Of Magic and Men
Hosted by [Alexi Ice]
Harry followed the hollow dirt underground path to Tom Riddles house. He recalled, vaguely, that the last time he was there he was with his beloved Godfather Sirus and felt a pang of longing to see him once more. Perhaps one day, when Voldemort finally decides to kill Harry, he can join his mother, father and godfather wherever it was they went after death. Tripping on an uprooted tree root, he went sprawling on the ground, momentarily distracted from his morbid thought process. He could almost see the glow of candlelight’s under the door that lead straight into the riddle house, the smell of moth chewed, dusted furniture permeated the end of the passageway.
He climbed the rickety staircase up to the first bedroom on the left, where he knew she would be waiting. The room still looked as run down as it did nearly five years ago to this date. Behind a large crooked desk sat the woman he had seen in the nurses tower, behind her, a fully recovered Malfoy. “Glad to see you, Harry Potter” She greeted, bleached fangs scraping her lips as she spoke. “I had a feeling you would come see me once I accessed the channel in your mind. Very interesting, if I do say. You have some particularly dark thoughts, don’t you?” She glanced, mildly interested, in Malfoy’s direction.
“Bait and switch, Harry Potter.” She explained “Slytherine are known for their cunning, yes? Crabe, an associate of Mr. Malfoy’s, is lying half-dead in the hospital wing. I couldn’t let my dear Draco wander around with so many of my kind after his blood. And I was smart to do it, so it would seem.” Her face became solemn, her red eyes piercing straight into his heart. “Dark times are on the rise once more, Harry.” She spoke with an overly familiar tone, as if Harry were a very special pet. “Your beloved Headmaster has been betwixed, albeit perhaps willingly. He must know by now what’s happening, whose behind this kind of mayhem.” Crossing her fingers, she waved her hand at the seat before her. “Sit down, won’t you?” She asked.
Cautiously, Harry moved forward to take a seat on the chair before her. “Why are you in my head” He asked, tired of her half-riddle-ma
nor-of-speaking. “What do you want?”
“I promise I won’t invade to much of your private life. I simply need something that you might posses.” Harry eyed Draco while she spoke. He seemed calm and collected, as if being used by a Vampire was an everyday thing. Evident bite marks were turning his neck black. “Your scar is like a tunnel to your mind, did you know? It shows me so many things I could only see if I drank your blood. Straight into your heart. Wouldn’t you offer your blood to me, Mr. Potter?” She was teasing, a smile revealing her fangs. Malfoy shifted uncomfortably beside her, a dark look crossing his face.
“I’d rather not, thanks” Harry stated, as calm as he could. She gave an easy shrug as if to say ‘your loss.’ “Tell me what you’re looking for, please. Those Vampires, the ones in the hall, are they your subordinates or something?” He asked her, not interested in whatever game she wanted to play.
“No. I’ve no affiliation with them what-so-ever. You see, Harry Potter, we are much stronger than you. Vampires. If it were not for the constant in-breeding of our clans, and the dwindling numbers, we could easily out-rule you wizards. Though some of my kind are stupid. They live in fear of their own bloodlust, reverting to a more animalistic nature in order to attempt to quench that fear. Dark wizards, as you call them, feed upon that fear. Offer them what they want most, blood, in return for servitude. I would never stoop so low” Her eyes darkened a few shades as she spoke and her anger rose. “So one night a very dark and powerful wizard approached a clan of young, impressionable Vampires and asked them to attend Hogwarts under the ruse of pacifism. Some people are being targeted by the Vampires per his order, such as Mr. Malfoy, and perhaps a few of your friends as well. They aren’t stupid enough to bother me, since they don’t know where I come from or what kind of powers I possess. One rouge Vampire can easily be more dangerous than a clan. Especially the ones who lack a bit of sanity” She winked, teasing again.
Harry kept still in his seat, wondering why Malfoy’s gaze seemed so heated. “Voldemort is working with the vampires to get them inside the castle to…kill us?” He guessed, slightly confused.
“Something like that.” She nodded her head solemnly. “He’s attempted to contact me twice now, the foul nose-less little man, but has failed to sway me to his objective. Such a silly thing, he is. So upset and operating like a child who has yet to get his way. Even ordered his little monsters to kill my dear Draco Malfoy, which is simply unforgivable.” She flashed her fangs in evident threat. “Now I need your help, Harry Potter. Let me explain why, won’t you?”
Harry just nodded. Vampires. Voldemort. He was implementing something very dangerous with this plan. What’s to say the Vampires would listen to him forever? Does that mean the castle has turned into an all-you-can-eat buffet? Horrified, Harry continued to listen.
“My dear Draco has informed me that the Vampires are targeting members of Dumbledore’s army, your little rebellion, to pick off when people are un-suspecting. As long as the headmaster remains betwixed by those siren’s there isn’t much one can do. Keep your wits about you, men are more susceptible to a Vampires evil than woman are. You have a very good block to keep monsters out of your head, but your friends aren’t so lucky. And before you ask, Malfoy is under no such spell. He is my very Willing participant” She beamed, proud.
Harry felt his stomach turn over at the thought of her drinking Malfoy’s blood.
“Voldemort wants you dead quite desperately, it seems. He’s even gone into enslaving Vampires and other such creatures to do what he isn’t quite ready to do. He is making a fool out of my entire race. These Vampires are breaking a very important clan-law by free feeding like this, by going against our leaders wishes and making themselves know to humans and wizards alike. I want them punished for their crimes but I can’t act on my own. I am willing to give you, Harry Potter, a great gift. A long-standing Vampire secret in order to ensure your assistance. These Vampires must be eradicated before they are allowed to do anymore damage. You and your companions are very clever, strong and smart. I want you to help me hunt my brothers, Harry Potter.” She took a long, bored, dramatic pause. “I want you to kill these Vampires before they are allowed to continue their plot. You will be vastly rewarded for assisting me in completing this task. Before day-light, I want you to gather your followers so that we may convene on how to go about this task. It won’t be as easy as a stake to the heart. This isn’t folklore.”
“How many are there, in the castle, I mean?” He asked, his pulse racing. His blood felt cold.
“I haven’t a clue. Hundreds, I assure you, at the very least. Tell me, dear, do you trust me?” She stared into his emerald glass eyes, searching for something once more.
“As much as one can trust a Vampire” He admitted, a waver in his voice. “But you are asking something different, aren’t you?” He feared the answer, even though he knew it before he said it.
“Would you let me drink you?” She asked, peeling back her lips to reveal all of her too-sharp teeth in one wicked, half-mad smile.
Harry wasn’t sure what to think of this proposition. “We should probably just stay friends” He said, attempting to joke with her, though his humor was hollow. “My friends are all scattered around the castle with blood thirsty Vampires looking for them…I’m in a bit of a hurry, as you can understand.”
“Of course” She said, though her face didn’t change. He figured it might anger her. “Be quick, then. Go to the castle and tell your friends to meet with me in the room of requirement this morning, around breakfast.” She stood, and headed out of the room “See you soon, Harry Potter” She said, swooping out of the room with Malfoy on her tail.
Harry sighed. What was he going to tell the others? ‘Hey, let’s go meet with the girl who just tried to kill copy-Malfoy.’ Yeah, that’ll go over real well.
Stumble!