Fear Feaster

"You know," said the man. "I thought you'd leave me alone. That was the plan wasn't it? That you'd leave me alone. You'd pay me off, make my life comfortable, and I would hide off on some remote island with everyone most likely thinking I'm dead or not even remembering me."

"I know," said Harry. "And I apologise for all that I've put you through, but you're the only one that can help me at this point."

"But I don't want to help you," said the man, running a hand through blond hair, brown eyes looking shaken as the stared at Harry. "I don't want to get involved in anything that concerns you, much less the Originals. I could end up like the other one, my mind in shambles and locked up in an insane asylum."

"I've been trying to help him in my spare time," said Harry. "Trying to pull his mind out from the insanity and I think I might be succeeding."

He sighed. "I'm sorry Harry, but I can't help you. I want a semblance of a normal, antisocial life. I delivered that message of yours. It should find its way to Mystic Falls. But this. Going to New Orleans. Going against one of the most powerful covens and dealing with a horde of vampires. I can't do that."

Harry sighed a little. This would pose a problem then. He didn't have anyone that he could send away from Mystic Falls without the risk of them being weaker for it. But Harry was still sure that Kol would be only one resilient enough to fight Silas while he was still incapacitated.

"You've suffered because of me and the Originals," said Harry. "I get that. But you can't live your life in fear of them." The man who had once been Sirius, who at times got lost in the traces of the man that still lingered was shaking his head vehemently. "You're a witch and you know the spells of a wizard. You could take on any that—"

"I've had Sirius in my head, Harry," the man said. "You're attempts at manipulation are as clear as day. I'm going to banish you know. Begone!"

An intense wind materialised and Harry found himself at the edge of the island. He let out another sigh and ran a hand through his hair.

"Well that didn't work," he muttered. Perhaps the answer lay not in the other side, but the Other Side. Harry had spent three days in this place and he was already fascinated by how it worked. From the view of vampires, werewolves and hybrids it was hell, a dull existence in which they perpetually spent their lives watching the living, but from the perspectives of the witches it was booming with life; spells being traded for information, knowledge on how to influence the other side and many had their own personal wells of power.

Many chose the coven approach, they stuck close to their descendants and somewhat ruled over their lives, but others were more creative, they used blood to fuel them much as the two witches Harry had captured. He had asked around at why many did this and word was, if you had enough blood, enough power, you could break through to the land of the living.

But it would be violent. The death would have to be numerous. Two had escaped using this method and word was, their killings had ranged over the two thousands.

Harry, to his dismay, found that he loved this sharing of knowledge, and he found, to his even greater dismay, that he might have actually liked this side were he not worried about how Elizabeth would deal with the death of his daughter or Mayor Lockwood for that matter. He'd already seen how far it had pushed Elena and Harry feared that the human mothers didn't have the fortune of being able to shut off their humanity.

The wizard disappeared and appeared instantaneously in front of the Mikaelson home. He walked through walls and was quick to find Niklaus.

He let out a sigh. "My witch said no," said Harry. "Not that I blame him."

"Well that puts a hitch in our plan doesn't it?" Niklaus asked.

Harry took a seat and reclined. "And here I thought this would be easy. Outside force comes in and frees your brother. He leaves the French Quarter which cements that you had nothing to do with it. Simple and I wouldn't have gotten involved in whatever you're dealing with."

"You live as long as me and you find that plans don't work that way," said Niklaus. "You should always have a plan A right up to Z, then start counting."

Harry snorted. "I'm guessing centuries alive does that to you."

Niklaus sighed a little. "You have no idea."

"What now? Maybe you've thought of something."

The Original grinned. "That I have my dear wizard, unfortunately though Elijah doesn't much like it. He believes that when we've taken over, when Marcel has lost his crown as ruler of this fine city, we'll be able to get our brother back."

"No offence, mate, but I'd expect those kind of thoughts from you."

"True," said Niklaus. "My brother's changing," he said his tone musing. "This baby and, dare I say, Hayley, have opened up a side of him I haven't seen in decades."

"Good side or bad?" Harry asked.

"Well it depends on whether you're with him or against him," he said sparing Harry a grave look.

Harry stood. "Right," he said. "Obviously this isn't going to work out. I'll think of something else. Maybe Silas will have taken the Cure and become a witch," Harry muttered. "I can deal with that when I come back to life." Harry noticed he'd piqued Niklaus' interest. "I'd best be going before I tempt you to make an appearance in Mystic Falls. I'll take care of the circle before I leave."

It didn't take more than an hour before Harry found the man. He had no less than three witches to thanks and three spells that he had given away, minor things that would not leave the world worse off when he died.

"Back again?" the man said without turning. He and Harry stood in an apartment with the realtor showing the house to a young couple. "I'd thought you'd deserted me once I was no longer of use."

"I've been busy of late," said Harry.

"I've heard," he said. "Two places of power have opened up. Spirits are flocking towards them." He turned. "I'm guessing that was…" He stopped, looking a touch surprised. "You're dead."

Harry nodded. "Part of the reason I haven't called you this past couple of days. Things have, as you no doubt see, been bad."

"Understatement," the man said. "How? If I might ask."

"Struck by lightning," said Harry.

He hummed. "You must have been up against a particularly power witch if they killed you with lightning."

"That word is beginning to bug me," said Harry. "It's starting to seem like Nature is throwing around power wantonly."

The man chuckled slightly. "Powerful though this generation has become. They've lost their innovation. I blame it on science."

"I blame the ancestors," said Harry. He might have been imagining it but the wizard could swear he saw the witch's expression brighten. "They seem to have this iron grip on this generation of witches that they can't think for themselves less their power be stripped."

He nodded and the pair stood in silence, watching as the realtor further enticed the couple, giving them a tour of the apartment. The man followed and Harry followed the man.

"You have something to ask," the man said as they walked. "I can think of no reason that you would be here otherwise."

"A request yes," said Harry. "But I think it also might be time I told you what I was really up to. Why I asked you about the deeper workings of magical fuel and the like." The man stopped and looked at Harry with more than a little interest. "Markos, what would you say if I told I could break us into the other side?"

Harry appeared and felt an intense sinking feeling as he looked towards Mystic Falls. He could see his house in the distance, its roof sticking out in the distance. If was within running distance but Harry knew this was nothing but a trap. But he needed to be in Mystic Falls.

The wizard took a long breath in and another out. His hand closed around his wand, clenching tight but hoping he wouldn't have to use it. Then the wizard began running; the moment Harry passed the threshold into Mystic Falls it was as though he was running into the deep ocean, with the tide working against him.

Harry felt the ripples of his disturbance, power pushing outwards much like a radar. The tide fought him, making running the hardest thing in the world. But he continued pushing forward until he saw the first witch. The wizard didn't hesitate, his wand turned forward and a spell was let loose. The witch flicked her hand, calling up a shield. Harry quickly changed direction, but another witch was barring his way. Harry stopped and looked around, a total of six witches were standing around him in a loose circle. All of them were wearing those cold looks Harry had grown used to.

They started chanting.

"Incendios Grata!" Fire roared from Harry's wand, leaving him all the much weaker for it. Three witches stopped chanting and wind blew the fire apart. Harry muttered a curse and jumped, changing and flying over them. Even in the air the tide of power made his motions sluggish. He passed over the circle of six but he saw that there was another.

The entire Bennett coven had graced him with their presence and they were all chanting the same spell. Whatever it was, Harry didn't like it, but this was all a part of the plan. Harry turned back mid-air and pointed his wand towards the sky. This would be bad if it didn't work, but Harry was confident enough time had passed.

Sparks flew from his wand and broke apart in a fury of fireworks. Harry landed and it felt as though he had been running again. He felt so tired that moving became the hardest thing in the world.

Harry should have felt worried, especially with the spell starting to take shape. But he couldn't help but wear a bright grin.

"And that, my dear witches, is what I call a distraction."

The blur that was Stefan appeared with a witch in his arms. Bonnie quickly set foot on the ground, her face scrunched somewhat in disgust, maybe thinking of the troubles that the spirits had brought to her and her grandmother. The spirits had stopped chanting and they looked worriedly at their own kin.

"Begone!" said Bonnie. The power of Expression flooded around Harry and in mere seconds the witches were gone.

Harry let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. "Sight for sore eyes both of you," said the wizard. "No trouble?"

Stefan shook his head. "We made it in alright. No one knows we're here yet."

Harry gave a grateful nod. "Thank you for doing this. You'd better head back. I need Bonnie to summon a few people before Bree arrives."

Stefan gave a nod then looked at Bonnie. "Come on," he said and he carried the woman bridal style.

"It worked then?" she asked. Stefan nodded. "Good. I can't wait to have the others back, maybe we might get Elena to come back too."

Stefan sighed. "It will take more than that to bring her back," he said before turning and running off. Harry started walking in the same direction, a dense humanoid darkness stopped his path and Harry smiled.

"It doesn't work against me, fortunately," said Harry.

Markos pulled the hood back. "A Cloak of Invisibility," he said, running the thing his hand through the thing. "Did you make this yourself?"

Harry opened his hand and as though pulled by an invisible force the cloak jerked out of Markos' hands and into Harry's.

"My father gave it to me, his father before him ad infinitum from the one who originally crafted it," said Harry. The two started walking towards the house.

"Which makes it sort of tuned to your blood," said Markos, "and that of your descendants. It can't cloak others against you. Ingenious."

"Indeed," Harry muttered, thinking of the being who had crafted it. "But let's not dwell on the feats of those past. We have history to make," said Harry with a bright smile.

They arrived in the house and Markos moved upstairs. He would look over the spell, see if there were any discrepancies that would prove to be their undoing. Harry stayed downstairs; the house was quite full. Damon and Elena had taken up room upstairs, the room had been bound by Bonnie so that the female vampire couldn't get out; Bonnie, Stanley and Mark were in the living room, the furniture pushed to the side and three concentric circles drawn-out on the floor; Stefan, Lexi and Lee were chatting in hushed tones watching the scene play out; and the last person Harry saw, and quite surprised too, was Galen.

"I'm surprised you're here," said Harry. "I thought this entire Kol thing would have made you run for home."

"I had a change of heart," said Galen.

"Would you answer if I ask why?"

Galen stayed quiet for a moment then he sighed. "It took me a while but then I remembered that you kind of died of me. Even if you came back not thirty minutes later, you still did. Which means you've gained my trust, if even a little. I guess I forgot that along the way."

"Good to have you back, mate," said Harry with a bright smile. "I don't often trust. I've grown old enough that eventually it nips me in the bud. But I trust you, and as a show of trust I'm telling you this." Harry looked around, the only person around who could hear them was Stefan and he wasn't close. "I was bound not a few days ago. A group called Travellers broke the spell and as a price they asked for Silas."

"You aren't planning to give him to them are you?" Galen asked.

"I am, but I also don't like Silas. Which is why I'll take him right back soon after."

"Why not just cut off the middleman and not give him to them if you're going to take him back?" Galen asked.

"I gave them my word," said Harry. "If I don't pull through something unfortunate may happened."

"Unfortunate how?"

Harry shrugged. "A car accident, a witch's curse that won't end, or something worse. I don't know, but I do know that something unfortunate will definitely happened."

Galen gave a grim nod, his eyes darting a little towards the room with everyone else. Mark, Harry noticed when he turned, was standing in the doorway looking at Galen with an unreadable look.

"I should get the ritual started," said Harry. "Before we have witch spirits against us again."

Galen gave another nod.

Harry walked into the living room and stood next to Stefan. Bonnie was standing in the circle, her eyes closed and her face scrunched in concentration. She let out a long breath and then started the spell. It was just as powerful as Harry remembered especially as it was fuelled by Expression. The spell left her lips as though she were singing her favourite song, an immense power flooding around Bonnie; abruptly she stopped and clapped her hand together, there was a small space as though she were holding something none could see. She pulled with a massive heave and ten people appeared from thin air, all of them looking disgruntled.

"Stefan if you would begin."

Stefan nodded. "We have roughly fifteen minutes before the witches of these here parts return and stop what we're trying to do. Therefore it is of utmost importance that all questions be held and all of you go upstairs to the lab, making sure to stay out of the circle."

"What's going on?" Sheila asked and both Harry and Stefan sighed.

"We breaking out into the other side," said Harry with a broad grin. He was a little disappointed when Sheila looked a little stricken. "This is the part where you're supposed to be smiling, possibly jumping for joy because you'll be with your granddaughter again."

Sheila shook her head. "What you are planning, wizard, goes against Nature. You are playing with powers beyond control."

Harry sighed. "Ever the loyal witch aren't you?" Harry asked. "Have you ever wondered what good the Other Side actually does? Ever truly considered it? Because from my vantage point it's nothing more than a prison."

"Even so," she said. "Nature intended it. To go against death is an unforgivable act."

Harry shrugged. "I don't care enough to attempt changing your views," said Harry. "Other people want the opportunity for life again and I'm willing to give it to them. Stefan. I'm sorry to do this to you, mate, but you're the only one that can tell Bonnie the bad news. Tell the rest of them to head upstairs."

Harry disappeared and appeared in the lab. The circle was clear and the insides were visible, two ghosts stood within and both were muttering different enchantments trying to get out. His spell had worn off, Harry was not entirely surprised by this, but it did pose the problem of the Imperious Curse taking more out of him than Harry could give. But he had a basic premise of what the rules were: as long as his spells didn't affect the outside world they were much the same, but the moment he got them to pierce the veil, he lost a part of the magic that kept him on the Other Side.

Nine spirits started filing into the lab, Tyler was first, then Caroline, Jeremy, Alaric and the Hunter Harry had killed; the next series of spirits were the four hybrids that had died in Harry's service: Adrian, Samantha, Caleb and Tim; all of them made sure to stay out of the circle.

"Immaculate work on the spell," said Markos. The man stood behind Harry's desk, the instructions on the spells were all laid out in front of him. "Spirits as the sources, circles to enhanced their magic and continually draw from the earth. The stone wand as a conduit, a current of magic running through it." Markos nodded. "It will work," he said. "But this compulsion like spell. I've never heard of anything like it before."

"It's sort of become a speciality of mine," said Harry. "I'm afraid I can't explain much about it. Witches, in often times can be just as bad as vampires. I wouldn't need this spell making the rounds."

Markos gave an understanding nod.

"What am I doing here?" asked the Hunter to no one in particular. "Galen said everything would be fine. But how? I'm dead."

"Please let this work," Adrian muttered. "Please let it work and let me not be dead. I don't know how, but I'll be a better person at the end of all this. Please let this work."

Most of the others were quiet, shuffling and looking out of place, Caroline looked at the ground a sad expression on her. Harry stood quiet, counting down the seconds. Not a minute had passed before Bree appeared in the room, Connor along with her.

"Good," she said. "We're all here. Let's get this started."

"Who are you?" asked the Hunter. "What am I doing here?"

"You're here to be brought to life," said Bree. "This spell is complicated. You not speaking would put my mind at ease." She walked to the desk and waved her hand at the door. It popped open. She took out the four silver and red balls from the drawer and another from her pocket. She threw them at the circle, they stopped when they reached the centre and broke apart, each floating above a small circle and opening with a flash of red light. When the light faded there were seven spirits within the larger circle.

Harry pointed his wand at each of the spirits and cursed them.

"Bree will give you a spell," said Harry. "You'll recite it perfectly, pouring all of your power into it and also using power from the blood on the property."

"Freaky," said Bree but then she began telling them the spell. "Be right back," she said and she disappeared. It was not a moment later that she appeared, a stone wand in her hand. She threw it into the circle and stuck at the centre.

"Begin," said Harry.

They started. Power poured into the room, becoming almost palpable. The wand began to rattle, cracks forming and the stone almost taking on a glowing quality. It began to melt, forming itself into a ball of molten stone. The ball began to grow larger and larger until it finally stopped and started shaping itself into a wide arch that settled firmly on the ground. The spirits didn't hold back, they continued pouring power into the spell, the lines of the various diagrams moved, bending and spreading out until they formed seven concentric circles all of which were still within the larger circle.

The spell became a lot more fervent, the tempo of the spirits increasing as too their own circles came apart. There was a blinding flash of golden light and when it was gone, the seven spirits had disappeared an arch with a ghostly fluttering veil stood at the centre of the lab.

Harry was grinning broadly as he stared at the veil. "I think it's worked," he said.

"You think?" asked Connor and Harry could see the look reflected by both Bree and Markos.

"It's how I remember the veil being, but it's the intent behind it that I'm hoping we got right," said Harry. "Who'll be the first to try?"

"Not me," said Markos.

Bree shook her head.

Connor snorted. "Not taking that chance."

"The other hunter?" Harry volunteered. "We aren't exactly attached to him."

"Might muddy our relationship with Galen," Connor noted.

"Chance we'll have to take. Bree?"

"Hunter," said Bree. "Go through the right side."

"Right-side relative to what?" the man asked.

"Good question," said Markos.

"The side that should have the triangle, line and circle," said Harry.

"The side with the triangle, line and circle," said Bree.

"What about the circles?" asked the Hunter. "We weren't supposed to pass through one. There are eight now, isn't it worse me going through them?"

Harry sighed. "I'm seriously considering cursing him," said Harry. "No, it won't if he comes out of this alive."

"They're safe," said Bree and she ended it at that.

The man sighed. "Galen if this has me dead, I swear to God I'm going to haunt you." He started taking steps forward and walked into the centre. He found the correct side and then walked through. There was a flutter from the veil, a quake from the Other Side and a scream that both chilled and startled Harry. He seemed, however, to be the only one this affected.

The hunter came out on the other side very much alive and with a look of relief on him. He let out a chuckle and looked back at the arch. "Witches," he said with a shake of his head.

"Thank the Almighty," said Adrian at the same time that most let out a breath of relief.

"Tell the others to go through," said Harry the only one not showing happiness. The wizard was looking around with a befuddled expression on him.

The earth shook as each passed. The scream reverberated, chilling Harry at his core. A ghostly wind picked up and Harry stopped, looking around him for the answer only to find none. He came back to himself to see that most had passed through, Bree and Connor the only spirits left in the room with the exclusion of him.

"What's wrong?" asked Bree looking around just as Harry.

"I'm not entirely sure," said Harry. "But I hear screaming. I think the Other Side might be bound to someone."

"And that's bad?" asked Connor as he looked between the worried looks of Harry and Bree.

"Considering we've bored a hole through the veil, yes," said Harry. "It means she's in pain."

"She?" said Bree.

Harry nodded. "She's screaming and the Other Side is shaking. I think we might be unravelling the magic that keeps it together."

"What's going on?" asked Caroline, she and the others were looking expectantly at the veil.

"Harry says something's wrong," Jeremy answered. "Something about the veil being bound to someone."

"Do we go through then?" asked Bree. "If the spell is unravelling then the veil might disappear and we'll have all those dead witches, vampires and werewolves back here. Some of which want to kill you."

"It's more my worry of all the Rippers that might be on the loose that I'm afraid of," said Harry. "If they come against me I, well we, can deal with them. But what if they go against others."

"That would be a problem," said Connor. "What do we do then?"

"We have more of an influence on the other side if we're alive," said Harry. "I think we should go through."

Bree and Connor nodded. "You go first," said Connor and Harry agreed. The moment she passed the earth shook, almost knocking both Harry and Connor off their feet. "Okay I felt that," Connor said as the wind picked up. The sinking feeling that had been a constant in Harry's stomach tripled; everything happened too fast, a void of darkness in the distance, a burst of wind that swept the room and though pulled by hooks, Connor flew off into the void.

The wizard screamed with all his fury, his mind muddled by confusion. His wand pointed at the void. "Tractum!" he screamed and he felt a weight coming towards him. The sinking feeling was still there, but now there was more to it; a cold that passed through him, stripping him every happy thought or memory. Harry's legs gave out, his body going into the foetal position as they played back: he'd been forced to lose his family, forced to lose his daughter, forced to watch as his friend was pulled into oblivion. Everything was hopeless. There was absolutely no point in living.

"Something's wrong," he heard at the edges of his mind. "He's on the floor. Connor just disappeared."

Everything bad that had ever happened played back in a loop.

"Kill me," said another voice. "Kill me and I'll get him out. Find Connor."

"No," said another voice. "Not a good idea. I can feel it. Something's wrong—"

"Back!" another voice screamed. "Go back, creature of darkness and filth."

The feelings began to slowly pull back.

"I need you to wake up wizard," said the same voice. "You're the only one that can deal with it."

He opened his eyes and saw the sickly thin man. He was naked and emaciated, with long legs, arms and finger, all of which shouldn't have been able to keep him up and yet worked perfectly well, his face had no eyes or nose but a large mouth with no teeth.

"Back!" said the voice and the man was pushed back. It shouldn't have been possible with no eyes but the man glared at the witch and started walking in her direction. "Back!" Her spell didn't work and the man let out a whispery chuckle. "Harry Potter wake up and banish this thing!"

Harry started breathing. Remembering the first time James had bought his wand; time spent in respite with Hermione and Ron; his first kiss with Ginny; hearing of his second daughter. The memories came unbidden and Harry used them as fuel.

"Expecto Patronum!"

Prongs burst out and the man screeched a chilling screech. He moved back with rapid motions, so fast that it seemed as though his feet weren't touching the ground. Prongs hurtled towards the man but he dodged, moving closer to the arch. Prongs turned and followed and the man dodged again, jumping through the veil.

The wind picked up and in the distance Harry noticed another point of oblivion in the far distance. He directed Prongs towards it and the Patronus hurtled off towards the point. The wizard quickly turned in the direction of the veil, the man, no Harry corrected himself, the Dementor was on the other side and everyone there had pulled back, may feeling the stages of depression.

"This is what happens when you mess with the balance, wizard," said the voice that Harry knew. Sheila.

"We have to move," said Harry and he jumped through the veil, landing on the other side. "Expecto Patronum!" Another Prongs burst out. The thing dodged, moving towards the window. It froze over and the Dementor jumped through, landing at the far bottom.

"Another comes," said Sheila just having come out of the veil. "We have to destroy it."

"No," said Bree in a whisper. "Connor's still there." But Sheila wasn't listening. She flicked her hand and a spell slammed into the arch. It didn't break.

Harry turned and looked at the room. The lingering effects were still visible. "Everyone out," said Harry. The door popped open with a flick of his wand. "Everyone out now!" They started shuffling. Vampires and hybrids moving at superspeed, witches and hunters quickly following. Bree dithered, but with a slash of his wand the woman was banished from the room and the door closed with a bang.

Harry's wand had taken on a red glow. He pointed it at the arch. "Pyrus Pestis." A snake, its wide mouth open, lunged from the wand and crashed into the stone, breaking it apart. Harry quickly flicked his wand before the snake could fight and it disappeared, but it left the wizard feeling tired.

He disappeared with a rush of wind and appeared in the living room. The room was full, they might not have known what was going on but they had all felt it. The effects of the Dementor lingering through the house.

"We have a serious problem," said Harry with not much emotion in his voice.