By: MLD
Rated: R
Disclaimer: anything you may recognize does not belong to me! Meaning, any characters from the HP universe! (but of course I'm sure all of you know this by now?)
This is an AU Harry Potter/Draco Malfoy fanfiction, if you don't like this pairing then why are you even here?!
This fic will most definitely be dark.
Cassius Leonidas is a 947-year-old vampire. On his 347th year he was captured on the shores of Scotland by a powerful group of witches and wizards. They encased him in a tomb deep within the dungeons of Hogwarts; there they spelled a warning to anyone that would find it and cursed Leonidas with eternal sleep.
Yet, this was not enough to fall the powerful Leonidas, for the curse had only one counter…
Chapter 4: Chamber of Secrets
"What do you mean blood disease? He's going to die unless the most feared Vampire since Vlad Dracula wakes up!?" Ginny felt sick with fear.
Severus was gulping down a headache potion while Darlene tried to explain without telling the children everything. It was getting them nowhere. "Lily, just tell them every damn thing and get it bloody over with. I can't take much more of her yammering. My head is going to explode."
Blaise looked up at this. Severus just glared back at him. "Lily? There's something else you're not telling us Professor, a lot of something and I believe it has a lot to do with Draco, therefore, It has a lot to do with us. So I suggest your tell us what the bloody hell is going on."
"You just had to go and open your mouth didn't you Severus?" She sighed, though she understood why they should know the truth, half-truths always lead to trouble. Severus glared at her. "Fine, you want to know the truth, you'll get the truth but not a word about this is to be spoken outside of this room. My name is Lily Evans Snape, that man over there is my insufferable husband. We are members of the Knights of the Order. We oppose the Ministry and the Hunters…"
"The two groups that hate half humans?" Blaise asked.
"Yes, those two that I've been telling the class about. The Sect of Hunters hunt down these half humans and kill them and sometimes even their families, human families. Our records say that its what finally drove Leonidas over the edge, to seek revenge for the family he protected, the Malfoy family, but also for all the families that had been subjected to the savagery."
"That's awful, how can someone do that. I mean I know there have always been Vampire hunters, werewolf hunters, and all that rubbish, but that's a little extreme. Poor Leonidas." Ginny stared at the floor in amazement.
"Yes, well the Ministry is no better. They capture them and test them and then they lock them away with an enchantment until the hunters fine them and eventually kill them. Its horrible, they are still human and to be subjected to such cruelty…" Lily looked sick.
Blaise decided to do a quick subject change, " Why were you going by the name Darlene Knight?"
"Undercover name. I volunteered to be one of the first of the Ministry to become a hunter. See I'm a muggleborn myself. The first of my family to have magic, but that is beside the point. I'm a spy for the Knights and Severus is a spy also. Highly trusted by the old fool Dumbledore."
"What's going to happen to Draco if Cassius wakes up?" Ginny whispered.
"He will be turned. If Cassius does nothing, then Draco will die horribly and the end of the Slytherin line will cease to exist." Lily whispered, "Cassius will give him his second chance at life."
"Only to be hunted down like an animal and slaughtered," Blaise spat, his anger of the situation finally showing.
"Cassius will NOT let that happen again." Snape state flatly as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"I just hope that he is not too late." Blaise and Ginny nodded and that all sat in silence waiting for the inevitable.
An eerie quiet had settled over Hogwarts, even Peeves the Poltergeist ceased his pranking and
Moaning Myrtle was not making a sound. The wind ceased its blowing and the Dark Forest was still. The only sound that seemed to be filling the silence was the quiet haggard breathing of Draco Malfoy.
The teachers in Dumbledore's office gripped the arms of their chairs until their knuckles turned white.
The students tossed and turned in their beds, their dreams troubled.
Severus and Lily Snape sat, their hands clasped as Blaise and Ginny held each others gazes.
It was the calm before the storm.
Draco gasped as he opened his eyes and screamed.
Hogwarts shook violently with the pain of the Heir.
Deep in the Dungeons
Cassius opened his emerald eyes and was met with the stone of his casket. Bringing his pale hands up he pushed, breaking the chains that surrounded the stone; it took him a brief second before he realized that he was underwater. His frustration doubled.
They had somehow managed to place him with in the walls of The Chamber of Secrets. The only thing that truthfully bothered him was Salazar's Basilisk. Swimming to the surface, he launched his body, sopping wet… he HATED getting wet, to the ground. He shook his head, he had time to complain later, right now he had to get to Draco. He started running for the entrance quickly shifting to his animagus, his paws padding lightly as he ran. He stopped as soon as he reached the entrance/exit and found it locked.
How the hell was he supposed to get free?! He wasn't a parselmouth! Draco would be the only one that could open it. He swore under his breath, things weren't going as he planned. He transformed back, his eyes smoldering and face full of rage, as he kicked at the door causing the walls to shake and shudder, but otherwise stayed in tack.
He let out a yell that shook Hogwarts to its core. HE NEEDED OUT! "Draco."
Dumbledore looked around the room at the pale faces of his colleagues. The school was trembling, "It seems that Cassius has finally awoken, but it is in our fortune that he is deep within the Chamber of Secrets and that Draco is indisposed of at the moment. He is too weak to get to the chamber to open it. Luckily, our ancestors walled off the entrance, which was in the Slytherin girls lavatory. It seems the Lady Luck is on our side this night."
Dumbledore closed his eyes, his mind fatigued.
Cassius was seething, he couldn't focus. All he could think about was Draco and his need to get to him. He launched bodily at the door but it wouldn't budge. Red tears spilt from his eyes as he frantically searched for a way out. "Cassius!" Cassius, in his panic, shifted to his Panther form and when Draco had called out for him he let loose a roar that echoed through out the grounds.
/Who wake me from my slumber. / Cassius spun around, his slitted pupils searching for the voice. /Who wakes the mighty Basilisk!/
Cassius froze, he was in trouble.
/Show yourself so that I may see you/ Cassius snorted, did the basilisk think him a fool. /Yes, a fool you are./
Cassius growled. /Calm yourself, Immortal, I do not feast on the undead. Why is it that you have awoken me. I smell the blood of Slytherin running through you. Who are you, speak before I change my mind./
Cassius started, he didn't have time for games, he had to find Draco! I am Cassius Leonidas, Loyal family Guardian of the Slytherin Line, my lord. I am in a hurry for the last of the line is slowly dying from the blood curse. I swore an oath that I would not fail my family again.
/Ah, you are the son of that bastard Godric, are you not. I know you by another name…your name your mother gave you, your true name. If you are who I believe you to be, then answer me, what is you name, Immortal Prince./
Cassius stared at the basilisk, its eyes scared over and blind. /WHO ARE YOU/ the basilisk demanded once more.
Cassius stood, his back straight, eyes trained directly at the Serpent, " I am the son of Godric Gryffindor and Lillian Potter, brother to Seraphina and Guardian of the Slytherin Line. I am 947 Years old and my name is Harry Potter!" He shouted leaving an eerie silence behind.
The Basilisk bowed his wicked head and spoke, /Then I am your humble servant young Potter…or should I say Old Potter. Climb upon me and I shall set you free. But you must promise me one thing, little master. Do come and visit me again. I would enjoy the company/
I would be honored to be in the company of one as great as you, My lord. He bowed and leaped gracefully onto his head.
"It seems that our fortune has turned my friends, for now we must sit and wait for the time of confrontation. He has opened the Chamber of Secrets and rides the Lord Basilisk… to seek him now would be our deaths." Dumbledore was truly frightened.
"What is going on!?" There was the sound of an explosion deep within the dungeons. Students who were sleeping deeply under the sleeping spells stirred. Ginny gripped Blaise's hand as she stared at her professors.
"Cassius is free from within the confines of the Chamber of Secrets! The wall that was his final hindrance is now gone! Everyone be quiet! No one make a sound."
Blaise place his hand over Ginny's that was gripping his other hand tightly.
There was a sound… like the sound of sandpaper against stone, it was growing louder and louder until it stopped right outside Professor Snape's chambers.
"I thank you, my lord Basilisk." Cassius said and the only sound that could be heard was that of the Basilisk slithering away.
Everything was still.
Cassius was running down the empty hallway towards Draco's room, the smell of his blood was thick in the air. He didn't have much time left. Stopping at the portrait, he shouted the password and ran inside, the smell of blood heightening his senses. He made his way through the rooms and the long hallway that was Draco's private rooms. The closer he came, the louder his suffering became and the more Cassius's heart twisted painfully.
Cassius walked into the bedroom and saw for the first time in person his Draco. He was wrapped in a silk sheet, what used to be white, but it was now stained crimson. He skin was pasty in area's that could be seen and his hair was died red, almost black from all the burning blood. He wasted no time.
He rushed towards the bed, his hands strong and steady as he lifted Draco's head. "Draco, can you hear me?"
Draco opened his blind grey eyes and blinked, "Cassius?"
"Shh, I'm going to help you now, but you must accept what is going to happen to you. Do you understand what I am and what I am going to have to do?" Cassius smoothed back Draco's hair.
Draco's mind was whirling; he new that he was going to die if didn't accept Cassius and all that he offered. He new that if he denied Cassius that he would be destroying many lives, but didn't he have to die to become a vampire? He was confused. He would accept though, for even though he had never met Cassius, he felt a growing connection to the Vampire.
"I… accept."
Cassius closed his eyes and breathed. It was time. When he opened his eyes, they were dilated black with only a thin green line circling them, his fangs grew and he bit his wrist, his blood flowing freely. "Drink from me." He put his wrist to Draco's lips.
Draco winced at first as the hot blood rushed into his mouth, but then the burning stopped, his body no longer felt like it was on fire, and he felt nothing but ecstasy. Bringing his hands up he gripped the wrist of Cassius, his grip growing stronger.
Cassius watched and waited until his blood replaced all that Draco had lost, and then he would take Draco's mortality away.
The blood rushed through his body filling his limbs with burning heat…erotic heat. His eyes focused on Cassius for the first time in the flesh and his heartbeat quickened at the sight of the raven haired immortal. He was filled with a deep urgency to be filled with Cassius's essences, and his drunk until he thought he was going to burst.
Cassius had his eyes closed as his blood rushed out of his body and into Draco's giving him the strength he would need for the turning, preparing him for the pain of mortal death and his immortal life.
Upon hearing Draco whimper, Cassius opened his eyes and looked down, taking his wrist away from him, using his tongue to seal the wound in his wrist. Draco was breathing hard and sweating, his eyes now clear and focused on Cassius's every movement. Cassius moved fluidly to the other side of Draco on the bed and kneeled, pulling Draco up so that Draco's back was pressed against his chest and his arms wrapped around Draco's waist. Draco let his head roll so that it rested on Cassius's right shoulder. Draco was shivering as Cassius's cold hands danced across his flesh.
"Tis alright, love." Cassius whispered in his ear, "Almost done, and your change will be complete. Then nothing will come between you and what you want most out of your new life, this I swear to you."
Draco brought this arms up unsteadily so that they were around Cassius's neck, "Finish it, before my pain returns." Draco spoke steadily, despite his appearance.
"So be it." Cassius weaved his hand through Draco's hair and gripped his hair, pulling his head farther back to expose his neck more, Cassius kissed the flesh softly causing Draco to gasp, before he sunk his teeth into the pulsating artery that held Draco's mortal life.
Draco could feel his life rushing out of him, but it did not frighten him, nor was it painful. His heart was slowing with every second Cassius drained him, and he was suddenly feeling tired, felt like closing his eyes and sleeping forever and he almost did just that, until he heard a voice in his head.
Fight the seduction of Death Draco, though her power strong, she can not win over your will. You must be strong, Draco, for what is going to follow will take all that you have.
"Cass…" Draco couldn't speak, he felt like something was caught in his throat, his breathing was becoming ragged again, yet the pain was not there. His heartbeat was so weak he could hardly feel it with in himself.
Cassius pulled away from Draco's neck wound, and once again bit his wrist and forced it to Draco's lips. Draco felt the first drops of the liquid fire on his tongue and flinched, it was hotter then it had been before, but he felt Cassius thrust it back to his lips and he had little choice but to swallow. It burned all the way down his throat, pooled in his stomach, and seeped into his own veins. His body was on fire again.
Cassius felt Draco's arms slip from his neck as he pulled his wrist away healing almost immediately. Draco started to writhe in his arms as his body began changing. The already twisted crimson sheets twisted more around Draco's legs as he screamed soundlessly, his eyes rolling back in his head. "Fight her Draco, fight her, don't let her win. You are Malfoy, don't forget, you are stubborn to the very end." Cassius muttered in his ear as he fought against the growing strength in Draco. With one more twist, he stilled and there was no more movement from the prone Slytherin.
Hogwarts began to rumble.
TBC
Sorry I kept all of you waiting! I really am, but I couldn't help it, honestly! I
Peace,
MLD