"Yeah. Takes the stupid thing everywhere. Dunno why. We've had him for ages, though. I think he's trying to beat Errol's record."
"Errol?"
"Ancient owl of ours."
"Ahh."
Harry was sitting out near the lake with Fred and George, watching as they changed the giant squid's colors. Tonks and Solieyu had Divination homework, so Harry was free to wander the castle. He had run into the twins, both of who looked rather annoyed. When asked to explain, they had wheeled him towards the lake and began an explanation involving Ron's rat, Hermione's cat, and all other manner of things that were keeping them from properly inventing things.
"Anyway, it's like this..." Fred began.
"Hermione's cat, ugly thing that it is, took a distinct dislike to Scabbers over the summer." George continued.
"She actually came over to hang out with Ginny, see..."
"And she and Ron kept getting into these massive rows because her cat wouldn't leave Scabbers be."
"And it still hasn't stopped."
"Scabbers finally came out from under the water table, apparently..."
"And Crookshanks - that's Hermione's cat - chased him back under it."
"And that's why you two came downstairs in such a huff?" Harry asked.
"Yup. Ron and Hermione were going back and forth in the common room, distracting everyone else." George said, rolling his eyes. "Like an old married couple, those two."
"Who would've guessed?" Fred added, tilting his head. "Is it just me, or did he put her in a bad way awhile back? I think she knows she's much smarter than Ron..."
"Not to mention better at magic." George chimed in.
"Right, so she isn't afraid of him anymore. Something like that, anyway." Fred finished.
"Well, then. Ron and I finally agree on something, then." Harry said. When he saw the twins giving him an odd look, he explained, "Women are impossible."
At this, the Weasleys perked up, grinning at Harry.
"Aww, is ickle Harrykins havin' love problems wiff his Tonksie?" Fred asked, batting his eyelashes.
Choking, Harry flailed around before glaring at the redhead. "No! No, I wish it was. Look, you two won't repeat anything I say here, right?"
"You have our word!" Replied the two.
"Pansy Parkinson pulled me into a classroom, yelled at me for awhile, kissed me, and then left." Harry said, deciding being right to the point was the best course of action to take.
The reaction would have made Harry laugh, if he hadn't been too miserable trying to work out what it all had meant. He had never seen the Weasley twins at a loss for words. They kept looking at each other, then down at him, then back to each other. After a good, solid minute of this, Fred spoke up, "Pansy Parkinson. The girl everyone calls pug-faced? The Slytherin? You let yourself get kissed by her?"
"Well I didn't really have a choice! We were arguing and then, out of bloody nowhere, she hauls off and kisses me! And then she left before I could recover from the shock!"Harry said, shaking his head slowly. "I honestly have no idea what's going on, but the less of it I have to deal with, the better off I'll be."
"Tough luck, lad." George said, patting Harry on the back. "I think I'd try spelling my lips off if a Slytherin girl planted one on them."
"Yes, well, I plan to be using them in the future. Hopefully. I guess." Harry said, trailing off feebly. "Just... not with her. Ugh."
"So... what do you plan to do about it all?" Fred asked.
"Well, I plan to resume ignoring Parkinson, providing she stops trying to burn me to death in Ancient Runes." Harry said, making a face. "As for Tonks, I'll just have to work things along slowly, that's all."
"And what of the other couple dozen girls out to do what Puggy Parkinson pulled?" Asked George, making kissy faces.
Slugging the redhead on the arm, Harry scowled. "Ignore them, as well. Out of sight, out of mind. I don't suppose you could do something about my so-called fan club, could you?"
"We've not yet had reason to be able to trigger a reaction on such a large scale." Fred said. "Our pranks have so far remained secluded to a small number of people."
"Care to work out something bigger, then?" Harry asked.
The twins exchanged a look before shrugging. "We wouldn't mind. What kind of widespread chaos were you thinking of?"
"Oh, I dunno. Creativity is your department. I just throw ideas to it every so often." Harry said. "I want it to be spectacular, though. Something that could affect the whole of Slytherin, plus Snape, without actually causing any real damage. That way you could only get points or detention. Nothing expulsion-worthy."
"But getting around being expelled is what we do best. If we're going to catch Snape in our trap, we'll have to slow him - and all of them - down."
"Shame you guys can't turn the dungeon floors into quicksand or something." Harry commented. After a moment of silence, he looked up at Fred and George. "...You can't, can you?"
"Dunno." Fred said, eyes wider than normal.
"But I think we have something to do over the weekend now." George added, grinning.
"Oi oi." Harry said, shaking his head again.
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Harry's head was buzzing again. Not from a standard-issue headache or, thankfully, more encounters with Pansy Parkinson. No, this was more because of the increased Dementor activity around the school. The ravenous soul-suckers had been stationed much closer to the school since Black's break-in, much to the annoyance of the students. Dumbledore himself seemed almost irritated, though it was carefully masked.
His headache also had to do with the upcoming Hogsmeade trip. The trip that Harry wasn't going to be going on. While Andromeda had said she would speak to Dumbledore, the headmaster apparently hadn't gotten the blasted permission form out of Harry's bedroom at Number Four after all. So he was stuck in the castle while everyone else got to go and have fun.
"We'll bring you back a buncha stuff, alright? Little bit o' everything!" Tonks said, frowning slightly. She had tried to keep from going, as well, but Harry had pushed her towards Solieyu, telling them to have fun.
"I'll catch up on reading for my new classes." Harry said. "I'll probably head for the Nest to ensure some quiet. Providing Tonks doesn't get too wired on sweets, catch up to me there when you get back."
Solieyu nodded and Tonks stuck her tongue out at him as they turned to join the large group in the Entrance Hall. Harry just chuckled and, trying not to think of his painfully bad luck, turned to head back to Ravenclaw Tower for some reading material. After doing so, he slipped off to his hidden tower to relax.
It was a brisk fall day, but the winds were kept to a minimum where Harry had chosen to sit. Or, at least, low enough that they didn't interfere with his reading. By the time his friends slipped through the trapdoor, he had browsed through all of his Ancient Runes book and was plodding through the Arithmancy one at a slower pace, mostly due to his eyes tiring out.
"Have fun?" He asked.
"Loads!" Tonks said, chucking a bag full of stuff to Harry.
"We come bringing sugar." Solieyu stated, sitting down with a slight wince.
"Good. I gotta tell you two... these new classes of mine? Interesting in practice, but the theory behind them is so needlessly complicated that it hurts. There's so much that could be taken out while still delivering the point." Harry said, setting his Arithmancy book down to rummage through his bag of treats.
"So what'd you two get?" Harry asked, eyeballing a sugar quill.
"Tonks managed to haggle a small candy shop of things." Solieyu replied, raising an eyebrow as he looked at the girl. "It was... most impressive, actually. Frightening, but impressive."
"Girl's gotta keep her energy levels high somehow!" Tonks declared, grinning.
"And you, Leon?"
Tonks made a face. "I caught him stowing away a surprisingly large amount of lollipops. I managed to snake one away from him. You know what they were?"
"Blood Pops?" Harry asked, not bothering to look up.
"Yeah! ...Hey, wait, how'd you guess?" Tonks asked.
Harry did look up then. "I think it's close enough to spill the beans, Leon. Besides, Tonks is officially going to drive us both crazy if you don't."
Sighing, Solieyu rubbed at the bridge of his nose for a moment. "You know, I didn't want to get them. But the other part of me was drawn to them like a moth to a flame. I hate the taste of blood."
"So why'd you get 'em?" Tonks asked.
"Because," Solieyu said, turning to look at her. "I'm a vampire."
Tonks blinked. She pursed her lips and seemed to slip off into her own little world for a minute. Then her eyes got wide and she let out a low 'ohhhh.'
"I've got a lot of questions for you, you know." Harry said, sucking at the tip of a sugar quill. "Like what, exactly, was in that potion we had to give you over the summer."
"Blood substitute." Solieyu replied, shrugging. "As I've said... I hate the taste of blood. To the point where I refused to drink it."
"I think we need some setup for this." Tonks said. "Or, at least, I think I do."
"I've been thinking about what I was going to tell you. If I get to rambling, feel free to stop me." Solieyu said. Then, leaning his head back and shutting his eyes, he started speaking again. "As you've seen, I live with my mother. I'm not sure I ever mentioned it before or not, but my father left us years ago."
"Why?" Asked Tonks.
"Because of me. Or rather, because of what happened to me." Solieyu replied. "It happened when I was eight. We lived elsewhere then, near a large forest. I always used to run off and play in it. I didn't really know anyone in the area, so I'd find ways to keep myself busy. A lot of animals in the forest seemed to like me, too, so I'd often chase the rabbits around or...somesuch. Little kid stuff.
"But father argued constantly with mother and I, telling us that dark things lived in the woods and that if I wasn't careful, I would be attacked. He also said that he wouldn't stay in the same house with a son stupid enough to not heed his warnings. But, being so little, I didn't listen to him. You know how parents can be - keeping their children safe even if they have to lie to him. Anyway... one night, just after sundown, I snuck outside to play. I had found a nice little clearing a good ways in that I hid stupid things I had found in. Unimportant stuff like bottle caps and old bottles of various sorts."
Solieyu opened his eyes to stare at the floor, but he seemed to be somewhere else. "When I got there that night, there was a cloaked figure lying in the center of the clearing. She was crying... very hard, in fact. I guess that was what compelled me to see if she was okay. If I hadn't... I might still be normal today. When I got close,she attacked. I screamed and could feel something sink into my neck. But, at the time, I thought she had a knife or something and was going to kill me.
"She left, laughing this... godawful laugh... and I was left there, in the middle of a dark forest, injuried. I tried to stand to get out of there, but I couldn't. I was so dizzy that I could barely open my eyes. My arms were shaking and I distinctly remember being violently ill.
"Mother found me the next afternoon, pale and barely clinging to life. She brought me home and called for a healer. Father was outraged. I'm kind of glad I don't remember a lot of what happened after that. I passed out not long after being carried home. The next thing I remember is waking up at St. Mungo's, alone in a room. My parents were arguing with a healer just outside the door. They were being quiet, but somehow, I could hear them as clearly as if they were in the room with me..."
The long-haired boy blew out a long sigh and caught his breath, then let his eyes slip shut to continue. "Father was yelling at the healer, asking what the purpose of the hospital was if they couldn't fix a problem like mine. Mother was crying... she never said much of anything, really. The healer seemed almost as angry as father was, telling him that if he didn't lower his voice, he would have to be escorted from the premises. I blacked out shortly after that...
"As it turns out, the women I had been bitted by was named Alexis Palinsky, a vampire who got her kicks from going around and converting children and the elderly into one of her kind. She was wanted by both British and Russian Ministries for her crimes. As far as I know, she hasn't been caught - or killed - yet."
"So she's still out there doing stuff like that?" Tonks asked, shivering a little.
Solieyu nodded. "I'm sure I would have heard one way or another if she had been captured or taken down somehow."
"So can you like... y'know, turn into a bat?" Tonks asked, grinning crookedly.
"No. But he can turn into a wolf. Can't you?" Harry asked.
"A wolf, yes. I've...tried changing into a bat, but it's still beyond my current level of power. I should be able to at some point, but every time I've tried, I've just depleted what little strength I have."
"Why the weakness, anyway?" Tonks asked. "I mean, aren't vampires more powerful than regular humans?"
"Normally. But it ties in to my hatred of blood. See, after father left, it was just mother and I, trying to work out how to deal with my curse. It's not easy for me to stomach regular food, see..."
"Which is why I never see you eat much." Harry commented.
Solieyu nodded. "Exactly. Mother used to go into the forest and... kill some of the animals there. It was awful. The same creatures I had played with and told all my silly little secrets to were being offered up to me for meals. I tried to stop at one point, but... things didn't go well at all..."
Harry stared at his friend for a moment before asking, "Does this have anything to do with the potion you take? You...seemed a bit different that day, before Tonks brought it to you."
Wincing, Solieyu nodded again. "That potion is a substitute. It gives me the same general benefits that blood would... Except for the strength. Unless I consume real blood, I'll always be as tired and weak as you usually see me. I've also tried to get away from that, because it still tastes like real blood... but if I don't, the Craving starts to take hold. That's what you saw that day. The beginnings of me losing control."
"The Craving?" Asked Tonks.
"If a vampire doesn't feed in a certain amount of time, thier bloodlust overpowers everything else. They seek out the nearest source of blood and drain it to satiate the feeling. Once they're full again, they revert back to being as normal as anyone else, enhanced abilities aside. The potion, being a substitute, doesn't last as long as a proper feeding would. I have to take it once every so often or the Craving takes hold. Fortunately, back in your neighborhood, I was able to keep the urge under control long enough for Tonks to deliver the potion. It works blissfully fast, but..."
"It sucks the remaining strength out of you?" Harry questioned.
"Mm." Solieyu nodded. "If it hits after the Craving kicks in, it lays me up for days."
"Ouch. So... if the potion tastes just like the real thing, why not just drink the real thing and get your strength back?" Tonks asked.
"Moral objections. I always did hate meat." Solieyu said.
"A vegetarian vampire?" Harry snorted.
Solieyu offered a small smile. "Something like that. Anyway... the first time the Craving hit me, mother was barely able to fend me off. Luckily for both of us, she's a very skilled witch when the need arises. She had to call the Ministry to try and get some Aurors out there. They managed to subdue me, but they also informed mother of my blood-related issues.
"After that, we had to go to the Ministry and fill out a ton of forms. That's where we found out about the potion, actually. And about Palinsky. Unfortunately, the potion isn't cheap, so we've been pretty poor off for awhile. When my letter to Hogwarts came, I thought I would have to turn the offer down because of my condition. But Dumbledore came over for dinner one night and informed us that not only would he be willing to let me enrole, he'd help pay for the potion while I was here."
"That was awfully nice of him." Tonks commented.
"Indeed." Solieyu said. "When father left, he took his income with him, so it was a true blessing. Since my conversion, I've been faster than ever, my senses have been enhanced...and I can smell blood very distinctly. That's another reason I don't eat much. Do you have any idea how strong the scent is in the Great Hall? All that blood and it takes a lot of concentration to keep the Craving from just triggering out of a want to slake my thirst."
"If it ever does hit, go for the Slytherins first, would you?" Tonks asked.
"I dunno. They probably all have poison in their veins." Harry said, looking thoughtful. Or, at least, as thoughtful as a person could look with half a feather in their mouth. "...I guess this explains how you could tell where that ruddy troll was in our first year, eh?"
"Quite. I could smell its blood and its natural odor. That wasn't very pleasant with my enhanced senses, either." Solieyu said, making a face. "On that note, I'm not looking forward to getting all of my powers."
"Why's that?" Harry asked.
"Have you ever heard of veelas?" Solieyu asked.
Harry shook his head.
"Very beautiful women that have a natural attraction power. Men follow after them, tend to lose a proper grip on how they think, that sort of thing. From what I've read, vampires have the same sort of power, only in reverse." Solieyu explained, looking disgusted.
"Good. Take some of the ones following me around all the time." Harry said.
"I wish I could joke about it. I can barely keep my wolf transformation held. I think my powers are triggered easier when there's a need for them to be. Like last year, in the forest... I'd just like to state, again, that acromantulas taste absolutely vile." Solieyu said.
"Hey, wait..." Harry said, thinking back a bit. "Did you get Mrs. Norris to block my attempts at following you back in first year?"
Solieyu smiled. "I might have. Animals do seem to like me, after all."
"Damn! I knew it seemed a bit fishy for her to just randomly appear while I was trailing you. ...hold on, does that mean you knew I was after you?" Harry asked.
"The whole time."
"Dammit, you were just toying with me, then?" Scowled Harry.
"More or less. But it was interesting to see you try so often." Solieyu said.
"Was that how you knew I was being attacked by Ron?" Tonks asked, her voice a bit softer.
"Harry heard something first. I think I was recovering from almost having an episode with the Craving. But when we got closer, I was able to pick up on it properly."
"You looked good and pissed off that day." Harry said. "I think that was the first time I had ever heard anyone growl like you did."
"Yes, well, he picked a bad time to cause trouble with my friends, that's all." Solieyu said. "I'm just glad the potion was working correctly."
"He practically carried me to Madam Pomfrey's office, you know." Tonks said, tilting her head. "I didn't really think much of it at the time. Too out of it."
"Any explanation as to why you can walk around in the daylight without exploding or turning to powder? Whichever one's true. Couldn't find a proper source on that here, oddly enough." Harry said, cocking an eyebrow.
Solieyu chuckled. "It's a mostly untrue myth, that. Vampires are perfectly capable of handling daylight. It's the sun we have issues with. And what I mean by that is - you know how most people get sunburn after lingering outside?"
"Yeah..." Harry replied.
"It's much, much worse for us. Found that out the hard way. Burn cream is not fun to apply to partially-charred flesh." Solieyu said, grinning crookedly. "It helps if there are clouds out to keep the sun from hitting me directly... but I do alright for a good hour or two before my skin starts to itch. That's the first indication that it's time to find some shade. If I don't listen to that, my skin starts to... how should I put this so it makes the most sense? - Um... it sizzles. Kind of. Of course, you'd probably need enhanced hearing to pick the sound up, as it's very faint. After that, I have about five minutes to get out of direct sunlight before it literally begins to burn and bubble."
"I'm guessing that's why you live near the woods." Harry guessed.
"Right in one. I'm not sure if you noticed or not, but all of the trees at my house were spaced close enough together so that only the smallest amount of sunlight gets through." Solieyu explained.
"What about during the winter months, when the trees lose their leaves?" Tonks asked.
"Ahh, but they don't. We've made sure to spell the trees to stay in bloom. It's not very nice to the trees, as they're basically forced into a neverending stunner-type spell... but it's definitely easier on me. And before you ask - no, we don't get attention because of the trees. The area's warded to keep curious Muggles away, after all. If they get too close, it activates and they just lose interest." Solieyu said. "Now then, is there anything else I should clear up?"
"Mm, not that I can think of. Yet. Though I'd suggest, when it hits, to get your creepy Aura of Smooth power under control as quickly as possible." Harry said, smirking.
"'Aura of Smooth' power?" Solieyu repeated.
"The natural attraction one." Harry said.
"...What an interesting name you've decided to give it." Solieyu stated, blandly.
"Yes, well, just see to it that it's in check, eh?"
Solieyu glanced aside, then back to Harry, a smirk on his own face. "Afraid that I might unintentionally sweep Tonks away from you, hm?"
"I never said that." Harry muttered, suddenly more interested in his sugar quill than the topic.
"Good as." Solieyu replied, raising an eyebrow. "Tonks, what do you think? Is Harry being protective of you because he's afraid of losing you?"
Tonks blushed slightly and took up the same half-winded attempt at denying the subject that Harry had. "Shut up, Leon." She scowled, swatting him on the arm. "And stop teasing us."
"Yeah, since when did you have a sense of humor?" Harry asked, a sour look on his face still.
"I've always had a sense of humor." Solieyu said. "It's just very, very dry."
"Oh, I could make a cutting retort out of that." Tonks mumbled, glaring at the long-haired boy out of the corner of her eyes.
"I'm sure you could." Solieyu said. "In all seriousness, though... thank you both for hearing me out. It... feels nice to be able to tell someone. Dumbledore's condition for my coming here basically included a 'keep your secret hidden' clause. I don't think he'll be too upset if he finds out, though."
Harry nodded. "Dumbledore's not quite right in the head, but he's a nice guy deep down. Or... what have you. He seems to enjoy things not going according to plan. I think it keeps him from being bored."
"Sounds about right." Solieyu said.
"Hey, Leon. Mind if I ask you one more question?" Harry asked.
Solieyu nodded, so Harry continued, "Now that you've explained, care to tell us what's really bothering you about Professor Lupin?"
Solieyu looked down, face slightly twisted. "...That, I'm not sure of. I can tell he isn't human. The basic scent is completely off. But I haven't the foggiest idea of what he could be. I've never smelled something like that before in my life, so I have nothing to go off of. And it isn't just his basic scent. His blood smells strange, too."
"How many smells can a person give off?" Tonks asked.
"I've learned to go by a couple. Gives me something to do when I'm bored." Solieyu said. "Plus it's always a good idea to know things about a person that they don't want you to. You know, in case Lupin turns out to be completely loony."
"I dunno. He seems really laid back, Leon." Harry said. "He hasn't shown any of the signs Quirrell and Lockhart did."
"The point stands, Harry. He isn't fully human. I know for sure that he isn't a vampire, as I'd recognize the scent on both levels. I've been around other vampires before, mostly during visits to the Ministry, and I've gotten acquainted enough with the odor to pick it up instantly." Solieyu said.
"Shame you can't line up one of each not-quite-human wizards types and give 'em a good whiff, eh?" Tonks piped in, grinning.
"I try not to 'whiff' anyone if I can help it." Replied Solieyu, drolly. Looking back to Harry, he continued, "Tell you what... I'll speak with Professor Dumbledore about it. I'm sure he knows. If he allowed me to come here, chances are he's let other special cases in, as well. I'm pretty sure Professor Lupin classifies."
"It's nice to have someone else doing all the detective work." Harry commented. "Last year, my brain nearly caved in."
"I'm going to go ahead and tell the headmaster that I've told the two of you, as well. You did technically figure it out." Solieyu said. "He may want to speak with each of you alone, together, or just sit all three of us down for a chat, so be expecting it."
Harry and Tonks nodded.
"Right. Let's get out of this tower then, shall we? I need to stretch my legs and, quite frankly, I wouldn't mind a softer place to sit." Solieyu said, getting to his feet.
"Agreed." Harry said, grabbing his bag of treats and tucking the sugar quill back into it. "We really need to get around to transfiguring some cushions to sit on, at least. Maybe spelling them to stay put... and dry... so that the elements can't affect them. We need some kind of sticking spell... one we can remove if we want to rearrange the seating or something."
"Leave the decorating to me." Tonks said, eyes flashing.
"Oh lord. Imagine the color scheme." Harry said. He was rewarded with a swift ear flick, which made him wince and nearly drop his bag. "Oww!"
"Hold your tongue, O Boy Who Lived." Tonks said, sticking out her tongue. "I'll have you know that I help mum out all the time when it comes to rearranging furniture or choosing new stuff for the house. I'm surprised the bug hasn't hit you, Harry. The books I've seen on Metamorphmagi have all mentioned in passing that we seem to have this natural drive in regard to colors and layouts. S'probably why you picked that one chair to claim as yours."
"No, I claimed it because it was comfortable and didn't cause my back to pop in five different spots if I sat and lost myself in a book for a few hours." Harry replied. "I think the contents of your books are sketchy at best and require a better source of information!" He added, making his voice a few bits snootier. "Would you happen to have some form of pamphlet on you, m'lady?"
"I'll pamphlet you!" Tonks cried, aiming a swat at Harry's arm. Harry hopped out of striking range and laughed.
"You'll pamphlet me? What does that even mean? Is it supposed to be some sort of threat?" Harry asked.
"You wait until I get my hands on you, Potter!" Tonks cried, leaping for Harry.
And so it went, as most of their non-arguments did. Tonks would end up winning after pinning Harry down and reminding him of how abysmally ticklish he was. Chuckling quietly to himself, Solieyu opened the trap door and slipped out unnoticed, thankful to have made such good friends... insane as they might be. They had taken his explanation just as Harry claimed they would. They hadn't seemed surprised, scared, or otherwise. It was nice to have people other than his mother and Dumbledore accept him for what he was.
"And on that note..." Solieyu murmured as he sniffed the air at the bottom of the Nest's staircase, checking for nearby students before slipping through the invisible wall. "I've got to find the headmaster. My long day isn't over just yet."
oOoOoOoOoOoOo
Author's Notes: Hey, lookit, a quick update! I've diverged from the chapter guide already. Eheh... he... ugh. I've gotta do better at that. But mentioning Black's slip-in wasn't as big a deal as if Harry had been Sorted into Gryffindor. Black had entered, made an incorrect guess, and had fled. The Dementors are now swarming closer together and closer to Hogwarts as a result. But Sirius still doesn't know which house Harry IS in, so it isn't bothering him as much as it might otherwise.
And so here we find out the secret that I've not kept hidden well at all! Yes, I'm taking leeway with proper vampire lore by making him resistant vs sunlight - it'd be kinda hard to deal with, otherwise. Oh sure, I could argue that it might just be a case of Palinsky being a poor excuse for a vampire and that more pure, less inbred vampires would give over 'proper' vampire weaknesses. But I'm not gonna because this makes things easier. The powers are almost a non-issue, anyway, so no one should make too big a deal out of it.
I THINK I covered all major instances of Leon's powers activating. I scrolled back through the last two books briefly. If I missed anything, chalk it up to Harry and Tonks not recalling it, either.
If anyone still hasn't put the pieces together, Solieyu's name is comprised of the names of various characters from the Akumajou Dracula (Castlevania) series of games. Specifically, Solieyu Belmont from the second Gameboy CV game (Belmont's Revenge) and Reinhardt Schneider from the N64 CV game. Dietrich was pulled out of the anime Trinity Blood. Mostly because I thought it would fit nicely as Leon's middle name. ...On that note, even his nickname is a proper character from CV. Leon Belmont, from Lament of Innocence. Leon's mum is named Maria, who was in Symphony of the Night. Her maiden name is Schneider, which again - the N64 game. Leon's father is named Trevor, who was in Castlevania III for the NES. His last name is the one Leon chose to keep (Reinhardt).
So if you're a Castlevania fan and DIDN'T pick up on the fact that every member of his family had a CV-related name, shame on you.
And now that I've thoroughly confused everyone who isn't a gamer, it's off to enjoy the end of the year, as I finished this at around midnight on December 30th. See you next chapter and next year!
Post-edit update: It's not 36 minutes past. I figured I'd get the editing out of the way tonight. Happy New Year's, you lot!