AN: The wait has been long, I know and apologise. I've been busy, tests of concepts I barely have a grasp of yet and I have to feign the knowledge of such concepts. Anyway, enough whining. I watched The Originals a few days ago, and I fell in love, which gave me enough of a push to start and finish this chapter. it as written in two days, and proofread only once, so there might be mistakes I've missed. Enjoy.
Hunter
Harry had thought and thought again, trying to work over the how he would have to go about gaining allies. He hadn't been much for making friends in his lives, the thought of endlessly going through loss each time he died was something Harry didn't want to go through, and so he had cut himself off.
Tying back the connection was proving to be the problem.
He had absolutely no idea at all at how to do it. Ghost were easy, they didn't have too many people they could talk to, and so they made easy friends. But those weren't the sort of allies Harry needed. For what Harry was planning, as abstract as it was at this point, Harry knew he needed powerful allies, witches, werewolves, or vampires—though in the long run they would have to be witches. A lot of witches.
But first things first, he needed to secure Mystic Falls.
Harry has spent a day thinking about the task the Ghost Witches of Mystic Falls had set for him, really thinking it over, and he'd come to the notion that it would rather be easier to circumvent the plans to kill the twenty-four innocents, if he knew who it was endangering their lives.
He stood from his seat. He had to speak to the Sheriff again, though this time he would have to go about it a different way. How? The daughter, she was her likely weakness; but said daughter was a vampire, a power house Harry could handle, but a powerhouse all the same. She was faster, stronger, and most likely ruthless—most vampires were as such as they went on in years—but most frightening of all, she had friends, and Harry knew the lengths friends could go to protect one of their own.
The town council then. The sheriff had said the town council were friends, many of them had gone to school with her if Harry remembered correctly, and he hoped he did. Therefore, he needed to use that, he needed to appeal to her on that count. He needed to make sure, though, that she was at least reading his book on Occlumency.
It was a day since he had sent it, but he was sure if the woman was not Compelled, she would make sure to have started doing the exercises. Harry hoped she was good enough to at least be able to ward of Compulsion, things would be better in the long run.
He thought about it, then turned on the spot, preparing to take a great risk.
He appeared in silence, around him the neat office of Sheriff Forbes, said woman was on her desk, focused intently on paperwork. She hadn't heard him yet.
Harry cleared his throat and quickly the woman looked up, her hand going instinctively for her gun.
"I'm not here to harm you, Lady Sheriff," Harry said, but he could hear the woman's heart beating thunderously. Harry had to hold himself back from going for his wand, and every part of him was telling him to get to it.
"What do you want?" the sheriff asked, her tone a bit shaky but all in all level. Harry liked her, this only further heightened this liking.
"A request," Harry said, smiling as he noted the black notebook on her desk, opened to a page Harry couldn't read. He wasn't immune to the spells effects unfortunately.
She calmed, her hands rising from her holster, her shoulders were still tensed though. "How did you get in here?" she asked.
Harry moved forward and took it, the sheriff sat rigidly against her chair, watching Harry.
"The same way I sent that book," Harry said.
"You're a witch," she said, though it still sounded like a question.
Harry tilted his head. "Yes and no," Harry said. "You could consider me a witch in the respect that I can do magic, but where I come from I'm known as a wizard, and I do prefer the term. How do you like it? The book?"
"It's interesting," she said.
"My gift to you," Harry said. "You can, in turn, give it to any you deem deserving, but not a vampire unfortunately. I couldn't leave that much power with an immortal, who knows what they would do with it."
"You don't like vampires?" she asked.
"I don't mind vampires," Harry said. "Just as long as they don't go off slaughtering, they can do what they do."
She nodded. "I asked before, what do you want?"
"Right, that. I want you to tell me about the investigation on the council's death." She looked a bit curious, so Harry went further. "I've been contracted, you could say, by a group of people that think the deaths of your council was not an accident."
"Oh?"
Harry nodded. "Yes."
"And so they sent you, because?"
"I'm one of the only few people they could come to in the matter."
"Why's that?"
"Extenuating circumstances I can't divulge without revealing more of my self than I already have," Harry answered.
"Unfortunately this is still an on-going police investigation, you can't have it."
"Would you give it to me otherwise?" Harry asked.
"No."
"May I ask why not?"
"For one, it would go against everything I believe in," the sheriff said, "everything I stand for as the sheriff of this town. Second, I don't know you. Mr Potter. I don't know whether or not it might be you who was responsible."
"So it wasn't an accident," Harry said. It was plausible, Harry thought. He shrugged. "You can't," he said, "and I'm afraid that I can't find in me anyway to show you otherwise."
"You must have known I would refuse to give you any information, so why did you come here? Honestly?"
"It was worth a try, and with the book I gave you, I thought you would at least consider the option. I can assure you, I mean no harm, and to prove this, I'm, willing to give you something. I'm unaware whether your daughter told you this, but there's a hunter in town. A hunter who isn't like me, one who kills vampires solely for being vampires.
"Caroline," the sheriff whispered, her voice filled with the full extent of her fear.
Harry nodded. "I know where he is," Harry said, "and I'm willing to give you his location."
"The catch?"
"None," Harry answered. "Your trust is something I'm hoping for in the long run, and I'm hoping to work at it. Another reason why I came to you today," Harry added.
"Okay," said the sheriff. "I'm still not telling you about the investigation."
Harry gave a nod. "As you please, but you should know, it would be very easy for me to steal whatever evidence you have."
"Now, you're just blatantly trying to manipulate me."
Harry nodded. "Intentional," Harry said as he stood. "Forewarning, I'll be casting a curse on your daughter and her boyfriend, it won't hurt her, but it will stop her gabbing about me. I may not hate vampires, but I don't trust them much."
"You know I could shoot you for even telling me that," she said, though without heat. She was learning, Harry thought, she was already working on controlling her emotions; something Harry had found most of his troubles in doing.
"It's good that you didn't," Harry said looking around the room. "With how small this room is, and how close you are, the bullet would ricochet and most likely hit you." She frowned, confused, but Harry didn't explain. Instead he walked to her desk and jotted down the address of one Connor Jordan, then turned on the spot, appearing in front of the hunter's mobile home. The truck was gone, it was the first thing Harry noticed, and so the hunter wasn't home.
Harry didn't like that.
He walked to the house, pulling his wand out of his pocket and pointed it towards the door; there was a click, then it flew open. Harry walked in, then suddenly stopped. Traps, everywhere, many obvious, and others so obvious they had to be decoys.
"Not safe," Harry muttered and stepped back. He did not need to die now.
He turned on the spot again, appearing in front of his home. He rushed inside, up the stairs, and into his study. He rummaged through a drawer and pulled out a small compass, it took on a slight blue glow as soon as it came in contact with Harry's hand, then began spinning with no clear direction.
I need to find the hunter. Harry focused on the thought, and finally the compass stopped spinning. He turned again, choosing a random spot in town, and appeared instantaneously; there was no one around, luckily, but Harry had gotten good at the Mind Arts over the years, and minor Memory Charms were something he could pull-off without a hitch. He looked at his compass, it glowed a little brighter, he was close, and Harry started walking in the direction it pointed.
Connor Jordan. The man was dangerous and unpredictable, Harry feared what would become of the man if he was put into a corner. Harry had wanted to control the corner he had forced unto the man, make sure he was in tight enough of a situation that he would need Harry's help, and that meant using the sheriff to send her daughter and her cohorts to take care of the hunter.
He was sure with that many vampires going after him, the hunter would resort to using the ring Harry had given him. Well, that was the plan, and it involved Harry telling the man of what was to come, hear say, he would say, and the hunter might feel indebted to him.
It was a hastily formed plan, but one Harry was sure would work. He wasn't all that good at manipulating people, but he had gotten quite good at playing situations to get what he wanted, and this would have been two birds with one stone. But now, Harry's other bird had flown the coop.
He couldn't have that.
Harry stopped and looked up as he heard a ruckus, talking and whispers around him. He was at a schoolhouse, and the compass was pointing straight it.
He walked forward, ignoring everything as he felt worry. Connor couldn't make the distinction between friend and foe, and Harry was more than worried that if it came to a fight between the hunter and vampires, the man would use anything to lure the vampires, even trying to kill another child.
Harry rushed through the door, then walked briskly down the halls, following as the point of the compass until he came to an empty hallway; the compass glowing to the point where Harry would consider it conspicuous.
He looked up and didn't hesitate; his hand flew up and a white spell shot out. Connor turned as if feeling it, but turned into it. He was tossed back by the force of the spell, and Harry heard the man wince as he landed with his still healing shoulder. Matt was looking at Harry was a shocked expression.
"Are you alright, mate?" Harry asked as he walked closer to the paler looking blond. Matt nodded, not speaking. Harry shoved the compass into his pocket, his wand still at the ready as he looked at Connor with disdain. "I'm really starting to not like you," Harry said shooting a glare at the man. "Do you really like accosting children that much? Coming to a school of all places," he muttered.
"You don't understand," said Connor, getting to his feet. "He knows who the vampires are, one has been feeding off him, I'm going to find it and kill, and so help me if you try to stop, I'm gonna kill you."
Harry snorted. "People a lot more powerful than you have tried," Harry said, but his attention was now more at Matt than the hunter. "Leave, Connor, before I decide to keep you prisoner for your crimes."
Conner grit his teeth, but walked forward so that he passed by Harry. "I will find a way to kill you," the man whispered as he passed.
"I forgive you," Harry said. "Remember that when you need my help."
Connor didn't say anything, shuffling forward, and Harry noticed that the man wasn't showing much discomfort for the shoulder that should still have hurt.
Curious, which was why Harry was so damn interested in the man.
"Matt, a vampire's feeding off you?" Harry saw the hesitation immediately. "You don't have to lie to me," Harry said. "I know, and I can help you if it's unintentional. Do you remember who did it?"
Matt didn't answer.
"I'll assume it a yes." Harry sighed. "Tell your friends of Connor, of his suspicion, then tell them to speak to the Sheriff, she knows where he is."
"Okay," said Matt with an uncertain nod.
"You should come by my house after school," Harry said. "I should have some manner of protection if ever a vampire takes it too far."
"Okay," he said again, though this time a lot firmer. "Thanks," he said.
"Not a problem, mate. Not a problem at all. You should get back to class, or whatever."
"School's done," said Matt.
"Really?" Matt nodded. "Then how would you like to accompany me to my lab."
"I've got practise," said Matt. "Football."
"Nothing more important," Harry said, his sarcasm clear. "You're afraid of me. You're scared that I might kill you. Fret not. I don't kill without cause. It's more likely that I'll save you than kill you, case and point, this, but if you want to feel save you can bring one of your vampires along. The blonde, or her boyfriend, I've been meaning to speak to them."
Matt hesitated.
"Or both, more powerful in numbers, and whatnot."
"Sure, I'll get them," Matt said and started walking off.
A trap. Harry thought. An obvious trap, but one no less. The vampires would be curious, they knew Harry had done something to their friends, but they would also be weary, more likely to trying and killing him. He could use that against them, he was hoping of course, all plans had something to do with luck in the end.
"Who are you?" the voice was that of a woman, Harry gathered himself of his thoughts. She was just a little taller than Harry, bright blonde hair, and was beautiful.
Vampire, Harry thought.
"I am Harry Potter," Harry said, his accent matching her own. "I would assume you would know me, it seems everyone does in this bloody town," he continued with a smile.
He extended a hand, she didn't take it.
"You're not a student, what are you doing here?"
"My daughter, Harry," said another voice, a man had appeared next to the woman.
The Original Hunter.
"Have care how you talk to her, she can get a little temperamental."
"Mutual, I should say, with you being so much older than me."
She smirked. "Knowledge many have died for knowing," she said. "Why shouldn't I kill you right now?"
"I am, you could say, family."
"Oh?"
Harry nodded. "Your father was my mentor," Harry said. "He trained me to be a hunter."
"You're lying," she said, moving so fast Harry had missed the motion; her hand was at his throat, and Harry groaned as he was slammed into a locker.
"I did tell you," Mikael said with a smug expression as Harry desperately tried to draw in air.
"Who the hell are you?" she asked her hands squeezing tighter around his throat.
"I can't—" Harry took in a haggard breath, "answer—like—this."
He was let go and he dropped to the ground, trying to fill in his lungs with as much air as he could manage.
"Well?"
Harry stood, and brushed himself off. "Truly an Original, and the clearly the sister of Niklaus Mikaelson."
"So you know my father and brother's names, that doesn't tell me who you are."
"Harry Potter, as I've said before, and really I was trained by your father." Harry quickly raised a hand before the Original moved. "If you attack me again, I will be aiming to hurt you."
She snorted. "I'm just going to kill you," she said, and moved again. Harry's hand came up, there was a flash and a bang, and Rebekah was stuck onto a locker, though she wasn't as blooded as Stefan had been when Harry had used the spell on him. Then again, Harry had tried to hold himself back in her case, though from the large dent in the locker—it had caved in so much so that it had cracked the wall behind it—it was clear he hadn't held back much.
"As I said, your father trained me, and he helped me come up with that particular spell. In case I fought your brother, he'd said."
"You're a witch," she said.
"A wizard," Harry corrected, "and a hunter. One of the most powerful hunters I daresay, what with your father's diligent training."
"You're here to kill my brother, aren't you?" she asked, there was fear in her voice as she asked this, love for her brother perhaps? From what Harry had heard from the man beside him, Niklaus was a cruel, cruel man, unlovable in every respect.
But then again, the man had also called his son an abomination. Harry didn't take the man's opinion about his son too seriously, there was the matter of Niklaus killing wolves though. Harry had loathed the man after hearing of those cases.
"No. I came here because of magic. It led me here in a trap to get me involved in things," Harry said. The Original looked confused. "It makes sense to some."
Harry waved his wand and the woman dropped to the ground, landing on her feet. "Now you're family," Harry said, "I consider you family, at least, so you have my protection. Be wary of the hunter, but please don't kill him, he's of interest to me."
She folded her arms and Harry smiled back at her slight scowl.
"Fine," she said. "I'll let you live," and she walked off.
Harry waved his wand and the slight dent popped back into place.
"She likes you," said Mikael.
"You think?" Harry asked.
Mikael shook his head. "Don't even think about it."
"I won't think about it, sure, but actions," Harry shrugged. "Where have you been hiding?"
"Here and there," said Mikael.
"You've been watching your son haven't you?"
"He's not my son," said Mikael with the amount of loathing he always had when speaking of Niklaus. "I didn't father that abomination."
Harry shook his head. "Like I've been telling you, you have to let go of that hate. It can't be good for you."
"I'm dead, Harry. Nothing can be bad for me."
"True. But I still wouldn't hold on to that much hate." Harry checked his watch, then remembered he didn't have one, and looked around, perhaps Matt had ditched him.
"And there I thought I'd made a friend," Harry said.
"Friends," said Mikael, "who needs them?"
"They do make life more bearable, fun even."
"I thought killing was fun," said Mikael. "I seem to remember you going to awful lengths to find vampires to kill."
"Rippers, Mikael. I know you had lost enough of your humanity that you couldn't make the distinction, but I can, and it was better for of all humanity."
"Who are you talking to?" another female voice, another blonde, another person Harry had missed.
"You're getting rusty," said Mikael.
"I know," Harry said with an amount of glumness. "I see dead people, love, I regularly talk to them. Unhealthy, yes, but what do I care about health? Where's Matt?"
"Staying away from you," she answered. "I was supposed to keep you restrained while the others took care of your hunter friend, but since you're a hunter who can take down an Original, I decided it was easier to just talk."
"Clever girl."
"So, dead people, how is that like?"
"Disconcerting when I first discovered it, but you get used to it, find ways of getting them off your back. Care for a walk? This place is me too nostalgic for my liking."
"Sure."
"So, you're comfortable being alone with me. I'm surprised."
"You saved April, and no matter what you've done since then, I could see the genuine worry I saw on your face when you had her in your arms. I don't think you're a killer."
"What I've done," Harry said. "You've noticed then?" She nodded.
"It's a bit conspicuous when you do it to three people. You bound their tongues with magic," she said making it sound more dramatic than the soundless, lightless spell Harry shot at them.
"Eerily specific," Harry said under his breath, she heard of course. "Who told you?"
"Not important," she said with a little smile. "What is important though, is what you're doing here."
"Starting a new life," Harry said.
"Why Mystic Falls?"
"This is the birthplace of vampires, I was curious to see it."
"The birthplace of your mentor," she added.
Harry nodded. "You know, I'm volunteering quite a lot by telling you this."
"You'll tie my tongue after it I assume," she said all blasé.
"It's for the best."
They finally turned and walked out of the school, it looked much emptier than when Harry had been walking in.
"Secrecy, I get it. You know we'd all be willing to keep your secret if you asked. Most of us aren't all that bad."
Harry shook his head. "I don't know you all that well to be trusting you."
"Well, we should fix that," she said.
"We should," Harry agreed.
Her phone rang. "Do you mind if I take this?" Harry shook his head. "Hello?"
"He escaped," the voice of the Ripper said from the other side. It sounded annoyed, very annoyed.
"What?"
"The hunter escaped, and he took down Tyler again. Luckily the bullets don't have the same effect on him or he'd be dead."
"How did he escape," she asked in a low whisper, though her eyes were on Harry.
"I think this is my cue."
"He had His help." Harry heard before feeling the small seconds of the compressive state, and landed on his driveway.
"Well that went well," said Mikael, appearing and walking beside Harry. "I thought you were trying to make friends," he said in that smug way only Mikael could pull-off.
"Shut up," said Harry. "Hunter!" Harry shouted as he entered his house. There wasn't an answer. Harry raised his wand to his throat. "Hunter!"
"No need to shout," said Lexi. "He's in the living room and he's bleeding everywhere."
Harry flicked his wand, and the woman was banished. "I don't trust her in our present predicament," Harry said to Mikael. "Spy on the vampires for me."
"I'm not one of your lackeys, Harry."
"You're not."
"I do this and you have to protect the rest of my children with your life," the man said.
"Twenty-one favours from you ought to do it, all without question."
"Fine," he said, much like his daughter had.
"A deal is made."
The man disappeared.
"Hunter," Harry said. The man lay on the floor, one of his arms badly broken, scratches across him. The man was badly hurt. "I heard you were attacked."
The man didn't answer, though slight groans kept escaping him.
"Rushed over to see if you were alright," Harry said. "Now aren't you grateful I don't hold a grudge," he said before shooting a Numbing Charm at the man, luckily it worked because he stopped groaning.
"Now we can talk, would I be correct to assume you've come to accept my mentorship?"
"No," Connor said.
Harry hummed. "Not very clever though. Personally, I would lie, say yes then when I was healed, run off and rebel."
The man twitched, trying to move, but when he noticed he couldn't, he said, "There's something you want from me," said the hunter. "I don't know what it is, but it's there. You won't let me die."
"Well, I could actually. Whatever you are, I'm sure you're not the only one out there. The universe doesn't work that way, or mother earth as I should say in this case. There are more, I'm sure, and given long enough, I'm sure I'll run into another. So letting you die here, I could do it without a second thought."
Though it would break his word to the witches, Harry thought. But, again, the way it had been implied, Harry was to stop twenty-four from dying in sets of two. The hunter didn't know of this, though, and Harry made sure to tell him.
"And how long is that going to take?"
Harry shrugged. "Time is something I don't worry too much about."
Connor snorted. "If you don't worry about time, why did you give me the deadline?"
"I wanted you flustered, to be honest. I thought if you had a deadline, you'd be quicker to come by my side. I was wrong, it seems, because not even two days later you were off accosting teenagers."
"A vampire's feeding off him."
"And by the looks of it the man is enjoying it. Who are we to interfere?"
"Hunters. We're hunters. We kill things like that."
Harry shook his head. "You are stubborn aren't you?"
"And you're soft. You don't hate them enough."
"Hate is an emotion I don't often dwell in," Harry said. "It's not all that good for you, of course it can't be entirely be avoided. But no less, I don't dwell. It's bad for your spiritual self and all that."
The hunter only snorted, though Harry saw some worry in the man's eyes. Connor was starting to look unfocused. "Right," Harry said standing. "I should get to healing you," then started a list of enchantments that would wade the hunter from death.
The Healing Arts were something Harry was not entirely good at, he'd tried to be diligent about it, tried practising them, but found he was really bored by them. Healing didn't have the excitement of Curses, Hexes, and Jinxes, it didn't the wondrous feeling of creation of Transfigurations, and it didn't have the subtlety of the Mind Arts. No, it just did its purpose.
But as long-lived as Harry was, he knew the importance of healing, and so he was at least mediocre in the craft.
With the severity of the hunter's wounds, Harry was at work for at least an hour, moving his wand in complicated patterns and muttering song-like spells under his breath.
Every passing second of that hour though, Harry was growing worried. Mikael should have been back, he thought. The man should have been back at least half an hour ago, telling Harry how the vampires were reacting to the hunter's escape.
Harry finally uttered the last spell, a sleeping spell powerful enough to pass over whatever innate magic the hunter had, and put the man into a healing sleep. Harry waved his wand and the man began floating off into one of the above rooms.
He hefted himself onto one of the clean sofa, working his wand in trying to clear the stain of blood on the floor, and clearing the air of the stale scent of blood which lingered. Connor seemed adamant that Harry should show him his skills, and though Harry didn't like to be manipulated, subtly or not, he couldn't see the harm. If Harry looked hard enough, he was sure he could find a vampire worth killing, and maybe when the man saw this he'd be more likely to want to be trained by Harry, giving the wizard a guise to studying him.
You could of course do this now, said some part of his mind, the part that didn't care too much of convention. Nothing is really holding you back, it continued, the only barrier you have is yourself.
"True," Harry said, "but I like being able to sleep at night, and putting someone under the Imperious Curse is something that will hound me for most of my days." Because Harry had not been able to forget every instance he had been forced to use the Unforgivables, even if it was for the greater good.
Call it a test then, his mind continued. Let's test to see whether his magic, the same magic that can rebound Stunners and make him shake-off Impact Hexes like their nothing, will dampen the effects of at least the Imperious Curse.
"I doubt it," Harry said.
But you're not sure, and that's what we're looking to find out, isn't it? Whether or not your hypothesis is correct?
Harry shook his head, quieting the voice before it made too much sense. He stood and chose to focus on Mikael's absence instead. The man should have been back, what could have stopped him?
Harry didn't care.
"Mikael," it was a moment before the man appeared. He looked a little haggard, not physically, but there was something about him, as though he had lost a part of himself. Harry didn't understand, but the closest he could think of the man's state, was black and white against the backdrop which was the world.
"What happened?"
"A ghost," Mikael said. "At least I think it was a ghost. The man could see me, and I him, he could touch me, and he was stronger than me."
"Alaric," Harry muttered under his breath.
"You know him?"
"No, not know per se, but I loaned a friend of his my ring, and it seems when he summoned the ghost he parted the veil around the man." Harry sighed. "I thought nothing of loaning the ring, thinking it useless, a trinket I kept for nostalgic sake, but no I'm beginning to regret it. What did he do to you?"
"Well, we fought, then the next thing I know I feel like I'm fading from the world, like he's draining my life," and Mikael spoke before Harry could get word in. "Yes, I know, I'm dead, but all the same it's what it felt like."
Harry nodded, musing the idea over, trying to draw theories on what might have happened. Alaric had been summoned by the Stone of Resurrection, a powerful magic crafted by Death. The veil to the Other Side had been crafted by a witch, no matter how powerful a witch was, Harry didn't think they could be powerful enough to outmatch Death, which made sense given the stone was able to break the normal rules of Purgatory, namely that you couldn't see other ghost and they couldn't see you. But what of this new discovery, that the stone also made the summoned ghost stronger than other, and he took some of their 'life' if he fought them?
"So I assume you didn't get anything?" Harry asked and the man scowled. "No, then. I'll be calling your almost re-killer in if you want to clear off," the man shook his head. "Suit yourself then."
"Alaric," Harry said.
Nothing happened.
Harry frowned, but tried again. "Alaric," he said, louder.
Nothing happened.
"Strange," Harry said. "I think my power may not be working," was this the stone again? But how could it block him? He was its master, what he wanted was above all else important.
"I think it was about time to spy on the vampires by myself," Harry said.
Spying on vampires. One of the trickiest things there was, sound, sight, scent were his enemies when it came to them. He started with his first spell, he tapped himself with his wand and it felt like a gale force wind washed over him, the spell would afford him thirty minutes without scent; another spell which layered him with a quieting charm; and finally, because he didn't want the slightest chance of someone seeing his Disillusioned self, he procured his Cloak of Invisibility from his vault.
"Open your mind, if you would, think of the place where they were. Legillimens." Harry said, his wand pointed at the ghost, he got the picture and turned on the spot appearing in a neat living room.
"It stopped," Alaric was saying on Harry's arrival—Harry noted that the man looked better than the last time he had seen him, he looked brighter, more tanned, certainly brighter when compared to Lexi standing next to him. There were six of them, Lexi, Alaric, the Ripper and his brother, Elena Gilbert, and a dark-skinned young woman who looked to be Elena's age.
"He'll want to investigate," said Lexi, the message then relayed by Alaric. "You should have disappeared here and appeared in front of him, that's what usually happens. How did you resist it?"
The ghost shrugged. "Don't know."
"Alaric, ask Lexi if this guy's a threat," said Damon.
"She can hear you, Damon."
Lexi shook her head. "You should tread lightly," Lexi said, then message the relayed by Alaric. "He's powerful."
"Do you know anything about him?" the question was asked by Elena and it was directed at the girl Harry didn't know. "About his brand of magic?"
The girl shook her head. "I've never heard of anything like him," she said. "I'd ask the spirits, but they aren't all that talkative."
"What use is a witch with no magic?" asked Damon, clearly annoyed, the man artfully ignored the scowls being shot at him by the girl and his brother.
"Isn't there a way you could get your magic back?" the Ripper asked.
The girl, Harry didn't try to think of her name less he miss something important, hesitated, then said, "There's a guy who knew grams, he has some of her things, maybe I can find something there that will help me."
"I'll come with you," said Elena, and she laid a comforting hand on the girl, she drew a small smile.
"Ditto," said Damon, looking at only Elena, his brother scowled but said nothing. "Might as well get Elena's training underway."
"In the meantime what do we do?" asked Elena.
"We stay ready, we don't know what this guy wants in town, but with him being buddies with the hunter, we can't put it past him that he could be out to kill us all. We steer clear until Bonnie has her powers and breaks his…break what he did."
Harry turned on the spot before any of them could move, appearing in his living room.
Things were getting exciting again, and with precious few allies, he had to make sure the hunter, and at least Rebekah Mikaelson were in his corner.
Not now though, Harry was hungry and tired, he hadn't eaten most of the day and he was running on empty. He ate, then relaxed on his bed for a while, looking at the ceiling and thinking.
Lexi was right. The witch had lost her magic. It was disconcerting to think about, that something you were born with could just be taken away. Harry shivered, he really needed to start gathering those witches. He needed power of this world in case it ever came to a witch stripping him of his own magic.
Finally he slept.
"Hunter," Harry said with a jovial tone, the wizard had three tomes beside him, all reading on this world's mythical lore, knowledge he'd gathered and some he'd been offered by Mikael.
"Wizard," the hunter said with a scowl. "Why was I naked?"
Harry snorted. "Good morning too you too, hunter, though it is getting much closer to the afternoon, and it was my pleasure to heal, there is no need to be thankful," Harry said.
"Yeah, yeah, sure. You haven't answered my question."
"Your clothes were sodden with blood, and even with magic, it is a chore to clean. There's breakfast in the kitchen if you're hungry, and you'd better eat, were leaving for New York in a few hours."
"What?"
"Well, you wanted to see me in action, remember? I have decided to give you that demonstration." Harry had been busy all morning, searching for a sloppy vampire, and signs were pointing towards New York. Harry also hoped he would run into a lone witch there, an inexperienced one who would jump at the chance to be taught magic.
"Why New York, there are vampires here."
"Because the vampire in New York is sloppy. There have been eight reported missing in two weeks, the police have no leads, and they don't have a clear pattern, nothing. Clearly the work of a vampire, it could be new, or it could be a Ripper, either way it's something to investigate. Breakfast's in the kitchen," Harry said again as he heard the hunter's stomach groan.
Harry continued his reading, roving through theories that could explain to him the extant of Expression, he had yet to have any luck.
The hunter joined him with his breakfast, and Harry stopped the man from touching his tomes. "Those books are old," Harry said. "If you get oil on them I will break your fingers."
"What are they?"
"Lore," Harry answered. "I like studying magic, it's a hobby of mine, and these are tomes on magic I've come across the years."
The hunter scanned through the books, making sure not to touch them. "Latin?" Harry nodded. "Japanese?" Again Harry nodded.
"I'm also trying to learn French, increase my repertoire," Harry said.
The hunter nodded, downing his breakfast. "How did you find out about my attack?" the hunter asked.
"I was having a chat with one of the vampires, she was trying to get me to trust her. It didn't work out to well when she found out I am the reason you escaped after shooting?" Connor nodded. "Her boyfriend."
"He isn't dead though," said Connor regretfully.
"I daresay she would have killed me were she able."
"And you still think they're not all evil?"
Harry nodded. "Circumstance," Harry said. "In their eyes we are evil, we threatened their lives and those they loved, so they will be gunning for us. Which is why we need to be acting together."
"Working towards what? You say you can kill these vampires and yet you don't, so when you say work together I don't get what we would be working towards."
"Well there's your magic for one," Harry said. Connor didn't look at that shocked, so Harry assumed he knew. "I want to know its full extant. There other types of magic I want to learn about as well, but since you're in front of me and I don't know about your magic, I want to learn about you."
"My magic," the hunter said, then snorted. "You're saying I could be a witch too?"
Harry shook his head. "You don't have the aura of a witch," Harry said, "and if you were, the spirits of your ancestors would be flocking around you."
"How can you be sure they aren't?"
Harry shrugged. "I see dead people," that did surprise the hunter though.
"You see dead people?" he asked sceptically.
Harry chuckled. "We live in a world where vampire and werewolves exist, and that I can see ghosts you are sceptical about? Sort of a double standard is it not?" The hunter didn't answer. "In any case you're not a witch, you're something different."
"Which is why you're interested in me?"
Harry nodded.
"We should get going," Harry said, standing. "I have other things to do besides this vampire."
"How are we getting there?"
"Apparating," he said. "In all respects it is teleportation, except the name."
"Why don't you just call it, teleportation?"
"I grew up with it being called, Apparition, some habits are hard to pass. I'll just get my gun and we'll be off," Harry said before walking off upstairs.
Harry grabbed his gun, holster, and then popped back downstairs, the hunter was dutifully waiting for him; he was interested, and that was Harry's way in.
"Hand on my shoulder and don't let go until you can breathe."
He felt the hunter's hand on his shoulder, then turned on the spot.
They appeared with a slight pop in an alley, Harry took out his compass and looked at it.
"There's quite a bit of walking involved, if you'll follow me," and the two began walking, moving. "So how did you become a hunter?" Harry asked, in an effort to start a conversation.
"A friend of my saw potential in me," Connor answered.
"Friend? I wouldn't think anyone who would bring you into this life of danger to be a friend," Harry said. "But then again, I considered the man who trained me to be a friend."
"Who trained you?"
"A great but flawed man," Harry answered.
"That isn't telling me much."
"I'm only returning the favour, there isn't much you've told me as well, like this magic of yours. You know about it?"
"I do," said Connor. "I'm a hunter," the man said.
"I know that."
"No, I'm a Hunter. I was born a potential, and the friend of mine noticed this. He told me I was like him, born to kill vampires. I thought he was crazy at first, but there were signs I couldn't ignore."
"What sort of signs?"
"A tattoo, for one, that only he and I could see."
"A tattoo?" Harry stopped. "Where is this tattoo?" The man held up his right hand, and Harry couldn't see anything. "And this tattoo is the source of your power?"
Connor shrugged. "I don't know," he said, and the hunter started moving. "When I killed my first vampire the tattoo appeared on me too, and so came the benefits as well, I was faster and stronger. Then there was the Compulsion. Every time I'm close to a vampire I have to kill it, its mere existence shakes me to my core."
"A Compulsion? You know Occlumency can help you with that?"
"Occlumency?"
"An art to block the mind against intrusion, it ensures I can't be Compelled."
"I can't be Compelled either," said Connor. "One of the perks of being a Hunter."
"Lucky," Harry said. "Being Compelled, I imagine, is disconcerting. Still I should teach you Occlumency, it will help against that Compulsion you feel whenever you're close to vampires, maybe you might have a change in your outlook towards them."
"Unlikely," said the hunter.
"I can't be sure that isn't the Compulsion talking," Harry said.
They turned a corner and came to the sight of an abandoned house, it was old and creepy looking, with shut doors and boarded windows.
"Do you feel any vampires in there?" Harry asked Connor, the hunter shook his head.
"It doesn't work that way," he said. "I can't sense them."
"It would have been a convenient if you could," Harry said. He pulled out his wand, and walked into the property. "Repello Muggletum," he muttered under his breath. "A spell to keep out Muggles," Harry explained.
"Right, you're not big on the whole humans being killed thing," said Connor.
"True. I hope that is the Compulsion at work, we should really start those Occlumency lessons. How about now. No matter how much you feel the urge to kill this vampire, don't. We'll see how hard it is and start from there."
"What's the harm," said Connor though he sounded resigned.
"Super." Harry flicked his wand towards the door and it was blasted open, shattering into pieces. The two of them walked in; the house was dark and dank, cold and lightless, and it would have been hard to see if Harry did not have below supernatural sight. But the hunter beside him was having trouble, Harry lit his wand, filling the passage they stood in with a dim light.
There was a room to the left, a study with broken desks and bookcases, but it was empty. There was another to the right, leading to a living room, it looked in better condition, but it had the smell of blood to it. Old blood, maybe two to three days old.
Harry looked at his compass, and it pointed to the back. They walked in silence and finally came to a fortified steel door looking to lead into a lower floor. Harry tapped it with his wand and it slid silently open, it looked newer than the entire house. There were stairs leading down and Harry descended, making sure each step made as little sound as possible, there was another door at the bottom. Harry repeated, opening it with an Unlocking Charm.
It was a bedroom, there was a bed in the far end and a pile of books beside it. There were posters of rock bands Harry didn't recognise on the wall, lit by the low light from his wand.
"That's the vampire?" asked Connor from behind Harry.
The wizard looked at his compass, its point was stuck firmly on the lump sleeping on the bed.
"Well let's get this over with." Harry flicked his wand and the door closed with a bang.
The lump jumped and landed in front of them; a spell shot from Harry's wand and slammed into the vampire. The boy, nineteen or twenty, was instantly engulfed by fire, his screams tearing across the basement room before he fell to the ground, a smouldering husk.
"I was hoping for a more exciting fight, but," Harry shrugged. "There, I killed a vampire, so I ask you, hunter, can I consider you an ally now?" Harry looked into the man's eyes, looking for any deceit.
"Yes," the hunter said.
Harry beamed. "Super," he said. "We should be getting back to Mystic Falls, and we'll begin your true lessons of Occlumency."
The hunter nodded and laid his hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry turned on the spot.
"Take a few minutes to get ready," Harry said, walking outside. "I've taken the precaution of erecting barriers which will keep you in the property, I can't trust that your compulsion towards vampires won't have you accosting teenagers again."
"What sort of relationship are we going to have if you don't trust me, wizard?" the hunter asked as Harry headed for the door.
"It's not you I don't trust, it that compulsion of yours, not that I knew this when I erected them this morning, but it was a just precaution."
Harry walked out of the house, the hunter still in tow.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to try and salvage relations with the vampires, I'm hoping the sheriff wasn't spilled anything yet." And Harry turned on the spot, appearing in the sheriff's office.
It was empty, which Harry found surprising, but the woman was a police officer, so she probably was still in the field, doing her job. Harry turned again, appearing outside the station and walked in using the front door. Harry's favourite offer officer sat behind the front desk.
"Officer, how are you today?"
"I'm doing well, Mr Potter," the man said.
"You know my name?"
"Yes, sir. Sheriff Forbes said you might be coming in today. She asked if you could wait until she arrived."
Harry shrugged. "What's the harm?"
"Cool, follow me," and Harry followed, and didn't even bother to comment that he was being led to wait in a holding cell. "I'm sorry but I can't let you into the sheriff's office while she isn't there," the man said and from his tone Harry thought that he meant it.
"Not a problem, my good man, though I wouldn't mind a spot of tea."
The man nodded and left, closing the door behind him. Harry revelled in the silence, some time to think on his hunter business. The man was magic, that much had been clear to Harry from their first fight, but which brand of magic was something he hadn't been all that sure about. Well now he knew. The man was a Hunter, with magic deliberately suited for fighting vampires, it certainly explained why the man's punch had hurt so much in their fight. But he also had a compulsion to kill vampires whether he wanted to or not, this also explained why the man was so adamant that all vampires were monsters; why he couldn't discern between good and bad.
He could make the man overcome this, he was sure; then he would have, on his side, someone who was least likely to be caught off guard by vampires, something which had annoyed Harry above all else in his long life. But Connor had made an enemy of the vampires in Mystic Falls, and because of the man they regarded Harry as a threat they needed to take down; with resources like theirs, the mayor and the sheriff, they had a chance of winning and killing him. Harry couldn't die yet, there was still that pesky veil he needed to think about, and now that he knew his magic could be taken away, Harry didn't want to be on the other side with the witches.
The tea came in, and again Harry was left to his silence. Harry took a sip.
He knew the answer lay in Expression. It was the most powerful form of magic Harry had seen so far, and if there was a way to break the veil, he knew it would lay within this form of magic. He didn't know enough though, and knowledge, in many respects, was power.
Harry took another sip, yawning a little.
He was starting to feel tired, which was to be expected given Harry had been up before sunrise and gotten to work. He'd set-up new wards around the house, to keep out all ghosts, whether or not they meant Harry harm; what Alaric had done, resisting his call, had not left Harry. It was not often that Harry was confused, but this matter with the ghost. It was new. It was a mixture of Harry's own brand of magic and that of this world, and together Harry didn't know what they would reap.
Harry took another sip, the edges of his vision darkening. "Crap," he muttered before everything went black.