"Blake," Harry answered his phone.
"Hey Blake," Conner Fritz greeted. "Are we able to meet?"
Harry frowned.
"Germany or here?" Harry asked as he tapped his pen on the table in his room.
"Germany Ministry," Conner replied. "That Light Wizard you were looking for-"
"You found him?" Harry cut in as he sat up.
"You could say that," Conner mused. "He found us, he wants to meet with you. His name is Wilhelm Shin."
Harry tapped his pen without answering for a minute.
"Blake?" Conner questioned.
"What do you think of him?" Harry questioned.
"He won't talk to us," Conner stated. "But he seems scared of something?"
"Is he at the Ministry?"
"Yes, we have him down in one of the holding rooms."
"I'll get back to you," Harry commented. "Give me an hour or so."
"No problems, Blake." Conner offered. "Good bye."
Harry hung up the phone and moved to his feet. He checked his watch before hooking up his cane and moving up to the second floor. The hallways were quiet while classes were on and Harry enjoyed the slow walk up to Dracka's classroom. He gently eased the door open and slipped in, feeling the wards wash over him.
Dracka glanced up at him from his desk as he over looked a Third year, Gryffindor and Slytherin class. The class were working on identifying different magical sea creatures and Dracka had including some non-magical creatures as well. Harry leaned back against the wall and his eyes were drawn to Callum Genger as he sat quietly in his seat. While a few students were whispering between each other as they worked, Callum was sitting apart. Harry still wasn't sure what kind of roll he would play in the boy's life but from what he'd gotten from the crows, he would have his part to play.
A buzzer suddenly went off on Dracka's desk and the vampire looked up.
"Time's up," Dracka called as he moved to his feet and looked around. "Place your answers on my table before leaving."
The students packed up their desks, placing their papers on the desk as they left in small groups. Some nodded to Harry on the way out and Callum gave him a small smile as he fell into step with another boy.
Dracka gathered up the papers and separated them out into a few piles before moving them to one pile. Harry moved over to the desk before taking a seat on one of the tables. He hung his cane off the side of the table he was sitting on.
"You don't assign homework?" Harry asked.
Dracka snorted, "What would be the point?"
Harry gave him a grin as he looked around the classroom. It was a large room with tables set up in four rows and a small cleared area to his left. It always amused him the way that the Defence classroom was set up differently for every teacher. His focus came back to Dracka as the man moved around the desk before leaning back into it.
"Something I can help you with?" Dracka drawled, his dark eyes focused on him.
"Feel like a trip to Germany?" Harry asked and watched in interest as Dracka tensed.
"Are you mad?" Dracka hissed.
"A little, but that's beside the point." Harry replied with a lopsided grin and Dracka snorted.
"What are you thinking?" Dracka asked.
"Conner called before," Harry explained. "The Light Wizard that we have been looking for turned up on the door step of the German Ministry and requested to see me."
"To see you?" Dracka mused as he rubbed the hair on his chin in thought. "Why you? And why there?"
Harry shrugged and replied, "He isn't talking."
"But he will talk to you?"
"Apparently. Conner said he seemed scared."
"Could Simpson pulling on the dark magic have him running?" Dracka questioned in thought.
"Only one way to find out," Harry pointed out.
"And if this is a trap?"
"He is being held in the holding cells of the Ministry," Harry explained. "If this is a trap then the German Ministry is lost."
Dracka looked him over and Harry stared back as they both thought through their options.
"This could help our plans," Dracka conceded.
"If he's willing to give us information," Harry added. "This could work out very good for us."
"Does that outweigh the risk?" Dracka whispered.
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
xXx
"Dogwood," A gruff voice answered the phone.
"Hey, Boss." Harry greeted with a grin.
"What mess have you gotten in now?" Dylan growled. "Strike team five is the only team that I have spare, Blake. You will just have to deal with the f-"
"Well, it's not about that," Harry cut in. "What would be the chance of offering asylum through the Department for the exchange of information on Simpson?"
Silence greeted Harry and he took delight in rendering the man speechless.
"From which country?" Dylan asked and Harry could tell he was thinking.
"I would think Germany," Harry replied. "I'm sure that I can get Deputy Minster Conner Fritz to sign him over to us."
"Why does he need to come here?"
"I believe he is running from Simpson," Harry expanded with a sigh as he leaned back in his seat. "He's a talented Light Wizard, this could work out very good for us."
"He kicked your ass, didn't he?" Dylan barked.
"Well, I wouldn't go that far." Harry mused and Dylan laughed.
"What time frame?"
"Dracka and I are leaving for Germany tomorrow."
"I'll see what I can do," Dylan replied mildly.
"Thanks, Dylan."
"I will cost you, Blake." Dylan growled and Harry sighed.
"How many days?" Harry asked with a sigh.
"This weekend and the next," Dylan laid out. "We got an influx of 'Lost and founds' come in and I want you to work through them."
"Deal," Harry answered sweetly. "See you on Saturday."
"No, you won't." Dylan barked and hung up.
Harry chuckled; Saturday was the only day you couldn't get a hold of Dylan. If you did call him and it wasn't a life or death situation, your life wouldn't be worth living. Harry had been pushed into calling him before on a Saturday and they had been life threating situations. Even then he'd thought twice before contacting the man.
xXx
Harry lay sprawled out on his lounge with a book in his hands. He didn't get much time to read a fiction book but he was sick of reading reports. He looked over when Severus moved through the door with a scowl on his face and in full professor mode and Harry smirked.
"Second year Gryffindor class?" Harry asked sweetly and that glared turned in his direction.
"That girl!" Severus snapped. "I thought once Longbottom left, I would have a break before the next disaster student came through."
Harry quirked his lips in a smile.
"I heard an interesting rumour from Minerva, who had been talking to Professor Sprout-"
"Shut it!"
"That a certain Gryffindor-"
"One more word!" Severus hissed icily as he stalked towards him and Harry smirked. "And you will regret it."
Harry smiled smugly and opened his mouth.
"Oh, so you have heard the good news," Harry said quickly.
Severus lunged for him and Harry squeaked as his book fell to the floor. Severus quickly grabbed his wrists and pinned him to the lounge as Harry laughed. Severus's lips quirked up in a smile as Harry tried to wiggle loose as Severus saddled his waist, pinning him down.
"Just keeping you informed of the goings on of this school," Harry defended.
"Longbottom coming here to do an apprenticeship in Herbology is news that I could have done without," Severus remarked darkly.
Harry shifted until Severus was resting between his legs as he sprawled out over his chest.
"Well," Harry said smoothly. "You won't like the rest of my news then."
Severus moved until he was sitting between his legs and he looked over to the table but Harry's bag wasn't sitting there. He looked down at Harry and moved his leg to lay over his as Harry laid sprawled out.
"Explain," Severus snapped.
Harry did just that as he placed his arms under his head as Severus rubbed his leg and watched him with dark eyes.
xXx
Harry looked through the one-way glass into the interrogation room as Dracka and Conner stood next to him. The Light Wizard that he'd faced last month sat in the chair, he looked rough and on edge. Harry knew the signs well, something had shaken the man.
"Did you want to stay here?" Harry asked Dracka and he nodded.
Harry moved through the room to the one next door and stepped in. Wilhelm's eyes darted to him and he seemed to sag in his seat. With his slightly Asian features and last name, he was sure that there was an interesting story there. However, it wasn't his personal story that Harry was interested in. He calmly moved forward with his cane and the man's eyes darted to that.
"What can I do for you today, Mr Shin?" Harry asked in German as he took a seat across from the other man.
"I can give you information," Wilhelm offered quickly in German. "If you can get me out."
"Out of what?"
"Germany! Somewhere away from him!" Wilhelm yelled with fear in his voice.
"Why would I do that?" Harry asked calmly.
"Did you see what he did?" Wilhelm gasped with wide eyes.
"Which time?" Harry questioned calmly as he leaned back in his seat. "When he became a Dark Lord or pulled on the dark magic?"
Wilhelm shivered in answer and Harry pulled out a file from his jacket and flicked it open. He placed the first photo on the table and slid it towards Wilhelm then followed it up with more until they covered the table. The other man swallowed as his eyes darted from photo to photo. Harry picked up the signs of stress and anxiety in the man before him. He was on the edge of a break down. Whatever he'd seen it had sent him to the edge.
"This is what Graham Simpson has done," Harry stated calmly.
Wilhelm nodded as his dark eyes looked each photo over before they focused on him.
"He'll do the same to me if he finds me," Wilhelm whispered.
"And why is that?"
Wilhelm swallowed and Harry just let him take in the photos without saying a word. He could wait the man out. Wilhelm slowly looked up at him and locked his eyes with Harry then lowered the barrier around his mind and Harry raised an eyebrow.
"That is a dangerous game to play," Harry remarked. "For a man that tried to kill me."
A hardness came into Wilhelm eyes but he didn't bring up his barriers.
"I give you information," Wilhelm stated. "You protect me from that man."
Harry could pick up the sincerity from his mind and he slowly nodded.
"I think we can work something out," Harry replied and glanced over to the one-way glass. "What do you think, Dracka?"
xXx
Harry looked at Deputy Minster Conner Fritz in amusement as the man picked up the sky blue crystal.
"The timing will have to be perfect for this to work," Harry commented. "We want to slowly close in the net."
Conner looked at him with slightly wide eyes.
"This is a sample of his magic?" Conner uttered.
"Yes," Harry agreed.
"You managed to get a sample of his magic without him knowing?"
"Correct."
"And cage it to a crystal that can be linked in with a ward."
"Yes."
Conner sat back in his seat and looked at Harry before a smile curved up his lips.
"I'm happy that you're on our side," Conner stated and Harry laughed.
"I believe that Headmaster Albus Dumbledore said something very similar," Harry remarked. "Not to mention Dylan Dogwood in the Department of Mysteries and…well a few other people."
Conner barked a laugh before he held the crystal up to the light and looked at the soft glow of the captured magic.
"Just call me when you're ready," Conner stated with steel in his voice. "I'll get everything into place."
Harry grinned, one more piece falling into place. Simpson was going to find his world slowly getting smaller around him.
xXx
Harry sat on the table at the back of his classroom, looking around at the students as they cast the Patronus spell with mixed results. His students were a mix of third through fifth years today. He leaned back on the bench as he kept a careful eye on them. A Hellhound misted through the door and looked around before focusing its eyes on Harry. It pulled itself through the door and shook itself as its form settled back into looking like a large black dog.
A few students looked over as the beast sat down and stared at Harry. Harry stared back as white mists and half formed Patronus floated around the room. More students seem to notice the beast as it sat there staring.
"Um, sir?"
Harry looked up at Lisa Canson of Gryffindor.
"Yes, Ms Canson?" Harry asked, keeping the beast in his sights.
"What are they?" The girl questioned as the rest of the class took notice.
"What?" Harry asked. "The hellhounds?"
"Yes, sir."
Other students looked between Harry and the dog.
"Annoying buggers," Harry replied and the beast growled at him as a couple of students giggled. "They are guardians."
"Of what?" The girl asked.
"The underworld," Harry answered. "They stem from the first beasts to hold the gates of the underworld. They are Professor Dracka's beasts."
"But what are they?" The girl insisted. "They can walk through walls but you can touch them."
"Lesson time?" Harry asked with a grin.
"Yes, sir." A boy from Slytherin piped up.
"Can't Professor Dracka cover this one?" Harry asked, a slight whine in his voice as the beast crouched on the floor and stared at him with red eyes. "Or Care of Magical Creatures class?"
"No, sir." The students piped up.
"Okay," Harry consented as he wiggled further back on the table and placed his back to the wall. "They are half in and half out of the spirit world, similar to crows. Yes, Mr Foulder?"
"Crows sir?" the boy asked.
"Do your teachers teach you anything?" Harry muttered with a sigh as the students giggled. "Ah, don't mention that to Professor McGonagall, she will just take points off me."
The kids smiled at him as they settled on the floor around him.
"Crows can ferry souls to the next world." Harry explained. "Similar to hellhounds they are half in and half out of this world. When a Dark Ritual or someone is killed by magic their soul can be held here on earth. A crow can ferry that soul to the next life, whatever that may be. The hellhounds used to hold the gates of the underworld. Over time they changed as most magic does. Yes, Ms Delcom?"
"Are they dark?" The small girl asked.
"Well," Harry mused in thought, the children always wanted a simple answer for a complex subject. "You could call them that I suppose. They tend to be drawn to dark creatures, like vampires, but are neither dark or light but something in between."
The beast growled.
"And understand every word you say," Harry added. "And can report back to their master…well companion."
Harry amened when the beast snarled at him.
"You said used to?" Ms Delcom asked.
"Yes," Harry agreed. "Belief in something gives it power. Old religions used to believe that they held the gates of the underworld. That gave them power however as those people died out so did their belief systems. Magic will live on and change and you end up with that flea bag."
The beast growled and crawled closer as the students moved out of its way. Harry just raised an eyebrow at it and it paused.
"They don't like me too much," Harry admitted.
"But you and Professor Dracka-" The girl cut off as the boy next to her elbowed her.
"Yes, Ms Welmer?" Harry asked sweetly.
The girl blushed and looked away.
"Well?" Harry barked. "Spit it out."
"Well you and the Professor are close," Welmer hedged, her eyes darting around for help without any luck.
"Yes," Harry stated with a smirk. "We work together."
Harry looked around the classroom but none of the children would meet his eye. He gave them a smirk as a glint came into his eyes. He leaned forward on the table as he looked at each one.
"You think it's more than that?" Harry asked softly. "God, I hope you asked Dracka this question."
Harry grinned in amusement.
"But sir-" Welmer started to say but was elbowed again.
"Since when did my love life become the topic of discussion?" Harry asked. "See, this is what happens when you are happy to answer any question."
The kids giggled around him.
"Any other questions that are not related to my love life?" Harry asked. "Yes, Mr Deffin?"
"That soldier called you a Dark Wizard?" The boy said in a small voice and the room went silent.
"Ah," Harry uttered, stilling. "Yes, yes he did."
"Why?"
Harry sighed and rubbed his face.
"He meant it as a slur," Harry explained. "And yet it is what I am. A wizard that can weld Dark magic. It is a title given to someone, male or female, that has strong dark magic and can use it."
"But sir, you can work with Light magic," Mr Genger pointed out. "Does that make you a Light Wizard?"
"Correct, Mr Genger." Harry replied. "I have a bit of a history with Mr Beldon. He does not like me too much and the feeling is mutual."
"What's the difference between a Dark Wizard and a Dark Lord?" Mr Genger asked.
"Now that, Callum. Is a great question." Harry said with a smile and leaned back on the bench again. "The difference comes down to how you received the power, the levels and what you do with the magic. As you know, a person can have more than a magical core they can have an added pocket of either dark or light magic or in some rare cases both.
"Most of the time when someone uses the term 'Dark Wizard' they are implying that you have killed to get the dark magic and not that you were born with it." Harry told the children. "A Dark Lord is made and not born with a high level of dark power through a Dark Ritual which usually involves…well unspeakable acts. The term Dark Lord is a title given to a person that has killed to gain dark magic, regardless if they are male or female."
The kids looked up at him with large eyes as the hellhound stared at him with red eyes.
"Ah," Harry stuttered, looking around. "I think that will do for today. Please practise your Patronus charm and I'll set another class with it within the next week. Off you lot go."
"Bye, sir."
Harry sat at the table for a few minutes once the kids left thinking about how he got the Hallows. He never killed anyone to get his dark power but a man still had to die even if it wasn't by his hand. It was a power that he wasn't born with. Harry ran a hand over his head as he thought it through.
"Well," Harry said, looking at the hellhound. "What do you want?"
The beast just stared at him and Harry sighed.
"Bloody Dracka."
xXx
Harry rubbed his head as he looked at something. He wasn't sure what that something was just that is had a slight wisp of time magic around it. He put it in the 'Have no idea' pile as he worked through the large boxes in his office. He worked through three more boxes until he pulled out a silver pendant and paused. A smile curled up his face that would have had Severus groaning and muttering about 'Blake watch'.
"Finally," Harry stated as he looked at the pendent and the runes running down the small piece of silver.
"Blake? You in there somewhere?"
Harry looked up from the pendent to see Miller standing in the doorway. The man gave him a rough grin without moving into the room.
"Miller," Harry called over to the man then looked around. "Ah."
Miller quirked a smile and leaned in the doorway. The man wouldn't have been able to enter the room, even if he'd wanted to. Since every space on the long tables running the length of the room and one in the middle was covered in items. What those items were, depended on where Harry had placed them which included the floor for items that had no magical base.
"How did Dylan get you here?" Miller asked mildly.
"We made an exchange."
"Only you," Miller laughed and Harry gave him a grin. "Would make an exchange for work."
"Have you come to give me a hand to haul this stuff?" Harry asked with a smirk.
Miller stepped away from the door before picking up a large plastic container. He let it go to thump to the floor, Harry was aware that it was linked to a skip bin outside of the Ministry. The bin was for muggle or low magical items.
"He hired a big bin this time," Miller remarked with a grin. "From the look of this room I can understand why."
Harry weaved his way through the mess to his desk. He moved a few items around before snagging up a leather cord and placed the pendent on it before moving towards Miller.
"Does he think that I'll throw that much out?" Harry asked as he held out the pendent and Miller took it in his hand. "Can you tie that around my neck?"
Miller quirked an eyebrow.
"And not choke me?" Harry added with a laugh as he turned his back.
Miller placed the cord around his neck and moved it to the way Harry wanted before tying it off. Harry placed his wand to the cord and whispered a spell under his breath and the knot disappeared. Another tap had it disappearing from sight.
"What is that?" Miller asked in interest.
"Something that Dracka will be interested in," Harry replied before picking up the plastic container that was linked to the skip bin that Dylan had hired. "Let's get started then."
xXx
"Well, well. If it isn't the Dark Wizard's pet Death Eater."
Severus turned slowly to the man behind him in the hallway. Michael Beldon stood there with his hand resting on the hilt of his sword on his belt. Severus pulled himself up to his full height and looked down his nose at the other man.
"That's the best you can come up with?" Severus purred and stalked forward, his robes flaring around him and his dark eyes burning. "You think you can come in here and intimidate me into submission?"
Severus stopped in front of the man and sneered down at him darkly. He was a good half a head taller than the other man.
"Has the dog got a bite?" The man snapped, his blue eyes cold.
"This 'dog'," Severus spat. "Has more than a bite."
Severus crossed his arms over his chest and gave him a full glare.
"Ha!" Beldon laughed. "As if your kind could take me! Soft cocks the lot of you!"
"Ah, but you have just called me a Death Eater," Severus sneered. "And you have seen what they are capable of."
Beldon's eyes widened slightly and his hand clenched around his sword. Severus was sure that Beldon wasn't expecting him to confirm being a Death Eater.
"I wouldn't lose any more sleep over more blood on my hands," Severus hissed. "Would you like to test your theory, Mr Beldon?"
The man smirked.
"Is Sun such a good lay then?" Beldon sneered. "Just another Master to kneel in front of?"
Severus's gave the man a dark smile as he glared down at him. Severus could see the tension in the other man as he stood there and the silence in the hallway.
"Why would you think he is my master?" Severus questioned darkly with a glint in his eyes.
He felt a sick sense of satisfaction when the man shivered at the words and a twisted sneer curved up his lips.
"That soft ass Sun wouldn't-"
"You think he controls me?" Severus cut in coldly. "He doesn't need to know where the bodies are buried."
"You wouldn't," Beldon uttered, his blue eyes narrowed. "You poofs don't have it in you! The whole lot of you are against nature!"
"And yet," Severus replied smoothly. "Here we are and I would hate to fall back on bad habits."
The man paled and Severus could see the rage in his eyes. Severus let his eyes settle on him as he looked down his nose. He pushed against the man's barriers around his mind slightly.
"Just push me, Beldon." Severus hissed. "And you will see how much of a Death Eater I am."
The man reeled back.
"Bah!" Beldon barked and turned on his heels and stalked away.
Severus stood there watching him with dark eyes and a feeling of satisfaction. Blake came down the hall from the way Beldon had gone with an odd look on his face then stilled when he saw him.
"So, um." Blake stuttered and looked over his shoulder before turning back to him. "Anything I should know about?"
Severus gave him a dark grin, making the other man pause.
"Right," Blake said slowly. "I know that look and that's why I'm going to turn and walk the other way."
Blake turned on his heels and walked away with a wave over his shoulder. Severus just barked a laugh and headed towards his classroom.
xXx
"Blake!"
Harry started awake and looked up at Dracka kneeling before him, next to the bed. He glanced over at Severus but the man was still sleeping, curled up away from him. Dracka silently moved out of the room and Harry carefully wiggled out of the bed and dressed quietly.
"What is it?" Harry asked the vampire.
"The hellhounds found someone trying to get into the school." Dracka reported, quickly moving towards the door. "They have him contained."
Harry grabbed up his cane and followed the vampire out of the castle and across the grounds. Dracka led him into the forbidden forest as Harry pulled on his jacket, wide-awake. He could see the man on the ground on his knees with four hellhounds growling at him as they came to a small clearing. He looked up at Harry and Dracka with wide brown eyes and long dirty blonde hair.
"Help!" The man cried and one of the hounds lunged at him.
He yelped and crawled backwards on his bum and hands. Dracka moved forward and grabbed the man's arm and pulled him to his feet. He gave him a shove towards Harry. The man stumbled and fell to his knees in front of Harry.
"Please," The man sobbed as Dracka stood behind him.
Harry crouched down in front of the man and his wide brown eyes look at him. The man was a muggle with no magical core as he sobbed on his knees. He was dressed in simple dark jeans and a dark grey shirt with a long black jacket over the top.
"What is your name?" Harry questioned softly.
"Please," The man sobbed. "They are going to kill me!"
"Your name," Harry barked.
"Neal!" The man cried, looking at Harry in fear.
"Why are you here?" Harry questioned calmly.
"I don't know!" The man gasped in panic. "I just don't know! What are those things!"
"Who do you work for?" Harry questioned.
"Alan Selmac, I work in a café in London!"
"That's a long way from where you are now," Harry remarked, casually.
"I don't know how I got here!"
"Who do you work for?"
"I told you! Please," Neal cried as he moved forward on his knees. "I was working and then I was here and those things. Please!"
"See that man behind you?" Harry whispered.
Neal's eyes flickered over to Dracka then turned back to Harry and nodded his head quickly. His blonde hair falling around his face and his wide eyes were filled with fear.
"He is a vampire," Harry stated calmly. "And if you don't give me the information I want. He is going to kill you."
"No, no, no, please!" Neal cried and crawled towards him. "I don't know anything! Please!"
Harry's hand lashed out and grabbed his shirt and pulled him close until they were nose to nose.
"You will tell me," Harry hissed. "Who do you work for?"
The man shook in his hands and Harry could smell his sweat as the man looked up with wide brown eyes. Harry calmly locked his eyes with the man and drove into his memories and the man went limp, his eyes locked with Harry's.
He saw snippets of the man's life as he tried to sort through what he was seeing and called out the name Graham Simpson in the man's mind. An image of the man swum into view, the man was giving him money and a gun and he was tucking it away in his belt. Another man was holding his arm and shoving him towards the ruins of a castle. The man was pushing him and he was walking then there were red eyes around him in the dark.
Harry whispered the name Graham Simpson again and the image came up in the man's mind again. Harry froze the memory and looked around the bare room as Simpson stood in a fancy suit, holding out an envelope with money in it and a picture. Harry played the memory forward as he reached into the envelope and pulled out a photo of Ry.
Harry jolted and slipped out of the man's memory. Neal reached for his gun but Harry was quicker. He grabbed the gun and smashed it into the side of the man's head. The man fell to the side, sobbing on the ground and holding his head as blood dribbled over his fingers.
"Send your hellhounds to Ry now," Harry snapped at Dracka and the man's eyes widened.
The beasts beside them suddenly lunged forward towards the castle. Harry stood up and ejected the magazine and pulled back the slider. He placed the gun and magazine into his pocket.
"He's all yours," Harry ordered coldly. "Strip his pockets, I'll meet you in my rooms."
Dracka grinned, showing fangs and red eyes as Harry turned and walked away.
"Please!" The man yelled after him.
Harry ignored him and kept walking, only coldness in his eyes.
xXx
Ry started awake in his bed when he felt eyes on him. He looked up to see four hellhounds staring at him. He yelled out and scrambled across the bed and landed on the other side, in a tangle of blankets. One of the hellhounds placed its feet on the bed and looked down at him with its head cocked to the side.
"Are you alright, mate?" Ron asked, looking over at him.
"What are they doing?" Ry yelped as he untangled himself and stood.
"No idea," Ron replied as other Aurors woke up around them at the noise.
The beast just stood there, looking at him and he shivered.
"I sent them."
Ry looked up to see his father standing in the doorway. He cringed away from the cold look in his father's eyes.
"What is this about, Mr Sun?" Commander Filter asked as he stepped forward.
His father turned that cold look on the solid man and whispered something to him. The man nodded and his father turned back to him.
"Come with me, Ry." Blake ordered gently.
The cold look in his father's eyes had Ry moving forward without question. The hellhounds suddenly tilted their heads as one as if listening to something before dashing out of the room passing through the wall. Ry looked after them as his father turned and walked out of the room.
"Good luck, mate." Ron called after him as he fell into step with his father.
He didn't ask his father what this was about, he would tell him when he was ready. They moved down to Blake's rooms and his father held the door open for him and he went inside.
"Take a seat at the table," His father ordered, an edge to his voice. "I'll just wake Severus."
Ry sat in the seat nervously, he could hear voices from the bedroom before his father stepped back out and moved towards the table. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a gun and placed it on to the table with a magazine and a single bullet. Ry's eyes widened and he looked up at his father, but he couldn't read anything in his expression. That sent a chill down his spine. He didn't fear his father but he also knew what he was capable of.
"We are just waiting on Dracka," His father offered and clapped a hand to Ry's shoulder. "Then I will explain."
Ry nodded as Severus entered the room, the man's eyes locked on the gun on the table and he stopped. Ry and Severus locked eyes briefly and the man gave him a small smile, making him feel a little better.
"I'll make coffee," Snape suggested as he moved over to the kitchen. "Do you want coffee or something else, Ry?"
"Pumpkin juice please." Ry choked out, his eyes settling on the gun again.
Blake sat down next to him with a distant look in his eyes as Severus made the coffee. He moved over with three mugs and Ry's juice. He placed the drinks down before taking a seat next to Ry.
They looked up when Dracka came through the door with a big grin and something in his hands. He placed a white envelope, a wallet and a few other bits and pieces, mostly muggle coins next to the gun on the table. Blake picked up the wallet and looked through it before placing it back on to the table. He pushed the envelope towards Ry before picking up his coffee.
Ry reached forward with a shaking hand and picked it up. He looked inside to see a thick packet of muggle cash and a photo. He slipped the photo out to see himself grinning up at him, it looked like it had been cut out of a paper. He frowned in confusion.
"We stopped an attempt on your life," His father stated softly.
Ry's head shot up as he looked at his father with wide eyes and Blake gently laid a hand on his shoulder.
"We stopped him just over the wards of the castle," Blake explained, his eyes still cold and Ry could now understand why.
"Why would they be after me?" Ry uttered then looked at Snape when he snorted.
"You are Blake's son," Severus stated.
"At least it's not because I'm Harry Potter this time," Ry remarked with a crooked smile.
His father groaned and leaned back in his seat and rubbed his face. Ry gave him a grin and placed the envelope on the table and hesitated before picking up the gun.
"Do you know how to use that?" Blake asked.
"No," Ry replied.
"Then I think lessons are in order," Blake said blandly and this time Severus groaned as Dracka barked a laugh.
"Really?" Ry asked, looking up at his father.
Blake gave him a lopsided grin.
"Never know when it will come in handy," Blake replied with a wink. "Dracka will have a hellhound follow you for a while, just in case. I'll organize with your Commander for training."
"Okay Dad," Ry said softly and placed the gun back on the table.
"Interested Severus?" Blake asked, turning his eyes on the other man.
Severus gave a sharp nod.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Ry." Blake told him before turning to the vampire. "Dracka can you have a hellhound watch him."
"Not in the bathroom," Ry squeaked and Dracka leered over at him and he blushed.
"Not in the bathroom," Blake repeated with a smirk.
Ry gave him a grin which faded when he looked at the table and he shivered. His father laid a hand on his shoulder.
"Off you go."
xXx
Harry watched as his son left the room with a hellhound on his heels and he looked back down at the table and picked up the photo.
"Was everything taken care of Dracka?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Dracka replied with a leer.
The man that would have been his son's killer would never be found, just another missing person. Harry tapped the photo on the table as he looked at the gun.
"He must have had someone look at the wards of the castle," Harry commented into the silence. "He would have seen that we didn't close the loop hole, so he took a chance."
"We still haven't had any reports of him resurfacing and he hadn't been spotted at any of the safe houses from the information Wilhelm gave us," Dracka reported as he picked up the gun. "This looks new."
"He would have had trouble getting that here," Harry remarked. "I'll pass it on to Robbie and see if he can track it."
"What would he gain with having Potter killed?" Severus inquired with a frown.
Harry tapped the photo in thought.
"Maybe it would have been used to draw me out, to act without thinking, if Ry was killed. He handed the man the money and gun himself," Harry reported. "I looked at the man's memories but couldn't see anything about where it was."
"Is that odd?" Severus asked. "That he did that in person?"
Harry paused and picked up the wallet and looked at the man's id. His address was listed as from Luton just outside of London.
"Ah, yes." Harry agreed. "He may be here in England."
Severus and Dracka paled at his words.
xXx
Harry tapped his pen on his dining table looking at all the reports scattered across the tabletop. None of them told him what he wanted to know and he was frustrated. There was nothing to say that Simpson was here in the UK, just a hunch.
He was hoping to find something, anything at all that would confirm it, but every report still had Simpson in Germany. Harry was starting to doubt his theory as time went on. He leaned back in his chair and just looked at the reports. Trying to get his thoughts in order as he fiddled with the hidden pendent around his neck. This is where Severus found him two hours later.
"Have you been here all day?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Ah, yeah." Harry replied. "The reports are being stubborn and not giving me what I want."
Severus snorted.
"You can't glare them into submission?" Severus asked silkily.
"Maybe you would have better luck," Harry offered and gave the man a grin. "Your glares work better with the students."
"Where is this wedding being held?" Severus questioned, instead.
"The Burrow," Harry replied. "I did offer to Bill that I could hire a hall for them but he wanted it at the Burrow. You do know that the Delcour family will be there?"
"Well yes," Severus stated, looking confused.
"Half the family are veelas," Harry reminded him calmly.
Severus paled.
"The veela bitch?" Severus asked.
"Her name is Bella and no," Harry replied with a smirk. "Different family, I just thought I would remind you."
"Is Dracka coming?" Severus asked.
"No," Harry remarked. "I thought it would be safer without him."
Severus grinned and nodded.
"Ry will be coming and Ron of course." Harry continued. "I think it will be a big event. I've asked Strike team three to support the Aurors."
"You don't think there will be an attack?" Severus asked with a frown.
Harry went silent as he remembered the wedding that he had attended in his time but that had been when Voldemort was still alive.
"Blake?"
Harry looked up at Severus.
"We'll be ready just in case," Harry answered carefully.
xXx
Harry leaned back in his chair at his table in his rooms. He was sick of dealing with people as he got everything into place. He ran a hand over his head as Dracka came in and dropped into the seat across from him. Harry glanced over and could see the same wariness in the vampire as he felt himself.
"Everything in place?" Harry asked.
"Yes, finally." Dracka replied. "I have my second taking command to leave us free for the wedding."
Harry nodded and tapped the pen on the table.
"Sergeant Miller has been informed and is leading the security." Harry stated calmly and flicked a file at Dracka. "The wedding is in the afternoon and the reception should be well on its way by nightfall. If he is going to do anything it will be later in the night."
"When many people will be too drunk to stand," Dracka agreed with a grin.
"Ron and Ry have been given the night and day off for the wedding," Harry said with a grin. "Plus, Hermione and a few of Ry's friends will be there as well."
Harry tapped his pen for a while as he thought through his plans. He ran them over in his head, to make sure he had covered everything he could. He did not want something to go wrong at the wedding, not only his friends would be there but his family as well.
"Bill and I have already placed the wards," Harry added. "They will hold against magic as well as any muggle device."
Tap, tap, tap.
"I've tied the wards to Bill," Harry continued. "He will be alerted if something happens."
Tap, tap, tap.
"I have everything in place," Harry stated again, his mind somewhere else. "I think I have covered everything."
Tap, tap, ta-.
"Blake!" Dracka snapped.
Harry startled and looked at the vampire, glaring at the pen with red eyes.
"Ah, sorry," Harry laughed and placed the pen on the table out of his reach.
"It will be fine," Dracka told him with a smile. "We have covered everything, just enjoy the wedding and don't drink too much."
Harry gave a laugh as he looked at the vampire in amusement.
xXx
Harry smiled at the woman in front of him and for the life of him couldn't remember her name. He was sure that she was a friend of a friend of Bill's but wasn't completely sure. She had introduced herself but that was some time ago as Harry sipped on his beer and looked around the gathering. He shifted uncomfortably in his formal robes and remembered Severus's laughter floating back to him as he smiled at the woman in front of him.
"…So, we have been working on cross breeding them," The woman was saying, her brown eyes bright as she spoke. "We have been getting some great results."
"That's great news," Harry muttered and took another sip of beer.
She was talking about some kind of flower or something along those lines. He had given up listening a long time ago. The wedding had gone off without a hitch and it was well into the night by now as the soft music sent more people to the bar or dance floor.
"We may even beat that snob Alice Hotson next year," The woman said and gave him a huge smile.
Harry gave her one back, she was a beautiful woman with long flowing black hair and dancing brown eyes in her early thirties. She was also so drunk that Harry was surprised the woman was still on her feet and able to string a sentence together.
"It sounds like you're doing very well in your work then," Harry added with a grin as he adjusted his collar, bloody robes.
The woman laughed and leaned close, her dress slightly slipping down her shoulder and exposing more of her breasts. Harry politely gave them a glance before focusing on the woman's face.
"I would be happy to show you," The woman purred, looking up at him.
"Thank you for your invitation," Harry replied. "But work at the school does keep me busy."
"Oh," The woman cried, standing up straighter. "Of course! You work at Hogwarts."
The woman beaned at him and started to talk about her sister's children. Harry nodded along as his eyes casually glanced around the room. Severus was on the other side of the room talking with a group of men and as he caught his eye. The man gave him a smirk.
'Help me,' Harry mouthed, but the man just smirked wider and turned to the man next to him.
'Traitor,' Harry thought as his eyes kept looking around.
Sergeant Miller and his team were spread out in the room and he met the man's eye briefly. The man gave him a nod as then looked over the rest of the room.
"How is it working with the older children?"
Harry turned back to the woman in front of him at the question.
"About the same as the younger ones," Harry replied and snagged another beer as the waitress went by. "I only teach advanced students."
"Oh," The woman said. "So, you're not a Professor?"
"God, no." Harry replied with a grin and a wink.
The woman grinned up at him at the wink, her brown eyes soft.
"Oh, the kids must love you," The woman cried as she stumbled slightly.
"That would be going a little far," Harry remarked with a laugh and guided the woman to a seat.
"Oh," The woman stuttered as she sat down and looked up at him. "But those green eyes of yours must win you some admires."
Harry laughed in amusement then froze as something brushed over him.
"Excuse me," Harry muttered as he placed his beer on the table. "It looks like Bill's trying to get my attention."
The woman looked over her shoulder and when she turned back with a frown, Harry was gone.
Harry slipped through the crowd as he felt that darkness touch on him again and got a faint image of a white flag. He caught Miller's eye and flicked his eye to Severus.
'Hold him,' Harry signed. 'Simpson. Be ready.'
The man nodded and moved towards Severus as Harry adjusted his robes. He slipped outside the very large tent and into the night. He slipped his phone out of his pocket and dialled Dracka number.
"He's here," Harry whispered into the phone when the man picked up. "Be ready."
He hung up the phone before the vampire could say anything and followed the dark signal into the wheat fields around the Burrow. He followed a small path as he slipped the ring that Severus had given him from his finger and into his pocket. He softly cut the connection to Ry's bracelet and Severus. He didn't want anything that Simpson could use against him.
He stopped as he reached the edge of the wards that Bill and himself had placed. The music behind him floating softly on the air. There was a small clearing in front of him and he could see a man on the other side in a smart suit waiting for him.
Harry took one step over the wards and activated them behind him, then stood there waiting. The man came closer but stopped well back. Harry met the man's cold brown eyes evenly.
"Mr Blake Sun," The man called. "Do you know me?"
"Yes," Harry answered.
The man's smile widened and he added, "Do you know me from before?"
"Yes," Harry repeated as he stood calmly.
The man laughed. "Then you know what I will become!"
"A corpse with a knife through his chest on a warehouse floor," Harry replied coldly.
The man paused as he could hear the truth in Harry's words.
"Well," Simpson remarked. "It looks like I am destined for better things this time, Mr Sun."
"No," Harry countered coldly. "I'm sure it will end the same way, just the location might be different."
The man laughed and brushed his dark magic over Harry and the Hallows flared up as Harry gritted his teeth.
"Such dark magic in you," Simpson said calmly. "How have you not come to our side of thinking?"
"I do not kill for pleasure, Simpson." Harry hissed.
He slowly worked his magic down into the earth at his feet as he spoke. Creating a blanket of dark magic then he very slowly and carefully wove thin strands of light magic through it. His hand shook slightly at the effort it took without holding a wand and he curled his hand into a fist to cover that up.
Simpson laughed and stepped forward.
"I've read some of your files, Mr Sun." Simpson purred. "I have also seen how blood thirsty you can be. Not to mention that fact that I have seen the memories of you covered in the blood of my giants."
"They do tend to bleed everywhere, don't they?" Harry drawled in agreement. "I suppose that's the problem with giants, due to their size, they have a lot of blood to bleed."
The man looked taken aback by Harry's words and Harry got the feeling that he wasn't living up to the man's expectations.
"You are not what I was expecting, Mr Sun." Simpson called, confirming Harry's thoughts.
"Were you expecting a child, Simpson?" Harry asked quietly. "I am not one."
The man laughed and took another step closer.
"No, no. I suppose you are not." Simpson agreed and looked him over. "Is it confusing having two sets of memories? To see yourself in your son?"
Harry cocked his head to the side.
"Now they are interesting questions," Harry remarked mildly. "Where would this theory be coming from?"
The man just grinned and the dark magic around him increased. Harry could feel the dark thoughts in the back of his mind pushing at him. Whispering his doubts and fears bringing them to the surface of his mind but he casually pushed them to the side. He had yet to face a Dark Lord that didn't use that trick.
"You hold the Deathly Hallows," Simpson stated instead and the night seemed to ring with the words.
Simpson then slipped a very familiar dark wand from his pocket and held it up for Harry to see with a grin. Harry took a step forward instinctively as Simpson held up his own wand.
"It seems that I have something of yours," Simpson commented as he held the wand at his side.
"Yes," Harry agreed as he looked up at the man, his eyes a little wider. "So how does that relate to a children's story?"
"Avada Kedavra," The man hissed.
The spell shot from the dark wand straight at Harry, who didn't even flinch or move. Halfway to Harry it just puffed into green mist that floated away on the breeze. Simpson's laughter ran out as Harry tensed.
"So, it's true!" Simpson exclaimed. "Immortal life!"
Harry didn't say anything as he continued to work on his spell and waited. He looked to the side as something started to move in the wheat fields.
"Well then, Mr Sun." Simpson called with a grin. "If I can't kill you…"
Two men dragged a third into the clearing. He was badly beaten and Harry could tell he had a broken leg as blood dripped onto the ground from a large gash on the side of his forehead. Dracka looked up at him with large dark eyes. Harry's eyes hardened, but he did not move from where he stood as he locked eyes with the vampire. They both knew what was coming.
"I believe you know each other?" Simpson mentioned with a smile and pointed the dark wand at the vampire. "I believe he is your second in command."
Harry snorted.
"I am a teacher," Harry scoffed. "Not a Commander."
Simpson laughed as dark magic spun around them. Dracka shivered and dropped his head as he was held between the two men.
"Come now, Mr Sun." Simpson purred, and Harry felt a shiver go down his own back at the remembered words from so long ago, even if the name was different. "We all know that is a lie. Now tell me about the Deathly Hallows?"
"They are a children's story," Harry answered silkily. "About three brothers."
One of the men holding Dracka smashed his fist into the vampire's stomach. Dracka grunted in pain and Harry gritted his teeth as his eyes hardened.
"Let's start again," Simpson said calmly. "I hold the elder wand, where are the other two pieces?"
Harry's eyes flashed but he kept a hold on his temper and tried to tuned out Dracka's painful breaths.
"Lost," Harry replied. "They are gone."
The man cocked his head to the side as he looked at him with cold brown eyes.
"You are telling the truth," Simpson stated as he stepped forward. "Then how are you still alive?"
"Good luck," Harry replied and pushed down on his memories as the other man's dark magic swirled around him.
"I do not believe that," Simpson snapped.
One of the men held Dracka up as the other punched into his stomach. Harry flinched slightly at the noise the vampire made.
"I do not believe that for a second!" The man hissed.
Harry's eyes flashed as he flared his magic. Simpson waved his hand and the man stopped hitting Dracka. The vampire hung limply, his harsh breathing loud in the clearing.
"There it is," Simpson cooed as Harry's eyes glowed. "Is your life worth more than your lover's?"
Fear spiked through Harry before he realised he was referring to Dracka.
"Could you live with yourself, knowing it was your own wand that ends his life?" Simpson asked, as he stepped closer to Dracka and brought the wand up. "Tell me how to hold the power of the Deathly Hallows!"
Harry bared his teeth at the man, his eyes burning. The magic in him swirled and pushed back against Simpson's dark magic but he didn't have as much dark magic as the other man. He knew that Simpson's magic could crush him. He wasn't sure that he could deal with being tortured by the other man again if this went the wrong way.
"No," Harry hissed.
"You will not tell me?" Simpson asked him casually. "You would let him die? By your own wand?"
"Blake," Dracka whispered hoarsely as he looked up at him with one of his eyes already swollen shut.
Harry curled his hands into fists and held his ground. His stomach churning at the plead in Dracka's voice.
"I will not tell you!" Harry replied, his words cracking out like a whip on the air.
"So be it," Simpson stated and smiled. "Avada Kedavra."
"No!" Harry yelled.
The green light consumed Dracka and the man went limp. The men holding him up, just let him drop to the ground in a heap. Harry couldn't look away as he fell to his knees, staring at his friend's limp body in horror as Simpson's laughter rolled over him. He didn't fight as the two men grabbed his arms and pulled him to his feet.
Simpson moved forward until he stood in front of him, Harry's dark wand in his fingers. The smile the man gave him, chilled Harry to the bone. Pulling up memories of a different time and life.
"How many more have to die, Mr Sun?" Simpson asked lightly. "Until I get what I want."
Harry looked up at him and smiled coldly.
Simpson took a step back, uncertain.
"The thing about people, Mr Simpson." Harry whispered. "Is that when you take something away from them, you don't make them weaker…it makes them stronger."
Simpson stumbled back and Harry sprung his trap. The magic that he had been slowly weaving, sprung from the ground and covered the other man, like a blanket. The magic pulled him down to the ground and he yelled out. Harry pulled away from the grip of the two men and called his sword into his hand. He rammed the sword into the man on the right before he spun and stabbed through the one on his left. Within seconds improving his odds.
He poured his magic into his spell, his light and dark mixing together over Simpson as the man screamed. He could feel Simpson's dark magic fighting back and he pushed more light magic into the spell trying to hold him down. He staggered forward as dark magic swirled around him, bitting at his mind and he tried to hold the magic in place.
Simpson screamed and fought against the magic in the net spell. Harry gasped and fell to one knee, as the pressure pushed against his spell. He realised he wasn't going to be able to hold it and he couldn't bring up a shield. He poured more magic into the net spell but it wasn't enough and with an explosion it shattered.
Harry was flung into the air and his back collided with the wards behind him painfully as his head rang and his vision blurred. He groaned and looked up to see his own dark wand pointed at him. Simpson looked a mess; his suit was torn and blood ran from cuts all over him.
His brown eyes were cold as they looked down at him and Harry, for just a second, felt like he was back in that room. That his back was on fire as the Hallows burned in his veins and he froze. His thought blanking out for just a moment.
"Nice trick," Simpson panted. "But not good enough! Curcio!"
Harry just smiled up at him as the spell failed and he called the elder wand back into his hand. Simpson stumbled back as the wand disappeared from his fingers. Harry stood and staggered forward, his wand held in his hand as he gave the man a cold smile.
"Shall we try that again?" Harry asked softly as he held the wand up, his eyes flashing.
Simpson's eyes darted around and Harry could see fear in him for the first time. The man had realised that he wasn't dealing with a normal man as Harry looked at him with glowing green eyes. The man quickly scrambled back and fumbled with something in his pocket then disappeared as he activated a portkey.
Harry slipped his wand into his pocket and stumbled over to Dracka, his head ringing. He fell to his knees beside him and slipped a knife out of his pocket. He cut a shallow cut on his wrist as he turned the man over. He held his wrist out in front of Dracka.
He hissed a breath when the vampire grabbed his wrist and bit down deeply. He stretched his legs out as he rested against Dracka's back as the man fed and that was how Severus found them.
"Blake!"
Harry looked up with tired eyes to see Severus with Miller's team at the edge of the wards. Harry waved his hand and dropped them. Severus ran straight at him then stumbled to a stop when he saw Dracka and what Harry was doing.
"Check the area," Harry ordered Miller and his team. "I don't think there is anyone around but check anyway."
The man nodded and barked his orders leaving the three men alone.
"Blake?" Severus asked softly.
Harry hissed as Dracka bit deeper.
"Oi," Harry snapped at him and Dracka eased up.
Harry could feel his head getting lighter from blood loss as he looked up at Severus.
"I'm going to pass out soon," Harry told him and Severus paled. "Use the portkey in my pocket to get us home, okay?"
Severus nodded as Harry's world started to tunnel in from both blood loss and working too much magic. Severus's face was the last thing he saw as the darkness closed in completely.