He had a plan. A plan to bring Harry Potter down once and for all. He would pay for doing this to him and no one, no one would question Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore ever again.
***
Those eyes, they were... well nothing. They weren't anything. Empty, soulless. Even Voldemort had more emotion behind his eyes. Yes, it was usually fury but that was still an emotion.
There was only one other person that had those eyes and Dumbledore didn't like him much. Harry.
He knew that that... thing was Harry but he didn't know how to prove it. Somehow, the memory from the incident didn't form and that was what was puzzling. He had withdrawn hundreds of memories before but the most important one, he just...couldn't. It was like there was a fog blocking him from seeing it. He could see it in the back of his mind but could never view it properly, but it doesn't do well to dwell on the past.
Then he thought of it.
***
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the wand-weighing ceremony of the Supreme Mugwump challenge (comment better name ideas),"
"Joining us today is the well-known Wand-Maker, Loic Guillaume," a round of applause echoed through the room. The contestants, dressed in the same robes with their numbers in bright with on their chests and a black mask covering their faces, sat at a long expensive-looking table.
"Starting from Number 1 please hand your wands over for inspection," he instructed the entire table.
The first six passed without a problem and then it came to Harry's turn. He stood and walked up to the man in a dramatic fashion similar to thatcher of Voldemort.
Though their faces were covered by their masks, he could feel the eyes of the contestants watching his every move.
Once he reached the wandmaker, he bent down next to him and whispered something in his ear. The man widened his eyes and paled.
"Unfortunately, I can not do that, it is part of the rules to weigh the wand with at least 5 witnesses," he said timidly before gulping and looking at the number 7.
He nodded and pulled his wand out of the wand holster located by his ankle. The Swiss Chief Warlock gasped at it in disbelief and watched it be carefully handed to Loic. The man held out his hand as Harry delicately place it onto his palms.
He gulped, "Wand of the Beginning," he stammered out after moments of anticipation.
There were uniform gasps each of the same tone from the contestants. The masks had a built-in voice-changer charm. To prevent finding out who is who.
"Unknown wood, unknown core, varied length and varied flexibility," he traced his finger along the snake wrapped around the wand carefully as if gripping it too hard would make it shatter into pieces.
The Swiss Chief Warlock was gaping relentlessly, watching the wand and then looking at the Number 7. That raised the question. Who was behind the mask?
"Suitable?" came an automated response from the mask of number 7.
The Wandmaker yet again gulped and stammered out something incomprehensible before giving the wand back to the owner hesitantly.
He took the wand back and put it back into the wand holster before returning to his seat acting as if nothing happened.
The people stared at the man in seven. They knew that this person should not be taken lightly. The wand of the Beginning was said to be the first wand ever crafted and that whoever harnessed its power had the destiny to begin a new era for better or for worst was for the bearer to decide.
***
Albus strode into the Ministry, ignoring the glares of disgust that followed him. He had demanded an audience with the Wizengamot and unfortunately, Harry was very interested in what he had to say.
He made his way into the Meeting Room. A place that could hold maybe 20 Wizengamot members as well as a commoner, a civilian.
He strode into the room with grace and he knew that his plan would work.
***
After the whole wand-weighing ceremony, which Harry was happy about not being public, it was time for the Medical Examination and if you hadn't deciphered it yet, it didn't end well.
Each of the contestants had to go for a series of tests, wellbeing checks as well as any charms or curses that they may have been put under.
"Good evening Chief Warlock Potter," the examiner said as Harry sat on the chair in the middle of the room. They did not use the contestant uniform for obvious reasons and so they were unmasked and in casual clothes (t-shirt and tracksuit bottoms).
"Healer...Dots? I believe," he answered as he got a good look at the Healer.
The man-in-question looked up from the machines that he was looking at in the corner of the room, "How did you know?"
"I knew your father," he answered smiling.
The Healer nodded before realizing, "How did you know I was his son?"
Harry chuckled lightly, "Your magical signature is half him half..." he raised an eyebrow "How is Marion? I didn't know she had a kid."
The Healer looked at him shell-shocked as his jaw dropped to the ground. Harry chuckled again, "Your mother she..."
Harry knew Marion in his last life. She had been one of the last people to join the Order but lost her life in the Battle of Hogwarts after taking a hit from the Killing curse, shielding the Mudblood Traitor.
"Let us just say I knew her," he smiled lightly.
"Knew? She is still alive you know?" Harry flinched but nodded.
Before Harry could protest, the Healer began casting diagnostic charms and he looked at Harry, "My father said it was bad but I didn't expect this," he said, picking up the piece of parchment with the results.
Harry shrugged, "There isn't a medical requirement regarding Curse Damage."
Before Harry could continue, the Healer rushed out of the room.
Harry cursed under his breath. The Healer came back a few minutes later and shrugged, "I wouldn't advise it but you are allowed to compete," he surrendered.
Harry nodded, glad that he had forgotten about the rest of the check-up steps. It would save him a great deal of lectures and questions.
As he was about to leave, Dots stopped him, "You really think I would forget?"
His shoulders slumped and he went back into the chair and closed his eyes.
"What the- sorry about that," he apologized after Harry felt the Diagnostic Charms cast on him.
"How many times have you passed out?" he asked, with genuine worry.
Harry counted on his fingers before shrugging, "Uhhhh... a couple, I guess? But don't worry, once I pass out, my magic rejuvenates my body and I did a lot of research and there are no lasting effects, please don't tell anyone, I'll rest this week." he said quickly, desperate.
The Healer contemplated it for a while, "Harry if you do this thing you have to promise me that you will rest because if you go into that state again during the tournament, it will be on me."
"Is that a yes?" he asked hopefully.
Dots nodded and Harry gave him a quick hug before leaving to join the rest.
***
"Welcome, Witches and Wizards of the ICW, to the First Task" the Swiss Chief Warlock announced to the cheers of the rest. They were nowhere near as energetic as those watching the Triwizard Tournament but then again, these people were at least 3 times older than them.
"Every contestant shall be competing in the First Task, the Dueling Tournament."
The crowd cheered as the contestants, dressed in their black uniforms, filed out in their number order. They each stood on the black duelling platform decorated with the phases of the moon.
One by one, they each gave a shallow bow. The first up was number-one and number-two.
"The winner of this duel shall move forward to the next round of this tournament while the defeated shall move back to the tent and stay there for the duration of the tournament to prevent the revelation of their identities."
The rest of the contestants were led to a long bench for each of them to wait their turn.
The first two went up to the platform and bowed.
"In this duel, the opponent must not, under any circumstances kill the other. All Unforgivables shall not be used," he warned.
"Wands at the ready! The first to be incapacitated wins,"
The contestants put their wands to their faces and each took duelling stances of a professional manner.
"Begin!"
Immediately, several non-verbal spells were cast, each dodged with ease, one a nasty purple colour and the other a bright orange. Several others were cast, dodged and shielded for around two minutes more and number-two caught number-one off guard with a Bombarda before casting and Expelliarmus, disarming the opponent.
"The winner of the duel is number-two!" the man announced before lifting number-two's arm in the air followed by claps. Number-one shook hands with number-two before retiring to the tent. Number-three and number-four's duel lasted much longer but number-three gained an upper hand and won. The third duel was of a similar calibre and before they knew it, it was number-seven and number eight's duel. The one that they had been waiting for.
Hey guys! Thanks for reading!
-Alysha
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