I don't own the characters, pretty sure Vlad never went to Hogwarts so sorry JKR + BBC!
First off - I know I said I wouldn't start this until I finished other stuff is finished but I keep getting ideas for how to start this and I don't want to forget them so I'll just have to learn to juggle.
This will *eventually* be a Vlad/Harry story, but there may be stops, twists, turns and a hell of a long while until we get there as I'm starting at first year. Also, I have intermittent access to computers to upload, so it will be and as and when thing but I hope to update once a week!
I struggle with sentences occasionally, probably overuse commas, mistype punctuation alot and I'm British so if you're not a British reader some words may be odd to you.
Also, I know they don't move there until Vlad is at least 12 in Young Dracula, but it makes my life much easier if they start off in Stokely here.
The fic will probably be Vlad-centric but switch points of view and follow more than one characters POV where suitable. Also, I apologise heavily in advance that my exact book knowledge is a bit rusty though I've read them so many times, so if you notice something wrong please tell me!
And now, at risk of making this introduction so boring nobody ever makes it to the actual story, it begins!
-YDHP-
Waking up the day before his eleventh birthday, Vlad didn't expect anything remarkable. Except the usual visit from his father and the photo album that happened every year. Most people would think that was normal, but then most people aren't the son and heir of Count Dracula, the prince of darkness. Pulling on his clothes, checking to see he still had a reflection and no fangs as he washed his face and brushed his teeth.
All part of his normal routine of pretending he wasn't going to be a vampire when he turned 16. Coming downstairs to argue with his father about having breakfast that didn't contain blood, live animals or bits of bats, that was usual too. So far, nothing out of the ordinary had happened to Vladimir Dracula. Until he got to the dining room that is.
His sister, Ingrid, was sat at the table. That was unusual in itself, Ingrid went away for school every year since she turned eleven, returning only for christmas and summer holidays, and Vlad had no idea where the school was. His father rarely ventured information about Ingrid unless it was to complain about her existence. Vlad hated that, Ingrid was not the princess of evil she proclaimed to be, he loved her dearly and wished his father hadn't been so set on having a "son and heir". Ingrid was already shaping up to be a far better vampire than he was, and she was only thirteen. The strange occurences continued with his father being out of his coffin at this time of day.
Vampires and sunlight were an unfriendly and explosive mix, so they slept in the day and were up at night. The next strange thing was the woman sat opposite Ingrid at the table, who his father was hovering around anxiously. Looking to be in her late fifties to early sixties, she had a short, severe haircut pulled up into a tight bun. Thin, wiry spectacles rested on top of a slightly pointed nose. There were lines around her mouth that Vlad fancied had come from her pursing her lips frequently, as she was doing right now.
The other strange occurrence for Vlad was that he could smell cats. They never had pets, minus his stuffed hell-hound Zoltan, as his father tended to get peckish and the animals never turned up again. He took a look around but Vlad couldn't see anything to indicate there was a cat nearby, and as he walked further into the room, Vlad was almost sure the odour was coming from the strange woman.
He settled down in his usual position at the table, then Vlad waited for someone to talk and nervously fiddled with the cornflakes box in front of him. Renfield walked into the room then, and his hideous smell was enough to mask the scent of cats and put Vlad entirely off his breakfast. His father sent the servant back out of the room, and Ingrid looked between Vlad and the strange woman, clearly anxious to get this conversation done with.
"You are Vladimir Dracula, yes?"
Vlad nodded, suddenly wishing he'd combed his hair more thoroughly and tucked his tshirt in at the sharp tone of this woman.
"I'm Professor Minerva McGonogall. Assistant Headmistress and Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
Having no idea what most of the words she said were, Vlad just nodded again.
"Normally, you would not find out until August, but your... unusual circumstances lead us to need to speak to you earlier. Your sister Ingrid has been attending our school for the last two years. It is incredibly rare for a vampire to have enough innate magic to attend our school, and two siblings is unheard of. Hogwarts School is a school of magic."
Vlad felt like this was all a bit of a joke by now. The Count still looked mildly anxious and a little bit angry at the Scottish woman (judging by her accent), hovering around her with that look Vlad usually associated with a local villager going missing back in Transylvania.
"Magic? I know vampires can do fire, speed, strength and transformations, but thats... vampires."
"Yes, Hogwarts generally only caters to witches and wizards, but for some strange reason, both you and your sisters names turned up on our books when you were born. Our book registers the birth of every magical child, regardless of who they are born to Count Dracula, now please stop looking at my neck that way. I can assure you, I had garlic for every meal yesterday."
The Count scowled, thunder rolling outside before he disappeared to no doubt sulk in his coffin. Ingrid visibly relaxed as he left and Vlad felt a pang of guilt for not trying to dissuade his fathers foul temper.
"We arranged for a private tutor for your sister in order to keep up her vampire studies, as it is my understanding you must undertake special tests at thirteen through to sixteen. Which is why your sister is back here, she will sit her 'Blood Tests' here this weekend, then return to the school for her own end of year exams there. You will also see this tutor when you arrive at Hogwarts, his name is Bertrand du Fortunesa and he has a special interest in you. We are assured, both by himself and by our own means that it is nothing inappropriate, he just takes pride in being able to instruct the future Count Dracula. Whilst your sister sits her exams, I will be taking you to procure supplies for the coming term, and you will accompany your sister when she leaves for her third year on September the first. Any questions?"
Vlad nodded again, feeling somewhat dim but utterly lost in the sea of information.
"If me and Ingrid are magical, then why aren't Mum and Dad?"
"I cannot answer that, though we have witches and wizards born of ordinary humans - muggles, we call them - quite frequently now. There has not been another magical vampire in the Dracula line, and your sister was the first vampire in thirty years, so you are something of a mystery Dracula children."
Looking to Ingrid, Vlad could see something he thought the Count had squashed out of her - pride. Ingrid was proud to be a... whatever magical vampires were called.
"Can you prove it? It's not that I don't believe you, it's just a lot to get my head around."
The woman seemed to almost protest before nodding and rising to her feet. The next second, she was gone. In her place was a tabby cat, and if he squinted, Vlad thought he could see markings around her eyes that looked just like her glasses. He'd barely blinked before she was back, full sized human in place of the cat.
"I am what's called an animagus, a witch or wizard who has learned to take the form of an animal at will. You, being a vampire, will not learn this in any Hogwarts lesson, but rather, from Mr du Fortunesa after you are sixteen."
"How is that going to work? Unless all the classes are underground, and I presume the school operates in the day?"
"We have spells for that young Dracula, they will protect you from the sun. Now, if you are partaking in breakfast, please hurry, we have much to be done."
Vlad could only nod again, questions only seemed to fly out of his mouth randomly and his mind was racing. He was going to a school of magic? Judging by the time Ingrid was away, he'd be at school for almost the entire year! Most kids would hate it, but as Vlad changed into a less scruffy jumper to avoid looking out of place near the stern woman, he could feel something like excitement bubbling under his skin already.
Traipsing back downstairs, Vlad looked at the woman in confusion.
"What sort of supplies am I going to need?"
This seemed to jog the terrifying woman's memory, and she handed him an envelope made of a thick, luxurious parchment. He stared, perplexed at the envelopes address. Stokely Castle and down was all correct, but in place of his name, it simply said "The Chosen One".
"My name is Vladimir, not The."
"Apologies young Dracula, all will be explained to you at some point. Now, please read the letter and attached list."
Vlad opened the letter, breaking an elegant wax seal on the back and pulling out more of the same creamy parchment. It was like his fathers old scrolls, except not written in blood and smelling like the inside of Granny Westenra's crypt. The letter was fairly heavily worded, but basically told him everything the stern woman sat at his table had. The second sheet of paper was a list. A cauldron? He'd seen plenty of those, Renfield was an alchemist.
A wand? A pointed hat, really? A voice in his head that sounded suspiciously like his father was saying "Draculas do not wear pointed hats." Robes? Vlad hoped they weren't like capes. His heart sank when he saw a cloak on the list, apparently he couldn't escape them anywhere. Reading down the list, Vlad saw a long list of school books. He'd always liked reading.
"How am I going to pay for all this? My father didn't look all that thrilled."
"Your grandmother Krone Westenra has offered to finance both you and Ingrid going to school. I think part of her takes great satisfaction in spiting your father, and she is also very keen to encourage the first magical Draculas to hone their craft. If that is all, please take my arm. This will likely feel very unpleasant, but I promise it is very quick. Miss Dracula, you too, we shall collect your third year supplies in Diagon Alley."
Ingrid had practically ran to join them and Vlad was very intrigued to see a place that made Ingrid so excitable, he hadn't seen that much joy in her face since they were children.
The travel was the most uncomfortable thing Vlad had ever felt, including when his father used to surprise him by picking him up and flitting him around. It felt as though he had been squeezed one atom at a time through a straw, before being reassembled at the other end in the wrong order. He managed to turn away from Ingrid and the professor lady to vomit, glad he hadn't eaten breakfast as he heaved.
"Many vomit their first time, it isn't unusual."
The professor handed him some water and promised it would get less uncomfortable with time if he opted to learn "apparition". Drinking down the water gratefully, Vlad felt a little better after a few minutes. Until he remembered that was likely how they would get home and his stomach revolted again. Ingrid seemed fine, and Vlad wondered if it was a personal thing or if she'd had practice.
Straightening up and checking he didn't have vomit on his shoes, Vlad shakily nodded at the two waiting women.
"Very well then, on we go young Draculas."
As they set off down an enormous, winding, bustling street full of sounds and smells Vlad couldn't place, he hoped she'd explain about why his letter said "The Chosen One". Because surely he couldn't be the Chosen One.
-YDHP-
Kind of short but I just wanted a basic place to start. Reviews/PMs about how this is for a beginning would be great, crossover fics are always so hard to balance between worlds and I'm not actually that confident in my writing, as pathetic and attention-seeking as that sounds. That being said, I won't cry about it if you say it's terrible, it'll just tell me I need to work alot harder!
