.

.

There was something odd about Carmilla.

Harry had noticed that she didn't usually wake up until the late afternoon at the earliest, but as far as her oddities went this was probably one of the more trivial. He couldn't quite put his finger on what it was but there was something unusual about her. There were a lot of little things he noticed but none particularly damming and she seemed decent enough. Besides Dumbledore trusted her and while Harry's feelings towards the man at the moment were less than cordial he nonetheless trusted his judgment.

Nothing nefarious might be involved – a startling change from normal but he and the others couldn't help but be curious about her. Somewhat distant at times she could be snarky and had a rather dark sense of humour, but despite this she seemed to have no trouble interacting with others or making friends and was well liked by just about everyone, even Snape to their amazement was grudgingly cordial.

While her companion was American and she had lived in the states for the last several years at least, Laura had let slip that she'd been born in Styria, Austria. Perhaps that might have had something to do with what they were doing in Europe?

They'd learned something else interesting, this time from McGonagall funnily enough when Hermione had asked their visiting transfiguration teacher a question, both foreigners shared their professors rare ability to take the shape of an animal. Hermione had later apparently checked the international register only to find neither but Sirius had reassured them that the number of unregistered Animagi far outweighed those who did. Apparently the trend had been started by a particularly paranoid group of Germans from an underground transfiguration movement sometime ago.

They'd discussed it and had a niggling feeling her form was a cat of some kind, there was a definite resemblance in the way she moved and the way she liked to lazily sprawl herself out over whatever furniture she occupied.

The feline resemblance could also be found prominently in one other places. Carmilla walked without making a sound and seemed to enjoy making them all jump by appearing out of nowhere. Amazingly enough she'd even got Mad-Eye once, who'd promptly half jumped out of skin and begun hexing everything in sight swearing loudly. He'd been even twitchier since.

Something the twins had found out to their detriment was that it was also impossible to catch her off guard, any pranks they attempted blowing up in their faces. After failing spectacularly to catch her unawares they'd decided to bide their time and Harry sometimes swore he saw her smiling across the room when the twins began whispering in hushed voices, brainstorming on how to catch her unawares.

She ate but not much or often. Mostly she seemed content to steal Laura's food much to the shorter witch's ire. And that was another thing, she seemed very close with the other girl even if she had a borderline sadomasochistic penchant for riling her up. They were close friends of course so it made sense but somehow the word just seemed... wrong, incorrect somehow when used to refer to them. It was subtle but it was like if someone had called a sea and ocean or an ocean a sea, similar but different somehow.

In any case Carmilla was interesting enigma and talking about her was a halfway decent way to pass the time while cleaning the few things that didn't invariably end up trying to kill them.

Rather than cleaning up, it felt more like they were raging war against the house and the house was almost wining. Not only did they have to deal with pests and other nasty creatures, but also several hostile pieces of furniture, artefacts that were most likely dark in nature - something Carmilla and Moody had later confirmed , traps set up by Sirius's lovely mother - like that biting silver snuffbox that contained wartpowder, and of course, Kreacher. Said house elf was constantly sneaking around where ever they were cleaning, and trying to salvage anything he could. It was unfortunate they couldn't just get rid of him, since the old deranged house elf was really starting to get on everybody's nerves with his constant poorly concealed insults. Well, everyone except Hermione who pitied the creature and funnily enough Carmilla.

It was extremely odd but the House elf adored her and looked to her almost as if she were his god. This strange behaviour had extended to Laura as well, probably owing to her relation to Carmilla. They were all flummoxed by it but Carmilla seemed to have a fondness for him as did Laura.

Sirius had happily acquiesced, downright giddy when she'd offered to take him off his hands; thus relieving him of the elf whilst keeping Kreacher from telling others about the order.

She'd allowed him to continue with his insults much to everyone's disgruntlement. She seemed to find it humorous and Kreacher delighted in pleasing his new mistress by coming up with increasingly vile and insulting things to call them.

All in all the situation with Kreacher remained much the same with the exception of his now increased rudeness.

Their only real consolation was that Carmilla, woken early one too many times had stormed downstairs in a rage before somehow managing to silence Mrs. Black's portrait before grumpily stomping back to bed. Her spell was so effective that Mrs. Black had yet to make another sound even days later.

Her friend was also interesting as was the contrast between the two. Laura was the light to Carmilla's dark. The two were almost complete opposites. Whereas Laura's hair was light Carmilla's was dark. Carmilla dressed primarily in dark colours accompanied by the occasional touch of white. Laura dressed in mostly light colours. If Laura with her cheerful nature could be considered like the sun, then Carmilla with her more reserved outlook was like the moon. And like the moon she could at times be cold and distant whereas Laura was an almost perpetual source of positivity.

She resembled a slightly toned down Tonks allot in the way of sharing a rather kind and outgoing personality, though thankfully she seemed to lack the other witches clumsiness, though she could more than make up for it with her voracious tenacity.

Laura really didn't seem particularly strange or odd the way Carmilla did, really the strangest things about her was her tolerance of Kreacher.

.

.

.

An: Kreacher's adoration of Carmilla is due to her fulfilling Regulus's final wish, yes that's right she destroyed the Locket Horcrux. As to how she knew what it was put it down to Vampire senses, as for destroying it well... I figure after all that happens in Carmilla plus the fact Carmilla herself is a powerful Dark creature that's be around for hundreds of years I think that Laura and Carmilla would be more than capable.

Next chapter the boggart. Review in with your guesses as to what it'll turn into.