Disclaimer:  I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, only Doriel and Alexander come from my own mind.

Sorry it's taken so long for me to update.  I've been quite busy and real life has taken priority over my writing.  Anyway, here's chapter 14 of Midnight's Dawning, let me know what you think.  Here you get a view into Doriel's past and his experiences.

Chapter 14

            Harry sighed and rolled over, stretching under his blankets, "Are you going back?"

            The young vampire leaped out of bed, "Papa, don't scare me like that!" He glared at Doriel who was seated beside the bed.

            Doriel smiled, "You looked so peaceful, I didn't want to wake you."

            He sighed, sitting on the edge of the bed, "No, papa, I'm not going back."

            "I'm glad." Doriel's fingers gently went through his hair, "It's that selfish part of me that wants to keep you here, away from the mortals."

            Harry smiled, "I understand papa.  There are some plans I need to carry out, Dumbledore isn't going to stop trying to get his hooks in me just because I've left Hogwarts and I don't know what Voldemort has in mind." He paused, "I'm sure he has his own plans to attempt to sway us to his side.  I'm not sure I want to be trapped in the middle of this tiff between wizards.  Which means I'm going to have to pick a side."

            "I would rather you stayed out of it but it is your decision to make."

            "Papa?" He flopped back, looking up at the ceiling.

            Doriel raised an eyebrow, "Yes?"

            "Will you tell me about what happened when you went to Hogwarts, about Alexander choosing you?"

            The elder vampire laid beside him, closing his eyes, "So, you want to know how I met Alexander and what Dumbledore tried to do when he found out what I was going to become."

            "Yes, please."

            "Alright." He paused to gather his thoughts, "When I was born Alexander approached my parents to discuss my possible future.  My parents agreed, they would continue to raise me and in return he would oversee every aspect of my education until I was of age to decide if I was willing to go through with my turning.  Before I went to Hogwarts Alexander marked me as his.  Not a physical mark, one on my very being so he could protect me and always know where I was.  Of course Dumbledore sensed this the moment I was called up to put the hat on.  The year was 1937…"

            "Tannin, Doriel."

            I could feel Dumbledore's eyes on me from the staff table, watching as I took my place on the stool, the hat placed on my head, "Mr. Tannin, let's see where we shall put you." The hat's voice was clear in my mind as it spoke.

            "Good evening, sir." I thought in reply.

            "Polite, smart but there's something else about you.  You've been marked by an old friend.  Yes, I knew your benefactor a long time ago.  You share many of the same traits."

            It paused long enough for me to 'speak', "You knew Alexander?"

            "Yes, yes, but we haven't the time to speak of that, I must place you.  I know exactly where I'm going to put you." It finally spoke aloud, "SLYTHERIN!"

            I stood as the hat was removed and made my way over to the appropriate table.  My first few weeks at Hogwarts were uneventful.  I knew Dumbledore was keeping an eye on me.  At the time he was the transfiguration professor.  One day, partway through the year, he stopped me after class under the guise of wanting to discuss my work.

            "What did you want to speak with me about, sir?" I questioned, he was sitting behind his desk which was cluttered with all manner of strange things.

            "Yes, yes, I'm very impressed with your abilities so far, you have amazing potential, Mr. Tannin."

            "Thank you, sir."

            He smiled, his eyes twinkling a bit, "It seems as though you know more than the average student, I was wondering if you would like some tutoring in more advanced studies?"

            "No, but thank you for the offer, sir." I paused, "Was there something else?"

            He looked disappointed for a moment, "No, but if you decide to change your mind the offer still stand.  I know that you can go far in, keep up with your studies."

            I nodded in reply before walking out.  I was the unspoken leader of the Slytherin in my year, they knew who my mentor was, that Alexander was watching over me, knew what I was going to become without me even saying it so when I walked into the common room on a mission to find out what Dumbledore really wanted they stayed out of my way.  I was sure that he could sense the mark Alexander had left on me.  I was suddenly angry that he had decided to mark me, that because of it my possible future was known.  He was here; I could feel it deep inside, Alexander was nearby.  A soft growl escaped my lips and my eyes narrowed.

            "Doriel."

            I whirled, coming face to face with his chest, "What do you want?" I hissed, taking a step back so I could look him in the eye.

            "I know that Dumbledore knows and I know that the hat figured it out." He gripped my chin, tipping my head up, "I know that you're mad at me for marking you, I have my reasons as you should well know.  I don't want anything to happen to you, I marked you to keep you safe, so others will know that you are not to be touched.  There are other vampires in the forest, other creatures.  They will be able to sense you, sense my mark on you."

            I didn't try to move from his touch, knew that it would be futile, "I can take care of myself."

            A soft chuckle escaped his lips, "You're intelligent, you wear my blood around your neck for emergencies, I do not doubt that you can take care of yourself but there are powerful forces out there that you will not be able to handle on your own.  I wouldn't have chosen you if you weren't strong.  Believe me Doriel, I have faith in you and your abilities, I just don't trust the other forces in the world."

            "He knows and before you know it everyone will know and they'll kick me out of school!"

            "And what do you think will happen if they tried to do that?  Do you think I would allow them to remove you for what you might become?  For what might happen in the future?  I think not." He sighed, "Doriel, I choose you because I knew your potential.  We cannot predict what others are going to do; we can only control what it is that we do.  I am going to be sure that you are protected and to do that I am going to watch over you in any way that I deem necessary."

            I sighed, "I guess I understand." I looked down at the ground.

            "Now that we've got that covered I do believe it's time for you to go to bed.  I'll see you again soon, rest well." I hugged him before heading to my dorm room and curling up in bed, letting sleep slowly take me.

            "So he wanted to give you separate instruction?" Aurel asked softly.

            Doriel nodded, "I knew my parents and Alexander would never allow it.  It was known that he was against what most considered being 'dark' and I knew that I fit into the category.  It was safer to refuse his offer."

            A soft sigh escaped Aurel's lips, "Why didn't you mark me?"

            "I didn't want to risk them finding out right off where you had been living.  I knew that Dumbledore would meddle because of who you were, I didn't want to put the added pressure of being marked on you."

            "Did being marked keep you safer?"

            "I would like to think it did, of course that doesn't mean I have proof one way or another." He paused, "Tom Riddle came to Hogwarts a year after I did."

            "Voldemort's a year younger than you?" Aurel questioned.

            "Yes.  Although we were in the same house I didn't know him all that well.  We had our own circles that we roamed in, our own following so to speak.  I believe that Dumbledore suspected him more than myself or perhaps the old coot had his own plans for the future.  I can't say what goes on in the minds of others but I do know that Tom was cunning and sly, showing himself as the perfect student and by all rights he was.  I'm afraid that if I had to choose a side it would have to be his.  Thankfully I do not.  I don't approve of the methods he employs but I disapprove of the current way things are run even more." He paused, closing his eyes for a moment, "I didn't know him well but, as you know, Slytherins take care of their own.  It was my final year at Hogwarts and I had already been turned at that time.  There was a Gryffindor, a muggle-born, named Daniel Winslow who had made it his own personal mission to make my life difficult.  One day he caught me alone and if it wasn't for Tom I would have lost control…"

            "I overheard Professor Dumbledore say that you're a vampire.  Are you going to go off and join Grindelwald like the rest of your kind?  You should all be rounded up and taken care of before you have a chance to kill anyone." Daniel sneered from behind me.

            My eyes narrowed at the reflection in the mirror.  It was just before dinner and I was in the bathroom washing my hands, "Have you just come to insult me, Winslow, I'm not amused." My voice came out as a low hiss, my eyes flashing gold for a moment in my anger.

            "You should be put down like the dog you are."

            A snarl escaped my lips; my hands gripped the edge of the sink tightly.  I felt it crack under my grasp, "Doriel, it's been awhile." Tom's voice sounded from the door.

            I spun; my eyes were pure gold, "Tom." My voice was still a quiet hiss.

            Tom turned his gaze to my harasser, "Winslow, is there a reason you're here?  Gryffindors shouldn't leave the safety of their pack." Winslow was out numbered and out classed and he knew it.  Without a word he brushed past Tom and left, "Are you alright Doriel?"

            I took a deep breath, "I will be.  He's lucky you came when you did.  I am as well."

            "Care to accompany me to dinner?" He questioned.

            I took a few more calming breaths, "Yes, that would be nice." I checked the mirror to make sure my eyes were back to their normal color before walking out with him.

            "He stopped you from killing a bigoted fool.  What happened to him?  I mean, Winslow."

            Doriel smiled darkly, "After we graduated I found him and made him pay.  He didn't live to see the end of the war, let's put it that way.  I owe Tom for that but I doubt he'll ever call it in.  Sometimes I believe that he respects our neutrality although he sends envoys to attempt to sway us.  He is an intelligent man and definitely sly.  I'm sure he knows that if he pushes too hard it will do more harm than good."

            "So you graduated in 1944.  Did Dumbledore ever stop trying to sway you to his side?"

            "Yes, after I became a vampire he ceased his ploys to turn me to his side.  He considered me a lost cause once I became a vampire." He stroked Aurel's hair back, "Get some rest, alright?  I'm going to go get some food."

            "Thanks papa, for telling me about some of your time at Hogwarts."

            He smiled, "Thank you for listening."