Several days passed. Halloween was now but a few days away. Harry and Morticia had kept pretty much to a routine. They would go to classes and meals then play chess on their free time as well as do their assignments. They occasionally stopped in the infirmary to see if Poppy needed any help. Rumors were surfacing that he was in her thrall or that they were romantically involved. They had both ignored all the rumors, though Morticia noticed Draco eyeing Harry with even more contempt than normal. She did not realize why, yet.
A couple days after the incident with the first year and the report that had made her a leper, Morticia had found a new box of lollipops on her bed. They smelled of Harry, but she knew he did not want her to know where they had come from. So, she said nothing about them, cherishing the gesture in silence.
Early evening had fallen a few days later, so it was yet to turn dark. Most of the classes were over for the day. Harry and Morticia found themselves again playing chess in the common room. All the other Gryffindors were giving them a cold shoulder and plenty of space. They had grown use to it as best they could and ignored it.
The room, which had been in a nice quiet lull, was thrown into instant chaotic uproar when a man appeared behind Morticia seemingly out of thin air. Everyone but Morticia and Harry scurried from the room. Morticia sitting wondering what the hell was going on while Harry looked shocked. The other students that were in hearing range had not had to guess who the new comer was once he spoke, "How is my little blood jewel?"
If that did not confirm enough, Morticia's, "Grandfather?" as she shot to her feet did. She had not noticed him until he spoke.
He took her into his arms. "How are things?"
"They are well." Granted, they could have been much better, but they could have been worse, too.
"You lie."
"No, I do not." She glanced at Harry. "I have a couple friends."
"The others. They treat you badly." His eyes flashed red.
"Grandfather." She sighed. He could really overreact at times. "They don't treat me at all."
"Who is it? I will take care of them." He was very determined to do so.
Harry tried to distract him. "So, you're Ticia's grandpa?" Vlad just looked at him. He was waiting on an answer from her.
"Everyone..." Morticia answered, trailing off softly.
"They will pay for their disrespect!" He declared hotly.
"Grandfather..." Morticia rolled her eyes at his theatrics.
"Who is he?" He pointed to Harry. "He is not afraid."
"Harry Potter, meet Vlad Tepes Dracula. Grandfather, Harry Potter." She made the introductions with a bored tone. She knew what was likely to come next. Harry held out his hand a moment then retracted it when Vlad made no move to take it. He just nodded to Harry.
"I will not have them disrespecting my blood jewel." He turned his attention back to Morticia. She was his granddaughter. She was a princess, a countess, a lady. How dare anyone treat her any less!
She stopped herself from rolling her eyes again. "Would you stop the intimidation tactics. Gees."
Vlad pulled a one-eighty on her. "Is he your beau?" He asked of Harry.
"No!" She reddened slightly. He was the opposite of who she had the hots for. "Then why do you flush?"
"He's not my type." She could not... Actually, yes, she could believe he had asked.
Harry grinned. "She really isn't my type either." He found her being flustered cute, though.
"Why not?" Vlad raised a brow at Harry. Was he meaning there was something wrong with his jewel?
"Well... I... Um...." Harry reddened this time.
Morticia smiled slightly. "I'm female," she clarified.
Vlad nodded. "I see." He dismissed the subject. He was certainly no one to judge on that aspect of life.
"Why are you here?" Morticia finally asked. She knew why, but she wanted him to say it. If he actually did.
"To see how my only grandchild is doing," he answered simply.
She did roll her eyes this time. "Uh huh," she said disbelievingly. Then, slowly, a devilish look crossed her face. "May I show you around?" She asked her grandfather casually. Everyone was afraid of her. Wait until they laid eyes on him. She smiled to herself. Granted, they would make more space around her, but she really did not care anymore.
Vlad eyed her. "What are you up to?" He recognized her look. Nothing good would come of it.
She gave him a blank look. "I want to show you around," she answered innocently.
"I do not believe you." He gave her a good, long look. "I have seen that look before. Right before I found my favorite sword missing."
She gave him a perturbed look. "I didn't hurt it..." she started to say.
"No, but you did impale my favorite steward with it," he replied calmly. Harry gaped at them, especially Morticia.
"He survived... barely." She shrugged. She disliked the man.
"That was not the point. He did not deserve what you did to him."
"He was cruel to me!" She defended.
"You stabbed his steward?" Harry finally got his voice working. She had stabbed a man? And, she did not seem at all remorseful, quite the opposite.
Morticia shrugged again. "So?"
"Would you like to tell your friend why you did such a thing?" He raised a brow, looking at her amused.
She tried to change the subject. "Do you want to look around or not?" She was sick of defending herself on the subject. The ass had deserved it and she was not going to apologize for having done what she did.
He let her, knowing Harry would not disappoint. "Very well, but if you..."
"Why did she stab him?" Harry asked right on time. Vlad hid a smirk.
"I didn't like him," Morticia answered simply for her grandfather. It was the truth. Granted, she had an excuse but for the most part she had always disliked the man.
"He made her go to bed on my orders," Vlad elaborated. Shall we go? He asked Morticia silently.
"It was the way he did. Treated me like a simpleton." She started for the door.
"Um... Do you want me to come?" Harry asked. He wanted to go but did not want to impose.
"You will accompany us. I wish to know this boy that fears me not."
Morticia once again rolled her eyes. "Saints on stakes..." She muttered.
"I don't do that anymore, as you well know." Vlad looked at her.
"Pity," she muttered again.
"Ticia!" Harry exclaimed. He was seeing a whole new side to his friend. "What?" She asked. Most saints needed impaled, in her opinion. Many had not deserved the honor. Of course, people that worshiped saints persecuted her grandfather.
Harry shook his head. She could not change who she was. "Never mind. It's who you are."
Vlad, still curious about Harry, watched the boy closely. "Why do you not fear me?"
"Would you let it go?" Morticia asked, exasperated. He could be quite annoying at times with his curiosity and persistance.
"It's okay, Ticia," Harry reassured her.
"He's been under a rock if he doesn't know who you are."
Harry ignored that. He hated that everyone knew who he was. Vlad not was a small relief. "I like Ticia. Anyone who raised her can't be all that bad," Harry explained. Besides, could Vlad be that much worse than Voldemort.
Vlad gave him a small nod. "Yes. She is the jewel of my life." He looked over at Morticia with shear love in his eyes. She just snorted and shook her head. Morticia Tepes Dracula
"What?" She asked as they started toward the infirmary. She wanted Madam Pomfrey to meet her grandfather. At the moment she was not exactly sure why.
"My love means nothing to you?"
"Yes, but you proclaim too much." She did not look toward him. She knew the small gesture of her snort had hurt him slightly.
"It is the old way. You, in your youth, would not understand."
"No kidding." She and Vlad both missed the large grin on Harry's face at first as they entered the infirmary. "Madam Pomfrey!" Morticia called to draw the older woman's attention.
Vlad looked around the room and noticed Harry's grin. "What do you find so amusing, young man?"
"Lay off," Morticia warned her grandfather with a bored tone.
Harry just held his smile. "You two. You're cute."
"Cute!" Morticia gave him a horrified look.
He continued to hold his smile. "Yeah. Watcha gonna do about it?" She shook her head at him.
A moment later Poppy came out. "What do you.... Oh my." She gaped at Vlad. One, she had never seen him before. Two, he was quite handsome. He was average height with a nice build, not too muscular. He wore nice tailored dark clothes. His hair hung to his shoulders like a dark wavy curtain. His black eyes penitrated everything they gazed upon. In one word, he looked regal.
"Who is this woman?" Vlad asked Morticia as he watched Poppy, who kept her eyes on him.
"Madam Poppy Pomfrey, my other friend."
"Madam." He bowed slightly. She blushed and nodded to him. "A very lovely woman." He took her hand and kissed it gently. She blushed even deeper. He looked her in the eye. "We should talk later." He smiled at her charmingly, if falsely.
"Grandfather," Morticia snapped. She hated it when he had such an effect on women.
"Yes, my jewel?" He did not look at her, keeping his eyes on Poppy.
"Teeth in check." Morticia watched him closely.
Vlad dropped Poppy's hand and looked toward Morticia. "I am always in control, my jewel."
"Yes, but that doesn't mean anything." Morticia did not take her eyes away from him.
"And you. Have you used your unique abilities while here?"
She glanced toward Harry, who shrugged. "No, not on flesh."
Poppy looked around at the three of them. "Can I do anything for you?" She asked the three of them, seeming to come out of some fog.
"My granddaughter was showing me around," Vlad explained. Poppy nodded and smiled knowingly. "She thought it important for me to meet you." He turned his attention to Morticia again. "Where to now, my jewel?" Harry had noted that was his pet name for Morticia.
"I think you would appreciate the dungeons."
He smiled warmly at Morticia, a truly genuine smile. The smile was the first real smile Harry had seen on him. "Lead the way, Jewel."
They started for the dungeons, Harry tagging along. He was curious about what had just happened. He finally asked as they neared the dungeons. "What was that with Madam Pomfrey?"
"What?" Morticia asked as they entered the dungeons.
"Well, she seemed.... entranced."
"Perhaps it was my animal magnetism," Vlad mused. Morticia ignored her grandfather's attempt at candor and answered Harry truthfully. "Mesmerized actually."
"He can do that?" Harry asked, shocked.
Morticia gave an unladylike snort. "Do you know anything about Count Dracula?"
"Besides the movie where he went after Mina?"
Morticia shuddered from head to foot. "Stoker." She hated the book with a passion, having burnt hundreds of copies in her lifetime.
"He was a novelist. They are prone to exaggeration." Vlad had found the book amusing.
"Exaggeration? He needed bled dry. Have you ever read the book? Dull as the day is long. I'd sooner stake myself than read it again."
Vlad sighed. "Why couldn't you have had more of you father in you."
"What do you mean?" She had heard him ask that question before, usually when she mentioned doing something 'vampiric.
"Been more human..." She gave him a funny look. She did not understand why she should be more human. Was she not human enough? "Your attitude will not serve you if you are to make your way in their world. That is why I sent you here. My ways are dieing, Jewel. You can not carry on as I have." She nodded just before they entered Professor Snape's classroom. Vlad took one look around and laid eyes on Remus Lupin. "Werewolf," he hissed, readying to pounce.