Chapter 9: What's Eating Away At Carlisle

The morning was gray just like every other. The rain – relentless as ever – lingered in the air and hung like a drowsy cloud over Forks. The features of Hermione's face were contorted in concentration, a light sheen of sweat covering her skin. She was huddled by the hulking form of the van at Forks High School, easily ignoring the gawking stares of the other students trying to get a better look at the new kids. Hermione's attention was riveted on the schedule she had gripped in her hands. Luna on the other hand peered curiously out from under the hood of her jacket and stared back at the onlookers just as obviously as they did. Hermione shook her head in frustration. The hood of her raincoat kept the damp air from clinging to her face and eventually soaking her through but it was so damn humid she was tempted to yank the jacket off and walk around in wet clothes all morning just to escape the uncomfortably damp heat.

She sucked on her bottom lip and cast a furtive glance at Luna who was now waving avidly at a group of girls goggling at her. "The only class we have together is gym." Hermione said dejectedly as she handed the soggy paper over to Luna. Hermione's gaze drifted around the small collection of shabby buildings and considered their situation. She was more than a little worried about how Luna would handle Muggle school – or rather how Muggle school would handle Luna - and had hoped they'd share more classes together having both enrolled as seniors.

"We have lunch together too." Luna said brightly, stowing the wet paper in her bag. "I hope there's pudding." She added hopefully as they shuffled their way over to the covered way, Luna's metallic zebra print gumboots a stark contrast to Hermione's plain black ones.

"Will you be alright Luna? It's very different from our old school. If you need anything you will come and get me, won't you?" Hermione fretted, wringing her hands together and looking beseechingly over at Luna as they stopped outside her classroom.

"It is a lot different from Hogwarts isn't it? There's no magic about this place but it has its own wonder. I think it'll be rather exciting here. I'm quite excited to use my pen a bit more. Oh there are the girls that were staring at me earlier. See you for pudding!" Luna said in melodious tones before giving Hermione a reassuring smile and floating into the classroom.

As she made her way to her own first class Hermione felt a familiar flutter in the pit of her stomach. Her fingers twitched in anticipation as she made her way past the brick buildings. She hadn't been actively learning in so long and she missed the classroom energy. That wasn't to say she hadn't learned anything in the last year. She now appreciated that there were more important things than school and while it was no longer the centre of her universe that didn't mean that she wasn't excited at the prospect of going back to it. She knew Harry would scoff at her if he could hear her now but she actually missed being assigned homework and the gratified feeling that came with finally finishing it. She missed the thrill of learning something new and the immense satisfaction that came with being right. Hermione's pace quickened as the anticipation built and she found herself outside of her first class in a matter of moments.

She took a hesitant step forward and found herself quite suddenly enveloped in pleasant and dry warmth. A huge smile found its way onto her face as she walked slowly over to the front desk. Her heart beat a little faster as her eyes zoomed around the room. It had been a long time since she'd been inside of a Muggle classroom.

The differences between Hogwarts and Forks High School were glaringly obvious. Here instead of plain stone-walls the class was surrounded by varying shades of white and pink; cork-boards that decorated a good majority of the walls were covered in notices. Posters and complicated diagrams hung in the remaining spaces and the long white-board at the front of the classroom glowed in the artificial light – which in and of itself was a stark contrast to the classrooms back at Hogwarts which were lit by candles when the sun wasn't bright enough. The dull blue carpet which absorbed most of the noise from the half-asleep students taking their seats was so unlike the stone floors of her old classrooms which echoed every footstep.

"Miss Granger I assume?" Miss Rigsby greeted. Hermione smiled back and handed a slip over to the woman before being directed to her seat. "You can take a seat down the back there with Mr Newton." Rigsby offered, shuffling Hermione down the aisle of desks. She made a beeline for the friendly looking blonde boy Rigsby had indicated.

Looking up to pull out her seat Hermione noticed with a bit of a shock that in the last row, sitting smack-bang behind her were Edward and Isabella.

"Hey," She greeted, smiling at them before slipping down into her seat.

"Friends with Cullen already eh?" Newton asked in a cool voice.

"Not yet." She replied extending her hand. "Hermione." She greeted, offering him a warm smile.

"Mike – wow this is formal." He grinned, shaking her hand weakly.

She simply nodded at him before turning to her bag. The tirade of questions that had been piling up since she drove into the parking lot came bursting out of her before she could stop herself. "What's she like – Miss Rigsby? Does she know what she's doing? Did you take the course last year? Is it difficult? Oh, I hope so." Hermione gushed, dropping her heavy textbook on the desk with a loud thump before turning to Mike with wide, excited eyes. She suspected she let her eagerness get the better of her and talked a bit too loudly with perhaps a bit too much excitement because Mike drew away ever so slightly with his own eyes widened in bewilderment.

"You hope it's difficult?" He asked incredulously, looking at her like she was deranged. She resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him and turned to open her notebook.

"Definitely. I like a challenge and I haven't done this type of learning in so long. I've only read the textbook a couple of times but I hope it's enough." Hermione replied eagerly. She thought she heard a low chuckle behind her but couldn't decide whether or not she was imagining things before the lesson began.


Oh God, not again. Mike thought as the class was split up for study groups; Newton was – as he had been for the last few classes – paired off with Hermione. Edward tried to hold back his laughter – he really did. He just couldn't help himself and the amusement that had been building up inside him for the better part of the period reached up and rumbled its way out of him in a poorly disguised cough. It was nearly the end of fifth period Calculus and when Mr Vanderlan paired Bella and himself with Hermione and Newton, Edward smirked.

So far that day they'd shared nearly all of their classes together and Hermione had attacked every one with as much vigour as she had done in their first period Physics class. At first he'd simply been impressed by Hermione's intelligence. In every class her hand sliced through the air a split second before their teachers had finished asking the question. It was amazing considering when her fist wasn't punching the air she scribbled notes so furiously it was any wonder her notebook didn't catch fire. Edward became increasingly impressed when not only in Physics but Biology and English as well, Hermione's knowledge seemed almost as good as his. Almost. The only other class they hadn't shared was third period where he and Bella took Spanish while Hermione went to Chemistry – which judging from everyone's thoughts, she was brilliant at too.

By now he was past being impressed by her and was merely amused – more amused than he could ever remember being. He'd barely hid the grin that spread across his face when Hermione's practiced hand hit the air last period only for the bell to ring before she could answer the question. Her hand had fallen limply by her side and she'd looked so crestfallen that he'd considered taking pity on her and asking for the answer.

It was refreshing to find someone so eager to learn – especially someone so young. Her thirst for knowledge seemed just as eager as Carlisle's. While Edward found her passion for learning admirable and entertaining not everyone shared the sentiment. By third period more than a few of their classmates were irritated by Hermione – and that was putting it nicely.

Jessica Stanley and the rest of Bella's 'friends' were chief among them. "Know it all," resounded in more than one person's thoughts every time Hermione answered a question. Tyler and Eric - the boys so besotted with Bella - found Hermione's tendency to correct them (no matter how gently it was done) irritating. Lauren and Jessica saw her never-ending answers as brown-nosing and Hermione was fast gaining a reputation as a Teacher's Pet. Newton however wasn't bothered by any of it except when it came to group work with her. His spirits hit an all time low at the end of each group session; simultaneously envying Hermione her knowledge and resenting her when she steam-rolled the work and pushed the group to do more.

When Newton and Hermione turned to sit at Edward's table he schooled his face into a mask of calm. It was hard to do considering he hadn't been this entertained at school in years.

"So study group..." Hermione began in a hopeful tone, her eyes flickering around the table before landing back on the textbook in front of her.

"I think Vanderlan forgot it's a short period – bell's about to go any minute now so there's not much point starting the work." Newton said brightly. Edward and Hermione rolled their eyes in unison at the boy.

"What we don't do now is homework and what if one of us gets stuck on a question and needs help from the others? By then it'll be too late." Hermione argued in a superior voice, opening her book in determination.

"I don't need any help with it." Edward said smoothly, the corner of his mouth lifting in self-assured confidence. She was so easily baited and her reactions were always a nice surprise. The only other person that could surprise him was Bella whose thoughts were just as mute as Hermione's.

Hermione shot him a venomous look and set her pen to paper. "Bully for you. The rest of us aren't- " She began but her words were cut off by the shrill ring of the bell. Newton was one of the first to spring to his feet; he shoved the book in his bag and scrambled out the door, his mind already focused on lunch. Hermione, resigned to defeat put her notebook away and set off after him at a slower pace. Edward shook his head – never had he seen someone so disappointed for the end of class. He stood and waited for Bella to pack her things before they started walking to lunch. Edward noticed Hermione in front of them making her way to the cafeteria; textbook held gingerly in her hands as she skimmed through the first few pages. He had to admit that he was impressed with the way she was handling all the attention that came with being new in this small town. She ignored the stares effortlessly and walked with a confidence that he hadn't seen anybody possess – not even Rosalie whose walk was more of a strut. He chuckled at Hermione's relentless determination, reading the coursework while all around her people hurried along the corridors engaged in idle chatter and openly stared at her.

"What's so funny?" Bella asked looping her fingers through his. He smiled down at her and gave her hand the gentlest of squeezes.

"People," he replied simply, steadying her as they lined up at the canteen.

He loaded a tray of food for Bella while she talked with Angela and saw Hermione load a tray of food with a distasteful look on her face before sitting down at a table alone. While everyone seemed to stare at the new girl, no one wanted to befriend her. No one offered her a seat at their table or escorted her to classes - not like they all did on Bella's first day. Not even Newton had offered her some company. Edward frowned at the stupidity of it all.

As they made their way over to their seats Edward stopped in front of Hermione's empty table. Angela and Bella looked at him in surprise.
"Would you like to sit with us?" Edward asked Hermione in an unusual display of forwardness. To be honest he didn't really care that other people were gawking at him. He found Hermione just as interesting as Bella and a good deal more tolerable than any of Bella's friends – with the exception of Angela. He actually wanted to be Hermione's friend and it would be nice too, to sit with someone he wasn't tempted to drain dry.

Hermione looked up from her pizza with wide eyes a surprised "Oh," escaping her lips. He gestured to their table again and smiled invitingly at her. Hermione's eyes flew over to Jessica, Lauren and the rest of them before she smiled ruefully at him.

"Thank you but I'm fine right here." She replied tightly, waving him off. Edward didn't need to look back to see the scandalised looks of Bella's friends at his invitation. He was about to insist but Bella started walking away and so whispered: "If you change your mind," and followed Bella, a little bit disappointed. Hermione's company was more than enjoyable.

"That was nice of you," Bella said quietly as they walked over to their own table, everyone else was so loud no one heard her. Edward winked at her as they sat down, pushing the tray of food over. She picked up an apple and looked down at her knees.

"I'm always nice," He replied to her downcast face. Bella remained silent while she played with the apple stem. Edward waited patiently for her to respond, to look at him at least. Finally she took a tiny bite out of her apple and peeped at him out of the corner of her eye. Sometimes, just sometimes, he wondered if she liked to torture him by being so evasive.

"Not always," She mumbled.

"Yes, always," He replied easily, a lofty grin on his face in an effort to ease some of the anxiety she was obviously feeling. Bella's eyes flickered over to him before quickly darting back down to her apple again. She was acting... shifty. He was just about to heave a sigh of frustration, demanding that she tell him what was bother her when she cleared her throat.

"You're not that nice to Jacob... or any of the wolves," She whispered, still looking resolutely downward. Edward's eyes narrowed instantly before his face fell into a blank expression. Of course the bloody wolves. They'd been through this over and over and he was starting to tire of being the bad guy..

"They're not that nice to me," He fired back, his voice betraying just a hint of his frustration. Bella chewed slowly over a morsel of apple before answering.

"They're not that bad really,"

Edward's fists balled in an instant. "Not that bad?" He growled under his breath. He levelled his voice before continuing. "They're ruled by their transformations just like my family and I are by our thirst. They are dangerous Bella – even more so than me. They have no control over their emotions and so no control over their transformations. They could hurt you in the process – will hurt you." Edward whispered rapidly, his face still a blanket of calm – only his eyes were burning pits of fire.

"Jake's never hurt me," She whispered back finally lifting her eyes to meet his.

"Yet." Edward said sharply, his eyes boring into hers. She was not going to see those damn mutts and get herself killed. Bella blinked and her gaze dropped down to his chin.
"He's my best friend. I miss him. I am going to see him." She said crossly, though her face showed no hint of irritation. All Edward saw in her chocolate depths was affection and frustration.

Edward sighed. Why couldn't she understand? She'd seen what Sam had done to Emily. It was bad enough that Bella refused to believe that he and his family were harmless but the wolves - they were a million times worse.

If he was being completely honest with himself he hated that Bella wanted to see Jacob Black so damn much. He hated the way she missed Jacob; hated the way she openly cried over him and most of all he hated the jealousy that tore him up inside every time Bella's face fell because she couldn't see that mongrel. Hell, even if she could see him, Jacob didn't want to see her let alone talk to her. Bella, innocent as she was never thought anything of it when she cried over Jacob's rejection while her boyfriend comforted her and wiped away her tears. While he hated to see her hurt and know that he couldn't fix it – he hated more that she felt so strongly about Jacob.

Of course Bella didn't know what she was doing to Edward, how much it hurt him to see her so completely taken with someone else. He would never let her know that. Edward knew how ridiculous it was; to be jealous over a friend but the way Bella was so determined to see Jacob, so unwavering in her affection for the mutt it made Edward wonder if she felt something more than friendship for Jacob. Not that he'd ever tell her that.

Worse still he felt terrible about the whole damn mess. It wasn't Bella's fault she cared so bloody much. She was his responsibility and he couldn't imagine letting her go down to those mutts and come back broken because he couldn't protect her. It was his fault she was in this mess in the first place. It was his fault that she was running around with vampires and it was his fault that she wanted to run around with wolves. If he hadn't left her all those months ago then she would never have had to rely on mutts for protection or... affection. It was his fault too, that the wolves had come back at all. If his family hadn't come back to Forks a few years ago the Quileute pack wouldn't be transforming into wolves and Bella would be free from all this craziness and could run around and do whatever the hell she wanted.

Whether all of this was his fault or not he was not going to allow Bella to get herself hurt. Edward pushed his frustrations aside and leaned forward to look Bella in the eye. "You are not going anywhere near those wolves." He said slowly.

As she opened her mouth to protest Alice bounced down in the seat next to Edward. "No, you're not." Alice said cheerfully, her eyes though were dark with a warning so intense Bella's gaze dropped back down to her barely eaten apple.

"Why aren't we sitting with Hermione and Luna? I saw you ask." Alice asked confused.

"Obviously you never saw her answer." Edward replied, smirking at the sour look that passed over Alice's face. Confused and sour was something Alice was not. Not ever.

"Be as smug as you like Edward Cullen. Although I hate not seeing the future – today it was quite refreshing." Alice snapped, poking her tongue out at him.

Edward sniggered and Bella's eyes widened in shock, so surprised that she was pulled out of her sulk. "Really Alice?" She asked disbelieving. Alice merely rolled her eyes at Bella's expression.

"Oh, don't look so surprised Bella. I've had most of my classes with Luna today and it's a pleasant surprise hearing what she's got to say about anything and everything. Though I get the feeling that even if I could see what she was going to say, I'd be just as surprised." Alice sang, smiling fondly over in the direction of Hermione's table. Both girls were eating with gusto.

Oh my God! Look at all that pudding! Is she mad?! Does she know how many calories that is? Jessica thought and Edward couldn't help but snigger at the indignation in both her and Lauren's thoughts at the pile of neatly stacked tubs of pudding on Luna's left.

"Have you had any visions about the killings in Seattle?" Edward asked Alice in a voice so low Bella – who was now talking to Angela – couldn't hear.

Alice shook her head infinitesimally. "There have been three more murders – twenty-one in total and that's only the ones we know about, the actual number's bound to be bigger. Jasper and Carlisle think it may be newborns on the loose. We can't be sure yet." Alice replied just as quietly.

Edward's eyebrows furrowed in concentration. "Newborns would make sense, but why would there be any need for so many?" Edward contemplated quietly.

Alice's shoulders shrugged and her eyes shifted back over to Hermione and Luna. "I don't know but we can't go anywhere near Seattle just yet – nor can Bella. She'll get herself killed knowing her. Don't look at me like that you fool, you know it's true. We'll keep an eye on the situation – there's not a lot we can do right now." Alice whispered rapidly. Her eyes were locked on Hermione and Luna's table. "Those gumboots are amazing. I want some." she added absentmindedly.


Carlisle held a thick journal aloft in his hands. He was sat in the recesses of his study, eyes sweeping across pages of text. He had been meticulously reading every book he possessed since the arrival of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. Their blood perplexed him still and it was the night after meeting them that he had scoured his library for any information about their strange blood. There were only a few books left that he had yet to read and they were now piled high on his rich mahogany desk.

He had run every test he could (without drawing attention) on Ginny's blood but nothing had come up out of the ordinary. It sickened him but he was sorely tempted to taste a sample of the blood – just to see if tasted like human blood should. The notion was morbid and pointless – he had no point of reference having never drunk human blood and it was too unethical to ask the rest of his family. Carlisle shook his head – he would never go so far as to taste the girl's blood – no matter how curious he was. He was not a monster.

When Ginny's parents and brother had arrived Carlisle had researched harder, for their blood was just as eccentric. However it was upon smelling Bill Weasley's blood that Carlisle registered the faintest recognition of something. It was a flicker of a memory - smelling only the barest hint of a scent he had once come across many years ago when he was still with the Volturi. It was now the reason why he was pouring through the few collections of texts he was able to obtain from vampires attached to the Volturi at some point. The Volturi themselves couldn't be approached to identify the strangers blood – Carlisle didn't want the trouble (nor would he wish the Weasley's to be subject to the Volturi's attention) and he doubted he would get any answers anyway. So he searched for hours on end for someone who'd smelled the same scent he had all those years ago. In the back of his mind Carlisle played the scene out in vivid detail...


Carlisle darted through a long concrete hallway with a belly so full with deer's blood that it sloshed around as he ran. His heavy velvet jacket billowed out behind him, flapping heavily and visible only as a dim golden blur as he ran. He slowed down as he approached the old wooden doors, smelling the tantalizing scent of human blood. He pushed in slowly and resisted the urge to run in the other direction. Corpses littered the floor, their lifeless eyes open and haunting. He walked with hesitant steps through the lines of the dead until he came upon the left side of the cavernous room. A huge hulking figure hauled six of the lifeless forms into the sunken hole in the middle of the room. "Care to lend a hand?" Demetri asked sarcastically, his ruby eyes glinting menacingly.

Carlisle's head rose ever so slightly and smiled at Demetri. He steeled himself and bent to lay gentle hands upon the corpse of a young woman, trying not to let the all consuming sadness that overtook him show on his face. Such a tragic end.

"Having Carlisle cleaning up after meals that he didn't partake of wouldn't be very hospitable of us, would it dear one?" Aro's voice wafted over from the front of the room. Immediately Demetri's eyes snapped over to the regal form gliding towards them and his head bowed in subservience.

"No, master." Demetri answered, bowing low. The woman's body was snatched from Carlisle's arms and pulled up over Demetri's shoulders, her neck cracking as she bounced on the solid form of Demetri's back. Carlisle's throat restricted and he looked instead at Aro.

"You missed dinner old friend, but I see you've caught some prey of your own... " Aro smiled down at Carlisle, his own blood red eyes glinting in amusement.

Carlisle inclined his head and a small smile ghosted over his face. "Try and persuade me all you want friend but I shall stick to my own diet." He replied kindly, trying valiantly to not let disgust colour his tone at the sounds of Demetri snapping bones and lugging still more corpses into the pit beneath their feet.

Aro smiled ruefully at Carlisle, disappointment etched on every one of his papery features. "Such pointless sacrifices you make Carlisle. I'll convince you to not deny yourself the pleasures of human blood one day."

"Indeed, it seems you've... indulged tonight." Carlisle gestured toward the dead bodies left on the ground. Clean up didn't usually take so long.

"Ah but tonight is cause for celebration!" Aro announced, his hands coming together before his lips, his eyes suddenly jovial. "Our dear brother Caius has disposed of two more Children of the Moon! We haven't had such cause for celebration in far too long – you're doing too good a job brother." Aro crooned at Caius who had made his way over to them. Aro's arm came up to drape itself around Caius' shoulders, smiling delightfully.

Carlisle however found no joy in this. For the last two hundred years there had been not a single vampire sighting of a Werewolf. Caius had driven them to near extinction almost a millennium ago and now he'd destroyed some of the few that were left. "There can't be many Werewolves left now." Carlisle said quietly with a furrowed brow. Obviously the Elders mistook his words – either that or they chose to ignore Carlisle's saddened tone.

"Not many more I'd venture. I caught me an older male and his mate – disgusting beasts put up a fight and soiled my attire with their foul stench." Caius hissed, running his hands smoothly down the length of his ruffled torso for emphasis. "Death took the mutt slowly." He continued gleefully.

The movement of Caius' coat disturbed the air. The stench of death still hung heavily in the room, disturbing Carlisle's ease. The lingering scent of blood provided a smooth undercurrent but a faint aroma wafted off of Caius that Carlisle couldn't place. It smelled distantly of raw meat. There was a hint of something exotic too that Carlisle couldn't pin-point but the scent was too faint for him to make much more of it. He knew what a Werewolf smelled like though and this smell was similar but not the same.

"Come brother – Carlisle - let us celebrate! Felix is putting on a show for our entertainment – a coven further North has made terrible transgressions against us. They will fight Felix for their right to survive. Three on one, oh I needed something to stave off this terrible boredom!" Aro said desperately, sweeping his hands up to clasp together under his chin.

"Three against Felix? It'll be over in minutes. That's not entertaining – it would have been more exciting to make it six." Caius growled, his eyes gleaming hopefully. Carlisle's eyebrows furrowed and his chest tightened. Barbaric was too tame a word for the scene about to unfold. His heart ached for the coven surely about to die and for Felix whose own life was put at risk for Caius' entertainment.

"Felix wouldn't be able to handle so many, he'd see his demise quickly. He's done nothing wrong that I'm aware of." Carlisle commented in earnest, trying to persuade Aro not to throw Felix's life away so carelessly.

"But of course. Felix is one of our greatest – we wish him no ill. Carlisle is right brother – six is too many for him to handle alone. His service and use would come to an end were such a fight to take place." Aro agreed, sweeping from the room with a grumbling Caius in tow. "Perhaps six against Felix and Demetri..." Caius suggested aggressively before the door swung shut behind them.

Carlisle sighed in defeat. At least Felix would be spared. The Northern coven would not be – they had disobeyed the Volturi and there was no hope for them now. Carlisle was beginning to wonder whether this life was for him. Refined and law enforcing the Volturi may be, but his existence needed a bit more tenderness... more humanity.


Carlisle's mind came completely to the present. It was only a year after that when he'd left Volterra. It was that scent though, the faint scent that wafted off of Caius' coat that reminded him of Bill Weasley's scent. It was not the scent of a Werewolf but he had no idea what exactly it was and it was so similar to Bill Weasley's smell.

So it was that Carlisle found himself here. It was nearly three in the afternoon and the day was more overcast than usual, his study remaining dark and quiet. His eyes flashed across the pages of one of the last texts he had left to read, given to him by Alistair his nomad friend from long ago. The journal depicted the journey of a relatively young English vampire – Henry – turned by Aro himself and inducted to the Volturi Guard in the Middle Ages. Carlisle's back stiffened when he translated a passage nearer the end of the journal:

In fabric plush he came and his blood was so that not even I was want of it. His smell breathed of queer and was unknown to me. His blood called to me not and the scent of my masters or the blood of a rat upon the floor did appeal to me more. With purpose he strode and came before my masters. Never before did I gaze upon Aro's face so lavish with fear. "Godelot," Aro spoke and such was he that Aro's head did slight in bow.
"What need is there that a Wand Carrier disturb our peace?" Caius did declare with anger and fear so reverent to surpass even that of Aro.
"Peace brother," spoke Aro and his face did wipe clean of all fear.

The Wand Carrier spoke of magic and demons and wished it so to look upon the great libraries of the Volturi. "To be sure your book of Dark Arts will be revered, friend but I am loathe to grant you your desires." Aro answered the Wand Carrier whose displeasure did come forth.
"Do not challenge me blood drinker for I came before you only in the presence of the Elder Wand," The Wand Carrier spoke with wrath. His hand raised with a rod grasped tightly and a great light was thrown forth. A moment more and Johannes was taken by flame. The Wand Carrier's arm did slash once more and flame took the nomad to Marcus' right hand.

Closest of our guard fell upon our masters whose forms were shielded now. In silence the more of our guard came known and fear was upon the Wand Carrier's face whose wand-welding arm did fall at our great and many presence. One second more and he was gone amidst a flurry of fabric and the sound of clapping stone.

Carlisle's eyes darted over the passage again and again. His mind buzzed at the recognition: a stranger whose blood could not entice even a young vampire. There was not a shadow of a doubt in Carlisle's mind that this Godelot had something to do with The Weasley's and their friends. Then his eyes stilled on the two words that seemed to jump out of the page: Wand Carrier.

He read through the rest of the journal within seconds and flipped back to that passage. Godelot, the Wand Carrier wasn't mentioned anywhere else. The journal ended on a trivial note and there were no more after it, the owner having disappeared without explanation not long after the incident with Godelot.

Carlisle's eyes remained locked on the words 'Wand Carrier' but his mind reeled. In all the millions of texts Carlisle read there was scant information on Wand Carriers. From what little information there was on them they were believed to be near extinction or extinct all together. Most vampires had no idea of their existence and the only tangible thing that Carlisle could recall was that in all of the libraries of the Volturi there was only mention of Wand Carriers twice and that had been referenced to many hundreds of years ago. Wand Carriers were the stuff of legend; long since dead and gone.

Yet Carlisle couldn't deny the fact that the newest arrivals in Forks fit the description in Henry's journal. Their blood was as he described but how could that be possible? Seven Wand Carriers in one place and there were four more in the Weasley family. Could it be possible that Wand Carriers weren't a dead – or dying – breed?

Carlisle's eyes were still locked on those two words but he was at a loss. There was nothing more he could learn about the Wand Carriers from the Volturi – he had read every book there. He would have to get in contact with some of the other covens but there were none he knew that held much stock in collecting knowledge. A few of the nomads might have texts of use but that would be a long shot. A shot in the dark really. Pointless actually, if he was being honest with himself.

Carlisle began contemplating how he would confront the Weasley's or their friends. How could he possibly broach the subject that he suspected they were Wand Carriers? Worse still there was nothing on that smell on Caius that was so similar to Bill Weasley's. None of his books elaborated on that scent Carlisle had smelt that night and there were no mentions of Werewolves. There were few texts on Children of the Moon and it was not likely that the odd Werewolf-like scent of Bill Weasley's would be in them.

How could Carlisle possibly broach the subject to the Weasley's? Because he most definitely would – his curiosity and thirst for knowledge would eventually get the better of him.

It was then that he heard the soft purr of Edward's Volvo. Carlisle hastily shoved the journal back onto a bookshelf and forced himself to think about his medicine. He didn't need his family jumping to conclusions when he had so little information. With the way Edward and Jasper tended to over-react it was best he spare everyone their calm. He would keep this information to himself for now. His mind completely tuned out earlier thoughts and he focused on the medical journal in front of him as the sound of the TV being turned on wafted up the stairs. There were two more murders in Seattle – immediately Carlisle's attention was riveted. The notion that newborn vampires were in Seattle was becoming more and more likely.


A/N: Wikipedia tells me Godelot had the Elder Wand in the Middle Ages before his son locked him in a basement and nicked it. I apologize if the passage from Henry's journal doesn't fit the period.

I'm so very sorry for how long this has taken me. There are no good enough excuses - I'm just sorry.

Thank you for sticking with it.