Soldier
A/N: As promised the second part of Fudge's down fall. Also GF has over 30 chapters written. All they need is Frau's TLC and they will be posted. We thought that you might appreciate the heads up.
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not. See below the list of Kido spells used.
Chapter 14: Justified, part 2
"We shall see, won't we?" Harry answered, not taking his eyes off his opponent. "Well? Your answer?"
Fudge nodded, as he realized the same thing. "I . . .accept . . . uh where do we uh when . . . ?" The poor man looked like he wanted to be anywhere but in front of the intense young man, and the mob of reporters.
"Here and now," Harry announced forcefully. "We wouldn't want the media to get the impression that you are a spineless wonder, especially after all the bragging you've done over the summer. Would we?"
The rotund minister sputtered in denial as the reporters covering the press conference were busily taking notes on everything that was happening.
Cornelius Fudge knew that if he didn't do something, and fast, his name would be dragged through the mud just as he had done to the Potter brat since the Third Task. To refuse an honor duel would have all of the pure-bloods turn against him. He wished Lucius was here to advise him and stand as his second.
This teen before him wasn't the same tired, beat down brat from the night he returned from the Third Task spouting nonsense about He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named's return. The little shite now looked every inch a Lord of an Ancient and Noble House. How did this happen? Lucius promised him that the impudent brat wouldn't be a problem to keep subdued.
Turning to Madam Bones, he gave her a pitiful look. "D..do we really have to do this? Can't we settle this in my office?" he hissed sotto voce at her.
"Man up," she snapped as she directed the aurors to clear a space on the platform behind them. She took out her wand and enlarged it to the official size of a wizard dueling arena, and placed safety barriers.
Reporters started to shout question after question as the announcer from the Wizard Wireless began his blow-by- blow commentary.
Lord Potter calmly walked up the steps to the enlarged platform and gave a slight bow to Madam Bones.
"If you don't mind Madam, I would like you to referee the duel. I've already asked Lord Greengrass to be my second, which is why he is here. I need to know who Mr. Fudge wants as his second?" the young lord quietly asked.
Cornelius sputtered. Second? Second?! Was this really happening?! He looked over the platform and the crowd before him. There was no one he really wanted to ask present. Lucius had bowed out of today's conference citing a business meeting, so he was out. Dolores Umbridge, his faithful Under Secretary, was at Hogwarts. Then Fudge's eyes landed on one of the aurors that routinely accompanied him as a bodyguard.
"You, what's your name? Never mind, you'll do as my second," he said, pointing to the auror. After all, aurors were trained to duel, weren't they?
"Uh John Dawlish, sir," Dawlish replied, clearly not wanting to be involved. He looked over at his boss who gave a curt nod. "Of course, Minister."
"Do it, so we can get this over with," she commanded in a whisper, pulling out her wand. "I've set the shields."
"If you allow me, Madam," Lord Potter said. He clapped his hands together and spoke loudly, in Japanese: "Bakudo #81: Danku Splitting Void!"*
A golden rectangle of light immediately formed around the platform, encasing everyone standing on it. "This shield is strong enough to take anything short of the killing curse and not fail," Harry assured.
Cornelius' eyes grew wide. Potter had just performed wandless magic? And in a language that wasn't Latin? According to Lucius, Potter didn't have that kind of training or strength.
Madam Bones tested the shield with a spell only to have it absorbed and not change strength of the golden barrier. "I don't know what spell you used, but it's very impressive, Lord Potter. I don't think I could've raised one stronger."
"Is . . . is . . . this even legal, Amelia?" Cornelius asked in a quavering voice, only to be ignored. When did he lose control to an arrogant teen?
"Don't worry about those outside, they can hear everything just fine," the Potter brat assured them with a smirk. "And they will be safe for the duel."
The reporters all gasped as they silently watched the unfolding events. Only the Wireless reporter spoke as he began his running commentary.
She motioned everyone on the platform to stand in their proper positions. "Very well, we shall begin. Bow to your opponent."
"As I have no respect for you, I will allow you the first spell, Mr. Fudge," the brat declared, with a slight incline of his head, refusing to honor him with a full bow.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Harry knew he was showing off but he didn't really care. Ichigo would have his hide for the showboating. However, he was going to make the Wizarding World aware he was no longer their door mat.
'Ready Muramasa?' he asked his inner spirit.
"Yes, Harry. I am. You know what to do.'
Fudge fired off a cutting curse followed by a blasting hex and in Harry's opinion, weak ones at that.
Harry crouched, allowing both spells to sail over him and disintegrate into the shield while he placed one hand down on the platform in an athlete's ready pose. He raised the other straight out.
"In the stillness of the night, comes a sound, whisper Muramasa!" Harry intoned in Japanese. A flash of light and a long unsheathed katana formed in his hand, as both spells soared over him.
A gasp echoed through the atrium as Harry straightened, raising Muramasa's katana form horizontally in front of him, with his free hand, palm out, against the flat of the blade.
"Potter! What are you doing!?" shouted Fudge. He backed away in fear.
"Threads, Muramasa!" Harry hissed in Japanese.
Fudge's eyes grew wide with fear as he tried to fight off the unseen spell. "Wh. . .what's happening? I can't move!"
Since almost none in the Wizarding World, through lack of training, had spiritual awareness, no one saw the threads. Even Ichigo had a hard time seeing the threads that sprang forth from Muramasa. They could only be seen in a reflective surface, and there wasn't any near the platform.
Harry smirked as more and more threads engulfed the cowering figure. "How does it feel Minister, to be helpless? To know there is nothing you can do?"
Fudge looked liked he was being squeezed to death. He couldn't even move. Madam Bones was not sure what was going on, but she could feel the magic rolling off of the teen and the fear radiating off the minister. A strong odor of urine now permeated the air and it was clear that the minister was gasping for air.
"I, Lord Harry James Potter," Harry spoke clearly so all could hear, "did not lie the night of the Third Task. Cedric Diggory and I were kidnapped – by port-key – to a graveyard where Peter Pettigrew, the true betrayer of the Potters, was waiting. There he used the Killing Curse to murder Cedric Diggory. He used my blood, and his own hand, to perform a dark ritual and bring back to life Tom Marvolo Riddle, also known as Lord Voldemort, to corporeal form. So do I swear.
"I informed you that night in front of witnesses, only to be dismissed as a 'attention seeking brat'! Your exact words were: 'He can't be back, he just can't!' So do I swear on my magic what I said that night was the truth! Voldemort Is Back! So mote it be!" There was a flash of magic. "And now that I am of age I shall have satisfaction for all of the attacks on my honor, my family name and my life!"
Harry brought down his sword and slashed Fudge on the cheek. Blood started to flow down the minister's cheek. "Release him, Muramasa. He was out matched before we even started."
Fudge toppled over suddenly when the threads released him. He lay gasping for air as blood from the wound on his cheek ran down his face.
Harry moved in with one more spell. "Hado #4: Byakyrai!" he intoned pointing a finger at Fudge's quivering body.
A beam of light shot out of Harry's hand, piercing Fudge's shoulder. Blood flew out Fudge's back as a bleeding hole appeared where Harry had pointed. "You are finished. My honor is now satisfied. The next time, you spew lies about me, you will die."
Fudge struggled to his knees, panting in pain. "Potter! I'll see you in Azkaban for this! You're through!"
Harry turned his back on the bleeding minister as he raised his free hand to the shield dissolving it at his touch.
"Cornelius! No!" shouted Madam Bones.
"Reducto!"
'Well if that's how he wants to play it. . . .'
Harry, who had been expecting a cowardly attack the moment his back was turned, deflected the curse with a slash of his katana. The curse hit the last of the fading shield wall, missing everyone in the audience.
Whirling about as he brought up his sword Harry swung, and in one clean slash, sheared Fudge's wand hand cleanly from his wrist. Fudge screamed as he fell to his knees, clutching the bleeding stump.
Standing over the fallen man, Harry spoke. "Your dishonor and cowardly action has just cost you. All that you own, all that you claim as yours, is now mine. I claim this by right of conquest. So mote it be and so is it witnessed by those here present."
Lord Harry Potter walked through the reporters as they silently parted for him. "You now have your story, I suggest you print it truthfully or you will have to deal with me!"
Before anyone could say another word, he step-flashed away.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Sirius and Remus had been listening to the news on the wireless. They couldn't believe what Harry had done! Harry had promised them he knew what he was doing and he had. He'd just brought down Fudge's administration!
"Lord Potter has just left the ministry. He looked like he just Apparated, but folks, I have never seen Apparation like that before!" The WWN commentator babbled. "It was completely soundless! I repeat, Minister Fudge has been severely injured in a duel with Lord Harry James Potter.
"He also swore, in a magical vow, that late war hero Peter Pettigrew was not only alive, but was the true betrayer of the Potters. . . Lord Potter also swore that Pettigrew used a dark ritual to bring He-Must-Not-Be- Named back to life! He then went on to tell us he had spoken the truth when Fudge had questioned him after the third task of the tournament, but was ignored. And you, listeners, heard it here first. . .!"
Sirius looked to Remus. "He. . . He did it! Harry honestly won a duel and didn't even use his wand. Just like he said he would."
"Lord Greengrass, what are your thoughts on this?" came the reporter's voice.
Another voice came through, "I had no clue what was going to happen. I was invited to the press conference by Lord Potter. He informed me he was preparing to challenge Fudge to a duel to regain his honor, said he needed someone neutral to second him. I must say, I was very impressed. He did what he had set out to do and showed that Cornelius Fudge is unfit to be minister. He had four months to verify facts from that night, but instead slandered a fourteen year old child. If you would excuse me?"
"There you have it, folks. Looks like Madam Bones has everything under control.
"Minister of Magic Fudge is now being carried away on a stretcher. Wait, now the Unspeakables have arrived! They are taking samples of the strange magic that Lord Potter used. As far as we can tell, it doesn't look like dark magic. We reporters are being asked to clear the area for their investigation.
I will now turn you back to our station and its regularly scheduled program. . . "
Remus turned to Sirius as he flipped off the wireless. "I'll probably be called for an Order meeting soon."
"I know," Sirius said with a smirk. The floo went off and Harry walked in. The teen stood proudly in front of the fireplace as he used a spell to clean off his robes, wipe the blade he carried, and the blood stains off his face and hands.
"Well, the first part of my plan is complete," Harry said as he sat at the kitchen table with the pair. "Next step is to clear your name, Sirius, and it should be much easier after the vow I took today."
"But how did you do it?" Remus asked.
Harry smiled. "Kido, or in English: Demon Arts. It is also known as soul magic."
"But but. . .there is no such thing. . . how do you. . ?"
"I had good teachers while I was away," Harry said with a shrug, shrugging off his Byakuya persona. "I'm hungry; anything to eat around here?"
Sirius looked over at Remus, who looked back. "He's hungry. After all that. . . "
Harry smiled. "What!? When I trained with Ichigo and the Visords we always ate after a heavy training session. I didn't even work up a sweat dealing with Fudge."
The trio chuckled as they sat around the table with tea and sandwiches to discuss their next move.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
*According to Bleach canon, this spell has no incantation but Byakuya used it in Bleach Manga 302, page 7
Hado #4: Byakyrai! – Bleach manga 165, page 11-12
A/N: Using these two spells were a bit of an over kill but Harry was making a point. He was tired of people thinking he was a push over.
What shocked us was one reviewer had the scenario almost spot on. Amazing. Thanks for all of the positive feedback.
Until next time. – GF and The Frau