Taking Moody's instructions to heart, Harry used the slight moment of confusion as Bill stepped onto the field, to turn back to Fred and unleash a stunning spell with the Gauntlet.
The crimson spell rocketed across the basement, striking Fred before he'd even finished the shield incantation.
"Fred!" George yelled, his voice laced with concern as he hurried to his twin's side. In that moment of distraction, Harry seized the opportunity and cast a second Stunning Spell at George, who took the hit mid run.
With Fred and George out of the battle, Harry turned his attention to Bill, who had just joined the fray. As the eldest Weasley brother prepared for the duel, Harry's mind raced, trying to work out what the curse breaker's strategy would be.
Moody's gruff voice cut through the tension. "Don't let up, Potter! Show them what you're made of!"
Rolling his shoulders, Harry snapped off a third stunning spell at Bill, who calmly caught and unravelled the spell. Harry paused for a moment, impressed by Bill's skillful work.
"Nice reflexes," he muttered under his breath in admiration, before he launched into a heavy barrage of attacks, determined to test Bill's defences to their limit.
He wasn't quite ready to use the Gauntlet against the man, but with Dumbledore's old hornbeam wand in his hand, it was hard to notice. The wand seemed to blur as spells flew across the space, as Harry used every non-lethal spell he'd ever learnt.
But, through it all, Bill remained unbothered. The jet from Aguamenti was bent around him, glowing darts vanished, and even the thick fog conjured by Harry was effortlessly dispelled with a wave of Bill's wand.
There was clearly a great degree of skill behind Bill's defence, but Harry could tell the man's reactions wouldn't have been quick enough if not for the space between them.
Sensing Ron attacking from the side, Harry took a firm step forward, allowing the leg-locker to sail harmlessly past him. Despite the distraction, his focus remained unwaveringly fixed on Bill. He knew that defeating Bill, or at least proving himself against such a formidable opponent, would easily convince the gathered Order about his own capabilities.
With quick flicks of his wand, Harry sent off a few self-seeking spells, followed by several with wide, curved paths, aiming to keep Bill busy as he dealt with Ron.
Rolling under Ron's weakened slicing spell, Harry smoothly rolled under it, emerging facing his friend. Without hesitation, Harry thrust his fist forward, raising a slab of earth from the floor and simultaneously propelling it toward Ron.
As soon as the attack was launched, Harry swiftly shifted his focus back to Bill, intending to resume their duel. However, mid-turn, he sensed a surge of magical energy from Bill. Reacting instinctively, Harry raised a shield, only for a silver spell to shatter against it.
Immediately, a silver mist erupted outwards, phasing through the shield without any notice. Harry couldn't feel anything immediately happening, but as he tried to send a counter attack, he felt incredibly sluggish.
Through the mist, Harry saw Bill cautiously creep around, grouping up with Ron. Despite Harry forcing himself to move as fast as he could, he couldn't turn to Bill faster than the man shuffled to the side.
As Harry fought against the sluggishness induced by the mist, he realized the gravity of the situation. His movements felt as if he were wading through thick mud, each action requiring an immense effort.
Despite his struggle, Harry remained determined. With a fierce determination burning in his eyes, he focused on dispelling the effects of the mist, pushing back against its oppressive weight with all his magical might.
His magic was still flowing as fast as normal, so the mist wasn't actively slowing down time, just his own movement. Forcing his magic through his wand, he summoned a shield between himself and Bill, blocking the stunner.
As the shield intercepted the stunner, Harry felt a surge of relief wash over him. Though still encumbered by the mist, he knew he had bought himself a precious moment to strategize.
Drawing upon the reserves of his magical strength, Harry intensified his efforts to dispel the mist. With every ounce of determination, he focused his concentration, channelling his magic through his wand in a concentrated burst of power.
The mist quivered under the force of Harry's will, but it stubbornly clung to the air, resisting his attempts to banish it completely. Finally, clenching his fist, the Gauntlet reacted immediately to his will.
A wave of chilled air erupted from the Soul Gem, consuming the mist and the magic that fueled it. Harry felt a slight sensation of vertigo, before he shook his head and fired a Gauntlet enhanced stunning spell at Ron and Bill.
For his part, Bill wasted precious seconds staring at Harry in shock, before he had to dive out of the way of the spell. Which left Ron to take the hit, crumpling immediately.
Clearly ruffled, Bill tried to revive his brother, only for his Enervate to prove too weak to overcome Ron's induced sleep. Harry couldn't help his pride as Bill's eyes widened and finally looked at Harry in concern.
The man's lips parted slightly, forming an "O" shape, his brow furrowing in uncertainty. But to his credit, Bill quickly composed himself, his expression shifting to one of determination as he squared his shoulders, readying himself for the challenge ahead.
"Looks like it's just you and me now," Bill remarked, his tone carrying a mixture of determination and respect for Harry's skill. Without hesitation, he raised his wand, preparing to resume their duel with renewed intensity.
Harry nodded in agreement, before swiftly punching the air before him several times, with each punch being followed by a whooshing noise. Bill just barely avoided the first bolt of compressed air, his red hair billowing in its wake.
A hastily conjured stone slab absorbed the remaining air bolts, although the slab barely survived the final hit. But Bill took the crumbling slab and broked it into dozens of stone darts, which he then launched toward Harry with remarkable power.
Harry quickly conjured his own magical shield to absorb the barrage of stone darts. The projectiles clattered against the magical barrier, sending sparks flying in all directions.
With a determined grimace, Harry retaliated with a series of rapid spells, aiming to push Bill back onto the defensive. It was clear the eldest Weasley brother was a capable fighter, but Harry had long ago surpassed being merely capable.
If it weren't for the fragile basement they found themselves in, and Harry's need to show how competent he was, he might have been able to end the duel sooner. But he held back to ensure the entire house fell upon them, even as he began to unleash his full arsenal of spells.
Each incantation flowed effortlessly from Harry's wand, each gesture coming back to him, as he grew familiar with his new wand's weight and length. But despite Bill's valiant efforts to hold his ground, it was clear that he was outmatched by Harry's sheer range of magic.
Bill simply couldn't keep up with undoing transfiguration, neutralising curses, stopping elemental attacks, shielding another hex, then dodging a barrage of charms.
Harry's spellwork was well honed, with each spell seamlessly transitioning into the next. It wasn't quite a perfect chain yet, but it was more than many could attest to. His mind also stumbled over the occasional destructive spell, which he didn't allow himself to use, which left brief openings as he came up with a replacement spell.
But finally, when Bill pulled up another stone slab, Harry let his final spell fly, before whipping his wand forwards. In the darkened basement, Viktor Krum's spell shone all the more brilliantly, as the yellow ball of compressed lightning sailed over the room and shattered Bill's defence.
With the shield destroyed, a weaker blast of air knocked Bill backwards, leaving him open for the bubble jinx, which enveloped Bill in a large blue bubble and lifted him off the ground.
Caught off guard by the sudden change in his position, Bill struggled against the confines of the bubble, his movements hampered by the magical force holding him aloft. Despite his valiant efforts to break free, he found himself unable to escape Harry's grasp.
"Alright Potter, that's enough, let William go. Now, Lupin, you used to teach this one. Show him how he fares against a seasoned duelist like yourself."
Lupin emerged from the midst of the gathered Order members, hands wringing together involuntarily in anticipation. Although he approached Harry with confidence, his eyes kept darting to Moody, betraying his apprehension.
Harry could tell Lupin wasn't fearful of facing him, despite his defeat over Bill Weasley, but instead knowing all too well the veteran Auror's knack for introducing unforeseen challenges to upset the balance of a duel.
It's just in their case, Lupin hadn't realised the curve ball would be thrown in Harry's court, not his own.
The duel commenced with Lupin's wand movements appearing somewhat half-hearted, clearly engaging in the duel out of obligation rather than genuine enthusiasm. His spells were cast with precision but lacked the expected vigour or determination Harry had been hoping for.
Deciding to try and punish Lupin for his lacklustre opening, Harry easily swatted away the man's spells before delivering his own opening. Mixing his wandless, elemental, and wanded magic, he once again delivered the near constant stream of magic which Bill had fallen against.
As Harry continued to press the attack, Lupin's initial half-hearted defence began to falter under the relentless assault. With each spell that Harry unleashed, Lupin's shock became more evident, his expression growing serious at the toll defending against Harry was exacting.
Forced to retreat further as Harry kept pushing forward, Lupin's defensive stance gradually shifted into a more sincere offensive.
With a new sense of determination, Lupin expertly interrupted Harry's rhythm with a series of spells, breaking his onslaught and gaining control of the duel. He then sent his own set of punishing spells, which pushed Harry's protego severely.
Crouching behind his magical shield, Harry jerked his arm outwards, calling forth his overdrive shield and fixing it to his Gauntlet. Mithril shield raised, Harry deliberately lowered his protego, letting Lupin's final spell slam against the shield.
Harry certainly hadn't expected such strength from the rather faded ex-professor, but nobody could hold a candle to the raw power Nicholas Flamel could unleash. And with his shield having withstood the aged alchemist's attacks, Lupin's spell was barely noticed.
Sensing an opportunity to regain the upper hand, Harry emerged from behind his shield with renewed determination and unleashed a flurry of spells aimed at overwhelming Lupin's defences again.
Lupin, however, refused to repeat his mistake of underestimating his foe. Drawing upon his knowledge and years of experience, he deftly countered Harry's spells with precise wand movements, wasting as little energy as possible.
And then he seized the moment of Harry's brief hesitation to launch a swift and unexpected attack of his own. With a flick of his wand, Lupin conjured a powerful gust of wind, aiming to knock Harry off balance and disrupt his offensive.
Harry, caught off guard by the sudden change in tactics, stumbled backward, struggling to maintain his footing against the force of Lupin's spell. Despite his quick efforts to gain control over the wind, he found himself temporarily on the defensive, his focus momentarily fractured.
Seeing an opportunity to press his advantage, Lupin pressed forward, unleashing a barrage of spells aimed at exploiting Harry's momentary vulnerability. With each incantation, he pushed Harry further back, his determination evident in every precise movement.
And then a small scarlet spell slipped over the lip of Harry's shield and hit his shoulder. Whilst it wasn't a stunning spell as he'd feared, the Expelliarmus instantaneously flooded his body, before it hit the stump of his arm, where the Gauntlet clung to him.
The tiny spell did its best to disarm him, only for the three stones upon the Gauntlet to firmly destroy the offending magic. Before Harry could even take a breath, a trio of heavier stunning spells slammed straight into his shield, which had barely wobbled under the Expelliarmus.
Without missing a beat, he stepped into a knockback spell trailing the stunning spells, swatting it aside with a powerful sweep of his shield.
Harnessing the momentum from his swing, Harry seamlessly transitioned into a stronger counter-attack, his wand outstretched as he unleashed a bolt of lightning from its tip.
The bolt danced and sizzled through the air, leaving a trail of shimmering sparks in its wake as it surged toward Lupin. Its bluish-white glow illuminated the dim surroundings, casting stark shadows across the faces of the onlookers as it streaked towards its target.
It wasn't quite true lightning, but it was as close as Harry was willing to get within the basement. As the bolt of lightning hurtled towards Lupin, he reacted with a precise movement of his wand, summoning a shimmering shield of translucent energy.
The lightning bolt collided with the shield, scattering sparks and crackling energy. But Lupin maintained his focus, channelling his magic into reinforcing the shield against the onslaught.
To his credit, the shield held strong against the force of the lightning, channelling it harmlessly into the stone beneath them. With a determined gaze, Lupin gradually dispersed the residual energy, before finally settling into a readied stance.
While Lupin the werewolf had been somewhat easy to subdue in his third year, with him and Sirius having just buried him under conjured chains, Lupin the wizard was proving annoyingly resilient.
With a quick flick of his wand, Harry conjured a swirling vortex of wind around Lupin, aiming to disrupt his concentration and test the limits of his magical defences. The howling wind whipped around Lupin, tugging at his robes and stirring up dust from the floor.
Despite the sudden assault, Lupin stood firm, his shield shimmering as it absorbed the brunt of the wind's force. His expression remained focused, betraying none of the strain he must have been feeling.
Somehow seeing several spells speeding towards him, Remus managed to steady himself within the vortex and blocked most of the spells. All except for one finally stunning spell, which scored him directly in the chest.
But to Harry's great annoyance, while Remus stumbled somewhat, the Stupify failed to overcome his werewolf resistance. Undeterred, Harry pressed on, determined to find a weakness in Lupin's defences. With a swift motion, he redirected the swirling wind, aiming to create a distraction while he prepared a more potent attack.
As Lupin again regained his footing, Harry seized the opportunity to launch a series of rapid-fire spells, each one carefully calculated to test Lupin's reflexes and resilience. The spells darted through the air, weaving intricate patterns as they closed in on their target.
Lupin's response was swift but strained, his concentration visibly faltering under the relentless assault. Despite his best efforts, his slowed reactions couldn't block every spell, and Harry's magic found its mark, striking Lupin a few times.
Of those that hit, the Incendio caused the biggest impact, as Remus had to frantically put out the fire that had begun on his cardigan. Seeing Lupin's breathing growing strained, Harry raised the Gauntlet and used the Soul Gem to unleash a dreadful chill.
Like a vacuum, all the heat around Lupin was steadily pulled towards the glowing gemstone, rapidly lowering the temperature. Not quite understanding what was happening, Lupin nonetheless had the good sense to raise a shield, briefly trapping the heat.
But to their shared disbelief, the shield itself began to crack and decay, slowly breaking under the all consuming intense cold emanating from the Soul Gem.
With each passing moment, the temperature plummeted, forming a frosty aura around Lupin as he struggled to maintain his defences. But despite his breath crystallising and hanging in the frigid air, Lupin refused to yield, even as his shield faltered.
With a surge of power, he reinforced the weakening barrier, channelling his magic into a last-ditch effort to fend off the bone-chilling cold. But the frost continued to spread, creeping inexorably closer to Lupin's trembling form.
As the shield finally gave way under the strain, Lupin found himself exposed to the full force of Harry's chilling magic, his breath hitching in the icy air as he braced himself for the onslaught.
His recently smouldering cardigan grew stiff with ice, but Remus didn't seem to notice as he began weaving a stronger shield, which blazed with an inner heat. The primal warmth emanating from Lupin's shield clashed with the icy chill of the Gauntlet's magic, creating a strong air current in the basement.
Realising that Lupin was not about to give in, Harry made a split-second decision. With a decisive motion, he released his hold on the chilling spell, allowing the frigid aura surrounding Lupin to gradually dissipate.
He'd reached a point where he'd need to tap into more dangerous attacks, especially from his Gauntlet. Tapping into the insatiable Soul Gem once had already been a calculated risk, but Harry hesitated to unleash its full potential against Lupin, especially in a mere practice duel.
To his relief, and perhaps having sensed his hesitation, Moody called an end to their duel, sparing Harry from having to make a difficult decision about how far he was willing to go to emerge victorious.
"Alright, that's enough!" barked Moody, "Clearly Potter and Lupin can keep chipping at each other until we all drop from boredom. So why don't we spice things up a bit? Nymphadora, you go and join Lupin. Shacklebolt, you help Potter. A two on two battle should shake everything up nicely."
Harry couldn't suppress a smirk at Moody's typically gruff but oddly enthusiastic demeanour. The man seemed almost excited for the upcoming duel, showing the same suppressed joy Crouch Jr had emulated in his own lessons.
But as Kingsley stepped up beside him, whilst sharing some obscure look with Moody, Harry wasn't too sure how things would play out.
He'd long been able to beat Tonks in their own duels, although the woman was very good at learning from her past defeats. So on paper he'd be able to focus on Tonks to knock her out, before focusing back on Lupin.
However, the ever-constant confined space of the basement severely limited his usual attacks, and he had no idea how well Kingsley might do against Lupin in the meantime.
Seeing Lupin and Tonks having a quick discussion, Harry turned to look up at Kingsley, pointing his head at their opponents.
"Any way you want to deal with them?" He asked.
"You're the boss here. I'll just follow your lead and command." Kingsley replied evenly, sparing Harry a glance even as he remained focused on Tonks and Lupin.
"Alright then. I think I can handle Tonks, if you can try and deal with Lupin." Harry tried, formulating a plan on the spot.
Kingsley nodded in acknowledgment, his expression resolute. "Got it. I'll keep Lupin occupied."
As Moody signalled the start of the duel, Harry and Kingsley moved into position, each ready to face their respective opponents. But to Harry's annoyance, Lupins and Tonks together began to focus their efforts on him, despite Kingsley's best attempts at drawing fire.
With his overdrive shield equipped, their combined attacks really weren't significantly threatening, but it wasn't what Harry had intended.
Especially when Tonks began pulling out her transfiguration attacks, which required quick utilisation of the Philosopher's Stone to undo. But even when he'd turned the large bear back into a pile of broken chairs, Lupin had immediately charmed them to charge at him.
It didn't matter that he'd managed to break Lupin's control and launched the chairs back at Tonks, because by then she'd have conjured a new attack against him, during which Lupin had destroyed the chairs.
Beside him, Kingsley kept focused on Lupin, his wand movements swift and precise as he sought to keep Lupin occupied and prevent him from aiding Tonks.
Meanwhile, Harry found himself engaged in a relentless exchange with Tonks, with the basement filled with easily used clutter. He could feel the strain of this 3rd duel wearing on him, his movements becoming slightly more sluggish with each passing moment.
To make up for it, he relied heavily on his shield, as he pushed Tonks against the very clutter she was using against him.
As Tonks conjured yet another barrage of animated objects to attack him, Harry knew he needed to change tactics. Making a clawed gesture with the Gauntlet, he channelled his magic into a powerful upward pull, creating a large stone hand that rose from the floor to grasp her ankle.
It didn't last long under Tonks' wand, but it gave him enough time to raise his wand high before whipping it downwards. The resulting purple wave of energy caught her nearly by surprise, and nevertheless propelled her forcefully into the wall behind her. With a resounding thud, she collided with the wall before crumpling to the floor, temporarily incapacitated by the impact.
With Tonks momentarily subdued, Harry seized the opportunity to glance over at Kingsley, who was still locked in a fierce duel with Lupin. Despite his best efforts, Lupin seemed to be struggling to gain the upper hand against the seasoned Auror.
But as Harry stepped forward to aid Kingsley, Lupin began to split his attention between Harry and the Auror, increasing his offence for a weakened defence.
Despite the added pressure, Harry remained focused, weaving between Lupin's spells with some agility. Kingsley, on the other hand, seemed to be having a much harder time. His greater size and strength made him more susceptible to Lupin's attacks, forcing him into a more defensive stance.
And then the Auror fell as a stunner got him from behind, as Tonks rose to her feet behind them. Cursing, Harry now found himself between his two opponents, with his ally fallen.
Throwing another purple wave of force at Tonks, Harry desperately tried to keep both opponents at bay, his mind racing to devise a strategy that would allow him to turn the tide of the battle.
But while Tonks was noticeably slower after her own fall, the distance between them was too great to properly capitalise on it. Behind his overdrive shield, Harry didn't have too much to worry about, but it was a situation he wasn't exactly thrilled to be in.
Despite his valiant efforts, Harry found himself gradually overwhelmed by the combined onslaught of Lupin and Tonks. Despite his best attempts to keep both opponents at bay, the relentless barrage of spells forced him into a defensive position.
As Lupin's spells grew more aggressive and Tonks recovered from her fall, Harry's options became increasingly limited. With the amount of rubbish Tonks had thrown at him, he had managed to transmute a fairly attractive stone fort, which Lupin had then blown open in just a few spells.
To Harry, it was clear they were at something of an impasse. His shield and under-armour would protect him from any spell Lupin and Tonks were willing to throw at him, but at the same time he couldn't break free without potentially hurting either of them.
Caught between his desire to win and his reluctance to cause harm, Harry felt frustration mounting within him. He knew that continuing to defend himself indefinitely was not a viable strategy, yet the alternative carried risks he wasn't prepared to take.
Deciding to take a risk, Harry stored his wand and conjured a lot of smoke, before charging at Lupin. His smokescreen barely lasted a second, but it was long enough for him to close the distance, at which point his armour absorbed the few spells Lupin was able to get off.
And then he leapt upon the man, expecting to easily bring him to the ground and wrestle the wand away from him. But to his surprise, the ex-professor barely flinched at Harry's weight, and instead flipped Harry over his shoulder and into the ground.
With his fall suppression runes in constant effect, his back barely felt the impact, but he certainly noticed Lupin diving atop him, pinning him down with surprising strength. Despite his struggles, Harry found himself unable to break free from Lupin's hold.
But at the same time, Lupin was unable to actually subdue Harry. His conjured binding turned to water the moment Harry touched them, while his stunning spells didn't seem to take hold.
Eventually, Moody had to shake his head and get involved, striding up to the two, before placing them both in a bubble. Harry was a bit bemused, until he noticed he wasn't breathing, at which point he began to work much harder to escape.
However, even when he finally sent Lupin flying upwards, he found the bubble inescapable, and it was only when Moody voluntarily lifted the bubble that he was able to draw in a rasping breath.
"Is there anyone who thinks they might be able to do better than Potter?" Moody asked conversationally, eyeing the Order. When none replied, he pulled Harry to his feet, before turning him to face the main bulk.
"As you all saw, Potter already has the power and skill, he just needs some refining. He's sorely lacking in non-lethal means of duelling, and completely incompetent at working in a pair. That is what we'll be teaching him, no cleaning, no grousing, the end. Any questions?"
Not entirely happy with this one, but the first week of writing I was called in to do some unexpected theatre work, and this week I had my birthday. Which overall left little time for writing. So it will probably end up as the "part 1" for the next chapter.
Things I think need explaining:
- Harry's level: He's strong, but he's mainly been using large and powerful attacks, or fighting inexperienced school children. But in an enclosed basement, with a near ruined house above him, Harry can't exactly blow up the floor, or enact sigils or runes.
And his mithril has by and large been designed around killing, like it's hard to use a sword in a non-dangerous manner. This will be something Moody will help him improve upon.