To Meet History

Chapter 1-Meet Le-Annette

Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Draco Malfoy quietly followed their professors, Severus Snape and Remus Lupin, up to the door of a vast, black manor. This, they were told, is where their safe-keeper would be. The 'safe-keeper', as Albus Dumbledore had called her, was the woman he was placing these six people in the care of. Why did this people need caring for? Why did four seventh-year students and two professors of Hogwarts, school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, need to be cared for? The reason was that all six had recently encountered Lord Voldemort, the darkest wizard of these modern times. Snape and Lupin were both members of the Order of the Phoenix, the group that fought against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Snape was a spy in the Order, so when he had met Voldemort in this battle, it was practically written in the stars that, if he survived, he'd have to go into hiding. He didn't like the idea. Basically, but for less of the same reason, was why Ron, Lupin, and Hermione were there. Mere associations. As for Draco Malfoy- the boy all of whom present thought most likely to turn to the Dark Side (himself included), the Prince of Slytherin House, had turned his father, Lucius Malfoy, in to the Ministry when he had witnessed him kill Narcissa Malfoy. Draco's mother, Lucius's wife. Harry, well, The Boy-Who-Lived always should be kept from the Dark Lord.

Dumbledore had decided, in his wisdom, to hide this group away from the Order headquarters and Hogwarts. He had said that he knew of a powerful witch that they could stay with, living on the coast of Maine, U.S., but they would return for the start of the school term. When Dumbledore mentioned the woman's name, however, Hermione had given a great gasp.

"I know her!" she had exclaimed as they sat planning their trip in the staff room. "She's my aunt! Or my cousin that prefers to be called 'aunt'! I used to stay summers with her! But I never knew...a powerful witch?"

So it was decided that they were to go and stay with Hermione's aunt, who had happily agreed to have them. So here they were, drenched because of the pouring rain, waiting for someone to answer the doorbell Professor Lupin just pushed. It was pitch black out side, as it was just after nine in the evening.

"She's home, right?" Ron asked, shivering slightly.

"Of course she is, Weasley. She's expecting us! Isn't she, Hermione?" Draco said, wrapping his arms around himself. He had taken to calling Hermione by her first name because she, alone, had accepted him fully as a 'good guy'.

Finally, the door opened. A woman, in a pair of black Muggle jeans and a V-cut T-shirt that was also black, with braided back black hair and electric blue eyes stood, gesturing them all inside. She was ghostly white and didn't look a day over twenty-one.

"Forgive me. I was on the other side of the house. Come in, warm yourselves. Come, sit by the fireplace," she said, leading them into a sitting room.

The house was dimly lit. The room they entered was only lit by the fire. They all took seats in comfy, red chairs and on the couches. The woman herself sat in a large backed chair.

"Can I send for anything for you?" she asked them.

"No, we're ok," Lupin said kindly.

"Well," the woman said with a smile, "as I'm sure you have been told, I am Le-Annette. I know all of your names, the Headmaster told me, but I'm afraid I cannot match them with your faces. All except for my darling Hermione, of course."

Hermione blushed slightly. No body began to make introductions, as so was hinted. All of them seemed somewhat...intimidated by this woman. When she spoke, her voice was quiet and refined. There was kindness and wisdom, it seemed, in every syllable she spoke. Finally, after seeing that her professors were going to make no move to introduce, Hermione did so.

"Aunt Le-Annette, this is Harry, Ron, Draco, Professor Severus Snape, and Professor Remus Lupin," she said, pointing to each in turn.

They all inclined their heads in a form of greeting, and Le-Annette smiled at them all.

"I welcome you into my home. Your things arrived earlier and are placed in your prospective rooms. I will show you to them, once you all are properly warmed," she said, smiling.

All muttered some form of thanks.

"So, Aunt Le-Annette, how do you know our Headmaster?" Hermione asked.

She had slipped from her chair and was now sitting at her aunt's feet, just like she used to when she was younger.

"Yes," said Snape, "I must confess I wondered the same."

"Oh, Albus and I are old friends," she said.

"How?" Draco asked. "I mean, 'old friends'? You're only, what, twenty-something?"

Le-Annette laughed, and Hermione shifted uncomfortably on the floor.

"Did you not tell them, 'Mione?" she giggled. "Did Albus not tell you?"

"No, Professor Dumbledore said he thought it best if we wait until we got here. So then, it would be believable and irreversible," Hermione mumbled.

"You mean, so you could tell them?" Le-Annette stated.

"I was hoping they would figure it out from the moment they saw you," the young witch mumbled again. Her traveling companions all looked confused, except for one.

"You're a vampire?" Lupin said.

The others gasped.

"That's right. A very old and powerful one to boot. What stopped you from asking Hermione, at least, when you entered my home?" Le-Annette asked him.

"I thought you might just be ill. It's hard to identify a vampire unless they make it known," he replied.

"Great," muttered Draco, "Leave it to the werewolf to recognize the vampire and not tell us."

"Not to mention the fact that he's our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Harry added.

"So, she's not really related to you, is she, Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Yes, I am but distantly. Hermione is my descendant." The vampire woman looked at a grandfather clock perched in the corner of the room. "But that is a story for another night. Hermione, I must feed this night. Take your professors and friends to their rooms, you know the way, and I will see you all tomorrow night. Pleasant dreams, my guests."

And with that, Le-Annette swept from the room, and for the first time in a long time, Snape spoke.

"So, Miss Granger, what else do you keep from your friends?"