This is a very tentative step I'm taking. I haven't exactly been writing long and I don't know if I'm up to writing a multi-chapter fic. Unfortunately the idea would not leave me alone. So here's the beginning and I'll see if it's worth continuing.
Disclaimer: All I own is a gumball and a popsicle stick. They're mine, you can't have them.
Prologue
The atmosphere in Number 12 Grimmauld Place was even drearier than usual; at the table, no one spoke. The faint pitter-patter of the rain went ignored, as the members of the Order of the Phoenix contemplated with growing horror the piece of news they had just received from one of their own. Several people had their heads in their hands; Mrs. Weasley was even sobbing into her husband's shoulder. McGonagall turned desperate, pleading eyes to the Headmaster, as though begging him to assure her what was said was a lie; that somehow, Snape was mistaken. But Dumbledore only gave a slight shake of the head, suddenly looking older than he ever had before. Long lines of age set his face in a grim line, his eyes devoid of the sparkle they usually bore. Her fears confirmed, McGonagall muffled a gasp of dismay in her hand.
After several seconds of silence, there was a loud bang that made most of the people in the room jump; as Moody jumped to his feet and rounded on Snape, the Potions Master regarded him with unreadable eyes.
"I see no reason," he hissed, words directed at Dumbledore, even if both of his eyes never left Snape's pale face, "to even believe a word this sniveling liar has to say. Who's to day his master didn't put him up to this – in an attempt to scare us away and lose hope?"
Snape sneered disdainfully, baring yellow teeth. "Was that an admission of fear, Moody?" he asked smoothly, "or merely a pathetic attempt to provoke me?"
Before Moody could snap back, Dumbledore tapped the table with his pointer finger once, asking for attention. "Alastor, I trust Severus completely," he said, not for the first time. "And as such, I have complete faith in the validity of his information."
"But Albus," McGonagall whispered, "vampires?"
The word was spoken like one might speak the name 'Voldemort': with resounding fear and horror hidden behind the taboo word. Vampires had long been considered among the most evil monsters in the Wizarding World.
The first vampire was said to have been Dracula, the Transylvanian human with such a thirst for blood and love for the sadistic that he drank the blood of his victims. From there, legends and myths abounded, differing from region to region. Muggles still explored these myths, writing horror stories about creatures that slept during the day, turned into bats, were vulnerable to garlic and drank the blood of their victims. Wizards, of course, knew that while these legends were greatly exaggerated, they had a basis in fact. Vampires did exist. Creatures of the night, vampires lurked in the shadows, stalking their prey and seducing them with mysterious beauty and allure. No one was ever known to have survived a vampire attack. One bite released a deadly poison into the blood of the victim, causing endless pain and eventual, unavoidable transformation.
"How could he choose such allies?" McGonagall continued in the same tone of disgust and terror.
Lupin spoke up, albeit quietly. "I think the question here is not how he could choose such allies, but how vampires would even accept to work for him. As far as I know, and I doubt my information is wrong, vampires view humans as inferior creatures, good for nothing except sucking dry." There was a muffled whimper from Lupin's right. He ignored it. "And no matter how twisted, Voldemort is still human. It seems difficult to believe that any vampire would accept to be recruited by him. Not," he added quickly, "that I doubt your information, Severus."
Snape scowled at him from across the table, not in the least for speaking Voldemort's name out loud. His eyes snapped to Sirius' as he spoke up.
"I think Remus is right. I mean, vampires would be a danger even to the Death-Eaters, right? Maybe they'll eat up Voldemort's followers and spare us the trouble?" Sirius grinned maniacally, in a terrible attempt to lighten the mood.
"Astounding," Snape drawled, "not only does it have stupid thoughts, but it can speak them at the same time." Lupin clamped his hand around Sirius' wrist as he started to rise with a snarl. Snape's mouth curled up into a smirk. "I don't know what the Dark Lord has offered the vampires, but rest assured I'm sure it's something they want very, very much. The Dark Lord has been working on recruiting vampires for years, which you would have known if you would have listened to my reports –"
"But we all thought it was impossible to strike a deal with a vampire!" McGonagall shrieked suddenly, drowning out Tonks who seemed to want to say the same thing. "How were we to know –"
"By now you should know that nothing is impossible when it comes to the Dark Lord, Minerva," Snape hissed. "We must assume that the vampires will not betray their new master, and proceed under that assumption. We should be working out a defense plan, not sitting here bickering amongst ourselves."
"And what do you suggest we do, Snape?" Moody spat sarcastically, "fight them with sunshine and daisies? There is no defense against vampires!"
"Not quite correct, Alastor. There is one defense." The silence that followed the Headmaster's words was formidable. He looked around the room expectantly, as though waiting for someone to voice his thoughts for him.
No one looked away from him. The faces in front of Dumbledore showed mixed feelings; some seemed hopeful while others skeptical. At long last, Snape spoke up. "Fire with fire," he muttered quietly.
Dumbledore fought back a smile. Of all the members of the Order of the Phoenix, only he would have such a devious and dark mind. "Very true. The only way we can defeat the vampires recruited by Voldemort is to have vampires on our side as well. They are quite skilled at killing their own."
The roar that followed this declaration was as deafening as the silence before the proclamation was.
"Dumbledore, that's ridiculous – "
"Headmaster, I must protest – "
"That's completely insane!"
"Dumbledore – "
"SHUT UP!"
Snape glared at everyone at the table after his yelled command. "Arguing pointlessly will achieve nothing! Headmaster, if we were to consider this plan, how exactly do you suggest we go around receiving aid from vampires? One cannot simply go out into the street and pick up a vampire. They would be impossible to find. Assuming that we did find them, they would kill us before we had a chance to present our case. Assuming they don't kill us, we have nothing to bargain with."
Dumbledore smiled sadly at Snape. "Quite a nice way of summing up our situation, Severus. Actually, it's not as hard as it seems. All I must do is pick up a good old muggle telephone and call an old acquaintance."
Dumbledore reached into his robes and pulled out a yellow candy, popping it into his mouth. "Lemon drop, anyone?"
Everyone ignored him.
Undeterred, Dumbledore continued. "I had the misfortune to be attacked by a vampire in my youth. I was rescued by a young vampire named Carlisle Cullen. We came to be – well, perhaps not friends, but as close to it as a vampire and a human can get, I think. He is the only one we can turn to right now for help. I may be up for quite a challenge to convince him to put his family at risk, but he's the only chance we have."
After a pause, McGonagall spoke up. "Albus," she whispered, "Albus, there must be another way. Vampires –"
"Doctor Cullen will not harm anyone of us, Minerva, I assure you. If he accepts, neither he nor his family will attack us. If he does not accept, we must seek help elsewhere. If you can all be patient for an hour or so, I will floo to a neighboring muggle town to make the phone call. I will be back shortly. Severus, would you accompany me, please?"
Dumbledore rose out of his seat and Snape followed silently with a dramatic flow of his black robes. They exited, leaving the other members of the Order of the Phoenix to their own morbid and hopeless thoughts. After a while, Molly rose from the table wearily. "I think I'll go tuck the kids in bed." No one mentioned that they were far too old to be tucked in. It was obvious Molly needed it.
Stirred out of their shock, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and the twins quickly tugged their Extendable Ears out from under the door and stumbled to their rooms.
:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:-:
*ducks* don't hurt me! I'm fragile. T.T