AN: Hello again. I can't believe I'm updating this story again so soon. I've been meaning to update 'The change of time', but the characters from this story have been 'talking' to me more. I still have at least 2,000 words for the next update for my other story, so if you like that one more expect more soon. Well here you go.

Disclaimer: I do not own any original characters…

Chapter Four

Ritual

"Catch you fuckers at a bad time?" Whistler- from Blade

Only steady, slow breathing could be heard in the small room. It held only a few plants and one mirror. On the floor there was a small oriental rug with a soft pillow on top. This is where Harry Potter sat in deep meditation. His eye lids flickered as he tried to relax himself, and allow his conscious self to slip further into this peaceful trance. As he did he could see a beautiful red spirit, but next to it a darker more sinister green wraith. Harry felt connected to both of them, but the red had a familiar feeling to it. It was like coming home after a long vacation; how the weight of travel seems to lift off your shoulders. He also felt a strong connection to the darker one, but it gave him feelings of anger and hate. Harry also noticed they had a trail of webbing attached to them. The web was attached thickly to the red spirit. When Harry followed the webbing he discovered a pure white essence, which he recognized as his soul. There was a second thinner webbing attached to his soul. He was not surprised when he followed it back to the wraith. However, he was curious to realize that it led somewhere other than just his soul. Much thicker webbing was attached to it as well. Harry followed this one as well, although hesitantly. After a while he began to pick up momentum and he felt like he was now being dragged to the other source. He desperately tried to fight it but to no avail. Finally he stopped. He was sure he was in hell as he looked around. It was a wasteland. Death's decaying stench held thickly in the air. Darkness loomed overhead as thunder roared with a vengeance in the sky. Harry kept trying to get out of where ever he was taken, but he sorrowfully realized he was stuck. He wandered aimlessly around, finding only rotten corpses, tombstones, and ravenous beasts feasting off fallen victims. One of the victims, Harry was sickened to see looked exactly like him. The only difference he could see was maybe fourteen years of age and the brown eyes that held no spark. They were filled with surprise. As he moved on he saw a woman in her early twenties. She stood out among the carnage. For, although she looked decidedly dead, no beast dared desecrate her resting spot. She had the beauty of an angel. Her hair was a fiery red that seemed to tell a story of its own. A story of a woman's anger, and love in equal force; a force that was given out unconditionally, yet fairly. Her eyes were what drew Harry's attention though. They were an identical copy of his own. An emerald green color that drew attention, even in death. Harry forced himself to keep moving. Finally after what seemed like miles of corpses, Harry came to a small basin. It was stone and had snakes slithering around the sides. Carefully, Harry stepped closer.

"Where am I?" He hissed at the snake. The snake, only about two feet long had dark purple eyes that held a dangerous glint of warning. It slowly raised its head flicking out his tongue.

"Master." It bowed its head. "You look like your self again. I'm glad you have found a way to purge the impurities in your soul." It hissed back. At Harry's confused look it continued on. "What have you sacrificed this time? Your memory?" It hissed sarcastically. At Harry's nod it stiffened in surprise. "Come drink of the basin. Your knowledge shall return. It has already been pouring out to you. Have you not noticed?" Harry thought about what this all meant. Some how he felt a familiar twinge of recognition as the snake spoke. Perhaps he was receiving this knowledge, but was it his or the other spirit's. The snake seeing Harry's hesitance spoke once more. "Drink from the basin, master." It hissed. Harry gathered his courage and stepped up to the basin. He slowly dipped his head in and began to drink. Images were assaulting his brain at a tremendous speed. He stopped immediately, but the visions persisted. They mercilessly pounded inside his skull. Years of information being incorporated with his own experiences and beliefs. Finally it stopped, leaving Harry panting for breathe. He gave a small laugh that sounded more like a cough. He smiled an enlightened smile.

"Thank you Samantha," He hissed. "I shall return." 'Bet your fucking ass I will.' Harry thought. 'Voldemort's fucked now.' Closing his eyes, he concentrated. After a moment he felt the pulling sensation and was once again inside his body. His eyes snapped open to see Blade shacking him. Blade stepped back seeing Harry was among the living again.

"I think it's time you meet a friend."

Harry rested his head against the glass window as Blade sped down the street. It had been nearly twenty minutes and his head still hurt. 'That's to be expected,' He thought, 'I did steal over twenty years or memories.' Harry hesitated to tell Blade of this connection he had with Voldemort, but when Blade started to explain he was a wizard and what that entailed, he decided he owed Blade the truth. He was surprised at how easily he took the news. He seemed to give off a 'So the fuck what?' look with his body language. Or maybe it was, 'We'll just kill the motha fucka later anyway,' look. He wasn't sure. And now they sped towards Brad Zabini, a grey wizard who would help train Harry. Of course now he had years of magical knowledge he still needed the 'muscle memory' to be able to use the spells proficiently. Blade pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the engine.

"We're here." He said. Harry nodded and unbuckled his seat belt before getting out of the car. He was dressed very similarly to how Blade was. However, he vetoed the leather pants in favor of black khakis, every thing else was about the same. He had his new and improved sword, which no longer had a bulky hilt, two custom made .45s with hollow, silver tipped bullets, and several silver stakes. As they made their way into the 'packaging store' Harry raised his eye brows curiously at the shattered door way and blood patters on the entrance hall floor.

"I thought you said he was your friend?" Harry asked.

Blade gave a quick smile and a deep chuckle as he stepped on an already ashed vamp head mashing it into the expensive carpet. "I said he was a friend; just not mine." Harry nodded his understanding.

"What kind of reception will I get?" Harry asked cautiously.

"Don't worry." Blade assure. "He owes me." Harry didn't ask for what and Blade wasn't jumping at the chance to explain so they kept moving. When they reached the office Blade told Harry to go in.

"You're not coming?" He asked curiously.

"No."

Harry nodded and entered the room with out knocking. Brad Zabini, looked up from a book he was reading and gave Harry a small smile.

"Harry Potter, I am Brad Zabini. I am sure you have many questions, and I'll answer them all. First, however let me tell you the basics." Harry played the part of an uninformed muggle-raised wizard. Eyes going wide, mouth hanging open and plenty of astonished "Reallys?" Harry then proceeded to ask mundane questions he already knew the answers to. After about twenty minutes, Brad was ready to start getting into the good stuff.

"I've prepared a list of books for you to read. The most important ones being defensive and offensive mind magic. Since by the time you got to Hogwarts, you'll have plenty of secrets, I recommend we start off with occlumency." Harry gave a puzzled look. "It is the art of defending one's mind. With fools like Dumbledore, and Snape at Hogwarts, you'll need to be proficient at it. Else they will know all your darkest secrets." Harry nodded. He had the knowledge to build his occlumency shields, and had already begun doing so, but he needed someone to test them out if he was going to make them impenetrable. "We'll get you a wand from Knockturn Alley so the ministry won't be aware of any spells you may cast." Brad continued. Harry smiled. He knew he was going to like Zabini's lessons. Over the next few weeks Harry pushed himself harder than ever. Practicing any spell he came across, and doing numerous physical exercises as well. He spared with Blade every day at least for one hour. Occasionally he could make his magic move his body faster or hi muscles stronger, but it was unpredictable at best. So he worked harder. Blade was pleased with his performances and let him come on some of his less dangerous hunting excursions. Harry had now killed ten vampires unassisted by Blade.

Two years later…

Harry waved his wand in a small circle before incanting the spell carefully. A bright white light flooded out of his Holly wand with both dragon heartstring and vampire blood infused for the core. The light began to form into a shield. After several months of training, Harry was surprised at how easy it was for him to perform all the spells he gleamed from Voldemort's mind. Even with his young magical core, he was able to handle some of the hardest seventh year spells. Harry may have been surprised, but that was nothing to Brad's astonishment in his student. After Harry successfully conjured another corporeal shield, Brad called out enough.

"I think it's time we put your knowledge to the test. A duel. First to immobilize or disarm their opponent wins." He explained. Harry nodded eagerly and walked to the center of the room. They both bowed to each other before attacking.

"Diffindo!" Harry hissed quietly. Brad put up a shield that crumbled under the force of Harry's spell, but before it did he sent three silent spells back at Harry. Harry quickly put up a shield that absorbed two of the spells. The third he dodged under. Coming up form the roll Harry fired a powerful disarming spell that knocked Brad's wand out of his hands. Harry was ready to gloat when Brad pulled a second wand.

"Quasso!" Brad whispered harshly. The sickly black spell caught Harry unaware and he cried out in pain when it shattered his left arm.

"Mother Fucker! Iuguolo! Rumpo!" Harry returned with a fairly lethal spell. Brad rolled under it, but fell victim to Harry's second curse which shattered four of his ribs. Harry summoned both of his wands just to be careful.

Brad moaned as he got up painfully. "I don't believe it" He muttered sorrowfully, but with a hint of humor. ", beaten by a 9 year old." He smiled at Harry and gave a nod of approval.

Harry continued to train with Brad practicing new spells and strategies. He also continued his sword and hand to hand combat with Blade. Through this training he realized that even with magic he could easily be beaten by enough vampires. So Harry once again delved into Voldemort's mind. It became easier the more he did it. After looking far enough, Harry discovered a ritual that would give him the strength and speed of a vampire. The only problem was he needed a vampire to willingly participate in it. He explained it to Blade who looked pensive.

"Let's do it." He said. Harry scratched his head.

"How? We need a vampire" He asked. Blade smirked.

"Drop the act." He said. Harry smiled sheepishly.

"Thought you didn't want me to know." He explained.

"I just didn't want you to piss your pants." Blade said. Harry scowled. "We'll do it tonight."

Harry had only known what Blade was for a few months. He had walked in on him injecting something into his arm one day. Then when Blade took Harry out to train against some vamps, he heard them call Blade 'day walker'. It took some figuring out, but it was the only thing he could come up with. After reading the label on the 'supplements', Harry put two and two together.

Later that night, Harry stood hunched over a cauldron in the meditation room. As Harry slowly stirred the potion he needed to accomplish the ritual, Blade watched on from the corner of the room. The oriental carpet was moved in order to paint the runes on the floor. Harry was slightly nervous. He hadn't told Blade all the details. If he got this wrong he could become like Blade or worse… He could lose his soul entirely, and then Blade would have to kill him. Harry knew it was worth the risk. He had a prophecy… well half a prophecy looming over him, and Voldemort still and years of experience and if he found a way to inhabit a new body, more power than Harry as well. Harry steadied his resolve as he added the last ingredients into the potion. Blade's and his own blood, which he stirred, this time with his wand. A bright red light filled the cauldron and Harry knew it was done.

"Ready?" Blade asked. Harry nodded and carefully sat himself in the center of the runes. Blade ladled the potion into a glass, which he carefully handed to Harry. Harry held the glass carefully in his sweaty hands. He was breathing slightly quicker than normal. If Blade noticed he didn't say anything. Harry held his wand loosely in his right hand, and the glass firmly in his left. Quickly he gulped down the silky red liquid before raising his wand and loudly incanting, "Novo vita capio vis!" Harry was jerked by invisible hands up into the air. He was held there, hovering, before pain like he never felt burst though out his body. He screamed in pain as he felt his body being mutated, his very DNA twisting itself, causing unimaginable pain to Harry. When Harry felt he was ready to die just to escape the pain, it stopped. He was lowered back to the ground panting. The second he felt the cold floor he passed out, blissfully released from the throbbing pain still coursing through his body.

AN: Well I held onto this chapter a little longer, due to Butlers comment, which I apperciated. I think his advice paid off for this chapter. Let me know what you think. Thanks for the reviews and keep them coming. Also if anyone wants to edit my stuff so I can get it out quicker let me know.