Soldier

A/N: Yes, Hermione is mentioned in this chapter but there will be no interaction with her.

R.I.P. Alan Rickman and David Bowie, your character portrayals have inspired us. Thank you.

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

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Chapter 26: All the Secrets

A week after Halloween, Harry was studying in the library with Luna when Professor McGonagall came looking for him.

"Lord Potter, the Headmaster informed me that you are carrying a sword. He wants it confiscated and turned over to him," she demanded tartly extending her hand.

Harry sighed. This was getting ridiculous. "Madam, as I have told him repeatedly, I do not carry a sword. And even if I did, I would still refuse to give the headmaster the time of day, let alone any weapon I might have."

How insulting! Muramasa was as many levels above a simple sword as a lion is above an alley cat. Besides, Muramasa has fully bonded with him and he refused to hand over part of his soul to anyone. Muramasa purred in the back of his mind as Harry refused to yield him to the professor's demands.

"Be that as it may, we canna allow students tae carry lethal weapons in tha school," she countered, once more holding out her hand imperiously. "I'm waiting Mr. Potter."

Harry stood, ignoring her out-stretched hand and looked her coldly in the eye. "Madam, every student in this school carries a lethal weapon. Including you and the rest of the staff here. As such I fail to see the reason for your demand."

"I beg your pardon? I most certainly do not carry a weapon!"

"Do you, or do you not, carry a wand, madam? Do you not teach spells and curses with them? And do not feed me that gibberish about the difference between 'light' and 'dark' magic.

"Surely you know that magic is all about intent? A light spell can do just as much harm as a dark one, if the intent to harm is there. Is not spell casting supposedly forbidden in the hallways for this reason? When you start demanding everyone turn in their wands, then I will think about it. And for the last time, I do not carry a sword!"

"I'll nae be lectured to by a student, Mr. Potter!" she snapped, her Scottish burr growing stronger with her anger at his defiance. "I am still waiting."

Harry gathered up the books and notes he'd been studying. "And wait you shall. I refuse to be bullied into trying to give up something I don't have, Madam!

"I shall say this only once: The headmaster is confused, possibly senile. I do NOT carry a sword. What I do have is a soul-bonded katana spirit. To allow it to be touched by any one that isn't his proper master is a deadly insult that will result in the offender's blood being shed. My honor would demand nothing less than for me to call blood feud on the fool, and meet them on the dueling platform. Good day Madam."

"I am not through with you Mr. Potter!" the professor called after him. "Detention! Fifty points from Gryffindor!"

Harry left the library with a dismissive wave, leaving behind dumbstruck students who had witnessed the confrontation.

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Albus Dumbledore frowned as he got Minerva's latest report. Harry still refused to turn over that damn sword! He couldn't deny that he was very curious and wanted to examine it. He had, after all, witnessed that orange-haired teen wield his huge blade with ease.

Albus was sure Harry's sword came from the same magical source. He needed to study it further, surely such a powerful sword would better serve in his hands in defense of the Light. However, not even the threat of expulsion could make Harry give it up it seemed.

Albus was now certain that those strange men were Japanese, and that caused him to frown even more.

Japan's magical community closely guarded its secrets. The magic they used was some of the most powerful and restricted he had heard of. If it wasn't permitted for outsiders, then how did Harry learn it?

The simple fact that Harry had friends, even claimed family, from that country was very troubling. They went against everything he, Albus Dumbledore, stood for. They gave no second chances. He had to stop Harry from learning more of their ways! Even Tom was afraid of Japanese magic when he was younger!

The orange-haired teen, Ichigo, if he recalled the name correctly, seemed very familiar with Harry, he'd even mentioned his family. How did Harry know them? How did he meet them?

Also, he was positive that Harry now had all three of the Deathly Hallows in his possession. He knew the moment that Harry had disarmed him in the Forbidden Forest that he'd lost the wand's allegiance.

Add to that Albus was almost positive that the ring that Harry had found was the Resurrection Stone. With the cloak Harry inherited from James, that made all three of the Hallows. He just had to make sure his assumptions were correct, they were far to powerful to be in the hands of a child.

With Sirius now re-instated as the new Lord Black, Harry was now free to live with the former Marauder. This just wouldn't do! Harry still needed the protections that those blood wards gave.

He needed to have Harry back under his control. It was the only way to keep the boy from going dark.

It was too bad that Harry had a 'falling out' with his little friends. Miss Granger had been a fount of information on what he was doing in the past. Mr. Weasley, however, was a lost cause. It was clear to Albus that Harry never truly forgave the younger Weasley for his betrayal last year.

What to do. What to do.

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By mid December Harry finally had enough of the spot light and Dumbledore's ridiculous campaigning. He couldn't wait to take his O.W.L.'s and be shut of this backwards country for good.

Hermione had finally stopped hounding him. With Umbridge now gone they had a decent instructor for DADA, and the need for a study group wasn't necessary.

Professor McGonagall was still peeved at Harry's blatant disrespect towards her and the Headmaster.

Then there was the fact that the Headmaster had seen what Harry could do with Muramasa. His continuing attempts to demand the teen's 'sword' met with failure. Harry refused, and the headmaster tried to bluff with threats of expulsion. The young lord just raised an eyebrow and walked away.

Not for the first time, Harry wished his zanpakuto could influence wands. Wands may choose the wizard, but other than that they had no life, no spirit.

All zanpakutos were born from the soul of their soul reaper however, and in a sense were alive. Not so with wands. Harry could only be thankful that Muramasa survived Kugo's death and now was a very intricate part of his soul.

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Harry entered the Great Hall at lunch time. Today was the last day of term before the Christmas Hols. The past two months had been brutal between the Headmaster's attempted manipulations and studying for his O.W.L.'s. Thankfully, after today, he could shake the dust of Hogwarts off his feet with no regrets. Today was the day he would sit for his O.W.L.'s, thanks to Professor Flitwick and Luna.

Professor Snape had become another professor to go to when life at Hogwarts became too much. Especially when Dumbledore tried to regain control of Harry yet again.

The dour professor, once he'd learned of Harry's plans, decided to help him with Potions. It was, after all, the best way to see him gone. And Snape had been shocked at just how much sheer ability Harry had hidden from them.

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On the legal front: Thanks to Madam Bones the trial of all the captured and surviving Death Eaters went smoothly. Sirius was finally freed when Peter Pettigrew was tried and confessed his part in the death of James and Lily Potter.

It had shocked many that the last Lord of the Blacks had never been given a trial, he'd not even been questioned as to his supposed crimes; so convinced by the leaders of the time was the public of the man's guilt.

Before Pettigrew's trial Harry gave Madam Bones a list of questions to ask the traitor. She'd been confused by some of them, but agreed to ask them.

They all made sense when it was revealed that it had been Peter who killed Cedric Diggory, and not Harry. Pettigrew's part in the resurrection of Lord Voldemort caused many to become ill. But for Harry, it was a huge weight lifted off his shoulders.

Lucius Malfoy could not get out of a trial this time. His prior defense of being Imperiused just didn't hold up. Madam Bones had a field day with his trial, and his confessed involvement in bribery and extortion within the Ministry. The blonde ponce wouldn't see daylight for a very long time.

Albus Dumbledore tried to halt the trials, but Madam Bones had been adamant. In the end, all the captured Death Eaters were sent to Azkaban for life, except for Pettigrew. He was promptly marched down to the Veil and tossed through.

Harry frowned as a screaming Peter was pushed through. It looked to him like the Veil was a shabby version of Urahara's gate to the Soul Society. Yet another thing he needed to report.

"Now I see why you wanted to kick that rat into hell," Madam Bones had said after it was all over.

"I wanted the truth to come out first."

"I see." And she did.

During the trials, and afterward, Albus Dumbledore tried to paint Harry Potter as the next Dark Lord. Many remembered the duel between the young Potter Lord and former Minister Fudge. No one wanted to get on the wrong side of that young wizard, so they remained neutral, much to the headmaster's frustration.

Harry had been called to many of the trials since he was the one of those that helped captured them. He during that time he became friends with the neutrals, like Lord Greengrass, Madam Zabini and Madam Longbottom.

In doing so Harry was proving that he was no longer Dumbledore's man. Given the fact that the old wizard was campaigning to have Harry's emancipation revoked, it was to his advantage to garner allies among the Wizengamot members.

Surprisingly, Neville was Harry's go-to person for the Wizarding World pure-blood factions. He had been raised on Wizarding politics by his grandmother and Harry found his peer's advice to be spot on when dealing with the trials.

Lord Potter was repeatedly asked about his foreign allies who disappeared after Halloween night. Many wondered why they didn't remain for the trials?

"They're part of a para-military force that deals with people who upset the Balance of Life and Death," was his terse reply. "They were only here to help me take down Riddle, and didn't care what happened to his followers. According to their laws they can't interfere in the legalities, it is for the Wizarding Courts to decide upon the Death Eaters fates."

Harry refused to say more on the topic.

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Finally.

Harry was glad that the Christmas Hols had arrived. With all the trials, and summons' from the Wizengamot, he had been absent a lot from Hogwarts. However, he did manage to turn in all of his homework in a timely manner. If his grades were anything to go by he would be fighting Miss Granger for the top spot in their year. As if he really cared; after the Christmas hols, he would shake the English dust off his feet and never look back.

As Harry stepped into Ministry Atrium he was met by Sirus and Remus, as well as Ichigo in human form and Kisuke Urahara dressed in his green shop keeper outfit including clogs and that striped bucket hat.

"Geta Boshi! What are you doing here?" Harry asked in Japanese, surprised to see the man.

Urahara gave his cheesy grin and threw an arm around Harry. "We are here to see your Madam Bones," he replied in perfect English. "Seems the Soul Society has taken an interest in the British Wizarding World and they are not liking what they are discovering."

Ichigo gave a snort. "Che! That's an understatement," he said in heavily accented English.

"I have exams that will take most of the morning. Do you need me for anything?" Harry asked, switching back to English as he brushed off Urahara's arm. "Like a better translation spell?"

"Not really. We will be in meetings as well. Good luck on your exams," Urahara said raising his fan to his face. "We will be just fine."

"Don't worry Harry, we'll be with him," Sirius said as Remus nodded, ignoring the stares.

Now that he was free to walk openly around the Ministry, Sirius was enjoying making everyone uncomfortable with his presence. From the looks he was still getting, many were still wary of the Head of the Ancient and Noble House of Black.

"Oi. What Geta Boshi means is he's going to go all mad scientist on them," Ichigo smirked, giving Harry a thumb's up. "Good Luck Runt!"

"Come find us when you break for lunch and we'll tell you what we've been up to," Sirius said as an auror came to take the four of them to meet with the head of the DMLE.

The exams were as hard as their acronym implied. Harry was able to finish two before lunch – transfiguration and charms. After lunch was DADA. The next day he was going to take Runes and Arithmancy in the morning, to see if he could pass them, and potions in the afternoon. He'd been reading and doing the end of chapter tests since fourth year after he figured out that Dumbledore didn't want him to do well on his own.

Later Harry met up with Ichigo and Urahara for lunch in Madam Bones' office. The atmosphere in the office was very tense when Harry entered. He wonder just what in Merlin's name was going on this time!

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For those that think this story is winding down, rest assured, there are about 6 chapters waiting for Frau's TLC. This story is far from finished.

Until Next Time – GF and The Frau