The Silver Tongue

Chapter 39

Chapter 39: Let the Games Begin

Hello my loyal ones. I am so happy that you all are still with me. I am proud to say that now that work has settled, and the new house I just bought is all sorted and moved into, that I can now start writing again as I now have some time. I hope you all like my humble little chapter and continue your support of my out of control story.
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NR
I do not own Harry Potter and I am not making a profit off of my fan fiction.
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"Talk"
'Think'
"Parseltongue"
"Nightshade communication"
Chapter 39 - Let the Games Begin
It's rare, Harry noted in contentment, to find the Pack's common room silent. They were always in pairs, even in a safe zone such as their personal Silver room. Though this was something Harry wasn't going to complain about. The twins had taken Draco and Neville to collect some ingredients for a new potion they were working on. Hermione was out on a date with Viktor. Ginny and Luna were still in Hogsmeade. He relaxed back into his chair, letting his mind drift.
This past week had been hectic with the second task, looking into the legal papers signed for the girls, and the tedious alliance the champions had made. Harry also knew that Dumbledore was planing something big. Minerva had said Dumbledore was acting strange, talking to the other headmasters and making arrangements. What for, she didn't know so she couldn't tell him. While Harry could worry about him, he had other things to do. One such things were the second 'dedication' blood ritual he was planing on doing that very night.
The ritual wasn't a dedication like his first ritual was. It was a blood ritual of his choice that was ment to test his control and endurance in the Blood Magic arts. He had been planning this ritual since he found mention of it in the Black library. It was classified as dark because it required a sacrifice but Harry had changed and modified it so he could get the permanet changes with his blood and runes. With that on his mind Harry pulled off his moleskin pouch and his blood knife from its fang sheath.
'Master what are you doing?' Nightshade crawled up onto his chair and onto his shoulders where she curled up under his loose hair. 'Are you doing another ritual?'
'Yes, my little one. I am doing one tonight. I will need both you and Amara to stay with the Pack while I'm gone. This shouldn't take more then a few hours.' Harry brushed her gently with two finger from her snout to her tail before he turned back to his preparations.
He needed to make sure that he had all his things because if just one thing went wrong with this ritual to night it would cost him much, including his life. While he was dabbling in some things like the mirrors or the exercises in the book. Harry hadn't really done any big magics with Blood. That was changing tonight. The ritual he had planned was going to make it so he could see magic when he choses to. It will be like his eyes have a second lens. He can feel magic, can see Tom's magic but he can't see all magics. To him, the magic around him is more of a sensation that once in a while will show like a light fog in his sight. He wanted to control that. He wanted to be able to look around and chose to see the magic or not. This ritual will strengthen his magical sight but will also give him the ability to control it at will.
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Dinner was lively, the energy coming from the teacher's table where the headmasters and mistress were talking excitedly together. Fred commented on how it looked like when he and George were planning a prank. Draco agreed, being on the receving end of the pranks more then once. The energy peeked when Dumbledore stood, silencing the hall full of student.
"Children, in light of the spirit of competition and togetherness, myself and the other Heads have decided to allow all students third year and above to get involved in the spirit by hosting a dueling tournament." The hall's silence was shattered by cheers. Students from all three schools turned to their neighbors to whisper and gossip. Dumbledore allowed it for only a minute or so. "It is mandatory for all four champions to compete but for all others, a sign up sheet will be made available tomorrow. It will be located beside the great hall doors. The tournament will start in one week and last both Saturday and Sunday. The duels will be done by randomly paired students and then the winners will move on to the next round and so untill there is, hopefully only three winners. We hope to have a winner from every school. With that said, have a great night and sweet dreams children."
Noise exploded in the hall, students getting up to leave at the clear dismissal. The Pack also stood but they weren't as cheerful as the others around them. Neville was the first to voice what they were all thinking. "Now we know what he was planning. It is a little convenient at the timing though. What do you think he's planning to achieve?"
"Who knows with his twisted logic. Pack just keep your heads down." Hermione muttered holding onto Viktor's arm. Harry traded looks with the others. This week was going to be fun.
"This is where I split from you. I'll see you guys when I'm done. Krum have a lovely night." He gave then a quick nod to the boy and passed Amara and Nightshade to Draco. "Keep them all in the common room will you? I don't want any wondering tonight. Twins that includes you both."
Fred and George threw an arms each over his shoulders with a grin. "Ah but Mi'Lord Alpha, we had the perfect prank planned for some naughty Lions and a few uptight Ravens."
Harry rolled his eyes, pulling away from the troublesome two. "Not tonight my Twins. Keep the playing to the common rooms."
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Harry knelt in the middle of the room. The ROR had given a stone chamber with no windows once again. The only light come from a single candle on each wall, give the room a low glow. His clothes were folded and set to the side. A calming breath and he was ready to proceed. Four fist sized clear quarts crystals were set at the cardinal points, while crushed amethyst circled around to make the boundaries of the circle. He took his knife next to carefully cut the rune Kenaza into the skin on the outsides of both his eyes, almost on his temples. He was going to put the rune on his third eye chakra point but he didn't want to cut too close to his scar. With that done, Harry cut into each of the heels of his palm before he was done with his knife.
The easy part was done. Harry closed his eyes to concentrate on the blood pooling into his hands and the blood rolling down his face from the runes. A steading breath and he delved into the hard part in the ritual. His voice rose in an ancient chant, calling on the magic with in and around him to bless him with the sight, all while his hands moved over his chest writing a seres of runes out before moving to the floor for an even more complicated seres. He completed the runes on the floor and relaxed back into his kneeling position. His chanting continued. Harry didn't know how much time passed, didn't know when his crystals started glowing, or when his blood started to glow. He ws so far into his mind and chanting that he didn't feel the pain of his blood shooting up the the runes on either side of his face and into the wound. He didn't feel his breath hitch at the rush of magic settling into his eyes even as his mouth kept speaking the words. Harry was lost to everything but magic he build up around his mind so he could complete the ritual with out killing himself. Just one small slip could cause the magic and blood to turn from it's purpose and kill him.
It wasn't until his magic slowly fell away from his mind that he slowed his chanting to a mutter, eyes opening for the first time since he closed them. The candles were dark but the crystals were glowing, illuminating the room. His hands were healed and he could feel the runes pulsing. His ritual worked. "Great Mother, I thank you for your gift. I pray you continue to guide me through the trials that I will encounter in the future. So the ritual is done, so mote it be."
The magic built up in the room rushed down into the stone floor and vanished. Harry spent the next hour mediating and allowing his mind to reacclimate to the changes he could feel in his magic. It was subtle, almost nonexistent, but like with after the dementors, he could feel the difference. It was like a small electrical current was running through his veins with the fire his magic started as and the ice that came with the dementors. They were all three his magic but they all represented his changes. Harry smiled pulling himself out of his mind and heart. He stood, his magic singing in his veins. It seemed that doing blood Magic rituals would strengthen him. He would have to try a few more to see if it was true, and what that will mean for him in the future.
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Harry arrived back into the Silver common room to find the whole Pack in the room. Draco was laid out on the couch reading a book with Luna using him as a pillow asleep. Neville was in his lynx form curled up in George's lap asleep. George sat awake, petting Neville's fur and talking to Hermione about a new rune project he wants to try. Fred and Ginny were asleep, Ginny curled up beside Fred who was using his twin's shoulder as a pillow. Harry felt the knot that aways formed when away from his Pack loosen. A soft, loving smile settled on his lips. This was his family, his Pack.
He slipped into the room without a sound and settled into his chair with a sigh. Hermione smiling, moved from her floor spot to his lap. Her legs over on arm of the chair and her head on his shoulder, she happily continued her conversation with George. Harry just settled one arm over her legs to hold her hip and the other over her shoulder, his fingers ghosting over skin in unnoticed patters as he relaxed into the feeling of his Pack around him. He knew that he should have the group move to the bedroom, that sleeping in the common room was a waste but he was to content to move. He fell asleep with Hermione's comforting heat in his arms and her heartbeat against his finger tips.
The founders watched on as Draco slipped to sleep followed by George and Hermione. Dobby soon appeared, draping blankets over everyone and restocking the fire so it would last through the night and keep the chill away. Helga motioned Dobby over and whispered to the house elf. Dobby nodded happily before disappearing. He returned only moments later with a camera. The Pack was blissfully ignorant as the house elf took a few pictures and vanished to return the camera to the owners he borrowed it from, Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. When the mates woke to find said pictures on the camera, well no one needed to know who got copies.
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The Dark Lord sat in his study looking over paperwork. His thoughts swirling between plans for his followers to his plans for one Harrison Evans. The boy had been on his mind more and more since they met back in the boy's first year. He didn't understand what drew him to the boy but he did know that Harry was his. There magic called for each other and the other wore his family's ring. If another had it Tom wouldn't have hesitated to kill the person and take the ring, his horcruxe, but it was on Harry's hand. His Harry had his horcruxe and family ring on his hand. That alone made Tom's magic spike in possessiveness. Oh yes, Harrison Evans was his, the boy just needed to figure that out because Tom wasn't letting him go for anything.
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The day of the dueling tournament came faster then the Pack thought it could. They had all signed up and with a quick mail-in they each had robes that were almost identical to the ones Harry wore in the first task. Harry stood in the front of the Pack as they walked to the pitch that was transformed into a dueling arena. They all had matching black dragon hide pants and knee high dragon hide boots. While Harry's had silver buckles the others stuck with laces. The males all wore the sleeveless under armor shirt, with charms woven in to keep them from being too cold or over heating, the girls wore long sleave under armor shirts. Harry had his fingerless gloves on, while the others didn't order any. The biggest difference between their robes and their Alpha's was the battle robe itself. While Harry's was sleeveless with green trimming and four buckles that ran from his throat to his navel, the Pack's was sleeveless with the traditional laces from their breast bone down to end of their ribcage. Thir pack mark, the celtic knot crescent moon, was on the back of the robe. Harry's in silver with green outlining it and the rest of the Pack had their's in green with silver outlining it.
They stood proud showing off their united statice with head held high and backs straight. The boys had their pack band gleaming so they caught the eyes as they passed the crowds by and the girls, after some modifications the night before, showed off their own bands that were gleaming on their wrists as bracelets. People stepped away as the group passed, a hush falling as eyes watched them proceed by.
'Dumbledore wants a show Pack. Let's give them one they will never forget.' Harry stopped before the dueling judges; one professor, professor Flitwick, one member of the school board, Lord Malfoy, and an auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt. 'Remember that in dueling that weapons are allowed but don't show your hand too soon. Leave them until the end matches. And Ginny no killing anyone, little assassin.'
Smiles and chuckles came from that. Ginny, that very morning, had gotten mad at Fred for playing a prank on her and threw on of her needles at him. She had hit his neck, paralyzing him. She had then left him untill Harry got back from his morning meeting with his Snakes. George was the one to call her an assassin and it seemed that it stuck, as Harry had called her it three times that day.
"Alright. Welcome everyone." Professor Flitwick stood up on his chair, a sonorus charm cast on himself. "The rules are simple, the duel lasts until one opponent is disarmed, unconsious, or is forced off the platform. There will be no dark magic, no killing, and if one of us call for a cease fire them the duel is over. Now the sorting hat was gracious enough to mix all the names of those who wish to compete together and give us back the first round of pairs. So with out farther waiting, the first duel we will be watching is Susan Bones and Gorin Semte."
The duels began. Duel after duel show casing the best and the worst duelers. Hermione was the first of the Pack to be called up onto the platform. Her duel only lasted five minutes against the Lion third years she was paired with. At the end she used a tripping hex causing the boy to fall off the platform. The Lion, in a show of respect, bowed to Hermione after she was declare winner. Hermione took it calmly, respectfully bowing back to her opponent.
Draco was the next Pack. He was paired with a cocky Durmstrang student. Draco took ten minutes before he ended the duel with a blasting hex, knocking the boy out. Luna, when it came to her turn, didn't cast a single spell for most of her duel. She just danced around the platform, dodging all the spells her French opponent sent her. Harry almost laughed when she won her duel with only a tickling charm. Fred and George both took her victory as a challenge, using every prank spell they knew to win their duels.
Harry's first duel was a disappointment for the audience as he was determined to uses only first year spells to win against the Durmstrang student he was pitted against. The student wasn't amused when he lost against such a strategy.
Ginny in her first duel was paired with Pansy Parkinson. Ginny hadn't wasted a single spell on the witch she hated, she got close enough and punch the girl straight in the face. The shock cause Pansy to drop her wand to hold her bloody nose. The judges called for a re-duel. Ginny then took her sweet time hexing Parkinson with the bat-bogey hex as many times as she could, which was twenty-three times, before Parkinson just ran off the platform in embarrassment. Ginny was just a touch too proud of herself.
'That was a little entertaining. Bravo, my assassion.' Harry grinned at her as she took her place behind him. Fred and George both wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
Neville was the last to be called of the Pack. His duel was drawn out for show. In the end Neville won by blasting his opponent off the platform, unconscious on landing. After that the tournament seemed to speed by. As planned before, Neville lost his third match and Luna lost her fifth one. Fred purposely lost in his seventh match. That left Hermione, Draco, George, Ginny, and Harry to continue on to the last rounds of duels the next day.
Harry signed, sliding off his outer battle robe as he sat down in his chair. The Pack followed his lead, all finding a place to seat in their common room. "Alpha do you still wish us to lose tomorrow?" Hermione asked. It had been planned out yesterday for them to lose the tournament but it still didn't sit well with her.
"Yeah. I want only Draco and myself to advance to the final matches. I want the rest of you to be underestimated." Harry reissues his orders.
"Tomorrow will suck." Hermione muttered pulling a healing book out that Luna had found her. She hated showing a weak front but her Alpha and lord told her to... doesn't meen she won't have him make it up to her with a few new books.
Harry sighed, he understood well what he ws asking his Pack to do by losing. It will make it seem like only he and Draco were the strong ones, the only ones to worry about in the Pack. But that was what he wanted the others to think. His venatores knew the truth, that's all he needed. He just know either way he was owing his Pack some gifts for doing this. He chuckled, causing a few glances, good thing he already ordered them then.
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Alright everyone, I'm a little out of the swing of things but I hope this chapter wasn't too bad. Please review and let the loves keep coming. I realy appreciate all the support you all keep giving me!