Author's Note: Right, I know I shouldn't be writing another story but I had two dreams which I've decided to incorporate into one, as they wouldn't leave me alone. Of course this doesn't mean that I'm not going to work on my other stories as I'll never abandon them. Hope you can all bear with me and please review if you read, as reviews make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside (maybe that's just the heat? Meh, off I go)

Disclaimer: I own nothing that you recognize from the books or films, they all belong to JK and all associated producers of said movies, I just own all the weird ideas that have come from my brain.

Warnings: Strong violence, strong language, scenes of a sexual nature, contains slash (same sex pairing), sensitive topic/issue/theme, substance use and/or abuse. This story will also contain the consumption of human flesh (not sure if I'd call it cannibalism, you'll find out why later) so please, if you have a problem with this then don't read any further just to complain. You have been warned, this story will be quite dark. This story will most definitely be for those over sixteen years at least, so if you are younger, please do the right thing and exit the story.

Wicked Innocence

At the end of his fifth year at Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Harry Potter is bitten by something large, white and incredibly fast. Believing it to be nothing Harry ignores the bite and foregoes telling anyone about it, too traumatized at the loss of his godfather. Unknown to The-Boy-Who-Lived, this bite will cause a change in him that will destroy everything he once believed in…

Chapter One: Bloodlust

Change isn't always a good thing, especially when you want to kill those around you…

Harry Potter, once declared deranged by the Daily Prophet and now lauded as 'The Chosen One', was currently sitting in his bedroom at number four Privet Drive. The fifteen, soon to be sixteen, year old boy had been home from Hogwarts; School of Witchcraft and Wizardry for a fortnight and in those two weeks he had mourned the loss of his godfather, Sirius Black, and had gained an urge to kill the Dursley's, his only living relatives. Now while the urge to cause bodily harm to the Dursley's wasn't really anything new, the detail and depth of his daydreams had become so startlingly clear and real that he had become afraid of his own thoughts. He wondered if these thoughts, and the brief sickness he had suffered for the first week, or so back, were the result of the bite he had gotten from school? After he had returned from his stint at the Ministry of Magic, where he had lost Sirius to the Veil in the Department of Mysteries, he had been bitten by something that he hadn't been able to see.

Whatever had bitten him hadn't been invisible, it had just moved too fast for him to get any details besides the fact that it was large and white. He had been devastated at the loss of Sirius and was feeling quite reckless so when he had gotten the bite he had decided to keep it to himself, maybe it would kill him and then he'd be able to see his godfather again. Then he had ran into Malfoy and his cronies, Crabbe and Goyle, it seemed that Malfoy was blaming him for the capture of Lucius at the Ministry and wanted him dead, so Harry had lashed out and would have gotten into major trouble with Snape, how he loathed that man, if McGonagall hadn't of showed up to 'save him'. He did not want saving, he wanted to suffer immensely for causing Sirius' death, if he hadn't of believed in the visions that Voldemort had been sending him, and if Snape had acted as though he believed him, he never would've gone to the Ministry.

So he had kept to himself that he had been bitten by something and when he had arrived at the Dursley's he had paid the price with a burning itch that had started in his chest and had spread to his whole body from there. His bones had also burnt and had felt like they were moving around under his skin; he had ended up unable to see for a while as his eyes had felt like they had exploded in their sockets and he had lost all his other senses as well. He had panicked at first but there had been nothing he could do as he couldn't see, hear, talk or feel anything; which had sucked as it meant that he couldn't send a letter to one of his best friends, he was sure that Hermione would've known what was happening to him.

All the odd things had disappeared after eight days though and he had discovered that his looks had changed slightly, for even though he still resembled himself he now looked like a more petite, svelte, elven version of himself. His skin had turned a few shades lighter, so that it was more of a honey brown, and even though his hair was still as unruly as ever, there was a more ordered look to the mess. It was his eyes that had changed the most though, for they now resembled the eyes of a cat and were so like a cats eyes that he no longer needed his glasses and could even see in the dark. Now, while he didn't mind the more physical aspects of his change, it was the other changes that bothered him as he had the disturbing urge to eat human flesh. He had sealed himself in his bedroom for the past three days and had been trying to ignore his new cravings, which wasn't easy as his hearing had sharpened and thus he could hear the Dursley's moving about the house and could even hear the people outside, hell, he could even hear heartbeats for crying out loud.

Harry now had hope though, for he had recently received a letter from Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, informing him that Dumbledore would be arriving at eleven that Friday night. He hadn't really packed much of his things though, as he wasn't sure if Dumbledore would really show up or not, the only thing he had done in preparation was to lock Hedwig into her cage. His snowy white owl's attitude towards him had changed since his transformation, she had become even more affectionate towards him but she also seemed to fear him as well, especially when the urge to rip and tear into someone overtook his senses and he found it hard to think of anything else.

It was nearing eleven and Harry found himself moving about with excess energy, unable to sit still, as he wondered if Dumbledore would know what had happened to him and if it would be able to be reversed or, if not, then if it could at least be stemmed. He was fearful that Dumbledore wouldn't be able to help him and was even more terrified to think of what he might do if angered, his moods seemed to affect his new urge for human flesh and he was afraid that he might try and eat the Headmaster. Huh, maybe he could get mad at Voldemort and eat him? Of course that meant he'd have to give into the urge, which he did not want to do as it was gross and disturbing. Suddenly the light outside his window vanished and with a heart beating in anticipation, Harry looked out into the street where he saw Dumbledore walking up the garden path with his cloak billowing around him.

In a whirlwind or energy, Harry started to haphazardly throw things into his trunk but when he heard Dumbledore ring the doorbell and his uncle yell about it he froze. He'd forgotten to inform the Dursley's that the Headmaster of his school may come to visit, as he realized this, his anxiety rose and with his anxiety came a renewed surge in his urge for flesh. It was quite disturbing how his body now craved to consume flesh when he felt threatened but there was something wrong. He didn't know how he knew it but Harry somehow sensed that he had to wait for something, that there was something he had to do before he ate someone, that was holding him back, and for this he was grateful. Not registering that he still had a couple of items within his hands, Harry rushed down the stairs to where his uncle had answered the door.

Once he realized that Harry hadn't told the Dursley's that he was coming, Dumbledore invited himself in and, even though it was infinitesimal, Harry saw the shock in the Headmasters eyes and what looked like despair; the Headmaster knew what had happened to him! Maybe he would finally find out what had happened to him? But, before he could ask, Dumbledore gave him a look that clearly stated that they would talk about his changes later and moved into the Dursley's sitting room. Shocking Harry, and the Dursley's as well, Dumbledore explained that they weren't leaving just yet as there were a few things he and Harry had to go over and that it was safer to do so in the Dursley's house. Dumbledore then went on to explain that Sirius' Will had been found and that he had left everything to Harry, including Grimmauld Place. Not wanting anything to do with something that would remind him so much of Sirius being trapped, Harry told Dumbledore that the Order of the Phoenix could continue using it for their Headquarters. After explaining to him that it mightn't be safe to continue using the house as Headquarters, as they didn't know if Harry was actually allowed to inherit it, Dumbledore explained that there was one easy way to determine if the place did indeed belong to him.

The Headmaster told him that there was one easy way to establish if the property really belonged to him or not and with a wave of his wand, which once again exposed his shriveled and blackened hand, Dumbledore summoned the House Elf, Kreacher, into the Dursley's sitting room. While Kreacher refused to look at him and continued to declare that he wouldn't belong to the "Potter brat" and that he'd prefer to be with "Mistress Bellatrix", Dumbledore explained to him that if the house did belong to him then so did the deranged House Elf and that Kreacher would have to obey any order that he gave. At first he didn't want anything to do with the Elf, as it was his fault that Sirius was dead, Harry finally agreed to keep him after realizing that Dumbledore was right and that they couldn't let Kreacher go to Bellatrix. Not being able to think of any order to give the Elf over the racket it was making, Harry finally had enough and ordered him to shut up. Straight away all sound seized as it seemed that Sirius knew what he was doing and Kreacher couldn't disobey a direct order from Harry. Glad with the results, Dumbledore then suggested to Harry that maybe it would be a good idea to send Kreacher to Hogwarts to work in the kitchens, Harry agreed whole heartedly and ordered the House Elf to the kitchens. For the first time Kreacher looked at Harry and his glare of deepest loathing turned to shocked disbelief, tinged with awe, followed by determination when a voice exactly like Harry's said from over Harry's left shoulder "Keep it secret, keep it safe".

Hearing his own voice coming from over his shoulder startled Harry and from the lack of reaction from Dumbledore and the Dursley's he knew that he and Kreacher were the only ones to hear it but, before he could question Kreacher about it, the House Elf vanished with the loud crack of a whip that they all appeared and left with. Deciding to question the Elf about it later, Harry rushed to his room to finish packing when the Headmaster asked him if he was done. Once packed Harry returned to the sitting room with his things where Dumbledore had a few last words to the Dursley's about when he came of age and how he needed to return to the house at least once before then to renew his protection. Then they walked outside where Dumbledore sent his things on ahead to The Burrow, as he said that there was something else that he needed to do first and that he would like Harry's help with it.

After he had somehow helped the Headmaster convince a, Horace Slughorn, to come back to Hogwarts to teach, and who was also shocked and dismayed by his appearance, Dumbledore took Harry through side along Apparition to The Burrow. The Burrow was Harry's second most favorite building in the world, his first being Hogwarts, and he was extremely glad to see it but were the Weasley's also going to be upset by his new appearance? And, if so, would that mean that they wouldn't want anything to do with him, as he had already guessed that whatever had happened to him was not a good thing. Not that he thought it was, not with the whole wanting to eat people and such but he hoped that that didn't mean that those who he considered his real family wouldn't desert him because of it. After talking some more, and in an old broom shed to boot, Dumbledore finally led Harry to the front door of The Burrow, where he knocked gently.

Panicked movement could be heard from behind the door and then Mrs. Weasley's fearful voice asked 'Who is it?'

'It's Albus and I've brought Harry' replied Dumbledore in a calm voice and they heard the sounds of the locks being drawn back.

'Harry dear…,' started Mrs. Weasley as she opened the door but anything else she might've said was lost when she caught sight of Harry and once again there was that shock and dismay.

'Hey Mrs. Weasley' said Harry uncertainly, afraid that he was about to be turned away.

'Oh Harry!' exclaimed Mrs. Weasley and she dragged the shocked boy into a bone crushing hug.

At first Harry was happy that it didn't seem like he was going to be turned away but then he felt a renewed urge to consume flesh, made all the worst by the fact that he was pulled up close to Mrs. Weasley's body. In fear and desperation, Harry quickly shoved himself away from Mrs. Weasley and placed a hand firmly over his mouth, afraid that he might try and take a bite out of someone.

'Molly, Nymphadora, please excuse Harry but I haven't had the time to talk to him yet' said Dumbledore passively and looking up Harry saw that Tonks was indeed in the kitchen with Mrs. Weasley.

'So you do know what's happened to me' said Harry looking up and the three adults turned to him in shock when they realized that he had no idea about what he was.

'Harry my boy, please, sit down, we need to discuss with you what we will need to do' said Dumbledore, gesturing to one of the kitchen chairs.

'I should be going' said Tonks suddenly and before anyone could say anything else she was out the door and had Apparated away.

'You talk to Harry, Albus, and I'll get him some breakfast, the poor boy looks like his been starved' said Mrs. Weasley and she started to bustle around the kitchen.

'Of course,' agreed Dumbledore amiably, sitting down, 'Harry my boy, when did you change?'

'It started after I returned from school and I think it was because of the bite I got while there' explained Harry, feeling both his nervousness and urge to eat flesh increase.

'You were bitten by something?' asked Dumbledore curiously.

'Yes, I don't know what it looked like beyond large and white though' answered Harry cautiously, for even though Dumbledore gave no sign, he could sense that what he'd said was important.

'If you were bitten then it changes everything,' said Dumbledore wearily, and for the first time Harry realized how old the Headmaster truly was.

'There is something really important that I need to tell you about and I know you'll have questions but please, wait until the end to ask them,' explained Dumbledore and he waited for Harry's nod of agreement before he continued on, 'First I need to tell you about a race of creatures known as Ghasts…'