"You could have been more subtle, is all I'm saying," Remus called after Ebony as she stormed her way along the corridor after returning from her trip away to Hogsmeade to think.
"And just how often have you known be to be 'subtle', Remus?" she snapped back, not turning around to face him or giving him a dirty look. "You told me that they were seventh years, that they could cope. You want them to survive Death Eaters? Well, guess what, Vampire's and Death Eater's are now one and the same.They need to know what they're up against, be it vampire, human or other." She stopped then, so suddenly that Remus almost walked straight into her.
"Don't you even think about suggesting a lovely little werewolf demonstration," he said, a small smile on his face which grew wider when it elicited a grin back from her.
"You could have told me to keep it toned down," she smiled quietly.
"And you could have kept the gory details down," he replied. He was looking older, more tired, Ebony thought to herself, her eyes glancing over his shabby form.
"Ebony!" The vampire span on her heel and turned to seek the voice that had called her.
"Hermione?" Ebony said in answer, staring quizzically at the brunette hurrying towards them.
"Sorry, Professor Lupin, but Professor McGonagall wanted to urgently see Professor Malfatti in her office," Hermione panted.
"What? Why?" Ebony mused.
"She didn't say, but please hurry!" Hermione concluded, beginning to run back towards the castle. Ebony and Remus exchanged nervous glances before Ebony sprinted after Hermione, quickly catching up with the human.
"Was there anyone else in the room, Hermione?" she asked as she drew level.
"I don't remember, I don't even remember being summoned to her office." Ebony gulped and felt the small amount of colour drain from her face.
"Go and fetch Professors Lupin and Tonks please, Hermione. Wands out, tell them," she ordered, and the young woman ran off in the direction of the professors quarters while Ebony leapt the stairs to the Headmasters office.
She ripped the door off it's hinges and stepped through, feeling the flat side of a blade smack across her ribs, breaking what felt like her brestbone and winding her. "Good, you still follow orders," Dracula snraled, watching Ebony struggle to reach her feet. She made a small noise, but was still struggling to breathe. "Now then, where is Samara?" Dracula asked her. Ebony shook her head, and the older vampire brought his boot down against her face. An explosion of stars covered her vision and she found she had enough air to make a noise that was basically a sob. He picked her up by the front of her robe and, for the first time, Ebony saw McGonagall tied up and frozen solid by some curse or another. She made eye contact and sent positive vibes to the other woman. "Now, I ask again, where is Samara?"
"Why is she so important?" Ebony managed to gasp even as blood trickled into her eyes. He pulled her free from the wall and tossed her pointlessly to one side. She barely winced as her ribs hit the floor.
"You know why," he snarled as response, stepping towards her with his wand raised.
"Of course I do, but that means I'm even less likely to tell you," she replied, struggling to her feet and shooting a forced dissaparate charm at the other vampire. Instantly he froze, shuddered and vanished. "I'm so sorry, Minerva," she said, hurrying across the room and freeing the Head Mistress from her binds.
"I assume you plan on sharing with me the importance of your young friend," she said once she had downed a fresh cup of tea Ebony transfigured from a waste paper basket.
"Oh, yes, I suppose I had better. Samara is carrying William Denby's son. The last of the Pureblood bloodline. It's hardly suprising Dracula wants it; it's blood can make a mortal immortal, and vise versa. I can foresee Voldemort liking the idea of that," she explained grimly, sipping at her hip flask. As the cool, fresh blood slipped down her throat, she felt her breastbone repair and the gash upon her face close and seal. "Of course, that would rather stuff up our defences," she concluded, her eyes burning like dark fire.
That moment, Remus and Tonks flew through the door, wands drawn, both looking ready to fire. "Don't worry boys and girls; no fire here anymore," Ebony said with a smile, before turning her mind to planning for Samara's safety.