Chapter 1: Welcome to Earth, Blaze.

I woke, but couldn't see anything other than red through the membranes that are called eyelids on this planet. My eyes weren't open, but I could tell I was in a brightly lit room. I inhaled through my nose, testing the new sense I had never had before coming here. It smelled strangely clean, and almost immediately my new mind associated the smell with the word hospital. I could hear the soft shuffling of sneakers moving on tiles as the wearer crossed the room to my side.

"Consumes the Blaze, can you hear me?" The voice was female.

Another person on my left shushed them. "Shush, Free. Give him time; he'll respond when he is ready."

I heard a faint 'humph' come from the first person, the one wearing the sneakers, but the second person made no comment. They would wait until I opened my eyes, until then I knew they would be watching me silently. The thought didn't bother me terribly – being examined after insertion is part of the procedure.

Then, what I had been waiting for happened. I gritted my teeth as the last memory this human had before the procedure flooded my mind, and drug me into it with full force.

I failed, I thought miserably as my heart thudded painfully in my chest. I failed all of them. I was supposed to bring her back, but instead-
The sound of fast-approaching footsteps interrupted my thoughts, and I tried not to move. I tried not to make a sound. My heart thumped faster, my pulse growing louder in my ears. I found myself wondering if they would hear it as they slowed in the corridor outside the closet I had concealed myself in. But maybe they wouldn't.
The footsteps stopped outside the door, and I could hear them shouting to one another. That's odd, since when do they shout at one another? Suddenly, they stopped shouting. The sound of more footfalls informed me that there were more of them – maybe even more of them than I had originally thought. I held my breath as I counted backward from ten, waiting. Ten…
"Over here!"
"What is it?"
Nine.
"The window's been busted – he went down the fire escape!"
I inhaled sharply, and my foot nudged an empty paint can. I froze in fear, but they didn't seem to hear it skid across the ground.
"Well, what are you waiting for? Follow him!"
Silently exhaling in relief, I counted eight…
Their footsteps retreated to the broken window I had had the sense to shatter before hiding in the messy janitor's closet. I couldn't help smiling at my ingenuity, thinking that Rose would have been proud…
It became silent shortly after they left, and I finished my slow countdown from ten in the closet. I knew I should have used the Invisibility Cloak this time, but I didn't bring it because I was afraid the parasites would get their hands on it. And the last place that my dad's cloak belonged was in their hands.
Slowly, I rose to my feet – I had been sitting just behind the door, which had a window set in it at eye-level – and looked through the glass at the hallway on the other side. I considered whooping in triumph when I saw that the coast was clear, but knew there would be a time and place for celebration later. Turning the handle delicately, I pushed the door open so that it made no sound, looking up and down the hallway of the abandoned school. Again, I saw that I was alone and quietly shut the door behind me.
I considered running, but decided to move slowly until I was certain I was alone. Straining my ears, I listened for any sound that would give away one of the Seekers, but heard nothing. Gaining confidence, I started to sprint down the staircase, taking them two or three at a time. If my adrenaline had not still been pumping through my veins, keeping me on edge, I would have been giddy with joy at my success. I outsmarted the monsters, I thought as I landed on the first floor. I would rub this in Rose's face when I returned, I would make certain of it.
My success, however, was short-lived.
I did not see the Seeker come up from behind me, and I didn't even know he was still there until he yanked me back by my shoulders. My feet flew out from under me and my head hit the laminate floor a moment later. I couldn't breathe, and stars floated in front of my eyes, rendering me blind. Before I could blink them away, the Seeker sprayed something in front of my face in the instant I gasped for air.
I tried to hold my breath, but it was too late – I had already inhaled it. It stung my nose; it smelled strongly of peppermint. And I found myself wondering if it was chloroform or something they had brought to Earth with them. I didn't know what chloroform tasted like, but I didn't think it would be minty. I tried to move my arms, hoping to aim a punch at the Seeker, but they felt strangely heavy. I couldn't move them more than an inch from the ground. My eyes began to close on their own accord, and I knew that holding my breath would not help. Thus, I reluctantly inhaled, gasping for air again. The Seeker aimed the mist into my mouth the moment it opened. I started to choke weakly as it hit the back of my throat – a minor irritation – and my eyes finally closed against my will.
Lily… I thought sluggishly, my thoughts as hard to move as my arms. I'm sorry, Lily…

I came back to the room in the hospital to realize I had been tensing my jaw the entire time. I relaxed it slowly, focusing on breathing evenly again, while my eyes were still closed. I had been told that human emotions were powerful, sometimes overwhelming, but none of my other lives had prepared me for this.

I could tell that the others were still in the room, but I wasn't sure how I knew considering they were barely breathing. Once I relaxed, I opened my eyes only to be blinded by the bright overhead lights. As I squinted, the one not wearing sneakers came to my side.

"Blaze, I am Healer Grimm," he said, speaking evenly. "Do you have any pain or discomfort?"

I turned my head slowly, noticing that Grimm was rather young. Or, rather, that his host was young – maybe even younger than my host. At that moment I wondered about the age of my new body, and the number came to mind instantly – twenty-two.

"No," I said quietly. "No, I am fine – just adjusting still."

"Well, take your time – these bodies are quite… different."

The other person in the room – the one wearing the sneakers – made a strange noise. A snort, my new mind told me. I turned my head to see an older woman with graying hair wearing a smirk. At least, that was what this mind told me it was.

"I think different is an understatement of sorts, Grimm."

Grimm's dark eyes flashed for a moment, too quick for me to be certain I hadn't imagined it. In a resigned voice, he replied, "I think he is aware, but if you would like to explain how human bodies function differently to him again then be my guest."

Crossing her arms, the woman said, "I think I'll pass. However, I do have a few questions to ask him."

"Can it not wait?"

Looking past the Healer, the woman spoke directly to me, "Are you fit to answer some questions now, or do you wish to wait?"

I pushed myself up so that I was sitting with my legs draped over the flat bed I had been lying on. Meeting her scrutinizing gaze, I said coolly, "I will answer them now. There's no need to wait."

Healer Grimm scowled at the woman as she pushed past him. As she took her place a few feet in front of me, the Healer slowly made his way to the corner of the room where a cryotank – presumably the one I had been hibernating in before being inserted into this body – was resting on the table.

"I am Free of the Beast, but most call me Free on this planet," the woman explained. "I am the leader of the team that recovered your host." Up close, I could see that the irises of her eyes were blue. Her face actually looked kind as she spoke to me, but for some reason I wanted to put additional space between us. She continued to speak with a pleasant tone, and asked, "Have you found the name of your host, Consumes the Blaze?"

I cringed, surprised by how abnormally powerful my disgust was. Nobody had called me by that full name since I had left the Fire World; on the last planet I lived as one of the Bats, and they had shortened the name to Blaze. Oddly, I had found myself preferring the shorter version. "Please, call me Blaze," I pleaded, forcing what was called a smile to form on my face.

"Right," Free said, waving a hand in a gesture I did not yet understand. "Sorry. Blaze, can you tell me the name of your host?"

I thought for a moment, the answer coming slowly as if it did not wish to reveal itself to me. Then, it rolled off my tongue, "Albus Severus Potter was his name. He was twenty-two years old, and would have turned twenty-three in May. He was the son of Harry and Ginevra Potter."

Free smiled as I spoke and, when I finished, asked, "Do you know if he was alone, Blaze?"

"Alone?" I repeated, confused. "What do you mean?"

I felt as if Free was impatient with my lack of understanding due to the way she explained, "Was Albus alone, or was he with other humans?"

Again, I cringed. This time, however, I wasn't sure why. Not a moment later, memories of my host insisting others call him 'Al' instead of 'Albus' entered my train of thought. Free looked troubled by my reaction, but I tried to ignore her as I searched my host's recent memories. Strangely, I found his memory profoundly blank. It was as if the space that should have been filled by several months of memories was empty.

Then, I remembered the names from his memories – the names of flowers – Rose and Lily. The two faces of the girls came to mind, and all I could gather was that Rose was Al's cousin, but nothing else. The lack of information troubled me, made me wonder if something was wrong with the mind of my host, but I kept my face set and my worries to myself.

In the end, I decided not to reveal the girls to the Seeker. After all, there was no way to know if the two girls were still alive or not. At least not until I recovered Al's lost memories. I assumed I could tell the Seeker if I learned the girls were wild humans.

I insisted, "No, Albus was alone." And, unfortunately, found myself making a face of disgust without intending to at the sound of his name.

Nodding, Free said, "Good. Now, Blaze, I have one last question for you…"

My eyebrows came together when she trailed off, seeming to be waiting for my consent. "Yes?" I urged, finding myself antsy as my hands fidgeted with the end of my shirt.

"Is Albus still there?"

"What do you mean?" I asked, utterly confused. Albus was gone – I was here now. This was no longer his body – it was my body now.

Folding her arms in front of her chest again, she answered, "Sometimes when an older host like yours is found they refuse to leave. It does not happen often, and I doubt you will have to worry about it, but there have been a few instances where the will of the host survives. Sometimes they fight back and, sometimes they regain control over their bodies. So, this is why I am asking you this, Blaze. Is Albus still there, or is he gone as he should be?"

I blinked, uncertain if I was hearing her right. Judging by the seriousness of her expression, I assumed that I was. Hesitating, I searched my mind, trying to see if I could find anything. For a moment, I did not stumble upon anything, but then I noticed something unusual. It felt alien, and separate from my awareness. It was as if my mind had thoughts of its own that it was guarding from me with a solid wall. I attempted to breach it, but this separate consciousness did not even seem to notice me there. Returning to my conversation with the Seeker, I replied, "No, he is gone."

"There's nothing unusual?"

"No," I said quietly, unsure as to why I was lying to her, "No, there's nothing unusual."

Free studied me for a long moment before she shrugged and turned to Healer Grimm, who had remained silent as he observed our conversation, and then she said, "All right, Grimm. I am done with him."

The Healer merely nodded at the Seeker as she padded her way out of the room in her noisy sneakers.

Once she was gone, Grimm addressed me, "Do you need anything, Blaze, or are you ready to go now?"

"I think I'm ready to get out of here," I said quickly, getting on my feet. "But thank you for the offer."

The Healer merely nodded in reply before returning to his work, and I walked steadily over to the door. Finding the way out of the hospital was easy, seeing as I recognized it from Al's memories the moment I stepped into the hallway. So, within a matter of minutes I found myself in the parking lot, getting a ride to a hotel from a Healer whose shift had just ended.

The Healer spoke animatedly as she drove, insisting I would love living here and that I would get used to the strength of human emotions soon enough. I was not one to be rude, but I found her high voice to be truly irritating. In fact, it set my teeth on edge when she spoke. So, I attempted to tune her out with the melody of a song I had known when I lived as a Bat. Truthfully, the song was an immense relief from the sharpness of her voice.

While I was staring out the window, focusing on my song, I noticed something strange seem to prod me gently. The song in my head ended abruptly as my attention was drawn to this presence – the same presence that had been hiding behind the wall. I found my reflection in the rearview mirror then, for the first time, and for a moment was distracted by the disturbance within my own head as I studied the face of my host – my new face. Then, the moment I looked into my own eyes for the first time, and took the time to study the ring of light around my pupils, I felt a cold shock flood through my body.

My eyes widened as I realized what had disturbed me, and I was glad I had my face turned away from the Healer as she talked mostly to herself, unaware that I was no longer paying her any attention.

You're still here? I thought, mentally pushing the presence of another consciousness away from my own, hoping to hold it at an arms' length.

Yes, body snatcher – I am still here, was the reply. It is my body and my mind, after all, not yours.

My fingers curled automatically, turning my hands into fists, and I was surprised by the strength of the anger that suddenly coursed through my veins. Not any longer, human. You should not even be here – feel free to disappear as you should.

Somehow, I could tell he found this humorous despite his own fury. Too bad, parasite, I'm not leaving without a fight.

I can always go back and tell them you're still here, I warned. They can remove me and have you disposed of instead.

Although I could sense his frustration, my threat silenced him. He withdrew from me, going back to the safety behind his wall. But before he could entirely disappear, it occurred to me that he had been hiding things other than his existence from me. Curious, I attempted to break through, but he managed to hold me back as I had held him back before. After a minute of trying, I gave up. Infuriated once more, I threw the question what are you hiding from me? at him.

My frustration amused him, and I could tell that he wished to laugh at me. Wouldn't you like to know?

Tell me, human, or I'll-

Or you'll do what? Kill me? Erase me? Either way, I am dead. You can threaten all you like, but know that I would rather die than hand my secrets over to you. You may have my body, but you cannot have my identity.

My mouth nearly dropped in surprise. I was not expecting him to be so stubborn. I had thought he would at least ask me not to kill him. The idea that he would rather hold onto what he was hiding from me than continue to live seemed completely absurd. How could something be more valuable to him than his life? I couldn't wrap my mind around it.

I grappled with my confusion for a few minutes longer, and he eventually broke the silence with a question.

Why didn't you tell the Seeker about me – I was hiding from you, but you knew I was there didn't you?

It took me a full minute to think it over. Slowly, I responded, I was not certain if you were still here or not.

He pondered this for a while, and then he asked another question.

Would you have told her if you had known – without a doubt – that I was still here?

I don't know, I admitted. Probably not.

Why not?

I don't know! I exclaimed, aggravated. I probably wouldn't have wanted to say anything unless I started to have issues with you being here.

…you just told me to go ahead and disappear, he pointed out curiously. And I am pretty sure I've pissed you off – is that not issue enough?

You know what I mean, I snapped back. If you started to take over or something… Or if you annoyed me to the point of ripping out my own hair.

I could tell he didn't like the idea. Not the hair, please – anything but the hair.

Just don't annoy me, or I'll go straight for it… Okay?

Sounding remarkably childish, Albus replied, Fine, and fell silent once more.

A/N: So I realize this story is the first of its kind… Please. don't. hate. me. I mean, if you want to flame me that's cool, but I probably won't reply haha. On another note, I actually have a plan, which will probably change as I write (as my plots usually do), but I have a basic storyline that I'm sticking with. In some ways this will be similar to The Host (you may have noticed some similarities already) but it's not the same plot. It is similar in some ways but totally different in others. Anyway, I'm sure you all are wondering how I'm going to implement Rowling's Wizarding World… Well, you'll see soon enough ;)

However, if you have any questions feel free to ask. And, lastly, please review… I probably won't update if I don't think anybody is interested in this to be honest. :)