Fallen Angel

Chapter two - Alone again

Harry slowed down as the orphanage came into view. It was a lovely, large Victorian house with ivy climbing up the sides and a wonderfully huge garden behind a twelve foot rusty red wall.

The longhaired boy stopped in front of the gate and put Lily down gently.

When Mr. Weasley had been dragged off to see Pettigrew, Harry had grabbed his chance by the throat. He picked Lily up in one arm and the bulging basket in the other, and then sprinted down the cobbled street as fast as he could, which for a human being would have been impossibly fast.

He had had to get away from the man otherwise he'd have had to go back to the Burrow.

Harry loved the Weasley's like the family he'd never had, but they were very touchy: always kissing, hugging, patting, or holding each other. The very last thing Harry wanted was to be trapped in a crowded house with untrained and untested vampire powers, full of touching red heads. Hopefully he'd be a little better by Hogwarts. He didn't want to have to explain to his friends why he couldn't bear to have them go near him.

Lily had enjoyed the fast ride down the street away from all the strange, shouting men, so she whimpered when Harry put her down.

"We're here Lily," the dark haired boy said softly.

Lily took one look at the orphanage and threw herself at the teenager, clinging to him desperately.

"No! No! I don't want to go back! I want to stay with you!"

Harry carefully untangled the little chestnut haired girl and knelt down in front of her sadly.

"Oh Lily, I would take you with me if I could but I'm too dangerous. I have all these new powers I don't know how to control and I have bad men after me all the time."

Lily's beautiful eyes filled with silver tears. They swelled, broke, and fell down her soft cheeks.

"But you're my guardian angel," she whispered.

Harry wiped away the tears and pulled her into a tight hug as she wailed on his shoulder.

"That's right pumpkin. I am and always will be."

Suddenly a thought occurred to him and he reached down into one of the pockets on his black trousers and pulled out the black feather that had fallen from his wings.

"Here, pumpkin. Look."

Lily turned a tear stained face towards the silky feather sitting in her hero's pale hand.

"You know this is from part of me; my wings." Harry started and she nodded, "right, well I'm giving this to you to always carry. If you ever get in trouble and need me to protect you just pull out the feather, think very hard of me and say my name three times, and I promise, no matter where I am, I'll come running to look after you."

Lily smiled as she delicately picked it up out of Harry's hands and cradled it close to her small body.

Harry leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on her soft forehead.

As he pulled away he saw a tiny blue light, almost too quick for even his sharp eyes to see, jump from his lips to her head.

He puzzled momentarily over it while Lily started to search frantically through the large pockets on her baggy uniform.

"I can't find anything!" She squeaked, her plait almost quivering in her frustration.

"Anything for what?" Harry asked.

She looked up at him, her brown eyes going wide with disbelief, as if she couldn't understand why Harry didn't know what she was going on about.

"To tie to the feather so I can wear it as a necklace, silly!"

Harry thought briefly then pulled a thin leather cord from his pocket. He used it to tie back his hair but he could easily get another.

"Here," he murmured, gently taking the feather from her. He found a perfect hole at the base of the feather and threaded the cord through. It fit perfectly. The vampire boy sighed; it looked like Lady Fate had favoured him again.

Lily turned around and pulled her thick plait out of the way. Harry lifted the new necklace over her head and tied it in a secure knot, leaving it long enough that she could pull it off if she needed to.

The little girl turned and looked expectantly up at the longhaired boy. Harry smiled gently.

"It looks beautiful on you, pumpkin."

She beamed happily before tucking her new necklace under her uniform.

"C'mon, let's take you in. I'm sure all your friends are dying to see what you've brought."

Lily reluctantly nodded, her big eyes downcast, as Harry pushed open the rusty gate. He picked up the basket, took her hand and led her up the paved path with the wild herbs spilling over the edges of the borders on either side and shy flowers poking their delicate heads through the green foliage.

Before they reached the large oak front door, it opened of its own accord and a motherly looking, plump woman stepped out. She was wearing a rich blue robe under a thick white apron. Her thick mahogany hair had been tied back in a loose knot and slivers had slyly fallen out, framing her warm face.

"Oh, Lily! Thank goodness! When I hear there another attack just down the street I panic. But Sally, she is still too ill to look after the other children so I can't leave to go look for you."

Lily smiled at the woman who spoke with a thick Italian accent.

"I'm okay, Zia Anna," she twirled around to emphasise her point; "See, all here, Harry saved me form the bad men."

Anna stepped forward, squinting at Harry in the sunlight.

A soft breeze played down the street, teasing the ivy choking the house in its death grip and lifting the ebony hair gently from Harry's face, dancing with the inky black strands through the wind and revealing his thin lightning bolt scar.

Anna clapped a hand to her full chest in surprise.

"Aiee! Harry Potter! You save our little Lily! Gracie! Thank you! Come in, please!"

The woman practically pulled Harry into the house and the fey boy found himself in a handsome hallway with mahogany panels on the rich green walls.

Harry and Lily were led down the hall and into a huge, Victorian style kitchen where the dishes were washing themselves in the huge stone basin sink and stacking themselves neatly on the wooden draining board.

"You stay for dinner?" Anna asked Harry.

Although the vampire boy needed never to eat human food again, he knew it would be rude if he refused and he wanted to stay with Lily in this peaceful world of pretend a while longer before he had to go back and face grim reality.

"I'd love to."

Anna squealed for joy and blew a kiss at him.

Lily giggled at Harry's bemused expression until Anna spun around and planted a huge, wet, sloppy kiss on her cheek.

"Matron!" Lily squealed and Anna - or matron - laughed.

"I just happy you are safe. Now let us see what you have brought for dinner!"

The motherly lady pounced on the basket and soon was bustling around the huge kitchen, cooking muggle style and thoroughly enjoying herself as only a full blooded Italian can in a kitchen with good food.

"Lily, why don't you take Harry out to meet all the other children?"

Lily nodded, grasped Harry's slender but strong hand and led him out of the steamy kitchen, down the hall and into a conservatory. Harry's sharp eyes could see through the misty glass and out into the sunlit garden beyond. About fifteen children were running back and forth, squealing and shouting in joy. Harry smiled softly, but in that smile lay a sadness that even most adults who have lived a long and harsh life couldn't even begin to touch on or comprehend. He was glad there was still innocent laughter in the dark times and he worried about how it would eventually be stolen away from every single one of those children unless something was done. Another burden was placed on his already weary shoulders.

A thought occurred to him. A sudden hand reached out and gently gripped Lily's thin shoulder.

"Lily," the pale boy's musical voice quavered out onto the heavy air.

"Yes?" The child asked.

Harry hesitated before slowly letting the words that needed to be said spill from his full lips.

"I told you before that bad men are always after me, and it's true, and that's why they can't find out about me, not my wings, not my fangs, not my magic or about me being your guardian angel."

Lily's eyes widened as she began to understand, Harry continued.

"If they do find out, they will know how to make me go to heaven. I'll have to leave you alone. That's why no one must find out, meaning you can't even tell your friends or matron."

Harry cursed himself a thousand different types of painful death as he said the next six words, hating himself for using Lily's innocence against her.

"It's just our little secret, right?"

The girl looked a little upset that she couldn't tell her friends about her cool guardian angel.

"Okay, Harry, just our little secret," she intoned.

Harry could have killed himself quite happily as Lily led him out into the sunlit garden.

Boys and girls between the ages of two to ten, all in the small orphanage uniform, were running back and forth over the soft, rich grass, playing a game of tag with a fairy.

The beautiful creature chased a small girl with mousy brown hair across the lawn, the fairy's soft pink dress shimmering in the light, her waist length blond hair sparkling, her delicate wings flashing and her glowing blue eyes laughing.

As soon as Harry placed his booted feet upon the lush green blades the fluttering woman froze in mid-air.

The creature turned questioningly and almost fell to the ground when she saw the darkly beautiful teenager holding hands with one of the orphans.

She quickly flew over and circled Harry, looking him up and down.

Lily and the other children were oblivious to the strange behaviour of Sakishma - their garden fairy who had always played with the children. They were all too busy tossing 'hellos' back and forth with other childish banter.

Sakishma the fairy drew level with Harry's eyes and stared into the endless emerald depths.

/I know what you are boy./

The wise but sweet voice directly inside his head almost made him jump.

**You won't tell anyone?** Harry tiredly asked back.

The fairy shook her blond head and smiled.

/No, but have you killed anyone?/

**No.** Came Harry's quiet but hard reply.

Sakishma doubled over laughing in the air.

/Good!/

**Hang on. I thought vampires could only speak to dark creatures.**

The fairy alighted on his shoulder and they turned to watch the children have a playful wrestling match while the two magical creatures carried on talking in the privacy of their heads.

/That's because the book you probably read was written by a human. They can't possibly find out everything about vampires unless they become them. Light creatures just usually prefer not to talk to vampires./

**But why?** Harry asked. Sakishma sighed.

/We don't because a lot of you went over to Voldemort. Your kind killed needlessly and enjoyed it. You sunk back into the monsters you used to be./

**We can't be all like that. I'm not.**

The fairy leaned over and patted the pale boy on his silky cheek.

/I know that. We all do. But unfortunately most of you have gone over to the dark and don't want to come back. We turned our backs on a once noble race who now kill for pleasure, more than a need to./

Harry stared sightlessly at Lily who was rolling on the rich grass with the mousy haired girl.

**What if I don't want to kill at all? Not even if I have to.**

Sakishma flew off his shoulder and hovered in front of his emerald eyes. She looked much older, as wise as her years.

/You are a vampire now, boy. A very long life lies before you. At some point in your life you will kill because you have to./

The young vampire felt a great weight settle over his tired heart.

"Harry!" A cry raised the raven-haired boys head. Lily had disentangled herself from the other children and was running towards him with her arms held open.

Harry was at a loss for what she wanted. Sakishma giggled at his confusion.

/She wants you to pick her up and swing her around before hugging her. It's how the children show each other they've found someone they want to adopt them, kind of like an innocent ritual./

Lily was now almost on top of him so he leaned down, scooped her up, swung her around before hugging her close. She wrapped her slim arms around his neck and pressed her soft cheek against his.

It was a moving moment. A young vampire brought back from the black brink of despair by a child who understood the loneliness of being an orphan: a little girl who loves a creature of the night, something that was shunned and feared by all humans.

"Oh, how sweet!"

The rich voice echoed across the garden, Harry and Lily's eyes shot open.

The longhaired boy turned, still holding Lily in his arms, to see an old woman in a simple black robe with a plain white shawl wrapped around her slim shoulders. Her hair was pure white and thick, pulled back into a loose bun at the base of her neck. Her skin was the colour and texture of old parchment, but it was her eyes that captivated Harry the most, a bright ice blue, twinkling with laughter making her look much younger. They were the same as Albus Dumbledore's. She smiled warmly.

"I see our little Lily has picked you."

It was not a question but a fact.

"I am Sally."

The name rang like a bell in Harry's head.

"Anna said you were ill."

Sally sighed and sagged. The shawl slipped down her arms and she paused briefly to wrap it around her shoulders again before answering.

"I am."

"But you sm ...seem fine."

The old woman smiled softly, she had caught the slip in Harry's speech.

"Children. Go in and wash for lunch. You to, Lily."

The children sulked and Lily looked like she was going to cry until Harry whispered into her ear.

"I promised, Lily. I'm your guardian angel and will always be with you in some way."

She nodded her small head making her plait bump against her hips, gave him a kiss on the cheek, then he put her down on the grass and she ran inside the great Victorian house.

The dark haired boy turned immediately to the woman.

"Now will you tell me?" He asked.

She raised a slender white eyebrow.

"You don't give up do you."

Another fact, Harry shrugged.

"It's not my way."

Sally nodded.

"Then I will answer your question. My body is not physically ill but my soul is spiritually."

Harry stared at her, perfect face emotionless, but bewilderment filling his mind.

The soft breeze slowly stirred his inky black hair and the sunlight making his eyes sparkle and pale skin glow. He looked unearthly beautiful, like if anyone were to touch him he would vanish like the mist at dawn.

"Have you ever heard of a Tuner, boy?"

Harry nodded his head. Flitwick had taught the 5th years about them when they were looking at emotion charms.

"A Tuner is very rare; a person born with the ability to tune into the feelings and auras of people around them."

Sally looked pleased, her white hair flashing in the strong sun.

"I can see you've been doing your homework, boy."

Harry felt a tiny prick of indignation and then a twisted form of relief that someone might still think him innocent and naive enough to call him 'boy'.

"And when did your Tuner powers develop?"

She laughed, it sounded like a bubbling brook.

"Very good! I became a Tuner when I went through puberty."

She levelled her gaze at him. Sparkling electric blue met glowing emerald green and the birds singing in the trees around them were suddenly silent. The only noise throughout the whole of the garden were the faint yells of children from the huge house, the whisper of the wind and to Harry the flutter of Sakishma's wings.

"Now I will ask you a question, boy," Sally's voice was monotone.

The pale boy stayed silent, his jet-black strands playing in the breeze.

"How long ago did you last drink from someone?"

It struck him like a knife, piercing him right to the scarred heart.

She knew.

Just like Sakishma knew.

"Do I have a sign over my head saying 'I'm a vampire. Stake me!'"

To Harry's relief, his well-placed words broke the tense atmosphere. Sally chuckled and took a step towards him while Sakishma settled back on his shoulder.

"No, boy I can see it in your aura. You should thank whatever Gods you vampires worship that Tuners are so rare."

Now Harry was curious.

"How can you tell that by looking at my aura?"

The old woman pulled a wand from her robe pocket and conjured up two garden chairs for them.

"Not as young as I used to be," she grumbled as she settled herself before she lent back in a business like manner and steepled her bony fingers.

"Humans have only primary and secondary colours in their aura, never black, white, silver or gold. Immortals, or any type of magical creature, are a different story; they can have any colour and most have at least six at one time.

"The part of your aura indicating you're a new vampire is the green and silver closest to your body, for the moment it's more green than silver, showing that you're freshly changed, but it will soon be more silver than green. The outer colours show your personality, past, future, and how strong you are physically, mentally, spiritually and magically."

Harry sat there on the metal chair with a bemused expression on his beautiful face.

"You can tell all that just by looking at me?"

Sally nodded her white head seriously and the quiet boy slumped back in despair.

"Damn. I suppose I've got to be thankful Voldemort isn't a Tuner then, or he'd be able to knock me flat!"

"Lunch!" Zia Anna's voice rang out from the house.

Sally smiled, she was tempted to reach out and pat Harry on the knee like she would do for an upset child but she knew she'd more hurt than heal him by touching him.

"Lily will miss you if you don't go."

Harry nodded, his emerald eyes flashing in the midday sun. He stood, bowed his head in way of thanks and strode back towards the shade of inside.

Sally watched him go, watched the way he seemed to pull the darkness around him in a cloak: a real child of the night.

/I agree./ The wise voice arrived in her head as Sakishma flew over and settled on Sally's black clad knee, spreading her light dress out around her and lazily opening and closing her vibrant wings, soaking in the warm sun.

Sally glanced warily back at the house where Harry had disappeared into the dark interior.

"But I held back Sakishma, I didn't tell him everything, so he is unprepared for what is to come."

/What do you mean Sally? Did you lie to him?/

The old woman sighed and let her tired eyes fall shut.

"No. I just didn't tell him the one thing that could mean the outcome of this entire war. I didn't tell him why Voldemort is and has always been after him, besides that damn prophecy, I mean. You know that by judging a person's true magical potential is by the amount of colours around their body?"

/Yes./

"Most people and magical creatures have seven at most. Harry had fifteen and while I watched another colour was added, he's still getting stronger."

Sakishma was silent. For the first time in five hundred years she was speechless.

"And I know of only two people who have auras similar to him."

/Who?/

"Tom Riddle and Draco Malfoy. The second turned sixteen a week ago."

/What are you going to do?/

Sally held out her hand and Sakishma jumped onto it.

The old woman stood and hitched her shawl up around her bony shoulders.

"Write to my brother."

And she walked back into the cool shade of the house.

* * *

Lunch had been spectacular.

Unfortunately for Harry it had been no where near as filling nor as satisfying as warm blood pumping from a strong vein, filling his mouth with rich life.

He knew he would have to feed again soon. The text on vampires had said new Fallen Angels had to feed daily until their body had completely adjusted to the change, which usually took a few weeks.

Afterwards he played with Lily and the other children until they were sent to their daily lesson.

Lily knew that when she'd come back Harry would be gone. It was a long, teary goodbye filled with warm hugs and gentle kisses on the forehead and cheek. Lily wanted to give Harry part of herself as he had so she asked Matron to cut off a lock of her thick chestnut hair. After the kind Italian had done so the child rushed up to her dorm to get something after giving Harry strict instructions not to move. When she came back she was holding a simple but beautiful bracelet in her small hands.

"It was my mummy's," was all she said before opening a hidden catch. A single emerald that graced the centre of the silver chain sprang open to reveal a secret compartment. Lily carefully placed the curl of soft hair inside and shut it with a gentle click.

"Promise me you'll always wear it."

Harry smiled, then realised she was the only person he truly smiled at anymore unless it was for sarcasm. He took the bracelet and slipped it on his right wrist.

"Promise."

A last hug and kiss, then Lily went to her lesson with silent tears streaming down her cheeks.

Harry watched the only person who loved him for truly being himself, not the saviour of the wizarding world, not James Potter's son, not the golden Gryffindor Seeker, just Harry - a beaten and depressed vampire who wanted to be left alone.

He heard the heartbeats behind him and turned to see Sally and Zia Anna quietly standing in the kitchen doorway, watching him.

"Could I have a word before I leave?"

"Have several boy. Follow me," was all Sally said - just the sort of thing Dumbledore would say.

She led the dark young vampire and Anna down the hall and into a homely study with bookcases full to bursting with volumes of all shapes and sizes. A filing cabinet was between a couple of them, painted a bright purple. A large desk stood in the centre of the room with two padded velvet chairs before it. Sally settled herself behind the desk while Harry and Anna made themselves comfy in the velvet chairs.

"I will get straight to the point. I want to adopt Lily as soon as possible. I am only sixteen and don't yet have a place of my own, plus Voldemort has me at the top of his 'hard nut to crack' list and I'm still in Hogwarts."

Sally reached into a drawer, pulled out a stack of papers and thumped them down in front of Harry then pushed an eagle feather quill and a pot of navy blue ink over.

"Sign these."

He signed then the whole thing flew up into the air and dived in an open drawer of the purple filling cabinet.

"You are now the legal guardian of Lily Potter."

The Gryffindor blinked. Surely there was more to it then that, what if he was secretly an axe murderer. A mental shrug later he decided that he still had a lot to learn about the wizarding world, then a barely noticeable wistful smile passed across Harry's lips at the name.

"I can't take her with me where I'm going."

The old woman nodded briskly.

"Of course not. Once you get back to Hogwarts she will join you there, until then we'll look after her."

The vampire boy sagged in relief.

"Thank you."

Zia Anna tried to give him a hug, but he flinched away. Not giving up she told him over and over again how happy she was for him and Lily as they walked down the hall to the front door. Sally walked slightly behind them, smiling cheekily as Harry looked desperately to her. Now standing on the path outside the impressive front door Harry said goodbye. Anna burst into tears and had to run back inside to find a hanky. Then Sally surprised the emerald-eyed boy, though he didn't let the emotion show on his face.

"Good luck, Harry. Now I suggest you go to Evergreen Village by train from King's Cross. You'll find someone there who can teach you about your 'skills'."

He nodded his thanks, turned and walked down the path, not once looking back.

Harry slipped into the cobbled lane with the stealth of an assassin. He padded off silently, back towards the main shopping centre of Diagon Alley, determined to finish off what he had come to do and leave the wizarding world far behind him before sunset.

He realised, while going over Sally's parting words that he'd had no idea where he was going to conveniently disappear to for the rest of the holidays. He'd immediately scratched Grimmauld Place off the list, for one it would be too painful to go there with the fresh memory of Sirius' death still playing itself over and over in his head every time he closed his eyes. And the Order would be there, exactly the sort of people Harry wanted to stay away from until he could control himself. It looked like Sally had solved the riddle before Harry had even realised there was one. He had a hard enough time staying focused in the present so he'd had no time to dwell on the future.

He passed the scene of the fight with no trouble even though there were still reporters and ministry wizards hanging around.

Finally stepping out into the full sunlight of Diagon Alley he set off to the nearest clothes shop that did robes and muggle clothes.

The assistants jaw hit the floor when he watched an unearthly beauty walk into his shop

"May I help you sir?" He quickly gushed, getting as close as he dared to the god-like young man.

"Yes. I need robes, but mainly muggle clothes for all occasions, mostly casual. I would like them all in dark colours please."

As the assistant lead Harry into a dressing room that was as large as the whole of the ground floor at the Burrow he couldn't believe his luck. He got to dress and undress this beautiful creature for hours. He disappeared and left Harry to himself. The young vampire decided he'd better start to undress, as he wanted to get everything done as quickly as possible.

While he was pulling off his now tattered and torn shirt and musing over how best to fix it his sharp ears caught a whispered conversation outside the dressing room doors that he would have been unable to hear had he been human. But he wasn't.

"He only wants dark colours. How about this dark blue? Would it look good on him?"

"For Merlin's sake, Martin, anything would look good on him. He'd look better then any model in a potato sack!"

"Martin, it's not fair, share him with the rest of us."

"I got to him first, so I don't see why I have to."

"You have to because you can't carry all those clothes you're attempting to."

"Oh."

"Exactly."

Martin, Harry's attendant came hurrying back in with two other young men and one woman following closely behind. Each carried an armload of dark clothes...which dropped to the floor as their wide eyes took in the magnificent sight before them.

Harry was dressed in only a pair of black boxers; he was leaning back against one of the walls, arms crossed over his chest and one hand playing absently with his dragon necklace. The lighting was dim, creating shadows over the toned body, exaggerating the steel muscles, the pale skin looked flawless, as soft as velvet with a starless wave of glossy night spilling down his back, over his shoulders and down his chest. His perfect face was expressionless, full lips faintly tinged with dusky red, huge emerald eyes distant, seeing something from deep within his wise mind. He looked like a spirit, an elf, far too beautiful to be human, whose selfishness should never touch something so pure.

The intense eyes focused at the sound of the clothes dropping to the floor and in a split second the relaxed body was upright and tense in a defensive position before he seemed to actually register what it was that had created the noise.

"A bit much," the musical voice whispered out to the quiet room. It took a while for the assistance's to realise that he was talking about the amount of clothes they'd brought in. Martin stepped forward, eyes riveted on the perfect being in front of him.

"We didn't know which style you preferred, sir so we brought them all. Now if sir would just hold still while we put them on him."

Harry immediately ordered the assistants to leave. He wouldn't let them get within a meter of touching him, but they looked so depressed that Harry relented slightly and agreed that he would show them what each outfit looked like on him. This cheered them considerably.

"As sir wishes," Martin said, as he was about to step out of the door.

"Don't call me sir."

Confused grey eyes turned back to Harry.

"Well what would you like me to call you then, sir?"

Harry had been very carefully keeping his scar hidden so he needed to use a different name, not Harry Potter. Suddenly the perfect name came to him.

"Solo."

"Very good si- Solo," Martin blushed as he walked out of the door, pleased that he'd been asked to call the god by his first name while the others hadn't.

Harry turned back to glance at the clothes that had been conjured back into neat piles.

"Solo by name and solo by nature," he whispered into the empty room.

An hour and a half later, after much modelling Harry paid for the things he'd selected - the owner insisted that everything be cut to seventy percent off just for him. Even though no one recognised him as the once bespectacled, small and skinny boy Harry Potter and was now going as the mysterious stranger Solo, he'd attracted a large audience much to his confusion and despair. The longhaired boy knew he wasn't ugly but he had no idea he was now simply the most beautiful person most of them had ever seen. So Harry left the shop with all the clothes and boots, plus some accessories he would need along with one pocket bulging with addresses (by floo) from blushing witches and winking wizards. The other pocket held five cards from different modelling and advertising agencies.

The emerald-eyed boy had only taken a couple of bags with him; the rest would be in his room at the Leaky Cauldron before five o'clock. He glanced at his new watch. It was only half past three. Harry decided to pass the time by going into Flourish and Blots for anything interesting that might help him control his new powers, understand them, or give him a surprising edge against future Death Eater attacks. Half an hour later he walked out with another promise that his books would be delivered to his room before five, some more floo addresses and another card from an agency who were starting to make wizard films, which were proving to be a big hit, who wanted him to be involved - preferably the main character - in a gothic thriller they were going to start filming.

Harry was feeling quite emotionally exhausted from the days events and started to make his way back to the Leaky Cauldron ignoring the hungry stares coming from pretty much everyone in the crowded street. He knew fully well he wouldn't let a single one of them touch him so the stares didn't matter.

\Look but don't touch, eh?\

Harry's head snapped up.

\Over here master.\

The pale boy glanced over to his left and his eyes fell on an animal emporium, then they settled on what had spoken.

Sitting proudly on a perch just outside the door was a huge raven. Its thick black feathers changed to a deep purple where the sun caught them as it stared at him with clever, unblinking yellow eyes. It dipped its head respectfully.

\Strength and honour, master.\

**What?** Harry silently asked as he walked over to stare sightlessly into the window knowing how strange it would look to a street of people to watch him staring at a raven for minutes on end.

\It's our way of greeting: strength and honour is a great form of respect.\

**Well strength and honour then.**

The raven puffed up its chest proudly.

\I am flattered that you would grace me worthy of such a form of respect, master.\

**I think you deserve it. And what's with the 'master' thing?**

\We ravens have several forms of magic and are much more intelligent than owls. A raven chooses a master or mistress only worthy of keeping one of our kind. If a regular witch or wizard bought us they would not be able to keep or tame us as we pick you not the other way around. A bit like a wand I suppose.\

**So you picked me?**

\Yes.\

**Why?**

\Because you are worthy and I will be your friend as well as your familiar for life.\

The raven stretched its huge wings and flew onto Harry's shoulder. The long haired boy knew that if he'd of been human he would have buckled under the weight, but the bird felt as light as one of the feathers on its back.

The street around them immediately went quiet and still, then a slowly rising tide of whispers swept through the frozen crowd.

"Did you see that?"

"Right onto his shoulder."

"Do you think..."

"Maybe it's going to..."

"Hush! I want to see what happens next."

The raven sitting on Harry's shoulder spread its wings wide but did not fly away. It turned its black head up to the blue sky and let out one long, harsh cry that rung like a thousand bells, filling the street until no other noise could be heard, but over the cry Harry could hear the words that arrived in his head.

\Sky be my witness that I have chosen one to be bonded with. He is more than worthy to carry one of my kind. I will protect and watch over him as he will me. Sky seal our pact I, Griffin the brave have chosen Harry Potter, Solo, the one who walks alone, the Moonlight Lord, vampire and hero. Hear me!\

A bolt of lightning tore down from the empty sky and hit both of them. For a few seconds every witch and wizard had to turn away and shield his or her eyes from the bright light. When they were able to turn back it was to see an angry Harry glaring at the embarrassed looking raven on his shoulder.

"Oh, thank you very much. You could have warned me that was going to happen!"

With small slivers of lightning still jumping from the tips of his long hair and his green eyes actually glowing, Harry was, needless to say, scary enough to make the whole street back away while Griffin cowered on his broad shoulder.

\Sorry.\ Griffin had the decency to look embarrassed.

Harry sighed and bent to pick up the bags he had dropped when the lightning had hit him. Several of the witches standing behind him fainted while the wizards shifted so their robes were hiding their crotches as the emerald eyed boy had unconsciously given them a perfect view of his black trousers tightening over his incredible backside.

"What the hell?" Was all the longhaired boy said when he straightened up to see several limp witches on the flagstone street.

\I'll tell you later master.\

Harry shrugged and turned to the gapping shopkeeper who owned the animal emporium. A few minutes later he was making his way back to the Leaky Cauldron with a free of charge raven on his shoulder and hope in his mind for no more drama to slow him down.

**Don't call me master. I have a name, please use it.**

\Very well, Solo.\

**That's a name I made up for myself so people wouldn't know who I am.**

\Yes, but you choose it, it suits you more than the name other people gave you. Maybe in time you'll be able to settle more comfortably into your own skin, so for now you are Solo.\

**Explain this to me later, will you?**

\Of course, Solo.\

The boy who was now unrecognisable as The-Boy-Who-Lived stepped into the smoky interior of the Leaky Cauldron common room and slipped silently up the stairs. Opening the door to room eleven the dark pair glided noiselessly into the room. The bed had been remade and a fire was burning happily in the hearth even though the room was pleasantly cool. There was also a huge mound of boxes and bags at the end of the huge bed, all colourfully wrapped with big bows. Cards hung from almost every package.

"Merlin. It's like Christmas."

\More like three Christmases rolled into one.\ Griffin said wryly as he landed on the mantle piece.

"I didn't ask for any of them to be wrapped," Harry muttered as he began to step carefully through the packages. Graceful fingers reached out and gently pulled off a card. It smelled like rose blossom. Griffin watched as Harry's slender eyebrows rose towards his hairline and were hidden under his thick bangs.

"Listen to this! 'To the beautiful Solo. Never has any working day been filled with such joy than with serving you. Please call again, I'll be waiting. Your assistant always, Martin.'"

The card was slowly dropped and fell in sweeping waves to the floor. Emerald eyes stared unfocused at nothing.

"Always is such a long time for a normal lifetime let alone a vampires."

\We'll bear it together.\

"But you're a raven. Raven's aren't that long-living."

The deadpanned voice barely carried across the room. Griffin shrugged.

\We are if our masters are. I die when you die, not before, not after.\

Harry gazed sightlessly at the far wall.

Although the day had been hectic he'd quite enjoyed it because he'd been too busy to remember. But now he wasn't doing anything it was all coming back to him in one harsh, never ending, soul tearing, gut wrenching wave. All of it.

The teenage boy who had been forced to grow up too quickly fell to his knees clutching at his dark head; as if he squeezed hard enough he could block the painful memories.

His mother screaming and a violent flash of green light followed by a cold, harsh laugh.

Being bullied by Dudley and his gang at school.

Being forced to sleep in a cupboard.

Vernon and Petunia telling him day by day what a worthless piece of shit he was.

The times when everyone but a few close friends at Hogwarts turned on him; when he lost them points, when they thought he was the heir of Slytherin, when everyone thought he'd cheated and put his name in the Goblet of Fire and when everyone had though he was making up the story of Voldemort returning to full power.

Dementors.

Cedric lying there dead, his face frozen in surprise.

Voldemort.

The Cruciatus.

Seeing his parents and now knowing he'll never see them again.

Hearing Draco Malfoy say he'd picked the loosing side.

Sirius falling.

The beatings.

Sirius falling.

The rape.

Sirius falling.

Hedwig.

The rape.

The blood.

Sirius' face.

The rape.

Pain.

Pain in his shoulder.

Swirling emerald eyes opened and swivelled to stare at the raven digging its sharp talons deep into his broad shoulder.

\Merlin. Your life hasn't exactly been peaches and cream.\

A harsh laugh without a trace of humour filled the cosy room making it seem suddenly darker and colder.

"There's much more. Those are just the ones that stand out the most."

Blood was welling from the newly inflicted wounds that had brought the midnight haired boy out of his trance.

"Thank you."

\No problem. Thought I suggest you change your shirt.\

Another harsh laugh. Griffin winced.

\Is that the only way you know how to laugh?\

Harry began to slowly undo the black buttons on his black shirt.

"I've forgotten how to laugh any other way."

The young vampire ripped open one bag and a shirt that was such a deep blood red it looked almost black slid into his waiting hands.

"Hm, suits my mood."

He pulled it on then began opening other bags. His trunk was flung open and the stuff was folded neatly inside.

\A bottomless spell?\ Asked Griffin after watching Harry pack the huge mound of clothes, boots and books without running out of room. The dark haired boy nodded.

"My trunk was getting a little crowded at the end of last year so I put a bottomless spell on it before I went back to the Dursleys."

\Good idea.\ The raven said approvingly.

Harry nodded his thanks, placed the last shirt inside and shut the lid. With a wave of his slender hand he shrunk the large trunk and placed it in his pocket, another wave and all the rubbish of bags and boxes threw itself neatly into the bin. Then he brought out a newly bought muggle wallet and slipped his muggle money inside.

"Right, that's everything. Let's go."

Griffin flew back to his master's shoulder and they left the room. It looked like no one had even been in there.

The sun was just starting to set as Harry and Griffin stepped out into muggle London.

"Sally said I should go to Evergreen Village, wherever the hell that is."

The pale skinned boy knew where the train station was so he headed there.

Admiring glances greeted him as he entered King's Cross.

After asking a young guard if he knew any train that would be passing Evergreen Village and the man had finished staring at him and his raven, Harry found himself being led towards platform three and boarding the train there. The guard helpfully told him to get off at the small platform labelled 'Evergreen Village' then started babbling on about how he'd just split up with his boyfriend and was looking to settle down with a guy he'd happily spend the rest of his life with. Harry and Griffin both stared at him coldly until the man cowered and quickly backed off the train leaving Harry to his dark thoughts.

He didn't move as the train began with a slight lurch and wound out into the enclosing night. Nor did he move throughout the entire journey except to pay for his ticket, so it was left to Griffin to check the name of each station as they passed.

The carriage was nearly empty throughout the journey, only a few tired business men who were too busy dreaming of a warm dinner and a soft bed to spare more than a curious glance at the young teenager who looked like he belonged in a gothic movie with a large raven perched on his shoulder.

After two long hours, darkness had completely fallen and the train pulled up to a small station with a green on white sign proclaiming 'Evergreen Village.' Griffin had to peck Harry on the head to get his attention and a few seconds later they were standing alone on the dark platform as the train pulled on.

\Seems like a nice little place.\

Harry walked off the platform and stepped down onto a small road. He looked around.

Evergreen forests stretched away around the small village, hiding it from the world outside. The waning moon had risen in the clear star-studded sky, leaving a chill in the air. Warm lights rose from the houses down the lane, pushing back the darkness. But Harry was looking for something else.

"I need to feed."

Something ran up and down the length of his spine. There was no way he could explain what the feeling was like but he instinctively knew what it meant.

"And there's another vampire in this village," he said quite calmly, nodding to the lights.

\There is?\

"Yes."

They walked slowly towards the houses.

The moon filled the darkness with a ghostly light, illuminating the shadows. A slight figure walked down an empty lane heading for the unsuspecting lights of the village. He belonged to the night, wrapping it around him as tightly as a lover. His hair floating out behind him in a wave of pitch black, his skin was as pale as the moon's light playing over the silky surface, his eyes showed the world that he was not completely human, they glowed with an emerald light into the dark, the long black lashes splashing across the white skin like casual streaks of ink from an artists brush. His clothes were dark, symbolising that he carried the night with him where ever he went and his booted feet made no sound as they stepped on the scattered gravel. He was simply a being so beautiful that he looked as if he did not belong anywhere else than in the darkness. He was as untouchable as the raven on his shoulder. Both beings would grace the world with their dark beauty before gently slipping away back into the night.

Harry stepped into what he thought was the main street. There was a small newsagent's, a pub, a butchers and a post office.

By now the hunger was gnawing at his veins but not very painful yet.

He turned and started down a small alleyway.

\Why are we going down here?\ Griffin asked.

**We're going down here because someone else is down here.**

\I don't hear anyone.\

**I can hear their heart beating.**

\You realise you'd be the king of hide and seek with that talent.\

Harry almost smiled. He could also see the figure ahead of him, shifting from shadow to shadow, which unfortunately for them, didn't faze Harry in the slightest.

**They're not muggle.**

\How do you know?\

**They're wearing a cloak.**

\Might just be a very gothic muggle.\

**Oh shut up.**

Griffin shut up and hopped off Harry's shoulder to land noiselessly on a dustbin lid.

**What are you doing now?** Harry made sure the 'I'm-getting-fed-up-with- your-antics' tone was clear. Griffin shrugged.

\Getting out of your way so you can feed. Honestly, Solo.\

Harry glared in mock anger at the smug raven then turned back to the figure who had stopped, as though listening.

The vampire boy crept closer, eyes focused completely on his target. He was close enough now to hear and smell the rich blood pumping through the unfortunate's veins. Their breathing was calm and steady.

Harry flexed his muscles like a tiger before the kill and pounced.

At that exact moment the other figure spun around and also pounced.

Two slim but strong bodies hurtled towards each other.

Two sets of fangs plunged for a pale neck and stopped millimetres from penetrating.

Two bodies sank, still not yet touching each other, to the ground as two sets of eyes, one emerald green almost completely streaked with silver, and the other silver flecked with gold, looked at each other.

Together they pulled back and sat there on the cold, concert ground staring at each other.

A single cloud which had blinded the moon pulled on across the never-ending sky and moonlight spilled into the alley and onto two sixteen year olds, one head crowned with long jet black hair falling to his waist, the other with shoulder length silver.

Both mouths hung slightly open, showing their fangs lightly pressing on their lower lips.

Harry finally managed to grasp onto coherent speech and spoke to the other vampire sitting in front of him.

"Malfoy?"