Chapter 21
Duel Preparations, Part 3
Wednesday, 24th July, six days till the Duel
About 6:30 p.m., Potter Manor
The Potter Manor head house-elf, Greyclay, just had elf-popped Harry, Hermione, Neville and Daphne to Potter Manor from the basilisk tunnel.
Now Harry shook Neville's hand, and hugged (and kissed) Hermione and Daphne. Harry told each of the three teens, "Thanks for your help today in researching Parseltongue spells. When I win the Duel, it will be because of you."
Just before the others left Potter Manor, Harry again hugged and kissed Daphne (and Hermione). Harry murmured to Daphne, "I'm glad I'm betrothed to you."
Daphne looked shocked.
Meanwhile in the headmaster's office, HSOW&W
Dumbledore still was angry that Harry had slipped into and out of the castle without seeking the headmaster's permission; and furthermore, Harry had thwarted Dumbledore's plans to make the boy leave the castle empty-handed and Obliviated.
It's time, angry Dumbledore thought, that the boy be reminded of his place in the world. Dumbledore sat down and wrote Harry a letter—
Dear Harry,
As many times as Professor Snape has loudly spoken of your "immaturity," I must agree with him now. You are not ready to duel Tom Riddle, and it was foolish to challenge the Dark Lord to a duel on 30th July.
For your own protection, I as headmaster deny you permission to use the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch for your duel. Also a consideration: Even if no children are present at school on 30th July, I refuse to drop the school's wards during the time that Tom and his Death Eaters would be present at the pitch.
I am disappointed in you, Harry. I know you grieve for your godfather, but it is time to lay your grief aside and to grow up.
Regretfully,
(signed) Albus Dumbledore
Ten minutes later
Still in the headmaster's office
Filius Flitwick walked in, showing his usual cheerful face. "Good evening, headmaster, I have a request. I need time off for personal reasons. I shall return to the castle on 1st August."
Dumbledore took a breath to say yes—then remembered that Flitwick was the best duelist in the school, whilst Harry planned to duel the Dark Lord in six days. Does Filius want time off so that he can spend six days training Harry how to duel? So instead of quickly agreeing to Flitwick's request, Dumbledore asked, "What are the 'personal reasons' for which you wish to leave the school, Filius?"
Flitwick's smile disappeared. "My 'personal reasons' are personal, headmaster."
"And if I refuse you permission to leave, because I suspect you plan to meet often with Harry?"
"My contract states that my time during Summer Break is entirely my own, up to 25th August. But if you insist that I must stay here, despite the contract—"
Flitwick waved his wand, and a half-foot parchment appeared in front of him. Flitwick's free hand snatched the parchment out of the air.
"—then honour requires I must, most regretfully, submit my immediate resignation."
"Filius, you don't want to do anything foolish, such as severing your employment with the best magical school in Europe."
Flitwick said, "You joke, headmaster. Hogwarts is not the best magical school in Europe; talking to the professors at Beauxbatons and Durmstrang made this quite clear. Within Wizarding Britain, Manchester Magical Academy averages 50 percent more Outstanding N.E.W.T. scores per student than does Hogwarts."
Flitwick looked hard at Dumbledore and added, "I have standing job offers from Manchester Magical Academy, Beauxbatons and Gringotts—or I could turn pro on the magical dueling circuit. So, Headmaster Dumbledore, do you truly want to play the same power-games with me you play with Harry Potter?" Flitwick held out his resignation letter so that it almost, but not quite, touched the top of Dumbledore's desk.
The results were that Flitwick got his week away from the castle, and Dumbledore got angry again.
Minutes later
An owl delivered to Dumbledore, Harry's reply to Dumbledore's letter—
Headmaster,
I laughed at your statement that explained why you were refusing me usage of the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch for next Tuesday's Duel with Tommy. You claimed your reason was "for [my] own protection." Coming from you, the wizard who personally left me with the Dursleys and never looked in on me afterwards, "[I'm doing this] for your own protection" was a knee-slapper! Next time, tell me that Professor Snape works a second job as a birthday-party clown—such a statement would be easier for me to believe.
But I figured you'd pull something like this, whilst giving me a flimsy excuse to "explain" it, so I've already taken action. I've talked to Puddlemere United and the Holyfield Harpies about using one of their Quidditch stadiums. Both Quidditch clubs agreed quickly, once I offered to pay for all repairs caused by spell damage. In return for this guarantee, I asked each stadium to put certain names on their wards-enforced "shit list" during the day of the Duel.
What I'm saying here is that if I'm forced to have my Duel somewhere other than Hogwarts, then certain people will not be allowed to stand with me on the pitch during the Duel, nor will they be allowed to watch the Duel as spectators; stadium wards will keep them away. Those people will be: Molly Weasley, Elphias Doge, Severus Snape, Mundungus Fletcher—and you.
So if you want to bask in reflected limelight next Tuesday, this will happen only at Hogwarts. Be assured that the Duel between Tommy and me will happen next Tuesday, regardless of what you do between now and then.
Harry
P.S. According to Hogwarts: A History, which a close friend of mine reads for entertainment, the Hogwarts Castle wards do not reach to the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch. So your statement that "I refuse to drop the school's wards during the time that Tom and his Death Eaters would be present at the pitch" is misleading. I just thought you should know that I know that you tried twice in one letter to lie to me.
Dumbledore, reading Harry's letter, wanted to snarl. He had been completely outflanked by the boy—how had this happened? Dumbledore's only choice now was to write back and to tell Harry he was permitted to use the Hogwarts pitch, because of some made-up reason; the duel being held anywhere that Dumbledore was put on a "shit list" was unacceptable—
Because for glory-hog Dumbledore, not being the centre of attention was annoying, but being banned from an event that everyone was talking about, was downright painful.
But clearly Harry had figured this out; Dumbledore the manipulator hated the idea that he himself had been easily analysed, then manipulated.
Not quite five days later
Monday, 29th July, about 6 p.m.
Eighteen hours till the Duel
In the potions laboratory of Malfoy Manor
Severus Snape was brewing a Blood-Replenishment potion; he was alone in the laboratory. As brewing-requirements allowed, he meanwhile was writing with a quill on parchment. Anyone watching from a distance would presume that Snape was writing technical notes about the potion-brewing.
But such a presumption would have been wrong.
When Snape had finished his writing, he did a bit of foolish wand-waving, in order to instantly dry the ink. Snape folded the parchment, then charmed a wax seal to hold the folded parchment flat.
Snape's face and voice were emotionless, as usual; but his mind was jumpy and scared. He thought, If Voldemort reads what I've just written, I'm dead.
Speaking barely above a whisper, Snape said, "May I have a Hogwarts house-elf, please?"
Pop. The house-elf said, "Professor Snapey, how can Swotty help you?"
Snape handed over the wax-sealed parchment. "The first of September, after the Sorting—if I'm in the Great Hall, give this back to me. If I'm not in the Great Hall, give this to Harry Potter. If neither Potter nor I are in the Great Hall, give this to Minerva McGonagall."
"Swotty will do this," the house-elf promised. Pop—both Swotty and the folded parchment disappeared.
Snape let himself breathe a sigh of relief.
Meanwhile in Greengrass Manor
Eighteen hours till the Duel
Daphne Greengrass was dining with her family. Her mother noticed Daphne fidgeting. "Are you worried about Harry tomorrow?" Opal Greengrass asked.
Daphne replied, "Not as much as a week ago, no. Harry's been dueling almost nonstop with Professor Flitwick, and Harry was already an outstanding duelist in fifth year. I'm not relaxed about his chances tomorrow, but I'm not frantic, either."
Astoria asked, "Are you scared for yourself, then? Tomorrow, you and Granger will be standing with Potter."
Daphne looked at her sister with pursed lips. "Use their first names, Tori. After all, one day Harry will be my husband, and Hermione will be my co-wife. Referring to them by last name makes it sound like they're unwelcome strangers."
"But Gr—but Hermione is a Muggle-born."
"She is—and she regularly earns better marks than every Pureblood in our year. So much for 'Pureblood superiority'! Anyway, I'd hoped for better from you, Tori. I know you fancied Draco Malfoy—do you need to talk like him too?"
Astoria, her cheeks red, suddenly took a keen interest in the food on her plate.
Cyrus Greengrass said, "I think you girls got sidetracked, but Daphne, I wish to hear your answer to Astoria's question. Tomorrow you will be standing with Harry and facing You-Know-Who and his Death Eaters; how much does this frighten you?"
"It terrifies me, Father—it terrifies me as much as when students at Hogwarts were being petrified during second year, and nobody knew who was causing it, or how."
Then Daphne raised her chin, as she eyed every other member of her family. "But though I'm frightened, tomorrow at high noon I will stand next to my future husband and I will save him from his enemies."
Daphne had a second reason that she was nervous tonight, but she spoke not a whisper of this to her family. Daphne knew that Harry planned to attack Malfoy Manor tonight, and he might well be dead by sunset.
Meanwhile in Potter Manor
Eighteen hours till the Duel
Pop. Greyclay brought Hermione to the library of Potter Manor, where she joined Fleur, "Mad-Eye" Moody, George and Fred—and Harry. Everyone except Hermione was gripping a flying-broom.
Harry was wearing the same magic-radio headset that he had worn on his Malfoy Manor scouting mission, eight days ago. He handed the duplicate magic-radio headset to Hermione, who placed it on her head. Harry and Hermione briefly turned their backs on each other and did radio-cheques; their headsets turned out to be working fine.
Then Harry ordered, "Everyone please face the portraits."
When Harry, the other four broom-riders and Hermione all were facing the portraits, Harry said, "Mum, Dad, Grandfather, Grandmother, ancestor Potters, the six of us leave to attack Voldemort at Malfoy Manor, in a way that's never been done before. Best-case scenario, we're about to put ourselves into the history books—and not for goblin rebellions! Worst case, Hermione will be the only one of us alive at sundown."
Hermione slapped Harry's arm. "Prat! I expect you to be healthy and kissing me at sundown."
Portrait-Lily said, "I'm so proud of you, Harry. I'm sure you'll do fine." Then Portrait-Lily's voice turned businesslike. "Hermione, the tracking-charm that you cast on Harry's broom, eight days ago, should still work. So my only worry is that you'll do a bad job of navigation whilst Harry and his group are in the air."
Hermione squared her shoulders. "I won't lead him astray, Lily Potter. This I promise."
Harry rubbed his hands together. "Well then, you four, shall we go outside and begin the work of ruining Lord Voldemort's plans, and of hopefully ending his life?"
Minutes later
At Potter Manor's Quidditch pitch
On the pitch stood Harry, his four broom-rider volunteers and Hermione (who had asked if she could watch).
Harry said, "First, some business. Twins, I know you two played Quidditch whilst in school. Fleur, Alastor, how about you?"
Mad-Eye said, "I was a Chaser."
Fleur said, "I did not go for ze team, but often I played ze friendly match with ze yearmates."
Harry said, "Good enough. Now I'll tell you more about the mission. I told you we'll be flying more than a hundred feet high. Actually, I still won't tell you the exact height, but heading to Malfoy Manor, we'll be flying more than five hundred feet high."
"Blimey," Fred murmured. George, Mad-Eye and Fleur simply stared.
Harry said, "And this will change how each of you ride your broom. But before we mount our brooms, I want the five us to form a circle. Everyone get your wands in hand. Now, starting with Fleur, I want you to cast the Sticking Charm to glue your right-side neighbour's wand to his hand, then your right-side neighbour will cast the Sticking Charm on his right-side neighbour's wand, etc."
When that was done, Harry said, "Everyone please mount your brooms now. Brooms close to me, at three feet or one metre above the ground."
After this was done, Harry said, "Notice how all of you are sitting: straight up, so that you can look forwards and look about. Now, also notice how all of you have your hands placed: holding the back of the broomstick and both hands placed just a little forwards of your bits. Now, if you don't already have your hands set this way, put your wand-hand close to your bits and your free hand forwards of your wand-hand." Harry paused whilst the other four obeyed. "This is the position I want you in as we fly to Malfoy Manor; I'm calling it 'flight position.' "
Harry continued, "With your wand-hand gripping the broomstick, slide your free hand forwards along the broomstick shaft and bend your upper body forwards. When you've bent enough forwards that you can see the ground below you, have your free hand grab the broomstick firmly and lock your elbow. Then your wand-hand should let go of the broomstick; bring your wand-hand out in front of you with your wand pointed straight down. Everyone try it now."
Seconds later, Harry said, "I'm calling this posture 'attack position.' Everyone practise attacking: Fire a Stinging Hex at the ground directly below your eyes."
Nobody seemed to have a problem achieving this. Harry asked, "Any questions?"
Fleur asked, " 'arry, in ze 'flight position,' why do we put our hands this way?"
Harry answered, "Because when we get where we're going, we will be looking straight down and firing our wands straight down. Before we do this, each of us must move our free hand along the broomstick as we lean forwards. When you're high up, this will be scary enough when you start with your hands set right. If you start with your hands set wrong, so that you wobble a bit at first, getting into attack position becomes absolutely terrifying."
"Makes sense," George said.
Harry asked, "Hermione, are you ready to go? Any problems with you?"
Hermione answered. "None. I'm ready when you lot are."
"Kreacher!" Harry said.
Pop. The elderly house-elf appeared. "How can Kreacher serve the Lord Black?"
"Is everything set for Plan One? Or are there any problems I need to know about? I've already tweaked the ward ledger."
"Plan One is ready to go," Kreacher said. "The Black family townhouse is ready to receive its special visitor."
"Thank you, Kreacher. You may go." Pop.
"Dobby!" Harry said.
Pop. Dobby appeared, standing on the Quidditch pitch. His head was forwards and to the right of Harry's bum on the broom.
Grinning Dobby asked, "How can Dobby serve Great Harry Potter Sir?"
Harry asked, "Dobby, can you elf-pop onto the very front of this broom handle, so that you're astride it and facing me?"
"Not a problem, Great Harry Potter Sir." Pop.
But it turned out that there was a problem: As soon as Dobby was sitting on the forward end of the broomstick, the broomstick dipped ten degrees down. Harry's previously-stationary broom began to slowly move both forwards and downwards.
Harry asked, "Dobby, can you make yourself weightless?"
"Master Harry Potter is so smart! Yes, Dobby can make himself weightless."
"Brilliant! Get off the broom and back on the ground"—pop, Dobby did this—"and wait till I'm back where I was." Seconds later, when Harry was three feet off the ground and his broomstick was level, he said, "Weightless Dobby, come to me."
Pop. Dobby, as previously ordered, now was sitting on the end of Harry's broomstick and was facing Harry. But this time, Harry's broomstick did not tilt or move.
Harry said to Dobby, "The next time I call you, I will be high in the air. Please appear astride my broom, weightless, facing me. Goodbye for now."
"Dobby will do his part to help Great Harry Potter Sir rescue people and house-elves." Pop.
The twins asked, "Harry, what's up—"
"—with your house-elves?"
Harry answered, "Whilst the five of us are bringing down death and destruction on the Death Dunderheads, Dobby and Kreacher will be carrying out humanitarian rescues."
"You're a good man, Harry," Hermione said, smiling at him.
Harry said, "Oi, team, I want all of us to spend five minutes shifting between flight position and attack position; when you're in attack position, fire stinging hexes at the pitch directly below your eyes."
Harry caught the twins rolling their eyes at each other.
"Mates, I know what you're thinking. When you're three feet off the ground, spending five minutes on this seems like pointless busywork. But when we're over Malfoy Manor, more than five hundred feet above the ground, you'll be glad we had this practise time."
Five minutes later
Still at Potter Manor's Quidditch pitch
After the poor Quidditch pitch repeatedly had been stung with hexes, Harry said, "Everyone gather round. Hermione, you too."
When all eyes were on him, Harry said, "I've challenged Moldyshorts to a duel tomorrow. I'm sure he plans to show up.
"I'm also sure that tonight he's meeting with all his Death Eaters. Now, if Voldy were an honourable man, tonight's meeting in Malfoy Manor would be a brief one. 'Oi, lads, tomorrow I'll be dueling the Boy Who Lived at the Hogwarts pitch. Go home, spend the evening with your spouses and your sprogs, and I'll see you lot tomorrow at Hogwarts. Afterwards, I'm buying the firewhiskies!'
"In other words, if Voldy were an honourable Dark Lord, then when we blew up Malfoy Manor, the only evil blokes to die would be Voldy and Lucius Malfoy, because all the other Death Eaters already would have left.
"But Voldy isn't honourable. He's a murderer, a liar, a thief, a bully and a fraud. Right now I'd bet my entire trust vault that he's ordered everyone who even thought of taking the Dark Mark to come to Malfoy Manor, and the lot of them are in Lucius's house, plotting evil deeds that they intend to carry out tomorrow.
"Dumbledore is probably worried about Voldy and all those Mortis Munchers in one place, plotting. But I'm not worried, I'm excited. Because once the five of us ride high to Malfoy Manor, we're going to find ourselves in, to use a Muggle expression, a 'target-rich environment.' And there will be justice in us making a deadly sneak attack on murdering and raping terrorists."
Harry looked around, his eyes glowing with fervent passion. "Any questions?"
Nobody had questions. All four broom-riders looked eager—plus Hermione looked eager.
"One last thing," Harry said. "If we do a good enough job this evening, neither Voldy nor his sort will be alive for the Duel tomorrow. Defeating him in the Duel will be nice, but winning by a forfeit would be even better."
Then Harry gave his team a bloodthirsty grin. "All right, lads! And mademoiselle. Let's ride to Malfoy Manor and give Tom Marvolo Riddle what he so richly deserves!"
