Mayhem
Disclaimer: I own nothing involving Harry Potter except OCs and plot ideas.
She looked up from her meal, blood dripping from her partially open mouth. Running her tongue over her lips, catching the last drops, she stood. She grimaced-she'd waited too long between repasts, and her body was still recovering. Smiling wickedly, she lifted her arms to the moon, full and shining its light on the night. She looked over at her brother, still finishing his meal. Together they again became one with the darkness.
(passage of time)
Groggily Harry shook his head and looked around him. Perspiration soaked through his shirt from the hot August night as he blearily tried to get a hold of his surroundings. For a moment it looked as though the room was ablaze. Then he remembered he was at the Burrow, after staying with the Dursleys for half the summer, and he was in Ron's room, still decorated entirely with Chudley Cannons merchandise. He tossed and turned, but try as he might he couldn't fall back to sleep. With a resigned sigh he got out of bed. Reflexively he looked for his watch, but remembered a second too late he had finally discarded it. Carefully, so as not to wake Ron, he tiptoed downstairs to the kitchen and started the coffee. He sat dozing at the table while the coffee percolated, not knowing Mr. Weasley had come downstairs.
"You know Harry, maybe you should go back to sleep," he joked, not unconcernedly.
Harry jerked himself awake and replied, "S' no use. I already tried. And besides," he added, pouring himself a mug of what he called his "life-blood", "it's the first day of school anyways."
Arthur asked, "Excited? Nervous? It's seventh year after all...just wait till those N.E.W.T.S." he added.
"As long as they serve coffee," Harry said, "I'm just fine." Letting out a long sigh of satisfaction, he puttered around the kitchen, looking for toast.
(passage of time)
The Hogwarts Express pulled into Hogsmeade as the last rays of sun were almost gone from the sky. Harry followed Ron and Hermione off the train and into a waiting carriage. Harry stopped briefly to pat one of the thestrals before climbing in. Shortly after Neville, Luna, Ginny and a boy and girl Harry didn't recognize joined the trio in the carriage. He noted with grim humor that the new girl patted the thestral as well. As they climbed in, Hermione smiled and said, "Oh hello, Elle." Yet her voice was icy, something positively rare. Now curious Harry scrutinized the newcomers.
She had long straight hair black as a raven's wing. Her face was impossibly pale against full, blood-red lips. Her eyes were an icy gray, framed by incredibly long, lush black lashes and lined in black. Small, luscious breasts peeked out from under her Hogwarts robes. Her brother – for he must be her brother – looked almost exactly like her except he had bleach-blond, shoulder-length shaggy hair, a ring in his ear, and a scruffy goatee. They sat perfectly at ease with their surroundings, even under scrutiny from every person in the carriage. Even Luna was giving them the once-over.
Finally Ron broke the silence. "Erm, Hermione, how'd you know these people?"
Hermione refused to answer. The boy said, "Oh, we go back." His voice was sultry and smooth as silk, yet it revealed a menace that sent a chill down Harry's spine. Elle smiled a little and said, "Paul, stop it. You're scaring them." Her voice, like her brother's, had an undercurrent of danger, yet it soothed Harry, and he relaxed.
Ginny laughed nervously. "Who says we're scared?" Looking over at his girlfriend of two years, he gave her a reassuring grin. Harry glanced at Elle, then, clearing his throat, he spoke.
"Well, I'm Harry. This is Ron, Neville, Luna, and Ginny," he said, indicating each in turn. "What brings you to Hogwarts?"
"Our school was attacked and burned," Elle said easily. "Professor Dumbledore agreed to let us finish our education here." Seeing the shocked, sympathetic faces around her, she added, "It's not a big deal."
Paul laughed and added, "It's just a school."
Hermione looked at him, aghast. "Just a school? Just a school?" She sat, at a loss for words.
The carriage finally shuddered to life, and they trundled up the road towards Hogwarts.