Chrysalis

That, the word Fudge used told me he was a world away from accepting what he had seen. Now while seeing a strange creature bite a wand in two and attempt an attack on the most powerful dark wizard in history was strange that was not his reason. He did not want to believe what he was seeing

"Dumbledore," the bumbling man's eyes turned upon the elderly man, not wanting to see the spidery creature glaring at him; wondering if now was the time for revenge.

"You have seen the truth tonight minister, Dumbledore was telling the truth," Lucius announced aloud upon my direction and eyes were once again on him. Shocked ones, all were thinking the man was either mad for standing so calmly, so close next the fearsome beast that had done nothing.

"Cornelius I have won against your men before and will do so again however you have seen the proof tonight. Lord Voldemort has returned and a new ally has entered the field of battle," Dumbledore interjected before either could speak.

"Oh and are you going to explain what this thing is!" Fudge snarled in a venomous voice that gave me the urge to tear him into pieces, how dare he judge me! The creature who had just fought Voldemort himself.

"No but he can," Lucius answered and with both glowering eyes on the minister I felt myself change, my true arms knit back into their place on my torso and my legs sliding upwards to return to their false appearance.

"Harry Potter?" the question was inevitable, the answer was simple but Fudge could say nothing. He just glared into my eyes, eyes now covered by a shade of green, emerald-green.

"Minister," I greeted coolly taking a step towards Dumbledore, Lucius slowly reached for his wand; I could use him if things got dicey.

"I think this meeting needs to be postponed," Dumbledore suddenly advised walking forward, I nodded in agreement. Fudge was confused, angry and unpredictable.

"And exactly what do you suggest we do? I want to know the truth," Fudge barked aloud but the man was already out of my mind. I was tired, the day had been nothing but draining and I had been running on pure adrenaline. I did not want to continue this. Not here. Not now.

"I will meet with you shortly, first I must return Harry to Hogwarts," Dumbledore gently replied sensing the man was angry, angry to a point that he could try to obstruct this. However the minister said nothing and Dumbledore allowed a small trinket to fall into my hand, well human hand as my true one was tucked away.

"Lucius you are to stay here, answer any questions given to you by Dumbledore or a trusted member of the order, then find me at Hogwarts," I instructed quickly remembering the silver haired man, stood unmoving in the centre of the room.

"Of course master,"

"Portus," Dumbledore whispered and then I was moving, I was tugged by my stomach and before I knew it I was warm, comfortable and in a place I knew too well. Dumbledore's office. Though I had no wish to leave or run, no instead I breathed in. My tiredness quickly attempting to takeover, the changing, the fighting and losing Sirius, all of it was taking its toll and before I knew it; I was laid down and from there I was fast asleep.

Later

Hours passed before I woke up, then and only then did the magnitude of what I had done begin to sink in. I had revealed myself to all, friends and foe alike and they knew now. They knew of the last Chryssalid and sooner or later everyone else would. Either though fear, pride or by any other means it would get out.

"What have I done," the words escaped my lips, this was bad. I had played my hand without knowing what the consequences were going to be and they could easily be detrimental to me and many others.

"You saved a sizeable number of people," the calm, kind voice of Albus Dumbledore drew my vision. Sat at his desk without a care in the world it seemed

"You were watching me sleep Professor?" I questioned unable to not feel slightly concerned, the old man shook his head.

"No I just arrived, I was intending to wake you but I did know if you needed the sleep desperately, in case it was essential for your... cycle," Dumbledore explained, he was slightly uneasy; he had no idea how to react to me.

"Professor regardless of what has happened today I'm still me, I'm still Harry Potter," was my assuring reply; if he treated me differently then I had no way of knowing what the others would say. The elderly teacher took a breath and thought for a few lingering moments.

"I know Harry, I know but things have changed."

"I know, Professor what was the prophecy?" I asked, it was at the heart of all this, knowing it would answer a great many questions. Dumbledore simply smirked.

"I envisioned this conversation a hundred times you know, some you were angry, others upset but in none of them were you anything other than a human being. So may I ask the first question, what are you Harry? What is your secret?" was his counter question and I decided he deserved that among many other things.

"I am the last Chryssalid, a magical being thought to have died out centuries ago. I was a child when I merged with a woman I assume in some ways is my mother merged me with her unborn child. I became one of her species but with my mind. Something I have kept hidden always, until today," I began my tale knowing it would lead to a torrent of questions.

"Even in the graveyard?" Dumbledore queried, yes that had been the other time. A time I had been so tempted to end everything there and then.

"It would have made no difference, Voldemort is somehow outside of death's influence. If I had attacked him then he would have spend the whole year trying to oust me, or get someone else to do it."

"Arguably he did, "Dumbledore commented.

"I chose to do it, my friends were in the cross hairs and it was my fault. I took them there and I could save them, so I did. It may have been a mistake but it would be one I would do a hundred times over," I affirmed darkly feeling a wave of guilt and a tinge of regret.

"Though I believe it is now my turn to ask the question," I began remembering the purpose of all this.

"Indeed however may I ask what is to become of Lucius?" Dumbledore agreed.

"I don't know, he is a servant for now and will remain so until I either kill him or..."
"Or?" I was encouraged to continue.

"Or I use him as a host, lay an egg within him and wait an hour, another of my kind would leave with me," I sighed. Dumbledore for a moment looked rightfully appalled.

"My species has a dark reproductive cycle and a dark history, we almost wiped out and so we decided to restrict our numbers. Though as old Chryssalids grew some became more moral, those who tried to spread quickly were killed. The young of my kind are very unstable, hard to hide and control. Breeding is impossible in stealth and for that reason there are no more of us, I am the last Chryssalid." I tried to justify what I had to do and I had no idea if it would work.

"I see. Harry I am here to judge you. I am merely amazed, this was something I could never have predicted, however maybe the prophecy indeed knew this would happen and I must discuss it today."

Two hours later

So I was to be the one to destroy Voldemort, neither of us could live while the other survived was what it said. My destiny was laid out and I was to follow it, though not just as Harry Potter, as him and a Chryssalid. Though first I had unfinished business.

"Umbridge," I greeted darkly to the woman who had just emerged from the hospital wing, she had been saved by Dumbledore and had been hoping to slip out but that was not going to happen. After everything she did I had business with her.

"Potter?" she half questioned, half hissed but I was going to be the one hissing.

"After I change you have two minutes to be out the grounds before the hunt begins," I informed her simply with a growl of rage. A growl that came from a voice box that began to move and I took savage pleasure in seeing the toad like woman turn on her heel and flee as I began to count. For two minutes later the school was treated to a show, as Umbridge was hounded off the grounds by me. Snapping at her, growling, crawling on all surfaces and making her scream. Dumbledore had suggested I get my identity out, that way speculation and fear could not take over. As far as I was concerned this was the best way. Running through the castle in a frenzy, wondering what I would do if I did indeed catch up to the woman in question.

The Hospital wing,

I had spent the night outside, my hunger had gotten the better of me and I spend the night hunting for food. I had a grand meal which would last me a long time. A centaur, giant spider and a number of other tasty creatures.

I had not spoken to anyone other than Dumbledore; the papers had arrived with the headline which expressed all feelings in a plain and simple way.

Harry Potter: The Monster Within

I supposed at least this time they had some justification in printing it, most of it however was pure hate. Saying how I was bloodthirsty, enslaved a man and tried to eat Voldemort only because I was hungry. I appeared to be a monster and had not yet faced anyone. Maybe chasing Umbridge had not been such a good idea in hindsight but there was no force able to make me regret it.

Instead I had crept through the castle in the morning and here I was, in the hospital wing waiting for one of my friends to wake up. Ron was fast asleep along with Neville, Hermione was in a real hospital; she had been hit by a dangerous stray curse.

"Hello Harry, you have less legs," Luna Lovegood was the first to wake and I was relived, she didn't seem disgusted, horrified or even bothered.

"Luna, how are you?" I greeted with a smile.

"Fine, good actually. What about you? Have you worked out why you transformed into a four-legged animal with claws, arms, sharp teeth and servant making poison?" was her question plain and simple.

"Luna..." I began not knowing how to explain this.

"Oh you are that animal, oh makes sense," Luna muttered absent mildly with a simple smile.

"Chryssalid," I informed her quickly.

"That's a nice name, makes me think of crystals. What happened to Bellatrix?"

"Alive," I growled with an edge to my voice, oh yes she had escaped; if her master hadn't of shown up then she would have... oh the things I thought of.

"A pity," Luna sighed looking annoyed.

"You," a voice full of malice from behind distracted my thoughts; I turned to see Ron, propped upright in bed and his eyes glaring at me with something I had never seen in him.

"Get out," was all he said and for a moment I froze. This was my best mate, surely he wasn't talking to me, what had I done?

"What?" I questioned.

"Out, I don't know what you are but I saw what you did to Malfoy, I saw you, get out!" Ron affirmed darkly in a voice I had never heard him use.

"Ron I only did that to..."

"Is that why you took us there? Were you going to do it to all of us?" he accused wildly

"No what are you...

"Well how do I know, you lied to me! Lied to everyone and all along you were some thing, some monster! Get away from me," Ron was breathing erratically now, he was panicking.

"Ron its Harry," Luna interjected.

"Shut up! You're insane and he's a thing, I want him out! Now! Madam Pompfrey!" Ron called and the nurse was by his side in a moment. Her eyes were tiny black beads which glared at me.

"Mr Potter leave!" she half requested, half ordered in a voice very similar to Ron's.

"I see," was all I could reply and slowly I walked toward the door,

"Harry," Luna called from behind as I found myself outside the hospital wing. Feeling rejected and realising my life had changed thanks to what had happened, and not all of it was for the good.