One Tin Soldier

Chapter 15: Interlude 2

It was the first day of classes and Albus Dumbledore was still nowhere near figuring out what happened to Harry Potter this past summer. The lad had outright refused to meet with him last night! Didn't the fool boy understand that he had a right, as his magical guardian, to know what the lad had been up to all summer? And one way, or the other, he fully intended to find out.

And now Minerva had the gall to inform him that Harry had left the castle for the day?! Didn't either of them know the danger that faced the lad? He couldn't keep Harry safe if the blasted boy insisted on running round England and not telling anyone where he was going.

The floo flared and one of his Order member's voice came through. "Headmaster? Headmaster! You need to turn on the wireless. Now! Potter's at the Ministry and he's challenged Fudge to an honor duel!"

"What!?" Albus shouted, overturning his chair in his haste to turn on the wireless by his desk.

"...That's right folks. Harry Potter, the boy that our esteemed Minister has been publicly slandering all year, has challenged Cornelius Fudge to a duel of honor. A glowing shield that we have never seen before has just been raised around the dueling platform and the duel is about to start..."

Albus groaned. "Harry, my boy, just what have gotten yourself into this time?"

He debated with himself about rushing to the Ministry. The duel undoubtedly wouldn't last long enough for him to stop it, and the old families present probably wouldn't let him even if he tried. With a frustrated sigh he righted his chair and slumped back into it as he listened to the commentator give a blow-by-blow description of the clash. 'Why Harry? Why are you doing this?'

He closed his eyes as he pictured the duel in his mind. 'Just where did Harry learn such magic? Wandless magic's near impossible, especially for someone as young as Harry. Where did I go wrong? Is Harry going dark?'

"...Minister Fudge is down! I repeat, Cornelius Fudge is down! Lord Potter has won the duel against the Minister using wandless magic! As we have reported all summer, the then Mr. Potter, who the Ministry always claimed had won the Triwizard Tournament by cheating...has shown today that he is a very powerful wizard. I repeat, Lord Potter has used wandless magic against Minister Fudge...!"

Albus buried his face in his hands in frustration. 'Where had Harry learnt this? What am I going to do now?'

"...I don't believe it! Cornelius Fudge, in a cowardly attack, has just sent a curse at Lord Potter's back! I repeat, it was a desperate, heinous act to send a curse at Lord Potter when his back was turned," the announcer spat irately.

"As you know, the minister has been maliciously attacking Lord Potter all..."

In the background there were cries of shock, anger and disbelief echoing.

"Wait! Lord Potter has swung his strange sword and the curse to his back has been sent to the fading shield as he cuts off Cornelius' wand hand in one fell swoop...Blood is going everywhere! I repeat...Lord Potter has cut off the Minister's wand hand!"

Someone moaned in the distance. "I'm goin' t'be sick..."

Albus groaned. 'Why Harry? Why?'

Continuing on in the background, the headmaster could hear people groaning and screaming. There would be no saving Harry now. In Albus' mind he had taken his first steps down a very dark path.

The announcer's voice sounded queasy and ragged. "...There is blood shooting everywhere from the Minister's arm! Madam Bones is now firing a spell on his severed limb to stop the Minister from bleeding out. I repeat Cornelius Fudge is down. Cornelius Fudge has lost the duel!..."