Not my characters.
To my guest reviewer - yes I am slightly evil! To the two who mailed me but guessed wrong, thanks for trying!
To the rest of you, thanks for waiting? Hehe.
On we go!
-YDHP-
"Harry?" Vlad tried to prompt him gently, but Harry felt like the bottom of his world had fallen out. "He's my grandfather? He killed my mother! His daughter! I'm... I'm related to him!" He kept staring at the bloodline map, the explanations of how Parseltongue skipped generations, how it could only be an inherited characteristic. "I'm sorry there was no easier way to break the news to you." Bertrand was calm, far calmer than Harry thought anyone should be. "Who else knows this?" "Just the people in this room. I swear it. This knowledge could only be put together by someone with access to both vampire blood magic books, and magical history. I'm fairly unique in that regard. I only told Vladimir as I needed a perspective on whether or not you should know. Vladimir felt guilty for hiding such things, I see that now." Harry thought he should be more upset Vlad knew and hid this from him, but the look on his friends pale face was pure guilt - he had clearly been punishing himself for it.
"Seamus was right, I am secretly a Slytherin." "No you aren't. You are a good person, with a good heart. Not that I think Slytherin don't" Harry was reminded of Ingrid "but the sorting hat put you in Gryffindor. And Lily doesn't call you a snake, and that bundle of sarcasm can tell a Slytherin a mile off." Vlad had a good point, Lily called Snape and Ingrid snakes but never him. "I guess. I don't really know what to do. How do I deal with this? Voldemort wants me dead. Do you think he knows?" Vlad sat down and called out for Nimmy. "Yes Mister Vlad?" Vlad asked Nimmy to bring Severus and tea, much to Harry's amusement. The elf was back with a tea tray before the potions professor was knocking the door, looking around in confusion at the scene before him. "Who sent my personal elf to collect me like a dog playing fetch?" Vlad raised his hand, a hint of a cheeky grin over his teacup. "That would be me."
Harry was perplexed, sipping his tea mechanically. "How does this answer my question?" "Because Severus Snape knows more about him than I do." Vlad was looking apologetic now, draining his cup and placing it down. "Bertrand didn't tell me, and Ingrid knows too. I recognised the same twist in your magic as Lucius Malfoy - you're marked by something and from what Draco told me, it's from Voldemort isn't it sir?" The Potions professor did not look anything but angry, but Vlad seemed relatively calm considering he was looking death in the face by reputation. "That's a powerful accusation Mr Dracula." "I'm not accusing you of anything. I asked you here because I trust you." That caught them all a little short, especially Snape. "Trust me for what?" "Harry, I need to tell him to ask him." Vlad was begging Harry to trust his judgement, it was clear in his face. "Don't make me regret trusting you Dracula."
"Bertrand looked into Harry's Parseltongue ability, and he found something that has deeply disturbed Harry." Snape finally sat down, after conjuring up a straight backed deep green armchair for himself. Vlad handed over the 'family tree' and it was clear in the mans face when he reached the pertinent point. "Well, that's a revelation. I trust you are certain in this?" Bertrand nodded, sipping at a deep red goblet that Harry presumed must be blood. Out of everything coming out right now, that didn't really bother him. "Harry wanted to know if Voldemort could have known, and as much as I wish not to bring it up, you are the only person here to have ever spoken to the man. Presumably you changed sides, or Professor Dumbledore has some serious questions to answer." "I'm half tempted to give you detention for your blunt and inelegant words, but yes, you are correct. Harry's mother was a good friend of mine, a very good friend. Not that way Mr Potter, kindly stop gaping." Harry closed his mouth, clutching his mug tighter.
"My childhood was not a pleasant one, and I sought solace in the dark arts - they had no judgement other than power. Lily tried to move me away from that, but your father and his friends committed themselves to making my entire existence miserable. By the time Voldemort was rising to power, recruiting, my mother was dead and my friends in Slytherin were joining up. I didn't see the point in denying what was clearly a viable option for me. When I realised it wasn't what I envisioned, it was already too late to turn back. It was a very no returns policy deal. Eventually, when I learned Lily was to be killed, I went to Albus and asked him to save them. He tried, but there was a betrayal, I don't know who by. And yet, somehow you survived." Bertrand didn't look hugely surprised, but the vampire may simply be a good actor. "Draco knows of this, but nobody else. If a word ever leaves this room I will not hesitate to obliviate you and deny any knowledge of such things."
"Of course professor. Thank you for returning our trust." Harry had no idea how Vlad could even speak, he was in a state of almost pure shock. "However, that doesn't answer Harry's question. Do you think he knows about Harry being his grandson?" "He did not share with his followers unless he felt it pertinent or he was bragging. Lily was the heart of goodness, you would never know her father was so twisted with hate and anger. And to my knowledge, your mother was muggleborn. Her parents are long dead, there would be no way to find out how such things came to be. That being said, I think he may have had an inclination towards you Mr Potter. There were two boys he was to go after that night, and he chose you first." Looking up in surprise, Harry still didn't quite know what had happened that night. "So he was after me, and my parents were just what, collateral damage?" "To the dark Lord, anyone was expendable. He tortured and even killed his own followers as much as anyone else, simply for bringing bad news or because he was bored."
"He sounds charming. Can't wait to meet him again." Vlad was chewing on a biscuit, a casual observer with his tutor as Harry and Snape glued pieces of the past together to find truth. "How do you mean, again?" "Well he's still out there, we know that much. And he's still after Harry, again a given. And Harry is my best friend, if anyone tried to hurt him I'd be right there in the way like the irritating Gryffindor I am. Or at least, that's what Ingrid calls me." Harry couldn't help but chuckle, warmed by Vlad steadfastly swearing to stick by him in spite of everything. "Yes, well that may be but I don't envision him turning up anytime soon. Now if you'll excuse me from this over emotional room of nostalgia, I have first years potion essays to grade. The torture never ends." Snape stood, bidding them good afternoon and promising to chop Vlad up for potions ingredients if he continued taking liberties with Nimmy. "Understood Professor, good day."
"I didn't expect so much information surrounding the answer to your question, but wow." Harry nodded dumbly at him, taking the tea Vlad offered. He was still processing it all himself, he couldn't imagine how tough it must be on Harry to be learning all of this in one fell swoop. "I don't know how to take it all in. How to face everyone else now I know this." "Doesn't have to change anything. You are you, and you are not evil. If you need someone to talk to, you have me. I know you are more than the sum of your parts, and I don't believe genetics are everything." Harry was still looking anxious and overwhelmed, and Bertrand pushed a vial into Vlad's hand. "Calming draught, Severus thought he might need it." Nodding up at his tutor in thanks, Vlad opened the stopper and held it out to Harry. "Drink this Harry." He drunk almost mechanically, and Vlad watched as the tension seemed to leak out of him. Dim resignation seemed to take his friend then, looking down at his hands blankly.
"What if the evil in him is in me?" Thinking of the darkness churning inside him deep down, Vlad had to believe what he was saying as much for his own sake as Harry's. "Do you feel evil?" "No." "Would you ever turn bad?" "I don't know, I don't think so but I don't feel I can be definite anymore." Lifting Harry's face to meet his eyes, Vlad was struck with a deep, soul-deep desire to protect the green eyed wizard. "I know you won't. Trust me to know if you aren't sure? I am the nerdy one after all." A smile ghosted over Harry's face then, and Vlad felt a hint of triumph. "I guess." "Come on, lets get back to the dorm. Phantom and Lily will cheer you up. And there's cake. Plus that Herbology essay you didn't finish yesterday. Nothing has to change here, ok?" Harry nodded, his eyes a little desperate. "Right." "Harry, would you mind waiting outside for a moment? I just need to speak to Vlad, he will be right along." Vlad shrugged to his friends questioning look, no clue himself what Bertrand wanted.
The wizard stood, looking a little blank still but moving through the door. As soon as it closed, Vlad turned to look at his tutor. "What?" "Did you feel that?" "Feel what?" Vlad had a feeling he knew what the vampire was talking about, but wasn't about to admit it. "The spark between you and the wizard boy." "We're a little young for that, sexuality isn't even on my radar yet." He couldn't deny it, and that worried him. "That's irrelevant. He doesn't even know you're a vampire yet, but if you're recognising him as your mate, that's relevant." "Its not like that. And there hasn't ever been a case of a vampire mate not being another vampire. So it's impossible. Now I need to go, Harry needs me. Stop looking at me like that, I'll see you for our session tomorrow." "Bring Harry." Bertrand's time brokered no argument, so Vlad nodded and hurried away from the knowing look on his face.
"What was that about?" Vlad jumped at Harry's voice, almost forgetting he was waiting. "Just reminding me of my tutoring session, and telling me to bring you. No clue why." Harry shrugged, following Vlad to the tower silently. "Where were you guys? Harry looks like he's had the life sucked out of him." That comment from Draco made Vlad's skin crawl, but he pushed the feeling aside. "Hospital wing, he felt sick. I think she overdid the nausea potion, he seems a little drowsy." Madam Pomfrey was bound not to say anything, doctor patient privilege and all that so she was a good lie. "You can say that again, looks like Phantom could knock him down." Vlad steered Harry to his bed, plying him with cake and scooping his familiar off the floor. "Let him eat first, then you can harrass him." Phantom mewled unhappily, but licked Vlad's face anyway.
Once Harry had chewed on the cake, Vlad dumped Phantom in his lap and smiled as Harry stroked the midnight black fur. He realised he may be acting a little overbearing, ignoring the sparks in his chest to take care of Harry and dropping into his usual spot on the floor with his books. The conversation returned to homework, and Harry eventually joined them even if he was almost silent. Neville, sat next to Harry, didn't push his friend to speak and Vlad wanted to hug Neville in thanks but it may have been a little strange as behaviour. Scowling to himself and focusing on his work, Vlad didn't believe Bertrand. There was no way his tutor was right. He was done with his essays by the time Draco and Neville declared it dinner time, so he shoved his books away and dislodged Phantom from Harry's shoulder. "Come on, let him eat and then you can be a furry pain in the neck." The others went on ahead, so Vlad was left to nudge a still slightly drugged Harry into following them down. Harry stood and dragged Vlad into a hug, hesitantly returned even though he felt joyous at Harry voluntarily hugging him. "Thanks Vlad, you're a good friend." Harry smiled as he turned to leave, and Vlad wanted to hit Bertrand for bringing up anything but friendship between the two twelve year olds. Not that it was true, it was impossible.
-YDHP-
Not sure how happy I am with this chapter, I feel like maybe too much happened but hey, it's all gotta go somewhere!