Draco groaned as he sat next to Neville at the Gryffindor Table in the Great Hall for dinner. "MacGrath is a fucking asshole."
"Can't believe I agree with you," muttered Neville, massaging his legs. They, along with the other Technomancers, had been put through an exercise regiment by Harry, Luna, and Pansy. Of all of them, the two Gryffindor boys and Millicent had struggled the most. The former due to lack of any physical exercise other than walking in their lives, the later due to her admitted weight problem, which Harry was more lenient about to make sure he didn't hurt her while also getting her into shape.
"What's wrong with you two," asked the Weasley Twins younger brother, Ron.
"MacGrath," said Draco as he popped his shoulder, trying to work through its aches. "Ah! Bastard put us through hell!"
"You really should get more in shape," said Harry as he walked over. "It'll help with your magic. Especially since your reserves depend on how healthy you are."
"And who told you that?"
"My aunt, Sam. She and Isabel had a mutual friend who figured that out a while ago." He placed two bottles in front of them. "Pain reliever potions. Sam's design. Don't make it a habit of drinking these. I'm only giving it to you because it was your first day."
"Thanks, Harry," said Neville.
"Don't mention it."
"Gross," shouted out Parvati. "Ron! Don't bring that vermin here!"
"Scabbers isn't vermin," shouted the young redhead. "He's the family pet! We've had him since I was a baby!" Harry looked at Ron's hand and noticed a brown rat that was sniffing at the food on his plate. He noticed that it was missing a claw and blinked.
"…Mr. Weasley. How long exactly have you had that rat?"
"Ten years. Why?"
"Mind if I see him?"
"Sure."
"Harry," protested Parvati. "Don't touch that thing!" Harry took the rat and examined it.
"Has it always been missing a claw?"
"Yeah," said Ron. "Why?" Harry looked the rat in the eye for a second before glaring at it.
"Sorry Mr. Weasley. But this isn't a rat." He started walking towards the Head Table, as 'Scabbers' struggled in his hand, trying to bite his way out of Harry's grip.
"What are you on about?! He is a rat!"
"No he's not. He's an Animagus."
"Hey, Pup," said Sirius as Harry walked over to him, Remus, Isabel and Cindy. "What's up?!"
"Does this look familiar?" Harry held the rat out to them, enduring it's constant biting. Remus and Sirius stared at the rat for a second before both men went wide-eyed.
"Wormtail," said Remus as Sirius started growling. "I'll call the DMLE. Harry, keep a tight hold on him!"
"So, keep doing what I've been doing, got it." Harry sent a small jolt of electricity into the rat, stunning it. "Sirius… down boy. He can't face justice if he's dead."
"Death is exactly what he deserves!"
"It's not your call to make," said Cindy. "He needs to have a trial, just like everyone else."
"You mean like how Sirius had one," asked Isabel. "Ten fucking years later?!"
"He needs to face justice!"
"He needs to die like the rat he literally is!"
"Harry," said Sirius quietly. "James and Lily need justice. You need justice. How we handle this is entirely up to you. Do we kill him? Or send him to the DMLE?" Harry turned from the adults to the rat in his hands as Hermione, Luna, Padma, Daphne and Pansy walked over.
"What's going on," asked Pansy.
"Pettigrew," said Luna, staring at the twitching rat. The girls, knowing about Sirius' trial, stared at the rat for a moment before Padma's hand sparked red and Daphne's hands started icing over.
Susan walked over and placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Don't do anything reckless. Wait until the Aurors arrive."
"And then what," asked Daphne. "Wait until they finally get their heads out of their asses and put him on trial?! Who knows how long that will take?!"
"I'm with Daphne," said Hermione. "If Sirius is any example, we can't rely on the Magical Justice system like we can the Mundane one."
"We can't trust either," said Luna. "I say we drown the rat! Or at least break his legs before we do anything!"
"Everyone, shut up," shouted Harry. "I need to think." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw three Aurors walk in, Amelia being one of them. He stared at the rat in his hand. "Professor McGonagall, can you change him back into his human form?"
"Yes, Mr. MacGrath."
"Not here, though." Harry walked outside, his friends and the adults following. Draco stood up and followed them outside, Neville and Blaise following as well. Tonks and Lena shared a look before nodding and watching them through the Gibraltar's cameras. Harry shocked the rat again and set him down, nodding to McGonagall. She cast the spell and Scabbers the rat changed into Peter Pettigrew, former friend and betrayer of James and Lily Potter. The man gasped as he looked up at the boy in front of him.
"Harry…" he tried to approach Harry, as if to hug him, only to be met with bolt to the face. Pettigrew convulsed as several thousand volts coursed through his body.
"You're going with the Aurors to face a trial. And you're going to pay for what you did to my family."
"Please! You have to believe me! The Dark Lord would've killed me if I didn't…" Harry kicked at the rat man's knees, bending his leg at an angle it was never supposed to bend, eyes igniting red.
"You were their friend… and you betrayed them…" He screamed as thunder sounded above the group.
"Where did that come from," asked Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"It's the lad," said Moody.
"You were there friend," shouted Harry. A large bolt of lightning struck Harry and his arms sparked red. He shot his hands forward and sent streams of lightning into Wormtail's body. By now, several students ran outside to see what was going on, Dean Thomas at the lead. "Who am I kidding, you were never their friend!" He put more power into his lightning. "Otherwise, you'd have died for them!"
"Harry," shouted Cindy as she tried to get close. "Harry, that's enough!"
"RRAARRGH!" Harry felt his arms held behind him by two people and felt his magic being pulled in several directions at once until he felt drained. Harry dropped to his knees, weakened as Amelia walked over to the rat Animagus. She placed fingers to his neck.
"He's still got a pulse, and he's breathing, but it's shallow. Aurors Shacklebolt and Moody, apprehend Peter Pettigrew and take him to the medi-witch back at the DMLE offices in the ministry. And bind his Animagus form, we don't need him escaping because of it!"
"Merlin," gasped Draco. "How much power do you have?"
"It was because of the lightning," panted Pansy. "We're not used to absorbing that much energy all at once…"
"Am I the only one pointing out that he just Sith-ed that guy," asked Dean.
"Now's not the time, Dean," said Neville. Harry looked around him and saw the Technomancers who followed him were all panting, Pansy collapsed on the ground. He hurried over to her and she smiled tiredly up at him.
"I'm ok. Just tired."
"We all had to drain you, MacGrath," said Pansy. "Otherwise, you'd have killed him." Harry walked over to his parent's betrayer as Shacklebolt and Moody stood him up. Amelia stood between them and Harry Flash Stepped on instinct to get around her, despite the lack of energy.
"You're going to rot, Wormtail. But first, losing a finger is too little…" Harry formed lightning into a plasma blade around his hand and sliced Pettigrew's arm off. Harry walked away as Pettigrew screamed in agony. In his anger, he ignored everyone and drained a camera of its energy, preventing Holly from checking on him. He Charged to the Ravenclaw dorms before accessing the internet and Charging away from Hogwarts. He landed in a random area, no idea where he was and remembered about his GPS signal. He found a nearby tech store and purchased a few devices, using the credit card Isabel gave him before leaving and using the devices to build a signal blocker like Pansy's. He shut off his phone and started wandering aimlessly for about an hour.
"From what my boss tells me," said a girl with an Australian accent from behind Harry as he turned a corner. "You did a number on that man earlier."
"Leave me alone…"
"No need to snap, Second Rate. I came here to show you something."
"I don't care. I just want to be alone."
"And you will be, after I show you what you need to see."
"If I let you show me whatever the hell it is, will you let me be alone?"
"Cross my heart."
"Fine."
"First of all, do you even know where you are?"
"Should it matter?"
"I suppose not, but for context, how many places do you know have a giant statue of Jesus watching your every move?" Harry turned around and looked up, seeing exactly what she was talking about.
"How did I end up in Rio?!"
"You just Charged randomly. We were only able to find you because of that purchase you made."
"How the hell…?"
"We've focused more on cyber techniques than offensive ones. Helps us monitor everything."
"That's…"
"Unethical? Like you're one to talk. Cutting off Pettigrew's arm?"
"He deserves far worse."
"You shouldn't let your Karmic Energy dictate you, Second Rate."
"Karmic Energy?"
"What you notice as red lightning. The angrier your thoughts, the more violent you act, the more it shows."
"Is that what you want to show me?"
"In a way. Follow me." Harry walked behind her, adjusting his tie as he did.
"What do I call you? Mysterious Girl, while fitting, seems more like a comic book superheroine."
"Just call me M."
"M? You're really not going to tell me your real name?" She turned around and grabbed his tie before pulling him into a kiss. He blushed as she pulled away and grinned.
"Be a good boy, shut up, and follow me."
"You know I won't do the second." He fixed his tie.
"You will if you know what's good for you." She started walking away.
"And who are you to decide what that is?"
"I'm better than you."
"Bold claim."
"But not untrue, if our first meeting is anything to go by."
"I was ambushed, it doesn't count."
"Keep telling yourself that."
"You had prior knowledge of what was going to happen. You only 'saved' me because you waited until you knew you needed to move."
"Again, keep telling yourself that." She looked up at a building. "We're here." Harry looked up and saw it was a club.
"Uh… we're a bit underage."
"Just make a holoimage around you, making you look older."
"Holoimage?"
"See what I mean about better? It's a basic cyber technique, pulling code around you from a computer to form an illusion. Think like the normal disillusionment charms from normal mages." She demonstrated after going to a nearby cyber-café and formed the illusion of an older looking version of her in a red dress and long black hair. "Now you try." Harry turned to a computer and did the same, making himself look more like his father based on pictures he found in his birth mother's trunk. He looked in a reflection and saw his holoimage was a couple of feet taller than he was, the same with how M's looked.
"Not bad for your first try, Second Rate."
"Stop calling me that."
"Learn more about your magic and I will." She took his hand and led him into the club. She showed an invitation and they were let in. She led him to a booth and leaned over him to pull on a mounted light next to them. Harry watched as the seat they were in was revolved into the wall behind them. He looked around and saw many mages and goblins walking around. "Welcome to the Brazilian Ministry."
"I forgot they didn't change the location like the Mundane government in 1960."
"They didn't see the point in moving cities, so they just moved buildings. We just took the public entrance."
"Once again, the Magical World's lack of subtlety comes into play. Why are we here? Brazil doesn't recognize Technomancy as actual magic."
"They're getting there. They've had a bit of a problem recently and their only solution was to start recruiting Technomancers."
"What problem?" She led him to the Brazilian DMLE and showed him a man sitting in a cell.
"This is Raphael Oliveira. Magical Brazil's Public Enemy Number One. High ranking Electromancer who'd been harassing the local Aurors and leading a drug war against local competition and pursuing law enforcement from both Magical and Mundane governments. He was able to use his magic in public thanks to the rise in Technomancer activity all around the globe. The same couldn't be said of Aurors trying to apprehend him. He was starting to give local police a lot of trouble, and to try and beat him, Technomancers were recruited by the Ministry to apprehend him, based on their unique magic."
"I take it this doesn't have a good ending?"
"Well, you're perceptive. Oliveira targeted one of the Technomancer's family. Killed their baby sister. He's in the cell next to Oliveira's now." Harry went to the next cell and saw what M wanted to show him. He saw a man sitting in a cot, head in his hands and red lightning sparking all over his body. His eyes looked like they had shadows under them, and his circuit lines seemed a darker red than Harry had seen in either his own, or Cole's.
"What the hell…?" almost as if in answer of his question, the man shouted out and shot a bolt of lightning at the wall separating him from Oliveira. Harry covered his ears as he heard thunder fill the entire building from his attack.
"Karmic Energy has a bit of a debilitating effect on us. If we let it overwhelm our minds, it affects our physical appearance as well as our magic. We're more lethal, but it also shows in our appearance. We start to corrupt, like a virus has entered our programming, you could say."
"This is…"
"Terrifying, I know. But it's power output triples unlike your normal double increase with just anger. Rage, hate, violent thoughts, use them too often, and you'll end up like Mr. Santos, here."
"So what, you're warning me not to do this?"
"No. I'm just showing you what may happen. Kessler wasn't able to tell us what the Coming Darkness is, but we may need every advantage we can get out of it. Especially if that means getting a power boost like you see here."
"But I'd be like him… hateful, angry… evil…"
"Is it evil to want to get revenge for your family? Is it evil to be angry at someone for harming a loved one?"
"No, it's human but this…" Harry gestured to Santos. "It's the only thing driving him."
"And the Coming Darkness would be the only thing driving you. We need to be prepared. What are you willing to do, Second Rate?" Harry took one last look at Santos before turning away.
"I'm leaving, now." M followed him out of the Brazilian Ministry and looked at him. "Thank you, for showing me this."
"What are you going to do with this information?"
"I don't know yet. But now I know my options." Harry turned to her after they left the ministry building and kissed her cheek, making her blush. "Until we meet again, M." Harry Charged away, leaving M standing alone, touching her cheek. She was snapped out of her thoughts by her phone ringing.
"Y-yes?"
"How did it go," asked her employer.
"I've shown him what Karmic Energy can do. Now it's up to him on how he proceeds."
"Good work. Soon, I'll be able to test MacGrath. See how well he can operate as a leader. Return to base. We have a lot to do."
"Yes, sir." M touched her cheek again and Charged away.
Back at Hogwarts, Harry landed in the Server Room and sat in a chair, exhausted mentally and just a bit physically. "How are you feeling," asked Holly.
"Drained… I was just shown something that shook me…"
"Well, your mother and peers are worried. Should I tell them you're here?"
"I'm going to get some sleep, actually. Tell them I'm back, but to talk to me in the morning."
"Alright. Have a good night, Harry."
"Night, Holly." Harry Charged to the Ravenclaw dorms and was met by Luna who was sitting in a chair.
"Sit," she said.
"Luna, I…"
"I know. Sit." Harry sighed and sat in the chair across from her. "Don't let what that girl showed you get to you. Karmic Energy is more complex than she thinks. Think of it as a buildup. Over time, that's what causes people like Santos to get that way. How long do you think he wallowed in hate for Oliveira before he let it get to him? He'd been fighting against Oliveira's men for months before his sister was targeted. By then, he'd already pent up his anger from what he faced with the Mundane law enforcement. Political corruption, cops on the take, hell, Oliveira even had his hand in human trafficking! That kind of thing gets any sane and moral person angry. Targeting the man's sister was just the straw that broke the camels back." Harry sighed as he rubbed the back of his neck.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm a Seer, remember?"
"You're a lot more serious than normal."
"I adjust my behavior for certain situations. You need a light hearted, carefree individual? I'm your girl. You need someone to reassure your heavy heart? I'm your girl. You need someone to boost you up when you're down?"
"You're my girl." Luna grinned at the implications of him saying it. "Figuratively speaking, Luna. Don't count your eggs."
"I started when I first saw you with my gift."
"In other words when you stalked me."
"Potato po-tah-to."
"I hate that phrase. No one in their right mind calls them that."
"Where did it come from," asked a voice above them. Harry looked up and saw Pansy floating with her own pair of Static Skates.
"You're abusing the Technician pass, aren't you?"
"Only slightly."
"If it weren't for the fact you knew almost as much about Technomancy as I did, you'd only have a basic student pass."
"Not like it would've stopped me."
"No," said Holly over the intercom. "But I would. You forget, Ms. Parkinson, I'm still inside the Gibraltar."
"Oh right, Harry's Skynet companion."
"Don't compare me to Skynet, please."
"Sorry, sorry. You're more of a GLaDOS, I forgot."
"How do you know so much about the Mundane World, anyway," asked Harry.
"Well, I told you about the man I met right? He managed to convince my parents to buy Muggle appliances so I didn't die, now that I was exposed to large enough amounts of energy that I would need to cycle my magic on a constant basis. After that, we started having regular family trips to the Mundane World. Saw a bunch of movies, bought a television and asked representatives from Akagi Industries to help install a modern Muggle electrical system into our manor, of course we spent a few days living in a Muggle hotel that had internet access for the guests. Since then, I've done a lot of pop culture research, so I know what some people are talking about, that and I bought a few games for when I get bored."
"Looks like you had a lot to learn."
"And I'm still learning. What about you two?"
"Was… taken in, reluctantly mind you, by my relatives when Riddle killed my parents. Lived in the No-Maj community since then. Was only introduced to the Magical World four years ago, when Izzy found me."
"Why is it that she's not your mother when she found you?"
"Because the others at the company managed to talk Mom into adopting me. They were worried I'd end up more like Izzy if she raised me. That, and Izzy herself believes she's not ready for children of her own."
"At least she's honest," said Padma. Harry jumped when she spoke up. He turned around and saw she and Hermione had Charged into the common room. Both girls rushed over to him and pulled him into a near bone crushing hug.
"Girls… need to… breathe," he strained to get out. Both of them blushed and stepped away as he took a breath. "Thanks."
"Sorry, Harry," said Hermione. "I swear I'm not that strong normally."
"It's your emotions making your magic augment your strength," said Holly as the camera panned to them. "It's about the only thing magic actively affects once you've started formally training with wands."
"At least until you get extremely upset like Raiden here," said Pansy with a grin, jabbing a thumb towards Harry.
"Thunder god? Really," asked Harry.
"Well, you are the First."
"Except, Kessler was first, not me."
"Be that as it may," said Hermione. "On the Technomancer census, you said you were the first on the list. Technically, you are the 'First Technomancer'."
"Don't use logic against me. I hate it when people do that."
"So when anyone other than you does it, you mean," said Padma.
"Don't twist my words."
"Drop the 'Harry is Always Right Foundation' and I will."
"Sorry, can't hear you, too tired. I'm going to bed."
"Harry…" He grinned and dashed for the boys' dorm. Padma huffed in annoyance as Luna giggled. Harry frowned as he closed the door to the first years' room and sparked his hand slightly. It was the same light blue as always, not a tint of red anywhere, showing he'd calmed down.
"…Dammit…" He looked at his dormmates and saw they were asleep. Deciding to do the same, Harry climbed into his bed and almost instantly fell asleep. Harry woke up hours into the night as he felt someone staring at him. Opening his eyes, he spotted Luna over him and groaned. "How did you get in here?"
"The door."
"Bullshit. It's locked from the inside and I doubt you could pick it."
"Ok, you got me. I Charged through your phone."
"It was off…" Harry looked at the phone in his hand and saw he had answered a call while asleep. "How…?"
"Don't question it. Follow me."
"Can I change, first?"
"Sure, I can wait." Harry glared as she stood in place.
"A little privacy, please?"
"Oh, right." Harry shook his head as Luna left and changed into a dark grey suit, affixing his cufflinks as he left the boys dorm, his dormmates still asleep. He stepped out into the common room and saw Luna and Su sitting there.
"So, why did you have to wake me up, Luna?"
"Oh good! Come on!" Luna wasted no time and grabbed Harry's wrist before Charging them both into a computer.
"And I'm alone, again," sighed Su. "You know what, no. Not this time." Su Charged after them. Luna and Harry landed in a designated zone in the middle of a busy street. Harry looked around and turned to Luna.
"Where are we?"
"Singapore." Luna took a step to the right as Su landed and looked around.
"I think I've got family here."
"Come on," said Luna as she dragged them down a street. Harry looked at Su.
"She's deceptively strong, isn't she?"
"I noticed…"
"Just using my magic like I learned from a book," said Luna.
"What book?"
"I'll show you later. For now, look." Harry and Su looked where she was pointing and saw a makeshift medical station.
"Jesus, what happened?"
"An explosion. Total accident and some Technomancers volunteered to help out with healing." She gestured to a couple of people running from person to person using Pulse Heal. Harry noticed every once in a while, their electricity turned green and the Pulse Heal extended its radius.
"What's going on," asked Harry.
"Karmic Energy works in both directions. More negative emotions cause your more violent magics to become more powerful. While positive emotions, the need to protect, mean your more passive and defensive magics, like healing, gain an increase as well. I dreamt of this last night… this morning?"
"Why are you questioning when you dreamt it," asked Su. "Just stick to our time zone."
"Fair enough. Oh, there was one other thing I dreamt of…"
"What…?" started Harry when another explosion sounded, this one followed by gunshots. Harry turned towards them and spotted a familiar armor as First Sons advanced on the wounded. "First Sons? Outside of the US?!"
"They're expanding," said Luna. "They're also taking advantage of the accident to cause more mayhem."
"Luna, Su, stay by the wounded. I'll hold them off, Holly, call Cole!" Harry ran for the terrorists and Holly blocked their incoming bullets with her shield form.
"It's Kid MacGrath," shouted one of them.
"What the hell is he doing here?!"
"Doesn't matter," said a man wearing a silver mask as he moved, calmly, passed the other First Sons. "You have your orders. Leave the child to me." The First Sons split up, planning on flanking the wounded civilians and their Technomancer healers. "Your timing is impeccable, MacGrath."
"Yeah, well someone has to stop you bastards from harming innocent people."
"Everything we do, we do for the future." The man held out a wand made of elm and copper, spiraling around each other through out the wands make up. "Lumos Statim." Instantly a bright light flashed in Harry's vision followed by a loud bang emitted from the wand.
"Ah!"
"On your right," shouted Holly. Harry ducked to his left and felt the air whoosh over where his head would have been. Harry blinked rapidly as Holly told him where to evade and finally saw how the man was attacking him. A blade of red lightning was formed on the mans dominant hand while he held the wand in his off hand.
"That AI is trouble. You should know better than to mess with such things."
"Says an inexperienced Fake!"
"Fake, am I?" Harry felt wires wrap around his arms and legs, another one wrapping around his neck from behind as he was lifted into the air. "I assure you, Harry. I'm the real deal." The man held up his wand. "Crucio" Harry shouted out in pain as the torture curse ransacked his body. Vernon's beatings were nothing compared to this, only being drained seemed to be worse.
"Incoming," shouted Holly as lightning burst forth from Harry's phone and hit the man square in the chest. Cole Charged through a second later and tackled the man to the ground before kicking off him and landing next to Harry as the boy collapsed to the ground.
"Stay the hell away from my nephew you dick," shouted Cole.
"And now the older nuisance arrives. You should join us, both of you. We are working for humanity's future."
"By killing innocent people?! You're insane!"
"Not insane, awakened." Harry looked up as the man raised his wand and several guns were conjured around him. Cole worked fast and brought up his Polarity Wall as they started firing on the two Technomancers. Over with the civilians, Luna was causing havoc on the First Sons while Su did her best to help the Technomancers not fighting to heal the injured.
"Can't hit me," shouted Luna as she Charged through cameras to outmaneuver and disorient the First Sons, which would have worked well had one of them not figured out how to Charge as well. They clotheslined Luna within the wired network and grinned as she stared at him, dazed.
"What were you saying, little girl?"
"Can't hit me!" She Charged out and drained the camera he was in, trapping him in the closed off section of the network. Su managed to get Pulse Heal down and was starting to get the civilians healed faster so they could be safely Charged to a safe location by other Technomancers. One turned to her and spoke in Mandarin. Su looked at him, slightly confused.
"You speak English?"
"Yes," she replied.
"Ok. I'm going to help your friend. Can you finish healing the others?"
"Yes! I don't know too much about my magic, but I'll do what I can!"
"Ok!" The man Flash Stepped to Luna and blocked an incoming barrage of bullets with a Polarity Wall.
"Xiéxié," said Luna.
"Don't mention it. Where's that boy you were with?!"
"He and his uncle are being attacked by their leader!" She pointed to them as he continued to block bullets from hitting her. He looked and saw Cole was having problems keeping the energy for his shield consistent.
"Hey! Absorb the bullets!"
"Are you crazy," shouted Cole.
"Not physically! Transmute them into electricity as they hit your shield!"
"Don't know how to do that!"
"Little girl, download the knowledge from my mind and transfer it to his!"
"Right!" Luna downloaded the knowledge of Transmutation from him before Charging through the internet and landing beside Harry behind Cole. She fired a bolt at Cole's head and uploaded the information through the hit. Cole grinned as he started converting the bullets into energy and absorbed them into his magical reserves. The First Son leader stopped his attack and Cole brought out the Amp.
"Alright, asshole," shouted Cole. Even playing ground now!"
"Not quite." He aimed his wand and blasted the ground beneath Cole's feet, knocking him into the air. Harry brought out his gun and shakily aimed at the man. He fired off one bolt that went too far to the right, narrowly missing his head. He fired another shot, aimed right at the man's chest. It almost hit but was intercepted by a conjured wall of stone. A First Son ran over to the man.
"Sir! We're getting hammered out here! Orders?!"
"Fall back for now. Gather whatever men are left standing and return to base." He turned to Harry and the others. "It seems we shall have to hold this off until another time. Pity. But, I shall leave you with a parting gift." The man snapped and several computer screens projected holoimages of the First Sons with some added support as well. Several winged creatures came to existence and began firing on the Technomancers.
"Take cover," shouted the man who was protecting Luna as he moved behind a wall. Harry fired a few shots at the beings and turned three into code. Cole and the man joined the firing as Luna and Su helped heal Technomancers who had been caught by the opening salvo. When the last creature had been coded, Harry turned to the First Sons and saw still images of men aiming assault rifles at random directions. Cole blasted one and turned it into code. "Stand back." The man sent a large wave of energy at the images, turning them all into code.
"Dammit," said Harry. "They got away."
"What else is new?"
"Not all of them," said the man. "Your friend over there, the blonde one, trapped one of them inside a drained camera."
"How did she do that?"
"You'll have to ask her. Thank you for your assistance. Now, I must make sure the civilians are safe." He Charged away and Harry collapsed to the ground, weakened from the Cruciatus curse.
"We need to get Harry to a healer," said Su.
"Can't he just drain something to feel better?"
"The curse used on him wasn't just physical pain," said Luna. "We need to get him to Madam Pomfrey back at Hogwarts."
"Alright. Blondie, you Charge with him. Your friend will follow shortly after then I'll follow her." Luna nodded and Charged with Harry hanging on her shoulders. Su Charged shortly after and Cole looked around, feeling like he was being watched before following after the children.
(Somewhere in America)
"Their attacks are escalating," said a woman. She stared into a pool of water as a man stood in front of her. "Are you sure they can handle it.
"Of course," said the Voice as he took a drag from his cigarette. "MacGrath has shown to be resilient and inventive, not just in the workshop, but in combat as well. I've been watching both of them since they defeated Kessler."
"And you want me to test them?"
"That's right. When you do, see how well he adapts to your particular magic. Kessler had high hopes for him. I want to see how much faith we should put into Harry MacGrath."
"And how do you suggest I do such a thing without seeming like too much of a threat."
"I've got that covered. And to ensure you're not discovered I had my operative obtain this from a special room in Hogwarts." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a crystal wand.
"A rare find. There were several of these objects."
"A fact I was aware of. Their locations, however, are another thing. I expect that back when you're done. I quite like my privacy."
"Fine. I'll do as you ask, Harper. I expect my usual payment."
"You will be heavily compensated for your troubles." With that, Harper Disapparated away and she turned back to the bowl of water showing Harry in the Hogwarts infirmary, getting treated for Cruciatus exposure.
"I wonder how interesting you are, Harry MacGrath…"
(Author's Notes)
Ok, first off. I apologize, there will be no update for Revival of Soul Magic this week. I had a chapter written out but due to some power outages in my area, it didn't save properly to my computer. I have to rewrite it and it will be uploaded next week. I want you guys, those who haven't predicted what the future of this story will bring, to take a stab at who you think the Voice is. I also want to hear your thoughts about how well I'm doing with this story so far. More than a two word review please. Until next time, Y'all!