Author's Note: Hey...look at that! I updated! Commence celebrations. Seriously. I'm celebrating by going to bed now. This chapter is really short, but I figured something was better than nothing, and I didn't want to make you all wait any longer. Enjoy!
Harry stood at his bedroom window in the house at Privet Drive, staring down into the garden below. He felt tired, but he had slept the night before without any problems, hadn't had any dreams the last few days and his usual bedtime was a few hours away yet. The headaches he'd been having on and off had returned with a vengeance, and his appetite was nonexistent. Glamours were becoming a part of his wardrobe as he convinced everyone around him that he was fine and there was nothing to worry about. He'd become adept at using wandless vanishing charms at meals when he felt like he couldn't eat, and when Petunia tried to push snacks on him throughout the day. Remus watched him constantly when he was here, which was becoming more and more often as Petunia and Remus had finally made their relationship official and were dating. It was great having Remus around, and Petunia seemed happier than Harry had seen her in a long time, but Harry couldn't help but feel a little suffocated by all of the attention.
This year, he'd had three birthday parties if he didn't count his ball from Vlad. Petunia had planned two separate parties for him this year. One was for his friends from St. Jude's, and the other was for his friends from Hogwarts – those he cared to invite at any rate. Hermione and Viktor Krum had appeared, and Ginny, Ron, Neville, and Luna. Luna had brought along her cousin called Mara and now Dudley and Mara were dating. Well, not dating exactly, but they were spending an awful lot of time together, which Harry called dating and Dudley told him to shut it. His third party was from his father's business partners. They had decided to celebrate that Harry was of age and had arranged a get together for everyone from his father's business interests. The catered dinner was nice, and everyone was treated to a drink or two during dinner. Remus had come along as his advisor and kept the business leaders from turning completely nostalgic. And drunk. Harry was glad they viewed him as an adult, but he had learned a little too much about his father's early actions and his own babyhood when James Potter had brought him to meet one certain leader and the diaper spell hadn't worked exactly right when James attempted it.
His trunk was packed for school, ready for the morning when Remus would drive the family to London and put Harry on the train to school. Harry had convinced his aunt that she needed the magical bodyguards more than he did at Hogwarts, so they were staying with Petunia. Harry had needed to appeal to Vlad to get her to agree, since Petunia agreed with everything Vlad suggested, but he had finally had his way with it. He turned and looked around the room that had become a sanctuary this summer.
Still, even with all the strain of Voldemort once more becoming sane, and being the Dark Lord's apprentice, being adopted by Vlad, Petunia and Remus's care for him, Dudley's newfound relationship, and hiding from the wizarding world, Harry thought he was holding up rather well. He hadn't managed to allay Paul's suspicions that Harry was backsliding; telling Paul that his last visit had been on a rather bad day hadn't really worked. The man was keeping in close contact with him and wondered if Harry would be able to make a regular appointment time while he was at Hogwarts as an outpatient of St. Jude's. Harry had discovered that St. Jude's program continued after you left, seeing your therapist for a year of regular outpatient appointments was considered normal. Harry told Paul he doubted it, but would let him know if he could work it out.
Harry had already decided not to continue appointments with Paul while at Hogwarts. He had a plan to put into place, and seeing Paul would definitely interfere. He was about to set some things straight in the magical world that desperately needed fixed. He only had a short time left – he intended to fix what he could and see things through to the end.
Harry wasn't sure where he was, but it was nice. The sun was warm without being hot. There were trees and a stream nearby, causing the lightest bit of noise as it rolled over the rocks. There was birdsong, and for the moment, Harry felt at peace. He lay back on the grass and soaked in the sun, happy for the moment. He didn't allow his thoughts to wander like they wanted to, immediately wanting to figure out the mystery of where he was, how he had gotten here, and why. He pushed away all of the thoughts and felt his body slowly relaxing into the ground below him.
All of the worries of the last few weeks started to melt away. His aunt and probably new uncle, his cousin, Voldemort, Dumbledore, the Dark Lord's apprentice, convincing Paul he was fine, Vlad; all of the balls he was trying to juggle were suddenly set aside and locked into a tiny box that told him he had nothing to worry about.
A hand brushing through his hair startled him and he opened his eyes to stare up at the figure. It took his relaxed brain a moment to identify the figure. "Sir?" He asked, astonished to see Voldemort looking more like Tom Riddle as an adult than Harry had ever seen him.
"Shh." Tom just smiled at him and continued to stroke his head. Harry, seeing nothing happening for the moment, relaxed again and allowed his mind to empty. The two sat there, Harry recumbent against the grass, and Tom next to him, watching the water in the stream flow.
"This is nice." Harry finally said after a while.
"It is one of my favorite places," Riddle said, pulling Harry up to sit next to him. Harry leaned against his side and nodded in understanding. "When I was a child, they used to bring us here. There's a beach down that way somewhere, with caves to explore. I much preferred this place, though, when I was young. I spent a lot of time sitting here." Riddle lowered an arm around Harry's shoulder and squeezed. "You haven't been yourself lately."
"Just a lot of things on my mind I can't really share." Harry said.
"That's fine. Just relax. Things will get better." Riddle told him, squeezing the back of Harry's neck. He did relax and sat with Riddle, content in the quiet and serene place they shared.
"Hey, fop!" Dudley pounded on Harry's door and laughed. "Get up and look summery! It's time for breakfast!" Harry groaned and pondered the wisdom of hexing his cousin for waking him from his dream. It seemed that Dudley couldn't get over seeing Harry in pink and heels during the summer's production of The Scarlet Pimpernel.
Petunia had signed up Harry for a summer theater program, and Harry had won the part of the fop, Elton. The rest of his summer had been spent in a flurry of voice lessons, scripts, and rehearsals. His voice teacher, when she heard of his goal of musical theater as a career shook her head. "Well, lad. You'll probably never be a soloist, but I think we can make something of you so you won't send the dogs howling." She was a crotchety old woman with a piano in her sitting room and she had pictures of old West End performers she knew when she worked on the "circuit" as she called it. She had married and retired to Little Whining. Harry thought he had found a new friend and he listened to her stories for hours at a time when she wasn't forcing a new scale into his brain. She had given him a list of musicals to look up and watch. Petunia promised to rent the videos for him and he had had a marathon that following weekend after the show finished. Watching those videos led to a trip to the library to look up biographies on some of the actors and singers, and then that led to a list of schools for him to look at after Hogwarts. Harry didn't know why he had accumulated that list, but it existed in one of his notebooks, tucked away so he wouldn't look at it every day.
Hermione and her parents had come to the show and were their usual enthusiastic selves about his performance. Paul had come for the show and joined Harry's family in the audience. Vlad flew in and came to the evening show and had taken the family out for dinner that night. The cast party was memorable in the fact that Harry couldn't remember much of it. He had sworn he wouldn't try alcohol again after Vlad's fruity drink, but there he was with the other boys, nipping something out of a flask behind the theater that made his teeth feel like they were melting. Aunt Petunia was less than impressed with him after that and made him suffer through an early breakfast and a lecture delivered at high volume from both her and Remus. He wasn't eager to try it again, but being able to forget about things for a while was nice. He wasn't sure he liked the consequences of it, though.
"I'm up!" Harry snapped when Dudley continued knocking on the door. He slid out of bed and batted away Alden's helpful behavior of licking his face. "Stop that."
Aren't you supposed to wash your face in the mornings? Alden asked as he jumped onto Harry's bed and lengthened himself out to reach both sides of the bed. Go on, now. I'll keep your bed warm. Harry glared at the dog but went for a shower and then got dressed, much more awake after his shower. He pulled on a suit again and sighed. He had an appointment with his solicitor this morning before he got on the train. He had told his aunt that it was about business and she wasn't needed. He hadn't the heart to tell her he was planning what would become his final will and testament to the world.
Harry climbed out of the car at the train station and looked around at the maddening crowd surrounding them. It appeared that everyone was trying to make it onto the train at the earliest opportunity. Harry reached back into the car and retrieved Hedwig from the back seat while Dudley clambered out on the other side of the car. Remus lifted Harry's luggage out of the trunk and loaded it onto a trolley for him while the bodyguards stood around looking intimidating. Harry was pleased they were staying behind to protect his family while he was in the wizarding world. One pair would stay with Petunia and Remus while the other pair would accompany Dudley to school. Harry couldn't help but smirk a little. The pair going to Dudley's school was the same pair he'd had while he visited Smeltings. Both men were very excited to continue the idea of being hired guns for a criminal. Everyone would accompany him to the platform, and then he would be boarding the train alone.
"Well, I suppose this is it. Let's go, everyone." Petunia said with a tight voice. Harry was surprised but supposed that she wasn't happy something. Perhaps she was really sad to see him go? That was a pleasant thought.
One of the bodyguards pushed his trolley as Harry made his way towards Platform 9 ¾. He was leading the way with his family behind him, including Dudley, who was very excited to see how Harry got on the train since he didn't believe that they were going to walk through the wall. Harry stopped before the entrance and studied the magic surrounding it. If he were a normal wizard, he would be breaking several wizarding laws, including the Statute of Secrecy. The laws of the wizarding world didn't exactly apply to what he was capable of while he was using magic. He stretched out his magic and it greeted him with a question. What? YES! With just a moment's thought, he enabled his entire entourage to walk onto the platform without running into the wall. Remus seemed a little confused, but Petunia treated it as a matter of fact and strode onto the platform behind him, humming a little. The bodyguards, being wizards, just followed behind, not noticing anything different.
"This is brilliant," Dudley said as they cleared the platform and moved off to the side. "You get to ride a steam engine to school!"
"It's not super-efficient, Dudley. I'm on the train all day. I'd prefer something a little faster, you know. Like Apparition, or the Floo. Or a good airplane." Harry commented as he pulled his trunk from the trolley and tapped it with his wand, a show of magic to fool others, and also to make it feather light. He pocketed the wand and looked at his family. "Dudley, you have a great time at school. If anyone gives you a hard time, the bodyguards have my permission to make their life miserable." Harry told his cousin. There was an awkward pause until Harry stepped forward and wrapped his arms around his cousin. "Take care of yourself and your mum, yeah?" He said in Dudley's ear. Dudley only nodded and then Harry turned to Remus.
"Remus, you take care of these two." He told the man. "I'm sure we'll be in constant contact thanks to you being my mentor and all." Harry said as Remus stepped forward and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders.
"You, young man, are required to write to me at least once a week. I don't care how busy you are with NEWTS, you are to write to me. Understood?"
"Yes, sir." Harry wrapped his arms around Remus. "An early birthday present, Remus." Harry watched as his magic gathered in a cloud of gold sparkles, whirling up and settling into Remus with a dissipating shimmer. Remus stepped back with an odd look on his face, as though he was aware that something had changed, but not sure what had changed. He looked at Harry with a question in his eyes and Harry only shrugged before going to his aunt.
"Please make sure you eat the snack I packed for you. I know you said there is a feast waiting for you at school, but what do they know about proper nutrition? You're still growing, you know. You need a varied diet, not just those chocolate frogs you're so fond of for a snack." Harry wondered how she knew about his hidden stash. "Listen to your teachers, and be nice to your friends." Petunia rattled on, smoothing Harry's hair and brushing at his suit jacket. Harry straightened his hair after she finished with it and covertly removed the tissue she had tucked into his pocket. "I expect to hear from you regularly. Christmas is only four months away, and I can't wait to spend it with you again. If you need any spending money or if you've forgotten anything, don't hesitate to write to me and let me know and I'll send it along."
Harry finally stepped forward and hugged his aunt to get her to stop talking. The more she fussed, the harder it was to get on the train. "I know. I will. I'm glad you agreed to keep Alden for me; he really likes you. Thank you for bringing me to the train today, Aunt Petunia. I love you."
"Oh, Harry, dear. I love you, too. You're acting like we're never going to see each other again." She said, giving him a hug and smoothing his hair with one hand. "Christmas isn't that far away. I'll be here to pick you up when you come home for the holiday. Now, the train's getting ready to leave, so we need to get you on that train." Petunia took his hand and patted it before turning him towards the train. She gave him a nudge and Harry surrendered, picking up his trunk and climbing aboard. He found the first empty compartment and put his trunk out of the way before making his way to the window. The final whistle blew and the train started to pull away. Petunia, Remus, Dudley and the guards all stood on the platform, waving back at him. Harry raised a hand and watched his family disappear in the clouds of steam as the train left London behind.
Harry dropped onto the seat in his compartment and put his head into his hands, sighing with fatigue. It'd been a long day already, and he still had to get ready for Hogwarts. He had missed Hogwarts, especially talking with her, which he did every time he had visited Dumbledore this past summer. The man was still kept under lock and key in the hospital wing, but somehow, his grandson had made it through every ward the staff had built around his rooms. Harry had had a lot of fun dismantling Snape's, just to toy with the man. He was highly suspicious. Harry grinned to himself as he remembered one very close call at Hogwarts.
"No, really!" Harry insisted, moving one of his chess pieces to take Dumbledore's knight. "They had me in pink, Grandad. Pink! And my hat has these feathers as long as my arm. Literally!"
"They wouldn't be that cruel to a young man's sensibilities, surely? Tell me the line again." Dumbledore peered at the chess board with a little wrinkle of concentration appearing on his forehead.
"Ok, ok. I think it's rather nice for a change. It's quite…summer-ry." Harry did the lisp the director had thought would be perfect for Harry's character and even the hand gestures. "That ruffian, the Scarlet Pimpernel, makes me swoon." Harry fell out of his chair and onto the floor. He then got to his feet and did an impromptu song from the Pimpernel. "La, but someone has to strike a pose and bear the weight of well-tailored clothes and that is why the Lord created man!" Dumbledore was laughing heartily as Harry reenacted the dance they did onstage with an imaginary cane. "Each species has a sex that's fated to be highly decorated. That is why the Lord created man!" Harry gave a flourish with his hand and then bowed to Dumbledore's solitary applause.
A sudden knocking took them both by surprise. It was very late in the evening, past midnight. "Headmaster?" Snape's voice said from the other side of the door. Harry immediately turned his features to that of the Dark Lord's student and rushed to the side of the room. He hid behind the door as it opened and Snape stepped into the room.
"Severus! Good morning! Isn't it rather late for you to be out of bed, young man?" Dumbledore said in a chiding tone, eyes twinkling as Harry crept behind Snape to the doorway.
"I was brewing a little late and just delivered a box for Madame Pomfrey. " Snape told him as he moved into the room. Harry crept out the doorway, but must have made some sort of noise, for Snape whipped around and fired off a Stunning spell. Harry batted it away with nothing more than a thought. "Who are you?" Snape hissed.
"He's sort of…pushy, isn't he, Grandad?" Harry asked Dumbledore. The headmaster's eyes were twinkling as he nodded. Snape stepped forward and Harry turned tail and ran through the Hospital Wing, deciding to lead Snape on a merry chase for a few minutes.
Harry turned the corner and slammed into Snape. Harry could hear Hogwarts laughing and he realized that of course there was more than one set of secret passages. Snape must have found his own. "Now, grandson of Albus….who are you?"
Harry slipped his hand out of Snape's grasp and backed away from the Legillimens with quite a bit of haste. "I'm no one, really. Dark Lord's student, grandson to Albus Dumbledore, the young Dark Lord. Pick a title. They all belong to me."
Snape's face went flat. "That does not answer my question."
"Yeah? That's the only answer you'll get, Professor." Harry shrugged, completely unconcerned. "Sorry about that."
Hogwarts kindly opened a hidden passage for him and he slipped into it and back to the Hospital Wing to say goodbye to Dumbledore. Snape was chasing an illusion Harry had set while disappearing from the hallway.
"Well, Harry. Did you have fun?"
"How is that man employed in a school full of children?" Harry asked. "Scary man bent on…something. I don't remember where I was going with that." He admitted. He had left and walked down the path while Hogwarts kept him updated on where Snape was in the castle, still chasing the Dark Lord's student.
The door to the compartment slid open to reveal a face Harry was sure he wouldn't see again. Cassius stood in the passageway, obviously waiting for something. "You're not here to bite me, are you?" Harry questioned him.
"Of course not." The vampire answered, shocked at Harry's question.
"You have permission to enter, then. Just don't bite me."
Cassius stepped into the compartment and eyed Harry in confusion. "Did you want me to bite you?"
"No, I'm fine, thanks." Harry told him. "I'm almost afraid to ask what you are doing here." Harry leaned back in his seat, motioning for Cassius to make himself comfortable.
"Your father was concerned about you…and I had nothing better to do. What better way to use a couple of months up than protecting Dracula's prince?" Cassius pulled in a few pieces of luggage and hung a garment bag from the rail. "He sent along a new uniform for you." Cassius told him.
"Wait a mo…protecting Dracula's prince?"
"The idea that your father would leave you without protection of any sort while you were in a semi-hostile sure to turn hostile environment is unthinkable. Don't be ridiculous." Cassius unzipped the garment bag and shook out the clothing. "You're a wizard, right? Get rid of those wrinkles. There's a lad."
"I'm still stuck on the idea that you're going to be some sort of protection…" Harry said, raising his hand and allowing his magic to smooth out the clothing.
"You'll get used to it. Where you go, I go. The sad fact is that you won't notice me half of the time. I'll only show myself if you're in danger." Cassius promised. "Now, you need to change, don't you?" He gestured to the uniform.
"I have uniforms." Harry grumbled.
"Now you have a better one…why is this a problem?" He asked.
Harry couldn't decide how to explain his feelings about this. "I don't need another one."
"You can change on your own, Master Harry, or I can help you." Cassius told him, smiling. Harry looked at him in horror. "Yes, I serve more than one function…I'm to be your tutor as well as protection." Cassius stared at Harry. "I hope you feel up to learning quite a bit. We don't have much time. Your aunt Neith sends along her greetings; the rest of your new aunties and uncles do, too."
"Does this mean I have to call you 'Uncle Cassius?'"
"It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Cassius asked. "We're going to have such fun this year. Now, about your uniform." Harry covered his face with his hands and groaned. It was going to be a long school year if Cassius was going to be involved.