BlueAutumn12 - explanations are coming! Promise! Well... mostly.

You - You'll just have to wait and see how it all turns out for them I guess.

If this chapter is a tad late, it's only because I was writing the first of Year Five, so you guys can head right on over.

-YDHP-

Draco, Hermione, Severus, Raven, Bertrand and Ingrid were all perched on seating around Bertrand's living room, which was spacious and full of seating to accommodate the frequent visitors. Bertrand was holding the little girl, looking almost lost as he discovered sudden fatherhood.

Ingrid gave him the once over, and Vlad could see the mix of pain and relief turning over in mercury eyes.

"You took your time."

Trying not to blush thinking about Harry's hands on him beneath sweet scented bubbles, Vlad attempted to appear nonchalant.

"I told you I needed sleep. I see you've all met the new addition."

Draco practically flew at Vlad, and only Harry's intervention prevented him from being hugged when it was just too damn painful.

"He's hurt, you can't touch him just yet."

Draco frowned for a second, but nodded and looked at Vlad with gratitude all but bleeding from his eyes.

"Thank you."

"No problem. You can't tell anybody he's here though, Riddle is gonna be mad as hell I took his Potions master and left without his permission."

Draco went from agreeable to confused, and Vlad knew it was time he answered for the mystery of his disappearance.

"You need permission from You-Know..." he faltered at the stares "Voldemort?"

"He certainly thinks so."

Sighing, Vlad turned away, unbuttoned his shirt and let it slide off his back slowly, knowing the first sight would be the storm of bruises down his spine.

"Whoa."

"Killing Curse packs a real punch. But I couldn't let them kill Fleur, I was the one who insisted we win together to piss off the judges."

Taking a deep breath, Vlad turned back around, displaying the Dark Mark branded onto his chest, the tip of the snakes mouth perched just over the top end of his first lightning bolt scar that marred his torso. Hermione, Bertrand and Draco all looked completely thrown, the others having already seen it.

"He wanted to brand me over that scar, like he was saying just because I survived him doesn't mean I'm better. I think he's got insecurity issues."

If Severus hadn't been sure of their relationship before, he could probably guess based on the way Harry made Vlad sit down, pushing a pillow behind his back to support his injured self and sitting next to him, listening ears clearly on.

"Why was he branding you at all?"

"Because... he didn't want to kill me. He wanted to recruit me. That whole entering me in the tournament was to see my powers in action, to see if I was... whatever he wanted to see in me. And he absolutely wanted to show off he had Severus, insisted I see the medic when it was obvious I couldn't walk."

"Yes, I'm still unclear on how it's possible you can now."

"So am I. I went to sleep half-paralysed from dark magic spinal nerve trauma, and I woke up in just as much pain as before, but my legs worked. It shouldn't have healed. I don't know how it did. I managed to hide that it did from Riddle, but people have seen me walking so he will know."

Ingrid looked him over, vampire curiosity and a Healing-students eyes obviously considering any possibility. Except the one where Vlad was lying, because he had a damn good idea of how he was ambulatory but he refused to think on it right now.

"Moving back new tattoo little bro... dad's gonna flip."

"You say that like dad sees me shirtless regularly. He still doesn't know about the first scar. Yeah. so, I knew I was going to struggle to escape without my legs working, and I also... no offence, but I had to make certain you hadn't defected. I couldn't bring you back here if you were still loyal, but once I saw Raven I knew. The whole time I was there, Riddle was giving me the sales pitch."

"And you antagonised him at every opportunity. I bear no grudge, you were ensuring the safety of my godson."

"And everyone else. So... I was left locked in a room and could only move around by floating like the Bloody Baron. He's right, I did wind up the bad guy a lot. I had to see how much he was willing to be pushed, what he was prepared to give. He even brought me a gift... it was creepy."

Raven sniffled, reaching for Severus and he immediately seemed to know what the girl wanted, reaching in his shoulder bag for a bottle of baby formula. Vlad could see warming charms around the plastic, and what he suspected was a sterilising charm on the teat. Bertrand watched, glacial eyes rapturous until he turned back to Vlad, confused.

"Voldemort gave you a gift?"

"Weasley. He wanted me to kill him. I refused, because while I wasn't against him no longer breathing, I refused to perform for those psychopaths. So... he fed him to Greyback. He's dead."

Vlad stopped, digging through his bag for his pumpkin juice flask and taking a long swallow.

"Then he kept on at me. Said if I joined him, he would guarantee my safety and that of the people important to me. I turned him down, repeatedly."

"Until?"

"Until I saw Raven. I couldn't risk leaving her there, and if I left without them... I just couldn't. So. Knowing how badly he wanted to recruit me, I made some... conditions. And he gave me a lot of nonsensical lectures and I got him to agree to this."

He held up his hand, dropping the glamour charm that covered the four lines criss-crossing his skin. They still tingled lightly.

"An unbreakable vow?"

"An unbreakable vow. He cannot send his lackeys after anyone in this room or their families, any Weasley other than Ron, or any student below sixth year without blowing himself up. I couldn't get him to agree to the older students, but by then I figure they are old enough that they'll seek him out themself."

"How?"

"I had to agree to a couple of things, which I worded carefully. And of course this" Vlad indicated the ugly brand "so Mr Egocentric could brag I was now his loyal follower. My conditions included that he couldn't publicise it, and he couldn't demand I leave here until I'm sixteen."

"Why?"

"Otherwise I would risk losing access to the Blood Mirror. All the drawbacks of vampirism, none of the useful stuff. And... it was the only way to buy time. Everything he does has to be under the radar, and we have a year to work against him with no interruptions. Guaranteed."

"Thats... almost clever. I'm impressed."

Vlad grinned, glad Ingrid wasn't feeling like giving him a hard time about it.

"I don't like it."

"Hermione, I'm not thrilled. But the alternative wasn't much different, all I did was trade some skin space for some breathing space. We would still be working against him if I hadn't."

She nodded, eyes fixed on the Dark Mark and it was making Vlad feel a little unsettled. He pulled his shirt back on and buttoned up, feeling better to be covered up again even if it jarred his sore back. The opinion most important to him was Harry, his mate sat chewing on Vlad's words.

"What does he intend to do with me?"

"Well, he doesn't know about us... I may have misled him to think I have a vampire girlfriend somewhere. And I expect he either wants to have you on his side, or have me easily available to take you to your death in the future. I don't know."

Lying to his mate was physically painful, but Vlad couldn't give away everything in front of everyone else. Hermione would flay him alive. Hoping his hands didn't shake and give him away, Vlad replaced the glamour charms on his neck and hand, watching Raven stare around the room at all these strangers.

Half vampire, half human. Two biological fathers.

He hadn't even been sure either of those things were possible, until he laid eyes on her.

"We do need to figure out what to do with you two. The VHC can not find out about Raven, and Riddle is going to want you back when he realises he has nobody to brew Wolfsbane when he wants Greyback under control."

Harry's eyes flicked over to the girl, then back to Vlad.

"Why?"

"Because vampires and humans... they wouldn't have cared so much if it couldn't you know, make a baby. But now? We can't let them know. Best case scenario is they take her away and test if she's some kind of super hybrid, a way to manufacture magical vampires. Worst case..."

"What do you suggest?"

Vlad chewed on that, sipping his pumpkin juice with keen black eyes on him.

"We need to stay inconspicuous. You have to stay in these rooms until I can get away and we ward somewhere to Hades and back. Malfoy Manor could work, but may be a little obvious. Bertrand, I'll make you a portkey for so you can go see your daughter, but you can't vanish with him, or Narcissa gets Draco."

His tutor didn't look happy, but the vampire was fiercely intelligent, with a warrior's mind and eventually, he nodded.

"Ok. Is it too late to go to lunch? I feel like we shouldn't all hide away."

Ingrid was the first to look agreeable, and Vlad knew why - she must be uncomfortable to say the least with Bertrand sat so close, watching his daughter.

"If we go down there everyone will be all over you. What's your story?"

"Voldemort kidnapped me. There is no point in lying, Fleur has told the Ministry and, let's face it, who else is so grandiose about their plans? It'll tie in to the whole underage entry thing, and with Karkaroff gone, it'll slot neatly together."

"Your escape?"

"The truth. I was rescued by Fawkes, somebody will have seen the phoenix fire and it's well known those guys bypass almost all wards."

Ingrid nodded, getting Vlad to his feet and Harry and Hermione stood up too, Draco hesitating before joining them.

"It's less obvious this way. I'll be back after lunch."

Leaving Bertrand with his recently returned partner and newly discovered daughter, they all slipped out of Bertrand's quarters and headed down. Ingrid walked in with them - not many people would question his sister talking to him after his disappearance.

As predicted, Vlad was besieged by questions and only his circle of friends kept people from actually touching him as though they could shake answers free physically. He repeated himself several times while trying to eat his lunch, becoming the source of much gossip and speculation - especially when everyone noticed the empty spot at the Head Table.

By the time they had finished eating, Vlad was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than for term to be over so he could lay down somewhere until his back healed and it didn't hurt to breathe. On their way out of the Hall, Tonks sidled up, handed Vlad a note, winked and disappeared again, which Vlad unravelled to find the information on when the Tournament winner(s) were to be announced.

Tomorrow.

"The other three Champions are still in the Hospital Wing! i hope they don't expect me to be wearing that hideous shirt from the Third Task, since it's evil knows where."

Chuckling, Harry indicated Charlie Weasley, who was loitering next to Bill in the Entrance Hall.

"Hey stranger. Mums been having kittens, so we were sent to ensure your next stop was our rooms. There's biscuits?"

Rolling his eyes, Vlad prepared himself to tell a somewhat doctored version of events - the Weasleys didn't need to know about Severus, Raven or Vlad's new tattoo. He wondered whether or not telling them about Ron was a good thing - it could be construed as his fault, since Riddle had tried to use him to gain Vlad's favour. And when Vlad refused, he was fed to a werewolf.

"Tell them. Just... gently."

Harry seemed to read his silence as they walked, hanging back a second as everyone filtered in to the temporary accomodations of the Weasley family.

"What if they blame me?"

"They won't. They know Riddle is a mad man."

Harry gave Vlad that smile, the one that was reserved only for him that made bats flutter in his stomach. He could do it - he had Harry.

After everything that had went on... the announcement Dumbledore made about exams not being cancelled seemed mundane, ridiculous even. He gave some big speech about unity and togetherness, which Harry supposed was highlighted in the foursome stood behind him - the four Triwizard Champions who seemed to have forged powerful friendships despite all the reasons they shouldn't have.

Vlad was doped up on pain relief probably slightly over the safe limit, and even from his seat Harry could the slightly glazed look in his eyes. Even so, the tension in his posture was clear to Harry's knowing gaze. He knew how Vlad looked at ease, comfortable.

"And now, we move on to the Award Ceremony!"

The thousand galleons prize money had already been handed out - split between Vlad and Fleur despite Vlad's numerous protests - to ensure they wouldn't be jumped and robbed in all the crowds. The Minister for Magic stood centre stage, hands fiddling slightly and Harry already knew the man had been attempting to get Vlad alone, to undoubtedly try and get more information from him.

With zero success - he hadn't been interested when they said Voldemort was back before, so Vlad had no faith in the man. Nor did he have any more information to share.

"As they both were proven to touch the Cup at the exact same time" much to their chagrin, both had been accused of cheating, disproved only by Fleur taking Veritaserum "both of these two are the winners."

There was applause and fanfare, predominantly from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, though Vlad's friends at Slytherin could be seen clapping. If anything proved they were both winners fair and square, it was the Cup. As soon as it was out of its box, it spontaneously, magically duplicated itself.

"Miss Fleur Delacour, of the Beauxbatons Academy!"

Fleur stepped up, waving and smiling but it didn't reach her eyes. Harry hadn't realised until now, watching most of the boys around him look sort of dopey, that Fleur no longer had any effect on him. Hadn't for a while. Was that a gay thing? Or a mate thing? He wondered, then focused again as he heard

"Vladimir Dracula, of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Vlad ambled forward, took his trophy and managed a sort of bow, face tensing as his hair fell over it before stepping back, somehow keeping the smile on his face when visible. He watched as Cedric patted Vlad's shoulder, sipping from a goblet as they waited for the ceremony to be done with.

"As both of these young men were in First and Second place prior to the Third Task, but neither completed the maze, we have agreed to award them both joint second."

"To pacify Vlad, I'm sure."

Hermione muttered next to him, and Harry found himself agreeing - Viktor Krum had been cursed in the maze, because of their poor security and had Vlad not intervened the way only a vampire could have, Krum could have killed Cedric too. That threw the whole process out - it hadn't been a competition by that point.

"Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang!"

As it contained the Durmstrang students, the Slytherin table cheered loudest, but Vlad clapped for his fellow Champions too and so the Gryffindor table followed suit in noise if not enthusiasm.

"Cedric Diggory, again of Hogwarts-"

Fudge was cut off by a collective gasp as Cedric keeled over, halfway to reaching for his consolation trophy. The other three Champions all immediately went to his aid, and Harry could see Vlad send Fleur to get someone, gesturing and mouth forming a word Harry couldn't quite read in profile.

Madam Pomfrey hastened to reach them, the other professors and staff attempting to keep the students away as they predictably tried to swarm, blocking Harry's view almost entirely. He saw Professor Moonshine get pulled close by Fleur, vanishing behind the wall of students converging.

By the time the crowd thinned as students were directed back to their seats, the Champions had all gone - including Vlad. Moonshine and Tonks were both examining a goblet closely at the little table of drinks on stage, muttering closely to each other and the contrast between a scarred haggard, aged man and a bright faced, green haired female auror was something to behold.

"Who would want to do Cedric in? I mean, he's not a bad guy."

Harry shrugged, having no answers for Fred. He was itching to go after Vlad, still reeling from his disappearance and craving constant contact to know he was safe. Luckily, Vlad didn't seem to mind Harry being a little clingy, but Harry knew it was unhealthy for him to constantly monopolise all of Vlad's time.

Some twenty minutes later, a harried looking man in crimson robes appeared at the door, sharing secretive whispers with Fudge and then Dumbledore. Wholly expecting a lie, Harry waited.

"Mr Diggory is fine! There is no cause for concern, he is merely still recovering from the injury he sustained in the Tournament. You may continue on with your day, but please only go to the Hospital Wing with a genuine ailment, or face the wrath of Madam Pomfrey."

That was enough to scare even the most curious and nosy of students. Well, except Harry, who let himself be carried away in the sea of students before taking a shortcut up to right beside the Hospital Wing. Which was, rather dramatically, being guarded by an Auror.

"What's wrong with you then?"

"Nothing, but Vlad's in there and he's got my homework in his bag." seeing the auror about to deny him, Harry changed tack " If you want to tell Professor McGonogall you're delaying me doing my Transfiguration essay, then by all means-"

"Fine. Don't be long."

Escaping from the gruff, grumpy Auror, Harry felt his whole body seemingly sigh in relief seeing Vlad was alright. In fact, he was being rather aggressively thanked by Amos Diggory.

"Sir, please. It was nothing."

"Dad, let him go, he's still hurt!"

Cedric's voice was raspy, but otherwise clear and he was sat up in bed, only looking a little grey in pallor. Diggory senior finally relaxed his grip on Vlad's hand he had been shaking vigorously, moving back to his sons bedside.

"You gotta stop saving our lives Vlad" Cedric coughed a little "people will think you're a hero."

"I jammed a stone from a goats stomach down your throat. Normally, people wouldn't enjoy that."

Vlad was making his way to Harry as he spoke, sadly realising they weren't alone and stopping before Harry felt he was quite close enough.

"You did what?"

"He was poisoned. I asked Fleur to see if Moonshine had a bezoar to hand. It wasn't anything spectacular."

"Who tried to poison Cedric?"

Vlad sighed, face clouding and Harry panicked.

"They didn't. That was aimed at me. However, there's a lesson here Diggory" Vlad turned back toward the Hufflepuff "don't steal my pumpkin juice."

"I was thirsty! And I had finished mine, you hadn't touched yours."

Flopping back on his pillows, Cedric grinned lazily at Vlad. Apparently he bore no ill will for the mix up.

"I better go before Mr Sociable outside comes in to yell at Harry for sneaking in here. If you're still in tomorrow I'll see you when I come get my checkup."

"Thanks again Vlad."

"Don't mention it. Seriously. I'm no hero."

Harry knew better, waiting until they were alone outside in the bright spring sunshine before he turned to Vlad, who was staring across the lake where it glittered under the rays of warmth.

"Someone tried to kill you?"

"Whoever it was is an idiot. All they've done is get the attention of everyone else with a real poison, when all they have to do to off me is find a way to mask the smell of Transylvanian Wolfsbane. I wouldn't know what hit me."

He was almost cavalier about it, as though this attempt on his life was utterly inconvenient but little more.

"Is there a way to cure that, should someone clever try to kill you?"

"Now? Yeah, get it out of me. After I transform? No, I'll be dust before you can stop it."

"Any clue who it was?"

Vlad sighed again, turning to Harry and the sun caught his midnight-blue eyes in all the right ways. He indicated his hand, the one with four lines striping around it beneath a glamour charm Harry ccould sort of see through.

"It can't have been him. I think the Ministry is starting to get nervous about me being here. I wouldn't mind, except I'm worried they'll go after Ingrid to get to me. She's only got a year left here, so we just have to get through that. Let's try not to give the Ministry any excuse to be here next year."

Harry nodded, wishing more so that they were alone so he could try and comfort his boyfriend.

"What about when you transform?"

"I'm the Chosen One. They won't go after me once I'm transformed, the VHC would tear them to shreds. One year... we have to survive one more year, then everything should get easier."

Over the next few days, Cedric was released from the Hospital Wing healthy and the Ministry left Hogwarts. Then came Durmstrang and Beauxbatons leaving, with Fleur's promise to stay in touch and Harry's offer to leave Vlad and his ex alone.

He trusted Vlad, and in a way, he owed Krum. Harry might never have seen Vlad properly if he hadn't gotten the jolt from the Bulgarian.

Watching Vlad and Cedric hug Krum and Fleur goodbye as they prepared to go, Harry smiled to himself just a little. The Tournament had been terrible, but Riddle had accidentally forged bonds between the schools supposed to be fighting each other.

In trying to force his way between them, Riddle had weakened his own position - these two and their friends would resist because Vlad did, because a magical vampire targeted by a madman had put his life on the line - for other people and for their friends and families, and that meant far more than the empty promises and dark motives of Harry's psychotic grandfather. Harry smiled a little more when Vlad actually crouched down to say goodbye to little Gabrielle Delacour, who seemed a little starry-eyed over the teen vampire now.

"I told them only to write when it's term time, because owls won't come near Stokely and I didn't want to give away anything else."

"Makes sense. I hope Krum doesn't think I dislike him."

"Nah, he's actually quite fond of you. May be down to all the time he spent listening to me talk about you when we were 'dating'. He's a good guy. Just doesn't know how you feel about him."

Vlad smiled from his position on Harry's chest, their usual sleep positions reversed while Vlad's back healed. It wasn't a bad way to sleep, but Vlad always woke up first and couldn't leave with Harry on his chest, and Harry didn't like waking up to Vlad disappearing on him. Plus, he just wanted his boyfriend to be better in general.

"Are... are we ok?"

"Uh, yeah. Of course. Why?"

"I mean about this."

Vlad sat up and pointed to the brand on his chest, the one Riddle had permanently etched upon pale skin.

"Why wouldn't we be?"

"You never touch it. Most of the time you avoid looking at it."

Vlad looked genuinely distressed, and Harry felt guilty for it.

"I'm sorry. I guess it's just... I don't like that he touched you. I don't want to think about him when we're... you know. Alone. And I guess I don't touch it because I'm worried it'll react to me, it'll know who he is to me."

Face tensing in thought, Vlad eventually seemed to relax.

"I can deal with that I guess. As long as it's not some secret worry of yours that I was turned by him."

"If I was worried about that I wouldn't be sleeping in a bed with you."

Finally, Vlad smiled.

"Speaking of. You should sleep, your exams start soon."

"Git. You too, you need rest to heal and I miss being able to just toss you on your back and have my way with you."

Vlad's breath hitched, pupils dilating and Harry wondered if he shouldn't have said that... they really should sleep. But... if Vlad was feeling up to it, Harry wouldn't deny him.

And they both slept amazingly well afterward.

Vlad had been exempted from exams as he couldn't be expected to revise and prepare for the Tournament all year round, which Harry found sort of hilarious. As Harry would happily - Vlad wanted to do exams, to test himself. But he wasn't allowed.

The time was put to good use though - he managed to get Severus and Raven to Malfoy Manor, and from what he understood the place was now a veritable fortress - in Vlad's own words.

"I probably couldn't break in there if I came across it. And wards are kind of my thing. A plus side to vampirism is that they can't put that Trace on us, because we come of age differently."

"How's Bertrand meant to portkey there during term time?"

"He's staff. He can leave whenever he likes so long as someone has applied a sun protection charm on him and he doesn't slack on tutoring."

Exams seemed to melt away until term was almost over, and Harry was trying to ignore how Vlad had to go home rather than come to Malfoy Manor, lest his father lose patience with Vlad's absence.

He also got the feeling Vlad was hiding something, and he couldn't shake it. If he weren't certain Vlad was being truthful about being a double agent when it came to Voldemort, he would be seriously concerned.

Still...

"Vlad?"

"Hmm?"

He looked up from his book, having been doing some actual studying for his Blood Test the following Halloween. As ever, he smiled up at Harry. Everyone else was out letting off steam in the summer sunshine, but Vlad was still reticent about being around crowds ever since he got back from Voldie-central.

"What aren't you telling me?"

"About..."

"Voldemort. Not to sound conceited, but I know he wouldn't have come after you if you weren't my best friend. But you haven't said a thing about that."

Vlad frowned, sighed and put his book to one side, beckoning Harry to sit on his bed and charming the curtains closed, then silenced. It made the spot stiflingly warm, but Harry presumed it would only be temporary.

"You're right. But... I didn't want to dump it on you until I had a plan to get around it."

"Well, tough. We do things together Vlad, so spill."

Harry could feel Vlad bracing himself, preparing for whatever he was about to say.

"He gave me a task. One to prove I could turn you to his side."

"What was it?"

"Kill Dumbledore."

-YDHP-

And that, ladles and jellyspoons, is the end of Chosen Two Year Three and Four!

Can you believe we've gone through four years with these boys?

I will resist the urge to post this now (Monday) because I want you all to know you can head right on over to Year Five. (I take no responsibility for you looking at my other stories that aren't in this crossover-verse you have been warned)

BUT

Leave a review, tell me how Year Four went for you first? Reviews make me so very happy.