AN: Changing my 'Writing Device', I am now in need to change a few things I use for my alternative Communication.
'Thoughts'
"Standard speech"
$serpent*dragon *$
{Cat Tongue}
[Spell Incantation]
& Bird tongue &
SPRB
The morning dawned dark, drizzly and damp.
This was the Morning when they put Albus Dumbledor to Rest.
People of State, Power, and Knowledge had gathered to say their goodbyes.
The Numbers were limited to fifty people.
A grey tent was erected in the Graveyard of Godric's Hollow. While Albus's Will called for a Tomb on Hogwarts Grounds The Hat declared that Hogwarts was a place of Life… not a place of Death. The old fool had broken that bond by the willful use of the Killing Curse. So Albus consigned to the Dumbledore Family Plot… Next to his Sister.
As the Abbot started the prayer to lay the Soul to Rest…
"Nay, Abbot." A cold voice carried across the enclosed space. "I don't think His Soul is going anywhere. He will see the Assembled Members Join Him." A pale white Hairless male stood, his red eyes glowing in the gloom. "Now… I will either kill everyone here…" Twenty Cowled mourners stood, and revealed their skull-faced masks. "Or they will swear Fealty to me… Lord…"
"...Dickless." The Air behind the Coffin shimmered, as a Wizard leaning on a staff appeared. "Morning Tommy-boy. I see you brought your ass-lickers. Fudge, please lead the Sheeple out back. We don't want any Voters to come to Harm, now do we. Tom wants to prove that he is the Strongest in England. Tell me Tommy, How is the Blood treating you?" He stomped the Staff, and the Masked Death-Eaters froze.
The Minister was quick to herd everyone out of the tent. "Where is Lucious?" He asked as he hid behind Harry.
"That depends." Harry smirked. "Is he strong enough to throw off the Imperious? Which means that I was Challenged under False Pretenses." He stomped his staff again, releasing the Death Eaters. "Tell us Tommy Boy, Was I Challenged under False Pretenses? If I was and Die by your hand… my Heir inherits House Black… and House Malfoy will never take it. Or was I Challenged True… and Malfoy stands beside you of His Own Free Will?" Harry Stomped his staff, and the gilded Coffin holding Albus Dumbledore sunk into the ground.
"Answer him, Lucious." Tommy leered at the Minister.
A Wizard in a silver Skull mask pulled it off. "I Serve, Free of the Imperious." He stood tall, and Sure that he was on the Winning Side.
Fudge squeaked and bolted.
"I was hoping to have the Deathstick the next Time we crossed wands… but it seems that you destroyed it." Voldemort sneered at the 'Boy'. "Looks like I will just have to make do with my trusty Yew wand. And you?"
"My Holly is at Ollivander's. She no longer is my perfect match. So he is trying to see if he can balance her for me." Harry stomped the Staff a third time, and a Blast Nova of Air knocked the Gathered Minions flying along with the tent, chairs and trappings. Only Harry, Tom, and Lucious stood in the centre of the blast zone. He stomped the Staff a fourth time and walked away… leaving the War-Staff standing in the center of a rising dome of transparent Ruby energy.
Looking around, Riddle hummed. "You wasted your energy on this?"
"Not really. I just cut Toto loose to eat his fill." Harry drew a dark stick wand from the Sash about his hips.
"Just What are you wearing?"
"A mockery of the clothing of the Pirate Lords of Old." Harry grinned. "My Witches like it. Too bad the Basilisk Skin was not ready for tailoring, My Bathory Witch really likes me in Green."
"Which Basilisk?" Tom sneered.
"The One that you were using to kill the Muggleborn… oh… that's right, it was your Memory that you left with Luci. Sorry that I had to stab it with a venom filled fang. Little Tommy did not like that… but it was the only way to save the Pureblood witchling." Harry doffed his Tricorn/ pirate styled Witch/Wizard hat. "MiLord, Will you join me for this Dance?" Voldermort snarled and lashed out with his signature spell. "Milord… Please." Harry swatted it into the shield around them. "If we are to duel… certain terms must be met. Lord Malfoy, as the Challenger, you declared the time, place, and you chose to Name a Champion rather than face me yourself. That allows me to set the Stakes, the Conditions for Victory, and Name the Adjudicator. For Adjudication, I call on Gutripper, Chief of Gringotts Security."
The scarred, one eyed Goblin limped out of the shadows with Hermione and a black lizard dog.
"A Goblin?" Voldemort sneered with disdain.
"The one person that can not be bribed." Harry snorted. The Dark Lord sighed but agreed. "The Stakes… Malfoy has sued for entitlement of House Black et al. I counter sue for entitlement of House Malfoy et al. Agreed?"
Lucious Malfoy sneered, but believing that the Dark Lord was guaranteed Victory… "Agreed."
"Believing that His Lordship is itching to remove all opposition… Death."
"Agreed." Tom snarled.
"Agreed." Malfoy smirked.
"Agreed." Gutripper grunted. "Positions!"
The two Combatants moved to their best vantage as Lucious moved to stand beside Hermione, all though on different sides of the Dome Shield.
"Salute."
Tom's salute was more off-handed, as Harry's was quick, sharp, like he was using a saber.
"And… Kill!"
Resting the Wand on his middle finger, held in place by his forefinger, counter balanced by his thumb, Tom opened with his favourite spell again. [Avada Kedavra]
Harry just leaned to the Side. "So Hermione. As my Commander, you chose. End it quickly… or show everyone why House Potter is to be respected and House Black to be Feared?"
Tom tried again… only for Harry to slap it down.
"The Second… but hurry up, Toto is looking at the Help like Weasley and Soran look at a ham." Hermione sighed.
"As long as he limits himself to the Help, other than Malfoy, he is free to play with his food."
The Black Dog perked up. : Play? Eat?: Hermione flicked her wrist at the closest wizard in black and the dog pounced at the wizard and taking a mouth full of black cloak, shook him like a rag-doll, only for the next closest to point his wand at the dog. [bombarda] the grey bolt of energy splashed across the beast's hide having no effect… except drawing its attention.
Harry grinned as he refocused on the thing before him. "So… Tommy boy. I have been attending a school south of Rio… Perhaps you have heard of it? Snow Point Academy. One of my teachers, a Adept Class Necromaster, was very disappointed that I was carrying a Soul Shard in my head." The Blackthorn Wand lashed out and a silent bludging hex washed over Tom's quickly raised shield, before cracking and causing it to collapse. "My Blood Magic Professor was very pissed that I was included in a White Blood Magic Ritual. I do hope that Wormtail is with you… as he was the one to perform the ritual… I owe him a special prize." Harry's Shield blocked a purple curse that was more of a ribbon of oily fire than a bolt or orb.
"No. He is many things, but a useful soldier, he is not. No He is taking care of my Familiar." Tom hissed. "Like I am going to let him take care of your Witch." the Albio Asshole sneered.
Harry felt a flash of anger… before was reminded of one 'minor' thing.
Harry did the one thing that surprised the Black Robed.
He began to laugh.
"Wormtail has Five things to fear." Harry Grinned. "The Cat, the Dog, the Owl, the Snake, and those who he has betrayed. She is three of them, I am four. And you are only two at most." Pointing his wand at the white skinned wizard, he rapidly-fired three silent piercing hexes.
Tom proved that he had some real dueling skill by batting them aside; left, right, left.
: Next time you do that, picture me opening my 'eyes'. : Maggie's honey tones stroked his mind.
Tom tried his old fall back… [Serpensortia Maxima]
Three King Cobras the size of anacondas rose up from the ground at his feet. $Kill that boy!$
$Speaker! We Obey!$
Harry laughed as the three big snakes tasted the air to find their target. $* You Forget the Old Fool… I too have that ability. Stand Down and withdraw from the field. I will deal with you afterwards. *$
$Grand Speaker!$ the three Cobras dropped their hoods. $We Obey!$ The three rainbow skinned snakes withdrew to the shield wall, and coiled into a ball.
"Why did they do that?" Tom frowned at the three snakes.
"Because I Survived the Bite of a Millennial Basilisk. I am not just any speaker… But A Grand Speaker." Harry Roared. "You could have been the Second Coming of Dumbledor… and instead you are the proof that if you don't learn from History, you will repeat it. You fell… just like Albus's Boyfriend! And to Make matters worse… I get to finish what My Mother Finished!" Harry slashed the air in front of him, and a red ribbon rippled across the arena.
Only to be deflected into the Wall by the well timed use of a crumbling shield spell.
What followed next was a twin blizzard of spellfire as two Monsters hammered on one another. While Harry was throwing more spells at Tom, Tom was batting to the side and sending them back. At the Ten minute Mark, Harry spun to the side, twirling his wand as it grew to its metre long size, before he slammed her 'foot' on the ground as an amber dome covered him…
"You Do know that I can pierce your shield, correct?" Tom sneered, as he too was gasping for breath.
"Can you?" Harry smirked. "I know that the Killing Curse can bypass even the Strongest of Protego spells… but this is not of the Protego family of spells. I have not been this physically active since I last was Seeking on the Pitch." He stood up, the Cane rising with him. "But what I find funny… My Magic reserves are barely dipping."
"Harry. What I said about Governments goes for Dark Lords… so-called or not." Hermione called from where she stood, torn between watching the fight, and Toto thrashing the Gathered Death Eaters.
"You do know that after My Lord kills him, you are next?" Lucious snarled.
Hermione snorted. "If there was any chance of him losing, he would not have brought me… and he would not be dueling. He would have used the Staff and just Burned down Malfoy Manor… with all of you inside." She flashed her Feline Fangs at the unmasked Lord.
Tom Drew himself up as Harry twirled the cane back to his wand, closed his eyes, inhaled, and exhaled.
Tom gave his gaspy hissing laugh. "One last time, Boy!" [Avada Kedavra]
[Expelliarmus] Harry smirked… seven bolts of light flashed from points all along the shaft of the wand. The nodes where the length of Blackthorn was dethroned, had channeled alternate bolts of the same spell at the same target. Harry then swatted aside the incoming bolt of green light, as Tom tried to do the same thing…
He got three.
But there is a limit to how fast a human body can move. Even if you are a magically enhanced Homunculus with years of memories and proficiency.
Four bolts hit him and sent him flying into the shield wall behind him. His wand went flying… only to be snatched out of the air by Potter. As the wand was caught, green sparks flared from the tip as the wand declared that Potter was its newest Master.
Harry twirled the Black Wand again… only to have it form a staff… slam into the ground… and the ground under the Dark Lord and Malfoy rose up and carried them into the air where they were held out in a crude mockery of Jesus on the Cross.
Harry twirled the staff, and holstered the wand in his sash. The Ruby capped staff dropped the shield, as she jumped to his Hand. The instant that she smacked into his palm, a shimmering disc formed across from the Goblin… and a twisted man on a bone staff and a pale 'Woman' with ruby red lips and eyes were waiting. Behind them stood two witches sporting hooded cloaks.
"You're Late!" the Man hobbled across the threshold.
"Sorry Master." Harry bowed his head. "I am still working on my Power Control. I could just crush them… and everyone in a twenty metre radius. But you and Mistress Sanguiny wanted to see the Source of the Parasite and the White Blood Magic. Unfortunately the Rat that actually cast the spell stayed behind to look over Snake-face's pet."
The Twisted man stumped up to the pale Wizard. "I see… he split himself how many times?"
"I know of two personally, and suspect one more… but I don't think that is the limit of his… Blasphemy."
"When I get down from here… I will kill everyone you have cared for!" Lord Voldemort yelled as he struggled against his bindings.
"And I will torture them all first!" Malfoy roared from his.
Harry's laughter was mocking. "Master Guttripper! What Counts as Death?"
"And as Malfoy was the one to Issue the Challenge, does Harry have to kill Riddle, Malfoy… What?"
"If Both were wizards… Both. But because it seems that Malfoy used a Magical Construct as his weapon, and you have rendered him… inputant." The scarred Goblin sneered as he walked up to the two stone crucifix. Glaring up at the Bound Lord,"This one only and I am going to need you to finish the job… one way or another."
Harry nodded, from his left boot, he drew out his Kris Dagger, and slashed the Femoral Artery. On both legs. "He does not get a Wizard's death. He dies by a muggle weapon… in a muggle style." Harry turned to look at the Goblin. "As for Tommy Boy… I think My Masters want to deal with it… personally. And then there is Wormtail. He performed the Rite. Mistress Sanguiny and her … Fellow Practitioners don't take too kindly with those who practice that form of magic. Now…" The Staff spun across the back of his hand, as another Gate opened behind him… showing Malfoy Manor. He stomped the Staff. [Accio Wormtail[Accio Familiar]
The sound of breaking glass heralded the arrival of a stout twisted man and a Snake the size of Soran's dragon form. Both fell to the ground at Harry's feet.
Harry stomped his staff.
"Mistress Sierra Sanguiny." Stone Stocks of old rose up binding Wormtail's head and wrists in place. "I give you… Peter Pettigrew, aka Scabbers, aka Wormtail. And before you wring him like a rag to squeeze every last drop out of him, I need to allow the DMLE a few hours to wring his life story… just the last fifteen years or so."
$Kill Him!$ Tom hissed at his Familiar.
$*Stand down.*$ Harry hiss-snarled.
That brought the Snake-Familiar's head up. $Grand Speaker? Help ME. Protect Me! He has forced his Soul into me by Ritual Killing of a Witch!$
Harry Moaned. "Master Grymsmythe. I believe that I was correct. What was done to me, That Thing did to her. She has asked for help…"
The twisted man snorted. "I am going to enjoy having you bringing me these great toys. First a Soul Shard to experiment with… an Heiress of one of the Greatest Light sided Necromancer Families for an apprentice, and now another soul shard from the same origin…" He stumped over and inspected the Snake. "And you have included a Maledictus Curse. If we use the same ritual… I can retrieve the soul shard, and strip her of the Curse… or rather the Malediction… but allow her to shift as she pleases."
$Acceptable.$ the Snake hissed.
Harry pointed to the Gate to Snow Point. $*Go that Way. We should be along shortly.*$
The Soul Infused Snake obeyed his orders and soon was sunning herself on the Pier in the Sun of the Eye of the Storm.
"Aurors!" A Deep Voice carried across the Field as a tide of Red Dragonhide Robes appeared out of thin Air. "Stand Down, Drop your Wands, you Are Bound by Law." Shacklebolt strode forward. "War-Lord Potter, What are you doing here?"
"My Job, Senior Auror Shacklebolt." Harry smiled at the man. "Lord Black paid me to Answer the Challenge issued by House Malfoy. I am now cleaning up a few loose ends."
"Aurors! Stand Down, Drop your Wands, You are bound by Law." Tweedy Malfoy approached from Malfoy Manor. "You stand accused of Murder Most Foul, Terriorisum, and Line Theft!" He stepped through the Gate.
Turning to Bones, Harry Raised his eyebrow. "Is this the Inbred Idiot that allowed that Bounder to Steal away with my Fiance? Why is he Still in Red?"
"We only have Three strikes against him… We need four." She huffed.
"And I was Hired to Face Malfoy in a Duel… and when I win, I am accused of Murder, Terrorisum, and Line Theft?" Harry grinned at the Director. "Just Like he will probably try to release all these 'fine upstanding Members of Society' from what will be a short stay in the Cells, before tasting your Truth Tonic. And if any of them Hides behind Blood-status… Well Toto will help me find them and burn them out." He turned to look at the banty beaut. "Can I Break his face this time? His Face just makes my fist itch."
The New Comer then saw the lizard-dog laying on a pile of robed and masked wizards, as it licked the silver mask of the wizard on top of the pile. "Get Off them!"[Bombarda]
The spell hit the Wrysa… Toto's Eyes flared with a white light… and he broke away from where he was laying…
And had Tweedy by the throat. : Hunter of Pack! Slayer of Pups!:
"Oh… that's not good." Harry walked over to peer down at the man struggling against the Magi-vore. "There is only one sin greater than targeting children… and that's targeting your own child." Looking at the Director. "How do you want to play this? I can Claim that by attacking my Familiar, he Attacked me. Considering that Wrysa are Wizard-killers… that makes him a XXXX Class Creature, and after that last incident in the DoM, Hermione had Legal list him, Tish, and Hedwig with the IWC and the Council. Barchoke filed the Local Paperwork."
"He then attacked a licensed War-Lord via his Familiar." Bones snorted. "Too Bad we could not find the body."
Harry stomped his staff and Yaxley was pulled under the ground, as Toto released his throat. "Director. I heard that there was a Man under your Command who was present when My Intended Bride went missing. Where is He? I want a few answers about where he allowed her to be taken to!"
With a straight face, "Last seen, he was being buried in his work." She stepped around the stone work that had risen from the ground. "It seems that the Ministry owes you an apology. But the Ministry does not Apologize."
"Not without extreme leverage…" Harry grinned at her. "Take the Pile of the ass-lickers over there," Harry pointed at the pile of Death Eaters, "And allow Mistress Sanguiny take Wormtail with her when you finish pressing him for the truth. I will of course need you to reverse the Ministry's view on Sirius Black. You and Tonks should deliver the news in person… but remember, Lord Black has a nasty habit of … well Tonks knows."
Gutripper grunted. "With the Death of the Lord of House Malfoy… I declare the Lord of House Black victorious. The Malfoy Estate will be added to the Black Estate."
"No." Harry smiled. "Manager Ashraq has enough trouble with House Black. Lord Black will come to Gringotts to handle Account Management. But Advise Ashraq and Barchoke to have a selection of Goblins who could handle the Workload and work well with Lord Black."
The Goblin sneered, and snapped his talons… and vanished.
"And What of House Malfoy?" Narcissa had followed Yaxley, and now made her presence known.
Harry slowly turned to look at the two-tone haired witch. "Depends. Whom am I speaking to?"
"Narcissa Anastasia Malfoy née Black." She looked at the dead body of her Husband, "Widow."
"And your feelings on this subject?" Harry spun, and hung his staff behind his back, binding it to his shoulder.
"Conflicted. While I did not Love him… he was my Husband, the Father of my Son." She then looked at Harry. "But I warned him to be sure before he did I noticed my Accounts were Locked, I inquired with Ashraq… I knew it was a matter of time… My Lord." She began to take a knee.
"Only Kneel on the ground to the Queen," Harry's sharp retort stopped her. "Me, My Ladies, and My Proxies are only to be knelt before on flagstone or better flooring… Proxy Malfoy."
"You name me Proxy?" Her chin came up.
"Proxy-Regent." Harry grinned. "House Malfoy is a Vassal House of Black. Draco will either swear Fealty by my Seventeenth Birthday… or he can take his Trust Vault, Walk, and I will Crash House Malfoy. He will have to restart the House as 'Malfoy the First'."
"My Lord." Her Head bobbed. She turned and returned to the Manor.
Before she was three strides past the Gate, Harry allowed it to collapse.
"Boy!" Grymsmythe sneered. "I want to take this whole thing with me…"
Harry had grabbed the staff over his shoulder, and the stone of the cross holding Tom the Homunculus bent, at about the knee, before it split at the bend, and the part of stone Crucifix holding the Meat Puppet began to float into the Gate to Snow Point. "Have Kyra take charge of my new Female. I will be back later. If the Headmistress asks about me, I am finishing up legal issues and will be collecting her shopping."
The old man shook his head. "You promised me two Ribs… make it Three."
"I will be bringing six. Sue wants something skulled with horns and jeweled eyes. Daphne is too busy in the blood arts and Smythe is getting stingy with his steel." Harry smiled at the little human as he grumbled on his way through the portal that would carry him halfway across the world. Once everything was on the other side, the Gate closed.
"Mister Potter." Bones stood beside the stone stocks holding the Rat-man. "Titles aside. What about this… person?"
"One minute, Director." Harry still had his hand on the staff… and a red beam lashed out from the top most Ruby, and cut off the silver hand off the man's arm. "That's for bleeding me. What comes next is for the Betrayal of the Marauders." Looking at the Director and Blood Mage, "Make it Hurt." He pulsed his magic through the staff, and all constructs in the area crumbled away… the Stocks, the Arm… the snakes. As he released the Staff, he sighed. "I hope that they were constructs, not living beings."
"You mourn them?" Sierra asked. "But the Human you slashed…"
"They at least were innocent." Harry glared at the dead wizard … before drawing his wand and thrusting it at the cross… Slowly like Molasses over waffles, the brown coloured stone turned clear as it absorbed the body.
Hermione looked up at it. "Okay… Wizards will take it as a warning, and the Muggles will see it as a Christian thing." She patted his shoulder. "Let's go, we still have reports due for Class."
"Director?" Harry turned to look at her.
"Go…" She waved him off, as she stood holding a three legged rat in a cage.
"Remember, Toto has their scent, Only true confession and repentance will keep them safe from Us." Harry snarled as a Gate opened on the steps of the Bank.
TBC