Blood
"You're an Original?" Harry asked as he looked at the smoking man. The wizard having just completed the task of layering the man's daylight ring with protective enchantments. "I didn't know about that."
"Yeah," said the man. "—killed and cursed me."
"I'm guessing you're talking about the Mikaelson mother," said Harry. "Good to know at least she's still dead." Alaric frowned. "It's somewhat of a long story," the wizard commented.
"We're both immortal," he said. "We have time."
"Immortal, yes, have time." Harry shook his head. "We have more to deal with than ever before."
"That thing," said Alaric and Harry nodded. "And Silas."
"Him too. But not now. Not today. First I need to figure out what happened to Connor," said Harry. "Witch business as it were."
Alaric nodded. "What about Elena?"
"The lingering effects of the Dementor will bring back her worst memories. Eventually she'll give and her humanity will come back. At least that's my running theory. I have more potent methods but I think Jeremy and the Salvatore brothers would protest to me torturing her."
"Trust me they would," said Alaric and he too looked a touch disconcerted. "When do you think this will all be done? She graduates in two weeks and I don't want her missing anymore school."
"Immortals and Dementors to worry about and you're thinking about her schooling," said Harry with a shake of his head. "You are one of the strangest people I've come to meet, Alaric."
The man said nothing. "This is done, I'd better go. I don't know how you deal with this place," he said looking disconcerted.
"A healthy amount of chocolate," the wizard muttered. "I shouldn't keep you."
Harry sat in silence with a hand running at his chin and looking at a mess of papers on his desk. Prongs stood in all his glory, moving around the wizard and wading off the still lingering effects of the Dementor. Almost a week had passed but the effects were still there.
Without a doubt Harry was worried. Silas, Caitlin and Atticus were quiet for the time being. Everything had reached somewhat of a semblance of normality though everyone was still weary. They, much like Harry, expected an attack, they expected the Dementor to make its presence known or Silas to hatch his plan for stripping the veil to the Other Side.
All that worry aside though, Harry found that he didn't care much about the quiet, or the impending doom that loomed in the near future. He instead was trying to figure out what was happening on the Other Side.
He had talked to a few spirits on the Other Side and word was, everything was falling apart. Witches were no longer the only beings that could see each other, everyone could, meaning that truly the magic that kept the Other Side intact wads unravelling. Instead of the veil falling though it seemed that other spirits were disappearing, being sucked into the void and maybe being turned into Dementors? Harry had yet to figure it out and this frustrated him more than anything because Bree couldn't find resolution.
Ever since Connor's death the witch hadn't left the house. The effects of the Dementor were still playing with her emotions, making the death harder to deal with than it should have been. Harry wanted to figure out what had happened for her sake. But he feared that without knowing everything about the veil he couldn't succeed and so the wizard chose to change his thoughts. Move away from the veil and instead focus on the Dementor.
Where had it come from? he asked himself.
Dementors were creatures of darkness and filth. They feasted off fear, sadness and depression the very stuff that made the Other Side what it was. No one in the wizarding world knew where they came from, they had existed since the times of old. But then so too had the Veil of Death. Was it true then that this had happened in his old world? That Dementors were extra-dimensional beings that had clawed their way from the Veil.
That still didn't explain however where Connor had gone.
Unless, and Harry allowed himself an immense amount of hope at this point, if he had pulled the Dementor from another universe. If that was so then Connor might have been pulled beyond. Hopefully to another universe.
This however would not mean much to Bree. There was the possibility that Harry might see Connor again in the future, after all he was a hopper from universe to universe, he was immortal in this respect therefore he would meet Connor.
Prongs seemed to shine a little brighter after that realisation, but then another realisation hit Harry. Countless supernatural creatures in countless universes, some of whom hated him. He would have to be on the lookout in his next universe.
However Bree did not have the same convenience. She didn't jump from dimension to dimension. To her, Connor had truly died and with the feeling she got off her she would do just about anything to be with him again even let the void claim her.
The woman hadn't been taking it well. She'd brought up a Boundary around her room, not coming out except to eat and even then that was when she retrieved the plate of food in front of her door. It was something else to be worried about, especially since she had experience with drawing power from the property. The wizard was worried that she might come up with a spell that would make things infinitely worse.
"Prongs," said Harry. "Watch over Bree, banish the effects of the Dementor."
The stag started in a silent trot and moved through the wall. Harry summoned another Patronus and this one wasn't as bright. Perhaps now was great as time as any to start thinking about everything else on his plate.
There was perhaps symbolism that Harry missed that they were meeting in a church, but he put such thoughts aside. He sat next to Elizabeth, his hand around hers and looking towards the dais where Mayor Lockwood stood. It was not the normal church service but instead a Founders meeting, except there were a few other new faces along with Harry.
Meredith Fell was a regular and the woman was sitting unbelievably close to Alaric, not that the man minded from his smile; Rudy, Sheila and a vampire Harry had never met before sat together; and Damon and Matt sat afar from the various groups.
"Right," said Mayor Lockwood. "We're all here and so we should begin. In the past few weeks a lot has happened," she said. "A lot has needed to be explained. From the dome that appeared over our town during the eclipse," she said this with a particular look at Harry, "to the recent appearances of those who were supposed to have left us," the looks turned to Sheila and Alaric, "and finally the lingering cold that I've heard is because of magic."
"Because of a magic creature," Harry clarified.
"Whatever," Damon drawled. "Instead of classifying it, why don't you tell us what it is. How to deal with it?"
Eyes turned to look towards Harry. "Sheila called it a creature of filth and darkness," Harry started, "and she wasn't too far off. They're called Dementors. Creatures that feast of fear and sadness. Unfortunately they are immortal."
"Vampires are immortal," said Rudy. "But we can still deal with those."
Harry had a grim smile. "There are three types of Immortality, those of vampires and Originals, Silas' and that of the Dementor. Three guesses which of those can't ever be killed."
The silence was tense.
"That's impossible," said the woman Harry didn't know. "Nature finds a balance."
"It didn't find it with Silas," said Harry. "At least not from my perspective."
"It did," said Sheila. "The doppelgangers. Shadows of the first immortals that could die being born every few centuries."
"Elena and Katherine," said the woman.
"But Silas looks like Stefan," Damon noted. "Which must mean that there is another Immortal out there."
"His love, perhaps?" Harry asked. "The one he's so hell-bent on reuniting with on the great beyond. Explains a lot, especially the whole him, her, Qetsiyah triangle."
"I think we stray from our subject for today," said Mayor Lockwood. "How we deal with everything that's happened. How to move attention away from the authorities and paranormal investigators that are starting to crop up with each passing day."
"Authorities?" Harry asked Elizabeth in particular.
"FBI. They've been asking questions. They're in town right now. Watching and interviewing people trying to figure out what happened and if it's a matter of national security," said Elizabeth.
"I can take care of those," said Damon. "A little Compulsion and they're off eating doughnuts."
"Except if they already know about vampires," said Meredith. "Your kind don't have a great track record with keeping a low profile. It's a plausible thought that the government could know about everything."
"Plausible and dangerous even if they don't," said Rudy. "These people have protocol. We Compel or hex then, we might be setting events in motion that bring too much attention to Mystic Falls."
"More attention, you mean," said Damon.
"Suggestions on a way to go forward then?" asked Mayor Lockwood.
"We do nothing," said Elizabeth. "At the moment they aren't threats. They're just doing their jobs, looking into the numerous deaths we've had so far because of the recent upsurge of our mortality rate. Though it does mean that we'll have to have a bit of normality until they leave. No more vampires, no more witches, no more supernatural stuff."
Harry frowned. "Sorry to tell you this, love, but that will be sort of difficult with Silas likely to make an appearance in the near future."
"Speaking of him," said Mayor Lockwood. "Anyone care to explain to the rest of us what is going on in that front?"
Sheila took charge of that particular front. "Silas wants to drop the veil between this and the Other Side," she said. "To do this there would need to be twelve more people dead. I, in conjunction with the Salvatores and Misters Saltzman and Potter, have narrowed down two possible places these deaths might happened and we're keeping the places warded and guarded."
"I've also gone to the trouble of drawing out books to teach the council Occlumency," said Harry. He reached below him to a backpack on the floor, he flicked his wand and sent the books to each of the members. "Silas has an ability quite like Compulsion, but unlike it, Vervain doesn't ward off its effects. Occlumency does. Which is why it is imperative that we at least can all use it so that we aren't forced to turn on each other. That is, of course, if he still hasn't used the Cure."
Mayor Lockwood sighed at this. "The Cure. Do I even need to know what that is?"
"Not if you're not a vampire, no," said Alaric.
"Does anyone find it strange that a month ago most of us were all gung-ho about finding the Cure?" asked Matt speaking for the first time. "Whatever happened to that?"
There was a moment of silence, confused looks shared. "I don't see what that has do with anything, mate," said Harry.
"Never mind then," said Matt and Harry could see the man retreat into himself. He was by far the one who stuck out the most. He was an official inhabitant of the small town, but he was the youngest one in the council and the most ill-suited to be there. He didn't have power or influence like everyone else, but Harry could see what Elizabeth had seen in him. Through it all the blond had survived, not died or become supernatural. There was something in that which Harry respected.
"On the Silas front I'll ask my hybrids to scout the area in their wolf forms," said Harry. "They might as well scare these paranormal investigators. They are the like that like camping out in the woods, right?" There was a nod from Elizabeth. "I've also spoken to Galen and his hunters. They shouldn't cause any trouble."
"Can we trust them though?" asked Mayor Lockwood.
"We can trust Galen and Mark," said Harry. "Though the latter of the two not so much, but the third one I'm not too sure about. I don't know him well enough to say. But so far he's been willing to take Galen's lead."
"What about the coven of four?" asked Sheila.
"Stanley and I have sort of a tenuous relationship," said Harry. "But he likes magic. I know magic and therefore he would do what I asked if I were to teach him a spell or two from time to time. It's the others I'm not so sure about. But so far the only thing they've done is coop themselves up in their apartment."
"They also have a particular fascination with Stefan and Elena," added Damon. "But then again they might be smitten."
"Exercise constant vigilance, then," said Harry. "I'll ask around about who they are."
"I think we should end it there for this evening," said Mayor Lockwood. "And please. Let's try to keep things normal until this is all over."
There were nods and people got to their feet and started walking out. Harry walked beside Elizabeth and entered on the passenger side of her car. "What say you we go out? The night's still young after all."
"I wouldn't mind that," said Elizabeth.
Things were starting to make a lot more sense the more that Harry thought about it, and since he had a lot of time to think, much was starting to make sense. He'd wondered, though he hadn't let that wonder take over his mind, why the Travellers had asked for Stefan's blood as payment when they had been working for Niklaus, but now that he knew more about the magic behind a doppelganger he knew the answer.
Magic was all about fuel. The most powerful spells needed to get power from somewhere. Most witches used such things as the Ancestors, blood, sacrifice and the four elements, but the most power could be gained by rare occurrences. The full moon, an eclipse, a comet and, as it showed in recent times, the blood of a doppelganger.
Even with this realisation though, Harry didn't know why the Travellers needed all that power. Harry sighed and shook his head. There was a lot going on in this world without him needing to know everything. His particular concern now was Silas and the Dementor, and he preferred to find the former first because Harry had spared the thought that if there were other Dementors on the Other Side, they might come into the world if Silas dropped the veil.
The wizard had tried locating the immortal to no avail, he'd thought of having Bree do that recurrent tracking spell of hers but it was still clear that whatever the woman was doing in her room she didn't want Harry to know about. Harry had decided to give her space, he believed that it wouldn't be far off for him to be found at fault for everything that had happened. If he hadn't dithered, wondered about the scream, then Connor might have survived and returned to the land of the living.
Harry pushed such thoughts aside. It would have been the easiest thing to get caught up in the guilt, but he was still trying to make the things better.
A knock on the door awoke the wizard from his thoughts, but before he could clear the small distance from the kitchen to the front door, Tim had already appeared before him opening it with his usual overzealous disposition.
"What up?" he said to whomever was on the other side of the door.
"Mr Potter?" asked a stern voice, aged.
"No, Tim. What do you want with Harry?" asked the hybrid.
There was a shuffle of motion, then, "We're agent Dalton and Callahan," said a female voice. "With the FBI. We have a few questions for Mr Potter concerning the lightshow that happened about a week ago."
"Um…"
"Let them in," said Harry. "I'll meet them in the living room."
"Come in," he said. "Harry's in the kitchen. You can wait for him in the living room for the time being."
"Thank you," said the woman then there were the sounds of footsteps.
Harry exited the kitchen and entered the living room. The agents stood at his entrance, both with stern look though the man's was much softer. The two were opposite in most respects, the man was on the large side with something of a potbelly, while the woman was thin and lean, hair cut short so as not hamper her; both wore black suits, neat in every respect and very much fit into the idea of a federal agent that Harry had in his mind.
He put on a smile. "Agents," he said. "How can I help you this fine day?" He gestured for them to sit, also taking his own.
"Mr Potter, I'm agent Callahan and this here is my partner agent Dalton," said the man with somewhat of a rough voice.
"Pleasure," said the wizard.
"We had a few questions regarding the recent strange occurrences that have taken place in Mystic Falls," Agent Dalton said in a monotone.
"You're talking about that yellow light over the town aren't you?" Harry asked.
"Yes," said Agent Callahan. "Do you know anything about it?"
"I know there was a light over the town," said Harry. "I can't say for sure since I didn't see it, but I trust the people who told me of it and know that it actually happened. Beyond that I'm not sure on why it happened."
Callahan gave a nod. "Do you mind telling us where you were on the night of the Eclipse?" the man asked.
"I was travelling," said Harry. "I visited a friend of mine in New Orleans at some point."
"You're English, Mr Potter, correct?" asked Agent Dalton. Harry nodded. "Might I ask then what you're doing so far away from home?"
"This town has a unique history," said Harry. "I found that I couldn't pass the opportunity to visit it when I had the chance."
"Unique history?" asked Agent Callahan.
"The Occult," said Harry. The looks the agents gave him were blank.
"The Occult?" asked Agent Callahan taken quite aback.
Harry gave something of a fervent nod. "I'm quite fascinated in things like that," he said his pace a little faster. "Magic, witches, demons and the like. At some point I was planning to go to Salem. Witch burnings and the like. Get a feel of the place if you will. I'm sure the latent magic must radiate with a queer feeling."
Callahan reigned himself in a little and then he pushed himself off the couch and stood. Dalton followed and Harry followed her lead.
"I thank you for speaking to us, Mr Potter," the man said. "I think that will be all for today."
"Of course. Swing by anytime," said Harry. "So long as I'm here my door's open, figuratively speaking."
They both gave their nods and Harry escorted them out. He stood at the door for a while, listening.
"Crazy," said Dalton.
"You saw the house," said Callahan. "He's rich. He can afford to be crazy."
Harry smiled a bright smile as Tim entered the room. "That went well," he said.
Tim snorted and shook his head. "And there I was thinking I was going to have to Compel them."
"Crazy tends to have its own unique brand of magic, mate," said Harry. "Don't be afraid to use it."
"Noted," said Tim. "We should watch them."
Harry nodded. "Stanley mentioned once he could scry," said Harry. "I'm not sure how it works but could you go ask him to keep an eye on them?"
Tim nodded and went off.
For a few moments Harry was at a loss at what to do but then he decided; he scaled up the stairs and knocked on Bree's door. There was not answer.
"Bree," said Harry. "I'm going to come in. Are you decent?"
Again there was no answer much as it always was. Harry grabbed the doorknob and twisted it only to quickly pull back as it flashed red and fierce burning feeling radiating across his hand.
"Bollocks," Harry muttered but he frowned as he realised something. He hadn't felt that the knob had been enchanted. He frowned and flicked his arm, the Elder Wand shooting out of his holster and into his hand. He pointed it at the door, swished and flicked the wand and muttered, "Alohomora."
There was a click from the door and it flew open, revealing a disconcerting sight within: Bree kneeled on the ground, a series of circles surrounding her and filling the floor and the ceiling, lines drawn across the walls, circles with runes drawn at the centre. A complicated circle that had stopped magic from seeping out, Harry thought, it was the only explanation why he hadn't felt, why he still couldn't feel, the magic that must be radiating from the room.
Bree hadn't noticed Harry's arrival, her eyes where white as her mouth moved, reciting a spell Harry couldn't quite hear.
Harry moved forward only to slam face first into an invisible barrier. Harry slashed his wand, mutter a Curse Ender under his breath. It slammed into the barrier but it did nothing. Harry felt a slight panic but then he remembered the spell Gregory had taught him.
He pointed his wand towards the ground, drawing a series of lines that bordered the door, in scripting between them runes to enhance spells. He stood on the other side of the lines, wand pointed towards the barrier and began Gregory's spell, it was longer than Harry was used to, but he said with practised ease. A light shot out, got brighter when it passed over his little drawing, slammed into the barrier. He didn't feel the barrier chip and crack so much as feel the energy from Bree's spell spill from the broken crevices; it didn't take more than a minute before Harry was flooded by magic, so much so that his sense recoiled and he found it dull.
"Bree," he said as he waded with discomfort into the room, making it a point not to step into any of the lines. "Bree, what the bloody hell are you doing?"
Bree eyes snapped open and there was a scowl in them. She stood, her every motion filled with power. Her hand flicked and before Harry could react he was slammed back and stuck onto a wall. He tried to move but the coils of the spell stuck heavily against him.
"Bree," he managed to say in a slight whisper. "What are you doing?"
The woman still scowled as she stood in her circle. "I'm getting him back," she said. "I'm getting Connor back. It may be easy for you to dismiss him as gone, but if I strip the Other Side. He will come back."
"That doesn't make any sense, Bree," Harry managed to say. "I told you what happened to Connor. He's gone."
"No!" and the word was punctuated by a heavier feeling across Harry's chest. "He's not gone. He can't be gone."
"I saw it happened," said Harry though it was becoming harder to speak with each passing second, harder to breathe as the force situated at his chest increased. "I saw him being pulled somewhere when the magic of the veil began to unravel."
Bree shook her head. "I don't care where he went," said Bree. "Magic can bring him back. We just have to strip away the veil, the possibilities will be open to us then."
Harry tried to shake his head but he found he couldn't. "That doesn't make any sense," he said. "If the veil drops we stand the chance of letting more Dementors out, and as it—and as it is none of the witches can deal with one, much less an army."
The words didn't look to have reached the woman. "We'll cross that bridge when we get there," she said. "Somnus!" and Harry was engulfed by a heavy darkness.
The forced sleep was palpable, fighting against his efforts to push out of it. But if there was one thing Harry did not do, it was give up. He kept pushing the cloud that forced him into the darkness until he felt it start to retreat. All of a sudden he was awake and he found himself in a sitting position, his neck slightly aching with Stefan sitting in front of him, a puppy in his arms.
He smiled when he noticed Harry's eyes open, petting the animal in smooth motions that brought it much joy.
The wizard looked around with a little confusion. He was in a diner, people eating and minding their own business, with the slight sound of music in the background.
Harry groaned, rubbing his aching neck. "Where am I?" he asked as he sat up.
Stefan looked around. "Not really sure," he said. "But it was the only place far enough that it might take a while with people searching for you. But close enough that I can get to Mystic Falls to retrieve the Cure."
"Silas," said Harry and the man grinned a toothy smile.
"In the immortal flesh," he said.
Harry sighed a little. "Using my friends against me," said Harry. "You know you aren't giving me much reason to like you."
"You liking me means absolutely nothing in the greater scheme of things," Silas quickly replied. "Especially with the little gift I've given you."
"I have a feeling I'm not going to like this," said Harry.
"You won't," said Silas. He hefted the puppy up and put it on the table. No one spoke of the oddity of this, but Harry attributed this to Silas' mind control. "I'd like you to meet Link," he said gesturing to the puppy that walked haphazardly on the table sniffing it.
Harry frowned.
"Come now, Harry Potter," the immortal said. "Think about the name. Link." He paused. "I'll give you a few seconds."
Harry looked between Silas and the dog and his frown deepened before he shook his head. "No," Harry muttered and Silas grinned further. Harry concentrated, he felt the magic around him, more in particular the tether that stretched from him to the puppy. "We're linked," he said.
Silas gave a nod with a smug smile plastered across him. "And I know what we're all thinking at this point. Would he kill a puppy?" Silas paused for effect. "The answer won't exactly surprise you. I've killed people, so why would a puppy be any different?"
"What do you want?" Harry asked a scowl set and directed at the man.
"A lot of things," said Silas. "But most of all I want to be with my beloved. Something you and my nut of an ex, Qetsiyah, want to keep from me from the looks of it."
"Letting the veil fall would not be the best of ideas at this moment," said Harry.
"Oh?"
Harry nodded. "It's falling apart on its own. I give it about a month before it disappears entirely."
Silas smirked. "You're responsible, I'm guessing," he said and Harry's non-answer was enough. The man let out a joyous chuckle. "I think, though you may hate me, I might be beginning to like you." His chuckle was cut short however. "Who knows about this?"
"Most," Harry answered. "The community in Mystic Falls is so tightknit that it's hard to hide anything from anyone."
"Then we have a problem," said Silas. "Qetsiyah knows. She'll undoubtedly be making plans to fix it."
"That's not exactly my problem now is it?" said Harry.
Silas took the dog and put it on his lap. "It would be if you were on the Other Side," he said. "I haven't searched for how you got out yet, but I'm sure it wasn't the easiest thing in the world and with the magic unravelling, it's not somewhere you'll want to be."
"I'm being blackmailed," the wizard said sounding forlorn. "It's something that rarely happens."
"Pleasure to put some spontaneity in your life." Harry couldn't help but let out another sigh. "Qetsiyah will want to fix the mess you've made of the Other Side. I'm curious, what did you do exactly?"
"Ripped a hole through it to this side and beyond," said Harry. "Unfortunately I seem to have called something in."
"Something?"
"It's called a Dementor," Harry answered. "Feasters of fear and depression. Right now it's hauled off somewhere doing Merlin knows what. Not to mention it's a lot more immortal than you."
Silas hummed shaking his head. "Nature is many things. But it doesn't let immortality go unchecked," he said. "It always finds a balance. These Dementors wouldn't be truly immortal. They would have some way of dying."
"Not if they're not from around here," said Harry.
"Go on."
"I think they might be from beyond this plane," the wizard said. "Nature doesn't have power over them therefore they wouldn't have to abide by her rules."
"But Nature still would find a balance," said Silas. "When Qetsiyah created the immortality spell she went against Nature. Broke her rules. But Nature found a way. Hence Stefan and that Elena woman."
Harry nodded but then a thought hit him. "What if a balance was already set up?" Harry asked. Harry spread his arms, gesturing to himself.
"You?"
"Me."
"You are conceited aren't you?" Silas asked.
"I'm the only one who knows how to ward Dementors off," said Harry. "I'm the only one who's seen them before, who's fought them before."
"How? How would you have fought them? After all you said they were from…That actually explains a lot. Though it doesn't explain why you're telling me all this."
"A strategic risk," said Harry. "All you've wanted so far is the veil dropped. I have reason to think that if the veil drops more Dementors come out, and trust me, Dementors are something you don't want to deal with."
There was a moment of terse silence between the two before Silas spoke. "Qetsiyah first and then we talk," said Silas. "You kill her, I unlink you and you take care of those Dementors you've been brought here to deal with."
Harry stood. "I don't suppose you could give me a direction to follow?"
"She has a doppelganger she's using to watch Stefan," said Silas. "You can reroute that connection and watch her too." Silas held the puppy close to his person and stood. "I'm giving you three days after which, Link finds himself with a snapped neck." The man walked off.
Harry disappeared with a rush of wind only to be pushed back and appeared outside his property. Harry tried to walk in but it was only to be held back by a barrier.
"I'm starting to hate these," Harry muttered.
"Me too," said Lee having appeared next to the wizard. "But more than anything I'm starting to hate witches." On Harry's observation he couldn't help noting that the man looked pissed.
"What happened?"
"Bree's in there," he said in a low voice filled with nothing but rage. "She snapped my neck. Then left me a note saying if you tried to break her barrier she would desiccate Lexi."
Harry sighed and spared a look around. The day had passed, the sun already starting in a downward descent. A few hours, he guessed that he'd been captured, time enough to become linked to a bloody dog and—he flicked his wrist—his wand to be taken. He let out another sigh.
"They took my wand," he said to Lee. "Limits what I can do in this front and just using brute strength to take this down would not be a good idea."
Lee gave a grim nod. "I know. Guessed as much by myself. I've had the hybrids looking for you. We thought you might be with Liz."
Harry shook his head. "Bree, unfortunately, has been compromised. Silas has her harbouring ill feeling towards me because of Connor. She's trying to strip down the veil."
"Won't that let more of those things in?" asked Lee.
"It might," said Harry. "But Bree doesn't care all that much about that. She wants Connor and that's all she's thinking about." Harry let out another sigh. "Do you mind finding the hybrids?" Harry asked. "I've got a running thought that I want to try out and it might help me get Lexi and my wand back. I'll be at the Mikaelson Estate with the Salvatores."
Lee gave a nod and then disappeared in a brisk run. Harry pictured his destination and disappeared with a rush of wind. He appeared after a few second in front of the Bennett household and he reeled; he could feel the wards that surrounded the property in a rigid square and beyond that power shifted, coiling around the place, disappearing at intervals only to come back stronger. Harry swallowed, pushing back the unease that pervaded his senses. He didn't dare step forward less the wards be malicious; he searched the area for a rock and threw it at the house. Harry expected the wards to stop the stone but it didn't, instead sailed through the air and clattered against a window.
Harry knew he'd gotten their attention because whatever spell they were weaving stopped and the power just swirled slowly in the air. It was a moment before the woman stepped out of the house and quickly cleared the distance between her and Harry.
"Good day, madam," Harry said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes.
"I thought you were missing," she said with not much in the way of emotion tinging her voice.
"Managed to find my way back," said Harry. "Might I speak to Bonnie?"
"What do you want with her?" she asked and he noticed that her shoulders tensed, and in that moment she looked more like a predator.
"I need some help with a spell," said Harry. "I don't think we're enemies, so I feel I can tell you this without it meaning me harm. Silas has Bree under his spell. She knocked me out and gave me off to Silas. The bastard took my wand."
"Silas is in town?" she asked.
"Not in town, no," said Harry. "But he is definitely living near here. He let slip of something that would make sure he stayed near here."
"Something?"
"I don't know you all that well," said Harry. "You're not an enemy, which is why I told you this much. But I trust Bonnie and Sheila a lot more than you, which is why I want to talk to one of them."
"We're busy," she said. "We have a spell in the works and it's delicate. We need every Bennett witch we can get. Maybe you can use that witch you have a tenuous relationship with."
"It seems I have to," said Harry. He ran a hand through his hair. "I would have really loved the Expression boost, but—" Harry paused as he noticed something, or more aptly, the lack of something. "If you're using Bonnie for a spell, why can't I feel her power?"
The vampire closed off. "I have to go Mr Potter," she said. "As I said, the spell is delicate." She quickly cleared the distance and stepped into the house. Harry had only a moment to ponder this before he remembered he still had work to do.
He disappeared and appeared in front an apartment building. It was another gambit on his part that the hunters and the witches lived in one place, for one in garnered the strange relationship between him and Stanley. He kept the witch happy by paying for him to stay close to his boyfriend and teach him a few of his spells when he could; Mark would be happy that his boyfriend was happy; and Harry hoped that the coven would be happy because, in the greater scheme of things, they were becoming a lot more powerful.
He knocked on the door and waited a few moments at the sound of footsteps. The door opened and it was to the female blonde, Liv, she liked to be called. She had a bored look on her, which briefly turned to surprised but the just a quickly went back to her regular bored expression.
"I thought you were missing," she said.
"Managed to find my way back," said Harry. "I need help with a spell. Would any of you mind helping me out?"
"First we scry for you, now this. You just enjoy using us don't you?" she asked.
"I'd like to think we're using each other," said Harry with a broad grin. "Which, in my honest opinion, is a lot more fun."
"Cheesy," she muttered and then she stepped back. "Come in," she said. "Hazel will want to speak to you."
Harry entered. The apartments was by no means big, but it snuggly fit four people. He followed Liv to the living room which, much like his own, had been cleared and strange circles drawn out in chalk. The male blonde, Luke, and Stanley sat in the middle of this, a large silver bowl between them with a clear liquid.
They found the woman in the kitchen, she looked almost lost in thought but she can into herself at their entrance.
"Mr Potter," said Hazel. "I thought you'd disappeared."
Harry held back the sigh. He'd only been gone a few hours and already everyone knew.
"I managed to find my way," said Harry with a light smile.
"Fortuitous," she said. "I've communed with the ancestors and I think I might need your help with a message from Nature."
Harry took a seat opposite the woman and looked at her with some amount of interest. He and Nature did not have the best of relationships. He'd screwed her over by bringing in Dementors and she'd screwed him with telling her witches to hate and try to kill him. They were not friends, but even with not having met Nature, Harry knew that at the moment they were working towards mutual goals.
"I'm listening," the wizard said.
Hazel took a breath. "The message is unclear, and with everything going on, most of which I don't understand. I'm hoping you might clear things out." Harry held a look interest on him. Hazel turned to Liv. "I wonder if you'd give us some privacy," she said.
Liv scowled. "Sure," she said and turned. Hazel muttered a spell and Harry felt it pass through him.
"They're good kids," Hazel said in explanation. "But they are still only that and I fear whatever is happening might be above then."
"You mean the Dementors?" Harry asked.
For a brief moment there was a glimmer of confusion it clicked. "Its name is beyond me," she said. "I've only heard of it as a creature of filth and darkness."
"The very same," said Harry.
Hazel cave a curt nod. "Yes, the Dementors, but not only them. I'm not sure I should tell you this, but there has been a power play going on for centuries. Two powerful covens and spells that spanned across entire generations."
It didn't take even second before it clicked. "I think I might have heard something of the kind," said Harry. "But it's easy to think of that sort of things as one giant rumour. No one has the power to do something to that effect."
"Believe me it is possible," said Hazel, "and it has been done. But I digress too heavily. I communed with the ancestors and they told me of a creature of filth and darkness from beyond and that those from beyond and with knowledge of, would be the only ones to lead us from the coming plight."
Harry sat in silence, musing. "I'm wondering," he said when he spoke, "why you thought I was this person from beyond."
"Your magic is stranger than any me or mine have come across," said Hazel. "The spells you have taught Stanley, the use of your wand and that you can move through space without traversing the distance between."
Harry let out a breath. "I guess it's a dead giveaway when you know that there is a beyond, isn't it?" Harry asked more himself than the woman. The wizard sighed. "But even though I get that I might be the one to help with the Dementor problem, I don't know if these three others are willing to help. I know two of those three and I know for a fact that they will do nothing to help."
"Not to mention the greater threat of Silas," added Hazel. "The hunters have told us for his plans," said Hazel in explanation. "That he plans to strip the veil. That he could let another of those beings out into this world."
"I've considered that," said Harry. "I've already spoken to him. He'll hold off on stripping the veil seeing as its falling apart."
"That would be good," said Hazel. "Had we not had greater worries." Harry raised a brow. "You have a great knowledge of magic, yes?" she asked and Harry shrugged. "Then you also know of the immense power that rare magical objects bring?" she asked and Harry nodded. "The doppelganger is one such object."
"I know," said Harry. "I've sort of made that connection."
"But," the woman went on, "the power that they hold has been somewhat diluted by their frequency. No more than three doppelgangers pairs exist. Rare, yes, but not enough."
"I don't know where this is going," said Harry.
"The power is spread thin," she went on. "To concentrate it, one would need to make sure there was only one pair of doppelgangers."
Harry shook his head. "I get that that makes sense. But I don't see where this is going, how does it connect to everything?"
"If you were to wait," she said, a touch annoyed. "I'm sure you'd begin to understand." Harry scowled. The woman ignored this. "I told you that my coven had been in a war, that a great spell passing through generations. A spell that powerful would need an extraordinary amount of power to break. Such power would only begotten from a pair of very rare doppelgangers."
"Okay," said Harry. "Then this means someone is going to try and kill the doppelgangers." Hazel gave a nod. "Which means, above everything thing else, Elena and Damon would need to be kept protected. Hence why you lot have had an odd fascination towards the two." Harry hummed, mind roving into his subconscious for information he was afraid he would forget and he found a sense of petulance come over him. He found that he didn't like this coven and their ancestors. These were a people that had prosecuted many for the crimes of two, a people who, in the long run, had stalled the advancement of magic and even now they were still working to keep a powerful people down.
A powerful people that were hired trade, Harry thought. A powerful people that couldn't settle, a counter-thought came. People that did the only thing they could to survive. Made deals for revenge, the same way Harry would have if the same were done to him.
But all these aspects of the coven Harry was willing to push aside for the time being. They were allies, though the wizard was damned sure he wouldn't help this coven keep the Travellers down.
"I can keep a watch on Elena and Stefan, if you want," said Harry, the thought coming to him that perhaps that was what Hazel wanted.
"No," she said. "I need the doppelgangers all to live. If the power isn't concentrated, then the power to break our curse will not exist. I want you to make sure Silas, along with another of his line, remains alive."
Harry sighed. Running a hand through his hair. "You know that works against the plans of many, right?" Harry asked. "Silas and Nature included, I'm sure," he added.
"I know," she said. "But the plans of my coven serve Nature's will in the longer term. So many immortals exist in the world that I think Silas and the imbalance he brings will be forgotten."
Harry smirked a little. "You've gone up a rank in my journal of people I respect," said Harry. "Not many go against Nature like that." Harry noticed her expression lighten a little. "But in this case, I don't know," said Harry. "The world is better off if Silas dies."
"The world is in a better place if the power of the doppelgangers is never used," she said.
"Those are your thoughts on the matter, yes," said Harry. "But I don't think so. Doppelgangers have existed for countless centuries. Nothing has happened yet, so I'm guessing the gravity of the situation isn't what you're making it out to be."
"I'm guessing this means you won't help me," she said.
"Honestly, I don't really know yet. I don't like Silas, but if the man wants to die, and is willing to go through all these hoops to make it so. I say let him."
Hazel gave something of a nod. "I cannot force you to do this," she said. "Though I do ask that you not interfere in my plans to keep him alive."
Harry shrugged. "Your plans not interfere with my plans and we're good," he said. "But they do, rest assured that even without magic, I can do a lot of damage."
"I know," said Hazel. "Stanley has told me of your character and the ease to which you can manipulate others into doing your will."
The wizard swallowed. "Don't say it like that," he said. "You're making me sound like a sociopath." Hazel said nothing in reply to this, instead she swiftly changed the subject.
"You wanted to speak to Stanley I'm guessing," she said and Harry nodded. "I'll lead you to him then."
It wouldn't have not been hard for Harry to find Stanley himself, but nonetheless he followed the woman to the living room. She muttered a spell, breaking the trance that Luke and Stanley were in. Both looked surprised to see Harry.
"Yeah, I get it, missing," Harry said, a touch annoyed. "Let's not dwell on it. Stanley you up for a bit of experimental magic?"
The younger boy brightened. "Yeah, sure," he said quickly getting to his feet. There was a note of concern from Luke, the wizard noticed but he pushed that aside. It was clear that the two had, at one point, been in a relationship. Harry guessed it must be awkward being apart and yet being in the same coven, and he also guessed that lingering feeling must be the hardest thing to get rid of. "What are you planning?" he asked now in front of Harry.
"Blood magic," said Harry as he took the younger boy's shoulder. He noticed the others tense and he noticed Luke take a quick step forward and take Stanley's shoulder, but as this happened the wizard had already been turning on the spot and the tight tube had already sucked him in.
A mere moment and the three of them were spat out in front of Niklaus' home; Luke looked disconcerted by the Apparition, but Stanley looked slightly better.
"Man that's rough," said look, trying to draw in breath. "Were it not so useful I would ask you put yourself through that."
"You get used to it," Harry said just Stanley asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Keeping a watch on you," said Luke. "I think you're forgetting that there are rules."
Stanley shook his head. "I'm not forgetting anything. I'm just looking to make myself a lot more powerful. You know what we're dealing with. You know what's at stake. So I'm guessing you also know that we need power. Me learning more means power."
Luke gave the boy a long look, then he let out a sigh. "I'm willing to learn too, then," he said. "But what we're doing goes too far. I'm stopping it."
Stanley brightened. "At which point I'll stop."
"I need you to swear on that," said Luke and Stanley frowned.
"I'm starting to get the feeling you don't trust me," said Stanley.
"It's not you I don't trust, it's him," the blonde said.
"And he has some sway on me," Stanley said. "Yeah, Mark said the same thing." He sighed. "I guess you're right to not trust me then. I swear if you say no, I'll stop whatever Harry's trying to do."
Luke's features softened in slight relief.
"Good," said Harry. "Now that that's done, let's get on to the spell I want to try out." Harry gave a curt knock and didn't wait for an answer as he walked into the house and into the nearest drawing room. Lee, Tim and Adrian walked into the room first, relief spreading on both their faces.
"Man, I thought you were dead," said Tim.
"Where are Samantha and Caleb?" Harry asked noticing the distinct absence of the two.
The hybrid pair turned to look at the ground. "With you gone," it was Adrian who spoke, "and the house taken. Samantha and Caleb felt things had gone too far south. We thought you were dead and with everything we know about magic, they felt they couldn't risk the chance that they'd be so close to Klaus and dying again."
"You thought I was dead?" Harry asked, a bit surprised. "I was only gone for a few hours." The silence was a loud statement. A cold anger rippled at the pit of Harry's stomach. "How long have I been gone?" he asked, his voice cold.
"A week," Tim answered and Harry had to grind his teeth to stop from muttering an oath.
He let out a long breath. "I think," he muttered, more to himself than to the room at large, "people don't know how large of a twat I can be when I want to. Silas wants to play it like this, then I'll make him regret it. Tim, Adrian, I need you to find Galen. Ask him if he still has that compass I gave to him."
The pair nodded and started for the door only to be stopped by Stanley. "His with Mark," the witch said as he pulled out his cell phone. "I'll call him." He walked off to another room as he started the call. Luke followed after him.
"What are you planning?" asked Lee.
"Silas boasted that he was keeping the Cure close to Mystic Falls that he could use it when needed," said Harry. "It's probably cloaked wherever it is, but I have more fuel on my hands that I know what to do with. I'm going to bash that cloaking spell down in the most painful of ways. I need Alaric and Stefan and one of you," said Harry to Tim and Adrian.
"I'll go get Stefan," said Adrian and he quickly rushed off.
"I guess that means I'm volunteering," muttered Tim.
It didn't take more than fifteen minutes before everything was set. It was lucky that the house had belonged to an artist because it meant paintbrushes were aplenty. Stefan, Alaric and Tim had donated about a mug's worth of blood and with it Harry had drawn three large concentric circles, enough that a standing witch could fit inside, another small series of circles that could fit a small circular device and a line connecting the two.
Stanley stood with in the circle, still muttering the spell Harry had taught him on the island. Harry took the compass from Galen and it shone a bright blue, it spun, not exactly finding what would make Harry most happy. The objects were cloaked, but Harry was prepared to use the brute power he had.
He placed the compass in the smaller circle and instantly the power of the compass was magnified. It started moving quickly, spinning so fast that the point was almost invisible; then it stopped with a crash of a sound, power behind the strike. Harry reeled, feeling the power claw at him and start to take over. The feeling increased by a large factor as Stanley started his spell.
The power hit the wizard and he felt, in that brief moment that he was able to hold on to his consciousness, as though he had been hit by a wrecking ball.