A/N: Hello Everyone!

A thousand apologies for not updating sooner. This chapter proved to be more mentally taxing then I originally thought it would be. This coupled with a tempermental computer is why this chapter has taken so long to get up. I am terribly sorry about the wait and hope that you are not upset with me as a result.

Now onto the Thank You's:

pirate grlEe: Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed chapter 21. I hope you find that chapter 22 was worth the wait.

Countess Vladislaus Dragu: Thank you for reviewing chapter 21! I'm terribly sorry to have kept you waiting, I hope that you'll continue to read an review despite my computer's tantrums.

esta-gr: Thank you for reviewing! It's true that a different side of Kaida is revealed in chapter 21. I wanted to show the side of her that helped her survive in Slytherin...what she had to become... I also wanted to show that, like Kaida, there's more to Slytherin then meets the eye.

This Parrot has ceased to be: Thank you for the kind words! I'm glad you enjoyed chapter 21; I was rather uncertain about its compostion. I hope you'll find chapter 22 to be as engaging as its predecessors. Once again, thank you for continuing to read and review.

Neoma: Thank you for always reviewing and for always knowing what to say to give my ego a bit of a boost. This chapter was written mainly to answer your questions-and hopefully entertain you as well. Thanks again for reviewing chapter 21.

wotchertonks: I'm so very glad that you so throughly enjoyed chapter 21! It is funny how Pansy and Draco tend to lose their nerve when their on their own, isn't it? Thanks again for reviewing!

Lillei: Welcome back! I hope you had a lovely time on holiday! There's really no need to apologize; I'm honored that you have continued to return to my story time and time again. Thank you, I truly appreciate the time you've taken to read and review my story.

BlackKat99: Welcome back! I've missed your comments terribly. You are one of the most gifted writers have I had the pleasure of recieving comments from-that is why I value them greatly. And it is not out of kindness that I review your stories, it is because they are wonderful! And you are very talented. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

dragonsgrl: There's nothing wrong with being a tad cold-hearted;) Thank you for reviewing!

Titou Moony:-p:Thank you for reviewing! And you're very welcome; it was my pleasure to explain. I promise that there will be a Kaida/Remus scene coming up;) Thank you again!

KaliedescopeCat: Thank you for reviewing and for pointing out those literary errors. Terribly sorry about all that. And I am very flattered by your kind words. Praises from Ceasar! Thank you!

The Grim: Thank you for reviewing! I know Draco's appearence is not welcomed but you must admit that it does add a bit to the story. The potential for mayhem is rather intriguing don't you think? Won't say more then that;) Thanks again!

Riaelfgirl: Apologies are not necessary! I am just thankful that you choose to return to my story time and time again! You are one of the handful of my original reviewers and for that I will be eternally thankful. It's reviewers like you that keep me writting. Thank You. (And not to worry, Kaida will be meeting Remus shortly)

Dark Vampiresss: Thank you! I was worried that it might seem out of character. Thank you for always reading and reviewing! You have no idea how much that means to me.

EyesofEmerald: Thank you so much! You've always read and reviewed my story and for that my gratitude knows no bounds! Thank you!

Lady Rheena: Welcome to my little story! I'm always so happy to have new readers. I hope you'll continue to read and review-and I'll do my best to continue to entertain you! Thank you for reviewing!

Yavannie: Apologies are not necessary! You are one of my favorite reviewers! You are always so eloquent in your reviews that it never ceases to amaze me. I've never had the pleasure of having "adroit" used in reference to myself...I am truly flattered. You thank me in your review for writting this story; but it is I who should be thanking you for embracing it. Thank You.

Aerandir: Thank you for reviewing! And for goodness sakes! You are by no means a simpleton! You are a brilliant writer! That's right BRILLIANT! Now no more of that rubbish:)

richellebelle10: Welcome back! Goodness, you're making me blush! I don't think I could ever write a book...You are just too kind to think so highly of my work. I want to thank you for not only reviewing this story by for also reviewing "The Serpent's Shadow". That story means alot to me...being that it was my first one...and the fact that it went unnoticed for so long...Thank you for reading and reviewing! I hope that you'll continue to do so.

Well, that's all of them! Thank you all! I don't think I could have continued to write this without your continued support! Thank you!

Ninde Annare

Chapter 22:

I linger in the monstrous doorway of the Great Hall in complete wonder at the sight before me. The warmth of the candlelight creeps over my body, gently melting the frost of Malfoy's presence from my mind. The pulchritude of the Hall quickly ensnares my senses, drawing my liquid gaze upon its bounty.

The massive chamber has been decorated in the colours of autumn twilight: orange and black; with lashings of gold interspersed amongst it all. It has been so long since I've seen the marvels of the Great Hall-since I've cast my gaze upon the night sky of the enchanted ceiling. The grey of the storm clouds above frame the glow of the Hall's excitement beautifully. It's foreboding nature, a sharp contrast to the merrymaking.

Still standing on the threshold of the festivities, I allow my eyes to not only adjust to the muted light, but also feast upon this vision. I look around the crowded room. The élan of the hall so pure…so undiluted that it engulfs my very being. Sending it into a fit of hallucinations-everything around me appears to be surreal in its beauty and complexity. The normally dead stonewalls now undulate with watery shadows. The black linens that blanket the ridged grain of the wooden house tables are like intricate webs spun of ebony-each thread seems to shimmer in the candlelight.

The students all chatter happily; the novelty of the decorations lost. They gorge themselves on the delicacies before them. Their faded silhouettes dancing upon the walls in time to the flickering hearts of the hundreds of carved pumpkins floating effortlessly above. Over the low hum of conversation, the distinct sound of wings and screeches loom overhead. Waves of black bats weave in and out amongst the cacophony of tangerine streamers and giant Jack O' Lanterns. But amongst all these sensations one remains the most tantalizing: the smell.

The lyceum has been bathed in a sea of ambrosial complexity. Invisible arms of redolence embrace me seductively, drawing me to their fragrant bosom of viands. The pungent smell of All Hallow's Pudding mingling with the savory scent of Cale Cannon bring back a flood of mortal memories that send my mouth watering. All around me, gold plates are filled with mountains of delectable delights-sirens beckoning me forth.

Leaving the safety of my roost, I make my way to the Slytherin table. A longing to not only partake in this meal, but to also become suffused with the liveliness of the bodies around me, pulls me to a seat at the center of the table. I soon find myself wedged between two young girls-I suspect that they are first years, as they do not have the glint of jadedness in their eyes that so many of the older Slytherins possess. From the pained look upon their faces, it is obvious that they are at a loss as to how they should behave. They try to mask their excitement with looks of would-be disinterest-I see they have begun their training in the art of Slytherin sobriety. Never let life pleasures blind you to your goals, another credo that is enforced in this house of the fiercely ambitious.

The girls dare not look me in the eyes, as I am not only an upper classman, but my borrowed robes tell them that I am of a higher social station then they are. They steal glances at me. I smile pleasantly at them; I want no part of this hierarchy. Finally one of the girls smiles weakly back at me. With her head slightly bowed as though to shield her from my potential wrath at her insolence, she introduces herself, "Hi…." She starts weakly, "My name is Moira Graves…I'm a first year…" She whispers her station as though it were some sort of dark secret.

"It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Her face lights up as she smiles at me- relief blatantly registered upon her face. She waits politely for me to disclose my name. I continue to smile at her-I have no intention of revealing my identity to her, for my need for secrecy is far stronger then that of my civility.

Moira shifts awkwardly in her seat, somewhat flustered by the abrupt change in my demeanor. In an attempt to dispel the awkwardness of our verbal exchange she introduces her consort, "And that's my sister Lamya…she's a first year too…" I turn to face the dark haired girl. Grabbing hold of my hand she shakes it vigorously with an exuberance that I have not seen in many years. She smiles toothily at me, all the while squeaking compliments punctuated by, 'it's nice to meet you.' I laugh softly at her gaiety. Suddenly realizing her actions she releases my hand, as she and her sister blush with embarrassment.

"Sorry about that…it's just that we haven't really had much luck making friends since we've gotten here…." I watch as Lamya's eyes fall to her somewhat worn looking robes. Moira brushes the front of hers in an attempt to smooth over the graying patches.

Lamya smiles happily as she continues where her sister left off-her words heavy with optimism, "But we're not worried…we're going to make something of ourselves. Then pretty soon the others won't care about how our robes look and we'll have oodles of friends!"

Ambitious little thing aren't you? That's what must of gotten you into this bleak house; that unwavering ambition. Poor child…if only you knew that they could never get beyond that…

Lost in my thoughts I miss much of her idealistic spiel; managing to only catch the last few fragments of her swiftly spoken words, "…after all, we met you! I'm sure there's bound to be a couple of other nice people in the lot…" She continues to grin happily at me, as Moira nods in agreement.

My lips curl into a soft smile as I look at them. I can almost see an air of innocence surround these girls; they have no idea that the world is not as it appears to be. I find myself thoroughly charmed by their innocence and optimism-it is so refreshing to see such untainted souls in this nest of snakes. But there is a hard reality that sits below the surface of their rose-tinted world, one that will eventually rob them of this purity. For within a mere month's time they will be nothing more then broken girls; their innocence replaced with arrogance and their optimism poisoned with distain. It is the way things have always been in the house of Slytherin…it is the way it shall always be.

They continue to chat happily amongst themselves, completely unaware of what is to come. And who am I to disillusion this world to them? I am drawn out of my silent rumination by the enticing smell of the food before me.

Pushing a large slice of meat onto my plate, Moira chirps cheerily, "You have to try this! It's delicious! I don't have a clue what it is though…" she turns to her sister quizzically.

"It's roast beef…a muggle dish." Lamya manages to bark out between mouthfuls of food.

The aroma of the spices sends my acute senses reeling. But amongst all the heady herbs the scent that draws me in most is that of blood-the sweet, metallic fragrance of that dark ambrosia.

With knife and fork in hand, I slice through the soft bit of flesh upon my plate. The warm flesh seems to melt under the cold steel of my metal fang, releasing a plume of heat and the scent of peppered iron. My mouth waters with anticipation-this will be my first taste of real blood…

My lips have not been bathed in mortal crimson since my conversion-and Adelais was far from mortal. The potion, which has sustained me for so long-the Headmaster's eternal gift to me (also known as the Incruentus Elixir), is just as its name implies, bloodless. To be exact, it means "without bloodshed".

It is very well possible that I may be the only vampire in existence to have survived with not so much as a drop of mortal blood. How is this possible you ask? This is a simple question with a rather complex answer.

As I am sure you are already aware, vampires are immortal. With the exception of the sun's rays, nothing can kill us. Even the sun's scorching light can sometimes fail to rob us of our immortality. The myths surrounding our extermination are as fraudulent as the accounts of our nature. Holy water will not burn me nor will religious relics. A stake through my heart, though rather painful, will not destroy me. Nor will a wreath of garlic repel me. These are by all means, tales told by fools to calm their paranoia; they hold no grain of truth. This is not to say that we are invincible; on the contrary, we have as many weaknesses as you do. We feel pain just as you mortals do; we bleed as you do. In fact, we have more similarities with mortals then we do differences.

Understanding that we are immortal will invariably lead you to the realization that starvation will not kill us-though it will weaken us to a point in which we are as good as dead. Our bodies, though immortal, are essentially cadaverous; it is the mortal essence in blood (the life it contains) that not only grants us strength but also animates our bodies.

However, blood is not the only source of this vitality. Everything that surrounds us is teeming with life-as Gaia had intended. Within the organic confines of flora is the gift of life. The true challenge comes in its extraction.

Only the most potent of ingredients can provide enough mortal radiance to sustain me. It is their potency that makes these elements extremely poisonous. For centuries, the world's greatest potions maters have toyed with theories of what these poisonous compounds could do-what potential lay hidden. Several speculated that what made the plants poisonous were high levels of life energy-so strong that it overwhelmed the human body. It would be Albus Dumbledore that dared to pull this theory from mere notion into reality. What much of the wizarding world has yet to realize is that these poisonous compounds are the most powerful in terms of magical properties. But with this gracious gift comes a sinister price: your life. For immortals this is a trifle, for our lives know no bounds.

The ingredients for the Incruentus Elixir reads like the pantry of an assassin. Incorporating the exquisite power of Belladonnas, Bloodroots, and Black Nightshade, as well as other prominent poisons. But these are mere trinkets when compared to the potency of the base. The base is created with the most deadly combination known to modern potion masters: Gorgon Hair and Veela Tear Infusion.

It is strange that a combination of only the most poisonous and deadly ingredients can breath into me life. As you know, Gorgon Hair and Veela Tears are conflicting elements-constantly waging war within the confines of a cauldron. Passion and fury tear through each of the two components; it is this passion and anger that lends me life. For life is nothing more then a passionate pursuit of experiences. And what better a guide then the raw passion of Hate?

Originally, the Headmaster's concoction called for Phoenix tears-a pearly liquid so full of unbridled love and respect that it is said to cure even the most fatal of injuries. However, it was not enough to sustain me…love does not carry the potency of hate. In fact, the phoenix tear served as an anti-venom to the other ingredients. When I drank of this potion, my body tingled with warmth. I felt safe and content…and yet empty….

Severus made modifications to the Headmaster's creation to accommodate for my needs. And for that I owe him my life.

The sight of the small pool of blood-tinged juices of the meat swirling upon the golden surface of my plate brings a hungry smile to my face. Sinking the pointed tips of my fork into the tender vittles, I bring the lovely morsel to my eager mouth. Savoring not only the wondrous taste of blood, but also the exquisite sensation of my teeth tearing through the softened meat, I surrender to the savageness of the meal. Never before had I noticed the baseness of eating. How violent the act is. It is the one time when the use of our natural weapons is acceptable. We rip and tear with our hands and teeth, reveling in the satisfaction of our hunger. But nonetheless, I thoroughly enjoy the sensuous annihilation of this divine delicacy.

The evening wears on in a blur of different culinary creations. With my hunger for mortal delights quelled, I turn my attention to the bodies around me. I bask in the warmth of the festivities, my eyes traveling from one happy face to the next; hunting for one in particular. Seated next to Professor Flitwick was my quarry: Remus Lupin.

He is angelic in his beauty, as the soft candlelight dances in his umber hair, setting his skin aglow with a pallid light. He moves his hands animatedly as he speaks to the petite professor-a silver sparkle emanating from his hand. I should be content to watch him from a distance; to be able to feast upon him with my eyes…but I'm not. I want to be near him, to unravel his many secrets, to revel mine to him…. There is no basis to my want…other then to please him…to bring him into my world. There is a longing to make him happy, to see him smile, to hear him laugh…to watch him live forever. But beneath this selfish desire is fear. Fear that if I were ever to reveal myself to him that I would lose him…it is a risk I cannot take…not with something so precious to me…

Tell him…

I can't…it's too much of a risk… But that is the nature of love. It is a gamble. You risk it all for more…sometimes you win…sometimes you lose…but at least you'll never have to wonder what could have been…. But what if he doesn't feel the same way…

Does it matter? Will him not reciprocating your feelings really change how you feel?

No…

Then tell him…

Go on…

Tell him…

I bid good night to Moira and Lamya, as I exit the Great Hall… There is much to be done before I am to meet Remus… My heart skips a beat from both fear and excitement, as I rush to my chambers. Quickly I cast off my disguise-allowing it to fall onto the cold stone floor. Slipping into my habitual black satin robe, I steady my now frantic heart, as doubt fills my mind.

Adelais, give me strength…

A/N: Well that's it! I hope you found that chapter to have been worth the wait! A bit of news, my computer will be going to the shop for a spot of repairs. I don't know exactly when I will have it back(I've have been told anywhere from a week to three weeks). I will do my best to update on a different computer but I make no promises (as I'm not sure I can keep them). Please don't give up on this story! Please be patient. If you would like me to email you when the chapter is ready then please include your email address either in your review or in an email sent to the email address on my profile. Truly sorry.

Ninde Annare