Not my characters.

So, to be perfectly honest my dear readers, I'm not struggling on where this is going, but I am terrible at bridging the gaps so if some of the chapters are a bit terrible (or a lot terrible) I am sorry.

On we go!

-YDHP-

"Phantom! Get back here you little menace!" was not what Vlad expected to wake up to. Rubbing at his eyes and squinting into the dorm, he spotted Draco chasing his familiar who was holding his sock hostage. "You little furball, you're getting hair on my clothes!" Harry and Neville were trying to help catch the little terror, but Phantom was smart and fast. Hoping the element of surprise would help, Vlad waited until she was about to bolt past his bed again and scooped her up. Yanking the sock and tossing it to his dorm mate, Vlad clamped his hands tighter around the black bundle of mischief. "Morning guys, I see Phantom is being her usual adorable self?" Draco replied with a few swear words Vlad was more inclined to think his godfather had taught him, brushing the black hair from his black sock.

"Sorry Vlad, did we wake you?" "Don't worry about it Neville, I'm usually awake earlier. Don't want to lose my excellent sleep pattern." Yawning into his hand and grabbing his clothes, Vlad stood under the shower and let the water make him feel more alert. Harry teased him for magically straightening his clothes out after magically drying his hair, saying magic made Gryffindor boys more vain. "So you won't mind if I do this then?" Vlad waved his wand, mumbling the spell under his breath and the boys fell about laughing as Harry's hair turned green and his jumper silver. "There's a difference between vanity and dangerous, I'm not sure I'm safe in slytherin colours!" Taking pity on his friend, Vlad changed his hair blue and his jumper yellow. "Now you can't complain. Breakfast anyone?" Harry scowled but followed them down, the Gryffindor table breaking out in giggles and Vlad kept his face innocent when their head of house appeared.

"No idea professor, may be Harry just wanted to feel brighter." McGonogall clearly didn't believe him, but pursed her lips and nodded before waving her wand and reversing the changes. "So, aside from Vlad wanting to do homework for fun, any weekend plans?" "Visit Hagrid, maybe the elves. Assuming we can surgically remove Vlad and Hermione from the library between meal times." Both he and Hermione tossed toast at Harry for that, ducking their heads and focusing intently on their breakfast when the head table turned eyes on them. "We should do homework until lunch, then we can see Hagrid in the afternoon, hit the elves before curfew after dinner and then tomorrow we can hide up in the dorm and finish our work."

"Sounds good Vlad, I second the Dracula. Potter?" "You got it Malfoy. Milady Granger?" Hermione chuckled, shaking her head at their antics but nodding in agreement. Downing the last of his juice, Vlad could feel Bertrand's eyes on him. The vampire had asked if Vlad had told Harry what they knew, and Vlad felt guilty for holding back such knowledge from what was easily his best friend. He had made a copy of Bertrand's research, so he could prove it if he found the nerve to tell Harry. Shaking the thoughts away, Vlad followed his friends to the library - the only one with a magically expanded backpack, so he carried everyone's parchment and quills with ease. The four of them settled around a table, and smiled when Neville joined them later. He and Hermione helped Neville with his Potions essay - while the man acted very little differently, the three Gryffindor boys visiting him had eventually convinced him to stop berating Neville with every breath. Now it was just every few breaths.

When the librarian, who loitered around but left them to work as long as they were quiet and not damaging the books, informed them it was lunch, they agreed to finish homework for the day so long as tomorrow was spent on it - much to Harry and Nevilles consternation. After lunch Vlad scooped a rogue Phantom from the head table, where she was trying to steal a chicken sandwich from Professor Lockhart, and joining his friends to walk down to Hagrids hut. Hagrid welcomed them all, ushering the second years onto his enormous sofa and offering them all bucket sized mugs of tea. It was amusing to see Hagrid stroke Phantom, as his palm was bigger than her whole body but his touch gentle and welcomed by her. "No snake 'Arry?" "Nah, Lily is due to shed or something so she sleeps a lot lately." Hagrid nodded, offering Phantom a piece of meat and using his other hand to stop Fang from drooling over the tiny furball.

Happily fed now, Phantom curled up to nap in her usual spot in Vlad's backpack. "So anythin' excitin goin on with ye kids this year?" Sharing a look with his friends, though they hadn't yet decided to tell Hermione about their suspicions towards Ginny, Vlad replied negative and started talking about homework. "What about you Hagrid?" "Summat 'as been killin chickens, its weird. Not much to tell other then tha'." Had his father been anywhere near Hogwarts, Vlad would have been less surprised. But as he knew Bertrand had access to blood, and Ingrid was too young and wouldn't lower herself to chicken blood, Vlad wondered what would be killing chickens. The question haunted his mind all through dinner, which was a joke somewhere as he saw chicken breasts on a plate. Though his friends who had been at Hagrids avoided them too.

Filling up on fruit pie after dinner, they waited until the hall was half empty before heading down to the kitchens and chatting with the elves. They squeaked and bowed profusely when thanked again for helping take care of Lily and Phantom, hurrying to ply Vlad - or at least his backpack - with a pile of food and a note. When they got back to the tower, Vlad went up to the dorm to dump Phantom on Harry's bed in case Lily was lonely and hunted through the bag. Luckily the elves wrapped anything messy so their homework was safe, piled on the table to be sorted later. The note he had been slipped was a spell to keep food fresh or warm, no doubt the elves noticed the second years had a tendency to stockpile and hide in their room to work. Stashing the note in his bag again so it wouldn't get the elves in trouble, Vlad went to sorting out who's scroll was who's as his dorm mates and Hermione appeared. "Just came to get my homework, Ginny isn't feeling herself so I'm going to go try to cheer her up."

After the girl left and Neville went to shower after knocking a bottle of ink over his lap (Vlad felt guilty for moving the ink into his path but needed the boy to leave for a minute) he turned to his friends. "So, do we tell Hermione or not?" "After tomorrow, lets see what she thinks of Ginny after tonight." The other two nodded in agreement, and they were casually discussing Herbology by the time anyone joined them again. They kept quiet through breakfast, as Neville wasn't 'in the know' yet either. Vlad and Harry both agreed they trusted Neville enough to bring him in, so they waited until Seamus and Dean left for the library and Hermione to leave Ginny in the capable if questionable hands of her twin brothers.

"So, how is Ginny doing?" Vlad tried to broach the subject gently, waiting to gauge her reaction and eyeing her face carefully. "She's ok I guess, still really quiet and she keeps staring into space." "Its a figure of speech Draco, not an Astronomy lesson." Their friend closed his mouth, waiting to hear the rest. "Did she seem off to you? Like, carrying something around with her?" Hermione took a minute but nodded. "I just assumed it was being a Gryffindor after the Weasleys had a slytherin blip in Ron - No offence to your sister, I'm sure Ingrid is a wonderful person. But now you mention it, there is something off." "She walked past me the other night, and whatever it was making her look super zombie like was in the air enough that Phantom felt it." Neville was quiet, realising he was involved in this now but had no information to volunteer.

"So you think there's something dark affecting Ginny?" "I don't know, I'm hesitant to accuse our friends sister of playing with dark magic but I just think there might be something going on. We all agreed to just keep an eye on her for now. You game Hermione, Neville?" The two nodded back, and they quietly discussed how to keep watch without being creepy, and agreed not to tell anyone else or it would seem like a conspiracy against the youngest Weasley. And nobody wanted to be on the wrong side of Fred and George - life was much easier with them on side. "Right, now thats out of the way we can get stuck into homework. Harry, stop sulking." Chuckling at Draco scolding Harry, Vlad pulled out his books and parchment, kicked Phantom out so she wouldn't steal the cake and pastries and the dorm went relatively quiet as they worked. Digging through his trunk for an extra Herbology book, he flicked through to the section on mandrakes - that was their next subject with Professor Sprout.

"Vlad? Where are you going?" "I just realized I got one of Ingrids books by mistake, I'm going to go find Professor Snape so I can trade it back." Shoving a Transylvanian History cover over his Herbology book, Vlad hurried out of the dorm. This was the issue with variations in curriculums, Ingrid may have skipped the mandrake lessons but Vlad had no such luck, and no clue if Professor Sprout was aware of that. "Mandrake seedlings cannot kill with their cry, though vampires are said to be vulnerable to them regardless and should avoid contact." Forcing himself to walk at a normal pace to Bertrands quarters, Vlad knocked on the door. He was somewhat surprised when the door opened, stepping through to find Professor Snape with his tutor. "Hello sir. Apologies for interrupting your afternoon chat, but I may have a problem and needed to check with Bertrand before tomorrow."

The potions professor nodded, going back to whatever it was he was reading in Bertrands company. "What is it Vlad?" Holding out his book, Vlad waited for Bertrand to find the issue. "Ah." "That's my Herbology lesson tomorrow, am I going to die before I'm really dead?" "You're untransformed, but Ingrid didn't have to take this class as they weren't able to procure them her second year. Apologies Severus, I need to consult with the headmaster. I'll return shortly." Barely stopping himself raising an eyebrow at the first name basis, Vlad quickly told the head of slytherin the lie he'd given his friends. "I will corroborate should Draco ask, now go away." Shaking his head at being ordered out of someone else's quarters, Vlad followed Bertrand to the headmasters office. "Good day gentlemen, how can I help you on this lovely day?" Blinking colours out of his eyes at Dumbledore's bright purple robes, Vlad let Bertrand explain. "I see. Professor Sprout will have to be informed, but do go along to your class tomorrow Vladimir, it would be immensely suspicious if you didn't. By then Pomana will know to keep you out of contact and protected from the mandrakes. I trust you won't struggle with keeping up the written work?" "I should manage, I can always get a verbatim of the class from Hermione." The headmaster chuckled, nodding and dismissing Vlad.

Bertrand walked part way back with him, the corridors empty on a Sunday morning - Quidditch tryouts had been delayed because Professor Lockhart had accidentally unleashed several angry creatures on the pitch and they hadn't all been accounted for yet, so no Quidditch to get people awake at the weekends. "Did you hear that?" Turning to his tutor, who was staring at the blank wall oppposite, Vlad trusted the superior senses. "Hear what?" "Listen." Closing his eyes and trying to let his senses work better, Vlad caught a feeling of... something pass them. It wasn't like a ghost walking through him, it was darker, deadlier. The feeling vanished quickly, and he and Bertrand looked at each other. "I didn't hear anything, but I definitely felt something." "Hmm. Best keep this to ourselves for now, I'll see what the castle has to tell me when everyone's asleep tonight." His tutor squeezed Vlad on the shoulder, saying they would see each other tomorrow for his session and bidding him good day. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about your new friend." "Don't get cheeky with me Dracula." Bertrands mouth twitched at the corner, raising into a half smile as Vlad waved him off. Trying to shake off the feeling of darkness he had felt, Vlad pulled the cover off his book and went back to the tower.

Whether or not it was any of his business, Harry was officially worried about Vlad. Aside from the strangeness they were keeping watch on with Ginny, the tougher homework and school work now they were second years and his extra sessions with Bertrand he sometimes looked completely exhausted after, there was something else weighing on his friend. He was even acting a little strangely, disappearing mid study session to see Professor Snape about a book - he could have shared theirs. He came back looking cheery enough though, so Harry left him to it while they worked. He wouldn't badger Vlad in front of the others anyway. They took a break for lunch, though Vlad and Hermione continued reading over their food.

"You guys are crazy." "You said that last year, until exam season when you suddenly wanted our help and reading expertise." Vlad grinned over his book at Harry, somehow reading about poisonous substances and having no trouble eating his chicken and mushroom pie. "Not the point, I don't know how your brains don't need a break. Geeky Gryffindors, you two belong in Ravenclaw." "Nah, the hat knew you would need us to save your neck a few times here and there." Flicking peas at Vlad and resuming his lunch, Harry waited until they were heading back to the dorm. Tugging Vlad's sleeve into a side hallway on the second floor and waiting until the students dispersed, Harry saw his friend looking at him strangely. "Something is bothering you alot, and I want to know what it is. Don't lie to me Vlad, please. We're friends aren't we?"

He could see a war behind his friends eyes, knowing exactly what Harry meant but clearly against saying what it was. "Fine. But first I need to check something, wait here for a minute." Vlad ducked into the nearest empty room, closing the door behind him. He thought he heard a crack like house elf magic but he couldn't be sure, and Vlad came out a minute later. "Follow me. I promise I'm not trying to hide anything." Trusting his friend, Harry followed him along. They passed the girls bathroom Hermione had said no girl liked using, apparently it was haunted by a noisy girl ghost, and both boys shuddered. "You feel that?" "Must be super haunted, lets get going." The two of them quickened their pace, and Harry vaguely recognised the route to Vlad's tutors rooms. Vlad knocked tentatively, and Bertrand opened the door.

"He has a right to know." Whatever Vlad knew, Bertrand was in on it as that was all he needed to hear to invite them in. "Right to know what? What's going on?" Vlad looked saddened as he and his tutor pulled out parchment, a book that looked ancient and another book that looked dark and evil. "I swear, I've been trying to work out how to tell you but it was never a good time." "Tell me what?" "After it transpired you were gifted with Parseltongue, I took it upon myself to learn more about it. I'm over four hundred, I study many things." That in itself wasn't worrying, but Harry knew there was more to come and Vlad still looked mildly terrified. "And I'm guessing you found something I'm not going to like the sound of?" "I thought so, and when I shared the information with Vlad after a great deal of nagging and persuasion, he agreed. However, before I share it with you it is worth pointing out that Vlad has not stopped being your friend, remember this doesn't change who you are." Nodding and bracing himself, anxious worry thick in his throat, Harry watched as Bertrand laid two books open side by side, followed by a piece of parchment from Vlad. Scanning the information in order, Harry was in disbelief. "Are you sure? This is for real?" "I wouldn't have even considered telling you if I didn't trust Bertrand researching something completely. The only person I would rate above Hermione there." Harry wanted to laugh, but he was crushed beneath the realisation of what they were showing him.

"Fuck."

-YDHP-

I know, I'm evil. Enjoy!

And if you have a guess at what's coming up, you can mail it to me and receive confirmation if you like!