The Substitute

Chapter Seven

There were certain things that Duke Cortez of the Red Court expected to hear as he drank some tea in the morning. This wasn't it. The black haired man nearly dropped his cup as he repeated, "All the vampires were destroyed?"

His servant nodded glumly, the lovely blonde looking uncomfortable. "The initial moves went well, with the disabling the guards and surrounding the cabin. What we were not aware was that the legendary Daywalker Dark Evangel was there," Violet told him.

This time Cortez did drop his tea. "Her?" he yelped, "I thought she was dead!"

"Apparently no," Violet answered grimly. "I accessed school records before reporting to you," she said, "she has been here several decades."

"Well, that explains why she stopped terrorizing the other breeds of vampires," Cortez said with a wince. Evangeline had been a object of terror among vampire breeds, attacking the Red, Black and White courts at different times. She flaunted her immunity to the sun and enjoyed punishing those who dared oppose her.

Violet sighed as well, putting her hands behind her back to keep from visibly wringing them. "So what do we do now sir?" Violet asked.

"With Evangeline and that maniac Dresden here?" Cortez asked bleakly.

Cortez had taken this task hoping to accomplish a two-fer: destroy Harry Dresden and Negi Springfield. While Negi was his 'primary' target Cortez had been confident he could get Dresden too. However all the covert teams he had sent in had been defeated. No, to be honest they had been utterly DESTROYED. And worse, Dresden seemed even stronger than reports had indicated!

"No," Cortez decided, "we have to cut our losses at this point. Springfield and Dresden are bad enough, but add in Evangeline too? We have to scrap the operation."

"But what of the honor of the Red court?" Violet protested.

"Honor does not matter if we are dead," Cortez briskly answered. Standing he continued, "Contact the Principal of the school, we will resume negotiations." Under his breath he added, "At least I will see us get a good blood-price for our brother."

"Of course, sir," Violet bowed, leaving the hotel room even as her thoughts raced. The Duke might have given up on vampire honor, but she had not!

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Harry Dresden stood in front of the class, looking rather distinguished in the business suit, even with the leather duster over it. His brown hair fell into his eyes as he said seriously, "As fun as it's been learning from you, it appears I may be leaving soon."

"No!" several girls cried. "Why Harry-sensei?" others shouted at the same time while others babbled faster than Harry could catch.

"Settle down everyone," Harry called briskly. "Your actual teacher, Negi, should be coming back any day now. We all knew I was a temp," he smiled slightly.

Asuna looked devastated, while several of the other girls were similarly depressed. Harry rather suspected it was because he was a easier teacher than Negi was, but he also thought they might have become a bit fond of him. Either way, there was a class to teach.

"All right everyone, open your texts to page...," Harry said, smiling as he settled into teaching once again.

They ran through classes and lunch came, with Harry heading out into the sun to eat. Predictably some of the girls followed him out, thankfully the ones who knew about magic. Toko the swords-woman was also hanging out with them, mostly to spend more time with Harry.

"So is Negi-sensei really coming back soon?" Setsuna asked, the raven haired young woman looking at Harry thoughtfully.

"Takahata is fairly hopeful, with how well the negotiations are going," Harry noted as he munched on a beef bun. Somehow Sasaki at Chao Bao Zhi had managed to flavor it just like a Whopper from Burger King. Bliss.

"I'll be sorry to see you leave," Toko noted quietly, her expression sad.

"It's been a hell of a trip," Harry either didn't notice or was ignoring it as he said, "but I have duties back at home to take care of."

Harry took out another beef bun as Asuka sighed too. "But isn't your learning magic here important too?" she asked pointedly.

"Indeed," Toko jumped on that as she pointed out, "taking back greater combat skills could really help your Wardens."

"I'm going to enjoy demonstrating some of the spells I've picked up," Harry agreed.

Just then Setsuna moved like a shot, lunging forward as she slammed Toko and Harry back into the fountain. "Look out!" she yelled as bullets splatted into the stone around them.

"Crap," Harry cursed as he raised his shield, blocking the next few shots that would have hit either him, Toko or Setsuna.

"I saw movement on a nearby roof," Setsuna growled, also soaking wet from the fountain they were half way in.

"Adept!" Nodoka yelled, summoning her diary. She pointed her had at the roof as she ordered, "Tell me your name."

Asuna summoned her sword, even as Setsuna clambered out of the water and summoned her's too. "Who...?" Asuna demanded.

"It's Mana!" Nodoka yelped, scowling.

"Mana the shrine maiden...?" Dresden blinked.

"And a professional sniper and monster killer," Toko told him as they crouched, avoiding shots. "She has us pinned out here," she growled.

Dresden ducked as a bullet pinged off a nearby stone. "So why hasn't she hit us?" he asked flatly. "From way up there she should have hit us."

"Distraction?" Setsuna asked bleakly.

"Well, let's try something," Harry said as he stood up. Bullets spranged off his shield as he chanted something in Latin then yelled, "Twenty fire arrows of light!"

Now, Harry had been working on this spell off and on since he arrived, and he had mostly mastered it. However, he was still mastering how much power to put into it. So when the bolts hit the roof it didn't just blow up Mana's hiding place, it blew most of the roof off.

"Uh... oops?" Harry said as the explosion faded.

"Ugh," Asuna ran a hand over her face.

"Mana's alive," Nodoka reported, "out cold, though. She fell off the building and landed on someone, I think."

"Can you tell who sent her?" Setsuna asked briskly as the three stood up and clambered out of the fountain. All of them sloshed to various degrees, though Harry was probably worse off in his business suit.

"No," Nodoka said, "it was money and a note through a mail drop."

"Another distraction?" Asuna asked, frowning worriedly.

Toko's eyes widened slightly. "Negi-sensei was going to be attending today's discussions...," she said flatly.

"Oh crap," Harry swore again, his own eyes narrowing. "Come on!" he said as he lead the mix of students off hurriedly.

"I'm trying to signal Negi or Takahata, but it's being blocked," Asuna reported as she held her pactio card to her forehead.

"Then we get to the building and hope we're in time," Harry panted just as a band of vampires burst from cover. "Oh you have GOT to be kidding me," he growled.

"DIE!" a vampiress screamed, the redhead lunging for Asuna's throat.

Without a word Asuna summoned her claymore-like sword and took it's head off with a single swing. Setsuna summoned her own swords, tearing another vampire to bits even as Toko attacked another. Nodoka opened up her book and began to get a read on the attacking vamps, keeping track of the enemy and warning of attacks.

"Harry, get going," Toko ordered as she sliced a vampire in two, "we'll hold them here."

"Got it," Harry ducked under a attacking vampire and blasted it up and away before breaking away and running.

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0

Violet stood meekly behind the Duke, the blond quite deliberately dressed in a very short skirt and low-cut top. Her enemies might be wizards and were much older than they looked, but they were still men. She caught the warrior-mage Takamachi looking at her stocking covered legs, and that pervert Konoemon had tried to look down her top.

Negi Springfield didn't seem to notice, but then again he was still a child. The boy seemed full of regret over the death of the vampire he had slain, and even Violet was touched by it. He was also quite cute, really, with his spectacles sliding down his nose...

No no no no! Violet shook herself. Even she was falling victim to the child's strange charm. She stood behind Duke Cortez and tried to look attentive, even as she watched for her chance to strike.

"So, the blood price is settled and we have a agreement," Cortez said gruffly, putting his bloody thumbprint to the document.

Konoemon echoed the gesture, the old man nodding. "There will be no more targeting of Negi or our school, I trust?" he asked.

"We keep our word," Cortez nodded stiffly.

As they talked Violet moved from behind Cortez, giving a friendly smile to the befuddled Takamachi. She slipped by him, giving a extra wiggle to her hips to keep him distracted as she headed towards Negi. "Professor Springfield," she smiled at him warmly as she bent forward to give him a good look down her cleavage, "I'm so sorry about this whole misunderstanding."

"No, no, it's fine," Negi blushed charmingly.

'It seems he's vulnerable too,' Violet thought as she chattered awat atr him even as she grabbed for the knife strapped to her thigh.

Then the doors boomed open, Harry Dresden standing in the doorway, blastying rod in hand and a thunderous look on his face. "Get away from him," Harry barked.

Violet ripped the knife free and slashed at Negi as she hissed, "Die!"

"FUEGO!" Harry blasted her away before she could strike, a burst of fire burning the attacking arm right off.

Before she could recover Takahata had attacked, channeling his magical fore attack to turn the vampire into a greasy spot on the carpet. Afterward there was a eerie calm, the room deadly silent other than Harry's panting breaths.

"I didn't order her too...," Cortez stammered, looking worriedly at the mages glaring at him.

"No, you're not that stupid," Takahata said blackly as Harry recovered nearby.

To be continued...

Notes: One chapter to go, I think.