Warning: This story contains SLASH!(male x male) If you have problems with this I suggest that you don't read this story. Also warning for blood, violence, mentions of child abuse,slight angst, possible m-preg (still undecided) and Bella-bashing.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter nor Twilight, everything you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowling and Stephanie Meyer. Except for the tormentor, he belongs to me.

A/N:This is IMPORTANT! I have decided to change a few facts in my story, so don't get to confused, for I don't think I will go back and rewrite it in the previouse chapters. I'm too lazy for that :P The snake is NO LONGER a butter corn, but a BLACK VIPER only a lot bigger and more aggresive. She has also gotten a new name (I wasn't that happy with the last one), and she is now called Ebony.

"Blah" - speak

§Blah§ - Pharseltounge

'Blah' – thoughts + spells

Blah – Flashback (signs before and after)

Black and Bronze

Chapter 4: Return of a distant fear

It was quiet in the halls, the classrooms were closed and the lessons were all in session, it was almost so deserted that you expected that desert shrub from the western movies to roll across the place. A few slips of papers laid strewn all over the floor. But the peace did not last for long, the quick taps of feet hitting floor indicated that someone was running, trying to make it to the class.

Harry was silently cursing, it had taken longer than expected to make the way back to the school, and even longer to find the correct building. Now he was late for his biology class, and would have all eyes upon him when he entered.

Not that he wasn't used to that, after his Hogwarts years. After the war everyone stared at him even more if it was at all possible. He learned to ignore them, but he always became self conscious. Only because he was used to people staring and pointing at him didn't mean that he had to like, or even enjoy it, in fact he hated it. Hated it with every fiber of his being.

As predicted, as soon as the door opened everyone looked up from their books and zeroed in on him. Harry tried his best to look unaffected, and managed it quite well. Many turned to their partner and started to whisper, loud enough for him to hear, but one who didn't was a guy in the back. Harry immediately recognized him as one of the Cullens, the bronze haired one. The teacher, one mr Banner, threw an annoyed look in class' direction before turning to him.

"Mr. Potter, I presume? I hope it isn't a habit of yours to be late for class, it is not very smart. Your lucky there is just one seat open after Ms Swan dropped out," he gestured to the empty seat next to the Cullen guy. "Next to Mr Cullen then, in the back."

As soon as Harry got a book and had the slip with all the teachers signatures on back, he turned to class and made his way to the back. At least he didn't have to present himself in front of the class, he mused. This teacher seemed rather good at the moment, better than the English teacher at least.

He dropped his bag next to the chair and sat down, opened the biology book on assigned page and listened as Mr Banner continued with his review. He was very aware of the pair of eyes watching him. It was a bit alarming, the way Cullens gaze was fixed, it was near inhumane. Harry sneaked a quick look to the boy beside him, golden eyes looked back. The wizard turned his eyes back to the front. What was with this guy? The look in his eyes was so strange, he couldn't decipher it, which was a rare thing. Usually Harry was able to read people pretty easily. Why would Cullen be any different.

He was very good looking, Harry had admit. He may even be able to go as far as to call him sexy. As he began to pay more attention to the boy who was to be his partner in this class for the rest of the year, he noticed a lot of things; his straight posture, the stiffness in his neck, the way he was breathing, an almost nonexistent amount, and the fact that Harry could not hear a heartbeat.

Golden eyes... No heartbeat... Inhuman beauty...

Harry went rigid in his seat. A vampire... Here... It couldn't be possible, not here, of all places. He couldn't deal with this one more time. Enthralling, cold laughter was ringing in his ears. The memories were resurfacing... They were to close.

"It's a shame I am not allowed to do more, I could make you beg for the ever burning flames of hell. It would be so...easy."

He had to get a grip of himself. He couldn't lose it here.

'...Don't lose it, Harry...'

He could feel the gaze of the vampire. He was looking again, and Harry had stop himself from hyperventilating. One of them was one, maybe the rest of the so-called family were also...? If they were... He wouldn't be able to stay here. It would be to hard, to painful. This trip oversea was supposed to help him heal, recover. But if there was vampires here he would find anything but recovery.

It was difficult to destroy a vampire with magic, especially if the vampire in question is old. They produce a kind of shield after a certain age that protects them against most spells, they aren't even aware of it. The only thing that can penetrate the protection is really dark magic, something Harry rarely used, as it was extremely addictive. It was what gave Voldemort his crimson eyes. The eyes of a hungry vampire.

The vampire seemed to have noticed his discomfort, for he turned his eyes away at last. But Harry was still unable to relax, memories haunted his mind and he was close to break down. Why did everything happen to him?

There was less than five minutes left of the class when the vampire had decided to talk. If it was possible Harry went even stiffer.

"Hi, you're Harry, right? My name is Edward," the voice was not like the one haunting him, it was still velvet-like, but it lacked all the malice."Thank you for standing up for my mother earlier, you didn't have to do that."

Just then the bell rang, signaling that the lesson was over. Harry was quick in taking his stuff and getting up to leave. He turned back to the vampire, Edward, and responded as unemotionally as he could before walking out of the classroom in a haste. "You have better stay away from me."

He left a confused and hurt vampire behind.

The rest of the day went by in a blur, Harry was close to call in sick a couple of times, but managed to resist it. It would just cause questions later. The haunting memories stayed in his mind for the rest of the day, and it was impossible to rid of them. Draco had wanted him to talk to a psychologist, to help him get over the treatment he had received during his captivity. But Harry was not crazy, he didn't need to talk to a shrink about it. He could solve his problems on his own, and he would. He just hadn't expected that a part of those memories would seek him out in school, or there to be a vampire in his class - or classes, for he showed up in PE too, along with two of the siblings- to trigger them.

He entered his home to the sight of a half ruined living room. There was claw marks all over the big couch, one of the speakers were on the floor och several pictures were broken. The cubs had apparently had a fun day, and he felt a bit sorry for Ebony who had to watch them. By the looks of it, it had not been an easy task today. He would surprise her with something special for the effort, as she would expect nothing less from him after a day that should have tired her out so.

He was interrupted from his thoughts when something knocked into his legs. A quick look down confirmed that it was Syria who had come to greet him. She let out a small whine and rubbed against his leg when she didn't get a response for her attempt. Harry let out a chuckle and crouched down to her own level, scratching her behind her ears, a thing he had learned she greatly enjoyed.

"What have you and your brother done to the room? Hm...?" He mumbled . "Did you have fun destroying our things?"

Syria let out a whimper-like whine, believing that Harry was angry with her. She backed away from him a few steps, lied down on her tummy and put her little paws over her face in shame. It was a cute position, but it tore a little at Harry's heart. He took a careful step forward and scoped her up from the floor and snuggled her carefully in his arms, like he would to Teddy. Syria rubbed her head against his chest in affection. He could see Serga peeping out behind the corner to the kitchen. Being just a few month old, they were still babies.

Sometimes it was hard to remember that these two lively, and loving cubs had been the same growling and frightful creatures glaring at him from within the small cage, all hurt and bloodied. It had been difficult to take care of them in the beginning, before they had allowed him to come near enough to bath them.

They had been hurt in their short lives, just like him.

Dinner was a silent affair, and not because Harry was alone, no, the cubs and Ebony always dined with him. Not at the table of course, but they had assigned spots at the floor. Serga was happily munching down his pair of chipmunks, as usual, but Syria, on the other hand, barely touched her food, she was still upset about the mess in the living room, even though it had all been easily repaired within a couple of minutes.

Harry was depressed. Shortly before starting preparing the meal, he had been hit with another memory.

He was back in the battle. Right in the middle of it with spells flying in all directions. It was before the big confrontation with Voldemort. Ron had fallen just moments before, which had been long expected since after Hermione's death three weeks earlier. Harry was covered in blood and filth, sweat gathering at his brows and dropping from his chin. The battle had been going on for over two hours, and he was tired... so very tired... His bones ached. A being came towards him from the left. One with red eyes... A vampire. One he recognized. It was him. Achaius. His 'care taker' and tormentor.

He was broken out of his dispirited mind by the elegant hissing words from Ebony, who had slithered up to the small table.

§Master is very quiet. Something bothering has happened. Whatever could it be, to make him this brooding?§

Harry took a look at the black snake before giving her a half-smile. His hand ventured to her head to scratch under her chin absentmindedly, as he sought out a respond.

Was it bothering that vampires went to his school? Even though they fed on other factors, if their eyes were any incantation? The answer was very simple;yes it did. After his time spent with Achaius, all vampires terrefied him. He had no doubt that if he was to meet a boggart it would turn into one. Or even worse, it would turn into Achaius. Harry's biggest fear, after all, were for Achaius to find him here. It was no secret that the vampire had escaped the law thanks to his superiors.

He turned back to the snake, who still awaited his response. Harry managed to give her a very weak smile.

§There is no need for you to worry, my dear. I was merely lost in painful memories. I saw a vampire in school. I was simply not prepared for it.§ He hissed softly.

Saying out loud made it final, somehow. He had not been prepared. How could he not have been prepared? He, Harry, who had been training mercilessly under Moody for the last three years. It seemed nearly impossible for him to not have been ready for something like this. He should have been prepared for anything and everything, that was his job. A life time job that he would never be rid of. The wizarding world will soon have new problems, and they would try to locate him so that he can go and sort it all out for them.

But would he really do it? Harry wasn't so sure. Voldemort had been a different matter, he killed Harry's family, he would never know if he would have had brothers or sisters. Harry had wanted revenge, and he had gotten it. Now he just wanted out, out from the wizarding world, never to return.

But of course they would never allow him to do that.

Harry rested his head in his hand and sighed. Perhaps coming here wasn't such a brilliant idea after all.

The next day was not so much better, the morning classes was a total bore. Harry started to regret his decision about catching up in the muggle subjects, for it seemed that he had studied a bit to much. But he had always been good with math, ever since he was a kid and didn't know about magic yet.

It was a hefty memory; he just arrived home after a day in elementary school, he had walked the entire way (or more like ran), while Dudley, his fat pig-like oaf of a cousin, got to ride the car with horse-faced aunt Petunia. He was very excited about showing up the high score he got on their first real math test. He had scored 97 percent, one of the highest in the class. When he neared the brick house he sped up to the door, opened it in a hurry, and entered the living room where the Dursley family was gathered in front of the television. He had gone up them and held out the graded test with a bright smile plastered on his face.

"Look, aunt Petunia," he had said gleefully."I got an A on our math test in school today!"

He had not expected the sour face of his aunt to glare at him with an absolute hatred only she could provide. Nor had he expected the rough whipping he received for being better than their precious 'Dinky Diddydums', who had only scored a measly 19. After that Harry made sure to stay just below Dudley in everything, which resulted in the teachers believing him to have cheated on the test and to be completely incompetent.

But those miserable days were over with. Here, there was no one who could order him to do anything, he could finally show how competent he truly was.

When lunch rolled around Harry began to grow anxious, he didn't want another display in the cafeteria like the one the day before. He spied over the hall in search for a lone and empty table were he could sit by himself. Most of the tables were full but at last he spotted one devoid on students in one of the far corners, which fitted Harry perfectly. It was a spot from where he could keep an eye on everything that went on. He went over and took the seat nearest to the wall.

He ate his home made lunch in peace and worried over biology, which he had afterwords. So far he had not seen the vampire at all, but he knew that he were there, somewhere.

The shades were beginning to make the students fret, and think that he was constantly watching them. It amused him to no end, as if he didn't have anything else to do than stare at people. If they only knew what he really used the shades for, it would unmistakeable make them uneasy, maybe even frightened of him.

It was understandable, the sight that hid behind the shades had scared him as well the first time he saw it. But now it was just another thing marking him as a freak.

It was easy to notice when the Cullen siblings made their entrance, all the eyes in the cafeteria sought them out for a couple of seconds before retuning to their original view. But Harry's remained a little bit longer.

He frowned, the bronze-haired one wasn't with them, which should have calmed him down but it just made him more anxious.

As he studied them more, he noticed the tell tale signs that revealed their true nature. They were all stiff, as if they hadn't fed in a while, and he saw that their eyes were much darker than before. He didn't want to deal with blood-thirsty vampires. Never again. One time was one to many.

The blond female looked at him, he could not quite decipher its intentions fully, but it looked like she was examining him, as if deciding whether he was good enough.

That thought freaked him out. Was she planning her next meal?

'Stop it, Harry,' he berated in his head. 'Just because one vampire is out to get yo doesn't mean everyone is.'

When the time for biology rolled around he had almost succeeded in convincing himself that this was true. Almost...

He stopped short just inside the doorway to the classroom. There, on the place next to his seat, he was. Cullen. He looked just as perfect as the day before, barely nothing was different, only the eyes, but Harry was not ready to look at them. 'They're not red,' he tried to think. It didn't work that well.

There was a shove at his back which brought him back to the present, he was blocking the doorway, making it hard for the students behind him to enter.

"Hey, move it!" Another shove, this one harder, Harry took a step forward, allowing the one behind him to get to their seat. He took another step, and another, before he knew it he was standing next to his chair.

Harry sneaked a quick look in Cullen's direction, when seeing a small frown marring his face, he sat down as far away from him as the table allowed him to, but it was still to close for comfort. Luckily he was saved from the tense atmosphere by Mr Banner.

He made a short introduction to the project for the following week (the differences between today's use of fossil fuels and the ones from a decade before, the effect it had on nature, as well as the pros and cons of said fuels), which they would work on in pairs, according their seating arrangements, before he put them to work.

As the chatter arose again around him, Harry eyed the vampire next to him warily. He really didn't want to interact with him only it seemed like he had no choice, he was embarrassed to admit it but he didn't know that much about this branch of muggle science, even though he had been raised with it all around him, so he had to relay on the vampire's knowledge, if he had any.

Cullen moved his chair closer to the center and it suddenly felt like Harry was suffocating. Although the vampire looked like he was trying to keep himself from jumping of his chair, it suddenly dawned on him that maybe Cullen knew that he knew about him.

But how could he possibly know? Did he have a power? That would mean that he had come in contact with magic when he was human, which was a small chance.

Cullen's voice broke him from his line of thought, and nearly made him jump a foot in the air.

"Ready to begin... partner?"

Harry looked at him from the corner of his right eye (as he had the window seat), only to see Cullen watching him with a calculating glint in his golden eyes. It was a bit unnerving, and it almost seemed like he was trying to figure out an extremely challenging puzzle... and failing.

"Uh...erm...sure." he stammered out. 'Why do I always have to act like a complete fool?' he berated himself over and over 'Merlin, I'm such a moron! Stupid, stupid...Stupid!'

They started working separately under silence, which didn't bother Harry in the slightest. The quiet helped him gather his nerves and collect his thoughts. It helped him focus on the assignment.

As he reached the question regarding the effects on the environment, he stopped to see how far his partner had gotten. Cullen was half-done with the same question, but as he looked closer he could see that Cullen had written more on the first question than what he himself had. 'Wow, he works fast.'

Right at that moment Cullen felt his gaze and looked up at him.

"What?"

Harry was lucky that the shades hid his eyes from view, as the vampire didn't know that he had caught Harry staring.

"Uh, nothing... just got cramp in my hand." He lied easily.

The rest of class went by much in the same fashion. They were nearly finished when the bell rang, signaling the end of class. Harry made as fast a retreat as the day before. He didn't want to be in the company of the vampire any longer than necessary. And two classes per day was definitely enough for him.

Unfortunately, Cullen caught up to him in the hall on the way to PE. Harry quickened his pace as an effort to walk away from him. It was futile. Cullen had longer legs than he and had no trouble keeping up, although it could have had something to do with him being a vampire.

"Hey, Harry, hold on a minute."he said, grabbing hold of his shoulder to slow him down. "I need to talk to you, in private."

Harry shook the hand of, turned around and glared at the vampire, in spite of the fact that he couldn't see it. "Than talk." he said back. "Go on."

Cullen looked around to see if someone was close by within hearing range; a couple of girls was just exiting the restroom, some guys hang around a locker some rows down, but otherwise the hall was pretty much deserted. The vampire turned back to Harry. "Not here, it's very private. Outside?"

Harry was unsure. PE didn't begin until about twenty minutes still, but was it really safe to venture outside with a vampire?

"Please..." Cullen added weakly.

Harry's resolve broke. "Okay, lead the way."

He got a bright smile in return, white teeth flashing.

A/N: And another chapter completed. The first meeting is out of the way and the real fun can now begin. Oh, and pictures of the new Ebony can be found on my profile for those who is interested in her new looks.

Ciao, and see you next time ^_^