Chapter 9- Death before Christmas
"All right," Seras stated, "To celebrate our last lesson before Christmas, we're going to have a fun lesson today."
The class exchanged glances.
"A quiz to see who paid attention, as you can see I've divided the room into tables of four, each shall be used by a team, the team with the most points gets a prize, and no, Hermione is not going to answer every single question. Slytherins, I hope your failing grades as of late encouraged you to aim and improve, and this lesson is certainly going to show it. Miss Parkinson, a dumb blonde joke is probably inappropriate considering that your boyfriend is blond as well."
Pansy Parkinson scowled at her as she sat with Blaise and a couple of other Slytherins.
Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together with Neville.
"All right, all the questions are divided into sections of four, each member can answer one question, so those of you who are not as confident should answer the later questions, as they are tied together somehow." Seras explained.
An hour later it was a tie between Harry and Seamus' tables, the latter of which had Dean, Parvati Patil and Ravenclaw Terry Boot. Seras, noticing the time, announced a draw and shared out two large bags of various sweets. The students streamed out, talking away.
"Did you notice the decorations in her room? Not bad taste eh?" Ron commented, popping a Fizzing Wizzbee into his mouth.
"Yes, I wonder who chose it," Harry murmured, "You should see her furniture, mahogany desk, antique chairs, she is very organised but has flair."
Hermione grinned, "I didn't know you two were such experts in interior design."
"We're just complimenting the colour schemes."
"So how organised is she?" Hermione asked.
"She referred to her old job as Paperwork Mountain, so I'm guessing the habits die hard." Harry answered. "Just Charms and then we're free for Christmas, doing anything Neville?"
Neville looked up, "I'm going back to see my Grandmother, maybe pay a visit to my parents, but apart from that nothing much."
Harry nodded and put a hand on the boy's shoulder, his parents were tortured to insanity by Bellatrix Lestrange, who was at large since her escape nearing two years before.
"It's all right, Professor Victoria told me that no matter how bad things seem, no nightmare lasts forever." Neville explained, "Thinking things that way helps a little."
"She certainly has her way with people, helping the ones who are upset and nervous, humbling the stuck up and stupid." Hermione answered, making them laugh.
"Yeah, makes you almost wish Malfoy was around, I'd love to see her make him eat his words along with a little humble pie." Harry answered.
"But one thing bothers me, how come she doesn't join us at school mealtimes? Even Sir Integra comes down from time to time."
"Maybe here she still has a Paperwork Mountain to get through."
"That can't be it."
"I don't know Hermione, but if you ask me, she's someone we can trust, so let's just leave her be all right?"
"I'm not saying she's a bad person Ron, I'm just saying it's odd."
Seras sat down, "You were hovering the whole time weren't you Master?" she asked, "I thought you'd be asleep, since it's near noon."
"The thought of Greyback is getting me too angry to rest peacefully, the moment I fall asleep I wake up." Alucard answered, stepping out of the wall, "How are the lessons coming?"
"Fine, just finished for Christmas, so I was planning on getting some rest myself," she said, stretching, "I don't suppose humans are the only reason vampires and werewolves aren't exactly best friends."
"They agree that wizards don't use their common sense before applying their laws sometimes, but the main feuds are over rationale." Alucard answered, "For the most part, they keep apart. Personally, I've had no reason to argue with a werewolf, let alone intent to kill it, but the thought of Greyback just heightens my bloodlust to a point where rest is impossible."
Seras nodded, "I read up on my history," she answered calmly, "And why your most famous banquet ended up with blood and entrails everywhere."
He smirked, "Always a good thing to know."
"But that doesn't change the fact that many question your sanity."
"It was revenge, simple as that."
"Call me modern, but revenge to that extreme is pretty insane."
He shrugged, "Quite possibly, but it left an impression."
Seras sighed, "If it helps, try dreaming of killing him, it will give you a chance to think of ways in which to do it if you cross paths."
"Are you encouraging me?" he asked teasingly.
"I don't like the idea either, but you're not the only one who feels tired right now." Seras walked to her office and pulled back the partition, revealing her coffin, "Thank goodness for screens," she muttered, "But where did you get that chair and desk? I was pretty surprised to find it."
"Dare you take a guess?"
"You're kidding."
"I still have a few keys that work."
"Does Sir Integra know that?"
"I haven't asked."
Seras looked at him, "Did she ask about the furniture?"
"I told her I took some money and visited an antique shop, wouldn't be the first time."
"You like antiques?"
"Call me old fashioned."
"Right," Seras answered, adding to herself, "Relatively anyway," she added to herself, before he left the room with his trademark grin, allowing her to rest.
Christmas Eve came, and Alucard materialised in Integra's office, "Integra, would you mind if I stepped out for a stroll?" he asked, "Potter is fast asleep, so are his friends, and I missed out on winter solstice."
Integra looked up, winter solstice, or December 21st, was the shortest day in terms of daylight hours, in other words, the longest night, and Alucard often asked permission for a stroll through the outskirts, although at one point he did wander as far as the nearby county of Surrey.
Integra let out a sigh, "If you'll leave me to sort this paperwork in peace, I for one would like a peaceful Christmas despite over 250 underage wizards and witches running around."
Alucard bowed politely and disappeared into the darkness.
There was a chill in the breeze, but it didn't bother Alucard as he strolled through a barely lit wood. Frost was beginning to form on the blades of grass, giving them a crunch underfoot not unlike the remains of the autumn leaves. The forest was silent, and made the no-life king, in many ways, think of the woods around his old home centuries before.
The silence, however, was quickly broken when he heard a voice.
"The time will come soon, wizard's blood shall spill and their oppressing rules will be their graves! We deserve better than this!"
It was a rasp of a voice, but Alucard heard every word clearly. The content of Sera's report swam into the front of his mind.
Description: Voice described as a rasp-like bark. Grey-haired, matted, whiskers, long, yellow, claw-like nails, pointed teeth. Tall, burly, wears robes, black, tight fit. Smells of sweat, dirt and blood.
Curious he walked silently in the direction of the voice, he raised an eyebrow as he looked on at what sat in the clearing.
Werewolves were sitting in front of a fellow matching the description in Seras's report, who stood on a log. He was the one proclaiming to the rest. The sight of him made Alucard's blood, or whoever's it was before he consumed it, boil.
Greyback grinned and held his hands, "Soon we shall strike out at the wizarding population by claiming what they treasure most! Then no one will stop us getting the life we werewolves deserve!"
There was a cheer, and Alucard felt fed up, his body turned into shadow as he disappeared into the floor.
Fenrir grinned, everything seemed to be going well, it was only a matter of time before every werewolf in the country was working alongside him.
"You seem to forget one thing, a dog will almost always die before the one holding their leash," a voice echoed in the shadows, before he appeared in front of them all, "Voldemort is using you, the moment only his loyal subjects remain, you are back where you started."
"What would you understand vampire?" Fenrir growled, the smell of blood and death strong on this one.
The vampire raised an eyebrow, "I understand that killing children, the epitome of innocence, is a long term cost, if you wiped out the children it would certainly be a crippling blow for wizards, but what of the parents? When they die, who'll feed your hunger for human flesh? That is the thing that the younger generations fail to understand, at the end of the day, they're just chauvinists."
"What would you understand? You smell and dress like you don't suffer at all!" Fenrir spat in answer, "They make us suffer for what we are, and they must pay."
Alucard had enough, "You murder children night after night, blind to the fact that if you keep this up, humans will go extinct! Voldemort will dispose of you when you're job's done. I've done things like that, his allies have, and so will he. He might fear death, but he doesn't fear killing others, and neither do I!" as if out of nowhere he took a long silver pole, drove it through Greyback's body behind his ribcage and slammed it into the ground. "Anyone who follows his example and slaughters without thought shall only share his fate!" he snarled, "Or will anyone step forward now?"
At this, they disappeared in all directions, one, wearing tattered wizard's robes, walked out calmly. Alucard knew that that was Remus Lupin.
Author's rants
Zaneta: Another exploitation of the HBP ending.
Omega: That werewolf deserved to DIE!! (stabs replica of Greyback)
Zaneta: That's enough!
Omega: I'm venting my frustrations on him because you got a Wii in a couple of weeks up there in Liverpool when I've been searching for three months down here in Surrey!
Zaneta: Do you have to go into that?
Omega: (glares) Yes!
Zaneta: Well... Preview time!
Word hits out that Greyback is dead, and the Slytherins are mad, so what do they do? They trap Harry somewhere that students are forbidden!
Zaneta: Oh no!
Omega: (glares) ...
What will Harry find? Find out in Chapter 10: Christmas Hellsing Style!
Zaneta: See you next time!