Author's Rant:
So right now, I have almost 200 people who have favorite this story and are following it, and close to 32,500 people viewing this story, yet I only have 75 reviews. What the fucking hell is up with that? I don't know about other authors, but I get more inspired to write when I have more reviews coming in. So if you want me to write faster, give me more reviews, and not just the common, "update sooner". I wish I had some actual things to improve on. Whenever I review a story that I like, I try to give something they could do better on or something they did good on. So there is my Author's Rant.
JAPAN vs. USA
|Quidditch Pitch Lockers, February 27th 1992|
"Alright everyone, we have trained hard for this. We are in the international dueling tournament. I want every single one of you to hold your head up high. If you walk off that pitch with a loss, I don't want it to be because you didn't give your all, but because he was a worthy opponent to lose to. Now who are we?" asked Xavier.
"USA!" yelled the entire dueling team. They then ran outside with their uniforms on.
|Quidditch Pitch|
"And here comes the USA team. Strider, Hcarb, Potter, Yedidovitch, Claran!" yelled Bagman as he announced the last names of the USA dueling team. The entire USA team ran out with their right fist in the air. "And here comes Japanese team from the academy of Japanese magic. Akiko Fujimoto, Akira Fujita, Enishi Nakano, Tetsuo Sugmoto, Mariko Hayashi! Now I will announce the line up for each team. I will announce the USA line up first. In the Senpo position, we have Strider. In the Jihou position, we have Hcarb. In the Chuuken position, we have Potter. In the Fukushou position, and the second in command, we have Yedidovith. And finally, in the Taishou position, and the captain, Claran! Now for the Japanese Lineup, in the Senpo position, we have Fujimoto. In the Jihou position, we have Fujita. In the Chuuken position, we have Nakano. In the Fukushou position, and the second in command, we have Sugmoto. And finally, in the Taishou position, and the captain, Hayashi! Now let's get this duel on the road. Strider, Fujimoto, approach the dueling circle." Both Isabella and Akiko approached the middle of the dueling circle. "BEGIN!" yelled Bagman when he saw both were ready. Isabella had drawn her Kodachi and the two duelists had engaged in wizarding-swordsman duel.
"Stupefy!" yelled Isabella.
"Incendio," yelled Akiko as she dodged Isabella's stunner and shot her spell at Isabella. Isabella was able to dodge it, but wasn't able to dodge the banishing curse that Akiko had sent right after her flame spell.
"Langlock!" yelled Isabella, effectively stopping Akiko from using her verbal spells because they were more powerful than nonverbal spells. At the same time, she used a nonverbal jell legs jinx, causing Akiko to fall over. Isabella walked over to Akiko. However, when she got to Akiko, she was blasted back by a blasting curse. Isabella cringed in pain before passing out.
"Winner: Akiko Fujimoto!" The entire Japanese team jumped up in cheers. Xavier walked over to Isabella, picked her up and walked over to the infirmary tent to get her some proper care. He then walked over to Jough and said, "Do your best," before sitting down.
"Would Hcarb and Fujita please approach the circle."
"Are you ready to lose, failure?" asked Akira.
"In your dreams, pretty boy," growled Jough.
"BEGIN!" yelled Bagman. Jough charged at Akira. Just as he got close, and Akira let off a spell, Jough did a soccer tackle style slide. As he reached the part where a guy's special part is, Jough used his sheathed wakazashi to whack the special part.
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!" yelled Akira as he dropped his wand, fell to the ground, and hold his private area. "What the fuck was that for? I didn't hit you in your private are or aim for it."
"IT doesn't matter, I am willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if I have to use a tactic that no one would normally use. Now time to finish this duel. Are you ready? I don't want to attack a person that is laying on the ground." Akira struggled to get up, but he managed to do it. He also drew his Nodachi. "I'm ready," said Akira as he leaned on his sword and aimed his wand at Jough.
"Okay. Let's go. I want to see Harry's battle real soon. He always makes his battle real interesting. And you really aren't that much of a fighter. Are you sure you guys are Japanese? Shouldn't you know some fancy sword style? Oh well," said Jough while shrugging his shoulders, "Confringo!" The curse hit Akira straight in the stomach. Akira flew back at least fifteen feet before landing on the ground. He stopped moving for a little bit before Bagman started the countdown.
"One." Akira didn't even move, although he was still breathing and awake.
"Two."
"Three." Akira tried to get back up, but he just fell all the way back down.
"Four."
"Five."
"Six."
"Seven." Akira was almost back up, before he fell flat on his face.
"Eight."
"Nine."
"Ten. And the winner is Jough Hcarb of Salem." The Salem team jumped up in cheers. They weren't out of the tournament. They still had a chance. Harry and Daniel just had to win the next two matches and they would be in the home stretch and have beaten the Japanese.
"Would Potter and Nakano please approach the middle of the dueling circle?"
"So," said Enishi, "you are the one who uses the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, huh?"
"Yes, what is it to you?" asked Harry as he stepped into the middle of the dueling circle.
"That style was going to become mine next, until your teacher, Gabriel, stole it from us. The headmaster was forced to give it to him. I will never forgive you for that!" Harry sighed.
"BEGIN!" yelled Bagman when he saw that both contestants were ready for battle. The two began unloading spell after spell at each other. Stunner, Blasting Curse, Cutting Curse, even the Conjuvictus Curse was used during the initial unloading of spells at each other.
"So why do you really want the Hiten Mitsurugi Style?" asked Harry.
"My ancestor was one of the Hiko Seijuro's. I wanted to learn the style of my ancestor, and then you took it away. So I had to settle for learning a counter to that sword style. Show me that you truly deserve to wield the Hiten Mitsurugi Style and that you aren't just some punk who got it because his teacher won it from another country!" yelled Enishi as he dodged a cutting curse from Harry.
"So, in other words, you lost the Hiten Mitsurugi Style, and now you are mad about it? I guess I'll just have to show you how proficient I am with it," said Harry as he rolled out of the way of a blasting curse. "Fulgar Arcus!" yelled Harry as he came out of the roll, slashing his wand in Enishi's direction. Volts of lightning hit Enishi straight in the stomach.
"ARGH!" yelled Enishi as he flew backwards into the sand.
"You bastard, I'm going to defeat you, with my Watōjutsu," yelled Enishi as he drew his tachi. "Now prepare to be defeated!" yelled Enishi as he rushed forward, while discarding his wand. Harry's eyes narrowed. 'I'm going to have to keep my wand if I'm going to win this. He obviously knows the counter to my Hiten Mitsurugi Style and has more experience than I do. I need ever advantage that I can get,' thought Harry.
"Hyōheki (A)!" yelled Harry as he pointed his wand at the ground right in front of Enishi, halting Enishi's charge. "Kōri tsukisasu(B)," said Harry as he jabbed his wand in the direction the ice, causing ice spikes to grow out of the wall, and try to impale Enishi, who leaped back at the last second. Harry rushed over the wall and swung his sword down at Enishi. CLANG! Harry's sword was met with Enishi's sword.
"It's going to take a lot more than that to defeat me!"
"Good thing I still have my wand then," said Harry as he pointed his at Enishi's stomach. "Suiryoku(C)," said Harry. Enishi was thrown back at least 10 feet.
"I will beat you," said Enishi as he struggled to his feet.
"No, you won't," said Harry, as he pocketed his wand and closed in on Enishi with his sheathed sword. Enishi raised his blade to block, but was surprised when Harry attacked with his sheath after he had used his blade, which had been blocked by Enishi's blade. "Hiten Mitsurugi Battoujutsu: Soryusen. This duel is over. You can barely move your arm. And your wand is too far for you to go get. Surrender," said Harry as he pointed the point of his blade at the throat of Enishi.
"I surrender," said Enishi with shame. The entire US team screamed with cheers.
|In the stands|
"Pup's grown so much, don't you think, Prongs?" asked Sirius from the top of the stands.
"Yeah. I just regret favoring Michael instead of giving them both equal love. And Michael now has an inflated ego, like I did. But Harry seems to be pulling more than his weight so I am happy. I think it was a good choice to let Harry go to Salem. Lily would have loved to be here, but St. Mungo's called her in. What do you think Remus?"
"He really has grown. I don't think I would recognize the shy boy that we all saw when he was a baby. He really has grown. I hope that they win this tournament."
|Quidditch Pitch|
"Would Yedidovitch and Sugmoto please approach the center of the dueling circle!" yelled Bagman. Both Daniel and Tetsuo walked towards the middle of the circle.
"So Yedidovitch, are you ready to lose. I'm not like my teammates. I never lose," said Sugmoto.
"Well, we'll just see won't we?" replied Daniel without even making an expression.
"BEGIN!" yelled Bagman. Daniel covered the entire dueling circle in smoke.
"What is this?" yelled Sugmoto, "Fight me like a man, not like a coward!"
"It doesn't matter how I fight, as long as they are within the rules and I am able to advance to the next round," came Daniel's disembodied voice.
|With the Salem team|
"Wow, Daniel is the worst person for a guy who likes straight up combat. Daniel will be the one to strike from the shadow," said Harry as he watched the battle.
"Yes, I agree. Daniel has this duel in the bag. We are on our way to the next round," said Isabella, "and by the way, you did good with that Enishi guy. I forgot to tell you that."
"Gee, thanks Isabella," said Harry while rubbing the back of his head embarrassedly.
|On the Quidditch Pitch|
"Stupefy," came Daniel's voice. Suddenly, stunners from all directions were fired at Tetsuo. Tetsuo started to dodge the stunners, but soon he wasn't able to dodge any of the many stunners. He was hit by at least two stunners, before he went flying. Miraculously for Tetsuo, he was able to stand back up.
"Fine, if that's the way you want to play, Kasai novu~aburasuto!" yelled Tetsuo as he pointed his wand in the air. However before he could fire it, Daniel knocked the wand out of his hand with his Jian before disappearing into the smoke again.
"Damn it! Now you stop my spell be hitting my wand hand? That is dishonorable!" This time, silence was the only answer that Tetsuo got. Luckily for Tetsuo, he was able to find his wand. "Take this. Kaze geiru," yelled Tetsuo. A blast of wind was shot out of Tetsuo's wand and he spun in a 360 degree circle to get rid of the smoke. Although it was a bit too late. Daniel appeared right in front of Tetsuo, before slashing upwards, sending Tetsuo flying. He then pointed both his wand and his sword at Tetsuo's neck.
"Surrender and you won't die," said Daniel in a deathly calm voice.
"I surrender," said Tetsuo.
"Winner: Daniel Yedidovith. Winner of this duel: Salem, USA!" The entire crow cheered for them, even the Japanese team cheered for them. After exchanging hand shakes, Enishi walked up to Harry and said, "Hey Harry, do you live in the US?"
"No, I live here in England. Why?"
"I was hoping that we could get together over the summer. See, I live here in England. So does Nakano and Fujimoto. So how about it? Want to become friends?" asked Enishi.
"You bet," said Harry, "But you do realize I'm only a first year right?"
"So are we. I'll see you later, k?" said Enishi as he walked away. The 25 judges appeared in the Quidditch Pitch.
"Everyone," yelled Bagman, "The countries that have passed the 1st round are North Korea, South Korea USA, England, China, Australia…, and Hungary! Congratulations to everyone who got past the first round, and good luck next time to everyone who didn't. See you tomorrow for the 2nd round matches!" The teams then changed and went back up to Hogwarts.
"Harry," said James as Harry was about to enter the great hall. Harry turned around to see his father.
"Dad. I thought you wouldn't be able to make it. Mum said that you were busy with work," said harry as hugged his father.
"Yeah, but I was able to get a break for today and tomorrow. I'll bring your sister tomorrow. She really wanted to see you duel. Now go eat. I just wanted to congratulate you. Oh, and Moony and Padfoot wanted me to say good job. They had to leave right after the match. Now go eat," said James.
"Thanks, Dad, this mean a lot, coming from you." Harry then went inside the great hall and sat down with Daphne and began to eat.
A/N
So here you go. If anyone was wondering why Japan got taken down from the poll, here is the reason. So right now it looks like Australia is winning, with China just 3 votes behind them. So I have a question for everyone. Who do you want to win, Hogwarts or Salem? PM or review to tell me. An
(A) Ice Wall
(B) Ice Impale
(C) Thrust