Dracoula: The Vampire Within

The heavy December wind and snow blew through my hair. I clutched the reins on Buckbeak tightly, as was Hermione with my tummy.

"Hermione!" I yelled over the sound of the wind. "How long until we get to London?"

"Still about twenty miles," she replied.

"TWENTY MILES?!"

"Don't be angry to me Harry!" she said. "Buckbeak's a little weak today!"

It was true: the hippogriff's eyes were drooping, and his wing flapping was slowing. Soon it stopped.

"Oh, god!" Hermione said. "He's passed out!"

He wasn't the only one. For once in three years, I heard the sounds of my mother being murdered. This time, the voices of Ron and Reamus were mixed in.

Lilly! It's him! Take Harry and run!

Please, no! Not Harry! EEEEEEK!

Harry, help! You-Know-Who's gonna-- ack!

Get back, Harry, before he-- uh!

Dementors had attacked us. They had caught me off guard, and I hadn't had time to cast the Patronus spell.

A clammy hand traveled over Hermione's face, and she screamed briefly, but soon all sound had stopped.

A bubble came out of Hermione's mouth. It was shiny, glowing brightly over her beautiful face. I had seen a bubble like this once before: when the Dementors had taken the soul out of Sirius. I heard Hermione's voice, tough, screaming, "Harry, Harry! Help me!"

A small, miniature Hermione was in the bubble. This was indeed her soul.

"Expect... Exp... Expecto..." I couldn't do it. I couldn't cast the spell to save Hermione's life. Then I imagined hearing her voice in my head when the Dementors came.

Sudden strength came to me.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A silver stag shot out of my wand and charged down the Dementors. I grabbed Hermione's hand and pulled her back on the horse. The creatures disappeared into the clouds. Prongs the Patronus came back into my wand, and we continued on.

***

I almost fell asleep when I saw Big Ben. It was shining with the rest of the London cityscape.

"Hermione? Where does this 'Van Helsing' live?"

"1414 Vila Drive," Hermione replied.

"That should be..." I thought, and then saw Vila Street. "there!"

***

Abraham Van Helsing sat in a comfy armchair as he watched Friends. He had decided to have a night to his own, wearing his tightie whities.

Up on the roof there was a large thunk. Van Helsing stood.

"It's that darned Santa Claus again!" he said as he grabbed his crossbow.

He went up to the roof and looked over the side. He saw two kids- no! Elves! And some kind of bird/horse thing- no! It was a reindeer!

Van Helsing shot a bow at me and Hermione, and it whizzed right by us.

"Hermione!" I yelled as the monster hunter shot at us some more. "I think your plan is going a little awry!"

"Uh... um..." Hermione stammered. "Stupify!" A red light shot out her wand and hit Van Helsing. He fell to the ground, unconscious.

"Nice plan B, babe," I said.

***

Hours later, we reached Hogwarts, this time with Hermione flying, and me carrying Van Helsing.

"You know, Hermione," I said. "This guy really smells. And his 'tightie whities' are an off-brown color."

"Don't worry," she replied. "Dumbledore can take care of him when we get the school."

***

"Now," said Dumbledore when we got to the school. "This potion should revive him. Though, I'm confused, Harry, why in the world did you bring him here?"

"To stop Malfoy," I said vaguely.

"I'm sorry," Dumbledore said. "Malfoy? Draco Malfoy?"

"Malfoy is the vampire that attacked Hermione the other day. I recognized him the moment I saw him."

"Harry, this is absurd,"

"No!" I yelled, agitated. "It's real! I can pro-..."

"Harry," Hermione interrupted. "Van Helsing's waking up!"

Abraham got up and looked around. He saw the glittering office of Professor Dumbledore, the two teenagers, and then Dumbledore himself. Van Helsing grabbed at his crossbow, but it wasn't there.

"What do you want with me, Kringle?" he said quietly.

"I'm sorry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Why," Van Helsing said, louder. "have you taken me to the North Pole?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Van Helsing," Dumbledore cordially replied. "I am Albus Dumbledore. These two are Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. You are at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

"Okay..." he said, more confused than George Bush at the 2004 election. "Um... why am I here?"

Hermione spoke up. "We have a vampire on our hands that was thought you could get rid of, and you are the one who defeated Count Dracula, so please, help-..."

"My grandfather," Abraham said. "My grandfather is the one who defeated Dracula. The great Gabriel Van Helsing, that was him.

"And yes, I still carry on the business of monster hunter, but I've never gone against anything as extreme as a vampire. I'm afraid I can't help you."

"You- you can't h-help us at all?" Hermione sobbed. She usually cried when she had run out of hope, and this one of those times.

"Well," said Van Helsing as he searched the pockets of his coat. "You can have these." He took out two pistols, a revolver, a crucifix, and a small ball that took the color orange. It hurt my eyes to look at it. Lastly, he gave us the crossbow.

"These were handed down from my grandfather. Please use them well."

With that Dumbledore told us to go back to the dormitory, and he began talking to Van Helsing. With all of our new weaponry in hand, it made perfect sense to both of us that it was time to go vampire hunting.

***

We took separate, um... "vehicles" (I suppose that's what you could call them) on our expedition. Hermione, covered in sweat because she hated flying, took Buckbeak. I, of course, took my beautiful, sleek, and shiny Firebolt.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good!" I said, and put my wand to the Marauder's Map. The map became visible, and I looked for Draco Malfoy.

I didn't have to look far, for the name was zooming toward Hermione's.

12/29/04