so that everyone could see the match-up.

When Ronan got into position, he was very relaxed. He wasn't worried at all. Harry on the other hand looked pumped, rather than worried.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents, only to disarm them, we don't want any accidents… one . . . two . . . three…"

Harry swung his wand high and cast a disarming charm. Ronan on the other hand, cast a shielding charm, "Portego," rather slowly and nonchalantly

Harry's disarming charm ricochet back to him, hitting him straight in the head, making him stumble and fall on the stage. This angered the boy, Ronan could see the eyes of the boy, but they were very angry. Seeing this he couldnt help but smile.

'What would you do now, Harry Potter?'

Ronan stared into the boy's eyes, trying to sense what kind of spell would he throw at him next. But it was then, suddenly he heard Harry's voice, inside his head. It was a strange feeling, but it didnt take long for Ronan to connect the dots. He realized that he was able to use Legilimency for the first time in his life.

Harry got, wasting no more time, he pointed his wand straight at Ronan and shouted, "Rictusempra!"

Just like before, Ronan immediately cast a shield charm, knocking out Potter once and for all. "I said disarm only!" Lockhart shouted in alarm and went to check on Potter. While Snape came to him, and whispered, "Good shielding charm!"

Ronan then went down. He saw Ron was holding up an ashen-faced Seamus, apologizing for whatever his broken wand had done. While Blaise, Ron's original opponent was sniggering seeing the scene. Hermione and Daphne were still fighting, but their duel had turned into a brawl. Daphne had Hermione in a headlock and Hermione was whimpering in pain, both their wands lay forgotten on the floor. Ronan leaped forward and pulled Daphne off.

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart, skittering through the crowd, looking at the aftermath of the duels. "Up you go, Macmillan. . . . Careful there, Miss Fawcett. . . . Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot…"

"I think it would be better to teach you how to block unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered amid the hall. He glanced at Snape, whose black eyes glinted and looked quickly away. "Let's have a volunteer pair… Johanson and Longbottom, how about you guys come up here."

"A bad idea, Professor Lockhart," said Snape, gliding over, "Johanson already had mastered the shielding charm. Students would not be able to learn anything by seeing him. How about you choose Malfoy instead of Johanson."

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Longbottom and Malfoy into the middle of the hall as the crowd backed away to give them room. Both Lockhart and Snape said a few words to their students and then moved away.

"Three… two… one… go!" Lockhart shouted.

Malfoy raised his wand quickly and bellowed, "Serpensortia!" The end of his wand exploded. Ronan watched, as a long black snake shot out of it, and fell heavily onto the floor in front of him. It raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, while he stayed glued to the place, not showing any fear.

"Don't move, Johanson," said Snape lazily, "I will get rid of it. . . ."

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang. The snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley, a second-year Hufflepuff. It raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

Ronan took out his wand when he heard it. He looked at Neville who was hissing at the snake, the snake didnt listen to him at first, but then stopped its approach towards Justin. The snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick, black garden hose, its eyes now on Neville.

Ronan then pointed his wand at the snake, "Incidimous!" And the snake burned itself out of existence. Then Ronan turned towards the students, and muttered rather loudly, "And people call me the Heir."

Longbottom and his gang moved rather quickly and took Neville away, leaving everyone gossiping about what just happened here…