With a surge of apprehensive emotions, Eliza lifted Severus into her lap.
You can do this, Eliza told herself, tilting his head back. Slowly she lowered herself to his exposed neck.
Her bared fangs sank into his skin, and she could feel the venom inject itself into his bloodstream. Eliza waited until her entire store began to coarse though his veins, before quickly pulling back.
Severus gave a slight jolt before going back to his comatose state. Eliza sighed, knowing the venom was working, healing his wounds.
Reaching to pull off the dusty cushion from the broken chair next to them, Eliza carefully lowered Severus' head down. After kissing him on the forehead, she ran out of the shack to begin her quest.
The battle was still raging, and Eliza knew this was her opportunity. She needed to make Severus strong, and there was only one way to do it.
She ignored the duelers as she made her way back to the castle. Debris was everywhere from giants smashing around, and hexes blowing up anything in their way. The hallways were littered with bodies, which Eliza merely jumped over them to get to her destination.
The door to the potions room was locked. Shit, Eliza seethed. Glancing around, she found a wand lying next to the body of what had once been a death eater. This will do, Eliza thought as she quickly breathed "Alohamora" and let herself into the room.
The cabinet, which held the larger glass vials, was also secured. Eliza didn't waste time, but just busted through the glass, sending shards flying everywhere. Grabbing an eight-pouch bag, she pulled the vials out and shoved them in the slots to keep them from breaking.
Slinging the black bag over her shoulder, she ran back onto the battlefield.
Eliza scanned the crowed for masks. She didn't care who they were, but the death eaters were now serving a new purpose. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Hermione Granger stun a death eater, and move off.
The woman did not waste time. In a swift movement, she dragged the stunned man away from sight, and began to suck. With each mouthful she spit the blood into one of the open vials. Two vials were filled by the time the source ran out.
On her way back, Eliza happened to look down to avoid trampling a body, and let out a startled cry. The wide eyes of her friend were staring back at her.
"Tonks!" Eliza cried out in anguish. She sank to the floor, sobbing. It was too late. She couldn't of saved her, even if she had any venom left. She let the tears fall for a minute, but then determination took over her.
Eliza stood, a look of fury hardening her features. Sweat and dirt were matted to her body, but she paid no attention. Rage overcame what little control she had possessed. First Severus, and now Tonks, Eliza could not bare it.
A death eater was running under a tree nearby, and Eliza turned to him and snarled menacingly. Before he could raise his wand, Eliza was on the move. Using the tree for momentum, the vampire bounced off its trunk, causing it to splinter and fall on the helpless body.
The legs of her victim were pinned, but she ignored his cries of pain. Opening another vial, she began to suck the life out of him. Another two vials filled.
By now the constant intake of blood was beginning to affect her. The scent of it was everywhere, and Eliza was having a difficult time only attacking known death eaters.
Stragglers seemed to be close to the edge of the forest. Eliza no longer cared what anyone saw, but was still trying to avoid interruption. She did not make it very far before she was detained.
"Well what do we have here?" A sickening voice called from behind.
"Greyback," she snarled. Immediately there was a collision of bodies. The wolf had knocked her into a boulder, causing her to loose her breath.
In a flash she was behind him, trying to pin him to the ground, but he was too strong for her. He had flipped them over, and was shoving her face into the dirt to keep her from biting him.
"Not as strong as your daddy, are you?" he taunted, throwing her into the air, and laughing as she his the ground with a loud thud.
Eliza moaned, and tried to get up. In the next moment, Fenrir had her by the hair, pulling her back up.
Suddenly both bodies were flung backward. Eliza looked up to see a brief struggle, and then a body collapsing back down to the earth.
"You looked like you needed a little help," Sanguini told her smiling. "I was happy to oblige."
"Thank you so much," she staggered, still having a difficult time breathing.
"You look a fright," he told her, raising an eyebrow. "In fact, you look like you have been drinking," he said surprised. "I thought you were an abstainer?"
"Extenuating circumstances," she told him, searching for her bag. It was lying harmlessly on the ground, and she quickly threw the strap over her shoulder.
"I see," he responded, still curious.
"I need to go," Eliza was already looking for more prey.
"I think I have gotten most of the werewolves," Sanguini told her. "I believe I will work on giants next."
"Good luck," she told him. He only smiled and shook his head, dashing towards his next target.
A chorus of cheers was going around, but they were coming from the wrong side. Eliza watched in disbelief as Hagrid carried the unconscious body of Harry Potter. Eliza was only meters away from the spectacle, hidden behind a tree.
The Half-Giant was sobbing his eyes out, and the noise was shielding the sound she was looking for. Eliza strained her ears to her the soft, but rapid thuds coming from Harry's heart, and she could smell the thick amounts of adrenaline in his veins. Not knowing his plan, but also too preoccupied to care, she began her mission once more.
On her way back to the shrieking shack, another victim experienced a violent ending. He had been dueling non other than Neville Longbottom, who simply gaped at her.
"What are you doing?" he demanded, sickened by the sight of her spitting blood into a glass bottle.
She looked up to expose the sharp daggers coming from inside her mouth, dripping blood down her chin. He fell backward, scrambling away before Eliza could attempt at an explanation. She ignored it and went back to work.
A crowd was now gathering near the madman and his "victim", which was now very far away. Eliza was near the castle, and decided to find the last source inside.
She met face to face with Draco Malfoy.
"What are you doing?" he asked her, taking in the vampire's appearance and shuddering. "Never mind, I think I already know."
"Why are you hiding in here?" Eliza spat. "Isn't your fearless leader out there celebrating? Shouldn't you be there with him?"
Draco shook his head. "I don't want to be apart of this anymore," he choked. "I know, I'm so far in, I just don't know what to do."
Eliza studied him acutely. She believed him to be absolutely genuine in his declaration, yet he was right; he was very deep in this mess.
"Don't give up hope," she told him. He looked at her in defeat. Eliza sighed, "I mean it. I know things you don't. Go join the right side right now, and you may have a chance," she instructed.
"What do you know?" he asked her, terrified.
"I can't tell you, you just have to trust me."
"You're sure?" he questioned.
"No one is sure of anything," she said gently. "But this is your best chance."
Draco nodded, mulling things over. Eliza touched his arm before running down the hallway. She needed to get back to the shack soon, but was still not finished.
Elizabeth rounded the corner, and smacked into a solid object. Once she recognized who it was, the vampire sneered in sheer delight. No way I am this lucky, she thought gleefully as she stared down Professor Alecto Carrow.
"Well you little bitch, we meet again," Carrow smiled evilly, whipping out her wand.
"This is not a good day for you," Eliza smirked, snatching Alecto's wand before she could blink, and snapping it with one hand. The death eater's eyes grew wide in fear, and she tried to run.
"Oh no you don't," Eliza slammed her enemies body into the wall. "You are going to pay for all the misery you have put us through. And when I am done, I hope you brother find's your body."
Making the process as slow and painful as possible, Eliza filled the last of her supplies into the sack.
Guilt was starting to nag at her for the way she had murdered her last victim. Killing for protection or survival was different, but this had been in revenge. She tried to tell herself it was just to save Severus, but knew better. Eliza concluded it must not happen again. She could not lose her humanity that way.
Stomping quickly up the stairs to the shack, Elizabeth's heart relaxed at the sight of Severus, now sleeping peacefully. Dawn would be approaching soon, and she needed to get him out of here. He would have no protection from the sun should they wait any longer, and she did not want to stay and be found.
With all of her strength she carried Severus out of the shack and into the night. Careful not to be seen, Eliza kept to the shadows and entered the castle through one of the secret passageways. A moment of sadness passed when she recognized the flaming orange hair of its former guardian.
The room of requirement was now empty, as most of the surviving students had passed to safety through it. Eliza peeked out of the door, and into to the Hog's Head, only to find a space just as empty. She assumed there had to be a guard somewhere, and everyone else had gone to a safer area.
Elizabeth was correct. As soon as she and the unconscious body went through the door, jets of light were coming from someone behind an invisibility cloak. But Eliza was much too fast, and the pair was safely out the door and down the street in a matter of moments.
They needed a floo, and fast. Pounding on a door, Eliza asked the fearful woman who answered if she could use their fireplace.
"He needs to go to St. Mungo's right away!" Eliza lied. "Please!"
The woman peeked out the door, over them, before quickly ushering them inside.
"The floo powder is over here," she said, shaking. "Wait here, and I will be right back," the woman scurried, intending to escort them to the hospital, and needing her wand, still next to the door.
Before the helpful stranger could come back, Eliza had already shouted "Parker Cottage", throwing the powder down. The two were transported to Eliza's favorite secluded getaway, which is what they would need for a while.
After laying Severus down on the sofa, which was as far as she could make it, she threw herself into a chair next to him and waited.
It could not be long now.
Eliza had not realized she had fallen asleep until the sound of someone stirring nearby startled her, followed by a groan.
Instantly Eliza was by his side. "Severus," she whispered to him. "Severus, its alright, I'm here."
"Beth," he breathed, reaching up to touch her face. His hand rested on her cheek lightly for the briefest moment before he fell unconscious once more.
.........................................................................................................................................
A/N: whew! Hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will try to get the next one up soon. Thank you for your reviews :)