CHAPTER 3:

HELLSING

Harry was impressed by Integra, given that she allowed him to sit in the very expensive limousine with her as they were driven back to the Hellsing Organisation. Especially as his clothes were covered in blood, most of it from the vampire priest and Seras when Alucard shot them. As they were driven back to the Hellsing Organisation, Integra debriefed them both, Seras having finally woken up. The young woman was understandably freaked out to learn she was a vampire now. Alucard merely sat, drinking from a glass of wine (and presumably blood), interjecting with a remark now and then.

Harry realised that both Integra and (despite his snide remarks) Alucard had a somewhat aristocratic air. Integra was aloof and detached, but she did show concern for both Harry and Seras. Alucard, meanwhile, was like a Malfoy, albeit a likeable one (if that wasn't an oxymoron), a man who affected an air of haughty disdain and mockery, though some of his quips were fairly lowbrow.

Now that he came to think of it, that was a suspiciously strange name, Alucard. In fact, he remembered the backwards writing on the Mirror of Erised. And given that Sergeant Agnew had stated that Hellsing had been founded by none other than Abraham van Helsing, he didn't think it coincidence that Hellsing's top vampire hunter, and a vampire himself, had a name that was Dracula spelled backwards. He kept it to himself, though.

Integra took her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What an eventful night this has been. A vampire causes the death of hundreds in Cheddar before the people managed to flee, we've had the Boy Who Lived in this mess, and we had Death Eaters mixed in to boot. Not to mention the Ministry's representatives coming suspiciously soon after you used Fiendfyre, and without you realising that you did."

"They already sent me a letter saying first I'd be expelled. I tore that one up, but I kept the one saying I would have to go to a hearing," Harry said, handing it over. As Integra read it, Harry continued, "The first time I was sent any letter because of magic being used in front of Muggles, it was a House Elf doing it!"

"House Elf magic is normally different to that wizards and witches use," Integra said. "But they can emulate human magic. The House Elf probably did so deliberately."

"Yeah, to try and keep me away from Hogwarts," Harry muttered bitterly. For all that he liked Dobby, he didn't like what happened after Dobby's use of magic: the Dursleys locking him into his room after that whole mess.

"Given what Umbridge said to me, reading between the lines, she's been keeping an eye on you. Quite frankly, it's not surprising. That odious woman is the chief underling to Cornelius Fudge, and they're currently mounting a smear campaign against you and Dumbledore in The Daily Prophet," Integra said.

Harry looked up at her. "What?"

"You don't know? Wait, you were living with non-magical relatives," Integra said. "They are calling you in general terms an attention-seeking liar poisoned by your own fame, and Dumbledore a senile old idiot."

Anger welled up within Harry, as did the power he had felt before, when he unleashed the Fiendfyre. "What? Why the hell would that idiot Fudge do that?"

Integra, though apparently startled, said rather calmly, "Make your eyes stop glowing red, and I will tell you."

Harry blinked, then tried to calm himself. The anger receded, though it didn't go away. Integra then said, "Fudge is, frankly, a coward, a fool, and, worst of all, a politician. He'd rather believe anything than accept that Voldemort is back, and he also suspects that Dumbledore is after his position as Minister for Magic. Umbridge fuels this paranoia, and whispers what he wants to hear in his ear. And while Umbridge is not actually a Death Eater, being too opportunistic to actually join Voldemort, she shares many of their beliefs. I'd call her a groupie, myself. For all we know, Lucius Malfoy and Umbridge were in cahoots over that attack on you in Cheddar, though that is somewhat unsubstantiated speculation. It's just too much of a coincidence, her being here."

Harry nodded. At least he had targets for his ire. "I'm surprised Dumbledore wasn't there."

"Dumbledore is in a tenuous position. He's already lost his position of Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, and his title as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Fudge is looking for ways to strip him of the title of Headmaster of Hogwarts as well, and as questionable as some of Dumbledore's decisions have been, to say the least, the truth is that if Voldemort has come back, then we need Dumbledore. Dumbledore is a wizard of considerable skill and ability. His main problem is his annoying pacifistic tendencies, that, and he tends to hoard information."

"And that's without going into him leaving me with the Dursleys, despite my protests," Harry said with a scowl.

"As much as I'd hate to admit it, considering what you've told me about them, and what we know about your home life, Dumbledore has a good reason, or at least what he thinks is a good reason. Said reason is more than likely moot with the Dursleys' deaths. Dumbledore, sadly, keeps his cards close to his chest." The limousine pulled up, and Integra said, "We're here."

The door was opened by a tall, thin man dressed in dark trousers, a white shirt, and a dark waistcoat, his black hair tied back into a ponytail and wearing a monocle. Harry couldn't tell the man's age, but he was sure the man was old given the wrinkles. "Good evening, Sir Integra," he said. Looking into the car, he remarked mildly, "I see we have a couple of guests, including a rather noteworthy one."

"Yes, Walter, it seems we will be accommodating Harry Potter. The girl is Constable Seras Victoria," Integra said as she stepped out of the car. "Both are more interesting than they seem."

"Shall I prepare the guest rooms?"

"Yes. Make sure the one for Miss Victoria is a special one." On his look, Integra clarified, "Alucard turned her."

"Ah." As Harry, Seras, and Alucard left the car, Walter bowed, and then left for the mansion.

Which, incidentally, was massive. It was practically a palace, and Harry found it hard to believe that it was the headquarters of a vampire-hunting organisation. It seemed more like one of the Queen's palaces.

But he also knew appearances were deceiving.

As he looked at the mansion, he heard a brief sniff from Alucard, who had his nose rather close to Harry's clothes. Harry recoiled. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" Harry yelped.

"Oh, the Police Girl's blood is still on you," Alucard said. Though Harry got the impression he was lying. "It was rather exquisite. Virgin blood always is."

"You're making me uncomfortable," Harry snarked. "And I'm sure Seras feels the same way."

"Oh, I know you are uncomfortable," Alucard said with a smirk. "It's all part of the fun. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading back to my chambers."

As he walked away, Seras let out a sigh she wasn't aware she was holding in. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's a long list, one that I do not care to write out for you, Miss Victoria," Integra said. "While Harry's fate is yet to be decided, given that you have become Alucard's fledgling, you are now a conscript of the Hellsing Organisation. Before you protest, please keep in mind that there are a number of organisations who don't take kindly to vampires, even those who try not to harm humans. And, officially, you are amongst the casualties of Cheddar. It's better that you're under our aegis."

"Bloody hell," Seras murmured disconsolately.

"Look at it this way, Seras, it could be much, much worse," Harry said cheerfully. "You could be dead, or fighting a Basilisk."

"A Basilisk? What's a Basilisk?"

"Only a bloody huge snake with lethal venom and an even more lethal gaze. It turns you to stone if you look at its eyes in a reflection, if you're lucky. If you look into its eyes directly, you die."

Integra looked askance at him, an eyebrow raised. "You speak from personal experience?"

"Yeah. At the end of my second year, I had to kill one."

"Ah. When the rumours that the Chamber of Secrets had been reopened were flying around," Integra mused as they began walking to the mansion. "To kill a Basilisk at your age would have been an astonishing feat. I'm surprised you didn't get bitten."

"I did." On seeing her look of astonishment, he added, "Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, healed me with his tears."

"A close call, then."

Seras boggled. "You seem pretty blasé about this, Harry. I mean, I know you go to a magical school and all, but you seem to be pretty calm about nearly dying. And you were like that when in the house. Angry and annoyed, but not afraid."

"Seras, my so-called relatives treated me as a live-in servant and treated me nowhere near as well as I am sure Integra treats Walter. He gets paid as well, no doubt. Every year I've been to Hogwarts, something happens that nearly gets me killed or maimed or expelled. Frankly, it's gotten to the point where I expect the horrible deaths awaiting me."

"Apropos of nothing," Integra said, "what do you know about your godfather?"

Harry fixed her with a look, and said, "I know he's innocent. Not that I can prove it."

A little while later, Integra had resigned herself to a sleepless night, trying to deal with the aftermath of the Cheddar massacre, with letters flying in by owl. Already, she had gotten missives from Fudge, demanding answers for Alucard attacking Umbridge and bringing Harry into her custody. He was demanding Harry be handed over to the Aurors. Integra, at the end of her reserves of patience and deportment, sent off a letter, liberally-sprinkled with expletives, saying that any Aurors assaulting the Hellsing Organisation would end up as food for Alucard.

A more sane and reserved set of letters came from Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Rufus Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror Office. They wanted answers, but did so in a more diplomatic manner. Integra wrote an equally diplomatic letter for both, reiterating what she had learned, and that the investigation into what had happened was still ongoing. However, Lucius Malfoy had been found in Death Eater robes, along with one Gregory Goyle Senior(1). She would allow Bones and Scrimgeour to examine the evidence and interview Harry, but under the supervision of Hellsing personnel.

A couple of missives from Dumbledore and one Remus Lupin. Dumbledore had requested a meeting tomorrow morning, to make sure Harry was all right (either news spread in Magical Britain faster than even Integra realised, or he had some means of telling where Harry was, and only just learned of the danger he had been in). Integra sent a curt reply off, agreeing to a supervised meeting later the next day. To Lupin, she sent another curt reply, saying that Harry was alive and well.

The replies she sent with the owls who had sent them to her. She had been on the verge of dozing in her chair (very unprofessional, but she needed to snatch a little sleep) when Alucard came in, as he often did, gliding right through a wall as if it was thin air. "You're looking a little less than immaculate, master," he said with a smirk.

"Alucard, you had better have a good reason for bothering me," Integra muttered. And when she saw his face gain a serious, solemn attitude, she realised he did.

"I think I have figured out what exactly our new guest is. More than just a wizard, in any case. I was trying to put my finger onto it. There was something strange I could sense about his presence. I believe I know what it is."

Integra frowned. "You saw his eyes glow red at times, didn't you?"

"Indeed. But he is no vampire. Or rather, he is no full-blooded vampire."

Integra looked up sharply, the tiredness temporarily banished by this revelation. "You cannot mean…"

"I am not fully sure. I would actually have to taste his blood to be certain. But I think he is a dhampir, a vampire hybrid. A half-breed. And despite what fiction would have you believe, dhampirs are exceedingly rare. It is hard for vampires to actually breed, and dhampirs have had a history of becoming vampire hunters in their turn. It's therefore a tradition amongst vampires to kill dhampirs wherever they find them, though the last dhampir I personally met was decades before that whole business with van Helsing. They have many of the strengths of a vampire, with few of the weaknesses. I spied on him shortly after Walter took him to his rooms, entering his room covertly and staying invisible. He took a bag of blood from his mokeskin pouch, and sucked it down like it was fruit juice. That is why I sniffed him earlier. He smelt of blood, and of vampirism, but in a way I hadn't encountered for years. It took me long enough to remember the dhampirs I encountered."

"So, one of his parents was a vampire?"

"Yes. He's definitely half-vampire. I doubt it was his father. There's no vampirism in the Potters, and there's none of the signs it was covered up. I studied the Potter family shortly before your father sealed me away, along with the other major wizarding families. At a guess, I would say it was the mother. I could be wrong, but I have a gut feeling about this."

Integra nodded. "Is he dangerous?"

"Considering that you have me as your servant, master, I think the question is, is he the sort to be a danger to you? The answer is no. He is a danger to you purely because Voldemort wants him dead. I believe being as frank with him as possible would help. You saw the way he was when he spoke of his friends not corresponding with him of late when you were debriefing him. It's doubtful he would be in mourning for his relatives. They're little more than excrement masquerading as people, judging by what he mentioned. He values honesty. Can I assume that you're considering adding him to our little stable?"

Integra nodded. "We have you and Walter as hunters, even if Walter is technically retired. We need more. Miss Victoria can be trained: her work in the police can be a good base to work on, even if she's green. And Harry is quite a capable wizard despite his youth."

Alucard chuckled. "Oh, he is. To be able to control Fiendfyre the way he did…I will tell you this much, master: Fiendfyre is one of the only things that I truly fear now. And when I saw that blast encircle that house, incinerating the ghouls, I felt my heart skip a beat. And considering that it normally doesn't beat at all, that is quite an achievement."

Integra noted that was quite the achievement. Alucard's regenerative ability was astonishing, but Fiendfyre was one of the few things that could prove to be a danger to him. From what she understood about how he regenerated from mortal wounds, it could be a danger. Potentially.

It only spoke to how powerful Harry was if he could control Fiendfyre, a diabolical magical flame that was notorious hard to control. And he was a dhampir to boot. She could only hope that she could bring him on side…

CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:

And here you have it: Integra and Alucard know what Harry is. I hope you enjoy. These revelations technically don't come until later in It's in the Blood, but I'm taking ideas and concepts from that story, not aping it wholesale.

1. 'Gregory Goyle Senior' is not the canonical name by any means of Goyle's father, but for the sake of argument, it is here. So Crabbe and Goyle are now fatherless.