Supernatural War: Game Plan (3/31)
Title: Supernatural War: Game Plan
Rating: T
Summary: First in the Supernatural War Series. After defeating Voldemort at 17, Harry Potter leaves the Wizarding World, trying to live a normal life under the name of Harry Evans. However, it soon becomes apparent that there are other things out there and people in need of saving. Harry becomes a Hunter, facing a whole new war, on a much larger and deadlier scale. Along the way Harry discovers that something else may have also been connected to Voldemort’s rise to power and that he is more involved in it, than he ever imagined possible.
Setting: Harry Potter - Post-Series. AU of Deathly Hollows (some events/info may have changed or have not happened at all). Supernatural - takes place during Season 2, but may have information pertaining to ALL seasons.
Masterpost
****
Chapter 3: Unexpected Occurrences
The next day as Harry prepared what he’d need to take down Greyback, he brushed up on the ways to kill a werewolf. He also decided to buy some pure silver knives just in case the fight with Greyback becomes close quarters combat. It wouldn’t hurt either, Harry thought to himself, to be prepared like that.
Harry spent the day doing a stakeout on the forest. He knew that while Greyback would most likely not be there today, it would be advantageous if Harry knew where he was going and he knew there was a map at the visitors centre that detailed the trails and paths used by regular visitors. Harry knew that there was a chance that there would be some unlikely individual that despite the warnings would continue to go to Muir Woods.
After his stakeout, Harry went to the local store and bought a set of silver knives before going to the local bar near Muir Woods. Perhaps one of the bartenders or patrons had seen something out of the ordinary in Muir Woods? As Harry entered the bar and took in the surroundings, he immediately noticed the two agents from the day before were chatting at the bar as they waited for their drinks. Harry just walked up to the bar when they received their order and he followed their retreat back to the table which, Harry noted with surprise, contained six other people.
“So, as usual, the coroner does know anything,” one of the people sitting with the agents said.
“Don’t we know it,” one of the agents said.
“This is the fifth victim to appear with no heart.”
“And within the space of a month. It’s not the usual killing cycle,” one of the agents added. “The only thing that narrows it down is the missing hearts.”
Harry thought it was strange that there were so many agents, if that’s what they were, for a case that was written off as an animal attack. He frowned at the thought, but shrugged it off as he ordered beer off the tap. He drank it at the bar, but he still kept an eye on the agents and their friends. They didn’t look so professional and official now that they were with their friends and their friends looked far from official. They were scruffy and looked like they hadn’t shaved in quite a while.
Harry noticed that they were very tuned in with their surroundings and promptly looked away, facing back towards the bar, although he could still see them in a mirror behind the bottles of spirit. The agents and their friends seemed to be in a deep whispered discussion about the killings. Harry found it odd that they were talking about the case with others who did not look to be agents or any kind of law enforcement, but then again, Harry wasn’t all that familiar with Muggle law enforcement, especially those in America.
Harry finished his beer and slipped off the bar stool and left, although he did take a curious glance back at the agents’ table. He shrugged off the odd moment he’d witnessed in the bar. If he was right about Greyback, and the werewolf was in Muir Woods, and then he’d probably never have to come across the agents again.
The werewolf problem should be dealt with by tomorrow night, Harry thought as he recalled his purchase of the silver knife.
Muir Woods was extremely large and quite capable of hiding a werewolf pack or two, maybe even more, Harry concluded after a quick scan of the forest clearing he now found himself in. The full moon had yet to really come out and the only light that illuminated the thick redwood trees on the edge of the clearing was the light coming from the tip of Harry’s wand. He had uttered a soft “Lumos” after the sun had set and night had fully arrived. Harry shivered unconsciously, the coolness and dampness of the night combined with the winter chill hitting him just now. Perhaps a bitter warning for the confrontation to come?
A cool winter’s breeze swept in, just as Harry heard a low enraged growl getting ever closer to where he was. Harry tightened his grip on his wand in preparation, as the trees rustled.
A figure walking towards the clearing came into view, a figure that made the hairs on the back of Harry’s neck stand up. Once the figure came into the clearing and fully into the light, he could see that it was the very person he had just been hoping to run into.
“Potter…” Greyback greeted, albeit somewhat dangerously. Greyback’s tone and posture also edged with a hint of surprise.
“Greyback, just the person I wanted to meet…” Harry returned calmly, he was on edge, getting ready to act on any sign of attack from the savage werewolf. The light from his wand flickered in response, before returning to its original brightness.
“Well, now that you’re … here, I can say that I’m … glad to see you too,” Greyback replied with a soft growl while also exposing his pointed teeth.
“Really?” Harry asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing.
“Yeah. Glad I can enjoy making you my nice little meal, when the full moon shifts into view,” Greyback stated, licking his lips. “I’m so going to enjoy this,” Greyback repeated.
“I see, and what makes you think so?”
“’Cause you’re just a petty, scrawny human … and I am the future… werewolves are the future. We will one day be the dominant species on this planet. You mark my words! I’ll make sure of it! You just wait and see…” Greyback paused, then looked back at Harry with an evil grin, “Wait, no you won’t ‘cause you’ll be dead, runt!”
“And that there is my problem. You killing innocent people, I mean,” Harry replied, his tone still calm. “I won’t let you kill or turn those people. They don’t deserve it…no one does…”
“People? They’re just weak. The strong will survive … survival of the fittest, isn’t that how it goes? Werewolves are the strongest, boy! We are faster … stronger…we will be the dominant!”
“No you won’t. Being stronger…faster, that doesn’t always mean you are the fittest to survive. I can’t allow you to continue killing people…I won’t…both wizards and muggles alike deserve to live out their lives . . . not to be killed or turned and have the rest of their lives ruined or not at all! Besides, what makes you think you can beat me…? I did defeat your master, Voldemort!” Harry added.
Greyback didn’t answer, but there was a sinister grin on his face.
“Yeah, I guess, but it was only a matter of time until you got sloppy. One witness got a good look at you before you turned -” Harry continued.
“So you knew it was me and thought you could come a kill me?” Greyback finished. “Oh, Potter, I thought you knew better than that. But, to answer your statement, yes I knew it was a matter of time……You see, it’s been easy pickings over in this forest. These Muggles here go on moonlight walks on the full moon.” Greyback laughed. Then his demeanour changed abruptly and he stopped laughing suddenly.
“We’ll see who is stronger, Harry Potter!” He hissed, or rather, growled. Then, the clouds moved, revealing the full moon in all its glory. Its light quickly swept across Muir Woods and flooded the forest clearing.
In the instant the light touched Greyback, he gave a loud growling laugh as his body gave a big twitch. There was a loud sickening crack and crunch, signalling the start of Greyback’s change into the furious werewolf and killer his reputation gave him back in England.
Harry muttered a quick “Nox” to distinguish the light from his wand. He did not need the light anymore; the moonlight that now lit up the entire clearing would be sufficient. Besides, he needed his wand for other things now. Greyback was not going to get away with anymore innocent killings - he would make sure of that.
It was time to start fighting evil. Harry knew that getting rid of Greyback was just the first step - there were other evils out there, Harry was sure of that.
Greyback had now finished his transformation and the killer werewolf stood on all fours, the amber eyes had set its sights on Harry, its new prey.
The fierce werewolf threw its head back and gave a thunderous howl, which echoed and vibrated through the canopy of trees that surrounded them. Startled by the sudden, unexpected and dangerous noise, several owls fluttered out of the trees overhead in a flurry of wings.
The werewolf then turned its head back to Harry, its amber eyes sparkling dangerously with the reflection of the moon. It gave a snort and pounded forward, charging at Harry. Just as Greyback was about to reach Harry, he dodged by quickly side stepping to the right - a handy reflex gained from the many hours of Quidditch practice and survival instincts and training.
Harry used the momentum gained from planting his right foot down to pivot back around to face Greyback once again. While doing so, Harry positioned his wand in an offensive pose in front of him. Meanwhile Greyback, because of his somewhat bulky form, was not able to spin around as quickly. Instead, he had run in a wide arc. Harry saw this as a window of opportunity and took advantage of that fact.
“Sectumsempra,” Harry shouted.
The spell hit Greyback full force on his side, causing blood to spurt from it. The werewolf gave a painful yelp, which Harry thought was kind of pitiful really, and staggered back a little before Greyback overcome that pain and gave a frightening growl.
By now the werewolf had turned to Harry and seemed to have look that something akin to a ghastly smile on his face in a worrisome grin kind of way. It made the Harry’s hairs stand up on the back of his neck once again.
A low growl emitted from Greyback, which gradually became louder and louder.
Harry let out a shaky breath, groaning with effort, before he tightened the grip on his wand once more, as Greyback came at him, slowly at first, but soon he gained speed.
If Greyback was right about one thing, it was that werewolves were indeed strong and fast, which, unfortunately, made it even harder for Harry to kill him. This could be seen in the several wounds Harry and Greyback now sported. Harry’s back now had a dull ache from when Greyback drove him hard, straight into the tree a few minutes before. This was in addition to the several cuts and scrapes, whose wounds had blood sweeping out of them. Thankfully, though, Greyback had not gotten the chance to bite or claw Harry. His survival instincts were back, full force, something which Harry was thankful for. Those same instincts had saved Harry’s life more than once over the several years since Harry had entered the wizarding world.
Greyback had several wounds from Harry’s curses that had managed to hit him, the rest were avoided and evaded. Those curse wounds were bleeding quite freely and Greyback was now constantly growling softly. The growl was laced with pain.
Greyback and Harry stared at each other. Green eyes locked onto the amber eyes of the werewolf in front of him. Then Greyback threw his head back and howled once again. He seemed to be doing that a lot over the past ten minutes, Harry noted. But this time, unlike the other times, several answering howls echoed through Harry’s ears. Oh shit! That’s even more trouble coming.
By the time the ringing in Harry’s ear stopped, Harry was faced with several new dilemmas. These dilemmas came in the form of werewolves… plural. There was not just one werewolf to contend with anymore. I didn’t expect this at all. Harry’s insides were churning with both anticipating and worry. Outwardly, though, Harry was able to maintain a cool calmness about him. One wrong move now… … It was best not to make the odds even greater than they were now. But Harry had been faced with incredible odds before and survived. Harry was more skilled now then he was back then. But, was he skilled enough to take on a pack of werewolves at once? Harry shook his head clear, it doesn’t matter about all that now, all that mattered was that he survived and that he got rid of Greyback and his pack, to stop them from hurting people.
Overall, the werewolves numbered at a dozen. That’s twelve to one. The odds were not looking to good at all. Harry had no choice but to allow five werewolves to creep up behind him in order to surround him. Harry suspected that as soon as he fired a spell at one of them, the others would close in while he was distracted with that one. There was no way he could hit all of them at once, no matter his skill. Ah! God dammit!! How could this have happened? Greyback he could take, but eleven others…? How could -
Harry was cut off from finishing his somewhat depressing thoughts by the combined howls that boomed through the air. It was loud enough to make Harry’s ears hum.
The pack of werewolves were just getting ready to charge, from what Harry could gather, and he, himself, was about to really get ready for one hell of a fight ahead…
Then -
Several loud bangs were heard as gun shots echoed through the now silent clearing. Harry blinked, momentarily confused. Opening his eyes again, Harry saw that the pack of werewolves now lay rather unceremoniously on the ground; dead. Okay what …the hell just happened? Harry thought to himself, stunned.
Out of the corner of his eye, though, Harry could see that Greyback had somehow escaped death once again.
Harry stopped short as he suddenly got a decent look at the group that came to his rescue. It was those two agents and their friends that he’d seen in the bar. They must have known what they were dealing with after all, much to Harry pleasant - and grateful - surprise. But why Muggles knew of werewolves he didn’t know, perhaps there were more werewolves in America then Harry first considered? And they seemed efficient at getting rid of and killing werewolves as well, which was not what Harry had anticipated. He’d thought he would be doing the two agents a favour by dealing with the city’s werewolf problem, but that was not the case.
The group of ten people moved forward expertly and cautiously, which made Harry believe that they had to have done this type of thing before. But they are certainly not wizards, not if they’re using guns . . . but then how could they know about these werewolves and come prepared like that?
Greyback made a sudden, unexpected manoeuvre and started to charge at Harry, dodging with precision, the bullets that were flying at him. Before Harry could even think to avoid Greyback he felt a hard body knock him over, safely onto the forest floor, as Greyback passed by them. The stranger then stood up and offered Harry a hand. Harry took it gratefully.
“Ugh … thanks, I guess.” Harry smiled.
“Hey, no problem,” The man said. Harry got the chance to look properly at the man in front of him. He was middle-age and had short dark brown hair that brought out his sun burnt complexion. He had a brown leather jacket, faded blue jeans and steel-capped boots.
“Who are you?” Harry asked, curiously.
“Name’s Joshua, kid.”
“What were you people doing here?”
“Well, we’re hunters, kid. We were hunting down that group of werewolves there,” Joshua replied gesturing down to the dead werewolves laid about the clearing. “Now, what were you doing here, kid, and here of all places, on the night of the full moon too?”
Harry was about to answer when Greyback caused a stir.
“Man, this werewolf is smarter than usual…smarter then any I’ve come up against actually…” Joshua remarked. The off-hand comment made Harry realise just what had happened and what was going on here.
Normally, werewolves were savage and brutal, following and acting upon instincts, but Greyback movements were that of a human mind, not a werewolf’s. That must mean Greyback took wolfsbane, meaning he could keep his mind when he transformed … I almost forgot about that potion… Although Greyback did not seem the type to take the potion. Maybe he was able to find some way to keep his mind? Harry knew that a smarter werewolf was even more dangerous, especially for these hunters, who were used to quite a different werewolf. They’d be caught off guard … and they’d get killed ‘cause of it. Harry knew he would have to take initiative and that he would have to be the one to deliver the final blow. Harry looked back at the scene before him as the hunters proceeded forward, trying to kill the werewolf.
As Greyback charged at a hunter, Harry saw the hunter drop a knife. It glistened against the moonlight and stood out next to the dark green grass. The hunter then leapt out the way, causing Greyback to nearly run into a tree, but he stopped last minute and turned back to the group assembled in front of him. Harry, who stood to the side of the group, saw that Greyback was distracted. This is my chance, Werewolves can die from silver, and that looked like a pure silver knife to me…
Harry raced forwards and crouched down to grab the knife into his right hand then stood back up, in one big fluid motion. With a look of concentration, Harry aimed the silver knife and threw it at Greyback. The knife soared threw the air, cutting threw it sharply, then, with deadly accuracy, embedded itself into Greyback’s chest, straight into his heart. Greyback gave a pain filled whine before he collapsed onto the hard, cold forest floor; dead. Evidently, werewolves’ change back from the wolf form to the human when they die, Harry determined as he watched Greyback’s body do just that.
Harry walked forward, ignoring the other people who were now talking quietly to one another, and when he got to Greyback’s body he bent down. Harry reached his hands across Greyback’s body and grasped the hilt of the knife. He gave it a swift turn before he yanked it out. The blade was crimson and dripping off the knife. The fingers of his other hand hovered above the sharp blade before he wiped the blade clean on the grass beside the body.
Harry stood up, glanced at Greyback with one last look filled with hate and anger before he turned to the other people in the clearing with him. Joshua had come up beside him while he was examining Greyback’s body. Harry looked at the man in front of him.
Harry fingered the knife one last time before offering it back to the hunter. The hunter looked at it for a second.
“Nah, you can keep it, kid,” Joshua said as he held out the knife’s sheath. Harry took it without a word. Harry sheathed the knife, before attaching it to the belt at his waist. It felt…right at his side.
“Thanks,” Harry spoke quietly. By the look the man’s face, Harry could tell that Joshua knew that Harry not only meant the knife.
“Hey, no problem. You got the bugger, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but I would have been its main course. I didn’t anticipate that there would be so many…” Harry trailed off, avoiding looking at the man; rather, he looked straight at the ground in front of him.
“You were out here looking for him? Are you nuts? You do know just what he is. The guy over there was a w-”
“Werewolf,” Harry stated, cutting the man off. “Yes, I know. I knew he was out here, killing people - that’s why I came.” Harry thought it wouldn’t be too much to tell them at least that much. Harry knew they were Muggles, from their use of guns, but they also knew about werewolves by the looks of things. He didn’t think they just came here all prepared like that by accident.
“You…did. I see…” The hunter mumbled, then said, in a rather reprimanding tone, “And you thought you could take him? You should be luckily that you didn’t just get yourself killed, kid.”
“I’m not a kid! My name is Harry -”
“If you say so.”
There was a period of silence. Neither Harry nor Joshua knew what to say to the other. The other hunters spoke to Joshua about salting and burning all the werewolf corpses.
Harry was about to ask why, when Joshua started to speak.
“So, kid,” Joshua said, pausing slightly at Harry’s glare. “I was watching you back there and with a little training I’m betting you could take on most things. That is if you want to learn how to hunt down these creatures…”
“Huh?”
“That’s what hunters do. We hunt down what is supernatural . . . what is evil and we kill it, we stop them from hurting people.”
Harry’s ears perked up at the mention of evil. So, that’s what hunters did… This was his chance. This was just what he was talking about doing days before. Harry wanted to do this, he wanted to hunt down evil and protect people. Not to mention I could use a little extra training, Harry admitted to himself. This was his chance, Harry repeated, mulling the prospect over in his head.
“So, what do you say?”
“Why are you asking me, when just before you didn’t think I was old enough to be hunting down anything?” Harry asked incredulously.
Joshua assessed him for a long moment before the hunter answered, “If you know there are werewolves out there, you know other things are out there too?”
“Yes.”
“Would you stop them from hurting people?”
“Of course.”
“Then there’s your answer. I can train you kid, and there would be less of a chance that you’ll go and get yourself killed. So what did you reckon, kid? Do you want to become a hunter?” Joshua asked again.
Harry made up his mind just then, he made a decision that may just alter the rest of his life in the most significant way, and put him in even more danger then when Voldemort was after him.
“Alright!”
Harry and Joshua watched silently as the other hunters dragged the bodies of the dead werewolves into a hole they had just finished digging in the middle of the clearing.
“He’s dead,” Harry murmured to himself as he realised a long relived sigh. Joshua however heard him.
“What do you mean?” Joshua asked. “You sound like you knew the werewolf.”
“Yes,” Harry admitted. “He escaped prosecution in England and fled before we could catch up with him. He was a brutal werewolf. He turned children just to get back at their parents and only a few of them made it to the next first moon when they started to turn, their small bodies just couldn’t handle the stress and strain of the transformation,” Harry explained, thinking back to the conversation he’d had with Remus.
“That’s… horrible,” Joshua exclaimed. The hunter glanced at the dead werewolf. “It won’t be able to harm anyone else now.”
“Yes,” Harry agreed. He noticed that the other hunters had finished dragging all the corpses of Greyback and his pack into the hole. “What are they doing?” Harry questioned, confused.
Joshua glanced at Harry and then followed Harry’s line of vision. “We’re burning the corpses to get rid of them. It is the safest way to dispose of the bodies.”
“Oh,” Harry mouthed. That made sense.
Harry and Joshua stood in silence as the hunters finished throwing the werewolves and they put some liquid in the hole and lit it up. The corpses lit up spectacularly and one of the hunters let out a small ‘hoot’ in celebration. Harry watched the bonfire as Greyback’s body went up in flames and he felt relieved on behalf of the horrors Remus had to endure because of that werewolf. It took a while, but the corpses final burnt out, leaving nothing but burnt husks and bones where once there was flesh.
“We just need to bury what’s left to get rid of the evidence,” Joshua explained to Harry as one of the hunters handed him a shovel. “Would you like to help?”
Harry didn’t even think too much on it before he replied, “Yes.”
Harry grabbed the offered shovel and walked over to the rest of the hunters and they started to push dirt on top of the bones in the hole. There was a certain amount of satisfaction in work like this, Harry considered as he glanced up from section of the dirt pile to the other hunters who were helping. And a certain amount of comradery.
And soon enough Harry stood back and admired the handiwork that he and the other hunters created. He handed back the shovel to the hunter who had given it to Joshua and the other hunter moved off to the edge of the forest. Joshua moved to where Harry was still standing.
“Are you okay, kid?” Joshua asked. Harry didn’t answer. “Harry?” Joshua asked again.
Harry was startled out of his reverie. “Yes?” Harry asked, but it took a moment to process what Joshua had been asking him in the first place and answered before Joshua could ask it again. “Oh, yes, I’m fine. Just, I’m glad it’s over, you know?”
Joshua nodded sympathetically. “Look, we’re heading off to the bar to celebrate finishing the hunt. You’re welcome to come along. I’m sure you have a few questions?”
Harry nodded. “I think I will, thanks.”
He followed Joshua back along the path until they reached a well-used trail. By the time they made it back to Muir Woods parking lot where Harry had left his motorbike and Joshua had left his vehicle, it was well past three-thirty in the morning. Harry was still running on his adrenaline and he suspected it wouldn’t where off until he had gotten home and the whole night and sunk in.
“I’ll follow you,” Harry called out to Joshua as the hunter moved to his car. It was a run-down old silver Ute and looked like it had seen better days.
Joshua nodded in reply and Harry pulled on his helmet and got on his motorbike, starting it. He waited until Joshua had gotten in his car and moved out of the parking lot before Harry made to follow.
A lot happened tonight, Harry mused as he followed Joshua. While he’d gotten rid of Greyback so he wouldn’t be hurting anybody else, he’d also learned that some Muggles knew of werewolves and probably of other magical creatures as well and Harry didn’t know how they could have possibly known.
But he was determined to find out.
Next Chapter >>
Chapter 4: Hunters of the Supernatural
(coming soon)
Rating: T
Summary: First in the Supernatural War Series. After defeating Voldemort at 17, Harry Potter leaves the Wizarding World, trying to live a normal life under the name of Harry Evans. However, it soon becomes apparent that there are other things out there and people in need of saving. Harry becomes a Hunter, facing a whole new war, on a much larger and deadlier scale. Along the way Harry discovers that something else may have also been connected to Voldemort’s rise to power and that he is more involved in it, than he ever imagined possible.
Setting: Harry Potter - Post-Series. AU of Deathly Hollows (some events/info may have changed or have not happened at all). Supernatural - takes place during Season 2, but may have information pertaining to ALL seasons.
Masterpost
****
Chapter 3: Unexpected Occurrences
The next day as Harry prepared what he’d need to take down Greyback, he brushed up on the ways to kill a werewolf. He also decided to buy some pure silver knives just in case the fight with Greyback becomes close quarters combat. It wouldn’t hurt either, Harry thought to himself, to be prepared like that.
Harry spent the day doing a stakeout on the forest. He knew that while Greyback would most likely not be there today, it would be advantageous if Harry knew where he was going and he knew there was a map at the visitors centre that detailed the trails and paths used by regular visitors. Harry knew that there was a chance that there would be some unlikely individual that despite the warnings would continue to go to Muir Woods.
After his stakeout, Harry went to the local store and bought a set of silver knives before going to the local bar near Muir Woods. Perhaps one of the bartenders or patrons had seen something out of the ordinary in Muir Woods? As Harry entered the bar and took in the surroundings, he immediately noticed the two agents from the day before were chatting at the bar as they waited for their drinks. Harry just walked up to the bar when they received their order and he followed their retreat back to the table which, Harry noted with surprise, contained six other people.
“So, as usual, the coroner does know anything,” one of the people sitting with the agents said.
“Don’t we know it,” one of the agents said.
“This is the fifth victim to appear with no heart.”
“And within the space of a month. It’s not the usual killing cycle,” one of the agents added. “The only thing that narrows it down is the missing hearts.”
Harry thought it was strange that there were so many agents, if that’s what they were, for a case that was written off as an animal attack. He frowned at the thought, but shrugged it off as he ordered beer off the tap. He drank it at the bar, but he still kept an eye on the agents and their friends. They didn’t look so professional and official now that they were with their friends and their friends looked far from official. They were scruffy and looked like they hadn’t shaved in quite a while.
Harry noticed that they were very tuned in with their surroundings and promptly looked away, facing back towards the bar, although he could still see them in a mirror behind the bottles of spirit. The agents and their friends seemed to be in a deep whispered discussion about the killings. Harry found it odd that they were talking about the case with others who did not look to be agents or any kind of law enforcement, but then again, Harry wasn’t all that familiar with Muggle law enforcement, especially those in America.
Harry finished his beer and slipped off the bar stool and left, although he did take a curious glance back at the agents’ table. He shrugged off the odd moment he’d witnessed in the bar. If he was right about Greyback, and the werewolf was in Muir Woods, and then he’d probably never have to come across the agents again.
The werewolf problem should be dealt with by tomorrow night, Harry thought as he recalled his purchase of the silver knife.
Muir Woods was extremely large and quite capable of hiding a werewolf pack or two, maybe even more, Harry concluded after a quick scan of the forest clearing he now found himself in. The full moon had yet to really come out and the only light that illuminated the thick redwood trees on the edge of the clearing was the light coming from the tip of Harry’s wand. He had uttered a soft “Lumos” after the sun had set and night had fully arrived. Harry shivered unconsciously, the coolness and dampness of the night combined with the winter chill hitting him just now. Perhaps a bitter warning for the confrontation to come?
A cool winter’s breeze swept in, just as Harry heard a low enraged growl getting ever closer to where he was. Harry tightened his grip on his wand in preparation, as the trees rustled.
A figure walking towards the clearing came into view, a figure that made the hairs on the back of Harry’s neck stand up. Once the figure came into the clearing and fully into the light, he could see that it was the very person he had just been hoping to run into.
“Potter…” Greyback greeted, albeit somewhat dangerously. Greyback’s tone and posture also edged with a hint of surprise.
“Greyback, just the person I wanted to meet…” Harry returned calmly, he was on edge, getting ready to act on any sign of attack from the savage werewolf. The light from his wand flickered in response, before returning to its original brightness.
“Well, now that you’re … here, I can say that I’m … glad to see you too,” Greyback replied with a soft growl while also exposing his pointed teeth.
“Really?” Harry asked suspiciously, eyes narrowing.
“Yeah. Glad I can enjoy making you my nice little meal, when the full moon shifts into view,” Greyback stated, licking his lips. “I’m so going to enjoy this,” Greyback repeated.
“I see, and what makes you think so?”
“’Cause you’re just a petty, scrawny human … and I am the future… werewolves are the future. We will one day be the dominant species on this planet. You mark my words! I’ll make sure of it! You just wait and see…” Greyback paused, then looked back at Harry with an evil grin, “Wait, no you won’t ‘cause you’ll be dead, runt!”
“And that there is my problem. You killing innocent people, I mean,” Harry replied, his tone still calm. “I won’t let you kill or turn those people. They don’t deserve it…no one does…”
“People? They’re just weak. The strong will survive … survival of the fittest, isn’t that how it goes? Werewolves are the strongest, boy! We are faster … stronger…we will be the dominant!”
“No you won’t. Being stronger…faster, that doesn’t always mean you are the fittest to survive. I can’t allow you to continue killing people…I won’t…both wizards and muggles alike deserve to live out their lives . . . not to be killed or turned and have the rest of their lives ruined or not at all! Besides, what makes you think you can beat me…? I did defeat your master, Voldemort!” Harry added.
Greyback didn’t answer, but there was a sinister grin on his face.
“Yeah, I guess, but it was only a matter of time until you got sloppy. One witness got a good look at you before you turned -” Harry continued.
“So you knew it was me and thought you could come a kill me?” Greyback finished. “Oh, Potter, I thought you knew better than that. But, to answer your statement, yes I knew it was a matter of time……You see, it’s been easy pickings over in this forest. These Muggles here go on moonlight walks on the full moon.” Greyback laughed. Then his demeanour changed abruptly and he stopped laughing suddenly.
“We’ll see who is stronger, Harry Potter!” He hissed, or rather, growled. Then, the clouds moved, revealing the full moon in all its glory. Its light quickly swept across Muir Woods and flooded the forest clearing.
In the instant the light touched Greyback, he gave a loud growling laugh as his body gave a big twitch. There was a loud sickening crack and crunch, signalling the start of Greyback’s change into the furious werewolf and killer his reputation gave him back in England.
Harry muttered a quick “Nox” to distinguish the light from his wand. He did not need the light anymore; the moonlight that now lit up the entire clearing would be sufficient. Besides, he needed his wand for other things now. Greyback was not going to get away with anymore innocent killings - he would make sure of that.
It was time to start fighting evil. Harry knew that getting rid of Greyback was just the first step - there were other evils out there, Harry was sure of that.
Greyback had now finished his transformation and the killer werewolf stood on all fours, the amber eyes had set its sights on Harry, its new prey.
The fierce werewolf threw its head back and gave a thunderous howl, which echoed and vibrated through the canopy of trees that surrounded them. Startled by the sudden, unexpected and dangerous noise, several owls fluttered out of the trees overhead in a flurry of wings.
The werewolf then turned its head back to Harry, its amber eyes sparkling dangerously with the reflection of the moon. It gave a snort and pounded forward, charging at Harry. Just as Greyback was about to reach Harry, he dodged by quickly side stepping to the right - a handy reflex gained from the many hours of Quidditch practice and survival instincts and training.
Harry used the momentum gained from planting his right foot down to pivot back around to face Greyback once again. While doing so, Harry positioned his wand in an offensive pose in front of him. Meanwhile Greyback, because of his somewhat bulky form, was not able to spin around as quickly. Instead, he had run in a wide arc. Harry saw this as a window of opportunity and took advantage of that fact.
“Sectumsempra,” Harry shouted.
The spell hit Greyback full force on his side, causing blood to spurt from it. The werewolf gave a painful yelp, which Harry thought was kind of pitiful really, and staggered back a little before Greyback overcome that pain and gave a frightening growl.
By now the werewolf had turned to Harry and seemed to have look that something akin to a ghastly smile on his face in a worrisome grin kind of way. It made the Harry’s hairs stand up on the back of his neck once again.
A low growl emitted from Greyback, which gradually became louder and louder.
Harry let out a shaky breath, groaning with effort, before he tightened the grip on his wand once more, as Greyback came at him, slowly at first, but soon he gained speed.
If Greyback was right about one thing, it was that werewolves were indeed strong and fast, which, unfortunately, made it even harder for Harry to kill him. This could be seen in the several wounds Harry and Greyback now sported. Harry’s back now had a dull ache from when Greyback drove him hard, straight into the tree a few minutes before. This was in addition to the several cuts and scrapes, whose wounds had blood sweeping out of them. Thankfully, though, Greyback had not gotten the chance to bite or claw Harry. His survival instincts were back, full force, something which Harry was thankful for. Those same instincts had saved Harry’s life more than once over the several years since Harry had entered the wizarding world.
Greyback had several wounds from Harry’s curses that had managed to hit him, the rest were avoided and evaded. Those curse wounds were bleeding quite freely and Greyback was now constantly growling softly. The growl was laced with pain.
Greyback and Harry stared at each other. Green eyes locked onto the amber eyes of the werewolf in front of him. Then Greyback threw his head back and howled once again. He seemed to be doing that a lot over the past ten minutes, Harry noted. But this time, unlike the other times, several answering howls echoed through Harry’s ears. Oh shit! That’s even more trouble coming.
By the time the ringing in Harry’s ear stopped, Harry was faced with several new dilemmas. These dilemmas came in the form of werewolves… plural. There was not just one werewolf to contend with anymore. I didn’t expect this at all. Harry’s insides were churning with both anticipating and worry. Outwardly, though, Harry was able to maintain a cool calmness about him. One wrong move now… … It was best not to make the odds even greater than they were now. But Harry had been faced with incredible odds before and survived. Harry was more skilled now then he was back then. But, was he skilled enough to take on a pack of werewolves at once? Harry shook his head clear, it doesn’t matter about all that now, all that mattered was that he survived and that he got rid of Greyback and his pack, to stop them from hurting people.
Overall, the werewolves numbered at a dozen. That’s twelve to one. The odds were not looking to good at all. Harry had no choice but to allow five werewolves to creep up behind him in order to surround him. Harry suspected that as soon as he fired a spell at one of them, the others would close in while he was distracted with that one. There was no way he could hit all of them at once, no matter his skill. Ah! God dammit!! How could this have happened? Greyback he could take, but eleven others…? How could -
Harry was cut off from finishing his somewhat depressing thoughts by the combined howls that boomed through the air. It was loud enough to make Harry’s ears hum.
The pack of werewolves were just getting ready to charge, from what Harry could gather, and he, himself, was about to really get ready for one hell of a fight ahead…
Then -
Several loud bangs were heard as gun shots echoed through the now silent clearing. Harry blinked, momentarily confused. Opening his eyes again, Harry saw that the pack of werewolves now lay rather unceremoniously on the ground; dead. Okay what …the hell just happened? Harry thought to himself, stunned.
Out of the corner of his eye, though, Harry could see that Greyback had somehow escaped death once again.
Harry stopped short as he suddenly got a decent look at the group that came to his rescue. It was those two agents and their friends that he’d seen in the bar. They must have known what they were dealing with after all, much to Harry pleasant - and grateful - surprise. But why Muggles knew of werewolves he didn’t know, perhaps there were more werewolves in America then Harry first considered? And they seemed efficient at getting rid of and killing werewolves as well, which was not what Harry had anticipated. He’d thought he would be doing the two agents a favour by dealing with the city’s werewolf problem, but that was not the case.
The group of ten people moved forward expertly and cautiously, which made Harry believe that they had to have done this type of thing before. But they are certainly not wizards, not if they’re using guns . . . but then how could they know about these werewolves and come prepared like that?
Greyback made a sudden, unexpected manoeuvre and started to charge at Harry, dodging with precision, the bullets that were flying at him. Before Harry could even think to avoid Greyback he felt a hard body knock him over, safely onto the forest floor, as Greyback passed by them. The stranger then stood up and offered Harry a hand. Harry took it gratefully.
“Ugh … thanks, I guess.” Harry smiled.
“Hey, no problem,” The man said. Harry got the chance to look properly at the man in front of him. He was middle-age and had short dark brown hair that brought out his sun burnt complexion. He had a brown leather jacket, faded blue jeans and steel-capped boots.
“Who are you?” Harry asked, curiously.
“Name’s Joshua, kid.”
“What were you people doing here?”
“Well, we’re hunters, kid. We were hunting down that group of werewolves there,” Joshua replied gesturing down to the dead werewolves laid about the clearing. “Now, what were you doing here, kid, and here of all places, on the night of the full moon too?”
Harry was about to answer when Greyback caused a stir.
“Man, this werewolf is smarter than usual…smarter then any I’ve come up against actually…” Joshua remarked. The off-hand comment made Harry realise just what had happened and what was going on here.
Normally, werewolves were savage and brutal, following and acting upon instincts, but Greyback movements were that of a human mind, not a werewolf’s. That must mean Greyback took wolfsbane, meaning he could keep his mind when he transformed … I almost forgot about that potion… Although Greyback did not seem the type to take the potion. Maybe he was able to find some way to keep his mind? Harry knew that a smarter werewolf was even more dangerous, especially for these hunters, who were used to quite a different werewolf. They’d be caught off guard … and they’d get killed ‘cause of it. Harry knew he would have to take initiative and that he would have to be the one to deliver the final blow. Harry looked back at the scene before him as the hunters proceeded forward, trying to kill the werewolf.
As Greyback charged at a hunter, Harry saw the hunter drop a knife. It glistened against the moonlight and stood out next to the dark green grass. The hunter then leapt out the way, causing Greyback to nearly run into a tree, but he stopped last minute and turned back to the group assembled in front of him. Harry, who stood to the side of the group, saw that Greyback was distracted. This is my chance, Werewolves can die from silver, and that looked like a pure silver knife to me…
Harry raced forwards and crouched down to grab the knife into his right hand then stood back up, in one big fluid motion. With a look of concentration, Harry aimed the silver knife and threw it at Greyback. The knife soared threw the air, cutting threw it sharply, then, with deadly accuracy, embedded itself into Greyback’s chest, straight into his heart. Greyback gave a pain filled whine before he collapsed onto the hard, cold forest floor; dead. Evidently, werewolves’ change back from the wolf form to the human when they die, Harry determined as he watched Greyback’s body do just that.
Harry walked forward, ignoring the other people who were now talking quietly to one another, and when he got to Greyback’s body he bent down. Harry reached his hands across Greyback’s body and grasped the hilt of the knife. He gave it a swift turn before he yanked it out. The blade was crimson and dripping off the knife. The fingers of his other hand hovered above the sharp blade before he wiped the blade clean on the grass beside the body.
Harry stood up, glanced at Greyback with one last look filled with hate and anger before he turned to the other people in the clearing with him. Joshua had come up beside him while he was examining Greyback’s body. Harry looked at the man in front of him.
Harry fingered the knife one last time before offering it back to the hunter. The hunter looked at it for a second.
“Nah, you can keep it, kid,” Joshua said as he held out the knife’s sheath. Harry took it without a word. Harry sheathed the knife, before attaching it to the belt at his waist. It felt…right at his side.
“Thanks,” Harry spoke quietly. By the look the man’s face, Harry could tell that Joshua knew that Harry not only meant the knife.
“Hey, no problem. You got the bugger, didn’t you?”
“Yeah, but I would have been its main course. I didn’t anticipate that there would be so many…” Harry trailed off, avoiding looking at the man; rather, he looked straight at the ground in front of him.
“You were out here looking for him? Are you nuts? You do know just what he is. The guy over there was a w-”
“Werewolf,” Harry stated, cutting the man off. “Yes, I know. I knew he was out here, killing people - that’s why I came.” Harry thought it wouldn’t be too much to tell them at least that much. Harry knew they were Muggles, from their use of guns, but they also knew about werewolves by the looks of things. He didn’t think they just came here all prepared like that by accident.
“You…did. I see…” The hunter mumbled, then said, in a rather reprimanding tone, “And you thought you could take him? You should be luckily that you didn’t just get yourself killed, kid.”
“I’m not a kid! My name is Harry -”
“If you say so.”
There was a period of silence. Neither Harry nor Joshua knew what to say to the other. The other hunters spoke to Joshua about salting and burning all the werewolf corpses.
Harry was about to ask why, when Joshua started to speak.
“So, kid,” Joshua said, pausing slightly at Harry’s glare. “I was watching you back there and with a little training I’m betting you could take on most things. That is if you want to learn how to hunt down these creatures…”
“Huh?”
“That’s what hunters do. We hunt down what is supernatural . . . what is evil and we kill it, we stop them from hurting people.”
Harry’s ears perked up at the mention of evil. So, that’s what hunters did… This was his chance. This was just what he was talking about doing days before. Harry wanted to do this, he wanted to hunt down evil and protect people. Not to mention I could use a little extra training, Harry admitted to himself. This was his chance, Harry repeated, mulling the prospect over in his head.
“So, what do you say?”
“Why are you asking me, when just before you didn’t think I was old enough to be hunting down anything?” Harry asked incredulously.
Joshua assessed him for a long moment before the hunter answered, “If you know there are werewolves out there, you know other things are out there too?”
“Yes.”
“Would you stop them from hurting people?”
“Of course.”
“Then there’s your answer. I can train you kid, and there would be less of a chance that you’ll go and get yourself killed. So what did you reckon, kid? Do you want to become a hunter?” Joshua asked again.
Harry made up his mind just then, he made a decision that may just alter the rest of his life in the most significant way, and put him in even more danger then when Voldemort was after him.
“Alright!”
Harry and Joshua watched silently as the other hunters dragged the bodies of the dead werewolves into a hole they had just finished digging in the middle of the clearing.
“He’s dead,” Harry murmured to himself as he realised a long relived sigh. Joshua however heard him.
“What do you mean?” Joshua asked. “You sound like you knew the werewolf.”
“Yes,” Harry admitted. “He escaped prosecution in England and fled before we could catch up with him. He was a brutal werewolf. He turned children just to get back at their parents and only a few of them made it to the next first moon when they started to turn, their small bodies just couldn’t handle the stress and strain of the transformation,” Harry explained, thinking back to the conversation he’d had with Remus.
“That’s… horrible,” Joshua exclaimed. The hunter glanced at the dead werewolf. “It won’t be able to harm anyone else now.”
“Yes,” Harry agreed. He noticed that the other hunters had finished dragging all the corpses of Greyback and his pack into the hole. “What are they doing?” Harry questioned, confused.
Joshua glanced at Harry and then followed Harry’s line of vision. “We’re burning the corpses to get rid of them. It is the safest way to dispose of the bodies.”
“Oh,” Harry mouthed. That made sense.
Harry and Joshua stood in silence as the hunters finished throwing the werewolves and they put some liquid in the hole and lit it up. The corpses lit up spectacularly and one of the hunters let out a small ‘hoot’ in celebration. Harry watched the bonfire as Greyback’s body went up in flames and he felt relieved on behalf of the horrors Remus had to endure because of that werewolf. It took a while, but the corpses final burnt out, leaving nothing but burnt husks and bones where once there was flesh.
“We just need to bury what’s left to get rid of the evidence,” Joshua explained to Harry as one of the hunters handed him a shovel. “Would you like to help?”
Harry didn’t even think too much on it before he replied, “Yes.”
Harry grabbed the offered shovel and walked over to the rest of the hunters and they started to push dirt on top of the bones in the hole. There was a certain amount of satisfaction in work like this, Harry considered as he glanced up from section of the dirt pile to the other hunters who were helping. And a certain amount of comradery.
And soon enough Harry stood back and admired the handiwork that he and the other hunters created. He handed back the shovel to the hunter who had given it to Joshua and the other hunter moved off to the edge of the forest. Joshua moved to where Harry was still standing.
“Are you okay, kid?” Joshua asked. Harry didn’t answer. “Harry?” Joshua asked again.
Harry was startled out of his reverie. “Yes?” Harry asked, but it took a moment to process what Joshua had been asking him in the first place and answered before Joshua could ask it again. “Oh, yes, I’m fine. Just, I’m glad it’s over, you know?”
Joshua nodded sympathetically. “Look, we’re heading off to the bar to celebrate finishing the hunt. You’re welcome to come along. I’m sure you have a few questions?”
Harry nodded. “I think I will, thanks.”
He followed Joshua back along the path until they reached a well-used trail. By the time they made it back to Muir Woods parking lot where Harry had left his motorbike and Joshua had left his vehicle, it was well past three-thirty in the morning. Harry was still running on his adrenaline and he suspected it wouldn’t where off until he had gotten home and the whole night and sunk in.
“I’ll follow you,” Harry called out to Joshua as the hunter moved to his car. It was a run-down old silver Ute and looked like it had seen better days.
Joshua nodded in reply and Harry pulled on his helmet and got on his motorbike, starting it. He waited until Joshua had gotten in his car and moved out of the parking lot before Harry made to follow.
A lot happened tonight, Harry mused as he followed Joshua. While he’d gotten rid of Greyback so he wouldn’t be hurting anybody else, he’d also learned that some Muggles knew of werewolves and probably of other magical creatures as well and Harry didn’t know how they could have possibly known.
But he was determined to find out.
Next Chapter >>
Chapter 4: Hunters of the Supernatural
(coming soon)