AN: I am not changing anything plotwise in this version of the story but I will be adding to what is already there. This was the first story I posted on FFN and I learned a lot while writing it. That being said, the first version of this story is not as detailed as I would like it to be so I figured that I would go back through it and add a bit more.
Master of death, the-chosen-one, man-who-slain, the boy-who-lived, freak, boy, and Harry were all names he was known by, all titles and names he had placed upon him by others.
None of those names mattered anymore, Harry Potter was dead at least to the wider wizarding world.
Harry Potter died a month after the fall of Voldemort or it appeared he did anyway...
The truth of the matter is the D.o.M faked his death after they kidnapped him from the Lestrange manor raid in nineteen ninety-nine and left a polyjuiced corpse in his stead.
The following years since then had seen him going through the most rigorous training in all fields of combat. Magical combat, Muggle hand-to-hand combat, edged weapons, small arms, stealth, interrogation, mind arts, and spells so complex and horrible they gave Harry nightmares after learning them (practising on muggle cadavers probably didn't help either).
They pushed him to his breaking point and over again, then built him into the heartless bastard he was now. Three years after being Conscripted (for that's exactly what happened) he was assigned to a covert team that to the rest of the world, did not exist.
The thoughts of his old life still plagued his mind, he had left all of his old friends, his godson, and the wizarding world believing he had been killed.
Ginny had moved on and found someone else, he read not long ago about her wedding to Blaise Zabini of all people in the 'Daily Prophet'. Harry was happy for her and hoped she had a good life with her new husband.
Ron had been drummed out of the auror corp for abuse of power, and stealing money from the people he arrested, along with various other ethical infractions. Looking back Harry couldn't really say he was surprised, Ron had always been like that even as a prefect at Hogwarts.
Hermione moved to Australia to be closer to her parents even if they had no idea who she was, he hadn't received any news about her since he joined the unspeakables but he suspected she was working in the Australian ministry.
The thoughts that plagued him most weren't about people though, he wondered if he would ever have a peaceful life.
He really did not wish to be a part of this endless war anymore, but he couldn't quit. In his heart, he knew that there was still so much to do, that if he quit now he would regret it down the road.
One dark lord had fallen by his hand but now there was a new one starting up...
'The Serpents Vengeance was a new radical group led by the ever-elusive Augustus Rookwood. He had lured a collection of young purebloods just out of Hogwarts, to reignite the fire that Harry had hoped had been extinguished when he had slain Tom Riddle years ago.
The ex-unspeakable knew how to operate in secrecy, both of his past employers had trained him to work from the shadows.
He was once an unspeakable in the Chrono division and knew how the D.o.M operated. Rookwood had set up his own information network inside the ministry before he was caught. The sad thing was the only reason he was caught was Igor Karkoroff ratting him out to save his own ass.
He was also one of Voldemort's intelligence officers and knew how to conduct and organize large numbers of people. Voldemort had him doing research projects more than actual fieldwork during the war, but the last two years had proven that he picked up a thing or two.
Rookwood knew how to manufacture time sand which according to the interrogation of Astoria Greengrass was crucial to the group's primary goal.
Everyone was surprised when they discovered Rookwood's goal, he wanted to travel back to the past and help the Dark Lord win the first blood war.
It was beyond ambitious and according to the Frog, nearly impossible. There were so many variables to consider it would be foolish to attempt it, the chance that Rookwood could succeed was slim to none.
Still, no matter how slim the chances were that he would be successful, Spectre VII was not taking the chance.
This group had become a real threat over the past two years, using death eater tactics to terrorize the country. They needed to be stopped regardless of their goals.
Ironically it was Harry's death that set this group into motion, emboldened by the chosen one's death, they moved from the shadows into the open. They started by attacking and killing many of the war heroes who opposed the Death Eaters only a few years earlier.
The public was terrified, there was no chosen one to save them anymore. The ministry was still recovering from the war and they had less than a dozen veteran Aurors left. There had only been one class that completed the Auror academy since the war ended and they were still green.
The Aurors were getting nowhere in catching the Serpents, the public was in an uproar so the minister had made the call, Spectre VII had just received the orders to take the group down.
They had some success taking down a small team yesterday morning, killing six of the fuckers and capturing Astoria Greengrass in the process.
They now had a location, they were moving out tonight the 'Serpents Vengeance' would fall but not by the chosen one.
That name meant nothing to Harry James Potter, nor did all the other hyphenated garbage the public had called him through the years, he had hated the unspeakables in the beginning but had come to love the name they had given him.
The only name that mattered to Harry James Potter anymore, was his codename, Reaper.
Nott Manor, Nottingham, England, 6/21/2004, 21:35
The coms hissed in his ear with reports from the other teams talking back and forth as he appeared with a barely audible 'pop.' Reaper took in his surroundings, the smell of summer air and the chirping of insects assaulting his senses.
"Sit-rep team, Alpha", Came the voice of Team Charlie's leader in his earpiece.
Harry was for the most part still getting his bearings having landed here less than thirty seconds ago in this small forest clearing. He had arrived less than three hundred meters from the ward line, just as his other team members had at strategic points around the property.
"I'm in position, advancing now," Harry spoke into his com answering the question just asked by his counterpart on team Charlie, as he crept towards his assigned position.
"Advancing to position, all clear." he heard Banshee call over the coms, followed almost immediately by Viper confirming he was heading into position as well.
'Good,' Harry thought to himself, glad that his team members were all accounted for. He walked a few more minutes before he neared the edge of the forest, getting his first glimpses of tonight's target.
He could see the large manor house and a quidditch pitch to the far right of the manor.
The manor stood very tall with a steep-pitch slate roof, Harry would admit that it was truly an impressive, if not somewhat imposing structure. The walls were a dark faded brownstone with stone ledges between every window, there were statues of all manner of Gargoyles perched on said ledges, looking out towards the grounds with unseeing stone eyes.
Harry counted four rows of Statues one for each floor confirming their intel that the manner had four floors.
'I'll bet anything those statues are a defence, Make sure the Ward Breaker doesn't set the fuckers off, " Harry said, sending the command through his com.
"Roger that Reaper, they have already disabled the Trigger on the transfiguration wards. We're clear to move as soon as we get the signal from HQ," Viper's voice hissed through Harry's earpiece.
"Roger that, I'm at the ward line Now, holding position," Harry confirmed.
Reaching into his pocket he withdrew his Comet 260 and resized it, it may be slow but all he needed was to fly up to the second-floor window. He chuckled to himself at the thought of flying a training broom into a Terrorist stronghold.
"Greenlight all teams move out!" A voice hissed in his earpiece.
Harry took a calming breath before pulling his hood over his head and mounting his broom.
His team was designated Team Alpha for this mission and was instructed to split up over the top three floors They were to advance toward the main level, clearing any opposition in route, and then back up teams Charlie and Delta if necessary on the first floor.
Viper was to take the third floor, Banshee had been assigned the fourth floor (Which had a low probability of occupants) and Harry's task was to clear the second floor.
Team Charlie and Delta were going to hit the main floor, where they were almost certain to meet resistance.
Harry glided to his entry point, a window in between two of the horned hideous-looking Gargoyle's set into the wall, they were only statues thankfully.
Scanning the window for any wards from astride his broom, Harry got the reading he hoped for. Only alert charms were in place, which were very easy to disarm. In less than thirty seconds, Harry was standing inside a dusty guest bedroom.
"Reaper in," he whispered into his com.
Harry then cast a silent 'Homenum Revelio', he picked up a single presence on this floor before making his way out of the bedroom and into the hallway.
"Banshee in, all clear on the four moving to Viper"
"Viper in, Clear on three, meet at landing two," Viper called less than a minute later.
"Reaper in, confirm one contact on two, moving to east side Parlor, meet at landing two," Harry whispered into the mouthpiece as he stepped out into the dimly lit hallway.
Harry pulled on his invisibility cloak and cast a silencing charm over his boots completely concealing his presence.
Harry quickly made his way towards the eastside parlour, Luckily, it wasn't very far from where he had made entry and was on the way to the rendezvous point with his teammates.
He walked for about five minutes before he reached the open door where the only occupant on this floor was located.
Harry moved very slowly, stalking into the room, even with his cloak on, he didn't want to rush this and give away his position.
Harry spotted his target, she was sitting in a chair in front of the fireplace to the right of the door, and he recognized her instantly.
Black hair, dark brown eyes, and a puglike face, there was only one female who fit that description, Pansy Parkinson. On closer inspection Harry saw that she was reading a book, and was completely absorbed in what she was reading, she was frowning thoughtfully as her eyes danced over the pages. She never heard Harry coming up behind her, nor the sound of him unsheathing the goblin-made dagger from the sheath on his right thigh.
In one swift motion, Harry grabbed her, placing his left hand under the nose and covering her mouth as he pulled her head back against her chair while bringing the razor-sharp dagger across her throat with his right. She gurgled and kicked her legs in a panic before the blood loss caused her to slump forward lifelessly. Harry removed his hand from her mouth and left her slumped in her chair.
"All clear on two, Target down, number seven on list confirmed" Harry spoke into the com as he removed his invisibility cloak and made his way toward the east side landing.
Rounding the corner, Harry saw the staircase landing and his teammates standing in the shadows. Apparently, his team spotted him as well, because both of their wands had risen in his direction.
Their wands stayed trained on him until they saw the Spectre VII badge attached to the left breast of his grey robes. The badge was only visible to other members of the Spectre VII teams and looked like a cartoonish ghost that glowed a soft green with a small red 'VII' set in its centre.
"Well aren't you the lucky one Reaper, you're the only one that actually had someone to take down,l. And a top ten at that... lucky bastard," Viper exclaimed muttering the last bit.
"We're clear team Charlie, making our way to the basement level," Banshee called out over the coms as the three members of Team Alpha descended to the main floor.
Halfway down the stairs, they came upon a scene of absolute chaos. The main entry Hall was tall and spacious with stone walls of polished alabaster meeting white swirled marble floors (or ten minutes ago it did anyway).
Now the walls were cracked and cratered in places and two forces were behind cover (Transfigured stone if Harry was to guess) and fighting from either end of the large entry hall, firing spells at each other with explosive results.
Harry and his team took to firing from halfway down the staircase, their spells slamming into the flank of the very surprised Serps. Team Charlie took advantage of their distraction and threw some offensive grenades over the Serps barricade. The combination of explosive spells and the deafening explosion from the grenades crushed the opposition very quickly.
Howls of agony and the smell of cordite and burnt flesh assaulted their nostrils as the smoke settled. Harry saw mangled bodies, some still alive and moaning piteously littering the serpent's side of the entry hall.
"Clear," the leader of team Charlie called as members of team Delta went and cast the Killing Curse on the wounded Serps.
This was a Black Flag mission, meaning no Quarter would be given. After all Spectre VII didn't exist. It was kind of hard to have a trial when the criminals were apprehended by a top-secret branch of the government ((f they wanted it to stay secret that is).
"All Clear upstairs, we will proceed to the Basement. Has this floor been Cleared yet?" Harry questioned his opposite whoever he was (the only people he knew were his own teammates).
"Negative, we've been at a stalemate. They started engaging us almost as soon as we made entry," the other man stated as he watched team Delta processing the serpents.
With a nod to each other, the separate teams split off to carry out their assigned tasks.
It took longer than they would have liked but eventually, they located the basement door. A quick scan showed a lot of alert charms, notice-me-not's, and an imperturbable charm had been placed on the doorway.
'Alright, Reaper do your thing," Banshee said, quietly stepping aside so Harry could take the door down.
"Alright Boss," Harry quipped as he raised the Elder wand and cancelled every spell on the door with ease, not even slowing his motion he brought his wand back into position and cast a powerful, "Reducto!"
BOOM!
The force of that one spell vaporized the door and the wall around it, the sounds of stone crumbling and crashing onto the floor below could be heard echoing up the staircase.
"Great now they know we're here!" Viper Hissed as a green spell rushed up the staircase.
The killing curse was easily blocked by Harry's conjured block of marble, Harry didn't even pause as he sent a "Decapitare" in the direction the first spell had come from.
The splatting thud confirmed his hit but there was no time to celebrate as more spells flew their way.
"Nott's Down! Greengrass, Secure the device," Came the unmistakable voice of number four, Draco Malfoy.
'Enough of this," Banshee growled as she pulled the pin on the pineapple grenade in her hand and tossed it down the stairs.
Two more killing curses just barely missed her as the echoing sound of metal rolling down stone stairs could be heard. Four seconds later another loud 'BOOM' was heard followed by screams of agony.
Harry moved from cover going straight down the steps, halfway down he could see four bodies laying lifeless on the floor, one without a head. Another man was on the floor a short distance away, slowly dragging himself toward a wooden door at the end of the corridor. Harry's killing curse stopped him in his tracks.
"Clear, all Serps down," Harry called as he pushed open the door the serpent was heading toward.
"Sectum Sempra," a frightened female voice shouted.
Harry barely dodged the curse as he sent one back at the woman standing in the middle of the bare stone room. His spell clipped her wand arm, and her wand clattered to the floor. She let out a blood-curdling shriek as Harry closed the distance between them.
Daphne panicked and threw her left arm out to shield herself, something slipped from her grasp smacking into his chest as his dagger stuck into her neck, her blood spraying all over him.
Suddenly he felt dementor level cold in his chest that started radiating through his entire body. Looking down he saw a clear spun glass sphere, filled with glowing golden sand stuck to his grey robes. Little blue runes were etched into its surface and were glowing a harsh blue, steadily getting brighter and brighter.
The light coming from the runes became so bright that he couldn't even look at them anymore. Harry felt the feeling of being pulled backwards by his navel, kind of similar to a portkey.
He could just make out Banshee Screaming, "Reaper!" As if from a great distance away.
Then he was engulfed in an overwhelming bright light, Harry shut his eyes tight as the light became painful, the nauseous pull sped up faster still.
Just as suddenly as it had begun, he came to a painful stop when he slammed into soft earth and unconsciousness claimed him.