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Prompt RBC HARRY —baby!Harry decides after the Attic Incident (and her father’s continued loathing of all things potions) to become obsessed with Defense instead, and so picks out a master to idolize. No, not Moody, or Dumbledore, or that Lockhart fellow. Harry chooses Lord Riddle, Defense Master and leader of the Save Our World Party. After all, who best to help her control the Dark masquerading as her magic than the powerful wizard who insists that not all Dark Magic is evil?
The room was on fire with the flames leaping high and higher. The portrait was screaming and burning up but she could hear Archie calling her name.
“Harry! Harriet! Wake up!” Harry sat straight up in bed almost hitting her head against her cousin’s. Archie’s grey eyes were worried and full of tears. “Harry, harry are you ok?”
“I’m ok Archie. It was just a bad dream.” Harriet hated that this seems to be her new norm the nightmare of the fire and Archie being hurt. But the dreams just wouldn’t stop no matter what she did. Having Archie stay with her helped, that way he woke her up before their parents heard. The last time her dad or mom had heard her nightmare they looked like their hearts were braking. She couldn’t do that to them.
“Go back to sleep Arch. It will be fine in the morning.”
“Alright Harry, if you say so.” So, saying Archie laid back down beside her holding onto her hand. Harry lay back and tried to calm her self by listing potion ingredients but just couldn’t concentrate and ended up just listening to Archie breathing beside her instead.
The next morning Harriet sat at the kitchen table feeling sad and frustrated as Archie slept on. It was over whelming and Harry couldn’t take it anymore. This darkness inside her had to be controlled. Potions didn’t seem to be working, just pushing her father further away from her family. There had to be something she could do, she was desperate.
“What’s the matter Fawn?” her father called as he came down the stairs getting ready for work. Fawn was her special nickname that Uncle Sirius had given her when she was little because of her father being a buck.
“Here, cheer up the Holyhead Harpies won last night. See for yourself.” As James said this, he handed her the Daily Prophet. On the front was the Holyhead’s victories for their opening game but something else had caught her eye. Save Our World Party Leader Lord Riddle concludes his world defense tour. Lord Riddle concludes his highly successful world tour of Defensive Magic tour with a visit to Nurmengard to see defensive wards at the prison. Defense, of course that was it she needed a defense against the dark magic she could weld. There was bound to be defensive magic that would help her control her dark powers. That was her father and Uncle Sirius’s job! She could get a defense mastery or at least learn some skills. She couldn’t ask Dad or Uncle Sirius they didn’t know about how scared she was of her magic. Yes, an outside source would be best. While she knew Mom and Dad didn’t exactly approve of Lord Riddle there wasn’t a ton of witches and wizards with Defense Mastery’s. She would have to do some reading and see if she could find anyone easier to get to than Lord Riddle but he was always a second choice.
Tom Riddle sat in his chair before the fire staring into it as if it held the answer, he sought. His right-hand Lucius Malfoy had brought him disturbing news of his pollical party’s losses while he was away. Fools, he thought, could they do nothing right without his direction. How hard was it to pass one bill about community regulations for Diagon Alley? It should have been easy with the good will he had managed to drum up from the business owners. But Malfoy had told him that the bill had failed and their recruiting efforts were at an all time low. He needed something big something flashy to remind everyone of his strength and power. His latest Defense Tour had done wonders for his international recruitment perhaps that would be the ticket.
“Yes,” he whispered to the flames as a smile grew on his face, “a dueling tournament would be just the thing.”
He would show how much power the Dark brought and beat the Light back into their small little corner. No one would stand against him and his party after such a showing, now it is only left to make sure Dumbledore is out of his way. The international confederation of wizards was having a conference at the end of the month, this would be the perfect time.
James Potter was quite impressed with his little fawn, the last couple of weeks she had asked for books about defensive magic and shields and was devouring them as fast as she could. He had even caught her and Archie “practicing” with their toy wands that spat colored lights. While he was curious about the switch from potions, he couldn’t help but be relieved that his little Fawn was taking after him and Sirius. Archie was still talking his mother around to his being a Quidditch player or announcer. But his Fawn was asking more and more about defense mastery and the aurors. He had a special surprise for her and Archie that he couldn’t wait to share. He had been told today by the Head Auror that he and Sirius had been selected for the dueling tournament. This was a huge honor because the Auror department was only letting three of their members compete while the others would be helping with security.
Harriet had been reading every defensive magic book she could make sense of from both the Potter and Black libraries. Archie had been a great help with practicing the movements but she could still feel her magic circling her it felt like a large cat stalking everything she did. She wasn’t having as many nightmares since she had Mastery Riddles article on meditation to focus before a duel. Harriet’s Father and Uncles were always interested in talking to her about the theories of defense especially Uncle Moony since that was his study at the moment. While she could ask him to teach her after he finished his Mastery next summer Harry didn’t think she could wait that long. She could feel her magic slipping out and it felt stronger every time. Yes, she had decided that Lord Riddle was her best choice for a Master. He was always talking about magic not being evil just misunderstood and that wizards must master their magic. She wanted to finish one more article from Master Riddle before her father got home. Her parents never said anything about her reading his article but she knew that they didn’t support his politics. It was easier to not show too much interest in him before he agreed to teach her. No sense in up setting her parents before anything happened. Especially with how well her and her dad were getting along now that potions didn’t stand between them.
The dining room at the Potters that evening was lively with everyone talking over each other. Sirius pounded on the table as James stood up. James cleared his throat and said,
“Fawn, Archie we have an exciting surprise for you. Since you have recently been so interested in defense mastery and the aurors we got you tickets to the dueling tournament the ministry is hosting next week. Both me and Sirius are going to be competing and would love for you to come cheer us on. As you know it will be three days of matches and then a final with the last two on Friday. What do you say kiddos are you ready to watch your dads kick some butt?”
“James! Language!” Lily calls out.
“That sounds awesome Dad.” “We’ll really get to see all the matches?” Harry and Archie spoke on top of each other.
“Sure, will kiddos.” Sirius smirked. The dueling tournament and defensive magic was all anyone talked about the rest of the night.
As the day of the first match drew closer Archie and Harriet grew more and more excited. Harriet was reading at double her usual pace to try and know as many spells as she could. And Archie was trying out his announcer voice to practice calling the duelers and their moves to their mothers. Both their fathers had been spending extra time at the aurors gym to practice for their matches and were excited to show their children their best moves.
On the morning of the dueling tournament Lily had made pancakes for everyone at the Potters. The whole family was attending the first day to watch James and Sirius but only the children would be there every day. As Harriet and Archie gobbled up their pancakes they could hold in their excitement. Harriet couldn’t wait to see her father and Uncle duel but what excited her the most was watching Lord Riddle’s matches. Watching a Master duel would allow her to see if her stance was correct and pick up things that she couldn’t get out of books, like the speed of spells.
As Tom Riddle walked into the ministry he was greeted by his followers and their children. Most of the crowd being there to support a family member competing. This worked perfectly for Lord Riddle, it was an opportunity to see the competition and scope out talent to recruit. He could see Master Black going around and double checking his wards on the competition stages. There were three in order to accommodate the needs of hundreds of duelers as well as a floating board showing the names of duels for which match and stage. Riddle had stressed to his followers the need to make a good showing against Dumbledore’s party and as such as one with any kind of dueling prowess had signed up. It seemed that Dumbledore, while not present himself, had given much the same advice. Riddle smiles at his followers as his congratulations himself on a masterful plan.
James was not dueling the first round so the Potter/Black family was gathered to watch Sirius wipe the floor with his first opponent, a Fawley cousin. Sirius was relaxed and lose as he started bouncing in place before taking his stance. As the official counted down to three, he became more focused on his opponent who looked younger and inexperienced. Sirius started with a couple of prank hexes to distract his opponent before stunning him. The Fawley cousin blocked two of the hexes but missed the stunner and was out. “Lord Black wins round one!” the official called out and the Potter/Blacks cheer and yell. Harriet was fascinated by how quick her uncle had shot his spells. James saw her watching and couldn’t wait to show his little Fawn how fast and creative he was. As the family moved to the center dueling stage to get ready for James’s duel, they were stopped by Lord Malfoy and his son.
“Congratulations Lord Black it seems that your color changing spells were useful after all.” Lord Malfoy said with a barely concealed sneer.
“Lord Malfoy, how wonderful you can recognize basic spells. I guess it’s because you use them on your hair every night so sweet Cissy doesn’t leave you.” Sirius answered back quickly.
Suddenly an overwhelming presence of magic surrounded Harriet, she could almost taste it on her tongue. As she looked behind Lord Malfoy, she could see Lord Riddle approaching them.
“Gentlemen, is everything alright here? Lord Black, congratulations on your first match. Lord Potter your match should be interesting as well. And these must be your Heirs?” Master Riddle smiles at Harriet and Archie as Lord Malfoy and Sirius regain their composure.
“Lord Riddle may I introduce my Heir Harriet Potter and Heir Arcturus Black.” James quickly steps forward trying to break up the impending fight.
As Harriet looks up at Lord Riddle, she feels her magic gathering and spilling lose. Master Riddles magic seems to swirl around it trapping it close to her as she gasps. This was more proof that she was meant to be his apprentice if his magic could already control hers without even trying.
“A pleasure to meet the next generation of such powerful families.” Lord Riddle smiles as he excuses himself and Lord Malfoy to go the next arena.
As Harriet watches them walk away, she feels her magic seeping back beneath her skin. Yes, she thinks to herself, I will get Lord Riddle to train me if it’s the last thing I do. Unknown to her that Lord Riddles’ thoughts were running in the same direction about the coop it would be to train the Potter Heiress as his apprentice.
“Lucius, I want to know everything about the Potter Heiress but Friday.” Lord Riddle spoke softly to his right hand. The girl didn’t yet have control but he would teach her that, and a few other things. As Lord Riddle walked toward his first duel, he smiled this week would be more beneficial than he had imagined.