D.A. Ⅱ

Inside the classroom, James lets out a soft sigh of relief as he sets down his heavy school back in the corner of the classroom. He straightens up and stretches for a moment, before turning towards the mostly empty classroom. Against the southernmost wall, there were three wooden puppets each with a wooden wand against the far wall to use as targets. The enchanted puppets were enchanted to cast back the enchanted spell or counter with another.

However, each puppet was restricted by the spells they could cast and were according to the student's levels. The far-left puppet could cast spells up to the fourth-year level. The middle puppet to the fifth-year level. And the far-right puppet to that of a seventh year. Since only one individual could practice with each puppet at a time, the club members would instead take turns to use the puppet. In the meantime, the club members would pair up and duel each other for the remainder of the time.

On the other hand, the floors and walls have been enchanted with cushioning charms thanks to Professor Flitwick's aid. That should prevent any real damage or harm from occurring beyond bruises. Still, just in case, James himself had cast a spell or two which he had learned while an Auror trainee to prevent the worst of bruises from occurring.

Furthermore, Professor Flitwick had been quite excited to participate since the dueling club had been suspended after Professor Adrick's abrupt disappearance. And who, James had no idea who he was except that by the journal entries that clearly described the dislike for the Defense Against the Dark Art's professor teaching in their second year.

Professor Flitwick had been so enthusiastic that he agreed without even being asked to be the second professor advisor for the club. He and Professor Prince would switch as advisor's during each club meeting. And though James had excluded Professor Flitwick initially due to his lack of real experience combat, he could not deny the fact that Professor Flitwick wouldn't be completely useless in real combat. Professor Flitwick for his diminutive size was a powerful dueler and a former dueling champion. Professor Flitwick was bound to have a few tricks up his sleeves that could be quite useful in real combat.

Finished preparing the classroom to his satisfaction, James paused to glance up at the time. Seeing the time, James lets out a breath of air and waits. After a few minutes of silence, he begins to fidget wondering if anyone would even bother showing up. Perchance, he had been overly optimistic, and this truly had been a harebrained idea.

James's ears perk up at the sound of footsteps. It was more than one set of footsteps causing him to heave to exhale the breath he had been holding in. At least, he'd have a few potential club members and that was far better than none.

Patting down his unruly hair, James begins to smile, before his expression freezes. He reminded himself sternly to act naturally and tries to figure out what to do with his hands. He quickly shoves them into his robes as a small group of Slytherins appear in the doorway. They all were rather familiar and from his year.

James blinks back in astonishment at recognizing the slender, somewhat medium-sized young man. The handsome youth had floppy hair, delicate-looking features, and bright intuitive hazel eyes. The handsome lad flashes James a knowing grin.

"Well, James, I must say, you're a hard man to find," Terry Greengrass teased with a good-natured smirk.

Greengrass's courting partner, a dark, sleek-haired young woman with sharp features rolls her bluish-gray eyes at Terry. The same height as her beau, but rather thin with not much of a chest nor curves, Silvia Flint says, "Really, Terry? Is that the best remark that you could come up with? My apologies, James, Terry can be a buffoon at times."

"Am not!" Terry sulkily said as he sullenly crossed his arms over his chest.

A rather petite, lovely young woman with short, strawberry blonde bobbed hair flashes him a warm, but rather charming smile. "Just ignore them, James," Tiffany said as she wrinkled her nose at her two friends. "They like to playfully bicker all the time, it's part of their charm as a couple."

The Slytherin couple flushes bright pink in embarrassment as a truly gorgeous young woman with curves in all the right places laughs, before covering her mouth delicately with one hand. With auburn, long wavy hair, Bethanie Fawley enchantingly says, "You must forgive us, James, but after Herbology the last hour with Professor Sprout, we are a bit catty."

"That's only because Professor Sprout had us working with Fanged Geranium's," Tiffany snickered. In a false whisper, she loudly says, "Of course, Terry wasn't paying attention and was bitten on his rear end."

"Tiffany!" Terry protested in embarrassment. "I was not distracted merely trying to dodge Silvia's Fanged Geranium from biting my face. I'd rather have the tender flesh of my rear behind be bitten than my perfect face to be marred by a hideous scar!"

The three young women all smirk openly at Terry causing James to find himself smiling at the situation. They are not able to speak more as another group enters the room. Leading the fourth-year group made up of Hufflepuffs and Gryffindor's are Letitia Bones and Barty Crouch.

James nods his head at the two as the square-jawed young girl with short hair, Letitia says, "Figures you'd be here too, Terry. Regulus said that without Severus and Rowan to keep you in line that you would be finding nefarious ways to relieve your boredom."

"Why I never!" Terry haughtily said as he stuck up his nose at them. "Rude much!"

The pale fourth-year boy with straw-colored hair and freckles flashes Terry a knowing grin. "Well, you did teach the best, after all, Terry," Barty said with a knowing wink. "Don't worry, Terry, your secret is safe with us," which only earned him bursts of laughter.

While Terry is privately licking his wounded pride and vowing revenge a few more students begin to trickle in from the upper grades. Among them is two seventh-year Slytherins, Parsley Parkinson, and Delilah Pizzaro. The other three are Ravenclaws, Brandon Ackerly, Cadmus Quirke, and Barret Boone.

The last which James had been shocked to learn from the diary was in fact the boyfriend of Rowan Prince last year. Though upon closer inspection, the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain was quite the looker himself. And even Rowan Prince was still a female and probably had been twitterpated all last year for the Ravenclaw seeker. (How little did he know…...)

The next figure causes James's face to brighten up at seeing the yet-to-be Auror Alice Longbottom, who was still for the time being Alice Yates. The happy round-faced young witch with short hair winks at James. "I couldn't let you be here without any Gryffindor support, James," Alice cheekily said with a wide grin.

"Hey what do you take us for, Alice?!" Letitia loudly protested. "We're here too!" As the other fourth-year Gryffindors standing next to her agreed in chorus.

Alice winks at Letitia, who pouts and grumbles, "You're nearly bad as Terry."

However, before Terry or Alice can protest the remark, the figure of a shaggy-haired young woman with rimmed spectacles, Dorothy Cabot, a fifth-year Ravenclaw enters the classroom being followed right after by a pair of nearly identical fourth year Slytherin girls. Florinda and Florentia Champlain are practically identical with the same colored silky coffee-colored hair, button noses, and facial features. The only exception is their hair itself as Florinda has curly hair and an emerald ribbon always in her hair, while Florentia had sleek, straight hair with a silver ribbon.

It wasn't the two female cousins' fault that their fathers were identical twin brothers, who had in fact married identical twin sisters, and who each happened to bear a daughter on the exact same day. Thankfully the two girls stuck to their colored ribbons or else there would be slews of confusion. It certainly helped that they did not attempt to change places with each other. Or at least, that is everyone assumed. But after all, the two girls were in Slytherin after all…who knows. And it wasn't as if they weren't known for their cunning pranks and jests. It certainly was a simple, but clever joke that very few would ever be able to notice had even occurred.