Nope, just checked. No Vlad or Harry in my room, don't own them.
Time will start to move on a little, I don't want to jump too much but I also don't want to end up with a hundred chapters of day by day lessons!
I won't skip any major events, though I'm struggling to find a way to write Peeves in and I love Peeves.
-YDHP-
As the second and third week of classes passed, Vlad found himself being quizzed by more teachers about his unique skills. Flying lessons were much tamer now, though Vlad still had to ignore the stirring joy of his vampiric self at being in the air. After the first month, there would be no more lessons as everyone would have a basic understanding of how to fly a broom in an emergency. Homework was almost simple, each of them helping and supporting the other through trying essays and bouncing questions back and forth to check each others progress with reading. Neville's confidence grew slowly, he was still a bundle of nerves in Potions but Vlad and Draco switched off working with him and both of them were good at it. Herbology was clearly his home ground, plants seemed to relax around him and Neville had an instinct for what they were doing. Vlad felt prickling discomfort whenever he was in Defence Against The Dark Arts, Professor Quirrell had a sense of death and darkness all around him and his gaze made Vlad feel like he'd sprout fangs and announce to everyone who and what he was.
Harry seemed to flourish in DADA, and Vlad could see why people thought he would be special in the future. Draco was still hesitant about going to Hagrid's hut, but eventually he and Harry had dragged the blond boy there. Hagrid had been noticably wary of him, but Draco was flawlessly polite the entire time and even pretended to be able to eat the rock hard cakes. Bertrand continued to split their time between studying and practicing his strange skills, practicing each class spell. Vlad could levitate most things, do any Transfiguration he'd already mastered in class and even managed to stir a cauldron with the motion of his finger rather than actually touching the rod. A lesson containing Professor Flitwick and Ingrid showed that he could affect items under the teachers power, but not Ingrid's. Neither of them could affect the others magic, and nobody quite understood why but it was intriguing nonetheless. Vlad could even levitate both his professor and his tutor an inch or so off the floor, though it made his magic vibrate with tension. Ingrid managed to lift them but couldn't hold it, and neither of them could lift the other no matter how late they practiced. Vlad had been exhausted the next day and spent it in the hospital wing, finally meeting the school nurse Madam Pomfrey as he and Ingrid recovered from the faint magical exhaustion they'd given themselves. Ingrid had predictably complained at the taste of replenisher, and Vlad smirked at her typical attitude. The nurse had whispered that she knew what they both were, but her duty was still to take care of any student and they were welcome to come to her with any problems. The first year boys came to visit Vlad, hanging warily around his bed as Ingrid entertained a group of Slytherin boys who turned up bearing gifts for Ingrid. Nothing had changed there then.
When Madam Pomfrey finally chased the visitors away, Vlad managed to catch Ingrid to ask if she thought Quirrell seemed off. Ingrid nodded, saying she was certain he knew what they were and that there was something dark and strange about the man. Ingrid had given him another brief hug, told him he was a maggot and then petted Phantom, who had refused to leave the hospital wing until Vlad felt better much to the consternation of the nurse. Once Phantom decided she liked the nurse and started purring at her, even Madam Pomfrey fell under the spell of his familiars strange cuteness and put down a tray of water for her. The house elves had winked at Vlad when they popped in to bring the Draculas lunch, not alerting the others to the fact they'd met thankfully. Ingrid left for dinner but Vlad, who had less training and spent more time working his unique magics was still feeling tired. Madam Pomfrey allowed his friends to visit for a few minutes even though it wasn't technically visiting hours, letting them bring him his homework and Seamus joking that they'd made his day. She chased them out after, only allowing Harry to stay as Phantom dug her claws into his shoulder and wouldn't let him leave. Harry stayed chatting to him for a while, asking again what on earth the tutor did to Vlad on his nights with him. Vlad joked that he'd tried to do a spell from a third year book he'd borrowed from Ingrid and it had backfired. The nurse managed to shift them both then, telling Vlad to rest properly that night and not overdo it over the weekend.
Soon enough they'd been here a whole month, the whole dorm of first year boys firm friends. Hermione joined them more often now, the girls not seeming very enamoured with the clever muggle-born. She was still quiet, but engaging and bright when they discussed subjects, homework and magic in general. Vlad and Ingrid guested in one of each others classes with Bertrand every month, testing the limits of their resistance. It evidently wasn't magic or vampire specific, as they could both affect any professor or Bertrand. They couldn't test if it was Dracula specific until they returned home for christmas, as nobody wanted to bring Count Dracula to the school. Bertrand would accompany them to Stokely, under strict orders not to bite anyone. Bertrand was content to live on donated blood and whatever it was the house elves made him, though Vlad remembered the time Professor Dumbledore came to check progress and offered the vampire something he called a "blood pop". It looked like a slightly darker strawberry lollipop to Vlad, but the vampire clearly appreciated the taste and thanked the headmaster. The headmaster had chuckled and handed Bertrand a bag full of them, and Vlad couldn't help laughing at the strange, somewhat flamboyantly dressed old man offering a 400 year old vampire tutor a bag of sweets. Ingrid smacked him around the back of the head and told him to sit on a stake, but that was practically affectionate for Ingrid so Vlad smiled and hugged his protesting sister.
Vlad was looking forward to Halloween for the first time in his life, as he wasn't spending the whole time chasing his father to stop him going out hunting breathers. Professor McGonogall had given Vlad a note discreetly, saying that Hogwarts had charmed the Stokely castle not to let anyone in or out on Halloween night, and Vlad knew his father wouldn't go hunting until then with his extensive blood cellar and even more extensive sulking at Vlad being gone. Thanking the professor, Vlad handed in his essay a day early and won a small smile from the stern woman. As October melted away, Vlad let his friends lead him down to the feast. Hermione was nowhere to be seen, and when Vlad asked Harry informed him that Ron and some other Slytherins had been taunting her earlier about her teeth, which Vlad knew were a little long but otherwise perfectly normal. At least hers weren't going to become sharp and hazardous to humans by the time she was sixteen. Neville said he'd heard from Parvati Patil that she was in a girls bathroom crying, and Vlad wanted to go after her but the boys dragged him along, promising they'd all go find her later and bring her some of the Halloween Feast food. Relenting with that promise, Vlad took in the decorations. The candles flickered in different colours, pumpkins floating amongst them with faces ranging from funny to a little creepy and the overhead ceiling that usually replicated the outside sky was thunderous, stormy. For whatever reason there were no vampire or bat decorations, though a few students had costumes on and there were poorly painted faces with fake blood smeared badly round their mouths. Vlad was just settling in to enjoy the many pumpkin flavoured foods to go with his pumpkin juice when the strange DADA professor came zooming through the Great Hall, shouting and ranting before fainting.
"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!" echoed around the cavernous hall, and there was a moment of stunned silence soon followed by screams. Vlad looked far less terrified than everyone else, but then the pale boy was usually a fountain of calm so maybe the terror was internalised. Professor Dumbledore stood up, calling for silence twice before the hall fell silent. "Prefects will lead their Houses back to their dormitories. Teachers will follow me to the dungeons, first to escort the Slytherins safely and then we shall find the intruder." Percy Weasley was leading the Gryffindors out almost instantly, and it wasn't until they were up to the first floor when Harry realised something. Grabbing Vlad and pulling him into an alcove, Harry hissed out "Hermione doesn't know!" Vlad's eyes widened, nodding and leading Harry along. How Vlad knew where they were going was anyones guess, but he seemed to so Harry followed. A terrible smell hit them then, Vlad looking mildly green at the scent. Peering cautiously around the corner, Harry heard the grunt and a scraping sound before seeing a monstrously tall... thing, dragging a heavy club. "I think the troll has left the dungeons. We better get a teacher Vlad!" Vlad shook his head, pointing to the door the troll was entering. "That's the girls bathroom, Hermione is in there!" Cursing under his breath, Harry felt Vlad swat him automatically for bad language, usually reserved for Seamus. That boy had a foul mouth.
There wasn't time for them to run to the dungeons for a teacher, and Harry followed Vlad towards the sound of a girl screaming. They stopped at the door, looking at each other searchingly for a moment. Nodding and receiving one in return, Harry burst through the door and the smell was even worse this close up. The thing was enormous, at least ten feet tall with mottled grey skin, bulging warts and a roughly sewn outfit of what Harry thought were animal skins. They probably didn't help the smell. The club was easily twice the size of Vlad, and currently being swung around viciously. Hermione was crouched beneath a sink, and as soon as she spotted them she screamed for help. Vlad darted over to try and help her out, diving out of the range of the club and his wand fell to the side, rolling away. Vlad managed to get a hand to Hermione, pulling her to safety and shoving her towards the door. "Get help!" Hermione nodded, pale faced and running for help. The troll had spotted the boys now, and Vlad was unarmed. He reached for his wand, but the troll swung again and Vlad had to leap away again. Harry was trying frantically to think of what to do, they were only first years and he knew trolls had thick skin which magic would be tough to pierce through. Vlad tossed a pipe with precision aim, smacking the troll in the temple and it seemed to make it dizzy.
The troll seemed angrier too, waving the club even more wildly and Harry made a split second decision he was bound to regret later. Grabbing the club on the up swing, Harry managed to grab hold around the trolls neck. It felt cold, slimy and Harry could barely breathe but held on for dear life as it realised Harry was there, shaking it's bulbous head to try and shake him off. Harry tried to lift his wand, but met resistance and then the troll was grabbing him and swinging him to hang upside down. "Vlad!" "What do I do?" Harry threw his body upwards, the troll trying to club him at close range now. "Anything!" Harry cried out as he fell down, the blood was rushing to his head and he felt dizzy as his eyes sought out the pale boy. Vlad must have lost it, Harry thought, as he held out his hand and closed his eyes. Harry prepared to throw his body up again as the troll swung, but as he looked up he saw the club hovering in the air. Looking at Vlad, he saw an intense look of concentration. Was Vlad doing that, no wand and no incantation? "Vlad, club it over the head quick!" There was a sickening thud, and Harry felt the grip on his leg lessen. Curling up to avoid cracking his head, Harry scrambled away as the troll swayed before crashing to the ground. Panting heavily, Harry felt Vlad drag him to his feet. "Did you... did you do that without your wand?" Unaware til now it was possible, Vlad paled further. "Don't tell anyone! I've been told off so many times for it already, I'm not supposed to let anyone know I can do that. Please Harry?" The earnest look in Vlad's eyes convinced Harry and he nodded. "Is that how you saved Neville?" Vlad's eyes flashed at the memory before the boy nodded stiffly. "That's why McGonogall dragged me off, to lay into me for 'showing off'. None of them know why I can do it, but that's part of my private lessons. This is between us though, I'll be some kind of freak if anyone finds out!" Harry understood that, Vlad was shy and Harry knew what it was to have people desperate for his attention over something he couldn't even remember doing. Vlad didn't want that, and Harry had the chance to offer him that. "Just between us Vlad. Promise."
Voices sounded outside, and Harry looked around for his wand, finding it jammed up the trolls nose. There was a thick, grey and gluey substance when he pulled it free, and Harry gestured for Vlad to retrieve his wand quickly. Wiping the goo off his wand on the trolls coat, Harry stood next to Vlad and realised they were both covered in dust, water and even a few scratches where ceramic and wood had splintered around them. Vlad's scratches were a little darker, and Harry wondered if he was more severely injured than he looked. He didn't have time to dwell on it as Hermione appeared, leading a group of teachers to them. The teachers were all speechless as they took in the sight, two tiny students next to the enormous, unconscious troll. "What on earth is going on here?" Professor McGonogall was the first to regain speech, anger and panic still ringing in her voice. Harry didn't know what to say without letting out Vlad's secret. "It's my fault professor." "Miss Granger?" Looking at Hermione in surprise, Harry caught Professor Snape standing oddly, favouring one leg over the other and there was a flash of torn fabric and blood before the cloak swished around it, finding the professor glaring hotly at him. "I've read about trolls, I thought I could handle it. I was wrong. Harry distracted the troll, and Vlad got me out and sent me for help." Vlad stepped in then, Harry still unsure what to say. "Harry grabbed it, giving me time to levitate the club and hit it over the head. I'm sorry we disobeyed the rules however, but I'm not sorry we saved Hermione." Hermione shot them both a wide smile then, and Harry felt the same intense friendship bond between them. Near death experiences seemed to augment friendships it seemed. "Be that as it may, it was extremely foolish of all of you. Five points from Gryffindor for lack of judgement Miss Granger." Hermione hung her head, having never lost Gryffindor points before. "As for you two gentlemen, you are unbelievably lucky to be alive. Grown men would have lost battle with this creature. Five points each, for sheer dumb luck!"
Professor McGonogall turned to the teachers again then. "Professors, kindly go and check on the students, inform them dinner will be continued in the common rooms for tonight. Miss Granger, off to the hospital wing with you please, I will be along with these two in a moment." Hermione dashed off, clearly not wanting to risk getting in more trouble as the teachers followed at a more sedate pace. Professor Quirrell hung back, eyeing up the troll. As the DADA professor, it made sense Harry supposed. "Mr Potter, you can leave too." Vlad stepped forwards then. "Harry knows, the troll knocked my wand away and Harry would have died if I didn't!" THe professor scanned them both closely then, and Harry wondered how far Vlad's 'secret' went as neither teacher seemed surprised at Vlad's speech. "Very well. Have you impressed the importance of keeping your... skills a secret?" Vlad nodded rapidly, and Harry was quick to add "Vlad asked me not to tell anyone, and we're friends. I won't betray him, I promise." "Very well Mr Potter. Ten points for true values. Now, let us go get you two cleaned and patched up, Professor Quirrell will deal with the... visitor." Harry was quick to follow the professor, nudging Vlad's shoulder affectionately as they headed to the hospital wing. They were both given more food than they could possibly eat between the three of them, and Vlad had to go and get checked for more magical exhaustion and came back with all his cuts and scrapes healed. A house elf appeared to take their clothes for cleaning and repairing, and Vlad seemed especially grateful he wouldn't have to explain to his grandmother they were ruined.
The three headed up to the common room in casual clothes the elves had brought them in place of their uniforms, being met with cheers and demands for the stories. The Weasley twins clapped them all on the backs, calling them "true tiny Gryffs" and sneaking them another bag of contraband snacks for their dorm later. Vlad picked at his food, uncomfortable with all the attention and Harry forced his own discomfort away to protect him by giving everyone a dramatic retelling of when the troll had been knocked out, rather than the exact lead up to it. Vlad had given him a brief hug and mumbled thank you later on, and Harry felt a strange glow of warmth in spite of Vlad's cool body temperature. Harry had done that, not Harry Potter the boy who lived, just Harry and his friend. He understood more why Vlad didn't want his secret getting out, and Harry resolved to protect Vlad as much as Vlad had protected him. That's what friends are for. Hermione hugged them both, and thanked them profusedly for saving her life. Harry thanked her for lying to protect them, winking and pointing out Hermione was willing to bend the rules. "Only for a good cause, don't get used to it Potter!" Harry smiled, returning to his ice cream and laughing as Vlad washed down pumpkin pie with pumpkin juice. "Vladdo, you'll turn into a pumpkin I swear!" Seamus appeared then, handing Vlad more juice regardless. Vlad thanked him quietly, returning to his dessert and then curling up in a chair near the fire with a book on magical creatures. Harry asked why, and Vlad had smiled up at him. "Just in case we end up in more trouble again, better know what we're fighting." Vlad skipped over the chapter on vampires, mumbling about learning enough of that in his private tutor sessions and Harry thought nothing more of it.
-YDHP-
I realise this is a chapter spanning almost two months in one go, but in all fairness garlic all happens during the interim between early classes and Halloween. There won't be any more chronic jumps for a while, promise.
Read, enjoy, review! :)