Chapter 4

The end of October was on Theo before he could even think about it. He woke up early on Halloween morning and sighed. He hated Halloween for obvious reasons. The past couple months were weird. His classes were fine. He was doing good, especially in Potions and Charms. He could complete any potion or charm you gave him if you told him how. But there were weird things going on around him.

The Headmaster was always seen smiling insanely at him. The potions professor was always caught staring at him with a disbelieving look. The defense professor was always seen staring at him like he grew two heads. It was a little unnerving. He always ended up with a headache after defense class. There was something not right with the professor. He always sensed there was something more to him. Like there was two bodies living in one. But that wasn't possible was it?

Luckily today was Saturday. He spent the day in the library not even coming out for lunch. He needed to do his homework plus he wanted to look up his history. Not the Boy-Who-Lived or even Harry Potter. But his history. Melanthios Kleon Snape. As much as he wanted to hate the man, he seemed sincere. If Dumbledore trusted him, then there must be something about him that made him good. The thing was, he couldn't find any Snapes anywhere. It was like they didn't exist. No Snape was there before his father. Maybe his grandfather was a muggleborn? But he would be in the archives. He wasn't. So, was his grandfather a muggle? Was his father a muggleborn? But he joined Voldemort. A man who wouldn't let a muggleborn join him. So, if his grandfather was a muggle, and his father wasn't a muggleborn, then his grandmother must be the witch. The problem was he didn't know her maiden name.

Theo closed the book and sighed. He was at a loss. If he could get into the restricted section then he could look up vampire history. It might have something in there if he was from a long line of vampires. He was stacking his books to take back when his sensitive ears heard a conversation.

"I'm telling you, Dean, that monster is guarding something. Why would Dumbledore keep something like that in the school."

"Ron, I didn't see anything. All I could see was the three heads. I was too busy trying to keep an eye on them and not get bit."

"What do you think it's guarding? What could be so important that they would need something like that in the school?"

"Seamus, did you see the paper last month? There was a break in at Gringotts. I heard Hagrid saying something about picking up a package for Dumbledore when I was there with my parents. Maybe he already cleared it out."

Theo had heard enough. Why was a Cerberus in the school? Why wasn't there any information on his family? And why in the world were vampires history books in the restricted section? He had too many questions in this head to go to dinner. He ended up in the third floor corridor when he froze. He smelled something that wasn't supposed to be there. Then he heard a scream. He tore down the hallway towards the smell and ended up in the girls bathroom staring at the most ugliest thing he had ever seen.

The troll must have heard him because he found himself ducking from a flying giant club. His vampire half came to the front and he prepared to defend himself. He knew even though he was a vampire he was no match for what looked like a Mountain Troll. He pulled out his wand and tried to think of a spell. Any spell. The club slammed into the wall above his head. Theo jumped out of the way. He leaped at the wall and used it as leverage to flip above and behind the troll then he said the first spell to come to mind.

"Wingardium Leviosia"

The club went flying up in the air and he let it go on the trolls head. There was a crack, the troll swayed, then with a deafening smack, it hit the ground unconscious. As he looked around his nose picked up the smell of blood. His eyes landed on a girl that somewhere in the deep recess of his brain he recognized a muggleborn Gryffindor.

He forced himself into a corner and stayed very still. If he moved he was afraid he would lose control and attack her. She stood up and started to come closer to him. He hissed.

"Leave!"

"No, I want to...are you ok?"

"You will leave if you know what's good for you." Theo all but hissed.

Before she could do anything the door slammed open and three Professors came in. He almost sighed in relief. He had never been so happy to see his potions Professor. He looked at him, pleading to him with his eyes. He knew it had worked when he saw the said Professors eye's widen.

The professor grabbed the girls arm and pushed her into the Gryffindor head of house's arms.

"Stupid girl. For a know-it-all you know nothing. Stay there."

The professor then took slow steps over to Theo with his hands raised in surrender, so not to provoke him. He crouched down in front of him to block his view of the others in the room and forced his eyes to look into his.

Severus could see a ring of red forming around the pitch black eye's of his student and son.

"Theo, take a deep breath. That's it. Concentrate on me. On my voice. Breath evenly. That right. Your fine. Every things fine. The danger is gone. Good. See, your fine." Severus found himself talking in a soft voice that no one had ever heard before come from him. He repeated this for about five minutes telling Theo that he was fine and the danger was gone. He seen the red receding from his son's eyes and green start to seep in. He watched him run a tongue across his top teeth then nod. Severus sighed and stood up. He turned back to the other people in the room who were looking at him with wide eyes.

Theo could only look at the floor. He couldn't believe that they had seen him like that. That girl knew. She knew. She would tell everyone. He didn't even notice his father clear the bathroom. He let out a croaking sound and slid to the floor. He did notice that he never hit the ground. He looked up to see his potions professor holding him. His father was looking at him questionably.

"She's going to tell. The whole school's going to know. I'm going to be expelled. I'm going to have to go home. Oh God, I'll have to go home." Theo lost it. Everything he has been holding in since he found out his father was a professor at his school came to the front. He broke down. He clung to his father's robes and sobbed.

Severus's cold heart just about broke when he heard the first sob that his son let out. He wrapped his arms around him and rocked him. Making ssh noises that probably went un noticed. It wasn't until he noticed that Theo had fell asleep that he noticed his own eyes were watery. He hadn't cried since he had found out that Lily had married James and was pregnant. He didn't even cry when he found out she was dead and he was the reason for her death. He gathered Theo up and carried him to his sleeping quarters. He lied him on the couch and turned around to see Dumbledore sitting in a chair by the fire smiling at him.

"Not right now, old man. I'm not in the mood."

"I wasn't going to say anything, Severus." Dumbledore said still smiling.

"Indeed."

"I heard from Minerva what happened. Ms. Granger was lucky that Mr. Potter was close by. She's not going to say anything. Minerva made sure of that. I noticed he wasn't at the feast, so I'm assuming that he didn't hear the announcement and happened to hear the troll."

"I did." Came a voice from the couch. They both turned and looked to see Theo sitting up and holding a blanket around him like a safety net.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, could you tell me what happened?" Dumbledore asked.

Theo nodded. "I assume that Professor Snape told you what I am?" Theo seen the Headmaster nod. He took a deep breath, "I was in the library most of the day doing my homework and .......research. I didn't feel like going to the feast. It's not like I really need to eat that much. I was just wondering the halls thinking about things when I smelled something. I was about 2 corridors away when I picked up on the grunting noises and heard a scream. I ran towards the sound and came upon the troll in the girls bathroom. I didn't notice the girl there till it was over. I ended up using the first spell I could think of and levitated the club above the trolls head and knocked it out. When the excitement was over.....that's when I smelled her. She was bleeding. I had too much adrenaline running through me to control it. I was able to back myself into a corner. I tried to tell her to leave, but she wouldn't go. When the professors showed up.....I thought...I thought I was going to ......" He trailed off and looked down at his hands. "I understand if you have to send me home. The students safety and all."

"Your not going home, Theo." Dumbledore said. Theo looked up and seen only sincerity in the old mans eyes. "Your not the first non human I've let attend the school. I've had a werewolf attend here. In fact he was a friend of your mothers. I've even had a vampire attend here before." Dumbledore said the last part while looking at Theo's potions professor. Snape was staring out the window.

"Why?" Theo couldn't help but ask. Both of them looked at him.

"What do you mean, my boy?"

"Why? Why would you let someone like me, someone like a werewolf and a vampire attend a school filled with children. If the ministry found out.....the parents....They view us as Dark Creatures. Creatures! As if we aren't human! In their eyes we're nothing better than animals. Why would you risk yourself like that?"

Dumbledore stared at him with knowing eyes. "Because somethings are worth the risk. Somethings are worth fighting for. I believe in the good of all things and people. It might be a foolish believe, and it might get me killed one day, but if I don't give these people a chance, or even a second chance," Dumbledore looked at Snape. "than what's to stop them from going to someone who will. Why do you think so many wolf packs and the Clans joined Voldemort in the war?" Dumbledore was pleased Theo didn't flinch. Theo thought about it and it made sense. Voldemort gave them something that the Ministry didn't. Equality. Well, to a point. He didn't treat them as animals. They did things that they didn't want to do for someone who was giving them a chance to live a normal life. To not have to hide what they were from the world. They could be themselves and not have to worry. If someone would just give them a chance, they would have joined them in a heartbeat and not have to kill and torture. Theo nodded to show he understood. Then he looked up at the Headmaster.

"He's not gone." Theo whispered.

"Who?" Dumbledore asked knowing very well who.

"Voldemort. I feel it. He's still out there. Watching. Waiting. He's biding his time. Trying to find a way to come back. I know what my aunt told you, but there was something I never told my aunt. When the curse backfired on him, something came from him. It was black and felt pure evil. It looked at me and fled out the hole in the ceiling. I felt it in the woods last month. I feel it in the school. Even now, I feel it. He's here, and he's looking for something. I know your hiding something in the school. I heard some kids talking about a dog earlier today. That Cerberus is guarding something and Voldemort is after it. I don't know what else you have guarding the thing, but you better make sure you have more than a lock that a couple first years can open. He won't stop. He'll keep trying till he does it. He will do it, too. He will be back." Theo was whispering by the time his little speech was over.

"You don't have to worry. Your safe at your aunts."

"I'm not worried about myself, Headmaster. I can take care of myself. I know I'm no match for a Dark Lord like Voldemort, but I can get myself out of a sticky situation." He could too. His mother had left some books on Vampires and their abilities with his aunt. He should be able to form into a smoky mist and transport himself that way. He could form into the mist which would keep himself from being hit with any curses, but he couldn't transport yet. He also should be able to form into some sort of animal. Vampires were natural Animagus's. He just didn't know how to go about doing it.