CHAPTER 6:
INITIATION
The lunch Harry had come to was an interesting affair. Then again, he was on a fantasy world with his mother, who ran an organisation whose elite members were either Elves or Therianthropes, all of them very attractive. That made things…interesting, to say the least. Seriously, they were all beautiful girls, some with pretty well-developed figures for their age, and Harry found himself having to look away.
Of the other Shades, though, he got along best with Hannah, aka 'Gamma'. Zeta and Epsilon (neither gave their actual names) were somewhat haughty, and while not quite unpleasant towards him, he had the sense that they distanced themselves from him. Eta, on the other hand, was quiet, but looked at him in uncomfortable ways that made him feel like he needed an adult. He was flanked by Alpha and Delta during that lunch. He'd divided his attention between speaking with the two, while Beta was engrossed in a book Harry recognised as one of the Discworld ones.
The lunch had an energy pervading the gathering, and while Harry felt slightly awkward about being here, whether he belonged, Lily made him feel welcome, as did Alpha, Beta, Delta and Gamma. He could be forgiven for forgetting that this was the headquarters for a secretive international vigilante group fighting an evil cult. It felt almost like a family, or at least a circle of friends.
This impression was borne out when Lily led them to a corner of the room they had dined in, where a TV and DVD player had been set up. Aside from the Seven Shades, they had been joined by a few other members. There, they watched the first Star Wars film. And he could see the delight as they watched the beginning of Luke Skywalker's journey.
Still, he felt a little ill at ease. Most of Dun Scaith were girls or young women, though Lily had recruited from those suffering from Demonic Possession. And all of them were quite physically attractive, which intimidated him a little. And of course, he was very much a Johnny-Come-Lately to this organisation. He thought his mother's codename for him was cool enough, though.
It was the next morning, after breakfast, that he took his first real steps into Dun Scaith. He'd followed Lily and the rather strange Elf codenamed Eta to what seemed to be a combination of infirmary and laboratory. He'd been warned by his mother about what this process entailed, but it was still weird.
He was ushered into what seemed like an oversized changing cubicle with a footbath in it. Given Lily's instructions, he'd stripped down completely, before stepping into the footbath, which was filled with an inky-black substance. Then, he had to channel his magic into the substance, through his feet.
The stuff soon climbed up his body once he got the trigger right, and he soon found himself clad in a figure-hugging bodysuit, with only his neck and head exposed. Thankfully, it didn't show too much detail (he was reminded of Batman's bodysuit in the Tim Burton films, sans cape, belt and ostentatious logo), and the bodysuit was actually very comfortable. His mother had explained how it regulated body temperature to optimal levels. What was more, it could defend against certain attacks. And the Black Slime essence that the bodysuit was derived from could even dissolve and absorb certain substances. In other words, not only did it prevent the need to take it off to go to the toilet, it actually kept the skin clean all over the body.
Though once he was able to control his magic to the degree the others could, that would become a non-issue, with the bodysuit being able to be removed at will, or even reshaped. He could change it into any kind of clothes he wanted, as well as form weapons from it. Of course, for now, it was in a default state, used purely for defence and its other basic functions. That included basic healing and even a magical defibrillator, just in case.
He walked out, to find Lily and Eta waiting for him, next to what looked like an elevated glass coffin, though it was closer to a tank, half-filled with blue liquid. "Good. Now, please take a single dose of this," Lily said, handing over what looked like an asthma inhaler.
"What's this for?" Harry asked.
"Mild anaesthetic," Eta said in bored tones. "Breathing liquid can cause laryngospasm. In other words, your larynx closes up. You suffocate, even if the liquid is breathable. Anaesthetic prevents that."
"The liquid itself, aside from being oxygenated, is a potent medium for potions," Lily said. "It was actually developed by the Unspeakables years ago. And you'll have what amounts to two separate potions in the solution, aside from a more potent anaesthetic to knock you out. The first is one Eta developed to amplify magical energy in others. Think of magical energy output as being like the thrust in a rocket. Put the right nozzle in, and while you don't actually increase the amount of energy being produced, you amplify the power going out. It also helps with control."
"But put the wrong nozzles in, and kaboom," Eta said quietly.
On Harry's horrified look, his mother swatted Eta's head. "Don't scare my son like that, Eta!"
"You wanted him to know the risks," Eta said with a shrug. "We tested on the local rat population…and a few of the nastier Cult members. Dosage levels perfected, rat population controlled. Win-win."
"Harry, I wouldn't put you through this if I knew it was too risky," Lily said. "The part that worries me is the Horcrux. I spent a decade formulating a process to remove it from you in my life as Lily, and I spent years working on that process in this life. But removing a Horcrux from a living being has never been done. The Goblins at Gringotts could remove them from inanimate objects, but living beings are another matter entirely. I'm fairly certain that, between Eta, Croaker and I, the formula for a potion that will dissolve the Horcrux in your scar will work without any major harm, aside from maybe a nasty migraine for a few hours. In which case, Eta has a painkilling potion ready after the main anaesthetic wears off."
Harry looked at the tank. Of course, for all he knew, this was some brainwashing device, but he didn't want the Horcrux remaining in him anyway. And truth be told, he wanted to be as badass as Dun Scaith was anyway.
So he took a hit from the inhaler, before clambering into the tank, helped by his mother. Whatever happened, he was sure this wasn't going to be exactly pleasant…
She had been born Esther, but while she still answered to that name, she preferred to be known as Alpha. Esther was the girl discarded by her father and the rest of her family. Esther was the girl whose mother died when she was young. Esther was the girl who succumbed to Demonic Possession, becoming little more than a blob of rotten flesh, having no proper mouth, and yet yearning to scream.
Alpha was who emerged from that blob when Lily healed her. Alpha was who began seeking out allies and enemies to take on. Alpha was who became the second in command of Dun Scaith…though she originally wanted to call it Shadow Garden. Lily had called it a good name, but felt it was a little too obviously dark.
When she spoke of the legends of Scathach and Dun Scaith from her homeworld, Alpha was entranced. Scathach was a hero in her own right, semi-divine, and had also trained other heroes, like Cu Chulainn, his son Connla, Ferdiad, and the like. Scathach had been the one to give Cu Chulainn the famed spear known as the Gae Bolg.
The point was, Dun Scaith were not assassins in the darkness, though they often acted like them, nor were they knights in the light, though they held to some tenets of chivalry and righteousness. They were vigilantes, doing what was right, instead of what was easy. And they would adopt the very shadows that the Cult of Diablos used to conceal their crimes.
Alpha was grateful to Lily, and not just for healing her Demonic Possession. She gave Alpha a purpose to live for, beyond merely living. True, she had resisted taking the fight to the Cult, at least for now, citing the youth of Alpha and Beta, or rather, Elizabeth. But once Alpha and her friend had made their resolve known, Lily began to help them. Until that point, Lily had been more like a friend and big sister, but now, she became their mother.
Alpha smiled to herself, even as she read through one of the reports from the Numbers, getting back up to speed. Lily cared, she truly did. She couldn't erase the feeling Alpha had, of guilt, of the nagging feeling of not doing enough, but she could alleviate it.
Though finally getting to watch Star Wars was immensely enjoyable.
The door to her office opened, and Lily walked in. She sighed as she sat down in front of Alpha. "Alpha, did you get any sleep last night?"
"Yes. And actual sleep, not refreshing my body via magic and meditation," Alpha said truthfully. "But I still need to catch up with events that happened while we were away."
"Half a week isn't that long, Alpha. And besides, you and I both agree that Beta and Gamma can fill your shoes and mine when needed."
Alpha nodded, conceding the point. While her old friend did sometimes lose her composure and lacked some of her more coolly objective analysis, Beta was smart enough to do so. So was Gamma: her particular specialty was in economics and finance, true, but she had enough charisma as a leader and enough intelligence to look after Dun Scaith in their absence. "Even so, Scathach, I want to be sure. Thankfully, aside from the communique from Lady Yukime, nothing particularly notable happened. If anything, our attack on the Death Eaters was more noteworthy. Incidentally, how is your son?"
"He's undergoing the process in Eta's laboratory, and before you ask, I've made it clear to Eta she can't do anything beyond maybe taking some reasonable biological samples. I'm more worried about the Horcrux removal than I am about his magic being amplified."
"Yes…what a vile way to achieve immortality, fracturing your soul and with a disgusting ritual, from what you told me," Alpha said. "But you believe the Horcrux in your son's scar to be accidental?"
"I believe Voldemort intended to create a Horcrux with either his death or Neville's," Lily said grimly. "The only reason I survived that night was that he wanted me to watch him murder my children. The ritual I used to counter it had a sacrificial element to it, and the act of Alice and Frank wanting to sacrifice their lives to save our children was enough to fuel it. Given that we know of at least two deliberately-created Horcruxes in his former diary and Slytherin's Locket…well, I'm not sure how many more he would have, but given how fragile his soul was to shatter like it did, I'm guessing he went for either seven or nine Horcruxes. In ritual magic and Arithmancy back home, those are magically-significant numbers. He may have used other relics relating to the Founders as Horcruxes too. The Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw was lost, but he may have found it. Helga Hufflepuff's Cup was said to be in the family of one of their descendants. Godric Gryffindor's sword probably can't be turned into a Horcrux, Goblin Silver is tricky to do something like that to. Goblin Silver tends to absorb things and integrate it into itself, so a Horcrux would be, well, eaten and digested, I think."
"A fitting end," Alpha said grimly. "Will your son survive this procedure?"
"Odds are, he will. I could have settled for a high-risk procedure years ago, but I wanted to give my son the best chance for survival," Lily said. "It was one of the reasons why I developed a way for part of our bodysuits to have an organic defibrillator built in. Honestly, if more people on Earth had magic, I'd market it to NASA or the military as a survival suit or part of a spacesuit. And thanks for showing concern for my son, Alpha."
"Not at all," Alpha said, favouring her leader, saviour, maternal figure, and sister-in-arms with a smile. "He seems pleasant enough despite his scepticism towards your true identity. I am irritated by that, but looking at the matter objectively, I understand it. And if what Croaker said was true, then he would fit in with us, at least mentally. However, while Eta's procedure may give him a leg-up, he still has much work to do to approach our level. Who will be training him?"
"You and Delta will be helping me, along with Beta. I will have Gamma work on most of the administration work, and leave the important stuff for me to check and approve later," Lily said.
Alpha frowned. "I can understand Beta and myself, especially when it comes to teaching him how to use his magic like we do, but…Delta?"
"Delta's taken a shine to him, I could clearly see that. While she's savage in combat, my efforts have ensured she has refined what technique she has. In addition, I've managed to break her out of her 'might makes right' mentality somewhat. I don't doubt that, if she ever encountered any members of her clan, she'd slaughter many of them for what they did to her and her mother. I'd even watch with a bucket of popcorn. My point is, Delta won't break him. If anything, she'd probably couch it as a game. Lambda, on the other hand, might break him. Lambda's good for new recruits who need her hard touch, but her drill sergeant attitude can alienate others at times. As for us, I know my son, I know how to teach him. I taught him a few spells prior to his attending Hogwarts. And you and Beta are the gentler of the Seven Shades, aside from Gamma, and her abilities in combat are…mixed at best."
Alpha pinched the bridge of her nose. Mixed was an extremely kind way of describing Gamma's combat abilities. She was able to fight well enough, but Gamma could trip over, well, thin air. Her magical enhancement was great, enough to prevent her from being hurt in combat and to overwhelm her enemy with sheer power, but she poured too much energy into it. Plus, she had no aptitude for swordplay, thinking that swinging her sword wildly and going "Swish! Swish!" repeatedly was the epitome of swordfighting.
Lily also had a point about the other Seven Shades. Zeta was almost as much of a brutal trainer as Lambda. Epsilon's haughtiness and pride wouldn't help matters, especially as Lily often compared her to the Purebloods of Magical Britain. And Eta…well, was a mad scientist who didn't bother explaining herself.
"And you think we may be able to help?" Alpha asked.
Lily nodded. "Alpha, I also chose you, Beta, and Delta because you're also closest to Harry in age. Not only that, but you and Beta are, aside from Gamma, the ones who understand my life and his life the most. I'm hoping that you won't have to do too much to teach him magical control once he's been treated by Eta."
"And why is that?"
"Aside from a mother's pride?" Lily said with a smile. "He learned how to use the Patronus some months back. I was considered a prodigy for learning it when I was 15, but Harry managed it when he was 13, albeit after many lessons. A Patronus is one of the most difficult charms to cast, even without Dementors affecting you. Besides, he was able to activate the bodysuit fairly quickly, even on 'factory settings'."
"How do you think he will fit into our operations, then?" Alpha asked.
"In terms of combat, definitely magical. Any physical fighting will probably be ranged rather than close-quarters," Lily mused. "A sniper at long range, perhaps, but a medium-ranged mage. I might even teach him Trinity, as long as his control over his magic and his temper is good enough."
Alpha frowned. Of the Seven Shades, only Alpha and Beta had been taught this ultimate technique. The only other one with the magic control needed to pull it off was Epsilon, and Epsilon did have something of a temper. "You have that much faith in him?"
"As long as he doesn't rename it as something like I Am Atomic or Czar Bombarda Maxima(1), I think it'll be fine. But I intend to make sure he's ready before I teach him…"
Thankfully, Eta soon reported that the procedure was a success. Harry's vitals did fluctuate at times, but nothing truly concerning happened. So Lily returned to help him be decanted from the tank, Alpha following.
She helped him cough up the liquid that had kept him alive for the past couple of hours, and once he was used to breathing air again, she smiled, and asked, "How do you feel?"
"I ache all over," Harry rasped, his throat still affected by the liquid breathing.
"Well, the Horcrux is gone. It was a bit hairy a couple of times, but, well…see for yourself," Lily said, indicating a container now filled with a dark, inky liquid. "I'm keeping it for Croaker, so he might be able to use it to track the others down. As for aching all over, that's probably your body getting used to the magic amplification. Think of this as a baptism of sorts, Harry…or rather, Setanta, the newest member of Dun Scaith…"
CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:
And thus, the training montage begins!
1. Yes, Trinity is this fic's equivalent of I Am Atomic, a nod to the name of the first nuclear weapon tested and the test itself. Czar Bombarda Maxima is my nod to the spell Bellatrix Lestrange uses in the fifth chapter of Nemesis13's A Godfather's Duty.