CHAPTER FIVE: CREATURES BEYOND THE SHADOW
Previously…
" The spell Miss Weasley used is called Nochte Loupé and if still around today would certainly be an Unforgivable," Everyone stared at him, most in the room knowing what an unforgivable was but most except for two not knowing the archaic spell.
" What's this spell?" Arthur asked curious. Harry rubbed his chin tiredly and looked at the Creevey Parents who held their son.
" I'm afraid Mr and Mrs Creevey that your son is a Werewolf," Harry replied.
" A-a Werewolf, you've got to be kidding me," Jeremy Creevey laughed out loud. It was absurd; this child was telling him that his eldest was a thing of horror movies. What would his milkman pals think if he told them this?
" I assure you, Sir it's not a joke I wish it were," Harry replied tiredly, " I bet you didn't believe in Magic the first time you were told? Many stories you believed to be myths or legends are often true in our world,"
" How did it happen?" asked the stunned father slumping his chair, " Was h-he bitten?"
" No sir, a werewolf wasn't present in my lesson at all,"
" You're what sixteen or seventeen?" Mr Creevey said suddenly angrily, " Who's running this crackpot school to allow a child to teach any lesson,"
" I run this school," Dumbledore replied sternly, " I have extreme confidence in Mr Potter's ability to teach, he is more than qualified to teach and has had lots of experience,"
" As I was explaining Colin had been matched with Ginny Weasley," Arthur and Molly looked at their only daughter who was watching had with bright eyes, " She used a spell that has not been seen in centuries,"
" In the First year AD there existed a dark wizard known as De'Agon the Dark. He was a spell spinner and necromancer who consequently created several of the dark spells we know today. His most famous spells, which have been hidden from public knowledge, were known as the Seven Deadly Sins, the Catholic Church modelled their sins off these. The seven were Greed, Wrath, Gluttony, Apathy, Lust, Shadow and Bestial. He forged an empire in Britain by using these seven curses until four Mages stood up to him and defeated him, but these curses were used to turn the people into submission. Greed was the least severe to the three worse Shadow, Lust and Bestial," Harry explained.
" Lust changed victim into what we would call a Succubus or Vampire, someone unable to control the urge to lust after blood and drink it," Kristen continued for Harry, " Shadow would turn the victim into a creature unable to sustain themselves in the light, you may think this wasn't too bad but the spell-caster held a piece of the Shadow-victim and was able to use these people as assassins and other un-godly deeds,"
" Now to the last Curse Bestial or Nochte Loupé," Harry took up the story once again, " This curse was used as weapon, at every full moon the victim would become a beast and would be released to slaughter innocents unless they did as they were told. Often the victim would become insane with the bloodletting and would kill him or herself. However what De'Agon could not have foreseen was that the once bitten by someone under the influence of either Lust or Bestial would bear the curse as well. But the second generations of the curse were stronger than their predecessors and able to control some aspects of the curse though they could not always control the urges which was how the first Vampire and Werewolves came to be,"
" So you mean to tell me that my son is to become an inhuman monster each Full moon and eventually kill himself?" Jeremy shouted angrily and made to launch himself at Ginny while Lynda Creevey hugged her son tight. Both Remus and Severus stopped the man pushing him back into his chair.
" Fortunately not, the spell requires a lot of Magic and effort which Miss Weasley could not maintain. I was also able to cut the spell off before it overtook Colin completely. It does mean though he shall change every full moon and will have the instincts of the creature but will not end up going insane," Harry replied.
" It's true though the Magical world is mighty prejudice against werewolves though we are currently seeking to overturn this, Remus Lupin, " Arthur pointed the man out to them, " is himself a werewolf and lobbying for equal rights,"
" That's correct," Remus said, " I was bitten when I was very young and though I struggle at times Magic and medicine has come along way, I've had a job teaching at Hogwarts' and I'm currently a representative for the Creature Committee,"
" A recent discovery means that there is a potion that allows the drinker to be of human mind during a change," Harry explained, " Colin is young so with a course of the Wolfsbane potion it may alter the curse so that he always remains of human mind during every change,"
" What will happen during the holidays?" Lynda Creevey asked.
" First we shall have to register him, the Ministry are very strict in their regulation of Werewolves. Though Colin is still young the Ministry may be lenient and allow him to finish his studies,"
" They wouldn't stop him would they?" Jeremy asked.
" I have a few influences in the Ministry, I shall try my hardest to keep him at Hogwart's but I will have to make strong promises that he will be locked away at the full moon and during the holiday's he will go to the Ministry and be locked in the cell's there,"
" I feel like I'm responsible, perhaps I could talk to some people," Harry said.
" I'm sure that you've been a real help but I don't think a sixteen-year-old has much Influence at the British Ministry even if it is a Magical government,"
" Mr Creevey, a lot of people owe their lives to Harry. Some of those like to repay him by doing him favours," Remus Lupin said.
" Now then perhaps we might discuss the matter of Miss Weasley, where did she find the information on this Archaic and why?" Albus said changing the subject. The people in the group looked at Ginny who just smiled backed at them almost dangerously.
" C-could she really do that? My Ginny?" Molly asked stunned.
" Why mother?" Ginny sneered, " You think I am so precious and wholesome that I am not capable of such acts. I have been learning what I can from arcane books to get out of that pathetic place we call home. With Harry at my side we could rule the world,"
" Oh my," Molly said almost on the verge of tears and Harry despaired because he had never seen Molly this way before. Meanwhile Kristen was looking at him curiously as he seemed to be staring into space then all the other's turned to him to see what his take on the whole situation. Though no one could see beneath his 'shades' his eyes were closed and he was feeling out with his magic towards Ginny. In his mind's eye her body was outlined not in the purple it usually was but in a deep velvety black. He sighed he had never tried this before on Ginny.
" I had wondered why you had been quiet since I have been gone Voldemort," Harry said out loud. All those in the room except for the bewildered Creevey parents looked around surprised before realising he seemed to be staring directly at Ginny.
" What are you talking about?" Ginny screeched.
" You can drop the act now Tom, I've obviously not been attentive enough to know you were possessing Ginny," Harry said calmly, " I see you've been possessing Ginny through her love for me,"
" You have mastered some skills," Ginny said coldly, " Emotion is such a weakness,"
" I can see you get on famously with the women, Tom," Harry said lazily, " I applaud your choice of curse though, no-one would have known about it had I not had the extra tutelage. Colin would have been completely transformed and perhaps even bitten one or more student's thus beginning an army or inner arguments,"
" I found it interesting and had I been there in person the curse would have been stronger," Ginny replied eyes bright, " We will meet again Harry because you are my chosen,"
" Carrick Lei arrnun hen," Harry spoke fluently in a second tongue. As he uttered these words a soft evergreen light swallowed and enveloped the youngest Weasley child and for a brief moment the shadowed form of Lord Voldemort stood behind Ginny red eyes alight. Then Ginny fell forward sobbing with relief.
" He's gone," Kristen said for the exhausted Harry. He slumped into his chair sweat matting his raven black hair.
" What did Harry do?" Arthur asked.
" Harry used a potent Magic spell to exercise Voldemort's influence from Ms. Weasley's body," Kristen explained.
" So he's gone?" Molly asked.
" Yes," rasped Harry.
" But what will happen to Ginny?" asked Ron startling the adults who'd forgotten that Ron and Hermione had been invited, " Will she be expelled?"
" Professor Dumbledore," Harry said his strength rapidly returning, " The event happened during my lesson, may I judge her punishment,"
" Agreed," said Dumbledore. Ginny sobbed harder as though this one word was a death sentence.
" But she was possessed by You Know Who," Arthur said thinking the worse.
" Which is why Mr Weasley," Harry said moving forward kneeling before Ginny he raised her head so that she looked directly into his eyes, " I was going to suggest that she not be expelled but serve detention with Professor McGonagall for three weeks and that she have Occlumency to shield her mind from further intrusion. Ginny, you are not meant for me-,"
" Harry!" Kristen warned him sharply making everyone look at the pair.
" Your path has been lain out for you," Harry continued despite his Elvin friend's warning, " there wasn't going to be an us, your heart lies elsewhere so follow it,"
" So she gets away with almost murder," Jeremy said angrily.
" Sir, you know little of our world am I right?" the man nodded, " This young woman was possessed by the spirit of an evil man,"
" Mr and Mrs Creevey, if you'll remain with myself and Mr Lupin we shall talk about your son's condition," The other's saw this as a dismissal and began to leave. Harry nodded to the others and disappeared with Kristen on his tail.
Χ Χ Χ
Hogwart's life continued, Draco had been quiet and some suspected that he was planning something big on the Gryffindor's. Colin sulked around being sullen and argumentative with all including teachers. He ignored his younger brother and refused to allow Ginny near him or apologise to him. Rumours swung around the school pertaining to the Fifth/sixth year Defence Lesson. Each Rumour wilder than the next but the teacher placed a lid on what had really happened, giving discipline to those that mentioned anything. Of the teacher's Professor Potter was the coldest and harshest when dealing with punishments. The fifth years ignored Ginny so she had become quiet and withdrawn. Ron and Hermione were the only ones who spoke with her. The other houses not knowing what happened tried but came up blank.
It was the end of September two weeks' exactly to the day Colin had been cursed, the morning was chilly and fog hung defiantly in the air. Harry stepped out into the bitter outside before breakfast. Having not had a cigarette in over a week he pulled once from his pocket and lit it. Taking a few puffs he noticed a form on the ground a few yards from him. Stamping on the cigarette he moved towards the form until he realised it was a student dressed in their nightwear. Being small it must have been only a second or third-year student. Turning the form over Harry's eyes widened in horror, half the throat had been torn out and the blood drained completely. Small dots of blood remained on the boy's pyjama top. This attack was recent perhaps an hour so before dawn.
" Arh shit," Harry muttered and gathered up the small form striding quickly into the main hallway. Three girls who were giggling and talking going into Breakfast. Harry had blood on his white shirt and face so he looked quite horrifying.
" You girls," he shouted startling them, " Go immediately to the Great Hall and tell Professor Snape, McGonagall and Dumbledore to go to the infirmary, hurry or you'll have worse that a loss of points to deal with,"
Frightened by appearance the girls run into the Great Hall while Harry not breaking his stride raced into the Hospital Wing. As he entered Poppy Pomfrey came out of her office angrily.
" What is going on?" she gasped as she saw the limp form in his hands, " Put him on bed two, what happened?"
" I found him outside," Harry replied placing the form down on the bed just as the three teachers' he asked for and Kristen came in through the swinging doors. Harry blood splattered and looking pale settled on a bench outside the Wing. Ten minutes later Kristen beckoned him back and sealed the doors while the three teachers looked over him. McGonagall looked him over seemingly checking him for injuries and Harry could tell in a caring manner.
" What happened?" Dumbledore asked.
" I was outside smoking," Harry continued despite a withering look from Kristen, " when I found the student on the lawn,"
" And?" McGonagall asked.
" He had been completely drained of blood and I'm guessing a vampire is preying on Hogwart's. It's chosen the school as it's feeding grounds,"
" How?" the transfiguration teacher asked, " I mean we lock up the school the school at night so how did this boy manage to get out and be fed on,"
" His name is Gilbert Rogers," Pomfrey added coming over, " a third-year Ravenclaw,"
" Sounds like a succubus?" Harry asked looking at Kristen.
" In theory though the pieces do fit," replied Kristen as Harry looked at the covered body of Gilbert Rogers.
" A what?" Pomfrey asked.
" A Succubus is a form of Vampire but not your typical one. Usually they are Rogues, killers who live outside the Vampire Council and law. They are typically beautiful women and can often lure the strongest-willed men into their arms," Harry explained, " They kill during…"
" What?" Poppy said confused at the blush creeping up Harry's face.
" They kill during sex," Kristen finally said, " Harry's just embarrassed. But you said he was thirteen, it's not unnatural,"
" No its not," Harry added after a few minutes.
" What do we do?" the deputy headmistress asked.
" I've had experience with Rogue Vampires and training, Kristen have you had your training yet?" Harry asked.
" I'd started but I hadn't been out on a real mission," she replied looking strangely at Harry.
" Then I think we should put our heads together, Krissy," Harry said, " But the rest is up to you Professor Dumbledore,"
" First we shall inform the student's at dinner and make sure we have some precautions in place," Dumbledore said and the three teacher's left, " Can you be in the teacher's lounge in twenty minutes?"
Harry nodded but his mind was elsewhere as he made for the Gryffindor common room, he entered as several of the student's left who gave him startled looks because of the blood on his shirt. He just trudged past them ignoring their looks and went straight up to the dorm room, which mercifully was empty. Changing from his clothes he grabbed a towel and made his way into the shower. He closed his eyes as warm water coursed down his body loosening the muscles. Twenty minutes later Harry found himself in the teacher's lounge in fresh clothes sitting tiredly next to Kristen who smiled at him.
" What has happened?" Sybil Trelawney asked. Since she started working with Firenze she had become altogether less aloof and had began visiting the staff lounge regularly.
" This morning one of our student's were found completely drained of blood, we believe it is the work of a single rogue vampire called a succubus," Dumbledore explained. The staff room exploded with uproar.
" Preposterous," Professor Vector cried, " Hogwart's has never had a Vampire on its grounds, surely we would have known,"
" Not necessarily," Pomona Sprout spoke up surprising everyone, " Vampires are known to be in the forbidden forest but they are a clan under the control of the Vampire Council,"
" How do you know?" Professor McGonagall asked curiously.
" I need to travel into the Forbidden forest to collect certain plants for my Nursery and sometimes for Professor Snape's potions. I made friends a long time ago and they provide a guard, you don't think I've always lived at Hogwarts?" Professor Sprout replied tartly. Harry cracked his first smile that morning; the Herbology teacher was one of his favourite teachers.
" So it's a rogue vampire?" Severus Snape said quietly.
" Yes,"
" What's going to be done?" Sprout now asked.
" We'll have teachers patrolling the corridors," the transfiguration teacher said before the elderly headmaster could speak.
" I don't think that would be a good idea," Harry said speak for the first time. Many of the teachers sneered at the sixteen-year-old while Snape merely looked at him in disdain, " Succubus are extremely persuasive with Females as well as Males, unless you have been trained certain techniques to…Arh…deny their attractions then you are as useful as a mouse against a tiger,"
" You've had this training?" McGonagall asked.
" Both Kristen and I are more than capable of resisting the Succubus but I have another idea to watch the castle at night which coincides with our other problem," Harry responded acting more and more like an adult. The teacher's looked at him not seeing a boy but seeing a man who had been changed. Perhaps it was his experiences or possibly it was his disappearance over the summer but Harry Potter had changed and they wondered what had changed him?
" What is our other problem?" Dumbledore enquired.
" First we have to tell them what happened two weeks ago in my lesson,"
" Many of you heard of the incident in Mr. Potter's Defence Against the Dark Arts class but what you haven't been told is Ms Weasley was able to cast a very powerful spell called Nochte Loupé. Harry explained to the Creevey Parents the curse is an ancient one, in our terms it changes the victim into a Werewolf," Dumbledore explained.
" What will become of the poor boy?" ever-motherly Sprout asked.
" Well everyone here knows of the Wolfsbane potion that can allow a werewolf to be of human mind during the transformation. Colin has refused this potion angrily and treating life bitterly at the moment,"
" So he will be imprisoned?"
" His first transformation will be on Saturday for three nights of the full moon," Harry explained, " I was going to suggest in light of the incident earlier that we allow Colin to Roam the grounds freely,"
" That would be murder, it is stupid and irresponsible," Snape was the first angry voice to be heard over the older conservative teacher's protests.
" If you had allowed me to finish I would have suggested that Remus Lupin join us," more out roars at this suggestion, " Odd as it may seem there are two wolf Animagi amongst the student population,"
" Research has found that a werewolf in a pack with either Wolf Animagi or Shapeshifters are found to be playful and act more as normal Wolves if they are kept away from the public," Kristen purposefully left out that it was research amongst Elves and not humans who were very prejudiced towards Werewolves.
" With myself and the two Animagi we should be able to control Remus and Colin, to a vampire a wolf pack will look less suspicious than a patrol though she maybe surprised when she senses Werewolf," Harry suggested smiling.
" It's certainly a good idea, as long as you can control Colin and Remus," Harry nodded, " Then you'll speak to the pair?"
" I certainly will, until the weekend Kristen and I will patrol and watch any late Quidditch matches,"
" Then that's settled, Breakfast is almost finished so I would like to impose some new rules and have something to eat," Professor Dumbledore said briskly ignoring the Potion Professor's arguments.
Entering the Great Hall minutes later Kristen and Harry settled at the Gryffindor table, some of the Gryffindor's looked up at the two before returning to their Breakfast which was halfway through. Hermione noticed Harry was wearing blank school uniform for the first time since returning to the school.
" What happened?" She asked, " Where were you and the teachers?"
" You'll see," Harry answered bluntly and began to dish some scrambled eggs onto his plate and speared a couple of sausages onto his fork. Moments later a soft tinkle drew the attention of the student's and an eerie silence filled the Great Hall.
" Morning student's unfortunately I appear before you bearing sad news, one our students was killed today. The third year student had been preyed upon by a Vampire," Dumbledore explained, " This type of Vampire of Vampire is called a Succubus and uses sexual guile and wiles to attract its intended victim. Precautions have been made for your safety however for the time being until the killer has been caught we must impose some restrictions upon you so the following restrictions apply to you:
1) After dinner each night you shall be restricted to your common rooms, only in an emergency shall you be able to leave, as the doors will be locked.
2) Quidditch Practice will continue but the teams will be escorted and watched over by Madam Hooch, Mistress Silverwolf or Professor Potter.
3) If you see or hear anything unusual please report it to a teacher
" Make sure you follow these rules to the letter and you shall be safe. Now let us raise our glasses for Gilbert Roger's may his soul rest in peace," Dumbledore announced raising his goblet followed by the student's who spoke the young boy's name and those who knew him remembered the third year Ravenclaw. Breakfast ended and student's made for their next lesson's discussing the latest turn of events, this year was already shaping up to be like the last few years. Harry watched Colin leave but the boy looked sullen and downcast. Quickly getting up he followed the fifth year from the hall.
Harry swiftly caught up with the upset young man and grabbed him. Moving him away from the other student's he dragged him into a corner.
" What is it Harry?" Colin said sullenly.
" That attitude won't work with me," Harry snapped, " Now what's wrong?"
" Well let's see why? I'm going to become a great monstrous creature three days a month, I'm not going to be able to get a decent job now I have to register," Colin replied angrily, " Oh yeah and if I don't want to become a murderous animal I have to take a sodding potion once for three now every month,"
" That sounds exactly like a woman then, monthly potions and a murderous beast," Harry tried to joke but Colin merely glared at him, " Look what if I could offer you another way, a way where you didn't have to take the potion?"
" Really?" Colin's eyes brightened.
" While you're at Hogwart's you won't have to take the potion," Harry promised.
" How? Won't I become dangerous?" Colin asked intrigued.
" Research has been done where a Werewolf interacting with Wolf Animagi in a pack becomes much more like a normal wolf. Dumbledore has given me the go ahead to form a pack, I know two Animagi and we should be able to control you," Harry answered.
" Wow thanks Harry, you're not all bad," Colin responded and surprised Harry by hugging the older boy then darting off to lessons.
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As ever spelling mistakes are my own and any 'information' that I have got wrong about the potterverse I will gladly apologise for. I wanted to get this and the next chapter out quickly before I went on holiday so I have not had time to reply to reviewers. Please review and I will reply in the seventh chapter.