Disclaimer: I'm not J. K. Rowling and do not own Harry Potter.

"Italic - Parslethongue"

The Cleaner

Worry About Individuals

"It was we, the people; not we, the Pureblood or Muggleborn citizens….(1)" Harry glanced away, trying to ignore the man's speech. It was an emotional speech with beautiful words, intelligent metaphors and irony - it was great, Harry had to agree, but it was meant for wizards, not him. Maybe it would have been clever to listen and get an idea of what the man stood for, but he had already done that by reading the man's academic and political articles. Harry had other things on his mind. None of which was of any importance.

He looked critically through the crowd trying to locate the best prey to interrogate. Harry abhorred crowds, but there was nothing he could do - he had a job to do.

Gazing around him, he noticed a tearful woman at his side. "Excuse me, plump lady." He said politely; he had no filter at all. The woman glared at him and snapped out, "what did you call me, asshole?"

"Woah - no need to be rude." Harry defended as he raised his hands, trying to calm her down. Maybe he should begin to think about what he said before he opened his mouth, but it was always easier to get into a conversation if he was honest. However, offensive words would be erased from his conversations in the near future.

"No need to be rude? You called me plump. I'm far from fat, pip-squeak" She snapped sharply.

"Well…. Wait, what, pip-squeak? I'm not that short." He answered, before correcting himself. "I apologise; I have a bad habit of saying the first thing that comes into my mind. Don't mind it. I just want to ask you some questions… If that's all right?" Harry said. He wanted to give her a bright smile, but he thought it probably wouldn't be the best thing to do. Not with his characteristics; sharp teeth usually revealed him as a creature of the night.

She looked confused for a moment before answering. "Alright then…" Though she pursed her lips critically, looking upon him like he was a crazy person.

"Thank you. So, I'm new here, just got into the wizarding world - I have lived with Muggles so far, you see. And I wondered - who's that man…?" He murmured, pointing at the speaker. It was an enormous lie, which easily could be looked through. Few would believe he entered their world now, when he looked like he was 21. If he remembered correctly they usually entered when they were 11.

"Oh - I see, that explains your language." She whispered to herself, before looking down at him again. "The gentleman up there is our minister, isn't he gorgeous?"

Harry nodded because he had to agree. The man was incredible handsome to be a 62 year old man,b ut he was a human, sweaty and dirty - Harry would only admire him from a distance, he had no wish to get closer than necessary.

"Really, What is his name?"

"Tom Marvolo Riddle, but he also goes by Lord Slytherin."

"Lord Slytherin?"

"Yes, he's the sole heir to the line of Salazar Slytherin."

"Sole heir, impressive." Harry already knew he was the heir to the line of Slytherin; it had been a fact that had given him conflicted feelings about his job. It did not feel like the most agreeable job, now that he knew the man was the last of the Slytherin blood. The Gaunt blood ran though his veins and Harry did not look forward to killing the last of his line.

"And you know-" She had begun excitedly before he cut her off. "Well, thank you for your help," He added, before making his way through the foul crowd. Nothing new had been revealed, but he had understood, judging by the crowd and the witch, that he was incredibly popular. His votes mostly originated from Purebloods and Half-bloods. Few Muggleborns were allowed to give a vote.

Harry was satisfied to get a look at his kill, after all, he had to have an idea of how he looked in reality and not only on pictures.

There was only one thing that had confused him to no end since he came to listen to the speech.

The minister smelled like a reptile. Harry would know because, as a vampire, he had better smell than other creatures, not like werewolves, but much better than human beings and he could smelt it; the odor of a reptile.

He knew that the man was the heir to Slytherin, but Harry had never stumbled upon an heir that smelled like his beloved reptile. His mother may have not been an heir, but she had been a pure Gaunt, and she had not smelled anything like the minister.

"Baldwin, I have a mission for you," Harry said as he slumped himself down on his kitchen chair.

Staring tiredly up at the man in from of him, the snack hissed. "A mission? You can't order me around… Begin again, you'd like to ask me….?"

Harry stared at the snake for a moment before lifting an eyebrow, unimpressed. "Ask you, aren't you suppose to help me with my job?"

"No, it's your job not mine." He responded instantly.

Irritated that he had to ask, he grumbled out. "Fine. Could you do something for me…?" Harry stared at the lazy serpent, hoping it was still awake.

After a moment of silence, a weak response came. "It depends on what it is."

"I can't find the minister…" Harry said glancing away in embarrassment. It was horrible, after one month of stalking the minister he had begun to lose the man. Just like that, out of the blue the man would just disappear. It was humiliating. He was supposed to be a professional killer, and he could not even find his prey.

"What?" Baldwin replied sharply, staring into Harry's green eyes.

Cheeks heating, he looked away again. "I can't find the one I'm supposed to kill! He disappears every day after he finishes work! Vanishes! I, a professional killer and a vampire, can't find a mere human!"

"You're getting old, Harold."

Getting angry from the unsupportive answers he slammed his fist against the table, receiving a harsh glare in response. "I've never have problems with finding and stalking my prey, never."

"Are you sure he's a mere human then?"

"Of course he is, he's a wizard - nothing more." Harry mumbled stubbornly.

Baldwin shook he's head, unimpressed. "Sometimes you underestimate your opponent, wizards can be extremely strong."

"Not that strong…" The vampire protested carefully.

"Are you sure?"

Furrowing his nose, he snarled out arrogantly. "A wizard cannot do anything against a vampire!"

"See you're underestimating their species." He hissed at the narrow-minded vampire. "Just because you couldn't do anything against vampires when you were only a wizard, doesn't mean others can't," Baldwin said as he put his head down, relaxing in the sun. He had decided not to follow Harry into his frustration.

"Even if it's true and he's incredibly strong, which allows him to trick a 153 year old vampire - it doesn't mean that he can trick a vampire that has magic." Harry was aware that he was a bit arrogant, but he really couldn't understand how the man could disappear.

"You're invincible you know that? Maybe you somehow managed to keep your magic after being turned, but have you ever even practiced it?"

Looking away from the reptile, he said waveringly. "I have, of course, I've practised. What do you take me for, a lazy reptile?"

"I've never seen you practise anything, Harold. You're just playing, never seriously training."

"Playing with my magic is the same as training it." Harry said, nodding his head in agreement.

"Oh - I'm sure. Tell me, do you know any breathtaking, destructive spell?"

"What would I do with spells like that? Kill someone?"

"You're a hired killer…" Baldwin said unbelievingly.

Huffing in reply, Harry shook his head. "I don't like to use magic when I kill, it's so boring,"

"It's cleaner than using all the horrible instruments you're using, you know."

"Blood is not dirty!" Harry yelled, hurt that the snake would even suggest that blood was dirty.

"But you still cannot drink directly from humans even though you say it's not dirty."

Harry grimaced. "Even though the blood is clean and warm, the neck I have to bite is sweaty and hairy - I would die from the bacteria's on their skin."

"Still, why not use the disinfecting Muggle spray you always carry with you?" Their eyes met, and Harry wondered how the snake knew he always carried a disinfecting spray with him, he had never told him.

"It doesn't remove the hair and they're still able to sweat after I've applied it!" He defended.

"You should get help with your obsession about cleanliness - it doesn't even make sense."

"What doesn't make sense?"

"You hate dirt, dust and anything unclean, but you like to bath in blood - a lot of people would think blood is dirty."

His eyes widened at the thought, and he whispered disbelievingly. "How could you say that?"

"Well, it's true."

"It's not, " he said, before shaking his head. "ah, I don't want to discuss something like this with you. You wouldn't understand."

"I don't understand it," Baldwin agreed.

"Yeah, yeah - ah, all the talk about blood has made me hungry." Harry replied, standing up from his chair. He walked up the refrigerator, picking out one of the many blood bags inside.

Baldwin stared critically at the bag before adding. "Go out and find some fresh blood."

Harry almost dropped the bag in his hand from the suggestion. "What!? Have you lost your mind? I just told you I don't drink from humans."

"Try it."

"I've tried it…" He said and made a grimace.

"When?" The snake asked, even though he knew when Harry had drunk from humans. He only wanted to make fun of him.

Harry waved his hand uninterestingly. "Years ago." He answered shortly and brought the blood bag up to his mouth, biting into it. He closed his eyes in pleasure. The act of drinking blood was always highly pleasurable for vampires. It was an arousing thing to do, to drink blood directly from a person. Blood in a bag never had an enormous effect - it was old, and not as vital, which made it somewhat insipid. Harry was used to it though, and found it very pleasurable to drink the old, dying blood.

It would be better to drink directly from a person, but he had no wish to dirty his mouth with human skin.

Baldwin stared uninterestingly at the man. "And 'years ago' means?"

Wiping his mouth, he furrowed his eyebrows in thought. "About 50 years, I think…," he mumbled. "Still, why should I drink from a human when I can get blood in clean bags from the hospital, it's hygienic." He replied as he threw the empty blood bag away in the trash.

"I understand why you keep to yourself and doesn't live in a coven."

"Being eccentric is normal for vampires." He said smiling brightly, sitting back in the chair.

"I've seen it, I live with one."

Not replying at once, he stared at the lazy snake at the table. "Why're we criticising me? You're no better."

Baldwin flicked his tongue. "How?"

Tapping his chin, he muttered. "Well - you're an incredibly old snake… but you have no friends!"

"I'm a snake, I don't need friends - I have you."

"I'm your owner." Was the snarky answer.

Baldwin raised his head, meeting Harry's stare. "In your dreams. If we look at how much I take care of you then I'm YOUR owner - you're not mine."

"I hate you." Harry said playfully, not meaning a word of it.

"I'm honest, you should love me." The serpent said proudly.

Sighing, Harry shook his head. "You're probably the reason ordinary people doesn't like me…"

"Why is that?"

"Your honesty is effecting me - I end up saying the first thing on my mind."

"You've done that since I met you, Harold."

"Keep believing that." He said mysteriously, before remembering the original topic of their conversation. "So, can you find the minister for me? You're good at finding people."

"Well, since you're asking so nicely, I'll try to look. Though I can't promise I'll find him." Baldwin said as he slid off the table. Landing heavily at the floor, he glanced up at Harry. "And?"

Harry looked confused. "And?"

"Thank me." Scrunching up his face in irritation, Harry stared stubbornly at the snake. Baldwin bumped his body against Harry's leg, making the man hiss the requested words. "Thank you."

"Good boy." The snake hissed, making his way out of the kitchen towards Harry's bedroom where a window was open

Harry glanced down at his untouched coffee, swearing silently.

He had sent Baldwin away to find the man three days ago, and the snake yet to return.

While Harry knew the snake was alive, he could not help but be worried. Baldwin was his partner and friend; he could not afford to lose him, ever.

He could only do one thing now; something he desperately wished he did not have to do. He had to try to find Baldwin, which meant he had to go to the house of the minister.

Usually, when he was supposed to kill someone, he had a rule. Never to anywhere you don't have information on.

It was a stupid move, but he had to find his snake. He refused to be left alone, again.

To be continued!

1. Taken a part from Susan B. Anthony's speech in 1872.