Aspen in the Sunlight - A Year Like None Other

His wand held vertically in front of him, Aran executed a stiff, resentful bow. Snape's answering bow was merely a jerk of his head. Which figured. The man had no respect for Aran, just as he'd had none for Lockhart.

"Wands at the ready," said Dumbledore in a voice that could only be described as jolly. Behind him, Harry saw McGonagall leaning forward in her chair as Snape and Aran moved to hold their wands rather like swords. "On the count of three, then. Three -- two --"

" Expelliarmus! " screamed Aran, flinging his arm out wildly.

"Cheater!" called a fair number of students.

"Well, I never," said Draco in an outraged voice.

Harry slanted his brother a wry glance. "Yeah, actually, you did."

"Shut up, Potter. I was twelve."

Meanwhile, the scarlet flash of light from Aran's wand had flown wide of the mark. Snape just stood there and watched it sail past him, a full yard to his right. He made a tsking noise as it collided harmlessly with a patch of grass.

Aran made a yelping noise and waved his wand as though to cast something else, but he looked too uncoordinated to manage any spell by then.

Snape twirled his wand, the motion almost lazy. " Rictusempra! "

"Weird," said Draco under his breath. "Why would he cast that?"

Harry was wondering the same thing as he watched the jet of silver light hit Aran square in the stomach. The man doubled up, laughing like a hyena, scrabbling at his own belly to stop the invisible hands tickling him.

"Maybe Dad's feeling playful," said Harry, though he didn't think so.

"He looks murderous," said Draco.

Next to Harry, Larissa gave a little yelp as she jumped closer to Harry. "I heard that you can actually kill someone with Rictusempra if they laugh so much they can't get their breath."

Harry doubted that was Snape's plan, though it would certainly be a humiliating way to die. "You know, you don't have to watch," Harry whispered to her. "Want to hold my hand?"

"I'm not a baby!"

For all that though, when Snape raised his wand again, Larissa looked pleadingly up at Harry.

He thought better than to embarrass her again by saying anything out loud. This time, he just caught hold of her hand and pulled her a little bit closer, ruffling his cloak so she could hide her face in it if she wanted.

But all Snape did that time was end the spell.

Aran rolled onto his hands and knees and awkwardly stood up, his face flushed almost purple. Harry didn't think that was just from all the tickling. He was probably feeling pretty humiliated to have been taken down by a silly hex like that one. Maybe that really was Snape's game. Pure disgrace?

Whatever Aran was feeling, he was also about as angry as Harry had ever seen. "Blasphemo Totalus!" roared Aran furiously as he gained his breath and ran forward several paces, his wand flashing through the air.

Beside Harry, Draco gasped. "Oh dear Merlin, he's calling down hellfire!"

Larissa screamed and clung all the more to Harry, who watched with horror as the flame that had shot from Aran's wand raced toward Snape.

" Helare, " cried Snape, flinging his arm out fully.

Aran's fire froze in mid-air and shattered, raining down in a thousand pieces.

"Weather charm," said Draco sagely, as if he'd known it all along. "Well, Blasphemo was a big mistake. Aran's in for it, now."

He was . . . and he wasn't. True, Snape hardly let his opponent draw breath after that. Stunning hexes, a series of tripping jinxes, and then several spells to give Aran a stitch in his side. It was rapid-fire magic, but they were all children's spells. The kind of things Harry had had cast at him in Defence, week in and week out.

"This is bizarre," complained Draco.

Harry had to admit that it really was. What was his father up to?

Just then, a blue cloud erupted from the end of Snape's wand and wrapped itself around Aran, who abruptly sat down on the grass and began rocking himself back and forth.

"Jelly Brain Jinx," said Draco, obviously disapproving. "What can Severus be thinking?"

But Harry had suddenly caught on. It was all he could do not to jump up and down. "He's thinking of me! Dad's doing to Aran all the things that git let the other students do to me when I couldn't defend myself because he wouldn't let me use Parseltongue! Yeah, that first day in class when we were practicing blocks, Ron kept casting Rictusempra at me! And then I got stunned and tripped and such until I was jut sick of it. And then, that day when we had to practise conjuring caninae, Zabini got me with a Jelly-Brain Jinx first of all--"

Draco grinned. "Oh, yes. I remember. Well, then, Diffindo ought to be next. Wonder how Aran'll like having his clothes torn off?"

Larissa gasped. Harry wrapped an arm around her and held her tight, only to see Draco shaking his head. "She's a Slytherin, Harry. No need to coddle her."

"She's a little girl. No way does she need to see Aran getting Diffindo'd ."

"Point taken."

Aran was muttering something as he rocked himself on the grass. Harry couldn't make it out, but he caught a few words. Something about ducks.

Snape took his time lifting the Jelly Brain Jinx, and then watched, his lips twisted disdainfully, as Aran recovered. It seemed to take a full minute. Harry wasn't sure if this was a case of decorum or if his father was making a point. At any rate, Snape waited until the man had cast at him again, this time some spell Harry had never heard of. The incantation sounded really advanced. So advanced, in fact, that Aran was in no shape to cast it at that moment. A slight hissing noise issued from his wand as a single puff of smoke popped out the end.

The students all around Harry burst out laughing. Even the teachers looked to be chortling.

" Diffindo! " called Snape then, his wand slashing through the air.

Aran's shirt rent in two from his collar to where it was tucked into his trousers.

"Diffindo! " yelled Snape again, and Aran's shirt sleeves dropped to the ground. The same house elf as before popped into existence and scurried about picking up bits of clothing as they fell to the pitch.

Aran's mouth fell open when great gashes appeared in his trouser legs, Snape's wand scissoring through the air to shred the garment. He didn't stop until Aran was wearing nothing but tatters, the man's trousers covering barely more than pants would.

Harry almost burst out laughing, that feeling he'd had the day before washing over him again. Someone to stand up for him. Someone who'd never let him down. He hugged Larissa to him just a little bit more tightly, grinning.

By then, Aran looked like he didn't know which way to run, though he sure seemed intent on trying to get away from the rapid-fire spells shooting out of Snape's wand.

" Furnunculus! " called Snape, merciless.

Draco made a gagging noise as festering boils started bursting out all over Aran's body. "Oh, ick. And I thought he looked gross before."

Harry had to admit, almost naked had been a bad enough look for Aran. Covered in scabs as well was horrible.

Larissa took one peek and yelped, diving her face back into Harry's cloak.

The elf crossed its arms around its bundle of torn clothing, and with a slightly long-suffering look, popped out of existence again.

Close on the heels of Furnuculus, Snape threw a blasting curse at Aran.

"Hey, Zabini aimed that one for me, not you!" objected Draco.

"Maybe Dad's getting back for you as well," said Harry. Though that raised a question, didn't it? He leaned closer to Draco and lowered his voice. "Hey, how does he know all these details? Did you tell Dad about all the things Zabini did that day?"