Warning: Non-Beta, pardon me for the typos or the screwed up grammar because English isn't my mother language.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any franchise in this story!
In the smallest bedroom, Number 4 Privet Drive, Holly was lying on her bed while staring ahead the ceiling with a blank gaze. Lately, she did that a lot.
Ever since Holly had come home for the summer holidays, her relatives had been treating her like a plague that might infect them at any moment, because Holly Potter wasn't a normal girl. As a matter of fact, she was as not normal as it is possible to be.
Holly Potter was a witch — a witch fresh from her first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And if the Dursleys were unhappy to have her back for the holidays, it was nothing to how Holly felt.
She missed Hogwarts so much it was like having a constant stomachache. She missed the castle, with its secret passageways and ghosts, her classes (with surprisingly Potions and Charm as her most favorite class), the mail arriving by owl, eating banquets in the Great Hall, sleeping in her four-poster bed in the tower dormitory, spending her time with her friends, Padma Patil and Su Li, and, especially, and confusingly, a blue-eyed, blond-haired enigmatic boy known as Asmodias Lustburg.
All Holly's spellbooks, her wand, robes, new clothes, cauldron, was settled in her new small wardrobe bewitched with larger space inside in her room. At first, they had been locked in a cupboard under the stairs by her Uncle Vernon Dursley the instant Holly had come home. What was it to the Dursleys if Holly went back to school without any of her homework done? The Dursleys were what witches called Muggles (not a drop of magical blood in their veins), and as far as they were concerned, having a witch in the family was a matter of deepest shame. Uncle Vernon Dursley had even padlocked Holly's owl, Hedwig, inside her cage, to stop her from carrying messages to anyone in the wizarding world, at first.
Holly looked nothing like the rest of the family. Uncle Vernon was large and neckless, with an enormous black moustache; Aunt Petunia was horse-faced and bony; Dudley was blond, pink, and porky. Holly, on the other hand, was small and skinny, with brilliant green eyes and jet black hair that was always untidy. On her forehead was a thin, lightning-shaped scar.
It was this scar that made Holly so particularly unusual, even for a witch. This scar was the only hint of Holly's very mysterious past, of the reason she had been left on the Dursleys' doorstep eleven years before.
At the age of one year old, Holly had somehow survived a curse from the greatest Dark sorcerer of all time, Lord Voldemort, whose name most witches and wizards still feared to speak. Holly's parents had died in Voldemort's attack, but Holly had escaped with her lightning scar, and somehow — nobody understood why — Voldemort's powers had been destroyed the instant he had failed to kill Holly.
So Holly had been brought up by her dead mother's sister and her husband. She had spent ten years with the Dursleys, never understanding why she kept making odd things happen without meaning to, believing the Dursleys' story that she had got her scar in the car crash that had killed her parents.
And then, exactly a year ago, Hogwarts had written to Holly, and the whole story had come out. Holly had taken up her place at which school, where she and her scar were famous . . . but now the school year was over, and she was back with the Dursleys for the summer, back to being treated like a dog that had rolled in something smell, or so she thought at first.
Her summer so far didn't go as she expected it to be, and the reason was the little creature known as house-elf that protected her in the shadow. It was a surprise when she found out about the little creature helped her after she was locked inside her cage by her Uncle Vernon. The little elusive creature had put a ward around her room so any magical phenomenon around her wand wouldn't be traced back to the Improper Use of Magic Office in Ministry of Magic, or so the house-elf spoke. It had unlocked Hedwig's cage and took back all her possessions from the cupboard under the stairs. Furthermore, the house-elf had threatened the Dursleys from giving Holly any chore.
After the threat from the house-elf, reinforced by the demonstration of house-elf magic on them, the Dursleys had given her wide breathe and what she supposed to be the best summer of her life.
She understood whose house-elf Wonky was, for she had borrowed the house-elf service in her first year in Hogwarts to buy something from the Diagon Alley or the Hogsmeade Village. To know it was the Lustburg all along, her unknown emotion for the boy just became worse. She was curious how the boy owned house-elves — yes, elves, not elf — since the only family of wizards and witches could own one.
She didn't understand why she felt unknown yet pleasant feeling knowing the enigmatic boy took care of her. The unknown emotion she felt whenever she thought of the enigmatic boy was likened to butterfly, or snitch, fluttering its wings inside her stomach. It was strange, yet it wasn't bad.
When Holly thought her summer couldn't be any better, her expectation was dashed again when her birthday happened. Holly was very happy when she found the gifts from her best friends, but her mood soured when she didn't find any from Asmodias Lustburg. The sudden change in her mood baffled her, but she couldn't help herself. Everything related to the Lustburg was complicated for Holly Potter, or so the girl made it be. She had been holding her grudge over the lack of gift from Asmodias Lustburg in her birthday, brooding and in bad moods for days. And unbeknownst to her, the aforementioned boy was actually enjoying himself in the war between two vampire factions in faraway Romania.
"You stinky boy! I won't talk to you when I meet you later!" Holly grumbled petulantly in her mind, right before she drifted to the dreamland. It had been a tiring yet pleasant holiday for her. As she fell asleep, she was oblivious to what happened on the lawn of Number 4 Privet Drive.
—»O«—
Wonky, the proud house-elf of her utmost magnificent Master Lusty-Bug Sir, was a house-elf in a mission. She had been given the honourable post as the Girl Who Lived's bodyguard by her utmost magnificent master. She was really happy because of the assignment it got.
The Girl Who Lived, Holly Potter, was the hero for house-elf. The house-elf knew that the bad, meany and evil dark wizard Lord Voldemort was really a bad dark wizard. All house-elves were afraid of that foul wizard. So, when the news of the vile wizard's death spread in European magical community, not only wizards and witches cheered because of the passing dark time. Even the house-elves cheered joyfully.
Furthermore, Wonky had misunderstood her utmost magnificent master's intention. The house-elf mistook her utmost magnificent master's well intention to the Girl Who Lived as his way to protect his future bride. All House-elves in H.E.B.O. had unofficially agreed that someone famous like the Girl Who Lived was the best future mate for their utmost magnificent master.
Holly Potter will become the Queen of the world, standing beside their utmost most magnificent master after the House-Elves Black Ops conquered the world.
And because of that, Wonky was very angry when an unknown house-elf trying to block Holly Potter's owl-mail from her friend and planned something bad to Holly Potter.
Locking the unknown house-elf under her body, Wonky did a beautiful wrestling move. It was only natural for H.E.B.O. members to know several muggle martial arts. And the unknown house-elf had tried something bad to Wonky's future mistress
"Now . . . Give up! You is a bad house-elf who tries to harm Wonky's future mistress!" said Wonky with a demonical snarl on her face. She exerted more force on her lock to give more pain to the unknown house-elf, "Wonky won't let something bad happen to future mistress Holly Pottery ma'am!"
"Noooo! Dobby won't give up!" the formerly unknown house-elf now known as Dobby said hoarsely, "Holly Potter is valiant and bold! She has braved so many dangers already! But Dobby has come to protect Holly Potter, to warn her, even if she does have to shut his ears in the oven door later. . . . Holly Potter must not go back to Hogwarts."
"And why's that?" said Wonky without loosening her grip on Dobby.
"If Holly Potter goes back to Hogwarts, she will be in mortal danger."
"Why?" said Wonky in surprise without letting her lock loose.
"There is a plot. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year," chocked Dobby, suddenly trembling all over. "Dobby has known it for months. Holly Potter must not put herself in peril. She is too important!"
"What terrible things?" said Wonky at once with a grave tone, "Who's plotting them?"
Dobby chocked his voice. He couldn't say that because it would betray the family he served. Knowing that Wonky lost her — already in the limit — patience. With scarily efficient and masterful movement, she twisted Dobby's head, killing the house-elf in the process. After that, Wonky kicked Dobby's body brutally across the lawn. Wonky was pissed.
She just heard bad news for her utmost magnificent master and her future mistress.
"Peepy!" Wonky called one of her subordinate.
Another house-elf appeared in the lawn and gave the military salute to Wonky. It was a female house-elf. "Yes, ma'am! What Wonky ma'am needs from Peepy?"
"Bring that dead son of a bitch to the forensic chamber in the Alpha Base and told Baldy and Pricky to find out who was this bastard's master before the master-servant connection disappeared!" said Wonky as she pointed at the Dobby's corpse under the rosebushes.
"Yes, Ma'am!"
Peepy returned back to the aforementioned Alpha base, taking Dobby's corpse with her. The lawn turned silent once again. Wonky made a pensive face as she stared ahead blankly.
Someone had attempted something very terrible to her utmost magnificent master and her future mistress. She needed to find out who it was ASAP.
Wonky stared at the window of her future mistress' room silently. She contemplated what she should do next. Her utmost magnificent master was busy conquering the vampire in Romania. She couldn't distract her utmost magnificent master in the middle of his glorious conquest.
"Wonky needs to deal with this problem without distracting Master Lusty-Bug sir! Wonky needs to tell what happened to Wonky's dearest mate!"
Wonky nodded her head after she came to conclusions. Then, the house-elf disappeared with a soft 'Crack' sound, returning back to the hideout under the orphanage in the Yorkshire.
It was official that House Malfoy's days were numbered.
—»O«—
There is no absolute law that the weak cannot beat the strong.
With a well-made plan and a placed trap, or maybe traps, the weak can slay even the strong.
It hadn't been documented only once or twice. The story about hero triumphing over the more powerful enemy and against the impossible odds is quite popular after all.
Human is a weak creature. But, they have a fully functional brain that can think rationally and use guile. It can be said that human greatest weapon is their mind.
A week had passed since the Tepes Council has declared an all-out war against the invaders from Cainblood Vampire Faction. Preparation has been made. It is almost finished.
With the help of my cute, hardworking minions, I have completed the one hundred armaments to arm the top fighter of Tepes Council. I only spent 4 hours to create the rune scheme for the enchantment, and the rune engraving process was left to my hardworking minions. 5 days were spent for the weapon production. It was really fast. Even the most arrogant Vampire Ancestors in Tepes Council, mostly the Princes, and Princesses before Mina acknowledged that fact.
It wasn't the first time I feel how blessed I'm to have 50 House-elves swore their allegiance to me. They are truly a god sent.
Bloodedge — the name of the enchanted weapon I created for the Tepes Council. 100 pieces total.
I have created 25 two-handed double-edged swords, 25 Spears, 25 Battle Axes and 25 Rapiers. These weapons have self-repairing and sharpening enchantment by drinking the blood of the user. Furthermore, these weapons are bonded to the owner after the first time the weapons drank their users' blood. With this, the Tepes Council didn't need to fear their enemies will take their weapons to empower themselves.
I had an idea to create this weapon from a Japanese cartoon — anime, if I recall the name correctly — about the war between vampires and mankind in the apocalyptic setting, with the experiment to control the angels who blow the trumpets in the day of judgment thrown in. To be honest, I have forgotten the title of that anime, but I digressed.
The scout whom Tepes Council had sent had returned back to the castle yesterday with very important information about the enemy. It seems the first and legitimate son of Vlad Tepes has joined Cainblood Vampire Faction.
Many vampires were outraged by that fact. In fact, I'm sure that I would piss on the spot when I saw the rage in Vlad Tepes' face at that time. Fortunately, my 'Gamer's Mind' helped me to maintain my calm.
Another precarious news the scout brought back was the fact that Cainblood Vampire Faction was already on the way to encircle the vicinity of the heart of the Tepes Council's territory. Furthermore, they brought five times of the total number of the Tepes Council's fighters.
It could be said that the situation on this side was very dire, if not for the fact that Vlad Tepes was the master of defensive warfare. In the history recorded and preserved until today, Vlad Tepes had shown how he successfully defended his homeland from many invasions, with the invasion of Ottoman Empire as the worst case.
The Vampires Ancestors and the dependents had their faith in their lord. Their loyalty to Vlad was something worth my envy.
To be honest, I have known about this information sooner than the council. I've tasked one of my cute, sneaky minions with spying ability like none other to keep a tab on Cainblood Vampire Faction's movement.
I needn't worry about the massive scale invasion because if everything went south, I could call my house-elves to take me away from this place. However, my aim was to crush one of the six strongest vampire factions in this world.
From my nightly visit to Tepes castle, my knowledge about the world of vampires became more profound. I know there are other five vampire factions equal to Tepes Council. The Cainblood Vampire Faction is obviously one of them. The other four are Coventry of Mircalla, or also known as Carmilla, in Austria, Bathory's Sabbatical Party in Slovakia, Bloodfeast Organization in Asia and American-African Vampire Union somewhere in the America continent.
"Mister Dias, may I come in?"
The soft, melodious yet clear voice from outside dragged my mind back to the earth. I turned my sight to the heavy wooden door and then raised my body from my sitting position on a plush leather sofa. I got to the door, crossing the spacious guest room where I was staying whenever I visited Tepes Council's castle, and then opened the door.
Speaking of the guest room I used in the meantime, it was a big and lavish room with polished marble floor and stone walls and ceiling. An extravagant chandelier was hung above my head. The bed was a king-sized four-posters type with a desk next to it. A massive wardrobe was standing near the wall across the bed, a tall mirror standing next to it. There was a table for the tea party and four chairs around it; they were made of expensive Blackwood.
After I opened the door, I saw an exquisite young girl, who looks like in her fourteen with pale blond hair tied into two side tails and a face that won't be a mistake to be called as doll-like, standing outside of my room.
"Princess Mina, do you need something?" I questioned politely. I immediately realized how ungentlemanly my conduct was as I leave one of Tepes' Princesses standing in the corridor like that. I immediately invited her to step into my room, "My goodness! Where's my manner? Please come in, Princess Mina. Please come in!"
The corners of her cherry blossom coloured lips curled up slightly, almost unnoticeably, as I invited her inside. She did a quick graceful bow, her hands which were gripping her frilly black long skirt rising slightly as she does a proper courtesy before she followed me closely inside.
Speaking of Mina Tepes, our relationship could be said to be amicable. I didn't know if it's because I've helped her and her adoptive father in their dire moment, or because she hasn't been long since she's turned into a vampire, that she didn't show the unreasonable arrogance most vampires possessed.
In the seven nights I visited this castle, the youngest Tepes Council's Vampire Ancestors would accompany me. We have had some small conversation to know each other, but of course, I didn't harbour any wish for her interest to me growing interested in passing time. I could confidently say that we are more of a friend than an acquaintance as of now.
After Mina settled in one chair around the tea table in the guest room, I called one of my house-elves, "Kinky!"
"What does Master Lusty-Bug sir need Kinky for?" the female house-elf inquired excitedly after it appeared beside my chair with a silent popping sound. Its big, round, bulbous eyes are sparkling gleefully, expressing her emotion.
Like other house-elves swore to be my servants, this one also wears military camouflage uniform, customized to fit its small size.
"Can you take one of the special types of blood from the stasis cellars in our hideout? And please, prepare the proper wine glass too," I ordered Kinky calmly.
"Sir, yes sir!" Kinky saluted and then flicked its finger. A bottle of blood red liquid in it and beautifully made wineglass appeared on the table.
"Mister Dias, you needn't waste your effort to entertain me. You have been doing enough so far. We have become close now, and I don't think it's proper for someone with a close relationship with us to act too formal and reserved toward each other, no?"
"Well, usually I would agree with your sound argument, but let this stubborn and foolish young wizard to entertain you, princess," I replied her words politely while pouring the blood into the wine glass.
I just got this stuff this afternoon after I dispatched some of my combat inclined house-elves to abduct some of the Imperiused Death Eaters and drain their blood dry. I'm sure it will cause a ruckus tomorrow, but I have confidence that it's impossible for Department of Magical Law and Enforcement — D.M.L.E. — to crack the case of some mid-ranked and low-ranked Death Eaters' disappearance.
"Try it. I'm sure you will like it," I said as I offered the wineglass, filled with a wizard's blood to brim, toward the youngest Vampire Ancestor.
Mina nodded her head faintly and then accepted the wineglass. She took a little sip. Then, her blood red eyes opened wide in surprise. "Oh my, this . . ." she started unsurely, "I never savoured such a delicious body fluid like this. Whose body fluid is this?"
"A wizard's blood, princess. It's supposedly well known in vampire community that wizard's blood tasted better in vampire's taste buds because their blood contains magic," I explained, shrugging my shoulder easily.
"This is my first time . . ." Mina murmured softly, oh so alluringly, as she relished in the delicious wizard's blood.
I held back my urge to let out a tired sigh from her easily misunderstood speech. I shook my head and then inquired her reason behind her sudden visit, "So, what's your business with me, princess?"
Mina focused her sight on me before she said: "Am I a bother to you, Mister Dias? Do you still see me as a stranger after the nights we spent together?"
Inwardly, I smiled helplessly at her. I could sense her despondency veiled behind her soft tone. And the way she worded her speech was very dangerous if people who didn't know Mina heard that.
"Actually, I wasn't busy. You can visit me whenever you want."
"Then, please treat me well tonight too, Mister Dias," she said with a faint, beautiful smile on her pale, doll-like face.
Although she meant nothing, she worded it suggestively, again.
I have found out that Mina was actually a real-live airhead vampire. I never believed myself that I would meet the archetype seductive airhead who's supposedly only existed in anime.
As I have found out, Mina had a penchant to speak out something very suggestive without meaning it. If I was a normal person without support from my almighty Gamer's Mind, I was sure that I had become a blubbering mess every time we talked. Furthermore, her words could easily create misunderstanding.
Thankfully, the lord of the castle knew about it and he found it amusing. If Vlad Tepes was oblivious to Mina's tendency and heard these easily misunderstood words, I was sure that he would try his hardest to impale me like his namesake.
If that ever happens, I was very sure that I would die. The straight bout against the legendary vampire with level and statistics above me is basically tantamount to committing a suicide. I had a confidence that I can take him down if I have a surprise factor, or well-prepared plan beforehand. But, being attacked suddenly would catch me off guard and I wouldn't be different from a helpless lamb.
The reason I could erase Marius Cainblood a week ago was that I'd taken him off kilter. It needs to be noted that the perished vampire still evaded my attack in an almost nonexistent time span. It was because of the mana blade coating on and extending a few feet from my staff that his neck was severed. If I was underprepared at that time, my only chance to kill him would disappear and it would end with me in a deadly situation that could kill me easily.
Just like in the troll event last year, I've shown how correct circumstances could make the weak win against the strong. The troll was a stronger physically than me and its skin was quite resistant to charms or curses. The reason why I won was that I'd used my mind and a luck that the troll brought its strong and very durable club.
It made me realize why witchcraft and wizardry had become the stereotype and widespread magic. They were easy to cast, very convenient and less troublesome than the older type of magic. It only needed wand movements and unintelligible incantation to create an absurd phenomenon.
"So, will you entertain me tonight yet again, Mister Dias?"
Mina's voice returned my mind to the present. Please don't misunderstand her suggestive speech!
The next moment, my 'Danger Detection' skill screamed at me a second earlier before the red coloured rapier's thin blade stabbed the empty space where my head a moment ago. I stared at her and found a small pout on her lips as she missed her mark again.
I playfully smiled at her and said: "You need to do better than that, Princess."
"It's weird. Every time I tried to attack you when your guard is down, you could dodge it, as if something is telling you beforehand. Please tell me Mister Dias, do you have precognition ability?" said Mina.
I shrugged my shoulder calmly and took my iron staff which covered with runes — for training only! — and pointed the blunt tip to the youngest Vampire Ancestor before me.
"The rules are like usual. No destroying the furniture, no dismemberment, only a stab," I said as I moved away to the wide space in the middle of the room.
Mina followed silently.
We stood silently three meters away from the other in a Mexican standoff.
Then, we dashed to each other with intent to win.
Oh, I forgot to mention it. But, each night since I have become a guest in the castle, we would have a nightly spar in my guest room. And so far, I have shown her how skill full I used my long hard staff to push her down . . . Now, that I think about it. It could be misunderstood too.
Author's Humble Note:
Well, guys, the favorite finally reached 600 while the follower almost reached 800. You all have my thanks. For a newbie's story, this number is STAGGERING! For some questions you wrote in the reviews, such as the Time Turner, you will find out about it in the future chapter. Actually, it's not hard to understand, you see, just read the content between the lines and there's nothing here, wait until it appears in the future chapter.
For the whole vampire lore or whatnot, it is original I spin from the well-known story, myth, or legend to extend this universe. Nuff said!
I have quiz for you! Can you guess the anime that inspired me for the weapon given to Tepes by Dias?
See you again in the next issue :D