I don't own Hellsing or Harry Potter, and I'm not making any money from this.

-What's this one?-

Mihnea looked at the symbol Ylenia was pointing at. "That's the treble cleft."

The tiny girl in his lap pursed her lips thoughtfully, bringing her hands up to sign again.

-This one?-

He looked. "That's called an accidental." He explained. "It changes the pitch of the note next to it." Mihnea gestured to the symbol on the sheet music they were studying. "Do you remember what pitch is?"

Ylenia took a moment to think about it, her face a vision of seriousness. –It's how high or low the note is?- She signed.

"Very good." He praised, and patted her on the head. "See? You'll be able to read music in no time. It's not that hard."

The girl frowned, not looking convinced. –How do you remember it all?-

"You have to practice." Mihnea told her. "If you work with it a little every day, it gets easier and easier until you don't have to think about it anymore." He gently poked a finger into her cheek. "Just like talking with your hands."

That book on sign language he'd been reading at school had been a god send. With few other options for communication, Ylenia had quickly picked up signing as the most efficient way of expressing herself. There was writing as well – in the event she needed to say something she didn't know the gestures for yet – but six year olds weren't the best spellers and there were always words that she hadn't learned yet. In the event of a complete communication break-down, the girl had learned to think really hard at one of the vampires until she got her point across. Once they determined what it was she was trying to say, they would sign it back to her so she'd remember it in the future. His parents were adamant about keeping mental communication to a minimum to prevent Ylenia from becoming lazy in her studies.

Mihnea suspected that the girl's near constant barrage of questions would eventually become annoying, but for now he found it a novel way to pass the time. As the only child in the manor, she was probably bored to tears. Not that she didn't receive attention from her newly adopted family, but the adults usually had work to keep them busy. His being home for a week gave Ylenia a playmate to spend time with. Once he was sufficiently recovered from his injuries to get out of bed long enough to do so, of course.

The first couple of days had seen them watching Dr. Who marathons in bed while he fielded questions about what was going on in the show. Once he was cleared to leave the medical ward, Ylenia started following him around. She always asked some variation of the same questions – What's that? What's this? What does that mean? What does this do? It might have been more irritating except that Ylenia seemed to understand when she was pushing too much and would back off.

She also seemed to understand that some topics were off limits. Mihnea couldn't decide if that was due to the girl thinking he didn't want to relive the event, or if it was because it reminded her of bad memories of her own. He also couldn't decide whether it was good or bad that he could silently bond with a six year old over their shared experience of being attacked by a werewolf.

He was pulled out of his thoughts by an insistent tap on his arm.

-Will you teach me?- Ylenia signed, looking up at him expectantly.

"How to play?" He asked. At her nod, he went on. "I can, but we'll have to wait until school lets out for the summer. You can practice scales with mum until I get back."

-Promise?-

"I promise." He told her with a light chuckle. "But you still have to practice while I'm not here, okay?"

Ylenia bobbed her head enthusiastically and he had to laugh at her eagerness.

"Are you bothering Mihnea again?"

The voice caused both of them to turn and look toward the doorway. Rebecca stood there with her hands planted on her hips and an expression on her face that was half stern and half amused. Mihnea set the sheet music they were looking at to the side.

"It's alright, Becca." He told her. "She's not bothering me."

-He said he'll teach me to play music!- Ylenia signed happily.

"Did he?" The woman asked. Her expression softened and she dropped her arms. "That's very nice of him, isn't it? But you know he's home now because he got hurt. You need to let him have some time to rest too."

Ylenia's shoulders slumped and her lips twisted into a pout. –I know.-

Rebecca nodded at her. "Come on then." She said with an insistent gesture. "Say goodnight and then we'll find a book to read once you're tucked in."

The girl wasn't at all pleased at their playtime being interrupted. She tried to negotiate her way out of it, but Rebecca wouldn't be moved. She had grown accustomed to Mihnea and Connie's protestations over the years and had learned how to resist even the most impressive displays of 'puppy dog eyes' that were thrown in her direction. Ylenia eventually gave up her arguing and wrapped her arms around him in a hug before climbing down from his lap. Rebecca smiled as she took her hand, then looked back up at him.

"And you, sir, have a visitor."

Mihnea's face went slack. "Visitor?"

"Your Headmaster is here." She clarified. "He's been meeting with Sir Integra and the others in the conference room downstairs. They've asked for you to join them."

"Oh." He said, feeling slightly confused. He hadn't been expecting a visit from Dumbledore, but he supposed it wasn't that odd given the circumstances. He nodded and pushed himself off the edge of his bed. "Alright."

Rebecca escorted Ylenia down the hall to get her ready for bed, whilst Mihnea slipped on his shoes to go downstairs. He trekked through the house, not stopping until he reached the conference room where everyone was. The sound of muffled voices that escaped through the gaps in the door frame came to an abrupt halt when he knocked. With his presence properly announced, he pushed open the door and stepped inside.

Aunt Integra, Uncle Edmund, and his parents were seated at opposite ends of the oval table in the center of the room with Professor Dumbledore positioned in the middle between them. The Headmaster smiled kindly when he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"It's nice to see you on your feet again." He said. "You're looking much better than the last time I saw you."

Mihnea nodded in acknowledgement, then looked around at the others' faces. Uncle Edmund was thoughtfully rubbing his chin and Aunt Integra was taking long drags from her cigar with a deep frown on her face. Alucard was slumped down in his chair with his legs outstretched; the heels of his boots balanced on the edge of table. It was a casual posture belied by the fact that if he didn't consider this important, he wouldn't have been there. He met his mother's eyes and took in the scowl on her face. Something wasn't right here.

He turned his gaze back to Dumbledore. "What's wrong?"

The older man's smile tightened a hair. "As astute as ever, I see." He commented before folding his hands. "I'm afraid I do have a reason for coming here tonight. There are a few things we need to discuss."

That didn't sound good. Mihnea felt a twinge of anxiousness creep into his mind. Syn sighed and gestured for him to approach the table.

"Baby, sit down." She instructed.

Mihnea dutifully dropped down into the seat across from Dumbledore and waited for an explanation. The headmaster cleared his throat.

"I received an urgent message from Kingsley earlier this afternoon regarding a report made to the Ministry." He began. He picked up a folded piece of parchment that was lying on the table and extended it out to him. "They plan to send this out by owl first thing in the morning, but I felt it was in everyone's best interests to inform you of it immediately."

The boy's brows furrowed. He eyed the paper warily as he reached out to take it. He slowly unfolded it and began reading.

To: The parents of Mihnea Vidraru Bassarab

Greetings,

I am writing to you today in regards to an alleged incident that occurred at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It has come to our attention via an anonymous report that former Professor Remus John Lupin, a known werewolf, had a physical altercation with a student during the last full moon. Upon further investigation, we have come to believe that the student in question was your son.

The Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures takes all reports of this nature very seriously. It is my duty to inform you of a recent update in our legal requirements. In cases of injury sustained during a werewolf attack, the injured party is now required by law to submit to testing to determine infection status. Given the circumstances surrounding the alleged incident, your son will also be required to submit responses to a series of questions which we will use to determine the exact nature of the attack and any additional measures that need to be taken going forward. As your son is currently underage, a parent or legal guardian must be in attendance during these proceedings and a selection of witnesses will be present to ensure compliance.

We understand the sensitive nature of this matter and you may rest assured that any information obtained during these proceedings will be kept in strictest confidence as provided for in Section 387-23-405 et seq. of the Ordinance Concerning Non-Human Magical Beings of 1357, as amended. If you are unfamiliar with your rights under magical law, an informational scroll can be provided upon request.

I await your owl and look forward to working with you to settle this matter as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Cassandra Ellard

Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures

Being Division

Ministry of Magic

The trickle of anxiety he felt earlier transformed into a wave of coldness that washed over his senses. Mihnea stared down at the letter in his hands, reading through it a second and then a third time just to assure himself that he understood what he was seeing.

"How… did they find out?" He asked slowly.

"There was an argument between Severus and Remus which was overheard by a couple of students." Dumbledore told him. "It didn't take long for the story to get around."

He went on to explain that the whole affair had stemmed from a misunderstanding on Professor Lupin's part. Something had given him the impression that Snape knew more than he actually did and inadvertently revealed Mihnea's involvement the night of Sirius Black's escape. Naturally, when the Potions Master learned the real reason he had been sent home, he was furious. And because Dumbledore hadn't informed him of what was going on, he was angry with him as well. Hoping to gain the advantage of numbers, he had gone directly to Professor McGonagall with his concerns, and the two of them confronted the Headmaster together to demand answers. It sounded like Dumbledore had impressed the seriousness of the situation upon them while revealing as little as possible, but Mihnea wasn't stupid. It would be foolish to expect something like that to hold up to their scrutiny for long.

He had expected a certain amount of questioning from his fellow students when he returned to school, but this went far beyond anything he could have imagined. He fought to keep a stoic expression on his face as he absorbed all the information he was given. Sucking in a deep breath, Mihnea glanced back down at the parchment, focusing in on the part about Lupin being a 'former' professor.

"Professor Lupin was… fired?" He asked.

The Headmaster shook his head. "He resigned." He told him. "I was loath to accept it, but after discussing the matter we agreed it was better for him to submit it before the inevitable backlash that would occur when the parents found out." He paused with a frown. "None of us expected the Ministry to get involved. Especially like this."

Aunt Integra sighed and balanced her cigar on the edge of her ashtray before bringing up a hand to pinch the bridge of her nose beneath her glasses. "This is going to be a mess, Dumbledore." She muttered. "What are our options here?"

The Headmaster looked in her direction. "There aren't many. Refusal to comply with the Ministry's requirements will be seen as an admission that you have something to hide. Not to mention that if their questions go unanswered, Remus will most likely be sent to Azkaban."

Mihnea gave a start. "Azkaban!?" He exclaimed. "They'd send him to prison on a rumor they can't prove?"

"A rumor that he attacked and injured a student." Dumbledore reminded him calmly. "Werewolves are seen as extremely dangerous and are shunned by society for that very reason. Given the increase in werewolf activity lately – and the attacks against magical children – such a rumor is more than enough to have him incarcerated."

"But it wasn't like that!" He insisted. "He doesn't deserve to go to prison for something he can't control!"

To his left, Syn sniffed. "I think it could be argued that he could have controlled himself had he taken the potion you made for him." She pointed out.

Mihnea whirled to face her. "So he should go to jail because he made a mistake?" He challenged.

The redhead winced. "I didn't say…"

He turned back to his Aunt before she could finish. "I'll do it." He said resolutely. "I'll take their test and answer their questions. Whatever I have to do. I'll go back and do it."

"Now wait a minute!" His mother protested. "This is a complex situation! You can't just jump into…"

"No, mum, listen to me!" Mihnea interrupted, refusing to back down. "He's a good man. He's helped me a lot and I trust him. And I… I almost killed him by accident." His words broke off and he swallowed. "Please. I need to do this."

Syn immediately closed her mouth and a pained, yet understanding expression crossed her features. She looked toward his Aunt and Uncle, who were talking quietly to each other, both looking surprised by his outburst. Mihnea didn't usually put his foot down so aggressively with his family, but he couldn't help it. The injustice of the outcome Dumbledore put forward was unacceptable. And even if it was unintentional, knowing that his actions had helped bring this about gave him the overwhelming feeling that he had to do something to fix it – consequences be damned.

Seeing how strongly he felt about the matter left an impression on the adults. Uncle Edmund questioned whether it would be possible for him to attend this Ministry investigation as his guardian, since Syn obviously couldn't go herself. It was a lot of logistical talk that Mihnea only half listened to. His attention had been drawn to his father. Alucard had been silently listening to most of the conversation thus far, but the moment Mihnea raised his voice in protest, the vampire dropped his feet from the table and sat upright to study him. While the others argued over strategy and tactics, the No Life King locked eyes with him and something unnamable passed between them.

"You feel strongly about this." He commented, speaking in his native tongue so that only Mihnea would understand.

He gave his father a firm nod. "I do." He replied in kind.

Alucard hummed thoughtfully, dragging a finger across his lips. Finally, he inclined his head and cleared his throat.

"Master?"

The conversation around them halted and Sir Integra turned to regard him with a question in her eye.

The vampire gave her a smirk. "I believe I may have a solution to our problem."

At precisely 8:00 a.m. the next morning, Mihnea flooed into the Headmaster's office. Once the bright green flames receded, he brushed the scant amounts of soot from his jeans and button down shirt before stepping out into the room. Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall stood off to the side, speaking to two men and a woman he hadn't seen before. Judging from the style of their robes, they were probably the officials from the Ministry. He blinked at the number of people in the room.

"Are we lat…?"

His words were cut off by a high-pitched squeal as another form shot out of the fireplace and hit him in the back, sending them both toppling over. The pair hit the ground with a thud.

"Oof!"

"Damn it, Seras!" Mihnea exclaimed. "What were you running for? It's not a bleeding race!"

"How was I supposed to know!? It was a fire!"

"A fire that doesn't burn, you idiot!" Mihnea struggled against the weight on top of him. "Get off!"

The blonde woman scrambled off of him with an apology and the two of them pushed themselves up from the floor. He reached out a hand to help her when she wobbled, trying to recover her balance in spite of the high-heeled, suede boots on her feet. Mihnea had tried to warn her not to wear them. Seras looked around sheepishly at the odd looks they were getting.

"Um, sorry about that." She said, rubbing the back of her head with a nervous laugh. "First time flyer!"

Mihnea's eyes rolled up to the ceiling. "It's a floo, Seras. There's no flying involved."

"Oh, whatever." She said, making a face at him. "You know what I mean."

Dumbledore chucked at their interaction. "Flooing can be confusing if you've never done it before." He told her reassuringly. "You did well for your first time."

Seras' cheeks pinked with embarrassment, but she thanked him for at least being nice about it. Snape and McGonagall exchanged a look before the Potions Master cleared his throat and arched a curious brow at Mihnea. The boy recognized the unspoken question at once.

"Right." He said, reaching for the blonde's hand to pull her over. "Seras, this is Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall." He pointed each of them out before turning back to his teachers. "This is my sister, Seras Victoria."

She smiled brightly and stuck out her hand in greeting. "It's nice to meet you."

Snape studied her hand for a moment before reaching out to give it a polite shake. His dark eyes flicked downward when their skin touched, but otherwise he showed no outward reaction. When Seras moved along to shake hands with McGonagall, he stepped over to Mihnea's left side and gave him a sideways look.

"Sister?" He asked quietly.

"Older sister." Mihnea confirmed.

The Potions Master sniffed and continued to shoot small glances back and forth between the two, as if trying to figure out how one sibling could be tall, lean, and dark haired, while the other was blonde, voluptuous, and surprisingly short.

"How do you do?" McGonagall greeted Seras politely. "You've never used the floo before?"

"Afraid not." Seras admitted. She pointed to herself. "I'm not a witch, so I've never had to travel that way before."

"Ah, I see." McGonagall said nonchalantly, but the woman from the Ministry gave a surprised start.

"You're a muggle?" She asked, blinking at her.

Seras turned to give her a weird look. "Um…I suppose so." She said carefully. "Is that a problem?"

The older woman seemed to realize how she sounded and waved her hands through the air. "Oh! No! No problem." She assured her. "I just didn't realize…"

"I fail to see what the magical status of my children has to do with anything." A deep, rich baritone voice intoned from the fireplace.

Everyone turned toward the sound to see the tall, smartly dressed man that had just come through the floo. Alucard had elected to forgo the more 'flamboyant' elements of clothing he usually wore and had dressed instead in a neatly tailored, black, three piece suit with a deep charcoal overcoat draped over his shoulders. His inky hair was long today, nearly to his waist, and swept elegantly back from his face to cascade down his back. He lifted a gloved hand to slide his tinted sunglasses down his nose and folded them before tucking them away in an interior pocket of his coat. The eyes underneath were a warm shade of brown – glamoured to hide their usual blood red color.

The woman from the Ministry simpered guiltily. "I'm so sorry, sir. I meant no offense."

Alucard shot a disinterested look down his nose at her, then turned his attention to Dumbledore. "I apologize for my tardiness." He said. "My… employer wished to have a word before I left."

The Headmaster waved him off. "I understand, Alucard. It's no trouble." He told him. "We were just now making introductions." He gestured to the two heads of houses standing near him. "Professor Minerva McGonagall, my Deputy Headmistress."

The No Life King stepped forward and gallantly took her hand. "Madam." He greeted.

She nodded in acknowledgement, looking pleased with his manner of address, then stepped back.

"And Professor Severus Snape." Dumbledore went on. "Our Potions Master and head of Slytherin House."

"Ah, yes." Alucard intoned as Snape stepped forward. "I've heard all about you."

Great. Mihnea thought with a wince. From the side-eye Snape gave him, he imagined he was going to get a talking to about that. As if he wasn't already, he reminded himself. Neither man seemed particularly interested in shaking hands, choosing instead to simply study each other intently.

"Seras." Alucard called out, not breaking eye contact with Snape.

The draculina snapped to attention. "Sir?"

Without moving his head, Alucard flicked his gaze at her, then over toward the door, a silent signal that spurred her into action. Seras nodded in understanding.

"Would you mind if I stepped out to have a word with Connie for a bit?" She asked, addressing the Headmaster. "Her mum asked me to bring something for her since we were coming today."

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Of course, Ms. Seras. That won't be a problem." He replied. "I believe Miss Stryker would be in the Great Hall for breakfast about now."

Seras thanked him and made her way toward the door that would take her out of the office. Professor McGonagall peered at the Headmaster quizzically then took a couple of steps forward, pointedly clearing her throat.

"Would you like me to escort you?" She offered. "It's very easy for newcomers to get lost…"

Seras interrupted her with a wave. "Oh, that's alright, I can find my way." She paused to look at Mihnea. "Four rights, two lefts, and watch out for the trick step?"

Mihnea nodded. "And mind the staircases!" He called out as she slipped through the door. "They like to move around with no warning!"

The only acknowledgement the draculina gave of hearing his instructions was an arm thrust back through the opening of the door to flash him a thumbs up sign. It disappeared within seconds and the door closed.

It was time to face the music.

A.N: The original plan was for this and the next two chapters to be a single chapter, but it just kept growing and growing until I decided that they needed to be split up into smaller pieces. I realize this one is on the shorter side, but it was the best cut off point I had. The next two installments will be longer, I promise.

Sorry about the huge delay. Work is insanely busy this time of year and it's probably going to stay that way for the next couple of months. I should be able to do more regular updates around mid-April. (crosses fingers)

Please leave a review and let me know what you think!