Towards the end of class, Flitwick has us all practice Protego. Most of the class gets it first try since it is a rather simple spell. Whether they did it well has yet to be seen.

Once class ends the people who aren't in Dueling leave and the rest head into the room connected adjacently.

The room is long with a stage on it and seats surrounding it. It is a dueling arena. I have seen one in the paper once, an article about the dueling championship.

Flitwick walks up the steps standing on the stage looking at all of us sitting down. He pulls out a long parchment and starts calling names.

Once he gets done he looks around "It appears everyone is here… class doesn't start for another 25 minutes. Why don't we play a game."

A resounding cheer echoes through the room. Ron and Harry nearly jump up and down like all the other students.

"There are 16 of you so split into groups of 4, we will do a small dueling tournament." He says clapping his hands again.

Harry, Ron, Dean, and Hermione form a group as I pull Daphne away to the Slytherin's. I want to make Daphne some friends so she isn't an outcast to her own house.

The team we ended up with was Theodore Nott, Blaise Zabini, Daphne, and me. So three Slytherin and me.

"Three pure-bloods and a half-blood? This will be simple." Blaise says with a smug grin.

Everyone else in the group rolls their eyes. I hold my hand out to Theodore Nott "I am Soren Black, nice to meet you."

He shakes my hand with a small smile "I'm Theodore Nott, you can just call me Theo."

"I've heard of you, Snape says you're the only one in the class even close to my grade," I say with a grin.

"What? Does he talk to you about grades? That's obvious favoritism." Zabini speaks up in an arrogant voice.

I ignore him and talk to Theo "Are you looking to pursue potions in the future? A professional apothecary?"

He ponders for a second "I don't know. I just find it fun."

"Isn't that what most people want? To have a job that they just find fun?" I say with a small grin.

He shrugs "I suppose you're right…"

I gesture over to Daphne "This is my friend Daphne. I hope you get along."

He nods at her "We have met many times. Most of our families get together at least 5 times a year. I know almost all the pureblood children that way."

"That sounds typical. I notice you aren't friends with Malfoy, why not?" I ask, ignoring Zabini's small protests.

"I don't particularly care for pureblood supremacy. Not to mention, he is kind of an asshole." He says with a small grin.

"PFT, haha, I will admit I didn't expect that. I agree though he is." I turn to see Daphne covering her mouth with a hand to hide her giggle.

At this point, Zabini has a permanent scowl from us ignoring him. I just smile at his annoyance as Flitwick looks like he is about to speak I turn back to him.

"Alright class, gather around," Flitwick speaks up with a cheery call. "Remember this is only a game till we start class again. There will be only 3 rounds winners move on."

He points around the room "You are team one, you are two, you are three, and you are four. Each round will be five minutes long, you are only allowed to use Immobulus, Petrificus Totalus, and Expelliarmus. If you don't know any of these spells you are to guard for your team."

"If your wand leaves your hand or you are rendered immobile you will lose and you must step down. The last team up or the team with the most after 5 minutes will win the round. You have two minutes to talk amongst your team then we will begin with teams 4 and 1." He says as he claps his hands softly walking down the steps.

I turn to face the others "We are team three so we still got a lot of time. Do all of you guys know the basic dueling spells?"

"I know all of them," Theo says.

Zabini looks smug as he looks at Daphne "I know Petrificus Totalus. I'm also good at defense."

"I know Expelliarmus… I'm not sure about defense though, I've never really blocked anything." She says obviously lacking confidence.

"Aren't you like the strongest person in the first years? I heard you beat a troll last year." Theo said curiously.

"Yeah, I actually killed it," I say matter-of-factly.

Their eyes go wide, especially Zabini's "That rumor was true?"

"Yeah, my friends were in danger so I killed it. It wasn't that big of a deal." They all look at me with exhausted faces.

"As expected of a head of a pureblood house... Even a half-blood can do these kinds of things." Zabini mutters under his breath.

Theo rolls his eyes "How did you defeat it, you were only a first year? Not to mention we had a useless teacher last year."

I laugh a bit Quarrell was indeed useless "My older sister is an Auror. She has been studying under Shacklebolt since the incident with Moody. She taught me magic before I even entered Hogwarts."

Theo tilts his head "Sounds illegal to learn such dangerous spells so early."

Daphne rolls her eyes "All our pureblood families do it."

Zabini Laughs a bit "Of course we do. It is the privilege of being born with better blood."

The three of us give an exhausted sigh. "So back to the game. I think I will stay on defense unless I am the last standing."

Theo looks confused "Why?"

I smirk "It would be too easy if I attacked."

They all look at me with a skeptical gaze but before they can say anything the Professor speaks up again.

"Teams 1 and 4 come to the stage. Team 1 on my side, team 4 opposite." He says as he stands at one end on a stepping stool to be taller than the stage.

I turn to see Ron, Harry, Dean, and Hermione stepping up with Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson standing opposite them.

Draco crosses his arms as he stands in front "Are you ready to meet your father, Potter?" He spits his last word.

Harry's eyes narrow as he readies his wand "At least my father loved me Malfoy."

Malfoy's face turns grim as he pulls out his wand along with the rest of his posse.

"Enough of that. Ready your wands. You may begin once I say Duel." Flitwick speaks up annoyed at the boy's banter.

Both teams back up and ready themselves.

"5"

"4"

"3"

"2"

"1"

"DUEL!"