A massive Thank You to all of my brilliant supporters, with a shout-out to Gini Eatan, TypistTyphon, Titanium winx, Tasty Muffin, Joe Foster, Silver1119, Joel miller, sam, Jimmy Adams, Jo Daviz, LegendaryWasabi, and Optimum Prime. I would really struggle to keep this up without the support you guys give me. I really don't say it enough you guys are amazing. as always the next chapter is on pat re on for free.
Chapter 27
Harry was ecstatic when Hermione told him about the Malfoys' assets being frozen over dinner in the Leaky Cauldron. It was a little awkward ordering their dinner from Mrs. Weasley as she was the one on shift today, but while she wasn't exactly friendly she didn't do anything to risk her job in the pub.
"So mum, dad, and I were just sitting there waiting for you three to be done speaking with Bonesnapper, and Malfoy's mother comes striding in like she owns the place. Next thing we know she is screaming about her accounts being frozen and everyone just went silent, not wanting to miss some juicy gossip. My ears let me hear the whole thing, apparently all of the Malfoy accounts were frozen because when Malfoy demanded the House of Black as restitution, the equal collateral that he would have to stake up would be the entirety of the House of Malfoy. Thus, apart from a living allowance for everyday expenses, they can't move anything around until after the duel to prevent them from hiding assets."
Harry couldn't help but laugh, and when Hermione looked at him questioningly he said, "Can you imagine the look on Lucius Malfoy's face when he hears about this. I'm not going to need to duel Draco, his father is going to kill him." His eyes went wide in realisation. "I hope we get to be there when Draco finds out." He could just picture the melt down the blond git would have.
Fleur shook her head. "You are enjoying this far too much, Harry."
Harry smiled at her. "I know. A part of me still hates all this, if it was any family other than the Malfoys maybe it would be different. But with all the shit that family has put us through, I can't help but feel like this is karma."
They finished up their dinner and Sirius left a generous tip. As much as Mrs. Weasley now hated him and his family after what happened to her husband and daughter, he understood that it was the grief, and because of his collaboration with the twins he knew she was a good mother doing her best in impossible circumstances.
-ϟϟϟ-
In the Ministry, it was Harry's turn to be left in the waiting room. The officer taking Hermione's statement let Emma go with her for emotional support, even though Hermione (being seventeen) didn't need an adult to sit with her. Fleur was doing the same as Hermione, but she had preferred to go in alone. Harry and Dan had both offered to sit with her, but she had refused. What Harry didn't know was that Fleur wanted to give Harry and Dan an opportunity to talk. She wished her own mother could be here, but she was in another country. Moving to Britain had its perks, she had a job she loved and people she loved more, but sometimes a girl just wanted her mother to give her a hug and tell her everything would be okay.
Harry was left outside with Dan, as Sirius was also speaking to another officer about how he didn't see anything because he was unconscious the whole time. Dan broke the silence first. "So Harry, how are you really holding up? You were a lot more upset over things that happened previously, and I know your plan was to capture not kill."
Harry sighed; he had suspected that this line of questions would come up but he had assumed it would be Hermione and not Dan. "Honestly, I'm fine. With the other incidents it was different. I don't need to convince myself LeStrange is - was - evil. I know what she did to my godmother and her husband. I know what it did to Neville. I remember what she did to Hermione the year she broke out of Azkaban. I remember hearing Hermione's screams through the flames. I can close my eyes and be sitting in the hospital wing watching Hermione have her burns healed."
That wasn't even the worst of it, and he continued. "I remember her taunting us in the Shrieking Shack as she bragged to Draco about forcing parents to eat their own child because they were muggleborn. I remember the joy on her face at the idea that she was going to force the man who should have been my uncle to rip us apart when he transformed into a werewolf. I remember her teaching Draco bloody Malfoy the Cruciatus Curse while he practised on me.
"Until now I have been disconnected with their crimes. I knew they were bad people, that they must have done terrible things to be wearing those masks. But there is a difference between knowing and, 'Knowing,' if you know what I mean. I don't have any doubts this time."
Dan nodded in understanding. " You know it's rather disturbing to hear it all actually laid out like that. This woman really had become your bogeyman hadn't she?"Harry gave a single nod and Dan put an arm around him. "You know we are proud of you, right? Emma, Sirius, and myself. We hate that you are in this situation, and every instinct we have as parents is telling us to pack up and move to the other side of the planet and hide. Even if we know that in reality that's a terrible plan that is more likely to get us all killed. But the way you Hermione and Fleur are handling this, we are so proud of you."
"Proud of us for becoming killers?" asked Harry, a tone of sunrise in his voice as he misunderstood what Dan ment.
"Proud of you for standing up, for doing what is right even though it's not easy. Proud of you for taking on adult responsibilities. Proud of you for every life you have saved by reducing the numbers of murderers who are free to roam about. I hate that it has to be any of you, but that doesn't take away from the fact that you have done a wonderful job.
-ϟϟϟ-
It was a few days after Harry had gone with everyone to register the duel with Gringotts and officially get them to arbitrate the dispute when he got a letter with his breakfast. He fed Hedwig a slice of bacon as Hermione tackled the string used to secure the letter. Freed of her burden and tribute received, Hedwig butted Harry's head affectionately before she took off. Hermione handed Harry the letter and he used his knife to open the envelope.
Harry,
I just had the first meeting with the goblins and Malfoy's second. I think Lucius is planning something, because he has refused to be his son's second in the duel but has also not taken the way out that you suggested. Instead, Lucius has insisted that his son started the process and will need to see it through to the end.
The role of the second has been passed to Walden McNair, who I'm sure you remember was the second for Umbridge. not sure what they are planning yet but I will keep you posted. Your choice of magic as the weapon was uncontested, so it will be a similar setup to the duel you had with Umbridge.
All my love,
Sirius
Harry re-read the letter and immediately thought he knew what Malfoy's plan was. "Looks like Draco will be getting sick right before the duel," he said out loud, and everyone around him looked at him wanting him to explain. Harry read out the letter while his friends listened. "So my bet is Lucius knows his son is incompetent, fears he can't take me himself, so he has chosen someone he believes can beat me as the second and he will have to fight me instead when Draco is suddenly too sick to be expected to duel."
"Can you beat this Walden guy?" asked Ron.
"Not a clue," Harry said nonchalantly. "Never seen him fight, as far as I know. Though you never know who's under the masks, of course. But I have met him. Not only was he Umbridge's second last year, Hermione and I both met him previously. Remember the executioner that Fudge brought to Buckbeak's appeal?"
"The nutter with a giant axe that was disappointed he didn't get to chop any heads off?" Hermione asked, sounding a little anxious.
"That's the one," Harry agreed.
"How are you so calm?" Asked Neville. "It looks like it will be a much harder fight."
"What good will panicking do? I'm better off spending my energy working out a strategy. I don't have the time to panic. Besides, this isn't my first fight, and normally the fights I face are nowhere near this fair. One-on-one, guaranteed honourable combat by the goblins, A lot less intimidating than being woken up and told there are half a dozen of them attacking your house."
They all had to concede that that was a good point. Harry was just reassuring them that he was taking it seriously when Daphne and Tracey came and sat down with them. Tracey took the spot on Harry's left while Daphne took the one on Hermione's right. "Malfoy is planning something," Tracey said as she swiped a piece of toast from one of the racks at the centre of the table.
"Yeah we know," Ron said as he filled them in on the letter Harry had gotten and Harry's suspicions of Malfoy's plan.
"That sounds like something Malfoy would do. It would be just like someone called bad faith to invoke a right of honour and to use it like this." Daphne sounded disgusted at the very idea. It was a reminder that while the Greengrass family weren't blood purists and didn't discriminate, Daphne had the most traditional upbringing of them all.
Harry looked over at Malfoy and was surprised to see him not laughing it up with the other Death Eaters in training, but instead walking over towards the Gryffindor table. Here we go, Harry thought before telling everyone that Malfoy was coming.
"Greengrass. I thought I would give you a friendly warning. It's too late for your halfblood fuck toy, but it's not too late for you to ditch Potter and come back and be a real Slytherin," Malfoy said.
Harry had to force himself to remain seated. Because of both the feud and duel, there were very strict rules on how Harry could interact with Malfoy. Hermione looked like she was going to take advantage of not being involved in the duel, but Daphne held up her hand, telling them she would take care of this herself.
"Considering everything I know, any move to align myself with you or a cause your family champions would be detrimental to my long-term health and financial stability. You do realise the House of Malfoy is hanging on by a thread? You have bet everything in a desperate gamble. You don't even see how outclassed you are, do you? You challenge Harry, who has a proven track record of winning. What does the Malfoy family have left at this point? Maybe Longbottom can have that burned down too? Oh, and if you ever speak about Tracey like that again, you won't need to worry about the duel, because you won't live that long. So just fuck off Malfoy." Daphne's voice was cold and dismissive like she was talking to a particularly disgusting rodent.
Malfoy's face flushed pink with anger. He reached out and grabbed Daphne by the arm and was just about to say something when he paused, feeling a wand pressed to his neck. Harry had stepped behind him and now had the glowing tip of his wand passed against Malfoy's pulse point.
"Daph, can you do me a massive favour and relay a message to the poor deluded fool standing between us?" Harry's voice wasn't calm; it almost sounded like he was enjoying himself.
"Of course, Harry." Daphne cracked a tiny smile in the corner of her mouth.
Harry saw the headmistress and the heads of Slytherin and Gryffindor quickly rushing towards them, so he waited a few heartbeats to be sure they heard every word he said. "Mr Malfoy, despite the rules of the feud and the duel you called, first and foremost Miss Greengrass is under the protection of House Potter. If you do not remove your hand from her this instant, I am bound by rules far older than the Wizengamot to remove it for her. Now get your hand off her and go return to your seat at the Slytherin table, while you're still in one piece."
Malfoy went pale and started to retort, but Daphne held up a finger. "Ah ah ah. You cannot speak directly to Warlock Potter, Mr. Malfoy. Propriety and all that. Now, I have a message to deliver." She proceeded to repeat Harry's message word for word, only Daphne somehow managed to make it sound so much more like Harry was plotting his murder.
Malfoy was somehow able to hold his nerve and deliver a message back through Daphne. "You can tell your attack dog that soon the time for threats will be over And we'll see how he does when it's time for action." Then he Tried to storm off, but unfortunately for him when he was stopped by professor Sinistra. "Not so fast Mr. Malfoy, you and I need to have a conversation about your antagonistic behaviour. My office, now." And she marched him out of the hall.
That left Harry and his friends with Professors McGonagall and Babbling, neither of which looked happy. Harry held his hand up and said. "We were having a conversation over here minding our own business. I can't help that the blond idiot can't get it into his head to just leave us alone."
"You had your wand pointed at his neck," Professor McGonagall said, not sounding at all convinced by Harry's words.
"Considering he was within a hair's breadth of violating neutrality, yeah. Daphne is a ward of House Potter. She is as much part of the feud as I am, and Malfoy laid his hands on her. He was, at least in my opinion, about to do something more. Can you imagine what all the other students of feud families would do if I let it slide? It would be open season on us." Harry pleaded his case.
"Be that as it may Mr. Potter, you need to appreciate the position I am in here," McGonagall started.
However, she was cut off by Professor Babbling. "With all due respect Minerva, no he doesn't. Harry and his friends were sitting eating their breakfast and having a conversation. Malfoy, the person who has a pattern of escalation, came over and put his hands on a protectorate of Warlock Potter's House. Given the situation, I would say Mr. Potter was extremely reserved in his actions."
"He should have left it to us to deal with," the headmistress said, sounding annoyed.
"Minerva, that's exactly what he did. He waited and gave us the opportunity. Or is he supposed to just allow an assault to go on while he waits for us? Is that what you would have done when you were a student here? If so, you're not the woman I thought you were." Professor Babbling's last words landed like a physical blow, and Professor McGonagall looked like she had been slapped.
Hermione stepped in. "Professor McGonagall, we understand the point you need to make, but we can only go so far. We aren't the ones striding over the Great Hall challenging students to duels, or delivering vague threats, or even putting our hands on people. We can only be as peaceful and non-confrontational as the situation allows. And to speak frankly, as long as you're here demanding a higher standard from us than you demand of Malfoy and the like, we will continue to be put in situations like this."
"Miss Granger, I do not appreciate the actuation that I treat any students different from any other. I demand the same standards from all students." McGonagall sounded on the edge of losing her temper.
A bunch of students were now looking at Professor McGonagall like she was crazy. Professor Babbling just raised one eyebrow and asked. "You don't really believe that, do you? Just in the last week you have lectured Mr. Potter for being challenged to a duel and again for reacting to an obvious provocation. Yet you haven't once tried to call Mr. Malfoy to task. You're holding Gryffindors to a higher standard of behaviour and lecturing only them when they react to the other students."
"Aurora is-" Professor McGonagall started
But again Babbling cut her off. "Aurora is the Head of Slytherin. But you're not the head of Gryffindor, that's my job now. A lecture from you isn't a conversation with their Head of House any more, it's a dressing down from the headmistress. Now I will thank you for letting me do my job." She turned to Harry and his group. "Will all of you please join me in my office after breakfast for a chat? Miss Greengrass, Miss Davies, you are both welcome as well." With that she walked away, pulling Professor McGonagall with her.
"Well, that was unexpected," said Tracey, which broke the tension for all of them.
-ϟϟϟ-
"Okay everyone, sit down and make yourselves comfortable. I would offer you some tea, but we just finished with breakfast." Professor Babbling said as they all entered her office. When everyone was seated, she continued. "Before we get started, nobody is in trouble here. I saw Mr. Malfoy come over and start antagonising you, so I don't blame you for anything. However, I think with everything that's going on I need a full accounting of everything from your point of view. And I don't just mean today,I want everything since the feud started."
Harry took up telling the story, with Hermione, Ron, Neville, Daphne and Tracey all chiming in details as it went.
"Let's start with who is involved with the feud. I was surprised when the Houses of Black, Delacour, Granger and Longbottom pledged their support. I had intended to have Daphne and Tracey move to the House of Black so that I would have been the only one in the school on one side of the feud. My plan was to spend most of my time in the Gryffindor common room while hoping that I provided enough information for the public and the D.M.L.E. to know who the Death Eaters were.
"Like Daphne and I would have left you alone in that situation, Harry," said Tracey. "Much less Hermione!"
"I admit looking back it was optimistic to the point of naivety, but it was the plan. Anyway, on the first official morning of the feud, I was awoken by my house elf telling me there were people about to destroy my house. Considering that our betrothed was in the house, you can appreciate that Hermione and I rushed out to stop that."
"How did you get out of the castle so quickly? Was that Apparition I saw you doing earlier, even though you're both too young to have a licence and you're in Hogwarts where that should be impossible?" asked the professor.
"Yes, but actually no. The skill I used earlier is family magic that's older than Apparition. It's called Stepping and it's a bloodline gift, so I can't share it, but it's more similar to house elf popping than anything else I have encountered. Technically, it's not illegal for me to use it, but yes it is how Hermione and I got out of the castle quickly that morning." Harry answered truthfully. There was little point hiding the truth any longer, as he had demonstrated his ability in front of too many Death Eaters and Voldemort himself.
"Very well. You may get someone at the Ministry trying to say your Stepping falls under the law for Apparition, but that's an argument for law-wizards, not me. As to leaving the castle, I believe you already spoke to our headmistress about that and have made arrangements to inform the school, and you're not to do so unless it's a genuine emergency."
Harry nodded and continued. "When the house was attacked, we caught the Carrows."
"The parents of Flora and Hestia Carrow in Slytherin," Daphne added for context.
"And we forced their surrender by way of a binding magical contract before handing them over to the D.M.L.E. with instructions to confess to all their crimes…" Harry went on to tell their point of view on everything, the attack Madam Longbottom arranged of Malfoy Manor and how Malfoy was upset, the attack during the parents' visit were Malfoy's uncle was captured, how Malfoy's mother had moved the LeStrange assets into her name with the help of her sister, how Malfoy's aunt had been the one to attack him when he tried to visit the grave of his parents but Harry had killed her. He told Babbling about how Malfoy had gotten angry over Harry not just giving up and dying when a pureblood told him to like a pathetic little halfblood should, and how he had challenged Harry to a duel. He told her about how Malfoy Senior had switched the official second of the duel to someone else, and how they were pretty sure they intended for Malfoy to fall sick the morning of the duel to force Harry to fight a far more competent second. And finally, how this had emboldened Malfoy to try and strong arm Daphne into the pureblood supremacy cause out of fear she would be left on her own.
Professor Babbling looked more and more surprised as the full tale was revealed to her. Once Harry was finished, she said. "Well, that is a lot more than most of the staff know about. We knew about the big event of course, but the smaller events seemed to have flown under our notice. So Mr. Potter, what is your plan for dealing with McNair? Do you need any help?"
They were all a little surprised to hear the professor offering to help. Harry, however, shook off his surprise first and said, "Honestly I don't have one. Not yet at least, I only found out about an hour ago. Between Malfoy trying to intimidate Daphne and having this conversation, I haven't had an opportunity to sit down and plan anything."
The professor nodded understanding. "Let's see what we can come up with then." Everyone was surprised at Babbling wanting to help like that, but she explained. "I lost family in the first war as well. I want this over as soon as possible, because I know what a prolonged war will cost us. If you were going to be duelling another student, then my hands would be tied. But one of my lions pressed into fighting a fully grown man? You bet I'm going to help."
They spent the time until lunch discussing strategies and ideas. It was the professor who proposed the idea that, if Harry could use potions in his previous duel and it count as magic, then a prepared rune carved into something would also count similarly. That had opened up a number of possibilities, so they got to work brainstorming ideas.
-ϟϟϟ-
After classes on the next Wednesday, Professor McGonagall took both Harry and Draco to Gringotts where they could hold the last meeting before the duel. Things were proceeding so much faster this time than they had last time, because when he had challenged Umbridge she had tried to stall and find a way out. This time Harry had offered a way out and it was immediately rejected. The last meeting was a formality, but one that needed to happen.
They Flooed from the headmistress's office to the Leaky Cauldron and walked the rest of the way. Harry was on edge the entire time because he was half convinced that Malfoy Senior was going to try and kill him from under an invisibility cloak or something. However, nothing happened and the three walked in silence to the bank. Inside they were met by their seconds, both standing with Bonenapper who was wearing a massive grin. Something about this whole affair had pleased him.
Harry looked around on the off chance he would see Fleur and could give her a wave, but she wasn't in the lobby and probably busy. Harry did spot Lucius and Narcissa sitting on a bench across the other side of the bank lobby, but they made no move to come and greet their son. Harry figured the two were probably there to give last minute instructions to McNair before the meeting and to get a first hand account of the result afterwards.
"Afternoon, Manager Bonesnapper, may the blood of your enemies decorate the field of battle," greeted Harry politely.
"Afternoon Warlock Potter, may your victory be plenty and bountiful. Heir Malfoy, your group has arrived, please follow me and we can begin. Headmistress McGonagall, I'm afraid you will not be permitted in the meeting," Bonesnapper said, and none of them could help but notice the snub to Malfoy. If he was going to refuse to participate in the forms of courtesy, at least as they were in goblin territory, then he couldn't complain about being left out.
"I have a small backlog on Hogwarts bookkeeping to go over with our accounts manager. I will be thoroughly distracted during your meeting," McGonagall replied.
Bonesnapper led the four of them to the same conference room that Harry remembered from his final meeting with Umbridge before their duel and quickly set the meeting in motion. He reminded Harry and Draco that they were not to address each other during this meeting, and doing so as anything more than a reflexive courtesy could result in the offender being fined at Bonesnapper's discretion.
"This is your final meeting before the duel," Bonesnapper said as they all sat down around the large table, Harry and Sirius on one side with Malfoy and McNair on the other. "Warlock Potter, as the challenged party it is on you to offer apology or compensation for the offence if you desire."
"Or he could just surrender the House of Black back to the rightful heir," Malfoy said to BoneSnapper. Sirius bristled at Malfoy insisting he was the rightful heir, but this wasn't the place to argue that point. The truth was Draco had a claim, and no matter how weak his case was, House law, if not Wizengamot law, said he could challenge for it.
Harry had considered what he would offer for a while. He really didn't want to fight this duel, even if he was feeling more prepared for it than he was a few days ago. However, whatever he offered as a weregild would be used against him later if he accepted. Thus, Harry took inspiration from his previous life before he knew of magic. "For a weregild, I offer the sum of thirty silver sickles." Harry knew it wouldn't be accepted. For one even without the connotations it was an insultingly low offer, coming to a little less than nine pounds in mundane British money. Gold and silver were just worth so much less to the magical population, as magic made some races so much better at mining it and there were so few people to spread it around.
While Malfoy sneered at the number, Bonesnapper grinned at Harry. "A traitor's reward. That is an interesting offer, Warlock Potter." It seemed the goblin did get the reference. "Heir Malfoy, I think I know the answer but I have to ask it anyway. Will you accept the offer?"
"Thirty sickles! Not even two galleons! I wouldn't have accepted any amount but that's insulting. If we weren't already going to duel then I would challenge all over again for this insult. No, I won't accept it!"
"Very well. As the stakes have already been decided, being the Heirship of the House of Black vs. the unconditional surrender of the Malfoy family to the Potter family in the existing blood feud, then this negotiation is officially over. Warlock Potter, the choice of battle is yours. Will it be a contest of wills, a contest of arms, or a contest of magic?" Bonesnapper asked Harry.
Harry thought about his phrasing for a second before saying. "You know I'm tempted to choose either will or arms. Both would be incredibly brutal on the pampered ponce over there. However, I can't help but be aware that Warlock Malfoy refused to be his son's second. Considering a second is only in danger if their duelist is unable to fight, it leaves me wondering just what excuse Draco will use to avoid the fight and give way for McNair there to take to the piste in his place? And I have seen McNair with his monster axe, so strength of arms is out, and compared to Malfoy he looks far more ready to endure a trial of wills." McNair actually gave Harry a small nod of respect, whether it was for recognising him as a legitimate threat compared to Malfoy or because Harry had figured out their plan he didn't know. "So it will have to be magic."
"Very well," Bonesnapper said as he made a note of Harry's choice. "However, if you believe your opponent is attempting to sub in a replacement duelist, you can petition the arbitration to investigate and levy appropriate penalties."
"No," daid Harry. "Any penalties would come out of the pot that includes my winnings. Seems kinda self defeating to have the Malfoy fortune diminished at this time."
Harry could see the little spark of disappointment in the goblin's eye. The reason they were always fair arbiters was because they wanted to remain trusted in the future, because trusted arbiters get more disputes they can levy fines on. It was all for profit.
"Heir Malfoy, as the challenged party, the choice of time and location goes to you."
"Saturday, one pm atop the charred remains of Malfoy Manor," Draco said immediately.
Bonesnapper nodded and turned to Harry. "Do you have any legitimate reason to request a change of time or venue?"
"Yes arbiter, I do," Harry said glad he had already talked to Bonesnapper about this matter. "With the state of the blood feud between the House of Potter and the House of Malfoy and their allies, I feel that the probability of the duel being used as an ambush site to be extremely high. I request that a neutral ground be chosen by the arbiters and that they accept the responsibility of ensuring neutrality."
Bonesnapper looked like he was thinking for a moment, but Harry was sure it was for show. He already knew about Harry's request after all. "I find your trepidation valid. As arbiter, I choose the trial chamber in the goblin tunnels of London. As the challenged party requested the change in venue, then it falls to him to pay the fee for the chambers use. Shall I deduct the one thousand Galleons from your vault, Warlock Potter?"
And here's the retaliation for Harry blocking Bonesnapper from fining Draco earlier. He had expected a fee for the use of a goblin combat hall, but a thousand galleons was a little on the steep side. Unfortunately, there was nothing Harry could do about it. "Sure, take the payment."
"Excellent. All four of you need to be here at the bank Saturday no later than twelve-fifteen. The bank will provide transportation to the battleground for you and up to five witnesses apiece. If there is no further business, I will close this arbitration meeting." BoneSnapper waited for anyone to say anything, and when they didn't he closed the meeting. Now Harry just had to wait a few days and decide who his witnesses would be.
A/N
I need validation from comments or energy drinks