Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince…And Others

Chapter Five Hunting

The graceful figure with clicking heels clutched the shawl tightly around her as she walked the dingy sidewalks. The pitch-black sky had a sense of foreboding, and from the dingy alleys she heard the occasional dry sucking of vampire feeding, and the soft moans of their victims. Hungry homeless crouched in the shadows of the alleys, of the shadows thrown by dustbins and stairways. A clatter of bins startled her, but she kept going, rounding the last corner before she came to the large building.

Slipping quietly into a side door, she found herself faced with a long, clean hall. Gray doors were shut tight against intruders, unwelcome people. Steel plates with white numbers were nailed tight above each door. 312, 314, 316...The number continued around a hallway, finally stopping at a door with peeling paint and 'Stairwell' typed across it. Creaking it open on well used hinges, she clattered noisily down the stairs.

She was submerged at least three floors before coming into the dank basement. With clear remembrance, she bypassed through the winding halls, the only lighting coming from flickering yelow lights hanging every few yards.

Finally, her destination came into view along with the sound of snarls and heavy boots. A tall man with brown hair and stern brown eyes stopped her, and she smiled at the familiar face.

"Riley." she greeted, and he seemed taken aback.

"Anya?"

Dawn followed at a slower pace behind her sister and Spike as they abandoned Dumbledore in his office. The two before her took stairs five at a time torwards the entrance hall, where a jumbled group were crowding at the doors, gaurded by Filch and McGonagall.

"Students! Students, please stand back! Stand Back at once!" she called out shrilly. They students dismissed her words, looking back at the loud footfalls of approaching Slayer and Vampire, and making a part between their masses. Filch shoved open the doors in time for Buffy to swing out ahead of Spike.

And come to an abrupt halt before the dancing eyes of a swaying Drusilla.

"My William has come to greet me!" she laughed, a porcelain doll swinging from her hand. "But, oh, the pixies remind me- he smells like the Slayer, he does. Nasty Trollop. Makes my poor William do nasty things. Covers him in her scent, in her thoughts and feelings."

As Drusillas' words sank in, Dawn shoved her way past Spike and came face to face with Drusilla, her green eyes becoming wide, though not from fear. Drusilla turned from Buffy to Dawn and smiled, her hand tracing patterns in the sky before the girl.

"Oh, what a pretty package. So green and shiny. But she's no good, bad egg bad egg. Makes me sick it does, because she's been used, Oh, no good." she stopped and giggled. Buffy seemed immobile by Drusillas' almost friendly behaviour to Dawn, who wasstill as the vampire as Drusilla ran a long red finger down Dawn's cheek.

"Are you my Spike's?" She asked, pronouncing 'Spike', 'Spoike'. "Yes, yes you are then. And I'm your Grandmummy, and we'll all be happy, and Ms. Edith will get two cookies tonight. We'll all be gay and merry, happy and bright. We shall make a song." Drusilla turned to Spike, smiling. Spike stared at his Sire, a struck gaze overcoming him. "Do you remember our song, Spike? Oh we'd sing, wouldn't we? Look at the stars and dance our dance. Oh, how do I remember?"

"So, aren't you crazy?" Dawn asked bravely, feeling Buffy's hand curl around her shoulder. Drusilla let a high cackling laugh flow, sending goosebumps over her flesh.

"Oh, where is my daddy? I smell him, up somewhere, all broods and sighs. Oh, he remembers, doesn't he? He made me to see the stars, didn't he? To sing and Dance." she looked at Dawn. "My Daddy liked to dance."

Drusilla turned out to the grassy lawn and hitched her skirt high up to her thighs, showing the pale flesh to the bright windows above. She began to sway like this, and then to giggle and twirl.

"Oh, Come and Play! Come and Play, Daddy! We'll have such a grande time! Singing and Dancing underneath the clouds!

The maiden lies fast

Twists a finger at me

To come to do her bidding

Or pay the price must I

She sings so graceful

Twirls so fast

And laughs with all her ease

Oh Maiden dripped in Blood, to sing!

Salty tang On my tounge

Such mystery it reveals

Oh kiss of death I own thee!

Kiss of red stained mouth!"

Her hands fell from the arc they had made above her head, and for once Buffy realized it was only her and Dawn and Spike. The door to the castle had long since been shut. The other two, she realized were watching the spinning vampire with a mixed awe.

Drusilla bowed low, sprinting in bare feet, her dolls' head smacking relentlessly against her thigh as she spun faster and faster.

"Stop!" Buffy cried. Drusilla stopped and stared at Buffy before dropping to her hands and knees and sulking slowly torwards her.

"Oh, mummy left me. Turned to dust and left a fragile baby." she whimpered. "And poor Drusilla and Ms. Edith. Lonely, so lonely. Mean Wizard won't take us. He says awful things and his mind is so crowded...it's scary. He's fractured. His body and soul is melted and divided. He speaks mean things, he does. Makes me cry. Burned my arms and laughed. Such a cruel cruel boy he will be, returning to Hades. So I come to my William. I come to my Daddy.

Angelus!" She turned her head and cried out to the sky. "Daddy, come take your love in! Take me in, Daddy!" Then she turned to Buffy again, her eyes pleading. "I'll be a good pet. Won't spill the milk. And my baby will keep me happy. My green spark." her eyes drifted to Dawn, who frowned. "You'll be good to me, won't you mum?" she asked. Buffy looked to Spike, who was looking intently at Drusilla.

"You hungry, pet?" he asked, obviously hearing something in Drusillas' body she didn't. At this, Drusilla drew away and tucked her head in her knees.

"Oh, wicked Wizard was so cruel. Kept poor Drusilla in a cage and wipped her with words and thorns. No blood for the teacups. No blood and no tea. Ms. Edith was ever so dissapointed."

"Right, well, come up, then luv." Spike said gently, pulling Drusilla up. Drusilla turned to Buffy and presented an arm.

"Mum and baby must come too. We shall all make merry when Daddy comes along." Buffy stared at the presented arm, then at Drusilla, her childish smile bestowing a senstivity to Buffy she'd never seen before. When Buffy faltered, Dawn stepped forward and took her arm. Drusilla smiled pleasantly as Buffy moved to walk next to Spike.

"What are you so happy about?" she asked. Spike smiled and shrugged.

"Nothing pet, Nothing. Just glad to be surrounded by my girls."

There was such an odd feeling to be sitting in an armchair and watching Drusilla smile and laugh, cradling her doll and presenting it with a teacup. Spike sat beside her, holding her hand and watching as Dawn sat cross-legged beside his Sire and swirled the light brown mixture in the teacup with a finger.

"Funny how everythings just...turned upside down, huh?" She asked, resting a head on his shoulder. She heard him purr deep in his throat and smiled.

"Yeah, pet. Never thought we'd all be in the same room and not be trying to rip each others' throat out."

"Drusilla?" Angels' voice preceded the dull thumb of the door swinging shut. Drusilla looked up to take the dark vampire in, her lips spreading wide.

"Oh, splendid! Daddys' come home to William and Mummy, hasn't he? And found little Dru having tea with her grandbaby and Ms. Edith. Oh, shall Daddy join us for a cup?"

Angel stared as Dru looked hopefully at him.

"She came here when Voldemor turned her out." Dawn explained, biting a doughy cookie. Angel looked to Buffy, who shrugged.

"It was Dumbledore who allowed her to stay." she explained. Angel nodded and moved to Dru, who stood up and took his hands, twirling under them.

"Pretty Pretty. Your'e soul speaks such colors of pink and white, Red and Blue. Oh, like a rainbow! Daddy's a rainbow isn't he? Come back to make a family! Oh what fun shall we have? You and Mummy and William be grownup, and my green spark will play Grandbaby to her Grandmummy. Where's a kiss?" Drusilla asked Dawn, presenting a pale cheek. Dawn giggled and made a show of pecking the vampire's cool cheek.

"Another, Daddy?" she asked, turning back to Angel and presenting her other cheek.

"Dawn, time for bed." Buffy interjected standing up and pulling away from Spike.

"Oh, Me and Ms. Edith shall draw the covers, tucking away my green spark. Make you cozy and snug. Would you let Grandmummy do that, my green Spark?" Dawn giggled again, following Drusilla to her room.

"How could you let her stay here? What's to stop her from attacking the students? Did you even think?"

Buffy held a firm gaze, eyes narrowed.

"Dumbledore took care of it all when we brought her in. She'll be fine, and If you don't like it,this place is huge and you can go somewhere else for the night." She felt strange standing up for Drusilla in front of Angel, but she knew it was right.

Right?

"Is Daddy mad at his Princess?" came the drifty voice form Dawn's bedroom door. Angel looked up at the black haired woman in the white lacy nightgown and shook his head.

"No, Dru."

In the sleepy night, Buffy was overcome by restlessness, and slipped away from the cool embrace of Spike, slipping into her discarded clothes. She found her stake tucked between the matress and slipped outside.

In the cooridors, she flew by doors to empty classrooms with speed, her hair flying out behind her as she skipped over stairs, laughing once she was free of the castle, sprinting fast and hard over the swaying grass. She passed the lake, shimmering in the moonlight, heard the dull roar of some monster in the icy depths as she found her feet treading a hard trail towards the forest.

When the protruding limbs brushed her, she giggled, sending her Slayer senses to feel for whatever was out there. She felt tingles, felt the hissings and cackles. Felt tiny arms reach for her, miniscule claws and fangs.

There was an abrupt snarl that stopped her, and, panting, she tuned to see a vampire hovering on the outskirts of the of the Forbidden Forest, where a shimmering purple wall stopped him from continuing. Stepping closer she smiled, twiddling the stake in her fingers.

"Wanna fight?"