Winter at Hogwarts
Disclaimer: As before I own neither the Night World nor Harry Potter.
1 OC (Night World based) - Winter Redfern.
Jez sat outside Winter's holding cell, it had been seven agonising days but she was hopeful they were through the worst of it.
Her nerves were shot and the memories of her own return to humanity were plaguing her, unfortunately she knew only too well what her cousin was going through.
The holding cell itself was little more than a transparent, reinforced plastic box. It had been made to hold prisoners of war and could supposedly hold a Dragon, though why anyone would want to was beyond her. After what happened to Raksha, Iliana and Galen, Jez believed they should be exterminated. Suffice it to say, Winter was going nowhere until she was ready, it appeared her vampire strength had waned, but she would always be stronger than a regular human. Right now it wasn't a matter of her body, Jez was convinced Winter was now human, but her mind still needed to catch up.
She was however just a touch worried as she glanced into the holding cell, Winter was laying out flat on her back in what could only be called a catatonic state. Her eyes stared up to the ceiling unseeing and the rise and fall of her chest in breath was barely noticeable. She knew bloodlust unfulfilled could and did send a vampire mad before it killed them, Jez hoped that at twenty six, Winter was still young enough not to burn out. Jez had been seventeen after all. Those first twenty four hours came back to her as she relived the memory.
Winter had stepped out of the lift on the basement level wearing the plainest clothes she owned, Jez had explained that it was likely she'd trash whatever she happened to be wearing. Hence the grey velour tracksuit and flip flop ensemble, she'd even forgone make up, she wasn't there to impress. When she spotted her cousin, apprehension gripped her, but she forced it away and put a smile on her face as she walked over to her.
"It's okay to be nervous you know." Jez told her.
"I'm not nervous… I don't get nervous." She replied crossing her arms and looking Jez in the eye, blue meeting blue grey.
"Whatever," Jez replied unsympathetically, she wasn't here to massage egos, "follow me," she turned on her boot heel, not waiting for Winter and began down a passageway between two sets of cells.
There were twenty in total, each one as basic as the last, a mattress with bedding, a toilet and a basin. That was it.
"I feel like I'm in some futuristic prison." Winter muttered as they stopped outside the final one.
"It's a holding area; you know in case we capture any of Hunters men, they can hold a Dragon apparently." Jez explained.
"So this is my home for the next week." It was a statement.
"Afraid so." She replied as she placed her hand onto the palm scanner on the frame of the door, it bleeped and flashed green as the door slid open. Winter blew out a breath.
"Look, if I don't make it through-"
"You will, I managed it didn't I?" Jez interrupted.
"You were seventeen, I'm decidedly older. If we were turning someone at my age they'd burn out. I know I'm taking a huge risk and I'd appreciate honesty, if something happens and I don't make it out of this. You and Ash need to explain to my soulmate what I was doing, why I was doing it. Thierry knows how to find him." With that Winter had walked into the cell and the door locked shut behind her. Jez pressed the intercom button, she could hear everything Winter said inside of the cell but the button needed to be pressed in order for Winter to hear her.
"If this helps, before we knew we were soulmates and I went through my own change we formed a link. I don't know how I did it; I just know it was when I was going through the worst of it. I was in so much pain and all I could think about was Morgead and then there was no pain and he was with me. It didn't last long but it gave me a sense of peace. I know that Sev… Sev." Her brow furrowed as she tried to remember her cousin's soulmates name.
"Severus." Winter supplied.
"Right, I know Severus is back in England but you are soulmates and soulmate links are strong, you never know…" she trailed off as she looked at Winter and saw the disbelief warring with hope, she just nodded as lay back on the mattress and toed off her flip flops.
Five hours later and Winters screams were echoing through the basement. Jez was sat outside the holding cell, her face ashen as she watched Winter writhing on the mattress. She was drenched in sweat, her hair plastered to her head; she had clawed at her arms and legs. While the bloody furrows were healing it was slow since she hadn't fed, Jez hoped that they didn't scar.
Suddenly the screaming stopped and Jez focused on the woman inside the cell. She was on her hands and knees tear tracks mingling with sweat, her fangs fully extended and she had taken on the preternatural beauty all vampires got when they hunted. Even her eyes were flashing, molten violet orbs burning into her own, she couldn't look away.
Slowly Winter crawled across the floor, looking for all the world like a lioness stalking her prey, Jez was painfully aware of how alone she was down there.
"Jezebel," Winter said in a hoarse voice as she rocked back so she was sitting on her feet, "Jezebel Redfern."
"My name is Jez," she replied through gritted teeth, "What do you want Winter?" She asked, it was a lucid moment, great.
"I'm thirsty," Winter replied, with no emotion in her voice which caused Goosebumps to erupt on Jez's arms, "Let me out so I can hunt." Winter stood up fluidly right in front of the wall; her hands up against it either side of her head. There were dark circles under her eyes and her lips were dry and cracked, she looked both awful and beautiful at the same time.
"You know I can't do that."
"I see," she replied looking directly into her eyes, "you know Jezebel; it occurs to me that these cells haven't been tested. At least, not by someone who is truly desperate to get out."
"You don't scare me Winter, just move back to your mattress. Try and get some sleep."
"I want blood."
"Move back!"
"I want to feed."
"It's just an addiction; you're going cold turkey."
Winter's eyes flashed dangerously and she began dragging her nails down the see-through wall. The resulting screech went straight through her and Jez fought to keep her face impassive. Without another word Winter moved to the cell door and began pounding it, attempting to smash it open. Jez could only look on in horror as Winter reduced her hands to so much meat and all the while she was just staring at her.
The fight seemed to leave her just as quickly as it had gripped her and Winter collapsed to the floor, hunched over her mangled hands that were dripping blood whimpering, already they were beginning to heal. Winter's fangs retracted as the tears flowed down her face and Jez couldn't suppress the chill that went down her spine when Winter said,
"When I get out of here Jezebel, I'm gonna kill you."
That was when Morgead had found her, hands hovering by her mouth, horror and shock written over her face. He'd sensed her distress through their link and had gone down to check on her. She had been experiencing nightmares ever since.
He'd told Thierry in no uncertain terms that they find someone to help her down there or they looked for someone to replace her. Thierry's hands were tied; Winter hadn't wanted anyone knowing what she was doing but a select few. Jez was shocked when Ash had offered; she didn't think he cared about anyone but himself and his soulmate. She hadn't believed it possible for Ash to extend that care to Winter and she had told him so. His reasons were his own he said and the resulting argument had led to a forced apology on her part and a grudging acceptance on his. She had a feeling she wouldn't be on his Christmas card list. If they managed to live that long.
.Jez was brought out of her reverie by her soulmates voice in her head.
'Jez, it's all kicking off up here.'
'What do you mean?'
'There's a wizard, he just appeared on the grounds and began firing off curses and hexes, demanding to know what we're doing to his soulmate.'
Jez glanced over at the still comatose Winter, a deep sense of foreboding coming to the fore.
'Where's Ash?' A mental image flashed up and she saw a man wearing… a dress? What the fuck? she thought to herself, 'Winter sure knows how to pick 'em.'
was waving a stick, red and green flashes flying everywhere, there were people she knew to be werewolves and shifters lying on the ground but the vampires were advancing as witches lay down orange and poppy coloured cover fire. There was Ash walking towards the man, his hands raised palm up in the universal sign of peace.
'Tell Ash to bring him down here, let him see for himself what she's putting herself through for him… and tell Ash to behave himself. Something tells me he won't share Ash's brand of humour.' Jez had little desire in becoming a smear on the floor.