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Many years had passed in which the Dark Lord had been untraceable. It was said that a baby boy, protected by the love of his mother, had been responsible for the death of the Dark One.
But like most Death Eaters, Hizashi and Shouta were not convinced that their lord and master was truly dead. So even after his disappearance, they continued to work to fulfill his wishes and desires.
They were among the younger members of the organization, but the Dark Lord himself had recruited them for his purposes. As scientists with a reputation for not taking the laws and rules of magic too seriously in their research, they were a welcome addition to the Death Eater ranks.
Since the two men were once again on the run at the time of their recruitment, it was very convenient for them to be taken in by the most powerful dark wizard of their time. The Dark Lord gave them an underground laboratory at their free disposal and all he asked in return was that Hizashi and Shouta create an unprecedented monster for him: A hybrid. More dangerous and deadly than any other beast the wizarding world had seen before.
After the Dark Lord disappeared, Hizashi and Shouta continued to work in their laboratory, which was located near Malfoy Manor, from whose owner they received frequent visits.
Lucius Malfoy was a tall, slender man with long straight blond hair whose pride was hard to match. As a Pureblood, it was no secret that he despised Squibs. Yet he allowed Hizashi, who was a Squib, to work unmolested with Shouta, a Pureblood. Malfoy knew that Hizashi's knowledge of magical beasts approached, perhaps surpassed, that of the famous magizoologist Newton Artemis Fido Scamander and the Dark Lord had also accepted Hizashi into their ranks in the first place only because of his knowledge. What role Hizashi held in the Dark One's continuing plans was also unknown to Malfoy. He assumed, however, that the blond Squib would be killed as soon as the hybrid was ready for action and capable of survival. Shouta as a Pureblood would already understand this.
But what neither Lucius Malfoy nor the Dark Lord knew was that the two scientists were far more than just colleagues with a sick mind. A close bond of respect, love and devotion had bound the two men for many years and Shouta would kill to protect Hizashi. He had done it before and even before the most powerful dark wizard of his time, he would not back down. He would survive with Hizashi or he would die with him and he was well aware of his blond friend's uncertain future in the Dark One's plans.
Today they would make another attempt to create a viable hybrid. Their last attempt, a cross between a Werewolf and a Kelpie, had not succeeded and the hybrid died while still in the test tube.
It had been a great challenge to get the genetic material of the Werewolf. They had to get one in its wolf form, which proved to be more difficult than they first thought. It had been much easier to subdue and kill a kelpie with a simple spell to get its genetic material.
Hizashi suspected that the Werewolf's DNA contained too many human building blocks and was therefore incompatible with the water demon's DNA.
In their latest attempt, the blond picked up on an already existing hybrid: the Blast-Ended Skrewt. This cross between a Manticore and a Fire Crab was extremely aggressive and ate humans as well as its own kind, which fit perfectly into the Dark Lord's plan. At over three meters tall when fully grown, they would also make an impression visually. It was perfect. But getting hold of a Blast-Ended Skrewt was even more difficult than catching a Werewolf under a full moon, as breeding was illegal.
This was where Hizashi's connections in the black market proved to be very helpful, because there it was inconsequential that he was a Squib. As long as he paid, no one cared. So they actually got blood from the coveted animal quite quickly and easily, from which they could extract the DNA.
At first, they planned to cross the Blast-Ended Skrewt with a Wampus Cat, since the latter was also considered aggressive, very fast and difficult to kill. However, Hizashi ultimately advised against it, since Wampus Cats were considered untamable and the hybrid could therefore cause problems. After all, the Dark Lord wanted the hybrid to obey him, which could not be ensured by crossing with a Wampus Cat.
"What do you suggest instead?" the black-haired wizard asked his blond partner.
Hizashi scratched his temple, which he always did when he was thinking. He began to mumble indistinctly to himself. Shouta knew this pretty well and knew that his beloved was going through all the creatures in his head to find the perfect one. No one came close to Hizashi's intelligence and knowledge.
Hizashi was so engrossed in his thoughts that he didn't notice Shouta approaching him from behind. He leaned against one of their lab tables, wrapped his black scarf around the blond's waist and gently pulled him close. This did not stop Hizashi from brooding. Shouta wiped the blond's long hair aside, exposing Hizashi's neck. He gave a kiss on the vacant spot and ran his tongue from one shoulder to the other. He watched as the hairs on the blond's neck stood up and began to litter his shoulders and neck with kisses. At first he was gentle and held back, but soon he became more aggressive. Until he finally bit Hizashi's neck, causing a thin stream of blood to run down his neck. The blond's reaction was a lustful groan and he turned to Shouta, who licked the blood from his lips.
"I didn't know that in your DNA, that of a vampire was involved," the blond teased, kissing the last of his blood from Shouta's lips.
"With you, I'll suck what I can get," was Shouta's voluptuous reply.
Hizashi smiled with interest and clasped the black-haired man's neck. He came so close that Shouta could feel his breath on his face. The black-haired man closed his eyes and enjoyed the long intimate kiss Hizashi gave him.
"But your scarf gave me an idea," the blond whispered as he pulled back.
"I'm all ears," Shouta breathed, pulling his friend close again.
"I have an acquaintance who maintains contacts with creature hunters in the tropics."
"Hunters?"
"Illegally, of course."
"Go ahead," Shouta instructed as he slipped his hands under Hizashi's smock and shirt.
"He got a shipment recently and there was something in it that we could put to good use."
"Like what?" The black-haired man slid completely onto the table and wrapped his legs around Hizashi's hips, making the blond gasp. Still, the blond continued, "There was a piece of, let's call it a 'body', of a Lethifold with it."
"A what?" Shouta's questions didn't stop him from continuing to explore Hizashi's body with his hands. And although his breathing became heavier, the blond continued, "They are also called „Living Shroud." Highest danger class at the Ministry of Magic. They envelop their opponents, suffocate them and eat them completely. Nothing more is found of the victims and....." The blond's words trailed off as Shouta loosened his legs and blatantly stuck his hand down his friend's pants.
"Go ahead," the black-haired man teased as his fingers gently stroked the area between Hizashi's legs.
"This is a little difficult when you touch me like this," Hizashi gasped.
"Do you want me to stop?"
"Don't you dare!"
Hizashi grabbed Shouta's face and brought their lips together again in fierce kisses.
Just as the black-haired man was about to undo his friend's pants, a sound made them pause.
Footsteps.
"Malfoy," Shouta remarked dismissively.
"Inappropriate as always," Hizashi added in disgust.
They separated their bodies, but before Lucius Malfoy entered the lab, Shouta blew a kiss on the blond's lips and said, "I love you, never forget that." The blond nodded with a smile.
He stayed in the background while the two Purebloods talked to each other. He wasn't interested in what Malfoy had to say or what he wanted. But he knew that Shouta would have to make nice with the wizard so they could keep their freedoms. After all, they were on his property. So it couldn't be avoided that Shouta had to smile at least once about comments or remarks of the arrogant man. Even if it was about Hizashi. But the blond knew for whom the heart of the black-haired man beat and so he simply ignored it.
Even as a Squib he was able to use floo powder and so he decided to pay his acquaintance with the piece from the Lethifold's body a visit. He gave Shouta a quick signal, the black-haired man nodded and Hizashi disappeared down the chimney.
After Hizashi left the lab, Shouta turned back to Malfoy.
"I can't understand how a wizard of your blood can put up with a filthy Squib," Malfoy said dismissively. Shouta smirked," You get used to everything, but please leave my "blood" out of it. I'm the last one alive from my family and so my blood isn't worth much anymore."
The blond wizard looked snidely at Shouta, but said nothing further on the subject.
"What is the status of your research?" he asked instead. "Do you have any successes to show for it?"
"Our last attempt unfortunately died while still in the test tube, but my partner is currently retrieving the final "ingredient" for the next attempt and I'm in good spirits that it will work this time."
Malfoy wrinkled his nose, but settled for that answer. He bowed briefly and left the lab without another word.
"Stupid asshole," Shouta whispered before Malfoy had disappeared from his sight. He turned to his apparatus. Knowing what Hizashi was going to get, it was time to get everything ready.
Well over an hour had passed before Hizashi finally returned to the lab.
"I was beginning to think you'd left me," joked the black-haired wizard, sitting bored in a chair.
"I never would, dearest," Hizashi returned, holding out a piece of black cloth to Shouta with a wide grin.
"What's this?"
"It's the second component of our hybrid. Wasn't easy to get. The bastard bargained pretty hard, but in the end I got my way."
"THAT'S a Lethifold?"
"A piece of it, yes."
"It's a piece of cloth, Zashi."
"No, it's a piece of a living thing's body that........ looks like a piece of cloth....... It's complicated, okay? You don't have to understand it."
"I don't either, but I hope it all works out the way you put it together in your sick head."
"It will, trust me." Hizashi gave Shouta a quick kiss on the cheek before placing the final "ingredient" on the lab table.
It was easy for Shouta to use his magic to extract the DNA from the blood of the Blast-Ended Skrewt and the body part of the Lethifold and mix them together in a previously enchanted egg. Both men stared spellbound at the test tube, which magically glowed in all colors, occasionally spitting sparks. Then a small worm-like something formed. It twitched and small bubbles rose from it. The two men held their breath. The thing began to squirm and grow at a remarkable rate. Hizashi took the test tube and dumped the contents into one of the large tanks where the hybrid would continue to grow. And it did. Six crab-like legs formed and a thin carapace was visible. The hybrid moved, swimming back and forth in the tank's life-sustaining liquid. When it was about the size of a cat, Shouta stopped the accelerated growth with a spell and Hizashi drained the tank's liquid. When all the liquid was drained, the hybrid shook itself and scrambled a few steps to the left and to the right. A kind of black cloth had formed between his legs. Presumably this was due to the Lethifold's DNA.
With a powerful leap, the hybrid jumped against the glass of the tank, leaving a fine crack there. He hissed and was obviously very unhappy with his current living situation.
Hizashi and Shouta looked at each other. A wide grin crossed the blond's face and even the corners of Shouta's mouth twisted into a slight smile. They did it. The hybrid was viable, but they knew the next few months would be exhausting. They had created a completely new being and they had to study it, get to know it, educate and train it. They were aware that a lot of hard work would come their way, but nothing and no one could take that triumph away from them. They had fulfilled the Dark Lord's order. A hybrid, more dangerous and deadly than any other beast the wizarding world had ever seen.