The next day the whole school was talking about the Colin Creevey incident. ( He's been petrified). Cortney was walking with Pansy and the Slytherin girls to the Great Hall. Something about starting a dueling club.

" I can't believe Colin Creevey, got petrified," Tracey said.

" That's two now," Daphne stated.

" Two? " Millicent asked confused.

" Mrs. Norris and now Colin Creevey," Kierra said.

" Oh," Millicent mumbled.

" Ready for the club? " Pansy asked.

" Do I have to go? " Cortney groaned.

" You are not skipping this time, Lestrange ! " a voice behind them snapped. They looked back and saw Seamus, Dean, and Neville. Cortney rolled her eyes at them. Now they all stood in the Great Hall, surrounding a giant catwalk thingy. Students stood on both sides.

" Gather around! " Lockhart called strutting up and down the catwalk. Everyone stepped up and gathered around the catwalk. " Gather around. Can everybody see me? Can everybody hear me? " Everyone was looking up at him. " Excellent! In the light of dark events of recent weeks! Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this dueling club. To train all you up in case you need to defend yourselves, as I myself have done on countless occasions. For all details, see my published work ". He took off his cloak and threw it to a bunch of girls. They caught it and began squealing. Cortney pretended to gag, Pansy smacked Cortney in the arm, the two girls began giggling. " Let me introduce my assistant Professor Snape! " Lockhart announced. The two girls stopped giggling. Snape slowly walked up to the catwalk. On the opposite end. " He has sportingly agreed to help me with a demonstration. Now I don't want any of you, youngsters, to worry, you'll have your Potions master when I'm through with him. Never fear ". The two Professors approached each other. The two whipped out their wands, bowed, walked five spaces back. They turned around ready to fire spells. " One, two, three--"

" Expelliarmus! " Professor Snape shouted, the spell his Lockhart causing him to fly backward and land on his back.

" Do you think he's alright? " Hermione asked worriedly.

" Who cares? " Ron smirked. Lockhart got up and Snape smirked.

" An excellent idea to show them that Professor Snape. But if you don't mind me saying, it was pretty obvious, about what you were about to do. And if I were to stop you. It would have been too easy," Lockhart said arrogantly. Cortney could have sworn his head was filling with more air by the minute.

" Oh Merlin," Cortney mumbled, the Slytherin girls giggled.

 " Perhaps it would be prudent if we teach the students how to block unfriendly spells," Professor Snape suggested.

"An excellent idea Professor Snape! ,"  Lockhart exclaimed. Let's have volunteer pair, um, Potter! Weasly! How about you! " Harry and Ron began to head up, but Snape stopped them.

" Weasley's wand causes devastation with the simplest spells. We'll be sending Potter to the hospital wing in a matchbox. Might I suggest someone from my own house? Malfoy perhaps? " Snape suggested. He turned to Malfoy and made a gesture to him to get up there. Draco hopped up onto the catwalk. The Slytherin girls all smiled at each other. " Good luck Potter," Lockhart said Harry. The two boys walked towards each other and stopped two feet away.

" Wands ready! " Lockhart shouted. Harry and Draco whipped out their wands.

" Scared Potter? " Malfoy smirked.

" You wish," Harry growled. They whipped down their wands, turned, and walked five spaces from each other. The two turned and had their wands pointed at each other.

"  On the count of three! Cast your charms, disarm your opponent. Disarm only, we don't want any accidents here," began Lockhart. " One, two - "

" Evertestatum ! " shouted Malfoy, the spell hit Harry making him fly and spin in the air backward. Harry got up and pointed his wand at Malfoy.

" Rictuespmperal ! " shouted Harry. The spell hit Malfoy causing him to fly backward. He landed on his butt facing Snape. Snape pulled him up by his cloak, to his feet and shoved him back towards Harry.

" I said disarm only! " Lockhart shouted.

" Serpensortial! " Malfoy shouted. A medium-length snake appeared on the ground from the spell. It began hissing. It began slithering around on the catwalk.

" Don't worry Potter, I'll get rid of it for you! " Snape said as he began walking towards the snake.

" Allow me Professor Snape, Alarte Ascendare ! " Lockhart shouted. The snake flew high into the air and landed back down, still alive. It began hissing and turned to towards Justin Finch- Fletchy, a Hufflepuff. Justin looked at the snake terrified. Harry walked towards the snake and began to make weird hissing sounds. Cortney's eyes widen. The snake turned towards Harry, he shook his head.

" Vipera Evanesca," said Snape. The spell burned the snake making it disappear.

" What are you playing at? " Justin asked terrified. Harry looked up and saw that everyone had the same scared. wide-eye look. Everyone left, Cortney and all the other Slytherin's made their way towards the common room. They all stepped inside, silent from the event.

" Could Potter possibly be the Heir of Slytherin? " Pansy questioned.

" No," Malfoy said darkly.

" You don't know that," Blaise pointed out. Salazar Slytherin spoke Parsletounge, snake language. It's not a very common gift, Potter has the same gift"

" Now don't be stupid Zabini! "  Draco spat walking away.

**************

Cortney was now in the mysterious room with De'lexi and Milan, and Joey. They were skipping study time. 

" We have had the Mandrakes, in our mouths for a whole month, now we continue to train," De'lexi stated.

" Christmas break is coming up, who's staying? " Milan asked. All four raised their hand.

" I suggest we come here over break and train for two hours, if we do it enough, maybe before break ends, we can transform into our animal form," Joey said hopefully.

" We should also train every day, while not on break. Before Astronomy class, before curfew," Cortney suggested.

" Remember this takes skill, patience, and practice," De'lexi informed.

" If we get caught unregistered, we will be sent to Azkaban, still want to risk it? " Joey asked.

" If we do register, I'll do it after Hogwarts," Cortney stated.

" I'm in with Cortney," Milan confirmed.

********************

The news got around the Headless Nick Ghost and Justin Finch was petrified, people were scared of Harry, mainly Hufflepuffs. People thinking, Harry is the Heir of Slytherin, Cortney doesn't think so. She was currently saying goodbye to people leaving for Christmas break.

" Cortney, are you sure you are going to stay behind again? " Seamus asked.

" I'm sure," Cortney confirmed.

" My mom wouldn't mind an extra person," Dean offered.

" She said she's staying, now let's go," Neville urged dragging them away.

" Merry Christmas boys! " Cortney called waving.

" Merry Christmas! " They coursed. Someone tapped her shoulder, she turned and saw Theodore Nott.

" I just came to say, Happy Christmas and bye," Theodore said. Cortney smiled. " Are you staying? "

" Yea, so is my cousin, so more cousin bonding time," Cortney replied. " Happy Christmas to you too". Cortney looked up and giggled.

" What? " Theodore asked confused, tilting his head. 

" Look," Cortney said pointing up. They both looked up and saw a mistletoe. They looked back at each other, Theodore was blushing hard. Cortney go to her tiptoes and placed a kiss on his lips. She place her feet back on the ground. " See you after the break ". She giggled before walking away, leaving the boy bewildered, he began to smile wildly. Cortney soon ran into Pansy.

" I have gossip for you," Cortney said to Pansy.

" You know how much I love gossip," Pansy smiled evilly. Cortney explained how she kissed Theodore Nott.

" I knew this eventually happen! " Pansy squealed. " Does Draco know ?"

" Not yet, you are the first person I told," Cortney giggled.

" Cortney and Teddy sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G! " Pansy sang, Cortney quietly covered her best friend's mouth with her hand.

" Shut up! " Cortney hissed. The two girls began giggling. " Happy Christmas Pansy ". Cortney removed her hand.

" Happy Christmas Cortney," Pansy giggled before leaving.