Vampire's Kiss

She looked at herself, disgusted, in the mirror as she rinsed her jaws once again, the pink-red water spilling loosely into the basin and joining with the fresh water from the tap.

"You have a visitor," came a voice from behind her. She rinsed her mouth, then dried her face on the towel beside the sink.

"Thank you, I'll be down in a moment." Reflected in the mirror she could see the visitor walk away into the darkness of her bedroom, then leave out of the door. She could still hear the screaming...

No Ebony, don't think about it, she muttered inside her mind. She brushed her straight hair a few times then walked calmly out of her en-suite and through her bedroom, out of the door and into the main corridor. The marble was cool against her feet and she walked nervously to the main atrium, brushing a few bits of fluff from her dress as she elegantly walked down the stairs to where one hooded traveller awaited her.

"Good evening," said the hooded figure, dropping her cloak's hood and revealing her identity. Professor McGonagall. She looked tired and drawn, her face cold and pale and her eyes showing no life in their depths. Ebony almost gasped, but tried to remain dignified.

"Hello, what brings you here, Professor? So far from Hogwarts and your precious Gryffindors," Ebony snarled, aware of how spiteful it sounded.

"Professor Dumbledore has... He passed away, two nights ago," McGonagall answered, blinking away tears. However, her morbid news leeched forth the desired effect from the vampire standing before her. Ebony, she remembered, had been great friends with Albus, and now the... Could she call her a woman? Creature seemed to be incredibly upset.

"How?" Ebony asked simply, her voice becoming so terribly innocent Minerva wanted to hug her.

"I... A... Severus Snape, though..."

"Snape?" Ebony snapped.

"Yes."

Ebony spun on her heel and began to pace. "But you didn't come here to tell me that, did you," she asked coldly.

McGonagall shook her head. "I'm afraid not. I need... We need your help,Ebony."

"We?" Ebony chortled in return.

"Myself and the staff of Hogwarts, and the students. You..."

"I'm immortal, so it doesn't matter if Voldemort gets in there and tries to kill Harry

Potter, because I can just get in the way? Get screwed, McGonagall!" Ebony shouted, walking towards the steps.

"Remus is teaching."

Ebony froze on the bottom step. Damn that infernal mortal, why did she keep stamping on my nerves? Ebony thought. She had two weaknesses - Albus Dumbledore and Remus Lupin. Oh, and her half-sister, Nymphadora Tonks, but she could take care of herself. "And?"

"He requested you personally, I said..."

"Liar!" Ebony screamed, tears building behind her eyes as desperation took over along with the temptation of plunging her needle sharp fangs into McGonagall's exposed neck. "I will come, but for no other reason than Albus, you understand me?"

"Thank you, see you on August 31st. Here, he left you this," Minerva replied, handing a small locket on a chain to Ebony, who didn't look up.

***

August 30th rolled around, and Ebony began packing to leave. She carefully folded everything into small, lightweight saddlebags, except a small hip flashed which she tucked into her cloak. The morning sun swept over her skin and she thought of all the vampires who were pure-bloods and could never feel the warmth sunlight could bring the skin, the immense joy it pushed into her blood as she loaded up her horse, Dark Illumination, who stamped impatiently. It was a two day straight ride to Hogwarts, and as she kicked his sides, she watched her home disappear from view.

It was raining when she arrived in Hogsmeade, Illumination foaming and panting. Hogwarts was lit up as the professors ate dinner, she presumed, and Illumination galloped up the driveway to the doorway.

"Always did like to make an entrance," a soft voice said from behind her.

"TONKS!" Ebony cried, wrapping both arms around her half-sister as they bounced on the spot whilst hugging and squealing. "How are you?"

"I'm great actually! How about you? Did you hear about Sirius?"

Ebony nodded gravely as she began to unpack Illumination, brushing his black coat off with her hand. "It was a shame, he... Oh, I don't know, shall we go inside?"

"What about your horse?" Tonks asked, watching him begin to graze.

"He'll be fine, I'll just be careful not to leave him out on full moon nights," Ebony stated as she shouldered her bags and took a sip of her flask. Tonks saw and realised with what price Ebony was here. "Don't look so frightened, dear sister, I had my fill of throats for this evening," Ebony teased.

"Of course, I trust you. You do realise though, that other things live wild in these grounds," Tonks said, darting after Ebony who had begun to walk inside.

"Yes, and I assure you, that by tomorrow morning, Illumination will be the reason none of them venture out. Where is my room?"

"This way," Tonks replied, taking a bag from Ebony and leading her up the stairs towards the professor's quarters. Her bubblegum pink hair slightly glowed under the candlelight, and Ebony couldn't help but smile at its brightness. Where Tonks had inherited the ability to change her appearance, Ebony was born an animagus and her alternate form was a burning white tigress. However, since being bitten, she struggled to control her need for blood as a tiger and so avoided it at all costs, which hurt, as she had enjoyed being the tiger.

"You enjoy teaching then?" Ebony asked conversationally, pulling her scarf up a little higher.

Tonks observed her doing this, but ignored it. "Yeah, it's great! A bunch of kids learning from the almighty fountain of knowledge that is Nymphadora Tonks? They'll be fine against Vol... He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, see, 'cause they learnt it all from me!"

"Terrifying, truly terrifying thought that one!" Ebony laughed, drawing her gaze away from her sister's neck and taking another sip from her flask. Tonks had kept their father's name, but Ebony had stuck with her mother's maiden name; Malfetti.

"You're not... Teaching, are you, Ebbs?" Tonks nervously asked, trying to imagine her impatient sister teaching first-years potions.

"Not that I know of, I may dabble in Defence Against the Dark Arts, depending, as either a tutor or a subject. Most likely the latter, eh?" Ebony replied, trying to lift Tonks' mood.

"Here's your room, right next door to me and on the other side is Remus, you have an en suite in the back corner," Tonks said, stopping outside a wooden door and pushing it open and stepping into the candlelight within.

"They put the freaks together then?" Ebony said, placing her bags on the large double bed and snuffing out the candles.

"You're not, a freak," Tonks whispered, taking Ebony's hands. "You're my sister, and that's what counts."

"I am, Nymph, I am a freak. Let's face it; I'm the stereotypical teenage cock-up. Older man, my parents didn't trust him, but because they didn't like him, I wanted him more. Then... This." She ripped the black scarf from around her neck and the two, deep red puncture scars on her neck became visible. Tonks gasped and covered her face to try and hide her distaste and sudden fear. Ebony waited for the sensation to subside in Tonks before standing up and hanging her cloak up to dry.

"There has to be something... Some potion or..."

"There's no Wolfsbane for me, sweetie. There never will be, because vampires become vampires out of choice, supposedly."

Tonks nodded sadly, still sitting on the bed with soft tears falling onto her hands, which were over her mouth. "I wish... I wish that you had listened, I wish I'd have followed you I wish..."

"And I wish that you could be happy instead of worried. Know this though, I will never ever bite you, unless you were at deaths door and my venom could bring you life. Understand?" Tonks nodded again, wiping her face on her sleeve. "Little sister, what are we going to do with you?" Ebony said with a smile, sitting beside Tonks.

"Big sister, let's go an' eat," Tonks replied with a smile, grabbing Ebony's hand and dragging her out into the corridor and yelling 'CHASE ME!' Ebony rolled her eyes and patiently gave chase, memorising the way both to and from the Great Hall from her room. Tonks sprinted into the Great Hall, darting between the tables and Ebony pounced on her beside the Hufflepuff table, dragging her to the floor out of sight of the staff. Every teacher present sprang to his or her feet, wands ready.

"Tonks, scream loudly," Ebony whispered into her prey's ear. Tonks grinned mischievously and let out a scream, which Ebony stifled gently with her hand and nodded.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" came a unified shout and the Hufflepuff table flew over Ebony's head as she and Tonks wrestled, rolling over one another and giggling profusely.

"Want a hand?" Ebony asked, struggling to her feet and offering her left out for Tonks who grinned and took it, jumping to her feet then linking arms with her sister and leading her towards the table. Ebony saw the chair she was about to be parked in. Not there, not there, not there...

"Hello, Ebony," Remus said, pulling the chair beside him out. Apparently, Tonks was sitting in the one the other side of the empty. Damn her and her stupid friendly nature, Ebony cursed.

"Hello, Mo... Remus," she said coldly, sinking into the chair and tucking it in. Just ignore him, the annoying little... Annoying man will just Apparate the hell away from you...

"How are you?" he asked amiably, pouring her a glass of wine.

"Just peachy, thanks, how about you?" she asked, downing the whole glass and holding it out for a refill. He raised both eyebrows and filled her glass.

"Could be worse. You never used to drink like this, Ebony," he stated, concerned.

"I know! Blood was never on the main course before, was it?" she replied, taking this drink slower and hoping that was the end of the conversation.

"I suppose not. Do you remember when you bit James that day?"

"Actually, it was the middle of the night and you nearly ate a Muggle, so, yes, I do, and I did it with good reason." Short and sweet, just ignore those stunning eyes staring at you...

"More wine?" Tonks asked, nudging Ebony's shoulder.

"Yeah, whatever," Ebony dreamily replied. She'd been the year below the Marauders and a total outcast, but the Marauders had taken her under their (doubtful) wing because she was distantly related to Sirius. "Actually, Tonks, I think I'll have an early night. See you all in the morning," she called to everyone, hugging Tonks and walking out of the hall. She fell into bed that night, her body aching from withdrawal and her head spinning.

***

"Firs' Years! Firs' Years over 'ere!" came a loud, booming voice over the excited chatter down on Hogsmeade station. Illumination started slightly, his hind hooves digging into the cobbled street as Ebony fought to keep him under control.

"Ebony! Oi, Ebony!"

She rolled her eyes and span her horse around, leading the three quiet others along behind her towards Lupin who was waving her down.

"You did hear me! Harry, Hermione, Ron, this is Professor Ebony..."

"Malfetti, right?" Harry piped up, recognising the rider's face.

"Yes, you saw me in your parent's wedding photos. Hello, you are all getting the extra-special treatment, so I suppose these are your rides," Ebony said, indicating the horses behind her trying to graze on the verge slightly to her left.

"Yes, they are for them. Ebony will escort you up to the castle," Lupin said, releasing his gentle hold on Harry's shoulder then helping him into the saddle of a bay horse. Ebony rolled her eyes and, once the teenagers were all settled into the saddle, she kicked Illumination hard and he wheeled around and galloped off up the street, the other horses racing to keep up. She ginned evilly as she got to the castle doors and swung out of the saddle, patting Illumination gently on the side of his neck as the others slowly caught up.

"Nothing like a whirlwind ride in the morning to flick out the cobwebs, eh?" Ebony laughed, helping a windswept Hermione from her seat.

"No, nothing," Ron sarcastically remarked, his eyes taking every aspect of Ebony in.

"I'm sorry for my demeanour at the station, I am wary of large crowds," Ebony offered, standing beside Hermione.

"I suppose we can over look it, how are our belongings getting to our rooms?" Hermione asked, stepping towards Illumination who nuzzled out to her.

"You must be our new head girl, yes? Congratulations. Your belongings shall be in your dormitories when you arrive there, but for the meantime, shall we go and find ourselves some dinner?" The students nodded and followed her into the entrance hall and then to the Great Hall.

***

"What is she?" Ron asked Hermione densely. Neither she nor Harry had spoken since their altercation with Ebony, and now were shovelling food down their throats as quick as possible.

"A professor? I don't know, she seemed twitched though," Hermione impatiently responded.

"Nah, really? I'd never have guessed," Ron replied, rolling his eyes then turning his attention back to Ebony who was talking heatedly with Tonks. "I meant... Species wise."

"No idea. Doesn't look perfectly human though, does she?" Harry said, sipping his pumpkin juice hurriedly and watching Ebony.

"She isn't. Watch her closely, she's on edge though she's totally protected, her whole body's tense," Hermione observed out loud.

"I'll un-tenseify her!" Ron piped up, wincing as Hermione's toe connected with his knee.

"That's wrong, she's a teacher!" Hermione scolded, beginning to eat her cherry pie that had appeared on her plate. "Just... Very on edge, that's all. Probably with good reason."

"Yeah, 'cause women NEVER are on edge without good reason," Ron moaned, pouring a glass of pumpkin juice for himself and dodging Hermione's slap.

***

"You alright?" Tonks whispered to Ebony, who had gone even more pale than usual.

"No, I need to go, I'll..."

"Miss Malfetti?" asked a steady voice from the doorway. Ebony shakily got to her feet and bowed her head to Tonks before darting after the speaker.

"Lenera, I thought you'd never make it... Ugh..." Ebony grabbed her stomach.

"Yes, not a moment to late I hope? I cannot be dragging fresh corpses in and out of Hogwarts grounds unnoticed all term you know," Lenera replied, leading Ebony to where a brown horse stood tethered. "Solitaire... Shhhhh girl... There he is." Ebony spotted a long blanket draped over Solitaire's saddle.

"Thank you, I haven't had enough time to find myself a steady supply yet," Ebony grinned. Lenera rolled her eyes and helped Ebony, who was steadily growing weaker, onto Solitaire's back. She then took the reins and led the horse and her cargo towards the forest, following the beaten track. In the shadow of the trees, Ebony half-fell from the saddle and slumped to the floor with her back against a tree, and Lenera laid the body in her lap.

"You urm... Call me when you're... You know..."

"Yeah, I do. I'll give you a call, don't go far." Lenera nodded and mounted her horse, trotting off onto the forest path where she kicked the horse to get as far away from Ebony as she could. Ebony herself waited for her friend to be out of sight before she allowed her two-inch fangs to drop from the roof of her mouth and she stabbed them through the thin skin of the corpse's neck, punching through the artery and tipping the body, letting the cool liquid drain into her mouth and feed her passion. She rolled her head back and let her body relax as the blood seeped into every cell. Then began the fight. The fangs sank back into her jaw, and guilt overran her mind as she dropped the corpse and ran to the nearest bush and began to fight the urge to throw up, and just as she expected, she lost the battle.

"Here," Lenera whispered, handing her a flask full of water. Ebony nodded and sipped it, swilling her mouth out with a few last gulps.

"Thank you," Ebony rasped, "here's the potion."

"I thought I might, you know, hang around for a bit. Nothing better for me to do!" Lenera cheerfully said, toasting Ebony and draining the vial the vampire had handed her.

"Sorry about the flavour," Ebony smiled, watching Lenera's smile become a grimace as the sour fluid hit her tongue then crawled down her throat.

"That's... Blurgh... Foul, I hate this stupid curse!"

"I hate it too. Fancy a walk?"

"Yes, why not?" Lenera responded, linking arms with her friend. "I heard Tonks was somewhere around, teaching isn't she? Strange that one. Never liked you mother, did she?"

"She liked her own well enough. Still, we are fairly united on the front that Dad had the right idea having two girls. But, I mean, he had a one night stand with my mother so you can kinda see why Tonks isn't keen on her, can't you? Good job it was before Andromeda met Dad I guess. Still, he keeps in contact when he remembers."

"Got a memory like mine, has he?"

"Your memory is only bad because of Sirius Black's daft spell, so, sort of, yes." Ebony cringed slightly, and Lenera skilfully twisted the conversation away from their school days. More than just painful memories lay in wait for them both in their pasts.

"Please tell me you aren't teaching," she said quietly, nudging Ebony's side.

"Wow, thanks for the vote of confidence! No, I'm not, seeing as the only teaching I ever accomplished in my life was teaching you and Samara how to play bigger tricks on the Marauders than they could on you!" They both laughed as they rounded the corner where they could see the castle. "We'd better get back, dinner will be finished now and we should be able to sneak in without being caught."

"Back to hostility then?" Lenera asked nervously following Ebony across the slippery grass.

Ebony gently shoved her friend away. "As charming as ever!"