Soldier

Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames are not.

Chapter 22: Tons of Gold

The next few days leading up to Halloween found Harry spending all his free time with Professor Flitwick. It was like working with his teachers Shinji and Hachigen all over again. He'd finally found someone at Hogwarts that he trusted enough to share some of what had happened to him.

Luna would, from time to time, sit in on their lessons. She offered her quirky comments, which both Professor Flitwick and Harry enjoyed.

"So, by using this Kido, you've unlocked your own ability to use wandless magic? So interesting," Flitwick commented one evening as Harry was in a sparring session with Muramasa.

The zanpakuto spirit added another facet to the training that the Charms Professor enjoyed.

"Yes sir. My sensei, Hachigen, told me that my dependence on a wand was what was hindering my magic. According to him, we are born without a wand and we do instinctual, wandless magic as children.

"Kido works best when you use the longer incantations, but by applying my own type of magic to the Kido Forms, I find I don't need the incantations," Harry explained, swinging his zanpakuto at Muramasa, who countered the blow easily.

"And Harry's instincts are very well honed by the environment that he has been raised in," Muramasa added, as he pressed his attack while Harry responded with a swift parry. "Very good, Harry. You are improving."

"A wand's supposed to be a teaching tool, used by children to learn to focus their magic. But somewhere down the line wizards and witches became too dependent on them. In doing so they damaged the connection between their core and will, thus weakening their magic. I. Will. Not. Be. Weak!" Harry gritted out through clenched teeth as he surged forward to strike at Muramasa.

"I never thought you were, Lord Potter." The professor was very impressed by the strength his student displayed, both in swordsmanship and magic. He chuckled when he thought how everyone at Hogwarts was seriously underestimating the teen.

Luna giggled. "You were never weak Harry, just lost. Now you are found, and I really like this new you."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Hermione was a witch on a mission. She was looking for Harry, needed to speak with him. She knew he was the answer to their problem in DADA, and was still angry with him. How dare he disrespect the professor and ditch the class! She didn't care what his reasons were, Madam Umbridge was still a professor. Hermione Granger wasn't about to fail that course, and she was determined that Harry help her!

Hermione found Harry sitting in the library reading a dusty law book. Frowning, she stalked over to him.

"Harry?" Her strident whisper interrupted his peace.

He looked up at her. "Yes, Miss Granger?"

Hermione, now used to Harry's cold demeanor, even though it still hurt, sat down beside him. "Harry, we need your help. Please Harry. . . I need your help!"

"And what help do you need, Miss Granger?" he asked her, as he turned a page in his book.

"Harry, It's Hermione, remember? We're best friends!" she hissed at him.

Harry shook his head and closed his book. "No, Miss Granger. I thought we were friends, but you've chosen Dumbledore over your friendship with me. Friends help each other, friends give support and you weren't there when I needed a friend."

"But Harry! We . . .I need your help in DADA. Madam Umbridge isn't teaching us anything," she whined.

"And that's my fault how? I told you the first day she wasn't qualified. You should've left then. If you will excuse me?" He stood and turned to leave.

"But. . ."

"Find your own path, Miss Granger," he growled as he left the library. "As I have. And it isn't following blindly behind someone with my nose up his arse, someone who only cares about his own 'greater good'."

Hermione sputtered in anger, "How dare you...!" She wasn't about to give up. She wanted her friend back! Harry stood and strode from the table and the library.

Suddenly the chair where Harry had been sitting was filled with a petite blonde from Ravenclaw. "For being the so called 'smartest witch of our generation,' you sure are the densest," Luna stated in a sing-song voice.

Hermione scowled, staring at the strange sight in front of her. The blonde was wearing a pair of large, gold-speckled sunglasses with one lens blue and the other pink. Hermione wondered how the girl could even see through them.

"You've been warned time and again, Hermione Granger. Harry has been deeply hurt by your actions this last summer, and yet you don't listen," Luna said before pausing. "Wow! The wrackspurts really are buzzing around you! No wonder you haven't figured it out. Well got to go! I do hope there is pudding tonight."

Hermione sighed as she was once more sitting alone in the library. What the hell were wrackspurts!? But that line of thought wouldn't solve her current problem. She needed to pass DADA!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Cornelius Fudge was looking over the Wizengamot. He had been out of St. Mungos for a week and had spent a long time going over the duel in his mind. Potter must've cheated, he had to have! The boy wasn't that strong. Everyone said so.

Now the Wizengamot was gathering for a vote of no confidence, brought on by his embarrassing duel with the Potter heir. Couldn't they have waited a little longer?

"Well, let's get on with it," Lucius Malfoy snarled.

Cornelius certainly hoped that his benefactor could pull this off. After all, he'd been assured by the blonde Malfoy Lord that it wouldn't come to this.

However, the neutral and the Light factions were the ones now calling for him to step down. With the Ancient Laws working against him there was little he could do to prevent it.

Cornelius only wished they had waited a little longer.

0o0o0o0o0o0

Amelia Bones scowled as she called for order. She and Lord Greengrass were the ones spearheading this move.

According to the Ancient Laws, if a minister had been proven unfit, a vote of no confidence could be called. The loss of an honor duel fit that requirement. She made sure that Lord Potter received an invitation to this call to council. After all, it concerned him, too.

After being challenged to a duel, using a dishonorably cast spell, and losing in a public forum, the ancient laws were clear. Cornelius Fudge would now have to justify all of his actions and decisions.

As the last bang of her gavel echoed in the cavernous chamber, Harry Potter strolled in as if he didn't have a care in the world.

"What is the meaning of this?" Dolores Umbridge shrieked from her seat her toad-like face turning an uncomplimentary shade of red that clashed with her pink robes.

When she had heard that Cornelius was going to be subjected to this farce, this travesty of justice, she just had to attend! Amelia had hoped the woman would have remained at Hogwarts but . . .

Lord Potter glanced at the disgustingly pink clad, toad-like woman for a moment before walking down the steps to the podium where Madam Bones was standing.

Handing over a sheaf of parchment, Lord Potter said for all to hear. "I believe everything is in order, Madam. Since I claimed my inheritance this past summer, I have been busy with the goblins to unravel all of the dealings made illegally in my family's name since the death of my parents. I have just now been given the results of that investigation. I trust everything is in order?"

"Harry, my boy," came Albus' voice. Of course, the old fool had to stick his nose into this. "You really shouldn't be here. I am sure I can get someone to escort you back to Hogwarts. Come with me."

Amelia noted that the teen didn't answer the older wizard but continued to look at her. She could see the look of frustration and annoyance in his eyes. No teen should have such cold, dead eyes like that. 'Merlin. What could have possibly happened for him to look like that?' she wondered.

The older wizard moved to escort the teen out of the chamber only to be stopped by the cold indifference in his eyes before the youth deliberately turned his back to him.

Madam Bones' eyes widened in shock, as did every other pureblood's in the chamber. Harry's action had, in no uncertain terms, displayed his complete contempt for Albus Dumbledore in a way all of the old families recognized as a direct insult.

"Mr. Potter!" Dolores Umbridge demanded. "Show some respect for your betters. The headmaster spoke to you!"

The teen closed his eyes as if to count to ten. He then opened them to stare into Amelia's eyes. "Madam, I am Lord Harry James Potter, Head of an Ancient and Noble House. When the headmaster can address me by my correct title, I may answer him. I have no respect for someone that ignores common courtesy," came the answer. "If anyone finds fault with that, they can meet me in the dueling circle. And that includes the headmaster."

Shocked gasps echoed through the chamber.

"Harry, my boy. . ." came Albus' cajoling voice, only to stop as Harry glared coldly at him.

"Enough!" came Madam Bones' tart reply. "Everything is in order. Lord Potter is permitted to attend. As he was the one that brought Cornelius Fudge's cowardly actions to light I will recognize his claim."

"If I may, before we begin?" Harry asked still standing in front of her. "Why are we even here? I've proven my case, Cornelius Fudge is a coward and a fool. I informed him that Peter Pettigrew killed Cedric Diggory with the killing curse and that Lord Voldemort was back after the third task. Fudge proceeded to bury his head in the sand and began to tear down my own, and my family's honor. The headmaster, my supposed guardian, and all of the rest of you, stood by and allowed it.

"Only now do you stand here, ready to argue a vote of no-confidence? You are all pathetic. You 'want to have your cake and eat it too', as the muggles would say.

"Are not the Ancient Laws, upon which this government was founded, clear? Fudge is a corrupt coward with no honor. To keep him in office is a testament to how corrupt this whole governing body is."

Angry sputtering rose as Lord Potter spoke. Albus Dumbledore tried to stop the teen while Amelia could find no fault with Potter for speaking the truth. After all, he had borne the brunt of Fudge's snide attacks all summer.

"Case in point," Potter said, ignoring the headmaster standing beside him. "Minister Fudge sent his hatchet-witch, Dolores Umbridge, to Hogwarts. It is against the laws governing our world, and the Hogwarts Charter, for that woman to teach! She still holds the position of Under-secretary while also taking pay as a DADA professor. She holds no NEWT, or Mastery in Defense, nor is she trained as an Auror."

Amelia Bones' eyes grew wide. "Lord Potter are you sure about this?"

"Yes Madam," Harry assured her, holding up a Gringotts Stamped document. "Hogwarts is in danger of losing its claim as a premier school of magic. And Madam Umbridge was placed there illegally, by direct order of Cornelius Fudge himself."

An aged witch stood. "Lord Potter, I am Madam Longbottom. Am I hearing what I think I am hearing?"

"Yes, Madam," Harry answered, pulling out the textbook. "This is the book she is forcing us to read, with no practical applications allowed during class, or anywhere else for that matter." He handed it over to Madam Bones.

Taking the book, Amelia slammed it down onto the floor, glaring at the now white-faced, pink clad woman. "Madam Umbridge! Even I know that this book is nothing but useless drivel. Explain yourself!"

"The Minister said, and I agreed, that Dumbledore is training our youth to be his army so he might rule our world. If they know the theory, then the practical will not be necessary. That is what Aurors are for," Dolores' babyish voice filled the stunned chamber.

"And the fact that Aurors need an 'Outstanding' in their NEWTs, both theory and practical, means nothing to you?" harshly demanded Madam Longbottom. "And they need to know how a curse reacts to properly counter it."

"That is what the Auror Corp is for," came her strident answer.

"And if they don't get the 'Outstanding' needed to make it into the corp, then what?" asked someone in the chamber.

"Not my problem," Dolores scoffed. "It is their responsibility to learn, not mine."

"Oh but it is your problem," replied Madam Longbottom through tight lips. "Since you are currently supposed to be teaching DADA it is your sworn duty to teach what the students at Hogwarts need to be competent in DADA.

"All of the skills, practical and theoretical, must be taught to achieve the necessary OWLS and NEWTS in DADA for their chosen fields. And clearly, that is not your goal. Your goal seems to be to hamstring the Auror Corp, who is also always suffering from severe budget cuts."

"I've heard enough," said Lord Greengrass as he stood. "I vote that we oust the coward and his toady."

"I also vote no confidence and to fire his toady," agreed Madam Longbottom.

"Now wait just a moment. . ." Fudge shouted.

"You will be silent!" Madam Bones exclaimed as her gavel slammed down once more. "I too vote no confidence and to fire the toad."

When everyone had voted unanimously, Fudge found himself out of a job. Umbridge was also sacked at the same time from her positions as Under Secretary and DADA professor.

"As for you Madam Umbridge, you will leave Hogwarts immediately," Madam Bones told the toad-like woman. "I will be sending one of my aurors on medical leave, to finish out the year."

"You can't do that!" Umbridge shouted.

"I am afraid she can," Madam Longbottom said. "As a member of the School board, I will be calling a meeting to review your work since the beginning of the term. If we find it insufficient your salary will be reclaimed."

Madam Umbridge sputtered and sat back down, glaring hatefully at the young Potter heir.

Harry, who hadn't said a word during the voting, pulled out another sheaf of papers.

"Madam Bones, you might want to take a look at these," he said as well.

Puzzled, she started to leaf through what appeared to be magical photos and a letter as her eyebrows rose in shock. "Is this correct?"

"Yes, Madam, I only found out about it yesterday, after I found a first year muggle-born crying in the Gryffindor Common Room. He had been subjected to one of Madam Umbridge's so-called detentions."

"And how did you get these photos?" she asked.

"Dennis Creevy, a muggle-born Gryffindor fourth year and one of Umbridge's victims. After that I went to Madam Pomfrey to verify them. She's tried to bring it to the headmaster's attention, but he was unavailable and obviously uninterested in the welfare of your children. Professor Mcgonagall also wasn't very supportive." Harry shot the headmaster a quelling look.

"Madam Bones?" asked Madam Longbottom.

"Aurors, arrest Dolores Umbridge for using a class 2 dark artifact on minors. I will be speaking to the staff of Hogwarts about allowing that creature to harm their students." She, too, shot the headmaster a scornful look. He refused to meet her gaze.

As the aurors dragged the screaming and kicking toad woman out of the chamber, Amelia Bones spoke with a quivering voice. "She used a blood quill as punishment during her detentions."

Albus Dumbledore' face went ghastly pale as the chamber erupted in chaos. No one noticed as Lord Harry James Potter left the building.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0

If we are correct this is the last chapter we will see Hermione in. She wasn't really part of the main story line, just a filler. Sorry guys.

We don't hate Hermione. In fact, if you read our story: Quoth the Raven, she has a major part in it.

Thanks everyone for the reviews.

Until next time. – GF and The Frau