I do not own anything that could get me sued.

Chapter 25: Welcome Back!

September first saw Vlad appearing in the middle of Platform 9¾ clutching on to his father's arm with trunk in tow. He's said his goodbyes before going, spending a day with Robin and even managing to say a passing word to Ingrid before she had snapped for him to go away. The school had been alerted that Vlad would not be attending until the next summer and Nox had gone ahead, traveling the shadows as he saw fit to make his own way to Hogwarts. The only farewell he had yet to do was with his father and it had become something of an expectation for such a thing to happen on the platform.

"New year, Vladdy," the Count smiled as he gripped the back of his son's neck. "Do me proud and cause some trouble, won't you?"

The remainder of Vlad's summer had not been relaxing to say the least with Harry's condition and the awful information he had learned on his mind. The young vampire looked tired and a little worn compared to his excited and hopeful approach last year. He could only manage a weak grin and a nod before his father allowed him to go.

A sudden clamor of noise caused him to look back towards the platform's entrance. Vlad immediately recognized the burst of flaming hair crowning the multiple heads entering and a part of him looked for the telltale figure of the second youngest Weasley to follow. His brow furrowed in slight confusion when it did not appear, but he had only a brief second to register such information before the shriek of the train's whistle jerked his attention back into focus.

He was more than a little shocked to see the wheels of the vehicle beginning to move.

In the back of his mind, Vlad registered that the Weasleys were all scrambling onto the train as quickly as they could with their luggage. The tiny portion of his brain that was working told him that he should probably be doing the same. Moving quickly, he heaved his magically lightened trunk on to one of the open steps of the train and grasped the sides to lift himself up as well. Just as he was pulling his weight forwards, a pale hand grasped his shoulder and dragged him the rest of the way in.

"You really must work on your timing," said Draco as he straightened his robes. "Wouldn't want to be missing your Second Year now would you?"

"You're such a git," Vlad grinned and he grasped the handle of his trunk as he followed the other Slytherin past the compartments. "You were watching me the entire time weren't you?"

"Watching you stare at the Weasleys of all people when you could have been getting on the express," the blond replied, eyeing Vlad. "What was that about anyway?"

The reminder sobered the young vampire up quickly. "It was nothing." He couldn't exactly tell Draco that he had actually been searching for Harry amongst the redheads. It was something he had expected, to see the wizarding world's savior with his friend, but he hadn't seen Ron at all. Ron's lack of appearance did not make Vlad nervous – there were a variety of explanations for that – but he was tempted to give an excuse to scan the rest of the train for some sign of Harry. He just wanted a glance, to know that the other boy was alright after what had happened the night Dobby had revealed itself.

But the entire reason the house-elf had even appeared in the first place had been because of its Master, the Master Dobby had effectively implied was a part of the chaos that would occur this year. The creature had never said it outright (it wasn't allowed to) but the only way Dobby could have ever come across such information would have been if Mr. Malfoy had somehow implicated himself in or even instigated these chain of events.

And for all of Vlad's near-feverish research following the elf's reveal, he had only managed to catch a few paragraphs regarding the Chamber of Secrets in Hogwarts a History. The explanation had been simple and lacking in any detail whatsoever; the only things the young vampire had learned was that Salazar Slytherin had built it and it housed a so-called "danger to all filthy blood traitors and Mudbloods." Vlad personally thought it was all rather dramatized, but he had since become used to the common prejudice against the Slytherin reputation.

"Vlad are you okay?"

The young vampire shook his head and looked up to see that they had arrived at the compartment Draco had reserved. He was a little disheartened to see Blaise and Theo already inside; he had been hoping to prod Draco gently about his family's "plans" for the school year. But he had little choice. Instead of dwelling upon it, Vlad stepped inside and placed his trunk out of the way.

"Good summer?" asked Blaise, much to Vlad's surprise. It had been a rare thing for the other Slytherins to engage him in idle chatter even towards the end of the last year. Perhaps Draco had changed their mind or they had seen interaction would be inevitable.

"It was fine, I suppose."

"The real question is," Theo corrected with a touch of a smirk on his lips, "did you finish your assignments?"

"A month ago."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Of course you did."

Vlad raised an eyebrow. "And you didn't?"

"I did, but my tutors insisted that I do so. I'm fairly sure you did it for the fun of it."

At Vlad's flush, Theo laughed aloud. "I think you would have done just fine in Ravenclaw."

That probably would have been true if Vlad didn't have the secrets that he had. The young vampire could only smile uneasily and settle down for a few hours with his company. Blaise and Theo were good conversationalists when they wished to be and the majority of the ride went without much fault.

It was when Hermione abruptly opened the door to their compartment, giving Vlad a flash of déjà vu, that things took a turn.

"Oh, it's you," the Gryffindor hastily said, but Theo decided that didn't make up for the story he had been interrupted for.

"Little lost, aren't you?"

Hermione tensed at the jab and she held her chin high. "I was just looking for my friends."

"You have friends?"

"It hardly matters to you anyway," the girl replied with her cheeks stained an angry red. "You would hardly care."

She slammed the door on her way out and Theo cursed under his breath when it shut upon his fingers. "Filthy Mudblood."

Draco had a prominent frown upon his face and Blaise had his mouth thinned to a line. But Vlad could only sit and think that perhaps Theo had deserved what he had been handed. Then, the information that Hermione had revealed made his chest stutter because it meant two things: Ron had indeed not arrived on the platform and neither had Harry.

News spread fast and by the time the express had come to a stop at Hogsmeade and all of the students had settled themselves for the feast, whispers were rampant about the missing Boy-Who-Lived. Vlad caught a few of them detailing how Harry had probably gotten into a fight with a troll again or he had been expelled for deciding to marry ten witches at the same time or he had chosen to become a hermit to live with hippogriffs for the rest of his life. But none of them seemed plausible and Vlad could hardly sit comfortably through the meal without remembering how terrible Harry's uncle had seemed.

Draco sensed Vlad's unease and, to the blond's credit, he tried to engage the young vampire in conversation. Vlad complied eventually, if to try to take his mind off his thoughts, but an unsettling feeling remained with him.

It was to his great relief and almost-satisfied amusement that a Howler arrived the next morning, declaring to the whole world that Harry and Ron and had indeed arrived – and in a flying car no less.

"Filthy blood traitor and Saint Potter are just out for attention again," Draco had sulked irritably over his breakfast. "They just can't get on the train like everybody else."

Vlad had decided to let the blond wallow; he had been far too pleased to see that nothing horrible had happened to Harry after Dobby's presence that night.

His mood was quickly crushed, though, when he found out that the famed wizard Gilderoy Lockhart would be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. Draco had scathingly wondered how on earth Vlad could be so late on the uptake; apparently everybody had known, especially after the man had made a scene about giving away his entire collection to Harry one day at Diagon. Draco informed Vlad about how he had been present that day and he could hardly believe how "completely full of it" Harry had apparently been.

Regardless of his growing frustration with Harry's constant attention-grabbing tendencies, Draco confessed that almost all of the Slytherins knew that Lockhart was a complete fraud. Even without his input, Vlad probably could have been able to tell. From the way the man busied himself so much with his image, it was difficult to imagine Lockhart dedicated much time to the study of magic at all.

It was just before Defense, in fact, that Draco decided it would be a good time for confrontation.

"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?"

"Draco," Vlad frowned warningly. But the blond ignored the young vampire.

Loud and scathing, Draco's voice echoed around the courtyard. He had stopped right behind Colin, the First Year boy who had been avidly begging for a photograph of Harry, with Vlad just beside him. The blond was not taking all of the attention directed towards Harry very well and a large part of Vlad was annoyed by Draco's inability to move beyond his jealousy. It seemed Draco was making an effort this year not to, but things could only improve so much so soon.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"No, I'm not," said Harry angrily, his fists clenching. "Shut up, Malfoy."

And Vlad was slightly surprised and happy to hear the defiance in Harry's tone. It meant that Harry was growing beyond this or at least standing up for himself. He had seemed so afraid back in his relatives' home that Vlad had almost forgotten the fierce independence Harry undertook once he was at Hogwarts. The young vampire was torn, of course, between his empathy towards Harry and his friendship with Draco. But at the moment, the best he could do was mediate.

"Draco, let's go. We're going to be late to Defense," Vlad urged, grasping the blond's arm.

"You're just jealous," piped up Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.

Vlad wanted to strangle the First Year because he had actually seen the acceptance in Draco's eyes for a brief moment. But then the boy spoke up and Draco snarled, "Jealous?" Half the courtyard was listening in at this point. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily.

"Be careful, Weasley," sneered Draco. "You don't want to start any trouble or your Mommy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice. "If you put another toe out of line' - "

"That's enough!" Vlad interrupted furiously.

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Draco, ignoring Vlad. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house -"

But then Lockhart swept in a flurry of flashing teeth and self-absorption, grasping Harry's shoulders in an effort to appear companionable with the famous Second Year. Vlad didn't waste the opportunity; he immediately grabbed Draco's sleeve and dragged him away from the courtyard.

"You should know better than to start something like that."

"What, are you on Potter's side?" Draco bit out. "Can't you see what an attention seeker he is?"

"Can't you see that he isn't?" Vlad snapped back in exasperation. "I'm not on his 'side', Draco. I'm just trying to help you so that you're not always frustrated about this anymore. It doesn't help anything and it just turns the school against us even more."

The Malfoy heir seemed prepared to erupt in self-indignation, but then he took a deep breath and tugged his lips into a pout. "We're going to be late for Defense."

They didn't touch the topic again for the rest of the way to the classroom and Vlad was visibly relieved when he saw Draco's face remain carefully blank even when the entire class saw Professor Lockhart haul Harry in like a trophy.

After strolling up to the front of the room, the man gave the class a cursory glance before settling upon Vlad in slight confusion. At first, the young vampire didn't understand why the professor was staring at him specifically. But then he realized, with a jolt, that it must be queer to see him sitting alone in the center of the classroom while the rest of the students sat on either side. The rest of the teachers had grown used to it and even the students had ceased to see it as an anomaly. It seemed to make sense after a while, especially when Vlad was already odd with his wandless abilities.

Lockhart did not dwell on it long, however. Instead, he flicked his wand at the board and elegantly sent pieces of chalk to spell his name in elegant cursive. "Me," he said, pointing at it and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most- Charming-Smile Award - but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"

He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books -well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in -"

When he had handed out the test papers he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes - start - now!"

Vlad had, unfortunately, read all of the books even though he had known they were all complete bullocks. They had been entertaining in their own ridiculous way and he was slightly embarrassed when he realized he actually knew all of the answers to the three-page long quiz entirely centered on the professor. It was even more embarrassing when he finished before the entire class and near humiliating when Lockhart declared him the only one who had "paid attention to all the detail."

Much to Vlad's horror, it seemed the man had decided to take a liking to him after his clear success on the exam and he was subjugated to the man's attention for the remainder of the lesson. Even as the pixies went out of hand and both he and Hermione fixed the situation, the professor declared Vlad a "one-of-a-kind" student and gave Slytherin a full thirty points for it.

It was a little unnerving to feel Hermione's full glare after the man neglected to mention her part in clearing up the mess; Vlad had heard she was one of Lockhart's fans.

The entire fiasco had pulled Draco out of his brooding mood and the blond spent the remainder of the day uproariously informing everybody who would listen about Vlad's new position as "teacher's pet."

~0~

It was about a week later when Draco spontaneously decided to announce during breakfast that he would be trying out for the Slytherin Quidditch team that year.

The others sitting around him looked up from their plates to look a little incredulously at the blond. The proclamation itself wasn't new; Draco had been saying such a thing ever since Harry had made Seeker his first year. But this time, there was a conviction in Draco's voice and the fact that it just so happened to be the day of the actual tryouts that had people believing him.

Vlad, on the other hand, was not surprised. From the time he had spent at the Malfoy manor over the summer, he had seen Draco's intent to be genuine. There were moments when the two took breaks from their respective activities and it was during those times that the blond would take up a broom and conduct some drills of his own. Rather than bothering to waste energy staring at Draco like the others, Vlad decided that it would be far more productive to continue reading the current passage he was reading regarding the effects of an invisibility charm on particular magical creatures.

"Really?" Daphne asked. "That's wonderful, Draco. What position?"

"Seeker," the blond replied decisively. "The spot is open this year."

"Seeker? Like Harry Potter?" Vlad had to struggle not to roll his eyes. Sometimes he wondered how on earth somebody like Goyle managed to make it beyond his first year.

Draco's voice was slightly tense. "Yes. Like Potter."

"I heard Vance was trying out too," Blaise said from the side, his tone carefully delicate. "He's fairly good."

This time, a smirk made its way on to Draco's face. "Let's just say I have an advantage."

And Vlad should have known that "advantage" was a set of new Nimbus Two Thousand and One brooms. How in bats name the Malfoy family had managed to get their hands on a model that wasn't even officially released to the public yet was slightly baffling and the fact that they were so willing to spend an exorbitant amount of money on something as frivolous as this made Vlad think the Malfoys were actually closer to the Dracula-spectrum of wealthy after all.

"Why don't you come watch the first practice; everybody else is," Draco suggested a few days later, dressed fully in his Quidditch uniform. "There's even a bonus: Flint managed to book the field during the Gryffindor team's time."

Vlad hardly thought that was a "bonus." But he realized that if he didn't go, there would most likely be more than a few unfriendly spells exchanged. "Let me get my bag first."

The young vampire had to struggle not to detach himself from the Slytherins when he saw Oliver Wood's face of shock and anger when they approached the field. He would stand by Draco – if to keep him out of trouble more than anything – but that didn't mean he liked it when he was being automatically classified as "one of them." Sometimes he believed that Slytherins encouraged the bad reputation they harbored.

Wood shot toward the ground in the middle of a drill, landing rather harder than he meant to in his anger, staggering slightly as he dismounted. Harry, Fred, and George followed. When Harry landed, he had a significant frown on his lips and his eyes widened a little when he spotted Vlad standing in normal school uniform amongst the other Slytherin players.

"Flint!" Wood bellowed at the Slytherin Captain. "This is our practice time! We got up specially! You can clear off now!"

Marcus Flint was even larger than Wood. He had a look of trollish cunning on his face as he replied, "Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

"But I booked the field!" said Wood, positively spitting with rage. "I booked it!"

"Ah," said Flint. "But I've got a specially signed note here from Professor Snape. `I, Professor S. Snape, give the Slytherin team permission to practice today on the Quidditch field owing to the need to train their new Seeker."'

"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"

Vlad could almost taste the smug pride Draco oozed when he stepped forward. He swept forward, his broom held fiercely in his hand and his eyes unwavering. It was, perhaps, one of the few moments Draco actually received the attention he had been looking for so long.

The young vampire wanted to slap a hand to his face in exasperation and wondered how he had managed to make a pompous idiot his very first friend.

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred, looking at Malfoy with dislike.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father," said Flint as the whole Slytherin team smiled still more broadly. "Let me show you the generous gift he's made to the Slytherin team."

All seven of them held out their broomsticks. Seven highly polished, brand-new handles and seven sets of fine gold lettering spelling the words Nimbus Two Thousand and One gleamed under the Gryffindors' noses in the early morning sun.

"Very latest model. Only came out last month," said Flint carelessly, flicking a speck of dust from the end of his own. "I believe it outstrips the old Two Thousand series by a considerable amount. As for the old Cleansweeps" - he smiled nastily at Fred and George, who were both clutching Cleansweep Fives - "sweeps the board with them."

Vlad's eyes flicked over to two figures making their way over across the field. He hadn't noticed them before, but it seemed Ron and Hermione had decided to watch Harry practice today. As they neared, he heard Ron question, "What's happening? Why aren't you playing? And what's he doing here?" He was staring at Draco in his Slytherin Quidditch robes.

"I'm the new Slytherin Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy, smugly. His eyes didn't miss Ron's sudden gaping mouth upon seeing the new brooms. "Do you like the new brooms?"

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to buy their way in," said Hermione sharply. "They got in on pure talent."

Vlad pursed his lips before snapping, "Hey, you don't know that."

Hermione looked at him, startled, as if she hadn't noticed him or expected the normally reticent Slytherin to speak up. Ron, on the other hand, was a little better acquainted with Vlad's ability to speak.

"So you really are siding with them? I thought you were a little different. You weren't so bad First Year."

"I was just going to watch practice," Vlad replied stiffly. "And I was just speaking the truth. They –" he pointed to the Slytherin team, " – try harder than you give them credit for."

Hermione seemed genuinely remorseful and Harry a little taken aback. But Draco spoke suddenly, sneering, "It wasn't as if anybody was asking for your opinion anyway, Mudblood."

There was an immediate uproar. Flint had to dive in front of Malfoy to stop Fred and George jumping on him, one of the Gryffindor girls shrieked, "How dare you!"; and Ron plunged his hand into his robes, pulled out his wand, yelling, "You'll pay for that one, Malfoy!" and pointed it furiously under Flint's arm at Malfoys face.

Vlad shouted, "Wait, don't!" He had seen Ron's wand several times during classes and the poor thing was, quite frankly, a useless wreck at this point. No wizard should carry around a wand that had already been snapped in two. But He hadn't spoken quickly enough and a sickly blue spell shot backwards, sending Ron sprawling into the grass.

"Ron! Ron! Are you all right?" squealed Hermione.

Ron opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. Instead he gave an almighty belch and several slugs dribbled out of his mouth onto his lap.

The Slytherin team were paralyzed with laughter. Flint was doubled up, hanging onto his new broomstick for support. Malfoy was on all fours, banging the ground with his fist. The Gryffindors were gathered around Ron, who kept belching large, glistening slugs. Nobody seemed to want to touch him.

Vlad had just about had enough. Why anybody would kick this much fuss over Quidditch in the first place was beyond him and he wanted to punch the living sunlight out of Draco because this could have been avoided had he not insulted Hermione. He was used to the blond slurring muggleborns as Mudbloods and he saw it very much akin to the way his family normally dubbed humans Breathers. Before today, he had never actually seen the word directed at a muggleborn and had no idea that it was such an affront.

While everybody was either paralyzed in laughter or disgust, Vlad moved and crouched next to Ron. Harry moved with surprising synchronicity and they both found themselves kneeling beside the slug-coated redhead.

"We should take him to Hagrid's," Harry said. "It's closest and maybe we can stop the slugs there."

"Let me try something first," Vlad insisted. "I might know a way to reverse this." He watched Harry, waiting for permission first because he had not forgotten that as odd and sparse as their interactions had been so far, they were still from two very different crowds.

Harry didn't even hesitate before nodding his head. "Go ahead."

Vlad couldn't help but smile a little at that. Harry was simple: either he trusted you or he didn't and it warmed the young vampire to think that he was one of the trusted even after he had tumbled into the other boy's room one spontaneous summer night. He gave a nod back in confirmation and turned to Ron.

"Hey, you aren't actually going to help the idiot, are you?" Flint asked, still chortling behind his glove. "The sod did this to himself. Leave him be."

"What I do or don't do is my business," Vlad snapped. "So either you leave me alone or help me fix this."

The Slytherins quieted a little after that. It seemed that they had not expected such a reply. Instead, the captain signaled for them to keep moving and they shot into the air to practice. Draco lingered a little, almost hesitating. But then he looked away and followed the rest of the Slytherins.

Vlad didn't dwell on it too much. He shouldn't have expected Draco to stay. He actually liked the crowd he was in; his family had made it so. The young vampire knew he was still had a ways to go in terms of helping the blond see reason, but a small part of him was disappointed.

Instead of brooding, he focused on his current patient. "Hey, Ron, look at me." The redhead managed to glance up once before he was curled over and spitting out slugs again. Vlad sighed, waving Harry and Hermione closer, only vaguely aware of the rest of the Gryffindor team watching them. "I need you guys to hold his head up properly and looking at me. Good. Just hold him there."

Vlad had half a mind to hypnotize Ron to stop barfing up slugs, but that would be an unstable fix. What would happen if the hypnotism someday wore off? He couldn't afford that, so he tried to recall exactly what he had read regarding this particular hex.

He couldn't quite remember the words, but the description he could. The spell was centered at the stomach itself, weaving itself into the fluids before inducing one to feel nauseous. Once the victim was appropriately heaving up what was inside the stomach, the magic transfigured the fluids into slugs upon passing the throat. That was the only redeeming part of the spell for if the transfiguration happened any sooner, Ron would be filled with slugs and not upchucking them every few minutes.

So Vlad focused his intent upon Ron's stomach, feeling for the magic concentrated there, and snapped his fingers while murmuring, "Finite Incantatum."

Considering the young vampire had never done this before, he half expected Ron to continue choking. But when the redhead gasped aloud and nothing came forth but air, Vlad grinned in silent victory. He heard Hermione release a relieved breath and Harry exclaim, "You did it!"

Vlad looked up and motioned towards Ron. "I think I've stopped the spell, but it's probably a good idea to bring him up to the Hospital Wing just in case and have him looked over."

Harry and Hermione were more than willing to do so, but the rest of the Gryffindor team volunteered their own services as well. In the end, all of the Gryffindors decided on a trip to the Madame Pomfrey's, smiling and joking about the entire thing as if not two seconds ago they had been arguing fiercely with the Slytherins. It was so different a dynamic from the one his housemates practiced that Vlad couldn't help but stare a little.

"Hey."

Vlad turned to see Harry the only one still lingering behind, a grin still on his face. "Thank you for doing that. You didn't have to."

"I just wanted to help. I didn't exactly want all of that to happen."

"I know that," Harry seemed in thought. "Which makes me wonder why…"

"Why I hang around them? They're Slytherins. I'm a Slytherin. It's a little unavoidable."

"But you're so different. You don't laugh at us like they do. You don't try to sabotage us in Potions, you don't sneer at us, you just – don't. You're a good person."

And while that made Vlad happier than he had been in a while – it just proof that he was not on his way to becoming a full-fledged vampire – he shook his head. "So are they. You know, the rest of my House isn't as bad as you think they are."

Harry clearly did not agree, but he stayed silent and allowed an impasse in their conversation rather than voicing his opinion.

Vlad decided to take advantage of it. "I never asked, but…are you okay?"

The Gryffindor shot him a confused look. "Yeah?"

"I mean how did it go after…"

Harry did not seem any closer to understanding.

Vlad sighed. "Dobby?"

Comprehension bloomed over the other boy's face and he immediately sobered. "It was okay."

The young vampire didn't want to push, but he knew better than most that keeping some things in wasn't exactly the best way to go. "Your uncle didn't exactly sound like the nicest person."

"He wasn't happy. I was – um – grounded. Almost didn't make it to Hogwarts but Fred and George and Ron managed to help me and…I'm sorry I just don't really want to talk about it."

Vlad frowned, but decided that was the best he was going to get. He had honestly gotten more than most would have considering.

"I'd better head up to see Ron," Harry finally muttered after a long pause, shifting a little awkwardly. "I'll see you."

Vlad nodded and watched Harry run towards the castle, wondering what this year had in store for the Boy-Who-Lived this time.

~0~

"You're angry with me."

It wasn't a question and Vlad didn't think it was worth looking up at Draco for. He merely continued to rub Nox, running his fingers through the midnight black fur.

"It's about earlier isn't it."

Nox yowled and leapt out of Vlad's reach as if to make the young vampire bereft of an excuse to ignore his friend.

"Maybe," Vlad replied.

"I think Weasley deserved it for trying to hex me."

"And maybe he did," Vlad shrugged. "But that was not the point."

Draco ground his teeth in frustration. "Then what is?"

"I don't think it was necessary to call Hermione a Mudblood."

"But she is!"

Vlad leveled a glare at the blond. "Really? Because I'm pretty sure there are more than a few other terms to call her."

"Like snob of a bookworm?"

"This isn't funny, Draco!" Vlad burst out angrily, allowing his voice to carry through their dormitory. The rest of the boys were out in the Common Room; it was rare for the others to come in to bed early and Vlad sometimes appreciated the solitude. "We could have avoided all of that, all of the arguing and the anger and everything, if you'd just stopped! I've told you before: it's strange how fascinated you are with ruining somebody else's day. Why couldn't you just let it go? I hope you realize that the entire school hates us because you – and others! – look for a fight."

"So what, you'd just have me stand there while the Gryffindors laugh at me, make fun of me? This is goes both ways: they ridicule us just as much!"

"Well then we should be the better men and not stoop to that level!"

"I hope you realize you're the strange one," Draco said harshly. "You're the only one who thinks that. Everybody else knows that Gryffindors and Slytherins don't get along –"

"And how would you know that?" Vlad retorted angrily. "It's not like you ever tried. You can defend yourself all you want, Draco. All I'm asking is that you don't start it."

"That's ridiculous!"

"So what are you going to do, follow the rest of them? Just be another stereotypical Slytherin? I thought you could change, Draco. There's a reason why I'm friends with you."

And didn't that get the Malfoy heir's attention. He looked like a gaping fish, opening and then closing his mouth a few times before spluttering, "We're friends?"

Vlad blinked, a little flustered now. "Well – I thought –"

"Oh dear, am I interrupting?"

Both Draco and Vlad visibly flinched at the disembodied voice and turned to see the Bloody Baron floating through the nearby wall. Draco immediately paled; he had always had an irrational fear of the ghost. Vlad, on the other hand, scowled.

"So sorry," the ghost drawled. "But I'm afraid I need to borrow Mr. Dracula for a moment."

Vlad was reluctant to acquiesce, but Draco all but ran out the door. It was most likely due to his intense discomfort around the Bloody Baron, but the young vampire had a feeling the blond was also eager to leave their discussion.

"I would tell you that you're wasting your time on that boy, but I know you wouldn't listen," the Bloody Baron murmured a few moments after they were left to themselves. "If, perhaps, he did not have the family that he does or the influences that he has grown up with, you might have had a chance."

"I wouldn't be so quick to judge." Vlad refused to believe the ghost. If that was true of Draco, what did that mean for him, a descendent of a long line of bloodthirsty vampires?

The Baron was perceptive enough to let the subject drop. Instead, he floated a little closer to Vlad's form and held out an envelope.

"Is that a letter?"

The ghost seemed to have to struggle not to snap something smart back. "It is. Take it."

Vlad was a little lost as to how he was supposed to take a transparent letter, but he did as he was asked. Moving forward, he reached out and brushed his fingers over the envelope. The sensation he experienced was akin to a slight tingling as his hand somehow found a grip on it and he pulled it close, opening the seal and pulling out the letter inside.

It took the young vampire a few moments to digest what he was reading. "Ghosts celebrate the day they died?" It was uncomfortably close to what vampires did. They too celebrated the day they left behind their mortal bindings.

"It is not that much different from celebrating birthdays."

"But that's the day you died. I hardly would have thought it was something people celebrated."

The Baron crossed his arms. "People do not, no. But it has become something of a tradition amongst ghosts. Quite frankly, the more viciously you died, the more reason to celebrate."

Well, Vlad had heard stranger things. "So why am I invited? I'm not dead."

"Why you insist on this façade of humanity is beyond me," the ghost mused as if he were entertaining a humorous but ridiculous notion. "Sometimes I think you forget you are a vampire."

"But I'm not dead."

"Quite right. You are, in fact, undead."

Vlad sighed. "You mean alive."

"No, undead. There is a distinct difference between the two."

It was pointless to argue with the Baron; Vlad had long since learned that the ghost was difficult to convince. "It doesn't really matter, does it? I just want to know why you invited me to your deathday."

"Celebrations bore me. Inviting you will make it amusing. Especially since you will be going as a vampire."

"What?" Vlad looked incredulously at the Bloody Baron. "Do you really think I am going to go just for your amusement? And as a vampire? I am just a normal student here and I'm not even a vampire yet."

The ghost was almost awash with victory. "Ah, but you are. If I recall, you owe me a few favors from last year. Two, to be exact."

The young vampire blinked uncomprehendingly for a moment before he closed his eyes and groaned. This was what he got for trying to help Draco with the dragon and sneaking to through the trapdoor last year with the ghost's help. And he had no doubt that if he didn't, the Baron would reveal Vlad's secret to everybody who would be willing to listen.

"Fine," Vlad bit out, forcing the words past his teeth. "But I mean it when I say I'm not a vampire…or at least not a fully-fledged one yet. How do you expect me to play vampire?"

"I don't expect you to 'play vampire.' Just come as you are. Formal attire, of course, but you don't need to worry about the other details." The smile on the ghost's face was – for lack of a better word – haunting. "I just need you to acknowledge that you are one during the party."

Everything about this screamed danger, but Vlad had no choice.

He could only hope luck was on his side this time around.

Yay I got a chapter out after school started :) I was working on this and I was going to upload it a few days ago, but then I realized it was too short haha and I ended up combining and cutting out some parts.

Thank you to all my reviewers again! I always love reading them.

Small detail, but the reason why Vlad doesn't shiver like most people when he touches a ghost and feels a small tingling instead is because he is a vampire. Cold is hardly a problem for them and he is used to the drastic change in temperature, living with his undead father and everything. I'm sure he's shaken his own fair share of freezing cold hands.

This chapter was, admittedly, something of a filler chapter. I had to have something to bring him back to Hogwarts though and this was easing him back in (if "easing" is really the word for it). I was also planning on deviating the story quite a bit starting in this book, but I think I might hold off on that and stick to the HP storyline a bit more until Third Year for plot reasons. Or I might not. I still haven't decided.

Till next time!