A/N 1: 10, 500 words... Damn. Hi, guys. I'm back. Terribly sorry for the delay though, I wrote a lot more than I thought I would, as always and the fact that I kept changing scenes/adding new ones made this a lonnnnnng write. This is where the M ratings start so yeh. Unfortunately, this is the first time I have written explicit content so… it's probably gonna be cliche. But, if I don't start now. Who will? Anyways, pls do Review and Enjoy!
Review on the Review: Thanks for all the reviews, it helps to see that many like it.
To Dracknath: Thanks! The dueling competition is the next chapter. Sike you thought I wrote too much and now, I finished the entire summer in one sitting. Kill me now, pls.
To RRW: *Scratches my head sheepishly* Unfortunately, the Flamels are temporary characters in the story. They affect the plot severely by giving Harry something, which you will know by continuing to read. But, that is practically it.
To yuiopdon: Thanks. That chapter was one of my most tiring chapters because I knew when to stop but the writing never seemed to end. You had no idea how much I rushed the last 2 scenes. However, this chapter… This chapter is in a f**cking league of its own.
To mizzrazz72: Nah… Harry isn't too dark yet.
To Ceadeus: Thanks, I hope you continue to enjoy.
These are the reviews that were sent just before I finished writing. Thanks for them, I will see you in the next chapter.
To CMDR Quillian: I… am a daft idiot, who have no idea, how Britain works. Thank you very much for the correction.
Warnings: Explicit Language(I made a warning before the part and a conclusion without the explicit language below it with bold words.)
Chapter 9: Training with Titans
2nd August 1992,
Evelyn frowned as she looked at the letter.
Dear Evelyn,
How are you? You are probably fine, considering you live with house elves. This is the last letter I write to you before we meet at Hogwarts. I cannot say much but I will have to go under special wards for the time being, the wards I will be under makes it impossible to communicate. Do take care of yourself.
Harry Potter
P.S. Please, take care of Hedwig. If it's of any consolation, I will pay you back for the owl treats when we get back to Hogwarts.
The boy was her first real friend who had not cared about her past, heritage or money. While she was going to take care of the beautiful owl Harry called a pet, she was going to milk a favor out of him.
She sighed as she put the letter down.
"Tippy" She called out, a small
(BREAK)
31st July 1992,
"An honor to meet you, Mr. Flamel." Harry greeted reverently, shaking the alchemist's hand a little too long.
"And you, Mr. Potter." Flamel smiled serenely back, before frowning, "your scar is rather famous is it, not?"
Harry stiffened slightly, "Yes, it is."
"May I?" Flamel prompted, raising his hand to indicate the scar.
"Go ahead." Harry sighed, feeling a pang of disappointment. Many had wanted to touch the bloody curse scar, including Evelyn. It seemed to affect 600 year olds scholars too.
Flamel started inspecting it, with a criticism Harry didn't expect from a 'fan'. He seemed to be giving it a measure of disgust and awe at the same time. The man finally closed his eyes before giving a full body shudder.
"Are you versed in Occlumency?" Flamel asked, to which Harry nodded.
"Any… irregularities?"
Harry clammed up, his occlumency barriers to their fullest power, his eyes devoid of emotions and his Offensive Occlumency actively searching for the probe.
Flashback
Harry had started his Offensive Occlumency training during one of his restless nights.
'When you find any probes, you will proceed to pour heavy emotion into the legilimency probe to destabilize it. A legilimency probe is a probe that requires concentration. Thus, overloading the Legilimens' sense with emotion is one of the most effective strategies to counter a legilimens.'
Flashback End
"No, sir." His voice is devoid of any emotions.
Flamel chuckled, holding up his hand, "I am not using legilimency on you, m'boy."
"Then, how do you know about it?" Harry demanded.
"You confirmed it." Flamel admitted, to which Harry ducked his head in embarrassment, "Would you mind telling me what 'it' was?"
"A giant dark mass that allows a path into my mindscape." Harry grit out, "I've locked it in an unbreachable room, I haven't looked back since."
"I see…" Flamel nodded.
"What caused the questioning?" Harry countered.
Flamel tutted, "Now, now, young man, you must respect your elders." His eyes twinkled with mirth.
"You sound like Dumbledore." Harry retorted.
The man looked utterly horrified, "Merlin's beard, I do not sound like Brian."
"Brian?"
"His name, of course." Flamel chortled, "I christened him with it after his apprenticeship. He hates it, of course. So obviously, I use it every time we have a chat."
Harry's lip twitched.
"Now, onto the reason I came here." Flamel held out a hand, "The Philosopher's stone."
Harry sobered up, "A contract between us first," at Flamel's arched eyebrow, "You need the stone, I don't need the knowledge I merely want it."
Flamel laughed heartily, "Child, I have been alive for 6 centuries. Do you truly believe I do not have another one."
Harry stood still for a moment before ducking his head in embarrassment, "Ahh." He exclaimed in realization.
"So, the philosopher's stone?" Flamel prompted.
"If you don't want a magical contract, at least swear on your honor," Harry weakly protested.
"Yes, I swear on my honor that I will not backtrack on the deal once I have the philosopher's stone."
Harry nodded before summoning the philosopher's stone from its hiding place and handing it to Flamel. The man eyed it with distaste before tapping the stone, shattering it into pieces.
"Why did you destroy it?" Harry asked, picking up the pieces.
"Leave it, child. It has been tainted by dark magic."
Harry gazed at the destroyed remnants with a sense of longing before he shook his head. Nicholas waved his wand, vanishing the remains before settling down once more.
"How did you get into the house? There are blood wards that do not allow any other wizards to get in over the house."
Flamel looked at Harry incredulously before laughing.
"What's so funny about it?" Harry demanded irritably.
"Oh, Brian really messed up his explanations." Flamel wiped a tear from his eye.
Harry just gave Flamel a dirty eye.
"The ward over your house is an Intent-based Blood Ward. Any wizard that does not want to harm you cannot enter." Flamel explained after another minute of laughing.
The child celebrity finally had a realization in his eye.
"But you can use Occlumency to-"
"It doesn't work like that," Flamel cut off, "They are judged by magic, not legilimency."
"Oh."
Flamel whipped out his wand and Harry's own jerked into his hand before numbers and words appeared.
31st July 1992, 19:54
"Oh, we must be off soon." Flamel commented, "Have you packed your things?"
"...No?" Harry replied uncertainly.
Flamel sighed before muttering something that sounded eerily similar to, "Kids these days," before flicking his wand. Harry's trunk, clothes and items shot around, landing on his bed.
Flamel gave a nod, "Go on."
Harry opened his mouth, closed his mouth and seemed to think before doing it 2 more times and settling on a, "How?"
"That, Mr. Potter, is a level of control and finesse achieved through years of training." Flamel offered as Harry opened his trunk and Flamel flicked his wand, sending the items down the former's trunk, not commenting on the expanded space.
"Can I write letters wherever we are going?" Harry asked.
"I am afraid not. So, do settle your affairs." Flamel answered as if realizing that Harry had friends.
Harry nodded and wrote a letter before sending off Hedwig.
"Are you ready?"
Harry took a deep breath before nodding.
"Now, hold onto this," Flamel held out a sock, "And do not let go until I say so. Activate."
As soon as Flamel had said the final word, Harry felt a tug at his navel before he felt the ground leave his feet as he felt himself spinning.
(BREAK)
Perenelle Flamel was a very sweet but temperamental woman. She was mostly sweet but when provoked… One would choose Voldemort over her if she was angry.
So, one could imagine what would happen when Perenelle Flamel, waiting for her late husband, felt him come back with an abomination through the wards.
(BREAK)
Harry Potter fell to his knees, as nausea invaded his senses. He would have sworn that he had spun at least 50 times before he landed in what felt like grass. Perhaps, weather charms because Britain had no weather like this.
"There, There. Mr. Potter." Flamel said emphatically as the man patted his back.
"What on Earth was that?" Harry finally asked after a couple of breaths.
"That was a portkey."
Harry made a mental note to never take portkeys again.
"You could have told me." Harry grumbled.
"Where would the fun be then?" Flamel retorted, "Now, going into the ward is going to feel weird."
And it did. Harry felt like a waterfall of the aether hit him and shuddered.
"My wife will be here shortly."
And she did arrive there shortly. Only she looked like a fiery angel. Her blonde hair and sapphire blue eyes as she fired multitudes of lethal spells down towards him. Her eyes blazing with uncharted fury.
Harry dodged a couple of spells before the Alchemist stepped in.
And Harry watched a duel that lit a fire in him.
"ABOMINATION!" Madam Flamel screeched as she hurled spell after spell at Harry.
" 'Nelly," Flamel yelled while deflecting the spells.
"FIENDFYRE!"
And Harry's eyes widened as hellfire rushed towards him.
Even Flamel stepped back before shouting, "AQUA ERECTO!"
A large amount of water sprung out of Nicholas Flamel's wand.
Harry saw the hellfire form into all assortments of creatures. Horses, a Cerberus and Birds roared as they hungrily rushed towards Flamel.
Harry saw the Alchemist waving his wand in intricate pattern before the water morphed itself into a giant fist, that swung at the Fiendfyre. Smoke formed as they clashed and Harry saw Flamel cancel the spell.
The smoke turned into a multitude of daggers before rushing towards Harry. The man in front of Harry and reversed the transfiguration into butterflies.
Then, Harry felt it. Something in the air shifted, gathering around Madam Flamel before she let out a roar of fury and a dazzling bright ball of light.
Flamel put up a translucent black dome that surrounded them.
BOOM!
The ground shook as the black shield and unknown spell met. The shockwave alone set Harry's senses on edge as the not-so-weak Alchemist held the spell.
Madame Flamel finally let up and started gathering up the magic around herself again.
But this time, Flamel didn't wait.
The man traced his wand in an intricate pattern before several copies of himself appeared.
"Illusions." Perenelle sneered, her beautiful face marred by it and waved a hand.
The illusions were sent back into the body of the Alchemist and sent him stumbling onto the ground.
"Stupefy!"
Unfortunately, for Perenelle, the stumbling Alchemist faded before her eyes, which rolled back into her head as she dropped to reveal a frowning yet triumphant Nicholas Flamel holding his wand, panting for breath.
Harry finally stood up, embarrassed as he had sat idly by in the fight, too stupefied to even think of going for his wand.
"I have an inkling on why she did that." Flamel admitted, "However, I digress."
The man sent a body-bind hex towards his wife before reviving her.
"I told you to bring the boy, Nicholas." Perenelle snarled, "Not an abomination."
Flamel gave her a pointed look, "Nelly. I would like you to meet Harry Potter."
Perenelle snarled before her eyebrows rose at the implication, eyes darting to his scar.
"Yes, I will explain it to you later." Flamel rolled his eyes at his wife.
"What are you talking about?" Harry enquired.
"That, m'boy, is for us to know and you to try and find out." Flamel smiled mysteriously, and almost melancholically.
Harry gave a glare towards Flamel before Perenelle spoke up again.
"For what it's worth, I am sorry for attacking you, Mr. Potter." The woman said, with clear remorse.
Harry considered it before replying carefully, "Of course, it is of no problem, Madame Flamel." It would not do to attract the ire of a magical titan after all. After what he had seen… Harry shuddered to think why they weren't making waves in the magical world.
Perenelle smiled, "Please, call me Penny or Nelly. Whichever you prefer."
"And Nick" Flamel grinned.
"Nick and Penny… It is rather nice." Harry conceded.
(BREAK)
1st August 1992,
"So, what are we going to do today?" Harry inquired as he dug into the bacon and toast.
"So eager," Nicholas, Harry had agreed on calling him that, chuckled.
"Now, Nicholas," Perenelle came from behind, placing a hand on him. Harry flinched minutely, controlled mostly by his occlumency, "We can never fault someone for being eager. For your information, we are going to be meditating."
"Meditating?"
Perenelle nodded before smirking, "But, first, a duel."
Harry gulped.
(BREAK)
Harry took up his stance and Perenelle raised an eyebrow.
"An interesting stance, you have." Nicholas commented from below the platform, "I do hope you aren't going to go the same route as the last person to use it?"
"Nicholas," Harry sighed, "The man may be fanatically loyal to Voldemort but the Dark Lord killed my parents. I would never consider joining him."
Nicholas looked sheepish before nodding.
"The Duel begins in" Nicholas paused,
"3"
"2"
"1"
"DUEL!"
Harry whipped up his wand and cast a Stunner. The scarlet jet of light rushed towards the other duelist who had been standing in a casual stance, with her wand hanging loosely at her sight.
Harry felt the euphoria of triumph as the woman seemed to try and dodge the last second. His mouth gaped in surprise as the woman's wand hand became a blur before the charm rushed back towards him. The red haze was the last thing Harry saw before he blacked out.
(BREAK)
Harry groaned as he woke up to the frowning face of Perenelle Flamel.
"Well, what do you have to say for yourself?" She barked, "Standing there with a hanging mouth, What am I, a model?"
At that moment, Harry was very tempted to say that she did look like a model but held his tongue.
"Sorry?" Harry offered meekly.
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, get up, Potter." Perenelle snarked as she walked backwards to the position.
Harry got back into his stance.
"Now, again!"
"Protego." Harry muttered, the shield flared blue before becoming transparent.
Perenelle rolled her eyes before firing 2 pale blurs.
His shield instantly broke the moment the first spell hit and the second made a sharp pain flare through his body.
There were 3 more spells shooting straight at him.
He jumped to the left and,
'Expelliarmus'
The scarlet jet of light shot towards Perenelle but he knew she would either dodge or bat away the spell so Harry kept moving.
He started pumping magic into his injured leg to heal it.
"Diffindio, Stupefy, Petrificus Totalus, Rictusempra, Incendio." Harry fired his own spell chain and the spells shot towards Perenelle whose eyes widened in surprise at the spell chain before batting aside all the spells in an impressive display of speed.
"Confringo Maxima"
The orange jet of light pooled around the tip of his wand before exploding outwards.
Harry had a triumphant grin as he felt fatigue set in.
He kept dodging as spells came in, his own spell still moving towards Perenelle.
His grin fell off his face as Perenell caught the spell at the tip of her wand and flung it back towards him like a discus.
The spell rushed towards him and Harry only had one thought.
'What the fuck do I do now?'
He raised his wand but no sound came out of him. There was only one thing his magic listened to.
His intent.
He felt the warm feeling of his magic careening out to protect him as a silver shield materialized in front of him and his own spell crashed back towards him.
Pain flared through his arms as he felt the recoil of the shield, but the shield held.
His triumph, however, lasted only 2 more spells as he felt a shield breaker and stunner break through his new shield and he knew no more.
(BREAK)
A pounding headache was what he felt when he awoke the second time. This time to a grinning Nicholas who helped him up.
"That was good… for a beginner." Perenelle commented as he brushed the dirt off his pants.
"Thanks, I guess." Harry grimaced, he didn't want to be a beginner.
"Get those thoughts out of your head, boy. Compared to me, you are a beginner." Perenelle scoffed, "However, that shield… it was not a shield I have seen before… what is it?"
"I don't know." Harry confessed.
"What were your last thoughts before you used the shield?"
"Protecting myself? Why?"
"The Amarator's Shield," Nicholas breathed, "You, my boy, have a lot of potential."
"Amarator's Shield?"
"No need to worry about it," Nicholas waved off.
Harry sensed that his questioning would get nowhere, thus, ending the conversation effectively.
(BREAK)
"What are we doing here?" Harry frowned.
"Training, of course." Perenelle smiled malevolently as she got into a meditative state, conjuring a black blindfold around her eyes.
"What's the point of mediating? I already do it when I go into an occlumentic trance." Harry asked.
Perenelle hushed him as Nicholas brought in 13 rocks.
"Wha-"
Nicholas waved his hand over a rock and it changed his color.
"Purple." Perenelle spoke up as the rock finished its metamorphosis.
Harry frowned.
"Blue"
"Black"
"Green."
Harry was confused more than ever as Perenelle and Nicholas continued this before Perenelle got up.
Nicholas started waving his wand as the rock transformed into weaponries of all sorts.
Surrounding Perenelle, all sorts of weapons including a baseball, a spear and even a dagger got into a poise to strike.
One by one, Nicholas banished each towards Perenelle who dodged, slapped away or kicked out.
Finally, Nicholas banished the ball to the right of Perenelle's head who caught it with her palm.
Harry was gaping as Perenelle took off her blindfold and smiled at him.
"How?"
"That, m'boy, was my wife sensing magic, identifying the intent of each individual spell and reacting accordingly." Nicholas praised.
"And that, my wonderful husband, is going to earn you a very wonderful night tonight." Perenelle replied huskily.
Nicholas' face lit up like a child in a candy store while Harry's resembled a bright red tomato.
Harry cleared his throat, "How do I start?"
"First, we have to explain to you how to sense magic."
"What you want to do is reach out with your aura and interact with the magic of the spell." Nicholas described.
"And how do we do that?"
Nicholas and Perenelle turned to him as one and had Cheshire cat grins on their face, "Experience."
Harry swallowed the lump in his throat. He was not going to like this.
At All.
2401 stinging hexes later, Harry was laying, drooling on the dueling pit with a blindfold half-stuck on his face, from the layers of sweat and hundreds of welts on his body.
"Come on, Harry. Up you get." Nicholas encouraged.
Harry groaned and winced. Both actions causing him considerable pain.
"Did we break him?" Perenelle asked lightly.
Harry looked up and glared at her.
"I think… that is enough for today." Nicholas said carefully.
"But, Nicky-"
"Nelly." Nicholas warned with a glance, before waving a hand at the pitiful condition of the boy beneath them.
"Ah…" Perenelle realized before they set to work, healing the boy.
(For user's who don't like suggestive/explicit language. Don't read the following scene. I will explain it to you on the footing note.)
Harry rubbed his eyes blearily as he walked towards the kitchen to pour a glass of water.
He heard faint clapping sounds but dismissed it.
He gulped down the glass of water before going back to his-
"YES, NICKY. FUCK THAT ASS. PLEASE, CUM IN ME!" A very familiar feminine voice screamed.
"You like that don't you, you naughtly little slut." A male voice growled.
"Yes, DON'T STOP FUCKING ME! I'M! I'M!"
"I'M CUMMING!" The feminine voice screeched in orgasmic bliss.
Grunts were heard before there was a groan.
"YES, CUM IN ME!"
Harry quickly left the kitchen with wide eyes, dove into his bed and immediately putting a pillow over his ears.
He heard the voice shriek again before they spoke in a lower tone, yet still heard by Harry.
"Oh, Morgana's tits. The Silencing Charm failed. Do you think Harry noticed?" Perenelle cursed.
"I don't think so, he's probably sound asleep." Nicholas replied.
(Basically, a lot of cussing by Perenelle Flamel while the couple were having sexual intercourse, of course Nicholas also does but that was only 1 line. If you guys want to read lemons… Just let me know because that probably won't happen for the next 20/30 chapters. But I still need to know if you are ok with explicit scenes. If you guys aren't, I will fade to black. If you are then, I will probably put it like this and explain the scene in more… prudish words.)
(BREAK)
7th August 1992,
Harry twisted to his right, the stunner sailing past him. He sensed another stinging hex coming from his right and behind. He did a duck-and-roll past the 2 stinging hexes, just in time to sense a stunner hit him head on.
Harry blinked away the black spots in his eyesight as he awoke once more to a rather impressed Perenelle Flamel.
"3 minutes. Very good." Penny commented.
"Yes, when I started learning it took me over a year before I could last that long." Nick commented.
They had become closer over the week and had Harry admitting to them that he liked them better as an uncle and aunt. At least, a lot more than Vernon and Petunia. He still cannot remember what happened afterwards. They had avoided him like the plague after he tried to threaten them.
"That is pretty good, I guess."
"Now, we will be practicing it later and-"
"Excuse me, Nick." Harry interjected softly, "But I was hoping this week we could go somewhere?"
"Oh?" Nick arched an eyebrow, "Where do you wish to go?"
"The International U17 Dueling tournament." Harry answered. He really did hope to go there. Evelyn was probably going to be ecstatic. Of course, that was not the only reason, he also wanted to see who her benefactor was.
"While it seems you wish to have more experience, you wish to meet someone there." Penny noted.
Harry flushed and looked like a child who had been caught with a hand in the cookie jar.
"Yes… My best friend, Evelyn Selwyn." Harry admitted.
"And how do you expect to explain us?" Penny asked with her perfectly manicured eyebrow arched.
"You wish for us to apply glamors." Nick deduced, from the conflicting emotions over Harry's eye.
"Yes." was the simple answer.
"How about another deal?" Perenelle asked with a gleam in her eyes, "The reason you are learning from us for a trip to the U-17 dueling tournament."
Harry gulped, "Not a very fair deal."
"Whoever said anything about being fair?" Perenelle shrugged.
Harry sighed, "I assume Dumbledore has told you about the pro-"
"Yes, we know about the prophecy that was told to Brian that night. He came to us for answers first."
"Well, I don't know if you know this but I fought against-"
"A wraith of Voldemort in the chambers, yes. But it is only a wraith." Nicholas interjected softly.
"But it wasn't just a wraith. It was Voldemort, possessing someone. It was akin to a spirit, had it not affected the real world."
Nicholas said nothing as he absorbed the words and scrutinized Harry, who squirmed uncomfortably.
"You think there is going to be another war. You are not looking to become a better wizard," Nick concluded, "You are preparing for war." Harry merely nodded.
Penny sighed, "Very well. Nick… get the stone we need more elixir."
Harry looked questioningly at the duo, so Penny explained, "Many expect the 2 oldest people on earth to look like ancient beings. So, we are going with the bodies of 18 year olds."
"Make sure your silencing spells are up to the task, though and keep it down." Harry piped up.
Penny and Nick both had the decency to blush.
(BREAK)
8th December 1992,
"WELCOME TO THE SEMI-FINALS of the U-17 championships. Please, Welcome our contestants, Katerina Parvola, age 16, of Durmstrang Institute, sponsored by Dueling Master Dimitri Vakerov, " Cheers erupted in the stands, "Fluer Delacour of Beauxbaton Academy, age 15, sponsored by Minister Jean-Paul." The cheers exploded as wolf whistles and catcalls were heard and Harry felt a force hit his occlumency shields and narrowed his eyes towards the approaching girl.
What he saw made his eyes fall open in shock as a picture perfect girl, who looked to be 18, emerged from the shadow. White-Gold Hair, with baby-blue eyes and pink pouty lips. Her stature, perhaps 3 heads taller than him. Her rather large bust accommodated by a sports bra and hips clad in blue shorts that left little to imagination to her hour-glass figure.
"Yes, Yes. Ms. D- Delacour. W- Welcome." The announcer stuttered, to which Harry rolled his eyes.
"Next please welcome, Mr. Alec Kavarnov of Durmstrang Institute, age 16, sponsored by Highmaster Igor Karkaroff." The cheers, while slightly lesser than that of the two feminine figures, were still significant.
"Lastly," The announcer exclaimed with poorly concealed disdain, "and especially leastly, Evelyn Selwyn of Hogwarts School, age 14, sponsored by Dueling Master Alexander Soloman." There was decidedly a large amount of boos over cheers. And it made Harry's blood boil.
"The Duel between newcomer Evelyn Selwyn and Katerina Parvola will commence soon. Duelists, get ready! Duel Type-B. No Unforgivables. No Permanent Disfigurements or Killings."
Harry saw Evelyn getting beckoned over by Soloman and the man whispered something into her ears. She looked annoyed before nodding and walking onto the dueling platform, taking on a relaxed stance.
Katrina Parvola got into a highly offensive stance with his wand tilting forwards and his legs tilted to the left side.
"3"
"2"
"1"
"Duel!"
Parvola's wand whipped up, "Expelliarmus, Langlock, Stupefy!"
Evelyn blocked the spells casually.
She kept attacking with stunners, disarming charms and jelly-leg jinxes while Evelyn had a bored look on her face as she dodged or blocked the spells, weaving around the spells with an elegance of a dancer.
She fired a non-verbal stunner at the other girl, forcing them to shield.
Evelyn finally started her barrage, firing at a greater speed than the other girl could keep up with. The girl, predictably, shielded against the incoming spells, which splashed rather harmlessly on the shield. The shield, however, was looking rather brittle with cracks along its edges and a single deep one forming in the center.
Parvola pumped more power into his shield while Evelyn continued her assault.
Evelyn finally grew tired of his antics and fired a simple Bombarda to the ground behind her and threw 2 bludgeoning curses at the girl's leg. Parvola batted the Bombarda aside before realizing what the true plan was. She was too late, however. 2 sickening crunches were heard and silence loomed over before Parvola screamed. Tears streaming down her cheeks as her legs were disabled ruthlessly and her wand flying out of her wand, Evelyn watched with impassivity as Harry felt his pride soar.
"W- Winner, Evelyn Selwyn." Boos and Jeers were heard all over the stadium as Evelyn dipped her head in acknowledgement, "The next duel will commence in another 2 hours. It is a duel between the enchanting Ms. Delacour and the previous champion Alec Kavarnov."
Harry nudged Nicholas before nodding towards the retreating Evelyn's back and rushing off.
(BREAK)
Evelyn didn't care as she heard the 2 satisfying crunches of bones being snapped as her opponent fell down, screaming her throat raw.
"W- Winner, Eveln Selwyn." The announcer acknowledged, amidst the boos and jeers that broke out amongst the crowd.
She had thought Harry was different, would at least come and watch, and had hired a dueling instructor for the months but it seemed he was one of those that were willing to leech of her status and money again. Even if he was a national figure and descended from a house of the same stature as hers. She didn't hear the announcement as she continued walking towards the cafeteria.
Her dueling instructor was going to be angry at her for sure. But she didn't care. There wasn't anyone to mock her anyways. She could be brutal as she lik-
A pair of lithe arms wrapped over shoulders, nearly touching her breasts, as a weight slammed into her. She squealed in a manner that was not very appropriate as the surprise took her developing occlumency by surprise.
"Well Done!" A very familiar voice exclaimed giddily.
She schooled her face into what she thought was a frown, pushing him away, before replying, "You're late."
(BREAK)
"You're late" was the curt reply he got after he gave her his first enthusiastic greeting. It even included a hug for Merlin's sake.
"Is that how you greet your best friend?" Harry pouted, his cheerful demeanor not even fazed as he practically gushed over his best friend. She had also been growing. Her not-so-flat chest now had a small mound accumulating, with her height being 5'8". Her slim body had turned lithe and muscular. Her pale skin seemed to become slightly warmer.
"I thought you weren't coming." Evelyn hissed, trying to maintain her angry persona. Unfortunately for her, Harry saw straight through her.
"Come on, Eve. You know I would not abandon you. I mean, look at your curves." Harry praised, pretending to look at her up and down.
Evelyn snorted, discreetly drawing out her wand, "Really? Eve?"
"Would you rather Lindy?" Harry retorted.
That shut her up.
"Oh, Harry?" She prompted sweetly.
"Yeah?" came the wary reply.
The multitudes of stinging hexes, no matter how talented Harry was, simply could not have been dodged.
Harry moaned in pain a minute later.
"That was for checking me out." Evelyn cheerfully explained, patting the moaning pre-teen on his cheek.
Harry simply groaned.
(BREAK)
2 hours later,
"The duel between Fluer Delacour and Alec Kavarnov commences." the commentator excitedly announced.
"Duelists, get ready. Duel Type B. No unforgivables. No killing or permanent disfigurements'' The referee said, before going behind the shields.
The French Duelist took up an optimized dueling stance, her wand in her right hand, inclining backwards, her left leg slightly ahead of her right, her body tilted to the right. It was rather similar to Harry's stance while the Bulgarian took up a stance Harry had never seen before. The boy held the wand loosely in his right hand, his right leg slightly to the front. His entire demeanor, however, screamed of strength.
"3"
"2"
"1"
"DUEL!"
Delacour fired off 7 curses in succession, some that Harry recognized while others Harry didn't.
Kavarnov's wand whipped up, moving in sync with his bodies as he dodged or blocked the curses, returning a couple towards Delacour, who skipped towards the sight.
They circled each other like 2 tigers prowling before both of them exploded in an epiphany of curses, hexes and jinxes. While not as impressive as the duel between Nick and Penny, it was still faster than Harry could cast.
A flurry of colors zipped around as both duelists skipped around the spells, firing curse after curse.
"Can you keep up with them?" Harry asked Evelyn, who was sitting beside him.
She shrugged, "I don't really know. I am only 14 years old. Perhaps, Delacour. Not Vakarnov, though."
"Why is that?"
"His style is to adapt to his opponents. Perhaps, with Transfiguration, I might beat him, but that's not a given, considering he never dueled opponents who used battle transfiguration." Evelyn explained, scrutinizing the matches.
Delacour threw a jet of water towards Vakarnov who froze it and sent a Confrigo at it, shattering the ice, before banishing the shards towards Delacour who conjured up a marble wall, making Harry's eyebrows rise in surprise. Conjuration was hard. It was N.E.W.T level material. Not that Harry cared but it would have definitely put off many.
"That's new." Evelyn spoke in surprise.
Vakarnov sent another barrage, which Delacour danced around before she sent out a bludgeoning curse. One in which she shielded. That proved to be wrong as Harry winced and felt something slam into his occlumency shield. An urge to please Delacour.
The entire stadium was reduced to a drooling mass as Evelyn and Perenelle let out angry hisses. However, the tactic did its part and Karvarnov staggered as he felt the allure.
"Veela," Evelyn spat, to which Harry looked at her curiously. A scarlet jet of light and the match ended in the favor of Fluer Delacour. The force of the allure retreating, the referee shook himself out of his stupor, and declared Fluer Delacour the winner, still grinning rather lazily.
"Veela?" Harry asked.
Evelyn let out a small shriek of surprise that Harry was coherent.
"What's a Veela?"
Evelyn sighed, something akin to exasperation and fondness, "A Veela is a near-human magical creature. They are known for their extremely good looks and musical dance," Evelyn explained, with a hint of self-consciousness, "They are known to hypnotically seduce young men or any who are attracted to the feminine gender. It can cause many to feel impulsive or do idiotic things. They have a passive allure that can reduce weak-willed dunderheads to drooling messes as you can see."
They had already gotten up off their seats and started walking towards the cafeteria.
"You… sounded like Snape, just then." Harry admitted.
Evelyn's pale skin paled even further, "You take that back, Harry Potter, I do not sound like the greasehead."
Harry gaped openly, not even trying to hide his surprise, "Did… Did you just insult Professor Snape?"
Evelyn frowned, "He isn't nice to all Slytherins, you know."
"Yes, but it always seems like it." Harry grumbled.
Evelyn just rolled her eyes fondly.
"Who did you come with?"
"That… is information I am not allowed to share." Harry remarked rather remorsefully.
She frowned but nodded, "Fair enough."
"How are you going to try and beat Delacour?"
"She got lucky, that she did not get disqualified for using her allure on Kavarnov because of the slightly lenient rules. I am simply going to have to beat her by outlasting her."
"Do you think it's truly possible? The duel was a rather taxing one." Harry questioned, not wanting to sound doubtful.
"Perhaps," Evelyn conceded, "but I will never know if I don't try."
(BREAK)
(A/N at 23rd July 2022: Unfortunately, the fic is now nearly 7k words. I cannot write too much character developments anymore. Thus, I am afraid I can only finish a handful more scenes. They aren't going to be rushed but there will be a lot less character building and more skill(?) building. I'm sure you understand what it means.)
10th August 1992,
"The Duel between Fluer Delacour and Evelyn Selwyn commences," The commentator announced, while the crowds cheered or booed.
"Duelists, take your stances. Duel Type B. No unforgivables. No killing or permanent disfigurements'' The referee declared, before going behind the shields.
"3"
"2"
"1"
"BEGIN!"
Evelyn snapped her wand up with 3 bludgeoning hexes flying out, which was deflected easily by Delacour, who fired off a disarming, tongue-locking and stunning charm.
Evelyn raised the part of the platform in front of her and intercepted the curse before banishing the remnants of the stone towards Delacour, who put up a hasty shield charm that defended against most except for a small pebble that nicked her cheek, drawing blood.
The Veela growled before spraying a wall of flames in front of her. Evelyn muttered the first spell, her amplified voice broadcasting it, "Ventus"
The flames immediately turned on its own caster as the gust of wind swayed it backwards.
The flames were doused by a powerful jet of water that spurted out of Delacour's wand, creating a makeshift smokescreen.
Delacour vanished from the smoke, expecting a stunner. However, her eyes detected not a single soul, sliding right over a barely visible haze.
2 Vipers sprouted from behind Delacour as Evelyn transfigured the debris slowly, before firing a shield-breaker and a bludgeoner, her disillusionment and notice-me-not dropping.
The Veela roasted the vipers with a douse of blue fire from her left hand before taking the shield-breaker head on and batting aside the stunner, retaliating with a fire whip.
Evelyn hastily raised a shield in time to block the incoming whip, staggering as the shield held.
The French witch fired a barrage of spells, with questionable origins that Evelyn batted aside, weaved through or blocked. Evelyn snapped up a stunner that Delacour had to block, allowing the opening for Evelyn to start her own assault.
Multitudes of colors rained down upon Delacour as Evelyn fired off Stunners, Disarming Charms, Bludgeoners, Bone-breakers and other spells ranging from tickling charms to borderline dark curses.
The blonde witch put up her strongest shield as she slashed her wand in the air,
"Apara Maxima!"
A yellow mist in front of her before becoming a transparent, yellow haze.
Delacour took several steps back as spell after spell splashed onto her shield, showing signs of cracking but still held.
Evelyn continued her relentless barrage as she felt victory near, even if her reserves were starting to run low.
The Veela's shield started flickering and she, in desperation, conjured up blue fire in her off-hand letting it loose on Evelyn.
Cheers were heard, as Evelyn put up a Protego in a final attempt to block the incoming fire.
It worked as the 14 year-old staggered under the substantial weight of Veela fire with what little magic she had left but the shield held.
However, Delacour had clearly taken advantage of the situation as several spells rained down on Evelyn.
The raven-haired witch's shield finally failed to a shield breaker and a stunner, her body sent sprawling across the dueling pit, unconscious.
Harry frowned but clapped slowly as nearly the entire stadium burst into an applause.
"THE WINNER FOR THE U-17 International Dueling Tournament is FLEUR DELACOUR!" The announcer cheered, sounding much more enthusiastic.
(BREAK)
Evelyn stirred and woke up with a moan of pain.
"Wakey, Wakey. Sleepyhead." An annoying familiar voice cheerfully exclaimed.
Evelyn groaned.
"Where am I?" Evelyn croaked out as she tried to open her eyes.
"You, my dearest best friend, are in a medical tent." Harry explained, keeping his cheerfully demeanor.
"Ugh," Evelyn moaned again, "I hate hospital wings."
This elicited a bark of laughter from the green-eyed boy, "There, there," He cooed, "It'll be alright."
"You know you don't need to hide your emotions around me, right?" Evelyn grimaced at how that sounded.
Harry's face immediately crumbled into a concerned frown, "I'd thought you might have needed something fun."
"I do," She confirmed, "but I also like seeing the real you. Not a persona." She might be a Slytherin, but this was her first real friend, she could be brash if she wanted to.
"Fine," Harry sighed, "The healer's said you just have to stay here for a couple more hours and after they run the final tests, you are free to go."
Evelyn nodded, "Thanks."
Harry hesitated, "Evelyn…"
"Yeah?"
"I have to go now…"
Silence.
"Evelyn?"
"It's ok. I know you are trying your best to become the best damned wizard since Merlin." She joked lightly, an attempt at a smile that failed miserably.
Harry stood up, "I will see you on the express?"
"The express." Evelyn nodded. He walked towards the flaps of the tent.
"Harry!" Evelyn called over his shoulder.
He turned back to look at her. Hair frazzled, skin pale and tired eyes, she smiled weakly at him, "Thank you for coming."
Harry opened his mouth, closing it before nodding, "Anytime."
(BREAK)
Harry sincerely thanked Nicholas and Perenelle as they walked towards the ward borders.
"I am glad you enjoyed it. However, your training starts once more today." Nick smiled.
Harry's face froze as he remembered his training.
"Tell me I don't have to dodge stinging hexes anymore." Harry exclaimed in horror.
"Well… You still have to do it once a day. However, we will be focusing on legilimency." Penny explained.
"Oh… That's fine."
"Now, take hold of the portkey."
The last thing Harry felt, leaving the dueling tournament was the tug behind his navel.
(BREAK)
11th December 1992,
Legilimency
Legilimency is the art of deciphering one's thoughts and emotions and accessing the mind. Many non-practitioners call Legilimency, mind-reading. The term is as daft as it is offensive to the art of Legilimency. For it requires mastering your sense of the human's mind. Delicately, exploiting the imperfections of the mind to insert your queries, delving into the mind of another and interpreting what you find.
Do not take this lightly, reader as you can lose yourself to the throes of insanity if not properly practiced.
Whoever had written that, Harry definitely wished to try a penetrate the layer of defense that Nicholas had given him as he gritted his teeth, holding onto the spell for as long as possible, trying to breach the wall.
"Stop!" Penny's voice was heard and broke his concentration.
"I don't get it." Harry angrily expressed, "I have not even been able to break the damn rudimentary shields."
"Relax, Harry. Legilimency requires you to have a clear mind." Nick explained, "Besides, you are making good progress. Your Legilimency is improving more than average."
"More than Average?" Harry asked incredulously, "I can't even get past the basic mind defenses you put up."
"My basic defenses are that of at least an average occlumens. Don't worry too much there will be a time when you will finally click and find your symphony with your legilimency." Nicholas retorted, "Now, clear your mind."
Harry did as ordered and took a calming breath before nodding.
"Now!"
"Legilimens" Harry pointed his wand towards Nicholas' forehead.
And Harry entered into his familiar fake mindscape.
'To breach the wall your concentration and intent to break it must be stronger than the occlumens' resolve to break it.' Nicholas had taught him.
He poured more of his magic and concentration before the wall caved.
He was rewarded with feelings of pride and nostalgia as he traced the emotions to thoughts and the thoughts to memories and the memories to the mindscape. There was no resistance but they were simply training their active legilimency.
His vision obscured and blurred as he felt the barrier crumbling. The mindscape inside was a simple one.
A grass field with 2 people, he recognized as Nicholas and the other someone he didn't.
"My sister." A voice spoke from behind him, "She died, just a year before I finished the philosopher's stone."
Harry looked back and saw Nicholas looking longingly at the 2 people running in the grasslands.
Suddenly, Harry was back in the room.
"I'm sorry for-" Harry began, only to be cut off by Nick.
"Nonsense, that was 6 centuries ago. Now, Harry, we must not digress. Try again."
"Legilimens" Harry intoned, much more confident than before.
(BREAK)
14th August 1992,
Harry shook his head dazedly as he got up from the ground.
"4 minutes 27 seconds. You are improving." Perenelle praised.
"I don't think I have Nicholas' stamina though." Harry grumbled, "I didn't even have a wink of sleep with the hollering you guys are doing all night."
Penny smirked knowingly, "Is it because of the noise or the fact that you were conjuring up very naughty images." She purred huskily.
Harry's throat magically became dry as he swallowed.
Harry quickly changed the subject, "So… What are we doing today?"
"What do you know about ley lines?"
"They are a set of theoretical lines which supply magic into permanent wards." Harry recited.
"Elementary," Perenelle dismissed, "Where do you think magic comes from?"
Harry pondered it for a moment before replying uncertainly, "It is around us?"
Perenelle nodded, "Correct. Ley lines are lines where the magic is most concentrated. Magical Households and Fortresses uses what are called wardstones to harness this energy and power their wards. A single ley line is enough to power a magical household for… it has never been proven how long the ley lines are, but it is believed to be infinite because, like energy, magic cannot be destroyed, only transferred. Hogwarts was built on 7 ley lines-"
"The most magically powerful number is 7. And that is why Hogwarts is considered the safest place in Britain? Because it has powerful wards?" Harry asked skeptically.
Perenelle snorted, "Of course not, silly boy," Harry scowled, "The castle was built in the 10th century where the witch hunts were still occuring. It was built to withstand entire armies. Feeding off both the 7 ley lines and the student's residual energy, it has only grown castle itself is semi-sentient."
Nicholas took over, "For references, Beauxbatons is built upon 3 ley lines and Durmstrang 4. You are standing on a place where 3 ley lines intersect. The wards here are built on raw power. You cannot brute force your way through here because my wife and I have perfected these over the centuries we have lived."
"That's all well and good but what is the point of this?" Harry questioned, frowning as he mulled over the information.
"Do you remember what I told you about the wardstones?"
"That it absorbs energy and powers the wards, yes, I still don't get it."
"How does it work?" Perenelle quizzed him again.
Rolling his eyes, he explained, "It gathers magic into itself and…" Harry's eye widened at the implication.
"Yes, I see you are finally thinking properly again." Penny snarked.
"You are going to teach me how to absorb magic?" Harry jumped up and down in excitement.
Nicholas chuckled, "Unfortunately, there are some rules you MUST follow." he emphasized the 'must' with a stern gaze directed at Harry.
"A wizard's or witch's magical core wasn't built to handle this kind of power, Harry. Thus, the first rule. We must always stop before we hit our limits. Else our body will become overcharged with the magic."
"What happens then?"
Taking some morbid glee, Penny answered, "Their cores expand until it can no longer expand and implode in on itself."
"They become squibs?" Harry snorted, that wasn't too bad a fate.
"Of course not," Perenelle snapped, "They will explode violently, killing only themselves if they are lucky, crumbling to dust, or wiping out an area if they happened to have taken in a lot more magic than they can handle."
Harry winced, that was a lot more serious than he had expected.
Nicholas explained gently, "You must understand Harry, many had died going this route. However, we saw how enthusiastic you were when Nelly tried to murder you on the day you came." The blonde ducked her head in embarrassment, "While you can use rituals to augment these effects, they always require a sacrifice."
Harry nodded, resolving to figure out the word 'Rituals' to its fullest extent.
"Now, let us begin."
(BREAK)
16th August 1992,
Harry's concentration broke as he heard Penny's "stop!".
He glared at the black and white wood in his hand as the magic he felt in him disperse away.
"You're doing it wrong again, Harry." Penny chided, "You have to feel the magic before letting your intent on gathering magic loose."
"Ugh, this is so damned hard. How in Merlin am I supposed to release immediately after I am so intent on gathering magic into my body?" Harry growled frustratedly.
"That is your problem," Perenelle explained patiently, "You are too intent on gathering the most amount of magic. Gather the magic at the tip of your wand, shape it into your intent before firing it like you fire a spell."
"That sounds… much more simpler than the way you explained it the first time." Harry snarked.
Perenelle rolled her eyes before smirking rather dangerously, "It's ok if you fail, Harry. After all, this is for only the best."
Harry's eye widened, "You manipulative old bastard!"
"I am quite sure my parents' were married." Penny retorted.
"You know what I meant," Harry snapped, "You tried to trigger my competitive side… So, is it still only for the best?"
"Of course." Penny rolled her eyes.
Harry snapped his wand to attention, his face of utter concentration as he gathered the magic for 5 seconds, until he started feeling the familiar pain of his core becoming overloaded with magic, firing a blasting curse at the marble wall that Perenelle had conjured earlier.
BOOM!
Dust, Debris and Dirt obscured his vision.
'Evanesco'
Harry gaped as the haze cleared, Perenelle smirking behind him. Where there had once been a 12 feet wall, now stood a charred stump of rock that stood a couple of seconds before a light wind blew on it, disintegrating right before his eyes.
"Th- That… I did this?" Harry spluttered.
"Now, you finally get it," Perenelle patted his back as he looked wide-eyed.
"Now…" Perenelle flicked her wand, conjuring a wall made of metal, "Try again."
Harry raised his wand once more.
(BREAK)
20th August 1992, 15:37
His skin sweaty, his breath panting, Harry wheezed as he fired another supercharged spell at Nicholas, who blocked it with the same blacks shield with little ease. His body wracked in pain as he fell to the ground in a sweaty heap.
Nicholas tutted, "Come now, Harry. Is that all you got?"
Harry didn't reply.
"Harry?" Nicholas questioned.
The man turned the raven-haired boy over and saw that he had stilled but was still breathing.
"Oh dear boy, I must have worked him too hard." He muttered before flicking his wand. The limp body of Harry Potter follows behind him.
(BREAK)
20th August 1992, 19:08
Harry awoke with an aching body and a pounding headache, groaning as he tried to sit up.
"Ah, finally awake, m'boy." A voice he had familiarized him with this past month spoke.
"What happened?" Harry wheezed out, his breath sending a sharp sting through his chest.
"You overcharged your body with magic." Perenelle screeched, "What were you thinking, Harry Potter? Going off casting multiple supercharged spells at once."
Of course, Perenelle Flamel née Evergreen was not done. She rounded on Nicholas, "And you, Nicholas Benjamin Flamel. How dare you try to encourage this sort of behavior?"
"Now, now, Dear-" Nicholas tried to explain, in a soothing fashion.
"Do not dear, me Nicholas." Perenelle snapped, "Couch tonight!"
Harry and Nicholas both nodded meekly as Penny ranted about how foolish they were.
"Don't mind her, she just gets cranky at times." Nicholas whispered jokingly into Harry's ear.
"NICHOLAS BENJAMIN FLAMEL!"
Nicholas gulped before holding Harry, "Harry, run. Save yourself! I will hold her off."
Harry, ever the self-preservationist he was, ran with his tail between his legs.
A masculine scream tore through the manor as he reached his room.
(BREAK)
21st August 1992,
"What are we learning this week?" Harry inquired as he dug into his french toast.
"What makes you think that young man?" Nick questioned amusedly.
"Well, you made me learn a new skill every week. Feeling Magic, Legilimency and the absorption of magic. One for each week." Harry explained.
Nick clapped his back, "Good observation skill you have there, m'boy. But, yes. We have been teaching you in numbers that have magical qualities. 7 days except for legilimency, where we had a 5 day session. This week you will be learning illusions."
"Like the one you did on the first day back?" Harry remarked, it was an impressive display, one he hoped to match in time.
"Yes, just like that one." Nicholas confirmed.
:So, how do we start?" Harry grinned excitedly.
"Now, now. Let's not get too greedy." Nicholas laughed, "First, you need to read up on your theory."
Nicholas stuck out his hand as a loud crash was heard, a feminine shriek was heard next, before the, now-31-year-old-looking, man caught a moldy, large book with a grunt, staggering back several steps as he fell back onto his chair.
"Now, finish this book and-"
"Nicholas Benjamin Flamel, what did I tell you about summoning things out of the library, you imbecile!" Perenelle burst into the kitchen with her wand out.
Harry inwardly winced as he beat a hasty retreat into his own room.
"Now, now, Dear-"
Even with the silencing charms on his door, he heard the screams of pain.
'I don't think I have seen a man that whipped since that one couple that had an extremely high libidio.' Harry thought as he set to his reading, his occlumency allowing him to memorize the text easily.
(BREAK)
23rd August 1992,
3 days.
It had taken him 3 bloody days to finish the thrice-damned book. At least Nicholas had suffered alongside him, judging by the man's tired and grumpy mood at breakfast times.
Harry slapped the book onto the table in front of his current mentor, tapping his foot impatiently, a habit he had picked up from Penny.
"I see you have enjoyed the book." Nicholas commented lightly. Harry merely glared at him.
"Nicky, why did I hear a loud- Oh, my… Harry… tell me Nicholas didn't make you read the entire book."
Harry looked at the book in contempt, "I did."
"Why in Merlin's name would you give a book about sexual positions and how to pleasure women?" And there it was… The repeated foot tapping.
"It was a test," Nicholas protested, seeing he was stuck between a rock and a hard place, "to see how dedicated he was."
"We will give this dedicated student of ours lessons now. And will have your punishments later on." Penny said with a very dangerous glare.
"Right… Come on Harry, let's get out before the Dragon bursts." Nicholas yelled before running out of the room, yelping as an overpowered stinging hex hit his leg.
"See ya, Penny!" Harry called over his shoulder.
Perenelle glared at the door where both males had just exited before rolling her eyes, "Men, you never understand them."
(BREAK)
"What are Illusions?" Nicholas asked with a serious face.
"An illusion is a trick against the mind, be it sound, sight, taste or feelings." Harry recited
"Adequate, but not enough to cast. An illusion is a manifestation of your will. The Illusionary magics are one of the most obscure arts in history, perhaps the most obscure barring soul magics, parselmagic and Death Magic. The main reason for this is because of a specific mindset. A wizard must have the will and intent to concentrate on creating the illusion. While Illusionary Masters can create multiple clones with ease, beginners will struggle to create even the most basic things, from rocks to gemstones." Harry listened on, enraptured by the explanation, "The intent to trick someone's mind into believing what you want them to believe. Their body, mind and magic will respond accordingly. For example…" Nicholas flicked his wand and a sword appeared beside Harry and gashed his cheek.
"Ouch," Harry yelped as he touched his cheek with his hand but there was no blood. He could still feel the stinging sensation, so he asked Nicholas to conjure a mirror. There was a gash on his cheek with blood flowing, but he could not feel the blood nor touch it.
"Are you ready?" Nick asked.
"You are bloody right I am."
(BREAK)
28th August 1998,
Harry concentrated on the dagger in front of him as he pushed forward, pouring his intent to break the black shield that Nicholas had conjured. He knew it to be an illusion but his body and magic did not. Thus, the dagger.
"Come on, Harry. You can do it." Penny cheered.
A bead of sweat rolled down his temple as he concentrated harder, his intent on breaking the shield with the illusionary dagger he had conjured.
The shield cracked and flickered. Harry's eye gleamed in triumph as he poured more of his intent into the spell.
Finally, the spell faltered and his dagger burst through looping through the air as he sank to the ground, exhaling a sigh of relief as the dagger flicked out of existence.
"Well done, m'boy." Nicholas clapped in on his back, looking at him with a mixture of pride, awe and… pity?
"You have done exceptionally well in our time together. However, there is one last test." Perenelle had a gleam in her eyes, that Harry had not seen before.
(BREAK)
"YOU WANT ME TO WHAT?" Harry roared as he looked at the prisoner at his feet.
"I want you to cast a killing curse one each of the prisoners."
"No, this is madness." Harry retorted, "We should not be the judge, jury and executioner. I may have taken a life but that was an accident."
"Then, you will never win that war you have often prophesized about." Perenelle snapped, her soft demeanor all but gone.
"Do it." Penny hissed, "Show us that you were really worth our time. Why are you even afraid of killing him. I have already told you his crimes!"
"Yes, I know. He raped a 9-year-old girl." Harry answered hesitantly, "But doesn't the killing curse scar your soul or something?"
Perenelle snorted, "Those are baseless rumors. The act of killing might change a person but the killing curse is soul magic. Your precious soul will be no less damaged if you were to use a cutting curse to the neck or a levitation charm over the top of the ledge. The only reason those rumors were spread was because of the absolute conviction needed to be felt to cast the spell. The ultimate intent to kill."
Harry swallowed, "I don't have much of a choice, do I?"
"You may hate me now. But you will thank me for it later." Perenelle answered evenly.
Taking a shuddering breath, he took out his thestral-cored wand, the black and white wood contrasting each other perfectly as he pointed his wand at the whimpering prison, the man's eyes silently begging him not to cast the unforgivable.
'My dream will never come true as long as there are monsters like him in this world' Harry thought.
His tip glowing ominously green.
He uttered the 2 words he had remembered since childhood, the words that haunted his nightmares.
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
A/N: AND, VOILA! This chapter if finally f**cking done. I added, edited the scene so many damn times you wouldn't believe it. Deleted the explicit scene twice before deciding that I already had a warning up there so why not just leave it there. I tried world building a bit here. But that took up a bit too much space. Anyways, I am sooo sorry for the wait. But, here is a near 10k chapter for you guys.
And yes, I know the first scene is cliche but I felt a need to explain how Hedwig was kept... Oh, and the reason Dobby wasn't there to block Harry becomes known next chapter.
A/N 2: If you haven't noticed, I had resolved to write 3k/4k words. However, as you can see the current plan isn't working. So, I consulted a couple writers on a discord server… And, they gave me a brilliant way to curb my writing addiction as I like to call it. I will write without using the plot points, stopping at whatever plotpoint I reach when my word count hits 3000. Hopefully, that will make the updates faster.
A/N 3: To those of you who are kind enough to review, I have begun writing a new plot of Harry Potter. While the world building in this story is not much, it has a good magic system, a not-so-cliche plot, is WBWL Themed, have MOD HP and a no side is good story. Well, there are the ones that just want destruction, the ones that have a purpose and the not-so-light-anymore sides. Yeah, that's basically it. If you want me to continue writing up the plot so it can be written more easily and become more better written, or to focus on the current plot and fill in the holes of this EXTREMELY flexible story. Do drop me a PM or Review to tell me how you feel about this.
A/N 4: At the time, I am writing these A/Ns and the last 2k words of the chapter, it is 2:10 A.M. in the morning. And, yes, I have mild insomnia.
A/N 5: Enjoy, Review and Goodbye. This is Arcturus Aries Black, Peace!