Chapter 11: Tutors, Teachings, Training, Tellers and Tension
Sweat sizzled off of the metal that was held tightly in tongs. The hammer came down efficiently and banged off the red-hot iron. Slowly, the metal yielded under the steady rhythmic blows. Harry wiped his brow with the rag that rested on his shoulder before resuming the shaping of the metal before him. He had finally given up on trying to learn the art of Blacksmithing through trial and error and was currently in a forge that was not his own. Scotland's wonderful scenery rolled out behind him but Harry ignored it to focus on the metal before him.
"Again." Came the gruff voice.
Harry obediently dipped the iron into the oil to temper it and put it back into the forge. He stripped the thick dragonhide gloves from his hands and stepped away from the forge and into the brisk Scottish air. He was deep in the northern reaches of the land learning the ins and outs of shaping metal.
"Yer learnin' quick. I like that. But your hammer placement is off, you need to follow the angle of yer strikes or the metal will come out misshapen. Then you'll have to start over and that's no good for anyone 'specially the metal" Balduff said once he too walked out of the forge. He lit his pipe and took a long puff. The man was the definition of burly. His arms were massive, and covered in pockmarks of scars the man had earned from years of dealing with hot metal. He was also one of the best non-Goblin smiths around. A squib, but one that put no stock in magic instead trusting hard work and good steel.
Blacksmithing skill has increased! It is now 18!
Even just talking to the man usually yielded insight in the art of Blacksmithing and Harry knew that it was well worth the trip up here. The man made his home in a small village near the Northern Sea, enjoying the briney and brisk air when he stepped out of his forge. Harry was enjoying this air as well as it was such a stark contrast to the stifling atmosphere of the forge. Harry had found the man with the assistance of the Goblins, who had eyed him peculiarly when he inquired about learning Blacksmithing. In their eyes nothing compared to Goblin-Forged so why even bother? But with a bit of coin to make them see it his way, he had received an address.
Initially Balduff had wanted nothing to do with Harry, thinking him a rich boy looking for a hobby to look good for the ladies. The gruff man had told Harry exactly where to shove it, and said to look into fencing like the other noble brats. But when Harry showed up again the next day and the day after that, simply watching the man work, Balduff had acquiesced and put Harry to work shoveling coals thinking that a bit of sweaty work would send the pretty boy running home to Daddy. But Harry had done everything asked of him, until finally the man put a hammer into Harry's surprisingly callused hands and showed him how to swing it. That had been 3 days ago and already Harry was learning more than he had thought he would.
Balduff had scoffed at the idea of Harry only staying to learn for a week, telling him that the metal wouldn't give up its secrets so easily, but again Harry had surprised him with startling growth. The boy was a prodigy if there ever was one, and Balduff gave him increasingly difficult tasks and maneuvers to do in the forge. He also never seemed to tire, able to keep up with the practiced man for a full day of forging.
Tomorrow, Harry knew that he would complete the quest he had received when he got into the town.
Learn the Arts of Smithing. Reach skill rank 30 and successfully forge an Iron Sword! Rewards: 15 skill points, a 5 point bonus in the art of Smithing, and title Smithing Apprentice!
***Break****
His week-long stint in Northern Scotland was over. And for a guy that wasn't really able to get tired he was pretty exhausted. Balduff had been a taskmaster, criticizing every small mistake and making Harry start over repeatedly until finally, blessedly, Harry produced a finished product. And on his last day at the forge, no less. No words of congratulations other than Tyran's voice telling him that he had in fact completed the quest. Indeed Balduff almost looked disappointed.
The gruff man had come to enjoy Harry's company oddly enough. The young man, for Balduff had stopped referring to him as a boy at some point during the week, had been tenacious in his pursuit of the craft and there was no fault that Balduff could find in the sword laid out across the table. It was not a pretty sword nor one masterfully forged but it showed a firm understanding of the basics. It was solid metal work which was all that Balduff had wanted out of Harry. The man simply exited the forge and took the familiar seat on the bench outside. Harry soon joined him and they watched the waves roll in from the Northern Sea.
"So that's it then?" Harry said from his position on the bench. The silence had been companionable but Harry was simply too curious not to ask.
"Aye" The man replied. Harry nodded, Balduff noted from the corner of his eye and the burly man nodded as well. The brisk wind carried no sound but the sound of waves and a refreshing burn from the cold sea.
***Break***
Harry stepped into his Study for the first time in a week and crossed Blacksmithing off of the list on the board. He stepped around his desk and sat in his seat. An unfamiliar clang of metal echoed through the room and Harry observed the sword on his desk. Balduff had been right, it wasn't the prettiest sword. It was rough, almost crude, but it was undeniably a sword. The handle had a simple leather grip that Balduff had wrapped around it. Focusing at it, Harry saw it glow in his eyes.
Iron Sword.
It was just a sword. But it showed commitment. It showed hard work. Hell, Harry was pretty sure that along with his sweat there was probably some blood in there too. Pride swelled up in Harry and he picked the sword up again to observe the geometrical integrity of it. Practice would let him produce fancier, better, stronger swords. But they would probably pale in comparison to how this sword made him feel.
Harry could have made the sword with his Gamer crafting system, and likely finished his quest in even faster time but Harry had learned surprisingly quickly during his foray into Scotland with Balduff that the act of doing things yielded better results than abusing the Gamer privileges. He had finally picked up a Feat from the trip into the Chamber, choosing Mage-Sight. It was this skill that had led to his impressive growth more than anything. With it he was able to Identify things and see the flaws of created objects. Using this method he was able to refine the process and usually produced a better product after each attempt. It was this along with Balduff's tutelage that had produced the sword before him.
"Dobby" A pop of arrival sounded in the room "Put this over the mantle please. Maybe a glass case or a wall mount. Use your judgement. Thank you"
"Of course, Master Harry" A pop of departure.
Harry grinned at Dobby's professionalism. The Elf had been a constant companion since he moved into the manor, and had come a long way the same as Harry. Gone were the odd mannerisms and twitches developed during the Elf's time with the Malfoys. In its place was a perfect servant and companion. Dobby had paid extreme attention to Harry in the short time that he had been at the Manor and astounded Harry every day with his attention to detail. Without even asking Dobby seemed ready for the next steps in Harry's days. Always ready. But they also talked, and joked, in companionship that had won Harry the loyalty of Dobby more than anything else.
Shaking his head to clear it of the musings Harry looked up at his to-do list. It had grown and shrunk but showed progress. And that was what Harry felt like he needed at the moment. Progress. Term was set to begin in 3 weeks and there still felt like so much to do. Balduff had shown him that practice and tutelage would yield him better results than anything else, so for the first time in a while Harry stood up and walked to the board with an eraser in his hand. The board was clean for only a moment before Harry started writing with clean confident purpose.
Logistics skill has increased! It is now 23!
***Break***
After his return from his visit to Balduff, Harry dove into his training regimen with a fervor. Every day started at 1 AM after an hour of sleep, still leaving him plenty rested of course as he didn't need sleep anyways, and had him in the Dueling room firing a storm of spells at the walls and the targets. Mage-Sight served to improve his aim with its inherent increase to Perception. The mirrors in the room showed a boy that was growing fast, looking almost 15 despite being 13. Harry reviewed various compendiums of spells during Magicka recharges and actually completed a Quest that he had completely forgotten about on his 2nd day.
Opportunity Seized! Timed Event Completed. Master 10 spells by the end of the Summer to receive a unique reward!
Rewards: Wandless and Silent Casting Skills unlocked!
Harry took the towel floating before him without a word and dabbed his hair dry as he walked through the manor. A sandwich floated towards him from the kitchen, courtesy of a wordless and wandless Wingardium Leviosa and he made short work of the quick meal. Taking a sudden right to head into the basement, Harry stepped into the Potions Lab already pulling ingredients from the wall and his Inventory. A reference book was opened in front of him, and he started the fire beneath the cauldron.
Letting the soothing process of Potions occupy his mind was a wonderful part of his morning routine. Regulating the heat with a critical eye that he had not had before his tutelage from Balduff, Harry was able to produce cleaner and more efficient Potion results. That was another thing that he had noticed pretty early on with his new routine. The progress that he made with various skills and new boons was addicting in the sense that as he increased his skills in one area it would actually tend to bleed insight into other areas. It was a glorious feeling. Plus the growth was tangible and quantifiable, which served to give Harry a giddy feeling whenever a Notification popped up.
Potions Skill has increased! It is now 35!
***Break***
Madeline smirked at Harry who returned the look. They circled one another carefully, a dance in its own right before with a flurry of activity their swords cracked against one another with a sharp and sudden sound. They separated and the dance began anew. His first few duels in the Swordsmanship class had shown that while he had talent he lacked experience and skill. But with the help of Madeline and their instructor Cadence, he had come a long way. Now Harry was able to take Madeline on even footing and it had only taken 6 days!
The wooden swords came together again in a blur of speed, this exchange lasting for a series of blows. The dancer used her fancy footwork to position herself to meet Harry's surprisingly strong strikes and he was unable to score a clean hit. They separated once more, both grinning from the exertion.
Sword Skill has increased! It is now 50! Boon Unlocked!
This Notification had come 2 days ago, and with the introduction of the boon Heavy-Handed: Strikes with a held object deal more damage! (+1 to Strength Base Score), Harry had proved a hard challenge for Madeline.
"Time!" Came the almost sing-song voice of Cadence, a woman almost a decade younger than Madeline.
Harry and Madeline released their breath that they had been holding in preparation of the next exchange, and smiled at each other. Harry had used the card that he had received from his dance classes and enrolled into the Swordsmanship class not being sure what to expect. He had been pleasantly surprised by the instructor though. Much like Madeline Cadence was a picture of fitness. But whereas Madeline struck an image of a dancer, Cadence struck the image of a warrior. Her blonde hair was styled in a purely practical manner, usings braids and a bun to keep it out of her face giving her almost a viking look. Her arms weren't large but they had a wiry muscle that only came from repeated use. The woman was a monster when it came to swordsmanship though, and if it weren't for the healing perks of the Gamer Harry would still have the bruises to prove it. A winner of multiple competitions in a sport typically dominated by men she was definitely a force to be reckoned with even, if not because, of her young age.
"How the heck are you getting so good so fast?" Madeline asked after she pulled the towel she had just used to clean her face away from her mouth. In the 2 weeks since Harry had joined the class he had risen up in skill very quickly, officially facing her who was a top student in her own right, after just 5 days in the class.
Harry grinned cheekily. When he joined the class he hadn't been expecting the rate that he had grown to be so extreme, but with the points he had already earned in Sword during the Chamber run the official tutelage had made the resultant growth explosive. And unlike skeletons Madeline was able to strike with speed and ferocity while also defending against Harry's own strikes. This had yielded chunks of Skill experience in every exchange.
"I've had a good teacher" Harry replied simply, which made Madeline snort.
"No you just want to impress the cute teacher" She quipped. The two students, more apart in age than Madeline was going to admit, made an unlikely friendship. But Harry had enjoyed Madeline's sheer… Muggle-ness after his time in the Wizarding World and the two had paired off almost exclusively since Harry joined the class.
"Is she cute? I hadn't noticed" Harry busied himself putting his gear away in his backpack.
"You can't fool these eyes, Harry. I see you checking her out during class" Madeline placed her wooden sword in the locker and clipped the padlock closed.
Harry grimaced unseen. It was true, Cadence was very cute. It bothered him that even with his growing relationship with Tracey he still couldn't keep his eyes in check. Madeline clapped him on the shoulder to shake him from his self-deprecation.
"There's nothing wrong with looking, as long as you stay on the right side of the fine line between curious and creepy. I'm sure your girlfriend will forgive you" Madeline had done this very sort of interaction after about a week since Harry had started the class. It was almost a big sister vibe which made sense given that Madeline lost her little brother a few years ago when he was around the same age that Harry was now. She wasn't looking to adopt him or anything of the sort but she felt a small sense of protectiveness for the boy and really enjoyed the moments where she could share some nuggets of wisdom that she was unable to share with her late brother.
"Are you coming with me today?" Madeline asked as she laced up her shoes. Harry was doing the same next to her.
"Of course" Harry said and they waved farewell to Cadence and started a light jog out the door. They had started this on the 2nd day when Madeline noticed that Harry had the same routine as her, a run after class just for a little more sweat in the day. There wasn't a good reason not to so they both started running together, introducing a bit of companionship and competition to their midday jog. Sporadic sprints from them both kept the interaction light but challenging and they made it to their lunch spot. It was here that they made small talk before going their separate ways for the day. It was a fun break from the busy days for Harry and he found himself looking forward to it often.
Today though there was just a little bonus for Harry.
Running Skill has increased! It is now 25! Boon Unlocked!
Long-Winded was a no brain choice for Harry, as it offered increased lung capacity and a bonus to his Constitution score that was very welcome. He received a teasing remark from the intense look he unintentionally was giving some woman, who he couldn't see through his Character Sheet, but he took it in stride and took a few shots back at Madeline when she side-eyed a very fit runner that passed their small cafe they had chosen for lunch.
***Break***
What Madeline didn't know was that some days after the run and lunch, Harry would go out for even more exercise. The boy knew that once term began he'd be focusing more on Magical and Mental Skills so Harry wanted to cram as much Physical training into his time left that he could. This was why he could be found at a large gym 3 days out of the week where he made use of the weight-training equipment and other facilities the place had to offer. It had also prompted him to take a Swimming class that had yielded fantastic results.
Swimming Skill has increased! It is now 25! Boon Unclocked!
Amazingly this skill also had the Boon Long-Winded which did the same as the Boon from Running and was again a no brain choice for Harry. It had seen a lot of growth though, after some practice at home as well, and was already in the 40s with another Boon just over the horizon.
The gym was only used for about 3 hours so that Harry had time to pop over to Hogsmeade and help Hagrid with the Skinning, Tanning, Leatherworking and Groundskeeper duties. His forays into the Forest had been stopped after a word to Hagrid from Albus, but that didn't stop Hagrid from teaching Harry more about the work he did over the summers including opportunities to practice Harry's Clipping on some of the plants that Hagrid grew in his personal garden. The shears were unwieldy in Hagrid's hand so the man appreciated Harry's help as the boy was able to get a lot of yield from not a lot of plants.
Skinning Skill has increased! It is now 25! Boon Unlocked!
Tanning Skill has increased! It is now 25! Boon Unlocked!
Leatherworking Skill has increased! It is now 25! Boon Unlocked!
Clipping Skill has increased! It is now 31!
Archery was also something that Harry enjoyed immensely and he was able to practice with Hagrids help, shooting at a log the giant man had stabbed into the ground for Harry.
Archery Skill has increased! It is now 25! Boon Unlocked!
Harry honestly felt like he had made crazy progress these past 2 weeks. More and more he noticed Boons layered onto Boons and skills bled into one another and it looked like he was going to be taking the next year by storm. His new Boons included his Archery Boon Pin-Point. You are able to easily track your target, and have a greater chance of landing shots. His Tanning Boon Tanning Extraordinaire. Hide you prepare is produced at a higher quality. Leatherworking provided Scrappy. Leather Armor you Dismantle returns more of the materials. His Skinning Boon intimidated him a little but knew it could help in some situations. Flesh-Peeler. Your skill with a knife is noticeable. Attacks with Blades and blade-like Spells are more likely to cause a bleeding effect. Clipping had seen a lot of growth, but the Boon was a little boring. Clipper Proficiency. Yield from plants increased 5%. These joined the Hammer Boon he had unlocked from Blacksmithing. Hammer! Your blows hit with an unexpected force. Results Vary. (+1 to Strength Base Score).
***Break***
Breath! Stroke, stroke, stroke. Breath! Stroke, stroke, stroke. Harry speared through the water of his indoor pool. The day had finally come, he could feel it. Excitement pushed Harry hard and he flipped in the water to kick off the wall and shoot off in the opposite direction. He wasn't going to stop, or quit, not with it so close. His lungs burned even with his Boons, but he pushed on. His arms were a blur as they swept through the water, pulling him through the water like an arrow. Blessedly, just over the noise of his feet kicking and arms splashing he heard it.
Swimming Skill has increased! It is now 50! Boon Unlocked!
Timed Quest Completed! Acquire 10 new Boon Unlocks! Reward: 100 Skill Points, you rapscallion you! 2 Feat Points awarded! 5 Perk Points Awarded! Level Up awarded!
Ding! Level Up! You are now Level 10! 20 Skill Points awarded. 120 Points unspent. 5 Stat Points awarded. 5 Stat Points unused. 2 Feat Point unuseds. 5 Perk Points unused.
Congrats! You are Level 10! Class Specialization Unlocked! You are now a Sorcerer! Class Specialization bonuses doubled!
"RAHHHHHHH!" Harry stopped and jumped out of the water in excitement, letting loose a triumphant roar. He had done it. The very reason that he had pushed himself so hard these past 2 and a half weeks was finally realized. The Quest that had taunted him since just before he went to sleep on his Birthday night.
Happy Birthday Harry! Timed Quest! Acquire 10 new Boon Unlocks! Reward: Unknown*** Time Limit: End of Summer!
The Reward Notification was the first time that anything, anything, in the Notification field had been gold and not the typical white-gray. So tough to achieve but so tempting, it had occupied every thought and every action of the last 2 weeks. And for it to provide a Level, 2 Feat Points, his Class Specialization to get better, and 5 bloody Perk Points?!
"AHHHHHHHH!" Finally Harry spent his breath and flopped back into the water, letting the water hold him up and just floating in victory. Tears of achievement tickled his eyes but he had a face-cracking smile on his face. What a wonderful feeling!
'I love being The Gamer!' Harry thought to himself and pulled himself out of the water. He had to see Tracey, this feeling demanded it. Luckily they were scheduled to meet up in Diagon today for shopping for supplies. He cast a silent and wandless drying charm on himself and sprinted through the hall, almost breaking the door off the hinges when he reached his room.
"DOBBY WHERE ARE MY PANTS!" Harry roared across the house.
***Break***
Tracey applied the make-up with a practiced hand. Normally she just applied the basics but wanted to doll herself up a little for the trip to Diagon. The supply letters had come a week later than usual for some reason, so the place was going to be packed. She was meeting Harry and Daphne at the Leaky Cauldron, under the watchful eye of Lord Greengrass as her father was stuck in some meeting with Lucius Malfoy today.
She almost stabbed herself in the eye with her applicator when Litty popped into the room next to her.
"Milady, Lord Harry Potter has arrived" Litty said, clicking her fingers to get the clothes off of the floor that Tracey had piled there.
"Already?! I'm not ready! Errr… stall him!" Tracey panicked a bit. She was maybe halfway through her make-up, her hair was still a bit wet and unstyled, and she was in her under-clothes for Merlin's sake!
Cursing Harry for his early arrival, Tracey adjusted accordingly and finished the task she was on at the moment. Using techniques that her mother taught her she pulled her hair into a tight bun and let it fall before repeating the process again a few more times. It lent her hair waves and actually worked well with the slightly wet look. She hit it with a light spray of hairspray courtesy of her Muggle-ish mother to prevent frizzing.
Clothes! Ugh, Litty had moved her clothes off the floor! She had been sorting those dammit! Knowing that Lord Greengrass was a stickler for etiquette she selected a blouse and skirt combo to wear under her nicest robes. It'd have to do, she thought to herself. Litty met her outside the room, and with another clock of the Elf's fingers flattened the wrinkles on Tracey's clothes. She simply nodded at Tracey's thankful look.
"Harry! You were supposed to be here in 2 hours!" Tracey called down the stairs, taking them 2 at a time to the disapproving eye of her mother at the bottom. She stuck her tongue out to her mother who replied with a light swat to the arm and stepped towards the sitting room.
"I know, I know, I'm sorry. You look great, have I told you that?" Harry grinned from where he was standing next to the Floo.
"What are you doing here so early?" Tracey blushed a bit at the compliment and gave Harry a curtsy, not risking a hug or a kiss with her mother right behind her. Harry bowed in return, lingering on her knuckles for just a moment longer than was considered appropriate.
"Am I not allowed to surprise you?" Harry asked cheekily. He took a moment to bow in front of Lady Davis, kissing her knuckles as well. Litty had greeted him at the Floo so he had yet to see either lady of the house before now.
"Not when I'm getting ready, no! What if I had been naked!" Tracey's eyes were accusatory, she didn't like rushing to get ready.
"Well-" Harry coughed when Lady Davis shot him a 'watch yourself' look "You're right, I'm sorry. I received great news this morning and got excited"
Tracey's eyes softened just a bit, "Oh? What was the news?"
Harry's eyes got big. What was the news? He couldn't tell them about anything Gamer related. "Errr…" He racked his brain, reviewing the letters the two had been exchanging during his training.
Luckily Lady Davis came to the rescue, "Tracey, you know it's impolite to inquire about business matters with a Lord"
Harry hid a sigh of relief, and they sat in the seats in the sitting room, occupying themselves for a short while with light conversation under the caring watch of Litty who served them tea and biscuits.
***Break***
Whoosh! Harry held Tracey tightly as they spun through the Floo, Tracey insisting on going with Harry as an excuse to get close to him at least once today. She chose to ignore the disapproving look of her mother at the familiar contact between the 2 teens. Suddenly the spinning stopped and Harry gracefully led them out of the fireplace of the Leaky Cauldron, his Lord persona at full blast in preparation of meeting the esteemed Lord Greengrass. Originally Harry had planned to go shopping with the Weasleys and Hermione who had gone yesterday but could not ignore Tracey's request to come with them when Tracey had heard that it would be Lord Greengrass escorting her and Daphne today instead of the usual Lord Davis. Tracey did not like the cold man.
And 'cold man' described Lord Greengrass perfectly in his dark Acromantula silk robes as he loomed over the rest of the Patrons in the Leaky Cauldron. The man cut an imposing figure with his slicked salt and pepper hair and thick moustache. A silver cane not unlike Lucius Malfoy's was gripped firmly and planted directly in front of the man. Where Daphne's striking blue eyes were cold and guarded, the Greengrass patron's eyes were cold and calculating. They seemed to measure anyone and everything that they pierced through. It was this man that Tracey walked up to and curtsied deeply.
"Heir Davis" even the man's voice cut through the air as if it were bothered that the air was in the way of his voice in the first place.
"Lord Greengrass, please allow me to introduce Lord Harry Potter" Tracey indicated to Harry next to her, worried about the next exchange. She knew that if the man felt like it he could make both her and Harry's life hard, his reach being very far-reaching in most circles.
Harry eyed the man in front of him, immediate dislike being hidden well behind a mask. "Lord Greengrass, what an honor. Your recent work in the Wizengamot has been widely discussed. Congratulations on a close vote on your recent legislation"
"Quite. It's a shame that you were not there Lord Potter, I would have been interested in your thoughts on the matter" He shook Harry's hand, unable to match the firm grip that Harry gave him.
Harry hid his annoyance, the recent legislation that Lord Greengrass had spearheaded had set Werewolf rights even further back.
"Indeed. Unfortunately I have been busy with other matters and have not yet found a proxy that matches my views. I would have enjoyed the chance to help vote" Harry omitted the fact that he would have been voting against Lord Greengrass's legislation.
Harry turned to Daphne and bowed lower than he was required, and bowed before her curtsy, a double sign of respect for the girl. "Heir Greengrass. You look well"
"Lord Potter, you as well," Daphne said in her controlled and monotone voice. She curtsied.
Lord Greengrass fumed silently at the boy in front of him. He could tell based on the exchanges that Harry had slighted him just a bit, but could not call him out on it without slighting his own daughter. Something he could not do in public.
Tracey took Harry's offered arm and the odd and tense group headed into the Alley.
***Break***
Diagon Alley was bustling. With the late arrival of the supply letters there were multiple families keeping the Alley very busy, and if not for Harry Potter and Jackson Greengrass cutting through the crowd like a ship in water the group would have had trouble getting anywhere. Luckily the two commanded a presence that was almost palpable and sent child and adult alike out of the way.
Tracey looked discreetly at Harry in amazement. It was like seeing someone else. Gone was the fun-loving, sweet, excitable boy that she had grown to like quite a bit. In his place stood a young man that seemed every bit the equal of the Lord Greengrass that he walked next to. To her right she could tell even through Daphne's mask that she was having the same thoughts. It was almost scary the transformation Harry had gone through almost immediately upon their arrival.
Harry however was a storm of emotion behind a mask of stone. He really did not like Lord Greengrass. Something about the man just rubbed him the wrong way, and ruined his good mood from earlier that day. The cold eyes, the way that he seemed to generate no warmth towards Daphne. He reminded Harry of Lucius Malfoy, if Lucius had no love for his son. Already Harry was ready for the day to end.
They visited Twilfit first for robes, Harry selecting 2 sets of school robes and paying for Tracey's 4 sets. She seemed shocked at his gesture, but caught his nod to Daphne where the blonde was pulling out her own purse to pay for her robes. Harry's grimace was caught by Tracey as well but missed by Lord Greengrass who was getting fitted for his own robes.
Tracey nodded at the unasked suggestion and stepped next to Daphne, where she slipped the shocked girl her own coin-purse. Tracey knew that Daphne was forced to pay for her own tuition and supplies from her late mother's inheritance. It had been a hardship that Daphne rarely commented on. They argued for a quiet moment, with Tracey nodding to Harry drawing Daphne's guarded blue eyes to his green ones. Harry nodded and Daphne finally added the coins to her own with a nod at Harry.
The group made short work at Flourish where the teller was actually a good acquaintance of Harry's from his time in Diagon, who had them squared away with that year's books in record time given the crowd in the store. The teller also slipped Harry a catalogue of their newest additions that he slipped into his inner robe pocket for a later perusal. Harry wordlessly shrank the books and carried them for the girls, to a grateful and surprised look from Tracey who had dreaded carrying the books for the rest of the day. Lord Greengrass was known to the girls to not bother casting magic on their behalf. His Inventory made it no issue but he smiled slightly at Tracey showing the first bit of warmth in a while. Lord Greengrass did not miss the casual display of wordless magic, a feat in and of itself and all the more impressive from a 13 year old, but again could not comment without being rude in a public setting. It made his rage boil just a little hotter.
Their next stop at the Apothecary brought the tension to a head when Lord Greengrass's hand latched onto Daphne's wrist when she went to pay for her supplies. A well manicured hand plucked the purse out of her hand and a careful eye counted the contents.
"What is this" His cool voice echoed ominously across the store. His eyes stabbed into his daughter's own.
"Charity? Or have you started whoring yourself out? Answer me" Lord Greengrass's voice was just low enough that only Harry, who had stepped closer when the man had grabbed his daughter, was the only person besides Daphne to hear his cold accusations.
"I've been saving" Daphne replied carefully, mindful of the look in her father's eyes.
"When? How? I have tracked your mother's inheritance for every Knut. I know how much you brought today and this is much more. So what is this. Payment from Potter for service?" His grip tightened and a flash of pain crossed Daphne's face, prompting Harry to intervene.
"That's enough, Lord Greengrass" Harry stepped forward, eyes locked onto Daphne's face.
"DO not… Do not tell me how to manage my family's affairs, boy" Jackson responded cooly, the anger at being called out by a 13 year old simmering just below the surface "You do not need to protect your whore while she is part of this family"
Boy. That word was so infuriating to Harry, memories of dark nights in the cupboard after hearing that word coming to his mind. It was second only to Freak.
"I'd advise you to watch your tone and accusations with me" Harry warned. Tracey placed a hand on Harry's arm when she noticed that their voices were carrying just a little farther and starting to get the attention of the other patrons in the store.
"Or what? Come on, Daphne, we're leaving before you get the urge to spread your legs for this fool of a Boy Lord any wider" Lord Greengrass started to pull Daphne away from the counter and to the door.
"Greengrass" Harry's voice echoed over the store with chilling authority. Both Greengrasses stopped and turned at the tone. A glove whistled through the silent air and slapped against Lord Greengrass's face with an audible noise. As it fell off of Jackson's face seemingly in slow motion, it revealed a face of outrage. Lord Greengrass threw Daphne's wrist from his grip and stepped angrily into Harry's personal space. Harry's face didn't flinch at the intrusion.
Etiquette Skill has increased! It is now 34!
Intimidation skill has increased! It is now 30!
"You dare?" the voice was cold and angry, and perfectly matched the face that Lord Greengrass had.
"I dare." Harry replied, shoving the man away from him with both hands with shocking force, causing the man to be thrown back and bounce off of the wall. Ingredients clattered to the floor next to where Lord Greengrass fumed from his position on the ground.
Fisticuffs Skill unlocked! It is now 1!
Chapter 12: Diagon Duels, Dogs and Daring Escapes.
Aurors pushed the crowd back, making space in the street. They had been called in shortly after the glove had been thrown and were doing their best to seize control of the pandemonium. The crowd clamored for a better view and the noise was intense. Tracey bit her lip worriedly in the doorway of the Apothecary, clutching Daphne's hand in mutual support. They both watched Harry and Lord Greengrass prepare for the duel. Lord Greengrass pulled his wand from his cane and eyed it critically before brandishing it twice and turning to face Harry.
Harry had stripped off his robe, showing off an impressive physique for anyone but especially someone his age. His recent increases to Strength and Constitution were doing wonders for his look. He had on a formal button-up and slacks that looked restricting until he casually waved his hand and to the shock of the observers his outfit changed entirely. A full set of Dueling Robes, and dragonhide boots appeared on him. He touched his glasses and they changed to their goggle orientation to give him better vision and eliminate chances for them to come off at any point during the duel.
Pause!
Harry took a moment to dump a staggering 109 points into Dueling, bringing it up to 75. He selected the Boons Dancer of Death which harmonized his Dancing Skill with his Dueling one, as well as Hit 'Em Where It Hurts which boosted his accuracy tremendously. He was going to do his utmost to destroy Lord Greengrass. For Daphne. The Game seemed to agree with him as a Notification popped up for him.
Quest Started! Free the Greengrass Girls from their Father! Reward: 2 Feat Points, +5 to Dueling, 2 Stat Points, 100,000 Galleons
Acknowledging the Quest, Harry scrolled through his available Feats to see if anything would help him here. Seeing nothing that stood out, he placed his 5 Stat Points into his Constitution to stay true to his plan to bring his stats to 20. 17 would have to be enough for now and he adjusted the slider next to Strength so that he did not change appearance due to the change. His Stamina and Health showed a welcome increase thanks to the spent points and Harry knew that he was as ready as he could be at the moment.
Unpause!
"The Law of Rightful Challenge has been issued. What are the reasons for this duel?" This question came from a man in purple Wizengamot robes that had been called in to mediate the duel. The man motioned to Harry.
While formal duels were uncommon they were still used in extreme circumstances when words would not suffice. There were rarely occasions for them but laws were in place to manage them wherever they occurred. When the glove was thrown, it was customary to call in the Aurors and inform them of an Official Challenge, whereupon a team of Aurors would come in and secure the area. Then a member of the Wizengamot would come in to mediate and ensure that any terms were met on behalf of the winner of the challenge. Both duelists would be able to list their reasons for the duel as well as any terms they had upon victory.
"For slights upon the honor of House Potter, and defamation of character despite verbal warning" Harry stretched on his side of the large circle and took in deep breaths.
The man nodded and indicated Lord Greengrass who said, "Interfering with House Greengrass business, and for soiling my daughter!"
"I did no such thing!" Harry yelled across the circle, fuming that the man would dare to think Daphne would stoop to such a level.
"Gentleman" The man warned them both with his tone. "Now, Lord Greengrass, as the Challenged you may name your terms first"
"Dissolution of House Potter, and payment of 100,000 Galleons" The crowd gasped at the declaration. To call for dissolution of a House was extreme, and only used in the rarest of duels. It was pretty clear to everyone that Lord Greengrass was pissed.
"Noted. And your terms Lord Potter?" The man motioned for Harry.
"Release of Daphne Greengrass and Astoria Greengrass to be wards of House Potter, where they will be allowed to keep their family name and inheritances due them at this moment" Harry spat on the ground, the challenge clear.
It was Daphne who gasped this time. Dissolution of a House was extreme, but to take the Heir of a family into Wardship would label House Potter the better House in the eyes of society, until such time that Daphne and Astoria were married and were released from Wardship. It would cripple House Greengrass immensely while allowing Daphne and Astoria freedom. And to secure their inheritances and names, in case that Jackson Greengrass took offense and changed his will or banished them from his family in retribution, was a calculated move.
"What does that mean?" Tracey asked her friend, she was an Heir as well but this was a bit out of her area of expertise having not needed to learn the rules of Dueling before.
"Did you tell him about Astoria?" Daphne asked, wondering how Harry had known that if Daphne was gone all of the hardships she endured would be transferred to her younger sister. A sister whose health was not the best given an old curse her family suffered from. She hadn't mentioned Astoria to Harry at any point that she knew of, nor her sister's affliction.
"No, I would never" Tracey looked at her friend with her eyes projecting as much sincerity as they could.
Daphne sighed, her mind was running wild, "It means that if Harry wins, he just declared House Potter superior to House Greengrass and freed Astoria and I from any control of my father"
Tracey gasped at the implications. She looked at Harry and bit her lip hard, worry apparent on her face. Dissolution of his House would mean that Harry would lose everything.
"Noted. Are the terms agreeable to both parties?" The mediator intoned heavily, his voice clear across the Alley.
Lord Greengrass raged. He wanted to cripple the boy, thinking him unworthy of the title of Lord and unaware of the implications of a Dueling Challenge and the terms therein. Then the boy went and literally spit on that challenge and called for terms that, while technically lesser, would cripple his House just as effectively as his own terms would House Potter. He would look weak if he rejected the terms, but hesitated for just a moment.
"They are!" Harry's voice rang out over the crowd and caused an uproar in the level of noise. The people gathered were getting caught up in the excitement and were calling for blood.
Lord Greengrass grimaced in anger, he would look weaker now if he hesitated longer.
"They are" he said with finality.
***Break***
The shield rose up around the two duelists, maintained by the team of Aurors. Harry finished stretching and readied his wand. His Hotbar was fully primed for the duel and his mind was startlingly clear from anything other than the man in front of him. They would have no Seconds in this duel, as neither wanted to look weak in front of the other. The rules were simple. No illegal spells. Everything else was fairplay. They would duel until death or yield, whichever came first.
"Lords to their starting positions" The man, revealed to be Lord Abbott, was on the balcony of a nearby store. Just outside the shield, but able to see the entire duel from the vantage point.
Harry and Lord Greengrass walked to their starting positions. 15 meters directly opposite, as was customary. Lord Abbott watched the proceedings with a critical eye, very interested in the outcome. He watched Harry closest of all. His daughter had come back a few weeks ago from a party at Lord Potter's home, an event he insisted his daughter attend, and she had come back with grand stories of a fantastic party celebrating the Lord's 13th birthday. 13 years of age, the boy should hardly be called intimidating but when observed walking to the starting position Harry struck an imposing confident figure. Impressive. Perhaps he would pay Lord Potter a visit at some point, if he somehow won this duel. Then Lord Abbott turned his eye to Lord Greengrass. The man was well known in higher social circles as cold and ruthless. A true Slytherin. While not proven to have anything to do with Voldemort during the Dark Lord's reign of terror, the man's insistence on maintaining a neutral position while still spouting anti-Muggleborn rhetoric had drawn a lot of suspicion.
"Wands up!" Lord Abbott yelled, having to raise his voice even with the Sonorous charm active as the crowd was becoming restless. Harry and Jackson brought their wands up in differing stances. Lord Greengrass's was more traditional. Right foot forward and wand at shoulder height pointed at an angle forward and up. A stance able to attack or defend depending on the preference. Harry's was more unorthodox. Feet shoulder width apart and askew slightly, with wand hand forward and down and off hand behind and above. It was a stance that favored swordsman, but Harry had no sword.
"DUEL!"
***Break***
Harry's offhand flashed for just a moment in movement and the Sword of Gryffindor sang through the air to slap away 2 spells in quick succession. His other hand was equally busy sending back a volley of his own, a disarm, stunner, cutter combo, and the duel officially began. The appearance of the sword had caused a wave of noise to wash over the crowd that could see the action but Harry ignored it. It did serve to shock Lord Greengrass into hesitating for just a moment, long enough for the Cutting charm to graze the man's thigh. It was superficial, but first blood to Potter.
The cutter brought forth the wrath of the Greengrass patron, and the two exchanged a fierce flurry of spells. Stunners were exchanged for bludgeoners and both parties looked ready to kill. Harry's shield and sword defense held against the wide repertoire of his opponent while his fast and furious style was blocked and deflected with ruthless efficiency. It was clear to Harry that if he had not dumped those points into Dueling he would be outmatched. Luckily he had had the foresight not to remain confident in his current skills and was able to match Lord Greengrass blow for blow.
Almost as if in agreement, both duelists stopped their flurry in exchange for circling their opponent. Lord Greengrass took the moment to summon his cane back to his hand from where he had put it before and revealed a fencing sword from the other end which now occupied the man's left hand. Harry was unsure if the man knew how to use it as well as his wand, but didn't fancy the idea of finding out the hard way given that his sword was a broadsword and likely much slower than his opponent's thin bladed weapon.
"Give up, Potter. You're decades too young to be challenging me. Save some face now and forfeit" Lord Greengrass taunted, catching his breath behind his words.
"Oh, the esteemed Lord Greengrass isn't above taunting? It's refreshing to see you stooping to a level more suited to you" Harry returned fire with a taunt of his own.
His words had the effect that Harry wanted and the man allowed himself a moment of anger. The Bonebreaker curse was a step up from their previous exchanges and it looked for a moment that Harry would let it hit him. At the last moment however he threw his sword into the path of the incoming spell and sidestepped, letting the force of the spell knock his sword behind him to allow him the free hand to bring forth a brick of iron from his Inventory, the material quickly and efficiently Transfigured into balls reminiscent of lead bullets but about the size of tennis balls that he carefully Banished at his opponent. The use of raw iron proved to be a good move as it had unique characteristics when interacting with magic, needing a higher level of power to be manipulated or blocked. It smashed through Greengrass's desperate shield and a loud crack was heard as the iron balls, all 3 that Harry had made, slammed into the man's left shoulder one after the other.
Using his now free hand Harry summoned the Sword of Gryffindor and charged the older Lord. A cacophony of metal against metal rang out as Harry hammered away at the man. The shoulder that he had managed to hit was likely causing the man great pain, if Lord Greengrass's face was any indication, and the thin blade was barely brought up in time to block each of Harry's heavy blows. The magically reinforced blade of Greengrass didn't bend under the pressure but the force of the swings clearly aggravated the wounded shoulder. The intensity of the blows prevented much to be done in return but Lord Greengrass wasn't a pushover. Finally he brought his wand to bear and screamed, "Bombarda!"
The spell exploded between them and sent Harry through the air, same as Lord Greengrass. Harry rolled once he made contact with the ground and immediately ran at the still downed man. Greengrass was much slower to get up, the fall having further aggravated his likely broken shoulder, but he was able to stand in time to meet Harry's second charge of the duel. Again, Harry hammered away at his opponent. Destroy Lord Greengrass, that had been his goal, and causing the man to have to use his injured shoulder again and again was part of the plan.
Again, Greengrass screamed "Bombarda!" only this time Harry spun away, as if dancing, before the Sword of Gryffindor again rained down in a hail of blows. Harry made no show about it, he was aiming for Greengrass's sword, and drawing the man to block with his injured shoulder. Every attempt the man made to hit Harry with a spell was shielded, or dodged in a dazzling display of dexterity.
Clang! Clang! Clang! Finally the man could take no more and he aimed at the floor this time with a "Bombarda Maxima!" which served to blast apart the flagstones and pepper Harry with sharp rocks, halting his attack. Greengrass took the moment to distance himself from Harry and start shooting a flurry of spells at him.
Harry's face was a mask of concentration as he dodged, parried, and countered the spells the man threw at him.
***Break***
Tracey was amazed. She had seen a professional duel once with her father, and this display was every bit as impressive. She had known that Lord Greengrass was a talented duelist, a fact her father had shared with her, and he showed it in his clean and precise spell combos and wide repertoire of spells. And while she had known that Harry displayed a level of magical skill well above his age, along with physical prowess, she had worried that he had bitten off much more than he could chew. But when Harry summoned the Sword of Gryffindor at the start of the duel she had been enthralled.
Harry's spells weren't as varied, but they were well aimed and powerful, and Harry made good use of Transfiguration to block the spells. His movements were unorthodox but fluid, and the way he used his sword and impressive Shield Charm along with his quick feet was a dazzling display. She almost cried out when the Bonebreaker headed towards Harry but he looked like he had planned for that moment, sending iron balls rocketing back to Lord Greengrass from out of nowhere. The loud crack had caused Daphne to clutch Tracey's hand much tighter, and both watched Harry dominate Lord Greengrass in a furious attack with the Sword.
***Break***
Both girls gasped when Harry was blasted away by the Bombarda, and Daphne worried that the duel had swung back into her father's favor. But surprisingly, as if nothing had happened, Harry rolled to his feet and continued the onslaught. Her discerning eye was able to tell that Harry was aiming to aggravate her father's injury with his blows. Again the Bombarda spell was cast and both girls held their breath, not releasing it even when Harry amazed everyone by dodging the spell at such a close range and continuing to hammer away at her father's defenses.
She was conflicted. She had seen the bristle of anger cross Harry's face when her father called her a whore and again when he insinuated that Daphne and Harry had slept together of all things. It wasn't the first time that her father had used such a tone with her, or even that particular insult though it was usually accompanied by a slap. But that anger Harry had shown had paled in comparison to when Lord Greengrass had called Harry Boy. But she still wasn't sure that she wanted Harry to win. Wardship would be a huge change of life for her and Astoria required regular special care, care that her father was intimately familiar with. On the other hand though, to have someone stand up to her father both scared and inspired her. Lord Greengrass was this imposing controlling figure in her life that she never expected to have a chance from getting out from under. Even marriage wasn't a great option for her as she knew that it would be with someone her father chose for her versus a marriage built out of love and would probably be a bargaining chip lessening her self-worth even further.
Both of their breaths were released in a scream as the shards of flagstone shot across the Alley and Harry was subject to a ferocious counter-offensive.
***Break***
Lord Jackson Greengrass was viewing the world in a hazy film. His shoulder burned in agony after the iron balls had cracked something and that agony had only gotten worse attempting to block Harry's heavy swings of that Sword. The boy was skilled, even his hatred did not prevent Lord Greengrass from acknowledging that. And the power, ferocity, and dexterity of the boy's attacks and defenses were incredible.
But giving up was not on his mind. Not now, not ever the man thought to himself. He knew, at some deep level, that his treatment of Daphne was less than ideal. But the girl looked exactly like his late wife. And the only thing the man saw when he looked at her was his wife in the arms of another man. A Muggleborn man. No amount of pain could compare to the pain of losing his wife to an affair with a man of Muggle heritage. It had happened shortly after Daphne had turned 1, and it nearly cost them their marriage. They had become cold to one another forced to maintain their marriage to avoid the scandal that would surely come if they had split up. Things seemed to be going better when his wife got pregnant with Astoria, and then the birth had killed his wife. At least that was what he told himself. He refused to acknowledge that Astoria had that man's eyes, and what that had made him do to his wife. The death broke the man, and forged him into the cold and dark man that he was today.
With a roar he put the pain of his shoulder out of his mind and focused on teaching this little whelp, this Boy pretending to be a Lord, a lesson of finality. Lord Jackson Greengrass was going to murder for the second time in his life today, and the victim was going to be Harry Potter.
***Break***
Lord Greengrass roared in defiance, and Harry was hard pressed to prevent the reinvigorated onslaught he now faced from causing fatal harm. His notifications had been going crazy throughout the duel but Harry ignored it. Every spell the man was throwing now was chosen and aimed with purpose to kill. It was clear then, to Harry, that he would have to match the ferocity with a rock hard defense or kill the man. He had stared Death in the face on many occasions, not even including his memories from his alternative life, and this time was the same as any other.
The Sword of Gryffindor was a blur through the air, parrying and deflecting spells that splashed against the shield and ground in a shower of light and debris. Harry was lucky that the grip was well-suited to his hand or he would surely have lost the blade at some point. Harry knew that he couldn't use certain spells, like Sectumsempra, to bring the duel to a close. The crowd wasn't looking anywhere else and winning the duel with a Dark spell would cause a field day day for the press. Harry needed a plan and he needed it soon.
Thinking hard, Harry spotted the shards of flagstone scattered around him and sighed inwardly. Only his gluttonous attitude for punishment would make him think of grinding a skill in the middle of a duel to the death, but he didn't have the spell knowledge to catch his opponent off guard. He had the imagination though, if not the skill quite yet. His wand waved left and right, turning the shards of flagstone into a matchstick, a needle, anything tiny and unseen to observers but not unfelt by his Transfiguration Skill.
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 34!
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 35!
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 36!
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 37!
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 38!
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 39!
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 40!
Like a countdown to his hail mary, his skill slowly creeped up. The spells the man was throwing at him were finally slowing in their frequency, but Harry was still on a full defensive with the man wise to not let Harry have a moment to close the gap between them and risk another assault from Harry. Finally, blessedly, his skill reached the point he needed.
Transfiguration has increased! It is now 45!
Pause!
Jumping has increased! It is now 18!
Not for the first time Harry thanked his lucky stars for the ability to Pause at any point. He had taken an unexpected jump to the side to allow him a moment to breathe and to make sure he wasn't setting himself up to die when he Unpaused. It was awkward as always to Pause in midair.
He viewed his last 11 Skill points with a longing eye. 120 points, gone in a moment, due to a heated decision. Knowing he couldn't undo it without Loading his game and losing weeks of progress, Harry spent 10 of the points to bring Transfiguration to 50. Not for the first time Harry cursed the fact that the only Save Point he knew of was at the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets and idly wondered for the moment if he could somehow make one at his home. Dashing that thought from his mind as this was neither the time nor the place Harry selected the only Boon available that made his Animate Transformations more lifelike and responsive to direction.
Time for the hail mary.
Unpause!
The world rocked into motion and Harry rolled as he hit the ground, his sword flashed through the air while he readied himself for his plan. His wand was pulled into his Hotbar and bricks of iron were deposited behind him, unseen by the man who was lost in anger. Harry focused his entire defensive efforts into his swordplay and watched out of the corner of his eye as his Magicka slowly recharged. He knew he would need all of it if he was going to pull this off. Harry just hoped that it would be enough.
Once the bar was full his wand was brought to bear and Harry jumped to the side again, revealing the store of materials he had been hiding. His wand waved and flashed in a dizzying array and the pile seemed to melt together for a moment before extending into the shape of a Basilisk. Indeed in every detail it looked like a miniature version of Salazar's beast.
"Bind" Harry hissed into the air, and the iron beast shot forward like a missile. Lord Greengrass saw what was coming and shot spells at the creature in an attempt to slow it. It was for naught though, as Harry had reinforced the beast as well as he could bringing forth his knowledge of iron to provide it with a stable composition. His Magicka was dangerously low though and would take too long to recharge if his plan failed.
His luck held though and the Basilisk smashed into Lord Greengrass's leg with a sickening crunch before riding up his body and constricting his arms and legs in an iron grip. The beast's head planted itself just in front of Jackson's face and bared the metal fangs modeled so carefully after the original's.
Harry took a deep breath and walked forward. He hissed the word "tighter" and Lord Greengrass let out a cry of pain as his leg and shoulder felt the full weight of the snake's movement and he fell back. Once he was above the man, Harry commanded the snake's head out of the way before punching the man as hard as he could. The sharp almost wet sound of the punch and the resultant grunt as Lord Greengrass's head bounced off the flagstones below echoed across the Alley as the crowd was silent in anticipation.
Fisticuffs Skill increased! It is now 2!
"Do you yield?" Harry asked the man. The young lord ignored the stab of pain from his knuckles in favor of the immense satisfaction he got from punching him one good time.
Lord Greengrass stared defiantly up at the boy, wishing there was something he could do but his wand was trapped beneath the iron monstrosity. Jackson looked around for anything, anything at all that could help him, but just like Harry wanted the man had nothing. He was beaten.
"I yield" The man said in a whisper. Lord Abbot was listening though.
***Break***
Amazing! Extraordinary! Astounding! These words were all Lord Abbott could think of as the duel came to a close. Despite every attempt to best the boy, no, the man that faced Lord Greengrass in a duel Harry Potter had emerged the victor! A 13 year old man had just defeated one of the most esteemed members of Wizarding Britain, and in a spectacular manner. The Transfiguration the young Lord had pulled off at the end had been so unexpected but so effective. The press were going to have a field day today!
"Lord Potter is the victor! Lord Greengrass had yielded!" Lord Abbot's voice rang out over the Alley and the crowd just lost it. Hats were thrown and whistles and cheers echoed off the buildings. The Aurors waited for Harry to call off his iron snake, which slithered to its creator and amazingly slipped into the boy's pocket, wowing the crowd once more. Once it was gone the shield was lowered.
***Break***
As soon as the shield dropped Tracey dashed forward and wrapped Harry in a tight hug and buried her face into his robes. There were tears in her eyes and her whole body shook from the roller coaster of emotions she had gone through during the duel but the scent that was becoming so familiar to her that she could smell in his robes let her know that it was over. Harry whispered calming words into her hair and he held her tightly.
Daphne was more subdued in her approach. Her entire world had been flipped and she was at a loss on what to do or how to act. She looked at her father, who was still on the ground after the sound defeat. The man looked lost for a moment longer before, like any proud man, he found the energy and will to stand up and waved away the offered help from the Aurors. Then she looked at Harry who was whispering something into Tracey's hair as he held his girlfriend close. The crowd threatened to spill over in their excitement and Daphne felt like she was viewing the whole scene from a thousand meters away.
"Come here, Daphne" Daphne's head whipped around at the sound of her father's voice. She stopped.
"Come here!" Lord Greengrass raised his voice at her, a crack of emotion bleeding through his usually measured tone. She took a half step towards him, before she felt a hand grab hers. Tracey's teary eyes pulled her attention away from her father, and Daphne felt herself being pulled into a hug from her friend. Harry watched silently, but his eyes met Daphne's. He smiled reassuringly and stepped closer before stopping at her panicked expression as again Lord Greengrass's voice called out.
"COME HERE, NOW!" The tone was broken and carried emotion that had been lacking in his voice as long as Daphne had known him. Harsh breaths were drawn in as fast as Daphne could get them and her mind was a cacophony of nothing.
"Lord Potter" John Abbott's voice carried over to Harry from where the man was approaching. They exchanged brief words that Daphne was unable to hear over the sound of blood rushing in her ears, before Harry nodded.
"Lord Greengrass, I will be heading to your house now with my Elf to collect Astoria and everything necessary for both her and Daphne to stay at my home as our terms dictate. Lord Abbott will be attending. The Law of Rightful Challenge has been met. Failure to comply will result in expulsion from the Wizengamot and forfeiture of your lands and holdings in accordance with the Law of Forfeiture" Harry's tone was harsh and lacked any sympathy for the broken man he was addressing. An Auror guard stepped forward at Lord Abbott's signal.
***Break***
Astoria Greengrass coughed gently into her hand and turned the page in her book. Her father and sister were away at Diagon getting supplies for the new year at Hogwarts. She was excited that she would finally be able to attend but as today was her treatment day she was bed bound for the duration of their visit to the Alley. That was especially a bummer as supposedly Tracey would be bringing along Harry Potter who Astoria would have loved a chance to meet.
Instead she was here, reading through a Potions book that she had snuck from her sister's room. The recipes and theory were interesting to her and helped Astoria ignore the boredom that she felt being stuck in bed. She would much rather be outside playing with Balto, her Husky, who had been named after a character in a book Astoria had borrowed from her sister's friend Tracey. Dolly, the Greengrass family Elf, popped into her room and checked the readings from the runic display. Astoria watched attentively and… yes! Dolly started to unhook the elaborate setup of the equipment used for her treatment.
Astoria coughed again in disgust as the tube was pulled from her nose. It was used to deposit a concoction of potions into her stomach that were designed to fortify her body to help combat the blood malediction she suffered from. The malediction was the result of a curse placed onto the females of her line. It had skipped Daphne but Astoria had shown the signs at an early age. Suddenly Dolly's head shot up with a look of confusion and she popped away without a word.
"Where are the Aurors?" A voice that Astoria vaguely recognized came from below.
"The wards must have bounced them!" Daphne said.
"No! You will not have them! No! Bombarda Maxima!" Astoria's father's voice called out.
"I'll deal with him, go get your sister! Dobby! Protego Maxima!" Another, this time unknown, voice rang through the house along with a boom.
Puzzled and frightened, Astoria slowly stood up, and headed for her door. She didn't make it however as the door slammed open and startled her. Looking like she had been through hell stood Daphne, whose eyes met her sister's and softened for just a moment.
"Daph? Wh-" Astoria started to ask.
"No time. Tori, grab your things" And Daphne dashed past her to Astoria's bookcase with an odd bag in her hand. Books were thrown into the bag with abandon. Thuds and booms echoed below them.
"What? What is going on? Daph? What is going on!" Astoria tried to get her sister's attention before Tracey almost fell into the room as well "Tracey?"
Tracey smiled at her for just a moment and she pushed a bag like the one that Daphne had into Astoria's hand. Then Tracey dashed over to Daphne and started helping her with the books.
"Lord Greengrass! Stop now and I will argue on your behalf!" Again the unknown voice echoed through the house. A boom, louder this time, shook the house.
"What in Merlin's name is going on?!" Astoria yelled at them both, finally getting their attention. Tracey nodded to Daphne and continued gathering the last of the books. Daphne stepped over to her sister.
"Tori, we're leaving. Don't ask why, but I need you to gather your things. Harry is going to get your equipment, but we need to get your things together. Please, Tori." Daphne's tone left no room for arguments and her words no room for questions. Astoria nodded and with her sister they headed to her closet. The clothes were tossed into the trunk inside the closet and any extras into the bags. Tracey joined them after a moment. It took less than a minute to have her stuff together.
Daphne led the trio into the hall where they crossed into Daphne's room. The thuds and booms were louder in the hall. Her trunk was already open and half packed so they made quick work of gathering Daphne's things. They headed back into the hall.
"Okay, we just need to make it to the entryway. There's a Portkey point there we can use" Daphne said to Tracey who nodded.
"Wait, what about Balto?" Astoria asked worriedly. Whatever was happening she did not want to leave her dog behind. Daphne cursed.
"I'll get Balto, you bring Tracey to the Portkey point, okay? Next to the vase under mom's portrait, remember?" Daphne waited for Astoria to nod and she planted a soft kiss on her sister's forehead "Nowhere else, okay? Tracey?"
Tracey nodded and took Astoria's hand. They headed down the stairs and split up. Astoria leading Tracey to the entryway. Daphne slowly creeped towards the rear of the house. She needed to get to the back door, but that meant passing whatever mayhem was happening in the house hall where they had arrived. The noise had not stopped ever since Harry had sent them from the room.
Her head poked around the corner to see what was happening.
***Break***
Harry dodged another spell and returned fire with a curse. It was like their duel all over again only this time more chaotic. Lord Abbott was on the ground near the ruined fireplace they had arrived through. The older man's head was bleeding from a large brick but Harry could tell that, thankfully, he was still breathing. Cursing the house wards for bouncing the Auror escort Harry sent an end table into the path of a spell. Damning the laws that prevented the Aurors from confiscating the distraught man's wand Harry summoned a throw pillow into the path of the Cutter that Lord Greengrass sent his way. It didn't fully take the spell and Harry hissed as a shallow cut appeared on his chest.
Harry knew that he needed to stall the man long enough to allow Daphne and Tracey time to gather up Astoria and use the Portkey he had thrown to Tracey to get them all to safety. Jumping over the battling Elves on the floor, Harry rolled near the fireplace and banished the poker at Jackson. The metal instrument stabbed into the man's side and brought a brief respite to their battle. Harry took a moment to check on Dobby's battle with Dolly. The two Elves were rolling on the ground punching, kicking, biting, whatever they could to hurt the other. It looked like Dobby had the edge though and Harry turned his attention back to Lord Greengrass where the man had successfully extracted the iron poker. Clearly. It whistled through the air and only finely tuned instincts regarding hard metal objects coming at him gave Harry the reflexes to move his head out of the way. He saw the poker stab into the wall behind him and vibrate ominously. That would have been a kill shot.
Bricks rose up and turned into birds that flew at Lord Greengrass and into the path of another Bombarda. A quick Protego stopped the shrapnel from the destroyed bird from harming him. The birds were shot down with a few spells and the duel continued in earnest. Harry didn't feel comfortable bringing Kijani into this mess so any plan to use his Boomslang for an edge was out of the question.
***Break***
Daphne's eyes were wide at the mayhem before her. The house hall, the nicest room in their house, was in shambles. The fireplace was a wreck and Lord Abbott laid on the floor below it. Harry was battling ferociously but was bleeding from a wound on his chest. Her father was also bleeding with a bloody wound on his side. Lord Greengrass was limping from his wound at the end of the duel but did not look like he would be giving up again any time soon.
Dobby was rolling on the floor with Dolly, her House Elf, and Daphne bit back a cry. Dolly had been a loyal companion to both Greengrass daughters over the years. It was this that prompted Daphne to act. She stepped into the room.
"Dolly! Stop!" She ordered and watched in amazement as Dolly froze. Dobby stopped as well, and both Elves stood up. Dolly looked at her Master's daughter.
"Dolly!" Jackson Greengrass's voice called out to his Elf who turned to her Master. "Kill Harry Potter!"
Dobby reared up at the thought of someone harming his Master and clicked his fingers before Jackson could finish his order. Dolly zipped through the air and smacked into the wall with a deafening boom. The female Elf fell to the floor but stood up shakily. She raised her hand, clearly ready to follow the order. Suddenly pops of Apparition and the clear crisp voice of Amelia Bones rang through the house and stopped everyone inside.
"For failure to comply with the Law of Rightful Challenge" Harry dashed over to Daphne, grabbing her hand and leading her and Dobby from the room. Dolly clicked her fingers and the iron poker missed Harry's head for the second time that night. Lord Greengrass's attention was fully on the words echoing outside "And failure to meet the terms of that duel, Lord Jackson Greengrass you are hereby subject to Expulsion from the Wizengamot and forfeit your lands and holdings. In accordance with the Law of Forfeiture your house will be destroyed and you will be apprehended. Step outside or risk forceful entry. This is your only warning"
"What are you doing down here? Where is Tracey?" Harry asked Daphne. Daphne's attention came back to him.
"She used your Portkey with Astoria. I need to get Balto" Daphne's mind was reeling. Her house would be destroyed?
"Who or what is Balto?" Harry asked urgently. When Daphne didn't respond he grabbed her shoulders which got her attention again.
"Astoria's dog, it's in the rear yard" Daphne stiffened when Dolly came around the corner and Harry let go of Daphne to face the Elf. They both watched the Elf carefully.
"Dolly is a Free Elf" the Elf said solemnly. House Elves were considered part of the holdings of a House and with Amelia's words the Elf was released from House Greengrass. Harry saw the opportunity though.
"Dolly, if you help me now I will swear you into service with House Potter. We are here to take Daphne and Astoria as Wards of House Potter in accordance with the Law of Rightful Challenge. Will you help us?" Harry silently urged the House Elf to accept.
The House Elf looked at him with tearfilled eyes. "You would take Dolly into your home? Even after I tried to kill you?"
"Yes, yes. It's almost a requirement of Elves to try and kill me before I bring them into my service" Harry nudged Dobby with his foot and Dobby looked sheepish for a moment.
"We are coming in!" Amelia's voice rang through the house.
"Yes or no, Dolly" Harry urged the Elf.
"Yes" The Elf didn't need to think about it any longer. The idea of being a Free Elf frightened her and the chance to continue servicing Astoria and Daphne, even if by proxy through House Potter was a better deal than she was going to get otherwise.
"Good. Perfect. Dobby, get Lord Abbott and take him to the house. Dolly, get Balto and follow Dobby. Daphne, do we need anything else?" Harry asked the still shell-shocked girl next to her who was looking around the home in tears as the idea of losing her family home settled in.
Harry turned to Daphne again, and shook her slightly "Daphne, please. Do we need anything else?"
"Ast... Astoria's equipment. It's upstairs in her room" Harry nodded to Dolly who nodded back and popped away. Dobby popped away as well, appearing in the house hall for a split second before popping away with Lord Abbott.
"Okay. We got that, now we need to go. Where is the Portkey point?" Harry asked softly. Lord Greengrass's cry of surprise rang out in the room just around the corner. Luckily the man was hobbled but it still was not enough time for Harry.
Daphne looked at him with a heartbroken face, her mask long forgotten, and didn't reply immediately. "Daphne. Astoria is safe with Tracey. Her equipment and dog will be with her in just a moment. But she will be all alone if we don't get out of here. Where is the Portkey point?"
This time Daphne was able to at least raise a hand and point behind Harry. He pulled her along with him by the hand and they headed to the entryway. Again Daphne pointed though this time unseeingly through teary eyes and shaking with sobs. Harry headed over to the indicated part of the entryway, a stylized section of flooring in front of a large portrait. In a moment of casual observation Harry noted the woman in the photo. It was a non-magical portrait of a beautiful woman that looked almost exactly like Daphne, just older. Daphne was full on bawling into Harry's shoulder as the reality of the changes her life had taken that day set in and she finally let the emotions sweep through her. She didn't see Harry wordlessly shrink the portrait and slip it into his pocket. She didn't hear the door smash open as Aurors poured into the home. She didn't hear her father's cry of anguish and defiance as he rounded the corner to see Harry and Daphne leaving. The only thing she felt besides sadness was the hook behind the navel pull of the Portkey.
***Break***
Tracey held Astoria carefully as the young girl shook against her shoulder. Tracey had explained a little of what happened and Astoria had understandably cried at the news. They waited in silence, wondering what was going on at the house they had left. The minutes ticked by on the suddenly very loud clock in the sitting room that Tracey had led Astoria to upon their arrival. Tears tickled Tracey's eyes at the thought of how the day had changed so suddenly. She held it together for Astoria's sake though and because she wanted to save her tears until she got news of Harry and Daphne.
Multiple pops rang out through the house and Tracey jumped slightly. Simultaneous pops of arrival sounded in the sitting room and Dobby led Dolly and Balto to Tracey. Balto nuzzled at Astoria's curled up form, able to sense the sadness from his human, but the girl didn't notice.
"Is Harry alright?" Tracey asked Dobby. Dolly headed over to Astoria and pulled herself up on the couch next to her where she leaned into the girl's back.
"Dobby does not know. Master Harry ordered Dobby to return home and has not called him back" Dobby looked lost for a brief second and then headed into the kitchen where the clang of pots and pans echoed for a moment.
The loud clock echoed beneath the soft cries of the girl in Tracey's arm until suddenly a new cry joined the house. One that Tracey recognized as Daphne's though Tracey had never heard her friend sound so sad. Astoria's firm grip prevented her from going to investigate and Tracey was stuck where she was.
***Break***
Quest Completed! Free the Greengrass Girls from their Father! Reward: 2 Feat Points, +5 to Dueling, 2 Stat Points, 100,000 Galleons
Harry arrived in a swirl but kept his footing. Daphne's cries had gotten a bit louder and she refused to move from his shoulder even under Harry's gentle prodding, only gripping his clothes tighter. Harry scooped an arm under Daphne's legs and lifted her up in a bridal carry. He headed to his sitting room where he could hear noises. There he saw Tracey in basically the same position with Astoria. Harry's eyes met Tracey's and he made a jerking motion with his head to indicate the stairs behind him. She nodded and with careful coaxing she was able to get Astoria to stand up and walk with her, but the girl did not remove her head from Tracey's shoulder. Harry turned around and headed upstairs with Tracey, Astoria, and Balto who didn't want to leave Astoria's side. Dobby appeared at the top of the stairs and led Harry to an unoccupied room and opened the door. The light through the window let them know that it was, somehow, still daylight. It felt like hours had passed in the tumultuous events of the day.
With careful motions Harry was able to get Daphne to release him and Tracey was doing the same to Astoria. Together they put the girls into the bed where they finally realized that they were reunited. Daphne brought Astoria close and the two girl's cries got a little softer. Balto waited at the foot of the bed until Harry patted the spread in quiet permission. The dog took the offer and hopped into the bed as well, crawling into position against Astoria's back and facing the door. No one would be touching his human without his say so. Dobby pulled the blinds closed and they all left the room and closed the door softly.
***Break***
Harry sat on the couch heavily. Tracey sat next to him quietly, both at a loss for how the day had gone so sour. Dobby brought in some tea that he had put together and they both nursed the cups, letting the warmth seep into surprisingly cold hands.
"What happened?" Tracey asked softly, still able to hear her friend's cries upstairs. Every sob tore into Tracey's heart and she felt exhausted.
Harry sighed deeply. There was still blood on his Dueling robes and bruises from undodged spells. "The Aurors came to invoke the Law of Forfeiture. Daphne had interrupted our duel and we escaped to the Portkey point"
Tracey nodded at the simple but accurate description and sipped her tea again, at a loss of what to say. The whole day had revealed another side to Harry and it was a lot to process. The accusations that Lord Greengrass had thrown around the Apothecary echoed in her mind.
"Is it true?" Tracey asked suddenly in a single breath.
"Is what true?" Harry asked, looking at Tracey who wouldn't meet his eyes.
"What Lord Greengrass said" She asked softly. She didn't believe it but Harry's reaction had been intense and started this whole train wreck of a day. She had to hear him say it.
But Harry didn't respond. Instead he took a knee in front of Tracey in order to look into her eyes that were focused on the swirling leaves at the bottom of her teacup.
"No. Absolutely not" Harry said sincerely, meeting her eyes when they finally looked up in order to convey the sincerity of his words.
Tracey released her breath and nodded. Tears danced in her eyes and she asked the next questions that weighed heavily on her mind "Then why did it start? Why did it have to go the way it did?"
Harry grimaced and took his seat again. His shoulders drooped under the weight of the thoughts that swirled in his own mind.
"Lord Greengrass said some things. Things that triggered something within me. That coupled with my intense dislike of the man from the moment I first met him and the accusations he threw at me, and Daphne as well, made him inexcusable in my eyes" Harry tried to keep it short and sweet but Tracey didn't get it.
"But a duel? To the death? She's my best friend Harry but calling someone a whore doesn't potentially forfeit a life. And now a man, no matter how vile of a man, has had his whole life ruined and family torn apart" Tracey's voice cracked a bit.
"Are you seriously trying to defend him?" pure disbelief rang in Harry's voice.
"I'm not trying to defend him! I'm trying to come to terms with the fact that my boyfriend tore apart a family, uprooted my best friend's life, a life that she was perfectly capable of navigating on her own before you came along, and now will be LIVING with that best friend! All while displaying skills no 2nd year should have and knowledge that you had no business knowing! Who told you about Astoria? Why were you so offended when Lord Greengrass called her a whore? Yes, it was vile, it's always vile being around that man which is a fact that I WARNED you about but it was hardly the first time that he had called her that! Why were you so able to challenge that man to a duel, TO THE DEATH, over that? You've known Daphne for what, 4 weeks?" Tracey finally let it all out and breathed heavily from her standing position that she had risen to.
Harry stood up as well, fuming. It had been a blunder to bring up Astoria. His alternative life's memories had made him aware of the younger sister's existence but it had not come up during any conversations with either Tracey or Daphne so far in this life. But he couldn't very well tell Tracey that. He also couldn't have left Astoria or Daphne to suffer under her father any longer or ask for anything less than their safety, which, while he probably could have asked for that as his terms he had no way of enforcing. The Quest notification had prompted his actions even further but again, Harry could not mention that either. His hands were tied, unless he wanted to lie. And he didn't need his alternative life's memories to tell him that any relationship held together by a lie was doomed for failure.
"You like her," Tracey's accusatory tone cut through the silence.
"What?" Harry asked in disbelief, the question having knocked him from his turmoil.
"Oh Merlin, you do, you like Daphne" Tracey stomped away for a moment in outrage before whirling back around to face him, "So, what, this was all some ploy? You saw a chance to save the damsel in distress and bring her under your care? Bring her into your home?"
"What are you talking about?" Harry was utterly confused by all of this, and couldn't wrap his head around a single thought. It was all blowing up in his face.
"You're ridiculous! You can't even admit it! You know what? I'm leaving" Tracey stormed past Harry, shaking off his arm that tried to catch her and ripped the pot of Floo powder off the mantle. She grabbed a handful and stepped into the fireplace. When she turned to face him her eyes were full of tears, but her voice was clear as she threw the powder down and green flames rose up.
"Davis Manor"