Chapter 10: Harry's Return
Ron and Hermione were sitting near the middle of the table, both merely picking at their food. Ginny sat down across from them throwing a warm smile in their direction.
'So how have your weeks been?' Ginny asked, mainly just for conversation.
Hermione looked up at Ginny and managed a painful smile.
'Oh they've been alright. The classes are so much more difficult this year, having to do non verbal spells…'
'Its been miserable without Harry and that's the truth. Don't try to hide it Hermione.' Ron said moodily.
Ginny frowned at Ron.
'Cheer up Ron, they're bound to find him soon.' Ginny soothed.
Ron shook his head.
'Its been over a month Gin. The only way they'll find him now is if he waltzes through those doors.' Ron said poking at his mash potatoes.
The great hall doors were thrown wide. Ron, Hermione, Ginny and most of Gryffindor house looked up hopefully. Five men glad in faded black, torn robes and cloaks marched into the hall, two of them dragging a limp figure in black between them.
Dumbledore looked up from the staff table and at the limp figure. His heart jumped into his throat.
Please let that not be Harry He thought.
Dumbledore smiled at the approaching men as they neared the staff table.
'To what to we owe the pleasure Cootes?' Dumbledore said, addressing the man in front with grizzly salt and pepper hair.
Cootes returned the smile and pointed at the limp figure behind him. The two younger men dropped the figure roughly on the ground face first.
'Just a simple matter of holding a filthy vampire for us until tomorrow night. You see our holding pens are a little over crowded at this point in time.' Cootes said.
All students gasped at Cootes words and stared fearfully at the limp vampire at Dumbledore's feet. Hermione frowned sadly at the vampire.
'I almost feel sorry for it.' She muttered.
Ron looked at her as if she was crazy.
'You've been hanging with Hagrid for too long. Before we know it you'll be wanting it for a pet.' Ron muttered back.
Dumbledore looked down at the vampire, then at Cootes.
'The creatures crime Cootes?' he said, trying very hard not to sound angry.
'Attacking Hogsmead, although it wasn't alone. Their was another, most likely the master because this one,' Cootes kicked it in the side. 'Is fairly young. I've got other men out looking for it.'
Dumbledore nodded, placing his fingertips together.
'What would the risk to my students be if I allowed the vampire to be in my custody?'
Cootes shrugged.
'I'd say low if you keep it in a secure cell and asleep. They can wake up pretty pissed off.' Cootes said.
'Very well. Severus would you mind escorting these men to the dungeons.' Dumbledore said.
Snape rose from his chair just as the doors flew open once more. A younger man came running into the hall, eyes wide with fright.
'Cootes the masters here and she's not happy.' He said, raising his forearm to show deep slashes of dark red blood running down his arm.
'Put it away. Your scaring the kiddies.' Cootes growled at him.
Dumbledore clapped his hands once and the doors slammed and locked themselves.
'Everyone will stay in the hall and don't panic. Gryffindor's and Ravenclaw's to one side of the hall. Hufflepuff's and Slytherin's to the other side.' Dumbledore said, standing up.
There was a lot of frantic scrambling as the students did as they were bid. The five hunters walked forward standing in the middle of the hall, wands at the ready. Then teachers held onto their own wands, all but Dumbledore and Remus. Being a werewolf he held no love for the hunters.
There were a load of screams, bangs and crashes in the Entrance hall, then complete silence. A figure appeared walking calmly through the solid wood doors. Evangeline had her hood down, her auburn hair tied in a hasty ponytail and gave Dumbledore a fanged smiled.
'I thought I come the traditional way, through the door.' Evangeline said.
Dumbledore had smiled back and nodded.
'Its traditional to open it first, Evangeline.' Dumbledore replied.
A lot of heads had turned in Dumbledore's direction, stunned.
'Surrender fiend and we will offer you an easy death.' Cootes said, gripping his wand and now a short sword.
Evangeline raised and eyebrow amusedly.
'I could offer you the same…but that would be a lie.' She said, swinging her bloody sword in her hand.
The two younger hunters ran at her. Evangeline leapt over the top of them using her speed to the advantage, and managed to knock them both in the back of the head with the hilt of the sword, before landing behind them noiselessly as they fell face first onto the stone. She smiled sweetly at Cootes who snarled at her.
'Get her!' He screeched.
Evangeline started fighting them very lazily and sent a thought to Dumbledore.
Dumbledore when Harry wakes, I'll tell him to hide until his head clears fully. Their darts aren't very nice.
Dumbledore watched Harry closely, willing him to wake soon. He didn't have to wait to long.
Harry felt like he had just been ran over by the train. His head was thumping and felt hazy. He pushed himself shakily off the cold stone floor and placed a hand on his left cheek. Shaking his head slightly to try and clear it, he thought he heard Dumbledore's voice.
Harry! Thank goodness your awake, are you alright? Evangeline's most relieved voice sounded in his aching head.
Yea, just don't talk so loud Harry replied.
Sorry, but find a place to hid quickly before the Hogwarts staff stun you…or something Evangeline said, a little quieter.
Harry shook his head again and looked up…into the face of Dumbledore. If things could get any worse. Thankfully Dumbledore smiled at him making Harry relax a little.
'Nice to see you again Harry.' Dumbledore said quietly.
The teachers on the table lowered there wands and now stared unbelievably at Harry.
'You too Professor. Although I thought I might see you under a different circumstance.' Harry replied, in a croaky voice.
Professor McGonagall clapped a hand to her mouth muffling her shock, and Lupin stared at him sadly.
Harry was groggily trying to get to his feet when one of the Hunters spotted him and rushed over.
'Oh no you don't!' He growled, rushing over toward him.
Lupin had the insane urge to jinx him, he had even raised his wand, but thought better of it and begrudgingly lowered it.
The hunter knocked Harry down again, his already thumping head hitting the floor hard and closed his eyes tight. That pesky hood finally falling from his ghostly pale face. The newest knock to the head seemed to have cleared his grogginess. He opened his eyes with a snap. The hunter was standing over him, wand pointed at his chest. Harry rolled backwards disappearing into a mist and reappeared a split second later standing up right. He ignored many startled gasps of the students and stares of the Gryffindor's.
The hunter laughed and shook his head.
'Well I'll be damned! This is where you disappeared too.' He said.
Harry stared at the wand in the laughing hunters hand. Harry smiled slightly and kicked the man in the stomach, grabbing his wand in the process. The man stumbled backward and gave Harry a look of purest loathing as Harry taunted him with his own wand. Evangeline saw this and laughed, Harry had the full attention of the hall.
The Hunter made a lunge for his wand, but Harry jumped back and pointed it at him instead.
'Stupefy.' He muttered.
The jet of red light hit the man squarely in the chest. Harry didn't hang around to watch him fall backwards. He looked up at the enchanted ceiling and leapt through it disappearing from view.
Evangeline breathed a sigh of relief and ran around the wheezing hunters, closer toward Dumbledore. She clicked her fingers. A loud bang sounded in the hall and the lights went out for a second or two. Some students screamed. When the lights came back Harry was now standing next to Evangeline, the stunned hunters wand snapped in two in his hand while the other hunters were lying unconscious in a heap.
'Will you listen to me from now on?' Evangeline asked.
Harry nodded.
'If you say to jump in the lake, I'll do it I promise.' Harry muttered.
'Well, maybe not that drastically.' Evangeline said, turning toward Dumbledore.
Harry followed, resisting the urge to look at Gryffindor table.
'Now what is this about you two attacking Hogsmead?' Dumbledore asked, smiling.
'We didn't attack Hogsmead, that would have been the Death Eaters.' Harry said, stealing a glance at Lupin who gave him a weak smile.
'I take it that the both of you stopped them though?' Dumbledore asked, still smiling.
'Of course. Would you expect anything less?' Evangeline smiled.
Harry smirked and rolled his eyes.
'Excellent. Now Evangeline would you mind giving this to Dimetria, I was going to send it later tonight.' Dumbledore said, pulling at letter from his inside pocket.
'Yes of course. We'd better go Harry before more of them show up.' Evangeline said, turning around.
Harry nodded, gave a small smile to Lupin and followed close behind Evangeline. On his way out he glanced quickly at the Gryffindor table. Every face was following them out but still he was able to spot Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked shocked and sad but didn't smile at him. Ron on the other hand looked like he'd love nothing more than to throw the silver ware at him.
Once Harry and Evangeline had both disappeared through the solid doors, the Gryffindor's erupted into startled conversation as they took their seats. Ginny was staring fearfully after Harry opened mouth. Ron had started stabbing his food with a lot more force.
'I can't believe it! Harry, my once best friend, a bloody VAMPIRE!' Ron stabbed his carrots so hard, to tips of the fork bent.
Hermione pushed her plate away and looked up at Dumbledore who was in deep conversation with the other professors, then to Lupin who gave her a small smile. She would normally believe everything she read in a book, but now she wasn't so sure.
If Dumbledore trust them; they can't all be that bad surely. And its…Harry Hermione thought, glancing at the doors misty eyed.