AN: I currently have a poll up about my story 'The REAL Guardian of the Hunt' so if you would please look at it it would be greatly appreciated.
Wrath of Time
Chapter 7
-Harry-
Striding out into the courtyard he gazed at the boundaries being put up by Professor Flitwick to prevent stray spellfire from hitting those watching the soon to come duel. Glancing to the side of the platform he saw the other three House Monarchs staring intently, Cho and Cedric's expressions clearly showing they wanted him to Crush Ron while Draco seemed conflicted on who the Slytherin King wanted to win.
When he saw Dumbledore pull Ron off to the side he was only slightly surprised at the manipulative Headmaster's fervent whisperings as the old man led Ron inside the bell tower for a moment. "What do you think he's telling Ron?" Neville asked, his herbology talented friend raising an eyebrow at their Headmaster's actions.
"Probably telling him a spell to use." he said with a snort but mentally prepared himself for the battle as he wasn't sure how much of his skills he wanted to show. He knew he was more talented than Ron was, the idiot barely put any effort into learning anything, but like all Weasleys Ron had a decently Large magical core and, like the twins, a love of explosion based spells such as bombarda and reducto.
'Worry not our Champion,' a pair of voices he recognized as belonging to the two beings who sent him back in time 'we refuse to let you go about without any aide. While we can't interfere directly we can give you tools for you to wield. I believe you'll find the first two rather…useful.' Before he could ask the voices what they meant he felt knowledge enter his mind of how to call forth the two gifts when he wanted to have a dramatic reveal causing him to give a feral grin.
"I know that grin," Fred said with a shudder "it's the same one he had when he developed a new broom technique in secret and used it against wood to scare the hell out of him.". Before they could continue Ron stepped out, the traitorous Lion swaggering towards his end of the duel field, with the sword of Gryffindor sheathed across his back.
Snarling he yelled out "Dumbledore! Why does that piece of scum bear the blade of Gryffindor?!".
"Because it's meant to be used by a true Gryffindor which you clearly aren't." Ron spoke up with a self-obsessed snort "And I will use this blade to put you into your place…if you survive my spells anyway.".
"That sword's enchantment was that it could only be drawn from the sorting hat by a true Gryffindor," he snarled "if I hadn't drawn it out in our second year your soiled hands would not hold it now for you will never be a true Gryffindor. But that still doesn't explain why Dumbledore decided to favor one student over another in an honor duel by giving you a blade he took from me after I drew the blade out of where it had been stored away.".
"Because I feel you have been turning down a Dark Path Harry," Dumbledore said in his patented 'grandfatherly tone of disappointment' "I felt that seeing a blade used by those of the light would help return you to the proper path.".
"I'm guessing the poison on it was supposed to help with that?" he snorted softly to himself before shrugging off his cloak and stepping forward, drawing his wand as he did so. "It won't matter anyway. Ron Weasley is as weak as your false ideals Albus Dumbledore and I will shatter him as I will do the beliefs you enjoy trying to force upon others.".
"Are the two combatants ready?" Flitwick asked before the verbal spar could continue "If so take your places and do not begin before my mark!". Nodding to the small professor he stepped onto his designated place held his wand loosely at his side causing Ron to snarl at what the red head likely took as a slight to his skills…that actually was a slight to Ron's apparent 'skills' was irrelevant. Nodding at seeing them in their place Flitwick raised his and called out "Begin!".
The moment the word left Flitwick's mouth Ron let out a barrage of Reductos and bombardas, yelling their names randomly and as fast as the red head could while he simply stood there and watched the spells approach before springing into action and summoning the first gift of his 'patron's'.
Moving as fast as he could he brought his left arm in front of him as if he was wearing a shield only for a silvery translucent shield of magic appeared in front of him, absorbing the spells as they dispersed across its surface and those watching the duel gaped at the shield and the design it bore. (AN: not sure how to describe it but it's the unique talisman 'Fury' from "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning").
"It's pointless Ronald Weasley," he said as he let his shield fade back into the ether "that shield is tied directly into my magic and as long as I have magic it can block any spell shot at me.". He enjoyed Ron and Dumbledore's looks of fear and disbelief and decided not to tell them that each spell blocked will take a portion of his magic equal to what was put into the spell cast in the first place, making it more a battle of magical attrition than anything else when he used it.
"Fine then Potter," Ron snarled savagely before drawing the sword of Gryffindor and standing in a rather crude animalistic stance "if magic won't work against your Dark shield I'll just run this blade through your thick skull.".
Sighing he watched the lazy fool 'charge' towards him, not even concerned as he was used to dealing with faster movements from bludgers, before he swung his arm and called forth his second gift. With a clang of steel against steel and a shower of sparks the Sword of Gryffindor was parried to the side, much to the shock of its wielder, before he swung his leg and kicked his opponent away as he settled into a much more practiced stance.
In his hands was a single-edged one handed sword that was made of a dull grey steel with a core of frosted diamond running along the middle of both the main blade the smaller blade that replaced the pommel while silver lightning crackled up and down the weapon. The blade was an admittedly odd sight with the crude looking cross-guard, worn leather grip, and dull grey steel contrasting with the powerful looking frost diamond as well as the eldritch power that crackled along its edge. An odd weapon yes…but certainly a formidable one, only made worse by the scoops along the blade as he stared along its edge at his opponent. (AN: The sword is also from "Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning" and is the 'stormblade' but with frosted diamond as the core instead of the blue material used in the game). "You've already faced my shield, 'the furry', Ronald Weasley," he stated ominously as his opponent shakily got to his feet "but now you face my weapon, the stormblade.".
"He…he's cheating!" Ron yelled frantically "He isn't supposed to have a weapon!".
"Then what is in your hand coward?!" he roared, swinging his sword in an arc in front of him as a wave of silver lightning shot from it at Ron who dove to the ground to dodge it. "I shield your spells and you claim it to be dark. You draw a sword on me but when I draw one to defend myself you state it cheating. I thought you were supposed to be a Lion of Gryffindor, a warrior of Chivalry and Honor. All I see is a sniveling little dog, all bark and no bite, hoping to do something to please your bearded master over there.".
Not giving his foe a chance to respond he pumped his magic into his legs and shot forward at greater speeds than most would consider possible, swinging stormblade at Ron who clumsily blocked with the sword of Gryffindor. For the next several minutes he decided to toy with Ron while getting a feel for his new weapon, letting the traitorous Weasley block his strikes while tiring the red head out before he grew bored with the 'duel'. Deciding to state such his eyes hardened "We're through here Weasley," as he spoke he began speeding up his attacks "and I have much more important things I could be doing such as spending time with my beautiful girlfriend. Now I'm going to beat your cowardly ass black and blue.". Giving a powerful swipe he knocked the sword of Gryffindor away from Ron and into the air before letting Stormblade fade away like 'fury' had earlier before he went to town, beating Ron with fists and feet until Ron was barely conscious on the ground, fainting dead away when he caught the falling Sword of Gryffindor and pointed it between the fool's eyes.
Snorting he turned to Flitwick and stated "We're through." Which got a nod as the diminutive teacher called the match.
"Harry," Dumbledore called as he turned to leave "return the sword to me. And when will you be turning your throne over to Mr. Weasley as well as the Heirlooms?".
"I won't be you piece of scum," he snarled while an outbreak of whispers met Dumbledore's question "not now, not ever.".
"But you broke the terms of engagement by bringing something besides your wand and robes." Dumbledore pointed out happily, a twinkle in the manipulative man's eye.
"And Weasley brought one first," he pointed out with a deadpan at the man's arrogance "my weapon and shield exist in the ether and can be summoned at will. Weasley on the other hand wore this sword openly to the start of the duel. As per the duelist code if a participant in a duel brings an item outside of the specified and approved items for the duel then not only is his or her opponent permitted to do the same but that person will lose the item should they lose the duel. You gave Weasley the sword and he lost it. End of story." Before turning back to his friends who cheered happily at his declaration while Dumbledore looked more shocked than anything that he had ignored the man's order.
"Where'd you learn to fight like that?" Tracey asked excitedly as he reached his friend, his girlfriend kissing him happily as she gripped his arm "That was amazing?".
At that question he mentally winced, not sure how to tell his friends that he was from the future with his memories sent back in time along with a few additions thanks to a pair of unknown entities before he heard in his mind 'Fear not our champion,' said entities assured him 'you may tell them. Take them to the Room of Requirements tonight and we will use the Room's magic to appear and explain it to them.'. Sighing in relief, both at the explanation and the fact that he wouldn't have to hide this from them, he explained "I don't want Dumb-as-a-door to overhear so I'll explain it tonight in an area I know we won't be overheard." Which got nods of understanding from his friends. Getting an idea he turned to Neville and said "As for now…I think this sword needs a true Gryffindor to carry it." Before placing the hilt of the mighty weapon in his friend's hand while the shy Gryffindor stared in awe at the sword.
"I will carry it with honor my friend." Neville swore seriously before they all began congratulating their friend.
"Just be careful with it," he said with a grin "it's coated in basilisk venom and I don't exactly have an ample supply of the antidote so if you cut yourself we're in trouble.".
"Noted," a now wide eyed Neville said with a nod, now holding the sword with much more care "remind me to get a sheath as soon as possible.".
"Here you go Longbottom," Professor McGonagall said as she walked over, transfiguring a stick into a sheath for the sword "that will last forty eight hours to give you a chance to find something more permanent. Do be careful with that weapon though, I don't want to hear about any incidents with it.".
"Yes mam!" they all said as one before the head of the house of Lions nodded and walked off.
-That night: Room of Requirements-
Sighing he stared at his friend and girlfriend as the two entities explained what they had told him and a bit about the first timeline. He had only felt confident enough to bring the twins, Lee, Neville, Tracey, and the chasers at the moment and felt that was more enough from the amount of stares he was getting before Tracey gasped, "Harry," she said in reverent awe "I think I know who they are.".
AN: Yes, as you could probably tell, next chapter reveals who the two beings are. If you think you know who they are then say so in the review and if you're right then I'll give you a shout out in the next chapter.
