Okay, so, being perfectly honest my last few chapters haven't been as up to par as the first few. At the start, I had this great idea and amazing plans despite having no plot line whatsoever and I said "fuck it. I'll just publish it and see what happens". So I did, and I got FANTASTIC reviews and that gave me motivation to continue but now my motivation is slowly failing despite all my awesome followers and I was sick the last few days and I had work and I'm starting school in less than 2 weeks and it's an insanely busy and important year and outside of my fanfic's I'm writing my own book and trying to get that published but I've no motivation to write that now either but I can't write it at all once school starts cause of the work load and everything and... yea.

So.

You know.

Sorry for the last few chapters (and this one in advance) if they seemed a little random and all over the place, and I haven't really shown much about Harry in depth and so for that I'm sorry as well but from now on hopefully I can rectify that.

Also, if you actually read everything above, thank you so much but please don't feel like it's an excuse or a plea for sympathy or whatever, it was just an explanation as to why I'm updating less with worse chapters.

Thank you for reading and I hope these next few chapters will be as good as the first few!

Rachel :/

Chapter 21

Harry collapsed on top of his bed, letting out a deep breath.

After almost a month in Hogwarts, he finally was alone, as both Blaise and Draco and the majority of other 6th years were all at Hogsmeade. His two best friends had been reluctant to leave him by himself for a few hours, but they had already forgone their first week at Hogsmeade as well as yesterday to babysit him, and Harry was having none of it. Just because he couldn't go because he technically had no guardians, and therefore no permission slip, did not mean they had to miss out too, something which he had repeatedly told them again and again.

They had yelled, argued, and complained over him having to spend the entire day by himself, but in the end, he had won and they had reluctantly, albeit happily, made their way to the little town with the rest of their year.

And besides, Harry decided, it was about time they had a few hours by themselves. Maybe Draco would finally profess his love to the taller Slytherin boy.

He snorted.

Yea right.

It's no wonder Draco wasn't placed in Gryffindor, he freaked out and turned into a stuttering coward at the simplest of things.

Glancing down as Forest slowly slithered into a little bundle on his chest, Harry smiled.

The few hours of peace and quiet would finally give him time to relax and organise his thoughts.

Since it was Sunday, he had all his homework done already, and was more-than-enough prepared for the week ahead.

Turning his head to face his bedside locker, he stared at the letter on top of it.

He knew perfectly well who it was from, and also that it was highly, if not completely, unlikely that opening it would release a hex or curse of some kind, but he still had left it untouched since receiving it four days ago.

Reaching over, he grabbed the small envelope, staring at the familiar cursive writing that addressed it to him, before opening it.

Dear kid,

We need to talk. Soon.

S.B

Trust a vampire to be short and sweet, huh?

Sighing, Harry cast a wandless Incendio and the note went up in flames.

He knew he had to visit his old friend soon, or the vampire would have his men up in arms (and fangs) trying to get to him, but the only way he could visit the man was... was through the Forbidden Forest.

Abruptly sitting up, he ignored Forest's annoyed nip of being woken, and thought hard.

The Forbidden Forest.

At night-time.

No one would see him and, more importantly, no one would see Sam.

But he couldn't do it alone.

"Come in".

Slipping into the professor's office, his nerves immediately vanished as he was greeted with a warm smile.

He quickly pushed down the grin that threatened to take over his own features.

No, Harry, you're here on business. Business. Think about what you have to do... And not about how you're completely irrevocably head over heels for a man you first met three weeks ago.

"I thought you would have been at Hogsmeade?" Tom questioned, but Harry shook his head, "Can't go. I've no permission slip".

The man briefly frowned, "I'll have to talk to Dumbledore about that... But, for now, what can I do for you?"

Harry slowly sat down in front of the professor's desk, "I... kind of have a favour to ask..."

"Name it".

He looked up in surprise, and Tom smiled once more, "Well if you're bringing it to your Head of House, then it has to be worth doing".

"I... Yea, yea, it's... it's really important... But it... sort of... breaks school rules?"

"Harry. I almost got expelled 23 times when I was student. I think a little rule bending won't cause a heart attack".

"... Seriously?"

"Of course" Tom replied softly, "It's clearly important to you; you don't strike me as the type of person who asks for help very easily... So, what are you trying to do?"

"I'm trying to meet up with someone. An old... friend, if you will" Harry explained, "Someone I met a few years ago".

"And you want me to smuggle them into Hogwarts?"

"Actually, I want the complete opposite... I want you to smuggle me out of Hogwarts".

Tom leant back in his chair, "... When?"

"Next Friday night".

"At what time?"

"Late. Very late. Shall we say... midnight?"

Tom slowly nodded, "Alright. And where do you plan on meeting this friend of yours?"

"Hogsmeade" Harry replied firmly, "The Three Broomsticks".

"And your friend will meet us there?"

Harry sharply looked up at him, "Us?"

"Well you hardly think I'll let you go on your own do you?" Tom replied, "If I'm going to smuggle the most famous wizard in the world out of Hogwarts, then I'm doing it on my terms. The main one, of which, is me staying with you at all times. Especially when you meet this guy".

"You can't... I'm not... He won't agree with you there".

"Then I won't help you".

"Then I'll get out on my own" Harry snapped, standing up.

Tom also rose, and placed both hands on the desk in front of him, "Then I'll tell Dumbledore your plan".

Harry stared at him, shocked, "This is... You can't do this! This is blackmail!"

"This is for your own safety" Tom growled, "I am not helping the Boy Who Lived leave the most secure place in the world, only to abandon him there and hope he comes back".

"... You think I'm a flight risk".

"Dumbledore thinks you're a flight risk" He corrected quietly, "And I'm not about to prove him right".

Harry studied him carefully, "... Alright. Fine. You can stay with me. But it's your own fault if you get eaten".

"Eaten?" Tom asked, frowning, "Why would I get eaten?"

Harry smirked and headed back towards the door, "You'll see".