A/N
Let's be having it. (Longer A/N at the end)
TBR
Chapter 10: The Taste of Vengeance
Arcturus Orion Black observed the people passing him, filing away their names for future reference. It had been long over a decade since he last deigned a Wizengamot gathering with his presence. To him, the war had killed any political ambitions he had held. His family had fallen into ruin and he no longer had the patience to partake in the fickle practice. And now, he felt the years he had lived, they had caught up with both his body and mind. He no longer felt the sharp and intuitive young man he once was. He had grown old and it would soon be time to pass the torch to his heir. Harry had proven himself worthy, he just needed to do the same one final time in the arena. He would be damned if he let Malfoy seize everything his family had worked for, and he fully intended to teach the man the error of his ways. For too many years he had lacked an opponent with the needed ruthlessness. But today, he would get a reminder as to why it is not wise to cross the House of Black. They would all be reminded of such folly.
Although he had tasked Rita with informing the other Lords of what Fudge and Malfoy were up to, he himself had been in contact with a select few, the old hands that remained as head of their respective families from when he had last attended a meeting. He trusted none, but they would remember his presence, they would not want to risk his ire. They may not have always agreed with his views or methods, but they respected him and respected tradition. They would not take kindly to such a move by Malfoy.
He dropped his Disillusionment Charm as Tiberius Ogden approached and gestured for the man to join him in one of the side rooms he had commandeered for the morning.
"Ogden," he greeted the man as he closed the door behind the two. "I'm pleased you could make it."
Ogden gave him a forced smile.
"I almost threw Skeeter out on her arse until she mentioned your name, Black," the man replied in a gravelly voice. "So, it is true?"
Arcturus nodded and Ogden cursed under his breath.
"What is Malfoy playing at? He must be desperate to make a move like this," he sighed.
"Or cocky," Arcturus countered. "From what I've heard, the Wizengamot has turned into a bunch of worthless 'yes men' with no balls."
Ogden shrugged.
"It's not the same here, Black," he explained. "With Malfoy and his block, the only other viable option is Dumbledore and his own. One too lax and the other extreme. There's no real choice but to choose one."
Arcturus shook his head.
"Cowards," he grumbled. "What happened to the days where people spoke their minds and thought for themselves?" he added. "That's why things like this happen. People are too happy to bow down to the scumbags like Malfoy and Fudge."
"People remember the Voldemort years, Black," Ogden corrected. "We all know who followed him and people are still afraid. Why risk yourselves and your family for an agenda that will fail whether or not you speak up. Best to keep your mouth shut."
"As I said, cowards," Arcturus bit back. "Happy to complain that things aren't going the way they want but don't have the stones to do anything about."
"It's easy for you to say," Ogden returned heatedly, "most of your lot were on his side."
Arcturus shrugged.
"True," he conceded, "but I never bowed to him. I told the bastard from the start I had no intention of offering my support. Even the Dark Lord knew not to provoke my House."
Ogden shook his head.
"It is only us that remember that fear your name, Black," he pointed out. "Those in there are not the same people as back in our day. They're young and foolish."
"And today, they will get their first lesson on who really is at the top of the pecking order. They can either learn it the easy way, or the hard way," Arcturus replied carelessly.
Ogden chuckled.
"We rarely saw eye to eye back in the day, Black, but I am behind you all the way on this. The shits in there need to learn some humility," he agreed.
Arcturus nodded.
"Then we just have to wait for the others and make our move," he explained. "Let us turn back the years one more time."
(BREAK)
Cornelius Oswald Fudge took his seat as the rest of the Lords' the Lucius insisted be here filed into the room. He himself was not particularly comfortable with the course of action they were taking, but his long-time friend had insisted upon it. To Cornelius, it seemed that it would end very badly when word was spread of what they did.
Dolores, his ever-faithful secretary took a seat to his left as Lucius filled the one on his right. Now, they had to wait for the riskiest factor of their endeavour; the arrival of the Chief Warlock. This was the part of the plan that Cornelius refused to accommodate. Lucius had done all he could to convince him to exclude the man, but Dumbledore would have to be present. Even an emergency session could not proceed without him here.
"I think we have waited long enough," Dolores muttered into his ear.
Cornelius removed his bowler hat and fiddled with it as he shook his head.
"Nonsense, Dolores," he returned.
He began tapping his foot impatiently as the other Lords' looked at him expectantly.
Lord's Bole, Thicknesse, Rowle and of course, Lucius in particular seemed keen to get events underway.
"Ahh, Cornelius," Dumbledore greeted as he swept into the chamber. He paused briefly and frowned at the assembly before taking his own seat.
"Well, get on with it, Dumbledore," Malfoy urged irritably, "we all have homes to return to."
"I believe that it would be prudent to wait a while longer for any other members that will be arriving," the older man replied.
Lucius turned his attention to the Minister who sighed internally.
"Proceed, Albus," he instructed.
Dumbledore narrowed his eyes at the man suspiciously before announcing the start of the session with a few taps of his gavel.
"I call to order, this emergency meeting of the Wizengamot dated February 27th, 1994," he announced. "This meeting was requested at the behest of the Minister, so, I leave the floor to him."
Cornelius nodded and stood stiffly as he shuffled the papers he had brought.
"Now, I have gathered us here today to discuss the events surrounding the second task of the Triwizard tournament," he began, refusing to meet the penetrating stare of the Chief Warlock. "Thankfully, I have managed to ensure that the press does not reveal the details of what transpired so that we may discuss it amongst ourselves."
"Cornelius," Dumbledore interrupted. "You are aware that a full inquiry has been carried out by the judges and also the DMLE under your instruction," he pointed out. "We all agreed that it was an unfortunate occurrence and that all acted in the best interest of themselves and the witches and wizards in attendance."
The tone the man used was bordering on hostile, but Cornelius ignored it in favour of looking towards his most staunch of supporters. Lucius merely nodded once for him to proceed.
"That notwithstanding, we must bring into question the actions of Mr Black and his associate," he countered heatedly. "Several men and women lost their lives that day because of what they did. Personally, I feel very uncomfortable that a boy of Black's nature will one day sit amongst as a peer."
Those within the room gave a resounding cry of agreement.
"To prevent such a thing, I have drafted this bill," he announced as he waved a large piece of parchment. "This bill will allow us all the rights to veto any undesirable heir of an Ancient and Noble House, if we collectively agree that they will not conform correctly to the standards we as a body must abide by. It is my belief the Heir Black, is one such person."
Again, calls of agreement were unanimously given.
"You are playing a very dangerous game, Cornelius," Dumbledore warned. "Strong-arming legislation through will not sit well with the other Lords and interfering with a House as old and dangerous as the Black's is not wise."
Madame Umbridge giggled.
"The Blacks' are no longer hold the power they once had. It is such a shame to see such a family fall so far," she simpered.
Dumbledore shook his head. This was going to end very badly and likely in bloodshed. The Blacks were not as powerless as Dolores believed. Arcturus and Cassiopeia may be in their advanced years but Harry was not and the boy had more potential than any of these could fathom. Provoking him alone was not a politically astute move.
"It will be put to the vote," Fudge announced. "All in favour, raise your wands."
All within the room complied, minus the Chief Warlock.
"With a majority vote, the bill has passed. It will now be passed around the room. Sign it, and it shall be," the Minister declared, his smile belying the trepidation he felt.
He felt scarcely better even after the signed document had been returned to his waiting hands. The trepidation gave way to fear as the chamber door burst open and the other Lords entered, led by none other than the Lord Black himself.
"You're too late, Black," Lucius sneered. "The document has been approved and signed by the majority."
Arcturus simply smirked as he shrugged.
"Then you have my congratulations, Lord Malfoy," he replied with a bow. "Could you be a good man and explain what it entails? I find that in my later years, so many things go over my head."
Lucius' sneer remained as he took the signed parchment from a very pale Minister.
"This law gives us the right to vote against any inheriting a Lordship that we deem unfit. In this case, we were just about to vote on your current heir. We believe that he would be most unsuitable for the position," he explained with a smirk.
Arcturus sighed.
"Then proceed, Lord Malfoy," Arcturus offered defeatedly.
Lucius nudged the Minister who shook himself from his stupor.
"All of those who believe that the current Heir to the Black Family is unsuitable, raise your wand," he commanded.
Those that had initially voted for the bill raised their wands once more.
"Those against?" Fudge followed up.
Arcturus, along with the Lords' that accompanied him raised theirs.
Umbridge made an exaggerated attempt to tally the votes for each and smiled sweetly.
"It appears that the majority are in agreement, Lord Black," she informed him sweetly.
Arcturus nodded stiffly as he caught Dumbledore's confused stare.
"Then surely you must name my new successor," the Black patriarch growled irritably.
"As far as I am aware, there is only one suitable candidate," Lucius addressed the room diplomatically. "My son, Draco Scorpius Malfoy. He is a direct descendant of the Black line through his mother, Narcissa."
The gathered Lords muttered their agreement.
"If no one has any objections, then it shall be Draco who will inherit the title of Lord Black upon the current Lord's passing or stepping down," Fudge announced as he withdrew another piece of parchment.
The Lords that voted in favour of the bill and Harry's expulsion signed the document and Lucius placed it in his pocket when it had been completed.
"If there is no other business…" Fudge began, only to be cut off by Arcturus.
"Oh, I'm only just getting started," he shouted gleefully. "Did you really expect me to just sit back and allow this farce to just happen? I am the Lord Black and it seems that some of you have forgotten where exactly you sit in relation to me and my line."
Fudge felt his stomach sink as the man's grin turned almost feral.
"You bunch of overblown shits have just sealed your own fates," he continued as he pointed towards those that had dared oppose him. "I will remember this and those of you will remember that the vengeance of the Blacks is something to behold. But for now, there is one I must deal with, so I suggest you all pay attention because you may just learn something."
He turned his attention to a now frowning Lucius.
"You stupid, arrogant shit-stain," he chastised the man disappointedly. "You married into a better family than you deserved because your father was a respectable man. You, on the other hand, hold less worth than the dregs of my piss."
Lucius began to purple in fury.
"You idiots can't just expect to sign a piece of paper and think that what you say goes. Magic decides the Heir of my family, not your manipulations or any other manoeuvres you make in here," Arcturus continued.
He laughed at the looks of confusion sent his way.
"The magic of the Black's has already accepted my heir and given him his magical inheritance. You can't just simply decide to interfere with the will of magic," he pointed out with a shake of his head.
His seemingly jolly demeanour fell as he glared at Malfoy and the Minister.
"Passing that law was your first mistake, attempting to interfere with my family was second and trying to name your idiot offspring my heir, was number three," he declared furiously.
He reached within his robes and removed a roll of parchment.
"You can pass all the laws you want, but your son will never inherit the Black Lordship. This scroll," he called loudly as he held it aloft, "is a missive from Gringotts signed on the twenty-second of this month expelling both Draco and Narcissa Malfoy from the House of Black."
Lucius and Fudge both paled as the other Lords muttered amongst themselves.
"What that means, is that you have all attempted to commit line-theft," Arcturus informed them. "As the main perpetrator, I will deal with House Malfoy, first of all. I demand compensation, Lucius, and for the transgression against my family, I get to name my price as our law dictates."
Lucius swallowed deeply, his heart sinking into his stomach. This had not at all gone to plan. Reluctantly he nodded knowing he had no other alternative. He had attempted to play the game and had been beaten soundly. Arcturus must have somehow discovered what he was up to.
"Your price?" he croaked, his attempt to maintain his composure failing.
Arcturus grinned.
"You will pay me the sum of fifty million Galleons," he responded.
Lucius paled further and shook his head, his throat constricted by fear. The other Lords were shocked by such an extreme demand.
"It would ruin me," he choked.
Arcturus scratched his chin thoughtfully.
"It would, but I'm sure I can at least give you a fighting chance," he mused aloud. "How about, a duel? There are of course, conditions."
Lucius scoffed. He was not foolish enough to engage any of the Blacks in a fight. He fought a smirk as a new idea formed, one that could see his efforts come to fruition after all.
"Why would I fight, I have nothing to gain?" he replied.
"Name your prize," Arcturus offered.
"Draco will become your heir," Lucius responded immediately, "however, none that carry the name Black can fight. You have to find another willing to stand against my family," he added and gave the old man a sickly smile. "They also must be pure of blood."
Arcturus narrowed his eyes and nodded thoughtfully.
"Fine," he agreed, much to the shock of the other man, "but it must be a male that carries the name Malfoy that will represent you. It was your family that attempted to usurp my own so it must be a Malfoy that fights."
Lucius ground his teeth and was tempted to simply hand over his wealth. Something else was afoot, he knew, but the attraction of having the Black fortune in his hands proved to be too much. Besides, it wasn't like any of the families Black had brought with him could stand against him. No pureblood that he knew of would. The name Malfoy was one to be feared.
"Agreed," Lucius growled.
"If my champion wins, your wealth will be given to them," Arcturus returned.
Lucius felt his anger rise.
"And if I win, then you will pay the sum from your account into mine," he demanded, though he could not help but think he had just agreed to exactly what Arcturus Black wanted. He knew that he had no choice unless he wished to simply hand over every last knut in his vault. At least this way, he had a fighting chance.
Arcturus nodded and grinned.
"The rest of you shits will all pay me the sum of one-hundred-thousand Galleons within the next month or you will face a similar fate to Malfoy," he instructed. "I do hope you don't make me come for you; I can assure you that I will not be so amiable."
The Lords grumbled under their breaths but made no protest. In the circumstances, they had gotten off very lightly. Arcturus could have demanded much more from them.
"That includes you, Fudge," Arcturus addressed the Minister. "If you attempt to pull anything like this again, I will ensure that you do not see the next day in your position. They won't even employ you here to clean the toilets."
"And when will this duel take place, Black?" Lucius broke in.
"Two weeks today," Arcturus confirmed. "I believe there is a very nice Quidditch stadium sat doing nothing left over from the World Cup."
Lucius nodded his agreement as Arcturus turned and walked towards the exit.
"Oh, and Malfoy?" he called. "You will be checked before the fight. Wands only and if anyone interferes in any way, you will forfeit immediately and your wealth will be seized," he warned. "And don't worry, I will inform the press, we don't want the public to miss out."
Lucius grit his teeth.
"Your champion?" he demanded, "you will name them now."
Arcturus nodded.
"You know him, Lucius. Young Leo? The one you so generously rewarded for saving Draco's life," Arcturus explained before exiting the room.
Lucius didn't know if the using the boy was foolish or a stroke of genius. What he did know was that he needed to find out more about him before they met.
(BREAK)
Leo towelled himself off having taken a much-needed shower after his training session with Charlie this morning. The boy was showing a lot of promise with the progression he was making. He would never be a magical powerhouse, but he would certainly be able to look out for himself.
With Harry spending time with Tonks and Sirius and Cassie working on what Arcturus had tasked them with, he decided that he would eat his breakfast in the Great Hall, hopefully getting to spend a little time with Katie, even if he did have to tolerate the twins' presence.
He entered the hall and all eyes shifted towards him, many staring at him in disbelief and others with hostility. He returned the glare of these as he made his way towards the Gryffindor table and was met with sight of a very subdued Katie, an almost worshipping pair of redheads and looks of incredulity from the others.
"Are you really duelling Lucius Malfoy?" Charlie asked.
Leo frowned as he took his seat. That was indeed his intention but he did not know how everyone found out. The answer to that conundrum became clear as the boy slid the morning's edition of The Daily Prophet towards him, the front page depicting a picture of himself and the aforementioned Lord.
Attempted Line-Theft Shames Prominent Family
By Rita Skeeter
It is not unusual for differing opinions within the political arena to cause divides amongst our revered peers, and often, such matters result in ongoing rifts between opponents. What transpired in the early hours of yesterday morning, however, can only be described as dirty politicking at best.
Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, called an emergency meeting of the Wizengamot in which discussions of what transpired during the second task of the Triwizard Tournament, were to be held. (Due to legal action taken by the Ministry, details of these events are unable to be mentioned). What was discussed, was not what was on the agenda and the Minister, acting in association with Lucius Malfoy and other staunch supporters, used the opportunity to pass a very controversial bill (Details of which can be found on the next page). Ultimately, the bill would give power to the Wizengamot as a body to veto a Lord's choice of heir if they deemed the candidate to be unworthy of such a title.
Shockingly, the legislation was passed with little protest, mostly due to the absence of many members of the government and as those within the chambers celebrated their perceived victory, the Lord Black arrived with the other Lords' in tow.
What followed was a moment that will go down in History as the Black Patriarch chastised those that voted in favour of the bill.
In an attempt to seize the upper hand, the Minister and Lord Malfoy immediately held a vote to deem the Lord Black's current heir, Harry Black, the fourth champion in the tournament, as unworthy. Despite protests from the Chief Warlock and Lord Black himself, the motion carried and attempted to install Lord Malfoy's son Draco as the new heir to the family.
Little did both men know, Lord Black had anticipated such a move.
He then presented a document stating that both Draco and Lord Malfoy's wife Narcissa, now a former a member of House Black had been expelled from the family days prior to the vote.
Ultimately, this means that Lord Malfoy had in fact attempted, unknowingly or not, to commit line-theft against a Most Ancient and Noble house. The penalty for such a transgression, for those that do not know, is either, death, monetary compensation of the victim's choice, or even a duel.
Demonstrating his ruthlessness, Lord Black firstly demanded that House Malfoy pays compensation amounting to 50 million Galleons but eventually, and generously in many opinions, allowed Lord Malfoy a chance of redemption via a duel.
Initially, Lord Malfoy refused but evidently had a change of heart only moments later. Lord Black demanded that only a man with the name Malfoy could represent his family and that should his own champion win, the Malfoy's would be liable to pay the demanded compensation.
Lord Malfoy had his own stipulations, those being that no member of House Black were allowed to represent them, the choice of champion had to be of pureblood status and that if he won, his son would be the next Lord Black and the family would pay the sum to the Malfoy's.
Lord Black immediately agreed, much to the surprise of this reporter and named his champion as Leo Whelan, an Irish pureblood Lord of a small family thought to have become extinct during the last war.
So, what do we know about this young man?
In essence, very little. We know that he is currently an apprentice under the infamous Cassiopeia Black and that he was educated at schools in both Japan and Russia. Just how this boy came to be involved with the family is unknown, but it is widely known that he is a close friend of Harry Black.
The duel is set to take place Monday 13th March. We will of course release more details when they become available.
By the time he had finished reading, Leo was grinning victoriously, his magic reacting in anticipation.
"Is it true?" Charlie asked once more, breaking him from his thoughts.
"Aye," Leo confirmed. "Lord Black asked me a few days ago."
At his reply, Katie stood and stormed from the room as he watched in confusion.
"Ohh, you're in trouble now," one of the twins warned.
"A lot of it," the other added.
Leo frowned at the pair.
"Did you not think that this was something you should have mentioned to her?" Alicia questioned him angrily.
His frown remained and Alicia and Angelina shook their heads in disapproval before following their friend.
"What did I do?" he questioned the redheads.
"Ahh, it is more of what you didn't do," Fred replied.
"Even we know something like this should be discussed," George continued.
Leo dragged a hand down his face in frustration. Women were turning out to be more complicated than he ever thought they would be.
"Maybe I should go after her?" he asked.
Fred shook his head.
"Let her vent first, you don't want to walk in on that inquisition," he advised. "It's not pretty."
Leo nodded and sighed deeply. He had no idea what he'd done wrong but he would give her some time before seeking her out. He certainly didn't want to make things worse.
He turned his attention to his breakfast and realised his appetite had vanished, replaced with a strange sense of guilt. No longer wanting to eat, he decided to go for a walk and get away from the whispering students within the hall. It was as he was exiting that an arrogant voice called out to him and his hands curled into fists.
"My father is going kill you," the younger Malfoy shouted gleefully.
Leo smirked as he stalked towards the boy, pleased that he now seemed to regret his outburst, cowing as he approached.
"Your father is a shite, you're a shite and I will choke him with his own balls," he vowed in a deadly whisper. "Instead of sitting here, you should be thinking very hard about what your lasts words to him will be because he will be gone and every last piece of gold to his name will become mine. Your family will fade into nothing and you will become worse off than the poorest of families. Just remember that little Draco when you're begging for your next knut on the streets."
Malfoy swallowed deeply and rushed from the room, no longer exhibiting his cockiness.
Leo watched him leave in disgust before he exited amidst more whisperings from the gathered students and staff. The head of Slytherin house looked as though he would say something, but evidently thought better of it.
With little else to do and no motivation to study, Leo took a few turns around the grounds and then headed back inside. The weather was slowly easing off but the castle was now being plagued with the final showers of winter and despite using Warming and Drying charms, it was still an unpleasant walk.
He approached the portrait of Sir Cadogan, pondering the thought of a hot shower when the knight spoke him.
"Young man, a maiden came looking for you. She asked to relay a message that she shall wait for you atop the Astronomy Tower," he explained with a bow.
"Thank you," Leo returned, his footsteps changing in the direction pointed.
He opened the door to another torrential downpour and the sight of Katie with her back to him, her eyes focused on the forest across the way, sheltered beneath a muggle umbrella.
"Are you okay, lass?" he asked worriedly, breaking her from her own musings.
She turned towards him and he immediately noticed she was lacking her usual vibrancy. Her dark brown eyes were rimmed red and absent of the usual light make up she wore.
She shrugged and smiled sadly in response. He closed the distance between them but he was unsure on what he should do. Unable to think of anything else, he pulled her into his arms and relished the feeling and her scent.
"You're mad at me," he stated.
"I'm not mad," she replied with a shake of her head, "well, I am a little," she added.
She mumbled something indiscernible into his chest.
"I didn't hear you, lass," Leo said apologetically.
"I'm scared," Katie huffed as she pulled away from him, her eyes filled with tears.
"Scared?" Leo asked with a frown.
Katie nodded.
"You might die," she explained.
Leo barked out a laugh but stopped when he saw the glare of the girl.
"Don't you care?" she questioned heatedly. "Haven't you thought about what it would do to other people if you die?"
Leo deflated as he shook his head.
"I've never had anyone that cares like that," he sighed. "I was always told I was worth nothing and that I would die nothing. I was taught not to fear it."
Katie poked him hard in the chest.
"I care, you idiot," she bit back.
Leo was taken aback by her words as a wave of guilt washed over him.
"I'm sorry, lass," he whispered.
"You should be," she replied angrily.
Leo took a deep breath.
"I'm not good at this," he muttered. "I've never had anyone I had to explain myself to. I've always done what I had to."
Katie shook her head at him.
"It's not like that anymore," she said as she took one of his hands. "I care about you and you have to at least think about me when things like this happen."
Leo nodded.
"Aye, you're right, and I'm sorry," he replied. "I didn't know it would be in the paper and I should have spoken to you about it."
"Yes, you should have. This might be normal for you but it isn't for me," she explained. "My parents own a pub. The worst I've seen is my dad in a fist fight."
She took a calming breath.
"I'm scared for you and I'm scared that I'll lose you," she continued. "Lucius Malfoy is a very dangerous man. What the hell made you agree to it?"
Leo stepped away from her to compose himself. He hadn't thought about what it would do to anyone else, he only had one thing on his mind during his conversation with Arcturus.
"Malfoy is one of the Death Eaters that killed my parents," he revealed to her. "He got away with it and I can't just let it go, lass."
"Oh, I didn't know that," Katie answered apologetically.
Leo gave her a weak smile.
"Other than that, Lord Black asked me. I owe him more than I could ever repay. He wouldn't put me in this position if he didn't think I could win," he added.
Katie wrapped her arms around him.
"It doesn't stop me being scared," she mumbled.
"Aye, I know," Leo comforted her. "But it will take a better man than Malfoy to do the job."
Katie sighed as she nodded.
"Promise me that you won't do anything stupid like this again without talking to me first," she demanded, eliciting a chuckle from him.
She was a stubborn girl, one of the things he respected about her.
"Aye, I promise," he returned.
She looked at him defiantly for a moment longer before nodding her acceptance.
"I thought Ange and Alicia had it bad with the twins," she grumbled.
"I'm nothing like the gingers," Leo defended.
"No, you're much worse," she quipped with a grin before kissing him gently.
(BREAK)
Charlie Potter pushed the food around on his plate using his fork, his worry outweighing his hunger considerably. He had come to like Leo a lot over the past weeks, even though he cursed his name during their training sessions. He was a genuine guy, one of the few that had ever been completely honest with him. If his performance was not up to standard, he had no qualms in telling him but would equally help him improve in the areas needed.
He wasn't worried that he would lose to Malfoy, he just didn't trust the other man to abide by any agreement he made. Lucius was as slippery as they came and Charlie did not trust the man to use underhand tactics to ensure he would win.
He was pulled from his thoughts by the conversation being had between his parents.
"How can they expect a sixteen-year-old boy to beat him?" his mother questioned his father heatedly.
"I don't know, Lils," James sighed, "but Arcturus Black wouldn't risk so much if he wasn't certain."
Lily shook her head.
"Unless he is just as mad as the rest of them," she shrugged.
Charlie frowned.
"Leo will destroy Malfoy," he interjected hotly.
Lily raised an eyebrow at her son.
"And what do you know of it?" she asked. "You've barely spoken to him."
Charlie tried and failed to hide his look of guilt.
"Nothing," he answered quickly, putting some chicken into his mouth.
Both his mother and father frowned at him.
"Charlie," James chided, "Is there something you want to tell us?"
The boy shook his head frantically, attempting to avoid the penetrating stare of them both. Seeing that his denial was not being accepted he hung his head. He had tried to keep it from them, but now knew he had been caught out. They would not give in until he broke under their collective gazes.
"I can't, I promised I wouldn't say," he sighed.
Lily looked towards her husband and gave him a nod.
"Charlie, you won't be in trouble," he assured his son. "Unless, you've been doing something that will get you into trouble."
Charlie shook his head.
"Harry and Leo have been training me," he muttered defeatedly.
"Training you?" Lily questioned; her eyes narrowed. "How?"
Charlie nodded.
"They've been taking me for runs and teaching me how to defend myself without magic. They've even started teaching me how to maximise my reserves so that I don't use too much of it. It's okay," he defended, "Harry has been filling up my belt when we are done and they both meet me outside the common room and take me back before breakfast."
His parents looked on in disbelief before Lily smiled.
"I'm pleased that you are spending time with him," she offered warmly. "I wish you wouldn't have kept it from us but as long as you are being safe then I don't see any problem."
Charlie frowned in confusion; he hadn't expected this reaction from her.
"How long has this been going on?" James asked.
"Since the New Year," Charlie sighed.
"Almost two months," James mused aloud as he nodded. "Alright, show me what you've learnt,"
"Now?" Charlie returned wide-eyed.
James nodded as he stood.
Charlie swallowed nervously as he followed suit. His father was excellent with his wand. There were very few that would wish to fight him.
He walked in the wake of his parents as they exited the room and entered a classroom a short distance down the corridor.
As the door closed behind him, his father removed his jumper and slid his wand into his hand, gesturing for Charlie to prepare himself. For his own comfort and movement, he took off his robes and nodded when he was ready.
James raised an eyebrow at his son before firing off a stunner, only to be caught off guard as Charlie turned to avoid it with much more agility than he had expected. He gave an appreciative nod and fired two more, one either side.
Charlie, having anticipated the move, twirled into the path of the one to his left as he produced his gifted shield and deflected the spell back towards his father who had to move to avoid it. He received an approving smile from the man before another onslaught was sent his way. He knew that his father was holding back, but what he was facing paled in comparison to what Leo put him under and he dodged and batted the spells away with ease.
"Enough," James called after a few minutes of watching the boy work. He beamed with pride as he approached and ruffled his hair. "That was brilliant, Charlie."
Charlie shrugged.
"It was Leo and Harry that taught me. Not that they gave me much of a choice. Harry seems to think Voldemort is coming back soon and they insisted I learn something," he explained.
James and Lily shared a worried yet knowing look.
"It doesn't hurt to be ready," James agreed with the sentiment of his older son.
"No, it doesn't," Lily added.
"What else have they been teaching you?" James asked.
"They've been making me physically fitter and how to fight without magic," he answered with a grin as he discreetly drew a blade and threw it into the door, missing his mother by only a few inches.
James laughed at her horrified expression.
"Where did you get that?" he asked as he retrieved and inspected it.
"Leo gave it to me," Charlie answered. "That one is just a knife that will temporarily blind someone if it doesn't kill them straight away. The others I have are less pleasant," he added with a grimace.
James frowned at the thought of the boy having such weapons at his disposal but couldn't help but think they may be necessary sooner than he'd like. He would need to have a word with Sirius and see what exactly was happening that he did not know about.
"Do you think the boy is good enough to beat Malfoy?" James questioned Charlie seriously.
He received a severe nod in return. He had only seen a little of what Leo was capable of and that was enough to have no doubts in his ability to handle someone like Malfoy.
"He's brilliant, dad," he answered solemnly. "Malfoy won't know what hit him."
James nodded.
"I will have to see for myself," he declared.
"Can I come?" Charlie asked excitedly.
James narrowed his eyes slightly as he held up a hand to silence the impending protests from his wife. He pondered it for a moment before nodding. As much as he wished he could protect his son from such things, Voldemort was as dangerous and resourceful as they came and he would have his sights set firmly on the Potters.
"Yes," he agreed. "But you will stay with myself and your mother and do exactly as we say. I have no faith in Malfoy's credibility. He will be planning something."
Charlie nodded eagerly.
He had never seen a real duel before and were it not for his friend's participation, he would be relishing the opportunity much more.
(BREAK)
"You asked to see me, Headmaster," Severus Snape greeted as he entered the office.
"Ahh, Severus, take a seat. Sherbet Lemon?" he offered.
Severus shook his head as he sat and waited for the man to get to the point.
"I asked you here to discuss young Mr Malfoy," Dumbledore informed him.
"And what is it that Draco has done?" the surly man returned.
"Nothing, as yet," the Headmaster placated, "but I fear he will end up in trouble if he is not tempered. We cannot allow what is happening between the Blacks and the Malfoys within these walls."
Snape snorted.
"Arcturus Black is a fool for what he has done."
Dumbledore shook his head gravely.
"Lord Black is as sharp as ever. He took a perceived threat against his family and orchestrated a rather ingenious reaction. I do not agree with what is to come, but should all go to plan, he would have the reputation he once possessed," he sighed.
Severus' lips curled in distaste.
"The boy is sixteen," he pointed out. "Lucius is not an ungifted wizard."
"That we can agree on, but the boy is exceptionally gifted," Dumbledore replied as he removed a sheaf of parchment from within his desk and handed it to the potions master.
Severus skimmed through the paper and found himself grudgingly impressed by what he read.
"How did you come by this?" he asked with a frown.
"My position within the ICW has certain privileges," Dumbledore shrugged. "As you can see, the boy is dangerous. His education in both Japan and Russia heavily focused on battle, as is the nature of the schools. Lucius would do well not to underestimate him. To receive honours such as young Lord Whelan has is quite the feat."
Snape sighed as he handed back the parchment, torn on whether he should have a conversation with the father of his godson. A part of him wanted to more than anything to take a stab at the Blacks. His more logical side however voiced against such actions. If the boy survived and he were to somehow be found out, his life would be forfeit.
"What do you wish for me to do?" he asked.
"Keep Draco away from him," Dumbledore instructed firmly. "If he takes it upon himself to goad the boy and gets hurt, there is little I can do to protect him in the circumstances."
Severus nodded and left. He had laughed at the thought of the boy fighting Lucius, he was a very dangerous man and well-versed in magics most knew nothing of. Now, he pitied the blonde. If he managed to survive, it would be a miracle.
(BREAK)
Harry's magic was taking longer to purge than Madame Pomfrey had estimated, leaving Tonks feeling rather unwell and unable to access her own. Her wand felt foreign in her hands and even her morphing was proving to be impossible, much to her worry.
After another visit to the school matron, she felt better having been ensured that it may be taking longer due to the power and nature of the magic within her but she was well on her way to recovery.
"Do you think Leo can actually win?" she asked, her head positioned in Harry's lap whilst they lounged on the sofa within her quarters.
Harry chuckled.
"Lucius Malfoy would be wise to shop for a tombstone," he answered with a shake of his head. "Leo may seem like a nice guy and he is for the most part, but he's not someone you want to get on the wrong side of. I've seen what he is capable of."
"He's that good?" Tonks questioned.
Harry frowned slightly.
"His magic is more in tune with combat spells, it's just what he is naturally gifted in. It took years for him to have any real finesse to his work, but Aunt Cassie drilled him constantly when he was home. He's more of a 'smash through with force' than a 'intricate deconstruction' kind of person," he explained.
Tonks nodded thoughtfully.
"Speaking of Cassiopeia, has she decided when she is going to see mum yet?"
Harry exhaled deeply.
"She's sulking at the minute," he muttered. "She really doesn't like being told what to do."
Tonks grinned as she turned to face him.
"So, that's where you get it from," she said.
Harry narrowed his eyes at her.
"You should be much nicer to me, Dora," he warned, "I'm the one looking after you. I could always add a little something to your potions if you misbehave."
The metamorph pouted.
"You wouldn't do that to little old me," she replied confidently.
Harry growled. She was right, of course.
"Aww, now who's sulking," Tonks cooed. "Is that part of the criteria to be a Black?"
Harry grinned.
"You might find out one day, if I decide I want to keep you around long enough," he returned half-jokingly.
Tonks blushed briefly before frowning.
"You shouldn't say things like that," she chastised, "not if you don't mean them."
"I wouldn't say it if I didn't," he shrugged. "It will have to happen one day and I'd rather it be someone that I enjoy being with. If grandfather had his way, I'd already be in a contract with someone trying to better their family position who I'd probably want to kill."
Tonks giggled but didn't like the thought of him being in that kind of position.
"Has he tried to marry you off already?"
Harry sighed and dragged a hand through his hair.
"No, but as soon as he retires, I will have to think about it. The family is small and I will need at least one heir and probably a few kids in reserve," he grumbled.
"You don't want children?" she asked.
"I do," Harry answered quickly. "I don't just want them to increase the size of the family or for political things. I want them to have a real childhood in a proper home. Even with Sirius, Cassie was always there teaching me how to be a 'proper Black' and all the political stuff I had to know. It would have been nice to have some normality. I was only young when I was given away, but I do remember that James and Lily liked to do family things when we could," he finished.
Tonks nodded.
"You can do both," she pointed out. "Not everything has to be about politics or training them. You don't want miniature Arcturus and Cassiopeia running around," she joked.
Harry grimaced.
"No, I don't," he agreed. "Anyway, it is time for your potions and I need to give Aunt Cassie a reminder to see your mother. I hoped she would have done it by now."
Tonks pouted again as he stood and retrieved a vial of the disgusting brew.
"Don't be like that," he chuckled as he handed it to her. "It will help you get better," he pointed out before kissing her gently.
Fighting the urge to deepen it, he gave her a smile as he exited to find his Aunt, knowing that she would more than likely draw her wand on him if he pressed the issue too much.
(BREAK)
Cassiopeia Black was still cursing her nephew under her breath as she arrived in a typical muggle neighbourhood, sneering in the direction of the houses they dwelled in. She had been so close to attacking the impudent whelp for his insistence but thought better of it. She was a Black and was expected to conduct herself accordingly. Drawing her wand on her future Head of House, no matter how tempting, was not acceptable. Even Arcturus would have had to expel her from the family for such a move.
She'd swallowed her pride, probably for the first time in her life and agreed to meet with Andromeda. Just thinking of the girl filled her with shame as she approached the front door and knocked, wiping her hand on her robes just in case on of the filthy muggles nearby had touched it.
"Ms Black," Andromeda greeted her formally as the front door was opened.
"Mrs Tonks," Cassiopeia replied stiffly. "I understand that you wished to speak with me."
Andromeda nodded and stepped aside.
"Please, come in," she offered.
Cassiopeia grimaced at the thought but entered the property, avoiding touching anything.
"So, this is where you ran off to," she said before you could stop herself.
Andromeda stiffened, her eyes hardening.
"I did not run," she hissed. "I was kicked out."
"For getting knocked up by a mudblood," Cassiopeia returned hotly.
Andromeda gritted her teeth and forced herself to calm down.
"We are not here to discuss the past," she huffed.
"There is nothing to discuss," Cassiopeia shrugged. "Your actions proved how much your family meant to you."
"My family was everything to me," Andromeda seethed. "I loved all of you, even Bellatrix when she ran off and joined that madman. You can't deny it; she made a poor decision."
"I'm not denying it," Cassiopeia ground out, "but we are not discussing your sisters."
"No, we are talking about me being kicked out because I fell in love with someone none of you approved of," Andromeda bit back. "No one forced you into a contract, so you wouldn't understand."
"They wouldn't have dared," Cassiopeia bit back.
Andromeda shook her head.
"Not all of us were as strong as you, Cassie. Not all of us could fight the family and live," she sighed.
"Then you should have done as you were told, girl," Cassiopeia replied evenly.
"And live a miserable life, churning out future Death Eaters and being a prize on someone's arm. I would have rather died," Andromeda declared.
Cassiopeia shook her head.
"None of it matters. You asked me here for a reason, so get to the point, Andromeda," she demanded.
Andromeda nodded as she entered the kitchen.
"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked almost sarcastically.
"No, thank you," Cassie said dismissively.
An uncomfortable silence fell between the two before the older woman sighed.
"For the love of Merlin, talk," she urged.
Andromeda took a deep breath.
"I wanted to thank you, for what you did for Nymphadora," she began, deflating. "I know you probably wanted to let her die, but you didn't and I really am grateful. If there's anything I can do for you, then you just have to say."
Cassiopeia bowed, accepting the gratitude as Arcturus would expect from her.
"I couldn't let her die," she huffed. "Regardless of her status, she still shares my blood and Harry would never have forgiven me."
"No, I doubt he would," Andromeda agreed, surprised by the woman's change in demeanour.
"He's a ruthless little git. More stubborn than Arcturus and will one day be more dangerous. I pity anyone who gets on the wrong side of him or upsets the ones he care about," she snorted.
Andromeda nodded.
"What is going on between them?" Andromeda probed. Her daughter refused to discuss anything in detail, but she had her suspicions. Everything she had seen so far pointed to only one thing.
"The two bloody idiots are inseparable," Cassie grumbled. "I've never seen him like this with anyone. He's a good kid, mostly, but always struggled with his emotions. I think I taught him too well and what he went through as a babe didn't help."
"Sirius explained it to me," Andromeda clarified.
Cassie nodded.
"I've never been so angry and disgusted in my life the night we found him. He was all skin and broken bones. I was certain that he wouldn't make it," she sighed.
"Do you have a problem with him and Dora spending time together?" Andromeda asked.
Cassie cackled.
"There's nothing I could do even if I did. Harry will always do what he wants, no matter what even Arcturus says. He respects the man but Arcturus knows not to try and push him too much. Harry would sooner lose his title than be forced into things he didn't want to do. He's a damned nightmare."
"He's a Black," Andromeda corrected. "You're all stubborn and strong-willed. It will serve him well when he is named Lord."
Cassie nodded reluctantly.
"He will be brilliant. He's a natural at dealing with people, completely tactless but that's what we are all about, I suppose," she conceded. "I pity anyone that tries to cross wands with the boy. Even in my prime he would have been a handful and I spent time with Grindelwald. He would have made a damned good apprentice to him."
"And what about your apprentice?" she questioned, not wanting to discuss her Aunt's connection to the other Dark Lord.
"Leo?" Cassie returned, surprised. "He's got a bright future in whatever he chooses to do. I imagine he'll go back east eventually," she mumbled sadly.
"You've grown attached to the boy," Andromeda jested.
Cassie narrowed her eyes.
"He reminded me a lot of Harry," she explained "and as he's gotten older, he's more like Gellert when I first met him. He's charming, gifted with a wand and it terrifies me that he could have turned out more like him."
Andromeda smiled sadly. She'd always had her suspicions that her Aunt had been in love with Grindelwald and that had been why she chose to remain alone.
"I've practically raised the boy," Cassie continued. "He's given me more grey hairs than anything else but he's not been so bad," she conceded.
"And him fighting Lucius?" Andromeda pressed.
Cassie shook her head.
"I wish Arcturus would have spoken to me about it," she sighed. "I have no doubt that he will win. It doesn't stop me from worrying."
"I was always the same with Dora," Andromeda huffed. "Always getting into trouble and then she went and joined the aurors. I'm surprised I don't have any greys yet."
Cassie smirked.
"If she sticks around with Harry, I bet they'll come soon. The boy has a tendency to land himself in trouble on a regular basis," she grumbled.
"Will you let her stick around?" Andromeda asked.
Cassie shrugged.
"Harry will do what he wants and if he wants her around, then that is his choice. I'd love to see someone try and force him into a contract. Since we've been here, he's had eight offers that he doesn't know about. Arcturus knows better than to mention them," she laughed.
"But he will have to marry," Andromeda pointed out. "When Lord Black retires."
Cassie nodded.
"I think Arcturus will do it sooner than anyone expects. He's an old man now and has earned his rest."
"He has," Andromeda agreed, her mind wondering to the subject of Harry having to marry. She knew that Dora would not take that well at all. She could only hope the two of them figured out what they were to the other before that happened.
The sound of the front door closing pulled her from her thoughts and her husband entered the kitchen, his eye twitching as he took in the sight of her Aunt at the table.
"Ms Black," he greeted her almost coldly.
Cassie's nose wrinkled as though an unpleasant odour had appeared.
"Theodore," she replied as she stood. "I've said my piece, Andromeda," she continued, her tone once again formal. "I will take my leave now."
Andromeda watched sadly as her aunt exited the house. She never would have thought it, but their conversation had gone better than she expected. The woman had even been cordial.
"Are you okay, Andi?" Ted asked.
Andromeda smiled.
"I'm fine," she assured her husband. "It was jut strange having her here."
Ted nodded as he pulled her into his arms.
"I can imagine," he sighed.
Andromeda exhaled, her thoughts with the woman and the rest of the family she'd been expelled from. She had no regrets about her decision but it didn't stop her missing them. It had been years since she had seen either of her sisters and often dwelled on their childhood. No matter how unbearable their father had made it, they'd always had each other.
(BREAK)
Narcissa Malfoy paced back and forth in one of the many parlour rooms situated within the manor, her stomach little more than a pit of despair. Not only had she been ousted from her blood family, there was a chance that her husband would be killed on the morrow.
What bothered her most was that the man had not sought her counsel and had ignored any request she had sent to see him. She knew that he was plotting and scheming to seize an advantage in the upcoming duel but she knew there would be none to find, her grandfather would see to that.
Lucius was a good duellist but she had seen better, and if the boy he was fighting had been educated by the Blacks, her husband would stand no chance.
"Dobby," she called worriedly.
"Mistress calls for Dobby," the elf replied as it appeared, its pillowcase filthy with grime.
"Has Lucius arrived home?" she questioned, ignoring the soiled appearance of the creature.
"Master has not and tells Dobby he will be out for the evening," the elf informed her.
Narcissa scowled and dismissed the elf. She had no doubt that Lucius would be off indulging himself somewhere like the fool he had proven himself to be.
She shook her head as she exited the parlour and headed to her rooms. Lucius had insisted she had her own, something she was grateful for. Often, even during the early days of their marriage, he would arrive home drunk, reeking of other women's perfume and his lips stained. She'd learnt not to care. Their marriage was a political move by both their parents, a match that neither wanted in the long run.
At first, Lucius had been keen. He had showered her with gifts and affection. He had even performed his duty on their wedding night but he had become cold immediately afterwards. He no longer spent time with her in or out of the bedroom and had never done anything to rectify that part of their relationship. For years she wondered if it was something she had done but nothing she could think of should have displeased him.
It had been around Draco's eighth birthday that he had come home drunk one evening and had told her in his drunken stupor that just wasn't attracted to her. He preferred his women to be more on the plump side and her lithe body did nothing for him.
From then, they'd been a bitterness between the two. She remained the dutiful wife and he the husband in the public eye. She focused on raising their son and he on the politics, though he had no gift for it. He simply threw money at everything and hoped it would work.
She shook her head as she pulled out a few trunks and began filling them with her personal possessions.
She had been prepared for this for many years. She had sequestered a sizable sum of gold in a vault of her own under a pseudonym, more than enough for to live on for the rest of her days and had even purchased a house. Lucius paid little attention to what he had in Gringotts which had worked to her advantage. He had been squandering the family fortune for years through his lavish spending and bribery, to the point that he had managed to almost half it. Still, it was more than almost any other family had and she refused to let it all go to waste. If worst came to worst, herself and Draco would still have a home and would live comfortably, though with considerably less opulence than her son was used to.
(BREAK)
Leo finished with his final checks on his wand, to ensure that, as always, it was in optimum condition and ready to use. He had slept surprisingly well; combat was the thing he was most familiar with. Put a crying girl in front of him, he was uncomfortable, but a situation that threatened his very existence, he was in his element. During his years of schooling, he had learnt to love conflict, down to the sickly bile that coated the throat when it was nigh. He had been taught to love it; the fear, the anticipation the adrenaline that coursed through his veins. It had been necessary to do so if one were to survive.
He stood as a knock sounded at the door and opened it. The Blacks along with Tonks entered, a trio of officially dressed men in their wake.
"They are here to carry out a search to ensure that you are not carrying anything other than the one wand aloud," Arcturus explained. "They will then test you for potions to make sure you have not taken anything that will give you an advantage."
Leo nodded as two of the men began running a secrecy sensor over him, probing his body in every nook and cranny they could reach whilst the third man removed a trunk and opened it.
"I need a sample of blood," he demanded gruffly. "In the vial."
The teen cut his finger and watched as it pooled into the container. When the man was satisfied it was enough, he motioned for him to stop before drawing his wand and muttering under his breath.
"He's clean," he announced after a few minutes of work. "We will remain with you to ensure it stays that way."
Leo shrugged and began stretching.
"How are you?" Harry questioned from his position leaning against the wall, his arms folded casually across his chest.
"Fine," Leo replied shortly.
Harry nodded his acceptance. It was not often that his friend was like this. For the most part, he was relaxed, jovial. Now, however, he could be described as a caged animal, ready to strike the moment he was released.
"Don't fuck about today," Arcturus broke in severely. "The future of my family could well depend on this. Get in there and get the job done. Make sure that no other family will mess with yours or mine again."
Leo nodded, his nostrils flaring slightly, eyes burning with desire.
He had played this out in his mind several times over the past couple of weeks. He wanted to enjoy the moment, to see Lucius Malfoy suffer for what he had done to his family. Then, he could work out a way to get the others. Malfoy had seemingly been out of reach, but if even the untouchable could in fact get his, the rest of them could too. He just needed to find a way.
"I know," he answered. "I will handle it."
Arcturus nodded.
Cassie stepped forward and pulled him into a hug, her skin a little more pale than usual, her face lined with worry.
"You will be fine," she whispered.
Leo snorted as he wrapped his arms around her.
"Tell that to yourself, Cass," he returned with a grin.
The woman glared at him as she slapped his shoulder and shook her head.
"Harry?" he called, turning his attention to the other boy. "If anything goes wrong, look after Rasputin and the lass."
Harry looked horrified by the idea of being the primary carer of the creature and sighed as he nodded.
Sirius clapped him on the shoulder and gave him a single nod as he led them towards the door. He opened it and found himself face to face with a very upset Katie who threw herself at him and sobbed into his chest.
Leo caught the girl and looked helplessly towards the others who offered no support.
"What're you doing here?" he asked.
"I had to be here," she replied shakily. "I couldn't just wait at school."
Leo sighed and shook his head.
"You shouldn't be here for this," he mumbled. "You don't need to see this, lass."
"I'm not going anywhere," Katie bit back stubbornly, eliciting a laugh from Cassiopeia.
Leo dragged a hand down his face as he looked pleadingly towards Harry.
"Fine," he conceded unhappily, "but you will stay with Harry and Tonks and you will do exactly what they say."
"My parents are here," Katie explained. "So are half of the school with theirs."
"Bloody hell," Leo exclaimed. "Fine, Harry and Tonks will take you to them and stay with you," he decided.
Both Harry and Tonks nodded.
"Please, don't do this," Katie whispered in a last-ditch attempt to prevent the duel. "I don't think I can handle it."
Leo wrapped his arms tighter around her.
"I'll be okay," he assured her, "but I have to do this. You understand?"
Katie swallowed deeply and nodded. She understood but she did not like it.
"When this is all over, we can go somewhere, just us two," he added.
Katie exhaled and wiped her eyes.
"Promise?"
Leo smiled.
"Aye, I promise. Now, go with Harry and Tonks and I will see you soon."
Katie stared at him a moment longer before allowing herself to be led from the room.
"That's the half-blood?" Cassie questioned.
"Don't start, Cassie," Sirius warned.
"Aye," Leo confirmed. "She's a good lass. A better girl than I deserve."
(BREAK)
"I have a bad feeling about this, Lucius," Fudge stammered, fidgeting with his hat.
Lucius sneered at the man, in no mood for his spineless antics.
Truth be told, Lucius was not certain that a duel was the best course of action, but he had no choice. The most concerning thing to him was that his own contacts and himself had been unable to learn very little of the boy. His name held no sway with the ICW, apparently. They had flatly refused to provide him with any details, stating that his education was of no consequence to him. Even Fudge in his loftier position had failed to sway them.
A concern indeed, but it meant nothing. Lucius had spent several years under the finest instructors, one of them being the Dark Lord. A teenager was no threat to him. The additional items about his person and already within him were merely extra assurances.
"If you don't want the power and influence of the Black Fortune to fall into the hands of the Potter boy, we have no choice, Cornelius," Lucius reminded him.
Fudge sighed.
"I cannot help but think that Arcturus Black has gotten us exactly where he wants us," the Minister replied uncomfortably.
"Arcturus Black is an old fool and his foolishness will cost him dearly," Lucius said confidently. "The entirety of his family now lies with a boy."
Fudge shook his head.
"A boy that he hand-picked to represent him," he pointed out.
Lucius ignored the shiver that ran down his spine as a loud knock sounded at the door. He frowned as he rose to answer it, having requested that he not be disturbed under any circumstances.
He was greeted with the sight of three gentleman, each wearing unfamiliar yet high quality, formal robes.
"Lord Malfoy?" one of them greeted.
Lucius nodded, his gaze flitting between the trio.
"We have been sent by the International Confederation of Warlocks to oversee the event at the request of one of our members," the man continued. "One of our representatives is here to referee the duel. We are here to carry out checks to ensure that neither combatant has any undue advantage. You will submit yourself for a search and provide a sample of blood to my colleague here."
Lucius seethed internally and felt everything crash around his shoulders. The only person who carried such influence was Dumbledore. It had to be him responsible for them being here.
"And if I refuse?" he questioned through gritted teeth.
The man smiled at him sickeningly.
"Then you will forfeit the duel. As per the agreement, you will pay the fee of 50 million Galleons to your opponent," he informed him.
"Gentlemen is this really necessary," Cornelius intervened. "I can personally vouch for Lord Malfoy's character."
"Rules are rules, Minister," the man replied with a shrug.
Lucius tensed his jaw as Fudge fumbled over his words., failing to reason with the bureaucrats.
"Then get on with it," he growled.
He winced as the secrecy sensor was prodded into him, the two men carrying out the search glaring at him in disapproval as they found his extra wand, a cursed dagger and two emergency portkeys.
"The blood sample," the third man insisted, shoving an empty vial into his hand.
With a shake of his head, Lucius opened a shallow cut across his palm and healed it when it was mostly full. The man snatched it from is grasp and went about his working, sighing and shooting him filthy looks as the contents of what he had taken only a short while ago were revealed.
"Strengthening solution, Endurance Elixir, Vampire Essence and Powdered werewolf bone," he announced disgustedly.
Fudge looked at him in surprise as the man shook his head and withdrew a cauldron along with several jars of ingredients.
"This is going to take a while, you'd better inform Carlos," he sighed to one of his colleagues who exited to carry out his instructions.
The man returned to his work for the next twenty minutes before spooning a concoction into a goblet and handing it to Lucius.
"You will drink this and then we will wait for a few minutes and test you again," he explained.
Lucius wanted nothing more than to throw it in the man's face. Knowing he had no choice however; he did as he was bid. Almost immediately, he felt the benefits of his own additions fading, and within a minute or so, they had all but vanished.
Soon after, his tormentor handed him another empty vial that he dutifully filled, cursing the men and their interference internally.
"Now, he's clean," the potioneer announced irritably. "We will remain with you until the start of the duel, to ensure that something else doesn't accidentally make its way into your system."
Lucius sneered as he stalked towards the door and exited. Things were not going according to plan.
His only hope was to win the duel on an even footing, though how a sixteen-year-old could measure up to him, he did not know.
(BREAK)
The crowd booed at the announcement of the duel having to be delayed due to Lucius Malfoy having to be purged of the illegal substances found in his blood sample. Many shouted from his immediate disqualification but most wanted to see the much-anticipated fight.
Harry watched Leo's reaction and snorted as the boy simply sat in the middle of the arena and waited for the arrival of his opponent.
"Dirty, cheating bastard," Katie hissed furiously.
"Katie," her mother chastised sharply.
Katie glared at her mother whilst her father nodded in agreement with his daughter. It was people like the Lucius Malfoy that had made it difficult finding work in the Wizarding world because of his blood status.
"I didn't expect anything less," Harry muttered.
Tonks nodded.
"Malfoy wouldn't know a fair fight. Shame he has no choice in the matter," she grinned.
Harry shook his head, fighting his laughter at the staring match between the mother and daughter only a few feet away.
"Leave it, Sarah," Katie's father intervened with a smirk. "She's understandably emotional."
Sarah Bell switched her glare to her husband who simply chuckled. She was a small woman, not even reaching five and a half foot, considerably smaller than his larger frame of over six feet himself. His daughter took more after him than her mother. Sarah was fair-haired and diminutive with light blue eyes. Katie, though not much taller, had his darker hair, his dark brown eyes and a not so feminine build, mostly because of her quidditch training. He was very proud of his daughter and had spent her teenage years thus far having no concern about her dating. That however changed this very morning when she had arrived with the Weasley twins, almost terrified that the boyfriend he hadn't known of was the one fighting Lucius Malfoy.
He shook his head as his wife softened her gaze, mischief now replacing the irritation.
"You still have not explained how it is that you met," Sarah pointed out. "How long have you been dating him?"
Katie shifted her feet nervously as her parents waited for her to answer.
"Since the Yule Ball, I guess," she answered uncertainly.
This time, Harry did laugh at her discomfort. It was strange to see the unapologetic girl look guilty.
"And you didn't think to tell us?" her mother continued disbelievingly.
Katie looked sheepish as her father placed a calming hand on her mother's arm.
"She's a sensible girl," he reminded her, "we raised her properly."
Sarah Bell sighed and nodded.
"I was a sensible girl, until I met you, Richard," she returned.
The man grinned triumphantly as he nodded, though it turned into a frown.
"He hasn't taken advantage of you, has he?" he questioned his daughter.
Katie was mortified by the question as Harry guffawed.
"Mr Bell, Leo really is a good guy. I'd be more worried about Katie being a bad influence on him," he quipped.
"And what is that supposed to mean, Black?" Robert asked defensively.
It was unnerving for the man to be in the presence of a boy of Harry Black's station. His experience with the upper pureblood families had never been great but he was not going to allow anyone to bring in to question the morals of his daughter.
Harry held up a placating hand.
"I meant nothing of the sort," Harry clarified, undeterred by the man's sudden anger. "I only meant that Leo would never do anything to dishonour your daughter."
Robert relaxed as he nodded.
"Forgive me, Mr Black, but I will be the judge of him. Katie is my only daughter and I will not have her treated with anything other than utmost respect," he insisted.
Harry grinned as Katie continued to look at her father in horror.
"Well, if all goes well today, I'm sure he would be more than happy to meet you," Harry offered.
Robert Bell nodded.
"As would I," he replied, his wife bobbing her head in agreement as the crowd erupted into boos at the entrance of Lucius Malfoy.
(BREAK)
At the sound of the crowd, Leo stood and watched as Malfoy swaggered towards him, his cockiness causing a grin to form on his own face. His was not one of amusement but a feral one, a manifestation of the desire to harm the man strutting across the ground between them.
"Gentleman," the referee addressed them as they stood a few feet apart, "the duel will be conducted under ICW rules. All spells in your arsenal are legal but you will heed my commands. If I call a break, you will cease immediately. If I call an end to the duel, you will stop and finally, if your opponent verbally submits, you will sheath your wand. Any questions?"
Leo shook his head, his eyes firmly on his opponent as Malfoy followed suit.
"Then shake hands and may the best man win," the referee instructed.
Leo shook his head and turned before stepping away. He was not here for sportsmanship and he certainly had no wish to touch the man in any way.
The hissing of the crowd drew his attention and he hissed as his back erupted in agony, the skin seared by the curse that had hit him. Had it been a Killing Curse, the duel would be over. Lucius would regret not seizing the opportunity to its full potential.
Chiding himself, he ignored the pain as avoided another spell and sent one of his own. The ground between the two combatants split and a tidal wave of dirt ploughed towards Malfoy. A distraction more than anything, but one that gave Leo time to act. He could tear the man apart with magic and put on quite the show doing so. He, however, wanted the man to suffer with pain and humiliation. And he knew the perfect way to do that.
"Homenum Revelio," he muttered as he charged forward, closing the gap between the two of them.
A thick cloud of dust separated them but the spell worked as intended. Lucius was only half a dozen feet away, cursing as he tried to remove the obstruction. Leo aimed a wide-spread Silencing Charm and threw an uppercut with his right hand just after it landed, the sickening crunch of a breaking bone the most satisfying sound he had ever heard.
Lucius hit the ground with a dull thud, groaning as his mouth filled with the taste of iron. He manged to roll to his front and spit as he groped blindly for his wand, not realising that he had dropped it. Panicking, he did not see the irate teen falling upon him.
He winced as a fist impacted against his kidney and hissed, though no sound escaped him as the next blow smashed into his ribs. In desperation, he kicked out with both legs and got a reprieve for his efforts. Again, he resumed his search for his wand knowing that he could not hope to win in a muggle fight.
The thought of being struck in such a way made him furious. The fury gave way to relief as his hand closed on a familiar slither of wood and he continued to crawl aimlessly, hoping to escape the dust he was trapped within, aware that the boy was still stalking him somewhere.
His first breath of fresh air was a welcome feeling as he reached the edge of the ground and used the wooden fence to pull himself to his feet, grimacing at the ache in his nose and ribs. He decided to let the boy tired himself by searching for him. He was in no hurry to give away the fact that he was no longer inside the swirling debris.
His rest ended much sooner than he was ready as the movement of the dirt slowed before it compacted together and turned into a giant spear. His eyes widened as the construct careened towards him and dived to the floor to avoid the impact. The fence behind him exploded and it was a miracle that he was not skewered by any of the splinters.
Thankfully, the boy was not close enough to truly seize the advantage and Lucius gingerly got to his feet, ready to go on the offensive. He had never been great at defence but his skill with darker magic had always served him well.
He took aim and unleashed a flurry of spells, only to see them batted aside, the smirk of amusement the boy wore angering him further.
"Avada Kedavra," he screamed, ignoring the myriad of screams and booing from the crowd.
Leo hastily conjured a large slab of marble that exploded under the force of the curse, the chips cutting into the skin on his face and hands he'd used to cover his eyes. Apparently, his silencing charm had worn off.
During the momentary distraction, he felt a sense of easiness wash over him, his head lighter than it should be and the desire to obey very strong.
"Lower your wand and hand it to me," the voice of Malfoy sounded in his mind.
He truly had to fight the urge to obey completely. He had been placed under the Imperius Curse numerous times, but this was stronger than any he had faced. Grudgingly, he had to admit that Lucius had a gift for it.
Compliantly, he lowered his wand and began walking towards the smugly grinning man, battling against the tight hold the man held over him. IT was difficult, and had he not studied so diligently under Aunt Cassie, he had little faith that he could take back control.
"Good, now hand it to me," Lucius demanded when he was only a few short feet away.
By now, Leo had had enough time to compose himself though not enough to disobey completely. However, instead of handing his wand to the man, he threw it in the air and Lucius's eyes followed it as it arched towards him, to his own detriment.
As he released the wand, Malfoy lost enough concentration for him to wrest back the final vestiges of his self-control, and he sprang into action.
With practiced ease, he aimed a powerful kick between the other man's legs, elevating him a few feet before he yelped and collapsed to the ground in a heap. Leo immediately fell upon him and began raining blow after blow with his fists, eventually seizing him by the throat and driving his head forcefully into the already smashed nose.
Lucius feebly attempted to aim his wand, only for it to be ripped from his hand as the grip around his neck tightened, the ability to draw breath now eliminated. His bulging eyes searched desperately for the referee to draw an end to the contest, but the man looked on almost carelessly as his head began to swim.
"This is for my parents," Leo whispered as he pushed his knee into Malfoy's sternum, driving the last of the wind from his body.
Lucius grabbed at the boy's forearm and struck at it a few times to no avail. The last thing he saw as darkness overcame him was the grimly determined face of the boy choking the life out of him, his eyes red-rimmed and filled with tears.
Leo was unrelenting as ever, even when he felt the man go limp under him. Angrily, he wrapped the other hand around the neck and squeezed even more. The man had not suffered enough for what he had done to his parents and countless other people. He willed him to draw breath once more, so that he could again revel in the satisfaction of taking it away.
He was not aware of the referee calling for him to stop nor the man attempting to pull him away. The only thing he noticed was a flash of red before he too fell into the darkness, though he took satisfaction knowing that his would not be as permanent as the one that had befallen Lucius Malfoy.
A/N
Another one down which brings my word count up to over 80,000 words this past month for this story.
With that being said, updates will be coming at a more sedate pace whilst my focus shifts onto my own original work, so do go ahead and check that out. I am currently aiming to update it at least once a week. I've been having issues with the website as things have not been posting/formatting correctly but this should now be resolved and the next chapter will be available by the end of the week.
Up next will be the aftermath of the duel and the events leading up to the final task. I will of course be working on this still but it is unlikely that you will get weekly updates, though I will try to get these out as often as possible.
The next two months are looking clear for me but come September, I will be taking up a post as a secondary school History teacher, so again, postings may become sporadic.
Believe me, if I could spend my life writing full time, I would. Bills, however, have to be paid apparently. If you do want more regular updates of what I'm doing, links to my various social media profiles can be found on my page.
Anyway, I thank you all for your continued support and I will be with you all again soon. Follow, favourite and review as always.
Peace,
TBR