Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe is most assuredly not mine, else I'd be rich.

The Hunt

Chapter One

Today was a day like any other at the Headquarters for the Order of the Phoenix. Because it was summer, the Weasley children and Harry Potter were staying, as were a number of adults. The adult members of the order staying at the headquarters, otherwise known as the Burrow, were Remus Lupin, Mr. And Mrs. Weasley, Bill Weasley, and Fleur Delacour.

On this seemingly normal day, someone came to the Burrow. Everyone in the large, country house heard the sound of someone entering the wards. They all hurried down to the ground floor and gathered outside the house, wands at the ready.

A minute later, a figure completely wrapped in a black cloak stepped out of the field into the lawn by the house. Instantly, each person's wand was trained to this person.

"Show yourself!" Lupin demanded.

"That would be a hard thing to do in the sunlight," a lightly Italian accented voice commented wryly from under the cloak. The voice was strong and somewhat high but distinctly feminine.

Lupin continued to watch the woman closely, but his eyes had lightened and his posture was less rigid. "What bok was I reading the first time I met Tenebre Veleni?"

"Dracula," she answered.

Lupin lowered his wand and smiled at her. He gestured o the Burrow welcomingly.

"It's been awhile, Tenebre," Mr. Weasley said with a smile.

"Welcome back, my dear," Mrs. Weasley said warmly.

"It's good to be back," Tenebre returned as she walked into the house.

As soon as she was out of the sunlight, Tenebre swept off her cloak and unbuttoned her black trench coat, which she had been wearing beneath her cloak. With the two layers removed, they could all see the shiny, elegant, black heels. Her long legs were covered in black stockings, and they were only partially covered by a knee-length, red cocktail dress. It sheathed her thin body and accentuated it with a black belt; her cleavage, which showed only slightly past the neckline of her dress. Her slender arms were still more muscular than was common for a woman. Her pale, swan-like neck was nearly eclipsed by her long, slightly wavy, black hair that reached nearly to her waist.

Her face, however, was the oddest part of her. And how could her face be so odd? It was, as the rest of her skin, white, though not as snow for she did still have blood in her veins. It seemed as though her lips had stolen the blood from the rest of her. They shone a deep red, like a rose. Her eyes were entirely black, save the whites. She was eerily beautiful and frighteningly alluring, not only from her appearance but even by her scent and her ethereal aura of power. Countering this attraction was the unnerving unnaturalness that seemed to warn them all to run and hide from her.

The teenagers saw more of the warning than the allure and so were cautious of her. At the same time, the adults seemed to ignore both aspects of this newcomer. They welcomed her into the house now that they were assured of her identity.

"How long are you staying, Teneb?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she guided the woman into the living room.

"I am not sure, Molly. I suppose I shall remain at least through the summer, and perhaps beyond," she returned with a closed-lipped smile.

"Kids, I think you have homework to be doing," Mr. Weasley said to Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"What?" Harry and Ron asked at the same time.

Hermione sighed and pulled them both out of the room. She was just able to glimpse a necklace around Tenebre's neck before leaving. It was an antique cameo with a woman who looked very similar to its owner.

"Why are you here? Didn't Dumbledore tell you to stay in hiding?" The three heard Lupin ask us they began to walk up the stairs.

"My last hideout was discovered, quite by accident if I might add, by Yaxley. He will have reported to Tom by now. I did not have any money with me, and the bank its stored in doesn't open until tomorrow. I needed a place with wards and sustenance," Tenebre explained.

"Well, I can't suppose having you here will make us any more hunted," Mr. Weasley said.

"Exactly. In that case, I believe introductions are in order," she said cheerfully.

"Ah, yes. Teneb, these are my son Bill and his fiancé Fleur Delacour. Bill, Fleur, this is Tenebre Veleni," Mr. Weasley said.

"And you as well. We will have much to discuss, but first we have some eavesdroppers," she said, standing and walking toward the stairs. Sure enough, there were three teenagers standing on the landing.

"I would appreciate it if you were to go up as you have been instructed. This is not a matter for you."

The three did not move.

"Go," she hissed.

The venom in her voice prompted the three to run up the stairs.

Tenebre returned to the living room and asked Mrs. Weasley, "Where are the rest of your children?"

"Charlie's in Romania. Ginny, Fred, and George are out in the field," she said.

With a nod, Tenebre settled back down n her seat and said, "I will not explain myself to you two yet. You will learn soon enough. I have only this: be wary of blood."

"Blood?" Bill asked.

She nodded seriously and said, "Now, what has been happening these past years?"

They proceeded to explain all that she had missed.