Disclaimer: don't own Harry Potter, sorry
A/N: I'm not dead, I promise. Sorry it took so long to update this, I was having some computer problems and had most of this chapter typed up and I was reluctant to type it up again if I could use what I already had, but that's probably not going to happen anytime soon. So here's the next chapter sorry about the long wait. Thanks to EverMindTheRuleOfThree, Single-Black-Rose, and Calmarea for reviewing the last chapter.
Of Blood And Magic
Chapter 7: Discussions
The hall was dead silent as Harry walked up towards the staff table. At first he hadn't moved, but after prodding form Hermione and Dumbledore's order, he managed to move. Tevelle could almost taste the fear spiraling off him.
Was this what the mysterious person did to the goblet last night? Trick the goblet into thinking there were four schools and enter Harry? Or had it been Harry himself? No, he had been truly surprised and even frightened when his name had been called, and he was not nearly skilled enough to trick such a powerful magical artifact.
Perhaps Xeven would be able to shed some light on this.
As soon as Harry disappeared, an angry buzzing broke out. Dumbledore quickly dismissed everyone and, trailed by the other headmasters, professors, and other officials; disappeared into the room in which the four champions waited.
"Tevelle, hold back. I still need to speak with you."
She did as Xeven said and would have even if he had not reminded her. It had been a while since she saw him and there were important things for them to discuss.
Xeven came up beside her and began leading her into the entrance hall and through the great doors that opened out to the grounds. Tevelle was slightly surprised when he angled their path towards the lake.
"I would think the Forbidden Forest would be a better place to talk." Tevelle pointed out quietly as they reached the pebbly shore.
"No, it would be too simple for someone to eavesdrop."
"Well, if eavesdropping is a problem, we can talk mind to mind."
"We still must appear to be talking and you are still having difficulties carrying on two conversations at once."
"Alright," Tevelle sighed, "What do you want to talk about?"
"First, drink this." Xeven handed her a bottle and she smelled blood. The vampire in her eagerly complied and Xeven continued, "Second, I think I will have Dumbledore double your dosage of blood for at least one meal."
"Why? I'm doing fine with just the three goblets."
"Judging from your performance tonight, that is not the case. Your control is not strong enough yet."
"But…" Tevelle kicked a pebble into the lake, watching the ripples in the dark water carefully as she thought up an argument.
"Do not try to get out of it." Xeven growled into her mind. "You do not have the control necessary to keep you vampire side in check without the additional blood. Most vampires would rather have the extra blood." "But I want to be able to control myself, not depend on large amounts of blood," Tevelle complained. She was getting whiney, something she didn't like, but was to tired and blood-thirsty to really care.
"See you already are letting your vampire side and its need for blood dictate your moods. Finish the blood I gave you and no more arguing."
"Alright, alright, I'll take the extra goblet." Tevelle relented, gulping the rest of the red liquid that sloshed around in the bottle to show she meant it. "Thanks for caring, dad," she added aloud.
Xeven grumbled noncommittally, starting to walk once again. Tevelle followed slowly, gathering her thoughts for describing what she had witnessed the night before.
"Just picture it in your mind. I will see and hear all you remember," Xeven said. For a second Tevelle wondered how he knew what she was contemplating, but that feeling was only momentary. Xeven did this a lot, whenever she couldn't find words. Tevelle concentrated so that a stream of images played through her mind steadily and without interruption and she amplified those thoughts so Xeven would see them in his own mind as if he had experienced them himself. Xeven grunted dismissively when she focused on the secrecy of the person who had sneaked their way into the hall so skillfully.
"Merely someone who wishes to keep their entry a secret. It could even have been that Potter boy; he owns an invisibility cloak." Xeven suggested silently, clearly not experiencing the same apprehension that Tevelle had felt.
"No, there's more," Tevelle said aloud, unable to frame the statement in her mind without disrupting the smooth flow of memory.
Almost impatiently, Tevelle shifted her focus to the memory of what the intruder had done. Her mind flinched as she recalled the blinding flash of light as the goblet protested against whatever spell the intruder had cast. The feeling of suffocation she had felt came rushing back to her and the tang of dark magic was almost an actual taste on her tongue.
"Very well," Xeven said emotionlessly, skillfully bringing an end to the projection her mind had created to an abrupt end. "I see what it is you mean."
A relieved sigh escaped Tevelle as she relaxed, no longer needing to worry about it. Everything was not in Xeven's more than capable hands. "What will you do?" Tevelle asked silently, mildly curious how the ancient vampire would handle this.
"I will bring the matter to Dumbledore's attention when I discuss with him your increased dosage. He is unable to do much now, but he should still be made aware of Harry Potter's innocence." Xeven explained, his voice taking on the tone he normally used when lecturing.
"I was not aware you were a Professor, Xeven." Tevelle teased.
"There are many things you do not know about me, student." A flicker of an eye belied the stern, no nonsense tone he had adopted. His stoic expression could have rivaled McGonagall.
"Oh, and what is it you teach?"
"I" Xeven began arrogantly, "am an esteemed Professor of Defense against the Dark Arts of the very prestigious school, the Order of the Dracul."
"So you defend against yourself?"
To this, Xeven merely scowled lightheartedly.
"And," Tevelle continued, "you know that that school hasn't existed for over a hundred years?"
"That, little bat, does not make the position any less prestigious."
Tevelle laughed at the absurdness if the statement.
"I am glad you find me so amusing," Xeven said with a wry smile, "now you must be getting back. You have homework and as your father it would not be proper for me to keep you from that."
"But daddy!" Tevelle groaned, not yet ready to say goodbye to such a beautiful night.
"If you do not argue I will see if I can send for some bloodvelvet cake."
Tevelle's eyes widened in both surprise and excitement.
"Bloodvelvet cake? You mean it?" she asked silently, to shocked for words. Bloodvelvet cake was a vampire delicacy that very few could make with any skill. The treat was a favorite of many vampires that resembled the muggle red velvet cake so much that it was often mistaken for it. The red coloring, though, came not from dye, but from blood that was stirred into the batter so that the flavor of blood permeated every crumb. The light, airy icing was usually either blood flavored as well or chocolate.
"Yes, with chocolate icing." Xeven assured her in the same manner.
Tevelle smiled in anticipation. Chocolate iced bloodvelvet cake was her favorite and Xeven knew it. Swiftly, Tevelle gave her mentor a rough hug and practically ran back to the castle. She could hear Xeven's amused mental laugh and this only spurred her to go faster. Soon she was traveling much faster than any human could and the individual blades of muted brown grass cast with a silver light from the moon were indistinguishable in a solid, multi-hued color. The castle loomed against the nightscape rather suddenly and Tevelle pulled herself to a stop, dismay showing on her face.
"It took you long enough," Xeven said from the shadows in which he leaned leisurely against the door. He pushed himself upright and walked over to her smiling smugly. Tevelle frowned. How did he get here so fast?
Xeven chuckled, "Do you think I will tell you that? That little trick you will have to figure out on your own, at least if you want to master it before your schooling here is over."
"Xeven! What's the point of showing me then?" Tevelle said exasperated.
In answer he merely shrugged noncommittally.
"Well, do I still get the cake?"
"If you finish your homework before dawn."
"Fine!" She growled. She was hoping to wander the castle, despite Xeven's order to do her homework, but he would know if she shirked at all. Still, a pity he didn't consider simply making it back to the castle and wasting the beautiful night effort enough on her part.
"Do not worry, a night such as this will come again, and sooner than you might think." Xeven assured her.
"I know, but it's Halloween."
"Then go wreak havoc, but confine it to your dormitory and only after you have finished your work."
"Yes, father, but don't forget our deal."
"You have my word."
Sullenly, Tevelle trudged back to the Slytherin common room. Xeven had set the deadline at dawn which gave her a few hours and he hadn't said how long she had to take on her way back. Deciding on a unnecessarily circuitous route, Tevelle began walking at a leisurely pace. The corridor she was in took her past the portrait hole that lead to the Gryffindor tower.
Apparently, her late night walk with her mentor had not been as long as she thought, for as she turned the corner at the end of the hall, she ran straight into Harry Potter, knocking him to the ground.
"Ow! Watch it!" Harry cried as he hit the floor.
"Sorry." Tevelle, who was still standing, reached down to help him up. "I wasn't paying attention, it was my fault." She continued, slightly dismayed at herself for not noticing his presence. If she hadn't been so preoccupied with circumventing Xeven's orders while still earning the bloodvelvet cake she would have been more careful. Now she would have to explain to Harry Potter why she was up so late.
"Don't worry about it. Why are you up so late? If a teacher finds you, you'll be in trouble." Harry's voice became concerned as the conversation shifted.
"I'll be fine," Tevelle assured him as she hauled him to his feet. "I'd be more worried about yourself."
"I was talking with Dumbledore and the other headmasters and champions. No one wants to believe that I didn't put my name in the goblet, even though I really didn't."
Tevelle shrugged. "People believe what they want to believe, which is not always the truth. Trust me on this." She briefly thought about all of the common misconceptions and prejudices people held against vampires, even muggles who didn't even believe vampires existed. She sighed softly in regret for all of the pain that simple misunderstanding had caused throughout the centuries.
Harry couldn't know what specifically she referred to, but he understood the idea.
"What do you believe?" he asked a bit timidly, something that seemed completely out of place given his hero persona. Still, this was probably closer to what he was really like instead of how everyone believed him to be.
"You didn't put your name in that goblet, because you know that being famous isn't really all that much fun."
Harry Potter smiled in relief as she said this, as if he would be afraid she would say something else. Tevelle almost laughed at the absurd expression on his face.
"We better get back to our common rooms," Harry said to cover up his awkwardness and Tevelle smiled at him in a friendly manner.
"Yeah," she started to turn away, but remembered something important. Reaching into her bag she pulled out the drafts of the SPEW pamphlets she had finished for Hermione. "Um, could you pass these onto Hermione for me?"
"Sure" Harry answered, obviously curious.
"They're leaflets for SPEW that I volunteered to draw up for Hermione." Tevelle supplied for him.
"You're a member of SPEW?"
"Yeah, don't look so surprised, it's a good idea."
"Oh, it's just I didn't think a Slytherin would be interested in that kind of thing."
"And why not?" Tevelle asked in a dangerously soft voice.
"It's just Slytherins are usually the strongest supporters of enslaving House Elves, even if they do like it."
"I didn't choose to be in Slytherin." Tevelle stated coldly allowing her anger at his senseless and stereotypical statement to color her words.
"Sorry, I didn't mean it that way. It's just… I'm surprised." Harry tried again.
"And why, pray tell, are you surprised? Is it just because I'm Slytherin? Would you be shocked if I were a Hufflepuff?" She snapped.
"No… I-"
"No, just forget it and quit before you dig yourself a deeper hole. Good night, and congratulations on becoming Champion." The vampire cut him off and walked away, leaving the bewildered Boy Who Lived gaping at her retreating figure and clutching the papers in his hands like a witless fool.
When Tevelle made it back to her dormitory she headed straight to her room. She could have done her homework in the common room, but she was not in the mood to fend off Malfoy's pestering. It would be quieter surrounded by the dark green wall hangings that went around her bed. She finished her homework quicker than she had imagined and spent the rest of the night imagining what the tasks the four Champions would face might be for lack of anything more interesting to think about. She then remembered the stunt Xeven had pulled and began contemplating how he might have done it.
Apparating was a possibility, but with no sound and on school grounds that had anit-apparation wards? It could still be some form of teleportation though.
These thoughts carried the vampire's exhausted mind into the sleep-like stupor that provided her with rest. In her dreams she was haunted with images of broken tombstones with blood running in rivulets down the cracks. There was a flash of green and then the image of a statue of a hooded specter not that different from a dementor. The statue creaked and moaned, finally letting out a resounding crack. Blood dribbled down the statue dementor's hidden face as if the stone figure were weeping blood. The name at the bottom of the gravestone was riddled with cracks so that only two letters showed. CD. The images shifted and Tevelle rose into a lighter trance. By the time she woke all she remembered of the strange ominous dream was a wash of blood and the initials CD.
Tevelle considered briefly what they could mean but found nothing of value within the disturbing image. Resolving to ponder it at a later date when it might become clear, Tevelle put the image out of her mind.
When she got down to breakfast practically everyone else was already up which partially surprised Tevelle since she had not slept in any later than usual.
Xeven was already up as well, which surprised her even more.
"Why aren't you asleep?" She asked him silently.
"I wished to break my fast with you. In any case, it would save you many awkward questions if I kept up the pretense of humanity, at least during my stay, and everyone is still under the misconception that I am human." He explained patiently. "Come, dine with me," he added as an afterthought.
"Alright, I assume you already have my goblet of blood up there with you?"
"Of course."
Tevelle walked leisurely up to the staff table and sat down next to her 'father' in the only seat available which just happened to be Dumbledore's. This earned her a lot of strange looks which both she and Xeven studiously ignored. Professor McGonagall tsked at her reprovingly but soon turned her attention elsewhere after a few quiet words from Xeven. None of the other teachers bothered them after that.
"It feels strange sitting at the staff table…"
"Do not worry, the Headmaster will not mind, he and I go slightly far back." Xeven assured her, off-handedly as if Dumbledore's opinion was of no consequence in the matter.
"Um… how far back exactly?"
"Only a century, give or take." He said aloud before continuing silently mind to mind, "It is not very long for vampire kind, mind you, but for humans that is the majority of their expected lifetime."
"Oh," Tevelle was surprised at the long time. Despite being a vampire, that was still longer than she had been alive, and then undead.
"So, how's everything at home?" "The same as usual. Your brother Tanas was quite angry at me for not allowing him to come and see the tournament, but I assumed you did not need the added distraction in addition to your work. Aria, Robert, Elyie, and the others were also disgruntled, but not nearly as upset."
Tevelle laughed at the thought of the entire Coven coming along with Xeven to visit her. One vampire was enough to send the teachers over the edge, two was courting disaster. Having an entire Coven come, fifteen vampires total, was suicide. She was especially amused by the idea of Tanas coming. The huge, brown-blond, bear-like man probably would have turned the entire castle on its head with his pranks. He would probably get away with it too, charming as he is, Tevelle added in her thoughts dryly.
"I am glad you find it so amusing," Xeven projected into her mind, smiling over his goblet of blood.
"I have a toast," Tevelle added on the spur of the moment, "To our family." she paused as Xeven raised his glass seriously before continuing, "and thank any gods there are that they are not here with us."
Xeven chuckled loudly, the sound echoing in the hall, causing everyone in the hall to start with surprise. Tevelle was no less startled by her Mentor's very uncharacteristic reaction.
"Father, are you okay?"
"Yes, I am just relieved you are content here," he added onto this statement silently, "and that you are safe."
"Why would I not be safe?"
"We have been experiencing a few troubles with dark wizards who are more forward than they should be."
"But you said everything is normal at the Coven."
"Oh, none of the darklings," Tevelle was confused by his use of the archaic word for dark wizards for a second, but then decided that with a vampire who has so much history, it was only natural for him to have a few lapses in language. Tevelle was surprised he did not start speaking in Latin more. "none of the darklings are brave not foolish enough to begin approaching vampires yet, but they have been causing some problems in the area of land and villages that fall under my protection; the dragon preserve, Battalon, Wolfsfang, and several muggle villages." Xeven finished.
"Oh,"
"I could not determine through normal means if the situation had reached here. I also wished to see the Tournament."
"Aww, I didn't know you cared." Tevelle teased him, slightly worried by the news and trying to hide it.
Xeven picked up on her worry and answered in a serious tone. "Of course I care. You are not yet capable of looking after yourself and I have not the time to go looking for another apprentice."
"Oh. Well, I feel loved. Thank you very much." Tevelle growled, not feeling at all the disgruntlement she expressed in her words and tone.
"Good," was Xeven's answer; he fully understood how she felt and was not worried that he might have affronted his apprentice. "Drink your blood," he ordered silently and Tevelle rolled her eyes in exasperation.
"Well, if you're so worried about me I can always come back home."
"Nice try, little bat, but that is not going to happen."
Grumbling, Tevelle reached for a roll. She was careful not to get any crumbs on the plate in front of her just in case Dumbledore showed up and wanted his seat.
"You need to eat something other than bread, Tevelle. You're a predator, here, eat some bacon." Xeven pushed his plate towards her in a fatherly manner and raised one eyebrow reprovingly when she refused it.
"I have one more day until I eat my meat for the week. You know I only eat it on Mondays, that's tomorrow. Stop trying to make me change my ways and dishonor the animals who gave their lives."
"Is it not more dishonorable to refuse their meat once it is offered?"
Tevelle just shook her head; it was an old argument and she was unwilling to yield no matter how logical Xeven's reasoning was. It felt wrong for her to eat more meat than her body needed.
Xeven held out the bacon a few moments more, hoping she would take it, but soon gave up and swallowed it himself. He reached for another roll and smeared jam on it.
"At least have something on your bread if you won't have anything else." Xeven said as he handed her the jelly roll.
"Yes, Father. I was going to eat other things." Tevelle groused. "You're having fun with this playacting, aren't you." She accused so no one but the other vampire could hear.
"Hmmm?" Xeven responded innocently, grinning at her over his goblet. Tevelle scowled and pushed him not so lightly on the arm, but got no reaction form the older vampire.
"Well, I'm leaving before Professor Dumbledore yells at me for sitting in his place, and at the staff table no less." Tevelle announced after a few moments of comfortable silence.
"It's to late for that." Xeven's voice was flat, allowing no emotion to show on his face.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Precisely what he said, if I remember my old friend correctly," came a soft, amused voice form behind her. How had she not noticed someone approaching?
"He has his own secrets, he is a very powerful wizard." Xeven's cultured voice ran through her head in explanation.
Tevelle jumped up out of her chair and turned to face Dumbledore. The venerable old wizard's blue eyes twinkled merrily at her, but his face was stern.
"Sir! I'm sorry. Xeven told me to sit with him ant this was the only seat. He said you wouldn't mind and he didn't give me any choice. Xeven even had my blood already and everything. It's all his fault!" Tevelle babbled, her mouth moving so fast her words were probably unintelligible. She kept her voice down, however, so that none of the students would be able to make out what she was saying exactly. "I'm so sorry, Sir, I-"
"Tevelle," Xeven interrupted her, bringing her torrent of words to a stop. "Speak slower and calm down."
Breathing deeply, Tevelle began again. "Sorry, Sir. Xeven made me do it."
"Very mature," was the older vampire's dry remark in her mind.
"I know, isn't it?"
"I must admit, old friend, I am responsible. I truly did not give her much of a choice and I assumed you would not mind if she sat in your chair. I should not have assumed." Xeven bowed his head apologetically, but remained seated.
"It is quite alright for today, but if you wish to make a habit of it, please let me know so I may take my time coming down to breakfast," Dumbledore said.
"As you wish," was Xeven's reply.
"Am I in trouble?" Tevelle asked tentatively, wincing slightly when both vampire and wizard looked her way at once.
"Why would you be in trouble?" Xeven asked politely.
"Because," Tevelle continued, unsure of what he was trying to do, "I was in the Professor's seat, even though you made me sit there."
"Hmmm, you are correct." Xeven said.
"Are you teasing me?" Tevelle demanded silently. Xeven's complete silence was enough and she relaxed.
"Goodbye, oh, and the rolls are excellent." She said aloud before dashing out of the hall.
A/N: sorry again! I'm so sorry it took so long. You don't even have to review for me to post the next chapter, though I would greatly like to know that people are still reading this.