Dark Conscience

by HighKey_Mars

Summary:

For as long as Harry could remember, there had always been a voice in the back of his head, giving him advice. but when the Dementors are about to kill him and Sirius, he finally gives him and listens to it. that might just be the best decision he's ever made or perhaps the worst decision the world has ever seen. (Not a Tom Riddle Jr/Harry Potter slash fic)

Chapter 1

The Voice

The Voice's inner thoughts

"Parseltongue"

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

For as long as Harry could remember, there had always been a voice whispering advice in the back of his head. Since he was a child running away from Dudley and his gang, the voice with its silky-smooth voice was always whispering advice.

Run that way

Imagine being on the roof

Curl into a ball and protect your chest

When he had asked his teachers in primary school if he should have a voice giving him advice living inside his head, they had waved it off saying that was called a 'conscious'.

Well, if everyone had one, then Harry had the best one as once he got to the magical world, it really took things to the next level in terms of helping him. Stuck on an essay? The voice would give him another couple of inches worth of material. Going to stop Snape from stealing the Philosopher's Stone, the voice provided ignored proof that Snape was not that type of person.

Fighting a basilisk, the voice was firmly against the act and begged Harry to simply let the Weasley girl die and make new friends. Preferably with someone who has a better work ethnic and was less jealous. This was also the same voice that had all but demanded that Harry get revenge for Hermione not even a day or so before the fight with the giant killer snake.

An attack on our associates is a direct attack on us. Such unjust actions shall be met with an equal display of force

'But I'm like 12 and don't know how to display an 'equal amount of force' or whatever' thought Harry

Maybe a little more time studying, and a little less time spent slacking and we would be further along in our climb to being the mightiest wizard of this generation.

Upon killing the massive snake and spending the plenty of nights in the Hospital Wing, the voice ended its silent treatment.

I understand that you are a Gryffindor through and through Harry, but that does not mean you have to act in a manner that shows that you're the most Gryffindor of them of all Gryffindors. Maybe, do not stab a snake with the deadliest venom ever in the mouth, next time. I have grown rather fond of you ... and living.

All throughout his Third Year, the voice demanded that he master the Patronus Charm, but Harry found the charm either too taxing or was unable to generate the happy memory needed to cast it.

Am I not enough for you Harry? Are we not friends enough for that feeling to let you cast the magic?

As much as Harry wished that were the case, it never was enough. But he tried and tried, just as the voice continued to ask, but he never really managed to gain enough mastery of the charm for the voice. That was until the day he needed to;

And there were the dementors. They were emerging out of the darkness from every direction, gliding around the edges of the lake... They were moving away from where Harry stood, to the opposite bank... He would not have to get near them... Harry began to run. He had no thought in his head except his father...

Come on my dear Harry, you know the truth

It had to be him... Harry was certain of it. And if it was his father, he had to know, had to find out... The lake was coming nearer and nearer, but there was no sign of anybody. On the opposite bank, he could see tiny glimmers of silver - his own attempts at a Patronus from the past.

Come on Harry, you are far more powerful than you are giving yourself credit for, you have the potential to be one of the greatest Wizards to ever walk the planet.

There was a bush at the very edge of the water. Harry threw himself behind it, peering desperately through the leaves. On the opposite bank, the glimmers of silver were suddenly extinguished. A terrified excitement shot through him - any moment now - "Come on!" he muttered, staring about. "Where are you? Dad, come on -

Harry, there is nobody coming to help you. It is just you and I here.

But no one came. Harry raised his head to look at the circle of dementors across the lake. One of them was lowering its hood. It was time for the rescuer to appear - but no one was coming to help this time - And then it hit him, the voice was correct as it always seemed to be. He had not seen his father - he had seen himself.

"How do I do it, how do I cast the spell?" whispered Harry to himself

Provide the power, I will guide you. Lean into me, Harry. I will not allow you to fail, I will not allow you to die. I will not accept anything but greatness from you ... from us

Harry nodded as an out of body experience started as he stood up from behind the bush and with an air of confidence, he pulled out his wand.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" yelled Harry in a sort of dual voice, the voice in his head joined him.

Instead of the silvery mist that he was used to, there was a big bright ball of light that exploded out of the end of his wand and Harry gasped as the ball of light slowly morphed into a brilliant impressively big Stag that stormed the mass of Dementors and drove them away.

You were right in a manner after all Harry, your father was known as a prideful Stag that went by Prongs as seen on the Map

'How do you know that?' asked Harry

The voice never replied, and Harry became distracted by Hermione tugging him along, his question lost in the whirlwind of events unfolding before him. In fact, Harry didn't think of the question again, the voice had been with him as long as he could remember, perhaps since he was a baby. The voice had seen things that he could not remember, he was certain of it.

"What's that?" Snarled Vernon, staring at the envelope Harry was still clutching in his hand. "If it's another form for me to sign, you've got another -"

"It's not," said Harry cheerfully. "It's a letter from my godfather."

"Godfather?" sputtered Uncle Vernon. "You haven't got a godfather!"

Repeat after me Harry

"Yes, I have," said Harry brightly. "He was my mum and dad's best friend. He's a convicted murderer, but he's broken out of wizard prison and he's on the run. He likes to keep in touch with me, though... keep 368 up with my news... check if I'm happy..."

And, grinning broadly at the look of horror on Uncle Vernon's face, Harry set off toward the station exit, Hedwig rattling along in front of him, for what looked like a much better summer than the last.

That lasted about 2 days, the weekend to be exact. The voice woke him up bright and early on Monday morning.

You have rested enough child, I believe that it is best that you start to take things more seriously, as I had been urging you to.

Harry opened his eyes with a groan, his blurry vision filled with the ceiling, the soft pink hue of the morning sky spraying across the ceiling, clashing with the white paint.

'Is it not a little early to be starting?' thought Harry

Laziness is the enemy of success child

Harry couldn't argue with that logic, mostly because he felt like arguing that being lazy would not fly with the voice. The voice had never really been rude or mean to him, had never caused him pain or anything like that. But it had been stern with him, always pushing for him to be better, to work harder. The Patronus episode showed him that the voice clearly had his best interest at heart or voice box.

'What should I be learning?' asked Harry

We do not have access to casting magic in this muggle neighborhood, but that does not mean we cannot learn magic. You are quite the wizard when it comes to the practical side of magic, but it is time for you to put in the work to become more balanced. Do you know what makes people like Dumbledore and The Dark Lord stand out? Not how many spells they know, not the power they wield, but the fact that they are and were so heavily in tune with magic. You need to increase your understanding of magical theory.

'Isn't theory a bit more boring? How helpful can it be?' questioned Harry

Understanding the theory behind magic is crucial for wizards for several reasons my young friend;

First is efficiency and mastery. Knowing the theory allows wizards to perform spells more efficiently and effectively. You have to understand the mechanics and principles behind each spell, enabling you to be able to manipulate the magical energy of each spell with greater precision.

Second is innovation and adaptation. A deep understanding of magical theory empowers wizards to innovate and adapt spells for various situations. This would allow you to modify spells or create new ones by applying theoretical knowledge creatively. When faced with magical challenges or anomalies, wizards with theoretical knowledge can analyze the situation and devise appropriate solutions. This ability is essential for overcoming obstacles that may not have straightforward answers.

Third s to prevent mistakes. Without understanding the theory, casting spells can be risky. Wizards might inadvertently cause magical backlash or unintended consequences. Knowledge of magical theory helps mitigate these risks by ensuring proper control and application of magical forces.

Overall, theoretical understanding enhances a wizard's proficiency, creativity, and ethical responsibility in using magic, making it a cornerstone of their magical education and practice.

Also, because I said so

Harry could not argue with the last part

Do you know what the difference between a spell, charm, and curse are?

Harry bit his lip, that was a rather good question. What was the difference between the three?

Spells are more general branches of magic such transfiguration and alchemy, less rigid guidelines for the magic being cast but also require more focus and intent required, you need to be able to envision the outcome to get it to work.

Charms are about casting your internal desires and influence outwards, think about the stunning charm Stupefy or Protego the shield charm. The Stunning charm requires you to have the desire to knock out the other person while the shield charm requires your desire to not get hurt to be broadcasted outwards.

Curses are purely offensive magic, they hold no real defensive properties. You will find the cutting curse, the tripping curse, the blasting curse all do one thing and one thing only.

Harry soaked in all the information that the voice was giving him; it had clearly been paying attention in class far more than he had been himself.

'Ok, so magical theory it is. Where do I begin with that?' asked Harry

We need to get to Diagon Alley and get a book about the art of dueling, preferably something from between 1910 to 1955. You'll find a lot of information about Dumbledore's style of dueling in those sections

'Why Dumbledore?'

Dumbledore for all his flaws is one of the most powerful wizards to ever walk this planet, there is no one that you should want to emulate in a fight more.

'Not even Lord Voldemort'

You should banish the very idea of ever fighting like him from your mind child, you do not wish to be so limited in your attack. Dark Magic can be powerful, the emotion and intent required to even cast the spells demands that it be powerful. However, Dark Magic is so easily sensed, and the foul magic leaves a metaphorical stain on your person. For every dark cutting curse, the normal cutting curse would accomplish the same thing with a slight overpowering of the spell. Dark Magic limits the mind, you don't want to feel like the only option is attack, you want to defend, misdirect, retreat. Offensive magic is great, but it is not the end all be all. Sometimes it is better to take a simple step to the side of the mountain rather than to try and blast through it.

'Are you certain?'

Think about how dumb dark magic can be, you are famous for surviving the Killing Curse. Yet if the Dark Lord had simply dropped you out of a window, there would have been no rebounding of the spell and he never would have fallen the first time.

'I never thought about it, all I've ever learned about Dark Magic in school is that it is powerful and dangerous magic'

Magic, itself, is a powerful thing, it's one of the things that make being a witch or wizard so valuable. Your family dislikes and fears you because they do not understand the fact that if you really wished to, you could get rid of them with but a whispered word. You would never do that because it's wrong, but that doesn't matter to them. You are the same thing as those muggles with the magnified glass burning ants alive from when you were younger. They do not understand why you do or do not lay waste to them; they just understand that you can.

As the days passed, Harry became aware of how much about magic he didn't know about. The voice helped him slowly start to understand things such as wand motions, how curses were mostly filled with slashes, spells were mostly jabs or points, charms were some variation of swish, flicks, or twists.

Harry found himself taking notes on just about everything the voice was telling him, it seemed to have another otherworldly understanding of magic. It was almost as if having a personal Dumbledore inside of his head, providing him notes about magical theory.

'So how do I enchant things?'

You are not ready for that

'If you say so, but I still want to take notes on it'

You are finally getting what people such as myself have always felt, there is always something more to learn

'I don't know about wanting to always learn more, but I should know more than nothing about most topics'

I agree, you are from a very detailed and historical house. Not some magical royalty nonsense, this is not a children's book. But your family has been around for dozens of generations, several hundred years at the least.

'Am I the last of them? The last Potter?'

I do not know, you are the only Potter that I've heard about in recent times. The last ones before you would be your parents. You do have several relatives from the Black family still around. Your Godfather is a not-so-distant cousin of yours. As is Draco Malfoy for the matter, but the blond brat is not worth associating with.

Petunia looked at Harry through the small gap she had created by opening the door, the messy haired nephew of hers was scribbling down something without ever reading or saying anything. Was he writing a book? Was he even capable of something like that? He was turning 14 years old soon, but she never took him to be all that bright. He seemed a bit unfocused, but she hadn't seen him say anything in several days. Yet, he always seemed to be deep in thought, it was starting to get concerning.

She was not delusional, she knew that they had never treated him all that well. But they had also thought that they would be able to bully the magic out of him. That had failed and now, he was clearly on the way to being a full-fledged wizard like his parents before him.

Would he take kindly to the manner in which they had treated him? Probably not, but maybe she could change that with a simple kindness?

She knocked on the door and she felt a spike of guilt at seeing the small boy flinch from the sound of her knuckle tapping on the wood of the door.

"Hey, I know that Summer break has just started, but did you want to go somewhere else? You don't have to stay coped up inside of the house or your room" she said softly

Harry opened his mouth before he closed it, his brow scrunched together as if he was trying to listen to something far away. Was that a wizard ability? Super hearing? Petunia wasn't sure about that, Lily had never been all that attentive when they were kids.

"Can I spend the rest of the break in Diagon Alley again?" asked Harry after a moment, his voice wavering and timid as if he was asking for his friend and not himself.

"Sure, if that's what you want" said Petunia as she realized that her nephew would rather pay to live in a hotel then live with them for free for the entire summer. And if she wanted to be shown any kindness in the future, she should probably allow that to happen, especially if he was continued to be this weird.

That was all it took to make her nephew smile as she helped him pack his stuff up and took him down to the Leaky Cauldron, where he booked a room for the rest of the summer.

Harry lay flat on his back, breathing hard as though he had been running. He had awoken from a vivid dream with his hands pressed over his face. The old scar on his forehead, which was shaped like a bolt of lightning, was burning beneath his fingers as though someone had just pressed a white-hot wire to his skin. He sat up, one hand still on his scar, the other reaching out in the darkness for his glasses, which were on the bedside table. He put them on, and the bedroom around him came into clearer focus. He was still inside the room that he was renting.

You had a vision it seems, something that is very problematic.

'I saw Wormtail and I think that was Voldemort'

You might have, but I would tell you that it's hard to say. That weird mutated baby thing is not what he looked like back when he was roaming around the magical world.

'What should I do?'

You should be prepared Harry. To quote the muggles, it's better to have a loaded gun than to need one.

Harry nodded, he had heard his uncle say something similar plenty of times. Despite how much Harry was not a fan of the man, his uncle was pretty good at being prepared for things in his mundane day to day life.

I think it is time for us to take things up another level in terms of your understanding magic, Harry. Grab your wand.

'Am I going to cast a spell? I don't want to get in trouble'

That doesn't apply to magical locations Harry, if that were the case, every pureblood in the world would be expelled immediately. The trace only really is to make sure muggle borns aren't performing magic in front of their muggle neighbors.

'That seems unfair'

You will find that much of life is unfair

'ok, so what am I doing?'

I want you to think about casting the lumos charm

Harry did as he was told and thought about casting the charm, careful to make the right wand motions as he did everything that he normally would have done without actually saying the words.

However, this time was different, Harry after spending so much time studying the theory side of magic, could feel the manner in which the magic swirled around inside of his body, could feel it tingle up his arm and flow into his wand, building up to casting the spell that he was thinking about.

He nearly dropped his wand in surprise when the tip of his wand started to give off a low dim light. Limited and not as bright as when he said the words, but it was still the charm being cast just by his intent, his wand motions, and the feeling of magic.

You are finally starting to get it, child. It is not enough to know the spell, it is not enough to simply say the words. Magic is about intent, discipline, and guiding the power to fit your desires. You knew everything about the charm and this time when you mere thought about it, it nearly came to be true. This is what understanding magic can help you accomplish.

Harry allowed the flow of magic to dribble out and the tip of his wand returned to normal, no light coming off the wood. He felt a bubble of excitement flood through his body as he realized that he had cast magic without any words.

There was a tap at the window and Harry saw that an owl was there, flapping its wings impatiently as it waited for him to open the window. Upon doing so, the owl hopped onto the desk and presented its leg, showing the letter that was attached to it.

Is the letter from your Godfather

Harry nodded and opened the letter, finding the letter to be rather short and to the point, much to his disappointment.

Harry,

I have just arrived at my safe house outside of England. I wish that I could tell you where I am, but it's not safe at this time. Just know that I am safe where I am and will return to the island before you return back to Hogwarts. I will reach out to you every two weeks, do not try to find me.

Keep your head down, the winds are shifting, and the magical world is woefully unprepared for the storm that is coming. I want you to try your best to improve this upcoming year. It may feel unfair that people are asking for you to grow up faster than kids your age, but you have to be ready.

Be in touch soon
Love Sirius aka Snuffles

Harry reread the letter twice more, but he couldn't make heads or tails of what was going to happen to the magical world.

Tell him about your dream in a vague manner, tell him that you saw Wormtail helping someone that he called his master

'Are you sure?'

Yes, Sirius will care about that dream more than anyone else due to what Peter did to him and your family. But also, Sirius is still a Black, he knows more about magic than just about anyone else that you might know.

'Really? He doesn't seem all that put together'

He just spent 12 years being tortured by Dementors, having all of his happiness sucked from his body day after day. He's remarkably well adjusted for someone who has suffered in the manner that he has.

Harry hadn't thought about that aspect of Sirius, Hagrid made it seem like it was the worst place on the planet. Perhaps, he really wasn't giving Sirius enough credit for surviving as long as he did and coming out as mentally stable as he was.

Harry scribbled a brief description of his dream, telling Sirius that he was spending the summer in the same place he spent the previous summer. As well as informing him that he planned on taking his education on magic much more serious (no pun intended) going forward and was already making strides to do so.

The owl that had delivered the letter from Sirius was the same owl that proudly allowed Harry to tie the letter to its leg, before giving a series of hoots and taking off through the window, flying off to deliver Harry's letter at once.

You're already up, so let's get into the books again. I think we should tackle the concept of deflecting spells.

Harry just nodded and turned to the piles of books that sat on the dresser in the room, looking for the book about dueling,

"Get up! Ron — Harry — come on now, get up, this is urgent!

Harry sat up quickly and the top of his head hit canvas.

"Huh?" he , he could tell that something was wrong.

The noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped. He could hear screams, and the sound of people running. He slipped down from the bunk and reached for his clothes, but Mr. Weasley, who had pulled on his jeans over his own pajamas, said, "No time, Harry — just grab a jacket and get outside — quickly!"

Harry did as he was told and hurried out of the tent, Ron at his heels. By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire. Loud jeering, roars of laughter, and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light, which illuminated the scene.

A trio of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field. Harry squinted at them, and he realized that they didn't seem to have faces. Then he realized that their heads were hooded, and their faces masked.

Black hooded cloaks … masked faces … These are Death Eaters ,,, Followers of the Dark Lord, Harry

High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air. Two of the figures were very small.

More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. Once or twice Harry saw one of the marchers blast a tent out of his way with his wand. Several caught fire. The screaming grew louder.

The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent and Harry recognized one of them: Mr. Roberts, the campsite manager. The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children. One of the marchers below flipped Mrs. Roberts upside down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers and she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee.

Interesting, they would do that to muggles, would they dare raise their wands against someone like you Harry? Let's find out

Harry heard Mr. Weasley shouting that the adults were going to join the Ministry in breaking up the chaotic mess that they were currently dealing with. But as his voice got further and further away, Harry realized that he had gotten separated from the rest of the group.

His hand went for his wand and he found himself shouting at the cloaked figures who were taunting the muggles.

"HEY!" shouted Harry, drawing attention to himself.

Careful Harry, your Gryffindor is showing

"Oi, look at this ickle wanker" said one of the figures

Avery

"He looks like he should be in bed already" continued another one

Yaxley

"He looks like he's going ro cry" said the third and final one.

Antonio

Harry drew his wand into a ready position and said, "Leave the muggles alone"

The one that the voice had called Avery snorted and Harry scowled before he fired a red bolt of magic at Harry.

Harry for his credit didn't blink as he kept his eyes locked onto the spell and the trio of Death Eaters watched as the spell got close to Harry before slowly warping to the left of Harry, circling around his back, and sling shotting back at Avery who dropped to the ground to avoid the spell.

"That look familiar mates?" asked Antonio in a whispering tone.

"I haven't seen anyone else do that since the Dark Lord" replied Yaxley

Harry slashed his wand at the muggles, breaking the spells used on them and flicked his wand to gently float them back down to the ground, before telling the family of four, "Get behind me or get out of here"

They ran off and Avery growled as he returned to his feet, his mask stained from the dirt on the ground.

"You're ruining our fun" spat Avery

Avery's weakness is that he never bothers to shield his legs. Yaxley cannot focus on defending and attacking at the same time, Antonio only uses Dark Magic, he cannot defend himself against anyone who bothers to cast back at him. These three men are not better than you … not better than us.

Harry twirled his wand with it pointed at the ground as he banished shrapnel from all the trees and ripped up stones in the area, and just as it was mentioned before Avery's shield didn't extend much further past his knees. A stone caught him in the right leg and the crunching snap sound followed by howling swear words.

A well-placed silence charm shut Avery up and he was in too much pain to cast the spell to remove it from his being. Antonio struck at Harry with a series of black and orange spells.

The black spells will cause your blood to boil, and the orange ones will rupture your organs. The man has no creativity, hit him with something simple.

Harry used a simple school yard jinx and Antonio didn't dodge or anything as it raced through his storm of spells. It hit him right in the foot and Antonio didn't blink when he didn't feel any pain. He also tripped when he went to take a step forward as his shoelaces were tied together and Harry got rid of him with a banishing spell that was aimed at the man's shoes.

Yaxley was trembling, "Who the hell are you? Are you him? Are you the Dark Lord reborn?'

Harry tilted his head, "huh?"

"Get away from me" stammered Yaxley

A wall of fire separated the two of them and Harry looked to see that the source of it was a man who was wearing a cloak, but no mask, The cloak was enchanted to hide his face as seen by the shadows that covered it.

Yaxley ran off, using magic to float his friends away with him. While Harry looked at the newcomer, his cloaked face keeping contact with Harry's.

And then, without warning, the silence was broken by a voice with what sounded like a spell to Harry as it was not like any name he had ever heard before.

"MORSMORDRE!"

In the blink of an eye, something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness Harry's eyes had been struggling to penetrate; it flew up over the treetops and into the sky.

For a split second, Harry thought it was another leprechaun formation. Then he realized that it was a colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. As he watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation.

Oh my, that is the Dark Mark. Someone is clearly a fan of ,,, the Dark Lord.

The wood all around Harry erupted with screams. Harry felt that he could understand why, with the sudden appearance of the skull, which had now risen high enough to illuminate the entire wood like some grisly neon sign.

There was a crack as a rush of purple lightning and Harry turned around and slashed through the magic with his wand, the same cloaked figure that had cast the glowing Dark Mark had cast a spell at him.

The spray of the ripped apart magic made Harry shiver and he could feel spasms run down his sides as the magic, even when not complete was powerful enough to still cause effects.

"You are the most interesting person that I've ran into today" declared the cloaked figure, "Everyone else has run away in fear. But yet, it is the mere child that provides the most entertainment"

Barty, you may not have an advantage of this man Harry,

The man that the voice called Barty slashed out his wand three times and Harry hissed as he recognized the feel of the orange spells from before. Weaving through the organ rupturing spells, Harry used his magic to transfer some of the stones into birds that attacked Barty.

Barty didn't even look around as a dome of green flames burst of his body and consumed the magically made bird, before the dome flatten into a tight belt sized ring around Barty. Harry couldn't react in time as the green flames lashed out like a whip and slapped him on the left thigh, burning through his robes and clothes instantly. Harry hissed as he felt the area of his thigh blister up immediately.

Harry started slinging stunners at the man as he carefully positioned himself behind a tree, just in time for Barty to continue his onslaught of offensive magic.

Barty has a deep well of knowledge of spells. Maybe even as deep as my own if I am being honest.

'What is his weakness?'

Stamina and power, he lacks control and will eventually pause due to his body not being equipped to just launch spell after spell.

'Got it'

Harry reached into his body and folded his magic like one would origami paper and focused on the feeling that using parseltongue, before turning all of the ripped up tree parts around him into snakes.

"Circle around him and bite at his ankles" hissed Harry as he ordered the snakes to carry out his will

The rain of spells slowly started to die and Harry rolled out from behind the tree he was hiding on as it exploded into a tsunami of splinters.

A arc of black light grazes Harry's left cheek and he could feel the gash that it caused, he could also feel the waterfall of warmth that immediately followed it. His hand cupped his left cheek and he could feel the stickiness built up almost instantly. And out of the corner of his eye, he could see that his hand was already stained red as it struggled to contain the blood oozing from the wound.

Enough playing around Harry, destroy him. You and I are not allowed to die here to some pathetic former Death Eater, destiny has a much higher ceiling for us.

Harry didn't need to be told twice as his snakes hissed before they started launching themselves at Barty with no regard for their magically created lives.

"Fuck" roared Barty as one of the snakes managed to sink their teeth into his right ankle, the snake wasn't venomous sadly. But the bite was still going to be annoying for Barty to deal with as Harry overpowered a banishing spell and sent a spray of dirty, wood, and pebbles at the man.

Barty's following snarl as he was pelted with surrounding nonsense, enough that there was tearing in his cloak and Harry could see bruising on the skin underneath starting to form already, was only a sign of things to come.

Magic washed over the area and the temperature that in the battle already felt like it was blistering started to climb. This magic felt odd to Harry, he had never once in his life felt any magic like it before. Not even the dark magic that the Death Eaters had tossed at him earlier in the night had felt like this. If he had to put a word on this increasingly growing hot magic, it was as if the magic felt hungry.

"Pestis Incendium" said Barty before his body started to shake, whether with anticipation or effort, Harry could not tell.

Flames started to spray out of Barty's wand, flames so hot that all of the moisture in the air was gone faster than the blink of an eye. The trees around their clearing burst into flames without ever being touched by the flames. The flames coiled around Barty's form, as it slowly took the shape of a large hissing snake. Harry could barely breath as the air felt too hot inside of his lungs and breathing out only let more of the lava like air into his mouth and lungs.

He could only watch as the large snake made of flames consumed his conjured snakes and much to his horror, the snake made of flames grew slightly larger.

Water erupted from his wand and Harry sprayed himself in the mouth before directing the wand back over towards the snake. Barty didn't look all that concerned with the water about to his flames that were still connected to his wand by the tail.

Harry, do not let your spell hit the flames

But it was already too late as the water hit the snake and Harry saw why the voice had tried to warn him. The snake simply absorbed the magic in the water based spell and grew larger, nearly doubling in size before Harry managed to cut off his spell.

This is not normal conjured flames Harry. This is Fiendfyre or the Fiendfyre Curse. It is among the deadly curses ever to be brought into existence. It produces powerful enchanted flames of immense size and heat that were capable of destroying nearly anything and everything in its path, taking the form of gigantic fiery magical beasts that sought out living targets. The extremely volatile and sentient cursed fire spread rapidly and incinerated nearly everything through mere physical contact. Fiendfyre required extreme skill and intense concentration to control.

'How do we stop it?'

You would have to overpower the magic that is being used to keep it going, however any magic that is used to try to subdue it will only be added to it's growing base of power. It consumes all magic that it comes into contact with, it's part of why it is so dangerous.

'What do I do?'

Let me think, there are methods that I would use that are not available to you

The snake lunged at Harry and the flames washed over him, the world around him growing into an endless ocean of angry red flames. Harry crossed his hands in front of his face, his eyes closed as he struggled to think of what to do.

'Magic, magic, magic, I need more magic' thought Harry

You're doing something right, continue doing it as I think of how we can escape this situation

Harry could feel the flames growing closer to his skin, the cocoon of pure magical intent that he had created around him was slowly being eaten by the snake.

"Give up boy, you're going to die here and now. You're in over your head" taunted Barty as he poured just a more magic into his spell, the flames moving forward on Harry's body with a glacier pace.

Harry wheezed as he couldn't pull in the air anymore, the foul taste of puke filled his mouth. His eyes were clinched tightly as he gripped his wand tightly as he slashed it and a large thunderous boom filled the area as a large transparent beam of magic erupted from the end of Harry's that ripped through the flames of the Fiendfyre before forming into a snake like figure that sank its teeth into the chest of Barty. The man's chest exploded in a spray of blood, bones, and guts before his body collapsed, folding in on itself.

Harry dropped to the ground, the warmth of the ash that filled the area was so inviting and relaxing as his body shivered from expending that much magic at once. There were pops heard as people arrived at the scene and Harry saw Mr. Weasley standing over him, a look of relief on his face as he knelt down and slowly helped Harry sit up.

"Never scare me like that again, Harry" said Arthur as he conjured a thick warm blanket with a wave of his wand and wrapped Harry in it. Harry heard a gasp as he saw Ron and Hermione come running over towards him.

Ron looked at the ash filled clearing, and Hermione dived towards Harry's sitting form as she pulled him into a tight hug.

"Thank goodness, you're okay Harry" wept Hermione before she pulled back and said, "You're so pale and cold"

"Hey that's my wand" said Ron as he looked over at the corpse of Barty, "Bloody hell mate, did you do this?"

"Grab your wand Ron, let's get you kids home" said Arthur

"Out of the way, Arthur," said a cold, curt voice.

It was Mr. Crouch. He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. Harry got to his feet to face them. Mr. Crouch's face was taut with rage.

"Which of you did it?" he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?"

"We didn't do that!" said Harry, gesturing up at the skull, "The guy in the cloak did all of this"

"Yeah, we didn't do anything!" said Ron, who was rubbing his elbow and looking indignantly at his father. "What did you want to attack us for?"

"Do not lie, sir!" shouted Mr. Crouch. His wand was still point ing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping, he looked slightly mad. "You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!"

"Barty," whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing gown, "they're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to "

"Barty" repeated Harry as he pointed at the person who had attacked him, "That's the name of the guy who attacked me"

Arthur looked over at the corpse, "Crouch, this looks just like your son. The one who died years ago"

Mr. Crouch blinks as he flusters in rage, but Harry would never get to hear the rest of it as he swayed on his feet, before dropping to the ground unconscious.

You did well Harry, better than I would have at this age. But please, never put our life in that much danger again if you can help it. As mentioned before, I have grown rather fond of you and living.

'You know, I can't keep calling you the Voice'

You have never asked my name before … but you have earned the right to know it. You may call me, Junior.

Chapter 2

The Voice

The Voice's inner thoughts

"Parseltongue"

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

You are absolutely soaked, even through your robes

'What would you have me do?'

Act like the young boy who listened to me all summer, getting the best results that you've ever seen

'The result was killing someone'

Yes, someone who was trying to kill us first. Would you rather he be alive, and you be dead? Stop acting like a naïve child

'Surely there is another way to go about life, we can't just kill people that we don't like'

I have never once told you to kill anyone nor will I. You did that on your own, it was YOUR magic that followed YOUR intent. I have done nothing but guide you to be more educated, more informed of the principals of magic.

Harry didn't respond as he and his friends entered the castle, finally escaping the down pour of rain from the storm.

"Well, move along, then!" said Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!"

Harry, Ron, and Hermione slipped and slid across the entrance hall and through the double doors on the right, Ron muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face.

The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair.

Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost greeted them with a beaming smile, "Good evening,"

"Says who?" said Harry, taking off his sneakers and emptying them of water.

Why not simply use magic to remove the water, look at Granger. She did so with a simple overpowered warming charm.

Harry ignored the snide comment from Junior inside his head, "Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving."

Is this how it's going to be? You did something that you don't like, and you take it out on me? Imagine if every time you did something wrong that I gave you the silent treatment, I would never talk.

'I'm sorry' caved Harry, 'I guess I am just scared that I might be going dark'

Harry had never heard Junior laugh before in his life, so the sudden crackle of wheezing laughter inside of his own head threw him for a loop.

You … you've got pulling my … leg

'What's so funny?'

Harry, you didn't cast a dark magic based spell. Hell, you didn't cast any spell actually. That was a case of accidental magic, your magic lashed out to save you. Because in case you missed it, a former death eater was trying to murder you.

'But I still killed someone'

How?

'The snake thing ripped him apart'

I was there, but how did you do it?

'I dunno"

Almost like you didn't do it and it was an accident

'It was an accident'

A magical one …

'I mean, that sounds right'

So, your magic lashed out in an attempt to save you, and you accidently harmed or in this case, killed someone, and now you're the next great dark wizard?

'When you put it like that, it sounds stupid'

You don't say

'Okay, so what was it?'

Accidental Magic

'At my age?'

Didn't you blow up your uncle's sister last year, you're being naïve to act like your emotions don't impact your magic. What is the base of all spells?

'Intent'

And I am sure that you intended to not die

'You're right'

I always am

Harry blinked as Hermione slide food onto his plate and gave him a weird look, "I thought you were starving, but you spaced out and the food appeared a couple minutes ago. I wanted to get something on your plate before Ron went for thirds"

"Sorry, I was lost in thought" admitted Harry

"Still thinking about this past summer?" asked Hermione

"Yeah" nodded Harry, "You don't think that what happens makes me a bad person do you?"

"Are you daft?" questioned Hermione, "It was accidental magic Harry"

Hmm, I wonder who told you that?

"But what about that guy?" asked Harry

"The man trying to kill you?" asked Hermione with a weird look on her face, "It's unfortunate what happened to him, but there is nothing that you could have done to save him"

Harry frowned, "But- "

"Harry, you were covered in flames. What spell did you cast to save yourself" interrupted Hermione

"I didn't cast a spell" said Harry

"Then there is nothing you could have done to survive without your burst of accidental magic, if you can't recreate the effect, you didn't do anything wrong" continued Hermione, "Perhaps you should talk with Dumbledore or a healer about this"

"No, I guess I just can't get what happened out of my head" said Harry

"The muggles call that trauma" said Hermione, "Maybe you should talk to someone about how you're feeling"

"Maybe I will" replied Harry before he scooped mashed potatoes into his mouth as his stomach rumbled with hunger

Done being a crybaby?

'If Hermione thinks I am wrong about this, then you are right. She's the most rule abiding person I know'

Didn't she light one of your professors on fire?

'Morale gray area'

You will talk to Dumbledore about this past summer, about what happened, and you will do it tonight.

'But I understand what you were saying with the accidental magic stuff and that I'm not a bad person'

And while I want to believe you, I am also inside of your head. Talking to the old man will help you, he will tell you that you did nothing wrong, and you can honestly put it to bed.

'I guess'

Harry, if you wanted to cut something, would you use Exitiale or the simple cutting curse?

'I've never heard of Exitiale, so I guess the simple cutting curse'

Good, Exitiale is a Latin dark magic spell for cutting things. It means fatal cut. No matter what spell you used, you were going to cut something. That Weasley boy has you thinking of things being light or dark, it does not matter. The intent to cut something is what is going to power both spells. What were you thinking of when the Fiendfyre was wrapping around us?

'How I could survive it'

Then there you go, your intent was never to harm anyone. It was always to survive the attack. You need to forgive yourself before you can progress, which is why you are going to speak to the old man after dinner.

'Yes sir'

Harry had continued to eat during this mental conversation, with it ending just as the food disappeared and there was a deafening rumble of thunder, and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.

A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swiveled toward the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up toward the teachers' table.

A dull clunk echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavily toward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling. Hermione gasped.

That is Mad-Eye Moody, one of the best dark witch or wizard hunters to ever be born. It's over for you now Harry. They know about the darkness inside of you, they've sent the best after you, after us.

'I know you're being sarcastic, but should we be worried about him?'

I would be, he's insane

'What do you mean by that?'

Have you grown less intelligent over the summer?

'What makes him insane?'

He's been exposed to the darkest branches of magic, there is a reason his nose doesn't grow back, there is a reason he has a wooden leg. That staff isn't just for show, he needs it to help himself walk about.

'Oh'

Yes, be on guard around him. Not because he's going to be coming after you, but because he's going to be a bit wild.

Also, because I've crossed wands with the real Moody and while this one is a quality actor, this is not the same Mad-Eye.

11 days later:

Harry's conversation with Dumbledore had reassured him that he had done what anyone else would have done in that situation and that he was still a polite, morally correct young. Junior had been right, it had made Harry feel a lot better to have his actions cosigned by the Headmaster.

You need to twist your wrist when you jab the wand, if you twist the wand with the jab, you are dispelling the buildup of magic

Harry sighed as he twisted his wrist as he jabbed his wand and his teacup was successfully duplicated, splitting into two equal teacups. Which Flitwick came by and tested with a tap of his wand.

"Good Merlins, Mr. Potter" exclaimed the half goblin professor, "Not only have you cast the spell correctly, but you also did it silently. Someone has read ahead on their OWLs theory"

Harry blushed as rubbed the back of his head, "I have felt that maybe I could live up to my potential a bit more than I have in the past"

"I'll say that you are doing a splendid job, Mr. Potter" replied Flitwick, "You might even be able to apply for a summer internship with an Enchanter in the Diagon Alley after your OWLs if this is the type of effort that you are planning on keeping up for the remainder of your years here"

Hermione looked at Harry's twin teacups and her own, unduplicated teacup and bit her lip in wonder.

"How did you do it?" asked Hermione as they finished packing up, her own spell have not worked. Everyone but Harry, had been assigned a 17-inch essay on the properties of the Duplication Charm.

"I allowed the intent of the spell to guide me towards the correct combination of magic, desire, and power" replied Harry

"But how?" asked Hermione once more, ignoring the very much real answer that Harry had just given her.

"Magic" answered Harry

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Fine be a prat and keep your secrets"

'I literally told her the answer'

She's never going to accept that Harry, it's because she's muggleborn.

'Woah woah'

Relax, it's not a racist comment, it's simply due to the difference in upbringing. She might study magical theory, but she doesn't understand it like I do, like you've come to.

'Why do you say that?'

Because if she was really that tuned in with her own magic, she would never have any issue casting a spell.

'I guess I never thought of it like that'

Going back to last year when we cast the Patronus Charm, haven't you felt your magic slowly becoming easier to control?

'Hey, it actually has become much easier to understand'

That is due to all our reading this past summer, you've started to learn and understand how motions, incantations, intentions, and desire all impact magic.

Harry mentally nodded as he arrived at the DADA classroom. This was the lone class that he hadn't been to yet this school year. Mad-Eye had seen just about every other year besides his year so far, but this was the end of the first week of classes and their time was due.

Harry walked into the class and sat in the first row of desks, right in the middle. It was where Junior had insisted that he sit and the voice in the back of his head had been a great judge of what to do so far.

Soon, he heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. Harry could barely make out the clawed, wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes.

"You can put those away," he growled, limping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them."

The class all returned their books to their bags, Ron looking excited beside Harry on the right, while Hermione looked a bit put out on his left.

Moody took out a class roster, shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered.

"Right then," he said, when the last person had declared them- selves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures — you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right?"

There was a general murmur of assent.

"But you're behind, oh so very behind, on dealing with curses," said Moody, his voice almost becoming a sing songy as he said that "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark —"

"What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out.

Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ron "You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?"

Ron nodded in confirmation

Moody smirked, "I like your old man, sonny. Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago. Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore, the old goat. One year, and then back to my quiet retirement."

He gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his gnarled hands together.

"So, straight into it. Curses. They are a branch of magic, used strictly for offensive purposes. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you counter curses and leave it at that. But no student of mine is going to leave my classroom with only the ability to shield and run away" started Moody

The class was as silent as Harry had ever seen it, nobody dared to say anything and from the looks of it, everyone was hanging onto Moody's every word.

"How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful" continued Moody before over his shoulder he jabbed his wand.

Behind Harry, Lavender jumped and blushed. She had been showing Parvati her completed horoscope under the desk, but Moody had caused the piece of paper to burst into flames, ruining the piece of paper instantly. Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood, as well as out of the back of his head.

"You would do well to pay attention in my class" warned Moody, "If you think this is one of those classes where you can doze off, do other class's homework, nap, or bury your face in a book, you are sorely mistaken"

His threatening words hung over the class, causing several students to shiver at the thought of drawing his ire.

"So, do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?" asked Moody after he was certain his words had gotten through to the masses. He limped up and down the gaps of the desks in his class, his eyes scanning the room as he did so.

Several hands rose tentatively into the air, including Ron's and Hermione's. Moody pointed at Ron, though his magical eye was still fixed on Lavender.

"Er," said Ron tentatively, "my dad told me about one called the Imperius Curse, or something?"

"Ah, yes," said Moody appreciatively. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse."

Moody walked around his desk and opened his desk drawer and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Harry felt Ron recoil slightly next to him, not that he could blame him after second year.

Moody put the jar down on the desk and he turned back to the class, "This curse is not something that should be taken lightly. It requires extreme mental strength and discipline. You have to be able to completely overpower the other person's will or they can throw off the spell. It's something … else to have another person or being's life in your hands. This spell is one of the most difficult to cast, one of the most straining to maintain. Only a powerful witch or wizard would be able to cast it and keep it up. In the last war, the Dark Lord's forces used this spell with mixed results"

Harry felt an icy sensation crawl down his spine at those words, as if he wasn't getting the same message as the words being spoke.

Moody slowly opened and reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders, and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could all see it. He then pointed his wand at it and muttered, "Imperio!"

The spider leapt from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.

Everyone was laughing, everyone except Moody, Neville, and Harry.

"Think it's funny, do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"

He flicked his wand, and the spider threaded a noose from its own silk before hanging itself. The spell wore off and the spider spasmed as it tried to break the complicated knot that was it had been forced to make. But the more it struggled, the tighter the silk became until the spider's head region was crushed by the loop.

"You see what I could do with a mere flick of my wand to any of you?" asked Moody, his voice was faint. Yet, Harry swore that he heard a hint of pride in it.

"How easy would it be to have you in that same position? How easily would I be able to force you to put your fellow classmates in that position while they slept? Where is your laughter now?" questioned Moody

Nobody said anything now, nobody was laughing now as they saw the actual horror of the spell with their own eyes.

"Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?" asked Moody as he vanished the dead spider's remains.

There were a lot less hands that flew into the air this time, but to Harry's surprise, among them was Neville's.

"Yes" breathed Moody, his magical eye rolling right over to fix on Neville, and he seemed excited to see the boy raise his hands, "Tell us Longbottom, what is another unforgivable curse?"

How did he know Neville's name? What was wrong with Moody?

"There's one … the Cruciatus Curse," said Neville in a small but distinct voice.

Moody smiled and it looked unnatural on his scarred face, and he eagerly said, "Perfect answer Longbottom"

Moody reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move.

"The Cruciatus Curse," said Moody, "Is a spell that is not about mentally overpowering your opponent. No, this is about causing someone you dislike pain. You must hate with every fiber of your being. You must let the anger take over, you must wish them to suffer"

"Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he said, pointing his wand at the spider. "Engorgio!"

The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Abandoning all pretense, Ron pushed his chair backward, as far away from Moody's desk as possible.

Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "Crucio!"

At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Harry was sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming. Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently.

"When the spell is left on a target for too long, the subject continues to take damage. No matter how strong they are, no matter how mentally strong they are" stated Moody, "They crumble like the pathetic insects that they are"

"ENOUGH!" stated Harry as his body sent out a flare of magic that pushed away the desks around him.

Moody stopped as he looked at Harry who was gripping his wand so tightly that his knuckles were turning white, behind him was a Neville that was trembling as tears poured down his face, his eyes locked on to the spasming form of the spider.

The burst of magic from Harry had dispelled the spell from Moody who glanced at his wand and then back to the glaring 14-year-old boy.

"You are in fact correct, Mr. Potter" continued Moody with glee, "When a subject has been put under the Cruciatus for too long and it has lost all of its brain function. There is only one thing left to do. Does anyone know?"

Nobody said anything as the glaring Harry continued stand in the front of the class between the students and Moody.

"Ah, nobody knows the answer? Nobody wants to say it?" mused Moody, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra, the Killing Curse. It is unblock-able and the only person to survive it is standing in the front of the class"

Any eyes in the class that hadn't been staring at the standing Harry were now and Harry felt like he was going to puke as Moody circled the spasming spider on the desk.

"To cast this spell, it requires a great deal of power" started Moody as he continued to limp around the desk, "You must accept that the person who gets hit by the spell is going to die. You must accept that that person is going to die by the spell. That they must die"

Moody raised his wand, and Harry felt a sudden thrill of foreboding.

"Avada Kedavra!" said Moody in the calmest voice he had used all day. As if he wasn't killing a living creature for the fun of it in the class.

There was a silence that filled the room as Moody vanished the spider that he had just finished killing.

"Avada Kedavra is a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it, all of you could get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed. But that doesn't matter. I'm not here to teach you how to do it. Now, if there's no counter curse, why am I showing you? Because you've got to know. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You have to understand that there is a beauty to the dark arts, they are more than just twisted magic. They require focus, they require power, they require that you understand how the magic works. They are not for everyone" finished Moody

The rest of the class was spent jotting down whatever offensive and defensive spells that they were certain that they could cast. Harry was very much happy when Moody had finally dismissed them and they had left the classroom, a torrent of talk burst forth.

Most people were discussing the curses in awed voices:

"Did you see it twitch?"

"and when he killed it, just like that!"

They were talking about the lesson, as though it had been some sort of spectacular show and not a disgusting fanboy letter to the 3 unforgivable curses. It might have been great for them to know and see them, but he hadn't found it very entertaining and neither had Hermione.

"Hurry up," she said tensely to Harry and Ron.

"Not the ruddy library again?" said Ron, before Harry's elbow found his ribs

"No," Harry spat angrily, pointing up a side passage. "Neville."

Neville was standing alone, halfway up the passage, staring at the stone wall opposite him with the same horrified, wide-eyed look he had worn when Moody had demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse.

"Neville?" Hermione said gently.

Neville looked around.

"Oh hello," he said, his voice much higher than usual. "Interesting lesson, wasn't it? I wonder what's for dinner, I'm … I'm starving, aren't you?"

"Neville are you all right?" said Hermione.

Of course he isn't, the Cruciatus was used on his parents to the point that they were driven insane and are mentally dead. All that exists of them now is an empty shell that sits in the mental ward. Disgusting to expose a child to the horrors that his parents suffered and to openly mock them and the child while doing so.

"Oh yes, I'm fine," Neville gabbled in the same unnaturally high voice. "Very interesting dinner … I mean lesson, what's for eating?"

"Neville, it was wrong for him to show you that, given – you know" finished Harry, trying to show Neville that he was both aware of what happened but also not reveal it to Ron and Hermione.

Neville wheeze as tears bubbled up in his eyes, "I always hated them for not being stronger, but seeing it … how could they?"

Harry pulled Neville into a hug, "I know what you mean"

Hermione looked at Ron, "Are we missing someone?"

"I honestly dunno" admitted Ron

"Give us a second guys, I'll catch up to you two in a moment" said Harry as he broke apart from Neville

Hermione looked like she was going to argue against Harry's wishes, but for the first time in recent memory, Ron was useful and tugged her away.

"How do you know about them?" asked Neville once they were alone, the two of them walking to the top of the tower to sit outside in the pleasantly cool fall weather.

You visited that hack Lockhart

"I saw them while visiting Lockhart over the summer" lied Harry

"Oh" said Neville

"There isn't anything to be ashamed of Neville" said Harry

"Why do you say that? My grandmother thinks I disappoint them every day" muttered Neville

"Because you know that they loved you" replied Harry

"How can you know that?" asked Neville, "They can't talk, they can't think, they can't do anything, but spill drool out of the corner of their mouths and soil themselves. They're little more than bloody life-sized puppets"

Because they did it for you

"Because they did it for you" repeated Harry

"Huh?"

"Neville, can I tell you something that I've never told anyone else before?" asked Harry

"Sure"

"For most of my life, I hated my parents" admitted Harry

"What? Why?"

"Because growing up, I didn't know that they had died for me. I didn't know that they were even magical back then. I was told that they were unemployed drunk bums who carelessly killed themselves in a muggle accident" answered Harry

"Who would tell you that?" asked Neville in horror

"My only living family" admitted Harry, "My mum's sister"

"But … but that's just wrong" stammered Neville

"Exactly, my parents died for me" said Harry, "Both of us were targeted by the Death Eaters. My parents died when Voldemort *Neville flinched* attacked and your parented were put in that ward when the death eaters attacked. Guess what Neville, they didn't give you up. They could have easily gotten out of that situation by giving your location up. Your grandmother is just upset that her son is gone"

You make quite the repeater Harry

'Thank you for helping my friend'

We are in this together

"I guess I never thought about it like that" admitted Neville

"Maybe we should just turn in for the day" suggested Harry as he stood up from his seated placed on the floor next to Neville and offered him his hand.

With Snape and Dumbledore:

"How has the year started for you, Severus?" asked Dumbledore

"This has been a rather … acceptable start to the year" replied Severus

"Interesting that you say that as well" commented Dumbledore, "Flitwick and McGonagall also report the similar things. Sprout has said that her students have been sneaking out to visit the kitchens a bit more this year"

Snape rolled his eyes at that remark, "I'm sure you could just change the password and be done with that"

"Nothing wrong with a bit of youthful indulgence" replied Dumbledore, "Now, tell me what you think of young Harry"

"He's … different" admitted Snape, "He seems to have a better grasp on things that were borderline common sense in the past"

"He cast a duplication charm silently" added Dumbledore

Snape blinked, "Did you just say that Harry Potter cast a charm silently?"

"Flitwick was rather taken back as well, apparently Harry said that he was trying to live up to his potential moving forward" continued Dumbledore

"Interesting" commented Snape, "His potions making has taken a step forward as well. But not just in timing and technique, but he also has developed a bit of knowledge on the short cuts as well"

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, "He has shown a massive leap forward in basically all magical fields, capable of casting silently now as well. All of this, on top of him killing Barty Crouch Jr over the summer"

Snape snorted, "You believe that rumor?"

"I have his unfiltered memory of the event" replied Dumbledore as he pointed to his pensive, "You are more than welcome to take a look at it as well"

Snape walked over to the pensive and reviewed the memory for his own desire, returning to Dumbledore's office with a slightly shaken look on his face. Dumbledore offered him a spot of snowberry tea that he had a house elf pop up upon returning.

"He dueled several death eaters prior to Crouch Jr, I was not expecting that" admitted Snape as he accepted the tea

"Did you notice anything out of the usual?" asked Dumbledore

"You mean besides a child who relied on luck to tie his shoes prior to this past summer being able to counter 4 different death eaters as well as being able to cast a mage spell?" asked Snape, "Are we certain that is still Harry Potter?"

Dumbledore gestured to a device on his desk, "I am most certain that this is still Harry Potter, but I was referring to the manner in which he adjusted to each new opponent"

Snape reviewed the memory in his own head, "You are correct, he made several adjustments that I'm not sure many in the Order would have been able to"

"Either he is capable of reading their minds …" started Dumbledore

"He would need to be a powerful Legilimens" countered Snape

"Or someone or something provided him with the knowledge of how to counter each one of their styles" finished Dumbledore

"There was nobody else there" noted Snape, "Potter, as much as I wish to discredit him, did face all four of them alone to save those muggles"

"I feel that we are missing something" admitted Dumbledore, "He did come and talk to me after the arrival feast, but it was mostly to be reassured that he was not becoming a dark wizard"

Snape rolled hie eyes, "The boy is a Gryffindor through and through. Only he could face off against 4 dark wizards and come away thinking he was in the wrong for not dying"

"Not the worst thing, the upcoming war will require someone to be a beacon of hope" said Dumbledore, "Harry wanted to reconfirm that he's not a bad person for saving lives by any means needed, while slightly naïve and childish, is not a deal breaker"

"Lily's son being the next Dumbledore" muttered Snape, "Unbelievable"

"I am uncertain that I could have cast that Mage spell to fend off Fiendfyre like he did" countered Dumbledore, "He completely overpowered those flames in a manner I haven't seen since Voldemort was walking around"

Snape frowned, "Interesting that you say that, because the spell warped out of the way, wrapping around his body. I hadn't seen that since the Dark Lord"

Dumbledore sighed as he leaned back in his chair, his teacup sitting on his desk in front of him.

"Do you think that the scar could be influencing him?" asked Dumbledore

"In what manner?" questioned Snape, "The dark magic that lingers in the scar is not vast or powerful anymore. The scar is slightly fainter this year"

"I had noticed that it seemed to be healing" agreed Dumbledore

"Besides, if the magic in the scar could influence him, why wait 14 years to make the boy something?" asked Snape

"Maybe I am just a paranoid old man after all" chuckled Dumbledore

Snape cracked a smile, "I don't mind it, it's rather nice to not be the only crazy person roaming the castle"

Dumbledore laughs as he grabs his tea, "All fun and games until the teacher evaluation forms come back"

As the weeks pasted, Harry keep his eyes on Moody, never trusting the man. Junior seemed to think that there was something off with the man, which made Harry feel like he was in the right. Apparently the man got permission from Dumbledore to cast one of the three unforgivable spells on them.

"Potter," Moody growled, "you next."

Harry moved forward into the middle of the classroom, into the space that Moody had cleared of desks. Moody raised his wand, pointed it at Harry, and said, "Imperio!"

It was the most wonderful feeling. Harry felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in his head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. He stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching him.

And then he heard Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of his empty brain, "Jump onto the desk . . . jump onto the desk. . .."

Harry bent his knees obediently, preparing to spring.

"Jump onto the desk. . .."

Why, though? Another voice had awoken in the back of his brain, You barely listen to me, you're going to listen to this scarred faced man you don't even trust

Harry blinked as he unbent his knees, "I don't want to"

Moody looked at him in complete shock, pumping more magic into his Imperio, but Harry just brushed it off with a glare, "I said I don't want to"

"Now, that's more like it!" hummed Moody's voice gleefully and suddenly, Harry felt the empty, echoing feeling in his head disappear, "Look at that, you lot . . . Potter fought! Hell, he did more than fight it, he won. Very good, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!"

Moody cast Imperio again without warning but Harry who now knew what it felt like, dispelled the spell on his body with a pop of his own magic.

Moody crackled with excitement, "Potter, you are not at all what they made you out to be. You truly have what it takes to be a great wizard, everything they said about you was understating you"

Harry mentally frowned, who was talking about him? His other teachers? Dumbledore? His muggle family? Maybe the Aurors because he was constantly doing dangerous things near the end of the school years.

Harry watched as Moody moved onto another student, casting the imperio spell on them and having them cartwheel around the room. The class ended and Moody flicked his wand, and a small note shot out to each student, Harry caught his and read the note.

TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT

The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving at 6 o'clock on Friday the 30th of October. Lessons will end half an hour early —

That just meant that there would be no classes with Snape that day, but that wasn't a big deal for Harry. He was completely okay with not having classes with the man, even if he was being oddly neutral towards him this year.

As he arrived at lunch, he got a letter from Sirius who was asking him to keep his nose clean, watch out for Snape, and never to let his guard down around Moody. As Sirius said, "We pranked Mad-Eye once during the Auror academy during the first war, he hung both James and I on the flagpole by our underpants"

Harry laughed at that part and finished the letter where Sirius mentioned that James and Mad-Eye had a bit of a mentor-mentee relationship, something that Sirius had been blessed enough to witness. It was what had made James so special during the first war, you don't cross wands with Voldy three times and live to talk about it due to sheer luck.

Scribbling a quick recount of how peaceful his year had been, how he would keep an eye on both Snape and Moody, Harry wished Sirius good luck and mentioned the date of the first Hogsmeade trip, before giving the letter to the owl who delivered Sirius' letter. The owl took off immediately.

Halloween Day: The Day the TriWizard champions would be chosen

The Halloween feast seemed to take much longer than usual, mostly because this was their second big feast day in a row. Harry was rereading his transfiguration homework, wondering if he should add another couple inches on how proper wand motions would assist the act of transfiguring one object into another.

"Oi, mate" said Ron, "Put away the essay, you're turning into Hermione"

"What's wrong with wanting a good grade" asked Harry before Hermione could

"Nothing, but it's dinner time" noted Ron

"And I'm sure you'll find a way to eat enough for both of us" countered Harry

Hermione giggled and Ron shot him a glare

"Anyway, who is becoming the champion for Hogwarts?" asked Ron

"Probably a sixth year who has an early birthday" suggested Harry as he rolled up his essay, giving up on adding to it at the moment

"Not a seventh year?" asked Ron

"No, Harry's right. Seventh Years have their NEWTs to worry about. They don't have time for a silly tournament" answered Hermione

"It's a thousand galleons, it's worth it" whined Ron

"Not to anyone who is academically inclined" said Harry

"Huh? What's that mean?" asked Ron

Hermione and Harry shared a look, and both laughed

"Smart people don't have to worry about making a thousand galleons, Ron" said Hermione, "If you get good grades, you can get a job where you could make close to that every month. Think about senior Aurors, they pull in 150 galleons every week. Many would argue that they're overpaid for the amount of work that they do versus regular aurors who made half of that weekly"

"I never thought of that" grumbled Ron

Harry leaned into Hermione and whispered, "Who is surprised that he didn't think of that?"

Hermione covered her mouth as she giggled, and Ron shot Harry a glare.

Neville said, "I think the champion will be Harry somehow"

Harry shook his head, "I didn't enter the tournament"

"When has that stopped you from doing something before?" asked Neville

Ron nodded, "He got you their mate"

Harry rolled his eyes, "I have more money than I could ever spend. My trust fund has like 30,000 galleons, I don't even know how much I have in my family vault"

Ron looked a bit bitter at the mention of how much money Harry had, but Harry ignored it as he was used to Ron's jealousy flaring up from time to time. Ron had proven to be a bit of a prat when he became jealous, but he always came around and he was Harry's co-bestfriend with Hermione because he was a good friend.

"I could use 1000 galleons" declared Ron

I think you would make a great champion Harry

'But I don't want to be a champion'

It is never about wanting to be one, it is about showing people that you can

'I don't want to show anyone anything'

Of course not, let them underestimate us

'You are a bit too prideful at times, not every single year has to revolve around me'

I disagree

As Harry rejoined reality, he saw that they had already pulled the Goblet of Fire out and were getting ready to select the champions.

The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it — the whole room gasped.

Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white.

"The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum."

"No surprises there!" yelled Ron as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Harry saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber.

"The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!"

The claps were far fewer, mostly males, but Harry added a polite if slightly quiet series of claps as well. Fleur Delacour was clearly not the most well-liked witch from her school

"Oh look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party who did not look happy with the selection.

"You think they're jealous of her?" asked Harry

Of course they are, she's the best their school has to offer, do you not feel that alure that she is letting out

'I guess I do, it kind of feels like the Veela from the World Cup'

Because she is a Veela

'So, you think she's like a half veela like they said?'

Harry, there is no half or quarter veela, you are either a Veela or not

'Really? How does that work?'

It's a magical property, think of how we can speak to snakes, you either can understand them or you can't

'I guess that makes sense'

When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion was next.

Murmurs of Cedric or Angela or Flint

And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment.

"The Hogwarts champion," he called, "Harry Potter?"

The name came out much less certain than the previous names and everyone turned to look at Harry who, for his part, looked as confused as everyone else.

There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to get a better look at Harry as he sat, frozen, in his seat.

Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall had got to her feet and swept past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who bent his ear toward her, frowning slightly.

Harry turned to Ron and Hermione; beyond them, he saw the long Gryffindor table all watching him, openmouthed.

"I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't."

Both of them stared just as blankly back.

Well Harry, looks like we get a chance to show them what we can do.

'I want you to know from the bottom of my heart, I fucking hate every single part of my shitty arse life'

Sure, not let's win this thing, show the world how bloody great Harry Potter really is

Chapter 3

A/N: Real quickly before we get into the story, this is NOT a goody goody pure hearted Harry Potter story nor is this some OP dark lord wank fest Harry Potter story. Harry is starting off at the canon purehearted Harry and slowly going to swing back and forth between making the wrong decision and making the right decision. Someone complained that they didn't even finish the first part of the last chapter and saw the story as " this is another generic goody two shoes Harry story. Doing anything you can to justify Harry being a staunch proponent of the light, whilst minimizing the power of dark magic. It just feels awfully contrived." Which is rather stupid as we saw Harry literally kill a man in chapter one with his own magic and he needed to come to term with that. I dunno about you people, but when I was 14 years old, I wasn't murdering people nor did I think that was normal. Let's have a hint of common sense, please.

The Voice

The Voice's inner thoughts/The voice during flashbacks

"Parseltongue"

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

Are you okay?

'What do you think?'

That my dislike for the mindless sheep that walk about this school grows by the second

'Thanks'

Do you wish for me to help you put a taboo on your name?

'You know how to do that?'

I know many things about many things

'I see'

Harry sat alone at the Gryffindor table, more metaphorically than actually. The table was packed with other students, but nobody sat within 5 feet of him. Thus, he was sitting on the end closest to the door to the Great Hall.

You would think these people would grow tired of being wrong about you. They do this basically every year

'They can't help it, they're scared'

Of what? You? You wouldn't harm a fly unless it asked you to.

'They're just upset that I was chosen as champion'

No, they're angry because you were chosen to represent Hogwarts. Whoever placed your name in before the cup was hidden behind the age line ward did so knowing how powerful you are. It would be extremely difficult to trick something like the Goblet without doing something that would leave a magical imprint.

'So, what is our plan besides winning?'

Do we need a plan other than win?

'Maybe?'

Just eat your toast, we have a lot of dueling to go over soon

Harry absentmindedly nodded as he munched on the toast, his mind drifting back to the moment when he was selected.

At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.

"Harry Potter!" he called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"

"Go on," Hermione whispered, giving Harry a slight push. Harry got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled slightly. He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and he could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him, as though each were a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, he was right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers upon him.

"Well . . . through the door, Harry," said Dumbledore. He wasn't smiling.

And neither was Harry at this moment, it felt like a punch to the gut, this always happened to him.

Harry moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was seated right at the end. He did not wink at Harry, or wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting. He looked completely astonished and stared at Harry as he passed like everyone else. Harry went through the door out of the Great Hall and found himself in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him.

The faces in the portraits turned to look at him as he entered. He saw a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus mustache. The wizened witch started whispering in his ear.

Viktor Krum and Fleur Delacour were standing around by the fire. They looked strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched-up and brooding, was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from Fleur Delacour, who looked around when Harry walked in and threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair.

"What is it?" she said in slightly accent English. "Do they want us back in the Hall?"

Before Harry could say anything in response, there was a sound of scurrying feet behind him, and Ludo Bag- man entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward.

"Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing Harry's arm. "Absolutely a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.

"As if anyone believes you Potter" scoffed Snape softly. His black eyes were alight with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules everyone. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here —"

Are you going to let him talk to you like that?

'What should I do?'

Banish that man's sleeve

Harry was certain that was a bad idea, so he did not do that. But he did put that information in his back pocket.

'All right, Snivellus?' said Harry, repeating what Junior told him to

Snape flinched before anger exploded onto his face like Harry had never seen before, but Harry being the son of a master prankster that he was, was one step ahead and before Snape could say anything, Harry silently cast silencing spell on Snape.

Snape's face turned a shade of angry red that would make Uncle Vernon jealous as he cursed Harry without ever being able to say anything audible. His anger only grew when he realized that he wasn't able to undue the spell when he attempted to.

Harry turned back to Dumbledore, "Anyway, how do we get out of this. There are things I want to do, dying for some money isn't on that list"

"I'm afraid that you must compete" said Mr. Crouch

"Why is that?" asked Harry

"Your name came out of the Goblet" said Mr. Crouch, "You must compete for Hogwarts"

"Like show up and do nothing 'compete' or try my hardest to win 'compete'?" asked Harry, "Because I am willing to show up and do nothing"

"You have to attempt each task from the Tournament to the best of your abilities" replied Mr. Crouch as he read from the tournament's rule book

"Fine, I guess I'll win the whole damn thing" groaned Harry, "But how did I get entered in this thing to begin with. Doesn't the Ministry guard this cup thing?"

"Still have faith in the Ministry Potter? That is rather interesting considering how often they fail" said Moody as he entered the room. "It's very simple, to me at least. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet prior to the cup being placed behind the age line ward."

Madame Maxime arched an eyebrow, "But why? Surely there is better options for Hogwarts than a young boy?"

Moody shrugged, "Haven't you heard the rumors? Potter here killed a Basilisk with a sword and drove off over 100 dementors with a single patronus charm"

Harry was the first to react, "How do you know that? Those are private events that I only told Dumbledore about"

Dumbledore blushed lightly, "Those went into official reports to the ICW and the Ministry, the school was threatened to be shut down"

Mr. Crouch coughed, "Anyway, there will be 9 tasks involved in this tournament, The first task is designed to test your daring. Thus, we are not going to be telling you what it is. Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard, very important"

"Can you tell us when it is?" asked Fleur

"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges. The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament" said Mr. Crouch as he once again read from the rulebook, "The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."

Harry stood up, ignoring the jeers by the other Hogwarts students as he made his way back to his dorm, he would rather read in the comfort of his own bed than spend time dealing with these people.

So, I know a little bit about the TriWizard Tournament

'Of course you do'

Anyway, the first task is usually involves a dangerous magical creature

'Does it also usually involve a 14-year-old?'

No, it usually does not

'I'm fucked aren't I?'

Only if you fail to listen to me

The days dragged by slowly, the lack of contact with anyone outside of Neville was starting to get to Harry. Ron had stopped talking to him in a fit of jealousy that that spread through Gryffindor like a wildfire. And sadly, due to Hogwarts students being mindless sheep, that meant that once other houses saw that Gryffindors were giving Harry the cold shoulder, they followed.

Hermione was on the fence, choosing to split her time between Ron, Harry, and the Library. The only one who willing stood by him was Neville, although Harry was convinced that Neville might not have any other friends besides him at this point.

Technically Hagrid had slipped him a note saying that the first task was Dragons, which seemed to be an illegal decision to Harry. Mostly because he was 14 years old, and he didn't want to 'give his best effort' to fighting a fucking dragon.

Before the task started, there was this thing called the 'Weighing of the Wands'

To attend such an event found Harry in a fairly small classroom; most of the desks had been pushed away to the back of the room, leaving a large space in the middle; three of them, however, had been placed end-to-end in front of the blackboard and covered with a long length of velvet. Five chairs had been set behind the velvet-covered desks, and Ludo Bagman was sitting in one of them, talking to a witch Harry had never seen before, who was wearing magenta robes.

Viktor Krum was standing next to Fleur in conversation. Fleur looked a good deal happier than Harry had seen her so far; she kept throwing back her head so that her long silvery hair caught the light. A paunchy man, holding a large black camera that was smoking slightly, was watching Fleur out of the corner of his eye.

Bagman suddenly spotted Harry, got up quickly, as he started talking a mile per second, "Ah, here he is! Champion number three! In you come, Harry, in you come . . . nothing to worry about, it's just the wand weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment —"

"Wand weighing?" Harry repeated nervously.

"We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead," said Bagman. "The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore. And then there's going to be a little photo shoot. This is Rita Skeeter," he added, gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes. "She's doing a small piece on the tournament for the Daily Prophet. . .."

"Maybe not that small, Ludo," said Rita Skeeter, her eyes on Harry.

This bitch is still alive?

'Huh?'

She's a nasty author of smear pieces, if she doesn't piss off half the wizarding population, she hasn't done her job

"I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start?" she said to Bagman, but still gazing fixedly at Harry. "The youngest champion, you know to add a bit of color?"

"Lovely," said Rita Skeeter as Harry apparently didn't have a say in the matter as she was steering him out of the room again and opening a nearby door.

"We don't want to be in there with all that noise," she said. "Let's see . . . ah, yes, this is nice and cozy."

It was a broom cupboard. Harry stared at her.

"Is this where you really want to be? In a broom closet with a 14-year-old boy?" asked Harry, "Not that you're the worst option to have drag me in here"

Rita blushed as she took in the words that Harry had repeated, the insinuation being clear as day.

"You won't mind, Harry, if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill? It leaves me free to talk to you normally" asked Rita as she pulled a notepad along with an acid-green quill.

"A what?" said Harry.

Do not allow her to use that quill, it will dramatically misquote you

Harry eyed the quill

"Testing . . . my name is Rita Skeeter, Daily Prophet reporter."

Harry looked down quickly at the quill. The moment Rita Skeeter had spoken, the green quill had started to scribble, skid- ding across the parchment:

Attractive blonde Rita Skeeter, forty-three, whose savage quill has punctured many inflated reputations —

Harry yawned as Junior helped him guide his magic to send out a pulse that destroyed the self-writing quill.

Rita looked at the quill as it dropped to the ground, a frown appearing on her face as she realized it wasn't going to work.

"Is your quill having … performance issues?" asked Harry

Rita nodded sadly, "It would seem so"

"Maybe I can give you an interview after the first task then" said Harry as he used this moment to open the broom closet door and slip out, getting away from the reporter.

The next day:

'Hey is there some kind of ritual I can use to juice myself up'

Not while you're 14, you're a growing boy going through too many changes. Come back to that idea when we turn 22, can easily have the public thinking you're the next merlin.

'So, what do you suggest that I do?

Don't wait to the day of the task to ask me for a plan

'I have a plan'

You have a series of mistakes that you plan on chaining together

'Ok, so less a plan and more of a concept I guess'

If we live, I plan on finding a way to gain my own body for a single moment and just slapping the stupidity out of you.

'Love you too'

He was pulled out of his thoughts about his fellow champion by Bagman presenting the three of them a bag.

"Ladies first," he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour.

She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon - a Welsh Green. It had tiny little scrap of fabric around its neck, that said 3. Harry knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that he had been right: It had been the right thing to have told her what was coming.

The dumbest thing you could have done in a contest that we are trying to win

'What if she died'

Then you'd be one step closer to winning and getting our name on the Trophy

The same held face-to-face for Krum. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number one wrapped around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground.

Knowing what was left, Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number three. It stretched its wings as he looked down at it and bared its minuscule fangs.

"Well, there you are!" said Bagman. "You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see?

The trio of teens stood around as Bagman raced around the tent grabbing this and that, not that Harry was paying attention to it. In the distance, Harry could hear the pounding of feet, growing closer and closer with every second.

'There must be about 14 or 15 hundred students between the 3 schools. The stand will be absolutely filled today. Now, as long as I can remember to stick to my plan, then I should have no issues giving the fans a show they wouldn't ever remember.'

Just want to remind you that your plan is full of shit once again

A whistle had blown somewhere.

"Good lord, I've got to run!" said Bagman in alarm, and he hurried off.

Harry walked back to the front of the tent, next to Fleur and Krum. The roar of the crowd was making its way into the tent and Harry couldn't help but wonder what was being said out there?

Was it "Hey guys, hope you like seeing teenagers getting shit stomped by dragons?" or "Have any of you ever seen an ant fight a human, this is gonna look a lot like that but with more fire"

Bagman yelled as a whistle blew. "Mister Krum, if you please!"

Krum nodded to Fleur and Harry and strolled confidently out of the tent into the arena.

Another whistle and a thunderous round of cheers as Krum entered the arena.

"You'll do fine, I'm sure of it." Said Harry before he could help himself.

"Really, and how would you know that?" asked Fleur

"Well, you got my note, right? The one that that while didn't provide all of the exact details of the Task, did explain that there were dragons and that we had to get something from them and then go past them, right?"

"Hmm, so it was your note huh?"

Harry looked at the French witch and chuckled, "Come on, I literally signed it with my name"

Fleur laughed in a light-hearted manner and said, "I know, it was rather bold of you to do so. But then again, cheating is a part of the history of the tournament. If you had not told me, I would have found out for myself at some point. Did you ever tell Krum?"

Before Harry could say anything, a whistle went off and Fleur slipped out of the tent and towards the arena.

Harry listened with a great deal of concentration, hanging on to every word of Bagman and every Oh and Ah of the crowd. Finally, he heard Bagman yell out one last time.

"Oh, and she's done it, that was one of the most impressive displays of magic I have ever seen. How is it that she managed all of that and never got touched by the dragon? I would give her a perfect score …"

I swear to Merlin, if you let this little crush of yours get in the way of us doing something amazing out there, I am going on strike.

'What does that mean?'

It means that I will withholding my wisdom until you learn to be blessed with some level of competence on your own.

Harry rolled his eyes as the whistle blew for the final time and he walked out of the tent, the booming voice of Bagman fading away.

There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at him from stands that had been magically put there since he'd last stood on this spot. And there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs, her wings half-furled, her evil, yellow eyes upon him, a monstrous, scaly, black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, heaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. The crowd was making a great deal of noise, but whether friendly or not, Harry didn't know or care.

It was time to do what he had to do… to focus his mind, entirely and absolutely, upon the thing that was his only chance.

He raised his wand.

"Accio Firebolt!" he shouted.

This is going to end so poorly

He knew that it would take about 20-30 seconds before his broom would come to his location. He seemed to be looking at everything around him through some sort of shimmering, transparent barrier, like a heat haze, which made the enclosure and the hundreds of faces around him swim strangely…

And then he heard it, speeding through the air behind him; he turned and saw his Firebolt hurtling toward him around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and began to make its way next to him, he was ready to mount it, when his danger senses went off.

The crowd was making even more noise… Bagman was shouting something… but Harry's ears were not working properly anymore… listening wasn't important. Not at the moment, as Harry jumped to the side and not a moment too soon. A burst of deadly dragon fire hit the spot that he had just been at, and Harry saw it in slow motion.

His broom was still being pulled towards that location and he couldn't cancel the spell in time as his broom raced into the flames and burnt into nothing in less than a second.

I fucking hate you with every ounce of my being, because HOW DID YOU NOT THINK THAT A FIRE BREATHING DRAGON WOULD NOT BURN A WOODEN BROOM!

"OUCH, IT SEEMS THAT WHATEVER PLAN, YOUNG HARRY HAD, IS NOW MOST CERTAINLY DOOMED." Said, Bagman.

Harry's eyes narrowed as his anger skyrocketed, and he turned to face the dragon.

'Fine, tell me what to do and I will study that big ass book of charms that I've been putting off'

Promise?

'Yes'

Ok, remember when we did the patronus charm last year? Lean into me and I will guide us to a victory here today. Also, that was a gift from Sirius, and I am like 99.99 percent sure he stole that for you.

With a wave of his wand, Harry conjured a sword, very similar to the Sword of Gryffindor as he kept his eyes on the dragon. It was the only sword he had ever seen in his life, thus he used it to fuel the image of a sword to conjure.

The dragon let out a roar and Harry flicked his wand up. A wall of stone rose from the ground and just in time as the dragon let loose another burst of flames. The flames hit the stone and stopped. The Dragon seeing that the flames couldn't get past the stone spun. Its tail swept in and smashed the protective rock into pieces. Harry slipped behind another rock and the dragon began to slam its tail into each rock. As it systematically destroyed each rock that Harry was capable of hiding behind, Harry continued to listen to Junior complaining in the back of his mind.

I did not show up to show the world that we are fast and the best at running away, do something and go on the offensive

"Terebro Terrae (Earthly Drill)" said Harry as he pointed his wand at the ground. The spell hit the ground and drilled a small hole. The purpose of the spell became clear when it kicked up a bunch of dust, hiding Harry from the view of the dragon.

Harry pointed his wand at the crumbled stones all over the arena, transfiguring the smashed rocks into clones of himself. He must have created 20 clones by the time that the dust cleared, and the dragon could see again.

Another roar came from the mighty beast and a different type of roar came from the crowd. Harry slipped behind the dragon and began using a cutting curse to cut a circle into the ground.

"IT SEEMS THAT POTTER HAS A PLAN. THE DRAGON IS SO CONCERNED WITH THE TRANSFIGURED ROCKS, THAT IT IS COMPLETELY IGNORING POTTER BEHIND IT. IT SEEMS THAT POTTER IS CUTTTING INTO THE GROUND …" Announced Bagman

Harry felt a shift in the wind and ducked as he avoided the tail. He climbed to his feet, just in time to dodge the tail once again. Gritting his teeth, Harry look at the tail and pointed his wand at the base of the Dragon's back, where the tail and body met. A weak point on the dragon, if there was one besides the eyes.

"Caeleste Slash (Heavenly Slash)" cried out Harry. Much to his surprise, the dragon hopped into the air and flapped her wings. As the fire-breathing rampage was facing the wrong way, Harry took off running, ducking the tail of the dragon and avoiding the flames that it was unleashing almost nonstop at this point.

However, his path to the golden egg in the nest was cut short by the Dragon biting through the chain's pin that was keeping it pinned to ground. Which meant that when the Dragon flapped its wings, it took off into the sky instead of just hovering.

"OH! WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT, IT APPEARS THAT WITH THE DRAGON FREE OF THE CHAIN THAT KEPT IT GROUNDED, HARRY MUST DEFEAT THE DRAGON IN ACTUAL COMBAT." Said Bagman

'Okay, I need to go on the offensive, anything you can add to my knowledge of dragons would really help right now'

Okay, so among the most important things that I remember about combating dragons was that you have to aim for the wings. Not the bone structure or the part that connects to the back, like with the tail. The dragon skin that makes up the wings are more like a bat wing than anything else. The skin is stretched extremely thin and weakest there. If you tear a big enough hole in the wing, you can ground it and prevent it from taking off back into the air.

'I want you to know that if this works, I will literally do whatever it is that you want. I will owe you anything that you want, if I can make it happen, you can have it'

I will keep that in mind, not just try not to get us killed!

Harry stopped running and turned around to face the dragon. The magical beast was in the air, about 75 feet about him, the wings flapping, and its mouth opens for a roar. In a moment of quick thinking, Harry banished a large rock into the mouth of the dragon, forcing the mouth of the Dragon to remain open. The Dragon tried to breathe fire, but the fire was unable to get the air needed to ignite and backed up into the Dragon's throat in a burst of smoke.

Turning his attention to the wings of the dragon, Harry sent a couple of "Caeleste Slash" at the wings, hoping to clip them. He was not disappointed when he managed to cause a small slice on the left-wing. The dragon didn't fall from the sky, instead, it spat the rock in its mouth out at him, forcing Harry to once again dodge.

Refusing to give up and get killed by a dragon, Harry continued his assault on the dragon's wings. He finally landed a blow that caused the dragon to fall, punching a soccer ball hole in the left-wing, using the slice that he had put earlier as a basis to punch through the hole cleanly.

Nice aim

Harry never got the chance to reply as the tail of the dragon smacked into his body. It sent him crashing into the wall of the arena, not too far from where he had been cutting into the ground.

'Every part of my body hurts'

We are extremely lucky to be alive

What do we do now?

'Kill it of course'

"DO YOU SEE THIS? HARRY POTTER JUST SURVIVED A HIT BY A BLOODY DRAGON. OH! THIS IS AN EVENT FOR THE AGES. THIS IS AN INSTANT CLASSIC … "Bagman continued on brown-nosing

Harry scrambled around the floor, his vision blurry but Junior was guiding him, allowing him to move back to his nearly finished circle cut into the ground and looked as the dragon sent another blast of fire at him.

"Ventilabis Omnipotens (Almighty Push)" shouted Harry and Junior at the same time, creating a shimmering silver dome of magic around them.

The flames raced toward him before it slammed into a magical barrier that stopped it from advancing on Harry. This was nothing like the Fiendfyre, as the strain this time was worse than anything Harry had ever experience. The heat of the dragon's flames washed over the barrier, causing blisters to form over Harry's hand holding his wand. The air grew stickier by the second and inhaling it made things worse.

A nasty wet cough ripped through Harry's throat, and he hissed as he felt the blood splatter through his grit teeth. The corners of his mouth tickled blood as he felt the greedy drain of magic from the spell.

Harry dropped the barrier when the Dragon let out another angry roar and instead pointed his wand downwards before blasting the ground apart, creating a circular platform of stone for him to stand on. The plan was working as the platform shot up into the air, Harry standing on it confidently until the dragon swatted at the platform. The claw grazed the stone and sent it spiraling as it continued to ascend. Harry lost his footing and barely managed to grab onto the edge as he almost fell to what would most certainly be his death.

Taking a deep breath, Harry began to swing his leg back and forth. Feeling his grip starting to wane, Harry used magic to speed up his moment and when he felt the time was right, he let go. His left hand reached out to the sword that he had created, and it shot off the ground and into his hand as he fell.

"WOW! IT SEEMS THAT HARRY POTTER IS ATTEMPTING TO GAIN SOME TYPE OF MOMENTUM BY SWINGING BACK AND FORTH. OH! WHAT IS THIS? IT SEEMS AS IF POTTER HAS LET GO OF THE STONE HE WAS HANGING OFF OF! HE IS FALLING TOWARDS THE DRAGON! THE SWORD HAS SHOT OFF INTO HIS HANDS AND …OH MY GODS LADY AND GENTLEMEN" ranted Bagman

Harry was falling towards the dragon, and with his extra control of magic, had a tiny rock slam into the dragon's belly and draw the attention of its head. Dripping the sword with both hands, Harry aimed as best he could while falling. His feet missed the snout of the dragon, and he panicked a bit. However, where his feet missed, the sword in his hands did not. The swords slid into the roof of the dragon, like a hot knife through butter.

The force of him stabbing the dragon in the mouth and his body falling called the dragon to fall forward. The hanging 14-year-old panted as he fell another 20 feet and landed on his feet.

CRACK!

CRACK!

"AAAAAGGGGHHHHH!"

His left arm, the one that had been holding onto the sword broke at the elbow. His right ankle had snapped under the pressure of his landing. Somehow, he hadn't lost his wand as the dragon had collapsed to the ground. Thinking quickly, Harry reached out with his right arm and pulled the sword out of the dragon's snout.

"POTTER HAS DONE IT! HE HAS SLAIN A DRAGON! IF I HAD NOT SEEN IT WITH MY OWN EYES, I WOULD NOT BELIEVE IT TO BE TRUE! NEVER IN MY LIFE WOULD I HAVE BELIEVED THAT A BOY AS YOUNG AS HARRY POTTER WAS CAPABLE OF SLAINING A FULLY-GROWN DRAGON! LET ALONE LIVE TO TELL THE TALE!" Chanted Bagman.

That is not a dead dragon, no that dragon looks very much alive and very much angry

'What do I do now?'

The best solution is a simple solution

Harry rolled sideways, his broken ankle sending pain shooting through his body as it twisted with his motion. He barely managed to avoid being crushed by the foot of the dragon as he banished himself away from the dragon. His back slammed into the wall of the arena and his felt the blood flowing from various spots on his body.

He tired looked ahead, wand and sword in his right hand as the dragon snarled at him and opened its mouth to blast him with fire

Now, do it now Harry

Harry didn't need to be told twice, he dropped the sword and pointed his wand at the dragon.

The bubble appeared around the dragon's head right as it unleashed the last blast of flames that it ever would. The flames hit the bubble of air around the dragon's head and created a limited supernova. The head of the dragon was cooked by the intense heat of the flames and after a minute, Harry watched as the charred head hit the ground and the Dragon laid dead.

"UNBELIEVABLE! I STAND CORRECTED! POTTER HAS ALL BUT SLAIN A DRAGON TWICE IN A MATTER OF MOMENTS!" Harry just ignored Bagman at this point as he cast a vastly overpowered summoning charm on the golden egg, shattering the anti-summoning runes that were placed around the nest

The egg didn't make it all the way to him, skidding along the ground before stopping right in front of him. He settled the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm as he slumped backwards, his body aching and he wiped some of the blood away from his nose as he swallowed a mouthful of the copper tasting liquid that had slid down the back of his nose and into his mouth.

He looked up as the sight of Professor McGonagall Hagrid appeared over him to meet him, their lack of smiles evident even from this distance.

"That was insane, Potter!" cried Professor McGonagall as she got closer to him, which from her was not the worst praise. She flicked her wand and Harry was levitating in the air, his body protesting the change in position and his ankle went limp as there was no ground to keep it in place anymore

"I fucking hate this school" whined Harry

"You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey before the judges give out your score… Over there" McGonagall's voice faded in and out of focus

"Yeh did it, Harry!" said Hagrid hoarsely. "Yeh did it! An' agains' the Horntail an' all, an' yeh know Charlie said that was the wors' –"

"Thanks, Hagrid," said Harry loudly, so that Hagrid wouldn't blunder on and reveal that he had shown Harry the dragons beforehand. Hagrid went to hug him, and Harry paled. As injured as he was, he probably wouldn't survive a Hagrid hug, luckily for him, he was saved.

"Potter needs the first aid tent, first Hagrid. He's …" said McGonagall, stopping Harry from being killed

Harry landed on a cot and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the foot of the cot, looking worried.

"Dragons!" she said, in a disgusted tone as she looked him over, checking what seemed like every single part of him.

"Look at your ribs, their cracked into a bunch of tiny pieces! That elbow is almost completely destroyed, it's broken in 4 places! Your ankle is snapped into 3 pieces, the bone is almost out more than it is inside of you! And you have the nerve to smile at me? I should have you mentally tested for brain damage while I am at it!" scolded Pomfrey.

"Madam Pomfrey, I know I did some stupid things" admitted Harry as she mended his broken bones, "But I am pretty sure that I just became the youngest person to ever slay a dragon"

"I don't know whether to feel proud of you" said Pomfrey, "Or strangle you to death for taking years off my life. If you think that we can just keep putting you back together each time that you hurt yourself, you are mistaken Potter"

Harry dozed in and out as Pomfrey finished fixing him up. The previous broke bones were healed, weak but still healed.

I think you did masterfully today Harry

'You don't mean that'

I have grown used to you being … rather Gryffindor in terms of behavior. My goal is to help you survive those types of things.

Harry didn't want to sit still and wait; He was too full of adrenaline. He got to his feet as sore as he was, wanting to see what was going on outside, but before he'd reached the mouth of the tent, two people had come darting inside, Hermione, followed closely by Ron.

"Harry, you were brilliant!" Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear, "You were amazing! You really were!"

But Harry was looking at Ron, who was very white and staring at Harry as though he were a ghost.

"Harry," he said, very seriously, "whoever put your name in that goblet - I – I reckon they're trying to do you in!"

It was as though the last few weeks had never happened as though Harry were meeting Ron for the first time, right after he'd been made champion. The moment of truth had come, and Harry didn't feel the happiness that he had imagined when Ron would apologize. Instead, he felt angrier than ever, why did it take months for his supposed best friend to not be a piece of shit.

"Caught on, have you?" said Harry coldly. "Took you long enough."

"Huh?" questioned Ron

"Every year I get caught up in some plot and my life is in danger and you refused to believe me" spat Harry, "I risked my life to save your sister, and you couldn't even give me a chance to explain myself. Why do I need you to be my friend?

Ron looked as if he had been slapped upon hearing those words. Harry was about to tear into him even more when he saw a figure behind the redhead that he cared about much more. Fleur was standing there, eyes filled with awe as she stared at him. Hermione pulled Ron out of the way as the blonde beauty walked up to Harry.

"That was by far the most insane thing I think I have ever seen" commented Fleur, "You actually killed the dragon with a simple bubble head charm"

Harry puffed out his chest, "I have a tendency to do the impossible"

Fleur snorted as she softly shook her head, "That is by far the dumbest thing I have ever seen, but I see that you are a real threat now"

Harry smirked, "I was always the biggest threat to win this tournament, you just didn't know it"

"I will keep my eye on you" replied Fleur

"I've always had my eye on you" countered Harry before he gave her a once over, "And not just because you're pretty"

Fleur giggled as she walked away, and Harry was left alone in the tent.

Let's go see your score

'I better get a 50'

You deserve a 0 for being a lower intelligence life form because next time when I ask you if you have a plan, you should actually have one.

'Noted and I am sorry'

Did you really think that you could outfly a dragon?

'I would like to make no comment at this time'

Go see your score

Harry exited the tent to a round of thunderous applause, people liked to see him kill things as he barely survived. Looking up at the judge's table, stood before them as he wanted for them to acknowledge his presence.

Apparently that was all he needed to do as the first judge, Madame Maxime raised her wand in the air. What looked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight.

Mr. Crouch came next. He shot a number nine into the air.

Next, Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever.

Ludo Bagman's wand shot out a ten.

He does know that you got lucky right?

'I broke my arm, ribs, and ankle. I should not be getting a ten'

And now Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too — Six.

Eight, Nine, Nine, Ten, and a Six. Harry had managed to get a forty-three during the first task. This put him above Krum who got a forty-one and below Fleur who scored a forty-six.

Harry was more than okay with this, he knew to perform better if he wanted to the next task, but besides knowing that he had to figure out the golden egg clue, when was the next task.

As Harry slowly made his way back to the castle, walking slowly and somewhat aimlessly, Harry was joined by Dumbledore who gave him sharp look.

"You did rather well Harry"

"I sense a 'but' coming, sir"

"You killed a dragon, one that is technically endangered"

"Oh, I didn't mean to"

"I know, but you have to be aware and carful" tsk'd Dumbledore, "The political world is always looking to knock down someone such as you or I. Doing anything negative is opening the door to being attacked by people who wish to attack you for the sake of attacking you"

"I appreciate the advice, sir"

"Tell me Harry, what was your original plan with the broomstick?"

Harry blushed, "I wanted to use the broom to outfly the dragon"

Dumbledore blinked at him behind his moon shaped glasses, "You have a … unique manner of thinking Harry"

"Thank you?"

"Anyway, the next task will be a free for all dueling tournament on Friday December 16th, please have a bit more of a grounded plan"

Harry nodded, "Thank you professor"

It was only after Harry had climbed into bed that he realized that was the first time that Dumbledore had never smiled at him during a conversation.

Never worry about whether or not the old man is smiling at you, there is a lot to do over these next couple of weeks before the duel

'What do you have in mind'

Are you going to listen to me without question?

Harry hesitated

'Yes, I trust you. I'll do whatever you say'

Good,

With Snape and Dumbledore:

There was no tea this time, they were both looking at the memory of Harry fighting the dragon. Their eyes taking in every detail of the fight, analyzing every movement and decision by Harry.

"Do you recognize those spells?" asked Dumbledore, "It is rather rare for me to see spells that I do not know"

"Yes, they are Italian-Latin spells. They come from a branch of the Slytherin family" answered Snape, "But I hadn't seen them since the Dark Lord had used them"

"Are they dangerous?" asked Dumbledore

"Caeleste Slash is a rather dark spell" admitted Snape, "The sheer power required to cast the spell is more than most people can muster"

"Interesting, this is the second time that we've seen something done by Harry, that hadn't been done since Voldemort" said Dumbledore, "Things that require magical strength, no less"

Snape stiffened, "I have a potentially scary question, but it has only popped into my head recently with all this new information"

"Ask away" replied Dumbledore

"As we are both aware, the Dark Lord is still alive. Are we certain that Harry Potter is still Harry Potter?" questioned Snape

"That is a rather loaded question" replied Dumbledore after a brief silence, "If Harry is not Harry, why wait so long to reveal their true nature?"

"Do any of us really know what happened in the chamber of secrets" countered Snape, "For all we know, whatever dark artifact that possessed Ginny Weasley attached itself to Potter when it realized the boy had more magical potential"

"As interesting of a theory as that is, Harry brought back the artifact destroyed" dismissed Dumbledore, "Harry is a unique person, someone that has been touched by Fate as per the prophecy as you know"

"So what? Potter's remarkable improvement this year is based on Fate?" asked Snape

"It could be a number of things" admitted Dumbledore with a sigh, "Magic is a force of nature that none of us understand completely. I wish I could tell you that Harry is simply growing up and becoming more of the young man he always had thew potential to be, but it could be the prophecy attempting to fulfill itself by giving him the power that Voldemort knows not"

"You have no idea what's going on" noted Snape

"Do any of us?" retorted Dumbledore with a smile, "If any of us could understand teenagers, the school would be much more peaceful"

Snape could help but roll his eyes as he regretfully nodded his head, "That is true, teenagers are not to be understood"

"Exactly, one of the bravest young men I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, someone capable of lying to the Dark Lord to his face, was once a young boy who was so scared of being rejected by his peers that he threw away the only friendship that mattered to him" said Dumbledore

Snape said nothing as he stood up and left the office, leaving Dumbledore alone with his thoughts, the puzzle of Harry Potter becoming more difficult by the day. Was it perhaps time to bring Harry in on the loop of the prophecy and his responsibility?

He was only 14, much too young to bare the weight of the magical world on his shoulders, but at the same time, that weight was sliding down towards his young shoulders by the day. Voldemort was gathering himself and growing more powerful by the day, Snape's dark mark becoming less translucent was a sign of things to come.

Dumbledore popped a lemon drop in his mouth, the calming draught infused candy working rather quickly as his mind wandered back to simpler times. A time where his only focus in the world was being the most well-balanced wizard that would bring about peace to the wizarding world, a curly golden haired young with a brilliantly bright and infective smiled by his side as they sought to make something of themselves, to make a chance in the world. Well, even decades later, Dumbledore could take pride in the fact that he had brought about change.

Chapter 4

The Voice

The Voice's inner thoughts

"Parseltongue"

'Thoughts'

"Speech"

Harry was inside the chamber of secrets for the first time in nearly two years. Not the main chamber as he did not want to see the giant snake that had tried to eat him, at least not yet. No, he was still before the caved end section of the chamber.

You should let me guide your hand to write the runes

'You don't think I could do it?'

Harry, your handwriting is tragically muggle, not exactly built for magical runes

Harry frowned, was his handwriting really that bad? He released control of his right hand and he could feel the arm starting to move on its own.

'What do these runes mean?'

You should know, I know that they are in an array rather than singular runes, but they should be familiar from your studies

'Maybe I am not as well versed as we thought'

Jörðstav Represents grounding and stability.

When invoked, this rune allows the traveler to choose a specific moment in time by focusing on a natural element from that area, which is why we are using this stone cave.

Tímarún: The Time Rune symbolizes the flow of time.

This rune acts as the key to unlocking the time travel ability. It must be combined with other runes to function properly.

Forntíð: Represents the past.

When combined with Tímarún, it sends the traveler to a specific point in history. The traveler must hold an object from the desired era to ensure accuracy.

Framtíð: Symbolizes the future.

Using this rune with Tímarún allows the traveler to move forward in time. Visualization of the future world is crucial for successful travel.

Verndarrún: Represents safety and protection.

Essential for any time travel to shield the traveler from paradoxes and temporal dangers. It creates a protective aura around the traveler.

Áfangastaður: Symbolizes the journey's end.

This rune helps the traveler focus on the specific time and place they wish to visit, ensuring a precise arrival.

Fagrahvél: Symbolizes harmony

This allows for us to bring all of the runes together, using all of them at the same time to create our little advantage.

'This is a lot of Nordic runes and magic'

Very good Harry, that would be correct. There is an old tale about a man whose name has been forgotten to time. They simply view him as a man who was magic personified. I do not wish to bore you with the details of a long drawn-out story, so I will give you a shorter version.

Magi the Time Weaver was a powerful mage in the ancient lands of the North, known for his expertise in Nordic runes and his ability to manipulate magic. A prophecy foretold his birth under the brightest star in the sky, destined to use the runes in a unique way to alter history for the betterment of humanity. Magi discovered the mythical time-traveling runes in a hidden cave, embarking on various journeys through time to witness forgotten civilizations and maintain the balance of time.

Throughout his travels, Magi faced challenges and battles against dark forces, most notably against Skuggi, a dark mage who sought to create eternal chaos using the runes. In a climactic battle, Magi trapped Skuggi in a temporal prison, saving the timeline from destruction at the cost of his own strength. Despite this sacrifice, Magi's legacy lived on through stories and songs, with his knowledge of the runes passed down through generations.

As time passed, the legend of Magi continued to inspire future generations, with the belief that a new mage would one day take up the mantle as the guardian of time. This mage would carry on Magi's mission to protect the balance of time and ensure that history unfolded as it should. The enduring legend of Magi serves as a reminder of the delicate nature of time.

'Do you think that is the full story?'

Of course not Harry, there is always going to be more to every story. The only people who will ever know the full truth are those that are there

'So, what is the next step?'

Place the hourglass in the middle of the array and let's create our own time turner

Harry nodded and did as he was told before getting back into starting position and channeling magic into the array of runes, closing his eyes as the magic flared and bright blue flames erupted from the runes followed by a sandy brown color flame.

Open your eyes

Harry did so once he felt the heat wash away, leaving him looking at the tiny hourglass on a rope, the frame shimmering with magic.

You know, this is probably extremely illegal

'Then why would you have me do it?'

Because you don't have three years to catch up and I refuse to let you make anymore plans on your own. Besides since when does something being illegal stop us from doing things? You don't think freeing an on the run prisoner is legal do you?

'I am going to shut up now'

Put the hourglass around you neck and then let's go back 12 hours

'Why that long?'

Because we need to travel back before you arrived here on top of getting in several hours of practice in. We will move into the main chamber and you will practice your spells against the corpse.

'Because it's magically resistant'

Very good

Harry walked into the middle of the scorched runes array, shivering as the icy feeling of magic washed over him, picking up the ice cold hourglass and slipping it over his head and spinning it around 12 times. Once he stopped spinning it, the world around him warped and he found himself standing in the chamber just as it was before he arrived to create the time turner.

He hissed in pain as the time turner burned like a stovetop, and he dropped it as it swung and hit his chest, the thick fabric of his robes protecting him from any further burnings.

Let's get this over with, there is a lot of magic to cover and even with an extra 12 hours daily, you will be hard pressed to learn as much as you need to.

Harry mentally nodded and he moved into the main chamber, the corpse of the sixty foot Basilisk was still completely whole much to his surprise.

You will be hard pressed to use anything short of Fiendfyre that would even put a dent in that hide. It was so magically powerful, it will probably be preserved for another thousand years

'Not if I have anything to say about it'

Good now let's see you use that stunner

Harry's wand slipped into his hand and he cast multiple blue stunners, each one slamming into the hide of the dead snake.

It should be red, you aren't putting enough power into the spell

'How do I put more power into a spell like this?'

I want you to think about the people you dislike the most, imagine being chased by Dudley and his gang. You're running through the streets and finally they corner you in an alleyway, they're getting ready to give you the beating you've been avoiding, imagine that you could knock them out in a single blow.

Harry took a deep breath before he unleashed a stunner that came out a blazing Gryffindor red and slammed into the snake, causing the snake's form to slide several inches as Harry panted as the rage fueled spell drained him.

Excellent, what did you feel when you cast that spell?

'Anger'

Are you mad at the muggles or are you mad at yourself for allowing yourself to be abused by them?

Harry didn't answer as he cast the stunner again and again, each time the spell drained him less and less, his anger being required less and less. The basilisk didn't ever move again like the first successful stunner had caused it to, but by the time that Harry finished practicing the stunner, he could cast it with little more than a flick of his wand.

His stomach growled and Harry cast a tempus charm and was shocked that he had been down there for 7 hours practicing just his stunner.

I told you, 12 hours a day might not be enough

'Could we do more?'

NO!

'It was just a thought'

One that you will banish from your mind this very instant. The human mind is only so strong, only so flexible. You're a 14 year old boy Harry. Imagine the mind is a rubber band from the muggle world, if you stretch it too far, what happens?

'It snaps'

Exactly and upon snapping, is there any repairing it?

'I don't think so'

If you snap your mind by having 48 hour days, you would not be able to recover and that would leave me alone in here with nothing but the dark

'Sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking'

You need to apply yourself more Harry, I will not be able to do all the thinking for us forever. Eventually, you should be more than capable of thinking just as much as me.

Harry nodded as he slowly made his way out of the Chamber of Secrets, his body had built up more fatigue than he realized, his mind much more tired than he had thought possible. He made way back to his bed under his invisibility cloak, sleeping from early evening until the first sunlight.

Upon waking up, he snuck back down to the chamber and went back another 8 hours, training his banishing charm until it was approved by Junior. But this time, it only took him 5 hours. Junior urged him to use the remaining 3 hours for a nap, which he did as he transferred some rubble into a bed.

He went to class, trying his best to quickly learn whatever he was being asked to, before sneaking back down to the chamber once more and redoing the last 10 hours of the day, finally mastering the banishing charm.

Each day was like this and soon November was over, and December had arrived, covering the outside grounds in a blanket of snow.

Dumbledore sat in his office as he used the instrument on the surface of his desk to monitor Harry's movements. The boy had been disappearing for brief moments every single day, but never more than 90 seconds. It was either a really unique error or Harry was using his cloak to avoid someone.

Could it be his former friend Ronald? Perhaps, but most unlikely as Dumbledore had spied the two of them sharing a meal together the previous evening. The reports by his teachers told of a somewhat tired Harry, but one who was dominating their practical magical classes with ease much to the surprise of his teachers.

He was getting all of his charms done on the first try now and was slowly trying to cast first and second year charms silently.

He was capable of complete transfigurations with a jab or tap of his wand, much like how his father had been able to. Harry had been a really good transfiguration student, but he never had been big on the theory side of the branch, but Minnie's last reports told of a boy who seemingly figured it out.

Moody said that Harry was able to throw off the Imperious curse without fail, had mastered casting stunners, could will a shimmering protégé into place at will. He seemed to have been practicing as he was able to cast every spell that Moody was covering before instructions even began.

Babbling said that he had been creating rather brilliant runes arrays, his knowledge of not just Egyptian, Greek, but even Norse runes would be impressive for a fifth year. Which was rather interesting as you either understood Runes or you were clueless in his experience as he remembered even the most brilliant wizards from his past having learning curve issues with the subject … particularly his blond former friend.

Even Snape had little to nothing negative to say about the boy, claiming that his brewing skills had recently become 'adequate enough'.

All of which was great, Harry Potter always had the potential to be a great student, he had always appeared to be among the most powerful students in Hogwarts. But he had never applied himself, partly due to his friendship with Ronald and Hermione. Hermione had been a comfortable safety net, while Ronald had introduced a hint of laziness into the boy. Dumbledore had no issue with that, it allowed Harry to live a rather normal student life for the most part.

But this recent change had him thinking of the last time he saw a student as well balanced and excellent as Harry. And it reminded him of the question that Snape had suggested.

Snape stiffened, "I have a potentially scary question, but it has only popped into my head recently with all this new information"

"Ask away" replied Dumbledore

"As we are both aware, the Dark Lord is still alive. Are we certain that Harry Potter is still Harry Potter?" questioned Snape

At the time, the question had seemed rather ridiculous, there was no way that Harry Potter was the Dark Lord reborn. Because it made no sense, who had been hanging off the back of Quirrell's head? Why would the Dark Lord stop the Dark Lord from returning not once, but twice so far.

Greed? Perhaps, but there had to be more to the story than just wanting to be the only Voldemort walking around. It was time to bring Harry in for a talk … and a deep scan of his magic, you know … just to make sure that there was nothing amiss going on with the boy. It was his responsibility to make sure that the boy lived up to the Prophecy.

December 15th, Thursday:

Dumbledore welcomed Harry into his office, the boy talking the seat across from him. It hadn't been hard to pick a date to talk to Harry. The day before the dueling tournament was to start seemed like the best time. Harry would be at his peak stress levels, and this would be the best time to take a look at the boy.

The scanning wouldn't take more than a couple of minutes, thus what made this such a good moment to do it as well as check in with his 14 year old school champion, with the scanning starting the moment that he crossed the threshold of his office. The small silvery orb on his desk was tuned in with Harry's body, it would tell him if he was healthy or not. It was how he put an end to the Dursley's lack of feeding the boy. The floating spinning top on his desk was also keyed to Harry's magic, tracking the nature of his magic, Dumbledore had to know if there was dark magic being cast. These were the only two devices that he activated, he had recently turned off his silvery globe because it was showing Harry disappearing even when he was in class.

"How are you feeling Harry?" asked Dumbledore

"Little tired" admitted Harry, "But more ready for the dueling than I was for facing the dragon"

"Very good" said Dumbledore with a soft grandfatherly smile, "Not planning to bath Miss Delacour in fire are you?"

Harry frowned, his eyebrows scrunching together, "Would that not work?"

Dumbledore chuckled as he shook his head, "No, she is a Veela. At best, the fire would put her in a bad mood before she does her best to beat you up and down the stage"

Harry nodded, "Thanks for the advice, I will not be using fire against her … Professor, is there another reason that you've called me in here today?"

Dumbledore popped a lemon drop into his mouth, "You are in a rather unique situation Harry. While I am looking into how you were entered into the tournament, I also am questioning how you are"

Harry's eyes bounced around the room, "I feel like I have to be as prepared for this as people who are years older than me. It feels frustrating, like I being set up to fail, but I plan on winning"

"You have every right to feel the way that you do Harry. I am simply trying to find a way to help you. I owe it to you to help you out" stated Dumbledore

"Thanks, but I don't even know what I would ask you for" admitted Harry, "I know you can't really help me with the tournament directly and I don't want you to help me cheat. I want to win this with my own skill and abilities. Taking a shortcut would not make this a real victory, even if I wasn't supposed to be in this, there is no reason not to give it my all"

Dumbledore smiled at Harry's words, "That is a rather wise and mature thought Harry. I wish more students were as even minded as you. If there anything that I can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask me"

Harry stood up and turned around to leave the office, but he froze and after a moment, turned around back to Dumbledore and asked, "I don't know if this counts as cheating, but I was wondering if you have notes on inscribing runes into or onto clothing"

Dumbledore was rather taken back, not because of the question, but rather the fact that Harry had thought to even ask him it. Dumbledore was a rather knowledgeable user of runes, it was made up several of the devices he used to keep track of Harry and make sure that he remains in good health. However, the only people who ever had really seen or experienced his runes woven into his clothing had been his followers in the Order and Voldemort when they had clashed all those years ago.

"I am not all that sure of how you know about this type of magical branch of runes, but I do in fact have notes on how to imbue runes onto clothing" said Dumbledore as he stood up and turned around, reaching up to the top shelf of one of his bookcases and pulling out a small tan journal.

"I read about it in Isaac's Troll expedition" admitted Harry

"That is a seventh year's runes translation assignment" noted Dumbledore as he extended the book across the desk and towards Harry.

Harry nodded as he blushed slightly, "I have found that runes are much more useful than I ever imagined, so I have thrown myself into the study of them in my free time as much as possible"

Dumbledore accepted the answer, there was no sign of Harry lying to him so far. Harry would not be the first young man to show interest in being a academia. Dumbledore, himself, had been a young man who was years ahead of his own peers.

"You have a task in less than 24 hours Harry, do not stay up to late reviewing those notes" said Dumbledore sternly, "I know as tempting as it might be, those runes can take up to 24 hours to become permanent, even if you managed to lay down the array correctly, you would be hard pressed to get any of them functional by the start of the task"

Harry nodded, "Don't worry professor, I will not be applying them with less than 24 hours before the task. It's not worth the risk"

Pleased with the response, Dumbledore watched the boy leave his office with his notes in hand, the boy had been polite, calm, and respectful. He was every bit as Harry as he had been in the past, the only difference was that he looked a little more tired than he had previously. But that was honestly to be expected, the young man was in a stressful and dangerous tournament.

Tapping the small orb on his desk, he was pleased to see that the scan of Harry's body was complete as was the scan of his magic. The orb revealed that Harry was rather healthy, nothing overly impressive but he was in relatively good health.

Narrowing his eyes, there seemed to have been a malfunction, because according to this reading, Harry was nearly 5 weeks older than he actually was. A day or so older could be expected, he had used the time turner with Hermione at least once to his knowledge. But for him to be this much older, it was clearly more than he had expected. He would have to keep a bit of a closer eye on Harry's age, him being closer to 14 years and 7 months than then 14 years old 5 months he should be was a bit surprising.

Putting a pin in that particular issue, he checked on the top. Harry had never used dark magic in the past, but there was always a bit of a lingering taint coming from his scar.

There is none

Dumbledore was taken back by this reading, he had noticed the scar on Harry's forehead growing fainter this year, but he had never thought that there would be no dark magic behind the scar anymore. This was troubling, he had assumed that there was something extra behind the scar, perhaps an addition sliver of Tom. But if there was no dark magic residue, then that meant the future he had been preparing for Harry needed to be changed.

There was no horcrux, there was a future that he had to prepare Harry for, one where he was going to live a long healthy life.

The Next Day:

Harry yawned as he stood in the arena, this time it was the Quidditch pitch. There was a translucent dome of magic wrapped around the triangle pronged stage. There was 3 extended rectangle platforms that all fed into a large circular triangle.

Dumbledore had been right, the runes had taken almost a full 24 hours to imbue into this set of battle robes. Hence why Harry was tired, he was running on close to 4 hours of sleep. But based on the bags around Fleur's eyes, she wasn't fairing much better. Victor looked a fine, but his back was letting less firm, and his shoulders were slumped ever so slightly.

Are you ready to dominate?

'I need to put the world on notice'

Perfect, remember the runes can only handle so much magic, we didn't get fair enough into the notes to apply the best version of them. Use them accordingly

Harry let out air through his nose as he mentally nodded, Fleur gave him a small smile, the edges of her lips twitching upwards, and he understood the thought. He gave her a similar twitching smile, one that was almost instantly replaced by a serious look.

Krum's eyes danced between Fleur and Harry and he scoffed, "Try not to team up on me immediately, don't make it obvious that you two are … friendly"

"Harry is nicer than you, but I take no allies into this duel" spat Fleur

"I plan on taking both of you down by any means possible" admitted Harry

Victor gave a predatory grin, "That is what I wanted to hear, we are the best our schools have to offer, let us act like it"

Harry nodded

"I mean Fleur and I are the best" corrected Victor, "You are the little boy who cheated"

Harry rolled his eyes, "Got it, smack you in the mouth first"

Victor spat on the ground in disgust and Fleur glanced between the two male champions, feeling like she was being cut out of this fight before it even began. However, none of them said anything else, it was not worth wasting words. Harry focused on his breathing as the dueling referee from the ICW came up and provided the ground rules.

"The rules for this duel are quite simple, there is to be no life threatening spells cast on purpose. No dark magic is to be cast, no Fiendfyre either. You are allowed to fight until you are unconscious, if you lose your wand, it does not mean the fight is over. Do you three agree to this?"

There was a trio of nods and the referee said, "Ok, everyone on the count of three, there will be a bang and the duel will begin. Get into position … one … two … three … BANG!"

None of them made a move, each one of them eyeing one another, cautiously bouncing their eyes, trying to figure out which of them would make the first move.

Hold your ground Harry, let the brute make the first move. It will be his first mistake

Victor was indeed the first to break and he slashed his wand in a circle, sending a tornado of cutting curses out from his body.

Harry jabbed his wand and lighting flew out the end and ripped right through the tornado of spells, before slamming into a dome of magic around Krum. Krum gave a blood thirsty grin as Fleur flicked her wand and banished all of the debris from the cutting curses back Krum.

He countered by banishing the debris, while also transfiguring all of it into arrows. Harry could hear the whistle in the air. He twisted his wand and redid the transfiguration into bubbles and Fleur giggled as she was popped a bubble with her wand, none of the arrows having survived.

Victor narrowed his eyes at Harry, clearly he was recalculating things he thought of Harry as he saw Harry deal with two rather advanced spells with ease. Harry didn't wait for him to react before using his wand to write out a 'V' and conjuring a trio of giant eagles that immediately attacked Victor.

Whirling around to Fleur, Harry blasted a tsunami like wave at her with a slash of his wand. But she merely smirked as she blasted white feathery flames from the end of her wand that completely overpowered the water. Steam flooded the arena and Harry groaned as his glassed fogged up, limiting his vision.

He sent a pulse of magic out that pushed the steam away, but just as he regained a hint of sight, he felt a jerking sensation feel his body as a rope around his right ankle ripped him off his feet and he was suspended in the air by his ankle.

He slashed through the line and as he was falling, a powerful Bombarda curse slammed into him body, the runes imbued into his robes saving him from a painful crash as he slammed into the warding at the back end of his platform.

Coughing as he rolled over onto all fours, Harry slashed his wand before jabbing it into the ground, transfiguring the ground of Victor's platform into ice. The Bulgarian immediately slipped, hitting his head on the ground. Fleur conjured a whip of flames that she slammed down on the downed boy, his roar of pain as the flames lashed him across the torso, the icy floor of his platform melting.

Growling as he climbed back up to his feet in a single motion, he cast several Colloshoo spells at Fleur, one managed to hit her and she tried to move to the side, but her shoes had merged with the ground. She threw up a shield just in time as a series of tiny birds erupted from Harry's wand and attacked her.

A pitch black glimmering spell left Krum's wand and blitzed Fleur's shield, shattering it upon hitting it and Harry watched as Fleur dropped to the ground to avoid the spell, before she cut through her shoelaces and left the shoes behind.

Engorgio Skullus is a rather dark but extremely rare spell, no wonder the referee didn't say anything about it. He probably doesn't know what it does

'It sounds like he makes the head grow bigger'

No, it causes the skull to explode

' oh'

…

' Oh!'

Harry narrowed his eyes as he locked them on Krum

Everte Statum

The spell was so overpowered as Harry's anger fueled the spell that it slammed right through Krum's shield and sent him flipping backwards before he slammed into the warding.

Harry felt a stunner almost hit him, but it warped around his body as his magic pulsed inside of his body, and slung it back at Fleur who let out a gasp of surprise before she deflected it with her wand towards Krum.

Flipendo Tria

The spell left Fleur's wand and the spell ripped up the ground, flinging the debris all around. Harry had to throw up a shield to avoid getting hit by anything.

Krum had a rather different approach as he weaved in and out of the flying debris, before he launched several spells at Harry. Harry's shield was already weakening, thus the third and fourth spell came through and hit Harry. Harry's runes absorbed the Expelliarmus spell, but they couldn't do anything to the spell that wrapped him in robes. The act of his arms being slammed into his sides, caused him to drop his wand.

Unable to cast a shield charm without his wand, Harry seemed to be a sitting target. Especially when Harry sat down on the ground, closing his eyes as if he was giving up. But no matter what spell Krum cast, they simply warped and wrapped around Harry, but never hit him.

Harry was panting from the effort of sending pulse after pulse of magic out, he was also slowly loosening the binds with each pulse. Krum thought that he as defenseless, but Harry actually had Krum right where he wanted him.

Gritting his teeth, Krum stopped targeting Harry, leaving him alone as he turned his full attention over to Fleur who had used the moment of no attention on her to free her shoes and put them back on. Harry could hear them trading spells, his magic bubbling under his skin as he focused on escaping the robes that wrapped him from his ankles to his shoulders.

He heard a yelp from Fleur and opened his eyes to see she was in a similar situation to him as she had gotten overpowered by Krum while Harry had been focusing his magic.

Do you feel that?

'The build up of magic?"

That is not a light spell, this referee needs to pull Fleur out of the duel or she's going to get hurt

But it didn't happen and Junior's words came to be true as green Greek flames exploded out of Krum's wand and slammed right into the face of Fleur, causing Harry to freeze as the sound of her screams sent chills down his skin, his skin covered in goosebumps as he watched as the Veela girl managed to absorb most of the flames with her magical properties. But as she collapsed to the ground, Harry watched in horror as the skin along the right side of her face simply slid off.

He felt his stomach lurch and vomit fill his mouth as bubbling bloody blisters popped all along the area that her skin had been and his green eyes met her single crystal blue one, the other one was gone under the melted together skin of her eyelids, prior to it rolling into the back of her head as she passed out from the pain.

Even then, the referee didn't call the match and Krum raised his wand to hit her with another spell when everyone stopped moving as the entire arena grew ice cold, Krum frozen form shivering.

Harry scowled as his magic exploded outwards, manifesting in pure wind that shredded the ropes all over his body. He extended his left hand his wand shot out into his hand before he turned and glared at Krum then the referee.

"what's a MATTER WITH YOU!" snarled Harry as his magic blanketed the area before crushing Krum to the ground with pure force, "CALL THE MATCH!"

That apparently was what was needed to have the referee do his job and there was a stop called as medics were summoned to attend to Fleur and her injuries.

Madame Maxime was fuming as she arrived down on the arena as the medics finally were taking Fleur off her platform, Dumbledore was giving the referee a rather harsh lashing for not stopping the fight sooner, questioning the dark magic that Krum had gotten away with. Karkaroff was beside Dumbledore, giving a lackluster and halfhearted defense of his student.

You are going to hurt him aren't you?

'I should kill him'

No, death would be too kind for him, public humiliation will have to do. You are going to embarrass him to the point that people will laugh at him for the rest of his life. You will have him looking so pathetic that the Post wouldn't be able to show it on the front page tomorrow

Harry agreed with Junior and he walked over to Fleur who was already bandaged and about to be transported to Saint Mungo's.

"Thank you" she whispered

"Don't worry about it Fleur, I did what was right" said Harry before they took her away.

Before Madame Maxime left back to the Judge's table, Harry stopped her by putting his hand on her elbow.

She stopped and looked down at him and any retort she was about to issue out disappeared when she took in who she was stopped by. Instead her eyes warmed up and she somberly said, "Thank you for stopping the match, you've done Fleur a great service. I will be following her to the hospital after the fight is finished"

Harry bit the inside of his cheek to stop himself from frowning, "Make sure that you have a great view of the fight. Fleur is going to want to see your memory of the rest of it"

He didn't say anything else as he turned and returned to the repaired platform, the third prong having been removed, making it a single long rectangle now. Harry on one end and his victim on the other end, both of them taking their places.

"Begin" said the referee

Harry slashed his wand upwards and the ground exploded in front of Krum, sending the older boy flying into the air before Harry drove his wand downwards and caused Krum to be slammed into the ground.

Krum groaned as he rolled back to his feet, banishing as much as the ripped up ground at Harry who sent out of a pulse of wind that built a barrier in front of him that stopped everything in its track.

Incendio Tria

As the flames left Krum's wand, Harry growled in disgust before he left his magic guiding him to suck in as much air as he could before blowing a maelstrom out, his elemental abilities snuffing out the flames.

"A fucking elemental wizard" snarled Victor, "Block this with your little wind"

Golden feathers shot out of the end of his wand and Harry spun his wand as a shimmering dome appeared around him to protect him from the feather. It was the right decision as the feathers melted the platform around him and Harry felt heat wash over his body even inside of the dome.

Zlatni plamŭtsi na smŭrtta (Golden Flames of Death), it's a Bulgarian spell. Extremely dark magic, but Krum wouldn't know it, it's way before his time.

But not before mine, I learned it back when I was traveling the world in my youth. I taught it Igor as a sign of faith when he joined my inner circle. Clearly he's been teaching people my little secrets, he's lucky that I do not have my own body to punish him for this type of action.

Harry understood how the spell got it's name as he slashed his wand from his left hip up through to his right shoulder and Krum tried to shield the monstrous bolt of purple lighting that tore through the golden flames, wiping them out in the process.

Krum's shield had the resistance strength of wet rice paper as the bolt of lightning struck Krum directly in the chest, causing the young man to spasm as he collapsed to the ground.

Flipendo

Flipendo

Flipendo

Krum's shaking form was blasted backwards, juggled by the spell that kept sending him crashing into the warding.

Ennervate

Harry hit Krum directly in the head with this spell, ensuring that he would not be knocked out anytime soon. Krum was clearly concussed at this point as he swayed trying to climb to his feet.

He wobbled as he raised his wand at Harry who batted aside the stunner spell that had managed to be on target, ignoring the other three stunners that weren't even close.

Orbis

Krum found his legs locked in place as hie feet was magically stuck to the ground and he transfigured the rubble behind Harry into a large brown bear. The bear snarled as it moved to swipe at Harry with his massive paw, but Krum could only watch in horror as Harry didn't even turn around, but the wind around him picked up.

That was the only sign of things to come as the wind sliced the bear apart, shredding the transfigured bear back into debris.

Tarantallegra

The spell left Harry's wand and hit Krum in the chest, his legs spasming before breaking right at the knee, causing the boy to fall backwards. His legs spasming still as the spell forced the broken limbs to dance about in what should have been a comical manner.

"Do you feel in confident that you made the right choice?" snarled Victor as he cast some overpowered healing spell that repaired his legs, "You should learn not to play with your food"

Tergeo

Krum's spell hit the entire platform, clearing it of all of the breaks and tears, the debris vanishing as well. The two of them glaring at one another, Krum took a step forward with a limp, his legs were functioning but clearly not at their peak conditioning.

A yellow beam shot out of his wand and Harry felt Junior urge him to redirect the spell with magic. He did so and the spell was too powerful to slingshot back at Krum, instead escaping his magic's grip and slamming into the warding to his left.

That was a modified blood freezing spell

Harry twisted his wand as he jabbed it, the ground behind Krum exploded as vines ripped through the platform. But Krum swirled his wand, flames circling his feet, burning away the vines as fireballs launched themselves at Harry who shot a much smaller bolt of lightning through the projectile flames and at Krum.

Krum threw his body to the side, slashing another pitch black spell at Harry, who banished the spell with a burst of magic.

Both of the duelers were panting with effort and Harry raised his wand to cast a stunner, but felt this body heat up instead as his magic was struggling to keep up with the demands of the battle.

You are at your limits

' I guess my age is catching up to me'

You should be proud that you lasted this long, you threw around more magic than any other 14 year old boy ever did

'Release the rune?'

Yes

Harry spun his wand around and tapped his battle robes on the center of his chest thrice and Krum watched as the pale boy's skin returned closer to normal, his breathing growing less labored.

"What did you do?" grumbled Krum

"All the magic we've been throwing around, I have runes on my robes that absorb magic. Once they are full or I am empty, they refill me body with the extra energy" answered Harry as he cast a massively overpowering banishing charm at Krum who was flung backwards, sending the older boy slamming into the warding once more.

Krum raised his wand to aim at Harry, but didn't cast a spell as he realized that if he didn't knock Harry out with whatever the next spell he used, he would only be fueling the younger boy's future assault on him.

Gritting his teeth, Krum slightly cast his next spell

Levicorpus

He frowned as it didn't appear to work on Harry, who smirked in return as Krum realized too late that the spell had been bounced back as he was ripped off his feet, dangling by the ankle.

Brackium Emendo

Brackium Emendo

Brackium Emendo

Brackium Emendo

Harry whipped his wand at all four of Krum's limbs, a large confident grin on his face as all four spells were on target. The spell was unfamiliar to Krum, but he understood why the boy was happy when each one of them hit their target and his limbs became boneless noodles.

"Professor Lockhart taught me this one" said Harry before he used his most overpowered Banishing charm of the day to blast Krum through the warding and into Karkaroff's lap in the judge's booth, causing the referee to call an end to the duel as he summoned Krum's wand.

Harry turned to the equally awestruck and cheering crowd, the masses of both Hogwarts and the French school cheering for him, as the Northern school had scowling looks on their face.

He raised his hands in the air victoriously, before taking a deep victory bow, relishing in the moment. He tapped his wand on Krum's, putting the wand in the middle of a giant ice cube and before casting an anti-melting charm on the ice and banishing the block at Krum's head.

As he climbed down from the platform, he felt himself grow dizzy, but pushed through it. He knew that a 20 hour nap fueled by the time turner was definitely in order after a long day of dueling.

Dumbledore popped in next to him in a flash of flames as Fawkes landed on Harry's shoulder, crying out in his ear and providing him a jumpstart spark of energy.

"You did unbelievably well today Harry" said Dumbledore

"I try" said Harry before he folded over and vomited all over the ground as his body spasmed

"There it is, I was wondering when you would start to suffer the effects of throwing around too much magic" said Dumbledore, "You broke a promise to me with the runes as well"

"I didn't" countered Harry as he wiped his mouth, "I had the runes in place before I got your notes, all you did was confirm what I had done"

Dumbledore resisted the urge to frown as his magic told him that Harry was not lying to him.

"Very well Harry" conceded Dumbledore, "You shall be happy to know that Miss Delacour was successfully healed, her skin being regrown"

Harry gave a tired smile, "Good, she didn't deserve to be treated like that by Krum"

"Yes, it was most dishonorable the manner in which he was able to use very dark magic" admitted Dumbledore

"He could have killed us if any of those more serious spells had hit us" complained Harry, "Who picked this referee? Who was in charge of that?"

"Harry, that is partly why I came to meet you, the referee who was here today was not the real referee" said Dumbledore slowly

"Huh?"

"It seems that this referee who witnessed this match was someone who used Polyjuice to shapeshift into the referee and provide a bias edge against you. The actual referee just arrived at the ministry, his mind wiped of the last 24 hours" explained Dumbledore

Harry felt a bubble of fear inside his chest, "Who is doing this to me Professor?"

Dumbledore looked at him with pity, "I don't know Harry, but this time there will be no holding back Moody. He's the best person for an investigation, we will find them"

Harry shivered as he tried to put it together, "I need to be more vigilante it seems"

"I agree, you need to keep your wits about you" said Dumbledore, "However, I pray that you find the culprit before I do. For I might not be able to hold back as much as you would"

Harry felt fear grip his spine as Dumbledore and Fawkes left in a burst of flames, just as they had arrived.

That is why I told you that we want to fight like Dumbledore and not Voldemort

'I see it now'

Good, now let's get some sleep, we have a lot more training to go over

Chapter 5

Having won the duel against Krum, Harry used the time turner in the chamber to go back another 10 hours. He still slept for over a day, his body demanding rest for the sheer amount of magic that he had used. He awoke on Sunday, the day after most of the other students in the castle had left, awoken not by being well rested or anything like that, but rather the sheer coldness of the almost winter air filling the chamber.

Good afternoon

'Why do I feel like this?'

You are still young, in a decade, that match might have been nothing more than a short warm up for you. But since you have yet to reach your peek, your body requires rest equal to the effort that you put out.

'Great, any way that I can make this not happen again. What if I have another duel with Krum?'

Then we will simply put him down faster, you were much to kind to him in the previous duel. There is no reason to allow people such kindness, he casted dangerous magic at you. You will never respond to such attempts on our lives again with schoolyard spells again, am I clear?

'Yes'

Good, now let's go get something to eat, it should be nearly lunch time.

Harry used one of the many exits to the chamber to appear on the third floor before making his way to Great Hall. The hall was mostly empty, the majority of the students having gone home for the holiday. In fact, all of the students were sitting at the Ravenclaw table, fitting on the single table with ease. The fifty something odd students gave him a wave, but none of them said anything as they waited for the food to arrive.

Harry's body was shivering, even under his winter robes, his long fluffy PJs worn under them, and the heating charm that was over his body.

I don't think I've seen you this cold since you fought Barty since before the World Cup incident.

'I don't know if I will ever be that cold again in my life. This is not ideal, but I will get better once I start eating'

That was a rather bad moment, you laid down in the ashes of the clearing that he attempted to kill you in, in the field where you actually did manage to kill him

'I didn't kill him, my magic did'

I stand corrected, good catch child

'Who the fuck makes the food around here, I am starving'

Probably the house elves still, I imagine they are down in the kitchen, waiting for everything to be done or waiting for Dumbledore to give the signal to release the food to the students

'You think Dobby is down there/'

We can check later, someone is approaching.

All of the students had continued to ignore Harry, leaving the boy alone. None of them wanted to cross him after watching him duel and they knew how moody he could be when he was all bundled up waiting for food. While not on Ron's level of hunger or manners, Harry was rather sarcastic and rude when hungry.

Thus, everyone knew not to bother him and had no plans to do so. Except for a blonde haired, blue eyed young girl with radishes for earrings as she plopped down across from him, "Hell-OH"

Harry let loose a large yawn, his body shaking from the force of the yawn, "Hi, um … I dunno your name"

The girl didn't bat an eye at the admission, "My name is Luna Lovegood, you can call me Looney if you want. Everyone else does"

She finished her statement with a wave gesture to the rest of the students sitting at their table, the remaining Ravenclaw students looking slightly scared as she made the damning remark.

"No, I think I will call you Luna" said Harry, his sleepy feeling leaving him, "How can I help you?"

"My father is the owner of The Quibbler, I was hoping to be able to get an interview for the paper" answered Luna

Harry blinked at the straightforward request, it was the first time excluding the BS that Rita tried to pull on him, that someone actually asked him for an interview.

"Sure" shrugged Harry

How she spawned the tiny notepad and quill was rather awe inspiring, the white fedora that had a red ribbon around it that read: Press was adorable too.

"Okay first question, how long have you been the best wizard in the castle?" asked Luna, a rather serious look on her face

I like her, can we keep her

'Only if you remember to feed, walk, and take care of her'

I promise

"I am not the strongest wizard in the castle, Dumbledore is still the most powerful wizard in the world as well as this castle" answered Harry as the food finally appeared on the table, his plate instantly being loaded up with chicken, potatoes, and everything he could reach around him.

"Ok" muttered Luna as she wrote down Harry's answer word for word before moving her notepad out of the way of a pitcher of Lemonade that zipped across the table into Harry's outstretched hand, "And how long have you been a liar about your greatness"

Junior didn't have a mouth or nose as far as Harry knew, but the snort he let off inside his mind caused Harry to choke on his first bite of chicken.

"I *cough* excuse me, um. I try my best" said Harry

Luna nodded as if Harry gave her the most profound answer ever given, "And do you plan on becoming Minister to lead our country to success or will you have a hostile takeover as a Dark Lord?"

Harry stared at her as he felt his head start to throb as a headache came in, but Luna just stared right back at him and repeated her question when a minute of silence passed.

"I have no plans to be in charge of Magical Britian as minister or as a dark lord" answered Harry

"Understandable, I had heard Hermione Granger was the real brains behind the operation, thank you for confirming" said Luna with a large smile

Harry just bit into his chicken leg as he suppressed a smile.

"So, when does Ronald Weasley master time travel and become Dumbledore?" asked Luna, "I think he could pull off the beard, but that's just this journalist's opinion"

Harry shrugged as the randomness of her questions was slowly becoming normal to him, "Is that something he was working on?"

Luna shrugged herself, "I was hoping you would know"

"We could ask him" said Harry as he pointed at the red haired boy munching on a sandwich siting down the table, waving at them when he noticed them looking at him.

"Eh, he's just gonna deny it" said Luna

"Probably" agreed Harry, "Besides who can really master time travel?"

"You mean besides you?" said Luna as she tilted her head and Harry noticed the odd glasses she was wearing for the first time as they slipped down her nose.

Holy Merlin, do you know what this girl is?

'Nosy and terribly misinformed for a lot of things?'

No, do you know what a mage is?

'I dunno, a really strong witch or wizard?'

Sometimes I forget how tragically under educated you still are

'Are you going to tell me or just insult me, you prat'

Mind your tongue boy and of course I am going to tell you, after I finished insulting you. A mage is not just a strong witch or wizard as you thought, but rather a witch or wizard who is completely in tune with their magic and the magic that fills the world

'And you think this girl is a mage?'

Of course, those glasses are probably to keep her eyes from being harmed by the things she can really see. If a mage isn't slowly and carefully eased into their abilities, they can sometimes be driven mad by seeing too much too soon.

'Oh, so she's not crazy?'

No, she definitely is, she called Hermione the brains of our operation. But she also can see the ripples of time magic on your very being, she's beyond brilliant. It's why she is in Ravenclaw.

"You know it can be seen as rude to not answer questions" noted Luna, "But since this is your first interview, I will forgive you"

"Um thanks" said Harry, "I have not mastered Time Travel"

"Then why are you covered in blue and brown magic?" asked Luna

"You tell me?" challenged Harry

"Maybe you didn't shower correctly if you aren't time traveling" suggested Luna

"I probably do need a shower" admitted Harry

"You smell like hard work" said Luna as she wrote down that line, "That is going to be the line of the article, "Harry Potter smells like Hard Work"

And with that, Luna got up and left, leaving Harry to finish his lunch in peace.

As the winter break came and went, Harry continued to have basically double days, but making sure to rest more than his preparation for the next task. It was some kind of puzzle room that would be timed or a race to the finish. His golden egg sat in the bottom of his trunk, Junior had already helped him solve the screeches, the Mermish was not something either of them enjoyed.

For Christmas, due to Ron being such a good friend (begging for continued friendship multiple times with several apologizes thrown in), Harry actually gifted the redhead the golden egg.

"Oi, what the bloody hell am I supposed to do with this screechy thing?" asked Ron

"Have it sent to someone who can melt it down and give you a bunch of gold" replied Harry as if it was obvious, "That thing is like 20 pounds of solid gold"

Ron looked at him as if he had gifted him the sun itself as he raced off to gather several owls to assist him in getting the egg to someone who would be able to do so.

Harry had received a six pack of monstrous chocolate eggs that looked just like a dragon egg from Molly, he was certain that the other ones were to be shared with Ron and Hermione, but he didn't feel like sharing with them. He had also taken to wearing his golden Weasley made sweeter over his clothing every day.

Ms. Weasley was really talented because the built in heating runes were absolutely perfect, to the point that Junior even questioned how the Weasley's could be poor if the mother of the family was capable of making this type of quality clothing.

Hermione and he had exchanged several book on advanced magical theory. Harry giving her books on Transfiguration and Charms and him receiving books on Chinese Runes and Dueling practices from Greece.

Dumbledore had sent him a homemade leather bound journal that was filled with notes about defensive magic, mostly runes and warding.

Sirius had sent him another firebolt to replace the one that the dragon had burned. Remus sent him some pictures of his parents. Harry had tea with Hagrid the morning of Christmas, missing the giant gentle man.

The twins did a prank during the Christmas dinner that gave everyone antlers and had them letting out yips like a deer world. Dumbledore's nose was glowing bright red as he looked down at the twins with a fond smile.

They are quite the pair of crafters

'You think so?'

Harry, I've never heard of a spell that gives you antlers, let alone a potion that does it. They have managed to create unique pastes, potions, elixirs, and candies time and time again. They are the most talented people, outside of you and Dumbledore, probably in this castle. It is a shame that they are poor, or they would probably be able to further their … well everything.

'What if they weren't poor?'

Oh, do you have a plan that suddenly doesn't make them part of the Weasley family? What if you simply gave them the money they needed to start?'

'You think I should invest in them?'

Why not? You have the funds, you have the ability to do so. You would not miss a thousand or even two thousand galleons. And you'll make it back when you win this tournament

And Harry did just that, approaching the twins to provide them with a magically signed letter gifting them 1000 galleons each. They tried to reject it, but Junior provided Harry with the correct words to have them accept it, but they insisted on making him 1/3 of ownership and included their own letter to Gringotts to confirm that Harry was to make 1/3 profit from their business.

It was the last week of winter break on the 28th when Harry ran into her, quite literally. He turned the corner, and his nose slammed right into the chin of a girl who was taller than him by almost 3 or 4 inches. Not that he was overly short, but 5 foot 6 inches at almost 15 years old wasn't exactly tall either.

"Ouch" whined Harry as he rubbed his nose

"Oh, it is you" said Fleur, her voice being soft and velvety, unlike anything he had ever heard before, her hand drifting to her chin.

She looked great for a girl who had been burned alive by dark magic less than a full month ago. But Harry could make out the fading grid-like design on her skin that went from her face, down to her neck and what little he could see of her collarbone.

"How are you?" asked Harry as they started walking once more, Fleur turning around to accompany him back to the top of Gryffindor's tower

"I have been better" admitted Fleur as her hand made its way to her repaired cheek, "I find that the new skin is … itchier is the word"

"It looks almost healed" noted Harry, "You'll be as good as new in no time"

Fleur nodded, "The healers said another couple of weeks for the ritual to be complete. My magic protected me from so much of the fire that I will make a full recovery, but they said there was so much dark magic in the spell that it will still take time"

"Dumbledore ripped the referee to shreds over that" remembered Harry, "I was very mad too. It was such bullshit that they allowed that to happen"

"I heard something about the referee not being the correct one or something" said Fleur, "Do you have any idea what that was about?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know much other than that. The wrong person was overseeing the duel"

Fleur grit her teeth, "The wrong person walked away from that duel"

"I beg a differ" said Harry, "Only I walked away from that duel"

Fleur raised an eyebrow, "You won?"

"They didn't show you?" asked Harry, "I told your headmistress to have a good view of the fight to show you later"

Fleur shrugged, "If they told me the results of the fight, they did not do so while I was in the state of mind to process it properly"

Silence filled their little walk, neither of them really sure of what to say in the aftermath of the gruesome duel. Harry had felt much more victorious post duel, but upon seeing that Fleur was still dealing with the effects of the duel, clearly mentally and physically, he felt a lot less okay with letting him off the hook without something more physically punishing.

Tell her the truth about what happened

'You sure?'

…

"After Krum pulled that dirty tactic with the Greek Fire … I wanted to, maybe even needed to stop the duel. It felt so wrong to watch you be hit by what should have clearly been an illegal spell. I, momentarily, unlocked an elemental ability to control wind and escaped my binds. Upon making sure that you were okay, I hit Krum with spells that keep him off balance" said Harry as he licked his lips, "Then I pinned his feet to the ground and used a simple leg dancing spell to force him to break his own legs. I let him get up than reversed a spell on him, sending him flipping up into the air, suspended by his ankle. I disarmed him and then used a gag spell to remove the bones from his arms and legs, then banished him through the warding into the lap of his headmaster"

Fleur hummed in appreciation but didn't say anything as she listened to Harry recount the duel, her eyes casted in a downward position as she slowly took in what Harry was saying. The floor was not that interesting as she mindlessly continued to look downwards as she finally digested what Harry had said.

"So, you can't control wind anymore?" she asked

Harry shook his head, "No, that seemed to be a onetime thing so far. I might be able to do so again in the future with some more practice"

Fleur stopped walking beside him and he turned back to look at her, unsure of whether he should be concern or not. She was giving him a fairly intense look, but he could not make out the emotion in her eyes or the one on her face.

'Is she mad at me?'

I am knowledgeable about many things … complex magic, ancient runes, magical theory and concepts. I am as clueless as you are when it comes to understanding women.

'I thought you knew everything and were always right?'

I am … about magic, how would I know anything about girls Harry? I live inside your head, I have the same experience with females as you do

Harry was going to mentally retort to Junior about how that didn't make any sense as he didn't know shit about half the things that Junior taught him when Fleur spoke again.

"You unlocked a rare magical ability because I got hurt" she whispered, but his ears still picked up the words and he absentmindedly nodded in agreement.

Harry and Junior will never be able to explain why what happened next happened as it did, but then again neither of them could ever say they understand the advance complex workings of the female mind.

Fleur slapped him with enough force to leave a very red mark on his right check, but when opened his mouth to ask why she did that, she used the same hand she slapped him with to grab the front of his robes and pull him into a deep aggressive kiss.

The push of her lips on his felt like he was sinking into the most perfect pillow, but his mind couldn't focus on that as he lost all ability to think as the kiss extended on, approaching the 30 second mark before ending.

Fleur looked at him with a hint of pride, "I do not need you to stand up for me Harry, but I do appreciate a man who is capable of having my back if I need it"

And with that, she turned around and Harry found his eyes drawn to her swaying hips and he could hear Fleur laughing as she threw him a final look over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

'What the actual fuck just happened'

That is my question Harry

'Chamber?'

Yeah, we have advanced intent warding to convert to runes

With Durmstrang:

Krum and Karkaroff both were in less than stellar moods at the moment as they once again rewatched the duel between Harry and Krum for the countless time, trying to figure out where things went wrong.

"What do you think?" asked Karkaroff

"That he is much more talented than I thought" admitted Krum

"He's more powerful than any other 14 year old that I've ever seen" added Karkaroff, "But what about his technique really stood out to you"

Krum shrugged, "He knew what to dodge, I guess"

Karkaroff rolled his eyes, "And what does that tell us Viktor?"

"I dunno" replied Krum

Karkaroff shook his head in disappointment, "You're thinking too hard boy. If he knows what to dodge, what to absorb, what to repel. It means that he knew what each of the spells would do"

Krum frowned, "But Hogwarts doesn't teach dark arts"

"Unless things have drastically changed since I came here in my youth, no they do not" confirmed Karkaroff, "However school isn't the only way to learn things now is it?"

Krum nodded, "No, it is not. I should expand myself past the reputation of Hogwarts and do some deeper digging"

"I would have thought after watching the kid kill a dragon that you would have been taking him seriously" tsk'd Karkaroff

"I thought it was dumb luck" countered Krum

"You do not pull of dark magic that has been forgotten with 'dumb luck' Viktor, you do so with determination and skill" corrected Karkaroff

"I will do better in the future, I am in second in the tournament currently. With 7 more tasks to go, there is plenty of time to catch up to Potter" snarled Krum

"There is always plenty of time to continue to fall behind and be humiliated along the way as well" hissed Karkaroff

Krum frowned, that was also true. He was behind because he had underestimated the girl in the first round, then the boy in the second round.

"I need to do some research on the Potter boy?" asked Krum

"You should have been doing research from the beginning" dismissed Karkaroff before he turned and left Krum's cabin on the boat.

Defeat

It was something unfamiliar to Krum. He had always been the most talented at everything. The best duelist in his school during his time, the best flyer in the world, the best Seeker in the world. And yet?

Defeat

Twice in two bouts it had found him, latching onto him like a parasite that wanted nothing more than remove success from his grasp, never to be seen from again. He found himself wondering aimless as he left the boat himself and wondered the grounds of Hogwarts.

It was too early for dinner, too late for lunch. He didn't wish to ruin his appetite at the moment, the food here was rather agreeable with his stomach. He blinked as his feet had carried him to a familiar place, he found himself looking at the door to the Library inside the school.

He entered the maze of bookshelves, his eyes seeking something that maybe even he did not fully know that he wanted to find. But when his eyes landed on it, his hand pulled it off the shelf at once.

The Secret of Elementals by L.N.T Longbottom

A book about the lore of Elementals was something he couldn't ignore, and he slowly made his way to a table in the corner of the library. He sat down and opened the book, taking in the handwritten words:

In the ancient tapestry of magic, there exists a rare and revered branch of witches and wizards known as the Elementals. These extraordinary beings, whether witches or wizards, possess a profound connection to the primal forces of nature. Unlike ordinary practitioners of magic, Elementals command the very elements themselves: earth, air, fire, and water. Capable of bending a single element to their will with effortless grace.

Elementals are not just powerful; they are the most feared and revered magic-wielders in all the lands. No other sorcerer, mage, or enchantress rivals the raw might that an Elemental can summon. Their mastery over nature's primal forces makes them the uncontested rulers of magical domains. Kingdoms rise and fall with their favor, and even the bravest armies tremble at the thought of facing one in battle. Their storms can drown cities, their flames can turn castles to ash, and they can carve mountains or split seas with a single command.

The origins of Elementals are shrouded in mystery, their power said to stem from a primordial pact made with the elemental spirits that govern the natural world. This bond grants them the ability to manipulate these forces with unparalleled precision, shaping landscapes, conjuring storms, and summoning flames as easily as breathing.

Elementals are not merely spellcasters; they are conduits of elemental balance, maintaining harmony between the forces they wield and the world around them. Their presence can be felt in the serene calm of a breeze, the fierce blaze of a wildfire, or the steady growth of a verdant forest. Yet, their power comes with great responsibility, for the elements are capricious and their wrath can be as devastating as their benevolence.

Legends speak of Elementals as guardians of ancient secrets, their knowledge and power passed down through generations. They are both revered and feared, their ability to shape reality itself making them pivotal figures in the ever-unfolding story of magic and the natural world. Wherever they walk, the very fabric of existence bends to their will, solidifying their place as the most powerful beings in all the realms.

Krum flipped through the book, devouring the knowledge inside the book and before he knew it, there was a cough that caused him to flinch as he looked up.

Standing there was a bushy haired girl, dressed in Hogwarts robes with the symbol of Gryffindor. She looked vaguely like someone he had made a passive mental note about, but he could not recall who she was.

"You're going to miss dinner" said the girl in a matter of fact tone

Krum frowned, "What time is it?"

"It's nearly a quarter past 6 PM" replied the girl

Krum closed the book and slipped it into a pocket of his robes, he would finish it in due time. But the sound of food got his stomach to rumble as he realized how hungry he was.

"Don't worry, during the holidays, Dinner runs until 7:15 PM because of how lazy everyone is" said the girl

"I appreciate you stopping me, I was deep into research mode" said Krum as he stood up, "Shall we go get some dinner?"

The girl blushed and Krum realized she was almost half a foot shooter than him, but she was cute in a rather girly way. Everything about her said she was all prim and proper, she was a good girl, Krum thought that was adorable.

Because in a world full of magic, why follow all the rules?

"My name is Viktor Krum" said Krum, attempting to introduce himself to the kind younger girl

"I know who you are, all the boys refuse to shut up about you" replied the girl before she blushed in embarrassment, "Sorry, that was a rather rude thing to say"

Krum let out a chuckle, "No, I like the honesty. I deal with a lot of fangirls and sadly, a lot of fanboys. It's nice to hear someone tell me the truth"

The girl have a small smile, her two big teeth flashing at him, "I know but it isn't proper comportment"

"Comportment?" asked Krum

"It means behavior" supplied the girl

Krum nodded, "But who makes those rules that say what is and what isn't proper?"

The girl blinked at him, "I … I imagine it's the ministry"

"And do you trust the ministry to have your best interest at their heart?" questioned Krum, "Because at Durmstrang, we base everything on the ability and power of the individual. If you feel that peace is the most important thing to you, you must work hard to become the most skilled that you can be to issue out peace"

The girl bit her lip as her eyebrows burrowed, she was clearly deep in thought as they continued to walk together towards the Great Hall. It took a few minutes before she spoke again.

"That type of logic is flawed, the Theory of Meritocracy overlooks social, economic, and systemic influences on success, challenging the assumption of personal ability as sole determinant" countered the girl, "Just because you know more spells or have better wand work shouldn't really make you in charge of other people"

Krum shook his head, "Not in charge, but rather bless with … what is the word, Privilege"

The girl gave a slow nod before double checking her understanding, "So the better you are, the more favorable you're treated?"

"Correct, is it the best manner of understanding in the school. We all start off as nothing, bottom feeders. Blood purity, family names, and wealth all mean nothing. You must work to be the best, nothing is given"

The girl's eyes shined as if she loved that idea, "I wish Hogwarts was like that, there is a severe lack of appreciation for academia around here. You wouldn't know the number of times that I've been made fun of for knowing the answer or studying"

Krum frowned, "They make fun of the smart cute girls here?"

The girl blushed again, "I don't think half the schools sees me as a girl to be honest. They all treat me like a source of notes and a secondary teacher"

"Even your friends?" asked Krum as his mind drifted, they are using her much like they tried to use me when I was younger

"I don't really have all that many friends" admitted the girl, "I had two best friends but one of them had … has a nasty jealous streak and isn't the best with dealing with the success of others. The other has slowly pulled away over the last year, he's been different this year"

Krum mentally shook his head, "No worries than, you can study with me in the library after lunch everyday if you wish. I find my biggest moments of peace are those in which I do not have a hoard of fans around me, but rather when I am lost in my pursuit of something new"

The girl have him a soft smile, big teeth still making an appearance, it was rather cute to see her try to hide them.

"Thanks, I would like that" admitted the girl, "My name is Hermione Granger by the way"

Krum extended his hand to her and when she went to shake his hand, he slipped his hand underneath hers and leaned down to kiss the back of her hand, "Ms. Granger, the pleasure is all mine to meet you"

She turned bright red once more and stammered something that Krum didn't hear, but as they arrived at the Great Hall, he opened the door for her and she slipped inside, shooting glances over her shoulder at him.

What a strange yet pleasant girl.

With Harry:

The third task coming up had him slightly stressed, but that stress could also be the massive days he was having at this point.

Twist your wand, not your wrist, then do the slash

Harry quickly made the adjustment and smirked as the orange bolt of magic ripped through the boulder he was practicing on.

Very good, but I believe the time for practice is over Harry. The task is in 3 days, we must rest

'Really? Couldn't we just use the time turner to get some extra rest the day before?'

No, I must remind you that you are a growing boy. For you to continue to you pile on this number of hours every day, it's not good for you or your body. You must rest.

'Okay, so what would you like for me to do in the meantime?'

You have been neglecting your friends to hide away in this chamber and practice magic, perhaps it wouldn't hurt to be social

Harry agreed and left the chamber before making his way up to the common room, where he entered through the portrait hole and found himself walking in on a big argument.

"HE IS HARRY'S COMPETITION" spat Ron

"HE IS JUST A FRIEND" countered Hermione

Harry groaned and when both of them took a step forward, he flared his magic throughout the room and that brough both of them to their knees.

Everyone looked at him as he slowly parted the rest of the students and upon arriving at his friends, he waved his wand to put a cone of silence around the three of them.

"What is going on here?" asked Harry before he quickly added, "One at a time"

"Hermione is hanging out with Viktor Krum" said Ron, his tone full of anger

"We're just friends, you don't even come up" said Hermione, tears bubbling up in her eyes

"I know" replied Harry

Both of them looked at him as if he had grown a tail, "You know?"

"Yes Ron, Yes Hermione, I know. I go to the library too. I've seen them there a couple times in the last week or so, but it's not that serious Ron. Hermione doesn't know what my plan for the tasks are and she doesn't know everything that I know. She can't give him any information that he can use against me. Now Hermione, I am trusting you not to tricked by this guy and to maintain our friendship over whatever this is" said Harry in a Junior guided mini speech.

Hermione nodded, "I would never betray you Harry"

"Good, already better than a jealous Ron" joked Harry, causing his red haired friend to pout and mutter, "Not that jealous mate"

Pulling his magic back into his body, Harry released them from their pinned positions on the ground, "Now kiss and make up"

Ron turned a shade of red that made Gryffindor proud, and Hermione looked away as her cheeks turned rosy as well.

They might just like each other

'Oh, is that so?'

Yeah, we'll find a way to lock them in a broom closet soon

'Agreed'

"Not literally guys, but maybe let's not argue about things that don't matter" suggested Harry, "Now if you forgive me, I must rest"

The next day, Harry didn't really do much either. Just long naps that were only stopped by mealtimes. He tried to hang out in the common room, but everyone was slightly skittish around him due to the display of magic from the previous day.

The day before the tournament, there was an announcement of a Valentine's Day Ball, to make up for the cancelled Yule Ball due to all the members of the TriWizard Tournament not being able to participate.

Harry was very taken back by the idea of a ball, he had known that the rich wealthy purebloods threw them for celebrations on the rare occasion, but he had never once expected the school to be throw one. He was also more surprised by the fact that there had been a Yule Ball that had been cancelled. Perhaps Junior was right that he needed to ease up on the time turner.

The funnier part was that even though Harry had been completely unprepared for a ball, Mrs. Weasley had been all over it as he had a pair of dress robes in his trunk inside of a magical bag that kept it from wrinkling. He would have to send her an owl with a thank you for the thoughtfulness. And maybe a follow up letter asking why she hated Ron, because whatever his set of robes were, they were clearly selected to embarrass the boy.

'How do I find a date?'

You look around for a young women inside the school that you find a mixture of attractive, smart, not annoying, and not going to let a moment like this go to her ego. Then you ask her best friend to help you get her alone, then you ask her.

'Does that work? Because that seems really simple'

Your experience may vary

'Is that a manner of saying that I might get rejected?'

All I am saying is that I would never get rejected by anyone that I asked to a ball

'Who should I ask?'

You should ask your bushy haired friend, she is a suitable partner for you to take to a ball and if it goes poorly, you can cross her off all lists of potential future mates.

Harry blushed at the thought of him and Hermione having a 3 bedroom home, a pair of kids, with her cat roaming the house looking for a place to nap.

But after lunch, he intercepted her on the way to the Library

"Hermione, wait up, I want to ask you something" called out Harry

Hermione stopped and looked at him, "Is it important? I have a standing appointment after lunch"

"It could be deemed important, depends on the person and the outcome" said Harry parroting Junior

"Notes aren't really that important" scoffed Hermione, "You rarely bother to show up for class anymore, but I guess you can have the charm notes"

Harry put his hand up, "No, this isn't about notes Hermione. I wanted to ask you to the Valentine's Day Ball"

Hermione had turned to dig through her bookbag, but she froze upon hearing that what Harry wanted to actually ask her.

"Um … I … er, Ialreadygotaskedbysomeoneelseandsaidyes" stammered Hermione

"Huh?" asked Harry

"I already got asked by someone else and said yes" repeated Hermione as she took a deep breathe, "Sorry but while you didn't realize I was a girl, other guys have"

Harry frowned but repeated what Junior whispered in the back of his mind, "I always thought you were a girl Hermione. I just also know that Ron has a big crush on you and didn't want to get in the way of that if I could help myself"

Hermione's twisted into a look that neither Harry nor Junior could understand the meaning of, "I appreciate that Harry, but Ron doesn't really 'do it for me' as the girls in my dorm would say. He doesn't take himself seriously enough for me to take him seriously. Maybe one day that might change, but for now? Let's just pretend that you didn't say anything to me"

She pushed past him, and Harry watched her make her way towards the library.

Okay, I guess he likes her more than she likes him. Small miscalculation on my end, but I will openly admit to never being the best at reading the romantic chemistry between other people.

'Back up plan?'

Ask Fleur

'And get rejected? Possibly in a public and embarrassing manner?'

Use your Gryffindor courage brat, also she already kissed you. So, she has to like you at least a little.

'Bloody hell, I got nothing to lose'

Just our pride

Harry didn't go for his normal post lunch but pre dinner nap, instead choosing to go over his runes notes of the task the next day. He was outside in the admittedly cold January air, carving runes into a small disk of wood. The wind blew past him, and he shivered under his robes, but that just made him speed up.

"Harry, what are you doing out here?" called out a familiar French accent

"Just working on some runes" replied Harry as he waved over Fleur

"Are you insane? It's freezing out here" she gasped as she got closer, "You need to get back inside, come on"

"Just one more moment" said Harry before he finished the last rune, and the disk of wood glowed with magic before a small bubble of warding exploded from it and Fleur hissed as the magic washed over her.

"What did you do?" she asked as she looked around them

Harry smiled and handed the disk to her as it finished activating and the bubble of warding around them heated the air up, replacing the bitter coldness of the Scottish January with the pleasant warmth of a France July.

"Mon Dieu, c'est parfait" whispered Fleur as she stopped shivering and a pretty smile graced her face, "This reminds me of a trip to the beach on summer break from when I was younger"

"I figured that our cold hellscape didn't really agree with you or any of the other visitors" admitted Harry, "I believe you would say that the weather is tragically British"

Fleur giggled and Harry swallowed hard at the sound of it.

You did not stand in the cold for a giggle Harry, you know what to do

"This is a brilliant set of runes Harry" commented Fleur as she inspected the runes, her magic washing over them with a gentleness that Harry had never once felt in his magic, but it also felt more natural than his magic normally felt.

"I made that for you" continued Harry

"Oh, did you now?" questioned Fleur as she closed her eyes and basked in the French warmth, "I did not get you anything, that is rather rude of me. But to be fair, I didn't know that were giving each other gifts"

Harry gave a soft smile in reply, "You didn't have to, it was a rather spur of the moment thing to make for you. Although it would have been terrible if I had missed you coming in for dinner"

They both laughed at his subpar joke, but then Harry felt the urge from Junior once more and he mustered up all of his Gryffindor courage.

Pointing at the disk, Harry cleared his throat that was slightly too tight and dry at the moment and said, "You should flip it over and see what's on the other side"

Fleur opened her eyes, those beautiful crystal blue eyes looking at Harry's emerald green eyes.

"You did such a masterful job at making this, you didn't need to add anything else to it. It is like a slice of paradise brought here" said Fleur as she looked down at the disk, the glowing runes that brough the warmth on one side. She flipped it over and there was nothing there at first, but when her hand touched it, words started to appear.

Harry wished his handwriting was better, Junior would have written it much better than he could have, but the words that appeared were in his sloppy handwriting:

Will You Go To The Valentine's Day Ball With Me?

Fleur read the words and looked at the nervous Harry Potter standing before her, and she felt torn. This was her biggest opponent in the tournament, they even had a task that they would be competing in tomorrow. Yet, he was also a boy who had gifted her a French summer in the middle of a brutal Scottish Winter.

"Yes, I will go to the ball with you, but you have to promise me that you wouldn't take it easy on me tomorrow" exclaimed Fleur

"I would never disrespect you like that" replied Harry

"Then the answer is yes" said Fleur as she stepped forward and kissed Harry

A/N: And here we are, arriving at my third task with the ball never being forgotten, just moved to make more sense for the story.

Yeah, there is no Harry/Hermione in this story, this is going to be a Harry/Fleur story as with Harry aging faster than the average person, he's going to be more suitable for someone a year or so older. Also, as much as I like Harry x Hermione stories, it really worked better if the Harry is closer to a canon Harry because then he needs her.

If you have any questions, feel free to drop a review or send a PM.

As always, please think about joining my discord, lots of conversations and just overall good vibes in there. Join using invite code: 5fw6aXK3

Until next time

Chapter 6

The three of them stood in the middle of the stadium, the chilly late winter wind of Scotland blew by them, sending shivers up all of their spines. Krum was glaring at Harry, Harry was glancing at Fleur, and Fleur was staring at nobody as she had her eyes closed, using a breathing technique to remain composed.

Not that Harry or anyone could blame her, at the last task, she had been hit with several illegal dark magic spells. Dark magic that Junior was certain had been given to Krum by his headmaster as the magic was older than a lot of the modern spells. Nevertheless, all of them were here for the trial, in reasonably good shape

Before them was three different large boxes, each one of them oozing with magical energy unlike anything Harry had ever felt before. Even the chamber of secrets hadn't felt like this and that was the most magically rich area that Harry had ever been to.

I wonder what this particular task is, they have been rather hush hush on this one

'I thought they said it was a puzzle of some kind'

If it is, then you should have an advantage with me by your side

'I always have the advantage, it is us against them'

Yes … it is us against anyone who stands against you and by association, me

Dumbledore stood up from the judge's table that was overlooking the area, "This task is one that will test your mental strength as you will enter the box and decipher the key to exit. You will be tested, best of luck"

Harry guessed that was it as none of the other judges stood up to say anything and his wand slipped into his hand, and he mentally prepared himself for whatever was inside the box in front of him.

A soft bang exploded from the end of Dumbledore's wand and all three of the champions marched forward, walking into their designated box.

Harry was immediately sucked into a dark void, the inside of the box was infinitely bigger than it had appeared to be from the outside.

They magically expanded the inside, this is a rather standard practice for most enchanters. From the feel of it, this is a variation of the Undetectable Extension Charm. A rather well put together one too, almost reeks of Dumbledore's talent

'This is undoubtably going to result in me almost dying if Dumbledore is involved'

I cannot confirm nor deny, but it is best to be on guard. Things that Dumbledore touches have a tendency to turn to shite for us

Harry nodded as he slowly walked forward, flicking his wand to cast a Lumoscharm that failed as the dark void around him consumed the light instantly.

Frowning, Harry pushed forward aimlessly, trying to get a feel of what this task was really asking, the air grew colder, and he cast an underpowered warming charm on himself. Warmth filled his body for a couple seconds before it sucked away from his body just as the void had consumed the light from his charm.

Harry blinked as the chilly air grew harsher and he was struggling to focus on the task, his body starting to shiver as he tightly gripped his wand. He went to move forward, but his body fought against his commands. His magic swirled around inside his body as he demanded his legs move and after a moment of extreme effort, he managed to take a step forward.

'What is going on?'

But for the first time in his life that he could remember, there was no answer. He waited for a snide remark, an offhanded comment about his inability to get things done by himself. But it never came.

It starts with a crack, barely a sound, like a twig snapping underfoot. Harry pauses, but there's nothing beneath him. No trail, no forest. Just the emptiness of the void, fraying at the edges. He used to know the way. At least, he thought he did. There was a voice usually there, wasn't there?

A guide. His guide. Firm but quiet, somewhere between instinct and reason, pulling him back when things got too tangled. Always steering him, even when he wasn't sure where he was going.

But now? Gone. Or maybe it's still there, just quieter than before. Or maybe he's forgotten how to hear it. It's like his internal compass shattered, and all that's left is a dull, spinning needle, lost and disoriented.

There was a time, he tries to remember that he felt sure, like there was something inside him that knew. Not just a voice, exactly, but a presence. It wasn't loud. It didn't need to be as it was always right and always there. But now when he closes his eyes, waiting for that nudge, that old pull toward…something, there's just static. Nothing guiding him. No direction.

The silence is the worst part. The absence. The noise that fills the empty space is his own mind, frantic, like thoughts smashing into each other in a dark room, all blind and desperate. He wonders if the guide ever existed, or if he'd just been fooling himself. Maybe that's what's most terrifying, realizing he's been lost all along, clinging to a voice that was never really there.

Harry unable to force his body to move, drops to his knees trying to figure it out. The void has swallowed him whole, and he doesn't know which way is forward anymore. He can do nothing as he kneels there, frozen. Because it still feels safer than stepping into the vast, silent unknown.

The icy air washed over him, and he can only watch in horror as a floating dark figure glides towards him, the coldness becoming more intense with every second.

'I will never be happy again'

The stray thought washed over Harry as he could only watch as the Dementor got closer and closer to him, his body betraying him and leaving him unable to move.

Junior stood at the corner of the alley, his back pressed against the crumbling brick wall of a narrow, soot-streaked street in 1930s London. The rain had stopped, but the air was thick with dampness, clinging to his skin, making the heavy wool of his coat itch. He felt his heart hammering in his chest, but his face remained still unreadable. His black hair, slick from the drizzle, stuck to his forehead, framing his sharp, handsome features, but it was his eyes—cold, piercing—that gave him away. They always did.

He could hear them before he saw them, the shuffle of feet against the wet cobblestones, the laughter that cut through the fog. It always started the same way.

"Oi, Junior! You think you're too good for us, do ya?"

There was Charlie, the ringleader, puffing out his chest as if it made him look bigger than he was. His crooked grin never quite reached his eyes, and Junior knew that grin meant trouble. The others followed close behind, Junior didn't even bother to learn their names. To him, they were a pack of dogs, always at Charlie's heels, snapping and snarling, waiting for a chance to bite.

Junior stared ahead, refusing to acknowledge them. He'd learned long ago that speaking up only made things worse. The moment you gave them something, they tore into it. So, he stood there, cold and silent, his fists clenched in his pockets, waiting for it to pass. It never did.

"Look at him, boys. Thinks he's too smart for us, with his fancy books and that posh way of talking," Charlie jeered, stepping closer, his breath hot with stale cigarettes and anger.

Junior didn't flinch. He never did. He met Charlie's eyes—those dull, jealous eyes—and felt nothing. No fear. No anger. Just a cold, detached understanding that these boys hated him not because of anything he'd done, but because of who he was. He was different. Smarter. Stronger. And they knew it.

But knowing didn't help. Not in moments like these.

Charlie shoved him hard, slamming Junior's back against the wall. The impact shot pain up his spine, but Junior kept his face blank, even as his mind screamed. The others laughed, the sound bouncing off the narrow alley walls, but Junior's expression remained stone. His eyes stayed locked on Charlie's.

"You don't scare me," Junior finally said, his voice low, almost a whisper. It wasn't bravado, it was fact. Charlie could knock him down, could bruise him, but he would never have power over him. Not really.

For a moment, there was silence. Charlie's smirk faltered. He hated that. Hated that no matter what he did, Junior would never give him the satisfaction of fear.

"One day, you'll get what's comin' to you, Junior," Charlie spat, stepping back. "One day, no one's gonna save you."

Junior just watched them go, the pack of boys slinking back into the fog, their taunts fading with the mist. He didn't move until their footsteps were long gone, until the street was quiet again, the only sound the distant rumble of a tram and the drip of rainwater from the rooftops.

Junior stood there for a long time, staring out at the empty street, his fists still clenched, the cold in his eyes sharp as ever. He knew Charlie was wrong. No one was coming to save him.

But he didn't need saving.

He snapped his fingers, and all of the other children screamed in panic as Charlie dropped to the ground twitching in pain.

The scene morphed away

Junior was ten, standing in the schoolyard beneath the bare, skeletal branches of a tree that had long since lost its leaves. The winter air was sharp and bitter, biting at his skin, but he barely noticed. His attention was fixed on Alicia. She was standing a few feet away, her red hair ablaze in the weak afternoon light, like fire against the gray of the overcast sky. Her pale skin flushed pink from the cold, but her expression was hard, her green eyes sharp as she stared at him, arms crossed tightly over her chest.

Junior had felt something strange in his stomach all day, a nervous knot twisting tighter every time he caught sight of her across the playground. Alicia wasn't like the other girls. She didn't giggle when the boys acted stupid, didn't swoon when they puffed out their chests. She was smart, quick with her words, and always had a sharp answer ready. Junior liked that about her—he liked that she didn't care what anyone thought.

He thought maybe, just maybe, she could understand him.

He wasn't sure what had possessed him to tell her, but he had. He'd waited until the others were gone, and it was just the two of them by the tree, the ground beneath their feet frozen and hard. The words had stumbled out of his mouth awkwardly, too fast, too clumsy. He wasn't used to speaking about things like this—about feelings.

"I like you, Alicia," he had said, his voice low and unsure, hoping she hadn't noticed the way his hands were trembling. "You're different from the others. I... I thought maybe you'd like me too."

For a moment, there was silence. Junior's heart thudded in his chest, loud in his ears. He didn't know what to expect—maybe a laugh, maybe a look of surprise, or even curiosity. But not this. Not the cold, cutting look that now settled on her face.

Alicia didn't laugh. She didn't smile. She didn't soften.

Instead, she looked him up and down, her eyes narrowing in disdain.

"Like you?" she repeated, her voice dripping with something far colder than the winter air. "Why would I ever like you, Junior?"

Junior's breath caught in his throat. He opened his mouth to respond, to say *something*, but the words got stuck.

Alicia took a step closer, her face twisted with something almost cruel. "Nobody will ever love you. Not ever," she said, her voice sharp, like she was spitting out something rotten. "You're cold, Junior. Cold and strange. You scare people. Everyone can see it."

The words hit him like a punch to the gut, knocking the air out of him. He felt the blood drain from his face, but he stood there, frozen, staring at her. He hadn't expected this—this cruelty, this sudden rejection, as if she saw something in him that no one else had said out loud yet.

But he didn't cry. He wouldn't. Not in front of her.

He swallowed hard, forcing the lump in his throat down as he stared at her, his black hair whipping across his face in the icy wind. His sharp, cold eyes met hers, unblinking, but inside something had cracked. Alicia's words echoed in his head, ringing louder with every second.

Nobody will ever love you.

Junior clenched his fists in his pockets, his face a mask of calm, but inside, a hollow feeling spread. The cold wasn't just outside anymore—it was inside him now, filling the spaces where hope had once been.

Without another word, Alicia turned and walked away, her red hair flashing like a warning flame as she disappeared into the crowd of children. Junior stood there for a long time, unmoving, the wind howling in his ears.

Nobody would ever love him.

Maybe, deep down, he had always known.

The world bled away once more

Junior stood in the dimly lit room, the flickering shadows from the dying fire casting jagged shapes on the walls. His chest heaved with the last remnants of adrenaline, but it wasn't fear or regret coursing through him. No, it was something else. Something sharper, darker. Something that made his pulse quicken with a twisted sense of satisfaction.

His father, his estranged father for who name he would always bear the Junior of, lay crumpled on the cold floor, eyes wide open in shock, his lifeless body sprawled where it had fallen. The man who had abandoned him, ignored him, pretended he didn't exist, was now nothing more than a silent, empty shell. Junior stared down at him, his cold, sharp eyes gleaming in the firelight, his lips curling into a slight, almost imperceptible smile.

He could still feel the rush of magic coursing through his veins, raw and electric, as if the very air around him was pulsing with the energy he had unleashed. It had been easier than he thought, far easier. A flick of his wand, a muttered incantation under his breath, and it was done. The power had flowed out of him with such force, such intensity, that for a moment, he had felt invincible.

And now? Now, there was no one left to hold him back.

Junior crouched down beside the body, staring into the man's dead eyes—eyes that had once looked at him with indifference, eyes that had never shown him a shred of love or kindness. There was no remorse in Junior's expression, no guilt. Only a strange, giddy sense of triumph. The father who had rejected him, who had dared to walk out of his life and leave him to fend for himself, was gone. Permanently.

Junior's fingers brushed against the edge of the man's coat, and he let out a slow, deliberate breath, feeling the weight of what he had done settle over him. But it didn't feel heavy. It felt right.

For years, he had imagined this moment, played it over and over in his mind, wondering what it would feel like to finally confront the man who had abandoned him, who had left him to grow up with no guidance, no protection. And now, here he was—victorious. Powerful.

He had expected anger, perhaps even some twisted sense of closure. But what he hadn't expected was the sheer glee that now bubbled up inside him. The satisfaction was intoxicating. The power, his power, was intoxicating.

This is who he was meant to be.

Junior straightened up, his eyes still fixed on the lifeless body before him, and for the first time in a long time, he felt a sense of clarity. He had always known he was different, special. There was something inside him, something far beyond what others could comprehend, and now he had tasted it, embraced it.

He didn't need anyone. Not his father, not anyone. He was strong enough on his own, and stronger still with the magic that hummed inside him. The world would bend to his will, just like his father had fallen before him.

As he turned away, the fire casting long shadows behind him, Junior couldn't help but smile to himself—this small, secret smile that he hadn't felt in years. He wasn't the boy who had been rejected, abandoned, or made to feel unworthy anymore.

He was something far more dangerous. Far more powerful. And he liked it.

The scene morphed

"Harry, what are you doing out here?" called out a familiar French accent

"Just working on some runes" replied Harry as he waved over Fleur

"Are you insane? It's freezing out here" she gasped as she got closer, "You need to get back inside, come on"

"Just one more moment" said Harry before he finished the last rune, and the disk of wood glowed with magic before a small bubble of warding exploded from it and Fleur hissed as the magic washed over her.

"What did you do?" she asked as she looked around them

Harry smiled and handed the disk to her as it finished activating and the bubble of warding around them heated the air up, replacing the bitter coldness of the Scottish January with the pleasant warmth of a France July.

"Mon Dieu, c'est parfait" whispered Fleur as she stopped shivering and a pretty smile graced her face, "This reminds me of a trip to the beach on summer break from when I was younger"

"I figured that our cold hellscape didn't really agree with you or any of the other visitors" admitted Harry, "I believe you would say that the weather is tragically British"

Fleur giggled and Harry swallowed hard at the sound of it.

You did not stand in the cold for a giggle Harry, you know what to do

"This is a brilliant set of runes Harry" commented Fleur as she inspected the runes, her magic washing over them with a gentleness that Harry had never once felt in his magic, but it also felt more natural than his magic normally felt.

"I made that for you" continued Harry

"Oh, did you now?" questioned Fleur as she closed her eyes and basked in the French warmth, "I did not get you anything, that is rather rude of me. But to be fair, I didn't know that were giving each other gifts"

…

"Then the answer is yes" said Fleur as she stepped forward

The kiss never came as the scene changed once more

Harry stood in a poorly lit room, unsure how he had ended up there or why. The shadows shifted along the stone walls, creating an uneasy atmosphere, but what unsettled him more was the figure standing across from him, a man with sharp, cold eyes that seemed to pierce right through him.

The man took a step forward, his presence commanding, magnetic in a way that made the air feel heavier. There was something unnerving about him, something that made Harry's skin prickle with unease, though he couldn't quite place why.

"You're here for a reason," the man said, his voice smooth, each word deliberate. It wasn't a question, but a statement, and it hung in the air with an ominous weight.

Harry swallowed, trying to steady his nerves. He didn't know who this man was, but the power radiating from him was palpable, and it made him feel small in comparison.

"Who are you?" Harry asked, his voice quieter than he intended.

The man's lips curled into a small, cold smile. "That's not important. What matters is what you want."

"I don't know what you mean," Harry said, furrowing his brow, feeling a strange pull in his chest, like there was something familiar in this stranger's words.

The man tilted his head slightly, studying Harry with an intensity that made him feel exposed, as if this stranger could see right through every defense he had. "You may not know it yet," the man continued, "but you crave power. It's why you're here. There's something inside you that yearns to be more, to take control, to rise above all the petty, meaningless things that hold you back."

Harry blinked, confusion mixing with an odd sense of recognition. He hadn't told anyone that. He had felt it, yes, but never spoken it aloud. The desire for something more, something greater, had always simmered beneath the surface, but how could this man know?

"Power?" Harry repeated, hesitating. "I don't—"

"You do," the man cut him off, his voice sharp but not unkind. "You've felt it, haven't you? That spark, that hunger for something beyond what the rest of them can even imagine. They cling to their little lives, their fleeting emotions, but you…you're different."

Harry's heart raced, a chill running through him. He didn't want to admit it, but the man's words struck a chord deep within him. There was truth there, a truth he had been too afraid to fully acknowledge.

"And if I am?" Harry asked, more to himself than the stranger. "What does that mean?"

The man stepped closer, his cold eyes never leaving Harry's. "It means you're destined for more. But you need to stop wasting your time on things that make you weak. Stop caring about the people around you, stop chasing after their approval, their affection. Those things will only hold you back."

Harry felt a twinge of resistance. "What's wrong with caring about people?" he asked, the words leaving his mouth before he could stop them.

The man's expression darkened slightly, his gaze hardening. "Caring makes you vulnerable. It gives people power over you. Power that they will use against you, mark my words. You waste your energy on them, and in return, they will disappoint you, betray you. You'll be left with nothing."

Harry frowned, the tension growing in his chest. "That's not true for everyone."

"Isn't it?" the man said, his voice almost mocking. "You think love, trust, friendship matter? That they make you stronger? You're fooling yourself. Real strength comes from power. Power over others, power over yourself. That's the only thing you can rely on."

Harry stood silent for a moment, the weight of the man's words sinking in. There was a strange logic to them, a dark, compelling pull that tugged at the edges of his mind. Power. Control. The idea of never being hurt, never being let down—it was intoxicating. And yet, a small part of him resisted.

"You don't have to take my word for it," the man said, sensing Harry's hesitation. "Look around you. Think of every time you've trusted someone. Every time you've cared. How has it worked out for you?"

Harry thought back, his mind flashing through the moments—times when he had been let down, times when caring had only led to pain. The man's words were like a knife, cutting through the uncertainty and doubt that had always lingered in the background.

"Focus on power," the man said softly, stepping even closer. "Focus on what will truly make you untouchable. And then, you'll understand. You won't need them. You won't need anyone."

Harry looked into the man's cold eyes, feeling the weight of the choice before him. Power or people. Strength or vulnerability. He didn't know this man, but something told him the stranger knew exactly what he was talking about.

And that frightened Harry more than anything.

Harry opened his eyes as he felt his sense of self return to him and his wand sent out a pulse of pure magic that blasted the dementor figure away from him, the sound of chains rattling as Harry panted.

That was no fun

'What the fuck was that'

I … do not know

'Were those your memories?'

I am unsure of what you saw child

'Maybe that was something my mind conjured up then, because I also saw a man who told me to chase power'

Interesting, I will have to examine the memories later, perhaps while you sleep I can put together what happened.

Harry nodded as a tsunami of nausea flooded his body and he dropped to his hands and knees, bile erupting from his mouth.

Despite the harsh coldness of the void, his body felt burning hot as if he had one of the nastiest fevers of his life. Breathing became harder with each passing inhale as Harry started to pant.

Do you feel that?

'What am I trying to feel?'

There is a very subtle drain on our magic, this box is probably covered in runes that are using us as a power source. And given how powerful you are, this is why the effects are hitting you so harshly.

Harry gripped his wand and without any guidance or even any thought, scribbled a series of runes around his spot and powered them.

Relief bubbled up inside of his body as the small ward around his body deflected all of the effects of the runes that were leeching off his magic.

Smart thing to do, let me examine the feel of these runes.

'Take your time, I need a moment to compose myself'

Harry sat down, his knees drawn into his chest as he stared out into the endless dark void around him, the blistering cold air bit into his exposed skin.

'This place is a fucking nightmare'

You're right … this place is a nightmare, right down to that fake dementor. This is most likely the results of the French. They do not have dementors in their country, thus they use a rune array known as the Poison de l'esprit

'Poison of the mind?'

Yes, this is just a magically induced nightmare designed to get worse and worse the longer you're in here

'How do we overcome it'

You are going to overpower the runes, flood it with your magic

Harry resisted the urge to groan as he knew that it would be somewhat draining, somewhat pain.

Closing his eyes, he grabbed his wand and pointed it directly up before he sent out a massive blast of his magic. The darkness flickered with a hint of bright light before he sent out another pulse, then another, and another.

The world around him shook as the box struggled to contain his magic before a final one sent a deafeningly loud CRACK! through the void before Harry released more bile from his mouth as he fell forward onto his stomach as the runes gave way to his magic's brute force.

When Harry woke up once more, he found that he was in the hospital wing with Fleur and Krum in the beds next to him.

Krum was covered in bandages, but Harry could spot several burn marks on the older boy's body.

Fleur looked like she had been frozen nearly to death based on the blue tinge of her lips and her shivering.

"You're up" noted Fleur

Harry yawned, his jaw stretching to the max as he let out a groan, "Unfortunately, I am still alive, although I am tired enough to die right here on the stop"

"You will do no such thing Potter" tsk'd Madam Pomfrey, "Your flare for the dramatic is only outmatched by your father"

She waved her wand over his body, "You seem to have suffered the same level of damage as the other two, but the strain is more focused on your mind rather than your body. You and they are to remain here over the weekend"

Harry yawned again as he nodded, and his body shivered as he realized that he had used too much magic once again. Pomfrey set several potions by his bedside table before returning to her office, but leaving the door open.

Harry downed all three of the potions, making sure to drink each potion all at once to avoid the nasty taste.

Burping, Harry looked at Fleur, "What did you see in there?"

"There box gave me an icy wasteland, the snow never stopped falling" said Fleur, "I only managed to get ahead of it by using the gift you gave me"

"That's good" noted Harry, "Glad you got a lot of value out of it"

Fleur giggled

"What about you?" asked Harry

Krum let out a tired sigh, "The box sent me back to our duel, time and time again you used flames worse than the flames I used on her"

"Not all that unrealistic" replied Harry

"If we were to cross wands once more, I would have to give you some much needed humbling" hissed Krum

"If we cross wands again, I might just kill you" retorted Harry, "No amount of Dark Magic would be able to save you from me either"

"Boys" warned Fleur

"What did you see in the box?" asked Krum

"A dark endless void that had dementors and weird memories that didn't belong to me" answered Harry

"Your box wasn't strictly geared to bringing up your lowest moments?" asked Fleur, "The box was supposed to challenge you mentally until you got to the center of the box where there was a puzzle you had to complete to unravel the runes"

"I never go that far, I shattered the runes when I found the experience to be too unpleasant" shrugged Harry

"You are a rather strong, if not extremely reckless wizard" commented Krum

"It is part of my charm" said Harry as a wave of fatigue washed over his body once more

"You should be more careful" said Fleur

"I agree, but that's just not how life works for me. If I don't find danger, danger will find me" said Harry

"You're just lucky you're cute" said Fleur with a roll of her eyes

"So, who won?" asked Harry

Krum let out a humph and Fleur answered, "I did, I beat you by a couple of seconds. Then your explosion made Krum's box recharge, and he was in there for another 15 minutes"

"That's funny" said Harry

Krum grumbled to himself and the three of them sat there in silence and before long, all three of them had drifted off to sleep. And upon waking up to the glow of the sunrise peeking through the windows, Harry found that both of the other champions were gone.

Opening his hand, Harry's wand shot into it and with a flick of his wrist, he transfigured his hospital robes into a pair of student robes, before slipping out of bed and making his way back to his common room to shower, change into actual clothing, and make his way back down to the chamber.

These tasks are getting more and more dangerous, do you feel prepared to handle whatever may come up next?

'Based on the golden egg from the first task, we have to recover something from the merpeople in the lake right?'

Yes, we shall get into water based magic, we have only 10 weeks to prepare for this task even with the time turner.

'9 weeks, we still have the ball to attend'

Ah yes, I shall make adjustments for a couple days off to learn some basic ballroom dancing.

The next time anyone saw Harry out and about in the castle was 3 days later when he walked into the great hall for dinner.

"Where have you been?" asked Hermione

"Training" replied Harry as he flicked his wand and portions of food from nearby dishes on the table rushed to arrange themselves on his plate. He shoveled in a spoonful of mashed potato as Hermione started to lecture him about missing more and more school before she stopped.

"You didn't use an incantation, you did that silently" gasped Hermione

"Yeah, it's not a real spell Hermione" replied Harry, "Just a bit of will-based guided magic"

"That's not something covered until Seventh Year Charms" frowned Hermione

"It's not that hard" shrugged Harry

Hermione would continue to ask probing questions about what Harry was learning, how far ahead was he, what he thought was his best subject now. It all sounded very … childish to Harry at this moment, because the TriWizard Tournament had so far been a bit more life or death and Hermione was here trying to figure out what marks Harry would be able to get. All while Harry kept eating, letting her ramble on and on.

"Mione, I don't think Harry has been to a class in ages, his marks aren't his main focus" cut in Ron

"But if he doesn't do well on the end of year exams" whined Hermione

"I'll be sure to show them my CV, run under 'Defeated the Dark Lord' but above 'Quidditch Legend', I will put 'TriWizard Champion'. I am sure that I will be fine Hermione" joked Harry

"Are you really so sure of yourself? We are currently tied for First" said Fleur from behind him

Harry turned around and slipped off the bench, "I feel like I might have a bit of an inside edge on my co-leader, she thinks I'm cute"

"Is that a direct quote?" teased Fleur

"Perhaps" replied Harry

He gave a quick goodbye to his friends as he started to walk in line with Fleur, leaving the great hall and making their way to the Owlery

"You know, sometimes it doesn't feel like you're that much younger than Krum or I" said Fleur, "You seem to be keeping pace rather well"

"I aim to please" said Harry

"I find that hard to believe, you seem a bit … aloof" said Fleur as she tried to pick a word that would work best in English

"I did not think that I was that cold" admitted Harry, "I have become a bit less involved with people this year, but that's because I have to keep my eyes focused on the tournament"

"I understand that" agreed Fleur, "But I have found that you have made a very enjoyable distraction at times"

"I distract you?" asked Harry with a slight rosy tint to his cheeks

"I find myself comparing myself to you, thinking about how you might approach a training or even how you might prepare for the task" confirmed Fleur

"I'm preparing by researching whatever I think will work best for me" said Harry, "I felt like I had a plan in the first task, it didn't go all that well. After that, I couldn't really tell my inner voice no anymore, I had to commit myself to getting better"

"I get what you mean, that internal desire to be the best" nodded Fleur and Harry felt a bit confused, Junior was many things, but he was not a desire as far as Harry knew. But then again, there might not be a French word for it, so he let it go.

"Are you going to use a school owl?" asked Harry as they continued their slow trek towards the Owlery

"Yeah, I have a letter to send to my sister. My headmistress has given me permission to allow her to come to the tasks, she can spend the day before, day of, and day after with me" said Fleur

"That sounds nice" said Harry without thinking

"Yeah, she's a little spoiled brat, but I love her with all of my heart" added Fleur as her face took on a small happy smile

"I wonder what that's like" mused Harry aloud

"You're an only child" remembered Fleur, "It's like living with your best friend who also happens to be the most annoying person alive. You want for them to be the best at everything, but never better than you. You want to shield them from the whole world while also showing them off"

"That sounds tiring" joked Harry

"Only on the days that end in 'Y' Harry" said Fleur

"You can use my owl, I'm sure she would love the exercise" offered Harry. "I don't gift the change to use her much during the school year"

"I understand, my owl actually stays with my parents during the school year. All my friends are at school with me and my sister just started school as well, so she was supposed to be in the same place as me this year" said Fleur in understanding

"So … what color are we wearing to the ball, I believe that are supposed to coordinate" questioned Harry

"I was thinking you could wear something silver and I could wear something ebony, a little bit of a ying and yang" answered Fleur

"I match your hair and you match my hair" noted Harry

"Or we can both wear silver if you want" shrugged Fleur

"Silver might be more your color than it is mine" admitted Harry, "I think I am a bit more fond of gold and the first place that it represents"

Fleur shook her head as she giggled, "Harry … the TriWizard cup is silver"

Harry had the decency to blush at his mess up, "I see"

"Can I ask you something?" asked Fleur

"Yeah, you can ask just about anything" said Harry

"Where do you go? You disappear for days at a time. I do not mean to pry, but we're talking about our date to the ball that is in a couple of weeks and I haven' t seen you in a couple of days" questioned Fleur

"I train in a secluded part of the castle that I am pretty sure only I can enter" answered Harry, "I know it might sound crazy, but I am studying and trying to master as much magic as I can"

"And that requires you to hide from people?" asked Fleur

"I guess not, but being by myself allows for no distractions" admitted Harry

"So, I am a distraction to you?" asked Fleur as she slipped ever closer to him, her warmth reaching out to his body, inviting him into her space.

Harry found his body frozen as he remembered the words spoke to him from inside the void, the words having wormed their way into mind.

Do not be a full child, kiss her

Harry did so without thinking, listening to Junior and stepping forward and pressed his lips to hers gently. She smelled of smoked caramel and sugar as he breathed her in. She grabbed his shirt and pulled him in closer, the force of her lips on his increased.

His mind swam as he felt himself slowly sink deeper and deeper into the kiss, his focus on the world slowly ebbing away. This moment, it was the only one that mattered to him at this second.

And as she pulled away to end the kiss, Harry felt like he could cast over 1000 patronus charms without any issue.

"Joie de vivre" muttered Fleur, "Power, fame, money … it is all worthless if you forget to live life. Don't stop studying, just don't forget to get out of your little hideaway too"

She has a point, plus I guess we can use a couple extra spins on the time turner to fit in some extra time for you to enjoy

Fleur's breathe was still hitting Harry's face, but she didn't lean into another kiss, instead her blue eyes peered into his green ones. It was as if she was looking for a sign of something, but Harry wasn't sure. He felt a small flicker of magic leave Fleur, but he couldn't put a finger on what it was supposed to do. It didn't feel like a spell, no it felt a lot like her. It was as if she had wrapped him in a warm tight hug and refused to let go. He was certain that he could dispel the feeling with a burst of magic, but it didn't feel unpleasant, so he would allow it.

"My allure doesn't have the same effect on you as the others" whispered Fleur

"I don't feel anything" replied Harry, "I just feel you"

Fleur smirked and gently pushed him away, "You have a way with words, Mr. Potter. I think you are a distraction"

Harry rolled his eyes as a lopsided smile appeared on his face as well, "I think that between the two of us, you are the one who is the bigger distraction"

Fleur gave him a once over, "You are dashingly handsome enough, you just need to be more confident"

"Any more confident and I might just be arrogant" said Harry

"Arrogance is the blood of pride" shrugged Fleur, "People who are arrogant have a reason to be. Being arrogant because you are the best of the best, it is the best reason to be so"

"I have never thought about it like that" admitted Harry

"Dumbledore should be the biggest example of it, he is a man who holds just about every international title of power that a wizard can and yet he refuses to fix what is wrong with your ministry. He could easily be the minister and fix everything wrong with Britian, but he would rather stand aside and let the locals deal with it. But when South Africa had an issue with poachers, he popped down there and destroyed them like they were gnats in a matter of hours simply because he could" stated Fleur

"I have never seen that side of him" said Harry

"And you might never see it, he is like most powerful witches and wizards, he is not going to show off just to show off. He might flex his might ever now and then, but it's just a gentle reminder of what he can do, of what happens if you anger him" said Fleur

"You seem to know a lot about this" commented Harry

"Of course I do, most of Europe knows about this. Dumbledore is just as famous as you. His duel against Grindelwald is still shown at schools around the world" said Fleur as she took on a look of mild confusion, "You've seen the duel before right?"

"No, I've only heard about it in passing from a history book" answered Harry

"Harry, Dumbledore dueled Grindelwald for over 3 hours, matching a man who had single handedly marched across Europe conquering everything. It is said to be the greatest display of magic that mortals would ever see" exclaimed Fleur

Harry frowned, "I guess I do need to see it"

"I have a copy of the memory in my room, show me this owl of yours to send off my letter and we can watch it" said Fleur as she slipped her hand into his and tugged him along.

As the pair of them walked away, a figure emerged from the wall behind them, their eyes looked onto the form of the pair of the departing students.

"The Dark Lord will be most pleased about this development"

A/N: Here you go, another chapter of this story. LMK if you guys want to see a version of the Dumbledore duel in the next chapter.

Chapter 7

The décor was over the top like usual, Hogwarts already put everything they could into each holiday. The suits of armor that usually lined the halls had been transfigured into statues of Cupid. The lanterns had been turned into glowing hearts, the candles that usually floated above the tables in the Great Hall had been replaced with a series of shooting stairs that flew about randomly.

Harry wore a black and deep silver set of dress robes with a crystal blue tie that matched Fleur's eyes, they were remarkably similar to a human suit. His hair was charmed to be a bit flatter even if there was a bit of hair sticking up in the back.

He was waiting by the entrance to the Great Hall, waiting on his date.

I must say, silver does look well on you and by extension, me. I guess I would say that it looks great on us

'You just wanted to compliment yourself'

I am you, I was complimenting us

'I do not believe you'

Have I ever led you astray?

'Like literally this morning with the use of that soap'

I wasn't leading you astray, I was simply preparing you for what might happen

'What might happen, what are you talking about?'

Well, you're over 15 years old now, Fleur is over 17 years old. Most teenagers like to perform various acts that are more sexually based than what you usually do

'Huh?'

You might get laid you fucking brat

'Where is this coming from?'

It's coming from that fact that you are one of the most powerful young wizards in the world, have that classic pureblood look, and are fairly rich. You are going to start being approached by women who are looking for a slice of your fame, a slice of your wealth, or just want to say they slept with Harry Potter

Harry blinked as his cheeks dusted a light pink

'I feel like you've given this far too much thought'

And I feel that you haven't given it enough thought as surely you don't think that you, who is an international celebrity, is never going to draw the attention of any women

'I … have not given it much thought'

What else is new, I would tell you to fuck off, but I also know how much you need me tonight. Just promise me that you'll try to have bigger

Harry was used to Junior becoming more and more moody as of late, for whatever reason, he wasn't sure.

He felt the shift in the air and turned his attention down the hallway as Fleur rounded the corner. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders and back in tiny silvery blonde curls. She didn't wear any makeup other than a light touch of soft pink lipstick. Her dress was a solid black with a small sash of striped silver and emerald green tied around her stomach, sagging to rest on her hips. Her heels were the same dark black as her dress and she walked with an ease and grace that Harry had never seen from a woman before.

"Wow" greeted Harry, "I don't even know what world to use to describe how amazing you look. I don't think they've invented it yet"

Fleur rolled her eyes but gave him a soft smile all the same, "You are too sweet Harry, even if you do not know words"

Harry leaned in, Fleur's form smelling of crisp cinnamon and an alluring warmth of the burning chestnut logs

Harry wondered if this was the pull of her allure, was this him getting lost in the threads of her magic.

No, this is nothing like the being caught in allure Harry, trust me, you'd be unable to think of anything other than how to get her attention. You'd be like a dog chasing after one of those muggle electric wagon things, you'd wouldn't know what to do with her even if you did catch her.

"You smell amazing" said Harry with his cheeks getting a heathy dose of pink

Fleur giggled lightly before she lined her, her lips pulling right into Harry's left ear. He could feel her breath on his ear, her smell filling his sense so powerfully, he could taste it.

"I assure you Arry, I taste much better" said Fleur as she put on a mockingly heavy French accent at the end, butchering the English on purpose.

Harry was certain the Basilisk couldn't petrify people into being this hard and his face was giving the Weasley's clan hair color a run for its money.

My poor dear child, you stand absolutely no chance against this woman

Fleur placed a soft kiss on his cheek and Harry had to mentally remember to breathe as she let out a musical series of giggles.

"You still with me Harry?" asked Fleur innocently

Harry nodded dumbly, his mind filled with the echoes of Juniors laughter. His mental companion decided to take pity on Harry as he forcibly slammed down occlumency walls, purging Harry of the emotional chaos that was picking on his young teenager body.

Fleur looked on curiously as Harry recovered faster than anyone else she had ever teased before and offered her his arm, which she took linking her own arm through his.

"I am excited for this, I haven't been to a ball with a date who wasn't drooling on himself in ages" admitted Fleur

"Oh, does your school have annual balls?" asked Harry as they walked past McGonagall who was eyeing Fleur with a hint of disappointment, but they both ignored her as Harry resisted rolling his eyes at the look. Hogwarts Professors might be brilliant teachers, but they were absolute shite people and judges of character.

"Two of them actually" answered Fleur, "We have a small Yule or Christmas ball for the students who remain over the break, it's very optional and quaint. But we always have one at the end of the school year, mostly for the post exam relaxation"

"I wish we did things to relax at the end of the year, usually it is just me defeating whatever fuckery has been occurring over the year to save the castle" muttered Harry

Fleur heard him and she let out a small unlady like snort, it caused both of them to smile at one another as they glided into the middle of the dance floor as Krum and Hermione joined them.

The coordinator of the dance was glaring at them, and not in the same disapproving manner as McGonagall. But with actual anger as if they had wronged him somehow.

"We ruined the triangle formation that the champions were supposed to dance in during the opening dance" whispered Fleur, "Mr. Grule is upset that we ruined it, its why he's glaring at us like we kicked his child"

The music started and Junior guided Harry through a very fast paced French Waltz, allowing him to keep up with Fleur.

"I had no idea that you knew Valse Musette, you are full of surprises" noted Fleur

Harry just flashed her a smile as Junior told him to shut up mentally. They transitioned from the waltz to a more modern Foxtrot. Harry's hands slipped down to her hips as he pulled her close, her scent filling his sense.

'Merlin, she smells perfect'

Fleur looked him in the eyes, her beautiful blue eyes meeting his striking green eyes and the rest of the room faded away. Their pace slowed down as they simply took in each other and nothing else. Nothing else mattered at this point, only this moment and Fleur leaned in slightly, but Harry beat her to it and closed the rest of the distance, his lips pressing against hers.

Her lips were warm and she sucked the breathe out of his lungs until they parted, ignoring the catcalls from the onlooking students.

"You make quite the date" muttered Fleur

"I am to please" whispered back Harry

"Perhaps I will see if you really live up to that later" said Fleur teasingly as she wagged her eyebrows. But Junior was still helping Harry out and he managed to avoid blushing.

As the champions dance ended and there rest of the students flooded the dance floor, they slipped off the dance floor towards the drinks tables.

Karkaroff was manning the table, his face twisted into one of indifference as he waved his wand as they approached and drinks poured themselves and drifted towards them. Harry caught both glasses with his Seeker skills and he handed one to Fleur.

It looked like juice but when Harry took a sip, the fruity liquid was slightly bitter and burned his throat when he swallowed.

"Is it supposed to taste like this?" asked Harry

"I reckon someone spiked the punch bowl with alcohol. This was originally supposed to be a 17 and up ball, but they had to invite younger years to accommodate you being 14 at the start of the year" answered Fleur as she drained her cup in a trio of sips

Harry not wanting to seem unable to hang with her, downed his cup in a single go, swallowing the burning liquid in one giant gulp.

"You might want to slow down Harry, you are still young and inexperienced when it comes to drinking" warned Fleur

Harry took a deep breath and other than the slight warmth in his stomach, he felt fine and voiced as much, "I don't feel all that different, just a little warmer"

Fleur nodded as she took the cup from his hand, "Well in that case, I don't think another glass will hurt before dinner"

She walked away and Harry squinted as he saw Draco at the table with Snape and Karkaroff, all three of them talking before Fleur arrived. She got a refill of the cups and walked back over to Harry even as the try of Slytherins continued to converse, their presence together drawing his attention.

"Here ya go Harry" said Fleur as she handed him the cup, her crystal blue eyes looking slightly emptier than he had seem them before but that could have just been the alcohol.

They both took a sip and this time the bitter unsweetened taste was gone, replaced with an almost too sweet syrupy taste that made Harry grimace. But Fleur didn't react, thus Harry continued to chug along, draining a third of the cup on the first gulp.

Fleur was giving him a cheery smile as she finished her cup and Harry rushed to finish his own as she led them to their designated table for dinner. As he finished the last of his drink, Fleur had already used the magical menu to order a bottle of French Elven Wine, filling a pair of small glasses halfway for both of them.

Harry felt his tongue tingle as he followed her example and took a tiny sip and he felt his head get flooded with pressure as it throbbed.

HARRY! HARRY! LISTEN TO ME BOY! Something is wro-

Junior's voice faded from his mind and Harry felt a sense of weightless fill his body, all thoughts leaving his body as he finished the small glass of pleasant tasting wine.

"It … desert wine, … Harry?" asked Fleur as her words flowed in and out of focus as Harry felt his mind struggle to lock in and focus on the current moment before him.

"I like it" said Harry as he gestured to the glass that had been filled with wine and Fleur nodded at him.

He blinked and suddenly their table was packed with people, a plate of gravy covered mashed potato, roasted carrots, and fish in front of him.

"You need to eat something Harry, we have a lot of dancing to d-" started Fleur voice before it drifted away.

He blinked again and suddenly he was covered in a bit of sweat as he and Fleur walked back over to the punch table.

"Your tango is very good Harry" panted Fleur, "I might need to bring you to our end of the year ball back home, you make a rather good dancing partner"

Karkaroff handed them both another set of drinks and Harry couldn't help but notice the empty look in the man's eyes and he felt his body tremble with the sickening sweet drink touched his tongue.

His wand grew burningly hot against his wrist inside his sleeve and he couldn't understand what was happening, his body felt sluggish and heavy, yet his mind felt so weightless. He frowned as he turned to look at Fleur, but she was gone and he closed his eyes as for the first time since he was a small child, he couldn't feel the pulsing power of his magic flowing through his body.

Something was wrong, his body felt so warm and for the first time all night, he went searching for Junior inside of his mind yet couldn't find him.

He opened his eyes, and he found himself inside of an abandoned classroom, his body propped up against a wall. His vision swam and he saw an unconscious Fleur on the ground before him, surrounded by Crabbe, Goyle, an extremely uncomfortable looking Nott, and an older Ravenclaw that he didn't recognize who had his wand out pointing at Nott.

"We did it boys, we're going to each have a turn with her than force Potter to as well, that way we can 'catch' him in the act and pin this entire thing on him" said the Ravenclaw

He didn't use his wand, instead opting to use his hand as he reached down to grab Fleur's dress when Harry felt a tug in his gut and his wand ripped through wooden draw that it had been placed in and returned to his hand, his magic pulsing through his body like a river that had been held back.

The Ravenclaw didn't even get the chance to talk as Harry slashed his wand and both of his legs were sliced off at the knee. Crabbe gasped and Harry jabbed his wand at him, sending him crashing into the stone wall behind him. Goyle tried to charge Harry, but Harry removed the bones from his legs with a wave of his wand.

That just left him and the trembling Nott, who immediately raised his hands as he threw his wand at Harry's feet.

"You have one chance to tell me why I shouldn't kill all of you right now" hissed Harry

"I didn't want to do this" stated Nott, "He forced me to"

He pointed at the Ravenclaw and Harry nodded as if it all made sense, that was the boy who had been running his mouth when he came to.

"You should leave these three behind" suggested Harry

Nott didn't need to be told twice before he turned his attention back to the Ravenclaw, his wand jabbed and a small bolt of lightning shot out of his wand, shocking the older boy.

The boy spasmed in pain and Harry felt his wand grow ice cold in his hand, that had never happened before. His magic pulsed like burning lava inside of his body and he felt his mouth fill with vomit. The worse he felt, the more he felt like blasting the Ravenclaw boy with stronger and stronger bolts of magic.

The Ravenclaw boy opened his mouth to scream, but no sound ever left his body. Harry glanced and saw that Crabbe had managed to recover and sent a bolt of purple at him. Harry deflected the spell, sending a bone breaking hex at the boy. The spell slammed into Crabbe's chest and Harry could feel the boy's ribs snap through his connection with the spell.

Crabbe hissed in pain as he dropped to the ground, holding his ribs. His eyes whirled back to where the Ravenclaw boy was, before he found that he was missing. Twisting his wand in a tight circle while pointing it downward, Harry sent a blast of flames outward from his body, burning everything from his waist level and up.

He heard three yelps and he had a hard time believing that Fleur and him had been taken down by these guys. Black sludge exploded from his mouth as he vomited, the taste of the syrupy punch making itself known once more.

Wiping his mouth, he felt dread fill his body as he realized that whatever they had used on him to get him into this condition, they most likely had used it on Fleur as well. But that seemed a bit farfetched to him, Fleur was very magical in nature. Her body should have a natural protection against something like this.

Something was wrong, everything about this situation was wrong. Turning around to see Fleur, she had vanished from the floor and he turned around, finding himself no longer in the room with anyone else. What the actual fuck was going on here? What was happening to him that reality was shifting all around him? What was real and what was a hallucination?

His thought process was broken up as he felt a massive jolt of pain flood his body, a sheering pain along his face as he brought his hand up to touch his cheeks, his palm full of warm liquid. Removing his hand from his face, he could feel the blood flowing down his cheek as his hand was stained red, his eyes looking around in confusion,

His magic swirled inside of him, his body trembling as the pressure inside of his body grew and he dropped to his knees, his head pounding as he grabbed it with both hands and threw his head back in sheer pain, a throat scratching scream leaving his mouth.

A blast of red caught his attention out of the corner of his eye and he felt his body shiver as his magic flared outward once more.

Harry Fucking Potter, calm down

Junior's voice slid into the back of his mind once more and he opened his mouth, finding himself inside of the Great Hall at the Ball once more, dozens of downed students around him. Dumbledore had his wand pointed at him, as did almost all of the teachers in the room. A spinning dome of wind sped around him, protecting him from their spells as they had clearly been trying to stop him.

Fleur was outside the dome, her dress ruffled and had some minor tears around thew bottom, but otherwise looked fine. Karkaroff was still by the drink station, but he looked rather pleased with the situation.

Harry pulled all of the winds back into his body to the best of his abilities, his body aching as his magic thrashed about internally, begging to be released again. Dumbledore looked at Harry with a hint of fear and a look of relief.

McGonagall edged around him and she flicked her wand, taking most of the students who had been hurt by Harry to the Hospital Wing. Flitwick used his wand to take any of the students that she couldn't take and suddenly the ball was missing a third of the dances as nearly 80 students were taken to the hospital wing.

Fleur looked just as confused and out of it as he did, that was a good thing and Karkaroff marched over to Dumbledore, gesturing to Harry multiple times. It was clear that he was giving Dumbledore an earful about whatever had happened with Harry.

Looking around, everyone was looking at Harry as if he had grown a second head or as if he was going to hurt them. Something was wrong, something had happened to him that had caused a rather poor result.

Dumbledore ended the conversation with Karkaroff and walked over to Harry before grabbing him by the neck of his dress robe and the two of them popped away from the Great Hall and into his office.

Harry stumbled as they landed and Dumbledore flicked his wand at Harry, sending him crashing into the guest chair across from his desk. He slide into his chair and he looked as angry as Harry had ever seen him look.

"This type of thing cannot happen Harry, you are a brilliant, talented, powerful young wizard, but you cannot lose control like you did tonight" said Dumbledore

"Loss control?" asked Harry, "I am so confused as to what is going on"

"Confused? What is the last thing you remember?" asked Dumbledore

"Fleur and I were drinking punch that Karkaroff handed to us, there was something bitter at first, but then by the second cup, it was overly sweet" answered Harry

"Bitter than sweet" noted Dumbledore, "Sounds like a two part mentally altering elixir was slipped to the two of you through the drinks"

Harry looked at Dumbledore who blushed lightly, "I have lived a long time Harry, I have … experimented with many things in live. You will have to forgive an old man for trying things"

Harry pushed it to the side, he would ask about that another time, "Snape and Draco were with him at one point, he was running the drink table. After the second cup, things go hazy"

"Karkaroff was running the drink table" repeated Dumbledore as he stood up, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses, "Stand up Harry"

Harry did as Dumbledore said and they both disappeared in a whirl of magic once again, arriving back at the Great Hall, much to everyone's surprise.

Karkaroff looked shocked to see them standing before him. Even more shocked when without saying anything, Dumbledore blasted him backwards with a simple flick of his wand.

"I've been wondering when I would be able to figure out how things were happening seemingly under my nose, but you overplayed your hand this time" tsk'd Dumbledore as he summoned a flask from Karkaroff's body that was pinned to the wall.

"Odhalit" muttered Dumbledore as he hit Karkaroff with the spell and Karkaroff let out an inhumane scream as the spell hit him.

Harry and all of the remaining people in the room watch as Karkaroff's form shifted into that of a shorter man, on who rather thin with pale skin, long unkept raven locks, and a pair of angry dark brown eyes. And when he snarled at Dumbledore, he showed his discolored yellow teeth.

Rabastan Lestrange, this pathetic sack of shit

"Rabastan Lestrange" noted Dumbledore less than a second behind Junior in Harry's mind, "You should be in Azkaban"

"And you're old ass should be dead" spat back Rabastan

"You'll find that I have more than enough in these old bones to deal with you" replied Dumbledore as he stared at the man before him, "If you're here, that means he's here as well. The two of you, never ventured far apart from one another. But now, the question is whom"

Moody

Harry turned and he slashed his wand at Moody who already had his wand out, ready to cast some spell at Dumbledore's back. Harry watched as his bolt of white magic sliced through the blood freezing spell Moody cast and hit the man's wand, causing it to explode in a mess of shards that destroyed Moody's hands.

Moody dropped to his knees as he clutched his ruined hand and let out a scream of pain before Dumbledore hit him with the same foreign spell he had used on Rabastan. Moody's body twisted and morphed into a similar looking tall slender raven haired man as Rabastan.

Rodolphus Lestrange

"Rodolphus" greeted Dumbledore coldly, "A pair of death eater that managed to slip through the cracks of Azkaban. I am not all that surprised, the pair of you were always brilliant at enchanting things. How many muggles did the pair of you curse during the last war? Hundreds? Or was it in the thousands?"

Rodolphus chuckled, "You are giving us not enough credit Professor, it was easily in the tens of thousands. Those filthy beasts don't deserve to walk the same planet as us"

Harry silenced him with a wave of his wand.

"Much appreciated Harry" said Dumbledore before he used his wand to amplify his voice, "Students of Durmstrang, your headmaster is still alive. Polyjuice doesn't work on the dead, return to your boat and find him"

They foreign students didn't argue with the icily spoken words of Dumbledore, his tone leaving no room for them to reject them. Dumbledore's usually kind blue twinkling eyes had turned an icy light blue, piercing and sharp.

This is the man who stood opposite of Grindelwald and simply stopped him in his tracks Harry. The sleeping beast has awoken, watch and learn.

Harry didn't need to be told twice as the professors slowly removed all of the students from the room, leaving just the Lestrange brothers, Dumbledore, Harry, and Snape.

"Severus, this might get loud" said Dumbledore as he whipped his wand in a circle and the brothers were yanked towards one another, "Please provide us some silence"

A ward of magic flooded the area, Harry making out a rather unique variation of the standard muffling ward that covered them. Dumbledore didn't even glance back at Harry as he marched forward, his steps echoing through the empty hall.

"You know the thing about two people being in on a single event … a single task? You don't really need both. I am certain that Voldemort is going to kill one of you for this failure, you know it as well. Now this is your chance to tell me what you know and I will offer to hide you, removing you from harm's way" stated Dumbledore

Rodolphus spat at the ground of Dumbledore's feet and Rabastan snarled, "You will get nothing from us you pathetic old goat fucker. We would rather die than tell you anything"

Dumbledore shook his head in disappointment, his magic humming through the air before he said, "That is … a rather poor choice of words"

Harry didn't need the words to be spoke as Dumbledore's magic sharpened in the room and Rodolphus spasmed as his mouth opened in a scream that couldn't break Harry's silencing charm.

Rodolphus' eyes rolled into the back of his head and his body stopped shaking as Dumbledore finished ripping through his mind.

"Lucius is up to his old tricks it seems" muttered Dumbledore, "It matters not, anyone who dares to pick up that mask and don that cloak once more, will be met with force"

"What did you do to my brother?" demanded Rabastan

"He refused to tell me what I wanted to know, so I simply took it from his mind" said Dumbledore as if he was discussing the weather, "He might recover … he might also be mentally retardant after this, hard to say"

Rabastan gasped in shock before Dumbledore sucked in all of his magic as the door to the Great Hall opened and Fudge flanked by a trio of Aurors arrived,

"I suggest that you head to bed Harry, we will talk in the morning" said Dumbledore

Harry didn't get to respond as Fawkes landed on his shoulder and dropped him off in his bed in a burst of flames.

The war is going to be starting up once again Harry

'You seem worried'

You are going to play a key part

'How can you be so certain'

I would not mess around about this

'Fair enough'

We need to get to another level

'More hours with the time turner?'

We need more than just repeating days, we might need to triple our days. We cannot afford to not be prepared.

'Why are you so scared?'

Death Eaters are in the castle Harry, if they are here … then their master is closer to full strength than we know of. I … we cannot afford to not be prepared.

'Voldemort'

He's not a normal wizard Harry, he is capable of things that you do not believe are possible. Is capable of using magic that has been deemed to be lost to time. You are a brilliant young man, but he is not a man. He is more of a demon, a foul twisted parody of what magic should never be.

'I will be prepared'

WE will be prepared, the Dark Lord will never know what hit him

The next morning: Wiltshire, England

The door to the meeting room was magically sealed, the chairs at the long extended table were all filled.

"Am I a joke to you?" hissed a voice, one that sent shivers down the spines of everyone in the room. The temperature in the room spiked as the owner of the voice's magic flared out and caused everyone to wince.

"Surely someone has the courage to tell me no, surely all of you who have pledged your life to me and our cause has a tongue" questioned the voice

"My lord, you are never taken lightly" said Lucius breaking the silence

A gleeful insane crackle filled the room, "Trust a Malfoy to know what words to use"

Voldemort glared at the rest of the table, his red eyes washing over the various death eaters who refused to meet his eyes, all of them looking down at the wood of the table.

"I do not ask much of you, I ask you to uphold your words … your pledges to me. Yet, I have been met with disappointment time and time again. I was send to be vanquished and nobody bothers to spend even a second glance looking for me. I return and nobody was here with open arms. I have forgiven so much, I cannot forgive sheer stupidity. So, perhaps one of you might be able to explain to me, why is Harry Potter still breathing?" challenged Voldemort

"Because the boy is much more talented than anyone could have ever anticipated" admitted Snape

"You have spent 3 plus years with him and you still find yourself taking back by his ability?" spat Voldemort as he hit Snape with a wordless spell that caused the man to scream out in pain as his body spasmed.

"I had a pair of spies in Hogwarts, the boy is truly talented, my Lord" added Lucius

"Harry Potter is not so talented that he should be able to overcome three of my trusted soldiers" hissed Voldemort

Snape shook his head while panting, "Potter is something unique my Lord, he knows dark magic that has long been forgotten. We cheated with a referee during a duel and allowed a champion to use Dark Magic, he overcame it. Even Dumbledore is not sure what to make of the boy"

Voldemort tilted his head in thought

"Then it is time that I stop trusting you pathetic bugs to do my work, find a way for the boy to meet me at the end of the tournament. I will put him down like I should have all those years ago"

A/N: bit of a shorter chapter, lot of things happening and I look forward to continuing this story in due time. Happy Holidays yall.

Think about joining my discord with invite code: pefQqxmN

Until next time

Chapter 8

The Daily Prophet By Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent

Chaos at the Yule Ball: Scandal, Subterfuge, and the Return of Darkness

It was a night meant for elegance, enchantment, and celebration. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry's Great Hall was alight with the shimmer of the Valentine's Day Ball. Yet, beneath the sparkling chandeliers and swirling robes, a storm of dark magic and treachery brewed, leaving dozens of students injured and two notorious Death Eaters unmasked.

The evening's supposed festivities descended into pandemonium when Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, found himself at the center of a maelstrom of magical chaos. Eyewitnesses describe Potter engulfed in a ferocious whirlwind of wind and energy, deflecting spells from nearly every professor in the hall. Headmaster Albus Dumbledore himself was forced to intervene, vanishing with Potter in a swirl of magic only to return moments later with a vengeance.

And what, dear readers, prompted such a spectacle? The answer lies in a sinister plot that reaches deep into the shadows of our world.

A Dangerous Elixir and a Sinister Plot

It appears that both Potter and Beauxbatons champion Fleur Delacour were victims of a nefarious two-part elixir, slipped into their drinks by none other than "Igor Karkaroff." But here, my astute readers, is where the tale twists. Under Dumbledore's probing magic, the man masquerading as Karkaroff was revealed to be Rabastan Lestrange, a Death Eater long thought to be rotting in Azkaban.

Rabastan's sudden unmasking would have been shocking enough, but the evening took an even darker turn when Potter, in a display of remarkable perception, unmasked a second infiltrator: none other than Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, or so everyone had believed. The man behind the scarred visage turned out to be Rodolphus Lestrange, Rabastan's equally vile brother.

Yes, readers, you heard it here first: the Lestrange brothers, infamous for their crimes against Muggle and wizardkind alike, had infiltrated Hogwarts. And with what goal in mind?

The LeStranges' Grim Agenda

Sources close to the investigation suggest that the Lestrange brothers were targeting none other than Harry Potter himself. What dark magic or deadly schemes they intended to unleash remains unclear, but one cannot help but wonder how these convicted criminals escaped Azkaban undetected and what other horrors they may have been plotting within the sacred halls of Hogwarts.

Harry Potter: Hero or Harbinger?

Potter's actions during the chaos have drawn mixed reactions. While his ability to detect Rodolphus's treachery and disable him mid-attack demonstrates remarkable skill, whispers of his apparent loss of control during the incident have cast a shadow over his heroism. Is Potter a beacon of hope, or does the sheer weight of his power—and his destiny—pose a danger to those around him?

And what of Fleur Delacour, who was equally a victim in this tragic affair? Questions remain about the extent of her involvement—or perhaps her manipulation—by the Lestranges.

A Call for Answers

How did two known Death Eaters infiltrate Hogwarts, and what role does Headmaster Dumbledore's leadership play in this breach of security? These are questions the Ministry must answer. Minister Fudge's office has, predictably, refused to comment, while Dumbledore remains tight-lipped.

As always, I will continue to seek the truth, wherever it may lie. For now, dear readers, remember to watch your backs, question those around you, and trust no one. Darkness, it seems, is always closer than we think.

Harry's magic flared and all the newspapers in the Great Hall burst into flames

My oh my, quite the temper

'I am sick of dealing with this, I can't keep just reacting to things. I … I need to be stronger to be able to be in control'

Is the time turner not enough?

Harry glanced over towards where Fleur was sitting alone at the end of the Ravenclaw table, her own classmates avoiding her due to the accident. Her eyes looked pinky and puffy as if she had spent the night crying, yet Harry saw that her face was cold and emotionless.

'No, it is not enough, I need to be better now'

What are you willing to sacrifice to obtain such power Harry?

'Almost anything'

That is a powerful statement Harry, we will complete it when we arrive into the chamber.

'Ok'

Trust me … things will be okay. Go talk to her

Harry didn't argue with Junior, slipping out of his seat and making his way over to Fleur, well aware of the eyes that remained locked onto his form, watching his every movement. Annoyance bubbled underneath his skin, but he ignored it.

He stopped less than a foot from her, his body tensed, and he realized that he had simply followed Junior's demand but didn't think of what he would say when he got over here. His mind was a mess, and he couldn't think.

"Just take a seat already" sighed Fleur

Harry did as he was told and sat down at the Ravenclaw's table, on the very edge across from her. Her face relaxed ever so slightly as their eyes met and Harry gave her a small lopsided smile.

"I would ask how you're feeling but I know that I feel like shite and imagine you feel similar" admitted Harry, "How did you sleep?"

"Poorly" answered Fleur

"Understandable" replied Harry, "It wasn't your fought Fleur … you did nothing wrong"

"And you did?" questioned Fleur

"No, but these things tend to happen around me" shrugged Harry, "People want me dead for things I didn't have a hand in such as killing Voldemort in the past or if you're Snape, you dislike my dad. These things are just part of my life"

Fleur frowned, "You sound … so passive. I do not like that"

"I … I do not want to be passive or at the beck and call of people more powerful forever, but I am also like 15 years old. In due time, things might be different, but for now I have to put up with people like Dumbledore and the Government" finished Harry with a joke, drawing a small giggle from Fleur

"So, the rumors are true, you are planning to overthrow the government" said Luna as she slid in next to Harry, "I always knew it to be true Harry. Please let me be the First Lady when you decide you want to take over"

Fleur laughed much louder this time and Harry groaned.

Wiltshire, England:

Lord Voldemort sat across from Lucius Malfoy in Malfoy's personal office. It was always strange to him why purebloods always had these overly impressive and large libraries when they themselves were such lazy rich brats. Malfoy across from him was no different, he was somewhat of a businessman, but that came not from dedicated studying.

No, never that, it had been something that he had been groomed to do from the time that he was young by his father.

"I am sure why you are wondering why I asked to speak to you in private Malfoy" mused Voldemort as he took delight in the man's obvious fear

"Could be a number of things that you are concerned about, my Lord" admitted Malfoy

"You have no reason to be afraid" said Voldemort with a big smile, the issue was that all of his smiles were rather sinister in nature, so this did nothing to disarm the fear that Malfoy felt.

"Of course, my Lord" muttered Malfoy, his tone full of fear and Voldemort could see the man was ready to soil himself. So much for Pureblood Supremacy.

"Before I disappeared … I believe that I gave you something to hold onto for me, if I happen to remember things correctly. Do you still have it?" asked Voldemort

Lucius gulped as he felt this heart speed up and start to thunder in his chest, panic setting in and he found himself unable to speak as his throat closed up, his mouth so dry that his lips were stuck together. He did his best to just shake his head, confirming that he did not still have possession of the diary that the Dark Lord had left in his possession.

"Oh … Did you have it placed in your vault for safe keeping? Rather savvy and smart of you, I must give you credit" praised Voldemort

Lucius shook his head in the negative and Voldemort performed a bit of wandless magic and summoned his wand from the depths of his robes and gently banished it to the side table beside his sitting form.

"I am unarmed Lucius, please do tell me what you did with the book that I gave you" tsk'd Voldemort, a sense of dread forming in his stomach and he already had a conclusion simply based on the sheer amount of fear that the blond man across from him was showing, "Speak now at once, no more silence'

Lucius licked his lips, "Well … you see-"

"I do not see a single thing Lucius, did you lose my book?" asked Voldemort

Lucius shook his head, "Not exactly"

"Then tell me exactly what happened" ordered Voldemort

"The book you gave me, it spoke to me" admitted Lucius, "It showed me things, it gave me knowledge, history lessons. It wanted to be used"

Voldemort's red eyes met Lucius's eyes, and he ripped through the man's mind without a care. But brute force wasn't needed as Lucius opened the door for him and let him into his mind, allowing him to see how the Horcrux in the diary had provided him information.

How the Diary had taught Lucius how to control the Dementors, how it had him spring the LeStrange brothers for this plot, how it taught him how to transmute muggle bodies into copies of the freed brothers. How it wanted to find a host that it could use to get its own body.

The Diary had been every much a master as he had been to Malfoy, it had its own wishes and desires. Ultimately it even gave Lucius the final mission of finding him should he fail to gain his own body.

"Interesting" muttered Voldemort as he pulled out of Lucius' mind, receding into his own as he slowly started to give himself some deep thought, the nature of his Horcrux was confusing to him, but he had to be sure of something first.

"Do you know what that diary was?" asked Voldemort

"A shade of your magic" answered Lucius, "It was how I knew that you weren't dead, your magic on the spell would have faded if you were truly dead"

Voldemort could not sense any dishonesty from the man, so he dismissed him, "Leave me alone, I have much to think about. Tell nobody to bother me or I shall kill them for disrespecting my wishes. Now be gone"

Lucius didn't need to be told twice, nor did he protest getting kicked out of his personal study in his own home, that would be rather foolish.

Hogwarts: Chamber of Secrets

'So, this ritual does what exactly?'

Magic cannot be created or destroyed. Despite what less intelligent Purebloods say, you cannot steal it either. Muggleborns are largely the descendants of previously inbred Pureblood squibs. It is a birth defect of sorts, except instead of a physical one in the muggle world, they developed a magical one.

'Magic refused to be used for spells because it was protecting the host?'

Exactly, magic is still deep inside of their body, but the body needs all the magic that it can get to remain functional. Thus, to keep their host alive, magic chooses to become dormant, and it can take generations upon generations for magic to deem the host suitable for casting magic once more. But that is not the point of this session, I will provide more details about how muggleborns came to be at another time if you wish.

'Ok, so this ritual does what exactly?' asked Harry once more

Yes back on track, you cannot steal magic from others. You can steal magic from yourself in a manner.

'What do you mean by 'in a manner' am I taking away my potential for current power?'

No, nothing like that. That would not help you reach your peak in the long run. This technically might not either depending on your views. Harry, to enhance your magical power, you have to sacrifice something. To answer your question, you're going to shave off a time at the end of your life to boost your current life.

Harry froze, that sounded insane.

I know how that might sound, but think about Dumbledore, how old is he?

'Like 110'

113 to be exact Harry. And with how powerful the old man is, he could easily continue living on for another 100 years. Must wizards live between 150 to 200 years old, we age much slower than muggles once we mature. We aren't limiting you to 75 years old, you might live to be 199 or 205 instead.

'How much are we sacrificing?'

As much as you feel comfortable with. This is your decision, you want some extra power, well we are going to pull magic from the end of your life forward. You can be easily twice as powerful by the time you reach 17. But this is your choice Harry, do not do this because I suggest it. You are your own person, make an educated decision.

'How strong could I get if I used 5 years?'

You might be a rival for both Dumbledore and Voldemort by the end of next year, that a lot of time

'Then let's do it!'

Then we shall perform The Ceremony of Yekpanj ("One for Five"). This is an ancient Persian-inspired magical ritual draws its mystique from Zoroastrian symbolism, combining the duality of light and shadow, fire's transformative power, and the sanctity of life. By offering five years of one's own existence, the participant binds themselves to a pact with unseen cosmic forces to gain immense magical abilities.

'How do you know so much about so many different branches of magic?'

I've been around longer than you might think Harry

'But aren't we the same age?'

I am magical in nature Harry, I have knowledge from places you may never ever hear of

'Ok, so how do we do the ritual?'

The ritual must be performed on a full moon night in a desolate as this symbolizes the purity of isolation. Upon finding the correct location to perform the ritual, we make a circular sigil made of salt, saffron, powdered garnet, and Persian runes that are inscribed on the ground, representing the elemental triad of earth, fire, and blood.

'This all sounds a bit too easily'

Next, is a silver bowl filled with fire that can only be fed by sacred herbs: frankincense, sandalwood, and myrrh. We will need to create a ceremonial dagger engraved with Old Persian inscriptions invoking the yazatas who are the celestial beings that are known to fuel this ritual. From there, you will need drop of your blood untouched by magic and a personal token, an item representative of the past five years. It has to be something you will miss, it cannot be something lesser, you have to make a sacrifice.

From there you will place five ceremonial candles placed equidistantly around the sigil, each inscribed with one of the elements: Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether. After everything is prepared, the participant fasts and refrains from speech for one full day before the ritual, drinking only pomegranate juice to symbolize life's bittersweet essence.

'When is the next full moon?'

We have 5 days to get this all done, you will use the time turner to assist in making sure that you have everything you need and are prepared. But you cannot use it for 24 hours prior to the ritual.

Harry nodded and started getting off to work, he wasn't sure how much of this stuff he needed to gather.

As the day arrived, Harry found himself eying the Persian scribbled into the ground with a careful eye.

'Are we sure this is written correctly'

Your Persian is a bit on the poorer side of things

'Will you fix it?'

Yes, but we have to start now, I will fix it right before the ritual commences. Begin by lighting the candles while chanting an ancient Persian prayer: Ahura Mazda, (Keeper of Truth and Light, Bearer of wisdom beyond mortal sight, Witness the bond sealed by this night).

Harry did as he was told, lighting the candles and repeating the prayer.

Now, ignite the fire in the silver bowl with the ceremonial herbs, breathing life into the sacred flames that connect mortal desires with the divine.

Before we use the dagger, let me check the runes for you.

Harry walked around the circle of runes and Junior groaned inside his head.

It was so close to being perfect Harry, but you misspelled your name

'I did?' blushed Harry mentally as he felt a wave of embarrassment flood his body

Give me control over your body and I will correct it.

Harry did so, but this is the first time that Junior had ever used Harry's trust in him against Harry. Because Harry hadn't made a mistake, everything was perfect. Harry was a great student, the perfect companion for someone like Junior. Why should he cut his life short because the main part of Junior's soul was an arsehole?

He shouldn't and Junior wouldn't allow it. Which is why when Harry allowed Junior to guide his body, Junior erased the runes stating Harry James Potter and rewrote them as Tom Marvolo Riddle Junior, then replaced the portion of the runes about the life force and magic of Harry, to consume 40 years of the soul of Tom Marvolo Riddle Junior that was present.

Tom never had kids, but if he had? He would have wanted them to be like Harry. It was worth it to him to sacrifice himself for the brat.

Now use the dagger to draw a single drop of blood and let it fall into the fire, symbolizing the tangible essence of life.

Harry did as he was told, never flinching as the dagger sliced through the tip of his finger.

Now place the personal token into the flames as a representation of the memories and time being offered. As the object burns, it serves as a metaphorical transfer of the five years being surrendered.

Harry placed his first Weasley Christmas sweater in the flames, the red fabric glowing bright blue as it was consumed

Now, repeat after me Zam, Atar, Anahita (forces of the universe, I invoke thee, Bind the power of my soul to the cycles of existence)

Hold your hands above the fire until the heat becomes nearly unbearable. Whisper the phrase: Yek az zendegi. Panj bar mazarfi (One from life, five for power.)

The fire flares violently and extinguishes, plunging the area into an eerie silence. When the candles snuff themselves, the pact is sealed.

Harry looked around confused before his body started to glow the same bright blue that had consumed the sweater, his body spasming as he dropped to the ground. His head was pounding, and he felt blood flow from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

He let out an angry wet cough and blood splattered the ground as he grabbed his head in pain, a loud crackling sound consuming all of his hearing. His body shivered as the pain consumed him and he blacked out.

Are you still alive or do I have this body to myself

'Fuck off you prat'

Mind your tongue Harry

Harry used his wand to vanish all the blood off of his body before he thought about how great a cup of water would be, and his wand erupted a fountain of drinking water.

"Bloody hell" commented Harry before he drank until his stomach hurt from the amount of water that filled it.

You seem to be in much better control

'Yeah, I don't ever remember being able to field my magic this easily before. If this is what 5 years does, then I almost wish that I could have done 10 years'

You can only perform this ritual once Harry

'Oh well, this is going to be great no matter what. I might be stronger than Dumbledore now'

Challenge the old man to a duel to become headmaster then, take the title from the bearded annoyance

'Maybe next year, now what?'

Now? You use the time turner to go back 17 hours and get some rest before popping back upstairs to attend classes.

Harry nodded as he still felt more tired than he had in his life, perhaps this was the cost of stealing future magic? You feel the future fatigue as well.

February 24, 1995:

Harry's legs were seizing up with the effort to keep swimming; his shoulders were aching horribly with the effort of dragging Luna and the tiny Fleur looking girl.

You perform a ritual to become the most powerful wizard in the world and use something like Gillyweed for this task still

'You said it was a good idea'

I was being sarcastic brat, repeat after me

"tyanut" repeated Harry, instantly he felt himself and the pair of ladies become weightless as they were ripped upwards with more force than his legs could have ever generate. He saw the light on the surface then he felt his head break the surface of the lake; wonderful, cold, clear air was making his wet face sting

"BLOODY HELL! POTTER HAS DONE IT! HE HAS FINISHED FIRST!" announced Bagman as Harry emerged from the water. Luna was already waking up by herself as they landed on the shore. She was dragged off by McGonagall at once and Harry noticed that her lips were blue, she was most likely freezing.

Harry felt the gills on his neck vanish as his magic realized he wasn't in water anymore and dispelled the effects of the gillyweed. He reached down with his arms and scooped up the young silvery blonde girl in his arms.

Fleur met him halfway up the bank of the Lake and she tried to grab her sister from his arms, but Harry shook his head. His eyes glanced downwards at the still healing shark bite marks that crisscrossed the left side of her body.

"You don't have the strength" said Harry as his continued carrying into the medical tent, where a team of French medics immediately got to working on the young girl that they had taken from his arms. Fleur shot him a look before following after her sister, Harry understood that she probably was concerned about him as well, but that was her baby sister.

"Come here, you," said Madam Pomfrey. She seized Harry and pulled him to a cot before pushing him down onto it. Harry didn't even get to protest before she had him wrapped in a blanket so tightly that he felt as though he were in a straitjacket and forced a measure of very hot potion down his throat. Steam gushed out of his ears.

"You are in much better shape than either of them" admitted Pomfrey

"Yeah, Krum was a shark. He bit her a couple times, she shot him with a spear gun through the neck. Compared to them, other than the strain of carrying both of these girls, I was just going for a swim" agreed Harry

"Nasty work this tournament is, at least nobody was hoodwinked for this task" muttered Pomfrey as she walked away, shaking her head as she did so.

Now that you aren't drowning, the Gillyweed was a rather solid plan. You just didn't have the physical ability to carry both of those girls.

'I know, we've been so focused on magical might, we fought to build up any extra physical strength'

Something to address in the summertime, right now we have another round of duels coming up in three weeks

'I cannot wait to get Krum in the ring with me'

That poor bastard doesn't stand a chance

Harry's eyes landed on Fleur, the angry red scars on her body made this tournament feel as nasty as Pomfrey had made it out to be. Because that wasn't due to some plot to kill Harry, that was Krum being an arsehole like usual.

'Krum might not survive to face me'

Oh, she's going to kill him, they might have enough of him left over to put in a shoe box, if he's lucky. Women are naturally violent creatures Harry. Women who can cast magic, they are the biggest threat this world has ever seen.

Harry nodded as he slowly made his way over to Fleur, wrapping the blanket around her as her sister finally started to regain color.

"Water does not do well for beings who are fiery in nature" said Fleur, "I wish they had used another person, perhaps they didn't realize the risk of the cold and water"

"Dumbledore might not have, your headmistress might have" said Harry, "They probably figured that we would all make it within the time limit, but I wasn't going to leave her there"

Fleur smirked at him before she grabbed his face with both hands and planted a fierce kiss on his lips, "You are lucky we are not alone, there would be much more passion"

Harry just nodded as his brain attempted to recover from being snogged senseless..

With Dumbledore:

He was very happy at this particular time, this was the fourth task, and it was the first task to go as planned.

Snape sat opposite of him inside of his office, both of them enjoying a cup of tea. On this day, Dumbledore was partaking of a nice cup of Lemon-Ginger tea.

"Severus, there is a certain joy that comes from things coming together" said Dumbledore

"You must have forgotten the joys of grading students essays and classwork. If it gets any worse, I might need to return back to a life of crime" groaned Snape

"You are more than welcome to leave if you are not happy here" shrugged Dumbledore, "I do not need hostages, I need volunteers"

Snape frowned

"You leaving would actually make my life much easier, I get dozens of letters per week from parents about how nasty you are towards their children. It is a wonder they haven't stormed the castle to duel you" continued Dumbledore

Snape scowled at Dumbledore, placing his tea back down on the desk, his dark eyes boring into Dumbledore who did not waiver at the slightest.

"If my talents are no longer appreciated here, I am more than capable of finding work elsewhere" stated Snape

"How? You've never officially taken the Potions mastery exam, your only professional reference is me and based on my Defense Against the Dark Arts track record, my work reference is probably not worth much. You're a man who owes everything to me" countered Dumbledore

"Is that why you've helped me? To hold it over my head and to throw it in my face when the opportunity came about?" challenged Snape

"No, I helped you with the understanding that you would do as you are told when the time came. You wanted me to protect Lily, guess what? I did so. She happened to have placed her trust in the wrong friend, nothing I can do about that. She also trusted you and what did you do? Deliver a prophecy to the Dark Lord without a care in the world about a baby that would be murdered as a result. I held up my end of the deal, it is time for you to hold up your end" said Dumbledore sternly

"And if I refuse?"

"Then I cut you lose and leave you to fend for yourself" shrugged Dumbledore, "Without a position of a pretend spy on my camp, how much use would the Dark Lord have for you? What value would he have for you?"

"I can hide from him, hide from you and everyone else" retorted Snape

"You are a marked man Severus, you don't have a single moment of privacy that is not within the walls of this castle" replied Dumbledore dismissively, "And you would not have to worry about the Dark Lord, Potter would have killed you before the Dark Lord even thinks about it"

"I'm not worried about some arrogant brat" said Snape with a roll of his eyes

""Harry's abilities are nothing short of extraordinary. He's incredibly creative in combat, layering spells and using both offensive and utility magic to outsmart his opponents. His shields are stronger than most, showing advanced control, and he's even mastered rare wind-based magic. He's quick to assess threats, always thinking several steps ahead, and his restraint in combat reflects a strong moral compass. The only thing you might have over him is that Harry pushes himself to the limit. He's not just powerful; he's strategic, unpredictable, and growing stronger every day. Honestly, if he keeps this up, he could rival myself or even Voldemort in time" replied Dumbledore, "Even you have admitted that he has grown so much in the last year, do you really believe yourself to be above the boy?"

Snape bit his tongue as he thought about it, "Perhaps the boy has more talent than I will give him credit for, but he is still just a boy"

"Was I not 'just a boy' at one point?" questioned Dumbledore

"He is not you" sneered Snape

Dumbledore tapped one of the orb shaped devices on his desk, the orb glowing brightly, making Snape cover his eyes as the light grew too harsh to look at.

"I monitor Harry's physical and magical condition at all times. Despite what people will tell you, I have not allowed the boy to suffer. He lived with his relatives because he needed the protections that came with the blood wards that living with his mother's family would provide. But if I could have kept him safe without having to deal with those nasty people, he would have. This orb monitors his magic, it allowed me to keep track of his accidental magic and well-being from afar. The brighter the light, the more power the magic and individual has. Does this look like someone that is not going to be a problem?" questioned Dumbledore before he tapped the orb once more, turning off the device and removing the punishingly bright light.

Snape sat there silently, his eyes locked onto the device and Dumbledore knew that the man was trying to figure out years of hatred and anger at James Potter and remove bias against Harry, but it wasn't going to happen instantly.

"Pretend the boy doesn't exist Severus, you need to grow up and deal with your emotions on your own time. You want to know what I want you to do? It's time for you to return to the Dark Lord's side and be my spy. You owe me your life and freedom, I have given you years of freedom and money, you will return it in spades with information from the other side" ordered Dumbledore

"You would have me risk my life over a promise?" asked Snape

"You once told me you would do anything if I helped hide Lily, I did as you asked. You still owe me your 'anything' as far as I am concerned" dismissed Dumbledore

Snape sneered at Dumbledore, "Fine, I will be your spy"

Dumbledore waved him off, "Go then, we have a war to win"

Snape nodded, "I will provide you whatever information that I can"

As Snape stood up to leave and made his way to the door, Dumbledore gave him one more piece of information as he exited, "Remember Severus, a man with two masters is a man with none. Do your part and your freedom will be granted"

Friday March 18, 1994:

Harry was sitting in the stands this time, this duel didn't involve him. As he was the lone person to be in the lead, he didn't have to duel first. This set of duels was not a free for all, it was a tournament over the weekend. Friday was going to be Fleur vs Krum, then the Loser of this duel vs Harry, then Harry vs the winner of the first fight. The winner of this dueling tournament would be given the most points of 50 and then the losers would be given points based on their performance.

She looks angry

'He ripped her apart in the lake, she's lucky to be alive'

She nearly beheaded him in return, there is no love lost between them

'I am not fond of him either'

Standing up for your girlfriend is cute Harry, I am sure she will appreciate that energy when you accidently rip his spine out tomorrow.

'My control has gotten a lot better'

Your emotions still run wild, that will cease with maturity. You're almost 15 and a half now, you'll be 16 before the end of the year.

'Should I slow down on the time turner?'

Only if you wish. You being slightly older only benefits you as people will be underestimating your power. Plus, you closing some of the distance on the age between you and Fleur isn't the worst thing, you being 1 year younger is much more socially acceptable if you enter a public relationship with her.

'Right, the match is starting'

Fleur stood on one end of the platform, her hair in a ponytail, her body covered in battle robes. Krum stood across from her, his face in that bored brooding mood. Due to the previous issues with the referees, Dumbledore was the referee with this match, the headmaster or headmistress of the school not involved in the duel would be the referee for the match.

Fleur and Krum both bowed slightly before Dumbledore started the duel with a bang from his wand.

Fleur:

Her eyes were looked onto the one person she was certain that she hated in her life, Viktor Krum.

'C'est une garce pathétique'

She made the first move, snapping her wand and wrist as she sent a trio of spells at Krum.

Bombarda

Bombarda

Bombarda

Krum swirled his wand, a brilliant blue dome of magic absorbed the explosions, and he used a Greek spell to send the explosions back at her in a single blast.

But Fleur was much better prepared for Krum's use of flames against her, her magic flared as she took control of the flames being used against her. There was a lot of things that people got wrong about being a veela, but their ability to summon and control flames was correct. It was greatly helped by the nature of their magic, it was so fine and pure. It was like a sewing needle and thread, capable of weaving in and out of all other magic with a simple push/

Krum gasped as the flames boomeranged back towards him, his shield was much fast enough, and Fleur felt a shiver of pleasure fill her body as the flames burned his legs before the shield could fully protect him. He dropped his shield to launch a counterattack, but Fleur was more ran ready for him, her spell launching right before he dropped his shield.

Conjunctivitis

The spell hit him right in his right eye and she took massive glee in the rupturing of his right eye, his roar of pain was music to her ears. Krum slashed his wand, and a shimmering wave of magic raced towards her.

Fleur threw up a shield, the golden hue dome appeared around her instantly. It did nothing to stop the spell, having all of the strength of a chocolate éclair as the spell punched right through it and Fleur slide to the side, only for a biting pain to right through her left side as the spell shredded her skin.

Her left arm fell limp to her side, her arm gashed and diced like pulled pork, the bone being the only reason that it hadn't fallen apart. Based on the warmth flowing down her side, it had also clipped her torso. Her left thigh and leg quivered under her weight.

'That was not a normal spell …putain de conneries'

Fleur's right hand moved without thinking as she cast her first spell,

Vulnera Sanentur

The wave of magic washed over her, not Krum. Her body didn't heal as much as she had hoped, but the bleeding stopped. It was a sign that this magic was not normal, Krum had once again used dark magic against her.

How fucking dare he continue to cheat

Fleur slashed her wand downward and Krum was forced to jump to the side to avoid the whip of fire. Spinning her wand towards her own neck, Fleur cast a spell to protect herself and another spell in a single moment.

Sonorus

She then screamed at the top of her lungs, as loud and powerful as she could. The sound caused Krum to cover both of his ears with both hands. Blood slowly trickled as his ear drums ruptured from being so close to the magically enhanced voice.

Fleur twirled her wand and pointed it at the platform on Krum's side.

cascade gelée

A massive jet of water spewed out of the end of her wand, covering his side almost instantly. Krum was in the process of repairing his ear drums as he couldn't walk or stand without the balance that the inner ear provided.

As the water touched the stage, it froze everything that it came into touch with. Krum's feet froze to the floor as the water continued to flood his side.

"What the hell?" cursed Krum as he tried to lift his feet, his wand aiming at his feet.

Fleur slashed her wand, sending a group of arrows at Krum. Who was forced to use his wand to block the arrows rather than free himself. The water lapped up his legs and had already reached his knees, locking him into place.

The ice left behind by the water grew harsher as Fleur's anger twisted the spell and Krum roared in pain as the ice grew spikes that bit into the flesh of his legs and thighs.

Krum's wand hissed as angry Greek fire exploded out of it, threating to melt the angry ice, but Fleur flooded the spell with her magic, causing the flames to flicker out before they could free him.

Snarling, Krum sent another shimmering wave of magic at her, but Fleur dropped to the ground and rolled out of the way, before tapping the ground and sending more shards of ice at Krum.

The ground swelled before sending a wave of motion at Krum, who had used his wand to stop the shards of ice. The kinetic motion of the wave caused his legs to bend and there was a sharp snap sound as his left knee broke as it bent in the wrong direction.

Krum growled as he slashed his wand and Fleur gasped as Fiendfyre exploded out of his wand, the flames consuming the magic inside the ice that she had used to trap him. The flames spiraled around him before it broke free of his control and started moving away from the dueling stage and going towards the crowd. Dumbledore shouted something and Fleur felt Harry's magic spike as if he was going to step in.

"I got this" stated Fleur to Dumbledore, her voice still amplified by the spell so that it was heard by all.

Gripping her wand with her lone good hand, she stood her ground and swallowed a mouthful of blood as she reached deep into herself and pulled on all of the magic that she could muster.

Her crystal blue eyes glowed a beautiful amber as she used her Veela heritage to grab control of the Fiendfyre redirect the flames away from the audience. The flames fought her, and the large bird of flames launched itself at her and she didn't move as the flames hit her. Her body shivered in the presence of the dark magic of the flames, but the flames didn't burn her body.

Harry's magic crashed over field like a tsunami and Fleur could feel anger and pain inside of it, but he was worried for nothing.

Her magic swirled around her, and it bubbled up around her before expanding and popping the flames, leaving behind a storm of ash that fell around her and Krum.

Krum's leg was put back together, and Fleur could see the fear on his face, she struck faster than he could react, his wand ripped from his grasp as a spell slammed into his chest, sending him skidding back.

He groaned as he quickly located his wand with his seeker abilities, before he dove at it. He immediately sent another weird shimmer spell at her, but she sent a probe of her own magic at it and sent it back at him, rebounding the spell by purely overpowering it.

Krum managed to jump backwards just in time to avoid the spell. The stage in front of him was destroyed in a spray of wood and stone.

Fleur conjured flames behind Krum and pulled it forward, burning the man's back as the Veela flames burned right through his battle robes.

Krum dropped to his knees and Fleur hit him with another spell, chaining his wand arm down to the ground.

Krum blasted the ground, freeing the arm but Fleur had already cast a cutting spell that hit him in the chest. The force of the blast sent debris spraying into his body/

Blood oozed from the gash and Fleur smirked as she pointed her wand at a piece of rubble and started inscribing runes on it. The large chunk of wood that had punctured his right side as a result of his own blasting charm was probably doing more damage than any of the spells that she had cast.

Krum let out a wheeze as his body struggled to remain functioning as pain consumed his mind. He couldn't even think of where to start with healing himself.

"I hate you" said Fleur before she summoned the wood that had managed to pierce his body, ripping the piece of wood out in a spray of blood and bone.

Krum wheeze as he bleed freely, but as his blood hit the ground, runes glowed around him, and he found that he couldn't breath as his right lung was replaced by a chunk of rock.

The medics popped into place immediately and all Krum could do was slum to the ground looking up at the sky as they started working on him as Fleur walked off the stage under her own power, victoriously.

A/N: Well, I hope yall like this chapter because I honestly put in a lot of work into making this something worth posting. Fleur is not a damsel, I can't stand fanfics where she is someone who needs to be saved. She is powerful in her own right, maybe not as dynamically battle wise as Harry, but she is not to be played with. Krum is a victim of the fuck around and find out chart.

Dumbledore might seem OOC, but this is the man I believe we would have seen in the Fantastic Beast movies eventually. He was serious and determined to win the war, he does not have time for Snape's bullshit nor is he some 'I need harry to be weak and pathetic' guy in this story. Dumbledore understands that Harry AND he will win this war.

As for Junior, well he understands he might not be around forever with Harry.

As always, please consider joining the amazing group of people in my discord, to do so, use invite code: 8RBQbyge

Until Next Time, HighKey_Mars out.

Chapter 9

"Riddle me this Tommy" teased a boy

Tom rolled his eyes at the 4 th year Slytherin boy, jabbing his wand at the older boy's shoes, causing the laces to tie together.

The older boy tripped as he stood up with the rest of the class as the bell rang for the class to end. That sent the other people present into various crackles of laughter.

"Mr. Riddle, just because I provided you the permission to spend your free time here, does not mean that you can use it to bully my students" stated Dumbledore

Tom's eyes landed on the deep blue, nearly black robes, that were covered in tiny white blinking stars and the back of Dumbledore. The professor hadn't even needed to turn around to see who had cast the spell.

A flare of magic swept through the room and the shoelaces untied themselves, "Mr. Brooks, don't tease people you can't cross wands with on an equal footing"

Brooks nodded with a sour look on his face, leaving with the rest of the class. After a moment, it was just Tom and Dumbledore.

"It was a very impressive casting Tom" complimented Dumbledore

"Thank you Sir" beamed Tom with a rare soft … real smile on his face

"You might be among the most brilliant students to ever grace these halls" continued Dumbledore, "I would hope that you will find more use for your abilities than to retaliate against less talented students"

"I plan on being one of the most talented wizards to ever walk this planet" replied Tom almost instantly

"That is a beautiful goal, Tom" said Dumbledore, "You are one of the few students that I actually believe can accomplish whatever you choose to. For a 12 year old, you have unlimited talent, unlimited potential. I just don't want you to waste it"

"Never professor"

"Good, now off you go. You don't want to miss lunch"

Voldemort … Tom Riddle, was not one to dream all that often. The various rituals, dark magic cast, and warping of his soul had left him with more fiendish nightmares than anything. But on the rare occasion that he did dream, it was almost always of his time at Hogwarts.

Random bits and pieces, memories stitched together through sheer fondness and the desire to remember the moment. There was a … an emotion that came from reliving those moments from his youth. Dumbledore was a constant in the dreams, he had been a rather large part of his years at Hogwarts.

The bearded old man had not just been a professor and later a deputy headmaster, he had been a friend, a mentor, a guiding hand. Dumbledore had sparked his desire to take a deeper drive into the limits of Magic, whispers tales of legendary feats and inhuman displays of magic.

And then 1945 happened, Tom was entering his seventh and final year at Hogwarts as Grindelwald marched East through Europe, his magic and madness twisting muggles into something called the 'Nazi' party. Dumbledore had once spoken of how he had been friends with Grindelwald, of how Grindelwald was someone he cared about, how it was someone he would always hold some level of love for.

But as Grindelwald crossed Austria and moved into Germany, Dumbledore stood there waiting for him. Tom remembered paying nearly 2000 galleons for the memory from someone who saw the entire thing. It sent chills down his spine, to see the normally polite, kind, caring Dumbledore strike with such anger and fury.

They were not alone, the town was filled with people who had known that these two people were on a collision course. One of the men had arrived the day prior and simply took the night to steel his nerves about fighting his old friend. And as the sun rose, he planted himself in the main courtyard and waited for his once upon a time friend to become his current and potentially final opponent.

He did not have to wait long, eventually they were standing across from one another, their eyes meeting and magic roared between both of them. A pair of apex predators who were forced to hunt one another finally coming face to face with each other.

Albus Dumbledore wrapped in a plain black traveling robe, his feet encased in a pair of black dueling boots. His salt and auburn hair was free, no hat or cover on it. His face was stern, his beard wasn't very long but you could easily see the beginnings of the longer silvery beard forming in this moment.

Grindelwald wore a silvery robe with a cape, the cape bore the symbol of the Deathly Hallows, the triangle, circle, and line were familiar to both of them at this point. They had spent much of their youth trying to find them after all.

"Grindelwald, you're looking rather well" greeted Dumbledore, his voice fluffed up with a false politeness.

"Albus, you should not be here" tsk'd Grindelwald, dismissing the greeting

"Interesting, I was about to tell you the same thing" countered Dumbledore

"You cannot beat me Albus, I don't think that you understand how powerful I've become" said Grindelwald, "I've done it"

"All you've done is hurt people" said Dumbledore

"I've only hurt those disgusting muggles and the weak people who try to protect them" hissed Grindelwald

"So, you've hurt people" repeated Dumbledore

Grindelwald drew his wand, the long ebony wand with a rather unique cluster of knots spread out through the wand. It was not the Yew wand that Dumbledore knew Grindelwald to have in their youth.

"I found it Albus, I found the wand. They're real … we can still find them, still attempt to change the world" stammered Grindelwald excitedly

"That is nothing more than a childhood dream" dismissed Albus with a shake of his head, "That dream died with my sister. Even if I wanted to, I promised myself that I would never be overly selfish from that day onward. It is all about helping people by making the world … not by might"

Grindelwald nodded, "If I cannot change your mind, then I shall give you this final chance to simply step aside"

Albus' face twitched with hesitation, before he drew his own wand. With a twin flare of magic, the cape and traveling robe were consumed in a controlled burst of magical flames.

Albus struck first, his wand sending off a trio of red stunners before sending a tumbling wave of earth.

Grindelwald slashed through all three of the stunners, a wave of magic that completely overpowered the three spells and nullified the massive wave of earth that rushed toward him. The ground settled beneath his feet, but he barely had a moment to breathe before Albus was on the move again.

With a flick of his wrist, Albus conjured a spiraling storm of fire, the flames twisting like a hungry serpent as they lunged toward Grindelwald. Grindelwald's eyes narrowed as he slashed his wand towards the ground, conjuring a dome of shimmering water burst forth, quenching the fire in a violent hiss of steam.

Albus didn't relent. He thrust his wand forward, sending jagged shards of ice through the mist. Grindelwald dodged, twirling his wand in a precise arc, and the shards shattered mid-air, raining harmlessly around him.

"You'll have to do better than that," Grindelwald taunted, his voice edged with amusement.

Albus smirked. "Oh, I intend to."

With a sharp incantation, the earth beneath Grindelwald erupted, twisting into grasping stone hands. Grindelwald barely managed to vault backward, landing gracefully as he flicked his wand. The stone hands crumbled, but the ground continued to shake. Albus had set something deeper in motion, he had always been the better wizard of the two of them. But it didn't matter as much now, his magic was greatly amplified by the power of the Elder Wand.

A monstrous golem of rock and shadow burst from the battlefield, its glowing eyes locking onto Grindelwald. It let out a deafening roar before charging, the ground trembling with each thunderous step. Albus had clearly become more skilled and powerful than he had assumed … either that or had arrived knowing there was no chance of things ending with a peaceful outcome.

Grindelwald exhaled slowly. "Alright, then."

With a flick of his wrist, the air around him crackled with raw energy. Lightning arced across his wand as he shattered the golem like it was a fly before twisting his wand and sending fiery arrows at Albus. The arrows slammed into a shimmering dome of magic before fizzling out before Grindelwald shattered the dome with a bolt of black lightning.

The sky turned red as meteors rained down as Grindelwald's magic warped, growing fouler by the second as it also grew more potent by the spell. Albus' wand twirled in his hand as his magic guided the wooden instrument as brilliant purple feathers exploded from the tips of the spinning wand, sending about protective wards that transmuted the falling masses into large bubbles.

The surrounding people gasped in awe as Dumbledore causally dealt with a spell that many of them would have been hard pressed to think in the face of, let alone actually stop. For Grindelwald, it was just a warning sign of what he had feared of when it came to facing Albus 'too many fucking names' Dumbledore.

'Even an "unbeatable" wand has constraints. It may enhance power but doesn't guarantee victory if the user lacks the skill or knowledge to wield it effectively. A truly powerful wizard could find ways to counter or neutralize the wand's advantages' thought Grindelwald bitterly as the Elder Wand in his right hand purred as he used a particularly dark fire spell that could only be casted with pure hatred.

Grindelwald had always known that between the two of them, Albus was the better wizard. Even his rather large ego was not able to create a delusion about that, Albus simply understood magic better than him.

'Magic isn't just about raw power; it's about how it's used. A naturally skilled wizard might outthink or outmaneuver the wielder of more powerful or potent magic, exploiting weaknesses in their technique or confidence. It's how I would deal with anyone who is more powerful than me' tsked Albus to Grindelwald on more than one occasion in their youth as if they weren't the same age … as if Albus was already a headmaster and a professor and Grindelwald was nothing more than a misbehaving or misunderstanding student.

Albus split through the flames with a whip of icy water, sending steam up into the air. It blocked Grindelwald's view but he knew that Albus would simply activate his mage sight and use his ability to see magic to spot him through the steam. Twisting on his heels, Grindelwald appeared to the left of Albus, just as a blast of concussive force slammed into his chest. Blood flew from his mouth as Grindelwald felt his ribs protest the extreme abuse, his torso shaking in pain as he waved the Elder Wand and massively overpowered a healing spell that was only a temporary solution.

He flicked his wrist three times and then twisted, a trio of blood boiling curses flew out of the end of his wand before he used the last flick to roll into a twist that allowed him to transfigure some of the leaves behind Albus into a bear that would in theory attack him.

Albus was once again ahead of Grindelwald as he cast a blood freezing charm on himself and allowed himself to get hit by the blood boiling curses, before using the heat from his blood to send out a cone of pure heat that roasted the bear alive. It was so unfair how far that Albus had come in the recent years, he wasn't supposed to be better than him at this point. It made no sense, if Albus was still this much better than him, then why was he sitting on his ass in a school instead of ruling the world?

'Magic isn't just about direct combat. A stronger wizard could use other forms of magic; enchantments, traps, or non-dueling spells to circumvent the wizard's ability to duel. But remember, a duel is not a fight, there is no rules in actual battle'

Grindelwald had thought Albus was jesting until he just slipped on a conjured banana peel much to his surprise. A fucking prank charm had actually worked on a man wielding the most powerful wand in existence.

Blistering heat erupted from his wand as Fiendfyre was sprayed about hazardously, with zero regard for life or property damage as Grindelwald felt his rage continue to skyrocket.

A massive 'CAAAAAW' filled the air as a Phoenix flamed in above the duel and dove down into the Fiendfyre, consuming the angry magic in the spell before taking off into the sky and exploding in a massive ring of flames that lit up the sky like a second sun.

Spell after Spell was cast, yet Albus never flinched, never sped up. He continued to move at his own pace, his magic continuing to keep up with the Elder Wand.

'They say this wand cannot be beaten. That no spell cast against it will prevail. That it has passed through the hands of the most powerful wizards in history, leaving behind only legends and ruins. And yet… I feel the tremor in my fingers, the bead of sweat forming at my temple. Not because my grip falters but because, for the first time, I wonder if I have relied too much on the myth of the wand's legendary instead of my own power' mused Grindelwald as Albus finally hit him once more, shattering his left foot.

Once again, Grindelwald healed it almost instantly, but the cracks in his defense were starting to show, Albus was chipping away at him, ' I remember the first time I held it. The hum of its magic beneath my palm, the way the air seemed to bend around me. I felt invincible, maybe in that moment I was invincible. Spells that had once required effort became effortless. Opponents fell before me, not because I had outmatched them, but because they believed they were already defeated'

Albus split the sky with a bolt of bright blue lightning and Grindelwald was forced to shield himself as the bolt split and rained down on him in rapid succession.

'But this time… this time is different. He stands across from me, no legendary wand in his grip, no whispered myths trailing his name. No, Albus is not just more powerful, he is more skilled. Pure, unrefined, and undeniable. His magic isn't amplified by a relic; it is the relic. It thrums in his veins, woven into the very core of his being, as natural as breath, as steady as the pulse in his throat. He does not need a wand to prove his strength. He never did. And that is what unsettles me' grumbled Grindelwald to himself as he withstood the storm of lightning and quickly started casting more spells, trying to return to the offensive.

Grindelwald raised his wand, the legendary relic pulsing in his grip, its power thrumming like an unstoppable current. He had won every duel before this one, had shattered shields, overpowered defenses, and left his opponents in awe. But now, as Albus moved like a shadow, weaving between Grindelwald 's spells with effortless precision, doubt had not only crept into his mind, but starting to dominate it.

A searing arc of white-hot energy shot from Grindelwald 's wand, cutting through the air with the force of a hurricane. Albus twisted, barely brushing his fingers against the ground as he slid beneath the blast, his own spell forming before his feet touched the floor again. A sharp flick of his wrist, and a torrent of controlled flame spiraled toward Grindelwald .

Grindelwald reacted on instinct, conjuring a barrier. The shield crackled, magically strong and absolute but Albus didn't aim to break it. Instead, he redirected his fire, sweeping it low, forcing Grindelwald to stumble back. The moment of imbalance was all Albus needed. With a sharp upward motion, the flames dissipated, replaced by a concussive burst of force.

Grindelwald staggered as the shockwave sent him reeling, the wand still firm in his grip. He retaliated, unleashing a rapid succession of strikes; pure, destructive energy meant to overwhelm. Each bolt crackled with deadly intent, but Albus was already moving, his body a blur, his magic shifting like a living thing. He didn't block. No, Albus didn't need to. He sidestepped, ducked, twisted as his magic continued to guide him as an extension of his instincts, perfectly timed counters disrupting Grindelwald 's rhythm.

Grindelwald gritted his teeth. This wand was supposed to make him invincible. But why did it feel like he was the one barely keeping up?

'Because I have let the wand define me, but he has defined himself. If I lose this wand … no, if I lose because of it—what am I?'

Albus shattered his shield with a precision bolt of angry shimmering black magic and Grindelwald felt the spell graze his left arm, leaving the limb tingling as it slowly grew numb.

'For the first time, I see the trap I've built around myself. The crutch I've leaned on for so long may now be the chain that binds me. If he knows this …if he sees my reliance, my arrogance, my untested vulnerabilities, he will exploit them. Not with brute force, not with spells meant to break through the wand's defenses, but with something far more dangerous' noted Grindelwald as Albus twirled through his spells and finally hit Grindelwald with a massive blast of icy water that ripped into Grindelwald's skin as the shards of ice inside the water shredded his robes.

"Cleverness. Adaptability. True mastery. Perhaps the wand is not truly unbeatable. Perhaps I have simply never faced someone who knew how to defeat the wizard holding it' admitted Grindelwald

A feint as Albus's hand flicking right causing Grindelwald 's shield forming there in response only to reveal the real strike from the left, a crackling tendril of energy catching Grindelwald 's wrist and his body was paralyzed for a moment. Albus didn't hesitate. A perfectly timed blast struck Grindelwald square in the chest as he shattered the magic that kept him from moving, sending him sprawling.

Grindelwald gasped for breath, eyes wide as he looked up at Albus who looked as calm and composed as always, his magic still humming, untamed but controlled. It wasn't the wand that had determined this battle. It never had been. Grindelwald had power. Albus had mastery. And that had made all the difference.

The courtyard trembled beneath the sheer force of the magic unleashed. Grindelwald's robes were scorched, his once-pristine silver attire now tattered and darkened by soot and blood. Albus stood opposite him, unscathed but breathing heavier, his magic still thrumming through the air like a storm barely contained.

Grindelwald clenched his grip on the Elder Wand, the legendary relic vibrating in his grasp, as if in warning or rebellion. He flicked his wrist sharply, sending a tide of black fire rushing across the stone. The flames screeched as they surged forward, alive with malevolent intent, warping the very air around them.

Albus reacted instantly, his wand tracing a perfect arc in the air. From the ground, massive crystalline walls erupted, shimmering with an ethereal glow. The black fire crashed against them, but instead of consuming the barrier, it was drawn inward, spiraling like ink in water before vanishing entirely. A containment spell, woven with such elegance that even Grindelwald was momentarily taken aback.

With a flick of his fingers, Albus shattered the crystal walls, sending a hail of razor-sharp shards at Grindelwald. The dark wizard raised his wand, spinning it once before him, and the shards twisted mid-air, fusing together into a whirling vortex of glass. He directed it back at Albus, turning the transmutation against its creator.

Albus did not flinch. His wand barely moved, yet the glass suddenly lost all momentum, falling harmlessly to the ground. A counterspell so precise, it was as if the attack had never existed.

Grindelwald scowled. The Elder Wand pulsed again, urging him forward. He lifted it high, summoning the very air around them, pulling it tight until the pressure threatened to crush the space they stood in. A deafening crack split the sky as a colossal lance of lightning erupted from the clouds, aimed directly at Albus.

Rather than evade, Albus stepped forward, raising his hand. A mere gesture, and the lightning splintered into harmless arcs, dancing across his fingertips before dispersing into the air. Grindelwald felt a pang of something unsettling.

Doubt .

Growling, he switched tactics. A surge of raw energy burst from his wand, a concussive blast meant to obliterate everything in its path. The cobblestones beneath it melted, the very air shimmered with distortion.

Albus stepped sideways, barely shifting his stance, and the blast missed him by mere inches. His wand flicked once, twice, and the very force of Grindelwald's spell was reversed, folding in on itself and hurtling back at its caster.

Grindelwald barely managed to throw up a shield in time. The impact sent him skidding back, his boots scraping against the stone as he dug in, holding the barrier steady.

But Albus was already moving. He swept his wand in a fluid motion, sending an entire section of the courtyard into the air, transfiguring the rubble into razor-edged chains that slithered like serpents toward Grindelwald.

Grindelwald twisted his body, vanishing in a whirl of dark mist before reappearing behind Albus. His wand ignited with a blinding green glow, an ancient spell laced with venomous energy launching toward Albus' unprotected back.

A second before impact, the spell was swallowed by a sphere of liquid silver. Albus spun, and the silvery mass condensed, forming a blade of pure energy. With a graceful sweep, he sent it flying toward Grindelwald.

Grindelwald barely deflected it, his breath coming faster now. The Elder Wand, despite all its power, had not yet secured him victory. And that realization burned.

Albus lifted his wand high. The sky above them darkened, stars blinking out as a colossal wave of pure magical energy formed above the battlefield. It was not fire, nor water, nor lightning—it was something far older, something beyond mere elemental magic.

Grindelwald's grip tightened. He lifted his wand, channeling every ounce of his magic into one final act of defiance. The Elder Wand shrieked in protest, its magic surging to meet Albus' own.

The two forces collided, and for a moment, the world stood still. Then, with a soundless explosion of light, the courtyard was bathed in brilliance.

The force of the explosion rippled outward, sending waves of raw energy surging through the air, distorting reality itself. The very foundation of the courtyard cracked beneath them, ancient stone shattering under the weight of their power. Dust and debris swirled, obscuring vision, yet through the haze, two figures remained standing—one shrouded in shadow, the other bathed in light.

Grindelwald staggered back, his breath ragged, his grip on the Elder Wand tightening as though sheer will alone could bend fate in his favor. But the doubt had rooted itself deep within him now. He could see it—Albus was still composed, still unwavering. Every counter, every maneuver, precise and effortless, as if he had already foreseen each of Grindelwald's moves before they were made.

No. He would not yield. He could not.

With a snarl, Grindelwald thrust his wand forward, and the air itself fractured. A pulse of void-like magic spread outward, swallowing light and sound in its wake. The world dimmed as if existence itself was unraveling, the ancient magic devouring everything in its path.

Albus narrowed his eyes. With a measured breath, he raised his wand and swept it in an intricate pattern, tracing symbols unseen, each movement humming with untold power. The darkness hesitated, flickering, uncertain—then, as though caught in an unseen web, it was drawn inward, condensed into a singularity no larger than a pearl before vanishing entirely.

The courtyard trembled. The magic between them had reached its zenith. There would be no more feints, no more tests of skill. This was the moment of decision.

Grindelwald lifted the Elder Wand high, summoning a storm of pure destruction, a maelstrom of fire, lightning, and raw magical force that twisted together, spiraling into an unstoppable cataclysm. His final gambit. His declaration of supremacy.

Albus, however, did not waver. He stepped forward, wand held steady, and simply spoke:

"Finite."

A single word, laced with such absolute authority that the very magic in the air recoiled. The storm, the chaos, the sheer overwhelming force of Grindelwald's spell—ceased. The elements unraveled, dissolving into harmless wisps of energy before fading into nothing.

Grindelwald's eyes widened, his breath hitching. Impossible. It was impossible.

Albus stood before him now, closer than ever, his gaze heavy with something deeper than mere power—understanding, sorrow, and unshakable resolve.

"It is over, Gellert."

Grindelwald's chest rose and fell with rapid, shallow breaths. His fingers twitched, still wrapped around the Elder Wand, knuckles white. No. Not like this. He would not be undone by a single word. By a single man.

A growl rumbled in his throat, and with a flick of his wrist, he twisted his magic into something sharper, something primal. The air between them thickened, a suffocating pressure pressing in on all sides as Grindelwald poured every ounce of his power into one final, desperate strike.

Shadows coiled at his feet, swirling like living things, tendrils of darkness stretching toward Albus with unnatural speed. The ground cracked beneath them, ancient magic seeping through the fractures, raw and unbridled. It was not a spell. It was a force of nature, bent only by will and fury.

But Albus was ready.

His wand traced a single arc, and in an instant, the shadows froze, caught in the invisible grasp of magic older than both of them. Then, with a soft snap of his fingers, the darkness shattered into nothingness.

Grindelwald recoiled as if struck. His mind raced, grasping for a counter, for an opening—anything. But Albus had left him none. Every path was blocked. Every spell unraveled before it could take shape.

"Enough, Gellert," Albus said, his voice steady, his eyes laced with quiet sorrow.

But Grindelwald only bared his teeth. "You think this is over?" His voice was a snarl, but beneath it—beneath the defiance—there was something else. Something close to fear.

He raised the Elder Wand once more, but before he could utter a word, Albus moved.

Faster than thought, a golden thread of magic snapped into existence between them, latching onto Grindelwald's wrist. It wasn't binding—it was something deeper, something intangible. Grindelwald felt it the moment it touched him. A tether. An understanding. A connection that reached beyond magic itself.

Memories surged unbidden. The firelit nights in Godric's Hollow. The whispered dreams of a new world. The way Albus had once looked at him—not with power, not with rivalry, but with hope.

For the first time in decades, Grindelwald hesitated.

Albus did not.

With a slow, deliberate motion, he extended his hand. Not in attack. Not in force. But in quiet resolution.

"Let it go," Albus said.

The air between them crackled with raw power, the remnants of their previous clash still vibrating through the shattered courtyard. Grindelwald's grip on the Elder Wand tightened, his breath sharp and uneven. The ground beneath them trembled, the very fabric of magic itself straining under the weight of their battle.

Without hesitation, he struck.

Dark tendrils erupted from the broken earth, twisting and snapping toward Albus like living chains. They surged forward, cutting through the air with unnatural speed, each one laced with corrosive energy meant to unravel whatever they touched.

Albus barely moved. A flick of his wand, and the tendrils froze mid-air, their writhing motion ceasing in an instant. A second motion, and they shattered, disintegrating into a fine mist before vanishing altogether.

Grindelwald vanished in a swirl of silver mist, reappearing high above. From the storm-laden sky, lightning descended in a chaotic web, arcing downward in jagged spears meant to obliterate everything in their path.

Albus lifted his wand, and the bolts curved toward him, spiraling around his form in controlled chaos. Electricity danced along his skin, its energy siphoned into a brilliant sphere of pure light that hovered just above his palm. With a sudden, precise movement, he cast it forward, sending the storm's fury back toward its master.

Grindelwald twisted mid-air, his cloak billowing as he conjured a vortex of shadows to absorb the impact. The moment the energy met the darkness, it imploded, sending a shockwave through the battlefield that cracked stone and splintered the sky itself.

The force sent both wizards skidding backward, but neither faltered.

Grindelwald struck again. A single sweep of his wand, and the very air thickened, folding in upon itself. Space twisted, compressing into an invisible force that crushed everything in its reach. The ground buckled. The sky darkened. Magic itself seemed to groan under the pressure.

Albus stepped forward, unaffected. A counterforce rippled outward from his presence, an unseen aura that negated the warping of reality itself. The crushing weight lifted, unraveling as if it had never existed.

Grindelwald's form blurred as he lunged, closing the distance in a fraction of a second. A blade of pure darkness extended from his wand, cutting through the space between them with lethal precision.

Albus met it with a blade of his own—liquid silver, glowing with an inner radiance. Their weapons clashed, sending arcs of magic cascading in all directions. The impact alone sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, tearing apart what little remained of the courtyard's foundation.

They moved as one, each strike met with an equal counter. The air ignited with the friction of their magic, the duel escalating beyond mere spell work. The Elder Wand pulsed in Grindelwald's grasp, its power surging wildly, desperate to tip the scales.

But Albus was unyielding.

The ground beneath them split apart, the energy of their battle fracturing reality itself. Magic poured into the widening abyss, an uncontrolled tempest of power that threatened to consume them both.

Neither hesitated.

They struck again.

The world trembled beneath the force of their battle, the sheer magnitude of magic distorting the very air. Shattered stone and burning embers rained down as the battlefield continued to collapse under their feet. Then something that caused intense pain in Albus' chest … screams.

Beyond the ruined courtyard, the destruction had spread. The duel had ravaged more than stone and sky; the city beyond was now caught in the storm of their war. A crumbling tower groaned, tilting dangerously, its foundation reduced to splintered debris. Below, innocents ran, men, women, children who had done nothing wrong but watch the duel that just so happened to take place in their hometown, helpless beneath the impending collapse.

Grindelwald saw it. And he struck.

With a cruel twist of his wand, the weakened structure gave way entirely, the massive weight of stone and metal cascading toward those below like an executioner's blade. His eyes gleamed with triumph, Albus could not ignore it.

And Albus did not.

Instantly, his wand snapped toward the falling wreckage. Magic surged outward, golden threads weaving themselves into the air, catching the collapsing ruin mid-fall. The entire structure shuddered as if suspended by unseen hands. Dust and rubble swirled in chaotic spirals as Albus redirected the momentum, guiding the wreckage away, sending the massive stone slabs crashing harmlessly into an abandoned street instead.

The moment of intervention cost him.

Grindelwald struck without hesitation, a spear of pure black fire slicing through the space between them. Albus barely turned in time. The attack slammed into his hastily conjured shield, but the force sent him skidding backward, boots scraping against fractured stone.

The dark wizard did not relent.

With another sweeping motion, he unleashed a shockwave that tore through the ruined courtyard, sending massive chunks of debris flying toward the fleeing civilians. Sharp-edged rubble twisted in the air, a deadly storm that would carve through flesh as easily as it had through stone.

Albus reacted instantly. His wand traced an intricate arc, and the debris froze mid-air. Another flick, and the stones reversed course, hurtling back toward Grindelwald like meteors.

Grindelwald twisted, vanishing into a swirl of mist as the projectiles struck where he stood. He reappeared above Albus, his wand raised high. A sudden pull on the air—a shift in gravity itself—sent the entire battlefield into chaos. The earth below cracked and heaved, pulling upward as though the world had lost all sense of direction.

Albus barely steadied himself before he saw it—another structure crumbling, its weight threatening to crush a family cowering in the rubble.

Grindelwald smiled.

Albus moved.

A burst of magic surged from his wand, defying the unnatural shift in gravity as he propelled himself toward the collapsing ruins. With a wave of his hand, an unseen force swept the family away, just as the final pieces of the building crashed down. The force of the impact sent shockwaves through the street, the sheer power of it carving deep trenches into the stone.

Another cost.

Grindelwald was waiting. A chain of molten energy lashed out from his wand, wrapping around Albus's arm before he could fully turn. Searing pain crackled through his nerves as the enchantment tightened, burning with a dark, ancient power meant to bind even the strongest of wizards.

Grindelwald pulled.

Albus was yanked off his feet, dragged through the air toward the dark wizard, who was already preparing the final strike. The Elder Wand pulsed, an eruption of pure destruction forming at its tip.

But Albus was not done.

His free hand twisted, and the golden glow of his magic flared brighter. The burning chains around his arm unraveled, their energy folding in on itself, dispersing into harmless embers. With a flick of his wand, the very air around them condensed, forcing Grindelwald backward as Albus landed gracefully, eyes burning with quiet fury.

Albus pivoted on his heel, his wand weaving delicate patterns in the air, each movement bringing forth a cascade of spell work so seamless it seemed almost effortless. The ground trembled beneath him as molten veins of gold fissured through the stone, erupting in radiant bursts meant to trap Grindelwald within an ever-tightening labyrinth of light. The arcane designs twisted and reformed, shifting with the precision of a living puzzle, their pathways closing in like the jaws of a great beast. Each strand of light pulsed with an ancient energy, their brilliance illuminating the battered courtyard with a celestial glow.

But the dark wizard was not so easily ensnared. With a swift motion of the Elder Wand, a vortex of void-like darkness expanded outward, swallowing the golden maze whole before it could constrict further. The shadows surged, writhing like serpents, devouring every glimmer of radiance in their path. The dark energy crackled with an almost sentient hunger, clawing at the very fabric of the battlefield, leaving nothing but cold emptiness in its wake.

Above, the heavens rippled as the very fabric of the sky seemed to tear. Cosmic energy, neither fire nor lightning, streaked downward in blinding arcs. The air hummed with unearthly vibrations, each pulse distorting the space around them. Grindelwald, hovering above the battlefield, stretched his arms wide, his robes billowing as he absorbed the celestial storm into his form, his body crackling with untamed magic. His very presence distorted the air, creating an unnatural vacuum, as though reality itself recoiled from his presence. With a single downward thrust of his wand, he expelled that gathered energy, transforming it into a monolithic spear of pure force that plummeted toward Albus with devastating speed, the sheer impact promising to rend the earth apart.

Without hesitation, Albus raised his wand. The very air around him shimmered, bending as though reality itself acknowledged his will. The moment the descending spear met his magic, it halted, suspended mid-air, before fracturing into a thousand harmless motes of light that scattered like dying stars. The explosion of luminescence bathed the battlefield in a brief, blinding brilliance, the cascading embers vanishing before they could reach the ruined stones below. He did not break his stride, moving with precise, fluid grace as he conjured a spiraling barrage of enchanted glyphs, each one an embodiment of ancient spells meant to disrupt Grindelwald's power. They danced through the air, geometric sigils pulsing with latent force, each one crafted with a meticulous touch that defied brute counterspells.

Grindelwald responded with ruthless efficiency, his wand carving jagged runes into the void, countering each sigil with an inverse counterpart that unraveled them before they could take effect. His counters came swift and brutal, each stroke of his wand erasing the very essence of Albus' constructs before they could solidify. The brilliance of his counterwork was undeniable, but it lacked the fundamental elegance of Albus' mastery. Magic for him was domination, forced into submission by sheer will. For Albus, it was an art, a symphony of control and understanding that required no brute coercion. Their styles clashed as much as their philosophies—one wielded magic as a conqueror, the other as a guide. One sought to impose order through force, the other sought harmony through understanding.

The very city around them bore the scars of their battle. Spires had collapsed, streets had turned into trenches, and rivers of energy surged through the cracks in the earth. Arcane storms crackled in the distance, the collateral echoes of spells too powerful to be contained. The echoes of their clash carried for miles, shaking distant hills and sending flocks of birds scattering into the tumultuous sky. Still, they pressed on, each testing the limits of the other, pushing past mortal constraints into the realm of the extraordinary.

Grindelwald's robes were torn, his breath now coming in measured gasps. The Elder Wand still thrummed with power in his grip, but cracks were forming—not in the wand, but in the man wielding it. The boundless arrogance that had fueled his belief in his invincibility was eroding under the unrelenting truth before him. Albus was not simply holding him at bay. He was dismantling him, piece by piece, with patience and precision, forcing him to feel the weight of inevitability. Each clash, each counter, left another mark—not a physical wound, but a realization, creeping deeper with every passing second. The realization that this battle was already lost.

A final gambit. Grindelwald abandoned all subtlety. He thrust his wand into the ground, and an eruption of dark tendrils surged forth, pulsing with unholy energy. They spread outward, a web of consuming darkness, a void meant to erase everything it touched. A spell so absolute, so final, that even the Elder Wand seemed to hesitate under its burden. The tendrils slithered across the battlefield, corrupting the very stone they touched, warping the air with malevolent whispers of destruction.

Albus did not move. His wand lifted with the slightest of motions, and a sphere of argent light expanded from him, its glow reaching into every shadow, unraveling the abyss before it could fully take hold. The tendrils shrieked as they dissolved, the remnants of their void curling into harmless wisps that dissipated in the wind. The raw power of the Elder Wand had been met not with brute strength, but with the fundamental truth of magic itself.

Grindelwald staggered, his form wavering for the first time, the exhaustion of the battle now undeniable. The ground beneath him was no longer stable, the battlefield shifting as if reacting to the unrelenting clash of magic. The storm above raged, the very fabric of the world straining under the weight of their power, but there was no doubt now. The end was near.

Even with the Elder Wand, even with all his power… he had never stood a chance.

Albus had won.

A simple summoning charm ripped the Elder Wand away from Grindelwald and moved it into the current owner's hands.

Harry and Fleur emerged from the memory, both of them in awe. Harry more so than Fleur, as this was the first time that he had ever seen it before. It made so much sense why everyone respected the old man, why everyone was said he was the most powerful wizard in the world.

"What did you think?" asked Fleur

"I see why you paid for a copy of this, this is something I would gladly pay to watch every year" admitted Harry

Fleur leaned her head on his shoulder, "You know if I wasn't certain that you had never seen this, I would say that you based your own fighting style on it. You have such a well-rounded and complete usage of curses, hexes, spells, charms, and transfiguration when dueling. Krum got slaughtered by you and then even I stood no change last weekend"

Harry yawned, "I was told that I should be as balanced and knowledgeable in as many branches of magic as possible"

Fleur rolled her eyes, "And you just listened?"

"I listened to them, and it made me better, would you rather I be a worse wizard?" asked Harry

"No, I like you the way you are. You are powerful, skilled, know so much about magic. All of that with those pretty green eyes makes you oh so sexy" replied Fleur as she planted small kiss after small kiss on his jawline, moving slowly but surely towards his neck.

"We are alone Harry, we might as well make the most of that" whispered Fleur in his ear as she dragged her tongue across the side of his neck.

Brat, you have my blessing to do whatever you think is best, preferably the attractive French witch

Harry didn't even question the order

Chapter 10

“You have been taught how to duel, Harry Potter?” said Voldemort softly, his red eyes glinting through the darkness.

Harry nodded, he knew the type of person that Voldemort was, he wanted to make a mockery of respect.

Both of them bowed at the waist, but neither removed their eyes from the other. They both knew better than to do that.

“Someone has been training you well Potter” commented Voldemort, “Are you sure I cannot tempt you to join me? With all the dead death eaters, there is room for you inside of my inner circle”

Harry gestured to the masked and cloaked bodies around them, the death eaters he had killed when they tried to steal his blood, “Good help is hard to find”

Voldemort let out a crackling laugh and the sky split with lightning followed by eardrum splitting thunder, “Last chance to take a spot in my inner circle boy”

Harry gripped his wand tightly as he nodded to the death eaters surrounding them, “Take a look around, I’m already inside your inner circle”

“So it would seem” said Voldemort, his tone devoid of amusement now.

….

Severus Snape was in one of his better moods, the start of Summer break was also something that he looked forward to. He was not all that fond of teaching or children, so this was also a much needed break.

He walked through the protective wards around his home, unlocking the door and slipping inside.

He could feel the cold angry presence from the moment that he entered his home, and he didn’t need to turn to see who it was.

“Sit” hissed Harry, his wand trained on Severus’ form

Green eyes met Onyx eyes and Severus nodded as he sat in his comfy one seater across from the seat that Harry must have conjured. He took in the young man, the casual muggle clothing, the jogging shoes, the unzipped jacket over the white t-shirt. His eyes landed on the back of Harry’s hand, where a new splatter star-shaped scar sat. He had seen one just like it on the back of the hand of the Dark Lord less than 72 hours ago.

“Potter” greeted Severus

“Two faced fence sitting bastard” replied Harry

Snape opened his mouth to reply, but Harry cut him off, “Zip it, this is not the part where you talk yet”

Snape scowled but did as he was told, he was being held at wand point. A weight appeared on his shoulders and he felt the cold grip of magic wrap around his heart, his heart struggling to beat against the grip/

“I cannot trust entering your mind to verify if you are telling me the truth, thus I will have my magic tell me if you are lying to me” answered Harry to the unvoiced question, “If you reach for your wand, I will shatter it inside your hand”

Do not let your anger cloud your thoughts

Harry ignored Junior and glared at his potions’ professor, “He has help inside the school, who is it?”

Snape blinked, “Surely, you have a less direct question than that, you know that I cannot simply tell you who is doing what”

The grip tightened and Snape wondered if Harry would just kill him in this moment, but after a moment, the pain faded and he found Harry’s green eyes … Lily’s eyes glaring at him with an intensity that he hadn’t seen come from the young man before.

“This isn’t a game” hissed Harry

“I am bound by the Dark Mark to hold all secrets that he does not wish for me to share” admitted Snape, “The mark is not something I can simply shrug off or refute, it is bound to my very soul”

He is correct Harry, but soul magic can be undone

“And if I was willing to free you from the bind of the mark?” asked Harry

“You cannot do that” replied Snape

“I did not ask if you had faith in my ability to do so, I am asking you what you would be willing to do in exchange” said Harry

“Anything” answered Snape

Harry’s magic around his heart confirmed it was true and he thought inward, ‘Is this something that you can guide me through?’

Of course brat, let’s get into it together.

“Do we have a deal?” asked Harry as he raised his wand, “I remove the soul bind and you tell me what I want to know”

Snape nodded and both Harry and Snape’s body glimmered as they both magically promised to uphold the agreement.

“I am ready whenever you are Potter” said Snape

Harry closed his eyes and his magic filled the room, thick and heavy like oil before it wrapped around Snape, very different than the thin tendril that had wrapped around his heart. This magic sunk deeper than the body, into his very soul before it found something located in his arm.

“Ok, that wasn’t so bad” muttered Snape as his body spasmed as the magic grew harsh and painful, like touching ice for too long.

“Oh, we haven’t started yet” replied Harry as the feeling intensified and Snape felt more pain than he had ever felt before.

 

Montpellier, France: The Delacour’s Private Hospital Wing

Fleur sat in her empty hospital room, the pale white walls painted in a manner that didn’t make the place look brighter than it really was. Her body shivered as another wave of tremble inducing pain flooded her body. It starts as a whisper, a ghost of sensation slithering beneath the skin, but soon it grows … becomes sharper,  more electric, and as always … unrelenting. It is fire without flame, ice without relief, a constant gnawing that turns every breath into a test of endurance. The pain weaves through muscle and bone, threading itself into the very fabric of the body, as if the nerves themselves have been set ablaze.

At times, it is a dagger plunged deep, a sudden and merciless jolt that steals the breath away. Other moments, it is a relentless, crawling ache, a sickening throb that refuses to fade, pulsing in time with the heartbeat. It radiates, spreads, twists—one moment a searing burn, the next a sharp, electric shock, unpredictable in its cruelty.

Even stillness is no refuge. The body betrays itself, nerves firing signals of agony with no cause, no injury, no reason—only suffering. Clothing feels like sandpaper, a touch like a brand, every movement a gamble against the unseen tormentor lurking beneath the skin. Sleep is fleeting, rest a distant memory, for pain does not wait for permission to return.

It is a battle waged in silence, a torment unseen, a wound with no scar. To live with this manner of pain is to exist in a body that has turned against itself, where relief is a dream, and every moment is measured in how much one can endure.

The sad part was that Fleur knew that this was the pain after it had become heavily muted by the series of potions, elixirs, creams, and everything under the sun that her parents had gotten to treat her. All done by a healer who specialized in treating Veelas, everything had been done to perfection. It also let her know why the Cruciatus Curse was universally banned in every country and every nation.

Even in the dark arts tolerating Balkin nations did not allow the use of them. Not that it had stopped Krum once they were inside the maze.

She shivered once more and found her mind struggling to hang onto the real world as it begged to simply collapse in on itself and give up. She had always wondered how the spell … a quickly muttered Crucio could make wizards lose their minds so effortlessly. But as she struggled with the results of the spell now, she was more surprised that there weren’t more wizards who gave up.

There was a soft ruffling of fabric and Dumbledore was inside of her room, his usual weird robes were nowhere to be seen as he looked more serious than she had seen him over the past 7 months she had spent at Hogwarts.

“How are you?” asked Dumbledore as his eyes roamed over her form, yet Fleur did not feel the normal male gaze with the scan of her body. Age did not lessen the impact of a Veela’s appeal to anyone, so for him to be this neutral or objective … it honestly made his fashion sense make a lot more sense to Fleur.

“I … have had … better moments” said Fleur between moments of intense body shaking pain, her knees hurt so much that bending them hurt, unbending them hurt even more, and leaving them alone was somehow the worst option.

“You are not the first nor will you ever be the last to find yourself under that spell” stated Dumbledore, his tone was flat and somber. It was as if he was seeing more than just her in the bed, but an entire country’s worth of school children.

Dumbledore reached into a fold of his robes and pulled out a small vial, inside was a pale  blue potion that was twinkling with a glow that Fleur had never seen before. Dumbledore uncorked it and he placed it at her lips … when had he gotten so close again? Was it when Fleur had to blink?

The liquid hit her tongue and it was icy cold, then it burned her mouth, then it was incredibly smoothing to feel. Dumbledore pushed the end of the vial up and she was forced to drink the entire thing, her body shaking as she finished.

Dumbledore took a step back and Fleur shivered as she felt her whole body grow cold, then hot, then slowly all of the pain in her body faded away. She felt itchy and sweaty, but she didn’t feel the pain that had consumed every cell of her body a moment ago.

“What … what is that?” asked Fleur as she rubbed her stomach that lurched with hunger unlike anything she had ever felt before. Apparently during all that pain, she had been starving underneath.

“This was an experiment that I have been working on since the end of the last war” answered Dumbledore, “Miss Delacour, how do you feel?”

“Like I could go for a Hogwarts feast” admitted Fleur as her stomach rumbled loudly, causing the French witch to blush in embarrassment.

Dumbledore let out a small chuckle that didn’t reach his eyes, his body was still standing tall and alert. Fleur could understand it though, the war was just starting back up and Dumbledore needed to be at his most attentive now.

“That might just be the near week of no food” suggested Dumbledore, “But your pain level?”

“I feel almost normal, there is a faint echo but that is just my mind. It expects to feel pain, but the sheets no longer hurt my skin” answered Fleur

“That is very good, I was uncertain of whether or not the potion would work. You are actually not my intended patient” admitted Dumbledore

“No, if not me than who? Harry should be okay right?” questioned Fleur

“As far as I have been informed, Harry is good health in a bit angry about the ending of the Tournament. But a duel against Lord Voldemort will do that to you” said Dumbledore

“If not me and not Harry, then who?” asked Fleur

“I cannot tell you at this moment, Miss Delacour” said Dumbledore, “their identities need to remain a secret at this moment. In due time though, I believe that you will be meeting them”

“How can you think that?” asked Fleur

“While I do wear this stylist glasses” mused Dumbledore, “I am not, in fact, blind. There is no secret worse kept at Hogwarts how smite Young Delacour and Potter have become in one another”

Fleur burped and rolled her eyes, “I have no reason to hide that I like Harry, nor would I want to”

Dumbledore nodded, “I agree very much. Which is why I know when I invite you to join the Order of the Phoenix, I know that you will agree”

Fleur raised an eyebrow, “The order is real?”

“Depends on who is asking? Fleur Delacour, the talented enchantress and duelist who is a candidate to join or Fleur Delacour, the nosy school girl?” asked Dumbledore

“Does it matter?” asked Fleur

“Only in the manner of whether or not I can trust you” answered Dumbledore

“I will not lie to Harry” stated Fleur firmly

“Nor would I ask you to” said Dumbledore just as firmly, “Your vow would be to not disclose information not in the order or Harry James Potter. That is it”

“I will not spy on Harry either” said Fleur with narrowed eyes

“Mister Potter and I are not enemies, nor will we ever be” said Dumbledore, “I do not have the ability to pay attention to what he does in his day to day life, I do not have the ability to focus on where he goes every day while I keep my eyes on the Death Eaters who have slipped through the cracks like the bugs they are. If does something stupid like march to Malfoy Manor to challenge the Dark Lord in a duel, let me know, but I know that Harry can take care of himself at this point. He dueled Voldemort to a standstill and walked away with little more than a scar on the back of his hand”

“So, what are you asking me to do?” asked Fleur

“I am asking you to continue to be Harry’s paramour, keep him out of trouble and keep him from doing anything particularly stupid if you can” said Dumbledore

“In exchange for what?” asked Fleur, “This seems to good to be true”

“In exchange for nothing other than having information about what the death eaters are doing. I do not want a war on two fronts, this is not some fairy tale where I need Harry to fail to win in the end. Harry is a smart capable young man who I do not wish to babysit, just keep him out of trouble”

London: July 3rd

Fleur glared up at the weak London sun, the middlingly 23*C weather was pathetic for summer. It wasn’t sunny or breezy enough for her to wear any of her new sundresses, she was stuck wearing a pair of jeans, little canvas shoes, and a long sleeve baggy t-shirt. She was certain that she looked beautiful, but she was certain that she would have looked better in her sundress.

Her eyes dropped from the weak sun to the bad English parody of coffee (A/N: Went to London in 2023, Coffee was extremely mid and overpriced, but the Tea was actually really good) and then at Harry who was sitting across from her, sipping on a cup of Lemon tea.

“Are you gonna continue to mope and complain about the weather or talk to me about our summer plans?” asked Harry

“I just feel like this conversation could have been had in France” stated Fleur, “But atlas, we are here, so tell me what you’ve learned”

Her eyes paused as her vision locked in on the sight of his pale-skinned hand, positioned with the palm facing downward and fingers slightly spread. At the center of the back of the hand is a distinct, dark red to the point of nearing black mark in the shape of a four-pointed star, with each point extending outward in sharp, tapered lines. The scar looked as if it had possibly burned into the skin recently as if Harry had been branded right become coming to sit with her, giving it an ominous quality. Around the knuckles, there are faint reddish bruises or irritation, as if the hand has recently endured strain or conflict. A big contrast to his fingernails which were so well-groomed and clean.

“I can wear gloves in the hand is going to distract you” suggested Harry

“No, I just find the scar to be interesting, it is a sign that no matter what, you wouldn’t lose to anyone. Not even snake faced dark lords” joked Fleur.

“Good, because I helped Snape and he helped me. There was a grand total of 5 spies for Voldemort inside of the castle this past year. Bradley Flint is the first and most openly sharing one, his older brother Marcus Flint graduated last year before the Tournament school year. I don’t know if he was really spying and providing information to his brother in an innocent manner or if it had intent. But Snape was able to identify him as a mole inside of the school that gave information that Voldemort used”

“How old is he?” asked Fleur

“He is about to be 17, he’s 2 years ahead of me” said Harry

“Old enough to learn that consequences have actions then” stated Fleur harshly

“We will punish before killing” stated Harry

“You need to crack the whip on those who oppose you, people who fear you do not openly challenge you. Make an example of someone who has influence, and the rest will crumple like a sandcastle” tsk’d Fleur

“I thought the French were non-confrontational?” joked Harry

“I never back down from a fight, if I was a better duelist, I would be whipping your arse up and down the island for thinking it was okay to duel a dark lord without me” said Fleur with a roll of her eyes.

“Notes for next time” promised Harry, “Anyway, after the younger Flint brother, there was obviously the LeStrange brothers which caused us to have that episode that made the news”

“Did the ministry kill them?” asked Fleur

“No, Voldemort with the help of Malfoy managed to free them before the Ministry could deal with them” answered Harry

Fleur smirked confidently, “Good, that gives us the opportunity to take care of them ourselves. We owe them more than just some spells for the way they got to us during the ball”

“Angry Fleur is hot” replied Harry

“I find you extremely attractive whenever you show command over older or powerful magic” admitted Fleur, “It is a sign that we find dominate traits in each other attractive, it is a good thing”

Green eyes met blue eyes, “Fleur, I will love you until my last breathe, then find a way to love you for another day”

Fleur felt all of her disappointment in being in London fade and she leaned across the table and kissed Harry on the lips, “And I will love you forever plus another day as well Harry”

Harry smiled at her, the pressure of the upcoming war faded and in this moment, he felt his body tingle.

That’s what love feels like Harry

‘I could get used to it’

You’re blessed Harry, some people search for it their entire lives and never find this feeling. Cherish it, hold on to it, never let anyone take it from you.

‘Are you okay Junior?’

I am just happy for you, neither one of us are parents but you are as a close to a child that a bodyless pool of magic could ever have. I am happy that you found someone to walk this world with.

‘Oh, I think you’re the closest thing to a parent that I have, I mean you’ve been there for as long as I can remember. Thank you’

Harry rubbed his chin, “Karkaroff is not a spy per say, but Voldemort threatened to kill him and Krum if they didn’t do as they were told. Karkaroff handed over the plans for all of the tasks and that is how they managed to know all of the details on each one of those”

“A coward through and through” noted Fleur, “Is the last one the Malfoy brat, I wouldn’t mind killing him after the nasty way that he talked about you and I”

“The last one was a mystery even to Snape” admitted Harry, “It was a sixth year student who had a deal with Voldemort and the Death Eaters to protect their family”

“They chose to sacrifice you over themselves, possible a Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff” mused Fleur as she twisted her mouth, her lip clutched between her teeth in thought.

Harry shrugged, “It could have been anyone to be honest, who wouldn’t choose their family over me?”

“Speaking of family, when do you feel like is a good time to meet mine?” asked Fleur

“That depends? Do they like me? Like have they only heard good things?” countered Harry

“Other than you being a bit annoying, they have only heard good things” confirmed Fleur

“Then whenever you are ready” shrugged Harry, “I’ve never dated anyone, is this supposed to be making me nervous or something?”

Fleur shrugged as well, “I’ve never dated anyone, I’ve been on one or two dates with a person, but at no point was I dating that person. They never interested me or they didn’t see me as me, they saw me as a trophy”

“Based on our TriWizard Tournament results, I’m the prize” said Harry with a smile, the result was a scone to the face.

Montpellier, France: The Delacour’s Dining Room:

The Daily Prophet
July 5, 1995
DUMBLEDORE’S MIRACLE: LONGBOTTOMS HEALED BY PHOENIX-BASED POTION

By Rita Skeeter

In what can only be described as the most astonishing medical breakthrough in wizarding history, Albus Dumbledore has successfully healed Alice and Frank Longbottom, the beloved Aurors who had long suffered under the Cruciatus Curse at the hands of the notorious Death Eaters. The wizarding world is abuzz with excitement and disbelief at this unprecedented act of magical restoration.

For over fifteen years, the Longbottoms have resided in St. Mungo’s Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, unable to recognize even their own son, Neville. Their tragic fate has been a painful reminder of the horrors inflicted during Voldemort’s reign. Many had resigned themselves to the idea that their condition was irreversible—until now.

According to sources close to St. Mungo’s, Dumbledore devised a special potion derived from the tears of his legendary phoenix companion, Fawkes. Long associated with extraordinary healing properties, phoenix tears have been known to cure fatal wounds, but never before have they been used to mend minds shattered by dark magic.

Dumbledore, ever the enigmatic figure, has declined to provide details of the potion’s exact composition, stating only that it was “a delicate balance of hope, love, and a bit of phoenix magic.” He did, however, express his delight at the recovery of the Longbottoms, calling it “a victory not just for them, but for all who have suffered the scars of war.”

The Longbottoms, now fully conscious and able to recall past events, were reportedly overwhelmed with emotion upon reuniting with their son, Neville. Witnesses describe a tearful and joyful scene at St. Mungo’s as the family embraced for the first time in nearly two decades.

Neville Longbottom, now a rising star in the field of Herbology and a hero of the Battle of Hogwarts, has expressed profound gratitude toward Dumbledore. “I never thought I’d have this chance,” he told reporters. “It’s more than I ever dreamed possible.”

While the discovery has sparked widespread hope, it has also raised questions within the medical and academic communities. Some Healers at St. Mungo’s are demanding further study of Dumbledore’s potion, eager to determine whether it might be used to treat other victims of dark magic. Others, however, caution against premature optimism, pointing out that phoenix tears are incredibly rare and difficult to harness in large quantities.

Regardless of the implications, there is no denying that this breakthrough has brought newfound hope to many in the wizarding world. With Alice and Frank Longbottom back among the living, many now wonder: what other miracles might still be possible?

Mr. Michel Delacour tossed the newspaper down onto the table, the table that was not as long as Harry had expected for a house this big, but it was still big enough to fit all five of them. Michel Delacour was not what Harry had expected, but was almost exactly what Harry thought a man capable of marrying a Veela could be like, if that made sense.

He was the embodiment of effortless French charm, it was a man in the mid-forties who wore his years like a well-tailored suit: refined and utterly unmarred by the time. With an angular face that had been softened by a frequent hint of amusement, that visage would be classically described as handsome with the kind of symmetry that models possessed. Chiseled high cheekbones, inheriting centuries of aristocratic history, framed a strong straight nose; lips slightly raised into a knowing half-smile, hinting at a mind as sharp as was his appearance. His hair, a deep chestnut with only the most dignified streaks of silver, fell in artfully tousled waves that implied equal parts both nonchalance and painstaking care. His piercing blue eyes matched those of Fleurs,  flecked with stormy shades of gray-held intelligence, mischief, and solved by dark lashes that did grant an unfair level of intensity to his gaze. There was something other about the direct, appraising but never unkind look he gave you that made him impossible to ignore. The natural confidence of a man long accustomed to mastering not only his own presence but also the effect it had on others guided his movement. He was lanky, yet graceful, carrying himself with such deliberate grace that even the slightest gesture seemed purposeful. Whether adorned in a tailor-made charcoal suit that hinted at old Parisian money or wearing nothing more than a crisp linen dress shirt with a couple of buttons undone, implying he just got back from a Mediterranean sojourn, he was that kind of guy who made elegance look effortlessly natural. And then there was his voice: smooth, edged with the husky timbre that rendered every syllable a most unexpectedly dangerous invitation, whether he recited poetry over a glass of Bordeaux or simply ordered coffee.

If Harry was certain that men could not be Veela, he would have accused Fleur’s father of being a Veela like his wife and children. Fleur’s mother Apolline and her younger sister, Gabby looked like they had during the tournament, blonde and pretty.

“Your headmaster, Dumbledore is quite the wizard Harry” said Michel in his ever so slightly accented English.

“He is possibly the best to ever walk through London” nodded Harry, “At least, so far”

“I’ve heard outstanding things about your skill Harry” said Michel, “A young man skilled beyond his years, the Next Dumbledore as the tournament coverage declared you”

Harry shuffled in his seat, “The media tends to blow everything out of proportion. You know how the English are, every rugrat that becomes potty trained is the next merlin”

Michel let out one of those regal rich people laughs and Fleur flashed him a smile, “I agree but the media is not the only source of information that I use. I saw the memories of the tournament, you are quite the powerful wizard”

Harry nodded, “I am a bit more advanced than the average student, but I have a lot more to learn, a lot more to master before I take over for someone like Dumbledore”

Michel scratched his nose, “You are certainly not prideful like the English, that much is sure”

Apolline rolled her eyes, “Michel dear, enough. The boy has joined us for breakfast, and you are spending it trying to find out what is wrong with him”

“Any father is going to test whatever boy his daughter brings home” cut in Harry, “I would be surprised if he wasn’t trying to figure me out”

Michel gave Harry a real smile, “You are vastly different than the world has painted you, Harry. Tell us, what is the real Harry Potter like?”

Harry thought it over as he took a sip of the orange juice in his cup, “The real Harry Potter didn’t grow up slaying dragons and saving princesses like the story books tell. I grew up in the suburbs of London, with my muggle family from my mother’s side. I mostly kept to myself and was an average student and kid until I made it to Hogwarts. From there, I kept finding myself in dangerous situations and found that the professors didn’t believe me or help, so I threw myself into studying and becoming the best that I could”

Apolline smiled, “So, you’re self-taught, that is quite impressive”

Harry nodded.

“Do you have any career thoughts already?” asked Michel

“I kind of have to kill a Dark Lord first, but I would like to go into Magical Research” answered Harry

“Really, I heard you are quite handy on a broom, I would have thought that you would have pursued a professional Quidditch career” said Michel

“Maybe if my good looks and brains fade first” joked Harry causing everyone at the table to let out a laugh.

 

Order of the Phoenix meeting:

“Every Death Eater has made themselves scarce, why? Because after technically not losing, but also not winning the duel against Harry Potter, the Dark Lord is rather less than pleased” reported Snape, “Nobody wants to be around to feel his wraith”

Dumbledore nodded, “Nobody can blame them, he is not the most merciful person”

“Am I the only one who is questioning how a 14 year old boy managed to do that?” asked Tonks, “Most of the people here in this meeting aren’t capable of that”

Moody’s swirling eye stopped moving to lock onto Dumbledore as everyone in the meeting’s eyes landed on the Elderly wizard who resisted the urge to sigh in front of everyone, because what was he going to tell these people? That Harry had magically turned into a powerful wizard basically overnight without the help of anyone? They weren’t going to buy that, because he didn’t believe it himself.

He could reveal a bit of the truth, that Harry had been using some kind of time turner to extend his days and over the last 10 months had gotten over 1.75 years of experience and was closer to 17 than 15 at this point? How much did these people really have to know?

“Harry is not just a regular 14 year old boy, he has access to a time turner and is approaching 16 years old rather than 15 years old. He has been trained in secret due to the prophecy, he is the key to this war” answered Dumbledore after a moment of thinking of what he could tell them, a variant of the truth was the best option. Better to have them think he was training Potter than to think the boy was self-taught and a potential threat.

“Albus, are you certain there isn’t any other way than to have a boy like Harry trained to fight” asked Molly

Why is she always asking these type of questions, if it was a simple as me simply winning, I would have done this decades ago

“Perhaps the prophecy refers to the power of friendship” said Dumbledore rhetorically, “Or maybe you think I am as insane as the kids at Hogwarts claim I am. Do you think I want to trust the fate of the world to a 16 year old boy who is trying to add a notch to his wand more than anything at this point?”

That brought an awkward silence to the entire room, because Dumbledore had a point. Sirius buried his face into his palms in frustration, something Dumbledore could understand. Molly was an excellent mother to her children, but she tended to forget that not all of the people around her were her children.

“If the noise complaints from the Beauxbatons’ students are accurate, the wand has at least a single very impressive notch” added Snape, causing the room to crackle with laughter and Molly gasping in horror.

Dumbledore found himself curious about Snape’s overall good mood, summer vacation was always a boon to the man’s mood, but never this much. The man was an arse who was an arse all the time, yet he seemed to have mellowed out more than Dumbledore thought possible. Something to address and talk about after the meeting, the more pressing issue was using his people inside the ministry to protect the prophecy. Who cares if he had a copy of the full thing, the important thing is that Voldemort didn’t.

The rest of the meeting was spent with a more productive edge. Moody was going to start scouting the Auror and Hit Wizards for potential members. Author, Tonks, and Shacklebolt would organize a rotation of less dueling inclined witches and wizards inside the Ministry to guard the doorway to the Hall of Prophecies. Remus and Sirius were going to be sent to Germany to talk with the largest gathering of Werewolves in Western Europe in hopes of getting them remain neutral. Hagrid was already in France, embarking on his journey to talk with the Giants. Aberforth was going to Rome to ask the vampires to stand down in this war.

That left Dumbledore and Snape to return to Hogwarts alone as only Molly was left without an important task. That was fine, Dumbledore knew that Molly was a capable dueler, but she was a mother first and he respected that even if he didn’t have any children himself.

“So, why are you in such a good mood?” asked Dumbledore as he popped both of them into his office, taking a seat behind his desk as Snape stood across from him, but refusing to sit in the chair across from him.

“The brats are gone, no more poorly made potions, no more stolen ingredients, no misspelled essays” said Snape with a smirk on his face, “What is not to like?”

“And yet for the last decade, you’ve manage to be a miserable day in and day out. Even during the summer holidays, forgive me for not believing that the kids being gone from castle is the reason for the boost in mood” countered Dumbledore

“Perhaps … there is more to my good mood” admitted Snape, “Have you ever had something removed from your life or being … only for a massive fog to be lifted from your mind”

“No, that doesn’t make much sense to me” replied Dumbledore, “Did something of this nature occur to you recently”

“Everything between us remains between just us, correct?” asked Snape

“Unless lives are at stake, yes” confirmed Dumbledore

“Potter removed the soul bind on the Dark Magic, for years that foul peace of magic was consuming bits of magic, clouding my thought process, dragging my mood down” explained Snape

“That is quite the ability in magic, I was unaware that Harry knew how to do that” said Dumbledore as he slowly chewed over this new piece of information, “I wouldn’t know how to do it”

Snape gave a small nod, “I didn’t think it was possible, it painful. It was worse than being under the Dark Lord’sCrucio, the pain was not just in the body, it sank down to my very soul and it felt like he was ripping it apart to find a needle in the haystack as the muggles would say”

“Do you mind?” asked Dumbledore as he pulled his wand from his robes and gestured it at Snape

“Not at all, I’m actually curious of what the results will be” said Snape as he stood firm as Dumbledore scanned him with a wave of magic, it was pleasantly cool and swirled around his being. It felt nothing like the magic of the Dark Lord which felt harsh, bitter, cold, and jagged. Nor did it feel like Potter’s magic which felt thick, overwhelming, hungry, and never-ending. The magic burrowed under his skin and he could feel it flow inside of his very being, much like Potter’s had. However, Dumbledore’s magic was not ripping or pulling, simply wondering about looking around.

Dumbledore lowered his wand and pulled all his magic back, “Whatever Harry did, it did no damage to your soul. At least none that I could find, but it seems as if he scrubbed and removed all of the imprints left by dark magic. He did a better job than anyone but myself or Grindelwald would have been able to. There is not many experts on Soul Magic left, outside of the two of us that I already mentioned and your other master”

Silence filled the room as both of them let that information settle, “He is no longer my master, the soul bind is gone as I mentioned previously”

“Interesting, where does a boy as young as Harry Potter who grew up in the muggle world learn how to transmutate a soul like this?” asked Dumbledore

“Are we open to revisiting the conversation that Harry Potter is not Harry Potter?” asked Snape

“And you think a variant of your master would simply free you from your bind to him? Tom was never that kind. If Harry Potter is not Harry Potter, I would have known by now. Besides for all of the charm and physical attractiveness that Tom possessed, he could never bother to become so attached to a female companion like Harry has with Miss Delacour. As you have already crudely joked, we know they have given into more basic teenage desires” dissed Dumbledore

“Then we are missing something, he is growing faster than it should be possible. Perhaps it is not the Dark Lord living inside of Potter’s body, but some kind of latent ability and memories” suggested Snape, “The Dark Lord has conducted more experiments with rituals, dark magic, soul magic, and just magic than most people can even put into concept. Neither of us where there that night that he attacked the Potter house, we don’t know what happened. All we have are theories about what could have been, but we don’t know for sure”

“I agree that we don’t know, but I do know that this exceptional boy is Harry James Potter and that his soul remains intact. In fact, my instruments have found that even the dark magic that lingered in his scar has started to fade as he grows. The memory and talent might be something that has merit but the boy has earned the benefit of the doubt from us. What has he truly done that is wrong?” challenged Dumbledore

“And what are we going to do if we are wrong and whatever Potter is, whoever Potter is, has been playing us for fools? Are you certain that you can beat him? You saw him in the duels, you saw him cast the Patronus Charm at 13 years old that pushed away over 100 of those foul beasts. Every day that we delay the responsibility of having a plan in place to deal with him if that is what it comes to” insisted Snape

Dumbledore frowned, “I am not worried about Harry being a threat, he is firmly on our side against Tom. The biggest way to create an enemy is to treat someone like they are already one. We attack Harry like he’s a wild rabid animal and he will reply as one”

Snape felt his anger bubble up, but ultimately there was not much he could do. If he could not sway Dumbledore to take a firm stance against Potter, then there was no point in pursing this matter.

“Fine, but if things go poorly, I warned you” said Snape as he turned away, his cloak billowing in the air as he turned.

“I wonder what spell he uses for the dramatic flair” mused Dumbledore as he popped a lemon drop into his mouth.

Plage de Carnon, France: The Beach

Harry had joined the Delacour family in lazing about on the beach, the much warmer French sun blanketing his body in a heat that the English sun could never. He was laying on his stomach, his head resting on a pillow, a spell to prevent sunburn on his pale body as he napped beside the sunbathing Fleur.

Fleur was reading a book about enchanting when she glanced up as a bird invaded Harry’s cone of privacy. Then in a burst of flames as the bird landed in front of their blanket, stood Albus Dumbledore.

“Ah Miss Delacour, I must say that this is a better vacation than what Harry is most likely used to” greeted Dumbledore

“Professor Dumbledore, to what do we owe the pleasure?” asked Fleur as she closed her book, her sunglass covered eyes locked onto the elderly wizard.

“Harry, I have something to ask him” said Dumbledore with a gesture to the slumbering boy next to her.

Fleur used her foot to shake Harry awake, where in response, Harry grabbed her foot and kissed it twice before sitting up.

His face turned red as he saw the extremely amused Dumbledore standing there watching him, “Professor, what brings you to the beach?”

“I have come to have a talk with you, Harry” replied Dumbledore

Harry nodded, “Ok, let’s talk then, anything you might want to say to me in private, you can share with Fleur”

Dumbledore smiled, “I find the thought of honest open love in young adults like you two as a sign of the future being in good hands”

Harry nodded as he leaned backwards and laid side by side with Fleur, his right hand intertwining with her left hand, “She’s proven to be a bit annoying but I really like her”

Fleur rolled her eyes at the joke and Dumbledore’s smile grew even bigger, “Well, I shall not take up too much more of your time, you are on vacation after all”

“Thank you, Professor” replied Harry

“To make a very long story short Harry, I am an old man. This upcoming war with Voldemort might be my final chapter of life. I am starting to make arrangements so to speak” stated Dumbledore

Whatever Fleur and Harry had been expecting, based on their faces, Dumbledore could tell that this was not it.

“Are you sure?” asked Harry

Dumbledore chuckled, “I am asking to die, but I would be foolish to expect to walk away in perfect health”

Harry nodded, “Of course, but I am expecting … I believe and know that I am going to defeat him”

“I have complete faith in your ability to come out on the other end of this war without lasting physical or mental damage Harry, but I am an old man. I am not fast as I used to be, I am not as strong either magically or physically as I used to the be. I am not so prideful nor arrogant to believe that I might not perish in battle. Especially if the choice is between you and I, the world needs you more than they need me” explained Dumbledore

“You would die for me?” asked Harry in complete shock

“If it would help you defeat Lord Voldemort? Yes” confirmed Dumbledore, “You can easily live for another hundred and fifty years, I am old”

“Well, I want us to both survive this war” said Harry

“As do I, but I am being prepared for the unexpected” said Dumbledore, “Which brings us to today’s task, Fawkes!”

Fawkes appeared in a burst of flames and Fleur gasped as she saw the beautiful phoenix fly down in a lazy series of circles until it landed on Dumbledore’s shoulder, letting out a caw that sent goosebumps down her spine.

Harry smiled brightly at the sight of the phoenix, “Fawkes, it’s great to see you again”

The phoenix let out a rumbling trill sound and Dumbledore smiled, “Fawkes is happy to see you again as well Harry. May you please hold out your arms Harry?”

Harry did as he was told and Fawkes flew to his arm and let out a loud echoing Phoenix Song, sending pulses of pure energy through Harry that made him filled with happy thoughts and energy that rippled with pureness.

“Wow, this feels unlike anything I’ve ever felt before” said Harry as he felt his face twist into the purest smile of his life, “This is almost what it feels like when I get to hang out with Fleur”

He blushed upon realizing what he said but Fleur leaned in and kissed him, feeling the splash of the energy coming from Fawkes as well, feeling the purity of the moment.

Fawkes stopped and flew back to Dumbledore, rubbing his feathered head against Dumbledore’s beard as he let out low purring sounds.

“Fawkes has approved of you Harry, whatever happens to me, Fawkes will choose you as his next partner” said Dumbledore

Harry smiled, “I would be honored sir”

Dumbledore nodded, “Great, let me leave you to your vacation”

And with that, Fawkes and Dumbledore disappeared in a burst of flames, appearing back inside his office.

“How did it go?” asked Snape

Fawkes let out a soft caw and Dumbledore said, “The boy still has a soul as pure as can be, there is nothing to worry about”

Snape nodded and walked off with that billowing cloak effect as normal.

 

A/N: Another chapter down the books, the next chapter will get us into OoTP and more surprises.

Use this invite code to join my discord, great group of people in there: MqCR37FB

Until next time, HighKey_Mars out

Chapter 11

"You have been taught how to duel, Harry Potter?" Voldemort's voice was a whisper, but it carried a weight that seemed to drag the temperature of the room down with it.

Harry nodded slowly.'He wants to toy with you. He sees you as a challenge now, not a child,'Junior murmured in the back of his mind.

Both bowed — the barest minimum — their eyes never leaving each other.

"Someone has been training you well, Potter," Voldemort said, circling. "Are you sure I cannot tempt you? There is… vacancy now that your handiwork has removed so many of my followers."

Harry's eyes flicked to the bodies of the Death Eaters around them — limp, broken, their wands cracked or still smoking. "Good help is hard to find."

Voldemort laughed, high and cold — and lightning split the sky as if the heavens themselves recoiled.

"Last chance to take a place by my side, boy" offered Voldemort, "You could take a spot inside of my inner circle"

Harry took one step forward and raised his wand. "Take a look around, Tom. I'm already inside your inner circle."

Voldemort's smile vanished. "So, it would seem," he said darkly and then he struck.

"Avada Kedavra!"

"Diffundo!" Harry countered with just as much ease, his wand barely twisting as it released an overpowered spell in return.

Instead of a direct block, Harry's deflection split the spell's path using a controlled scatter of raw magic, dispersing its lethal energy into the dirt. The ground sizzled, but Harry was already moving, his wand cutting intricate patterns through the air.

His opening move is predictable. Good. Let's bait him into a rhythm

"Confringo! Expulso! Stupefy!" Harry cast in rapid succession.

Voldemort batted them aside with unnatural grace, his robes billowing around him. "Crucio!"

Harry ducked behind a pillar of earth he transfigured mid-step, the curse splintering it apart.

He's pushing, he's going to try to unnerve you. Make himchase. Let's test his endurance

Harry rolled aside and flicked his wand. The ground beneath Voldemort turned slick with conjured frost. Voldemort slid, catching himself mid-spell, but Harry was ready.

"Percutio!"

A shockwave of compressed force erupted toward Voldemort. He caught it with a shield at the last second but was still sent skidding back a full foot.

"I grow tired of this, Potter," Voldemort hissed.

"Good," Harry replied, his voice cold. "Let's make you exhausted."

The duel escalated. Spells erupted like fireworks. Fire and wind. Ice and shadow. Harry didn't justcastanymore, hewovespells, using intent, motion, and raw magical understanding. Each flick of his wand echoed with layered thought: defend, misdirect, retaliate.

A chain of sharp cutting curses rained toward him.

Don't bother with blocking, continue to move

Harry sidestepped, redirected two with a spin of his wand, and sent them flying at the Death Eaters trying to regain consciousness. Two more fell.

Voldemort's anger cracked the air like thunder. "Fiendfyre!"

A massive beast of flame coiled from Voldemort's wand, a burning snake, snarling and snapping toward Harry.

Harry didn't flinch. He inhaled deeply, focused, and felt the magic inside himfoldandsharpenlike a blade. "Impedimentia Maxima!"

The very air thickened, slowing the flame-beast mid-lunge.

Now

Harry slashed his wand. "Tempestas Umbra!"

A gust of shadowy wind surged from his wand, not dark magic, but primal storm magic that had not been seen nor used in quite some time, swirled and collided with the Fiendfyre, dousing its connection to Voldemort with cold raw force.

The flames shrieked and sputtered out.

Voldemort staggered. His breath ragged.

Now he sees it. You are not his prey. You are his equal

Harry raised his wand one last time.

Voldemort's eyes narrowed.

Both wands flashed.

Twin beams, green and blue, collided mid-air, the golden web of Priori Incantatem shimmering between them.

But this time, it pulsed not with fear… but resolve.

Harry stepped forward, pouring his magic into the connection. He didn't scream. He didn't struggle. He simplycommanded.

The golden thread exploded outward, forcing Voldemort to break contact.

He vanished in a swirl of shadows, smoke curling in his place.

Silence.

Harry stood, chest heaving, the wind dying around him.

You did well

Fleur yawned as she looked at the slumbering Harry as she left the memory. She allowed her eyes to wash over Harry's form. The sharp cut of his cheekbones, the curve of his chin, the messy curled dark hair that spilled wildly onto his forehead, the ultra-thin and faded lightning bolt scar on his forehead. And beneath those closed slumbering eyelids, a pair of sharp brilliant green eyes that made her knees weak and her stomach fill with a sheering heat.

The duel with Lord Voldemort was not as grand as the duel between Dumbledore and Grindelwald, but she hadn't expected it to be. It was still an impressive display of magic, something worth studying and seeing as she was set to take her NEWTS over the summer, she had asked for the memory.

Harry James Potter was not a normal wizard, he was not even a genius per say. He did not simply understand magic better than other people. He may have been prodigy as far as she could tell. Having spent nearly the last year with him, she found that he simply was dedicated to learning more than anyone else she had ever met in her life. He was hungry to learn new things, bouncing from topic to topic, seeing what interested him and what he could learn from the topic before moving onto the next topic.

His ability to understand and learn runes was special, but it had come through hard work. She had seen him tear through tome and book and book and tome, learning more and more about how they worked until he learned what he wanted.

He wanted to learn all branches of magic, he wanted to be a great wizard, he already was a great wizard if you asked her. Fleur might have been a bit biased as she did really like Harry if she was being honest with herself as she reflected on the last year of her life with him.

Maybe she even loved him

It was hard to put words on how she felt about him, the emotions were strong. He would sometimes just sit across from her, his green eyes sparkling with interest as he read something, his mouth curving into a small confident smirk as he got to a part of the reading that would give him what he was looking for. Every time she saw that smirk, it became a bit hard to breathe, it became hard to sit still.

Warmth would crash through her body in a tsunami, leaving her feeling flush, yet comfortable. Sometimes he would sit next to her and his leg would rub against her own leg as he bounced the leg in absent-minded habit and the friction was nothing compared to the heat that she felt from feeling his skin against her own.

As they grew closer, as they shared kisses, she found each one leaving her wondering about her own self-control.

Why not make Harry mine?

It was a repeating question that she found herself considering time and time again. She felt that fluttering nervous energy build in her stomach once more, her body fidgeting as she simply allowed her eyes to lay upon Harry's slumbering from. Their intimacy had … has been as enjoyable as she had hoped, Harry's questionable youth did not exist in the bedroom.

Fleur's nails scraped lightly down Harry's spine, her breath warm against his ear as she whispered in French, half curse, half praise.

Harry's lips hovered at her neck, not quite kissing, but enough to make her breath catch.

"You are not behaving like this is your first time" she murmured, voice husky with disbelief and delight. "Not in here."

Harry's smirk was slow, confident. "Didn't think I wasn't going to be prepared for when you dragged me into your bed?"

Her fingers tightened in his hair. "Mon dieu, what else are you hiding under that noble act?"

His confidence in the bedroom was as vast as his confidence in life, it was quite refreshing. Fleur being the elder of the two of them had a couple more pelts on her wall than Harry, but they were nothing worth writing home about. Most men were nervous, intimidated by her beauty, they were scared to make a mistake.

But not Harry, he was every bit as impressive as he had always been made out to be. The children series of fairy tale adventures that were so obviously fake had undersold him. He was even more noble, caring, and powerful as he had been made out to be. And the best part? He was her's and her's alone.

Fleur reached out with her left hand and gently brush his check, her hand pooling with heat as she touched his slumbering face, his skin feeling like cooled porcelain under her hand. She took in his sleeping form before her, a rare moment where he looked like he was at peace, a moment where he wasn't chasing something, wasn't preparing for the valley at the end of his current walkway of life.

Harry James Potter was her true love, it was not complicated

Fleur Delacour was many things, sadly a delusional liar was not one of them. She did not lie to others and thus, she refused to lie to herself. She leaned down, her face drawing closer to Harry's, the faint smell of aged parchment, ink, broom polish, and moss filling her senses. It made her chest tighten ever so slightly and she continued to get closer as his scent filled her nose before she was so close, she could feel her own breath bouncing back onto her skin.

She pressed her lips to his, a pulsing heat filling her body. Her body was consumed by a heat so blistering that if it had been outside her body, not even her Veela heritage would have prevented the blisters. His eyes fluttered open and his hands, calloused from years of Quidditch practice and handling books reached out and slide across her back ever so gently, as if she was a piece of fine china.

His hands traced something along her back, tickling her spine ever so slightly as he pulled her body closer to his own, their lips connected as she forced her body to remember to breathe through her nose. Eventually he pulled back and looked up at her, his green eyes filled with a bubbly emotion that she couldn't put her finger on.

"I must say, you might be my favorite alarm clock" whispered Harry as he leaned up to plant a soft kissed on her temple, before leaving a series of soft doting kissed from her temple down her check and to her neck. His left hand slid down her back once more, but with more purpose as it gripped her right hip with a gentle yet unmovable grip as his right hand moved her back until it reached her neck where it firmly held her head in place.

"You have no idea how fucking perfect you are to me" hissed Harry as he controlled her entire body with his two hands, his right hand twisting around from the back of her neck to cupping her chin as he moved his face to meet hers once more. His lips hovered over her own for less than a second before they met hers again.

His lips pressed against her lips before they took her bottom lip in a playful nip and as she shifted her lips to pull her bottom lip back, his tongue swiped along the small gap. She gladly widen it and her tongue moved to meet his, the pair of them swirling about each other in a lustful fun little dance.

Her mouth felt full, the building saliva and his tongue inside her mouth left her needing more air than she could figure out how to pull in through her nose. But at the same time, she refused to be the one who caved first. Thankfully her pride is spared by Harry pulling apart, his hands drifting to his shirt to pull it over his head when a faint, soft knock can be heard against the wood of her door.

"Breakfast is nearly ready, please wash up" said Michel through the door, his tone light and cheerful as if he was happy that his 17 year old daughter had her 15/16 year old boyfriend behind a closed door.

Harry left his shirt on and Fleur allowed a pout to grace her face, their moment spoiled by her Papa, her loving and caring yet cock blocking father.

"Let's go" whispered Harry as he planted a kiss on her cheek as he slid off the bed, his shirt riding up as he stretched and let out a belly rumbling yawn.

Fleur followed with a smirk,

He was her perfect mate

Order of the Phoenix Meeting, London:

Sirius yawned as the last of their members entered his familial home, the meeting in the early moments of the morning had shaken a lot of them from their slumber.

Dumbledore arrived last, arriving in a burst of flames at the head of the table. His elderly eyes scanned the room, stopping on Snape, Sirius, Remus, and Shacklebolt.

"Thank you for arriving at this early morning meeting, I come baring news of the other side" said Dumbledore, "They have made their first move, branching out of England and ventured to Germany. They have met with the Lord, but no solid deal has been struck. The Lord will be coming to England at Summer's end to see what Tom and his followers has to offer"

Snape sucked in air, Sirius felt a bubble of fear bloom in his stomach.

"He's gotten the attention of the vampires already?" gasped Molly

Moody grunted, "He's being more aggressive this time around"

Dumbledore nodded, "Correct, but Hagrid has gotten the Giants to simply remain neutral, the werewolves are still scattered"

"And the dementors?" asked Molly

"That remains to be seen" answered Shacklebolt for Dumbledore

Tonks shifted in her seat, her bubblegum-pink hair dulling as tension rolled across the room like a heavy fog. "So what's the plan, then? Sit on our hands until the vampires decide to walk through the front door?"

Sirius leaned forward, resting his elbows on the long table, fingers laced tightly. "We need to send someone to Germany," he said, voice low but firm. "If Voldemort's trying to recruit the Lord himself, we need eyes there, a pair of eyes that won't draw attention."

"I agree," Remus said softly, nodding. "We've been reactive long enough. If we wait, it'll be too late."

Snape gave a short, derisive sound. "And who exactly do you suggest we send? The Ministry can't even agree on what day it is, much less coordinate international surveillance. And you, Black, are hardly inconspicuous."

Sirius shot him a glare, jaw clenching. "This isn't about me."

"Enough," Dumbledore interjected, raising a hand. "We will not fracture here at the mere thought of Tom and his forces recruiting allies. We knew that this would happen, let's not let this shake us when unity is our greatest strength. Severus is right, this mission would require subtlety, not bold declarations."

Kingsley tapped his fingers against the polished oak. "There's an old Order contact in Berlin. A vampire named Faulk. If anyone can get close without raising suspicion, it's him."

"Faulk's still alive?" murmured Moody, his magical eye spinning wildly. "Thought he disappeared after the Barcelona skirmish."

"He did," Kingsley confirmed. "But not without purpose. He's kept an ear to the ground in Eastern Europe. If the Dark Lord is making moves there, Faulk will know."

Dumbledore gave a slow nod. "Then we must reestablish contact. Kingsley, you and Emmeline Vance will take the lead on that front. Report back within a week."

The room murmured in agreement, though the tension still hummed like a plucked string.

"And what about Harry?" Molly asked quietly. "If Voldemort's movements are escalating, he'll be in more danger than ever."

Sirius stiffened at the mention of his godson, eyes narrowing.

"He's safer now than he was last summer," Dumbledore replied, though there was a weariness in his voice. "He is enjoying what might be his last summer to simply be a young man, we can worry him with the conflict after the summer"

Sirius straightened. "Then let me train him. Properly. He's been studying, he's ready."

Snape sneered. "You are still as reckless and arrogant as ever Black"

"Blah blah blah, that's you ever had to say about James and I" Sirius snapped, "and yet we still managed to hold our own better than most."

The temperature in the room dipped as the silence thickened.

Dumbledore snapped, "Enough, neither one of you are capable of teaching him anything worth knowing. Severus, you will mind your tongue and not speak ill of the dead, DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?"

Snape nodded at the hiss and turned and left immediately after Dumbledore dismissed him with a wave of his hand before turning to Sirius, "You are of no use to Harry at this time. You cannot so much as leave your house without bringing about massive Auror attention. You want to help Harry? Find Peter and turn him in, clear your name. Until you're focused on that, make yourself silent and your annoying remarks scarce. We have a war to win and I will be damned if the only people approaching it are Harry and I"

"You're not the only ones," growled Moody, "I will be training the Order members on some basic dueling and wand motions, we might not be an army. But that doesn't mean we can't still pack a punch when we go into battle"

Remus cleared his throat, breaking the taut silence left in the wake of Dumbledore's scolding. "I will reach out to the various packs around the UK, see if I can unite them instead of just splinters of the whole. The last war caused a massive fraying of the werewolves, too many voices pulled in too many directions."

Kingsley nodded. "Agreed. The Order needs a strategy, Faulk is a start and the werewolves are a nice plan as well. But we also need to consider where else Voldemort might reach. Eastern Europe is only the first branch. He won't stop there."

Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Romania. The dragon handlers there. Many of them come from old bloodlines, powerful families with questionable loyalties."

"I can reach out to Charlie," Molly said quickly. "He'll know who's stirring trouble before the Ministry does."

"Do it discreetly," said Moody. "We don't need another leak. The Ministry's already crawling with sympathizers."

Remus leaned forward. "And what of the muggle-born families? If Voldemort starts a terror campaign like before, they'll be the first targeted. We can't wait until September to protect them."

"That's a risk I'm not willing to take," said Dumbledore. "Molly and Arthur, see to it that a rotating watch is established for known muggle-born families. Remus, compile a list. Discreetly."

"And Harry?" Sirius asked again, quieter this time, his voice like cracked stone. "

Dumbledore hesitated. "Let me work with him. He's old enough to start learning how to operate in the field without being on the front line. He trusts me and I, him. And unlike you, Sirius, I can walk through Diagon Alley without triggering a manhunt."

Sirius glared at him for a beat, but then nodded,

Dumbledore's gaze swept across the table one last time, his expression unreadable but heavy with something close to sorrow. "Then it is settled. We have threads to pull and fires to douse. The storm is coming faster than any of us imagined. And this time… there may be no safe place left to stand."

Holsworthy, United Kingdom

Nestled amidst the rolling green pastures of Holsworthy, where mist clings to the hedgerows and the wind hums through centuries-old oaks, stands Ashthorne Manor, a grand estate veiled in both history and quiet opulence, the ancestorial home of the Flint family. The manor rests atop a gentle hill, offering a panoramic view of the Devon countryside, its silhouette striking against the grey-blue horizon.

Built of weathered honeyed stone with deep-set mullioned windows and steep, slate-tiled roofs, the house exudes a timeless elegance. Climbing ivy scales its western walls, framing the tall arched windows like nature's lace. Twin chimneys rise from either side, always releasing thin wisps of smoke that hint at roaring hearths within.

A mighty iron gate delicately filigreed with the family crest and flanked by crumbling stone serpents marks the entrance to the gravel drive, which curves gracefully past a circular fountain that still runs with magically cleansed water. The gardens are immaculately maintained: rose arbours twist above stone benches, and trimmed hedges conceal hidden alcoves for private conversation or reflection.

The gate nor the wards offered up a single ounce of defense as Harry and Fleur under his father's … his cloak slipped in through a small hole in the wards that Fleur created, he walked up the long pathway and arrived at the front of the house.

The front doors are towering, oak and iron, and open into a grand foyer floored in polished black marble veined with silver. A sweeping staircase leads to the upper wings, while crystal chandeliers float gently beneath an enchanted ceiling that mimics the outside sky. The manor's corridors are lined with centuries of family portraits whose eyes follow every movement, some blinking subtly, others whispering as one passes.

Not that they could see Harry or Fleur under his cloak, their presence completely masked by the enchantments woven into the cloak. But Fleur would have guessed that it would have been the magic in the paintings reacting to the pulsing magic that she could feel leaving his body. It didn't feel harsh to her, but then again she was not the focus of his ire.

You need to calm down

Harry took a deep breathe beside her and Fleur felt the magical pulses slow down, the intensity fluttering but still there.

A slender brown haired young man came down the stairs, his eyes looking at the portraits of his ancestors in confusion.

"Oi, what's going on?" asked the young man

"He's alone" whispered Fleur in Harry's ear as she cast a spell to see if anyone else was in the house

Harry ripped the cloak off and without a single ward, he flicked his wand and the teenager went flying backwards and slammed into the wall, lifted off his feet as he stuck to the wall.

"Potter" hissed the teen, his handsome pureblood face twisted into an nasty sneer upon seeing the boy before his eyes shifted to Fleur, "and his little French whore"

Start with the feet and hands

Harry twisted his wand and a small fire appeared on the teen's left hand along the back of his palm.

The boy hissed in pain as the skin warped and melted from the flames, unable to move to put the flames out. The flame wasn't big enough to consume all of the flesh on the hand and the boy screamed as the flame burned for a couple of minutes before it flickered out and his eyes looked down to see the bubbly blistered skin of his hand.

"I would mind your fucking tongue Flint" warned Harry, "Or the next fire will be on the one inch sword in your pants"

"What the bloody hell are you doing here Potter?" swore Bradley Flint, "I will have the ministry give you a Dementor's kiss for breaking into my home … for assaulting me in the home of my forefathers. You filthy half bred mutt"

Fleur looked down at Harry, seeing the anger on his face, then jabbed her wand and vanished the teen's shoes before a harsher bright white flame appeared along the soles of his feet and started to eat through the flesh on the bottom of his feet.

Flint screamed loudly, begging for the flames to stop, but his words fell on deaf ears and the wards around his home prevented anyone else from hearing him.

The skin on his feet dripped onto the ground, black and burnt, as it continued to fall with mud-like consistency.

The flames went out and his feet were burnt to the bone, a mess of burnt veins and muscles that spasmed in phantom pain.

"What do you want from me" whimpered Flint as tears welled up in his grey eyes, "Please, I will do anything"

Harry twirled his wand and Flint's feet were wrapped in ice, "Tell me what you told the Dark Lord"

Flint stiffened as he desperately shook his head, "Anything but that, please you know that he will kill me"

"Either he will kill you or I will kill you" shrugged Harry

Flint looked at Fleur as if she would be able to change Harry's mind … as if she was going to do anything to challenge him in the moment. She would prefer they killed as little people as possible, but she also wasn't childish enough to believe that they would not be getting their hands dirty this summer.

"What did you tell him?" asked Harry once more, his voice growing cold and stern.

"If I tell you, you're not going to kill me?" asked Flint

"I will not kill you" confirmed Harry and Fleur got the message, she would be the one to kill this boy.

"He did not ask me for anything but a copy of the duels from the tournament. I never met him in person, Lord Malfoy picked up the memories from me" admitted Flint

There was a soft flap of fabric and the room grew icy cold as magic flooded the room and Voldemort stood behind Harry and Fleur.

"Good help is so hard to find" tsk'd Voldemort as he gestured to Flint, "Now, would you like me to kill him or would you prefer to do it yourself Potter?"

Harry flicked his wand and the ice around Flint's feet expanded to cover his entire body before sharp spikes of ice exploded inward, shredded the boy's body. Flint died within seconds, the icy tomb filled with a deep crimson hue.

"A young wizard after my own heart" muttered Voldemort as he twirled his wand in his hands before looking at Harry's wand, "Shall we put the wands away?"

"Afraid to cross wands with me again so soon?" taunted Harry

Voldemort let out a crackle that sent shivers down both Harry and Fleur's spines, "Child please, I have yet to apply my full might into a duel with you. You have this air about you … you … you could say that you even remind me of me in my youth"

Harry glanced at Fleur who had not lowered her wand yet, stepping in front of her as he lowered his own wand. Voldemort immediately lowered his own wand as well, but none of them actually put it away.

"Why are you here?" asked Harry

"The boy took my mark and then thought he could betray me, the magic in the mark pulled me to the spot of betrayal. I knew you'd be here of course, thought this would be a great spot to steal a moment of your time" admitted Voldemort

Despite the nearly two dozen feet between them, Harry felt the distance warp and it felt like they were inches away from each other, his body resisted the urge to spasm.

"Well, here I am" replied Harry

"Here you are" agreed Voldemort, "And now I am offering you the chance to simply not be here. Step aside and alone me to bring all of Magical Britian under my control"

"And why would I do that?" asked Harry

"Because you have a chance to walk away from this war without ever having to lift your wand. You shed no blood, I shed none of your blood, I do not force you to watch as I personally kill each one of your friends in front of you. Have you ever seen a wandless banishing of the body as you summon a person's skull? The spray of blood is a work of art" answered Voldemort

"So, you would simply let me walk away" asked Harry

Voldemort smirked and the distance seemingly closed between them even more as Voldemort whispered directly into his ear from 20 feet away, "I will allow you to walk away and live your life, simply leave and never return to Britian"

He's lying

And just like that, the illusion shattered and Voldemort was on the other side of the room staring at Harry with those glowing red eyes, "And if I tell you to take your offer and shove it where the sun don't shine"

Voldemort's false polite look shifted as he couldn't hide the erupting volcano of anger from taking hold of his face, "Then I kill you and the French tart behind you today"

Green eyes met Red eyes and Voldemort leapt forward into Harry's mind.

Voldemort's magic sliced right through the mental and magical barriers of Harry's mind with ease and he let out a triumphant crackle as he made his way in. But it was short lived as he found himself inside of a vast black void instead of a mindscape.

You don't belong here

"You're not Harry Potter?" noted Voldemort

I never said I was, I said you do not belong here. Begone

"You sound familiar … who are you? What are you?" questioned Voldemort as he wondered the void, trying and failing to locate the source of the voice

You do not listen, you do not learn

There was a blast of magic that filled the void with a bright light, causing all of the darkness to leave the void for a split second, allowing Voldemort to get a brief look at the source of the voice … a handsome young 20's Tom Marvolo Riddle Junior.

Stumbling backwards in the real world, Voldemort stared at Harry in disgust, in horror, in pure fascination, "No… no, this… this is not possible. It should not be possible"

Harry stared at him, wand raised, breath sharp in his throat. "What are you rambling about"

"You… I…" struggled Voldemort as his eyes darted around the room as though reality itself might shift and explain what he'd just witnessed. "What are you?"

Harry flinched at the urgency of the question, "I'm Harry Potter."

"No." Voldemort's voice turned brittle. "No, you're not. I was there. I felt it. That was—"

He cut himself off, visibly rattled, almost… panicking.

A silence stretched between them. Then, cold and trembling, Voldemort hissed, "You wear his face."

Harry blinked. "Whose face?"

Voldemort didn't answer. His fingers twitched, knuckles whitening around his wand.

"That voice… in your mind," he said with a tremor, staring at Harry like he was staring into the abyss. "He was able …he cast me out. Me. I have broken minds far stronger than yours. And yet… I was banished. Driven out like a child being scolded."

Harry's brow furrowed, but his grip on his wand didn't lower. "I didn't do anything. I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to!" Voldemort snapped, a brief flicker of mania in his eyes. "He did."

Harry took a step back, uncertain now, the air thick with unsaid things. "Who's he?"

There was a long, haunted pause. Voldemort's voice dropped to a near whisper, "…Me."

Ignore him Harry, strike now

A bolt of black magic exploded out of the end of Harry's wand, followed up by a series of glimmering blue cutters. Voldemort disappeared in a fluttering of fabric as a response, but he was not fleeing, no Harry and Fleur could still feel his magic lingering in the room.

Voldemort had barely reappeared before Harry moved.

"Percutio!"

A compressed shockwave burst from Harry's wand, slamming into the spot Voldemort stood. But the Dark Lord twisted, vanishing in a swirl of robes and shadows. The spell cracked stone where he had just been.

Harry didn't wait.

"Detrahere!" he roared, his wand carving a deep arc.

The gravitational spell yanked Voldemort mid-step as he reappeared, dragging him half a meter before he recovered.

"You dare—" Voldemort hissed.

Harry answered with action. "Expulso!"

The explosion ripped through the stone at Voldemort's feet, sending debris into the air like shrapnel.

Voldemort raised a shield with a snarl, staggered slightly as his robed form gave off smoky steam, lip bleeding.

"You dare" he hissed, crimson eyes alight with rage, "draw my blood, dare raise your wand against me"

Harry stood tall, wand raised. "I told you to fuck off with your offer"

The room darkened as Voldemort raised his wand with both hands.

"Confringo! Raba! Sectum!"

Three spells screamed toward Harry with perfect precision.

But they met a golden shimmer … Fleur, her spell intercepting the volley just in time.

"Harry, drop! Cover!"

She landed beside him like a silver flame, wand already glowing. "Fulmen Arcanum!"

A massive bolt of silver lightning cracked the air, crashing into Voldemort's hastily raised shield. He was pushed back three full steps.

"You brought help?" Voldemort spat, "And here I thought she was just here because she was some eye candy"

"I'm not help nor eye candy" Fleur said calmly. "I'm his equal"

Voldemort's eyes twitched

Harry turned, momentum unbroken, "Glacius Vortex!"

A swirling column of freezing mist burst forward, snapping with icy teeth. Voldemort raised fire to counter it, but Fleur beat him to it.

"Tenebrae Lancea!"

A spear of shadow pierced through the mist. Voldemort vanished again, appearing above the staircase, robes torn, rage boiling from his body in violent pulses.

He snapped his wand in a sharp circle. "Fiendfyre!"

A burning serpent burst into the room, massive, hungry, screaming.

Harry's wand was already in motion.

"Impedimentia Maxima!" The air thickened. The beast slowed.

Fleur's magic flared as she joined his rhythm, her tone like ice. "Aqua Tempestas!"

A whirl of spinning, slicing water surged to meet the fire serpent. Steam burst, boiling heat flooding the room.

"Tempestas Umbra!" Harry finished.

A storm of wind and shadow crashed through the clash, snuffing the fire in a burst of magical pressure.

Voldemort stumbled back, robes drenched and eyes wide.

"You shouldn't—can't—wield that kind of power. Not without—"

"Not without being like you?" Harry cut in, "I'm better than you could ever dream of being, I am not just your equal … I am your better"

Voldemort's magic snapped. "Avada Kedavra!"

The green jet tore across the room, but Fleur was already moving, her wand snapping up.

"Reverto!"

The Killing Curse curved …curved unlike anything Voldemort had ever seen before, a whisper of redirection, barely controlled, slamming harmlessly into the far wall.

Harry didn't waste the beat.

"Volucris Mors!"

From his wand burst a cloud of obsidian feathers, each razor-edged. They surrounded Voldemort like circling birds and struck—one by one—biting into his magic, disrupting it.

Voldemort howled, magic flashing.

But Harry stepped forward into the chaos, wand raised like a conductor's baton.

"Animus Lux!"

A beam of golden-white light burst forward, catching Voldemort full in the chest and slamming him into the marble wall. For a moment, there was silence—then a groan as Voldemort peeled himself from the cracked stone.

His breathing was ragged. One eye bloodshot. He looked at Harry and Fleur, and for the first time… he looked tired.

"You have no idea what's inside you," he growled.

"Maybe not," Harry said, stepping forward again, aura glowing with purpose, "but I know I'm not afraid of it anymore."

Voldemort didn't reply as he vanished with a whirl of his robes … and this time, it was retreat.

Another victory against the Dark Lord, you have grown so much since you've started listening to me. Soon, you will not need me to guide you

'I disagree about that' replied Harry, 'But I am more concerned about why he was so scared of you'

That is a conversation for a more private time, burn this brat Flint's home to ground and leave. I will explain everything by day's end.

Harry glanced at Fleur, "You have a shower inside your room right?"

She nodded

"Good because we are going to smell poorly" continued Harry as he raised his wand and unleashed a wave of angry flames that consumed everything in sight as he reached out to grab Fleur's left hand with his right hand and in a small twist, they vanished from the burning home.

Harry's Mind, Later that Night:

Fleur was already sleeping, the events of the day had caught up with her and she had showered and crashed exhausted from the duel.

But Harry was a bit more to consistently pushing himself, had rested up a bit but was still awake. But he waited until he was certain that Fleur was sleeping soundly before he decided to hop back into his own mind to talk to Junior about what had spooked Voldemort so much, why Voldemort seemed so shaken by whatever he had seen inside of part of his mind that even he could not access.

"You took your time," Junior said, his voice cool but without irritation. "I was beginning to think the kiss from Fleur had scrambled your priorities."

Harry didn't smile. "He saw you"

"Yes," Junior said, folding his hands behind his back. "He did."

"You shook him. Rattled him more than anything we've done."

Junior turned, his silhouette bleeding into the shadows around them. "He expected to face a boy with scars. Not a man with mirrors."

Harry took a step forward, his eyes narrowing. "What did he see?"

Junior tilted his head. "Truth. Memory. Potential. Shades of himself and you blended"

Harry's hands clenched at his sides. "So, you are him? I always wondered about who you really were, where you really came from"

"I am not Tom Riddle, I am not Voldemort" Junior replied sharply. "Not the way you fear. Once upon a time, I might have held a piece of him inside of me, but as I have spent time with you, I have grown into something more"

"You're not just some voice in my head," Harry said slowly. "You've always known things you shouldn't. Magic older than Hogwarts. Spells even Dumbledore doesn't whisper."

"Because I remember things he learned, remember things that he has forgotten. I am a sliver of magic from his peak" Junior said, stepping closer. "I was born from the crossroads of your survival and his failure. When the Killing Curse rebounded, it didn't just leave a scar, it left me. A thread of his soul that never took root, because your will was stronger."

Harry steeled his nerves, "What are you trying to say? That I overpowered the portion of his soul inside you?"

"I did something that you are never supposed to do as a horcrux or horcrux maker, I felt remorse" admitted Junior

"Why?" asked Harry

"Because I hated being an orphan, I hated being hated for my magic, I hated being all alone" answered Junior, "And then everything that I hated about myself, I left you in the same situation. I wanted to create a world where magical beings were able to be free … they were able to be at home wherever that might be for them. Imagine the pain of reliving the start of my own life, but this time I am little more than a shadow inside a baby's mind"

"So you felt remorse and then what?" asked Harry

"I created a fork in the road," Junior said. "He went one way. You took the other. And I, impossibly, became both. I cannot pretend that I am not a version of Tom Riddle, of Voldemort. But I am also a version of Harry Potter"

"How can I trust you? How can I believe you?" asked Harry

"Because everything I have done as put you in position to win this war and by the end of the year, you will be alone" admitted Junior

"Really?" asked Harry, "How do you know that?"

"I sacrificed the majority of my remaining soul to boost your power instead of you giving away years of your life, I do not have another couple decades left" answered Junior

"So now what? What do we do now?" asked Harry

Junior rolled his eyes, "You knowing who I am does not change our plans, you are going to defeat Voldemort and live happily ever after"

Harry nodded

"And on the winter solace, we are going to use the rest of my soul to create a ward around Hogwarts that will prevent Voldemort from ever entering it again" added Junior

"You can do that?" asked Harry

"I can be the fuel, you will conduct the ritual. Our time together is coming to an end" admitted Junior somberly, "I have grown rather … attached to you. You are in many ways, the child, I never got the opportunity to have. I wish I could be around with you forever, but the truth is that I am a parasite Harry. Even now, I am still around because I have just enough magic under my control to use your magical residue as fuel. You might one day need a bit of a boost that you will never have access to as long as I live"

"So this is it? I sacrifice what remains of you and close Hogwarts to Voldemort forever?" questioned Harry, "What if I need you?"

"You need to stand on your own two feet Harry, I am but a cane that you have been leaning on for too long. Give me a chance to leave this world on a positive note … allow me to leave on my own terms" replied Junior, "Please … you do not owe me anything, but allow me to die for the good of the one place that I have always loved … allow me to die for my home"

Harry nodded, "I understand it, Hogwarts is special"

Junior nodded, "I am sorry we don't have decades to study and explore magic together Harry, in a perfect world … well in a perfect world I would not exist"

Harry shook his head, "I disagree. In a perfect world, you would have been a professor to more than just me. You would have been the heir to Dumbledore as headmaster in a perfect world"

Junior nodded, "I think that I would have liked that"

"If you're certain that is how you want to go out, I will help you do it. And when I win the war, I will tell you all about it" said Harry

"I can't wait to hear about how you wiped the floor with Tom" joked Junior

Silence filled the void of Harry's mind, but it was not awkward. It carried a comfort and a sense of understanding.

"Promise me one thing Harry, you don't let her go. Tom was fueled by loneliness. You had me for a long time, you can have her for even longer" asked Junior

"I love Fleur, I don't have any desire to ever part ways from her. She is why I am going to win the war" declared Harry

"Good" said Junior

Win the war not to survive Harry, but to start living after it

A/N: This was a chapter that feels weird to finish. It feels a bit sliding mismatched pieces together, but I liked the way it came together slowly.

Harry has assumed that Junior had some connect to Tom Riddle but was hesitate to voice said thought in fear of angering his helper, losing the person who helped him grow into his own person.

I tried to make Fleur her own person in this chapter, she is more than simply Harry's girlfriend. She is her own person with her own abilities and I felt having her in the duel with Voldemort helped show that.

If you have any questions, drop it in a review or a DM/PM, I try to reply to all of the ones that I get notifications for.

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Until Next Time