AUTHOR'S NOTE You may recognize the new DADA teacher…she's just someone I'm borrowing from another canon *grin* This isn't a crossover fic; she's just a crossover character.

DISCLAIMER I don't own anyone who is in this story yet.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Your opinions mean a lot to me.

The year started surprisingly quiet. Sixth years began taking upper level classes. It was, quite possibly, the quietest beginning of the school year they'd had yet.

Their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was, to everyone's utter shock, completely normal. She was young, pretty, and American. Introduced as Amy Madison, she told her classes of her magic experiences, dating back to when she was 15. She explained that she'd been the victim of dark spells, in particular a body-switching spell, but that she'd also used much dark magic.

Harry's mind was so preoccupied with still dealing with Sirius being gone that he avoided Professor Madison's spell. But every other boy he knew developed crushes on her instantly.

Unfortunately, the quiet did not last long. Less than two weeks into the school year, it happened.

Ron slumped over his plate at dinner. "I'm doomed!" he groaned.

Hermione sighed, amused. "All you have to do is study."

"No amount of studying can save me, 'Mione." Ron lifted his head and glared daggers at his open Potions textbook on the table in front of him. "How cruel is Snape anyway? Giving us a test in the second week of school."

Hermione just laughed. "This is NEWT level Potions, Ron! It's not supposed to be easy."

"I must have been possessed when I agreed to this," the redhead mumbled miserably.

"Hi Ron. Hey 'Mione," a voice beside them said.

"Hey Ginny," Ron greeted his little sister.

"Ew," she commented as she sat down, glancing at Ron's book. "Potions."

"I know!" moaned her brother, banging his head on the table again.

Suddenly, Harry burst into the Great Hall and ran to the table. Hermione and Ginny stood up quickly, frightened by the boy's sudden and apparently urgent entrance.

"Harry?"

"What's wrong?"

Harry was so out of breath he could barely speak. "Just came…from hospital wing…wounded…lucky they found him in time…"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. In an instant, they were up from the table and following Harry at top speed through the castle. Ginny stayed behind, just watching the Dream Team go.

***

When they reached the hospital wing, they found Madam Pomfrey, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Dumbledore circled around one bed.

"Professor?" Hermione asked cautiously.

Professor Dumbledore looked at the three students in the doorway. "Ah yes." He looked extremely tired. His look of weary had been growing since that day in the Department of Mysteries and it made him look far older than even his long years. "Come here."

Slowly, Harry, Ron, and Hermione neared the bed. They were all quiet for a moment. Ron found his voice first. "Neville?"

Neville Longbottom, the infamously clumsy but kind-hearted Gryffindor 6th year, lay ashen-gray in the bed. His eyes were closed.

"Is he under Dreamless Sleep Potion?" Hermione asked softly.

Madam Pomfrey shook her head. "Nothing can wake him up either."

Hermione took one of Neville's icy hands in hers as a tear slid down her cheek. "Will he be okay?" she asked hesitantly, very afraid of the answer.

"Yes," Madam Pomfrey assured her. "But if he had been brought to me any later…" Her voice trailed off, but there was no need for her to continue.

Harry stood back from the bed, looking at his friend's still form. Something on the inside of Neville's elbow caught his eye. "What's that?"

Madam Pomfrey gently extended Neville's limp arm as Professor McGonagall explained. "That is the only mark left by his attacker. From the way Mr. Longbottom was lying outside the greenhouses when we found him, it is impossible for the mark to be from the fall." The inside of Neville's elbow was covered with an angry, bright purple bruise.

"That's the only mark on him?" Ron asked. Professor Dumbledore nodded. "But then what's wrong with him?"

Madam Pomfrey glanced hesitantly at Professor Dumbledore, who just nodded. She turned back to the three students. "His blood was drained. That is why his skin is the color that it is."

Harry and Ron were silent, as Hermione went into panic-expert mode. "Professor, then it's obvious! It's a vampire! Vampires drink blood! That has to be it!"

"Hermione," Professor Dumbledore said gently.

But she didn't stop. "Professor, we have to do something about this! What if…"

"Hermione!" Dumbledore said again, louder and more forcefully. A chastised and worried Hermione stopped talking. "Thank you. Now, Hermione, your observations are very astute. Mr. Longbottom's blood has indeed been nearly drained, much like a vampire attack. However, there are no puncture wounds. No bite marks."

Hermione visibly deflated at Dumbledore's words. Without her escape of researching and solving things, she had nowhere to go. With nothing else, she moved from the bedside and clung to Harry and Ron.

"Professor, why are you telling us this?"

Again, the three teachers shared a worried look. Professor Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Harry, please sit down."

Harry took a seat on the edge of the empty bed next to Neville's. "Professor? What's wrong?"

Dumbledore sat down next to Harry. "There is a distinct possibility, Harry, that Voldemort is a part of this attack. He is not here on the castle grounds or sending Death Eaters in at night, but Neville's parents were great enemies of the Dark Lord and he was involved in the battle in the Department of Mysteries. We do not wish to alarm you, only to raise your awareness. This matter has our full attention and we will discover who is responsible."

A heavy silence fell. Voldemort's resurrection had put stress on everyone in the wizarding world, but Harry felt it most of all. All of his life, Voldemort had been hunting him. His blood had been the element that brought Voldemort back. Hermione and Ron had also been in that battle the year prior. They knew what Harry had gone through as he watched Sirius die.

Sighing, Dumbledore continued. "I tell you all this because it is imperative that you three especially be completely alert at all times."

"Being cautious is for your own protection," Madam Pomfrey added.

The three students nodded. "Of course," Ron muttered absently.

Dumbledore stood up. "I understand how difficult this must be." He turned to Professor McGonagall. "Minerva, will you please bring these three back to their tower?"

"Of course, Albus." McGonagall led a very dazed and distraught Harry, Ron, and Hermione out of the hospital wing.

When they were safely back in Gryffindor Tower, no one knew what to say. Hermione fled immediately up to the girls' dormitory, not saying a word to anyone. The Weasley twins (who spent a fair amount of time devising jokes in their old dormitory), Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, and Colin Creevey all watched her go curiously. All eyes then shifted to Harry and Ron, who trudged tiredly up the stairs to their own room.

Ron collapsed on his bed, facedown on the fluffy comforter. Harry sat by the dormer window, absently stroking Hedwig, who had flown by for a visit.

"What are we going to do?" Ron asked.

Harry sighed. "I don't know."