A.R.I.S.E and the Snake Society

Chapter Twenty-One: Burne

He didn't stop to think. He dashed toward the sound, pushing himself until his muscles screamed in defiance.

As he soared through the foliage, he couldn't help but think of Lily. If he'd just come a little earlier . . . He pushed the thought down and continued on, even faster, wand at the ready.

He could feel eyes on him again. He tried to get past the feeling and push forward, but it was like icicles on the back of his neck. He pictured a mad beast, stalking its unsuspecting fourteen-year-old wizard prey, which just made him want to zoom away even quicker.

In a small break in the trees, he could just make out figures wrestling in the darkness. One of them had long, hair and a slim body-the girl he'd heard screaming. That meant this kid was doing something to her, and part of him feared he knew who this person was, or at least the group he belonged to.

As he got closer, he could tell what they both looked like. He about two of her, across and height-wise. Albus couldn't see his head, but he looked as if he could easily wrap one hand around her delicate-looking neck.

She was easily the prettiest girl he'd ever seen. Her hair was the color of midnight, flowing to her waist behind her. Her moonlight skin was perfectly smooth and velvety-looking. Her thick, red lips were pulled back in a snarl, revealing two razor-sharp fangs. Her violet eyes gleamed with danger. She had on a plain black T-shirt and black jeans. Her feet were bare.

Then the guy had a dagger headed straight for her neck.

"Petrificus Totalus," Albus hissed, and immediately, the attacker became stiff as board and fell to the leaf-covered ground with a soft "thud."

The girl turned to Albus, alarmed at first. Then when she was he was putting away his wand, her shoulders relaxed slightly.

"Hello," Albus started, as she eye-balled him from across the way. She didn't look as if she was going to trust him anytime soon. "I'm Albus," he told her. "I'm not going to hurt you."

"You saved me."

It sounded like an accusation.

"I couldn't just let him kill you," he stated.

"Most of your people would," she told him. "Wizards don't stick out their necks for vampires."

"You've got the wrong idea about wizards." Albus argued. "Most of the ones I know would help you in a heart-beat."

"Ah, no," she said. "Most of the people you know are brave, I can see that. They save lives. But do they not fear that I am the monster that will be taking them?"

"If that's true, which I'm not saying it is, then I guess I'm not most wizards."

"I can see that, too," she said very seriously, her pretty lips slipping into a pout.

"I'm Albus," he said again.

"My name is Burne," she told him simply.

"Interesting," Albus said.

"I can see that you think my name is strange."

"No, I-"

"It's not much worse then 'Albus,'"

Albus laughed, but Burne's face remained stony. "Do you know what that guy wanted?"

"Yes,"

Albus waited for her to continue, and when she didn't, he asked, "Can you tell me, please?"

"Yes,"

Again, she didn't continue.

"Will you tell me?" he asked, exasperated.

Avoiding the question, she said, "You don't know what saving my life means, do you?"

"It means you're not de-"

"It means that I am in your debt. All of my people are in your debt."

Despite wanting to know about the man, Albus's curiosity got the best of him. "Why would they all be in my debt?"

"You do not know, do you?" Before he could answer, she continued. "I am known to my people as Princess."

Albus was thunderstruck. Is that how it works with vampires? He'd never heard anything at all like that.

"Yes, it's true, all vampires are not ruled by one family." she explained, as if reading his mind. "But in this kingdom-" she gestured all around her "-my father is king. If there wasn't one ruler, all of my brothers and sisters would want to share a snack,-" he saw her eyes flicker toward his neck, then to his knuckles, which were still covered in blood "-at Hogwarts. And, as you can probably guess, being in the debt of a human-a wizard, no less-is not something to be proud of. If you were a vampire, I'd have to do as you say until the debt is repaid. In other words, until I save your life. I do not know how to go about this situation."

"Don't think of yourself as in my debt." he suggested. "Just say thanks and we'll move on."

"It doesn't matter how I think about it. You've created a . . . bond, if you will, between us. It cannot stay unnoticed forever."

"It sounds like a bad thing, so . . . Is there anyway to sever it?"

"I have to save your life." she told him. "Which is another disgraceful feat." She snorted and mumbled something that sounded remotely like "save a wizard."

"Professor McGonagall," Albus said abruptly.

"Yes," said Burne. "The Headmistress of Hogwarts. She was appointed after Albus Dumbledore-your name sake, I suppose-and Severus Snape died."

"Yeah," Albus said, waving off her description. "Maybe she'll have the answer."

"No," Burne hissed. Albus was taken aback. "The word of my people's residence would leak throughout the Wizarding World, and there would soon be hunting parties after us."

"Well, I'm sure McGonagall wouldn't-"

"No."

There was a stony finality in her violet-colored eyes.

"Alright," he sighed. "Three of the smartest girls in our grade are my best friends. They must know how to get past this."

"Are they like you?"

He paused. "What do you mean?"

"Do they think the way you do about my people?"

He nodded. "Yes, I believe they do."

She heaved a sigh. "All right." Before Albus could say anything, or even smile, her face hardened and she continued. "But know this, hero: If my father finds out about our bond, it will be the end of both of us."

"But it wasn't either of our faults!" he yelled. "I saved you, for Pete's sake."

"Keep your voice down," she hissed. "I believe we're just far enough away from our village that they cannot hear our conversation, but don't start shouting."

Then she cocked her head to the side, as if listening to some kind of music Albus couldn't.

"I must leave you now, hero." She walked a few steps backward. Her moves were so graceful and easy, like flowing lava.

"But-"

"I will be in touch." Then, "Remember to get yourself into danger, so I can rescue you, and we'll be done with this whole mess."

Then Albus was whispering to nothing but the trees and the moon, "No problem,"

He got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, who was snoring, and grumbled, "Flitter-sticks."

"Wha-?" replied the Fat Lady.

"Flitter-sticks!" he repeated.

"Oh, dear boy," sighed the Fat Lady. I heard about your sister. I'd have to try mighty hard not to hear of it, mind you. All my friends are in a frenzy. I'm very s-"

"FLITTER-STICKS!"

She glared at him, then said, "All right, then," rather bitterly.

Just as he walked through the barrier, a weight slammed into him, and a small "oof" escaped his lips. Indigo just held tighter, and he realized she was crying. Then she pulled back, and her eyes traveled to his knuckles. She caressed it tenderly, worry in her gaze.

She turned to Scorpius. "Get a bandage and a hot towel."

Albus pulled his hand away from her grasp, and, blushing slightly, said, "I'm fine, Indy."

"Fine? Fine?" she half-shouted, trying not to make a scene and failing immensely, her beautiful face lit up in anger. "Do you know worried I've been?" her voice went up an octave. "First, you run off, and I think, 'Sure, he just needs to blow off steam.' Then hours pass! Hours, Albus! Then we go look for you on the roof-"

"Maybe you shouldn't-" started Albus, not wanting her to give away their meeting spot.

"DON'T YOU TELL ME WHAT I SHOULD AND SHOULDN'T DO!" she screeched, and at this point, people were downright clearing out. "You were the Forbidden Forest, weren't you?"

When Albus didn't deny it, it seemed to make her even angrier. "Do you realize the kind of danger you're facing? You can't afford to be so bloody stupid!"

Sometimes, in fights, Albus got a strong urge to defend himself. This was not one of those times.

"And then you punch something, am I correct?"

Albus gave a small nod, and she threw her arms up in disgust.

"What if a beast had smelled the blood and come to attack you? What if Viper happened to see you in the same area as his evil castle of evil?"

Under normal circumstances, Albus would've burst into fits of laughter at the "evil castle of evil" bit, but something told him this was not the time to be laughing at Indigo.

"How could you put me through that?" she turned to the only people who were still in the room: James, some F & Gs, Rose, and Ever. "To all of us?" she finished, fixing her glare back on Albus.

"How was I supposed to handle it, Indy? He's in my head. He's going after my family. How am I supposed to just except this situation, knowing it's my fault?"

Indigo was still glaring. "We all go through things Albus. How do you think Ever or James is feeling right now? Probably just the same as you. It doesn't mean you go try and get yourself killed!"

"Indy," said Scorpius, who was now entering the Common Room with the things she'd asked for.

Albus, thinking she wouldn't want to clean up his cuts, began to walk to the boys' dorm. But Indigo caught his wrist, gently, and sat him on a nearby chair. She pulled up one right in front of him. She said a small charm to make the towel wet, then gingerly reached for Albus's hand. He hesitantly gave it to her, and she began to mop up the blood, which was now nearly completely dried. Albus looked at her face. It was calm, sweet. It was a look he hadn't seen her wear since the Hogwarts Express.

After minutes of staring at her, he said, "I'm sorry."

She nodded, not looking away from his knuckles. She bandaged the now clean-hand up and grabbed the second one. "I know, Al."

"Why'd you do it like this?"

"What?" she asked, taken aback.

"Why didn't you just use magic to clean and bandage me up?"

"Because you like the Muggle way." she stated simply.

"What?" It was his turn to ask.

"I've noticed how you hate to seal cuts and things with magic. So I didn't."

Albus thought about that for a moment, then told her, "My dad used to use the Muggle way when I was younger, and get a skinned falling off my first broom. I guess I'm just more used to it."

She smiled down at his hand. "Nothing wrong with that."

Then the hand was officially bandaged, and Albus swept Indigo into a hug. When they pulled back, she kissed him on the cheeks.

He grinned. "Thanks,"

She smiled back. "You should get to bed," she suggested. Then, as if following her own instructions, she headed toward the girls' dorm.

"Goodnight, Albus," said Rose, following her friend.

Then Ever walked past without saying anything.

"Ever-" he started.

"'Night," she called gruffly over her shoulder.

Once they were all in their dorms, Scorpius let out a breath. "She sounded just like my mum,"

Albus laughed along with everyone else, but secretly he didn't think Indigo had been acting like his mother. She cared about him, and he was grateful.

That night, lying in his bed, he decided to tell his friends about Burne the following day. Then he took Indigo's advice and tried to sleep.

But as he lay there, he couldn't help but notice that Ever was lying awake, not sure which emotion to adopt.