Who we really are

Disclaimer: In Chapter One.
Chapter Sixteen
The students looked surprised, not really sure what was going on. The invisibility spell wore off and Harry’s familiars appeared. Beauty was wrapped around his neck and Matteo was at his side in wolf form.

“Yes, nice to finally see you the way you truly are.” Harry said calmly.

“Look how many people you have backing you. How did you sway so many people without my knowledge?”

“Same way I’ve hid from you for six years. I’m in control here not you.”

“Now Harry, the Ministry and I are concerned for you; just come up to my office and calmly answer our questions.”

The Minister and several Aurors appeared they had been hidden under borderline illegal invisibility spells.

“I’m able to answer questions just fine here in front of everyone.”

He bowed slightly to the minister.

“Can I help you?” He asked mockingly.

Lucius stepped up and put his hand on Harry’s shoulder in a sign of support. This did not escape the Minister’s attention.

“Mister Potter how nice it is to see you. The Headmaster asked me here on account you were going evil on us; I must say it does look bad.”

“I’m not evil Minister. Dark does not mean evil and Light does not always mean good. It’s all about your intent.”

The Minister looked shocked.

“Mister Potter please don’t spout such nonsense, the younger children are very impressionable.” Dumbledore said.

“You would know all about impressionable young minds. You’ve been manipulating our lives since before we came here. Always spouting off about how evil Slytherin’s were!” Harry’s eyes began to glow black.

The hall was silent and just stared. Harry looked truly frightening. In the silence harry noticed Granger wasn’t in the hall where he could see her. He prepped himself into battle mode. Lucius felt it and let go and stepped back into his place.

The Inner Circle spread out in a half circle partially blocking the rest in a protective gesture. All of a sudden Granger came out from behind a protective veil and attempted to stab Harry with a sword.

“Hmm, I wasn’t expecting you to attack that way.”

He effectively evaded her without even pulling his wand or sword. He swept a foot and tripped her, when she fell he kicked her sword away from her.

“Stay on the ground and do not move.” He ordered calling upon the betrayal mark to make her stay. Her mark began to glow.

“Evil bastard.” She spat at him.

“Did you really think that would work?” He directed the question at Dumbledore.

“Mister Potter, I had heard you had done this but I hadn’t wanted to believe it. That is an unused spell for a reason.” The Minister said

“It is not illegal though. I was well within my rights to test my own strength of belief.”

“It Is Dark Mister Potter!”

“Yes, and so am I, evil I am not however.”

The Minister was at a loss for words.

“Boy release her and let her come to me for punishment.” The Headmaster tried to persuade.

Harry just ignored him.

“Girl did you really think you could kill me with the sword.” He sneered.

“They told me you wouldn’t know how to use one since you lived with muggles.”

“Dear Mudblood, I have a sword master at my side. I’ve been learning sword since I was younger. It’s time for me to call on my right that was given to me when the power marked you as a betrayer.”

None of the students were upset b his use of Mudblood. His definition of the term had spread throughout the school since that potions class.

“Mister Potter, that was uncalled for!” The Minister scolded.

“You just don’t understand his definition!”

A student called from one of the tables.

“So what is his definition?”

“I’m a half-blood, why would I use a degrading definition? I called her a mudblood because she does have dirty tainted blood. Her betrayal makes it so.”

The Minister looked beyond shocked.

“Now, your time has come mudblood. Stand up.”

He looked up at Dumbledore.

“You’re about to lose your toy.”

Granger stood.

“Go ahead and just kill me then you evil bastard; that way everyone will see you for what you really are.” She spat.

“Come now, what would be the point of a quick death? We’re going to duel, if you beat me, you win. If I win you never see the outside of this room again.”

“What are the rules?”

“You can use swords, knives, any type of spells you want. The only thing you can’t do is have any outside help, but don’t worry I have an insurance against that, as well as protection for the rest of the students. Stand in the center of the room between the two middle tables.” He ordered.

She grudgingly moved.

“How do I know you aren’t going to use the power of this damnable mark during this duel?”

He smirked at her.

“Where would the fun be in using it?”

He turned to the students at the tables.

“Would you stand up please? I need to move your tables against the wall.

They scrambled to do as he asked. The Slytherin table was easy. It only had the younger years. Half the Gryffindors were still at their tables however. There were people missing from all of the tables though. He decided to show a small amount of his power.

He used his wand to banish all four tables to against the wall at once and put them in separate spots around the room. When that was done he conjured a safety bubble around Granger; one big enough for both of them to move around in. He was on the outside for the moment.

~Beauty, Matteo go stand with Draco and help protect everyone. ~

Beauty slithered from his shoulders and over to where Draco was. Matteo looked at him for a few minutes more before looking up at Dumbledore.

He yawned showing off his extra long fangs making Dumbledore remember what he said about the poison before trotting off to sit by Draco looking deceptively innocent.

“Inner Circle spread out, the rest of you spread your selves out behind them you take their orders if anything happens.”

They all rushed to obey.

He walked forward and through the bubble sealing it with a word in Parseltongue. Granger looked afraid.

“Come now Granger don’t look so scared.”

He stood and seemed to not be paying attention. She took that moment to attack with the sword. He drew his with his left hand and blocked her attack.

“I forgot, someone gather all of the younger students, 1-3 year, and anyone who doesn’t want or can’t handle seeing this. Don’t separate by house, take them to the Room of Requirement and keep them entertained. Trent, assist the prefects, keep them safe I’m trusting you on this.”

Trent helped gather people up and led them out of the room. He got bored with the fight and began to attack. He nicked her hand causing her to drop her sword.

“Come now you can do better than this. Attack me, or do you think you’re too pure to use a dark spell.” He taunted

He circled her waiting for her to attack him.

She pulled her wand out and sent a Reductor Curse at him. He dodged it effortlessly.

“That’s more of what I’m talking about.”

He sent a low level cutting curse at her, cutting the stomach of her robes.

She glared at him knowing he was just toying with her.

“Stop just playing around! Really fight me!” She yelled.

“You really want it over that quickly.”

She glared at him.

Harry shifted his attention momentarily and saw Severus, Remus, and Sirius circled around Dumbledore.

He reached forward with his sword and nicked her thigh.

She winced and pulled back from him.

The spells he cast at her kept getting darker and darker in nature.

She was bruised and bloody by the time he stopped. He has a few cuts and bruises from lucky shots she made.

“You finally show your true colors.”

His eyes were still black.

“You’re right; I’m dark and not a nice person.”

He leveled his wand at her one more time.

“Crucio,” he whispered.

She started convulsing and screaming on the floor.

His face was a blank mask, as was everyone’s in the room. The Minister had a shocked look on his face as did the Aurors in the room.

He removed his wand and she was panting on the ground. She glared up at him not quite insane yet.

“You fucking bastard, just kill me already!” She rasped.

“Your wish is my command.”

He lunged forward with his sword and put it straight through her heart. Her eyes went wide and blood ran from the corners of her mouth. He pulled back and removed the sword from her chest.

She fell back on the ground struggling to breath. He spared her no dignity and wiped his blade on her robes to clean it.

He leaned in and whispered to her just before she died.

“You were manipulated by him, he let you die.”

Her eyes went wide in recognition just before her breath ran out.

He stood up and looked at everyone with a closed off expression.

“Don’t think I take betrayal well from anyone. I will spare you no amount of dignity or compassion.”

He let down his shield and his followers stepped up behind him.

“Mister Potter, was all that really necessary?” The Minister asked with a shaky voice, his face ashen.

“I defended myself as you saw and then killed her as was my right.”

“But did you have to do it that way?”

“Would you rather I had just tortured her to death? I at least gave her the chance to fight back. She was lucky. I may not extend the same courtesy to my next betrayer.”

He looked directly at Dumbledore in challenge.

Dumbledore got a look of recognition that he understood and accepted the threat.

“Know this Minister; I’m going to do anything in my power to make the changes in the Wizarding World I want. Voldemort with fall by my hand and I’ll do it without the guidance,” He sneered at the word guidance, “from you or that fool this school calls a Headmaster.”

“Mister Potter you can’t just decide to change the world as it is.”

“I can do as I like because unlike Voldemort and the rest of you, I’ll follow through with what I say. If we are through here, Minister I would like to re-gather the rest of the students. The Headmaster has caused them to miss their breakfast b pushing this issue. Dumbledore, this is your fault so clean up the body of the mudblood.”

Dumbledore just banished to body.

Harry turned to his followers and picked three out.

“Seamus, Pansy, Terry, go get Trent and the other students please. “

He turned back and addressed the rest of the students.

“Look at how he treats people if you die for his cause. This is what you can expect from him. Also, if you follow him you could end up like the mudblood and killed because you won’t have the training or knowledge to protect yourself. You’ll also have a leader who doesn’t protect you like one should. Think about what I’ve told you.”

“Well, we’ll just be going now Mister Potter. Contact the Ministry if there is anything we can do for you. He bowed in respect.

“Of course Minister.” He smirked. He returned the bow.

The Minister and Aurors left quickly. The rest of the students filed back into the room and waited for Harry to move the tables back. He lengthened the Slytherin table and led his group there to sit. The adults moved to their own positions at the Head Table. Everyone was quiet and thoughtful except for the younger years and Harry’s group who was laughing and joking around.

Harry looked up at the Headmaster and smirked.

He mouthed the words, “I Win,” before turning back and laughing at something Draco said to him.