The Mutated Amagi Chronicles
Chapter Two: Planning
Harry couldn't help recognizing the peculiarity of their situation.
"Come on, Padfoot... We, Padfoot's Hunters, are here for pest control?"
"I know, I know, it sounds stupid. But I don't think that an ordinary bug could've scared over 5 people into shock..." Harry's grin was contagious.
"Ok, ok, I'll stop with the inane comments. But where are the rest of us? The official meeting time is in 6 minutes and 27 seconds!" Harry impatiently checked his watch.
"Don't worry, Harry. If they miss the time, we'll start without them. After all, I'm sure that the two of us is more than enough of a match against a bug with blades." Smirking, Sirius crossed his legs and sat down, as if he was totally unaware of the fact that the grass was drenched with mildew.
"Show off... Wish I could get my hands on some magically-warded, stain-resistant pants..." Harry griped. When much of the magical world collapsed, they took many secrets with them. At the Commonwealth, they had assumed that water-repellant spells would work, but magic had a strange sense of humor... So currently, there was a huge shortage of seeming simplistic items.
"What do you mean, magically-warded, stain-resistant pants?" Black inquired, sounding quite puzzled.
"Whatever, then. Just don't wanna be doing YOUR laundry..."
Harry Potter's comment was abruptly cut off with the Apparation of the remaining 4 members of the team. Wait a minute... 4? There were only 4 members, total!
But we'll explain about that later.
Of all the teams, Padfoot's Hunters was arguably the most diverse. What other team could boast that they had an Amagus, a time-warper, a cyborg, and the great Harry Potter himself? None, that's what. Sure, with the entire team assembled, they looked like a circus show, but they did what they did, and they did it well.
The time-warper is an ancient class of magic users. Though still rare by all accounts, it's slowly becoming popular in the East. The basic principle of a time-warper is the power to create multiple clones of himself/herself to help in battles. This power is mainly made possible by using one of many Time-turners. The trick to it is that the user has to warp himself/herself back from the future multiple times, creating a formidable army composed of him/her. The use of this power is mentally as well as physically challenging, as one must be prepared to repeatedly go back in time and live the time period over and over for the amount of future selves he/she had summoned up. Indeed, many time-warpers have gone mad, unable to sustain the mental state of mind required for so long. But a time-warper is an important addition to any team, for knowledgeable reinforcements would be hard to come by in all-out battle. The Padfoot's Hunters were quite lucky to have an experienced time-warper, Madam Yi of Canada. So what if the multiple warps that she did muddled her brain a bit, she was still one of the best, able to conjure up 5 future selves of her to contribute in combat. Upon their meeting, Padfoot had abruptly nicknamed her Hilary, as her other name was too hard for him to pronounce, and also because he found her mind condition to be at times "hilarious". Madam Yi didn't seem to mind, and was quite an amiable addition to the group.
"Hey! Harry! Good to see ya!" Hilary chuckled. "So this is the fort we're supposed to breach? Doesn't look like that's much of a problem... And Padfoot! Almost forgot ya, didn't I?"
"Hilary! Right on time. Any trouble getting here?" Sirius said gruffly, hurriedly getting up from his grassy perch.
"Nope! Looks like there's no magical disturbance around here... At least, any major ones."
"Hey! Hey! Harry, don't forget about us!" Ronald Weasley began griping. Just recently administered into Padfoot's Hunters, he and Hermirone Granger were good friends of Harry Potter in Hogwarts, School of Magic when it had still existed.
"Ron! Herm! It's been so long! Where have you guys been?" Harry rushed forward and multiple hugs were exchanged.
"Well, after the Burrow was attacked, our family fled to Herm's house. Quite hospitable, Herm's parents, and we just conjured up extra room when we needed it! The only thing wrong there was that there was no bloody sweets!"
"Ron! That's not fair! Remember, my parents are dentists!" Hermirone griped, lightly elbowing Ron in the chest.
"Ok, ok! Jeez... Well, Lucius Malfoy's minions found us again, and we fled to... Herm, was it your 3rd cousin or 4th, twice removed?"
"3rd, Ron, 3rd."
"3rd, anyways, we fled to their house and stayed until the worst was over. Jeez, who would've thought Malfoy would rise to power after we got rid of Voldemort"
"Ron, I don't believe it!" Harry gasped in surprise.
"Wut?"
"For the first time, you actually said Voldemort's name out loud!"
"Yer right, I did, didn't I? I don know... it seems like when you get almost killed, you become braver somewhat..." Ron took a swig from a drinking pouch in his belt and continued, "But still... Did I tell you about how we escaped from Malfoy's goons? No? Well, the Burrow was going up in flames..."
"OK! OK! ENOUGH WITH THE GREETINGS! WE'VE GOT A JOB TO DO HERE!" Sirius was beet red. Obviously he had wanted to say this for a looooong time.
The cyborg, 5tR4N63r, as he called himself, muttered to Sirius. "Sir, I think I saw a small magical disturbance. I am not quite sure, however. Either this thing we are trying to catch has some ridiculous amounts of magic at its disposal, and is able to suppress its magic, or we'll be humiliated by the rest of the teams for being reduced to pest control."
"So we're screwed either way?" Harry Potter suddenly interrupted. The cyborg blushed and sputtered. "I am sorry, Mr. Potter, but you were not supposed to hear that!"
"We would've learned about it sooner or later. Better now than later." Harry quipped. "Isn't that right, Seymour?"
"THE NAME IS 5tR4N63r!!!!"
"Whatever, Seymour."
"Alright, break it up, people, we've got a job to do." Padfoot stepped in. "We will split into two squads. Madam Yi, your squad will include Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley. My squad will be StRaNgEr and Ms. Granger. You are to storm in first and locate the bogey. We'll cover you. LET'S MOVE OUT!"
Unbeknownst to the members of Padfoot's Hunters, a being was watching them as they prepared to charge. The very being that had scared away the original residents was now studying the formidable team as they surveyed and exchanged strategies. It had come here by a vision of the future, a vision that told him that his quarry would come here, within his grasp. Little did he know then that HE would be the rabbit and his quarry the fox.
He had flown here as soon as he could, hoping that he could shine some light on his mystery. It had been some time since his awakening; during this period, he had tried to find out as much as he could about the image deeply rooted in his subconscious. Imagine his surprise then, when he saw the exact image planted in his mind on a yellowing newspaper. "Harry Potter", the newspaper called him. But while this was all and good, it also presented another question: What does this "Harry Potter" have to with him, and what can he possibly know about him? He spent the last few years pondering and searching for answers. His mystery would now have to wait, however, as his main priority changed to staying alive at all costs.
After examining the group further, however, he felt there was no need to be consumed by worry. Most of the members in this group, though formidable in their own right, were still no match for him individually. There were, however, three beings that would present a challenge to him... His quarry would be one, the leader another, and the cyborg... the cyborg would prove to be the most challenging. It was the cyborg that had detected him first, so he would have to dispose of it first, if the situation led to a fight between him and the group. But then is then, and now is now. The being that had named himself Shadow crouched in wait of the party to find him...
Yay! Finally done translating Chappie 2 from .doc to .html (Whew! ^^U). I wonder if this ff has any readers... Oh well... PLZ READ & REVIEW!!
