Guest - no. Well. Yes. But fifth year brings Umbridge!
I've posted so many things recently since I fell into the HTTYD fandom and can't seem to get out... but here we are! Back to the boys.
-YDHP-
"You guys have all your homework done already?"
Fred and George looked utterly aghast.
"We were separated for a few days. And homework is the only way to avoid my dad sometimes."
"We haven't even started!"
"Well. You have all summer."
"Oh."
"Yeah."
Rolling his eyes at the twins, Vlad resumed making notes on the Wolfsbane book Hermione assigned him. Somehow, between learning to be an Animagus and staying top of their year in grades, Hermione had kept working on her personal mission to cure her boyfriend of his lycanthropy-affliction. Since vampires were affected by Wolfsbane too, the Weasleys had no reason to question Vlad studying them since they didn't know about Draco.
They whiled the morning away rather sedately, discussing the 'year of exams' most of them were facing - the fifth years had their OWLs and both Ingrid and the twins had their NEWTs that year.
"They seem scarier than they are because everybody stresses about it so much."
Bill and Charlie were both graduated, had a unique insight into the whole process. Harry nodded in agreement with them, hand casually linked with Vlad's and it was making his whole arm tingle.
"I can see that. Remember Percy for NEWTs? He yelled at first years daily."
"Sounds about right. So, what sub-"
Charlie never finished his question, the wards practically vibrating inside Vlad's head as they permitted someone with one of his portkeys, a slamming sound hitting the ground in the front hallway. Everybody was up instantly, finding a rather confusing sight of George, a woman Vlad assumed was her mother and someone the brand on his chest tingled in recognition of.
"Vlad! Help!"
Even as they moved to seperate the females from the Death Eater, Vlad was confused - the portkey around her neck was keyed to her bloodline, designed to ensure people could escape with their family. The man clearly recognised Vlad, but he hadn't met everyone in the Voldie-enclosure he'd been kidnapped to.
"Ah, the Malfoy embarrassment."
"Yaxley."
'Yaxley' was not easy on the eyes with his hard, blunt features, and an unpleasant smile twisted his thin, lined mouth up. He was relatively tall, and a long, pale blond braid hung down most of his back. Vlad snapped his fingers with a smirk that bound Yaxley with ropes around his chest and arms from shoulders to wrists. Enjoying Yaxley's growl of annoyance, Vlad turned to the newcomers.
"George, are you two alright?"
"Thanks to this. We were just building a cardboard pyramid when all of a sudden this lunatic burst into the house, wand blazing."
"Was he alone?"
George nodded, turning to check on her mother before looking at the amassed crowd.
"Are we crashing a party?"
Draco stepped forward, natural hosting taking over.
"No, they stayed after Harry's birthday party. You two head through there, a house elf will fetch you some tea."
"A what?"
"Mum, come on. Sorry, Muggle in the magic world here."
"We don't judge. I'm Charlie Weasley, the other redheads are my brothers and sister. Come on Gin, leave this lot to the bad guy."
Charlie managed to guide the older Giles woman away and George followed, leaving them with Yaxley still bound, apparently trying to escape but his magic couldn't easily unpick Vlads. He flicked his fingers vaguely, enjoying the way Yaxley almost tipped over.
"Let me out!"
"Nope. You can either tell me what you were doing attacking my friend and her mother, or I can feed you to Ingrid here. Up to you."
Ingrid bared her fangs, the instinctive response to try and back away and Yaxley was no exception as his eyes widened slightly and his legs shook for a split second.
"You don't scare me little boy."
Vlad couldn't show his hand completely, not with the Weasleys there. He also didn't want to risk Yaxley giving him away, so he settled for a silent stupefy charm. Yaxley crumpled to the floor, nobody even slightly inclined to slow his fall.
"Levicorpus. Come on, he can stew for a while whilst we find out what's going on."
Like some kind of waxy marionette, Yaxley floated along next to them. George didn't seem too rattled, but her mother had clearly not seen much magic herself and gasped, a hand to her chest.
"He's unconscious, disarmed" Vlad held up the wand he had liberated from the wizard "and bound. You're safe here. Hi, I'm Vlad."
Everyone introduced themselves to a vaguely terrified woman, who eventually introduced herself as "Sally".
"Hold on... Vlad? Isn't he the one-"
"They thought was my brother for a hot minute. Spell mix up."
That set something off in Vlad's mind, looking at Yaxley, then back to Sally.
"Anybody know that spell, incidentally?"
Charlie raised his hand, mentioning that it was the same one used to match dragons to their eggs when a mass nest had to be deconstructed. He stepped closer to Vlad, both turning away from the Giles' for a minute as his voice dropped.
"What are you thinking?"
"That portkey is blood specific. Yaxley should not have been able to touch it."
One red eyebrow raised as he thought, pulling his wand out and turning back to Sally.
"Uh, Mrs Giles. Are you... are you adopted?"
She looked up at them in absolute confusion, shaking her head avidly.
"No! Of course not."
"So... you know who your father is?"
"Absolutely."
Charlie raised his wand and Vlad floated Yaxley closer to George and her mother, everyone else stepping back. A low, steady chant of Latin words later, white and red lines crossed between Sally and George. Vlad and Ingrid. The Weasleys. Then Sally and Yaxley, George and Yaxley.
Then Vlad and George. Finally, as though Vlad's mind could not get any more thrown off, a new line connected him and Sally.
"Wait. What?"
"Hold still! If you move the lines will shift and I won't be able to read them."
Charlie, the caster, slunk closer to the lines connecting Vlad to George and Sally, leaning closer and eyes widening.
"Uh... according to this, those two there are your mother and sister."
Vlad didn't even hesitate, turning to grab the only portkey connected to Stokely Castle without getting back to his room. The one around Harry's neck. Harry didn't have chance to react, the necklace leaving him behind as Vlad landed heavily back in his home.
"Dad!"
"He's sleeping Master Vlad."
"Then wake him. Now."
Renfield scuttled off at Vlad's harsh tone, a hint of thunder in the air that could have been coincidental, but also quite possibly because Vlad felt white-hot anger rush through his body at the realisation of something shameful and secret pulsing away inside his very DNA.
"Vladdy! What's the meaning of waking me in the middle of the day? Not that-"
"Shut up! This isn't a social visit."
His father recoiled, looking confused by the sudden vitriol from his usually placid son.
"Then what is it?"
"Do you know a woman named Sally Giles?"
Years of practice meant Vlad could tell when his dad was lying, watching his eyes glow yellow as he visibly panicked before answering haughtily.
"Never heard of her."
"Really? So... if I took you to Malfoy Manor right now, she would have no idea who you were?"
A variety of expressions crossed his fathers face, settling on that sort of pleading, placating awkwardness he did when trying to talk himself out of trouble.
"I may have once met somebody by that name."
"Dad. I'm very close to hexing you right now. Anything you want to tell me before I leave?"
The defensive behaviour was Vlad's confirmation, but he needed to see it for real. Using the charm on an actual living (or undead) person wasn't advisable, but he had no choice as he Accio-ed his father, wrapped their hands around the portkey and yanked them both to Malfoy Manor.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"In there. Now."
Vlad pulled his wand to enforce the threat, knowing his father had a bad habit of running away. Even if he couldn't get very far with the sunshine outside and the unknown location. Looking very much like a condemned vampire heading to a stake, he scowled and walked through the doors.
Harry looked relieved to see him back, but Vlad had to turn away from his mate's enchanting eyes to look over at Sally Giles to gauge her reaction. Her wide eyes and mouth dropping open were all the confirmation Vlad needed.
"It's you!"
"Ah, hello Sally. It's uh, it's been a long time."
Her eyes slid over to Vlad, the charm having faded but the lines felt burned into his skin as much as the Unbreakable Vow had been.
"Are... are you my son?"
Not two months ago, Vlad had mentioned not knowing humans and vampires could have children together. However, what Harry had just witnessed was almost undeniably Vlad finding out he was himself a halfling.
Sensing the awkwardness, Harry, Draco, Hermione and the Weasleys made themselves scarce as Vlad, Ingrid, their father and the two Giles girls sorted whatever had gone on out between them. Vlad and Ingrid came back out not much later, a quiet and private conversation with Draco ending in them both leaving with their father for what could have only been a few minutes.
"What happened?"
"They asked if they could unofficially move here. Vlad doesn't want to be anywhere near his dad, and Ingrid doesn't do so well on her own with him."
"Wow. That bad?"
"He's just found out his dad has lied to him his whole life about who his mother is. Who he is. That must be a big deal."
Bill and Charlie - able to apparate - took Sally and George to collect their things, at least for the short term they were becoming guests of Malfoy Manor while they presumably got to know the new addition to their family. Sally Giles must be close to cracking under all the new information available to her that day - she wasn't a Muggle, at the very least she was a squib, Yaxley's daughter that was gotten rid of to hide the shame of.
Then there was her long lost son in her life... who also happened to be the son of Count Dracula. Any more and Harry worried her head would explode. Draco and Hermione left to go fill Bertrand and Severus in on everything - that would be one hell of a conversation, and Yaxley was tossed into a secure side room to be dealt with later.
When Vlad got back, he immediately sought out Harry, a fierce embrace that Harry naturally returned. There was a noticeable reduction in the tension of his muscles, responding to the comfort of his mate on an instinctive level and Harry was happy to be able to offer such a thing to Vlad.
"Actually, this explains something. Aside from you being a breather loving dweeb."
Ingrid broke the silence, looking almost unconcerned but Harry could see she worried for her little brother. Vlad, eyes red but no tears, turned to her.
"What does it explain exactly?"
"Us. I'm the anomaly magical vampire. You inherited it from your squib mother. We just happen to be siblings."
"Huh. I guess so. Not that we can tell anybody about that discovery."
"What? Why can't we tell anyone?"
George looked unhappy, and Harry supposed since she was happy to have found her brother it would be a disappointment if now she could tell nobody.
"Because vampires and breathers aren't meant to breed. Vlad's an abomination to vampirekind, and we would both be exiled while you two are killed on principle. Dad would be killed too, but that's his own stupid fault."
Ingrid's surprisingly matter-of-fact answer wasn't exactly encouraging, but Vlad obviously knew everything she had said.
"Ingrid's right. This is a complicated situation, and we have to be careful."
The whole thing was madness, and Harry wasn't sure how Vlad was so calm still. When he found out Riddle was his grandfather, Harry had had a bit of a total freakout. He still wasn't quite on board with the fact if he was honest.
"Well if it's about keeping you safe, then I guess I'll deal."
"Thanks George."
There was an undeniable weight in the air between Vlad and Sally - they were mother and son, but they didn't know each other at all.
"Hey George, wanna come play Quidditch?"
"Sure. I'll embarrass you all!"
Harry felt Vlad grab his wrist, silently asking that he not follow as everyone but them, Ingrid and Sally left the room. Ingrid shared a wordless stare with her brother, then sort of shrugged to herself and meandered off in the direction of the Potions lab.
"How do you feel about all of this Sally?"
Harry let go and took a step back when Sally approached Vlad, looking at him with what could only be described as a motherly expression. She stopped short before she reached him.
"I just can't believe it's you. But..."
"I don't bite. I'm a whole lot of human for a vampire... and I guess that's all from you."
The two embraced, a small smile fighting it's way onto Harry's face as he watched the two connect despite the confusion of the day. He was envious for a second, Vlad hadn't lost a mother - at least not a good one, but he found a new one.
Then he shook the jealousy away. Vlad needed a stable, supportive boyfriend not a petulant child who resented things beyond anybody's control. And he was happy for how Vlad had discovered the truth of himself.
"What about Yaxley?"
"He's mine to deal with, but he can stay where he is right now. Ugh, this makes him my grandfather."
Vlad's hand rubbed at his t-shirt, where the brand on his chest resided. Harry felt a flicker of realisation that Vlad was living proof of everything he had said when Harry found out Riddle was his grandfather. Their mothers had been sired by evil men, darkness ran in their blood but Vlad was good. So there was no reason Harry should doubt he could be too.
"I still don't believe I was adopted. That I... what is a squib exactly?"
Vlad and Sally sat down, so Harry took himself over to the snack tray and ate some cake to pass the time. Vlad wanted him there, so he stayed even if Harry thought it would be more prudent to give them privacy.
"Remember how you thought George was a Muggle-born witch, no magical parents but she's magical?"
Sally nodded, staring rapturously at her fifteen year old son.
"A squib is sort of the opposite. Two magical parents, but they themselves aren't magical. It's not uncommon for them to have magical children, it's part genetics and part random chance."
"I see."
"And old pureblood families like Yaxley's would never admit to having a squib. It's honestly a surprise they didn't just.. well... kill you. I mean I'm glad they didn't but still."
"This is all so very strange. I only just got used to George being a witch."
"She's a good one. Honestly, she's brilliant."
"Hmm. And naughty, I've had a few letters."
"She's a Gryffindor. We like pranks. And Fred and George Weasley are big fans of hers, plus prank master's in their own right."
Harry remembered George's sorting, where she corrected McGonogall for calling her Georgina before she was even officially a student.
"Is everyone here a Gryffindor like you?"
"Ingrid's a Slytherin. But George's best friends are the twins who got sorted separate."
"Jacob and Jason?"
"She talk about them when she's off school then?"
There was something natural and easy in the way Vlad and Sally conversed, both with obvious affection for George and comfort with each other already. They were even gossiping about George. Now Vlad had two scary sisters, plus Hermione and Ginny.
"Oh yes. Always denies it when I ask if she likes one of them though."
Vlad chuckled, his face brightening and making Harry's heart squeeze tight in his chest.
"Sounds about right."
At some point, it was agreed Sally and Mrs Weasley ought to be introduced. Merlin knows Sally could do with another mother who always had tea, cake and a listening ear on. Draco sent Bubbles the house elf alongside her to the Burrow, an excellent back-up plan for if anybody needed to make an escape. Sally returned a few hours later a great deal calmer, and complaining about too much fruitcake.
The Malfoy table had never looked so full, and they were still down a few missing family members. Harry didn't like that they were absent, he felt like seeing Raven peering up from a high chair would really round the whole atmosphere out. Dinner was quiet and tense, but by the time dessert had neenw cleared away everyone started to relax.
"Dobby, please show these girls to their rooms. If there's anything you need, just call him. He'll pop into the room, so try not to panic."
"It's really very nice of you to let us stay."
"Vlad's family. So that makes you family."
Vlad waited for them and the Weasleys to go to bed, changing into comfortable gear before they caught up with Bertrand and Severus.
"Yaxley is still here? Are you insane?"
"No. I just didn't want the audience when I go interrogate my dear grandpappy in there."
All the comfortable ease had gone, leaving Vlad hard and angry again. The betrayal of his father, protective instinct for Yaxley going after anybody, and that was compounded by it being his family that were in danger.
"This has all been a very surprising few months hasn't it?"
"You're telling me. You stay with your little sister Harry, I have to go protect mine."
Harry caught Vlad's hand before he could leave, shaking his head.
"I don't care how powerful you are. You're not staying locked in a room with a nutcase like him, not when I have a say in the matter. Come on."
Vlad hesitated, but Harry knew it was near impossible for him to deny or reject Harry's presence and eventually his hand tightened around Harry's, head nodding.
"Come on then. Lucky I swiped this Veritaserum from the Potions lab in Voldie's headquarters."
They left before the others could make an argument, though Harry doubted they would be left alone for long they seemed to understand how deeply personal this was for Vlad. Harry sympathized - Riddle was Harry's personal mission.
-YDHP-
Whew, having written George in two school years ago and only now having this come out was tough. I love Vlad and George's sibling relationship so much!