Deal with the Devil
Harry walked into his house with Alexander trailing behind him. The curiosity of learning a new source of magic was just too much for Harry to ignore, but now it just seemed to have reached a new level of intensive. The wizard guess it had something to do with the faulty barriers he had not had time to work on since everything happened.
Harry opened the door and shuffled in. Hayley was standing, waiting for him inside. "Who was it?"
"A ghost," Harry said, the adrenaline leaving him and feeling a fatigue settle over him.
"A ghost?"
"Yes," Harry said, and when he looked, he saw a little surprise. "I can speak to ghosts."
"I know," she said. "Tyler told me. I just…what can't you do, I'm wondering."
"A lot," said Harry. "Especially now," he added in a mutter. "Alexander, make yourself at home, I want you tell me everything about this Hunter business when I'm not so tired." Harry looked at Hayley. "I really want Connor to be awake if we're going to make plans about working with Niklaus."
Hayley nodded then followed Harry upstairs and into a room she had designated her own. When Harry had finished showering and climbed into bed, he had thought he would spare a fear moment's thought to everything that had happened in that last few hours. He had thought, once he became engulfed by the darkness of unconsciousness, his thoughts would continue. Unfortunately, this was no truth: as soon as the wizard climbed in, fatigue overtook him and he fell immediately asleep. A sleep in which he dreamed for the first time in centuries, and no matter how hard he fought, his dream were just of nonsense he couldn't make sense off, and when he woke up, remembered only foggily.
Connor had enough strength to make it to breakfast the next morning; Harry could hear the man chomping down on something crunchy as he came down the stairs. Not that he cared much, the wizard was still thinking about his dreams, the jumbled mess of his unconscious mind, and he found that what little he could remember, he still could not make sense off. Harry found dreams annoying, hours he could have spent think things through wasted by meaningless dreams.
He was frowning as he came into the kitchen.
"Good morning, mate," said Harry as he entered. "Hayley."
"Hey," returned the former of the two. Conner only nodded, focusing on his food with the intensity he had showed when Harry had asked him to prepare for their fights with the hybrids.
"Tell me they at least fed you," Harry said with an amount of worry.
"Not enough," Connor replied, his tone saying he did not want to say any more on the subject. Harry understood the feeling well enough, Aurors, back in the day when he had been one, had showed the same feelings if they were caught by the enemy and had been subject to the Cruciatus Curse; a rise of anger erupted in Harry at the thought. This was why Harry knew taking down Niklaus from the inside would not work too well, because now that his barriers had become faulty, he would have trouble controlling his emotions. He would become impulsive again, something that was not too good in the end.
The crunching had stopped, Harry noticed. "What's wrong?" Harry asked as he noticed Connor had stopped eating only to stare at Harry.
"When did you become so readable?" the man wondered out loud. Harry did not answer, only grit his teeth and sat at the table. "What happened?" the Hunter asked.
"Niklaus was expecting us."
"What about plan B?"
"Turns out that dagger of yours don't work," Harry said. "Which I don't understand, I could sense magic coming from the thing."
"Maybe the witch lied to me," said Connor with an amount of anger in his voice.
"Maybe she did," Harry said with a shrug. "Or maybe she believed it would work too. It makes no difference for now. What does make a difference is what do we do now?"
"What can we do now?" asked Connor asked. "Klaus still has his army."
"As well as witches," Harry added, "along with my counterparts." Connor raised a brow. "It seems when I called back Lexi and Bree from the Other Side I severed two parts of myself to make room for them. These two parts somehow became aware and they made some deal with Niklaus, to which the hybrid got them a bodies and witches who could get them out."
"A lot can get done in two weeks," Conner said gruffly and Harry let out a dry chuckle. "So we're worse off than before?"
Harry shook his head. "There might be a way we might still get what we've planned."
"Which is?"
Harry turned his gaze on Hayley, who had been quiet all throughout their conversation. "Connor, meet Hayley, a werewolf with a plan that might just give us the win." The woman gave a lazy wave towards Connor.
Connor's gaze was questioning when he looked at Hayley and equally so when he looked at Harry. "You trust her?"
"I trust that she wants something only I can give and she'll help us in order to get that."
Connor looked at Harry with scrutiny for a few seconds, and then he continued with his food. "What's this plan?" the man asked. Harry looked at Hayley to explain, it was, after all, she who came with it.
"The hybrids," she said. "We turn them against Klaus."
"How? They do everything Klaus says."
"Not by choice," said Hayley. "They do it because of the Sire Bond."
"It's like Compulsion only he doesn't have to look into their eyes," said Harry in explanation. "Basically what you said, they do everything he says."
"So? We give them Vervain and this is all over?"
Hayley shook her head. "Each and every one of them would need to be subjected to the pain of transformations until they're no longer under the Sire Bond."
"Sounds painful," and there was a hint of conspicuous glee when he said this, "and also conspicuous. I've never seen a werewolf transformation, but if it's anything like the movies, then someone transforming over and over would be real conspicuous, really quickly."
"Which is why both Hayley and I would be need to be close with Niklaus," said Harry taking over. "One of my counterparts, Sirius, says he's got Niklaus to stop trying to kill me if in return I don't try to kill him, and I teach my counterparts magic; going into the dragon's den so to speak."
"You work for Klaus for the time being until you have all his hybrids working against him?" Harry nodded. "Do you trust them?"
Harry shook his head. "Not in the slightest, they'll kill me the first chance they get, at least on Niklaus' side of things. Remus and Sirius on the other hand, I'm not so sure where their loyalties lie."
"You think this could work?" Harry gave a nod. "But?"
"But I'll want you with me," said Harry. "I'll need a Hunter fighting with me if things go south."
Connor's teeth clenched, his hand closing firmly around his fork. "I don't think I could spend a moment with the hybrids without killing them," the man grit out, his features scrunched in a mixture of pain and anger.
Harry sighed. "I guessed this would be the case," he said. "I doubt even Occlumency could help you get over this." Connor would want revenge, Harry knew, and since the man was not above killing, that would be his go to method of getting it. No matter how hard he tried, Harry knew he could not do that. Harry sighed again, thinking, then. "As a sign of trust I'll ask them to wake Bree and Lexi."
"Wake them up? Bree told me she didn't sleep."
"When they're killed, instead of dying for the second time they fall into a deep sleep. They won't wake up until they're hit by a certain spell. A spell only Remus, Sirius, or I can do…" but Harry felt that wasn't true, memories of the ritual again invaded his mind; he remembered repeating the Curse Ender and it having no effect, then Anna had joined, then two more voices. They had made the spell their own, without wand movements, and just by will. Maybe a witch of this world could do the spells of Harry's world, but then they would have to be the right numbers, and Harry doubted they could do Transfigurations, that sort of magic seemed to be a speciality of his world as he'd so far seen. He would have to test that, but that was future business, things he would do once he had all his friends and Hallows, when he got started on work of the Veil of Death, something he had yet to spare any thought for since.
"With those two awake, then at least I will have protection, but I don't like the odds. For all I know they could kill me the moment I arrive."
"What about the wizard oath thing?" Connor asked.
Harry shook his head. "Better yet, an Unbreakable Vow," said Harry with a smile, "or a contract to that effect since I don't have my wand. But there's still the chance they could kill me at the signing."
"We could hold the signing here," said Connor. "You said you changed your wards to keep things in, so if they kill you while they're in here, they won't be able to go out without your help; especially if they need help with magic."
"It could work, of course if they can't do magic then they'll have the witches strip the wards which stop them from going in, if the witches are out there, then it's not impossible for them to take down the wards completely."
"It's a risk worth taking if we want Bree back."
Harry gave a nod at that, making sure not to question why the man wanted Bree back in particular. The next few hours were spent hashing out the minute details of their plans and within the third hour, they pretty much knew what they were going to do.
Harry appeared silently in front of the Mikaelson Estate, Hayley holding into his hands. "You know the plan," said Harry. "I'm hoping you won't betray us."
"I want that potion," said Hayley coolly.
"Don't get killed," and with that Harry disappeared as a hybrid was making it out of the house. He appeared in his house, in the front lawn, Connor waiting for him outside, relishing the sun on his skin. "I waited to tell you this until Hayley had left," said Harry, the ghost of Alexander had been pestering him to speak to his brother, saying he had a message to deliver to Connor, one of the man's destiny.
Destiny.
The word had riled something up in Harry every time the ghost had said it, making it easier for the wizard to ignore, and instead focus on their plans. But now, with distractions gone, Harry felt it would be unfair to not tell Connor of what he was.
"What?"
"About what you are," said Harry. Connor was a lot more attentive when Harry said that. "A ghost came to last night, Alexander his name was, and he said he was once the leader of the Brotherhood of the Five. Does that mean anything to you?" Connor shook his head. "Well he says he knows what hunters are and where they came from."
"Where do we come from?" Connor asked, his full attention not wavering from Harry.
Harry shrugged. "I thought it would be more respectful if I waited for you to be out and about before everything is said. Alexander," the man appeared beside Harry.
"You are ready to hear me?" the man asked, his tone definitely put out.
"Yes," said Harry. "I'll relay what he says," the comment meant for Connor. He looked expectantly at the hunter.
Alexander began… "Nine hundred years ago five of us were brought together by a dying witch; with her last breath she put a spell on us, to give us the power to vanquish the evil abominations that had begun to take over the known world. She gave us strength enough that we could fight against them, our bodies could heal quickly from any ailment, and most of all she gave us weapons that would put the Four Abominations into an eternal Slumber."
"The silver dagger?" Connor asked and Harry nodded.
"Only it didn't work," said Harry.
"They work," Alexander interjected before Harry and Connor could break into speculations, "on all but one of the abominations. My brothers and I successfully put down three of the four successfully, but the last caught us by surprise with his immunity."
"But why would he be immune?" Harry asked after relaying what Alexander had said to Connor. The dark-skinned man shrugged.
"He is a werewolf," Alexander said simply and Harry let out a long drawn out sigh.
"What?" asked Connor.
"The werewolves of this world are strengthened by silver," said Harry, "and the dagger was made of silver." Harry let out another sigh. "I would have thought that since there was a spell on the dagger, then its natural properties would be negated if not dulled." However, Nature was far stronger in this universe. Witches who used borrowed power; therefore, the Nature's magic would be far more powerful than that of any witch. "The dagger didn't work on Niklaus, how did you survive his wrath?"
"We did not," said Alexander his head hung low. "He killed each and every one of us when he awoke, and I had thought this was the end of the hunter line; that we had failed our fated purpose, and so it was with that knowledge that I spent nine hundred years of my death wallowing at my gravesite. This was until a grave robber desecrated my grave and stole something of mine, which could only be used by one of the Five.
"Niklaus, after all this time, came back and stole my sword. I couldn't let him lay claim to something no abomination could hold, and so I followed him, coming here to this town and seeing my once love, his sister, Rebekah, and also one of my brothers bound and chained, and asked of knowledge he did not possess," disgust lay in his voice as he said this. Righteous anger filled the man and playing across his features.
"The Abomination is looking for something which was not meant for him," Alexander continued. "He looked for the Cure whose power is enough to drive a true Abomination, a true Immortal, Silas, into the depths of Hell."
As Harry said the last word there was a reaction in Connor, the man was on his feet, alert as though he had not been weak the night prior, his gaze looked around as though they would be attacked at any second, and Harry could hear the man's heart beating heavily against his chest.
"Silas," said Connor, his name said with utmost loathing even beyond that he had shown for vampires before he had learnt Occlumency.
Harry's befuddlement of Connor's reaction disappeared when something caught his attention.
A single word.
Cure.
"A Cure for an Immortal?" Harry asked looking at Alexander. "A cure for vampirism?" At the man's nod, Harry felt like he had been slapped. For the first time in a very long time, he felt insignificant in the greater scheme of things. How could the witches of this universe be so powerful? They could create vampires, werewolves, and hunters; their powers had been enough to create another dimension in which there solely resided supernatural ghosts; and most fearsome of all, they could strip others of the ability to do magic.
Harry felt more than a little jealous. So many years he had told himself he was the Master of Death, so many years he had held that title with pride, thinking himself an equal to Dumbledore himself, and yet now, in this universe all that had meant nothing. Harry mentally shook his head. He could not have it. He was the Master of Death, a force of the greater universe. It was not befitting that witches whose powers were borrowed outranked him in magical accomplishments.
But he didn't have a wand. Harry quickly stamped down the thought. He did not need a wand to be a wizard; magic flowed through him, through his core. Perhaps this would be the first step in proving to himself that he was a power to be reckoned with. He needed to break at least one law which had been thought impossible in his universe.
But what and how?
He still had not managed to make a broom fly, how could he hope to break a law of magic?
Harry was pulled out of his thoughts when Connor spoke. "Silas," he said again. "I've got to kill him. I've got to find this Cure, shove it into his mouth, and kill him. Where is it?" Connor asked looking a space he thought Alexander was in, which was strangely in the correct position.
"I do not know," said Alexander. "The revelation that I should be looking for Silas came after I had died, and my map having disappeared, moving on to the next Hunter."
Connor was looking at his arm as Harry finished. "I always knew I had to finish this thing," he said softly. "But lately it's been slow going." He shot the slightest narrowed look at Harry as he said that.
"You know my beliefs in the matter, mate," said Harry. "They haven't changed yet."
"You stop him from killing vampires?" Alexander asked abashed. "Why?"
"Because despite what all you hunters believe, not every vampire is evil," said Harry and he shook his head at the disgust the man showed.
"You are a witch and yet you sympathise with them?"
Harry sighed. "Mate, I'm not having this conversation with you. What you believe is tainted by the spell cast over you by that nameless witch," said Harry, "and I don't have time to convince you otherwise. Connor, I think our plans should change. You should go out and finish your tattoo, whatever this Cure is; Niklaus is looking for it too. I don't know why, but we can't let him have it—on principle," Harry added.
"What about the hybrids in Godric's Hollow?" Connor asked.
"I'll take care of it," said Harry. "You just need finish that tattoo. Take the car, tap the campus-like thing on the dash, think of the joy you would have in finding a coven of vampires, and follow it. I'll have Bree with you when she's awoken."
"You want me to go now?" Connor asked and Harry nodded.
"If we get the Cure before Niklaus, then I can get him to give me my wand," said Harry. "Start packing before they arrive." Connor nodded, looking thrilled by the possibility and quickly moving into the house.
Harry looked at Alexander; the man looked at Harry with an amount of respect. "The idea of killing them displeases you and yet would let him go out and kill?"
Harry shrugged. "The sooner he kills this Silas, the sooner the Compulsion over him subsides," Harry said. "That's the thing I'm looking most forward to at the end of the day. Tell me how to read Connor's tattoo when it's done," said Harry.
"My sword has the answer," said Alexander, "which Niklaus has."
"Tell me where it is and I'll get it."
"Niklaus has it hidden in a large metal box in a room on the second floor of his dwelling," Alexander answered.
Harry gave a nod; he would sort out that out somehow when he found another witch. Harry could not help thinking that this was perfect incentive to find the Bennett witch and get her on his side. Protect her from whatever was going to overcome her.
Harry sat thinking for an amount of time he did not pay attention to, thinking over how insanely weak he now felt. There had to be something he could do, something new, something Remus and Sirius would not be expecting…and the memory collided with Harry like a brick to the head: Apparition without turning on the spot.
It sounded simple, inconsequential, but it was something wizards of his world could not do, and add to that, Harry had already done it. It had been a time he had been in desperate need of escape, in pain far worse than he had ever experienced, and going home had been the only thing that had occupied his mind; with enough work, Harry was sure he could succeed.
The rumbles of an engine startled harry from his thoughts; he looked out beyond his wards and could not yet see anything. Harry turned on the spot, an exercise he soon hoped would become moot, and appeared in Connor's room; the man was busy stuffing a few more items into his duffel bag, Alexander watching over him.
"They're coming," said Harry. "I want you out of here when they break the wards. Keep on the move so they can't use a Tracking Spell. Alexander. You are to watch over him, magic means I can't carry a phone for too long without it shorting out; keep a watch over the location," said Harry. "Bree will follow you once all when she's awoken."
"I will do as you say, wi…" the man paused at Harry's ready glared. "Wizard."
"Brilliant," Harry answered just as he heard the sound of an opening door and soft murmurs come from outside. "They have arrived." Harry Apparated to his lab grabbed two of the remaining sets of armour that could fit Connor, and Apparated back to the man.
"You sure you can do this by yourself?" asked Connor and Harry hesitated. He had lamented in his own mind of his need for allies, and now he was letting go of Connor; but it had to be done. Whatever magic had bound Connor would not let him rest until he had killed whoever this Silas was.
"I'll make do," said Harry as the two made it down the stairs and grabbing the keys from the drawing room in which they had stayed for the longest time. As they stepped out of the house Harry saw them, walking languidly towards the ward's end. "Don't get killed," said Harry as he began his walk to meet Niklaus, Sirius and Remus, and three others: the grey-haired man who visage was now seared into Harry's mind, and two woman, one with dark hair looking in her late twenties and the other a few years younger with vivid red hair.
"I'm not planning on it," said Connor as he jumped into the Cobra, the engine thrummed as he started it.
Harry turned on the spot. "Hello, all," he said, putting on what he hoped was a smile that hid the anger starting to boil in him. The grey-haired man was looking at him with unhidden interest, not even showing the slightest amount of remorse at having split his mind in three. Harry had to grit his teeth in order for the anger to subside even a little. "I'd welcome you in, but without my wand, I can't get rid of these pesky wards can I?"
"You could always Apparate us in," said Remus. The man, dark-skinned and not too tall, his hair cut short and wearing something befitting a teenager, did not look like he wanted to be here. There was an air around him screaming, I do not want to be here, but I was forced and I'll play it through only to see how it works out.
"Connor has rubbed off on me," said Harry with a shrug. "I doubt I could overcome the urge to do something stupid."
"I don't think there would be much of a change in that," said Niklaus a bit of mirth in his voice. "I have known you long, but I can tell stupidity is something you often partake in."
"Come, now, Klaus, play nice. A Harry's being a sport letting us come here, especially since we hold many of the cards," said Sirius when the man noted Harry grinding his teeth together. "Your wolf girl said you wanted witches," said Sirius. "These are the most powerful in the coven; Gregory," the grey-haired man nodded, "Emma," the woman in her late twenties, "and Victoria," the redhead.
Harry nodded. "The wards are nothing complex, but they'll take time and energy to get through. I'm hoping with the more than one, it will be a lot faster."
"This would all have gone much faster with their entire coven here," said Remus, but Harry quickly shook his head.
"The idea of fourteen witches at my house unsettles me," Harry said. "Three is enough. Get on with the spell," Harry had not meant it, but when the words came out, they sounded much like orders. He wondered if this was also the case when he spoke to his friends, if it sounded like he was ordering more than asking, but this was not the time for such thoughts.
Harry stood on his side of the barrier, watching at Gregory pulled out a piece of chalk from his hand and, muttering under his breath, began to draw intricate pattern on the wards. At first it was disconcerting, but as the minutes passed, Harry grew accustomed to the chills climbing up and down his spine. Fifteen minutes passed, a time in which both Harry and Remus were watching the man's work with interest: he stopped at intervals, frown in thought, then continue drawing.
"What do you think?" Remus asked. Harry spared the man a look, there was a familiar glimmer in his eyes. A curiosity that went deep and would continue to niggle at the man until it was sated.
"Impressive," said the man. "Five spells from my count, packed so tightly together that an amateur would think it was just was a shield." The man smirked. "But I can see deeper, the shield is only a decoy, something to attract the eye while the other wards, the malevolent wards."
"You have quite the eye for magic," Harry said with an amount of awe, not enough though. The man still missed the wards to keep things in; then again, Harry guessed that the man was not looking spells to keep things in.
Gregory smiled. "Thank you, Mr Potter," the man said which caught Harry a little off guard. He certainly had not been expecting the man to be so polite, but this still did not take away from the anger Harry felt as he looked at the man's grey eyes. The man's gaze moved away from Harry and to Remus for a millisecond, then Niklaus. "It will take an hour, two at most."
"Get along with it," said Niklaus. "In the meantime, why don't we discuss the contract you want written up?"
The witches started at a spell, power quickly rising above them and sliding over the invisible bubble over Harry's property. Harry tried to ignore the sense of power in favour of the conversation.
"It's a Binding Magical Contract," said Harry; Sirius let out a low whistle at Harry's words even Remus' eyes were opened wider. "It will ensure everyone does what was agreed upon, no breaking of words, no excuses."
Niklaus looked at Sirius. "Care to give more details," the man asked. "Seems Harry here, is not to chatty today."
"One of the darker arts of magic," Remus answered instead. "Forces the parties involved to carry out the contract even if it means their deaths. Going overboard don't you think?"
"I'm wandless," said Harry. "I need insurance that you lot won't kill me."
"You don't trust us do you?" asked Sirius.
"I'd be lying if I said, yes," Harry answered.
"You've got to let go of that resentment, Harry. It can't be good for you."
"So if splitting my head open, but you didn't have any reservations doing that."
Sirius sighed at that, his eyes drifting towards Remus who had turned almost read with anger. "We apologise if we didn't like being locked into your head," said Remus. "Especially when you thought so hard about why we were or how you could get us out."
"I told you I didn't know the side effects of letting you out!" said Harry. "For all I know I could have—"
"Gone insane?" asked Remus in an equally heated tone. "I may be blind mate, but I certainly think you haven't gone insane."
"Look at me!" Harry shouted taking steps towards the barrier, anger burning fiercely at the pit of his stomach, plans of working together were instantly forgotten; Harry's hands clenched into fists. "My barriers were shattered because of that stunt you pulled, and you somehow think I'm still the same? You took away something that took me a century to build. Merlin knows how susceptible you've made me!"
"I don't care about you bloody barriers, Harry. The same feeling of preservation you feel for yourself, I have them too, and considering I've spent more than twenty years in your mind—"
"NO!" Harry interrupted. "No! Don't think you'll by my sympathy with that nonsense. You think. You think you spent twenty years in my mind. You think. When all it was, was two days in which I had other matters to think of, after which I would have made a plan. Instead, like some spoiled child, you had to get ahead of yourself." Harry took a few breath, trying to calm his anger, but the fury wasn't having it. "Let's get this contract over with," said Harry. "Not even an hour had passed and I'm already tired of all this."
"Gregory," Sirius asked sombrely. "How much time do we have?"
The man didn't answer, only continuing his chanting. "Well, this certainly is awkward," Niklaus whispered in a loud manner.
"It's done," the man said just as Harry felt the ward snap viciously. He twitched at the loss of protection, but it was needed; Harry turned on the spot, appearing in front of his door, Connor took that as sign to leave; the car roared and took to the sky, Harry felt a punch to the stomach as the care tore through the outgoing wards.
Harry waited at the door until the faction of six arrived, Remus and Sirius didn't even need invite before they walked in. "Come in," said Harry to Niklaus is particular. "This way." Harry led them away from the foyer to a drawing room; the middle of the room there sat a small round table with four chairs around it, there were four candles at corners of the room, unlit. On the table there sat a brass goblet, next to it a knife, a quill and a piece of parchment.
"We going to have stand through this?" asked Victoria.
"You can't be in here," said Harry, the girl looked about to speak when Remus cut in.
"It's ritual specifics," he said, "if you're in here, if you hear any of the specifics, then you're bound by terms even if you haven't signed, and unfortunately for you the results can be mortal… I'll tell you about if when we get back," said Remus and Harry couldn't help but feel a little proud of the infuriating man. There was nothing witches loved more than information on magic, even if it was a branch they couldn't use, and for Remus to be battering with information meant he was shifting allegiances, the same exact thing Harry would be doing. Harry had to command the man, not that it was something he would ever say aloud.
"Let us take our leave," said Gregory with a pointed look at Victoria. "This is a large house, I'm sure we can find something to amuse ourselves with."
"Mikael," the air around the room shifted, growing tense; Harry could hear the grinding of teeth coming from Niklaus' direction. "Watch them," said Harry ignoring the hybrid. "They try anything, you come tell me." Before the man could speak, Harry added. "No questions asked."
"Fine" and he disappeared. Harry took a seat, Remus sitting to his left and Sirius to his left, while Niklaus sat reluctantly opposite Harry.
"You have my father at my back and call," said Niklaus.
Harry took a look at the man, there was an amount of fear that shone in his eyes which Harry couldn't help but feel happy about; there was just something gratifying in seeing fear in the eyes of Niklaus.
"A rude thing to say, really," said Harry, but went no further in answering the question. "Let's begin," and Harry began; he took a hold of the knife and made an incision across his palm before squeezing it into the goblet. The knife was then handed to Sirius, then Niklaus, and finally Remus, who all followed in Harry's direction. The goblet was not a quarter full when they were all done, but magic would ensure the blood served its purpose. Harry took the quill and dipped it into the blood, there came a slurping sound and the blood disappeared into the quill, Harry pulled the parchment closer; and they truly began.
It had started out pretty simple; all parties involved would, for the next thousand years, not attempted, nor allowed the attempt the deaths of any of the others by direct or indirect means, through actions of their own, those of their associates, or those seeking their favour. But the simplicity had ended there, Niklaus had come up with the brilliant thought to add to the contract, Harry James Potter, would, by his full ability as a wizard, train the entities of the chosen names, Sirius Orion Black and Remus Theodore Lupin, for a period of two years or until Sirius Black and Remus Lupin were on par with a third year—Niklaus hadn't know the meaning of this, but since Remus and Sirius had agreed on its fairness, had also agreed. Harry thinking this over had added a stipulation, through the duration of his tutorship, no Disarming Jinx, Hex, Charm or Curse, were to be shot at him, it had taken almost fifteen minutes to agree upon this stipulation, but in the end Sirius had come with counter-stipulation that if the party known as Harry James Potter even once attempted to steal—Remus had quickly cut it and added, or obtain—the wand without the permission of Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, then the above stipulation becomes void. Harry had conceded that.
The next hour was one of the tensest, Niklaus taking the side lines as Harry, Remus and Sirius argued over the Hallows, though by some unspoken agreement none of them mentioned them by name. The Cloak had been first of topic, it was with Harry and the wizard was adamant that it would stay with him and nothing that could be said to make him think otherwise; Remus had been quick to say if this was the case, then it was only fair for each of them too keep one part of three.
Harry shook his head. "And I suppose you'll want the Line in all this," he said sarcastically.
Remus only shrugged. "If the Line is on the table, then yes, I wouldn't say no in having it."
"Except for the little matter of the Line being Harry's," said Sirius soberly. He was looking at Niklaus, and Harry could swear the two were having a silent conversation he and Remus were not privy. "We'd be able to use it yeah, but it would resist."
Harry caught the glimmer of a smirk on Remus' face, it did nothing but cause shivers to climb up his spine. He knew that look, having seen it so many times on himself.
"What about the Circle?" asked Sirius. "Do any of us want it?"
All of them hesitated, all of them thinking the same thought: what would happen if one of them used the ring again? Would a part of themselves become aware and want to rip itself from their mind, and if it did, how would the mind take it? They all dreaded to find out, but quickly that thought was stamped down by something greater; this was a power play and to have all the Hallows was to have power the others did not.
"I'm open to bearing the responsibility," said Harry and Remus snorted.
"Unlikely. You haven't told us what you want, yet, Sirius," the man said.
Sirius shrugged. "What I want will take all three of us, and from what I've seen so far, it's not going to be happening any time soon." Sirius shrugged again. "Remus and I should share the circle," said Sirius. "The Line can never truly belong to us until certain conditions are met; therefore we should agree that end of term it should be a free-for-all, for who gets it."
"Even though Harry has and obvious advantage," Remus muttered.
"An advantage made moot by your resources," Harry quickly returned glancing quickly at Niklaus, the man only raised his hands.
"I don't have any intentions of getting involved in this," he said. "Though it will be amusing to watch."
"Ditto," said Sirius. "So, we agree that Harry keeps the Triangle, we share the Circle equally, and the Line will belong to whomever can keep it at end-of-term?"
"I could agree with those conditions," said Niklaus.
Harry and Remus remained quiet, both thinking it over: it was not a trick from what he could tell, but he still felt he should be weary. However, in two years, if it took that long, Harry was sure he would have most of the hybrids on his side and even if he did not, those in Godric's Hollow would be working for him; then there would be his advancements in Apparition, which he would be working on. Harry was sure he would have his wand in the end.
"Agreed," said Harry, after a brief moment's surprise and suspicion, Remus too agreed.
Matters were a lot more light-hearted after that, the arguments ended as they settled on the specifics, times in which Harry would be teaching Remus and Sirius, time off if such an occurrence was needed, and other such matters. When they were done, the sun had begun to set.
"Tomorrow, then," said Harry.
There were various nods before the three, along with their witches, were Apparated to their respective cars and drove off.
"Mikael," said Harry as he walked into his room and pulled the box with the pencils. He took one and returned the box into his cupboard under piles and piles of clothes; that done, he broke the pencil and the next second he was standing in his vault: a corner was lined with stacks of gold piled on top each other at impossible angles, one of the four walls was dominated by an assortment of daggers and swords, while another had a set of four piece of armour standing upright and guarding a small glass case. Harry shivered as he looked at the tiny objects, he had tried to vanish them, banish them form the world, but the Muggle devices hasn't yielded, Harry had been lucky that he had been able to shrink them to a toy-like size, but this did nothing in taking away their power.
"Not the reason you're here, Potter," Harry muttered to himself. He took out the rolled parchment from his pockets and walked towards a table piled with mirrors whose showed not reflections but moving pictures of other parts of the world. The wizard put the contract there; written the sheen black ink and filled with more power than Harry had been expecting.
This type of Binding Magical Contract was one of the darker aspects of magic, fuelled by the magic of those whose blood was in the ink, the blood shifted the very fabric of the universe and taking what was the backbone of each soul-carrying being; their Free Will. The contract would ensure that its conditions were met, as clear as that, and the only way to break the contract would be if all of them died.
Harry turned on the spot and appeared in his lab. He let out a breath he had not known he had been holding in. Things had gone better than he had expected, but Harry didn't delude himself, though they couldn't kill each other, they could, and would, stab each other in the back with cursed knives. Harry just hoped he came out ahead of it.
Harry dressed out of his armour, showered and put on clothes, which might have been semi-casual. He thought he would begin teaching himself his experimental Apparition, but there were a few things to get out of the way before that started. He grabbed his daggers, shoved them in the loops of his belt then turned on the spot.
He walked briskly into the police station, smiling at the whisper that broke out at the few people who saw him. Harry knew the entire town would have heard the news by morning, that the new resident of Mystic Falls who had disappeared for two weeks, was now back. Harry walked in and smiled as he saw the familiar deputy.
"Hello, there, mate," said Harry with a large grin.
Shock was the only expression on the man's face. "Mr Potter, you—you're here. You're alive?"
"Yes, yes I am."
"But I thought—the Sheriff…"
"Nasty rumours mate," said Harry. "Don't know who started them. But no less, it will make me all the more popular by morning." The man nodded though his face still reflected shock, Harry could not help the feeling that the man might have thought he was crazy. "Is the Lady Sheriff in by chance?" Harry asked.
The Deputy nodded.
"Tell her I'm here would you?"
"Uhm…Yes. Sure. Of course" and the man quickly walked off.
Harry waited for a few seconds before the blonde woman walked out of her office. She looked a bit frazzled, doubly so when her eyes landed on Harry.
"Mr Potter," she said wearily.
"Lady Sheriff, I wonder if we might have a private word."
She nodded and led Harry to her office, Harry waved to the other deputies as he moved, most of whom were whispering about him.
"I though Klaus killed you," she said when Harry had the door clothes.
Harry shook his head. "I was lucky enough to escape," said Harry.
"Then where have you been for the last two weeks?" she asked.
"Imprisoned," said Harry. "It seems you were right about my overconfidence." Sheriff Forbes only snorted. "But that's not what I'm here about."
"Go on."
"I…did something bad," said Harry no longer at the woman but instead looking at the gun holstered at her hip. Her brows had rising in question. "I, sort of, threatened to kill Elena Gilbert and almost went through with it."
Harry saw absolutely nothing from the expression of the woman. All at once her tells were gone and her face was perfectly blank; something in that caused Harry to shiver.
"What?" she asked in a monotone.
"I didn't go through with it," Harry quickly said. "I released her with not even one injury. It was just a means to an end," that was the wrong thing to say because though her face was still expressionless, her hand twitched too closely to her gun.
"A means to an end? What means could possess you to threaten an innocent girl?"
"I was desperate," Harry said, why he felt like defending himself to her was something he was not yet sure of, but the wizard was sure it had something to do with keeping allies. "I don't deal well with corners, and Stefan made sure I was stuck in this one pretty deep. Elena was the only way I could get him to do what I needed." Confusion blinked on, but a second later and it was gone. "A friend of mine was captured, I had to get him out before Niklaus killed, and with Stefan working for him—and doing it for Elena Gilbert, I might add—I thought if I threatened her, then he would give me Connor."
"Connor? The hunter?"
"Yeah, I've been training him not to kill vampires, and I was starting to make good ground before my work was stripped by Niklaus' hand. I'd keep Caroline away from him for the foreseeable future," Harry added.
Sheriff Forbes shook her head. "I just don't understand," she said. "Why? Why are you telling me all this?"
Harry hesitated, thinking it over. "Because I wanted you to find out from me than someone finding out about our little thing and trying to turn you against me," Harry said finally.
"And what makes you think, I'm still on your side?" she asked.
"Because at the end of the day we still want the same thing, to be rid of Niklaus Mikaelson."
"You're still on that?" she asked. "Haven't you noticed that it's impossible?"
"Nothing is impossible," said Harry, "and anyway this time I'm playing it smart."
She shook her head. "I don't want to get involved in this," she said. "Klaus has been good. He hasn't stepped a foot out of line. I don't want him riled up and killing my citizens again."
"But how long will that last?" Harry asked.
"Last remember you were powerful too," said Sheriff Forbes. "Or is that not the case anymore?"
"Unfortunately, I'm not as I was before, but that doesn't mean I should be taken lightly in any case," said Harry.
"Still have that over-confidence, then," the Sheriff muttered.
"I'm a Gryffindor; we're all about being brass."
"Should I know what that means?" Sheriff Forbes asked.
Harry waved it off. "Anyway, now that that's done, I'm also hoping for a favour."
"You know, those words don't make me feel warm and fuzzy inside," said the Sheriff. "Last time you asked for something you wanted me to give you confidential files."
"This will seem doubly strange," said Harry. "I'm hoping for one of those cooler boxes with as much blood bags as you can put in them."
"You want me to steal blood for you?" she asked.
"Well. Yes, but I can see from what little expression you have that you'll say no. So, instead, why don't you allow me to steal them for myself, but instead keep quiet about the entire matter when it's reported to you."
"That's a bit hypocritical don't you think? The first time we spoke you were worried I'd forsake my morals in order to save Caroline, and yet here you are asking me to do the same."
Harry smirked a little. "I can't help but feel flattered that you still remember that conversation," said Harry, "though some part of me wishes you didn't. That's a no, then?"
"Yes."
"So it's a yes?" Harry said, looking directly into her eyes.
"No. I mean yes, I'll say no." She shook her head. "Stop doing that."
"What?" Harry asked innocently.
"Whatever it is you're doing, it's annoying and irritating."
"You can feel it, then?" Harry asked, feeling an amount of pride at her accomplishment, even though Harry doubted she would not hold up so well against a more concentrated mental intrusion.
She only shook her head. "Good evening, Mr Potter, I still have work to do."
"Of course, of course. I'll be seeing you around then, Lady Sheriff," said Harry before strolling out of the office. He had to respect her position as Sherriff, Harry would admit, but he was still going to go through with the stealing of blood supplies. He would need them if he was going to gain any favours with the hybrids in Godric's Hollows.
"Sheila," said Harry as he walked, the woman appeared and walked in step next to him. "Could you do me the favour of leading me towards the Bennet house? There seem to be Anti-Apparition wards."
"Your were planning something," she said walking intently forward. "They had to do something to make sure your plans didn't come into fruition."
"They?" said Harry. "Why is there separation between you and them? What did you do, and I'm hoping it was devil-may-care, that pissed them off so much that they now call you a rouge?"
"Mistakes of the young," she said softly. "Bonnie chose a path the others did not like, and so to teach her a lesson they punished me."
"Harsh," said Harry. "but overall effective. I'm embarrassed to say this, but I used a similar method on Stefan Salvatore."
"In similar circumstances, and if Bonnie or my daughter were concerned, I think I would do the same thing."
Harry smirked. "It's only human of us, is it not? Protect those close to us heedless of others?" Harry shrugged. "But nonetheless its immoral, something I never thought I would do when I was younger. Of course I saw the world in black and white back then. Tell me, what do I have to save your granddaughter from?"
"The power that threatens to overcome her," said Sheila, "and whoever it is who's teaching her. I find it hard to trust those I can't see."
"This Shane character must be a powerful witch then, able to block the sights of spirits; I had to work two years before I could make headway with the spell, and even then they can still see me. Maybe I should speak to this guy."
"Atticus Shane?" Sheila asked.
"I don't know his name, but he knows you from what I've heard."
Sheila stopped and looked at Harry. "He was a student of mine when I still taught at Witmore College," she said. "But he's not a witch."
Harry hummed. "Strange," he said. "Because I have it on good authority he's teaching her magic."
"That shouldn't be possible," Sheila muttered. "There should have been signs. Nature should have—" and she disappeared before she could finish.
"Sheila." Nothing happened. "Sheila Bennett." Again nothing happened. Harry frowned as he felt a sinking sensation at the pit of his stomach. "Sheila, Sheila, Sheila, Shiela, Sheila." Harry felt something, the smallest quiver of a connection but it was interrupted but the sensation of being stabbed in this stomach. It caught Harry so off guard that his knees gave and his hands clutched at his stomach; a scream slipped through his lips but Harry held it back he couldn't, his eyes began to water and arcs of pain started spreading through him.
"Are you okay," said a voice at the brink of Harry's perception. The was a buzz, then, "Hello, we need help, I don't know, we're at—" the voice cut off.
"You remember nothing of this, go about your day as you normally would," then there was the shamble of footsteps. "Well if it isn't Harry Potter," the pain faded enough that Harry could see who was talking to him. Damon Salvatore.
Before Harry could speak, there was the rush of wind and the he collided with a wooden chair, before he could move his arms were bound by rope. Harry came back to himself, looked around, and found that he was in a very well furnished living room.
"You killed my friend," still the man didn't give Harry any room to speak before he drove a metal poker through Harry's leg. "You kidnapped and almost killed a girl I really, really like," a scream broke through Harry as another poker was driven through. "Tell me why I shouldn't drain you dry!"
Pain still crackled at Harry's legs, but the wizard pulled himself in, found a memory and kept to it. This pain was nothing, he told himself. He'd felt worse, he would not be defeated by this pain. Harry took a few shaky breaths until the pain had gotten to be a dull ache.
"Because if you do, I'll bind Alaric to the Other Side and torture him for the rest of eternity," said Harry with a straight face, the still trickles of pain he could feel were enough to hide his bluff.
Damon moved quickly, pulled out the pokers and quickly drove them back in. "Bring him back," the vampire said.
"I don't have my ring," said Harry when he'd succeeded to push them pain down again. "But if you try to kill me, you can be sure as hell I'll block its power."
Damon almost snarled, before pulling the pokers back out and shoving them in again. "You will make it your life's mission to bring him back," the man whispered his face inches from Harry and his fangs bared.
"Not exactly my life's mission," Harry ground out. "But I will try as best I can."
"That's not good enough," the man said.
Harry tried to shrug, but it came off as awkward. "It's all that I will give you."
The poker were pulled out, Harry grimaced, and prodded against his throat. "I'll give you a week. If Alaric's not back, I will find a way to make your life a living hell."
"Noted," said Harry. "Now, would you be so kind and give me some of your blood?" The man didn't even hesitate, he cut his wrist and handed it over for Harry to drink. It was a few moments before the pain stopped. Harry languidly got to his feet. "A warning to you, Damon Salvatore, never threaten me again, or I will kill you."
The man snorted. "Count of three, and I throw this into your pelvis. I hear it can kill you."
Harry turned on the spot before the man could start, landing in his house. A thought came to him; you give them leeway to threatened you and they will do it again. Go Gryffindor on his ass, and Harry found he couldn't agree more. He pulled out his daggers and Apparated back into the Salvatore house. He smirked. Then threw the both daggers as hard as he could; in almost slow-motion Damon smirked, not even moving as he watched the daggers hurtle towards him. Both hands rose and caught the knives by the blade.
"You probably should have dodged," said Harry as expressions of pain played out in front of him. Damon dropped to the floor, incapacitated by the effects of both daggers. But the pain wouldn't last, Harry walked over to the man and took back his knives. "It would be in your best interests if you learnt to fear me, Mr Salvatore," and with that Harry turned on the spot.