DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter Three – Bathroom Intruder
Harry's eyes flicked open and he inhaled slowly. Blinking lazily, he shifted under the thin blankets he'd slept beneath and yawned. He stretched his arms above his head, splaying his fingers as far as they would go before relaxing them. Peering around the dark room, he pushed himself into a sitting position and rubbed his face. Around him the wizards slept on, completely oblivious to the fact that a demon was among them. The thought drew his gaze to the black circle on the back of his hand, index finger rising to trace the shape.
The dark tattoo was the calendar by which he hunted. For every day that passed, the lines grew thicker and the ring slowly filled. When the circle was complete, he would be whisked back to Hell. It was one of the few rules that the Retrievers hunted by; thirty days or the cycle of the moon to find the one they sought. It was also the only insurance Hades had that his hunters would return.
Closing his eyes, he sank back amidst the blankets and inhaled slowly. His sensitive ears picked up the sluggish pumping of the blood through his veins and the slow repetitive thump of his heart. Each rasping breath that left the lungs of the slumbering wizards was like the pumping of a bellows, deep and steady. Exhaling softly, he opened his emerald eyes and stared at the dark canopy of the bed. A quiet whimper had him tensing and turning to the bed sitting to the left of his, watching as the form buried beneath the blankets shifted.
Frowning, he slid from under the covers and padded the short distance to the wizard's side. He tipped his head and stared down at the blond's flushed features, observing the way the pale hair clung to his damp brow. Extending a hand, he brushed his fingers over the side of the wizard's face, pushing the sweaty strands aside. A grin twisted his features when the blond pursed his lips and mumbled quietly before rolling over and burrowing deeper beneath his blankets. Shaking his head, he took a slow step backward and turned around, stilling when the trunk resting at the end of his bed caught his eye.
Gliding forward silently, he halted before the pale wooden trunk and tilted his head. A Hogwarts uniform was folded atop the lid, complete with silver and green tie. Atop the tie was a piece of parchment, his name scrawled across the front. Swearing softly, he reached out and grabbed the letter. As he lifted the parchment, something slid from between the folds and clattered to the floor. Kneeling, he scanned the stone until a small splash of gold upon the dark rock caught his eye. "There you are," he breathed in greeting. Reaching out, he snatched up the key to his vault and affixed it to his wristband. When the key made contact with its small hook, it was immediately shrunk back down to charm size.
Smiling fondly, Harry flicked the dangling key before turning his attention back to the letter he held. He slid his nail under the lump of wax, taking pleasure in obliterating the Hogwarts crest that had been carefully pressed into the red blob. With a crackle of parchment, he unfolded the note and held it before him.
Dear Harry,
I hope that you have enjoyed your first night in Hogwarts and find the Slytherin dormitories to your liking. The House of Salazar Slytherin is not for everyone but I trust that the students gave you a welcome worthy of any pureblood. Professor Snape is your Head of House and has been alerted to your presence within the dormitories. Undoubtedly he'll wish to speak with you about his expectations and standards later this evening.
I was able to access your vault as directed and have purchased the items you will require for the classes I have placed you in. Everything that you need can be found within the trunk before you. Several complete uniforms and other house accessories have been placed in the wardrobe so that you might draw upon them as necessary. You are expected to wear the complete uniform at all times while moving around outside your House, however, all Houses have different dress codes after class and you may follow the example set by your roommates.
Inside your trunk you will also find a wand. Without his wand, a wizard is nothing. While I am unsure whether or not this will actually be of any use to you, I believe for propriety's sake that you should keep it close at hand. Perhaps you'll find another use for it once you move on.
All the books required for your classes as well as some which will help you learn a little more about the wizarding world are among the contents of your trunk. Inks and quills of various sizes and colours were also purchased so that you might pick out the one that best suits you. I ask that you kindly pay attention in the classes I have selected for you as they may provide knowledge that could possibly help you find your 'cousin'.
I have also set aside a pouch of wizarding money for you, should you feel the need to order or purchase something that I have forgotten. If I recall correctly, it should be somewhere between a cloak and several packages of Chocolate Frogs.
Lastly, I'll remind you of your promise that none of my students will come to any harm during the duration of your stay with us. Your presence at Hogwarts defies a large number of rules and regulations, which I am currently breaking for you.
Thank you and good day,
Albus Dumbledore,
Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Snorting at the older wizard's tenacity, Harry crumpled the letter into a ball and pitched it at the embers glowing in the hearth. The dying fire welcomed the fodder and quickly rose up to consume the parchment, crackling greedily as it turned the creamy paper to ash. After making sure that the letter had been completely demolished, he shifted the items from atop the trunk onto the bed and lifted the wooden lid. Pursing his lips, he rifled through the contents quietly until a long box with the word 'Ollivanders' written in gold drew his eyes. Lifting it from the mess, he flicked the lid open and glared at the contents.
His eyes narrowed and he hissed softly at the piece of wood resting within the narrow box. A twitch of his nose and the sudden flaring of his aura told him all he needed to know about the wand. It was made out of Holly with a core of fire fowl. "Kindling," he whispered to the wand lying harmlessly upon the silk. Shaking his head, he snapped the lid shut and dropped the box back into the trunk.
Demons were magical beings that relied directly on their auras for power. The stronger the demon, the easier it was for them to twist and manipulate their magic. No whispered word or wave of a wand could help them direct their power. It simply went where it was willed. It took decades for imps to master even the smallest suggestion of a nudge with their power. High Court Demons spent centuries learning the art of weaving their auras into delicate and unbreakable spells; mastering the technique that allowed them to command the aura of a mortal.
A snuffle had him freezing and glancing around the room before softly closing the lid of the trunk. He stood silently at the end of his bed for a moment before glancing down at his pale hands. His skin was as white as snow, the blood barely flowing through his veins. Being cold-blooded sucked. Although it allowed Retrievers to continue hunting no matter where their target led them, it often drew attention to them while moving through polite society.
Shower, he decided, practically drooling over the prospect of getting warm. Looking around the room one last time, he slipped from the chamber and crept down the short corridor that ran between the dorms. Blaise had pointed the bathroom out to him last night, so it was easily located and entered.
Harry knew that the tile under his feet should have been cold, that the cool air should have raised goose bumps along his skin. Curling his lips back in a silent snarl, he stalked into one of the shower stalls and spun the knob as far as it would go. Immediately water spurted from the showerhead, the first drops stingingly cold on his face. His eyes drifted shut as the temperature of the water spiked sharply and the room began to slowly fill with steam. Even as he lifted a hand to run ghostly white fingers through his hair, the lethargic beating of his heart increased, taking on a healthier tempo. His skin flushed red from the warmth of the burning water and he sighed in pleasure.
His back was pressed against the cool tile of the stall when the almost inaudible pitter-patter of feet reached him. Opening his eyes lazily, he tipped his head back and inhaled deeply. Seconds after that he exhaled sharply, clearing his nostrils of the foul smell of black magic. Running his tongue over his bottom lip, he placed a hand on the shower knob and waited for the approaching individual to creep closer.
His entire body tensed with the thrill of the hunt, senses becoming keener. The slightest brush of cloth reached his ears, each exhalation sounding like a clap of thunder. He heard the intruder run their tongue across their lips, the creak of a fingernail as they balled a hand into a fist. Opening his mouth, he drew air in over his tongue, allowing the delicate taste buds spread across its surface to pick up each trace scent that made up the smell. Black magic, jasmine, chocolate, cigarette smoke, milk, lavender, cotton, mint, and wood bombarded his lungs. Slowing his even breathing, he waited until he could hear the faint click of blood passing through veins before shutting the water off.
His long nails snagged the curtain and he tore it open, revealing the wide-eyed individual standing inches away from the swath of cloth. "You seem to be lost, little witch." Harry purred, extending a hand toward the blonde's face. He rumbled in delight as she gasped loudly and leapt back, slipping on the damp tiles and landing in a heap at his feet. Chuckling softly, the raven-haired demon lowered himself to his knees liquidly and crept forward.
"Get away from me," the witch hissed through her teeth, propelling herself across the tiles with the heels of her shoes. Her blue eyes grew wider when her back struck the piping of one of the sinks, the metal halting her retreat.
Harry hummed softly, tipping his head as he crept over the tile. A malicious grin curved his lips when the young witch jammed a hand into the pocket of her robe and began to search frantically for something. A flash of dark wood had him lunging forward and capturing her hand, slamming it forcefully back into the wall moments later. "Can't have that now, can we?" He asked innocently as the wand clattered to the floor beside them.
"Let me go," the blonde shrilled, her eyes impossibly wide. Her heart was beating too rapidly, the air rushing in and out of her lungs as she panted in fear. She swung her other hand wildly, managing to catch him in the side of the face. The growl of outrage he loosed at the crack that filled the air had her eyes rolling back in her head and her body going limp.
"Why thank you, it's just so much easier this way," marveled Harry. Pulling her carefully away from the wall, he laid her back on the tile and reached for her left arm. He rolled the sleeve of her uniform back gently, stilling when the source of the black magic that had stained her aura was revealed. An inky skull with a snake sliding from its mouth was engraved within the pale skin of her forearm, the flesh around the area an aggravated red. Sitting back on his heels, he folded his hands together and stared angrily at the mark. "My, my, someone has indeed been very busy."
Rolling his shoulders, he expanded his aura out from his body until it slid through the witch's, giving him a second look at the dark mark. His breath whistled out between his teeth as he stared at the snake and skull. The tattoo was infused with demon magic. A lot of demon magic. Extending a hand carefully, he ran a finger over the design, watching as the black magic flared at the touch of his aura. He withdrew quickly, pulling both aura and hand away from the witch. Touching his magic to the mark for an extended period of time might cause the rogue demon's aura to flare, thus alerting him to the fact that a Retriever was very close to discovering his location.
Harry rose liquidly from the floor and stepped over the limp body of the witch. He didn't know why she had been creeping around the boy's bathroom nor did he really care, he had other things to worry about. Stalking silently from the slowly cooling chamber, he stepped into the hall and froze. Tipping his head to the side, he held his breath and listened to the various sounds drifting around the dorms. When he was sure the coast was clear, he continued on his way, arriving at the sixth year dorm without conflict.
It bothered him greatly that the witch's aura was no longer fighting the dark magic. The blonde may not have been very powerful but her magic should have at least been attempting to repel the demon power. Nibbling his lower lip, he picked up the underwear Albus Dumbledore had purchased for him and sneered. He ceremoniously dropped the cloth to the stone at his feet and scooped up the pants, sliding them on quickly in hopes that the thick material would help to maintain his current body temperature. His thoughts turned back to the witch as he ran the zipper carefully up and fastened the button. Her aura seemed to have accepted the dark mark completely, as if the tattoo was weaving itself deeper into the witch's magic.
The sudden shrilling of an alarm in the silence of the room had him snarling and whirling around. His emerald eyes locked with a pair of blue orbs glittering in amusement, a small smile playing across the blond's features as he observed Harry. Taking a calming breath, the raven-haired demon smiled and tipped his head. "Good morning, Draco." Picking up the black shirt, he turned to face the wizard and carefully slid his arms through the sleeves, internally laughing at the flush that bloomed on the blond's face.
"Morning," Draco mumbled, lifting a hand and pushing his hair back off his forehead. He dragged himself from under the covers slowly, extending a hand to turn the still wailing alarm off. Shivering at the chill in the air, the blond frowned and glanced at the glowing embers currently occupying the hearth. "Why didn't you start the fire?"
"Don't you have servants to perform such a menial task?" The dark-haired demon asked softly, attentively straightening the cuffs of the shirt and popping the small buttons through the according holes.
"Good luck," Draco mumbled as he rose. Stretching his arms over his head, he slid his feet into a pair of black slippers sitting next to the bed and shuffled toward the portal. A wand appeared in his small hand and was leveled at the darkened fireplace. "The house elves here aren't quiet as respectful as the ones at home, half the time you'll find yourself performing tasks that should have been done by one of them." Shaking his head, he spoke a quick word of Latin and trudged from the room, leaving Harry to stare at the crackling blaze growing in the hearth.
Grinning, the Retriever shook his own head and tipped his chin up, inhaling deeply. He dragged the tantalizing combination of dark and light magic into his lungs, luxuriating in the way the sweet and sour tastes fought upon his tongue. Licking his lips, he closed his eyes and hummed in appreciation. The blond was a rarity. By rights, Harry should only have been able to pick up the dark magic clinging to him, the demon power having completely obliterated all traces of purity which made up a mortal's aura. Yet Draco Malfoy bore the blue aura of a healthy mortal.
He stilled at the sudden exclamation that ricocheted up the corridor and the immediate response it received. Brow drawing down, he tuned into the harried conversation while continuing the chore of matching button with correct hole. Voices rose up in worry, some of them masculine, others feminine. Glancing down the front of the shirt he was now garbed in, Harry gave a nod of satisfaction and turned away from his trunk. His eyes fell upon Blaise, the olive-skinned wizard watching him thoughtfully from the warmth of his bed.
"Do you know what's going on down the hall?" The wizard asked, his hands curling in the blankets. His expression was guarded, as if he somehow knew that Harry was partially to blame for the commotion.
"I'm afraid I don't, although I do think I shall go and take a quick peek before I head out." Harry stated, lifting the silver and green tie from amongst the covers of his bed and gracefully fleeing the room. He draped the tie around his neck, leaving the ends to dangle loose upon his chest.
Padding down the hall, he reached the crowd gathered around the doorway of the boys' bathroom and wormed his way expertly through the group until he stood at the front of the pack. Tossing a look over his shoulder, he examined the individuals who had been drawn by the ruckus. Wizards carrying towels and bathroom bags appeared uncomfortable and cold standing in the center of the bathroom, their muted murmurs displaying their unease at finding the witch within what was clearly their territory. The witches huddled together watched their dorm mate calculatingly, shouldering deeper into their damp robes and scanning the males.
The entire dramatic act was played out quite well in his opinion; especially the way the blonde witch had herself draped across Draco's lap. Clinging to the front of the blond's pajama top, the witch cried and shook and blubbered expertly. Her face was streaked with tears and her uniform was torn and ripped, the cloak she had worn lying in a puddle of water in the stall Harry had abandoned earlier. The wand he had knocked from her fingers was nowhere to be seen and at least two of her nails had been broken between the time he had left and the time she had been found.
Blue eyes widened when they fell upon him, the witch paling before she remembered the role she was supposed to be playing. "He attacked me!" She screeched, shaking finger pointed firmly in Harry's direction. Her face screwed up and she let loose a long wail, hands tangling in the soft hair at the nape of Draco's neck. "Get him away from me!"
Numerous faces turned in his direction, eyes widening as the House stared at its newest member. His temper flared at the accusation, hackles rising in indignation. "Liar!" He hissed, emerald eyes narrowing as he took a threatening step forward. Murmurs raced through the group at his claim, individuals shifting nervously away from him as he took another prowling step forward.
"I heard the shower running and thought it was Draco. You know how he's always getting up early," the blonde sobbed, using the communal 'you' so everyone would nod along in agreement. Her grip on Draco tightened as she curled closer, trying to wiggle further into his lap. "I called out and the water stopped and then he . . . he-"
Realizing that if the witch continued her performance he would be tossed out of Hogwarts or possibly arrested, Harry struck out with his aura. It was a weak blow with the barest hint of a suggestion, strong enough only to push the witch out of consciousness. He breathed a silent sigh of relief when she went limp in Draco's arms, sliding out of his lap and onto the cold floor. "I was only down here for a few minutes. I didn't even see her," he whispered softly. Pasting a horrified look on his face, he searched the crowd for believers.
The witch who had admired his tan snorted and tossed her mass of curls. "Pansy's a drama queen." She stated firmly, shaking her head and turning on her heel to stomp from the room. Nodding their heads in agreement, the group of robe and towel clad witches exited the boys' bathroom and headed back to the solace of their own.
"She probably fell and hit her head," one of the wizards standing behind Harry announced. Snorts of agreement rose up, as did several other suggestions, which were of a slightly less polite caliber. Before the group had a chance to disperse, their quiet guesses and assumptions were brought to a quick halt.
"May I ask what's going on here?" A cool voice interjected. Shuffling their feet and shooting each other wide-eyed looks, the crowd turned to face their Head of House.
Harry smiled and inhaled, the taste of demon magic sour upon his tongue. Swiveling slowly, he met the black eyes of Severus Snape, Potions Master. The pair regarded each other through narrowed eyes, ignoring the stuttered excuses and hurried explanations of why they believed Pansy Parkinson was in their bathroom. Bowing his head respectfully, the raven-haired demon fell neatly into the role of transfer student. Moving forward, he offered his hand. "I'm Harry, sir. And I must say that it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
Ignoring the proffered hand, Professor Snape glided around the young wizard and firmed his lips as he stared at the limp body of Pansy. Shaking his head, he drew his wand and cast a spell. Turning back around, he began to exit the bathroom with the blonde witch's body floating behind him. He halted in the doorway suddenly, swinging around and leveling his wand on Harry. "You, new student, await me in my office." Giving the length of wood a threatening flick, the greasy haired wizard swung around and strolled from the room.
Hiding his smirk, Harry slipped from the bathroom and watched the Professor stalk down the corridor. "My pleasure," he breathed. Pondering his chances of discreetly tossing the Professor's office and getting away with it, he turned and looked at the group gazing at him with pitied expressions on their faces. "If one of you could please guide me to Professor Snape's office, it would be most appreciated."
A/n: Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review!
Astral Panther - With so many ideas floating around and the web, it's very hard to come up with something completely original. Though I, as far as I know, came up with Retrievers, there are several other demon stories floating around. I'll definitely recommend fragonknight01's demon story (I've completely forgotten its name at the moment but it's an excellent read).
JoriWinter- lol, if only it were so easy.
Spirited Celebration - I honestly have to say I've been wanting to write a slightly evil Harry for a while now.
PleiadesWolfe - We'll hope I manage to live up to your expectations and manage to keep this story interesting and original.
NinjaoftheDarkness - Harry may be a demon but he's definitely not an animal. I think the seduction of Draco shall be done with much finesse.
Disco-Dancing on the Roof - I'm glad you think I kept Dumbledore in character, as far as I'm concerned he's one of the hardest people to write.