Title: Harry Potter And The Walkers
Author: ENSIGN
Chapter 01 – The Walker
A man descended.
His journey had begun in the clouds, riding the winds in search of a place remembered, but no longer known. He found the place as he had found it before, his memories, his thoughts. He rifled through them, looking for the memories many years ago. Memories that seemed so distant now, age old memories, memories of time passed.
His decent continued.
He had not wanted to return to this place. This place where a war was only beginning to brew.
Much of his body had been destroyed in his release, reduced to nothing more than dust by pain and suffering. He had survived. He wished he hadn't.
It could have been worse.
Much worse.
He never regretted what he had done. Filling his body with pain, memories and hurt had been an act of desperation. It had been sudden, and he hadn't expected what was to happen by it. Whatever the outcome, he had not regretted it. He did what he had to do. It had to stop. The pain. The hurt. The death. The memories. The betrayal. It all had to stop. It all had to end. It didn't end, it didn't stop but it prolonged it and lessened it. It was weird, the stretching of emotions to prolong their effect but lessen their affect at the same time.
No. He was not pleased by his survival, yet in a way he was. It was weird.
He should have died when he released that blast. He suspected he did, but he didn't. It was weird. The prophecy preserved him. It kept him alive. When he awakened his was restored, yet he wasn't. His mind kept telling no, but his eyes said yes. He had no need for food or rest, though he continued to sleep, because a man needed dreams even when he needed no rest. No, the nightmares were gone they never returned. He stopped that. He controlled his dreams now. They were wonderful. They were weird. He cocked his head and furrowed his brows. His new favorite word, he had used it 4 times already.
His new eyes had given him visions of the worlds. It was weird, there five times now. He had explored the world and others as well. In a part of the world he had felt a pull, a connection. He met the traveler, a woman named Mevelshu. She confirmed what he'd already guessed, he had died. He had lost his mortality the day he destroyed himself. It was weird killing oneself then being dead yet alive, definitely weird. There seven times now.
He giggled.
Hmmm. Apparently he had lost a bit of his sanity along with his mortality, either that or it was his hectic lifestyle finally catching up to him. It kinda reminded him of his mentor, Dumbledore.
The blast had slain him and the prophecy preserved him. 'Either must die by the hand of the other', indeed. He couldn't even kill himself, fate was definitely a bitch.
Mevelshu had explained that the worlds that he visited were only a handful of the seemingly infinite amount that existed. All he had to do was find them. How did he know how to find and travel to them, he just did. It was weird.
She thought him to control and shape his will and to comprehend thought without the inconvenience of language or translation. But still to her he was unique, fate was definitely a bitch. Hmmm, a new favorite word. For all her knowledge Mevelshu couldn't see the worlds as he saw it all. She couldn't understand it. Her eyes were the color she willed them to be. His was stuck, she could not tell him anything about them except that she feared them. She feared them so much that she tried to snag him in a time warp. When that failed, she fled. He never heard from her again. There were others like him, only a handful. They rarely met but he could feel them, the pull when they were close.
He thought to pursue her. Not out of vengeance, but curiosity. He failed. He was blocked. He missed the jump, she had fled to an out of the way world and the next jump was in 300 years time. How he knew he just did, it was weird. Of course he could jump from world to world till he got there, but he didn't know the directions, if one could call them that.
His decent ended.
XXXXX
A cacophony of voices and sounds filled the great hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The students were gathered at their house table, eating, chatting, discussing homework, plotting pranks and last but not least, finishing late homework due in. It was the normal setting of a normal everyday lunch. At the head of the Great Hall sat the professors, a total of twelve. Each enjoying the food that Hogwarts had to offer, but one. That particular professor sat upon a huge throne like chair like his other three companions.
Said professor was currently picking at his food and occasionally looking around the hall as if expecting something.
"I haven't seen you act like this since... well never! Honestly! You look as if all the Slytherins would jump you when you're not looking." A voice from his left caused him to stop his scanning of the hall.
"No you haven't seen me like this. I don't think anyone has. I'm just not feeling very well today." He said pinching the bridge of his nose before taking a deep swallow of wine from his goblet.
"Are you coming down with something? The flu? Dragon pox? I'm sure our healer would be able fix you up in no time." The woman reached out and placed a hand upon his forehead.
"No, no, no, I'm fine love. It's nothing." The man said in a pleading tone, he hated it when someone mothered him, especially his wife. He shivered; wife and mother should never be used in the same sentence ever.
His wife's eyes narrowed and pierced into his own. The man cringed. "I know you're hiding something, you always are when you start denying it and using the words, it's nothing."
The man held up his hands in a defensive posture, this earned him the attention of his other two companions who watched in amusement as a bicker was blooming between the husband and wife.
"No, no, no, it's really nothing dear."
If possible her eyes narrowed more. "Yes, yes, yes, it's something, and you're not telling me what."
"You know, by now I thought that he would have been able to not use those same words when being interrogated." The other man spoke and brushed a lock of black hair out of his eyes.
"Oh yes, I remember it was extremely hilarious when she managed to pry out the fact that he wanted to propose to her." The woman with blond hair replied.
"Oh! You remember the look on Rowena's face when he told her. Funny how he still managed to surprise her without the romantic dinner he planned."
"Definitely, I committed it to my pensieve. Oh, oh look! He's snapped. He's talking. You know we should leave the interrogations to Rowena from now on, don't you agree Salazar?"
"Nah! It only works on Godric, my dear. No one's that thick."
They both turned back to the other couple, who had by now gained the attention of the entire staff including the student body.
"Well? Godric?" Rowena loomed over the head of Gryffindor house, tapping a foot on the floor.
"Sure, sure, fine, it is something."
Helga smirked, "Pay up dear, he lasted less than five minutes." Slytherin growled and handed her a small bag from within his robes. Not surprisingly enough, students around the hall were also doing the same thing.
"Well? Speak."
Godric looked around and noticed the entire hall listening. He drew his wand and cast a privacy spell which earned groans from the students and some of the professors.
"Erm... Rowena dear. You know that like all of us I was apprenticed right?" Seeing his wife's roll of eyes he continued, "Remember my master? Well, he said something when I finished my apprenticeship, he said he would visit me to evaluate my improvements after twenty five years."
Rowena raised an eyebrow.
"You as well as I do know how old he was at the time my apprenticeship finished." Realization bloomed in her eyes. Godric had never mentioned much about his apprenticeship. Apparently his mentor didn't like people talking much about him and Godric respected his wishes. She now understood. Godric loved and respected his master very much and was getting anxious to whether he would show up or not. She had heard once from her father that the ancient sorcerer was close to three hundred years of age, and that was twenty five years ago. No one had seen or heard word of him for the last twenty years.
"Don't worry, Godric. I've heard that he's always kept his promises. He'll show up." Godric nodded and Rowena resumed her place."
"I hope you're right, I hope he's still alive."
No sooner had he said those words a boom echoed through the castle as the doors of the Great Hall were pushed open.
Before the hall stood an aged man dressed in emerald green robes. He wore dragon hide boots and leaned most of his weight upon the staff he held. The staff captured most of hall's looks. It was made up of a black obsidian material which none of the professors could identify. Right at the top rested a diamond the size of a grown man's fist which glowed with an array of colors.
The wizened man had white hair and a beard which went down to his waist level. One could easily tell that his hair had been a problem in his younger years as it would have stuck up at odd angles, this was shown by the shorter strands of white hair that gave his overall hairstyle it's bushiness. All in all, the stranger would have reminder the student a thousand years in the future of an even older professor Dumbledore dressed in emerald robe instead of his usual purple ones.
Unlike the most of the students or the professors who were staring at the man's staff the founders of Hogwarts were staring at the man's eyes, or lack there of. Across his eyes was a band of green cloth which was tied behind his head. The man was blind, either that or he didn't need the use of his eyes.
The founders were the first to snap out of their state of awe and proceeded to the doors. Godric being spurred on by excitement was the first to reach.
The old sorcerer seemingly able to sense him and smiled at his approaching presence and seemed to straighten up slightly.
Godric grinned, he would recognize that smile anywhere, he had seen enough of it since he was four. The very same man would always visit Gryffindor manor, and later when he was seven, he would spend ten years training under the said man.
Fully snapping back to his senses at who he was standing before he immediately fell to one knee and bowed his head. "Master, Lord of the Phoenix."
If anyone could have seen the ancient man's eyes, they would certainly seen him rolling them. "Godric of the Noble and Brave House of Gryffindor, rise." He spoke while pulling the founder to his feet. He held him by his shoulders and seemed to be looking at him.
"You've changed. You grew older, at least in body, but not in mind. You know I hate it when someone addresses me with my titles. How many times have I told you, no bowing and to call me Harry" This comment caused the other three founders to snort and Godric to blush.
"I like this guy." Salazar commented to his wife.
"Hush, dear. Not now."
Godric didn't notice the comment but his mentor certainly did.
"Ah! Godric, friends of your I presume. The great founders of Hogwarts. I see you managed to accomplish your dream Godric. Who do we have here? Such a charming and radiant beauty, you must be Rowena of the Noble and Wise House of Ravenclaw. Forgive me if I don't bow, back's not what it used to be." Godric chuckled at the last statement as his mentor brought Rowena's hand to his mouth to place a kiss upon it.
He then turned his attention to the other two founders. "Helga of the Noble and Loyal House of Hufflepuff, truly a beauty of her own as well." He said as he repeated the greeting as he had done to Rowena.
"Finally. Who do we have here?" Salazar fell into a defensive pose as the man before him seemed to be analyzing him. "Salazar, Master of the Dark Arts and its Defense, Potions Master extraordinaire and one of the greatest wizards of this age." The sorcerer than drew a dagger from within his robes, ran it across his right palm and held it out to the Slytherin head. Salazar stared at the offered hand before drawing his own dagger, repeated the action and clasped the sorcerer's hand. Both started chanting and their hands glowed a blood red hue.
Helga Hufflepuff released a held breath as did Rowena. Salazar hated it whenever he was related to his bloodline. He didn't mind his name, it was his family. Salazar came from a line of dark wizards who all went evil. He was the supposed black sheep of his family. He much preferred to be remembered by his accomplishments.
Both the men released each other's hands. The blood pact complete. It was the ultimate way of showing one's trust in one another. Each would be unable to betray one another as long as they lived.
"Pleasure to meet you." They both said at the same time. The sorcerer turned towards his one time apprentice. "You know the reason I am here."
Godric nodded. "Yes Harry." He then turned towards the hall of students. "All classes are cancelled for today, you will all now proceed to the Room of Requirements, where a match between the Lord Phoenix and I will take place. The students immediate left the hall with quiet whispers feeding the gossip mill. No doubts more bets were taking place.
XXXXX
Godric stared around the dueling arena. The Room of Requirements certainly had to be the most amazing accomplishment of him and his friends. It had taken a great deal of research and magic to create such a room. The students and other professors eager to watch the duel between the most powerful wizard of their time against the unknown stranger who was supposedly his master.
Both wizards approached each other. Both spoke aloud at the same time. "I hereby summon the avatars of our wands (in Harry's case staff) to oversee this magical duel that is to take place."
A golden mist burst out from the tip of Godric's wand and took the shape of a griffin. Harry's staff's diamond flashed and a transparent figure appeared behind him. Godric and the rest of the school could only stare at the avatar before them. It was ghostly apparition of the sorcerer that stood before them. Unlike the man the apparition looked in the prime of his life. Gone was the wrinkles and beard, it had shoulder length hair and the same cloth band covering his eyes. What drew their attention the most was the pair of avian wings that sprouted from his back.
"I'm sure I was very enticing in my youth, but could we get back to the task at hand." Harry spoke in amusement with a smile gracing his aged face.
Godric snapped out of his thoughts. He had never seen his mentor's avatar. Apparently no one had. "Rules?" He called out.
"Anything goes. Last one standing is the victor."
Godric conjured a sword and held it in his right hand, wand in his left. His mentor drew a sword from within his robes, one with rubies encrusting in its hilt. "Agreed."
It defied belief to watch.
Godric had immediately flown towards his mentor slashing in a horizontal motion. A move which would have decapitated the older man if he were still there. His mentor had apparently somehow flown upwards and was now flying above him.
"Avada Kedavra"
The hall filled with gasps as the killing curse flew out of the staff and towards Godric.
Rolling out of the way the founder shouted. "Flamma." An inferno blazed upwards and consumed a five meter radius where Harry once stood.
Elder students and teachers began casting cooling charms to shield the spectators from the blazing heat.
Godric backed away from where he was. His mentor would not be taken down with a fire spell. His guess was proven right as the magical fire burnt out. There, floating in mid air, without a single singed robe stood the old man, smiling.
"Interesting spell Godric. I must remember that one."
Again both wizards rushed at each other. Swords swinging and curses flying. Blades licked in and out, sometimes so fast, that that the only way to identify the blades met was by the sound of metal clashing.
Harry parried Godric's strike with his staff and thrust his blade at his opponent's head. Godric ducked and swept at his legs. Harry simply levitated himself off the floor, flew back and conjured a shield spell to deflect a rather nasty curse.
"Rather fast and agile for a three hundred year old isn't he? I hope that I have his fire at his age." Salazar commented to his wife. Helga on the other hand ignored him. She was to busy holding hands with Rowena who was biting her bottom lip and squeaking occasionally.
For the next quarter of an hour the arena had been filled with the clash of steel and the shouts of curses. Everyone watching had been silent at first, sitting perfectly still and watching.
After a few minutes the students, then the teachers, had gotten into the spirit of things and begun cheering the two on. It should have been impossible for either of them to dodge or deflect all the spells at point blank range and still keep the blades moving. Somehow they did it anyway.
The flurry of blades stopped when Harry was blown back to the other end of the arena by a banishing charm. No injury was sustained as he floated to a stop.
"Excellent! Difflo! Detrunco! Confervefacio! Cariosus!" Two beams of black, one of green and one of red blasted out of his staff. Rowena screamed as the four lethal illegal curses streaked across the arena.
Godric's eyes widened and begun to wave his wand in a complicatedmotion. "Voco Ancile Superus!" A golden force field enveloped him and adsorbed the four curse. "Excessus!" He shouted out the only light killing curse.
Harry stood his ground as the curse flew towards him. Students and teachers screamed as the curse struck him in the chest.
The arena went silent.
Godric stumbled towards his mentor. The shield had taken a lot out of him, his mentor had told him it was the only spell that could stop all curses except the unforgivables.
Harry stood completely still, head bowed but still standing. Godric approached him while the hall held their breaths. Unknown emotions rushed through him. He had killed his mentor.
He placed a hand under the aged man's chin and lifted his head. His eyes widened. His mouth fell and so did his body as he received the strongest right hook in his life.
The spectators watched in surprise, shock, bewilderment and respect. Here was a man who had just survived a killing curse and still had the energy to knock out who they thought was the most powerful wizard of their age, not to mention that he was about three hundred if the rumors were true.
"I win." The avatars screeched and the other nodded before vanishing. He bent over to pull Godric to his feet after casting an Enervate.
"Did someone get the owner of that hippogriff?" Godric asked with crossed eyes.
The other three founders had almost reached both the duelers before they were stopped when they slammed into an invisible barrier. Harry paid them no attention, but gave his past student a slap to wake him up.
"You pass. I have a gift for you." Harry held out his sword and Godric immediately went down on his knees to accept the sword. As he grasped it a warm feeling shot through his body. He stared at the blade of the sword as the words Godric Gryffindor burned themselves into sight. "May this sword protect you as it has me as well, farewell my child." His mentor hugged him before stepping back and slowly fading from existence. 'Take care of each other.' The request echoed in both Rowena's and Godric's minds.
"Farewell, master. I will." He whispered before dissipating the proximity shield cast by his mentor and hugging his wife who leapt into his arms.
XXXXX
A woman carried a crying baby in her arms. She voiced soothing words to try to placate the wailing infant. To her surprise the baby stopped crying immediately. Before she could ponder the thought, the door bell rung.
Balancing her baby upon her hip with one hand she used the other to open the door, before her stood a wizened wizard. Long silver hair flowed down his shoulders as did his beard down the front of his emerald green robes. Recognition crossed her face before confusion when she saw the man's bandaged eyes. For a moment she had assumed the man before her was the great Albus Dumbledore. She had noticed the difference with closer inspection, this man carried himself a far lot different, he stood more hunched, not to mention the apparent lack of sight.
"You're not Albus." It was a statement. "Who're you?"
"A friend." Was the reply the stranger gave to her.
"What do you want?" The lady with emerald green eyes tried to shield her baby from the man.
"Fear me not. Lily. I mean you no harm. I am here to bring you the gift of life." He handed her an amulet, a parcel and a letter. He gave her a sad look of longing before he vanished.
Lily Jane Evans Potter stared at the spot the stranger stood. She could have sworn she had seen the man's eyes for a brief moment. They were striking emerald green as hers were. She held the parcel with the amulet and letter balanced in the other hand.
Shaking her head she placed baby Harry into his high chair and scanned the items for magical auras. There was some coming from both the parcel and the amulet. Choosing the lesser of three uncertainties she opened the letter.
Dear Lily,
All will be explained in the pensieve. You can perform a tampering check spell, it's safe. The amulet contains a blood bonding spell. It offers protection from Voldemort. Hold it and chant "Voco Caeles Superus Ancile" three times. The protection will then be transferred to the person you wish. The stronger the love for that person the stronger the protection.
Be warned, the transfer requires the sacrifice of the caster's life. It will not be invoked until the caster gives their life in eternal protection of the receiver.
Should you choose to use the incantation, it is up to you. Tell no one about this.
I love you.
Harry James Potter
XXXXX
Crash. The door was blasted open.
James hurriedly pushed Lily towards the stairs. "Go! It's him! Take Harry and run! I'll hold him off!" Lily stared at him with wide eyes hesitating. "GO!"
She stumbled up the stairs, fear blinding her. 'Harry, I have to keep Harry safe.'
Lily heard more crashing and spell casting downstairs. Shouting, a scream and silence.
'No! Not James. James....' Silent tears fell, but fear kept the grief at bay. Her child. Harry. She knew it right then. It was true. He had to live. It was all true.
She stared at her baby lying in his cot stirring. She made up her mind. He would live. Her son was destined for great things. She hadn't believed the things she saw in the pensieve. One by one the events had been coming true. Her sister had a son, they went into hiding, Peter's betrayal. It was all coming true. Her son had truly done great things in his first fifteen years of life recorded in the pensieve. She had never told anyone about it, and now she knew she never would.
She pulled the amulet out from around her neck. Calmness spread through her. She ran a finger down it and marveled at its beauty. It was made from gold with a single large green diamond in the middle.
She knew what she had to do. She placed the amulet in her hands and began the chant. 'No matter what. I'll protect you Harry. I love you. Live and fulfill you destiny.'
A few minutes later two words were hissed out and a scream of agony pierced the night.
The spell had worked.
XXXXX
A man descended.
He was home.
His feet touched the shore of a lake. The waters washed over his boots and foaming when they receded.
A frown of concentration crossed the old man's features. A moment later, gone was the long white hair and beard. Gone was the weathering of age. Gone was the magnificent staff he held.
In his place now stood Harry James Potter. He was home.
XXXXX
"Well, well, well." Drawled Draco Malfoy, crossing his arms across his chest and sneering at them as he stood behind the group of Gryffindors. "Who do we have here?"
"Aw, no." Groaned Ron as he was the first to recognize their visitor.
Neville looked on with narrowed eyes, "What do you want, Malfoy?"
Malfoy spat, "Definitely not a potion from you Longbottom."
He took a step closer toward the group, the looming figures of Crabbe and Goyle behind him. He uncrossed his arms and ran a hand through his neatly combed and gelled hair. His grey eyes glittered maliciously and his sneer intensified.
"It's the weasel, the weaselette, the mudblood, the nutcase and the squib. But hey, guess what? No potty."
"Bastard." Ron tried to sock Malfoy a good one but was strongly held back by Neville and Hermione.
Thankfully and unfortunately for Malfoy, as Ron looked to have almost got out of the duo's grips, he was interrupted by the bursting open of the doors of the great hall. All eyes in the hall switched from the group who was about to go at it in an all out melee to the front doors. Apparently the group had quite an audience, thankfully Malfoy's and the group's fine practice of constant confrontations over the years kept their voices to a whisper and the professors could only look on in curiosity.
Now all eyes, even the groups were staring at the front of the hall where a very recognizable figure stood smiling.
"Ah, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts. It's good to be back."
Still everyone stared at the figure like he was insane, he probably was slightly. They had all read about the disappearance of Harry James Potter the boy-who-lived. In the case of Malfoy and the golden group from his father and the order respectively. The wizarding world was in shock and somehow the news of Potter's loss of powers had been leaked out.
So one could forgive the populace of the great hall to stare at how a non magical person, had not only evaded the Death Eaters, the ministry, the Order Of The Phoenix and large mass public searches, had now appeared at the front doors of Hogwarts singing part of the school song to himself without a care in the world.
The blond Slytherin stared on in shock before composing himself. "Well, well, well. If it isn't the potty. Come to join your gang of rag tag losers." He shouted out as he walked towards Harry.
The golden boy of the wizarding world raised an eyebrow. "Hello Draco. As much as I would like to engage you in a much heated debate, I have other things to attend to other than such trivial matters." Harry joyfully sang as he brushed pass the Malfoy heir.
Despite the fact that school had already started a week ago. Not to mention the massive searches conducted to locate him. The boy-who-lived strode straight up to the Gryffindor table ignoring the stares and plonked himself down in his usual seat beside Ron and across Hermione.
"Good day to you too." He said as he tilted his head slightly at Hermione's opened mouth face before helping himself to lunch. "You know what Ron? You have to agree, Hogwart's food is definitely the best isn't there?" he spoke the Ron through a mouth full of food.
Ron's brain still trying to process the fact that Harry, his best mate, had just shown up at Hogwarts perfectly fine and completely jolly and good to boot, just nodded with wide eyes focused on his friend sitting beside him.
"Harry?" Hermione whispered. "Is it really you?"
"Yup, it's me." Harry looked up, flashed a smile before returning to his food.
"Are you sure that you're Harry?" She asked again.
'Still doubtful, I wonder why? Oh yeah, I forgot.' Harry looked up again. Set his eating utensils down neatly on his plate. "I take it, I have been gone for quite some time. Well... erm... sorry... I really needed a vacation."
Hermione's eyes widened. "How do I know that you're the real Harry?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "You know the procedure."
Immediately Hermione pulled out her wand, pointed it at Harry and spoke. "Mentalis communicatum"
'Back in first year how did we get past the giant chess set?' Harry heard Hermione's voice echo in his head.
'We played through it, you were the castle, me the bishop and Ron the knight. Of course Ron was actually the one that did all the playing. I still don't believe he would do something as stupid as sacrifice himself. Then again with that thick head of his I guess getting clonked on the head didn't hurt that much.'
Hermione snorted and ended the spell. During that time Ron had regained his composure and had cast the same spell.
'From where did we discover the identity of the monster of Slytherin? And what's my favorite color?'
Harry rolled his eyes. 'Firstly the monster in the chamber was a basilisk, not that you would know as you had to deal with the git Lockhart. We found out the identity from Hermione, well actually from a note in her hand. And the location we got from Myrtle. And lastly it's Maroon.'
Ron grinned. 'You do know Malfoy is not going to like you calling him trivial.' Harry grinned as Ron ended the spell and shared a look with Hermione.
Both nodded and suddenly pounced upon him. Harry was knocked to the floor by Ron engulfing him in a hug and Hermione throwing herself at him after leaping over the table.
"Harry we were so worried about you. Did you know we spent the whole time looking for you when you were gone? Where were you? What have you been doing? Did you study? Did you get your owl results?" Harry chuckled, only Hermione could ask about results during her questioning what ever they may be.
"Get off him Hermione, let him breath. How's life mate?" Ron greeted as he helped Harry to his feet. "Oh yeah I forgot." Ron mused as he reached back and ploughed a right hook to Harry's face. "Sorry about that mate, I swore I sock ya one if you didn't turn up before school started. Malfoy's being more of a git lately."
"No problem." Harry replied shrugging as he massaged his jaw. Ginny who was sitting beside Ron chose this opportunity to throw herself onto Harry to hug him. The others remained silent and watched as they didn't know what to do.
"So the great Harry Potter thinks he's so great that he can just waltz into Hogwarts can he." Harry sighed, Malfoy was beginning to grate on his nerves.
"Hello again Malfoy. I am surprised that you're here as well, I thought that you might be enjoying the hospitality of Azkaban with your father right now." Harry said releasing Ginny and turning around. His voice carried through the now silent great hall.
The teachers looked upon the two students as they approached each other. Not knowing what to do, they turned towards the headmaster. They were disappointed as soon as they saw the look of amusement in his eyes, he was actually enjoying this!?!?
"How dare you insult me. A Malfoy."
"Wow, I'm impressed, such a well respected name, Draco. Too bad it doesn't hold that much sway now as it used to, considering that it has proven its death eaterishness."
Malfoy flushed a bright pink as anger course through him. "How dare you insult the Malfoy name. I, Draco Lucius Malfoy, hereby challenge Harry James Potter to a binding and honorable wizard's duel."
"I will not permit any duels here." Dumbledore's voice rung out as he stood up.
"It doesn't matter what you say headmaster. By the laws stated in the Warlocks Council of 908 ad, another wizard may challenge another to a binding wizard's duel if the other wizard accepts the duel on his own free will."
"Yes I am well aware of that law Harry, but I must stress that you not go through with this duel."
"Hiding behind the headmaster, Potter."
Harry turned to Draco giving him a Snape patented level 3 glare. "No, I am not, Malfoy. I, Harry James Potter, accept Draco Lucius Malfoy's challenge to a binding wizard's duel."
Dumbledore sighed and waveed his wand conjuring up a dueling platform in the middle of the great hall. Whispers immediately raised the volume of the great hall as what Harry assumed were numerous bets taking place.
Harry glanced to his friends to see Ginny, Ron, Hermione and Neville with worried looks. He flashed them a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'll be fine. Can't say much about the ferret though."
"You better be sure about that Potter. I'll see you in the hospital wing when I'm through with you." Draco smirked as he bowed to the black haired boy. "Sure, anything you say, Drake."
Draco being the epitome of a cheat and a Slytherin had already sent off a curse with a quiet whisper and wand flick before the bow was complete. Harry of course was already expecting this and sidestepped the curse easily. Retraining his wand again and sending of a couple of more curses, Draco noticed that Potter had yet to draw his wand. Funny how he had forgoten about it when they were bowing earlier.
"For a Pureblooded wizard you are pretty negligent of the procedures used in formal duel Draco. We haven't even giving our wizard's oaths and called upon our avatars, let alone stated the rules of this duel."
"Do forgive me Potter, I must have forgotten." Draco smirked.
"Why you lousy no good cheater." Ron had to be restrained by both Dean and Seamus as he had attempted to climb the platform, no doubt to knock Malfoy out.
"Very well then Draco, I forgive you." The Malfoy heir growled at the insult Harry had subtly used.
Both duelers drew out their wands and spoke aloud. "I hereby summon the avatars of our wands to oversee this magical duel that is to take place."
A white mist shot from Draco's wand which took the form of a dragon that many had seen two years ago. A Hungarian Horntail. The apparition flew around the hall once before landing behind Draco.
Harry on the other hand had Fawkes burst into appearance in front of him. Harry smiled at Hermione's and the rest of the hall's gasps of surprise of seeing a real live phoenix.
"Now that we have summoned our avatars, what are the rules Malfoy?"
"Anything goes. Last one standing is the victor." "Agreed." Harry replied with a nod.
"Stupify!" Harry ducked as the stunning spell flew above his head.
"Accendo! Infligo!"
Harry ducked to one side and rolled away from where he had been crouching. Draco seemingly frustrated at the speed that Harry was dodging his curses and with yet to draw his wand was toughly pissed off at Harry's mocking of him. "Come on Malfoy, you can do better then that." With a low growl he released a long string of curses, hexes and rather unpleasant charms.
Ducking and dodging, jumping, sidestepping and spinning Harry avoided all the spells and threw insults at Malfoy. "Stop trying to hit me and hit me." "I don't see you retaliating yet?" Malfoy retorted. "As you wish, my dear sir." Harry developed a maniacal grin at that moment and rushed towards Malfoy. Surprised at the wild charge Draco let off a curse.
"Incendo"
Harry dropped to the floor avoiding the spell and spun round, his leg sweeping into Malfoy sending him smashing down onto the dueling platform. "Tsk, tsk, Malfoy, if you want to duel you gotta stay on your feet. How can you expect to curse me lying down?" Malfoy gave a cry of fury, jumped up, and the cursing began anew with much more lethal spells.
"Cremo! Cariosus! Confervefacio! Accendo! Infligo! Occido!"
Looking upon the stage the golden group had their mouths hanging open like most of the students and some professors. Harry was good, and he wasn't even using his wand yet. Heck he hadn't even drawn it. "Are you sure that's our Harry, he's good." Stated Neville. "Yeah he looks like Harry but he sure doesn't act like the Harry we used to know, but at least he's doing a good job at pissing the ferret off." Came Ron's reply. True enough Malfoy was pink in the face and throwing just about everything he had at Harry except the kitchen sink. Too bad Harry just kept on dodging the seemingly inescapable curses.
Still smiling he replied to the Malfoy heir. "Guess you want this duel to end now eh?" "Curse you Potter." Was the screamed reply. "You are tying." Smirked Harry.
It was now Harry decided to end it all, he had to prove his point and humiliate Draco like he wanted to. Guess thanks to Draco his plans were put forward. Ducking away from two stunning curses Harry once again rushed Draco. Panicking Draco sent two more stunning curses at him without much aim. One of which the school was glad escaped the dueling wards and hit professor Snape knocking him out cold. Right now Harry was too close for Draco's comfort, once again crouching to dodge a curse he stood up and his leg lashed out. It embedded itself in Draco's groin.
Hard.
A high pitched shriek sounded and the whole hall winced. Harry just grinned as Draco collapsed before him in a now silent scream clutching his private's, tears leaking from his eyes. Bending down to pick up Draco's discarded wand, Harry turned to address the audience. "Guess what? I won. I guess my friends and the Headmaster would like to see me in his office now. See ya, and good day." Came his joyful voice. Turning to Draco that was still lying on the platform, he said out loud, "See ya in the hospital wing Draco." With that he skipped off to the Headmaster office leaving a stunned and disbelieving audience behind.
Dumbledore still stunned and disturbed by the outcome of the duel, tried to maintain order and at the same time trying to repress the thoughts of someone's foot embedding itself in his groin. He gave a slight shiver. No doubt the media would be having a field day about this as well.