Dueling Club

As soon as the result of the match was announced, the brothers hurriedly left the stands to avoid the crowd. Since Draco was to celebrate with the team, the Princes decided to congratulate him as soon as he came out of the changing room. The brothers had another half an hour to spare. At the same time, Malfoy changed and showered, so when they noticed Lokons rushing onto the pitch, the twins decided to follow him and find out what was wrong. The ZOTI professor approached Potter, who was lying on the ground and began to say something animatedly to him. It was clear from Harry's face that he was in pain and clearly not happy to see his teacher. Noticing how Potter twitched when Lokons pulled out his wand, the brothers rushed to their classmate's aid.

- Hello, Professor! What are you doing? - Itachi asked.

- Oh, the Prince twins! Good afternoon!" said Lokons with a dazzling smile.

- 'Professor, what are you doing? Are you trying to show Mr Potter some kind of spell? Can we watch it too? - Itachi asked.

Sasuke was once again amazed at his brother's acting talent, who conveyed the teacher's admiration and curiosity authentically.

- Of course, my young students! - I once met a hungry vampire while travelling. He attacked me, and as a result of the fight, my right arm was broken, but despite the pain, I managed to grab him. At first, he didn't want to communicate. Still, I managed to get him to talk and convince him that although he was hungry, attacking people was not the answer. I even managed to persuade him to start eating only lettuce leaves!

- Professor," Wood began hesitantly, "what does this have to do with Harry's broken arm?

- Elementary, my dear pupil," said Goldilocks enthusiastically, "In gratitude for saving the villagers from danger, an old witch who lived nearby healed my arm and taught me the necessary spell!

If, at the beginning of his speech, Sasuke restrained himself from laughing at this peacock pretending to know everything (his father had already told him and his brother about the "ingenious" advice of Lokons), then when he noticed the ZOTI professor raising his wand at Potter, preparing to cast some spell, the younger Prince tensed up. He remembered the Professor's "successful" attempts at sorcery and began to fear for his classmate's life and health. Fortunately, Itachi didn't hesitate and distracted the Lokons.

- Professor, I have long wanted to ask your opinion. Can your experience be applied to other vampires?

The ZOTI professor swelled with importance, but before he could answer, Madam Pomfrey arrived and took Harry away. Before they were out of sight, Potter smiled gratefully at his brothers.

The next day, the twins got up early and headed to the Rookery Room for practice. They didn't wait for Draco because they realised that after the Slytherin team's victory celebration, which was sure to drag on late into the night, their friend would be in no condition to exercise. After finishing their daily workout routine, the twins headed to the living room for breakfast with their friends. As soon as they entered the tower, Luna, Theo, and Dakota rushed towards them.

- Thank God you're all right! - Theo exclaimed.

- 'Pfft, of course, I am. Like anything could happen," Sasuke replied calmly.

Although the younger Prince exuded confidence, Itachi noticed that his brother was internally tense.

- Haven't you heard? Another attack has been launched! - replied an excited Dakota.

- Who? - Itachi asked briefly.

- Colin Creevey. The muggle-born from Gryffindor. Petrified, just like Mrs Norris.

The brothers glanced around. One incident could have been someone's evil joke or prank, but two were no longer an accident.

"Tz. Apparently, the perpetrator has decided to act... We need to find out if he wants to 'cleanse' the school of Muggle-borns or to cause a panic and use it as a cover to carry out his plans," Itachi thought frantically, "But first, we need to decide how to keep the 'civilians' safe."

- From this day forward, try not to leave the living room except to attend class. Move around the castle together or in pairs," Itachi addressed his friends.

He then turned to the girl:

- Luna, try to stay close to your classmates during class. If possible, Sasuke and I will meet you after class. If you need to go somewhere after class, let us know, then either we or Theo and Dakota will escort you out. As long as someone walks around Hogwarts, turning people to stone, you shouldn't be alone. Is that clear?

- Of course! - The boys replied, and Luna nodded in embarrassment.

- Hn. Then, let's go eat because I'm starving," Sasuke ended the conversation.

After such a mundane phrase, the tension began to subside.

"And Ototo knows how to be thoughtful," Itachi smiled as Sasuke took Luna under his arm and headed into the Great Hall.

A week passed, and then another, and the attacks never happened again. As the holidays approached, fear was slowly being replaced by joyful excitement. The brothers did not stay away either and prepared gifts for family and friends. They made self-writing pens for their father and grandfather, based on the pimply-writing pens the twins had seen in the Daily Prophet. Initially, the twins could not get the charms to work properly. The quills wrote all the thoughts that flashed through a person's mind indiscriminately, making the notes chaotic and inconsistent when distracted. Realising that their knowledge was not enough at the moment, they turned to Professor Flitwick. The master of charms listened to the brothers' ideas with interest and gave useful books that dealt with the charms they needed. Through trial and error, the twins created the artefacts they needed. For Theo, the Princes had prepared a newly released book about famous Quidditch players; for Dakota, a collection of quotes from famous wizards; for Hermione, a book on charms; and for Luna, a guide to medicinal plants. The twins struggled to get a gift for Draco, but thanks to their grandfather, they got a Game Boy console. The first time Malfoy saw the console from the twins, he couldn't tear himself away from it. The brothers suggested that their friend ask his father for it. Still, the boy wasn't sure that Lucius would agree to buy him a Muggle toy, so the Princes decided to give it to Draco. The twins had already prepared everything, happily waiting for the holiday. One day in the middle of December, an excited Theo ran up to the brothers.

- Have you heard?

The princes looked at each other in surprise.

- About what?

- They're starting a duelling club! Today at eight o'clock the first class will be held!

- And who will be the coach? Professor Flitwick? - Itachi inquired curiously.

"Nii-san always was a good actor. Without knowing the truth, you wouldn't guess that he already knows everything from his father," Sasuke mentally smiled.

- The advert didn't say, but he was a champion, so most likely. I can't wait to learn new spells!

Theo was beaming with enthusiasm.

- Are you coming?

- Pfft, of course. How can we miss an event like this," Sasuke replied.

'We can't miss the moment when that peacock sits in a puddle in front of the whole school,' thought the younger Prince.

Sasuke, Itachi, Theo, and Draco met outside the Great Hall in the evening. Luna refused to go because she didn't like violence. However, Dakota stayed behind to support her, and the twins' instructions to move in pairs were still in effect. As they entered the Great Hall, the brothers looked around carefully, noting that many students had come to participate in such an interesting event. Most of them were from Gryffindor, but there were also many Slytherins and Ravenclaws and the least number of Hufflepuffs.

- Draco, what duelling spells do you know? - Itachi decided to pass the time.

Before Malfoy could answer, Lokons stepped onto the stage and announced that he would run the Dueling Club. Listening to him rant about the importance of being able to defend oneself, the friends grimaced, regretting the wasted time. They were about to leave when the ZOTI professor announced that the potions professor would assist him.

- ... He knows a bit about duelling, as he says himself, and has kindly agreed to help me. We will now demonstrate how duelists fight with wands. Oh, don't worry, my young friends, I will return the Potions Professor to you safe and sound.(*)

At those words, the brothers almost choked.

- What does that colouring Barbie have to say! - Sasuke hissed like an angry manticore.

Making sure no one could hear them, Itachi whispered in his brother's ear.

- Calm down. Breathe out. Look at your father; he's obviously got some kind of plan. Do you think he'd just stand for this?

The Younger Prince glanced at his father. Severus seemed unfazed, but there was a faint chuckle on his lips. The brothers knew that such an expression on his face did not bode well with anyone who angered him. With a smirk, the twins prepared to look on. Suddenly, the Prince's sensitive hearing picked up a whisper nearby.

- It would be great if they finished each other off!

Turning around, they saw the inseparable Gryffindor trio standing side by side. The Princes' knuckles turned white from the force with which they clenched them. Sasuke glanced at Itachi, who nodded decisively. "Such a lowlife who wants our loved one dead should not go unpunished," the younger Prince understood the message. Before they could do anything, however, Draco's hands came down on their shoulders.

- 'I'll deal with him myself later. He is my godfather and Dean, after all. You shouldn't draw attention to him.

The brothers nodded in agreement.

- 'Guys, it's starting,' Theo called out to his friends.

At that time, the professors stood against each other. The Prince and Malfoy's eyes lit up with a fire of anticipation. As soon as Lokons finished counting down, Severus instantly disarmed him, and the force of the spell threw the Professor back against the wall, which he drove down. The brothers and Draco grinned gloatingly; they knew Severus had deliberately put more force into the spell than was necessary. Watching the ZOTI professor trying to justify that he could have stopped the blow and belittling their father's skill, Sasuke mustered all his strength to keep from sending Locans flying again.

"You can't live! No one dares to humiliate our father!" - thought the infuriated younger twin. As he looked at his brother, he saw the unkind light lit up in his eyes.

"Yes, Lokons, you sure know how to pick your enemies. Nii-san wasn't called a genius in his past life for nothing, and I was one of the two strongest shinobi, not for pretty eyes (although Sharingan techniques were among my strongest). You can start digging your own grave!"

Noticing his brothers' attitude, Draco flinched. He had known the Princes for a long time. He had learnt that despite their aristocratic manners and the constant presence of an indifferent expression on their faces, the younger one had a rather explosive temper. Still, the older one's calmness balanced him out. However, it was worth it to anger the older one; one must flee. Itachi never let his anger get the best of him, which gave him the advantage of thinking up elaborate plans for revenge. Malfoy remembered how a shopkeeper had once refused to sell his godson a book, calling him an 'Eater brat'. Needless to say, his shop was soon closed because rumours spread that he was selling forbidden books.

At this time, the professors began to divide the children into pairs, and it was Harry and Ron's turn.

- It was a good time to break up the inseparable couple. Weasley fights back...

Before his father could finish his sentence, Draco stepped forward and stood before Ron.

- 'Professor, can I fight him? - He asked innocently.

Severus raised an eyebrow but nodded without waiting for an explanation.

- 'Be careful, Mr Malfoy. Mr Weasley's wand leaves much to be desired.

- Of course, sir.

- As for Mr Potter," Severus stretched out, glancing at his sons, "He will fight against Mr Prince.

Nodding to Itachi, he distractedly picked up Hermione's date. It was at this time that Smith approached the brothers.

- So, Prince, are you getting ready to admit defeat?

- Pfft, what's that all of a sudden? - Sasuke asked for his brother.

- Here, everything is decided by reaction speed, not academic knowledge. Potter could easily smash Itachi into the wall. After all, he had defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named!

- Firstly, to duel, you need to know spells; that is, you need academic knowledge; secondly, what makes you think my brother has bad reaction speed? And thirdly, you're afraid to say Voldemort's name," the corners of Zachariah's lips curled at the sound of that name, "so what courage can you speak of. Hn, you can challenge me to a duel if you want to prove me wrong. But remember, I won't coddle you.

At that, Sasuke gave Smith an expressive look. Zachariah flinched at that look but quickly pulled himself together and looked at the younger Prince with defiance.

- Good!!!

And finding Professor Lokons, he asked.

- Can I be paired with the Prince.

- Of course, of course! What commendable enthusiasm! When I was your age, I was eager to fight, too!

Without listening, Zachariah stood up to Sasuke. When the number three sounded, the Prince repeated his father's trick and threw Zachariah to the wall at the other end of the hall.

- What a masterful execution of Professor Snape's demonstrated spell! Five points to Ravenclaw! Still, you shouldn't have used it with such force," Locons looked reproachfully at Sasuke.

- I'm sorry, sir. I miscalculated my strength," the Prince replied 'innocently'.

- Be more careful next time.

- Of course, Professor," Sasuke replied and went to look for his brother.

He found Itachi rather quickly. His duel with Potter had already begun, and he lazily fended off Harry's attacks. Of course, an outsider wouldn't have been able to tell, but Sasuke could see that his brother wanted to give Potter a chance to prove himself. The Prince was immediately reminded of clan training. Back then, his brother had also guided and taught him how to defend himself. He was snapped out of his memories by a shrill shriek. Looking around, he saw a snake crawling towards Weasley. From the smirk on Draco's face, the twins guessed it was him. The snake crawled closer and closer, and Ron shouted:

- Get it away! Get it away!

Draco shrugged his shoulders.

- You have a wand in your hand. You can get rid of it yourself. And anyway, aren't Gryffindors famous for their bravery?

Before Ron and the snake were two metres apart, Harry stood before it and started hissing. The snake stopped moving and stood still as if listening. The brothers looked at each other. The gift of Parseltongue was quite rare, and considering Salazar Slytherin and Voldemort possessed it, it was suspicious. Of course, the twins didn't believe that he was the one who had done the writing on the wall and cast the petrification spell on the cat and the Gryffindor. The Sharingan was impossible to fool; Potter was telling the truth then. So he wasn't the culprit. But the fact that Harry had the gift of speaking to snakes was still suspicious. Severus came up simultaneously and destroyed the snake with a precise blow. In the silence of the hall, the words of the Hufflepuff man, whose name, as Sasuke remembered, was Justin Finch-Fletchley, sounded as if he were under a Sonorus spell:

- Making a spectacle of himself!