Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

A/N: so sorry for taking so long to update, i tried to write a long chapter to make up for it. Thankies go to my reviewers sugar-high pixie, and obsessivesyndrome.

Of Blood and Magic

Chapter 15: Blood and Chocolate

"You're insane." For some reason Pansy was in her room, most likely to visit a friend.

Tevelle straightened the straps on her swimsuit, slightly baffled by Pansy's remark.

"I'm just going swimming."

"It's winter. You'll freeze!."

"It's alright, I was going to run down to the lake. I'll be warmed up first." Tevelle decided it would not be a good idea to reveal that the cold did not have any effect on her.

She ignored the look Pansy was giving her as she pulled on a pair of sweatpants and shoved her feet into her trainers. After shrugging on a light sweatshirt, Tevelle grabbed a towel, some swim goggles, and a few extra hair ties.

More than one confused look was cast her way as she jogged down the stairs and out the common room door.

As she neared the lakes edge, she slowed to a walk so that it would not be strange if she was not out of breath. Krum was supposed to meet her, but there was a good chance that he had already started his swim.

Tevelle let a few more minutes pass by. There was still no sign of Krum.

Ah well, might as well get started. It shouldn't be difficult for him to find me.

With this thought in mind, Tevelle stripped off her sweats, grumbling when the pants got caught around her feet. She had forgotten to take off her shoes first. What followed was a balancing act that involved one foot lifted up as high as her sweatpants would allow and a fight with some very stubborn laces tied a tad too tight to allow for her to simply slip the shoes off.

Why do I always do this?

A sigh of relief escaped her, quickly replaced with a hiss as her bare foot came in contact with the cold ground. Just because cold did not bother her as it did humans, did not mean she could not feel it.

Now for the next shoe.

The second of the pair came off easier than the first, and before long, Tevelle was able to free her ankles of the sweatpants hobbling them.

Life would be simpler if I didn't have to pretend to be human.

Holding her goggles between her teeth to free her hands, she pulled her hair up into a messy bun. No doubt she would have to fight with her hair later to get the hair band back out of the tangles, but for now it would be good enough to keep her hair out of her face.

I wonder if the giant squid wants to play with us today?

The goggles now securely rested on her forehead. Frigid water splashed against her legs as she waded in to the lake. Waist deep now, Tevelle took a moment to put her goggles on and dove completely under the water. She stayed near the surface as she swam with sure strokes toward the ship. While she was not worried about merpeople and grindylows who might see her, at the rate her morning was going something would go wrong, most likely resulting in offense and then some form of injury to either party.

As she neared the ship, Tevelle made sure to break the surface more often and at regular intervals, just in case one of the Durmstrang students was watching. Krum still was nowhere in sight. Perhaps he was still on the ship.

Making sure she did not forget the pretense of taking a deep breath, Tevelle dove down into the water, as deep as she could go and opened her eyes. The water was murky and dark this deep, the light from the sun only dimly penetrating the depth of water, casting a blue-green cast to her surroundings. Thick water grasses and weeds covered the lake bottom. Hornwort and pondweed tangled around her ankles, the slick leaves offering a strange combination of a slimy and tickling sensation.

Tevelle let out a sigh, bubbles of air trickling upwards. There was no sign of the giant squid. Even if the squid wanted to play, there was no way it would know that it could if Tevelle couldn't find it to offer.

The last bubble that had caught itself in her hair finally struggled free to start drifting up towards its fellows. Tevelle felt the need to sigh one more time, but no longer had any air in her lungs.

Better swim up before someone thinks I've drowned.

With a strong push with her legs off a strategically placed rocky outcrop, Tevelle kicked her way to the surface. Only several feet from breaking the surface there was a splash and something large and bony barreled into her.

It took her a moment to work her way free of the tangle of limbs, wondering idly how much that would have hurt her skull if her bones had been as fragile as a humans'. Her head and upper body ached dully from the impact. Hopefully whoever had decided to dive on top of her would not have any broken bones.

This just isn't my day.

"Bloody hell! Don't you look where you're diving?"

A rather dazed Viktor Krum looked back at her. "Sorry. I did not see you."

His words were careful, almost as if he was unsure he could speak without his accent mangling the meaning. Limbs moved sluggishly as he treaded water, trying to stay afloat.

"Alright, we had better get you out of the water and checked out."

Krum agreed fuzzily. Tevelle wasted no time. Diving under him slightly so she could support his upper body on her shoulder to keep his head up, Tevelle situated herself so that she could keep him in the right position with a hand around his waist. She then started the slow and ungainly journey towards the shore.

Compared to their swim to the shore, the trip up to the castle was relatively easy. After a brief respite on the pebbly ground to collect her things and drape the sweatshirt around Krum's shoulders while he caught his breath, Tevelle hoisted him up by the waist again so that he leaned on her. Now that they were on solid ground, Krum was able to stumble along with her. Still, despite this, Tevelle was very grateful for her vampire strength and that Krum was too addled to notice the discrepancy.

"What happened?" Madame Pomfrey greeted them with the hurried question. Without waiting for an answer, she rushed over to assist with getting Krum into a bed.

"He dived off the ship and landed on me. I think he might have a slight concussion."

"In Merlin's name! Why were you swimming at this time of year?" She looked at Tevelle sternly. "Never mind. Are you injured?" Another stern glance was cast in her direction, flavored with disapproval, "No, I suppose you wouldn't be."

Tevelle finished removing Krum's shoes as he lay back before stepping away from the bed. Madame Pomfrey was in full healer mode, and if there was one thing Tevelle knew, it was that you don't get in the way of a healer or you'll end up getting trampled.

"Off with you then. I have everything under control." Madame Pomfrey's tone was brisk, but not unkind.

Accepting the dismissal, Tevelle started making her towards her dormitory. She would remember to collect her sweatshirt from Krum another time.

Twenty minutes and a quick shower later found her dry and clothed. Her hair remained a tangled mess, but it was no longer dripping down her back. She would deal with the tangles later.

An excited shout down in the common room reminded her that the day was still quite young and it was a Hogsmede weekend.

Might as well go. My chocolate supply is running low.

Destination in mind, it was a quick matter to collect her wallet and coat.

Honeydukes was packed by the time Tevelle arrived. The scent of human sweat and perfume mingled with the scents of any variety of sweets and candies. It was not a completely unpleasant smell, but it was pungent enough to make Tevelle crinkle her nose.

Better make it quick. In and out.

Pushing through the crowd, she started gathering selections. Chocolate frogs joined the pile of chocolate bars in her arms to be followed by fudge flies. Tevelle was reaching out for a chocoball when someone shoved her from behind.

Chocolates spilled out everywhere.

"You have got to be kidding me." Tevelle turned. "Hey! Who did that? You had better help me pick these up."

No response. A few curious glances were cast in her direction, but whoever had jostled her had disappeared back into the crowd.

"Lovely, absolutely splendid." Grumbling, she stooped down to scoop up the candies.

Once that task was done, Tevelle shoved her way through the crowd to a slightly more open space next to the display of cockroach clusters, blood-flavored lollipops, acid pops, and several other more unusual treats. A quick glance around ensured that all wandering eyes were otherwise occupied and as subtly as possible Tevelle added a number of blood-pops to her selection.

Selection complete, Tevelle headed towards where the end of the line for the register was. Or where she thought it was anyway. It only took several groups of people for her to realize that a different line had formed in the opposite direction, bypassing her completely.

Am I invisible or something? I don't know how to make it more obvious that I am waiting, and have been for far longer than they have.

Tevelle, seething quietly with frustration, shoved her way into the end of the now substantially longer line. She paid for the slightly over priced candy and fled the crowded shop as quickly and with as little fuss as possible.

Where to go next? The Three Broomsticks? No, that would be far too crowded, filled to the brim with whiny over-excited teenagers. On top of that, Tevelle was not in the mood for butterbeer, no doubt the only thing Madame Rosmerta would be able to give her among so many prying eyes. A creaky sign caught her eye further down the street, looking particularly weathered and run down. Tevelle spun on her heel and started walking in the opposite direction. The old, broken sign had given her an idea.

The Hog's Head was nearly deserted, exactly as she had suspected. Very few students, if any, would know to walk down that dingy side street to find this equally dingy and shabby building. If they did stumble into the Hog's Head by accident no doubt they would feel far from welcome. A few of the regulars sat at the bar. A man whose entire face was concealed with bandages, some of them stained with an odd rust color that looked very similar to blood, nursed a large tankard of something thick and the color of pond scum. The red-brown spots on the bandages were not blood, Tevelle could smell a mixture of dirt and possibly spices, but a student would not know that. An old hag dozed in a booth in the corner.

Tevelle smiled. A regular student might take one look at the ominously quiet room and make a run for it. Tevelle felt right at home. She turned her grin in the direction of the bar-keep whose hands had stilled their action of polishing the grimy countertop with a rag that had seen better days.

"Aberforth!"

"Been a long time, Tevelle." Aberforth smiled a crooked smile, the corners of his blue eyes crinkling up.

That was the understatement of the century. Xeven had known the Dumbledore family before several tragedies split them apart. As a result, both Albus and Aberforth would visit the Coven frequently, though never together after Ariana's death.

It had been shortly after Tevelle had been turned that she met Aberforth for the first time. Still new and reeling with Tom's betrayal and her new circumstances, she had been surprised when a human, and an old one at that had, instead of cringing away from the dangerous fledgeling vampire who was no where near in control enough to restrain from killing him, had simply looked her up and down and turned to Xeven.

"Old Albus has got to be kicking himself over this. Not only does a student get killed on his watch, but you have the audacity to Turn her." Then the old man had laughed.

Later, when both he and Tevelle had calmed down, he introduced himself simply as Aberforth. It was not until later, after he had left, that Xeven informed her that Aberforth was her former professor's brother. Over the years a sort of friendship had formed between them. Aberforth was so much more approachable than Albus, who was always a reminder of what had happened at Hogwarts.

Tevelle had barely seen Aberforth at all for several years.

"I know; I've been busy. It's good to see you." Tevelle took a seat on one of the barstools, placing the good-sized bag of candy at her feet.

"You as well. Is that a Honeydukes bag I see? You are aware that they blood-pops they make have a higher level of glucose than is usual. Xeven will be less than pleased if he has to scrape you off the ceiling because you high off sugar." The rag disappeared and out came a cleaner than usual glass tumbler.

"Wow, clean glassware. You're spoiling me." She smirked at him and he grumbled in return. They both knew that he only used the dirty glasses to discourage customers he did not feel belonged to leave. They also both knew Tevelle was avoiding the question.

"What Xeven doesn't know won't hurt him."

Aberforth merely fixed her with a stern look that said 'be it on your own head. Do not say I did not warn you' as clearly as if he had shouted it. Aloud he simply continued, "What'll it be?"

"Hmm, you know I'm not really sure. Maybe firewhisky, I've been having a rubbish day, everything seems to be going wrong."

"I just got a new shipment of blood spirits. Blood rum and brandy mostly, perhaps some whisky. And I think I might be able to scrounge up some blood-wine if you are in the mood for something milder."

"Blood-brandy sounds good."

"Blood-brandy it is."

The next ten minutes or so passed in companionable silence. Aberforth had brought out the rag and was back to polishing his counter. Tevelle merely sipped her drink, content to let the burning liquid slide down her throat. If a stranger saw her now, no doubt they would be appalled that a child would be drinking such strong alcohol. Tevelle however, was not worried. It took far more alcohol than this mere pint or so to get a vampire even tipsy. She was not even sure if a vampire could even get drunk; Tevelle certainly had never seen it happen. She liked the feeling of the alcohol though.

There was a crash behind her. Tevelle spun around, accidentally knocking her own drink in the process. There was the slosh of liquid on her hand and the sound of broken glass. Ignoring her own mess for the moment, Tevelle looked to the source of the original noise.

The old hag who had been sleeping in the corner had shifted, pushing her tankard perilously close to the edge of her table. One leg extended outward, foot tangled with the rungs of a wooden chair that had been set at the table nearby. The heavy chair had fallen, creating that loud bang.

Now Tevelle looked at her own problem. Glass sprinkled on the floor, and dark red-brown brandy had spilled all over the counter. Some of it still dripped into the small puddle on the floor. The monster in her stirred, far less than pleased at the wasted blood, even if it had been strongly diluted by the brandy.

With a soft thud, Tevelle dropped her head onto the bar counter. "This really isn't my day, is it?"

Wordlessly, Aberforth made a quick motion with his wand and the glass reformed seamlessly. There was no saving the brandy, however.

There was a light thunk and Tevelle looked up from where she had buried her head in her arms. A refilled tumbler of blood-brandy sat on the counter in front of her.

"It's on the house. That first one, too."

Tevelle gave Aberforth a grateful smile.

By the time Tevelle was ready to leave she was feeling better for the alcohol, and even more for Aberforth's kindness. On a whim, she asked him if he had any raw steaks in his stores. The Hog's Head was an inn as well as a tavern. Surely he had some meat for meals. And Tevelle was long overdue for a visit with the thestrals. With an understanding smile and a nod, Aberforth disappeared into a back room for a moment before appearing and presenting her with two wrapped packages. The smell of fresh, raw meat was unmistakable.

"I'll pay you back for these."

Aberforth had simply told her to give the thestrals a pat for him.

About an hour's walk later, and standing at the edge of the forest, Tevelle had a problem. The thestrals were deep into the forest. This would not normally be a problem, but the glade they had chosen was quite a distance into the territory the centaurs claimed as their own.

Vampires and centaurs did not get along; or rather, centaurs did not get along with vampires. To the best of her knowledge, vampires had never done anything to warrant such dislike. Though centaurs had long memories, perhaps some vampire long ago had offended one of them. Whatever the reason for the grudge, Tevelle did not feel like a confrontation at the moment, not with the way her luck had deserted her.

Now, what to do with all this meat? She couldn't just walk into the castle with it. That would draw too much attention. She couldn't bury it or throw it away; that would be a waste. And it was getting late enough that she did not particularly want to walk all the way back to the Hog's Head.

A glimmer of light from the window of Hagrd's hut caught her attention, sparking a thought.

I haven't seen Aragog in a while, not since I was still at school. I wonder how he's doing. Probably worried about Hagrid.

Mind made up, Tevelle stepped into the forest and followed the scent of spider. The walk was longer than she expected, having to take the long way around and skirt the centaur's domain. Eventually she stopped.

Before her was a good-sized clearing covered almost completely with webbing and spider-silk. At the center of the clearing sat a huge Acromantula that could only be Aragog.

"I see you got some warning I was coming. One of the kids?"

Aragog made a clicking sound with his mandibles, the spider equivalent of laughter. Eight huge eyes looked at her steadily as she approached. Tevelle had no fear of being eaten; vampires were not quite a tasty meal.

"I brought some meat. I know its not even a snack. It was originally intended for the thestrals. I wanted to see how you were doing, though, so here I am."

"Thank you, friend. How is Hagrid? He has not been to visit in some time." As Aragog spoke, he took one of the now unwrapped steaks carefully from Tevelle's outstretched hand.

Tevelle grimaced. "Not well, I suppose. The entire wizarding world just found out that he has giant blood and he is not taking it well. I don't know why it would be such a shock, it's kind of difficult to miss just by looking at him."

"Hagrid has always been sensitive about his differences." Aragog answered diplomatically, finishing up the second steak.

"How have you been? How's the family?"

"I have fared well. My family is large and my children strong. There is ample meat and territory in this forest so that I do not have to worry about their needs. And Hagrid usually comes to have a chat once a week."

"I'm glad you're doing so well. You've changed quite a bit since I've last seen you."

"So have you. When did you make the transition?"

Tevelle bit her lip at the uncomfortable question. "Shortly before you were blamed for the deaths in the Chamber of Secrets."

Aragog settled closer to the ground and Tevelle took the unspoken invitation to join him.

"Much changed that year." His tone was quiet, almost wistful.

Then they sat in silence. There was no need to talk; everything had been said.

Finally, Tevelle stood. It was time to go. "It's getting late and I have to get back to the castle. I'm a student again, and students aren't supposed to be out late, let alone out late in the Forbidden Forest."

"Farewell then, Tevelle, I am glad you came to visit."

"As am I. I'll let Hagrid know you've missed him."

With that, Tevelle started the trek back to the castle. The walk back through the woods was faster and when she reached the tree line she realized it was not quite as late as she had thought. It was still late though, and Tevelle still had her bag of Honeydukes.

Voices filtered out through the window as she passed Hagrid's hut. Remembering her promise to Aragog, she stopped, wondering if she should go in and fulfill it.

Another voice spoke, this one more recognizable. Harry Potter. Then Ron and Hermione spoke as well, and finally Dumbledore's voice could be heard. It was probably not a good idea to go in then and reveal she had just been in the forest talking to an Acromantula.

Then Hagrid spoke, and Tevelle forgot her agreement with Aragog.

That hypocrite! What she had heard of Harry's and Dumbledore's words had been almost exactly the same was what Xeven and she had said to him. And Hagrid thanked them, everything suddenly better.

Tevelle almost barged in right then, ready to confront Hagrid. But Harry was talking again, and she stopped herself. She couldn't blow her cover now. Fuming, Tevelle stomped up to the castle.

What a perfect ending to my day.

A/N: I hope you liked it. Please review!