Final Curtain
Author: Mysterious Phantom Shyraz
Disclaimer: HP belongs to its' sole owner. Anything not recognised is mine unless said so.
Act II scene ii
"Well," Harry said to Hedwig as he closed the apartment doors, "that went well…"
Hedwig hooted her keeper then turned her head towards the food bowl located near her perch.
"Sorry girl, I promise to buy you some treats tomorrow ok?" Harry said, he felt a bit sleepy after the full meal provided by the Cesarini so he did not have the time to go to the nearest convenience store for bird food.
NEXT MORNING
The morning could not have come sooner for Harry. His dreams were once again filled with nightmares. The day when Sirius fell through the veil, the scene from TriWizard Cup, seeing Ginny nearly dieing from blood lose at the Chamber of Secrets and the most recent one when Xylver died trying to take the blow for Harry. It was lucky for Harry that Xylver was a skilled Occlumens as well as a Legilimens or else Harry would have been plagued by Voldemort's 'happy' thoughts.
He left the place, Hedwig had somehow managed to fly out of the balcony window at night, without Harry noticing, and has not come back yet. Harry mad a mental note to tell Hedwig not to fly anywhere near Wizarding settlements or he could be easily cornered by the whole of the Wizarding world. After all, how often would one see a snowy white owl?
Leaving the apartment block, Harry felt the warming rays of the sun. The day was still early and the clock tower in the town square read 6:30 but most of the shops were open. It seems that the people int this town seemed to like the morning better. Wondering around, he could see that many people went away to open shops, going to work or children heading off to school.
He managed to head over to the town square located in the middle. His main goal for today is to find a job. He still have the earnings, as well as a reputation, he gained through his brief stay with his 'mentor' but he doubted that it would be enough. Plus he had to maintain his façade as a student and a part time worker for the sake of his neighbours. So wandering around, he found a notice board in the town square. A particular note caught his attention. It said someone was looking a tutor for languages.
'I could probably give it a try. I did do some self study during my brief stay with the Dursleys…' Harry thought. He was glad that he decided to make use of Dudley's moulding languages books. Latin he already knew from his days at Hogwarts and anything else he picked up from the books. There were other notices on there; ones that wanted a waiter, others that needed plumbers and such. But one would be enough; if this doesn't work then he'll try another.
The job finding was easy, he manage to have an interview with the person who posted the notice in the morning. The job was simple, there were some children in the local school taking languages and will need someone to help them and Harry seemed fluent enough to take on the job. As the teacher commented, there were not many linguists in the area and since he was so enthusiastic to see her so early in the morning, she gave him the job.
At noon, after lunch, Harry once again approached the Wizarding settlement, located between the North Access and the East Causeway, two of the four roads that lead into the town from outside. Hedwig, seeing Harry passing through the pebbled road, flew over to his shoulder and landed. She pecked her master lightly and in return, she received a scratch. Harry was not the least surprised by the sudden appearance of his familiar. He was bonded with the creature and he had felt that his familiar was somewhere here. Checking if his disguise was still in place. Currently he is sporting long sandy brown hair carefully tied back with fringes that covered most parts of his scar, his once green eyes now have a pair of brown contacts covering it and the scar had been hid by the various make-up he applied daily. Harry, though skilled in magic right now, is not willing to fully trust magic. Sometimes, muggle hair dye and make-up foundation is more reliable. At least it cannot be undone by a magic spell, only make-up remover or really, really hot water. And what were the chances of someone carrying make-up remover all the time?
Now, in the early morning, the wizarding village held a different light. Instead of the 'mysterious and foreboding' feeling Harry received yesterday just before dusk, it was now a 'reclusive and terrified' feeling. People seemed to be reclusive at this time, mainly because of the danger of Voldemort but Harry thought it has something to do with the gigantic Quitaped standing in the middle of the road. The five-legged creature currently swung its head around, looking for human preys. Harry sighed, it seemed that he cannot go out for a walk without having to encounter some trouble.
Hedwig, sensing her master's troubled aura, transformed into her true form, a large platinum phoenix. Like their counter parts, their tears have healing powers and they can withstand a large amount of weight. Their main difference lies with their transformation powers, magic and physical attacking abilities and their link with their masters. Only in this form could Hedwig communicate directly with Harry.
"Master, I'll fly ahead and scout around." Harry nodded, hearing a feminine voice in his mind. He has half a mind of running away from this place but his heart said that he shouldn't leave defenceless people alone. He cursed his weak mind. He knew he was going to regret stepping into the now deserted streets.
"Now, now. You shouldn't think like that," his familiar commented through their link, "a saviour should always step in and help those in need."
"And die heroically?" Harry took out his wand and tries to find something to transfigure into a cloak, "or would you rather I say suffer in peace?"
"Oh, stop being so melodramatic. You know you won't be able to die by the creature's hands, no not hands. It doesn't have hands. It has legs, five of them."
"Oh goody, what joy." Harry's sarcasm was dripping in through their link. He had finally acquired a green leaf from the nearby tree and transfigured it into a white cloak. Hiding his hair and face with the hood, he stepped out of his hiding place. He was a bit disturbed by the fact that he forgot to take some other physical weapons from his trunk, but he was not about to leave the people here to die by the hands of a grisly creature.
Spotting the creature trying to tear up the roof off one of the buildings, Harry stepped out into the open.
"Yo! Hairy idiot! What do you think you're doing?"
"Smart move, insult the creature and be crushed. You do know Quitaped are carnivorous right?" Hedwig landed on another rooftop not far away from where Harry is standing.
"Then what else do you suggest me do? Run up to it and ask it nicely to leave those people alone?" Harry managed to grab the attention of the creature and was now facing it.
"It could work…"
"Right, and Dumbledore's currently in the Tropics having a Pineapple Daiquiri." Harry dodged an attack from one of the club-footed legs.
"You know, he might be…"
"You're not helping. I thought familiars are supposed to help those they are bonded to. Not mock them." Skidding to a halt before he hit the wall of a building, quickly constructed a shield to block of most of the attack force from the creature. "I thought these things aren't supposed to be this big!"
"They aren't supposed to, and they shouldn't be this intelligent either. I've been trying to create illusions of you but it seemed that the Quintaped won't fall for it." Hedwig flew down and fluttered in front of the creature's eyes to give Harry time to escape to a more opened space.
"I think some idiot somehow found a stray Quintaped and enlarged it. Whoever it is will feel my wrath…"
Hedwig flew away from the creature's line of sight so she would not be burnt by Harry's spell.
"Inflammation" Harry yelled, he is trying to set fire to the reddish-brown fur on the body of the creature, which he succeeded. Now, not only does he have to deal with a vicious beast but one that is also set on fire.
"Once again, a stupid move. You're either going to set fire to the whole place or you are going to be brunt."
"If you're so smart, you do something." Harry has half a mind of giving up. He did not have much experience dealing with stray overgrown carnivorous creatures.
"Watch the expert then."
Harry took this time to find some sort of a weapon or possible material to transfigure into a weapon. He knew what his familiar said was only a half-truth. The platinum phoenix is not an expert, but had only seen more than Harry. Harry doubted that a bird could kill off a giant creature. And it seemed that Harry's doubts were correct, not longer after Hedwig managed to put out the fire with her icy magic, she was knocked away.
"HEDWIG!" Harry cried as he lunged his crudely made sword into the low body, not caring if the blood of the creature stained his cloak and clothing. He then dashed to where Hedwig landed, only to see the bird standing upright again.
"You're worried?" Hedwig flew onto Harry's shoulder, their gazes met. Harry's eyes flicked from genuine worry to a murderous gaze saying 'if you do that again, I will personally bring you back from the dead and kill you twice over'.
"Don't ever do that again!" Harry returned his gaze to the screaming creature.
"I think you should end the creature's miseries. It seemed to be suffering from your blow."
"Really? What gave you that idea?" Harry questioned. He probably should kill the creature off before it does any damage in its pain. So, he picked up a piece of rock, transfigured it into a spear and plunged it into the supposed heart of the creature. Instantaneously, the creature fell down and nearly landed on one of the buildings, if not for the quick deflection charm he put on the building. He tentatively approached the creature to check if it was dead. Before he was sure, he saw people coming out of hiding and crowding round to see what had happened. Most were men as the women and children stayed inside, should something go wrong.
"Young man. You've saved us." The person whom Harry supposed to be the mayor of sorts for the place said. He had grey hair and a dirty robe on. Harry, cautious of not letting these people know that he was THE Harry Potter, tugged his hood lower to better hide his facial features with the shadow the hood provided.
"We shall be forever in your debt. Is there a name which we can call you young savior?"
Harry thought for a moment before giving the answer. "Piax." And he said nothing more as he gestured Hedwig to fly away with him into the forest again.
"You know, if you had stayed longer, we might not have to worry about what to have for dinner…"
"And I will have to deal with a bunch of people praising me for a job well done. You know I can't stand publicity." Harry threw away the cloak and transfigured it back into a leaf. The blood-stain still remained on the leaf but there weren't much Harry could do about it. Hedwig also transformed back into her owl form and landed on Harry's shoulder as they continued down towards the town.
'I think I have to find some white material to make a more decent and durable cloak." Harry headed back into the town square. The fight had not lasted for very long and in theory Harry should not be tired. But with nothing much to do, he decided a nap back in his apartment might be good.