Chapter 9: Blackbird

Hey everybody, I want to thank DemonKira for editing for me.

So first things first, there is a sharp turn of events in this chapter, I want to say that it was always planned. I apologise if you don't like this direction. I want to say criticism is welcomed, but know flaming please. I know what I'm doing here. That being said,the new turn of events is not apart of the main story line right now, it is just back ground story, that will eventually become the main plot much later on.

I hope you all enjoy, leave me a review to let me know what you think. I really want to know. 3

*July 31st 1980*

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life,
You were only waiting for this moment to arise. Blackbird singing in the dead of night..."

The song was sung in a small- quiet voice, laced with tears. Lily Potters' face was absolutely soaked in them. A heartbroken sob escaped her, the hair on her head shrouded her face from being seen. It was a dark rainy night, and rather cold, for the end of July. Lily sat in a very dirty and grimy abandoned alleyway. She was clutching a small bundle to her chest. She wore a long white dress that was toren and stained with blood. Yet another sob overtook her, as the sound of a crying infant rang through the night. In her arms, wrapped in her torn cloak, was a beautiful baby. He was still attached to Lily by the umbilical cord.

"Take these sunken eyes and learn to see. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to be free. Blackbird fly, blackbird fly.
Into the light of the dark black night. Blackbird fly, blackbird fly.
Into the light of the dark black night…" Her voice trailed off in to silence as the tiny infant finally lulled to sleep. The only remaining sound permeating the quiet being Lily's sniffles, and the baby's slumbering breaths.

Lily was all alone in the world, she had nothing left. Nothing but the tiny beautiful child in her arms. It had been two weeks since her beloved husband James had been killed. Now she was all alone with a baby she never wanted in the first place. If that wasn't enough, she was forced into hiding, the dark lord was taking over. He was winning fast, the fall of James being just the tip of the iceberg. The previous night, another child had been born, the son of the Longbottom's. The dark lord found and eliminated the child.

That boy had been believed to be the child of prophesy. A prophecy predicting the downfall of the dark lord, and now the boy was dead. He was their last hope. It wouldn't be long until the esteemed Albus Dumbledore fell to the dark lord, also. The Order of Phoenix was falling, the ministry was practically already gone. It was all over for her.

If anyone found out about the child, he would be killed also. Very few people knew about him, she hid her pregnancy from everyone. Including James for as long as she could, she was too scared to find the truth, the truth which she now knew. She and the child would be hunted, she had too hide him. She wasn't ready to be a mother. She had to find the rebellion and escape. With that in mind she drew her wand. Looking down at the bundle one final time, she severed the chord and placed him on the ground.

The alleyway she had chosen to give birth in was right by an orphanage, the boy would be found soon she hoped. Before she could talk herself put of the decision at hand, she pointed her wand at the infant. The cloak wrapped around the sweet, sleeping babe, she etched the name Hadrian. Harry was the name James chose for his future son, the son she had led him to believe was his. She couldn't give that name to a child that wasn't James's. Looking down at him one final time, she knew, there was no way the child belonged to James. From the curls on his head to the pallor of his skin, he was Regulus through and through.

"Goodbye my little Blackbird…" were her final whispered words.

All the mistakes of her life weighed heavily in her mind, all for the greater good. Closing her eyes still filled with tears, she disapparated with a crack, leaving the boy to an unknown fate.

*Present*

A deep sense of fear overtook Hadrian, he didn't know where he was. His hands and feet were tied. A bag or a mask of some kind covered his face, and he was cold. Wherever he was, it was cold, freezing even. He felt as if he were laying on a concrete floor, he could not move. The raven felt the effects of a binding spell. Combined with the ropes tying him, Hadrian was feeling rather claustrophobic. His first thought was to panic, his mind was running a million miles per hour. But his intelligence soon overcame all other thoughts, he needed to assess his situation, keep his mask in place. Never could he ever let the mask fall.

Closing his eyes, not that he could see anyway, he allowed himself to sink into his own mind. He had to strengthen his defenses, and make sure each and every one of his Occlumency barriers were properly intact. He didn't know what or who took him nor what they wanted, but he needed to be ready for anything. His secrets had to remain intact, he wouldn't give them up for anyone, not even the dark lord. A noise that sounded like a heavy door opening brought Hadrian back out of his thoughts. Someone was coming.

"Hadrian Snow… it has been quite some time." A male voice spoke, Hadrian didn't recognize the speaker. It sounded heavily accented in what sounded like….was that Russian? Hadrian didn't know any Russians. His memory was impeccable, for him not to be able to place the voice with a name, meant that it was a very long time ago when they met. If they had met. Either way, Hadrian held his doubts. What could this man possibly want from him? The men who brought him here were German, a Russian man was apparently behind his kidnapping, or so Hadrian gathered. That left a sour feeling in the pit of his stomach, just where could he be then? Was it possible they took him to another county? Despite it being mid-summer, it was quite cold wherever it was that they were keeping him.

The blindfold was carelessly toren from his head, leaving the raven rapidly blinking at the sudden influx of light. Circles erupted within his vision, causing him to clench his eyes back shut. Just how long had he been here? How long had he been left in the darkness? Squinting his eyes open in the binding light, he saw the figure of a man. The Russian he guessed. His vision finally began to adjust and clear.

It still wasn't easy to see, the only light being what looked like a lamp of sorts shining right in his face. He looked towards the Russian man to take in his features. He was tall with blond wavy hair that was styled neatly and fell just below his ears, the man had bright blue-grey eyes and a very handsome face. An overwhelming familiar handsome face. He had seen this man before. He could hardly remember, being as he had cast the face out of his memory a long time ago. But that face wasn't one he could ever forget. Hadrian wasn't exactly sure where he saw the man before, but he knew the blond he just simply knew, even if he wasn't sure how.

"Hadrian." The man spoke again, a toothy smirk making its way on the man's feature, revealing a pair of razor sharp thangs. A vampire then? That explained a lot. And…That face, Hadrian did know that face. Memories long forgotten began to surface to the forefront of Hadrian mind. Memories he long ago cast aside as dreams, even though he had always known the truth. Just who was this Vampire? What could he possibly want with Hadrian now, after all this time?

Finally the man continued speaking. "You have forgotten me? That hurts Hadrian. It seems we have much to discuss."

1985

A young raven headed child was running for his poor life down the main hallway of the Orphanage he lived in. The other children that lived there hated him, the patron and all of the workers despised him. They called him the devil, told him he was possessed. See, unnatural things always seemed to happen around the boy. Mostly when he was angry or hurt. If the other kids bullied him, sometimes they ended up hurt. He spent most of his time alone reading, or in the gardens. Wherever the boy would go, strangeness followed.

It still didn't stop other children from bullying him, or adults from abusing him, but the mistreatment lessened. It just wasn't as fun to the other kids, the young raven never seemed to stay hurt. However he had one tormenter who never seemed to grow tired of hurting the raven. The boy was bigger, much bigger, and definitely stronger. He was mean, vicious, and his bullying reached new extents every single day. So the little raven was scared. He wasn't sure what they had in store for him, but he would rather not find out.

"Snow~! You can run, but we both know you can't hide." Came the booming voice chasing behind the raven. Hadrian Snow ducked into a small, halfway hidden, broom closet to hide away in. He knew that whenever they found him, it would be bad. Hadrian was trembling with fear. Perhaps that made him a coward? He wasn't quite sure, he couldn't bring himself to care really. He had dealt with this his entire life, and Hadrian simply didn't want to anymore. He wanted it all too just end. A white hot fear filled him, almost burning as he heard the bullies jiggle the door handle. He wanted to be somewhere else, anywhere else. He closed his eyes as he felt his tears begin to flow.

Just as the door slammed open, Hadrian Snow disappeared with a sharp crack.

Mere minutes later, the young boy reappeared into existence, only he was somewhere else. Somewhere he had never been before. Somehow, little Hadrian no longer felt scared, the unknown was strangely comforting. He knew he had never been to the place he was in before, it was some kind of alley. It was night time, and the place was shrouded in darkness. He was on the paved floor of whatever alley he ended up in. there were all kinds of shops with strange names, and every now and then he would catch a glimpse of a person dressed in weird clothing.

His head hurt from whatever it was that brought him there, he felt quite dizzy and extremely tired. There was a calming feeling in the air, it felt magical. Whatever this feeling was, Hadrian couldn't bring himself to care where he was, just as long as he could feel this sweet calming feeling in the air. It was so dark. It felt like pure darkness was holding him tight, that didn't scare Hadrian. It felt like home, and that wasn't something Hadrian had ever felt, or ever expected to feel, in his short life.

Lost in thought and simply in general, the little raven didn't notice as he was approached. He was so busy relishing in the feeling of the air around him, when suddenly hands wrapped themselves around his upper arms and dragged him to his feet. Before he could see whoever it was, he was sucked away in what felt like a tube, a very similar feeling as to whatever brought him to the strange alleyway in the first place. When the young raven blinked his eyes open, he was yet again in a different place.

A man stood in front of him, looking down with a smirk. It was weird, the strange man had what looked like fangs in his mouth. Hadrian was scared once more, and didn't know quite what to do.

"Let me go! My mother will have you all killed for this!" A young accented voice yelled. It was a boy, roughly the same age as Hadrian. He had dark mocha skin, and was wearing a weird fancy looking robe of sorts.

The boy made eye contact with Hadrian, he tried to sneer at the raven's appearance, but was much too scared to allow one to surface. They were in a room that looked oddly like a dungeon of some old time TV shows. There was another man and a women in the room with them. They all were dressed in fancy weird robe thingy's, the lady wore a dress beneath hers. It all seemed very weird and almost ancient compared to the regular world. All three of the grownups were, well they were beautiful and ageless. As weird as it was to think such a thing, and they all had what looked like fangs in their mouths. It was all so strange, and frightening. The dark boy looked mostly normal, apart from his clothing.

"Children such as yourself should know better that to wander Knockturn Alley alone at night…" Spoke the other man, closer to the other boy. He had yet another weird accent, different from the boys. What was a Knockturn Alley? Hadrian had never heard of such a place before.

"You boys are to be gifts for the Vampire king, if he wishes he may ransom you back to your families. Or he has every right to keep and do with you what he pleases." Spoke the female, she also had an accent, it was once again different. If Hadrian had to guess he would say the men were German, the women Russian, and the other boy Italian, but being just a child he wasn't sure. "Now. Speak your names children.

The darker boy spoke first. "Please…I-I'm not from England, I just want my mummy. I got lost, I know I shouldn't have went into the alley, but-"he was cut off by the second man, who held the same accent as the first.

"Your name, boy."

"Blaise Zabini." He stammered out. As soon as those sharp eyes landed on him Hadrian began speaking.

"Hadrian Snow." his voice was soft.

"A Mudblood?" said the women.

"A child of money, and a child who won't be missed. The King will be most pleased. Most pleased indeed." Spoke the man still holding Hadrian's arm. The three quickly left the room locking the two children away, alone in the dark.

*Present*

"The Vampire king, Demetri Volcov. I wish I could say it was a pleasure to see you again." Spoke Hadrian in a bland voice.

"Ah so you do remember me? Much time has passed, yes? We still have much to discuss." The King smirked wide at Hadrian's remembrance of him.

"I have nothing to discuss with the likes of you." Sneered Hadrian, any fear he had felt earlier that day, was quickly replaced by anger. This man was the nightmare of his childhood, a nightmare he had long since overcome.

"Yes, my dear sweet Mudblood, you do. Age has done you well child, you have grown to be quite beautiful." The man all but purred as he came further into the light, towering over Hadrian's bound form. With speed only an ancient Vampire could accomplish, the man ripped away Hadrian shirt. It was all in a blink of the eye. In between Hadrian's left nipple and his collar bone lay a mark, it looked almost like a tattoo or a branding of sorts. The vampire king leaned forward and was caressing the mark on Hadrian flesh.

The raven was still bound and couldn't move away, a look of pure revulsion overtook him, as he looked down at the mark. It was almost directly above his heart. Hadrian hated it. It was small, barely the size of a child's palm. It was a small skull with batwings, with blood red roses as eyes and V's engraved into each of the wings. It was a beautiful yet tragic mar on Hadrian skin. He hated it. The mark of the vampire king, a mark of eternal servitude.

"How could you forget me, when you wear my mark every day? When I released you all those years ago, I told you that I would return for you when you would be of use. One should know better than to forget their master, no matter how young you were at the time of our departure. You missed me, yes? I missed you my dear sweet, Hadrian." Dimitri Volcov was the oldest living vampire in all of existence, the crowned ruler of his race. Hadrian knew exactly what the mark was and what it meant. As a child he was able to push his memory of the vampires away as a nightmare, a hallucination. After his introduction to the wizarding world, he researched everything he could about the man and his mark. About the entire vampire race. He had always logically known it was all real, but he hoped this day would never come.

Hadrian hated vampires. The Vampire king was allied with the dark lord, and any discrepancies could cause a break in the carefully constructed union. It didn't stop him from wishing to eradicate Vampire kind. Sadly he was doomed yet again by society, for to strike against the dark lords allies, was to strike against the man himself. Hadrian could never lift a finger against this man. Vampires had many rights in the dark lord's world, but they tended to blur many lines, and cross boundaries. Hadrian wondered just how the dark lord would feel about such a situation. The man would probably laugh in Hadrian face.

Not that he could ever speak of his predicament, only the marked and the vampires can see the Vampire kings mark. No one who bore the mark, was able to speak of it. It was a well-known mark, but also much unknown. As a child he knew nothing, only the pain that the man causes, but after extensive research he knew enough about it. He hated it. No one knew he was marked, no one knew anyone who was marked, they just knew of the mark.

"Easily." Hadrian sneered. The creatures smirk just grew wider and more forefinger and thumb to grub of Hadrian face I'm a sharp, yet painful hold.

"You may have forgotten, child. But only because I let you. You belong to me. "The man's grip tightened, his nails painfully digging in Hadrian's skin. "Now I call upon your servitude to me, it's time you learned your place in life."

Voldemort had finally gotten the chance to return home to his manor, only to be cornered by a frantic house elf. Apparently the Snow boy had went for a little wander hours ago, he crossed the line of the wards and had yet to return. It was 1 am, he was tired, and the insolent little brat had the nerve to add more problems to his already growing list. It's not like he cared what was to become of the boy, he was simply pissed at the fact that raven headed brat had disobeyed his orders. He had left explicit instructions not to leave the property, how dare the boy get lost in the forest. And outside of his carefully constructed wards, at that. The nerve! Lord Voldemort's ire had once again been struck. Heaven knows where the boy could possibly be!

He couldn't believe Hadrian was stupid enough to wander off and get himself lost. Maybe he had purposefully done so, what idiocy. Snow could rot in the forest for all Voldemort cared at this very moment. If he ever made it back, the dark lord vowed to Crucio the boy into an early grave. No amount of his interest that the boy held, would stop Voldemort from punishing the child. He absolutely refused to send anyone out in search, the boy would return. And when he did, the child would know a world of hurt for his disobedience.

Just then, as if on cue, the boy had the nerve to swagger through the front door. Emerald met ruby, and the dark lords eyes narrowed. He took in the pale, rough appearance of the boy. Hadrian Snow, who almost always managed to look impeccable despite his poor clothing, looked haggard and in a state of disarray. Something wasn't right here, the question was should he let it be? Should he punish the boy, yet let him keep his secrets? It would be much more fun to unravel them piece by piece. He could make it into a game of sorts.

Yes. The board was his, he would be the winning king. He could give a little to his pawn, before taking everything away and leaving the raven with nothing.

"You left the wards." He stated, the boy didn't even blink. "You think you can just ignore my orders little Mudblood?" The boy's indifference sparked a flame of rage with him.

"I apologize my lord. I didn't realize how far I had roamed until it was too late and I was out of the wards, I simply continued on the track out of curiosity until….I found myself lost. I apologize my lord…" The petulant little brat had the nerve to apologize?

"Crucio!" Hadrian fell to his knees, biting down hard on his lips to keep from screaming. That wouldn't do, the dark lord wanted to hear those rosy lips scream. Voldemort pushed even more of his fury and hatred into the spell work. Taking out every bit of anger he had within him, until finally the most beautiful scream reached his ears. It was like hearing a lullaby. A sadistic smile made itself known on Voldemort's face, he enjoyed the feeling of torture. It had been far too long since he was last able to take his rage out on another living person, at least to the extent he needed. This was the release all his frustration that had built up needed. Hadrian fell into a lower position on the floor, still struggling with his will to stand and not scream.

What a prideful creature. Pity such a pretty face had to suffer his wand. He looked into the child's eyes and for a moment, just one tiny moment, he felt something. Something almost… unpleasant? In the pit of his stomach. Voldemort released the curse, and before he could stop himself, walked away.

*July 31st 1980*

Lily was still a mess of blood, and in a lot of pain, as she apparated back into existence. On the empty streets of Muggle London, she summoned a cloak and pulled the hood up to cover her head. Straight ahead was a long row of identical four story houses that were all conjoined. She needed to leave London and this was her only way out. Lifting her wand, and whispering a spell, another building appeared from nowhere within the line of houses. The red head quickly climbed the steps to the front door, before giving two quick knocks.

As soon as the door was opened, Lily was pulled inside with a force she didn't quite expect. She found herself pinned to the wall of the entryway, a wand pointed straight at her head. "Why did you come here?"

"Regulus…" She breathed out. "I need your help."

The man in question stood his ground, as handsome as always. "Why should I help you? After everything you had me do? The dark lord almost killed me!" The man was angry. Rightfully so, but that was neither here nor there at the moment.

"Please Regulus! I have nowhere else to go, they killed James!" She choked up, tears in her eyes.

Regulus all but sneered at her dead husbands name, it was no secret that he hated James. She just wished that he didn't, that everything was different. But right now she couldn't change everything that happened. "Perhaps I should turn you over to my lord right now?"

"Please Regulus, you know what he will do, I am a dead woman walking. Please just help me this one last time, and I'll never contact you again." Regulus was still so young, not too far away in age from herself, but still….He was so jaded, and so broken, and much too young to be left as the wreck he was. Only 20 years old, and she had ruined him. Just like she ruined countless other lives along the way.

His beautiful grey blue eyes softened, and all anger dissipated into a look of full devotion and love. Yes, she had ruined this man. "What do you need?"

*Preset day*

Hadrian sat on his bed in Slytherin manor, his face the picture of stoicism. No emotion could be found, not in his eyes, nor in his body language. The young raven was empty, inside and out. He looked towards his hands, still shaking from the effects of the Cruciatus curse and the kidnapping. The torture he experienced at the hand of the dark lord was brutally intense, unlike any pain he had ever felt. The dark lords Cruciatus curse was not something Hadrian ever wished to experience again. His kidnapping at the hands of the vampire king had left him feeling lost. Everything was off track and so far out of his control. Now all of his goals were to be put on hold, everything he had been working towards, so he could play bitch. Yes, he was very bitter.

Hadrian got up and made his way over to his unremarkable second hand trunk, before pulling out some paper and second hand quills. He hated his label of being an orphan, he hated being nothing but a Mudblood. He was tired of living a life of poverty. Hadrian could handle being despised by everyone, but he loathed being seen as lesser than. He was more than ready to prove himself, to become more. He dipped the quill in ink, and began to pen a letter.

Greetings,

Lord Volcov sends his greetings, as so do I.

He called upon me to complete a task, one that won't be easy. I will need help, which is where you come into play.

Trust me when I say you are the last person I would ever call upon, we live in two completely different worlds. But our shared past with the king, and our shared connection brings us together now.

He calls upon you, as he did I, he sends me with a missive for you.

As you know, I don't have a choice in any of this, neither do you. I know you have probably heard tales of my death, however I am very much alive. I find myself in a position making it difficult for me to meet with you. I'm sure you are fully aware of my stance in this world. We will meet upon our arrival back at Hogwarts.

A long with this letter, I have enclosed missive from the king. I am to expect your response soon.

Sincerely,

Hadrian Snow

With that he sealed the letter in an envelope, before rising from his position sat at the bottom of the bed, and making his way to the window. As much as he loathed to do this, Hadrian didn't have a choice. When he was a child, Hadrian was the victim of his own unfortunate circumstances. Many times he found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. That is exactly what happened the day he was first kidnapped and taken to the vampire king. He was just a strange orphan child, living in a very Muggle world. He knew nothing of magic, except what he had inside of him.

He learned of magic while in the captivity of the vampires. Six months, six of the longest months of his entire life, were his captivity within the Vampire compound. He learned a lot, most of all, he learned how to hate. How to hate muggles, how to hate his caste in life. How to hate everything. He was 5 years old, just a child. Hadrian found himself so lost in thoughts, in memories of the past, which he couldn't process as he made his way into the bathroom.

He still blocked out most of this six months, blocked them behind strong Occlumency barriers. Back then he didn't even know what Occlumency was, the Vampires taught him of who he was, and they prepared him for his entrance into the wizarding world. They controlled many aspects of his life, more than even he knew. Hadrian couldn't help but wonder if he ever really had any choice at all... He did. He did have a choice, and would regain his freedom Volcov never had, and never will own him. The thought of being owned filled his with such revolution, Hadrian almost threw up.

A crash interrupted Hadrian thoughts, he startled back into motion. Only to find that he was in front of the bathrooms- now broken- mirror. A pain in his hand had him looking back down, his still shaking fist was covered in blood. Tiny shard of glass penetrated his skin. He was so lost in thoughts of the past, that he didn't even feel it, as the bout of self-loathing overtook him. He didn't even process when he had entered the bathroom. One moment he was just standing by the window preparing to call an owl to send off that send letter, and now…What was happening to him? He still clutched the letter and the missive, which was given to him before his release by the vampire king, in his other hand. A few drops of blood dropped onto the envelope.

A wetness formed on Hadrian cheeks, an unfamiliar heaviness in his eyes. Looking into the now cracked and broken mirror, he was shocked to find his face wet with tears. It had been many years since Hadrian had last cried. A small pang of pain in his chest, has Hadrian dropping to the floor in an ungrateful manner.

One moment of weakness, one single tiny moment, that is all he would and could allow. He had much to accomplish, many tasks to complete. For Hadrian had a goal for the future. The vampires were nothing but a childhood nightmare, one he would soon destroy.

Even if he had to conquer the entire world to do so.

A song came to Hadrian mind, one he hadn't heard since leaving the Muggle world, one that always gave him comfort as a small child. In a beautifully melodic voice, he whispered out the words of the song.

"Blackbird singing in the dead of night …"

Well what did you guys think? I thought it was high time Harry got a little bit in his feelings. The vampire arc is just an introduction, they will become important much later, but right now it will just e background. It is also character building for Hadrian. The vamps will be something he needs to overcome. I apologize for the lack of fore warning, that was purposeful. I wants the vamps to be something no one expected. There Will be more on Lily and regular, too. But all of that is background. The main storyline is coming.

Please review.