I logged on today with the sole purpose of finishing this chapter. Past this they should flow more smoothly, but this caused me a completely unbelievable amount of problems. I'm afraid it's rather pitiful, but it does introduce a very important character.

Well…: It wasn't a flame, it was constructive criticism and gives me a good chance to explain some points. Vampires and werewolves usually don't cooperate but their Master told them to. Their Master can kinda scare the crap out of them, so they generally do what he says. And about turning lupine. I quote Remus Lupin: "I was very young when I received the bite…" This implies that becoming a werewolf involves being bitten, so my theory is, survive the bite and you're in. I know werewolves aren't immortal, but I get the idea they heal much quicker than humans, and also, vampires are immortal. Being hybrids will only extend our heroes' lifetimes by a few centuries. Wizards and witches also seem to be less susceptible to injury and disease (see the HPL article) so those who were bitten by a werewolf before a vampire were bitten when they were unconscious to keep them alive, in sorts, except for Ron, because his magic healed himself, and Lupin, ditto. Lots happened while they were unconscious that'll be covered later.

The exact plan: vampires are evil, due to this thing about losing one's soul I borrowed from Buffy. But the way I figure it, the werewolf half gives hybrids a half-soul, so that they're not quite evil. My example: psychopaths don't know the difference between right and wrong. Sociopaths don't care. Hybrids fall into the latter category.

Red Moon

Chapter Three: Reappearances

Hermione was up all that night. After all, she didn't sleep anymore. Unfortunately, her brain hadn't quite made the switch over to its new format, so it still made her tired. But she fought it, determinedly scanning through dozens of magical law textbooks. She studied and studied, the dawn doing naught but driving herself deeper into the refuge of the black curtains halfway shielding her, until at last she found what she was looking for. Hastily she began to reach over towards the curtain, stopping abruptly when a ray of sunlight beamed into the dark lair.

She snatched her hand back, swearing and nursing three fingers. This sucked. She found what she needed, so where was Mrs. Weasley when she needed her? She sighed in an annoyed fashion and drew in a long breath — rather unnecessary, as she didn't strictly need to breath anymore.

"MRS. WEASLEY!" she shouted.

Several nearby patients awoke and began to complain very loudly and very annoyingly. Hermione ignored them and called again.

"MRS. WEASLEY! I'VE FOUND SOMETHING IMPORTANT!"

She heard footsteps coming her way. Surprised, her ears twitched back, before she remembered the fact that werewolves had heightened senses. She noticed with somewhat of a cool quizzical attitude how logically and analytically she had begun to think of herself.

She felt, rather than heard or saw, Mrs. Weasley taking a seat on the chair. "What is it?"

"A loophole," she said breathlessly. "I've found a loophole! We can keep our wands!"

Instantly the Weasley matron pulled the curtain aside. Hermione hissed and pulled away, but the curtain quickly fell back into place as Mrs. Weasley took a seat on the inside of the bed. "What is it?"

Hermione opened the book to the page her finger marked. "'With the consent of a guardian and a recommendation by another trusted legal adult, a turned vampire under the age of seventeen may keep his or her wand.' But we'll have to work around Umbridge's legislation to get into Hogwarts."

Mrs. Weasley bit her lip and look down at the floor. "Hermione…"

Her heart sank as she read the news on her face. "No — the gang didn't — they were — my parents — "

"I'm sorry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said gently. "They were found just this morning. It was werewolves, for sure."

Her head felt light. There was an odd buzzing in her ears as she fell backwards and her forehead struck the bedpost.

She awoke to murmurs around the bed. "Shock, apparently."

"No concussion?"

"Healed itself nearly instantaneously. It wasn't too severe."

"Shh, she's awake."

Hermione's eyes slowly cracked open. She resisted, and sat up, rubbing her forehead where it had struck. There were no markings, no pain. A loud bang sounded as the door to the ward burst open. Hermione reached to pull back the curtains and look, pausing just in time.

"Where are they?" a deeply-pitched female voice demanded.

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Weasley said dangerously. "Who are you?"

"I am Mslaba Damu. I was called to destroy the vampires' wands."

Hermione's stomach tightened.

"Over my dead body!" Harry scoffed.

"Technically speaking, Mr. Potter, you are already dead," Damu said coldly. "Tell me, madam, do you have possession of the vampire's wands?"

Hermione couldn't stand another word. She draped her sheet over her head and ducked out of the curtains. "Beg pardon, but I have a say in this."

Mslaba Damu was a petite, chocolate-skinned woman. Her looks were definitely deceiving, though, obvious from the numerous stakes and crosses tucked into her belt and the silver sword buckled around her waist. Her dark, wiry hair was tied into a neat bun with a strand of garlic. Hermione unconsciously leaned away.

"Vampire," Damu hissed, her hand dropping to her sword.

"You would have seen me as a child two days ago."

"That's because you were one."

Harry also ducked out, his head covered in his curtains. "You're not taking our wands."

Damu sneered. "How, pray tell, do you plan to stop me?"

"There is a law that allows the guardians of minors who have been turned to decide whether or not they may keep their wands," Hermione said calmly. "My magical guardian is my third cousin, who lives in Diagon Alley. She can be here in five minutes."

"Harry's magical guardian is me," Mrs. Weasley said fiercely, "and you're not breaking his wand while I'm still breathing." She held out an envelope. "Hermione's cousin was notified. This is the letter she sent back."

Damu snatched it away and tore it open. She scanned it quickly and contemptuously tossed it into a trash can. "So you still have your wands. But you'll be lucky to be allowed to go back to the Muggle world, let alone Hogwarts."

"Professor Dumbledore has already completed the necessary paperwork allowing them to complete school," Mrs. Weasley snapped coldly, crossing her arms. "So your work here is done."

Damu's hard eyes bored into the woman, before she whirled, black cape swirling, and Disapparated. Mrs. Weasley fell back into a chair, and Harry and Hermione once again hid behind the curtains of their beds, sighing quietly.

Out of sight of anyone, Hermione turned away and pulled her blankets over her head. She buried her head in her pillow, muffled her mouth in her sheets, and sobbed, hoping desperately her parents couldn't see her.