Title: Rushing, Forever. (Chapter Seven)
Author: P.L.S
Contact: ptwentyfour@yahoo.com
Summery: VALOR challenge response. Harry seems to finally find a peace as a vampire, until the public finds out. . . running, hiding, helping others who are in need; his life is suddenly filled by hate and fear when the Ministry takes down the protections and declare Open Season on all Dark creatures, with a hefty bounty for the supposedly strongest vampire ever created, Harry Potter.
Rating: (Changes with the chapter)- Ten years and up.
Disclaimer: Is this even needed? Is it? I own very little in this thing. What I do own is fair game for the rest of you. Don't sue me, I won't sue you.
Note: I suppose you could call this Aftermath of Chapter Six. . . Which totally takes me back to my days as a high school student, because right after math I'd find out if I had just a few lines to write or detention (again). I had a bit of a problem with coming on time and prepared to class, staying awake, or just keeping my sarcastic remarks to myself.
I just noted the major oversights in the timing and ages that I've been making. I apologize and I will fix them in the edits I'll be making when this is done. After I edit I'll be posting this almost anywhere that will have me, but that will not be for another month as I plan on this being no longer than ten or twelve chapters. If you see anything that I get wrong, anything at all, please let me know. If anything I get very insulted when people don't point out things I need to fix, it's like you think I'm not mature enough to handle honesty.
(7:34 am 01/10/20 Peacebrook Village, Paraguay)
Why is is every bloody time I do something like this my pain receptors go ultra-sentitive? Harry grumbled as he tried to fight against the straps that held him to the hospital bed in Hermione's labs. Can you just loosen the straps up a bit, just to be nice to me? Harry gave a lopsided grin, or tried to. His teeth had grown and sharpened, so he ended up biting his lips and looking very foolish. He looked over at the unforgiving matron of the hour, Gabrielle, who smirked.
Your body isn't ready to get out of that bed, no matter what you may say. As I'm not a total creature of the Dark, I don't have to follow your idiotic commands. And best part is I never really liked you anyhow. She seemed to almost trill, looking very happy that he was like this. It was then Harry noted the bandages on her legs and the almost healed wounds all over her body.
What happened to you? he asked not thinking. Gabrielle looked ruffled now. She looked up and away from him.
We were attacked while you recovered. she said softly. Harry blinked in surprise.
How? The wards, I made sure they were strong. He asked desperate for information that no one had seen fit to tell him just yet. He knew they were trying to do the best they could for both him and the cause but sometimes it seemed they were all from the Dumbledore school of info withholding. As the leader he needed every speck of information he could get, but when he was recovering from anything all information stopped until Janus felt he was well enough to work again. It was frustrating.
We don't know. Just over forty-five percent of the villages are now ash, the rest are abandoned. The wards failed. They just failed. she said softly still not looking at Harry who was now fighting harder than ever to get out, he had to get the reports, the information, to find out how to counter this.
Let me out. I need to do my job. he commanded in a low dangerous voice. Gabrielle frowned and turned to glare at him.
she said sharply, Not until Hermione gives you the okay.
Harry slumped back into the bed and relaxed. He looked at Gabrielle and laughed. He then started to shimmer and soon a fog enveloped his bed but the veela fanned it away. The bed was empty. Just seven feet away Harry stood grinning in a paper hospital gown and boxers.
Gabrielle narrowed her eyes and started to call for a fireball, If you won't stay in bed, I'll put you back in critical. she hissed. Harry, to his credit, knew when to exit, and he bolted for the closest door. Just as he was reaching for the handle the door opened hitting him in the face and throwing him to the ground, just in time to dodge a fireball that was aimed at his head.
Quite luckily the one who opened the door was the tiny Renee Malfoy and the fireball sailed over her head, but it didn't stop her from taking out her wand and hexing Gabrielle. Gabrielle was soon bound up in ropes, but was trying to burn through them as Renee yelled at her for throwing fire indoors.
Harry grinned, From Potter's Useful Tips for Surviving in as a Wizard, tip number one-sixteen A: never mess with a full grown Malfoy unless you have a death wish, especially if they married into the family: chances are they are more evil than the Malfoy they married or more dangerous in some other way.' he mentally said as he felt his now very broken nose. Now that both women were yelling at each other, he escaped, and went to his room in the building.
He immediately jumped into the shower and started to heal his nose as he cleaned his body of the grimy feeling that he knew was dried sweat. If there was one thing he did not miss about being human, it was the inability to heal his own injuries with a thought and a bit of magic. It really helped in the middle of battle, but the last time he fought was three years ago, in northern China.
It was the last really severe battle that the villages were impacted by, because right after that the last primary ward webbing was finished and the warded villages were all connected and the protective and obscuring wards were enabled. But it was still a horrific thing, and the price that Li Hang Chin Village paid for their protection was high.
Since then the fighting was pretty restricted to open areas, guerrilla skirmishes, assassinations, and occasionally battles between the non-magical humans that required his attention. Once in a while there would be those absurd peace conferences where the neutral countries would try to bridge the prejudice gaps with soothing words until the British Prime Minister and Harry would start a shouting match about something stupid that would escalate to both getting tossed out and the conference abandoned. The reason this couldn't be resolved was that it was about ideas and belief, not land or money.
Harry rinsed off and sighed, How do you end a worldwide Magical War about persecution? he asked himself, knowing in his heart that there was only one way, to win absolutely.
He toweled off and dressed in his favorite clothes, a pair of loose light brown trousers, a very loose and worn black knit shirt of something like cotton, a deep brown overrobe that was a size larger than normally worn with gold fastenings that he never used, and he very beat up but still good plain black cowboy boots. He ran a comb through his out of control hair and grinned, some things never changed. Picking up his wallet and the card holder where he kept all the key cards he used he left the room and sought out Janus.
(7:37 am 01/10/20 Auror Archives, below London, England)
Sorting through the muddle of messy reports was an irritating job, but being the unassuming and quiet man he was, Jimmy was the elected' Auror librarian of the month for the seventeenth time. He knew it was going to be his post until someone more of a pushover than he passed the last bits of the Auror Training, and that just wasn't happening.
So instead of grumbling about bullies and idiots, he set to work to put the archives in order and cataloguing them so that finding things was simple and methodical. He started on that year, knowing that trying to start at the beginning was a lost cause. The Aurors were founded in the Middle Ages, the archive started just after the founding, and if Jimmy dared to try he would fail. That was six months ago. Now he was starting on 2007, and reading the reports was disturbing.
He was finding the reports of what actions really started the war, and he couldn't understand how someone could allow this. Villages and schools of the Darkies in exile were destroyed whenever they could be found. Naga camps in the fens were wiped out. One report included indications that several Aurors raped children before they killed them.
Jimmy was shaking, he now understood why the Midnight Massacre of 2007 happened. Before it was just a barbaric act without provocation, but now . . .
What was he going to do? He was holding the report of one of his teachers and best friend in his hands, one of the rapists. How could they? Children, people trying to live in peace, not hurting anyone. And they just took part in the single most successful Light push in the war, the wards protecting the Darkies were gone, but now Jimmy understood. Behind those wards were towns like the one he grew up in, schools like he used to attend, families. Not the blood drinking barbarians, the military training grounds, evil torture centers. He heard the door open and the echo of someone descending the stairs.
Hey, Jimmy! Come on we're gonna go celebrate, go on a pub crawl. It was his best friend. Jimmy froze.
What's wrong? he felt the hands touch him spin him around, he looked into the face of the man who probably celebrated all his massacres.
Jimmy finally uttered. His friend looked confused.
How what? Jimmy shoved the report into his hands. He looked at it and then at his terror filled former-student.
I can't understand how you can look yourself in the mirror every day, knowing that their deaths are your fault. That you caused this Hell we call life! Jimmy started in a whisper but ended up shouting. He never even noted the tears he was crying.
You don't know how it was, I had to. . .
YOU NEVER HAD TO RAPE THEM!!! thundered the normally meek man as he pulled out his wand, he bellowed out a Five Minute Pain Curse and ran out of the archives. Once outside he collapsed and sobbed, God. . . oh, my God.
Gathering his courage he went back down and bound up his old teacher. He glared at the man as he gathered up every last report that detailed actions against the exiles and Dark creatures from 2007 and 2006, he then piled them all into boxes and shrunk and cast feather weight charms on them. Pocketing the evidence he have one last scathing look at the bound man and set off to find someone he could trust.
(7:50 am 01/10/20 Peacebrook Village, Paraguay)
Harry was bewildered by all the reports, the losses, the fact that in trying to help everyone they were left vulnerable to such an attack. Ron was picking up the pieces of his family, assuming the roll of head of the Weasley clan even if Charlie and Bill were both alive. Most of them made it out of Dragon's Nest, but Bill and Fleur lost their girls, Fred and George died saving Ginny who was forever crippled and insane now. It was heart breaking to see those he had been unofficially adopted by since his second year at Hogwarts so broken and in such grief. He knew that he was going to be blaming himself before the day was done.
If the loss of life isn't enough, both Greenwater and Blackbeard's Cove were bombed with a new weapon that turned the areas into craters each with a five mile radius. Needless to say we must assume that Peacebrook is the next on their kill lists since they couldn't take it on foot or by air. We owe your heirs a lot for that. Harry looked up at Snape.
Trav and Bel? Why were they fighting? Who ordered it? Harry asked angry. He had taught both personally from their tenth birthdays until their seventeenth birthdays, only giving them breaks when he had to go fight, lead, or carry out his other varied duties, unless they had quidditch practices and games to get to, which was when he would go hunting for his meals or go watch them fly. No one was allowed to order them to fight unless Harry and Harry alone gave the okay.
Both took it upon themselves to organize informal companies and fight. Belinda Malfoy led a few dozen teens on brooms in helping the veela. Travis Dervish and his dormmates along with other college students fought on the ground, Dervish took out a large number of advanced slayers alone, while his group defended the western gates with only one death and six injured that they couldn't heal themselves. Their fighting also gave hope or perhaps inspired the competitive natures in the rest of the defenders. Snape sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose, I'm loathe to admit it, but you did an admirable job with them both, and they are the best choices for your heirs. Harry had to grin, even if he was unhappy knowing that his godchildren were in that much danger, Snape never complemented him on anything.
It's good to know they have your support even if you never gave me yours. We'll evacuate Peacebrook and every other village that is still inhabited excepting the islands in the Pacific, those were never under the same ward systems like the rest, they have back ups. The loss of Blackbeard is devastating, our advantages were our education system, thanks to you, and our advanced communication tech. They just have all the muggle military technology, money, investors, and the like; I don't see how I can bring this to an end that will save us all. Harry massaged his forehead as he looked over the last reports out of Blackbeard and the scouting reports from those sent to check on the rest of the villages.
None of us ever thought it would ever be this drawn out. said Draco who just walked in. Harry nodded.
It was just supposed to be exile at first. said Harry, I've failed everyone. If I had just, I don't know! When did things get so out of control? he was very frustrated at himself for not foreseeing just how bad the situation was before.
I don't know. It's like asking who started this, I mean really started it. Draco said. Harry looked at his ambassitior to the Vatican, and sighed. He had no clue how the man always looked so composed and calm. It was like Draco knew something that no one else did.
I know, it seems like everything goes back to Hogwarts and the split between the founders, and then even further than that. I just wish there was another way. You know I had a dream, of the end of this war. Harry said with a bitter smile, he figured out how to smile with his new fangs less than a half hour ago, Trav and Bel, they are going to inherit this war, and there really is only one way to end this petty conflict but I'm not allowed to end it all. Now that everything is done I think it might be easier than ever to kill me. I really can't enter churches, touch almost anything holy, and a blessed stake to the heart will turn me into ash. Harry laughed and both Draco and Snape looked worried.
How? You weren't immortal before, but you were harder to kill than Voldemort ever was. Snape asked at last. Harry frowned.
I'm not sure. I think I gave up my invulnerabilities in exchange for the powers to connect to everyone who was Dark. It's like a balance, while my body was strong, my mind and magic wasn't as strong as it could be. Now my body is relatively weak, on par with a well trained and older mundane vampire, but my mind and magic are at their peaks. It's not just my Dark magic that was boosted, everything is now at the peak and I can still access the Earth, the Stars, the Void, and the Chaos. Harry explained. Snape look satisfied but Draco looked concerned still.
But why is is that you can't touch anything holy? asked the blond. Harry frowned.
I turned down God and damned myself. Draco, you know that I'm not going to heaven like you are. I really am to far gone to save, but I'm fine, at least I know where I'm going. Harry gave Draco a reassuring look that only made Draco look even more concerned, Probably about Belinda being my heir. He's a Christian as is she.' Harry thought , Your daughter will see the light of heaven as will Trav, as long as they want it and trust that their faith can see them through to the end. I'm sure of it, oh. I forgot to tell you, I figured out a way to give them my power without turning them or maybe it was given to me. Harry trailed off thinking of how he got the idea to begin with.
Snape drawled. Harry looked at him startled.
So what? Harry asked confused.
So, what is this way to give your heirs the power? asked Snape bitingly. Harry laughed a bit, he forgot to tell them.
Oh, okay. Well, Harry thought for a second, do they really need to know? Not really.', Harry grinned, as best he could as he still nicked his lip, I'll tell you more when the time comes. Now, what we need to worry about is the fact that the Dark loyal countries are giving me full reign now and ordering themselves into a physical Dark Empire, that and the Atlantis projects, how are they coming along? Harry started flipping through more reports, statements, news articles, and other things. Draco sighed.
Well, most are keeping their national assemblies and local governments as territorial governments that will give you any and all powers to rule should you ask. Most of their civic programs are already run by us or founded by us, and the education systems are heavily influenced, funded, and provided by us. Those two facts alone mean that for the most part the populous thinks of the Dark Council and now you as very favorable and are willing to follow our laws. This does put Romania and Moldavia in great danger, but it also means that we are no longer exiles and we unofficially have an empire overnight. Draco said with a detached tone that reminded Harry of Draco's father. Harry nodded in agreement with Draco.
That sounds good. I think if I just ease in, make suggestions, move more civil services into Imperial control, unify a few things like taxes, education, communication, and trade, this could work. We need to start really creating a formal military and I'll figure out some way to protect Romania and Moldavia and make a treaty with Bulgaria and a few other Slavic countries as well. After all this is all about alliances, and if I can at least ensure that they won't attack then maybe I can do something like station the dementors and their children as border guards or something. Do you think the harpies and veela would mind using the Carpathians as nesting grounds? We can get the dragons back there as well, and figure out a way to protect them from bullets so the dragonriders can be reinstated. It is too good of a program to just die like that, and it will give Bill and Charlie a way to work through their grief. Harry was excited now. He was planning, trying to see the things that he knew were there, the ways to survive and then flourish.
He looked at his old teacher with a grin. The colleges won't die. We're moving them to New Guinea. Snape you need to get the staff and students ready to move by tomorrow morning. No one is excused from work unless they have a damned good excuse. I would also like you to send a group of people to help move the library and all the labs. I'm going to find you a place that will be decimated to education, where the Department of Education will be located and were you will run it from. I really can't trust anyone else with this. Harry tried to grin at Snape who was stunned. He was the new Secretary of Education.
Harry turned to Draco, Draco you need to get back to Rome, and tell the pope about all this. I'll find a way to keep you updated. Tell him that the Dark Emperor seeks an alliance or at least a treaty with the Roman Catholic Church, I know kind of ironic that a Hell-bound demon thinks so highly of the body of Christ, but I do. You can even tell him how I rejected God to serve as the Emperor, he'll get a good laugh out of that. He struck me as the kind of guy who could appreciate good irony, that an he needs to know why I can't set foot on holy ground and the Vatican is all holy ground. Harry then wandlessly ordered the papers and reports and filed them in several boxes that he shrunk and pocketed as he left the room, he had work to do.
(4:23 pm 05/03/27, New Vatican City {second of the Atlantis project prototypes and first to be inhabited by nonscientific personnel}, Pacific Ocean)
The fallout had been huge when the Roman Catholic Church was forced to finally side with one or the other in the war. It was a demand set by the Lights that they had to pick a side or end up like the first two tests of the MN missiles. When that happened the new pope sought out his advisors who all told him that the Dark Empire was prepared for this and that the Ambassador Malfoy had the plan in his hands. As it turned out the Dark Emperor really did have a good plan that even if it did alienate more than half the world, it saved the priceless history and artifacts from being turned into nothingness. Nothing was missing here, not a single bone or scroll was out of place when they arrived.
The catacombs were still deep underground, but now that underground was under the sea as well, the churches and chapels were all reaching skyward, but the dome of magical glass arched over them, keeping them safe. It was amazing, a miracle that the Dark really cared that much about them. Today he was leaving the safety of the NVC and going to the capital city of the Dark Empire, Atauro Island off of the much larger Timor Island. It was one of the few important cities of the empire he had yet to visit, the other being the almost mythical City of Learning where the educational system was lead and were new discoveries and the most brilliant minds lived. They were both rumored to be the most beautiful cities above ground or water.
Pope Evaristus II was curious to say the least, he had yet to meet the man (or demon as Evaristus was led to believe when Ambassador Draco Malfoy told him that he was officially damned and couldn't set foot on holy ground all those years ago) that ruled the fourth of the world that used to be poverty stricken and concreted the worst of civilization. The Dark Empire was comprised of places that were third world until the Dark Council and later Empire started revitalizing trade, created new and innovative civic programs, and established the single most effective school system in modern history.
The younger man strode into the Floo Port smiling at his guide to Atauro, Ambassador Malfoy's daughter, Belinda Malfoy. The petite blond girl gave him a polite curtsy and a murmured, Your Excellency.
No need for that. I am looking forward to this, I have been for a long time. Evaristus said to her with a smile. She laughed.
My father has mentioned that a few times over dinner. But you must understand I know Emperor Potter has been wanting to meet you ever since your predecessor mentioned you. Unfortunately he wasn't able to ensure your safety until now. And don't worry about his being damned, he's a very powerful vampire not a Hell spawned demon. He had to give up God's grace to reach his final state of power. I think he's the sweetest honorary uncle slash godfather a girl could ask for. Belinda said in her sweet voice as she went to a Floo Point and started to prepare it for their travel.
You mean the Dark Emperor is your godfather? asked the pope. Belinda nodded.
Yes. He taught me how to fly, how to flirt, and everything I know about fighting. He also helped me to sneak out whenever I was grounded. Belinda said, she laughed, I think he's the one that really made my father's hair go gray. Uncle Harry is no doubt the nicest most understanding man I've ever met other than Travis Dervish, his other godchild.
Dervish? Isn't that the name of the two head Imperial Librarians? asked the man as he ran a hand through his thin brown hair.
Aunt Hermione and Uncle Jeff. Both are diehard book lovers and part of the reason so much emphasis is on learning; Uncle Severus, the first Secretary of Education, is the other reason. All three of them made it clear to my godfather that they would only follow the Dark Council if education came second only to security. And then the Dervishes all collected as many of the Dark texts and rest of the books that they could and created the Library Act. Belinda gestured for Evaristus to join her in the Floo Point. the digital counter started as soon as he stepped into it and soon he was flying along the whirlwind of colors known as the Floo Lines.
After ten minutes they finally came to a halt in a very modern yet classically decorated room, it was lined with light gray marble and tall pillars held up the glass roof. He almost laughed when he saw the blue of the sky, something he missed in the safety of the NVC's dome.
Welcome to Atauro Island, the capital of the Dark Empire. said a disembodied voice that sounded almost metallic, Please state name, and any services you require. The pope turned to his guide who smiled.
Imperial Heir Belinda Malfoy and Pope Evaristus II. We require that Emperor Harry Potter and Ambassador Draco Malfoy be notified of our arrival. Are there any messages that we should be aware of? She stated in a clear voice.
Imperial Heir Travis Dervish requests that Imperial Heir Belinda Malfoy join him in the Dueling Gymnasium. Lady Renee Malfoy has requested that Imperial Heir Belinda Malfoy be made aware that unless Imperial Heir Belinda Malfoy joins her in shopping today she will be wearing whatever Lady Renee Malfoy finds suitable for the welcoming feast tonight. Dark Emperor Harry Potter requests that Imperial Heir Belinda Malfoy and Pope Evaristus II enjoy themselves and not to bother with dressing in formalized attire during the feast as he is planning on a good food fight and a few pranks on the other guests. the voice said and Belinda started to laugh.
That's my Uncle Harry! I think you'll like him. she said and was about to say more when the voice started again.
Dark Emperor Harry Potter has replied to the notification of Imperial Heir Belinda Malfoy and Pope Evaristus II's arrival. another masculine voice poured out of the air.
Hi Bel, Trav wanted me to remind you that you have a dueling lesson with him soon. I want to hear all about it later at dinner, as you have heard it's a food fight so don't for get to being a change of clothes and a squirt gun for your drink.
Pope Evaristus II I want to formally welcome you, but then again I've never been much for formality. I'll be at the Floo Port in a minute. said the voice. A fog filled the room and then seemed to condense into the body of a man that was tackled by Belinda in a crushing hug. The man who she had pinned laughed and asked her to help him up. Belinda blushed and helped him up as she apologized for her behavior.
Don't worry, your Dad isn't here and I never cared a wit about Malfoy stoicism. The man grinned around his great fangs that he had in place of his eyeteeth and his jade eyes sparkled with laughter. He was wearing denim pants and a large button-down shirt that was untucked and wrinkled from being wadded up on the floor or in the back of a closet. He held a hand out to the pope.
Hi, I'm Harry. he said simply with an air of purity. The pope couldn't help but be amazed that this man was damned to hell, he was just so nice and almost childlike.
(Okay, I think I'm going to like Evaristus II, but I hated Auror Jimmy. Dose anyone know anything about St. Evaristus? I only picked the name because it looked good and it was a close second to Lucius VI, but Lucius is just over used in this fandom. I think if I ever have a boy his name will be Lucius Ethan, I love that name.)