"I am no more insane than you are innocent of instigating the attacks this year," Harry quipped as he lifted up the ruined Soul Receptacle and Harry watched with fascination as the man's ears began turning red once more. "How about a little wager, Mr. Malfoy? I will bet my entire Inventory that you know exactly how Ginny Weasley got a hold of this Soul Receptacle and if I am right, you will sell me Dobby the House Elf for one galleon and resign from the Hogwarts' Board of Governors. If I am wrong, I will give you every last magical Item that I am currently holding in my Inventory; which includes a number of raw potion ingredients and rare materials from at least eight different species."
"I accept," Mr. Malfoy automatically replied without giving any thought to what other information Harry might have.
"Madam Bones, will you stand witness to Mr. Malfoy accepting the terms of my bet?" Harry asked as he suppressed a smirk.
"Yes."
"Brilliant," Harry replied as he finally let the cold smirk form. "I will give you permission to draw upon four memories that will prove beyond a doubt that Mr. Malfoy knows how this Item ended up with the youngest Weasley. The first two memories are of Malfoy's House Elf, Dobby, trying to chase me out of Hogwarts while warning me that terrible things will happen at the school."
"The third memory is of a conversation I overheard between Draco Malfoy and his godfather, Severus Snape, about his father's plans to ruin the Weasley Family and the fact that Malfoy Sr. had knowledge of the Chamber of Secrets being opened fifty years ago and who had opened the Chamber at the time; and no, it was not Hagrid. Finally, you may take the memory of what happened in the Chamber which will include everything that Tom Marvolo Riddle told me in regards to who had possession of the Soul Receptacle, which had originally been a diary, how it ended up with Ginny Weasley, and how he'd been stealing her magic and soul all year long."
Lucius Malfoy and Harry both knew in that moment that Harry had won the bet, even if Harry had been bluffing for the most part. Mr. Malfoy wasn't going to take Harry discrediting him so lightly though and before anyone could stop him, the older wizard unsheathed his wand from within his cane and fired the acid green Killing Curse at Harry from less than five feet away. Harry didn't even have time to dodge the spell and if he had been anyone else, he'd have died right then and there. Harry wasn't someone else though and the spell simply washed over him (chilling him to the bone while the tainted dark magic fueling the spell made his stomach twist) before it struck the wall behind him and blasted a crater in the stone behind him; sending stone fragments flying outwards.
The two men that had been standing behind Madam Bones tackled Malfoy Sr. to the ground at the same time as the spell exploded against the wall while everyone else but Madam Bones and Headmaster Dumbledore dove towards the floor out of a sense of self preservation. Dumbledore had his wand out but the man hadn't been fast enough to cast a spell before the Killing Curse had struck and Madam Bones had been focused entirely upon Mr. Malfoy and therefore hadn't seen the spell wash over Harry without harming him.
Harry, after having that spell thrown at him countless times over the last two years (by both versions of Voldemort that he'd encountered), ignored his latest close brush with death once his stomach stopped churning. He then opened his Inventory and withdrew a single gold galleon that he flicked at the subdued Mr. Malfoy as he stated, "I win and as agreed there is the galleon I owe you for the purchase of Dobby the House Elf. I'll trust Madam Bones to see to it that you follow through on your resignation from the Board. It was a pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Malfoy; do try to work on your magical strength between now and the next time we meet; I prefer my enemies to offer me a real challenge when I face them in battle."
More than one person was gaping at Harry's blasé attitude regarding his near death. Harry didn't even notice though as his attention was focused solely on the House Elf that was suddenly sprawled over his lap; the troublesome creature bawling his heart out over the fact that Harry had saved him from the Malfoys. Harry had originally intended to free the elf so that it wouldn't have to serve anyone but the creature was far too happy being Harry's new elf to agree to being freed. The four foot wizard only hoped Hedwig wouldn't be too cross with him when she was finally cured of her petrification after he suddenly recalled how his familiar had attacked Dobby both times the elf had appeared before him.
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