Three Years

Author: Leta McGotor

Disclaimer: I owen nothing but the idea and some persons like Thomas O'Connor, Richard and Alice Manks, Daniel McGonagall, the vampires and of course The Oxford University for International Magic belongs to me. The other belongs to JKR.

After this one there is only one chapter left. I'm sorry for the long gap, but I was not sure if I should continue. But I don't want this one to be let unfinished, therefore I write it all a bit shorter that I intended originally.

Chapter 4 Entering a bad situation

Nearly a whole day had come and gone since Alastor Moody had vanished from the doorstep of Grimmauld Place. Severus sat in an old bus and was flung around, from time to time crashing against Albus Dumbledore, who sat next to him. Both of them didn't look happy and some of the children in the bus were scared by their grumpy expressions. But that didn't matter to them, neither to Severus, who was all but interested in little ones, who screamed the whole day for sweets, nor Albus, although he was a really children-loving man.

Albus and Severus had apparated to a point near the village Moody had spoken about. It was not easy to fing the name for Mad-Eye was a very carefully man and naturally he had believed, that someday someone would come and look for the information about that…yes, adventure. Both Albus and Severus had looked for hours and had asked several of Moody's former colleages until they had had the information in their hands.

Suddenly the bus stopped and it was time that both men left it. Several of the mothers with the children gave them angry looks for scaring their beloved half to death. After a short stroll through the tiny village they stood in front of an old but very imposing building. It had no more or less than three floors. There were several big windows for each of those floors, all of them coloured and in a very old-fashioned way. The same you could say for the heavy old door and the bell, which hang next to it.

Albus was the first who saw and rang it. Shortly afterwards an old humpback woman opened the door, visibly with many difficulties. She looked at both men in front of her and it seemed that she was not sure if she should cry for help or invite them for tea.

"Good afternoon." Albus greeted and bowed, wich was a gesture that impressed the old woman. She nodded friendly and asked the two what they wished.

"We are looking for an old castle, for the castle of the vampires. Maybe you can help us?" The woman went pale and began to shake.

"Why are you looking for them? They are dark creatures. Only a few of all who went up that way returned, all the others…will never return. Maybe they are some of them now, but probably they are not with us anymore."

"Where is that castle?", Severus asked not in the friendly tone Albus had used before him. He knew what they didn't have and needed much: time. The woman stared frightened at him.

"Are you one of them?" She pointed a shaking finger in his direction.

"No, we only want to know, where that castle is and how we can get there." After a short break he added: "We want to rescue someone."

"I don't believe that that someone is still alive. But if you really want to try, so follow me." She let the two of them into the darkness of the house, along some corridors until they stood in front of a big mirror.

"This is the gate for you to reach the castle and that is what you have to say." She gave them an old roll of parchment before she turned around. When she attempted to leave the room she told them:

"But don't forget: Nobody can help you there." Then she vanished.

Albus and Severus stared at the writing on the small letter. Latin, they guessed. Only one sentence was written on it: Ostium, tuum secretum pateface, morituri te salutant! (A/N: Gate, reveal your secret, the doomed are greeting you!) Albus spoke the words slowly and carefully, as if he was frightened to pronounce something wrong. When he was done Severus and Albus stared at the mirror, but nothing happened. But when they looked confused at each other they heard a small noice and looked to the mirror, which seemed completely frozen. Slowly, very slowly Severus made his first move and touched the glass. It was not as cold as it looked, in fact, it felt, as if it would be normal glass. Carefully he moved on and when he felt there was nothing, which would stop him, he made his next step and stumbled in another world. Short behind him came Albus out of the mirror. Both stared at the huge castle in front of them.

The castle was old like everything around here. Long towers reached the clouds and only a few windows told you, that you were able to conquer them. A long bridge reached from their feet to the entrace of the castle. One look told them, that they had to cross it, for there was a deep precipice around the building. Albus and Severus exchanged a look, took a deep breath before they made their way to the entrace, which was like the entrance to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, only that this one here looked all but friendly for the visitors.

There was a gap between the huge doors and the two of them went through it. They found themselves in a big and dark hall. No light came through the small windows and no fire illuminated this room. With the help of their wands the two men crossed that hall only to meet some creatures they had hoped not to find until they were safe again. Two vampire ladies.

"Oh, look. Aren't they sweet?"

"I don't know this one looks rather old."

"Yes, like the grumpy one in the tower, you know the one with the eye."

"Ugh, that ugly beast. You're right, compared with him these two look rather delicious." With that they both came flying for Albus and Severus, who ducked and ran for their lifes. Surely they were prepared but maybe they could use that later and were able to escape without wasting their preparations. Fast they ran around the next corner and ran into something solid. Ready to fight they pointed their wands at that something, only to recognize, that they knew the man with the strange eye or the woman with the black hair.

"Minerva?" Severus gaped at her, the two vampires completely forgotten "What… how?"

"Pssst. We must get out of here. They are following…"

"Oh, they are following you? How sweet." A voice said from behind Severus' back "Here they are and there are two new ones, time for lunch." The vampire screamed and her voice was to hear in the whole castle.

So, because there aren't any reviews I can't thank anyone but the ones who read this, maybe. Let me say, that I would be very thankful, when you tell me what you think about this. I mean this one of the few stories with less reviews than chapters, isn't it. Therefore I hope that maybe a miracle happens and I receive maybe one review for this one, only one. Thank you!