Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter in any way shape or form. I do not claim to own him or anything else that may in fact be the thought of the lovely writer Jo Rowling is, please don't sue me. I do however own all original characters in whole or in part that appear in this story. This story is not HBP compliant, though quite a few things are taken from that book; again I own nothing except for the plot and original characters. Thank you for reading! –Gypsy Jade

Summary: Not fully HBP compliant. Harry starts having strange dreams and they all end the same, with unearthly silver eyes haunting him. Something is going on and for the first time in the last 10 years if not the history of Hogwarts two new teachers grace Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

Chapter 17

Of Masquerades and Purity

Authors note: Sorry it's taken so long my loves...life gets in the way and muses take vacations. But on we go...~Gypsy Jade

"Good Morning students, I won't pretend that you lot will actually pay much attention during this class session so I shall agree to a bit of a free period, while talking will be permitted please keep it to a dull roar." In part Hermione was very relieved as she attempted to calm her jitters. Ironically, while she would describe them as excited jitters at actually going to the ball with Ron, she was also very worried about Yamele. Harry had confided in her and Ron about the test that awaited their teacher tonight. Hermione only hoped that Yamele wasn't feeling as nauseous as she was, from the slight moodiness that had overcome her friend two seats over, nerves had already attacked Harry.

Harry always wondered why it took women so long to get ready, it had been at least 3 hours since the last morning class had been let out and the girls had gone off frantically to get ready. The ball was scheduled for 7 pm, which meant they had about four hours to get ready. He supposed he would never know and in some part he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to. He tried his best to keep his mind busy and out of macabre thoughts. It wasn't until about 6 that Harry and Ron started to get ready, they figured by then the girls had to be done. Neither he nor Ron were entirely prepared for the frantic sounds coming from Yamele's sleeping quarters.

"You knock on the portrait..." Harry looked at Ron and couldn't help but laugh at the look of terror on his friend's face.

"I'm sure they're fine Ron, you know girls and their accessories..." Harry hoped he sounded surer of himself than he felt.

"Relax boys...the ladies are here" Harry almost fell over laughing as Ron gaped at Mariska's portrait, but even the warning couldn't prepare them for the visual affect their dates provided. The first out was Hermoine in her Juliet costume...the corseted top in a dark velvet green with the flowing skirts only added to her beauty. Harry had no problem saying this, which almost made up for Ron's slack jaw appearance.

"Wow 'moine. You look beautiful" Harry hugged her gently as much like a brother would.

"Thanks Harry." Up close Harry noticed she was blushing deeply and tried his best to help Ron sound articulate.

"And I'm sure as soon as Ron is done drooling he will agree" Ron found enough strength in himself to glare at his best mate.

"You look brilliant Hermoine" Harry bit his cheek to stop himself from laughing at the display his two friends were putting on. But soon he joined in their ranks as the portrait swung forward once more and out stepped the birthday girl. Now he understood why Hermione had been trying to get him to read about Vampire sorceresses; Yamele was wearing a dress very much befitting of one. His breath hitched as she came to stand on the landing with them, up to that point Harry had never had a doubt that he was physically attracted to Yamele. But seeing her in a dress that covered the essentials in a sensual way that couldn't be described as vulgar, Harry suddenly had the thought that physical attraction would never be a problem.

"Well what do you think?" With a very simple gesture, Yamele endeared herself even more to him. She stood very visibly unsure of herself, which was something he had yet to see.

"You...look...beautiful..."Harry could feel the heat creeping up through his body towards his face. But he was rewarded with a stunning smile from the birthday girl and even a twirl to get the full experience of her dress.

"You don't think it's too much?" A sense of confidence came over Harry as Yamele once again relaxed by his side.

"Some people would say it isn't enough, with all the sheer fabric, but I think it's very enchanting and befitting of you...and dear Merlin I sound like...like..." His friend's laughter did not drown out the sudden addition to their group.

"Oh Merlin he sounds like Uncle Severus!" Harry turned around to find Draco coming down the corridor giving a playful version of his infamous smirk. Looking back, the fact that he felt so at ease with Draco's teasing should have told Harry something.

"Draco, you look very dashing..." Yamele rolled her eyes at the boy and leaned in to kiss his cheek lovingly though she also took the time to mess up his perfect coif.

"Oy, none of that now! Do you think Jasenia will approve?" Harry couldn't help but notice how that seemed like a more serious question than it was.
"Draco, you'll be fine. And speaking of which shouldn't you be off to get her then?" Harry felt Yamele wrap an arm around his waist leaning onto him just slightly, in turn he wrapped his arms about her. The arrogant mask fell in place again over the blonde and he stood straighter before them.
"Of course, I just came to remind Potter to behave. And try to act a little more...regal..."Draco tilted his head in acknowledgement of Hermoine and Ron as he started off down the corridor only to stop near the end and turn back for one last quip.

"After all, you're with royalty tonight." Harry wasn't sure what to make of that comment though by the end of the night he had a feeling he might.

"Come on, the birthday girl can't be late." Hermoine chided Yamele and Harry. The latter of which had to bite her tongue from a smart remark and only obliged in following as Harry pulled her along gently along the corridor towards the stairs. Harry couldn't help but feel that Yamele was slowly getting tenser the further down the stairs they went. At the top of the last flight of stairs Harry pulled Yamele to a stop and called ahead for Ron and Hermoine to continue to the party.

"Yamele, are you all right?" Harry watched her carefully as she busied herself pulling out two masks, one for herself and one for him, careful to avoid his eyes.

"Quite frankly Harry, I'm not, if it were up to me I'd turn and walk away. No run away, from this entire thing. Vampire turnings are no place for children." Her gaze lingered too long upon him before she swept it over the students milling into the Great Hall.

"I'm not a child..." his voice had a harsher note than he intended and the results were instant. Yamele's head snapped up and a raised eyebrow followed by a smirk were his answer; her fangs appeared longer in that moment and an odd tug filled Harry much like the one he had at the clothing store in Hogsmeade.

"No, you're right; you're in that awkward stage between the two. And yet with more responsibility on your shoulders than any man should ever face." Yamele adjusted the mask on Harry's face before placing her own.
"Yamele..." she didn't let him finish, as she took the first step down the last staircase.
"Don't worry about it Harry..." he held her shoulder causing her to turn and face him.

"No Yamele. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped at you...let's just forget it for tonight, yeah? It's your birthday a night to celebrate. You turn 20 only once....right?" Harry joined her on the step and smiled taking her hand in his.

"Celebrate isn't a word I'd use...but why not?" Surprisingly she returned his smile and allowed him to lead her into the Great Hall.

The Great Hall had never looked so dark and beautiful, every inch of it reminded Harry of Yamele. Streamers and enchanted bats floated around the hall where the morbidly fragile moon lilies stood out among the fright aimed theatrical decorations. Harry felt Yamele squeeze his hand as they approached the middle of the hall where they had made the dance floor for the ball. The tinkering of glass stopped them both as McGonagall called for everyone's attention for Dumbledore's welcome speech.

"Attention students, I would like to welcome you all to our celebration of our very own Prof. Yamele VanHouten's 20th birthday. Hogwarts is very proud to have her among our staff and hope she's the one to break the Defense against the Dark Arts streak. So on behalf of all of us here, to many more years Professor." Everyone politely clapped and Yamele graciously nodded in recognition and for a moment Harry watched his date bask in the attention. She let go of his hand and took a few steps forward before showcasing an enchanting demonstration of power as icy blue streaks flew from her hands and turned black in a rain of magical snowflakes. As the snowflakes fell upon her, they seemed to linger and connect forming black feathered wings on Yamele. With a resounding flap the snowflakes swirled away from her and disappeared into the crowd.

"Thank you Headmaster....and now...let's party! Happy Halloween everyone!" Yamele executed her fanged smile and pointed to the stage which erupted in the infamous Weasley fireworks as the Finnish rock group HIM appeared. Grabbing Harry she pulled him closer to the stage and danced along to the rock music. For a few precious hours Harry managed to get Yamele to forget about everything else that seemed to bother her. That is until midnight crept up on them, about five minutes beforehand Yamele pulled Harry away from the crowd and for a moment her eyes showed fear.

"Yamele, are you all right?" Harry started to push up his mask but soon found his hands being stilled by the soft hands of his favorite obsession. She came closer to him her eyes a desperate look that momentarily led him to believe that she might flee.

"Listen to me Harry, they're coming, Vampire Council meetings are secretive, we can be in the middle of the Hall and no one will know they are here. Time will stop for everyone." Though her voice seemed to be barely a whisper Harry heard every word clearly.
"You can't face them alone Yamele! You don't have to, that's what friends are for right? That's what I'm here for. You don't have to face them alone." Harry took her hand and squeezed it, causing her to hesitate a moment.

A moment long enough for an eerie fog to begin to seep into the Great Hall, the time was getting nearer. Harry noticed Draco and Jasenia nearby as well as Ron, Hermoine and Ginny who seemed to have noticed their absence from the dance floor.

"Harry..." the distant gongs of the clock tower stopped her sentence from going any further and her mercury eyes took in the closing fog.

"There's no time, as you wish, you can be witnesses but you are not to interfere Harry." Her hands slipped out of his and she took a step towards the others as the fifth and sixth toll met their ears. They each nodded their agreement and Yamele stood straighter as the tolls of the clock tower stole their precious time, Harry noted she was casting her own magic.

Around them, the actions of their excluded school mates began to slow down in some sort of ridiculously exaggerated form of slow motion Harry had only seen once or twice on muggle television. The others came to stand behind them, and Harry was the only one left just an arm's reach from Yamele, as before them from the drifting fog a mist started to form into six separate figures. A glance behind him stopped Harry from stepping closer to Yamele though he caught Draco motioning him to take off the mask he still wore.

"Wir sind gekommen, das 20. Drehen der letzten Tochter von Dimitri VanHouten, gefallener Kopf zu verkünden des Vampire-Rates. Sind Sie das, das wir suchen?" ("We've come to announce the 20th turning of the last daughter of Dimitri VanHouten, fallen Head of the Vampire Council. Are you the one we seek?")

"Ja, bin ich Yamele Rose VanHouten, die letzte restliche Tochter von Dimitri VanHouten und rechtmäßiger Heiress zum ältesten Clan, der liegt in Rumänien." ("Aye, I am Yamele Rose VanHouten, the last remaining daughter of Dimitri VanHouten, and rightful heiress to the oldest clan residing in Romania.")

"Wir sind die Repräsentanten der Clane, die Ihr Vater einmal führen, wir entscheiden, wenn Sie vom Titel angemessen sind Sie proklamieren. Stimmen Sie unserem Test heute abend 31. Oktober 1996 zu?"

("We are the representatives of the clans your father once lead, we shall decide if you are worthy of the title you proclaim. Do you agree to our test, tonight, October 31, 1996?")

"Ich bin damit einverstanden fortzufahren"

("I agree to proceed")

"Sind diese Kinder Ihre Zeugen dann?"

("Are these children your witnesses then?")

"Sie sind meine Zeugen, aber diese Kinder, da Sie sie so distastefully haben mehr überraschungen anrufen, als Sie konnten sich vorstellen. Ich bitte um um sie werde behandelt mit dem gleichen Respekt, dem alle Zeugen werden gezeigt und garantiert durch unsere Gesetze"

("They are my witnesses, but these children as you so distastefully call them have more surprises than you could imagine. I ask they be treated with the same respect as all witnesses are shown and guaranteed by our laws.")

" Sollen stimmten wir anfangen den Test zu? Wie durch unsere Gesetze gelassen können wir entweder sie das Verstehen zu unserer Zunge gewinnen lassen oder Optativ für das Fortfahren in ihr. Dame VanHouten soll es sein?"

("Agreed, shall we begin the test? As allowed by our laws we can either allow them to gain understanding to our tongue or opt for proceeding in theirs. Lady VanHouten what shall it be?")

"Englisch bitte, Madame Chair."

("English please, Madame Chair.")

"As you wish Lady VanHouten, as stated before, we are here in representation of the elders of the Clans you wish to lead. Before the Clans will acknowledge you as the rightful Head of the Council, they must be assured you are the best candidate for the title, and are able to uphold the honor and responsibility that comes with it. Do you agree?"
"Aye, I agree."

In the same moment the Council turned to Harry, one of them gave him a once over that caused Harry to close his fists.

"Do you all agree to bare witness to the test to befall Lady VanHouten on this night?"

They all nodded, and Harry in a bold mood stood forward and took Yamele's hand. He could hear Draco groan behind him and felt Yamele's tension raise and her hand squeeze his.

"So then, it is true, you've found your mate? Do you intend to teach him of our ways and bring him to our home?" Harry couldn't help but feel chastised; something in him said that because of his action the Council was going to attack Yamele on this matter.

"I have and yes I have begun to teach him of our ways and will bring him to the estate as soon as is possible." Yamele raised her chin slightly in defiance.

"And let him make decisions I'm sure...women always do..."A rather thin man with scornful eyes snorted and again Harry felt his free hand ball into a fist.

"If that were true Damien you'd have a much better disposition..." Yamele did not back down from the man and though it was apparent in their faces that they were less than happy, the other members of the Council did not interfere in the battle that had begun.

"And what is that to mean? You believe that he will not wish to interfere? Wizards have always been power thirsty...do you believe he will allow you to run Vampire matters on your own." Damien looked like the vampire version of Percy, Snape and elder Malfoy on a bad day, Harry didn't like him and though he badly wanted to tell him to shove it something in him held it back. He felt his hand start to clench but Yamele beat him to the punch.

"Obviously Damien you can only see what you want to, but thank you for proving my point." As she spoke, Yamele squeezed Harry's hand gently effectively focusing him for a moment.

"What are you blathering about?" Damien's lip curled in a way that made all present wonder if he had stepped in poo recently.

"If Harry were truly to interfere, he would have already. But he has graciously kept quiet." At her words Harry couldn't help but raise his chin slightly a fire of quelled anger in his center.

"Or maybe he's just too dense to even bother to defend you..." the smirk on his face gave away that Damien thought he had won, he did not know the boy who lived very well.

"Or maybe I'm well aware that Yamele is more than capable of defending herself from the likes of you. Needing to; she would take on the world if she had to, head on and alone. But more importantly she doesn't have to do anything alone anymore, that's why she has not just me but friends and family that care about her and would do anything asked of them to help her and keep her safe. Her and anything and everything she not only believes in but stands for." Harry had not realized it but as he spoke he grew bold, and as he grew bold he stepped closer to Damien, which was in retrospect a very dangerous and stupid thing for him to do.

In a millisecond Damien had moved, and he had moved to strike Harry down, something which by all means he not only had no right to do, but forced the hand of those present.

"How dare YOU? How dare a filthy wizard talk to me like that? I refuse to allow your filthy blood to taint our race!" Damien's hand was swift and before Harry could truly process what had happened he felt two things very clearly; something sharp cut across his cheek and Yamele's hand pulled him back almost at the same instant with a rage he could feel emanating off of her. As Harry stumbled back from the force of Yamele's tug, he saw his girlfriend jump on Damien and slap him in the same manner he had slapped Harry.

Before their very eyes they became witnesses to the Council's divide. Most of them tried to pry Yamele off of Damien, mostly in fear that she would tear him limb from limb, but a few went to Damien's aid.

"TRAITORS! You will align yourselves with such a filthy group of creatures? Abandoning your own race?" Damien struggled against the few vampires attempting to hold him back but they held firm enough.

"How dare you pass judgment on us you hypocrite, when have you ever cared about the good of the clans in whole? You only care about the title they would give you..."Yamele had managed to pull free of the council members that held her back and Damien as well, the two met in the middle and for a moment it seemed that neither would move, when it happened.

In a moment both lunged at each other again, and though for a few moments it seemed neither would fall Yamele somehow managed to trip Damien down and held him in place long enough to pull at the left sleeve of his robe, revealing the dark mark.

"Who's the traitor now Damien? You arrogant, spineless, treacherous, good for nothing, son of a..."

"Yamele!" while Yamele was busy poking at Damien with each insult he was readying a knife. She screamed as he sunk the blade into her side, and though she stumbled enough to allow him to stand again, he had not truly given her enough credit. Bleeding she lunged herself at him again, sinking her nails into his back through his cape and clothing. This time it was Harry and Ron who went to her aid and pulled her bleeding form from the heap of vampire who was trying to crawl away from her, the boys both smelled something odd and glanced back to see the wounds Yamele had inflicted on Damien were hissing and almost bubbling. But Harry tore his eyes away from the wounds; his side was being soaked from Yamele's blood.

"Yamele we have to get you to the infirmary..." Harry had tuned out everything else around them at this point, the sheer silk fabric that made up his girlfriend's dress was quickly turning a very dark crimson.

"No I'll be all right...this is not over, help me up." Her voice was strained but only slightly as she pressed her hand tightly over her wound. Harry didn't understand why she refused, but he only copied her actions, and pressed his hand tightly over her wound.

"Madam Chair....if you please...." Harry had never seen Yamele's face so set or stern and even when Draco came to help hold her up, he didn't bother to complain, this was above them at the moment.

"It seems, what we had all feared, even long ago with your father as Head, has finally come to pass. The Vampire clans have been split; those belonging to Dimitri's family will more than surely follow him to his new Master. We do not have time to delay, as the Chair of the remaining members of the Vampire Council; we accept and concede to your claim of rightful Heir to the Head of the Vampire Council." Yamele nodded a grimace of pain flickering across her face before she stubbornly set it again.

"Thank you Madame Chair...we have no time to waste, Dimitri will do his best to divide the rest of the clans before the morning light filters through. We must call an emergency meeting with the elders as soon as possible." Yamele hissed lightly, the blood had begun seeping through both their hands and she seemed to be loosing some of her strength as the weight of her body was shifted between the two boys holding her up.

"Of course, I will send word; the elders will need 48 hours to assemble. We will see you at the estate then?" The dignified woman gave a curt nod and they could tell she was about to turn around and leave, the remaining vampire council members only waiting for her word.

"A moment...we will also need to send word to the rogues, we have ignored them for far too long and it is time to address them. They are to be welcomed as their own clan, if they so wish to partake. We can NOT under ANY circumstances, allow Voldemort to win them over to his cause." There was a moment when Harry's breath seemed to hitch, he wasn't entirely sure he liked the tone Yamele's words were setting, but she had said before, it was not his place to voice his opinion. The remaining council members shared a look, but one by one nodded their agreement, and began to dematerialize into the eerie fog again. The last to leave was the Madame, she lingered if only for a moment, staring into Yamele's face, it was impossible to read her expression, and just when Harry thought Yamele's body might betray her and give out, the vampire turned to him and smirked kindly.

"You've got a hell of a treasure there young one. Protect her well, for our fate lies in her hands, and her heart in yours." And with those words the regal vampire woman disappeared into the haunting fog. Time again caught up with them, and the party scene carried on as if nothing but a split second had passed. Harry felt more than heard Yamele let out the breath she was holding, and with it her strength. Strange goings on indeed...no one noticed as the Gryffindor and Slytherin carried the new Head out of the Great Hall and towards the infirmary.

~A/n: Wow I'm alive....drop me a line.~