Mikhail had a tendency to analyze every action, every word carefully. In his human years, he had been prone to making decisions on the drop of a hat, of not "thinking before he leapt", as humans were wont to say in this day and age.

The way he had handled this situation with Dumbledore - turning Harry as he had - had been reminiscent of the anger and irrationality he had been wont to display all of those centuries ago.

And now, he had to deal with the consequences of his actions. Now, he had to find Harry Potter........ or all would be lost.

Mikhail sighed softly, running the fingers of both his hands raggedly though his shoulder-length jet-black hair.

He could hear them talking, even now, four floors below him. "They" were Dumbledore, Professor Filius Flitwick of charms, and Professor Severus Snape of Potions. Professor Snape also happened to be the Head of House for Slytherin.

That, in and of itself, was enough to make Mikhail warm up to him.

He bore fond memories of his own time here at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry - as annoying as the children - especially the Gryffindors - had been at first, in the aftermath of his Turning, he had actually missed the brats.

Slytherin was not what it had once been - it was not what he had made it. They had been the thinkers, the strategists, the cunning ones who did things and went places where other could not. Or would not.

Slytherin had not been a house against muggle-borns. Almost half the house had been made up of them, actually. Yes, he had had his problems with the muggle-borns - with the mudbloods - near the end. That had been no surprise.

But he had never hated them. They just hadn't known how the wizarding world had worked. He had persuaded - nay, begged, pleaded even, with the others for some sort of initiation period, for both the students and their parents. A year, at the very least, during which they would learn how to co-exist peacefully with the rest of the wizarding world.

Godric had flat-out refused. Something about keeping the muggles in their "natural environment" and "disrupting the natural order of things", and how everything would "work itself out in time". Codswallop, in his opinion.

That had been five years before his turning -- five years before his "death". And when he had left, nothing had changed. Nothing at all.

Even to this day, centuries later, that damned Gryffindor pride still angered him. Gryffindor's pride in the system, in his muggle-born students, had been the cause of the rift between them. And that rift had been transferred over to their houses, as well.

The man once known as Salazar Slytherin sighed softly as the memories washed over him, closing his eyes briefly against the tears that threatened.

When he opened his eyes, however, they were clear and dry, no hint of his inner turmoil showing.

Albums Dumbledore sighed softly, slipping off his spectacles and rubbing his eyes.

They were getting nowhere here. Filius had been able to confirm that no transportation spells had been used to send Harry away. Indeed, the Vampire Mikhail had not cast any spells on the boy. Except for the turning, of course. But that was done through a completely different kind of magic.

They didn't know about the Turning, of course. They couldn't now - after all, Harry Potter, a Vampire. He was the Wizarding World's beacon of Hope and Light. If word of this were to ever get out........ It would be disastrous.

Severus was off now, in the far corner of the room (as far as he could get away from Filius without actually leaving the room), a pile of books practically obscuring him from view.

Vampire. They were supposed to be a myth, a legend. And yes, here one was, a mere four floors above them, calmly sitting in a locked and barred room, with Remus standing on guard.

Albus wasn't a fool. He knew that the only reason why Mikhail remained in that room was because he wanted to.

Albus glanced up sharply as Severus gave off a frightened yelp, unable to stop the smile that spread across his lips.

"Severus, is something the matter?

Severus glanced up at Albus, face white and eyes wide with fear. "I think....... I think I know where Mr. Potter is, Albus."