The class exchanged bewildered looks. None of the professors had given almost a whole class detention before. 

"But Father, Slytherin has the pitch tonight! We need the practise for the game on Sunday!" Draco looked rather angry. It was obvious he had never thought his own Father would give him detention.

"Yeah, sir!" Ron called out. "The Slytherins need as much practise as they can get! Although even then, they'll still lose to Hufflepuff." He didn't seem so worried to shoot some insulting words at Draco now taht he already had detention. The Gryffindors gave titters of laughter.

Lucius quirked his head to the side, a playful smile on his lips. "You should have thought about that before disobeying me. It was foolish of you to think that I wouldn't give any of you detention. And Mr. Weasley, that'll be another ten points from Gryffindor." He said smoothly, his eyes raking over the Gryffindors.

"Want your points back? Take the weakest member from each House. If they can take my cane away from me, I will restore all points and I might even lift the detentions." 

"I volunteer Neville," Seamus said loudly, thumping Neville on the back. "Wanna have a go?"

Neville was red and looked a bit hurt at being thought of as the weakest member of the House. "Well, sure," he said nervously. "I was practising...and I think I can do it."

The Slytherins were huddled around a small girl who looked like she wanted to die in a hole. No doubt the Slytherins were threatening her with curses and hexes if she didn't get it right.

"Sir!" Hermione called. "Neville's going to attempt for us!"

"And Tracey here volunteered as well," Pansy Parkinson smirked.

"Just tell me when to try, Professor," Neville said, standing bravely. He listened to the words of encouragement from his Housemates, and felt lighter, more confident. 

"Do it Tracey!" some Slytherins called, but there seemed to be an unspoken addition to that message: 'Do it, or else...'

Tracey seemed very uneasy and it was obvious she didn't handle pressure very well. Her hands became clammy, and her eyes darted nervously. Steadying her breath, she closed her eyes, counted to three, and then focussed on the cane. The Slytherins all held their breaths, and there were cheers when the cane was lifted out of Malfoy's hand by a seemingly invisible force. Tracey was so happy and relieved that she lost concentration, and the cane clattered to the ground. 

Neville seemed even more confident now that he had seen Tracey do it. If a stupid Slytherin could do it, why couldn't he?

Like Tracey, he concentrated on the cane, and then willed it to come to him. He waited for a few seconds, and hearing nothing, he opened his eyes. The cane was still in Professor Malfoy's hand. Neville went red. 

"Can I...can I have another go, Professor?" 

Neville nodded, and stared at the cane, his gaze intense.

Wingardium Leviosa, he thought. He repeated this in his head, concentrating only on the spell and cane, but it did not come. The minutes ticked by. Finally, his shoulders slumped and he dejectedly walked back to his seat.

"Sorry, Professor, I can't do it," he said dismally.

"Oh, Neville!" Hermione said, rushing forward. "That's ok! At least you tried!"

Neville smiled weakly at her. "Everyone knows I'd be better off as a Squib. You should have gotten someone else to do it." 

The rest of the Gryffindors came to congratulate Neville on effort, and the Slytherins looked on with disgust clear on their faces. 

Lucius glared at the Slytherins. "Thank you two for your efforts. Tracey, for your success, 50 points to Slytherin." He said, before looking back to Neville. "And Neville, for you efforts, I shall withdraw the Gryffindor's detention."

He twirled his cane in one hand. "But I will not be this generous again. It is wise not to try me. I want everyone in this room to start practicing, or you will not like what happens. Now, would anyone care to try something much bigger?" 

Neville looked amazed and astonished. "Really, Professor? Thank you!" The other Gryffindors had similar looks of gratitude on their faces.

Draco looked sour. Sucking up to the Gryffindors? Really? 

When the Professor asked if anyone would like to try anything bigger, Ron's hand was the first up. "Yes, I would," Ron said clearly, flashing Hermione a smile. Harry rolled his eyes; obviously Ron wanted to impress Hermione.

Ron had easily lifted the desk wordlessly before the Professor had finished his sentence. It hung in mid-air for a few seconds, before he gently let it down. He raised an eyebrow in challenge at Hermione, who took the challenge gladly. 

"Just because you're my boyfriend, doesn't mean you can show me up," she said, smirking fondly. ((<- how does one do that, by the way? xD)) "May I have a go, sir?" 

((Smirk fondly or lift the table? LOL.))

"Competitive, are we?" He said, looking between the two of them. "Have a go at the closet, Miss Granger." 

((Lol, it's getting tiring having to say they all concentrated on the words Wingardium leviosa and then something magically floated xD And the former, by the way.))

"Thanks, sir," she said, still looking smug. She had been practising in bed, using only small things like her hairbrush and hand mirror, but she was sure she could do the closet. She thought of the words Wingardium leviosa and pictured the closet lifting a few inches from the floor. Concentrating on these words, she commanded it to hover.

She felt something strange, a tingle that started into her abdomen, and then spread up into her chest and down her arms to her fingertips. Hermione's eyes widened, and she felt powerful. Too powerful, like she was going to explode. She began panicking. She had to let the magic out somewhere...

The closet was blown into bits.

((Lol. And it's like... the look you give your friend when they're trying to get you to laugh in class.))

Lucius flinched, his hand raising as if he was to block himself, but he kept the explosion away from the kids. "Well..." He chuckled nervously. "I don't know whether to praise you or to reprimand you. Then again, I'm sure no one else here could have done that. So, well done, Miss Granger." He unsheathed his wand from the cane, waving it once, the closet putting itself back together.

"Everyone alright?" 

The class nodded, looking at Hermione warily.

"That was bloody awesome, Hermione!" Ron whispered to her in a low voice. "How'd you do it?"

"I didn't mean to do it," Hermione said crossly. "I just...I felt a bit weird, and next thing I know, the closet's a pile of splinters."

"Pity," Ron sighed mournfully. "You could have done it on Malfoy. He needs it."

"Ronald!"

"You should be more careful where you show your power," Harry whispered. "If the news reaches Voldemort, he'll either kill you or want you for his army."

"Don't be so paranoid, Harry," Ron said, "lighten up."

"It's a bit hard to lighten up when you see images of yourself being killed in various ways every night," Harry hissed.

"What? Harry, what are you talking about?"

"After class. Malfoy's looking this way."

The three abruptly sat up to pay attention to their Professor, Ron and Hermione looking very worried.