Disclaimer: The characters in this story are owned by JK Rowling. The characteristics of the vampire are adapted from Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Authored by HiBob

A/N: Dumbledore123 bemoaned that fact that there were very few fics with Harry as a Vampire or a Werewolf. I have had this story buzzing in my head for a while and decided to try my hand at a horror story. Fortunately, you cannot copyright Titles, so I am free to call this story:

THEY ONLY COME OUT AT NIGHT

Chapter One: Vampyr

The dark form hid in the shadows. The scent of its prey was strong. It moved quietly but quickly, and struck. Its prey collapsed silently, and the teeth found their mark. Life flowed in and gave new strength. Drained, the body was laid down without a sound. There were other prey and the beast was not sated.

It found its second victim as easily as the first. It drank its fill, and became more aware. It understood its hunger, now, and hunted with a sense of purpose, instead of instinct. Not that instinct had ever failed the creature. It listened as its third prey became suspicious. The man looked around and saw nothing, and so relaxed. When it dropped down on the man, it laughed quietly. The throat was crushed to keep the man from calling out. He would not live long enough to die from anything except loss of blood. The vampire drank deeply, then dropped the useless body.

He was aware of himself, again, and knew what power had called him from his forced starvation. One more he needed to kill, then he could proceed with his task. He rose quietly into the air, and hovered over the last of the guards. This one was bored, and had not noticed anything around him. Without ceremony, he was grabbed and drained. The lifeless body was thrown away with scorn as the vampire, fully sated, walked toward the abandoned house.

He could sense the three people inside the house, two men, and the boy. From what he could hear, the boy would not have much longer to live. The plans the men had made were already crumbling before He arrived. He felt it, and heard it at the same time. Something blunt struck the boy, causing a grievous wound. He heard one of the men tell the other that they were leaving.

The door opened and a man stepped out and called to his companions, who were supposed to be on guard. A hand reached down and grabbed the man. His neck was cracked, and the body thrown onto the ground, in sight of the open door. He dropped down, and stood in the doorway, smiling as the startled man inside stepped back, then suddenly apparated.

He glanced at the boy, no more than sixteen, tied to a chair, and gagged. He had been beaten, most likely for sport. His skull was crushed from the recent blow, and blood pooled around him where he, and the chair, had fallen over.

The vampire stared as the lifeblood flowed from the gaping wound. He railed against the powers that kept him from entering, and cursed himself. Then he saw the mindless pleading in the dying boy's eyes. It was enough. He crossed the threshold, and rushed to the boy.

He opened his shirt exposing his chest, and sliced deeply, causing blood from his heart to pump out. He grabbed the boy, and forced his mouth to receive the fresh blood. He relaxed as the boy began to swallow convulsively.

"Drink deeply, my son, or this will be your last night." The vampire looked down at the boy who now lay dead. "I will come for you tonight, my son, for now you are my son." He then fled the approaching dawn.

***

The vampire cursed himself for his foolishness. Dawn was quickly approaching, and this twelve-year-old boy blocked the path to his resting place, holding the warding charm in front of himself, in fearful defense. He tried to frighten the boy, and it worked, but the boy held his ground. He tried reason. "If you wish to kill me, you may stand there for a few more minutes," He said smoothly, "and the sun will do your dirty work for you."

"I'm not moving," the boy said, as he nervously brushed his unruly black hair.

"Then I die," The vampire said casually, "because of you. Or you could let me live, if I made a pledge." He smiled inwardly as the boy hesitated. The boy was not a coward, but he did not like to kill, even a vampire.

"What pledge?" The boy asked.

"I swear, on my honor, and that is a powerful oath, that I shall never cause harm to you, or to any of your kin."

"But you'll still hurt people."

"Then I'll add this. What I need, I will only take as I need, and kill only those who would kill. And you and yours, I will protect if I can, even at the cost of my own life."

The boy, in relief, put the charm away. The vampire, quickly seized the boy's hand, and gave him a pinprick cut. He drank the drop of blood, and told the boy, "now I will always know your scent, and I will always know you." With seconds to spare he fled to his grave, leaving the young James Potter to wonder what he had just done.

***

Despite all of the people looking for him, Harry was not spotted until he was already past Hagrid's hut, and almost to the school doors. Hermione Granger was nearby when one of the younger students, going for a morning stroll, opened the front doors and screamed. Hermione rushed out to see Harry standing at the bottom of the steps, his robes were torn to shreds. Dried blood matted his hair, and covered his face and chest. His white shirt was now dark red for the greater part.

Without regard for staining her robes she ran down the steps to Harry, and grabbed his arm. "Get Madam Pomfrey," she shouted, and at least three of the students ran off. "Come inside, Harry. What happened? Where are you hurt?"

Harry inched forward in relief, and said, "I'm fine, Hermione. I never felt better. I don't know what happened. I woke up in the Shrieking Shack and walked back here."

"Your glasses are missing?" She said.

"Are they?" Harry asked in surprise, "I didn't notice."

"Harry," Hermione said nervously, her eyes moist, "You argued with Ron at dinner last night, then went for a walk. We couldn't find you. People are still out looking for you."

Harry paused, as they walked, and raised a finger to her cheek to wipe away a tear. He let the finger trail down her cheek to her chin and brushed along her neck, "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?"

Hermione removed his hand from where it was stroking her neck. "We need to see Madam Pomfrey, Harry. That is what's most important."

Hermione felt her blood freeze, as Harry gave her a pleasant smile.

***

Dumbledore looked thoughtfully at his desk while Hagrid gave his report. Five bodies were found. Four of them were drained of blood. This was clearly the work of a vampire. But inside the shack was a more horrible story. Blood pooled on the floor. A metal pipe was found with bits of bone and tissue on it. And footprints walking away. Everything, even the footprints, belonged to Harry Potter.

"He's perfectly healthy," Madam Pomfrey had said, "and I do mean perfectly. Harry now has perfect vision, all of his scars have faded, even the prominent one on his forehead. He injured himself last month which left a black mark underneath one of his toenails. That is gone as well."

"What do we do?" Dumbledore muttered to himself.

"We have a chance of saving the boy," Professor McGonagall said, "He may have been made into a vampire," she shuddered as she used the word, "but it is obvious that he hasn't, uhm, bitten anyone yet."

"I know, Minerva," Albus said, "but it is unlikely that we can find and kill the original vampire before that happens. The vampire is obviously still around. It won't abandon its child unless there is no hope, but it won't put itself in risk needlessly."

"Its child?" Professor Snape asked, in disgust.

"Yes, Severus, the vampire who gave Harry its blood would look on Harry as its own child. It's a maternal instinct, you might say."

"So, Potter has a family, again," Snape said, without much humor.

"And a deadly one," Albus agreed. "We'll keep Harry in the infirmary for now. Professor Sinestra is already working on warding spells to bind him."

"We'll have to get him back to the infirmary," Pomfrey said suddenly, "I wasn't told to keep him there, just to keep an eye on him. He's gone down to the Great Hall to eat."

"Who's watching him?"Dumbledore asked with concern.

"Hagrid is staying close, and Flitwick will send an alarm if there are any problems."

"We must get him back to the infirmary, NOW," Dumbledore ordered, and headed for the Great Hall, himself.

*

"No glasses, Harry?" Ron asked.

"No glasses, Ron," Harry said, happily "whatever happened left me with perfect vision. I'll never need glasses again." He took a sip of pumpkin juice and spit it back into the glass, "Ugh, there's something wrong with the juice. It tastes terrible."

Hermione looked at her glass which she had poured from the same pitcher. It had tasted fine. "Are you sure you're fine, Harry. Maybe Madame Pomfrey missed something."

"I'm fine, Harry said irritably, "I'm just not hungry."

"There's Potty," Malfoy said, as he deliberately passed by, "He lost half his eyesight. And here's his seeing-eye Weasel."

Harry got up, and pushed Crabbe and Goyle away. He picked up Malfoy, saying, "I'm tired of your stupid remarks," then threw him over the table. When Hagrid ran up, he turned on the giant, revealing bright red eyes, and said, "Don't touch me. Don't you dare touch me."

*

"How is Malfoy?" Dumbledore asked.

"Both legs are broken, and an arm, and several ribs. I've healed all the bones, and the internal injuries, but he will sleep for at least three days." Madame Pomfrey sighed at the thought of what had happened. Even Goyle had a broken arm from being pushed aside. "I don't understand it," she said, "how can he be so strong. Vampires are rarely as strong as human beings."

"To start with, yes," Albus said, "but they slowly grow stronger with age, and their offspring are usually at least half as strong. This means little, as a rule, but in this case it means he was infected by a very old, and very powerful vampire. And I don't know why. Polly, that bothers me."

***

"The forest is dangerous, James. If I had not been here, you would have serious problems."

"I'm sorry," The boy said, "I thought you stayed here. I wanted to tell you I did it."

"Congratulations," He told the fifteen-year-old, "Let me see your final form. I deserve that after all that I've taught you."

The proud boy transformed into a tall and majestic stag, strutted around the open glade, and transformed back"

"I was wrong, James. You would not have any problems," He said with a laugh. He listened as the boy bragged about how his other friends could change, how one was a dog, and the other a rat,

"You are an unusual boy, James Potter. You rank among your friends a werewolf and a vampire. You will make a dauntless foe when you grow up."

***

Dusk had come. Harry Potter sat on his bed, invisible walls holding him in on all sides. As the sunlight fled the sky, and night fell, Harry looked up as though listening to a far away voice. "I want to try something, Professor, just to make sure."

Professor McGonagall watched as Harry ran full force into one of the invisible walls. It threw him back without effort. For fifteen minutes, he ran into one barrier than the next, but was held back each time. Finally, he sat down barely breathing hard.

"How do you feel?" McGonagall asked.

"Better. I was worried about what may happen," he said, as he ran his tongue over a pointed tooth.

The sky outside was completely dark. Harry began to seem more agitated. Madame Pomfrey talked quietly to Professor McGonagall, while Snape eyed young Potter with care.

"What is he doing?" Severus asked, half aloud.

"What do you mean?" Poppy asked.

"He was sitting there, tapping his foot, as though waiting for something. Then he became interested in the sound his foot was making." Snape watched then asked quickly, "Are the floors warded?"

"Of course they are," Minerva told him, "and the ceiling."

"He's found something," Snape said, as Harry began to move.

Harry jumped against one wall and pushed off. He threw himself at another wall, and pushed off again. Then a third wall, the first wall, then the ceiling. Faster than it was thought possible, Harry went crashing into the floor, disappearing inches before he hit.

"The wards let air in," Snape said in a rush of words, "He transformed himself into a mist, and floated out."

Poppy Pomfrey sounded the alarm. Within seconds, the entire staff knew that a vampire was loose inside Hogwarts. If anyone found Harry Potter, they were to kill him.

*

Hermione was scared. She had heard what had happened to Harry. She had even seen it. Yet she still had difficulty believing. The hot bath had help to calm her, and she did feel better. She wrapped the towel around herself, and sat about combing and drying her hair. That was when she heard the noise.

She turned away from the mirror to see Harry standing behind her. He brushed his hand along her cheek, then down to her chin, until he was gently stroking her neck. "Did I ever tell you how beautiful you are?" he said.

Hermione screamed. She was still screaming when Parvati Patil and Ginny Weasley came running into the girls' bathroom. "Harry was here?" she cried. She was helped into a robe, and led back to her dorm room. Everyone watched her with fear. Then she screamed again, pointing at the ceiling. Harry raced from the ceiling down the wall and out the Gryffindor entrance. Hermione fainted.

*

"Who does not know about this?" Dumbledore said in a furious tone.

"I've told Severus and the other House Masters to inform all of the students," McGonagall said. "We can't play around anymore, Albus."

"You are right, Minerva. I'm trying to put off the inevitable. We haven't done this in decades but everyone should know the drill. We drive the vampire into the dungeons, and put an end to him there."

"The school is warded, even against air," McGonagall informed the headmaster.

"Then let us begin."

*

"He spoke to me," Hermione said though her tears, "He said I was beautiful. Then I saw those teeth."

"He's gone now," Madame Pomfrey said, "and he won't come back." She helped Hermione back into bed, and placed a sleeping potion on the table beside her. "That is for you, if you need it." She looked around the room at the gathered students and said, "Since this is a girls' room, it would be best if at least the boys would leave." After a few more encouraging words, she left the Gryffindor tower for her next visit. She was assured that Harry had been driven away from the student houses, and would soon be cornered. Poppy did her best not to think about what would happen then.

As Madam Pomfrey walked past the main doors, they opened to reveal a tall man outside. He walked in, and the doors closed behind him.

"Who are you? How did you get in?" she asked in surprise.

"I was invited. The wards were made to keep us from getting out."

"Us?"

"Us," the vampire said, "I am here to claim my son, Harry Potter."

Madam Pomfrey quickly drew her wand, but the vampire was gone. She fled in the direction of the dungeons that Harry was being driven to.

*

"We shouldn't be out," The first boy said.

"We're fine," said the second boy, "They'll get that vampire soon and then things will be boring again. We're here anyway."

"That is nice," a third voice said, "would you be so kind as to invite me inside."

The two boys turned around in fear. As one ran away, the other one was grabbed, "I will have to feed on you and your friend, if I am not invited in. The truth is I don't want either of you."

"Won't you please come in?" the frightened boy stammered.

"Thank you," the vampire said, setting the boy back down. He passed through into the Slytherin house, and stared around him, ignoring the screams and the drawn wands. He picked up the nearest student, a fourth-year, and said, "I will kill her and whoever is foolish enough to cast a spell at me. I only want the injured boy." Once the wands were put away, he moved to the room where Draco Malfoy was, and carried him away. No one tried to stop him, although students were running with messages.

*

"We're busy, Poppy," Albus said as the school doctor came running up to him.

"The parent," she said breathlessly, "is in the building. And he is strong. He walked through the wards surrounding the school grounds, simply because he was invited."

"Impossible," one of the teachers said, "Who would knowingly invite a vampire into the school."

Everyone briefly stared in the direction of the few remaining rooms to search.

Even as they spoke, a fifth-year Slytherin came running up, "A vampire. . . in Slytherin House . . . took Draco Malfoy."

"First feed." Severus said, bitterly, "It wants to make sure its child enjoys its first meal."

"But to come into the school itself," Albus mused out loud, "It makes no sense."

"It does," said a voice from the shadows, "when you know all of the pieces to the puzzle."

***

He flew as fast as he could. He told James it was foolish, but James would not listen. "You've protected me many times, and I should be grateful, but you can only protect me half the time. I'm releasing you from your vow. You don't have to protect me any more."

"Then I won't," he said, "but I made my vow not only to you. Your wife and your son also bind me. And, James, I've grown fond of you."

They hugged, and James said, "It will be safer this way. I'll have a secret keeper, and they won't be able to find me. That means they can't stop me. And that means they can't win."

As he stood among the ashes, he heard the child crying. It was wounded, but it would live. He left it to the care of mortals. "Oh James, James," He cried, "I would have made you my son."

He went into his grave, but did not rise the next night, or the next. Occasionally, he would stir, when the young Potter was in trouble, but he would fall into deathless slumber again, until he was needed.

***

"Remove the wards," the voice commanded, "or you will all die."

"Reveal yourself," Albus shouted into the shadows, "If you dare."

"Don't taunt me," the vampire said, suddenly appearing next to him. Grabbing Madam Pomfrey by the throat, he said, "remove the wards, or I will begin with her. I am too powerful for you to handle without more preparation, and you know that."

With a wave of his arm, Albus caused the carefully woven trapping spells to dissolve. He stared impotently as the vampire called out, "Harry, come to me. It is time to inherit your birthright."

From the farthest room, Harry came out. He was far from the cheerful boy who played quidditch. His eyes flamed red, and his teeth, his fangs, were prominent. The look on his face was one of anger mixed with hunger. He walked up to the vampire in front of him, and folded into his embrace. "Hold back your hunger, my son, I have a treat waiting for you."

The two fled out of the dungeons. Albus followed them in a vain hope of finding a way to stop them. He was happy that a number of the staff, including Poppy, followed him. They came upon the two outside on the school grounds. Draco was lying on the ground in his drugged sleep. Harry stood over him, snarling and whining, as the vampire held him in place. The vampire looked over at Albus, and smiled.

"Do not try," He said, "It is almost over."

"But why," Albus asked, "Why did you change him." He saw the dim wisps of dawn approach, and thought of a last feeble chance to save Harry.

The vampire laughed, "I promised his father." He paused to say, "Wait, Harry. A little bit longer." As Harry remained mollified, the vampire spoke again, "I promised his father that I would do everything I could to preserve his line. And now his son is my son."

Albus kept asking questions. The vampire would answer some of them, but refuse to answer others. Then the vampire noticed Albus looking to the east at the first signs of the rising sun. He surprised the headmaster, and those few watching by laughing at them.

"It is time, my son," He shouted, "let us watch the morning bloom."

The first rays of the sun fell upon Harry, and he began to scream. Strong arms held him from seeking shelter, as they had kept him from feeding. He screamed again and fell to the ground, as the hands released him. He was unconscious, and would pass into a natural sleep. When he awoke, he would remember nothing.