A/N: Okay, here's chapter 30. I meant for the duel to last longer, but I decided to cut it short, hopefully you liked it all the same! That bone-breaker curse is not of my invention (though the incantation is) it comes from the great fic 'Harry Potter and the Acceptance of Fate' on fanfiction.net. It's a great read, everyone should check it out. R/R!
Cheers!
*****
Chapter 30
"Tell the friend to go," Kris said, waving a hand dismissively at Ron. "You wouldn't want yet another meaningless death on your conscious, would you?"
That had hit home on Harry. His eyes burned with a fury that had never been before seen. Somehow, miraculously, Harry was able to put a stopper in his urge to kill the man on the spot (maybe this was enhanced by the fact that he knew that he couldn't kill him) and simply smiled at Giggs, casting a quick, triumphant look at Ron.
"This friend, happens to be the only person I know that has ever stunned Albus Dumbledore, in a fair duel. What makes you think that you could defeat him?"
"Ah, yes," Giggs said with a malicious grin. "I believe you are referring to the ten on three your precious 'Victor' group fought against Albus, Alastar, and Kingsley? Yes, ten on one, as Alastar and Kingsley were both out of the fight early, is not exactly what I would call a fair duel."
He gave a wicked smile at the astonished faces on Harry and Ron's faces. "Oh yes, I know all about your precious club, and you're precious mudblood girlfriend Potter."
He said the word 'mudblood' with so much malice that it made the hairs on Harry's hand stand tall.
"Katrina!" Ron spat angrily. "That conniving b***ch sold us out! I knew she was rotten from the off!"
Harry cast him an unsure glance. "We never told Katrina about that battle Ron," Harry said slowly, a wave of intense realization hitting him. "Only thirteen people know about that battle. That can only mean one thing…"
Ron gasped as the realization hit him as well. "A traitor…"
"Yes, well, it would be no fun telling you who the traitor in you midst is, now would it? It is certainly not that good for nothing daughter of mine, as Mr. Potter so kindly pointed out." He gave them a wicked grin. "Now show me what you're made of. Kriptify!"
Harry reacted quickly, shoving Ron forcefully away from him and in turn propelling himself backwards. The spell came within centimeters of Harry's nose, he could feel the cool breeze left in its wake, but it passed by with no harm done.
Harry made a quick spin, then kicked off a seat and leapt high in the air, bellowing, "Stupefy!" Ron had shot the same spell at the same time, but Giggs only laughed, and with a quick flick of his wrist, unfortunately to quick for Harry to recognize and memorize, the spells vanished.
"Come on Potter! You can do better than that! Expedimus draconis!"
Harry had no time to react as the phoenix-fire spell caught him in mid air, hurling him backwards over the grandstand and down to the quidditch pitch below.
"Damn! Accio!" Harry screeched though an anguished scream, his very flesh burning under the intense flames. He used the summoning spell to pull himself back up to the duel, where Ron was desperately trying to fend off Giggs.
"Frontaga!" Giggs yelled, catching Ron unprepared. What happened next made Harry's stomach lurch. There was a sickening crack in Ron's arm where the spell had hit, and Harry watched, horrified, as Ron's bone splintered and cracked, forcing itself through his skin in a nasty compound fracture.
Giggs gave an evil grin to Harry before finishing Ron off. Diffindo slythano mortis!" Harry winced as a red flash erupted from Giggs wand, slicing Ron's flesh open in a deep cut from his lower leg up to his torso. Ron managed to screech once in pain before passing out, blood oozing recklessly from his untamed wounds.
"Hmm, Dumbledore must be losing his touch, being stunned by such an unworthy opponent. Never mind, your turn now Potter. Tropica rebado!"
Harry was unable to dodge the oddly colored hex, and it caught him straight in the chest, making him stumble backwards slightly. At first Harry felt unaffected, but that quickly vanished as he realized that his body temperature was starting to rise, his body breaking out in an uncontrollable sweat.
"Dissindo." Harry rasped, pointing at his own head. He needed to find shelter quick before he died of a heat stroke.
"Not getting away that easily Potter! Kriptify!"
Harry was able to get out of the way of the stunner, and thinking quickly, he whipped out his wand and thought, rather than spoke, accio, and was able to hurl himself up fifty feet onto an overhead balcony.
He fell to his knees, seeing stars in front of him, before he was finally able to gasp, "Afraccio," On himself, giving him a wave of relief as the coolness passed over him, only to have his temperature rise again. Once again he used the spell, and his temperature started to rise until it stopped abruptly, the spell finally wearing off.
Finally cured, he whipped his head over the balcony to see Giggs with his wand held over the helplessly beaten and battered form of his best friend. He was just in time as well, as he was able to catch what Giggs was yelling.
"You have five seconds to show yourself Potter, or the Weasel dies. Four seconds," Harry jumped from the overhang and landed softly (aided by the banishing spell) a hundred meters behind Ron and Giggs.
"Four seconds," Harry was at a dead run towards Giggs' back, his sounds silenced with a charm. "Three seconds," Harry was to far away, he wouldn't make it in time. "Two seconds," Harry accio'd the ground behind Giggs, pulling himself within ten meters of him.
"One second," Harry frantically picked up a Chudley cannons brochure and muttered, "Rapidamente portus." "Too late Potter. "Avada Kedavra!"
Just in time Harry hurled the brochure at Ron, hitting him before the killing curse could, and his best friend was whisked away to Hogwarts. The killing curse exploded the ground in front of Giggs, sending tiny pieces of pavement up into his eyes. "Arrgghh!"
"Kriptify!" Harry bellowed victoriously, but somehow Giggs managed to fling himself out of the way.
Spinning on his stomach, still partially blinded from the pavement that had struck him, Giggs yelled, "Diffindo slythano mortis!"
Harry, who was stunned at seeing Giggs react so quickly, caught the spell on his upper forearm. "AAAHHH!" He screeched in a high-pitched, woman-like voice as he felt as if he had been sliced open with a knife.
Thinking quickly, Harry ripped off part of his cloak and wrapped it around his bleeding arm, muttering a quick sanitary charm that should help with the bleeding.
Finally he turned his eyes back on Giggs, who now sported a nasty gash over his eyelids, but seemed to be seeing just fine. "Very impressive Potter, very impressive. But I wonder how you can keep up with this? Blazar acuzar!"
"Sh*t!" Harry spat, seeing the three foot blade of black energy erupt from the tip Giggs wand. "Gotta beat fire with fire. Blazar acuzar!" Harry yelled, praying to Merlin that he got the wand movement down correctly.
Harry was rewarded when a bright emerald light shot out of his wand, somewhat resembling the Gryffindor Sword. "F**k yeah baby!" Harry yelled triumphantly, bringing his sword of energy to bear down on Giggs, who laughed.
"Ahh, I see Granger has taught you how to use your sword," Harry frowned, Hermione had taught him nothing of the sort. "Now let's see how well you handle it!"
Harry rolled his eyes despite himself, finally catching on. "Very funny Giggs. Now let's see who's the better swordsman!" At this Harry brought his blade down in a right to left slash taught to him by Professor Summers.
Giggs only laughed and parried the blow with ease. He then brought his own blade up in a complicated twirling slash aimed at Harry's heart, but Harry managed to duck and roll while stabbing his sword in an upward direction, barely re-directing the blow inches over his left shoulder.
"Now I see good old Sora has been teaching you a few tricks boy? Too bad I taught him everything he knows!" Harry was momentarily stunned by this news, and was not able to completely block Giggs next blow, which landed a painful slice on his already-injured shoulder.
Harry winced in pain but held his ground, grasping the hilt of his wand in a powerful two-handed grip. He dove forward and feinted an upward slice, and instead opted for a cut at Giggs right arm.
Giggs saw this coming a mile away, and when Harry turned to make his cut, he put his black blade straight through Harry's upper thigh.
"AARRGGHH!" Harry screamed, involuntarily leaping back and off of the blade, making the wound even worse. In the intense pain Harry's sword faltered and shut off, emitting an emerald cloud of smoke before rendering itself useless.
Now Harry was slowly seeing tunnel vision, he could literally see his peripheral vision getting smaller as darkness began to creep in from the corner of his eyesight.
Gritting his teeth in pain, Harry did the only thing he could think of, now that his wand was useless. He caught Giggs completely by surprise and tackled him to the ground, feeling a sick pleasure in hearing Giggs skull make a loud thud against the ground.
The man's sword evaporated just as Harry's did, but Harry ignored it for now and concentrated on the punching bag that was now Kris Giggs' face. He got a solid two or three hits in before Giggs scrunched his legs together and kicked Harry in the stomach, hurling him back a few feet and forcing a hard landing on his bad leg.
Harry immediately collapsed and vomited blood all over the ground. Giggs was looking at him strangely as he limped over to where Harry lay in a heap on the ground. He was dead. Harry knew it. He was completely defenseless and Giggs would kill him right here and now.
"Potter, you have fought gallantly," Giggs said, standing over Harry's bruised and beaten body. "As both of our wands have faltered, this duel is a draw." Harry looked at him in shock. "Don't act so surprised Potter, that is how a duel is completed. Both of our wands have been rendered useless, fair and square. We will meet again, Potter. Until then…"
A silent pop and he was gone. But Harry didn't see this, as he had already blacked out…
*****
Harry woke up with his vision blurred by a ticklish chestnut-brown substance. It took him a minute to realize that this was Hermione's hair, and that he must be back in the Hospital wing at Hogwarts.
He groggily shifted his body so that he was sitting up, wincing as his muscles ached from the movement. He looked down and smiled at Hermione's sleeping form, stroking her hair gently.
Harry leaned back against the backboard of the bed and lost himself in thought. Who was Giggs, exactly? He was no doubt the most powerful wizard Harry had ever faced, next to Dumbledore, of course. There was no record of the man anywhere, and he knew so much about Harry and the Victors, it was unnerving.
There had to be a snitch. It was the only explanation. But who could it be? There was no way it was Ron, Hermione, or Neville. It was not even possible for it to be one of them. He doubted that Ginny could betray her friends like that, so she seemed unlikely as well. Luna, though he did not know her well, just didn't seem to fit the description of a spy.
Harry trusted Dean and Seamus with his life, he had known them both for six years, and there was no way that they would betray him.
Lavender and Parvati were the ones that he knew the least about. And they were both gossips, and somewhat airheads as well. Could one of them possibly said something and given away information without realizing it?
But to who then? Katrina? Giggs certainly didn't seem to like his daughter, but it could very well have been an act. Giggs was somehow getting information out of the school, but Harry had no idea how.
He groaned in frustration and slammed his fist down on the hard nightstand. The sudden noise woke Hermione with a start.
"Harry?" She said, almost in disbelief. Harry shook his head in conformation, not that she needed it. "Oh Harry!" She sobbed, wrapping him in a tight embrace. "I was so afraid that I was going to lose you."
"Shh, it's okay Scarlet, I'm not going anywhere. I'm here for you, for now and forever." Hermione pulled her head up from Harry's chest, smiling at him. He wiped away her tears with his thumb and kissed her softly on the lips.
It was then that he remembered about the traitor. "Hermione," He said urgently, looking at her intensely. "Look, Giggs, when we dueled," Hermione's eyes flew open in shock, but Harry ignored it. "He knew things about us, about the Victors."
Now Hermione's eyes grew very large. "There's a traitor Hermione, but I don't know who it is, I can't pinpoint it."
Hermione shook her head in defiance. "No Harry, none of the Victors have betrayed you. Everyone signed that paper, we watched them. Believe me, that charm was perfect, I'm sure of it. If there was a traitor, we'd know." She looked back at Harry with concern.
"You said you battled Giggs?" Harry shook his head in confusion. "You're sure? Because everyone thought that you and Ron got in a duel, because they found him on the quidditch pitch, two inches from death, and they found you a few hours later, in the same condition, right at the spot where he portkeyed. The auror's assumed that you two had gotten into some kind of argument and dueled one another."
Harry stared at her, mouth agape. "What? How could they think that? Ron's my best friend! We would never go at each other like that! Not now that we've sorted out our differences! Where is he? I have to talk to him!"
Hermione looked at Harry teary-eyed. "He's in St. Mungo's, in the critical ward," Tears started to spill out over her cheeks. "Oh, Harry! They don't think he's going to make it!"
Harry sat back hard against the bed. Ron dead? No, it wasn't possible, Harry wouldn't let another friend die because of him. "He'll be fine," He said to Hermione, but he was secretly saying it for himself. "I know it."
He saw Hermione's tearful expression, but something else was there as well. What was it? Guilt? Shame?
Harry gasped. "Hermione, you…you believed them, didn't you? The auror's. You actually thought that Ron and I would duel!" He was angry now, his voice rising to an accusatory shout.
Hermione broke into uncontrollable sobs and turned away from Harry. "I'm sorry! I didn't want to believe it Harry, I really didn't. But all the evidence was there! He had slices all over his body, and the last spell you had used was the light-sword spell, it all added up!"
"Oh yeah! Then how the f**k did they think he portkeyed back to Hogwarts huh? Think he made one while he was knocked unconscious? Bull****! And you, I can't believe you believed them, Hermione. You know us better than anyone else, and you actually bought into their story."
"I'M SORRY!" She screamed, trying to look Harry in the eye, but he stubbornly averted his eyes. "What else was I supposed to think? All the evidence pointed towards you and Ron having a duel! There was even a witness that said he saw you shove him to the ground!"
"THAT'S BECAUSE GIGGS WAS SHOOTING STUNNERS AT US! I'LL BET THEY DIDN'T SEE THAT DID THEY?" Harry was fuming and he was making Hermione cry, but right now he didn't care. "Hermione, I love you, with all my heart, but right now, I don't want to talk to you. I need some time to digest this. And you better bloody well go and apologize to Ron as well."
With this Harry turned his head and lay back down in the bed, signaling that the conversation was over. He heard Hermione leave in tears, and he felt bad about it, but he felt that she deserved what he said to her.
How could she, of all people, think that he and Ron had had a duel? And what was going to happen when the reporters got a hold of this? 'Oh Merlin,' Harry thought. 'Last time I fought Giggs I was out for about a week. I was probably out even longer this time. Damn!'
A realization had just come to Harry. 'If I've been out for more than five days, then I missed Hermione's birthday!'
*****
A/N: I hope you liked the chapter! I know I had fun writing it! I love writing duels more than anything else, and most people tell me that they are my strongest point in my writing, so that's cool. There were a couple of interesting twists, no? it'll be a while for them to be resolved though!
Preview: Harry makes the trip to Mungo's to see Ron, will Harry and Hermione make up?, Harry begins to do something without telling anyone - not even Hermione.