Hellhounds Are Not Emo II
02
ISDH
HANE
A Black long haired hound charged down the sandy beach to retrieve the stick, before trotting back with it in his teeth, his tail held high. When he got back to the tiki hut, he dropped it by the tired old werewolf. This last Moon was hard on Moony, not having his cub nearby.
Across the sapphire blue waters, a ghostly figure pranced over the waves. At first thought it was their childhood friend returned in a ghost form, but as the Hart stepped onto the sand, it threw its rack high, and howled. More of bay then a true howl… and the Hart exploded into motes of stardust revealing a Mastiff in its place.
"Messrs Padfoot and Moony. Messer Slobberjowel requests your presence no later then August 28th. There is much to talk about, and even more to do. Mischief Managed." the Patronus faded.
"I guess that means, he is no longer the son of Prongs." Remus sighed, as he picked up his drink, "time to head home."
HANE
No sooner than Ginny was out of the Kitchen, than Ron had hid wrapper shredded. "Chocolates? Muggle Chocolates? They don't even come with cards!" he ripped the box open, and stuffed a handful into his mouth.
Molly frowned at Ron's behavior. She opened her gift. A cookbook full of muggle dishes… from around the world. She frowned. Non-English, Muggle foods… in her kitchen… from her kitchen? Well maybe a peek…
She no sooner read the first two recipes, then there was a banging at the door…
Ron had emptied his box.
HANE
Harry returned to his chair. "I should not have threatened her bacon. She is going to hold that one against me." He settled gingerly into the wingback chair. "I hate to do this, but I need to ask. I told a lie to Vernon. I claimed that the School was taking me early this Summer, and I would be spending the summer there."
"And you are asking to spend that time here." Hermione nodded her head.
"Yes. For the most part, so that you had the chance to say 'No', after being asked. I have another place to stay, but at the Burrow, I am always going to be busy, running, jumping, or flying." He did not mention that his other place was with his grandfather and great-uncles.
Hermione's grin soured. "Ah Harry, I was just packing to go to the Burrow for the rest of the Summer."
"Oh." Harry leaned back. "So that leaves next Summer."
Hermione worried her lower lip, as she stroked her Pusssy. This went on for two minutes, before the Orange Kneazle stood, jumped down from her lap, and strolled to the door of Dan's Man Cave. Placing his head flat against it, he bullied his way in, just as Dan snapped his Four-Barrel Lancaster sawed off shotgun, closed.
Hermione glared at her father, "I take it you heard what we were talking about?"
Dan grinned, rubbing the outside of his second born with a cloth. "And how do I know that this is not a ploy to get you out of your knickers?"
Look on Harry's face almost broke Hermione, but she embraced her inner McGonagall, and powered through. "Because Father had that been his plan; 1, he would have asked me in my parent's house. 2. He would not do it with my Father in the next room. And last, 3. Harry does not ask those types of Questions. If he wanted me out of my knickers, I would be out of them!" She crossed her arms, as she glared at her Father. "Now, would he have taken the next step… without prompting, if not hands on guidance by me, or my female lover, he would be doing that!" She pointed at the Frozen Wizard, with his 'caught in the headlights' stare.
Dan blinked, as he looked at the boy whom he was at risk of losing his baby girl too, just sitting there, and who had almost forgotten how to breathe. Dan broke. He started slow with a chuckle or two, but it rolled into a full laugh quickly.
Hearing a man laugh at him snapped Harry out of his trance. He saw Dan, sprawled over his office chair in the Cave, having a full body laugh, and turned to see his friend trying to hide her grin.
"That! Was. Not. Funny!"
"You should have seen your face!" Dan gasped out, before he fell out of his chair.
Harry Glared at Hermione.
"Well, That is Not a 'No'." She offered with a Grin.
Harry frowned.
Dan picked himself up, and with a straight face, "That is something I need to talk out with Emma."
"Okay." Harry sighed. "I will need an answer by the end of April, though." He turned back to Hermione, "Are you finished packing?"
"Deciding on which books to take."
"You have books you have not read yet?"
"Oh I read them." Hermione frowned, 'I just need them for reference."
"Use Mine." Harry sighed, as he picked up the rucksack, "Anything else we can pick up in the Alley, when our letters come. McGonagall will know where to send them. Let me collect your trunk, and we can travel to the Burrow."
Hermione led the way to her room, her father bringing up the rear. Once in the room, she closed it, and locked it. Before Harry waved his hand over it, causing it to shrink to the size of a shoe box, which he then tossed into his pack.
Tightening the straps on his pack and scooping up the heavy cat, "Got your wand?" Hermione waved it at Him, before running it under her watch band. "Going to have to get you a wand holster." Harry shook his head, before offering his arm. As she took it, he nodded to Dan, and pulled on the Shadows in the room. As the Shadow over took them, he cast his mind to the Burrow…
HANE
Outside the village of St. Ottery Catchpole, in a field and orchard, stands a rickety house. This Marvel of Modern art stands seven stories tall, and looks like it would fall if hit with a strong enough breeze. What is unknown is that the house is crafted by a 'tinker' class wizard, and reinforced by a goblin trained, 'tomb raider' level cursebreaker wizard. Nothing short of Fiendfyre is bringing that house down.
In the 'Front yard' of this house, stands a Pine tree. From this tree, stepped two travelers and a Cat. "That was… not pleasant." the witch shivered. The Cat added his two cents, and ran off to stock gnomes.
"It is better to drive, rather than carry-on." the wizard nodded. "But, I prefer it to floo, and Knight-bus. The only form better is by broom."
"Not for me!" the witch scuttled to the front door. "I plan on keeping my feet on the ground, thank you very much."
Harry followed her to the door, as she stood in the last rays of the sun, soaking them in. He raised his fist, and pounded on the door. Then began to count down from ten.
He got to five before the was wrenched open, and he was tackled by Ginny, which caused him to take a step back. Which allowed the twins room to copy their sister…
All four ended up on the ground. Harry on the bottom.
"Brother of ours…"Left twin
"Not of Blood…"Right twin
"Are you Promising what we think you are?" both.
"Just introductions." Harry replied with a straight face. "I thought you two might like to meet my Grandfather and his two brothers." He smiled, "You know, the one who made my Family's cloak." Harry waited until he was on his feet to continue. "Any other introductions depends on certain travel arrangements." he dusted his robes off. "What's this about a witch being invited over for the summer, but I was not?"
"We sent you a letter by muggle post, last week." Ginny frowned.
"Ah." Harry scratched the back of his head. "I was out of Country until this morning."
"Come in. Mum is in the Kitchen." Ginny turned and led the way.
Hermione trotted to catch up. Harry turned to the twin closest to him. "She seems to have gotten better, around me that is."
"Oh, yeah. That." one started.
"Over the end of the school year, she reclassified you as 'brother slash friend'." the other chimed in
"And so, either you are going to have to work for it."
"Or find another byrd to perch on your arm."
"Thanks, but no. Hedwig is Byrd enough for me." Harry looped his arms through the arms of the twins, and pulled in the direction of the kitchen, "Now a lassie… especially a quiditch lassie. Well that is a different song altogether."
HANE
That Night, Harry bedded down on the cot in Ron's room, after dropping off Hermione's trunk and canceling the shrinking charm. His Magic was tired, curling up on his chest like a puppy to sleep. It had spent the whole day 'sniffing', 'licking', 'poking its nose' at/into everything. First it was the Knight Bus, with Stan, Ernie, and the handful of riders. Then the walk to the Bank. He learned what goblins 'tasted' like. Roasted Yams. For some reason his magic avoided Isabella after releasing her, and would not say why. The Ministry was bland and dusty, where the Grangers were sunny and filled with cat hair. And not just from Crookshanks. It seems Hermione was keeping secrets.
Then there was the Burrow. The grounds when they stepped out of the shadow, tasted of the Gnomes… a cross of raw potato, squashed snail, and fermented spirit water. The House tasted of fried chicken, fresh washed laundry, and a healing potion, Harry could not place, but knew he had smelt it before.
As Harry dropped off, he heard Ron stomping up the stairs. He was asleep by the time Ron reached the door.
HANE
Harry was ripped from a dream where he was chasing a rabbit with his grandfather and uncles… only to find himself staring into the grinning face of one of the twins.
"Come on. We gotta get going."
Ron was as the walking dead, as they came down the stairs. The other twin had a smirk on his face as he and the two witches were not pleased as they gathered in the kitchen.
"No...She didn't!" Disbelief...
"She Did. Pay up." Smug pride.
"The bet was a black eye." Guarded suspicion.
"It will be, I can fill it." He pulled his wand, and with a flick…
"Ooh. I see what you mean." The twin that woke Harry, pulled two silver coins from his pocket, and handed them to his brother. Then he drew his wand, and healed the wound around his eye.
"I get the betting on me punching them. Standard male bonding. But the switching of the eye socket?" Hermione looked at Ginny.
"Second level spell. A day did not go by that year that they did not switch something. I think the only things they agreed on not switching was girlfriends and willies." Ginny sneered at her brothers.
Mr Weasley made his entrance at that time, and everybody was off.
HANE
Everyone Landed in a pile.
Harry was on the bottom.
The adults and Cedric drifted down as if on a morning stroll, as the 'kids' struggled to extract themselves from the pile on the ground.
"Okay Harry. Next time, we go your way." Hermione grunted as she rolled clear to the side.
Someone shifted, driving a knee somewhere tender… Harry flexed his magic on reflex and four redheads went flying in four different directions, as he curled in on himself. "Yeah, Lassie. We go home by my way. I sorta promised the twins." He drug himself to his feet and limped away. Just as the next Portkey arrived…
As Aurther had fun counting out the muggle money, as a Pureblood group just threw a pouch of gold coins at the muggle gatekeeper. The Ministry wizard stepped forward, with a wand raised. Harry waved his wand pushing the wand aside. "Any idea how many are paying you in gold coin?" he asked the muggle.
"Lots" the guy grunted. "Yeah, those people are Live Action Role Playing. We are marked on how we interact with those outside of Play. This Weekend is a test if you will. We, in our roles, are pretending to be normal. Some are so stuck in their Roles, that 'being Normal' is below them, and so they will just throw gold coins at you, and expect you to do that which you do. Then there are those like our Head, the leader of our group, who is going for the full points, and playing to the facts that he has no working knowledge of our world. That guy with the stick there is keeping track. Now if you just take the coin, and set it aside, while tipping your hat to those who do. At the end of the day, he will change you out. Ignore any thing we say, as odds are it will be in character." Harry shook the guy's hand and trotted after the group.
The wizard frowned, then nodded, and tucked his wand way.
The Tent was quickly found, and Harry's magic quickly lashed out and scrubbed away the cat urine smell. Everybody took a quick nap, waiting for the 'Market' to open at noon.
In his Dreams, Harry fell into his realm.
HANE
He landed on his two feet, in the field.
He Landed practically nose to nose with the Stallion of the Hellmares, and the Speaker of the Inferno.
"Damn!" He stepped back, "Not so close next time, please!"
Will do our best, milord. The mind voice of the Hellmare was both Power and Comfort. We have a minor issue we need resolved. When we spread out and selected our bond-mate; mare and dragon, we had five dragons left over. We Asked your Ancestors…
$[And they were able to bond with one as well. When they turn to Hell mode, they can merge and fly.$ A tiny head peeked out between the ears of the Hellmare. $That leaves two unbound. We were hoping you could help.$
"I Can. I will bond one, but it will mean he will spend the rest of his life riding on my shoulder, and never more than ten feet from me. The other. Will be spoiled so rotten, he will never fly again, but that is ok as his partner loves dragons, always has a tasty treat in his pocket, and will rip the head off anyone who threatens his family, including his baby dragon."
Two helldrakes landed on his shoulders. Just as the impact woke him, and he fell off the other side of the bed.
HANE
As he rolled to his knees and climbed to his feet, he heard hissing in his ears. By the time he was standing he recognized the hissing as cursing in Parsil. He turned to see a twin staring at him in shock.
"Um Harry." the twin licked lips, "Please forgive me if I am mistaken. You take a nap, and when you wake up, you have two dragons on your shoulders." Harry nodded. "Why?"
"Well what do you get the Brute that has everything?" Harry stepped around the bed to pose before the mirror. "I just Had to get Hagrid a gift this Summer. And after that fiasco back in my First year… I thought a Mini-dragon would be just the thing. The rest of the inferno has taken a bond mate, and the newborn would go to the newly clutched first.
Both Drakes snorted.
The group wandered the Market, the mini Drags getting second looks, but everyone thought they were related to the Bulgarian team somehow.
Ron immediately bought a figurine of Krum holding a Firebolt, swinging it through the air, proclaiming victory. The rest of his coin was quickly spent on sweets. As such he was the first to head back to camp.
The girls went one way to handle witch things… Harry and the twins did not ask.
The twins were scuttling asking about wagers on the game. Their questions led them to a retund man dressed in a beaters uniform of yellow and green, talking wildly with a goblin behind a silence ward. As the twins waited Harry looked about, his magic was 'sniffing' about when he caught a smell he knew personally.
Harry Perked up, "Hey Turnip Breath." turned to face an old Goblin in a worn suit of tweed.
"Do I even want to know what your breath smells like?" the goblin growled back, before grasping forearms in a handshake.
Harry grinned down at the Moneymaker. "Nothing nasty, unfortunately. But it is still early." the goblin roared in laughter, as everybody around watched, in awe and shock.
"What brings you here? Last I heard you were heading to those people." the goblin frowned.
"Here? These are my mentors in finding trouble." Harry gripped the shoulders of the twins. "They want to place a small wager, but nobody will take them seriously. Now while they might not have a whole lot to bet, I think you will find the terms of their bet to your liking."
A flick of his talon, and a smaller goblin was his side, with a ledger. The Goblins turned to the twins. Coin was to be won… "This is Flipedge, my bookmaker. Your Terms?"
"Irland wins.' Left shoulder answered
"But Krum catches the snitch." the other closed.
The two goblins blinked,
"Okay." the smaller goblin drawled "So how do you want to…"
"I think there is a minor misunderstanding." Harry grinned at the goblins. "Those were the exact terms. Krum catches the snitch, but Irland wins the match." the twins nodded in counter sinc.
Flip glared the three wizards before him. "I can give five to one odds… if that is what is the exact bet. If Irland takes the snitch or Bulgaria wins, you lose your bet."
"Done." the twins chorus, and pile their collected coin on the table that appeared before the goblin bookie. Harry looked at the Manager in plain clothes. "If I wanted to get in on this action…" he looked around, "but not spend any of my pocket money…"
"Ah. Flipedge. Mister Potter would like to bet as well. From his vault." the tweeded goblin grunted.
"It will be done sir." the bookie scribbled out a receipt for the twins, and turned to the young Heir. After walking the Lad through the process of drafting a cheque for 100GG to enter into the same bet the twins had, Harry too had a receipt for his bet.
"Thank you, one and all." Harry bobbed a bow to the goblins, and led the way back into the market. While there, He bought six items that looked like a cross between a pair of binoculars and a crystal ball. Two, he immediately gave to the twins.
"Harry…"
"Call it an investment." Harry smiled at them. "I am getting the feeling that I am going to be cutting Ron loose soon. For some reason, I am getting toxic vibes from him. Without Him, I would never met you two properly, nor little Ginny. But now I am feeling that he has become …"
"Yeah." Twin on the left opened.
"We noticed too."
"We thought it was just…"
"The loss of his pet rat…"
"But that owl should have healed that abess."
"Got another one for you boys." Harry grinned at the Twins. "That Rat… was Messer Wormtail."
The twins locked up. "No." Right.
"Frecking" Left.
"Way!" Both.
"Yes'' Harry turned to look over the wares of a booth nearby. "Damn Dirty Rat framed Padfoot for the Murder of Prongs, and lefy Moony out in the cold."
"But the Map!" They hissed in unison.
"Made in school, when the War was not even on the horizon. When the biggest issue was which closet did you take which witch to next."
"But they were like brothers?" Fred gasped out, looking at Harry in horror.
$What are you three talking about?" the red striped drake on his left shoulder hissed.
$We want some meat!$ hissed the green striped one. The green matched Harry's eyes.
They settled on the british wizard's answer to hotdogs at the Ballpark. After eating a full sausage each, the drakes crawled into pockets in Harry's robes, and fell asleep.
HANE
Harry was the first to return to the tent that night. The Twins and Ron were taking a victory lap, as the girls were trailing behind Harry by about eight feet, whispering about something. Arthur had stopped to have a drink with 'the lads from work' and would be back to the tent in about ten minutes.
Harry eased down onto his cot, his cargo still sleeping it off. Sleep was quick to come and peaceful.
Until he was rudely ripped from oblivion be the sounds of Fear and Laughter. As he stepped out, he saw 'wizards' dressed in black wearing bone masks. He saw one fire a blue spell into a young girl… and he saw red.
[Come Hounds of Hell, Come Hunt of Hell! There is Hunting that needs to be Done!] the air shimmered at his back, as three hounds and three 'mares appeared, each with a drake between its ears. "The Black Robes wearing the bone masks are our targets. Maim, if you can. Kill if you must, but they Harm no one else tonight!" He then shimmered into a six foot at the shoulder hellhound, and charged into the night, heading north, his eyes glowing, dripping flame. The three hellhounds merged with their drakes, as they grew to five foot, and took to the air, heading east.
The Hellmares bonded to their drakes, and headed south. That left west for the wizard-folk to escape
Over the next hour, the Hunt tracked and attacked Death Eaters that took up cloak and cowl that night. Not One got away without a bite mark or burn. Several were run down, their bodies found near the stadium. Their bones broken, wands snapped, and they were the lucky ones. The Hounds were not so nice. They fell on the Death Eaters like the hellhounds they were. They savaged the wizards, ripping arms and or legs off as they tore through the ranks.
Hellhound Harry bound out of the fog and smoke surrounding a campsite, three females were cluting one another, three males were stunned and bound. Over the females stood six males in black robes and bone masks. Two were massive brutes, their wands were more like clubs, three were tall, and average. One was twisted, and leaning on a massive Axe.
An Axe Harry saw no too long ago…
