Stalking The Night
(One-Shot)
Disclaimers: I don't own anything apart from some DVD's/books for this series.
AN: This is a short standard prompt for 'The Houses Competition" based on the first two movies/script books of Fantastic Beasts (the third one along with any subsequent ones will not be included for one obvious reason: TeamDepp!)
House: Gryffindor
Class: Herbology
Category: Standard
Prompt(s): (Emotion) Fear/(Location) The Black Lake
Word count: 1,724 according to AO3 (4 pages)
Note: The Dhampir is a "real" creature of mythology, known mostly in the Balkans.
Summary: Three Dark Creatures cause problems at Hogwarts for everyone involved.
It was a hot, clear summer day. Most of this summer was unusually hot, truth be told.
Due to the heat, Newt had gone out on vacation with his three friends, but they all still ended up being summoned by Dumbledore right in the middle of it, since he needed help to clear out some Dhampirs that had taken up residence at Hogwarts during the season when when all the students where gone for the summer holidays.
Dhampirs were Dark Creatures that were the result of a union between a vampire with a mortal human. It was incredibly rare to meet such a creature, since most vampires were unable to reproduce. The few vampires that could, had not been fully human to begin with before they were turned.
Newt also enlisted the help of his brother, Theseus, to catch the three Dhampirs residing in the lower levels of the castle where Slytherin usually stayed during the school terms.
Unfortunately, neither Queenie or Tina would be of much use since Dhampirs had an unusual effect on women. It was worse than a vampire's charm. A simple look would literally paralyze a human girl, rendering her an easy meal for the creature.
Both witches had to stay at Hogsmeade, away from the creatures, while Jacob went down to the edge of Black Lake. He would keep watch on the doors leading into the side hall that wound downwards into the dungeons in case anyone would try to come out.
Dhampirs could not be seen until the moon rose. Only then would the creatures materialize in the soft light. So at twilight, Newt led Theseus inside while Jacob watched the entrance.
Dumbledore was already waiting at the bottom stair. "They broke into the common room a few days ago," he began. "It's been barricaded."
"It won't be easy to remove them," said Theseus.
"I should be able to break through the charm they put up to seal the door," Dumbledore said. "But once inside, there won't be much room to move about. Also, we are equally matched. Three of them, three of us."
"We do have back up," Newt said. "Jacob has a little present for them if they try to get out. But don't worry. It won't hurt them much, more likely to cause confusion."
"Shall we begin?" Dumbledore nodded towards the shimmering silver-like wall in front of the door to the common room.
Once everyone had pointed their wands on the magical bind, they worked together to break through. The moment Dumbledore was able to break the charm, Theseus cast a rope-like spell from his wand onto the doors to yank them open before the three of them attempted to go inside. There was a loud unearthly scream from the dimly lit green-tinted room. A high wind swept past, knocking the three wizards off their feet.
"What was that?" Theseus gasped as he picked himself up.
"One of the Dhampirs is rather strong," Dumbledore answered as he helped Newt take the second one down.
The third one went for Theseus who had to create a protective bubble around himself to avoid being bitten. As Dumbledore set to work on binding the second one, Newt went to help Theseus. The Dhampir turned to face him, snarling angrily.
"Well, that's not very nice!" Newt replied, raising his wand.
"I swear to Merlin, Newt, don't you dare try putting that thing into your damn case!" Theseus complained.
"Oh nonsense!" Newt laughed softly. "I already have one in there. I don't need another one."
"Newt!" Theseus moaned in exasperation before casting a second restraining spell to boost the one Newt had already placed on the Dhampir who was now hissing like an angry pussycat at everyone, with fangs bared.
"Relax, I have it trapped in a box," Newt added.
"We need to have a serious conversation about that case some day," Theseus warned.
"We need to go after Jacob," Dumbledore insisted in a worried voice. "We should find the third Dhampir outside."
The three of them hurried up the stairs, catching glimpses of the Dhampir's cloak floating behind it as it climbed up ahead of them. It went down the hall towards the side door, apparently headed straight for Jacob.
"We're not going to make it!" Theseus panted as he clamoured up the final step.
"Don't worry," Newt said. "Jacob always has something planned. I told him a little about Dhampirs on the way here."
"The way here was by Portkey," Theseus said as the group hurried down the hall after the beast. "Exactly when did you explain to him about these things?"
"While we were running down the road from Hogsmeade to here," Newt said. The only reply Theseus had to that was to stare at Newt as they headed outside.
Glancing down the dark grounds, they could see a figure heading towards the Black Lake. Newt took off after it, letting the others catch up.
Jacob stood up quickly in the reeds as the Dhampir approached. "There you are. I've got a little surprise for you, buddy!" He kicked a large chest open that was lying on the ground beside him before diving into the lake out of sight.
The Bludgers as well as the Golden Snitch came out of the Quidditch chest. They hovered for a moment, as if wondering why they weren't on the Quidditch Pitch, before zooming around, pummelling the poor Dhampir as they zipped along while the Quaffle bounced around on the ground, chasing after the other balls following the Dhampir.
The Dhampir was knocked sideways, falling over to the ground. Another Bludger came straight down from the starry sky, forcing the Dhampir to roll away to avoid it. As Jacob surfaced in the water for air, he looked back at the shoreline to see the creature standing in the grass, silvery moonlight shining down, waving its arms to try fending the balls off.
There was something surreal about it. Jacob watched as the Dhampir dodged the Bludgers more easily as it got used to the balls flying around. Suddenly, Jacob realized that the creature had no shadow! He gasped softly before swimming sideways to a small sandy beach to climb out as Newt appeared a moment later.
As Jacob stood up, the Dhampir shoved by him, causing him to topple right back down into the water. "Oh come ON! I just got out!" Jacob groaned as he came out of the water once more.
"You ok, Jacob?" Newt asked as he ran by.
"Yeah," Jacob waved at him before catching sight of an oncoming Bludger. "Whoa!" He ducked just in time as Dumbledore ran by him next. Jacob waited for Theseus before following the others in the direction the Dhampir went.
They followed the creature around part of Black Lake until a wide beach opened up, lit up by the moon. Jacob skidded to a stop as he saw the Dhampir stand still on the sand. A moment later, his eyes caught sight of Queenie standing just ahead.
"QUEENIE!" Jacob screamed, fearing she would get eaten.
"What the hell is she doing here?" Theseus asked in surprise before looking sideways onto the dark trail. "What are you doing here?" He demanded as Tina herself ran upto him.
She glanced at her sister for a moment. "I could not stop her! It was like she was in some sort of trance."
"We've gotta get her out of there, fast!" Jacob exclaimed. Images of losing Queenie in a bloody mess filled his mind. He was afraid that the thing would pounce on her at any moment.
Newt scurried around behind the Dhampir while Theseus went off to one side. Dumbledore took the other side, leaving Jacob to stand at the end of the forest trail leading onto the beach. They watched as the Dhampir seemed to be paralyzed as well as all it did was stand there, staring back into Queenie's eyes.
/Get out of my head!/ Queenie internally screamed at the monster in front of her. A tear slipped down her cheek. She knew she would be dead within moments if the others weren't able to stop the Dhampir, but she simply could not move. Fear literally prevented it.
/You're in mine!/ Came a sweet caress of a young man's voice. /So now, you're all mine!/
His black hair shifted slightly in the wind as the water sparkled behind him. He was as handsome as a Greek God. He was beckoning to her in her mind to come closer, but she knew better than to go to him; although, a part of her wanted to. It would be suicide to listen to that fake part of her, a seductive lie planted in her head by him. Why was something so beautiful also so deadly?
/You are the one who called me, aren't you?/ Queenie silently demanded, still unable to speak.
/It's the other way around, my love./ The Dhampir took a step towards her. /You summoned me. We have the same power./
/I can not control mine, right now./
/Then don't./ The Dhampir swaggered towards her.
/Stay away from me!/ Queenie pleaded a moment before something hit her hard. Her body rolled along the sand until it hit the bushes. Something landed on top of her. In the deep recesses of her mind, she could hear a familiar voice.
"Don't you touch her!" Jacob snarled, lying over Queenie, protecting her.
/Ah, I have competition, I see. No matter. I will kill him first, for he has no power at all. He is useless./
/NO!/ Queenie shoved her thoughts forward as hard as she could. It made the Dhampir stumble back a few paces.
"Now!" Newt ordered.
Everyone lifted their wands. The Dhampir was still trapped in Queenie's mind in a battle of wills, so he did not notice the three other men strike out at him with their magic. When the spells hit him squarely in the chest, they knocked the Dhampir out of Queenie's mind as he fell to the ground.
"J-Jacob?" Queenie gasped as if she hadn't had a breath in over a minute.
"Shh! It's alright now," he said, glancing at the others who were now binding the creature.
"What did you think you were doing?" Tina demanded as she came running up to the pair still lying on the sand. She glared at Queenie.
"He is a Legillimens," Queenie said in a weak voice. She was still shaking from the ordeal. "Our powers connected. We were drawn to each other. I'm sorry. I tried to stop it but ..." She burst into tears as she leaned against Jacob. "That was so scary!"
"It's alright now," Jacob tried calming her. "Newt has it confined."
It was a silent walk back to the hotel in Hogsmeade. Queenie didn't stop shaking for a few hours. She lay in bed with a cup of hot tea while Newt went with Dumbledore to bring the three Dhampirs to the Ministry of Magic.
It is said it's a once in a lifetime occurrence to meet such a rare creature that stalks the nights in moonlight. Once because usually one dies then. For the few that live to tell the tale, fear often held their tongues for the mere mention of such encounters is unbearable.
~the end