Eat Me CH22

The screaming starship crept closer through the edge of nothingness, nearing my spirit vessel and Harry Potter. The boy grabbed his head and cried out as the screams echoed off nothing. It was a thing of hate and despair born of pain and an endless continuation. There were so many of them, billions or more a nation unto themselves. I licked my lips as I felt the source of qi approach with abandon, unaware of how tempting it truly was. Perhaps the reaper thought it could indoctrinate me. Harry looked to be teetering on the edge of madness.

I could only be different. Harry may have borrowed some of my memories and figured out what the natural canon of Harry Potter’s life should be. However, that didn’t make him a cultivator or give him knowledge of the technical requirements for cultivation. He had qi but didn’t know how to properly use it or protect himself from outside threats.

My voice pierced through the screams, and the starship went silent. “It seems all I have to do is wait, and this thing will destroy you. Do you see now why the world needs me? This is your future without me. It may not have been you who suffered, but it would have been your children or grandchildren.” I said.

“You only appeal to reason when it suits you. I’ve watched you and listened to how you think. Yet, for some reason, you can’t destroy me.” Harry said.

“This body’s magic isn’t mine. If I killed you, then the magic would reject me. But you aren’t alive, and even if you took over, survival is impossible. You’ve lost too much blood already. Besides, this world doesn’t need a Harry Potter.” I said.

“I know what Tom meant when he said he wanted you to appreciate magic,” Harry said.

“It's your last bargaining chip, and it's pitiful. Apprenticing was done out of convenience. Now that my control is stronger, I have nothing to fear from him. What do I need his lessons for?” I asked.

“By learning it, the wards in this place won’t bother you,” Harry said.

“How do you know that?” I asked.

“Make a deal with me,” Harry said.

I thought about just obliterating him and learning the lesson for myself. That the lesson came from the wards of this place was hint enough for me. But I was interested in what he had to say.

“What do you want?” I asked.

“Make a body for yourself and leave me,” Harry said.

“That could take me centuries to get right even with magic,” I said.

I pulled that number right out of my ass. Sure, bodies were complicated, but I had people to research and uncomplicate things for me. Body swapping wasn’t impossible, but I liked my current body. Having magic was at least somewhat useful. If I obliterated Harry Potter, the magic I currently enjoyed would be lost. So, if I kill him, I won’t have magic, and if I make a new body for myself, odds are it won’t have magic either.

The reaper made another pass and screamed with all of its madness. Harry clutched his head and rolled up in a ball. Clearly, he wasn’t as in control here as he thought. This might have been his body, but my cultivation was stronger. Unfortunately, the reaper was more interested in making passes and figuring out a way to mess with our mind than killing Harry Potter’s remnants.

While Harry struggled in his ball, I decided to play his game. “Alright, you have a deal; give me 2 centuries, and I should have this body thing figured out,” I said.

“That’s my whole life twice over,” Harry said.

“Not while I’m here. My cultivation extends your life close to indefinitely. You will have all the time you want after I’m gone.” I said.

That was true; my presence had warped Harry’s body into something not entirely human. His theft of my qi would bolster his lifespan some as well. But, of course, that wouldn’t matter if I lost against the reapers.

“1 century, and I get my body back 1 day a week.” Harry bargained.

“You know I don’t have to be so nice about this. I’m sure I could use a few dementors to suck your remnants out of my vessel. Maybe I’m willing to take the chance of losing access to magic for that. 1 century 98 years and an hour a week.” I said.

The reaper came around again with the screaming voices, and Harry collapsed.

“1 century 20 years and 18 hours a week. I can make my magic worse than useless for you.” Harry said.

My eyes narrowed, and suddenly I decided that he wouldn’t live long after our separation. I would always have enemies until I assumed a new face. What if I swapped and let an enemy through to finish him off? Double-crossing him wasn’t in my plans before, but he irritated me something fierce.

“Our souls are linked now; we’ve spent too long in the same body to survive without each other. I don’t need to read minds to guess what you’re thinking.” Harry said.

“Change of plans in a decade I will be ready to leave. In the meantime, you won’t have access to the body.” I said.

“You have a deal so long as you don’t plan to assassinate me. If you do, you’ll die as well.” Harry said.

I stared down at the brat. Neither of us would have this body. I planned to put it into storage and make clones from the body’s DNA. Then, when the time was right, we’ll go into separate bodies. I’ll stuff him into the body of a woman with an overactive sex drive and see how long it takes for Harry Potter to become a world-renowned cum slut. My timetables needed to be adjusted, and holding back wasn’t an option anymore. If the wards bound me, then I would have to destroy them.

The way back to the waking world opened in the form of the door to the cupboard under the stairs. It looked strange but too familiar as well.

“Is that the way out?” I asked.

“That room was my prison, and you made me a prisoner in my own body,” Harry said.

I opened the door to a starless void. Harry pushed me, and I gripped the frame. “It’s the way out alright, out of my head forever,” Harry yelled, and a pulling sensation pulled me deeper through the door frame as Harry pushed.

Suddenly Harry was much stronger than I ever suspected. “This is insane; no one will believe your me.” I felt my grip on the door frame slip.

“You aren’t hard to figure out. I’ve studied you, and no one will know the difference. So I will change things for the better, and the people will love me for it. Besides, it’s like you said the hard part is over.”

“I was just attacked by vampires; my body is in no shape to lose me,” I said.

“It's like you said, my body is practically immortal, and I’m almost as strong as you. So I’m sure I’ll be just fine.” Harry said.

“Do this, and I will destroy you,” I said.

“I’m the child of prophecy by your own thoughts. So no dark lord can kill me.” Harry said, and I fell through his cupboard door and out of his body with a final push.