ONE WAY OR ANOTHER

-CHAPTER THIRTEEN-

BETA: Greeneyes

INFO: www. livejournal. com /users/ draycious

OTHER: http:// www. fanfiction. net/s/3040483/1/

Raven woke up thoroughly relaxed the next morning. It had been a good night. The dinner had passed with many stories and a lot of laugher, the food had been great and the whole evening had felt magical in a non-physical kind of way. He loved being home, and sharing time and feelings with his family. Just when he thought he couldn't love them more, he was proven wrong and his love for his family increased. He wished it could always be like this, yet he knew it was impossible. At the same time he didn't want it to always be like that, because if it was the uniqueness of everything would disappear.

He stretched before he jumped out of the bed. He took his leisure time to wake up properly, and because of that he had to take a quick shower before dressing. He had to be down in the breakfast hall on time.

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"Hi Dracula. Where's Blade?" he asked when he plopped down in his chair. Formalities were only used the first few lines in the opening conversation out of respect, but since those ceremonies had taken place yesterday they were on a friendly and relaxed level today.

"I believe he drank himself under the table together with Fire so to speak," Dracula said dryly but Raven could tell he was amused by their behavior. He supposed he had missed that yesterday; he hadn't always stayed close to Blade. He had been too preoccupied with catching up with other people down at another table.

"They'll still be asleep then," he stated knowingly. People might not believe it but he knew very well how it felt to wake up with a massive hangover.

"How's your father?"

"Pissed at me I think. We left without telling him but I wrote him a letter once we got here. I don't think that will help the verbal lashing I am likely to receive once I get back to school."

"You could always use a silencing charm. But I can see that there is something else troubling you," Dracula said slowly. Trust Master to see everything, Raven thought.

"There is one thing," he said tentatively, almost meekly. He wasn't sure how to put this.

"Anything I can do to help?"

"Maybe. You see, I was horribly injured recently..." Raven told him about what had happened when he had the vision (memory of it) from Voldemort. "So you see... I think the truth potion caused my error in magical defense..."

"And you want me to help you find the truth?" Dracula said smartly, when Raven looked unsure of what that would ensure, Dracula elaborated. "To find out if it really was the potion which caused it?"

"Well...yeah," said Raven and suddenly finding the table very interesting. He didn't like asking people for help. He could deal with most things himself, even this matter, but he would find out much quicker without any unnecessary problems if Dracula helped him.

"Of course I'll help you Raven, but I must ask if you have anything against finishing breakfast first?" asked Dracula calmly but with humor.

"Well of course not! This will be done on your terms! When ever you want is fine!" Raven hurried to say. Dracula took his anxiousness in a stride.

"After breakfast it is. You can join me in my chambers," he decided.

"Thank you. You're most generous Master!"

"Think nothing of it."

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After breakfast Dracula did a complete analysis of him. Dracula was a very powerful vampire because he was one of the firsts. Vampires, despite the myths, could walk in daylight. They didn't sleep in coffins either; Raven had seen that for himself. He did note that they all slept in big beds though, quite the opposite from small coffins, one could assume. Vampiric magic was very different from wizards. Vampires, for one thing, didn't need a wand. Mind magic was a one of a vampire's specialties. They could easily look into other people's minds and their pasts, without much effort. In order to analyze Raven's problem Dracula had too look in the past. After 20 minutes Dracula had all answers to the mystery.

"Was it the potion?" Raven asked at once. He assumed it would be.

"Indeed it was"

"Was I allergic to it?" Raven asked.

"No. Quite the opposite. Your body would respond quite nicely to it unless you were given a too big a dose of it of course," Dracula said innocently, but he managed to look grim at the same time. Dracula had a dark sense humor; he could find something funny in the most serious of situations. He often found things ironic in one way or another.

Raven blinked. "Come again?"

"I see you caught on. Yes," Dracula said hissing the word out slowly. He took a deep breath as if he was seeking pleasure in the mere air. He was probably just satisfied with the fact that he had found the cause. "The reason to your unusual reaction was that you were given too big a dose."

"But it was perfectly normal! I saw the dose they gave me!" Raven protested.

"It was the normal dosage for the Veritaserum but not for this new development of the potion."

"The brewers would know, they must have known! They must have tested it." He couldn't believe he had been poisoned.

"I believe they have. But they didn't have a vision at the same time so it didn't bother them in that same way. Your situation is unique, no one could have foreseen your reaction, even if it pains me to admit it, the Ministry did nothing wrong." Dracula said with a grimace. He didn't much like the Ministry for many reasons, even if the main reason why he despised it was because of their attitude against vampires. He continued, "If you wouldn't have thought back and relived it you wouldn't have noticed anything unusual either." he said in one breath. Raven was persistent.

"If they had ran tests after using the potion it must have shown that their magical levels were lowered."

"Magic is a funny thing my friend. You see, your magic was normal but your defense was low. Magic is only so many things Raven. Defense is just a part of your magic, but one of the most important ones."

Raven thought about it. "It makes sense I suppose," he agreed slowly. Dracula had always been able to explain the most complex things to him in simple words. "What is the most important thing in magic?" he added curiously.

"Life. Think about it and you'll find that magic is indeed life."

"Some have more life than others, namely wizards! I understand!" Raven exclaimed, excited that he had learned something new, and something important and elementary at that. Dracula nodded amusedly. He really liked Raven.

"But what about you? You're-" Raven stopped uncertain if he dared to say the word or not. Dracula decided for him.

"Undead? Yes that's right. But we're still not dead so we still have life," he said in a sober voice. "It is just a different kind of life."

"That's why your magic is different than ours." Raven stated.

"Exactly. Our kind of magic is less complicated. We don't need to practice to get our magic right, nor do we need any help channeling it like you do through your wands. We just do it."

"I wouldn't like to analyze this further. It gives me a headache!" said Raven truthfully.

"I know," Dracula nodded and Raven felt like hitting himself. Of course Dracula knew what he thought and felt. Dracula could sense those sorts of things quite easily.

"How come you knew all this? I wouldn't even have given it a thought!" he said to take his mind of the fact he was so easily read, he wasn't used to that fact yet and it still caused him a sense of discomfort.

"If you have lived as long as I have you would have known it too," Dracula said in a exaggerated snotty voice and Raven laughed.

"Perhaps you'll solve the world's mystery one day."

"Perhaps. Time will tell," Dracula agreed humbly. He really didn't make much noise about himself.

"It would be awfully cool but I'm not entirely sure I'd like to know all the answers to the secrets of the world. What if I don't like what I find, or what if it's so simple that I could cry? I mean..." Raven was rambling on and Dracula listened patiently. He had always liked Raven like a son. That's why he had accepted Raven in his family and they had been bounded by blood in a father and son relationship. That's how Raven had gotten his tattoo because he'd look like that if Dracula were made his biological father. The tattoo portrayed him like a vampire because it was magical and it was his mark to symbolize and inform others that part of him was a vampire. Therefore Raven belonged to the vampires.

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Raven jumped when he was unexpectedly touched from behind.

"What's up Raven?" Midnight asked him and let his hand fall down from Ravens shoulder as he took a step back. Raven was outside in the hallway, doing nothing much. He was a little bored so he had wandered around trying to find something interesting to do. His conversation with Dracula had been finished earlier, and Dracula had to go back to work. He was a busy vampire; he took care of most of the things in the vampire society.

"Nothing much," he answered Midnights question.

"No, I meant why do you always jump when someone touches you? It doesn't matter if you see the person, you still flinch anyway. You might as well tell me because I'll find out sooner or later." Midnight eyes looked straight into Ravens, and trust was there. He really did trust Midnight. Midnight was the very opposite of Fire. While Fire was enthusiastic and all over the place Midnight was calm and soothing. He had always been there for Raven and taken care of him, and helped by explaining things inside the castle so he wouldn't embarrass himself.

"Fine," Raven sighed. "For far as long as I can remember when I think back to my childhood I was never held or hugged or even touched unless absolutely necessarily. I was never comforted when I had a nightmare or kissed better when I hurt myself. Such treatment leaves its traces I suppose, because I find it difficult to have people close to me. It's nothing personal but I just can't handle people touching me unless I get used to it."

"You've trained with Blade to be touched, have you not? Since he can touch you freely I assume that is the case."

"Yes that's true," Raven confessed.

"Alright then. I understand you better now. I will try to help you," Midnight said and raven nodded slightly. He wasn't sure whether he wanted any help or not. Midnight suddenly changed the subject abruptly. "I heard that you're leaving today, why so soon?"

"Yes, it was just a short visit this time around. We're going to Malfoy manor for a visit and after that I go back to school."

"But you'll come again soon, right? We all appreciate it when you do. It's always fun to have you here; you lighten things up a bit."

"Thanks Midnight. You know we'll come soon again or else Dracula is going to drag us all the way here by our ears," he grinned.

"Yeah! I'd like to see that..." he laughed. Raven and Midnight continued to chat to each other about everything walked around the grounds together.

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Blade and Raven moved on with their schedule. They said goodbye to everyone in the castle and apparated to Malfoy Manor.

"Goyle? Are you in here?" Blade shouted when they entered the main doors. Goyle came from the living room.

"Is it free to talk?" Raven asked him quietly.

"Yes of course. It's only me and my wife here. As well as HIM of course," said Goyle and nodded to the roof. He sounded slightly put out over whoever it was up there.

"How is he Lucius?" Raven asked seriously and with worry.

"No change. Narcissa said it's to be expected."

"Why are you still looking like Goyle?" Blade asked.

"I have warded the manor. I could feel someone coming so I switched to his body. I could not tell it was you. After all, it is unexpected to have you here," said Lucius. "Not that I complain of course," he added. Lucius showed them into the living room. After a while he was back to himself with short blond hair, a tan and a sweet smile.

"So Raven, any news about Remus?" Lucius asked him innocently and Raven talked about Remus for a while. He didn't have much to say so he soon left Blade and Lucius to talk amongst themselves as he went upstairs.

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Raven watched the man lying pale and unmoving in the king sized bed.. Raven reached out an elegant hand and stroked the black hair out of the man's face.

"Soon we'll talk my friend. I believe you'd like to see my father again. He does not know about you yet. In fact, it's only me, Blade, Narcissa, Lucius and Dracula who know that you're here right now. You do not know Blade and Dracula yet, but you'll like them. I promise.

"Dracula adopted me to his family. I don't think you'll like that. Nor father...

I was just speaking to Lucius downstairs. He has a thing for Remus Lupin you see. I'm doing my best to play match keeper but Remus doesn't know Lucius the way I do. Remus still believes Lucius is evil. So… I think they have a long way to go if they would decide to try and become lovers." Raven was watching the man silently for awhile.

"I'll see you soon again," he said before he left and rejoined the other men downstairs.