AN: Alright, we've only got a handful a few chapters left. I already have more stories for Rose in the works, I'm just deciding if I'll do a trilogy of her last 3 years or do all 7 like I originally planned. I'm just aching to write Rose more mature and get into some heavier themes but I don't want to go out of order meh….please review? I'll love you forever 3
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and characters mentioned in the books belong to JK Rowling. All original characters and plots belong to me.
Chapter 9: Welcome to the New Age
Trevor Noble, the nebulous leader of the blood drinkers, sat on his make-shift throne, still as a stone statue, with a very perplexed look on his face. He'd been sitting there, completely unmoving, for three days. Four days after Harca's sighting he had heard nary a whisper from her psyche…and this greatly angered him, directly causing the three day brooding period.
He didn't know if he was more angry that she had blocked him out or that there had been no development in the plan to snatch the girl wizard. An entire week of silence and unbearable waiting. Yes, he was a vampire and they were experts at dealing with the cruel mistress of time but…there was something inside him, and all vampires, that burned to see those imperious elves vanquished and bygone.
Noble heard a rustle from beside him, but his statuesque body did not move. A feminine hand with fresh blood on it gently touched his wrist. Noble looked up to see one of his wenches grinning at him with a doe's broken neck clenched in her other hand. His face quickly contorted into disgust.
"Master, you must take nourishment." she said feebly, her enthusiasm struck down by his unexpected reaction. She had pallid skin with fresh, and not so fresh, bruising and a dark, unkempt bob of hair. Noble looked at her and back to the doe. He reached out and took the creatures crushed windpipe into his own hand.
Drawing the dead ungulate closer to his chest he growled, "Oh, how I long to slaughter the Elves, all of them. So that I may ascend myself and all other Living Dead to their rightful place…"
He stopped, gazing wistfully out of the boarded window Harca had smashed through a week before. Without warning he sunk his fangs into the deer's neck, just above the shoulders. He could wait no longer as the animal's blood cooled. Within a few minutes he had drained the beast and thrown the carcass onto the floor with an unceremonious thud.
He returned to a reclining position on his thrown of broken pieces. The timid huntress was still there, unsure of what to do.
"It has been 12 years since I've tasted the blood of a human." he mused, not talking to anyone in particular. His voice was jovial but carried an undertone of giddy madness, as if he was having a euphoric experience.
"That damned Ministry, making everything play nice with each other. What I wouldn't give for a little fray in the relations. To feel a warm, smooth neck against my lips once more…" The vampire shut his eyes reverently.
The little jezebel, still a rather new addition to the coven, quietly spoke up.
"Drink the girl. Completely drain her. Then kill the elf after, so he can watch her die." she peered at her young master with wide eyes, as he turned on his bench of splinters to look at her.
Noble stood from his sitting place and glided over to the newly minted vampiress. He clasped her face between his hands and began feasting on her lips passionately in what could only be described as an undead kiss. The soulless girl accepted his show of affection hungrily, as if his acceptance and recognition was what she was made for.
Without warning, Harca's shrill voice pierced through the deranged veil that was Trevor Noble's mind. He threw the sexed up trollop to the floor just like he had the dead doe, with a thump. She lay on the floor incredulous but his thoughts were only on one thing now.
"I've located the redhead. She's out in the open with two other small humans. They're walking toward the forest's edge—" she began.
"GRAB HER! NOW!" he screeched as loudly as he could into the harpy's consciousness.
James, Albus, and Rose strode confidently across the school grounds, their uniforms loosened and sans school books. It was finally October 31st, Albus's favorite holiday. James enjoyed Halloween for very different reasons, as he had a tradition of getting into mischief. Secretly, Rose loved it as well, though she was much less vocal about it then either of her cousins.
The trio were on their way to have afternoon tea with Hagrid. It was a Potter-Weasley tradition to have tea and visit with 'Uncle' Hagrid. While the rest of the Weasley-Potter clan that had already been attending Hogwarts for a few years tended to let the tradition slip, James, Albus, and Rose hadn't missed tea yet.
"You should have seen their faces, Al!" shouted James. Apparently he was already getting up to trouble. Al just shook his head.
"You know there are more important Halloween institutions…like sweets for instance." said Albus, rubbing his stomach. His insatiable sweet tooth was the reason behind his fondness for the holiday.
"Aren't you excited Prim Rose?" asked James, nudging Albus. He loved getting a rise out of her.
Rose just shook her head and smiled.
"Don't have much time for tricks or treats, what with doing all your homework since I borrowed the cloak and map, do I?" she countered sarcastically, hoping to guilt him into lightening her load.
"Okay, okay." James huffed. "Just finish up that Potions essay for me and we'll call it square. No way I'll get less than an O on it with you on the case, eh Rose?" he winked at her.
Rose rolled her eyes as hard as she could, but, it was true. She consistently got top marks in Potions and thoroughly enjoyed the subject. This accord, she could definitely deal with.
"Please tell me tha' oi didnae overhear cheatin' from me favorite students!" Hagrid's thick accent and jolly voice carried over to the threesome.
The cousins finally arrived outside the stone cottage, where a fire was roaring, both inside in the chimney and outside in the fire pit, where they traditionally had tea. Rose ran to Hagrid, throwing her arms around him, as far as they would go.
"Why yes, fiery little Rose, oi'm 'appy ta see ye too!" he chuckled.
Hagrid straightened up and gave James and Albus manly handshakes and a stern nod.
"Lookin' more an more like yer da' every day, Albus." he beamed, roughing up his dark locks.
"Have ye tried out fer the Quidditch team yet James?" he asked, motioning for everyone to be seated on the rock chairs around the fire pit. He began passing out tea.
"But of course, Hagrid." said James with mock offense. "We're only waiting for positions to be announced. Then practice starts. First game is against Ravenclaw." he finished with a jab to Al's ribs.
Albus rubbed the tender place. "I don't give a flying flobberworm about Quidditch, James. Your taunting's lost on me, mate." Al shrugged and sipped his tea.
Rose quietly stirred a lump of dissolving sugar in her cup.
"How about ye Rose? Anythin' excitin'?" he asked, trying to involve her in the conversation.
"Well I already told you all about what Alrin said last time." she started. James rolled his eyes, but Albus and Hagrid listened intently.
"And you all know about the necklace and how worried he was when that shadow passed over us. I just…don't think he's telling me everything and well…if I'm in danger don't I deserve to know everything?" she asked.
James continued sipping his tea. Albus looked at Hagrid and Hagrid fidgeted with his tiny little teacup nervously, not looking at any of them.
"Hagrid?" Albus asked, finally.
"Aye, oi suppose ye deserve to know a few things." he answered nervously, still fidgeting like a child caught lying.
"Well," he started, "Headmistress McGonagall expelled all magic out o' the forest so the elves could live there without being overrun by more…powerful…things." he looked around, like he was afraid of being overheard.
"Yes, yes, I know, the vampires are the arch nemesis of the elves…wait, how in heaven's name did McGonagall get rid of all the magic in the forest?" asked Rose, wondering how something like the forest, so full of magic, could be extinguished so easily.
"Ah well ye see there's the Scroll o' Gwind—Oi shouldnae o' told ya tha'. Oi shouldnae o' told ya tha'." he shook his head morosely.
Before Rose could protest a large pair of scaled, taloned feet dug their long meat hooks into her shoulders. A shriek escaped her before she looked up to see a winged woman, lifting her into the air. Rose heard nothing but the rushing of freezing air past her ears as they rose higher and higher.
She took one last look at her assailant before passing out.
Suddenly, a typhoon of black feathers and rock came down on the gathering, leaving rubble behind it. The force of Harca's enormous wing knocked Albus unconscious immediately. When the dust had cleared, Albus was laying in a heap, James was holding together a split eyebrow with blood pouring down his face and Hagrid was heaving himself off the ground.
As soon as the half giant regained his balance he looked up to see the shadow of the harpy and her prey disappear through the clouds. His round face screwed up in grief.
Big fat tears started falling down his face, but without a word he heaved Albus over his shoulder and took James' into his giant hand.
"Quick as ye can, find Alrin an' tell em what 'appened, a'right?" James nodded furiously.
"I'll take care o' Albus an' alert the castle. Run lad! Run!" he squeezed James' shoulder and the shell shocked boy was hurrying away.
Hagrid gave the ruined gathering place one last look before thundering toward the castle.
'Ain't no Potter or Weasley dyin' on my watch, no sir!' he thought, mammoth tears falling still.
James had searched the Great Hall, Entrance Hall, and the 3rd floor corridor before it occurred to him to check the highest place he could get to. A panting and nearly collapsed James stumbled into the Owlery to find Alrin looking over the lake with hands folded behind his back. The elf turned when he heard the spluttering boy enter the alcove.
Alrin rushed over, catching James just before he hit the ground.
"Young Mr. Potter, what ails you?" he asked, in a state of consternation.
"It's…it's Rose. A huge bird carried her off. Please, help…" Before he could finish his plea he succumbed to shock and exhaustion.
Harca could feel her little catch stiffening in her vice-like grip. The girl did not struggle against her, but rather hung lifeless in her talons as they soared through the air. Crimson droplets of blood fell to the ground below, as she slowly bled out. Harca hastened the pace.
Within minutes the pair was lowering to the ground just outside of the shrieking shack. Harca folded her wings back and scooped the girl into her arms. Before going forward she appraised the human child. Wavy red hair, dark freckles everywhere, plain in every other way. The harpy shrugged and entered the dilapidated building.
In the top most room, where the vampires were squatting, Harca entered, Rose resting securely against her bosom.
"She's lost a lot of blood and half frozen." Harca said flatly, laying the girl on the floor at Trevor Noble's feet.
The change of altitude began to rouse Rose out of her horrific slumber. She rolled over only to find the cold dead eyes of Trevor Noble staring back at her.
"Welcome to the new age, Red."
AN: So, yeah PLEASE R&R I love hearing from you guys, good and bad!
