William paced around his room, muttering darkly to himself. "Where the hell is she? She should be back by now." He stopped dead as a vivid image crossed his mind. "Oh god! What if she's hurt?"
He grabbed his cloak and ran out of the room in search of her, careful not to be found outside the Common Room after dark. He searched everywhere, the Great Hall, the kitchens, the library and the Hospital wing but there was still no sign of her. "Maybe she's back at the room…" With his heart pounding in his chest he ran back towards his room.
Three corridors from the entrance he noticed a figure lying on the ground, half hidden by shadows. He warily walked forward, praying silently that it wasn't Elizabeth. As he drew beside it the figure moved into a sitting position. William glanced over her profile, her long black hair, full blood red lips and her cold, dark, piercing green eyes.
She looked at him, standing slowly, before flashing a tiny smile that made William's heart melt. "Thank you so much. I was so sure I was dead, but then you came along! You scared it away." Her gentle voice made William smile. "I'm Chantelle, and you are?"
"William Ranulf. Pleased to be of some assistance." He glanced over her figure appreciatively. Her feet nervously scuffed the floor under his gaze.
"Why are you out so late? I thought no one was supposed to leave the…" She smiled at him. "I'm sure a big, strong man like you doesn't need to worry about rules."
William drew himself up to full height, and puffed out his chest proudly. "I was looking for some one…erm… thing. Something I dropped earlier. I couldn't find it, so I was heading back," he said quickly. "What are you doing out here?"
She glanced at the floor, avoiding his gaze, before slowly moving towards him. "I was looking for innocent victims, like yourself. Though I'm sure innocent wasn't quite the word I should use," she whispered, as he backed into the wall.
He cleared his throat loudly, trying hard to keep some of his control. "Well, I… no."
She pressed herself up against him, before whispering in his ear. "Do you realise I've chosen you for my next… victim? I can make all your dreams come true-"
She broke off as a voice echoed down the hall. "He can't be far, we'll find him. Let's hope he's with her!"
The girl dropped a swift, passionate kiss on his lips before running off down the corridor. The voice's owner came into William's view. "WILL! Bloody hell, what happened? You look… Where's Elizabeth?" Godric asked.
Will looked down at his chest and saw a large gash along it. Somehow Chantelle had opened his shirt and cut him without him realising. Though maybe he was just imaging things. "That's impossible," he muttered. Will shook his head angrily. "I don't know where she is. I was looking for her." He buttoned his shirt back up. "I was coming back because I thought she'd be there… I've searched everywhere else."
William glared past Godric into the eyes of Salazar, who was encasing himself within the shadows a few feet away.
"All right. Come with me and we'll find her." Will followed Godric silently back to his room.
"We're back," Godric called as they stepped into the Gryffindor Common Room. "Is she here?"
"Shh…" Rowena hissed. "We think she's asleep. Poor girl. She was coming down every five minutes to see if Will was back."
"Is she all right?" Will asked impatiently.
"Oh yes, fine dear. Just concerned about you. She only just got back in. She couldn't take it, so she went out looking for you." Helga sat down in an armchair, deep in thought.
"Can I go and see her?" Will muttered.
Godric sighed. "Of course, Ranulf. Just be quick. We'd like to speak to her as well."
Will sprinted up the stairs and into her room, though she wasn't there. So he headed for his room. He opened the door slowly and peered in. She was standing by the window, watching the storm clouds gather. He could see the tears glistening in her eyes and on her face.
His heart tore in two as he heard her give a tiny sob and buried her face in her hands. Rain began to fall heavily, with several flashes of lightning. He opened the door wider, stepped into the room, desperately trying to remain in the shadows, and closed the door quietly.
As he stared at her, the moon came into focus through the window. The almost perfect circle highlighted her, making her look infinitely more vulnerable. The only fault was the ugly red ring outlining the moon.
"One step away…" he mumbled under his breath. He took a step towards her.
Elizabeth's head shot up and for a brief moment she stared in confusion at him. "WILL!" she screamed. She jumped up and ran to him, holding him tightly against her. "Will, I was so worried! I thought you were…"
"Dead?" He grinned down at her. "I thought the same about you."
"Are we interrupting?" Godric asked from the threshold. "We did knock, but you didn't answer. I guess you didn't hear."
"Well? What's wrong?" Elizabeth asked uncertainly. "Can it wait until tomorrow? I'm rather tired."
Rowena smiled. "Of course it can, darling. We were just making sure you were both all right." She put an arm on Godric's shoulder pointedly. "We'll leave now. Sleep well." They then turned and left the room, shutting the door behind them.
"So, where did you get to?" Will asked. He sat her down on the bed gently.
"I was taking a bath. When I got back, you were gone." She rolled over and faced the wall. "I'm tired so if you don't mind, could you turn out the light please?"
"Not yet. I want to talk to you." He grabbed her shoulders and turned her around to face him. "Now, listen…"
"I don't want to! I just want to rest!" She struggled against him, but his grip only tightened until she screamed out.
He held her down. "I'm not going to hurt you! Settle down!"
"It's too late, you already hurt me! I don't want to-" His mouth came down on hers, muffling her protests, though she continued to struggle. Hitting his back, shoulders and head, kicking him and dragging her nails down his shirt.
No matter what she did, he didn't let her go. He wasn't going to lose her this time. Her hands pushed his shoulders away as his hand pulled at her hair. She began struggling twice as much. Until her nails caught on the front of his shirt and it ripped open. The warm blood brushed her hands and she screamed.
"Will! YOU'RE HURT!" Elizabeth stared in horror at the large cut on his chest.
"Calm down! It's not very deep. It happened while I was looking for you. A girl I met a few corridors from the entrance, Chantelle, I think did it. She had black hair and green eyes. I don't know why though." He paused, just looking at her. "What?"
"Nothing." She shook her head slowly. "You're getting blood everywhere. Let me fix it for you." She jumped up and ran to the bedside table, pulling out bandages and ointment. Elizabeth took off his bloodstained shirt and carefully wiped the area clean. He stayed completely still, not wanting to disturb her work.
When she had finished, she just looked at him. "What?" she laughed.
"Nothing. I'm just thinking what I'd do without you." He moved to touch her, but she recoiled and put the rest of the bandages away.
"I think we should sleep now." She slid in beside him, extinguished the torches and cuddled up closer to him, leaping back as she heard his quick indrawn breath. "Sorry," she whispered.
He pulled her closer. "That's all right, it doesn't hurt that much." He nuzzled at her neck. "Goodnight Elizabeth."
"Goodnight William," she whispered.
Elizabeth awoke the next morning feeling exhausted. Today, she was going to find something to help Will. She went straight to the Library and poured through the thousands of books there. Nothing looked remotely like what she needed.
Protect Yourself from Dark Creatures was the closest she could find. However, she wasn't sure what he needed protecting from. She figured if worst came to worst she'd start from the beginning and do them all.
As she scanned the contents, her mind was reeling trying to piece the evidence together. Finally, deciding on a cross between Vampires, Werewolves and a Siren, she turned to the chapter containing Hemomorphesi.
There were several pages on the History and last sightings, habits and finally at the very end, protection. She read and re-read each page unable to comprehend what was written. Not only because most of it was in Archaic, but because she just couldn't believe what it said.
She took the book to the counter and then ran to where Will was still hopefully asleep. When she entered the room, she saw him lying still in the bed. She smiled, still asleep.
"Will? Honey? Will, I need to speak to you…" She pushed his shoulder gently, but he didn't move. A horrible sinking feeling took over her, no, he couldn't be! She shook him harder. "Will? Wake up, please?" She raised her voice and continued to shake him, but nothing happened. "Will? SNAP OUT OF IT!"
She shrieked as he grabbed her arms and pulled her down on top of him, keeping his eyes closed. "You scared me!" she said after a few minutes.
"How do you think I felt? To wake up and find you're gone?" he asked, sitting up.
"I went to get a book. I think I've found the problem." She pulled the book towards her and opened to the chapter.
He eyed her warily. "Hemomorphesi? Are you feeling all right?"
"I'm serious! It all fits," she said exasperatedly. "'Hemomorphesi, more commonly known as Morphia, named after Morpheus – the Roman God of Dreams, lull their victims into a trance-like state… similar to that of a Siren's, and then devours it anyway it pleases.'" She passed him the book.
"But they weren't devoured, just…"
"Just sucked dry, chopped into pieces and made into the new school decorations. You're right! I must be mad." She snapped the book shut, narrowly missing his fingers.
"You think this Chantelle girl is a Hemo-hemo… what's-a-name…" He snapped his fingers, trying to jog his memory.
"She's a Hemomorphesi. A Morphia!" Elizabeth paused, deep in thought. "So, now we know what she is."
William shrugged. "Great. So, now what?"
She opened the book once more, turning to the Protection chapter. "Now we find, frankincense, mandrake leaves, leaches… alive… and a small gemstone." She read the last paragraph. "It recommends rubies, sapphires, emeralds or jade."
"Is that all?" he asked sceptically.
"That's the complicated bit. The rest is easy. I can brew it tonight, provided we get the ingredients." She thought hard for a moment. "Salazar has frankincense and several gems."
"Godric will have the rest lying around somewhere." Will walked towards the door. "Meet me back here when you've got the ingredients from Slytherin." Then he left.
"All done?" he cried in surprise. "You weren't joking."
Elizabeth stared at him sympathetically. "Almost finished." She pushed him down onto the table. "Take your shirt off."
He smiled at her cheekily. "Oh, I see what's going on here." As he took his shirt off, she poured the potion onto his chest in the shape of a pentacle.
She coughed and stepped back as it hit his flesh and began billowing smoke. "GET IT OFF! IT'S BURNING INTO MY SKIN!" he screamed.
Elizabeth quickly read through the method, before conjuring a pitcher of water and pouring it on him. "Better?" she smiled sweetly.
William's hands flew to his chest, feeling for scars. When he couldn't feel any he sat up and scoured the area with his eyes. "It didn't leave a mark!"
"There won't be a mark. Unless she comes near you, in the hopes of killing you…" she replied matter-of-factly.
