First of all, I'm so so so sorry for being SO. BLOODY. LATE. :'( I feel so bad, that I just left you guys at the last chapter and all. I've been wrapped up in my new story, Animal Heart, and school examinations :( I've totally neglected you guysss. I know there's no excuse, but I hope you guys are still reading, even though I don't deserve much for being so late on things.

Nonetheless, please enjoy it, my lovelies!


Ginny snuck into the Ministry lift; there wasn't much to be sneaky about since it was the weekend, but there were still people there and she couldn't help taking precautions. What am I doing? She thought as the lift climbed higher. She rushed out as soon as the chained doors opened up to the Auror department. Locating Harry's grand Head Auror office, she undid all his charms and sifted hastily through his file work.

Hepzibah…

Melanie Something…

Alfred Ren…

Twill Amerida the 22nd…

Rita Galeman…

Alec Algeron.

Yes!

She tore it open and read through the single information page. Of course the thing would want them to have as little information as possible. She grabbed Harry's Ministry telephone and dialed Kingsley's number, which had been scrawled on a sheet of parchment near the phone.

"Harry, what are you doing here on this Saturday-?" Kingsley's voice came through.

"Minister, it's Ginny Potter. I need your help. The Aurors need to be alerted. There is a vampire… Algeron. He's going to kill soon. He's going to kill Hermione Granger and-," Ginny panicked.

"Mrs. Potter, don't worry. We'll send a secret team. Do you know why he is after Miss Granger?" Kingsley asked calmly. Ginny paused. He had found the flaw in her plan.

"I…"

"Do you?"

"I don't," she answered truthfully. Kingsley sighed.

"Then why do you think that he is after Miss Granger?" He asked.

"I… I just do! The look on his face… sir, he-,"

"Mrs. Potter, I'm sorry. We can send the Aurors to investigate, but we cannot accuse Mr. Algeron of anything. We are fully aware he is a vampire, but he has not hunted humans for centuries," Kingsley said. Ginny felt a scream coming.

"He went hunting in a Muggle suburb a few days ago," she said, teeth clenched.

"If you cannot provide any evidence, we cannot capture him. I will send out Aurors for him. Good day, Mrs. Potter." The phone clicked and a rude dial tone funneled into Ginny's ear. She slammed the phone down as the crack of Apparition sounded through the office. She heard a weary sigh behind her.

"Ginny, why are you here?" She heard her husband say. Ginny swiveled around, her heels skidding against the clean, wood floor.

"I needed to get some information," she said, biting her lip. Harry folded his arms.

"What's going on, Ginny?" He asked.

"Nothing is, Harry," she replied weakly.

"Who is it?"

"Who is what?"

"You know what, Ginny."

"I-,"

"What were you just doing?"

"I called Kingsley," she admitted feebly. "Alec Algeron… my friend's twin. He's going to kill Hermione."

Harry's jaw dropped and he took two long strides towards his wife and shook her in surprise. Ginny rattled silently in his arms.

"What… what are you going on about?"

"Alec. He's a vampire… and a wizard… but he's going to kill her next. Kingsley won't help me stop him."

"How? How do you know?"

"I just do. The way he looks at her… it's a hungry look. Like he's going to cut her up and-,"

"Ginny. Stop," Harry pleaded. "I need to know who he is. Who is this Alec man?"

"Well he was at the matchmaking party… Tall. Eyes like a murderer… I can't believe I never noticed them before."

"And you say Kingsley did nothing?" Harry asked. He sighed. "And I saw him. I can't say he's after 'Mione, but I'll track him."

"Well… that's the same thing Kingsley said," Ginny whined. "Please, Harry. Do something! Tracking isn't good enough! He'll find out about it! He's a mind reader!"

"So Kingsley didn't do nothing."

"He did do something, but that's not the point, Harry, it won't work!"

"Then what do you suppose I do, Ginny! You say he's a mind reader! What do you think I can do without him detecting it?"

"I can't tell you," Ginny said quietly. Harry sputtered, coming off of his angry high, confusion knotting his brow.

"What?" He stuttered in utter bewilderment. Ginny sighed in frustration.

"Harry, don't you see? I can't tell you! You have to do what I tell you without me telling you, or he'll know! He'll know how to act against you!"

"It won't stop him from just straight out murdering us when he senses something wrong," Harry countered, his argument weaker now. Ginny shook her head, taking advantage of his weakening reasons.

"I know he wouldn't," she promised. "Even as an evil, arrogant, conceited, cruel-,"

"Ginny-,"

"-Vampire," she continued, ignoring him. "He would think it smarter not to straight out kill a band of strong Aurors."

"You wouldn't know that," Harry said doubtfully.

"Yes, I would. I've known him for years."

"You've known the fake him for years," Harry corrected.

"It doesn't matter. It's no secret he's smart."

"Why are you saying such things about him? We need to know his weaknesses, Gin."

"Harry, that's it!" Ginny exclaimed. "His intelligence! It'll help you get past him! Think about it. He will overanalyze everything; I know it. He won't kill you. At least, not right away."

"That really is a wonderful thought, Ginerva."

"Sorry," Ginny apologized. "But will you do it?"

"Well…"

"Please? I know you all had to go through Occlumency training. I know it won't stop his talent, but it will weaken it."

"Oh alright, I-,"

Harry was interrupted by a violent crack in the lobby outside his office. It was directly followed by a string of the foulest profanity the couple had ever heard. Ginny peeked round the bend.

"CURSE MERLIN AND HIS BLOODY MAGIC WAND. SOMEONE IN HERE BETTER COME OUT AND BLOODY TELL ME WHAT THE BLOODY MERLIN HAPPENED IN THAT BLOO-,"

"Malfoy?" Ginny gaped at the raging blonde. "What are you doing-?"

"DON'T YOU BLOODY DARE-,

"Dare what?"

"ENOUGH, YOU REDHEAD. WHERE IN MERLIN'S BLOODY BROKEN SPECTACLES IS YOUR USELESS MATE? THE BOY-WHO-LIVED-TO-BE-A-BLOODY-PAIN-IN-,"

"Malfoy, I think that's quite enough," Harry said calmly. "Tell me why you're here."

Malfoy panted for seconds, collecting his thoughts. He had to stay calm. As his anger faded, trembles took over him.

Oh bloody…

He clenched his hands and struggled against his tremors of fear.

"Why don't you come in and take a seat?" Ginny offered, sensing his anxiety. Draco shook his head quickly. He swallowed once and shook his head again, slowly, like he was trying to convince himself of something.

"We have to go now, Potter," he said lowly. "Grab your band of men. We don't have time."

"What? What time? Malfoy, what's happened?" Ginny asked frantically. No, no, no. Please don't let me be right. Please let her be safe…

Draco's face said it all, but he still he spoke aloud their worst fear.

"She's gone, and we're going to need a head start against that vampire if we want to win."