Chapter 29:

Both women looked at the Potter Lord like he had lost his mind, while even the two Hufflepuff leaders looked a little bewildered at that, but remained quiet in the family dispute, "James Potter you will do no such thing. He is my son too, and you can't just go putting him in danger like that! Not for some stupid sport."

James retorted sharply back, "It's not about the game Lils!"

The women seemed to recoil at the words, as Harry watched his dad in deep thanks as he knew he understood, "Our son was as you said beaten to an inch of his life last night, by muggle violence. A fist made those injuries, and that is personal. Anyone could fling magic in someone's direction and hurt someone, but this has 'personal' written all over it."

"From what we overheard Harry was put in here because he refused to give up. He refused to give his enemies what they wanted. A Potter will always do such things. If we forbid him from playing this weekend then we might as well paint a big ole target on our son's back for future incidents. He is a powerful young heir to an ancient and noble house, and he had demonstrated remarkable strength that I will not allow anyone to step on."

The room went dead silent as the eldest Potter had gradually raised his voice. Lily looked about ready to retort when Darrel spoke, "Lord and Lady Potter, no matter what happens, we are going to protect your son. Even if we have to walk him to every class and dinner, this is not going to happen again. Whether I think Harry should play this weekend or not is trivial and pointless, as it's not my place to make such decisions."

"But I have watched your son, an eleven-year-old boy make decisions, and actions that I would call the actions of a man. His magic has allowed him to mature faster, and he has full mental culpability in making decisions. When he told Cedric and me that basically, our respective teams were the reason he took this beating made me want to get up and go kill those two Ravenclaws who did this, but that wouldn't benefit Harry at this point. At this point, he needs to make a statement that something like this is not going to keep him down."

Lily was about to speak when two blurs were at Harry's bedside at a moment's notice. Hannah and Susan had just arrived in the hospital wing and they were spit-firing questions at Harry making sure he was okay, but he merely smiled at his friends, "I'm fine. Just a little blue at the moment."

James rolled his eyes muttering, "Joking about his bruises while he laying in a hospital bed, the others are going to get a kick out of this."

Harry grinned at his father, while Lily looked ready to curse him. Madame Pomphrey looked at the group gathered before her and sighed, "Lord Potter, I will have the waiver ready for you in a few minutes to allow Mr. Potter to play Saturday. I just hope it is worth it, and that he won't be having another visit to me for the rest of the year."

Smiling lightly the oldest Potter scion commented, "You'd miss me, Poppy, I am sure I will be back...and thank you."

The woman didn't say another word as she turned to leave. Lily Potter didn't look all too happy about what had happened, but there was nothing she could say or do at this point. Harry was then asked to tell what had happened the night before, and he did the best he could as the memory was still rather hazy.

At the end of it, his father was fuming, "An attack against an ancient and noble house is absurd. If we can prove this happened I am going to declare a blood feud against both families. This is an act beyond cowardice."

Harry nor the others were going to disagree with the Potter Lord while he was in a state of clear rage. The group of six steadily grew as Heidi and Tonks made their way in. Both had just come from a house meeting where most of Hufflepuff was calling for blood to avenge their youngest champion.

Cedric and Darrel even looked like they were going to go ahead and declare an all-out war against Ravenclaw, but were waiting for Harry to make it out of the hospital wing, and come to the fields of war.

The group talked lightly, and the girls told Harry what he had missed in class today, and Ernie McMillan had dropped by some sweets for him but didn't stick around long. As the night drove on no one seemed to be leaving, but a final visitor appeared before them, and it was the aged headmaster himself who looked very troubled in comparison to how he usually looked.

He quietly approached his young apprentice and his presence brought a deep silence to the hospital wing, "It seems I owe you an apology, Mr. Potter. It seems I forgot to ensure you had your father's favorite toy, regardless of that matter however I should have escorted you back to the common room myself. I had you out past curfew, and I take responsibility for what has happened."

Harry shook his head, "It was the wrong place at the wrong time headmaster."

The green-eyed boy wasn't sure he really believed that, but he wasn't sure anyone could've known he would be visiting the headmaster so late. Dumbledore sighed, "Regardless, the boys which you have mentioned to your Hufflepuff captains have pleaded their innocence with several alibis. I have brought my pensieve, and ask that you share the memory of the occasion with me."

Harry nodded as he pulled his wand to his own head and pulled the memory and poured it into the small bowl that the headmaster conjured from his office. Darrel was the first to speak, "I think Cedric and I have a right to see this. Given the circumstances of why Harry was cornered, we deserve to know what he went through."

Dumbledore looked like he was going to protest for a moment, but the determination in the Hufflepuff's eyes silenced him, "I must insist that Ms. Bones and Ms. Abbot remain here due to the brutality of the attack and wounds."

Both girls accepted this, as everyone entered the Pensieve. Harry smiled sadly at the two girls, "I'm glad you guys are okay. Don't leave without Darrel or Cedric. Seriously."

The girls frowned at this while Susan took Harry's right hand, "Why what's wrong?"

Growling Harry responded, "Rodger and Robert both had choice words for each of you, and that if they couldn't get to me they would go after you two."

This actually led to Harry blushing while Hannah asked what was wrong, but he merely shrugged refusing to meet either of their eyes. Hannah however wouldn't let it go, so Harry stuttered, "I may have told them some nice words when they talked about you guys..."

This made both girls smile at each other and kiss the boy on the cheek, which caused his blush to deepen. The three then sat together in peaceful silence, each holding the other's hand in comfort. It was fifteen minutes before the others came out of the Pensieve, looking furious. Dumbledore was the first to speak, "The attackers were not able to be properly identified."

Darrel roared, "We recognized voices, whatever dark magic they used to disrupt his memory is a nice trick, but it didn't cover up their voices!"

The headmaster however held his hand, "Peace Mr. Abbot. I believe you are correct, however, Mr. Davies's parents are both on the Hogwarts Board of governors, and if we were to expel them, they would certainly appeal it to a criminal trial, which Mr. Potter would not be able to win, due to the fog of his memory. Others would likely declare brain damage before they called dark magic."

Cedric spoke in a deathly calm voice, "So you're saying there is nothing we can do?"

The Supreme Mugwump sighed, as the Potters all remained quiet, "I am afraid not. Without proof, we can't even as much as issue detention."

Darrel was about to object, but Cedric put a hand on his arm, "No we understand. Until someone comes forward, however, as Hufflepuff captains we demand that we be allowed to take necessary steps and precautions to protect our players and housemates."

Going into Professor Potter mode, Lily asked, "What do you propose Mr. Diggory?"

"That the prefects and myself as a respective captain are able to escort the first years to and from classes until further notice. We have no second years on either the dueling or quidditch team. Our third years are small in number, but I think we can spread the prefects thin enough to make sure both are well-protected. This was an act against our respective teams, and it should be treated as such. We all heard the reason, and Marcus Flint was mentioned by name. We can't prove he had anything to do with that, but it adds to the credibility of it all."

Dumbledore nodded, "That is certainly agreeable. What of the fourth years and above?"

Cedric took a dark look, "We will be roaming in packs starting tomorrow morning. Darrel and I will call for another house meeting when we go back to our common rooms tonight. If someone as much as raises a wand at one of us there will be ten pointed back. I would even suggest bringing in auror Potter into the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff classes, I have a feeling things are going to be very explosive between the two houses."

Harry sighed, "Leave it to the Slytherins to start a war between the two houses, and come out completely unscathed."

Dumbledore looked slightly amused by Harry's comment, but slightly disturbed by Cedric's, "Surely violence can be avoided?"

Cedric grunted, "That honestly depends professor. This was an outright attack against one of our own, and I am sure you realize we are the house of the loyal and hardworking for a reason. The whole school is going to be reminded "

Darrel spoke, "If Hillard opens his mouth, I will declare a blood feud between house Abbot and House Hillard."

James was quick to second this thought, "If I feel my son has been threatened again I will also have House Potter declare a blood feud against the two houses involved."

Dumbledore nodded, "This is all understandable and I hope we are avoiding violence in the coming days."

Harry nodded but somehow felt that the tensions between houses had probably never risen to such a high point in many years if his friends matching scowls were anything to go by.

A/N: Don't worry, the bastards have a nice one comming~

Make sure to hand me those Power Stones!!