Zaneta: Sorry about this being a day late, things have been hectic!
Chapter 10- Celebrating Hellsing Style
Harry, Ron and Hermione had all decided to stay at the estate for Christmas, owing to the fact that there was something that was bothering the three of them that they couldn't place. Quite a number of people seemed to think that they would be safer in the fortified mansion than in their own homes, although in a break to tradition Sir Integra announced that family was permitted to visit on the day if they so chose. Harry, however, thought the chances of the Dursleys turning up were slim to none. He didn't particularly care though, it wasn't as if they were kind in the sixteen years he lived with them.
He didn't mind though, Mr and Mrs Weasley were creating more than enough fuss. He received a jumper from Mrs Weasley, along with a Honeydukes Hamper. Fred and George sent a number of new gags, along with a note saying that they hadn't begun to pay back the loan. Bill and Fleur sent a book on jinxes and curses for him. Ginny bought him a set of dragon models to accompany the Hungarian Horntail he had from three years before. He put the lot together and they soon started play fighting. At least, he hoped that it was just play and not an actual inter-racial dragon war.
"What on earth?"
They looked at Hermione, who was reading the front of the Prophet, "They found Fenrir Greyback dead!" she exclaimed.
"What?"
Ron looked over her shoulder, "Someone bumped off Greyback?"
"Stuck him on a spike?"
"Wasn't there a man in Muggle history who did that?"
"Vlad Tepes? Unless the vampire population is aware of it I don't see how that correlates, and as far as I recall the man didn't use silver."
"I just hope he is cremated, I can't bear to think of what would happen if he came back as a vampire."
"If his hearts already in shreds I don't see how that works out, he'd be dust before he did any damage."
"Maybe, I don't know, that's a tricky one."
"Still, I imagine Voldemort is pretty angry right now."
"More than likely, Greyback was one of his biggest allies." Hermione answered, folding up the paper.
Seras also had a copy in her office, she took a glance at the front page, stared wide-eyed, and then sat down, "This is going to be trouble."
Integra, who had a copy sent so that she was aware of Voldemort's activities, spat out her morning tea, "ALUCARD!" she yelled.
The nosferatu walked out of a shadowy corner, and was greeted with several rounds from Integra's handgun.
"Merry Christmas to you too Integra."
"Idiot! You impaled Greyback!"
"He started it, and you know I will finish things, you said nothing about savage werewolves when you said 'don't harm people unless you have to'."
"You need to think a little more! Voldemort is bound to realise what's going on now!" Integra snapped.
"In case you've forgotten Integra, the matter is pretty famous amidst vampires, anyone among the community could've done it. Besides, it was chance that he happened to be in the forest about ten miles from here."
"What?"
"I guess that he was planning on rampaging this place at some point, judging by what he was saying."
"Alucard, you just gave us a 'Get out of jail free' card."
Alucard grinned, "Always glad to be of service."
"If Scringemour gets down my neck I'll just tell him what you've just told me, simple as that." Integra answered, "But where on earth did you get that pole?"
"It was a gift a long time ago, I wanted to use it for almost as long."
Integra sighed, deciding not to pursue the matter further, "Oh, and I believe you can have today off, Potter is probably getting plenty of fuss from the Weasleys and his friends today."
Alucard disappeared in the direction he came, most likely to the basement.
On the Slytherin table the team were moaning.
"First a brutal defeat and now this!"
"Doesn't help that that Professor Victoria has eyes like a hawk."
"And the ears of a bat to match," a voice answered.
The seven whirled, "Heh, Professor, Merry Christmas."
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't mutter about me." Seras answered firmly.
Mr Weasley looked up, "Ah, just the person I was hoping to see, if you all will excuse me," he stood up from the table and walked over to Seras.
"I wonder what they're talking about."
"I don't know, but judging by the fact someone decided to take Greyback's life on Christmas Eve probably doesn't go down very comfortably. He was a leak of Voldemort's plans for our side."
"Oh come on now!" Mrs Weasley answered, "It's Christmas Day! What would a teacher know about that anyway?"
"Mrs Weasley, she, Integra and Alucard told us about Millennium, they felt that I had a right to know." Harry answered.
"Like that has anything to do with…"
"Not true, Dracula has some basis in fact, and the historical figure the title character was based on was famous for the method used to kill Greyback." Hermione answered.
"So it's likely to be a vampire."
"And this place has the specialists."
Mrs Weasley went silent for a moment, "How much did they tell you?"
"Just about Millennium, who they are, what they do, things like that."
"Is that all?"
"Why would they have more to say?"
Mrs Weasley looked slightly relieved, causing the four to exchange glances.
"Well, if that's all, let's enjoy ourselves, it is Christmas Day after all."
Everyone nodded, but the relief had the idea that there was more going on than meets the eye. Even more than they knew.
Despite this shadow they thoroughly enjoyed the day. They even managed to persuade Peeves, who stowed away on the train delivering supplies and other things to London, to throw Stink Pellets into the Slytherin Common Room and Dormitories. Granted, some of the Hellsing staff looked irritated, especially Walter, who had a distaste for practical jokes, but the look on the Slytherins' faces was worth it.
However, there was a slight issue of getting stuck in the basement, a zone declared by Integra as off-limits to students. Harry was leaving the great hall after lunch when Slytherins ambushed him, and one spotted that the door was open. The fact that the basement was almost as big as the mansion did not help matters. He pounded on the door for a while, but seeing that no one was there to answer, he decided to look around for another exit when he heard a scream. Pulse racing he ran around the corner and found Peeves stuck to the wall by a load of silver knives.
"Ah! Oh, it's Potter, any chance of helping a poltergeist out?" he asked, wincing.
"What did you do to get this?" Harry asked.
"Let's just say I did some doodling in Alucard's room, he was pretty mad."
Harry looked thoughtful, should he free the troublemaking ghost or not? "Listen, the Slytherins locked me in here, if you go to Integra's office and let her know, I'll let you go."
"You could just ask the trump card, his room's downstairs."
"He lives in the basement?"
"It's his preference."
With immense difficulty Harry pulled a knife out, "This… it's a steak knife."
"Yeah, well they're sharper than regular ones and pretty painful to boot!" the poltergeist yelled, with a scream as Harry pulled out another.
"I thought you couldn't harm a ghost."
"Silver is as solid to me as it is to you, and yeah, it hurts!" Peeves yelled.
"Who's there?" a deep voice demanded suddenly.
Harry whirled, and found Alucard standing here.
"I thought Integra plainly stated that this area was out of bounds for students."
"I was locked in by the Slytherins."
"Wretched troublemakers," he muttered, "Come on, if you're gone too long everyone will get worried."
"What about me?"
"You can hang around there for a while and think about what you have done!" Alucard growled, giving the poltergeist a firm glare.
"That was cruel…" he started, but another firm glare silenced him.
"Let's go Potter," Alucard answered, walking down the hallway.
Harry glanced at the poltergeist before following.
"Alucard, what exactly did he do?"
"He crayoned something very personal to me." Alucard answered, remembering the discussion on the last day of August. He was forbidden to say anything that would directly link to what his true nature was. Integra was bound to have something worse than normal if the idea even crossed his mind.
"A photograph?"
"No, but it certainly has the same effect."
"I don't get it."
"It holds a lot of memories, and a number of things besides."
"You don't look like the sort of person who keeps a treasure box."
Alucard laughed, "I guess that's one way to think of it."
"So it's a box?"
"Of sorts," as he said this they arrived at the door, Alucard took out a rather old-looking key and unlocked the door, "There we go."
"Thanks."
"Do you have a piece of paper on you?"
"I think I got a notepad from a cracker somewhere." Harry answered, finding the pad and passing it to him.
Alucard wrote a quick note with an ornate fountain pen, "Give that to Seras."
Authors' rants
Zaneta: (reading reviews) This has GOT to be the most reviewed story I've ever put on the site
Omega: Is that a good thing?
Zaneta: Considering your last story, an extremely good thing.
Omega: Hey!
Zaneta: Oh well, preview time!
"WHAT ON EARTH DID YOU THINK YOU WERE PLAYING AT!?!?!"
Seras gets the message, and she is not impressed, and that temper she's been containing is being pushed to the limits. Will her rage blow her cover?
Find out in Chapter 11: Seras gets mad.