Harry Potter and the Last Enemy

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Chapter 1

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Seven more found dead in London. The victims, authorities report, have been mutilated past recognition via extensive blunt force trauma and lacerations. Eyewitnesses claim that a person or group of people are responsible for the attack but authorities have so far dismissed such claims. Authorities currently theorize that the attacks are a result of wild animals wandering into the cities from the country side.

But I ask you readers, if wild animals can slip into our cities and kill our citizens all under our authorities noses than what hope do we have against the real animals out there? Can we really count on our authorities to keep us safe when they cannot even stop a few beasties from the woods? Perhaps our Prime Minister should consider tighter restrictions on hiring processes for our local authorities? Or perhaps pushing more funding towards our police and less on...

Harry stopped reading the muggle newspaper, a scowl on his face. Seven more dead... five last week and another ten missing the week before that. Voldemort and his followers were growing more bold, attacking Muggles ever more relentlessly while leaving gruesome tableau's in their wake.

Harry scrunch up the newspaper in his hand. Things keep getting worse... and there was nothing he could do to stop it. Not yet at least. Two weeks. Harry knew that in two weeks things would be different. He'd be of age, the Trace would be gone, and finally, finally he could begun his hunt.

The cup. The locket. The snake. Something from Ravenclaw. Something from Gryffindor. Then the man himself. Neither can live while the other survives...

"Sir? Sir! Excuse me sir, but unless you plan on paying for that I'm going to have to ask you to leave!"

Harry was shaken from his thoughts by a gruff voice. He looked to the source of it: a man in a light blue collar shirt and black slacks wearing black dress shoes with a head like an overcooked chicken. Harry glanced at his name tag: Tony - Store Manager, before grimacing.

"Sorry sir, I just read something disturbing in the news. Yes, I'll pay for it," Tony squinted beady black eyes him. "... right now. I'll pay for it right now."

Tony gave Harry a satisfied smile as he made his way into the nearest checkout lane, which, thankfully, was empty. Instinct lead him to reaching for his money pouch in a robe pocket that he wasn't wearing. From the corner of his eye he could see Tony squinting hard at him.

"Ah, bugger." Harry mumbled under his breathe as he fumbled in his pants pockets for his wallet. One of his many Dudley hand me downs, it was a handsome leather square that Harry was able to keep a few pounds in for his summer wanderings.

"Apologies miss. Head in the clouds. What do I owe... you..." Harry's hands clung numbly to the leather square as he looked into the eyes of one of his classmates from school. One of his Slytherin classmates.

She was about even with his height, with straw blonde hair done up in a pony tail and lilac eyes that were drawn wide around her square face. She was dressed similarly to the other cashiers in the shop: khaki slacks, a black collared shirt and apron over top with a name tag over the left side of her chest that read Daphne.

Harry's hand twitched toward the thin stick of wood hidden up his right sleeve, nestled in a holster for easy access. Daphne's eyes flicked towards his sleeve, to the manager, to the paper resting on the register belt before resting back on him. Her eyes gained a dull look. "That'll be two quid Potter. Would you like to donate one more towards the Red Cross in an effort to fight world hunger?"

Harry blinked, clearly missing something. "Um... beg pardon?"

"Two quid, Potter," Daphne replied in that same dull tone. "Three if you want to save the world," She said, rolling her eyes. "And since you're... well you, lets just make it three quid and call it a day, yeah?"

She held out her hand expectantly. Tony was waiting in the wings, ready to chuck him out onto the walk. Harry Potter, Chosen One, knew he was walking out of here a man three quid short. He pulled out the necessary monies and place them into the Slytherin girl's hand who, with the deftness of years of practice, punched a few buttons on the register causing the till to open where she dropped the monies in with a clink, clink, clink.

"Would you like a receipt Potter?" Daphne asked, to which Harry shook his head. "Thank you for your purchase then!" She said with fake cheer. "Have a wonderful day!"

Harry, bewildered, nodded his head. "Yeah... you too." Harry stood there, very awkwardly he knew, staring at her like she was a quadhorned rumplesnout. Daphne stood there, pale lilac eyes staring at him with the barest trace of amusement.

"Is there anything else I can help you with Potter?" She asked. Harry, feeling entirely like a fool, shook his head. "Um no... I'm just," Harry pointed towards the nearest exit, "I'm going to go. I'll see you at Hogwarts... I guess?" Cup. Locket. Snake.

Daphne let out a sigh. "Okay Potter, I get it, the big evil Slytherin is working a Muggle job," Daphne said, waving her hands in the air while rolling her eyes.

"What? No! That's not..." Harry started to say before getting cut off.

"That's exactly what you were thinking Potter. And hey! I get it. I really, really do. So lets not make a big deal out of this, yeah? Like seriously... don't tell anyone about this. Please." Her eyes pleaded with a look that Harry recognized all too well these days.

"I won't, Daphne. I promise." Harry said, deeply serious. Daphne let out a sigh of relief before a thought occurred to her.

"Hey, I'll be off shift in fifteen. Do you want to get a coffee?" Harry mildly wondered if something had gone screwy in his brain. Maybe all this thought of Horcruxes and destiny were taking their toll.

"Um.. I don't..."

"Oh relax Potter, this isn't -

"Do you always interrupt people when they're talking?" Harry asked grouchily.

"Only when they're about to say something stupid," Daphne cheeked. "Look, thing is I don't really get to talk about this with our crowd and I've been dying to chat with someone that knows both sides... so what do you say Potter? Fancy a little lunch with the enemy?" Daphne asked, wagging her eyebrows at him.

There were warning bells in Harry's head of course, but given everything he knew the Death Eaters it seemed unlikely that they'd have a Slytherin in a grocery shop on the off chance that Harry Potter would walk in.

And if he was wrong, well, he'd made it this far following his instincts, hadn't he? "Okay Daphne, you're on."

"Great. See you in a bit Potter," Daphne said, her lilac eyes lighting up. Harry smiled before walking over and settling on the bench outside the grocer and flipping open the paper. Who knows? Harry thought. Things might work out okay for once.

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Fifteen minutes later Daphne exited the grocer as Harry was nose deep in an article detailing Chelsea's prospects in their upcoming season. The wizarding world may have brought him Quittich, but he was a football fan first and his blood ran blue. With Ruud Gullit at the helm things were looking more promising than ever. At last, after twenty six years Chelsea might finally bring home a trophy. What a world that would be... Voldemort defeated, Chelsea winning the cup, being able to spend time with his girlfriend... ex-girlfriend...

"Anything going on with Arsenal?" Daphne asked.

"Arsenal? Oh bloody hell. And here I thought being a Slytherin was your worst trait!"

Daphne narrowed her eyes. "Oh don't you dare tell me."

Harry shrugged. "Blue. Through and through."

Daphne stared for a second before a thought occurred that made her burst out laughing. "Merlin's beard Potter! How's it felt wearing our colors all these years?"

Harry raised his head high. "Red isn't Arsenal colors. Its Gryffindor colors. Much more noble. Far more history."

Daphne let out a snort. "Oh please, and I'm Morgana's heir. Come on you bloody blue ponce, there's a cafe up the block. I mean seriously, Chelsea? Are you daft?"

Harry rose from the bench and began to follow Daphne. "I'll have you know that Chelsea's looking phenomenal this year! With..." And so began a conversation about football between a Gryffindor and Slytherin that lasted past the block, into the cafe and a good deal past their first cups.

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Harry and Daphne returned to their table with their second round as the debate raged on. "Come on Potter! Arsenal has history. Its England's team for Pete sake!"

"Look, I'm not denying that Arsenal has gotten its fair bit of fame over the years. But its our time now. I promise you that by this time next year you'll be hearing our song in every pub in all of Britain." Harry said, extending his arms out around him.

"And I promise you that the next time you catch the snitch I'm going to cast Sonorous and sing the Arsenal tune for all of Hogwarts to hear." Daphne said, that same cheeky smile on her face.

The cup. The locket. The snake. Harry's mood immediately sobered at the reminder of his task. There would be no Hogwarts next year. No Chelsea or Arsenal games. There may not even be a Harry this time next year.

Daphne sensed the change in his mood and fell quiet. For a moment they sat in the sullen cloud of their silence, sipping at their coffee as football fled their minds.

But there was a tickling in Harry's brain that he just couldn't ignore. "So why does a Slytherin work in a Muggle shop in Surrey?"

Daphne, glad for the break in the silence, answered. "You ever hear the phrase: the grass is always greener on the other side?"

Harry nodded his head, recalling her last name. "Wait, so, that's because of you? Or your family rather?"

Daphne nodded her head. "Precisely. There have been times where the Malfoys, the Potters, even the Weasleys have been called the richest family in England. But the Grass is always Greener at the Greengrass home."

"And the muggle shop?" Harry asked.

"That's the secret to our fortune Potter. My family was never afraid to dabble in muggle affairs, their economy in particular. Add a little magic to it and any witch or wizard could live very, very comfortably. The thing is having that kind of money tends to drive one a little barmy so we have an... edict? Tradition maybe? Of working a humble muggle job to better understand what's its like to live with barely anything before we are allowed to have everything."

Harry digested that though for a moment before nodding his head at Daphne. "Wow... that's kind of brilliant actually!"

Daphne blushed at the praise. "Its nothing that special Potter..."

"I'm serious. There's a few wizards that could do with being brought down a peg...or ten." Harry said, thinking of Malfoy and his whole club.

Daphne snorted. "You? Calling the kettle black? Oh please..."

"Wha- what's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked, bewildered.

"I don't know, what does it mean Mr. Fourth Triwizard Champion. How did you even get your name in the cup anyway? Did you have to get Dumbledore a years worth of sweets or something?" Daphne asked, looking smug.

A spark of anger took hold in Harry, quickly replaced with a dour look as the memories of events came rushing back. The dragon. The mermaids. The cup... and the graveyard.

Before Harry could sink too far however Daphne reached out her hand and gave Harry's a shake. "Potter! Potter! Harry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it! I just, you know we all had theories about how you did it? A lot of us thought you couldn't stand to be out of the spotlight. Guess we all know better now."

Daphne's eyes looked into Harry's own, begging him to forgive her. Thinking on it Harry couldn't really blame her. The truth had become so muddled between the end of the tournament and Voldemort's official return that it was a wonder anyone still believed him at all.

"It's all right, Daphne. Nothing to forgive. I really didn't enter my name into the tournament though. It was a servant of Voldemort's," Harry said, Daphne flinching at the Dark Lord's name.

"He cast a powerful Confundus charm on the cup making it seem like I was the only contestant from a fourth school. It was all part of a plan to use me in ritual to return Voldemort to power."

"One that succeeded." Daphne said grimly.

Harry nodded. The silence returned, heavier than ever.

Daphne broke it this time. "Hang on, if the plan was to use you to bring You Know Who back then why not just kidnap you the first chance he had?"

Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure. I've talked to Hermione and Ron about it over the years and we think the plan might have been to take me after the first task. You know, let the dragon rough me up a bit then portkey me out while I was recovering in the Hospital Ward. Only problem was that I did too well during it. I was with Madame Promfrey for all of a minute before I went back to the tower to celebrate."

Daphne sat back in her chair, eyes wide. "Bloody hell Potter. You don't think it could have been that close do you?"

Harry shrugged again. "Perhaps. I've noticed that Voldemort-oh, come on now!- that Voldemort has a bit of the dramatic in him. Perhaps he wanted me to win so that he could have Champion's blood in him too? I mean, he tried to kill me with magic when I was a baby, right? Why not just drop me out the window or something?"

Daphne couldn't stop the disturbed look. "Gods that's dark Potter. But I guess you have to be a right bastard to use the Killing Curse on a baby anyway... have you seen the news lately?"

Harry nodded his head, scowling again. "I have."

"I just... I don't get it. What's the point of all that death? What's he trying to prove?" Daphne asked, completely at a loss.

"He's trying to spread fear." Harry replied. "The more scared you are of him and his followers, the less likely you are to oppose him. Its how he got so powerful last time."

Daphne nodded her head. "I know. I know.. its just- and I'm so sorry for asking this- but isn't there anything you can do? I mean is there anything to that Chosen One business?" Daphne asked, eyes searching.

Harry gave her a pained look. "I believe anyone with a good heart would want to oppose Voldemort. At least that's what a wise man once told me. As for myself, I can't really do anything until I reach my majority."

"Because of the Trace? What's that got to do with anything?" Daphne asked, confused.

Harry looked at her. Really looked. Did she really not know?

"Daphne, the Death Eaters are already in the Ministry. Its only a matter of time until they control it and I'd rather not let them know every little thing I'm up to if I can help it." Daphne looked shocked for a moment before settling back down and nodding her head.

"Yeah... that makes sense." She said, shifting back into a more comfortable position in her seat. Harry leaned back, feeling quite tired after that conversation. He felt it was about time to wrap this up.

"Hey! Turn up the telly up!" Someone in the cafe shouted.

Every head in the place swiveled to the small television located behind the counter which showed a frazzled reporter grasping his mic in one hand waving behind him with the other. As the volume went up his words began to spread through the tiny cafe. Words that Harry could hardly believe.

"... the city is being overrun by man eating creatures! Point the camera at me! Point it at me! I repeat, the dead are coming back to life and attacking the living! I don't know what's causing this but everyone, EVERYONE, needs to find shelter and- oh God! OH GOD, BILL! RUN! DROP THE EFFING CAMERA AND RUN!"

The camera man did just that, which gave the audience in the cafe a perfect view of the anchorman and Bill the camera guy getting overrun by a group of bloodied, snarling strangers who tore into them without mercy.

Clawed hands flayed soft flesh as gnashing teeth ripped and tore muscle from bone. One of the men screamed in unrelenting agony as a pair of the crazed folks split his arm from fingers to elbow before feasting the bloodied flesh between them.

The feed abruptly cut back to the studio anchorwomen whose face had gone ashen, then a sickly green. In no time there was the sound of retching, and not just from the telly. Several people in the cafe, Daphne included, lost their afternoon tea after witnessing the brutal sight.

Harry's mind was racing. What had he just seen? Were those inferi? Attacking muggles? Did Voldemort do this? What was going on!?

"Potter... what in the f-" But Daphne was cut off but a harsh banging at the windows of the cafe.

As one every patron turned to look out at the creature behind the cafe's window. It was in the shape of a man, but that could not be, for no man could still be alive with half his neck missing as this mans was. His clothing had been totally soiled by the blood that'd drained onto it, turning it into shades of red and brown. Brackish hands clawed at the glass as bloodshot eyes stared hungrily at the people within. That hunger combined with rage, pushing it to drive it's fists against the shop's glass again and again, each blow causing the window to shutter more and more.

A crack formed.

Harry's instinct's screamed. It was time to go. His eye caught Daphne's. They were white with terror, begging him do something.

Harry took a breath. He knew he could get them out. He'd purposefully sat them near a side door just in case he needed to make a quick escape. Through the door, a right into the alley, then a turn of the spot. Destination. Determination. Deliberation.

But then Harry caught sight of the Muggles. Many had the same look as Daphne.

The crack spider webbed. It would be inside in seconds. And it had brought a friend. Could he fight them off? Maybe. A few inferi weren't an issue for even a partially trained wizard like himself, but Harry had a feeling these weren't your average inferi. They were something different.

No matter. Harry would figure it out. Two inferi, two wands. Simple.

Daphne grabbed his hand. "Potter, I don't have my wand."

"What!?" Harry choked.

"It was only a four hour shift! I wasn't expecting to be attacked by inferi in the middle of bloody Surrey! You have to Apparate us out so I can go get it. Come on! If we use the loo no one will see us!"

Daphne started dragging Harry towards the toilets, but Harry didn't budge. "Potter? Come on!"

Harry froze. What should he do? Another creature had joined the two. And another. And another. The spider webbing was complete. The glass would fall any second now.

People backed away from the window, screaming, crying. There were old men, young women, kids no older than Harry here who had just come in for a cuppa not expecting this insanity to spill over into their lives. Harry knew he should leave, hide, wait until he was ready to face Voldemort and see who destiny would call it's winner.

...But. There were people here. Innocent people. People who had no idea what they were fighting. They only knew what was going to happen if they lost. And so did Harry. Could he leave these people? Leave them to die while he fled.

Except is wasn't just him. Daphne was here too. Someone like him. Someone who was also innocent of the war that followed Harry no matter where he went. Someone who was powerless because she'd decided to trust a stranger with her secret and who was now counting on him to get her out alive. Was it right to put her life at risk just so he could play hero to some people that he'd never see again?

The glass shattered. The bloodied creatures roared in triumph as they bounded through the jagged opening like a pack of dogs, feeling no pain where the glass cut through them.

"Get back!" A fit man in a business suit shouted as he charged towards the bloodied mob, wielding a wooden chair like a spear. He managed to knock the first one off it's feet before making a clumsy swing at the one to its left. The creature battered the chair away like it was nothing, leaving the man defenseless against the third creature that tackled him to the ground.

Time slowed as the creature raised its head, teeth bared alongside it's fellows, ready to tear into the man brave enough to try and buy the rest of them time to escape. The remaining pair were closing fast, ignoring the fallen man in favor of fresh prey, a plump elderly woman that just wasn't fast enough to get away from the creatures in time.

Harry could feel Daphne pulling at him, begging him to get them out. Harry could see the blood-lust of the creatures, staring greedily at the meal before them. Harry could hear his heart, beating thunderously in his chest as his ears rang from all the screaming.

Then Harry felt calm. The ringing stopped.

"Accio! Confringo! Expulso!"