Chapter 31
Harry knocked on the entrance before speaking the password and walking into the room. Terence wasn't there but that was fine. He would be soon. He sat on the couch near the fire and stared at his hand. The anger flooding the link was palpable. His father was bleeding through and it was getting harder and harder to hold back the others emotions. Only because they blended so seamlessly into his own. He didn’t have to wait long before the portrait opened and Terence stepped in holding his school bag.
“Harry?”
Green eyes looked up and flickered red, “I need to see your mark.”
Blue eyes widened before the older dropped his bag and stepped over taking off his outer robe and worked his tie off before kneeling with his back to the other working his shirt off the correct shoulder.
Harry traced a hand over the mark and gently pushed his magic into it. It wouldn’t burn them just give them a warming sensation. He pushed it to the connecting marks feeling through them so that only those in the castle would feel the warmth and know that he was calling them. He still remembered having to learn this lesson with the mark. His father had taught him how to call them both gently and with force. How it all worked. However, this was the first time he actually did the task himself.
“Thank you. Can you tend to my hand while we wait for the others.”
Terence turned, “Your hand?” Before peering at the bloody smears and gently taking the pale appendage, “What happened?”
“Umbridge. During detention she made me write lines with a quill I was not familiar with. It carved the words into the back of my hand.”
“A blood quill? Those are only meant to be used to sign important documents and legislations. They are dangerous and powerful magic.” He stood and grabbed what he needed before kneeling again and tended to his hand. Gently washing off the blood and checking it for any rough edges or infection. “Harry, you need to report this immediately. This is illegal.”
“I already plan to but even if she loses her job here. It won’t stop there but I will wait till the others get here to explain further.”
“Alright just be careful please my Prince.” He fell quiet as he tended to the hand putting on some sticky paste and wrapped it carefully. The others joined them slowly. The first being Adrian and Graham. A few minutes later Cass walked in and went straight to Harry.
“Are you alright?” He knelt next to the younger and looked at his bandaged hand curiously.
“I am fine. You may want to have a seat Marcus looks like he is about to shove you out of the way.”
Sure enough Marcus stood not far away, arms crossed over his chest as he glared at the other before taking his place and pulling Harry into a hug, “What happened Harry?”
Harry smiled and leaned into Marcus, “Umbridge happened. She used a, what did you call it Terence?”
“A blood quill. She made him write lines with it.”
Marcus snarled, “What. I will kill her.”
Green eyes softened and he kissed Marcus, “As much as I agree with the death of that woman, I need to use her first. She is the one creating all the creature raids and legislation condemning them. I want that to end but killing her won't make that happen.”
Cassius nodded, “Killing her turns her into a Martyr of sorts for the cause.”
“Exactly. I need to take her down a different way. Death is too easy and simple. She clearly has something against me however. So this makes things more difficult. She has already lined up several detentions with me and I bet the Blood Quill is just one of her cruel tactics.”
Marcus pulled Harry closer enveloping him in a tight embrace, “I can’t let her hurt you anymore. I am your knight.”
The younger one smiled and closed his eyes. A year ago he never would have imagined this was where he would be. Marcus had opened up to affection like a flower to the sun. “I can handle a little pain. For now, I need to decide how we will be using her.”
Terence looked thoughtful, “You could turn her into what she hates most.”
“A creature? That thought has merit. It would be quite the justice but first we find out how much power she has here at Hogwarts and in the Ministry. Cass, you and Graham both have parents in the Ministry. Find out through them how much of the ear she has of the Minister and have them start dropping subtle hints of Umbridge’s behavior here at Hogwarts. I wonder if our dear Minister knows she is using such a dark and dangerous artifact here at Hogwarts.”
Marcus grinned, “Are you suggesting they get detention?”
Harry nodded, “If they are willing of course. I can not force you to do this. The quill smarts and I am sure mine will scar.”
Graham shrugged, “I can handle it. Consider me getting attention.”
Cass nodded, “I will do so as well. Terence can just patch us up after.”
Green eyes shined, “Give her hell.” Harry relaxed back into Marcus and let himself drift mentally and stroke against the presence always there in the back of his mind assuring his Father that he was fine and that he didn’t have to destroy everything in his path to get here. He closed his eyes and sighed, “I should get some sleep.”
Marcus gripped him a little tighter, “Cass said you had a nightmare the other night. Will you be okay?”
Harry nodded, “I think so. If I have any trouble I will go to one of my knights. Wish I could go to you.”
“We don’t need to attract more attention. They know we are courting so it would look bad if they found out you are going to my rooms at night without escort.”
Green eyes narrowed as he huffed out his annoyance, “Why did I want to come back to Hogwarts again?”
-------
The next couple weeks passed and Umbridge continued her reign of terror. Using her power to enforce new rules and laws. The more Graham and Cassius pissed her off the worse the punishments and terror became. Even the twins seemed to be doing their share of pissing the woman off. But slowly Harry’s plan was coming together. He used a Hogsmead weekend to sneak the vampires into one of his properties. Luckily no one looked his way when the others distracted them. As long as he got back to the castle by curfew it was fine.
His own detentions were just as grueling and painful. Each time the words dug deeper and deeper into his flesh and the woman seemed to find reasons to give him more. Calling him out for walking in the halls or some other excuse. It was blatantly clear she was targeting him. However, he had already received several letters detailing how much power she actually had in the ministry. Turns out she had been working hard to weasel her way into several departments. Wrenching her out was going to be difficult.
Two more alleys with creatures had been raided and Harry was pissed. He had done his best to use those he knew to work their way in where she was but it was no use. She was an obstacle that had to be removed. Now he just had to remove her. How he wasn’t sure yet. At the moment he was just wandering through the forbidden forest trying to clear his head. He came out here at times when it was just too much. Last year too. He took a few deep breaths and came to the small pond where he had met one of his knights. He remembered that the waters were dangerous but had never been told why they were. He stepped closer to the dark pool and looked down into it curiously.
Bright blue eyes stared at him from the depths and he took a hesitant step back. A hoof struck out of the water and he grinned. So that was what it was. A Kelpie nest. He settled next to the water and touched it gently, “Don’t worry, I mean you no harm. Look how beautiful you are.” The creature reached its muzzle up out of the water and flashed the sharp fangs and Harry laughed, “Oh yes so beautiful.”
He settled a hand on the deep green black nose and stroked gently. “I bet you want to drag me to the depths don’t you? But you haven’t. You know I am no threat to you.” He felt a kinship to the creature and leaned back enough to take his shoes and socks off and roll up his pant legs. Sliding his legs into the water and smiling when the creature rubbed against his legs, the silky strands wrapping around them happily. “I bet you are hungry too.” He reached down and rubbed the muzzle again when he felt an impression in his mind and the kelpie pressed against his leg. He felt his magic brush against the kelpie, wrapping about it in welcome.
A twig snapped and he looked up frowning, “Who's there?”
Slowly the plump nightmare of a woman stepped from the brush, “So this is where you go Mr. Potter. It is against the rules to be in this forest boy.”
He frowned, “You're the one who is following me into it.” He was done playing her game.
“Such lack of manners. It is my right to follow such rule breaking brats.” She drew her wand, “come with me Mr. Potter and we will discuss this in another detention.”
Harry wiggled his toe in the water. “No one would come looking for you here. How very brave you must be. To still insult me where there are no eyes.”
Her face contorted, “Excuse me?”
Green eyes glowed dangerously, “You continue to insult me, humiliate me, and cause me pain. Now you come out here to torment me further. Are you brave or simply stupid? My name is Heir Potter-Slytherin. Do you think of yourself above me?” He could feel his magic swirling about him angrily.
The woman stepped forward, “Enough of this Mr. Potter. We will be returning to the castle now.”
“Oh I will be returning to the castle but not you I think. My friend is hungry.” He grinned and looked down at the kelpie and something flicked between them. “She would make a fantastic meal.”
“Who are you talking to? Do you have any sense?”
The water rippled and splashed as the kelpie surfaced and began to pull itself from the water, its teeth flashing as it tore across the short clearing to rear in front of the woman. Harry turned away as she screamed and a sickening crunch. A spell, a second spell and another scream with a tearing sound followed by a gurgle and he felt something warm and wet splash against his cheek.
He should feel something. This wasn’t right. A death at his hands but he couldn’t feel the remorse or regret he thought he would feel. She was evil, plain and simple. She deserved to die. Yet he knew he should feel something but all he felt was calm. A deep overwhelming calm even as tears began to fall down his face as a warm muzzle rubbed against his cheek. No, the calm was not only his own. The dark presence always in the back of his mind a soothing balm as he broke down and sobbed. He wasn’t the same Harry he was a year ago. He was free to be whoever he wanted to be. His life was his own, and no one was taking it from him ever again.
Fin.