The initial reaction of any person who entered the wizarding world for the first time was nearly always wonder. The knowledge that magic existed tended to be like a balm that comforted people of some vestiges of good left in the world.
But the thing was, not even magic could ensure that the wizarding world was free from the ills of the universe. Lorcan d'Eath knew that better than anyone else.
The problem with the wizarding world was that if you weren't a wizard or a witch – weren't human – they had no place for you.
And Lorcan, as a half-vampire, knew that very well.
His father was a minor Vampire Lord, so he had been tutored privately, his parents too afraid something would happen to them if they sent him to Hogwarts. But even as sheltered as he was, there was no way he could escape from the prejudice completely.
His mother was human. She loved his father, but had refused to be turned, claiming that she was happy with her species and had made peace with her eventual death. But there was a reason cross-species relationships rarely worked out.
He could still hear her screaming at his father, saying that she regretted agreeing to marry him. She had never been able to reconcile the gentle man he was with her to the vampire in the throes of blood lust.
And when it had become evident that Lorcan took more after his father than his mother, she had turned cold and distant towards him.
His parents had never split – no matter how much they were bad for each other; they loved each too deeply to let the other go.
He could still remember the day he found their bodies.
It was snowing. He remembered that much clearly.
His mother – he didn't like to think about what his mother had done to herself. And his father had followed her, just like he always had.
It was at that moment that he realised just how deep prejudice hit. It wasn't his mother who had made that final decision – it was the hatred she faced every day for having fallen in love with someone who wasn't human.
And it was then that he had sworn to himself that he wouldn't fall in love with a woman who wasn't willing to accompany him on his journey in immortality.
The decision to be a rock singer was definitely not a popular one with the rest of his clan, but it was something he felt he had to do.
Maybe he wouldn't succeed, but he felt compelled to do something to improve the lot of non-humans.
He bore the sneers and hatred of his fellow musicians stoically, sure in the knowledge that this was what he was meant to do.
And when he stood on top of that stage, hand in hand with Glenda Chittock, as the emcee called out his name to thousands of screaming witches, Lorcan d'Eath smiled.
Because no matter what the wizarding world said to him or his lovely wife, they would never be able to take away that fact that "Necks To You" (the ultimate brush off to all the prejudiced people he had ever come across) was something that resonated with their children.
They would never be able to take away the fact that he, a part-vampire, was more popular than the pure human musicians.
They would never be able to take away the fact that he was right.
Neither Lorcan d'Eath nor Glinda Chittock belongs to me. They are both JKR's creation, and were both featured in the Wizard of the Month feature that ran on her website from 2004 to 2007, and both can be found on Chocolate frog Cards.
For:
The If You Dare Challenge, Prompt 157. World Champions
HP Potions Competition, Draught Of Living Death
Gemstone Competition, Turquoise
Philosopher's Stone Competition, Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback
Colours Competition, Turquoise (positive)
6 Senses Competition, Confidence
Magical Creatures Challenge, Hippocampus
Wizard of the Month Challenge