Disclaimer: I only own the plot and some of the characters. :D

Chapter 5: Return

Adriana was walking with Shaithis. Suddenly, Harry heard people running through the forest. They were calling for Adriana most urgently, yet Adriana just kept walking. Suddenly, out of the woods came Ramona, with a few other vampires whom Harry had never seen before.

Ramona ran to Adriana and hugged her. "We are together now, Adriana. I missed you so much!" she hugged her again, and the other vampires just talked among themselves.

Harry heard something behind him. He spun around, and came face to face with a hideous pasty white face and yellow teeth. Its black hair was draped over one side of its head. Harry screamed and ran into a tree, but the creature took no heed. Instead, it glided to where the vampires were, all of whom were young and beautiful and handsome.

Shaithis turned to look at the pale newcomer. He looked into his eyes, as if he was determined not to be intimidated. "Hello, Danidrij." Said Shaithis. Danidrij turned his head and looked at Adriana. "You have already added a member to our clan..." he began. Shaithis held up his hand. "I think you mean my clan, Danidrij." He said coldly. Danidrij stared. "Shaithis..."

Shaithis seemed disgusted with the thought. "Your time is up, old one." Shaithis pushed Danidrij into a tree, and protruding from his chest was a branch from an old hickory. Danidrij shrieked and Shaithis turned away from him as he turned into a heap of bones and ashes.

He looked up at the rest of his clan. "Right then, I'm the new leader. Got a problem? Talk to Danidrij." He smirked at the horrible scene behind him. "We are going back to school." He said, and he held out his hand to Adriana.

-----

Harry woke up, but not sudden as he always had. He slowly opened his eyes, and to his surprise, he was actually in his bed. He turned to look at Ron, but as he suspected, he was not there.

Harry darted out of bed and thumped down the hallway, to the window where Ron had been dropped. It wasn't broken at all, instead it was clean, and it had new sills, like someone had repaired it.

Harry heard a creaking noise. He looked around the lounge. He saw something what looked like a furry animal. He darted down the stairs, and he realized the furry animal was Ron's head. Ron was sleeping on the couch, quite content from the look on his face.

Harry tapped him on the head. "RON!" he yelled. Ron woke up with a start. "HARRY! Stop!" he said in a yelping tone. Ron then sat up and looked around.

"I think I have a hangover... can you get a hangover from blood?" Harry looked at Ron like he needed to be I some sort of mental institution. "Chicken blood Harry! I 'Spect Hagrid wont be very happy with me now, will he?" Despite the extreme circumstances, Harry laughed, and so did Ron.

Harry glanced at the window by the stairwell. "What happened after she let go?" The feeling was much more serious. Ron began. "Well... being outside at night turns me into a temporary vampire, so as soon as that kicked in, I was basically invincible. When I dropped, it just hurt a lot. No damage, really, despite the height. I then did a raid of the chicken coop because I couldn't find any huma- never mind that, the point is I'm alive."

Harry nodded. "Yeah, you sure are." Ron coughed, "What are we going to do about Adriana?" Harry thought. "Dumbledore would know..." Ron rolled his eyes. "Dumbledore's six feet under, let's try someone who's not infested with maggots."

Harry sighed. "Well, that gets rid of Snape. McGonagall?" He thought. McGonagall had been stunned that night- what had happened to her? "Adriana already fooled McGonagall, but perhaps she would believe after what had happened."

There was an awkward silence between him and Ron. Harry then remembered what Ron had said about Hermione. Was all that true?

Ron answered his question. "About last night- when I was faking the whole vampire thing- everything I said to Hermione was true. I was too scared to tell her under normal circumstances. Harry, I'm asking her out today. I've liked her since second year."

Harry smiled. "About time. Everyone in Gryffindor knows you two fancy each other. It's obvious." Ron grinned. "Yes well, I guess it is about time."

It was an hour before breakfast. He and Ron spent a couple of minutes discussing Quidditch until everyone began coming out of their rooms. Harry's eyes lingered on the Girls' common room.

Seamus and Dean walked down to the fireplace to talk to Ron and Harry. They apparently had been moved to their beds, and they didn't know how either. Ron kept silent.

Hermione then walked down the steps. She was looking rather peaky and her hair was limp, her cheeks dull and without color. She glanced at Ron and her eyes darted away briskly.

"Hermione!" called Ron. "I need to talk with you!" Hermione looked as if she had been petrified. She robotically walked over to him and Ron smiled at her. "Come on." He said. The two walked out of the Common Room together, leaving Harry with everybody else.

Harry didn't wait to see if Adriana and Ramona were going to come out. He walked out with Seamus and Dean, talking about whether they were levitated up to their beds or it was a dream.

Harry walked into the Great Hall. Ron and Hermione were hand-in-hand, talking enthusiastically. A thought came across Harry's mind. Viktor Krum. Hermione had not yet cut off ties with him as he knew it. Harry shrugged and walked over to them, but was stopped suddenly.

Snape had grabbed Harry by the shoulder and he escorted him out of the Hall. "What did I do now?" he said angrily, and Snape snapped back, Do you know exactly what happened to Mr. Weasley last night, Mr. Potter?"

Harry was getting quite annoyed. "Well, Mr. Snape, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Doamna got into a fight and Ms. Granger..."

Snape glared. "If you do not take this seriously I will have grounds to expel you." Harry got quiet and let Snape speak. "Last night Weasley was walking the grounds."

"I know that, he told me!" said Harry, "He told me he couldn't find any humans, thank God, and all he got a hold of was chicken blood." Snape rolled his eyes.

"You honestly think he would be honest with you? Weasley was in the forest last night, and when dawn came- he came to his senses. Some centaurs attacked him..."

Harry knew what was coming. Snape even had difficulty saying it.

"They killed him. And he assumed full vampire status. He put a sun repellant charm on himself and he ran to the common room, where you found him. He pretended to not know what had happened."

Harry felt blood pounding in his ears. "How do you know all this?" he said.

"Hagrid was in the forest, gathering thestrals for the fifth year lesson plan. He saw it happen."

Harry stared at Snape, and he tried to call him a liar. But it wouldn't come. He was telling him the truth. Why hadn't he heeded Dumbledore's words about the sun repellant charm? That's how Adriana and her gang had got around.

Snape continued to speak. "Adriana, Ramona, Ovidiu and Ciodaru, left last night. They have gone to He- who-must-not-be-named and Sirius. They are most likely in the woods, biding their time. Aurors will be coming in later today to find them, and to take away Wealsey."

"NO!" Harry screamed. "NO! HE'S NOT BAD! HE'S NOT GOING TO HURT ANYONE! JUST RESTORE HIS SOUL- THAT'S ALL YOU NEED TO DO!"

Harry could feel his face flush. People were starting to come out of the Great Hall. Snape and Harry stood still, as if they were statues. Everybody was looking curiously at them. He glanced and saw that Ron and Hermione were holding hands. Snape seemed to see this too.

"Potter, Weasley has your friend, Ms. Granger. I suggest you tell her too before it's too late." He then turned on his heel and began to scold some young Ravenclaws as if nothing had happened.

Harry glanced around the hallways. He needed to find Hermione before it was too late. He ran down the hallways, sprinting occasionally. He flew by a group of fifth year Hufflepuffs, knocking them over, leaving them cursing in his wake.

Harry finally saw them, walking towards the Potions room. They were hand in hand, and smiling at each other. Ron then looked over his shoulder and looked at Harry. He turned around and waved.

"Oy! Harry! Where were you at breakfast?" Ron smiled, and Harry forced a smile back. He had to act like he didn't know- at least until lunchtime.

He slowly walked to Ron and Hermione. Hermione and Ron glanced at each other and smiled. Harry pretended to be happy for them, he also pretended to be attentive in Potions.

Snape had asked the class almost-impossible-to-answer questions, and of course, Ron and Hermione had raised their hands together, grinning at each other.

Harry thought he was going to be sick by just watching them stare absent- mindedly at each other. Had he acted like that with Susan? He would have to ask Hermione- but Hermione might not be alive by the time he got a moment with her.

Harry listened absent- mindedly as Ron explained the antidote to a growth potion. He felt his head go in and out of the present. He was about to fall asleep when his scar started to twinge. It started slowly- but gradually became worse.

Harry tried to raise his hand to tell Snape, but his limbs weren't working. Only Ron seemed to notice Harry acting rather strange. He put his hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry felt like his head had burst open. "GETTOF ME!!!!" he screamed. He screamed again as Ron clutched him. "Stop it, Potter!" he said. Hermione was shocked. "Potter? Ron, what's wrong with you?" Ron looked at Hermione. "Keep out of this, Hermione."

Hermione looked abashed. The whole class had stopped to look at the scene in front of them. Harry ran out of the classroom, with Ron chasing after him. Hermione had also run out to see what was going on. Harry's scar was pounding, but as long as Ron didn't touch him, he would survive.

Hermione had tears in her eyes. "STOP!" she screamed.

Harry looked at Hermione and then at Ron. "He's a vampire! He died lat night! He wants to kill you, Hermione!" Ron glared at Harry.

Harry ran to Hermione. "Run, Hermione." He said severely, and he took out his wand and pointed it at Ron.

Hermione turned around and began to sprint toward the Ravenclaw common rooms. A seventh year, Padma Patil, was about to enter. Harry watched as she began pointing wildly towards Ron. She looked at her, nodded, and let her in.

Harry sighed as he watched Hermione go in. "There. Now you can't hurt her." Harry said, looking at Ron. Ron grinned, baring his fangs. "You think you're so clever, Potter."

Harry smiled. "I guess I do." He said, and he took out his wand. "Get out of here." Ron looked Harry up and down. "Sirius will be pleased."

Harry ran at Ron with full force, knocking him down. They had both thrown their wands to the side, resorting to muggle violence. Harry took a punch to the face, doubling the pain in his scar. Ron slashed at Harry's face, and Harry felt blood trickling down his cheek. Harry kicked Ron in the stomach, and he fell to the ground.

Ron darted up and ran faster than Harry had ever seen. He grabbed his wand and spit at Harry. Harry, who then grabbed his own wand, ran after him. They ran out of the castle, and into the front, where the squid was letting its tentacles float lazily across the water.

Harry finally caught up with Ron. He jumped on top of him, and they both toppled onto a tree, the branches scratching their faces severely.

Ron got up faster than Harry and ran into the Forbidden Forest. Harry hesitated. He knew that the vampires were in there, biding their time, waiting for a chance to slaughter all of the students in Hogwarts.

Harry ran backwards for a few steps, and then turned around. He found that already half the school had seen him and Ron fighting. Harry looked at the crowd, but Hermione was nowhere to be seen.

Harry walked towards the crowd, he was more than 10 feet away when they made a path for him to go through. He walked slowly up the stairs, towards McGonagall's office. He caught her just when she was about to enter.

"Potter, why aren't you in classes?" she waited for Harry to answer, but Harry stayed silent. McGonagall sighed. "Right then, please follow me." She turned to the door. "Bumble Bee." She said clearly.

Harry followed her up the spiral staircase up to her office. It had not changed at all since Dumbledore was there. McGonagall looked curiously at Harry. "I expect that you want to talk to Albus Dumbledore?" She asked.

Harry looked at her curiously. "That's impossible." He said. McGonagall smiled. "Not exactly." She walked up the stairs to the observatory. A minute later, she came back down, holding a picture frame.

She set the frame down into her chair by the desk. She propped it up with a few books and rubbed a bit of dust from the frame.

Harry looked into the picture and he felt warmth all over his body. He was staring into the face of Dumbledore himself.

"Hello, Harry." He said kindly, leaning forward in the chair he was in. "What do you need to talk about?"