Claimed

Authors Note: As I have mentioned to some of you before, this story took an unexpected turn while I was writing it. I am of the school of thought that you write the story that is presented to you, and not force it into something that it isn't. That being said, this fic seemed to morph into something all new and though to me it was a needed progression... I only hope you all still like it when you finish this chapter. It's not at all where I had originally planned to take the story, but I think it will be better than before. Also, those of you...and I know that's all of you really, who are eagerly awaiting Draco, I'm afraid you'll have to wait a little longer. Please put down your pitch forks and stop shouting "burn the witch! Burn her" lol. I promise that though the story took an unexpected turn, it is still very much D/H slash and the wait for Draco will be well worth it. I'm expecting this (next to Healing) to be my smuttiest fice yet. lol

Chapter 3 Mysterious Potion

Harry was nervous.

Lessons had been going well enough. His tutors told Lucius that he was a natural at everything they instructed him on. His innate magical talent seemed to have been very well developed in spite of never gaining proper schooling. Mr. Malfoy seemed immensely happy at the news, which should have in turn made Harry feel happy, but instead he felt fearful.

Perhaps it was the way some of the tutors leered at him, especially the one named Snape. The dark haired man didn’t come very often and he usually flooed directly into the manor. He had taken one look at Harry’s eyes and seemed immediately smitten with the boy. He was always leaning in too closely during the potion lessons and seemed to sniff the air around Harry like it was a fine perfume.

Though his fear could also have been attributed to the increasingly concerned looks that Narcissa gave him when he took tea with her, or the subtle frantic ways she asked Harry about his well being. She was terribly sweet and often took Harry for walks in the manor gardens. He much preferred her company to that of Lucius, but over the weeks he had stayed with them, she became more worrisome.

Though all that was strange to Harry, he was fairly certain he knew what made him fearful. Every night Lucius gave Harry a potion to drink, and every morning Harry woke up feeling… different.

Any scar he had ever gotten a from a cut or scrape had faded. His skin was now a perfectly pale, almost luminescent shade of golden white. The nearly transparent look of his flesh made his dark violet veins show up starkly in some places, like his chest, neck and wrists.

His hair was still black as pitch and fell in perfect ringlets around his face, but it was even longer than before, curving just under his shoulder blades, and Lucius insisted he wear it down, no matter that it interfered with potion making and some of his charm work.

His nails were perfectly manicured, but sharp and could slice his own skin with ease. Which was another thing that bothered Harry, for when he was clumsy and accidentally cut his own flesh, he would only bleed a moment, before the wound would completely heal, leaving no mark behind.

The worst side effect of the potion seemed to be internal however. Ideas that would once repulse Harry, or at the very least give him pause, were suddenly highly acceptable and in fact preferable.

He woke up in the middle of the night one night having recalled snippets of his dream. Pale flesh and perfect blonde hair whispering over his naked body, his nails leaving bloody rivulets in their back, and the heated flush of pink in the other boys- for he knew it was a boy- skin, and soft lips pressing against his own.

The dream had caused Harry to wake up covered in a thin sheen of sweat and highly aroused. He even had to wank himself off before his body would let him settle back into sleep, worried the moment he drifted under that he would see those same smoldering gray eyes, the ones that embarrassingly reminded him of Lucius.

He asked Narcissa about the potion the next morning, carefully omitting the possibility that he may have had an erotic dream about her husband, but she refused to answer him and only looked terrified that he was being given the draught at all. That night he overheard Narcissa and Lucius having a row over the brew and Lucius promised her that the process would be completed soon.

What process Lucius seemed clever enough not to mention. But Harry was clever too, and he would find out on his own if needed.

--

Later that week, when the potions master arrived, Harry paid him more attention than he normally would, letting his long raven locks brush against the professor’s hand, or letting his gaze linger a little too long on the other man’s deep dark eyes.

He was blatantly flirting with the man, and it would have normally made him feel silly, but he had never felt so free from embarrassment or guilt for what he was planning to do to the unsuspecting professor, which was the only thing that gave him pause.

This was not like him.

Though that was the reason he had to be tricky and find things out on his own, and in his own way.

“Professor,” Harry asked huskily.

“Really Harry, how many times have I told you to call me Severus,” the man said, Harry could feel the professor’s heartbeat flicker to life and begin thudding heavily in his chest.

Harry leaned in a little closer, letting his gaze flicker to Snape’s thin lips. He darted his tongue out to lick his own and rejoiced in the effect it had on the professor, taking him completely off guard.

“Could you tell me about a particular potion?” Harry asked. “I saw it in the storage room, but it wasn’t labeled.”

Snape shivered at the sound of Harry’s voice and nodded swiftly. “Yes, I’m sure I can identify it if you describe it to me.”

“It was nearly black in color, but in the light could have been a very dark red,” Harry began, noting that Severus was filing the information away. “It was very thick, and smelled metallic… like copper,” he added.

The man paled, which was a feat in itself for someone so naturally pasty. “Harry, are you sure it was a potion, and not merely an ingredient?”

Harry looked perplexed, but nodded despite himself. “Yes. I’m certain,” he replied. “Why?”

“What you describe sounds like blood,” Severus muttered. “No potion I can think of mimics those attributes. If I knew what it tasted of I could even tell you what kind of blood it was, but…”

“Jasmine,” Harry responded without thinking. He hadn’t intended on Snape knowing he had drank the mixture.

Snape’s eyes went wide as he listened to the boy’s wistful description. He grabbed him firmly by the shoulders and shook him fiercely. “How much of it did you drink, Harry?”

“Not much,” Harry lied. “I was curious what it was and I tasted a bit.”

Severus sagged in relief. “Good. If it really tasted of jasmine, that would have made it vampire blood.”

“And that would be bad why?” Harry asked, playing innocent.

“Well, over exposure to vampire blood can kill a human instantly,” he said.

This news shocked Harry, maybe it wasn’t blood after all he had been given, though he thought it would be impossible for Lucius to know of a potion that Snape did not. But obviously Harry wasn’t dead, so he must be mistaken.

“Prolonged exposure however, will turn a human into a vampire,” he continued thoughtfully, as if no longer aware of Harry in the room as he hypothesized.

“How prolonged?” Harry asked quickly.

“One month. That’s how long it take for the transformation to take place,” he answered dutifully.

How long had Harry been drinking it? Weeks he knew for sure, but how many exactly? Two, three, or was he even closer than he thought?

“What would happen if a human were exposed to the vampire blood then suddenly stopped?” Harry asked.

Snape blanched as he took in the sight of Harry for what seemed like the first time. He raked his black eyes slowly over Harry’s appearance drawing his own conclusions. “You’ve been drinking it haven’t you?” he whispered, shuddering.

Harry nodded. “Lucius…”

“Yes, that would fit into his plans perfectly I’m sure,” Snape snapped, nodding to himself.

“His plans?” Harry asked.

“Are not for me to discuss,” Snape finished, corking several vials and levitating them over to shelves with haste.

“And the blood? If I stop drinking it?” Harry sighed, watching Severus pack his things away, ready to leave at a seconds notice. He stepped closer, running his finger across Snape’s exposed throat and Severus shuddered, stepping away from Harry slowly.

Harry blinked away the feelings of lust coursing through his own veins and refrained from giving chase. He stepped back, bracing himself against the desk he had been working on. “And the blood,” Harry repeated.

Snape took a deep shivering breath and let it out slowly. “How long?” he asked, and Harry knew he meant the length of time he had been given the ‘potion’.

“I’m not sure, but more than two weeks, maybe more than three. I’m not even certain how long I’ve been here at the manor,” Harry answered honestly.

Severus sighed. “Do you remember the day you started it?”

Harry nodded. “The night I met the last tutor.”

“He was waiting for glowing reports from all of us,” Snape muttered. “Slytherin through and through.” He looked up at Harry then, and his eyes were filled with remorse. “I’m afraid it’s too late then. That would make you only three days away from completing the transformation,” he sulked.

Harry shook his head; unable to accept that that was the final word. “Severus, there has to be something you can do. You’re the most brilliant professor I have, a potion, a spell… anything that could stop it?” Harry pleaded, falling to his knees.

“Perhaps if I had discovered it closer to the two week mark I could have combated the effects…” he mused.

“So what does that mean?” Harry asked urgently, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

“It means you have a decision to make, Harry. Either you change from human to vampire in three days, or you stop drinking the offered blood and you die. The infection has already taken too strong a hold on your body, Harry. I’m sorry.” With those final words, Severus left the lab swiftly, not sparing a second look to the boy who was slumped on the ground looking terrified and helpless.

Authors Note - It was brought to my attention that some people took my speaking of holding chapters as hostage for review seriously. I assure you it was only in jest, and I would never not update just because reviews were not received. I'll update as often as I can, I try to add at least one chapter to at least one of my WIP stories per day. I'll keep that up until I finish them. I do like to joke about reviews though, so don't take it personally.