/Gods! What is wrong with you? Do you get your jollies from tormenting poor innocent book characters or something?!/
Yup.
/::glares::/
Khalidah Ammon sniffed the air, searching for Meryll's scent. Yep, there it was, a mixture of fresh water and pine-trees. Sharp and cool.
Although the dark-eyed Vampiress wondered what Meryll was doing at Hogwarts, she had to admit it was nice to be back. Even if being here reminded her of Salazar and the black-eyed child she'd left behind.
Quickly putting her deceased lover and off-spring from her mind before the pain could begin, the long-legged Immortal strode up to the double-doored front entrance of Hogwarts, barely pausing to look at the picture of the founders that she herself had carved, before entering.
Khalidah was surprised to see how little the Entrance hall had changed. She'd put up half these tapestries and portraits herself. Nodding in response to the welcomes said portraits called out; the Vampiress grabbed a random student's shoulder. "What's your name, boy?"
The red-haired teen glared at her. "What gives you the right to call me boy?" He snapped.
Khalidah smiled wickedly, showing her white canines. "I am Khalidah the Merciless. Now tell me your name."
Although Khalidah could smell the fear on him, the boy didn't even flinch. "Ron Weasley." He said, his voice still full of anger. "Whaddya want?"
"You've got some balls, kid." Khalidah said, impressed in spite of herself. "Can you tell me where Meryll Dinnshencha is?"
Ron frowned. "Er...I don't know anybody who goes by that name. And I reckon I would, it's really weird."
"It's Irish you insensitive clod. It means Apprentice to Lady Aine." As a Vampire, Khalidah put much importance in names, since a Vampire could be summoned by their true name and forced to do the bidding of the summoner. "She's quite small, only about four foot two, with black curly hair, silver eyes, and pale skin."
"Oh!" The sound was one of enlightenment. "That's Aine. What do you want with her?"
Khalidah sighed. This was getting old. Fast. "Look, kid, I'm Khalidah the Merciless. The Bringer of Death, Scourge of Africa. Have you even heard of me? I've eaten people who were far less annoying than you are."
"I don't care what your damage is, Khali-whatever. I'm not going to tell you where Aine is unless you tell me what you want with her."
Although she admired Ron's courage, she didn't have time for his stubbornness. "Fine. Stupefy. I'll find her myself." She swept off, leaving the red-haired brat unconscious on the floor.
"Where's Ron?" Aine asked as soon as her crying had stopped.
"He was looking for Aine and Harry. Omigod, Aine, what if something's happened to him?!" Hermione said, panicked.
"Calm down." Aine said. "We're no good te anyone if we're na calm. When did 'e leave?"
"About half an hour ago." Hermione sobbed.
Aine nodded. "So there's a chance tha' 'e's jus' still lookin' then."
Hermione smiled slightly. "You think so?"
"I do."
CRACK! "Miss Aine! Professor-Dumbledore-Sir is wishing to see you, Miss!" The house-elf babbled.
"Very well." Aine said. "I shall go. That will be all, Elf."
"Yes, Miss!" The house-elf disappeared.
"You shouldn't treat them like that! They're sentient beings and they deserve respect."
"I was givin' 'im respect, 'Ermione. Compared to them, I'm royalty. If they 'ad to make a choice between me an' their masters, they'd choose me every time. So let's skip the rest o' the lecture an' see wha' Dumbledore wants."
"So what exactly do you want with Miss Fey?" Albus Dumbledore asked.
Khalidah smiled. "We're friends," she said easily, sipping her tea. "How's your daughter, Albus?"
"Good, good. She recently had a daughter named Whitney."
"That makes what, six?" Khalidah replied. "Give Katrina my congratulations."
Albus chuckled. "Oh, I will."
There was a quiet knock at the door and Meryll peeked in. "Ye wanted te see me, Professor?"
Khalidah smirked. "Hello, Aine."
Severus hissed in pain, holding his arm. "Dammit!" Why did Voldemort have to be calling now?
Getting up, he strode into his bedroom and pulled upon a black tasselled rope.
CRACK! "You is needing something, Professor Snape?" Dobby asked.
"Tell Albus that I have a meeting I need to go to." Severus said crisply. "I should be back in two to three hours, but allow me an extra hour just in case. I want you to be here with healing potions. Inform Poppy. But no one else."
Dobby nodded. "Dobby will be doing exactly what you is saying, sir." There was another CRACK! and Dobby disappeared.
"Ah, Severus, I'm glad you could make it." Lord Voldemort said.
'Like I had a choice.' Severus thought, kneeling down before the Dark Lord whilst trying to contain his shock at Voldemort's transformation from scaly to sexy. "I live to serve, milord." He said smoothly.
"Now, Severus, there's a small matter which we must discuss." Lord Voldemort said, stroking the hand of the red-haired beauty sitting next to him. Severus recognised her as the Vampiress Lady Cleo de Duclair.
"What's that, milord?" Severus asked, icy dread settling in the pit of his stomach.
"It has come to my attention that we have a traitor in our midst."
"I want to help." Annie said finally.
"What with?" Luna asked.
Annie stared at the older girl, wondering if she was being deliberately obtuse. "I want to help take Voldemort down."
Luna nodded. "Of course." She said, standing up.
"Where are you going?"
Luna pulled Annie out of her seat too. "We are going to find Hermione, Aine, and Ginny, and you are going to tell them what you told me."
Ginny pounded on the door with both hands. "LET ME OUT, LET ME OUT!!!" She screeched, unable to bear being locked inside the room. Ever since the Chamber she'd had an aversion to closed spaces.
"Ginny!" Harry grabbed her around the waist and pulled her into his lap, rocking her gently. "Shh, it's ok. We're going to get out of here and everything's going to be ok."
"You don't understand!" Ginny wailed into Harry's shoulder, "I have claustrophobia!"
"Ginny, I spent the majority of my childhood locked in a broom cupboard. Believe me, I understand."
For the first time Ginny noticed the tension in Harry's voice and body. She leant back to look at him, noting the tight muscles and the fear lingering in the back of his green eyes. "Oh, Harry," she sighed, "I'm sorry, that was really insensitive of me."
"It's alright," Harry said, kissing her hair gently. "Everything's going to be alright."
"No it's not, Harry," she sobbed, "Aine betrayed us. She's working with Tom."
"No." Harry replied confidently. "She's not. You weren't there that day in DADA, but I was. I heard the hatred in her voice; saw it in her eyes. She'd rather kill herself. He's trying to get a rise out of us."
"Promise?" Ginny begged.
"Promise."
Silver Sparklze: ::wonders:: What is it with my friends and using my account? Ah well, thanks for the review, Jamie, and chapter 17's already posted you silly boy.
Searching4romeo: I won't kill her, don't worry. I am very much supporting red-haired green-eyed children. I don't subscribe to the and-the-main-characters-have-to-die magazine, not like J.K. ::glares at OOTP:: I'm glad you like it so far. As for the intermission, I'd noticed that sometimes I can't stop reading a story and it's dinner time and I'm hungry, but I can't stop! So I thought people might appreciate an intermission. It was certainly fun to write. I've hidden Mr. Snoogles, so the crafty little chit can't get to him.
/Whoo! I found him!/
Darn.
/Hiding him in your underwear drawer isn't going to work, Ish./
Grr...