Title: A Strange Year

Ch 2: The Rescue

Disclaimer: Don't own.

"speech"

'mixture of languages/vampiric.'

-parseltongue-

In the morning we were curled up together and when she looked up at me and smiled, I couldn't help but smile back. She was better and I couldn't be happier. I kissed her on the forehead and she snuggled closer into my neck.

"Mornin' luv. Feelin' better?"

"Hai/Yes. What happened yesterday? I don't 'member."

"You don't need ta' luv. Go on and drink." She did and we layed there for a little while before getting up. The others slowly woke up one by one and headed to the bathroom to get ready. We climbed out of bed and dressed and headed down to the Common Room to wait for the others. Rule one in Slytherin was to look out for one another and two was to travel in groups. Three was that no matter the problem you had with another Slytherin it was dealt with in the Common Room because once you stepped out you had to be allies if you were to survive here. With three houses against one it was smart. Slytherin's were more loyal to their families than anyone realized.

We all headed to breakfast and everyone stopped when we walked in. Draco was smirking as well as half the Slytherin table. I was happy they didn't have a problem with her. I needed the silent support they were giving at the moment and I was grateful whether they knew it or not.

"Mr. Potter, do you have everything sorted out," asked the Headmaster.

"Yes Sir, I do. Kira?"

'Yes?'

'Tell Weasley you are sorry for yesterday's events and to watch what he says from now on. I know you don't 'member but that's okay, alright?'

'Okay! Red hair?' I nodded and she slowly walked towards Ron and bowed. "I'm sorry fer yesterda'. Watch ya words next time." She straightened up and walked back up to me and we made our way towards the Slytherin table. I noticed that many of them moved their hands from their cloaks and reaching for their wands. Knowing that they accepted us as family and would back us up, I smiled.

We ate breakfast and headed off to Herbology. It went by well and Professor Sprout let Kira help since we weren't dealing with anything dangerous. She enjoyed it and managed to do more work than three mortals put together. She was smiling from ear to ear as we left. She was so happy I didn't want to make her sit up in our dorm for Care of Magical Creatures, but there wasn't anything I could do because most animals don't like vampires. She dropped her smile immediately when I told her but nodded when I gave my reasons. I told her she could come back out for Flying Lessons and she smiled again. She jumped to our room and waited. The class was interesting and Hagrid was nice. I fussed at Draco a few times to leave him alone and Draco very much reluctantly gave in.

She met me at flying and our lesson went smoothly. Kira grew her wings and flew around with us. Everyone was amazed and I smiled because she looked truly happy and content. I felt that way as well, I loved this. After class when everyone had stored away their brooms she was still flying around. "Come on Ki, put 'em up."

"Do I have 'ta?"

"Yes'm ya' do."

"Alright." She pulled them in and landed on my shoulders.

"Now how are ya' supposed ta' drink with ya' on me shoulders?" She flipped off of my shoulders and I picked her up and she drank. I slipped her to the ground and she jumped back on my shoulders and we headed to lunch.

"Why are you talking like that," Draco asked.

"Sorry. Street lingo gets the better of ya' sometimes. I'm tryin' not ta' revert bac' to it when I can."

"Oh!" said Draco.

Lunch went by smoothly and we headed off to Double Runes. This by far to us was the easiest class. A lot of people were having trouble and were still on the first line and we were halfway through. Matching the symbols was the easy part. The different words for each symbol was what made it difficult. We just wrote them all down then picked the words that would make sense to us. Fifteen minutes later we finished.

"Look here," the Professor said, "Mr. Potter has finished. 10 points to Slytherin."

"How'd you do that," asked Draco.

" 'Tis easy."

"No it's not," Draco argued.

"Write down all the words under an' pick from 'em at te' end."

"Mr. Potter, please try to use proper English," said the professor.

"Sorry Sir. 'Tis hard to…remember everything with all the le'ers."

"Letters, Mr. Potter."

"Yes Sir."

"Why do you have trouble talking," asked some female Gryffindor.

"Have ye' lived the streets half ya' life? No, didn'n think so." Class ended and we left to head DADA again. I thought about skipping but decided against it. After all, we did sit all the way in the back to keep away from him. We went to class and then dinner. I fed Kira in the Great Hall then ate and we all retired to the dorms.

"Kira, we're gon' haf ta' try to fix our 'cabulary for durin' the day. We're confusing people.

"You were talking fine yesterday," said Blaise.

"Yes, but that was with choosing our words…carefully."

"If you'd like for us to help."

"Thank you." I turned to Kira and pointed to the floor by the wall and we headed over out of the way. We used street commands back and forth and the others watched us for a while. All of a sudden after a command I gave, she came flying at me and I dodged to the side. The command I gave was spar. The others were about to get up but I waved them away as we continued. We dodged and flipped around each other landing blows that didn't really affect neither of us. I didn't draw my wand and we continued moving until she threw the command for stop. We bowed to each other then went to the bed. She helped me with my homework and we swapped from one language to the next as we talked. English, by far, was the hardest language to learn. We mixed the languages and only the two of us knew what we were talking about.

Classes went well for the rest of the month and it was two days from Halloween and we had to talk to Professor Dumbledore to ask to leave. After two hours we convinced him to let us leave after classes ended tomorrow. I was in Care of Magical Creatures and Kira was in our dorm once again. About halfway to the castle I started to worry because she was usually already here. When I reached the castle doors I knew something was wrong. I could literally feel the struggle she put up all the way from here. I started running and Draco and Blaise followed me, leaving Crabbe and Goyle to fend for themselves. Once we reached the room I tore into it and halted to a stop just as fast. "Don' move and don' enter," I told them. I walked around the room and could tell she fought and had been knocked unconscious before being taken. Nothing had been moved or anything so he must have jumped to somewhere. I raised my left palm and slit my wrist then wiped the blood using my right arm onto an engravement of a star on my left palm. A vampire jumped and was right in front of me. He bowed to me and I bowed back before he attacked my wrist. He drank then healed it and I turned to see Draco and Blaise frozen in fear.

'What's wrong Kaze?'

'Kira was taken.'

'Where?'

'I haven't used the locator spell yet.' I did and we saw where she was. She was in a forest about 3,000 miles off. Would have been a problem if I had no vampire allies. Apparition or portkey wouldn't have worked because we still would have had to climb.

'Come.'

I turned around to face Draco and Blaise. "Tell Snape I left as planned and do not mention any of this." They nodded and I grabbed Keran's hand and we jumped to about a foot away from Kira in a large tree.

I saw that she was tied to a tree and that some other vampire was trying to force himself on her. She was fighting back best she could while not letting him get to close to her. Rage consumed me and at that point I was ready to fight him.

'Calm Kaze. Get your childe, I shall take care of the other.' I managed a small nod and after he launched an attack and had the other vampire away from her, I jumped from the tree and to her. I tried to tear the ropes but finally pulled out my wand and used a cutting spell. When she fell I caught her and slid to the ground.

'Drink childe, you need it.' She drank and her eyes turned back from red to a normal color. I pulled her down into my lap and ran my hands through her hair. She curled up in my arms and was asleep momentarily. I saw that Keran had just finished and was sinking his fangs into the other's neck. I washed as if detached as he walked toward me and I held onto Kira.

'Come. I will take you to my part of the forest.' I nodded and grabbed his hand and we ended up even farther away from Hogwarts than we were. I walked over and sat against a tree still holding her. I wouldn't let her go so soon again. I wouldn't lose her. When she woke, she wrapped her arms about my neck.

"Sorry."

'You have nothing to be sorry for. I am proud of you. Very. You gave us time to get here without being harmed or hurt in the process.' I pulled her into a kiss and we broke a minute later. 'You did good childe. Very well. Aishiteru.'

'Aishiteru. You're not mad?'

'Not at all. Not at all. Very proud. You alright?'

'Yes. Sorry.'

'It's fine. Do you still want to go tomorrow?'

'Can we?'

"If you want to.'

'Okay.'

'You're going to the tournament?'

'Of course. It's only every 100 years. Wouldn't miss it unless she didn't want to go. Especially since I'm a mortal and wouldn't normally be able to go.'

'True. I will be competing.'

'Hope you win. We could use with a few changes.'

'Yes, we could. A few laws desperately need changing.' We talked about laws to change, how we'd been, what we planned on doing, and just random things. We talked all night and as the sun rose moved further into the forest, climbed in a tree, and slept. We slept from four to nine a.m. and then was up walking around the forest watching Kira chase a rabbit or some such animal. She laughed when she caught the rabbit for the twentieth or so time and let it go again. We started a friendly spar between me and Kira against Keran. We drew swords and I transfigured a large dead tree branch for mine. We fought for about four hours before tiring and deciding to break to hunt. I pulled out a little box from my pocket and resized it. I took out some food then shrunk it again, and they both looked at me.

'What, I came prepared.'

'That you did.'

'I thought you were going hunting.'

'We are. Where will you be?'

'Sitting in that tree there laughing at the two of you.' They fed and came back and we decided to head to the tournament early. Surprisingly, we weren't the only one's. Keran left me and Kira in one of the bleachers in the dark hidden dome and we decided it would be better to stay there. Others that sat around us were cautious of Kira because they sensed the fact that she would fight to the death to protect me, and an out of control furious childe was not something they wanted to deal with at the one place where they could have fun, even though it did sometimes get out of hand.

We watched as the competitors fought their best. There were a lot of close shots and over 25 vampires were dead already. Down to six, Keran was still in, but the fights were getting more ferocious, and now the fights were to the death. Now at the final two it was Keran and Karasu and Keran was almost to the point of death. Karasu had him pinned but was being cocky and Keran took the last opening he would ever get and dug his claws through Karasu's stomach. He fell dead and Keran lay there before managing to push the dead weight off of himself and standing up. Me and Kira were wrapped around one another eyes never leaving Keran. The crowd burst into cheers and applause as he was given two goblets of blood. They asked for his first command and I was shocked as well as Kira by the first part of it.

'The mortal by the vampiric name of Kaze, sitting in the top stands there, is not to be touched while I rule, nor his childe Kira, and other than that, celebrate, let loose, and enjoy the night that was given to us.' They broke into cheers again and Keran beckoned us down. As we went the others bowed to us and when we reached the bottom turned and bowed to Keran before rising as one and finally leaving the stands to party.

He smiled, and we, as well as a large party, followed him to the throne where the previous ruler sat. After bowing to her she rose and lifted Keran up. She led him to the chair and let him sit. He thanked her with his eyes for if she had thought he did not deserve the position she could have killed him before the next runner down that was alive was chosen.

'Rise, and hail your new master for the next century.' We all did so cheering once more. Never once did I feel out of place amoungst all these vampires. We stayed with Keran after everyone left and not surprising to us but to other vampires it would have been, he sat on the ground in front of the chair and we talked for the rest of the night watching everyone partying and having a good time. No one thought about the previous ruler or about where she had just simply vanished off to. No one would see her for the next century.

As sunrise came he brought us back to Hogwarts and hugged us both before smiling. We smiled back and with a lopsided grin he jumped away leaving where he had once been standing an emerald silk box. Looking at each other Kira picked it up and we went to the bed. Deciding to open it in the morning when everyone else awoke, we carefully placed it on the nightstand. I fed Kira and we fell asleep after the long night.

We awoke to the sounds of the others moving around and getting dressed before hearing Blaise ask if he should wake us. Sparing Draco from answering, we sat up and commenced to get dressed also. None of them asked when we got back. Remembering the box we opened it to find in it a small baby cobra (that was thought to be extinct.) As well, there was a necklace in it that was for Kira that I put on for her before telling the others we would be right behind them. They nodded and left and I lifted the little serpent out of the box, in the process waking her.

-Hello little one. Would you happen to know why you are here?-

-I was to be given to my new master. Is that you?-

-If you would like me to be.-

-Yes please if you would like to care for me.-

-I would. What's your name little one?-

-Amyra Master.- (u-my-ru)

-Call me Kaze please Amyra. You have a beautiful name as well.-

-Thank you Ma…Kaze.-

-Okay. Wherever you would like to perch except for around my neck will do.-

-Wrists.-

-That will be fine. We must go or we'll be late.-

She nodded her head before curling up and allowing me to feed Kira before we left for breakfast. Breakfast and the rest of the day went fine before we were called to Snape's office for a serious talk that night.

Break

"Albus, the boy was sitting with my new master, the leader of all vampires for the next century, with the girl and we were told not to touch him for as long as he led. Actually, his exact words were, ("The mortal by the vampiric name of Kaze, sitting in the top stands there, is not to be touched while I rule.") He held off the part about Kira being his childe. Albus didn't need to know. "Albus, the leader of all vampires is the friend of one Harry Potter. The boy was sitting in the stands. He went to the vampire tournament that had at least 100,000 vampires present and didn't look to be even slightly nervous or cautious." He was surprised he wasn't shouting yet.

"Severus, calm yourself, is the boy back yet?"

"Yes, he's asleep in his dorm. Albus I tell you, my new master left his throne and sat on the ground with them and they even fell asleep leaning against him."

"Why is this bad news Severus. We can use this."

"No Albus! That is exactly what I'm trying to tell you. If you attempt to manipulate him you will be on the hunted list of every vampire in the world and there will be nowhere you could hide. Let the Dark Lord make the first move that's all I'm warning you about." He swirled around and left, cloak billowing out behind him. After he reached the dungeons he allowed himself a smirk, hopefully that would buy Harry/Kaze some time, as well as Tom. Harry had no idea that he had been staying with his parent's murderer over the past few years. Severus had taken a liking to the boy after the few times they had spoken and wouldn't let Albus manipulate him for his purposes. Now he had to warn Tom.

After the days classes he sent an owl to be delivered to Harry under the name of Kaze, in the hope of him understanding what it was Severus wished to discuss with him. After opening it, they left to his office. When they got there, they knocked and he called 'Enter' so they went in. They sat and got comfortable before Severus started.

"There are a few things I have been asked to explain to you and I would like your word that none of this be repeated outside this room and that you will here me out."

After a moment he nodded his acceptance and Severus explained to him about Tom killing his parents because of a prophecy and then not being able to kill him because he was only a child and then when Tome found him, trying to pay him back in retribution for what he had caused to happen. He moved on to the tournament and explained what he saw and heard. Surprisingly, Harry/Kaze took it well and said that he knew some of it but didn't hold it against Tom. Then Severus told him about Dumbledore to which he also nodded.

'The man's delusional. I would join Tom and the so called dark side before joining him, after all, it is his fault that Tom heard the prophecy.' Severus acknowledged the language change and nodded.

'That is all I wished to know and tell, but should you need something, I am here, whether to get a message to Tom or to my master.' Harry thanked him and bowed to him and leaving before Severus had time to bow back, for if he didn't bow back it was considered an dishonor, but being told you did not have to bow to him was the highest honor.

The school year went by without much trouble but towards the end it did get interesting. Dumbledore kept giving me clues about a sorcerer's stone that would make the drinker immortal. I didn't really care but Tom said he needed to take Dumbledore down in the final battle so I agreed to help him find it.

Kira put the three-headed dog to sleep by singing. I loved her voice, it was so soothing. After that we landed in devil's snare which was easy to get out of. Light was the answer. We walked to a room and found a bunch of keys. We decided to catch it together so she let out her wings and I grabbed the broom. It didn't take us long to find and catch before we moved on to the next task. This one was a bit harder. Chess, how I hated the game. I always lost against Tom and Sev when I could get him to play. I called to Tom in my mind and told him of our predicament and he told us what positions to take and where to move. With his help, we succeeded. In the next room was a dead troll so we moved on through, the stench was horrible. It looked like Severus's work. Next we came to his where there were two papers. One in English, one in vampiric. We picked up one each and read them out loud at the same time. Suddenly, Kira pointed to one and we picked it up. We each took a sip and went through the fire. The next thing I experienced was shock. Tom was standing there smiling.

"Hello Harry. Sorry I couldn't help you more but I had no fears that you would get through. I have no clue how to undo Dumbledore's protection, which is why I needed your help." I smiled at him and walked in front of the mirror. I saw the stone fall into my pocket and smiled before turning away and pulling it out and handing it to Tom.

"You should go before you get caught."

"Alright, I will. Don't forget to visit this summer."

"We won't," we promised, then he apparated away before we were attacked from behind by Severus, though just enough to knock us out but not hurt us.

Dumbledore was furious but no one was really paying any mind to him. The school year came to a close and at the leaving feast, we gathered all the food we could into a shrinkable box before the train took us back to London and the streets. Everything we owned was in my pockets, we were home, at least for the summer, if we decided to return to Hogwarts.

"This is myself and Kira's explanation of our first year living with somewhat civilized people that weren't like us and how it went. Goodbye, I'm going to bed."

The end. Done. Finished. No more chapters.

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