The Forgotten Song

"Okay, guys, page eighty-six of Dark Creatures. Shadow Elves. Read that over for a minute and then we'll talk about it." Kera leaned back in her chair, massaging her temples. She seemed tired and flat, and had done for the past few days. Come to think of it, Snape had been even more vindictive than usual, and McGonagall was rather short tempered.

"What d'you thinks wrong with her?" he asked Hermione in a whisper. She only shrugged slightly in reply, already wrapped up in the text. Harry sighed and sat back. Learning about Shadow Elves? It couldn't be a coincidence. He put up his hand.

"Yes Harry?" Kera asked, looking up tiredly.

"Have the Shadow Elves joined Voldemort?" he asked boldly.

Kera looked at him for a long time, as if deciding whether to tell the whole class the truth or not. "Yes," she said finally.

The class stared at her. Draco Malfoy, however, looked ever so slightly smug. His nose had been healed by Madam Pomfrey, but his hatred for Ron seemed to have increased a hundred fold. He barely even bothered with Harry anymore.

"But, the Shadow Elves..." a Ravenclaw boy said in a strangled whisper. "There's thousands. They'll kill us all..."

Several of the students began to look panicky by this stage, but Kera cut him off. "It's being taken care of, Louis. None of you are dead yet..."

"It's that 'yet' that's bothering me," Ron whispered dryly to Harry.

"...and if you hurry up and read this page, we can discuss how best to handle the damn things. Personally, I recommend making like a chipmunk and scampering away as fast as humanly possible, but for the sake of the curriculum, we'll go through the other stuff."

"Weird how we were supposed to learn about them at the same time they joined You-Know-Who," Lavender Brown remarked to Pavarti. Pavarti sighed and slapped her palm to her forehead.

***

Harry couldn't sit still for the rest of the day. He didn't have Occlumency on Mondays, so he didn't have a chance to talk to Dumbledore. By dinner, however, he was simply considering marching up to the head table, parking himself next to the aged wizard and having a big in depth chat about how exactly the Order was handling this recent development.

"So who are you drinking now?" Hermione asked Anna bitterly. Anna and Ginny had been talking together in low voices, not noticing Hermione's glare. Harry hadn't either, being wrapped up in his own thoughts, but from the irritated expression on Ron's face, Harry could tell that he'd been watching her for a while now.

"What's with you, Hermione?" Ron snapped. "Just leave her alone for Christ's sake."

"Somebody was killed for that, Ron." Hermione shifted her glare to him. "I just wanted to know how she can sleep at night."

"Actually, this is from a blood bank," Anna interrupted, holding up her glass. "Donated by a Scotsman by the name of Gil. Dumbledore's been importing blood for Kera and me. He's been doing it for Kez ever since she started at Hogwarts."

"But you told Harry that you've killed before," Hermione pointed out.

"I have," she shrugged. "My parents don't believe in charity."

"So you kill innocent people?" Hermione asked loudly, clearly outraged. "You hunt them down, when they've done nothing to you?"

"I could say the same for the pig on your plate," Anna pointed at the pork chops Hermione had been eating.

"What's that got to do with anything?" she hissed.

"Well, what did the pig do to you?"

"It's just a pig!"

"Hey, pigs have feelings too." Anna took a swig of Gil. "And you should really be thanking me. I'm just doing my part in the prevention of overpopulation."

Hermione stared at her, angry tears welling up in her eyes. "How is it that nobody can see what you are?" The noise in the Great Hall had died down by now, and everybody was staring at her, even the teachers. "You're a killer, but everybody loves you! Doesn't anybody else realise? The second you get mad, your fangs are out and you're ready to bite! You're a killer, and you're evil! You'll go straight to the Dark Lord as soon as you're Called, won't you?"

"That's enough, Miss Granger!" Professor McGonagall's voice was like a whip. She had stood and was looking coolly at Hermione. "Thirty points from Gryffindor. Go to my office and wait..."

"Excuse me, Professor." Kera had also stood, and she interrupted respectfully. "But I wonder if I could handle this?"

Hermione looked to her fearfully as McGonagall nodded, sitting down.

"Hermione, please wait in my office. I'll be there after dinner."

Hermione seemed to inwardly fight her intense dislike of Vampires and her inability to go against a professor. She nodded sullenly and trekked out of the Hall. Only then did Harry look at Anna, who was sitting still, looking at where Hermione had been sitting. Her jaw was clenched tight, and blood red tears were running over her cheeks, creating a ghastly sight. Harry shifted his eyes to Ron, who was sitting next to her but still glaring after Hermione. He coughed and caught his attention, nodding at Anna. Ron looked quickly to her, his blue eyes widening, and put a reassuring arm around her. Ginny did the same from the other side. Harry could see the rest of the Gryffindors looking at her, worried. Some seemed genuinely concerned for her, and some seemed slightly scared. Hermione's words had struck a chord.

"Well," Professor Dumbledore broke the silence of the Hall. "If we don't finish with this lot, the House Elves might eat the dessert."

The students laughed, and a buzz of conversation arose from each table, but Anna still didn't move.

"Anna?" Harry asked tentatively. "You okay?"

She didn't look at him, but stood up. "I have to go," she muttered, running from the Hall. Ron stood to follow her, but Ginny shook her head. "I'll go." She put a hand on his shoulder, then followed.

Ron and Harry looked at each other, not really knowing what to say. Before Harry could force some conversation, however, there was another interruption. Five people had entered the Great Hall. They walked purposefully towards the head table, striding between the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor tables.

Jaws all over the Hall dropped. For most there, this was the first time they had seen Lupin since he'd resigned over two years ago. He looked at Harry as he passed him and winked. Harry found himself grinning back. It wasn't Lupin, however, who had made the jaws fall in unison. Nor was it Tonks, who had donned light hair and eyes, nor even the hugely muscled Kingsley.

Heading the group were two people. They were tall, with the shorter one, the woman, being at least six foot, and both were impossibly beautiful. The woman with her perfect features and hair so red that it couldn't possibly be natural, and the man with his long blonde hair and wide smile. Both had long, upswept ears that ended in a point, and Harry could see a little gold loop through the top of one of the woman's ears.

"Are they Elves?" Ron asked in a disbelieving whisper. "I... I thought they were on the other side..."

"I don't think they're Shadow Elves," Harry said, his eyes glued to the party.

They had just reached the head table, and Tonks was now leaning over it, talking in a hushed voice to Dumbledore, who was smiling. He stood and shook the mans hand, then bowed to the woman.

Out the corner of his eye, Harry noticed Kera wiping her mouth with a napkin and standing, walking around the table. She nodded her head to the woman as she passed, and walked straight past Lupin. Harry raised his eyebrows, wondering if they'd had a fight, until he noticed their hands parting as she walked away. He smiled slightly, wondering what it would be like to be so comfortable with somebody else.

"She's gorgeous," he heard a low voice from beside him. He turned to find Bryce staring at the woman at the front of the room. He nodded in agreement, wondering briefly who she was. He guessed that she was a Night Elf, but why were they bowing to her?

As if in answer to his question, Dumbledore raised his head to address the Hall. "Students, as you've noticed, we have guests. They will be staying with us for a while, so you may as well know who they are. The rather effeminate young man here is Dionan Darione..." Dionan made a face at the woman, and Harry thought he saw him mouth 'effeminate' at her, causing her to giggle. "...and the lovely lady laughing at him is Princess Elewyn Evenholm of the Night Elves."

"Does that mean they're on our side?" Ron asked loudly without thinking.

Elewyn looked at him and smiled. "We sure are."

***

"I seriously don't know what her problem is," Ginny was saying heatedly. "She has no problem with Lupin, she likes nasty little House Elves and she even thinks that Snape's a nice little... greasy haired man who's actually on our side! I mean, seriously!"

"Severus is a nice little greasy haired man on our side," Anna murmured. She was curled up in one of the chairs of Gryffindor common room, watching Ginny angrily pacing the room.

"What was that?"

"Kera and Severus have been friends for years," Anna shrugged. She had calmed down somewhat, and, of course, she was hideously embarrassed over the 'fleeing from the Hall' incident. Why couldn't she have just sat there and at least pretended that she was fine? She was a Vampire, damnit! She could fly, she could run faster than any Cheetah and she had really cool retractable fangs. So why did some bushy haired little snob bother her so much? Of course, the cow had mentioned the Calling. Bitch.

"I thought Snape didn't have any friends at Hogwarts?" Ginny asked, sitting next to her.

"He didn't. Well, she was always nice to him, but they weren't exactly friends. He kept calling her a traitor for being so friendly with Gryffindors."

"So how'd they get friendly?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but it happened around the time that he joined the Order. Kera never actually told me the story. I've just known the guy since I was little."

"But you don't actually like him, do you?" Ginny asked in disbelief.

"Sure I do," Anna smiled. "He's been like a brother to me for as long as I can remember. That's why I'm not doing potions. I don't want to ruin his reputation for being nasty."

"That is so weird." Ginny shook her head. "That's like... like befriending Draco Malfoy. Or a Cane Toad. They're all in the same category."

Anna just laughed as the portrait hole opened.

"Dinner must be over," Ginny observed leaning to the side to see who it was. Her eyes frosted over as she saw Hermione standing in the doorway.

"Please don't look at me like that, Ginny," she said, her eyes glued to the floor.

"Like what, Hermione? Like the way you've been looking at Anna ever since she got here?"

"Ginny," Anna said softly. "Don't."

Hermione raised her brown eyes to look at Ginny. "Can I... can I talk to Anna alone for a minute?"

Ginny folded her arms. "Maybe I should search you for wooden stakes first."

Anna smiled. "I don't think so, Gin. Go on, it'll be fine."

Ginny raised an eyebrow, gave one last disapproving look at Hermione, then turned and headed for the girls dormitories.

Anna looked up at Hermione, wondering what the deal was. Was she there to apologise, or was she there to brutally murder her and dance around on her hacked and maimed body?

On second thoughts, the dancing on body idea was probably a bit far fetched.

"I'm sorry," Hermione said, keeping her eyes firmly averted from Anna. "It was wrong of me to yell at you like that."

"Yeah, it was," Anna agreed. "So why'd you do it?"

"Because I don't like Vampires," Hermione shrugged, eyes on the floor. "Nothing personal."

"That's a good one," Anna laughed. "Nothing personal... I just hate you is all." Hermione gave a small smile in spite of herself.

"So why do you hate Vampires? We kill your Uncle? Best friend? Your pet toad?"

"Why would you have killed any of my loved ones?" Hermione asked.

"A hate like yours is usually caused by something. I just figured somebody you knew had been killed."

"No, nothing like that." Hermione's cheeks flushed slightly.

Anna grinned. "So what is it? It can't be that embarrassing. Personally, I hate Zombies and will forever more. There's just something about the thought of the things trying to chew through my head that makes me shudder." She shuddered to prove it.

Hermione sighed. "I'm terrified of Vampires. I have been ever since I saw Dracula when I was little. When I found out Vampires were real I freaked, and then I met you and freaked some more. There, laugh."

Anna hid a small smile. "It's not that bad," she said. "If I was a human I wouldn't like Vampires either. I mean, the blood thing, I can see how that would be gross."

"So why don't you hate me?" Hermione asked. "I've been horrid."

"The way I see it, Hermione, is that we're both on the same side here. And I get the feeling that sooner or later, we're all going to have enough enemies on the other side without making them within our ranks." For the first time, Hermione raised her eyes to meet Anna's aqua ones as she spoke. "I've been thinking about this War a lot lately. I get the feeling that it's going to happen soon. Kera and the other Professor's here are all on edge. We need to be able to trust each other, y'know? I know I seem like a stupid, annoying hussy to you, and to be honest, I think you're a stuffy, snobby bitch, but I don't hate you. And when you get down to it, I don't think you hate me."

"I don't hate you," Hermione admitted. "I don't like you very much at all, but I don't hate you."

Anna laughed. "Same here." She held out her hand. "Truce?"

Hermione took it. "Truce. We'll be civil to each other?"

"The very souls of courtesy," Anna giggled. At that moment, Harry, Ron, and the other Gryffindors burst into the common room, all talking at once. Harry and Ron stopped dead, however, when they saw that the two girls were still shaking hands.

"Did Hell just freeze over?" Ron asked Harry, amazed.

"I don't know." Harry folded his arms.

Anna gave a wry smile. "Cut the wisecracks. What's everybody so excited about?"

Harry gave a grin. "We got the Night Elves."

Anna's eyes widened. The Night Elves... Kera had told her all about them. Aloof, prancing, stuffy... but fierce warriors and enemies of the Shadows. "Are you serious?" she asked him.

He nodded and she squealed, jumping into his arms and giving him an exuberant kiss.

***

"You're not concentrating, Harry," Dumbledore said gently as he helped Harry up off the floor, his head reeling.

"Sorry, Professor." Harry rubbed at his head. "Too much on my mind."

"You must learn to empty your mind, Harry," Dumbledore sighed. "Even at times when it is bursting. What would happen if Voldemort caught and questioned you? You could give away everything you know without even meaning to."

"But that would only be when the War started," Harry said slyly. "Unless you know something I don't."

"I know many things you don't, Harry," Dumbledore chuckled. "The War is not upon us yet, and you must learn how to defend yourself. This is actually important, you know."

"I know, I know," Harry sighed. "Shall we try again?"

"Not now," Dumbledore said as the bell went. "I believe you're due in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Homework tonight is to clear your mind before you fall asleep. I want you to tell me how you went in tomorrow's lesson."

Harry nodded and picked up his school bag, heading for the door. "Professor," he said, pausing. "Do you know what Kera said to Hermione last night?"

"That's Professor White, Harry," Dumbledore corrected. "And I believe that whatever was said is between the two of them."

"Yes Professor."

***

"Knight to E-five," Ron ordered his little white knight. The figure looked up, saluted, then briskly rode his horse to the mentioned square.

"Oh no, don't you dare!" Anna gasped, staring in horror as the white knight calmly hopped down off his horse, drew back his fist, and punched the quivering black bishop squarely in the face. The knight climbed back on his horse, looking smug, as the bishop crawled off the board.

"And that," Ron said, looking as smug as his knight, "is Checkmate."

Anna sighed. "I'm going to beat you one day. Just you wait and see."

"I'm sure you'll try, Anna," he grinned at her. "You'll try very, very hard."

"Don't patronize me, Ronald," she warned, grinning slightly. "I'll bite you."

Harry yawned, taking his eyes from the chess game and casting them about the room. Hermione was beside him, absorbed in yet another book, Ginny and Dean were talking beside the fire, holding hands, Seamus and Bryce were flicking through a Quidditch magazine and talking excitedly about something in it, Neville was inspecting some kind of red plant (Professor Sprout had given it to him as a special treat - Harry had no idea what it was) and a group of second years had gathered next to the window.

Harry sighed and stood. Hermione looked up at him. "What are you doing?"

"I'm feeling a bit... I dunno. I'm going for a walk."

"Mind if I come?" she asked, closing her book and laying it down on the chair.

He smiled at her. "Not at all."

She stood up and straightened her skirt, then together they left the common room, slipping out through the portrait hole and into the halls.

"Was there anywhere you had in mind?" Hermione asked after a few minutes of aimless wandering around the castle.

"Nah, not really," Harry shrugged. "Just felt like doing something."

"We could visit Hagrid," she suggested. "We haven't been down there in ages."

"I left my cloak in the common room," Harry said regretfully. "But we could go tomorrow night or something."

"I'd like that," Hermione smiled.

Harry stopped suddenly. "Did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

Harry looked at the door beside them. Kera's office. "I heard a scraping noise. Like chairs or something."

"Maybe she's in there with Lupin," Hermione said with a cheeky twinkle in her eyes.

Harry grinned. "No, I heard voices as well. Look, there they are again!"

Hermione cocked her head to one side as the faint murmuring continued. "I do hear something..."

Harry moved closer to the door, pressing his ear to the crack.

"...and the Scottish Wolves are probably more inclined towards Voldemort," he heard Lupin saying. "You could probably convince the Irish ones to join us, but they're a rowdy lot. Tend to go off on a tangent, but we need the numbers. I might be able to send a note to Bryan, organise a bit of a meeting."

"Good, Remus." Dumbledore's voice was approving. "What about the Vampires?"

"Hermione," Harry whispered. "You have to listen to this!"

"This is eavesdropping, Harry," she whispered back, folding her arms.

"Do you want to know about the War or not?"

She quickly joined him at the door.

"...we might be able to get Cicaida," Kera said, somewhat doubtfully. "She's much more inclined to stay neutral in this sort of thing, and she's none too fond of all the restrictions the Ministry's placed on us. She may not want to side with anybody to do with them. Her followers would be happy to do it - they'll do anything for a feed, and nothing tastes as good as another Vampire's blood..."

"I din' know tha,'" Hagrid piped up.

"The discovery of that little fact started up the Vampire wars of sixteen-oh-three," she said wryly. "But as I was saying, if we want the Eastern Vampire's, we need Cicaida. They'd never go against her. She's a good leader."

"What about the Western Vampires?" McGonagall asked.

"Forget it," Kera said flatly. "Morrigan'll never side with us. She's hell bent on eating whatever human she comes across - magic or non-magic. Her followers are much the same. They don't have huge numbers, but they're fierce and bloodthirsty enough to matter. She'll be with Voldemort, don't you doubt that."

"So who exactly is on our side?" asked an unfamiliar female voice.

"Well, Princess," Lupin said. "So far, it's approximately half of the Witches and Wizards in Britain, the Night Elves, the Scottish and Welsh Dwarves, and maybe the Irish Wolves and the Eastern Vampires."

"And who's against us?"

"The other half of the Magic community of Britain, the Shadow Elves, the Giants, the Banshees, the Western Vampires and probably the Scottish Wolves, and possibly the Veelas."

"Not to mention a hell of a lot of minor nasties," Kera added. "Which together add up to a very big problem."

"Eloquently put," Harry heard Snape mutter. "As always, Kera."

"So we're screwed?" the female voice demanded. Harry assumed that it was Princess Elewyn.

"Come on, Ellie, there's a lot of maybes involved," another unknown voice said calmly. Harry guessed it was her friend, Dionan.

"So what is our next move?" McGonagall asked.

"I believe that the Irish Wolves and Eastern Vampires must be seen to immediately," Dumbledore said. "Remus, you set up a meeting with this Bryan fellow, Kera, you go to Cicaida. Someone will take care of your classes until you return. In the meanwhile, I'll send Charlie Weasley to Hawaii to ask assistance from the Kryodians, and Bill to Australia for the Sadonians. At this moment, there's nothing else we can do. We may be outnumbered, but we're not overwhelmed, and that's something. I suggest we all get some sleep. We all have a lot to do."

Harry and Hermione looked at each other briefly, then they both dashed off down the hall, hiding behind a tall statue of a Wizard with burn scars all over his body. They watched as Dumbledore and McGonagall walked by, then Snape, then Hagrid, then Kera and Lupin trailing along behind. Elewyn and Dionan must have gone a different way.

"I wish Sirius was here," he heard Kera sigh. "He was always so good with the whole diplomat thing."

"We all wish he was here, Kez," Lupin said softly, a sad note in his voice which almost brought tears to Harry's eyes. "But you'll do fine. You can charm the pants off of anybody."

"No, only yours," she smiled, then sighed again. "I miss him, you know? When he escaped and went on the run, he found me and the two of us went touring around these gorgeous tropical islands. But then he came back and I had to go back to work, and... that was the last time I saw him. At least I never had to see him miserable."

She sniffed, and a dark red stripe appeared over her cheek. As Lupin hugged her tight and led her away, Harry realised that she was crying. He didn't blame her. He absently noticed that his glasses were misting up, the result of tears welling in his green eyes. He had seen Sirius miserable. His memories of Sirius were of him locked in a dark house with long, unbrushed hair and pale skin - much different to the picture in his photo album.

"Harry?" Hermione asked when Lupin and Kera were out of sight. "You okay?"

He bent his head as the tears dropped from his eyes to his cheek. "Yeah," he said, his choked up voice betraying him. Stupid voice. He didn't want her to see him crying.

"Oh, Harry." She wrapped her arms around him in a strangely comforting gesture. Harry pressed his cheek to hers, and smelled the bittersweet scent of her shampoo and his tears. A fresh batch welled up and spilled hotly down his face.

"I'm sorry," he muttered through his sobs. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." She hugged him tighter, and he was surprised to feel a small wet patch soaking through to his shoulder.

"Aw come on, Hermione." He forced a laugh. "I didn't mean to make you cry as well."

"I'm sorry," she sniffed. "I... I cant help it. I miss Sirius, too, and I don't like seeing you upset."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, touched by what she had said, but was interrupted.

"Excuse me, Harry," a dry voice asked. "But are you sure that's appropriate for school?"

Harry and Hermione jumped and stared in astonishment at the man standing in front of the statue. He was neither tall nor short, and was covered almost entirely in a black cape and hood. Only his chin and mouth were visible, and his skin seemed to have an almost grey cast to it.

Harry blushed in spite of himself. "What isn't appropriate?"

"Hiding behind statues with pretty girls," the man said, a small smile on his thin lips.

"How did you know his name?" Hermione asked, drying her eyes with the back of her hand.

"The same way I know yours, Hermione," the man said.

"And how's that?" she asked, folding her arms and trying to stare him down.

"It's a secret," he smiled. "Harry, I need you to come with me. We have to see Albus."

"Dumbledore?" Harry asked. "Why?"

"It's important. I need you to hurry - I have to round up three other students, a teacher, and be home in time for breakfast," he said wryly. "You have no idea how vicious Sharnii can get if she thinks I'm not eating right."

"Who are the other three students?" Harry asked obstinately. "And the teacher?"

The man sighed. "Anna White, Ronald Weasley, Draco Malfoy and Remus Lupin."

"Malfoy?" Harry asked incredulously. "What d'you want him for?"

"And why am I left out?" Hermione asked, wide eyed.

"And who are you, anyway?"

"Just go to Albus' office," the man said, and Harry guessed that he was rolling his eyes. "I'll meet you there." Harry and Hermione started as the man vanished.

"Who was he?" Hermione breathed.

"I have no idea," Harry shrugged. "Do you think I should do what he says?"

"It's kind of weird," she frowned. "It could even be dangerous. He must be a powerful wizard to be able to Apparate and Disapparate in here."

"Why?" Harry asked.

"Oh, Harry," she said irritably, even as she wiped a drying tear from his cheek. "Don't you ever listen? You cant Apparate inside Hog-"

"I know," Harry laughed, cutting her off. "I only said it to annoy you."

"Oh, Harry," she huffed. "You're so..."

Harry never got to find out what he was, because at that moment, quite by accident, he kissed her.

It was only meant to be a small kiss. Just a quick one on the lips. When Hermione opened her mouth, however, that whole idea went flying out the window.

***

Draco Malfoy was not a nice guy. He was spoiled, vain and spiteful. He was the sort of boy that intimidated the shyer kids, irritated the more outspoken ones, and drove the girls crazy. Every girl in Slytherin was head over heels in love with him, and most of the girls in the others houses had had a crush on his at some stage.

Draco, however, was not really into girls. That isn't to say that he was gay - he wasn't into guys either. The truth was that he was so in love with himself that there was no room for anybody else in his heart, which was small and black enough as it was.

Draco was not having a good school year. He should have been ecstatic - he was a prefect and Quidditch Captain, he was getting excellent grades, and he was the undisputed leader of Slytherin, with only a little less power over the students than their Head of House, Professor Snape. Unfortunately, the fact that his father was currently in Azkaban and that Ronald Weasley had broken his nose had diminished the euphoria he should have been feeling.

Oh well, he thought to himself as he stretched out beneath the tree. At least our side's still in front. Ever since he could remember, his father had been involved with the Dark Lord, even when Potter had somehow sapped his power, Lucius had been continuing on with his work - killing, hurting and maintaining contacts with the darker side of the magic world.

"Idolising a megalomaniac," somebody said from behind him. "That's saying a lot about your personality."

Draco sat bolt upright, the moonlight turning his handsome pale features a porcelain white. He was sitting beneath the tree beside the lake, as he often did at night. He couldn't go there in the day - he didn't want people knowing where his favourite spot was, or else they'd start following him there.

He saw a man, or at least, he assumed it was a man, judging by the voice. He was covered in darkness, and not just by his clothing. He seemed to glow with it, a soft, shadowy aura surrounding him.

"Who the hell are you?" Draco asked sharply.

"You wouldn't believe how many people have asked me that tonight," the man sighed.

"And what did you tell them?"

"Nothing." The man smiled. "Come with me."

Draco raised his eyebrows. "Sorry, but my mother told me not to go off with scary old men."

"How do you know that I'm old?" the man asked, stroking his unlined chin with long fingers.

"Call it a hunch," Draco shrugged, lying down again. "You seem old."

"Funny how nobody else seemed to think so."

"Are you planning on leaving anytime soon? 'Cos my plans tonight weren't exactly to have conversations with a weird old guy who's sensitive about his age."

"What were your plans, then?" the man sat down beside him. "Lay under a tree and jack off to the thought of your favourite Vampire?"

"Excluding the Vampire, you're spot on. So why don't you just fuck off and leave me alone."

He closed his eyes as he heard the man sigh.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Weasley's voice rang out angrily.

Draco's eyes popped open immediately. He and the man were still on the ground, but now they were in some weird, round room packed with books and weird contraptions. Weasley, Anna and Lupin sat in front of a huge desk, and behind that desk sat Dumbledore.

The door behind him opened, and Potter stumbled in, his hair even more screwed up than usual, and his glasses askew.

"Looks like Harry just got some," Anna grinned.

Draco got over his shock. "Potter? With what? A poor, helpless statue with it's mouth ope..." He stammered to a halt when he saw Dumbledore staring coolly at him, though not before he heard Anna's giggles.

"Why is he here?" he heard Weasley ask again.

"Why are any of us here?" Potter asked, pushing his glasses up and trying to flatten his hair. Draco hated the way Potter always ignored him. He could at least try to insult him once in a while. The extent to which Weasley hated him was almost flattering, but Potter was just plain insulting.

"My name is Koranu," the man in black said, raising to his feet and standing beside Dumbledore. "A god, essentially."

"A what not?" Anna asked, raising an eyebrow.

"A God," Koranu said. "One of those rather powerful and eternal people who are in charge of your life."

"Oh," she said, surprised. "Shit, hey?"

"Does that mean that the other God isn't real? The one who lives in Israel?" Weasley asked.

"He doesn't live in Israel, you idiot," Draco snapped. "He lives in Heaven."

"No, he's real," Koranu informed them. "He's just the big guy. The man in charge, so to speak. My brother and sisters and I work for him. He lives up there, we live down here and look after the day to day things."

"And what do you look after?" Professor Lupin asked, his eyes intent. Werewolves. Draco hated Werewolves.

"Death." Koranu shrugged. "I'm also known as the Grim Reaper, though I have no idea where the Reaping comes into it. I've never owned one of those big pointy knife things in my life, though I admit that I am rather skeletal," he chuckled. The students just stared at him.

"Well, this is creepy," Anna voiced Draco's thoughts. "I am talking to Death."

"And an anaemic one at that," Draco commented.

"Will somebody please tell me why I'm here?" Weasley whinged.

"Koranu has a slight journey for you all to make." Dumbledore stretched back in his chair. "I'm sure you'll all thoroughly enjoy it, if Lady Kira is as pretty as I remember her."

"Pardon?" Potter raised his eyebrows. "Who's Kira?"

"And why do I have to go?" Draco demanded.

"My sister, Kira, is the Goddess of Love and Fertility," Koranu said. "And for some reason, she also our main prophet, and she has a prophecy concerning all of you. We sort of need you to hear it."

"Why couldn't she just nip over here and tell us?" Anna asked. "Or tell you this prophecy widget and you tell us?"

"While both of those would be easier, she's pregnant again and can't do the whole teleport thing," the Grim Reaper told them. "And only those involved in the prophecy may hear it."

"What a screwy system." Draco rolled his eyes. "Unfortunately, I'm afraid I can't go with you."

"I'm failing to see the unfortunate part of that," Weasley remarked to Potter, who smiled in response.

"And why can't you come, Mr Malfoy?" Lupin asked him.

"Because I don't want to," Draco frowned. "I don't like Werewolves, I don't like Vampires, and I don't like Weasley's or Potheads. And I don't think I'm liking Death a whole lot either. So, I'm not going, and none of you can make me."

"He's not exactly what you'd call a people person," Anna quipped to Koranu, and Dumbledore chuckled.

"No sweat there." Potter leaned against the desk. "I'm sure none of us will be heartbroken by your absence."

"Draco," Lupin said quietly. "If Koranu says you're needed, I think you'd better come along."

"He didn't say he was needed," Weasley pointed out. "He just said he was in it."

"Well he wouldn't be here if he wasn't needed."

"Is this my caring face?"

"Ron," Anna grinned. "Be nicer to your elders."

"I'm not that old," Lupin defended himself.

Draco rolled his eyes and could see Potter doing the same.

"Draco." Koranu caught his attention. "If you don't hear this prophecy, you'll most surely die."

"Why's that?" he asked curiously.

"Curiosity killed the Malfoy," Anna grinned at him, her eyes twinkling.

"You'll die," Koranu said simply. "Because I'll kill you."

"What?!" Draco sat bolt upright. "Wait just a minute, you can't kill me right here in the headmasters office!"

"He's right you know," Dumbledore said in what could only be a regretful tone. "You'll have to take him outside."

"I'm not so sure you should kill him full stop," Lupin objected. "It's a little drastic, don't you think?"

"Sirius wouldn't have minded," Weasley pointed out.

"Sirius wouldn't kill a kid," Potter reacted suddenly, glaring at Weasley. "Even a slimy little ponce like Malfoy! How could you even suggest that? He'd never be so low!"

"Ohh, catfight," Draco smirked. "Mreow."

Potter turned and glared at him. "What would you know about it?"

"I don't exactly need prime information to know that liddle Potty is feeling a liddle upset about his God-daddy's unfortunate demise," Draco said mildly.

"You've gotta question the mentality of a guy that says 'liddle,'" Anna said in a tone just as mild.

Koranu let out a huge sigh. "Could we get on, please?"

"You're a little bony for me," Anna said honestly, and Draco covered a grin.

The God just stared at her. "What?" she asked innocently. "You are."

The God turned his back on her deliberately to address Lupin. "Come to us after your conference with the Wolf Leader. Bring all of the children - if any are missing, they are sure to be killed by the Enemy. Even young Malfoy. You'll find us in Dublin, where the sun always shines and the beer always flows." And with that, he disappeared.