Harry Potter the First Nemea Leonthrope Chapter 26 (Patreon)

Hey friends and fans! Kairomaru is bringing you another chapter of Harry Potter the First Nemea Leonthrope! Third Task begins! Can anything in the maze stop a Nemea Lion? Can the Ministry still function after being sued twice? How will Voldemort react to Harry’s power? Which he knows very little about.

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So without further delay, please enjoy.

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Chapter 26 – Third Task, Voldemort

-Friday June 24th, 1995-

Harry grumbled as he stood before the large hedge maze that had been grown on the Quidditch Pitch. A small part of his mind thought it was bloody sacrilege to defile the Quidditch Pitch with this Tournament nonsense. For now he shoved that part aside. After TWO different debacles, followed by two separate lawsuits, the Ministry was taking security very seriously for the Third Task. All three Champions had been given an emergency Portkey that they could activate if they felt their lives were in danger. It would return them to the front of the maze where they began. Using it would also disqualify them from the Third Task though.

Harry had been hyper focused on where his girlfriends were as much as he could be after the Second Task. No one seemed interested in trying to use them for the Tournament after Harry had almost gutted Dumbledore. Harry was still wary and untrusting of the Professors and any of the Tournament Organizers. Dates had taken place to help soothe his nerves and Harry loved the girls for it.

Hell, he’d woken up in a cuddle pile with Hermione, Lavender, and Parvati this morning. His Gryffindor girlfriends doing everything they could to soothe his agitation today. Luna, the adorable ball of joy that she was, had stayed by Harry’s side all day today from breakfast until just a few minutes ago. They’d only separated because Harry had to stand over here to begin the Task. Luna had left surrounded by Susan, Padma, Lavender, Hermione, Parvati and even Sirius, Tonks, Andromeda, Ted, and Remus. The spacey blonde was probably the most protected student in the entire school right now.

Harry barely listened as Ludo Bagman blathered on about the Task. All he needed to know was when he was going in and the overall objective. But the former Professional Beater just loved to hear himself talk. Fleur and Harry shared a look between them, the French Witch even rolling her eyes as Bagman continued to talk. Harry had chuckled at that and Fleur smiled beautifully at him. Harry would actually be going in last. He’d apparently lost almost all of his Points from the Second Task for his ‘behavior’; as if Harry cared. He briefly glanced over to the Judges’ area. The raised platform they sat at now had a magically reinforced glass box around it. Harry snorted and his lips pulled back slightly; as if that glorified fish tank would keep him out if they’d placed one of his loved ones in harm’s way again!

The first blast went off and Fleur gave him a last look of affection before she rushed into the maze. Harry hoped she’d be safe. He knew Fleur was an incredibly talented Witch, but he worried about her all the same. The second blast went off and Krum ran into the maze quickly. Harry waited several more minutes before the last blast went off and he was allowed to proceed. Harry jogged into the maze several steps before transforming into the Full Lion Form. The Nemean Lion then sniffed the ground a bit, checking for scents. He found the familiar one of Dumbledore near the entrance and started following it. Every creature he came across in his run through the maze fled in terror. Every Magical Trap or Trick was brushed off his hide like it wasn’t even there. Only when he came to what he believed was close to the center of the maze was he finally halted by one of the Creatures.

“Greetings Champion,” The female face and voice of the large Sphinx welcomed him. The other lion-like creature sat on her haunches and looked at him with a slightly amused look. “You are very close to your goal. But you now have a choice to make. You may to answer my riddle or you can find another way to your goal. Do know that if you get my riddle wrong I will attack. What is your choice?”

Harry had no time for this! ‘She questions the King? She is not part of the Pride! Fight!’ His Therian Instincts rumbled through his mind. To Harry they actually made a lot of sense right now.

“RRRAAAWWWRRR!” Harry roared at the Sphinx loudly. His predator eyes caught the full body twitch of the Sphinx’s muscles locking up in primal fear. With a leap he’d slammed the other lion-like creature into the dirt. Pinning the now terrified Sphinx down, Harry’s rumbling growl caused the Sphinx’s eyes to widen in fear. Harry leaned his head down next to the Sphinx’s head and let loose another powerful roar directly into her ear. The Sphinx passed out, her eyes rolling into the back of her head from sheer primal terror, and Harry left her there in the dirt. The Nemean Lion ran the last corridor of the maze and turned the corner to see a wide open space with a pedestal. On the pedestal sat the Triwizard Cup, the gleaming silver thing that was the goal of this Task.

Harry sniffed around the area a bit. Not smelling any creatures the Therianthrope shifted back into Human Form. He was so thankful to have gotten in touch with Liam Thrane about clothes for Therianthropes. He was still fully dressed now, even after a Full Transformation. Deciding to end this pain in the arse Tournament, Harry reached out and took hold of the Cup. He felt the telltale ‘hook behind the navel’ feeling of a Portkey and in a swirl of colors was whisked away.

-Little Hangleton Graveyard-

Harry came out of the swirl of Portkey Travel and landed crouched on his feet. A moment to let his dizziness pass and he looked around. He realized near instantly that he was in a graveyard. There were tombstones as far as he could see in the foggy darkness. He noticed a cauldron, a very large cauldron at that, already bubbling with a fire under it.

“Incarcerous!” A voice called out and Harry was tied to a large gravestone behind him by the conjured ropes. Harry growled at this. Conjuration was one of the only Branches of Magic that technically affected Nemean Lions, due to it creating physical constructs rather than Magical Effects. Harry glared death at the hooded Wizard that had emerged from the fog. The man, judging by the voice, appeared to be holding a bundle of cloth in one arm and his wand in the other.

“Let me see him.” A raspy whisper, almost like a hiss, sounded out from the bundle.

“Of course, My Lord.” The Wizard replied and turned the bundle around. Harry had never been so nauseated in his life. What was wrapped in the bundle of cloth looked like a shaved, emaciated monkey. One that had been part of a botched Transfiguration on top of all of its other problems at that! It appeared to have some scales on it and was visibly lacking a nose. The sight almost made Harry want to retch.

“We meet again, Harry Potter.” Voldemort hissed out. “See what I’ve had to endure because of you? How I’ve had to cling to life?”

“Voldemort!” Harry growled at the bundle. “I figured, you can’t just do the proper thing and die like everyone wants you too!”

“I will never die, Harry Potter!” Voldemort hissed back as loudly as his horrid little body would allow. “Now that you’re here, I’ll be restored fully; people will once again learn to fear Voldemort, the Greatest Wizard to Ever Live!”

“I’d never help you, you bastard!” Harry yelled back. “You murdered my parents! I’d sooner see you dead!”

“To be fair, you’re compliance isn’t a factor, Harry Potter.” Voldemort let out a raspy chuckle.

“How the bloody hell did you even get me in this Tournament?!” Harry ground out as he tested the conjured ropes’ strength. “You couldn’t have just walked into Hogwarts!” It was ‘Barty’, as Voldemort had called the Wizard; that laughed at his question.

“Oh it was far easier than you think, Potter.” Barty laughed at the bound teen. “No one pays much attention to that Squib, Argus Filch!” Harry looked confused by the man’s words. What did the surly Caretaker have to do with this? “He does like his drinks in the Hog’s Head though. It made him very easy to get to! A quick Imperius Curse and he let me into Hogwarts himself! I was able to Charm the Goblet and left him with orders to get a parchment with your name on it. The Squib has access to almost the whole of Hogwarts and no one really pays him any mind. He fulfilled his task to my orders and now here you are, trapped, alone, and helpless!”

“Well aren’t you just bloody clever?” Harry snarked back at the man. “I might be alone, but you’re wrong about everything else…dead wrong!” Harry roared as he transformed. The blurring motion and the stretching sound of the Therianthrope transformation took over his body for a moment. With a snap the ropes that held him to the gravestone broke. In the next instant Barty Crouch Jr. was face to face with a Half Beast Harry Potter! The deranged Wizard could only turn his body to shield Voldemort before Harry’s claws slashed his back open.

“Argh!” Barty screamed as he fell awkwardly to avoid crushing his Master.

“Stun him you fool! I need him alive!” Voldemort rasped out and Barty fired a large, clearly overpowered, Stupefy Charm at the Leonthrope. Harry stalked through it like it was a summer breeze.

“My Lord! I don’t understand?!” Barty cried out in confusion and agony from his injury. Seeing Harry almost upon him the Death Eater panicked. “AVADA KEDAVRA!”

“No you fool!” Voldemort screeched at his minion for ruining the Ritual to restore him. Harry stumbled back two steps as the bright green light of the Killing Curse struck him in the chest. To both Voldemort and Barty’s shocked horror the transformed teen didn’t fall.

“That actually stung a bit.” Harry growled through his transformed jaws. Faster than Barty could react; Harry’s massive clawed hand swung towards him. There was a sharp crack and Barty collapsed with his neck at an odd angle. The Death Eater was dead.

“Barty?!” Voldemort screeched as he realized he was alone. Alone with the one that could very well be Prophesized to defeat him!

“I’d love to crush you in your miserable, pathetic state right now.” Harry growled at the cobbled together body that Voldemort inhabited. “But even that might not kill you. So I guess you’ll be coming with me.” Harry intoned as he quickly yanked the wand away from the frail hands of the homunculus. Voldemort had been grasping that wand like a lifeline. Now that it was gone he felt a deep fear well up in him for the first time in years.

“Don’t touch me, Harry Potter!” Voldemort hissed as he huddled away from the enclosing claws of the Half Beast. Harry gripped the cloth bundle, as he honestly didn’t want to touch whatever Voldemort currently was. The transformed teen stalked over to the Triwizard Cup and grabbed it. Not feeling the sign of Portkey travel Harry was perplexed.

‘Am I unable to use Portkeys while transformed?’ Harry wondered to himself before he put the Cup down. Transforming back to Human Form, Harry glared at the quivering form of Voldemort before picking up the Cup again. In the swirl of lights, Harry and Voldemort were transported away.

-Hogwarts ~ Third Task Winner’s Platform-

In the swirl of a Portkey, Harry and Voldemort landed on the platform. Harry stumbled a moment before righting himself. The Judges were already moving towards him, but he saw growing looks of confusion on their faces at what he held. When they finally got close enough Dumbledore’s face went serious, Karkaroff flinched and stumbled backwards, Maxime looked disgusted, and both Bagman and Crestwood looked confused.

“Where are the Aurors?” Harry demanded as he held up Voldemort’s bundled form. “I have a murderer to turn in.”

“What is that?” Crestwood asked confused before he saw the shriveled creature’s eyes. The ‘thing’ had red eyes that looked hatefully at everyone and only widened in fear when they landed on Dumbledore.

“What have you done to yourself, Voldemort?” Dumbledore questioned the ‘thing’ and everyone, except Harry and Dumbledore himself, flinched back in shock. Crestwood grabbed his wand and cast a Sonorous Charm on himself quickly.

“All Aurors to the Winner’s Platform! We have an intruder!” Crestwood yelled, barely managing not to shout Voldemort’s name and cause a panic. In moments Aurors were rushing over wands out and ready with Amelia Bones charging close behind. Even Professor Moody was hobbling over as fast as his fake leg would allow him.

“What the bloody hell is that thing?!” Dawlish questioned as he pointed his wand at the ‘thing’ Harry Potter was holding. Most of the Aurors currently had their wands trained on the squirming bundle.

“Dumbledore?” Amelia looked at the Headmaster seriously and Dumbledore spoke up.

“This is what remains of Voldemort.” Dumbledore informed the group. This announcement led to shocked and terrified gasps among the gathered Aurors.

“Madam Bones, permission to terminate known criminal?” A tall man who looked vaguely like a lion with his facial hair; asked Amelia as the tip of his wand was glowing an ominous orange color.

“Denied, Scrimgeour!” Amelia ordered and the man’s wand lost the glow a second later. “We’ll be taking him in, I’ll call the Unspeakables before we get there.”

“I offer to accompany you and your Aurors Amelia.” Dumbledore spoke up and at the fearful hiss from Voldemort Amelia accepted.

“Very well Chief Warlock Dumbledore, keep your wand trained on him.” Amelia requested and Dumbledore withdrew his wand from his sleeve. The odd, knotted wand was leveled at the bundle and the withered Homunculus huddled away in fear.

“What is going on here?” Cornelius Fudge demanded as he came over to the gathered group. There was a large bag in his left hand. “Good heavens!” The man cried out at seeing the shriveled form. “What in Merlin’s name is that?!”

“Minister, good that you’re here!” Amelia quickly took control of the conversation. She had years of experience dealing with Fudge. She knew how the man worked and knew she needed to spin this in a way that would see Cornelius in a positive light. “This ‘thing’ is what remains of Voldemort after Halloween of Eighty One.” Predictably Fudge let out a startle yelp at the name. “We need YOU to schedule an emergency Wizengamot Session, Minister!" Amelia emphasized the man’s role in the procedure they needed to follow. Knowing that feeling ‘in charge’ often got Fudge to do things quickly. “A Full Wizengamot Session at that! Only you can call one to order quickly enough, Minister!”

“A Full Session? Oh, right, right of course!” Fudge blustered though the observant noticed he’d puffed up his chest a bit. The Minister removed a handkerchief from his pocket and dabbed at his sweating forehead. “Oh dear, what a mess.” The man fretted before noticing Harry. “Ah yes, Mr. Potter, your winnings.” Fudge handed the bag to Harry. “One thousand Galleons; don’t spend it all in one place.” The man said absently as he and a few Aurors started rushing off to the gates along with the rest of the Aurors, Dumbledore, and the withered form of Voldemort.

“What the hell?” Harry blinked as he held the bag of Galleons. The rest of the Judges, barring Karkaroff who seemed to have run off, started the ending procedures for the Tournament. There was much confusion about the announcement of an intruder. People were asking questions and the only answer that was given was, ‘The Aurors are handling it.’

As soon as the Tournament was concluded Harry was led by Sirius to a Wizard tent that he’d had set up beforehand. Harry was safely ensconced from the flurry of people asking questions and he couldn’t be more grateful to Sirius at that moment. The only people allowed into the tent were Remus, Tonks, Andromeda, Ted, Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, Padma, Susan, Luna, Fleur, Gabrielle, Marius, and Appoline.

“Are you alright, Harry?” Sirius asked his Godson with an arm around the teen’s shoulders.

“Yeah…I think so.” Harry replied as he breathed deeply.

“We’re all here for you, Harry.” Sirius reassured him as he pulled him into a side hug. Harry was quickly surrounded by his loved ones and the teens couldn’t help but start to relax and calm down. His adrenaline had been pumping ever since he’d entered the maze. Now that it was finally stopping Harry was feeling drained. The teen relaxed and was quickly asleep next to his Godfather. The family; both blood and extended, smiled at the sleeping teen and his girlfriends were quick to surround him and hold him as he slept.

-Ministry of Magic ~ Courtroom 10 – June 24th, 1995-

There was much confusion in the Courtroom as people shuffled about and took their seats. The Minister had called and Emergency Session of the Wizengamot, a Full Session at that! All that was known was that this was a criminal trial. When the Courtroom was filled the Minister, Chief Warlock, and Madam Bones took their seats and a full Squad of Aurors entered the room surrounding four Unspeakables. One of the hidden Wizards had a bundled up ‘something’ in a Rune-covered box that they were levitating.

“I call to order this emergency session of the Wizengamot!” Fudge banged his gavel to settle the room. “The Criminal Case of Magical Britain v. Thomas Marvolo Riddle, also known as ‘Lord V-Voldemort’ shall begin.” The Minister intoned even after having stuttered out the moniker. As expected, there were many shrieks of fear and several of the Wizengamot members stared at the ‘thing’ in the box in horror.

“How does the accused plead?” Dumbledore asked the standard question that was assigned to his position of Chief Warlock.

“I will kill you Dumbledore!” Voldemort hissed out in a raspy gasp.

“Let the Record show that the defendant has refused to plead.” Dumbledore looked over at the Court Scribe. The young man nodded to the Chief Warlock and marked the note.

“I will present the charges against the accused.” Amelia spoke as she began her role for the trial. The list was long, as everyone knew it would be. Murder, Terrorism, Arson, Torture, Enslavement, Use of all three Unforgivables multiple times, Theft, Blackmail, Sedition, the list went on and on. It finally concluded with a listing of the crimes he was accused of being an accessory to such as Rape and Muggle Baiting that had been done by his followers the Death Eaters.

“Do you have anything to say in your defense, Thomas Riddle?” Fudge questioned, feeling much braver saying the man’s given name and not his feared moniker. He was also less fearful now because the Unspeakables had assured him, along with Dumbledore and Amelia, that the homunculus body Voldemort was inhabiting was not only almost powerless but secured in the Warded Box they had him in.

“I am Lord Voldemort!” Voldemort rasped out as he glared at the Minister. Fudge flinched slightly, but knowing Dumbledore was right beside him kept him from panicking.

“Let the Record show the accused has provided no defense for his actions.” Dumbledore stated and the Court Scribe once more made a note.

“I call upon this August Body to pass judgement on Thomas Marvolo Riddle for his many crimes. We will begin deliberations immediately.” Fudge stated and whispers began quickly. The air in the Courtroom was quickly turning murderous. Almost everyone sitting on the Wizengamot had lost family or friends to Voldemort and his Death Eaters. The Dark Wizard’s sentencing was decided quickly.

“Has the Wizengamot made its decision?” Fudge asked when the Head of the Wizengamot, which was its oldest member Tiberius Ogden, stood up.

“We have Minister.” Ogden nodded. “The Wizengamot finds Thomas Marvolo Riddle guilty for all crimes listed. We sentence him to Death via The Veil. May the Gods have mercy on your soul.” He nearly spat the last sentence as he glared at the homunculus.

“Very well, Thomas Marvolo Riddle will undergo a full Memory Seize at the request of the Unspeakables. Once it is determined that he has no means to avoid his sentence, it will be carried out at midnight on the same day. So it has been decided, so mote it be!” Fudge banged his gavel as the Wizengamot whispered about the use of a Memory Seize. It was the most invasive form of Mind Magic available. It literally took a copy of EVERY memory a person had all at once. There was no lying to it, no defense against it; it slipped past the defenses of even Master Occlumens as easily as the Hogwarts Sorting Hat looked through the mind of a First Year. Understandably it wasn’t used on every criminal case. In fact, because of the damage it could do to the mind of the one it was used on, it was rather rare for it to be used at all. The Unspeakables silenced the raging Voldemort and levitated the box back out of the Courtroom with their Auror Squad Escort. Sirius left the Wizengamot Session with a pleased smile on his face and headed home. It was almost midnight, but he’d write a letter to Harry and send it off. His Godson deserved to know that Voldemort would no longer be a problem.

-Hogwarts-

Harry, sleeping snuggled up with his girlfriends, had a soft smile cross his lips in his sleep.

-End Chapter-

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Third Task is done! So the answer to the question; ‘Can anything in the maze stop a Nemean Lion?’ was a resounding ‘NO!’ so yeah. Then Voldemort and Barty had a most unfortunate meeting with a pissed off Nemea Leonthrope! Barty dies and Voldemort is captured! The time has come for Voldemort! It’s almost like ‘Fate’ was against him. His enemy had an ability he didn’t fully understand. Kind of like a ‘power he knew not.’ Interesting.

Next chapter we get to see the aftermath of the Trial; then we’ll deal with something else!

Until I get your reviews, later!