Been busy preparing for a new bundle of joy, and trying tor recover from losing my USB drive with all my work on it.
Now, enjoy more Cold Harry.
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ôGood evening, all,ö Harry stated, entering DumbledoreÆs office. He had timed his arrival perfectly to miss the Weasley parents. He didnÆt need their thanks, and Ginny was now recovering in a bed beside her Obliviated brother.
HeÆd have to remember to make on offer to give Lockhart a present through Sympathetic Magic.
The fact it left him alone with Albus and Lucius was just cream on top of the milkshake.
ôAh, Mr. Potter,ö Dumbledore spoke softly, ôI welcome you, and must commend you on your fine accessories.ö
Harry just tipped the Sorting Hat on his head, giving a small nod, while keeping his left hand on the Sword of Gryffindor, still strapped to his side. ôYes; I had a small à serpent problem to deal with. The poor basilisk was much too insane to continue to allow near the castle and had long since forgotten the mission her first caregiver had given her.ö
ôFirst mission?ö asked Lucius.
ôYou didnÆt know?ö Harry asked curiously. ôWhy, he was afraid of religious Mundane fanatics, trying to assault this bastion of magic. SalazarÆs only worry about the First-Born was that they may expose us all out of such fear, and lead them to this place.
ôI fear you and yours have the message of his great-grandson in mind, not the way he truly was.
ôAbout time someone finally figured that out,ö the Sorting Hat grumbled. ôWhat you said was true, child: common sense is so rare, it is a super power beyond the rarest of magic.ö
Nodding, Harry tilted his head, staring at Lucius for a moment, before smiling. ôAh, good! You received my thank-you gift.ö
ôYouÆre what?ö growled Lucius.
ôMy gift,ö Harry responded, before reaching into his robes, and tossing a burned book to a nearby table. ôI wanted to properly thank you for giving this item to Ms. Weasley.
ôAnd yes, I witnessed it. The memory is stored safely and will be given to the proper authorities, depending on how things go in the next few minutes.ö
ôHarry,ö sighed Albus. ôYou promised thatùö
ôI only agreed to consider it,ö Harry spat. ôI made no promises, and refuse to be censored in how I deal with threats to House Potter and our allies.ö
ôSo, the Boy-Who-Lived believes he can blackmail me,ö Lucius smirked.
ôBlackmail?ö Harry asked. ôNo, sir; I plan for you to realize my bargaining position and give in completely.ö
ôAnd if I donÆt?ö Lucius asked.
ôWell then,ö Harry began, sitting down in a free chair, ôI would have you ask yourself to explain why you are standing beside the hearth, but continue to feel colder.ö
Lucius paused, noticing just what Harry stated.
ôTruthfully, Mr. Malfoy,ö Harry started, leaning back into the chair, ôI believe given the two choices soon to be before you, I think you will find my offers quite reasonable, offers that can also be decided by my death, but certainly not in your favor.ö
ôHarry!ö Albus barked.
ôDo be quiet, sir; I seem to once again be forced to clean up your poor management messes,ö Harry responded, never taking his eyes off the growing rage in MalfoyÆs eyes.
ôAs for what is occurring you, Mr. Malfoy, is something only I can stop, of my own free will. And donÆt try to run to St. MungoÆs, but feel free to try. Even if you make it, they wonÆt be able to help you, and I will get to watch your last frantic moments.ö
ôYouÆre mad,ö Lucius spat.
ôInsane, no; but very angry, yes,ö Harry returned. ôYou threatened a school full of children for a petty plan to restore an enemy of House Potter. By old and new rules, I am well within my rights to add you to my feud with House Riddle.
ôBut, instead, I will allow you safe passage and forgiveness for this mess, if perhaps your elf could somehow make it to GringottÆs or any of your secret stashes, and return with say à a bag containing thirty thousand galleons, untainted, untraced, and safe for public use.ö
ôAnd if I donÆt?ö Lucius stated.
ôWarming Charms will only suffice for so long,ö Harry commented, steeping his hands. ôAlready, your skin is paling; your lips are slowly turning blue. And if you are not quick, my ægiftÆ will be done within an hour.
ôOr perhaps, youÆd like to draw your wand, try to face me, curse me, or usurp my will. I believe as one of RiddleÆs Inner Circle, you were quite adept at any of the so-called Unforgiveables.
ôBut in the end, you will be a corpse on the floor, and I win. Your family will be disgraced, hunted, and your pardoned allies will find themselves hunted. Oh yes, unlike Mr. Dumbledore or Mr. Fudge, I donÆt forget and I certainly do not forgive!ö
Taking a calming breath, Harry turned to Dobby, who was hiding behind Lucius. ôI would go ahead and do this for him, Elf. I imagine your MasterÆs inner war between his pride and self-preservation may war too long for him to give the order in time to save his own miserable existence.ö
ôDobby!ö Lucius barked. ôDo as he says, NOW!ö
Nodding, the elf disappeared, as Lucius focused on the source of his rage.
ôAnd you will allow this, Dumbledore?ö he spat, but never taking his eyes off Harry.
ôI am no more his puppet than I am yours,ö Harry replied. ôYour Master saw to the beginnings of my start, he took my family, as he had done countless others.
ôBut unlike those in charge, I will not suffer rabid animals in my lands.ö
ôAnd you think you will get away with this?ö Malfoy demanded, now using his wand to apply more charms to himself, anything to keep the encroaching coldness off him. Was it poison? It had to be! He had already tried to dismiss any spells on him several times, but often it just simply negated the warming charms.
ôReally?ö asked Harry. ôYou expect people to believe their precious figurehead would do such things? I certainly didnÆt start this æBoy-Who-LivedÆ craze, but it does come with some advantages. Especially when the most accepted ideal among the Light and Neutral families is that you bought your freedom.
ôThe Headmaster will not pass the truth along, as it would do more to harm his own ambitions than anything. What more, if he does, people will demand to know how I turned out this way, and those reasonsùmuch like the memories of you giving that Thing to a small girlùare safely hidden and prepared to be sent out, on my death, or my mind being tampered with.
Chuckling could be heard from the Sorting Hat. ôOh, I should have stuck you his SalazarÆs House. You truly belong there.ö
ôI would have had to do things to children who were too young to understand what poking a dragon gets them,ö Harry replied.
The Hat seemed to nod. ôTrue, sad, but true.ö
Lucius had almost lost the ability to hold his wand before Dobby returned, sporting a large bag. ôDobby has brought what was needed,ö he said.
ôBring it here,ö Harry spoke.
ôNo!ö Lucius demanded. ôThe cure first!ö
ôà My honor was never in question, Mr. Malfoy,ö Harry spoke quietly. ôYours, however, is well documented. As such, I am now further displeased.ö
ôEnd this now, Harry!ö Dumbledore demanded.
ôWe are well beyond the realms of where you have power, Sir,ö Harry replied. ôAnd for Mr. MalfoyÆs cost, he has but to give a glove to his elf, stating his last order is to hand me the bag, and he is free.
ôI have even offered the way to do such, for I have some doubt as to whether or not the elf would pay me should Lucius just free him, judging by how badly the elf looks.
ôSo, Mr. Malfoy? Deal or no deal? I wager about a minuteÆs life left in you before your chilled corpse meets the floor.ö
Growling through chattering teeth, he removed a glove from his hand, showing his nails to be blue from cold, and thrust it at Dobby. ôAs he s-said!ö
Eyes wide, the elf took the glove, before running to Harry, handing him the bag. ôDobby à is free!ö
Nodding, Harry turned towards Lucius, closed his eyes, and nodded. ôIt is done.ö
Malfoy nearly wanted to demand how a poison was supposed to be cured by such a small display, when he felt the chill end, the layered warming charms soon soothing the cold and replacing it with a pins-and-needles feeling, as blood was returning to shivering areas of flesh.
ôI do believe you will wish to leave now,ö Harry spoke. ôAnd remember, if word of these events reaches the ears of others, I shall find out, and the information will be released.ö
Pausing, he finally turned to face Dumbledore. ôThat goes the same for you, Sir.ö
ôThis isnÆt over, Boy,ö Lucius hissed as he departed.
Harry just smirked. ôOh, and give whoever checks you for what I did, my best wishes. I imagine some of those tests are quite à invasive.ö
As Lucius stormed out, Harry smiled, before turning towards Dobby. ôDobby, would you terribly mind doing me a favor?ö
The house elfÆs eyes went wide, unshed tears shining. ôThe Great Harry Potter is asking Dobby for help?ö he squeaked.
Harry nodded. ôI would, as you seem like a trustworthy fellow.ö Holding out the bag, he spoke once more. ôI would like you to deposit a third of this in my room, ask for Blinky, my private elf. She will show you where to put it. Deliver another third to the Weasleys in the medical ward, with word that it is only the start of the payment for their troubles. The remaining third, use for whatever you wish.
ôBut I do ask that if you are still keyed to those wards, that you raid your former MasterÆs hidden stashes, as I believe I have some Right of Conquest or whatnot to them.ö
Nodding his head fast enough to be a blur, Dobby disappeared in a pop.
Smiling wide, he turned to the Headmaster, who was staring at him with regret, sadness, and probably some disbelief. ôIÆm sorry, Headmaster, but is my version of the Greater Good somehow upsetting you?ö
Sighing, Dumbledore leaned back into his chair. ôIt seems I have failed you, dear childàö
Harry snorted. ôThat would require me to believe that your own plans for me were in entirely my best interestsùsomething I find as likely Riddle coming before me and apologizing for all heÆs done.ö
Standing up, Harry winced as he cracked his backùmessing with the older generations was such tiring and stressful work. ôHonestly, with the environment you left me in, IÆm quite surprised I havenÆt gone round the bend like Riddle, may have if the Dursleys had been physically abusive.
ôBut then, you know all about that, having condemned me to that dark and painful decade.ö
ôI assure you, Harry, Iàö he paused, stopping, wondering why the words were failing him.
ôI also know you have been trying to discover the secret behind what I did to my first DADA teacher,ö Harry continued, walking towards the desk, ignoring the curious stares of both the portraits and Fawkes. Reaching the immobilized Headmaster, Harry plucked the Elder Wand from his hands, and leaned towards his ear. ôBut that secret, Headmaster Dumbledore, shall stay mine, safely kept, much like your past with HitlerÆs associate and your dear sister.ö
Backing away, he saw the manÆs eyes, wide with fear. ôOh, do calm down before you pass to the next great adventure, I believe you called it. If I wanted you dead, you would be so, and no one would be able to prove it was me.
ôNo, I merely wanted my ancestorÆs wand back,ö Harry continued, walking around the desk, feeling it hum in his hands. ôWonders never cease when one looks at their lineage, donÆt you agree? History teaches us so much, if we but learn to ask the right questions.ö
He had after all, had much love for his history, personal, that is, since the Loops. He also knew Dumbledore would find no information on the Sympathetic Magic Harry had used on Quirrell, as well as Lucius and Albus. LuciusÆs ædollÆ had simply been placed in a magical freezer; hence the freezing magic transferred just as easily to LuciusÆs real body as the Killing Curse had Quirrell. And after Dobby left Blinky, she would put AlbusÆs own ædollÆ on a parchment containing some petrifaction charms.
It was AlbusÆs own fault for assuming Harry needed to personally set it up to use it, just like Lucius had assumed Harry had simply poisoned him. All that had been needed was a signal to Blinky to remove the ædollÆ.
And the secret to the magic was kept only by a wizard in the Caribbean, who in one Loop, promised to share it with Harry if he married the guyÆs granddaughter. Luckily, Harry had phrased the Oath for it in such a way, it ended with the reset, so he wasnÆt constantly forced to do such.
ôNow, I must be off,ö Harry continued, knowing Blinky would release Albus when Harry was safely out of the room. ôI do believe I need to give Lockhart a sudden case of needing to clear his conscious.
ôGood day, Headmaster; and remember, shhh!ö
