Out Of The Darkness
Chapter 4
Thing's Getting Complicated For Both Harry and Ash
Harry hated sitting about doing nothing, he liked to keep busy. He had always been that way, it was probably thanks to all the action he'd had at Hogwarts. He missed the old castle, sometimes he wished he could go back and gaze at it for a few minutes. Unfortunately if he did go back, they'd know and it's the last thing he wanted. Harry barely sat still for a minute, he was an adrenaline junkie, and already his motorbike was calling to him. Harry grabbed his gear, putting on his jacket and trousers he only wore while riding, he didn't want to end up SQUID. That always made him laugh, the term for being stupid enough not to use protective gear. Squid, it made him think of the lake at Hogwarts. He was just leaping onto his bike when his mobile rang, cursing he hastily answered it. The quicker he did the quicker he could get out of here.
"Hello," said Harry into the phone.
"Jared was attacked," said David.
"What? He is he alright?" asked Harry alarmed.
"He's in the hospital, they took the artefacts," said David sounding extremely pissed off.
"Why didn't he just get his arse out of dodge? Or bloody fight back?" asked Harry confused.
"Too public," said David seriously annoyed.
"Damn it, do you want me to come?" asked Harry. David and Jared were part of the team he'd paid to help him remove artefacts and research from Aegean, or rather Atlantis. They were experienced divers and Wizards he's found in Greece. They hadn't heard the voice Harry had; at least they hadn't outwardly displayed any surprise.
"No it will be fine, how did the conference go?" asked David.
"Not very well," scowled Harry in irritation.
"Damn it, it's like we are cursed," snapped David.
"I know the feeling," said Harry shaking his head in dismay. Old doubts he had thought he'd left behind him after leaving Hogwarts were beginning to surface. Everyone around him ended up dead or hurt, one way or another. It's why he always preferred to keep to himself. He couldn't stand the thought of causing anyone harm by the simple fact they were associated with him.
"I'm nearly at the hospital I have to go," said David, they couldn't use phones in the hospital.
"Alright, keep me posted," said Harry.
"Will do," said David.
"Be careful," said Harry before hanging up, angrily he revved up his engine and rode it out. Closing his garage and locking it, he put on his helmet and sped off. As he did so, the anger, worry and fury left him. There was nothing like the freedom of just driving his bike. It's what helped Harry keep control his magic.
"What do you mean the journal wasn't there," Costas Venduras asked as he narrowed his gaze on his underling. As a member of the Atlantikoinonia- a society founded to serve the goddess Artemis- it was their sacred duty to protect anything relating to Atlantis.
George swallowed nervously before he answered. "We took al the artefacts the man had with him, but the journal wasn't in with them."
"You know what the oracle told us. Atlantis can never be uncovered. Use whatever means necessary to ensure that all the artefacts are returned to the sea or destroyed." said Costas.
"Yes, sir. As the goddess wills it, it will be done." he started to leave then hesitated. "By the way, we think the young professor might have the journal with him in New Orleans."
"Then send a team to recover it. In fact, our little professor has become too much of a liability for us and our cause. I'm tired of dealing with him. Signal the others with a TOS for Dr. Potter." snapped Costas. Harry Potter had come closer than anyone before in finding Atlantis. Nothing seemed to deter the guy, so he was going to do what he should have done months ago.
"Termination on sight. Yes, sir. It will be done." said George.
Ash didn't want to get up; he'd been out very late that night hunting Daimon's. He could feel that something was brewing in New Orleans, he couldn't figure out what though. Unfortunately he didn't dwell on that too long; his thoughts strayed to a green eyed beauty he'd seen just yesterday. Harry's green eyes were jaded but held none of the malice and evilness Artemis' eyes did. Even when he's humiliated the guy. What was it with him and falling for people who couldn't stand him? Well…he did deserve Harry's anger but still he could moan he was allowed to wasn't he? He's saved the world ten times over…so he could moan all he liked. Harry was the most baffling human on the planet. He certainly wouldn't have been so amicable to someone that had ruined/humiliated him. Yet he'd gracefully accepted his apology and brushed it off as if it never happened. Who was this man? Just thinking about how he found him yesterday made him harden instantly. To have him in his bed, sprawled out wreathing and moaning to his expert touch. He was an expert in that area. He tended to favour men's bodies over women, probably had Artemis to thank for that.
Speak of the devil that instantly destroyed his good mood.
"You want a hand with that?" she asked.
"No," he said sullenly, one day, he'd give anything for one day away from her.
"Oh C'mon Acheron. You're not really going to let that all go to waste, are you?" coaxed Artemis.
"I'd rather masturbate," he said rolling over onto his back away from her.
"You're in one of those moods again, aren't you? I hate when you get so sullen with me." she said.
Ash had to wonder why she still came around, it was his natural state when she was anywhere near him. Either that or he was completely pissed off, he never liked going near the goddess and she knew it."What do you want? And how the hell did you get in here? You know better than to come to Katoteros," said Ash.
"Your Alexion is too preoccupied with his wife to notice," Artemis replied.
"Why are you here?" he said growling under his breath.
"You want me here," said Artemis.
"How do you figure that?" asked Ash yeah he wanted her here, like an alien rectal probe up his sphincter. He hated her touching him, he moved further away agitated.
"Since you can't see it because it would impact your future, you told me to always let you know whether something happened involving the Atlantean remains." she explained.
"And?" asked Ash. He knew she didn't tell him everything, otherwise he would have known about the journal. Thankfully it was an earlier one, and not one of Ryssa in her twenties.
"I just had those people arrested in Greece for excavating without a license. Say thank you, Artemis." said simpered as if she'd done him the best favour anyone ever could.
"What people?" asked Ash turning to look at her, she was beaming with pride over what she'd done.
"You know, the pathetic-looking archaeologist what we saw? His people. They'd uncovered the site and were pulling things out by the handfuls. Found all kinds of things. I know how upset you get when people do that, so I had the authorities go arrest them and confiscate the artefacts." said Artemis.
"Did you have any of them hurt?" asked Ash, he knew Artemis she probably had. She seemed to get off on seeing people beaten. Pathetic-looking? Harry was anything but that. Of course he couldn't tell Artemis that…she was a very jealous goddess and Harry didn't deserve what the red head would do to him.
"Why would I do that?" asked Artemis.
"You seem to get off on seeing someone beaten." said Ash scoffing in disgust as if she didn't already know why he asked.
"You are in such a foul mood. I don't like to see you beaten either." she said narrowing her evil green eyes at him.
Ash scoffed once more at that, he'd seen her excitement while beating him too many times to believe that. It was the only time she felt more powerful than him. If only she hadn't created his Dark-Hunters he'd be free of her. She had known what she was doing, known he was too compassionate to leave them in her evil hands. "Whatever you say Artie."
"Then roll over and satisfy me," she demanded.
"I have a headache," Acheron said.
Artemis ran her hand through Ash's hair instantly turning it blonde, "You can't get a headache."
"Sure I can. I have a hundred and twenty pound one rubbing on me even as I speak," he said barely able to hide his distaste.
Artemis slapped his bare back, "You're such an asshole," she said biting his arm viciously before leaving.
Ash winced as he rubbed at the spot; at least she hadn't torn his skin out - this time.
"Akri the Simi wants some sparklies," demanded Simi as soon as Ash appeared in the main room of his home in Katoteros. "Can we go to the shop in the Quarter please, Simi can't find any nice sparklies on QVC." she said as if it was a blasphemy. She was dressed in a pair of tights and short plaid skirt with a pink and black peasant top and corset.
"Of course Simi," said Acheron, he could never deny her anything. She was one of the unsullied things in his life; he vowed to keep it that way. He'd die for her, she meant that much to him. Considering she'd been with him for the majority of his life, it made sense.
Simi immediately beamed at her Akri happy to have gotten her way once more as always. She made her horns disappear and copied how Ash had his hair, black and red once more, he'd changed it back when he'd noticed what Artemis had done. She hated him changing his hair; it's probably why he'd started doing it.
He flashed them out Katoteros and to Liza's shop, Liza was a retired squire that still made weapons for the Dark-Hunters and loved to make dolls. Simi liked buying red headed Artemis dolls and destroying them. Unfortunately she couldn't eat them, she couldn't digest plastic it made her sick. Ash of course always had to remind her of this, as she tried to eat plastic all the time. Her shop wasn't far from the shops Simi wanted to visit. He took her to Bride's shop first, not that the female had any idea he knew her name. Much less that he knew everything about her, including the fact she was the destined mate of Vane Kattalakis, a wolf with the ability to turn human. That wasn't for a good few years yet.
When Harry got back from his ride, he noticed there wasn't any beer left; he'd given Ash his last one. So he'd gone to the French Quarter to buy some more. He'd just paid for it and started walking towards home when he was bumped into so hard he almost fell to the floor and things began flying everywhere. Not just things jewels, expensive looking ones at that.
"The Simi is sorry," said Simi trying to grab all her sparklies from the concrete.
"It's okay," said Harry, curious, The Simi? What did she mean by that…it was an odd way to speak. He helped her pick up her things, his eyes getting steadily wider at the amount she had. "Got enough jewellery in there?"
"The Simi likes her sparklies," said Simi clutching them protectively across her chest.
"So I see," said Harry smiling at her, she was oddly charming.
"You are nice for a human, the Simi likes your hair," Simi said.
Harry blinked at her, a frown marring his features, human? Okay she was either out of it or she was something else entirely. He brushed his magic against her, but he couldn't sense anything. How strange, then again he'd met his share of crazies, but she didn't seem…crazy by crazy he was thinking insane.
"Simi I told you to wait," said Acheron Parthenopaeus coming out of the shop behind his Demon daughter.
"Sorry Akri," said Simi giving Ash an 'I'm an innocent angel look' or rather 'I'm an innocent Demon look'.
Akri? What did that mean? He knew quite a few languages; unfortunately that word wasn't familiar to him. It was a good thing too; otherwise Harry would have drawn the wrong conclusion. Harry was very adverse to the word Master, nobody could blame him. After the whole Voldemort and Death Eater thing he'd put up with.
"You again," said Harry, his voice was dry, and the irony was dripping from it. "What does Akri mean?" he couldn't contain his curiosity any longer.
"If I told you the Simi would have to kill you and though you are probably very tasty…" Simi was saying.
"Simi," warned Ash.
Harry grinned in amusement, he really liked her, he was about to say something before he froze his eyes glazing over.
Ash naturally was quite alarmed, what on earth happened? He was still frozen in what appeared to be shock when his phone began ringing. It brought him out of whatever trance he was in.
"Hello?" he said picking up his beer looking ready to leave.
"Five people went into your house! They are smashing things," said an older sounding woman. "I've called the police."
"Thank you Margaret, don't try and go in there, stay away from the windows do you hear me?" said Harry worried about the older woman. She was always kind to him; she'd baked him a cake the day he moved in. Ever since she'd baked him cookies every other week, since she had nothing better to do. They were better than the food Molly Weasley had made him. He went shopping or took her shopping every week, since she couldn't get around like she used to.
"What's wrong?" asked Ash pleading ignorant but he knew what was happening.
"My house has been broken into I have to go," said Harry "It was nice meeting you Simi." he told the black haired young girl before he took off, turning around the corner of the French Quarter.
"Simi return to me," said Ash immediately, Simi immediately turned into mist and settled on Ash's arm. He knew nobody was watching Bride was currently in her back room thankfully. As soon as Simi was attached to him he followed Harry, extremely concerned. He was human, on his way to confront five people who were probably ransacking his home. He was going to get himself hurt, Ash couldn't allow that.
He effortlessly caught up with Harry, unaware that Harry could protect himself.
"What are you doing?" asked Harry still walking very fast towards his home; damn it he wished he'd brought his bike or car. The guy following wasn't helping any since he couldn't apparate. Then again he wouldn't be able to apparate into his home. He couldn't risk the burglars seeing him use magic.
"They might still be there, it's extremely dangerous, you aren't going alone." said Ash adamantly.
"I can protect myself," said Harry, despite what he said, he felt warmed by the man's concern. He could count on one of his hands how many people had truly cared about him, or worried about him for that matter. He was a paradox wrapped in oxymoron and smothered in contradictions. He just didn't understand the guy at all, it didn't help he was attracted to him - a lot more attracted to him than he'd been anyone else. He so wasn't going to think on the dream he'd had last night. To bad he did. Damn. But it was swept away with his worry, damn it why was someone raiding his house? He should have put stronger wards up. He'd kill them if they were still there, nobody messed with him. He'd saved the world damn it, the least he deserved was some peace and quiet in life. Then again he maybe shouldn't have come to New Orleans if he wanted peace and quiet.
Oh Harry had no idea.
Ash wanted to snort in amusement, the human had no idea what wandered all over New Orleans at night. He might be able to fight or defend himself from other humans, but he couldn't beat the things he'd killed at night. "I'm sure you can," Ash's voice was full of rancour as he said it.
Ash had no idea who Harry was or what he could do.
LOL :D whatcha think of this chapter? please review i really like everyone's opinion :) did you like Simi and Harry's interactions? was it simi enough lol? or have i made it too house elfish? would you like to see Harry always outsmart Artemis? and get back at her without her or even Ash realizing it? :P would you like to see Harry was the Master of Death? with all three things? the hairbringer and the master of death :P if harry's the master of death would you like to see him able to get the souls from Aretmis? of the Dark hunters and keep them safe until they asked for their return? ensuring Ash didnt have to put up with atermis? or better yet will i have harry remove the bulk of Artemis' power? leaving her weak and unable to hurt another ever again? unable to come down from Olympus? or kill her? (if i can) oh someone suggested letting ash and apollymi being able to talk...how would you like to see harry creating a world thats neither earth nor where she is so they can see each other for the first time? and embrace? harry doing something for ash that he thought impossible? R&R PLEASE PEOPLE :D ENJOY