Ok, so I know you'll probably want to grumble with me about timing claiming that by 1892 Carlisle would have been firmly settled in America, but lately I've been really trying to write a good HP/Twilight crossover, and this idea was too good to resist, so go with it! I only have a brief inkling of where this is going. And I will hint that if you know your HP, you can guess who is coming. From what little research I could do I made a surprising discovery. With that said, I give you…
The Friend I Never Deserved.
Time: August 7, 1892
POV: Carlisle
Place: Outside Carlisle Cathedral, Carlisle, Cumberland, (now Cumbria) UK.
"Alistair? Alistair, where are you?"
I called out into the darkness of the garden off the cathedral described to me in an urgent telegram I had received two weeks before while part of my mind reviewed that recent period:
Needed/ 8 August/name and past occupations necessary/garden at midnight - A
Alistair would only have contacted me if he was desperate, so I made arrangements to take a temporary leave of Cornell University immediately. A little over a day later I ran to the coast and dived into the Atlantic Ocean. I wouldn't have time to gain access to the funds I had in London if I traveled by ship, and the swim across the vast body of water would merely be a bit uncomfortable for a day, considering I was a vampire. I would find a tailor in London when I arrived. The whole ordeal had been difficult, though. I needed my connections in London if I was going to be able to help him, and yet he wanted to meet with me in Cumberland of all places! I had never been to the town that either bore my name, or that I was named after, whichever way you viewed it, and yet I knew that was what Alistair meant by the "name" part of the phrase. Carlisle was a town in the county of Cumberland. "Past occupations" was plural for two reasons- (1) it meant he wanted to meet in a church, or cathedral, as it turned out; by "past" he referred to my human life- the times I helped my father who had been an Anglican pastor. It also referred to more recent history, reason number (2) - it meant that he was having problems with the Volturi, and he believed I was the only one who could smooth things over. I had lived with Aro, Caius, and Marcus for a few decades before coming to America, and I was still on reasonable terms with Aro, though I had not contacted any of them in over 150 years. "Garden at midnight," was self-explanatory, and so after gaining as much as I could in London, I ran north, arriving in Carlisle a day early, on the 7th of August. I found a room at an inn so that I'd blend in as an inconspicuous traveling physician and spent the day "looking about the town," in reality looking for where Alistair might be, and to gain any indication of what might be developing. If any Volturi guard were there, they did not show themselves, and nor did Alistair, exactly as I expected, and so at midnight on what was now the 8th, I arrived in the garden. Out of the corner of my eye I saw the slightest of gestures glistening in some moonlight, and I hurriedly ran to the trees providing sanctuary for my friend. I offered my hand as I greeted him.
"It's been a long time Alistair."
Alistair responded a little less gruffly than I expected, and shook my hand with both of his.
"Thank you Carlisle. Forgive me- I had every expectation that you would come, but I'm still more uneasy than usual. "
"Aro tends to provoke such a response."
"Oh no, it's not Aro, Carlisle, I'm not afraid of him. Caius is off on one of his raids again, and as usual Aro does not care to stop him."
I sighed. When would Caius learn that the way to deal with a werewolf was on any day but the full moon? Caius' raids sent the werewolves scrambling into territory they didn't habitually travel in, which usually meant a great increase in the north of England and Scotland. Werewolves were very difficult to kill, and because of Caius, incredibly wary of any vampire they happened across. Owing to an unfortunate incident over 50 years ago now, every werewolf believed Alistair to be working alongside Caius. Yet 50 years was not so long for a member of the supernatural. Worse, a vampire like Alistair relied on movement to keep his peace of mind, and now he was stuck in one rural town, alone. No wonder he had panicked and sent me the telegram for help. I was the only vampire he knew of who had ever had any success befriending a true werewolf.
"Where are you attempting to travel to?" I asked.
"I was headed for the German Ocean (North Sea) but, anywhere but here at this point, truthfully. "
"Very well. I know you won't like this, but it will be best if we blend in as much as possible. No need to draw attention to ourselves. We can catch the first coach to Newcastle in the morning."
"I expected as much."
"Good. Then there is nothing left to do. I am due to hunt. Let us travel through the forest so I can catch an animal."
"I will never understand your hunting preferences Carlisle, but your odd customs certainly come in handy at times."
"You're welcome Alistair," I countered as we ran on the edge of town. It was the closest to a "thank you" that I would receive.
Time: That morning, August 8th.
Place: On a coach, on the road to Newcastle.
We rode with the Post to Newcastle taking the last seats on top of the coach. Money was no object, but I refused to test Alistair's restraint surrounded by humans in the inevitably tight space. Besides, the humans needed the padded benches far more than we did. There was only one other man riding atop alongside us, and he kept his distance, also typical. I spoke quietly to Alistair now and again in a voice no human could hear. I could tell his restraint was waning, despite having bright red eyes.
"Alistair, we will run as soon as we enter Northumberland, you are struggling."
"I am fine."
"I don't believe you, and but I admit, I am impressed you have done so well."
"You are not helping," he half growled.
I changed the subject. "Alright, then tell me why you chose to meet me in Carlisle? What has brought you so far north in the first place?"
"I was marooned there for a fortnight! Ugh! It was the closest town I could travel to when I heard of Caius' plans. I was heading down from Scotland. I am spotting more and more of our kind in these regions. I may have to leave Great Britain for good." Alistair shook his head in disgust.
"You have been saying that since the first day I met you."
"It is true, Carlisle, I can barely travel in these regions now without coming across another nomad. It's insufferable! I shall swim to Norway and begin again on the ice!"
"Then how will I ever find you?" I asked with mock sadness.
He was not impressed. "That is the whole poi…!" he began exasperatedly.
He sentence was interrupted by an incredibly loud bang and a yell by the carriage driver, who fell off the carriage in a heap. Alistair and I looked hastily for the highwayman who had obviously shot the driver and I jumped down perhaps a little too quickly to see if I could help the victim. Alistair grabbed the reigns and slowed the terrified horses, and the carriage came to an abrupt halt. He jumped down. There was no one around. Alistair suddenly took off into some trees as the frightened human passengers poured out of the carriage, which was probably best.
"Everyone, I am a physician, please remain calm! My companion is searching the woods." I called out to the group who gathered a few steps down the road, and then I lifted the driver from the ground taking care to act as if he was heavy and carried him to a patch of grass. There were four other humans in total, who stayed back while I checked my patient. He gave no indication of life and his skin was extremely pale. I felt for a pulse- nothing. I looked to see where the bullet had hit him, and received a great shock- there was no open wound! He was only bruised from the fall. His scent was rapidly fading; I had to concentrate to smell it, and couldn't find any trace of exposed blood. The sound had been unusual, not like a normal gunshot at all, but what else could be so loud? The human atop the carriage with us had instinctively tried to flatten himself to the roof. A younger man approached me.
"Pardon me doctor, but is he dead?"
"I'm afraid so." I answered truthfully. The only lady present gasped behind him and grabbed the arm of a man who I presumed was her husband. He placed his arm on her back. I was thankful she wasn't traveling alone. The man who had been atop the carriage spoke.
"I shall take one of the horses to the next town to spread the news, and arrange for another carriage."
I could not risk leaving the humans here with Alistair, so I gently disagreed, "All of you should go; my companion and I are armed and able to care for ourselves. This road seems particularly unsafe, and I do not wish for the lady to be harmed."
Her husband spoke, confirming the relationship, "If you are sure doctor, then I must agree. God forbid a thief discovers my wife!"
The first man already had a horse out of the harness, and the younger man was close behind. "We should not tarry then!" said the first.
"Doctor, are you sure you will be alright?" asked the lady. I smiled at her. Poor soul must be close to fainting.
"Thank you kindly madam, but my companion and I were once Colonels in her Majesty's Army. We will do quite well." I bowed to her, and she curtsied. It was a half-truth. I had avoided the British army in favor of the young American one. Alistair had been a Colonel in her Majesty's army, but her as in Elizabeth I, not Victoria, long ago in his human life. "Let your husband look to you now, or I fear I shall have another patient to tend to."
"The doctor is right," agreed her husband, "come Charlotte."
By this point all four of the horses were prepared for their riders. They all mounted and hurried down the highway, leaving Alistair and myself to deal with whom or whatever had killed the driver. Alistair was suddenly at my side- he moved fast enough that the humans would not have detected his return had they turned back.
"Dead?" Alistair asked absently, but he knew, and he was already moving toward the corpse lying next to me now. I stopped him.
"I do not know what caused that noise, or what killed him- there is no blood loss, merely bruises from his fall. Did you see or hear anything that evaded the humans?" I asked.
"No. But no open wound at all?" he returned.
I shook my head once. Even another vampire could not be so efficient in our eyes! He seemed to merely have collapsed. In the slightest fraction of a second I sensed something off, and suddenly neither Alistair nor I could move! A rather unsightly man in dark robes and a plum colored cloak emerged from the trees, pointing …no…was it… a wand? He lowered it as he emerged but we were still frozen. How could he have kept so well hidden? Magic? I supposed it had to be possible, considering what we were. Still, I silently blessed the clouds for masking the sun.
"Vampires, there's no need to fret, I merely wish to have a chat," the…wizard, I supposed, said unctuously. He was horribly smug and seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.
"Release us then! I've heard rumors of your kind," Alistair snarled.
"Alistair, anger gets us nowhere, he has us completely subdued. And Sir, I must agree that binding those with whom you wish to converse shows appallingly bad manners."
"Fascinating. You speak as if you're human," was his only reply, ignoring my sentiment. He flicked his wand once.
"WE ARE FAR MORE THAN HUMAN!" Alistair yelled. Apparently the wizard wasn't the only one I'd failed to sway. Alistair promptly took off without another word, and the wizard was either too slow or could not be bothered enough to stop him. The whole experience had far surpassed Alistair's tolerance level. Nothing would hold him back now, not a wizard, or a werewolf; and certainly not a vampire. The wizard and I watched him go and I sighed. I probably wouldn't see him again for another century, but then, that was Alistair. At least I had found him again. I knew he would drop everything for me in the same way, if ever I needed him. This was only the latest in a long, complicated history.
The wizard paused a minute longer before he answered coolly, "I see. Forgive me; I would never have expected to find anyone so impressive among a group of muggles. Let us retire off the road, and do bring the driver- I've never seen a vampire feed before!"
I winced at his perverse assumption and inquired only, "muggles?"
"Non-magic folk. Simple, horrid, worthless wastes of space, but such a joy to torture. You understand, of course. The summer holiday doesn't leave much in the way of entertainment for a headmaster."
We'd made it to the trees, me carrying the corpse. "I'm going to return him to family, if I can."
"And tell them what, exactly?" The wizard raised one eyebrow in disbelief. He had me, and he knew it. It was too risky. I placed him carefully on the ground and asked him,
"You are a headmaster? As in a school?" I couldn't make the images in my head add up. Educator and sadistic killer of innocents?" And then I realized that was exactly what I would be without my careful restraint. And I was lucky to have it. In all honestly I was fascinated by whatever ability could have held me, and perhaps we were not so different. He reminded me of Aro. "I should not pass judgment on a man I have just met."
"You pass judgment on me? A vampire on a murderer of muggles?
"You see my eyes? Shouldn't they be red? I have never killed a human in my entire existence. Not even when I was human. I feed off animals, only."
"Really so righteous?" he asked doubtfully, and continued, "And their blood turns your eyes that amber hue, I assume."
"Precisely." I responded.
"How disappointing, then. But you are so marvelously civil! I could not possibly pass up an opportunity to…in fact, you could be exactly what I am looking for! How would you like to teach in my school?"
"Thank you, but I have a position at Cornell University, actually, I only teach medicine."
"Never heard of it. I presume it is for muggles? I would have expected you to discover that medicine is complete nonsense! You could learn to be a proper healer, but I am willing to bet you would make a perfect potions master. How could a muggle university compare to a school of magic?
"School of magic? I am not a wizard!"
"No, but we'd consider you a dark creature, and that's far better, in most circumstances. Term starts September the 1st. Will you do it or not?
I'd told Cornell I'd be absent the entire year. I had had enough experience with depravity; I would know how to handle him. Truthfully it was hard to resist such a promising adventure. "I take for granted I do not need to explain my need for secrecy."
"Frankly I was not aware muggles possessed enough ingenuity for discovery, but some colleagues insist that they do. I will hide the truth from even the students. I cannot promise the staff will not figure it out, but I will stand by you. I am quite fond of dark creatures myself."
"Then I accept." I offered out my hand, and he shook it.
"Excellent, Doctor…"
"Carlisle Cullen, initially a native of London. Call me Carlisle."
"As was I. Professor Phineas Nigellus, of the most Noble and Ancient House of Black. You will call me headmaster."
"Of course," I nodded. I almost liked his queer arrogance; it suited him, somehow, but only almost. Perhaps it came from his lineage. I would ask him about magical royalty some other day. This could not fail to make an interesting change at least, and it would be nice to be in England again, if only for a little while. I wondered vaguely if all of my students would have powers to bind me.
"Only the advanced ones," the headmaster said with a wicked chuckle, "and you have my permission to bite any mischief makers."
"May I ask how you are in education?" I asked with slight disbelief.
"The role brings a prestige like no other, I shall explain far more another time; the children are the necessary evil. I suspect you will not share my views, but no matter. That is why you are the professor. Keep them out of my office, it is for the best."
"I will take your word on that." And watch my thoughts. I'd never even met a vampire with that kind of ability. What had I gotten myself into?
He was unexpectedly in a hurry. "And now it is time to return to Hogwarts School, and see what you've got. Burry the muggle if you must, and let us be off. Hmm, I wonder if I can apparate with you? I don't see why not?"
Guess who Carlisle's future longtime friend is yet? You really didn't think it was Phineas Nigellus, did you? Just from some research around HP sites it seemed he might have been headmaster at this time, a most amusing proposition, I thought. Another point too good to pass up. And just so you know, I highly doubt Alistair will make an appearance at Hogwarts. (Not a spoiler. :D)