Raya Alfraro Grey was no 'wife of the Patriarchal vampire.' She was no meaningless existence like that. In the years before she became a vampire and then the leader who was bound to the vampire castle that resided deep in the woods of Romania, she had reduced men who'd assumed such a menial role to dust (metaphorical dust but dust.)
Her reputation had remained, no man or woman would ever think to call the Vampire Queen 'just' anything. Most never dared to disrespect her or her husband. Her son was left to earn his own reputation and to he had.
For years after her son's birth and her shift to become a vampire, she'd expected he was going to be her successor. She may not have grown up knowing the rules and culture that run their society but her son had. Her ray was intelligent and swift so she naturally had the inclination that he would be the next King.
Then she'd had that vision, the dream of a handsome man with blazing red hair and gold and silver eyes standing in front of the vampire throne. Her son at his side, a simple step down, the very place that her husband stood beside her.
So her son would not become King, he would take the Patriarchal role and the man would take on the role of King. Now there was just a question of how willing her son would be to except the future she'd seen.
Her prediction was never wrong, she'd learned that many years ago since she was a girl. She had seen the end but the in-between was unknown and she knew by now no matter how old you got it was difficult to accept the changes that came after the winds of her predictions.
"Mother" she stood from her table, her fabric draping behind her. She held out her arms to receive her son, as tall and handsome as her husband. Dark-haired with eyes like a sun, she'd named him months after his birth as customary with vampires.
"My little ray, Sol" she kissed his cheek.
He stepped away kissing her hand "still with that nickname?" he asked, his fire lit amber eyes said with a smirk.
"Of course, you are my little ray as always," she said "now sit, how was France?" she asked.
"Boring but I won't talk about that. You're stalling" he said sitting and she sat next glancing at her guards and attendants. Sharp and telling, they made themselves scarce.
"Your father has gone away to mentor a boy," she said "er no, not a boy, a young man. He's truly not much younger than you" she said.
"Really?" Sol said "so a new vampire then? Recently turned? He was sick?" he asked.
"No, attacked. He's a wizard," she said and Sol frowned, it was troubling. It was rare for vampires to lose control like that and they still hadn't quite figured out the cause.
"Where?" Sol asked.
She sighed "England," she said and Sol's eyes narrowed. "Yes, it's unfortunate due to the, frankly, specist accusations toward our kind recently. Your father has dealt with the trial. And the coward of a Magical Minister knows that igniting a dispute between Vampires and the English MM would be problematic."
"That's an understatement" Sol commented.
"But the EMM situation is diffused" she added.
"Is there a reason that father is the one to train him? If he's younger than me, he'll be at Hogwarts, won't he? Is that the stipulation from the MM?" he asked.
She shook her head "it is imperative that this young man gets the best training possible. Listen, Sol…" she explained the dream she'd had and her son listened patiently.
xxx
The next morning Ron sat at the table earlier than most and poured himself a cup of tea. "Ron, your actually up" Hermione commented when she walked over a few minutes later.
"Um" Ron tilted his head "did I miss something?" he asked.
"Oh, well you just usually are difficult to wake and you never used to make it to breakfast so early" Hermione explained placing a muffin on her plate and then smearing a bit of butter on it.
"I guess that's true but I don't need to sleep as much. I woke up earlier than what the clock was set to" Ron replied. Really, he'd only slept maybe 4 hours. He woke up at 4 am. He had too much time on his hands.
"Good morning" they both turned to see Don walking toward them in his usual vest and cloak. "I thought you might be hungry," he said setting the tall tinted blue glass on the table.
Ron instantly smelled the blood despite that it sealed, he picked it up noticing it was warm "I was, thank you" he said.
"Of course, hello Miss Granger" Don greeted "it will be a pleasure to have you in my class," he said.
"Thank you, Professor I'm looking forward to it" Hermione said, her cheeks flushing a little and Ron noticed it. He glanced up at Don, he supposed his mentor was attractive, he wondered if all vampires were good looking. Ron flushed a little, was he himself attractive?
"Do you have a question?" Don asked.
"Huh? Oh, no I was just thinking" Ron replied opening the glass, the smell instantly became stronger. "Um, how do you usually have blood?" he added.
"Well, typically like I have wine or if I'm home my wife lets me just drink but I doubt that's what you want" Don replied taking a seat at the table. Ron was a little surprised because no teacher sat with students at the house tables.
"I couldn't do that."
"You could drink it with a straw" Hermione suggested.
"Might be better," Ron nodded.
"Yes, that is how my son prefers it too, keeps his teeth white" Don nodded offering him a steel straw. Ron took it then placed it in his drink and sipped. Though it was warm, it wasn't hot enough to burn.
A familiar feeling coursed through him, it almost like when you got an adrenaline rush during Quidditch or battling a troll in a dungeon or a dangerous Chess match. Ron didn't expect it to get it from his food.
"That's better than usual," Ron said, feeling more awake like he was given a lot of sugar.
"Dragons blood, very hearty and keeps us full longer than anything else" Don explained "have a good day during classes, I'll see you tonight," he said walking off.
Hermione watched Ron sip his meal and he met her eyes expectantly. They were as good of friends as ever but there was a bit of awkwardness. Partly because they recently hit puberty and look so different but also because well Ron's different was an accelerated sort of the different.
Ron first instinct was to tell her to stop staring, it made him feel like a freak but remembering Don's suggestions about thinking before he spoke he didn't. "So what language are you taking?" Ron asked instead.
"Well, my first thought was to take French, I went to France and I do love it a lot. It's a beautiful language but considering some recent events, I chose Romanian" Hermione said.
"… ah" Ron said "yeah, Don did mention in his letters he plans to teach me Romanian. He actually intends to teach me French too" he explained.
"Really?" Hermione asked perking up "oh that's exciting, if you get really good at it, you could speak three languages. That's incredible" she said.
"Good morning" Harry mentioned sitting next to him and they greeted him and moved on to talking about the newest Hogwarts stuff including dementors.
Eventually, Harry and Ron head off to find the divination classroom. After many wrong turns and then getting directions, they finally find it. They find their seats and Professor Trelawney enters.
She goes on about what they will learn to do and then she turns to Ron.
"You" Ron met her eyes and she gasped, Ron was unsure to react so he just held his gaze. He's sure that Don would have told him to do the same. "Silver and gold," she said.
"It's to do with-"
"Bup" she stopped him and he closed his mouth.
"Silver, the color of wisdom and grace, gold the color of success and warmth. It is no coincidence you were gifted with both vibrant colors" she said with strangely firm conviction, no mystic intonation as before. Solid as fact.
Ron swallowed and nodded, he wasn't really sure what to do but it seemed to be enough because she went into talking about tealeaves and teacups. At first, it was funny to talk about strange readings but then Trelawney joined them.
A grim, a black dog was supposedly on the bottom of that teacup. Ron wasn't quite so superstitious but that prediction didn't sound very good. Don did say he believed in fate.
Ron hoped that Care of Magical Creatures would be less eventful. Little did he know, no such luck. They met Hermione in the corridor and walked down towards the woods.
"How was Romanian?" Harry asked, probably desperate to steer his thoughts away from the Grim topic.
"Oh, it was wonderful, Professor Grey is so well-spoken in explaining things. We're starting from simple phrases and making our way" Hermione explained.
"I'll feel a little left out, Ron's going to get to know Professor Grey really well and Hermione, you have a class with him" Harry mentioned.
"You know I did think about that, we should get to know the Professor better. He's going to be important to Ron" Hermione said turning to look at Ron.
"I don't know him all that well yet either" Ron said.
"You call him by a nickname" Harry pointed out.
"Well I dunno, maybe we'll set a tea time or something kind of like when we visit Hagrid" Ron suggested.
"Excellent" Hermione said cheerfully "you know I also Ancient runes and I…"
"Has anyone figured out how to open these books?" Neville strolled up to them quickly after, he held his book up.
"What do you mean?" Ron asked taking out his book to look at his as they paused in front of Hagrid's home "you just unlatch the buckle right?"
"Your likely to have the book bite your hand off" Seamus, who was followed by Justin, mentioned.
"Never had an issue with it," Ron said opening his book, the book was strange to him since it made odd noises and moved like an animal.
"You stroke the spine" Hermione supplied.
"Huh" Justin stroked the spine and opened the book finding it perfectly docile. "Why's your book so different?" he asked Ron.
"Not sure" Ron shrugged offering him his book, Justin took the book. As if the book were personally insulted, it began to flap at Justin.
"Weasley, take the bloody thing back" Justin flung it at him, Ron snatched it out of the air.
"Maybe it just likes Ron," Neville said.
"Or like most animals Ron's come across, it's scared so it behaves better" Harry said.
"Most animals?" Hermione asked.
"Scabber's is scared to death of me" Ron explained, "it's a wonder your furry beast of a cat hasn't run like a bat out of a cauldron at the sight of me" Ron said.
"Too bad it doesn't work on Slytherin's" Harry said glaring at Malfoy and his crew putting on their hoods like they were dementors.
"Works on first years," Neville said quietly. Ron didn't exactly have time to retort because class began. Hagrid led them into the woods, Malfoy, of course, complaining the whole time.
A hippogriff was at least better than a dragon in Ron's mind since they all worried that Hagrid would choose terribly dangerous animals. His track record of giant spiders, a three-headed dog, and baby dragon was not the best for improving their confidence in him.
Harry luckily volunteered to ride the beast leaving the rest of class to wait around for their return. Malfoy began talking with Zabini, Parkinson, and his other friends. The last thing Ron wanted to do was watch Draco Malfoy.
He seemed a good person to start with though, I mean not a good person because he really was an absolute git whom Ron wanted nothing more than to run himself off the earth. But if he wanted to follow Don's advice, he considered why did Malfoy hate Harry so much? It wasn't because of money, talent was out, and considering Malfoy was the second-best in their year with Hermione being first.
Ron's train of thought halted when he got it, Harry rejected Draco's invitation because he was making fun of Ron. Draco wanted to be Harry's friend but he went about it all wrong.
Maybe Draco never learned how to make a friend, after all, his friends are all people who are almost obligated to befriend him. His father was definitely a monster and what did a monsters raise? Well, another monster. That was actually a bit sad that Malfoy didn't even know how to become his own person. Well, this whole ignoring thing was working well and he'd rather avoid Malfoy altogether.
In the next minutes Buckbeak eventually landed at a bit of run and Hagrid clapped, everyone joined in.
"Well done, Harry," Hagrid said lifting Harry off Buckbeak.
"Well, you're not dangerous at all, are you" Malfoy spat and started walking toward the hippogriff. Ron tensed watching Buckbeak's reaction.
"Malfoy, back" Hagrid began and Ron ran forward, Buckbeak stood on its hind legs and Ron yanked Malfoy back who fell, the beast caught him over his eyebrow and eye. He felt the cold blood run across his eye.
He couldn't explain exactly how but he reached out and grabbed the hippogriff's beak and forced it to the ground. Buckbeak kneeled and it's feathers shook "back off" he hissed.
He released him and Buckbeak ran off to hide behind a tree, it's eyes wide. He rounded on Malfoy "you must out of your mind," he said, Malfoy was wide-eyed and pale. "Save yourself the trouble and listen for once" he snapped.
Hagrid cleared his throat, "Quick thinking, Ron, five points for Gryffindor" Hagrid said surprised at Buckbeak. "And er Malfoy, the ten-point deduction for not listening to instruction" he added.
Malfoy face was grim as he stood. Maybe a different tactic was needed, Malfoy was used to hostility so the exact opposite had worked at the train station. Maybe he should do that now.
Ron blinked "are you hurt?" he asked. Malfoy looks so put out and confused that Ron wants to laugh.
"No, I- why do you even care?" Malfoy asked taking his arm back.
Maybe he just shouldn't say anything, he turned and walked away. "Weasley, answer me," he said, by his tone, Malfoy was being petulant. "Blood traitor, listen!"
He was tempted to but he continued walking back to where Harry was standing. Harry gave him a wide-eyed, confused stare. Hermione was hiding her expression behind a book but her eyes were glinting. Like she was… proud.
The rest of his fellow Gryffindor's either looked amused or annoyed. Hagrid dismissed class eventually after lecturing Malfoy for taunting a hippogriff. Well, Hagrid style lecturing anyway.
"What on earth was that, Ron?" Seamus complained as they made their way toward the castle "you were acting like Malfoy was your friend or something."
Ron paused in speaking "you know it's getting really old, this ridiculous stuff with Malfoy and the Slytherins. It's not like I really fancy the Slytherin attitudes either but I just figured-. Well it's like that saying an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind" he said. The one time he tries to be a nicer person and they act like he's the enemy.
"That saying doesn't mean go out and be all friends with your enemies," Seamus said.
"They're students, we're all students" Ron stopped and turned around. "He's a git alright, I get it but I wasn't gonna let him die or whatever buck beak could have done."
Ron replied he held his head high even though he was starting to get a headache. He just wanted to block out all the sunlight and put in his headphones Hermione gave him.
"Ron did the right thing," Hermione said, drawing herself as high as her short-form allowed. "Hagrid would have gotten in trouble if he hadn't stepped in."
"Well-"
"She's right," Harry said seeming to catch up "it's actually pretty brilliant since Malfoy looked so confused he didn't even say anything bad," Harry said.
Ron released the breath he didn't he was holding, it took a bit of pressure off of his chest. He was having trouble focusing now "I'm gonna go back to the castle," he said heading toward the castle as quickly as his legs would allow. Turns out, that was very fast.
He eventually found his way to the common room which was empty, everyone was probably at dinner.
He walked to his room and stopped at the mirror, he looked a fright. His left side of his face under his brow and eye was all bloody. He grabbed the blood with a washcloth in the bathroom. After the blood washed off, he saw the pale white scar.
He wondered if it would stay or eventually fade. He sighed.
Ron collected his walkman and headphones plus a blanket. He walked downstairs to lay down in front of the fire wrapping himself in a blanket, he whistled and Valkyrie appeared from under a table.
She leaped onto the couch next to him and he stroked her soft fur. He breathed in letting music block off everything and closed his eyes.
XXX
NOTES:
Seems this last update brought some misunderstandings because of my wording. By no means is Malfoy a good person, I simply meant he was a person for Ron to analyze with his behavior. This is not a praising Malfoy fic because he's a bad person obviously. Ron does not like Malfoy so sorry if it came off that way but he's got a lot on his mind so forcing Malfoy to look like the stupid one for going after him. Malfoy is childish at this point in the story though, all he's done is try to get Ron and Harry in trouble and said some extremely ignorant and nasty names at people. What he does later is well not relavant because this changes a lot of plot elements.
Now if you don't like the idea of Malfoy changing a little then sorry this isn't for you. He's too interesting a character for me not to try my hand at using him.
