Harry Potter
&
The Children of the Night
-by Lady Nichola Valerius

Previously, on Harry Potter and the Children of the Night:

"Why won't you tell me anything about Casa di Valerii?" he whined.

Emera smirked. "Because it'll have a better effect on you if you see it all without any primary description." Harry pouted. "Uh-uh, that won't work on me, Potter!"

"Fine! We'll see if I cook for you tonight."

"You still owe me a meal from the fight the other day."

"Bugger!"

Chapter 4
The Order's Reaction

"Harry!"

The aforementioned boy tilted his head up to the source of the call. His startlingly cold eyes warmed considerably as he saw his father's friend waving to him as he walked in his direction. "Hello, Remus," he said when Remus Lupin was close enough. The elder man threw his arms around his best friend's son, relief sweeping over him.

"Harry," he began after letting his arms drop to his sides, "where on Earth have you been? Everyone's been worried-"

"Everyone?" Harry inquired, "The whole Magical world?" At Remus' nod, Harry sighed. "It was Moody, wasn't it?"

"Err- yes, you know nothing fools that eye of his," Remus replied, frowning as he remembered that day. Alastor Moody had flown into headquarters quicker than the Golden Snitch, shouting for a search party, saying that 'the Potter boy' was not anywhere to be found in the immediate vicinity of Privet Drive.

"Well, at least it bought us sometime..." Harry thought out loud, snapping Remus from his thoughts.

"Us?"

Harry turned to his companion, who up until then had stood in the shadows. "This is Era-Zana Emera Ciana Vitalia Valerius of the Clan Valerius. She is a vampire. She took me from the Dursleys." Remus listened carefully as he ran a critical eye over the vampire.

He then turned to Harry. "Why? Why did she take you from your relatives? Did she force you?" he asked, his eyes turning angrily to Emera. Harry shook his head and lay a gentle hand on Remus' shoulder.

"Remus..." Harry started, but then stopped. "I think that it would be better if I explained it to everyone, so that I would not have to repeat myself." He gave Remus an inquiring glance. "Do you have the portkey?" At Remus' nod, Harry smiled. "What time will it activate?"

"In a minute," Remus said, glancing at his Muggle watch.

"Let's get ready then," Harry stated. He took hold of Emera's hand, then, with her hand in his, touched the small figurine that Remus offered. After a few moments, they all felt the tug of the portkey as it hooked them back to Number 12 Grimmauld Place.

As their feet touched solid ground, Emera dropped into a stance as they found themselves at the wrong end of a dozen wands. "No! Put your wands down," Remus said quickly.

"You didn't say there'd be another person coming," Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody grunted, keeping his wand on Emera as the others kept their wands.

"I didn't know either."

Alastor turned his wand to Harry, but quickly swished it back to Emera as she hissed and bared her fangs in warning. "Who is this?" he asked Harry, his magical eye trained on Emera.

"Era-Zana Emera Ciana Vitalia Valerius is my Custode," Harry said, his eyes narrowing, "We requested the Order's presence to tell you that I will be staying at Valerius Manor." An uproar from everyone caused both to flinch; Harry from irritation and Emera from the volume at which they were making their protests.

"SILENCE!"

Everyone quieted down and turned to the stairs, watching the powerful Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore come down the stairs. Except he didn't look so powerful anymore. His face, that had once always held a smile in some way, was worn and pasty looking. His right hand, from what Harry could see, had a violet-black tinge to it, making it look burnt and bruised at the same time. His body screamed pain as he ambled down the stairs. Bill Weasley offered him a hand as he reached the ground floor, to which Albus gave his left hand gratefully.

"Oh, Professor," Harry breathed, shocked at Dumbledore's weakened state. Even Emera was moved with pity as she studied the powerful sage in front of her. She could feel his aura, which was no doubt as powerful as it had once been, but his physique was pitiful alright.

She moved forward slowly. "Hello, Dumbledore," she murmured, her tone low and almost quiet. Dumbledore's eyes visibly lit up as he saw her.

"Era-Zana Valerius," he reciprocated gleefully, "How are you, my dear?"

"In perfect health, though I noticed you aren't," she replied sardonically. Dumbledore chuckled.

"You haven't changed a bit."

"I'm sorry that I can't say the same," she replied mournfully. Everyone watched their interaction, each one intrigued, most especially a teenager named Harry James Potter.

"Alas, but to dwell in the past is useless, Lady," Albus said, brushing his left hand against her cheek.

"Truer words have always been heard from the old-looking ones," Emera said, a laugh in her tone.

Dumbledore sighed. "You always have been a brat." Everyone gasped, not expecting the word, and the tone, from the peace-loving man. Emera rolled her eyes and began to look around.

"The Noble House of Black," she said aloud. Then she spied a portrait. A familiar looking portrait. She began to laugh. "Leah Adela Almira Black!" she crooned delightedly. "I've wondered where you ended up." The woman in the portrait cringed.

"I'm sure," the olive-skinned woman replied, severe distaste apparent. "It wasn't really fun, what you did, Ana."

Emera let loose another bout of laughter. "Yes, it was!" She turned to her charge. "Wait 'til you hear what I did to Leah! You'll die of lack of air!"

"Thought I wouldn't need to breathe?" Harry countered, and rolled his eyes when Emera just shrugged. "Can we just finish what we can here for?"

Emera smirked. "Someone's in a hurry."

"I want to see the Manor!" Harry said, pouting. Emera grinned.

"You'll see it soon."

"Ahem." The two turned to look at the Headmaster, who looked considerably better now that the familiar twinkle was back in his eyes. "As much as I'd love to see the both of you sulk," at this Emera and Harry glared playfully at him, "I think that you called us here for a reason." He gestured to the kitchen doors, and everyone headed for their 'meeting room'.

"As Harry has stated, he will be staying at our Manor for the rest of the summer," Emera said once they were all seated, standing behind her charge. She held up a pale hand, stopping their protests immediately. "This has been decided by Harry and I, as well as the Council of Thirteen, in order to help Harry develop his skills as a Vampire."

"What do you mean?" a red-haired woman asked, sounding scandalized. "He's been bitten?" Emera glared at her for using that tone with her, a Royal of the Vampires, a Valerius no less!

"Don't sound disgusted, mortal," she sneered, "To be turned and to be bitten are two very different things. Even if a Vampire bites a mortal, it doesn't mean that you'll be turned, lest there'd be chaos on the planet. Too many Vampires around would mean that the Mortal race would die out. You need Vampire blood to be turned. And you need to be willing to take the blood. Or else it will feel like acid in your throat, burning away your insides, killing you from within. Literally."

"Emera," Harry chastised, "You're frightening them. They don't need the history, just the reason." Emera rolled her eyes, but complied.

"Harry has not yet been turned, but it is his right as my soul-brother to ask for his Changing. To tell the truth, it should have been done ages ago, so that by this time, he'd have mastered all he needed to know."

"Pardon me, Era-Zana Valerius," Snape interjected, "But how can Potter be your soul-brother? To earn a title such as yours, especially ones such as yours, it would had to have taken you centuries to gain, and... experience in killing."

"True," Emera smirked, "Listen carefully, Harry, I haven't told you this yet." Harry sat up and tuned in, showing more interest in what she had to say than in all his previous classes at Hogwarts. "To obtain a title, any title, for yourself, you must show complete and utter skill in fighting, both physically and magically. I am 397 years old. I was born during the first wave of the Goblin Rebellion. Of course, none here have seen it, experienced it, except me. Throughout my childhood, it was only 'Goblins this' and 'Goblins that'... Even though I was raised inside the Manor, everyone there was concerned with what was happening outside. When I was about 5 years old, my mother told me about the day I was born. Minutes before I came into the world, one of my aunts, Rishi, made a prediction... a prophecy about my future. " Emera rolled her eyes as she remembered this. "Harry is my soul-brother because of this prophecy." At this Harry groaned.

"Not another sodding prophecy!" he exclaimed.

"Language, Harry/ Mr. Potter!" Molly Weasley and Minerva McGonagall, respectively, chorused. No one else noticed Harry's exclamation but the headmaster, who just chuckled.

"Anyway," she stressed, glaring at Harry, "You all think that it was only you wizards and witches that were attacked. Well, you're wrong. Clan Valerius was attacked as well, but by the Elves. It truly was a time of chaos. To us, the Elves had attacked us for no reason at all. But from my lessons about the different kinds of Magical creatures, I knew that Elves did not just attack without reason, and I voiced my concerns to my father, but he failed to make the Council of Thirteen see truth." Emera lay a comforting hand on Harry, who was very enraptured with her tale. He took hold of her hand and she gave him a small smile.

"When my father told me that the Council wouldn't listen, it was then that I knew I had to do something," Emera continued, her lips quirking slightly. "I waited until everyone was asleep, and snuck out of the Manor, using the tunnels and hidden passage ways that even my parents were not aware of. I headed for their camp, and was subjected to inquiry when one of the guards saw me. They asked me what I was doing there, if I was a spy, if I was sent to kill them. So many questions, but I managed to answer them all truthfully. One thing I could never forget about Elves are that they are an insightful race. They can tell if you're lying. But they saw the truth in my words, and finally I could ask them the question burning in my mind."

"About why they were attacking Vampires?" Harry asked, tugging at her hand, eager to hear the end. At this Emera burst out laughing.

"Actually, no," Emera said. Harry's jaw dropped.

"Well? What did you ask them?" he inquired impatiently, when Emera only continued to smirk at him.

"I asked them, 'Will I become the greatest warrior ever to grace Gaea?' And they said, 'Yes, you will.' Then, I asked them why they were attacking my Clan. I found out that one of our soldiers had betrayed the Code of Honor. He had kill a woman of the race, and they thought it was a deliberate attack on their people. I assured them that it was not, because of the Code of Honor, we would never break a promise. I talked with them, and convinced them to meet with my father and the Council. They did so, and the argument was settled. We searched for the soldier who had started it all, but we found that he was already dead. His body was seen outside the Manor, and when we compared the times of death, we saw that he was actually the first who died." Emera's lips twisted into a sneer. "How ironic, no?" Harry snorted.

"You could say that again."

"Anyway, my deeds in Il Guerra di Fraintendimento, or The War of Misunderstanding… it was the first step in fulfilling the prophecy. There were other... tasks... that I had completed, and now there are only three more left."

Everyone was on the edge of their seats, waiting for her next words, completely enthralled with her story.

"Er... The end?" she finished, amused at their attention. Harry scowled.

"You are so finishing that when we get to the Manor," he said, pouting. Emera smiled at him sweetly, promising him bad, bad things in the near future. Harry gulped.

"Era-Zana," Bill started, "I have a question." When Emera nodded for him to continue, Bill said, "Well, since you are Harry's soul sister," (this drew snickers from a few half-bloods and muggleborns in the room), "will it be you who's going to turn him?" Many looked to the vampire for confirmation.

"Yes," she answered, "It is only right that I do it, because of two main reasons: the first being our history. My parents died trying to save me from a dark goblin. Harry's parents died trying to save him from a dark lord. We have a connection. And the second reason, is because his magic already recognizes mine, since we have spent a lot of time together. His body b ready to take my blood, since blood is the most powerful connection to the magical pool."

"Oh…" Harry said slowly, "I get it." Then he paused. "Hey! You said two main reasons. There are sub reasons?" he asked.

Emera smirked. "Maybe," she answered.

"You're so unfair," Harry whined.

"Life's unfair," Emera countered. As she turned back to the Order, she saw at time. "We have to go. The coven is expecting us."

"The whole coven?" Harry asked. Emera nodded, checking her pockets for their things.

"Say goodbye, Harry," Emera said distractedly.

"Why?" Molly asked, "We will be seeing him in September!"

"Actually, you won't," Emera corrected, still rummaging through her pockets. "He will be trained to control his need to feed, his reflexes and whatnot. He won't be returning for a while," Emera said, finding her bracelet. "There you are!" She turned to Harry amid the protests of Molly and the others.

"What's that for?" Harry asked her.

"It's… well, it's like that uh… Portkey your wolf-friend used. It'll bring you where it's set to go. In this case, it's Casa di Valerii," Emera answered. Harry's eyes visibly lit up. Emera rolled her eyes as she clasped the bracelet shut. When she let go, Harry disappeared. Emera turned to the Order. "He'll be alright," she reassured them. "I won't let any harm come to him."

"Forgive my rudeness, Era-Zana," Snape said before she could leave, "But Potter has a tendency to get into trouble, no matter what."

"Yes, I know that," Emera said, "And I'll be making sure that he reacts accordingly every time that happens." And with that, she walked out of the kitchen.

"Leah," Emera called, "I'll be going now. Do you want to come?"

"No, I'm quite… Oh alright! I've missed the Casa for years!" Leah answered as Emera removed her from the wall. "Goodbye!" she called to the Order before she and Emera disappeared before their sight, with no sound or visible smoke to indicate that anyone else had been there.