Chapter Two

/"Professor?"

"Remus. Or Moony, if you prefer. I haven't been your Professor for quite some time."

Harry tried to smile but didn't feel happy. His entire life had fallen completely apart in one day, one single day. "What exactly is happening to me?"

Remus considered that question. His Cub seemed hesitant, almost as if something else was on his mind, afraid to speak again. "We all know how hard life is for Vampires and Werewolves. But Predator Hybrids had the worst."

"Prejudice never solves anything."

"No, it doesn't, Cub. They don't seem to care. They refuse to take the time to find a way of control. Nor even try for alternatives. Severus helped to create the Wolfsbane Potion for Werewolves. That took time and patience."

"And the Vampires? At least most of the Werewolves took time to lock up for protection."

Remus sadly smiled, "True. But the older Vampires took in willing rogues, leaving the resisting ones to their punishment. Some even went as far as trying to find alternatives for themselves."

Harry stared at his hands, "I outlived my purpose. That's all I was good for."

"Oh, Cub." Remus pulled the hunched form into his comforting embrace. He wanted to render the Magical World helpless just as they did to his Cub. "You mean more than that, even to those who still care."

But there was one thing Harry feared the most, "Would they...he still want me?" He wouldn't look up from his knees, hoping his Guardian still heard his soft words.

Remus did, knowing whom Harry meant. "They've always loved you, Cub. Sirius knew what it was like to be shunned, labeled dark while he fought for us."

"But..."

Remus pulled his Cub back, forcing their eyes to meet, "James willingly placed his name through mud by practically adopting Sirius Black into his family. The entire Potter clan fought tooth and nail to keep Sirius in their family."

Quietly, staring at those glittering amber eyes, Harry asked, "Mum?"

Remus chuckled as he remembered the lovely redhead, "Lily was beautiful in her anger. She'd have gone after each and every one that hurt you. She would have torn through the Ministry for hurting you as well. And then she would have disappeared with you in her arms. She would have let the Death Eaters take control, handing the Magical World to Voldemort. To her that would have been a suitable punishment for your pain, for even thinking you would betray them."

Tears flowed hot and heavy. He always hoped to make them proud, especially one, "And Sirius?"

"Sirius loved us. Yes, he was immature and rash but he put his life on the line for you. Everyone would feel his wrath for your pain. No one would be safe. I was his best friend, one of them, despite being a Dark Creature, a Werewolf. He loved running with me as Padfoot."

"That doesn't..." But Remus cut him off from finishing.

"Listen to me, Cub. James and Lily would have moved Heaven and Hell on Earth to protect you, to keep you happy. Sirius would have embraced you as a running mate. While your parents would have tried to protect you from the world, Sirius would have given you full reign. He would have given you ideas on how to make them pay. He'd be by your side, willing to let his childish side free to destroy your enemies, even his beast of a Grim."

Harry sobbed, releasing the last of his emotions, his fears, frustrations, and wishes into a comforting shoulder. "T-thank you." Remus crooned softly in his ear as they rocked together in comfort./

Harry gasped as he jerked awake. Hedwig have freed herself from a slightly mangled owl cage, pecking his left arm in anxiousness. "Mmm, I'm awake, girl." He slowly pushed to his feet beneath concerned yellow eyes of his familiar. "Moony?"

"Cub?" Remus was carefully pulling himself from several smashed empty crates.

"Think it worked?"

"I hope so." Remus brushed away the clinging debris, turning to face his Cub when said boy hit the floor crying out in pain. He rushed to Harry's side when a sharp pain exploded in his mid-section, "Argh!" He fell to the floor beside his writhing Cub.

Hedwig screeched in worry as she landed near her Master's head, trying to help but unable to do a thing. She was very concerned about his pain but was only able to do so much. She knew he would understand, he always understood even when no one else would. She soared above her writhing Master and Master's friend to a broken window. Glancing back with concern, Hedwig carefully edged her way around the sharp edges. She would find them again, never had she lost her Master or his friends. But she would preserve her life first, finding a safe spot to rest and wait. She needed to hunt, search for a safe place for her Master and Master's friend to live.

Behind she left the two wizards whose powers were growing in powerful layers. She barely kept her flight pattern as she felt the strong waves of power. She knew the building wouldn't survive and only hoped the Muggles would never notice. Then again, her Master was quite adapt at making sure he wasn't noticed if he wished it.

And their power grew until it exploded in one powerfully charged blast, demolishing the building.

--------------------------------Xavier Institute------------------------------------

Beep. Beep. Beep. A resounding alarm rang through a serenely calm mansion. The calm was further broken by various voices crying out in curiosity and worry. As they shouted out questions, one man raced for the lower levels the mansion hid from an outside look. He began searching through the flickering monitors, Cerebro's found a mutant close to, if not actually, Omega levels on a power spike here in New York.

Assemble the team, Scott. I'm afraid we won't be the only ones searching for this person.

Of course, Charles. Scott Summers slammed a hand onto a separate alarm to call for his team while struggling to stop the earlier alarm. He then raced for the underground Hangar to a large black jet, the Blackbird. He stumbled slightly as he switched his ruby red quartz sunglasses for his extra battle visor, hidden on the Blackbird for emergencies. He wasn't going to bother with his uniform, as they had to hurry.

"Scott." A lovely redhead female smiled as he entered the jet. She smiled as he sat into one of the pilot's seats. She had done the same in not wearing her original uniform.

Now that he looked, Scott could see only a few had been able to slip into their uniform, "We all here, Jean?"

Jean Grey smiled softly, "Just waiting for Logan."

A gruff voice snarled towards them, "Here, Bub." Logan entered the jet with a smoking cigar clenched in his teeth as he pulled on the mask to his uniform. "Let's go, Darlin'."

Scott glared at his teammate as the older man seemingly rubbed against his girlfriend. "Strap in. Xavier's scanning the area and hasn't found the mutant." He began the preparations for lift-off, already falling into his alter ego's steps.

---------------------------------Harry and Remus-----------------------------------

"Harry?" Remus hissed at the scratchy sound of his voice.

"Here." His Cub sounded just as pained.

Remus crawled to Harry's side, the pain slowly easing, "Okay there, Cub?"

A grime smile crossed the golden features, causing Remus to double look at the young wizard. "That hurt. But fine."

Unwillingly, a laugh broke free from the werewolf's throat as he cataloged the changes. He carefully brushed a concerned hand over the smudged cheek, starting at the feel of a thin layer of silky fur. His Cub had just had his transformation into a Hybrid, at least physically. Emerald eyes had darkened with a slight predatory curve to them. The grim smile allowed a flash of fangs and pushing back a lock of black hair revealed the delicate shape of cat ears.

"Moony?" Harry didn't like the stunned look in his Guardian's eyes. He also didn't like the look of the wolf openly leering at him. He had never seen the werewolf's eyes unless it was a full moon. It seemed their power spike allowed Moony to come out to play, at least people would be able to readily tell that Remus wasn't fully human.

"Seems the Goblins were right. The magic did give us a change in power levels and physical appearance."

"Oh. Then that would explain the feel of untamed feral magic, right?"

"Our beasts have been given more freedom. Or in your case, it's been freed to combine with its human counterpart. You look like a mature Predator Hybrid but your power levels will be unstable for a few days until you are able to fully merge both animal and human." Remus held out a hand as he unsteadily stood, helping his Cub to stand and wondering how they remained steady when it felt like their legs were jell-o. But something distracted his attention, making him peer around his Cub's shoulder.

"Moony?" Harry didn't like that look. Remus looked like a kid in a candy store or given his first Christmas present to open and got what he wished for.

"You got a tail!"

Harry jerked his head around to see a golden tail swishing beneath his dirty cloak. His mouth dropped open in surprise when his hands ran over his head to check for more surprises, "A tail? Ears? I'm a walking cat!"

Remus snickered behind his hand, almost unable to stop even beneath the deadly green glare. "Sorry, Cub, but a Predator Hybrid is part feline. Surprisingly, they've always been part cats. Although, normally you wouldn't become a mature Hybrid physically until your first moon after fullymerging genes and magic. But considering who you are and where we are, it's not surprising to see your changes already. But you'll need to take care since Hybrids are vicious, Cub."

"Like a werewolf without the potion?" Harry suddenly remembered that they had no place to stay for the coming full moon or a forest to hunt through.

"Exactly." Remus knew his Cub's worry, "And I'm sure we'll find a safe place to hunt. For now we'll decide where we are and a name for your beast. Come." Remus led his stumbling Cub through the shattered debris. They picked a random direction and within minutes of walking both decided this place was partially deserted, considering the deplorable condition of the buildings.

"Why? It's a part of me. Why not let it be me?"

"I'm a Werewolf and a Wizard. We all knew this. But you must realize that our beasts will wish to be free or have some semblance of control of their own. A name gives them their own identity, their own personality beyond ours. There are times you can't be Harry, you'll need to be something or someone else. I can't always be the calm Remus my friends knew. I always tried to hold my temper. Moony found ways to free my temper during the full moons. Moony also allows me to simply feel free."

"So, if I treat my beast as a separate personality, there's a chance he could protect me and I won't always need control?"

"Exactly. It's something the Ministry and several others never understood. What about Leo?" Amber eyes peered down at a contemplating Harry as they turned another corner, trying to find their way out from a maze.

"No." Emerald flashed silver at the name. "Leo's too original. Too much like me being expected as a Gryffindor at all times. I like allowing my other sides to shine. I want it to be different. Just like I am; it's kept me alive."

"I see emotions affect your eyes. They went green to silver just at the mention of the name." Both wizards chuckled before continuing their search

Harry's curiosity had reared its head, "Did Mum ever have a name? I know Dad was Prongs. What about Mum?"

A soft smile crossed Remus' face as he remembered Lily Potter, "Yes, she did. Sirius gave her a name. She was very votile woman when her temper was raised. He was always on the wrong end of her temper and kept calling her a vicious tigress. Tigress seemed to stick. And it suited her well, especially when it came to her only child, you."

Harry wistfully smiled, wishing he could have known them longer, "Thank you. But it won't work. My emotions connect with my magic or maybe it's the other way around. Sides, I wouldn't make a good tigress."

"A vicious Predator Hybrid housed in a powerful wielder of a wizard. Lethal combination, Cub." Remus paused in their walking, head tilted. "Charon might work."

"Wasn't he someone of Greek Mythology?"

"Yes, a ferryman that ferried the souls from the entrance of Hades to the other side before they were judged. He was usually calm but had quite the vicious streak."

"It's different. It might work." Harry gave a welcoming smile to his Guardian as he dragged the man into a different direction. "And I think we're lost. Let's try this way."

--------------------------X-Team--------------------------------

"Anything?" Cyclops waited for his team to report something. They had arrived at the last know location only to find a demolished building and no one inside.

Wolverine snorted as he helped shift through some of the rubble for a fresher scent. "Gone, Cyke. Two of 'em. Ain't truly human or mutant."

"Wolverine." Cyclops rubbed the bridge of his nose, eyes closed as the visor slightly lifted to perform such an action. The older man lived to torment him. He was sure of it and it didn't help to hear his girlfriend's laughter in his head either.

"Scents off. One reminds me too much of ol' Creed though."

Phoenix glided close, wrapped in the telltale flaming, reddish pink of her telekinesis. "There's something here. Something stronger."

A snort caused the three to face their resident Cajun thief, Gambit. His lithe figure, wrapped in the ever-present brown trenchcoat and skin-tight body armour, leaned against his metal bo-staff as a self-assured smirk settled upon his face. One long, slender finger gently tugged down his dark sunglasses to reveal glittering crimson on black eyes, "A problem, Gambit?"

"Non. Jus' listenin'." Gambit knew he rubbed the wrong way with Cyclops. He lived to irritate his fellow teammates. He enjoyed seeing them riled up and snapping. It seemed to be a fun game no one else liked to play.

"Gambit."

The Cajun's smirk grew at the warning tone. Chuckling, "Dey be powerful, Scotty, cher. De minds echo and leave static. Sides, de feral be leavin' amark. Strands of fur. Both got de vibe of bad..." Gambit trailed off into silence, trying to compare the power vibe he was feeling. He hadn't felt something this dangerous or powerful since his Tante. And that was something he really didn't want to deal with. Not only was the voodoo of New Orleans powerful and dangerous, it could be fatal if done wrong.

"Vibe of what, Cajun?" Wolverine didn't like the tone the kid had before he fell into silence. He also didn't like the sudden scent of slight fear.

"Bad stuff, Fearless Leader. Bad stuff be dangerous. Gambit don' wanna be here. Tante had healthy respect, so's Gambit. But dat don' mean Gambit be playin' wit' it."

Phoenix frowned as they watched the Cajun twirl away. "He's afraid. He's been around this before. I remember Storm mentioning his Tante Mattie being into voodoo. Many of those in Lousianna are respectful of it, even practice it. The rumors of such power give this telepath the willies."

"Just get me a trail. We'll help them with their power in the end. It could be something different. But if it's dangerous at least we can keep them from hurting others."

Wolverine smirked, "Then follow ol' Creed. He's gonna go after 'em. That way." He pointed in a random direction, which smelled strongly of Victor Creed, the well-known mutant Sabertooth, his favorite sparring partner during their battles for victory.

Cyclops nodded, "You, Phoenix, and Gambit follow that trail. Angel, you and Rogue take to the sky. Keep an eye out for Sinister.Iceman and I will be in the Blackbird following. Our quarry can't be too far if the trail of Sabertooth is fresh. This part of town is nothing but a maze of depilating buildings."

--------------------------------Back to Harry and Remus-----------------------------------

"Swear this town is nothing but a maze of depilating buildings." Remus chuckled at his Cub's grimacing until the sight of strangers cut it short. Harry noticed them as well, politely asking, "Can we help you?" He also didn't bother to hide the dangerous tone of power nor his strong aura.

"Ah, gentlemen. We've been awaiting your arrival. I am Sinister."

Remus smirked as Harry once again displayed his forced politeness braced with power, "And we care?"

A large blonde snarled, flashing his fangs and claws, "Watch yer mouth, pretty boy."

Emerald eyes flashed silver as Harry smirked, "Watch your own. And I'm not your pretty boy." He revealed his own fangs by curling his lips as a low growl vibrated in his throat.

Remus felt the suppressed waves of rising magic dancing around his Cub. Moony shifted beneath his skin, wanting to fight. Both could defend themselves physically but had an extra advantage with their magic and strength added to their spells more than a physical fight. "What do you want?"

Sinister smirked, acknowledging the feel of his quarrys' power being held in tight control that bore them no effort, as if it was a normal thing. Imagine that power released and contained. "I'd like to extend a hand of welcome to you."

"Don't think so, Bub!" Snikt.

All eyes turned to see a crouching figure with six metal blades extending from his hands, ready for a brawl. "Ah, the X-men."

A redhead woman hovered over her two teammates, "Leave, Sinister."

"Phoenix, my lovely dear. Where are the others? Or are we only granted with your lovely presence, the ruthless Wolverine, and Cajun thief Gambit?" Red eyes peered above them to see two more figures, "Or did you have back up as Archangel and Rogue?"

The smirking male who hadtipped his head at the name Gambit coyly spoke, "Dey comin', M. Jus' parkin' de car." He laughed at his little joke.

"Well, well, if Gumbo didn't get a humorous bone."

"M. Creed, 'ow are ya? Still moi's Chatton wit' de sharp claws? Or did Boss Man finally snip 'em?"

Creed snarled at the smirking male, "I'll show ya fixed, Punk."

Sinister grew tired of the confrontation, "Bring them."

Harry and Remus dove aside when the large blonde tried grabbing them. All he got was a handful of Harry's cloak, tearing it in the process of their dive. Cyclops dropped to the ground from Iceman's handy ice slide, "X-Men, go!" His team dove forward to meet Sinister's team of the ruthless murderers called the Marauders and Sabertooth.

Sinister turned to his employees, "Keep them busy." Then moved to his quarrys' new position.

Harry hissed, barely keeping the pained whimper in his throat. He had landed awkwardly against something that sliced through his shoulder. "Cub?" Remus knelt by his side, seeing the large metal piece. His Guardian carefully grasped the slippery metal before yanking it out. Harry barely kept from howling as he sluggishly forced his healing to work. He didn't think it would, considering the transformation he had underwent. "Healing slow?"

"I'm fine. Just sluggish. No spells until we can decide what we can still perform or at least little ones that require almost no magic."

Sinister's strangely echoing voice startled them, "Such secrets. You hold much for my interests."