BlueAutumn - glad you enjoy so much!
You - thank you for pointing that out! I must have gone wrong uploading it and not noticed... I have now rectified this so it ought to be in crossovers again next week!
-YDHP-
Heart pounding hot, Vlad put his wand back in his pocket, cancelled the glamour on his hand and once he and Harry were in the room with only Yaxley and themselves, he removed his t-shirt to expose the Dark Mark. Despite now knowing he was half breather, Vlad felt his Dracula side pulse vindictively inside him.
"Hmm. An ennervate would wake him, but this is far more satisfying."
Yaxley bolted awake, spluttering and shaking the invisible sensation of ice water from himself. His eyes found Harry and Vlad, glaring hotly.
"Release me!"
"Yeah... not gonna happen. Now, this can go several ways. You can speak freely. I could hypnotise answers out of you. I can delve into your mind and find what I want... or I can Veritaserum you. I warn you, if I Veritaserum you it'll be in front of our boss. Maybe even everyone else, so think carefully about who you want to hear your secrets."
Yaxley sneered, still trying to break his restraints.
"You couldn't get into my mind if I laid out a welcome mat you insolent brat."
"You think Occlumency works against vampires? Wow, what does Voldie teach you at Death Eater sunday school?"
"How dare you talk of the Dark Lord that way! Show some respect, you wouldn't be that brave-"
"To his face? Oh I was, why do you think he kept me away from everyone so much?"
Vlad was sort of lying - he could break through almost any Occlumency barrier, but it was hard work. However, Yaxley was rattled and that would weaken his mind shields. Focusing on surface thoughts gave him just enough indications of how to unsettle the man further.
"Yeah, I've been in his head too. He never felt a thing."
Yaxley's eyes turned to Harry, who was watching the whole thing with a degree of curiosity written across his beautiful face. Voldemort's desire to have Harry Potter turned to the dark side was common knowledge enough amongst his inner circle, so Harry was as off limits as Vlad himself.
"I'm waiting for your answer. I think it was polite of me to give you options."
"You don't scare me."
"Alright, fine. Don't say I didn't give you a choice in the matter."
Closing his eyes, Vlad focused his budding Legilimency into a streamlined, concentrated arrow and pushed it toward Yaxley. His Occlumency barriers were shoddy, fell like wet paper and Vlad could access his innermost thoughts and feelings. It made him feel dirty just to be in there, searching only for memories that felt like Sally, laced with shame and disgust in Yaxley's mind.
After a quick scan to see if Yaxley had any inside information, he was satisfied the man was acting alone in his venture to wipe Sally and George out, the evidence of his siring a squib. Vlad pulled himself out of Yaxley's head, shaking the cloying sense of sticky darkness from his skin even though nothing visible was there.
"Vlad? Are you alright?"
"Mm. Not fun."
Harry's arm twitched, making to reach for Vlad but they had an audience not privy to their relationship. As far as they all knew, Vlad had a vampire girlfriend hidden away somewhere. Yaxley was staring blankly, showing that Vlad had accidentally mixed hypnosis with Legilimency. Snapping his fingers, the glassy eyes blinked and hardened once again.
"So, your wife couldn't bring herself to kill the baby. What would all your fellow death munchers say if they knew you couldn't control your wife? If they knew you made a squib baby?"
The words felt terrible on his tongue, the feigned amusement and lack of respect for human life feeling like bile in his throat but if - if - Yaxley was going to leave alive, Vlad wanted him to have nothing to report back. Even now he wasn't sure it was possible, as Yaxley knew where Harry was hiding, and about the accumulated people in Malfoy Manor.
"Every family has it's black sheep."
"Isn't one of your line Arthur Weasley's grandmother? Meaning you're related to them."
A haughty expression crossed his face - Vlad expected Yaxley had had to defend himself from that before.
"Poison fruit of a pruned limb from our family tree."
"If you say so. Now... what do we do with you? If I let you live, you'll try and go after George and her mother again and I'm quite fond of the little spitfire. If I kill you, people qwill look for you. Obviously you can't stay here, as fun as it would be to leave you with Draco on the full" Voldemort knew Draco was a werewolf, he wasn't giving new information "or let Ingrid practice torture curses on you."
Harry cocked his head, looking at Vlad's branded chest and hand.
"You could always turn him in to his boss. Didn't you say the young ones had a hands off policy? How will you-know-who take hearing Yaxley disobeyed a direct order?"
"Not well I imagine."
That hit home for the prisoner, knowing he would pay dearly for his behaviour. Vlad raised a hand, threatening to press it to the Mark on his chest and Yaxley visibly wriggled, shaking his head.
"Let's not be hasty here."
"You're right. I wouldn't call him here anyway."
Vlad dropped his hand and Yaxley visibly relaxed, sneer back in place like an automatic, default expression.
"You don't have the guts."
"You think? I do have a portkey he gave me for emergencies. First things first though... you can't be allowed to remember all of this."
He had never used his powers for this before, mostly only gentle persuasion or small transgressions. But Yaxley couldn't have all the information he did, especially if Vlad was about to deliver him back to Riddle. Wiping everything of Malfoy Manor from his mind, Vlad left Yaxley unconscious and picked up his shirt.
"What, just like that you're going to Riddle?"
"I have to. If I don't bring it up first he might decide to look deeper into it. I can't have him finding out about them and me."
Harry frowned, but eventually seemed to understand.
"Don't be gone long."
"Trust me, I don't plan to prolong time with that psychopath."
Now Vlad just had to get out of the Manor, as his wards would prevent the portkey in his pocket from working - he didn't make it, so it was useless within the fortress of protection.
"This should keep him from waking up on the way."
Vlad poured a half-dose of a light sleep aid down Yaxley's throat, massaging beneath his jaw to make him swallow and cringing the entire time. He buttoned his shirt, cast a cleaning charm over it to ensure Greyback couldn't smell Harry on him if the mongrel was there and cast a concealment charm on Yaxley's floating, unconscious body.
"I won't be long. Promise."
"I know."
Harry smiled, making Vlad's stomach do somersaults as his angular, handsome face lit up.
"I'm just going to leave, tell them I'll explain what I can when I get back. Guess I'm gonna have to out myself about Riddle to them sooner than expected."
Harry nodded, opening the door and hissing the coast was clear. Vlad held on to Harry's necklace, needing it to get back, then headed straight for the main door to leave Malfoy Manor. He crossed the immaculately kept garden, bracing himself mentally to face Riddle again. His Occlumency barriers were paramount, but thankfully solid. As he reached the gates, Vlad didn't look back in case anybody could be trying to come after him, sliding through the metal as though it were not even there.
As soon as he was outside Malfoy Manor, Vlad could feel the protection in place but he couldn't even see the building. There was a fine line between visible and accessible, where someone could see the Manor but not be permitted entry, but that was only because Vlad didn't want to disturb any of the local wildlife with the more potent magic and worked to keep it like a capsule encompassing the Manor.
"Here we go."
He said to nobody in particular, grabbing hold of Yaxley's arm and murmuring "Voldemort" to his portkey. Vlad's own were a little smoother, the journey unpleasant as he tossed his newfound grandpa to the ground unceremoniously. He didn't move, knowing they would be found quickly.
"Ah, Vladimir."
"Riddle. I'm disappointed. You can't keep your lackeys under control."
Vlad's skin crawled as Riddle swam into the room like oil on water, everything about him screaming unnatural, evil. And that was coming from a Dracula.
"Yaxley was not under my orders to do anything."
"He went after someone under my protection, and her mother. Directly against what we agreed."
Vlad held up his hand, the four lines crossing it to match Riddle's own. Of course, Riddle kept his glamoured to ensure nobody was certain he had agreed to it. Severus had performed the Vow magic for them, and so nobody else had been present.
"He will be sufficiently disciplined. Soon he will learn not to suffer my displeasure again. Stay a while won't you? There is some... entertainment to be had. And of course you're welcome to join in taking out your displeasure on Yaxley here."
"I'll pass. Just keep your minions in line, or I will."
Vlad sounded much more confident than he actually was, feeling unsettled by the towering spectre he was doing his best to pretend he worked for.
"He won't remember much, I wiped his mind. So don't be surprised if he's more of an incompetent moron than usual... though with the pedigree of some of your followers, I won't hold my breath for that to be new."
"I really must insist you come and see the entertainment. You may leave immediately after, if you wish."
He knew what this was - Riddle wanted to show off that Vlad was there, and to test how Vlad reacted to whatever depravity was happening. At least Riddle hadn't asked about his legs.
"Fine. You can take the dead weight, I'm bored of carrying him."
Vlad sent a mental apology to Harry, hoping he wasn't too worried. They headed up one of the dozens of winding staircases, almost a dizzying spiral to come out along the top floor. Yaxley was essentially dragged by Riddle, face scraping on uneven bits of floor and leaving a trail of blood Vlad could smell, turning his already sensitive stomach to near-sickness.
The next smell was worse - blood, despair and pain amongst several other things Vlad didn't want to contemplate. A dozen or so death eaters were torturing Muggles, and it was a horrendous thing to look at. Swallowing back revulsion, he pulled his wand and cast an Immobulus charm, freezing the centre of the room.
"This is entertainment? How pathetic."
"Your whole species thrives on this."
The not-frozen audience turned to Vlad in irritation, though none dared speak with Riddle stood right next to him.
"They can't even fight back! If you asked my dad, you would hear that I constantly fight with him about this too. Of course, if you go near my dad I'll tear you limb from limb but that is neither here nor there."
"Surely you can appreciate the sport of Muggles."
"This isn't sport, this is pulling the legs off a dead fly. Pathetic. Pick your best duellists and I'll tear them down one by one. That's a sport. However, I have other places to be right now."
"That's right you cowardly brat" Vlad didn't recognise the jeering cat caller in the crowd "big talk, no back up!"
Vlad focused on him, clenching a fist at his side and watching the man clutch his throat, scratching to try and loosen invisible fingers crushing his airway closed. Those around him backed away as he dropped to his knees, turning purple before Vlad let go.
"Want to say that to my face? No? Thought not."
He collapsed to the ground gasping for air, coughing and spluttering while everyone turned away. No honour amongst thieves or death eaters it seemed.
"Like I said, places to be. I'll make sport out of you some other time."
Vlad left before he was sick from the smell, heading out of the enclosure in the middle of nowhere and turning back to look at it from the outside. It was glamoured to look like an abandoned factory, barbed wire fences and a "warning: dogs" sign (well, if they counted Greyback...). Through the glamour, it looked like a huge encampment made of heavy bricks, humming with a dark aura of magic.
He got a safe distance away before vomiting into a dying bush surrounded by weeds, collapsing onto the ground nearby. Vlad came from a long line of pure evil - on both sides - but what he saw in there still turned his stomach. Checking there was nobody around he cleaned up the floor with a spell, then himself with another. Clutching Harry's portkey kept him strong enough to stand up, thinking only of getting back to his mate.
The portkey dropped him into the foyer, his legs giving out from under him again.
"Vlad? You're back!"
"Where in the name of Lucifer did you go?"
Ingrid and Harry both dragged him to his feet, Harry the one to receive Vlad's steel-tight hug. He needed to soak in the scent of his mate to chase away the bad, and Harry happily obliged. Next came the tough part - he had to explain himself to George and Sally, plus the Weasleys.
"So... you're dating Harry and you're pretending to follow the bad guy, but both of these things are secret. Am I getting this right?"
"That's right George."
Harry didn't envy Vlad having to explain his near death experiences or the double agent deal he had carefully built with Riddle. He opened his shirt to show the scar, the Dark Mark and poor Sally Giles looked completely thrown by everything. Harry almost gave her a calming draught.
"Ok then. What about Yaxley?"
"I gave him back to his boss. He's in trouble, and we have ways of protecting you from him. Even during school time, if you don't want to actually go into hiding."
He drifted in and out as Vlad spoke, mind mostly on the emotional state of his boyfriend when he returned. Riddle's domain couldn't have been a pleasant experience.
"You're all so young, especially you George. I don't want you growing up around all this war."
Bill Weasley took that one, the oldest there and perhaps appealing as one adult to another.
"George is safer here or at Hogwarts than most places. And even if you pulled her out now, the war would come for her eventually. All that would change is less time she spent learning magic. Look, Vlad and Harry saved our sister when they were twelve. They'll certainly keep his safe now."
"Really?"
"Yep. From a really really big snake."
Harry shifted uncomfortably. Samael was as much a part of him as Vlad was. He was so much more than 'a big snake'. Still... Sally Giles may not quite accept Harry's bigger familiar. Vlad's eyes flicked over to him, but he stayed silent and just smiled encouragingly.
"What's with the scar? I mean, it looks like a big version of Harry's."
"It's the wand gesture that comes with the killing curse. It can't kill a vampire, but it still leaves the cut and the scar, assuming you survive."
"Guess it's lucky you were vamp enough to survive it."
Harry and Vlad both looked up in surprise at George.
"Good point."
"Hadn't thought of that."
"Boys! They never think."
Harry caught a light smirk on Ingrid's face. She liked Vlad's other sister. He didn't think it technically made Ingrid and George related... it made his head hurt to think about. Their day didn't get any stranger, but then Harry felt at this point nothing would truly shock him anymore.
Vlad practically crawled into Harry's arms that night in bed, seeking comfort from his mate and Harry never turned him down for that. Vlad's hand fisted in his sleep t-shirt, as though scared Harry would vanish if he let go. Harry knew Vlad was powerful in a multitude of ways Harry might never be, but he seemed to draw much of his strength from Harry, did most things for Harry.
"I love you."
He murmured it against Harry's neck repeatedly, eventually falling asleep like that. It wasn't spectacularly comfortable, but Vlad slept with Harry's heavy self on him all the time. Harry could suffer one nights uncomfortable sleep position if it meant Vlad felt safer.
The next morning at early breakfast, Draco and Vlad talked quietly before the Giles females were up.
"What are we doing with your mother?"
"How so?"
"I mean, she can stay here if you want her to, but we'll have to tell her more and hope she doesn't go stir crazy here away from everyone. Or we could work out how to keep her safe from afar."
"Oh. Yeah. I've already considered that."
Draco and Hermione both looked over at the two of them, Vlad picking at his porridge while Harry squeezed more mushrooms into his breakfast wrap.
"Want to share?"
"I was thinking emergency portkey, alarm charms and..." Vlad hesitated, looking at Harry "Fidelius Charm on her house."
"You mean the charm that failed to protect my parents?"
Vlad recoiled at the venom in his tone, placing his spoon down and putting his hands in his lap.
"Well, that was down to who the secret keeper was. I was planning to be my mothers, so I thought that might be safe."
Harry took a deep breath, knowing Vlad had considered Harry's feelings in it but he wouldn't fault the vampire for wanting to protect his family.
"Sorry. You're right. That is safer."
"I need to ask my... mother" Vlad still struggled to say it, clearly adjusting "what she wants to do."
"Speaking of. They are almost here."
Ingrid pointed to the door, and not ten seconds later George practically jumped through it followed by Sally.
"Wow, you guys beat me up! That's unusual."
"We are usually up early. Except Ingrid. It's a harbinger of the apocalypse for Ingrid to be awake early. Ow!"
Ingrid hexed Fred, who pouted as he rubbed the sore spot. Both George's laughed at him, the female George landing in the seat on Vlad's other side. Whether the elves noticed her odd habits or she was just lucky, the young Giles immediately spooned marmalade onto her bacon and eggs, then crammed that into pancakes with maple syrup.
"Do you even know how to do the Fidelius charm little bro?"
Ingrid brought the conversation back to what they were discussing before shortly, sipping what Harry could smell was coffee.
"No. But I know someone who does."
Harry knew who he meant immediately - Sirius. He had been the original Secret Keeper, meaning he had performed the Fidelius Charm.
"What's a Fidelius?"
"Its... complicated George. I'll explain later."
"Ok big brother."
Vlad faltered, then smiled. Harry felt a flutter at the expression, loving the happiness on his face. Given that he and Draco were newly big brothers too, he understood the new feelings. Harry wanted to go play with Raven now, but Severus was still staying out of the way until the Weasleys left.
"Well, as much as we love our pilgrimage here, some of us have jobs to be getting back to. Give me a buzz with this" Vlad caught a strange coin from Bill, examining it with avid curiosity "if you need someone to apparate you around. I'll hold on to Fred's necklace, since him and George are never apart enough to need both."
"Oh. Thanks Bill."
The two elder Weasleys distributed hugs and affectionate shoulder punches amongst them, Charlie even bravely (in Harry's mind) bear hugging Ingrid from behind. He ran off immediately after putting her down, followed by a death glare but Harry was almost sure there was some amusement or even sentiment or affection in her face. He knew from Vlad that Ingrid enjoyed Charlie's company, because he wasn't the slightest bit interested in her physically and it was regreshing not to be 'drooled over' sometimes.
"Idiots. I'll be in the lab."
Ingrid vanished off to play with her Potions kit, free to do as she pleased with her time. Draco and Hermione excused themselves to join her, leaving Harry, Vlad, Weasleys and Giles' around the table.
"Speaking of jobs... I can't really hide out here forever. I have classes next week!"
"I know. I need to send a letter, but we are working on how you can be safe away from here. Particularly when term starts back up."
Sally nodded, watching as the Weasley clan prepared to head to the library to catch up on their homework.
"That's a good idea, I've not finished all mine yet."
"Guess you should come to the library too then mini me. Don't worry, none of the books here bite."
George jumped up laughing, following her namesake and his twin brother.
"Stop scaring my mum. Can she come too?"
"Sure. Vlad will probably know where theres some books on squibs or rubber ducks. I don't know what Muggles read. Ignore me."
"Always do."
"Thanks Gin."
Vlad and Harry went along, and Harry smiled to himself as Vlad fell into 'big brother' mode and sat with George and Ginny to help with their homework. Harry pulled down the books Hermione wanted them to help her get through, then wondered how accurate they were compared to Vlad's own collection.
"Hey Vlad, can I borrow your books?"
"Sure. Here."
Sally watched on, perplexed, when Vlad handed over his shrunken-down backpack to Harry. It fit neatly in the palm of his hand, looking like some kind of doll clothing to her he expected. Her face cleared somewhat when it was enlarged again, then dropped back to surprise when Harry dug through it with his arm in up to the shoulder.
"Magical expansion charms. How else do you think we live out of one trunk for a whole school year?"
"I suppose that makes sense. Like Mary Poppins?"
The Weasleys looked at Sally like she had declared allegiance to Voldemort.
"Mary who?"
Vlad rolled his eyes, nodding to say Harry could explain.
"Mary Poppins. It's a movie about a woman with this bag that has everything in. But it doesn't look like it would fit."
"Oh right. Sounds mad. I'll stick to Babbitty Rabbity and her cackling pot."
Harry found what he wanted, pulling out the creature books Vlad had 'acquired' through Bertrand from Knockturn Alley. Vlad indicated the two oldest ones, writing almost faded by time.
"I've not read those two yet, so be careful."
"Will do."
Harry pulled over some parchment and a self-inking quill, jotting down notes as he began to compare wizard werewolf books to Vlad's creature ones. He skimmed over the part about curing werewolf bites - it only cured the injury, not the affliction itself - and turned to the next chapter.
"Uh, Vlad? Do me a favour and tell me if this makes sense to a biter."
He pushed the book over to Vlad, watching his eyes widen as he got to the part Harry found.
"I'm going to get a second opinion. I won't be long."
Clutching the tome to his chest, Vlad hopped out of his chair and left to presumably find either Bertrand or Ingrid and Hermione.
"Why are you studying werewolves?"
Ginny quizzed, but it was George Giles who answered.
"Some of it applies to vampires too. They have common ancestors in almost every legend."
That suited Harry - ready made excuses.
"Plus, Voldemort likes to recruit dark creatures, so we need to know how to deal with them. He already has a handful of werewolves on his side."
George frowned, then shrugged.
"At least they are only dangerous on a full moon."
His heart thrummed with anticipation as Vlad went off to investigate. He sincerely hoped it would be true, for the sake of his brother in all but blood. Plus his godfather.
Vlad came back twenty minutes later no longer holding the book, offered Harry only a smile as he resumed studying with Ginny and George. Itching for information, Harry went back to studying the other books he had in front of him.
"Is it lunch yet? I've been doing homework for at least a week."
"You drama queen. I've been here the whole time too."
"Both of you shut up."
The twins fell silent under Ginny's glare, suddenly rapturous for their homework again.
"Actually, it is lunch now. It's amazing Harry hadn't told us yet."
"Why?"
"He gets hungry like clockwork."
"Makes sense. He's built!"
"I'm right here ya know."
Harry flushed as Sally sized him up - he was her sons boyfriend. At least she hadn't shown a jot of care for Vlad's sexuality.
"I didn't used to be. I was skinny and scrawny. Plus I'm still shorter than Vlad, I just filled out."
"And then some."
Vlad's eyes dragged over his clothed form, adding to the warmth in his cheeks and his belly. He liked the way Vlad looked at him. Clearing his throat, Harry indicated the door.
"Are we going to lunch?"
"Yes!"
"Please!"
Lunch was more animated than breakfast had been, even Sally appearing more relaxed. Vlad kept glancing up to the owl hole, even though he couldn't realistically expect an answer that day if he wrote to Sirius and Remus. Still, the prospects were important and exciting.
"Everyone game for pizza for dinner? I have a craving."
"Ugh. Gryffindors and pizza. Fine."
Ingrid waved a dismissive hand at Draco, eyes on a book in her hand now she was done eating.
"You can always go hunt a wild animal."
"Eh. Pass."
Sally was carefully placed behind shield charms when she wanted to watch them practice duelling, Vlad and Ingrid making short work as a pair against Hermione and Draco, then the Weasley twins.
"Man, you two are terrifying together. Aren't you glad they are on our side?"
"The Slytherin and the double agent with a Dark Mark."
"Sounds like an Agatha Christie."
"A what? Stop talking gibberish George"
"Yeah, that's what we have Latin magic spells for."
Harry traded places with Ingrid, then had Ginny and George take turns trying to break through their shield charms. Harry noticed a huge difference in how he and Vlad worked together from the previous year, likely down to the evolution of their relationship.
"Blimey, you may be young but you've both got raw power coming in. Focus on channelling it rather than just brute force and you two will be fire crackers."
Ginny and George high-fived, then dropped to the ground almost in sync. Sally, new to all of it, panicked.
"George! Are you alright?"
"Just a little magical expenditure. Nothing this can't fix."
Vlad knelt next to the girls, holding out chunks of chocolate to them and they were both on their feet quickly with grins on their face.
"Let's go again!"
"Not against us. If you want to hex each other silly go ahead, but be careful. Your magical cores are more sensitive at your age."
"Boring!"
Harry could already see the two little sisters would get on famously. He had a split-second crazy urge to take them to meet Raven, feeling brotherly pride for the baby even though he hadn't known how that would feel before.
They whiled away the afternoon and evening, then spent the early night with Bertrand and Severus again. Harry basked in the quiet joy of time with Raven, feeling her parents watch he and Draco closely. Vlad and Bertrand were discussing the earlier books in depth.
"This would be quite something if it turns out to be true. I've never heard of it before, I must confess."
"Well, we'll find out soon enough."
In hindsight, they probably should have warned George the serial killer was innocent. She was very surprised to see Sirius Black, escaped mass murderer in Malfoy Manor alongside the Defence teacher who left suddenly.
"Ah. Hello."
"Professor Lupin?"
"I'm not your teacher anymore Miss George."
"Did you know Vlad's my brother?"
That turned confused looks to the vampire from the newly arrived adults, but Vlad waved it off.
"Long story. Sirius, I need everything you know about the Fidelius Charm. Remus, you are needed over that way."
"You got it. Get a quill."
Harry left Vlad - he didn't want to hear about the charm that failed to save his parents - and went after Remus, leading him to the Potions lab. Ingrid and Hermione were waiting, Draco holding a cloth with healing balm on to his elbow.
"What's this about? Your letter sounded urgent."
"It is. Harry might have stumbled on to a cure for bite induced lycanthropy."
-YDHP-
Whew, this chapter took every bit of effort I had to overcome writers block this week. But! It's finished at last.