Undead Secrets
Disclaimer: I own nothing!
A/N: So this was up way sooner then expected! Hope you like it. Tons and tons of thank you's to my beta! oh and the awsome flashback with Morgan in this chapter... all the credit goes to him, Steve2! and if your reading this... your my new virtual budday!
I know this story has been kind of slow going so far but trust me, it is going to pick up after this chapter!
And thank you to everybody that reviewed! Your comments gave me the motivation to get this up quiker. So I think thats all for now... hope you like it!!
Chapter 10: A Deal to be Made Part 2
-o0o-
Minerva had a lot to think about as she sat in the backseat of a taxi cab. She was wearing a posh grey pinstriped muggle suit. The reason why was simple: she was posing as a social worker on her way to Saint Katherine's Orphanage. It's just that the material itched so ruddy much.
Harry Potter. To her shame, it took Minerva a little more than five minutes to put a face to the name. It was a fact that made McGonagall feel like a failure. She always prided herself in her teachings and her students, she was fair to all of them, she never played favourites, but for her to just forget one of her students – well, she never felt so ashamed in her life.
What made her feel even worse was the fact that she could remember his parents; remember teaching them like it was yesterday. Their only son, heir to the Potter line, who should have been loved and cared for, was forgotten. And now if it was true, the last of the Potters was being hunted down like some sort of rabid dog.
When she thought back to it now, she could remember that small eleven year. But he didn't seem normal for an eleven year old, he wasn't awed and star struck when he had first stepped foot in the Great Hall like all the others. She remembered that he had looked on with calculating eyes. He was the type of boy that watched everyone. He wouldn't say anything, just watched. After he was sorted in to Gryffindor, and the school year started, the quiet boy was slowly pushed out of everyone's mind and it never posed as a problem until now. How much had they missed? How could they have missed it? It seemed so painfully obvious now. Harry never spoke unless spoken to, he watched people with guarded eyes, generally stayed away from big crowds and never smiled. She recalled seeing him alone more often than with someone. Even when doing homework.
The taxi squealed to a halt in front of what looked like a condemned building. Infernal contraptions, these motor coaches were. It was a wonder they didn't all bang one another the way these men drove. Minerva could tell that the two story building was once a very upscale beautiful home. But it seemed that time had other plans. The grass, what little of it was left, was yellowed and dry, mingled with the dirt and dust. The shrubs on either side of the double door entrance were reduced to twigs and many of the windows were broken and boarded up.
The sun was just starting to set as Minerva stepped out of the car and leaned over to the open front seat window. "You sure you don't want me to wait around, miss?" he asked.
She passed the driver the correct amount of money and a little more for bringing her to this location alive instead of crashing during the haphazard ride. "I'm quite sure, thank you. I shall be quite all right."
He looked at the building, noticed that it looked like it had been condemned decades ago, then around the neighborhood which seemed to not be in any better state. "Your funeral, miss." And without another word he drove away.
She stood up straight, righted her jacket, and letting out a breath she started up the old steps. Something wasn't right. It was too quiet. Shouldn't there be kids running around? At least some sort of noise. But there was nothing.
She knocked on the wooden door and listened to the minor echo that resounded. Was the place shut down?
Just when she was about to turn around she heard the faint sounds of footsteps. She paused and listened as the now distinct footfalls drew ever closer to the door. Minerva stood a little straighter when she heard the clicking of locks on the other side.
The door creaked open, an older lady stood in the doorway. Her hair was rich with streaks of grey, she held a long black walking stick in her left hand but despite her obvious age, her eyes still shined with life.
"I ain't sellin'!"
Minerva was startled by the thick rasp in the older lady's voice. It was the kind of voice that accompanied those who smoked almost all their life. But it was what was said that threw Minerva for a loop.
"Well that's good because I'm not buying."
The woman narrowed her eyes at the professor while she looked her up and down.
"What da ya want?" she finally asked, wheezing between words.
"Well, I was just wondering if I could take a look at one of your files?" Minerva watched as the woman's eyes widened a fraction and went on. "I'm a social worker."
Minerva saw the other woman's eyebrows furrow together as she frowned. She looked at Minerva in confusion before opening the door wider to grant her access.
"I don't know why you would come here darlin'," she stated as she stepped aside. Looking inside, Minerva was positive this place was no longer an orphanage. Most of the furniture was covered with white sheets; the beam of sunlight that peaked through one of the few open windows highlighted the dust floating around the entrance hall.
Minerva looked back at the woman while she shut the door.
"I didn't know this place was shut down," she stated half of it a question the other half a statement.
"Where on Earth have you been darlin'? This place has been closed goin' on four years now."
Minerva blinked. Four years?
"I can see you have questions."
She nodded her head; yes, she had more than a few questions.
"Oh! Where are my manners," the woman chuckled, rubbing her hand up and down her apron to get the accumulated grime off it. She thrust out her hand. "Polly Macbeth."
"Minerva McGonagall," she stated once again as she shook Polly's hand.
"I used to run this place back when it was still running. Been here all me life."
"Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Macbeth"
"Please call me Polly. Would you like a cup of tea?" She led Minerva through the hall and into a kitchen, which looked much cleaner and more used then hall they just came from.
She took a seat at the small table. Polly busied herself making tea.
"You said you were a social worker. Can I ask why you came here?"
"Well," she cleared her throat, "there is this boy going to a boarding school where the educators are concerned about his welfare during the summer months and have asked me to look into it. His files were somewhat… incomplete to put it mildly. They simply indicated that he was left here after his parents died." Minerva had tried to keep it as vague as possible and she really didn't know how to explain it in the first place. She had originally planned to just walk in and ask for the records, but with this place no longer in action she could tell that would be a little harder then first expected.
Polly came over and set the mug of tea down in front of Minerva and took her own seat across from her.
"I can see your dilemma. Most of the children's files got lost in the system when they were all transferred over to Barkley's."
"Barkley's?"
Polly nodded her head and looked at her a little weirdly. "Barkley's Children Foundation. They were the reason this place shut down. Opened up four years back, the government stopped the funding for this place and all the kids got sent over there."
She stored that information away, if all else failed she would go and check out this Barkley's place. She sat thinking it over but realized something that Polly had said earlier.
"You said you've been here all your life?" At Polly's nod she continued. "Maybe you can remember somebody for me?"
Polly smiled like she knew that question was going to be asked.
"I can try, darlin', been here for fifty years and I can remember almost everyone that walked through those front doors, but my memory ain't what it used to be."
Minerva let out a breath, that was better then she could hope for.
"He was dropped off here about sixteen years ago," Polly tilted her head to the side and leaned in closer. "He was about one, just a baby. Does the name Harry James Potter ring any bells?"
-o0o-
Remus Lupin was not having a good day. No matter how many times during the day he tried to tell Sirius about Harry, there was always an interruption. He didn't even know what to do about it. Sure he didn't even know the son of his dead best friend, but he just couldn't believe that something like this was possible. How was it even possible? Mad Eye said that this sort of thing had happened to muggles in the past but it had never happened to a wizard before or one so young. Remus felt his stomach clench at the thought of Harry being attacked by a vampire so young.
If the vampires have been trying to kill him for ten years that meant that all this started when Harry was only six or seven years old. He felt that he could relate on a lower level, he had been cursed when he was just a child and forced to live with it, forced to hide it from everybody. But then again he didn't have the werewolf community after him and he also had his friends during school to help him through the full moons. So really, he realized, he couldn't understand everything going on with Harry. Just bits and pieces.
He would tell the Order at that meeting tonight about Harry, if only for the hope that they would be able to help him out even a little bit.
For now though, he was stuck with none other than Severus Snape on their little quest to pick up the Slayer. Albus really couldn't have stuck him with a worse person for this job.
Yes, he could respect the man; he did help him out with by making the Wolfsbane potion for him. But honestly, would it kill him to loosen up a bit, he glared at everything that moved. Remus backed up on that thought, attacking it from another perspective. If he was a spy, and had to endure the Dark Lord almost every night, not to mention the Dark Lord was getting highly suspicious of him, so he was not privy to inside information like he used to be when Voldemort was first in power, maybe he would probably be high strung too. Okay, that's possible.
But that didn't mean he enjoyed Snape's company any better.
They walked a distance to a muggle park. The slayer had given them specific directions on where to meet her, but the letter said nothing about what she looked like, what she would be wearing so they would be able to find her.
All it said was: 'I'll know who you are when I see you.' Vague and straight to the point.
He glanced around the park, countless kids were running around, screaming and laughing, many were getting ready to leave as the sun was slowly setting and the light of the day was disappearing rapidly. If anything Snape's glare had increased even more. He almost laughed when a kid looked at him and ran in the other direction like there was no tomorrow.
Remus tried to spot what he suspected the slayer would look like.
The last thing he expected was for a small dirty boy to come up to them and hand him a cell phone. He looked at the small sleek silver phone in confusion then looked at the boy.
"What this?"
"Some girl paid me twenty pounds to come over here and give you that." he said pointing at the phone before he gave Snape a scared look and ran off.
Just when Snape was about to say something a loud shrill ringing accosted their ears. Remus looked at the phone with wide eyes. He gave Snape one last glace before he flipped open the phone.
"Hello?" he asked hesitantly.
"Here's what I want you to do," a voice of a girl started. She had an American accent which made Remus frown in confusion. "Tell that man you came with to take off his jacket and throw it in the trash can ten feet away from you."
"Excuse me?" he asked confused.
"Don't ask questions, just do it," commanded the voice.
"Who is this?" he asked, his brain working a mile a minute as he tried to figure out what was going on.
"If you want to meet with me, you have to do as I say."
Remus realized with a start that he was talking with the Slayer. Why on earth was she asking this of them? He glanced around the place, there had to be about ten other people around that were using cell phones.
He sighed and met Snape's questioning gaze.
"You're supposed to go and throw your jacket in that garbage bin over there," he said to his accomplice, pointing ten feet away to a painted orange bin.
"What?" Snape demanded.
"Just do it, Severus," he sighed. He didn't want to lose what seemed like the only chance they had at meeting the Slayer.
Snape glared at him while he ripped off his expensive muggle jacket with more force then necessary. He stormed over to the bin and threw his jacket in and then stormed back over to Remus.
"What now? You want me to hop on one foot?" he sneered.
"It's done," he said into the phone.
There was a pause on the other end and Remus began to wonder if the girl was still on the phone or not.
"Walk past the swing set to the other side. Stand in the sand box."
Remus blinked and blinked again.
"Come on," he looked a Snape and not waiting for him to follow he set off walking briskly past the swing set and stood watching as several kids played around in the sand.
Snape was giving him an annoyed look but Remus ignored him and concentrated on the phone.
"What now?" he asked half exasperated. He honestly didn't know why she was going through all of the trouble. Maybe this girl was just paranoid, but he really didn't see the reasoning behind making them do this.
"Turn around."
Remus jumped startled. He heard the voice in the phone and behind him. Severus had whipped around, his hand resting on his wand. Remus turned around slowly, one hand still holding the phone to his ear, the other reaching for his wand inside his jacket.
He turned around and faced a small girl, her dark brown hair was pulled back but her bangs still framed her face, falling into her eyes, but it didn't look like it bothered her. She wore baggy black cargo pants and a reddish brown leather jacket that hugged her figure. She had several thick silver hoops in her ears and had a few heavy metal rings on every other finger.
Remus looked at her in shock. Her whole demeanour shouted 'don't give a damn' and it was quite frankly not what he was expecting the Slayer to look like. For one thing she didn't look that physically… imposing.
He slowly brought the phone away from his ear and snapped it shut with an audible click. That seemed to break the silence.
"And just what was that all about?" Snape snapped at the girl, clearly not happy about the situation.
"Sorry," she said sounding a little desperate. "I just had to make sure," her eyes were wide and glassy as she looked at them both.
Remus immediately softened up. What on earth had this girl been put through to make her sound so scared and desperate? Right when he was about to put a hand on the girls shoulder and say those famous 'you're safe now' words, she burst out laughing.
Surprised, both Remus and Severus took a step back and looked at her like she was insane. She doubled over, hands resting on her knees as she laughed.
She took a deep and let it out, all the while trying to fight the huge smile on her face.
"I can't believe you fell for that!" she looked them both in the eye as she stood straight and giggled again.
Snape sent her a murderous glare that would have had anybody else running for their life but it didn't affect the girl in the slightest. Remus continued to stare at her. It was all a joke? And a very elaborate prank at that. He soon found himself smiling brightly at her.
"Kelly Morgan," she thrust out her hand for him to shake, ignoring Snape, who now most likely had plans of murder running through his head. "And don't even think about calling me Kelly," she said narrowing her eyes at him.
Remus chuckled at her, a little bewildered by her straight forward attitude. He handed the phone back to her.
"Remus Lupin, and this is Severus Snape," he gestured with his hand when Snape made no move to introduce himself. The man was watching Morgan like a hawk, it was unnerving Remus a tiny bit but she seemed like she could care less.
"Can I ask? Why?" he asked in a perplexed sort of way. Plus, he was honestly curious.
"I was bored," she shrugged her shoulders.
Strangely enough that made perfect sense to the former Marauder.
"So, werewolf huh?"
The question caught him completely off guard that he stumbled back a bit and looking her in shock. It was said in such a casual way that made him all the more surprised at he couldn't help giving her a shocked almost frightened look.
"Slayer," she said slowly pointed a finger to her chest.
Remus cleared his throat, embarrassed by his own behaviour. He knew that, of course she would be able to tell what he was, but when he saw her looking at him with a bright smile and amusement shinning out of her ebony eyes he found himself relaxing slightly. She wasn't acting like she was about to attack him like the dark creature the ministry believed him to be.
"Well then, shall we?" he said desperate for a change of topic. Again Morgan shrugged her shoulders and smirked at Snape, who before Remus had even finished talking took off in the opposite direction. She snickered as they followed after Snape and Remus began to wonder who exactly this girl was. He would admit, he wasn't expecting this girl, this slayer, to be so carefree, so… what was the word?? Light hearted? It was a trait that he wasn't expecting from Kelly Morgan, the slayer, who had more responsibilities, more worries than anyone else, and for one so young, it was baffling.
-o0o-
"Does the name Harry James Potter ring any bells?"
Minerva asked watching closely for a reaction from the older woman. Polly frowned and absentmindedly ran a finger across the top of her cup.
"Ah!" she suddenly exclaimed snapped her fingers. "I remember that boy, he was the biggest troublemaker this place had ever seen," she chuckled.
"Pardon?"
Minerva was surprised by that answer, she was expected this woman not to remember, her guilt increased by that fact, it took this women only a second to remember the boy and she hasn't even seen him in Merlin knows how long.
"That boy did nothing but get in trouble the whole time he was here," she said but added. "Poor dear."
Minerva was once again baffled by this woman.
"Could you explain please?" she cleared her throat and looked at Polly, her concern growing.
"Let me start at the beginning," she said and looked Minerva in the eye while she took a deep drink of her tea. The transfiguration professor found herself gripping her own tea cup like it was her last life line.
"Harry Potter was dropped off here when he was a little over one. Don't get me wrong here, he was the cutest babe that I'd ever seen but it wasn't until after a year that he was first fostered into a home. The couple brought him back not a month later saying something about 'he wasn't normal.' Complete hogwash if you ask me, all children are special and should be cherished not shunned away." Polly stopped here and muttered something about foolish parents while taking a sip from her tea.
"So long story short, he was fostered, oh it had to have been about seven times, and always brought back with some excuse like 'he doesn't talk' or 'he lies', 'he steals' and comments like that. Couples don't go for the troubled kids, they want the good ones, I think Harry only ever got chosen because he looked so sweet and innocent," she chuckled. "He was far from it, broke a couple windows back then, picked fights with the older boys, stole almost anything he could get his little hands on." She chuckled again, "Your regular delinquent."
Minerva nodded her head soaking up all the information she was given.
"He stopped being fostered when he was around seven. Something odd seemed to happen to him then and he became even more closed off to the rest of the children than usual. He ran away when he was nine, haven't seen him since," she sighed.
"Wait, what?" Minerva gasped. "He was never adopted?"
It seemed that her life had become a box full of surprises that just kept revealing themselves in a never ending cycle. All revolving around one boy, that held more secrets then she cared to know. But try as she might, she was enticed. Secrets were kept for a reason, whether the reasoning for keeping them be good or bad and the thing about secrets, they made even the most uninterested of people curious. It was in human nature to want answers, truths, even if it did not pay benefit to those that find them.
"No, not while he was here," Polly blinked at Minerva. "I'm glad to hear he is alright though."
The professor sighed and took a long sip of her tea. Leaning back, she mused how it all fit. Even though Harry apparently disappeared from this place when he was nine, something happened to him several years earlier when this Dayshadow person they were looking for came to be around ten years ago.
"Well, I thank you for sharing that with me, it certainly helps out a lot." She gave a tight lipped smile to the woman, her mind was reeling and she wanted to get back to the Order and share what she had found out. It was already dark outside and she didn't know how long she had spent here.
"Don't thank me, darlin', I couldn't have help all that much," Polly replied as she waved the gratitude aside.
Minerva finished off her tea and thanked the kind woman again before she was escorted out. She walked at a fast pace before she spotted an empty alley she could use.
After ensuring she was free from muggles and curious eyes, she glanced around just to make sure she was truly alone and apparated away with the sound similar to that like the crack of a whip.
-o0o-
Morgan looked around at her surroundings.
The place was dank and smelt faintly of mothballs that by the sheer definition had her snorting in amusement. Oh sure the place looked like it had been cleaned up, or attempted to be cleaned, either way she did not think that the rumoured Order of the Phoenix held its meeting in a very questionable building. That was more on par with what one of the day-walkers would do.
She realized that the Lupin fellow was giving her funny looks, whereas the creepy Snape guy was quite obviously ignoring her. No big loss there. She followed them, at a much slower pace, to what seemed to be a kitchen door. Judging by the fact that hinges worked both ways and with common sense she deduced that only kitchen doors were swinging doors.
Lupin stopped in front of the door, he pulled out his wand and with a muttered incantation, a silvery form of what looked like a werewolf appeared. It circled the man before it turned and charged threw the door leaving faint silvery wisps in its wake.
Morgan tilted her head to the side as she watched the display, it was one of the more beautiful aspects of magic that she would smile fondly at. She understood that these people wanted peace and that magic was never meant for destruction, but really with that kind of fire power, who were they kidding. That was another thing she understood at a much higher level was that there were beings in this world that wanted power and would stop at nothing to get it. There would never be a perfect balance; it would forever be constantly tipping from side to side.
She knew that, she understood that, and she accepted that.
Morgan was brought out of her musings as the door she was currently glaring at creaked open to reveal an older lady. She was plump with kind hazel eyes and wild red hair. She had that permanent glint of worry in her eyes that only mothers held.
"Remus, Severus," she nodded at each. "We've been waiting for you."
She opened the door wider for them to enter and Morgan got a good look inside. It held about twenty people in the room, all different in their own ways.
The one thing that was the same though was that they all were wearing those freaky robes. Now that was something she would never understand: even Ray couldn't understand it.
She noticed at the head of the long table sat one weird looking wizard. Must be Dumbledore. He had stark white hair and blue eyes shadowed by half moon spectacles. What really turned Morgan's frown into that of shock was the old man was wearing bright orange and yellow robes. Who on this earth would wear those bright ass colours? Together?!
"Ah, Remus, Severus, I trust you had no complications?" the old man asked while he stood up.
This was the part where Morgan became all too aware that every single eye in the room was now staring at her curiously.
"Yes of course Albus, everything went smoothly," Lupin replied when Snape just sneered at took one of the vacant seats, Remus' smile increased ten fold and he had to hold back from chuckling.
"Excellent, excellent."
Morgan raised an eyebrow at the eccentric man. She watched as he walked over to where she and the Lupin fellow were standing.
"Albus, I would like for you to meet Kelly Morgan, the slayer." he said.
"Call me Morgan," she said smoothly while she shook the man's hand.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet you. Allow me to introduce my colleagues," he replied, turning slightly so the were both facing the rooms occupants.
"As you already know, I am Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster at Hogwarts. This is Molly Weasley, her husband Arthur Weasley, their children Bill, Charlie, Percy, Fred, George and Ron," he said pointing to each of them.
Morgan's eyebrows shot up to her hairline. She recognized the mother as the one that opened the door and realised that she must be a mother, but six kids? Damn.
She nevertheless nodded at them with an incredulous look on her face but chose not to make a comment on the size of the family.
"Besides Ron are Neville Longbottom and Hermione Granger, seventh year students."
Here Dumbledore paused, probably expecting her to say something about their famous boy-who-lived. She wasn't all that interested actually, she heard about him of course. He held that cool confidence that she looked for and respected in people as did his friends so she tilted her head down a bit but said nothing once again.
"Across her is Kinsley Shackelbolt and Nymphadora Tonks, Aurors at our ministry," he continued.
"Call me Tonks please," the girl with bright pink hair said glaring at Dumbledore, while the big black guy nodded his head at her.
"I understand completely," Morgan smiled at the older girl. She could relate, although the name Nymphadora was a whole lot worse then Kelly. In Morgan's mind she liked to say that the name 'Kelly' kind of ruined the whole big bad slayer image. At least, that was her excuse; the real reason was that the last person to call her Kelly was her mother. She died when Morgan was 6, leaving her alone with a drunk for a father.
Tonks let out a carefree laugh. "At least yours is not half as bad as 'Nymphadora'."
Morgan smiled and looked at the others waiting for an introduction.
"Here we have Sirius Black, no doubt you heard of him also?" he asked her with twinkling eyes. Morgan didn't like those eyes; they made her a little wary, no normal person had eyes that twinkled that much.
She nodded at the man as he smiled at her, Morgan could tell from his eyes that he was put through a lot in his life. Another person she could come to respect.
"And lastly we have Alastor Moody, retired Auror." She once again nodded at the heavily scarred man and realized that he was probably the only man here that had a vague understanding of the vampire underworld.
"Now then," Dumbledore clasped his hands together. "Please have a seat and we will get down to business."
Morgan took the last vacant seat, beside Black and across from Hermione.
Dumbledore took his seat up at the front and looked directly at her. Morgan sighed, time for the third degree. She leaned back in her chair and stuck her feet up on the table, crossing her ankles together. Ignoring the fact that she was being extremely disrespectful Dumbledore continued.
"What can you tell us about this Dayshadow?" he said, surprising everyone with his bluntness. Albus Dumbledore was known for scooting around the issue instead of going straight to the point. It just served as a dire reminder of their situation.
"The Dayshadow?" she asked. She knew they were going to ask her that. She noticed that everyone in the room seemed to lean in closer to her, eager for answers. But she wasn't about to tell them who he was, she owed Ray that much. She kept her features cool and indifferent at the mention of the name.
FLASHBACK
"So, Morgan, you up for this tonight?" Ray asked suggestively. He was such a jerk sometimes. And this was one of those times.
"Shut up already. I've known you for what, two months, and you think you can already harp on me? In your wet dreams, kiddo."
Ray smiled that brief twinge of lips at the barb. It had taken some time to get to know him, but some of his idiosyncrasies were easy to decipher. Insulting him to his face with some subtle humor undertones was a good way to get him to relax. Insulting him to his face with nothing but malice behind the words was a good way to get your ass handed to you by him.
"I know I promised to deliver a group of 10 vamps setting for an initiation drive, but something else came up," he started.
"Can't even get some local vamp kids to come suck your stuck up blood. Jerk," I replied with a subtle smile.
"Oh, I could get them, but when better prey comes along, it would be a shame to let it go, don't you think?"
That caught my interest. "What better prey, ragamuffin?"
"A clan elder slid into town two days ago to supervise a blood hunt."
"What's a blood hunt?" Morgan had asked, genuinely curious. Term-learning was just as important as knowing how to stab a vamp in their cold, black heart.
"Ah, come sit at the feet of your venerable master, young kitten," Ray smart-assed.
"In your wet dream, dipstick. Just tell me so we can get to tonight's festivities."
Ray smirked a little again. Then started, "Well, to tell you about a blood hunt, you need to understand a little more about the different types of blood in the world. Tell me, what do you know about the magical community?"
It was hard to imagine at 16 being schooled about blood genetics from a 15-year-old kid, but said kid really knew his way around a vamp's defenses. And, apparently, he knew his way around the magical world. She was going to have to get more of a brain dump from him on that. After they'd whacked a clan elder. She was to play the screaming victim. Sounded like fun.
END FLASHBACK
Morgan shook her head to clear the memories. She had business in the here and now to attend to first. "The Dayshadow is considered an abomination, a deviation that was never supposed to happen. At least, that's what the vamps say."
"What is he?" Neville asked in a whisper. So they know he's a he then. They were closer to finding out than she thought, but that didn't deter her from not outright telling them that it is Harry Potter. She wasn't going to do that to him.
She brought her legs off the table and her chair snapped back on all four legs.
"He's human," she bit out defensively, an act that didn't go unnoticed. "He was bitten, but never turned and nobody knows how it happened. So now the Vampire community has got some hybrid running around and let me tell you, they will stop at nothing to see him dead.
"The reason why they want him dead is simple. He is a major threat to their existence. His strength, speed, agility… basically his power matches that of theirs. Plus he does not need blood to survive because his heart still beats, and he still has a soul which is a very good thing in my book. Not to mention the fact that he has magical abilities," she replied looking at everyone in the room.
"Are you saying that this Dayshadow can best the all-knowing Slayer?" Snape said mockingly, one delicate eyebrow raised.
"He's been at this longer than I have," she said as if that explained it. Which to her it did. Ray had taught her a lot, she never even knew there was different kinds of vampire's, clans and packs, power and age, until after she met him when she was sixteen.
"Can I ask how old you are dear?" Molly asked looking at her with concern. Morgan almost groaned, she was one of those mother-hen types.
"I'm eighteen," she knew she looked younger because of her small stature but the best thing about it was that everyone tended to underestimate her for her size. "I was called to be the Slayer when I was fifteen." She said it with a tone of finality that stopped Molly from asking anymore questions that were bound to be about her parents, and her life in general. She really wasn't up for that right now.
"I think you got bigger problems at the moment," Morgan said directing her attention back at Dumbledore. "You guys got every dark creature running this way, and I think you know why."
She decided to redirect the conversation away from herself and the identity of the Dayshadow and the best way to avoid those kinds of questions was to bring up a different topic entirely.
"Hogwarts," he said gravely nodding his head. "I assure you, the wards around her are at their best."
"You got all them fancy wards around Hogwarts that will pretty much deny entrance to anyone with the intent to harm any of the schools occupants?" At his nod she added, "It ain't gonna work."
There was a pause as everyone in the room paused and stared at the girl.
"How, my dear, have you come to that conclusion?" Dumbledore asked, his expression was stern and he had more prominent worry lines standing out on his face.
"First of all, I'm not 'dear', far from it and second of all, that's easy, we're talking about vampires, the wards around Hogwarts don't recognize dead people. Voldemort and his crew may not be able to get in but vampires sure can. They haven't bothered to crash through the wards due to the consequences you can dish out, Mr. Dumbledore, but from what I'm gathering from my contacts, that is about to change."
A collective gasp went through the crowd. Nobody had ever realized it and the truth in that statement hit home. Morgan nearly rolled her eyes at the lot of them. That was their problem, when somebody looks too hard for something the answer is usually right in front of them.
"Your magic won't work on vampires, most like. They're immune to most of it."
"But not all of it," Hermione said. Morgan nodded at the girl. She was book smart, one of those people that had all the answers in their head but no experience to go with it.
"The only magic that works on them is if it will kill them similar to the known ways, like cutting off their head, a wooden stake through the heart, silver to the bloodstream, sunlight. Although conjuring sunlight with magic won't work because it's made by magic, kinda like artificial lighting; either way it's fake and won't work. Fire works though. Light 'em up and watch them burn to a crisp."
A harsh cough interrupted her rambling. Morgan blinked, looking highly affronted that she was interrupted, but stopped on that particular train of thought.
"Right, back on track. Your blasting curse – you hit one of them with it and it may knock them down but they'll get up within seconds. What you gotta understand is that it doesn't hurt them since they're already dead. Look at it like this," Morgan cleared her throat thinking of an easy way to explain. "Your power Professor, has kept every dark creature out of Hogwarts, even those immune to it. Your power is not a repellant to them. It is more of a deterrent. It doesn't stop any of them wishing to do get in, only gives them pause to think of the consequences when you or your power catches them. But now word is spreading that somebody is organizing a break in at Hogwarts and they're already on their way here. Not even you will be able to stop a whole horde of 'em."
"Who would have that kind of power over the Vampires?" Albus asked, he knew that not even Voldemort would be able to get Vampires to come at his command and he was fearing the answer to his question.
Morgan smirked. She knew he didn't want to hear the answer to the question but she was all for bursting his bubble.
"Who do think? Vampires may not be able to do magic but I know for a fact there are three, very old, very mean vampires in existence that are able to perform it."
"The H3," Moody grunted. He scratched his cheek. "This complicates things, Albus, those three are just about as untouchable as Voldemort himself is." His eye jumped around and looked at all those who flinched at the name. Then his eye stuck on the exterior door as if seeing something that caught his attention.
"Okay what is the H3? You mentioned it yesterday too," Ron bit in.
"Honestly Ronald, read a book once and a while," Hermione snapped. She had read about the H3, in most of the books it was questioned whether or not they actually existed. There were more rumors than facts about them and nothing was set in stone about their identities. Hermione had already started a list of names or possible aliases she'd gathered from the books but was not comfortable with the results as it indicated they were muggles, wizards, and demons all at the same time. Which simply meant: no one knew who they were.
Neville chose to stay quiet; he had never heard of the H3 either but didn't want other people to know that since it seemed like pretty much everyone in the room knew what it was. Besides, he now knew everything about them that he needed to know: H3 magical vamps tough to kill need anti-vampire lessons from Moody.
There was an audible thunk as Morgan's head hit the table.
"You've got to be kidding me!" she banged her head on the table two more times before she lifted her head up and looked right at Albus. "What kind of secret organization are you running here anyway!?"
She couldn't believe it. The Order of the Phoenix was rumoured to be one step ahead of Voldemort all the time. How the hell did they not know what was going on? Even she knew the gist of the situation and she just got in the country two weeks ago.
"I'm afraid this has all happened too quickly for any of us to grasp a tight hold," Dumbledore explained to the girl that was now staring at him like he was a joke. But to be fair, he knew, his younger members needed more training on gathering intelligence.
"Okay, for those of you that don't know," she took a deep breath and let it out. "The Hellsome Threesome, more widely known as the H3. Three Vampires," she held up three fingers. "Rumoured to have been turned three and half to four centuries ago, nobody knows for sure." Well, Ray probably does. "Two wizards, one witch. The first and only known magical people to ever be turned. Now from what I've heard is; they can perform some magic, they are not particularly powerful, most their magic left along with their souls, but some was left behind in their husks," she held up a hand when she seen some were about to ask questions. "Don't ask me how, I don't know," she said it forcefully to get that point across to the room's occupants. "And because of that and their age, it's no wonder you got vamps coming here from all over the world. These three are powerful, strong, and smart. Not to mention, the clans look to them for guidance these days."
The room was dipped in silence as they let that information to sink in. Morgan looked from person to person.
"Well as much as I'd love to stay and chat," she said sarcastically, rising to her feet.
Just as she stood up, the kitchen door was once again opened and in walked an older lady, stern looking. Basically the type of person Morgan would make a purpose of getting under their skin, if only to see a normally poised, organized person, frazzled. It was always amusing to watch. But she didn't think on it anymore as the woman starting speaking.
"Albus, it's Harry Potter."
There was almost simultaneously an outbreak of questions and exclamations at those words. Morgan had momentarily frozen, now it was definitely time to leave.
She really didn't have the time to stay and try and explain the Vampire underground to these people. Something big was going down and it never paid to sit and talk about what it might be. She had Vampires to kill and evil plans to foil. Besides if they had already figured out who Harry Potter really was, he would be able to explain it better then she would ever be able to.
Nobody voiced any arguments about her leaving. So with a 'you know how to reach me' she turned and left.
It wasn't until after she left that everyone realised that never said that she didn't know who the Dayshadow was. She had effectively avoided the topic.
-o0o-
Harry didn't sleep at all last night. He was anxious and worried and annoyed and everything in between.
He had pretended to be asleep when Neville and Ron had reappeared in the Dorm late last night. He had no doubt in his mind that just come from a meeting with the Order of the Phoenix, and now he didn't know how to act around his friends. It was giving him a headache just think about everything. For once in his life he didn't know what to do, everything was just so much simpler when nobody knew him.
So now he lay in bed, wide awake.
Why today, of all three hundred and sixty five days in the year, did it have to be freakin' bright and sunny outside?
It was late morning and Harry really, really did not want to get out of his bed. He momentarily thought about just staying right were he was and just tell Neville and them that he didn't feel good, but that thought was vanquished as soon as he remembered that he needed to check the messages on his phone. To do that he would need to go down to Hogsmeade, past the wards surrounding Hogwarts.
Alas, to do that, he would have to get out of bed first.
So he was right back where he started. Lying belly up, eyes pinched shut and rubbing his temples.
"Hey Harry! You up yet?"
Oh sweet mother of Merlin!
"Yeah," Harry grunted back at Neville's voice behind the curtains.
"Okay, well, we'll meet you down in the Great Hall then we can head up to Hogsmeade."
He sat up as he heard Neville go down to the common room. He was dreading the moment he had to step outside. Harry got dressed in his usual clothes, it was the weekend so the mandatory school outfit did not have to be worn. He wore a plain black t-shirt and had disillusioned his weapons, otherwise he would be dying from heat with a sweater on. There was no way in the nine levels of Hell he was going outside without a weapon. Just as he slipped on his black sunglasses he felt a shiver go up his spine.
He paused, something was wrong. Well besides the obvious, he had a feeling something bad was going to happen today.
Harry made sure to keep that in mind. He rummaged through his trunk and found the small vial of headache relief potion, it would help for a couple hours at least. So he knocked it back and slipped his cell phone in his pocket. He closed his eyes as he felt the pressure on his head release some.
Time to get this crap over with.
As he made his way done to the Great Hall, he passed several teachers. He tried to pretend he didn't notice their wide eyed stares. If he wasn't on edge before he was certainly on edge now. Not to mention he had another million unanswered questions swarming around his head and ultimately putting him in a very bad mood.
He got down to the entrance hall and noticed Hermione, Ron and Neville standing whispering to each other. They noticed him immediately stopped talking once they noticed him making his way over to him.
"Hey Harry," Neville greeted once he was close enough.
Harry nodded his head in Hello and they were dipped in an awkward silence. His eyes being hidden behind his very dark sunglasses, Harry watched them all closely. Ron was looking anywhere but at him and was dead quiet. This was new, Harry always knew Ron to be the outspoken one, always bickering with Hermione. Hermione on the other hand, was looking at him intently, really intently, kind of like she was looking for something. Neville just seemed like his normal self, his hands were deep in his pockets while he rocked back and forth on his feet.
Harry had a bad feeling about this. Why all of the sudden were they acting strangely around him? No, Harry didn't like this one bit.
"So?" he started and glared at Hermione, who was still staring at him. The effect was lost since his eyes were hidden but it nevertheless stopped her from staring.
"We should get going," Neville said. He walked past and out the open hall doors sending an unreadable look at his two friends.
Harry blinked and followed after them, he was going to have to keep a close watch on all three of them. Deep down he thought he knew why they were suddenly acting differently but he really didn't want to admit it until he had some solid evidence in his hands. This was the last thing he needed right now.
Soon they were all walking the path down to Hogsmeade. Harry was walking beside Neville and Hermione and Ron were a couple paces ahead of them. Hand in hand.
Harry looked at Neville who just shrugged in response but had a wide grin on his face as he did so.
-o0o-
While they got seats at The Three Broomsticks, Harry excused himself with the oh-so-clever excuse that he had to use the bathroom.
When he got into the tiny bathroom in the back of the pub, he shut and locked the door. Quickly he checked under the stalls to find that he was indeed alone.
Leaning against the locked door, Harry pulled out his phone and called his voicemail. The reception was staticky and weak but that was to be expected. He was still surrounded by magic. His mailbox was full, which again was what he also expected.
'Where the hell are ya kid? Listen you got trouble headin your way. I've already talked with Morgan and she's on her way. Call as soon as possible and… just be careful kid.'
Harry narrowed his eyes and worried his lip. He'd never heard Toby so worked up before.
He didn't get the chance to think on it for to long. Soon after another message began to play.
'Ray, we got trouble, big trouble. I'm in England right now. There's word spreading like wild fire. Vampires are coming your way from all over man. Call me as soon as you get this.'
She was out of breath, and in the message it sounded like she was running. What the hell was going on? What had gotten all the vampires so excited that they had to come running this way? It couldn't just be because of Harry. He knew that they wanted to see him dead, but they wouldn't come from all over just to get him, not unless they got something out of it.
'Damn it Ray! I realise that you can't use your phone right now and I don't know whether or not you got my owl but I really need to talk to you. Like now! I just talked with the birds and trust me when I say this. They have their suspicions about you man, that's if they haven't already figured it out. Listen to me, I need to talk with you, so screw staying low and get to a phone. Something is going to happen, I don't know when, I do know the…"
The message had cut off and Harry was left standing with his lips parts taking a deep breath. Bloody Hell! He wanted to rip his hair out.
He snapped his phone shut and was about to call Morgan back when a loud knocking met his ears. Someone was knocking on the door; he could feel the vibrations from the knocking on his back and sighed angrily.
"What?" he snapped at the unknown person on the other side.
"Harry? Are you alright?" it was Neville. He didn't have time for this. He wrenched opened the door and came face to face with the other boy.
"Not now, Neville," he bit out through clenched teeth. Without saying another word he pushed past a wide eyed Neville and made his way for the exit.
"Harry, wha?" was all he heard from Hermione when he stormed past her and Ron. He needed to get to a quiet place to talk with Morgan. He needed to know what the hell was going on and he'd be damned if those three tried to stop him.
Harry kept his mouth shut as he made his to the door. He knew that Neville, Ron and Hermione had gotten up and were rushing to catch up to him. He didn't say anything, just kept his jaw tightly clenched shut. He knew the moment he opened his mouth he was going to yell at the closest person to him, if only to vent. He had to get away from the golden trio, they weren't going to leave him alone and he was prepared to stun them if they didn't.
As soon as he stepped out onto the sidewalk he froze. His back stiffened and his eyes widened.
Ron barely stopped himself from running into Harry.
"Harry! What the?" Neville started but noticed that Harry's demeanour had changed entirely once he stepped outside. Gone was a quiet kid that needed some friends. In its place was something to be afraid of. Very afraid.
Harry paid them no heed. He was panicking on the inside. How was it possible? It was the middle of the flippin' day!
His eyes flickered over the crowd. Sure enough they were here.
A man sitting on a bench reading a newspaper.
A woman peering into the window of the store.
This isn't happening!
Two more walking out of another store.
Another leaning casually against a wall.
Not flippin' possible!
One more walking through the crowd.
There was one over… And another one…
They were everywhere! Unnaturally pale, looking sickly so in the bright sunlight.
Harry was too lost, too utterly confused, to realize what he had said out loud.
"Vampires."
TBC