Slowly working my way to tidying up every chapter!
Chapter 8 of 50... Onward I go!
-YDHP-
After they'd taken a trip into the courtyard, sharing apples and pumpkin juice and laughing about the headmaster being so taken with Phantom, Vlad suggested a trip to the library. The other boys had groaned and complained they hadn't even started lessons yet.
"Which makes it the best time, there will be nobody else around and I want to learn more about Phantom so the librarian will be free?"
Harry and Draco offered to accompany him, the others deciding they wanted to explore the outside some more. Their group split in to two smaller groups, and Vlad searched his memory for where Ingrid had said the library was.
"Second floor guys!"
The trio headed in that direction, the library doors being huge and obvious. Looking around, Vlad spotted the brown haired girl Hermione already sat studying a large book. Braving the indeed scary looking librarian, Vlad asked quietly if she knew of any books that would contain information on Bastion familiars. She scowled at the small boys, as though annoyed the library was invaded so early on but pointed them to a section on magical creatures and a few titles to look for.
As they headed over, Vlad found his new tutor sat reading a dusty tome on vampires. Not obvious at all.
"Draco, you met him earlier. Harry, this is my private tutor Bertrand du Fortunesa. Bertrand, this is Harry Potter."
The bright eyed vampire looked over at them, standing and extending his hand to Harry. "Ah, I have heard much about you Mr Potter."
A flash of irritation crossed Harry's face before replacing with a smile.
"Just Harry please sir. I'm still getting used to my reputation preceding me."
Bertrand nodded, smiling briefly at Vlad and Draco before returning to his book. Looking up, Vlad could see clear glass windows but there seemed to be a shimmer across the glass, almost imperceptible. Maybe that was magically protecting Bertrand from the sun, even in his shady corner. The young boys searched for the books Madam Pince (according to Ingrids notes) had recommended, pulling down a book each.
"Rare Egyptian Creatures" was very little help to Vlad, as it contained information he already knew about Phantom. "Powerful Familiars and their chosen ones" made Harry and Vlad both scowl at the title, though neither seemed to spot the other. Draco was absorbed in his "Protective and Powerful: Familiars with sensible senses" immediately, and after a quick scan of the book Harry had found, they moved to see what the blond boy had found.
"Vlad, this says their eyes flash green around dark magic, blue around concealments, red to ward off spirits and purple if their magic is being called on to defend. Did they flash around my parents at all?"
Remembering Professor McGonogalls warning not to share Phantom's powers where possible, Vlad shook his head.
"Not that I remember, just the usual red she has when perched on my shoulder on lookout. Why do you ask Draco?"
Draco tensed, visibly forcing himself to relax.
"No reason. This book seems to have good information on her kind, maybe check this one out?"
Draco handed him the book and Vlad accepted it happily, thanking both boys for their help. Turning back around, Vlad noticed Hermione looking at them furtively from behind her book. Remembering that she seemed friendly enough before, Vlad headed over.
"Mind if we sit with you Hermione?"
She looked at him with a tiny hint of panic, before nodding and ducking shyly behind her book again. "Advanced Magical Knowledge" was printed in faded text down the spine, and Vlad couldn't imagine what Hermione could need from such a book so early on but didn't want to be rude.
Harry and Draco joined them, though somewhat hesitantly. Harry had picked out a book on the history of dragons, seemingly for something to do. Draco had a smooth, clearly looked after book on potions.
"My godfather is the potions professor here, I hear he was unhappy about my placement - he's also the head of Slytherin House. I thought I'd make sure I would do well in his class."
Vlad nodded, opening up his own book. Absorbed in the new information about purple eyes he had yet to see on Phantom, Vlad jumped at the female voice.
"Decided to look up if Phantom was a Bastion or not then?"
Looking up at Hermione, Vlad made sure to smile as he nodded.
"Thank you for giving me somewhere to start, very few people seem to have heard of such things and she looks like any other black kitten when her eyes are clear."
A somewhat shy smile crossed Hermiones face before she dove back into her book. A quiet study group seemed to surprise the librarian, and she happily ignored them as she scowled around the otherwise empty library. Though, as Bertrand was in a little alcove reading, Vlad supposed there could be more people he couldn't see. Bertrand soon zipped past them, it was the middle of the day by now and Vlad expected he was off to sleep. Vlad chuckled to himself at the idea of a coffin hidden away somewhere in the school and some confused kid screaming if they found him in it.
Vlad was saved the other boys asking what he was laughing at as Madam Pince announced lunch would be starting soon. Draco, who had eaten very little that morning, closed his book almost immediately and walked quickly over to check the book out. Vlad checked out his own book, promising to take good care of it in hopes of appeasing the scary woman. Hermione had to be prodded to remember to come down with them, and Vlad made sure to wait until she joined them before walking down. Harry and Draco looked surprised, but Vlad didn't want to leave anyone out if he could help it.
As they passed the Slytherin table, Vlad smiled at his sister and spotted the red hair of Ron Weasley. The boy still looked downcast, but nobody seemed to be bothering him and Ingrid's wink suggested she had something to do with it. Hermione hesitantly sat with them at lunch, the other three of Vlad's bunk mates joining them soon after and diving in to their food with gusto. Even Draco seemed to be eating more than usual, though his manners remained impeccable. Harry had settled for a sandwich and some chips. Still enjoying his food not being alive or only recently deceased, Vlad spooned soup into his mouth. The next spoonful didn't make it to his mouth, a clap on his shoulder jolting his arm.
"Sorry Vladdo, but I had to congratulate you. A first year earning house points before class, did you tame a dragon or something?"
Vlad turned to find the identical Weasley twins behind him, twin grins of amusement and joy.
"Not quite, just kept my cool in a difficult situation in the Headmaster's office."
Careful not to mention Draco's parents, he recieved a grateful smile from the blond boy and the Weasley twins left to get their own food soon after. A few other older students also cheered thanks to them for earning the first points of term so early on. The rest of the weekend passed fairly easily, Vlad ensuring Hermione sat with them at meal times even if the girl was still shy and quiet and his bunk mates frequently managing to steal drinks and snacks from the table.
Vlad was certain the teachers knew what was going on, and at evening meals he was surprised to find Bertrand occasionally sitting at the end of the head table. He pointedly ignored the interested glances of many girls, and some boys.
A man in a bizarre purple turban who sat at the other end of the table kept shooting odd glances at the vampire, and Draco leaned over to mention the turban-clad man was Professor Quirrell, Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher at Vlad's pointed looks. Vlad wondered if vampires were technically dark arts, and at least some of the teachers had to know who and what Bertrand was - Professor McGonogall had told him the man was a biter, and the Headmaster had to know too. Suddenly quite nervous about that class Sunday night, Vlad fell into a fitful sleep.
Harry was surprised at Vlad's wanting to go to the library so early on, not used to such studious friends. Or any friends really. Hermione Granger had already been in there, and Vlad had introduced him to the man with olive skin and dark curly hair as his tutor. The power around him was still evident, but Harry didn't think the man looked like a wizard. He was studying vampires, and Harry remembered Vlad saying their family was supposedly descended from vampires in Transylvania. The quiet, though admittedly pale boy did not strike Harry as some kind of bloodthirsty creature, so Harry just assumed the tutor was brushing up on what Vlad was expected to learn by his father and turned to look for the books that should contain information about Phantom.
Harry was almost certain Vlad was lying when he said Phantom hadn't reacted to Draco's parents, but could hardly go accusing him. Grabbing a book on dragons as it became clear Vlad was going to sit and read his own book. Even more surprising was how Vlad casually dropped down at Hermione's table, including her on the fringe of their little group without being outward or obvious
. Harry couldn't help smiling to himself at how eager Vlad was to befriend people, clearly alike to Harry in not having many friends before. Vlad had even all but dragged Hermione to join them at lunch, not forcing conversation on the clearly shy girl but making sure she wasn't alone. Between standing up for Draco to his apparently terrifying parents, his strange and powerful tutor and his eagerness to cultivate friendship, Harry could only imagine what sort of family Vlad must be sticking out in to have such a strange history and a bright personality.
Definitely not a vampire like his supposed ancestors then. Harry tried to imagine Vlad looking evil with fangs and snorted into his pumpkin juice, claiming it had gone down the wrong way for a moment. The Weasley twins made the first-years instantly popular, mentioning Vlad had been the one to score first house points of the year and for their house.
By Sunday night, Harry could see clear tension in Vlad's frame as they settled in for bed. Phantom, returned by the headmaster that morning with a new toy that flashed if any of them poked it with their wand, was curled up on Vlad's chest and Harry could see Vlad was awake. He was about to go and ask if the boy was ok when he saw the boys eyes flutter closed, and decided not to disturb his slumber. The snoring from Dean, Seamus and Neville's beds told him they were asleep, and Draco's closed curtains stopped Harry knowing either way about him. Rolling over and ignoring his nervous excitement about tomorrow being the start of classes, Harry forced himself to fall asleep.
Rising the next morning, Vlad was clearly already awake but dark circles hung around his eyes. Already used to the bright, icy blue colour of Vlad's eyes, the duller grey tinge made Harry instantly anxious.
"Are you alright Vlad?"
The pale boy nodded, giving Harry a weak smile and a fairly poor excuse of Phantom keeping him awake. He had no evidence to the contrary, so Harry quickly took his turn in the bathroom before leaving to let Vlad change in private. He was already dressed in his uniform and robes by the time Vlad reappeared, the other boys finally rising.
"I'll wait in the common room for you guys, come on Phantom."
Vlad scooped up his familiar, perching her on his shoulder and walking down the spiral stairs. Harry nodded at the other boys and followed Vlad down, noticing the exhaustion written across his face in the firelight. He was already talking to Hermione quietly, discussing potential first classes in a more animated manner than his face belied.
Harry stepped forward to pet Phantom, recieving a purr and an amused smile from Vlad and Hermione. The other first year boys soon appeared, a couple of the first year girls Harry had yet to learn the names of attaching to their group and cooing over Vlad's 'cat'. Vlad let each of them have a turn with Phantom as they walked down, and as the furball didn't seem to react to any of them Harry guessed all the first year Gryffindors were clear for now.
Phantom scrambled off before they made it to the Great Hall, clearly intent on exploring the castle in a way she hadn't yet had the chance to. Vlad gave a tired smile to the little black bundle darting around the floor before heading in to the Great Hall for breakfast and their first schedules. Vlad started in on a cup of tea he added multiple sugars to before even considering the food, picking at his cornflakes and fiddling with his toast. Even the usually more nervous Neville couldn't ignore the anxiety.
"What's wrong Vlad?"
Vlad's tired eyes lifted up then, the tension radiating from him.
"What if I'm terrible and get sent back? I like it here so much already and I'm scared."
Harry could sympathise highly with this concern.
"I worry about that too, but even the headmaster already thinks you belong in Gryffindor, and Draco said your tutor was thrilled to meet you, never mind teach you. You'll be great, we all will. Yes Neville, even you. Maybe not Seamus."
The irish boy stuck his tongue out but laughed along with them, the mood lifting slightly around the table then. Even Hermione looked pleased, and as breakfast crumbs faded and they waited for their schedules, conversation seemed to flow a little easier and Vlad's shoulders relaxed some.
Professor McGonogall swept along the table handing out papers as though she were psychic, barely looking at the person before she suddenly had their schedule. Vlad, with his Dracula surname got his first, though the others followed quickly after.
"Herbology? Is that about cooking herbs?"
Neville had chuckled then, and Harry quickly suspected Neville liked this subject.
"Herbology is magical plants, I love plants. They don't make harsh comments unless you aren't looking after them well."
Vlad looked up, mild panic in his eyes.
"Talking plants? Oh dear, next it'll be curses to turn me into a bowl of jelly."
Draco's eyes flashed with mirth then, and his wand was in hand quickly with a mumbled word. Harry darted to catch Vlad as his legs wobbled, the "jelly legs jinx" taking effect quickly. The surrounding students laughed.
"You did say jelly Vlad."
Professor McGonogall appeared behind Draco then, looking down disapprovingly at Vlad's wobbling limbs. Casting what Harry assumed was the counter curse, Vlad stumbled to his feet. The second their professor was turned away, Draco was dashing off with a suddenly energetic Vlad hot on his heels as they ran toward the greenhouses Neville pointed out.
"You're dead Malfoy!"
"Not til you catch me Dracula!"
Many students heading to their own class stopped to watch, the blond and dark haired pale boys being followed by a more sedate group of Gryffindors who were laughing heartily. Vlad managed to grab Draco before he reached the greenhouse, repeating the boys own curse back at him and Draco dropped like a stone.
"Why Draco, if I'd known you were so JEL-ous of my dancing I'd have taught you."
Draco was laughing, completely failing to stand up between his chuckles and his independant limbs. Even Dean, the more quiet and thoughtful of the group had joined in the laughter by now. Hermione stepped forward, and Harry could see her fighting a smile as she reversed Vlad's magic. Vlad helped Draco to his feet, and the tension was completely gone from the whole group as they each brushed down the boys muddy robes. The practice was quickly invalidated as they entered the greenhouse, compost scattered about the place and both Vlad and Draco were clearly concerned about their more expensive robes.
A short, round woman with greying curly hair and a green pointed hat and robes on called them to order quickly, rapping a fist on the tiny empty table space in front of her.
"If you are seriously concerned about your robes, I can clean them at the end of class, see me afterwards boys."
They both looked at her, gulping and nodding at the prospect of already being in trouble. They crowded round a table, the air rich with the smell of earth. The lesson wasn't difficult, Professor Sprout teaching them how to repot plants and measure water levels in soil. Harry wasn't expecting excitement in their first lesson, but they all had a good laugh when a couple of Ravenclaw boys shrieked.
"Oh yes, the Venemous Tentacula is teething, be wary of it's vines."
Vlad leaned around Harry as they looked at the dark green vines snaking across the ground. The Ravenclaw boys blushed at their slight sounds of terror, and the class returned to their work with smiles on their faces. Vlad and Draco stayed behind as requested, Harry and the others waiting outside for them after they washed their hands and dusted down their robes. The two exited the greenhouse with immaculate robes again and looked quite relaxed.
"Professor Sprout taught us a special charm to protect our robes and let us practice it on her. It went fairly well, but then she told us not to start duelling outside class again or she'd make us wipe down the glass with our robes and no protection spells."
The boys all chuckled, Hermione hovering nearby and bursting to ask what the spell was. Vlad had winked at her then, whispering conspirationally but loud enough for them all and each of them memorised the charm. Harry smiled to himself at the thought of them all leaving future classes, sparkling clean to the confusion of their classmates. They'd share the secret if people asked of course.
"What's next guys?"
Dean questioned, and Vlad had his schedule in hand faster than Harry could even blink, let alone reach for his.
"Oh, we'll be able to see Ron. Potions with the Slytherins."
Draco's panic returned, and Harry quickly explained to the other boys that the Potions professor and head of Slytherin House was also Draco's godfather. They all nodded seriously, realised they were going to be late and dashed off to the dungeons.
They barely made it as the second bell rang, and a heavy wooden door slammed open. The class filed in silently, and Harry was confused by the lack of teacher visible. He'd seen the greasy haired, hook nosed professor at the head table already.
A cloud of black fabric swept down between their tables, scowling equally at everyone with a small cauldron and first year potion kit neatly placed on their desk. Harry made sure to wave at Ron, who was currently sat with a large Slytherin girl, who seemed perfectly content to ignore his existance.
"There will be no foolish wand waving or silly incantations in this class. I don't expect many of you to respect the subtle art of potion making of course, but I will not accept idiocy in my classroom. There will be instructions, and you will follow them. In the future I will assign you pairs, but I have no desire for you to blow up my classroom just yet because of immature rivalries."
The man turned, waving his wand (no foolish wand waving of course?) and instructions appeared on the board.
"You have the ingredients needed, if you are too uneducated or incompetent to produce a flame yet, then raise your hand when you require one."
Harry thought that was unfair, flames were a Charms lesson - and not even an early one judging by their place in the Charms book. Luckily between Hermione, Draco and the studious Vlad, the Gryffindors each managed to create their flames. Three Slytherin pairs had to ask for assistance, and Harry had to fight down the slightly vicious pride over that fact.
A boom sounded behind Harry and Neville then, and they turned to find Seamus and Dean looking distinctly crispy. Professor Snape swept over then.
"Idiots. Your classmates will let you know what your homework is, now get to the hospital wing and ensure you haven't already been gravely injured by your incompetence."
Dean and Seamus scrambled out of their seats and Harry spied Vlad already jotting down the homework, which was at the side of the board in between potions ingredients. Draco appeared to be a natural at Potions, while Neville was too busy shaking in terror every time the teacher breathed near him to actually help. Harry didn't mind so much, he'd cooked meals since he was tiny - chopping and stirring was not alien to him.
Vlad seemed to instinctively know how and what to do, barely glancing at the instructions and he and Draco worked almost silently. They were the first to finish, and Harry could see the war of anger and contempt behind the professors eyes when he declared their potion acceptable. A brief, almost invisible smile was flashed at Draco before the man swept off to (not too obvious but definitely there) help the Slytherins like he hadn't the Gryffindors. Harry nudged Neville to stir so it looked like he'd helped, and then their potion was done.
"Unacceptable Potter, I can see from here you missed two important steps. Your fame will not get you through my class, mark my words."
A few of the Slytherin kids snickered as he waved his wand and vanished their potion - the annoying thing was that he would get a zero for it, rather than marks for effort. As class wrapped up and Professor Snape reminded them of their homework - twelve inches of parchment on any three ingredients they used today - Harry went to wash his equipment, dragging a still trembling Neville with him away from the glare of Professor Snape.
Harry wasn't sure what he'd done to raise the mans ire, but he clearly didn't like Harry and it was almost invisible that he had any connection to Draco. The same Slytherins who had laughed at Harry getting told off snickered again as they passed, though Harry secretly felt heartened to see Ron wasn't one of them.
Vlad already had schedule in hand, informing them they had Transfiguration next, then lunch and after that was double Charms. Dean and Seamus were waiting outside the classroom for them, looking distinctly less singed and considerably more sheepish.
"So... you're alright guys?"
They both nodded, further conversation halted when Professor McGonogall's classroom door opened itself. Vlad recognised the cat sat on the desk from back in Stokely, but figured the others could find out for themselves as they settled in their seats.
He opted to sit between Neville and Hermione, a girl he thought was named Parvati Patil sitting at the end of their row quietly. The other four boys sat in front of them, and Vlad fought a smile as they questioned where the teacher was. As the last of the Hufflepuffs took their seats, the cat leapt from the desk, four legs landing on two as the professor returned to human form. A gasp ran through the room then, and a Hufflepuff girl squeaked out
"That was brilliant!".
The professor smiled at the girl in question, who blushed brightly as she realised those words had actually been aloud.
"Thank you for that assessment Miss Bones. I am Professor McGonogall, I will be teaching you Transfiguration."
They were each handed a match, and told they would be trying to turn it into a needle. Several students looked rather put out at this trial-by-fire, even after their teacher tried to allay their fears.
"I naturally don't expect every student to get it in the first try, or even the first lesson. Do not worry, every student starts at the beginning."
Vlad noticed he didn't have one, but before he could ask Professor McGonogall called him up to the desk. A note was pushed in front of him, away from prying eyes.
"I failed to check whether you could risk handling a possibly pointed piece of wood before class could begin, is this an issue?"
Vlad looked around for a writing implement, and the Professor handed him a quill quickly. Vlad scrawled "Not until I'm sixteen, before that I'm mostly normal." across the bottom, and the professor scanned the reply before incinerating the note with little fanfare, and handed him a match. Questioning eyes from his fellow Gryffindors followed him to his seat, but Vlad muttered "later" and turned to trying to 'transfigure' his match.
Neville broke two clean down the middle, and otherwise made very little progress. Hermione had turned hers silver and pointy, but it was still rather match-like. Vlad pictured a shiny silver stake in his mind, swapping out the bottom handle for the eye of a needle. He'd seen a lot of stakes in his life - his father collected slayer weapons. Pointing his wand and speaking the incantation, he felt something stab his finger and looked to see he'd dropped a perfectly formed needle.
Sucking the injured finger before anyone could notice his slightly darker blood, Vlad raised his hand to get the professors attention. As she approached, Vlad held up his needle, gesturing that Hermione had almost succeeded herself in vague hopes of detracting attention from himself.
"Five points to Gryffindor Miss Granger. For your flawless work, ten points to Gryffindor Mr Dracula. Would you like me to heal your finger?"
Vlad nodded gratefully, wiping his finger dry hastily on his robes and holding it out. A small glow surrounded his fingertip, and the small injury was gone when the glow faded.
"Thank you professor."
He recieved a nod in reply, quick and unspectacular before she went to see how the others were doing. As she moved further up the room, the other Gryffindor boys turned around with wide grins.
"You're on a roll Vlad, getting points two days out of three! How'd you two manage anything, mine looks more like a match than when I started!"
Vlad chuckled at Dean and Harry, both looking sadly at their still very match-like matches. Peering over, Vlad could see Draco's was shiny and longer, but otherwise it would probably still strike on a matchbox fine.
"I don't know, I just sort of thought how I wanted it to look and hoped for the best. Maybe my wand is just designed for Transfiguration?"
The other boys nodded, then turned back to their work hastily as Professor McGonogall returned to their end of the classroom.
"Ten points to Hufflepuff for a good effort, most of you have made some progress already. Ah, you four. I could light bonfires with these matches, try again!"
Vlad snorted behind his hand, his room mates waving their wands frantically at the little pieces of wood. Hermione was shaking with suppressed laughter next to him, and Neville had abandoned trying in favour of biting his lip to keep from laughing aloud. The professor gave them a knowing look over her spectacles, and Vlad tried to school his face into neutral, failed, gave up and hid behind his Transfiguration book.
As the bell rang for lunch, several Hufflepuff boys cheered "Food!" and barely kept themselves from charging like bulls to the great hall. They took down their homework - read the chapter on these kinds of Transfiguration for next class, and Vlad found himself being almost dragged along by hungry housemates. Turning to the calmer and more collected Draco, Vlad joked
"You wouldn't know it was only three hours since breakfast and a few more to dinner!"
Draco nodded, his grey eyes sparkling with laughter as they followed the others to lunch. Hermione even joined in their conversations about their first classes, and Vlad took a moment to peruse his schedule properly. He had free periods Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, so he could probably afford to lose an hour any of those nights and still keep up with homework. Vlad wasn't sure he'd feel like working every other Friday night, and jotted down "Bertrand" on his schedule Tuesday and Thursday.
"Is that your tutor Vlad?"
Vlad looked up to see Neville watching him.
"Yeah, he said I could choose which evenings I wanted to see him on. I just made a note so I can go see Professor Dumbledore later and clear it with him."
Neville had nodded, returning to his lunch quietly and Vlad turned to engage Hermione in a debate about the way they'd each changed their matchsticks. Harry brought up how Seamus had almost made he and Dean blow up on their first day, and lunch was an excellent experience, full of laughter and friendly banter as Vlad sipped at his growing addiction - pumpkin juice. He wondered if he'd still like this stuff after he turned sixteen. He really hoped so, it was better than blood by miles.
-YDHP-
So, have some first day of lessons stuff! I find that surprisingly, editing these is far more exhausting than writing new chapters. I probably could have finished this tidying up weeks ago, but I put it off repeatedly. Sorry about that!