Hunter

Chapter 1

He was seven when he chose his career path in life. His 'family' had been forced to take him on a camping trip (he suspected that they planned to ditch him in the woods) when he heard the most awful howling. Since he had been made to sleep outside the tent, he crawled out of his ratty sleeping bag and started to climb, thinking it was wolves.

It wasn't wolves. In fact it didn't even appear to be like any animal he recognized. It was humanoid in shape, but that was where the resemblance ended. It had massive claws and was definitely a carnivore.

It sniffed his sleeping bag before turning its attention onto the tent.

Vernon and Dudley didn't stand a chance, and Petunia had left for the bathroom not fifteen minutes earlier.

Suddenly the thing looked up, and he got a good look at its eyes. They were a bloody red, and it tried to sniff him out. He didn't move a single muscle, terrified that this thing would eat him next. It took a screaming Dudley and Vernon back to its lair, and when it came back an hour later it captured his aunt.

He didn't dare come down until he heard someone come to check on them, like they had every day for the past three days they were campaign. Hearing their shout, he debated on whether it was safe to leave camp or not.

Hearing that unholy howl in the distance, he decided against leaving the tree. Not with that thing down there.

It was a good thing he had grabbed his cousin's 'emergency' rations, which would have fed a small house for a week, along with the two large water bottles. He didn't feel one iota of guilt for littering in the tree, not after he saw the police show up and those who stayed behind to investigate get captured by the creature.

If the coppers didn't believe him about the abuse, why would they believe that a monster had captured his aunt and uncle to who knows where?

A day after the police were taken, a man wearing an odd hunting outfit showed up. He looked around with a professional eye, and was about to investigate some markings when he happened to see the foil wrapper up in the tree.

Instead of dismissing

That was how Harry Potter came face to face with his first Hunter.

"Smart kid. How did you escape the Wendigo?"

"Is that what that monster is called?" asked Harry, not leaving his tree.

"Yup. So how did you escape it?"

"I heard a howl and assumed wolves. That thing has trouble finding me up here, so I stayed put until I was sure it wouldn't come back," said Harry.

"Any idea of where it is? Wendigos are usually active for a week at a time."

"About an hour's walk that way, I think. I looked at how long it took for it to capture my aunt, and she stayed close to here once it took my cousin and uncle," said Harry, pointing in the direction this Wendigo had left."

"Right...That tree cant be comfortable. If I draw a circle to keep the Wendigo out, will you come down?" he asked.

"I want proof it works first," said Harry immediately.

"Kid, how long do you think your luck will hold if you stay up here?"

"...Fine. Got any real food? This junk is making me queasy," said Harry.

"Yup. Brought enough food to last for three days."

Harry started munching on some nice, healthy sandwiches (turkey with lettuce and tomato) while the man drew vague symbols on the ground. He waited for nightfall, and that was when Harry immediately started looking for the nearest tree to run up when he heard the growl.