Chapter 14

Trying to hide in their corner, three figures discreetly ran fingers over their rings, wishing they could go home. But they didn't know that their will to be saved would send visions to the one person who swore to keep them safe. "We still believe. They can't hurt us."

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A young man stumbled as he entered the Great Hall of a past Hogwarts, fallen victim to fluttering visions. "Vulcan?" All the Professors had been told to call him either Vulcan or Shadow. He fell into the arms of a shocked Poppy Pomfrey, causing all the Professors to rush from their seats, all but the Headmaster.

Images flooded Harry's mind, forcing him to see all three of his siblings. Through their eyes he could see a very gleeful, shadowy figure gliding towards them.

/A skeletal hand reached for a cowering, shivering Dennis, even as his brother and friend struggled to keep him at their side, 'Come to me, my sweet.'

'You stay away!' Colin didn't care if he would be murdered. He refused to let Dennis go.

Voldemort snarled, raising his wand towards Colin, 'Stupefy!' But in shock, the spell merely knocked Colin aside, leaving only Ginny holding onto a crying Dennis. He was shocked to see his spell fail, leaving Colin a bit shaken but awake. Despite the surprise, Voldemort dove forward, grabbing Dennis from Ginny's safe embrace.

'NO! DENNIS!' Colin fought against his chains, trying to get to his brother.

Pulling the small child to a stone table in the center of the bare room, Voldemort ignored the cries. Instead he swiftly tied the struggling figure to the table, 'Lovely, my little one.' With one hand, Voldemort ripped what little clothing the young blonde wore.

With tears in their eyes, Ginny and Colin kept screaming, struggling to reach a hysterical Dennis. They couldn't do anything but watch as Voldemort continued to pull what barriers Dennis had to hide from those red eyes, 'So innocent.'/

Jerking his head quickly, Harry dispelled the vision, "No, no, no."

"Poppy, let him go, please." Poppy unwillingly let the young man go, turning to the Headmaster when the man suddenly disappeared in shimmering smoke. "Do not worry, my staff. Our young Vulcan has things he must do. Remember our last meeting, Shadow must obey the call of The Powers That Be."

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Quickly pushing his magic into the Time Jump, Harry found himself in the shadows, near two hysterical children. Silently he moved forward, wrapping himself in his cloak. Ginny hiccuped but was able to keep her scream in her throat when a familiar touch grabbed her shoulder. Softly, she whispered so Colin heard, "Harry."

Harry said nothing. Keeping to the shadows, he moved closer to the crying figure upon a slab of stone. Eyes close, he enforced the magical barrier on Dennis' ring, shoving Voldemort back. Red eyes flared in anger as they watched an invisible figure untie his sweet morsel, allowing the boy to run back to his brother. He also felt a wave of magic sweep the room, dressing the boy's shivering figure into repaired clothing. "You won't touch them, Tom!"

Voldemort bristled in pure fury as he recognized that name. He stiffened even more when a shadowy figure slipped into view, "Potter."

"Yes." Harry watched as Voldemort immediately cast several spells in his direction. Discreetly, he cast his own spell, Illusion of the Mind.

Red eyes widened as he saw his spells fly through Potter's body, scorching the walls behind his rival. "Impossible!"

Harry smirked, "I am the impossible. Just because you had me locked away doesn't mean I will leave my friends to your hideous mercy. I will always be here for them. And like my Godfather on the run, I'm looking for the one who caused my demise. I'm coming for you, Tom Riddle." With those words, Harry vanished, knowing his siblings were safe for now. Although, inwardly, he was screaming at The Powers That Be to be able to save them, being denied at the same time.

And those three siblings were estatic to know that Harry had kept his promise and that their faith brought him to their location. Soon, very soon, Harry would find them. He wouldn't let them stay in this hell hole very long, not if he had the chance to save them. Even though there was a small part wishing he hadn't left them.

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Harry's sudden appearance frightened several female members of the faculty, "Sorry about that." He sheepishly grinned at them before pulling his cool mask back on.

"Ah, welcome back, Shadow. And what should we do about your classes?"

Bright emerald eyes glimmered, knowing Albus was trying hard not to fall back into his old ways of leading up to what he wanted to say or know. "I won't lie to them. I will simply tell them I will vanish from time to time. They will also get the week as a simple class, most likely essays or reading."

"Shadow?" Poppy could see that the proud man was struggling to hide his fatigue.

Harry waved a careless gesture towards the concerned medi-witch, "I'm fine. Simply drained at the moment. Time Jump requires plenty of concentration, will power, and magic to sustain myself through the void. I will gain it all back by the end of the week."

Albus merely nodded, concerned but quite excited. Immediately, his memories began storing this new information on rare Vulcans in a tiny part. Someday soon, he would write it all down, possibly saved for the Ministry or for the Hogwarts Library for the inquiring minds, who all like to learn new things everyday.

Before Harry returned to his seat, a mischievous sparkle gleamed deep behind the cold, indifference mask, "Allow me to introduce myself, Albus. After all, children must learn from the original source."

No sooner did he speak than his senses immediately went into hyperware, spreading out towards the new scents that seemed to drift beneath the Great Hall's doors. With knowledge that the students were arriving and ready to enter the Great Hall, Harry quickly hid behind his cool demeanor, looking quite like a tensed predator. Which also reminded him to tell Albus about his charms. He didn't think Albus would like not knowing Harry wasn't fully human if it meant harm to his students.

Albus smiled brightly, knowing that his students could only be warned from the original source itself, "As you wish, Shadow." But he also knew the young man was hiding something. He couldn't put his finger on it but he could swear that the young man was using magic to hide a very large part of himself, a part that should be free, free to the world as confident as the man was as a Vulcan.

But for now his attention was distracted, waiting patiently for his Deputy Headmistress to finish the Sorting of new students. Then he gracefully stood, smiling brightly to every student. "Welcome, students, old and new. Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts. And as always rules that some obey and others don't," cheerful laughter erupted from the students as the Professors, except one, seemingly glared at the joyful Headmaster, "must be stated. First, as you know our Caretaker, Argus Filch, has kindly suggested you visit his office for the banned list of various items."

Groans filled the air as they sent glares to the shabby looking man, holding an even scruffier cat, both sneering back. But Albus continued without fault, "Second, all Heads of House require those on the Quidditch teams to report to them for the schedule of games this year and for tryouts, held by Madame Hooch. Third, the Forbidden Forest is still off-limits to students without a teacher present for detentions. And lastly, we have a new Professor for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position."

Blue eyes turned to the solemn figure. Harry tipped his head and gracefully glided around the Head Table to face the students. His voice was low, demanding their respect and attention. At the same time he began to realize why Snape never raised his voice in class unless it was deserved. The man could get anyone to listen to him with that type of demanding voice. "I am your new Professor. I am also Assassin Vulcan Shadow." Mouths of various students dropped open as Harry subtly shifted, causing his Vulcan symbol to be visible. "You will address me as such. And you will be expected to be pushed this year. I do not tolerate stragglers nor do I tolerate childish responses. And I do expect you all to show up to my class on time."

The children gulped. They heard the or else threat beneath that calm deceptive tone. Even the Slytherins had lost their composure, although many could see the absolute respect in their eyes as they stared at the newly sitting Professor. And that was a bit scary. If that man could cause the sneaky snakes to lose composure but still win their loyal respect, then they all could expect a year of terror.

Albus grinned as he wildly waved his hands, "Ali Baba and Kazaam. Let's eat."

But three such students didn't eat right away. Instead they whispered urgently together, "And just whose side is he on?"

"Did the Headmaster lose what little sense he actually has!"

"Maybe. Because he isn't human." Two pairs of startled eyes jerked to face curious and wary amber. "His scent's off."

And apparently so was his hearing. Harry could clearly hear every word the three boys were whispering. The predator in him could also see the wolf deep within one. Harry leaned over the woman earlier introduced as Madame Hooch, "Albus, a word."

Those within hearing distance blinked at the abrupt command. The white haired wizard in question simply nodded. "Students, before we bid good night. I believe we should introduce this year's Head Boy and Head Girl, both of Gryffindor, James Potter and Lily Evans. As such, they will be handing out the Prefect Badges to those who have earned them. Good night."

Harry kept quiet as he watched the Hall empty before trailing after a somber Headmaster. But once inside the safety of the Headmaster's Office, "A werewolf, Albus?"

Blue eyes narrowed as the kindly man took on his own powerful, dangerous aura, "All students deserve a chance."

Harry raised a brow, dropping his glamours. Smirking at the shocked features as blue eyes took in the decidedly inhuman features. "Yes, they are permanent charms only to be unlocked by my signature. I am an Assassin Vulcan, many know this. But on top of that power I have the traits and gifts of a Dark Predator. I know of prejudices against such beings, therefore to satisfy them for now I will hide."

Albus nodded. The world had its moments. But he knew if everyone found out that the dangerous man before him was also a Dark Creature, he knew chaos would ensue. Which made him thankful that young Shadow was willing to oblige others, even though as a Vulcan the world had no choice but to accept him, whatever he may be. But then again, he had never heard of such creatures.

And apparently he said that out loud, "We, Dark Predators, were once thought to be extinct thousands of years ago. Our genes rarely bloom, only blooming beneath a power strong enough to sustain us. I am a Feline-Humaniod, a being with traits of felines. And because of my power as an Assassin Vulcan, I caused those rare genes to awaken, but my power also allows me to be in even more control of my so-called beastly side."

"Ah, unusual."

Harry smirked even wider. The man was hoping Harry would go further in detail. Revealing his true nature couldn't be the reason he had demanded a meeting with Albus. "Yes, unusual. Then again, I'm an unusual person. But I also happen to be a Dark Predator that overrides dominant genes of other Dark Creatures. Such as your werewolf student. Dark Predators are submissive creatures to dominant Dark Creatures, at least only in a sexual nature, I believe. But because I can control myself, your werewolf can't. The beast within that student will gain control over the human. He will become dangerous to friend and foe, unable to decipher who's who until it claims the submissive that woke it."

Albus froze. Young Remus Lupin always worried he would lose control and hurt his most loyal friends. And Albus wouldn't lose the four boys, not if it could be controlled. "What do you suggest?"

"A buffer. I have two spiritual comrades from my time of training before my arrival, who can become solid with my magic if needed." Harry deliberately left out Merlin, Circe, and Morgana. Especially since it was they who gave him a deeper understanding of himself. It was they who taught him about his submissiveness and how he would find his first dominant mate by making it lose its control. "They will help me keep our genes from fighting to claim or be claimed."

"May I?" Harry barely waved his hand to show the man his companions that would save Remus from a premature death by execution.