On the way to class Ron marveled, "He really isn't so bad after all. I can't believe it. Fred and George and Percy and Bill and Charlie, they all said how horrible he is to Gryffindors. And when we started he was."
"I think that's just the problem, Ron. A new crop of Gryffindors comes in and the class ahead tells them how awful he is. So they act like he's already a rat and he doesn't disappoint them. Maybe his very first class when he started teaching got a raw deal. Maybe he treated them rough because he was nervous on the new job. Maybe he really had it in for Gryffindor. I heard somewhere, when he was a student some of us harassed him mightily. However it started, the pattern was set and neither side had the brains or the guts to step out of it and look for the potential in the other."
Ron dismissed it all with a wave. "Just wait till we tell the rest of the house. Here we are just first years and we're having a duel with a teacher for referee and..."
"NO!" West snapped. Ron jumped at this unexpected response. "You'll tell nobody, understand?"
"Not TELL anybody? But West, this is greatest thing that's happened to Gryffindor all year. We'll be..."
"I said NO! Now if you can't do as I say, I'll get someone else to be my second."
"But West, WHY?"
"Do you think I WANT people to know that I can't work out some petty little argument without resorting to violence? Do you think that's how my parents raised me?"
"But the whole house will want to be there."
"And that's ANOTHER thing. Once Draco and I set the example do you think a room full of Slytherins and Gryffindors will stand by quietly and take the verdict? Who ever looses, his house will start something. It will start out innocent enough with dirty looks and grumbling. But soon it'll break out into a full scale riot and I don't think even Snape will be able to handle it. So Ron, Can I Depend On You?"
Ron gulped. "Y-yes. I'll keep it quiet."
The afternoon went smoothly enough with out further incident. At dinner, West noticed Draco looking over toward him and smirking. The first years were so far down the table he couldn't see whether Snape ever looked at him or not. Dumbledore looked as if he hadn't a care in the world.
There were still a few students in the common room when West took out the music box. He selected a very slow, romantic tune as he took Hermione into his arms. As the tune unwound she slid closer to him until the front of their robes touched. It wasn't at all proper, but she was feeling every bit as much in love as he. The vocal flowed on.*
Time is a wheel in constant motion always rolling us along.
Tell me who wants to look back on the years and wonder
Where those years have gone.
As usual West didn't notice the passing of time. Somebody closed the music box and the tune stopped. "Percy, do you have to...."
"It's not Percy. It's me, Ron."
West growled. "Ron, what are you..."
"It's almost eleven thirty . Remember, we have to...you know."
West's face told of a job he'd rather not have to do. Hermione became concerned. "What is it West? What is it you two have to do? It's not something against the rules, is it?"
"Humph. That's not a problem. We...we just have to see Professor Snape about something."
"Why do you have to be so secretive about seeing one of the teachers? You're trying to keep something from me, aren’t you?"
West opened his mouth trying to think of something to say that would put her mind to rest. Before he could answer though, Ron burst out with, "He's going to duel Malfoy and Snape is the referee!"
"DUEL? You can't duel! First years aren't allowed! How…how could Professor Snape be a party to this?"
"The faculty have a wider range of action than we suspected, but it's time to go. He's waiting for us just beyond the Fat Lady with Malfoy and Crabbe." West's look to Ron asked for understanding. He took Hermione in his arms again and kissed her.
"I'm going with you."
"NO! No spectators. This is just between the two of us."
"I'm going, West. I have to. I…I…I love you."
For the life of him he couldn't think of another word to say.
But the Slytherins hadn't quite gotten there yet. Malfoy was whining to get out of the whole thing, but Snape was hearing none of it. "But Professor, my father...."
"SHUT UP, you stupid FOOL! Is that what you want to write home about? 'Dear Father, I challenged a Gryffindor to a duel but chickened out.' Do you think THAT will make him PROUD of you? To be fool enough to challenge someone you’re too cowardly to face AND to be afraid in the first place of a Mudblood is NOT how Lucius Malfoy has always pictured his son."
Snape stopped dragging Malfoy down the corridor to get his breath. "And not just any Mudblood. Oh no. You're afraid to face an American."
"Professor, you're one of my father's friends. You're supposed to help me."
"I AM helping you, IDIOT! I'm keeping you from ending up on the ash heap. Why do you think I don't let you slide in potions class? What use do you think you'll be to anyone if you can't do even the simplest formula? What use will you be to The Organization? What use will you be to yourself?"
Crabbe perked up. "The Organization? Oh, you mean the Death..."
His head rang from Snape's backhand. "Is the entire house composed of fools? Never, I repeat, NEVER, speak that name here at Hogwarts. If you value not your own life, give some thought to the rest of us you peril."
Snape now looked Malfoy straight in the eye with a stunning glare so horrible the boy thought the Dark Lord himself could do no worse. "Now listen to me Draco Malfoy and listen well. Listen as if you life depended on it. You are going to meet Mr. Westinghouse in the combat room and you are going to beat him. That is all there is to it. Now come ALONG!"
All six arrived just outside the Fat Lady's portrait at once. Snape's syrupy tone left no doubt that beneath it was the sincerity of pure poison. "Good evening Mr. Westinghouse, Mr. Weasley, are we all...Miss Granger what are YOU doing here?"
Hermione reached deep inside for the courage not to turn back. "I…I'm coming along. I'm going to watch West fight Draco and I'm going to see him win."
Snape's smile grew even wider to the point of looking as if he were about to be sick. "How sweet. Well, come along then, the night won't last forever."
On the third floor Snape unlocked a door and lead the way into a room pitch dark. He was heard to say, “Luminous.” Light flared from all directions and he put away his wand. “Close the door, Mr. Weasley.” Ron complied, still rubbernecking about at the three by five foot light panels that surrounded the room ten feet above the floor. Other than these the room was nothing but a rectangular stone box; no furniture, no fixtures, no windows.
“Yes, as you see this place is planned for the accidental stray spell, nothing to be damaged or destroyed, nothing to be picked up and tossed at opponents.” Snape had West and Draco stand at points marked by stones of lighter hue than the rest of the dark floor with Ron and Crabbe to the sides. After some internal debate he had Hermione stand next to him.
“Now gentlemen, as you are first years and this just a practice duel so to speak you will confine yourselves to disarming and shielding. Is that understood?” Both nodded grimly. “Very well then, you may begin.”
“GASTRO DIRUPTUS!” Malfoy shouted as he swung his wand toward West.
But West had a Shield Charm ready. Swinging his wand around by the end like a policeman’s baton he said, “Reflectose.” Draco doubled over in pain.
Snape announced lazily, “One point for Mr. Westinghouse, zero for Mr. Malfoy.”
Draco was reaching for something in his robe. West thrust his wand at him and shouted, “EXPELLIARMUS!” Draco was hurled toward the wall behind him as something flew into West’s hands. It was a pill bottle with some sort of stomach remedy.
“Not sporting to take an opponent's medication, Mr. Westinghouse. Minus one point.”
“Get him, West!” Hermione surprised herself by shouting.
“Let him have it!” added Ron. Crabbe didn’t seem to know what to say.
West had to admit to himself he didn’t like the way things were going. The score was tied again and he didn’t really have any idea what to do next.
Then Draco got an evil glint in his eye, worse than usual. He muttered out something West didn’t catch and from his wand tip erupted a huge snake. West rolled his eyes heavenward and groaned, “Really Draco that is SOOOOO last year.” But inside he was saying to himself, Snakes! WHY did it have to be snakes!
Neither of Draco’s attacks seemed to fit the referee’s instructions but West saw the pointlessness of bringing that up. He had to come up with a defense and pronto.
Better something that didn't even work than nothing. West hurled his mind through his memory for something that worked against snakes. For want of anything better he jabbed his wand at the snake and shouted, "RIKKI-TIKKI-TAVY!"
There, forming between him and the snake, was a mongoose easily ten times normal size. It charged the reptile hissing. West could tell by the rough edges that it was mere illusion but the snake was taken in. It swung about terrified and headed straight for Snape. He had tucked his wand back into his robes after turning the lights. As he struggled to extract it, he knew it was too late.
But he reckoned without the smartest as well as the most beautiful girl in the school. Hermione had her wand out and, jabbing it not at the snake but at Snape shouted, "OBFUSCATE!" The snake hesitated, then began looking about as if it had lost track of its target. During its confusion he managed to draw his wand and vaporize it.
The professor took a moment to recover. Then he growled, "Duel's over, Mr. Malfoy wins. Ten points from Gryffindor for using a spell to endanger non-combatants AND ten more for Miss Granger's interference."
Ron and Hermione could barely control themselves from speaking, but in a half year they had learned not to expect fairness from Snape. West faced the professor with his hat over his heart and a smile that said he knew more than he let on. He bowed and led his housemates back to the tower.
*I Hope You Dance Lee Ann Womack