The four long tables in the Great Hall had disappeared, and a gilded stage had appeared in the middle, glittering with a dazzling light beneath hundreds upon hundreds of candles.
Zhang Xiao looked at the ostentatious stage and could not help curling his lip. Lockhart had such terrible taste.
The ceiling had once again turned as black as velvet. Almost the entire school had turned up, crowding together, each student holding a wand with excitement written all over their face.
They had never experienced a duel before. Apart from secretly casting minor jinxes on their friends, they had never even had a chance to cast spells at someone face-to-face.
There were far too many people around, and their long robes were a terrible nuisance. They kept accidentally stepping on other students' robes, then awkwardly apologizing under their disgruntled stares.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us," Hermione said as they squeezed sideways into the chattering crowd. "Professor Flitwick was once the world wizarding duelling champion when he was young. Perhaps he'll be teaching us."
"Duelling champion?"
Ron raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had never imagined that the tiny Professor Flitwick had such a glorious past.
Malfoy nodded too. "If that's the case..."
"Anyone will do. All the professors are really good. As long as it isn't-" Harry broke off with a groan as Lockhart strode onto the stage, resplendent in magenta robes.
The man beside him was none other than Snape, looking as cold and unapproachable as ever.
They were both people Harry hated most, and worse still, they had actually shown up together!
Disappointment spread across the young witches' and wizards' faces, and they sighed in unison. So much time had passed since the start of term that Lockhart's performance had already shown most of them exactly what he