A/N: Don't expect perfect grammar. Enjoy chapter 2!

Just walking the streets of any city in any dimensions I could see change.

Beside iron tools lay next to combat rifles, locals in leather hides and animals skins walked near soldiers in pristine fabrics created by magic. Local 'magic' shops sat beside traders who risked everything to run goods between worlds. In the backstreets arms dealers on both sides sold weapons to the locals for this or that Warlord. I and my comrades drank with locals in their taverns and showed them the wonders of off world drinks. Mud huts and spiraling towers of dazzling metalwork, far beyond the capabilities so of the locals, kept each other company.

My goal was a small park we had established after the invasion force left. They left us with the brutal task of keeping the peace while they went on to win glory and fame, even immortality if they proved worthy of it. The park was quiet today. Only a few humanoid beings, I had seen several non humanoid races during my other tours of duty, strolled the lawns.

I found a place in the shade, far from the path and the casual eye. I sat in the shadow of some large tree, I didn't know the name since I had just come to this world after a tour on Mid-Childa, and pulled that dangerous book out.

I read that dangerous text.

Wizard and TSAB mage stared each other down. Neither was willing to give an inch, nor give up the inbreed animosity of their two factions. Betrayals had left both sides scarred and they, the offspring of those who had betrayed and been betraying, now faced each other with the chance to in a small way make up for the pain of their forebears. It was a family matter, two branches of the same family that hated each other over old lies and empty promises.

The sudden flare of magical energy pulled Harry from his glare. He would be the bigger man and let the TSAB dog go unharmed…for the time being. He knew his family's relationship with the TSAB and well as the TSAB's refusal to honor the Wizard-Mage treaties. "As much as I would love nothing more than to beat your sorry arse into next week, we have bigger fish to fry."

"Very well, for the time being I call a truce." Chrono turned to the rest of his lackeys and dressed them. "We were able to capture the two men in mask and I'll be seeing them to HQ aboard the Asura. Keep eye on the Book of Darkness until I return."

"What if something happens while you're gone?" Fate asked quietly.

"Keep the Book busy. I should be back in an hour or less if we push the ship to her limits." The boy gave Harry a frown of displeasure. "And keep an eye on the wizard. They're slippery bunch you cannot trust them with an inch."

"Funny I was thinking the same thing about the TSAB," Harry shot back.

Chrono gave him one last glare and flew away. Harry was hard pressed to keep a smirk from forming. He had bested the dog and stood his ground. The dog knew that and lost the moment he claimed the moral high ground. The dog would be back and he would bring more leader types from his doghouse, people with political power to try to get him in trouble with the magical governments of the world.

Silence filled the dog's wake. Harry hoisted Azriel and motioned towards the coast. "We should head for the coast," he stated before tearing off towards the piers.

He touched down slowly and released his spell of flight. Moments later the rest of the dog's company touched down. He didn't hate them personally, but it was the TSAB they worked for that he hated. He was glad for the rest though, the fight with the swordswoman and Fate had pushed him hard. The battle with the Book woman had nearly pushed him to the brink of magical exhaustion. Flight was one of the hallmarks of great mages and wizards, but came at a high price. The constant drain of power was far more than a many wizards could handle.

"Who are you?" the red haired woman demanded.

"Arf!" Fate said sharply.

"Sorry Fate. Name's Arf, I'm Fate's familiar," the woman said sheepishly.

"Harrison James Potter, but call me Harry. As you probably guessed I am a wizard," he offered as he dropped onto one of the benches. The cool sea breeze blew in his face, but the Barrier Jacket prevented it chilling his body.

"Um…what's the difference between a mage and wizard?" Nanoha asked. "Oh! This is Raging Heart," she introduced her staff.

"Hello" Raging Heart greeted in her slightly feminine electronic voice.

"Greetings, I am called Azriel" his Device responded curtly. She had been oddly quiet for quiet a while.

"Chrono called your device a Lost Logia. Is it really one?" Fate asked suddenly.

"Aye, Azriel here claims to be from some long lost space empire or something to that effect. A technically speaking she is five of these Logia things." He decided not to reveal that Azriel was missing the last two artifacts needed for complete restoration. "As for your question Nanoha," he addressed the girl, "do your want the long, convoluted version that explains all the minor details and cultural nuances that make wizards and mages different or the short version?"

Nanoha stared at him blankly. She wasn't too bright, but was smart enough to realize the long version would bore her to death. "Short version."

"A long, long time ago Earth was an Ancient Belka colony. After their home world was lost Earth and the colony was lost to the Saint Kings. This colony expanded and bred into the native population, but some sought to keep their blood pure. These people created the first race of mages who took the title wizard and witch as they wanted to avoid having to fight the wars of the Saint Kings. Some time later, with the rise of Mid-Childa, Earth was visited by their mages and plans were laid to make Earth a vassal world. Some Mid-Childa mages married into the wizards bloodlines. A hybrid style was born out of this union, something that is very surprising given the magical world's refusal to change quickly.

This style combined the close combat of Ancient Belka with the ranged skills of Mid-Childa and the magic of the Earth natives. Then Mid-Childa formed the TSAB and the plans were lost. The magical colony was forgotten. The abandonment led the wizards and witches to form their own culture and forge a new identity with new values, thoughts, ideals, dreams, and skills," Harry finished quietly.

Silence filled the wake of his words. He had no doubt that the contact mages of the TSAB were using telepathy. The slight changes in their faces betrayed their metal thoughts. He rose and strode to the edge of the pier.

"That doesn't explain your actions towards Chrono though," the blond haired boy said thoughtfully. "To think an entire order of mages er… wizards existed on this planet. I'm Yunno Scrya by the way."

Harry barely heard the boy over the turbulent ocean breaking against the pier. "My…disagreements with the TSAB are…personal more than anything."

For a minute there was silence as the ocean clamed itself for a moment, and then Nanoha broke it. "You should talk about whatever happened. You can't keep your sadness bottled up inside."

He knew there was truth to her words. She was only nine years old, yet her maturity level was far above that. Such open honestly and wisdom at her age…it shocked him to an encounter such a thing. "Perhaps…" he said quietly as a wave crashed into the pier.

The group quietly talked among themselves and Harry watched the sea. He watched for signs of movement, but the Book woman was still frozen in place. ~What do you think Azriel?~

~The child is correct. Data supports her claim on several worlds.~

~That's what I thought…no, I knew she was right in my heart.~

~Master of the Hollows, is listening to your heart beat telling you something? I assumed that your brain that does the thinking in humans. Was I mistaken?~

He snickered and let a small smile form on his face. ~A figure of speech, a figure of speech.~

~Thank you master. I will add this data to my memory banks. Would like an update on the conversion status?~

~Yes, how far along is the process?~

~At present the conversion factor is at one point six percent a day. With the remaining magic it will take 142 earth days. The conversion factor can be upped temporarily, however this method has several drawbacks.~

~Why was this not mentioned before?~

~It was not prudent at the time. Very little data exists on this transformation given the rarity of any one wizard possessing me for any great length of time.~

~I see… Azriel run a scan over those kids, as deep a scan as you can reach without tipping off their devices.~

~Would like me to scan the Book of Darkness?~

~Yeah~

~Very well master. Scanning…~

His attention was captured by the Book woman suddenly jerking. "Something's happening!" he heard Nanoha yell before shooting off towards the woman. The rest of her group joined the fool charge.

"Damn fools!" he cursed their impulsive behavior. The Book woman was their enemy and all her actions could be a ploy to lure them into a trap. The Death Eaters had done the same in the early days of the Voldemort's second rise to power. "The question is do I stay and wait or do I join them? Ah what the hell!"

If he let one of the fools die then the dog would be all over him. Despite his earlier bravado he didn't fancy going toe to toe with an entire ship load of dogs that were safe in a flying fortress. He wasn't a demigod or some ungodly powerful wizard with all the powers of the elements at his beck and call, nor was he the heir of powerful, world ending magic.

In the space of a single evening he had met more new people than any other time in his life. The Book of Darkness, or Tome of the Night Sky as the Hayate girl requested they call it, was under said girl's control once more. What remained was the defense program that had been coded to destroy all life until the wish was fulfilled. Her clothing had according changed into a black and white jacket over a black and yellow minidress. She wore a hat that looked strangely like a Balmoral cap some his old friends had worn during the dark days. She had also manifested three black wings leaving him wondering if she had a thing for the whole dark angel motif.

Hayate proceed summoned her four Guardian Knights, which she called the Wolkenritter. A part of him as glad the swordswoman, Signum, was back. He would like to battle her again even though she out classed him in melee combat. The other members of the Wolkenritter included the little girl called Vita, the blonde woman he had seen earlier named Shamal and a wolf man named Zafira.

The dog had returned shortly after Hayate regained control. The dog claimed he had some tool called Durandal that would freeze the Book allowing them to deal with it, but Harry doubted it. It was simply too convenient for it to surface suddenly.

"Let's go over the plan once more," Chrono stated pulling Harry's attention back to the dog he was reluctantly working with.

"Oh joy! One more time…do they seriously pay you to come with these simplistic plans?" Harry shot at the dog.

The dog glared at him, but went on. "We will hit the rouge defense program with every thing we have. When its shields come down Shamal and Ferret boy," Yunno gave the dog a half hearted glare, "will use the teleportation spell to send the rouge program into orbit. Then the Asura will finish it off. With luck this will keep the rouge program from fleeing or being reconstructed in the future. Any questions?"

"No, lets do it!" Nanoha brightly chirped.

There were nods of agreement around the group. Hayate's Knights were silent, but gave slight nods of acceptance. His experiences in the past had taught him many harsh lessons about planning battles and the hardest to learn was the easiest to remember. "No plan survives first contact. The moment we start the attack everyone has to be on guard. There no telling what this Book thing could do."

"As much I hate to admit it, the wizard scum is right. We have no idea what the defense program can do and have no hard intelligence on its capabilities or power level." A dark look was in the dog's eyes. "We're flying blind, so be ready for anything and watch each other backs."

"Oh that reminds me!" Hayate suddenly said. "Shamal if you would?"

"Yes, Klarer Wind!" the blonde commanded the four rings that was her Device. "Tranquil breeze, carry forth a blessing of healing!"

At once a green glow surrounded Nanoha, Fate and Harry. He felt the damages to his Barrier Jacket mend and the throbbing pain from the blood daggers faded away. Aches and bruises were erased in the gentle light. He felt new strength surging in him as the magical light vanished.

"Thank you. That was the best healing spell I've felt in a long time." He stretched his arms experimentally and smirked. "Normally it's a cold and painful magic, but you make it feel…good," he finished huskily.

He was rewarded by a small blush on the pretty blonde's face. He had learned a few things from during the battles with Voldemort. One was to have fun and enjoy your time with others before they were gone. He did have some of father's gene's in him and by all accounts James Potter was a flirt.

The mixed reaction on the rest of the party was rather humors to watch. Nanoha had missed it, Fate had turned pink, Yunno was wide eyed for some reason, Arf was amused, the dog had also turned pink and Hayate was holding back a snicker at her Knight's expense. The rest of the Knights ranged from apathetic, Sigum and Zafira, to silent rage, Vita.

"…you're welcome," Shamal quietly murmured, a small smile on her face.

"Alright boys and girls lets get this party started!" He took control much to the dog displeasure. He knew it was toeing the line of their truce, but he enjoyed subverting the dog's position. ~Azriel what the mana level? Is there enough for a Tower of the Twilight?~

~Mana levels are at 48 percent. That is up from 35 percent an hour ago. Assessment: spell may be cast, however control may be difficult. Warning: casting Tower of the Twilight will leave mana levels dangerously low.~

~No choice then. Up the conversion rate to two point three percent.~

~Master, that will put more strain on your Linker Core and may comprising spell integrity.~

~Do you fear losing me?~ he asked her suddenly. He took his position on the rear left flank of the Book and prepared a fully charged Nova Blaster.

~I do not understand. You are Master of the Hollows, Master of Death, death cannot touch you unless you will it.~

~Do you fear to lose me and be broken apart again for the next thousand years?~

~Master, this unit is programmed to evolve with each master. Human emotions were not deemed a priority in my creation.~

~Bullocks, I know you're lying. You have emotions I heard them in your words and tones.~

~The change in pitch can not be associated with the emotions of this unit. I am a weapon; emotions were not deemed a priority in the creation of this weapon.~

Harry sighed. ~Fine we will talk about it later. And drop the Master of Death stuff too!~

~As you command, Master of Death.~

He let the frustration with his Device simmer for a moment before letting it go. It would serve him no good and would get in the way. Azriel was his sword and they had to be one or they would die.

The assault began with a three flashes of light. Pink, yellow and white smashed into the Book's shield, but to no avail. The shield held and the defense program was slowly coming to life. Blood daggers spawned in mass forcing him to abandon his position as they hunted for fresh blood.

"Nova Blaster!" He fired the spell at the program only to watch it harmlessly impact the shield. "Switch to scythe form!"

"Yes master," Azriel compiled with request as the next wave crashed into the program.

Sword blazing with magical flames Sigum smashed into the program. Seconds later Vita slammed her oversized hammer into the other side of the shield. He prepared to join them, but saw the program frown and a magic triangle form beneath its feet.

~Get away from her!~ he mentally screamed at the two Knights.

Large ice spikes burst into existence around it, nearly impaling Vita on the jagged barbs. Another blast of pink magic shattered the spikes, sending shards in every direction. He fled upwards preparing a whip of Fiendfrye.

~Master, mana level is insufficient for complete control.~

"I know, that's the point after all. Fire and forget." He quickly switched over to telepathy. ~Stay way from the program. I can't control this next spell very well.~

~Everyone's clear, fire away~ Chrono informed him.

~Don't presume to give me orders~ "Fiendfyre!" The cursed flames roared towards the program. The flames swallowed the program, and he let his control over them go. The flames would seek entrance unless they sensed another being near them.

The ball of flames was joined by more blast of pink and yellow. Massive ice spikes, originating from Hayate, met the cursed flames. The two opposing elemental energies exploded in a blast of steam. He cleared his throat and saw the cursed flames, so famous for being nigh impossible to put out, had been extinguished.

The program was untouched and showed no signs of even the faintest signs of magical weariness. ~Signum, Vita, Fate attack the shield directly then fire off the spells at point blank range~

~Very well~ Signum said after receiving a nod from Hayate.

~Fine~ Vita snapped, her anger directed towards the program that refused to be smashed.

~Nanoha and Chrono can prepare their big spells in the mean time~ Fate suggested.

~Look out!~ Arf's mental warning came a moment too late.

Hundreds of withering tentacles of steel and flesh surged skywards. Harry was knocked aside and was winded. Damn it, does this thing know we're in Japan or something? He climbed to his feet and saw the rest of the party had been scattered. The tentacles rose from the sea forming a living barrier of sorts around the rogue program.

~Are you okay?~Nanoha asked.

~Yeah I'm fine. What about of the rest?~

~ We're fine, but reaching the defense program just got a lot harder,~ Fate informed him.

Harry glanced down at the sea and was shocked. Wide eyed he watched a whirlpool form directly below the program and the tentacles began to rotate with the whirlpool.

~Chrono! We have to fall back!~ Harry hated to give the dog a name, but everyone's neck was on the line, mainly his own, but he had a taken a shine to the swordswoman

~NO! We can't, we have to defeat is here and now! No matter the cost, it will create a time space distortion if it continues unchecked.~

He fired an experimental Nova Blaster towards the living barrier only to see the minimal damage it inflicted. ~What does it matter if we are killed? We have to fall back and regroup. We can do anything until that damned whirlpool stops.~ he snapped at the fool of a boy.

~And what if it never stops? What then?~ Chrono snapped back.

~We cross that bridge when we come to it.~ Harry pulled out of the telepathic link and headed for a spot a short ways away from the program's living shield.

~It's no good, we can't get a lock on it with the transportation spell.~ Yunno informed them.

Chrono reluctantly gave the order. ~Fine, everyone fall back and regroup.~

Hayate and her Knights soon joined him. The rest of the group and a sullen Chrono regrouped to assess their situation. The assessment was grim. They had no viable avenue to attack, the Asura couldn't fire its cannon while the program was on Earth, and they couldn't fight forever.

Harry glanced at the whirlpool and unbidden an old memory arose. A warm summer day years before he learn began to learn magic. One of the few days in which his fat cousin allowed him into watch him play a new video game and gloat how Harry would never be able to play it. His cousin was near the end and the final boss underwent a transformation after being beaten once and arose with many wings and a lot stronger. His cousin had called it going one winged angel and promptly threw down the controller in anger over having to do more work.

"One winged angel…" he murmured. "It's going one winged angel on us! This is it!" he felt the giddiness overcome him. The feeling he had felt when he fought Voldemort in the Mirror World, the feeling of fighting an enemy that outclasses you so much it was insanity to try to beat them. He had succeeded once with the aid Azriel and luck, but that battle had cost him his life as a wizard. What sacrifice would he have to make this time? What levels of ecstasy would he reach this time?

The sound of metal slamming into his cheek felt hollow even when he was sent flying several feet. He raised his hand to touch his cheek, feeling the sting. Looking up he saw Signum standing there, her arm still raised, but with a strange look in her eyes.

"I understand," she said, all that needed to be said.

She knew what he was feeling. Of course she would Harry. She has veteran's eyes and the skills to match. Had he let his control slip that far away? Mad-eye would be ashamed of him after all the time the old man had spent teaching him before his death in the final confrontation. "We are alike, yet not alike," he stated, his voice barely above a whisper.

She must have heard because she nodded.

~Old knights having to watch over the younger.~ he said over private telepathic link.

~Yes, you have some skill with the sword. I'm impressed someone still uses one in this day and age.~

~Circumstances forced me to take up the sword. Will you allow me to fight by your side?~ He knew hey clashed and he felt no malice in her strikes, only the heaviness of duty. No doubt she had felt that in his own attacks against her.

She was quiet then answered ~Yes, I would be honored with the presence of another swordsman.~

~The honor is mine. You're the senior knight here anyway, but for what it's worth…you're good looking for an old knight. Aged with grace and now hat they say about fine wi- ~

BAM!

Harry was set flying a few more feet. Signum lowered her hand and gave the wizard a small, knowing smile. "Next time it will be Levantine, not my fist."

"Good to know…" he muttered weakly. She didn't take flirting very well apparently, but it probably wasn't the best time given threat of doom and destruction. There was the theory about how some girls showed boys they cared though violence… "Maybe there's some truth to that," he muttered under his breath.

"If you are done messing around can we focus of the situation at hand," Chrono said icily.

"Ya, ya, ya, the pup has teeth after all. Puppy teeth, but teeth none the less," Harry goaded the dog.

"What was that thing with Harry and Signum? I don't get it," Yunno questioned.

"Nothing you kids need to worry about," Harry answered him and received an affirmative nod from the swordswoman.

"Ahem," Chrono coughed. "At the present time the rouge defense program is starting to form a time space distortion by its mere presence. In addition to this, the Asura's sensors have picked up increased seismic activity planet wide. The program, before Hayate regained control, was apparently attempting o reach the planets core." The dog summoned one of his nifty holographic screens. "The previously TSAB laid plan to deal with the Book of Darkness is no longer applicable at this time." He called up an image of the Earth with black lines spreading across it. "The defense program is attempting to run its old programming and is literally attempting to infest the Earth before destroying it. It has been decided by the high Council that before such a thing is allowed to occur the Earth will…be destroyed."

"What! No, you can't!" Nanoha cried.

"What about all the people? The innocents?" Fate objected.

Hayate looked vaguely sick. "It's all my fault… Was this really my wish? No, no, no, no, NO! I'm not a monster! Why would I want to destroy the world?" Her denials poured out as the horrid realization that she could very easily be responsible for killing unto billions and destroying her home.

The monster inside everyone; that was fact she was dealing with. It was a battle Harry had wrestled with for several years before he accepted it. He had been sixteen at the time and the battle had nearly destroyed his will to fight. For a nine year old girl…it had to be much, much worse.

They might be mature beyond their age, but at the end of the day they were still children. No amount of magic, weapons, clothes, or power could make up for that. Hayate's Knights gathered around their mistress and seemed to be consoling her. Nanoha and Fate quickly joined the comforting party.

"We don't have time for this. We need her power." Chrono muttered, but Harry's magically enhanced hearing caught its.

Sighing, took gathered a portion of his magic and let if flare as he stepped towards the circle. Predictably they looked up and he motioned them to move. Wrapping his magical power around him like a cloak, he knew what he looked like; a dark figure or pure magic with brilliantly bright emerald eyes.

"Hayate Yagami!" he said his voice as cold as he could make it. "Are you a human being?"

~What are you doing?~ Vita asked over a telepathic link.

~Just watch.~ he replied as he knelt before her. With one hand he raised her chin and looked her in the eyes. "Are you human?"

She stared at him blankly for a moment. "Y-Yes." She tried to look away from the bright eyes.

"Look at me!" he forced her to meet his eyes. "Are you perfect, infallible, flawless or are you human? You are a human, you have faults, fears, hate, anger and more. You have two choices before you. Do you want to hear them?"

She sniffed a bit and replied. "Y-y-yes."

"Look into my eyes…" He called upon his weakening wizard magic for the spell. He would lose the mind walking and reading ability of the wizards forever in a few days, but he figured this was a case where it could do something good before it went into the night. Her power would be needed to safeguard his vacation anyway.

Within her mind he imprinted the two choices in the form of doors and pulled her into her own mindscape. Each door was marked with the choice it led to and after informing her of that, he left. The sudden return to his body gave him a small case of vertigo, but he stood. "It is done. The rest is up to her, but…"

"But what?" Vita drawled. "What did you do to Hayate?"

"I showed her the paths of destiny, which one she chose to walk is anyone's guess. I fear though…

"WHAT! DID! YOU! DO?" Vita roared after grabbing him by the collar.

"She will either come out of this a complete monster or woman worthy of the legacy of mankind. I do not walk the paths of fate or destiny, merely the path of death so I have no idea." He pushed her away gently, surprisingly she willing let go. "No one can control the outcome," he stressed the fact.

Hayate was in Shamal's arms shaking ever now and then. The dog looked like he wanted to say something, but looked away. Hayate's friends were confused, but gave him grateful looks, but he felt the cost outweighing the benefits.

~Master, your wizard channels are shutting down. The forced mind entry brunt out some and the rest is overwhelming the remaining channels.~ Azriel warned him moments before the first wave of pain came.

~Override the conversion lock and convert as much as possible before the all the channels are shut down.~ He commanded as his blood began to burn. He could feel the veins stinging and knew the area around them would be turning red. The process of changing wizard magic in mana was discomforting at best, but he felt was agonizing. It was almost as bad as the torture he endured under Voldermort for a time.

Uncontrollable spasms of pain forced him to his knees. His vision began to swim and the world became blurry. The concerned faces blurred together and his vision began to fade. He faintly heard them yelling for him, but it was like the echo of an echo. The last thing he heard was his Azriel say, "Master is evolving. He is in the final stage of the conversion process" before the world went dark.

He never saw it coming.

His world went cold, dark and silent in a moment.

One minute he was reading and the next his head was separated from his shoulders.

My name is Anastasia Von Se'kual, Captain of the Devil's Inquisition V branch, Inquisitor first class and personal bodyguard to her majesty, the White Devil. And I killed one of our own men. Without mercy, alliances meant nothing, death was a blessing I freely gave, and I struck down the enemies of my lady as I had for the last four hundred years.

This man, now a dead man, was but another fool like any other. An idealist fool who sought forbidden knowledge from that accursed tome he was reading. Men like that were a threat to my lady and all the Warlords. He would have gone rouge eventually and probably taken more with him, I merely him off at the pass…

I sheathed my Devil's Sword and took the tome. Returning to the pathway I signaled my men, loyal soldiers one and all in white and dark blue fatigues. Several of them had rounded up the unfortunate bystanders who had been in the park when we entered. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Kill them, incinerate the bodies, and then bomb the park. Officially an enemy agent performed a suicide bombing the park goers which included a number of children and females," I said, my voice colder than the ice of Riv Prime.

My men saluted and went about their task with experienced hands. They, like I, owned everything to the White Devil. She had saved me from the burning ruins and raised me as her own. She was a mother to me, a sister in my early years and the woman I loved with all my heart. If she asked I would burn, blast, and rape every world in her name. The cries of the soon to be victims of an enemy agent were nothing to me, the pleas were less than flies, desperate threats were merely wind to me. All that matter was her…

My lady would want the book. It was her past after all and perhaps... perhaps…perhaps then she would take me…

A/N:

AND…CUT!

All right people take five. We'll regroup for the last battle against the Book of Darkness, Harry's transformation, and Hayate's choice. Good job Anastasia! Love the ruthless character and good bye and good riddance Mr. useless extra from the opening.

Where the heck is that coffee brat? Tell him to get me a cappuccino with extra sugar…and milk.