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"So you want to WHAT?" Sirius shouted as his eye nearly popped over in shock and aghast.
"Well I want to walk right into the keep," Harry answered with a shrug. "It's the only way we do not suffer great losses and have to camp out for week on end."
"There is no need for his lordship to put himself in harm's way," Lieutenant Alex stated, "we are willing to sacrifice ourselves to your cause."
Holding his hand up, "I thank you for your steadfast loyalty, Alex, I really do, but I won't return the gesture by throwing you at horrible odds. Anyways if I am not willing to place myself in the same precarious situation as you all, then what Lord and Leader would I be, I need to lead by example and show my men that I put their safety and well being before anything else."
"That good and all, but would that even matter if you die?" Sirius snorted, as he was clearly the hardest advocate against this little idea of his.
"Think about," Harry said as he tried to make them look at his perspective, "Ser Gimball would never expect anything from me. I come to check up on my vassal, which isn't strange in the least bit. He would have to allow me in, and once we are we can put down the wards, allowing us to just walk right in."
"What's to stop him from taking your head?" Remus asked, as he too did not look like he liked the idea of him basically walking into enemy territory.
"Nothing," Harry shrugged his shoulder, and he could see his wasn't winning himself any favor with that, "but there is his honor to consider. What would people say if he killed his own life lord with treachery in his own estate? Everyone would have the lowest of low opinions of him, so he will have to tread lightly in this. Honorable combat and conquest is what he is looking for, not poisoning my cups."
"Lord Potter does have a good point," Colonel Fraser spoke up, but with a glare from Sirius he quickly shut up.
Seeing no point for this useless argument that just went back and forth, Harry decided enough was enough, he made his points and this was a good plan, risky, yes, but a good plan nevertheless. "I am doing this whatever you all say. This is the only plan we have come up with that gives us a quick and neat victory. If you have a better plan, I am all ears, but if you don't then Shut up, we are doing this on!"
Giving everyone a hard glare each in turn, they all decided to keep their piece except for Sirius who stared long and hard at hi until he finally sighed out, "Okay, but I am coming with you!"
"No," Harry shook his head, "if I am gone, you need to lead our combined army and be Chief in command, and I know there is no one better for the task than you."
Holding his hand up when he saw the arguments forming on his adoptive father's lips, he continued, "If you are worried about me, and want someone to have my back let it be Remus. I like to see how they do up against a werewolf in all his fury and rage!"
"Alright, but how are we to know when the wards go down?" Lieutenant Riley asked a very important question. Unlike him, they did not have Magic Sight so they were in the blind what happened.
"I will give the signal," Harry answered.
"What would it be my lord?" Alex asked out of curiosity.
"Oh, it will be something very memorable indeed," he grinned as he had the perfect idea what to do.
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Limps slowly stretching out as they each gained gleaming sharp claws on each end, tail slowly growing out of his tailbone, dorsal plate jutting out along his spin, teeth transforming into wicked rows of death, nose slowly elongated as he gained a snot, neck stretching out into a serpentine neck, horns growing out of his head, wings growing out of his shoulder blades, skin turning into black hard metallic scales, and all other manners of transformation going on.
Harry let out a loud grunt as his bones and body twisted about which then slowly transformed into the growls of a primeval beast of antiquity that echoed through the walls. He grew, and grew and grew until his body was pushing up against the walls and his breaking through the ceiling until he could look down at all in the great hall like tiny ants that shivered and screamed about like terrified mice.
Letting his wings stretch out to either as the walls crumbled in their wake, he ROARED up into heaven and his very shout shook the earth itself. If that wasn't the perfect signal, then he did not know what was.
However during the interim that he was waiting for them to come, he decided to cause some mayhem. Already everyone inside the Great Hall escaped through whatever exit they could find, so he wouldn't be having the great enjoyment of squashing Ser Gimball over head like a ripe rotten fruit.
But he did have the Keep to himself, and O what a wonderful little sandbox it looked to be.
Swishing his tail back, he destroyed the wall behind him completely as all the stone blocks flew away, and he stepped out into the courtyard with a wicked smile on his draconic face. It was a horrifying thing, more teeth than lips, and when the occupants of the keep saw it, pure unadulterated terror filled them. He even saw some maids and servants faint outright, and some soldiers wet themselves in fear.
Chuckling deeply, his voice came out in a deep baritone voice filled with wickedness and evil. Harry begin to speak up in that deep hissing voice as he played into his role of an evil dragon of old, "TREMBLE IN MY WAKE, MORTALS!"
That seem to be the signal for all who stood frozen in terror as they took on his majestic and awe-inspiring draconic form to start running about like headless chicken as they screamed girlish screams.
Jumping at the first few dozen soldiers he spotted like a kitten seeking a mouse, he slashed and tore at them until only a bloody mess was left. Then with blood dripping from his claws, he turned his sight to other pockets of resistance.
There really wasn't much as everyone seem to have lost their mind, Harry wasn't just a run of the mill Dragon that a dozen or two wizards could put down if they worked together. No, he was a Great Wyrm, a True Dragon!
With a wing span of a hundred meters each and plenty of room to grow since he still hadn't hit adulthood, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Remus did not help with matters too as he was in full werewolf mode and was bringing forth death upon his enemies. Plus there was his honor guard he brought with him, even though they numbered only 10, they still zipped about on their Hippogriff and rained down spell after spell.
He could see that nearly everyone was running to the Donjon, and he allowed to do so. Let them turtle up for him and gather in one single spot, it would be so much easier to mop them up later.
However, on the down side some semblance of a force was mustered against him on the battlements of the inner curtain as the inner ward was just given up to him. Taking charge of the men was Ser Gimbal's son which surprised him for a bit since he imaged he would be cowering with this father in the Donjon, but it seems like he had more steel in him than his old man.
Still though it was a foolish mistake as you did not want to feel his might in this form.
Commanding his men, Gimball junior as he took to calling him since he really didn't take the time to remember his name, shouted and roused his men up as they all gathered in force at the inner curtain.
It wasn't much as the recruits were just as bad as the civilian folk who were running and screaming about, nor did he have the mercenaries with him as he saw they long made tail out of here once they saw him in his draconic form. They clearly did not sign up to fight Great Wyrms.
All Gimball jr had with him was his family men and it wasn't what it used to be as between him, Remus and his Hippogriff riders they killed a whole bunch of them like sheep at the slaughter.
Still it was a force to oppose him as he was still getting used to this mightily form and haven't really realized all the perks it came with.
Bringing out the magic cannons they lined them up against him and fired.
Magic Cannons were nothing like the stuff that muggles had which fired gunpowder. In comparison to them, they were more like flimsy stuff for children.
A Magic Cannon is a powerful weapon feared by all. When fired, the cannon releases a compressed beam of energy that wreaks destruction wherever it passes. Wizards have been using it for ages to bring ruin on their enemies, devastate whole landscapes, and wipe out and conquer non-wizarding beings.
And that was what exactly happened to Harry as dozens of large beams of a variety of different elemental damages from Acidic, Cold, Flame, Necrotic, Lightning, and so forth stuck him all at once.
Harry who was still a country bumpkin for all it was worth and still experience the wizarding world with all its wonders. Thinking that he could tank it with ease thanks to his scales, that was sadly the worst mistake he had ever made.
Letting out a long piercing cry of pain as the beams exploded against his draconic body, he felt dozens of different sensations everywhere that had one thing in command, PAIN!
Lashing out in pain and anger, Harry tail begin to whip around like a whip as it destroyed everything in its path and he started to tear at the battlements shredding men to pieces and crushing magic cannons which exploded spectacularly.
However the Chalet men did not seem to want to let up as the few remaining magic cannons fired at him and others missed him entirely and struck the keep leaving ruin in its wake.
Still, a few did strike him and he was able to put his wings up for defense, but he took on more damage and from his cries it was very painful indeed.
In between the interim of the magic cannons loading up to fire at him, Harry was about to try to finish up these men on the wall until he heard the thump of heavy paw fall and the beats of wings in the sky.
Turning his long serpentine neck to the east where the combined army was stationed, he could see figures coming over the rise. Then he saw them all, in the sky with gleaming armor that shined in the afternoon setting sun were Griffin and Hippogriff riders, and on the land were spitting Hellhounds lead by a great Cerberus.
The Potter and Black family Army have finally arrived.
Then as if to wake him up from his reverie and remind him where he was, a couple of beams of concentrated energy struck at him. They were less than the previous salvos with less men to operate them, and even less more magic cannons to fire, but it still caused some of his scales to crack and fall of with all the damage to took.
Acting more on instinct than anything as all the agony he suffered acted as a trigger, a deep red glow started to form along his chest and neck and then he let out a long bright red breath of flames, or more accurately a bout of Dragon flames.
Watching as the men on the wall burned and burned as they let their throats go horse with screams of agony, Harry finally had time to lick his wounds and collect himself.
The combined army of the two families faced no resistance at all as they basically walked up to the Keep and strolled in like they owned it. They easily put down anyone who dared to raise and arm against them, and for the others they huddled them up like cattle to do with what they wished later.
Before long the whole keep except for the Donjon was under their control. As for the Donjon, it was the last ditch resistance of House Chalet as finally Ser Gimbal had stepped up and begin to lead his last few remaining men.
However the man was very much outnumbered, outgun, and outclassed so it was a quick affair. Nevertheless, he did inconvenience us as he somehow got opened the pens of the Keythong, and all 200 of them even including some of the juvenile and hatchling Keythong poured out to attack us viciously.
Each and every one of them was under the Berserk Maddening potion so we were left with no choice but to put them down. It infuriated him to no end as the Griffin-kin beasts driven to madness had to be massacred on number, and his rage for Ser Gimbal grew magnitude. How could he use the beasts that his family honored to give him like this.
O, once he gets his hand on that power hungry bastard....
Still the Keythong did nothing to help the man, the Keythong were used by his family as attack dogs and vanguard scouts. They were good at savaging louse wizards and witches by packs, but other than that they stood nothing agist the more super Griffin-kin he brought nor the Hellhounds which proved to be more savage than them.
Soon, it was back to the Donjon which he took savage glee in destroying with his giant claws and razor sharp teeth. Before long the place was over run by his men, and was conquered by them. The last remaining forces were cleared out, and all the people that hid in the place were brought out including Ser Gimbal and his young wife and little daughter.
Slowly transforming back into his human form, he took in all the damage he received in the battle. There was a long bloody gash running along his abdomen which was where he received the brunt of the damage, but he could see that his Rapid Regeneration he got from the Phoniex was working overtime to heal it up.
Plus there were the elemental damages he received, even with the ridiculously high Magic Resistance he gained in his draconic form, there was a bunch of that elemental damage coursing through his body.
Ignoring it for the moment, he put on a strong face and held his head high like the conqueror he was. He could get Aunt Dromeda to heal it up later even if he would be facing her questions.
Walking up to the center of the courtyard where all the remaining soldiers were being tied up and the civilian folk were watched closely, Harry came to where Ser Gimbal was held to sword point by his lieutenant.
"Alex, stand down," he called out as he came to a stop in front of the man.
"Do you yield good ser?" he asked, giving the usual courtesy that nobles gave to each other even though he wanted to take the man's head right here and now.
"Why would I," he growled like a menacing wolf, but Harry just knew it was a last ditch effort to save himself, "after you took my keep by treachery and deceit?"
"Oh, please," he snorted, "don't tell me treachery and deceit after you were planning on rebellion against your rightful liege lord! By magic, you are considered the most dishonorable of the lot after my family has given you hearth and home!"
"Hearth and home," he repeated, "all you gave my sire was some dreary keep and some savage beast! And you come on as if you have given me the whole world!"
Rolling his eyes at him, Harry did not want to hear any more of his bullcrap, he and all his ancestors were a greedy lot. Not only were they raised beyond all common men and treated by his family well, here he is repaying the kindness with treachery. Wanting stuff that isn't his.
"Will you yield or do I have to just skip decorum and make you an unrecognizable burnt husk like your son?" he asked. He saw what happened to Gimbal jr. as he went up into flames along side the men he lead against him. His resistance was brave, but in the end just like he said- foolish. There is no way you can go up against the full might of a True Dragon!
Taking a deep gulp at his implied threat, he slowly nodded his head and spat out, "I yield."
"Good," Harry said with a nod of his head. "Now tell me who was your secret backer?" he cut to the heart of what he was looking for.
There was no Ser Gimbal had any means to pursue a war with his family. All he had to his name was this Keep, nothing more, nothing less. So where did he get the gold to fund all the equipment, training, and mercenaries?
Up his ass? Unlikely since he wasn't a rare Nugget Beetle.
From the goblins? Yea, they don't invest in fools like him.
So he must have had someone secretly supporting him to take down his family, and now the question was who?
Seeing him shut his mouth, Harry turned his gaze towards his young wife and daughter. "You know what," he said to no one in particular, "I think they would be a scrumptious meal in my dragon form."
"Couldn't agree more," Alex nodded his head enthusiastically. The man would follow along with everything he said without blinking an eye thanks to how fanatically loyal he was. You just don't get them like Alex.
Looking ghastly, the man really didn't know he was beating on him to care about them more than his own life. "I would have told you, if I could have you heartless monster. I am under an Unbreakable Vow not to t-tell.... who ... are."
"Well too bad," he said, "I guess I will just have to make a peace meal out you all since you are not worth anything to me if you can't even tell me WHO SUPPORTED YOU!"
"Since I am a dead man walking, I might as well bring him down with me," Ser Gimbal finally spoke up. "The man who wants to see that destruction of House Potter is..... Lord Tobias Nott of House Nott."
With that proclamation, clouds gathered overhead and they weren't regular clouds in the least bit. With a myriad of a rainbow hue, thunder rumbled over head and everyone watched aghast. Then suddenly a great big pillar of rainbow streak tore through the air and struck down at Ser Gimbal.
The last words he got out as he was obliterated to nothing but atoms and matter was, "I HOPE YOU TEAR AT EACH OTHER TO DEATH! HAHAHA!!!"
That should be a lesson to your children at home, never break an Unbreakable Vow, or else Magic itself will come after you!