Chrysalis
I was a great many things, to some I was a hero, others a brat and to some a normal child. Though they were the most incorrect, Harry Potter. An illusion was what I cast over myself again and again in order to maintain the idea I was one of them. In reality I was nothing of the sort.
There is always the light and the dark or so it is said, in reality there is a lot more but reality is not suited to the world of magic. On one hand you have Voldemort the personification of evil and arrogance while on the other you have Dumbledore, a man fighting for good but is flawed by his need to see good in everything. A need I do not have. Not anymore.
Once a thousand years ago it seemed I was a child, a real child with hopes and dreams that unfortunately did not reach any higher than more food or less abuse. Though they were dreams none the less. Then I met her. I don't know who she is, and I never will for our meeting was in the middle of an alley in an evening. She was kind, motherly and her appearance seemed to change. I had been with the Dursleys but we had been separated, thought it appeared fate had acted in their place.
She told me that I was special, that I meant something. I tried to help but she said she was old, very old and her skin broke at even a touch. Her words were loving and kind and then she spoke of a future, one of suffering that she could help me avoid. I agreed and she kissed me, not a romantic event, a lingering touching of lips and I was born. She was a Chryssalid I found out years later in a book about magical extinct species. A fearsome race, strong, agile, can live hundreds of years before weakening and one who had apparently died out hundreds of years ago after a mass war.
The book was wrong, she was one of them and one who had done something no other one of her kind had done. She merged her species with me. I became a Chryssalid, but not in the usual way. No the normal way is disgusting to say the least, a Chryssalid bites a human, the human becomes its thrall and the Chryssalid lays eggs within the thrall. It takes an hour and the egg hatches. Simple imagination can work out exactly what happens.
I however was special, me and the unborn creature merged and I had my mind entering an evolving body, one that was strong, sleek and powerful. I can deflect most things, not all but most. I only need one huge meal of meat every few weeks and I can morph myself into human form. A complex process that has enabled me to survive for as long as I have as Harry Potter, thought it did not take long for things to go wrong. I was in the middle of a war and once the truth had come out, there was many wanting my help. I was a game changer, capable of turning my foes into my own servants with a bite and if I wanted to bring more Chryssalids to the fight with the injured or any foe.
Yes my story is long and will be longer for the rise of a new age for the Chryssalids began with me and it started on one day.
Ministry of Magic
"Give me the prophecy now, or watch your friends die," Lucius Malfoy delivered his ultimatum to me in a tone of superiority. All around me I could see my friends, the people I cared about. All of them were hostages and the prophecy was in my hand, there was no help coming.
"Drop your wands now," I ordered in a tone that no one had ever heard, it was rough and dark. However it prompted a laugh from Lucius.
"Or what Potter? You have a minute and I will start with the mudblood," he threatened and then I knew the game was up. I had no choice, in the death chamber it seemed I would make my mark and reveal the truth.
"You have made your choice Lucius and I have made mine," then my voice was soft and sweet a I took a step towards the man. Holding out the bright blue ball as if to hand it to him, he grinned as he reached into my hand. Then screamed as the prophecy was thrown to the floor and I transformed. My arms sunk to the floor, now they were long purple spikes, my legs did the same and I became the spider-like beast I was. My body twisted and wrapped around itself until long horns emerged from my back and glistened in the light. Long arms untangled themselves from my skin and on the end of both was a four clawed hand, claws shimmering with a death toxin. Venom filled saliva dripped from exposed fangs on my new face, a cruel malicious one, posed on a long neck and housing two brightly glowing blue eyes.
My skin was a hard purple which was toughened by a thick hide, my teeth sharp and my stomach hungry. I needed a meal, for years I lived on the beasts of the Forbidden Forest but maybe now was the time to feast on a more deserving prey.
One bite did the trick, one bite to Lucius neck began the transformation from man to slave. Everyone was watching, in horror but they were watching as I scuttled off Lucius and he rose. Looking paler and he turned with no wand to the death eaters.
"Drop your wands," he instructed, I could not speak in my creature form but I could speak through him.
"What the hell is this?" Bellatrix demanded, she was unstable and I knew she would be the first to follow through on her promise to kill. I would not allow it, I may be a monster but I counted all of these people as friends.
"This dear Bella is a reckoning; behold a solution to your beliefs of purity, for this is the last Chryssalid in its purity, accept it," I made Lucius entice.
"Potter what the hell have you done?" A death eater whose name eluded me demanded, thinking this was all a trick, the prophecy was on the floor and I had an idea.
"All those loyal to Voldemort step forward, step forward and claim this for him. These children will not stop you, these children are fools for coming here, your master wants this, let them go and take it!" Lucius offered picking the glowing thing up and waving it around.
"So that thing can do the same thing to us? Yeah right," Bellatrix spat angrily, I turned to her, scuttling, if I leapt I could impale her shoulder, but I could hit Neville. The others were the same but they didn't know if I cared about my friends. Something I could use.
"The Chryssalid is a vision of perfection, cast a spell and see it for yourselves," Lucius ordered in a tone which forced several of his former servants to draw their wands.
"Crucio," the torture curse was meaningless; faking it was the hardest thing about it.
"Imperio," my mind was a mixture of my own knowledge and instinct, this spell was useless.
"Avada Kedavra," a spell that could impair me hit. My eyes clouded and I felt a jolt of pain but for all purposes I ignored it and crept around the archway where the whispers came from.
"You see you can do nothing, so put down your wands and accept it," Lucius requested in a voice dripping with wonder.
I did not need to wait long, for before any death eater had a chance to act, I heard the sound of arrivals, the cracking noise. The order of the Phoenix was here. It didn't take long, my friends were forgotten in favour of battle and while some looked to flee others fought but many looked upon me first.
"Malfoy you..." my Godfather began in fury approaching quickly but stopped the moment he saw me, the true me. He drew his wand.
"Calm Sirius, I was waiting for your arrival," I said through my thrall who suddenly attracted the attention of his wand
"Where's Harry?" he demanded darkly, looking to me, a creature with horror.
"I am here Sirius," Lucius whispered "I am that creature."
"What?" he spoke as I changed. My four legs drawing back, returning to their appearance of arms and legs and everything about me morphed into the Harry Potter they all knew.
"Harry," Sirius gasped, his wand on Lucius, I simply nodded and adjusted to my mouth.
"Yes it is me," I struggled out, morphing meant getting used to a new body and it took a moment.
"Lucius defend," I commanded to the servant who did not hesitate, not for a moment.
"What was that thing?" Sirius whispered, not wanting to believe the creature was me.
"What are you?" he corrected after a moment.
"I am a Chryssalid, the last Chryssalid."
"What is that?" Sirius demanded in a voice of anger, betrayal and fear.
"A magical being that merged with me, I am Harry Potter. Sirius please believe me," I answered not wanting to lose this relationship; regardless of what I was he was a father figure.
"Harry?" another voiced questioned, I turned to see Hermione. Her eyes were wide not with fear but with amazement. I was distracted for a moment too long. While the order had arrived there was one person who could use any situation to her advantage.
"Sirius," I turned to see him fall, Bellatrix Lestrange had cursed him at while it did not look fatal he fell, fell into the archway and then he was gone. I knew he would not come out the other side, I knew where he was and I knew what was flowing through me. I ignored the order, Remus who was rushing to my side, Mad Eye and Tonks who were duelling and even Dumbledore who had appeared. Bellatrix was all I could see and I was enraged
A strangled roar and cry escaped from the back of my throat and before she could blink I was the Chryssalid, I leapt towards her and she was on her feet. Running as curses flew at me from confused parties as I screeched. The door Bellatrix fled through was smashed into splinters and her scent filled my nostrils and the game as afoot. She was running to escape but I was faster, the prophecy was in Lucius' hand and I called on him.
"I killed Sirius Black," Bellatrix taunted, she knew it was me but she had no idea that she was not escaping, she was not winning and she could not win. I had already leapt and by the time the next taunt was on her tongue I was on her. My legs pinning down her shoulders and with enough pressure I could tear right through them, the same was for her legs which I also occupied.
"I should kill you," Lucius informed her walking towards me, he had escaped; good. I could express my hatred without needing to change.
"Why don't you Potter, don't like the taste?" Bellatrix whispered lowly, a seductive voice I would guess but I had no attraction for her.
"No Bella I haven't decided how best to kill you, do I make you a thrall? Do I devour you or do I lay an egg inside you and watch as it bursts from your ruined body?" Lucius replied in a usual calm voice that made him seem all the more terrifying.
"Or let me go,"
"You know that's not going to happen Bella, "I had Lucius hiss as I considered.
"Or maybe the Dark Lord will come to my rescue,"
"He can't save you here," Lucius spat, feeling my sudden anger at the mere mention of the name.
"Oh can't he?" a high cold voice queried and I looked up to see a snakelike pale man watching me with twisted fascination.
"Master," Bellatrix whispered in delight "Please it was not my fault the boy..."
"I have not come here to see you whine Bella, however I am most intrigued by this, what is it?"
"I am the Chryssalid, Lucius Malfoy is my thrall and Bellatrix is my prey," Lucius explained.
"What are your intentions?" Voldemort asked, he did know who I really was.
"I have none other than feasting,"
"Master, Potter,"
"Shut up!" Voldemort almost roared, he was intrigued and amazed by me. I could use it; I could just leap up and tear his throat. Though I knew it would not work, he would survive but I had no idea how.
"You made a mistake coming here tonight Tom," an older wiser voice made me turn, Dumbledore walked into the room, without even a glance towards me.
"Dumbledore," Voldemort sneered
"The aurors will be here soon," was the old man's continuation.
"Chryssalid, if you are so intent on feasting why not have the old man instead, if you do I could make you a mighty addition to my army and you could have all the meat you want," Voldemort enticed. I did not consider it.
"I will not consider it, Bellatrix has caused me harm and I will cause it to her. I would love nothing more than to rip you limb from limb dark lord but we both know it will do not good," Lucius snarled as I changed his voice.
"Fine then you take you wish to the grave, Avada," he began but I had leapt, his wand was snatched from his hand and in my jaws, Bellatrix however was able to escape. With his wand in my jaw I assumed Voldemort was harmless, I was wrong for then I was thrown by a wave of wandless magic and tossed to the Atrium floor. Watching as Bellatrix sunk into a fireplace and vanished.
Voldemort ducked a sudden torrent of spells as Dumbledore chose his moment; it was wise for he had no choice but to flee. I snapped his wand and with wild jaws I moved to bite, he may be immune to death but his body was not immune to subservient life. The snakelike man was gone before I could get close.
"Well played Professor," Lucius complimented as I hissed inwardly before changing back into my human form.
"Harry," Dumbledore greeted plainly.
"What the hell was that?" Fudge asked.
Quick note the Chryssalid is based on the creature from XCOM (the new one) of the same name.