Chapter 6: Part 2 of the Trial: Forcing their hands. Fight or Flight?
Dumbledore could only stare at the child who was supposed to be his champion for the Light. His weapon against Voldemort. To utterly rebuff him. He did not know what Harry was planning but was sure he wouldn't like it, forcing him to reassess his plans.
"As the Lord and Head of the House of Potter, I hereby remove Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore as my family's proxy," declaring in a cold voice. He looked him directly in the eyes as everyone in the chamber stared with rapt attention. "Our charter stipulates that only family can sit on the Wizengamot, and you have no business using our votes for your own gain."
"Lord Potter, please see reason," Albus pleaded using his innocent grandfather persona. "Your late father, James Potter, granted me permission to be your House's proxy, and it's only due to my station that the dark forces are on the losing side. I know you, and I have had our differences, but please consider the consequences. The balance of power will shift irrevocably, and we could lose everything."
The occupants shifted their gaze to Hadrian, who narrowed his eyes. "How long did you spend working on that speech? It is well-known that you cover up your words to suit your goals. My late father may have granted you the proxy position, but that was only temporary and would've ended once he died. That was fourteen years ago, meaning the agreement has expired, meaning you abused my House votes. So, we can settle this two ways. You can leave of your own accord and spare yourself the humiliation or continue to fight for the right to remain as my proxy? Should you choose the latter, then be prepared to deal with the Houses from the different factions. The choice is yours."
Dumbledore was in a real bind. He knew of the original agreement with James and that it had expired, but how did Harry know? This could likely be the end of him as he'd use his position as the Potter's proxy to gain allies. Crucial allies that would prove beneficial for the conflict with Voldemort. If Harry removed them, Voldemort would do his best to maneuver them to his side. However, if he didn't relinquish control, then the different factions of the Wizengamot would tear him apart.
With a deep sigh bowed his head and removed himself from the seat. Thankfully, he still had his Order of Merlin First class, which allowed him to sit on the Wizengamot.
Hearing someone clear their throat, the occupants resumed with Griselda leading. "Lord Potter, since you have removed Mr. Dumbledore, you will need to assign someone new. Is there anyone you wish to take the responsibilities of being your proxy?"
Grunting in response, "the responsibility shall fall to Andromeda Melanie Tonks nee Black. She is licensed, has the experience, and my full support. Mrs. Tonks if you please," gesturing for his cousin to take the seat, which she happily did.
Harry shifted his gaze to an unhappy Dumbledore. If the old man didn't like the stunt he pulled, he would surely hate the next two. "Furthermore, all of the business deals, allies gained, and votes Dumbledore has made will be subject to evaluation after our business has been concluded after today's proceedings. Now, it's time to deal with those who have no business being here."
Turning to Lord Nott and his friends. All of them sported looks of anger and rage on their faces, something Harry returned. "Someone really should have done this a long time ago. There's nowhere to run or hide now, and with Fudge unable to protect you, idiots, nothing is stopping me from doing this…" the chamber soon began trembling as the chamber started shaking. Several of the Lords, Ladies, and department Heads looked uncomfortable.
"By the magic of Great Britain and Ireland, I, Lord Hadrian James Potter of the Most Ancient and Noble Houses of Potter, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin, hereby summon the magic of our sovereign land to pronounce divine judgment of Lords Parkinson, Nott, Carrow, Goyle, Crabbe, Selwyn, and Yaxley."
"Uh-oh, not good," Dumbledore mentally groaned as he had an idea of what Harry was doing. The magic of Britain and Ireland suddenly enveloped in white light as dozens of gold balls of pure magic emerged from the ground and floated in the air. They soon started singing some kind of melody. Meanwhile, Griselda also started glowing, but with a silver aura around her.
She then spoke in a different yet powerful voice that sent shivers down everybody's spines. "I am the essence of the magic that runs through this country. Who dares summon me?"
"That would be me," Harry stepped forward. "My name is Hadrian James Potter, and I summoned you to judge these men," pointing to the people still enveloped in magic. "They have committed treason against the magical world by slaughtering an unknown number of men, women, and children. Have lied, cheated, and worse of all, have threatened the balance of our world by following Lord Voldemort, aka Tom Marvolo Riddle. Yet, by using their vast fortunes, they could avoid imprisonment and the consequences of their actions. As a loyal son of the magical world and Great Britain, I humbly ask you to decide their fates. What say you?"
The balls' gold light shined bright as if they were thinking. Finally, after a long pause, the verdict was presented. "In the name of magical Britain, I find the seven of you… Guilty!"
Carrow and his friends immediately glowed red.
"You all are sentenced to death by Contingent X," she looked at them before turning to Hadrian. "Name the time and place?"
"The open plain of Kolyma mountain between Kamchatka Krai, Magadan Oblast, Chukotka of the Far East at 5:30 p.m. their time."
The magic through Marchbanks thought for a minute, "the challenge has been made and the location accepted." She then looked at the Lords who had been challenged. "Do the seven of you agree to this challenge?"
"This is ludicrous," Corban Yaxley shouted. "I don't know what kind of game Potter is playing—"
"If any of you refuse, then your lives are forfeit," the speaker said, immediately shutting Corban up.
Harry soon glared at them, "you bastards disgust me. There is nowhere else to run as you have incurred the wrath of my Houses and have upset the delicate balance of our world. Failure to comply will result in severe consequences that will be too great for any of you to overcome. I even have a list of all the illegal activities, items, everything your families have done." Removing seven large folders from his watch, "these were a fascinating read that will result in the extinction of your Houses. Refuse to fight, and you all die, and this information will show up on the doorstep of the ICW and every magical government you have ever crossed. So what's it going to be? Fight or Flight?"
Lucius could only sigh in defeat as there was nothing he could do to get them out of this situation. He warned them to leave the boy alone, but they refused to listen. If he were to interfere, then the magic of the chamber would perceive this as an insult and kill him. That was the least of his problems, as the Dark Lord would be most angry about this latest development.
Looking at the others who were huddled together trying to discuss the situation. Then finally, after a couple of minutes, Theodore stood up, "we accept. If you want a fight, then we'll give you one. This law allowed to bring a hundred and forty-five people as backup."
"So long as it is no innocents and who have pledged their loyalties to the death eaters. They also cannot be imperiused or claim to be under its influence," Harry replied.
"Fine, the fourteenth of September. Name the terms."
"No spell limitations. Anything can be used. Meaning any weapons we might bring, and the battle will only end when everyone from the opposing side is dead."
"What will the prizes be?" Parkinson demanded.
Harry thought for a minute, then responded, "everything the Potter family has. The money, houses, jewelry, businesses, everything. However, if I win, Yaxley and Selwyn will hand over everything their families own to me, where they will be liquidated into monetary value. Likewise, Nott, Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, and the Carrows will hand over everything save for one house."
That shocked everyone as they stared with wide eyes at both the terms and prizes either side could possibly gain. One thing was for sure, though, this battle will be one for the history books with so much on the line.
"Agreed," said all the glowing lords.
"Agreed," Harry also said.
"The challenge has been made and accepted," Griselda grunted. Then with a final surge of magic, all the members who were to battle glowed bright white, signaling that they had to duel. Finally, the orbs vanished, and Madam Marchbanks regained control of herself. "Now, with that out of the way, we must contact the magical governments in Russia to let them know of the situation."
As she announced the end of the day's session, Harry and the people he called out stared angrily at one another. Meanwhile, Lucius seemed quite shaken as he gripped his cane and almost dashed out the doors. This is what he wanted. The best way to defeat your enemies was to unbalance and hit them where it hurt the most. In this case, their bank accounts. Forcing them to make a decision was required for his latest plans. During the first war, Voldemort had a substantial amount of funding and resources at his disposal, courtesy of the people who decided to follow him.
Removing some of the members from his inner circle and cutting off any potential resources will be a huge blow to him. No way in hell would he play this by Tom's rules. For years he had studied the art of war. Worked to perfect it by studying his opponents' histories and philosophies. Both Dumbledore and Riddle were obstacles that needed to be removed. However, going directly after them was foolhardy; they had to be weakened before striking the final blow. Exiting the room with his family and Mrs. Schwarber, they went to the elevator and rode it up to the atrium.
"Remember you have a press conference once we get to the atrium," she whispered, to which he nodded.
"This was a waste of time if you ask me."
"On that, we agree."
Arriving at the top, reporters immediately hounded them, all wanting to ask different questions. Part of Harry wished they would simply go away as he felt that tonight would be a headache. Swallowing his tongue in a moment of satisfaction, one of the benefits of having reporters from the Daily Prophet here is that he would be able to speak his mind. Coming closer to the fountain, he dropped a couple of galleons into the water and turned around to see multiple flashes of light.
"All right, I'll take a few questions," his voice was calm and cool.
A female reporter soon came into view. "Mr. Potter," she began, "Tanya Jackson from the Daily Prophet. What are your thoughts regarding the trial?"
"Well, at least you're not that ugly cow Skeeter," he joked, causing some of the other reporters to snicker. "But, honestly, the trial was a waste of time. The Minister's foolish attempt to discredit me with his little smear campaign was a foolish mistake and setting me up. The man is an idiot and should never be allowed to have the position. A position he has abused on many occasions."
"You refer to your trial," she replied. "Why do you think he would go through so much trouble to have you before the Wizengamot? What do you intend to do about the Dementors that attacked you?"
"I don't pretend to know what goes on in his mind but can say that this is the work of his friends," narrowing his eyes. "Without them, Fudge would be nothing, something that he obviously knows. The man is firmly in their pocket and will do anything they say as long as he can get more gold and maintain his reputation. As for the Dementors? He has until the ninth of September to get me some answers before I get involved."
"In your opinion, how would you describe the Ministry of magic?" Another reporter spoke.
"Full of corruption," he replied in a cool voice. "Evidence by the current members of the office of Minister of Magic. An example would be Percy Weasley as he attempted to meddle in the affairs of an Ancient House. The useless secretary is nothing save for a traitor who abandoned his family. He should consider what I did to him very lenient as part of me wanted to kill him. If I find he had anything to do with my family being attacked, he will not survive long enough to regret it. As for Fudge, I suggest the citizens of Britain take a closer look into his dealings."
"Do you think the Minister is hiding something?"
Giving her a look that said are you stupid, "he's a politician, and like several others, they only care about furthering their own agendas. I'm not saying all politicians are bad, but those like him should be watched."
Someone else approached, "what if something happens to the people from the Minister's office? Will you provide them with any assistance if they are attacked?"
"No, what those three idiots decide to do with their lives will be their problems. I couldn't care less should they die as they did it to themselves. As long as I walk this earth, neither Fudge, Weasley, or Umbridge will ever have my allegiance."
"Lord Potter, many of us are dying to know your thoughts regarding the return of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Do you think what Albus Dumbledore says about him being back is true?"
"I will neither confirm nor deny anything about Voldemort's return," the reporters and cameramen gasped. Continuing, "however, that is not the point. Whether he's back or not is irrelevant, as the Ministry has failed to recapture his followers. Who, I might add, are extremely dangerous and should not be taken lightly. Despite Fudge's claims about doing anything about them is nothing short of a lie."
"What makes you say that?" A person on the far left asked. "Do you not believe the Aurors are capable of handling them?"
Harry merely snorted, "please, a majority of the Aurors here are weak and lazy. Most of which would rather sit on their arses and eat jelly donuts. Though, I cannot blame either the Head Auror or the Director of Law Enforcement as there is only a limited amount of things they can do with the number of people they have. To quote a former professor, they and everyone else should exercise "constant vigilance"."
He spent the next thirty minutes answering questions regarding his thoughts about the Ministry, the current Aurors, the departments, his upcoming duel against the other Lords, and what he intended to do with the money if he won. But, of course, he refused to answer some of them.
(0^0)
The lives of Dudley Dursley and his friends could best be described in a few words: painful, miserable, and full of fear. Their lives went from prosperous to disastrous; the chief from the Scotland Yard and some of his men came to arrest them. They've received reports detailing their reprehensible activities, both big and small offenses. Naturally, their guardians tried arguing against the crimes but were rebuffed as there were a handful of people who filed complaints against the boys. Marge Dursley, Dudley's legal guardian, tried using all her connections to get her nephew off but found she couldn't. She had been arrested the day after it was discovered that she'd been embezzling funds from her job, and some employees filed complaints against the obese woman.
On the day of their trial, it was an open and shut case for the boys as the parents of their victims explained how their kids have been frequently bullied by Dudley and his friends. The process took twenty minutes before the judge sentenced them to twenty years in prison. When the officers came to escort the boys away, Dudley through a tantrum and tried attacking them. He managed to punch one in the face but was immediately tased and got an additional five years in prison. In Marge's case, she received thirty years, was put on a diet, was forced to attend anger management classes, and lost her money and house. Unfortunately, she didn't last long and tried to climb the prison walls, but her weight made that impossible. Additionally, a handful of the guards knew her as they had previously worked under her. They hated it and despised her more than anything, as she bullied and threatened them on several occasions and got a few fired.
"Well, well, well," one of the guards opened the door to the prison cell. Behind him were four other officers, all of who shot the woman with angry looks. "You have no idea how many of us have waited for this day."
Marge cowered away as she knew these officers. The people who she delighted in making miserable. "What do you want with me?" The fear in her voice was present.
A female officer stepped forward with her baton. Out of everyone, she was by far the angriest. "I waited a long time for this," hitting the woman in the face with her baton a few times. "Tell me, how does that feel?"
Marge spits in her face, which turned out to be a bad move as the officer kicked her in the face and the stomach. She had no sympathy for the bitch as it was her fault for her son's condition. The pig was driving drunk one night and caused a car crash that took her husband's life and put their son into a coma. Despite her pleas, the judge released her of the charges against her. All she had left was her mother and daughter. After three more kicks, she finally stopped to grab the bitch by the hair and pulled her up.
"If it were up to me, I kill you right here," she growled. "But lucky you, the man you killed would rather see you rot in jail. That said, you made quite a few powerful enemies. Whatever my fellow officers do to you will be well deserved, in my opinion." Dropping the woman to the ground.
"Speaking of powerful friends, we all know what you did to your nephew. How someone could be so cruel to a child is beyond me. Well, here is something for you to chew on; everything you had; your home, cars, money, and cars belong to him now."
A scowl managed to form on Marge's fat face at the mention of her nephew. She hated that brat and believed him to be a criminal. It was his fault that her brother was dead.
"But that's not all," the officer said with a cold smile. "He didn't want anything owned by you and gave everything to us," enjoying the scared look on her face. "That's right. He gave us ownership over everything that was yours."
For over four years, things for Nina and her family were difficult as she had to pay taxes, and a handful of bills, including her son's things, were a mess. They would have lost their house, but Mr. Potter helped by giving her the funds she needed to pay the bills. What was better is that the money came from Dursley's account.
Delivering a final kick to the prisoner's face, she left the cell while the others remained. If Marge thought they would leave, she was sorely mistaken and twitched on the ground. Looking up, she saw a sadistic look on some of their faces. One closed the door to avoid any witnesses. "Any hope you have of leaving this place dies as you are never getting out," the leader said."
An officer from the back moved to the front, "a lot of us have reasons to hate you. Even that boy you tortured agreed with us. Now, enough talk, let's get this done," they were paid a decent amount of money to do a job.
Pulling out a syringe full of morphine, he injected the needle into her neck as the others held her down and pushed all of it into her. "Compliments of Mr. Potter." With that, they all left the cell as she cursed her blasted nephew until she closed her eyes for the final time and died from the overdose.
Three hours later, Dudley and the others were sitting on one of the metal benches in the prison yard. He had only just been informed about the death of his aunt. The last person to be a member of his family was now gone. This affected him deeply as he had a feeling he would be next. After the beating he got from his freak of a cousin, his life became even more unbearable, and he now had nothing. No money, no expensive gifts, no family, and no respect save for his friends. It was an absolute nightmare.
"So, you're the ones who like beating up kids who are half your sizes," a cold, dangerous voice from behind made them jump in fear. Then turning around, they saw a big black man with dozens of tattoos on his body. And he was not happy. Though his anger was more directed at Dudley. "I know who you are—Vernon Dursley's boy. Never before have I considered myself a violent man, though that was before what your father did to my niece."
"Look, whatever my father might have done to you, it has to be a lie," Dudley squeaked in fear as the man approached him.
"It's time for you to learn a lesson, and I'm going to enjoy this," before Dudley could utter a response, the man delivered a heavy punch to his stomach, making him crumble to the ground.
Several prisoners came rushing by to see the one-sided fight, with no one daring to intervene. In about three minutes, Dudley was soon lying dead on the ground.
"That was for Paige," the man spit on the boy's face and turned to his friends. "Oh, don't worry, you lot won't die, but you're going to learn that in here, we have rules about picking on kids."
The boys were utterly terrified as the man killed their leader, and even though they wanted to run, the other prisoners began closing in on them. While he said they would not die, it didn't stop them from shuddering in fear as the other inmates began cracking their knuckles, indicating they were ready to dish out some punishment. When it came to situations like this, there were only two options: fight or flight.
Their fears began running wild as they stood no chance against the prisoners. So their choice was made. Flight.
(0^0)
Later that evening, Miwa, Blaise, Daphne, Emily, Neville, and Tracey were sitting in the drawing room of #12 Grimmauld, chatting amicably about today's events. "I never grow tired of watching him work," Tracey laughed.
"The way Harry brought Fudge and Weasley down was the best, even if it was somewhat excessive for what he did to the former."
"I'll say. That's enough to give me nightmares," Neville shuddered. "Poor pig."
"Are you talking about the animal or Fudge?" Emily asked, turning the page in the book she was reading.
"The animal," Neville replied, "poor thing is going to have a hard time sitting. As for Fudge, I couldn't care less as he kind of asked for it."
"Agreed!" Blaise grunted, "I'm glad someone finally took him and one of his secretaries down a couple of pegs. On top of that, Harry is suing the Minister of Magic, and knowing my boy as I do, he will take a lot from him."
Miwa closed the book she was reading, "most of the Ministry of Magic in Britain is corrupted and full of weak-willed idiots who are too happy to complain about their problems." She said in a cool voice. "Not only that, but you people need to advance the society as it still looks like something from the 19th century. Personally, I'm glad Harry's suing that idiot and will be dealing a severe blow to those death eater scumbags."
"I'm going to kill him," Daphne was furious as her magic began leaking out in waves. Her normal white teeth became sharp.
Emily placed her book on the coffee table and pulled out a new one. "Easy, Daphne. Getting angry will not change the situation, and contrary to what you might think, we both knew this was inevitable."
"It's not so much of him fighting that concerns me," Daphne bit back. "It's the fact of him facing off against a hundred and fifty-two people all at once. Plus, the location is also vexing."
Miwa took a breath, "I've known Harry since we were children, and he will always do what he wants. Though I sympathize with you, at least this way, the battle will be on his terms rather than there. As for the location and number of people he has to face…well, that surprised me as well."
Neville shot her a look of bewilderment, "you didn't even know." It was more of a statement rather than a question.
She shook her head, "that's right. I may have known about his plan to force them into fighting, but nothing about the location." The areas he chose were infamous for producing war-like criminals and dark mages. The worse of what the magical world had to offer.
"How is that possible?" Tracey's eyes became wide. "You're his best friend."
Blaise cleared his throat, "excuse me."
"His female best friend," Tracey clarified while rolling her eyes.
"All right then," a superior smirk appeared on his face.
Thinning her lips, Emily put her book down, "look, I am not any happier about this situation he's in, but what's done is done." The words may have come from her mouth, but her body language and micro-expressions showed her concern.
Yesterday they talked about the possibility of him probably having to face a large number of people. Already aware of what he was planning, she voiced her concerns, which he took to heart and promised he would come back alive. However, seeing it through the viewing screens hadn't lessened her worry for him as the stakes were higher than what she previously thought. If he does manage to come out on top, he had no intentions of keeping any of their possessions. No, this was only the start, as he had plans.
The look on Daphne's face was a mixture of anger and fear as she did not know what to make of the situation. On the one hand, she was angry at Harry for being reckless in forcing the death eaters to fight him. But, on the other hand, there was a good chance he could be killed. A cool tongue soon licked her hand, drawing her attention to Iroh, who came out of her shadow. It was hard to believe, but he had grown from that small puppy to the size of a hippogriff. She began petting him as he laid his head on her lap. Iroh was a good boy, but the Order of Phoenix members were worried. Hellhounds were considered by most to be dangerous when angered or if someone posed a threat to their owners.
Unfortunately, the good mood did not last long as the door opened, revealing a group of people. Three of them they wanted to avoid. The oldest son of the Weasley clan was leading, Bill, who proved to be a decent guy. Unlike his two youngest siblings, he never once said anything insulting nor made snide remarks about them being dark wizards and witches.
"It's time for dinner. If you lot are hungry, then come on," Bill said before turning to leave. He felt today's meeting would likely go south as a good portion of the Order members were not happy with Harry and his recent actions. Most of all, his mother and others saw the trial and what he did to Percy. Despite what most of them thought, Percy really should have known better than to antagonize a member of the Ancient Houses. He only had himself to blame.
With those thoughts in mind, he was slightly miffed at Harry for hurting his brother that badly but knew it could have been worse. Nevertheless, Harry made good on his promise not to kill Percy, despite being well within his rights.
Back in the room, Ron and Ginny stared mutinously at Tracey, Blaise, Daphne, Miwa, and Emily.
"If you two have something to say, then say it," Daphne removed her hand from Iroh's head.
"It must make you very happy," Ron snarled, taking a step back when Iroh growled at him. "Because of your manipulation, Potter not only injured our brother, he also humiliated him in front of everyone in the country."
"Are you seriously blaming us for what happened to your prat of a brother?" Tracey raised an eyebrow. "Newsflash, Weasley, he picked a fight and got his butt kicked. So, all things considered, he should be dead by now."
"By the ancient laws, Harry was well within his rights to defend himself. If you want to blame anyone, then blame your brother for crossing him," Daphne added. "You should know by now that he doesn't play when it comes to his family's safety."
"That does not change the fact of you snakes taking what is rightfully mine," Ginny snapped. "Harry would never have done those things if you never got in his head and manipulated him."
The fire in Daphne's eyes flared when she got up and stared directly into the redhead's eyes, "get it through your thick head Weasley. He is a person, not an object. And I never cursed, potioned, or manipulated him. Have you ever considered the fact that Harry doesn't like you because you're a psychopathic stalker? Maybe if you stopped acting like such a bitch to his friends and family, he might actually talk to you. Translation grow the fuck up."
"Language," Hermione frowned at her.
"You're no different, Granger," Daphne rounded on her. "Your constant need to be in first place has made you the most unappealing person in the entire school. It's not always a competition, and there are more important things than receiving the highest grades in class. To reiterate what Professor Snape said last year until you have learned this lesson, you have learned nothing," whirling around, giving her hair a well-timed flip.
That evidently stung the bushy-haired girl to stillness as she wondered what it was that she never learned. Meanwhile, Daphne and the others walked past them and went to the kitchen.
Taking their seats upon entry, the house-elves served them all food. They didn't like some of the Order members, Mrs. Weasley, who frequently tried to take over the kitchen. Kreacher the head elf, would occasionally sneer at her and a few others who voiced their opinions of having Harry under Dumbledore's influence. A couple of minutes later, Sirius came through the door with the Weasley kids following behind and the headmaster himself arriving through the floo.
"Ah, Sirius," Albus's voice was one of disappointment, "I'm glad you're here. Do you know where Harry is? There are several things I need to discuss with him."
Frowning a bit, "he will be here soon enough. Representatives from the other governments wanted to meet with him." He sat next to Remus as some of the other members of the Order began piling in.
Daphne put the utensils down and looked up from her food, "good evening Master Shacklebolt. I trust you have been well."
"Yes, very well, Ms. Greengrass," he cordially replied. "My colleagues in the DoM have spoken highly about your internship this summer. After confirming your O.W.L results, I have to agree. Am I to assume you'll be taking your N.E.W.T Dueling exam?"
"I am."
Hermione stared at them with inquisitive eyes. She wanted to know what they were talking about, and the results shown at the Wizengamot caught her attention. "Internship? What internship? Why would you bother doing an internship during the summer? How many O. did you take? How did they change the letter grades to numbers on their results?" She asked in one breath.
Daphne rolled her eyes and frowned, "not that it's any of your business. But I've been doing an internship at the Department of Mysteries. Why? Because that's where I plan on working after I get my masteries, and because I needed something to do. It also looks good on my resume," she said in a neutral voice. "As for my O.W.L results, I obtained thirteen outstanding's with six distinctions. To your last question, the answer is simple, as a majority of the other students already know it. There's a red shaded part on the top right of our results sheet; simply tap and hold onto it for a couple of seconds."
The bushy-haired girl dashed out of the kitchen, likely to go get her past results.
Minerva and Severus shook their heads as everyone should know about this since it was pretty obvious. Severus had to hold back a snarky comment, which he really wanted to make.
"How can someone who claims to be the smartest witch in the entire school not know something as simple as that?" Tracey asked. "I swear she is more arrogant than Malfoy and his friends."
"Try living in the same House as her," Neville challenged.
A few seconds later, Hermione returned with her previous end-of-the-year results looking somewhat irritated. "How is this possible?" Charms: 97, Transfiguration: 98, DADA: 96, Herbology: 96, Potions: 96, History of Magic: 97, Astronomy: 98, CoMC: 96, Ancient Runes: 94, Arithmancy: 95. She looked up from her grades cringing a bit. "What scores did you get?"
Daphne reached in her watch to pull out her latest results and handed it over, which Granger instantly snatched away. DADA: 110, Charms: 110, History of Magic: 100, Astronomy: 96, Potions: 110, Dueling: 100, Healing: 98, CoMC: 96, Arithmancy: 110, Ancient Runes: 100, Rituals: 95, Herbology: 110, and Transfiguration: 110. Hermione looked on the verge of having a heart attack.
"How can this be? You didn't take any additional classes."
"Because unlike some annoying Gryffindor who acts like a teacher's pet, I self-studied," Daphne took her transcript back and stuffed it in her watch.
"Seriously, woman, you couldn't even figure that out," Blaise gave her a look that said it was obvious. "Here's some free information; students are allowed to self-study and test in subjects that are not taught in school. So before you accuse any of us of cheating or having an advantage, this information could have easily been found out by the professors." Minerva, Severus, Albus, and Bill confirmed what he said was true by nodding their heads.
"That's why some of us become interns, volunteer for companies and organizations, or get jobs. Heck, I've been working as an intern under my grandfather. If not, I'm either spending time with Tracey, training or studying for the upcoming exams. Thirteen exams. I'm gonna have to stock up on potions," groaning as he dreads having to take those exams. "Bottom line, there are benefits to working in places that will provide more practical experiences for our exams."
Tracey, Neville, and he listed the exams they were taking, much to her shock.
"They're not wrong," Bill agreed. "The jobs I had when I was younger certainly helped."
Neville downed some more of his soup, "after I get my Mastery in Herbology, I plan on opening up my own business. The director says I have a real gift regarding magical plants."
"But why start now? Why work during your time off?" Ron found the idea of working during the summer to be ludicrous. "Summer is meant for us to relax."
Rather than getting a response from Neville, his brother Bill answered while some of the other occupants merely glared. "Gee, I don't know how about school supplies, Hogsmeade visits, dates, or saving up for something you really want. All of that and more requires money. You would know if you'd actually got off your arse and stopped waiting for people to just give you money." While he loved his family, there were times when some things needed to be said.
"That's not fair," Ron frowned at Bill. "We're always close to broke and have to get second-hand stuff, while they," pointing to Neville, Miwa, Emily, and the three Slytherins, "never have to work a day in their lives. They only have to ask their wealthy parents, and they will automatically get it for them. It's unfair that they have so much while we have so little. What's worse is that they constantly brag about it. And she's even worse," gesturing to Emily, "all she has to do is ask her parents or Potter, and they'll practically give whatever she wants. Potter constantly spoils her with money and concert tickets and gets whatever she wants from him."
Bill slammed his fist on the table catching everybody off guard, including the teens staring at him with rage. "You are easily the jealous, laziest, self-centered prick that I have ever met in my entire life. Have you no idea how fortunate you are to have things others would kill for?"
"What?" A confused Ron asked.
"Idiot," his brother yelled. "You have a roof over your head, a family that loves you, food on the table, and so much more while others barely have squat. Of all the stupid things you say or do…how I'm related to you is far beyond me. Did it not occur to you that the rest of us were tired, yet we never complained as much as you. For once in your life, will you stop complaining about the things you don't have? Is that too much to ask for?"
"Bill, that is enough," Molly stepped into the conversation. "You know very well we've often struggled with money problems and that it's completely unfair that the Slytherins who attend Hogwarts have money. They use it to get whatever they want, whether to get out of trouble or show off their vast fortunes. You can never trust a snake as they are all evil."
Unbeknownst to Molly, her comment greatly annoyed Severus and Alastor, with the former ready to say something hurtful.
"You're no better, mum," he snapped, "your petty racism has caused just as much trouble for this family, if not more. Your constant overbearing nature, inability to control your anger when not getting your way, and dictating our lives are precisely why we ended such a disaster. It's also the reason why I left in the first place."
"Bill, this is not the time," Arthur said in a deep voice, knowing where this conversation was heading as they had talked about this numerous times.
"No, dad, now is the time and this conversation is long overdue," Bill was not going to back down. Not this time. "The reason why I left mother is because of you!"
"Willian, can this situation not wait for a more appropriate time?" Dumbledore tried to intervene. "I understand that families have their share of problems, but—"
"Shut the fuck up," rounding on the old headmaster. "You are part of why things for our family are so bad. Stay out of this." Still standing up, he looked at all his family members. "This conversation has been a long time coming, starting with mum. You are a racist overbearing woman who should know right from wrong. Starting with your blind loyalty to Dumbledore and racist views of anyone in Slytherin. For Merlin's sake, sometimes I wish why I didn't leave Egypt. Did it never occur to you that not everyone from Slytherin is not evil? No, you just sat idly and fly off the handle at anyone who is a snake or has relations with them."
"They're evil," Molly screamed.
Narrowing his eyes, "do you remember Alan and Maurice?"
"They were nice boys…"
"Yeah, and get this, they were not in Gryffindor, nor did they ever side with Dumbledore," he replied. "In fact, Maurice was a Ravenclaw and Alan in Slytherin."
"What? Alan was a snake?" She looked at Arthur, "did you know about this?"
"Yes, and I've known his father for many years. Before you say anything without thinking, first you need to listen," silencing her before she could talk. "Norman is a member of the Dark faction and practically one of the best men I have ever met. Despite our family's status as blood traitors, he never once belittled, insulted, or did anything hostile. I refused when he offered to help pay for Bill's tuition as that is not our way."
"I cannot believe what I am hearing." Molly's face started becoming red. "You allowed our son to be in the company of dark wizards, of all the things you've…"
"…what I did was allow Bill the chance to make his own friends and choices. Something you would never have let him have," Arthur raised his voice. "Given the chance, I let him do it again."
Bill then picked up, "even after we were sorted into different houses, we remained friends. They offered to help with my school replies numerous times, and each time I refused. After our first year, they pointed me toward working at Javier's jewelry store so I could make some money. The pay was decent, and the hours were nice. I would work four days a week, 6 hours a day, and make 9 gallons an hour. After my fifth year, I worked for Alan's father as an intern at his company, where they taught me everything about business and being a curse breaker. After graduating from Hogwarts, we were offered jobs in Egypt, where we rented a house for a couple of years. Years later, Alan is now a renowned healer for the I.C.W. in Egypt. Maurice works as Magizoologist. Do you see it now? We left to follow our dreams. Dreams that did not require us to come to you."
"Get it through your head, mother, I may be your son, but I will live my life the way I want. And all that it entails, like how I look, where I work, who I choose to associate with, and who I decide to date." His voice was firm, and his expressions showed that it would not waiver.
"So this is how it is. My own son is turning against me. After everything, I've done for you. For this family," Molly stared daggers at him.
"What you have done is made us targets," he sharply retorted. "Don't even try to justify your actions as I know what you did—signing an illegal betrothal contract between Harry and Ginny. Harry and I had a very long talk about that, and even though he had every right to retaliate, he never did. Despite all the trouble this family has caused him over the years, never once did he ever attack us. Line theft is a serious crime, especially against a member of the Ancient Houses. As the offended party, he could have demanded payment in blood. Our blood. Meaning, all of us would be dead."
Bill explained the terms of the contract to them and all it entailed. Harry told him everything about the contract was proven true after seeing it for himself. That included everything should he end up dead or decide to take legal action against them.
"If he can do that," George's voice trembled in fear.
"Then why hasn't he yet?" Fred finished with an equally trembling voice.
Rounding on them, "it's because despite what some of the Order members think, Harry is not a dark wizard. He is also a friend; never once has he ever asked me to do something unethical or immoral." Then, when they were about to breathe a sigh of relief, he continued, "that said Lord Black, however, desired for us to end up dead. The only thing that stopped him from dragging us into court was his nephew."
Arthur began seething as he turned to his wife, "Molly, you and I will have a long talk later. This is not negotiable as your actions would have spelled the end for our family." The cold, harshness of his voice stopped her from speaking.
"Now, we get to you, Charlie," training his eyes on him. "Words cannot describe what I would like to do to you. For one, get it through your thick head that Dora doesn't want anything to do with you as you've proven to be less of a man. You used her to get what you wanted. Played with her emotions, among other things. That's why Harry kicked your arse. In your entire life, you have dated three girls who all want nothing to do with you; I occasionally sympathize with them. Calling you a brother and even being related to you is trouble. Not only that but after leaving, you hardly took an interest in your younger siblings."
"I have always been concerned about my family," Charlie defended.
"Really," grunting, "when was the last time you ever spoke to any of them? Did you ever send them money or even donate your time to them?"
"That is not fair, Bill. You know I work as a dragons handler in Romania. I can't be expected to just pick up and leave, let alone send money here. My yearly salary is-"
"You make 80,450 galleons a year," cutting into his brother. "That is more than enough to cover your living expenses and some. The cost of living in Romania is not expensive, and the area you live in is adequate. So, I will ask you again, where did all your money go?"
Charlie remained silent as Bill obviously knew about the area he lived in.
"Not talking, huh? Well, let me take a guess you've spent that money on whores, clubbing, expensive clothes to make yourself look important, and gambling?" Shaking his head as Charlie began trembling with anger. "I see. I'm right. Now, we know why you hardly visit for the holidays. How can you live with yourself?" Giving him a look of anger and disgust.
He then turned to Fred and George, "as for the two of you. The issues you two have are less than Charlie's but are still causes for concern. Starting with the fact of not growing up and thinking things through. You two constantly wonder why Angelina and Alicia ended their relationship with you two. Well, it has a lot to do with your level of maturity. Over your years at school, there have been pranks after pranks. Most of them are on the Slytherins, those younger than you, and to get back at people y'all don't like. What that tells people is that you two are a pair of bullies. Do not even try playing it off," raising a hand to prevent them from speaking. "The two of you may not see it, but they do, and neither of you can just laugh it off or claim them to be harmless. Your pranks either embarrass or hurt people. And if not them, then it's their belongings that are destroyed."
"Next, we get to your grades and lives once you graduate. I know you two do not wish to work in the Ministry. I don't blame you, as it's full of idiots. However, to obtain the jobs you want, you need decent scores, three O. each is sad and will not help. That will barely qualify you two to work as custodians or as conductors for the night bus. Another reason why they left as they're preparing for their lives. Translation, they want men who can provide financial stability and handle adult situations."
The twins bowed their heads in shame.
Ron tried to get up, but Bill stopped him with a heart-stomping glare that said if you move, you're dead. "We now get to the youngest male in the family. Ron, your behavior in and out of school, is abysmal, to say the least. Do you think you're the only one who had it rough; well, here's a newsflash we all had to put up with being poor and labeled as blood traitors. There have been several instances when your anger and jealousy have gotten you into trouble. Many of them are against the Slytherins who either do stuff to you or those who don't. This is precisely why you barely have any friends. If they have something you don't, you make a big fuss, and after giving a halfhearted apology, you expect them to forgive you. If this keeps up, then you'll end up alone with no one's help. And don't even get me started with your grades, as they are average at best. I know how you prefer to spend time playing mere games in the middle of classes or tune out the professors. That alone is a mark of laziness."
"What's more, you put off completing your homework until the last minute. If this keeps up, you will leave school with less desirable grades and a mediocre job. Let me make this perfectly clear if you don't shape up, then there will be no more gifts from me, and any help you ask for will fall on deaf ears."
"What! But that's not fair!" Ron yelled. "How will I get by if there is no one to help me? What you're asking me to do is nearly impossible; things were already hard enough for me being the youngest and having to live in our brothers' shadows."
"No one ever asked you to be like me or any of us," Bill retorted. "This is what I am talking about. If you want something in life, then you have to work for it. Sitting on your arse and scrounging on the accomplishments of others will lead to major problems in the future. The world does not revolve around you and won't give you anything you want on a silver platter."
"But Potter gets—"
"This is not about Harry, you idiot. This is about you," the cold, harsh tone in his voice made Ron stop talking. "Do you want his life that badly?"
"Well, yeah. He's got money, girls who are willing to spread their legs for him, more than three Lordships, and—"
Having grown irritated with the red-headed prick, Miwa threw a shuriken that cut the left side of his face. "Dumbass. Try thinking before opening that trash hole you call a mouth." Everyone looked at her with wide eyes, save for a few people. "You say you want Harry's life, meaning you no longer need your parents and siblings. Sounds like you'd want to be put into a cupboard, treated as a slave, and abused frequently. Because that is what his life was like after Voldemort killed his parents."
Some of the occupants gasped at hearing You-Know-Who's name, which she ignored. "Do you want to know a secret? When your precious Dumbledore dropped him that night at the hands of muggles, he was loathed, treated like a slave and freak, but most of all filled with an abundant amount of anger that would scare a Hungarian Horntail."
"Miss. Kawada, Harry's placement with Petunia kept him safe from the death eaters who were still at large," Dumbledore came in. "While I am sorry about what happened, I would do it again as the greater good demands it."
"I will get to you in a minute," meeting his blue eyes with her silver ones. She turned back to the youngest Weasley. "In my eyes, you are nothing more than a lazy, arrogant useless waste of space with an inferiority complex. You have no idea what he was forced to endure, yet despite everything, he turned out to be a better person than you could ever hope to be."
"Aye," Alastor grunted, "Potter is indeed amazing. For someone who is only fifteen, he reminds me a lot of his grandfather and is more mature than others his age. Hell, I wouldn't blame him if he wanted to leave the magical world, given the way it's treated him."
Kingsley nodded in agreement. "I think anybody would leave if the opportunity presented itself. If anyone deserves a break, it's him, as he's done so much for countless others. Others like these two young ladies," gesturing to Daphne and Miwa. "Both are extremely powerful and exceptional in their own ways. I should know as I dueled and lost to Ms. Greengrass when she had her dueling examination."
That resulted in the occupants of the room opening their jaws. Arthur was the first to recover from his shock.
"She defeated you? A Master class Duelist?"
"She did indeed," he confirmed with a smile. "If you ever want to be a member of the Duelist Guild, let me know."
Daphne blushed a little, "while I appreciate the offer, I will have to decline as that is not a goal of mine. But, perhaps sometime in the future."
Chuckling a bit, "I can respect that. But I have to ask, how did you learn to duel so well?"
"Harry taught me, of course," she proudly stated. "Though, to be fair, I did study ballet and lyrical when I was younger."
"Fascinating!" Kingsley thought to himself. "Those two would indeed sharpen a person's movements. What about you, Ms. Kawada? I assume since you studied in the same location as Mr. Potter, you would be able to handle yourself against some of the guild members." He turned to Alastor, "word to the wise, this girl should not be underestimated. From what the others told me, she managed to defeat two Master class Duelists and a squad of high-ranking I.C.W. agents."
"No kidding? Impressive," he grunted. "Nice to see some people from the younger generation got some spine and know how to handle themselves in a fight."
Miwa smirked, "Harry and I trained together for years polishing off our skills. No question that he can be a pain in the neck, but he will forever be my best friend. I'm not afraid to admit that he's better at martial magical combat. That said, when it comes to sword fighting, I have the advantage over him as my natural talents in the art exceed his." A while back, he advised her to create additional combat styles and combine them with her primary to maximize their strengths and lessen their weaknesses. Since then, she managed to construct three different, each with different methods of combat which were strengthened to the highest levels and later combined into a style that best suited her.
An idea formed in Hermione's head, "all right, Professor Moody, Mr. Shacklebolt, will you train Ron and me? If we learn under the two of you like Harry did, then we can likely surpass him." Ron readily agreed with the idea of being able to surpass and defeat Potter.
Alastor gave her a sharp look that made them pale while Kingsley frowned at them.
"Do not call me Professor, as I spent the first half of the school semester last year as a prisoner to a thought-to-be dead man. As for training Weasley and you, my answer is no."
"Why not?" She frowned in annoyance.
"One: We never trained Potter. Two: You cannot afford it and don't qualify."
Kingsley soon picked up, "three: There's a good chance the two of you will abuse our teachings and use them on people who do not agree with you. Four: We do not have the time or patience to put up with any of your bellyachings."
"Five," they said together. "Neither of us teaches dueling for the sake of getting revenge on someone. That is not our way, nor is it what the Guild allows."
Still feeling down, Fred and George said nothing about how they were the ones who completed each other's sentences and spoke in unison.
"Six: Neither of us will train a pair of racist bigots like." They glowered at the two.
Alastor quickly stepped in to take over, "don't even start, girl, as this has nothing to do with you being a muggleborn or having a seat on the Wizengamot. More than half of the members of the Guild are muggleborns and half-bloods who are either achieved the ranks of Elite's or Master's."
Hermione's frown deepened at being denied the chance to study under them, but that didn't mean she would give up. Those accusations were ludicrous as she believed she could be a great apprentice. "What will I do to qualify? How much will it cost?"
"There are three ways," Emily responded. "The first is by showing the guild members how determined you are by showing how far you have come on your own and the level of magic you currently have. Simply put, you must pass a series of certain tests to become an apprentice. The second is if someone specifically picks you as his or her apprentice. Then finally, there is the choice of hiring them. Be warned, as they do not come cheap, and only the Elites and Masters are allowed to take people under their wings. However, if the student proves himself worthy, then they will not need to pay any longer."
"Oh, yeah. How do you know?" Ron challenged.
"Since coming to Hogwarts, my brother and I studied under two Mid-Masters. Granted, he started training under Master Giichi at the beginning of his third year's second term. However, after our second year, they stopped charging us as we demonstrated enough proficiency in the art of magical combat."
"How much do they cost?" An irritated Ron asked.
Narrowing her eyes, "A master's salary is between 81,800 and 84,350 galleons. Elites: 74,150 to 76,521, Advance: 65,540 to 68,236, and Novice: 52,649 to 58,384. That's how much they make if they're members. To hire them will cost around 77,880 a year."
Ron and Hermione's jaws hit the floor while others started gaping like fishes.
"It's true," Dora said in a neutral tone. "I should know since I hold the rank of Elite." She said with pride in her voice.
"Wait, I thought you were an Auror," Bill said, somewhat confused.
"I am, but before enrolling in the Auror Academy, I joined the guild during my sixth year." The shocked expression on his face was priceless. "What? You thought you were the only one who worked during the summer? Please, I started working after second year."
Several others listed the part-time or full-time jobs they had when they were younger. If not, then it was doing volunteer work for a company, organization, or society to get money or gain experience.
Recovering, he turned back to his youngest brother, "see that, Ron? Some of us got jobs during our time off during the summer. You might not have been rich, but at least you'll have some money in your pocket. So what's your excuse?"
Ron's face was crossed between jealousy and shame.
"Now, finally we come to, Ginny," Bill turned to the last of his siblings. "You have got to stop chasing Harry and being racist towards his friend in Slytherin. Your fascination with him is nothing more than a fairy-tale as he neither likes you nor do you know anything about him. Those stories dad would read to you are just that…stories. Completely made up and no actual truth."
"But he saved me from the chamber of secrets, paid for my medical bill, bought me a new wand, and tutored me. He has feelings for me. Besides, many other girls at school could never love and understand him like I would. If I can convince Lord Black to even give…" she trailed off to how they would be a picture-perfect family.
Daphne's knuckles became white as she gripped the table and stared daggers at the youngest redhead. Fortunately, she wasn't the only one, as Emily and Miwa were incensed with the girl. Daphne looked only seconds away from freezing the girl to death. However, she stopped when Blaise began laughing.
"You really have a one-track mind," commenting through his laughter. "It may interest you to know that he already has eyes for someone and will likely end up marrying her. Though, I can safely say that she doesn't have red hair and brown eyes, is not a creepy stalker, isn't a racist, and has no interest in him just because he's famous and has tons of money." Seeing her angry, he decided to press on, "here's a little tip the Potter males only take strong women as their potential mates, and that is thankfully not you! Yet, in case you don't believe me, you're more than welcome to ask him yourself."
"Well, said boy," the voice of Arcturus Black made everyone turn to the doorway and tense up.
A/N: Listen up, my viewers, as this is only the beginning of what's to come. I promise that there will be a number of surprises in future chapters. Dudley and Marge got what they deserved, and I personally couldn't have cared any less for either of them. As for Fudge and the death eaters, they have no idea who they'd just pissed off. If they want a war, then they better be ready to go all the way.
I am personally glad to have knocked the Weasleys down a couple of pegs. Mostly Molly, Charlie, Ron, and Ginny, as they needed a dressing down. Particularly Molly and her two youngest, as they are racist as fuck and only care about themselves.
Next Chapter: Confrontations and staff meeting.