Mark_Ward
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Chapter 71: Tournament Arc Pt.3
🕑 Added 2020-11-22 02:03:05 +0000 UTCIt was truly like magic itself designed if for the four semi-finalists to be from each respective house.
Him for Gryffindor!
Roger for Ravenclaw!
Cedric for Hufflepuff!
Matteo for Slytherin!
"You got this, Harry," Neville who was seated right next to him patted him on the back.
"Watch out for them, okay?" Hermoine who was on his right noted with a ting of worry in her tone. Smiling at her, and giving her a reassuring grin, "Don't worry, I can handle myself and got this totally in the bag."
"Don't get over your head," she sternly warned, "I will admit you very good and have gone beyond my wildest imagination. I really don't know what your uncle," she said, clearly indicating Sirius, "put you through, but it has worked. But that does not mean you should be pig headed," she wagged her finger at him to which he step back as he held his hand out to either side.
"You are so close to winning this to toss it away with foolish arrogance!" the bushy haired witch stated.
"So you think I will win?" he asked with an obnoxious grin.
Giving him a glare in answer, she spun her head around with a snort.
"You know I like a man with self confidence and reassurance," Lavender Brown purred from right behind him.
"You totally got this in the bag," Parvati Patil reassured him as she kneaded his shoulders. "Go show them what you got, tiger!"
"Compared to you, and your pre awesomeness and handsomeness, they are nothing but insects for you to squish," some one whispered right next to him. Turning around to find the one person he would have loved to avoid, Harry faced Romilda Vane his crazed super fan that idolized him to no end. She had a sweet smile on her face, and you would assume nothing from her, but in their little duel, he learned that was far from the truth.
"Romilda," he said with a nod of acknowledgment towards her as he also made sure to watch her closely so that she didn't try to snare him with anything.
"Hey," she answered back, and he could have sworn he seen her shiver with excitement at his acknowledgment of her. It must be the highest honor for her in her mind.
"Harry clearly doesn't want you here," Ginny growled as she seem to get territorial with him.
"What did you say bitch," Romilda screamed as her face twisted up and all sweetness was gone.
"You heard me slut," the red haired sneered as if she was looking at pure trash.
Harry just did not want to get in between this little scuffle between the two of them, sometimes a guy must know when to step back and let the women in his life deal with what ever is between them, because sooner or later he would be stepping inside landmines or worse of all have to choose favorites or a side.
"They are always like that, so don't worry," a dreamily voice whispered to him conspiratorially. Turning around to face another familiar face, he saw Luna Lovegood smiling down at him.
She was a blond hair witch that was waist-length, with beautiful silverly colored eyes like the starry night sky. She had a small cute dainty nose, pale crystalline clear skin, an oval face, rosebud lips, and a slim petite figure with a certain air of dottiness around her.
"Yeah," Harry agreed, "I know when it's best to step back!" Then looking her up and down, he asked, "Why aren't you with your house?" he asked. Indicating the divide that held the stands, it seem like the four semi-finalists divided up everyone into groups with ran along house lines.
Everyone was gathered around their own respected house's semi-finalists in a show of support.
Shrugging her shoulders, she sweetly, "I wanted to support you. Is there anything wrong with that?"
"No, not all," he shook his head with a chuckle, "and thank you," he added as smiled broadly at her. "Your support really means a lot to me," and he really did mean it from the bottom of his heart. Going against her house's direction was seem as a traitors action by most.
This was what really separated the houses more than anything and prevented outer houses' relationships. The peer pressure that friends and dormmates excelled on others.
"Don't say that," she blushed innocently, "or the Heliopaths might strike us with arrows in our hearts."
"What is that so bad?" he leaned closer to her with a grin, he might not have a clue what she was talking about, but he sure as hell did like the expressions he got out of her.
"No, not all," she answered shyly as she blushed even deeper.
Then collecting herself, she looked up to him with the best serious look on her face, but it just made her all the more cuter, "You nearly made me forget why I was here."
"Was it besides rooting for me?" he asked with a broad grin.
"No... yes," she tried to amend herself, then giving him another of her stern cutesy looks, she said. "Stop that, I came here to tell that the Nargles showed me that the first person that you would be facing is Roger."
"Did they?' he asked as he rubbed her chin. Harry just couldn't shake it, but he had the feeling that Luna's strangeness had more to it than what meet the eye. "Thank you," he said as he took her words to heart. Now he could prepare specifically for him.
As Luna nodded her head appreciatively, he got more people that came to wish him luck and so forth. All of course were his fellow Gryffindors who took a victory by him as a personal victory for their house.
Soon, Professor Flitwick was back on, and Harry was surprised to see the man take on such an announcer role, "Now we have four final contestants duking it out for the number one spot! Who will get it, and who won't find out today as our four semi-finalists play it out!
Now let the BATTLES BEGIN," the short little man shouted to the wild cheers of everyone in the stands.
Looking at them, the half-goblin grinned happily, "this time I will let the training wheels off. Since you are all from respectable families I will let you all use your family magics."
Looking surprised at that allowance, Harry took it as it was and made his way over to Professor Vector alongside the other contestants. She laid down the rules, "The rules are simple," she began with, "you will each face an opponent if you win you will advance to the finals. Those who lose will fight each other to claim the 3rd and 4th spot respectfully.
"Now, Professor Sprout," she nodded her head to the other witch.
Nodding her head, the plump witch pointed her wand to the tournament bracket board and all the names disappeared until there were only their four faces. Suddenly they started spinning like a slot machine.
Until finally, they begin to settle as first to stop was Cedric vs Matteo and finally Harry vs Roger, just like Luna predicted he noted. Good thing he trusted her, he had a whole plan set up against the raven, without her he would have been making three whole separate plans, doable, but not recommended.
"Cedric and Matteo, you may step forward first," Professor Vector said. Now there was only one arena thanks to Professor McGonagall's transfiguration of the whole place. He noted this one was much bigger with better protection and more space to run around and cause a mess.
Taking a seat, Harry watched the match closely, he knew he would be facing one of them in the finals.
Cedric was really good at elemental magic, he could rain down fire on his opponents, shake up the earth, bring forth the win, and let loose torrents of water. It was after all his house, the Counts of Diggory main bloodline affinity so he kept to his strength.
Then there was Snape junior, and you guessed it, he was good at potions. Matteo Travers of the Viscount family of Travers was really good with potions. They had countless shops and laboratories, and grew numerous herbs and magical plants.
Now that they did not have to play nice any more, and only be stuck with using common spells, all hell broke loose.
Cedric let loose a tremor that shook the whole arena and sent cracks ever were destroying the whole place, then lava begin to spew out of the ground, further wreaking the place. Matteo on the other hand cracked a potion on the floor which summoned a small army of black ghastly specters.
It was wild, it was crazy, it was spectacular, and most importantly of all it awed everyone!
This is what happened when family magics were brought forth.
Common spells would always remain common, no matter the great uses they had they could never compare to the pure and awesome power that family spells contained. This was why grimoires were so precious and valuable, they were just priceless like that.
Finally though Cedric took the win. It was a tough, long, and grueling fight that had everyone on the edge of their seats. It really was the stuff of legends as the best of the best Hogwarts had to offer went at it like ferocious beasts. Either one of them could have taken it, but Cedric showed superior tactics and took the win for himself.
The crowds went wild at the end of the fight, as everyone whether they be from this house or that, they all let out loud cheers and whoops into the air. Everyone had felt the exhilaration and the rush as they watched the battle unfold and they were all swept in the excitement.
"Now," Professor Vector shouted, using a bit of magic to cut through the noise and chatter. "Harry Potter and Roger Davies set forward and let the second duel begin!"
Doing as told Hary got up from his seat and received many well wishes from his house mates. He won't deny that his heart was pumping in a bit of anxiety, but more than that it was thrilling in EXCITEMENT!
He couldn't stop it as a wolfish smile split his face, and a dark gleam glittered in his eyes. He really had to stop hanging out with Sirius and adopting his mannerisms, since he looked like a fiendish demon.
"Bow to you opponents," Professor Vector said.
Giving the ritual curtsy, Harry studied his opponent, Roger Davies from the Viscount family of Davies. What his family excelled at was Transfiguration, and he already saw him making intricate statues to do battle and other things.
"On the count of three you may begin, "Professor Vector said.
"One — two — three — DUEL!!!"
When the word was giving Roger immediately slammed down his wand onto the floor, and suddenly the whole arena started to transform. Then out of the chaos of shifting stones and moving sand, a maze was created, one that protected him perfectly.
Harry grinned, he had to give it to the older boy, he was good, really good. However Harry was even better!
Sirius did his best all summer to teach him Battle Magic, the chief magic of his family. However at the end of the day, Sirius was no Potter, he might know some stuff he picked up from the Auror academy and some spells his father taught him on the side, but the Black family head excelled at Dark Magic not Battle Magic.
Harry did pick some stuff up from him, and he was a good hand at it, but it was only when he opened his family's grimoire that his eyes were truly opened and he achieved true enlightenment.
Battle magic was all about making yourself into an indestructible killing machine, the ultimate weapon, a super soldier if you would. It made you excel at single combat!
And what was dueling if not single combat?!
Harry should have realized it the first time he ran into Lieutenant Alex, the man was after all part his family's army and what did the Griffin Legion excel at you asked?!
Of course, Battle Magic.
Harry could have matched Roger transfiguration spell for transfiguration spell since he did have a minor affinity to Transfiguration. Plus his family's grimoire did contain plenty of useful spells into the subject.
But he would be the first to admit Roger was a better hand at that particular magic, it was his family's main bloodline affinity, and he spent countless hours studying it.
No, it would be better to play to his strengths.
Grinning at the obstacle he faced, Harry slowly ran his hand over his wand and suddenly it started to transform into a greatsword in his hands.
Holding it in front of him as he closed his eyes and ran his finger over the blade. Harry begin to cast a bunch of spells on himself as multiple spells light him up like a glowing beacon of magnificent strength.
Then without a word he was off like a missile fired out of a rocket, reaching the first wall Harry effortlessly cut it down. Then he bulldozed through the second wall like it was thin glass.
He was like an unstoppable wreaking ball as he destroyed everything in his path, with nothing stopping him for a single moment.
Traps appeared, and transfiguration weapons which tried to skewer him, and he had to give it to the raven. He was pretty smart creating this deadly maze, however even with all that Harry just continued as he destroyed everything in his path.
There was a reason his family was feared and well respected. They were all deadly warriors that you never wanted to make an enemy out of or get in their way.
In just a matter of only minutes, Harry reached the center of the maze as he crashed through a wall and spotted Roger chilling there.
Harry grinned at him while the older looked surprised and shocked that he made it here.
Rushing at him so as to quickly finish up the match, Harry had to give it to the raven as he acted quickly on his feet and transfiguration two walls into 3 meter tall armored lancers on wheels.
They charged at him to block him from getting to Roger, however sadly they were no match for him.
Hurtling himself at the first wheeled lancer, he bent low and shouldered it, sending it flying into the air. Then he jumped on it, removing its stone head with a single slash.
And for the other one, he dodged to the side, avoiding its lance coming at him, then shoved his sword which used to be a wand into its wheel causing it to halt in place for him.
Then he wrapped his arm around it and heaved it up into the air, lifting up the 75,000 pound thing up all by himself. With that back slam head first into the ground, causing the animated statue to crumble into stone rubble.
Picking his sword up from the pile of brick stones and shattered rock, Harry grinned at the shell-shocked older boy, and stated, "You are going to have to try harder than that if you want to stop me."
Waving his wand about as Harry charged him, he could see with his magic sight Roger's magic permeate the whole arena.
Suddenly four giant hands started to form as the material of the maze got used up, then a giant body in intricate armor and three faces with different horrifying expressions.
Standing right before him was a 10 meter tall demon that held a trident and staff.
It's six eyes that flashed a red light turned to face him, and Harry couldn't help grinned broadly as he hollered out, "Now that's a challenge!"
Abruptly, the giant three faced demon came down on him with its trident, and Harry had to get a move on as he ran to the side to avoid the blow. Plus he had to look out for the rain of stones it sent up as blades struck down.
Using this chance he was presented, Harry jumped on the four armed demon's hand and ran up its length. The fiend looked down at him and used one of its free hand to smack down at him like an insect.
However what Harry did next was far too unexpected as he jumped up into the air to face the coming blow. Then he slashed down with his sword, and an iridescent projection left his sword which cut through the demon's wrist causing its arm to fall to the ground.
Suddenly though another arm reached out and smacked him like a doll, sending him creaning in the air and crashing into the ground with a loud boom that sent up clouds of dust into the air.
Everyone in the stands was silenced into shock. No one knew his fate at all.
And it looked like Harry lost.
Comments
Thanks for the chapter on a good story
