Author's Note: Yes, I am back
Author's Note: Yes, I am back! You are now reading the fanfiction of a person employed full-time! Woot! I start tomorrow, so I thought I'd post as a celebration. Thanks go out to Keres Weiland for looking it over.
Harry collapsed backwards onto his bed. Three days of testing for placement at Hogwarts had left him drained and wanting nothing more than sleep and rest. Honestly, how could Hermione think exams were fun? Exams are nothing more than a unique torture designed to kill off students one by one. He burrowed into the covers and pulled a pillow towards him. Tomorrow, they were off to Dracula's house for two weeks and Harry couldn't wait. He drifted off to sleep, plotting how he was going to sleep the entire way there and then maybe even take a nap. He didn't know that Voldemort would call him that night.
"Again!" Voldemort snarled as he meted out the usual punishment for Harry. The boy didn't bother wincing now. He was too tired to show signs of pain. He pulled himself up and dashed a quick hand across his face to keep the sweat from running into his eyes. He raised his wand as he faced Voldemort again.
Voldemort had called him early this evening. He had just drifted off and started relaxing when Voldemort requested his presence. Honestly, was sleep too much to ask for? Voldemort had attacked him the instant Harry had appeared and hadn't stopped since.
Harry glared as he felt another sting. "You're being too slow, Harry." Voldemort said as he motioned for Harry to take his stance.
Too slow?! We've been at this for nearly four hours! Another sting made Harry's anger erupt.
"ENOUGH!" He howled at Voldemort while flicking his wand. Voldemort flew backwards and was pinned to the wall by Harry's magic. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH!" Harry snarled as he advanced on the struggling dark lord. He grabbed fistfuls of Voldemort's robes and slammed him back against the wall. "I am sick of this treatment! You keep saying I'm your equal, but you treat me worse than Wormtail! I am not your toy! You can't hit me. Not again!" He held Voldemort in front of him, barely keeping himself from throttling the man.
The Dark Lord stared at Harry and then snarled "How dare you?"
Harry tightened his magic and smirked when Voldemort's air started leaving his lungs. "I dare nothing! I demand it." Harry threatened in a low voice.
Voldemort stared at him as though he didn't know the person practically strangling him and then did something so surprising that Harry released him. Voldemort dropped to his feet when Harry let him go, and doubled over in pure mirth.
Harry could only stare at him in vague unease. He had a feeling that Voldemort was now truly insane and pondered what Harry had done to make it true in fact and not just thought.
"Well done, my child. Well done indeed." Voldemort said as he straightened and took a few steps closer to Harry. "I knew you could do it. I just knew it." He said as he reached out and rested his hands on Harry's shoulders.
"I'm afraid I don't understand." Harry told him.
"You're finally taking the respect you've deserved all along, my dark child. You're finally demonstrating the wizard you are. I am so very proud of you." Voldemort moved one of his hands to pat Harry's cheek. "You are coming into your own, Harry." Voldemort laid a hand on top of Harry's head in some sort of blessing.
Harry relaxed as he pulled away from Voldemort. "I suppose that you will no longer beat me?" Harry stated more than asked as he reached up and started unbuttoning his dueling robes.
"No, my young apprentice. I will not beat you again. In fact, I think it's time that you take your place at my side." Voldemort said as he wrapped an arm around Harry and started leading him out of the room. "The Death Eaters will panic and their fear will season the night. Come, my apprentice. There is much to do from here on out."
Harry had to keep himself from quoting Luke Skywalker in the third movie. I'll never turn to the dark side. You've failed, your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father before me. Instead, he walked with his master and probed the mysteries of the universe.
"This is where we're staying?" Dudley asked as the Rolls Royce pulled around the fountain and up to the front of the house. "House" wasn't the correct word for it. The place was intimidating in size and put Harry in the mind of Hogwarts. It made him wonder how much the upkeep bill could be. Grey stone was the primary material and balconies ranged across the facade of the house.
"Yes, Mr. Dursley. This is the master's summer home. His winter home is closer to the city." The driver said as he stopped the car and got out. He dashed around to the side, as he knew that Harry would not wait until the door was opened for him. He was likely to open the door on his own. Harry had just reached for the handle when the driver opened his door.
"Thanks." Harry said as he climbed out of the car first, followed shortly by Petunia, Remus, and Dudley. He took the moment everyone else was getting out of the car to look around. The grounds themselves were nicely landscaped and offered many places to be alone. Harry looked forward to that. Birdsong was the only noise that Harry could hear. He felt himself start to relax and smiled to himself as the doors opened to reveal a doorman.
"Welcome." The thick accent surprised Harry. "You are welcome in my master's home." He said as he stood to one side and allowed Harry and the rest of them to enter the house of Dracula. "Wanted and welcome." He told Harry as he studied them. He motioned for them to wait where they were and disappeared into a side door.
Harry took this time to study the entry hall. The ceiling itself gave Harry plenty to look at. HHHHHHHHHHHHarry studied the picture above him and smirked when he saw the four Horsemen of the Apocalypse rushing across the plains on their skeletal horses. Columns rose to meet them and lead down to the polished wooden floors. Thick carpets covered the wood and brought out the colors in the paintings that lined the wall. Harry didn't know many stories of the Bible, but he did see several, like Adam and Eve, that were easily deciphered. An ornate chandelier hung from the center of the doom and gave the entire area a golden glow.
Servants appeared to take each of them to their rooms. Harry followed behind his guide, openly gawking at his surroundings. He had never seen anything like this before. There was something to catch his attention every where he looked, from the little cherub hanging in the corner to the arches, each bearing a small copy of the grand chandelier in the main hall.
Once past the main staircase, Harry was hopelessly lost. He followed the servant as closely as possible and found that he was only one floor up and down a hall. He decided that he would gawk after he knew the way to his room. The man stopped in front of a door next to a portrait of St. George slaying a dragon. He smiled and opened the door, gesturing for Harry to enter.
Harry thought that a mistake had been made. Surely this room wasn't meant for him? No, that was his luggage there. The servant stepped into the room behind Harry and motioned for Harry to follow him. He gestured around the main room. It was a sitting area with a table on one end and a desk snuggled into the corner. Harry followed him off to the right and found himself in a well-appointed bedroom complete with four poster featherbed and comfortable squashy chairs. Another gesture revealed a walk-in closet and attached bedroom. Harry wouldn't need to enter the bedroom to get dressed. Harry smiled to himself. He was going to be spoiled.
The man smiled and rearranged a book on the side table before leaving Harry alone in his rooms. Harry walked over to the table and studied the book. He was happy to see that the writing was actually handwriting and it was in English. At the top was the date and below that was a message written especially for Harry.
Welcome, Mr. Potter, to Castel Tepes
I pray that your trip from England was smooth and easy. Your presence here brings great joy into my life. My home often functions as a place for people to meet, so you may meet many different people while you are here. Do not feel at all distressed. It is just the way of things. I offer neutrality to many and those familiar with my home know that any guests of mine are under my protection.
I regret that I will be unable to meet you and your family upon your arrival. Please make yourself at home in your rooms. Yes, they are yours while you call Castel Tepes home. I will meet you all this evening for dinner in the dining room. Your manservant, called Lucian, does speak English and will come to retrieve you for dinner to show you the way.
Be at ease, Mr. Potter. If there is anything you need, you need only ask.
Vlad Tepes
Harry shook his head in bemusement and paged through the book, finding layouts of each floor. The main floor held many rooms, but the largest ones were ballroom, dining room, and sitting room. Harry had a feeling that Dracula did a lot of entertaining.
The second floor, west wing, was simply labeled as "guest rooms" and Harry's room had a star with a "Harry's rooms" written on it. He counted the number of rooms between his rooms and the stairs and committed that number to memory. He would not get lost between his room and the stairs. The east wing had offices, a library, and a word Harry didn't know. He decided that he would never visit that room, just to be safe. After all, he was in a vampire's home.
There were maps of the other floors, but nothing beyond a general marker stating that they were servants' quarters, storage, and the like. Harry closed the book and sighed as the long trip from England started catching up to him. True, they had only been on the plane for four hours or so, but first they had to go to London, go through the airport, land in Bucharest, and then a train ride of about an hour or so, and then a car ride deep into the Carpathian Mountains. No one would ever find Harry if they tried. It made him relax. No one would be looking for Harry in Romania.
He checked his room for a clock and found one in his sitting room. Local time was around two in the afternoon. "I think I have time for a nap." Harry said as he picked up his suitcase and carried it into his bedroom. He opened the case and dug through it looking for something to wear while he was asleep. He pulled out a T-shirt and sweat pants before disappearing into the bathroom for a few minutes to emerge ready for a kip in his new bed. He pulled the heavy curtains shut and rummaged through the pillows for the top of the coverlet. He pulled it down and crawled under it. He sighed in contentment as his body relaxed into the bed. His eyes drifted shut after a few minutes and he sank into his dreams without a thought.
Harry heard glass hit against glass and cracked open an eye. What was that noise? "Mr. Potter?" A voice said from behind him. He lifted his head from the pillow and looked around before rolling over and finding the person. "Mr. Potter, are you awake?"
"Yes?" Harry said as he pushed himself up and opened his curtains from around his bed. "I'm sorry, I'm not awake." He said after a second. He studied the person in front of him. It was a young man. If Harry had to guess, he would say that this person was in his early twenties, but closer to twenty-five than twenty. He had dark hair, but not black like Harry's own. More like muddy brown. His eyes were bright and close to a shade of blue. He was thin, but not in a scrawny way. Plus, Harry thought that this person was secretly laughing at Harry.
"My name is Lucian, Mr. Potter. I am to look after you while you stay at Castel Tepes. I've brought you something to help wake you up for dinner." He motioned to the main sitting room and Harry saw a small tea service there.
"Thank you. It's nice to meet you." Harry pondered how one got rid of a servant. He didn't want a strange person in his room while he tried to get out of bed.
"It is my job, Mr. Potter." Lucian gave him a brief smile before disappearing into the closet. Harry leaned over the edge of the bed in time to see Lucian return with bathrobe and slippers. "Your tea is getting cold, Mr. Potter."
"Um, I'm sorry. I've never..."
"Been in the position of being waited on. I was warned. Just follow my lead and we'll both be fine." Lucian said as he placed the slippers on the floor and stood up and held out the robe for Harry.
"I don't think I can do that." Harry said awkwardly. "I'm used to taking care of myself."
"Mr. Potter, may I speak plainly?" Lucian asked.
"You don't have to ask me." Harry told him as he pulled on his robe.
"I was ordered to take care of you. The master does not want you to lift a finger for yourself. He wishes this to be your vacation. This requires you to relax and allow others to do for you. After all, that is what I am paid to do, and what I particularly enjoy. Do you understand that?"
"I think so. I'm just not used to it." Harry said as he pushed back the blankets and climbed out of bed.
"You'll get used to it faster than you think." Lucian smiled again and gave Harry a quick wink. Harry decided that he liked this man. Lucian followed Harry into the sitting room and pulled out Harry's chair for him.
Tea wasn't a silent affair. It had started out that way, but Harry couldn't stand the silence. He had finally asked Lucian to explain about the house, and Harry discovered that Lucian absolutely loved his place of employment.
"Master is only here about six months out of the year. The rest of the year is spent in upkeep. There's a lot to do then. We check the portraits for damage, the hangings, the furniture, everything! It can get a little lonely sometimes, as it is the same people day after day, but everything changes when the master is here. People coming and going, meetings and parties. This is the best place in the summer."
Harry heard all about the master's (as Dracula was called by everyone employed at the house) generosity and graciousness to everyone employed there. "He paid for me to go to England to learn English at university. I never thought I'd be able to go to university. I worked here in the summers while I was studying. Now, I'm working here until the fall when I'll take a teaching post." Harry was surprised, but he figured an immortal vampire would need something to fill his days. Good works seemed to be Dracula's forte.
Lucian excused himself when Harry started munching the biscuits that accompanied his tea. He disappeared into Harry's bedroom. Harry shrugged to himself and pondered the possibility of finding the recipe for the chocolate biscuits. Would the cook give it to him if he begged? He wasn't above that. He would beg for the recipe. He finished the biscuits (making a mental note to request some for breakfast tomorrow) and went to find Lucian. He found him in the bathroom.
"Your bath is run, Mr. Potter. I'll lay out your clothing for the evening. I'll be back in half an hour." With that, Lucian disappeared from the room. Harry stared after him, bemused at having someone to run his bath water and lay out his clothes. He had an odd feeling that Lucian's words could turn out to be prophetic; he could easily become used to this.
Harry was just tying his tie when he heard a knock and Lucian entered the room. "The master is asking for you in the sitting room." Lucian said as he fixed Harry's collar around the tie and looked over the suit with a critical eye. "The person that picks out your clothing does a good job."
"My aunt," Harry admitted with a smile, "though Remus does his fair share of picking things out." He told Lucian.
"Mr. Lupin is your advisor, yes?" Lucian asked as he motioned for Harry to precede him out of the door. Harry liked the way Lucian led him. He walked alongside Harry and directed him with a quick jerk of his chin in the correct direction. It was much better than following someone.
"Yes, he is, but he is more like an uncle to me than anything else." Harry admitted.
"That is good," Lucian said. He fell silent for a few minutes until they reached the staircase. "Master is very excited to have you all here. I'm not sure why, but I haven't seen him in such a cheerful mood since the last time he had a family reunion."
"I don't know either. Does he have family reunions often?" Harry asked.
"Once about every fifteen years." Lucian said. "It always astonishes him that children grow as fast as they do." Lucian's face said it all. Silly vampire.
Lucian directed Harry down a short hallway and to a door. He knocked on the door, opened it, and stepped into the room. "Harry Potter, Master." Lucian said as he gestured Harry to follow him into the room.
"Thank you, Lucian." Dracula's voice said. "I'll see to him until after dinner." Lucian nodded and disappeared out the door, which closed behind him with a quiet click. Harry looked around at the sitting room and felt that this room was definitely somewhere he could spend a few hours. It reminded him of the Gryffindor sitting room and he felt his shoulders ease even more.
"Mr. Potter," a very satisfied voice said from the dark corner. Harry turned to face it and saw Dracula emerge from the darkness. "I'm so glad you've come to visit me." He left the shadows and lifted a hand for Harry to shake.
"Thank you for inviting me, as well as my family, sir. It is an honor." Harry said as politely as he could manage. It still boggled his mind a bit, being in Dracula's house.
"It was nothing. You are doing me the favor, Mr. Potter."
"Please, sir. Call me Harry?" He requested. He wasn't sure how to go about this, but he couldn't stand two straight weeks of being called 'Mr. Potter'.
"Only if you agree to call me Vlad," Dracula said. "It is what my friends call me." Harry's mind threatened to go off track again, but he merely smiled and agreed. "I apologize for not meeting you when you first arrived. I was detained with some rather disagreeable business men."
"It's alright. I wasn't very fit company. I'm afraid I took a nap after arriving."
"You are here for vacation. You may nap whenever and wherever you like." The newly named 'Vlad' said. "I wouldn't recommend the barns. They are restful, but the horses sometimes make noise."
"I think I'll stick to my room." Harry said truthfully.
"Or the verandah. I've been known to fall asleep there myself."
"Doesn't the sun hurt you?" Harry asked without thinking. "Sorry. That was rude."
"I don't think idle curiosity is rude. No. I am weaker in the sun, without some of my more impressive abilities. Almost completely human, some would say. I burn quite a bit if I'm not careful, but I do enjoy sunbathing almost as much as the next person." Vlad told Harry. "Now, would you like something to drink?" Vlad asked as he moved to a small stand on the other side of the room. "Please, sit down."
Harry chose a chair and lowered himself into it. "Um, what would you recommend?" Harry asked.
"Hmm." Vlad stopped and considered the several bottles on the stand. "This, I think." He said, pouring something into a glass. "It is more fruit juice than alcoholic." He said as he poured a glass for himself and carried the two over towards Harry. He offered Harry one glass and then sat in a chair across from Harry. He sipped his own glass and smiled to himself.
Harry took a tentative sip of his own glass and nearly bolted it all. "This is really good!" He told Vlad.
"I thought you might like it." Vlad said. "Do you ride?" He asked in the next second, as though a thought had just occurred to him.
"I'm afraid not." Harry answered. "Unless you count broomsticks, hippogriffs, and threstrals." Harry said honestly.
"Hmm. Perhaps not the broomstick, but riding a horse is very close to the other two." Vlad told him. "I'll arrange some lessons for you and anyone else that cares to try, if you would like to learn."
"That would be wonderful." Harry said honestly.
"Good." Vlad nearly purred. "I hope that you and your family will enjoy yourselves here. I would like to show you a bit of the country tomorrow, if you're willing." Vlad said.
"I'm sure my aunt would like that." Harry said.
"Oh, I've already arranged for her and the others to take a driving tour of their own. I would like to spend some time with just you, if you don't mind me taking over your time."
Harry smiled a little and laughed. "Knowing my aunt, she'll want to go into the first shop she sees and the rest of the group will be bored while she shops." Harry told Vlad. "I'd be more than happy to miss that!"
"Good, tomorrow morning then, after your riding lesson." Vlad finished off his glass and sat staring at it. Harry took the time to look around the room. It was a comfortable room done in soft shades of green and cream. There were books in a bookcase to his left and he instantly thought of Hermione drooling over them. He could tell that some of the books were extremely old. Small windows allowed a bit of light in through the shades covering them. The rest of the furniture told Harry that this was indeed the sitting room. Two and three chairs were grouped together. Some were gathered around a tiny table, and others were just set close together. One table held a chess game in progress and Harry studied the patterns to see if he could figure out a move for one of the pieces.
"I wonder why I smell dark magic on you, Harry."
Harry looked up to see Dracula studying him. "You can smell that?" Harry demanded.
"Oh, yes. Why?" Vlad asked.
"I don't think now is the time to discuss it." Harry said honestly. "Some time tomorrow?" He offered.
"That's fine." Vlad said. "It worries me."
"I'm fine." Harry said as a light silvery bell sounded in the hallway.
"Ah, dinner." Vlad said happily. "Let's go meet your family...and the werewolf."
"Is that a problem?" Harry asked as he stood and followed Vlad to the door.
"You collect strange friends, Harry. Vampires, werewolves."
"Metamorphagi, house elves, and outcasts." Harry said more to himself than to Vlad. "I accept people on their merits, rather than their labels." Harry said.
"Good. You should enjoy yourself while you are here, then." Those words sounded as though they had something behind them, but they entered the dining room and Harry felt himself intimidated again. The dining room was a large with a table long enough to bring grand dinner parties to his mind. He had been forced to read Pride and Prejudice for English class at St. Jude's and discovered the idea of balls to be a rather annoying subject that caused sighs of longing from girls. He never wanted to attend another affair even remotely similar to the Yule Ball.
"Harry, there you are!" His aunt said. "Mr. Tepes, I must compliment your home." She said as she turned to Dracula.
"I hope your rooms are comfortable?" He asked her. He took one of her hands in his own and smiled.
"Oh, quite." Petunia reassured him. Dracula smiled and guided Petunia's hand to the crook of his arm to lead her to the table. Harry had a fair idea of how Dracula had managed to receive such a reputation as a dashing and charming creature...he practically oozed it.
"Is it just me, or does Remus look a little jealous?" Dudley's voice whispered in Harry's ear.
"I'm not going to think about it," Harry said flatly. "It's a disturbing thought. The more pressing matter, Dudley, is how we get him to teach us how to do that."
"I agree," Dudley said solemnly. "Mum would agree to almost anything; I can tell by looking at her."
"That is the point." Dracula said as he popped up next to Harry. "And yes, I will teach you my little secrets...if you're good and eat your vegetables." Harry and Dudley looked at each other at seeing Dracula clear on the other side of the room, still charming Petunia.
"Did you...?"
"Let's not think about it, Dudley. I'm not sure my brain can take much more this evening." Harry told him as Dracula motioned the two boys to their seats. Remus smirked at Harry and Dudley as they sat down. "What?" Harry asked him.
"It's nice to see that some things can still surprise you, Harry. That's all." Remus said as an entire squad of servants descended on the room and brought food and drink to the table.
Some things were easily recognized. Harry saw several different types of bread and plain vegetables. Other things, however, he could not recognize no matter how he squinted. A man at his shoulder poured some of the same drink he had earlier, as well as ice water and something he didn't know. Dudley gave him a quick look, as though he thought Harry had all of the answers, but Harry could only shrug at his cousin. He didn't know what half the food was either.
The servants disappeared as quickly as they came and Harry couldn't help but wonder if Lucian would be able to explain everything on the table. He gave a quick glance at Dracula and froze. The man was watching him. "The children look perplexed." He said with a speculative air.
"More than perplexed." Harry offered. "I don't mean to sound rude, but..."
"What is all of this?" Dracula finished for him. Harry nodded and the man smiled. "I thought to introduce you all to some of the dishes you'll experience during your time here. After all, why travel and then eat the same thing you do at home?" He directed this question more to Petunia than to the boys and Petunia nodded in agreement.
"That is what I have been telling the pair of them. They need to experience more things than just the everyday." Petunia said.
"Who is she and what has she done with your mother?" Harry whispered to Dudley. Dudley only shrugged.
"Now," Dracula's voice called Harry's attention back to the table. "Romanian cuisine is a mix of many different backgrounds, and I should know. Greek, Turkish, German, Russian have all had some influence on our meals, but I think that makes everything better, yes?" What followed was a lecture about Romanian cuisine that made Harry wonder exactly how much time Dracula had on his hands. The minute detail about every dish, preparation, and tradition from which it originated was presented, as well as fun facts about famous people Dracula had met and what their opinions of the dish had been. Whatever it was, the topic kept the entire table occupied and entertained for the majority of the meal, only verging into plans for the next day with the arrival of dessert.
After dessert, Harry followed Dracula back to the sitting room while his family and advisor were returned back to their rooms. Dracula motioned for him to sit again and studied Harry for a few minutes before shaking his head. "About the dark magic on you?"
Harry relaxed back into his chair and pondered how much of a lie he was going to get away with. "You're not." Dracula said flatly. "The truth, if you please."
"Mind-reading?" Harry asked, almost surprised that the vampire would use such things on him.
"It is difficult to keep you out when you are thinking loudly." Dracula told him. Harry could only blink. He was sure that made sense to other vampires. How did one think loudly? "You are doing it now." Dracula said.
"Creepy." Harry said.
"Indeed. Now, the magic."
"You can't tell anyone else." Harry told him.
"I don't intend to do so."
"The Dark Lord has a student. I am that student." Harry shrugged.
"Explain." The slight growl that accompanied that word told Harry that Dracula was not pleased with what he had heard.
"Oh, Papa. Leave the boy alone. He is doing the best he can." A slightly bored voice said from the shadows. The figure there walked forward and smiled at Harry. "Hello, little magus." Khalid Haven had arrived at Castel Tepes.
Author's Note 2: Yes, "castle" is not spelled right for the English word. I looked up the word in the Romanian dictionary. Please do not send reviews telling me it is spelled wrong.