Walking out still in a daze, Harry surveyed the plain terrain around him. It was simple, devoid of objects to hide behind or use as cover. Littered with small rocks that would be suitable for transfiguration and some shrubbery.

The higher end of the stands was occupied by Tanya, Dimitrious, and Elder Merigold, while Harry's fan club, the soldiers, hollered obscenities from the lower end.

"Come on, little prince, fuck him up."

"Show no mercy to this arrogant bastard."

"Shove your wand up his asshole and burn him from the inside."

Harry paused at that, looking incredulously at the soldier who had shouted the obscenity. It seemed like he was the only one who heard it, seeing the grinning soldier shoot him a thumbs up. Shaking his head in disbelief, Harry focused on his opponent in front of him and entered the zone.

"Human, this is the one and only warning I'll give you. I'm Arnold, considered the number one genius in Elthuria. You have no hope," boasted a confident Arnold.

But Harry was in the zone. The only thing he could see was his opponent. His mind was formulating, theorizing. He saw multiple ways to win, but almost all of them involved his fire, something he wanted to keep to himself. No doubt Dimitrius had expected him to end this with his fire. After all, he had only been training with magic for one year, compared to Arnold who had been learning since he was seven—a six-year gap in experience.

If the bout had the prerequisite of making him stand still while they traded spells, he would lose almost instantly, but luckily fights were more than just the magic you knew.

A gong sounded, and Harry moved. He was instantly on Arnold, his wand slashing down. "Reducto," intoned Harry as Arnold hastily conjured a weak shield, which the Reducto broke, striking him. Credit where it's due, he managed to shield himself from Harry's subsequent spells, even as he scowled, taking the fight seriously now.

"Flipendo, Reducto, Reducto, Diffindo," chanted Harry in quick succession, chaining spells together with ease, keeping Arnold on the back foot.

Arnold gritted his teeth, Shit he thought, this kid's seriously fucking fast for a mere human to move so fast, He's not giving me any time! with no time to counter or cast a stronger shield. All he could do was shield himself.

'I refuse to let it go on like this," an angered Arnold muttered to himself, risking his body he decided to take a spell.

"Reducto," he cast in front of Harry, disrupting his spell flow, even as he took a Diffindo to his shoulder. However, that moment of respite was enough for Arnold as he transfigured a small rock into several birds, all intent on poking Harry's eye out.

Harry jumped backwards, giving himself some space, even as he picked out the birds with a widespread "Incendio."

Seems he's more than just talk, Harry mused even as the birds where instantly replaced by a pack of cats nimbly jumping towards him, replacing the burning birds. However Harry saw an opportunity, the cats were transfigured quickly, and Arnold had made a mistake, they where too predatory, leaving gaps as he acted with cat like grace himself weaving through the cats while transfiguring a piece of rubble into two dogs who swiftly engaged the cats, leaving Harry to face Arnold yet again.

Arnold cast spells in quick succession, forcing Harry to weave through them and return cover fire without much difficulty, at least initially. "You can't keep this up Human," he taunted.

Harry scowled, knowing he was right, there was less and less time to dodge the spells and Harry could feel them coming closer and Finally, the Elthurian connected with a powerful Bombarda, flinging Harry back, even as he took out the remaining transfigured dog coming towards him, having won the cat-dog fight.

Harry ignored the rapidly forming bruise as he noticed Arnold finish his transfiguration, A rhino came charging towards him and Harry was slightly worried, he's transfigured it perfectly, one hit and I'm out he thought.

Harry avoided the rhino with ease, but he was incapable of transfiguring anything that could match the rhino quickly even as Arnold made his move laughing, "where's the bravado now little Human?"

Harry was forced to defend a bone breaker and then slid under the rhino, using the rhino as temporary cover, he launched a blasting curse back at Arnold, who batted it aside with ease, Fuck that's going to hurt thought Harry, even as he adjusted his body as the charging rhino came back, giving him a glancing but painful blow.

Harry was thrown him backwards, winding him, and instantly forcing him on the defensive as Spells started pelting his hastily put-together shields, some making it past it but missing him by skin of his nails.

Grunting Harry decided to take care of the rhino, throwing up a smoke charm, Harry felt the rumbles of the rhino as it moved towards him with the smoke obscuring everyone's vision, I didn't want to use this but this fucker's way too advanced for a 14 year old he pondered, tracking the rhino with ease through the smoke he shrouded his hand in fire, meeting the rhino's head which melted as if it was made of butter as Harry's his hand cleaved through the top of the rhino even as he flipped on top, all the while maintaining his fire,

All that was left of the rhino was a dead carcass, igniting it would be suspicious, no normal fire should be that hot, so Harry split open the ground with a deprimo and shuffled sand over it with a flick of his wand.

Harry then looked on slightly amused as a spell sputtered against the ground to his left, Arnold had been firing blindly knowing one spell would have been enough, unknowing Harry could see the spells perfectly, tilting his head slightly he dodged the first on-target one with an amused smirk.

But Harry's smirk dropped as he analyzed the situation, I'm tired, at least physically, he had been weaving in and out while Arnold had remained mostly stationary even as he analyzed the situation, so let's shake things up thought Harry with a smirk.

Arnold was annoyed, somehow he had buried Arnold's rhino and avoided every spell he sent at the now almost cleared-up smoke, but he knew the human was tiring, He can't keep this up for long rationalized Arnold, waiting to seize an opportunity

"Your little human's in trouble, Princess," smirked smugly Elder Merigold.

"Words are cheap, Elder," agitated Tanya, confident in Harry's abilities.

"He has exceeded my expectations by far," mused Dimitrious.

Confusion ran through the Elder's mind as he wondered, "His expectations have been exceeded! Did he not want the boy to win?!"

Aware that Arnold was prepared for any sudden moves, Harry decided to switch things up. While his skill might be lacking, power was something he had in abundance, and power was what he needed. Crouching down, he lightly touched the ground with his wand.

The result was anything but light, as the ground erupted, pieces of earth shooting out in random directions with Harry in the center, crouched down. Arnold shielded himself easily, wondering about his opponent's strategy. Only some of the rocks were launched in his vicinity. It became clear as Harry stood up and conjured up smoke from his wand. When it cleared, he had vanished.

The terrain wasn't to Harry's advantage, making it a head-to-head fight, but now, craters and large pieces of rubble served as cover.

Arnold scowled, realizing that the revealing charm, hominium revelio, would not help him with spectators in such close proximity. In front of him and to his sides, he was effectively blind. He couldn't maintain a strong enough shield while casting to block the human's attack if he guessed wrong, Ratty human bastard he cursed in his mind keenly surveying the battlefield.

The seconds ticked on, a terrifying turn of events. The roles envisioned were switched in an instant— the presumed hunter became the hunted. His enemy had eyes on him while he was a sitting duck the moment he dropped the shield. In frustration, he shouted, "As expected of a human, to resort to such underhanded methods. I can't say I'm surprised."

Harry barely even registered his words as he waited to pounce, looking for any signs of weakness while he pondered something more important, What's for lunch, I haven't eaten after training and I'm famished while stroking his chin.

"He's resorted to baiting, not looking so good, is he, Elder Merigold?" Tanya cruelly rubbed it in.

Elder Merigold gritted his teeth at the slight, eyes blazing with fury. "The human is more impressive than I imagined. However, if he thinks that this is enough, he's in for a rude awakening. ARNOLD, DO NOT HOLD BACK, OUR HONOR IS ON THE LINE," he shouted with finality.

Back in the field, Arnold glared. "To think YOU would force me into this. I'll admit you're worthy of being treated as more than a pest, similar to a cockroach if I do say so myself. So be it."

Arnold maintained his shield, simultaneously casting with visible strain on his face. The air turned colder as Arnold slammed his wand into the ground with a yell.

The ground erupted, ice furiously sprang from it in all directions, rapidly reaching a height of 10 meters. The ice had sharp and jagged ends, a menacing display of magical power. If anyone had been beneath it, they would have met a grisly fate.

The soldiers, for once, fell silent, confronted by the terrifying display of ice that could easily have killed them without a chance to react. There seemed to be some substance to Arnold's claims, evident as he lay panting on the ground, the spell having drained him.

Elder Merigold, visibly relieved, mumbled, "It's over."

Arnold, however, began laughing hysterically between breaths. "Well, Princess, there's not much your little human could do against overwhelming might."

Tanya raised a brow, smirking. She pointed above him, and to his shock, there was Harry, looking down at Arnold coldly. Before Arnold could react, Harry dropped down and smashed his foot into the stomach of the unprepared Elthurian.

Harry was annoyed, he had to use his fire to shield himself from the ice, fortunately, he was in a crater, so the puddle he left behind would be unseen by the elder, but it still rankled him to have been forced to use his fire but it was over and his eyes developed a sinister tinge as he looked down at the shaking body. You won't get away I swear it Harry promised in his mind.

Arnold dropped his wand as he rolled on the floor in pain, Harry put a stop to it as he placed his foot on the back of Arnold's head and looked directly at the Elder, "Bring me the truth potion," he demanded of the soldiers keeping his eyes on Elder Merigold.

Even being so far from the boy, shivers still went down the Elders spine as he looked into the boy's eyes, they sent shivers down his spine and put him on edge, something that he found absurd, HE was pressured by a mere human, while what he has shown is impressive, it's nothing that should alarm me, is it possible he is more than what he has shown, that's impossible he shrugged it off even as he made his way down towards Arnold's prone body with a sense of dread.

The soldier brought him the Truth Potion, and everyone gathered around Arnold.
"My Lord if you would?" Harry asked formally presenting the potion to Lord Dimitrious.

Harry had been smart and patient, instead of shoving it down his throat himself, he gave it to the king, whose veracity could not be doubted by a mere Elder.

"Certainly," Dimitrious stepped forward and administered the potion to Arnold, who panicked and looked at his grandfather, who could only look away, Dimitrious poured the potion down his throat, causing his eyes to go glassy.

"Now I will ask the control questions."

"What is your full name?"

"Arnold Armanim Merigold"

"How old are you?"

"17."

"So, his age was lied about, so much for the young Prodigy," muttered a solider from behind them, leading to a cacophony of whispers.

Dimitrious raised his eyebrow at the Elder, who coughed, it had been a marketing ploy to bring attraction to their family, but now it was backfiring.

Dimitrious gestured for Harry to continue, who gladly did.

Harry looked at Elder Merigold, he stared him directly in his eyes, he hadn't switched off, his killing intent spiked, and the Elder panicked, thinking he was going to be attacked and made to defend himself.

However it stopped just as quickly as it had spiked leaving a puzzled Elder, he had led armies and slain powerful sorcerers, he wasn't the strongest but to feel pressure from a human boy who had been training for less than a year for a second time troubled him, no surely he wasn't holding back? but that would be the least of his concerns as Harry asked his question.

"How many times have you committed the act of Rape?"

A gasp went up from the soldier, and a look of dread overcame the Elder, now clearly seeing the intentions of Tanya and Dimitrious, this was planned well in advance, they anticipated that the human would, they planned this! realized Elder Merigold, but he was helpless as Arnold answered

"3."

This time a hiss of anger went up in the air, Harry's killing intent spiked again, but this time it stayed there like an oppressive fog, in the magical world, rape was considered one of the most heinous sins, reviled more than murder, as it was often perceived as an attack on Magic itself, to desecrate one of its wielders in that fashion.

"Who did you rape and how?" Tanya questioned, displaying no emotions.

Arnold listed off three names and spoke of his methods.

"The imperious curse, I often lured them in, by pretending to be amazed by their talents, then used the Imperious curse and then obliviated them." The boy said dreamily dead the world not realizing what would happen to him.

Tanya's magic let loose, even as she went still, his methods would have caused lasting damage, and the girls would wonder why they flinched away from every touch and shied away from intimate acts for the rest of their lives, HOW DARE HE! an enraged Tanya thought in her mind, but her voice was even as she asked,

"How did you cover these acts?" almost as if the magic weighing down on everyone wasn't hers.

However, before he could answer, Elder Merigold who had taken up a position next to his Grandson slit his neck, killing his own grandson to the shock of everyone there.

Elder Merigold bowed towards the king, it was shallow and belied his true feelings, Elder Merigold was angry that he'd been forced to execute his grandson, Arnold was talented and a big loss, but the family comes first even though his marketable aspect would be missed.

"I'm sorry my lord his actions made me very ashamed, and I couldn't contain myself, I will compensate the victims myself, I am truly ashamed that he committed these actions right under me.

Tanya saw through his and words instantly, Anger clouded her mind as the magic picked up, she looked at Elder Merigold, who let the slightest of smirks peek through, intentionally provoking the princess, if she attacked him, he could come away with something, come on little princess attack me he sneered in his mind.

He succeeded in lighting the fuse as Tanya let her magic go in his direction, or she would have if Harry hadn't pulled her into him the moment before she let go.

As Tanya heaved in anger into his chest, he looked at the Elder, this time no killing intent was let off, but those eyes were intense, as if promising him something.

"See you later," were Harry's parting words as he guided a distraught Tanya away from Dimitrious and the Elder.

"There will be a full investigation into his actions, decreed Dimitrious.

"My Lord, surely me taking my own grandson's life is enough, do not bring more shame to the Merigold line than we have already endured today!" blustered Elder Merigold.

Dimitrious was angry, very angry and he let it be known. "There is no guarantee he had no accomplices, I refuse to let something like this happen again in my kingdom, by dawn the newspapers will know, and I will take care of the three victims, not the perpetrator's grandfather, is that clear Rial." Forgoing the title was a clear indicator that he King was at his limit.

Elder Merigold bowed, even as he seethed on the inside "Very clear my Liege, if you will grant me my leave," walking out immediately.

Hours later, a figure could be seen entering his mansion. Frightened servants moved out as a scowling Elder Merigold stormed into his study, his son entering moments later, "Father, what happened? Where's Arnold?"

Elder Merigold roared with rage at the reminder of what happened, banging his fists onto the table. He glowered before finally decreeing, "Tell the Eizinburn's they have a deal. The royal family will burn.

"But father, they ask for the Princess in return!"

Elder Merigold snorted, "So be it."

Harry took any angry Tanya inside to her bedroom, opening her door he took her inside and sat her down, holding her hands, at times like these it was best to let Tanya speak first, that was something Harry had picked up on,

And sure enough his patience paid dividend.

"When I was younger, I was disconnected from my emotions, so I was treated as as sociopath, my bloodline purity was very high, so the Elders wanted me to be married off as soon as I turned 9, we hit puberty much earlier although we end it around the same time as full humans do."

Tanya paused, looking down at their interlocked hands, she continued on, "I didn't really care who I married then, until well I met you, and I started to feel, you know, it was different, I felt like all the years before you were, well obsolete."

Tanya paused again, sipping some water on her bedside table before reaching for his hand again grasping it tightly she continued on, "But some elders, they wanted me to be breeding stock, I was so angry, It's the first time I felt emotion I think and I remember just blanking out, all I could feel was anger, to think they'd dare suggest that.

When I came to, the room was in tatters, with my emotions, my power went berserk and I killed the elder that brought it up, the elders were enraged, They demanded I be restrained, that I was out of control.

Harry was furious, but didn't let it show only squeezing her hand tighter even as he promised he would find out who would dare suggest something like that, I'll ask Senka, they might have to let slide but I don't.

My mother instantly killed another elder, he was one of the ones who came up with the idea, she was furious, so very furious, she warned them that If any mention of me came out of their mouths, she would kill them and their entire bloodline.

I think that's when I started to feel, the tiniest glimmers of annoyance, anger and sadness, but nothing more, Mother and Father started to worry, I was only capable of feeling negativity.

She looked into his eyes," But then I was in a cave, I wasn't scared, I didn't care if I died, but then I saw you It's like someone poured color into my world when you came into it and I felt worried, I felt sad that you where sad, it was overwhelming and my whole life came crashing back to me,

I felt awkward around my parents, I felt like I had met them for the first time once I saw them again, running towards me, and it's all thanks to you Harry, Tanya poured her heart out to Harry ending it why a beautiful smile.

Harry knew she had changed after meeting him, but not how much she had changed, it was a revelation that elated him, I didn't know that I meant so much to her, he thought suprised.

So Harry kissed her, it was an innocent peck, he was 11 and his hormones hadn't kicked in yet, but Tanya's had.

She turned beet red even as he held her face, looking directly at her, much to his enjoyment, her face started to resemble a tomato as he maintained eye contact, not letting her hide away.

Tanya's heart was thumping, if it thumped any harder, well you get the picture.

Harry then being Harry, bopped her on the nose and started laughing hysterically, he didn't realize the danger he put himself in as when he turned to look at her, wiping the tears from her eyes, he found Tanya's face expressionless with her eyes wide open staring at him.

It was creepy and Harry found his laughter dying down, "Aaa Tanya, you okay."

She didn't reply staring him down, causing him to back away in apprehension, she had not enjoyed his prank, had she.

I think I've messed up he thought rather rhetorically.

She pounced on him, "You're dead Harry."

Harry yelped as she grabbed him and shocked him wandlessly, a benefit of her unique bloodline, but all Harry cared about now as getting out of her hold as he turned to grab her with a roar and they tumbled on the bed.

For the first time in a while, they got to act their age as the laughed, yelped and inflicted as much pain as they could, at least in Tanya's case

Once they had both calmed down and lay on the bed exhausted, Harry decided it was his turn to share.

"I was at the orphanage as long as I could remember you know, It was a christian orphanage, and I had the devil's hair color you know, children are stupid and once they silently shaved my head at night, I woke up a couple of ours later to go to the washroom, only to find I had no hair."

Tanya squeezed Harry's hand, he wasn't vain but it was obvious that he was proud of his hair, yet children were cruel, it didn't matter to them, how dare they she thought, wishing she could get her hands on those children.

Harry shot her a smile and picked up where he left off, "I was upset, so upset, see no matter how much the other children hated it, I liked my hair, it grew back instantly and I thanked God for it and went back to sleep.

The next morning when the children saw I grew my hair back, they were convinced I was the second coming of the Devil himself, Lucifer they called me, kind of ironic considering this."

Harry had conjured fire on one of his hands, the flames flickering, Tanya was mesmerized, his flames were destructive and dangerous but there was no denying they where beautiful, I could look at them for hours.

They had initially been similar to what a normal incendio would have looked like but they had changed, taking on a mixture of green, red and blue and the colors interchanged with each other as warmth seemed to envelope both of them.

Maintaining the fire Harry continued on, "You know I tried to convince them that it was Gods gift for me, but they didn't believe me, instead they roped an older boy in, who to put it politely, made Shrek look like a princess."

Tanya, was angry, but now wasn't the right time, instead she felt for Harry, he was strong, so very strong but it was the sad reality that the strongest of people were the ones with saddest of stories.

"Was it bad?"

Harry smiled ruefully at Tanya playing with the fire, making it dance and twirl before answering, "It was worse."

"You don't have to talk about it."

"No I think I need to, these things fester Tanya, it causes trauma, that's expressed differently, some people become cold and uncaring, some people become meek and anxious, I react a bit differently but I guess its to be expected, I've never been the most normal.

"They tried to exorcise the "demons" within me, yet it only led to something worse."

Tanya hesitated, it sounded horrible, but he said he had to get this off his chest, "what do you mean?"

They found a "priest" who duped the stupid idiots into thinking he had seen case similar to mine, so they knock me out from behind so I can't defend myself and lay me in my bed, two hours after bed time they take me to the "priest's".

A horrified silence set in before Tanya opened her mouth, "They weren't priests where they?"

Harry chuckled morbidly, "Human traffickers and rapists, I woke up only to find the three corpses of the boys in front of me, bleeding from their privates, there were three men looking at me, amused in their sick fantasies of what they'd do, I blanked out, only to wake up an hour later with three more corpses around me, I changed I was so angry, angry at the world, angry for what I'd seen."

Tanya was shocked as for the first time in her life tears threatened to enter her eyes, but she blinked them back, the last thing he needs is pity thought Tanya.

"That anger festers inside of me, but it's you Tanya, when I'm with you its put out, it becomes a remnant of itself." Harry said with a small smile directed towards Tanya.

"Was it Ilya before me?" Tanya questioned but instantly winced, The fire in Harry's hand stopped dancing and she mentally kicked herself, Oh no she thought to herself horrified he had bared his heart out to her and her response was shameful.

She was jealous, it was irrational but she hated that even a year later he would sometimes look forlorn, as if he was reminiscing the past and in that moment the words had just escaped.

"I think I need to finish up my training a bit more today Tanya, excuse me." Harry got up, his face unreadable and moved towards the door.

"Wait Harry I'm-" But Harry had already left without a backwards glance and Tanya knew she had messed up, as she lay back in bed and placed her face in her hands and groaned.

They where close spending every day together, but it was obvious Harry had his demons, and she knew he had demons, she gave him his space and it worked he opened up and she had let her jealousy get the best of her.

"I'm such a stupid idiot aren't I?!" muttered Tanya self-deprecatingly

Tanya's mother, Senka walked in on this fascinating sight, well at least for her. "Well it's not often I find my daughter so unaware of her surroundings, even rarer to find her worrying about a mistake she made, am I right to assume a certain maroon haired boy wonder is at the root of your problems?"

Tanya barely acknowledged her words, muttering, "Mother not right now, I'm in no mood for your teasing."

Senka, didn't respond instead she sat down next to Tanya silently, staring at her daughter whimsically.

Senka didn't show it often but she loved Tanya more than anything in this world, it took all her self-restraint to not neuter anyone who suggested Tanya be married off, and she had facilitated the collapse and executions of the Elders who had dared suggested Tanya be treated as living stock.

"Do you know Tanya, your father wasn't the man I was to be married to."

This had the effect of breaking Tanya's self reprimandation. she looked up at her mother confused, her mother and father where the two most harmonious individuals she had seen in her entire life, wait they weren't originally going to be together! to presume that she would be with anyone else was inconceivable.

"In fact, your father was someone who really got on my nerves, we fought all the time, every time we met, so much so it developed into a habit, my father was the one to see it first, he was kind but callous and he ripped the band aid off, He told me that I loved him and the throne had no place for a fool ruled with emotion."

Tanya was enraptured, her parents story wasn't as smooth sailing as she imagined. "Then what did you do?"

The regret Senka even after all this time was apparent, "I avoided him till the wedding ceremony, the days seemed to meld together, When you fall in Love, you want to be with the person, you want to talk to him, laugh with him, just have him around you, but I made my way through it."

Senka's expression grew fond "I had never realized how powerless the emotion made me, but it was only when I saw him at the wedding ceremony, with the whole nation watching the crown princess, I denied Anton and said I couldn't do this and walked away."

Tanya was floored, her mother had seemed so poised and perfect, it sounded like something out of a novel, to think that mother and father went through all that. "How did Grandfather react?"

"He was relieved, the old codger wanted me to end the wedding, the fool even admitted he had played matchmaker, putting me and your father in close proximity while accepting Anton's family's proposal to help me develop my character."

"Your father was a scheming old man wasn't he darling." chimed in Dimitrious from the doorway.

"He would have loved you though Tanya, you resemble him so much, I can picture it, if anyone upset you, he would have wiped them out without a second though," An amused Dimitrious thought out loud.

Senka smiled, it was a forlorn one. "That is one thing we can agree on, he was so very excited at the thought of grandchildren."

"What happened to him?" asked a now curious Tanya, to leave such a strong impression on Elthurians wasn't easy particularly the king and the queen.

He was ambushed, the story is long and something Harry must listen to as well, he slayed them all, but they managed to poison him with a rufereous miscreant, a type of poisonous flower that takes centuries to grow, it has no cure and even he succumbed to it, though it took the poison more than a year, a year which he decided to relax and enjoy life and of course torture his only daughter under the guise of training.

Dimitrious shuddered, "Suffice to say when the Elder's tried to exert their influence after he passed, they more than met their match, in the form of your mother, but lets come back to the object of your frustrations my little one."

Tanya groaned at the reminder. "I messed up."

Senka smiled at the display, she's come a long way to think her kidnapping turned out to be a blessing in disguise! she thought to herself.

Dimitrious's mouth quirked up at the display, "You know, while I'm sad about what the boy went through, I wouldn't change a thing, I would never have imagined a year ago, I would see my daughter pour her emotions out to her parents about a boy!"

"Shut up, that's not important, Harry's mad at me!"

"One track mind this one," muttered Senka sharing a helpless look with Dimitrious.

Senka held her back, her expression serious for once, "Tanya, Harry is dear to you, the dearest much to the consternation of your father and you are still re-connecting with your emotions, angry he might be, but he will understand, better than anyone else will.

Tanya took her mother's words in, and gave her a rare smile, "I'm going to meet him now," she declared with a note of finality, daring anyone to dissuade her.

Senka smiled mischievously but before she could speak-

"BOOM" an explosion sounded out with a loud "CRASH" right after, they were under attack.

AN: Consider fav/fol to show your support :)