Chapter 31
Opening her eyes for the first time she was blinded by the light. Her head pounded, her body ached, and she groaned softly as she began to stir in her bed. Quickly she realized however that she was not in her own bed and she began to blink the bright spots out of her vision. Was she in the hospital wing?
"You're okay, Elaina. You're safe." A soft voice said next to her as a gentle hand touched her forearm.
Normally someone touching her this way would set her on edge, but she recognized Harry's voice in an instant, "What happened?"
She could hardly even recognize her own voice. It sounded hoarse. Her hand went to her throat as if she were expecting to find damage, but everything seemed normal.
"You were attacked by the seventh-year Slytherins, and the Carrows." Harry explained gently.
"Where's my wand?" Elaina asked, feeling a swell of panic in her chest.
Without hesitation however, Harry slipped the teenager's wand into her hand. She felt the panic subside slowly as the memory of the previous evening flashed through her mind. The pain felt distant now, but the look on her face was contemplative as Harry asked, "What do you remember?"
Feeling the burn of a dry throat she croaked out, "Water."
Harry nodded, going to his feet grabbing a glass off a nearby tray before handing it to Elaina. Taking a long gulp of water, her lungs burned from the feeling, but it felt amazing. She took in the appearance of the young teenager beside her, and he looked tired, but relieved, "How long was I out?"
"Over two days now." Harry said quietly, "Madame Pomfrey wanted to keep you asleep so your body could heal properly."
Closing her eyes she attempted to concentrate on the details of her attack. The rawness of her throat however made much more sense as she began to understand the severity of what happened, "I think...I think one of them used the cruciatus on me."
Harry said nothing, but the look in his eyes said it all as she stared toward the ceiling not wanting to meet his gaze, "It felt like I was on fire. I couldn't even concentrate on what hurt the most. Screaming is the last thing I remember. Who stunned me?"
"Dumbledore." Harry said with an unreadable tone, "At least that is what Lily said."
"Evans." Elaina sighed, "She stepped in. Saved my skin. I may not have beaten all of them, but I held them off until help arrived. I could not have done that without her."
"Six attackers, and you two took down four." Harry said with no small amount of pride in his voice now, "Lily told me you were hurt in the beginning. Had that not happened I have little doubt you would've beaten them all."
Nodding her head slowly she took a deep breath, "Seems like I have more work to do."
"When you recover we will get back to it." Harry promised, "First I need the memory of what happened. My family wants to see it. I do as well. It will help us understand what happened, and what we need to work on in your training."
Elaina frowned, "I've never given a memory before. Does it hurt?"
Offering the young woman a smile Harry shook his head, "I can do it for you. It won't hurt at all. Just think about the memory. Focus on the details. I am going to put my wand to your temple and pull a memory strand that I will place in a glass vial. From there it will go to my family's Pensieve where we will review what happened."
Remaining quiet for a moment, Elaina finally offered the young man a nod. Slowly drawing his wand Harry leaned forward meeting her eyes. The two held eye contact all the way through Harry pulling the memory from her head as he placed it in a vial he pulled from his cloak pocket. Once he stored it away Elaina asked, "What happens now?"
Taking a deep breath Harry stood to his feet, "My family has declared a blood feud against the houses Lestrange, Avery, Mulciber, and Yaxley. What happened to you was a direct attack on my family. Something we are taking very seriously."
"What is a blood feud? What can I do?" Elaina asked, noting the severity of Harry's tone.
"Essentially we have declared war on these families." Harry explained with a harsh voice, "There are a few things now that could happen. If they were smart and realized what was coming they would come to Potter Manor, and surrender themselves to our mercy. If they did this then we would financially ruin them, but allow them to keep their lives."
Harry looked skeptical at this option, but continued, "This is unlikely. The most likely thing to happen is that each family will nominate a champion, their best fighter, and put them forward. From there we will duel to the death. The winner can seek compensation from the families. Lastly, they could try and fight family vs family. All four of those lines have quite a few more members than the Potter family but essentially we would conquer them. The winner of such a fight would seize all the assets of that family."
Elaina's eyes widened and she shook her head, "Your family did not have to do that for me."
"Yes, we did." Harry said simply, "I discussed this with James. If we did nothing, what is to stop them from doing it again? Do you think suspension and house points really matter to people like Lestrange? We are going to make an example of what happens when you mess with House Potter. They mistake our forgiveness for weakness. I won't have this conversation over your deathbed."
Elaina swallowed hard at his words. She could hear the wrath in his voice. His righteous anger over what happened to her was apparent, so she asked in a small voice, "Will you fight?"
"My father and I." Harry answered at once, "We will divide up the champions among ourselves and pick them off one at a time until they surrender."
A feeling of worry passed through the girl's chest, but she ignored it as attempted to sit up, "I can fight them too."
"You could." Harry agreed, "But we aren't looking to show mercy. We don't want a good fight. We want a slaughter. A duel that shows just how outclassed these families are from our own. If you had to dance with the likes of Rodolphus Lestrange or Thomas Avery Sr I would like your chances, but it wouldn't be easy. It would be a bloody fight, and there is a chance you would fall to one of them. That isn't a chance we will take."
"But you will beat them?" She asked, trying to keep the unease out of her voice.
"I will." Harry said confidently.
The two held each other's gaze for a moment before Elaina took a deep puff of breath looking around the room wishing to change the subject, "I suppose Lily was released right away?"
"They held her overnight for observation. When I came back to school she was sleeping, but woke up last night and Madam Pomfrey let her go." Harry explained.
"Where is Pomfrey now?" Elaina asked.
"Lunch, I think." Harry said uncertainty.
"Shouldn't you be there as well then?" She asked, raising her eyebrows.
His cheeks colored slightly at her question as he scratched the back of his head, "I've been taking my meals here. I had to make sure no one else would have a go at you."
The girl felt warm at his words, and he seemed embarrassed by the question, but she shook her head, "I'm sure they won't attack me in broad daylight again."
"That's why I stayed overnight as well." Harry admitted.
This surprised the girl, but Harry quickly defended himself, "You were put in this situation because of me. They attacked you that night, because I wasn't here. That will not happen again."
Elaina took in the teens words and exhaled, holding out her hand for him. Harry looked at the outstretched hand for a moment before stepping close to her, taking the hand in his own carefully. Elaina spoke clearly, "Harry, these bastards have been attacking me for years. This was not a matter of if, but when. They saw an opportunity and they took it. Thanks to you, I made most of them pay for it. You have nothing to be sorry for. Thank you for being here to watch over me."
Harry's cheeks reddened at the girl's words. He remembered the feeling he had when he saw her unconscious in the bed, clearly hurting, but now he was just relieved to hear her voice sounding normal again.
"I am glad you are awake, child!" The voice of Madam Pomfrey called out from the front of the Hospital Wing.
Harry let go of Elaina's hand as if it electrocuted him, and she frowned slightly at the gesture, but said nothing as the matron of Hogwarts approached her, "How are you feeling?"
"I've felt better." The young woman muttered.
In understanding Madam Pomfrey said nothing as she drew her wand over several areas of her body. Each time she looked pleased by the results before saying, "It seems like everything is healing well. You will certainly be sore for a few days, but I am expecting a full recovery."
The teen boy looked relieved by her words, but he hadn't expected any less. Regardless, hearing the final assurance was enough to set him at ease. The matron then turned on him, "You, Mr Potter, I expect to sleep tonight. I don't know why your parents saw it necessary to-"
"We did what honor demanded, Madam Pomfrey." Harry interrupted, "We did not doubt your capability to protect her, but it was not something we would risk. I am of age, and would do it again if I had too."
The woman pursed her lips but sighed, "You Potter men. Your mother was just as difficult as you are. She fit right in with Charlus and his family when they married."
Harry offered the woman a smile at her words, "What can I say? We are all kinds of stubborn."
Elaina shook her head at the exchange and Madam Pomfrey turned back to her patient, "If you need anything, dear, just send Mr Potter for me. I have every intention of releasing you at dinner tonight. I wish to ensure you have no discomfort over the next few hours before letting you go back to your common room."
The Slytherin teen offered the matron a grateful nod and the woman left the two alone.
.o.
Dinner time in the Great Hall came around, and James was refusing to look down at his food. He had lost his appetite due to the letters he had been exchanging with his father. James was desperate for information on what was to come, and it all seemed quite bleak. With word of duels to death and screams of retribution echoing across the Wizarding World, he knew nothing positive would follow.
Despite being the Heir to House Potter, Fleamont had told his son that Charlus had been the Champion for their family since the Great War, a title that would one day fall to Harry. James knew that it would be unusual for Heirs or Lords to be Champions for their families in case the worst were to happen, but the fact that his younger cousin could be stepping into a duel to the death unsettled him.
It hardly mattered to the messy-haired teen that Harry was already becoming battle tested, or the fact that he was infamous for his ability with his wand. To James he just wished the whole thing would blow over. He wanted his family to be safe. Threats could be made. Promises of what would happen if a member of their house was ever attacked again, but he did not wish death even upon the enemy. They belonged in Azkaban, that way they would pay for their crimes.
James had voiced these thoughts to his father, but Fleamont had firmly reminded James that the world did not operate on empty promises. Even among the Marauders when he ranted and raved they all expressed that some time in Azkaban would likely be enough. There was no reason for there to be death. There was even less of a reason for Harry to bring it himself.
It's not like he hasn't taken life before, James thought darkly. He had proven he was capable of that in Godric's Hollow. That was in the heat of battle though. In the defense of their ancestral home. Surely that was different? What was one final warning to prevent blood shed? To keep his family safe?
The words of his cousin echoed in his mind when his head went to those places though, 'I don't want to have this conversation over someone's deathbed, James.'
It wouldn't come to that though... or would it? He knew that the pureblood bigots were killing Muggles, but they were hardly shedding Wizarding blood.
That thought stopped him cold. Since when did Muggles become lesser in his mind? These were killers, and how long before they turned their eyes to the Wizarding World. How long before they began killing his friends and family?
His thoughts were interrupted by a gentle elbow that hit his arm. Looking at Sirius he was nodding his head in the direction of the entrance to the Great Hall where Harry was walking with Elaina as if nothing had happened. The Slytherins watched the pair carefully, some in awe, and some in surprise. Elaina was back to normal. Only her friends and the older Gryffindors had seen the condition she was in yesterday, but clearly the hall was expecting the girl to look half dead. The wonders of magic never ceased to amaze.
Whispers echoed around the hall, and James caught the raised voices of some pureblood Hufflepuffs, "The Potters declared a blood feud over that? She looks fine."
They have no idea, James thought bitterly. Sirius shook his head next to him, "It certainly doesn't look good. Pomfrey did her job too well. Essex looks like she was hardly even scratched. Lily looks worse off than she does."
"The cruciatus curse tells us differently though." Remus reminded Sirius gently.
James glanced towards Lily who was protectively surrounded by Alice and Frank flanking her left and right. The pair had been with the Head Girl at every opportunity and were unlikely to let her out of their site. The cut on Lily's face was certainly the most prominent feature beside her striking red hair, and bright green eyes. James thought the scar made her even more beautiful. The reason she had received such a scar was brave, and he admired the girl more than ever.
"What do you think will happen with the blood feud, James?" Peter asked quietly.
Before James could answer Sirius snorted, "Charlus and Harry will kill whoever is put in front of them. The families will all pay obscene amounts of money for this to go away, and that will be the end of it."
James wanted to refute Padfoots statement, but he couldn't. After a moment he nodded, "My dad won't bankrupt them. The financial compensation will just be a figurehead to their transgressions against my family. I hate to agree with Padfoot, but there will be some fighting before this is all over."
The Marauders all looked grave at their leader's words. They then watched as Elaina stopped at her table, whispered some words to Harry, and turned to begin making her way towards the Gryffindors.
.o.
Lily had a difficult time sleeping last night. Flashes of the battle that took place in the dungeons haunted the corners of her mind. Elaina's scream was what seemed to echo the loudest. Lily was Head Girl, and she couldn't even protect a fellow Muggleborn from these pureblood fanatics.
Stirring her porridge Lily realized she had become bitter over the situation she had found herself in. It wasn't because they had essentially lost in a fight they were outnumbered three to one. Those were not good odds for even the best duelist. The part that made her rage in indignation is how lightly her attackers were let off. No one fessed up to using an Unforgivable on Elaina, and by the time the Aurors had arrived the parents had as well. They all refused to allow their heirs or members of their family to be accused by a Muggleborn, and had the audacity to act offended. Someone should be spending their life in Azkaban.
"Lily." A voice warned softly, and her head shot up to see the girl who had occupied many of her thoughts approaching.
The redhead offered a grateful smile to Frank who just nodded in return. The heir to the Longbottom family had a conniption towards their head of house for not sending for the Aurors immediately following the attack. Frank had loudly proclaimed that the Slytherins should have been arrested. Ever since the attack Frank and Alice had been by her side, and had even patrolled with her last night during the evening Prefect rounds.
Elaina looked much better than the last time Lily had seen her. The teenager's eyes seemed apprehensive however as she approached the house of Lions. Lily offered the girl a soft welcoming smile as she approached, "Elaina, I am glad to see you out of the Hospital Wing. How are you?"
"I'm alive." She answered shortly, "I think I owe that to you. Can we talk in the Entrance Hall for a moment?"
Lily bit her lip nervously, but nodded standing to her feet. Frank and Alice looked like they would be trying to join her, but Elaina said, "Harry will be keeping an eye on things. I can promise you no one will attack us, while he is around."
Alice looked satisfied at her words, while Frank seemed unappeased. Lily put a hand on his shoulder shaking her head, and he seemed to deflate on the spot. It was clear to Elaina that the Gryffindor Prefect had taken it hard that his friend had been attacked.
The two Muggleborns followed each other out to the corridor that led to the Entrance Hall where Harry was waiting for the two with his arms crossed. The dark circles under his eyes indicated his exhaustion, but he still seemed poised to deal with anything that might even look at the pair wrong.
Elaina sighed, ignoring Harry's presence turning to face the Head Girl, "I wanted to thank you in private. I think had you not been there, things could have been a lot worse."
Steeling herself over for what she wanted to say next Elaina forged on, "We aren't friends, you didn't have to do what you did, but you still risked yourself for me. I am in your debt."
Harry watched the surprise warp Lily's face as Elaina spoke. He watched as the girl considered her words before shaking her head, "No debts, Elaina. We are Muggleborns. That isn't the culture we grew up in. I stepped in and helped you because it was the right thing to do. Had we been in the same house, or maybe Ravenclaw, we would've been friends I am certain. Our house rivalries are the only thing that kept us apart. The fear of retaliation from your housemates stopped us from becoming friends."
Lily turned her eyes to Harry now though as she said, "The lines are being drawn now. Even in Hogwarts we aren't safe from what is happening out there." She paused before turning her eyes back to Elaina, "I don't want you to be in my debt. Instead I want this."
The girl offered her hand out, and Harry felt a swell of pride as he watched the woman that everyone in his time spoke of with such admiration. Elaina looked at the outstretched hand for a moment before slowly reaching out to accept it. Lily smiled now, "We should've been friends from the start, but better late than never."
"Better late than never." Elaina responded, clearly surprised by how the conversation had gone, "I'm sorry this is what it took for us to be friends."
"Next Hogsmeade visit you can buy me a butterbeer and we will call it even. I heard you will be able to visit without the disguise that makes you look like my sister." Lily said teasingly.
The girl blushed slightly and Harry chuckled, making Lily turn to face him, "Harry. You look like you need some sleep. I better not hear from my new friend that you were out on the grounds in the early hours of the morning tomorrow."
"I have been cooped up for two days!" Harry defended, "You two were both doing so well, just forget about me."
Harry smiled at the young woman's teasing, and Elaina watched the pair curiously. Lily however took on a more serious expression, "I am worried about the fallout from this. James thinks you will have to duel a family's champion. Is that true? Can nothing be done?"
Shaking his head Harry sighed, "My uncle will be addressing the Wizengamot tonight. I suspect by week's end my father and I will be making examples out of these bigots."
"Are you afraid?" Lily asked quietly.
The question surprised Harry and yet Elaina seemed interested in his answer as her multi-colored eyes searched for signs of fear. Taking a deep breath Harry spoke gently, "No. I am not afraid of those monsters. I will do what is necessary to protect my friends and family. At any cost."
The two girls accepted his words, but both felt a weight of anxiety at the thought of their friend taking on an older, more experienced witch or wizard. Elaina had seen what Harry was capable of. She knew that he could be devastating on a battlefield, but that didn't stop her from worrying. Magic was a fickle thing, and when purebloods battled family magic could always be a factor.
Lily on the other hand had only heard of Harry's capability. Of course she had read the article in the Daily Prophet, but it all seemed unreal that someone her age was as powerful as the Wizarding World was coming to understand. His maturity may have been well beyond his years, but that did not change the fact he was still only seventeen and capable of taking life.
"Couldn't your father handle the champions?" Lily asked, "We have all heard how powerful he was during the Great War."
"Lily," Harry said gently, "The war was thirty years ago. My father is not the same young man he was. I am certain if we had no option or had I been younger my father could have dispatched them all, but why risk it? They spent many years preparing me to be capable of what is to come. I assure you that if my mum, dad, or uncle thought I was not, then I would be watching on the sidelines. My mother is still quite the gifted witch and could stand in if it were necessary. I proved to them that night in Godric's Hollow that I was ready for this. Trust me."
Lily could only accept his words before sighing, "Please keep me updated, on what will come of it." Turning to Elaina she offered the girl a smile, "Hogsmeade is in two weeks. Plan on being my date that day."
"James will be so disappointed." Harry quipped causing both girls to chuckle.
"I would like that, Lily. Thank you." Elaina said gratefully.
Lily offered the two a final smile before they all returned to the hall and their respective tables, whispers following the trio like wildfire.
.o.
Charlus was sitting in the Wizengamot chamber behind his older brother, The Lord Potter, watching as the man raged at the pureblood bigots that attacked his son's friend. He had rarely seen his brother lose his composure over the years, but it was clear after Elaina Essex had defended Godric's Hollow the man had a soft spot for the Muggleborn. One that had been attacked mercilessly.
Charlus kept an even expression on his face as his brother went into attack mode, "These cowards didn't even have the ability to confront this Muggleborn girl alone. All this talk of how powerful purebloods are, but they wanted six to one odds before facing her. Had it not been for the Head Girl it is quite possible these criminals would've killed this girl. She had already been held under the cruciatus curse, yet none of those bastards owned up to who cursed her. I sat in this chamber not even a month ago when I declared that Elaina Essex was under the protection of House Potter after she defended my nephew from being cursed in the back by these same men."
It was clear by the way Fleamont said 'men' he thought the attackers had the same value as poison. The Lord did not stop there either, "Then they decided to attack her when they knew my nephew, Harry Potter, was not even in the castle! COWARDICE! My family demands retribution. Six men attacked a woman who is under the protection of my house. Our honor dictates a blood feud."
Shouts erupted from the Wizengamot, but Dumbledore, the Chief Warlock, fired off a cannon blast from his wand calling for order. Minister Bagnold had paled at the announcement, while Fleamont did not even flinch at the uproar. Dumbledore called out, "Lord Potter still has the floor. I have hope he is going to share some mercy upon these children, let us have order."
Fleamont nodded his thanks at Dumbledore before saying, "Mercy is exactly what I have in mind, Chief Warlock. It is, however, not free."
Murmurs followed his words and Charlus leaned forward in anticipation. The two had discussed at lengths what the reaction of the family should be. They had conferred with each of their wives, and allies before coming to the decision that Fleamont would announce, "The House Potter has been wronged. It is clear that certain members of society think our family is weak due to the passive politics we have usually exhibited over the last few decades. I assure you this is not the case now. House Yaxley, Carrow, Mulciber, Avery, and Lestrange can either submit 50% of the contents of their Gringotts vault, or face the Champions of my house, Charlus and Harry Potter."
Outrage from the traditional sections of the Wizengamot erupted. Screams of indignation followed and Fleamont sat down allowing Dumbledore to open the floor. The first house to be recognized was Lestrange. A gruff, middle aged man, stood red-faced. His dark brown beard went to his upper chest, and his eyes had bloodlust in them, "The House Lestrange finds this blood feud laughable. The fact that Lord Potter and his family take insult to their pet Mudblood being attacked is a disgrace to this court. I nominate my heir Rodolphus to put down the Potter brat that was kept in hiding."
Charlus stood at this, "My son will accept this challenge. Put your heir's affairs in order, Lord Lestrange."
Taunts and jeers followed from the section Lord Lestrange sat in and the man looked furious, and seemed to consider going for his wand. His eyes however drifted towards Dumbledore and sat down in anger.
Before the next house could protest Lord Black stood up taking the attention of the Wizengamot, "Before more blood is shed might I suggest we allow the Potter and Lestrange family to settle their differences. Knowing Harry as I do the other families may want to reconsider pursuing a blood feud after seeing what he is capable of. If the Potters are open to this kind of leeway I believe it should be taken. Anything to prevent bloodshed."
This silenced the Wizengamot. Rodolphus Lestrange was known to be a talented wizard. The fact that the Lord Black seemed to believe this wayward Potter son could defeat such a magical marvel was hard to believe. Dumbledore turned the attention back to Fleamont who stood with a contemplative look on his face. Charlus knew the whole thing had been set up prior to the occasion, but his brother was doing a good job at hiding that fact, "This duel will need to take place immediately. We will be demanding answers from the other three houses concluding the duel."
Minister Bagnold chimed in at this, "Where would Lord Lestrange like this duel to take place?"
"This fight started at Hogwarts. Let it end at Hogwarts." The man spat.
Dumbledore frowned at this before saying, "As Headmaster, I have to recommend another location. This kind of fight should not take place in the presence of children."
Fleamont immediately disagreed, "Things are becoming more and more heinous in our world, Headmaster. I can think of no better way to remind this generation of children that our consequences have actions. I agree that the fight should however not take place inside the castle. Perhaps on the Quidditch Pitch where Aurors can help closely monitor attendance."
Agreements from both sides seemed to put the Headmaster in the hot seat before he sighed, "Very well. I shall inform the staff and begin making preparations."
"Friday." Fleamont said in an instant.
Lord Lestrange spat towards the floor in recognition and rose from his chair exiting the chamber to open words of excitement.
(A/N) Here comes BLOOD! If you want to read the next 13 chapters you can follow me on discord for free by deleting the spaces out the link below. If you want to read through Chapter 61 you can follow me on Pat(reon) @OrionB15 for just 1$ a month with no commitment necessary. Next week Discord gets their extra free update, and it's going to be a big one so follow me at the Hunters Lounge for free content!
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