Chapter 2

The spray of blood. The bodies of his loving family lying on the ground, motionless. The memories were stuck, frozen in Harry's mind as he woke.

Slowly, he tried to rise. Mistake. Pain lanced through his body, and he struggled until he was at least sitting upright against a hard, damp surface.

Looking around, Harry realised he was in a small stone cell, steel bars blocking his only way out. Harry put his face in his hands as the images of his family dying, the only true family he had ever known, forced their way back into his mind's eye. Hot tears began rolling down his face. 'I failed you… Mika, Yu, Akane, Ako, Chihiro, Taichi, Fumie, Kota… He listed them one by one in his head as he counted his losses.

"I'm sorry" He whispered, voice cracked and broken.

"Oh you should be! Poor Mika and the gang are all dead, I'm sure you thought your magic would save them" Ferid said in his singsong voice as he strolled into view on the other side of the bars. He still wore his cruel smile on his face, the most evil and sadistic facial expression Harry had ever seen. Harry reached down to his side, expecting to find the familiar weight of his wand.

"Did you forget already?" Ferid pulled out the broken wand from his white robes. His phoenix core wand, his partner and source of comfort for the last four years, gone. Harry's last hope was dashed.

He had never hated anybody more than he did in that moment, had never desperately wanted to kill another person as much as right then. No, Ferid was not a person, he was a monster. Not even Voldemort could compete with the hatred Harry felt for the vampire progenitor at that moment.

"Oh how enchanting, I just love it when I see a human lose all hope, it is so exhilarating" Ferid taunted. "It makes me want to have a little taste of your blood, I bet it's lovely and sweet, just like the beautiful Mikaela's."

Harry didn't say anything, merely glared through the bars at his captor. If looks could kill, Ferid would have burst into flames.

Ferid tapped his chin in thought, looking away from Harry "I really shouldn't though, in his current state it might just kill him" Ferid pretended to be talking to himself, treating Harry as though he wasn't even there.

"Ah well, it's not like anyone else even know that he is here, a little sip can't hurt". Ferid continued, still not even speaking to Harry. Ferid opened the door to his cell and slowly advanced inside, shutting the door behind him.

Harry flinched and tried to scramble away, but he was already against the back wall, and every movement he made was pure agony. Ferid leaned down over the top of him, and Harry saw his fangs inching their way closer to his neck.

Ferid put one hand on Harry's inner thigh to keep himself propped up, and Harry went to yell out in distress, but Ferid's other hand covered his mouth forcefully.

"You know Harry, since there isn't anybody else that even knows you're here, I'll be the only person to ever drink from you like this. Who knows, maybe you will even start to look forward to our little visits" Ferid whispered in his ear. Harry squirmed under his strong grip. He felt the exact moment when Ferid's fangs pierced his skin, and Harry whimpered with pain and violation. He was utterly helpless against the powerful vampire. It was only a few seconds before the darkness began to cloud his vision again, and he fell unconscious.

The next few days felt like a lifetime for Harry. He slipped in and out of consciousness frequently, and his stomach begged for food, but Harry wouldn't eat or drink anything that Ferid had left for him.

Ferid did not return to feed from him again, and somewhere in Harry's addled mind realised it was probably because he came too close to killing him the first time.

The cell was a personal torture for Harry. Not a moment went by when Harry wasn't seeing the exact moment his family perished in his head, or the moment Ferid had begun to feed from him. His body was still riddled with pain with every movement, and Harry thought half of the bones in his body were probably broken.

He looked towards the bars of the cell, trying to imagine a way he could escape. No. Without his magic, and being as injured as he is, he might as well give it up. Harry resigned himself to his fate as darkness took him again.

Remus Lupin flew through the air on his Cleansweep Seven. Not the fastest broom to be sure, but it got him from place to place well enough.

He hoped the mysterious snowy owl would take him where he wanted to go. He had been searching for so long, since the Apocalypse Virus hit a year and a half ago in fact, and he was beginning to lose hope.

Remus had almost given up the search, until he finally discovered the location of the Hyakuya orphanage. Dumbledore had made it exceedingly difficult for anyone to find Harry's location unless you already knew where it was. Remus was grateful to the now deceased elderly wizard for protecting Harry in his youth, but now he cursed his old headmaster and mentor for doing such a good job of hiding him.

Now though, Remus hoped he had a trail to follow. He had found Harry's trunk from Hogwarts in the orphanage, and inside had found James' old invisibility cloak, and was hoping to use his werewolf enhanced senses to hopefully sniff out Harry. Although getting close enough to catch Harry's scent would be difficult at best. Fortunately though, a snowy owl had flown into the open window.

Remus had a feeling the owl was Harry's, it was too big a coincidence for her not to be, and the owl had trilled softly when Remus approached. Animals had always loved Remus, at least since he had become a werewolf when he was 6.

Remus asked the owl to find Harry for him. All owls, at least those who had grown up in the magical world, were renowned for their ability to find people, hence their use in delivering letters and other items. Remus hoped the owl had understood his request, but it had taken flight immediately after, and Remus had followed.

The snowy owl began to descend then, and Remus slowly trailed behind. A light scent tickled his nostrils, and it took Remus a moment to place the distantly familiar smell. Harry. Remus' heart soared. Harry was alive! For perhaps the first time in his life, Remus thanked the fact he was a werewolf, he may not have seen Harry since he was a baby, but a werewolf never forgets a scent, especially if the wolf inside accepts the one who has it as one of its pack, as his own had done for Harry.

Remus landed softly, and watched as the owl glided towards a small cave opening in the mountain nearby. The owl circled the entrance to the cave and trilled loudly. When a second scent hit his nostrils, he hesitated. The smell of human blood. The sheer strength of the scent could only mean one thing, the inside of the cave was a vampire den, and an abnormally large one.

Remus cursed under his breath and reached for the invisibility cloak. Hopefully he could get Harry out of there without alerting the vampires to his presence. He could not afford to get into a fight with a pack of vampires, even fighting one vampire was incredibly risky, despite his skill at duelling.

Remus threw the cloak around his shoulders and entered the cave. Following the tunnel down, he was glad that Harry's scent was getting stronger, he was definitely in the right place. Remus froze as he analysed the scent. Old blood. That could mean that Harry had already been killed. Quickening his pace, Remus headed straight into the vampire den.

The room he emerged in would have enraptured Remus with its beauty, had it not been spattered with pools of dried blood. Remus panicked when he could smell Harry's scent coming from one of the smallest splattering of blood against the wall. Rushing over, he determined that it was definitely Harry's blood, but there was still a stronger scent coming from deeper within the cave, and he let out a relieved sigh, thanking all the Gods he could think of that Harry was still alive.

Following a series of tunnels, his nose led him like he was reading a map. Ultimately, Remus discovered an opening, which led to what could only be referred to as a vampire city. An entire city of vampires, living underground. No wonder wizards had thought the vampire numbers were dwindling, they had an entire city hidden.

Remus continued through the city, amazingly grateful for finding the invisibility cloak, getting past the patrolling vampires would have been impossible without it. For now the second time in his life, and the second time that day, he blessed his werewolf status, which allowed for his graceful and silent movements.

Remus was disgusted when he saw the amount of children the vampires had captured, it seemed the majority of surviving children from Japan had been taken by the vampires. All of them wore the same uniform, a grey hooded shirt with a very open neck, and grey shorts. Remus guessed that the open neck to the tips of the shoulders was to allow easy access for feeding for the vampires, which disgusted him even further.

Silently apologising that he couldn't save them all, Remus continued towards Harry's scent, which led him to a large mansion. Following its twisting corridors after heading inside, he came across what looked to be a dungeon. Harry's scent was very strong now, and he knew he must be close.

When he finally saw Harry, his heart almost broke. Harry was covered in dirt, barely conscious and had some obviously broken bones. He looked to be bruised all over, and had many small cuts on his face, arms and legs. Remus cringed when he saw the puncture wounds on Harry's neck. A vampire had fed off him. Recently. Remus had to remind himself he wasn't there for revenge, he needed to get Harry out now.

"Alohamora" Remus whispered, the cell door swinging open to allow him entry. Remus slowly reached out and try to wake Harry up properly. Harry wasn't unconscious, but he still seemed to be out of reach to Remus. Harry was obviously riddled by wakeful nightmares, he whimpered softly as he writhed around. Remus tried to shush him.

"I'm going to get you out of here Harry, you'll be okay." Remus promised him. As softly as he could, but knowing Harry was going to be in pain either way, Remus hooked an arm behind his back and under his legs, and threw the cloak around them both.

Harry whined in noticeable pain, and Remus had to wait for him to quiet down before he could move.

"Mika, no" Harry sobbed in his delirious state. Remus had to focus on getting Harry out of there, or he was going to break. Seeing the baby he had once carried in his arms, the baby who his werewolf side had accepted as part of his pack in such obvious agony was heartbreaking to him.

Harry's eyelids fluttered in his sleepless dreaming state, and he moaned in discomfort. Remus tried to shush him as he rushed through the vampire city. Remus made it back to the tunnels, and finally to the large white entrance room to the city where the dried pools of blood remained.

Harry woke more fully at the exact wrong time. Opening his eyes slowly, Harry looked around the room, and tried to squirm his way out of Remus' grip when he saw the blood stains around the room. Tears were spilling down his face and he wept quietly in Remus' arms before falling unconscious several minutes later.

Harry's first thought when he woke up was that he must have died. He could feel the sun on his face, and for the first time in years, he was actually sleeping comfortably on a bed. Opening his eyes, he looked around the room. Like he thought, he was lying in a bed, in what appeared to be a fairly common bedroom, a soft breeze filtering through the open window.

Harry sat up in the bed, but his body felt weak and bruised, although he was able to actually move now without feeling extreme pain. 'Well the pain means I'm not dead at least'. A loud flapping noise called his attention to the open window, and he looked up quickly.

"Hedwig?" The snow white owl sitting on the windowsill trilled loudly and flew over to Harry's bed. Harry reached out a hand, and Hedwig nuzzled his palm. Harry was lost for words. Maybe he really was dead, how else could he be out of Sanguinem? How else would Hedwig have found him?

"Clever owl you have there." Harry jumped out of bed instantly, again reaching for a wand at his side that of course was not there. Harry analysed the man standing in the doorway, who had his hands held up in front of him non-threateningly.

"Woah there Harry, I swear I won't hurt you." The newcomer said gently. Harry watched him with suspicion. He had several scars on his face, and deep bags under his eyes that made him look like he needed a weeks' worth of sleep.

"Who are you?" Harry demanded, still watching the man with suspicion. Spending over a year in Sanguinem had done little to nurture Harry's trust in people, even one whose eyes held as much kindness as this man's.

"My name is Remus Lupin, I was a friend of your parents. I've been looking for you for a long time." Harry's eyebrows raised involuntarily. That was not what he was expecting to hear from the mysterious stranger.

Remus stepped a bit closer, but Harry was still wary, and stepped back further into the corner of the room, raising his hands in front of him like a shield, but not taking his eyes off him.

"Truly Harry, I didn't save you from the vampire's to harm you, I came to keep you safe." Remus said to him slowly, trying to emphasise his words.

"You saved me? How did you even know where I was, or who I am for that matter?" Harry asked, still eyeing Remus guardedly.

"Well it is a fairly long story, and frankly I would prefer to tell it once I know you are in good health. Why don't you come and sit down so I can make sure you are healthy." Remus answered, brandishing a wand he had pulled from his pocket as a sort of proof of his claim.

Harry pondered his request for a moment. 'It's not like I could defend myself without my wand even if he did want to hurt me anyway' he eventually decided. Harry sighed and flopped back onto the bed. Remus gave him a caring smile and sat on the end of the bed.

"So tell me honestly Harry, how do you feel, any pain anywhere?" Remus asked as waved his wand in a slow upwards movement, much like Madam Pomfrey used to do in Harry's frequent trips to the hospital wing.

Harry had to laugh sarcastically at Remus' question. "Ha, pain anywhere? Try everywhere." Remus smiled at Harry apologetically. "Of course, but is the pain limiting your movement in any way? Or is it just stiff and sore?"

"No, the pain is more bearable than before after Ferid…" Harry hesitated to continue "it's more bearable than before" he eventually finished.

Remus watched him with big brown eyes, his eyes asking a silent question that Harry did not want to answer. Finally, Remus spoke "Well then that means most of the bone breaks are probably healing well enough then, in a few days you should be good as new, provided you keep taking your potions" he said pointing at the skeleton shaped bottle on the cabinet against the wall.

"Is that…?"

"Skele-gro, yes" Remus finished for him. Harry remembered taking the foul-tasting potion after his Quidditch game in second year, and he couldn't deny its results. If the revolting potion could regrow all the bones in his arm, it should be capable of fixing his broken ones easily enough.

"Harry" Remus said slowly "I need to know what happened to you in that vampire city." Harry deflected the question with one of his own. "You first. How did you manage to find me in Sanguinem, and why were you even looking in the first place?"

"Well I've actually been looking for you since the virus hit the world 18 months ago. When all the world's adults started dying I knew I had to find you and keep you safe."

'Great job you did of that'. The words went unspoken.

"So I made my way to Japan, but unfortunately Dumbledore had done such a good job of hiding you from Voldemort's followers that I had no idea of your actual location, only that you were in an orphanage somewhere in Japan. I had no trail to follow so I went through as many orphanages as I could find, trying to find some sign of you."

"How would you even know if you came across the right one?" Harry interrupted.

"I'll get to that" Remus assured. "Anyway looking for orphanages over the entire country of Japan was quite an enormous task, and it's not like I could ask anyone for directions, but eventually I found the right one. To answer your last question it's because of your scent that I knew I was in the right place."

"My scent?" Harry asked disbelievingly.

"Indeed, you see Harry, I'm actually a werewolf." Remus paused and looked at Harry, waiting for the reaction a werewolf always got. Harry looked thoughtful. "Better than a bloodsucker" he finally decided, urging Remus to continue.

"Anyway, once I had your scent from your Hogwarts trunk, I managed to find your dad's old invisibility cloak, and finally I hoped I would have a trail to follow. Luckily something even better came along."

"What?" Harry asked curiously.

"Your owl" Remus supplied.

"Hedwig." Harry deadpanned. "Hedwig found me?" He asked in utter disbelief.

Remus chuckled lightly, looking at the snowy owl who was nuzzling into Harry's hand. "Like I said before Harry, she's a very clever owl, I daresay she knew where you were the whole time. I'd bet she was just waiting for someone to show up at the orphanage to come help you".

Harry petted the loving owl who had done so much for him. Hedwig continued to nuzzle at his fingers.

"So then what? How did you get into the city without being spotted by the bloodsuckers?"

"Well like I said I found your invisibility cloak, so I just walked straight through, grabbed you and walked back out, and then I brought you here."

After all the times Harry and Yu had talked of escaping, Remus made it sound so simple and easy.

"And here is….?" he asked.

"Just a small village on the coast of Japan, nowhere special, but it is quite far from the vampires, so you are safe here, I swear it."

Harry nodded, trying to process everything Remus had told him. It just didn't make sense. Why would anybody go so far for someone they didn't even know?

"You still haven't told me why." Harry said

"That's the easy part, I consider you a part of my family" Remus answered. Harry flinched strikingly, and Remus hesitated, obviously sensing he had struck a nerve.

"You wouldn't remember Harry" Remus continued carefully "But I knew you when you were a baby. Not to mention that my werewolf side considered your mother and father a part of my pack, therefore it automatically considers you the same.

Harry didn't want to say anything more on the matter, he didn't want to be a part of anybody's family anymore, he had already failed one family, and he didn't feel he deserved another.

Remus moved closer to Harry, about to reach out a hand to Harry, but he dropped it back to his side, Harry wouldn't accept the affection anyway.

"Harry" Remus hesitantly asked again "What did the vampires do to you?"

Harry withdrew on himself. "Got captured after the Apocalypse Virus struck, been there ever since, simple as that" Harry said quickly, avoiding the question.

"Harry, I saw some of the other children in the city, and none of them were locked up like you, nor were any injured, and your injuries were not insignificant." Remus pleaded

"Guess I'm just special" Harry deflected again.

"I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important, but you need to talk about what happened Harry, it's clearly already eating you up" Remus implored.

"I failed my family. That is what happened" and Harry began the story. He told Remus every excruciating detail about what happened in Sanguinem. He told him how Mika offered his blood to Ferid to protect the family, and of the failed escape attempt.

By the time Harry was done telling the story, tears were falling onto the bedspread, and Harry was yelling "I FAILED THEM, I COULDN'T PROTECT THEM AND THEY DIED. MY FAMILY!" Remus rapidly wrapped his arms around Harry, but Harry didn't return the hug, just quietly sobbed into Remus' shoulder. Remus murmured that it was not his fault in Harry's ear, but he didn't want to hear it. Harry wept into Remus' comforting hold until he fell asleep.