A/N: Hey, I finally got a quick one up, eh? Now that the summer is approaching, the updates will be much quicker (well, after finals and such, which for me are May 18 and 19), like how I used to be. (I wrote my first ever fan-fic in five days on another site. It was called 'Harry Potter and the Gryffindor Sword', horrible next to this one, but I was proud that I was able to sh*t out 40,000 words in five days.)
Okay, there's a bunch of references from my favorite pieces of 'literature' in this chapter, as well as a few plot devices. Enjoy!
Cheers!
Chapter 34
"OH MY GOD!"
Harry woke up with a start and immediately flushed a deep red, hurriedly pulling his bed sheets over his face - as well as Hermione, who was laying topless next to him, her face buried in Harry's neck while her hand was located somewhere south of the border.
Harry winced when Hermione awoke, her embarrassment of being caught like that making her clench her fists in anger. Not a good thing for Harry who had had a rough night with her only a few hours before.
By now Ron, who had been the one to open the curtains, had rushed from the room making gagging noises, but Harry had an inkling suspicion that he wasn't just messing around. If he ever saw his best friend in that position…Harry shook the mental image away and turned to Hermione, who was neatly blending in with the bed sheets in her embarrassment.
"Is he gone?" She asked, voice quivering.
"Yeah," He gave out a low laugh. "Bet ya twenty galleons he doesn't believe us when we tell him that we're still both virgins."
"No bet," She replied warily, sitting up and stretching before retrieving her clothing that was scattered all around the area and getting dressed in haste. She gave him a quick kiss before fleeing the boys dormitory and leaving Harry to the prying eyes of Dean, Seamus, and Neville.
"Come on guys, there's more you can do in bed than just sex, I swear on my Marauder that Hermione and I haven't crossed that line yet, we're gonna wait until we're married."
A few of them nodded and Harry shrugged, throwing some pants and his cloak on as he got up. "Well, we've got weapons today, right? Summers said that he was bringing in a few specialists today, so let's get some breakfast and get the ruddy hell over there!"
*****
After a short-lived and rather embarrassing breakfast (Parvati and Lavender kept glancing at Harry and Hermione, breaking into fits of giggles each time) the Victors all made their way to Weapons, all but Ginny were in the class.
They all took their seats and were somewhat surprised to see three other men standing in the room with Summers, all bearing a different weapon. One man looked to be in his late teens, had violently bright, spiky yellow hair, and had a powerful looking, long, thick sword draped over his back. Harry gulped, realizing that this would be the guy that he would most likely be fighting against. He was dressed in a blue suit of some kind, and his eyes glowed with some sort of green substance.
The man standing next to him was much less intimidating, as he couldn't have been more than a few years older than the students, if any at all. What was intimidating was the double-edged sword that he held in his hands, a v-shaped blade at each end, both glowing a beautiful sea-blue. He wore a red bandana over his head that partially covered his midnight-blue hair, a color Harry had never seen on a man before. He wore simple trousers in red and blue, but Harry got the feeling that he was much more dangerous than he looked.
The third was a huge man bearing an axe as large as Harry's torso. Harry immediately thought that the man must be a half-giant, but he had never seen one that was so…ripped. Muscles bulged from every curve of his body, and he was dressed in very tight and small golden warrior clothing, which just amplified his muscles even more.
"Okay guys, once our fourth guest gets here-"
"Sorry I'm late!" Came a high pitched voice from behind the class along with the sound of a door swinging open.
Every guy in the class' jaw dropped, except for Harry, who turned and gave his girlfriend a quick kiss, assuring her that he was invested in her and only her. Hermione smiled back at him, and nervousness she may have had completely vanished, and she laid her head on Harry's shoulder, sighing softly.
The woman walked towards the front of the class, all eyes following her. She wore unbelievably revealing clothes, a small white shirt that could have easily fit a runt in the Creevey family, and small biker shorts that didn't extend more than five inches past her waistline. She had a beautiful face and long, brown hair that reached to her lower back.
Every guy in the room groaned when she went up to the yellow-haired man and gave him a chaste kiss on the lips.
Professor Summers smiled and returned to the class. "How nice of you to show up Tifa," The brunette blushed a little but nodded. "Well everyone, this is Tifa, you can refer to her as trainer Tifa or Professor Tifa, or just plain Tifa. In fact, I don't think anyone here minds what they are called." The four guests nodded their head in agreement.
"Very well, Tifa here will be your practical self-defense teacher. She will be teaching you all in hand-to-hand combat. Who would like to volunteer?"
Before anyone could react, Malfoy scurried to the front of the class to meet the bombshell brunette. Sora chuckled. "Good luck Mister Malfoy."
Draco smirked at the Professor, obviously thinking that he could easily handle a girl. Tifa gave him a sort of small nod, then lifted her hands in a fighting stance, slowly hopping up and down from one foot to the other.
Draco charged in like a moron, giving a war cry, which was abruptly cut off when Tifa took one step forward, ducked easily under Draco's blow while swinging one foot around to take out his legs, and then coming up in a strong uppercut with her right fist and hitting Draco in the stomach before he ever even hit the ground.
Draco collapsed to the ground, panting and wheezing for breath, clutching his chest while the rest of the class roared in laughter, many of the guys silently thanking Draco for being the fastest to center-stage.
Tifa gave them all a beautiful smile, then turned back and went to her spiky-haired boyfriend. Sora cleared his throat and continued. "Well, Tifa's fiancée here is the greatest swordsman in the land, you can call him Cloud. We'll pass with the demonstration, we need to get to our little demo that's coming up soon."
All those at the front of the class grinned while the class started whispering excitedly. Sora nodded at the blue-haired man. "That man is Serge, the only swallow master known to man." Serge gave a small smile and the girls swooned.
Sora chuckled a little before pointing out the largest man in the room. "That there is Kongol, last man of the long-lost Gigantor race," Hermione gave a small gasp. "He is a master with the axe and he also is very good at handling and controlling dragons."
The class stared in awe as the Kongol grunted, apparently his way of saying hello.
"Okay then, just to show you how powerful technique is over power. Kongol, Serge, please take up your weapons, Cloud, good luck. When either Cloud has been dealt a fatal blow, or both Kongol and Serge have been defeated, this fight will be over - don't worry -" He said to the scared looks on all the young wizards and witches faces. "The room has been charmed so that the weapons may do no physical harm, when they come into contact with skin, they will only pass through and leave a mark - completely non-painful. Now, begin!"
The class watched in awe as Cloud smirked and stepped forward, Tifa leaning back against the wall smiling knowingly while Kongol and Serge closed in on him nervously.
Kongol gave a war cry and dove in, swinging his axe in a high overhead blow while Serge charged in behind him, one point of his swallow pointed forward.
Cloud looked like he was toying with children as he brought his sword up in a block to the big man's axe, and catching his blade in the crook of one of the axe's blades, he pivoted on his right foot and kicked off the Gigantor with his right, twisting his sword with incredible technique and flipping over the back of the giant, ripping the axe from his grasp and sending it flying across the room.
He slashed his blade clean through the huge man's neck, and flung his right foot out behind him to catch the unsuspecting Serge in the face.
Serge's nose broke under the impact and he stumbled back, giving Cloud his window. The amazing swordsman was nothing but a flurry of arms as he held a two-hand grip on his sword and attacked the young Serge mercilessly, never letting up on his attack.
Cloud threw a vicious combo of a downward slice, which Serge countered by cutting upwards with his swallow and spinning, using the momentum to hurl the other end of the swallow at Cloud.
Cloud saw this coming a mile away and dove down to the ground with his hands, and caught the end of Serge's swallow with his feet in an acrobatic headstand. Serge tried to reverse the swallow and slice Cloud from his pelvis to his throat, but Cloud, knowing that this was the only attack available to Serge, kicked off of the swallow and spun sideways, and the blade missed him by inches, while the momentum of the swing caused Serge to trip forward.
His fall, had this been a true duel, would have been ended on the end of Cloud's sword, which now was thrust through the young man's midsection. Somehow Cloud had been able to flip out of his handstand and end up on his knees while putting his blade in the exact location where he knew Serge's momentum would take him.
Cloud withdrew his blade and nodded at Serge, then at Kongol, and retook his place next to his girlfriend Tifa.
Sora smiled and looked at his awestruck class. "Now don't go having any delusions of grandeur, Cloud is the best swordsman there has ever been. He has slain dragons, a corrupt Soldier from the past, but that is his story to tell."
Harry was astonished to see the blond man in tears, being comforted by the voluptuous Tifa while she mouthed something while nodding her head.
'That's odd,' Harry thought, as he read the woman's lips. 'What would air have to do with anything?'
"Now," Sora continued, snapping Harry out of his daze as he tuned back in on the weapons master of Hogwarts. "Those using swords will be with Cloud, those using axes will be taught by Kongol, those of you with swallows are with Serge, while the people whose weapons promote small hand-to-hand combat, such as knives or nun-chucks, will be with Tifa. Finally all those with long range weapons are with me."
The class split evenly into many groups, Harry finding himself in a small group of four; it was just Cloud, Harry, Malfoy, and Katrina Giggs. He glanced around and spotted Ron standing with Serge, Dean and Seamus with Kongol, while Parvati, Lavender, Neville, and Hermione were talking animatedly with Professor Sora Summers.
"Okay, what do the three of you know about your weapons?" Cloud asked them in a deep, manly voice that showed no emotion. Apparently 'Cloud' was not an emotional person.
Harry held his up. "This is the Gryffindor Sword, but it's also known as 'The Sword of Bravery'. It belonged to Godric Gryffindor." Cloud nodded his head as he examined the sword, and turned to face Katrina.
"This is the Yun-Harla," Cloud raised his eyebrows but said nothing. "Rumor's got it that it comes from a distant land. It's actually organic, an actual, living sword. It bonds with it's owner - me - and together we fight more powerfully."
Cloud cleared his throat and turned to Draco, who smirked and pulled out a long, sharp blade. "This is the Masamune."
"No it's not." Cloud interrupted sharply, peering at the sword. "I destroyed the masamune myself, after taking care of it's owner of course. The masamune is stuck in the very lifestream of this planet, it will never return. Only one known thing has ever ventured into the earth's core and lived to tell the tale."
"What was that?" Harry blurted, not realizing that his question may be rude.
Cloud gave him a tight smile. "Me."
Harry's mouth formed an 'o' and he shut up, while Draco fumed next to me. "Well if this isn't the masamune, then what is it? I swear, when my father hears about this-"
"He won't be able to do anything about it," Cloud interrupted forcefully. "What you have is nothing more than a relic, a remake of the sword. It is powerful nonetheless, but nothing compared to the Masamune."
"So what is your sword called?" Katrina asked, but something in her eyes lead Harry to believe that she knew more about it than she was letting on.
Cloud gave her a quizzical expression before answering, "The Buster Sword. I received it from a dying friend, the first friend I had ever had."
Harry took a glance at Ron, not able to imagine what he would go through if he lost him. "I'm sorry."
"Don't be. Now let's see what you've got!"
Harry nodded and rose his sword, trying to not show any fear at the obvious master. Cloud struck with an overhead cut immediately, and Harry threw his blade up to parry and succeeded, but Cloud didn't release the pressure and Harry's arms began to tremble under the strength of Cloud.
Suddenly, with no idea of how it happened, Harry was on the ground with a sword stuck threw his stomach. "What in Merlin?" He stammered, and Cloud gave him a small nod.
"You did well to defend yourself, but you need to pay more attention to my movements, aside from what I do with my sword. You were so preoccupied with parrying my blow that you didn't even notice when I kicked out your knees."
He turned to Katrina, shook his head slightly, and then came to Draco. "You next."
Draco nodded, and without any warning sliced his sword at Cloud. The spiky haired man, with reflexes like a Kneazle, had his sword up in the blink of an eye, and easily parried the blow with a loud clinging noise. Next he took a step towards Draco, who was struggling to keep Cloud's sword from breaking through, and elbowed the blonde-haired Slytherin hard in the nose.
Draco staggered back in pain, and then found himself with a slice mark across his neck. Had this been a true duel, Draco's head would be lying on the floor.
He gave Draco a slight smile. "You give no warning, very good. I do not believe completely in honor, in the end, if you are dishonorable, you are still the man breathing while the other is dead. Who is the winner? You are."
Draco smirked at Harry, obviously intending to make a slight at Harry's bravery and honor. But Cloud cut him off. "But you have weak technique. True, your parry was textbook, but that sword is far too heavy for you. The man I destroyed who held that true sword, you actually look somewhat like him, was one of the strongest yet agile men in the world. You are much too weak for a sword like that. You need to strengthen your body if you ever wish to duel efficiently with it."
The smirk was no where to be seen now, which gave Harry a small satisfaction. Cloud turned stone-faced to Katrina. "Giggs, now it is your turn."
She nodded and brought her odd-looking sword up. It was an actual plant, only it was hard as steel and seemed to work well with Katrina. She smiled and rose it. Surprising both Harry and Draco, Cloud took the initiative and struck first.
Katrina rose her blade in front of her and spun, knocking the Buster Sword aside while she got herself positioned behind Cloud. She tried to slice through his upper-body, but it was to no avail as he had already ducked.
Without even looking down, Katrina leapt in the air and over Cloud's sweeping kick that he had defeated both Draco and Harry with. Cloud immediately brought his sword behind him on a diagonal slant to block Katrina's next blow, then, stunning everyone, he pivoted on the sword, driving the blade into the ground as he lifted himself up and flipped atop of Katrina's outstretch blade, touching one foot on the sword before flipping backwards and landing a hard kick on Katrina's face, sending her flying backwards.
Cloud hurled his sword at Katrina even before she hit the ground, and the blade stuck through her stomach and into the floor beneath her.
Katrina sighed in defeat, holding her nose to help stop the blood and tossed it back to Cloud. He spoke. "You are strong, you know your strengths, and your weaknesses. I only have one piece of advice for you. It is not bravery if you commit the act in cowardice."
Harry was blown away by his words. 'What in Merlin does that mean?' A quick glance at Draco told him that the young man was thinking the same thing. Katrina nodded with a tight smile, and looked thoughtfully at the wall, as if contemplating the words. Apparently she had gotten the message.
"That is all for today. I will leave you now. We'll meet again next week."
Cloud left with these words, leaving a very confused Draco and Harry in his wake, as well as a thoughtful Katrina.
*****
A/N: No doubt some of you are confused right now. But some of you may have gotten some of the plot twists there. I highly recommend playing the video games Crono Cross, Final Fantasy 7 (hey, I can put Tifa and Cloud together if I want! :p ps, did you catch the aerith reference?), and The Legend of Dragoon, the last one being the greatest video game of all time.
I hope you guys liked that chapter though, lol, Mister_Midnight, I'm sure you got at least a few of the references! I dunno about you other guys though.
R/R!