As Magdalene walked back up to the castle a little after twelve in the afternoon she had to constantly keep reminding herself that her Father was dead. Markus was gone and couldn't send vampires out to hunt her down and bring her back home. She was safe now at Hogwarts with Dumbledore there. She had nothing to fear.

"Maggie, are you okay, you've been really quiet sense we got back inside?" asked James from across the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Remus had joined the friends at the table for lunch only a few moments before the question was asked. He glanced at Magdalene and frowned.

"You're looking pale," he said.

Magdalene blinked and looked at Remus for only a moment. "I'm fine," she said very quickly. "I'm just thinking a lot." She added looking at James.

"About what?" Remus asked calmly. Sirius was stabbing his vegetables harshly and Magdalene blinked at him.

"Something wrong, Padfoot?" James asked his best friend. Sirius shook his head and continued to eat, shoving his mouth full of food so he wouldn't have to talk.

"My life before I came here," Magdalene said to Remus. "I've been having nightmares…past coming back to haunt me."

"What was there in your past that could haunt you?" asked Peter. "You're only seventeen…not much has happened to you yet."

"My Father abused me and the first time I stepped outside of the estate that I grew up on was about four months ago," whispered Magdalene. "There's a lot to come back and haunt me."

"Don't you think you're being over dramatic?" Sirius asked.

Magdalene looked at him sharply and her eyes dilated.

"Maggie," said Lily catching Magdalene's hand. Magdalene pulled it away quickly and glared at Lily. "Your eyes are turning silver."

"And dilating," said Sirius harshly across the table. "Maybe you should control your anger, Magdalene."

"I'm controlling my anger just fine," Magdalene said. "If I wasn't you would have been dead by now."

"You've killed someone?" Peter asked very nervously.

"I told you," Magdalene said standing up from the bench. "I have a lot to come back and haunt me."

"Hey Sirius, how is my handsome Wolfman?" asked a bubbly girlish voice. Magdalene stopped and turned to see Miranda leaning over the table next to Sirius. He didn't seem as happy to see her as she had hoped. She immediately frowned. "What's the matter?"

"Maybe it's because you called him Wolfman," said Magdalene picking up her coat and gloves. She glanced at Remus who looked incredibly uncomfortable. Everyone at the table looked at Magdalene like she was crazy.

"What is up with you?" Sirius snapped.

"Me, you keep jumping down my throat every time I say something."

"That's probably because he'd like to be down your throat," said Miranda. She stood up straight and began to move away from the table.

"Whoa, Randy," said Sirius grabbing Miranda's hand. Magdalene felt herself gag at Sirius's nickname for Miranda. "Don't let her get to you."

"It's not her, Sirius. I see the way you look at her," Miranda looked at Magdalene. "Not that I can see why you look at her…she kind of is a freak."

Magdalene moved forward stepping up onto the bench, about to jump over the table. Remus jumped up and grabbed Magdalene's waist pulling her back down to the ground.

"Maggie, slow down," said Remus trying to hold her back.

"She is crazy!" Miranda shouted as Sirius stood up and took her arm to lead her away.

"Maggie," said Lily standing up.

Magdalene didn't look at Lily, she was keeping her eyes on Miranda who Sirius was assuring away.

"Maggie! You…you didn't go to the hospital wing this morning," Lily said quietly.

"Don't touch me," said Magdalene pulling her hand out of Lily's grasp.

"Magdalene," said Remus close to Magdalene's ear. "You need to calm down."

"Excuse me," said a calming voice. Magdalene turned suddenly forcing Remus to release her. "I think I can handle this kid."

"Demetrius!" Magdalene said with great shock. There was volcano deep inside Magdalene that was about to explode. The sight of Demetrius, the long lost lover from her past who was haunting her in her dreams, made her blood boil. "What the hell are you doing here?"

Demetrius Malcolm shined a sparkling white smile at Magdalene as she approached. The charm on his face was undeniable—his green eyes burned with a passion that Magdalene had never forgotten and missed greatly. Not that she would ever admit it. The passion that burned deep inside of her made her hate Demetrius just as much as she missed him. She hated him because he made her miss him.

His dark hair fell in front of his eyes and he brushed it out of the way softly. He was still smiling and Magdalene just wanted to wipe that smile off his face.

"I've come to take you back. Palazzo del Te needs you, Magdalene," said Demetrius reaching out and stroking her cheek. "You don't belong here."

Magdalene balled her fist and with out warning she slammed her fist into his jaw. Demetrius stumbled backwards a few steps and laughed, standing up straight and shaking his face.

"Still have a sharp right hook," Demetrius said laughing. "Come on, you're causing a scene." Demetrius reached for Magdalene's arm but she stepped away from him.

"Don't touch me," she said harshly. "You have no right to be here. Was it you I felt earlier? Watching me?"

"Your Headmaster knew I was coming," said Demetrius ignoring her question. "Let me take you up to his office where we can talk. You're not feeling well, you haven't had any blood today."

"Blood?" Miranda's voice questioned from across the table. "Why would she need blood?"

"I don't think that's any of your business," said Magdalene turning to face Miranda across the table again. Demetrius stepped forward and grabbed Magdalene around the waist.

"You should get that girl out of here," he said to Sirius. "Magdalene has been known to rip off a few girls faces when she's in one of her moods."

"You've ripped off a girl's face?" James stammered across the table in awe.

Magdalene didn't say anything, she was still staring Miranda down. Sirius was ushering the poor girl away. Demetrius loosened his grip on Magdalene and leaned close to her.

"Magdalene," he said in a low warm whispered. "You don't want to hurt anyone. Let's go upstairs and get you some blood."

Magdalene blinked at Demetrius but nodded her head. "I can go myself," she said. She broke free of Demetrius's arms and began to march out of the Great Hall. Demetrius was following her quickly. "I want you to go," she said viciously. "You don't belong here."

"It can be argued that you don't belong here either, my love."

Magdalene stopped dead and turned on her heel to face Demetrius who stopped in front of her.

"No, you don't get to call me that. You don't get to pretend that nothing has changed and show up out of no where and try to take me back to my old life. I left that life, Demetrius, and I am never going back."

"Nobody knows what happened," Demetrius said very seriously. "You can come back and no one will know…"

"You're missing the point. I don't want to go back to Palazzo del Te," Magdalene said glaring at Demetrius. "I have a new life now."

"If you wanted a new life you should have changed your name."

Magdalene clenched her fist with frustration and looked at the ground. Her mind was racing with so many things. First, how the hell had Demetrius gotten here? Why was he here after being gone for so long? And what gave him the right to come here and think he could just sweep her off her feet and take her away? Second, despite forgetting to take her blood that morning, she was a big girl and could take care of herself. She didn't need Demetrius telling her what to do. She knew she needed blood soon or else she'd become more violent and dangerous. Third, why was Sirius still so angry with her? Everything she had said to Miranda and him was fair game…and she would have said it even if her vampiric half wasn't dominating her moral half.

"You don't know what has happened to me," she finally hissed. "You need to leave because I'm not the Magdalene you left behind two years ago."

"I know," Demetrius said stroking her cheek. "Unfortunately you have to come back."

"No, I don't," Magdalene turned on her heel and walked towards the stairs with a certainty in her step. She was never going back to Palazzo del Te. Demetrius would have to drag her there kicking and screaming…and even then Magdalene knew he wouldn't win the fight. She was not going back.

Demetrius was following Magdalene up the stairs towards the hospital wing. Magdalene knew he wasn't going to go away no matter how many times she told him too. He was too persistent of a bastard to leave her be. She gritted her teeth and marched on, pretending he wasn't there.

"You can pretend all you want, but I'm not leaving."

Magdalene shook her head as she mounted a moving staircase. The staircase shifted and began to turn before Demetrius could step onto it. Magdalene bit her lip, smiling slightly. There was a shifting sound in front of her and she jumped as Demetrius appeared out of thin air in front of her. She sighed. She hadn't seen a vampire teleport in months and the sight startled her.

"You can't get rid of me that easily."

"You're like a disease."

"There was a point in time when you would have been happy to see me after two years of absence."

"That time ended when you left for two years with out saying good bye," Magdalene said cruelly as the staircase connected to the floor above. She shoved past Demetrius's tall figure and ascended the rest of the staircase. She walked swiftly because of her anger reaching the hospital wing quickly.

Demetrius was on her heels the whole time—she knew he was right; there was no escaping him. But she'd be damned if she didn't try.

"Never thought you'd be one to get caught up over good byes," Demetrius said close behind Magdalene. His voice sent shivers of pleasure through her body. She would give anything to have him hold her again, but not at the cost of her pride. He had left her, like she was nothing. She spent a year pining for him…wondering if he was pining for her…and then when it came to the second year of waiting she gave up. He was a vampire…he didn't make commitments, especially to a half breed like her. Like all vampires, he only took what he wanted and then left…with out giving anything back.

Magdalene stopped in the corridor before the hospital wing and leaned against the wall. She wrapped her arms around herself and glared down the hall, trying to think as her mind wandered freely. When she didn't take her blood her mind would lose focus on simple things—she'd want things at all times, desire to hurt people if they made her angry, and would try to think through everything. She couldn't control her mind when she didn't have fresh blood in her system.

"Is that really what you think of me?" Demetrius asked stopping next to her and touching her shoulder. She shifted her shoulder out of his hand and turned, pressing her back against the wall and crossing her arms over her chest. Her glaring eyes were now focused on him and how she wanted to rip his heart out.

"Yes," she said coldly.

"I shouldn't have left you Magdalene," he said. "But I couldn't stay with you any longer…I wasn't sure how much longer I would be able to hide what we were."

"He always knew," Magdalene said shaking her head. She stood up and moved away from Demetrius. She pulled open the door to the hospital wing and entered. "Madame Pomphrey?"

"Hello?" called the young nurse stepping out of her office. "Oh, Miss Markus. I was wondering where you had gotten to today. How are you feeling?"

"Like I need blood," Magdalene said with a frown. She took a seat on a bed and pulled the sleeve of her see through red shirt up. Madame Pomphrey came forward and waved her wand at a stand next to the bed. A bag of blood appeared hanging from the stand and a tube ran down from it. Madame Pomphrey tapped her wand against Magdalene's arm.

"There's going to be a pinch," she said. She always warned Magdalene before the needle was inserted into her arm, but Magdalene never felt it. There was no need for the warning. Magdalene felt the pinch and didn't flinch.

Madame Pomphrey to the end of the tube and connected it to the needle in Magdalene's arm. The blood began to pump into Magdalene's system and she immediately felt her body and mind relax. Flashes of peace and happiness danced in front of her eyes as memories flooded her head. She held her head for a moment…the blood always gave her a head ache when it was put into her system.

Blood carried a part of the original donor with it, like memories or feelings. Every time a vampire took someone's blood they also took some of their memories and personality with them. Magdalene felt that everyday she lost a bit of herself because someone else was added to her. It was something she learned to coup with…she could block the new memories or feelings. Once they were blocked long enough they were lost to the unconscious where they'd only come out in her dreams. She could handle seeing those foreign memories in her dreams…there they didn't bother her…if she dreamed someone else's memories she didn't dream her own terrors.

"Ah, your eyes aren't dilated anymore," Madame Pomphrey said with a smile. "I'll be in my office."

Magdalene nodded and thanked her then laid back on the bed. Demetrius entered the hospital wing once Madame Pomphrey was gone…why he waited to come in Magdalene could only guess. He took a seat on the edge of the bed and Magdalene frowned. She didn't look at him but could feel his eyes on her.

"I didn't think you'd stop loving me," he whispered.

"You admit taking me for granted then," Magdalene said shaking her head. "It's very arrogant for you to think that…you always thought I'd be there at my Father's hand. I don't need protection anymore Demetrius. I didn't wait for you because you weren't waiting for."

"Ouch," said Demetrius rubbing his chest. "That was low."

"No, I don't think it was. You deserve to be hit in low spots. You left me," she said looking at him with intense hurt eyes. His eyes were calm and warm which threw her off her anger. She looked away so not to fall in love with him again. "I have every right to be bitter and vengeful to you and your low spots."

"I never stopped loving you," he whispered.

"That's not good enough," Magdalene said with a sad smile. "I know it should be…but its not. I like to think if you loved me you would have at least told me you were leaving…and even more…you wouldn't have left. He hurt me worse after that Demetrius. He always knew…and he blamed me for you leaving."

Demetrius's eyes fell and he looked away from Magdalene. He looked broken which Magdalene had never seen before…he actually looked human.

"You had to have known he would do that."

"I left so he wouldn't find out about us."

"And came back because you heard he was dead?"

"Yes," whispered Demetrius. "I left but was still in charge of his business. I heard he was dead and came back on business matters…when they told me you were gone…I knew I had to find you."

"Why? So you could drag me back to a life that I don't belong in?"

"You don't belong here," Demetrius corrected. "You were raised in a vampire life."

"I died in a vampire life," Magdalene said viciously. Why couldn't Demetrius understand that she didn't want to go back to Palazzo del Te, the palace of tears, where she had nothing—no life. She only had darkness and fear of death there. Here, at Hogwarts, in the Wizarding world, she stood a chance. "For the first time in my life, I feel alive. You were just a drug that dulled the pain, Demetrius. Here…I'm free. I can be anything and no one is going to hurt me."

"You are half vampire, Magdalene. Everyone can hurt you and as soon as they find out what you are they will murder you for it."

"Mortals can be accepting," said Magdalene ruthlessly. She crossed her arms over her chest and looked at her feet. "My friends all know. I have a friend who is a werewolf! Mortals aren't as bad as you and Father always made them out to be."

"You've been lucky," Demetrius said. "You've found people who accept you, but not everyone will…and the people who won't will be more powerful and more dangerous then your friends. The scene I walked into at dinner did not look like you have many friends…perhaps just the werewolf…"

"You don't understand anything you're talking about," Magdalene said shaking her head.

"Neither do you," Demetrius said standing up. He leaned over the bed and kissed Magdalene's forward. "If you ever need anything, Magdalene, you know how to reach me…and I promise I will always come for you."

"How could I possibly trust that when you abandoned me?"

"Looks like you have some issues to work on," he frowned. "I promise."

"You're word means nothing."

"Then let me prove it to you," he said.

Magdalene looked at him with raised eyebrows. Demetrius lifted his wrist to his mouth and bit into it with his sharp white fangs. Magdalene sighed as he extended his wrist to her. She hesitated. He was offering his blood so she could see his memories. She had taken his blood before, when she was young and starved…but he was also suggesting a binding ritual that would connect them. If she took his blood he would be with her always…she'd be able to call him whenever…they'd have a connection, a vow and tie together that was unbreakable. Magdalene wasn't sure if she wanted to be tied to Demetrius forever, though.

Despite her better judgment, Magdalene leaned forward and took Demetrius's wrist to her mouth. Slowly, she sucked the blood from his wrist, drinking it down her throat. He leaned his head onto hers and waited as she drank his blood. His free hand brushed through her hair, holding her head in a gentle manner. She only drank for a few seconds, then pulled her mouth away from his wrist. As his blood entered her system there was an overpowering feeling her head.

She looked away from him for a moment as visions of France flashed in her head. She was walking down the Champs-Elysées in Paris, watching as people looked at her walking by. She was seeing the memory from Demetrius's point of view…then she blinked and suddenly she was lying in the bed of an apartment alone feeling as if she had made the biggest mistake of her life…that she shouldn't have left England or Magdalene's side…

Magdalene blinked and she looked at Demetrius with sad eyes. Demetrius sat back down on the bed and brushed her hair behind her ear.

"Do you believe me now?" he asked.

Magdalene didn't say anything at first. She nodded her head and looked at him sternly.

"I believe you, but that doesn't mean that I want you back," she said.

"Do you want to finish the bond?" he asked. "I will always come then…"

"No," she shook her head. "I don't want to finish it. I don't want to tie you to me like that, Demetrius. You need to go back to Palazzo del Te and take care of my Father's home and business. Everything he had falls to me, and I don't know anything about it…I need you to take care of it."

"While you're here, living freely?"

"Yes," Magdalene said with a nod of her head. "Everything my Father had falls to me because I killed him…that means your services too."

Demetrius smiled and shook his head. "You can have any of my services…anytime…"

Magdalene smiled slightly. "Get off my bed," she said shoving him playfully. He stood up and grabbed her hands, squeezing them tightly. He leaned forward and kissed her forehead very delicately. "Demetrius…" Magdalene sighed.

"I'll come and check on you in a few months."

Magdalene nodded. "Fine."

Demetrius laughed and stood up straight. "Don't mess around too much…living freely and all."

"Thanks," Magdalene said. "Good bye, Demetrius."

"Good bye, Miss Markus," he said bowing his head. He turned with a stunning white smile and walked out of the hospital wing. A few minutes after he left the door swung open again and Dumbledore entered.

"Hello Professor," Magdalene said folding her hands on her lap.

"Miss Markus," he said with a bow of his head. "I trust everything is well with you and Mr. Malcolm?"

"Yes," she said with a nod of the head. "Now it is."

Dumbledore smiled. "And you are feeling better? Miss Evans said you forgot to take your blood this morning."

"Yes, I'm feeling much better," Magdalene said nodding again.

"Very well," Dumbledore said. "I'll leave you to get some rest."

"Thank you, Sir."

Dumbledore left silently after that as Magdalene leaned back in her bed. She put her hand to her head and sighed loudly. There was an overwhelming feeling in her head as her head ache sunk in to its deepest level. She was overwhelmed with her emotions for Demetrius…and for Sirius…how could she be pulled in two different directions by two men who were so different? Demetrius's request for her to return to Palazzo del Te was not in her mind at all. She had left him in charge of everything because she didn't know anything about the vampire business and she could trust him to take care of it. He probably wanted it too. Magdalene wanted to stay as far away from her Father's home and business as possible…

As she rolled over to sleep in the hospital wing bed, one thought made her skin crawl: Demetrius's comments on how more powerful and dangerous people wouldn't be accepting of her half bred blood. The shiver that crawled through her skin was a reminder that she had to be careful about her identity…maybe she should change her name…