Chapter 2
Disclaimer: see chapter 1
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They stared at her. "Hide you? Why?" Harry asked.
"There are vampires on the train. They just tried to kill me before, on the platform. I doubt I'd be able to fight them off again." Alyssa explained.
Harry, Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and seemed to come to some kind of private agreement.
Harry knelt by his trunk and fished out a silvery looking cloak and Ron (who was sitting closest to the door) stuck his head out and peered down the train.
"What do they look like?" He asked.
"The leader's blonde. Skinny, like. There's another two with him, taller and pretty muscley-they'd be quite fanciable if they weren't blood-sucking creeps."
"Sounds like Draco and his two cronies." Ron said, peering down the corridor. "You know, apart from the 'fanciable' bit."
"Michaelo must have sent them, am I right?" Harry said. Alyssa looked at him in surprise.
"How do you know -"
Just at that moment, Ron pulled his head back inside "they're coming!" He hissed.
Harry flung the Cloak around Alyssa. "This cloak will make you invisible. Keep it on and keep quiet." He hissed as he, Ron and Hermione pulled out their wands. Alyssa did as she was told and retreated into the farthest corner away from the door.
Moments later, Blondie and his companions burst in. "Where is she?" He demanded.
"Where's who?" Ron asked as he, Harry and Hermione tightened their grips on their wands.
Blondie turned on him. "We've been in every compartment bar this one and she isn't in any of them. Now I know she's on this train because I saw her get on and you know where she is. TELL ME!"
Hermione thought it was about time she spoke up before a fight broke out. After all, that was the last thing they needed, fighting before they even got to Hogwarts. " I'm sorry but we really don't know who you are talking about. As you can plainly see, we are the only ones in here so, if you don't mind, leave."
One of the big vampires laughed cruelly. "Quite a mouth she's got on her, this one." He said, grabbing Hermione by the throat and lifting her several feet off the ground. Harry and Ron lifted their wands
"I wouldn't do that. In the amount of time it would take you to say your little spell your friend's neck will be broken." Blondie warned. Harry and Ron reluctantly lowered their wands, looking worriedly at Hermione who had gone a nasty shade of blue-purple.
Blondie advanced on Ron and Harry. "I've got a confession to make. I don't like being lied to. So why don't you both be good little wizards and tell me where she is."
"We've already told you, we don't know who 'she' is." Harry said
"Even if we did, we wouldn't tell you" Ron added. Blondie looked like he was about to hit him.
"If you really want to know where the girl is, you should have asked me, instead of just growling at us." said a slimy, drawling voice. Draco Malfoy entered the compartment. "That is who you're after, right' Tall-ish, pretty- looking? Wow, she really kicked your arse, didn't she?" Draco laughed. The vampires glared at him but didn't retaliate.
"Where is she?" Blondie asked.
Draco stared at him hard. "Let the girl go and I'll talk." He replied. Blondie glared at him then sighed. "Let her go."
Hermione fell to the ground, gasping for breathe. Blondie turned back to Draco. "So where is she?"
"Draco, don't you do it. I'm warning you-" Ron started before Blondie punched him in the face-hard. The blow sent him flying into the wall opposite.
"I'm getting sick of you and your mouth. Shut it, will ya!" The vampire spat at him.
"The girl left." Draco said hurriedly. Harry and Hermione glanced at him in surprise. Ron, who was still on
the floor moaning in pain, didn't seem to notice. Blondie stepped up to Draco. "You what?"
"She left," Draco repeated, shooting Harry and Hermione a look which clearly said; Keep quiet. "She took off up the platform. Saw her with my own eyes."
Blondie stared at Draco long and hard. Draco returned his stare, the palms of his hands sweating.
"Come on." the vampire said at last, striding past Draco, his companions following closely behind.
No one moved or spoke until they were sure that the vampires were safely off the train. Harry helped Ron, who's lip was bleeding profusely, up. There was also a massive bump where his head had hit the wall. Hermione had already pulled herself up onto a seat.
Alyssa pulled off the cloak and handed it back to Harry, who took it without looking at her. She then turned to Draco, who was still stood in the doorway. "Thanks." She said, not knowing what else to say.
Draco nodded curtly. "Forget about it." he said. "You two had better see Madame Pomfrey when we get to the school." he added, glancing at Ron and Hermione. With that, he left.
Ron raised his eyebrows. "Wow, no insults." he said "That's a first." Then the three of them turned to look at Alyssa.
Alyssa shuffled her feet nervously. She coughed. "I think I owe you all an explanation." She said finally.
"You're damn right you do." Harry said coldly "Ron and Hermione could have been killed because of you."
Alyssa nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry. May I?" She asked, gesturing at Hermione's neck. Hermione looked doubtful. "Some of the people I live with are healers. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Besides, I only want to see what the damage is." Alyssa explained. Hermione thought for a moment then nodded.
Using her good hand, Alyssa gently felt where the vampire had had a hold of the girl. "Yeah, There's quite a bit of bruising. It's slightly swollen, too." She looked at Hermione properly. "Hey, we met on the platform before, didn't we? Hermione, right?" Hermione nodded. Alyssa turned to Ron "And you're Ron, I'm guessing." Again, her reply was a nod. "I'm Alyssa." She turned her attention to Harry. "Seeing as we're introducing ourselves, who are you?"
Harry was startled for a second. "Wha--oh, Harry. Harry Potter."
Alyssa nodded. "Aye, I've heard of you."
Harry stared at her coldly. "You still haven't told us who they were." He said, jerking his head towards the window meaning the vampires.
Alyssa shook her head "I wish I knew," she said "I'll tell you one thing though. If I get my hands on them again, they're gonna wish they'd stayed in their coffin."
"What I don't understand is why they were after you? Not to mention that they're attacking in broad daylight! It's not normal." Ron said.
Alyssa shrugged "all I know is that they're friends of Michaelo's. Which reminds me, you still haven't explained how you know him, Harry?" Harry opened his mouth to speak when they realised that the train was leaving the platform-with Alyssa still aboard. Alyssa started to move towards the door when Hermione grabbed her arm to stop her.
"Look!" She pointed. The others followed where her finger was pointing to and gasped. The vampire thugs were standing on the platform, shaking their fists at the train. But it wasn't that which made then gasp.
Standing on the platform beside them was Michaelo. It seemed as if he as staring right at them.
"Soon."
They heard his voice, like ice, inside their heads. Ron glanced at Harry and Alyssa, who both seemed to be rooted to the spot with fear. "Let me guess. Michaelo, right?" Harry nodded.
"Harry, how do you know Michaelo?" Hermione asked.
Now that Harry thought about it, how did he know Michaelo? "I honestly have no idea. The name just came to me." He said.
Alyssa shuffled her feet uncomfortably "erm, I've got a burning question. Where are we going and what am I supposed to do when we get there?" She asked. Harry and Ron stared at her. Hermione answered straight away. "We're going to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. You must've heard of it."
Alyssa shook her head.
"Are you a muggle, then?" Ron asked.
"A what?"
"A muggle. Y'know, non-magic."
Alyssa paused. Could half-vampires be classed as magic? And even if they did, did she really want these people to know what she was. A lot of people didn't trust half-vampires. Full vampires because of the damage they could do and mortals because, well, the whole vampire part made them nervous. It was partly because of this that the few half-vampires in the world today kept themselves hidden. She decided the simplest answer to her own question would be no.
"Yeah, I suppose I am a muggle." She said. The other three glanced at each other, as if to say "oh dear"
"I'm guessing that's bad?"
No one replied. "I'd better send an owl to Dumbledore." Hermione said, getting up.
After she'd left, Alyssa, Harry and Ron sat in silence. Harry noticed Alyssa holding her wounded arm.
"You're hurt."
"Alyssa smiled grimly "yeah, that usually happened when you get into a fight with a bunch of vampires,"
she said "it'll heal."
"Can I have a look, please? Just in case it's broken." Harry asked, reaching for her. Alyssa jumped back.
"No, just leave it, it'll be fine." While half-vampires healed a bit slower than full vampires did, they still healed a hell of a lot faster than mortals did. If Harry saw that her arm was broken now, he would surely notice how fast it healed.
But Harry wouldn't be deterred. "Just let me take a look at it, OK. I'll try not to hurt you" he said, taking her good arm and pulling her towards him. Sitting her down, he felt up and down her arm as gently as possible. Her arm was definitely broken. He told her this and advised her to keep it as still as possible until they got to Hogwarts. Alyssa smiled. "Thanks." Harry smiled back.
Hermione came back then. "The owl's sent." She told them, sitting back down. "Ron, are you alright?"
Ron, Alyssa realised, had been staring at her with growing suspicion for the past five minutes. "Didn't you have a cut above your eyebrow?" He asked her.
Alyssa's hand shot up to her face. She'd forgotten about that. "Er…did I?"
Now Harry and Hermione were staring at her. "Now that you mention it, yes you did." Hermione said.
Alyssa opened and shut her mouth. "I…" She glanced out the window, stalling for time. Ron's eyes fell on her neck, where he saw two faint red dots next to each other. They looked just like… "Oh my God!"
Ron jumped out of his seat, staring at Alyssa in horror.
"You're a vampire!"
A/N: Thanks for reading. In the next chapters you'll be finding out more about the gang's secret destiny and Alyssa's past. Also, Oliver Wood returns.
Disclaimer: see chapter 1
_________________________________________________________________________
They stared at her. "Hide you? Why?" Harry asked.
"There are vampires on the train. They just tried to kill me before, on the platform. I doubt I'd be able to fight them off again." Alyssa explained.
Harry, Ron and Hermione glanced at each other and seemed to come to some kind of private agreement.
Harry knelt by his trunk and fished out a silvery looking cloak and Ron (who was sitting closest to the door) stuck his head out and peered down the train.
"What do they look like?" He asked.
"The leader's blonde. Skinny, like. There's another two with him, taller and pretty muscley-they'd be quite fanciable if they weren't blood-sucking creeps."
"Sounds like Draco and his two cronies." Ron said, peering down the corridor. "You know, apart from the 'fanciable' bit."
"Michaelo must have sent them, am I right?" Harry said. Alyssa looked at him in surprise.
"How do you know -"
Just at that moment, Ron pulled his head back inside "they're coming!" He hissed.
Harry flung the Cloak around Alyssa. "This cloak will make you invisible. Keep it on and keep quiet." He hissed as he, Ron and Hermione pulled out their wands. Alyssa did as she was told and retreated into the farthest corner away from the door.
Moments later, Blondie and his companions burst in. "Where is she?" He demanded.
"Where's who?" Ron asked as he, Harry and Hermione tightened their grips on their wands.
Blondie turned on him. "We've been in every compartment bar this one and she isn't in any of them. Now I know she's on this train because I saw her get on and you know where she is. TELL ME!"
Hermione thought it was about time she spoke up before a fight broke out. After all, that was the last thing they needed, fighting before they even got to Hogwarts. " I'm sorry but we really don't know who you are talking about. As you can plainly see, we are the only ones in here so, if you don't mind, leave."
One of the big vampires laughed cruelly. "Quite a mouth she's got on her, this one." He said, grabbing Hermione by the throat and lifting her several feet off the ground. Harry and Ron lifted their wands
"I wouldn't do that. In the amount of time it would take you to say your little spell your friend's neck will be broken." Blondie warned. Harry and Ron reluctantly lowered their wands, looking worriedly at Hermione who had gone a nasty shade of blue-purple.
Blondie advanced on Ron and Harry. "I've got a confession to make. I don't like being lied to. So why don't you both be good little wizards and tell me where she is."
"We've already told you, we don't know who 'she' is." Harry said
"Even if we did, we wouldn't tell you" Ron added. Blondie looked like he was about to hit him.
"If you really want to know where the girl is, you should have asked me, instead of just growling at us." said a slimy, drawling voice. Draco Malfoy entered the compartment. "That is who you're after, right' Tall-ish, pretty- looking? Wow, she really kicked your arse, didn't she?" Draco laughed. The vampires glared at him but didn't retaliate.
"Where is she?" Blondie asked.
Draco stared at him hard. "Let the girl go and I'll talk." He replied. Blondie glared at him then sighed. "Let her go."
Hermione fell to the ground, gasping for breathe. Blondie turned back to Draco. "So where is she?"
"Draco, don't you do it. I'm warning you-" Ron started before Blondie punched him in the face-hard. The blow sent him flying into the wall opposite.
"I'm getting sick of you and your mouth. Shut it, will ya!" The vampire spat at him.
"The girl left." Draco said hurriedly. Harry and Hermione glanced at him in surprise. Ron, who was still on
the floor moaning in pain, didn't seem to notice. Blondie stepped up to Draco. "You what?"
"She left," Draco repeated, shooting Harry and Hermione a look which clearly said; Keep quiet. "She took off up the platform. Saw her with my own eyes."
Blondie stared at Draco long and hard. Draco returned his stare, the palms of his hands sweating.
"Come on." the vampire said at last, striding past Draco, his companions following closely behind.
No one moved or spoke until they were sure that the vampires were safely off the train. Harry helped Ron, who's lip was bleeding profusely, up. There was also a massive bump where his head had hit the wall. Hermione had already pulled herself up onto a seat.
Alyssa pulled off the cloak and handed it back to Harry, who took it without looking at her. She then turned to Draco, who was still stood in the doorway. "Thanks." She said, not knowing what else to say.
Draco nodded curtly. "Forget about it." he said. "You two had better see Madame Pomfrey when we get to the school." he added, glancing at Ron and Hermione. With that, he left.
Ron raised his eyebrows. "Wow, no insults." he said "That's a first." Then the three of them turned to look at Alyssa.
Alyssa shuffled her feet nervously. She coughed. "I think I owe you all an explanation." She said finally.
"You're damn right you do." Harry said coldly "Ron and Hermione could have been killed because of you."
Alyssa nodded in agreement. "I'm sorry. May I?" She asked, gesturing at Hermione's neck. Hermione looked doubtful. "Some of the people I live with are healers. Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Besides, I only want to see what the damage is." Alyssa explained. Hermione thought for a moment then nodded.
Using her good hand, Alyssa gently felt where the vampire had had a hold of the girl. "Yeah, There's quite a bit of bruising. It's slightly swollen, too." She looked at Hermione properly. "Hey, we met on the platform before, didn't we? Hermione, right?" Hermione nodded. Alyssa turned to Ron "And you're Ron, I'm guessing." Again, her reply was a nod. "I'm Alyssa." She turned her attention to Harry. "Seeing as we're introducing ourselves, who are you?"
Harry was startled for a second. "Wha--oh, Harry. Harry Potter."
Alyssa nodded. "Aye, I've heard of you."
Harry stared at her coldly. "You still haven't told us who they were." He said, jerking his head towards the window meaning the vampires.
Alyssa shook her head "I wish I knew," she said "I'll tell you one thing though. If I get my hands on them again, they're gonna wish they'd stayed in their coffin."
"What I don't understand is why they were after you? Not to mention that they're attacking in broad daylight! It's not normal." Ron said.
Alyssa shrugged "all I know is that they're friends of Michaelo's. Which reminds me, you still haven't explained how you know him, Harry?" Harry opened his mouth to speak when they realised that the train was leaving the platform-with Alyssa still aboard. Alyssa started to move towards the door when Hermione grabbed her arm to stop her.
"Look!" She pointed. The others followed where her finger was pointing to and gasped. The vampire thugs were standing on the platform, shaking their fists at the train. But it wasn't that which made then gasp.
Standing on the platform beside them was Michaelo. It seemed as if he as staring right at them.
"Soon."
They heard his voice, like ice, inside their heads. Ron glanced at Harry and Alyssa, who both seemed to be rooted to the spot with fear. "Let me guess. Michaelo, right?" Harry nodded.
"Harry, how do you know Michaelo?" Hermione asked.
Now that Harry thought about it, how did he know Michaelo? "I honestly have no idea. The name just came to me." He said.
Alyssa shuffled her feet uncomfortably "erm, I've got a burning question. Where are we going and what am I supposed to do when we get there?" She asked. Harry and Ron stared at her. Hermione answered straight away. "We're going to Hogwarts, school of witchcraft and wizardry. You must've heard of it."
Alyssa shook her head.
"Are you a muggle, then?" Ron asked.
"A what?"
"A muggle. Y'know, non-magic."
Alyssa paused. Could half-vampires be classed as magic? And even if they did, did she really want these people to know what she was. A lot of people didn't trust half-vampires. Full vampires because of the damage they could do and mortals because, well, the whole vampire part made them nervous. It was partly because of this that the few half-vampires in the world today kept themselves hidden. She decided the simplest answer to her own question would be no.
"Yeah, I suppose I am a muggle." She said. The other three glanced at each other, as if to say "oh dear"
"I'm guessing that's bad?"
No one replied. "I'd better send an owl to Dumbledore." Hermione said, getting up.
After she'd left, Alyssa, Harry and Ron sat in silence. Harry noticed Alyssa holding her wounded arm.
"You're hurt."
"Alyssa smiled grimly "yeah, that usually happened when you get into a fight with a bunch of vampires,"
she said "it'll heal."
"Can I have a look, please? Just in case it's broken." Harry asked, reaching for her. Alyssa jumped back.
"No, just leave it, it'll be fine." While half-vampires healed a bit slower than full vampires did, they still healed a hell of a lot faster than mortals did. If Harry saw that her arm was broken now, he would surely notice how fast it healed.
But Harry wouldn't be deterred. "Just let me take a look at it, OK. I'll try not to hurt you" he said, taking her good arm and pulling her towards him. Sitting her down, he felt up and down her arm as gently as possible. Her arm was definitely broken. He told her this and advised her to keep it as still as possible until they got to Hogwarts. Alyssa smiled. "Thanks." Harry smiled back.
Hermione came back then. "The owl's sent." She told them, sitting back down. "Ron, are you alright?"
Ron, Alyssa realised, had been staring at her with growing suspicion for the past five minutes. "Didn't you have a cut above your eyebrow?" He asked her.
Alyssa's hand shot up to her face. She'd forgotten about that. "Er…did I?"
Now Harry and Hermione were staring at her. "Now that you mention it, yes you did." Hermione said.
Alyssa opened and shut her mouth. "I…" She glanced out the window, stalling for time. Ron's eyes fell on her neck, where he saw two faint red dots next to each other. They looked just like… "Oh my God!"
Ron jumped out of his seat, staring at Alyssa in horror.
"You're a vampire!"
A/N: Thanks for reading. In the next chapters you'll be finding out more about the gang's secret destiny and Alyssa's past. Also, Oliver Wood returns.