As Harry lounged in the bed he was given for his stay here, he thought of his first time appearing before his now mentor and tutor in the Mind Arts.

Red eyes with a ring of gold met green, one cold and the other blazing in shock and anger. Harry Potter had appeared with a flash of blue, as the portkey slammed him into the room. If calling it a room could explain how extravagant the area was. Tapestries, each with moving figures in them, covered each wall, farther than Harry's eyes could pierce the darkness that was barely punctuated by the few torches. The ceiling stretched high above, hidden behind a rolling miasma of ink black fog, that twinkled slightly with flashing will 'o' wisp lights.

Harry held his wand ready, though not pointed at the being in front of him as he kept its gaze. He was certain that this was Cain, who now he realized was the King of the Vampire Court. Cain sat lazily in a plush black chair, one leg crossed over the other casually. He wore no shoes, his painted toenails exposed to the world. His trousers were casual, made of black silk and tapered to adhere to his ankles while still providing plenty of room for movement. He wore a tunic of black and dark blue, over a black shirt. His hair was messy as if he just awoke, and black as pitch. His red eyes were cold, but his most distinguishing features were on his face. The Mark of Cain was present on his forehead; a singular rune that seemingly shifted continuously. But what took Harry's attention more than even the legendary sigil, was the fact that Cain had his mouth sewn shut.

Harry flinched as a voice, smooth and cultured yet rich and husky, sounded inside his mind. He idly noticed a flicker of amusement in the vampire's eyes as the voice said, "It has been so long since last I saw a Potter in person. Twas Loki, I believe, when I last roamed the wilds of man's lands. I am Cain. King of the Immortal Courts. The First."

Harry flinched as the presence in his mind vanished, as if it were a mere ghost. Cain blinked, and his sewn lips twitched. "How did you do that?"

In an instant, Harry regretted that question as Cain entered his mind again. "I am the eldest of elders. Entering your mind, communicating in such a manner, it is much more efficient. I hate to waste my time boy. You're talented, possibly enough to fend off my children. But I am the first. Your feeble attempts to keep me out are akin to a babe fending off an adult."

Cain mentally squeezed, and Harry froze as his body stopped responding to his will. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't blink, his mind seized in the Vampire's control for a moment before Cain again blinked and the presence vanished.

"Why am I here?"

Cain snapped his fingers, the sound echoing in the room for a moment before in a blur of motion another vampire joined the two. This one was familiar to Harry, with hair like ink that spilled down her back and blue eyes that matched the King's red. Evangeline Maria Zima, the first vampire Harry encountered bowed low before Cain, and met his eyes without fear.

"Yes my liege." With the grace that only those with magic could possess, Eva turned towards Harry. "My liege would like me to explain to you why he has graced you with his presence. You see, last time my king gave audience to a Potter an accord was struck. So long as their families existed, then they would be allies and allow no harm to come from their members. My father in my immortal life, must regretfully inform you that it was a member of his family that killed some of yours."

Harry's heartbeat flooded his ears. His wand was in his hand before he knew it, and Eva was flung across the room, as Cain appeared before him, moving fast enough that the piercing curse that Harry chained to the banishment charm was slammed into the ceiling by Cain shoving Harry's arm up. Again, Harry felt himself lose control of his body as Cain looked into his eyes.

Yet this time, Harry wasn't as helpless. A piece of porcelain appeared on his forehead and Cain flinched slightly before forcing Harry to his knees with strength that belied his lanky limbs.

"Settle down. It was not because I desired it. The welp acted without my approval and paid the price for it." A flash of a man with blond hair being set aflame as his limbs were ripped offflashed into Harry's mind. "The fool had sworn an unbreakable vow to that Voldemort of Britain, pledging himself to the fool. Had he known that I would discover it, he would have never joined."

Harry attempted to respond, telepathically at least. Instead of words, images flashed between their connection; the Dark Mark branded into a forearm, two people in silver masks conversing, the high laughter of Voldemort. Cain nodded.

"Yes, the whelp was a Death Eater, under orders to eliminate as many Potters as possible. Being a vampire, he was an extremely gifted assassin. You have my condolences for your loss." The mental voice didn't change, and Harry knew instinctively that Cain didn't care about the fact that Potters were killed, merely that they were killed by his family. A flicker of amusement could be felt from the King of the Vampires, before Harry was let go, and Cain appeared back in his throne. Eva returned with a frown on her face, glaring at the wizard that still knelt on the floor.

"If it was anyone other than you Harry Potter, I would tear you apart. I will tear you apart if you do that again." She shook her head in mock shame,"To treat those who will help you like that…"

"Help me? You are going to help me kill Voldemort?" The vampires became unnaturally still, with Cain and Eva both looking at him as if he were an ant.

Cain's mouth, sewn shut normally, stretched open, a flash of ivory teeth shown before he tapped the thread with a finger. It visibly loosened, allowing his mouth to open completely.

His voice sounded just as his mental projection, if slightly more waspish due to disuse. "I refuse. As of now, all vampires are barred from your conflict, unless they wish to be known as Oathbreakers and suffer the consequences of such a title. I will not help you kill this wizard boy. But I will not hinder you either."

Harry nodded, though he asked the question that has been plaguing him since his arrival. "Why?"

Cain tilted his head, as if pondering the question. "For the same reason I sew my mouth the spoken word has power. Because it benefits me. It doesn't matter to me which one of you kills the other. Death will claim you both eventually. Death has no hold on me, nor shall it ever. I am eternal, and will watch your descendants' bones turn to dust, Voldemort's empiric dreams crumble into fantasy and still I will reign over my family. Killing him, or you, has no impact on that fact. However, what does, is the fact that I will not become an Oathbreaker."

Cain's mouth closed, and the thread tightened once more, before Cain blinked and Harry felt him in his head once more.

"I will teach you real occlumency. Whoever started you off did well, but you slacked. Allowed your familiar magics to pick up that slack and protect your mind with its near constant pressure. Once I am done with you, you will be a master Occlumens, able to control your whole body as you will. This will help with your masterpiece problem. It will indirectly help you in your quest. It will make my accord with your family balanced. As you stay here, you will be treated with the utmost of respect by myself and my family. In return, do not attack any member of my family, nor tell of the location of this place. Do we agree?"

Harry nodded and vocally,"I accept your offer Lord Cain."

He suspected that occurred over three months previous, though he could not be sure. The training began immediately, with Cain entering Harry's mind and helping him modify his mindscape and giving tips and tricks to improve his mental abilities without relying upon his family's magic.

He hadn't even realized he was relying upon it if he was being honest. And as soon as he realized his fault, he immediately asked for the lessons to begin.

Ron flicked his wand up, circled it around his body, and pushed with his magic envisioning the result as he kept his mouth firmly closed. Around him, a halo of magic pulsed twice, and two holes appeared in each target that hovered and moved around him in a dome. A weak smile appeared on his face as he collapsed. While it wasn't the first time he had accomplished the exercise, it was the first time he had done it after attending classes. It was the first time he had done so at Hogwarts, without his father giving him tips. It was also the first time he had created two waves of piercing curses. It was the culmination of his work with his father. The exercise his father and uncles created to test themselves.

This summer he discovered much about himself. He found that if he worked at something, he could accomplish it. He found that there was not anything that his family wouldn't support if it meant he was happy and healthy. He had even found that he was talented with two things. Ronald Weasley had an affinity with magic just as strong as his brothers, and with water. Ron had always been comfortable in the water, but he had never known that he held an advantage with the element when it came to magic. He conjured it easily, could manipulate it and even in a display that left him majorly uncomfortable, could vanish it from within an object. It was a skill that was within the realm of transfiguration but was particular in that it was not taught to any student that walked the halls of any school. McGonagall had explained that it was because it was the deadliest of all transfiguration techniques. One could transfigure another back from an animal and could reverse nearly any internal transfiguration if caught in time. Once the water vanished, there was no conjuration that could reverse it. Internal vanishment was a highly advanced technique that most transfiguration masters ignored due to the disastrous consequences.

He did it once by accident, which prompted his father to bring in Minerva. Her stern lecture was punctuated with a demonstration. She ripped a boulder from the lawn, one he had sat on for years. She sat it on the ground, transfigured it into a tiger, and instantly vanished the water inside it. Ron vomited as it collapsed into a pile of dried flesh and bones, unable to survive the instantaneous drying. He vowed to his professor to only use it in a life or death situation and to never tell another how he did it.

Ron shook that thought from his mind, as he focused on what he would practice. He forced himself back to his feet and moved the targets again. With a snap of his fingers, they started to move randomly around the room as a timer also started. Sometimes they would duck behind objects like desks and chairs or leap up and over each other. The movement was random and forced him to follow each target. The fake wands in their hands would flash up and a color swapping curse would flash-forward, only to be blocked by Ron's shield.

This exercise was one that he and his father created; to simulate the ambush that killed his uncles. Shields erupted around Ron as he moved around as swiftly as he could to dodge the rapid-fire. His breaths came in pants within a minute, within two, he was drenched in sweat. In three he was struggling, with grazes on his limbs, but still, he moved. Until finally a shot got through his defenses, and his torso lit up Killing Curse Green. He collapsed again, the enchantment forcing him to be unable to move for three seconds. Each color swap curse felt like being hit by a punch by his brothers; enough to bruise but nothing more. But having over a hundred of them slam into him over three minutes was not pleasant. He kept his eyes closed as the onslaught slowly ended.

"WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING RON!?" A voice interrupted his training and Ron moved his head to see who was talking. Ginny and Parvati stood at the entrance to the room, his sister obviously the one that had spoken, while Parvati simply rushed forward and started to heal his bruised face.

Ginny stormed forward, her eyes overflowing with tears. When she and Parvati had come to this room to practice some charms work, she was not expecting to see her brother being assaulted by magical combat dummies and lit up in green to the point that it looked as if he was being continuously attacked with Killing Curses.

She watched as her brother forced himself up, limbs shaking from the exhaustion that was present on his face. A tear ran down her face. He had been like this since the ministry, and she didn't say a word to him. She brought it up with her mum, who said that some people have to heal differently than others. She brought it up with her dad, who said that she shouldn't worry about others when she was learning how to think again. She kept her head down and said nothing all summer as her brother pushed himself. She refused to continue after seeing this.

Ron was still panting even as he hobbled towards the desk that held several vials of pepper-up potion. She watched seething as he downed one, two, and then a third bottle before even looking remotely energized. She knew, after studying them this past summer, that was a sign they were self-brewed and not as potent.

"I'm fine Gin. Promise." A weak smile flickered on his face before it disappeared once more.

"You aren't fine Ron." Pavarti had been busy flicking her wand at the red-head, casting several diagnostic charms that she had learned the previous year and summer. Her goal was to be a med-witch, and someday work at Hogwarts same as Madam Pomfrey. "You are exhausted. You are forcing your body to push magic, and while that doesn't damage you in the short term… It can harm you in the long run. You need to get some rest."

Ron nodded, knowing that arguing with Pavarti was a waste of breath. She was the one who patched up everyone during their training last year, and if you failed to listen… she would ensure that it was the last time you did so. She was not above pettiness, or worse bringing in higher powers.

Ron shuddered to think what Harry would say if he saw him right now. So instead of fighting, he followed the girls back to the tower, silent as they attempted to talk to him. He glanced out a window as he got ready for bed and knew that Hermione wasn't sitting on her heels. He grabbed his shirt and put it back on, before exiting the dorm silently.

Voldemort flexed his fingers as he blinked. His body felt, for a lack of a better word, whole. He didn't even realize that he felt incomplete before he awoke, but now that he had the essence of Madam Flamel running through his veins, he understood. He finally understood. He flicked his wand up and for the first time, without struggle, the shadows in the room responded to his command. They formed a cocoon around him before he sank deep into the void between shadows and reappeared on the other side of the room. He felt a wave of exhaustion hit him as he fell to his knees. He had warded the room personally against portkeys and apparition and any other forms of transport that he could think of, even phoenixes. He chuckled darkly as he stood swiftly and slashed his wand through the air.

Spines of inky shadow erupted from the shadow of the combat dummy in the corner of the room, punching through the mannequin as easily as butter. He nodded and wrote down his findings. He had always attempted to manipulate shadows, much like one did the other elements. However, the way the magic twisted previously had shattered all forms of his control. The most he could do previously was the use of his shadow smoke travel technique which allowed him controlled flight. Now, he understood where his error was; shadows were more similar to water and fire than they were air and earth as he previously thought. Once his thoughts were properly documented he switched to transmutation.

Raising his wand, he gently tapped it upon a chair that he had commandeered from the manor, and spoke the spell aloud,"Transia."

With a ripple, the chair shifted from elegant wood to a rocklike substance that immediately exploded. Voldemort luckily was swift enough to shield himself and his notes from the blast, but the chair was gone as was the floor in a circle a meter wide. Which was impressive considering the floor was made of marble. With a flick of the wand and the room was repaired easily. Voldemort made several more notes, and upon consulting his stolen memories, realized that he would not be using alchemy any time soon.

Perenelle was not a slouch when it came to alchemy, but she specialized in the theory craft portion, not the active use of the art. She was an amazing spell creator, able to see and then deconstruct a magical effect after one encounter, it was her husband that was the alchemical genius. She didn't even know the method to create the elixir of life, or the Stone itself. She suspected, and now he did as well, that only two people on earth knew those secrets, and neither were options. However, he did not need the elixir, as Perenelle was kind enough to chug a whole vial of it before confronting his Death Eaters and being taken. Such a dose would keep her alive and in peak condition for the next two centuries bearing any life-altering injuries or a reappearance of her illness. Thus, when he transferred her essence and magic into himself, he stole those years from her.

He smiled as he thought of the skeletal woman that resided in his quarters. Unable to move, yet unable to die, he suspected that her body and magic would give out in a few months just as her mind did as he took her identity from her. If he encountered the Alchemist before then, it would be useful to have her… yes that was a wonderful idea!

He strode to his quarters, his wand vibrating in excitement as he mentally thought of ways to instantly transport her to his side at a moment's notice.

Cedric panted as he stood against the Alchemist. Nicolas was barely breathing heavily, his robes nearly pristine, while Cedric's were soaked through with sweat. Cedric paid no attention to the various students watching him get systematically destroyed by the Magical Combat instructor, his eyes were only on the Alchemist.

If only he saw him as the Alchemist.

He heaved himself forward, blasting forward with several blasting curses even as he twisted to the side. Growling as his opponent shifted to the side, a flash of black hair appeared in his vision as he snapped his wand up and spat out a Greek curse that would shatter bones and shields. With a flick, the curse was deflected upwards, and a series of cables were locked around his torso, to immobilize him.

He blinked and Flamel stood frowning at him. He shook his head slightly, before turning to the class and beginning to lecture and ask questions. Cedric sat still, his limbs tied with steel cables as his partner watched him from the back of the room, and the children continued to communicate with their professor. Once the lesson was over, Nicolas flicked his wand and freed the former Hogwarts student.

"What was that, Cedric?" The calm question belied the anger that was flashing in the alchemist's eyes as he turned towards the ICW-employed wizard. "I knew I would beat you. Lord knows I should, as a champion duelist and one who has recently consumed some Elixir. No, what I didn't expect was to beat you as easily as if you were one of my sixth years!"

Fredrick was the one to answer for his partner, his voice soft. "You see Bellatrix every time you duel don't you?"

Cedric's nod was answer enough, as Nicolas ran a hand down his face. "Well… I think it's obvious what you must do. Occlude your mind and raise your wand as you were trained." The Alchemist commanded with a face of stone.

With a deep breath, Cedric stood and obeyed. He mentally pictured the lake that he created as his mindscape to smooth its roaring waves until it was a mirror of the deepest blue. Before he knew it, the break between the classes ended and he opened his eyes. As soon as the last of the class walked in, Nicolas announced that they were in for a treat. They would watch him duel Cedric and take notes.

With a flourish, he turned to his younger opponent, and both bowed. Fredrick counted them down. As soon as the count ended, with the sound of a thunderclap, two spells collided between the two wizards as Fredrick snapped a shield up to protect the students. Cedric ducked and shifted as he fired a dozen charms, curses, and hexes toward his opponent. Each spell he fired was met in midair, or dodged, just as the magic that was sent his way was countered, dodged, or met with a spell of his own. The two circled each other, their wand arms blurring as they kept casting, sweat starting to form on Cedric's forehead. He started to pulse his magic in his body, slowly increasing his casting speed, as a flash of black hair appeared in his vision. Gritting his teeth, Cedric cast thoughts of the witch aside even as he continued to push himself.

Harder. His spells started to glow deeper colors, as he fought forward, his mind fixating on a single action.

Faster. His heartbeat thudded in his ears as a wild smile appeared on his face, his body blurring and the world slowing, yet the Alchemist, for it was finally the Alchemist, kept pace and met his barrage with a slightly mad smile himself.

Better. He would never be able to tell you when it happened. Nor what it meant. But he would remember the feeling for the rest of his life; the moment when his body stopped straining and the world clicked into place, and he moved even faster and his magic hummed in delight as a haze of honey erupted from his shoulders. The moment when Nicolas stopped holding back and laughed aloud, the snaps, cracks, and claps of the spells colliding turned into a symphony of thunderous roars.

Fredrick flinched as a magical discharge cracked the shield he was using before he reinforced it with a twist of his wand. He didn't know he was shouting to them to stop, so loud were the spells colliding and their laughter.

The end was anticlimactic as all great duels are. It was a simple mistake, one that Cedric knew he would eventually make. A shield formed a second too late to completely deflect the bolt of a banishing charm. He flew backward, slamming into the shield that protected the students, his wand yanked from his grip only to land in the Alchemist's hands.

The class erupted into cheers and claps, even as Nicolas helped Cedric to his feet. "That was much better."

Months had passed, and now it was finally time. He would claim his masterpiece once more, deal a blow to Voldemort, and possibly even kill him. He would do what was impossible. For he was Adrian Frankenstein and the impossible was his specialty.

Voldemort ordered Bellatrix and his Death Eaters to Azkaban with a simple request. Get him the Night Crown by offering the magic of all nonmarked magicals in the prison. Simple orders and with forty Death Eaters led by his most trusted, it would be accomplished. For he was Lord Voldemort and his decisions were destined.

Harry smiled as he looked up at his mentor Cain. Cain sat upon his throne without a care in the world. Cain's lips twitched into his version of a smile as he slipped into his student's mind. Even after the five months that he had been here, Cain could accomplish that with ease, though he was warned that it was likely unique to his mentor.

You are ready to leave us. Say my name should you wish to return. You know the terms of a return I assume.

Harry, with a skill that he had practiced over the last months with as much vigor as possible replied, 'I will only return if it would not bring harm to our families. As our accord agrees. I will send my children though. They should learn of Cain, and the story of our ancestor.'

Both parties knew that story. The story of Cain, the first Squib, born to the first modern wizard in Abraham and loved dearly by his father even if his brother Abel was more preferred. To know the wonders of magic, but never able to touch the wisps himself, Cain believed himself cursed. Though he knew better now, back then, he grew jealous of his brother and his powerful methods of getting what he desired. A king amongst men, Abel occasionally turned his magical talents against his brother during their sibling squabbles. Until one such time, Cain responded with a slash of a knife that his brother didn't react to in time. Cursed, by the remnants of their shared family, Cain was forced to walk the earth.

It was decades later, that Cain discovered demonic summoning. The first kind of magic he could perform, he asked for his curse to be lifted. It failed, though not without making Cain the First Vampire. It was many years later, decades possibly, of travel, randomly feeding, and occasionally turning others, that Cain met Loki Potter. Loki wished to make a deal with a demon, to grant his line power, to grant himself the ability to purge the world of those that had wronged his family. Cain helped his new friend with that mission, to bind the wish daemon in an appropriate manner. Using blood and will, Identity, Mind, and Soul the Potter Crowning was created and documented in the Grimoire. A bond between families was made, and two shifted away from one another. One to become the Darkest Potter, and the other to become a myth.

Cain nodded before snapping his fingers. Harry tensed his body and kipped upwards, straightening his clothes as Eva entered the room.

"My Liege? You are done already?" She questioned slightly as she bowed to Cain. Cain nodded and met her eyes. Eva's eyes widened before turning towards Harry.

Harry met Eva's eyes without fear, and savagely batted away the dozens of mental probes that the Vampire sent his way. She smiled wide before nodding, and asking, "Would you like to race back to your room Harry?"

He didn't bother answering before bolting down the length of the room, his form a blur thanks to his masterpiece, and thanks to his Occlumency, he was able to control himself, turning on a dime around the corner. In a moment, Eva was beside him; her speed greater than his, due to her age and experience at cycling the magic within her body. It wasn't surprising that by the time he reached his door, she was leaning against the wood. A wild look was in her eyes, as she lightly ruffled his hair.

"You have grown much little Potter. I remember meeting you in that Run… you had such potential and now look at you… a man amongst vampires. My liege was right to reach out to you." Her cool breathe brushed his ear before gently pushing him towards his room. He didn't stop her as she followed, nor did he stop the first kiss she gave his throat. He did however stop the second attempt.

"Eva. While I appreciate the advance… I don't think this is a good idea." His tone was gentle as she tilted her head.

"I do not understand." Her voice was level, and she waited patiently for him to put his thoughts into words.

"I.. I have someone back home that I care about. I also have responsibilities there that I must handle-" A kiss slammed into his lips from the vampire, before she pulled back and smiled.

"I understand. One for the road is the saying? Now let us pack you up." The two packed his meager belongings in silence, before walking back to Cain's throne room. The Vampire king was absent from his throne, but Eva still nodded in respect to the empty chair.

"You know the phrase to return, correct?" Eva asked. Harry racked his thoughts and came up blank. He expressed as such, and Eva laughed.

"You merely grab the pendant and say home while channeling magic. I am unsure how my liege creates the artifacts but that is how they work." Harry nodded before grabbing the pendant.

"Thanks Eva. I'll be sure to visit and write." He spoke the activation phrase and with a blue flash, he vanished.

Eva pouted slightly before a hand brushed her shoulder. Cain looked at her with cool eyes, easily entering her mind and seeing the events that transpired.

A twitch of his lips and a shake of his head were all he need to convey his thoughts on the matter before flicking his fingers away, dismissing her from his presence. She disappeared from the room as he settled back on his throne and lazily closed his eyes.

Albus frowned as he felt the wards shift slightly in response to a portkey that slipped through their matrixes. Portkeys were interesting magics as they allowed a magical to move along the magical causeways that spanned the globe, using the intent of the magical who created the portkey to guide the travel. Because of this, completely blocking portkey use in a highly saturated magical area such as Hogwarts was nearly impossible. The founders and the previous headmasters knew this fact well, so they created a workaround.

None could enter or exit Hogwarts via portkey with intent to harm the students. An absolute that was woven within the very existence of the wards of Hogwarts. Plus, if Albus was correct, the person who just entered the castle would want nothing to do with harming the students. He would wait for the guest to greet him of course. His pulling his wand from his sleeve and readying himself for a battle was merely a precaution.

The door to his office opened just as the warning that someone was present on the staircase rang softly. His eyes widened slightly as he took in the newest Dominium Magi walked into his office. His body was slightly different, with wider shoulders, and scruff growing on his cheeks. His hair was long, shaggy even and his body thrummed with energy. His masterpiece, Bellum and Pax, sat upon his fingers, and his eyes, met Albus' without fear.

For the first time in five months, Albus smiled widely as the Storm of Britain had returned to her shores. The smile slowly faded as the fire in his office flashed green, Minerva stepping through. Both turned to her, and a frown was found on her face.

"I am sorry to interrupt. Azkaban has been attacked. Grindelwald and Voldemort are fighting on the island."

The two grandest wizards to grace the hallowed halls of Hogwarts looked at each other, and Minerva thought for a moment that even with such horrid news she was bringing, they would make it out of this shit storm without injury.

AN: While the next chapter is nearly done, as it was written at the same time as this one, that would have made the chapter nearly 23k words. Im not about to do that to you all. Next chapter will be the Seizure of Azkaban.