Chapter 15: Change
It felt like Hermione Granger had come back and switched her house to Slytherin.
It also felt as though all hell had been let loose.
Owl after owl swarmed the school, demanding that children return home before anything concerning Octavia happened "again."
Most students had come to like Octavia, so they defied their parents and stayed. Sometimes, parents would come and drag their son or daughter out of the school kicking and screaming.
The Death Eaters didn't care. Some, such as Aunt Bella, would look for opportunities to catch Octavia off guard. Others didn't dare attempt to anger her.
One weekend, Octavia and Draco flooed to Malfoy Manor for the agreed meeting.
Narcissa allowed her family and Octavia to make themselves more presentable. All the while, she spoke to Octavia.
Draco did not know what they spoke of and this worried him. If his mother did not like Octavia, who was to say she wouldn't try to kill her in the future?
His worry, he was relieved to find, was merely paranoia. Narcissa and Octavia came into the dining room, chatting as though they were old friends. Draco and his father stood when Narcissa and Octavia entered the room. Narcissa took her place beside Lucius; Octavia was presented a seat next to Draco. A house elf placed their meals before them. For Octavia, he gave her a bronze goblet and pitcher.
"I took the liberty to order some blood for you. Muggles usually give blood for those in need, but your kind usually owns these blood banks."
Octavia thanked her and took a sip. "Very good. What kind of blood is this?"
"What do you mean?"
"Human blood is unique in comparison to animal blood. Flavored, so to speak."
"Really?" Draco asked.
Octavia nodded. "Thy blood has a lingering taste similar to sugared lime. This blood," she set the goblet down, "tastes similar to chocolates."
"And animal blood?" Lucius asked.
"It tastes like the animal it inhabits."
During this conversation, Narcissa held her face in her hands. She looked up, "Octavia, how does school differ here than in the past? I'm sure learning styles have changed."
"They've changed most definitely. Not only in conduct, but dress, appearance, even speech. If I'm doing terribly, it is due to the barrier between my language and thine."
"We speak the same dialect," Narcissa said, waving her hand. "It can't be too difficult to understand."
"T'is easy enough," Octavia said, raising her glass again. "But still different from one thousand years ago."
"Most definitely," Narcissa agreed. "Time truly has changed."
"I've something to ask thee," Octavia said, sipping the blood. "Some of the teachers at the school are called 'Death Eaters' behind their backs." She set the goblet down. "Pray tell, why is that?"
"Death Eaters!" Narcissa repeated. "Draco, you did not tell her?"
"It's not something I really want to discuss with anyone," Draco admitted. "At first, it was cool, but now…"
Narcissa exchanged looks with Lucius. He unrolled his sleeve and presented a skill and snake tattoo to Octavia. "Show her, Draco."
Grudgingly, Draco did so. "My father and I are Death Eaters. A Death Eater is a follower of the Dark Lord Voldemort, the heir of Slytherin."
Octavia blinked. "Heir of…" She started to laugh. "That's funny! Draco, the heir of Slytherin was decided years before this Lord Voldemort was even born. Before I met Augustan. The heir of Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Gryffindor was long decided to be the first born of each blood line. That is, the first to have a child and that child would be the heir to all four. Me."
The Malfoy's stared.
Octavia sipped. "There are legal documents at Gringotts. Each of their own children would receive some kind of inheritance, but the first born would have the responsibility of leading the school."
"But the monster in the Chamber of Secrets…" Draco began.
"Oh? The Basilisk? That's a different heir." Octavia blushed and bowed her head. "So that's the heir this Voldemort is. A blood heir."
"He's not the nicest bloke. Somewhat twisted," Narcissa snapped. "T'is a shame we didn't see it soon enough."
"A murderer and muggle hater. He's been after one of my classmates for a very long time," Draco added.
Octavia kept her head bowed. "I apologize for my mistake. Pray, tell me more about this Voldemort."
So they did. Octavia listened silently, drinking the blood in the goblet. When they finished, she set the goblet down. "This is no idealist, as you have described him," Octavia said to Lucius. "This man is a monster."
"You got that right," Draco agreed. "He looks like a snake—really! He's got no nose or ears. His eyes are red, almost as red as yours, and his tongue's slit. Why would anyone slit their tongue?" he set his wine glass on the table. "And he's unearthly pale. It's not right."
"That's not what I meant by monster," Octavia muttered. Lucius and Narcissa were stunned. "Muggle or Magical, a human is a human. Forgive my forwardness," Octavia said, "but you're following a madman."
"Not a word of this to Bellatrix," Narcissa said to Draco and Lucius. "If she hears you, Octavia, you could die."
"Spells don't work. Madam Lestrange maybe handy with a wand, but she's a weakling."
Lucius and Draco snickered. Even Narcissa smiled a bit.
"I'm glad you stopped me and Severus from killing her, Draco. It'd be a shame to lose such an opinionated creature with enough gall to insult your aunt."
Draco glared at his father. Octavia rested a hand on his shoulder and he took it.
"Good Merlin," Lucius laughed. "You've gone to the other side, Draco!"
Narcissa stood. "Octavia, I am very thankful that I had met you. Take care of my son."
Octavia blushed and nodded. Draco stood and he and his father escorted Narcissa and Octavia to the drawing room where they spoke of other things.
Sunday night, Draco, Octavia, and Lucius returned to the school.
"That went very well," Draco said when they were out of earshot.
"It went very well indeed," Octavia agreed.
Draco took her hand and kissed it. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.
Third year girls watched them jealously.
They entered the Common Room and Draco headed to bed while Octavia went to hunt.
"So," Blaise said, laying on his own bed. "How'd it' go with Octavia and your mum, Monsieur le Victomte?"
"Come again? Vicomte?"
"Talked it over with Millicent. Remember the time she read through some Muggle books just to get her parents mad?"
"Yeah."
"She said you and Octavia remind her of some characters in one of those books. Er…Phantom of the Opera, I think she said. Millicent says you remind her of some count bloke she really didn't like."
"Please don't compare me to stories I know nothing about," Draco laughed.
"How'd your mummy take to 'Tavia?"
"Better than expected. I thought there'd be a feud or something. Mother seemed to almost forget that Octavia was a Vampire."
"Damn!" Blaise exclaimed. "Draco! You might as well propose to her next weekend."
"That's way too fast for me."
"So says the guy that started dating a vampire after three weeks knowing her."
Draco shrugged. "I guess I can't help myself.
Blaise shrugged. "Well, I can't say I'm not a little jealous. It must have been difficult telling her."
Draco blinked. "A little bit, but it sort of just came out. Why?"
Blaise laid on his back.
"Ah—Milli, right? Or is it a new girl now?"
"No. Still Milli."
"I've been telling you since third year, Mate. Tell her. Worst case scenario, she refuses and goes out with Vince or Greg. Or she accepts and ends up having to beat you up for some sexist joke like always and leaves you to die in a dumpster."
Blaise snorted. "Well, well, look who got all smart about relationships."
"I'm still saying you should tell her."
"Good night, Romeo."
The lights dimmed and Draco fell asleep.
Draco glanced about. He could see nothing but grey. He felt nothing but the cold.
"You are a descendant of Augustan?" A richly coated voice purred.
"Yes," Draco answered. A woman—all white, save for her eyes and lips—came to him.
"You are also his rival."
"Yes. You—you're Lilith, aren't you?"
"You know me?"
"I shared a resonance with Augustan. He—I think he was trying to give me a warning or something. He landed me in St. Mungo's!"
Lilith smiled. "I was wondering why my son had been angry as of late. Tell me, Son of Mello—"
"Malfoy," Draco snapped.
"Malfoy," Lilith corrected, smiling wider as though she was not offended. "Who is this new maiden Augustan has become devoted to? A human?"
Draco blinked. "You don't know? You're the Vampire Queen; Mother of all Vampires. Shouldn't you know that one detail?"
"One would think so," Lilith agreed. "But Augustan was a skilled Occlumens in life and his defenses in his mind grow stronger with each passing generation."
Lilith wrapped an arm around Draco and led him further into the fog. "He fell for Godric Gryffindor's daughter, Octavia," Draco said.
"So it wasn't just a rumor. Go on."
Draco told her all he knew. Lilith frowned in thought as he spoke. "Does he still love her?"
"He wouldn't be trying to kill me if he wasn't."
"Do you love her?"
"Yes."
"It is then for her to decide. If she loves you, she will choose you. If not, she will choose Augustan. You and he may still fight while she decides. However, I might as well warn you: Augustan is more selfish and possessive than you believe possible. He will—"
"Not hesitate to kill?" Draco interrupted. "Yeah. I saw it."
Lilith turned to leave.
"I have a question of my own!" Draco called. The Vampire Queen stopped and looked at him. "Augustan told me once that there is no such thing as pedophilia among Vampires. But he was in love with a twelve year old—Lucia."
"Lucia was two hundred when she and Augustan met. He is right: a Vampire cannot be a pedophile. At the same time, he is wrong: they are. As you have seen in his memories: the appearance of a Vampire is deceiving. Lucia was turned at the age of twelve. Augustan at the age of forty. But they were born two hundred years apart, just about. You cannot fall in love with a Vampire and not have the possibility of that Vampire being at least a century older than you. Now I must let you wake up. Someday, Draco Malfoy, we may meet again."
Draco woke groggily to the steady drumming of rain.
Grudgingly, he forced himself out of bed and joined Blaise and the others in the bathroom.