Shadows, whispers, movement…
She knew they were there, but they moved too fast for her to see them.
Hermione felt something brush against her skirt. She whipped around and heard the ring of distant laughter.
"La bruja inglesa…no es muy ágil…"
"I can hear you!" she shouted into the darkness.
She had made it to the highest floor of the palace. She'd walked through empty rooms and half-lit passages but they'd remain hidden all the while, challenging her...
Hermione raised her wand. "Hello?" she called out into the darkness.
"La azotea, voz llevadla."
She shrieked as one of the vampires seized her waist.
They shot forward at top speed, the walls on either side of them a blur. A door flung open of its own accord and they soared up a spiral staircase.
Hermione felt a rush of wind...they were on the rooftop now.
"Put me down!"
The vampire dug his nails into Hermione's skin before releasing her. She landed haphazardly on the ground, struggling to find her balance.
The vampire laughed and walked away from her, moving past a large well.
Hermione froze. It was the same well she'd seen in her dreams all those months ago…
She looked around for Harry, but there was no sign of him.
Hermione observed the mountains that stretched across the horizon.
The peaks and valleys of the sierra resembled the body of a woman lying asleep...but she looked like she might rise at any moment...
Hermione heard the door slam and whipped around. A group of masked figures surrounded her. They pulled on her skirt, her hair, laughing into her ear.
She looked up.
More of them were arriving.
A flurry of figures were flying across the night sky, heading straight for the roof.
Hermione stepped back as the vampires landed in a swirling mass of black.
They were all wearing feathered masks, silks, and luxurious furs.
A female vampire stepped towards her. She was dressed in garish colors of yellow and orange, and she wore an extravagant Venetian mask.
"Esta es la famosa inglesa?" the vampire said disdainfully, looking Hermione up and down. "Parece una niña, una niña bastante delicada…"
She reached for her neck.
"Play nice Magdalena," said a voice.
A man emerged from the shadows.
The other vampires turned to look at him.
"My coven does not associate with many witches, Ms. Granger. I hope you will forgive their childish antics."
The man removed his mask. Hermione gasped.
He had dark hair that fell in waves, deep set eyes, skin like marble, and lustrous, golden eyes that seemed to see right through her. He was dressed in a silk waistcoat, narrowly fitted trousers, and an elegant silk cravat. The high collar of his coat skimmed his jaw as he spoke.
"My name is Sebastián Arévalo. I am pleased to make your acquaintance."
Hermione tipped her head. "The pleasure is all mine."
Sebastián took her hand and kissed it, his lips lingering on her wrist. He turned it over, and his lips brushed her delicate skin.
"I have heard much of you from Mr. Potter," he said softly.
"Only good things I hope?" she said, resisting the urge to twist her arm away.
Sebastián stood upright again, smiling at her devilishly, unwilling to reveal more.
Hermione held her tongue. This was a game of chess, and she had to study the board and analyze the pieces before she made her first move.
Sebastián circled her arm around his.
"This is only a meeting place. It is time for us to go."
Hermione hesitated, thinking of Draco. Maybe he was right. Maybe she shouldn't follow the vampires alone...
Sebastián lifted a hand to Hermione's face. An electric current shot through her. There was a ringing in her head and her muscles contracted as he pushed his way into her mind. It was unlike anything she had experienced before…a sort of legilimency only a vampire could perform.
Her most personal memories rose to the surface…
She was lying naked with Draco on the beach in Étretat, tracing the Dark Mark on his arm, wishing she could make it fade away…
Sebastián twisted her head to the left.
She was speaking with Nikola aboard the Dragomir...
He moved her again.
She was scanning the pages of the Founder's Book, looking for answers…
Sebastián's eyes bored into hers. She swallowed but she did not tremble.
She gasped as he broke the connection, her mind reeling.
"Your young friend must join us," he said, referring to Draco. "Although I must say, the way Mr. Potter spoke of you—I thought your loyalty was to him."
"My loyalty is to Harry."
Sebastián smiled at her. "If you say so."
Hermione bristled, but she remained silent.
"Magdalena, we must collect Ms. Granger's…friend."
Magdalena swooped away from the roof, no doubt heading for the grounds.
Moments later she flew back up, Malfoy at her side.
The two landed unceremoniously on the rooftop and adjusted their cloaks.
Sebastián slipped an arm around Hermione's waist. His arm was strong as iron, and his lustrous hair shone in the moonlight.
Draco's jaw tightened, but he held his tongue.
The next second Hermione felt her feet lift off the ground. She stifled a scream as Sebastián flew high into the air, holding her tightly to his side.
Below them, Magdalena took Draco's arm. She and the other vampires whipped their cloaks around themselves, and rose into the night sky.
They were soaring over a heavily wooded forest...the air was warm, and the light wind ruffled Hermione's hair.
She braced herself as Sebastián made to land in the middle of a clearing.
Moments later their feet hit solid ground.
Sebastián's entourage lit the way with torches.
They walked in silence for several minutes then suddenly, everyone stopped. There was an opening in the ground.
Magdalena moved to the front of the procession, and one of her friends held a torch aloft for her.
She gathered her skirts and cloak, and suddenly she was spinning like a top, a whirl of color in the dark forest.
She dropped down and disappeared from view.
Many of the others did the same.
Hermione swallowed nervously as Sebastián dragged her forward. In the blink of an eye they were standing before the opening. Before Hermione could protest, the forest was spinning around her and they were falling through the gap in the earth…
She screamed as they plummeted, her eyes screwed shut.
She expected a harsh landing, but instead they stopped in mid-air as if caught by a net, then drifted slowly to ground.
Hermione opened her eyes and her mouth fell open.
The room was large and cavernous…lavishly decorated.
There were black marble floors and gold chandeliers everywhere she looked. Elegant chaises, tapestries and silks adorned the place. To her left she saw a set of double doors that opened into a magnificent ballroom.
Draco landed beside her.
She exchanged looks with him.
The Arévalo's had built an underground palace. It appeared that this...was their true home.
Hermione watched Sebastián's entourage move into the ballroom...there had to be over a hundred vampires gathered inside...
"Traditions are important in Segovia, Ms. Granger," Sebastián said suddenly. "Your dress is lovely, but not suitable for this occasion. Magdalena will assist you in finding something more…appropriate."
Hermione gazed at him, suddenly self-conscious.
"And Enrique will assist you, Mr. Malfoy," Sebastián said, gesturing to a red-haired vampire on his left. He looked critically at Draco's robes.
Before Draco could protest Magdalena dragged Hermione away, and in the blink of an eye she was gone.
He tried not to panic, and followed Enrique down a narrow hall, tightening his grip on his wand, expecting some sort of trap. But the vampire only led him to a small room.
He opened the door for him. It was exquisitely furnished, and there were several garments draped over a red chaise.
"You are expected to return in twenty minutes," Enrique said curtly, then closed the door behind him.
Draco changed quickly. He didn't trust the Arévalo's alone with Hermione.
A few minutes later he re-entered the hall.
He was dressed in a formal black coat with a velvet collar, a matching double-breasted waistcoat, knee-length tails, and black trousers.
Magdalena walked up behind him, smiling flirtatiously. "Well, don't you look dashing, Mr. Malfoy." She adjusted his collar. "Ms. Granger will be down in a moment."
Magdalena entered the ballroom and disappeared from view.
"I hope you haven't been waiting long," said a voice.
Draco turned.
Hermione was dressed in a tightly fitted, black brocade gown with gold thread. It had a plunging neckline, and a long, sumptuous train.
It was a flattering silhouette that hugged her body and accentuated her small waist. She wore a pair of elbow length gloves, and a black opal necklace.
Her eyes were lined with black, giving them a dark and alluring quality. Her lips were colored red, and her hair cascaded down her back in a wave of curls.
Draco's mouth fell open. "You look—you look—"
"Like an Arévalo?" Hermione said.
Draco offered her his arm. "You look beautiful," he whispered.
The doors opened.
They made their grand entrance into the ballroom. There was a soaring ceiling, crystal chandeliers, marble floors, gothic sculptures and candelabras on every table.
Fire breathers, aerial dancers, and men on stilts entertained the crowd, but Hermione felt every vampire turn to stare at them as they walked past. Draco took note of the way their eyes lingered on their necks and wrists…the only pulsing life in a sea of darkness.
There was a table at the front of the ballroom. Sebastián sat in the center, accompanied by Magdalena.
Hermione and Draco were invited to join them.
A group of men entered the ballroom carrying trays.
Food and wine were placed before Hermione and Draco, but the vampires had no plates in front of them, only crystal glasses.
Large pitchers were set down, and Hermione's stomach turned when Magdalena pulled one close.
The pitchers were filled with blood, blood from the citizens of Segovia.
A guitar strummed and silence fell.
A dancer emerged, dressed in red. She walked boldly to the center of the room, and passed a glorious fountain made of marble and crystal. She ran her hand through the cascade of water and splashed the crowd with it.
They laughed and applauded her.
The dancer smiled deviously at Draco and Hermione. She moved her wrists in a circular motion, lifting her arms high above her head. There was tension in her hands…passion in her eyes…
To her left, Enrique emerged from the shadows and walked up behind her. He rested his arms on her shoulders, and his lips brushed the nape of her neck.
Color flooded the girl's face and she sighed. She was human, Hermione realized.
The girl and Enrique circled each other, moving away from the fountain.
Their heads were held high, their arms pulled back, their movements slow and calculated…
Sebastián leaned into Hermione. "The dance is symbolic of the Spanish bullfight." He nodded at the girl in the red dress. "Constanza is a very gifted dancer."
The girl lunged forward and stretched her arms wide, gathering her skirt around her, sizing up her opponent.
Enrique took several steps forward, extending his arm out in front of him…
Sebastián nodded at him. "Enrique displays the pageantry of the matador…his grand entry into the bull ring."
"And the girl?" Hermione asked.
"Constanza represents the cape, and at other times…the bull."
Enrique stamped his foot. The impact rang throughout the ballroom.
Constanza took several steps forward, streaking past Enrique, then she flung her arms to one side, casting her head down.
Enrique approached her and seized her hand. She spun around to face him.
He slowly raised her arm and arched it over her head, as they took three steps to the left.
The music began to build.
"Venga!"
Sebastián stood and stamped his foot, bringing his palms together.
The other vampires rose and did the same.
They began to stomp and clap in unison.
"Join us!" Sebastián shouted at Hermione and Draco.
Hermione pushed her chair back.
Draco raised an eyebrow at her, but followed her lead and rose from the table.
They moved their hands together in time to the music.
On the dance floor, Constanza threw Enrique a haughty look.
Her steps were strong and proud.
His movements were sharp and quick.
They sidestepped each other, then met in the middle of the fountain.
Constanza placed her hand on Enrique's chest and charged forward.
He was compelled to take several steps back.
He clutched her hand and raised it high, holding it in place, then his hand moved to her elbow, and he spun her away from him.
Constanza clutched her face as she turned, an expression of rapture on her face.
She threw her skirt back and it flared around her like a cape.
They met again and danced side by side, stomping their feet in unison as the music surged.
Behind them, five other girls emerged from the shadows. From the color that rose in their faces, Hermione could see that they were also human. The girls were soon joined by partners, highly skilled vampires ready to show off their talents. They enthralled the crowd with striking poses and dramatic footwork.
In the center of the floor, Enrique charged into Constanza, leading with his heels, and she kicked her legs back with each step, unwilling to be cornered.
They spun and dropped to the floor, each landing on bended knee, and lunged backwards.
The crowd was riveted, shouting words of encouragement to Enrique, the emblematic matador.
He stood.
Constanza threw her head back, and Enrique moved in front of her…sweeping his arm over her body like a sword.
Suddenly, Constanza dove forward. Enrique grabbed her waist and lifted her up. Her legs draped over his shoulder, and the tips of her toes pointed high into the air.
He displayed her to the crowd, a matador showing off his prowess, about to subdue his prey.
He lowered her down, so that she was kneeling in front of him. Constanza looked up into his eyes, running her hands along his thigh, as she rose up to face him once more.
He placed his hand on her neck, guiding her to spin underneath his arm. Their hands connected again, and they stepped to the side with sharp, staccato movements.
The music accelerated and Enrique's steps became more aggressive.
He was poised to kill...
He seized Constanza's shoulders. He flung her back and swung her to the left, then drew her up again, repeating the movement as they spun across the room.
The crowd was breathless.
The tempo picked up.
Enrique dropped Constanza's hand and charged at her.
He lanced his arm through hers like a sword, and the crowd gasped.
She arched her back, as if he had delivered the final, crushing blow.
She flung her arms to the heavens, spinning across the room, savoring her last moments of life.
She staggered, as if about to fall…
Enrique walked up behind her.
He turned, so that his back was pressed to hers. She leaned against him, and they linked arms as he lifted her up.
He took slow, deliberate steps forward with Constanza draped over his back.
Enrique was a proud matador, displaying his kill to the crowd.
The vampires cheered.
He set Constanza down and she was about to let herself fall gracefully to the floor, when there was a crescendo in the music.
Enrique rushed at her and seized her waist, and she let out a high-pitched shriek as they flew high above the ballroom, momentarily suspended in mid-air.
Her legs flailed as she looked down at the fountain below, panic rising in her face.
Suddenly, the couples dancing on the ground halted. The male vampires followed Enrique's lead and flew into the air with their partners, stopping just over the fountain.
Hermione's heart froze in her chest.
Something in Enrique's eye's changed…Constanza saw it, but too late. He pressed his lips to her neck, and her eyes widened. She screamed as he bit down.
The music continued to build.
Enrique's eyes glazed over as he tasted her blood.
The other vampires did the same to their partners, and the force of their screams rivaled the power of the rising music.
Hermione's breathing ceased. Draco took hold of her hand. She desperately wanted to make it stop…
"Don't do anything," Draco whispered into her ear. Magdalena was watching them closely, a lurid grin on her face.
Eventually, the vampires pulled back from their victims.
The girls hung limp in their arms…there were terrible gashes along their necks…blood streamed from their lifeless bodies, falling spectacularly into the fountain below, coloring it red.
The vampires released the girls, letting them plummet to their death just as the music ended.
The crowd roared and cheered. Hermione inhaled sharply as the thunderous applause rang throughout the ballroom.
Sebastián left the table, his goblet in hand, nodding at the crowd.
Hermione watched him walk to the center of the room.
He dipped the goblet into the fountain, filling it with blood, and raised his glass in a toast, inviting the crowd to join him.
His eyes landed on Hermione and Draco.
"To our English friends." He tipped his head forward. "Welcome to Segovia."
He smiled at them as he drank.
Hermione felt like she was going to be sick, but she stared back at him with a cool and amused expression, as if it had all been a very entertaining display.
For all their beauty, grace and agility…the Arévalo's were still cold-blooded killers.
Hermione refused to crumble. She had a mission to accomplish. She knew full well the Arévalo's importance to the Order's interests. She would have to persuade them to join her cause, and more importantly, find out what had happened to Harry…
The other vampires were joining Sebastián on the dance floor, waiting for a new song to begin.
Hermione looked over at Draco.
He looked like he could be one of them, with his pale skin and aristocratic features.
There was no tension in his face, only a mild interest in the scene before him.
His attitude unnerved her, but she knew he had seen similar spectacles at Malfoy Manor, when Voldemort had taken up residence in his father's home.
He was only trying to keep them alive…and she had to do the same. She could not break...
Sebastián approached their table.
"Will you join me on the dance floor, Ms. Granger?"
Hermione swallowed. Her legs trembled as she stood, but thankfully her long gown hid them from view. She placed her hand over Sebastián's outstretched palm, and walked around the table with him.
"You don't mind if I steal her away, do you, Mr. Malfoy?"
Sebastián glanced down at Draco, then without waiting for a reply, he whisked Hermione away.
He led her to the center of the room and wrapped his arm around her waist.
Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder.
Sebastián smiled. "This next dance…requires a more intimate hold."
Hermione forced herself to appear confident.
"Does it?" she asked coyly.
Sebastián slipped a knee between her thighs.
"Indeed it does, Ms. Granger."
Hermione gathered her courage. She leaned away from him, exposing her neck.
She heard Sebastián inhale sharply.
Hermione looked over her left shoulder, waiting for the music to begin.
Her gaze landed on Malfoy, sitting alone at the dining room table. His fingernails dug into the tablecloth, and his eyes shot daggers at Sebastián.
Next to Draco, Magdalena leaned forward and reached for his arm, inviting him to dance.
Hermione looked away.
"The last dance you saw represented a duel to the death," said Sebastián, interrupting Hermione's thoughts. "This one is quite the opposite."
He ran a finger along her neck, tracing her veins.
"Do you feel up to it?"
Hermione looked at him, taking in his golden eyes and his self-assured smile.
"Of course," she said.
A violin played and they swayed to the side.
Hermione followed Sebastián's movements as he steered her across the floor. The slightest pressure at her waist told her where he wanted her to go…left, right, then back again...
"Very good Ms. Granger," he said approvingly, testing her skill.
Sebastián spun her thrice. He pulled her to his chest and twisted her body left and right, guiding her by the waist, making her cross one foot in front of the other as he held her in place.
Hermione looked around her. The female vampires were swaying their hips, and making dramatic movements with their arms, looking at their partners with an insatiable hunger.
Sebastián opened his stance, and his hands slid up to Hermione's shoulders.
He pushed her down.
Her right foot slid between the gap in his legs. She dropped all the way down, her leg extended…
Sebastián seized her wrists and spun her across the floor like a compass.
The room was a dazzling blur, and she let herself feel the music, letting her tension fade away…
She let out a shaky breath when Sebastián pulled her back up, grasping onto the lapels of his coat to maintain her balance.
She was heady with wine. Exhilarated even.
He tightened his hold on her. "I won't let you fall, Ms. Granger."
He was highly skilled in his movements, and Hermione found that she enjoyed dancing with him even though she knew full well he could kill her in an instant, snap her neck before she ever drew her wand…
As Hermione looked around the room, she began to understand what it meant to survive in a world reigned by chaos.
A killer could appear charming, friendly even.
You could laugh in the arms of your enemy.
To destroy Voldemort she had to align herself with a different kind of evil.
And she would align herself with Sebastián, even if it meant risking her life.
The music picked up.
"CON GARRA!" Sebastián shouted at her. "With feeling!"
They crisscrossed to the left side of the room at a ferocious pace.
Sebastián flung her out and back in again, then he grasped her thigh, hooking her leg around his waist.
He spun them across the room at an ungodly speed.
The crowd became a blur. They were a sea of faces…Hermione couldn't distinguish one from the next…
Sebastián dipped her low and ran a hand along her neck, then lower...past the valley between her breasts.
The intimate touch shocked Hermione and her body screamed to pull away, but she knew Sebastián was testing her resolve.
She reached up and wound her fingers into his dark curls.
Sebastián smiled at her, his nostrils flaring, burying his head into her neck.
She gasped as his teeth scraped her skin.
Her entire body went still. She feared she had gone too far, that he would drain the life from her as Enrique had done to Constanza.
She could hear her heart pounding in her ears…the world came to a halt...
And then he was pulling her up...
Sebastián and Hermione faced the crowd, completely breathless.
The music ended.
Hermione looked around her, and her eyes fell on Draco.
There was a mutinous look in his eyes, and he looked like he was on the verge of storming towards them.
Hermione shot him a warning look.
He knew she had to do her part for the Order…
Fortunately, the music changed and the crowd formed a circle, blocking his path. She and Sebastián swayed to the right then changed partners. A vampire dressed in blue velvet pressed his palm to Hermione's.
They circled each other.
The minutes passed, and Hermione alternated partners in time to the music, but she was distracted. She couldn't afford to lose more time. She was eager to get back to Sebastián and ask him about Harry. She had waited long enough…
The music changed and a new vampire stepped in front of her.
He was significantly shorter than the last, and he was not as graceful as the others. He moved left when everyone else moved right. He looked fixedly at Malfoy, stepping on her toes in the process.
"Is everything alright?" she asked.
The vampire nodded his head, readjusted his mask, and before she could question him again it was time to change partners.
She craned her neck, trying to get a better glimpse of Sebastián. If she could just speak with him again—
She gasped when she saw Draco standing in front of her.
"You do know he's over a thousand years old?" Draco said, trying to keep his voice steady.
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Sebastián."
Hermione stared up at him. Was he jealous?
"Tell me something Granger, why is it whenever there's a ball you're always dancing with someone else?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Fourth year—"
Hermione laughed. "Exactly how much have you had to drink, Malfoy? The Yule Ball? We weren't together then…you hated me, remember?"
"I didn't hate you. I followed you after Weasley ruined your night. And you ran off with Krum after he found us together. I thought it was because you were afraid of me..." He stopped suddenly, a serious expression coming over him. "These last few weeks? Did they mean anything to you? Or did you just need someone to help you forget the war for a while?"
Hermione's mouth fell open in shock. "What?"
"You sleep with me, you act like you care, but you've never actually said the words, have you?"
Hermione resisted the urge to strangle him.
"I can't deal with this right now, Malfoy."
He sneered at her. "I just hope you remember why we're here."
She gaped at him, incensed. "Of course, I remember why we're here." She looked over her shoulder at Sebastián. "And you're ruining my chances—"
"Your chances?" he said, seizing her wrist. "Exactly what are you hoping to achieve—"
A voice interrupted them. "Is everything alright, Ms. Granger?"
"Yes," Hermione said quickly, looking up at Sebastián.
"I believe we have much to discuss." Sebastián moved Hermione away from Draco. "Perhaps we should speak in private…"
Draco reached for her arm. "I don't want you to go with him."
Hermione bristled. "That's not for you to decide."
Draco's eyes narrowed into slits. "Are you so desperate to find Potter, that you're willing to sell yourself for informa—"
She slapped him hard across the face.
Draco reeled back from her, releasing her arm.
Sebastián threw him an amused glance, and led Hermione away, his hand low on her waist.
Draco vowed to curse the blasted vampire to pieces, but a pair of dancers moved in front of him, blocking Hermione from view, and when the crowd parted, she and Sebastián were gone.
"Mr. Malfoy," Magdalena said, walking up behind him. "We must dance."
She stroked his arm and pressed her lips to his ear. "I shall make it worth your while."
But all Draco could think of was Hermione, and Sebastián's arm around her waist.
He had to find them…
Hermione followed Sebastián through several chambers and corridors. He held a torch in his hand, lighting their way.
She was about to ask him where they were heading, when he led her down a set of marble steps.
She crouched down as they walked through the passage. They were moving further below ground.
It was difficult to maneuver in her dress, and she gathered it to one side, trying to squeeze through the small space.
A moment later she saw light. The passage opened into a circular chamber made of black marble. As Hermione looked around her, she realized they were standing in a crypt.
The gold-paneled walls and ornate architecture took her breath away.
It was a baroque shrine to death…
There were black coffins in niches along the walls. They were stacked above each other in six columns around the room. Gold, gleaming nameplates shone at the front of each coffin.
Hermione looked up. A gilded chandelier hung above her, suspended from a domed ceiling.
There were figures of angels along the walls, each holding candlesticks in their outstretched hands.
It was like a palace of death, beautiful in all its morbid glory.
"What is this place?" Hermione asked.
"It is where we come to rest when we grow weary of the world. Some of us rest for a few years, others a few centuries, until we are ready to rejoin the living once more."
Hermione looked uneasily around her, not understanding why Sebastián had brought her here.
"Do you feel that way sometimes?" Hermione asked tentatively. "Weary of the world?"
"Oh no, Ms. Granger. At present, I am most interested in the current state of affairs."
They circled each other. Sebastián's gold, unflinching eyes stared back into hers.
"It is said you are the greatest witch of your age."
Hermione stared back at him but said nothing, catching the unmistakable doubt in his voice as he took stock of her.
"You see, Ms. Granger, I have met the greatest witch of every age, and you lack something the others possessed in spades."
She waited.
"Arrogance…unshakeable confidence…vanity. Those attributes push a select few to go further than others dare, fueled by the desire to achieve immortality…to hold the living in awe long after they're dead. But by the same token, those qualities can lead to their destruction—a messy end before glory is ever attained."
He tilted his head. "The greatest wizards often hover over the precipice of ruin. You do not. It seems you are ambitious but not vain. You are determined but not self-serving. And although you are stubborn, your bravery and courage have taken you far. It appears you have still come to Segovia, even after you have seen the worst…"
Hermione's pulse quickened. Was he referring to Harry? To her visions of him in the Alcazar?
"Is Harry alive?" she asked, unable to contain herself any longer.
In a flash Sebastián was standing directly in front of her, his face mere inches from hers.
"You were doing so well, until now, Ms. Granger. You must contain your curiosity a moment longer. We will not speak of Mr. Potter…yet."
Hermione swallowed.
Sebastián gave her a withering look. "Vampires were run out of Britain long ago, and now you wish for us to return? You'd like us to defeat Tom Riddle for you, then expel us once more?"
Hermione breathed in deeply. "In the past, vampires did not adhere to the Statute of Secrecy—"
"Most of us kill to feed, to survive, it is in our nature. Yes, others kill for sport. I am guilty of both. I can only imagine what Calatrava has told you. That we are fickle? Some of us are. But my interest in you, Ms. Granger, does not lie in your blood, but in your skill."
She looked up at him, confused.
"Wizards have underestimated vampires for centuries. Do not make the same mistake."
He circled her again.
"What do you know of Voldemort?" Hermione asked, unnerved by the way he was staring at her.
"Voldemort? Come now, Ms. Granger, let us call him by his true name. Tom Riddle was a most ambitious young man."
"You knew him?"
"I must confess, I underestimated him. He was only nineteen when I saw him last."
Hermione gaped at him.
Sebastián smiled at her. "He wanted to become immortal. Of course he would seek the help of a vampire. I thought I could control him. How wrong I was..."
"But I thought he'd made—"
Hermione stopped herself, about to say the word "horcruxes." Perhaps it was unwise for her to reveal their existence to Sebastián, unless he already knew…
The vampire gave her a knowing look.
"Horcruxes can be destroyed, Ms. Granger. They do not ensure immortality. That is why Tom envied myself and my kind. He still does."
Sebastián paced around the room. "He was very charming…but I refused to turn him. Can you imagine how much stronger he would be now, had I granted his desire?"
Hermione stared at Sebastián in amazement.
He looked at her thoughtfully. "Tom spoke much of Salazar Slytherin, how he admired him, how he wanted to follow in his footsteps. I suppose they were alike in many ways. They both fashioned names for themselves. They both renounced their families."
Hermione nodded. She had heard this information before while trapped in the past, in the pages of the Founder's book. Slytherin was not Salazar's real name…
"And Tom?" she asked, looking up at Sebastián once more. "Why did you refuse him?'
"As I said, he knew how to stir my interest. But he should not have spoken of Salazar with such reverence. That was his mistake. He had studied the wizard, yes, but he did not truly know him, how could he?"
Hermione looked at Sebastián as if seeing him for the first time, her pulse accelerating. He was over a thousand years old…how had she not thought of it before?
"The way you speak of Slytherin…it sounds like you knew him."
Sebastián nodded at her. "Yes, I knew him. When I was human I lived and breathed beside him."
"Were you friends?" Hermione asked.
"No, Ms. Granger, we were family."
Sebastián touched her face. An electric current shot through her just like the last time.
She closed her eyes as he invaded her mind...the familiar ringing started again...
He sifted through her thoughts until he found the memory he wanted.
He forced her to look back at the Founder's battle.
She was at Hogwarts again...
Salazar Slytherin was brandishing a sword at his opponent…Salazar seized the man's neck and his hood fell from his face.
Only this time, the scene did not dissolve. Hermione grimaced as she was propelled forward, crashing into the two men.
She looked up, catching a glimpse of Salazar's rival. She recognized his curly dark hair, his deep set eyes…
She knew those eyes…only they were brown now instead of vivid gold…
Sebastián released Hermione and the scene from Hogwarts faded away.
"You forget that you've seen me before, Ms. Granger, in the pages of your book."
Hermione reeled back from him in shock. He was the one who had attacked Hogwarts all those years ago…
"You asked me how I knew Salazar Slytherin. You see, Ms. Granger…he and I were once Sebastián and Salazar Arévalo…two brothers from Segovia."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Much more to be revealed in the next chapter! Thank you to all who are reading and following this story :)