Chapter 4: Interogation

"I told you," Draco repeated, "I had trouble sleeping, went downstairs to try and read in hopes I'd get a little tired and fall asleep, and overslept like crazy," Draco repeated.

Professor Snape sighed, rubbing his temples. Draco knew that the new headmaster believed him—Snape WAS his godfather and favorite teacher, and knew when Draco was telling the truth or not. Even his own father knew he was telling the truth. Well, partly.

Who'd want to tell a group of twisted minded adults and psychopaths—let alone any adult—that the real reason you missed school for a day after receiving detention was that you had blood drained from a one thousand year old vampire presumed to be locked away in a stone coffin somewhere near the school?

The others—who were less likely to trust Draco—glanced at each other.

"I propose the use of vetiserum," Aunt Bellatrix stated.

Draco tried not to appear frightened by this. He knew if he did, than it would tell them that he was hiding something from them.

Snape glanced at Draco and nodded. "Fine, three drops will be sufficient."

A death eater pried Draco's mouth open and administered the drops.

"I will tell you if his story is true or not," Snape said.

"Are you mad?"

"We want to hear the verdict ourselves!"

"Lucius and I will stay."

"I'm his aunt!"

"No," Snape shouted. "Lucius and I will speak with Young Mr. Malfoy alone."

The others filed out angrily. Bellatrix left last, slamming the door. Draco was grateful to Professor Snape, but he wished that his father was barred as well.

"Draco, did you really have trouble sleeping last night?" Lucius asked.

"Yes," Draco answered.

"Why?"

Draco hesitated. "I had a nightmare."

"About?"

"Just a legend I heard in detention. I told you about it on the way to dinner, Father. The message was stay away from strangers."

"Who was the legend about?"

"Octavia Gryffendor and Augustan Mello."

"And this nightmare kept you up?"

"For a little while."

"What happened after you woke up?"

"I cleaned my bed sheets, took a shower, and went downstairs to read."

"Did you fall back asleep?"

"Yes."

"Did you wake up again?"

"Yes."

"At what time?"

"About three o'clock in the morning."

"What woke you the second time?"

"The nightmare I had earlier."

"It came back?"

"Yes."

"What happened after that?"

Draco paused. It was after that he found Octavia in the Common Room.

"Draco, answer your father," Snape snarled.

"There…" he began. But what will they do to Octavia? "There was a vampire standing over me."

Snape and Lucius blinked. "Did the vetiserum wear off?"

"Shouldn't have," Snape said. "One more drop and then we'll repeat the question."

Draco bolted for the door.

"Petrificus Totalus," Snape said. Draco's limbs snapped together and he toppled over. Lucius dragged him back to the seat and administered the fourth drop.

Snape muttered the reversal spell and Draco glowered at him. "Was there really a vampire standing over you when you woke up in the Slytherin common room?"

"Yes," Draco said grudgingly. Sorry, Octavia.

"Did the vampire tell you his name?"

"Yes, she did."

"What was it?"

Draco bit his lip to keep from saying it.

"Answer me."

"Octavia Gryffendor."

Both men exchanged glances. Lucius asked the next question. "This is the same woman that the legend was about?"

"Yes."

"Considering that Augustan Mello was a major key in the legend, I figured that it would be obvious that the girl would have been turned," Snape muttered. He turned back to Draco. "Did she take blood?"

"Yes."

"Do you know why?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I let her."

Lucius' already pale face paled further. "You let a vampire drink your blood?"

"She was looking for someone whose name started with an M. She knew the scent of his or her blood and asked if she could check by taking some of my blood."

"Draco," Snape said. "You never let a vampire take your blood. Once you do, you're bound to them for eternity. Either they'll turn you, kill you, or haunt you. Have you any idea how many women die when impregnated by a vampire?"

"I'm a man," Draco snarled, offended. "I won't get pregnant."

Snape sighed and Lucius slumped into a chair, holding his head in his hands. "Dear Merlin! What have you done, Draco?"

"Other than let a vampire drink my blood?"

"Is she still in the school?"

Draco bit his lip again.

"Draco, we need to get rid of her," Snape urged.

"NO!" Draco shouted, jumping out of his seat. "She's harmless! I know she's harmless! I'll keep her in line!"

"Draco," Lucius began. "She isn't harmless. She could kill you. She almost did kill you last night. Not only that; I now know why you almost passed out in the hallway earlier: it's the resonance—the connection you now have with her. You have seen into her memory and her deepest thoughts. She has control over you, not the other way around."

"I won't let you kill her!" Draco shouted. "Please, if it gets really bad, fine. I won't stand in your way. But give me a few days with her. She was stuck in a coffin for a thousand years or so. Let her see how the world's changed first before killing her."

Snape and Lucius glanced at each other. "We tell them that Draco has been telling the truth and they are not to question him further. The vampire will be kept secret—but only until things escalate out of hand."

"That's rather lenient," Lucius stated.

"Let's let him see for himself," Snape said. "Sometimes the best lessons can only be learned the hard way." He turned to Draco. "Go back to your dorm and get some rest. Lay down some ground rules with your new pet and we'll see how you do after that. If you can do it, you'll be known and Draco Vampire Tamer or something equally warped."

Draco jumped out of his seat and ran for the door. Before the others could question him further, he dashed through them and ran to the Slytherin hallway.

So...I'm gonna try to post this daily until I've gotten to the chapter I'm on (which is 19). Thanks for all the patience.