The Return of the Marauders

Just after supper, Mildred gave the password she'd been given to the gargoyle, walked up the staircase and into the office of the Headmistress. She wasn't sure what was waiting for her, but the last thing she expected was to see Vincent the vampire sitting on one corner of the Headmistress' desk. As she stared, he stood and bowed to her saying, "Welcome, daughter of the Dark."

"Greetings, son of the twilight," she said, curtseying, to complete the ritual greeting. Finished, she looked questioningly at Professor Merrythought.

"Vincent has requested your presence in the Forbidden Forest."

"Why?" Mildred gasped, her eyes widening in astonishment.

"A civil matter has come up between two unfriendly clans which requires mediation. As you are a member of a known clan, but not currently a member of one residing in the area, you are our choice as arbiter. Although you are young, we can be assured that your vote will be completely neutral." Vincent looked surprisingly pleased with himself, for some reason.

Mildred grimaced. She'd thought that Hogwarts would be a refuge from the pressures of her grandparents' world. Here she had human friends, and was quickly becoming a popular member of Ravenclaw House--she'd even been invited to join her house Gobstones team! Her mind raced as she thought of a way to wriggle out of this dubious honor. Outright refusal wasn't an option, as the implied insult could trigger her immediate recall home.

"Miss Worple?" Professor Merrythought asked, looking at her intently.

"I'd like to help, but it's just not possible."

"Why is that?" Vincent asked, looking curious.

"Well, in the first place, arbitration has to take place in the Compact House, and that's under the control of the Acromantulas."

Vincent waved one hand in a dismissive gesture. "Not anymore. Three days ago we retook it. The spiders have been pushed back further than they have been for forty years. We have taken back our own."

"Then there's the fact that I don't have my formal robes from the Sanguini Clan. The Viscount was saving them for my formal conversion, and since that's not going to take place for another six years..."

"He sent it today, after being informed of the situation. There's a letter here for you, too." Professor Merrythought pointed at a package wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine sitting on her desk.

"Then there's the fact that the forest is off-limits to all students," Mildred said quickly, thinking of more excuses. "I've already been punished once, and I can't stand to lose Ravenclaw more points."

"Professor Merrythought has graciously agreed to give you a dispensation," Vincent said, smiling at the Headmistress, who smiled back.

Mildred still found it hard to believe that the two of them had danced together during the Headmistress' sixth year. There was always more to adults than they let on!

"Then there's the matter of my retainers," Mildred said, grasping at straws. "I can't go without them since I already declared them part of my family. Since they're not members of the clan, just humans, they'd cause a lot of distractions. I wouldn't want that to happen during the proceedings and their families won't let them join the Dark." She didn't know the last item for sure, but she seriously doubted that the Potter or Lupin families wanted their children to become vampires!

"A valid point," Vincent said, nodding solemnly. He reached into a pouch and produced gold medallions with amethyst centers. The amulets had ancient runes carved into them that glowed with their own lights. Mildred gasped as she recognized them from Viscount Sanguini's display case.

"Wardens," Mildred exclaimed, as Vincent handed her three of them, their silken cords studded with beryllium and ruby beads. "Safe conduct amulets, given only to honored guests who are not of the Blood," she whispered. The young Ravenclaw looked at Vincent with new respect. "You really do want me there, don't you?"

"Very much so," he said, looking at her intently. "Will you come?"

Mildred racked her brain, but couldn't come up with any other excuses. "I...we will come. When, and at what time?"

***

The full moon was high in sky as the New Marauders entered the forest, just behind Hagrid's hut. There was a ring around the moon; Professor Trelawney was forecasting snow, soon. The students were bundled up in thick cloaks, and all were wearing their house mufflers and their tall peaked caps.

Ramona had already changed into her half-wolf form, and was feeling both grateful for the solitude of the forest, and anxious about where they were going. "I was really looking forward to playing Exploding Snap in the Shrieking Shack tonight. Do we have to be here?" she asked plaintively, looking at the dark hair covering her body with distaste.

"Yes," Mildred said, looking over her shoulder at the girl she considered her best friend. "I claimed you three as my family, which means the vampires will be expecting you. I have a duty to perform, and though I know how to do it, I need you with me for moral support, if nothing else."

"And this....thing will keep them from chewing my neck?" Sirius Potter asked, holding up his amulet dubiously. The runes were glowing in the dark, illuminating the forest around them, slightly.

Mildred nodded, and then looked at her formal robes: black, with red trim, and a gold collar, and the Sanguini family device on the back, with the same design in miniature at the left breast. The robe was more than just her own safe conduct pass, it was a badge of honor, and Mildred felt a sense of purpose wearing it. Though she often hated the reputation her heritage carried, it did have its own honor and traditions, many of them much older than the Wizarding world itself.

"Are you sure?" James Potter asked, looking at his medallion and fingering his wand nervously.

"Yes, I'm sure!" Mildred exclaimed, and turned around toward her friends, gesturing in her frustration. "Look! Centuries ago, when Vampires and Wizards were mortal enemies, they decided that they had to learn to get along together in the world. Muggles were killing them both during the medieval witch-hunts, so they agreed to meet to discuss peace. But, since neither side wanted to meet in a place that was powerful to the other side, they created Compact Houses--places where peaceful negotiations could be carried out and they made agreements that such places wouldn't be entered without there being a good reason. We broke into it by accident through that tunnel, which was a violation of that agreement. That is why I said we had to get out of there fast. And, that's another reason why Vincent and his clan were going to attack us the first time: we'd broken the agreement."

"Oh," said James. "I thought it was just because we were trespassing."

"I thought it was because we looked like a good meal!" Sirius remarked.

Mildred shook her head, and then gestured at James' amulet. "During those original negotiations, both sides worked to create the Warden Medallions you three are wearing. Basically, those runes symbolize a binding peace agreement, and they've set up a positive force around your bodies. A vampire couldn't attack you now even if he wanted to. Nor could a wizard attack a vampire, if he was wearing one."

"Thanks, Mildred," Ramona said, looking at her own medallion with a new respect.

"What about you?" James asked. "You're not wearing one, and you're human."

"I'm one-quarter vampire, and to those of the Dark, it shows. I'll be as safe as one of them. Besides, I'm of a known clan, and I can claim Clan Protection. This robe is proof of my status; it's like a protego spell to anyone of the Blood."

"So what are we waiting for?" Sirius asked, beginning to feel more excited, now that he knew he was safe.

"Our honor guards," Mildred said, and then pointed to six figures approaching from the depths of the forest, their red eyes piercing the darkness like approaching headlights. "Follow my lead," she hissed, and then made a formal bow. Her three friends did the same.

The approaching sextet returned the bow, and then a woman's contralto spoke up. "Mildred di Sanguini, on behalf of the Forest Grove Compact, I bring greetings. I am Talia Warrick, of the Children of the Moon. I thank you for acting as arbiter in this difficult case." She came closer, and the illumination of the three medallions revealed her to be a statuesque woman with long blonde hair and blue eyes, tinted red. She wore a white tunic with a v-cut clear down to her navel. "Viscount Sanguini speaks of you often."

"Oh?" Mildred asked politely, glancing at the other five vampires who formed up around them on all sides. She noted that her three friends kept glancing at their medallions, making sure they were visible.

"He has great pride in you, as well as high hopes for your future."

"Thank you," Mildred said, feeling a swell of pride. She and her great-grandfather, Sanguini, seldom saw eye-to-eye, but it was nice to know he cared. She nodded politely, and motioned toward the forest. "Shall we go?"

"May I be introduced to your retainers? I heard that you claimed unblooded ones as kin." Her voice was sharp with disapproval. She stepped toward the other students, and looked quickly at Ramona, smiling slightly at the black hair and werewolf features. "Well, at least one of them is partially acceptable."

"Ramona Lupin, daughter of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks," Mildred said politely. The honor guards murmured appreciatively amongst themselves.

"Remus Lupin, who is a product of Fenrir Greyback. That is an impressive pedigree," Lady Warrick remarked, raising her eyebrows in an obviously thoughtful gesture.

"My mother's an Auror, and a metamorphmagus, too," Ramona said importantly.

Talia Warrick nodded politely, and then she turned to the boys, who swallowed, and tried not to shrink back from her intense gaze.

"Sirius and James Potter," Mildred said, smiling as the surname sent a shockwave through the vampires. Two of the honor guards looked at each other with fear in their eyes. Talia Warrick gasped slightly, as Mildred added, "Twin sons of Harry Potter and Ginerva Weasley."
Talia bowed to the boys, who started to bow back until Mildred caught their eyes, and shook her head. They remained standing as the other vampires bowed double.

"Your presence honors us," said one of them in a formal tone.

Introductions over, the party began walking steadily into the forest. The full moon sent cold beams of light through the trees and now and then an owl would hoot, or some nocturnal beast would cross their path.

Sirius and James were looking about, searching out markers, and obviously hoping to memorize their route for future expeditions.

The Forbidden Forest was vast, but it was by no means empty. The centaurs were out observing the moon and the stars, and they watched the walking party with interest. Lady Warrick nodded to them and they nodded back. James thought he saw Hagrid from a distance, but he couldn't be sure. Bowtruckles were evident in most of the trees, and once a werewolf bounded close, but the guards turned their blazing eyes upon it and hissed until the wolf ran off in search of less dangerous prey.

"Poor thing," Ramona muttered.

"Don't waste your sympathy on that one," said one of the guards. "He's a charcoal burner the rest of the time, and he's fat and lazy."

Sirius snorted laughter, and the tension in the group lessened slightly.

"What's the matter under discussion?" James asked.

"We'll find out when we get there," Mildred said to him over her shoulder. "It's considered impolite to ask right now."

"No matter," Talia said, pointing towards a round stone tower ahead of them. "We have arrived."

Vincent was waiting for them at the door, wearing a long black cloak, which had a green spot at the left breast, emblazoned with the silhouette of a tree on it. He greeted the New Marauders with a formal bow. "Thank you again for coming." He opened the door and bade them enter.

The round interior had been cleaned up and the cobwebs removed. A cheery fire was burning in one fireplace and the tapestries and shields of the various clans were bright and shining. Dozens of vampires of all ages and sizes stopped their conversation as the New Marauders walked in. Vincent and Talia announced them, and there was a flurry of bows and curtseys, which Mildred and her friends returned.

"Refreshments are available if you thirst. I trust you like butterbeer?" an older vampire said, waving over a server with a tray of drinks. He himself was sipping a glass of claret-colored liquid that required no explanation.

"This is weird," Sirius said as a flagon of the drink was pressed into his hand. "It's almost like one of Dad's cocktail parties." He glanced at his brother, who was nodding.

"I never thought you people were concerned about manners," James remarked.

Mildred smiled at the remark, but said nothing.

"Always remember, Mr. Potter, that the more dangerous the society, the more elaborate the system of manners and politeness." Vincent remarked with a smile, and his razor-sharp incisors gleaming in the firelight. "Good manners are gold in our culture, just as they were in Samurai Japan, or the Mongol Empire, or even today in the fairy kingdoms. Those who act quickly and without consideration do not last. In our world, those without an understanding of proper etiquette are outcasts. It is from them that humans and Muggles alike get their ideas about what we are like."

James Potter thought about the remark and finally nodded. "Yes, that makes sense."

Ramona found herself surrounded by a small crowd of admirers, all quite interested in the diluted nature of her werewolf curse. She held out her hands so that they could see her darkened nails or dark hair that was not quite true fur. She turned down several offers to introduce her to a werewolf who would be happy to "cure" her.

"Poor child," an older vampire woman remarked. "There's so much you're missing out on. You just don't appreciate the value of such a legacy."

"But I do, trust me," Ramona said, smiling. "I've seen what that legacy entails."

After several minutes of polite conversation a gong sounded, and Mildred waved the others to follow her. She went to the center of the room where she sat on a large stone throne with a red cushion on the seat. Ramona, James, and Sirius sat in chairs to one side of her.

Vincent approached her and stood at attention. Two separate vampires wearing black evening clothes stood at his left and right, both carrying rolled scrolls.

"I wish I'd brought a camera," Sirius whispered to his brother, who nodded.

"It wouldn't help," Ramona whispered. "They don't show up on film."

Mildred made shushing motion, and then spoke up, "What is the issue for the Arbiter?" Mildred asked formally. She held a wooden scepter in one hand.

"A dispute over ownership," Vincent intoned. "The contestants are two separate clans, the Night Feeders and the Black Dahlia."

"May I have the history, please?" Mildred asked. Her palms were sweaty, but she was determined not show her nervousness.

"Upon the retaking of the Compact House, scrolls were discovered sealed in a wall, detailing an ancient stone circle not far from Hogwarts School. The purpose of the circle is to harness the powers of the forest and the surrounding area for an incantation, provided on the scrolls themselves."

"Interesting," Mildred said, pursing her lips as she thought about it. "It could benefit all the clans." She glanced about and saw others in the room nodding in agreement. "What is the dispute?"

"The circle lies within the domain of the Black Dahlia, but it was a member of the Night Feeders who discovered the records. The issue: who should be the first to test the circle's power?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Ramona raised a fur-covered hand.

"Ramona Lupin," Mildred asked in a formal tone. "You have a question?"

"What does the incantation do?" Ramona asked, panting slightly, her lupine tongue hanging out.

"That is unclear," Vincent said. "Neither side trusts the other to equally share both the spell and the circle simultaneously. Both wish to be the first to benefit."

"I'm sure," Mildred said. She glanced at the Night Feeder representative, a corpulent vampire whose tuxedo had a red vest and gold watch chain. He was practically bursting with excitement. "The Night Feeders may make their case known to me."

"Thank you, Arbiter." The man moved forward, and unrolled his scroll. "I, Justin Beckett, am honored to speak before you. Our case is simple, and I would not presume to waste any more of your time. We were the first in the door of the Compact House during the battle, and the Acromantulas dismembered two of my brethren during the fighting! We sacrificed much for the return of this place. It was only while examining the place of battle itself was the incantation was discovered. By blood and bone, and virtue of our bravery, whatever power this spell unleashes should be duly awarded to us in token of our sacrifice."

Justin bowed and stepped back, looking pleased with his summary of events, as he saw them.

"He makes a good case," James said, leaning over toward Mildred.

"Shh! don't speak to me unless you raise your hand first. That's the formal procedure, and we have to follow it!"

James looked up and saw a few frowns in the crowd. He swallowed hard and did his best to look inconspicuous. The implied danger of the place kept his normally chaotic imagination subdued. He glanced at his brother, and saw that Sirius was so still he could have been a statue.

"We will now hear from Veronica Gilliam, of the Black Dahlia," Vincent said formally.

"No one doubts the valor of the Night Feeders," said Veronica, a stunning vampire woman wearing a sparkling black and silver evening dress. Her black hair was long and lustrous, and encircled with a white-gold circlet at her forehead. She didn't speak just to Mildred, but to the entire room, and moved her hands to emphasize her case. "But the Black Dahlia has known of this circle for centuries, and has spoken of it at every meeting of the clans. This is the place where our destiny changed. All the clans know the Litany of Convocation: 'Without space, without honor, without place, without power.' These four declarations are carved into the obelisks surrounding the circle itself!"

There was a sudden murmur in the room.

"Yes," she said, looking around the Compact House and nodding. "It was there that our place in the Wizarding World was redefined. It was there that the Black Dahlia convened the clans and helped to slay the usurpers, and where we came to our senses before an unspeakable crime could be committed.

"It should be remembered that the Night Feeders fought against that decision, and it was then that they lost their status. After that, their arms were quartered," she gestured at the shield on the wall, and sure enough, the shield was divided into four parts. "Their dukedom was reduced to an earldom by clan order, and ever since they have been resolute in a demand for a return to the old ways. Chief among them is the conquest of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Ramona gasped out loud, and the other New Marauders looked stricken.

The Night Feeder spokesman stepped forward. Mildred nodded, and he spoke up. "Our politics are not under discussion! The issue is who shall use the circle's power."

"The Black Dahlia has no wish to use the circle," said Veronica, facing her opponent. "We only insist that if it is to be used, then it shall be our clan that does so. The motivations of the Night Feeders cannot be trusted."

"And keeping the incantation here, where anyone can use it? That is no solution!" Justin's eyes flashed in his fury.

"The circle is under guard," Veronica stated simply. "Even if the incantation is read, it can't be used. We have seen to that."

"You accuse us of flouting Compact law?" Justin growled, his eyes growing red, his fangs flashing.

"You'd better speak up," James said to Mildred. "Before this gets out of hand."

"Enough!" Mildred said, slapping her palm with the scepter, which produced a sound like a small thunderclap. Sirius looked at her in surprise, before deciding that her scepter also functioned as a wand, in some cases.

The two arguing parties turned and faced her, their faces blank, awaiting her decision.

"The problem seems to be one of proprietary ownership. Since the incantation was discovered in the Compact House, it is the property of not only all the vampire clans, but also that of the Wizarding community as well. This house was constructed for peaceful negotiations with them as well, as the presence of my retainers' shows." Mildred gestured at her friends, and there was an appreciative murmur from the audience.

"Furthermore, since the Black Dahlia clan has no desire to use the incantation itself, and the threat of forceful use of it would only lead to armed conflict, it follows that it must be removed from the area. The use of the spell should require a full vote of the Compact House, with appropriate Wizarding representation.

"However, the Night Feeders' case of safety of the incantation is well-founded. Therefore, I will take it back to Hogwarts School for safekeeping in the Restricted Section of the library. There is no safer place in this area. Should a full vote require its presence for the invocation of the spell, it can be produced in a reasonable amount of time." She assumed a regal pose and slapped the wand into her palm again, producing the same thunderclap. "This is the decision of the Arbiter!"

Justin looked like he was about to explode, while Veronica smiled and politely applauded. Soon the whole room was on their feet, clapping their hands, and smiling. Their incisors glinted in the firelight, and Mildred knew that she had risen a point in the vampire world. Her grandfather and great-grandfather would be very pleased.

Following the arbitration there was a small party, complete with refreshments. Although the New Marauders did the only eating, everyone watched them with interest.

"Do you ever miss it?" Ramona asked, as she took a bite from a chicken leg. "Eating, I mean?"

"Sometimes," said an elderly-looking vampire with a white goatee and a monocle in one eye. "However, for us, there is a greater feeling after feeding. You of all people would understand it."

"Me?" Ramona asked in confusion.

The vampire looked at her through his monocle and nodded. "Your present state," he gestured at her furry skin, "gives you a great appetite. Now, when you eat, you feel a sense of relief, no?"

Ramona nodded, taking another huge bite of the chicken.

"Now, think! Imagine that one instant when you bite into the meat--that instant of pleasure when you taste the juice--your body sings at the sensation of being fed. That one moment of pleasure empowers you, and you eat more." He smiled when he saw that Ramona understood what he was talking about. "For a vampire, that particular pleasure lasts not for an instant, but for all the time of the feeding and for several minutes afterward! Eating for us is not just survival, but an act of passion. This is why many of us approach it with such relish!"

Ramona flushed in embarrassment as understanding flooded her mind, and she felt a slight warmth in her stomach.

"Yes, Miss Lupin. Now do you understand why we Nosferatu are regarded as great lovers?" He chuckled. "We know all about passion, and have had several centuries to understand it." He moved to a less delicate part of their conversation. "Yes, I miss eating sometimes, but while you digest the crude matter, I ingest the purer power--the energy itself."

Finally, Vincent announced it was time for their guests to return to their school. After many goodbyes and invitations to return, the New Marauders were escorted back to the school grounds.

"Keep the medallions," Vincent said as he led them out of the trees. "I have a feeling we may need you all again, soon."

James goggled at the charm around his neck, and then gave Vincent a formal bow. The other Marauders did the same.

With a wave of his hand, the vampire stepped back into the Forbidden Forest and was soon swallowed up by the darkness.

"You know," Sirius Potter remarked as they walked back toward the school buildings, "that was a lot easier than I thought."

"Well," said Ramona, "we really didn't do very much."

"Yes you did," Mildred insisted. "You stood by me, you helped, and you didn't refuse." She turned and looked at her fellow Marauders with gratitude. "You don't know what this means to me, to have friends who will come into my world when I ask them!"

"You came into my world first," Ramona said, taking Mildred's hand. "Now, do you mind if we went to the Shrieking Shack? I don't want anyone to see me."

"Sure," said James, leading the way.

"You three go ahead," said Mildred. "I'm going to deliver this to Professor Merrythought's office. She said she'd stay up for us, just in case." She stopped, and then began patting her robes frantically. "It's gone! The scroll with the incantation! It's not in my pouch!"

"Here," said Sirius, holding out his hand. "It fell out and I caught it."

"Thanks," Mildred said, accepting the scroll with a sigh of relief. She waved at them as she walked into the school's main entrance, while the rest of the New Marauders headed toward the Whomping Willow, and the hidden tunnel.

"You know, Ramona," said James, "most of the school knows your dad is a werewolf. He and my dad worked side-by-side during the war, after all. Eventually they're going to realize you've got some of the curse. Wouldn't it be easier just to admit your true nature? I'm sure most people would accept you for who and what you are."

"Maybe," Ramona said, "but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it."

"Unless the bridge burns first," Sirius said, grinning.

Ramona gave him a dark look and tried to swat him, but he ducked and laughed.

When the Whomping Willow came into view, Ramona darted forward with a burst of blinding lupine speed and touched the secret knot that froze the tree in mid-swipe. As she disappeared down the hole, James turned to Sirius. "Well?"

"I got it," Sirius whispered, winking.

"You copied the entire scroll during the walk back?"

"No, but I used that special duplicating spell that Dad invented for his office staff." He grinned wickedly. "We've got our own copy of that incantation, now, and we can use it anytime we want!"

The boys ducked down the hole at the tree's base, and kept grinning at each other for the rest of the night.