Soldier
3091
A/N: We love treating goblins as if they are Ferengi. Maybe they are a sub-species?
Disclaimer: See Chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Chapter 18: Hate Your Neighbor
Harry walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts Classroom sighing inwardly. From what he could tell this year's class was going to be as bad as his second year, if the rumor mill was anything to go by. He'd heard other students talking about how all they did was read in class, there was no practical aspect to it.
His other classes didn't look like they'd be much better, after all, he already knew what they would be covering. With the instinctual method he had learned from his sensei, he no longer really needed incantations for his Wizarding magic. . .and a wand was more of a hindrance than a help.
Professor Flitwick, bouncing with excitement, cornered him after his first charms class to question him about his new ability. "Lord Potter, a minute? Where did you learn your wandless magic?"
"I acquired a sensei over the hols, Professor," Harry politely informed him. He went on to explain how he had mastered the Japanese style known as 'Kido', over the summer.
"I have heard of that art, Lord Potter," the diminutive professor commented thoughtfully. "It is not acknowledged, nor encouraged, here in the British Isles. Many here view soul magic as a 'dark art.' I would caution you to be careful in its use. And the wandless magic?"
Harry gave a slight nod. "Once I was able to find my magical core for Kido, and with intense practice, I discovered that Kido and my Wizarding magic were quite compatible. It wasn't much of a stretch to do wandless after that."
"Do you even have your wand with you?"
"Not really, sir. It's in my trunk."
Harry went on to explain that he and Voldemort have brother wands. Having a more direct connection to his magic would help against the Dark Lord, Harry hoped. "The next time I duel the Voldemort it will give me an advantage."
"Very well, Lord Potter," the Charms Professor chuckled. "If you want a chance to practice, feel free to knock on my door. I enjoy a good duel and look forward to seeing what you can do. Also, you have my word that I will not tell anyone about your use of this, Kido, especially not the Headmaster. Just be careful around him."
Harry smiled and bowed, before leaving.
As he entered the DADA classroom his pleasant mood vanished when he spotted the minister's lapdog. If her speech at the Welcoming Feast was any indication this class would be useless. Harry sighed. Yet another example of the headmaster's incompetent hiring practices.
When class started Harry ignored Umbridge's opening statements and silently pondered his next move. He refused to be talked down to and be treated like a clueless first year by an ignorant Ministry sycophant.
His account manager at Gringotts had been a font of information on her when it had been announced she would be the new DADA instructor.
"It is as we say Account Holder Potter, 'good customers are as rare as gold, treasure them,'*" Flintlock assured him, when Harry had stopped by just before catching the Hogwarts Express. "And you are a VERY good customer."
"As the Rules of Acquisition say," Harry had countered. "Know your enemies, but do business with them anyways.*"
"That is so true, Account Holder Potter," Flintlock affirmed, handing over the file on Dolores Umbridge, and a copy of the Hogwarts Charter, with a toothy grin. "You should've been a goblin!"
"High praise indeed," Harry said with a bow as he left the goblin's office with a parting shot, "There is profit to be gained for both of us."
Harry was brought back to the present as Umbridge passed out the books she and the Ministry chose, telling everyone to read the first chapter. He took one look at it and snorted. Useless trash, it was unfit for even the first years!
Harry stood abruptly and bowed to her. "Madam, may I ask a few questions on your course objectives?"
"Mr. Potter, you are to raise your hand if you have a question – and I have already told you what is to be expected from this class," she simpered. "Maybe you need to listen more carefully?"
"It is Lord Potter, madam," Harry informed her coldly. "And I would like to know your qualification to teach this class. Do you have a NEWT, or a mastery in Defense? Are you, or were you perhaps, an auror?"
"Mr. Potter, those questions do not have any bearing on this class," she sputtered angrily, her furious crimson face contrasting poorly with her pink attire.
"Yes, madam, they most certainly do! To teach a class you must first know more on the subject than your students. Since you refuse to answer, I must take it as a 'no' to all my questions." He gave her a quelling look before continuing. . .
"According to the charter, as well as the ruling from the Department of Magical Education, you must be officially certified in a subject to teach it. Your silence on the matter would indicate you are not. Therefore, Madam, if you will excuse me, I shall be leaving your class and seek self study until a more qualified instructor can be found." Harry calmly gathered up his belongs, placed the course book on his desk, and left.
"Mr. Potter! Come back here! Detention!"
Harry paused and looked over his shoulder before walking calmly out the door. He then made his way to Professor McGonagall's office.
"Mr. Potter, shouldn't you be in class?" she scolded as he walked into her office.
"It is Lord Potter, Madam and yes, I should indeed be in class. And so I would be if an actual 'class' was offered. I do not consider 'remedial reading' to be a Defense class," he said as he stood in front of her desk.
"That being the case, I wish to register a complaint. Madam Umbridge is not qualified to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. She refuses to actually instruct and simply requires us to waste our time in reading theory only – with no practical application permitted. I wish to inform you that unless something is done, I will be filing a formal complaint with the Board."
She scowled at him. "There is nae a thing tae be done. The Ministry placed her here."
"Would that be the same Ministry whose dishonorable leader I defeated in a duel yesterday?" he asked tartly.
"Well, yes."
"You do know that Umbridge violates the Charter of Hogwarts?" he asked, coldly.
"How so Mr. . . . Lord Potter?"
He gave her a look that would make Ichigo laugh. It was the same look his cousin would always give Urahara for being dense.
"Surely, Professor, as the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts, you are aware of the Hogwarts Charter? It states that all core classes must be taught by someone that has a either an Exceeds Expectations, an Outstanding in their NEWTs, or a Mastery in the field in which they are going to teach. Madam Umbridge has none of these qualifications. Neither is she a retired auror, or on medical leave from the corps. She is, in fact, grossly under-qualified and thus Hogwarts is in danger of losing its credibility as a premier learning institution, again."
"Well, I never. . ." she huffed, but before she could go into a full rant, Harry continued.
"Also, I will inform you that I will not be serving any detentions given by that woman, since she has no right to be teaching here. That is all," Harry gave a slight bow before turning to leave.
"Now just a minute! I've nae dismissed you Potter!"
Harry looked over his shoulder and gave her a cold stare, before he turned his back and left.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Of course, just before lunch, Harry was once more called up to the Headmaster's Office by Professor McGonagall.
"You will be accompanying me?" he asked.
"Yes, Mr. . . Lord Potter," the stern Scotswoman replied.
Already there waiting in the headmaster's office were Madam Umbridge and Severus Snape, along with the Headmaster himself.
"There's the little shite that walked out of my class and said I was unfit for teaching! I'll have you know I was appointed to teach here by the Minister himself," Umbridge said with a sniff of distain.
"Dolores Umbridge! Language!" McGonagall chided sternly.
Harry glanced coldly about the room, ignoring Umbridge for the moment. He wondered how he should play this. He had no friends, or allies in this office and he wasn't Ichigo, who would thumb his nose at everyone. No, he had to stay the course and draw on his training.
"The same dishonorable man that has been insulting the Ancient and Noble House of Potter all summer? The same one that showed himself a coward with his attempt to curse me when my back was turned after an honor duel? You do know that to accept the position of professor in a core class at Hogwarts you must fit the criteria demanded for said position, and not hold any active position within the ministry while teaching?"
Umbridge bristled at the insults to her dear Cornelius in Potter's words and his audacity for questioning her appointment. "And what of it? I have the Minister's complete confidence!"
"For whatever reason I am sure you do, Madam." Harry smirked. "However, Hogwarts, by allowing you to teach, loses its credibility, and along with it, its claim as a premier school for magic. The founders must be rolling in their graves at how low their beloved school has fallen."
"Harry, my boy, how do you know that?" the headmaster asked, stroking his long beard. "We have been looking for the Charter for decades. It has been lost to us."
"Guess you didn't check with the goblins? It would seem your search was neither determined nor thorough. And, for the last time, it is Lord Potter, Albus," Harry replied with a derogatory snort.
"MR. POTTER! Show some respect to your betters!" shouted Umbridge.
Harry ignored her by continuing. "According to the accord reached after the Goblin Rebellions of 1612, they hold all the original documents pertaining to Hogwarts as per the agreement to keep Hogwarts out of Ministry control, and for it to be a politically neutral place for students to learn.
"All you had to do was ask them for it. They will refuse, as per the agreement, to hand over the original, but a certified duplicate is easily available. I asked and received an official Gringotts' copy. It was very interesting reading."
"Those disgusting little cretins! Such important documents should be in the Ministry's keeping!" Umbridge shouted.
Severus Snape, who had been silent so far during the meeting, finally spoke, drawing Harry's attention. "Just like your arrogant father! Always showing off and demanding attention."
Harry turned to face the dour potions master, before he could say anything he heard Muramasa' voice speaking to him.
'Harry, there is an intrusion.'
'Deal with him, Muramasa. I trust you to give him the fright of his life. Make him very aware what will be his fate if he continues to invade my mind.'
'My pleasure Harry.'
Harry watched as the potions master went from gleeful to deathly pale in seconds. Harry knew his thoughts were well-protected now. Muramasa would never allow anyone to take over Harry's mind.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Severus Snape had been ordered to attend the meeting with Umbridge and Potter. It now appeared to his eyes that the spawn of James Potter was finally showing his true colors.
Potter had walked into the office as if he owned the world, smugly spouting some tripe about a charter. Everyone knows that the charter had been lost long before Dippet's time.
Potter's mind was as empty as he had always thought. . . Wait! What? An over-sized nursery for a mindscape? Who was he kidding?
"What is it with you imbecilic wizards?" came a very cultured voice. "Never mind, you don't belong here."
Severus turned to face a tall figure with teal-green eyes, dressed in white, and pointing a hand at him. This must be the entity that Albus came across when he'd tried to read Potter's mind before.
"Well, I am here now. How do you plan to stop me?" Severus challenged with a sneer as he poked around, looking for Potter's memories. Suddenly, he was seized by hands attached to threads and pulled to the middle of the over-sized room!
"Leave. You have no business here," the entity said as Severus felt more and more threads encircling him. "I will protect MY Harry. You and the old fool have caused him enough damage and hardship. Leave, or I will destroy you!"
Long finger nails were inches from the potions master's face but it was the dead, uncaring look in the entity's teal gaze that froze the wizard with fear. "Who. . what are . . . ?" He raised his wand to fire a spell
Suddenly, the threads were encircling his neck, squeezing the breath out of him! The spell he wanted to utter died unspoken, locked in his constricted throat.
Gasping for breath, he tried to fight off the threads, fingers scrabbling desperately at his throat, but couldn't. It felt like the life was being squeezed out of him but there was nothing tangible there!
He had not choice but to leave. If he stayed he knew he would die.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Harry gazed on unemotionally as the potions master came back to himself gasping desperately for breath and clawing at his neck. He held no sympathy for the dour professor who had made his time learning at Hogwarts a living hell.
"My secrets are my own," Harry said coldly. "Be warned: invading my mind again will result in your death. Insult me, or my family honor again, and face the consequences – even as Fudge did, to his dismay. I refuse to back down from a challenge ever again."
"Harry! My boy!" Dumbledore exclaimed.
"What IS he?" Snape gasped hoarsely, rubbing his neck to make sure the strangling strands were gone.
"A friend." Harry turned back to the discussion at hand. Muramasa was purring with contentment. 'Yes, Muramasa, you are forever my friend and I will protect you.'
'And I you, my Harry.'
"Madam." Harry's uncaring eyes gazed at the toad-like woman."I've already dealt with the Minister for spreading lies and insulting the good name of Potter. Do I need to do the same with you?"
He watched as she paled at the threat then turned red, which once again clashed with her sickening pink cardigan, as he continued. "Fudge is through as minister. After his cowardly attack on me at the end of the duel, he lost any chance of public approval and remaining minister. No matter what any of his 'patrons or their gold' say, the other pure-bloods, and ancient laws will not allow it."
Harry shot the offensive woman a cold look. "If you remain on your current course of action, you too will be finished in the ministry."
Umbridge snarled and pulled her wand. "I will have you arrested! As you should've been, for attacking the Minister of Magic!"
Harry raised his hand and said. "Madam, according to your own pure-blood laws, I, as the head of an Ancient and Noble House, have the right to defend the honor of my house against any and all of those that wish to defame it. That includes the Minister of Magic. The law is on my side."
"But you are a filthy half-blood!" she shouted at him, waving her wand.
With a long-suffering sigh one would use on a whining child, Harry slowly repeated, "The law is on my side, madam. I am Lord Harry James Potter, Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Potter. This ring makes my blood status immaterial."
"Harry, my boy, you could've waited to claim your titles. There was plenty of time," Albus Dumbledore chided gently.
Harry stood silent, a look of utter contempt on his face at the old man's refusal to address him correctly.
"There's still the matter of him leaving my class and the detention," Madam Umbridge said, smugly.
"I have no need for your class. I assure you I am perfectly capable of protecting myself. And I refuse to attend a detention with someone who holds no authority and who wishes me ill."
"You need your OWLS in defense," Professor McGonagall insisted. "If you want to be an auror."
"I will pass my OWLS Professor, with no problem. As for being an auror, that path no longer interests me," Harry told his head of house.
"As if the Ministry would hire Potter," Umbridge sniffed.
Harry then dropped the bombshell he had been planning to announce. "I won't become an auror as I won't be here after this year is over. I plan on creating a new life for myself elsewhere. I refuse to allow any more Potter blood to be spilled for this ungrateful country, and the ignorant sheep who follow a Judas goat," Harry sneered as he stared at the headmaster.
"Harry! You don't mean that!" Albus exclaimed as Professor McGonagall gasped in shock.
Snape and Umbridge appeared to be pleased with his announcement.
"If that is all, I would like to get a bite to eat before my next class," Harry said with a slight bow. "If you will excuse me." He turned and left the office, shutting the door quietly behind him.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Someone commented that we do an outtake of Flintlock offering up this copy of the RoA to Ragnok so it could become the new Goblin 'bible'. Frau and I will have to talk it over.
*Rules of Acquisition #57 and #177
Judas goat—The goat that leads sheep to be slaughtered, but is not slaughtered itself.