The Demon Who Lived
by Foz

Chapter 2

Dumbledore's eyes narrowed at the sight of the demon, and with it announcing the name of the host that it had taken over, he had to act quickly.

"How long has he been like this Petunia?"

"Since he was two!"

Dumbledore grimaced. No wonder they had get it locked up and hidden. A demon couldn't be allowed to be seen. Cursing his inability to act on his instinct when something told him there something was wrong, Dumbledore drew himself up to his full power. If he was lucky, Harry, no matter how small a part of him there was may have survived all these years. Only one way to find out.

"By the powers vested in me, Chief Warlock and Head of the Wizengamot, I hereby banish you from whence you came! Together Minerva: Absum turpis phasmatis barathrum, lux lucis fugo vos tergum ut vestri arx!"

A light shot out of Dumbledore's and McGonagall's raised wands and struck Harry causing a white dome to surround him and constrict on the body, causing the monsterous demon to stumble and giggle like a little child but with the gravelly voice of a dragon, "Oh! That tickles! Stop it old man!"

Pulling in more power, they chanted "Absum turpis phasmatis!" with a bolt of white light hitting the sphere making the sphere grow brighter and then dim almost instantly as if it was being heavily drained of power, each one having less an effect on him each time. Finally, the dome disappeared with the spells no longer affecting the demon. Getting bored of the little tickling light show, Harry raised a taloned hand up, catching the shots of light in his hand, with them disapating on contact.

"Er, excuse me?" Harry ventured.

Dumbledore's face scowled. This was impossible! The spell was designed to remove all evil spirits, not make them giggle, or as it was now, not even effect it at all! Maybe he had to get out the big spells and do it the old fashioned way...

"Er, have you finished? I have some serious pay back to give to my beloved aunt and uncle." Petunia and Vernon paled and whimpered, trying to hide themselves behind Dudley, who was looking at Harry, eyes wide, his mouth opening and shutting, with the odd word like "Cool!" coming from it.

"Not until you have returned to your home in the underworld Demon!" Dumbledore snarled.

"What? You want me to go back in that prison? You must have been in on this too! Right, that does-" But Harry's reply was cut off as Dumbledore produced a fiery whip and launched it at the demon, while McGonagall, taking Dumbledore's lead poured a large flame thrower spell

Out of sheer surprise, Harry let the fire surround around him. "Cool, a fire whip and a flame thrower! Uncle Vernon was never this creative!"

Dumbledore frowned, noticing that where the fire touched, the demons body transformed into fire and was absorbing the fire into it's own body. Dumbledore immediately stopped the flame whip. No point in expending energy into an elemental demon. Shit! Elemental demon! Time to switch tactics quickly!

"Glacies Telum!" and hundreds of large ice spears shot forward at the demon. Fortunately, elemental demons can only use one element, unfortunately, that mean that there were at least another three in the world. However, things went outside the realms of possibility as the fiery lines across the demons skin turned blue, and the spears were just sucked inside the demons body, causing the demons body to grow slightly larger and the protective spines sharpened.

"That's impossible!" the Headmaster whispered. In no place in the history of demonic summoning was there a mention of a multi-elemental demon. That meant that either this wasn't a demon, or something had fucked up the demonic realm in an attempt to combine all the elemental demons into one super demon. And the chances of THAT happening was far smaller than someone looking, smelling, acting... then Dumbledore realised a horrible truth... he had not only unsuccessfully eliminated a demon look-a-like, but it was also looking extremely pissed off.

"Now it's my turn you miserable fucks." Harry smashed his hand into the brick wall and tore out a sizeable chunk, making the house creak in protest at the creation of an instant window.

- - -

It has to be noted that demons can generate goodness in people, usually by putting the fear of hell, fire and brimstone back into peoples lives, and it was at that moment that some of the neighbours who continually glared with hatred at the Dursleys for bringing disgrace of their road 9 year ago, always kept a beady eye on 4 Privet Drive for any extra gossip they might get. In fact a couple of the nosey neighbours fainted at the sight of a live hellish demon tearing a chunk out of Dursleys house, and upon waking they headed straight to the nearest church to ask for forgiveness of their way of life, and to also pray for the Dursleys damned souls.

- - -

In a stiff and unpractised fashion, he hurled it at the humans, who all ducked down out of the way, except for the half giant who caught it easily while looking a little doe eyed at the "interesting creature" and put it down gently. In response, various objects transformed into large dangerous animals and became animated as both Dumbledore and McGonagall combined the knowledge of their arts to create a miriad of obstacles to keep it occupied.

With a gasp from Petunia, seeing her last pride and joy, the house that she had tendered with loving care, having the best house in the street just to irk the neighbours, seeing it being ripped apart by Harry she saw red, and although she had opted for a vow of denial as her best way out of this mess, her seething rage that she hadn't managed to unleash all these years burst out, "CAST A SPELL AT THE COLLAR! THAT WILL KILL IT!"

Dumbledore looked between them confused. What collar? Was it hidden and protected behind those monstrous horns that clicked on every minute movement around it's neck? What did a collar have to do with anything anyway? He certainly couldn't remember anything about a cursed collar, bringing forth the harbinger of doom.

"Petunia, are you saying me that a collar is the reason why you have a demon, and that it kept growing in power every time you attempted to kill it?"

Vernon pushed his way backwards, trying to get away, but Hagrid was in his way from making anything but a quick escape, "It's no demon! Everything was fine until she put that collar on Harry. 'It will stop him from being magical' that's what she said!" Vernon blustered, trying to shift some of the coming blame onto his wife.

Dumbledore was thoroughly confused. "What?"

"No more silly tricks. Now they DIE for what they have done to me!" The demons hand dissolved in fire and a fiery whip grew and lengthened. flicking it out with practised ease, a white hot stream of fire melted the animated objects and was then turned to the group.

Faster than the human eye could see, Dumbledore raised a cool blue shield, in the nick of time surrounding them all and started to shake as he was maintaining the shield with the whip tightening around it, causing the shield to bend inwards. "Minerva, quick, I need your power to keep this up! Hagrid, try to stop it!"

Hagrid had been at the back in dream land. He'd always wanted a dragon, but this... this was better than a dragon! Using his instincts he got the impression that it was very young and susceptible to...

With a roar Hagrid leapt from the back, and through the flame, ignoring the brief intense heat, his giant hide coming in useful, in more way than one. This lack of reaction from the fire caused Harry to lose his concentration and dropped his whip around them reverting back into his blackened volcanic hand, but before he could do anything else, Hagrid was upon him.

Cautiously lowering the shield, Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief as he was feeling magically tired, not used to this level of magical output after eleven years of peace. Both Minerva and Albus blinked in surprise as a gravelly voice from the depths of hell laughed and whined like a child, "No! Stop it! I'm ticklish! I give up! I give up!" all the while Hagrid was carefully avoiding the spikes from the demons body and laughing at the same time.

Seeing what it could be physically restrained, he called Hagrid off the demon who jumped back and then immediately wrapped the body with thick metal ropes.

Wearily, Dumbledore turned to Petunia who was just about to run through the front door with her husband when the door slammed itself shut in their faces, and a very disappointed look on Dumbledore's face was evident, "Now will you please explain yourself?"

"I-I-I don't know what you mean!" she declared defiantly.

"Petunia, I am not in the mood for your games. I want to know why you have a demon-"

"I am NOT a demon!" Harry roared, tongues of flames licking out of his mouth, to which McGonagall merely raised an eyebrow at Harry. "Okay, okay! I look like one, but I'm not one!"

"Petunia, tell me or I will do something that you will regret." Dumbledore stated with a warning undertone.

"Untie me and I'll gladly do that for her." Harry muttered darkly.

Dumbledore ignored that and continued, "I will have no choice but to use emergency powers to retrieve this information. 3, 2, 1. You have given me no choice. Imperio!"

Soon everyone knew the truth and the twinkle in Dumbledore's eyes had disappeared, and Harry was for the first time told the truth of why his first real memories were of the dark prison.

Dumbledore then turned his attention to Vernon, and didn't even give him a chance, "Imperio!"

Soon, the other wizards (Hagrid had to be stunned to stop himself from attacking the Dursleys) were shaking in fury at all the different methods that Vernon had attempted of killing Harry, just because he could do magic.

*** DWL ***

Eventually, Dumbledore turned to Harry with a morose expression on his face. "Harry, I'm so very sorry."

"Sorry for what? Leaving me here with them? That you gave them the ability to do this to me? That I've become this monstrous being? That you just attacked me for no reason? Why are you here anyway? To gloat?" Harry responded scathingly.

Wincing, Dumbledore replied, "No Harry, anything but! You have a letter that you have been accepted in Hogwarts... ah... oh dear."

"Albus, has it only just occurred to you that if Harry does come to Hogwarts that he will effectively isolated? A demon-" Harry growled causing Minerva to wince, "- sorry Mr Potter, someone who looks like a demon has never been in educated in Hogwarts before. You know the view on demons! You-Know-Who would be more accepted than... Mr Potter would be! And how would he cast magic?"

"Minor obstacles Minerva, I believe in peoples ability to see beyond surface!"

"You mean like yourself immediately trying to kill me on sight?" Harry interjected.

Dumbledore winced again, but pointedly ignored Harry commented otherwise, "Once I explain to the school that it is a magical accident that we are looking to reverse, it will be fine. Until we can get the collar off, he can still learn the theory."

"You're telling me that I can do what you were doing? With your puny little sticks?"

"Wands, Harry. Not sticks. Once we get that collar off you, yes. Where about is that collar? I can't see it for all the spikes protecting your neck."

"It's hidden and well protected, no thanks to Uncle Vernon attempting to induce it's beheading charm."

"Very well, we'll look at it tomorrow. Now for the rest of the day, we do need to get your school things. Now do you promise not to kill your aunt and uncle?"

"Why on earth would I promise to do that?" Harry asked incredulously.

"You need to give them a second chance-"

"You mean like you did all those years ago? Look what happened when you did that!"

"You wouldn't want to become a killer now would you? What would your parents think of you?"

Harry stared at Dumbledore before laughing, "Mum would say the same thing she said at their parents funeral, 'Petunia, you are a horse-faced bitch!'"

Very quietly, a click resounded against his neck shield, his collar loosened before clicking back into place again having no where else to go and tightening up to become a snug fit. Harry frowned at the noise briefly, the fiery lines on his skin glowed brighter for the moment it was loose. Noticing that the others didn't hear it, he filed it away in his mind to consider later.

Harry smirked evilly before continuing, "Then I expect that mum and dad would murder them in far more painful and lengthy ways than I'm considering it. They're probably shouting at me right now to make their suffering actually last."

Petunia cut in, "How did you know how you know that argument! No one has ever told you!"

Harry laughed causing a large flame flick out of his mouth, scorching the wall facing him, "After my dear Uncle Vernon attempted to destroy my brain via my ears, they are now somewhat sensitive, but I certainly remember someone playing the video. Though, I think you will find that you, Aunt Petunia are the 'power hungry, domineering, scarecrow fucking harlot who thinks of nothing and no one but herself!'"

Petunia flushed red with anger and started to rise up, "Why you little, good for nothing-"

"Aunt Petunia, I may be tied up, but I am anything but defenceless. Watch your mouth." Harry warned, and as if to reinforce his warning, a small tongue of fire extended from his mouth and singed her face, causing her to let out a small "Eep!" and sit promptly down again.

Albus pinched the bridge of his nose. The demon, no, Harry was probably quite correct in the guess of what Lily and James would do to the Dursleys right now. It was taking his utmost will not to do some justice to them right now. As it stood, Harry would have been better staying in the wizarding world than being with the Dursleys and the formidable protections that he himself had set up around their home.

"Harry, there are some things that are worse than death, and we have a prison called Azkaban." Harry noticed that McGonagall shuddered at the name.

"They are guarded by creatures known as Dementors, their mere presence causes severe depression and self loathing. I suggest that we lock them up in there."

Harry nodded slowly. It would be interesting to meet these creatures... but only when his aunt and uncle had suffered. "Very well, take them there." Harry flexed his muscles, causing them to expand and burn brighter than normal which had the effect of steel roped melting of his body.

"Take my cousin to some place that will do him good. He has kept me sane all these years talking to me regularly. He had suffered enough because of these two closed minded prats, he has been under a lot of pressure from all the other kids around here being bullied for having Vernon as his father. It would be ideal to get him to somewhere like New Zealand."

Dumbledore started "I don't think-" but McGonagall interrupted him taking charge instead, "Right then Mr Dursley, come here, I have a cousin who is a squib down under who will be able to sort you out. She is looking for someone to adopt anyway."

Dudley's eyes grew wide with excitement causing Harry to grin, revealing a large set of diamond dentures, including fangs that would rival a sabre-toothed tiger. Dudley rushed up to him, attempting to give him a hug without hurting himself, "Thanks Harry! I knew you wouldn't forget! Will you come and visit?"

Chuckling, Harry had instantly retracted most of his talons and spikes so he didn't accidentally hurt him. "Of course I will Duds, now when you get there, you will have a fresh start - make the most of it."

After Dudley disentangled himself and he took hold of McGonagall's hand, where quietly she mentioned, "Now, take a deep breath... this will feel a little strange." and with a loud crack they were gone.

"Well, all that's left is them. What is the best way of dealing with them?"

"I will call the Magical Law Enforcement, they will deal with them." Dumbledore rennervated Hagrid, who then had to be restrained by Harry from physically harming him aunt and uncle.

Dumbledore raised his wand and drew in the air a fiery '9' three times and paused a moment when two dark blue robed wizards cracked into existence, and upon seeing Harry started to draw their wands, but were stopped by Dumbledore. "Hold your fire. Mr Potter has been put through a horrific magical accident. These are the culprits," Dumbledore gestured with his hand at the Dursleys, "Take them to Azkaban for holding, we will sort out sentencing after I get Mr Potter fixed up."

Unable to move or take their eyes off the demon, Harry slowly leaned towards them, amused to see them lean backwards in fear before growling out, "Boo!" causing the two MLE officers to jump in fright, scurrying away from Harry, grabbed the Dursleys and apparated away with them.

"Well Mr Potter, I think we should go and get your supplies. Mr Ollivander may have a suggestion for getting around your lack of magical expulsion."

Harry nodded, he didn't have much hope for either the normal world or the magical one given his rude introduction to it. But, if it held the tools needed for him to survive, he would just have to put up with it. At least for a while.

"Just put your, er, hand on my shoulder, and we'll be off!"

With a crack, and an odd squeezing sensation, they appeared in what appeared to be a very busy antique street.

Screams resounded mere seconds after their arrival, "DEMON!" and "DUMBLEDORE'S GONE DARK!" echoed throughout the alley. Several more seconds passed and the entire street was deserted.

"Ah, Harry, welcome to Diagon Alley."

Harry rolled his eyes. Today was going to be a long day.