Author's Notes: In this chapter ghouls and goblins are different from the ones described in the lexicon. I'm using the actual concept so it can be taken as dark ghouls and dark goblins. On another note, there's something in this chapter that may chase people away. Why do I always commit these crimes? But I had to. I want companions for Ginny and I didn't have much choice due to the problem it would cause to have non human companions walking around with her... Well, you'll see.

Song: 'Merry Go Round' by Mai Hoshimura (From Yakitate Japan!)

Ch. 11: Not Safe Anymore

Renard summoned his servants and told them that the search was over so they could return to normal chores. He then spoke to an Asian looking young man: "Yon! Please get us some snacks and tea to the main living room." The Korean looking vampire quickly disappeared from their sight and Renard turned to Harry. "Follow me."

Harry scanned the long haired blonde vampire and noticed something was missing from the young man's hands. "Where's that light blue ball you took from Ron?"

"I sent it away!" Renard replied uncomfortably, but nothing else was spoken about the ball.

Minutes later they were getting themselves comfortable in nicely cushioned couches. Yon entered with trays full of traditional sugar biscuits, chocolate amaretti, meringues, melting moments, and shortbread. He also served them tea before bowing and then starting his leave, but he stole some glances in Hermione's direction before finally exiting the room.

Ron had noticed the vampire servant studying Hermione and growled, making them all look at him. Hermione seemed concerned: "What's wrong, Ron?"

"That Asian blood sucker was staring at you, Hermione," Ron stated glaring at Renard.

"Yon is harmless. He is too used to the vampire girls here and couldn't help glancing at a new girl. That's all," the vampire host clarified. "Now, you wanted to know about how I obtained the Horcrux?"

Harry reacted immediately: "You know what it is?"

"Of course I know what it is! It's Helga Hufflepuff's cup and at the same time it's the recipient for one of that maniac's soul fragments! I've always known. I don't plan on making him find it, though. We vampires don't ally with anyone, at least not purebreds like me."

"You're a purebred? You mean you were never made? You were never human?" Hermione suddenly reddened as she realized how she was bombarding Renard with questions.

The vampire laughed and said: "I was never human Miss..."

"Hermione Granger, sir!"

"Just call me Renard." There was a gleam in Renard's sky blue eyes that Ron didn't like at all. He scowled silently in his couch. "Like I was saying I was born and grew up just like a human. I chose to stop my body from aging when I was eighteen and a half, but I am actually four hundred and one years old."

They all seemed surprised by the vampire's age. He had lived quite a long time in their opinion, but Harry wanted to know about the finding of the Horcrux. "Where did you find this cup, Renard?"

"It happened fifteen years ago. I wasn't married yet and I liked to hang out with friends and we loved exploring and treasure hunting. One day we decided to visit the Shetland Islands. I still don't know what made us want to go there, but there we went. At first we had considered visiting the vampire territories in Ireland, but in the end we decided against it. The Shetland Islands sounded more exciting. The soil over there is mostly rocky and we started thinking that it was a boring place, but we persisted as those islands are supposed to be famous for their ancient relics, and we did enjoy our tresure hunting.

"After having a not very exciting time watching some cattle and some tiny Shetland ponies we ended up close to some cliffs. My friends were mostly Muggles that had been turned to vampires at some point so they didn't perceive what I did. As a purebred I do have magic and can perform it like any wizard and maybe even more." Snape gave Renard a curious look while the teens seemed extremely interested. "I went in the direction of the strong dark magic I was feeling, my friends behind me asking what was wrong with me, except for Hanrrique who is a purebred like me, but much younger being currently one hundred years old.

"I started to climb down that cliff, placing my hands constantly on its rocks, trying to feel the palpitating magic. I had to keep climbing down until I felt the overwhelming power coming from right in front of me. I carefully made a hole on the wall and to my surprise it started to crumble forming a small tunnel. I went into the tunnel alone as my friends decided to stay on the cliff's brow when Hanrrique told them about the dark magic he could also feel.

"In the tunnel there were a few Acromantulas that I easily killed, but then I was surrounded by foul goblins unlike the ones that get along with wizards. They were intimidated the minute they found out I was a vampire. I took my bestial form to kill some of them and the rest fled. I regained my beautiful form as I definitely hate looking like a dark creature and proceeded into the dephts of the tunnel. There were ugly blood sucking ghouls instead of the harmless type and ghastly wraiths that followed me, but didn't dare touch me. Those ghouls are from the type that roam in cemeteries and they thirst for blood like us vampires, except that they do kill the victim. I guess that's why they didn't attack me at that moment, but kept their pace after me.

"Finally, I reached the deepest part of the tunnel and there was a puddle of a crystalline substance with the cup floating above it. I knew the crystalline substance was a dangerous acid, but I didn't need to touch the liquid to take the cup. I simply jumped, grabbed the cup from its place, and landed on the other side of the puddle even if it was quite small, about one foot and one quarter long. I jumped back to start leaving the tunnel, but then I felt a sensation that I do not like at all. Dementors." Harry cringed in his couch, but it went unnoticed.

"The ghouls also started to jump toward me and the wraiths emitted howling sounds that could make a human die from fear." Renard's voice had become mysterious. "I found myself having to transform into my disgusting shape again and fleeing. I only managed to rip a few ghouls apart, but I have no experience in killing Dementors so flying from them was a better option. Wraiths perish in sunlight so I knew they wouldn't chase after me for long. I came out of the tunnel, but then the sunlight hurt me in my beast form. I changed drastically into my human form in midair and with the cup in one hand, managed to grab a rock with my other hand, then placed my feet on other rocks from the cliff. Karlo, one of my friends, dropped a rope and I tied it around me as fast as I could even though nothing came out of the tunnel. My friends then pulled me up and that's how that cup came to be here."

Severus and the trio were all silent for a moment. They were definitely uncomfortable at the thought of those creatures appearing if they were to destroy the Horcrux. Harry's decision became final. There was no way they would attempt destroying Voldemort's piece of soul in the vampire's mansion.

As if he had been reading their minds Renard spoke very seriously: "Chasing the cup was more than enough for me today. I am not in the mood for having ghouls, wraiths, Dementors, Acromantulas, and goblins running and floating around my beautiful house so please, destroy that thing as far from my mansion as you possibly can another day."

Harry nodded and then stated with a small laugh: "Don't worry about it."

"So, how long do you wish to stay in my house? You can hide here for some time if you want. You can also train, practice magic-- My house is safe and the protective wards I've placed prevent any magic from being traced by those dreadful Ministry idiots."

"Hey!" Ron reacted, but Harry gave him a look and shook his head, then Ron lowered his eyes.

"You are at risk still, if you keep us here," Harry replied.

"Do not worry about me, Mr. Potter. I haven't lived four hundred and one years without getting myself into trouble as you already know."

Hermione's hunger for knowledge nudged at her and she asked: "Are your parents alive?"

"My parents are still alive, yes, but I currently have no idea where they live. I'm not really interested in finding them either."

"Can you decide to age again?"

"Not really, Miss Granger. After you decide on an age you are stuck like that forever, my dear. Do you want to be stuck at seventeen for all time? It would be my pleasure to..."

"No way!" Ron quickly left his couch and got in front of Hermione like a human shield.

Renard laughed again: "Jealous boyfriend?"

Ron turned scarlet at the question, but Hermione just laughed and replied to Renard's offer: "I think I would like to remain human. I was just curious about vampires. That's all."

XxXxX

Night came and Ginny Weasley was able to escape from the Burrow at last. She ran through the field that was close to her home, stopped, and looked back. "I'm sorry, mum," she muttered and lowered her gaze. Ginny then turned around and continued in her race. When the morning light came she wanted to be as far from the Weasley home as possible.

She continued running for some time, but then stopped to catch her breath. There was also pain on her side because she wasn't very used to running much, but knew that she had to continue. She wished she knew how to Apparate, but that was out of the question. She had only turned sixteen on August 11. One could only obtain Apparition licenses from age seventeen onwards.

Ginny continued jogging, not knowing where she was headed, but feeling that she would eventually figure what she had to do. Thinking like that she found herself in front of some woods. She couldn't remember whether those woods that were a few kilometers from her home were magical or not. Deciding not to think much about it she entered them, feeling a little scared at the fact of being in some lost woods alone and at night.

She walked for a while, using her wand to light her way. She had only walked for three quarters of an hour when she noticed some movement in the distance. Her heart started to thump speedily inside her chest and she remained as still as she could, regretting having entered those woods. Ginny thought that she could now end up being killed by some wild animal for her stupidity.

The creature started to move in her direction and sped towards her. She suddenly thought it was a horse by the sound of its steps, but couldn't focus on the animal. Ginny leapt backwards and suddenly pointed the mild light emitted by her wand in front of her and screamed as she saw the front legs of a horse about to hit her. She was indeed hit and fell backwards, expecting the legs to crush her, but instead she heard a young boy's voice ask aloud: "A girl? A human girl?"

Ginny opened her eyes and illuminated a boy's face. The boy had a very beautiful babyish face with teal eyes and mint green wavy hair. His hair fell over his shoulders, but something was not right, Ginny thought. The boy's torso was naked even when the summer night was a little chilly. Ginny's eyes travelled downwards and she gasped. "You're a centaur? A very young centaur?"

"You're a witch, aren't you? Common human girls wouldn't have entered these woods because they are surrounded by a Muggle repellent ward. Get out of here. It's not safe here. I have also been exiled and if I go back they'll kill me just like they did with my father. I wasn't killed because I'm still a foal so they sent me away due to the stain caused by my father's sin."

"What did your father do?" asked Ginny as she got into a sitting position. Her eyes showed concern for the young centaur.

"He was a widow and he somehow met a witch too and fell in love with her. Now he is dead and the witch was sent away, just like me. Damn it!"

"What's wrong?"

"What's wrong?" The boy/centaur laughed bitterly. "Where am I supposed to go? If I leave the forest I'll encounter Muggles and if I stay here the herd will hunt me down! I have two days to abandon these woods!"

"Did all that just happen?" Ginny sounded almost frightened.

"Yes, just a while ago." The centaur dropped on his four legs and started to weep as his situation was sinking in.

Ginny moved towards the young creature and carefully placed a hand on his shoulder. "It's alright. You can come with me if you want... My name is Ginny Weasley. You can call me Ginny. What's your name?"

The centaur passed his right arm over his eyes and replied: "My name's Cassius."

"How old are you? I'm sixteen, but your facial features look younger than my age..."

"I'm thirteen years old." He sniffed and then turned to the girl. "I cannot go with you. You can walk safely through the lands of men, but I'm a centaur. I... I'll have to remain behind and be hunted in the end. They know I cannot leave the forest. In the end their intention is to slay me."

"I won't let it happen! Ginny stood determined, with wetness in her eyes. I won't let them kill you. You will come with me! We'll find a way! We--" The girl suddenly thought aloud as she remembered Malfoy as a ferret: "Transfiguration..."

"What do you mean?" Cassius asked with confusion on his still teary face.

"I'll turn you into a human boy!" Ginny exclaimed with determination.

"You can't! That would be too low, embarrassing! No!" Cassius had a horrified expression. He would always retain his centaur pride and that prevented him from opening his mind to other possibilities.

"Do you want to die then?"

The centaur shook his head. "No... I... I want to live!"

"The problem is I'm not sure about the words required..." Ginny sat down again, staring at her wand, but suddenly stood looking sure of herself. She pointed her wand at Cassius' lower body and closed her eyes, trying to remember words she had studied in Transfiguration books. She suddenly remembered and placed the words together hoping that it was the correct spell: "Hominis Puer Dimidium Muto!"

The spell slapped the centaur and he screamed as he lost his centaur form from the waist downwards, human legs forming instead. "This is an abomination!" he exclaimed as he tried to stand on two legs. "You cannot do this to me!" He fell to the ground and tried to stand all over again in vain. "I can't! Please change me back!"

"It's the only--" Ginny shrieked as she noticed the boy was completely naked. "By Merlin! I didn't consider that detail!" She turned around trying to think fast.

"What are you talking about? Change me back!"

"If I leave you as a centaur you'll die! Don't you understand that this is the only way?" Ginny turned again and reddened at the sight. She lowered her eyes. "We have to dress you."

Ginny started to look inside her backpack and got a cloak and a handkerchief from it. She transfigured the handkerchief into a t-shirt and the cloak into jeans. "Put these on." She gave the clothes to Cassius, trying not to look at him, and then looked for two more handkerchieves and turned them into trainers. "These will expand or reduce in size to fit your feet."

Cassius was staring at the clothes and trainers. "What am I supposed to do with these?"

"Oh, great!" Ginny muttered rolling her eyes and helped the boy into the t-shirt and jeans. She also helped him put his feet into the trainers. "I would have transfigured something into boxers as underwear for you, but this will be okay for now."

Cassius blinked, not knowing what Ginny was talking about. He wanted to take the t-shirt off. "I don't like this!"

"Just leave it on! Look at me! See? I use clothes!" A strange thought came to her mind then. "Are there females between centaurs?"

"Of course! I did have a mother... They always remain at home. They don't roam the forests. Why?"

"Are their chests naked?"

"Their--" Cassius realized what Ginny was talking about and shook his head. "They use a wrap made out of fur on their chests, but males don't need that!" He started to struggle with the t-shirt again.

"Well, humans are always dressed so stop fumbling with that t-shirt!" Ginny's tone was authoritative, but not harsh. "Now, come on! I guess we'll have to leave this place. Is there an exit somewhere that would prevent me from having to go backwards to the entrance I used?"

"Yes. If you want we can go all the way through the woods..." He was just getting the hang of walking on two legs. "I do have two days to flee..."

Ginny smiled and both started to make their way deeper into the woods.

XxXxX

The first week of September arrived with the foursome living in Renard's mansion. They received several owls during their stay. The first owl had been Hedwig with a new note from Petunia. She told Harry that the Minister hadn't come ever since that day and that everything was fine. Harry replied that he was doing well so that his aunt wouldn't worry.

Three owls had arrived just the next day and Ron was quite happy to see those. They quickly saved the artifacts that the Weasley twins had sent in their backpacks, while Renard asked them questions about the different items. Even if the vampire was four centuries old, he could act quite like a teenager.

All the while, Severus seemed to be avoiding the teens and the vampire by spending lots of time by himself. It was almost like their youth and energy annoyed and exhausted him.

Another owl had arrived exactly on September 1. It had been from Arthur Weasley and Ron was glad that his father hadn't sent Errol. Arthur's letter stated that Hogwarts had been closed indefinitely. It seemed that too few parents had considered sending their kids back to school and even when Minerva McGonagall had wanted to open the school for those few that wanted to come the Ministry intervened and prohibited it. Minerva didn't even fight it. Ever since the night Dumbledore had died, she had thought that Hogwarts was no longer a safe place for anyone.

In the letter, Arthur also reminded Harry and Ron of their Apparition tests. They were to go to the Ministry of Magic for their tests on September 15. Mr. Weasley mentioned that he was aware of them hiding from the Ministry, but he said that for that specific day the Minister of Magic had decided on a truce. Scrimgeour promised that on that day he wouldn't try getting them while they were there, but that he wanted them to give him a chance for a meeting. After the meeting, they would be given a chance to leave without being followed.

The letter also had a piece of bad news that gave Harry a fright. Ginny was missing. All through the letter nothing was mentioned until the very end. It seemed Mr. Weasley didn't want to worry them much, but the news were still there. Ginny had ran away from home and no one knew where she was.

The three friends discussed Mr. Weasley's letter and reached a decision. Hermione and Severus were going to stay at Renard's mansion while Ron and Harry were going to take their examinations and meet with the Minister of Magic. If it was a trap, Ron and Harry would do everything in their power to escape and Renard would send them to a friend of his in case they were tracked.

On the other hand they would hold on to their mission, but see if they could find Ginny too in the process. Harry was very nervous about it. He had seriously thought Ginny would remain safe in the Burrow. He had no idea what had made her run away from home just like that and he feared a Death Eater trap behind it all.

XxXxX

September 15 arrived and that morning Harry and Ron, after saying farewell to Hermione and Severus, used an untraceable Portkey prepared by Renard to arrive at the Ministry of Magic. Getting there was quite easy, even with their nervousness. It was a very rainy day, though.

Both boys found themselves receiving their Apparition Licenses soon enough as they had passed the exams with ease, even in the middle of a downpour. After that, Mr. Weasley himself escorted them to the Minister's office. The two boys sat in front of Rufus Scrimgeour and Arthur left them to speak with the man right after telling them that there was still no trace of Ginny, which was something that made Harry quiver with fear.

XxXxX

Severus was walking around the mansion when he decided to go downstairs to the main hall looking for Renard. Shock immediately adorned his features as his eyes locked with someone else's.

"Professor! What are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask the same thing, Mr. Malfoy."

"Sir! It's just that... Please sir! Don't tell the Dark Lord! My mum and me are trying to hide. We don't want to serve the Dark Lord anymore. Please don't reveal our whereabouts! The Dark Lord hasn't forgiven me for not being able to kill Dumbledore and... and... I believe he has already planned my murder. Mother thinks so too." Narcissa was there with Draco and lowered her head in shame. Mother and son were completely soaked from the rain outside.

Renard then spoke in a soft voice: "They were just asking for my help when you arrived, Severus."

"Were you two followed?" there was worry written all over Snape's face.

Draco looked terribly scared: "We don't know, sir! We hope we weren't!"

Just then, Hermione arrived, clad in a beautiful dress Renard had provided. Hermione had been having fun in the mansion so far, feeling like some sort of fairytale princess. She was horrified when she saw Draco and it was mutual.

"Granger! What are you...?" Draco's eyes went from Hermione to Severus and a realization hit him. "By Merlin! The Muggle... Sir! You were the Muggle with 'them' in the paper? You've been a traitor all along?"

Severus didn't want to do it, but knew he had no choice: "Obliviate!" Mother and son fell to the floor unconscious. Snape then spoke quickly to Renard: "We're leaving now. There is a chance they were followed and they cannot remember that they saw the girl and me. Alter their memories and do hide them, please. The kids and I were never here."

Renard bowed politely and smiled in understanding, then spoke: "Altering memories is my specialty. Do not worry. About that girl that's missing, Ginny Weasley?" Snape looked curiously at Renard and nodded. "I'll search for her. Is she Harry Potter's girlfriend?" Snape shook his head. "Alright. Anyway, tell Harry not to worry about her much. I'm sure she's fine. I'll draw her here."

"Don't--" Snape started.

"Severus, I will not touch her unless she wants me to."

Snape smirked: "Very well. Thank you for everything." With that, Severus made a signal to Hermione and she ran upstairs to change and get her things. It was lucky that Ron and Harry had taken their backpacks in case anything happened and they would remain separated. Severus ran to his room and sighed before doing something he thought he would never do willingly. He exchanged his wizard robes for Muggle clothes. It hadn't been a bad idea to buy him Muggle clothes that day at the mall after all. Harry had left him the shades and thus the man put them over his eyes. He then knotted his long hair in a ponytail, which was quite longer as he hadn't trimmed it since Dumbledore had died, and then he put a baseball cap Harry had bought him over his head. He looked at his reflection in the mirror, shook his head, and after grabbing his things quickly left the room to get the girl. They were going to the Ministry to get Ron and Harry before the boys would come back to Renard's mansion.

XxXxX

"Well? Have you reconsidered my offer, Mr. Potter?"

"No, sir. My answer is still the same."

"By Merlin, child! Why do you insist so much in doing this to me and to the wizarding world as a whole when Albus Dumbledore is already dead? Please, think a little! We can offer lots of protection! We can protect your friends too along with their families!" When he said this, Rufus looked at Ron. The man was obviously trying to use Ron to his favor.

Harry sighed for what had to be the twentieth time in an hour avoiding at all costs getting angry with the man in front of him. "And I already told you I am not interested in your protection. On the contrary, you would only bring Voldemort to me with your so-called protection. The whole wizarding world would know where I am and if you haven't thought about it yet, that could lead you to your own death. My parents tried to protect me and where are they now? Sirius Black tried to protect me. Where is he now? Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard of all times, tried to protect me. Where is he now? Look, sir. Unless you want all your Aurors to end up dead you wouldn't even suggest for them to protect me; and unless you want to join Dumbledore in whatever place he is now, you wouldn't suggest for me to live with you."

"Good gracious, child! Aurors would gladly die for the cause and..."

"I DON'T WANT ANYONE ELSE DYING FOR ME! DO YOU THINK I ENJOY WATCHING PEOPLE DIE?" Harry had snapped, but started to take deep breaths and added: "You already know my answer. We're leaving now. Ron?" The redhead nodded and stood up. Harry then looked back at the Minister: "You will keep your word and no Auror will follow us, is that clear?"

Rufus raised both hands before answering: "A promise is a promise. Today you are free, but tomorrow we will start tracking you again, whether you like it or not. If we find you we will kidnap you and your friends and hide you for your own protection even if it is against your own will."

Harry answered in anger: "You would do a better job by tracing Ginny Weasley! That girl's life is in danger and I would actually appreciate it if you find her."

Just as Ron was about to open the door, it flung open surprising both teens in such a way that they both had their wands in their hands in seconds. The two boys were already suspecting betrayal by the Minister, but lowered their wands as they saw a tall man in Muggle clothes and leather jacket with a baseball cap, shades, and shiny black hair coming out of the cap that was miraculously free of grease, and tied in a ponytail.

Ron breathed some relief: "You almost gave us a heart attack, Ssssssssstuart?" He had almost called the man by his last name, but had quickly made up another name that started with an 's'.

"Who are you? You are that Muggle that has been with them, are you?" Rufus had stood up from his chair.

"He is my bodyguard and he is better than all of your Aurors put together. Good bye." Harry then left with Ron joining Severus and Hermione, who had been behind Severus all along. Without a word, they walked through the Ministry corridors and took the lift that would get them outside. When they were already outside, Severus told them where they were going. Harry seemed surprised when Severus told them they were going to an isolated cave to destroy the Horcrux and that from there they were going to the Shrieking Shack and use the secret passageway to get to Hogwarts.