Hey I'm back! Thanks for the reviews! Sorry about ending the chapter like that, but I couldn't resist. In this chapter, we have a brief explanation about Nanoha's abilities, and another thing that I've been looking forward for the last couple of chapters.
Bobbo, I don't usually respond to Anonymous Reviews, but here you go. First off, the Troll was not incapacitated. it was getting back up. Second, there was a typo. It was supposed to read, 'surviving that without a relapse.' Nanoha wasn't choosing death, just injure herself further, maybe.
That said...
Enjoy!
Severus Snape, Minerva McGonagall, Professor Quierill, and Albus Dumbledore hurried through the school, Snape limping along on his bitten leg as they followed the sounds of battle, that strangely enough sounded almost like a boxing match in some spots.
Despite his ill feelings towards the half-giant, Snape had to admit he was good at picking out guards. How was someone supposed to keep an eye on all three heads of a Cerberus at once?
The others, after they had heard from a painting that Nanoha and her friends had gone to find the Granger girl, were very worried that their students would run into the troll.
Snape, however, wasn't so worried. If that spell Nanoha had used inside her head was any indication, the eleven year old could probably turn that troll inside-out and upside-down without breaking a sweat. That had been one reason that he had told Nanoha everything about himself; he wasn't about to make enemies with someone who could throw energy around like that, child or not.
They rounded the corner of the hallway just in time to hear a painful, shrill scream: "DIVINE BUSTER!"
There was an explosive report, and then the stone wall about twenty feet in front of them exploded, blocks of stone raining against Dumbledore's hastily cast Protego as the troll exploded through one wall and through the other, followed by a roaring torrent of magenta colored energy close to four feet high.
"Merciful Heavens!" McGonagall exclaimed above the din as the troll and beam crashed through the opposite wall. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Snape exchanged glances. The three had recognized that spell, though it was four times bigger than they had last seen it. Snape cringed at the thought. Though he knew that Nanoha had probably inherited her father's spells, to actually see it in use, and at a higher level than what Shiro had used, on Snape himself at one point, was frightening.
The beam tapered off a moment later, a trailing off to a soft, dark pink glow from inside the room.
The four teachers hurried into the cavity that the troll had left in the wall, slightly startled at what they saw. Fate, Daphnae, Tracey, Malfoy, Harry, Ron, and Hermione, were picking themselves off of the floor on the far right side of the room, having apparently gone prone in time to avoid the power of the spell.
Good thing they had too; none of the stalls, sinks, or toilets had survived, coating the floor with splinters of green wood, and pieces of porcelain and dust from the toilets and sinks, the pipes having magically shut down to avoid wasting water. Jagged cracks from the concussive force of the Divine Buster radiated the walls, coming from a single point.
At the center of that point, against the wall directly opposite the new door, in the center of the room, was Nanoha. She was surrounded by the magenta light, shaking as the remains a pink ring in front of her, and a spinning magic circle as long as she was tall faded away.
"What on earth happened here," McGonagall demanded.
Before anyone else could answer, Nanoha spoke, her voice tried, but steady, and sounding for all the world like she was just giving a history report. "Fate, Tracey-chan, Daphnae-chan, Harry-kun, Ron-kun, Neville-kun, Malfoy-san and myself were heading with the Griffindores to Griffindore Tower when we realized that Hermione-chan was in a restroom and did not know about the troll," she stated, her steady voice belying her shaking limbs. "I quickly ran for her, outrunning my friends in my haste. I reached her, alone, in time to warn her, but before we could leave the troll blocked the door. It advanced toward us. I saw four options ranging from non-lethal to last resort, and quickly used the first of them: attacking it with my overclocked Knock-back Jinxes. Using them, I was able to keep it at bay for a few minutes, however it was not long before I became fatigued; so I used my second option: A family spell to bind it long enough for me to get Hermione and escape. That failed, however, as it quickly began to overcome my bonds. I then decided to take option three: a more direct approach, which," she added before anyone could interrupt that vague answer to keep Voldemort from gaining that information, "I shall explain further only in private to my friends, the Headmaster, his Deputy, and my Head of House."
When no one said anything she continued, pushing past the exhaustion that threatened to overtake her inspite of her Healing Factor. "I began my more hands-on approach in time for Fate, Tracey-chan, Daphnae-chan, Harry-kun, Ron-kun, and Malfoy-san to arrive. They joined the battle using the Knock-back Jinx, Fate using her own personal version. It distracted the troll long enough for me to get into position to knock it away, buying Malfoy-san time to collect Hermione-chan. With the others safe for the moment, but not out of danger, I realized the third option that I was currently employing was not enough to take the troll down.
"I then decided to take the fourth option. After forcing the troll far enough back from me, I used a high level spell from my family's magic, which I found in a grimoire from the Takamachi, vault to knock it out. It is not dead however, so I suggest that you take care of it soon."
Feeling her exhaustion about to overtake her, Nanoha concluded. "Professors, as I have just used a high-ranking spell that I probably should not have done in the first place, do, please forgive me for fainting." With that, her eyes rolled up into her sockets, and she collapsed bonelessly to the floor.
'She could give Quierill lessons," Snape thought dryly.
"Nanoha!" Fate screamed, rushing to her side. She was joined by Dumbledore. "If you will allow me, Fate-san, we shall take your sister to the hospital wing."
Fate looked at Dumbledore, her disguised violet orbs burrowing into his electric blue. "I am going with her." she stated, leaving no room for doubt.
Dumbledore nodded. "Of course. If you please Severus.
Snape nodded. Limping forward he paused just long enough to cast a wordless Body Bind and Levitation spell on Nanoha's form. Once she was in the air he limped away, her floating form following and Fate walking at Nanoha's side. The rest of their friends followed close behind, McGonagall shepherding them.
Dumbledore looked at Quierill. "Perhaps you should take care of the troll." Quierill nodded shyly, a look of nervousness on his face that did nothing to fool Dumbledore as he left.
Dumbledore looked about the room, the Elder Wand in his hand. 'I can't leave the room like this.'
Muttering words under his breath, he began to twirl his wand in intricate patterns. Slowly, the room began to reform itself in reverse, pieces of wood, and bits and dust of porcelain flying into place.
Five minutes later, he finished.
He looked around at the jagged cracks that still filled the walls and floor, his magic unable to affect the ancient magic of the castle. To his surprise, he saw cracks that crossed from another point, other than where he had seen Nanoha. 'Odd.'
He went over to the stall. To his great surprise, the cracks led to three small craters in a slight triangle shape. One, the furthest back, was in the shape of a shoe print, the second closest, on the right, looked like the front part of a shoe, while the third, about eight inches in front of the second, was round. 'It looks as if someone was brought to one knee catching something,' the elderly wizard thought. 'Nanoha did say that she had taken a more hands on approach, but how on Earth can an eleven year old catch a troll?
'Perhaps...' He shook his head, dismissing his thought. 'No. Impossible. I heard it correctly. Shiro even confirmed it.
'I should still look into it however.'
Turning, he left the room, heading to his office. He would let Nanoha recover, and then ask about this strange power.
Fate watched over Nanoha as she lay in the hospital bed, covered in crisp white sheets, her chest moving up and down. When Snape had brought Nanoha to the infirmary the day before, Fate had asked the nurse, Madam Pomfrey, to stay. The kind old lady had grudgingly relented, though when she had done several test, she had discovered deteriorated state of Nanoha's Linker Core. Luckily, the nurse had contributed that to Nanoha's casting of the Wizard Divine Buster, and Fate had chosen not to say anything since it was, mostly, true.
'Oh Nanoha,' Fate thought, 'Why must you always push yourself too hard?'
Fate shook her head. When she'd realized that Nanoha had released the limiter that controlled her physical abilities, Fate had been filled with hope- she only knew five people that could fully match Nanoha physical strength when she wasn't using magic, and none of them were human; well except perhaps Arisa, who was a ghost. Then Nanoha had to go and pull a stunt like this. No real damage had been done, but still...
Her thoughts were interrupted as the double doors opened. Professor Dumbledore, followed by her friends, walked in. Her friends had worried looks on their faces, but Hermione in particular looked haggard.
"She is still not awake, Fate-san," Dumbledore asked.
Fate shook her head. "Pompfrey -san says that her Core has been damaged."
"Core," Harry asked in confusion.
"The source of our magic," Dumbledore explained, "It is what separates us from the Muggles, though several creatures posses Cores."
Fate nodded.
Dumbledore looked at Fate in the eye. "By the way Fate-san, I was going over the room where you had met the troll, and I found some peculiar...imprints, where it looked like someone caught something."
All of her and Nanoha's friend's winced.
Fate shook her head. "You should not have told him," she said to them before looking at Dumbledore. "Yes, Nanoha caught the troll's club, and then proceeded to beat it up."
"What kind of creature is she," Dumbledore asked. He paused for a moment as he found himself under Fate's glare. She had removed her contacts, and her molten blood eyes bore into his.
"Nanoha is just as human as you and I," she hissed through clenched teeth.
Dumbledore held up a hand. "I apologize, I meant no offense. I take it she is like yourself?"
Fate shook her head. "Nanoha is natural born. I do admit that I myself am really strong, though Nanoha is the stronger. Her Family is all like that, though to differing degrees. Both her brother and sister are stronger than normal, though not to her extent. Her mother though is clearly superhuman, and is as strong as several men. Nanoha though..."
Fate paused as she remembered her fights with Nanoha, each time surprised by her strength, and thinking about the family's differing strength as well as er own. Miyuki and Kyouya were able to bench press 400 pounds naturally, and 600 for brief periods- however, they were the weakest. Momoko, though unable to increase her strength like her children, had been the second strongest before Fate had come along, clocking in at 600 without aid. Fate herself was no slouch, able to bench press 700 pounds thanks to her mother's meddling with her genes. And all heal faster than normal, healing broken bones in a single week.
It was Nanoha that was different. Nanoha, it seemed, was a real mystery: her Healing Factor enabled her to heal broken bones almost instantly, though she had to be careful unless they healed the wrong way. It had been why she had put a limiter, made by Suzuka's vampire family for their children to help control their abilities, on herself. It was also why she'd refused to use it to heal herself physically. She had found her body healed better at the normal rate. Nanoha though was the only human that Fate knew of that had a vampire limiter. As for her strength, Nanoha could naturally bench press half a ton, and use her magic to augment it enough that with Raging Heart's Excellion form she could, and had, gone toe-to-toe with Natchwal. Everyone had been shocked at that.
Fate shook her head. "Well, you saw what happened."
Dumbledore nodded. "I see. Still, I find it quite curious that a base line human is able to accomplish that without magic. How is that possible?"
"We do not know. I've always been that way."
All turned to look at Nanoha, who was sitting up. Fate immediately turned on he, "What the HELL did you think you were doing casting the Wizard Divine Buster Nanoha,"Fate demanded in Mid-Childan, much to everyone's confusion.
"I had no choice, Fate," Nanoah said in English, choosing her words carefully to avoid slips, "My strength was not enough. I know it was a risk, but I had a feeling it would be fine." "Raging Heart said I had a fifty-one percent chance of being fine," she sent, "That works right?"
Fate shook her head; for Nanoha, those were actually good odds. "Only you Nanoha."
"Nanoha-san," Dumbledore said, "Perhaps you can shed some light on how an eleven year old can match the strength of a troll?"
Nanoha looked him in the eye as her friends gathered around her. "I just told you Sensei, we do not know. I am just glad that I did."
Dumbledore heard the truth in her words, and could see it in her eyes. "I see." He smiled brightly. "I hope that you recover speedily. Goodbye."
Dumbledore left the room.
Nanaoh turned her attention to her friends. "Are you all alright?"
Hermione shook her head. She looked drawn, as if she hadn't slept at all... and there was something... different about her. "We should be asking you that Nanoha-chan."
Nanoha shook her head as she began the meticulous process of bringing her SA back online. "Nothing really major. I am just glad I was able to stop that thing."
Ron spoke. "I'm sorry for putting you there."
Hermione was annoyed. "I told you Ron-kun, it wasn't because of you. I've suffered through enough name calling in elementary school."
"Then why were you crying in the first place," Ron asked as Nanoha finished.
Immediately, Nanoha found out what was wrong. "Hermione-chan," she said carefully, "why do you have several enchantments on you?" Nanoha recognized the magical signature too.
Hermione hesitated.
Nanoha grabbed her Pink Ivory wand from her beside, pointing it at her.
Hermione held up her hand in a stop motion. "This is my fight," she said, "I didn't want you involved."
Nanoha looked her in the eye, her soft violet eyes turning to hard amethysts. "Either you or me."
Hermione hesitated, and then brought out her own wand. She had no intention of disappointing Nanoha. It was high time to tell her. She had been afraid that they'd abandon her her if they'd found out, but not anymore. They ad risked their lives to save her. She owed them the truth. She pointed her wand at herself and said, "Finite."
The glamors that her attacker ad placed on her shimmered away.
Everyone became angry, none more so than Nanoha. Hermione's left eye was black, the right side of her jaw red from a dislocation. That wasn't all either. Nanoha could sense bruises on her chest, and her crotch. Thankfully, she noted that she hadn't been violated. Hermione's hands were also bruised and battered, like she'd been in a fight.
Nanoha's tone was hard and cold as ice. "Flint?"
Hemione nodded. "He's been trying to keep me away from you since you joined the team." She nervously placed a lock of hair behind her ear. "It's the first time he beat me up tough." She grinned weakly, "I fought back."
Nanoha nodded. Then she threw off her covers. Clothed in her white undershirt and shorts, she walked out of the room.
"What is she going the do," Hemione whispered to Fate as they followed.
"Very few things upset Nanoha," Fate said. "Attacking her friends is one of them."
Nanoha remained silent as she headed for the Great Hall, knowing Flint would be there for dinner. "Raging Heart, Status?"
"Linker Core Fifty percent functional. Limited magic use possible. One overclocking possible."
Nanoha nodded. She would've preferred more, but that would be enough.
She planed her attack all through her trek to the Hall as she worked her watch, lowering her strength to twenty percent.
The doors slammed as she barged into the Great Hall, all eyes turning toward her as she took in the scene. Most of the student body was present, but of the teachers only Snape and McGonagall occupied the Head Table.
Her eyes quickly picked out Flint. She strode up to him, her wand in her holster on her left hand. Her expression spoke volumes. Her voice was hard as a rock. "Flint-san, did you assault Hermione?"
"Of course I did," Flint sneered, believing that Snape would protect him. "That Mudblood's not worthy to..."
The sound of flesh striking flesh echoed through the room as Nanoha slapped the boy hard enough to knock him off the bench. He had confirmed her facts, and while she didn't exactly know the word he used, she knew a racial slur when she heard one.
"I told you before, Marcus," she said, using the insult of calling someone by their first name without an honorific., "I chose my own friends."
She turned to walk away.
Flint was livid. He wasn't about to let a first year get the better of him. "I challenge you to a duel!"
Every single first year scrambled away, the other years following their example.
Nanoha remained silent.
"What's the matter," Flint sneered, "Afraid?"
Snape's voice cut through the silence. He had seen Hermione's state, and though his students didn't know it he had a soft spot for muggleborns. Ordinarily such an attack on a student would warrant expulsion, but he knew that letting Nanoha on Flint would be better. "I approve."
Mcgonagall nodded. That boy had beat one of her Lions, and though she'd rather have him face his parents, she knew that he would only getting in trouble for being caught rather than 'protecting the Children Who Lived from the 'Mudblood Taint'. "As do I."
Now that she had her teacher's approval, Nanoha knew that she could not get in trouble for what she was about to do. She was silent for a moment, and then turned her head to look at Flint out of the corner of her eye. "I accept."
Flint got to his fee, drawing his wand. "Bombarda!"
The blasting curse flew through the air. Nanoha leaped to the side, landing on a bench. Flint moved to get in front of her and fired again.
Nanoha back flipped over the table, putting herself behind the table.
"Fight back you coward!"
Nanoha did something that Fate, and every other Slytherin, recognized: she smirked.
"He's doomed," Malfoy stated.
Nanoha spoke one word. "Fine." She flicked her wrist, her Pink Ivory wand falling into her hand. Pointing at the table she cried out: "FLIPPENDO!"
The table somersaulted into the air. Flint hastily cast an Expulso. The wood shattered, blinding him with its debris a a moment.
Through that debris, like a roaring freight train, came the White Devil. Having her strength limited, she ha no qualms about holding back as she retaliated for her friend's injures. She unleashed four rapid palm strikes to his torso, followed buy a double palm strike to his ribs. Though her every move was short and quick, Flint's whole six foot frame visibly shuddered underneath the powerful blows. The double palm strike knocked him back enough that she was able to deliver a furious kick to his groin, the force lifting him into the air a few inches.
Every single male winced in sympathy as his eyes bugged and he screamed in pain.
He fell to his knees, and Nanoha finished her assault with a left jab to his left eye, followed by a right hook to is jaw that knocked it out of alinement. The force was enough that Flint spun around, crumpling to the floor.
"Now you know how she feels," Nanoha said. She turned away, before turning back again. "Oh and Flint? You can mess with me, but no one messes with my friends."
Nanoha walked away, her friends following. Hermione smiled weakly. "Thanks Nanoha-chan."
Nanoha nodded. "I hate fighting, but he disappointed me. And you can drop the honorific. All of you."
Her friends smiled.
"I hope she doesn't do that to me in Quidditch," Harry thought.
As promised, an explanation for Nanoha's abilities. the full one will wait until the fight with Quierill. Anyway, next chapter is my first Quidditch match, which I'm enjoying writing.
See ya next time!