Chapter 149: The Grim Tower

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"It would seem like our Lord was right, guests have arrived," Lord Boot smiled. "Hurry up," he shouted to his men as they quickly got busy like bees.

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At another Nott family vassal's home, Lord Kerry stood surveying the carnage all around. It was a bloody tough fight, but finally, at long last they managed to breach the walls and take the Manor of the Baron family of Lean.

However, he wondered at what cost?!

All around him was ruin and rubble as dead bodies littered the ground and blood flowed freely. Smoke billowed high up into the air with spell fires still burning in some parts of the Manor, and the moans and shouts of soldiers sounded out through the surrounding.

Of the 500 soldiers he had which was double the armed limit of a Baron and equaling to a Viscount, Baron Kerry brought all of them to invade this Manor. And they did outnumber their opponents, but they still took a massive loss sieging this place which costed him, 300 soldiers.

Now he had only 200 men left in varying stages of injury and fatigue.

However to him, it was well worth it! He might have lost all the forces he had been hiding away through all these years that the Potters were all but gone. But now, his family had a new Manor in hand, one that sat on a minor leyline that could help build a new branch family in the future or maybe even elevate his family to full Viscount.

Chuckling to himself as his fat jowls shook in pleasure, Lord Kerry thanked that young little brat. Thanks to his feud with the Notts, he now had a whole new estate that could help his family finally advance beyond their baronhood. Almost made him forget about the loyal minion he lost thanks to the brat, Ser Bret.

It was well worth the price of a 10 year 30% tax hike that he and all the other vassals that decided to participate in this war had to pay the brat if they wanted the location of the Nott family vassals. Though in a couple years he could easily recover from this fight and easily pay for the tax height from the gold he years from working the land surrounding the Manor which was a swamp that held many rare and precious herbs and magical creatures.

He wondered to himself why the boy didn't take these juicy targets for himself, with the Legion in hand it would be easy as pie to roll over these punny families and their poultry defenses. But he figured the boy had his hand full with fighting the Nott family and their blasted Grim battalion.

But that just meant better news from him. Turning around, Lord Kerry took in his new Manor.

It was a ruin after the fight, but he didn't mind putting in the gold to restore it back to its former glory.

Sadly the Lean family got away at the last minute even when he had anti teleportation spells up. They must had a prior means of escape just like any noble family would have in case things get tight.

Thus he would expect to face opposition from the Lean family at every turn from within the Wizengamot as they fight their case, and through shadowy means as well. But that was a time for later, and he knew that the Lean family wouldn't be able to raise up arms anytime soon to try to retake their family home.

That was something his descendants could figure out, he had effectively crippled the family and they won't be recovering anytime soon.

Smiling Lord Kerry was about to call some of his men over so they could survey the Manor until a soldier ran up to him.

"My lord," someone shouted, "There is a force approaching, and I see them waving the Nott family banner."

"WHAT??!" Lord Kerry shouted as he looked at the man with disbelieving eyes.

"Uhmmm, the Nott family forces approach, my lord. And they are not a small force..."

"How, why, what?!" the man voiced to no one in particular. This couldn't be happening, weren't the two families at each other throats, why were a force of the Nott family coming here?!

The Baron paused as those thoughts flickered through his mind and he uttered, "he is using us. That fucking little brat is using as all as bait to the draw out the Nott family," he growled. How couldn't he have seen it coming, no one would give up a whole estate for nothing especially to someone who was disloyal to you.

"How much are coming?" he asked the soldier.

"We didn't get an accurate reading as our scouts were torn down by.. by something savage. We only got word as a bloodied soldier came in shouting about Nott family banners high up in the sky."

"Mhmm, they brought with them their bonded creatures then. Hurry up," he said, "get the man formed up on the walls."

Then without another look, he turned around and all but ran up to his aide. "I want a Portkey set up immediately, we are getting out of here."

"What, why my lord?" the man asked in surprise.

"Just do it, before all teleportation is blocked off," the fat man shouted.

"Yes, yes," the aide nodded his head.

"When you are done gather up all those you can, and have the soldiers cover our retreat before they come."

Looking at the Manor he had to give up, Lord Kerry could only clench his fist in anger and sorrow. He was left with no choice if he wanted to get out of here with his life intake. However that didn't stop him from cursing that damnable brat, he had set the perfect trap for them and the Nott family as he had something planned for them, hitting two birds with one stone.

He would have been ardent if he didn't just lose all his family force for nothing.

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It wasn't just House Fraser that faced difficulty in securing their holdings as Nott soldiers came down on them.

Other vassals of House Potter faced arduous difficulties in taking Nott's family holding as they brought with them all the soldiers they could and hidden away. Then it all turned to ash as the Nott family soldiers came upon them in full force.

Only Baron Boot was able to withstand the small force with his 500 men and the 100 from the Moss family. As was Ser Ryan and Ser Eddie who took control of the Arm family which was now all but extinct with 250 men each and 100 abandoned men of the Arm family.

Now they were both able to establish a new family as they married together their 2nd borns forming a new knightly house on the spot.

The others who weren't on Harry's good side didn't have such luck as they had to abandon what they fought for tooth and nail and shed so much blood for.

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Meanwhile, in far removed location a large force appeared out of thin air. They were a powerful force made of three distinct groups; the first being the largest made up of a 1,000 men who were lack and easy going as they spoke coarsely with each other and laughed out loud. They were the two mercenary companies that Harry had hired out.

The other were a more strictly organized and stern bunch of only a 100 men who were in strict uniform as they wheeled behind powerful siege weapons that glowed an unearthly color with magic seeping off of them. They were the auxiliary units of the Legion that he has stationed at the Golden Tower a while back to practice with some weapons he had the tower make.

Lastly, were another small force that only numbered a 100 as well made up of soldiers in different liveries but sort of similar to the ones that the legionaries had on. They were men from House Rogers.

Ser Myles was one of the few people to refuse going after a Nott family vassal as he quickly promised his sword to him. It was a smart decision, because the man really didn't have the might to take down a whole family by himself, even a knightly house. Thus Harry added him to his surprise force who were now just coming up on their target.

The Grim Tower!

The Nott family wizarding tower where all the unsavory research and experimentation goes on. It was his target because he really couldn't go after the Nott family Manor or fortress yet, that was going to be a long epic fight to take down those two.

However he could go for one of the trifectas, the Grim Tower which would be a devastating blow to the Nott while they were being none the more wiser as they were busy taking down his vassals who had gone raiding in their land.

Pulling on the reigns of the beasts pulling the massive chariot, Harry turned to the men standing along with him in the vehicle. "So gentlemen," he addressed them all from Ser Myles Captains Albert and Gilbert, and Centurion Jason who was the leader of the auxiliary unit he brought with him.

"Don't think its a fine day for some battles?!"

"Haha, can't agree any more, Sir," Albert chuckled.

"Some mighty fine day for fucking up some Nott soldiers," his brother Gilbert intoned.

Just then the tower took notice of them as a giant shadowy eye ball formed at the very top of the tower and stared down at them with baleful eyes.

"Form up," Harry called out as he held his hand up in the air while the mercenaries and the Rogers family men got into formation.

"Prepare the siege weapons," he then shouted as the auxiliary units brought the surprises he had in store.

Inside the tower, in a room that monitored the tower, a guard ran up to a man decked out in most fine clothing in Nott family colors who was staring at the image that the tower spirit had showed him of an invading force standing right at their gates.

Sounds were blaring throughout the whole tower defeating everyone's ears as the signal of invading was being sounded out.

"Sir," the tower guard said in a worried tone, "We seem to have a force right outside," he pointed the obvious.

"I can see that, man," the commander of the guards said, "who are they?"

"From these colors, I imagine they are the Potter family, the ones we are at war with!"

Everyone had been put on high alert about the war about to start, but the researchers of the wizarding towers never had anything to do with that. They always stood on the side lines, providing support and aide, and the only reason why he chose this post was because it was far from the blood and gore that would be soon shed.

But now... now all that had come here to him.

"Send word to the family right now," the incompetent man shouted while another person entered the room.

He was a portly gentleman with a long mustache in fine robes with researchers following behind him. "What's going on, Captain?" the man who was the Lead researcher of the tower asked with his worried magical researchers behind him.

"Nothing of your concern," the man answered, and he was interpreted as the guard addressed him.

"Sir we have tried to send a owl, but it would seem that they have anticipated that put some creatures to the sky. Pointing at the image of the army, you could see from it that high up in the air there was a small swarm of Micro Griffins circling the tower from all sides letting nothing out or in.

"So they boxed us in," the captain said.

"I think this is of my concern, Captain," the Lead researcher shouted his face going red, "will we all die here now?"

Ignoring the portly man, the captain spoke up, "Alright try to get everyone out of here...."

"Sir, they are blocking all means of teleportation out of here," the guard uttered bleakly.

Back to the image of the gathered army, there was a mini cell tower of sorts which was a very useful item called a Teleportation jammer. Once in range, it can stop all pesky rats from fleeing.

"God damn it," the captain swore, "then we are left with no choice but to stand our ground. Put up the shields," he said, "activate all our defenses, and god speed folks."

"By Merlin, we are all going to die," the Lead researcher said faintly.

Back to the gathered force, Harry looked in the direction of the auxiliary force who were now in position with the magic siege weapons.

"On my mark," Harry called out to his soldiers as he watched the incandescent shield begin to surround the tower as defenses were raised.

"1

2

3

FIRE!!!"

Harry shouted as booms and bangs went off in the air, long beans of rainbow colors rays shot out of Magic Cannons, Magic honing bolt throwers sent of dozens upon dozens of giant spears into the air, Magic Trebuchet shot out molten lava, Magic Ballista let loose wall crushing shafts, and so much more.

Harry had the Golden tower busy all this time, besides the magic firearms he had them working on he had pulled some ideas from good old medieval warfare. It was good an all having powerful magic cannons, but they took forever to load up and each shot was like firing dozens of Galleons.

So he had them work on siege weapons that had a multitude of effects, and seeing them all fired off all at once at the tower filled him with pride. He had more surprises in store, but this was the culmination of quite a while now.

In no time at all the Tower was breached thanks to all that heavy fire it suffered.

And Harry raised the Sword of Gryffindor on high and shouted, "Charge!!!"

This was only the begging of the bloody battle, he had heard tale from Sirius how bloody tough it was to invade a tower as he and Remus had done the exact same foolish thing. Wizards just loved setting up so many traps and guardians in their towers, making them only invadable by an experienced and powerful group of wizards or witches or by a small army. And that is exactly what ha had brought with him.

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Vassals of House Potter: Baron Terrant of House Boot, Ser Ryan of House Cole, Ser Eddie of House Dehoff, Ser Myles of House Rogers (Loyal)

Baron Kerry of House Fraser, Ser Watts of House Spencer, Ser Gray of House Pearce(Disloyal)

Ser Gimbal of House Chalet, Ser Bret of House Porter(Extinct)

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Bolt thrower: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/700028335803883374/

Ballista: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/550354016953865007/

Trebuchet: https://shamanpainter.files.wordpress.com/2016/03/trebuchet.jpg?w=676

Double Crossbow: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/359584351497301834/

Giant Crossbow: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/487514728397540273/

Magic Cannon: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/675540012826210658/

Ram: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/117656608995573406/

Chariot: http://www.artofmtg.com/art/thundering-chariot/

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