Temporal Paradox: The Second Chance of Harry Potter

February 14th, 1976

"What's going on between you and McKinnon, Harry?" James asked him from the stuffy armchair next to the fireplace. Harry and his friends were sitting in the Gryffindor common room, enjoying some hot chocolate that Sirius had sneaked out of the kitchens.

"You are going to hate me for saying this, but it's really complicated..." Harry groaned in frustration. He did not really feel like talking about it tonight.

"I know she's a really hot bird, mate." Sirius grinned: "But you might want to be a bit careful getting too involved with her. Her family is not dark per se, but they've always been invited to the more conservative pureblood parties at Grimmauld Place when I was younger. Lord McKinnon is a ruthless politician and one of the most ambitious men I have ever met. The McKinnons don't casually date. Well, the boys perhaps, but definitely not the girls. Marriage is nothing more than a political and strategic tool for them."

"I know all that already..." Harry replied heatedly and rolled his eyes: "But that still doesn't me-"

"Mr. Peverell!" The voice of McGonagall boomed over to them from the entrance to the common room. Harry looked over his shoulder and saw his Head of House regarded him with extremely thin lips and a grim expression on her stern face. The entire room went silent, staring between Harry and the transfiguration professor. It was a very rare occurrence to see her in the common room and it usually only happens when something serious had transpired.

"The headmaster and I would like to have a word with you, Mr. Peverell!" McGonagall's eyes narrowed when she noticed Harry did not seem a bit surprised at that.

"Sure, ma'am." Harry shrugged and got out of his seat. His friends shot him curious looks, but none of them said a word. Harry followed McGonagall out of the portrait hole and onto the seventh-floor corridor and was surprised to see Dumbledore waiting there already. His Occlumency shields instantly went up and he was on high alert: "How may I help you tonight, Professors?"

"Mr. Peverell, there seems to have been an incident in Hogsmeade this afternoon." Dumbledore looked at him over his half-moon glasses: "I was hoping you could share whatever you might know with us?"

"I am afraid, I don't know what you mean, Professor." Harry kept a neutral expression on his face.

"I am talking about almost a dozen upper-year Slytherin students, who were found with various degrees of injuries and who were lucky to be retrieved in time." McGonagall's nostrils flared: "Had they been left out in the cold for any longer, they might have sustained permanent damage."

"The snow... It was quite slippery." Harry mused: "Perhaps they simply fell?"

"Mr. Peverell, we are talking about several broken bones and fractured ribs." Dumbledore explained with a frown: "Three of the students have serious concussions, not even mentioning the bruises they will likely have for the next few days. Mr. Lestrange had to be taken to Saint Mungo's because even Madam Pomfrey was out of her depth in how to treat a specific injury on his body."

It required all of Harry's willpower not to laugh out loud. Marlene's curse must have dealt a number on Lestrange. However, thinking about the gorgeous blond girl quickly dampened his mood once more, due to the current tension between them. Harry grimaced: "How very unfortunate. I wish him a speedy recovery!"

"We know you are involved, Peverell." McGonagall scowled: "No other student in the castle could have managed to deal with that many opponents at once. In addition, every single student that took part in the confrontation after the feast is among those injured. Hardly a coincidence..."

"Do you have any actual proof that it was me, ma'am?" Harry inquired with a raised eyebrow: "Surely at least one of them must be conscious enough by now to tell you who attacked him?"

"That is the thing, Mr. Peverell." Dumbledore's eyes bored into his: "They are so intimidated that they refuse to say a word. Even after threatening to call their parents."

Harry stifled a small smile. His plan had worked then! Lestrange must have told them to keep their mouths shut because otherwise, he might just be shipped off to Azkaban for casting an Unforgivable: "You have taught me for over a month now, Professor." Harry addressed McGonagall: "Did I ever give you a reason to believe that I would just go off and attack a group of students simply because I can?"

McGonagall frowned: "No, Mr. Peverell, you have not, and still-"

"Yet here you are, accusing me of something when perhaps you should be wondering why exactly the dozen Slytherins in the hospital wing won't say anything about the incident. I agree that they are intimidated, but who are they actually intimidated by?"

"What do you mean, Mr. Peverell?" Dumbledore challenged curiously.

"If they had been unlawfully attacked by me or anyone else, then surely, they would be the first to ask for their rich pureblooded parents to pull some strings in the background and get me, or said person expelled immediately. Why don't you think about the fact that this is not the case? There must be something they don't want anyone else to find out..." His voice changed to a whisper: "Alternatively, there is some person in the background, pulling the strings, who does not wish to be exposed yet..."

The seed had been planted... Let's see if Dumbledore would catch on.

"Very well, Mr. Peverell." Dumbledore sighed after exchanging a silent glimpse with his deputy headmistress: "There is no tangible evidence against you, and you have given us much to think about. Nevertheless, we would like you to come straight to us, should you find out anything about this attack yourself."

"In addition, I think you will understand that we will be keeping a close eye on you for the coming months." McGonagall chimed in once more: "That is not because we think that you might attack other students. It's actually much more for your own security."

"Of course, Professors." Harry nodded. He knew Dumbledore had already been keeping an eye on him ever since he arrived here. This would only mean that he'd be even more careful when strolling around the castle: "I completely understand." He finished with a small smile.

Harry returned into the common room and told his friends that the issue was simply related to his tuition. There was still some pent-up aggression inside him, but he did not want to exhaust himself magically, in case Lucius Malfoy's challenge would be set for tomorrow already. Instead, his talk with his Head of House and Dumbledore gave him an idea. Perhaps this was the final push to start working on something he had originally intended to do right after his arrival already. He certainly had the motivation for it now.

The Marauders were currently working on their legendary map of Hogwarts, which was something Harry would desperately need for the next two years. Therefore, Harry had decided to create his own map... He had gained a little bit of experience in cartography already during his time at university. Back then, he had spent hours on dismantling and putting the Marauders map back together. The idea had been to recreate the map, but instead of showing the Hogwarts grounds, it would show the university's campus.

"I am going to go for a walk, guys." Harry jumped out of his seat: "I feel like getting some fresh air..."

"Don't let Evans catch you after curfew, mate." James grinned, earning him a scowl and a silent 'prat' from the red head.

"I will do my best to avoid her." Harry grinned as he slandered over to the Portrait: "Don't wait up for me!"

He climbed through the Portrait hole and disillusioned himself immediately after. He had not lied when he mentioned that he would catch some fresh air. To begin with the construction of the map, Harry would have to define the exact geographical area. Of course, the castle should be fully included, but why not include a bit of the Forbidden Forest and even the village of Hogsmeade?

In fact, there were a bunch of additions Harry could try to incorporate into the Map, which had not been there before. Several ideas, starting from a recording and replay function, all the way to a ward that would alert him should guests arrive at the castle. They all started swirling around in his mind. But for now, it was time for a long jog... He could ponder over all those ideas while getting some exercise in.

February 15th, 1976

Harry sat at the breakfast table in the Great Hall, consuming enormous amounts of oats. He ignored the slightly worried look James shot him from across the table. After all, he felt much better already. The late-night exercise had done wonders to him and thinking about the design of the Map had even shifted his thoughts from his rather lackluster valentine's experience.

Not that the actual time Marlene and he had spent together was disappointing... No! After all, they had shared their first proper kiss right after fighting Death Eater spawns together. What was more romantic than that? Harry could swear that the sweet taste of her lips and the fresh strawberry scent of her hair were still numbing his scenes.

Talking about the devil...

Just then, Marlene McKinnon followed her brunette friend into the Great Hall. She looked as exceptional as ever. Today was a Sunday, so she had opted for simple dark blue robes instead of her usual school uniform. Her gaze instantly flickered towards Harry on the Gryffindor table. However, when her blue eyes caught him, she immediately lowered them. Yet, only after Harry caught a glimpse of what he believed was sorrow.

Harry watched her sit down at the Ravenclaw Table and reach for a bowl of fresh fruits. That was when Harry noticed the faint, dark shadows under her eyes, which had not been completely hidden by make-up or whatever beauty charms the girls used in this time period. Certainly, not an area of magic Harry was familiar with.

Had she not slept well? Had she also been pondering over what happened? Harry continued trying to figure out why Marlene had acted the way she did yesterday. Once more, he tried to think about it as rationally as possible:

First things first: Marlene had warned him about the attack and offered her help. It was obvious that she did not want him to get hurt, so she decided to act against the very boy she was courting. Harry did not doubt for a second that Marlene was starting to develop feelings for him, which acted as her motivation. She had actively pushed against her family's wishes by doing so.

What's next? Harry had given her the chance to simply leave again after warning him. He had even explicitly mentioned that her father would likely learn about the incident and that there would undoubtedly be dire consequences for her. Still, Marlene had refused to vacate and insisted on fighting with him. Even though he could have probably dealt with all the Slytherins by himself, Harry still appreciated her decision to remain with him. The only reason he had not pressed on her staying out of it, was to get a feeling for how willing she was to fight for a cause.

What happened then? Well, the Slytherins all knew that there was someone helping him since they saw the second trail of footprints in the snow. However, only Lestrange knew that it was Marlene, who warned Harry and supported him. At the same time, Lestrange could hardly tell anyone about it, because otherwise Harry and Marlene could expose him for using an Unforgivable. In addition, Lestrange was unlikely to admit that the girl he was courting froze his bits off...

What does that mean in the grand scheme of things? Marlene's involvement was unlikely to even reach anyone else's ear because Lestrange would be very reluctant to share his story. Marlene, therefore, did not have to worry about her father learning about it. She took a huge risk by helping him, but in the end, the chance that she would get caught up in the mess was rather small.

In conclusion: Her reasons to not sit with him, simply because she'd have to remain in the presence of two muggleborns, can't have been motivated by a fear of the consequences or because she was a bigot. There must be something else to it... But What?

Harry knew that the only way to find out was to communicate with her and talk things through. However, that was difficult with both of them being back at the castle, especially because the student body and the teachers were keeping a very close eye on him now. Perhaps a finished Map would help him to find some time with her?

His musings were interrupted by the arrival of owls. Harry curiously checked if any of them were heading for him. Besides the normal brown owl that delivered his copy of the Daily Prophet, there was also a large, dark gray one, that watched him with sharp orange eyes as it landed beside him. It carried a tiny note, which Harry quickly untied from the owl's leg and unfolded on the table in front of him.

Peverell,

Your time is up

Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch at noon

Set your affairs,

LAM

Harry smirked. There was no doubt who LAM stood for. For a Slytherin, the man's actions were quite predictable. Malfoy must have immediately decided to hold the duel today after receiving the missive from his friend Lestrange and learning about the impending attack on Harry. If the man had only an ounce of self-preservation, he would have checked if Harry was actually injured before announcing a set time for the duel. Now he could not pull out anymore. Oh well... His loss...

Harry noticed the few whispers and gasps that broke out all around him in the Great Hall, followed by a multitude of stares he received from all four tables. He chuckled and curiously snatched up the newspaper. Had the inbred idiot actually announced his duel in the Daily Prophet as well?

Ravenclaw Table

"It's going to be fine, Mar." Florence urged: "I am sure you two will find a way to talk about it."

"He must hate me." Marlene shook her head in frustration and nibbled on the piece of banana she had sliced for her fruit bowl: "He must think that I am a stuck-up bigoted bitch."

"I really don't think he does." Florence stated: "You only need to find a reason to convince him that your motives were not as they might seem from the outside."

"And how am I supposed to do that?" The blonde girl hissed angrily: "My family does not allow their daughters to just casually date, Flo! It's either a courting agreement that has to lead to an official betrothal, or it's nothing at all. How do you suppose I should tell him that I would like him to speak to my father about courting me? So far, all we ever shared was a few small conversations and one kiss! Why should an attractive boy, who could date around and be with as many girls as he wishes, agree to something like that?"

"Because I think he genuinely likes you and he is certainly not a fan of seeing you on Lestrange's arm." Florence rolled her eyes as if it was the most obvious thing in the world: "You did what you had to do yesterday afternoon, I get that, okay. If you want to convince your father that Peverell is a better candidate than Lestrange, it will only hurt for you to be seen in the company of halfbloods and muggleborns, at least for now. But I still think you should try to talk to him about it and explain your reasoning."

"Right now is probably not a good time..." Marlene shook her head, making long blonde curls swing from side to side. She untied the morning edition of the Daily Prophet from the small brown owl that had landed in front of her and flipped it open to the front page.

"And why is that?" Florence asked in amusement: "There is no better time than the present..."

"Because of this right here." Marlene frowned as she gestured to the front page of the newsletter.

MALFOY HEIR ANNOUNCES DATE FOR DUEL

Is Harry Peverell Punching Above His Weight?

By Rita Skeeter

Dear Readers,

Not even a week has passed since Harry Peverell has been acquitted of all charges during his formal trial at the Wizengamot. In compensation for slandering his family's name, Peverell has given the two Lords who pushed for his trial the option to either pay 100,000 Galleons in compensation or accept a Duel of Honor in the name of one of their heirs. You will all remember how Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, heir to the Malfoy family, immediately accepted the duel.

We had not heard from the challengee until yesterday afternoon, when Lord Malfoy and his heir, Mr. Malfoy, surprised us with a spontaneous visit to our office to announce the official date for the upcoming confrontation. The duel is scheduled to take place on Sunday, February 15th, at noon on the Hogwarts Quidditch Pitch.

Lord Abraxas Malfoy had the following to say: "We simply saw no further point in delaying the inevitable. My son Lucius is more than ready to represent the name of our family in the upcoming duel with Peverell. As a governor of the Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry, I persuaded my honored colleagues to allow for the duel to take place on the school's quidditch pitch. Undoubtedly this event will attract many spectators and the stands shall be able to provide any, who wish to do so, with an opportunity to spectate. We are confident that Peverell is in for a surprise. It will be a good lesson for any children out there, who think that Honor Duels are something to jest with."

Fortunately for our readers, the Potters, the one family Peverell seems to be closest to, was also available for comment. Lord Charlus Potter said the following: "Harry is an incredible young man, who has been severely underestimated a week ago when people expected to be able to push around a frightened child in the court of law. We should remember that there is a small bit of truth in every wizarding rumor, including the ones about a family as legendary as the Peverells. After Harry's demonstration of family magic, Lucius Malfoy should have thought twice before accepting a challenge from an opponent he knew nothing about, other than that he is younger by a few years. We are very optimistic that Harry will prevail in tomorrow's duel and manifest his family's legacy once more on the British Isles. Of course, we will be there to support him.

As our readers can see, opinions certainly clash in the wizarding world concerning what we might see tomorrow. The duel is open to the public; however, visitor seats will be limited. We from the Daily Prophet certainly cannot wait for this fantastic confrontation and wish both competitors the best of luck.

Marlene took a few calming breaths as she placed the paper aside. She knew that she should be happy for Harry since things went exactly as he had predicted. Nevertheless, she could not help but notice that a small part of her brain worried about him. This was not like yesterday's squabble among peers. This was an Honor Duel, in which both competitors were allowed to use any curse they wanted. Florence must have sensed her nervousness because the brunette took Marlene's hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.

Marlene watched as Harry, followed by the eyes of the entire student population, walked up to the staff table to talk to the headmaster and his Head of House. A few moments later, Dumbledore stood up and spread his arms: "As those of you who managed to read this morning newspaper edition already have undoubtedly concluded, the governors of the school have given permission for the duel to take place on the Quidditch pitch, today at noon. After careful consideration with my colleagues, we have decided to allow all students from fifth year and older to watch the duel.

"I understand your disappointment..." Dumbledore's voice boomed over any of the younger year students, who growled and complained about the unfair treatment: "... However, this is due to the nature of spells that will undoubtedly be used and the prospect of lethal injuries. That is all!"

Her gaze came to rest back on Harry, who was approached by his friends from all sides as he walked back to the Gryffindor table and then out of the Great Hall.

"He will be fine, Mar." Florence patted her back: "From what you told me about what happened yesterday, he should be more than able to handle himself. Harry even stated so himself."

"I know." Marlene sighed and finished the last bits of her breakfast: "But that doesn't mean I can't worry about him."

"You really like him, don't you?"

"I think I really do," Marlene whispered, remembering how incredible she had felt yesterday, be it during their kiss or even afterward when they strolled through the village together. Would it be just as good if that became a regular thing? Certainly, right? Perhaps even better...

11:45 am, Quidditch Pitch

Marlene and Florence walked down with the rest of the fifth to seventh years to the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch. It seemed like anyone who was allowed to watch the duel came to do so, with the exception of certain Slytherins, who were still in the hospital wing. Marlene detected that the majority of the stands were filled already by hundreds of spectators and the pitch was completely cleared of any snow.

Her sharp eyes caught the silhouettes of many prominent figures in wizarding society. There was Minister Bagnold as well as the Heads of various Departments, including Bartemius Crouch Sr. She also spotted her mother and father in formal blue and green robes respectively, talking to a few other Lords before they were approached by both her older brothers. Great. Her entire family came to watch Harry duel.

"Marlene!" Matthew greeted her and walked over to her to engulf her in a warm but short hug. Any longer would have been considered inappropriate in such a public setting: "You are getting more and more beautiful each time I see you, little sister!"

"How come you guys are here?" Marlene asked him curiously after greeting her other brother and parents.

"Well, Lucius and I did not exactly run in the same circles here in school, but I would still not want to miss seeing a Duel of Honor between him and this Peverell kid." Matthew grinned: "The same goes for Marcus. We are lucky Moody gave us the time off. He had complained about security for this event for hours last night."

Marlene nodded her understanding but hid a frown at the way he mentioned Harry. After some small talk, Florence took her leave to sit with a few friends from Ravenclaw. Marlene would have preferred to watch the duel with someone, who might understand what she was going through, but it would not be appropriate for Florence to force her company on the family.

"I would like for you to sit with us, Marlene." Her father expressed: "We have not spoken for a while and perhaps we can catch up a bit."

"Yes, father." Marlene followed him to a section of the stands where many other Lords of the Wizengamot sat with their families. Her father and mother did some small talk with the Lords and their Ladies while Marlene did her best to act like she followed the conversation between her two brothers.

Her blue eyes were searching for the boy, who would be entering a lethal duel in a few minutes. She thought she caught him all the way on the other side of the pitch, talking with the Potter family and a few of his friends. She felt horrible for not even being able to say good luck to him. What if this was the last time she would actually get to talk to him?

"What do you say, Matthew..." Marcus asked his older brother with a chuckle: "You think Peverell's got a chance."

Matthew laughed: "He is a child, Marcus, and you know exactly what kind of curses Malfoy always boasted around with in school. I hope they have a good healer for Peverell at the ready."

Marlene forced herself not to curse either of the two idiots, but she took calmness in the fact that Harry would show all of them soon enough. She had seen herself what he is capable of, both in defense class and just yesterday against a dozen opponents. Surely, he would be able to take down a single one. Just then, Professor Dumbledore walked out on to pitch and pointed his wand at his throat.

"Welcome!" The headmaster announced: "A warm welcome to all spectators, students, and guests. In a little over a minute, a Duel of Honor will take place between House Peverell and House Malfoy. No spells are forbidden from usage during said duel and none of the regular dueling regulations apply. Please greet both competitors!"

"The challengee: Lucius Abraxas Malfoy!"

Marlene watched as Malfoy entered the pitch in Slytherin green dueling robes with the crest of his House pinned on the chest. He was greeted with polite applause as he gave a small bow to the audience and walked into the middle of the pitch. He looked extremely smug and confident.

"And the Challenger: "Harry Ignotus Peverell!"

Marlene felt her heart slamming in her chest, and she gripped the seat underneath her tightly, her fingernails digging into the wood almost painfully. There was Harry! She stared in awe as he walked out in dark gray, almost black robes with a long cloak floating behind his shoulders. He walked into the middle of the pitch as confident as ever and greeted Dumbledore and his competitor with a short nod.

"Are you okay?" Marcus asked her when Marlene gave a short, very unladylike, snort. Lucius Malfoy stood face to face with Harry and could not believe his eyes. Of course, Marlene knew exactly why. The Malfoy heir had probably expected a heavily bruised, limping cripple that could hardly hold his wand. Certainly not the very imposing figure of a fully rested Harry Peverell that towered over him by half a head.

"Competitors! Take your positions!" Dumbledore commanded and retreated to the edge of the pitch himself. Harry turned his back to Malfoy and walked roughly ten meters in the opposite direction. Then he turned around and detached the cloak from his neck to place it down on the floor, revealing the outfit underneath.

"Once more, the boy demonstrates that he knows how to make an appearance." Marlene's father nodded, impressed. He was impressed by him... That was a good sign, wasn't it?

The crowd cheered in marvel at seeing the large black Thestral with the strange assembly of lines within a circle, spread over the entirety of his back. The long sleeve shirt he was wearing was fitted to his body and clung to him like a second skin.

"Merlin, he is pretty big for a fifth year..." Marcus joked: "What are they feeding their children over there on the continent."

"He is orphaned, Marcus!" The words slipped through Marlene's lips in a low growl before she could stop herself. She cursed herself for the slip-up. Now, her entire family glanced at her curiously before turning back towards the pitch.

"BEGINN!" Dumbledore announced and fired his wand like a canon.

Malfoy instantly went on the attack and fired a blasting curse at Harry. Marlene wanted to yell and tell the prat to move already. However, Harry simply remained standing as if the lethal spell soaring his way was but a stream of water. Then, in the last possible moment, the younger boy leaned sideways ever so slightly, and the crowd cheered as the curse missed him by inches.

Marlene watched the smirk on Harry's face grow wider. She knew what this meant... He would be toying with his opponent. Malfoy kept up the tempo with a bone breaker aimed straight at Harry's chest, which was dodged effortlessly once more. Harry twirled on the spot again to avoid the cutting curse that was followed shortly after.

"He certainly knows how to move..." Her father acknowledged: "How come someone so young has dueling experience already?"

No one answered his questions as the other four pairs of eyes of the McKinnon family were firmly set on the events taking place below them. Malfoy conjured a pair of silvery arrows and fired them at Harry in rapid succession. Marlene watched in fascination as Harry twirled on the spot and guided the projectile along the tip of his wand in one full circle. He looked almost like those weird muggle athletes that spun around themselves to accelerate a heavy weight at the end of a chain. Hammer throw is what they call it if she was not mistaken...

The silvery arrow surged back to its caster at almost double the speed Malfoy threw himself to the ground to dodge it. Harry flicked his wand again and the second arrow stopped in mid-air, hovering a few feet above the ground. Then he drew his wand in a complicated pattern and multiplied the projectile tenfold, before sending them back by flicking his wand repeatedly.

"Okay, how in Merlin's name does a fifth year know how to cast like that!" Marcus gasped in shock at what he was seeing.

Marlene ignored him and continued watching the duel. Harry allowed Malfoy to get back on the offense. A dark purple blood-boiling curse left the tip of the older opponent's wand and sizzled through the air. Harry looked as calmly as ever as he took a step forward, adjusted his stance, and batted the spell aside with a lazy flick of his wand.

"Unbelievable!" Matthew gasped: "He knows how to deflect spells!"

Her brother was not the only one who seemed shocked at the revelation. Awes of surprise and astonishment echoed from every stand of the Quidditch pitch, followed by cheers of the boy's surname.

"PEVERELL! ... PEVERELL! ... PEVERELL!

Harry, however, did not seem to care about them, as he slashed his wand through the air vertically and went on the attack. A black fiery whip burst from the tip of his wand impacted Malfoy's shield with vibrating GONG that one could almost feel in their bones. Marlene did not know what kind of spell Harry had used, but the knockback of it was so strong that it threw the Malfoy heir backward across the pitch.

Her nerves got the better of her and she started chewing on her nails, a habit that had taken her mother years to break. Marlene's eyes widened even further when Harry made his way over to Malfoy's side of the pitch in a confident slow place. Even from up here in the stands, she was positive to spot a faint green glow in his eyes.

"He is absolutely phenomenal..." Marcus awed at seeing Harry bat aside and dodge two more spells that were sent his way: "I'd bet my entire salary that Moody is going to recruit him as soon as he has his OWLs..."

Malfoy was beaten back into the frozen ground once more as Harry rebutted with his own spell. Clearly, he intended to finish the job soon. No visible or colorful curse left the tip of his wand, but Malfoy was thrown to his knees and screamed in pain as a crack echoed all the way to the stands. The blonde managed to roll aside just in time to avoid the next curse from Harry from connecting with him.

In a last act of desperation as he was being pushed into the corner like a wild animal, Malfoy's eyes, so full of hatred, leveled on his opponent. Enraged by the embarrassment he was suffering at the hands of a young boy; he leveled his wand at his gradually approaching foe with a cry:

"Avada Kedavra!"

"NO!" Marlene shrieked and jumped from her seat, just like the dozens of other spectators all over the stadium.

Then, everything happened as if in slow motion. The bright green light of the killing curse surged towards the one boy she had developed feelings for, yearning to take his life. Harry's thin pale wand sliced upwards and raised a small wall of grass and dirt right in front of him. The Unforgivable connected with the wall and exploded upon impact. Harry shielded his face with his arms as chunks of dirt and grass were thrown against him.

"YOU DARE?!" Harry roared in a voice two octaves deeper than what she had ever heard. He whipped his wand in a zig-zag motion in front of him and stabbed it at his adversary like a spear. Suddenly, two oversized scythes materialized out of thin air. Marlene had never seen anything like this... Their long, sharp blades were of corroded and rusted steel, their handles a pitch-black, ancient wood. The two scythes passed through the air, carried by an invisible wielder until they reached their target. Then, they repeated the very zig-zag wand motion Harry had performed earlier, right above their prey.

The stadium was so silent, that even the spectators on the highest seat could hear the faint sound of a THUD, when Lucius Malfoy's head was separated from his body by two intersecting, very unclean cuts.

Marlene did not even know where to begin describing what she felt. All she knew, was that the boy she grew fond of had just taken a life.