The door to the backyard flew open and three breathless Aurors rushed in.
"Harry Potter, under the powers invested in us by the Ministry of Magic, you are hereby placed under arrest for breaking the Decree of Underage Use of Magic.
You will now surrender your wand and accompany us to the Ministry of Magic where you will be placed under confinement until your hearing tomorrow".
After reciting out the memorized speech the Auror looked keenly towards Harry as if expecting this to be a simple everyday happening. He could not have been more wrong.
"If you attack me or try to use any kind of force on me, I will have to take legal action against you for wrongful imprisonment and misuse of official powers", Harry calmly replied back.
The flabbergasted Aurors turned towards each other and after a silent signal surreptitiously took out their wand from the holsters. They were met with the sight of the Boy-Who-Lived standing in a perfect dueling stance, wand aimed at the leader and ready to fire off curses at the slightest movement.
Meanwhile the Dursleys had retreated to the back of the living room with the now temporarily sight deprived Vernon clutching his wife's hand as if they were his only lifeline.
"STATITIUS TOTALUS" - The momentary standoff was suddenly broken with a loudly uttered jinx from the Auror at the rear end of their leader.
A calm Harry softly muttered something under his breath and simultaneously waved his holly wand in a slight 'O' shape and thrust it at the imaginary centre. A dazzling white light sprang forth from it and shot towards the three Aurors. Never having seen such a display of magic before they had no idea how to react and their weak impromptu shields shattered like millions of pieces of glass. They were absolutely stunned and froze for what seemed like an eternity. When they came to their senses they had been tied and bound by conjured ropes and neatly placed one beside the other on the sofas in the living room.
"All right, you wanted my attention. You've got it all now. Now let's get you somewhere you will be more appreciated."
"You! Fond of making dramatic entrances, aren't you. How does a flying carpet sound to you?"
"PORTUS". With a less than humored smile, Harry touched the doormat with his wand and made it glow blue after converting it to a portkey.'
He then proceeded to unceremoniously dump the three Auror's sticking very close to each other onto the doormat.
"Okay, now you three valiant upholders of the law have got a long day ahead of you. My business with you is very short though. I want you all to behave yourselves like good children. Any rowdiness and Voldemort will be the last of your concerns. Am I clear?"
"Crystal", the Auror in charge replied with a bitter tone, though the anxious look on his face betrayed his nervousness.
"Off we go then. One. Two. Three". With a thud the Aurors landed right in the centre of the offices of The Daily Prophet. Harry quietly apparated behind them. By now a small crowd was gathering at the scene of disturbance.
"I want someone to go and fetch Rita Skeeter", Harry told the swelling number of people grouped around them in a commanding tone. A young witch nervously nodded and ran to try and find Rita Skeeter.
"Make way, make way - Coming through", the voice of the Ms. Rita carried across from the end of the mob. Her eyes lit up at the sight of Harry Potter surrounded by three immobile Aurors desperately looking towards the crowd, all pomposity and self respect forgotten.
"Ah, Harry. My dear boy! Why don't we go somewhere more private?" she questioned him, though she had no intention of doing so. Harry sensing her intentions and also thinking it would be more fruitful of washing the dirty laundry in public, politely nodded in the negative.
"Ms. Rita Skeeter. I know you are an honorable reporter and always try and stick as close as possible to the truth. That is why I am personally requesting you to tell the public how deplorable the condition of the Ministry of Magic had become.
Voldemort is out there, killing innocent men and women.
Orphaning children. Maiming innocents. Spreading terror through the Wizarding world.
He hides behind his minions and like a plague destroys the very fabric of our life.
And here we have the Minister of Magic sending three class 'A' Aurors to fetch the only one who has ever successfully opposed him for a hearing.
Last year he tried his best to ridicule and slander me and Professor Dumbledore.
Dolores Umbridge sent dementors after me and my muggle cousin. Just for defending myself, I was tried at a full hearing of the Wizengamot.
Tell me - How many of you knew that? Your very own newspaper was in league with him and helped Fudge a great deal with his scheming and plotting.
And what is the crime I am being accused of now. Underage magic!
I may not be a fully qualified adult wizard but according to British Laws, I am fully entitled to use magic whenever and wherever I want.
Fudge has gone on long enough as the Minister of Magic, a position he isn't even fit to handle.
He accused me of being mentally unstable. I ask you, who is the mentally unstable person here?
One of our laws that has remained unchanged since ancient times is that any wizard or witch who feels he or she has been unjustly wronged by another person has a right to challenge that wizard or witch to a public or private duel.
For insulting my family name, I Harry James Potter, hereby challenge Cornelius Oswald Fudge to a magical duel in public tomorrow at 10:00 clock in Diagon Alley.
Let the citizens of the Wizarding world know that no one is above the law and how pitiable our Minister of Magic really is for he is going to be loose to a 6th year student of Hogwarts.
There will be no hearing tomorrow. Let it be known by all that the charges against me are groundless.
I am going to submit the entire proof of this along with other interesting tidbits about Fudge to Ms. Skeeter who will be reporting this in tomorrow's edition of the Daily Prophet.
Since you are all extremely fond of reporting on my antics, I am also going to give to your newspaper my complete story since starting first year at Hogwarts.
Now, as an act of good faith I am going to release these three Aurors.
Anyone who tries to interfere with my business will know the full extent of my anger.
Right now I am not really feeling very sociable, so if you will all excuse us, Ms. Skeeter and I have something to contribute to your esteemed newspaper. Thank you all for your time."
After two hours in the office of Rita Skeeter, a tired Harry quietly apparated to the Leaky Cauldron and after a brief conversation with Tom, the barkeeper, proceeded upstairs to rest.
Next Day - Diagon Alley
A quiet and composed Harry waited patiently outside a shop called Magic Menagerie in the middle of Diagon Alley.
Almost everyone in Diagon Alley had a copy of the Daily Prophet in their hands were looking at him with awe clearly written across their face. Teenage witches were giving him adoring glances every now and then.
A huge crowd had collected around him, but everyone was at a safe distance as if expecting the Minster of Magic to try some dirty trick when he made his appearance there.
After reading the day's edition of the newspaper, there was growing dissent among the Wizarding population against Cornelius Fudge.
The tales of Harry Potter and his two loyal, steadfast friends and their adventures they had been on, was now known by all the children who had in turn been told by their parents after their cries of outrage at Fudge turned to cries of wonder when reading about Harry's school years.
Loud cracks announced the arrival of Fudge and his entourage. His face was swollen with anger and disbelief.
How and when had he been totally and utterly outwitted and outmaneuvered by a mere sixteen year old boy?
He knew his position in the ministry would not last another day but this was his chance to get back at the impudent brat for the public disgrace he had been caused.
"AURORS – ARREST THIS BOY!" However not a single person stepped forward to do his bidding.
In return it was Harry who responded to him.
"What happened Fudge? Are you also afraid like Voldemort to come out and fight in the open? Or are you just plain scared of old plain me? Come let's settle this dispute like men.
Take out your wand Fudge. You have done enough harm trying to hush up things and spreading lies. Sometimes I think you are acting on the orders of good ole' Snakeface!
Come on Fudge. Duel me".
"WHY YOU!'"
"CAMINUS INCENDI".
As a bright orange flare rushed towards Harry Potter from the wand of Cornelius Fudge, Harry waved his wand and a bright blue shield of water that covered his entire frame appeared.
The flames instantly disappeared.
'My turn now…'
What happened next would be told over many a drink at the Leaky Cauldron with laughter echoing through the entire inn.
Without batting an eyelid, Harry weaved his way with the grace of a professional dancer not giving Fudge even a remote chance to retaliate.
"PULSARE"
"BATTUERO"
"CATENA RESTRICTO"
"FERA BESTIUS"
"FRIGUS"
"TERREUS"
A jet of yellow light emerged from Harry's wand and hit Fudge right in his stomach.
As he fell down with a terror struck face, another beam of light which was making his way towards him sent him flying.
Just before he could impact with the windows of Flourish and Blotts imaginary chains confined him.
A huge black grim like dog sprang forth from a pebble and with a vicious growl proceeded to bite his shoes.
As the dog kept trying to dismember his nether regions, a pillar of ice squeezed Fudge in effectively preventing his escape.
The earth suddenly split open and Fudge rocked dangerously left and right before falling right in.
With just his head sticking out of the brick lined alley, Fudge remained encased in his tomb of ice and sputtered stupidly, before realizing that the face of Harry Potter was peering closely at him.
"LEGLIMENS". It was a minute later Fudge realized that he was wailing loudly and somehow sharing his most embarrassing moments with his sixteen year old nemesis.
"Next time Fudge, choose your enemies carefully".
That was the last Cornelius Oswald Fudge ever heard from Harry Potter, The Boy- Who-Lived, Saviour of the Wizarding world before he resigned from his position and disappeared from public life.
"VOLDEMORT I KNOW YOU WILL HEAR ME. SO LISTEN TO ME CAREFULLY. I AM COMING FOR YOU. IT MAY BE TODAY, IT MAY BE TOMMORROW, IT MAY BE ONE YEAR LATER. I AM COMING FOR YOU".
That was the last the Wizarding public gathered at Diagon Alley heard from Harry Potter, The Boy- Who-Lived, Saviour of the Wizarding world before he retired to his abode at Number 4, Privet Drive for the remaining summer.
The moment Harry Potter disappeared from Diagon Alley, an old wrinkled face sporting a huge white beard broke into a proud smile and disappeared the same way as his protégé.
TBC.