Welcome back. Year Six... well, that's what we'll call it anyway.

-YDHP-

Harry was still reeling from the sudden shift, but he knew Vlad was supposed to have turned him to the dark side. He had to act cool, calm. Or at least indifferent. Vlad was doing a much better job, but then he had been there before, knew his way around and tugged Harry next to him as they cut through swathes of cloaked figures.

He'd underestimated how much work Vlad had done to establish his place amongst the Death Eaters, effectively protecting Harry as long as he could by 'proving' he was committed to the cause. Vlad ignored the forming semi-circles, led Harry up to the front and leant casually against the wall with a completely impassive face.

Perhaps even more surreal to see was Bellatrix Lestrange, who had a bundle in black cloth held in her arms where she sat next to the high-backed and obscenely ornate throne. It could only belong to Riddle.

Or Vlad's father, from what Harry knew of the mans taste for grandeur.

Harry still couldn't believe the barely-human creature before them could father a child. He definitely didn't want to contemplate the prospect of Riddle having sex.

"Tonight, as several of you bore witness to" Harry felt very awkward stood at the front when the others his own age were right at the back, in the outer circles "Albus Dumbledore was finally destroyed! And by none other than our newest member, Harry Potter!"

Nobody made a sound. Harry felt unsettled by the quiet, only broken by the sound of a baby gurgling. Vlad's eyes flicked toward the newborn (Vlad hadn't mentioned it being born three days previous) before returning to scan the room. Harry could see that many averted their eyes from Vlad almost as quickly as they did Riddle, possibly aware that Vlad was now of the species to hunt for humans as food. Not to mention ridiculously powerful.

"Tonight, we shall celebrate! Tomorrow, we begin."

Harry watched the small sign of Riddle scratching his hand, saw Vlad cock his head slightly in thought as everyone rose on command, lowering their hoods and heading toward another room. Still unsure of 'procedure', Harry waited until Vlad moved to move himself. He hadn't really contemplated what would happen immediately after. It was all so... general in his head until now. 'Kill' Dumbledore, 'join' the Death Eaters.

"With the symbol of resistance that young Mr Potter embodied now neutralised, my victory is imminent and my control over the magical world a certainty. Don't you agree Vladimir?"

Riddle wouldn't address him directly, talking instead to Vlad about Harry as though the wizard wasn't even there. Harry still unnerved his grandfather, even if he would die before admitting it.

"So what did you name the brat? Tommy junior?"

Thin lips pulled back into a snarl. Vlad met it with a calm, practiced Dracula glare.

"Don't-"

"Call me Vladimir. We've talked about this."

They were given a fairly wide berth; though Harry was acutely aware of eyes on him at all times. He was the new boy, after all.

"You'll forgive me. Old habits die hard."

"I find it hard to believe you know anyone with a similar name. Do I have the same room as before?"

"I have arranged accommodations for both you and Potter."

"Together?"

"No."

Vlad tsked, quite probably the only person in the world to do that to Voldemort's face and not killed on the spot.

"Then you wasted a room. I brought him here, and he's staying with me. Or I'm staying with him."

"You don't trust me?"

"No, of course I don't. You don't trust me either. Nor do I trust any of this lot. I didn't spend a year convincing him here to let some half wit in an oversized cape kill my best friend. So direct me to whichever room was prepared that is furthest from a potentially squalling child."

Impossibly, Vlad was giving what sounded like orders to the 'Dark Lord', and being listened to rather than hexed to Merlin and back.

"Do you not wish to enjoy the festivities?"

"Poorly cooked food and breather alcohol that has no effect on me? Pass."

Harry watched as they were directed to a room, which Vlad found his way to just fine with Harry trotting alongside him, quietly stunned. He opened his mouth to talk as soon as the door closed, but Vlad held a finger to his lips and shook his head. Harry took his glasses off, watching as Vlad spotted and disarmed multiple charms designed to spy and eavesdrop. The little spells were like strands of magic that snapped and fizzled away when disabled, and Vlad cast a couple of scanning and silencing spells before he sat down on the one bed.

"Ok. Now you can talk."

"I don't know if I can do this. They are all scary, evil people. How am I supposed to pretend I'm one of them?"

Vlad pulled him to sit down on the bed, squeezed his hand and looked him in the eye.

"It's not so difficult. Just act like you hate everyone here. Don't hesitate to hex back, or even hex first. Otherwise, don't say much and stay by me. We aren't here to assimilate, we're here to listen, learn and where possible, mitigate."

Harry leant against Vlad's chest, felt cold fingers slide through his hair soothingly and a kiss pressed against his temple.

"Go see Samael. I need to fix the wards in here and what not."

"You sure?"

Vlad nodded, leaning into his backpack and resurfacing with the trunk specially made to keep his Basilisk safely enclosed where Harry could always have him close by.

"He could probably do with the reassurances that the rough journey is over."

Harry could see his point, and after taking a kiss from his boyfriend Harry slid down into the trunk, finding a pair of slightly disgruntled serpents who were nonetheless happy to see him. Lily coiled around his leg, worked her way up to his shoulders as Samael bumped against his chest.

"Sorry about the rough ride, but we're here now. No more moving for a while I think."

"Into the den of the predator?"

"Yeah. It's a weird place to be, but Vlad is right about it being the best place to find out what we need."

Running his hands over familiar scales, Harry felt the itching need beneath his skin and stepped back, moving Lily to perch on Samael's head (he looked unsure about that development) before transforming himself. The stretch was like waking up in the morning, easing an ache that could only be sated by spending time in this form.

"The wizard who is not quite a wizard."

"I am a wizard" Harry wiggled his tail a little, adjusting to the sudden lack of limbs and gain of length "just a wizard who turns into a Basilisk sometimes."

He got the serpent equivalent of a laugh from Samael as they coiled up close together, scales touching scales while Lily slithered about over the top of them until she settled on a spot to rest. Vlad had had the right idea, this was exactly what Harry needed to unwind. Figuratively speaking.

Some indeterminate time later, Vlad dropped down into the trunk, crossing the space and immediately knowing which of the giant reptiles was his mate, placing a hand on his scaled snout. Harry opened his eyes, flicked his tongue out a little to taste Vlad's changed scent. It was still undeniably him, recognisable and comforting.

"I'm done making it safe up there, but you take your time. I might start filing books or something."

He knew Vlad could understand him if he spoke now, but Harry could say everything he needed to by nuzzling the vampires hand with his head. Vlad smiled, gave Samael and Lily friendly pats before heading back out. Harry stayed for a little while longer, not quite sleeping but gaining a sense of restfulness and relaxation from the quiet time with his familiars.

By the time he clambered out of the trunk, promising not to neglect his pets, Harry hadn't quite reached comfortable but there was a deep, grim resignation for the situation. It wasn't going to be easy, or pleasant, but if it got them the information necessary to end Riddle, end the war...

It was worth it, right?

Bringing Harry along violated Vlad's instincts to protect him, all but pitching his mate into the middle of a pack of wild, hungry animals.

But at least he was there to keep him safe. And realistically, Harry couldn't avoid his fated future in defeating Voldemort, so all Vlad could do was try to protect him whenever and wherever possible. If that meant spending time surrounded by people who made his stomach turn, pretending he was as evil as they got, Vlad would do it.

Humming to himself as he alphabetized the books they brought along, settling the ones he didn't mind Riddle knowing they had along the bookshelf provided, Vlad watched Harry sit opposite, on 'his' bed. They'd share, obviously, but the second bed Vlad conjured would make it less likely for anyone who came in to think they were sharing.

"Hey Vlad?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't suppose you brought snacks?"

Chuckling, Vlad reached into the pocket of his dragonhide jacket, pulling out a small bag of Harry's favourite sweets. He had several, to dispense as and when his mate required cheering up with a sugar boost.

"How are we supposed to eat here?"

"Are you forgetting I can leave anytime? It won't be Hogwarts buffet, but if I can get it from Diagon Alley or the Muggle world? No problem. At least for now, anyway. I actually have another idea but it'll keep while we settle."

"How can you go to Diagon?"

"Concealment charms. I made a good withdrawal from Gringotts a little while back, and got some converted to Muggle currency."

"How..."

Vlad shrugged, waving his hand so their clothes separated and placed themselves in organised half-sides of the wardrobe.

"I like to be prepared."

The stone walls were bare, but 'Harry's side' of the room soon had a signed poster from the Bulgarian Quidditch Team (a gift for Vlad from Viktor) tacked up, and Vlad stuck the Dracula coat of arms above his bed.

"Well, I'd say it looks like we moved in. I've even put our school trunks at the bottoms of our beds like back in the dorm."

Harry looked around, clearly trying to adjust to the fact this was now where they lived, at least temporarily. The door to their ensuite bathroom (in name only, it was barely above functional though Vlad could charm it to look and perform a little better) hung open, book storage and wardrobe and trunks basically all the furniture they had beyond a bed. It wasn't different to Hogwarts much in that regard, but it most definitely lacked any of the homely, safe feel of the dorms.

"This is weird."

He bit into a piece of fudge, humming to himself at the taste while Vlad sorted the books that weren't going up on the viewable book case. Like texts on Horcruxes, phoenixes, basilisks, vampires... Vlad owned a lot of books. He did pull out the potions kits and cauldrons, transfiguring the rickety desk into a work bench and setting their things on it.

"You planning to make something?"

"No, but it'll bug Riddle to wonder what we're cooking up in here."

Chuckling, Harry rolled the top of the Honeydukes bag up to stop anything falling out, then looked around absently.

"So... what'll we do now?"

"Wait for Riddle to turn up, annoyed by all his spying charms being disabled."

Vlad shuffled back on the bed, leant against the pillows and attempted to look comfortable, at ease. Harry did his best to emulate, only successful when he closed his eyes and appeared to be napping. Sure enough, the door rattled as Riddle tried to force it. Vlad snapped his fingers and the door swung open, red slit eyes scanning the changes to the room wrought by the vampire.

"Making yourselves at home I see?"

"Yep. By the way, listening charms in the bathroom? Creepy."

Riddle scowled, muscle twitching in the side of his jaw with suppressed anger. Vlad suspected the man had never needed such self-control until he came looking for Dracula junior.

"You and Potter will be accompanying us on a mission soon."

"What sort of mission? A public one where you brag about having Harry Potter, right?"

"Correct."

"Bad move."

Vlad watched Riddle twist his neck, as though shaking off his anger as an irksome fly.

"You have a better idea?"

"I'm glad you asked" Vlad pushed himself up and paced the room calmly "picture the scene. The Light side are scrambling, frantic from Dumbledore being dead. Harry's gone. My loyalties are probably being discussed and debated. You turn up with us right away, it's going to look like you're trying to prove a point. Look at me I have your golden boy! You wait, work slowly, let them worry about why Harry's gone and waste time and resources with rescue plans. Until then, maybe Harry and I sharpen our wands on those cheeky little blood blister students."

"Did they offend you?"

"No. Just irritating having them staring really obviously at me for the last few days. Honestly, subtlety is a lost art."

Riddle grit his teeth, then turned and left with a cape-billow that would almost rival Count Dracula. Vlad closed and locked the door behind him, then turned and flopped back on his bed. Harry waited about three heartbeats - Vlad counted - before crossing the room, looking hopefully at Vlad who shuffled along and opened his arms. The wizard embraced the vampire, a moment of sanctity within the madness all around them.

"Is it even safe for us to sleep here?"

Vlad nodded, kissing Harry's forehead and feeling the soft puff of breath that told of a contented sigh. He loved those.

"He and his entire combined forces would struggle to get through that door. And if they tried, the alarms would wake me up. I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't think I could keep you safe. Safe-adjacent, at least."

They didn't change into pyjamas, just in case that night, but they shed jackets and jumpers and shoes to curl up on the bed. Neither had gotten much sleep for a few days now, and Lucifer only knew what the next few days, weeks and months could bring.

For the moment, Riddle was plotting quietly in the confines of his evil empires HQ, so everything was as safe as it was going to be for a while. Vlad closed his eyes, felt Harry burrow closer and let slumber take him.

-YDHP-

Short but setting. Plus the finale chap was what, 6k? I made it up to you in advance? Idk. Anyone excited for year six or is this just a monotonous cycle for y'all now?