Knowledge is Power
Disclaimer/Plot/Author's Note: SEE FIRST CHAPTER
Dedication: I'd like to dedicate this story to my many good friends and loyal fans: my recommended reads are Saviour of Magic by Colt01, For Love of Magic by Noodlehammer, Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality by Less Wrong, Partially Kissed Hero by Perfect Lionheart, Harry Potter and the Daft Morons and Angry Harry and the Seven by Sinyk, Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin by The Sinister Man, Harry Potter and the Rune Stone Path by Temporal Knight, A Study in Magic and A Study in Magic: The Application by Books of Change, Dark and Light by Pleasedial123 and Harry Potter: My Life Is My Own by Sashian
Pairings: Eventual Harmony; Others TBD
Normal Speech
'Thoughts'
/Parseltongue/
Review Answers:
Nitewolf423: Let's just say a certain canon event is going to be the big trigger for the harmony and leave it at that;
WhiteElfElder: Not necessarily yet; he's just investigated the possibility of being emancipated, but the rest will be taken care of soon enough, I guarantee it;
Jostanos: And an example of what Ollivander was on about will be present in this chapter, my friend: hope you like it;
Tahkaullus01: Maybe, maybe not;
'What have I done?'
Chapter 16: Harrison vs Draco
On Halloween Morning, Hogwarts awoke to a feeling of wonder, mystery and surprise, all of which seemed focused on the impending duel between Draco Malfoy and Harrison Potter. Not only that, but the day also brought a treat for the Gryffindors when they were given a chance to show what they'd learned about the Levitation Charm.
Even with the excitement of one of their own – technically-speaking – taking on one of the worst in their rival House, the Gryffindors still managed to rack up more than a few points as a result of the successes of the lesson.
Then, when the lesson was over and dinnertime beckoned, the Gryffindors were just as excited and surprised as everyone else when a loud voice, which the Gryffindors recognised as that of their Head of House, Professor McGonagall, echoed through almost every room in the castle.
"YOUR ATTENTION PLEASE: THE LUNCHTIME FEAST HAS BEEN CANCELLED! INSTEAD, ALL STUDENTS WILL REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL TO RECEIVE A PREPARED MEAL! MESSERS POTTER AND MALFOY, ALSO REPORT TO THE GREAT HALL: IT HAS BEEN DECIDED YOUR DUEL SHALL TAKE PLACE IN LIEU OF THE FEAST BEFORE THE ENTIRE SCHOOL!"
'I wonder who came up with that suggestion,' thought Harrison, though he also noticed many of his surrogate Housemates watching him with eager, expectant looks. Even Weasley seemed to have given up on his attempts to become Harrison's friend just to show due support for the young man representing the honour of Gryffindor House – as many had chosen to believe – in the up-and-coming duel.
While the Gryffindors began whispering among themselves and making a wide range of guesses and speculations about what they were going to see, Harrison was distracted from his train of thought when he felt someone tap his arm.
Even though he didn't like being touched, the past month had helped Harrison show a sense of restraint as he adapted to the feeling and presence of his friends, not to mention if and when his Head of House was trying to get his attention. This was the case in the current situation as Harrison looked to see Professor Flitwick had made his way over to him in the time between the end of McGonagall's proclamation and Harrison's thoughts on his classmates and the events that were about to take place.
"Come with me," said Filius, earning a nod from Harrison.
During the last week, ever since his meeting with the Headmaster, Harrison had been given a step-by-step guide on how the duel would proceed, including all tasks and steps he'd take in the run-up to the duel and afterwards.
So, while the rest of the first-years moved in small groups and excited masses, Harrison accompanied Filius straight to the Great Hall.
As the two of them reached the hall, Harrison stiffened when he caught sight of a small group of figures waiting for him and Filius: one of them was Headmaster Dumbledore, who seemed to be watching the proceedings as well as ensuring the other students were making their way straight into the hall for the event. Professor McGonagall was also there, though Harrison suspected she was there because, as many others believed, so too did she believe he was doing this more for Gryffindor pride than his own.
However, the reason Harrison stiffened so suddenly was because of the third adult waiting outside the Great Hall, but it was not Professor Snape as he'd half-expected, which suggested the Potions Master/Head of Slytherin was already in the hall with his competitor.
As soon as Harrison saw him, the young boy noticed how the stranger gave off an air of intimidating strength and apathy that actually matched Harrison himself. He had a head of platinum-blonde hair that fell to his shoulders in such a way that they framed his proud, aristocratic features; the man also had a pair of ice-cold, piercingly-observant grey eyes with a hint of blue to their colour while he was dressed in a suit of formal robes. In one hand, the stranger also carried a long, black cane with a silver ornament at the head of the cane, which Harrison noticed was shaped like the head of a serpent, its fangs parted in an almost-provocatively-aggressive manner.
Stopping about five steps from the newcomer, Harrison was dimly-aware of his classmates and schoolmates making their way into the Great Hall.
However, right now, his attention was more-focused on the newcomer, who gave him a curt nod as he saw Harrison looking at him before he spoke in a dry, but proud tone of voice. "Mr Potter, how nice to meet you face-to-face: word of your accomplishments and presence do not do you justice."
Steeling himself as he met the man's gaze, Harrison returned the curt nod as he replied, "Lord Lucius Malfoy, I presume? An honour to make your acquaintance and, if I may be so bold, sir, thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to attend such an important moment in the future of your legacy."
For a brief moment, Harrison thought he saw a tick form over Lucius' left eye before the man steeled himself as easily, if not much easier than Harrison had managed to do as he replied curtly, "I can only thank you, Mr Potter, for being so lenient and…non-judgmental with your choice of punishment and…and clearing the air between our two Houses. I only hope you are capable of putting your wand where your words are."
"I believe Muggles would call it putting your money where your mouth is, Lord Malfoy," argued Harrison calmly, fighting the urge to sneer as he saw Lucius' eyes narrow before the younger wizard added, "Something I certainly hope Draco is capable of doing, otherwise this duel won't be half as interesting as our peers expect it to be."
Again, Harrison thought he saw Lucius' eye twitch, possibly because of the attempted target of the man's ability to raise his son or because of how Lucius had clearly expected Harrison to be cowed by the older man, but wasn't.
Either way, the young boy kept his own expression as neutral and focused as he usually did while he looked from Lucius to his Head of House as he asked, "Shall I go and take my place now, Professor?"
"I think that would be the right thing to do, Mr Potter," answered Filius, though when Harrison walked into the Great Hall, the goblin-blooded teacher looked back to Lucius as he told him, "Enjoy the show, Mr Malfoy…I daresay we all will."
His words were rewarded with yet another tick from Lucius.
Knowledge is Power
To Harrison's amazement, the Great Hall had been completely reshaped and altered in preparation of the bout between him and Draco Malfoy.
In place of the tables, there were now two raised platforms filled with seats for the spectators, each of which had red, blue, green or yellow highlights, showing that they had been divided between the four Hogwarts Houses – ironically, or perhaps-conveniently, with the seats for Gryffindor and Slytherin on the higher levels on either side, while Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were opposite one another on the lower levels – while the staff were seated on a raised platform at the far end of the hall.
As for the centre of the hall, the tables had been replaced by a second raised platform, though when Harrison approached said platform, his eyes narrowed while the hairs on the back of his neck rose up as he felt something akin to a static field pass over him.
"Duelling wards?" asked Harrison, more to himself than anyone else; again, thanks to Professor Flitwick's instructions and the information he'd shared with his student, Harrison knew of said wards and how they'd be put in place to ensure the duel's magic stayed between him and Draco.
Speaking of said Slytherin, Harrison then noticed his adversary was standing at the farthest end of the platform, a sullen-looking Professor Snape next to him, both of them glaring at Harrison with a hint of mocking amusement and anticipation for what was coming.
As Harrison made his way onto the duelling platform, he looked to one side where he could see the Gryffindors were gathered.
Among them, the emerald-eyed scion managed a faint smile when he saw Neville and Hermione sat together.
To his bewilderment, Harrison also noticed the twin Weasleys sat on either side of Harrison's two companions, one of them – George, if Harrison remembered correctly – actually holding Hermione's hand in a show of emotional support and nonverbal encouragement.
Rolling his eyes at the sense of nervousness that his companion held, Harrison let his smile show before he did something very unlike him;
He winked at Hermione, smiling like a sly fox before he drew his cedar wand, holding it in a fairly-relaxed style while, to the amusement of a few of the observers, Harrison then began juggling his wand as he usually did whenever he felt relaxed or even bored.
Seconds later, the doors to the Great Hall opened once more, this time admitting Professors Flitwick, McGonagall and Dumbledore, as well as Mr Malfoy and the rest of the staff, many of whom looked surprised to see Harrison looking so prepared and set for the battle ahead.
As for Draco, he seemed to be engaged in a hushed conversation with Professor Snape, though when Harrison saw this, he smirked to himself as he wondered how the one teacher who seemed to hate him most of all was hoping to give Draco an edge in the duel ahead.
Finally, as the adults took their seats, Harrison saw Professor Flitwick make his way onto the platform before, putting his wand to his throat, the Charms Master addressed the hall in a magically-amplified voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen: colleagues, students and guests. This duel between Mr Harrison Potter and Mr Draco Malfoy will be fought under the terms and conditions set down by Mr Potter as the instigator of the challenge. Mr Potter, at this time, I ask you to name and state those terms!"
"Simply-put, there are none," drawled Harrison, earning a chorus of alarmed gasps from the students as well as the staff members on the other platform while Harrison suddenly stopped juggling his wand, holding it tightly in his hand while he explained, "We duel until one yield to the other."
"Very well," agreed Filius, now looking to Draco before he asked, "Mr Malfoy, do you agree to these terms?"
"Damn right, I do!" insisted Draco, drawing his own wand from his robe before he looked across the field to Harrison as he asked, "And the stakes? After all, as you said a month ago, this is a duel between our families as well as two first-year boys!"
"Which is precisely why I invited your Father to attend the contest," explained Harrison as though it was the most-obvious thing in the world before, looking to Lucius, the young scion took a breath as he asked, "Lord Malfoy, what would you suggest a fair reward to the victor?"
For a moment, every head in the Great Hall, including Severus and Draco's, turned to Lucius, who actually looked like he'd really been put on the spot by Harrison, which resulted in yet another tick forming over the man's brow, though not before the sight of his nervous demeanour at being put in the spotlight made the Gryffindors snigger and chuckle among themselves.
However, as the Malfoy Lord looked around the room, noticing how each and every one of them was waiting on his word as he looked back to Harrison before he dipped his head courteously, "This is a matter of personal honour between my son and heir and your good self, Mr Potter. Both our Houses have the wide range of resources and vast wealth, so no amount of prize money would suffice. From what I have heard, you also have a noble sense of reluctance towards enslaving others, so I cannot suggest vassal-dom as the price to be paid."
"Then how about this?" suggested Harrison suddenly, returning everyone's attention to him as he suggested the prize on offer to the Malfoy Lord.
"The victor of this duel will receive one request, which the defeated party shall be honour-bound, by the magic and honour of their respective families, to fulfil, no matter what is requested or the means in which the request must be fulfilled. As Draco's Father and the Head of House Malfoy, this means you will be the one to fulfil the request whereas, seeing as how I have no parental guardians to call upon, the task of fulfilling the wish that shall be made in the event of my defeat will fall to me and me alone!"
Again, the observers gasped while Filius and Dumbledore both looked stunned by Harrison's sense of honour and pride, especially seeing as how he was basically risking and receiving the chance for any wish he wanted – or Draco, should he win – to be granted.
As for Lucius, he put a finger to his lips before he hummed as he nodded, "Very well: as Head of the House of Malfoy, I agree to your terms."
"And, as the Future Lord of the Most Ancient and Noble House of Potter, I too consent to the terms," replied Harrison, earning a few more gasps from those who didn't know exactly how much knowledge and learning Harrison had gone through in preparation for the duel.
Following Harrison's proclamation, a bright silvery glow surrounded the field while, to the bewilderment of a few students – namely the Muggle-born students – Lucius also had a faint glow about him, signalling that Magic was accepting his vow as well as Harrison's.
With the terms and stakes made and agreed upon, Harrison and Draco stared down each other as they both walked from their respective ends of the duel field; at the same time, a great sense of excitement and anticipation filled the room as the students watched the two combatants make their way towards each other.
Reaching the centre of the field, the two rivals showed nothing to suggest anything but the sheer determination they both felt with the battle ahead before Filius commanded, "Now, combatants: wands at the ready!"
Saluting one another, Harrison actually smiled when Draco raised his eyebrows in a challenging look before he sneered.
"Scared, Potter?"
"You wish!"
An air of excitement seemed to accompany those words, though the excitement was more felt by those who noticed Harrison's green eyes shining as he finished the salute at the same time as Draco.
As he turned to take his place in the bout, however, Harrison spun around again as he commanded, "Protego!"
While many of the elder students were alarmed at how Harrison knew such a spell, given the fact he was simply a first-year, many more were just as surprised, if not outraged, at how Draco had fired off a spell before the official beginning of the battle.
Not only that, but he'd managed to do it without identifying the spell he'd used, which suggested he was definitely not playing around in the battle.
However, neither was Harrison; as Draco's spell rebounded off of his shield, Harrison sighed before he drawled, "I wonder who gave you the idea to try and make such an interesting, if fruitless pre-emptive strike…Professor Snape!"
"Duelling 101, Potter," sneered Severus, a note of pride and cockiness in his voice as he told him, "Your opponents will not wait for you to be ready! Death does not wait for you to be ready! Death is not considerate, or fair! And make no mistake: here, you face Death."
"Is that so?" asked Harrison and, as soon as he said it, both Filius and, in the crowd, Neville and Hermione looked uneasy, but also interested as they saw Harrison draw himself to his full height, his green eyes turning colder than cold could be.
There was none of the glow in them, let alone the apathy or curiosity that was usually there.
Now, something else had come forwards and, as it did so, Harrison sneered as he muttered, "Very well, Professor, if that's what you want to teach your precious student, I'll play your game."
Suddenly, Harrison's wand came up, but as it did so, only those closest to him saw his lips move.
However, to the shock of those who saw it, Harrison's lips seemed to move unintelligibly while his voice was barely a whisper.
Seconds later, a bright red flash flew from Harrison's wand, causing Draco to dive out of the way while he yelled, "What the hell was that?"
"Taking a leaf out of my opponent's book," muttered Harrison, smiling like a fox once more as he repeated the process.
This time, a burst of what looked like blue flames flew from his wand.
As Draco tried to duck out of the way, the blonde aimed his wand at Harrison before he too commanded his spell in a low tone, sending a small arc of magic across the field.
Unfortunately for Draco, Harrison's shield seemed to have remained in place, which meant the only thing it succeeded in doing was dissipating harmlessly against said shield, leaving Draco alarmed. "How…how are you doing this?"
"Practice!" exclaimed Harrison, lifting his wand once more before he commanded, "Locomotor Mortis!"
This time, Draco's legs were fused together as soon as the spell hit him, leaving the blonde to flail about as he hopped around like an out-of-control hyperactive bunny rabbit, though as he did so, he pointed his wand at Harrison as he hissed, "Diffindo!"
For the third time, the spell dissipated against Harrison's shield, though as it did so, Harrison lifted his wand once more before he commanded, "And now, for the checkmate: Levicorpus!"
Behind Draco, Severus' eyes widened as he realised what Harrison was going to do.
However, with the duelling wards keeping the battle between the two boys, the only thing the Potions Master could do was watch as Draco flailed again, only now, he flailed upside-down. His legs were still locked together by Harrison's earlier spell, but his hands were flapping about like the wings of a drunken bird.
As though going for the killing blow, Harrison aimed his wand at Draco's hands before he added, "Expelliarmus!"
Harrison's spell caused Draco's wand to fly from his hand, again earning more surprised looks from those who knew the spell to be a spell that wasn't learned in a first-year class.
As for Draco, he just started screaming obscenities, shrieking about what his Father was going to do when he was done with Harrison.
However, it was clear the blonde forgot one thing: Lucius Malfoy was sitting right there, watching the duel in question.
As for Harrison, he lifted his wand before he told Draco, "You're beaten, Malfoy; yield!"
"Never!" snapped Draco, trying and failing to reach for his wand as he exclaimed, "I'll make you bleed for this, Potter, I swear!"
"Not before you," muttered Harrison, lifting his wand once more as he added, "Finite!"
To the amusement of many of the Gryffindors, Draco's body hit the ground hard, causing the blonde to scream in pain as he landed awkwardly on his right arm, though, when anyone checked later, all they'd find was a bruise and little more than that.
With his left one, however, he reached for his wand before aiming it at Harrison, a look of fury in his eyes as he commanded the first spell that came to mind, "Sectumsempra!"
"DRACO!" Screamed Lucius, but the warning came too late.
Even Harrison was confused by the spell, which meant he didn't get the spell out until it was too late.
Draco's curse slashed Harrison's chest up badly, leaving deep, bloody gouges where the spell hit him, earning a large number of horrified cries and even boos and jeers from the crowd as they watched this usually-apathetic prodigy be hit with such a pained curse, resulting in his blood being sent flying everywhere.
However, when they looked to the injured party, expecting to hear a scream of his own, more than a few people were surprised to see Harrison didn't scream from the pain that had hit him.
In fact, the worst he did was grunt in pain before his eyes widened as his own scarlet rivers of blood spurted from the wounds, soaking the ground around him in crimson.
"Ha!" snarled Draco, unaware of an outraged glare filling his Father's eyes while, to the outrage of many more people, Severus looked like the cat that ate the canary as Draco exclaimed, "See? I told you I'd make you bleed, Potter! All your so-called smarts and you couldn't even dodge a curse like this one! I'd call that pathetic, but we all know who was more-pathetic: your filthy Mudblood Mother!"
Suddenly, a dead silence filled the Great Hall while, behind Draco, even Severus' gloating look became one of cold apathy.
As for Harrison, he still hadn't said anything or made any more moves since Draco had cut him open.
Instead, he seemed to have gone into a trance, his green eyes still staring at the blood that pooled around him as though he couldn't believe what he was seeing while his body was still and calm, in a way that reminded many of a coiled serpent getting ready to strike.
"Look at you!" laughed Draco, crowing like a rooster as he asked, "Nothing to say now, have you, Potter? Maybe if you yield to me, I might spare you the humiliation of having to obey your better like…"
"Stop…talking…NOW!"
Suddenly, Draco's eyes went wider than it was humanly-possible for them to go as he saw Harrison lift his head, his green eyes just as cold as before as he hissed, "Here's a lesson you need to learn, Slytherin brat: I bow to no-one, least of all a pathetic mewling quim of an insect like you!"
Then, to the alarm of the students, and the horror of both Draco and Severus, Harrison took a step forwards, his blood still dripping down his chest and body while his hand tightened its hold on his wand.
"Stop!" exclaimed Severus, noticing the blood flow from Harrison's wounds increasing with each step as his body moved, "Your body can't handle it, Potter: just stop…just yield!"
"What? To you?" asked Harrison, lifting his wand as he hissed, "Never again! Reducto!"
A powerful blast of magic suddenly flew from Harrison's wand, sending Draco flying back as the spell's power hit him.
However, while the blonde fell to the ground, just short of his Head of House, Harrison kept coming.
His eyes never left Draco's as he lifted his wand again, its tip glowing with a terrifyingly-familiar green glow as he aimed it at Draco.
However, before anyone could say anything, Lucius got there first; drawing his wand, he exclaimed, "YIELD! House Malfoy yields, Potter! Do you hear me? We yield!"
"He has to say it!" hissed Harrison before everyone gasped as, instead of the deadly-fatal green flash they'd all expected, what looked like a long, thick whip of green magic emerged from Harrison's wand, slithering forwards like a serpent before, to the shock of the students, Harrison lashed the whip, cracking it against the ground as he snapped, "Say it!"
"Ne…AHHHH!" Screamed Draco as the whip lashed his cheek, but instead of shedding blood or leaving a burn mark, the crack of the whip seemed to electrify Draco, causing his blonde hair to stand on end while his eyes widened with horror.
"How…how's he doing this?" demanded Snape, looking now to Dumbledore as he exclaimed, "No first-year, especially not Potter should be this strong! How's he still standing?"
"After being hit with your curse, you mean?" asked Harrison, earning a horrified gasp from the staff and many of the students while the Gryffindors started booing and jeering all over again, crying out for punishments and retribution even as Harrison went on, "I saw your expression, Snivellus! I know you were the one responsible for that curse and Draco knowing it. You'd do anything to silence me, and to be able to polish your ego so well it shines like the sun, but guess what?"
Here, he cracked the whip again, causing Draco to scream as another volt of lightning hit him courtesy of the magic empowering said whip while Harrison roared like the tickled dragon woken.
"You LOSE!"
"YIELD!" Screamed Draco as Harrison lifted his wand again, throwing down his wand for emphasis as he cried, "I yield, Potter: you win! Please…no more…please, I…I beg you!"
"Listen to him, Harrison," said Filius, his voice still amplified while he also wondered where and how his student could still be standing. "The duel is over: you've won! Now allow us to tend to your wounds…just let it go…let go…"
Suddenly, in a manner similar to a certain sword from a certain movie, the electrified whip retracted into Harrison's wand while the duelling wards fell, signalling the end of the bout. As everyone stared in silence, Harrison's eyes seemed to shine before he blinked, looking almost lost as well as curious about what was happening before, to the surprise of the spectators, as well as his defeated opponent, Harrison did something he should have done several minutes back.
He started screaming in pain, clutching at his chest even as he fell to the ground.
Knowledge is Power
As the staff moved to try and heal him, helping Harrison into a more-comfortable position as they worked their will over him, only one man watched the proceedings with horror, but also interest and no small amount of surprise.
And when he did so, Severus Snape felt something he hadn't felt in over ten years rise up inside him;
Fear!
And not just because of how Harrison Potter knew his curse was the one that had brought out that…whatever-it-was within him, but also because the boy seemed to know about his hated nickname from the days of James Potter and his ilk.
But as far as Severus knew, Harrison hadn't known anything about that time…so that begged a question;
How did he know about that?
Chapter 16 and…WOW: talk about a shocking twist! In being wounded, a much-different, more…well more side of Harrison showed itself, but how is it he could stand the pain and the traumas and conjure such magic as he did?
Could it have anything to do with what he knows about Severus and what about Lucius? What will Harrison choose as his one wish?
Keep Reading to Find Out
Next Chapter: The battle may be over, but it's safe to say the war has just begun, especially when Harrison has questions that no-one expected him to have to ask;
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