Like she said, the Vanteera idea and creature is entirely mine, though you will see it in other stories from challenges and such. I don't care what Tinks said, the basic plot was mine, she just fluffed it up… a little.
This story is co-written by Tinkering and Lady-Treason. I think so far we've agreed to do this chapter by chapter so…the short ones are mine that she'll probably be fluffing up, lol, and I don't think updates will be fast. Maybe once every two weeks?
The Last Vanteera: Betrayed and Betrayer
Prologue By Tinkering
"Albus I don't need protecting anymore. I think I'm ready. I've been training for two years with Professors Lupin, Flitwick, McGonagall and Snape and Sirius on the side. I don't think I need anymore help, unless you're finally ready to let me delve into the Dark Arts." Harry raised one eyebrow and looked across the Headmaster's desk at him from the cushy armchair that had been conjured. Professor Dumbledore sighed, eyes serious.
"Harry, you know I'm not ready to do that. But I still don't think you are ready. You need more time… to harden yourself for the possibility of killing. The only Dark spell I ever want you to use, Harry, is Avada Kedavra. Once." He stood and walked around the table slowly. "Dark magic consumes. Look what happened to Tom! I don't want that to happen to you. Instead of spiting the world for your hardships as he did, I want you to conquer…"
"And I will! I'm ready. I've had enough of talking about it. I can do it!" Harry said forcefully.
"I'm sure you think you can. You're seventeen and you want to help this world. It is your own now. But…"
Harry leaned forward, green eyes flashing before he stood, calm on the outside, angry on the inside, making his voice come out clipped.
"The Death Eaters are already nearby. You know they are surrounding the school. All his little scouts and spies and the students he has on the inside seriously put us at a disadvantage … along with the oh-so-helpful Ministry, who are still ignoring him. More people are dying every week. Not every day yet, thank Merlin, but you know things will only get worse. You know they are here Albus." He softened his tone. "Let me go out. I won't let you down. I promise I'm ready."
"You are right. They are here." The Headmaster replied heavily, eyes less the usual twinkle now and filled with sorrow. "Do you really think you can handle any hardship Voldemort could throw at you?" At Harry's nod he sighed again. "Next week, I will give you five Aurors in the Order. Five which you can use to go to where I believe there is a base of Death Eater spies near the school. This is a test Harry and more dangerous than your fourth year experience. This is real. If you handle this well…I may consider speeding up the time I feel is right for you to face Tom. The rules though are, of course, no Dark magic," Harry nodded swiftly and stood, a small smile on his face. "And you may not use your true form."
"But…"
"It is a secret. A very useful, very powerful weapon. You won't waste it on Death Eater spies. Suppose the Ministry couldn't collect all the Death Eaters? Or they themselves found out what you are? No. You definitely can't use that. If you still wish to do this little mission … be ready in a week."
Harry was dressed in his specially customized battle robes, fidgeting with his wand holsters and his main wand and spare. He wasn't really nervous, he was more hyped. He wanted Voldemort to show up. He was excited at the idea he could finish this now all at once. And if Voldemort showed up Dumbledore couldn't fault him using his true form as it would come down to a very real final battle and he would have to use whatever means necessary.
His true form was a creature known as a Vanteera.
A Vanteera was a very rare magical creature and, as far as he knew, he was the very last of his kind. They have sleek smooth wings, his very own were the darkest of blacks. They are strong, powerful and sexual creatures. They have the grace and movements of a cat, unfortunately that included the purr, and they could only have one mate in their lifetime.
The natural form of a Vanteera is mostly a human body, but filled with an inhuman beauty and charm. The only real noticeable difference were the wings, but they could be retracted so that there didn't appear to be anything else different. Also, when one was feeling especially emotional, be that anger, sorrow, love, fear or hate, razor sharp claws grew from the tips of their fingers … and their wings, if hidden, came back out again.
They had the heightened senses of a cat or a werewolf, the wings of an angel, the strength of a vampire, the grace and lifeline of an elf, the sexual nature of an incubus, and finally the beauty of a veela.
From what he had discovered through trial and error since he found out what he was, he saw that he had quick healing, rather like a werewolf; he could see the colors and symbols surrounding witches and wizards which pointed to their level and talents. His eyesight was exceptional in the dark, his tears appeared to heal and he had control over two rare types of magic: Elemental and Shadow.
Of course, he also had weaknesses. He had developed a strange allergy to salt … and artificial lighting, if you will. He was fine with the sun, with the moon, with flames, candles, torches … everything but artificial lighting. Should he find himself in a situation where he couldn't avoid said lighting … it hurt like hell. But as Voldemort was anti-muggle he didn't expect the man to come hunt him down with a flashlight.
His form was powerful and it was an edge, even with his weaknesses. If worse came to worse he could use his form…but he didn't really expect Voldemort to be there did he? Harry fiddled with his robes again. If with luck, he was, Harry would use his form and the three only Dark Arts curses he knew with all his will behind them. So Voldemort hadn't attacked in the last two years. Nothing besides a few burnt buildings, a hundred dead wizards and muggles and a few scare raids. He knew the man was bidding his time, building, waiting. He would be ready.
He wasn't being vain or arrogant with this, he knew that there was a very slim chance that he would actually manage to defeat Voldemort. He was powerful, yes, of that there was no doubt, and he was well versed in dueling and curses … but he lacked on the raw knowledge. Think of all the time Voldemort had on him in studying magic. What he actually hoped to acquire from this, was an agreement from Dumbledore that sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. He needed to learn the Dark Arts.
"...about five meters into the forest, past Aragog's lair." Albus turned his eyes to Harry. "You don't have to do this. The Aurors can go in alone."
"I'm not going to leave Voldemort free to spy on us any longer." Harry stood proudly, lifting his chin. He would not let Albus treat him like a little child in front of these people he was leading. He looked around at the five Aurors he had with him and spoke to them curtly. "Are you ready to go then?"
A couple gave the Headmaster looks before turning back to Harry and nodding. He didn't know any of this group, as Tonks and Shacklebolt were off on missions. He simply had to trust in them as Order members…as they depended on him as the Boy-Who-Lived.
Albus had walked with them down to the main entrance doors of the school and as he showed them out of the door of the lobby with a sad smile he looked to Harry once more. "Learn from your experiences Harry. Every hardship is simply something to be overcome and all will make you stronger for the battle against Voldemort."
Harry gave a wry smile. "You think I'm going to fail. But I'm not Professor. I'm going to flush out every spy he has at this base in the forest and then…then we'll see about Voldemort."
Albus gave a small smile and shut the doors slowly, leaving Harry to face his group of companions.
"Well. Let's go then."
Harry was biting his lip nervously now as they walked forward into the gloomy cluster of trees in the Forbidden Forest. They'd passed Aragog's lair half hour ago, surely they should be there by now? He resisted going for his wand, even though he felt exposed just creeping along, even if it was dark. He wished he could transform…he'd feel so much better in the dark then.
He wondered what Ron and Hermione were doing right now? They were together, spending summer with the Weasleys, so he assumed they were either at the Burrow or Grimmuald Place. He hoped the latter. They'd be more protected there and if necessary there was room for Hermione's family too if worse came to worse and Voldemort attacked…Harry shook his head slightly. No, not going to think like that. He'd…he'd try his hardest to have this war finished before one more person he cared about got killed.
A frown grew on his face that the five Aurors keeping an eye on him wondered about as they trekked on. They didn't like this idea of Albus' but he assured them it would work. It would make Potter understand and help them win this war. So they followed their orders. But still, the boy already seemed so burdened…they looked away from him and kept walking.
Meanwhile what Harry was thinking about was Cedric. Cedric Diggory, a boy he'd known in his fourth year. He'd been killed, but through someone else technically, by Voldemort. And at a time when he and Harry were, not exactly boyfriends, but experimenting liberally even if Harry hadn't wanted to sleep with him yet. They could still have become more! If not for the bloody Triwizard Tournament and Crouch and Wormtail and Voldemort…his face hardened in determination. No. No one else was dying.
"I think we're almost there." The Auror close to Harry said quietly, making him freeze and look towards the man. "Through the trees up ahead." The man said pointing. Harry stepped inaudibly closer and peeked through the trees. Yes, there it was. A clearing where he could see barely a few black tents, just barely outlined in magic. If he was in his form he'd see them clearly but he still could see the barest trace of magic in the air.
"We're here." Harry paused and pulled out his original wand. "This is a stealth mission. We go in and capture. Stupefy, Petrificus Totalus and Incarcerous only. There only…three tents I can see." Harry said peeking back into the clearing. "Six of us. So two to each." He gestured to the man closest to him. "I guess you're with me. Let's go."
He crept towards the nearest tent the man with him following as silently as he though not as gracefully and then pointed his wand at the tent and whispered.
"Incendio." Harry watched as the small patch of the tent started to burn and then he heard a noise of surprise from inside. Someone muttered something and the flames disappeared before he heard clumsy footsteps of someone making their way out. He took a step back with his companion and pointed his wand at the tent again.
"Nott? What the hell…" The medium height, pock-faced man Harry knew as Avery froze in the opening of his tent on his knees. Harry sneered down.
"Hello. Stupefy." A tiny smirk curled up his lips as the man froze in his position. Harry backed it up with an incarceration spell and levitated the man outside and to where the Aurors would meet back. Harry glanced at the man he was with and then looked to the tent before flicking his eyes back.
The man nodded and got down on his knees to crawl in while Harry kept an eye around. He other two tents had been infiltrated instead of flushed out and his smirk widened watching a few more criminals float off. He had just walked off to the other side of the clearing when he heard a noise. Nothing to the normal ears. Something to his. If his form had taught him anything it was that just a noise wasn't just a noise as something makes it.
He totally forgot about the men he had left behind him as he stepped forward slowly, cautious and soundlessly. There was another clearing…another spy camp so close? Harry pushed his confused thoughts to the back of his mind as he stalked forward.
"Hello Harry." A shiver ran down his spine and he whirled suddenly, wand pointed out in front of him. He wouldn't really…really be here? "To your left."
He never even stopped to think he might be showing his back to where he really was but he turned as directed and then hissed painfully as he came face to face with Voldemort. Harry squinted his eyes shut, biting his lip against the pain in his scar but keeping his wand unwavering. The thing, in front of him was dangerous. Had to be destroyed. He couldn't let a little pain stop him.
"You." Harry rasped.
The man smirked coldly. Well if you could call him a man still. It, more likely, was dressed in flowing black robes which was really creepy with the pale white skin and that flat face with the dull red eyes. He should have named himself Lord Dementor, Harry thought with a shiver.
"You don't seem very surprised to see me."
"I'm not." Harry sneered weakly. "I knew you'd come. You're like…roaches. Kill one and another comes along. Only you're the same roach over and over again."
"Actually Mr. Potter," Voldemort said silky slow. "I couldn't resist the lure of you. My spies have been around your school as you very well know." He gave a soft laugh. "And I knew about this little mission. The Ministry may keep the small fries you got if it'll make you feel good. But no, I came for you."
"Somehow this is not how I pictured our big showdown but if this is to be it…" Harry started steeping back slowly until the pain in his scar was fading. "So be it."
Voldemort's eyes narrowed on him. "Do you think I'm here to kill you?"
Harry snorted. "Why else would you be here? You came to visit me and check up on my health? Make sure I'm not being ill-treated at the castle or something out of the need to have it as only you killing me?"
There was a pause for a few moments that Harry honestly didn't understand before the Dark Lord snorted softly. "If I'd wanted to kill you Potter you'd already be dead. I don't suppose…if you'd relax a little you'd notice I'm not holding a wand?"
"I know you know wandless magic." Harry sneered back.
"As do you. So you don't need the wand do you?"
"I'll keep it thanks."
The thing sighed and the red eyes pierced into him. "Do you know why I killed your parents? You think because of the prophecy yes? But no. They were a threat. I like threats on my side or eliminated. And you're parents were…much too much under the Headmaster's thrall." Voldemort finished mockingly.
"I am not getting where this is going." Harry snapped back, lifting his wand to point at the Dark Lord's head. "And frankly, I don't care. What's done is done. But to finish the prophecy and protect the wizarding world I'll try to kill you."
"Try is right. I doubt you could." The man snorted again. "But where this is going Harry…I don't think you're under Albus' control. You do call him Albus hm? Like a dear friend should. You like being your own person though don't you. Bow to no one." Harry found himself blinking dazedly at the soothing tones before he shook his head.
"What the hell do you think you're talking about?"
"I'm trying to make you see," Voldemort put his hands into the cuffs of the respective-opposite robe sleeve. "That if you keep doing whatever he wants you to like a good little dog you'll become what your parents were and you'll die just like them."
Harry let out a bitter laugh. "Okay. Okay, this is getting stupid now. Firstly, stop talking about my parents like you knew a shit about them. And second! If I didn't know any better I'd think you were trying to tell me to…join you or some crap like that!" Harry laughed again.
"No. Just trying to tell you to get away on your own before it's too late." Thin shoulders shrugged lightly. "It's what I did. If I'd wanted to go follow someone else I'd have joined Grindelwald. But no, I, myself was not a follower. I was my own person. And the esteemed Headmaster, then Transfiguration teacher, saw my power and decided he would try to mould me as he thought he should. Hardships will make you stronger, he said, when I told him about my life at the orphanage. When I asked for protection he told me not to run away. When I came back to the school starved and beaten he'd bloody..." Voldemort took a breath and lowered his voice again. "Twinkle at me. And tell me how glad he was to see me again. Does he do that to you too?"
Harry bristled. "You don't know what you're talking about! Shut up! Just because you couldn't bloody handle what the world threw at you doesn't mean you can blame it on the Headmaster! I've been through hard times myself and I'm not a megalomaniac like you!"
"Humans are like twigs Harry. Bend, bend, bend, crack." Voldemort finished in a whisper. "How much do you think you can take?"
"Shut up! Stupefy! Incarcerous!" Voldemort side-stepped and brushed off the spells that rushed towards him. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
"I lived it Harry!" The Dark Lord spat. "I lived the life of that twig. Bending under Albus' will. And his stupid hardships. And his fucking tests!" The dark-cloaked figure glided forward. "Don't be naïve. This, sending you here, knowing I might come was one of his tests. Do you think he's so stupid he didn't suspect about Quirrell? He was so calm about your fourth year because of what? Because it was a test! He expected you to triumph over your hardship." Voldemort sneered. "He's using you. Using you like a handy little tool just like he wanted to use me. And like me he likes his threats eliminated. You know what I think…" Harry gritted his teeth against the sharp pain in his scar as Voldemort leaned into his ear. "I think the prophecy is a fake. He got me to play into his hand by killing your parents, got to make up some prophecy child and 'lo and behold, you grow up strong, you're suddenly found and informed of your destiny and I'm apparently to be killed."
"You're nutty." Harry growled through his teeth before turning his wand right into the man's face. "Incendio!"
Wandlessly, Voldemort cast 'protego' and sneered coming to stand in front of him. "Think about it Potter. Maybe you'd see the way things happened to you were a bit too convenient for him. Once you get over the fatherly love stage, you'll see him for what he is. Nothing but a manipulative old bastard!"
Harry snarled soundlessly. He could do this. He could! "Avada Keda…" He noticed Voldemort's eyes widening as he finished the first part of the spell but kept chanting on the hope he'd catch the man off-guard. What he didn't expect was a spell to hit him in the back and he arched forward with a cry of pain before collapsing into the Dark Lord's arms.
The Dark Lord blinked at the Auror whose wand was still pointing at the spot Harry had been standing before he Apparated away.
AN: Alllllll by my self. I wrote all this all by myself! And there's a part two! It goes for like 6000 words! AndI wrote them all in like...one or two days!#grins proudly#
Hmm, is there anything Becca wants me to say? She says her hair looks like a rat's nest and she smokes lots of pot? Or something that rhymes with that. #smirks# She also said earlier, umm, something about something or the other...shrugs deciding it can't be that important
Okay! So read, enjoy, review!