I hurried through the forest, jumping over roots and grabbing a low branch before pulling myself up into the leaves just as a small group of vampires hurried underneath. I held my breath for a moment, silent and watching as they growled in frustration and ran off. Releasing the breath I'd been holding, I dropped down out of the tree and brushed the dirt off my pants.

Only a bit longer. Then summer will be over and I'll be out of here again. I sighed softly and began to trek my way through the forest, taking the long way back to my tent in case the vampires doubled back. I rubbed at my jaw though, teeth aching. I need to focus on what's more important right now. Food first. I'll figure out how to leave later.

Things had gotten a bit complicated after I'd returned to the coven. The vampire who'd picked me up had been rather… forceful in letting me know that going to Hogwarts was nothing special. I was still sleeping on the outskirts and they wanted nothing to do with me. No one was magically going to treat me any better because I was representing them. They actually treated me worse, if anything. Going into town was more of a risk than before. Seems vampires themselves weren't exactly pleased about getting along with wizards.

Makes me wonder what Dumbledore thinks he's going to do by having me there. I doubt he did it just for Cain… just for me… I shook the thought from my head, inadvertently not paying attention to where I was walking and stumbling over something. I yelped when I hit the ground, grimacing at the pain that flickered through my hands and knees only to stiffen as there was a growl. Please don't be a bear. Please don't be a bear. I turned slowly and fumbled onto my backside, staring at the overly large, scraggly dog I'd fallen over.

It's lips were lifted in a dangerous snarl and if I didn't know any better, I'd have thought it was a wolf with how large it was. Still, I knew the risks involved in dealing with the more dangerous creatures lurking around the coven. I'm in a bad position though. I need to get up without making it more aggressive. I eyed it closer though and noticed something. He's thin. Dangerously so. He'd get picked off by a wolf pack easily. Is he starving? Did he just wander in here? Most animals have learned that drifting too close to the coven isn't smart. Even I have to travel out further for food now.

I shifted my hand back and the fur on the dog bristled, rising to make it look bigger, more threatening. Careful. Slow movements. I took a deep breath to calm myself only to grimace. Shit. Blood. It's injured. My hand snapped to my mouth automatically, earning a bark and snap from the dog as I winced. Not good. I haven't eaten in a while. I have a rabbit on me but this scent is different. Why? I couldn't place it currently, doing what I could to breathe through my mouth and shuffle back away from the dog. It snapped at my feet, and I chose to do something risky.

It's starving. It'll leave me without a meal tonight, but I can't risk it attacking me. Those vampires wouldn't have gone far. I reached behind me and hastily pulled the rabbit out of the sack on my back, grabbing the dog's attention.

"I-I'll give it to you," I offered, cringing again as the wind blew the scent of blood in my direction.

The dog growled then, stepping forward dangerously and for a second, the hunger made my control slip as I snarled back, sharp canines bared.

"I'm giving it to you!" I snapped back at it, throwing the rabbit forward. "Take it! Take it and—"

We both turned to the trees on our left, having heard something approaching.

"Shit," I breathed, looking at the dog and knowing that if it was caught by those vampires, it wouldn't last. "Go. Go!"

The dog bristled, taking a step back as I stood and brought a hand up to my mouth. Grimacing, I bit down hard, tearing into my own skin and drawing blood. A minor injury, but enough to draw them to me. If they think I'm injured, they'll come for me in the hopes of getting my catch. I gave it to the dog, but they don't know that. I eyed the dog who had watched me silently, less frightened and threatening now.

"Take that and go. I'll draw them to me, but you shouldn't be this close to the coven. They'll hunt anything if they can smell blood."

The dog eyed me for a moment longer before reaching down and picking up the rabbit in its mouth. Sighing, I turned to where we'd heard the noise and took off into the trees, wondering why the hell I was going so far to help a lost, starving dog.

I ended up going hungry that night and collapsing in my tent bruised and beaten, but a little grateful for the fact that I'd dealt them some damage as well. Hogwarts taught me that much at least. Defending myself without a wand is the best I can hope for out here unless I want to go to whatever prison wizards have. I sank into my bundle of blankets with a sigh and settled into a restless sleep, only to snap awake at the scent of blood. I sat up and whipped around to see a set of eyes watching me. The dog had followed me and was now standing in my tent with a rabbit hanging from its mouth.

A trickle of fear ran through me. This wasn't a normal dog. This tent had been given to me by Cain who had informed me of some of its enchantments. One of which was something that deterred unwanted pests and animals from slipping in. But this dog just walked right past them. How? The dog dropped the rabbit and it took a lot of control to not grab the corpse and tear into it. I can't. I've gotten better since Hogwarts. That, and it would be dangerous. I eyed the rabbit hungrily though, before looking back at the dog. He watched me in return before nudging the rabbit closer and offering a wag of his tail, appearing friendly.

I don't trust this, I thought, uncertain at how quickly the dog had gone from being threatening to nice. My teeth ached though and I brought a hand up to rub at my jaw. That was the unfortunate part about attending Hogwarts this last term. They had gotten me used to having blood every so often and now I was back in the position of having to hunt down my own. I'm doing well though. I've improved on hunting thanks to what I've learned hiding from those at school, and I don't need blood as often, so I can hunt extra and save the blood for later. Still, we're heading into fall soon. Most animals have started moving further south. Food is getting rarer… and now there's this dog following me.

The dog barked, jolting me out of my daze before I begrudgingly pushed the rabbit back.

"You should have it," I pressed. "You're worse off than I am."

The dog laid down and nudged it back with a whine.

"You shouldn't even be here," I breathed, getting up and begrudgingly taking the rabbit with me to butcher it. "It's dangerous and there's not much food."

The dog plodded after me though, sitting with his tail thumping on the floor as he waited and watched. It was a little unnerving, honestly. There was a meow then and I turned to Sorina as she wandered over. Uncertain how the two animals would get along, I paused and waited only for Sorina to rub right up against the dog who appeared to not mind the purring feline. Weird. I shook my head and returned to butchering. When finished, I begrudgingly tossed the rabbit to the dog who eyed it and then me.

"Take it," I muttered, pouring the collected blood into a mug and drinking some.

I sighed in relief, wishing the blood was better quality but knowing this was what I was stuck with until I was strong enough to take down bigger animals. And even then, it's a waste if I don't use all of it. There was a whine and a wet nose brushed my bandaged hand, making me pull it away, eyeing the dog in uncertainty. Is he… worried? I finished off the meager amount of blood I'd gotten from the rabbit before hesitantly reaching out and rubbing the dog's head.

"I'm fine," I murmured, gesturing to the rabbit meat. "Eat."

Finally, the dog settled down to eat and I felt myself relax a bit. It was still a little unnerving with the dog around but after a while, I got used to his presence and oddly high intelligence. Then, an owl flew into my tent, startling me until I spotted the letter in its beak that had a familiar wax seal. I took the letter and offered a mouse to the bird, sending it off as the dog wandered over curiously to see.

"Hogwarts book list," I explained simply, though I doubted the dog understood what that was.

I tapped the letter once I'd opened it, wrinkling my nose.

"Last term was… not the best. I'm more prepared now. Know the castle better and can protect myself. Let's hope those night-time restrictions have loosened up from last term. I might be able to get things done." I grabbed my things to go into town, knowing I'd need to ask about going to Diagon Alley thanks to the added section of my letter.

McGonagall sent word that I would need to ask one of the elder vampires to take me to the alley and train station. Better ask as soon as I can. The dog started to follow me and I grimaced. It wouldn't be good for him to follow me into town.

"No. You need to stay. It's bad enough going to town on my own, but if I bring you, something worse might happen. So… stay… please."

The dog hesitated but soon laid down with a whine and I stepped out of the tent to go find one of the elders. I kept my hood up on my cloak as I walked, keeping my body coiled tight and ready for any of the vampires hiding in the alleys to try anything. The whole town smelled like blood. Fresh and rotting. I knew the further in, it would improve but that didn't make me any safer. Once past the slums and into the center part of town, the looks grew worse.

The older vampires were always hard to deal with. Much like the Slytherins of my house, they were prone to murmuring and gossip. Dark remarks about me were spat between sharp teeth, rumors of the pet dog of Dumbledore's who was trying in vain to improve relations. Nothing would change, everyone knew. Still, learning magic… Once I come of age and can use it, I can finally leave here on my own. Finally, I reached the upper district where the small houses turned to large mansions with huge yards and fine food. Just entering this area made me feel dirty, as though I was dirt on the bottom of their shoes.

Finally, I reached the home of the elder who took me to the train station during the first term and pressed the buzzer before explaining who I was and why I was there. Unsurprisingly, I wasn't allowed entrance and only spoke with the butler over the intercom.

"What do you mean, he can't take me? Who's supposed to take me?"

"I have been informed that you are to find a way there on your own."

"On my… you are joking, right?"

"No. Good day."

I scowled at the intercom before huffing. Bastard. I walked away from the home and trudged my way back through the town. I should get something for that dog. He's probably hungry and I have some money from selling those fox furs. I dropped by the butchers and got some overpriced leftovers, wrapping it up and holding it close as I started to head back to my tent.

Sure enough, not long after slipping out of the town, I had pursuers rushing after me. I cursed and tried to run but they'd unknowingly circled around. I growled and bared my teeth at them threateningly but half of them were starving themselves and didn't care while the others couldn't see a twelve-year-old as threatening.

The ensuing fight wasn't quick or kind. Trying to keep the meat safe while also fighting back only proved to be more troublesome than it was worth. I wasn't doing well and their hunger was ravenous enough that they had the upper hand and weren't feeling the pain as much as I was. The thought of abandoning the meat passed my mind as I curled protectively around it on the ground and swung at an attacker who bit into my arm.

I roared in pain and kicked him off, feeling his teeth tear through my skin before getting back up onto my feet and hitting another person aside. Lightly out of breath and knowing my blood would only draw more starving vampires, I was running out of options. Then, a cry of pain drew our attention to a large black mass that had jumped out of the forest to tackle one of them.

It was the dog from my tent who moved to stand before me growing dangerously at the vampires. Some hesitated while the more starved screeched in retaliation. Still, it was a chance and I spoke quietly.

"Run."

The dog glanced at me before seeming to nod and we took off into the trees. The vampires pursued angrily and on more than one occasion the dog tugged my coat in another direction. We waded through a stream as well, me dragging my injured arm through the water to help hide the scent of blood, and eventually, we were able to make it back to my tent.

I breathed heavily, soaked and exhausted after that fight and the run. I dropped the meat on the ground for the dog and stripped, hanging my clothes before a fireplace to dry and wiping myself down as well. The dog whined nearby and I sighed heavily as I dug through my things for bandages for my arm.

"It's fine," I grumbled, collapsing in a chair and getting to work wrapping it. "It happens. I'd just leave the meat but it's a waste of money and some would pursue me anyway. That's just what happens here when you're young and weak." I noticed him not eating and growled. "Eat the damn meat or all of that would've been for nothing."

He hesitated before slowly chewing at it, allowing me to relax and move to my blankets.

"We'll have to leave tomorrow anyway," I grumbled into the bedding. "I won't get an escort to Diagon Alley this term. I just have to do it… on my own…"

I packed everything up the following evening just as the sun was setting. I was tired though, exhausted even after sleeping through the day. More than once I caught myself staring off into space and even the dog had nudged at me a few times to get me moving again. Once everything was packed, I started my trek out of the forests and the coven and towards Diagon Alley. I only realized hours later that I didn't know where to get into Diagon Alley other than the pub I'd been transported to by McGonagall. My head swam though, making me bring a hand to my head and pause in our walking for a moment. The dog whined at my side and I grumbled about being stupid before deciding we'd walked long enough for the night.

I set up camp and gave the dog and Sorina some jerky to chew on while I just curled up on my blankets to rest until tomorrow, where I would try to navigate my way to where I needed to be. It was… in London, I think… maybe I could find someone and ask… I drifted off quickly and slept fitfully all day, feeling chilled and overheated on and off. When I finally woke up, it was to a cold wet nose brushing my face. I pushed the dog away and struggled to my feet, faltering for a second as my vision shifted and I had to grab hold of a chair. I cursed under my breath, going to the sink and splashing cool water over my face, though it did little to help how warm I felt.

"Need to… change the bandages," I muttered, grabbing what I needed and half-falling into my chair as the dog watched me closely.

Upon pulling off the bandages, I grimaced. The bite was infected and inflamed, explaining why I felt feverish and ill. I did what I could, wrapping it again, but I was out of the herbs I needed to help. And I need to keep moving. If I wait too long, I won't be able to get there in time to also catch the train for the next term. I shook the thought off, getting up and wincing as everything tilted for a moment. I started to pack up camp again though, and the dog was whining the whole time.

"C-Can you stop?" I complained, giving the dog a tired look. "I get it. You're worried, but I don't have a choice. We have to keep moving. Even if I wanted to stay, I could get found by muggles or wizards and get in trouble. I'm not supposed to leave the coven without an adult escort, but they aren't leaving me a choice. I would've left earlier if I knew they were going to abandon me. Now, I only have so long to go get my books and get on the train."

I tipped to one side and the dog quickly rushed up to lean against me, keeping me upright.

"Sorry… I just… need to keep moving."

Everything passed in a bit of a daze after that. Fevered views of grass under my feet, trees and distant buildings of muggle towns. I would haphazardly set up camp at dawn and offer the animals bits of meat I had before collapsing into my blankets, waking up covered in sweat and doing it all over again. There were moments though, when I was half-asleep, where I thought I saw someone hovering over me, wiping sweat from my forehead. While walking too, I'd discover that my water would have been refilled from the day before without myself having found water to fill it. It didn't make sense to me, but nothing made sense in the state I was in.

Three days had passed like this before my body finally gave up. I collapsed while walking and tried to get up, but couldn't really move. I was just so tired. The dog whined and nudged me, grabbing my coat sleeve in its jaws and tugging, but I couldn't.

"Sorry," I murmured. "You should go. I'll be fine."

I vaguely saw the black blob that was the dog vanish from my sight and I sighed, closing my eyes and lying in the dirt in the hopes that I'd feel better when I woke.

I thought I was in a dream. Or maybe it was a memory.

"Stay with me, kid," someone murmured as my body swayed with each step.

There was blood close though. Tantalizingly close. I inhaled deeply instinctually, feeling the person stiffen under my fingers.

"Don't."

I wouldn't… Not ever… I promised him I wouldn't... "Cain," I breathed against the person's neck before I faded into the dark once more.

The next time I woke, I was tucked in a bed and something was being brushed over my face. It was cool to the touch and I leaned into it blindly. Someone sighed nearby and I wearily tried to see who it was, but my vision was blurred and I could only see dark-colored hair hiding a dirty face. His hand came up, covering my eyes as a deep voice spoke.

"Sleep."

And I did.

My head was finally clear when I woke up the third time, sitting up in a bed and looking around the room. There was no one else there though. Just myself, Sorina, and the dog from before curled up at the end of my bed. I wasn't sure where I was or how I'd gotten here, but I brought a hand up and rubbed at my jaw. My hunger was excessive and I winced as I took a deep breath and let it out. A thumping drew my attention and I looked over at the dog who'd noticed I was awake. He stood and plodded across the bed to nuzzle my cheek with his face and I lightly pushed him away and scratched behind his ear.

"Hey, bud. Sorry. I don't…" I sighed. "I was stupid. Should've checked my supplies before I went to town. I thought I was stocked up on healing herbs."

His nose flipped my hand back onto his head when I lowered it and even Sorina slipped over to check up on me. I cracked a hint of a smile before getting up, carefully stretching and looking to change my bandages, but the ones I had on looked brand new. I frowned, still uncertain of who had helped me but chose to find out where exactly I was first. I pulled on some decent clothes and poked my head out the door to the small room I was in. Seeing nothing familiar in the hallway of more rooms, I stepped out cautiously and found a set of stairs.

As soon as I saw what was downstairs, everything clicked. I was in the pub McGonagall had taken me to that was connected to Diagon Alley. Stunned, I looked around before finding the barkeep and approached him.

"Do you know how I got here?"

He raised a brow, eyeing me before humming. "Friend of yours brought you in. Glad you're lookin' better though. You were pretty sick when ya got here."

Friend? Who? "W-What about my room? I owe you money for that, don't I?"

"All paid off till the first day of term," he replied, stunning me again as I didn't have the kind of money to do that. "Meals included, o' course. Ya let me know when you're hungry and I'll fix up somethin' from the menu."

Stunned, I had to step away and scrambled back upstairs to my room, closing the door and leaning against it in shock. Who? Who would even think of helping someone like… My mind ran rampant trying to figure it out, but all the potential options didn't make sense. None of the friends from school had been in contact and they were all students like me, so they probably didn't have much money. Dumbledore and McGonagall certainly had the funds, but they had only sent me the amount needed to purchase my school supplies and a few small things like a pack of blood pops. It was nowhere near enough to pay for food and board for a week.

"Hold on." I had incidentally spotted a calendar hanging in the room and hastily rushed towards it. "No… No, this makes no sense."

It was marked only a day after I collapsed. It takes over 5 days to get to London from the coven on foot. I collapsed after three. So how is today the fourth day since I left? No one travels that fast except—No. A wizard? But who? The thought that I'd been picked up by a wizard after collapsing had chills running down my spine. The room suddenly felt stuffy and, not having had blood since I'd left, I needed to get out for a minute. I rushed back for the door only for the dog to bark loudly, getting my attention.

I blinked at the pouch he was holding in his mouth, hesitating before heading over and taking it from him. Inside was more money than I knew what to do with. I nearly dropped the pouch when he barked again, paw crinkling a letter on the ground that I'd dropped in the process of taking the pouch. I picked up the parchment and uneasily opened it, reading what was messily scrawled across the paper.

Hope it serves you well.

Keep your wits about you.

Don't do anything stupid again.

Signed, a friend.

I flipped it over, hoping to find more. A name, signature, anything to tell me who my savior was, but there was nothing. Mildly annoyed and still very much cautious, I set the bag of money down and took only a few coins from its depths. I doubted the pub downstairs would have blood available to me, so a trip was needed into Diagon Alley, and I wasn't thrilled to have to do so during the day. Still, I have to eat soon or I'll have bigger problems than a mysterious friend—The dog barked and wagged his tail, making me reluctantly pull out one more coin—and a needy, hungry dog.

The potion shop I entered didn't have what I needed but pointed me in the direction of a different alley that might help. Though his comment about needing my parents to go with me was rather unneeded. Still, I understood why when I entered the darkened alleyway, somewhat grateful for the shade that the clouds overhead weren't quite providing. Given what had happened to me, I was weaker than usual and needed blood soon to help handle the weighted feeling that had sunk into my bones over the last few days.

The potion shop here was not the most pleasant place with jars of various organs and a few items labeled "cursed" settled on shelves and displays. Still, I assumed he'd have what I was looking for and approached the counter. The man was gruff and stout, eyeing me with a lip lifted in disgust.

"Get out of here, brat. I don't serve underage kids."

I placed a coin on the counter and lowered my hood, tired and just needing what I was looking for. "I was told you might have boar and steer blood."

He scowled, looking me over before a smirk came over his face. "Ah, only a few customers ask for such a thing. All got the same thing in common." He lifted his lips and tapped his teeth.

I frowned but lifted my lips in a snarl and he chuckled.

"Thought so. You're just a brat but… Ah, but how 'bout this. I'll get you one better."

He stepped away and dug through a cupboard behind him before setting a jar of blood on the table and popping the lid. The scent hit me like a train, making me suck in a sharp breath through my teeth and clench my fists tight enough for my nails to dig into my palms.

"It's real," he purred, tauntingly. "Though I'm sure you could tell that. Two galleons for the jar."

The thought was tempting. Overly so, given my current hunger. Two galleons were all I brought though and it was supposed to get me blood and food for the dog and Sorina. The man probably figured out that I was young and my impulse control limited. He was trying to make a sale, not caring that there would be consequences for both myself and those around me should I take the blood. Control yourself. You've been doing good.

I swallowed past the lump in my throat, picking up the lid and capping the jar with a shaking hand. "J-Just the boar and steer blood."

He frowned, disappointed but took the jar back and dropped two smaller bottles on the counter. He was undoubtedly overcharging but given my stubbornness concerning the human blood he'd put on the table before, I wasn't half surprised. Still, it should last me the week if I limit myself properly. I paid him and tucked the bottles into my coat, flipping my hood up and leaving the shop as quickly as I could without appearing as though I was running out of the alley.

I almost welcomed the tiredness that came with the sun then, dropping by to get meat for the animals in my care and returning to the pub. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me as I climbed the stairs back to my room, tossing the meat to the dog and Sorina and sagging into the bed with a heavy sigh. The dog whined in concern but I waved a hand at it.

"I'm fine. I just… had to deal with a stubborn shopkeep."

I got up and took the two bottles from my coat, setting them on a small table nearby and sitting in a chair to try and work out how much I could drink now. Half. Half a bottle now another half in two days and every two days following until they're empty. It wasn't enough, really. After what happened I needed my strength and should have probably had both bottles right then and at least another full bottle for the next few days before tapering off to half a bottle every other day. I have no choice though. I'm not going to use all this money and have to go back there. The temptation of that blood was almost too much.

I uncorked a bottle and drank half, grimacing as I had to force myself to stop and cork it again. My hands shook and I bowed over the table with a shuddering breath. Don't. Don't finish it. You can't. I pushed the bottle to the far side of the table, holding my head in my hands for a moment and trying to breathe. It took a moment but soon the feeling passed and I begrudgingly got up to eat some food myself.

The meal tasted like ash when I knew there was a bottle of blood waiting upstairs. Still, I persevered and sank into the bed to sleep through the rest of the day. By dusk, I felt marginally better and got more food before settling at the end table to do the homework for school.

I honestly didn't mind doing it either. By having someplace safe to stay where food was easily accessible, I finally had time to do the work properly without worrying about vampires coming into my camp. The Dark Arts homework was the worst. Since Lockhart was a terrible teacher and his classes canceled after he was brought out of the chamber without memories, I had to look up information and purchase books from the bookstore early.

Still, taking the time in the evenings to study was far more welcome than attempting to wander the alley at night. As the week drew closer to a close, I was forced to stay up one day just to make sure I purchased all my supplies. That, and the dog was getting antsy.

So, I took him out with me and covered myself with my hood as best I could before heading out to the alley. He plodded along happily beside me, tongue hanging from his mouth and head whipping around to look at everything. He was happy enough that I began to wonder what he was going to do when I had to go to Hogwarts. I don't have anyone to leave him with and… I don't want to just abandon him now.

The dog barked, alerting me that I'd sort of drifted past the shop I was looking for. I thanked him with a friendly pat before ducking in to get my robes hemmed. I'd grown quite a bit in a year and undoubtedly would tower over the other second-years. When I stepped back outside though, I noticed the dog was staring at someone rather intently.

It was Harry, I realized, recognizing the messy hair and glasses rather easily. He looked pale though and I wasn't sure why. Is he sick? Why's he just staring at the dog? I looked at the dog and back again, but Harry had run off and was no longer in sight. Brushing off the incident, I went back to shopping for the rest of my school things and headed back to the pub.

The dog was quieter after that. He didn't whine to go outside and accepted his food scraps with half the enthusiasm as before. Then, he came down with me to the pub and just… disappeared. I looked for him for a while, regretting that I hadn't named him and therefore had nothing to call for as I searched the alley and the muggle streets nearby. When he continued to not show back up, I assumed he was gone and I was alone with just Sorina once more.

I was… upset but also felt a hint of relief. I didn't have to worry about what would happen when I went to school. I wasn't going to have to be the one to tell him he had to leave because I couldn't take him with me. But it still hurt for him to suddenly abandon me. Did I do something wrong? I wondered for a while after that. As the last day of my stay was right around the corner though, I was forced to think of other things. Such as how quickly the pub filled up with people I knew overnight.

The familiar redheads of the Weasley family had joined and apparently, Harry had been staying in the pub as well. How we hadn't bumped into each other sooner wasn't really a mystery given how little I left my room during the day. Hermione was there as well, and it wasn't long before she spotted me.

"Sven? Sven! What are you doing here?"

I hesitantly approached, uncertain about joining the long table full of Weasley's. "I've been staying here for the last week."

"How come we didn't see ya?" Fred asked, George beside him leaning forward.

"Yeah! We could've gotten into all sorts of trouble."

Hermione tugged me to sit at the table before I could attempt to back off towards the stairs again. "You should've told us. We would've gone to get our books together."

"I was… sleeping," I admitted.

"During the day?" Ron questioned, earning a shrug from me.

The fact wasn't anything important. "I can't sleep at night."

"Weirdo."

"Behave, Ron," his mother scolded, offering me a small smile. "Who is this, then? One of your friends?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ron muttered, but Hermione was more than happy to respond.

"He's a friend from school."

"From Slytherin too! Can you believe that?" Fred grinned, making his mother's smile falter and his father stopped eating.

"He's pretty cool though! He pranked Malfoy during Christmas break. Gave him antlers and everything!" George laughed, and some of the tension relaxed as I rubbed the back of my neck uneasily.

"W-Well, you must be excited to go back to Hogwarts. Are your parents around?"

"Mom," Ron grumbled as I shook my head.

"Don't have parents."

"Oh… Oh, I'm so sorry, but how did you… I don't mean to pry, but you shouldn't be roaming out on your own."

"Especially with Sirius Black on the loose," Tom grumbled behind me, setting down a plate of food.

I didn't know who Sirius Black was, but didn't bother asking as I started to eat. The two adults exchanged looks before Mr. Weasley cleared his throat.

"W-Well, I suppose we could fit one more if you'd like a ride to the station… Sven, was it?"

I looked up, rather surprised at the offer. "I was just going to walk."

Hermione slapped a hand to her face as the man awkwardly chuckled.

"We'll take you, Sven. It's not a big deal. As it is, the Ministry's providing a couple of cars."

"Why?" Ron's older brother asked, turning his haughty glance away from me.

"It's because of you, Perce," George teased. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them—"

"—for Humongous Bighead," Fred finished, earning snorts from most people at the table.

Dinner continued normally after a brief discussion about packing but I leaned toward Harry beside me.

"Why are they offering me a ride?"

Harry jolted, startled. "W-What?"

I wasn't sure what I did to scare him, but repeated the question. "Why are they offering me a ride?"

He opened and closed his mouth a few times before responding. "B-Because they're nice?"

I furrowed my brows. "But what do they get out of it? I could just walk. It's not far."

"They're just doing it to feel good. I don't—" He shook his head. "Never mind. I wanted to ask you… d-do you have a dog?"

I remembered spotting him and the dog staring at one another before, and glanced away as my chest ached knowing the dog was gone. "I… did for a bit. It left though."

He frowned. "Left?"

I turned back to my food with a half-hearted shrug. Harry let the subject drop and dinner finished without much further discussion. Everyone headed upstairs to their room and the conjoined tables were split up. I moved to the bar though, wide awake as always, and thanked Tom as he settled a drink in front of me. I had dropped by my room for a moment to grab some of my school books and was perusing them out of pure curiosity. The older Weasley's were still down here though, and I inadvertently overheard them talking.

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after—"

"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."

"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."

"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry—"

There was a loud "thud" making me jump and bring a hand to my face. I was still constantly on edge even after spending the week rather safely in the pub.

"Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Black's been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: 'He's at Hogwarts. . . he's at Hogwarts.' Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that."

I didn't quite understand what they were talking about. It seemed this Sirius Black person had escaped from prison and was now on the hunt for Harry. It was unsettling, but I was suspicious. What was the connection between the two? Why would someone go after Harry? I was reminded of when I first met him though. How the first thing he asked was whether I knew him. Was Harry well-known? It didn't honestly make a difference to me, but if the reason Harry was famous had something to do with why Sirius was after him—What does this mean for me though?

I scratched my head, still not used to dealing with others and not knowing what the responsibilities were as a friend of Harry's. I'd usually ask Luna. She helps me understand the best, but she's not here. No point sending a message either since we'll probably meet on the train or back at school. I sighed, drumming my fingers. Still, best to keep an ear out once I'm there. Friends at least protect one another… Maybe I should ask? I wrinkled my nose before brushing it off for now. I'll wait until I'm on the train.

The following morning I was startled awake by a hard pat on my back, jolting up off the barstool and blinking the haze out of my eyes as one of the twins held up his hand in surrender.

"Woah, sorry there, Sven. I meant to startle you, not give you a panic attack."

I calmed my breathing, flexing my hands a bit and offering him a small nod as his brother bounded over.

"You sleep at all last night? And blimey, you must've had a growth spurt. You were so small last term."

"I don't sleep well at night," I muttered, messing with my tousled hair and barely noticing that I had shot up a good five or six centimeters since the beginning of my first year.

"Really?"

"I mean, I suppose that's why you're so pale."

"And you always looked pretty tired at school too."

"How do you survive at school?" They asked, looping their arms over my shoulders and dragging me to the tables that had been combined once more for breakfast.

"I mean, pranking Malfoy means they must not like you much in Slytherin."

"And those rumors that were going around about you were a bit nasty too."

"What about Snape? I mean, he's got to like you at the very least, right?"

"Guys, leave him alone," Ginny huffed as she walked down with Hermione.

"Doesn't he get picked on enough at school?" Hermione said. "Stop pestering him."

"What? You guys don't want to know?"

"You've got to be curious."

"Boys," Mrs. Weasley scolded. "If he doesn't want to answer, don't push him."

They rolled their eyes, but let me go as breakfast was placed in front of me and the older woman offered a small smile.

"Are you all packed?"

I nodded, knowing that I didn't have much to pack anyway and that I hadn't removed any of my things since arriving other than a few school books I put away when I finished. The woman nodded and went to go check on the others who weren't out of bed yet before the twins leaned in.

"So?" They pressed and I shrugged, eating a mouthful of toast.

"Slytherins think I'm a Muggle-born since I didn't know my parents and couldn't tell them either way."

"But the sorting hat wouldn't put a muggle-born in Slytherin…"

"...would it?"

"What rule says a Muggle-born can't be in Slytherin?" Hermione challenged. "Just because the founder favored purebloods doesn't mean you can't have the traits of a Slytherin as a muggle-born and get put in there anyway."

"Still, I've never heard of this happening."

"Same," the twins mused before Fred looked at me.

"Does that mean Snape hates you too?"

"Depends," I hummed. "If it's me versus someone from another house, he'll side with me. He doesn't care about Slytherins challenging me though."

"Wow. That…"

"...That really sucks."

"Is that why you can't sleep?" Ginny asked, flushing a bit when I faced her. "I-I mean, if they pick on you like everyone else, then being in the same house must be… hard."

"I got used to it," I replied easily, eating some potatoes before grimacing and wrinkling my nose at it. "Is there garlic in this?"

The others blinked, Hermione trying some potatoes herself before humming.

"I think so. For flavoring. You don't like garlic?"

I shook my head, pushing the potatoes to the far edge of my plate. "No. Not at all."

George snorted. "Don't like garlic, don't sleep at night, super pale. What are you, some kind of vampire?"

For a split second, my heart stopped and adrenaline pumped through me, but the others at the table chuckled and my tension eased. A joke… Just a joke. They haven't figured it out. Just… don't give yourself away. I looked up from my plate though and saw Hermione watching me. I felt that uneasiness run through me again but she just smiled and began talking to Ginny about something. Having enough excitement for the moment—and needing to drink my last half bottle of blood before the train—I excused myself to get my things from my room.

The trip to the station and through the barrier was uneventful if a little awkward. Mrs. Weasley had to kiss the top of all her children's heads, then Hermione's and Harry's. She took a step towards me though and I ducked back, uncertain about the gesture. She respected that though and said that it was nice to meet me and if I ever needed anything to send her an owl. It made me feel uneasy and suspicious, but I offered a small nod of agreement and she smiled before offering me a sandwich. I hesitantly took it and shuffled off into the train before she could offer me anything else.

I wasn't used to kindness. Not without consequences later on and once on the train in the furthest compartment, I sank into the seats and eyed the sandwich I was given. Peeling off the wrapping, I pried open the two slices of bread. Turkey, lettuce, tomato, cheese… I brought it close and sniffed it, expecting a foul odor, as though the food was a trick.

"You should just eat it."

I stiffened, looking at the door to see a ragged man standing there watching me with a small hint of a smile.

"It looks like a good sandwich. Your parents would be upset if you let it go to waste because you're being picky," he said, pointing to the seats. "Mind if I sit? I've had a long night of traveling."

The man made me feel uneasy in a way, as though there was something dangerous about him that I could only sense instinctually. But they wouldn't let him on the train if he wasn't going to Hogwarts for a reason.

"There's no need to be so tense," the man hummed, taking a seat across from me and leaning against the wall with a sigh of relief. "I'll be replacing the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. I'm not out to get you or anything."

I relaxed a little at the information but kept my guard up anyway. I was on my way to Hogwarts, after all. After what happened last term I'd prepared myself better and planned on living a far more comfortable life than before. I had new spells I wanted to test, better plans, and an actual safe haven so long as there weren't any restrictions like the previous year. With Dumbledore's previous permission to fight back for my own self-defense, I wasn't about to let the Slytherins have their way this term. The professors though are another story.

The man peered an eye open at me, raising a brow. "Still not going to eat it?"

I picked up the sandwich and took a bite, earning a small smile once more before he settled in to sleep and I silently ate, wondering if this professor was going to be like all the others and turn a blind eye to me as soon as I dawned those emerald robes.