Harry stared at her for a few moments. That didn't make sense. From what he had read about vampires, crosses burnt their skin. He assumed that he could be wrong, but the thought of vampires in the Forest seemed a bit far-fetched.
"You're a vampire?" he asked for, what seemed like the hundredth time. Cecilia sighed.
"Yes, Mr. Potter. What don't you understand about it? I am a blood-drinking creature from hell. It's so normal for you're kind," she said, gathering the arrows she had just finished preparing. Harry stared at her.
"How can you say that so casually?" he asked, feeling disgusted. She shrugged.
"The feeling comes naturally after the first few hundred years," she said simply. Harry stared at her. He had never taken into account how old she must be.
"What do you mean, 'you're kind'?" Harry asked, referring to what she had said a moment ago.
"Wizards. You should be used to living among demons and odd creatures. Like my kind," she said, putting her arrows in a quiver.
"How did you become a vampire?" he asked, staring at her. Cecilia sighed, setting down her quiver, and staring out the window. She rested her hands on the sill as a light breeze ruffled the satiny white curtains.
"Beautiful, isn't it? The moon that is," she said, not turning around.
"Look, don't try and-"
"That's what I was trying to see on that unforgettable night, so long ago. The professors warned all the students not to leave the castle, not to go outside during the night. Mind you, it was when the vampire clan was much more powerful.
"Anyway, I didn't listen to dear old Godric. I left the Gryffindor Tower at around midnight. I thought that if the vampires were out that night, they would have been headed back for their home by then. But I was wrong." Cecilia kept staring out the window, but she wasn't seeing anything. The memory played before her eyes. "I went up to the Astronomy Tower, because naturally, that is the prime place to view the heavens. It was a beautiful night. Quite like this night. I remember how I walked around the platform, wanting to see every star in the sky. I didn't hear them coming. Before I knew what was happening, they were on me like a pack of wolves. It was Elliot that did it. He bit into my skin like an animal," she said, her voice shaking. Harry could tell she was on the verge of tears. "Then came Lord Jared. Elliot threw me on the ground. You know there's nothing quite like the feeling of life leaving your body. But Jared took pity on me. He saved what he could of my soul," she sighed, "and they brought me here. To this very room. And I became one of them. One of the walking dead. Sure it's not a life many would wish to live, but I had to choose between life and death, and I couldn't bare the thought of dieing. Many times I've thought that I was better off that way. Instead of being trapped in this prison." Harry stared at her. There had never been any problems at Hogwarts with vampires. He was silent for a few moments.
"What are you going to do about those gashes?" he asked, trying to get off the depressing subject.
"I'll go to Julienne. She'll heal me. But they aren't a problem," Cecilia said, grabbing her weapon.
"Why don't you go now?" he asked, walking over to her, and inspecting her cuts.
"You're quite full of questions this evening. Besides, there's no point in going now. I'm only going to get hurt even more," she said, pushing him off. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. Then Elliot came in. Harry looked away from Elliot, remembering that he was the one that made Cecilia who she was.
"The Lord Jared wishes to speak with you," he said quickly, before turning out of the room again.
"Come on," she said, leading Harry out. Harry followed her through the castle, staring at different people as he walked past.
The castle was a gaunt place. Very different from the cheerful corridors of Hogwarts. Every way Harry turned, there were people lurking in the shadows, staring at him oddly. He stayed close to Cecilia, not wanting to think of what might happen if she wasn't around him.
"I'm going to take you to Julienne. She will watch over you. Stay with her, and stay inside. Do not wander, there are many young vampires who wish to feed," Cecilia said, a hint of urgency in her voice. Harry felt as though she were preparing him for some sort of war. Little did he know, she indeed was.
Julienne's room was, if possible, more depressing than the rest of the castle. There were many beds lining the walls, and there were a few cabinets around the room. It looked much like the infirmary.
"Who is this...human, Cecilia?" Julienne asked, walking sulkily over to them, and staring down at Harry. He noticed that most of the vampires stood proudly, and confidently. Cecilia placed an arm between them.
"I want you to watch over him. Don't you dare let any harm come to him Julienne, I'm trusting you," Cecilia said. Julienne laughed, a haunting sound that echoed throughout the room. Was nothing in a vampire's company cheerful?
"You should have learned long ago, not to trust me," Julienne said. Harry stared at her. She looked as though she were in her twenties. She had dark hair, and the familiar electric eyes.
"But I am hoping that you have learned from past mistakes," Cecilia said, placing a hand on Julienne's arm, and gripping it tightly. Julienne's smile disappeared, and she closed her eyes from the pain.
"Alright, fine. I'll watch over the boy, whoever he is, and I promise you, no harm will come to him," she said, once Cecilia let go of her.
"You promise?" Cecilia asked, tilting her head.
"Cross my heart. Whatever's left of it," Julienne muttered as she walked away, to tend to one of the men that were in her care. Cecilia sighed, and turned to Harry.
"Do you have your wand?" she asked. Harry nodded, and held it up for her to see. "Do not let your wand get away from you," she advised, as she left him.
"You can sit there, boy," Julienne called, pointing to a chair on the far wall. Harry took her offer, but sat uncomfortably in the dark.
Harry was shaken awake after what seemed like hours. Then suddenly, there was screaming from outside. He instantly looked out the window, but heavy drapes had covered them. He looked around the room, and after his eyes adjusted, he noticed that Julienne was staring at him. She was hovering in a sitting position, an arms length away, and was staring straight into his eyes.
"You don't know how nice it is to meet someone that doesn't have blue eyes," she said longingly.
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, standing up, and stretching slightly.
"Well if you haven't noticed, all vampires have blue eyes," she said, standing up again, and preparing the beds. Apparently, she was expecting patients.
"Well, I had noticed, but I didn't give it much thought. Why?" he asked, sitting down again.
"I don't know. But I do remember that I had the most beautiful brown eyes when I was younger. When I was...alive," she said solemnly. "Never take anything for granted when you're alive. Don't wish to grow up too fast. Be happy with who you are. And trust me, if given the chance to live this life, or die, choose death," Julienne said sadly. Harry knew she was trying to give him good advice, and was trying to make him feel welcome, but she was failing badly. Then there was a rush of bodies through the door. Bed after bed was being filled, and the moans of vampires filled the hall. The stench of blood made the room suffocating, and made Harry sick, but he needed to find Cecilia. He promised he wouldn't leave until she had come for him. He walked through the room, looking over the wounded, and helping Julienne in any way he could. Then he finally found Cecilia.
She was lying on one of the infirmary beds, taking labored breaths, and closing her eyes in pain. Harry went over to her, and bent over her.
"Cecilia, what happened?" he asked, taking one of hands in his, hoping she would be alright.
"She was bitten by a werewolf. I believe it was your beloved Professor Lupin again," Elliot said, standing above her, and staring down at her sympathetically.
"Again?" Harry asked, looking up at Elliot.
"When Lupin was your Professor four years ago, he ventured away from his hideout one full moon. We vampires just happened to be out fighting this same battle even then. He had joined the others, and attacked us. He bit Cecilia. Mr. Lupin seems to have a taste for her blood," Elliot explained, staring down at Cecilia. Harry stared back at her, until Julienne came, and pushed him out of the way.
"What happened?" Julienne asked, starting to clean the wound on her stomach.
"She was bitten again," Elliot said, standing with his hands behind his back. Julienne sighed.
"This girl needs to learn from her mistakes," Julienne said with a sigh. She went to one of her cabinets, and opened it to reveal an array of potions, creams, and other such remedies. She searched through the bottles and tubes until she found what she was looking for.
"How long has it been since the bite?"
"About an hour. We were far into the forest, and took us a while to get back," Elliot said. Julienne took out a common needle that muggles used to give shots, and inserted it into the small bottle. The needle filled with a thin, clear liquid. She went over to Cecilia, and held her arm, and gave her the shot. Cecilia flinched, but a moment later, she opened her eyes. She still ached, but she wouldn't have to worry about the effects of the werewolf bite.
"Harry, if you will, bandage her up for me. I daresay, I have a lot of other patients that need my help more than this mistake," Julienne said, giving Cecilia a friendly grin, before heading off to tend to the other people. Harry got a bowl of water, and a few bandages, and began cleaning the wound on her arm.
"You stayed," Cecilia said, surprised. Harry smirked.
"I always keep my promises," he replied, concentrating on his job.
"That's a good quality in a man," Cecilia said, smiling at him. Not the cold, chilling smile most vampires gave him, but a warming smile, from her heart. Harry knew she had a heart in her. She couldn't be so kind if she didn't.
A/N: I know I said I wouldn't update until I got some reviews, but I didn't want to wait until then. Please review. Constructive criticism is welcomed.