DZ2's 'The Blood is the Life' Challenge

Plot: According to someone we know and loathe, Lily's blood protects Harry, or rather, protects Privet Drive from Death Eaters, but, according to the Ministry of Morons, Blood Magic is illegal: so is it meant to help or harm? Bless or curse? Harry wants to find out for himself and to hell with anyone who says no.

Rules: Grey, Dark or Evil Harry DARK- SOME WILL VIEW HIM AS EVIL BUT HARRY WON'T TAKE SHIT FROM ANYONE

Haemokinetic/Blood Manipulator Harry

Powerful Harry or stronger

When the story starts is up to you STORY WILL START AT THE BEGINNING BUT WITH SUFFICIENT DEVIATION FROM CANON ITS SAFE TO CALL IT DEFINITELY DARK AU BY CONCLUSIONS END

As part of his ability, Harry MUST be able to influence/draw strength from the blood wards around his home

How strong and how much Harry can control blood for varying purposes depends on his knowledge, skill and strength: at first, he can only influence his/the blood of those closest to him/blood-based magic closest to him, but he grows stronger until he can control/influence it from a distance

Harry MUST take an interest in using blood for runes/symbols of magical origins WILL TIE INTO HIS FASCINATION WITH ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, THEIR CULTURE & LANGUAGES AND WHY THEY WENT EXTINCT; OPENS A POSSIBILITY TO HAVING THE MAKINGS OF A RUNE MAGE SKILL SET TO SUPPLEMENT HIS OTHER SKILLS ONLY MUCH MORE DANGEROUS SINCE A MEDIUM LIKE BLOOD ALLOWS FOR FAR DARKER AND POWERFUL RUNES TO BE MADE/CAST

Blood Mages MUST be classed as A or S Level Dark Creatures/Magic Users by the Ministry S-LEVEL WITH ACTIVE KILL ON CONFIRMATION ORDER BY THE MINISTRY; EXCEPTIONS ARE MADE FOR LORDS OF NOBLE HOUSES ON THE WIZENGAMOT BUT TOUGH LUCK FOR EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE YOU'RE DEAD IF YOU'RE FOUND OUT

Even IF he uses blood to help others, Harry MUST be the source of a scandal/attack for his abilities by the Ministry and/or others at Hogwarts HES HARRY BLOODY POTTER, WHEN IS HE NOT THE BLAMED SOURCE OF SOMETHING SCANDALOUS OR BLAMED AS THE SOURCE OF ATTACKS IN ANY MEASURE?

As well as using blood for his magic/magical feats, Harry MUST be able to create constructs out of his blood SPARINGLY USED AT FIRST UNTIL THIRD YEAR WHEN THE INTRODUCTIONS OF ELECTIVES COMES IN; WILL TAKE ANCIENT RUNES(DUH FOR THE CHALLENGE) , ARITHMANCY AND BATTLE CONJURATION- ALL ELETIVES THAT WILL AID HIS MAGICAL SKILLS IN GENERAL, HIS ABILITY WITH USING HIS BLOOD ABILITIES IN CONJUCTION WITH RUNES FOR MAXIMUM EFFECT AND HIS ABILITY TO CREATE EFFECTIVE BLOOD CONSTRUCTS FOR ALL USES

All pairings are welcome

Guidelines: Crossovers SOME REFERENCES BUT SPARINGLY USED

Super/OP-Harry OP EVENTUALLY

Vampire/Dhampir-Harry VAMPIRE HARRY

Vampiric-Hybrid-Harry NO

Demon-Harry ACCEPTED OF SORT- VAMPIRES ARE TREATED AS DEMONS BY THOSE LESS INFORMED SO HE WOULD BE TREATED LIKE ONE

Creature-Harry ACCEPTED IN FULL- SEE ABOVE POINT FOR SAME LOGIC AS PEOPLE THINKING HIM A SORTS & APPLY TO CREATURES SINCE THEY ARE STRICTLY LABELLED AND IMPLIED IN CANON TO CATEGORIZED AS DARK CREATURES

Dark-Lord Harry NOT STRICTLY

Master-of-Death Harry WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES BUT UNDETERMINED

To help strengthen his power, Harry willingly feeds on blood, but doesn't turn into a vampire HALF-RIGHT, FEEDS WILLING BUT GETS TURNED INTO A PURE VAMPIRE

If not drinking, Harry somehow becomes stronger/rejuvenated by other means involving blood (e.g. touch/leech, blood-on-skin contact etc.) REJECTED PARTIALLY FOR REASONING OF ABOVE POINT- CAN GET THE SAME EFFECT AS DRINKING BLOOD FROM ABSORBING IT THROUGH SKIN CONTACT BUT ITS NOT NEARLY AS EFFECTIVE AS DRINKING IT DIRECTLY

Harry drinks Unicorn Blood, but doesn't become cursed POSSIBLE BUT NOT DETERMINED YET TIL HE GETS TO HOGWARTS

Through the blood of others, Harry assimilates their skills/knowledge/memories/powers etc.YES BUT IN TERMS OF SKILLS AND POWERS, HE HAS TO LEARN TO CONTROL THEM THE OLD FASHIONED WAY; MEMORIES AND KNOWLEDGE WILL ASSIMILATE OVER TIME UNTIL HE LEARNS OCCLUMENCY AND HE CAN SORT IT OUT IN HIS HEAD IN A FLASH. IN TERMS OF SPECIFIC SKILLS LIKE.. SAY HE AIDED A GOBLIN AND HE ASSIMILATES THEIR BLOOD AND THERE ARE RACE SPECIFIC POWERS YOU NEED A CERTAIN MAKEUP MAGICALLY OR GENETICALLY THAT IS PURELY THAT ONE RACE HE CAN STILL ASSIMILIATE THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHAT IT DOES AND HOW TO COUNTER IT WITHOUT BEING ABLE TO USE THE ABILITY.

Harry can influence Creature/Vampire blood to increase the curse/bloodlust/instincts or even cure them POSSIBLE BUT UNDETERMINED AT CURREN THOUGHTS

Harry uses Blood Magic/Blood Control to gain slaves/followers/allies ACFEPTED BUT PRIMARILY USED TO MAKE SLAVE CONTROL RUNE COLLARS FOR ENEMIES HE CLAIMS THROUGH BESTING THEM IN COMBAT

Somehow, the blood of non-human magicals aids/augments Harry's power/ability further DEPENDS ON THE MAGICAL RACE, SOME MAY HURT MORE THAN HELP HIM(FOR EXAMPLE BUT MAY NOT APPLICABLE TO THE STORY: UNICORN BLOOD MAY HELP HIM HEAL BUT FAE BLOOD WILL SAY PUT HIM DOWN FOR A FEW DAYS IN AGONY BECAUSE WHILE BOTH CREATURES ARE 'LIGHT' LABELLED CREATURES FAIRIES ARE MORE 'LIGHT' THAN UNICORNS AND VAMPIRES ARE NEAR AS CLOSE TO BLACK LEVELS OF UNREDEEMABLE DARK AS A MINISTRY OF MORONS WILL LABEL 'DARK')

The Blood Magic in Harry affects Tom's resurrection for good or bad reasons ACCEPTED BUT IN A NEGATIVE FASHION- WEAKENS VOLDEMORT WHO FOR ALL HIS EFFORTS TO STUDY EVERY DARK MAGIC AVAILABLE GAVE SANGUIMANCY A WIDE BERTH DUE TO THE MYTHS THAT BLOOD MAGIC WAS THE ULTIMATE TABOO FOR EVEN THE DARKEST OF DARK WIZARDS, EVEN MORE TABOO THAN HORCRUXES AND SOUL MAGIC

Harry can alter the properties of his/others blood (e.g. make the blood flammable/poisonous/acidic/mutagenic etc.) POSSIBLE BUT ONLY AFTER HE HAS HAD A LONG WHILE TO PLAY WITH HIS POWERS AND GAIN A SUFFICIENT MASTERY OF THEM

Somehow, Harry's blood is alive as a familiar/servant to him NOT PER SE

Because of the bias against his kind, Harry willingly sides with Tom. NO, HE MAY OR MAY NOT AGREE WITH VOLDEMORT BUT I WON'T MAKE A DETERMINATION THIS EARLY

Slash NO

Harems NO

Harry/Multi MAYBE- AT MOST TWO GIRLS IF IT GOES THAT ROUTE AS THE STORY PROGRESSES

Lily and/or James were Blood Mages ACTIVELY NO BUT TO CALL THE EVANS FAMILY 'LIGHT' WOULD BE SO FAR FROM THE TRUTH; LATER WILLING TO POSSIBLY EXPLORE LILYS SIDE OF THE FAMILY TO REVEAL THE EVANS FAMILY AS A PUREBLOOD LINE OF BLOOD MAGES DRIVEN OUT OF EUROPE DURING THE DAYS OF ACTIVE WITCH HUNTS AND EXECUTIONS FOR THEIR FAMILIES CONTINUATION.

Somehow, Lily and/or James survive that night NO BUT POSSIBLE AVENUE FOR LILYS BLOOD PROTECTION TO ACT AS AN ACTUAL SHIELD FOR HARRY(CREDIT TO TO THE CREATORS OF THE NARUTO ANIME SINCE I CAN IMAGINE HARRYS BLOOD ACTING SIMILARLY LIKE SHUKAKUS SAND FOR GAARA PRE-SHIPPUDEN; A SORT OF LITERAL MOTHERS BLOOD AND LOVE THAT WILL PROTECT HIM UNTIL HE CAN CONSCIOUSLY USE HIS FAMILIES GIFT TO PROTECT HIMSELF)

A prophecy speaks of the Blood Mage ACCEPTED

Forbidden: Light Harry

Weak Harry

Harry being turned off the idea of exploring his potential as a Blood Mage

The blood wards around Privet Drive/any of Harry's homes NOT being used/influenced by Harry's power

Harry being instantly-all-powerful/master of Blood Magic

Harry just manipulating the blood magically

Anyone turning Harry away from his true power

Blood Mages as anything less than A-Class Dark Creatures

**EXTRA THINGS ADDED IN FOR MY OWN CHALLENGE TO WRITING THIS:

I NORMALLY HATE ON DUMBLEDORE FOR BEING A BASTARD THAT THINKS THE PROPHECY AND CLAIMING THE GLORY OF KILLING VOLDEMORT TO CEMENT HIS LEGACY AS MASTER & ULTIMATE LIGHT WIZARD IS A VALID REASON TO LEAVE HARRY UNDERPREPARED TO DEAL WITH VOLDEMORT SO I WILL TRY MY DAMNEDEST NOT TO PAINT HIM THAT WAY IN THIS STORY; LAYMANS TERMS, DUMBLEDORE WILL PORTRAYED AS WELL MEANING BUT SLIGHTLY MISGUIDED IN HIS OLD AGE AND NOT KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES.

HARRY WILL NOT BE IN GRYFFINDOR EVEN THOUGH HE WILL POSSESS SOME TENDENCIES OF A GRYFFINDOR ALBEIT SEVERELY SUBDUED. RIGHT NOW I AM THINKING OF SORTING HIM TO RAVENCLAW BUT THATS TO BE DETERMINED.

WHILE SLASH MAKES ME UNCOMFORTABLE TO A DEGREE I HAVE SEEN SOME GOOD SLASH STORIES, SADLY MOST OF THEM ARE DRARRY AND I HATE DRARRY AS A CONCEPT WITH A PASSION, SO HARRY WILL INITIALLY STRUGGLE WITH NOT KNOWING IF HE LIKES WOMEN OR MEN UNTIL HIS ULTIMATE PAIRING(WHOMEVER IT MAY BE) IS DECIDED BY AT LATEST END OF SUMMER YEAR FOUR OR START OF YEAR FIVE.

THE HARDEST PART OF IT AND IT KILLS ME BUT IT MAKES FOR A GOOD CHALLENGE- THE PROPHET WAS RIGHT ABOUT SIRIUS! SIRIUS SOLD OUT THE POTTERS TO VOLDEMORT FOR REASONS X, Y AND Z & KILLED THE TWELVE MUGGLES IN ADDITION TO PETTIGREW. BUT IS IT THAT SIMPLE ON THE SURFACE? OR PERHAPS IS THERE SOMETHING FAR MORE SINISTER AT PLAY IN SIRIUS' ACTIONS?

ONE LAST ASPECT THAT WILL ADD A TOUCH OF DIFFICULTY BUT MAKE FOR A GOOD STORY- IS VOLDEMORT REALLY THE BAD GUY OR IS HE THE ONE BEING PUT IN A BLOODIED LIGHT OF LUNACY & MANIA WHEN HIS GOALS AND AMBITIONS ARE MEANT TO SAVE THE TRADITIONS OF WIZARD SOCIETY FROM BECOMING RELICS OF THE PAST BECAUSE OF PEOPLE LIKE DUMBLEDORE PUSHING MUGGLEBORNS INTO POSITIONS WHERE THEY ARE "BETTER AND MORE IMPORTANT" THAN MAGICAL FAMILIES WITH GENERATIONS OF MAGIC BLOOD THAT HAS HELPED PROTECT WIZARD SOCIETY?

Albus Dumbledore stared down sadly at the sleeping baby in wreckage. He had been too late to get to the home of his two prized students in time to prevent the disaster that had befallen the small family. James Potter, former Chief Auror of the DMLE, lay dead at his feet hit by an unknown dark spell that had not only bisected the poor man at the waist spilling his organs out onto the floor and bled him out rapidly but the flesh was rotting away rapidly before the elder wizards eyes. Lily Potter, brightest witch of her age in her graduation class from Hogwarts, was dead not to far away thought she faired far better than her husband. While no gruesome dark curse that physically broke the body with any number of ill effects that lead to painful death was the cause of her demise, Dumbledor suspected it was the Killing Curse, it was obvious to him her neck appeared to be broken. "I truly am sorry for you Harry. To lose your parents so young" he said lifting the sleeping boy from his half destroyed crib. There was no visible sign of injury other than a lightning bolt shaped scar on his fore..

Albus did a double take of the room and noticed two very disconcerting things. One was the blood speckled empty black robes and traces of dead magic. The second thing was the broken wand inside the robes. "Harry my boy, you will be famous. Despite this tragedy you have done something many have tried to do and lost their lives doing in the process. You have defeated the darkest wizard in all of Britain" he said finding some small comfort in that. The loss of his two favored students was a tough pill to swallow but the Potter and Evans families, stanchly neutral in politics bordering on Light, had been vehement activists to see Aurors & Hit Wizards Squads given the authority to use lethal force to end the Voldemort and his overzealous Death Eaters reign of terror. "You are a hero Harry and the country will know but for your own safety you must be hidden. You will see this world again but not for a time until you are certain to be safe from the threats that will no doubt try to end your life."

It would be eleven years before Harry James Potter would be seen again as Dumbledore apparated them away to Surrey. Lily's sister Petunia had a son Harry's age and would be perfectly safe there the old wizard reasoned to himself as he left the small baby boy in a conjured basket wrapped in a thick blanket with a note explaining the fate Lily & James met. A quick knock and one apparition later he was gone.

Eleven years later- Privet Drive

Harry James Potter sat across the table from his aunt, uncle and cousin in silence as he read the morning paper. The air in the kitchen was uncomfortably silent as it always was, as it had been since his seventh birthday. After being beaten for a lie told by Dudley, the whale child had broken a vase and blamed Harry for it, something terrifying & amazing happened that stopped his beached whale of an uncle in his tracks. The blood that had been pouring out Harry solidified in a shield intercepting a strike that no doubt would have collided with the childs head and sent him careening head first into the floor. Vernon had redoubled his efforts in rage and fear til the blood turned into a weapon threatening to disembowl the man. "You will leave me alone uncle from now on or whatever is happening right now I will let it kill you."

The threat had been received with deadly seriousness as he hadn't been heckled once since. Dudley had tried once but when his cousin had tried to Harry Hunt him like so many times before it didn't end well. Having gotten into his head it was something like super powers that he had Harry took to experimenting with what he could do with his blood. Consciously causing himself harm seemed problemaitic at first worrying about scars that would bring undue attention to himself but he was surprised that not matter he did to bring about acces to his blood to play with his 'super power' there was no mark- he could cut himself with a knife, purposefully get in fights at school and be knocked to hell, even purposefully manufacture accidents for himself & there would be no proof of injury of any kind. Of course now at almost eleven he had to admit his pain tolderance was ungodly for a child and probably what he heard some adults say was a masochist though those thoughts were best kept to himself.

"Uncle Vernon, Auntie Petunia" Harry lowered the newspaper so his eyes were glaring directly at the flinching couple "I do hope you and your little ickle Dudley have some place to be today" he said though it was more of an order. Sometimes it helped to have your family fear you he thought seeing his aunt and uncle nod rapidly. "Ah good, then you wouldn't mind if I had a friend over would you to study for the upcoming school year would you?"

Petunia shot a look over to her husband and shook her head. As much as she despised the freaks like her nephew, it was rather contempt she wasn't born like her deceased sister and thus born her hatred of all things magic, she knew better than to antagonize the boy. If he wanted them gone for the day they would go for the day just so they didn't have to be in his presence. Although only a boy of eleven his foul temper put the most violent man she had ever known almost six times his age to shame. "Of course not Harry. Just don't make a mess and pick up after yourselves when you're done studying and whatever else you decide to get up to" she said choosing her words carefully.

Harry scoffed at the request and raised the paper back hiding his face. He had no intention of having a friend over to study for school he had more important things to study. Over the years he had noticed a strange red dome around Privet Drive no one else but him could apparently see. At first he thought it his imagination but after seeing it day in and out he felt his interest pique. Perhaps it had to do with his blood ability super power thing he had his mind reasoned. Tracing the source of the dome was tedious work but it seemed to exude out from his relatives home and encompass the whole of Privet Drive in every direction. When he tried to find the source he stumbled on them by chance, round black stones with weird symbols on them dotted around the house like security cameras. Knowing his relatives wouldn't put them there he noted the locations and copied the design onto a piece of paper as best he could before making his way to the library.

The librarian was incredibly helpful when he showed her his copy of the design and managed to find something similar. She had said the ancient vikings who settled various parts of Europe, even parts of their own country, had used them as way of written written language like their alphabet and called the symbols runes. While most of stuff had been far too advanced for him back then the kind young woman was more than happy to entertain him with simplified versions of viking history since that day had been particularly dead. The culture was utterly fascinating to him in its design and her explanation that the vikings believed in not just one god like catholics but multiple, each one for a different domain for lack of a better term, was even more curious. From that one visit an obsession was born though the full weight would not settle on him til he was older.

Shifting aside the memories he folded the paper up and set it on the table. If things were ro go his was today then perhaps his experiments with the runes on the stones would bear fruit. While he didn't know what they were meant for he did get a few ideas though how accurate they were he had no way to no. His first suspicion was the dome was like some sort of shield. Sometimes he felt a lingering stare and something like displaced air at the edge of the street but it always stopped at the domes edge. His second guess was something he accidentally manufactured when he cut his finger while tending the garden to clear his head of a frustrating day at school and his blood feel on one of the stones. The rune glowed and suddenly he had a massive headache as his eyes closed in agony as it felt like a million white hot pokers in his brain all at once. There had been sensation of...knowing that flooded his mind, it was the only way to know it. There was just no other whay he could know Mrs. Figg was watching him from behind a wall or that Dudley was whining upstairs to his mother about the unfairness of his chores.

Vernon and Petunia shared another glance before motioning Dudley to follow them out. Leaving their rather volatile nepherw alone was in everyones best interest. Especially their own. They couldn't speed away out of the neighborhood fast enough to do...something, anything!, to not be in the youths presence.

Harry was half tempted to roll his eyes at the couples behaviour until a hooting noise caught his attention. A hooting noise? Now what in Sam Hain was an owl of all things doing awake during the day? The elegant birds of prey were supposed to be nocturnal. Crossing to the window he opened it admitting a grey and white feathered owl into the kitchen where it landed in the counter. "Well aren't you a beautiful specimen of a bird" he said noting the owl was female and if viewed abstractly she was almost colored like the last dashes of night sky as the sun rose up over the horizon.

The owl seemed to appreciate the compliment as her breast feather puffed up with pride before she held out a foot where a letter was attached.

"Is that for me girl?" Harry asked petting the owls feather. Her nod made him a little suspicious as he took it. "Stay, I'll get you some water and food. I don't have a lot to offer but theres leftover bacon and sausage. You look like you've flown a long way and could use a rest." Taking her hoots as appreciative thanks she closed her wings and peered up at him as he returned with a saucer of bowl water & a few pieces of breakfast meats broken into pieces for the avian. "Take your time eating, I'll have a response ready when you're done."

Leaving the owl to eat and drink Harry examined the envelope carefully. There was nothing odd about it besides the address was very specific about which bedroom he lived in in the house. Taking the letter opener from the drawer he sliced it open and pulled the out the contents. As he read on his eyes widened slightly. A school for magic? A school for witches and wizards that little kids were told to be nothing but fantasy or make believe? "This person has got to be taking the mickey out of me whoever the hell this Albus Dumbledore rag is" he said with a snort as his eyes scanned the school shopping list. His mind paused though and went back to his abilities. What if it was magic he was doing and not some act of supernatural intervention on his behalf that gave him the ability to defend himself? Grabbing a sheet of paper he scribbled out a reply rife with skeptism and sarcasm but said in no uncertain terms if you can convince me in person to go I'll attend. Sealing the letter in a new envelope and adressing it the Dumbledore guy he returned to the owl waitng patiently for him. 'Fly safely beautiful" he said once the letter was secured to her foot. He watched the owl nip his finger lightly, guessing she was thanking his hospitality for the food & drink as well as the compliment, before flying away. "Now onto what I intended to do with my day."

He turned and entered the backyard after cleaning his dishes. If he was a wizard like the letter said he was then perhaps he could do more with his blood and the rune stones around the house & neighborhood than he thought. "Only one way to find out" be said purposefully cutting finger on a roses thorn and letting the blood drip onto a rune stone. "What secrets can I eke out you today my little mystery" he pondered out loud to himself as the now familiar feeling of information flooded his mind.