I don't own Hellsing or Harry Potter, and I'm not making any money from this.

I'm sorry for not writing sooner. I knew you had exams to prepare for and I didn't want to distract you from studying. How have your OWLs been going? Do you know when you'll get your results back?

I've been going through my things to decide what I should pack. I have most of it done, but I wanted to double check with you to see if there's anything specific I should bring. I didn't know what you might have planned and I want to be prepared. I've also been reading that book you let me borrow and it's been so interesting! I think I have the alphabet and a few basic words memorized, but I may need help with the more complex ones.

Dad happened to walk in on me while I was practicing the other day and he asked what I was doing. I explained what it was and that I was learning the hand signs so I could understand your sister. I was careful to not give too many details, but he was curious about it. All I told him was that she couldn't speak due to an injury that couldn't be healed with magic. I hope you don't mind. If it makes you feel better, he was very upset when he found out about the situation with Professor Lupin. He wrote to the Headmaster about him being a good teacher and that he shouldn't be forced to leave because of his condition – but I suppose the support of one person isn't always enough to help when so many other people are making a fuss. He was afraid that the Ministry would try to use him as a scapegoat to distract people from everything else that was going on. I'm inclined to believe that as well, though I would have thought something would have been in the Prophet about it by now if that were the case.

By the way, what time were planning on coming? Any time is fine, really. I just wanted to ask because Dad doesn't have any work scheduled for Saturday, and he said that you were welcome to eat here with us before we leave, depending on the time. I told him that you were coming the muggle way and I wasn't sure how long it would take. If time is an issue, I'll just tell him that we won't be able to stay for long once you get here.

Hope to hear from you soon!

-Luna

Luna, you can write to me whenever you like. I may not be able to reply immediately every time, but I always read your letters as soon as they arrive. Distraction isn't always a bad thing.

My OWLs are finally over (thank god) and I feel good about them. Having to go to the Ministry every day wasn't the most pleasant experience, but I survived. The waiting room for the Education Department looked like it was designed for a prison and the secretaries were the most airheaded people I've ever seen in my life. No results have come back yet, but I expect to hear something soon. Professor Snape arranged for the grading to be expedited so he could finalize my schedule for next term. He wants me to work with him a couple of days a week during the summer as well – for training, I suppose. Nothing official has been set up yet though.

Well, I guess walking in on someone practicing sign language would look strange to someone who didn't know what it was. It's fine that you told him what it was for. I trust you. As far as what you should bring... I'm honestly not sure. I imagine we'll go out into City at least once while you're here, so you'll definitely need some muggle clothes if you have them. If not, we should be able to find something in Connie's closet that you could wear. I asked earlier today and she said she wouldn't mind.

It's a three hour drive each way (roughly speaking), so I was planning to leave here early so I could be at your house by 8:00am on Saturday. I can push it back later if that's too early for you. As far as your dad's invitation…I won't lie, the idea makes me a bit nervous, but if you really want me to, then I will.

What does your house look like, by the way? I have a rough idea of where you live, but addresses for magical homes don't show up on my GPS. Once I get past the village I'll have to rely on sight, and I want to make sure I come to the right place. I don't want to think about how awkward it be would be if I showed up at the wrong house.

-Mihnea

Don't be silly! There's no need to be nervous. You'll see.

8:00 a.m. is perfect. I'll make breakfast! We're usually up and about by that time anyway, so everything should be ready by the time you get here. I explained how long the journey was, so dad won't keep us here too long.

What's a 'GPS'? I've never heard of that before. Is it like a map? If so, it makes sense that my house wouldn't show up. The area is very rural here and all the magical homes are spaced pretty far apart so it shouldn't be too hard to figure out where you are. There is an unpaved road that leads to our house, but we hardly ever use it so I'm not sure where it connects to the muggle roads. I'll go out later and look. Ours is a round, black stone house on a hill, with a small stream that runs along the side and back toward a grove of trees. I've heard some of my dad's friends say that it looks like a giant chess rook. We have a fence out front with a sign for the Quibbler, so if you see that, you'll know you're in the right place.

See you Saturday!

-Luna

P.S. I just came back from checking, and it looks like the road to our house connects to a 'Strantham Road' on the Southern edge of the village. It's about a mile or so down from an old church on the left hand side. It cuts through some trees and is a bit hard to see, but look for a wooden sign that says 'Pixie's Knoll'.

A round, black stone house, she said. Somehow, Mihnea had been expecting something with dark colored masonry and a few black elements – not a building that was entirely black in color. The structure he found himself faced with wasn't anything close to what he would describe as a 'house' either. A small(ish) castle tower, perhaps, but not a house. The top of the building even sported battlements and machicolations for God's sake! Were it not for the wild garden out front and the brightly colored vines climbing up the walls, it would be rather… well, imposing, if he were honest. That was unexpected.

Taking a deep breath to calm his nerves, Mihnea opened the car door and climbed out, pausing just long enough to grab the jar of homemade spiced marmalade that Becca sent with him. ('Trust me.' She had said with a wry smile.) He thought it was a bit ridiculous himself, but figured it couldn't hurt. Most people warmed up pretty quickly to someone who was willing to bring an offering of food with them. A narrow, cobblestone walkway cut a haphazard path through the garden out front. He followed it up to the entrance and was greeted by a heavy wooden door studded with nails and graced with a large, eagle shaped knocker made of tarnished bronze. He knocked twice to announce his presence, then took a step back to wait.

Beyond the door, he heard a light clang of metal, the scrape of a chair being moved, then the sound of footsteps approaching – not loud by any means, but heavier than those of a young girl. The door swung inward to reveal a tall, thin man with white, shoulder length hair and the… oddest looking clothes he'd ever seen on a person before – even a wizard. Even people who didn't know much about fashion trends had enough sense to avoid pairing vivid purples with neon oranges and yellows. The combination was so shocking that his eyes hurt just looking at him.

"Ah! Mihnea, is it?" He asked. The boy scarcely had the chance to nod before he smiled and grabbed his hand for an enthusiastic shake. "Xenophilius Lovegood. You're right on time. Come in! Come in!"

The door was pushed further open and the man practically dragged him over the threshold. The first thing he was struck by (aside from the unexpectedly spirited welcome) was that the interior was dramatically different from the outside. The room he now stood in appeared to take up the entire ground floor of the tower. Detailed murals covered every inch of wall space that he could see, interrupted by brightly colored furniture that was curved to fit against the walls. An iron spiral staircase, painted bright red and with various charms dangling from it, thrust up from the center of the floor and up to the higher levels. Mihnea felt himself relax a bit despite his nerves. This looked and felt more like the sort of place Luna would call home.

"I hope you're hungry." Mr. Lovegood told him. "She's been cooking all morning."

As if summoned, Luna appeared from behind a bright blue cabinet covered in painted daisies, frying pan in hand. She went over to the kitchen table to deposit fried eggs onto a serving platter, then rushed to put the pan in the sink before coming back to them.

"You made it!" She exclaimed brightly, wrapping her arms around his middle. "Did you have any trouble? I hope my directions were alright."

Mihnea chuckled as she pulled away and patted the top of her head. "They were very helpful." He assured her. He held out the jar of marmalade. "Becca insisted that I bring this. It's her secret recipe."

The girl's eyes lit up in surprise. "Oh, how nice! We'll have to try some!"

She took the jar and set it on the table, then excused herself to get out plates and utensils for everyone. He offered to help, but she waved him off, insisting that she do it herself since he was their guest. Moments later, place settings were set out, Yorkshire puddings were pulled out of the oven and served, and the three of them were seated at the breakfast table.

"I'm so glad you were able to stay for breakfast." Mr. Lovegood said between bites. "It's nice to finally be able to see who my Luna has been talking about so much."

Oh shit, here we go. Mihnea swallowed his food and set down his fork. "Thank you for the invitation." He said graciously. "I just hope you didn't rearrange your schedule on my account. I imagine running a magazine is a lot of work for one person."

The man waved a dismissive hand through the air. "It's not so bad. I had planned to take a break anyway." He said. "I only have a few minor edits to complete on the upcoming issue before printing. Are you a reader of the Quibbler?"

Sensing this might be the best opportunity he was going to get to make a good impression, he seized it and took off running.

"I honestly hadn't seen it before Luna introduced me, but she's shown me a few of the older issues." He told him. "I recall one that had an interesting article about creatures living in Martian canals…"

"Oh, yes!" Mr. Lovegood exclaimed, looking both excited and pleased that he was familiar enough with the publication to talk about it. "I believe that the June edition from last year! We got quite a response from that story."

"Yes, well, I didn't have much exposure to the magical world before starting school, so it was fascinating to read a wizard's take on the subject. Muggles have some interesting stories about Mars as well." Mihnea went on. He sucked in a breath and lowered his voice as if he were about to share a grand conspiracy. "Have you heard the rumors that before the Great War, the American muggle government was using secret technology to teleport people to Mars for military training with the aliens who lived on the planet? Some people believe there may have been time travel involved as well."

A deafening silence fell across the room and for a moment, Mihnea worried that he may have overstepped and said the wrong thing. He sincerely hoped that he wouldn't have to hypnotize the man. Luna chewed her food quietly, glancing back and forth between them with a placid expression while her father's eyes grew wider than dinner plates.

"No, I haven't heard that!" He dropped his coffee mug on the table with a 'clunk' and scooted his chair uncomfortably close. "You must tell me everything."

A loud rapping noise startled Syn awake. Realizing that she had fallen asleep at her desk for the second time that week, she cursed at herself and scrubbed a hand down her face.

"Come in!" She called out.

She rushed to tidy up the notes that were scattered across her desk and slid them underneath a book to keep them away from prying eyes. Her ears picked out the sound of the opening and closing of her office door, followed a few moments later by Rebecca appearing around a bookcase. In her hands was a tray with a full tea service.

"I apologize for the interruption." She said with a slight curtsy. "I thought you might need this since you weren't at breakfast this morning."

Oh, bless this wonderful angel of woman. Syn didn't know what she would do without her. "Thank you, Rebecca. I appreciate it." She gave her a thankful smile. "I'm afraid I've been so wrapped up with work that I lost track of the time."

She nodded in understanding. "It's half past ten, ma'am." She set the tray down on a side table nearby, then turned back to face her. "The room next to Miss Constance has been freshened up for Miss Lovegood. I will look after her personally while she's here." She paused to pull something from the pocket of her skirt. "We also received a notice from the silver suppliers in Greece. It appears that the latest shipment will be delayed due to an issue with customs."

Syn sighed heavily and accepted the envelope the woman held out to her. There were enough materials in back stock at the factory that a slight delay wouldn't be a huge issue, but it was always a headache to deal with. If customs didn't get their act together, she and Edmund were going to need to look for new suppliers. She glanced over the official notice and dropped it onto her desk with an unladylike snort.

"I'll call them later to find out what's going on." She said. Syn moved to stand and stretch before pouring herself a cup of tea, but paused when she saw that Rebecca still stood there. She looked uncomfortable for some reason.

"Was there anything else?" She asked, looking the woman over curiously.

Rebecca glanced back in the direction she had come from and clasped her hands in front of her. "Actually, I was hoping I could speak to you privately, if you have a few minutes?"

Frowning in concern, the redhead nodded and gestured to a nearby armchair. "Of course. Is something wrong?"

She watched as the younger woman sat down and anxiously arranged her skirts, then folded her hands in her lap. She glanced down at them and took a deep breath, as if steeling her nerves for whatever she was about to say. "Nothing is wrong exactly, but something… happened last night that gave me quite a shock and I'm not sure what to think about it."

Both of Syn's brows shot up in surprise and she rolled her chair a bit closer. "What happened? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, I promise." Rebecca assured her. She bit down on her lower lip. "Ylenia had a nightmare again last night. It was very late and you had already turned in for the evening, so I sat with her until she calmed down enough to go back to sleep. As I was leaving her room, I noticed Master Alucard waiting outside. He… asked me to walk with him so we could talk."

The redhead sat back in confusion. "About what?" A horrifying thought crossed her mind and her eyes went wide. "He didn't do anything to you, did he?"

"What? Oh, no! No, not at all!" The woman exclaimed, waving her hands. "No, he was quite respectful. Surprisingly so, even. It's just that… well… he brought me back here to your office and told me that your family would be moving soon and that he would be in need of someone trustworthy to help run the household." Her eyes searched hers pleadingly. "Is it true? You're leaving?"

Syn sucked in a deep breath and stared straight ahead, not moving or blinking. Alucard did what? What in God's name was he getting up to now!? When she recovered from the shock enough to speak, she lowered her voice to a whisper. "Have you spoken to anyone else about this?"

Rebecca quickly shook her head. "No, ma'am. Master Alucard was insistent that I not tell anyone for the time being. He made it sound as though he had already talked to Sir Integra about it, but I thought if it were true you would have brought it up with me yourself. I just wanted to make sure you knew."

The redhead struggled with how to respond. "I…" She paused and closed her eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry. It's a very unusual situation and I'm afraid I can't say much about it without Sir Integra's approval."

Rebecca pressed her lips together in a firm line. "I suspected as much." Her posture straightened and her expression became resolute and serious. "You have my word that I won't tell a soul. It just took me by surprise, is all." She glanced down at her lap again. "For what it's worth, I have the highest respect for you, and I care deeply for your children. I'm honored that you have allowed me to be a part of their lives. I can't pretend to know what Master Alucard's intentions were, but… if what he said is true and you are agreeable to it, I would be proud to serve your household. And as the mistress of the house, yours would be the final word as far as I'm concerned."

Syn's shoulders slumped and she felt her heart crawl up into her throat. "Oh, Becca, I appreciate that. I really do. But I can't ask you to choose between my family and Hellsing."

"I don't feel I'm being forced to choose." She replied with a slight shrug. "I had only been working for Hellsing for a few months before you hired me as a nurse. I would say that my time has been equally split between you both." Her lips turned upward into a smile that was both happy and resigned. "Miss Constance is a young woman now and after her debut, I doubt she'll have much need for a governess. You still have a little one. And… I hope you don't mind my saying so, but I have already grown quite fond of her. It would break my heart to have to say goodbye now."

Syn studied her quietly for a moment before reaching out to take her hand. "I understand. Thank you for all that you do. I don't know how I would manage without you."

"You're too kind, ma'am."

She gave her hand a squeeze and shook her head. "No, I think sometimes that I'm not kind enough." She sucked in a deep breath through her nose and cleared her throat. "This matter is considered classified for the time being and we're still figuring out all the details. But… I will talk to Sir Integra myself and if she is willing to let you go, I would be happy to have you."

Rebecca let out a relieved sounding sigh. "Thank you, Ms. Newsom." She said, then perked up. "You will let me know if you need anything? Once you have clearance, of course. Making arrangements for a new home can be quite stressful and you're already so busy. I'm happy to help any way I can."

The redhead considered the idea. Her life revolved around weapons and research. She didn't know the first thing about setting up a new house, aside from identifying what different areas could be used for. She had been avoiding thinking about it too much because the idea was so overwhelming.

"I may have to take you up on that." She told her. She sat back in her chair. "I promise to let you know as soon as I'm able."

Rebecca smiled brightly. "Then I shall look forward to it." With her concerns addressed to her satisfaction, she rose to her feet to take her leave and announced that she would come back later to pick up the tray.

The moment she was alone again, the redhead slumped down in her chair and allowed herself to lay that way for a few minutes. Though he had gone behind her back without talking to her about it first, she supposed she should be grateful that Alucard had picked someone she approved of. Rebecca was someone they had known for years, and if Syn could trust her to look after her children, then she could certainly be trusted with an entire household. She wasn't easily swayed or frightened either, which was pretty much a necessity for their situation. Not to mention that she would be a great asset to have at their disposal when the time came to coordinate with Hellsing on various matters…

She gave her head a solid shake and shoved a hand back through her hair. No point in dwelling on it too much now. She hadn't even seen the bloody house yet, and there were a whole host of other matters that were higher on the list of things that needed her attention. For now, she would sit and enjoy a nice cup of tea, then head downstairs to make the Geese didn't do anything stupid when her son got back.

Luna was wide eyed with excitement the entire ride back. When she didn't have her eyes glued to the window to take in the sights they passed, she asked long series of questions about anything and everything she could think of. She seemed quite taken with the idea of the technology that went into the car, proclaiming she had never seen such brilliantly designed things before. If she was this fascinated already, she was going to have a heart attack once they reached the manor.

"Alright, there are two ways we can do this, and I'll leave it up to you." Mihnea told her as the end of their journey grew nearer. "If you want the grand, impressive view, we can bypass London completely and take the main road up to the front gate. If you'd rather get there faster, we'll have to go into the city and take the tunnels."

Luna turned to peer at him quizzically. "Tunnels? Are they the ones you told me about? Built under the city?"

He nodded without taking his gaze away from the road. "There are miles of them sprawling out in all directions. Using them means you don't have to worry about traffic at all, so it cuts down on response time." He shot a sly, sideways glance at her. "And you can drive a lot faster than you can get away with above ground."

"How much faster?"

One of his brows went up. "This is one of the fastest cars in the world. Faster than any broom that's ever been made."

She gasped. "Even a firebolt!?" At his nod, her whole face lit up. "Oh, let's take the tunnels then! I want to see!"

Mihnea beamed. He had been hoping she would say that. He cut a left onto a road that would take them to the nearest tunnel entrance. The closest, by his estimation, was an old, abandoned looking warehouse with a false floor that dropped down to allow entrance. It took about ten minutes to get there. Using a trigger button mounted on the sun visor, he activated the automatic fences and metal doors of the building to open for them, then drove down the hidden ramp into the tunnels. The moment they were in, he pressed the gas pedal down to the floor. Luna squealed and laughed in delight at the increase in speed. He managed to get up to 280 before he heard his phone go off.

Luna immediately began looking around for the source of the sound. "What is that?"

"It's my phone." Mihnea replied, and reached down to fish it out of the center console. It was his mum. He pressed a button to put it on speaker so he could continue to use both of his hands. "Hello?"

"Slow it down, speed demon." His mother's voice proclaimed.

He rolled his eyes. "I know how to drive, mum. I'm just showing Luna how fast the car can go."

"Ah ha." She replied, unamused. "I'm sure she'll be very impressed when your engine blows out. Slow. Down."

"Mum…"

"Do you want me to take your keys?"

Mihnea immediately took his foot off the gas pedal and allowed the gauge to drop down to 150. "Are you happy now?"

"Under 100, if you don't mind."

Mihnea groaned. "For fuck's sake…" he swore under his breath. He slowed down further, but refused to take it any lower than 99.

"Thank you." His mother's voice said. "Be careful, and I'll see you soon."

"I will." He said, then hung up the phone and dropped it in the compartment between the seats.

Luna looked down at it, then back up at him. "I'm sorry." She said. "I didn't mean for you to get in trouble on my account."

Mihnea shook his head. "It's fine. If I was really in trouble, she would have made me take the phone off of speaker so you wouldn't hear what was said. She's just being paranoid because I have you with me."

"She's your mum." She pointed out. "She cares about you and wants you to be safe. I wish mine was still around to be paranoid about things."

The statement made him wince. She knew exactly what to say to take the wind out of his sails. "I know." He said with a sigh then shook his head, deciding it was best to change the subject. "It's not too much further. I have a surprise for you when we get there."

Luna blinked. "A surprise? What is it?"

"If I told you now it wouldn't be a surprise, would it?" He teased.

She conceded the point, but still badgered him to give her a hint. Mihnea refused, knowing that if he gave her even the smallest bit of information, she'd probably figure it out. He'd been keeping quiet about it just to see the look on her face when he showed her.

They finally arrived at the manor and Mihnea pulled the car into its usual parking space in the garage adjacent to the barracks. Luna leapt out of her side, while he climbed out and headed to the front to open the bonnet and retrieve her bags. He deposited the duffle onto his shoulder, closed the hood of the car, then turned and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw his mother standing directly in front of him with her hands planted on her hips. Without saying a word, she reached out and smacked the side of his head – not hard enough to hurt, but more than enough to get his attention.

"Ow!" He exclaimed. He rubbed at the spot where she hit him. "What was that for?"

"For your language." She said.

"My language?" He asked incredulously. "I haven't said anything!"

"I heard you on the phone." She told him pointedly, then turned to his companion with a welcoming smile. "Good morning, Luna. He wasn't trying to scare you, was he?"

The girl immediately shook her head. "No ma'am. That was my fault." She clasped her hands in front of her and looked down apologetically. "Please don't be upset with him. I asked him to show me how fast the car was."

Syn waved a hand through the air. "I'm not upset, sweetheart. I just want to make sure we're able to return you home in one piece."

Luna nodded in understanding, then turned to peer at him. "So what is the surprise?"

His mother glanced at him at him as well. "Surprise?"

Mihnea gave her a pointed look full of meaning. "You know. The surprise."

She appeared confused for a second before realization hit her. "Oh! That's right! I think they're upstairs working on lessons. Rebecca should be there too. She can take your bags and show you to your room."

Intrigued, Luna followed along as Syn escorted them into the house. Mihnea hooked her bag over his shoulder and brought up the rear. His mother led them upstairs to a room in the East wing which was normally used for the younger members of the household's schooling. Ylenia was slowly being eased into a schedule and was doing a bit of work every day until she caught up to where she needed to be. When they reached the room, Syn knocked on the door and poked her head inside.

"Sorry to interrupt, but our guest has arrived." She announced. The door was pushed open the rest of the way, and she stepped back to allow them to see inside.

Luna's eyes went wide. "Professor Lupin!"

She rushed inside to greet him with a look of absolute joy on her face. That expression alone made all the secrecy worth it. Remus, who was sitting across from Ylenia and Rebecca at a table going over math problems, looked up from his work with a blink.

"Miss Lovegood?" He questioned. It looked like he didn't quite believe what he was seeing. "What on earth are you doing here!?"

"Mihnea invited me to stay for the week. He didn't tell me you would be here, though." She explained. "It's so good to see you! I was very sad you had to leave. Your classes were my favorite ones."

"I appreciate that, Luna." Remus said with a chuckle. "I wasn't happy about leaving Hogwarts myself, but I'm afraid there weren't any other options." He nodded back toward where Syn and Mihnea were standing. "Thankfully, I was given the opportunity to continue teaching here."

While the two of them talked, Ylenia pushed her chair back from the table and trotted over to Mihnea. He looked down when he felt her tug on the leg of his trousers.

-She's your friend?- She signed to him.

Mihnea crouched down to get on her level. "Yes, she is. Connie knows her too, and she's very nice. She's going to be staying with us for a few days."

He stood and Ylenia scuttled behind him shyly as he called Luna over to meet her. "Luna, this is Ylenia." He said. He reached back behind him to lay a hand on top of the girl's head. "She's a bit shy."

Luna walked over and crouched down herself. "Hello. I'm Luna." She said gently, giving her a kind smile. "I like your necklace. I have one of those too, see?"

She held out her arm to show her herald bracelet. Ylenia peeked out from his legs to look and studied it inquisitively. Turning a curious gaze upward, she tugged on Mihnea's hand, pointed at the bracelet, then back to her own necklace.

"They're similar." He told her, nodding. "Yours is from dad, and hers is from me."

The tiny girl bit her lip and cocked her head to the side thoughtfully. After a few moments, she stepped out from behind him and began signing.

"She says that she likes yours too." He translated. "And that she's happy to meet you."

Luna beamed. "Thank you! Mihnea told me that you talk with your hands. I've been trying to learn, but I haven't had anyone to practice with. Do you think you could help me?"

Ylenia looked surprised and pointed at herself, as if to ask 'me?' When she realized Luna was serious, her face lit up and she bobbed her head enthusiastically. Syn smiled at the sight and cleared her throat.

"Maybe once you've finished your lessons for the day we can talk about that. Mihnea will want to spend time with her too." She said, then looked at Rebecca. "I'll stay here to help out. Would you mind showing her to her room?"

Becca nodded and rose from the table. "Of course." She said gracefully. She turned to address Luna, who had just risen to her feet as well. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lovegood. My name is Rebecca, and if you should need anything while you're here, you need only ask."

"Thank you, ma'am." The girl said politely. "Did you make the marmalade Mihnea brought this morning? It was very good! My dad and I enjoyed it very much!"

Rebecca let out a small laugh. "I'm glad to hear it." She gestured to the doorway. "Let's get you settled in then I'm sure the young Master wouldn't mind giving you a tour of the house."

Round Table meetings were dreadful.

Granted, it was a weekend, so the meeting Connie and her mother were coming back from hadn't been a full, 'formal' one. Only half of the council members had been physically present, with the others choosing to call in. However, it had still been horribly uncomfortable and awkward. Junior members – meaning the children of the knights on the council who would inherit their parents' positions – were expected to pay attention and take notes, but weren't allowed to take part themselves. It felt rather like being forced to sit at the kid's table during a formal dinner while the adults did more interesting things. It didn't help that Constance had been the youngest person there… and the only girl.

The young men she had been surrounded by hadn't been a problem. They either resignedly accepted her presence amongst them or ignored her entirely. The knights, though, were different. Many of them had treated her like a child, while simultaneously studying her as if she were a mindless piece of meat that they could use for their own purposes. It made her feel sick to her stomach.

She glanced out the car window at the scenery passing by. "I don't understand the point of going to these meetings when I'm not allowed to do anything."

She heard her mother sigh deeply. "The point is to learn through observation."

"Learn what?" She challenged. "How to look pretty and keep my mouth shut? Because that's about all I'm getting experience in so far."

"Constance." Integra snapped.

The bite of her tone was so severe that it made Connie flinch. She turned from the window to find her mother leveling a hard look at her.

"For the time being, your job is to observe your surroundings and learn as much as you can." She said firmly. "If that means 'looking pretty and keeping your mouth shut' as you say, then yes, that is precisely what you should be doing. Perhaps you should use the opportunity you've been given to build rapport with the other junior members? Establishing relationships with them now will be a great benefit to you in the future."

Connie crossed her arms over her chest with a huff and looked away. She didn't understand how she was supposed to build rapport with her peers when they all acted as though she were inferior to them. Her chin tilted upward defiantly.

"When will I be allowed to go out on the field?"

Her mother sighed again. "We've talked about this, Constance. You will be allowed to go out on a mission when you are ready."

"I am ready." The girl insisted. "I've been through the training and I know our procedures like the back of my hand. You said just the other day that my aim has improved considerably." She slouched down in her seat. "Mihnea got to go on his first mission at 14."

"Mihnea isn't fully human." Integra pointed out. "His natural abilities give him an edge. You would be far more vulnerable…"

"I'm not afraid, mother." Connie interrupted stubbornly. "I can do it."

Her mother closed her mouth. She studied her silently for a few moments before moving to speak again. "I know you aren't." She said slowly. She drew in a deep breath. "Have you chosen a dress yet?"

The subject change was so sudden that it nearly gave Constance whiplash. "Excuse me?"

"I said, have you chosen a dress yet?" Integra repeated.

The girl shifted uncomfortably and looked down at her lap. "…No."

"Have you bothered to look at all?"

She shot an irritated look in her direction. "I've been a bit busy, mum."

"Avoiding the matter won't make it any easier." Integra said, then paused thoughtfully. "Your schedule will be lighter this week while Mihnea's friend is visiting. If you can manage to select a dress, I'll consider letting you go out on the next mission."

Connie blinked and looked up. "You promise?"

The lady knight inclined her head. "I give you my word."

'Consider' wasn't the same as a full assurance that she would be allowed to go… but it was probably the best she was going to get. She nodded to her mother and promised that she would spend more time looking through that blasted binder to find something she could stomach wearing for one night.

They arrived back at the manor in time for supper, and Connie ran upstairs to her room to freshen up before heading down to the dining room. After changing from her business attire to something more comfortable and giving her hair a quick comb through with her fingers, she headed out.

The sound of voices drifted out from the dining room, and Constance walked in to find Mihnea and Luna sitting side by side at the table with their backs to the doorway. Her father and aunt sat across from them and were engaging the pair in idle conversation. The sort of general chit chat people had when getting to know one another. Ylenia sat next to Syn, listening to everything being said with rapt attention.

"Hi, Luna." She greeted as she pulled out a chair to sit down. "Did you have a good trip?"

The blonde turned to give her one of her dreamy smiles. "It was quite nice, actually. I'd never ridden in car before today."

Ylenia cocked her head to the side in confusion. She rapped on the table to get everyone's attention and signed – Never?-

Mihnea explained to Luna what she had said, and the girl turned toward her and shook her head. "No, we've never needed one." She replied. "If dad and I ever have to go somewhere, we either walk or use magic."

The younger girl pressed her lips together thoughtfully. –What about your mum?- She asked.

Rather than translating, Mihnea shot a quick, chiding look at her and shook his head. "That might not be something she wants to talk about..."

Luna put a hand on his arm to stop him. "No, what did she say?"

He thought about it a moment before answering. "She's asking about your mum."

"Oh! No, that's alright. I don't mind." She said, then turned back to Ylenia. "My mum died when I was nine, so it's just me and my dad."

The girl's face fell. – I'm sorry.- she signed with a sad expression.

Luna must have learned a bit of sign language, because she appeared to understand without any help. "It's okay. I miss her very much, but I know that I'll see her again someday. My mum used to say that the things we lose have a way of coming back to us in the end. It just might be in a way we don't expect."

She smiled and Ylenia looked confused for a second before nodding like she understood. Edmund and Syn exchanged a quick look and her dad deftly changed the subject to ask her about school. Probably to make sure they didn't veer into territory that might make the younger girl upset. After a few more minutes of chatting, Integra walked in, followed shortly thereafter by Seras.

The lady knight gave a cursory look around before focusing on Seras. "Will Pip be joining us this evening?"

The Draculina waved. "He was having a meeting with Johnson about the Geese." She replied. "He said he'd come up when he was finished."

The two women took their usual places at the table while Luna watched with a curious gaze. Mihnea straightened his posture and cleared his throat.

"Luna, this is my aunt, Sir Integral Hellsing." He told her with a gesture toward the head of the table. He then nodded toward Seras. "And my sister, Seras Victoria."

The girl sat up with a bright smile. "Hello! It's nice to meet you!" She said, looking at each of them in turn. "Thank you for inviting me. Your house is beautiful."

Integra inclined her head. "Thank you, Miss Lovegood, and you are most welcome." She told her. "Have you gotten settled in?"

"Yes, Sir." Luna replied.

The knight's lips twitched slightly upward, as if pleased that she knew to use the correct form of address. "Very good." She glanced at Mihnea with a slight twinkle in her eye. "I see you survived breakfast this morning."

The boy sighed deeply and rolled his eyes up to the ceiling as he took a bite of his food. Luna, meanwhile, clapped her hands together.

"Yes, it went wonderfully." She proclaimed proudly. "You couldn't even tell he was scared!"

Aunt Syn snorted and quickly covered her mouth to suppress her laughter while Mihnea coughed and sputtered.

"I was not scared!" He protested.

"Yes you were." Luna replied in an even tone. "No one else would know from looking at you, but I could tell."

A deep crimson blush started at tips of his ears and spread across his face. Mihnea buried his face in his hands with an irritated growl and grumbled that she wasn't helping. Syn and Seras both lost it, nearly falling out of their seats from laughing so hard. Edmund grinned from ear to ear.

"We need to keep this one around." He said with a hearty laugh. "I've never seen you turn that color before!"

Constance tried to keep a straight face, knowing how nerve wracking it could be to 'meet the parents' for the first time. However, opportunities to tease Mihnea didn't come up often, and the idea of him being nervous or scared of meeting a girl's dad was hilarious.

"Alright, I think you've tortured him enough." Her mother declared, though she looked highly amused as well. Once the giggles died down, she cleared her throat and clasped her hands together on the surface of the table. "Now, then. Miss Lovegood?" She waited for the girl to give her full attention. "I understand that my nephew has entrusted you with some very sensitive information. I tend to trust his judgement, so I will extend my trust to you as well. However, I want to make sure you understand how serious this is. It is very important – not only for our safety, but for yours as well – that you not tell anyone that you have been here or that you have had contact with any members of our family. Do you understand?"

Luna responded with a serious nod. "Yes, Sir." She said. "I know how dangerous it would be if anyone found out, so I've promised to keep it to myself." She paused for a moment to smile. "I don't have many friends and most people think I'm crazy, so they wouldn't believe me even if I did tell. But I'd be happy to make an unbreakable vow if you'd like me to."

Mihnea's head immediately shot up. "No. You're not doing that."

Constance stared at her in shock and her father and aunt both looked disturbed by the idea. "Absolutely not!" They both agreed.

Sir Integra and Seras both looked confused by their reactions. The draculina spoke a quiet "What's an unbreakable vow?" to Syn, while Edmund leaned over to whisper an explanation into his wife's ear. Integra's good eye widened in realization and she quickly turned back to the girl.

"No, Miss Lovegood, there's no need to go so far. I shan't ask that of you." There was a thoughtful pause. "However, your willingness is noted and appreciated."

Luna's lips turned upward and she thanked her before returning to her food. She either didn't notice or didn't care how her offer had affected the adults. Edmund stepped in to turn the conversation in a different direction.

"So, do you two have any plans for the week?" He asked.

Luna glanced at Mihnea, who lifted his shoulders in a shrug. "We can do whatever you want. There are lots of places around London you'd probably like."

She perked up in interest. "Like what?" she asked. "I don't know much about muggle London…"

"Well, you're in for a treat then." Connie's dad told her. "There's a little something for everyone here. Parks, museums, great places to eat…"

Aunt Syn nodded in agreement. "You seem like the sort who would enjoy Camden. There's a big alternative scene out there, so you can find a lot of unusual things. They have great music too."

"Ooh! You should take her to Stable's Market!" Seras added helpfully. "The shopping is amazing if you've never been."

"There's the London Zoo and a zoology museum too." Mihnea offered. "Since you're interested in studying animals."

Luna's eyes widened. "Really? That sounds like fun!" She declared. "What about that thing you've told me about before? The moving pictures that tell a story?"

"Movies, you mean?" He clarified. At her nod he went on. "Between me and Connie, we've got a huge collection to pick from if you want to watch something here. Or, if you want the full experience, we could go out to the cinema."

The girl blinked. "What's a 'cinema'?"

The adults all exchanged a look between themselves and Syn turned to thrust a finger out at her son, proclaiming that this was a serious problem that he needed to fix. They explained the details of going out to watch a film in a theater, which Luna sat and absorbed like a sponge. While they discussed all the options that were available, an idea sprang into Connie's mind.

"You know, Harry recently moved to Croydon, so he's not that far away from us." She said. "Maybe we could all go out and do something together while you're here." She glanced at her cousin. "Unless you have a problem with that?"

He shrugged. "I don't care if she doesn't."

Luna looked a bit excited by the idea and quickly nodded, saying that she wouldn't mind either.

"Great!" She whirled to face her mother. "Would that be alright, mum?"

Integra slowly lifted a brow at the – admittedly – pleading expression on her face. "It might be advisable to ask Harry first before making any plans, don't you think?"

Yes, it would, but Connie couldn't imagine him not jumping at the chance to get away from his family for a while. "I'll call him first thing tomorrow." She declared resolutely.

Her father coughed. "Let me call first, Connie. I need to go set new wards anyway, and it will give his aunt a reason to want him out of the way for a while."

Constance beamed. "Thank you, Daddy."

Her mother shot a look at him as she turned away – not angry, but more like she was chiding him for doing something that would 'spoil' her. Connie wasn't too concerned about it. Her dad had a talent for talking sense into her mum, and she desperately needed something to look forward to.

By the early morning hours, nearly everyone in the manor was asleep. Or, if not asleep, they had turned in for the evening and weren't out wondering about. Luna had gone to bed hours ago and had actually slept for a while. But around 3:00 a.m. something woke her. She lifted her head from the pillow to peer through the darkness of the bedroom. There was no sound or sense of movement, but there was… something. Like a voice that was felt from within rather than heard with the ears. Filled with wonder about what it could be, she climbed out of bed, pulled her comfy bathrobe on over her pajamas, and headed toward the door without bothering to put on her slippers.

In the darkness, the hallways of Hellsing manor were cavernous and imposing. The only light she had to go by was moonlight that filtered in through the windows she passed as she made her way through the house. She had no particular destination in mind – only a strong sense that she should follow whatever it was that woken her up. Eventually, she found herself standing in front of a door on the second floor. It opened with a light 'click' and she stepped inside. The room within was large and looked like it hadn't been used in a very long time. A place where parties had once been held, perhaps? Luna wasn't sure, but the feeling pulling her forward grew stronger and more visceral. Almost like a heartbeat. Something about this room had called her here for a purpose, so she sat down cross-legged in the middle of floor and closed her eyes to listen.

She was so engrossed in the odd sensation that had taken over her senses that she didn't notice the presence that had followed along behind her throughout her journey. It seemed content to watch from the shadows at first. However, after several long minutes of her sitting there doing nothing at all, it slowly began to materialize into solid form. Alucard stepped out of a corner blanketed in darkness and silently walked behind her. Watching. Waiting to see how long it would take for her to notice his presence. It didn't take long.

"Hello." Luna said without turning her head or opening her eyes.

The elder vampire quirked a brow at the calmness of her voice. "It's awfully late for little girls to be wandering about." He said. "Should you not be sleeping?"

"I was, but I felt something calling me." She replied.

"A voice?" He asked.

"Not exactly. More of a feeling really." Luna said. "I've felt it before, but never in a place so young. There is powerful magic here."

Alucard circled around until he stood in front of her. The girl opened her eyes and looked up at him. "You're Mihnea's father."

"I am." He said with a slight incline of his head. He crouched down and took hold of her chin, gently turning her head to expose the scar on her neck. Luna just studied him silently without putting up any resistance. "Such a sweet, gentle creature." He purred. He brushed a thumb over her chin. "Are you not afraid?"

She shook her head without hesitation. "Of course not. Why would I be?"

"Most girls your age would be if they found themselves confronted by a monster." He replied.

Luna hummed. "I'm not like most girls so I can't say what they would or wouldn't do. I prefer to form my own opinions." She said, pursing her lips thoughtfully. "And 'monster' is a funny sort of word. It means different things to different people, so I don't see the point in being afraid just because someone claims that's what something is."

The vampire hummed and released her chin before rising back up to his feet. He chuckled when she hid a yawn behind her hand. "Go back to bed, little one. There will be time enough for you to explore this feeling of yours later."

The girl slumped a little, but offered up no argument. "I suppose I should." She conceded. She pushed herself up from the floor and wiped the tiredness from her eyes. "Will we be able to talk again another time?"

A bemused smirk pulled at the corner of his mouth. "If you wish to."

"I think I'd like that." She said with a bright smile.

Luna gave him a polite 'goodnight' and dutifully padded out to go back to her room as she was told. What an interesting little creature. Alucard thought to himself. Much too gentle and tame for his tastes, but he could see how his son might find it appealing. A unique perspective was a valuable thing to have around, and he got the sense that this girl was far more aware and not quite as 'touched' as she let on. How else would she have found her way to that particular room?

A.N: I apologize if this chapter isn't that great. I've been struggling with it and finally decided to go with what I had rather than holding on to it for god knows how long.

I also apologize for the delay. I've been dealing with some personal issues that are very physically and emotional draining. Nothing to worry about, but... life in general kind of sucks right now. So there's that.

Anywho, please leave a review and let me know what you think!