Chapter 3: Three Years Later
Rita Skeeter had just locked the door to her flat when she turned and saw several candles lit in her living room. She drew her wand and began searching for the reason for this. She had only taken a few steps when out the corner of her right eye she saw a figure sitting in a chair waiting for her.
"Long time no see Rita." Harry Potter announced.
Rita raised her wand and yelled, "stupefy."
She watched as nothing happened. She pointed her wand at Harry and yelled it again, "stupefy."
Nothing happened.
In a panic she yelled it three times in a row, "stupefy, Stupefy, STUPEFY!!!"
Harry just lifted a glass of wine and drank it as he watched a terrified Rita Skeeter start to back out of the room.
"The door won't budge Rita." Harry told the woman.
"Now Harry, I know I've said some rather unkind things in the past but that is no reason to do anything rash." Rita said in a high-pitched voice.
"Actually, if I was half as crazy or psychotic as you painted me to be it would be every reason to do something rash." Harry told her.
"Good point, that is a very, very good point Harry. Obviously since you haven't harmed me that proves that I misjudged you. You're not crazy, or psychotic. I promise you I'll print a retraction first thing tomorrow morning." She said looking for something to protect herself with.
"In case you're wondering your flat is filled with anti-magic crystals. I set them up while you were out." Harry told the obnoxious reporter.
"Wha.. wha. what can I do for you Harry?"
"Where is Peter Pettigrew?" Harry asked.
"Pettigrew? I. I. I don't know what you mean." The woman stuttered.
"Let me rephrase the question then." Harry said. "Where is the Ministry of Magic keeping Peter Pettigrew?"
Rita didn't answer him; she just stood in a corner cowering.
"I know they have him. If he were with Voldermort I would have found him by now. I have all the evidence I need to clear my name, all I need is the person who carried out the crime." Harry told Rita.
"What makes you think Pettigrew carried out the crime?" Rita asked.
"I don't think he did it. I think he knows who did though." Harry replied.
"Suppose I do know where he is, and suppose I tell you where he is, what's in it for me?" Rita asked trying to get something out of young Potter in exchange for her valuable information.
"An exclusive interview." Harry replied.
She smiled, "He's at Hogwarts. In the dungeon surrounded by three aurors' and several enchantments at all times." Rita informed him.
"Thank you." Harry said. He then held out his hand and as if to answer his call, eight crystals flew from various points in the room and then assumed a holding pattern around Harry. "I'll be in touch."
When Harry stepped into the hall he was greeted to the sight of four hit wizards, wands drawn, all aimed at Harry's chest.
"What kept you?" Harry asked.
Each wizard launched a different curse at Harry. Harry just stood there as the curses hit a barrier generated by the anti-magic field surrounding him. He then sent four crystals in each direction. The hit wizards were suddenly stupefied to find their wands rendered useless. They tried to apparate out of the hall only to find them unable to. Harry drew two large knives from behind his back.
"I don't want to have to hurt anyone, but I will. Leave now, or this will get real ugly." He informed them.
Before moving Harry reversed his grip on the knife currently in his left hand, ready to slash the first person that moved, he held the knife in his right hand ready to stab anyone bold enough to come close to him. The hit wizards charged him all at once (he'd expected no less) and Harry punched the first one in the face with the knuckle guard of his left knife, sending the man to the ground in pain. Harry then ducked and thrust the blade backwards and stabbed one of the wizards behind him in the leg.
Returning to his vertical base, Harry spun the blade in his right hand distracting his foe. Catching the grip he slashed at the wizard directly in front of him making the man retreat. The second man behind him tried to grab Harry while his attention was diverted but Harry quickly spun his body, avoided the man and decked him in the base of his skull with the knuckle guard of his right hand knife. The wizard crashed to the ground in a pool of his own blood.
"Three down, just you and me left." Harry said, trying to intimidate the hit wizard. "Last chance, leave now, or else I'm walking out of here straight through you." Harry gave the man a dark look and raised the now extremely intimidating knives towards the man's chest.
Not wishing to risk an encounter alone without magic, the unarmed hit wizard turned tail and ran.
Harry exhaled. His bluff had paid off. Sheathing his two knives, he summoned his crystals to him again and left the building.
~~**~~ ~~**~~ ~~**~~
When the ministry of magic arrived they found three of the four hit wizards being attended to by medi-wizards. Their stories were all the same. They approached Harry Potter, who had been seen entering Rita Skeeter's flat by a neighbor, their spells failed to harm Potter. Using some kind of crystals, he managed to render their wands useless and prevent them from apparating.
Rita Skeeter said she came in, found Potter searching her files, she tried to use her wand, it wouldn't work and he left with out harming her. The ministry member that took her statement didn't truly believe her but was unable to perceive if she was lying to him.
Amos Diggory arrived shortly after the three hit wizards were taken to St. Mungos. "How did he beat a team of four hit wizards?" Amos asked in frustration.
"They all say the same thing, he had some kind of crystals that stopped them from using magic." An auror reported.
"Then how was he levitating them?" Amos inquired.
"By using something other than magic." Albus Dumbledore announced.
"What do you mean Albus?" Diggory asked his friend and associate.
"I do not yet know how he is doing it. But if Harry has found crystals capable of dampening magic, as I suspect he has, then he will not be able to use magic himself. However he might have discovered something that makes him immune to the crystal's effects." Dumbledore explained.
"Neither scenario is to my liking." Amos informed him.
"Nor mine." Albus replied.
"I'm off with a team to Romania. The head of the Vampire Nation, Lord Balthazor might be able to answer a few questions about these crystals. The vampires have long possessed crystals and metals that are capable of dampening magical powers as a means to defend themselves against us."
"Who is going with you?" The minister inquired.
"Ronald Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black are already on their way to join me here. We shall leave immediately for Romania."
Amos nodded his head. "If the vampires are in league with Potter, inform them that there shall be severe repercussions."
Albus Dumbledore nodded his head and apparated to his rendezvous point.
Rita Skeeter had just locked the door to her flat when she turned and saw several candles lit in her living room. She drew her wand and began searching for the reason for this. She had only taken a few steps when out the corner of her right eye she saw a figure sitting in a chair waiting for her.
"Long time no see Rita." Harry Potter announced.
Rita raised her wand and yelled, "stupefy."
She watched as nothing happened. She pointed her wand at Harry and yelled it again, "stupefy."
Nothing happened.
In a panic she yelled it three times in a row, "stupefy, Stupefy, STUPEFY!!!"
Harry just lifted a glass of wine and drank it as he watched a terrified Rita Skeeter start to back out of the room.
"The door won't budge Rita." Harry told the woman.
"Now Harry, I know I've said some rather unkind things in the past but that is no reason to do anything rash." Rita said in a high-pitched voice.
"Actually, if I was half as crazy or psychotic as you painted me to be it would be every reason to do something rash." Harry told her.
"Good point, that is a very, very good point Harry. Obviously since you haven't harmed me that proves that I misjudged you. You're not crazy, or psychotic. I promise you I'll print a retraction first thing tomorrow morning." She said looking for something to protect herself with.
"In case you're wondering your flat is filled with anti-magic crystals. I set them up while you were out." Harry told the obnoxious reporter.
"Wha.. wha. what can I do for you Harry?"
"Where is Peter Pettigrew?" Harry asked.
"Pettigrew? I. I. I don't know what you mean." The woman stuttered.
"Let me rephrase the question then." Harry said. "Where is the Ministry of Magic keeping Peter Pettigrew?"
Rita didn't answer him; she just stood in a corner cowering.
"I know they have him. If he were with Voldermort I would have found him by now. I have all the evidence I need to clear my name, all I need is the person who carried out the crime." Harry told Rita.
"What makes you think Pettigrew carried out the crime?" Rita asked.
"I don't think he did it. I think he knows who did though." Harry replied.
"Suppose I do know where he is, and suppose I tell you where he is, what's in it for me?" Rita asked trying to get something out of young Potter in exchange for her valuable information.
"An exclusive interview." Harry replied.
She smiled, "He's at Hogwarts. In the dungeon surrounded by three aurors' and several enchantments at all times." Rita informed him.
"Thank you." Harry said. He then held out his hand and as if to answer his call, eight crystals flew from various points in the room and then assumed a holding pattern around Harry. "I'll be in touch."
When Harry stepped into the hall he was greeted to the sight of four hit wizards, wands drawn, all aimed at Harry's chest.
"What kept you?" Harry asked.
Each wizard launched a different curse at Harry. Harry just stood there as the curses hit a barrier generated by the anti-magic field surrounding him. He then sent four crystals in each direction. The hit wizards were suddenly stupefied to find their wands rendered useless. They tried to apparate out of the hall only to find them unable to. Harry drew two large knives from behind his back.
"I don't want to have to hurt anyone, but I will. Leave now, or this will get real ugly." He informed them.
Before moving Harry reversed his grip on the knife currently in his left hand, ready to slash the first person that moved, he held the knife in his right hand ready to stab anyone bold enough to come close to him. The hit wizards charged him all at once (he'd expected no less) and Harry punched the first one in the face with the knuckle guard of his left knife, sending the man to the ground in pain. Harry then ducked and thrust the blade backwards and stabbed one of the wizards behind him in the leg.
Returning to his vertical base, Harry spun the blade in his right hand distracting his foe. Catching the grip he slashed at the wizard directly in front of him making the man retreat. The second man behind him tried to grab Harry while his attention was diverted but Harry quickly spun his body, avoided the man and decked him in the base of his skull with the knuckle guard of his right hand knife. The wizard crashed to the ground in a pool of his own blood.
"Three down, just you and me left." Harry said, trying to intimidate the hit wizard. "Last chance, leave now, or else I'm walking out of here straight through you." Harry gave the man a dark look and raised the now extremely intimidating knives towards the man's chest.
Not wishing to risk an encounter alone without magic, the unarmed hit wizard turned tail and ran.
Harry exhaled. His bluff had paid off. Sheathing his two knives, he summoned his crystals to him again and left the building.
~~**~~ ~~**~~ ~~**~~
When the ministry of magic arrived they found three of the four hit wizards being attended to by medi-wizards. Their stories were all the same. They approached Harry Potter, who had been seen entering Rita Skeeter's flat by a neighbor, their spells failed to harm Potter. Using some kind of crystals, he managed to render their wands useless and prevent them from apparating.
Rita Skeeter said she came in, found Potter searching her files, she tried to use her wand, it wouldn't work and he left with out harming her. The ministry member that took her statement didn't truly believe her but was unable to perceive if she was lying to him.
Amos Diggory arrived shortly after the three hit wizards were taken to St. Mungos. "How did he beat a team of four hit wizards?" Amos asked in frustration.
"They all say the same thing, he had some kind of crystals that stopped them from using magic." An auror reported.
"Then how was he levitating them?" Amos inquired.
"By using something other than magic." Albus Dumbledore announced.
"What do you mean Albus?" Diggory asked his friend and associate.
"I do not yet know how he is doing it. But if Harry has found crystals capable of dampening magic, as I suspect he has, then he will not be able to use magic himself. However he might have discovered something that makes him immune to the crystal's effects." Dumbledore explained.
"Neither scenario is to my liking." Amos informed him.
"Nor mine." Albus replied.
"I'm off with a team to Romania. The head of the Vampire Nation, Lord Balthazor might be able to answer a few questions about these crystals. The vampires have long possessed crystals and metals that are capable of dampening magical powers as a means to defend themselves against us."
"Who is going with you?" The minister inquired.
"Ronald Weasley, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black are already on their way to join me here. We shall leave immediately for Romania."
Amos nodded his head. "If the vampires are in league with Potter, inform them that there shall be severe repercussions."
Albus Dumbledore nodded his head and apparated to his rendezvous point.