Hey everyone,
Well, my skills to write a fight scene just got another chance to either show off or improve. If nothing else I can prove that I have the skill required. But that is only going to be one of the three things that I have planned for this chapter. And even before I get to that, I first need to have the Master put a certain arrogant prat in his place. And while he's going to start it, Harry is going to be the one who will end it.
Oh joy,

Venquine1990

Chapter 22
Lectures, Attacks And Rewards

21st of September 1995
Quidditch Pitch, Hogwarts
Harry's POV

The whole arena has fallen silent. My friends and their team are no longer fighting. The last attack was Kairi encasing Xion in ice, but I realized that this was more as a precaution than as part of the demonstration. And even those that came with the Minister and who, at the start, obviously thought very low of the Master and his apprentices are now looking at Percy as if he signed his death contract. Most of them are shocked, but some also look at him with pitying gazes.
And while I have never taken kindly to anyone insulting those I care for, I am not in the mood or need to tell Percy off for his words. Instead of that I have both of my arms around Ron, who has jumped out of his seat and is obviously ready to rip his brother to pieces. "HARRY, WHY ARE YOU STOPPING ME!" These words are the first uttered in almost five minutes of total silence and I hiss: "Ron, look at the Master."

Ron struggles and while Neville comes to help me try to put him back in his seat, my best friend does indeed turn to look at the Master. And instantly all the fight leaves him and Neville and I manage to pull him back into his seat. And as I do, I also turn to look at the Master. And if the look on his face had been aimed my way, I would have instantly taught myself Axel's corridor ability just to escape him and the burning rage that is clearly visible on his face.
His eyes might be closed, but that only makes the anger on his face look even intense. And what's even more mesmerizing is that it's only on his face that you can see how angry he feels as the rest of his body is still calmly seated in his chair. And with that same calm posture the man stands up and moves to turn to face the arrogant, horn-rimmed glasses-wearing teen, who is still looking as if he doesn't understand that he just did something wrong.

"Mister Weasley, ever since I arrived on this world I have been nothing but cordial and shown good form. I have been polite, have not uttered one curse word or insulted anyone within your group of acquaintances. I have not belittled you, I have not intimidated or threatened, I have been nothing but professional. I cannot say the same about you as you seem so focused on your title, you believe you can get away with anything.
You are under the assumption that your title makes you more than just another human being, that it takes away your human ability to make mistakes, that it has turned you into something that, quite frankly, doesn't exist. You anger me, but more than that, you concern me. You do not seem to realize that, if you continue down this path, one day you will anger the wrong people. And what's worse, you don't even realize that you, in fact, already did.

Tell me, Mister Weasley, are you able to cast a shield spell? One strong enough it can surround your entire form? One powerful enough it can withstand the elements? One that will not break no matter what force of magic is shot against it? If not, then you can consider yourself very lucky that my students rely on me the way they do. Or did it not occur to you that my abominations might feel insulted and turn their elemental attacks on you?"
The teen is red in the face, but he stutters and so the Master turns to Fudge as he asks: "Tell me, Minister, does the title of Junior Assistant have some kind of protective magic attached to it? Is the badge that comes with the job enchanted to create a protective ward around the wearer? Is that why your Assistant is so arrogant he thinks he can insult whoever he feels like? And does he do the same when he meets other Heads? Or worse, dignitaries of other countries? I mean, if he does, that really wouldn't do much to improve England's reputation, now would it?"

Fudge's face is a pretty ugly color to prove he feels uncomfortable with the questions and statements. But then the Master actually strikes and hits where I'm sure it will hurt them both. "But then again, that's not why you hired him, now is it? You hired him because of his father, after all. Because his father is close with Dumbledore and you wanted someone who could get on the inside. But that plan backfired long before it could actually get off the ground, didn't it?
After all, while Percy might be an acceptable assistant and might have proper writing skills, he still has his ego and he actually fought and broke with his father right as you appointed him. So there went your chance to infiltrate Dumbledore's secret base group and find out about his secrets. So instead, you kept him on and tried to use him to antagonize the man, thought you could cause discord within Dumbledore's ranks by causing him to emotionally hurt his family.
Except you went wrong in that as well as you forgot to reign in the boy's arrogance and pride and even went along in it. And now he insulted a whole group of people who, as you yourself said, could cut off someone's arm with their attacks. Great magic I can only imagine what would have happened if you had let that happen around people with less self-restraint than my students have. Would you have jumped in front of him to protect him if they attacked him?"

Fudge is actually white with fear over this potentially happening and I suddenly notice the master sending me a fleeting, furtive look. I nod at him, even if his focus is back on Fudge. He takes and releases a breath and returns to his seat as he says: "Pity, really. A young man that comes from such a prosperous and wonderfully delightful family and he sinks so deep as to betray his closest loved ones over nothing more than a title and some metal. Just a pity."
And instantly I recognize my cue and take it. I do send a quick look at Ginny over my shoulder as I feel bad for the chance that I might scare or even hurt her with what I'm about to do, but I also spot Percy jumping from his seat, obviously with the intent to scream at the Master and just continue to insult him. Instantly I join him and push myself so close that I block his view of both the Master and the Minister. Percy falters and stares at me. I glare at him and roughly pull up the sleeve of my shirt and the vest I wear over it.

Percy turns to look at it and his eyes widen as, for the first time in almost two years, I didn't use camouflage to cover up the outline of where the Basilisk fang pierced my arm. "What – what is that?" He stutters and I growl: "That was the Basilisk, Percival. The same Basilisk that endangered your own bloody sister three years ago. And before you try to say that it's impossible, Dumbledore has a Phoenix. Fawkes cried on my arm after I saved your sister. And guess what, Percival."
The boy stares at me and I step back just enough that I can draw my wand. But then the Master snaps his fingers and this does exactly what I wanted to. I smile at the man and nod to acknowledge his silent message that he will take over. I step back and the man stands up again. And both he and Percy stare upwards where the name Tom Marvolo Riddle floats above them. "Tell me, Mister Weasley, what would you get if you switch the consonants of Tom and add the R of Riddle?"
"You get Mort, so what?" But while I thought that Percy was smarter than Fudge, the Minister proves it to be otherwise as he whitens. I myself turn to look at Ginny. The girl spots this, but she smiles at me, her eyes proving that she's okay with this. I smile back at her and feel incredibly proud of how strong she has become since this all happened to her. Then suddenly I spot Naminé, Demyx and Professor Burbage outside of the pitch.

"And what would you get if you add the vol of Marvolo and the de of Riddle to the front of that?" Percy glares at the man, but this only lasts as long as he seems to need to think of this. Right after the boy's anger evaporates and he turns white with fear instead. The Master nods and says: "Yes, I figured that your parents would have told you about the diary that your sister was tricked into acquiring. What with you being the oldest of your siblings going to school that year."
He turns his head to stare at the lad and for the first time his voice sounds cold like ice. "Tell me, is it really right to insult and belittle the boy who saved your own sister of a monster like that? Don't you think that that might be why your parents won't consider Harry a liar as you claim him to be? Why they are so angry with you? Because they hate the fact that you are belittling a boy that you owe your sister's life to."

Percy seems to be truly at a loss for words and the Master turns to us instead as he asks: "Tell me, young Ronald, how do you feel about this?" Ron shortly smiles at the Master, not just because of how brilliantly he is handling all this, but also for giving him a chance to speak his mind. He turns to Percy and a look of disgust shows on his face that I have only seen there once before, when he found out about Scabbers being Pettigrew.
"Right, Scabbers used to be Percy's before he gave him to Ron. That must make this whole thing even worse for Ron." I think and my heart goes out to my best friend just like it has been doing every time Percy and his hateful actions towards the other Weasleys comes up. And then Ron speaks up. "With all due respect, Master. Outside of my parents refusing to disown Percy because my mum, bless her heart, still thinks that Percy is just confused and will soon see the light and come back, I no longer consider him my brother.
As far as I know, I have seven brothers and five sisters. Bill, Charlie, Fred, George, Lee, Neville, Harry, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Hermione and Ginny. And even if Percy gets his change of heart or as I see it, gets his – conscience handed to him, it will take him years before I will ever consider him more than an acquaintance of the family. I might treat him with cold indifference if we meet around mum, but that will only be for mum's sake, not his. That's what I think, how I feel."

And with that Ron stands up and moves past me before he asks: "Would you mind, Hermione?" And the girl, who got teary eyed after Ron mentioned her as one of the people he considers family, gives him a big hug before she lets him have her seat and she takes his. Then the Master speaks up again and says: "Thank you, young Ronald. And well done in not using any curse words or insults there. It would appear that you are more mature than your estranged family here."
"No insults? No insults!? Then what do you call the fact that he just completely destroyed my honor, my respect and rights as the Junior Assistant to the Minister?" Percy yells at the man, but the Master only turns to the Minister and asks: "What would you call that, Minister?" Fudge seems to think for a moment and he looks from Percy to the Master to Ron and back. He sighs and says: "I would call it Mr. Ronald voicing his opinion, Master Yen Sid.
I don't like the idea that there are people in Magical England who think so low of my Assistant as a person that they think just as low of his title, but – I suppose it's only their right to consider a person more important than their title. It's their good right." And while most of my friends are happily amazed, the Master smiles at the Minister and says: "Indeed. Well said, Minister." But then, from the corner of my eye, I spot something.

Instantly I summon my Keyblade and jump over the small raised wall in front of me as I yell: "MASTER, LOOK OUT!" And I raise my Keyblade just in time as some kind of horrible being slashes its blue colored hands with razor sharp claws down. The block forces it back and I take a good look at the being. The whole being's skin is blue, even if I can only see its hands, its head and the tips of its feet, which lack toes and only have a pointy tip.
The creature is wearing a high-collared purple robe that is magenta at the front with yellow lining. The lining is also on the cuffs, along with another line that is almost the same shade of blue as the skin. The being wears a wide flat-topped hat that is purple on top and magenta on the bottom and has a yellow zig-zag line in between. And finally its eyes are bright yellow with a black outline and there is a small yellow piece of parchment stuck to the front of its hat.

Then suddenly Roxas appears next to me and he also blocks another attack, this one coming from a being that is much slimmer and even looks slightly more human, except for the fact that most of its face is covered by a pink beany. Only its mouth is visible and is as jagged and in the same zig-zag pattern as the yellow line on the other being's hat. This being has a black cross covering its torso and wears pink bell-bottom pants that are a soft orange at the bottom and that has a weird white symbol on one leg.
It wears black heeled boots with toes that point up sharply and have sharp points at the edge and a pair of black wrist cuffs. And while the being moves almost as fluidly as a dancer or something, a braid-like string flows alongside its form, reaching just above the knees. "What – what are those things?" The Minister yelps and I hear the Master mutter: "I was afraid of this." But I keep my eyes on the being with the purple robe as it seems to try and determine whether or not it should attack again. "Minister, take a look at Miss Umbridge's chair."

At the Master's words, I furtively gaze past the being in front of me and my heart sinks as I notice it empty. "Where did she go?" Fudge asks and I turn my head as I watch the Master aim his hand at the being in front of me. I turn back and my eyes widen. A flickering form of the horrid woman flashes over the being's form, on and off, on and off, a few times. "What? How?" Percy asks and the Master answers: "This is how darkness affects those in our world.
I was already afraid that, because there were so many of me and mine in this world, our way of how light and darkness affects the heart might seep into the nature of this world. So far my fears had been proven unnecessary, but I didn't forget about them. Now you see what happens when one loses his heart to the Darkness. Miss Umbridge's hatred, anger, disgust, bigotry, arrogance and selfishness have taken over her and she let it."

The creature strikes again and even tries to float over me. Yet I jump up and snarl: "Oh no, you don't!" And I slam my Keyblade onto it's head. The creature wails and flies back, yet it seems unable to twist its arms as they are still outstretched in front of it. "However, you need not be concerned, Minister. Miss Umbridge turned into an Emblem Heartless. This is good. Emblem Heartless, when struck down by the Keyblade, release their hearts.
Miss Umbridge was also strong off will enough that her body remained behind instead of being lost to the Darkness. Therefore, once Harry and Roxas strike both of them down, her heart and body will reform and she will be reborn." The Master continues to tell the Minister and I turn to Roxas. The blonde smirks at me and asks: "You up for this?" I nod at him and say: "I might not have ever known that you can use magic with the Keyblade, but I'm sure I can land a few good strikes."

"And we'll make sure that you stay strong enough to do so." Kairi says as she comes to stand with Roxas while Xion comes to stand next to me, obviously free from the ice she was in, and she says: "Yeah, we got your back, Harry, Roxas." The two of us nod and I charge at the Heartless in front of me. It seems too shocked at this to respond and I hit and slash it several times. Yet after four slashes, it strikes back and while I manage to block, I still grunt and jump back.
I pant and gasp and Xion comes to stand next to me as she asks: "You okay?" I regain my breath and say: "I – I don't know. When it struck my Keyblade, I felt like it was draining my energy. I – I don't think I can take it down. I think – I think Umbridge's plethora of dark emotions made it too strong for me to handle." Xion looks up determined and says: "Leave it to me. I'll weaken it so you can strike it down." And she charges next.

The Heartless slashes out, but Xion's reflexes are phenomenal. She evades the attack, aims her Keyblade and shouts: "Stop!" And instantly the Heartless freezes in place, its arms still aimed down to the ground. Xion turns to me and says: "Go ahead, Harry. Strike it." I nod gratefully at her and attack the Heartless. Upward, downward, from side to side. I slash and strike at the Heartless from several angles. And I don't even feel bad over the fact that it can't fight back.
But then I notice its arms trembling and instantly I jump away. Xion moves in front of me and aims her Keyblade a second time. And before the Heartless can fully recover from her spell, she chants the next one. "Force!" This time the dome that I saw Isa dodge several times during the demonstration covers the Heartless and it actually pushes the creature down onto the ground. And the strength of this spell is so strong that the whole being now looks flat like a pancake.

Xion smiles at me and says: "There, now the being has only half of the health it had before you stopped attacking. I think one more good strike should take it out." I smile at her and want to offer her the chance, when the Master speaks up: "Good work, Xion. Now Harry, finish the job." I look at the man, but then I nod at him. And as I do, I suddenly feel as if the Keyblade guides my instinct. I turn back to the Heartless and while I wait for it to recover, I start to move.
I swing my Keyblade in my hand, faster and faster and move it from my right hand, behind my back, to my left. I feel my magic reacting to this as well as the power within my heart that allows me to wield this mighty weapon. I move my left arm up, aim the Keyblade to the sky and then aim its tip straight at the Heartless and loudly state: "Light!" And a beam of pure light comes from the gull at the tip of my Keyblade, the bird itself alight with its power.

The beam of light hits the Heartless right in the heart and shoots straight through it. And with a shriek that sounds more horrible than the sensation I experience when around a Dementor, it evaporates and a heart of pure pink light starts to float and rotate on its axis in the air. I suppress a shiver at the sound and then turn to Roxas. The lad smirks at me and I notice that he and Kairi have simply been evading the attacks of the other being.
"Good work, Harry." Roxas praises me and then he takes a stance himself before he suddenly charges the dancing Nobody. And before the ever moving creature can respond or realize that it's in danger, Roxas has lifted both his Keyblades, jumped and landed behind it, his blades having slashes clean through the being. Yet unlike its Heartless counterpart, the Nobody doesn't let out a single sound, it just dissolves. And then suddenly something happens.

The dust that was the dancing Nobody – or Dancer, I guess it could be called – and the heart that floats in front of me move towards each other. And as the heart moves itself within the cloud of dust, a whirlwind of black and white dust and light particles floats around it. From this, Umbridge's form falls down, the woman apparently quite exhausted as she collapses down upon landing on her feet. She slowly, tiredly raises her head and I am the first she spots.
I really hadn't expected a word of gratitude of the woman for helping restore her to her original form, but still, her words annoy me. "Potter! You miserable little whelp! Daring to stand over me like that? And with that dangerous weapon of yours no less! You'll pay for this, Potter. I will see you in Azkaban for this. Or better, I will make sure that the Minister gets you Kissed. You won't escape the Dementors this time, Potter, or me."

But then suddenly Riku's voice sounds from behind the woman and he states: "Balloon!" And to my utter shock and humor a bright green balloon encases the woman and floats her a few feet above the ground. "I don't really care what the Minister thinks about her or you, I couldn't take one more word of vitriol or crap coming from her." The young adult says as he comes to stand next to his little trick. I smirk and then hear something that fills me with shock, amazement and disbelief.
The Minister hisses: "Weasley, quiet." I turn to where the two are seated and the Master comments: "Indeed Minister. After all, title or no title, Miss Umbridge was most in the wrong for accusing my pupil for threatening her when she had just been seen attacking him for a third time. Besides, I don't believe you would have gone through with her statement, would you?" Fudge shakes his head and I smile at him as he says:
"Absolutely not. I can, to an extent, her not wanting to thank Potter for returning her to her original form as she seems just too determined to hate him. But to threaten him after she just attacked him really goes just too far. Incidentally Master Yen Sid, I – ehm – I do wonder something." The Master gives him a nod to encourage him to ask and the man does so. "Was there – I mean – would she have – attacked me?" Percy wants to object to this, but the Master sighs and says:

"I was originally planning to leave this explanation for when I told the school of my backstory, but you do deserve an honest answer. Therefore, I won't lie to you, Minister. A Heartless only has one goal and that is to seek out more of its own kind. And if it can't find any, then they will haunt anyone they can find until their victims become like them. It is truly remarkable that miss Umbridge's Heartless were still focused enough to attack me directly, but – I doubt that would have lasted for long. So yes, sooner or later, she would have attacked you."
The Minister cringes at this, but then a look takes over that I have rarely if ever seen on the man's face. And so it takes me a minute before I realize that it's the look of a true leader. The man stands up and says: "This woman is a danger, both to the Ministry for Magic, the students and staff of Hogwarts and even, through both, Wizarding England in general. However, I have been too closely involved with her for too long. Therefore, I simply cannot issue an arrest warrant."
This astounds and disgusts me and many of those in the stand also start to shout and yell their disagreements and disbelief. But then the Minister turns to Miss Lewis and Mister Jennings and he goes on: "Therefore, I would like to request the International Confederation of Warlocks to take this case." And this instantly silences all of the protests. The two smile and nod at the man as well and they head over to where we are standing.

Riku motions his Keyblade with the tip aimed at the balloon and without his blade touching the balloon, he moves it over to them as he says: "The Balloon spell should hold for another ten minutes or so. But be careful, once it pops, it will release a bit of a shock wave." The two nod and Miss Lewis says: "Don't worry about it, Riku. We'll have her in a holding cell by that time." And Mister Jennings adds: "Still, thanks for the heads up."
Riku nods at them and the two use their wands and a Mobilicorpus spell to direct the balloon ahead of them as they leave, the two of them giving the Master, the Minister and the Headmaster a nod of greeting and they receive one in return. Then I notice that Axel has joined us as well as he slaps me on the shoulder and says: "You know, I think our little friend deserves a reward for his first successfully accomplished fight against a Heartless."

"Especially one who was actually a bit stronger than him." Lea adds as he and the rest of the group also come to stand around me. Then the Master joins us as well, a huge grin on his face and he says: "I know just what the two of you are thinking, boys, and I fully approve. But before you let him leave – Dobby." The excitedly jumping little creature appears within the center of the group that has now formed around me.
"Please fetch us one set of fresh cloths, one set of nightwear, one set of school robes and two sets of Harry's potions, Dobby." The Elf nods and I am starting to realize what the Master and my two friends might be on about. The Elf pops away, but only two minutes later he's already back with a satchel. He hands it to me and the Master nods at me and then at Axel. The redhead smirks and says: "Alright guys, make way. I need some space here."

And while most of the group laughs, Terra, Aqua, Ventus, Even and Ienzo step back. Axel stretches out his arm and the Master does the same. And right as Axel summons the corridor, the master forces the dark shadows down, allowing everyone to see the bright blue, white and pink that is the corridor within. The Master turns to me and says: "Go ahead, Harry. Have some fun and share the good news with Ansem and the others."
I happily nod and then I do something I have been wanting to do for the past two weeks. I rush at him and wrap my arms around his form, my growth of the last few years not really making much difference as I now reach just below the man's arm pits whereas I reached halfway up his waist when I was nine years old. The man laughs and hugs me back and then, just like all those years ago, he pushes me back a little and gives me a soft, loving kiss on my forehead as he says: "I love you, my little firelight.""I love you too, Master." I say before I run off.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwwww,
That was even better than I expected or planned on. Oh don't get me wrong, this whole chapter went exactly as I had planned it, but I still love that ending more than I expected. And to be honest, I am feeling quite proud of how the fight scene came out. I didn't even try it all that hard and only stumbled over a word or two, but I do think I made the fight easy to follow. I guess the only thing I could have added was describing the damage Harry caused the Heartless.
Heh, oh well,

Venquine1990
PS. The Heartless is called a Nightwalker. I thought of doing the Bouncywild, but this felt more fitting. Just look them up.