Author's Note
Hello all, it's winter.
Last year ended kind of… shittly, as I was put out of commission until February after the crash.
This year, we've just been busy, and kind of lost in what we want to do with our stories.
(This year's been shitty too... Sniff...)
We've also been really lazy.
All writers need a break now and then, though ours has been much too long.
(Like seriously, when was Last Yokai even updated? Holy shit, it's been a year!)
We'll get on that, but here's a belated Christmas gift to you all.
(BTW, it's not Christmas themed.)
Enjoy.
-Ryan The Friend
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Religion, or Evil Dead (Though it's a reference only.)
Potter's Veil
II The Lesser
Harry James Potter
(Hogwarts Hospital Wing , September 21st, 1991)
Before the sun had even the chance to rise, Harry Potter was pulled back into the domain of the living forcefully, as his mind lost it's harsh grip on his being.
When he finally lifted his eyelids, Harry saw two familiar redheads standing over him, peering over him.
Though his instincts answered him when he thought of who they were, his memories and insight pointed out that he was wrong.
The two figures before him weren't who they appeared to be, he had seen as much, but he needed to know who exactly they were.
He narrowed his eyes at them, and began to think before asking a simple question.
"So, you guys with Lucifer, or bird-man?"
The two didn't say a word however, their twisting grins being his only answer. It was enough of an answer, as their silence told as much.
He didn't agree, as he wanted an answer, and he'd have it.
"No, seriously. Who the fuck are you guys? Really?" Harry asked with a fine and sharp point, as he rose up in the uncomfortable hospital cot. He had forgotten how bad they were, as it had been far too long since his stays in the hospital wing. For sure, he wouldn't be lured back into Quidditch.
The two Weasley imposters just looked at each other, before stepping forward to address him.
The taller of the two, the one Harry would normally identify as George Weasley, spoke first.
"Hello Potter, I am Motnurte, the Union Leader of Hell's Seductive Circle, an association comprised of Hell's Succubi and Incubi. My agents cover the world, masquerading as celebrities, royalty, and politicians, allowing myself, and by extension our king, control over the weak minded of Earth." The imposter, Motnurte, spoke with an elegance that Harry had never heard before, as he motioned for a simple handshake.
Harry however narrowed his eyes, as a warm feeling washed over him. A feeling, he immediately crushed into sparkly dust.
The gesture didn't go unnoticed, as Motnurte broke into a grin at Harry's mental vigilance.
"Good… Simply shaking my hand would have overloaded your mind with an intense lust, that of such a strong degree, that you would have begged me for release… Nicely done." The Incubus said with a soft glare, as Harry simply stepped back from the demon, and transferred his gaze to the other entity, all the while trying to ignore how disturbed he was.
The being disguised as Fredrick Weasley stepped closer then, his eyes flashing crimson, before returning to Fred's natural brown. He swept his eyes over Harry, before nodding.
"It is nice to finally meet you Potter. I am Ztodat, the General of Hell's army, and punisher of Sinners. I commanded Lucifer's forces during the First Rebellion, and helped defend Hell's borders when the Rapture happened." The suddenly gruff Weasley twin said, as he scrutinized Harry with just a glare, and apparently found him appropriate, though he could swear there was an ounce of malicious intent there as well.
Harry of course, questioned this, and spoke the first thing that came to his mind.
"I thought Rapture happens at the end of the world?" He asked in curiosity, as he once again looked over the two.
Where they had once looked as the gangly Weasley twins, they now appeared as well-fit beings, one seeming like the bastard son of Lucius Malfoy and Fleur Delacour, and the other an apparent cousin of Alastor Moody.
Zdotat merely tilted his head, and asked of him this.
"You're aware of separate timelines, yes?" At that, Harry nodded, as he now existed in one. "Well, there are alternate universes as well. Hell, however, is universal. One Hell, one Devil. You understand what that means, yes?"
Harry thought about it then, and came to the obvious answer.
"There've been worlds where the Rapture happened already."
"Correct. Perhaps you aren't an idiot." Motnurte said in surprise, as his eyes bore through Harry, as if he could see the thoughts racing through his mind as they appeared.
Harry glared at them both, before returning to the point of the conversation.
"Well, what are you two doing here anyway? Luci decided I needed babysitters?"
Zdotat growled slightly, before regaining his composure swiftly, though an anger still shined in his dark eyes.
"As… certain beings have decided to play along with us, despite the implications, our king decided that the two of us are to prevent incidents such as the one that you suffered." He explained gruffly, before continuing. "But let me make this clear… we are not teachers, we're not your friends… and we will not listen to your complaints and whining about anything. We're here for the angels, that's it."
Harry nodded at that, though he respected the general, he had a new found enemy, that he was sure. The man's bluntness was admirable though.
Seeing that Harry wasn't going to discuss anything else, the two imposters began to exit the clinic, though Motnurte stopped to glance back at him.
"By the way Harry… The seer should be here soon, prepare your ribs." The incubus said briefly, before jogging from the room.
Harry wondered what the man meant, before he felt a sharp impact on his sorry ribcage, as blonde hair suddenly clouded his vision.
Oh yeah, Luna… Forgot about her…
Neville Joel Longbottom
(October 21st, 1991)
Neville had never felt such a desire to kill someone since Lestrange, but he really wanted to murder the devil.
Hermione Granger, the last Hermione, was the most annoying person Neville had ever met.
The insane teen constantly whined of how Harry had 'changed', and how Ron wouldn't pay attention to her… It literally took a binding and an oath just to prevent her from revealing the events of the previous timeline. Luckily, her defense and idea of self preservation had vanished along with her sanity, and she didn't even question when they forced her into the oath of secrecy.
Neville didn't really know whether her obsession with Harry was useful, as his best friend could convince her to do near anything, or if it was a curse in itself. She always insisted on joining the three of them when they traversed Hogwarts, and sat herself by them whenever possible.
The girl was quickly making him regret wasting his rifle on Riddle.
His mood was better though, as Harry had recovered quickly, and the trio had been reunited with haste.
Things were slightly easy, as Draco no longer seemed to be possessed, though they still threatened the inbred snot whenever he even approached them, allowing them relative peace.
There were still worries however, as he had only remembered recently, that Quirrell was carrying Voldemort, though funnily enough… the half blood had been so intimidating last time, but he barely caught their attention now.
When one has angels and God himself as enemies, one little wizard afraid of death, didn't really faze them.
Neville though, had his attention focused on someone entirely different. Ever since he encountered her, Marey Falgon, a girl they seemingly created, still plagued him. He would often question exactly how she even existed, as she definitely wasn't around in the last timeline.
It also didn't help, that he felt such an attraction to her.
A near obsession with her sea foam eyes, a dark amethyst, the shade of her hair, haunting his dreams…
Why did she have such a strong effect on him, when no other had before?
He had once felt affection for another Hufflepuff, Hannah Abbott, but that hadn't evolved into anything… A war is not the time to covet love.
He had wondered if the blonde had returned his feelings, but he figured he wouldn't know now.
He had a thought then, and that was that even though he was technically eighteen, and had the mental capacity of four-hundred, he still had the hormones of a twelve year old.
Why did he agree to go back again?
The Prodigy
(Universe Designation #641, Deadite)
The Prodigy, the definite Harry Potter, stepped forward with interest, as he entered a new dimension.
This was the first step on his search for Lucifer's 'precious' trio, as this universe was the closest he could reach from his rushed exit out of Hell's borders.
He now stood in what appeared to be… Hogwarts, though the castle now was devoid of life, and in a terrible state of condition. Filth littered the halls, while stone and wood crumbled from the walls. Darkness filled the fortress, though Prodigy could clearly see the blood and gore that stained the floors.
After seeing the pile of slaughtered students, now decayed to blackened skeletons, Prodigy sent a pulse of dark red energy out, allowing him a vision of the castle ground. With that, he was gifted a glimpse of time.
'Hmm… In just a day, two hundred students died… And killed each other. Why couldn't this have been mine?' Prodigy pondered to himself, as he kicked the decrepit body of Ronald Weasley, before closing his eyes firmly, and letting out a breath.
From what he could sense from the fabric of this realm, rather than the large population average from most universes, this one held a small amount. Only a rough thousand humans lived in this world.
Only one, was magical.
Prodigy was the smartest being in creation, and it took but a second to know who that one wizard would be, and allowed a wave of magic to surround himself.
Within moments, he began to flash, before disappearing.
Before Prodigy, a tall and bulky figure stood, watching a crowd of creatures march through the streets of… New York?
Prodigy walked to the figure, and saw that the man had long and scraggly, dark hair, and was clothed in filthy robes. The man appeared to be missing an arm, though a short stave was attacked at the stump. Over the shoulder, an aged shotgun rested on the man, as he looked over the crowd of screaming people below.
Prodigy and the man looked down from the ledge they stood on, as the squirming and screaming crowds before, roared up at them.
Oddly enough, rather than the undead Prodigy had seen before, in many different worlds, these monsters spoke, or rather screamed.
They taunted the man before, though that only lasted until one of the creatures noticed Prodigy.
One of the creatures, an elderly man missing half of his skull, along with both arms, screamed up at them.
With that, the wizard, had his attention pulled from the crowd, and only now noticed Prodigy.
Before he could even react, a glowing stave was pointed right at his face, though it worried him not.
Prodigy was the strongest being in creation, what did one Harry Potter, stave or not, mean to him?
"Who are you…?" The Potter growled, as his eyes narrowed, the stave acting as his arm, glowing a bright green. Prodigy merely grinned, as a mass of magic began to build outside of the other man's vision.
At the image of Prodigy, his alternate self just fired the killing curse, though it had no effect.
As the gruff Potter stared at him in shock, Prodigy just grinned, his razor teeth rising in a mockery of a smile.
"The Prodigy… The one above all… And the man who will destroy the multiverse… " Prodigy said with a snark, as a spark appeared in his dark eyes.
Before the other man could even think, a swarm of dark magic surged forward, and blasted a bloody, charred crater straight through what was once the man's chest.
The Potter collapsed then, a single, pained gasp escaped his throat, as the life left his tortured body.
Prodigy grinned, before looking over the confused crowd of undead before him. He glared down at them, before snapping two fingers. In an instant, each of the monsters dropped dead, as he purged this world.
Content, he reached up to the sky, as a golden glow began to surround himself.
The air stiffened, the sky began to grow dark, and all that was around him faded.
Yet another reality fell before him, as he absorbed all that remained of this universe.
His mission yet another step forward, he opened his glimmering eyes, and set a mental course to yet another world.
Perhaps this one would be the world so revered by the lord of Hell.
Whether it was or not, he knew this…
His will would be done, and these foolish reflections of himself would cease to exist.
Their strength would aid him.
His anger would guide him.
Fate would fight him.
Nevertheless, he would triumph.
He would be, the sole being.
He would be the last in existence.
The Old Ones would be destroyed.
The 'Gods' would pay for their arrogance.
He, the Prodigy, would reign supreme, and nothing would stop him.
Not even Harry Potter…
Apollyon
(Universe Designation #9)
It was with a grimace, that Apollyon climbed from his seat, and looked over the carnage before him.
The destruction and mayhem stretched far beyond his home, but he need not worry.
Those that would have reversed the damage, prevented his domination, had all been slaughtered by his own hand.
This was his world, his kingdom, and none would take his place.
That had been his mantra for so long, and that which had carried him from his grief and raised him into such a high stature. A power and control over all others.
That had been what he believed, until a subtle shock-wave echoed across his world.
Whoever had the courage to invade his dimension, his home, his domain, would pay.
Sensing the disturbance, Apollyon turned on the spot, and took notice of the man before him.
It was obviously another variation of himself, that face, those eyes, all that composed the stranger so familiar.
He knew few Potter's held such a power over dimension travel, and as this man didn't fit the standard, it meant only one thing.
His 'visitor' was a Destroyer, a being beyond creation, beyond reason and logic.
Whoever this thing was, Apollyon would stop it.
No matter what this meant for him and all others, he would destroy the destroyer.
For all that had been lost.
No more…
Despite the long wait for another chapter, this will be it for now.
Sorry that it's short, but this is the logical follow up from the last chapter, and I hate overfilling content. (That is after all, what ruined Spider-Man 3, and Amazing 2.)
I hate making bloated chapters simply for the high word count, so I will avoid doing so.
A common theme throughout this story, will be the multiverse, as Lucifer, and Harry, will be involved in many issues beyond mortality.
Voldemort won't be a big focus in this story, and just as stated, one little halfblood afraid of death isn't a concern. Don't expect Harry to go Horcrux hunting any time soon. (If he even does.)
Prodigy will show up every once in awhile, but his arc will come much later. Many conflicts and plot-points will feature in the story, though I'm thinking of something for later on. More news on that later.
Anyway, I hope you all have a good holiday, a happy New Year.
One last thing to mention.
Despite anything I may speak of, or mention, I want to make this clear.
THERE WILL BE NO SLASH.
With that out of the way, goodbye everyone. :}
-Ryan