Like she said, the Vanteera idea and creature is entirely mine, though you will see it in other stories from challenges and such. I don't care what Tinks said, the basic plot was mine, she just fluffed it up… a little.
This story is co-written by Tinkering and Lady-Treason. I think so far we've agreed to do this chapter by chapter so…the short ones are mine that she'll probably be fluffing up, lol, and I don't think updates will be fast. Maybe once every two weeks?
The Last Vanteera: Betrayed and Betrayer
Prologue Part 2 By tinkering
Harry woke with a pained moan to find himself sprawled on his stomach on a bed, half dressed and with smelly stuff all over his back, which he immediately identified as healing salve. He turned his head to the other side on the pillow to face more of the room he was in, wondering where the hell he was. It wasn't the Hospital Wing that was for sure. It was a bedroom. It was elegant, lavish even, by his standards. He tried to push himself onto his hands and knees but the slightest use of his arms sent bolts of pain right to the middle of his back. He flopped his head onto the pillow again. Now where the hell was he?
He'd been…at school. Staying to train for the summer. He squeezed his eyes shut. No, that was too far back. He'd been…practising his form? Was that why his back hurt? His wings did twinge a bit to come out. But this wasn't a twinge, this was bloody painful! No…he'd been…what? He growled into the pillow and lifted his head before smacking it back down against the pillow. Now bloody hell why couldn't he remember?
Then he heard a nearby door open.
"Heh…" Harry swallowed. Okay, and now was not the time to realise he was parched. He cleared his raspy throat weakly. "Hel-lo…?"
Then there was the soft and wet thwack of a hot water-soaked towel smacking down across his back and he groaned softly, forgetting what he was going to ask for a minute.
It felt so good. A low rumble wanted to start in his chest and he felt a tingling between his shoulder blades before snapping back to himself, giving a sudden roll of his shoulders. He wouldn't give away his secret until he knew who the hell he was with.
"Who…are you?" Harry pushed an arm under himself with a wince as a hand came down and started to, using the towel, swipe away the salve on his back slowly. He'd got himself onto his side when he spotted black robes. The black robes of a Death Eater to be precise, except for the elaborate lining…
"Fuck," Harry whispered under his breath, then let out a short yelp as he fell onto his back.
"Yes, I can see how you always manage to get yourself into scrapes. Not very careful are you." Voldemort replied wryly, pushing up the sleeves of his robes slightly. He sighed deeply and grabbed Harry's farthest arm, pulling it back towards him and rolling Harry over unceremoniously.
"Argh…" Harry lifted his head violently and it dropped back down on a side. "What are you doing to me?"
"Helping you, for what reason I don't know. You stupid, idiotic, naïve little…"
"Helping me? You were bloody ripping my arm off…" Harry started to shout.
"I had to turn you over. Unless you'd rather go back to lying on your injured back."
"…and you're probably the reason my back is hurting in the first place!" Harry finished ignoring Voldemort's comment.
"Ah, but unfortunately I can't take credit for that. I could as the one responsible isn't here and with me in the role of bad guy and all it'd be expected, but no. It was not I." He smirked acidly. "It was however…" Harry let out another soft involuntary moan as the wet towel, reheated, smacked down against his back again. "One of the Aurors with you. And for once, they didn't work for me." He heard, vaguely due to the haze of enjoyment, a snort.
"Ahh," He let out a breathy sigh and arched towards the towel as it started to sweep away before the words registered. One of his Aurors, Albus' Aurors, had been the one to hit him with whatever had him in pain now. "What?" Harry whispered, hitting back down against the bed.
"You heard me." He could hear the smirk in the man's tone. "You know, white Auror robes, Department crest, Ministry seal and all that other crap on it. Well, it was a guy wearing that." Voldemort leaned down to Harry's ear and hissed. "And he wasn't mine."
"No." Harry whispered again in shocked horror. That couldn't be true! Unless, that Auror was actually Ministry-loyal more so than to Albus. But even then, why would he try to strike the Boy-Who-Lived down! "What…what'd he use on me?"
"Acer spell I believe. A Dark but not considered Dark, it's called a Light spell for Auror use. So don't worry about having renegades inside the Ministry, though that couldn't make them any worse than they already are. No, no. He did that to you on purpose Harry. For a reason." The towel was taken away and Harry heard it splash gently into a bowl before a soft 'pop' informed him a house-elf had been and left with the bowl. "Bruises are all gone now and it should heal on it's own. I'd ask a Healer in but with me being who I am…"
"Hell," Harry whispered. Harry squeezed his eyes shut and took calming breaths. Okay, okay this situation was not as freaky as it seemed. So he was lying injured on a bed half-dressed with the Dark Lord playing fucking Florence Nightingale to his injured soldier while they chatted about renegades inside the Ministry trying to kill the Boy-Who-Lived…yes everything was just fine.
"Okay so when can I go again?"
"Go?" The Dark Lord sounded surprised. "Go where?"
"Umm, back to Hogwarts? Err, I appreciate the care and all but…don't you see how fucking weird this is? I'm your enemy! I'm supposed to be back at home base plotting how to kill you? Not here talking with you about," Harry grunted pushing himself onto his side again, balanced carefully. "Talking about supposed people trying to hurt me. I mean, how do I even know you're telling the truth and it wasn't one of your lackeys that shot me!"
Harry looked at the ghost white once-a-man before him as he rubbed his temples with two fingers. Voldemort let out a deep sigh before lifted his eyes and letting his red gaze pierce Harry's.
"I am not your enemy. I am not responsible for whoever hurt you. I am not trying to kill you, if I was…you wouldn't have woke up would you and I probably in fact saved your worthless life." Voldemort finished with a hiss, eyes narrowed.
Harry bristled back at the tone and sat up sharply, ignoring his pain. "Yeah fucking right. Who was it in that graveyard a few years ago screaming 'don't kill him he's mine' and throwing Avada's about like people breathe air?"
"I have different goals now." Voldemort stood pulling his sleeves down roughly before turning a glare on Harry. ""Why can't you be grateful for me helping you. I'm keeping you safe and well cared for!"
"Be grateful?" Harry whispered incredulously. "Be grateful?" He said louder. "Are you fucking kidding me? You claim Albus is manipulating me into these situations. Albus wouldn't be able to do this supposedly, if it weren't for you killing my parents! So as if any of what you are saying was true, It'd still be your fault!"
"I thought you were saying earlier what's past is past?" Voldemort sneered. "Change of heart? Need someone to blame it on since you can't believe Albus Dumbledore is not as great as you think he is? I told you why I killed your parents. I'd say I'm sorry but honestly it was just business. I can however sympathize with the position it has put you in with Dumbledore because as I told you before I once was there. He's turned you into his weapon! He's trying to make you a pawn…!"
"You think I don't know that!" Harry screamed back. "I KNOW he's not a saint! I know he thinks the ends justify the means! I KNOW I WON'T ALWAYS LIKE THE CHOICES HE MAKES! But he's done his best by me always!" Harry pushed himself up shakily. "He put me with the muggles to keep me safe. He didn't tell them to ill-treat me. And if, perhaps he did know about most of the things that went on in the school, it did make me stronger! He'd never hurt me! He never will!"
"So you are really that naïve." Voldemort hissed quietly. "Do you think he'll stop? Do you think there's a line for him?"
"Of course there is! It's not like he's bloody trying to brainwash me to defeating you! I know that's what he wants me to do…and I'm willing to DO it!" Harry said glaring, as he stood before the Dark Lord. It was a strange time to realise he'd got taller if he could stand up to the man's shoulders. Hell, standing next to this man made him look healthy. He was so white…pale white, and thin. "You're a monster."
Voldemort's blood red eyes narrowed and he straightened regally before inclining his head slightly to Harry. "No more so than your beloved Headmaster."
"He's nothing like you! He does what he does for the good of the wizarding world!" Harry said his face twisted in anger.
"It's good for the wizarding world to create bitter people like me…"
"Your choices were your own. You chose…to be this." Harry sneered waving a hand up and down the body before him.
"But you don't know who started me along this path do you? Has he…? No probably not. If there's one thing about Dumbledore he won't make the same mistake again." Voldemort rubbed a long finger over his mouth thoughtfully. "I wonder what was the point of sending you out to be captured by me? Test of your belief in him? He couldn't have really thought you'd beat me. And I'm sure he knew I would be coming…"
"Shut up." Harry said weakly, swaying before sitting suddenly back on the bed. He was tired. His back felt slightly better but he honestly was feeling weak. He needed to sleep some more. "I don't want to hear anymore of your twisted ideas."
"My truths Harry. Not my twisted ideas." Voldemort stepped forward and leaned over until his face was before Harry's. "Do you want to see? You could. I would explain everything. I would like you to join me, I don't want to have to kill such raw talent too…but at the very least…You can see the truth!"
Harry was leaning back weakly, about to topple over really, when the two pale, spider like hands of the Dark Lord came up to his face and held his head steadily, pulling his body upright before holding. He suddenly had a splitting headache looking right into Voldemort's eyes.
"Open our link. Do a Legilimens spell. Which ever." The red eyes inches from his narrowed. "Go on. Or are you afraid of the truth? When it's offered so freely before you it's not so easy to deny is it?"
"It's a lie." Harry shut his eyes and tried to pull his head back, but it wasn't moving. "You've probably made memories!" He cried out abruptly and clutched at the hands holding him still as his Occlumency shields were battered from the other end of the link.
"All. I'll show you every single memory of what he did to me. Then you can tell me if I've made it up." Was the reply in a low hiss and then Harry screamed as his mind was ripped open.
Third year was when he began to catch Professor Dumbledore's eye. Headmaster Dippet was so pleased that young Mister Riddle, the boy he'd been so worried about would finally have the support he'd need in Dumbledore. He'd be taken care of as his apprentice. Maybe he could even offer Tom a home, as he'd been unable to open the school to the boy during the summer. Professor Dumbledore had been so very eager to have someone to mould…
The summer before fourth year had been his first plea to his Master. The orphanage was really bad. It was split into gangs. And as he was away almost the whole year he was with no one. When he went back he was 'fresh meat'. He begged for shelter once more, if not the school then with the Professor. But no…he said not that summer…not that summer.
He was long and gangly and all growing boy but he was becoming…attractive. He didn't want this year's Christmas present to be going back to the orphanage again. He was sure, so sure that Master Dumbledore would allow him to his house for just these two weeks.
"I'm sure Tom it's not as bad as you think." The Professor said as Tom wrote out spell essays for him. "When things get hard Tom, I want you to pause and think about your goals in life. And if you believe that they will be easier to achieve or harder depending on what you go through."
"But Sir," Tom put down his quill. "Please I, I'm…physically, afraid for myself." Tom flushed.
"Do not be afraid. You will always have people who care about you and a home to come back to no matter what happens." And he continued with his work.
He was quite handy at Charms too but unfortunately his master was better. He was now in the Hospital Wing, being fed on potions, bruises and cuts being healed.
"Tom," Professor Dumbledore looked down sadly on him.
"It makes my goals easier Sir…much easier." Tom whispered back hoarsely.
"I'm sorry this had to happen to you, my boy, but as I told you…your hardships will make you stronger…"
He was fifteen and returning to Hogwarts for his fifth year. He'd become much better at glamours now, if he focused really hard his master couldn't see through them any more. And his potions were above average even if he'd never be a master. He bit his lip as a sharp pain raced up his spine and groaned under his breath as the pain blossomed to life again at the base. He shifted inconspicuously in the carriage with his Slytherin classmates and reached into his robes for a pain potion. It hadn't really hurt until after, but the fact it had happened was enough. Purging the wizarding world of defiling, blood-polluting, deviant muggleborn spawn and the even worse muggles would be so much easier for him to do now. He would never feel bad for killing those wastes-of-space.
The Christmas of fifth year he decided to ask once more for a stay with Dumbledore in the summer. He could…tolerate the attentions he got at the all-boy orphanage now but that didn't mean he wanted it and if he could escape it he'd certainly try! So he'd never forget the man finally saying yes. His master was rescuing him, saving him from those horrible, horrible muggles! He'd almost wept with happiness throwing himself on Dumbledore.
"Thank you! Oh Merlin thank you!"
It seemed his master always brushed off thanks. The man's wide blue eyes twinkled happily at him. "Of course Tom will we'll be working this summer. You do know about what's happening with Grindelwald…Sometimes Headmaster Dippet keeps the children too protected…"
"Yes Sir I know. My whole House does." He finished with a whisper. "He's targeting Slytherin graduates to recruit."
He knew Master Dumbledore was stronger than Headmaster Dippet. And it always showed when he was angry. He looked away from the flint hard eyes.
"Well we won't let him do that to the Slytherin House will we Tom? I think, perhaps you are ready to learn…more than Hogwarts can offer. Have you ever heard of the Dark Arts?"
"I'm very proud of you Tom. Very proud." Professor Dumbledore beamed at him from across his desk. "You're going leaps and bounds in your lessons."
Guilt ate inside Tom. I'm sorry Sir. Sorry I have to use what you taught me to do this but…
"Everything you told me was true Sir. The Arts are addictive. I've been reading ahead."
The blue eyes twinkled at him. "I know Tom. But I'm glad. You will be a force to be reckon with. With me and you as my apprentice, Grindelwald won't know what hit him."
Master, so sorry. I won't be with you fighting him. Just need more magic, more power. And then all the muggles will be gone. You can defeat Grindelwald alone. And I'll deal with the muggles. We'll be the saviours of the wizarding world. Even if I die…I'm sure I can get my diary to you before then. You'll help bring me back. You'll help me.
"Tom I can't condone this." The blue eyes looking at him were sad, and something he'd never seen before in his master's eyes looking at him. Disappointed.
"Master! They raped me! THEY RAPED ME!" Tom screamed. "They are trash! Disgusting, vile…!"
"Tom!" Dumbledore said sternly cutting him short.
"No! No, I thought you'd be with me! This way we can purify the wizarding world forever. You like Slytherin House. You gave Salazar a second chance that others never have. Don't you agree with his views? Muggles…just aren't…right! They are monsters." Tom whispered. "And just as you must defeat Grindelwald I must defeat them! Even if you don't help me…actually help me do it. Take my diary! If I die you can revive me…it's my some of my very essence, soul. It will never be over until they are destroyed. Never. Grindelwald is only a part of the problem. Muggleborns…mudbloods." Tom sneered. "And the Dark Arts will protect me."
"I can't…I will take your diary."
"Before I die it will come to you." Tom smiled suddenly. "I knew you'd help me. You taught me everything I know…I knew you'd help…I can't…can't have them, dirty…touching me again…"
He decided to leave Hogwarts with a bang. Grindelwald had been defeated just a month before by Professor Dumbledore. Who was now Headmaster. And he was glad but he had his wok to do now. It was time for him to do his part. Lord Voldemort would come to life on the Hogwarts grounds on graduation evening. He had followers even. He met all his followers outside with him that evening and met his teacher, his mentor, his master.
"Tom," Professor Dumbledore looked round at the group of Slytherins before his eyes came back to him.
"I'm going out. I start tonight on our mission…"
"Our mission?" Dumbledore let out a chuckle. "Tom be serious. I trained you to help against Grindelwald. And you didn't. It's over."
"No! It isn't over. It'll never be over until those muggles are all dead!"
"I'm sorry Tom for what they did to you. But come now. It was just something to be overcome and you did that admirably. You'll always be a strong boy. A great man. You don't need revenge..."
"You don't understand!" Tom screamed. "I thought you understood!" Tom lifted his wand and brought it slashing down making a circle of fire around him, his people and Professor Dumbledore. "You…were everything to me! Why don't you help me!"
"Tom, I'm just your crutch. You need to walk alone again. But you can't do…what you propose to, to the muggles."
"Muggle lover." Tom whispered. "You forgive them."
"I do. As you should." The professor brought down his arm vanishing the fire. "Maybe you need to visit St. Mungo's…maybe teaching you the Dark Arts weren't a good idea."
"No," Tom stepped back. "I thought I could depend on you. But you're as bad as the muggles! The wizarding world itself will come to nothing with you leading it's children. Leading it." Tom sneered knowing very well how much support Dumbledore had from the people now having vanquished their horror. "We go. Morsmordre!"
Lord Voldemort was born. And Tom Riddle Disapparated.
There was a quick rush of more memories, feelings but the pain eased up and they began to close off until he was swaying gently, Voldemort moving away from him and then he groaned and fainted back onto the bed.
Harry bent his knees, leaning weakly on the windowsill and trying his hardest to push up the window. His knees were shaking but he got the window pushed up bit by bit. Flashes of memories and feelings overwhelmed him occasionally but he wasn't going to let it stop him. Voldemort would be back. He'd want to feed more lies into him. Weaken him.
He grunted as he finally got the window opened fully and looked down at himself. From the dueling robes all that was left were the form-fitting pants that had been under them and he really didn't have time to go find clothes. Or his wands, he thought sadly. He'd…he'd have to leave without them both, holsters and all. But he had his wandless magic and…his form. The way he was going to escape. He didn't know if he was strong enough but he'd better be…or he was about to be splat, he thought looking out the window.
Harry figured he was up about three stories, a mansion obviously. Malfoys? He honestly didn't know and didn't care. Harry kneeled in front of the window and hunched over biting into his hand. He could do this…he wanted to sleep but no…no. He focused his magic and groaned in pain at the sheer will he was using before there was a quick pain and a soft 'fwit' sound. He rolled his shoulders and looked out over the darkened grounds he was on as he waited for the feathers to grow out on the appendages. They took a few minutes.
Hogwarts was north. North was towards the north star. And it was a full moon tonight. But he'd be safe with darkness helping him. He felt the tickle of his feathers forming and flapped them weakly. They were wet and he couldn't fly with them wet. Then there was no choice about whether he'd be splat or not. He'd most certainly be. Hogwarts. Wait, was he planning to go back to Hogwarts after what he'd been shown? But there was no where else to go. And, okay Dumbledore made some mistakes. But it was still Tom's choice to do what he did. And he'd obviously lost himself in the Dark Arts his seventh year. He seemed much saner now though. Sane or insane though, he still believed in his point of view that Professor Dumbledore was the bad guy.
He rubbed his hands over his face slowly. He was putting himself in danger by doing this. He wasn't at full strength. He felt tired. He could crash before he made it to Hogwarts. But he couldn't stay here. His head shot up as he heard footsteps heading back to him and used the sill to help himself scramble to his feet. He hugged his wings to himself and crouched on the window sill looking over his shoulder. He wasn't ready yet! His feathers were out but…not dry…
The door opened and Voldemort stepped in magically balancing a tray that from over the room he could tell smelled wonderful.
"I've brought you some…" Then the Dark Lord paused and looked in frank surprise at…creature on the windowsill. It was…exquisite. Voldemort shook his head dazedly. No…Potter wasn't a veela last he checked. And besides he didn't look like a bird to him. He took a small step forward. Harry growled in his throat and even looking ragged as he did, Voldemort felt something he hadn't felt in, years. Attraction. Oh yes, Harry would have to join him now…
"Harry…" He took another step then froze as Harry snarled, turned his head back around before pushing himself off the window sill. The Dark Lord blinked before rushing over to the window and he looked down frantically. Harry's black wings were stretched to their full span but he was still going down body twisting slowly in the air. For a moment fear gripped his heart, yes he had a heart, before Harry twisted again, until he was free falling, front down, before he flapped hard. And suddenly he was coasting towards the ground and then curving sharply up and away. Red eyes blinked after him before Voldemort turned as the figure in the sky vanished in the dark, going to sit on his bed.
"What the hell…"
He'd been flying for hours. He didn't know how long, but long. Usually he loved flying with his wings but he was so tired. He couldn't believe he'd made it this far. But he was beginning to weave. At least he was over open ground. So he wouldn't be crashing into any buildings or anything like that. In fact, he squinted into the distance, feeling as if his sight was out of whack too. After all could he really have made it all the way to Hogwarts? But that was the castle in the distance…
"Oh Gods!" Harry whispered into the night and used his last reserves of energy to flap desperately. The loud beating of his wings had nothing on his heart and breathing as he panted. So close, so close…almost there! He was just getting an updraft and coasting over the Forbidden Forest when he faltered in his strokes and started to go down.
"Shite, shite, shite!" Harry held his wings into himself for a harsh crash landing. He was going down like a missile as he spotted two figures coming from the front doors of the castle and he groaned before yelping as he hit lawn and skidded like a rocket.
Harry was on his stomach, face in the mud, and about to slip out of consciousness when he heard a voice he didn't know.
"Oh Morgana! He has wings! The boy has wings!"
He tried to open his eyes and got them slitted showing dull tired green before they rolled back and he passed out.
"Albus, bloody hell! He's…"
"Beautiful? Don't worry about that now." Headmaster Dumbledore pulled out his wand. "We have to get him inside fixed up and back out of here as soon as possible. You are keeping to our agreement?"
"Yes, yes…" The man said offhand, eyes on Harry's crashed form.
"I'll fix up and change him and you take him away. I'll be to see him and help you in a couple of days. He won't wake until then."
As Albus levitated Harry away and his friend followed after, goggling at the boy, amber eyes watched them privately.
AN: Okay, okay! #ducks Becca's flying frying pans# I love you and you're the best! That's what she said...not that 'rat's nest' thing I said she did. LOL
Umm, hmm anything honestly important this time?We appreciate the reviews and any feedback we get. Grovel my minion, blah, blah, blah...she says she has nothing to say so I will speak for her...ouh one more important thing before I ramble. This is of the 'stay in M rating or be kicked off' material. If you wish to see this story in it's NC17 form and you are 18 you can go to TSS. I'm not explaining what TSS is again. Go in Incubus and look for the info.
Okay so where was I? Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah...has anyone ever read Parseltongue-Tied on Skyehawke? #grins# We're doing an NC17 version too with Sevvie as...instead of a snake...a chinchilla. #Laughs evilly# It's sooo much fun. We'll let you know when it's done. We're putting it on TSS and then after that I wanna link it through to Detention. Anyway, enough of my blathering.
#Off to write more about Sev-chin's molestation of Harry#