First Place - Angst

Severus stood at the front of the great hall, on the raised platform where the staff table normally rested but had been converted into a dueling platform for their purposes, and glared at the collected students while Remus gave a brief outline of what joining the new Dueling Club would entail.

The group before him was large, consisting of the majority of third year and under, all of the DA, and a smattering of other students. There were probably fewer than fifty students outside the great hall at that moment.

"In this Club we will address the formalities of dueling such as are used in official dueling competitions," Remus smiled broadly. Severus was certain that only he and Harry could see that the werewolf was drawn and tired. "If you want to learn how to defend yourself from an attack join the DA. To show you the basic etiquette of a formal duel we'll begin with a demonstration. Harry, why don't you come up here?"

Severus saw Harry freeze as his friends turned to look at him. Those further away began searching the crowd for him. With a nudge from Hermione Harry recovered and walked towards them with a glare. Severus just smirked.

"I am not happy," Harry practically growled as he stepped up to stand with his father.

"I should hope you don't look like this when you are happy," Severus responded, quietly so no one could overhear them. "You might confuse some people... like Charlie."

Harry just glared and turned around to face the students. A few of them flinched and Severus wondered if it was just because of the glare itself or because of the obvious resemblance between them when Harry glared like that. After Harry had turned around Severus's glare had returned to his face and he saw the Weasleys and Granger holding back snickers along with the rest of Harry's roommates.

"In any formal duel the rules are laid out for the participants prior to the commencement of the duel," Remus continued, ignoring Harry's glare. "For this duel the only rules are that no illegal curse may be used. It will be a freeform duel, rather than a trading of spells to determine which dueler is stronger." A few students looked up with wide eyes, knowing that a broad spectrum of curses, some quite painful and damaging, were legal.

"For the purposes of this duel a special ward has been erected over the platform, allowing the use of magic not normally allowed on Hogwarts grounds," by which he meant dark magic to the astonishment of those who discerned what he meant, "and apparition. They are restricted to the platform."

Severus saw a slow grin appear on Harry's face and for a moment he regretted pulling Harry up here for this. He was about to get his ass handed to him by his son in front of nearly every student in the castle.

"As this is a formal duel, it is decided when one of the two participants is disarmed or otherwise incapacitated," Remus smiled at Severus and Harry. "Harry will be dueling Professor Snape."

Some of the wide eyes that had been looking at the platform widened further and others suddenly opened wide.

"You'll still have your Potions master when I am through with him, never fear," Harry smirked at Severus.

There were a few snickers from the seventh and sixth year students there and Severus glared at his son. Harry was going to pay for that. Remus and the other students, of course, had no idea what Harry was referring to. Those were the same exact words Lockhart had used... right before Severus disarmed him in the first move of their duel.

"When they are ready Professor Snape and Harry will bow, turn, walk ten paces, and then turn and duel," Remus stepped down off the platform and Severus felt the wards, keyed to activate when he and Harry were on the platform alone, come to life.

They were already in the middle of the platform and Harry grinned at Severus with a glint in his eye that Severus did not like.

"Ready," Harry asked impishly, "or would you like to concede now and save yourself the humiliation?"

"You wish Potter," Severus echoed his son's grin and raised an eyebrow.

They both bent just slightly at the waist, keeping their backs straight and maintaining eye contact. Severus saw an intensity in Harry's eyes that he only saw brought out by dueling. There was very little chance of Harry becoming an Auror now, with his near hatred of the Ministry, and it was a shame. Severus knew his son would have made an excellent Auror.

They both turned sharply and began walking. Severus felt his robes billow out behind him, and if Harry was still holding the same posture as he had after the bow his robes were doing the same. At ten paces Severus turned and put up a shield, knowing Harry would be faster on the draw than him.

He was right, and felt the curse Harry threw sizzle as it hit his shield and was absorbed. Severus threw a volley of curse towards Harry, all of them light and simple. Harry blocked each one as easily as breathing. They both assessed each other for a moment, throwing some curses back and forth, escalating in difficulty.

Severus saw the side of Harry's mouth quirk upwards just a bit and prepared himself. He could tell that the duel was about to begin for real. Harry cast a combination of hexes with almost more power behind them than Severus could withstand, and then disappeared without a sound.

Harry could have apparated, or he might have cast an invisibility charm. A fog charm filled the ground with droplets of water vapor, and Severus saw it swirl around something not far from him. He aimed the counters to every invisibility charm he could think of.

Curses shot towards him and Severus blocked and shielded against them while casting his countercharms. A leg-locker hex had him for an instant but Severus countered it quickly. One of his counters hit Harry and the boy flashed visible for a moment before vanishing in a swirl of the rising vapor.

An omnidirectional shield would protect Severus from curse on all sides, and came in useful as a curse hit from behind, then another from in front of him. Harry was apparating, but he was limited to the space of the platform.

Neither one of them were speaking their spells. The only sound made on the platform was that of curses colliding in the air or hitting shields or blocks. There were flashes of light from both wizards. Their audience wasn't making any noise, not even the shuffling of feet or rustling of robes.

Severus did not dare begin apparating himself, as it would make enough noise to alert Harry. Shields could not be maintained while apparating. The only advantage Severus had was that Harry was most likely not using his empathy due to the crowded room and his own sense of fairness.

It was only a matter of time before Harry just ripped through Severus's shields and ended the duel. He was drawing it out, toying with his father. Severus had been on the defensive from the moment the duel started and chances were the older students watching were aware of that.

Severus cast a number dark curses to either side, knowing that any that went astray would be nullified before they reached the students. He saw where Harry blocked one of his curses and sent a barrage of spells that way, including one that would prevent Harry from becoming invisible again.

Luckily for Severus that one got through, masked by some relatively harmless curses that Harry allowed to hit and then immediately countered, conserving his resources. When he realized what his father had done he smiled and apparated again, appearing close enough behind Severus to reach out and hug him.

Severus dodged a physical grab for his wand, though taken by surprise. He cast some dark curses that were nearly impossible to block and instead of trying Harry dropped and rolled backwards, springing to his feet once the curses had passed him.

They fired back and forth, and Severus realized Harry was holding back. He had not cast a single dark spell towards Severus, just defended. The speed of the casting increased, Severus using dark spells while Harry used light.

He almost stopped when Harry allowed a few curses to get through that he shouldn't have. Something was going on that Severus was not aware of. It had to be intentional though, as the look in Harry's eyes did not change for an instant.

Severus cast a succession of curses that he knew Harry would block while Harry healed a gash on his leg and stopped a burn on his arm from spreading. Harry picked up the pace, and the dueling area was filled with an almost constant flickering light as curses flashed.

This duel was completely unlike their duels in the Forbidden Forest. Though Harry professed to hate crowds and audiences and the attention he got from the entire wizarding world, the boy was quite a natural showman. Severus doubted that Harry even knew what a show he was putting on.

After what seemed like an eternity, Severus was flung backwards. As he fell his wand was ripped out of his hand and shot towards Harry, summoned. He landed, expecting it to jolt his body, but the spot he landed on had been cushioned.

Severus gripped the hand that was held out for him and allowed Harry to pull him to his feet. They bowed to each other and Harry handed him his wand. The students began applauding and whistling, and Severus looked Harry over. The dark hair was plastered to his face and damp. Harry was bent over and making a show of breathing heavily.

"What was that?" Severus hissed, knowing that only Harry would hear him with all that noise. "You could have ended that in two minutes."

"I didn't want to show my whole hand," Harry replied and grinned. "At least one of the students will tell a parent all about this and that parent will tell Voldemort. He'll know that I've learned a lot, but not how much."

Pride swelled up inside Severus, and admiration, "Well done son."

Harry's grin got even wider and he gave Severus a quick hug, the first he had ever initiated in front of people while completely healthy, "Thanks Dad."

Severus spoke the key words to take down the wards and felt the shift in the magic around him.

"The duel goes to Harry Potter," Remus announced, "win by disarming. Now I want you all to pair up with a student in your own year. Each pair of students fourth year and above will work with a pair from third year and below. Start with disarming and blocking only."

The students began pairing off and Harry sat down on the edge of the platform. Severus joined him and conjured a towel for him. Harry used it to wipe his forehead and then the rest of his face, then draped it around his shoulders.

"Nice duel."

They looked up together. Severus recognized Mafloy's voice and had no doubt that Harry did as well.

"Thanks Malfoy," Harry responded with a lazy smile, trying to look tired.

Malfoy looked them both over carefully and summoned a chair from the side of the room. He sat down in front of them and glanced around.

"Just wondering why you didn't use everything you knew Potter," Malfoy looked crafty. "Misdirection?" Harry nodded slowly. "Good. Pansy noticed that Professor Snape was the only one using dark magic and was rather pleased. Nott was impressed with your skills, especially after the other night, as was Zabini and a few others. If either of them approaches you hear them out."

"Sure," Harry nodded again but kept a suspicious look on his face. "I gave you a chance."

Severus changed his earlier assessment of Harry's burgeoning acting skills. Harry was mastering the ability to hide his emotions, he just chose to let them show often. Draco Malfoy sauntered over to the other Slytherins in the room and began giving the younger students pointers.

"I'm going to the library to work on that essay for you," Harry said with a look of suffering. "Are we having a lesson tonight?"

Severus shook his head, "I've got some potions at a crucial stage. There's very little left for our lessons and I'm reluctant to begin the next portion."

Harry nodded. They had already discussed this. The next spells Severus would be teaching Harry were those intended to kill. The Unforgivable Curses were still far in the future, as neither one of them wanted to start on those.

"We have to do it Dad," Harry said softly. "The sooner I learn it, the sooner I can end all of this."

"I know Harry," Severus sighed, "just go to the library. I'll see you later."

Harry nodded and left the great hall. Severus watched the students spread out in the hall and took note of those who watched his son leave. There was a combination of those concerned for Harry's welfare and those who were looking for information to pass on to their parents. Severus was just grateful that Voldemort didn't ever Mark students. Only those who had graduated or otherwise left school were eligible to be inducted into the ranks of Death Eaters.

He didn't bother asking what had happened the other night to impress Theodore Nott. If it was important Severus would find out sooner or later.

"Was Harry just playing with you?" Remus asked as he came over to stand beside Severus.

The two professors talked while watching the hall. The older students were helping the younger ones nicely. After a few sessions like this they would begin having the students duel in front of their peers, and then would start matching up duelers based on skill level rather than letting the students choose their partners.

"He doesn't want the extent of his knowledge to get back to Voldemort," Severus replied with a proud smirk. He hadn't though Harry had the presence of mind to think of that. When Harry said it Severus was cursing himself for not suggesting it himself.

Remus smiled and shook his head, "I've seen your lessons and I didn't know he was even that good."

Severus snorted, "I knew, but I haven't seen his best yet either. No one has seen him duel with Albus yet."

"That must be beautiful," Remus commented wistfully.

Severus silently agreed. They could easily make a fortune selling tickets to a duel between Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter, even a friendly one.

"You've got the prefect meeting this week, right?" Remus questioned.

Severus lowered his head and rubbed his temples. He was not looking forward to that meeting. Albus had decided on throwing a Halloween Ball that year to raise the spirits of the students and keep them in the school and visible. Voldemort liked Halloween and was no doubt planning something spectacular.

"I have to organize them to plan the bloody Ball," Severus growled.

Lupin laughed loudly, drawing a few their eyes, "Better you than me Severus."

"Watch it wolf," Severus snapped at the man, still talking lowly so the students couldn't overhear. "I'm the one that makes your potion every month."

"Isn't Harry helping with that now?" Remus's eyes were sparkling, refusing to rise to the bait.

"Yes, he is," Severus replied, "and so you're lucky I'm not too angry with you. If I turned my back for a second Merlin knows what he would manage to do such a delicate potion."

Remus just shook his head and took a few steps forward, "That's good for today. We'll meet at the same time each week, barring those Sundays there are quidditch games. I'd like a few volunteers to stay behind and help me put the hall back in order."

The seventh year Gryffindor boys, Granger, the female Weasley, Lovegood, and Malfoy were the students who stayed behind of course. As Head Boy, volunteering for such duties was expected of Malfoy. The others would do nearly anything Lupin requested of them.

Lupin directed them in reassembling the great hall. Severus saw he was not the only one that noticed Lupin only giving terse orders, not casting any spells himself. Granger was watching the werewolf thoughtfully out of the corner of her eye.

"Professor?" Severus turned to see Ginny Weasley looking at him with a smile.

"Yes Miss Weasley?" Severus gave the girl his full attention. She had grown quite a bit over the summer and was going to be tall like Bill and Ron. Willowy would describe her well in a few years.

"I was wondering what the name of the potion was," Weasley said softly, "the one used to conceive Harry."

Severus blinked. He had not given the girl more attention than any other Gryffindor in his classroom, but recalled that she had potions skills equal to those of her twin brothers, who would probably be able to qualify as Masters if they were willing to go through the process... and take their N.E.W.T.s.

"You will not find it in the school library Miss Weasley," Severus told her sternly. "Such potions are not suitable for students."

"I don't plan on brewing it sir," the girl flushed. "I was curious as to how it worked."

"The potion I brewed does not exist in any book in the form I used it. It was adapted from another potion," Severus gave her a searching look. The redheaded girl looked curious, not at all mischievous. He knew enough Weasleys to know that whatever she was thinking of, it wasn't dangerous or reckless. "Stay after class tomorrow and I will show you the book."

The girl nodded, grinning, and then ran off after her friends towards Gryffindor Tower. Severus shook his head. Add another Gryffindor to the list.

Finding the Key - Chapter 24

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