Chapter Nine:
"Bad Things"
Luna turned in a circle, they were coming at her from all sides and she was unarmed. She couldn't think of anything to do. The two men advanced on her, wands raised.
"Pretty little thing," one of them snarled.
"If you're into traitorous filth," the other snapped back.
"How can I betray something I don't believe in," Luna countered, trying to keep them talking while she figured out a way to escape.
"Got a mouth on her this one," the first hooded man sneered.
"I got something else for her to do with that," the other man said, almost laughing with lust. Vittoria just stood there, a vindictive smile on her face, contorting her features into something completely alien from the kind girl Luna thought she was. The second man grabbed Luna by the shoulders and she instinctively drove her elbow into his gut, and his grip loosened enough for her to wrestle away, but his companion was right there to grab her from the front.
Suddenly, with barely a sound, there was a dark blur, and, with a faint sound of snapping bone, the first men flew off and hit a tree several yards away, and fell in a still, crumpled heap.
"What the f-…" the other man began to say before the blur returned, and he too was sent flying into a tree.
"What in the Hells?" Vittoria exclaimed. Then the blur hit her, and forced her up against a nearby tree trunk, one hand holding her up by het neck.
"You!" she snarled. Luna looked to see Sanguini, the tall Vampire she had met at the concert, holding Vittoria by the throat.
"Who are you working for?" he asked, there was a distinct animalistic growl in his voice. Vittoria didn't reply, instead she forced her wand up, uttering a curse that sounded like "Puntarus" and with surprising force, drove it into the Vampire's side. He staggered back screaming. Luna quickly looked around, and scrambled on the ground where she had seen her wand fall. She could hear the screams of the Vampire, and Vittoria approaching her from behind as she scrabbled on the dark ground for that small piece of wood. At the last minute she found it and whipped round to see Vittoria almost upon her, hands raised ready to grip her neck.
"Stupify!" Luna shouted, and sent Vittoria flying back. She landed sprawled on the ground, unconscious. Luna stood up, wand still pointed at Vittoria, when she heard the Vampire groan again.
"Oh," Luna said, suddenly very concerned as she ran over to his side. The wound where Vittoria's wand stuck out of him was bleeding profusely, and looked to be smoking as well.
"Get it out," he hissed through gritted teeth, pain etched across his ancient brow, "rosewood."
Luna quickly gripped the wand and tugged. It came out with a sickening noise and in an instant the Vampire was up, but before he could make another move at Vittoria, she vanished with a pop, leaving only the scuffed ground where she had landed.
"Merda!" Sanguini said then turned to Luna, "Are you alright?" he turned to Luna, a strange compassion in his sunken eyes.
"Yes," she replied, "I think so. I've been through much worse."
"I apologise for being so brief before," Sanguini said, in an accent that sounded as if it had been Italian or possibly French, long ago but had since been educated in many tongues around the World, "My name is Sanguini Della Rossa. I am a member of the local Vampire Clan. I'm here to help you."
"Sanguini?" Luna looked at him as he scanned the area like a hawk looking for threats. "We've met."
"Yes," he replied, "I believe we met at your school once. At that ridiculous Christmas party."
"I liked it," Luna replied, conversationally, "but I suppose it was a little strange. Did you enjoy yourself that night?"
"I…" the Vampire started, looking at her, a little confused, "No, actually, I was a little bored if I remember correctly, but I remember you very well. I thought you were quite interesting, for a Human."
"Thank you," Luna replied sweetly, "you're quite interesting for a Vampire."
"Are you alright?" Sanguini laughed, it sounded strangely hollow.
"Oh," Luna said. She shook her head to bring her mind back to the present, "yes, thank you. What about you? How's your side?"
"I'll heal," he replied, still grimacing a bit at the wound in his side, "but her wand was made out of rosewood, it's often fatal to my Kind. If she'd gotten me through the heart I would be dead."
"Like a steak?"
"Yes," he shuddered slightly, "quite. That was the spell she used, the Staking Charm. Vampire Hunter's are taught it when they first begin training, and they all have rosewood wands."
"Do you think she was a Vampire Hunter then?"
"It's possible," he mused, "I know a few Death Eaters were. People obsessed with ridding the world of everything that isn't a pure-blood Wizard."
"So they were really Death Eaters then?" Luna looked back at the spot where she had so nearly met her end and the two, still, black heaps on the ground.
"Not all of Voldemort's followers were killed or captured last year." Sanguini looked at her solemnly, "some of them fled the country, and now they plot to avenge the Dark Lord."
Luna looked at him quizzically. She hadn't thought that there would still be so much support for Voldemort's ideas.
"How did you know where I was?" she asked, "I don't even know where we are?"
"I have been watching you ever since you arrived in Romania. I heard that there was a Death Eater plot to assassinate one of Potter's friends who was visiting the Country, so I made sure to keep track of this plot and do whatever I could to stop them. I found out from various sources that they planned to bring you here. I tried to warn you at the concert, but I knew that if I had persisted, things would have turned bad fast. After you both disapparated, I followed as swiftly as I could."
"Thank you Seignior," Luna said graciously, "I am in your debt, and very grateful, but I'm confused as to why a Vampire would want to help me."
Sanguini smiled, revealing his sharp, pearly fangs, "We have our own interests in this conflict," he said cryptically, "that, and my Kind are, for the most part, enemies of the Death Eaters."
"Really?" Luna tried not to sound shocked. She knew Vampires were not the dark, demonic beasts that many people portrayed them as, but she still found it odd that they would be so actively against Voldemort's regime. "I didn't think Wizarding Wars effected Vampires that much."
"Not usually," he replied seriously, "but as I said before, the Death Eaters were sworn to purge the world of all of what they considered half-bloods, mudbloods or half-breeds. Had they defeated you, we would have been soon to follow, along with centaurs, weres and anything else they'd consider a 'Non-Wizard Part-Human'."
"Well thank you very much Mr. Sanguini," Luna said with a little bow, "you saved my life. I am in your debt."
Sanguini smiled again, which was only slightly unsettling with his fangs, "I distinctly remember you saved my life as well. Rosewood is lethal to my Kind and I would not have survived that had you not helped me."
"Well, I guess that makes us even then," Luna said, looking thoughtful.
"I suppose it does."
"But we can still be friends, even if we don't owe each other anything," Luna looked hopeful.
"Oh," Sanguini was surprised, "of course we can," he smiled, "I don't have many living friends."
"Well, I'm pleased to be one," Luna said, shaking his hand, it was cold and hard.
"We must leave here," Sanguini said, looking off into the darkness, "it is not safe for you, and I cannot protect you if there are more of them trained to fight Vampires, I am still too weak."
"Where to?" Luna asked, looking around frantically for whatever it was that had got Sanguini so ruffled all of a sudden, "where are we, anyway?"
"We're in a forest on the outskirts of Bucharest, you need to get to the docks at Constanta. There is a boat there, waiting ready to take you to Istambul. I know the crew, they are trustworthy and it's highly unlikely that the Death Eaters know of this plan, but still, we must move swiftly."
"Wait," Luna said, stopping dead, "what about the Dragon Sanctuary, and Bill and…"
"There's no time. You can buy more supplies in Istambul."
"I don't care about my supplies!" Luna said, forcefully, "Please, I need to know what's happened to my friends. What if the Death Eaters went there as well? I have to know."
Sanguini glowered at her, for a moment he seemed every bit the undead killer he was considered to be by many Humans.
"Very well," he said finally, "hold on tight then."
"I'm sorry?" Luna said quizzically as Sanguini placed his arm around her waist, then suddenly his other arm was behind her legs and he lifted her up effortlessly, and with just the very slightest breath of wind, they were airborne, and soaring over the treetops at unbelievable speed.
"Wow!" Luna exclaimed as they flew, "can all Vampires do this?"
"Can all Humans dance?" he countered, and Luna nodded, satisfied by his answer.
They landed in a field. The Dragon Sanctuary, Luna knew, was just over the nearest hill, but they couldn't fly any closer, thanks to the magical protection around the Sanctuary. The whole area seemed calm, and Luna thought for a moment that her fears had been unfounded, until a great plume of orange fire burst up from behind the ridge, and suddenly they could hear frantic yelling and the sounds of combat.
"Oh no," Luna said, here eyes widening. She ran at pull pelt up the hillside, but Sanguini was over and into the fray within a heartbeat, thanks to his superhuman Vampire speed.
"Get those fires out!" she heard Charlie yelling.
"Protect de hatchlings!" Dimitri shouted as Luna approached.
"What happened?" she yelled over the sounds of panic.
"Luna?" Charlie gasped, "what happened to you?"
"I'm fine, never mind that. What happened here?"
"I don't know," Charlie replied, shooting water from his wand over a raging fire, "they looked like Death Eaters, in black robes, they attacked shortly after we got back."
A jet of green light shot between them, and they both turned, wands raised and stunned the cloaked man who had fired at them. He spun in the air and fell, unconscious.
"What happened to you, Luna?" Charlie looked at her intensely as he asked, "Where's Vittoria?"
"She's one of them," Luna replied, stunning another Death Eater, as he appeared from behind a burning hut, "she tried to kill me."
"Kill you?" Charlie was shocked, "wait, one of who? Luna who are these people?"
"They are Death Eaters," came the calmly inhuman voice of Sanguini, "Remnants of Voldemort's supporters, now bent on avenging his death."
Luna and Charlie turned to see the tall Vampire standing behind them. Blood was smeared around his mouth, and his black-and-white striped suit was ruined, stained dark red.
"Sanguini?" Charlie said coolly, "why am I not surprised to find a Vampire involved in all this."
"I assure you, Mr. Weasley, I am on your side."
Charlie looked dubious.
"He's telling the truth Charlie," Luna said standing next to Sanguini, "he saved me from Vittoria and two other Death Eaters in the forest. If it weren't for him, I'd surely be dead."
Charlie looked intensely into the Vampire's eyes, "alright," he finally said, "I believe you, and even if I don't we need all the help we can get right now. Get over to the first field and help them defend against those Death Eaters," Sanguini was gone in a flash, "Luna, help me get these fires out."
Luna and Charlie set to work dousing the flames with their wands. The fires raged, and many were magically lit, and needed special spells cast to keep them from re-igniting. Sanguini took out many of the attacking Death Eaters before the others fell back and disapparated away. It was nearly four in the morning by the time the fires were all completely out.
"Is everyone alright?" Charlie called, and was greeted with a series of groans and affirmations of life.
"Everyone's accounted for," a tall, dark-haired man said, "but the Horntail's gone. She headed for the mountains, we'll have to get her back quickly before any Muggles see her."
Charlie swore, but composed himself quickly, "alright, Varanus, get a team together, find as many people as you can who aren't hurt, get that dragon back as soon as you can."
Luna looked around and saw people supporting injured comrades, many were nursing burns, a few had spell-inflicted wounds. Sanguini emerged from behind a pile of rubble supporting Dimitri, who looked badly hurt.
"Is he?" Luna stammered, running over to them.
"He will live," Sanguini said, "he took three of them on at the same time. I haven't seen a man fight so valiantly since the Crusades." He looked up at Luna and his expression changed, "Luna, we have to get you out of here, it's still not safe."
"I agree," Charlie said, putting his hand on her shoulder, "we have to get you out of here to safety."
"I can take care of that," Sanguini said, Charlie did not look convinced, "there is a boat waiting in Constanta, ready to sail to Istanbul on my command. The Death Eaters will not be expecting it."
"And we're just supposed to trust you on all this?"
"I do," Luna said calmly, Charlie and the others looked at her skeptically, "I trust him," she clarified, "we'll go to Constanta."
"Charlie," the dark-haired man, Varanus, came running up, "there aren't enough of us to wrangle a Horntail, not without you."
Charlie was torn, and it was apparent on his face, he still didn't trust Sanguini, even if Luna did, but if he didn't help recapture that dragon, she could cause some major damage. He looked intensely from Varanus, to Sanguini and then to Luna.
"Can you promise me she'll be safe?" he said to Sanguini, still looking at Luna, "swear to me," he turned to stare the Vampire in his cold grey eyes, "swear on the blood of your Progeny, and all your Kind, that she will be safe in your hands."
Sanguini stared back at him, "I swear on the Sacred Blood within me, and all in my line who share it, she will be safe under my charge. The owner of the boat is my own Progeny, and I trust her to the ends of the Earth."
"Alright," he said after a long pause, "it's not my favourite plan, but I guess it's all we've got. Go now, before they have a chance to regroup. Boys," he turned to Varanus and his four assembled dragon wranglers, "we've got a dragon to catch."
Sanguini and Luna flew faster than the fastest racing broom over the Romanian countryside, over the lights of Bucharest, and then more countryside and farmland. Within an hour they could see the lights of Constanta, and the dark, flat surface of the Black Sea. Sanguini flew effortlessly and soundlessly down over the city, and they alighted smoothly on the quayside where a tall, blonde girl was waiting. She was very beautiful, and had long golden hair, a pleasant, soft face and green eyes, her skin, however, was very pale, and her eyes looked sunken and had dark rings around them.
"Athair," she said on their approach.
"Mo pháiste," Sanguini replied, "is é seo a Luna Lovegood. She is the Human they were hunting.
"Hello Miss Lovegood," the Vampire girl said, bowing slightly.
"Please, call me Luna," she replied, bowing as well.
"My name is Louetta," she said.
"Louetta," Sanguini said, "you must take Luna to Istanbul with the greatest haste." He turned to Luna, "I will return to the Dragon Sanctuary to help with what I can." He placed his hand on her shoulder, and bowed his head slightly, "you have friends amongst our Kind, Luna Lovegood. Always remember that. I believe we shall meet again." And with that, he was gone, with barely a wisp of wind to follow him.
"Show-off," Louetta muttered, and turned to face Luna, "Come, we must leave now."
They walked down the gangway onto the deck of a small boat, which looked like a simple personal craft or fishing boat –apart from being painted almost entirely black– and had no windows whatsoever below-decks.
"Prepare to cast off," Louetta said as soon as they were aboard, "we must make for Istanbul with the greatest speed."
"Yes mistress," the Human crewman said, and he set to work untying the ropes that held them to the wharf. Louetta took the wheel, and the dark red, triangular sails were unfurled, and filled with the crisp night air.
"How long will the journey take?" Luna asked, taking a seat at the aft of the boat, next to the wheel.
"It will take several hours to reach Istanbul, I'm afraid," Louetta said, "it's only two hours until dawn when I will have to go below-decks, but the Humans on board will do the sailing by day. We should reach Istanbul shortly after nightfall tomorrow." She looked at Luna and smiled sweetly, "You must be tired," she said, "As soon as we leave the port's waters, I'll show you below decks."
Luna thanked her, and looked up at the stars as they sailed away from Constanta harbour.
Inside, the small boat was lit by oil lanterns, and had quite old furnishings, and dark walls.
"These are the guest sleeping quarters," Louetta said opening a door to a small room with a bunk and a tiny table, "I'm sorry it's so Spartan, there aren't really many alternatives on this boat, unless you'd like to share my coffin with me," she smiled, and her hand brushed Luna's arm.
"Ooh," Luna said, here eyes widening in fascination, "how interesting."
Louetta laughed, "I was joking, love. I think that would be far to much excitement for both of us, and I think you've had more than enough for one day."
"Perhaps you're right," Luna said with a yawn, "it has been quite an eventful night."
"Goodnight, little Human," Louetta said, giving Luna an odd smile before sweeping off silently. Luna fell onto the bed. The mattress was thin, and the pillow hard and lumpy, and although she was very tired, she still found it hard to sleep. The adrenaline was still pumping from earlier, and her head buzzing with thoughts about everything that had happened. She hoped that everyone back at the Sanctuary was all right, and that they managed to capture the escaped dragon. She hoped they had gotten away from the Death Eaters. She worried about the rest of her journey, and whether she would be safe, whether she would be able to see everything she had wanted to. She also worried about her father and her friends back home, she hoped they weren't worrying about her too much.
With her head swimming, she eventually managed to drift off to sleep. A sleep full of vivid dreams of guitar-playing dragons, and Angelic Vampires, and black hooded figures constantly circling, just out of view.