Harry's Assassin

Chapter One - The Law of Fate

Death is a horrible thing. It takes without asking and never gives anything back. Some would say its almost rude but when it comes after you there's no escape...

*

But no matter how horrible death is there's people, in the magical realm, who help it move along much quicker. Assassins. However, you must know there is a broad line between assassins and 'Assassins'. 'Assassins' are cultured magical peoples, who are more hired settle the score, assassins are the sleazy goblins who murder beings unprofessionally for money.

'Assassins' have rules and laws and don't murder extra people unless they absolutely have to, assassins murder their target plus anyone that gets in the way.

But most of all 'Assassins' have a Guild, 'The Guild of Assassins'. The Guild of Assassins has offices, secretaries, schools, several treasuries and even a janitor.

So, this brings us to the Head Office of the Assassins' Guild where currently a meeting is being held by the Head of the Assassin Guild.

The head scratched his head. Lord Downey had been asked of Special Requests (killing magical people very hard to find, or generally hard to kill) before but never quite like this.

'So, let me get this straight ... He's a wizard, right. And is a pupil at this- sorry what was it called? Hogfarts?' The vampire sat up straight behind his desk. The magical realm is a world which is populated solely by magical people and creatures and is often not in touch with the muggle world. So names like Hogwarts, Harry Potter, and Voltdemort are hardly known if ever spoken at all by the magic world's population, unless however you have a magical relative in the muggle world who you keep in touch with.

'Hogwarts,' said his customer surpassing the urge to smile.

Downey squinted his eyes in frustration this went against the nature of his entire company, which did have standards, and its motto never get your self too involved. A sixteen year old boy in a magically guarded castle a pixie couldn't get into without being noticed, he could not see it happening.

'Yeah, but I thought you wizards always dealt with your own affairs, well the wizards here do anyway ... and Dumbledore would be there.' Dumbledore was a widely known name to both magical worlds for his overall greatness.

'Until now, Lord Downey,' said the wizard respectfully. 'I think you'll find Dumbledore can be ... well let's just say he's not always watching. And as you now know bad stuff often happens to Harry when no one is watching.'

'Yes, but I think Dumbledore is going to be watching all the time now after what had happened to this Barry.'

The wizard thought it would be rude to correct this young successful man too many times. 'I doubt very much he will be watching all the time, he is a busy man, anyway if he did watch all the time it would be quite pervy. I am willing to pay five times your going rate for Special Requests.'

The vampire paused, he could do with some blood. No, he told himself drumming his fingers on the desk, you've stopped. Drinking blood was like smoking for vampires, once you start you know its bad for you but you can't stop. 'T-that's fifty thousand talentum of aurum you know,' Downey said, trying not to think of how exposed the wizard's neck was.

'I am quite aware of that fact.'

A hundred talentum of aurum could buy a lot in the magic realm. Fifty thousand talentum of aurum could buy at least five major magic world capitals and some to spare on several castles.

'Very well then,' sighed the vampire, he supposed he probably didn't have much choice in the matter. A form magically appeared in Downey's client's hand. But then, thought Downey grimacing, it probably did appear by magic. Wizards and vampires, despite both being lamia citizens of the magical realm, didn't get on too great as the most of the wizard population had a tendency to look down on and push any other races about.

'Here is the appropriate information you will need,' said the wizard handing the forms over the desk to the solemn looking vampire.

There was a short pause when Downey scanned the small print. 'Aaahh, I see the description requires a wizard with qualifications for the job.'

'Yes?' asked the wizard calmly.

'I don't know if we have a wizard in this Guild.'

The wizard now had his wand pointed at Lord Downey, and said each word with menace, 'Well you had better recruit one.'

Lord Downey eyed the wand calmly, and said smoothly, 'However we have a wizard in our town Putesco branch.' Town Putesco was a lovely little city, it had started out a town, which had a moon that is always in the sky (as magic world does not orbit), however the moon has five suns orbiting it, which meant constant daylight, great for tourists, bad for locals.

'Oh, good sorry about that,' said the wizard awkwardly stuffing the wand into his pocket. 'By the way is the wizard pure blood?'

Lord Downey raised an eyebrow. 'Course he's pure blood its physically impossible for wizards here to be anything else. The Laws of Physics would not allow it, can't exactly have a wizard-fairy relationship can you?'

The wizard looked embarrassed but said in a loud voice. 'Very well then I will be back tomorrow to collect this wizard.' He stumbled out the door and slammed it shut.

'Sure,' chuckled the vampire shuffling papers on his desk. 'Damn small town folk.'

*

Harry was still in shock at Sirius' death. Involuntary he had been replaying those last fatal moments in Sirius' life. Closing his eyes, held back tears ebbed their way to the corners. He would be going back to Hogwarts the day after tomorrow and he felt anxiety and a pain in his stomach which he couldn't shake off whenever he thought about his return. He had received letters from Ron and Hermione asking him to come and stay with them, but he had written back stating he would rather stay at his aunt and uncle's house. Dumbledore had said it was the safest place to be, and that's where he would stay, safe for Sirius' sake.

*

The remaining Weasleys at Hogwarts and Hermione boarded the Hogwarts express. Harry had not turned up and they could wait no longer.

'You think something's wrong, Hermione?' asked Ron with a meaningful tone.

'I haven't a clue, its very unlike Harry, but there's nothing to be done until we arrive at Hogwarts,' said Hermione in a defeated voice. She sat down and began to mindlessly pet Crookshanks' ginger fur.

'I'm just gonna sit with my friends,' quipped Ginny standing at the cabin door.

'Sure,' muttered Ron. Ginny disappeared in a swish of black cloak and almost instantly returned.

'Ron, Hermione, Harry's already here!' squealed Ginny, her voice sounding slightly panicked. 'He's in the next compartment.'

Hermione stood bold up her heart skipping every other beat and Ron followed suit hands feeling clammier, but in a few quick strides they were in the next cabin.

'Hullo, Harry,' Ron said timidly, with Hermione and Ginny tottering behind him. 'Harry?'

Harry who was sat next to the window, had his head down and his back slumped. Without looking up, he said, 'Hello, Ron. Sorry about not waiting outside for you. I just needed... to sit down.'

Ron and Hermione exchanged a look, the kind of look that said 'Oh dear' and 'What the hell?' at the same time.

'Harry, where you tired?' asked Hermione politely.

'You see, I didn't sleep much, Hermione,' said Harry looking up at them.

Hermione gasped, didn't sleep much had been an understatement, I've been to hell and back seemed more appropriate. Harry's face had became much like Sirius' face had been when he was on the run. The skin on Harry's face had been pulled taut over his cheek bones and dark bags had formed under his eyes. His skin had became almost white it was scary.

Did you sleep at all? came to Ron's mind but he said hurriedly, 'You want something to eat ... my mum made you a sandwich in case you wanted one.'

'No, thank you, Ron.'

Ron sat down across from Harry and followed quickly with, 'Sure? Nah, 's OK. You can have mine too.'

Hermione sat down gingerly next to Ron looking very awkward. 'So, Harry, h-how was yo-your h-holiday?' she asked not looking directly at him.

'Terrible, Hermione,' he said gazing at her.

Ron produced two squashed sandwiches from his pocket and handed them to Harry. 'Eat them, please,' he said when Harry tried to refuse.

There's something amiss here, thought Ron. Harry was different physically but something else had changed. It was like something about Harry was gone, had stopped working or maybe just broken.

'Harry?' asked Hermione, nervously. 'Are you O-OK?'

'Of course, Hermione. Why?'

'Y-You seem different...'

Obviously Hermione had noticed too, thought Ron. Then he realised what was wrong, Harry's eyes were not green anymore. They were grey, dead.

-- That'll do don't want to do too much. Please read and review.

Disclaimer- Terry Pratchett owns Guild of Assassins, but I don't think Lord Downey was a vampire.