Creature of the Night

In Potions the next day, Hermione handed in the required three pages of parchment of information on vampires. Her visit with Zia the previous night had all but escaped her; she had more important things to worry about.

A few weeks went by without a single visit from Zia. Hermione hadn’t worried at first, but as time flew by, she couldn’t help but wonder if something had happened. Unfortunately, she didn’t have much time to worry about the vampire; the War was getting closer to Hogwarts. Dumbledore had enlisted all available students to help with the efforts to keep the school as a safehouse, including the recasting of hundreds of Unplottable Charms and reinforcing the Apparation Ban placed over the school and its grounds.

Hermione had volunteered, as had Harry. Already he was taking on harder and harder tasks. It was as if he was compensating for something, like he’d spent most of his schooling slacking off. For her part, Hermione was contributing as much as she could. It became increasingly clear, however, that Harry had no plans to do anything after graduation. Only through Hermione’s meticulous note-taking was he able to just barely keep afloat in class.

About a month after Hermione’s first encounter with Zia, another sleepless night struck the witch. She was in the library, working on a report for Harry, when she saw a collective group of cloaked and hidden figures glide across the grounds.

Hermione was on her feet, ready to dash to Dumbledore’s chambers and tell him that Dementors were loose on school property. Then she saw the Headmaster greet the group at the door, and a flesh-covered hand extend from one of the hooded robes to shake Dumbledore’s.

“Miss Granger,” a cool voice remarked. Hermione whirled around and nearly collided with McGonagall.

“Professor,” Hermione breathed. “I was just-”

“There’s no time for excuses, Granger. The Headmaster needs to see you in his office right now. We’ll get your things from here later.”

McGonagall was carrying a lantern, casting a warming orange glow over everything. The shadows on the Deputy Headmistress’ face made her seem old and fragile, as if one more heartbreak would completely shatter her.

For a brief moment, Hermione wondered if McGonagall had children, fighting on a wizarding front somewhere, dying to protect Muggles and Wizards alike.

The thought quickly disappeared as the duo made their way through the quiet stone hallways, a silent procession of urgency. Harry was waiting by the gargoyle with Nearly Headless Nick.

“Thank you, Sir Nicholas,” McGonagall said crisply as she whispered the password to the gargoyle. The statue promptly moved, opening the door to the spiral staircase.

“What’d you do?” Harry asked Hermione as they climbed the stairs.

“I don’t know for sure,” Hermione answered truthfully.

“Minerva, come in, quickly. You two as well, Miss Granger and Harry,” Dumbledore called from within his office.

The group of hooded figures was gathered in a corner by the fireplace, except for the one of that sat in a chair opposite Dumbledore.

Dumbledore nodded towards the seated person.

“You already know Miss Granger, but this young lad is Mr. Harry Potter, son of James and Lily.”

The person in the chair turned around, taking off the hood as it went. Hermione gasped in a mix of relief and surprise as she saw the face beneath the black cloth.

“Zia!”

“Hello, Hermione. And greetings to you, Master Potter,” Zia smiled at the two teenagers. The smile fell away as Zia turned back to Dumbledore.

“No offense to the students, but why are they here?”

“Harry needs any sort of protection you would be willing to administer and perhaps you could teach him a few incantations as well. Hermione will be your connection to the world around us; I am well away of how your people tend to distance themselves from current situations,” Dumbledore explained to Zia before turning to McGonagall and the two friends.

“Minerva, if you please escort Miss Granger and Harry to the Astronomy Tower, we shall join you shortly.”

“Wait. The spell will work much better if they know who they are working with. Trust strengthens any spell, especially one based off a unification as ours,” Zia objected, rising out of her seat to stop Hermione and Harry.

“As you wish.”

“Master Potter, Hermione, come here,” Zia whispered, reaching out for them with one marbled hand.

“Please,” Harry told Zia as they approached the corner group, “call me Harry.”

“Very well. Harry, Hermione, this is Alexei, Victoria, Catherine, Erik and Dominick, Azrael, Tristan, Eileen, and Romulus.” Zia pointed at each individual in turn, with the exception of the twins, Erik and Dominick, who were impossible to tell apart.

“Don’t you mean Remus?” Harry asked, pointing to the young-looking man Zia had called Romulus.

“No.” Romulus spoke in a voice that was deeper than Remus’ but still basically the same. “I am Remus’ twin.”

Harry opened his mouth to ask more question when Zia stepped in.

“Azrael and Alexei are the joint leaders of our specific coven. If you ever get lost, look to them.”

“Or Zia,” Alexei added.

“Don’t worry; you’ll have time to get to know them later,” Zia added as the group headed out into the hallways towards the Astronomy Tower.

Hermione didn’t like what Zia was implying. Later meant one of two things; either the vampires were staying at Hogwarts or the two teens would be spending a lot of time with the blood-drinkers. Both of those choices meant prolonged contact with a group of undead who probably drank people like her for breakfast.

Before Hermione knew it, they were standing on the Astronomy Tower. Hermione shivered in the chill air before she felt something heavy and warm drape around her shoulders. She realized that the mysterious cloak she’d received was now fastened securely around her breasts and a similar garment was surrounding Harry. Their wands appeared in their hands and Dumbledore smiled weakly at them.

“The incantation we will be using tonight will be an oldie, yet goody. I’m sure you all still remember the Banish Evil spell?” Alexei asked the vampires. They all nodded and Zia turned to Hermione and Harry.

“Pulsum Effectrix Mortis,” she whispered. “Just say those three words and keep your wand pointed at the ground. Hermione nodded, but Harry stared dumbfounded at the stone floor.

Zia turned back into the circle formed by the vampires and whispered something to Alexei. The vampire shifted, creating an opening for Dumbledore, McGonagall, Harry, and Hermione. The two students stood side by side with Zia next to Hermione and Alexei beside Harry. Dumbledore and Minerva put themselves between Azrael and Romulus, gripping their wands and wearing the strange cloaks as well.

“Pulsum Effectrix Mortis,” Alexei began, setting the rhythm for the chanting to begin. The other vampires quickly joined in and soon the mortals were saying the Latin words as well.

Hermione looked around the circle in disbelief. She was standing amidst a group of vampires, casting a spell over Hogwarts. A cold shiver snaked up her back and Hermione realized that she was now encircled in bright blue flames. Zia looked at Azrael, though she never stopped chanting.

Between the frozen blue tendrils, Hermione thought she saw a tear fall down McGonagall’s cheek and Dumbledore grip one of her hands tightly in his.

Was this supposed to happen, Hermione wondered as her mind detached itself from the body.

Then she was free, soaring up and away from the chanting, towards the twinkling stars and eternal peace.