Soldier
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not.
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Chapter 15: Interlude 2
It was the first day of classes and Albus Dumbledore was still nowhere near figuring out what happened to Harry Potter this past summer. 'The lad had outright refused to meet with him last night! Didn't the fool boy understand that he had a right, as his magical guardian, to know what the lad had been up to all summer? And one way, or the other he fully intended to find out.'
And now Minerva had the gall to inform him that Harry had left the castle for the day?! Didn't either of them know the danger that faced the lad? He couldn't keep Harry safe if the blasted boy insisted on running round England and not telling anyone where he was going.
The floo flared and one of his Order member's voice came through. "Headmaster? Headmaster! You need to turn on the wireless. Now! Potter's at the Ministry and he's challenged Fudge to an honor duel."
"What!?" Albus shouted, overturning his chair in his haste to turn on the wireless by his desk.
". . . That's right folks. Harry Potter, the boy that our esteemed Minister has been publicly slandering all year, has challenged Cornelius Fudge to a duel of honor. A glowing shield that we have never seen before has just been raised around the dueling platform and the duel is about to start. . ."
Albus groaned. "Harry, my boy, just what have you gotten yourself into this time?"
He debated with himself about rushing to the Ministry. The duel undoubtedly wouldn't last long enough for him to stop it, and the old families present probably wouldn't let him even if he tried. With a frustrated sigh he righted his chair and slumped back into it as he listened to the commentator give a blow-by-blow description of the clash. 'Why Harry? Why are you doing this?'
He closed his eyes as he pictured the duel in his mind. 'Just where did Harry learn such magic?! Wandless magic's near impossible, especially for someone as young as Harry. Where did I go wrong? Is Harry going dark?'
". . . Minister Fudge is down! I repeat, Cornelius Fudge is down! Lord Potter has won the duel against the Minister using wandless magic! As we have reported all summer, the then Mr. Potter, who the Ministry always claimed had won the Tri-Wizarding tournament by cheating. . . has shown today that he is a very powerful wizard. I repeat, Lord Potter has used wandless magic against Minister Fudge.. .! "
Albus buried his face in his hands in frustration. 'Where had Harry learned this? What am I going to do now?'
". . . I don't believe it! Cornelius Fudge, in a cowardly attack, has just sent a curse at Lord Potter's back! I repeat, it was a desperate, heinous act to send a curse at Lord Potter when his back was turned," the announcer spat irately.
"As you know, the Minister has been maliciously attacking Lord Potter all . . ."
In the background there were cries of shock, anger and disbelief echoing.
"Wait! Lord Potter has swung his strange sword and the curse to his back has been sent to the fading shield as he cuts off Cornelius' wand hand in one fell swoop. . . Blood is going everywhere! I repeat. . . Lord Potter has cut off the minister's wand hand!"
Someone moaned in the distance. "I'm goin' t'be sick. . ."
Albus groaned. 'Why Harry? Why?'
Continuing on in the background, the headmaster could hear people groaning and screaming. There would be no saving Harry now. In Albus' mind he had taken his first steps down a very dark path.
The announcer's voice sounded queasy and ragged. ". . . There is blood shooting everywhere from the Minister's arm! Madam Bones is now firing a spell on his severed limb to stop the Minister from bleeding out. I repeat Cornelius Fudge is down. Cornelius Fudge has lost the duel!. . ."
"So much blood. . ." the announcer croaked and then was silent as the sound of someone vomiting came over the wireless.
Minerva entered the office along with several other members of the staff. "Albus what is going on? Is what the students are saying true? Potter is in a duel at the Ministry?"
The wireless crackled again, interrupting her questions as the announcer finished his commentary in a hoarse, strained voice. "Lord Potter is leaving the Ministry, I repeat, Lord Potter is leaving the Ministry. Let's see if we can get a statement from some of the witnesses of this monumental occasion.. ."
Albus turned off the wireless and looked at the those gathering in his office. "Sadly, it is true. If you will excuse me, I am needed at the Ministry. Minerva, if Harry returns, please bring him to my office. Do. Not. Take. No. For an answer. I have been too lenient with that boy."
"Albus, be careful," Minerva advised cautiously. "Mr. Potter has changed over the summer, and if his recent behavior is any indication, he no longer holds you in high very esteem."
"I know, Minerva, I know," the elderly headmaster sighed. "Call a meeting for later this evening." He pulled down the jar of floo powder and tossed some into the fireplace. "Atrium, Ministery of Magic."
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Severus Snape, sat in the staff room listening to the duel between the Minister and Potter. When he had first heard of it from his students, he had scoffed in disbelief. However, now. . .
'How did Potter get so powerful?' He had seen the brat at the Welcoming Feast, looking all posh, with that scarf and those things in his hair. At first he couldn't wait to get 'Lord Potter' in his classroom, to poke fun at him. But now, perhaps not. After all, discretion is the better part of valor.
He was sure those items held some sort of strange religious meaning. He shuddered to think what the Dark Lord do when he found out about this.
Suddenly, his left arm holding the dark mark started to burn.
He turned to leave and saw the shocked face of the newest professor at Hogwarts, Dolores Umbridge. The woman stared at the radio in abject horror. He wondered if Potter was going to target the ugly woman next. Couldn't happen to a nicer toad.
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Indeed, Dolores was staring at the wireless in horror. That half-blood brat had defeated her dear, dear Cornelius in a duel?! The brat had dared humiliate her beloved minister in front of everyone?!
This wasn't right! The brat was only a filthy half-blood, he was in every way inferior to a pure-blood like her dear Cornelius. She once again wondered how the disgusting brat had managed to evade the two dementors she sent last summer. Well, she would have her answers, and soon, very soon.
Potter would pay for what he did to her Cornelius, once she had him in her class. She swore it, as a malicious, reptilian grin crossed her face.
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A snake-liked man sat listening to the Wireless. He was listening gleefully to Fudge's speech as he once again decried Potter. Such arrogance! He was most pleased that the bumbling fool was unknowingly aiding his glorious cause for him.
However, all that changed when Potter challenged the bumbling fool to an ancient pure blood rite: a wizard's duel of honor! The Potter he'd faced at his rebirth was a child, and a coward incapable of dueling properly. In his opinion the boy was incapable of dueling a toadstool.
Then, as the blow-by-blow account of the duel continued, his eyes grew wide with shock. Not only did the brat win the duel, but he fatally wounded the fool Minister – with a sword?! Unheard of! Who had been teaching the boy?
He must do something. Someone is going to pay for failing to keep him informed!
"Wormtail, ssshow yourssself!" He hissed in fury.
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Lucius Malfoy, tall, blonde, aristocratic, stood before his master, the Dark Lord, trembling. That fool Fudge! The one day he left him alone, this happens!
'What am I going to do now? The Dark Lord will surely blame me for this mess. Why did I leave that fool alone today? How did Potter get so strong? Who taught him?'
Like his master, he sorely needed more information.
"Wormtail. . .!" called the Dark Lord, breaking into Lucius' musings.
The dark mark on his arm started to heat up as he watched the Dark Lord call for a meeting. He dreaded the outcome.
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Hermione Granger sat in the Gryffindor Common room listening to the wireless. Classes had been canceled when those who had a free first hour reported that Harry was dueling the Minister. How could Harry be so foolish? He couldn't possibly win against an adult wizard, could he?
Ron was playing chess with Seamus. Neither were really listening to the wireless. Both had taken bets on how soon Harry would lose the duel and then returned to their chess game.
"Harrikin's won!" Fred shouted with joy, bouncing around and shooting off sparkles from his wand. "Ol' Fudge's down for the count!"
Many of the younger Gryffindors left the Common Room with their hands over their mouths. They looked a bit green as the sounds of vomiting over the Wireless. Their very active imaginations spurred on by the vivid descriptions the Wireless was reporting.
Hermione ignored the noise of celebration and gagging around her. Harry won! He beat a grown wizard! Granted Fudge was a weak wizard, but still. . .
She was beginning to realize just what she'd lost. Harry no longer trusted her. He hadn't confided in her about his plans and he didn't seem to need her help anymore.
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Draco Malfoy listened to the wireless until Potter had walked out of the Ministry Atrium. He shuddered at the thought of how powerful his nemesis had gotten since they first met.
Many of his fellow Slytherins were a mixture of ghastly pale and nauseous green from the description the wireless was putting out. The older students were silent as they contemplated the new power rising in the Wizarding World.
The blonde fifth year remembered looking for scar-head on the Express yesterday, but couldn't find him. He so wanted to rub in the fact that he was now a prefect and Harry Potter, golden boy of Gryffindor, wasn't. He was now glad he hadn't succeeded.
The Potter that appeared at the Welcoming Feast, and the Potter that left the Leaving Feast last year, were two different persons.
The Potter of the Welcoming Feast was cold and aloof. He wondered if playing his little games with Potter would still be worth it?
'Oh Merlin, yes, but carefully, very carefully.'
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In Japan, a shopkeeper turned off the British Wizarding Wireless and chuckled. Several others had been listening with him.
"Way to go, Harry-kun!" Kisuke Urahara cackled, tapping his fan against his chin.
"Alright!" Ichgio shouted, punching the air. "I knew the runt would win!"
"Hari-bo did good," Yoruichi agreed as she toasted the air with her cup of tea.
Urahara's phone went off. "Moshi, moshi* . . Oh Harry-kun. . . Yes, we heard. . . You did good, my friend . . . Ah, I see . . . Yes, I'll tell them. . ."
Urahara ended the conversation. "Harry-kun said to thank everyone for his training but the duel was too easy, as he knew it would be."
"Che! Of course it was too easy," Ichigo scoffed. "Now he has to deal with the fallout. That's the hard part."
"Well Bya-bo did trained him and Harry-kun took it to heart. It was watching a younger Bya-bo," Yoruichi commented with a grin as Ichigo rolled his eyes and gave a snort.
Urahara turned serious, as he said, "Harry-kun said that he found another soul fragment and will be sending it on to Hell once he gets someplace safer, more private, than where he was."
Everyone around the small table shuddered and winced. Opening Hell's Gate was not for the faint of heart.
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Moshi moshi – is the phrase you use when you answer the phone in Japan. Yes, we know we got it wrong a few chapters back. This time, we hope we got it right.
Yoruichi trained Byakuya Kuchiki as a teen in the art of flash-step. She gave him the nick-name 'Bya-bo' which he hated.
For those that thought Harry should've used the incantations in his fight with Fudge, our question is why? Harry has been training in magic since he was 11. With the blocks gone and now has a feel on what his magic is like, he is just applying his earlier training to Kido. At least this is how we see it, and we stand on our right to use poetic license to make the two canons fit.
Until next time. – GF and The Frau