...
Harrison gave his brother a cold look. Jacob was wearing his school robes without any protections. It was as if he was begging to lose this duel. Most Light Families made dueling robes that had protections in them to prevent severe injury to the wearer. He knew for a fact that James Potter had at least one set that were separate from his auror robes. To think the man would be so arrogant that he wouldn't at least get his "heir" battle robes.
Around him students from all Houses were watching. It seemed his brother decided to make a spectacle of himself. He almost felt bad for what he was about to do. Almost.
Sneering he said, "I'll give you one chance to change your mind."
Jacob sneered back, "What afraid you'll lose? You know that I'll win and you will lose your Heirship and then Riddle will have to send Rose a courtship proposal instead."
Harrison and half of the watching students snorted loudly. There was no way Tom Riddle would be doing any such thing. He had no interest in the eldest of the Potter children. Harrison wasn't sure what drew the older boy's interest towards him of all people but he felt like he had a handle enough that he knew this to be fact. His family was just in denial over it.
Still he tried once more, "Last chance Jacob. At least change into more appropriate robes for battle. Like the battle robes I'm wearing."
A few of the other students muttered appreciatively. They could see that he was trying to do the right thing. Even if it could hurt his chances in a duel. A few Slytherins however sneered at him darkly showing exactly what they thought of his actions. Behind him, Riddle and his group were watching with varying degrees of interest.
Stamping his foot like a child throwing a tantrum Jacob snapped, "Do you accept my challenge? Or do you forfeit your rights as Heir to me?"
Sighing Harrison declared, "I, Harrison James Potter, under the watchful eye of the Blessed Mother and Lady Magic do hereby accept the challenge placed by, Jacob Charlus Potter. So I say it. So mote it be."
A brief burst of light surrounded them as the Blessed Mother accepted his call. His brother's jaw dropped at the declaration and invocation of the Blessed Mother. It was rare that anyone remembered that the option was there. This was also the only way to prevent outside interference. The Blessed Mother would never allow it but could only interfere if she was called upon in judgement.
Before Jacob could recover he continued, "My terms are as follows. First we duel as we are and seconds must be school age. Secondly Heirship and Future Lordship will go to the victor. There can never be a second challenge. We go until one is incapable of incapacitated or one yields. Do you agree to my terms Jacob Charlus Potter?"
For a second the thirteen year old looked positively panicked. Then he glanced to the side where professors and funnily enough their parents had arrived to. James's face was as dark as a stormcloud. If looks could kill Harrison would be nothing but ash. For her part Lily wasn't much better. She had a hand raised to her mouth but there was pure anger in her green eyes. The eyes he was said to have inherited from her but he doubted that. His shade was much brighter than hers. A symbol of his power Master Keller once said.
Abruptly James gave a sharp nod to Jacob who continued to stare a moment longer. Then he straightened his shoulders and declared, "I accept your terms," again magic flashed blinding everyone for a moment, "I name Ronald Weasley as my second. If I win you also have to refuse the courtship offer by Riddle."
Harrison said with a grin, "I name XIII Hunter as my second. And I agree to that if I lose I will have Master Keller refuse it."
"Let us go to the Great Hall."
The trip to the Great Hall was an event in itself. Jacob made a big spectacle of himself talking about how he was going to defeat his older brother. Harrison and XIII kept quiet. They knew what was going to happen and it certainly wasn't going to end how anyone else expected.
By the time they reached the Great Hall most of the school was following. Harrison eyed the room critically. There was a large dueling platform in the middle of the Hall. All around it were chairs so students and professors could watch. Unlike traditional dueling arenas he couldn't sense any protections. He hoped Dumbledore didn't expect for him to hold back any because he wouldn't. His brother being two years his junior or not he wouldn't risk holding back.
Without an ounce of hesitation he stode towards the platform and jumped up onto it. XIII stood in his corner looking as relaxed as ever. Only those who knew him could the way his muscles were tense and his eyes alert. Only Harrison could see the hidden amber in his blue eyes.
:Hide that,: he thought.
They didn't want Dumbledore finding out about his inner creature. That would end poorly for everyone involved. Born or not.
XIII caught his eyes and took a breath closing his eyes. When he opened them there wasn't a hint of what had been there before. Better. Control had been instilled at a young age but there were still accidents. And in Britain that could get one killed.
Jacob continued to parade himself around the crowd. He was trying to rile them into a frenzy of excitement. To Harrison's surprise the only one's who reacted were the Gryffindors and a handful of Hufflepuffs. The rest seemed wary about showing any support for the two.
Dumbledore came in from the professor's entrance an action Harrison caught from the corner of his eye. So the man would come to proclaim his victory. Without actually coming right out and saying it. The man was more of a snake than half of the Slytherins. Always scheming.
Jacob sneered at Harrison which was laughable on his thirteen year old face. Despite Harrison's best efforts a half smile twitched at his lips. A flush appeared across Jacob's face and neck in embarrassment. He knew that the older boy was keeping himself from laughing.
Then his brother jumped onto the platform and the two stood facing each other. One had brown hair and hazel eyes. The other had black hair and green eyes. His brother looked like a carbon copy of their father while Harrison took after the Black genes.
There were similarities in the brothers' appearances but one would have thought they were cousins. Not brothers. Harrison knew it had to do with his blood adoption by Sirius. His godfather had made him a legitimized pureblood. A rare action in this day and age.
Students began to take positions on either side of the platform. Stars were in the younger students eyes. They thought the world of the youngest Potter and barely new the middle. Ron Weasley stood next to Jacob's corner his eyes alight with excitement. No doubt he expected Jacob to win easily. He was the same age as Harrison but didn't act like it. There was no way he would have survived the first two months Nightingale. Much less all the years Harrison had put in.
Dumbledore said drawing their attention towards him, "Are you ready, my boys? Young Harry there is still time to back out and admit defeat you know?"
Harrison's eyes grew hard as he said, "I'm not going to back down Professor Dumbledore. As the oldest male the Heirship is rightfully mine and I will protect it."
Dumbledore sighed as if disappointed, too bad Harrison didn't give a rat's ass about what the man thought, before saying, "Welcome everyone to the duel between Harrison James Potter and Jacob Charlus Potter. This duel will determine which of the brothers is the rightful heir of the Potter family. Are you boys familiar with the rules of dueling?"
Both boys answered, "Yes professor."
"Good then turn and take five paces away then turn and face each other."
Both Potter boys did. Harrison was more elegant about it his Battle Mage training having kicked in. Every step was deliberate and at an exact stride to maximize the space he was given. Jacob was floundering trying to look nearly as well put together. This allowed a few of the bystanders to giggle at it.
From there it went straight into protocol both bowed to each other. Harrison's was lower and more formal than Jacob's. The lack of respect made him grit his teeth but he said nothing. Then came the count. Three. Two. One.
Jacob in wide obvious movements that lowered the power behind his spells began firing off disarming charms. With ease Harrison deflected them and those too close to the platform were sent diving for cover. One after another he deflected the spells with a bored attitude simply allowing his muscles to warm up.
"Fight back you coward," snarled Jacob.
Harrison remained silent. A bombarda was directed at his feet likely in an effort to make him jump back. That would have been a rookie mistake. Instead Harrison cast a silent Protego. This allowed him to jump on the offensive.
A weak Confundo.
Was this first silent offensive spell. Panic entered hazel as he didn't know what spell had been used. As a third year in Hogwarts he hadn't learned silent casting yet. Too bad. Maybe he would keep to low grade spells. Or maybe not.
Harrison sidestepped a Stupefy that had been aimed at his chest. Someone likely their father had at least taught him one decent dueling spell. Relying on Expelliarmus would not get him very far after all.
A weak Protego from his brother and wavering shield just barely withstood his attack. For a moment Harrison just assessed his brother. Sweat had began forming on his brow and his teeth were gritted. It was obvious that he didn't think it would be this difficult. Should he just end the duel? It would be easy to bind and incapacitate his brother if this was the result of his studies.
A glance at their parents showed anger on both of their faces. It seemed like the youngest child they had thought this would be easy. Maybe he would let it drag on for a little longer. Stretch his magic and muscles in a way he hadn't since arriving to this Merlin forsaken school.
"Obskur," he growled out in perfect German.
His brother was successful in deflecting the spell, but only just. He tried and failed to cast an accio to which Harrison didn't even feel his wand react. The next spell he threw landed. Bruchpunkt, the German equivalent to the bone breaking curse. It landed on his brother's left arm in the upper bicep shattering it. He would need the bones removed before receiving.
Jacob screamed in pain trying to clutch at the injured arm only to scream again. Hazel eyes were glazed over with pain. From the corner of his eye he saw James jolt towards the platform only to be held back by Lily. Had he gone too far? It was a simple curse and as long as it was treated it wouldn't cause any permanent damage.
Casually he asked, "Do you yield, Jacob?"
With tears in his eyes Jacob declared, "I switch with my second."
Too injured to continue? Really? He had received worse curses as a first year. It was little wonder that Hogwarts never made it far in the youth dueling circuit.
With a sigh Harrison returned to his own corner and allowed his brother to retreat. He didn't want to hurt the kid but neither did he wish to lose. It wasn't just his Potter Heirship on the line. If he lost he would lose his Black Heirship. That he refused to lose. Ever.
Weasley jumped onto the platform looking a little green around the edges. Once more there was a countdown and the duel began again. Harrison quickly grew bored with the duel. It was one thing to duel his brother but this was pathetic. Weasley was the brother of a Dragon Tamer and a Curse Breaker yet he used only first and second Hogwarts year spells. Pathetic for a fifth year student.
Furnunculus was first before Weasley had the chance to react or try to shield. He shrieked in pain he was covered in boils and they popped as he moved. Following the movement he began the spell for Rictusempra and a Stupefy. As soon as Weasley hit the ground he turned to face the crowd.
Everyone but the Slytherins showed shock and surprise. They had believed what Dumbledore said. That Nightingale students were barely above squibs. Yet here was one of the students easily performing NEWT level casting with ease. The twinkling in the old man's eyes had gone out and now he stared at Harrison with cold eyes. There would be trouble from that man he knew.
