As the Atrium was flooded with cloaked figures, Clan Potter was able to keep everyone calmed down. It would no good to cause a panic. That was a Death Eaters playground.
A dark laughter and loud clapping sounded. The hiss of a serpent rang out. The Dark Lord had arrived.
"Harry Potter," Voldemort's voice was a gentle hiss. "It's some time since I've seen you. How old were you then, thirteen, fourteen?"
Harry heaved a heavy sigh, his family spread around him. Draco, Blaise, and Neville had their hands rested on their swords.
"Have you got more people to die at my feet, Harry?" Voldemort laughed harshly.
Harry had still yet to say anything. His arm was squeezed by Daphne, she gave him a soft look. "It'll be alright, Mo ghràdh," Harry assured her.
Voldemort just now seemed to notice that Harry and his party were calm and collected. His eyes took in the swollen stomach of the woman hanging on Harry's arm. He momentarily looked shocked.
Harry Potter was going to be a father?
Oh that changed things, changed them greatly. Voldemort's face lit in a feral grin.
"Harry Potter, I find that our last duel was less than entertaining," He hissed lowly. "Shall we have another?"
Harry seemed to think for a moment before giving a grin, "A duel needs an official, don't you think? We're in luck that one just so happens to be here."
Voldemort watched as a woman who he thought to be dead walked up. The sight of Rosilin Evans, wearing a mask of utter fury, shook him slightly. Her blazing green eyes brought him back to a memory of a man who killed hundreds of his followers to avenge his children.
"Ah, Ms. Evans," He said smoothly. "Have you been to visit your father and siblings?"
A sharp hiss promising a painful death left her lips. She glared strongly at him, her magic radiating from her, "This will be an official duel. The rules are all spells and until one can no longer cast."
She took a bag of rune stones from her pocket, banishing them into a large circle around Harry and Voldemort.
Harry walked Daphne outside the circle, handed her arm to Cyrus, and them returned. Rosie gave a soft hiss, causing the runes to flare to life.
A dome of shimmering green materialized around them before becoming transparent.
"Opponents, at the ready," She hissed out.
Voldemort drew his Yew and Phoenix feather wand as Harry drew his sword. Voldemort noted that his new wand was swirls of purple and black with red webbing. It was an unusual wand, but a detail of no consequence.
He was wary about his sword though. It seemed to thrum with magic. From Harry's stance, he knew how to use the weapon well.
The gathered crowd in the Atrium watched with bated breath for what was about to happen.
Rosie let out a slow breath, "Begin!"
The spell to leave Voldemort's wand was the Crusiatus. Harry cleaved through the spell and returned fire with a powerful blasting hex. The spellfire was traded back and forth between the two in colorful beams.
Voldemort used Shielding Charms strongly while Harry dodged, sliced, or deflected spells. Neither could hit the other, but everyone could see that Voldemort was only toying with him, only just though. The longer they traded spells the more serious the Dark Lord grew.
For those that were in the know, Daphne especially, knew that Harry was holding back greatly. He was being mindful of his power and of his lion. He was being mindful of every spell he cast. Every action he took was precise and measured.
Suddenly the spells were being cast faster, stronger. Harry purposely wasn't too much faster, but Voldemort's wand was a swift blur. It continued for several long minutes until a bellow called out.
"CRUCIO!!"
Harry had left himself open after dodging a spell. The torture curse slammed into him. He was expected to scream out in pain, but his lip bled as he bit into it. His shoes scraped from the force he used to keep himself grounded.
Cyrus winced from the bruising pressure on his arm. He glanced down to see his daughter's lip bleeding, her jaw clenched tightly. His eyes widened as he looked at her. She currently had her mind joined with Harry's. She was lessening his pain all she could, even only just slightly because of the baby.
A small gasp left her lips as her jaw loosened. Her eyes grew teary as she was blocked from his mind. He quickly turned back to his son.
Harry had only let out a strong grunt of pain as he bore the full weight of Voldemort's torture curse.
"Scream for me, boy!" The skeletal man laughed.
His mad cackle was followed by the echo of a strong stomp. Harry was moving under the curse. He was fighting through the pain and approaching the man.
Voldemort put more power into his curse, doubling the effects, "Scream!"
A deep hiss left Harry's mouth. They all could see that Harry cursed him vehemently from the look of rage he wore.
"Die, Harry Potter!" The raging man screamed madly.
He let up his curse but Harry was already within striking range. He cleaved his sword in a downward arc, cutting deeply into the man's arm and chest.
The many rituals he had undergone worked quickly to deal the wounds, but it weakened him considerably. His cry was followed by a loud hiss as his serpent writhed on the floor.
His glare was baleful at Harry as he hissed loudly, "I'll end you, Potter!"
"I'll be waiting," He growled out.
With that, Voldemort fled quickly. He was followed by his Death Eaters in loud pops of Apparation. Another hiss called out, deactivating the runes.
Daphne was the first to reach Harry. Her visage was one of worry and rage.
"What were you thinking, you stupid man? I told you I could still handle the pain," She grabbed his face in her hands gently.
"I'm not taking any risks with our daughter. You've never had to deal with being cursed by him before. I don't want either of you to become hurt," He sighed out as he looked down at her.
A growl bubbled in her chest but she gathered him in her arms strongly.
Cyrus could have laughed. That was the closest he had ever witnessed of them fighting. She had taken some of his pain and berated him for when he blocked her out. He blocked her out in fear of her and their daughter's health.
He looked away when he noticed that she was giving him a kiss. It was deep, full of love and care. It conveyed all she felt in that moment.
Harry let out a deep breath, wincing slightly as he did. "Damn, he wasn't holding back with that Crucio," He groaned lightly.
"And you were able to handle it like that?" Kingsley Shacklebolt, the newly minted Minister, asked as he approached.
Harry shrugged lightly, "Two years ago I was held under the curse for five hours before he was revived. After his revival he cursed me for two hours before forcing me to duel him."
He spoke as if it was a trivial matter, an every day thing. Those around him, however, looked awed, baffled, and horrified at that statement.
Amelia came over with Andromeda, "Just how many times have you faced him, Harry?"
"Um, when I was a baby, first year, second year, fourth year, and just now," He said as Andromeda groused at him strongly.
Daphne had yet to let him go. "You're taking a few days off to recover," She told him strongly. "Even if I must tie you to our bed just to keep you there."
"Yes, dear," Harry laughed with a grimace.
Hm, so even Harry Potter wasn't safe from the ire of a beautiful woman.
============================
Voldemort appeared in the parlor of Malfoy Manor in a loud sound that rent the air. He had to stumble and hold his chest, having torn open the healing wound. The gash bled a sickly green fluid as his magic healed him.
He was assaulted by the sound of his followers arriving as well.
"My Lord," Lucius said as he approached him with a towel. "Shall I fetch a potion?"
"No, Lucius," He answered sharply, taking the towel from the man. "Potter wields a powerful weapon. The metal in magical in nature, not unlike the goblin sword your son was wearing."
Lucius was silent for a moment, "Draco's sword came from neither Malfoy or Black Vaults. It makes me wonder were he acquired such a thing, and why he would carry it."
"The same reason Potter carries his own," Voldemort hissed out. It was obvious that they trained together, or more accurately under him.
"I'm in need of a shower. Find Wormtail and have him feed Nagini," He said sharply before taking his leave of he room.
Lord Voldemort had serious thinking to do. He knew that because of the failure tonight he would have to attempt Hogwarts soon, something he was wary to do in the moment.
His commanders were spread, trying to gain more followers to their cause on the continents.
============================
After the interruption of Voldemort and his followers, the Ministry Ball came to an early close. As such, the congregation of people dispersed quickly after midnight. Harry and Daphne were followed in their return to Hogwarts by their large party.
They flooed into Minerva's office, where she was up waiting for them.
She noticed the look of pain on the faces of her adoptive grandchildren and her eyes flicked to her daughter in worry. She couldn't help the sigh of relief seeing her only remaining child unharmed.
"Are you all alright?" She asked.
Rosilin gave an angry hiss before rubbing her temples, "Harry and Daphne will need a few days of recovery. Harry was held under the Crusiatus by Riddle for about ten minutes and Daphne had shared his pain for roughly two before Harry forced her from their connection."
Daphne gave Harry a strong look of fury mixed with loving worry. She still held onto him tightly, not wanting to let him go. Minerva could only shake her head, a shiver going down her spine.
"I'd rather birth your sisters again," McGonagall said sadly.
She missed her children and husband greatly. She still wore her wedding band and kept pictures of them in her desk. She drank and wept over their loss every year. Although, now she had her remaining child home and with her. She loved all of her children with everything in her, but her connection with Rosilin was the strongest, especially considering she was born while her father was working to end the Continent Wars.
Harry pressed a kiss to Daphne's head, "Andi already saw to me, but we'll go to Madam Pomfry if it'll make you feel better."
Daphne could only nod from her place within his chest. They both knew that she was still going through the aftereffects of the curse. She was strong, but she had never felt anything like that. Her nerves were touched by flames, hammered with hot nails. If it made her want to scream out, how much pain was her husband truly in?
Harry, without pause, lifted Daphne into his arms. He held her to him, a smile on his face as her arms wrapped around his neck. Her face hid in his chest as he began make his way toward the Hospital Wing. Hermione went to follow him but Draco caught her by the hand.
Harry didn't pay them any mind but nodded as Neville held the door open for him. The hour was late, so only Professors and the Head students were making their rounds.
Lisa Turpin, the Head Girl, and Professor Flitwick had come upon Harry and Daphne.
"Harry?" Flitwick squeaked. He was on a first name basis with the young couple because of his close relationship with them. They assisted his classes and were going to be apprentices under him. "Are you both alright?"
Harry shook his head lightly, "Riddle showed just like we thought. He wanted to duel me and I couldn't refuse. He had Lucius Malfoy aiming his wand at our daughter, it's not too hard to know my choice."
Daphne mumbled into his neck before lifting her head, "You took that torture curse on purpose, Harry. You both were holding most of your power back. He put you under a fully powered Crusiatus and you shut me out."
"I'm not risking you or our daughter," He said simply and kissed her head. She bristled but Flitwick noticed the twitch of a smile on her face.
"It'll likely be in the paper once everyone returns. There were several reporters and cameras," Harry turned back to Flitwick.
Filius could only shake his head, a heavy sigh on his lips. Lisa looked highly shocked, but she had always watched Harry ever since they started school. He did what he needed to protect others, even at the cost of herself. She knew from some friends that he hardly slept during their first four years. Katie Bell had told her that he only at most three hours of sleep a night, it was never comfortable sleep either.
She knew that he had broke into the library hundreds of times simply to read. It annoyed Madam Pince when she would enter the library early in the morning to find him sat in a chair, books in hand.
Only Harry, Daphne, and Madam Pince knew the exactly number of times that Harry broke into the library. It was a total of seven hundred and forty-nine times. She had finally given him a key before he could make it fifty.
Madam Pince informed him he would be recieving an award for the achievement and a plate would be placed outside the library depicting such. He told her to make sure he said seven hundred and fifty because he broke in once more just to round the number off before he started using the key. They fact bristled her and she huffed at him.
"Should we walk them to the Hospital, Professor?" Lisa asked her Head of House.
Filius nodded lightly and Harry smiled. "Let's continue on our way then," Flitwick said.
It was several minutes later that they walked into the crisp wing of the Healer. "Madam Pomfry, we're in need of assistance," Harry's voice carried softly.
A soft shuffling was heard from her office before she appeared in her night clothes and a robe.
"Mr. Potter?" She yawned lightly. "You know where your bed is."
This comment confused Lisa until she noticed that the bed Harry sat on, with Daphne curled on his lap, had his name on a plate card on the headboard. It was laughable knowing how many times he used to find himself here.
"What happened?" She asked.
"Voldemort," Harry answered smoothly.
This fact pulled a sharp inhale out of Lisa. She was easily able to piece that Voldemort wasn't his true name, especially since Harry called him Riddle before.
Madam Pomfry grew serious, "Context, Potter. What am I dealing with?"
"I took a Crusiatus. It was low powered at first and Daphne used our link to take some of the pain onto herself," Harry sighed lightly. His eyes were full of worry as he looked down at the woman in his arms.
"It was roughly a minute until he added more power. I forced our connection closed so not to risk our daughter or her. I've been held under the spell for hours before, I'm able to handle it, Daphne likely is able to as well but our baby is a completely different story."
"How long were you under the curse?" Madam Pomfry asked with a cure under her breath.
Harry only shrugged, "About ten minutes, not that long."
Lisa wanted to throw up, pass out, run scared, and rage at something all at once. What in the seven Hells could make Harry so casual about being under the torture curse?
She, and the entire world of Wizarding Britain, would read just how long Harry was tortured the night that he was forced to help revive the Dark Wanker. They would watch the images of him being laughed at, moving under the curse, and then slashing into Voldemort.
The papers were released on the fifth day of the new year, having given all parties there time to begin recovering from their shock. The papers shocked every person who read them withing the Isles, and some outside.
When word reached Bulgaria, it threw a certain man into a fit. He was quick to stir a shit-storm within his country.
Fleur made sure that word reached France. She had sent the paper directly to her father via an owl. Monsieur Jean Delacour, Head of the French DMLE, was quick to go to his Minister.
Bulgaria and France had fickle relationships with Britain, wasn't it time that changed? Wasn't it time that they came together?
Voldemort had followers from outside of England. Igor Karkaroff and Lucius Malfoy were widely known for their Death Eater status and former status, as well as for their relations with France and Bulgaria.
Many thought it was time something was done about the megalomaniac that would soon turn his sights to outside countries if he gained control of Britain.