The Big Bad

Possible Trigger warning – Goes into a little detail about how Teddy Lupin died, he's a young boy 5-6 years old just so you're all aware. Still not used to what a potential 'Trigger' is, it's only in the past few years that it's becoming more prevalent, so you'll need to forgive me if I ever slip up and don't give trigger warnings where they might be needed.

Chapter 23

"What are you?" Chris asked, heart pounding erratically in his chest, despite his outward appearance of calm aloofness. The werewolves could hear just how worried he was after that magical display that Harry had just shown them. "That shouldn't be possible." He'd just done magic, his eyes were purple, he looked seconds away from shifting. He was definitely a werewolf, he knew this werewolf had the ability to use magic, but he thought through rituals…that hadn't been a damn ritual. Of that he was damn certain. He'd tried to get answers out of both Scott and Allison and they weren't able to tell him much. He'd wrongly assumed that they didn't see much, not that they couldn't talk about it. God, he felt utterly naked without any single blade or gun on him, and he did manage to always at least three on him.

"Oh? Why's that? You people think you know everything, but you're nothing but a bunch of disgusting Nazi criminals who should be imprisoned for war crime." Harry said icily, "You lot never met anyone you didn't want to torture, even humans as the case may be."

Chris flinched at the condemnation and seething fury in the werewolf's voice, he really looked close to losing control.

"Careful now," Peter said, his concern obvious, "You do need to heal, continuing to shift will not help with that." Due to Harry's size, it took a lot out of him to shift, he was three to four times the size of any other shifter, if you didn't include the twins naturally, but even then, it was two people not one.

Peter refrained from rolling his eyes as Christopher narrowed his. A look of contemplation crossed his features, clearly, he was taking everything in, just in case he needed to fight. As if he would stand a chance against Harry, especially when he was pissed off and considering it was Argents that had killed one of Harry's anchors? His godson? He didn't stand a chance against Harry. Harry had anger on his side.

Harry stared at the youngest Argent, "I mean…it would be poetic justice, wouldn't it? killing the youngest Argent in retaliation?" stepping closer to them, causing Allison to squeak in fear, which broke off abruptly, in a hitch of worry when she realized she couldn't move.

"Don't you dare touch her," Chris snarled, sounding more wolf than human, a wolf protecting its cub. Eyes widening in realization and fear when he couldn't even twitch his finger. What was that man? He shouldn't be able to do all this, it shouldn't be possible. It was impossible, everything he read indicated they couldn't be more than one thing. They were either a human or werewolf, or whatever creature they turned into, they couldn't be both.

"Or what?" Harry asked, prowling over to Chris, getting into his face, eyes still purple. "What exactly is it that you can do to me?" making no effort to stop his spittle going on Chris' face, causing the human to blanche in disgust unable to wipe it away. "Better yet, what makes you think you're going to get out of here alive?" his tone darkening considerably.

"Killing us will set off a train reaction, it will lead to an all-out war on Were's everywhere." Chris declared, and if you weren't listening close enough, you would not have caught the hitch in his breathing that detonated lying. It was interesting, it was only one word that caused that stumble, 'us' killing them wouldn't set of a train reaction, but Chris genuinely believed that the Argent matriarch would avenge Allison.

"Awww," Harry cooed sickly, his claws out and trailing down his cheekbones, the snipping of day-old hair could be heard as he drew his claws down leaving four distinct trails in his stubble. "You have no idea, do you? how can you be so cut off from your own family? Even I know how close the Argent Matriarch is to washing her hands of the American branch…you think she approves of what your father and sister have done? She unlike the rest of you actually keeps to her code." She was a witch who had attended Beauxbatons no surprise she kept to the actual code the Argent's had come up with back in the day.

"She spent an entire summer with them," Derek pointed out, curious himself, despite himself. After all, he didn't want to know more than he had to about Huntresses.

"They were trying to save her," Harry agreed, eyeing the girl, "Undoing the brainwashing she'd been under, no doubt they were rather disappointed when you didn't change a bit. Every single thing you did you did because you wanted to. Torturing and hurting others, it felt good, didn't it? After a lifetime of being the perfect daughter, to parents who just didn't give a flying fuck about you."

Tears began to simmer in Allison's eyes forced to look at Potter.

"They were glad they had a daughter, it meant they didn't need to keep having children they didn't want. Your parents could barely stand the sight of each other. So much so that they often left, with daddy it was alright, wasn't it?" Harry said coldly, "But with mummy it stung, no good night cuddles, no favourite foods, no treats, no going anywhere on whim. She could barely stand the sight of you."

Erica winced, even she was beginning to feel sorry for the youngest Argent, huntress or not.

"That's a lie!" Chris shouted, "Don't listen to him!"

"If you're going to lie in front of Werewolves, at least try to make it a good one," Harry said dryly, smirking vindictively. "I don't need to tell lies to crush someone when the truth…tastes…so…much…better."

"Bloody hell, remind me not to get on the wrong side of you, Harry," Jackson said, staring in awe at the way Harry was tearing down two hunters without lifting a finger. Phycological warfare at its best, it was beautiful to see he must admit. He would need to remember this, to try himself one day if need arises.

Harry threw a smirk over at Jackson, eyes gleaming viciously, "Not really you who should learn the skills, but it doesn't hurt." Glancing immediately over at Stiles and Cora, "But I do believe those that should…probably already knows how to press where it hurts." Stiles definitely did, he didn't know everything about Cora, but if she was anything like her uncle then definitely. She wasn't a soft as Derek, when all was said and done.

Jackson followed his gaze and nodded, getting what Harry was saying within him having to actually spell it out.

Harry waved his hand, and an image of a child and adult simmered into being. The child had sandy brown hair with amber eyes, barely tall enough to come up to the top of Harry's legs. The adult had grey eyes and salt and pepper hair, all neatly coiled in a bun.

Peter inhaled sharply when he noticed them, glancing quickly at Harry in concern, then to the Argents. Whatever showed in Peter's eyes actually worried Chris enough for him to continuously try to get out of the magical bindings that were preventing him from moving. Fear was clawing up his throat as he tried to regain his sense of decorum. He hated knowing the damn werewolves could sense his panic, probably got off on it.

"What is it?" Stiles whispered, confused, staring between Derek and Peter. He knew they new something, he just didn't know what that something was.

Derek shook his head, indicating for Stiles to quiet down, he had no idea how Harry was going to act or react to the Argent's swanning in demanding answers after what they'd done to his family. No, it wasn't going to be as simple as just opening the door and letting them leave. Quite frankly he'd be surprised if they lived to actually leave. Why they'd chosen to come alone…he had no idea, but they'd made the mistake of thinking the Hale pack was still weak. They weren't. Deaton was no longer pulling the strings, and he wasn't listening to Scott instead of his own instincts. Which he hadn't trusted since he was a young teenager. His instincts had cost him his family after all.

With Harry and Peter's help though, he was learning to trust himself again.

"His name was Edward Remus 'Teddy' Lupin," Harry said, staring at the image he'd conjured impassive but most definitely feeling tortured all the werewolves' could feel the agony he was experiencing. It felt like a wolf that had lost its pup. "He was human, just a little human child…" trailing off, before he turned back to face them, eyes flashing from purple to green and back again.

Chris was just utterly bewildered, wondering what the bloody hell was going on here.

"He had a gift, an ability, he'd received it from his mother, it's called Metamorphamagus." Harry said, and behind him the visages changed, another person appeared, Tonks, Teddy's mother, and her features twisted to whatever she wanted, the sound of innocent laughter from the old days playing out too.

Teddy's visage began to change as well, but not as easily, quickly or as big as his mothers, he'd just been learning his gift.

"It gives you the ability to change your features, not your species, he was human…as was his grandmother…when your father, Gerard Argent, killed them in cold blood." Harry revealed, allowing the Argent's to love slightly now, just making sure they couldn't actually move their legs just their upper body. "Killed with extreme prejudice over the fact he just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time…flashing his eyes the wrong colour."

Allison clasped her hand over her mouth, the bitter taste of acid overwhelming her as the taste of sickness got the better of her as she spewed up a little in her mouth. It made her feel like she was going to actually puke up, swallowing didn't help the burning taste in her gullet. The fact her father wasn't even remotely protesting…why wasn't he protesting?

Chris blanched seeing the intense look on his daughter's face, he knew…he knew she was wanting him to refute the statement. Unfortunately, he couldn't, chances were, he was as guilty as the purple eyed werewolf thought he was.

"When I returned home, I found them with dozens of arrows protruding out their bodies, long dead, blood saturating the ground they lay beneath. You wouldn't have thought such a small body could have so many injuries, wounds." He corrected himself.

The image of the child and grandmother changed, instead of standing up beaming happily, looking for all the world a carefree child…they were dead. Mirror images of the sight imprinted in Harry's mind until the end of his days.

Everyone inhaled sharply, shock and horror flowing through them, at the sight of such a small child filled with so many injuries. Harry hadn't been exaggerating at all, no, not one bit. It was overkill, what they had done to that child…horrified every single person there.

Derek closed his eyes and looked away first, he knew better than most the depravity of the Hunters was known for. Unfortunately, it felt as though the image was seared into his mind, even with his eyes closed, he could see it so vividly. The image had been so crystal clear that he could see the amount of arrows imbedded in a small child.

"LOOK AT IT!" Harry roared loudly, forcing the Argent's eyes open, making them see what their father and grandfather had done.

The entire pack jumped in fright, Stiles actually flailed at the suddenness of his voice and his ass hit the ground fast. He knew Harry wouldn't hurt them, if he didn't for what they did to Peter…he didn't think anything would make Harry be able to do any harm to them. Plus, he was pack now, and he didn't need the bonds to know just how devastated Harry was.

"He was a child, a baby, who had done no wrong in his life," Harry said with bite, purple eyes blazing with ice as he eyed the two remaining Argents. "He hadn't harmed a damn hair on anyone's head. His goddamned parents died for him shortly after he was born." Here he was choking on the words, as a cloak of devastation overwhelmed him.

Peter couldn't remain aloof and allow Harry to do what he wanted here; he didn't care what anyone else thought of him. Not the Argents and none of the pack either. He knelt beside Harry who was staring at the images that looked so frighteningly lifelike. Wrapping his arms around Harry, his hold tight, he could feel the tears Harry was shedding dripping down his neck.

"All they wanted…all they fucking wanted and sacrificed their lives for…was so that he could live a happier life." Harry bit out, his voice cracking and choked. "And I couldn't keep him alive, I couldn't protect them." He knew that they weren't angry at him. Remus, Tonks, Teddy, Andy was all dead and were at peace with that, Teddy loved getting to know his parents. The dead didn't harbour anger if they cross over, but he hadn't been able to forgive himself.

Peter cupped the back of Harry's neck, squeezing tightly, but not enough to really hurt. It did ground him and did turn the back of his neck red. "Easy, there was nothing you could have done. You know that, not a damn thing." His tone gruff but gentle. Grateful when the pack didn't say anything.

"Well, there is something I can do," Harry said darkly, nuzzling Peter in silent thanks, before his face emerged from Peter's chest, and staring the Argent's down. "I can stop people going through the same thing." Suffering the same devastation.

"You can't, we have a treaty," Allison bleated out belatedly, realizing exactly what Harry was implying.

There were more than just a few scoffs at that proclamation.

Peter stared at the Argents, the madness that had been there the night he wanted to kill them was gone. The desire to kill them though, had not disappeared. He honestly wouldn't be happy unless every single hunter in the world was gone. He certainly wouldn't lose sleep over the death of a few more hunters. He knew Derek wasn't sure of himself or the thought of ending the Argents.

"Look, look, look, we aren't responsible for what my father did," Chris cautioned, realizing he was in very deep waters here and if he wasn't careful. He was seconds from ending up drowning, he had miscalculated severely in coming here. The look on Peter's face, it made a sinking feeling in his gut, he had to talk sense, get both him and his daughter out of here and then call in more hunters.

"My dad…took care of Gerard," Allison explained softly, a look of utter sympathy on her face. Keeping her gaze averted from the sight of the little boy. "He's not a danger to anyone anymore. I know it doesn't bring them back…sure it helps, right?" her age showing through.

Everyone froze on the spot, before Harry started to laugh, choking on the intensity of it, as he was eased up with Peter's help, who was chuckling out his own amusement. "Oh? That what he told you so you could sleep better at night?" Harry said, vindication suffusing him. "Your father is a coward, couldn't even end the bastard to protect you. Even now, knowing what his father had done? To you, to his wife, to his own sister, he still wanted his approval. You are all expendable to him. You've never been enough." laying the truth bare.

"Stop it, just, just stop it!" Chris pleaded, grunting in frustration as his legs refused to budge.

"What's wrong? Does the truth hurt?" Harry asked, taunting the hunter. "Even now you think you're going to get out of this, head home and come back here with a group of hunters and what? Kill more innocent werewolves? Oh, that's right, there's no such thing as an innocent werewolf is there?"

Chris swallowed thickly, fearfully glancing at his daughter, hoping that they wouldn't hurt her.

"I'll just be doing the world a favour." Harry said bitterly, at least no other families would die because of them.

Peter merely hummed.

"If you don't want to see this, perhaps you should go out for a meal together?" Harry suggested, but it was more like an order. His eyes softened when he really looked at them, "There's no shame in that, you're all ten times better than any hunter. There's no going back for me, but you aren't needed here."

"For us," Peter amended, linking his fingers with Harry.

Isaac shifted, "What about Scott?" he added hastily amended, "I don't mean I'm worried about what he'll do. It's just…well, he might know?" might know where the Argents are, and put the pieces together and make life uncomfortable for them.

"Forget about him, I'm going Obliviate him, and he's going to have a little accident in that bike of his, which means he'll forget everything supernatural." Harry explained. "I should have done that to begin with, but…" he trailed off eyes flickering to Stiles, shitty friend or not, Scott and Stiles had been friends. He wasn't going to give Stiles the choice now, it had to be done.

"Obliviate?" Isaac muttered, confused, he was sure he'd heard it mentioned before, but for the life of him he couldn't recall what.

"It's a spell that makes people forget things that had been specifically stated to be forgotten." Stiles piped in, as always, so far ahead of the others in reading everything. His father was probably going to wonder where he was soon, if he didn't stop staying out at all hours. Fortunately, he could get away with it due to the fact his fathers work hours were all over the place. That and he technically hadn't been lying to his father, he'd been telling him that they were staying over at Isaac and Boyd's friend's place. While he was their Alpha first, friend second, honestly, he didn't think Derek had had a single friend since he lost his family.

"Derek my daughter is innocent in all this," Chris said, his blue eyes begging for the Alpha to take pity, to have mercy on his daughter. He knew that at the end of the day, what Derek said went. He was the Alpha, his word was law, even when it came to Peter and this strange werewolf being.

"Lydia," Allison mouthed, staring at her best friend in shock.

As if Allison didn't have an iron knife imbued with herbs specially designed to kill a Banshee. Admittedly at her father's behest, but she still had it and had the gall to look betrayed. To try and make her out to be the bad one. Oh, she couldn't smell it, see it, but the others had told her the moment Allison and Chris had stepped over the threshold.

"No, no she's not, she'd not been innocent since you let K…Kate sink her claws into her," Derek trembled just saying her name. "She destroys everything she touches." Recalling the look on the girls face as she watched him tortured. She hadn't tried to get help, that was when he knew she was just like the rest of her family. Sick and twisted to the very core of them.

"But I didn't know! Gerard manipulated me; I didn't know about you biting my mom while trying to save Scott!" Allison called out, panic getting the better of her. As she watched the entire pack begin to walk out at a leisurely pace.

The three gorgeous girls, Erica, Lydia and Cora in the lead, with Boyd, Isaac close beside them. Stiles grasped Derek's shoulder, silent and stalwart beside him, very different from his usual demeanour. He wasn't talking a mile a minute or flailing around. Stiles knew what had happened to Derek, he was probably one of the smartest in the room. Although, they'd all need to take the tests to figure out whom out of all five of them was the smartest.

Derek, Peter, Harry, Lydia and himself.

"Next thing you'll be telling me is that you didn't see me being kidnapped and shoved down your basement then used a target practice." Stiles said dryly, "Me, the puny human, and very breakable." Still not telling them about his own magic, why would he? He had been human during that damn attempt on his life for all intents and purposes. "We should have realized you were too far gone when you didn't go to the police when you saw someone being tortured." Not specifying what he meant, his torture or Derek's own torture. Giving Chris a look before dismissing them entirely.

"It used to be enough, knowing that she was dead," Derek said, brows furrowed giving him what Stiles – lovingly – referred to his 'murder brows', "There is no end to the devastation your family has caused is there? And you tried to take more of my family, my pack away." Scowling, in his book, that made everything they were about to get worth it.

Stiles clasped his hand with Derek, tugging him in the direction the others were in. All standing at the door, waiting for their Alpha. A side had well and truly been drawn…and all it took was Scott McCall losing his wolf. There were no more stressors, aggravation, competition, or things being blown rapidly out of proportion. "Let's go Sourwolf," Stiles said, "You're not going to have to worry about them again." Was the last thing they heard before the loft slammed shut behind them.

"Are you sure?" Peter murmured, there was a little truth to what Chris was saying, they may well end up having more hunters to contend with.

"I suppose I could just Obliviate them if you prefer?" Harry questioned, cocking his head to the side observing Peter curiously. He would take Peter's answers into consideration and likely see them out. They were a couple; they were meant to decide things together. He wouldn't be entirely happy about it…or Derek either and the rest of the pack…but Peter came first.

"That would never be my first choice," Peter said clinically, "I think it will take the entire American Argent branch to be dealt with before my nephew can sleep at night." well, that and Stiles finally making a move, because he knew his nephew certainly wasn't going to.

"Quickly?" Harry mused; his voice so low that neither of the Argents could hear.

"Your choice," Peter pointed out, glancing at them, lips twitching as he watched them trying desperately to get their legs to move.

"I miss him, Peter," Harry said softly, and Peter didn't need to look to know what and where Harry's attention was situated.

"I know," Peter murmured, drawing his hand up and down Harry's arms. "I know."

"He would have been…" the rest of it was muffled as Peter kissed and teased Harry, at least until he was relaxed and pliant against him. They were mates, if they couldn't comfort each other…what good were they for one another?

"I know," Peter stated, eyes soft, mouth grim. "They don't deserve to hear you talking about him," they didn't get to be privy to his mate's distress.

Harry inhaled sharply, balancing on the balls of his feet he nodded.

"Derek won't stay out long, he's meticulous about his rounds and checking out the land." Which meant he sat on the floor and meditated, then went for a run to make sure there were no smells of foreign supernatural's, despite the fact he knew there wasn't having been meditating with the Nemeton. Derek liked a routine, he reckoned he hadn't had much of it since the fire until now. He never asked Derek about his life with Laura, he couldn't get he words to leave his mouth.

"Even if I wanted to leave you alive…I made a vow on my magic to end Gerard's line," Peter didn't react to the slight lie. He had promised himself no doubt, but he hadn't vowed on his magic that's for sure. There was no way Harry would do that, there was no guarantee he'd find every Argent and the penalty would be loss of magic. "Normally, under ordinary circumstances I wouldn't touch someone who had just become legally an adult…by your standards, but to me? One becomes an adult when they turn seventeen-years of age."

"We would never have touched the boy," Chris declared, "If you do this, you'll condemn your entire pack." His voice a little higher pitched than usual.

"Why do you insist on lying? Hasn't anyone ever told you that we can detect lies?" Harry asked in exasperation, "Do you have matches?"

"I have a lighter…" Peter told him, giving him a little side eye, or rather there was a lighter on top of the fireplace.

"No, it needs to be wooden," Harry shrugged indifferently, staring Allison Argent down, or rather her form, she wasn't exactly looking him in the eye.

"Be right back," Peter murmured, and he was gone, out of sight maybe, but not out of hearing, since Harry could hear Peter as he moved. The snapping of what was likely tree branches was heard. The girl talking distracted him, making Harry turn to face her, incredulous at her words.

"We just wanted to know how you cured Scott, so we know how to cure people." Allison said subdued, "To make them human, so that nobody else has to die."

Harry huffed out a laugh, that was no way amused, it was a huff of discontent more than a laugh. "See, that's your problem. You see anyone not fully human as lesser, as in need of a cure. News flash sweetheart, we don't need nor do we want one. Even your precious little Scott came running back for the bite again, unable to bear being without his wolf after months upon months of advantages he'd been afforded and dismissed in order to please you." he wondered if Scott would have accepted his wolf if not for meeting the Argents. Or if it was always doomed to be this way.

Allison blanched hearing that, shaking her head, frustration building up inside of her, hating the fact she could not make her legs move. She was frozen on the spot, and she was not only starting to ache something fierce but pins and needles were beginning to bother her.

"Yes, it was rather amusing to hear him begging to be bitten again," Peter said drolly, "Of course, we said no and he immediately skipped to blackmail and then emotional manipulation." Handing over dozens of branches off of trees about the size of Harry's wand.

"No, he said he'd never felt better! More human! Happier!" Allison cried, refusing to believe Scott would betray her like that. "He said he'd convince others to return to human."

"Poetic justice I would say," Peter said, giving Harry a knowing look, he was his mate, and while they couldn't – normally – read each other's minds, they knew each other well enough to know what they had planned. It might have taken him a few seconds to get there, but Peter knew what Harry was going to do. "Make sure not to mess up the room, Derek dislikes having to repair anything that gets broken." Never mind that lately it's only electronics that he had to replace since everything else can be fixed with a little spell.

Harry leaned against Peter, sadness exuding from him, throwing the sticks in the air that Peter had went out to fetch for him. He froze them in mid-air, transfiguring them into arrows, and their stoic features bleeding away, morphing into horror.

Harry's finger moved one of the arrows, circling it in mid-air, their panic, fear and terror doing nothing to him. How many lives was he saving by taking them out? And if more hunters came? Well, let them. He would kill them all, every single last one of them if need be.

"Please, don't, let me go!"

"Let her go, she's innocent in all this, she wants to change the hunter's way," Chris told them, trying to give positive spin on something, anything, to save his daughter.

"There's no such thing as an innocent hunter," Harry refuted, and with a flick of his hand the arrow shot by and imbedded itself into Allison's body, the look on Chris' face was much more satisfying than the screaming the girl was doing.

"You son of a bitch, I'm going to kill you, I'm going to kill you!" Chris wrestled with himself, trying to get out but his legs wouldn't budge. "Kill me, please, please, just kill me!" he couldn't get on his knees to beg, to plead with this ruthless werewolf.

"That is rather painful on my sensitive years," Peter grumbled in complaint, it was quite naturally not a genuine one.

Another arrow pierced Allison's body, and her shrieking piercing wail drowned out Chris' scream shouts.

Harry didn't wait long, he was a bastard now, the hunters had made sure of that, but he wasn't entirely heartless.

Well, not mercilessly so.

Another arrow, and then understanding dawned on Peter, he wasn't just killing her with arrows like Teddy had been forced to endure. No, he was even piercing her exactly where they'd hit the child. The head shot was likely going to be the last one.

Two more arrows were thrust into her body, her elbow and thigh before Harry waved his wand, and her body buckled. Tears and snot covered her face, which was red and swollen, blood had congealed around her mouth, as she stared ahead, her mind probably already fuzzy.

With a swish and flick of his finger, the last arrow zoomed up before turning and zooming back down, and the speed of it caused the arrow to pierce the skull, within seconds she was gone.

He grimaced, this part was always the worst, the stench that came off of dead bodies was horrendous. Although, to be fair, he was used to it. It was part of his job, he always loved watching Harry work. He could still surprise him, he hadn't today but that was understandable. Luckily, when they worked together…he didn't need to worry about burying a body and the smell? Didn't linger, thank you magic.

"What about him?" Peter asked staring at the shattered man unimpressed. He'd seen his entire family burn around him, unable to do a damn thing and that hadn't shattered him, broken yes, broken in a way he would never recover from but never shatter.

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry cast, barely glancing at the wizard, "That was worse than any physical torture we could have done."

Peter conceded the point, it was true enough. Now to the messy and annoying part of the evening. Still, he felt the bastard had gotten off too easy.

A/N – That definitely did not go the way I wanted it to, I wanted it to be a whole lot more emotional but oh well! I certainly enjoyed writing it! and yay go half K written today 😊 not very often that happens anymore 😉 too busy but I guess it helps that I knew exactly what I wanted written 😊 I hope you enjoyed the chapter regardless :D next up ooo the conference thingy, will Stiles take centre stage? Or will Harry when he's dealing with Deaton? (she's a Deaton even if she doesn't use his name) and yes okay, her names totally escaping me at the moment so I'm using the name I do know 😉 lol Or will I put it a mixture of both? I do want to have it be more than just peter and Harry although really, nothing wrong with that considering Is This The World We Created has a whole lot more of them and they will all be centre stage :P R&R please!