Harry Potter: King of the Amazons
Chapter 22
-Harry-
Smirking he stared out at the area where the delegations for the other two schools would arrive, his friends flanking him, girls on the right and guys on the left, and a pouting Dumbledore in the background. Added to that flanking the path toward the doors to the Great Hall were a full contingent of his warriors in full arms as a show of power and strength, something that Dumbledore had greatly disapproved of.
-Flashback-
"Alright," Dumbledore began, the man pointedly ignoring him and he knew that he was only in this meeting as he had given Dumbledore no other choice "the delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving tomorrow evening. The Beauxbatons contingent will be coming in a flying carriage pulled by Abraxans while the Durmstrang students will be in a ship that has the ability to travel both above and below water.".
"And Hogwarts will be doing?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, intrigued about what the man would do as a display of power towards the other schools.
"Do?" Dumbledore asked in, apparent, confusion "What on earth are you talking about?".
"The other schools' chosen methods of arrival are displays of strength," he said firmly as the staff stared at him "they are trying to not only show off but to make us feel lesser. It is a political mind game. If the foreign schools are having shows of strength then so shall Hogwarts.".
"And what would you…propose we do?" the Charms instructor asked hesitantly, the man's goblin nature clearly at war with the man's wizard nature.
"I shall bring a full contingent of my warriors and have them in a position as a display of strength," he informed them "as I am the owner of this school and the King of the Amazons they are tied together and the showing of power will be legitimate.".
"I will not allow your 'soldiers' at my school!" Dumbledore growled angrily, "I barely tolerated them last year and that was only to catch a killer!".
"Be silent you naïve old fool," he snarled as he rose from his seat "it would seem I've been too lenient with you. I'll say it again as I AM the Master and Owner of this School and, as such, it is territory of the Amazon Kingdom lest an heir for one of the other founders arrives. You however are nothing more than a member of the staff who only stays here so long as I permit it. Your second chances are over Dumbledore, if I feel that you've overstepped your bounds within my school once again you will be removed and never again allowed through her doors.".
-End Flashback-
He knew that Dumbledore was angry at his decision, he knew Dumbledore disapproved, and he knew that Dumbledore was aware of the truth of his words. "There are the French," Neville said with a nod at a growing speck in the distance "looks like it's time to rock.".
The moment that the giant carriage landed he called out to his soldiers "Present arms!" as they bared their shields and used their spears to make a pathway for the foreign students to pass through. A gesture that could seem both welcoming and intimidating as they passed though the wall of steel.
The first person out of the carriage was a woman who he knew right away was a half giant much like Hagrid as she eyed the tunnel of spears and shields while the girls behind her shifted nervously. Then her eyes fell on him and he saw indignation in the orbs, "Why are you at the forefront to greet us?" she demanded "Did your 'eadmaster wish to insult us so?".
"Allow me to make one thing perfectly clear Headmistress Maxime," he said in a controlled tone that practically screamed danger "Dumbledore's control at this school is only that which I allow him. I am the owner and master of Hogwarts, not him. My decisions matter at this school, not his own. And finally should your students step out of line when outside their carriage then it is up to me to determine their punishment.".
"How dare you?" the woman demanded affronted "Who do you think you are you little-".
"Be silent!" one of his warriors growled as all the spears of his warriors were no longer in a respectful pathway but aimed at the giant woman "He is our King!".
"And this school is my land," he spoke coldly, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword "when inside your carriage you are inside the territory of your and their rules apply but outside of it this is Hogwarts, this is my land and on it you will follow my rules. Am I understood?".
"Crystal." The woman ground out angrily, an expression mirrored by several of her students.
"Good," he said stiffly "now you may enter into the hall and be seated or you may stay out here with me to welcome the students of Durmstrang.".
"I will be inside." the French woman sniffed before gesturing for her students to follow her inside, every one of them clearly nervous as the eyes of his soldiers followed them.
Within minutes the surface of the Black Lake began to froth and roil before a ship burst from the water dramatically, "Soldiers," he called out once again "present arms!". Once again his warriors created the hall to walk through and this time, when High Master Karkaroff stepped out, he saw a glimmer of respect in the man's eyes.
"Would you be King Hadrian of the Amazons?" the man asked approaching somewhat hesitantly.
"That I am High Master Karkaroff," he said with a nod "I welcome you to my school but give you the same warning I gave to your French counterpart. So long as you and your students are on your ship your own rules apply to you but when off the ship and on Hogwarts grounds the Hogwarts rules apply as do our punishments.".
"Understandable," Karkaroff said with a nod "I already informed my students to expect such before we departed."
"At least you appear competent compared to Madame Maxime," he said with a small snort "what on earth are the qualifications for the job in France if a woman so devoid of tact can have such a high ranking position? Then again Dumbledore has gained a great deal of authority here in England so I can't say much for this country either.".
Laughing heartily Karkaroff gestured for his students to go through the corridor of spears, the male students nodding in respect to his warriors before moving in, "I think the two of us are going to get along just fine. Karkaroff said with a grin "Now, let us feast!".
Laughing along with the man he entered the Hall, dismissing all but two of his warriors who stood as 'guards' behind him during the feast as he laughed and dined with the Durmstrang students who enjoyed the conversation he and his friends provided.
As the feast drew to a close he saw Dumbledore stand up and make a slight gesture towards the caretaker Argus Filch, "Now that we are all fed and watered," Dumbledore began "let me explained the rulings for the tournament.".
"What are ve, horses?" one of the Durmstrang student he recognized as Victor Krum grumbled in irritation as he snorted.
"Now due to the heavy Death toll of previous years the ministries decided to add in an age limit so that nobody not of age is permitted to enter their name for the tournament." Dumbledore began before stopping as the majority of the minors in the school began yelling in protest. It took several large conjured firecrackers to regain control before Dumbledore continued "The selection shall be done tomorrow evening by an impartial judge…the goblet of fire!".
As the man said this Argus Filch walked in, directing two ministry flunkies who carried a plinth which held the goblet that was alight with blue fire. "The goblet shall be protected by an age line," Dumbledore continued "so that only those seventeen or older may enter into the tournament. Added to that every student at the school age seventeen or older shall be required to sign a magically binding contract stating they will not put in the name of any student besides their own should they choose to do so.".
He saw Dumbledore wince at that last one as the man hadn't wanted to add that portion of the protection but he had insisted and threatened to remove Dumbledore if the old man didn't comply. It was quite clear that the man was still reeling from having all authority within the school ripped away. "As of this moment," Dumbledore declare dramatically while casting the age line "the Tri Wizard tournament…has begun.".