This is a revised version of the first chapter. I'm running through this story again and changing a few things!

Disclaimer: I'm not J.K. Rowling, therefore, I do not own Harry Potter. It's sad. I know.

XXXXXXX

Hogwarts was rebuilt rapidly after the final battle. Its walls looked exactly the same as they had before, but it wasn't the same. The war was something most tried to forget. It was full of terror and death. Headmistress McGonagall invited all of the previous students to return and complete their schooling. Harry had the opportunity to be an honorary graduate of Hogwarts and permitted to take an Auror position immediately after the war. Harry politely refused, much to Ron's dismay. Hermione was pleased to say the least.

Harry chose to return to complete his final year at Hogwarts, to graduate with his best friends, and to have one normal year at Hogwarts. He just wanted to be normal. He hadn't asked to be the Chosen One. Under the same circumstances, Harry thought that anyone would have tried to defeat Voldemort. Neville could just have easily been chosen. Harry felt special merely by coincidence.

On his first night back at Hogwarts, Harry stood outside under the fall night sky. He was very close to Hagrid's Hut, which was just on the edge of the Forbidden Forest. The chimney of the hut was blowing puffs of white smoke, but the windows were dark. Hagrid was asleep. Harry sighed and turned on his heels to head back to the castle. He hadn't spoken to the half-giant in what seemed like ages and he hadn't been at the feast, but Harry supposed the reunion would have to wait.

As he neared the castle entrance, he noticed a tall, slender man standing in his path. He sighed deeply, thinking of the detention he would surely receive for being out of bed after hours. But as he neared the man, he didn't recognize him. He knew that no professor would be donning such muggle attire as jeans and a button up shirt, at least not while school was in session.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, I've been looking for you." The young man wagged a finger at Harry as if he had done something wrong.

"Can I help you?" Harry gripped his wand in the pocket of his robes.

The man just disappeared into thin air. Harry stared at the spot he had been in disbelief. May be he was dreaming. In a split second, he felt a wand being pressed into his back.

"Yes, you can. You can give me your wand." His voice had an upbeat ring to it. He sounded very pleased with himself.

Harry's heart began to race. He reluctantly handed over his wand and wondered if he would EVER catch a break. Would this be his life?

"Don't you think I've been tortured enough for a lifetime?" Harry spat angrily, still wondering how this man moved so quickly.

"I'll give you your wand back shortly," The tone of his voice made it sound as if Harry were overreacting to being held at wandpoint.

"What do you want?" Harry tried to remain calm, but the wand in his back was forcing his mind in the other direction.

The man chuckled at him. He felt the wand being removed from his back. Just as Harry tried to escape, a hand was placed tightly on his throat. His attacker's fingers felt as if they had been soaked in an ice bath for hours. This man was fast. Too fast. Harry wondered how on Earth he moved so quickly.

"Your heart is beating so fast." This seemed to amuse him, "I wonder what the great Harry Potter's blood tastes like?"

Harry began to struggle violently to get away. Did he think he could get some kind of power from Harry's blood?

"Let me go!" Harry struggled, but the man's grip was like steel wrapped around him.

The man squeezed Harry's throat, causing him to choke. He laughed behind Harry.

"Potter, I am about to give you a tremendous gift. Very few receive this gift and we are a dying breed. You saved me from the hands of the Dark Lord, now I will repay you the only way I know how."

Harry screamed as the man's cold mouth hit his throat and his razor sharp fangs pierced the skin. It felt as if someone had sliced open his throat. He could feel the man drinking from him, drinking his blood. Harry's mind raced as he looked for an escape route. He tried to formulate words or even scream, but he wasn't able to speak. The pain was completely unbearable at first. Harry thought he would surely faint. But the weaker he got, the less he felt the man bite him again and again. Finally he collapsed and slipped out of the man's arms. As he hit the soft greenery the man stood over him. Harry began to choke on his own blood. This wasn't how it was supposed to end. After everything he had been through, some blood drinking maniac was going to be the end of him.

"Don't fret, Potter. I have your gift." The man, whose face and throat was covered in blood, smiled widely to reveal blood stained teeth.

The man bit into his own flesh and squatted down to Harry. He extended his wrist, now pooling with his thick, black blood. The substance dripped into the Gryffindor's mouth and caused him to turn his head away in disgust. What kind of sick ritual was this? The man forced his wrist on Harry and as his mouth filled, he swallowed instinctively. After another mouthful, the man pulled his wrist away. It sealed almost instantly. The man picked Harry up bridal style and everything went dark.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Harry woke slowly in his four poster bed in Gryffindor tower. It took mere seconds for the memories to come flooding back to him. Harry shot up in his back and flung a hand to his neck. Nothing. He breathed a sigh of relief. He thanked Merlin it was only a dream. He went to the bathroom for a quick morning shower before class.

Harry must have spent 30 minutes standing in front of the mirror in disbelief. His neck was not gouged and bloody, but completely healed. Harry could see the light pink scaring on his once mangled neck. Upon inspection, Harry realized the man nearly tore open his throat. There were at least four bite marks. It really did happen. Harry sank to the floor in disbelief. What was he going to do? Who could he tell?

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"WHAT?" Hermione yelled and Harry urged her to keep her voice down.

"What do you think he wanted with me?" Harry asked.

Hermione stared at him. The look in her eyes suggested that Harry should know. He racked his brain trying to think of the answer, but eventually came up empty. He simply shrugged his shoulders at her pathetically.

"A vampire, Harry," She whispered, her eyes wide.

Harry's eyes widened. No wonder that creature never crossed his mind. In all of his years battling Voldemort, vampires were not a huge part of anything. They were solitary dark creatures. That is if you believe the stories in books. Harry wanted to know what the trade of blood meant, but he had a sickening feeling that he already knew the answer.

"You didn't drink his blood did you?" Hermione asked, she seemed sure that he didn't.

Harry nodded slowly. Hermione looked as if she were going to fall right out of her chair. Ron, ever so great with his timing, took that moment to walk up to the pair. His eyes were questioning.

"Hermione, what's with that look on your face?"

Hermione shot Ron a glare that might have frightened Voldemort himself. Ron's eyebrows went up and he threw his arms in the air in forfeiture. He sat down beside Harry.

"Sorry I asked," Ron whispered only loud enough for Harry to hear.

"Harry." Hermione crossed her arms and sat back in her chair. Her eyes moved to Ron and back to Harry again.

"I MIGHT have got bitten by a vampire last night." Harry showed his friend the pink scaring on his neck.

Ron began to choke furiously on the last breath of air he took in. Hermione leaned to him and patted him on the back as he coughed it out.

"The wards wouldn't have let a vampire through." Ron seemed eager to prove them wrong.

Hermione shook her head, "The old wards wouldn't have. The new ones aren't as strong. They're not supposed to let anyone in with evil intentions."

Harry rolled his eyes.

"Well obviously they're not working correctly."

XXXX

What do you think? Worthy of a review or lots of them? Let me know what you think! If I feel like enough people are interested I'll post the next chapter later tonight or tomorrow.