V – Death be not Proud

V – Death be not Proud

Hu Li was escorted safely back to the castle by Hagrid. She slipped in the main front door and glanced at the clock. It was nearly nine and there was no one about, either here or in the Great Hall.

She wanted more than anything to run upstairs and go straight to bed, but instead she trudged to the gargoyle statue and gave the password.

Dumbledore's door was closed when she reached it. She knocked and he called, "Come in!"

Hu Li opened the door and stepped inside. He smiled. "Ah, Hu Li. Back from the meeting?" She nodded mutely.

He asked gently, "And how did it go?"

Hu Li dropped into one of his chairs. "They agreed to meet the wizard ambassadors," she said blankly.

Dumbledore smiled at her. "I knew that you could do it. Just a few minutes before you got here, Old Niccolo transported himself here and told me what a magnificent and eloquent speech you made. He said most of the others were quite impressed with you."

"Not all of them," she muttered. "Luis Perone wasn't very partial to either me or the whole state of affairs."

Dumbledore replied calmly, "Luis Perone is not very partial to anything. He is not one of the more noble of the vampires and it surprised me that South America decided to send him as a representative."

"More likely he sent himself just to be bothersome," said Hu Li, not mentioning his anger at the end. He had appeared more or less cool on the outside, but she had seen fire in his eyes and hate in his heart.

Dumbledore smiled. "You did wonderfully, Hu Li. I merely want to remind you that was just the first step. You must also be present at the meeting between wizards and vampires as an intermediary, and then you must be present at the separate decisions of each party. But I have complete faith in you."

"You said you didn't need faith in me before," she reminded him mischievously.

"Ah, so I did. Very well, allow me to amend my statement. I firmly believe that you will be an admirable diplomat in the dealings to come."

"Better," she said. "At least I don't have to meet with the wizards to get them to agree."

Dumbledore said, "No, I talked with them over the summer. After the other emissaries were sent to other misunderstood creatures and were successful, they agreed readily. Perhaps more readily because they didn't have to be the ones to meet the vampires."

"Probably," said Hu Li, yawning. "Sure, send the poor little girl to face the vampires, but not the big strong wizards, eh?"

Dumbledore peered at her from over half-moon glasses. "I find it remarkable," he said, "that after all that you have encountered, and all the physical, mental, and emotional pain you have experienced, that you still consider yourself a little girl."

Hu Li said sadly, "In form only." She stood and smiled at him apologetically. "I'm very sorry, Professor, but I have to get to bed. I am absolutely exhausted – I hope I even make it to Gryffindor Tower without collapsing."

Dumbledore smiled. "I am confident in you, Hu Li. As always."

She turned to go, and he added, "Oh yes, and there was an announcement at dinner that you missed. I thought you might be interested in it."

"Yes?" she inquired, facing him.

"Quidditch tryouts will be held tomorrow after classes," he said. "Your father told me you had a passion for Quidditch."

Hu Li grinned, feeling almost happy - almost. "Yes," she replied fervently. She bowed and walked out of his office. She trudged slowly up to Gryffindor. "Flabbergastrications," she told the Fat Lady tiredly, who chuckled and swung open.

Hu Li stepped into the common room and looked up to see Harry, Hermione, and Ron all staring at her. Hu Li's heart lurched to her throat. She saw Cecelia Feathersnip in a corner with Lavender Brown, giggling about her expedition to Hogsmeade.

Hu Li sat down heavily in the empty chair near them. "So," she croaked, hoping feebly that all her hair had somehow become live orange snakes and that was why they were staring at her.

Hermione spoke. "Why did you lie to us?" she said quietly.

Hu Li swallowed the scream of misery that threatened to spill out. "What do you mean?"

Harry said, "You know. About Hogsmeade."

"Yeah, you said you were eating a quick dinner with your father," said Ron.

"Not for hours with a group of strangers, like Cecelia said," added Hermione.

Hu Li thought quickly. She would have to lie again – it couldn't be helped. "I did have dinner with my father," she said, managing to talk in a normal tone of voice. "I told you he had business here. I just didn't expect him to bring his business colleagues to the table with him."

They all stared at her. "Cecelia said there were no Chinese people there – and you called them 'family of the heart', not family," said Harry dubiously.

Hu Li nodded. "My father was off talking to Madam Rosmerta about a fly in his wine when Cecelia came over. She was right that I called them family of the heart – I have known them all for many years. Cecelia never gave me a chance to say anything else – you know her. Babbling idiot," she said. "When my father came back, I had to listen to them talk about boring Auror stuff for about a thousand years before I finally told my father I had to be back at school. I found Hagrid and he took me back."

They ate up her whole story – she saw the trust and relief enter their faces. It made her feel rather as if she had swallowed a live hippogriff. "You know Hagrid?" asked Harry genially.

"I do now - much more interesting than my dad's colleagues. He told me all about what he does for his classes and how much he'd like to see some of the Chinese dragons and how once he hatched a dragon. Very nice man, Hagrid." Better than Luis Perone, she thought.

"Well, we apologize for thinking you lied to us, Hu Li," said Hermione, smiling.

"Yeah, we're sorry," said Ron.

Hu Li felt immense relief. Then the nasty voice in her head said, They'll hate you all the more for it when they find out, you know. You'll be sorry, you will –

Oh shut up, she told it angrily. That was absolutely necessary. Besides, it was one of my better lies – the fly in my father's wine, how brilliant.

Hu Li suddenly yawned. "I've got to go to bed, I am exhausted," she said.

Harry said as she stood, "Oh, did you know they'll be Quidditch tryouts tomorrow after classes? You can try for Keeper or Chaser."

She allowed herself a grin. "I hope I'm awake by then. Thanks, Harry. Good night, everyone."

"Dream well," said Hermione kindly.

She sighed. "I'll do my best. See you in the morning."

As Hu Li slid in between the sheets ten minutes later, she had such a sick feeling of guilt in the pit of her stomach that there would be no way she would dream well tonight.

***

Hu Li found herself in a small, dimly lit room. She looked down at herself in surprise. She was wearing a traditional Chinese qipao with a mandarin collar and butterfly buttons on the long dress-like garment. Like the top, the pants under it were made of very fine silk. It was the color of sapphires and ice. She felt that she had seen this outfit before, but she had no idea where.

Hu Li shifted uneasily on her feet. When she moved, she realized, she could feel something attached to the side of her leg. She bent down and pulled out a silver dagger. Its jade handle was carved with a tiger and a phoenix fighting, entwined forever in a combat of talons and teeth and hate. The detail was remarkable. She turned the dagger over, wondering how it got onto her leg, when she saw a single word carved on the blade. Lugala.

The phoenix – she did not like the look of it. She felt a bad association with phoenixes, but she couldn't seem to recall it exactly. It was a feeling, nothing more.

Suddenly Hu Li noticed movement from the other side of the room. She took a step toward the movement cautiously, calling, "Hello?"

Clutching the beautiful dagger, she walked forward towards where she had seen the movement. Another Chinese girl walked toward her out of the dimness.

Hu Li gasped and stepped back. Then she laughed out loud. It was only a mirror –merely her reflection! She walked right up to the mirror and studied it closely. Hu Li's laughter died. The image in the mirror had a cruel mouth and skin as white as marble. Her hair was drawn back to reveal a well-boned face. Hu Li thought, there is something wrong here. This can't be me.

Then she realized the problem with a grim start. The reflection was smiling. Hu Li was not. The reflection's hard eyes were the azure color of the Yellow Sea. Hu Li's were as black as night.

Hu Li sucked in a breath. Quick as lightning, the thing in the mirror reached forward and

pulled Hu Li by her collar up against the mirror. Hu Li struggled, but it was like being trapped in a clutch of iron.

The mirror spoke in Chinese. "Hu Li, foolish girl," she hissed. "I should have taught you never to trust. Learn this well, daughter – for I am coming. I am closer than you think. I will strike when you least expect it. You will never survive the attack of the Phoenix, for the Phoenix lives forever, and you do not."

Then she reached out with her other hand and wrenched Hu Li's dagger from her grasp. Then she plunged it into the blue qipao – plunged it into Hu Li's chest.

She let go. Hu Li gasped and sank to her knees in a wave of pain as her crimson life spilled out of her. The reflection laughed cruelly and stepped out of the mirror. "I will win, as I always do, dearie," she said. "You were doomed to lose."

Hu Li fell facedown on the hard cold floor and did not get up.

***

Hu Li shrieked out and sat up, panting and shaking and staring wildly into the blackness A light went on in the dorm and someone murmured sleepily, "What on earth?"
Hermione's shaken face peered around Hu Li's bedcurtains. "Hu Li? What happened? It's one in the morning," she said nervously.

"I – had another – nightmare," Hu Li said. She felt sick and weak, like one does when in the throes of the flu. She shivered, though she was hot.

Hermione's face grew grave and concerned. "You should go to Madam Pomfrey," she said softly. "Maybe she can give you a potion for your nightmares."

Lavender Brown's face peered in, too. "What's going on?" she demanded irritably. "I was having a marvelous dream."

"Well, Hu Li wasn't," said Hermione severely. "She had a nightmare."
Lavender looked at Hu Li, who nodded. She sniffed, "Well, that's all fine and good, but you don't have to go waking up the whole dorm about it. I was dreaming of Seamus Finnigan." He head disappeared and Hu Li groaned and put her head down.

"I'm fine, really," she said into her arms. "It's all right, I'm going back to bed and you lot should too." She looked at Hermione pointedly.

"Fine," Hermione muttered. "It's your funeral." Her head disappeared as well, and the light snapped off.

You're right, thought Hu Li. Or at least, you will be very, very soon.

***

Hu Li woke late that day and skipped breakfast to avoid everyone, especially Hermione. Hu Li knew she was very clever, and she feared Hermione was putting the pieces of the puzzle together. Hu Li knew that when smart Muggles found out about a vampire, the vampire had to go inside the Muggle's mind and recreate the memory. Hu Li did not want it to come to that. She did not want to play inside Hermione's head. It was disrespectful, she felt, but if she had to …

During the classes that day, she thought about her dream. She remembered now where she had seen the blue qi pao. It was what Sou Mei had been wearing when the picture of her, Hu Li, and Lo had been taken. Hu Li had been not a year old, and it was before either Sou Mei left the Death Eaters and before she told Lo what she was.

The phoenix and the tiger on the dagger were strange, too. She assumed she was the tiger, as the phoenix was obviously Sou Mei. What was that supposed to mean?

The ending of the dream, of course, left no interpretation. Hu Li was going to die when she and her mother were reunited again.

Hu Li wondered briefly whether she should tell Professor Dumbledore about the nightmares

she had been having before deciding not to. No need to worry the old professor – he had enough on his hands, and he might take back his confidence and visions of Hu Li as a gladiator.

Classes seemed to pass quickly. Before she knew it, she was standing outside in the cold wind with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They were waiting for Quidditch tryouts to begin.

Hu Li stood silently shivering in her Hogwarts cloak. Harry and Ron kept glancing at her, but said nothing. Hermione was as nice as she always was.

Hu Li was waiting for her name to be called and looking at the Quidditch field when she felt a tap on her back. She turned. It was Draco Malfoy.

He was looking very cool, as usual. His pale cheeks had a hint of pink in them from the cold. He said, "I heard you were trying out for the Gryffindor team, Hu Li."

Over his shoulder, Hu Li saw Ron and Harry looked icy, and she didn't think it was from the weather alone. "Yes," she said. "Chaser."

"Splendid. I'm Seeker for Slytherin," he told her casually.

"It will be loads of fun to compete against you and the Slytherins, Draco," she replied.

Draco grinned. "What makes you so sure you're going to make the team?"

Hu Li recited, feeling more than slightly hypocritical, "If one does not have confidence in one's abilities, one has nothing."

"I'll have to write that one down."

"Sorry, that would be a copyright infringement," she informed him, and grinned too.

Draco glanced over his shoulder, as if he could feel the nasty looks Harry and Ron were

aiming at him, and said, "Fun crowd you've got back there."

She shrugged and lied, "Once I'm done with them, I'll let you play with them, if you'd like."

Draco snickered. His gray eyes winked and glittered in the cold October sun. "It's all right,

really. I've got my own barrel of monkeys." He jerked his head toward Goyle and the other boy she had seen with him on the train. "Crabbe and Goyle, the animated boulders. Good for hours of play time. Some assembly required. Batteries not included."

"Lovely," she said, smiling.

"Of course, I don't think I need to introduce you to Goyle," Draco continued, watching her closely.

Hu Li shrugged again. "Like I said, I'm fine. I didn't get burned."

He was still watching her with those bottomless eyes like a stormy sea. "I thought I saw burns on your hands," he said. "But maybe I was wrong."

"You must have been," she said. "My hands are as good as new." She held them up.

Draco stared at her with an odd look on his face. Just then she heard her name called. "Sorry, Draco, I've got to go," she said.

"Good luck," he murmured. "Good luck."

Hu Li walked onto the field with her broomstick. The way it appeared to work was that she would be playing with people who were already on other teams. She saw three people in scarlet robes, three in yellow, two in blue, and five in green. She herself was still wearing the black Hogwarts robes.

Madam Hooch told her, "All right, Zhang, you're playing a Chaser, is that correct?" When Hu Li nodded, she went on, "You know what to do. Just do the best you can and the results will be announced later."

Hu Li took a breath and mounted her broom. Madam Hooch blew the whistle. She kicked her broom into the air and immediately felt her problems being left back on earth. In the air, she was

emancipated. She did not have to worry about Draco or her friends finding out about her secrets. She did not have to worry about Luis Perone or Sou Mei or living up to Dumbledore's expectations. She was truly free.

Hu Li immediately dived into the game. The players on her teams had large banners draped on their backs. She was playing with a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw Chaser each. One was a kind-looking Chinese girl, and the other was a serious brown-haired boy. They were very good players, she found as she passed the Quaffle and allowed the Chinese girl to score a goal. Then the Hufflepuff boy scored two more goals. The three Chasers worked together so well that Hu Li wished they were all Gryffindors – they would have the best damn team in Europe.

The other team was looking rather sour by now, especially the five green players that were on it. One of them, the largest and meanest-looking one, was muttering threats under his breath every time Hu Li passed him in the air.

The three Chasers were passing the Quaffle expertly back and forth again. Hu Li was aware that the large Slytherin was behind her, dogging her every move. She made a sharp dive, and the serious boy tossed her the Quaffle. She zoomed toward the goalpost and threw the Quaffle in. She made the goal. The game was over. Her team had won.

The Chinese girl came whooshing over to her as she hovered near the goalpost with a grin on her face. She said excitedly, "Great job! You definitely made the Gryffindor team. What's your name?"

Hu Li saw a large presence coming at her from the corner of her eyes as she opened her

mouth to answer. She never got a chance to answer the girl. The large thing slammed into her

with violent force and smashed her directly into the goalpost behind her.

Everything seemed to suddenly be in slow motion. Hu Li's vision dimmed as her head whacked against the goalpost. She heard each bone in her neck and back shatter and break in a series of sickening cracks. A loud cry of horror went up around the stadium. She opened her mouth in a groan of pain and despair as she saw Albus Dumbledore stand up with a stunned expression on his face.

She had time only to moan, "Oh, no," with eyes closed before she began to fall the fifty feet toward earth. She knew she would be dead before they brought her to the hospital wing. Small wounds she could survive, but this – never.

Hu Li hit the ground with a horrendous, brutal thud. The grass was soft and smelled fresh. She made to sit up and found she could not move any part of her body. She was completely paralyzed. She was completely helpless.

The last thing she saw was Draco Malfoy kneeling over her with a blank expression of horror on his face, saying dreadfully, "Hu Li, Hu Li, wake up, please, oh, Hu Li …"

Hu Li's eyes fluttered in agony and she lay still in the cool grass. The last thing she thought numbly was, Sou Mei will never get her chance. And then all went dark.