Chapter fifteen

(Sorry it's a little late people but firstly I was on hols in Portugal for 2 weeks, then the evil teachers gave us summer work which I had to complete then I got that evil MSBlaster worm that prevented my net usage! Anyway, thanks soooo much to those who reviewed, you have no idea how happy I was to see I had 4 reviews when I checked my e-mails in Faro!)

"Awake!" he put out a hand towards Dumbledore.

Nothing

"Arise!"

Still nothing.

"LIVE!" he put out both hands and shook them in irritation.  Once again nothing happened.

"I give up!" he threw his arms in the air and turned to Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lupin and Madam Pomfrey- who was still looking shocked and terrified at seeing Draco standing there in front of her after seeing him dead not long before.  "I have tried non-stop for half an hour and I haven't managed so much as a spark of magic never mind bring the old guy around! Are you sure I can do magic?"

"Oh yeah… you certainly can! How can we forget that you can when you tried to kill us with it?" Ron was still in a bitter mood towards Draco after all that had happened.

Draco glared, "I said I was sorry… and that's a gift considering I didn't mean to do any of it!"

Lupin stood up and sighed, putting a hand through his floppy, greying hair.  "You have to concentrate more.  Just, try again."

"Concentrate? How can I concentrate when my mind is still trying to process the fact that I'm dead!" Draco snapped back, turning away towards the door.  "I give up…" he sighed, meaning it this time, he rarely admitted defeat and it hurt him.

"Please try again, you can do it! Just concentrate more!" Hermione called after him but he put his pale hands up to his now slightly pointed ears to show that he was not listening.  Hermione sighed deeply in agitation and sat back down again but Harry was not letting him get away… not while Dumbledore was like this, the one wizard his arch enemy feared most.

Harry ran after him and grabbed his arm, "Malfoy stop!" he said as Draco turned to face him.  "You can't just leave him like this!"

"I can't help him! I don't know what I did and I can't use magic… I have lost my wand and I cannot use this so called 'magic' that I am supposed to have! Why can't you help him anyway? I know about as much as you do!" Draco didn't move, not even trying to get out of Harry's grip.

Harry went silent but Lupin replied, "We have looked up his symptoms in every spell book, including dark magic books.  Every time we came across something, the reversal charm stated would not work.  It's obviously only something your kind can do… so only you can undo it."

Harry had to feel sorry for Draco right now.  He had just had one of the biggest shocks of his life finding out he was a vampire then to suddenly have the knowledge of the terrible things he had done on top of all of this pressure that was now being placed on him… it was not something Harry would've wanted to go through.  It would've been too much and anyone would've cracked but Draco was doing quite well in hiding his stress… well, after he let it all out on Hermione of course!  The only way Harry had any indication that Draco was feeling the pressure, was his eyes.  They reflected his feelings now, his soul was showing.

Draco collapsed onto the doorway and hit is head off the door frame.  "Give me a break…" he whispered, almost whimpered.

"Professor, I think he needs some time to take this in…" Harry agreed.  Draco smiled at Harry as thanks.

Lupin thought for a moment, and then an idea struck him.  It was stretching it a little but it may work, and he'd have to keep his meaning of what he was about to do a secret from Draco.  "Fine." He sat back and sighed, "I guess you're just too weak and pathetic to take any of this on… ah well, I should've known from a Malfoy.  Your father was the same."  Hermione and Ron shot him a look of disbelief but they caught his eye and nodded slightly with small smiles creeping up their faces.  They both knew that Draco hated being put down.

Draco turned round sharply and glared so his eyes were now dangerous slits, "What was that?" he hissed.

"Yeah, Malfoy… I've always known you to be a pathetic little worm but… this just shows it… you're just a selfish little bastard!" Ron added, he seemed to be having a lot of fun… one could argue maybe too much fun!

Harry soon caught he drift too, "Yeah… come to think of it you are being kind of selfish… You did this to him, he is lying here possibly on the brink of death, and you want to just leave him here so you can rest? Come on now Malfoy that is low!"

Draco's teeth were bared in anger and his fists were clenched, he did not need this on top of everything else. "Do you lot have any idea what I am going through here? Do you lot have any idea what this much pressure feels like? Or is that too much for you to think about? To think that I can actually feel the strain, just because I am not alive!" he was getting angry now… just a little further.

Ron got up to walk out, "Maybe we should-"

"I'm not finished with you yet! You stay there and take that remark back!"

"Or you'll what? Curse me with invisible spells?" Ron laughed, he was loving it.  "Pathetic! My little finger has more magic than you right now! Pathetic…"

"TAKE THAT BACK!" he pointed his finger at Ron threateningly, just as white sparks flew out suddenly and hit Ron straight in the chest, lifting him off his feet and hurling him into a tray-full of metal utensils.  Groaning and pained swearing emerged soon after the shock had settled in.

Draco was shaking.  His eyes widened and he stared down at a shaking hand, white sparks were shocking from them still, like electricity.  "Sweet…" he whispered, not even caring that he had sent Ron flying across the room, inflicting pain.

Harry, Hermione and Madam Pomfrey ran over to aid Ron.  Lupin would've, except he wanted to have a word with Draco.  "Now, see? You can… what were you thinking as you cast that spell?"

Draco eventually looked up from his hands, "… er… urge to kill rising, must hurt Weasley… nothing new really…"

"Well, you see, you have to concentrate on what you want to happen and it will… you just need practice.  It's just like when you apparated into the potions room… you had to concentrate." Lupin laughed and patted Draco on the shoulder before walking over to help a swearing and seriously pissed off Ron.

"Don't think I'm letting you off with that one! It's only lent to you!" he threatened.  Draco laughed.

"Don't make me get angry again Weasley…" he grinned as he waved a finger at him.

*~*~*~*

Approximately an hour later, they were all sitting up in Dumbledore's office, explaining the events of the past few days to their still dazed headmaster.

"And then… he woke you up…" Harry breathed, settling back into his chair further.  He had just retold the whole story, well, what he knew.  Hermione and Ron were able to help from their experiences (Hermione leaving out Draco's outburst in the chamber) but Draco remained completely silent, even when spoken to.

"Haven't you anything to say young Malfoy? Perhaps what you went through?" Dumbledore asked in his soft voice.  He seemed to have forgiven Draco after hearing what the other three had to say.

Draco shook his head and whispered, "I remember nothing other than from when I woke up in the chamber… did I really do all that?" he asked.

"Seems so," Dumbledore sat back slightly, still surveying the pale boy in front of him.  "And Voldemort- (Ron winced. "Grow up Ron!" Hermione snapped in a bored tone.)- said that he did this to him so he could get to you? That was a very clever move, devious and pure evil yes, but clever." He looked up at Harry.

"Professor Lupin suggested we use Draco as a spy… seeing as Voldemort doesn't know about his… condition." Harry said and had to think of how to put it.

"Yes, I heard that.  I think it will work very well.  The Order is looking for information and mister Malfoy here seems to be out ticket to that information we need.  About his next moves." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled.

"Is that all I am to you people now? Is that all I'm worth?" Draco suddenly stood up and snapped.  Everyone stared; he closed his eyes and sighed.  "Sorry… I'm just… I'm just so edgy… it's… it's all too much…"

An awkward silence followed.  "Can I have a word with Malfoy in private for a minute please," Dumbledore stood up and ushered the other three out of his office.

"Of course sir," they said in turn as they walked out.  Hermione looked at Draco before she left; he looked so helpless, so lost.

Dumbledore closed the door and turned around again to sit opposite Draco, without a word.  They sat in silence listening to the clock tick and Fawkes preen himself for a few minutes that seemed to hang around for an age until, "Care to share your feelings Draco?"

Draco sighed after more silence, "I don't want to… I never tell people my feelings, it makes me feel like a book that can be read and all my secrets found out."

"It will make you feel better to get it off your chest," Dumbledore took off his glasses and gave them a quick wipe with a purple handkerchief.

Draco thought for a while.  What were his feelings? It was a mixture of everything from fear to excitement.  "I don't know what I feel.  Shock probably being the biggest though… and fear, I'm scared of myself." He admitted.

Dumbledore nodded, "Yes, I'm sure it is quite a shock for you.  It was a shock for me too and I'm sure that's only a fraction of what you're feeling.  But you will adjust, it will become easier.  You just have to remember not to look back and think of what could've been, there is no changing what has happened.  Thinking that will only weaken you further and you will eventually go mad.  Never think those dreaded words, 'what if', they will only haunt and hurt you."

Draco nodded slightly.  He knew Dumbledore was right; he would just have to accept it for there was no way to change it.  "What will happen to me now?"

"Well, the whole school thinks you are dead.  We had better reveal you to them; they may be in danger too if there are other vampires out there.  They have to know."

Draco's head jerked up and his eyes widened, "No, you can't tell them about me! I'll be kicked out… shunned… rejected by all!  I'll only come out after curfew, please don't tell them about me! They can know the vampire threat without me! You can just say they killed me-"

Dumbledore raised a hand to calm the panicked boy with a smile, "You remind me of another young boy over twenty years ago who made the same speech to me as you just have.  Young Remus Lupin did not want anyone to know about his werewolf condition for the same reasons as you have given me.  I did not tell anyone about him and I regret it.  People grew suspicious and they were in danger of not knowing that a werewolf was walking among them.  It is better they know about you Draco."

"But I won't hurt anyone!" Draco was getting frantic.

"I know you won't but you must understand, they will look to you to protect them from other vampires, you will not be shunned, you will be sought after for help.  It is best they know that there is a vampire lurking around the school anyway.  Surely you wouldn't like that sort of information kept from you.  Besides, you wouldn't want everyone to think you were dead now would you, and then maybe even see you walk around the grounds at night? You understand?"

Draco knew he wasn't going to win this fight so he merely nodded in defeat.  Another defeat in less than an hour… what was happening to him?

"Good.  Now I suggest you get something to eat quickly and go have some rest.  I will arrange for something to be made up for you and have it sent to your chamber."

Draco nodded again in silence before standing up and stroking Fawkes as he walked out.  I suppose I can't live in shadow forever…  Fawkes rubbed his head against Draco's hand, almost purring like a satisfied cat.

*~*~*~*

He didn't sleep when he lay down on his bed in his own dark chamber.  How could he when he had so much to think about and the fact that he had just woken up a few hours ago… that was a reason too.  He sat on the edge of his bed playing with his hands and kicking the tassel of the rug as a golden goblet appeared in front of him.  At first he wrinkled up his nose, knowing what it was straight away but then the smell hit him and the sick feeling in his stomach disappeared only to be replaced by hunger.  His vampire senses and instincts took over as the strong smell of blood came over him, he needed it now, wanted it more than ever.  He took the goblet in a spider-like hand and lifted it to his lips, the first drop fell onto his cold lips and warmed him for an instant as he licked it off.  Soon he had downed the whole goblet, the warm sensation of fresh blood filled him, warmed the coldness of his body quickly.  After he swallowed the last drop, he felt truly like the undead, a creature of the night… and he liked it, for the first time he had accepted it.

This feeling died away as soon as he heard a bell ring around the building, the emergency assembly ring.  Draco groaned in depression.  Well, better go now and get this over with… wonder if the forest is a nice place to stay?

He concentrated on the Great Hall like Lupin had told him to and he felt a rushing of wind before hearing the loud conversations of students as they entered the hall.  Draco opened his eyes and found himself sitting on one of the rafters, camouflaged against the dull sky above in his dark, now tattered clothes.  No one would notice him up there; people rarely looked at the charmed ceiling coming up to the end of the year as the first years began to loose interest.  Not a care in the world… I can't remember that… he thought bitterly as he watched the chattering, laughing students file in.

Once everyone had settled down they went on to talk about what they thought this assembly was for, Draco managed to catch some of the conversations with his sensitive hearing,

"I bet this is about Potter again! Maybe this time-"

"Wonder who's dead now?"

"It's about Dumbledore… DUH!"

"It had better be good, my hair is still wet and it'll frizz up now! I hope-"

"More bad news I suspect, I-"

"-the slytherin boy that was killed-"

Draco stopped listening, and just in time.  Dumbledore had entered and cleared his throat for silence, the hall gradually fell into complete silence and heads turned to face the headmaster.  All surprised to see him, some happy but others (guess who?) were not so happy to see him alive and well.

"It's good to be back!" he began, holding out his hands as if he could hug them all.  "That was a bit of a scare and I'm sure you're all wondering what happened to me and that is why I have called you all here tonight.  Night time for a reason."

He watched as everyone turned and began to talk in low whispers to each other with confused expressions as Dumbledore walked on up to the teacher's table to take his usual seat.  He waited in patience for them to settle down again.  "We now have a very dire situation that puts you all in danger at night.  I myself succumbed to the wrath of the creatures I am speaking of and my worst fear would be one of you being attacked by them… unfortunately my worst fear has already come true." More whispering followed, this time more fearful and panicked.  What creatures? What had happened?  "I am talking, of course, of a young Draco Malfoy." Dumbledore continued.  Many students were now more fearful, they had all heard of 'what had happened' to Draco, and now Dumbledore was saying whatever it was that did it to him is still out there. 

Draco swallowed as Dumbledore went on to explain.  "It is not what you think.  Draco Malfoy is not dead, he was attacked by the creatures-"

"Oh for the love of God just tell them before I go insane!" Draco suddenly burst out in a fit of anxiety and jumped up to his feet on the rafter.  Some people gasped in shock at hearing his voice and turned their heads to the source.  Draco looked down at them, he would tell them straight, none of this beating around the bush thing Dumbledore always did.  "Or maybe I will… yes.  I will be the one to warn you because I am the one they attacked! And I in turn apparently attacked Dumbledore!" Everyone had stopped talking, concentrating on Draco.  Some didn't seem to believe that it was him.  "I am not talking of anything human! I am talking about vampires! Evil, bloodsucking little bastards that lurk in the shadows and wait to-"

"Draco!" Dumbledore had stood up and his attempt to silence Draco worked.  Draco stopped and heaved a deep yet breathless sigh as he floated down like a feather from the rafter.  Students continued to stare, a lot of the younger girls screamed when they saw him properly in the light and up close.

"Just thought I'd be the one to tell them… certainly made an impact anyway huh?" he grinned at the stunned silence around him, not caring that they stared at him with fear, he rather enjoyed it.  He turned to a first year Ravenclaw girl sitting just beside where he had landed, "Don't worry, I won't bite… probably." The girl screamed as she saw his fangs and moved as far away from him as she could, pushing the rest of the row along with her.  Draco laughed, yep he was going to enjoy this actually.

Dumbledore cleared his throat once again, "Draco, once you have quite finished terrifying the students… I will continue." The others teachers at the table hadn't uttered a word since the start of the meeting, they were all either too shocked or in disbelief.

"Carry on…" Draco shrugged and stood not moving from that spot other than rocking back and forth on his feet, staring at Dumbledore and the other teachers with a smile, somehow he felt better now that everyone knew… strangely.  He had always enjoyed being the centre of attention… and now he most certainly was, all eyes were on him.

"As Draco has just said, there are vampires on the loose in the Hogwarts grounds, now, we are going to be sending in some ministry personnel and Lupin here to try and destroy them- (Lupin's head jerked up, obviously he had not agreed to do anything) -so we no longer have to fear them but vampires are very powerful and it may take some time… so please remain inside the castle after sunset unless absolutely necessary, even then make sure that Draco goes with you to protect you."

There was utter silence once again for a while before the whole hall burst into loud conversations on the subject.  Some of them terrified, others intrigued.  Draco still stood on the spot, his head turning in random directions as he listened into conversations before Dumbledore called him up to the front to talk to the other teachers.  They all seemed shocked and slightly horrified at seeing Draco like this, but they hid it, the last thing they wanted was to show fear especially in front of the students.

"Yessum?"

"Draco, I have sent owls to the Ministry and of course to members of the Order.  We are going to have a meeting on your future and your new job for them at the start of the new school year," Dumbledore stated, all the other teachers stared at Draco.

Draco merely nodded, he was not looking forward to his future… thinking of this made him curious about one thing, "Where will I go over summer? Back home?"

Lupin smiled slightly, "Actually, we were going to let you stay here… rather than be a bother back at home," he leaned in closer and whispered, "And I know that you don't really want to go back either."

"Stay here?" McGonnagal turned to Lupin.  "The boy needs serious attention! No one will be here to look after him here over summer."

"I assure you professor that I can look after myself…" Draco glared.

"Yeh think yeh can, an' yeh could as a human… but can yeh look after yerself as a vampire?" Hagrid asked, feeling rather weird calling Draco a vampire.

"Of course I can! Just stay out of sunlight and I'll be happy!" Draco then turned to Hagrid.

"What about feeding yourself? Can you do that?" Professor McGonnagal raised a thin eyebrow.

"Well… yeah… how hard can it be? All you do is… go and find some creature in the forest and…" he paused, "Get off my case! I'm not going home and that's it!"

"Look, be logical here," Lupin to the rescue, "He has just gone against Voldemort on his own will, betrayed him twice in fact.  His father is a Death eater… not a good thing to send Draco back to him… where they may find out about Draco being on our side again, ruining our plan!"

Draco smirked, Nice move wolf man! Draco sent a message to Lupin's head.  Lupin jumped but nodded at him.  All the teachers seemed to consider this.

"He can always stay with you and the Order, he will be safe there at least," McGonnagal argued.

"Look, I know I am not used to this… but I need to learn! At least give me that chance… I want to stay here and I can keep an eye out for anything odd… please let me stay here!" Draco pleaded.

After much more arguing and begging, they finally agreed that it was fine to let Draco stay at the school as long as the ghosts would keep an eye on him and Peeves wouldn't try to open the curtains on Draco in the morning… this did not make Draco feel very safe, Peeves always did have something against him, every since he had once told Filch where he hid all the things he took to annoy the students.  This whole sunlight issue was just ammunition for revenge.

Dumbledore had just stood up and dismissed everyone when the doors of the Great Hall flew open and very angry Ministry members were standing in the doorway, including Fudge himself.  A few students screamed in shock, they were now considerably jumpy after what they had just heard and witnessed.

"Ah, Cornelius my friend, I didn't expect you so soon," Dumbledore said in a calm voice despite the fuming look on the Minister's face.  "Please, sit down and we can talk."

Fudge raised a threatening finger at Dumbledore as he walked forward, "What do you think you are playing at? The Ministry and school board will not stand for this one.  You may have gotten away with many things… but a dangerous creature being allowed to roam free in the school? That's in a league of its own!"

Draco, who was still standing at the teacher's table, slowly turned to face the minister and the other ministry members with a glare.  Lupin was also glaring at the men, knowing why they had come.

"I do believe I explained the situation to you.  He is not dangerous and he is our only chance of-"

"He is a vampire Albus, all vampires are dangerous no matter what we do.  He may seem sweet and innocent to you now but inside he is a killer and we cannot allow him to be able to roam around this school freely."

"Well you certainly don't see a threat in me Fudge," Lupin stood forward.  "Werewolves are just as dangerous, you just don't like anything new to be brought over to our side.  We have lost the Dementors, we need all the help we can get!" Draco grinned and nodded once shortly.

"The vampire is not trustworthy.  At least you are only dangerous once a month, even then you can lock yourself up… he will be dangerous all year round!" Fudge's face was glowing red with anger at someone challenging him.

"Will you please stop talking as if I'm not here!" Draco snapped at the Minister.  "You don't know if I am dangerous or not and for your information I am perfectly safe.  If I was dangerous you'd know about it because I would have ripped you to tiny pieces by now if I was!"

Silence filled the room, no one moved.  Everyone was listening to the conversation and watching as Fudge's face glowed to the stage of purple.

"You see, that is the vampire talking… he is violent Albus.  If he gets angered who knows what will happen to a passing student," Fudge waved his arms around, gesturing to the crowd of muted pupils.

"This is not the vampire talking, this is me talking! As Lupin said, you are scared of what is different… just because vampires are known killers and connected with the Dark Lord, it does not mean that I am one of them! Sure I am a vampire but I am myself behind this look and I would never harm another student… you on the other hand are pushing it!"

Lupin looked down at Draco's clenched fists, seeing blue sparks of electricity jump off them and surge over his shaking fingers.  Knowing that Draco had yet to control his magic, Lupin took Draco by the shoulders and whispered, "Calm down… you really don't want to let out your magic now."  Draco's ridged body slackened as he relieved the tension. 

Fudge seemed taken aback by this comment Draco made and he looked up in anger at the other teachers as if asking for some punishment for that, but it was obvious who's side they were on.  He leaned in close to Draco and pointed a finger at him threateningly and hissing, "I'll take your word for it young Malfoy but mark my words, if you set one toe out of line… I will have my slayer friend here hunt you down and destroy you."

Draco replied also with a hiss, making sure his fangs were noticeable, "Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of it," he snapped his sharp teeth at Fudge's shaking finger.

Fudge took a few shocked steps away from Draco and, with one final death stare at the headmaster, he stormed out of the Great Hall along with his Ministry friends.  The slayer hung back and flashed his silver sword and Draco threateningly before pointing at him and making a cut-throat motion.  Draco put both hands up to his face and mocked a scream of terror and a faint just before the slayer also stormed out.  Mocked by a vampire… he would not spread that around.

They left the door wide open and after the pupils, Draco let his magic out to slam the door shut, he was shaking with the effort of holding his magic in but also with anger.  "If you step one toe out of line, mee mee mee mee…" he mimicked the minister in a high voice as he shuffled along the hall, "Bastard…" he muttered before disappearing in a cloud of black mist.

(I feel that was a bit rushed and stuff and I didn't even read over and check it! but I really am going to be pushed for time now… new important year at school and stuff… hope I can still keep writing, I'm just nearing the good part… big fights… blackmail… framing… the usual! Lol, see yas!)