22 Forbidden Fores

It was Friday night and Harry was sleeping in the Gryffindor Dormitories. He had finished his exams that day and had trained in the Room of Requirement until late that night. Having pushed himself harder than normal, he had been left exhausted. After meditating and recovering most of Mana Reserves, he had been dragged his feet to bed. Although absorbing Mana Particles relieved him of his physical fatigue, the same could not be said for his mental fatigue. He still needed to sleep the mental fatigue off.

"Harry ... Potter ...!"

Harry shifted in his sleep.

"Harry ... Potter ...!"

"What ...?" muttered Harry in his sleep.

"Harry Potter!"

Harry's eyes shot open in shock. He did not recognise the voice.

"Harry Potter!"

"Who is that?" asked Harry, looking around.

"My name is Astrid Ventrue, the Vampire Princess," said the voice in Harry's head. "I am in need of your assistance, Harry Potter!"

"Where are you?" asked Harry.

"I am in the Forbidden Forest!" replied the voice. "Please come and meet me. It is very urgent. Do not block my Telepathy, Harry Potter! I mean no harm to you or any of your kind!"

"What do you need from me?" asked Harry. "You should know I do not take kindly to ANYONE that invades my mind!"

"Harry Potter, if I had another method of communication, I would have done so," said the voice. "Your mental defence is quite strong for one of your age! It is not easy for me to maintain this method of communication at this distance! Please, meet me in the forbidden forest! The fate of my people is at stake!"

"Very well, but I will bring someone with me," said Harry. "I hope you do not expect me to come alone."

"Of course not," said the voice. "It is perfectly understandable."

"Also, if this turns out to be a trap, I will kill you in the most brutal way," said Harry in a threatening manner.

"I believe you," said the voice calmly. "That is the reason why I have sought for your assistance! I know you do not take kindly to your enemies!"

"How do I find you in the Forbidden Forest?" asked Harry curiously.

"I will wait for you at the entrance," replied the voice. "The entrance that is connected to your school!"

"Very well," said Harry, getting out of bed. "It will take me about an hour or two to arrive."

As soon as Harry said that, he felt the telepathic connection he had with that stranger disconnected. Harry quickly changed into his robes and immediately cast a few defensive charms on himself and ran towards Dumbledore's office. It did not take long before he reached the rotating staircase. Having given the password, Harry quickly ran inside Dumbledore's office.

""Professor!" Harry called out loudly. "Professor!"

Harry waited for a few seconds and was about call out once more before the door behind Dumbledore's desk opened and the Headmaster walked out in his blue pyjamas, still sleepy.

"Harry, to what do I owe this unexpected visit at this late hour?" asked Dumbledore, looking at Harry.

"Professor, what do you know of the Vampires?" asked Harry without hesitation.

"Not a lot aside from they're a secretive race," replied Dumbledore, fully awake. "They keep to themselves and hardly ever interacts with other races. Why the sudden enquiry?"

"One just contacted me Telepathically," said Harry. "The Vampire claimed to be the Vampire Princess!"

Dumbledore's expression immediately warped into that of a great shock. "Did this Vampire Princess state what she wanted?"

"She asked for my help and is waiting for me in the Forbidden Forest," replied Harry. "I don't know if this Vampire Princess is friendly or not nor do I know If I'm strong enough to face her should she decide to attack me. Which is why I came to ask if you and Professor Snape would accompany me to meet her."

"Give me a moment to change, Harry," said Dumbledore before darting back to his bedroom.

Harry didn't have to wait long before Dumbledore returned, fully dressed. Dumbledore into the air and pointed it in the direction away from his office. Harry saw something silvery dart out of it and streak away like a ghostly bird.

"That must be the communicating Patronus," thought Harry. "I have to get this old man to teach me that."

"Let us depart, young Harry," said Dumbledore. "Professor Snape will meet us at the Great Hall entrance. Vampires may number few, however their prowess is quite high. It's not wise to offend them, not to mention if their Princess is waiting for you."

"Professor, you seem to know more than you're letting on," said Harry, walking besides Dumbledore. "It would be best to tell me as much as you know. I doubt she would let me be until I helped her out."

"Worry not, Harry," said Dumbledore. "You did well informing me. I will do everything I can to resolve this."

"I hope she beats you up quite badly," said Harry with a sour expression.

"That's not very nice, Harry," said Dumbledore in displeasure.

"I did not inform you so you could fight my battles, Professor," said Harry, frowning. "Don't forget, not everything is in your control."

"You're forgetting I'm still your Headmaster," said Dumbledore.

"You're forgetting she came to me - the STUDENT - for help instead of you - the HEADMASTER!" said Harry angrily. "As much as I appreciate your help, Headmaster, I do not take kindly to being controlled like an ignorant child!"

Harry was fuming inside and was doing everything he could to keep his emotions in check.

"Harry, you need to understand, not everything is about you," said Dumbledore, trying to keep his anger in check.

"Nor do you see me begging like a spoilt brat for the world to revolve around me!" said Harry, pushing down his anger. "I have a Vampire Princess coming to me asking for help. I come to you asking for information. I didn't have to inform you of my meeting with her."

"Professor Dumbledore, I received your message," said Snape as he saw Dumbledore and Harry walking towards the entrance door. "And Mr. Potter is involved. Why am I not surprised? How did you get yourself entangled with a Vampire Princess, Mr. Potter?"

"She approached me when I was sleeping," replied Harry.

Snape noticed the sour expressions across Harry and Dumbledore's faces and was quite surprised.

"What happened for both Potter and Dumbledore to look angry?" thought Snape. "I could understand if it was just Potter, but the Headmaster too?"

"Let's go, Severus, young Harry has a meeting with a Princess," said Dumbledore, taking the lead towards the Forbidden Forest.

"And do pray tell, which part of the Forbidden Forest is the meeting held?" asked Harry, tilting his head.

"Harry, this is important, let's go," said Dumbledore.

"Why are you so scared of Vampires?" asked Harry, not moving from where he was standing. "What is it you're not willing to tell me?"

"Harry, -!"

"I'll find out eventually, so why can't you tell me now?" asked Harry, brows furrowed.

"The Vampire clans are in civil war," said Dumbledore.

"So? That's normal," said Harry.

"Not for Vampires," said Dumbledore, shaking his head. "The only time they're in civil war is if the different clans are not in agreement with their next leader."

"So the Princess has come to involve me in her mess," muttered Harry, pondering.

"Most likely," said Dumbledore, nodding his head.

"And this was so difficult to tell me, because ...?"

"Because the one who gets involved gets turned into a Vampire, marries the Princess and becomes the next Vampire Lord," said Dumbledore solemnly.

"I see," said Harry with a smile. "I don't understand what was so difficult to tell me that information. Let's go and see our Vampire Princess."

"You're not worried, Potter?" asked Snape.

"Why should I be?" asked Harry, looking at Snape. "It's not like I want to be a Vampire."

The trio walked up towards the entrance of the Forbidden Forest and came face to face with a figure that could only be considered an otherworldly beauty.

Harry was stunned. This woman had the hourglass figure that would put any modle to shame. A red satin dress covered her slim, yet curvy figure. Her silky black hair rolled down her back reaching all the way to her waist. Her full red lips curved up into a bright smile as she locked her red eyes with Harry's.

Harry waited. The vampire waited. Dumbledore and Snape waited. Nobody moved. They all simply waited.

"You're not going to speak?" asked Harry when the silence became awkward.

"I was waiting for you to break the silence," said Astrid.

"Your voice is beautiful!" exclaimed Harry subconsciously.

Suddenly, Harry's eyes widened as his Sharingan got fully activated. Harry looked at the Vampire Princess as her smile widened.

"My father was right about you," said Astrid sweetly. "You really are a gem!"

Harry kept quiet. He simply stared at the woman standing before him.

"Not simply due to your eyes," continued Astrid. "But primarily due to your talent."

Harry was unusually calm and patient.

"He had a dream about you," said Astrid. "In the dream you caused our destruction. At first he wanted to eliminate you. But then he dreamed again. In the second dream, you were the one who saved us. My father dreamed for a third time. This time you were the Vampire Lord. Oh the heights you brought us in that dream. You cured us. You broke our curse that limited our fertility."

"You came to find young Harry due to the Vampire Lord's dream?" asked Dumbledore.

Astrid shot Dumbledore a glare. "We Vampires never dream. If and we do, it becomes a reality. The fact my father dreamed three times in a row, we have a choice of three scenarios. It is clear what our choice is."

"I'm sensing a but," Harry finally spoke.

"But ... not all clan leaders have the desire to owe a human anything," said Astrid. "They wish to eliminate you before you become the cause of our destruction."

"Go home," said Harry, turning around.

"Pardon?" gasped Astrid in surprise.

Even Dumbledore and Snape were surprised at Harry's abrupt decision.

"What do you expect from me?" asked Harry without looking back. "You invade my mind in the middle of the night and ask for a meeting. Then you tell me your old man's dreams. Were you hoping I would just follow you?"

"I was telling the truth!" said Astrid.

"I would have found you more believable if you weren't using your Charm on me," said Harry. "Besides, for someone whom you claim can make or break your clan of Vampires, you sure are taking me too lightly."

"Will you not stop him?" asked Astrid sweetly, looking at Dumbledore and Snape.

"Don't bother with them! The old man is Homosexual and the gloomy man is still in love with a dead woman," said Harry as he walked away. "Tell your Vampire Lord father if he truly believes in his dreams to be a prophecy, he needs to show himself personally."

"As expected of Harry Potter," said a deep voice.

Harry froze on the spot. He slowly turned his head to find a tall muscular man standing next to Astrid.

"However, it is truly a surprise that your eyes are advanced enough to see through my mist," said the man.

"You are?" asked Harry, narrowing his eyes.

"Vlad Ventrue, the Vampire Lord," said the man.

"You're supposed to be a legend?" said Harry, looking at the man from head to toe. "I truly did not expect you to be here personally."

"You are the maker or breaker of my people, Harry Potter," said the Vampire Lord. "You are too important to not meet personally."

"You sure have a weird way of showing it,' said Harry in displeasure.

"Forgive me, Harry Potter," said the Vampire Lord. "I had made a oath for any Vampire to never enter the castle beyond the Forbidden Forest with your founders. That oath must be honoured."

"So what do you want from me?" asked Harry.

"Marry my daughter, Astrid, and our curse will start losing it's effect," said the Vampire Lord in all seriousness.

"Huh? Come again?" gasped Harry in shock.

""Marry my daughter, Astrid, and our curse will start losing it's effect," said the Vampire Lord again.

"Just so you could increase your Clan's fertility rate?" asked Harry, dumbfounded.

"Your marriage will not just increase my people's fertility rate but also make us stronger. We will be in your debt for the rest of lives."

"No!"

"Pardon?"

"I will not marry your daughter!"

"Is there something that she's lacking?"

"I just met her a few minutes ago ... how am I supposed to know if she's lacking?"

"Then why refuse her?"

"I already have two potential wife candidates."

"It is perfectly normal amongst nobility to have more than one wife."

"I'm not nobility. Find another way to fix your fertility problem," said Harry before making his was back towards the castle.

"There is," called out the Vampire Lord. "However, we would need you to become as strong as us Vampires to dispel the curse."

"Very well, come back when I'm strong enough," said Harry.

"Harry Potter," said the Vampire Lord. "I would like my daughter to stay with you. As a method of communication with me, and to keep her safe from my enemies."

"I have some questions," said Harry, looking at the Vampire Lord with his Sharingan glowing. "One, why choose me?"

"Because you have a soul stronger than anyone else in this planet," replied the Vampire Lord.

"That must be due to my transmigration," thought Harry. "Question two, why can you not enter Hogwarts?"

"We can, but we chose not to! We don't exactly want to create a panic, do we?"

"Why does that sound like a lie?" asked Harry, eyes narrowed.

"The Vampires took an oath with the Hogwarts founders not to get inside the school grounds," chimed in Dumbledore, surprising Harry.

"That was a surprise, Professor," said Harry with a smile. "For a minute there I thought you were all about withholding information."

"However, that does not explain how you could talk to Harry, telepathically," said Dumbledore, ignoring Harry. "I understand that all Vampires have the ability, but to reach Harry in his dormitory room from this distance?"

"Now you can't expect us to reveal all our secrets, do you?" asked the Vampire Lord. "Besides, young Harry Potter appears to have already guessed it."

Harry found the two Vampires, Dumbledore and Snape staring at him. Harry shrugged his shoulders saying: "It's not my secret to reveal."

Dumbledore have Harry an annoyed look.

"Vampire Lord, keep your daughter with you and go back," said Harry. "I'm sure you can find someone stronger who can help you."

"No one else is able to use Mana Particles like you, Harry Potter," said Astrid.

"Alright, I can't hold off this question anymore; how is it that you know all of this information about me?" asked Harry.

"The seer in our family saw your powers," said the Vampire Lord.

"Your family seer was awfully specific with the information about me," said Harry, frowning. "From what I know, they speak in riddles."

"Our family seer burnt her lifeforce to "see" the details of her vision before revealing it to me," said the Vampire Lord.