Disclaimer: See Chapter 1
-oOo-
Chapter 20
23 May 24
-oOo-
This time on Duel of Fate: The aftermath of the attack, Sirius faces past demons and the Longbottoms face the wrath of the Wizengamot for their betrayal of the Potters.
-oOo-
August 12, 1995
London, England
Wincing, he sat up. The wounds on his side were finally closed. He had been cut down to his ribs and Andi said that the damned thing had left scrapes on them. Holding his side, he swung his legs over the side of the bed. He took in a sharp breath as he stood. The new skin stretched around the scars. Since they had been caused by a bloody fecking werewolf, they would never go away.
He looked down to see the pink, puckered flesh with the nasty looking maroon and purple core along the ridge lines.
Focusing on his breathing for a moment, he slowly pushed the pain down. It took a little bit longer to focus on his occlumency exercises to control his anger. He didn't want to be scared like this.
When he felt in control, he moved towards the loo. Slowly at first, but more steadily as his skin and new muscles stretched and moved as he stretched his arms and twisted his torso. When he came out, Andi was standing at the foot of his bed and tapping her foot. "What are you doing out of bed?" she demanded.
"I had to use the loo," he said rather defiantly. He had already been in bed for the better part of a day and a half. He needed to move.
"Merlin, Harry! You just barely survived getting here with the blood loss alone, and I only just managed to get the skin to knit back together. If you press it more, you will be here for another month," she snapped at him.
"I must move and practice, Andi. The Zurich tournament is in two weeks. You know that's invitation only and Sue, Gabrielle and I have been offered spots," Harry said back hotly. He probably shouldn't worry about that, but he needed something normal in his life right now.
"I swear I will glue you to this bed if you don't rest for another two days," she warned in a cold anger. Harry knew it was because of how scared she had been for him and Sirius since Thursday night. Sirius hadn't been wounded as badly, but there had been some fear he might have been bitten, but their tests didn't show he was infected. They would only be certain at the next moon though. Animagus could be infected if bitten in human form.
"Andi, I have to get back to training," he told her. He felt like he had made so many mistakes the other night. The three marks that stretched around his side proved it.
Andi pinched her nose for a moment. "Merlin help me! Harry James Potter, you get into that bed and don't leave it until Monday morning. If I hear you give any of the staff here issues, I won't let you go to any tournaments this year."
His jaw set in stubbornness. "Fine. I am going my lessons," he said, moving towards the new clothes on the side table.
Andi threw her hands into the air. "I thought Nymphadora was stubborn!"
Someone chuckled. "She is. Just like her mum," Sirius said from the door.
"What the… I swear! You both want to be crippled!" she yelled. It attracted two Medi witches that were in the hallway.
Sirius grinned. "A peg leg might be nice."
Harry snorted in dark mirth.
Sirius looked at him. "You don't think I can pull it off?"
"I think you've gone around the twist," Harry told him.
Andi scrunched her eyes. "One. Two. Three. Four…"
Sirius looked slightly concerned. "You better listen to what she tells you, pup. If she makes it to ten, you'll be in real trouble."
Andi's hand twitched for her wand.
"Sirius, I have to get back to the practice room," Harry told him.
Andi glared at Sirius. Her finger pointed accusingly at the older man. "You. Take care of this and then I'm tying you both to your beds," she threatened. "I'm going for a tea break. If you are not in your beds when I get back, I swear you will regret it."
She stormed out of the room. Harry winced as he twisted.
"Be careful, Harry. If you open those again, they'll have to start from the beginning," Sirius told him.
"I have to get to my workout," he told him.
"It's Saturday, pup. Even Master Flitwick makes you take a day or two off a week," Sirius said.
"I already missed two days," Harry told him, a hint of desperation coming to his voice.
Sirius sighed. "Take a seat. Please," he added when Harry looked rather defiant. After a moment, Harry huffed and moved back to the bed.
Sirius used his crutch to hobble over and sit next to him. They both sat there for a long few moments before Sirius said, "How are you doing?"
"Fine."
Sirius looked at him and shook his head. "You know, your father used to do the same thing."
Harry let out a huff of air through his nose. "Get into fights and almost get killed?"
Sirius gave him a wry smile before looking more serious. "Well, there was that. Uncle Fleamont once sat James and I down. He said that our family was never large, mostly because Potters were too stubborn to stay out of trouble. Trouble finds the Potters like you couldn't believe. But that doesn't mean you can't rely on other people. It also means you can admit when you are weak and let those that love you help you get better."
Harry looked to Sirius. "I thought you were a Black?"
"I am, but your grandfather accepted me into the family when I had to escape mine. From the time I was sixteen, he considered me a Potter. My great-aunt married Charlus Potter, Fleamont's brother, so I do have links to you," Sirius said.
"I thought you and everyone would be dead by the time I made it to you," Harry said in a faint voice.
Sirius leaned over to bump his shoulder into Harry's. "I thought we might be too. You did well. How do you feel? Killing, even a werewolf, isn't easy."
Harry swallowed. "Am I a bad person that I don't feel bad about it?"
"I wouldn't necessarily say no. They were trying to kill you. The question is, would you do it again?" Sirius asked.
Harry sighed. There were reasons he worked himself to near exhaustion almost every day. "I can't see them as people," Harry admitted. "It was a snarling beast trying to kill one of my friends and you."
Sirius kept looking at him as Harry looked away. "Are you sleeping, pup?"
Harry took in a long breath before slowly letting it out. "I still see her every night," Harry admitted.
Sirius put an arm over his shoulder. "Losing someone is never easy. Losing someone you love even harder."
"I want to kill Longpiddle," Harry said with pain and loathing.
"I would be surprised if you didn't. Are you going to kill him?"
Harry kept quiet for a long while. "I don't know," he finally confessed in barely a whisper.
Sirius sighed. "Uncle Fleamont said that holding a grudge or seeking revenge is a way to lead you down the dark side of magic. If you must kill, you do it in defence of your life, your family, home or country. Never kill unless it's in defence. It will always leave a scar, but if you start killing for the pleasure of it or start using the Dark Arts for anything but defence, it will corrupt you to the point you will become someone like You-Know-Who or his minions. I don't want to see you like that."
Harry frowned. "I have to get stronger though," Harry said. "I just barely survived. What if one of them had gotten Susan? You almost died. I don't want to lose you."
Sirius squeezed his shoulder. "You will get stronger. We will make sure you do. Just don't do it for the wrong reasons. Live your life. Fall in love with a girl. Have a dozen kids someday. Have reasons to live and stay good. Don't focus only on getting stronger. Also, to get stronger, there are times you need to rest and heal."
Harry didn't say anything as he thought about what Sirius just said. Sirius didn't say anything as though knowing Harry needed the silence. They stayed that way until Andi stepped back into the room. Harry looked up to see her giving them a softer look.
"Have you decided if you are going to listen to me?" she questioned.
Harry held her gaze for a moment. "Fine. I'll lay down. I need something to do though."
She gave a curt nod and Sirius smiled at her. Sirius got up to go back to his room. As he was about to go out the door, Harry said, "Sirius, did any of the werewolves have families?"
Sirius could tell Harry wanted an answer, but he wasn't sure if he would like what he wanted to say. "I don't know, pup. I haven't talked with Amelia. The only one I recognized was Fenrir Greyback."
Harry's eyes widened. "Greyback? He was there? Professor Moody talked about him this year."
"Well, they will be talking about what he's done in the past. He's dead now," Sirius told him.
Harry stared at Sirius open mouthed.
"I thought we were waiting to tell him?" Andi said.
"I won't lie to him, Andi."
"Tell me what?" Harry questioned. He really didn't remember much past that last werewolf he killed before passing out on the stairs.
"Amelia is trying to hold off on announcing who killed him, but if you want the bounty on Greyback, she needs to announce it. It will also come with an Order of Merlin, Third class, maybe Second class. That monster has been terrorizing Europe for decades. Even the ICW has a reward for him," Sirius said with a grin to Harry's wide eyes.
"Bloody hell!"
"Watch your tongue," Andi scolded Harry and Sirius left the room snickering.
-oOo-
Daily Prophet
August 13, 1995
A Plague on the Wizarding World Extinguished! Fenrir Greyback Dead!
By Jean Grey
Late yesterday afternoon, the DMLE Head, Madam Amelia Bones, finally broke the Ministry of Magic's silence on the rumoured attack on her residence the night of August 10, 1995. Accompanied by Minister Fudge and Chief Warlock Williams, Madam Bones lain out the details that seventeen werewolves were able to breach the wards of her manor and infiltrate the house. No details of how were given, but it was a shock when Madame Bones produced a photo of the bloody head of the most feared werewolf in Europe.
Fenrir Greyback can be confirmed dead, as are the other sixteen members of his pack that attacked that night.
Reporters were immediately clamouring to find out the details. As this point Minister Fudge took over the conference to deliver one of the most shocking revelations of the news conference. It wasn't the decorated Madam Bones, who had been in the DMLE for the last thirty-two years as an Auror, Investigator and now head of the department who killed the feared beast. It is actually that of a boy that has made other headlines in the last few months.
Harry Potter!
Lord Black and Scion Potter-Black were visiting the night of the full moon when the attack occurred. Details of how the fifteen-year-old managed to kill a werewolf that had taken out entire teams of Aurors is unknown, but the minister has said he is in conversations with Lord Black to award the teen the twenty-eight thousand galleon reward and an Order of Merlin for ridding our world of a dangerous creature…
-o-
"Sacre bleu," Gabrielle muttered as she looked at the newspaper.
The boy in the paper was laying in the bed next to her. She had managed to convince Fleur to take her St Mungo's to see him. "It wasn't all that heroic," Harry said, crinkling his nose at the picture of the severed head next to one of the feared werewolf trying to attack a camera taken years before.
She looked up at him with a gaping mouth. "Not that heroic?" she asked unbelievingly.
Lord Black was a bed next to Harry. He snickered at her tone. Harry cast the man a nasty glance.
"You killed Fenrir Greyback!" Gabrielle went on. Her accent was rather heavy in her rapid speech. "Others have tried for years! They are giving you an Order of Merlin. That is no small feat and nothing short of heroic!"
Harry shrugged. The scars didn't hurt to stretch today, though they still looked rather nasty. Andi had said he could go home in the morning if they didn't open again. He had stretched just a little too much yesterday. "They were attacking us. I did what I had too."
Gabrielle looked at him like she couldn't believe him. "You… you do not see what you did? Do you?"
"I think you should tell him," Sirius goaded her on.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Can we just drop this? I want to leave tomorrow, and Andi won't let me if I get all worked up again."
Sirius chuckled. Fleur had been reading over Gabrielle's shoulders. "Merde. It says you killed ten." Her brows had gone all the way up to her hairline. "How?"
Gabrielle looked back down. She apparently hadn't gotten to that part.
"Silver isn't exactly poisonous to werewolves, but it will keep them from healing," Harry said. "I can conjure silver darts. They also aren't impervious to fire."
Both girls looked up. Harry squirmed a little under their gaze. Gabrielle was disbelieving while Fleur looked at him hungrily. "You can conjure silver? That is a second level test ability," Fleur said.
"It's not much different than what we do duelling," Harry countered.
"I can conjure stone and wood and simple things, but silver?" Gabrielle put to him.
Harry shrugged again. "I knew the theory."
"Merde," Fleur whispered.
"You are teaching me," Gabrielle told him with a determined set to her jaw. If she hadn't already liked Harry, this would have attracted her need for a powerful mate. It was taking a great amount of will power to supress her veela self at the moment from attacking his mouth with hers. She knew he wasn't ready for anything like that though.
"Sure," Harry told her. "Is Master Flitwick upset that I missed Friday?" Harry asked her.
The look she gave him had him squirm. She thought he had a hole in his head. He must, otherwise why would he think their master would be upset with him? She shook her head with a disbelieving smile on her face. "Master Flitwick visited you the first day you were here. He was worried and gave Sue and I the next few days off. Sue was not happy about that and is upset you got into a fight without her."
Harry grinned.
Sirius laughed. "You really shouldn't leave a girl out of a good time."
"Shut it, mutt," Harry snapped back. "I'll have Andi move you back into the isolation room. I think your eyes are looking a little yellowish."
The man gave a mock hurt look. "You wouldn't! That woman is a menace if she thinks were hurt."
"Want to try me?" Harry threatened.
Fleur chuckled. "Who is the adult here?"
"Him," Gabrielle said pointing at Sirius.
"You," Harry said, pointing to Fleur.
"If my sister is the adult, we are all doomed," Gabrielle quickly commented.
Fleur stomped her foot. "We are not doomed!" She quietly added, "Keep it up and mama and papa will be sending you back to Beauxbatons!"
Gabrielle smiled and preened. "You cannot. I am an apprentice of Master Flitwick. He will not let me."
"Want to bet?" Fleur retorted.
"Be careful with these two, pup. I think there may be fireballs soon," Sirius said behind his hand.
She snapped her head to the man. "Do you wish to find out if I really can?"
Fleur gave an evil grin. "There are worse things I can do than use a fireball."
Harry shook his head as she felt her sister unleashed a good portion of her allure. Lord Black chuckled. "I have been in a room with three full blooded veela and never fell to their allure. I will admit though, you are more beautiful than they were."
Fleur seemed stunned for a moment before she flushed when the older man winked at her. She thought she detected a slight bit of the glassy eye that men got while falling for their allure. Harry closed his eyes. "Fleur, please. I don't think I'm fully better yet," Harry said.
"I have stopped," Fleur said, giving her an eye.
Gabrielle blinked before she realized that she must have brought up her full allure. It was an instinct for a veela to protect the one they claimed, and she was not going to let Fleur get Harry. With a deep blush, she reached into her magic and had to wrestle the beast back. To her, it really did feel like a primal force when her veela powers came forward.
When she looked up, Harry's brilliant green eyes were looking at her. Fleur gave her a look that was part challenge. Gabrielle ignored her sister, lost in Harry's eyes that held a great power she wanted. Sirius grinned.
"I am sorry, Harry. I am still unaware when my allure manifests itself at times," she told him.
"It's fine. Normally it doesn't bother me," Harry told her.
Fleur gave a short nod as she realized that her allure had done nothing to Harry, while he had responded to Gabrielle's. Harry hadn't responded like that before. She wasn't sure what that meant.
-oOo-
August 19, 1995
London, England
He had been requested to meet with Amelia. With everything going on, there could be a dozen reasons for this meeting. The one he hadn't expected was the one he was facing.
After having a short meeting with Amelia about the upcoming hearing on the Longbottom-Potter Alliance dissolution, she had asked him to meet with someone. He had almost walked out on her. Instead, he found himself meeting with the last person he wanted to in a heavily warded room on level nine.
Stiffly sitting in the seat, he had hard eyes for the woman sitting across from him. It didn't matter if the years had been kind to her and she still was as beautiful as ever, his anger and hurt still wasn't resolved.
"I'm glad you agreed to talk with me, Siri," she said, her blue eyes already looking close to tears.
"That is Lord Black," he said coldly, "Miss Dagwood."
She nodded after a moment, "Alright, Lord Black, though I thought you hated that title and everything about your family?"
"I was starting to change my opinion before the night I was put into a hospital for thirteen years. Now I have responsibility for those I love that I will not shy away from," he told her. Part of him hated how she winced and to know he hurt her, but another part was happy to see her in pain. Celeste had never been good at hiding her emotions, which was probably related to her limited clairvoyant and empathy abilities. "I do not want to have this conversation here, where we can be overheard, but I won't take you anywhere near anyone I love."
She reached for a pocket on her grey robes. Sirius flicked his wrist, his wand coming to his hand and it pointing at her chest. Celeste stopped moving. "I mean you no harm."
"And yet you betrayed my trust and got many of us killed," Sirius coldly replied.
She started to move her hand again. "As an Unspeakable, I have many resources others don't. As our job often involves secrets, and we cannot control where that is discussed, we have methods of shielding our conversations."
Her hand reached into the pocket. A moment later, she gently pulled out a small metal sphere that filled her palm. His wand didn't waiver from pointing at her heart. It would only be fitting to rip hers out like his had been.
Gently setting it on the table, she said, "I will need my wand to activate it. Once the wards go up, no one will be able to listen in."
He snorted. "As if I would ever believe you."
A tear fell down her cheeks. "I will never be able to convince you, but it was never my choice to do the horrible things I did, but it was my choice to love you."
He felt a dry ball build in his throat.
After a moment of silence, she reached with her other hand up her sleeve, slowly pulled her wand out, then tapped a series of runes on the sphere. He felt the magic of the wards, his hair standing on his neck. Once she put her wand away, he reached into his own pocket. A moment later, he placed a small vial with a clear liquid between them.
"Drink," he ordered.
"That is illegal," she said, reaching for the vial anyways.
"If you wish me to believe anything you say, drink."
She unstoppered the vial. Without looking at it or questioning its content, she put the small amount of liquid it contained on her tongue. Sitting back, he waited for her tears to subside, and her eyes to take on a slightly glassy look.
"Tell me why," he demanded.
"There are a great many why's, which one do you seek?"
He growled. "Damn it, Celeste. You know! Why! Why did you betray the Order? Why did you betray your friends! Did you ever really love me? Or was it all a setup from the beginning? You obviously didn't need the tutoring once I got to know you."
She seemed to waffle for a moment. He knew he was only supposed to ask one succinct question at a time when using veritaserum, but he was too angry to think straight.
"My family was being threatened. Death Eaters found my father. Through him they found out that my mother had enough seer blood in her to see things. Catherine had some of the ability, but couldn't control it. I was trying to protect them. I never wanted to kill anyone or have anyone else killed, but they did things, Siri," she said.
He swallowed a lump in his throat. "Did what?"
Even with the truth serum, she shuttered. "They made me drink potions. They made me watch as they raped my sister, threatening to do it again and again if I didn't give them information. Didn't obliviate her or allow me too. Three times. I had to watch Catherine be raped three times, even after I promised to help."
He could remember how upset she had been that summer after they had graduated. "What potions?" he asked, noticing that she hadn't said if they raped her too.
"Verum Videre," she told him.
He was a little confused. "What is verum videre?"
"To see the truth," she replied.
He still felt a little confused. "The truth of what? Why not use veritaserum?"
"To see the truth of the future and present," she replied.
He felt a sinking feeling in his gut. "What does that mean?"
"I'm a seer, not just a clairvoyant. They forced me to predict the future. As long as I did, they didn't go after Catherin again and left my family alone," she told him.
His wand lowered. He was starting to understand. How had he missed this? "Why didn't you tell me? The Order would have helps you. I would have helped you."
"The Death Eaters forced me to take a vow. Until the vow holder was dead, I was forced to not say anything while giving them my powers," her monotone voice answered.
"Dear Merlin," he said. "Did you… did you betray Marlene, Gideon and Fabian?"
Even through the veritaserum, her eyes watered. "I was imperioused and under the potion. They used my predictions to figure out who was the most dangerous and where to find them."
He closed his eyes.
This was going to take a bit to process. He had so many other questions, but he knew the truth potion would wear off soon.
There was one he needed answering. One above all others. "Did you love me?"
"I still do," she replied.
He closed his eyes, the hole in his chest from that night opening into a huge chasm.
He didn't ask anything else, and she didn't say anything. When he finally opened his eyes, the glassiness of the veritaserum was almost gone. Her silvery-blue eyes were depths of pain and emotion. She had fat tears running down her cheeks. "I tried to resist at the end. They were starting to threaten my family more. I had been under the imperious for months. I…" she choked up for a moment, "I had to watch as they raped Catherin again. This time they didn't stop. I yelled myself hoarse as they laughed and revelled. It was Mulciber who finally put a bludgeoner into the back of her head as he forced her to ride him while imperioused."
Sirius knew she had been devastated when they had found her sister a few months before the raid that had caught Celeste. He knew how messed up she was. He had no clue she had witnessed it. He put a hand to his mouth. This was just too much at the moment.
"Siri, I never wanted too…" she trailed off.
Part of him wanted to go around the table and wrap his arms around the only woman he had ever loved. The other part wanted to run and keep running. The crimes she was accused of… she was as much a victim as those she sold out.
After a moment, he shook his head. "I have to…" he wasn't sure what he had too. "I have to… go," he eventually said.
She looked pleadingly at him before nodding. He shakily stood up. He turned to walk out, turned back to her, turned again to walk out of the room before stopping with his hand on the door. He felt he was fighting back his own tears. "I… I don't know what I feel right now, Celeste. I must think about this."
She sounded like she was choking back a sob. "I understand," she eventually got out.
He closed his eyes for a long moment before turning the doorknob. He had people that needed him and couldn't afford to have another traitor in their midst… he tried to ignore the nagging voice in the back of his head that that was his Celeste sitting there, and she hadn't done anything willingly.
The loyal dog in him howled in pain, unsure what to do.
-oOo-
August 21, 1995
London, England
Almost the full Wizengamot was seated in the smaller courtroom in the bowels of the ministry. Today was a smaller affair that held huge political and familial significance too many of the people here and around the British Wizarding world. Sirius was Lord Black today, and acting all that meant, including chaffing at the stiff collar of the House robes he was in as he looked down at the floor. The only houses not represented on the Wizengamot today were the two houses sitting on the floor at the tables.
Andi sat next to Harry as the Regent of House Potter. Harry was sitting on her right, his hatred for the people across from them radiating off him. Ted sat on the other side of Andi.
Across the aisle sat the arse Reynolds with Algernon Croaker and the Longbottom heir. The blonde boy looked thinner than he had been just a month prior, though he held his head high and wouldn't look their way. To prevent any more bad publicity, Croaker had requested this be a closed hearing. Sirius had agreed. Once the hearing was over, though, Sirius would have a news conference that would blow the grievances between the houses wide open and should help to destroy any remaining power the Longbottoms have.
Williams moved to the podium when a clock chime sounded. A five-panel board followed. It was a good mix of the three main camps. The assembled Lords, Ladies and Regents of the other houses quieted down. Even being a closed meeting, the rest of the Wizengamot was allowed to sit in a matter like this, and most wouldn't miss this. Without waiting, the chief warlock tapped his wand on the podium. "I call back into order this sitting of judgement between the House of Potter, the House of Longbottom and their vassals. We have heard the evidence and verified that magic has declared the sacred pact between the liege houses to be broken and that the House of Longbottom is responsible."
Croaker kept his passive mask while Neville lost what little colour he had. Harry glared at them while Andi held her head up and regarded Williams. She gently nudged Harry's elbow and he turned to face the chief warlock.
"The council has also looked at the other evidence presented by the House of Black. Though no formal investigation was completed, an issue that will be considered later, it is the belief of this council that Madam and Scion Longbottom, along with their vassals, has tried to abdicate or cause the end of line for an allied House while the alliance was active," Williams said.
"Chief Warlock Williams, I have presented evidence that Madam Longbottom thought Heir Potter to be dead," Reynolds said, standing up quickly.
"Solicitor Reynolds," the chief warlock said in restrained anger. "It is clear to this council that your clients, their House and their vassals, do not understand the importance of a blood bound alliance. Even if there is incontrovertible evidence that Heir Potter had died the night his parents did, it was the Longbottoms blood bound duty to ensure the next heir was found and protected. There is nothing in the alliance paperwork that would have allowed Madam Longbottom to do as she did.
If the Longbottoms need schooling in what it means to undertake a blood bound alliance before the Wizengamot, then I would recommend them doing so. The actions undertaken by the House of Longbottom will have the following consequences."
Reynolds looked about to protest again, but was quelled when Williams, and most of the Wizengamot, glared at him. After he sat, Williams went on, "There are several levels of consequences that were considered in this violation of oath and duty. Per the original alliance contract, we find the House of Longbottom fully culpable. One-third of all lands, property, wealth and holdings are to be handed over to Heir Potter in the next thirty days."
"It has also come to the councils' attention that the Longbottoms may have several heirlooms, tomes and artefacts illegally obtained from the Potters. They will be returned, unharmed and in the state they were received, within one week. If they are not, then the fair assessed value shall be remitted. The current estimated value of the known items is three million, three-hundred and fifty-two thousand and eighty-three galleons," Williams stated. "Any items not returned will be compensated either in raw currency or heirlooms or property of similar value and nature."
Sirius glared at Croaker. The man's hand had twitched towards his wand. When Sirius had found out that they may have several items that James and Lily had that night they were ambushed, had infuriated him. He had thought James' invisibility cloak had been lost, and many artefacts from the old Potter estate destroyed. Most were priceless, but the goblins had done a fair job at assessing what was believe to be in the Longbottoms' hands. At least at one time.
"You can't do that!" Reynolds shot up. "That will bankrupt my clients!"
Williams went on. "The original alliance also held that several vassal houses had been transferred to the Longbottoms to elevate their status. The Houses of Crouch, Croaker and Marsten shall be released and returned to the Potters for judgement."
"NO! I will not let myself be judged liked this! The House of Croaker is an independent house per treaty with the Longbottoms," Croaker suddenly shouted. It was the first time the man had reacted.
Sirius gave a nasty grin. It looks like the charges of Harry violating the edict would be dropped.
"SIT! DOWN!" Williams roared. The force of the magic of the chamber had the man clamping his mouth shut before sitting rather heavily.
"By the will of this Wizengamot, the House of Potter has been wronged by people that were supposed to protect, raise and honour them. There is no evidence that the House of Potter did any damage to the House of Longbottom or its vassals except in defence of life, property or honour. The last is something the House of Longbottom and its vassals clearly lack. As such, the House of Longbottom will be declared a Traitor of the Blood. This is a sacred breaking of an oath that has stood for nearly three-hundred years," Williams said with disdain.
Neville turned a deathly white.
"Since the inception of the Wizards' Council, only eight other Houses have been declared a Traitor of the Blood. Each House has faced the judgement of the council, and each time it was decided that the House could no longer be trusted to uphold the trust given to it to rule and judge our world. Only at times like this do we name such Houses. Slytherin, Richmond, Essex, Underhill, Weasley, Mulciber, Prince and Montrose. In a unanimous vote, it has been decided to add the name of Longbottom to this rather ignominious listing that is only known in these chambers," Williams said in a rather sombre tone.
"From this day forward, the name of Longbottom will be stricken from the names of the Wizengamot that forge the current seals. The next house in line will be elevated at the Fall Equinox meet. Depending on the judgement of the Potters, the House of Croaker is next in line to have their magic integrated into the seals of our world. If the judgment of the Potters is to claim the House as Traitors to the Blood or to dissolve the magic of the house, making all new members in it ineligible for any familial magic, then the Dagworth-Grangers will be elevated."
Neville cried out. "You can't dissolve my house!"
"The last decision of this council is to dissolve the exclusive rights of trade given to the House of Longbottom. From this day forward, the House of Longbottom, any of its vassals and businesses will be assessed the full fees, taxes and leans as applicable under law and magic. This is the decision of this council!" Chief Warlock Williams stated before tapping his wand on the podium. Behind him, usually not seen by any, where the family names whose magic reinforced the seals of binding on the Wizengamot. There was a flash of red as the Longbottom magic was stripped from the seal. Sirius felt a slight bit of draw on his magic. Where once fifteen of the original Sacred Twenty-Eight were still on the wall, now only fourteen remained.
The Wizengamot members all turned their backs on them as they began to file out of the room.
Sirius stood and walked down to the floor. He made his way towards Harry and Andi as Croaker passed him.
"Are you satisfied!" he asked in a low tone as he stopped by his side.
Sirius turned his head to the man. "I'll be satisfied when the last Longbottom breathes his last," Sirius told him. He had never really felt this type of blood lust before, but he knew it was the right thing.
Neville was besides his uncle, looking down and dejected. Croaker glared at Sirius. "You have probably just condemned our world. I don't care what you think those prophecies say, Neville is the one destined to save us. I will spend my last breath supporting him and see you and that Potter boy dead."
Sirius gave the man a cheeky grin. "Good thing we don't hold the fate of your house in our hands, do we?"
Croaker looked ready to kill him before taking on his passive face. "I look forward to hearing from the House of Potter, Lord Black."
"I'm sure it will be soon," Sirius told him.
Turning his head away from the man, he was indicating that he was above the now disgraced man and nephew. They were Blood Traitors. Sirius had always hated that term. Until recently, he never really understood its full meaning or implications. His eyes fell on Harry, who was glaring at Neville. Andi was standing next to him, a hand on his shoulder and giving him her silent support.
"It's time to ignore them, Harry. Unless the Longbottoms start anything with you, they are dead to us," Sirius told him as he approached, hoping his godson wouldn't go after Longbottom. It wasn't Harry's responsibility to act on the blood feud. Not until he was older. Andi and him would make sure the Longbottoms would never rise again. What was coming for them would be worse than death. It had taken the Weasley's almost three hundred years to claw their way back to where they were now. How long would it take the Longbottoms? Assuming Neville survived to have children.
-oOo-
August 25, 1995
Zurich, Switzerland
It was a large group to portkey to the Arena Schlottermilch on the southeast side of Zurich. The arena was the largest one that Harry had ever been too. Then again, it hadn't been built for duelling, but quidditch. The stadium was meant to hold nearly fifty thousand and was one of the few international arenas capable of such in the wizarding world.
Gabi stepped out of the portkey with more grace than even him or Sue. Dora had come with Ted. Andi was required to stay behind to deal with some stuff in the Wizengamot with Sirius. Sirius was going to try to show for Sunday, as Harry was expecting to place into the semi-finals, at the least.
The Li's were right behind him, while Fleur was next to Gabi and Master Flitwick was just before them. Dora put a hand on his arm. "We should clear the area," she told him.
"Right," he said.
As they moved towards the doorway indicated, Harry noticed that some people noticed them. Well, he guessed a group with two veela would always be noticed, but it was the way people were looking at him then talking to the person next to them that had him feeling a little nervous.
Sue gave him a look. He sent a questioning one back.
Gabrielle leaned over to him as they left the portkey area to enter the large halls below the stands. There must have been thousands of witches and wizards. It was a much larger crowd than he was used too, but this tournament was rather prestigious and invited the top talent of the U16's from around the globe.
"Why do I feel like they are looking at you more than they are me?" she asked in a slightly teasing tone.
Mr Li caught their attention. "It could have something to do with that."
Harry turned to look at a vendor that was doing a steady business with the number of people around it. Looking at the newsstand, he realized that his picture was on the cover of most of the magazines or newspapers, and the ones that didn't have his picture had Fenrir Greyback.
"Oh, bloody hell," Harry muttered.
Ted eyed the newspapers. "I knew that wasn't a good idea," he muttered. Dora moved in a little closer.
Sue replied, "I thought you had a big head before, now you're going to be unbearable."
"Sod off," he told her, and she laughed at him.
They made it out of the arena to find their camp site. They still had another two hours before the registry started at one and the first matches started later today at four. All the contestants, families and masters were in a competitors' village not far from the main entrance. The stadium was built against a wooded area with fields all round that were full of tents, stalls and signs of magic everywhere.
"Wicked," Sue said with a grin.
"I've never seen so many," Gabrielle said.
"You should have been at the World Cup last year. There were about a hundred thousand in England," Dora said.
"There must be twenty thousand here," Mrs Li commented.
"You should have seen the crowds the last time Master Flitwick competed," Ted remarked. "If there was less than fifty thousand then I'll eat my hat."
"You were there?" Master Flitwick asked.
"I was able to get there. That was my sixth year in Hogwarts. I had to tell my parents I was going with friends, and it took all my summer money to get the portkey, a tent and the tickets," Ted told him.
Harry looked at Ted, a new level of respect for him. "So, you just took off to see the tournament?"
Ted gave him a little smirk. "Dora doesn't get her rebellious side only from her mum."
Dora winked at him. "Mum only taught me to be coy, dad is the one that taught me all my best tricks."
"Don't let your mum hear you say that. I get in trouble enough," Ted teased back.
Dora gave her father a wicked grin. "So, I shouldn't mention that we meet at the pub most Thursday nights?"
"That is no secret," he replied.
"You teaching me how to play pool and beat all the snot nosed uni kids isn't?" she retorted.
Ted leaned into Harry. "It would be better that Andi not find out about that."
Dora grinned triumphantly.
Harry eyed the man. "Are you asking me to keep a secret from your wife?"
Ted shrugged. "It would make all our lives easier."
Dora nudged his shoulder. "You will learn, padawan."
"I can let her know that Harry didn't tell her," Sue said.
"Oi! Is anyone on my side?" he exclaimed.
Gabrielle nudged Dora away. "Do you need protecting from these coushons?"
Ted and Dora laughed loudly as he blushed. Throwing his hands into the air he sped up. "Bloody fecking peanut gallery!"
Gabrielle gave a tinkling laugh behind him.
He stopped at the gate to wait for them. Not far away, leaning against a post, was a boy with spiky hair, leather trousers and a long coat. If he wasn't being so hypervigilant because of the last few months, he might not have caught the nod in his direction.
He turned his head to stare at the boy. Two others were leaning against the fence. One had bright blue hair and the other was a girl with her dark hair in a long plait. He hadn't seen them before, but they looked to be fifteen or sixteen. Gabrielle came up to him and wrapped an arm around his. "So, you do not want me to protect you?" she teased.
Harry moved to put himself in the way of the boy. His eyes had glazed over a bit and there was a look of lust in his features. The boy didn't move, but when he caught Harry getting between him and Gabrielle there was a definite challenge in his eyes. Harry wasn't going to let anyone he cared for or called friend get hurt.
Gabrielle stopped giggling as she noticed Harry's tense stance. Sue slipped in besides him, her wand in her hand. As much as they may annoy each other, Sue and him would stand at each other's side.
"If you are done sizing each other up, we need to find our tents and then go register," Master Flitwick told them as he walked by. He acted as though this was nothing big. Gabrielle pulled his arm after a moment. Sue moved when he did.
"Who are they?" Sue asked.
"Never seen them," Harry replied.
"I'm sure we'll find out who they are soon enough," Sue answered.
"If we are done making friends, I would like to put my bag away," Dora said with a wink to them.
Harry huffed.
He didn't notice that Gabrielle held his arm a little tighter as he looked back to see the boy glaring at them.
-oOo-
The next time on Duel of Fate: The Zurick U16 and vengeance.
-oOo-
A/N: I do apologize, but work is very busy. My writing and editing time is limited so it may be a 2 – 3 week update schedule for a bit. I do not know how long this will last.