Song: 'I can't stop my love for you' by Rina Aiuchi

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Ch. 20: The Master

"Where is he?" asked Ginny at noon, bewildered. "That vampire is such a prat!"

"He must be patrolling..." said Cassius expressionlessly.

"Well, I cannot wait for his patrolling sessions forever! I'm stuck here! Okay, so he has cleared some things for me, but I still need to know how I can save Harry! So he said he would think about it, but is patrolling thinking about it?"

"I don't know, Ginny. Aren't you being a bit err... selfish?" Miosotis asked while eating a loaf of bread.

Ginny started to cry at the question and unceremoniously dropped herself onto the floor, kneeling, not caring that it hurt to fall on her knees so abruptly. She sobbed and Theseus quickly came to her and started to rub her back, crying too, almost as if he were channeling the devastating feelings that had her emotions all over the place. "Yes, I know I'm being selfish, but time is precious and I want to find answers fast. I'm scared of finding out how I could have prevented Harry's demise too late after it happens."

"Well, you are not supposed to lose hope..." Cassius said absentmindedly. He wasn't really good when it came to sympathise with someone, but he did try his best in being frank.

"You're a centaur, Cassius! Do you know about predictions by watching the stars? Have you seen anything?" Ginny was almost pleading, her eyes fixed on Cassius.

"I'm just a foal so I'm no good with predictions yet. We can always go back to that strange school and ask Firenze, if you want."

Ginny buried her face in her hands. She was becoming truly desperate, but over all, she wanted to see Harry again. Miosotis was soon by Ginny's side too and hugged her. "I'm sure things will be all right in the end." But Ginny didn't feel that things would be all right. Harry's heart was weakening already. Yapheth had stated so.

XxXxX

Severus Snape had been walking for a while when a certain tattoo on his left arm started to burn. The man swore aloud and then yelled at no one: "Of all times!" He felt miserable, as he didn't know what to do. He lowered his head, long mane of loose black hair falling forward covering his face, grabbing his burning arm with his right hand. He felt horrible for what he was about to do. His fear of the Dark Lord had won over his care for the teens that so desperately needed to be found in that place. The Slytherin side told him to leave them. Perhaps luck would be with those brats and when he came back, they would still be alive somehow. Feeling like a coward for what he was about to do, Snape was about to Dissaparate when something hit him. Fear like he had never experienced in his whole life caused a chill throughout his whole body. It possessed him and caused him to even start gasping for breath. He grabbed his head with both hands trying to calm himself, as the feeling was so overwhelming, when he realized that the horrible emotion wasn't his to begin with. It was someone else's and a name was suddenly whispered: "Granger..." Severus made a decision that he knew he might regret later on. Ignoring the burning mark that was set ablaze in his left arm he ran through the corridor. Why he could feel the girl's fear along with the Dark Lord's summoning would be the last of his worries. Hermione Granger needed help.

XxXxX

Harry Potter had only walked a few minutes after fighting the Boggart when he fell on his knees panting. He embraced himself as a sensation of crude and grotesque fear took over his whole body. It was the worst kind of fear he had ever experienced and it was even worse than his fear of Dementors, which was ironic, as he had just fought one that had turned out to be a Boggart. Feeling goose bumps all over, Harry started to realise something and his eyes went wide. Why in Merlin's name was he feeling Hermione's fear? He stood and straightened himself before starting to run. He had to find the girl. He wasn't going to fail anymore and no one else was going to die because of him.

XxXxX

"What the devil is wrong with you? Get a grip!" cried the boy as he shook Ron, who had suddenly fallen to the ground convulsing. "What's with you, human? Respond or I'll bite you! I swear I will!"

Ron stopped shaking and had tears in his eyes. "Hermione is in trouble. I felt her... I felt her fear. Why can I feel her? I have never felt anyone like this before! Not even my brothers or my sister! I have to find her!"

Reginald looked at Ron curiously, "Is it over now?"

Ron noticed that the sudden emotional attack was gone. It had completely vanished. "Yes... It is gone..."

"Good! You'll be all right then! You know, when you feel someone it's because you are bound to that person. You knew that, right? You have to be very stupid to be bound to someone and not know it..."

Ron couldn't believe a seven year old was calling him stupid. It had to be a nightmare. "Hey! I am not bound to anyone!"

"If you say so..." said the boy rolling his eyes.

Ron was starting to think that the little brat had to definitely be Renard's son. The boy was quite annoying. "So... You are a purebred vampire?"

Reginald frowned. "I'm a halfbreed. My mother was not purebred. She... She is dead, but I do not know how she died. I guess she wasn't strong enough because she wasn't like father. She didn't last long as a vampire."

Ron started to wonder something and then asked, "If you are a halfbreed, then what do you call the son of a vampire and a human?"

Reginald raised an eyebrow. "Do you know anything at all? That would obviously be a hybrid, you idiot."

Ron was starting to really hate that kid, but he stood and started to walk, ignoring the little freak that was following him.

"Hey! Where are you going? Are you going to leave me here? Wait for me!" Reginald followed the redhead like a chick after the mother hen.

XxXxX

Severus Snape was running as fast as he could when he stopped abruptly. His eyes went wide and with wand in hand, he got ready for a sudden possible attack as he watched the creature that stared at him. Severus couldn't understand how such a creature had gotten there. He knew very well what the creature was, but those creatures were supposed to roam in Asian countries and certainly not Ireland. The creature had a man's head with horns and grayish eyes. The body was that of a lion's with red fur. The tail was that of a scorpion's.

The Manticore was studying the obvious wizard wearing warm Muggle clothes in front of it. The man had stayed very still, with a wand in hand, but the Manticore knew that just one wizard couldn't possibly hope to kill it. It prepared itself to attack and devour the flesh that was in front of it. It had been some time since it had a proper meal. It prepared to shoot venomous hairs from its body to paralyze its prey.

Severus knew very well what the creature wanted with him and he definitely wouldn't allow it. An Avada Kedavra wouldn't kill a Manticore. Even if it was his first encounter with such a creature Severus knew enough about them, at least enough to know that he had to find a way to flee. With great concentration and care, he non-verbally summoned something from the backpack that was behind him. When Ronald Weasley had given him the item, he never thought he would actually use it. It was some smoke producing device and as the creature started to shoot hairs, with great ability, Severus dodged the spine like hairs and threw the item. Lots of smoke covered the area blinding the creature and with the distraction, the wizard escaped the scene.

XxXxX

"Hey! Are you going to take me to my father? Answer me, human!" A strong arm stopped the child, making the boy look ahead in curiosity.

In front of Ron and Reginald was an Acromantula. Ron was frozen with fear, but knew that he had to do something. There was no Harry to help him, no Severus to save him, and no Hermione to get rid of the giant tarantula with some wicked unknown spell that she learned from a book. Like he had done in 3rd year against the Boggart that took the form of a giant spider, he had to do something.

The Acromantula spoke to them. Ron had almost forgotten that those creatures had the ability to speak, but then he remembered Aragog. "A human for dinner and a tiny vampire for dessert. I am going to have such a feast today..."

Ron wondered if he could speak to Reginald through the mind. Vampires seemed to be creatures that were experts in everything that had to do with thoughts. In an intent that could turn up futile he concentrated with all his might and tried to send a thought to the boy: 'Reginald, I am going to use something that will send this place to total darkness. Is there some way you can get lightweight and get into my arms? Do you have any magic in you?'

In precious seconds, Ron suddenly had a light blue ball in his right arm, but didn't even had time to verify how that had happened. He threw Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder at the Acromantula and ran for it.

XxXxX

Harry ran for a while going through many corridors and hoping that he wasn't really going in circles like he had thought before. There were even staircases that he took once in a while. The place seemed to have no end, but just as he was considering to stop running he saw a very strange scene in front of him that made him stop in his tracks as quietly as he could. A gigantic horrid creature cradled Hermione between what seemed like monstrous black arms. Hermione wasn't unconscious, but she looked faint and scared. She hadn't noticed Harry there yet. From a semi hiding spot behind a brick wall Harry readied his wand, but the demonic giant bat wasn't doing anything bad to the girl. In fact, it looked like it was holding the young witch lovingly. Harry bit his lower lip trying to think what to do as fast as he could, but having a hard time at it. He stifled a scream when someone touched his back and swung around to face Severus. Relaxing a little he pointed as swiftly as he could toward the odd scene and Severus frowned. "It is not hurting her, but..." whispered Harry.

"That's a vampire and might be a first class one by its size. We can't kill it. It would require far too many wizards to accomplish such a feat." Severus spoke in a whisper, his eyes on the vampire, studying it.

"Kill it? But it has Hermione!" Harry gasped when he realised he had spoken aloud. Both men came out of hiding and were horrified to see the vampire was no longer there. It had vanished along with Hermione. "Where is it?" Harry asked nervously.

"Foolish brat! You alerted it to our presence!" Severus spat in anger.

Harry ignored Severus' tone as he looked around, being reminded of how Renard had hidden only to strike from behind. "I'm sure it's still here," Harry stated absentmindedly.

In answer to Harry's conclusion a strong force threw both Harry and Severus against the floor as if gravity had suddenly become stronger. Harry tried getting up, but he couldn't. He thrashed on the floor and clenched his teeth, but all his efforts were in vain. When at last the force on him subsided he was surprised to see a very tall man instead of the monster. The man was dressed in a dark green tunic with many mantles of the same colour over it and black trousers. What was obviously a vampire also wore black boots that looked made of thick and strong leather with small chains that had been painted black. A mane of very long black hair was being held in a ponytail and in the man's arms was a very shocked Hermione.

Hermione's heart was beating so fast she thought she would die of a stroke. The creature had been there, approaching her, but when it had just been centimeters from her, it had disappeared. Then, she had been lifted and she had been indeed in the creature's arms, but they had cradled her lovingly. Now, the strongest arms she had ever felt were embracing her in pure warmth. It was a very tall figure, taller than Ron, and he was crying as he held her. The smell of carnations became stronger, asphyxiating her. She figured that the flowery smell came from the creature, now man, that held her. A soft and beautiful calming voice spoke and even called her by a name she had heard before, but that wasn't hers. "The heavens have sent you back to me. The heavens have sent you back to me, Beredyce. You have found me, my love. I cannot believe you have been reborn and have come to me. Of all places, you have found me here, my Beredyce. I will never let you go and I will never let you die again. Never."

The very tall man freed Hermione from his arms and flung himself in a gracious way. Crimson eyes locked with emerald orbs and Harry reacted as words came to his head: 'His long silky black hair and crimson eyes attracted many...' Harry said the name out loud, "Yapheth St. Battistienne."

Severus stood at that moment, staring apalled at the vampire before asking, "Yapheth, are you a first class vampire? Are you the 'Master' of these lands?"

Yapheth smiled as he recognised the older wizard. "Severus... Even though you have aged, I can still recognise you. I remember that lonesome, but still vivacious twenty-year-old that was so full of regrets. I see that you never let Renard turn you. I thought you would eventually give in."

A light blue ball came bouncing into the room and Yapheth easily caught it. "What do we have here? The little prince himself. I told you not to leave the basement. There are creatures worse than Death Eaters roaming in this building, little one. You had to wait for me to finish patrolling so I could take you to my real house."

"Reginald! Don't run away from me like that!" Ron was panting as he got there obviously running after the bright blue ball.

The ball turned into a small boy in rags all of a sudden and he was in Yapheth's arms beaming. "Master! He saved me from a giant spider that said it would eat me for dessert! I left the basement because I was lonely and he said he could take me to father. I want to go back to father. I don't like it here, Master."

Yapheth hugged the boy protectively before asking Ron, "You encountered an Acromantula? Did you fight it?"

Harry, Hermione, and Severus looked at Ron amazed. The thought of Ron fighting an Acromantula by himself had to be the most incredible thing so far, but Ron's face turned the same color as his hair. "I didn't fight it... I used one of the Weasley tricks and fled." Ron looked humiliated as he said this, feeling like he was a complete coward.

Yapheth surprised everyone when he spoke softly to Ron, "Sometimes it is wiser to run rather than confront every obstacle, young fiery headed one."

Severus decided to also say something on the matter, but his voice came almost forceful as if he didn't want to make the admission, "I also had to flee from a creature, Ronald, if it makes you feel better."

"You had to flee from a creature?" Ron asked incredulously and Harry and Hermione opened their eyes wide. "It had to be something horrible for you to flee from it, sir..."

Just then, Severus asked Yapheth, "Why do you have Manticores in this place?"

Hermione was horrorstruck by the question. Harry didn't know much about Manticores, but Hermione's expression was enough to tell him that it had to be one of the worst creatures someone could encounter.

Yapheth looked expressionless, but replied with an answer they wouldn't have wanted to hear, "I have never brought Manticores here, Severus. They started to appear ever since I brought a particular object to this place. I have killed several already, but they keep appearing. I should have never brought that dark thing here."

Harry was immediately taken aback, but quickly asked, "Are you talking about the sapphire chest?"

Yapheth gazed seriously at Harry. "As a matter of fact, I am. What do you want with such a thing, Harry Potter?"