Disclaimer: All things Harry Potter related belong to J.K. Rowling, and all things "Aliens" and "Predator" related belong to 20th Century Fox and such. However the plot belongs to me. The specifics on the Predator information and lore was acquired from the novel "Aliens vs. Predator: Prey" by Stephen Perry. Also my friends Writer Chica, Sand3, and Kraeg001 were kind enough to beta read my story.

Harry Potter and the Alien Hive

Chapter 13: Warrior's Symbol

Kat'ja hissed in shock. The ooman had a scar on his forehead. Impossible! A blooded ooman? And not blooded with just any symbol, it was Hikate's symbol! The great hunter Hikate. He had heard of Hikate's eccentric habits, but this!

On the other hand...

Kat'ja absently let go of the infected ooman and moved in closer, his mask only a few inches away from the dark haired ooman's face. It flinched slightly, but otherwise did not move. Upon this closer inspection, Kat'ja found that the mark did not look like it had been burned on with the Hard Meat's acidic blood. It looked more like it had been cut in to the flesh with a small knife. Perhaps this species of ooman marked their warriors like the yautja did, and this one certainly was a warrior. It had after all killed three of the Hard Meat by itself.

Kat'ja lowered his wrist knives. To kill a fellow warrior without serious provocation was the height of bad manners.

Harry wasn't sure whether to feel relieved or more afraid when the hunter lowered its weapon. However, the hunter made no other move to attack, instead it pointed to a symbol on the forehead of its mask.

"Oh I get it." Luna sounded like she had discovered the mysteries of the Universe. "A warrior's symbol. Harry he thinks your scar is a warrior's symbol like his."

"Really?" Harry turned his head to Luna half in shock, half in wonder. Then he looked back at the others who all had their hands clenched around their wands, no doubt prepared if the hunter made another move to hurt him.

Without warning the hunter placed one of his clawed hands on Harry's shoulder. Harry shrank slightly and there was the sound moving cloth, no doubt the others had raised their wands. The hunter looked up, took his hand away, then looked back down at Harry again. It pressed a button on its arm gauntlet.

"A warrior's symbol." The hunter spoke in Luna's voice as it pointed to the symbol on the forehead of its mask.

Silence fell over the room.

Harry deliberated for minute. How did it do that? A recording? It did sound kind of synthetic. What was the meaning of the clawed hand on his shoulder? Was it a greeting? A strange form of handshake, from one warrior to another?

After taking a deep breath, Harry reached up and placed his hand on the hunter's shoulder. The hunter tilted its head, at him. Good, but what to do now?

Fascinating! He had greeted the ooman the yautja way and it had responded. Apparently oomans were smarter than he thought, at least this one was. But what to do now?

The question was answered when a high pitch chittering resonated down the hallway.

"Harry! We've got to get out of here!" Ron's voice came up above the chittering.

"Right! We can get out by the hidden passage. Let's go!" Harry shouted to his friends then turned back to the hunter who now had his attentions turned to the door that the black beast that had trapped Draco exited before.

Harry ran up and grabbed the hunter's arm. When it turned its attention to him, Harry pointed to the door where they were going to exit and said "If you want to come with us we're going that way, but we're leaving now!"

Kat'ja deliberated for a minute. The Hard Meat would be coming in a bug group now, responding to the death of their siblings, the danger to the ooman carrying their future, and no doubt the sent of the yautja. But to travel with oomans? To cooperate with potential prey? Would it not be a disgrace? But then again was not the dark haired ooman a fellow warrior? Had not both Hikate and Ajka said to always choose a good fight? Staying here alone, with most of his equipment damaged, standing up against a group of Hard Meat with strange new powers. No, it was not a good fight. All it would gain him was a noble, but pointless death. He did not want a pointless death.

Harry almost smiled when he heard the pounding footsteps of the hunter running behind him.

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Dark Lord Voldemort was growing impatient. He was staring blankly at his father's grave, deliberating all of the million thoughts and plans flowing in his head. What were these creatures, these black beasts? How could they be used to accomplish his plans? How could he get them to do his bidding? Had they killed that wretch Harry Potter yet?

Voldemort savored that last thought, the thought of that abominable child being ripped apart by the black beast.

"Parkinson," Voldemort turned and addressed the Slytherin girl standing in the middle of the Death Eater circle. "You say the creature you saw was different from the one in the picture."

"Yes my lord," She answered nervously. "The creatures I saw, their heads were smaller and took the shape of a banana, not big and flat like the one in the picture."

"I see." Voldemort, then turned to look at Wormtail and Macnair. "And you say you saw more of the creatures of Miss Parkinson's description?"

"Yes." Macnair answered. "They were testing the barrier Dumbledore must have put up to keep them from spreading. However, the barrier seems to be made like a prison, hard to get out, but easy to get in."

"Macnair," Lucius addressed his fellow Death Eater. "Did you by any chance see if Draco was alive?"

"No we saw neither hide nor hair of your son." Macnair's smirk faded slightly.

Lucius stiffened at this response, but otherwise kept himself cold as stone.

"Hmmm." Voldemort scratched his chin with interest, but still looked troubled. "But that still does not explain why they are different from the one in the picture."

"You said that they had an insect like appearance... well maybe they are nothing but insects. Like bees! Yes, 'ickle bees in their hive." Bellatrix Lestrange sneered in her mock baby voice. "And one little Queen bee to rule them all."

"Is that an implication Bella?" Voldemort asked slyly.

"Oh no, my Lord," Bellatrix answered quickly, looking very alarmed. "I was merely stating a possibility, and if it be true, if you could, no, not if – when – when you control the Queen you can control them all. Imagine having a whole army of these black beasts at your command."

A smirk pulled across Bella's face as she continued, "Imagine commanding them to tear Harry Potter, Dumbledore and the rest of those wretches to bloody shreds!"

"I wonder if an Imperious Curse would do the trick." Voldemort smirked at the thought of having such powerful creatures at his command.

"One curse from the greatest sorcerer in the world would surely have no trouble taking over a mere beast." Macnair smiled maliciously.

"Let us take the dementors and allow them to wander the castle. They may not have an affect on the beasts, but they could serve as a distraction. Yes. We shall embark to gather my new army." Voldemort sneered turning back to his father's grave. "And Harry Potter and his friends will be nothing more than food for my new soldiers."

Voldemort laughed maniacally; he could taste victory on his lips, and it tasted good.

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Sorry for the shortness of this chapter, but this is the best I can do with college bearing down on me. Please review, that's the motivation I need right now.

Till next Time!

-Vega Sailor