Chapter 6

Last Time:

He awoke to a weight on his legs. Opening his eyes, he looked up into the grinning face of Penelope.

"Good morning, Dominus!"

Harry wasn't quite sure what to say and before his brain could throw up something, Cassandra was laughing beside him.

"Harry is your father now, my love."

Penelope giggled, "I know that."

"Then please call me father, or Harry," he added with a smile.

She had nodded solemnly, giggled and then raced off…apparently the villa's goat had given birth to a kid and Penelope wanted to see it.

"She is a smart child," Harry offered with a grin.

"She is…come husband we have much to do if we are to leave tomorrow."

oOoOo

Rome still stank.

He was seriously tempted to start casting bubblehead charms as he and his entourage made their way to the domus of Publius Sexta. The wizard (Magus, whatever, he would have to decide soon), lived on the slope of the Caelian Hill. It was clearly a fashionable residential part of the city if the houses and shops were anything to go by.

"Here we are," Quintus said, pointing to a door where a slave could be seen keeping an eye on those passing by. He straightened when he saw the party approaching. He was a rather bulky fellow with short blond hair and a neatly trimmed beard.

"We are here to see Publius Sexta," announced Quintus.

The slave nodded politely, "My master has many visitors..." He paused, clearly waiting for names, so that he could pass them on.

"Harry Potter and party," replied Quintus, before Harry could.

"Ah, yes. The Dominus mentioned that you should be here today. Please wait here and I shall announce you." He ducked back into the small enclosure and disappeared through a small door. A few moments later the heavy front door opened. But, instead of a slave, it was Publius Sexta himself.

"Come in, come in…you have made good time my friend," he gestured for Harry and presumably the others to follow.

"It was a quick journey and Quintus led us straight to your door," Harry replied as he took Cassandra's hand as she led a wide-eyed Penelope along. She was staring at the richly decorated building in awe as her mother tried to keep her moving.

"Which is a blessing in these dangerous times," replied Publius.

He led them into a beautiful peristyle garden where a woman in her early thirties stood with two young girls around Penelope's age.

"Let me introduce my wife Julia and my daughters Julia Major and Julia Minor," he saw Harry's wry smile and laughed. "I know, but it is a family name. My wife is the Julia of the household, and the girls are unofficially called Lia and Min." He pointed to the girls as he named them. "Perhaps your Penelope might join the girls, I believe that they are tending the garden at the moment."

"I will stay and help husband," Cassandra offered as Penelope began chatting with the two girls.

Publius led Harry to a well-appointed office and shut the door, "Your wife is most perceptive, my new friend."

"She is, how did…ah Gaius sent a message?"

"Just so," replied Publius as he gestured for Harry to take a seat. "Wine?"

Harry accepted the well-watered wine that Publius poured him. "You must forgive me for not letting you recover from the trip before talking business. Unfortunately matters have taken a turn for the worse."

"What happened?" Harry asked as he took a sip of the wine. It was rather refreshing and a decent vintage. Another indicator that Publius was a wealthy man.

"One of our agents, a Greek tutor, was killed along with his family. The same day he reported that there was a new and dangerous element in the city." Publius explained, his expression grim. "Gordian was a good man and a skilled Magus. Whoever it was that killed him did so by magical means. It was done openly and messily…the authorities have become concerned. The conclave has been asked to find these renegades and end their threat."

"Which we suspected," mused Harry. "But why did the murderer act so publicly? That's just stupid unless the whole point was for it to be seen. If you feared that you'd been discovered by an enemy, you don't go and announce that they were right by burning their house down." He didn't say it, but he also felt a flash of worry about his people. If the bad guys were willing to kill openly…that would put them at risk. He'd need to set up some pretty good defences.

Something about his thoughts must have shown on his face because Publius considered him carefully before speaking, "You are worried about your wife and child?"

"I am, I can rig…create some strong defences but it will take a bit of time," Harry explained.

"Well on that I have some good news. Although how good depends on if it is true. Gordian lived in and kept an eye on the Suburra," seeing Harry's blank look he explained. "The Suburra is one of the poorer parts of the city. It's a crowded mix of the plebs, foreigners and freedmen."

"Plenty of places to hide," said Harry. "And the authorities aren't likely to be looking too closely at the goings on there. Until magi start killing people."

"Worse, the locals can be quite tight lipped if they think of these killers as locals," explained Publius. "They might be in Suburra and we would struggle to find them. But they also might find it harder to blend in elsewhere."

Harry wasn't entirely sure on that count. Glamours and a straight up disguise might allow someone to move easily through crowded Roman streets.

Publius rubbed his chin, "Although we might not have to. One person survived the killings. An eight-year-old, the daughter of a freedman who was doing some frescoes in the household. He was killed in his sleep, Gordian had him and his daughter living in the domus while he was working. We think that she saw one of the killers, but the poor thing is quite traumatised and all that she has told us is that he wore a toga with a purple stripe, and he was 'angry'. Not much to go on."

"A purple stripe, the toga praetexta. Which means that this potential killer could potentially be a senator or worse a magistrate," Harry said with a shake of his head.

"Or a priest or someone dressed as one," suggested Publius.

"Great, so what now?"

"Now we start looking at who might have links to these magi. I'll be your voice in the conclave and you'll be our hunter. This has a lot of attention, Pompeius mentioned you privately to a few select ears in the senate. Which hopefully means that we will get some cooperation from the senate."

Harry had to admit that the idea of official help was something that sounded promising…unless their mystery man was part of officialdom.

"On a happier note, the conclave has provided quite a nice domus for you and your household. It belonged to Lucius Cornelius Sisenna, a member of the conclave for nearly seventy years. When he passed, he left his place in Rome to the conclave. We have maintained it and while you live in the city it is yours."

"That is generous of them Publius, please pass on my thanks," Harry was more than happy to accept the generosity of the conclave. From what Gaius had told him, renting anything halfway decent would have been an expensive exercise.

"I'll have my man take you to it presently," Publius promised as he gestured to the door. "But first, take this." He handed Harry a tightly furled scroll. "It is a letter from your apparent patron, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus."

Harry raised an eyebrow, "My patron?"

Publius snorted in amusement, "Did you think that healing his beloved young wife would be forgotten? No, Magnus is in many ways very old school. I suspect that he will want to formalise his patronage and that my friend will help you in many ways. As his client, you will receive a lot more assistance both in and should you need it, outside the city. Pompeius and Caesar, two very influential men, Harry."

"But how did he find out about me being here?" Harry asked curiously.

"No doubt from one of his clients, he has friends in the strangest places. Pompeius Magnus is a distinguished member of the Senate and Consul thus he is very well connected and has ears everywhere," explained Publius. "No doubt he'll send an invite to meet soon as you are settled."

oOoOo

The large airy domus was about the same size as the home of Gaius but there the similarity ended. This was the home of a wealthy man who liked to show off that wealth. Everything from the floor frescoes to the painted walls was beautiful.

"We will need a staff husband," Cassandra said after they inspected the villa.

Harry had not even considered that fact and admitted it to his wife. She shrugged and explained that she would handle it. Good household servants were not that expensive and while he was not pleased about owning slaves, he could always free them after a period of service. He Cassandra had discussed it on the journey to Rome and he was finally understanding something of the mindset of the current periods' relationship to slaves.

Frankly it was shite, bloody horrible shite. He'd seen a young girl being whipped by her master as Romans walked past. At best they looked on with pity before turning away most didn't even do that. The indifference stuck with him.

Seeing his expression she patted his hand, "Don't worry, I know you don't like owning slaves. We can free them quickly and make them freedmen and women. If we pick good people, they will be pleased to work with the household after they have been freed. It will help you build up a group of your own clients."

Clients…the Roman system of patronage was something he also had to learn. Debts were important to Romans. Both monetary debts and personal ones. A patron was to be supported and clients were to be assisted. That was how Rome worked. Nepotism was built into their society.

"Do you want me to come with you?" Harry asked carefully, not really wanting to go but knowing that Cassandra had a very personal hatred of slavers and the slave markets.

Cassandra frowned thoughtfully, "Maybe, at home it was not unseemly for a woman to buy household slaves, but Rome can be quite conservative."

Harry hated the slave market. It revolted him but there was little he could do to end the institution. What he could do was help those whose lives were in his hands.

In the end, Cassandra and Harry spent a bit more than he had expected, close to 1,200 denarii. Cassandra had been delighted, as they were buying in the aftermath of a huge influx of slaves (thanks to the wars in Gaul). For that sum they purchased six slaves. Two men in their thirties, two women in their late twenties and two girls aged ten and twelve. The later had nearly caused Harry to commit murder on the slave vendor. The wretched man had waxed lyrical on the virtues of bedding young slaves much to Harry's disgust. Luckily Cassandra had seen Harry reaching a tipping point and had dealt with the seller, telling him that Harry was looking for servants for a country villa and wanted value for money. That had satisfied the man and they were finally able to escape the market with their new "household".

Once back at the house, Quintus had shaken his head when Harry had explained, "I can't fault your generosity but freeing so many slaves at once will raise eyebrows. Do you plan to mistreat them, beat them, or take them to bed? No, then you'll be a better damn master than many in Rome. Tell them the rules of the household and that you will pay them a stipend. Believe me they'll be better off as your slaves than trying to survive as poor freedmen. Especially the women," he added darkly. "T'is not uncommon that they have to become whores to survive."

Harry made a point of speaking to each of the slaves and explaining that yes, he was their owner, but he also considered them more as employees than slaves. For fair and honest service, they would be paid a stipend. This they could keep, save or spend. His door was always open for any concerns they had and that they should speak to him, or Cassandra should they need anything.

That evening Cassandra presented him with a list of their new household and their ages and skills.

The two older men were from Greek colonies in the East. Both Charon and Apos spoke Latin and had been tradesmen before being enslaved when they fell afoul of debt, a common thread in Rome. They were slightly suspicious of Harry's motives but remarkably accepting of their situation. He had made it clear to both men that any misconduct, especially sexual misconduct would result in the attacker regretting it for the rest of their very short life. Harry had asked them what trade they followed, and he was surprised, and Cassandra amused when it turned out that Apos was a potter. Charon was a furniture maker.

He had suggested to Cassandra that he might be able to set them up workshops and she had agreed that some income coming in would be welcome.

The first of two women was Sophia, the child of a Macedonian and Egyptian slaves. She had grown up in the household of an elderly widowed Roman woman and had been sold on by her son when the old woman had died. She was to be Cassandra's servant and a nanny for Penelope. She was pretty and rather timid but seemed to get on well with both Cassandra and Penelope.

The other was Alecta, a busty and round-faced Gallic woman. She was to be the cook and after one meal, Harry was happy to sing her praises. Mainly because she didn't use, or at least he couldn't taste, his most hated of the Roman 'foods' Garum sauce. He hated the bloody stuff and considered the fermented fish sauce putrid and inedible. Alecta spoke halting latin despite being a slave for four years.

The two girls were Sucaria and Leuca Given their fearful looks he could guess at some of their experiences. Both had been slaves for less than a year. They were the victims of their parents rebelling against Roman rule in Gaul.

Cassandra had taken them away after Harry spoke to them. He hoped that they would be a bit more talkative with her.

Quintus promised to keep a close eye on the newest members of the household as Harry wasn't going to take chances with anyone's safety.

His next job was to place some of the few wards he knew (thank you Hermione).

oOoOo

Publius had been pretty spot on about the invite coming but he wasn't summoned to dinner.

He was woken by Charon who was the night watchman, knocking on the door of Harry and Cassandra's room.

"Dominus, there is a messenger at the door," he reported quietly.

Harry, assuming it was from Publius or the conclave about his mission, got out of bed as carefully as he could. No need to wake Cassandra. By the time he had pulled on a tunic, Quintus had replaced Charon.

"Quintus?"

"I heard the commotion," he said in response to Harry's unspoken question.

"What is it?"

"A runner from the domus of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus. His wife is giving birth, and the midwife is worried, and Magnus has sent for you."

"Shit, right…Let me get my bag together," said Harry as he rushed back to his study and grabbed his healer's kit. He re-joined Quintus who now had lit a small oil lamp and wore a dagger on his belt and a stout cane that was almost a staff in the other hand.

"We are going to a birth, Quintus."

"And there are evil Magi waiting to bash your head in," retorted Quintus.

Harry gave up and shrugged, "We had better hurry."

oOoOo

Julia was indeed in trouble and the experienced midwife was shaking her head when Harry was introduced. She had been kneeling beside Julia, with what looked like a bronze trumpet to her ear listening to the baby, Harry realised.

"It is good you are here magus, she's lost too much blood and the baby is distressed," she reported quietly. "The babe is early but not too much so. We tried the birthing chair," She pointed to the birthing chair that was against the wall. "But she is too tired…and the bleeding. Her colour is bad, and her breathing is getting worse."

Harry was far from an expert on childbirth but from the sound of things the middle-aged midwife knew her business and she had named him a magus, so she had clearly been told so there was no need to be circumspect. "She nearly miscarried early in the pregnancy. I healed her but I haven't treated a woman in labour before."

The midwife grimaced as she thought things through, "I've delivered hundreds of babies. Once even had a Greek magus help. He said that the best he could do was lend her vitality…whatever that means."

Harry considered that and realised that the Greek wizard had likely done exactly what he had done in the past when he wasn't sure what to do to heal an injury. Brute force…well it worked but it always left Harry exhausted.

Harry started unpacking his kit, "Very well, um, what is your name? Sorry, I should have asked."

"Lucretia," replied the midwife with a tired smile.

"Shall we do this Lucretia?"

oOoOo

Julia gave birth to a boy as dawn broke over Rome.

To Harry and Lucretia's immense relief the small but healthy baby and his exhausted mother were both as alive and well. Julia had been healed, well healed enough that childbirth or infection was likely not going to be an issue.

As Julia slept, her husband, the warrior and general, Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus wept in relief. He cradled his son in his arms as he thanked them both, promising them their due for this miracle. He then left the room, son in hand to show those that had gathered to support him.

"You did well Harry," Lucretia said as she patted his arm. "I don't usually like men in the birthing room but for you I'll make an exception."

Harry yawned and then bowed to Lucretia, "And it went well Lucretia because you knew what to do."

Soon several female slaves arrived and began cleaning the room, although they left the covered clay pot with the afterbirth. It would be burnt, and the ashes along with an offering and prayers would be made at the shrine of Juno Lucina, the aspect of the Goddess Juno who protected women in childbirth.

"What happens now?" Harry asked with a tired smile.

"You go and rest, I don't doubt that Pompeius has a bed to spare. I'll check Julia over and the babe once it is back. She'll likely need help with the first feed and her milk will come in a few days…Goddess willing. It's that or a wetnurse."

Lucretia's explanation made sense, so Harry nodded tiredly, then paused as a thought hit him. "Lucretia, my wife wants to learn about being a midwife…"

"And you are asking if I would train her?"

Harry nodded.

Lucretia sighed, "It's a hard job but Goddess knows that I could use the help. But I need to meet her first and see if she has it in her. It is a calling more than a job."

oOoOo

Julia did recover and soon was being dotted on by her husband and her female friends. In fact, the whole household was rejoicing. It appeared that Julia was a kind mistress and Pompeius a decent master.

He was also a generous man.

"How much?" Harry asked as he looked at Cassandra in shock.

"Ten thousand sesterces," whispered Cassandra.

Harry was doing some quick math…that was…hell, it was a fortune. "It's too much."

"You saved his wife and son," Cassandra said with an amused look. "If I had known I was marrying a rich man I would have ordered more jewellery."

She burst out laughing at his expression.

oOoOo

Cassandra ended up sharing lunch with Lucretia and walked away her new assistant. She had been so excited and pleased that she had rewarded her husband with a very romantic night in.

So, it was a slightly more tired and relaxed Harry that sat with his eyes closed, resting on a comfortable chair, with Cassandra seated beside him, outside the office of Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus.

"Harry!"

Harry was startled awake as Pompeius called his name. He quickly stood as the man himself strode up to him and kissed him on both cheeks. "And this must be your wife, Cassandra." He kissed a surprised Cassandra on the cheek. "It is good that you are here my friend. Julia and little Titus have been looking forward to seeing you."

Harry and Cassandra were swept along by the consul as he led the way further into his domus, waving away slaves. The large and ornate peristyle garden was beautiful and on a comfortable couch, set it the shade, was Julia who was making faces at a swaddled Titus who was being gently held by a tall blonde slave.

"Julia," boomed Pompeius. "Look who has arrived!"

Lunch with Pompeius and Julia was an experience. Julia was a wonderful hostess and clearly an educated woman. She also seemed as in love with her husband as he was with her.

"I am so glad that it was a boy, Harry. Gnaeus so wanted another boy to spoil," she winked at her husband. "All his other children are grown now. Next time a girl…to spoil."

Pompeius laughed and reached over to pat her hand, "When you are well Julia. I've enough land and money for a whole new tribe of ankle biters."

Julia giggled, "Lucretia, who is wonderful by the way, so helpful, told me you have a daughter, Cassandra."

"I do, Penelope…she is a blessing," Cassandra replied with a smile.

"How did you two meet?" Julia asked curiously.

Harry and Cassandra told their story, which they edited slightly. Mainly because Harry had no idea if Pompeius would welcome his wife hearing the details of fighting evil Magi.

"A dreadful business," said Pompeius. "These foreign magi need to be found. I still have my people keeping a close eye out. At least the senate is taking it seriously. In fact, Julia, Cassandra if you would excuse us. I would like to take Harry through the latest reports."

Julia waved him away, "Go, please do. We are fine here. I want to talk to Cassandra about her studying with Lucretia."

Pompeius led Harry to his office and his steward poured both men wine, which they took well-watered.

After he had left, Pompeius sighed. "I owe you Harry Potter."

"You have already paid…" Harry began but Pompeius waved a hand.

"The money was nothing, Harry. I owe you my son and my Julia. It is a debt that I will never consider paid, my friend. I don't doubt that Gaius Julius will be just as indebted to you. I am frustrated that I can't offer you more help with your mission hunting down these cunni." He slapped his hand on the table then frowned as he picked up a scroll. "This came from a client of mine in Ostia. I have other reports from Antium and Capua. All reporting strange happenings, people disappearing and the Duumviri of the towns unable to do anything. I've spread the word, but these magi seem able to disappear."

"In Rome, we think they might be living in suburbia so they can blend into. I think…" He trailed off as he again considered his speculation that they might be targeting magicals. Just as Tom had done back in that other future. But that didn't quite fit, he had done it for the purposes of terror. Harry had no idea why whoever this was might be doing this or even if it was just one individual.

"You are thinking something?" Pompeius asked, his shrewd eyes on Harry.

"I am not sure yet, but I think it is meant to do something. People are scared, the Senate takes notice, the conclave takes notice. Murders, people disappearing, slavers led by Magus. It feels like it should make sense, but I am left asking why?"

"Power," replied Pompeius thoughtfully. "Power but over whom, their fellow Magi?"

"Then why not attack the Conclave directly? If you wanted to do that you make the conclave look bad or even look responsible. All we have so far is an unreliable witness, a frightened child who said the man had a purple stripe on his toga," Harry said with more than a little frustration in his voice. "That gives me little that I can use."

"Maybe we can question the child of the murdered man, get a description of the man," Pompeius was thinking aloud as he tried to come up with a plan to attack the problem.

"Hold on, the murdered man. They never said how he was killed. Just that he was. I need to see the place he was killed in. Damn it, I've forgotten my training. Get all the facts, even the things that don't make sense."

"The body would be gone by now," Pompeius warned.

"True, but the magic used lingers…It can give me a lot of information," explained Harry.

Pompeius looked interested and for a moment Harry thought he was going to insist on coming.

"You should go with an escort; take your man Quintus and I'll see to it that you get a few men you can trust to go with you. And, I'll see your wife home safely, my friend."

Pompeius was true to his word. Less than an hour later, Harry, Quintus and five tough looking men were standing outside the home of Gordian. Already waiting for him had been Publius with his own three-man escort.

"I received a message from Pompeius," Publius explained on seeing Harry.

Harry walked through the house, studying the damage. He was looking for tell-tale signs of magic use. Thankfully the house had been guarded and so it wasn't looted or overly disturbed.

It had been a while for Harry, but he still remembered the detection spells he had been taught.

There were fading 'spell echoes' in the room. Not all that helpful, it could be from lighting a cooking fire. He moved to the living spaces and cast the same spells.

Several spells had been cast, more powerful and tinted with the shadowy blackness that his Auror instructor, an unspeakable, had taught him were echoes of magic that was meant to hurt, kill, main, to destroy. Not the killing curse…but something dangerous and, wait. There was something almost familiar to the shadows in the room where a bed and a small cot sat side by side. Something similar to an unforgivable was cast in the room and the target appeared to have been in the small bed. A cutting curse of some sort had targeted the larger bed. The damage and small amounts of blood were still showing on the bedframe and the wall. Not a lot of blood, which was odd.

He looked around the room and frowned. There were no children's clothes, just a rough straw stuffed mattress. The other mattress was of better quality. Much better quality. Another oddity. He bent down and looked at the 'bed', it was covered in dog hair.

"Who found the child?" Harry found himself asking.

Publius frowned, "I don't recall, a slave probably."

"If nothing has been taken, where are the girl's clothes?"

"This is the room of a single man, a tradesman. His host supplied a decent bed for him and his pet dog," he pointed at the dog bed.

Publius was staring at him.

Harry kept going, "How do we find out about who exactly was living here and where is the girl now?"

Publius paled, "She is with a friend of mind. A merchant with several young girls, I think he was going to take her on as a maid, given that she is freeborn."

"We need to get there now and hope that I'm wrong," Harry said grimly.

They moved quickly, Quintus and the ex-legionaries Pompeius had supplied forcing a way through the street traffic.

They arrived at the domus of Rufus and his family to be met by a startled slave. Publius had all but ordered the man to get his master.

Rufus, a middle-aged man with thinning reddish hair (and a passing resemblance to Arthur Weasley) soon appeared.

"Publius, whatever is the matter, my friend?"

"The girl, where is she Rufus?" Publius asked, his expression grim.

Misunderstanding, Rufus looked worried. "Is she in danger? My wife and I know that she saw something terrible. The little thing was so frightened. We put her in with Illyia, my wife's freedwoman. She a clever girl and has been keeping an eye on her for the last few days. The poor girl is exhausted, she's mostly slept and hardly eaten."

"Can you take me to her please?" Harry asked.

Rufus looked to Publius who nodded.

He led them into the small but neat domus and out into the small peristyle garden. The domus was the ground floor of a three-story, well-maintained Insula. Which Harry still thought of as blocks of flats. He noted that despite the light well in the roof, there wasn't a lot of natural light.

"Here is her room," said a confused Rufus.

Harry nodded and drew his wand, "Wait here, but if you hear a commotion please come and rescue me."

The room wasn't quite dark, but it was most certainly not well lit. Two beds, a chest and several clothes hanging on pegs. A small shape was under the blankets on the smaller bed apparently asleep.

He kept his wand pointed at the shape as he slowly moved forward.

There was almost no warning as the figure went from lying still to launching itself at him.

Even with his wand aimed at her, he only managed a glancing hit with his stunner. Which should have put a child down and out. Instead, the figure only stumbled but kept coming. Fingers reaching for his throat.

His overpowered banisher smashed his attacker into the concrete wall and stunned her long enough for him to bind her in ropes. He added a temporary anti-animagus spell to the ropes. It might not work if his fears were correct, but it couldn't hurt.

The 'cavalry' arrived to see the bound child on the floor.

"What in Jupiter's name is happening?" Rufus demanded.

Harry pointed his wand at the girl, "That is not a little harmless girl. That is a vampire." Seeing their lack of comprehension, he quickly added, "A Strix." The Roman word for Vampire was not a direct translation but it would do."

Rufus paled and stepped back and even Publius looked grim as he grasped his staff tightly. The fighters in the room had their hands on their weapons and most had drawn knives.

"Are you sure?" Publius asked.

"One way to find out," Harry said as he pointed his wand at the girl that was glaring at him with a murderous look in her eyes. He quickly cast a spell that simulated sunlight. It wouldn't harm a human and it wouldn't kill a vampire, but it would cause them a great deal of pain and that usually got them to reveal their vampiric nature.

The bound girl shrieked and convulsed and to everyone's horror long fangs appeared in her mouth and her nails lengthened. Harry took the opportunity to stun her and then stun her again. Stunners were not always effective against vampires.

"How did you know?" Publius asked.

"I didn't know, not until that just happened. But I guessed she was not what she seemed, and things were adding up to a magus or something else that could use magic."

"A Strix…a blood drinker," Publius muttered as he shook his head and studied the creature with disgust. "The conclave has worked for decades to drive them out of the city. I have only ever heard them described and none like this."

"Well, I suspect this one is our killer. Which means we get to ask her some questions. I don't know about you, but I really want to hear her answers."

oOoOo

Questioning the child vampire was difficult. Mainly because they had no intention of letting her go (neither did the conclave) and thus not a lot to bargain with. That meant Harry had to consider other options. Back in his England, the Wizarding world had strict rules about vampires and their treatment and behaviour. Vampires were considered dark creatures and those that killed humans were hunted down and destroyed by hit wizards rather than imprisoned. Here they usually just killed them or drove them out. And hunters, like Harry, were usually tasked with that.

A few in the conclave had suggested getting answers through using but that was voted down. Instead, it was dumped back on Harry and Publius to sort out.

"I for one am not keen on torturing answers out of it," Publius said to Harry as they sat in his office considering options.

"Neither am I," admitted Harry. Although his objection to it also included that the being tortured had little incentive to tell the truth and confessions gained by torture would therefore be suspect. From what he had read, various organisations throughout history had tried it and ultimately heard what they wanted to hear. Not that he'd ever really tortured anyone…a treacherous memory of casting the torture curse at Bellatrix Lestrange was dismissed with a wince.

"Can it be bargained with?" Publius asked somewhat hesitantly.

"The ones back home could but the Strix that killed were dealt with ruthlessly. This one was in the form of a child. That is abhorrent but so is the one that turned that child. To make matters worse, I suspect that she can use magic."

"The conclave has rarely encountered ones that can use magic. They were, according to our records, very dangerous," warned Publius.

"There is Legilimency, but I can't remember if it works on the undead," admitted Harry.

"Legilimency?" Publius repeated the unfamiliar word curiously.

"Mind magics, they let the practitioner read another's thoughts. There are magical defences, and some beings have natural defences. Indeed, it can be dangerous to attempt against those that do," explained Harry.

"And you don't know if this Strix has those defences," mused Publius. "How dangerous are we talking here?"

"It could kill you. But I am not sure that we have a choice. I assumed that this was a rogue magus, maybe a few of them. Now…now I'm not sure. If this is a coven of magic using vampires, sorry Strix, that becomes a big problem. If it's a coven that has turned or subverted a powerful Senator, that is worse." Harry looked to the room where two Magi and four armed guards kept watch on the unconscious captive. "I think I may have to do this."

oOoOo

The venerable old wizard studied Harry with some concern, "Are you sure about this my young friend?"

"I am, just make sure that if it starts to go bad, someone will knock me on the head."

He turned back to where the Vampire lay bound with chains to a stone table in the ritual room. A dozen senior magus were gathered, prepared for anything.

Her eyes were open, and she was glaring at Harry with blistering hatred. Which while off putting, actually helped. Eye contact was eye contact. Harry was by no means an expert. He knew the basics, Aurors were taught how to defend their mind and a smattering of Legilimency. Thanks to Snape, old Tom and Dumbledore he had a dislike of the whole branch of magic.

Carefully, he made eye contact with the vampire and tried to make a connection.

To his surprise, it was easy. She appeared to have no barriers at all!

He moved quickly before the vampire became aware of his intrusion. Her mindscape was made up of shadowy shapes, each of which appeared to be a memory. He was speeding past them; he had no interest in seeing the vampire's past victims. His search was for more recent memories.

Then he saw a man, a tall pale man standing in a smoke-filled room. His expression was one of disdain as he cast a spell at a man who was crawling across the floor. It wasn't a spell Harry recognised, and it crushed the man's head like a dropped melon. He could hear a girl screaming and realised that he was seeing the vampire's human memories.

The man…no, the vampire, turned to the girl and rushed forward fangs out.

Harry grimaced and then realised something. There was a red light that was foreign to this shadowy place. It was coming from…over there. Harry willed himself to approach the light.

To his surprise, it was an archway. It was formed out of the shadowy stuff but beyond it was fire. He'd never seen or heard of something like this. It wasn't a memory or at least he didn't think it was.

Then to his horror, the figure he had seen in the vampire's memories was looking at him. He looked real, tangible and just on the other side of the arch.

"We meet again, magus," said the figure in oddly accented Latin.

Harry must have looked stupid standing there with his mouth open.

Then he mentally shook himself and raised his wand.

The figure laughed in feigned amusement. "Please do magus, it will save me the trouble of hunting you down."

Harry hesitated and the figure slowly nodded, still smiling, "Ah, and wise as well as gifted."

"Who are you?" Harry asked as he kept his wand raised.

The figure ignored the question as it studied Harry intently. "You are young to be so skilled. I thought your killing or my servant Iotas a fluke, pure luck. But then I find you in my follower's mind, in my preserve." The smile was gone now. "A pity to waste such potential but I cannot let you live."

"Mister Bond," muttered Harry with a grin. "Fantastic villain speech. But before we get to the threats, I don't suppose that you would be willing to tell me all about your evil plan?"

"You dare mock me?"

"Another villain classic, shall I rue the day as well?" Harry's cheeky grin was a bit wider.

The figure's face transformed, becoming feral as fangs slowly protruded from his lips. "Now you die magus."

Harry Potter had managed to throw Tom Riddle out of his mindscape. Now it was time to see if he could do the same to this asshat. Without a word or even a gesture he sent a blast of mind magic toward the vampire. Which sent it tumbling end over end before it disappeared.

"Damn," muttered Harry. He'd put a bit too much oomph into that. He still had questions that needed answers. He was about to return to searching the memories when he felt rather than saw the shadows begin to change.

The male vampire was back. His fingers were clenched as claws and his eyes burned as he walked through the doorway.

"I am not so easily destroyed fool. I own the souls of my slaves!" he yelled the last as he charged toward Harry.

Harry made a slashing gesture, blasting the vampire back.

So, it was some sort of soul magic. Great, just great. The bit about owning his slaves was not that great either.

"I see through their eyes, and they are my weapons," ranted the vampire as he appeared again. This time appearing directly behind Harry. He reached out but Harry was already gone.

oOoOo

"Shit, bloody buggering shite!"

"What is it, are you well?" Publius asked as Harry opened his eyes and started cursing.

"Fine," he grated out as he pointed his wand at the chained figure, preparing to end the vampire and the threat it presented. He paused when the child laughed. A deep familiar laugh.

"I have marked you boy," said the vampire. It wasn't an exact match to the male vampire, but it was close enough.

"Good, fine," replied Harry as he raised his wand. "And now I know a lot more than I did. I can't have your little puppet causing trouble."

He cast a fire spell at the vampire which screamed and then writhed before turning to ash.

"Well, that was not fun," announced Harry grimly.