Chapter ten: white

I looked at Cain disapprovingly as he coughed violently, perched on the side of his bed without a shirt. He was hunched over, coughing into a handkerchief that I had handed him. He looked up shakily, sweat on his brow and his eyes heavily lidded, his skin grey and pale. I pressed a wet cloth to his skin and wiped slowly. He exhaled slowly, his eyes closing. He had a fever, a terrible one, the worse one I had come into contact with. Pepper Up Potion proved futile and Mother and Father said they'd take him to St. Mungos only if his ailment grew worse. Father told him to just sweat it out but I didn't think that worked, sure he wasn't getting any worse but he wasn't getting any better. His thorough coughing kept me up at night, made me feel sick to the stomach myself and sometimes even managed to get into my dreams turning them to nightmares. I shivered and Cain noticed.

"Please don't tell me you're sick," he rasped, catching my wrist in his hand. He looked at me, what appeared to be a frown amidst his sunken features.

I shook my head and smiled softly, "I'm fine," I wiped his brow again. "Now please put on a shirt," I held the one that was resting in my lap out to him and he took it half-heartedly. "I know it bothers you but please, you've got to stay warm." His head poked up through the opening and he shook his head to clear his hair from his face. He groaned and held a hand to his head and fell backwards.

There was knocking from downstairs and I glanced behind me towards the door and stood up, placing the wet cloth in the bowl of ice water. "I'll be back." I picked up my robes and headed for the door, turning around and casting a glance at Cain groaning on the bed. I saw the house elf greet the door and allow the person to enter.

Mother and Father were gone, Father had another business meeting somewhere in the country and Mother went to join him. I was left in charge considering Cain is in bed for the best part of the day and I had the elves under my command, well…more so than before. I felt very adult and even proud of myself that I could manage an entire house by myself. I entered the front parlour where the guest was waiting, running a hand along the mantle of the fireplace. I felt the warmth creep up my body from the blazing flames and smiled politely, "good evening," I said and the person pulled down the hood of their cape.

"Evening Imogene," I took a step back and regarded Theo carefully. He placed his velvet, green cape on the back of one of the couches and looked at me carefully. "I heard your brother is still sick," he proceeded with pulling off his gloves.

Things weren't the same between us. We had to force ourselves to talk to each other and other such things. I felt awkward around him simply because I knew he didn't like my relationship with Sirius. "Yes, well we haven't taken him to the Mediwitches yet, but soon." I clicked my fingers and an elf appeared, I motioned to the coats and gloves and she took them away to the coat room.

"I came to see him but also to drop this off, I never saw you at the Blacks' Christmas party," he sneered the name and I huffed, accepting the small box. "You can open it you know," a chuckle resonated from his throat and I opened the box roughly.

He moved closer to me and looked over my shoulders while I simply grasped the object in my hands. I turned it over and studied the intricate green and white designs. The object was oval shaped and was perched on golden framed glass pedals, overall it was very gold and far too pretty a thing to receive as a gift. I turned it over again and looked at the tiny keyhole in the side, I glanced at Theo but he motioned to the box absently staring at the portraits in the parlour.

I rifled through the tiny box until I pulled out a long chain with a key hanging from it. It was a glass key which is odd taken it could break easily and I was going to mention it but he beat me to it, "unbreakable key," he said and he pulled it from my grasp and placed the key into the opening. I watched with bated breath and wide eyes as the top lifted and two people emerged, two transparent, ghostlike figures that waltzed around the room to the music. It was a music box! It was a really pretty music box.

The figurines moved around my head dancing and I giggled, turning my head to look at them. The woman was exceptionally pretty with blonde hair that reminded me very much of Naricssa's who smiled beautifully at her partner, her purple robes fluttered around her. The man on the other hand was handsome and seemed comfortable dancing with the woman, he was dressed in black and his brown hair was done neatly. The music was the best however; it was soft and almost magical. I felt detached from the world as I listened to it, understanding why the dancers danced hypnotically around me. The music stopped and I made a move to wound the key but Theo stopped me and smiled slightly. "Happy belated Christmas."

"Happy belated Christmas and thankyou so much," I felt my cheeks grow warm at his smile and I shook my head slightly. I pulled the chain over my neck and placed the music box back into its box. "I'll uh take you to see Cain," things became easier after that and I felt slightly bad because I had nothing to give in return. Cain's ailment drew most of my attention for the holidays so if ever given the time I had at least five letters to respond to and my homework to finish. "You have a visitor brother," I opened the door and allowed my brother's best friend through the door.

"I hereby proclaim that you look like shit."

"You're in the presence of a lady," my brother coughed but smiled all the while, sitting up on his elbows to see us. I was happy to see that his fever died down just slightly. I left the room unnoticed and placed the music box on my vanity table, deciding that with my brother distracted and in good hands I could do what I wanted to do.

"Geez Girl you took ages to come back I've been trying to get in touch with you for hours," I jumped and glanced at the fire where Sirius' head was poking through the flames, "ah, yea…sorry." She saw a green hand move up to scratch the back of his green head and she moved instinctively to the fireplace, pulling a pillow over and kneeling on it.

"Sirius?" I couldn't think of anything better to say.

"Hey love," he blew a kiss at me and winked and he pulled back slightly but his face was still clear.

"What are you doing?" I grew hot and waved a hand in front of my face too cool myself off. The flames were blazing angrily in the hearth and I shuffled backwards slightly.

"I was wondering whether you wanted to go Diagon Alley for dinner, Mum's allowed me. She thinks it's just darling that I'm being a gentlemanly boyfriend. She went on and on, you know how she is. She's gone through every boyfriend she's had before marrying Dad, the poor bloke, but yea, she's literally chatted my ear off. I need a break and so do you." He looked at her earnestly his eyes wide with excitement and his tongue poking out of the corner of his lip goofily. She giggled and glanced behind her when he heard the coughing again "is your brother still sick?"

"Mmhhhmmm, he's been coughing all night and he's got a terribly fever. You should see him; he looks as bad as the Gryffindor Ghost save for the fact that his head is firmly attached to his neck."

"Why? Have you checked recently?"

"Sirius…"

"Right, sorry. Continue."

"Well…there's not much say…he's just really sick."

Sirius sighed and shook his head at me looking thoroughly disappointed, "is that all? No play-by-play? No recount of his latest up chuck?" I knew he was struggling to keep a straight face and I smirked which caused him to laugh.

"Things you basically don't need to know," I pointed out.

"It interests me what happens on the opposite side of the fireplace, especially when it's my girlfriend's fireplace."

"You have no shame, do you?" I looked at him rather amused, my brown eyes taking in his thoughtful expression.

"Not particularly." He admittedly and he smiled handsomely, "but do you think you can get free of your nurse duties and join me for dinner?"

"I'll see."

Cain let me off to 'enjoy myself' which was followed by a curfew and the usual do's and don'ts that was expected taken I was going to see my boyfriend. So I pulled down two robes which I had received as presents and couldn't decide on which to wear. I decided on a cream robe that merged with purple when the fabric puffed out at my hips, or lack thereof. I pulled a fur lined cape down and skipped to my brother's room when I noticed Sirius' head in the flames. "I'm going now," I chirruped and I threw the cloak around my shoulders.

"Help her fasten the clip," Cain said to Theo, "she's useless when it comes to doing that."

I glared at him and stood still as Theo's deft fingers closed the clasp of the feather shaped clip. "You look nice," he muttered, tongue between his teeth. Cain sent him a look which didn't go unnoticed by me however I had no time to question it.

"Thankyou," and as of now, I know and understood what that look was. Cain knew I was going to be Theo's in the future, he didn't like it but knew he couldn't do a thing to stop it. I suppose at the time Cain valued the fact that Theo was his best friend and that my belonging to him would be far more trusting than if I belonged to another man. As I think about it, I don't like belonging to anyone. I'm not an object…I suppose that's why I liked Sirius because he understood that. He was an heir and an object to his family. I was a girl, a lady that was to be an object of a man. I suppose its cruel how things worked out in the end…

I flooed to the Leaky Cauldron and brushed myself off looking for Sirius in the dusty pub. I felt his arms circle around my waist and I turned to look at his ever smiling face. "What's your curfew?" he asked immediately before kissing my on the cheek and then holding my hand.

"Ten I believe but for good measure we'll make it 9:59."

"AM or PM?"

"Sirius!" he tickled me and I dashed through the snow as best I could. He laughed wholeheartedly but didn't try to catch up to me, I stopped and waited for him to catch up and we made it to Flourish and Blotts. I looked through the window and I noticed him sigh quietly.

"Oh yea, sorry, you don't like books very much."

"It's not so much I don't like books they're interesting I spose' I just associate them with school and classes." I laughed at his ridiculous response and raised an eyebrow, "ok…fine, I don't like books as much as you do but I'm not stopping you from reading am I? It's what you do. I'm not going to stop that. I stopping you from reading would be like you stopping me from going to the Quidditch. If you do plan on doing that in the future please tell me now?" I debated whether I should say yes and see his reaction or if I should simply say no, however I truly wanted to hear what he had to say about me stopping him from going to Quidditch, which I would never do.

I think he noticed me deliberating over which answer to give him because he huffed and grabbed my hand, pulling me along with him. "You were going to say yes weren't you?"

"Yes," I answered truthfully and he rolled his eyes, "because your reaction would have been amusing but you knew I was going to do it so no point really."

He held the door open to a restaurant I often visited with my Mother and bowed slightly, almost mockingly. "You, Child are quite devious."

"I'm a Slytherin," I replied, taking his arm and then following the waiter to a booth.

"Isn't it ambition and pride that defines a Slytherin?"

"I am ambitious."

"But you're not proud?"

"Do I have a reason to be proud? What is pride? I'm always told to be proud that I'm a Pureblood, that I'm 'beautiful, elegant and graceful', are these things to be proud of?" I chewed on my bottom lip and frowned in thought mulling over my own questions. Back then the killings of Muggles and Muggleborns were low, only making the headline news at least once a weak. There was more talk of Grindelwald and other nonsense. Back then, I never suspected Purebloods of committing murder or going so far as to prove their worth in the hierarchy. I knew the past and we were never that kind. I never thought much of it but if you sat down and deliberated, you could make the connections. I suppose as a twelve year old I hadn't truly made that connection yet, I was entirely innocent.

"I sometimes loathe being a Pureblood, I don't think that Halfbloods and Muggleborns have to deal with our society, they have so much more freedom." Sirius murmured over his menu, "as for your beauty, grace and elegance – or lack thereof." He recoiled slightly but I merely smirked from behind my own menu, I kicked him under the table and he winced slightly. "Well, you are really pretty. Remember that episode in the library? Well yea. Anyway, all those traits, you should be proud of it, flaunt it. I like being the centre of attention. I'm proud."

"No…" I muttered as we placed our orders, "you're just an attention seeker." I smiled prettily at him and looked at him through my lashes.

He groaned and ran a hand through his hair desperately. "You look so unbearably cute that it hurts." I patted his arm and shook my head, reclining back and falling into a comfortable conversation about any little thing that interested us.

The night went by easily enough even though it was terribly cold outside. We had one of our mother's friends put a warming charm on us 'dears' as she called us, and went for ice cream. As we walked passed the late night shops, our boots falling through the snow we kept a steady eye on the time, I had less than an hour before I had to get back and it seemed that Sirius was trying to make the most of the night by being incredibly cheesy and romantic. Both flattering and sometimes annoying.

"Hey look a bat!" he pointed to a tree and sure enough there was a large, over grown bat. It was regarding us with its black, little eyes and unconsciously I inched closer to Sirius. He laughed and held me close, "it's just a bat Imogene."

"But it's looking at us."

"Yes…well things with eyes tend to do that sometimes," he replied easily, pulling me closer as we moved away from the bat.

As we walked in a comfortable silence I had the feeling that I was being watched or that we were being followed. I grew nervous and restless, squirming slightly as we paddled down through the snow. My ears perked when I heard Sirius' voice being called, it was soft and spellbinding. It wasn't a normal voice.

'Come here Sirius.'

I looked around for the voice and turned my face to Sirius who was slightly dazed. His lips parted and his breath came out in white wisps, I tugged on his arm but he didn't notice. I tugged harder and yet he continued to look out towards the street.

'Come Sirius, I know you want to…follow my voice, you'll enjoy it.'

It was like a purr, a hum that clouded my mind and I followed Sirius unconsciously, not aware that we were heading into one of the many dead alleys. The voice grew louder and louder and my breathing became faster and faster. My eyes roved around the area. Blackened walls and I noticed the litter buried beneath the snow. I knew something was wrong but I almost had no control.

I shook my head and things cleared but only slightly. I made out a figure in the dark, the moon barely lighting the path but illuminating her face just enough. My heart leapt into my throat when I saw the scene. Two bodies, dead. Another body was being clutched reverently in the arms of Lady Carmilla. I bit back a scream and pulled on Sirius' arm, the haziness was gone when my fear became distinct.

'Oh Sirius…you came."

I hugged him from behind trying to make him stay put but Sirius was far stronger than I was and he merely pushed me off. I began crying and was tugging on him far more feverishly, even going so far as to slap him. "Sirius please," I begged, stepping in front of him and trying to push him but to no avail.

'Mmmmm…you both smell delightful.'

"Lady Carmilla please stop the spell, whatever it is." I pleaded still trying to stop my boyfriend.

The taller woman threw away the body as if it were rubbish and it hit the wall, a crater forming and the bricks collapsing on the dead child. My god…the realisation hit me. It was a child. A defenceless child…how could she? What was she? I grabbed for my wand which I carried everywhere just for the sake of having it with me. It was true what they said. Once we receive wands we never leave without it. It's just embedded into our system. I raised it shakily towards her trying to go over any spell I knew that could save my life. I knew nothing. I know only incantations; I didn't know how to perform them…

"How divine," she murmured, her red eyes turned on me. I stepped back hastily into Sirius who had stopped squirming but was still very much hypnotised. "You smell divine." She appeared before me and I took a step back in shock.

"L-Lady Carmilla?" I gasped, "why are you doing this? What's happened to you?" If my father ever allowed me to read the books on monstrous creatures I would have recognised her as a vampire. Vampires weren't usually talked about; I mean it wasn't something you commonly would talk about. Talking about vampires would no doubt be just as terrible as being caught talking to a Mudblood. I should have recognised the red eyes and the gleaming teeth, the abnormal beauty and the unusual reaction to blood. I should have known…but I didn't.

She sniffed at my neck and I found I couldn't move. I was too scared. "So beautiful…after you…I'll go look for Narcissa. She smells like you but you both have different smells… both make my mouth water." I closed my eyes as she drew a long nail down my neck and I turned away, trembling.

"Are you going to kill me?" I knew the danger I was in even if I still clutched onto the hope that Lady Carmilla, who guided me for months, would come to her senses. I just prayed that if I died, Sirius would be fine. I hoped that I satisfied her hunger. I prayed.

I remember that I was mulling over things in that situation. I remember how ironic it was that Marius knew all along but never told me, if he did I probably would have stayed away but I also knew that my friendship would have ended with him at that moment. Marius was scared I would leave him. I don't think I would have in all honestly but I still knew that I'd do what society asked of me. He knew she would eventually kill me. I didn't feel as betrayed as much because it was my own fault that she found me irresistible. It's my fault that Sirius would die. I began crying anew.

"I don't think I can allow this Carmilla, think of what the Ministry will say when they find out."

She drew away from me sharply, her eyes wide and manic. She moved cat like into the darkness, crouched with her hands tensed like a claw. She hissed slightly and looked at the far end of the alley, her mouth forming a sneer. I noticed the teeth then and I gasped, "You're a vampire." She turned to me and sneered again. I took another step back, forcing myself into Sirius even further.

"Carmilla, if I placate you with blood will you leave? Think of what Marius will say if he finds out you killed his best friend," Lord Voldemort tutted and ran a finger over his wand. "Think of Marius my Dear." Lady Carmilla hissed again and shrank into the form of a bat, her black eyes intent on Lord Voldemort and then turned towards me. She screeched and flew into the night, her graceful movements not affected by the obvious howling wind.

The older man stepped into the light and beckoned. I pulled Sirius with me as I stepped forward. "Your father will not be pleased," he murmured as he ran a white hand over my head.

"My father doesn't have to know!" I said loudly but I clamped a hand over my mouth, shrinking back in embarrassment.

"He would like to know."

"But I don't want him to know, he'll stop me seeing Marius and although I am quite thankful you saved my life Sir, this is one thing I wish to keep from my parents. I doubt they'd care anyway. I am a girl, I don't think they'd be as upset if I died. It'd probably lessen the burden. But please don't tell them. They have to worry about Cain not myself, he's sick see. A fever and coughing, he's not getting better. Please?"

I didn't notice that Sirius had come to because he remained quiet, still pale but was standing silently and stiffly. He was regarding Lord Voldemort disdainfully but hadn't interrupted my rant. Lord Voldemort regarded us slowly and nodded. He smiled, something I didn't ever want to see again because it didn't suit him, he looked just as crazy as Lady Carmilla. "I shall walk you both to the Leaky Cauldron then."

He held us by the elbow softly and we walked with awkward tension down the main streets to the Leaky Cauldron where Voldemort tapped one of the bricks and the wall materialised. I was comforted by the warmth and the ease of the night customers, drinking merrily and even a few drunkards singing happily. They were oblivious of the three murders that occurred that night. I bid Sirius goodbye with a kiss on the cheek, murmuring into his ear that I'd talk to him via the floo later in the night and then bowed my head in thanks to Voldemort. My Savoir.

I arrived home to found Cain and Theo asleep peacefully on the large, white couches of the parlour. I smiled softly feeling a little detached from the world and jealous that their night was uneventful…unlike mine.

The longest chapter I have ever done. My god. That was an eventful chapter. I'm proud of myself. Wish I could write the action scenes a little better though. I believe that was ever slightly crap. I didn't know Voldemort was going to show up…but he did. So yea. Woo. Voldemort. Murderer. Yay. So comment aye.