Chrysalis

Two days had passed since I had been thrown from the hospital wing subject to Ron's demands, I had not gone back; knowing I would never be allowed back in. In context I should have expected something like this to happen. He had lost his rag when I had been selected for the Triwizard Tournament and he had not exactly warmed up to Lupin when he found out. So when it turned out I was a magical being it was not exactly something Ron would have been thrilled about; his reaction however was a bit over the top. I had serious doubts our friendship would ever continue though I got that sense a lot with others.

The last two days were not good, well I hadn't returned to lessons yet but people began to avoid, cower away from or glare at me as I walked. I suppose it didn't help I chased Umbridge in my creature form but I still had no regrets over that, nothing was more exhilarating than showing someone you are a superior to them in every way. However as the days went on and I moved from the forest, to the grounds and into the castle I realised I couldn't keep doing this, I needed to get back into my routine. Creature or not I was going to be Harry Potter again, so I had decided to go to dinner. It was a roast and now I didn't have to pretend to eat the vast selection of indigestible crap, instead I could feast on meat and it was a lot easier than hunting.

Though as I entered the Great Hall for dinner I felt all eyes turn to me, I had been right it seemed. No one was going to accept this fast if at all. Dumbledore's kind eyes however caught mine and I took some solace in at least he was treating me like a person. So I sat down, Seamus moved away the moment I did, Dean looked slightly awkward while everyone else turned back to their food.

"Hi Dean," I greeted and he nodded in response, unsure of how to react to me.

"Hey Harry," he said after a moment's pause. Maybe I had been too hasty in judging, though as the smell of cooked meat wafted into my sensitive nostrils I decided to give talking a pause. I realised as I ate many members of the DA were moving around me,

"Harry," Katie Bell of all people muttered and I swallowed my mouthful of food and turned around. She was acting as spokesperson I believed and looked worried or flustered, like she was half expecting me to tear into her.

"Katie how are you?" I asked pleasantly as if nothing had happened, it didn't work obviously as she seemed unclear as to how to word her next question.

"All that stuff in the prophet..." she began awkwardly and I noticed a number of other people lean in as I spoke.

"Is mostly not true," I finished and heard several loud snorts, one from Seamus but I had no need to acknowledge him.

"Mostly?" Alicia interrupted, I turned to look at her and she quietened down.

"You saw me chase Umbridge; I'm not going to deny I'm a Chryssalid but no I have no interest in eating any of you, enslaving any of you or indeed treating you any differently." I explained as a whole, wanting to get it all over and done with. Maybe if I explained it then they would get on the road to accepting

"So you did lie to us?" Angelina asked

"No I didn't tell you and at no point during my time here did anyone ask if I was a human or not," I corrected with a slight glare.

"Look are you this thing yes or no?" Seamus asked turning to address me, I growled under my breath. Our last argument hadn't gone well and I could tell this one was going to be worse.

"Chryssalid? Yes!" I answered curtly, wanting to turn my back on him. If he couldn't accept me when I was saying something he disagreed with then there wasn't a hope in hell of him doing it now.

"So how do we know you aren't all these things?" he demanded in a voice that he evidently thought was clever.

"You don't, you trust me over the daily prophet which is from an eye witness statement from the end of a battle that I won, the facts can be easily reported," I sighed, I think I had said the same thing at some point during the year.

"So we take the word of a thing which kept its secret for years over the word of a respectable newspaper?" Seamus continued.

"If one starts reporting let me know," I snarled getting slightly worked up,

"Tell you what Seamus if you do want to continue defending what was said then I remind you the paper did say that I eat people I don't like and you are currently entering that territory so shut up or I might prove it right for you!" I warned in a darker, deeper voice which made his eyes widen and him turn away.

"As for the rest of you dinner is underway here and we can continue this conversation later,"

Later

I walked quickly, not wanting to make any kind of scene. It seemed people in this school turned on anyway they deemed different or the corrupt, wrong media decided was evil. I just sighed again and again.

"Harry!" a voice pulled me out of my depressing thoughts and I was suddenly wrapped in a warm hug, an unexpected occurrence but one I appreciated never the less.

"Ginny?" I questioned seeing a flurry of red hair.

"Yeah it's me," she confirmed releasing me from her friendly embrace.

"What are you doing here? I mean are you o? You were in the hospital..." I trailed off, being too surprised to think of a straight sentence.

"Oh Yeah they let me out about half an hour ago. I had a few minor cuts and bruises but I'm fine, in fact I've been looking for you," she explained looking somewhat relieved. Then I was worried, I was not sure how this would end and while she seemed accepting now I had no idea is that would change.

"Look Luna told me what Ron said yesterday and I want you to know from me that while he is my brother he is a complete prat most of the time." She began in a voice that told me she had been worried I would turn against her and Ron. Something I wouldn't do,

"Look I don't care what you are, the important thing is your you," she finished. In the same moment I felt relieved, someone else was on my side at least.

"Thank you Ginny, that means a lot," I told her earnestly with a smile.

"Also what you did was pretty amazing," she muttered and I chuckled.

"Anyway how are you holding up?"

"Fine, a few people haven't exactly warmed up to having a Chryssalid in school but most of them have realised they have no choice in the matter," I answered thinking of Seamus and however members of the D.A who were going to declare me evil.

"Well people are like that, on the bright side you can eat whoever annoys you," she joked as we made a left towards the common room.

"I'm trying not to," I replied with half sarcasm in play.

The next day

"Not a chance in hell!" I almost roared at the man standing at Dumbledore's side, Fudge was trying to cling to power for reasons that eclipsed me completely. However he was obviously trying to appeal to the public by going after the issues bothering them, in this case the creature sharing Hogwarts with their children.

"I told you he would have none of it," Dumbledore hissed lowly, he had been made to do this. The parents I was told were up in arms against me, saying I was a risk to their children. I suppose the three headed dog, giant spider, Dementors and dragons weren't a problem but I was.

"Mr Potter all magical creatures are registered so we can easily..."Fudge attempted to sell me his idea, I would have to enclose every detail there was of what a Chryssalid was and how it worked and they would keep tabs on me. I knew the moment they heard about my reproductive cycle I was out, besides I was not going to have my entire life on a file, every detail, the idea was awful.

"I don't care, there is no chance of me telling you any more than you know about my species, if the parents want me gone then it is up to Professor Dumbledore. The parents have no idea what they are talking about, you need to accept that," I muttered with a sudden urge to talk to the person who wrote the article.

"I could have you arrested, you chased ministry staff of the premises," Fudge threatened.

"No regrets there, besides I have toughened skin, resilient to almost all magic, teeth which cause people to become thralls, claws laced with toxin and strength which could tear you to bits." I countered with a hiss; he looked ready to scream as I did it.

"You do not have any right..."
"To what? You spent this entire year launching a campaign against me and Dumbledore, now you expect me to tell you everything about me for no reason other than to keep in power. Exactly what do I benefit from this arrangement?" was my next question.

"If we know what you are then maybe we could find more of your kind and..." Fudge tried

"Minister I am the last Chryssalid, if I wanted to make more I would next,"

"A food..."

"I've lived on meat my whole life; there is nothing you have that will ever convince me. So go before I really do lose it," I requested darkly. Fudge looked ready to challenge this but backed off before a minute had passed.

"Fine, goodbye," he muttered angrily before storming into the fireplace and vanishing, I growled as he did so. A contempt filled one at that.

"I'm sorry about that Harry but if I refused to allow the minister to suggest it... "Dumbledore excused

"Don't worry," I waved it off, there was no need for him to apologise.

"Regardless I had a feeling you would not be happy with the suggestion, however this does give us a moment to talk."

"What about?" I inquired politely.

"With the summer and the next few years looking like they are going to be turbulent one at best, with Voldemort confirmed to be out there, it is likely attacks will resume. I was going to ask if you would consider being part of a order security or protection team during the summer. Having seen your Chryssalid form I do not believe it is worth keeping the protection alive at your aunt and uncle's and I believe the order can benefit from your abilities." He offered and I was taken by surprise. He was being pressured to get rid of me and he was offering me more?

"Yes I think I would be fine to do that, it would save doing nothing all summer except telling myself why I can't eat Dudley," I half joked, when he and his friends confronted me at the beginning of the year I had been close. It was a good thing those Dementors showed up.

"Good, I will have someone contact you for your plans. Now I believe you have potions to get to," Dumbledore remarked picking up on the one lesson I had been hoping to avoid.