When the four arrived they found Ron, Harry and Remus all waiting. Remus was the first to rise from his seat and envelope Hermione in a big hug.
"I'm so glad you're safe" he said into her hair.
He then noticed the two other guests in the kitchen. At first he looked as though he was about to faint but then he released Hermione and swept Salina up in to a huge hug. "Is it really you fangs?" he asked after he released his hold on her.
Salina had tears falling down her face. She had not known what to expect when she saw her old friend again. She could feel her daughter's eyes on her but could not tare her eyes away from her old friend. She nodded once before pulling Remus into another hug and began to sob with earnest.
Remus held his dear friend close and looking at Hermione he said "thank you." Hermione could only nod her head before saying "Chrimson, would you like to come in here instead of standing in the doorway".
At the mention of his goddaughters name Remus turned towards the door and saw Sirius' double. He just stared at her as her mother went up to her and introduced him to her.
"Chrimson this is your godfather Remus Lupin. Remus this is my daughter Chrimson." Salina said with a watery smile. Salina now knew she and Chrimson would never return to the clan. Not now that Remus was back in her life, she couldn't cut him out again and if they managed to get Sirius back ... well.
Chrimson immediately went to her godfather and hugged him. "Pleasure to finally meet you" she said in to his shoulder.
Everyone had forgotten the two boys in the room just staring at them. Harry and Ron just watched as a family was reunited. Harry felt a pang as he remembered finding out he had family in Sirius and how happy he had been only to have it taken away. Harry was jealous.
Ron felt sorry for Harry as he knew exactly what he was thinking about. He patted his mate on the back and gave him all the moral support he could in that one gesture.
Hermione saw this but said nothing. In fact she turned her back so as not to look at her former best friends. She cleared her throat and said "I'll be in the library when you ready Chrimson ok." Hermione then went to walk out the room but briefly stopped to whisper to Chrimson then left the room entirely. She didn't even look back as Harry and Ron called out to her.
Harry and Ron watched her leave, feeling worse than ever and truly feeling the loss of their best friend of 7 years.
"How long are you staying for?" Remus asked Salina, the sound of his voice bringing the boys out of their stupor.
Salina looked at her daughter, who simply nodded her head, then said "we would like to join the order and stay for as long as you will have us. The clan will be looking for us. I don't care what happens to me but Chrimson must be kept safe. I will never let them get hold of her". Salina said this last bit to herself but Remus herd it and said back in a voice so quite only she and Chrimson could possibly hear, "I will protect her with my life. Just like I swore to do the day she was christened."
The three of them shared a secret smile before Chrimson excused herself and went off in search of Hermione. Leaving her mother, godfather and the professor, to explain the evening's events to the two dumb founded boys still standing in the kitchen.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~
As Chrimson neared the library, she could hear Hermione mumbling to herself about the spell not being stable. Chrimson started to wonder if she could be of any help to the obviously smart, talented witch in the room ahead of her. As Chrimson was about to enter the library she heard a frustrated growl followed by a string of cuss words.
"This is too dangerous. I shouldn't have asked Chrimson to help me with this. It may just kill her. At least if it's just me I wouldn't be missed..." Hermione rambled to herself
"Don't you think that should be my decision to make?" Chrimson said.
Hermione looked up with a start only to come face to face with a very pissed off half vampire. She hadn't thought she would be overheard in her fretting yet Chrimson had and with her vampiric prowess Hermione hadn't noticed her till she spoke up.
Chrimson had never felt so angry before. She could feel herself on the brink of losing control. Her violet eyes were flashing in warning and she knew that if she didn't get her temper under control she would end up doing something drastic either to herself or the witch in the room with her.
"Chrimson ... I ... I ... I'm sorry. I didn't mean for you or anyone else to hear me. I'm not trying to make decisions for you, I have just figured out a ... ah ... I guess you would call it a problem, with the spell we need to perform" Hermione managed to stutter out.
Hermione knew that Chrimson was angry. She had every right to be. But Hermione had never known vampires eyes to flash before. She knew a vampires eyes changed colour when they were hungry or when they fed but never had she heard of a vampires eyes flashing between violet and electric blue. It was this that was making her uneasy at the moment. She was alone in a room with a pissed off vampiress and that could mean her death. 'But Chrimson isn't a vampire' Hermione reminded herself.
Chrimson took a deep breath. She could smell Hermiones fear and it made her feel guilty knowing she had caused it. "I'm sorry Hermione. I didn't mean to scare you." Chrimson looked Hermione in the eye and gave her a tentative smile.
Realising Chrimson was being genuine Hermione let out the breath she hadn't realised she held. She smiled up at the young half breed. 'She is so much like her father it's comical' she thought.
"So what has you so worried?" Chrimson asked sitting next to Hermione.
Neither of the young women noticed the two shadows standing just outside the door and neither heard the sharp intake of breath they both took as they listened to the conversation currently going on inside the room.
