It's almost Christmas holiday, so the bulletin board at Hogwarts was cluttered with parchment messages.
Most were notices for lost items, missing pets, or holiday announcements.
That morning, Ted had just finished his early practice—blending spellwork, agility, and stamina training he'd picked up from various magical systems—and made his way to the Great Hall with Neville.
As they passed the bulletin board, they spotted Luna pinning up a long piece of parchment.
"Hey Luna," Ted called out. "Did you lose something too?"
Luna turned to them, her dreamy gaze soft as always.
The parchment she'd pinned stretched nearly a foot long, crammed with a list of odd items.
"You lost this much?" Ted raised an eyebrow.
Luna blinked slowly and glanced back at the parchment. "Not really lost. People like to mess with me... take my things as jokes. With the holidays coming, I'm hoping they'll return them."
Her voice was calm, but Ted and Neville exchanged troubled looks.
"That's awful," Neville muttered. T
ed's jaw clenched.
"They actually do this in the Ravenclaw dorms? I'll talk to them for you, Luna. We'll figure this out."
Ted later asked Hermione to help investigate.
She was quick to uncover the truth: Luna, because of her eccentric personality and odd trinkets—like her Butterbeer cork necklace and fruit-shaped earrings—was often mocked by classmates.
Many even called her "Loony Lovegood" behind her back.
She'd become an easy target.
Despite being a Ravenclaw, her closest friend was Ginny from Gryffindor.
Ted knew too well how people fear what's different.
It's easier to laugh at someone than to understand them.
...
That evening, in the Ravenclaw common room, about twenty first to third years were gathered, some lounging on armchairs, others clustered near the bust of Rowena Ravenclaw.
Ted stood in front of the statue, arms crossed, face serious.
"I didn't think I'd hear about this kind of behavior in Ravenclaw," he began, voice steady but sharp. "I thought we valued knowledge, understanding, and wit—not cruelty masked as cleverness."
The room fell silent.
"Look at Azkaban. So many of the law-bending wizards came from Ravenclaw. Why? Because we think we're smart enough to play with rules, twist them around."
Some students fidgeted, avoiding his gaze.
"Wisdom isn't about clever jokes at someone else's expense. If we can't even respect the people we share a dorm with, we're not honoring Rowena Ravenclaw. We're humiliating her legacy."
He paused. "I want each of you to think—truly think—about what kind of wizard or witch you want to become."
A few first-year girls were blinking back tears.
Afterwards, several students quietly returned Luna's belongings.
Two even apologized.
Ted found her later near the library. "People can be foolish, even those wearing blue and bronze. But that doesn't mean you should ever stop being yourself."
Luna's pale cheeks flushed, and she nodded. "Thank you, Ted."
Hermione, arms crossed, grinned at him. "You're oddly good at this whole comforting thing."
Ted grinned back. "You know me. Jack of all magical trades."
...
By mid-December, snowflakes danced endlessly over the castle grounds.
The skies were gray, heavy with more snow. Ted and the others bundled up in thick robes, scarves, and gloves.
Even Harley—no longer braving the cold nights with her Invisibility Cloak—stayed indoors more often.
But Jerry? Jerry still snuck around the castle after curfew, claiming it was for "research."
At breakfast, he leaned in, whispering, "I saw spiders crawling out of the windows in the main tower last night. Dozens of them. In this weather? Are they mad?"
Hermione looked intrigued. "Shouldn't they be hibernating?"
"They should," Ted said, thinking aloud. "Spiders that stay active in the winter usually don't last long. It's strange..."
Ron shivered and shoved away his plate. "Can we not talk about spiders at breakfast? Seriously, I'm trying to eat here."
"Alright, alright," Ted laughed.
'Of course they'd migrate. Spiders had many eyes, and none with lids. They couldn't look away. Against a basilisk, they didn't stand a chance.'
Ted didn't mention that thought.
Not yet.
After all, tonight was the first session of Lockhart's Dueling Club. Everyone was buzzing about it.
The Great Hall was to be transformed into a battleground of spells and dramatic flairs.
Lockhart had been prepping all morning—trying on robes, adjusting his hair, spritzing perfumes.
He had at least eight outfits picked out, none of which he could settle on.
In his office mirror, he practiced his most dazzling smiles. "Chin up. Shoulders back. Perfect."
Ted just hoped Lockhart wouldn't blow up the stage before anyone got a chance to duel.
Lockhart: "Do you dare to spar with me?!"
After dinner ended around seven o'clock, many of the students stayed behind in the Great Hall, buzzing with anticipation for what promised to be the most dramatic event of the week.
Lockhart might've had the fighting prowess of a gnome in quicksand, but Hogwarts could be a boring place between classes. And this was the best entertainment they'd had in weeks.
By the time the clock struck eight, the hall had filled with more than a hundred students—mostly first to fourth years.
The older years, too focused on their N.E.W.T.s and with a finely honed sense for nonsense, had mostly stayed away.
As the time drew near, whispers floated through the air. Laughter, gossip, and mock wagers about how long Lockhart would last in a duel added to the buzzing energy.
Then, the doors opened.
Lockhart strode in wearing a shimmering violet dueling robe, arms wide, hair perfectly curled, and an enchanted breeze conveniently tossing his bangs.
Behind him floated Snape, robes trailing like a creeping shadow, expression twisted as if he'd just bitten into something that used to be alive.
"Ah-ha! Good evening, students! I am your dear Professor Lockhart!" he announced, making a dramatic pose as if he were entering a stage play.
"Due to some recent... disturbances, Professor Dumbledore has entrusted me with forming a Dueling Club! Here, I will teach you to defend yourselves with poise, grace, and of course—like me!"
His voice had the exaggerated flair of a showman—probably practiced for hours in front of his mirror.
He ripped off his cloak and tossed it into the crowd, where a group of first-year girls squealed in mock delight. "Let's begin!"
With a theatrical sweep of his wand, the dining tables slid aside and reassembled into a wide dueling platform lined with deep blue carpet.
Even if his skills were questionable, the man knew how to make an entrance.
Lockhart leapt onto the platform with surprising agility. "Now, allow me to introduce my dueling assistant—Professor Snape!"
Snape followed without a word, folding his arms and gripping his wand. Shadows seemed to cling to him.
"Professor Snape has kindly agreed to help me with a demonstration duel," Lockhart continued, unfazed. "Don't worry, I won't hurt him."
Ted, standing with Neville, Harley, and the others, winced.
Neville muttered, "This is... painful to watch."
Harley, the Gryffindor dueling champ with a sarcastic streak, snorted, "Snape may be a git, but Lockhart's going to get turned into a lawn ornament."
Ted grinned. "To be fair, Lockhart did say he wouldn't hurt Snape. Shows excellent self-awareness."
Hermione giggled into her scarf.
Ron, looking sour, mumbled, "They'd do us all a favor if they knocked each other out."
Jerry clapped him on the back, laughing. "Now that's the Christmas spirit."
On the platform, the two professors turned back to back, paced, and spun around with raised wands. For all his flair, Lockhart mimicked the traditional duelist stance surprisingly well.
If it were a real duel, things like honor, posture, and fancy salutes would be tossed out the window. You'd go full rogue—poison the air, throw pocket sand, drop a summoned bear, or unleash a soul-flaying genjutsu. In proper battles, it was adapt or get obliterated.
"One..."
"Two..."
"Three!"
"Expelliarmus." Snape's spell came out like a whisper.
Lockhart didn't even blink before the red flash struck him square in the chest, launching him three meters back. He crashed with a dull thud onto the carpet, limbs sprawled, eyes wide.
His wand flew through the air like a kicked Quaffle, landing somewhere in the crowd where Ron, half-interested, may or may not have stepped on it.
Silence fell over the hall. Half the students hadn't even realized the duel had begun before it was over.
One concerned Hufflepuff walked up cautiously. "Professor? Professor Lockhart?"
Lockhart groaned.
With an exaggerated wince, he sat up. "Ah! That was... a demonstration on what not to do! Yes! That was me showing you how vulnerable you can be if caught off guard. If I were serious..."
Snape, eyes glinting, took a step forward and raised his wand just slightly.
Lockhart clammed up instantly. "Now, I think it's time for you to experience it yourselves! Form pairs and get ready to duel!" He practically tumbled off the platform.
The crowd blinked.
Hermione whispered, "Did he just... not teach us anything?"
Ted sighed. "He came, he posed, he got launched. That was the lesson."
Ron grunted. "Came to take a crap on stage and left."
_______________________________
Word count: 1514
Comment below on what you think so far.
Also, if you're interested in reading some advanced chapters, you can support me on my patreon.
patreon.com/Rai_jin
Thanks for reading guys.