Harry Potter: A Tale of Revenge

Near the fireplace, from the area of the common room unofficially designated Dark territory, three older, stronger boys stood and stepped into the clear floor space between them. Romulus Volf led them. Everything about them made her eleven-year-old brain scream at her to run, hide, and wait to be saved. She focused on the feeling and magically crushed it, occlumency claiming her mind's sovereignty, even as her body flooded her with concentrated fight or flight, with the focus very much on flight.

The assembled crowd continued to laugh and joke. To the side, she thought she saw someone running a betting pool.

Behind her, Tracey whimpered.

She took a few more steps into the room and the shadows followed her. Fifteen metres of invaded personal space shrunk between them and the boys, all three of whom also had their wands out.

She tilted her head and spoke loudly enough for the whole room to hear. "Can I help you, Volf?"

The room quietened. A few chuckles could be heard around the room.

Romulus Volf glared. "Yes. You can step away from the mudblood right now if you know what's good for you, Heiress Greengrass," he said, disdain dripping from the honorific.

She held her chin high. "I know your family Volf - ancient, almost most ancient. Your family has a distinguished history. What do you have to gain from this?"

"That mudblood bitch has no right to be here!" Volf gestured behind her, to Granger. "How dare she pretend to be a pureblood! This is Slytherin House. They are not welcome here."

A few jeers from the crowd filled the space.

"That wasn't answering my question, Romulus of the Ancient House of Volf. What do you have to gain from this action? Do you believe you will gain support and respect - displaying your power by picking on an eleven-year-old girl?" She raised her chin again. "Do you think it is wise to antagonise two noble houses and all the resources at their disposal?"

It was a weak statement. Not least because many of said resources were currently watching and not doing anything.

Volf sneered. "I don't care about any of that shit! When purebloods are given their proper place, people like me will rule over blood traitors like you!"

One of her eyes twitched.

"But until then, what? You can raise that wand at me and those who serve the Most Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin if you wish, but that will not bring glory and honour to the house of Volf. "

Time to play her ace.

"Nor will it grant you favours with Lord Slytherin should he decide to take back control of Hogwarts Slytherin House!"

"I don't believe in Lord Slytherin!"

Her jaw dropped. "Wha?"

"When has this mysterious lord ever shown up to anything? I don't think he's real! He's never even been in the prophet once!"

She stood rooted to the spot. Words failed her.

Volf glowered. "I'll tell you one last time, Heiress Greengrass. Leave now or I will put you in the hospital wing too."

She swallowed and took a single defiant step to the side, overlapping her own shadow with Granger's. Her resolve hardened.

Behind her, a small gasp escaped Granger's lips.

She glared at Volf and his two cronies. "Despite what you may believe, one day, I will be Lady Slytherin!" She brought herself up to her full 4 foot 10 inches. "The Most Ancient and Noble House of Slytherin does not abandon those who serve it and have sworn loyalty to it! It does not forgive those who seek to harm those it protects! And it most certainly does not bow to cowards with the cunning of a flobberworm and the tact of a troll!

Red shot towards her and she shielded just before it reached her.

Granger's darted to the side, firing a stunner towards Volf.

Volf dodged.

Volf's goons opened fire.

Tracey dived for a nearby table.

She fired off her own spell chain, interrupted only to frantically sidestep one of Volf's bolts.

Granger reached a nearby armchair, just as their occupants scrabbled out of the way. One second and several dodged spells later, she joined Granger, trading hard stone floor for thick carpet.

The torrent of spells continued to rain down on their position, then stopped.

She heard the slap, slap, slap of rapidly approaching footsteps. She shielded.

Volf burst around the side of the chair.

Three shouts rang out.

One jelly legs jinx and a stunner slammed into Volf's pre-cast shield. One shield breaker shattered hers.

More footsteps.

She re-shielded.

Granger re-fired.

Volf quickly backed off and continued firing, dodging every other spell and shielding those he couldn't. His skill and experience shone through, taking on both her and Granger at close range.

Then, suddenly, her rate of fire slowed.

Damn!

She scrabbled over the chair just as a blue spell landed where she'd been. She landed on the other side…

"Got ya!"

… And her wand ripped from her hand, straight into the waiting grip of Goon A.

She looked around to see an equally wandless Granger scowling at Volf.

On the other side of the doorway, Tracey lay, roped and gagged.

Her heart thundered.

Stall. Stall now. "I suppose you think you've won!"

Volf looked at her, incredulous.

"Listen, little girl. You could have played nice and just handed over the mudblood."

Volf and Goon A walked forward.

She shared a glance with Granger. She nodded.

"But no, you had to make it difficult."

She could feel her magic flowing back into her, refilling her. Flowing down to the tips of her fingers.

"Now!" She flung up her hand and fired a red bolt towards Goon A. Another bolt joined hers, also firing towards Goon A.

Oh, damn.

Shock flashed across Volf's face, but only for a moment.

Goon A fell.

....

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