AN: Back on Summer Hols now, so should get a few more chapters done. Thanks to everyone who is still reading this and has put up with my epic delays. It WILL be finished eventually.


Chapter Ten:

"Look Alive Sunshine."

Luna woke late in the afternoon. She couldn't believe she'd slept for so long, nearly twelve hours. She went up on deck to find three Human crewmembers tending the boat as it sailed on. In the west, the sun was beginning to sink close to the horizon. Ahead, she could just make out the lights of a city.

"Ah, you're awake," a tall man with long dark hair said from his place at the helm, "we were beginning to worry she'd turned you."

"Doesn't that take three days?" Luna replied airily, her much needed rest had returned her to her dreamy, airy self.

"It does indeed," the man said with a laugh. He stepped down onto the main deck, another crewman taking his place at the helm, "I'm Erasmus," he said holding out his hand.

"Luna Lovegood," Luna replied, shaking his hand.

"Yes, I gathered," he said with another smile, "I run this ship during the daytime, when Louetta's sleeping."

"Oh," said Luna, looking fascinated, "does that get a little boring sometimes?"

Erasmus laughed, "A little," he said, "but it's more than just the boat. I work for her and Sanguini, odd jobs and errands usually. Things that can't be done at night."

Luna smiled thoughtfully, "that's an interesting job. I imagine it must be quite strange not to see your employer the whole time you're working for her."

"It would be, but I actually see them both quite a bit, especially Louetta. I'm her familiar you see. That's…"

"Someone who performs tasks or jobs for a Vampire during the day," Luna finished. "In return for protection, or membership in a clan, or even being made into a Vampire themselves sometimes. I thought the Statute for Wizard-Non-Human-Being Relations had banned that."

"You know your Vampire Lore," he commented, looking a little taken aback, "and yes, it is technically banned, at least in Britain. Here in Eastern Europe it's a bit more of a gray area."

"How fascinating," Luna continued, "and I do enjoy Vampire Lore. They have such a long and rich history."

"Well, you'd expect that when you could write an entire history book on just one of them. Louetta's over two hundred years old herself."

"Really," Luna exclaimed. She was riveted. Her ordeal over the past day and night had really taken away from her adventurous spirit, and she was glad to be getting back on track.

As night fell they came in sight of the docks of Istanbul. Erasmus steered the ship using a combination of his own piloting skill and magic, towards what looked like a brick sea-wall, until they were at the correct angle, and Luna saw past the concealment charm that kept the local muggles from discovering the magical dock. It was like a marine Platform 9 ¾, with dockhands running around, waving their wands to tie small boats to their moorings and lift heavy cargo onto the dock.

Luna stood on the rear deck next to Erasmus as he manned the tiller, a look of concentration on his face.

"Excellent," came a voice from behind them, startling Erasmus, Luna simply turned to see Louetta perched on the railing behind them, smiling, her sharp teeth glinting in the moonlight.

"I wish you wouldn't do that," Erasmus said with the air of a man who had experienced this treatment many times before.

"Oh, but it's hard to still find things that are fun at my age," Louetta pouted. Then, quick as a flash and she jumped down and stood next to them.

"Take us in to dock five," she said, pointing to an empty berth, "there's a coach waiting to take us to Hotel Kan."

"Yes, my Lady," Erasmus replied, and steered the boat to the dock.

The coach took them through the streets, the Muggle population blissfully unaware of their presence, and eventually took them to a dark building down a narrow street. Luna could tell this was a magical area. The coach door opened and a house-elf wrapped in a dark crimson silk sheet greeted them. They entered the lobby through the heavy front doors. The first thing Luna noticed was that there were no windows. The whole room was decorated in lush deep reds, purples and black, in beautiful Middle Eastern patterns on the walls and the silk hangings. A pale man greeted them at the concierge desk.

"Merhaba," Louetta said, "I need a suite with two rooms, one light-tight."

The concierge looked at her for a moment, then consulted his ledger before his eyes widened and he looked up again.

"Absolutely," he said excitedly, "right this way Miss Louetta."

"How does he know you?" Luna asked as the concierge led them to the gilded elevator.

"This is the largest magical hotel in Istanbul," Louetta replied, "it caters to all manner of witches, wizards, goblins etc., but it's owned and run by Vampires. Sanguini's good friends with the owner."

Their suite was spectacular. It was decorated in rich colours, in beautiful Middle Eastern style, with silk pillows and wall hangings, and a large balcony overlooking the streets below. The view outside looked like a field of stars along the ground, mirrored by the clear night sky.

"Beautiful isn't it?" Louetta said as she joined Luna on the balcony.

"My goodness," Luna was transfixed by the view, "it's like an ocean of lights." She closed her eyes and inhaled the crisp night air, "Mmm, and the smells. It's so complex, so rich."

"There's a spice market right near by here, that's what you can smell."

Luna breathed it all in. It wasn't just the spices she could smell. She could smell the docks, the smell of the Muggle cars in the streets, the people. It all mixed together into something so wonderful and totally foreign.

"Can we go down to the street?" Luna asked, turning to the pretty Vampire, "I' would love to see the spice market."

"That sounds like fun," Louetta smiled, "but maybe we should freshen up first. I hate that dingy little box I have to sleep in on that boat, always smells like fish."

Half an hour later, they had both showered and freshened up. Louetta had lent Luna a light silk wrap to wear for the night, as she'd left all her clothes back in Romania. Their first stop was a stall selling all manner of local traditional garb.

"That's lovely," Louetta said as Luna picked out a set of flowing blue silk robes and adding it to the small pile of traditional local clothes she was carrying over her arm.

"Yes, it's lucky we found this place," Luna said handing over a few small gemstones, the local magical currency, "I was worried I might have to finish my travels naked. Which would probably be quite a problem later if I go to Tibet."

Louetta nearly collapsed laughing, and Luna soon joined in. They walked on through the night market. The smells of silk dyes, exotic spices and spit-roasting food filled the air.

"Oh," Luna suddenly said, "I'm starving. Let's find somewhere to eat."

Louetta raised an eyebrow, "You can eat, I think if I were to feed in a crowded area like this it might draw some attention."

"Oh," Luna said, suddenly realizing her faux pas, "I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I'm just playing with you." Louetta smiled at her, something that was ever-so-slightly disquieting due to the juxtaposition of the set of sharp predatory fangs set in such a sweet, friendly face, "and I have it on good authority that there's a very nice café just a block away."

Whoever Louetta's authority on the café was, they'd been right, it was a tiny little place, set back from the narrow street with a large awning out the front with little chairs and tables. The two women took a table outside and Luna ordered a kebab that turned out to be the most delicious thing she'd eaten in a long time. She also ordered a coffee that was strong, but very sweet.

"So how are things back in the UK?" Louetta asked, sounding concerned, "I haven't been back since before the War."

Luna looked up into the middle distance, "different," she eventually came out with. "Things are slowly returning to normal, but I don't think things will ever be quite the same again. A good thing too I think, people are realizing that Voldemort's rise to power happened far too easily, and I think they're starting to change their way of thinking about the world, and especially how we look at Muggles. We're still rebuilding, but the fear has died down. Some people are still scared that it could all happen again, and from what's happened to me over the last twenty-four hours its clear there are still people who would want that to happen."

"What about Hogwarts?"

Luna was a little surprised. What did a Vampire care about a wizard school? "Oh, mostly back to normal. Professor McGonagall is a very good headmistress. I think most of the students are feeling much safer there now, especially now that the castle's been almost completely repaired. Why do you ask?"

"Oh," Louetta smiled, "I'm an ex student."

There were very few things that could take Luna by surprise, but this was one of them. "Really?"

"Oh yes. Long before your time, of course, when I was still Human. I was in Hufflepuff."

"When you were still Human?"

"I was sixteen when I was turned."

"What happened?" Luna asked, surprise turning to fascination, "if you don't mind me asking."

"It was just after I'd finished sixth year, I was on a trip to the south of France with my family, a tiny little village called St. Jean de Laur. I met Sanguini in the village centre." Her eyes seemed to glaze over slightly, and she looked up in memory, "things were different then, Vampires didn't have the rights they do now. He was so charming. I was swept up by it all. He took me out to a pasty in the local town. I was so young and innocent back then I just went along with it all."

"And he just…" Luna was leaning across the table now, riveted to Louetta's account.

"Like I said, things were very different back then. My family never saw me again, I haven't even seen Hogwarts castle since I finished my sixth year."

"You're still upset about that." Luna said quietly, looking at Louetta with interest. It wasn't a question; Luna could sense it. As much as she's moved on in her 200-some years since, Louetta seemed wistful about her time at Hogwarts.

"No," Louetta said dismissively waving her hand, but Luna could tell she was lying, "it was so long ago. I can barely remember it. Ancient history. Quite literally actually." Luna stared at the pretty blonde Vampire. She hadn't really noticed up until now, but she really did look about sixteen. She was petite and soft featured, and her pale skin made her look even more fragile. She was so different from everything Luna had heard about Vampires before. Even the things she and her father had printed in the Quibbler hadn't portrayed Vampires as being quite so human.

"I'm still sorry to hear it," Luna said eventually, "I was afraid I wouldn't make it to my seventh year for a while."

"You fought in the Battle of Hogwarts didn't you?"

"Yes," Luna replied quietly, even with her unique talent for seeing the best in every situation, she still had trouble thinking about some of the events of that fateful year. "It was quite horrible. Especially when I was kidnapped and locked in a dungeon. I didn't know who was still alive or who was dead."

"How awful," Louetta replied solemnly, "I fought in wars, I know what it's like. There's no getting out of it unscathed. Even for us." She added, in reference to her and Sanguini and their Kind. Luna wondered what they might have fought against in their long lives. She had no idea how long Sanguini had been around. Though he had referenced the Crusades as if he was there. The two women looked down at the table between them, both thinking of darker times.

"Still," Luna said, looking up, "life continues on, in whichever form it will take. It may not be exactly the same as it always was, but as long as there's hope there will always be life. We're both living proof that there is always hope, even when times are darkest."

Louetta smiled, "Well, sort of living," she added. Gesturing to herself. "Hey, let's go down to the waterfront. It's always nice there when the skies are clear like tonight."

"Have we found her yet?" the cloaked figure asked the similarly attired man who had just approached under the corrugated iron awning out of the rain.

"No sir," he replied, shaking the water from his cloak, "we lost them at the Black Sea, but we believe she's being aided by Vampires."

"Blood-sucking half-breeds," the first man spat, "we cannot let her get any further away from us. We need a tracker, preferably someone with a grudge against Vamps."

"I may have just the man, sir."

"Would I know him?"

"Probably not, sir. Very secretive, but he's good. Second to none some say."

"Does this very secretive tracker have a name?"

The second man shook his head, "Not that I know, every time I spoke with him he used the code-name Black Wolf."

"How original," the first man replied snidely, "I hope you're not wasting my time Molyneux."

"Of course not sir," the second man, Molyneux quivered, the imposing man he was talking to had changed since he had last seen him. Something in him was different, something indefinable, but very unsettling. "Trust me, sir," he continued, "he will find her."


AN: Next chapter, a spiritual journey.