Chapter 3

Theo was eating his lunch and listening to Draco chatter on about how much he hated the Weasleys when a shadow fell over the table. He looked up to see his head of house standing behind him.

"Mr. Potter, you are wanted in the headmasters office after lunch."

Theo nodded and went back to eating. Draco was looking at him like he wanted to ask but was restraining himself. Theo grinned inwardly. Draco was really growing on him. He talked non stop and was a conceited bastard, but he meant well. He helped a lot in the first week. The whispering was enough to drive anyone insane. But with his sensitive hearing, it quickly gave him a headache. The things they were saying were annoying. He remembered some of them.

Is that him?

Why his name....

He's a Slytherin....

A Potter in Slytherin...

Evil....

Joined He-who-must-not-be-named....

He looks like Snape.....

People didn't know what to think about him. It was almost comical that they were equally afraid of him and curious at the same time. His own house was like that till the second day when he set them straight.

Theo and Draco walked into the common room and it went silent. Everyone was staring at them. Theo sighed and climbed up on the nearest table.

"Alright. I am Harry James Potter." Whispers broke out. He cut in, "I am also Melanthios Kleon Potter. That is my birth name. Harry is just a name that my mother gave me to protect me. I won't go into details because it's not your business, but I go my Theo. I have always gone by Melanthios. That is my name. Harry Potter doesn't exist. He never did. He was just someone that my mother made up. Yes someone shot a killing curse at my head and I survived, but it was a fluke. I remember it. He did the same as he probably did hundreds of times. I did nothing. I was 15 months old. I just sat there. I didn't mean for anything like that to happen. It just did. Yes, he killed my mother, Yes, he was evil. Did he deserve what happened? I don't know. It's not for me to decide. If he was alive, would I join him? Again, I don't know. He's not. So, the point is null and void. Do I believe all muggleborns should die? No. I would be a hypocrite. My mother was one. She was a very smart and powerful witch. But I do believe that the magic world should be separate. Muggles just don't understand. They fear what they don't understand. When they fear, they lash out. They would slaughter us in a heartbeat. So as to which side I belong to...neither. I haven't heard anything that would push me to either side. So, I hope this answers your questions. I don't appreciate being talked about behind my back. So kindly stop."

It did stop. The Slytherins kept to their motto and stuck by him. They kept others at bay.

"So....." Draco said drawing him out of his thoughts.

"I don't know, Draco. I haven't done anything. I don't' know what he wants. Probably just background information on me. You know, I am their hero." Theo sneered.

It was a well known fact in his house how much he hated his fame. He went off on a rant one day about everyone expecting something from him.

When he was finished with his lunch he got up and nodded to his house and made his way to the headmaster's office. He stood in front of a gargoyle trying to figure out a way to get inside.

"Move." He said. Nothing. He wracked his brains for what the wacky headmaster would use as his password, then he grinned. An actual grin. The Headmaster was crazy. Only he would use muggle candy as a password.

"Lemon Drop."

The statue moved and a staircase came into view. Theo wiped his face free of emotion. And cleared his mind like his aunt told him. They figured it was easier for magical people to protect against intrusion, and that his vampirism made it easy for him. Vampires have been known to have Mind Magics. Theo just didn't know what kind or how to use them. He knew he could hypnotize someone, but he had to concentrate. He accidentally hypnotized his cousin once.

Theo knocked on the big wooden door and it opened to reveal his head of house, the Gryffindor head of house and the headmaster.

"Ah, Harry, may I call you Harry? Please sit down. I see you figured out my password." Dumbledore said.

Theo showed no emotion, even though he was seething on the inside. They knew he didn't go by that name.

"Actually headmaster, I prefer that you call me by my surname. I don't think it appropriate that you address your students by their first names. Especially, if the name doesn't even belong to the student." Theo said as he sat down. He noticed his head of house smirk and the Gryffindor head frown. Oh well, he deserved it. The headmaster was testing him. He mentally built up his shields even more. This was the most powerful wizard since Merlin himself.

"Very well, Mr. Potter. I asked you here to see how you were doing in school. Are you making friends?"

Theo thought for a moment on what the motive really was behind this meeting and figured they would want to know more about him. If that was the case then they would have already paid a visit to his aunt. Judging my the look on Professor Snapes face, she said something to him about Theo's mother. He smirked. Time to let them know he wasn't some clueless eleven year old and that he had been coached in manipulations since he could walk.

"Well, I understand why my head of house is here, but why the Gryffindor head? Now, I know that you really don't want to know how I'm doing in school. You already asked the teachers, correct? Why don't you ask what you really want to ask. Which question is it? Why the name Melanthios? Where's the scar? What really happened that night? Or is it why do I look the way I do when I didn't look like this the last time you seen me as a baby? Well? I know you seen my aunt. Judging by your looks she didn't say anything you wanted to hear. She probably answered most of those questions. So, which ones didn't she answer?"

The room was silent. Dumbledore had an insane twinkle in his eye.

"Well, Mr. Potter, you get straight to the point don't you? Yes, I would like to ask a few questions that your aunt careful avoided. Your right about the scar. Care to tell us about it?" Dumbledore said.

Theo didn't say anything just grabbed a tissue off the headmaster's desk and dipped it in a nearby cup of water. He brought the wet tissue to his forehead and wiped it across. A lightning bold scar was revealed. The two heads gaped at him.

"Muggle cosmetics. When I was in elementary school, it was picture day. My aunt had an idea to put cover up on my scar since she said it takes away from my eyes. I liked the fact that the thing that reminded me that my mother was dead was covered up so I kept it like that."

"Very ingenious those muggles are. Now, your name and looks."

"My name...." Theo sighed. "Not many people knew that my mother had a dark sense of humor. Dark flower. Melanthios means dark flower. It's really ironic. I won't go into why, as it's none of your business. My middle name is Kleon. She gave me it to kinda counteract my first name. Kleon in Greek means glory, fame and of good reputation. As for my looks, I have no idea. I looked like this when my aunt found me on her doorstep."

"Very well. Now, your aunt was thinking of something that interests me greatly. She was thinking of a time when you were sitting on the couch reading a piece of parchment. Could you tell me about that?" Dumbledore asked.

Theo went ridged. He could feel his eyes darken, and his fangs lengthen. He glared at the headmaster. "You had no right to try to read her mind." He all but growled. "That was a letter from my mother to my aunt. It was personal and no business of yours. Now I think this conversation is over." Theo got up and left the room.

Severus and Minerva were staring in shock at the spot where Theo once sat. Dumbledore had a speculative look on his face.

"Did you get anything, Albus?" Minerva asked.

Dumbledore shook his head and frowned. "His mind was almost as shielded as Severus's here. I think there is more to Mr. Potter than we know. I have only seen that look on his face once before, from you, Severus. He is very protective of his family. A trait I know very well. I believe that our dear Lily had a few secrets."

Theo was mad. No, he was beyond mad. He stormed through the halls. He knew he looked dangerous. He always did when he let his anger through his mask. The students were scattering away from him as he made his way to the exit. He didn't bother to stop and tell his house mates what happened. They took one look at him and cleared the way for him. He stormed through the exit and headed straight to the Forbidden Forest.

An hour later, and a full belly, Theo leaned up against a tree in the woods. He heard a branch snap and he shot his head up. It was getting dark. It really didn't matter to him, since he could see fine, but the teachers would be worried. He stood up and heard footsteps coming from his right. He looked and seen the most magnificent sight he ever seen. A beautiful white unicorn stepped into the clearing and looked right at him. He froze. Unicorns weren't known to come near males. Even more, they avoided vampires like the plague. He watched mesmerized as the unicorn walked over to a little stream and started to take a drink like he wasn't even there.

He stood there for a few minutes staring, knowing this was likely the only chance he had to see one up close. He was just getting ready to leave when he heard leaves shuffle. The unicorn whipped up his head and looked off in the distance. Its nostrils flared, and it took a couple steps backward. Theo watched as a shadow glided out of the bushes and attacked the unicorn. He could hear slurping sounds. A vampire? It couldn't be. Even vampires know not to mess with a unicorn. Suddenly the thing lifted it's head and looked straight at him.

The pain. That was all he could think about. His head felt like it was splitting open. His vampire side reacted to the pain and came to the forefront. His fangs lengthened, as did his nails. His eyes turned pitch black. Theo crouched down and hissed at the thing that dared cause him pain. That was how he was found. Hissing and ready to attack like the monster he was.

Severus was mad. No, he was beyond mad. Students cowered out of his way as he tore through the halls to the exit. The headmaster said that Potter wasn't in the castle, and the Slytherins said that he was last seen heading to the forest. Stupid boy. It's called Forbidden for a reason.

What he expected to see when he found Potter wasn't this. The scene was one out of a muggle fiction book. The boy didn't even look like the Potter that he had seen this past week. He was crouched and hissing at a shadow thing that hovered above a dead unicorn. His face looked of pure hatred.

He must have made a noise, because both heads whipped towards him. His jaw fell open when he seen Potter's face. His eyes put his own to shame. They were pitch black and he had fangs in his mouth. His fingernails looked like deadly blades.

"My, God." He wasn't even aware that he had spoken out loud till the shadow thing fled.

Theo was swearing words in his head as he watched the thing flee. He started taking deep breaths to calm down as he walked over to the unicorn. He seen that it was still alive if just barely. He pulled out his wand and took a deep breath trying to remember the healing charm that he had read.

"Epinsky." He said. He watched the wound close. He reached down and put his hand on the unicorns chest to feel the heartbeat. He could hear it, but he liked having physical information. He didn't like relying on sound and sight. He knew you couldn't always believe what you see and hear. The heard beat was weak but steady. He sighed a breath of relief. It would live. He sat down next to it and put his head in his hands, fully aware that his professor was still standing there staring at him.

They must have stayed like that for about an hour, before the unicorn started to stir. Theo stood up and stepped back to give it room. The unicorn stood and slowly walked over to him. He held his breath waiting to see if it would attack. He was pretty sure he could out run it. Especially if he took to the trees, but he really didn't want to exert that much energy. The unicorn stretched out it's neck and stuck it's nose into his neck and let out a snort.

Theo couldn't help himself. He let out a laugh. It had a slight hysterical edge to it, but it was a laugh none the less. He hadn't laughed in such a long time. It was just so ironic. His name literally meant Dark flower. He was a vampire. He was a male. And there was a unicorn nuzzling his neck.

He patted it's neck and whispered, "Your welcome." It then backed up, nodded it's head, then took off in the woods leaving Theo standing there with a dumbfounded professor.

Theo turned to the professor. "I know you have questions. I also know I'm in trouble for being out here in the dark and alone. But it was better than the alternative. Which I think you know."

Theo started the treak back to the school and the professor stepped in pace beside him.

"Potter, explain to me what I saw back there." Professor Snape said as last.

"I think you know what you saw, Sir. I came out here because I was mad and needed to blow off some steam. If I didn't....." He left the result unspoken.

"Has that happened before? Loosing control?"

Theo looked away. "About 4 months ago. My aunt Marge was visiting. She doesn't like me very much. She always says things about my parents. That they were drunks and my father was a dead beat. That day, she said something about my mother. She had been working on me all day. Trying to get me to blow. I have a temper. A very bad one. A bad thing with me being what I am. But, I have had ten years to learn to control it. But that day, what she said....in so many words she said that my mother slept around. I lost it. I don't know exactly what happened, but somehow, aunt Petunia, who had saw what was happening lured me with aunt Marge's dog to the basement and locked me in. She threw the dog and a couple raw steaks down there with me. The next morning she let me out. She told me what happened. She told Marge that I had a condition. That causes me to lose control or something. Somehow she got her to leave without her dog and to not come back till I was in school. After that, I've kept a tighter reign on my emotions and eating habits."

"That's what was in the box you receive the first day of school." Snape said. Theo nodded.

"I stayed in the Leaky Cauldron the week before school. It had been almost two weeks. My aunt had somehow found a squib neighbor to show her where Diagon Alley was. She knew basically where it was from my mother, but she needed someone non-muggle to get her in. She bought a owl and a self cooling box, and sent it to me. I would have had to sneak out here and I don't think I would be able to do that once a week and not get caught."

Theo suddenly turned to his professor and stared at him. "Please, Sir, don't say anything. I don't want anyone to know. I realize you have an obligation to tell the headmaster, and he has the right to throw me out, but please, I don't want the students to know. It's hard enough with me being who I am. I don't need them staring at me and talking about me because of what I am."

Severus stared at the boy. The boy who he no longer considered a Potter. The boy who looked and acted like himself so much it was scary. The boy who was standing in front of him begging. Begging. For him not to tell his secret. The scene itself was actually familiar. He remembered his first year.

Severus was sneaking out of the Forbidden Forest and almost ran right into the Headmaster. He was internally cursing himself for letting his guard down. He looked up and seen the Headmaster frowning at him.

"Headmaster, it isn't what it looks like." an eleven year old Severus pleaded.

"I know, Mr. Snape."

Those few words made Severus's heart stop. Surely he would be expelled now. The school wouldn't want a monster running around the school with children here. He would be shipped back to his abusive father and his weak mother.

"Don't worry, Mr. Snape, your not the first non-human I've had in the school. There is actually another right at this very moment. Granted he's not a vampire, but he is considered a 'dark creature' in the eye's of the ministry."

"Please, Professor, please don't tell. I don't want anyone to know. Please." Severus begged.

"No worries, my boy. I have no intentions of telling. Just make sure you take the necessary precautions."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you so much."

Severus looked down at the boy. He nodded his head and left him standing on the edge of the forest with a defeated expression on his face. He made his way straight up to the Headmaster's office. He opened the door to see Dumbledore sitting behind the desk. The news about Theo was enough to make him forget about the shadow.

"Vampire."

"What?" Dumbledore said trying to figure out what his potions master was saying.

"He's a vampire. He was in the woods feeding. I caught him in vampire mode. He begged me, Albus. He all but got on his knees. He begged me not to tell the students." Severus slumped in a chair. Albus knew he was the only one that Severus let his guard down around.

"Well, my boy, what did you say to him?" Dumbledore said with his eye's twinkling.

"Nothing. I said nothing. He reminded me of myself. Of a time, that I have tried so hard to forget. I left him standing there at the edge of the forest."

Dumbledore sat there staring at him. Suddenly he smiled.

"Severus, you yourself said how much he reminded you of yourself. We know there was something that Lily was hiding. It can't be a coincidence that Melanthios is a vampire. We know there is only two ways to become one. I'm almost sure he wasn't bitten. So that leaves only one way. We know neither James nor Lily was one. Melanthios looks nothing like James anyway. Severus, he looks like you. He is a born vampire. I know you had relations with Lily. I know you loved her and still do. Severus, he is your son."

I won't be doing a pairing in this story, since he is only 11. About why he seems so mature, he is a vampire. I believe they mature faster mentaly wise than humans. Also, remember he remember's his mother dying. He also has had to put up with his uncle and cousin all his life. So he is more mature than other's his age. But emotionally, he is still only 11. You'll see that in the up coming chapters. I hope you like it. I'll try to answer any reviews I can.