CHAPTER 1 - PREDATOR AND PREY
After finally graduating from Hogwarts, Harry has decided to become an auror. Training steadily for months, he has finally reached the final task of his training. After this, he would be a qualified auror in the ministry.
Harry was wandering in the forest as part of his final task to become an auror: survive the night in the woods.
After hours of traipsing through the trees and bramble, he arrived at an open clearing. Looking upward, he spotted the countless stars shining down upon him, and he felt at ease. Looking back down at his watch, he saw how late it was and decided to camp there for the night. He unrolled his sleeping bag and settled into it, resting his head on an unearthed tree root. Within minutes, he had fallen into a light slumber with his wand close at hand, just in case.
He was wandering through the open desert, his bare feet making deep impressions in the scorching sand. His throat was parched, and he was in dire need for water. He turned about frantically, looking for any signs of life, let alone water. On one of his turns, something caught his eye. It was a faint blur in the distance, and it appeared to be moving towards him at a steady speed. He continued to watch it for several minutes, believing it to only be a mirage, but then a low growl met his ears.
Harry continued to watch the mass warily, and he became more apprehensive as it ventured closer and closer, growling with more ferocity as it neared. When it was a merely a few feet away, he decided it was best not to stick around and find out what was charging at him. He turned quickly to run, but his foot slipped in the sand, and he found him falling hard towards the hot sand.
Just as his face was about to embed itself in the granules, Harry awoke with a start. He sat up and looked about himself frantically, trying to gather where he was. He soon realized, though, that he was still in the woods on his auror task. As he wiped a shaky hand over his sweaty brow, he reminded himself that it was only a dream. As he tried to regulate his unsteady breathing, he reached into his pack and pulled out fresh water bottle; his throat was unnaturally parched. He lifted the edge of the bottle to his lips and he was just about to take a sip when he heard the same rumbling growl from his dream. He nearly spilt the water he was holding down his front as he jumped in shock. He immediately capped the bottle and threw it in the general direction of his pack.
He grabbed his wand and stood quickly. Moving to the center of the clearing, he began to spin frantically, looking in all directions for the source of the noise. If he had stopped to think about it, he would have realized that his situation seemed strangely familiar to his recent dream.
Eventually his turning slowed until it finally had stopped. It had been completely silent in the woods except for the whistling wind throughout the tree leaves. He was just walking towards his sleeping bag again when movement in the brush caught his attention and he froze. After standing still for a few seconds, he caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness. The red-orange slits moved steadily forward with the renewed rumbles until the owner of them reached the bare outskirts of the glen. Harry waited with bated breath as a furry, black paw entered the clearing, followed by a snarling muzzle and a lean, ebony body, until a large, black wolf crouched in the center of the opening.
Harry stared in fear at the stalking creature. He had no doubt in his mind that the wolf was hunting; the steely glint in the creature's eyes assured him of that. The large being halted a few short meters from its intended prey, continuing its snarling crouch. The result of this cease to movement was a stare down between predator and prey, the wolf watching in anticipation of its intended meal and Harry watching in terror of what was to come.
As the two remained staring at each other, Harry thought he started seeing things. He could have sworn that while the animal was staring at him, he saw its eyes soften and then flash an emerald green. The thought was so absurd to Harry that he shook his head to rid it of those strange things. This didn't turn out to be the best move to make.
The sudden motion on Harry's part seemed to shake the wolf from its reverie, and it resumed its stalk closer and closer towards Harry. When the creature was only a few feet away, Harry raised his wand against the inevitable. He had no wish to harm the animal in front of him, but it was either curse the wolf and retain his life or let it continue its course and tear him limb from limb.
"Petrif-" He had almost finished the incantation when another animal joined the fray at hand.
After finally graduating from Hogwarts, Harry has decided to become an auror. Training steadily for months, he has finally reached the final task of his training. After this, he would be a qualified auror in the ministry.
Harry was wandering in the forest as part of his final task to become an auror: survive the night in the woods.
After hours of traipsing through the trees and bramble, he arrived at an open clearing. Looking upward, he spotted the countless stars shining down upon him, and he felt at ease. Looking back down at his watch, he saw how late it was and decided to camp there for the night. He unrolled his sleeping bag and settled into it, resting his head on an unearthed tree root. Within minutes, he had fallen into a light slumber with his wand close at hand, just in case.
He was wandering through the open desert, his bare feet making deep impressions in the scorching sand. His throat was parched, and he was in dire need for water. He turned about frantically, looking for any signs of life, let alone water. On one of his turns, something caught his eye. It was a faint blur in the distance, and it appeared to be moving towards him at a steady speed. He continued to watch it for several minutes, believing it to only be a mirage, but then a low growl met his ears.
Harry continued to watch the mass warily, and he became more apprehensive as it ventured closer and closer, growling with more ferocity as it neared. When it was a merely a few feet away, he decided it was best not to stick around and find out what was charging at him. He turned quickly to run, but his foot slipped in the sand, and he found him falling hard towards the hot sand.
Just as his face was about to embed itself in the granules, Harry awoke with a start. He sat up and looked about himself frantically, trying to gather where he was. He soon realized, though, that he was still in the woods on his auror task. As he wiped a shaky hand over his sweaty brow, he reminded himself that it was only a dream. As he tried to regulate his unsteady breathing, he reached into his pack and pulled out fresh water bottle; his throat was unnaturally parched. He lifted the edge of the bottle to his lips and he was just about to take a sip when he heard the same rumbling growl from his dream. He nearly spilt the water he was holding down his front as he jumped in shock. He immediately capped the bottle and threw it in the general direction of his pack.
He grabbed his wand and stood quickly. Moving to the center of the clearing, he began to spin frantically, looking in all directions for the source of the noise. If he had stopped to think about it, he would have realized that his situation seemed strangely familiar to his recent dream.
Eventually his turning slowed until it finally had stopped. It had been completely silent in the woods except for the whistling wind throughout the tree leaves. He was just walking towards his sleeping bag again when movement in the brush caught his attention and he froze. After standing still for a few seconds, he caught sight of a pair of glowing eyes in the darkness. The red-orange slits moved steadily forward with the renewed rumbles until the owner of them reached the bare outskirts of the glen. Harry waited with bated breath as a furry, black paw entered the clearing, followed by a snarling muzzle and a lean, ebony body, until a large, black wolf crouched in the center of the opening.
Harry stared in fear at the stalking creature. He had no doubt in his mind that the wolf was hunting; the steely glint in the creature's eyes assured him of that. The large being halted a few short meters from its intended prey, continuing its snarling crouch. The result of this cease to movement was a stare down between predator and prey, the wolf watching in anticipation of its intended meal and Harry watching in terror of what was to come.
As the two remained staring at each other, Harry thought he started seeing things. He could have sworn that while the animal was staring at him, he saw its eyes soften and then flash an emerald green. The thought was so absurd to Harry that he shook his head to rid it of those strange things. This didn't turn out to be the best move to make.
The sudden motion on Harry's part seemed to shake the wolf from its reverie, and it resumed its stalk closer and closer towards Harry. When the creature was only a few feet away, Harry raised his wand against the inevitable. He had no wish to harm the animal in front of him, but it was either curse the wolf and retain his life or let it continue its course and tear him limb from limb.
"Petrif-" He had almost finished the incantation when another animal joined the fray at hand.