He clunked her down on the bed and she looked for a way out. There was none. She sighed and sat back, "Who are you?" asked Dumbledore. "A-Attaine Hephs" she said. "I'm not dead" she said, shuddering all over, "I'm not dead. Please say I'm not dead" "Don't be foolish. Of course you're dead! You've been bitten by a vampire!" said Severus viciously. She bared her teeth, "Shut up!" "Calm down, both of you" said Albus sharply. "Severus, I need a potion for her" he said, Severus nodded and left while Albus turned back to face his pale-faced patient.
"You're going to be here for a long time." he said. "I don't care. They think I'm dead" she said bitterly. "You are a vampire though." he said, "We'll give you some blood" he said and made Pomfrey fetch a bottle. She came back a after a few minutes. "Rooster blood" she said with distaste and gave the glass bottle to Attai. She didn't take it for a mintue, but the urge was overpowering and she snatched it from Madam Pomfrey's hand. She tilted the bottle into her mouth and drank the blood in a few seconds. When finished, she sat nonplussed for a second, then gagged and cried. "What am I doing?!" she asked. "There there, it's alright" said Dumbledore. "No it's not!" she cried and wanted so badly to hug someone. Dumbledore handed her her violin. "Thank you" she breathed and took it up, and plucked the strings in ectasy.
The sound made her feel so good, she put it underneath her chin and began to play. The music, it surrounded and she felt blanketed safely in the notes. This was truly being alive. Music was great to her, she thought that she was deaf before, but this. This comforted her and gave her excitment, ignoring her audience, she continued playing, hoping that feeling would never end. She was abruptly interrupted when Snape stomped in and she opened her eyes and let the violin fall onto the bed. He held a steaming goblet, "Drink" he commanded and gave it to Attai. "What is it?" she asked. "It will help with the hunger" he said and gave it to her. She took it and gulped it down, it tasted horrible. She coughed some and then handed the goblet back to Severus.
He was wrong, it only dulled the sense, but it was always there. Her stomach lurched, she stood up. "Stay with Professor Snape. He will be able to help you" said Albus firmly and left. She looked up and Severus resisted the urge to bare his teeth. He did not want to take care of a vampire. Vampire's did not need to be taken care of, he though bitterly.
She gave him a look of distaste, but followed him as he left and he brought her to his office. It was just the right environment for them two. He gave her a black robe and she slipped it over her clothes and then sat down in a chair while Severus graded his papers. She just stared at him, observing. He had done this many times before, but hated for it to be done to him. It made him feel like prey, he snarled. "What are you looking at?" "Neville Longbottom, D minus" she recited and he felt his cold blood rise. "Just mind your own bloody business!" he shouted. Wrong word, they both felt the jerking sensation, and simmered.
"I want to have a word with you!" said Cornelius Fudge. "She's only a child, I request that she stays at Hogwarts" said Albus. "Impossible! Absolutly forbidden!" said Fudge. "Come now Cornelius, Lupin was a fine student, and is a great teacher now. Severus is acting proper as well" said Dumbledore. "That was before Albus! She's a vampire, no one will accept her" he said. "No one will know" said Dumbledore, very serious. "Well the Ministry won't accept it. All vampires must be tagged and profiled." he said. "Tagging will be unnecassary" said Dumbledore. Something about those blue eyes froze Fudge, but he bravely continued.
"She must be tagged, or else I'm taking her to the Ministry by force. But if she's tagged, I'll let her stay at Hogwarts" he said, and Albus saw that there was no other way. He nodded, "Alright. She's with Severus right now"
Fudge walked into the cold dungeons and shivered. "Severus?" he called out. "Here" came the low voice and he checked his bowler hat, then walked into the office. "Erm, the Ministry needs to tag..." he said. "Attaine" said Attaine quietly. "Attaine" finsihed Fudge and Severus nodded, almost sadly. He stood up and Attai mirrored his movements. "Come here" he said and she stood next to him. The three apparated and Attai was suddenly taken by a trio of very rough arms. She gave out a cry. Three full grown men worked hard to pull her into a chair and the metal insets of the arms crawled over Attaine's arms and held her in place. "Let me go!" she said. Her legs wouldn't move due to the same metal insets that served as chains. "Just relax" said Fudge nervously. One wizard pulled up her sleeve while another came with his wand.
Attaine screamed, she felt her flesh burn under the wand and she saw red numbers on her skin. The pain lasted for a few minutes, and finally she was let go and her head slumped onto her shoulder. The numbers still glowed brightly in the branded flesh and she felt the metal insets go back into the wood. She was hauled roughly back up and held onto Severus as they walked away.
"Are you alright?" he asked, his robes felt welcomingly cool and she held on tighter, "No". "Get off" he said and made her stand up straight, she still stayed close to the professor and they apparated back to the school, then she was lead to a cot in the Potion Master's office. She slept there until the next day, when school began.