Hello readers! New chapter is up! It's un expected twist in the story, and probably in Agnieska's fate… Enjoy!

7. Unexpected reunion

Agnieska opened her eyes slowly and painfully. Her vision was blurred at first, but it cleared up as she lifted herself off the cold stone floor. She looked around, trying not to move her sore neck. She was in a dark cellar. Only a trapdoor was visible above her head thanks to the feeble moonlight penetrating the thick darkness where she lay. Sitting down, she could see that she wasn't alone. All those who were captured with her were also laying there unconscious but one. Lydia was the only one who was awake. She was sitting in the corner of the cellar, her body hidden behind a screen of white light. Agnieska could see her eyes shining in the darkness, and she turned around to sit across from her and to see her. She was still wearing that protective armor, and a scowl.

"Do you have an explanation for this situation we're in right now?" She asked. Agnieska shook her head. She had no idea what had just happened. All she knew was what she saw. They were surrounded by magic-using vampires that attacked them, captured them and cursed them. Now they were in a cellar with no way out. Agnieska felt for her wand, but she didn't find it. She didn't find another very important possession of hers, either. The potion Professor Snape had given her to control her desire for human blood was gone. She swallowed nervously and brought her knees to her chin. They could do nothing but wait.

Not long after Agnieska had awakened, Harry stirred. He opened his eyes and saw Ron and Hermione lying down beside him. He jumped up, his heart beating fast and he yelled, "Ron! Hermione! Wake up!" He shook them fiercely and they moaned. They woke up, frightened and Hermione spoke first in a slow mumble. "Where are we?" She asked.

"I don't know," said Harry, looking around. His eyes fell on his professor and his heart quickened. She looked oddly beautiful in such a cold, damp cellar. Her body was sucking up the moonlight, making her pale skin glow lightly in her dark clothes. Her long, dark hair spread behind her in a black cascade and her fine hands were wrapped around her elbows as she laid her head on her knees, her face turned towards him. She smiled a feeble smile and he couldn't help but smile back. Hermione noticed and got up suddenly, scaring Harry out of his trance and making Ron duck for cover.

"This is all your fault!" She yelled at Agnieska. Lydia giggled lightly at that, making Hermione gasp in surprise. She hadn't noticed Lydia was there. "I can't help but agree with the girl, traitor," Lydia said. Her blond hair flashed in the dark with her eyes as she picked her head up from off her knees. Agnieska sighed. This was no time to get into a fight. They were three vampires and three children in one cellar, and they had to get along. If accepting the blame they placed on her was going to keep everyone peaceful then she should just do so. They needed to find a way out as soon as they could.

"They took our wands, Harry," Ron said, looking up at them, his eyes wide. Agnieska got up and looked above her head. "We only have two exists from here," she said. "We can either escape from this trapdoor or we can get out through that window." Agnieska pointed at the window far above them behind Lydia.

"How on earth are we gonna do that? We can only levitate things with wands, and we currently don't have any," said Ron. He looked completely hopeless and his shoulders drooped as he looked down at his knees. Agnieska felt a singe of pity in her chest. Those three would surely die if they remained here much longer. She doubted Lydia and her stronghold on traditions would let them live if she got hungry. They were also most probably surrounded by vampires standing guard at the trapdoors, and they might need a snack. She couldn't even keep her own self calm without Snape's potion. She remembered how she had lost control in front of Ron and had almost attacked him. It was bound to happen again unless they found a way to exit this cellar before hunger struck the vampires.

Hermione clicked her tongue in impatience and started walking around the cellar, he hands touching every part of the walls they could reach. The group watcher her as she toured the cellar three times, each time her attempts more furtive and neglectful.

"You won't find a way out like this," said Agnieska. Hermione turned sharply, her eyes wet, shaking with anger.

"How will we get out, then?" She yelled, outraged. The force of her voice shook the cellar and Harry felt a deep and painful surge of guilt. He complied when he didn't have to. He blindly followed Hermione's stupid wish and agreed to get them all in danger. Why did he have to listen to her? Why did he have to get tempted by Agnieska? Why did she even tell him to come if she knew this might have happened?

The trapdoor shook, making damp dust fall onto the ground below. Hermione moved out of the way quickly, tripping and falling helplessly as something was lowered into the cellar. It was a person surrounded by a kind of glass bubble. This person floated down slowly and stopped a ways above them. They looked up and saw a tall man with a wide build, dressed in a long brown coat and matching brown pants. His clothes were shabby, but his face was not. It was as young as 20, with light grey eyes and shoulder length brown hair. His complexion was pale, but he looked very healthy and stronger than an average body builder.

As the man decended, Agnieska stepped backwards. The man looked familiar, but she couldn't tell if she knew him or not. He was standing at an angle that didn't show his face. She walked around the bubble, behind the group that was gazing up at the newcomer, and his face was revealed to her. Her eyes widened and she dropped to her knees. The thud her body made when she hit the ground caught the boys' attention and they ran towards her, worried. She was sitting on her knees, her eyes tearful and wide in disbelief, staring up at the man. As Harry got closer and noticed the look on her face, he knew that man was trouble.

Ron quickly reached out for Agnieska to hold his hand and get up, but she quickly pushed him away. The scent of his skin made her head turn and her nose sharpen for the smell of blood. Why would they take away the potion? She thought. Ron frowned in disappointment and backed off, seeing her hold her hand up to her nose.

Lidya saw everything that happened, and judging by the look Agnieska was giving that man, she spoke in a confident voice. "Traitors will be traitors," she said. "You do know what is going on here after all, don't you, you filthy scum!" Her voice was harsh and inelegant for the first time. She seemed to be very angry at the situation.

"You don't know why you were brought here," spoke the man. His deep, purring voice caught the attention of everyone. Agnieska even seemed to be under a spell. "Agnieska, it has been so long." The spell broke, and her head fell, tears dripping onto her closed knuckles. She couldn't believe it. He was alive.

Lydia threw Agnieska the dirtiest look she could muster and turned to the man, her pin-straight hair shining dangerously. "I don't know why I am here but I demand that you release me and Jurgen at once!" The man she was with walked to her side and held his head high and his shoulders wide and protective. The man in the bubble looked down at them and started to float back up. "Where do you think you're going?" Asked Lydia, running towards him and watching him rise above her head through the trapdoor. Agnieska looked up in time to see a part of his coat disappear through the trapdoor.

A few seconds later, a couple of vampires armed with wands hopped down from the trapdoor. Agnieska stood her face hard. Harry, Ron and Hermione took a few steps back, frowning in menace, ready to attack them if the vampires were to do anything. Lydia's companion stood tall in front of her, shielding her from attack. One of the vampires shook his head.

"You think we're here to kill you?" He threw a laugh out that rang in the cell. "Our leader just told me to let you guys go." A loud bang sounded, making everyone gasp, and they were all bound in ropes again. The vampires then walked to each one and tapped their heads lightly. A white light came out of their wands and enveloped the hostages within a bubble. The vampires then stood a ways away from the group and waved their wands, lifting everyone into the air. They ascended slowly, and one by one they rose through the trapdoor.

As each person landed on the hard wooden floor above the cellar, their levitation bubbles popped and the ropes untied themselves and disappeared. Agnieska looked around as everyone sighed with relief at the freedom. Lydia looked annoyed at the informal treatment, while Harry, Ron and Hermione brushed themselves off, their faces calmer, looking eager to leave this place. Agnieska's eyes soon found what she was looking for. He was leaning over a table lit by a gas lamp, his hands grasping the edge of the table, his shoulders tensed.

She remembered this pose. She had seen it often on her travels with him. After being hunted down like animals, he would take out a piece of parchment and quickly sketch every slayer's face he saw. He would then lay all those sketches out on the table and lean over them, scrutinizing them to the light of a gas lamp. Looking at him, it was as if nothing had changed.

"Rasler," she whispered. She walked to him and put a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and saw her. His eyes softened and he smiled.

"Quite a surprise, eh?" He asked. What met him as not a smile, but a slap right across the face. Agnieska's eyes were wide, angry and streaming with tears.

Harry heard the slap sound and looked up. The man looked confused at his professor's action. Harry, astonished, turned to look at Ron and Hermione. They both looked just as confused as Rasler was. Ron was even half smiling. Lydia shook her silver haired head disapprovingly as her bodyguard growled.

"I thought you died," she said in a low hiss. "I lived for fifty years, tracking down those slayers who I thought had killed you. I left my home and my people to avenge you. Now you stand before me, smiling like everything was alright from the start. How cold could your heart be?"

Agnieska turned around and stormed off. Her entire body was shaking with emotion. She couldn't tell how she felt anymore. She was angry at her loss, at all her effort to grieve her lost father and lover for nothing, and all those lives lost for a void vengeance. She was happy at her reunion with the man she loved, relieved at the fact that he was alive. She was regretting ever having fallen for this man, who brought her to this life and this end, only to abandon her and have her suffer for no reason. She reached the door and got out into the night, the moon's light shining on the dewy trees. She took a deep, cool breath, letting it calm her, then she exhaled all her thoughts into it. Having a second of calm, she understood. She needed to know why she was brought here first, then she needed to figure out how she could get those kids out of this hut crawling with soon-to-be hungry vampires. With her potion taken, she had no clue when hunger will strike her. If it does, there will be no saving them. She turned back to the hut and walked in. This was going to be a long night.

Next chapter coming soon! What will be Agnieska's decision, and will she be able to save Harry and the others? Don't forget to review!