Mwahahahaha! Ok now that that's out of my system... no actually I put that in there for a reason, I was just reading over this chapter and realized that its both short and ends teasing you guys. It's cruel but I couldn't help myself, the plot is moving along so nicely on my end and the fact that I'm posting this chapter is more for my benefit than yours- if the response is good enough I just might post the third chapter which is both vital and a good thirteen pages long. Have I captured your interest yet? I hope so. Now the reason I'm dangling this bit of info in front of you is this:

Should I or should I not incorporate vampires into this story thus lengthening and complicating the plot?

And by incorporating and lengthening I mean other than the ones I've already written in that make a rather brief and bloody appearance. I have a vague idea what I want to do should I put them in but it would mean going back a few chapters and adjusting some things, nothing too terrible but tedious all the same.

Respond please,

Hot dangerous vampire boys that just love to screw things up?

yay or nay?

Or perhaps Werewolves...Hmmmm...

Let me know!

Mistress Slytherin

Ps. keep an eye on my profile I will be writing notes about this story and posting them between uploading chapters.

-2-

He fell unceremoniously onto the hard ground in a back ally and bit his tongue drawing blood. With a shuddering breath he stood noting how quiet everything was. There were no cars passing along the street at the end of the ally way and Harry soon learnt why. Whatever was attacking Surry had already been here. The stench was what got to him. As he moved forward clinging to his invisibility cloak the stench of burnt flesh filled him clinging to his hair and clothes making him ill. At first he was curious at the smell, though he dreaded knowing just what it was causing it. He made his way down the street and the horrifying truth met him in the shape of footprints, his footprints in the powder that seemed to cover everything. There were piles of the stuff as tall as he was and the lingering scent of magical fire tickled his senses. They had burned the bodies here…he stumbled back upon the realization of just how many bodies must have been burnt here. Something inside of him, something heavy and hard that he'd known was there since the night Sirius had fallen through the veil grew harder and heavier and just when he thought it would become unbearable it gave way seeming to fade into the rest of his body making him feel numb and simply tired.

He walked forward then knowing that Moody was right, all these years he'd desperately tried to save every one were pointless now, it was every man for himself. He found a hotel and entered silently checking the security cameras only to find that the little red light was off. The place was dark and almost eerie in the twilight his footsteps which were already soft seemed to echo in the silence. The elevator dinged loudly after he'd pressed the button making him flinch and the music inside the small cramped space made him edgy as it climbed the floors to the top suit rooms. The door was open and he could see where red blood had stained the white carpet by the closet. He could almost imagine someone fixing their tie, oblivious to any threat until just like that they were dead. He shook his head determined not to think about it and made his way to the bathroom. Truthfully he just wanted to crawl into the bed and go to sleep. But the blood reminded him that he still had blood on him from the Dursleys' house and that particular thought didn't sit well with him. Of course it didn't help that he hadn't bathed at all since he'd been shoved in the cupboard.

The bathroom was just as grand as he thought it might be complete with fluffy white towels and a marble bath. The sound of rushing water was loud in his ears but the thought of a hot bath made it bearable. While he waited for the bath to fill he decided to look through Moody's bag of tricks. The first thing he pulled out was a small wooden chest which he'd recognized from an article Ron had been looking at.

You could put whatever you want in it and it will keep it organized. Dad says that most rich guys in the ministry carry them around when they travel so that they always have whatever they need.

But why would Moody put this inside of an already never ending bag? Then he remembered- potions, this must be where he kept the potions. Gently he set the chest aside and reached into the bag frowning when he pulled out a large book. He gaped in recognition. Hermione had shown this to him once, or at least a picture of it. It was a book that could show the information of however many books were stored inside it. He had no doubt that this would be handy. He glanced up to check the water level and caught his reflection instead. He was gaunt, pale and frankly looked like death. There were circles under his eyes that looked so dark they almost passed for black and his hair had grown into long tangles about his head. He realized that he couldn't very well go about looking like Harry Potter any more. Sighing he stood and turned off the water before reaching into his own never ending bag and fishing around until he found one of the home made soaps he'd brought from the cellar. His cloths fell away easily leaving him feeling more emancipated than before; he could quite literally count the number of ribs poking through his skin. Cringing he grabbed his wand and slipped into the hot water hissing at first before finding a sort of perverse pleasure in the pain. He cleaned himself mechanically, ignoring the way the water quickly turned reddish brown and avoiding getting his bandaged hand wet.

When the water was finally too gross for it to do him any good he unplugged the drain and got out. He would have to wait for it to fill again before he could continue to wash. Turning back to Moody's bag of tricks he reached in again finding a plate, bowl and some utensils packed neatly into a small wooden box. He thought back to Hogwarts and allowed himself to remember the feasts and all the good things they'd eaten. "What I wouldn't give for some soup…" He said wistfully only to gasp softly when the box in his lap heated up and a thick hearty stew filled the bowl. He swallowed thickly as he looked at it and his mouth watered at the smell. Hesitantly he took the spoon and took a bite nearly moaning at the flavors that exploded across his tongue. "Bread." He said hopefully grinning when a loaf of bread appeared beside the bowl. He bit into the warm bread happily and nearly swallowed the entire loaf whole before finishing what was left in the bowl. Feeling satisfied for the first time in a very long time he set the box aside and turned the faucet back on plugging the drain once more before returning to the bag.

The next thing he pulled out looked like a large jewelry box, cautiously he opened it curious to see what it held. The parts separated magically and Harry realized a very important fact. Moody must have known that he wasn't going to make it out of that battle alive. The top section held glass vials on the right side each one labeled carefully and then placed in a row of similarly labeled containers.

Lucius Malfoy

Sirius Black

Rudolphus Le Strange

Amycus Carrow

Antonin Dolohov

Eileen Prince

The vials contained blood, he had no doubt about that, the other containers had bits of hair skin (disturbingly) and in some cases bone. Harry knew that this must have been the man's life work, there was no telling what number of potions and spells both light and dark could be used with these things. The question was, what would he do with these things? Or rather, what was he going to do now? Now that the world he knew had turned upside down? He stared hard at the vials of blood his mind too tired and stressed to function properly. He needed to survive…that much he was sure of. He could no longer risk life and limb in order to protect every one simply because it was out of his hands now. It was a physical impossibility that not even his tendency to overcome the impossible could triumph over. Simply put Harry Potter could no longer be. He sighed heavily his mind wandering back to the vials of blood, what had Moody planned to do with this stuff? Shaking his head he set it down and turned off the water climbing into the bath a second time noting that his makeshift bandage was now dripping with blood…his eyes widened in horror. Blood! Blood! They could track him using his blood! He scrambled out of the bath dripping wet and wiped his hands just dry enough to lift the large book.

"Counter act tracking spells and potions that use blood." He said frantically his eyes flickering across the page when an index appeared. He skimmed over the page before flipping it his finger pausing briefly. "That one." The pages flipped of their own accord until he was staring down at one particular passage.

The use of blood as a means to track a person or creature….

Harry huffed in annoyance as he skimmed over the page only to stop suddenly his eyes widening. Slowly he looked up at the mirror and saw his messy hair, his glasses and behind it all his bright green eyes- his fathers' hair and his mother's eyes. He had to stop being Harry Potter, he had to survive. He looked at the vials of blood as his aunt's screams rang through his head and made a decision a very crucial decision...