A/N: The end is near, enjoy. 😊
Thank you to all my reviewers! I love to hear your thoughts on this story.
Disclaimer: Do not own, do not sue.
"We've all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are." - Sirius Black
April
I had never travelled outside of the United Kingdom before, so when Charlie proposed for us to head to Romania to recruit foreign wizards to our cause, I felt a mix of excitement and uncertainty.
We had settled in the town of Brașov, in the region better known as Transylvania. Charlie knew his way around the city and had preferred we stay in town to get our bearings, before heading into the mountains to the dragon sanctuary.
Brasov was said to be an old and charming town – orange tiles on every baroque structure, a beautiful Gothic church with medieval vibes. It was pleasant, filled with little cafés and shops. The old part of town was still in some parts surrounded by stone walls built by the Saxons nearly six hundred years prior. I had spent the last few days learning about the city during the day, strolling about and dragging Charlie along.
We had booked a room at a bed & breakfast just off the historic Council Square. It was owned by a French woman named Marietta. When we first arrived, Charlie and her clearly knew each other, but feigned to have never met before. I soon realized that despite having plenty of connections; Charlie had to be stealthy in his dealings. I had an inkling that Marietta was herself a Witch, but she made no mention of it.
We ourselves had been discreet in our travelling; always in our Muggle clothes, wand safely hidden out of sight and apparating in dark alleys at night. We were always checking our tracks – we were officially on every Death Eater watch list. Charlie had assured me that the odds of them tracking us to Europe were none-existent; but I still kept a vigilant eye out. A few whispers, one word, one flick of a spell; anyone could be working for them.
It had been a few days of secret meetings at night – I had to skip out on all them as Charlie's contacts were suspicious and not easily convinced that I was not a spy for the other side. I had kept to myself in our room so as not to bring unwanted attention.
I took that time to finally write to my sister, hoping she was safe. And also knowing I had yet to tell her about Oliver. And our parents. Would a letter be the best way? I knew I would not be seeing her anytime soon. Or at all.
Dear Hannah,
I hope that you are well and safe. Study hard and don't think too much of what is going on in the outside world.
You must concentrate on school. It's important.
I paused, feeling a tad selfish for asking that of her, knowing the state of the school with the Carrows. But perhaps it would push her to focus on her studies, keep her mind occupied. I could only offer big sister advice. But this was different. These were dangerous times. I sighed, tapping the tip of ink absentmindedly in the bottle.
If you run into trouble, do not hesitate to ask McGonagall.
And if you must leave school for whatever reason, stay with Ginny. That way, I know where to find you.
I paused again, trying to think of a way to bring up the news.
There is something else that you need to know. Everything has been happening so fast. There is a reason why we have not heard from the family in a while… Mum and Dad have disappeared. I am not sure what happened, they were attacked by Death Eaters. And it was confirmed that Oliver was attacked by a Death Eater… he did not make it. I'm so sorry sis. I wish there was a better way to say this.
I stared at my letter, knowing it sounded and looked terrible. Who would want to be told such news in writing? She was my little sister; this would break her heart into a million pieces. And perhaps she would act on it. I stared back at my letter with growing hesitation.
No, this was definitely a bad idea. I grabbed the parchment and crushed it into a ball, before throwing it in the bin. Let's start again.
Dear Hannah,
I hope you are safe. I am well, still travelling for a while. I cannot say where or for how long. Sorry that I can't be there for your graduation. We will celebrate this summer. If you ever need anything, you know who to ask. Stay out of trouble. Be careful.
With love,
Your sister.
I signed my name at the bottom, but it felt wrong. How could I do this to her? How could I not tell her? Maybe because you think all of this is a bad dream and everyone is still alive, in hiding? the inner voice said, making me grunt in frustration. There have been no bodies recovered.
"You can kill without leaving a trace," I said aloud to myself, as if my own thoughts would be more coherent that way.
I shook my head, trying to forget what I had witnessed. But I was soon reminded of the scene that had had awaited me when I went to our house in search of our parents. Shards of glass everywhere, cabinets blasted off, blood… so much blood. A tear fell down my cheek before I crushed it with my hand, not wanting to dwell on the memory.
I quickly folded the letter and put it aside, hoping to send it out in the morning. I also wanted to sleep on it – although I was sure I wouldn't change my mind about it. I left my room momentarily to stretch my legs in the hall. At the other end, I saw Marietta pass by, waving a courteous hello to an older couple heading to their room.
I had bumped into Marietta a few times where we had made small talk. Still no mentions of how or why she had moved to Romania from France. She talked, without ever going into details. I tried to find a loophole – a little slip of a word here or there, so that I could finally put my mind at ease. Charlie had confirmed that she was indeed a Witch, but that she would tell me in her own time, what had happened to her. Because the one striking feature of Marietta was that a portion of her face was covered in scars. It didn't take away from her beauty – she was a lovely blond with green eyes and cupid lips and did not look a day over thirty. But that could also be the results of anti-aging potions and spells.
I returned to my room, feeling like a nap would be the best option for now.
o.O.o
Tonight would finally be a change of pace for me, as I would accompany Charlie to a meeting. We had briefly returned to the bed and breakfast to get changed. I had switched from a dress to more comfortable clothes and was waiting for him in the lobby, when Marietta appeared with a curious smile.
"Bonsoir, you are going out again?" she asked in surprise, shuffling around some paperwork at the front desk.
I nodded, still uneased by her. I couldn't figure her out.
"Yes, we're going to grab some fresh air and wine," I said, trying to sound unfazed.
She eyed me quietly, as if levelling if she should say what was on her mind.
"It is not my buziness but from woman to woman, you should know…" She eyed the corridor behind her to make sure it was empty. "He haz been spending quite a lot of time outside and coming back verry late at night. I have noticed that sometimes he returnz with a heavy smell of perfumeuh..." she paused, as if weighing on her next words. "I would not want to assume anything, but… to me, it soundz fishy."
I felt like laughing, but then again; it was better if that's what she thought he was up to. Then I got curious. I made sure to put on a stricken face.
"I had no idea." I changed my expression to one of sadness. "Tell me Marietta, has he brought any other… women to this place?" Her eyes became round as golf balls, her hands playing absentmindedly with the paperwork.
"Oh la la, I could not say…" She eyed the corridor again, before continuing. She lowered her voice. "He haz come twice before."
"Twice?" I felt a slight stab at this – had he, really? I tried to keep cool as I pressed on. "Would you remember when, by chance?"
She pinched her lips, as if realizing she probably should not have said a word in the first place.
"The first time waz four years ago, more or less. And last time waz a few months ago."
My entire complexion drained from blood.
"Do you have the exact date in your bookings?" I asked, my throat having gone dry.
She checked again behind her, as if the presence of anyone would be the only reason to prevent her from showing me. She shuffled through a few thick brown books, before pulling one from the bottom of a pile.
"The leaves were falling from the trees, I remember," she said, before licking her thumb to turn a page. "Frosty mornings."
My hands stiffened, as she had stopped on a page from the previous year. I approached her steadily.
"When?" I asked, through clenched teeth.
She turned the book around to show me, pointing at the bottom of the page.
"December 1st, for three nights."
My eyes locked on Charlie's signature. I felt hot tears about to surface.
"Thank you, Marietta," I blurted in a throaty whisper. And without waiting any longer, I left.
It was a cold night as I took deep long breaths to calm myself. I didn't know what emotion to feel. Betrayed? Embarrassed? Angry? Had I been living on a cloud, thinking I was the only woman in his life? Had I been so naïve to not realize?
I walked across the Council Square and over to the fountain, before sitting down, feeling like a discarded garment. No, I had not been naïve – he polluted my mind with ridiculous ideas of happily ever after. Moving together here in Romania, my arse! I should not be embarrassed; I should be in such fury to want to pummel him rotten to the ground. But the only emotion I truly felt was betrayal; I had trusted him. I had put my faith in him. I had put my life in his hands. I had been ready to do anything for him – for I loved him.
How could this be? My eyes blinked several times to clear away the tearful display as I cleared my throat, trying to regain my composure.
The square was eerily empty; I just noticed. I then remembered the one thing Charlie had asked of me: to never wander alone after dark. I rolled my eyes as I realized he clearly wasn't following his own advice; but then again, he knew the dangers far better than I. Dark creatures roamed after nightfall, and as we were in Romania, one well-known evil lurked in the shadows: vampires.
Charlie had previously warned me about them, which is the reason why we had been eating so much garlic. I realized that I had not eaten any today; my excuse being a need to break away from the taste and smell. I had only read about vampires in books at Hogwarts – I was starting to feel a tad idiotic for not taking better precautions.
The Council Square was strangely quiet. I observed my surroundings slowly, trying not to succumb to panic. Perhaps all of this was in my head. Charlie had mentioned that his last altercation with a vampire was years ago – but he was always prepared, carrying garlic around with him. Some say it keeps them at bay. A cold breeze passed through, sending chills down my spine.
I decided to head back. Just as I got up, a blur of a shadow passed from the corner of my eye. I whirled around, but I saw no one. The square was an open space; surely, I could see the danger coming from every direction? I swiftly began walking back towards the house, pulling out my wand, my eyes darting to every corner. I was less than a hundred meters away; my steps quickened. Another blur passed by to my right, and I broke into a run.
Just then, I saw Charlie emerge from the entrance of the house, worried eyes searching for me. He spotted me running and took out his wand.
"Faster! Run faster!" I felt a wave of fear rush through me as I saw he was scared.
At that moment, something solid collided with me with such force, I dropped my wand. And in a blur of images, Charlie and the house disappeared from my view. For a few seconds, I was in a haze, barely registering how fast I was moving. Then, just as suddenly, it stopped.
My body hit a stone wall with brute strength, making me grunt in pain. My vision focused on a man with dark eyes and pale skin. I struggled to breathe as he was holding my neck with inhumane strength.
"Such a pity," he whispered silkily, observing my face with appetite. "Have you not learned not to wander alone at night?" he continued with a smile, revealing two pointy fangs.
I grabbed his hand, trying to release the tension on my neck.
"Don't you have anything better to do than prey on people having a bloody hard day?" I retorted, groaning from the painful hit.
He laughed, amused.
"I hardly need to, the S.T.V. does offer blood donations," he said, his other hand tracing my face appreciatively.
"Then why?" I spat, feeling my heart pounding in my chest.
"It's hard to resist a pretty face," he admitted, as his eyes shifted from dark to a redder color. He grabbed my left hand and pulled it to his face, smelling my skin, as if savouring the dish before digging in. "No garlic today? How thoughtful," he whispered with a sneer, before clipping my thumb on his fang.
I held my breath in alarm, my reflex wanting to pull away, but he was too strong as he held my hand in place. Blood has begun to pool out, dripping down my hand and onto his. He pulled my thumb to his mouth and begun to suck on it, his eyes closing in pleasure for a brief second, before staring down at me. I had no wand, and no way to get myself out of this. All I knew is I had to stall him; for Charlie would be looking for me.
"What is your name, vampire?" I asked, wincing as he drew blood quicker.
He stopped momentarily, as if surprised by my interest. I tried to stay calm, even though pearls of sweat were forming on my forehead.
"Sanguini, at your service," he answered, bowing as he did so.
He no longer was holding my neck hostage and had let go of my hand. I knew sprinting away was not an option, even though it briefly crossed my mind.
I took time to look at him – he had dark circles under his eyes and brown hair, wearing a burgundy cape covering a suit of some kind. I spotted a bow-tie. He could easily pass off as a rich viscount of some sort, which he probably was. And if you took away the fact that he was a vampire, he could easily be the most sought-after bachelor, in his prime days.
"Back from a fancy ball?" I asked, my eyes focusing on his clothes, as I pressed on my thumb to stop it from bleeding.
He looked down, before taking a step back to show off. He even had tapping burgundy shoes to match.
"Of course! Not bad for a dashing devil like me?" he said, making a twirl as he spoke.
"Looking very dapper," I concurred, eyeing the empty street behind him.
"No lovely lady accompanying you?"
He sighed, as if that was the age-old question of time.
"It is very hard to find a lady who would tolerate my lifestyle, no?" I gave him my most unimpressed look.
"No lady vampire? I hardly think that would be difficult to find."
He took three steps forward, standing barely a few inches away from me. He smelled my neck slowly; my scent seeming to allure him more than anything.
"Not difficult to find at all, I only need to find the right one to turn…" I felt his icy pointy finger trace down the nape of my neck, making me shudder. "I see you have a few scars already," he whispered, tracing one on my temple that I had gotten from the attack in Montrose. "I can sense that you are a fighter…" He surveyed me quietly, as if he was now assessing a new chain of events. "Scars are recent. And some remnants of potions in your blood." He frowned. "What business does a Witch like yourself have alone in Brasov?"
I stared back at him, but willing to roll with it. Stalling was all I had.
"You know I'm a Witch?"
He shrugged.
"I saw your wand earlier. And you barely sounded surprised by the mention of S.T.V. But tasting your blood confirmed it all, of course."
It was my turn to frown.
"Why would you bother turning a Witch into a vampire? I'm sure this city is full of pretty girls waiting to be the next wife of Dracula."
He rolled his eyes, letting out an angered snarl.
"Vlad Tepes," he said with disgust. "He died so long ago; there are much more interesting vampires to aspire to." His attention returned to me. "No, because turning someone who is willing does not make them good vampires."
"Oh?" I breathed in and out slowly, trying my best to slow down my nervous heart.
"They want too much power, they become greedy, dangerous to other vampires. They never last for very long."
I wasn't sure if he was lying or trying to scare me, but my frustration was silently building as Charlie was still nowhere in sight. What in the bleeding hell was he doing!
Sanguini could see my eyes flicker with uncertainty. He tried to smile with charm, but it made him look more villainous.
"Come with me. I will show you my home," he said, handing out his pearly white hand to me.
My thoughts were frantically going over my options – no running, no magic, nowhere to hide, nowhere to disapparate without my wand. I had no choice. I gave him my hand, as he pulled me away from the stonewall.
"Could we skip the whole blur thing? I will vomit on you if you do it again," I said acidly, although I did mean it.
He pondered on that for a few seconds.
"I will give you a bite, it will act as a counter-effect on your nausea," he finally said, although his wicked smile said otherwise.
I opened my mouth to retort but nothing came out. Bloody hell.
With a heavy sigh of impeding doom, I stood in dismayed silence. He placed himself behind me and pulled me to him so my back rested against his chest.
"Now, close your eyes, it will be easier," he whispered, as I felt his breath on my neck.
I closed my eyes, my heart pounding. He pulled me in tighter, clearly enjoying the proximity.
"Let her go, blood sucker," a woman's voice echoed in front of us.
My eyes darted open, as the hooded figure that had appeared in front of us came closer, her wand in the air. I blinked, realizing it was Marietta.
"Now, why would I do that?" Sanguini replied, as I felt his grip on me strengthen considerably.
"You do not want to have an entire community of Wizards after you, do you?" she retorted, flickering her wand so that some red sparks flew out in warning.
"I could use the practice," he replied condescendingly. "I have not left a trail of bodies in a while."
"You will not get away," she said, her voice sounding a lot more menacing than expected.
"Oh perhaps." I saw his right hand hover over my chest. "Consider this my warning."
It felt like a stab of lighting, making me gasp in pain. I looked down to see a long thin cut across my neckline, as blood poured out. It began to burn as the pain rippled through my body.
"Your kind will never learn," Sanguini snarled, just as another voice echoed behind us.
"Get your cold dead hands off my wife."
My heart stopped as I heard Charlie's voice. Sanguini laughed as he made us turn so he could see both sides of his attackers.
"Your wife?" he chuckled, finding the notion amusing. "I had a lovely snack earlier of your wife's hand and yet, I did not see a ring?"
I wasn't even sure why Charlie was calling a bluff so ridiculous, what did it matter if I was married or not?! I shot him a murderous stare. WHAT ARE YOU PLAYING AT, my mind shouted.
Charlie finally saw the pool of blood as Sanguini showed it off in the moonlight.
"What have you done," he barked, his anger and worry turning to fury.
The vampire smiled sweetly, proudly showing off his skills.
"It is but a scratch," he said, before running a finger through the blood and licking it. "She will not die today."
Charlie's wand barely moved but a spell flew by so fast I could not have ducked in time without supernatural help. Sanguini moved swiftly, laughing as he did.
"Your tricks are futile. Now, I need to be going. I have a guest to attend to."
I looked over to Charlie, knowing it had to be goodbye for now. I gave him a look of warning.
Let me go, my eyes pleaded. Trust me.
He lowered his wand, but I knew he was ready to fight. He had not found me to let me go easy. Another flash of light coming from Marietta's side, which Sanguini dodged like a cat. I raised my hand up, trying to tell them to back down. I wanted no one else hurt. My captor did not wait for more spells to dance around with. His cold lips found their way to my neck just as I cast a last look at the man I loved.
Be safe, I whispered.
His fangs sunk into my skin like sharp knives, making me hiss in pain as I felt blood drain from my face. Charlie's entire expression turned to pure rage.
"JULIA!"
I lost sight of him, simply followed by a blur of colours.
A/N: Leave a review on your way out! :D
