Enough is enough.
It was bad enough that Her Uncle, wanting her removed from succession, had cursed her into taking on the form of a Wizard's Postal Owl.
It was bad enough that the Curse had bonded her to (Reckless Chick), aka Harry James Potter.
It was bad enough that His Muggle Relatives abused him, and tried to lock her in a cage.
It was bad enough that those whose primary purpose was to Protect him, ignored him and his needs. Either Directly or by compulsion.
But Now…
Now the strings of Fate were weaving a picture… a path that would offer him, and by extension, Her, a chance to right a few wrongs.
Using her talons, she altered a scrap of his homework parchment, and during the night of October 30th, 1994, She did the unthinkable. She condemned her Human to Death.
But a Contract is a Contract is a Contract.
HJP
For once, Harry didn't mind the Feast on Halloween.
For a Laugh, He bet the twins that his Name would come from the Goblet and he swore a Wizard's Oath that he would not enter His Name, nor ask another to do the same. The stakes… The twins would no longer prank him or Hermione, should he win. Should he lose, He would not only cover Bagman's Debt to them, but double it.
Either way… Harry profited from the bet.
Either way… Harry would lose…
Somewhat surprisingly, Hedwig had joined him, perching on his left shoulder. All through the Meal, he would pet/scratch her, between bites that he would offer.
Then came the time for the Selection of Champions.
Albus, being the Host… Collected the slips as the Goblet made its choices.
Durmstrang was Championed by Krum. A red Aura flared around him as he stood and exited the Hall.
Beauxbaton was Championed by Delacour. A baby blue Aura glowed around her.
Hogwarts was Championed by Diggory. A saffron yellow Aura robed him.
And Harry Potter. A bluish white burned around him.
"Cheat!" Malfoy cried from across the Hall.
Harry pushed himself to his Feet. He slowly drew his wand as he climbed to the top of the Table. "I, Harry James Potter, swear on my Life and Magic that I never entered my Name nor did I ask another to do so for me. Anyone who says otherwise I will face over drawn wands. As I say, so mote it be."
He flashed a golden aura.
[Expecto Patronum] A Stag burst from the wand… before it exploded into stardust and drifted to the floor. From the floor, rose a maned Serpent, like a massive python in a lion's mane or skin. The ghostly Snake turned and lunged across the Hall at Draco…
Draco screamed, soiled himself as he fell over backwards.
Harry went to say more, but Hedwig's talons gripped his shoulder tighter. He turned to look at her, to see her staring towards the back room. "Really?"
Bark. She wacked him with her wing.
With a bent head, Harry followed the rest into the Back Room. Just before he pushed through the door he noticed something off.
Krum grunted as he entered. Cedric just groaned, as Fluer asked, "Did they send you to get us?"
"No." Cedric grinned at the fourth year. "He was chosen."
"But you… and he is…" Fluer frowned sexily.
"Yes." Cedric laughed. "So Harry…"
Just then, the Headmasters and Ministry Morons entered.
Hedwig flexed her feet.
Albus grabbed by the right shoulder. "Harry, my Boy, Did you put your name in, did you ask someone to do it for you?"
"Of course not." Harry snarled back, "Did you not hear my Oath, See the results?"
"Of course he cheated." Snape made his presence known only for him to duck a stunner fired at his nose.
"I Also swore what I would do if I was challenged over this again." Harry snarled, "Did the Slytherin Head of House forget in the last ten minutes?" He twisted his wand to a more aggressive hold. "And why do we need a Potion Master here?"
"I trust Professor Snape completely." Albus began to try to sooth the angry boy.
"Sir… I don't even trust you. Why would I trust the man who tried to kill my Uncle?" Harry hissed.
"I never even met your Uncle." Snape snapped. "Why would I even deal with that fat muggle?"
"Wrong Uncle… Snivellus."
The reaction was strong in the room.
"Professor Sprout is here for Diggory… Badgers never turn their back on their own. Professor McGonagall was my Head of House, and handles everything it takes to keep this School running. Moody is our de facto Master of Arms. So… I ask again, Why do we need a Potion Master?"
McGonagall also noticed something. "Snape… you just see James… but He is also Lily. McFinny."
Snape paled. Nodded and left.
As Harry went to return his wand to his pocket, Moody snorted. "Get a proper wand holster boy. You are risking both your own ass and your wand storing it there."
"We have not even discussed what we are going to do with the boy." Igor scoffed. "I will not allow Albus to sport two Champions while we each only get one."
Harry started laughing.
Everyone turned to look at the boy. "Sir. Why do you think I am a Hogwarts Champion?" Harry grinned at the cassock headmaster. "When we started dinner, I will admit that I was a Student of Hogwarts… but when my name was plucked from the Air… my allegiance shifted. Isn't that correct, my Love?"
"I really must thank Granger. She has done wonders with you… even with the obstacles in her path." A voice, as soft and cold as falling snow, spoke with a cultured tone that spoke of years of sophistication. "I really must thank you all for this… opportunity." She purred as she leaned on Harry's back. "A Contract is a Contract is a Contract, even with a Devil. My Uncle twisted a curse. He needed me out of the way for seven years." She glared at the Old Fool. "Odds were that I was going to die as a pet, but you gave me an opening. I took it, and Thankfully Harry trusted me enough to accept the Contract."
Two Adult Wizards went for their wands… only Harry and the one who used to be Hedwig were faster.
Harry had his wand up and fired a disarming hex at Albus, as She twisted her left hand… and jabbed Moody's wand into the soft tissue under his chin… by grabbing his fist in a spectral hand. Harry caught the knobby wand as it flew past his ear.
"No!" Albus screamed. "I will not, can not, allow you to keep that Wand! You must Surrender it to me!"
But Harry was not paying attention to Albus, as he was focused on the DADA Professor. "Maybe I was a bit hasty in dismissing Snape." The Holly wand swung around to point at Moody, as the Alder wood wand was slid into his back pocket. "I thought that I recognized the smell of Polyjuice, but I couldn't devine its origin… but then Moody was never close enough to me long enough to track it…"
"Harry… my boy. Please Don't…" Albus tried again…
"As my Professor is Always yelling at Us…" Harry adjusted his grip. "Release him."
Moody's wand hand was released…
[Expelliarmus[Petrificus Totalus[Incarcerous]
Harry caught the second flying wand that night, as Moody toppled backwards. "Headmistress, be ready to call Director Bones."
"Really Mister Potter." Her accent was thick. "First you threaten Professor Snape, disarm the Headmaster, and attack …"
"In for a penny," Harry sighed, before turning to the man wearing a quidditch uniform, two sizes too small. "Director Bagman, as a good friend and ally of House Weasley, I hereby notify you that if you don't make good on your debt to the Twins, Fred and George, you will wish that you were in Moody's shoe."
"Mister Potter!" Professor McGonagall was moving to loom over the lad.
But before She could say anything more, everyone was interrupted by a popping sound, and everyone turned to watch Moody's eye roll across the floor.
HJP
Three hours later Harry Potter and a Woman in White sat in a small room, sipping tea. Her Hair was Snow on a moonlit night… her eyes were an Ice Blue-white, and her robes were of the whitest silk…
"So… I am Harry Potter." He began bashfully.
"Yes." She smirked. "So I have heard. And sooo much more. I was born to House Ars Goetia. Stelari Goetia in fact." She smiled gently. "Ste-La-ri."
"So… how did you…"
"The Ars Goetia family is large. About the size of the Purebloods of England. And the Politics are cutthroat. Literally. My Uncle wanted me out of the way, but could not touch me… but he could bind me. I was bound to you in the form of your Owl until you were declared of Age, and in your service for a Year and a Day beyond that. I was geased to protect you with my own Life if need be. But with the Goblet being for the Of Age only, and its Contract Claiming you… You are of Age… so I can resume my Human Form."
"How…"
"A Contract is a Contract is a Contract. And the finer the print, the greater the cost." She smiled… showing way too many teeth to be human.
Harry leaned back to look at her, as she lounged in her chair. She was taller than his own five foot four… but was even slighter… almost twiggy. Her large Eyes, small mouth, and platinum blond hair, even whiter than Fluer's, reminded him of Hedwig. Something told him that she was Dangerous, and not because she was a Woman or an Owl… and that he was safer with her than in the Lion's den.
She pulled out a device that was covered with an owl motif, and the visible word, Vox-tech. She punched in a number… held it to her ear. "Oh … Via. Sorry, I have been away… Politics. Would you mind if I stopped by? I have so much to catch you up on… and I want to introduce you to my new pet. You Home?" She nodded as she hung up and slid the 'phone' into her sleeve. She stood, "Come Harry, I want to show you something. A bit of warning, you might feel a bit of discomfort… like with your Portkey." With an Ice White Talon/Nail, She drew a pentagram in the air, snapped, and it spun as it grew until there was a Pentagon in the air before them. She stepped through, before turning to look at him… kind of like Hermione when she was expecting him to join her in the Library.
Harry sighed, before he followed her through… the portal spiraled shut behind him. He stood there breathing the Hot, musty, smoky air… for two minutes, before he felt a sharp pain behind his Heart, and he fell to his knees, rolling into a ball…
As He coiled in on himself, Her Human form melted into a Humanoid, Four Eyed Owl.
A few minutes later he uncoiled and rose up beside her to tower over her. "That wath unplethant." His 's' coming out as 'th'.
"I will be blessed! A bearded Naga!" Her four white eyes widened in shock before she pulled out a double Monocle. Spectacles went across the face, this fixed itself to cover her right eyes. In this form she is a smaller white Stolas, for our readers. "It is a bastardized formation… The Four Arms are indicative of … the Beard is just your mane growing in… the wings are too pure to be demonic… but red means that they are not devine…" She ran a finger along his shoulders… "This is not any normal Snake…"
"Cousin Lar!" a Grey, two eyed, goth girl… with a beak for a mouth came running from the Grand Manner beyond them.
"Bless Girl, You have grown!" Stelari grinned as she welcomed the taller owl-person into her arms. "How is life treating you?"
"Well… Father is divorcing Mom, and has taken a lover." The tall gray teen buried her face in the white feathers of She who was Hedwig.
"About time." the smaller owl-woman smiled as she rubbed the back of the younger female. "About Blessed time."
Harry flickered his tongue as he tasted the air around the two females. He was having trouble smelling/tasting them due to the Heavy Air. but his motion caught the attention of the young owl…
"Is this your new pet?" The Gray Goth Girl stepped closer to examine him. "Hellborn?"
"Sinner… if he ever actually sins." Stelari turned to look at the 'boy'. "Harry here is Fourteen, and is still covered by the 'Rule of Suffering'. I managed to leverage him into something that someone else was going to try to leverage him into… and drafted an addendum or two. I called him my pet… up there, I am his."
"Familiar." Harry hissed. He closed his eyes, Inhaled… and shrank into a human-ish form. "There. Now I won't keep biting my tongue." He grinned at the 'Girl' just a little bit older than he was. "Hi. Harry Potter."
"So… he has no idea who or what we are?" 'Via' asked as she stepped even closer. "He smells funny."
"That's because he is still alive."
"No…" Via probed the scar on his forehead. "I got that before I even hugged you… no this is more like rotten sewage." She turned her head to look behind her… just as a red and black guy with horns and a white patch over his eye. "Hey Blitz! Get your tail over here?" She yelled at him.
"Why the Fuck should I?" He shrugged into his coat.
"Because I asked. Because you either do this and I tell you where Mother hides her Stash or I call you at work and play back your sessions to the Office."
The little horned guy walks over. "I do not want M getting new ideas on acceptable Work Practices… unless I am watching." He glared at the Girl, before leering at Stelari. "Who is the Shorty?"
For some reason, it triggered Harry's protective streak. [Aguamenti] He hosed the Imp with ice cold water from his Holly Wand.
"What The Fuck Was That!" The short male choked out.
"A water spell." Via gasped, "Clean, pure, and cold."
"How?" Blitz continued to ask.
"Living Sinner." Stela smirked. "Who is this and why is he using the front door?"
"Blitz… formerly Blitzo." Via smirked at the Imp. "Father's side piece. Father got tired of him shitting in the garden when he was climbing over the back fence."
"Must have pissed your mother off something fierce." Stela's smirk grew to a grin.
"You have no idea." Via chuckled. "The night of their Anniversary, this little shit snuck in to steal something of Father's, Ravished him, and exited the next morning through Mother's breakfast… crowing like the cock he is."
Instead of expressing shame… Blitz puffed up his chest in pride.
"So… is he keeping your Father satisfied?" Harry asked.
"Every full moon, I sleep with my headphones on and loud. Dad walks funny for a week, with a loopy grin." Via shrugged.
Harry looked about again, "I know I can be a bit thick, so before I embarrass myself, Where are we?"
"Third Ring of Pride, First Circle of Hell." Via smirked at the 'boy'. "I am Octavia Ars Goetia, Daughter and Heir of xxx Stolas Ars Goetia. For a 'Human' that means that I am Royalty."
"A Large Family? Sounds like the Arabic Ruling Family. Everybody you meet is a Prince, but they are only cousins." Harry snorted. "And half of them are plotting to kill the other half."
"Something like that." Stela smirked.
"And when you said 'Human Form' that was not including your true form, was it?" He turned to look at her.
The four eyed owl looked at the boy.
"What did you need me for?" the smaller male asked.
Via poked Harry's forehead with her forefinger talon. "This here. It smells foul?"
Harry took a knee for the smaller person to inspect his brow.
The little horny fellow sniffed it, before grabbing his nose. "A Soul, divided, and spoiled. This is one of the Seven Blasivemes that Sins do not allow. And Given the Age of the Rot… someone is going to be fed their own dick through their own ass." The imp looked pale.
Octavia raised her voice, in an inhuman screech, "DAAADD!"
Suddenly the Heat was gone, as a Dark Shadow with four burning eyes loomed over them all. "WHO THREATENED MY BABY-GIRL!"
"Dad, This Human is carrying something that is Taboo by even Blitzo's Standards." Octiavia pointed at Harry. "A Living Human."
The Shadow coalesced into a taller male version of Octavia. "A Living Human with a taboo?" He stooped to peer at Harry's scar. "Why do I feel like I know you?"
"Harry Potter, Sir. Wizard." He stood slow, and bowed his head.
The Great Owl frowned at the 'boy'. "Where are you going to school?"
"Hogwarts."
"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches...
Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…
and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not...
and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives…
The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
The old Bird sounded like Sybill Trelawney when she was talking to him the year before. When He and Hermione ended up Dancing with Lupin and driving off the Dementors.
"FUCK!" Harry screamed into the dusk of Day. Lightning Flashed through the Cloudless sky, the Thunder shook the ground.
Three owls just blinked at him.
"Okay." Blitz shrugged his jacket back into place. "I gotta get to work. Humans won't Revenge Kill themselves."
"How much to kill a family of three?" Stela asked, grinning evilly.
"Depends on how you want it done." Blitz snapped back with a grin.
"How best to do this?" the white bird purred. "Something that causes a scandal… something gossip worthy. Fat Bastard, his horse-faced wife, and their swine of a spawn."
"No." Harry grinned evilly too. "Dudley lives. A ward of the State. Make it look like they killed their nephew… no, that Vernon's sister's dog killed their nephew, they covered it up… before they were killed in a murder-orgy. I will pay extra if you do all three adults and the dog in the same room… at the same time." He pulled out a scrap of parchment. Scribbled out two addresses, with names and everything.
"You are a real sicko." the Imp swiped the sheet of parchment, "I think I like you." He strutted off to a grey van with 'IMP' as a logo on the sides. "Fuck you later!"
"Give me a Minute to get dressed." Stolas strutted back to the Manor-sion.
Twenty minutes later, the Four of them stood before a 'Man' in a white waistcoat with an ascot and a golden apple tie pin.
"A Soul Taboo you say?" the man peered at the Lad's forehead. He drew a seven pointed star on Harry's brow… and extracted a blackish green orb. A flick and roll of his wrist and the soul shard was crystalized. He dropped it to hang by a silver chain. "I will report this to those who need to know. You, Boy, as the only Living Upworlder among us, will lead the Hunt for the rest. Stelari… you will advise the boy, guide the boy, and report back each month on the first, or if something exciting happens." He looks at the boy, from a different angle. "Where are you staying during the Holidays?"
"Sir?"
"Stolas, Arrange for him to stay at my Daughter's Place."
TBC