Beautiful Stranger

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter; if I did you would know it. Story title is a song by H.I.M. Chapter title is song by Madonna.

Mina stared at the red headed, green-eyed man before her for several minutes. A scuffle to her left had her turning her eyes landed on her father with an abruptness that would have startled most humans. "And who, are you?" Merikano's lips twitched and he shifted some more, closer to her. "My name is Merikano Chakano, a hunter for the Association." Mina fought to move closer to him, his human scent almost a comfort after Hogwarts. "The Vampire Hunter Association, sends a vampire and a hunter into another vampire coven?"

An accented chuckle washed over her and her eyes jerked from her father's back to Orion. "Considering that I am the founder of the Association and the patriarch of this coven, that isn't really a surprise is it?" Mina stared at him for several minutes her eyes slowly returning to their violet cover. "Drago is our Patriarch." Orion shook his head. "No, I sired Drago and he sired his twin, they sired Gitana, and the trio sired you." Mina shifted closer to Gitana and the elder vampire sensed her discomfort and slipped an arm over her shoulders. Orion smiled again and slowly walked down the stairs. "I mean you no harm, Mina." Mina twitched but did not flee.

"Then what do you want?" He smiled and paused an arms length from her. "You and I are alike little one and I want to train you." Mina raised an eyebrow. "For what?" Orion flicked his gaze to Gitana. "Leave us." His voice had grown deeper and all others within the room followed the directive. The trio of vampires and the human hunter moved up the stairs quickly. Orion held out his hand to her. "Lets go to the library so we can talk." Mina's eyes dropped to his hand and flicked to his daggers before returning to his eyes. "I will follow you." Orion shook his head. "I am not one that you can command young Mina, I am giving you the courtesy of choice but I am the king of this mountain." Mina flinched as the command within his voice slithered along her skin. She knew that she was beat.

She dropped her head, instinctively yielding to him and slipping passed him into the room he indicated. Orion let her get several steps ahead of him before gliding after her. Once in the room, Mina crossed to her favorite chaise in front of the fire and Orion took the loveseat opposite her. Orion reached across the small table between them and grasped her chin. "I am not angry with you Mina, you are an Alpha just as I am, and it's only natural to want to protect yourself." Mina nodded her pale amethysts boring into his forest green orbs. Orion's lips twitched as he released her chin. "We can talk this all out or I can give you the knowledge quickly. Which would you prefer?"

Mina licked her lips slowly before answering. "The easy way." Orion nodded, "A proper predator." Faster then she could blink he slit his wrist with one long suddenly sharp nail and offered it to her. Mina didn't have to be told twice; in fact the scent of his blood drove her to lunge for the thick ichor dripping from his wrist. She was heedless of the growl that emanated from her as her mouth latched over the wound. Needing to be closer, she climbed onto the coffee table between them to feast on the seductive sweetness of his blood. Orion fought not to smile at her instinctive actions, pleased to see that she was not ashamed of what she was and knowing that his progeny had done well in raising her.

When his wrist healed he deftly grasped her wrist and pulled her into his lap, an arm settling around her waist as he released her wrist to move her hair to the side. "You know the rules of exchange, yes?" His voice was husky as it danced across her throat and only served to heighten the lassitude within her. Mina dropped her head back and to the side, much as Gitana always did, helpless against the animal inside her. Orion's mouth lowered to her neck his teeth lightly scraping as his voice purred over her. "Such a good little girl." His fangs sank into her throat. Mina moaned before biting her lip to remain silent. She felt rather then heard his chuckle. Five heartbeats later and he was lifting his mouth from her neck and healing his own bite. Mina was barely able to lift her head to meet his gold gaze with her silver one. He smiled, red stained fangs bright against his bottom lip. "I will return tomorrow to begin your lessons, be ready, little one." Mina forced a nod as he got to his feet and gently laid her on her chaise. Mina's glazed eyes closed before Orion left the room.

The weeks that followed were spent in learning the basics of self-defense. As she was under age, magic was generally avoided but Mina learned to throw a punch, escape the clutches of grown men and even how to deflect blows that would drop that same man easily. Physical training dominated her summer holiday and when she wasn't working on strength, agility, or reflexes she was studying etiquette and stealth. This training would only be the beginning, she knew. By the time she graduated from Hogwarts she would be ready to face the world of beings with little difficulty.

Weekends were Mina's holiday time and she often spent it with Remus. Drago was furious at her having bonded with the Lycan but Orion was pleased with the connection. Having a Lycan with her, and one sworn to her service with blood, would offer her a level of protection otherwise forgotten. With the likes of Fenrir Greyback turning others with little restraint it was only a matter of time before Lycans outnumbered Vampires. When she wasn't with her werewolf she was with her father and he spent time teaching the history of the hunter association or by speaking of her mother. All in all summer was more like school for her then summer vacation. For Mina, it seemed that the challenges of her summer were almost more fun then those of her school year. Mina was disappointed to find that blood exchanges were not a featured part of summer but she was appeased with the exchange right before she returned to Hogwarts.

Mina arrived on platform nine and 3/4s with her father and he escorted her quickly to the train. She climbed on and turned smiling brightly. Merikano studied her. "You did well this summer." Mina nodded and shifted back to avoid being run over before moving again and her father continued. "You have to stay for the winter holiday this year. We will be leaving the country for various jobs, you understand yes?' Mina nodded and leaned forward embracing her father. "No worries, I know how to take care of myself." Her father embraced her briefly as the train let out a shrill whistle sounding its departure. He stepped back and she smirked. "I'll see you next summer." Father and daughter turned away at the same time and Mina grabbed her trunk and dragged it off to find her seat.

It wasn't long before she found Remus in a compartment by himself. With little thought for anyone else she slid the door open and entered. Remus looked up from his book and then jumped to his feet when he saw that it was her. The two friends embraced the werewolf taking in the scent of his first friend and semi pack mate. Mina allowed him his animalistic need and then eased back from his arms. "It hasn't been that long since you saw me Remus." He huffed and pulled her closer mumbling as he continued to sniff her. "Full moon, three days." Mina nodded and fell silent. The two stood this way for only a little longer before he reached for her trunk and hefted it to the rack above. Mina smiled and sat across from him.

"So anything exciting happen in the last week since we saw each other?" Remus shook his head and sat. "Not really, I got a letter from James and we met in Diagon Alley to shop for school but other then that it's been a calm summer. Certainly, I didn't have lessons like you did." Mina sighed and leaned back. "They were interesting, even if my, I mean Merikano was a bit of a hound for history." Just then the compartment door slid open and Sirius stuck his head in the compartment. "Did I hear you correctly Jewels?" Mina rolled her eyes and glance at the Black heir. "That would depend on what you think you heard."

Sirius grinned and entered the compartment and stooped to heft his trunk over head. Bag in place he sat beside her and slung an arm over her shoulders. Mina stiffened as his scent overwhelmed her, her eyes flashed and she dropped them to the book she had only just retrieved from her carry on. Remus noticed her sudden stiffening and Sirius seemed oblivious to it. "I thought I heard you say you were taking lessons over the summer." Mina fought her animal and scooted away from him slipping from under his arm. "It was family stuff, you aren't the only heir in the world you know."

Sirius shifted his silver gaze to her face and tried to catch her gaze. "I know, in fact I heard some interesting gossip this passed summer." Against her will, her slowly silvering eyes jumped to his. "What did you hear?" Sirius smiled and leaned closer. "You know, the Malfoys and the Blacks are related so I see quite a bit of Lucy. He was going on and on about this stubborn first year in his house. Said he was disappointed that she wouldn't acknowledge him or any house strictures for that matter." Mina's eyes got bigger sliver flooding violet. Remus sensed her fear and reached for her wrist, tugging her to her feet. "Mina, didn't you say you needed to find Snape?" Mina took the escape offered her and nodded before darting from the compartment. "I'll see you in a bit Remus."

Sirius scowled and looked at the werewolf. "Why'd you do that for?" Remus shrugged and fought a smirk. "You were making her uncomfortable." Sirius growled then. "Her eyes change colors when she's nervous and dumb Lucius was convinced that she's keeping secrets. He's set up the younger Lestrange to seduce her. She doesn't need that in her life." Remus' eyes flashed gold but he looked away. "Trust me when I say Lestrange won't stand a chance. What else did he say?" Sirius sighed and leaned back. "Remus, you should know your sister-friend isn't normal."

Mina slipped out of the compartment and darted towards the girl's washroom. She reached her destination with little difficulty and fished out her pills popping four and waiting for them to take effect. Normalcy returned and she set off to find Severus before she lost him to the thralls of her house. It wasn't long before she found him, and he was sitting with Lily. She tapped on the compartment glass gaining her friends attention before opening the door. "There you guys are, I thought you would be sitting with me and Remus, but now Blacks there and I'm sure it wont be long before Potter joins them." Lily smiled and jumped to her feet pulling Mina into a crushing hug. "Oh Mina, we got here late, Petunia was being horrible and poor Sev and I nearly missed the train! How was your summer?"

Mina smiled and moved to sit next to Severus. "It was interesting. Though mostly boring." Severus shifted his gaze to her for a moment and Mina stiffened as the feeling of fingers slithered in her mind. She swung her slowly silvering eyes to her pale counterpart and found his forehead crinkled in thought. "And how was your summer Severus?" The bite in her voice distracted him and the finger feeling vanished. "I spent most of it outside with Lily or reading in my room." Mina nodded and the conversation went back to Lily who spent a lot of her time describing in detail several picnics and pool parties that she attended. From there conversation shifted to school and other mundane topics until half way through the train ride when Mina decided to return to the compartment she had with Remus. She bid the duo farewell with plans to meet after they got their schedules the next day and returned to her werewolf friend.

She was halfway to her destination when the smell of blood drifted into the corridor. Mina froze her eyes shifting silver as she fought the instinct to follow the scent. She knew it was human and she knew it was a boy's blood nearly immediately. Her animal surged and against her will she started back towards the compartment she had just passed. She paused outside the door to find Rabstan Lestrange, Jack Yaxley, Avery Nott, and Barret Scabior, the last of which had a bleeding palm. Rabstan waved his wand and the door swished open before Mina had a chance to retreat. The smell grew stronger and Mina fought to take a step back but only succeeded in said foot inching forward.

Barret waved his hand more and Mina's eyes dropped to the now crimson appendage. Rabstan's voice washed over her. "You can come in Mina, we have no intention of hurting you. You're a Slytherin after all, and we take care of our own." Again, her foot inched closer but she was saved from herself when Remus' voice carried from behind her. "Mina, Mina we are almost to Hogwart's you have to change still. Mina stared at Barret's hand blindly and nodded as though listening to a whispering voice. She startled slightly when her friends arm slid around her waist and tugged her back, his eyes shifting gold as they fell on Barret's hand. "You'll want to get that healed Scabior, your getting blood everywhere." He raised narrowed eyes to the others in the compartment and noted that they all knew what they were doing and fought to growl at them as he turned whisking Mina away.

Mina turned in Remus' arms and clung to him burying her nose in his chest and inhaling deeply. Remus didn't stop walking until he was at the opposite end of the train and well passed their compartment. He slid into one of the empty ones and pulled back from her. By this point sanity had returned to her and she lifted hazy bright violet eyes to his nearly normal brown ones. Her voice was husky with fear and desire when she spoke. "They know Remus, or they guess. They waited until I walked by to cut his hand." Remus nodded and hugged her lightly offering comfort and acceptance. "Take your pills Mina, I'll go find your robes for you." Mina nodded mutely and tried not to cry as her friend left her to regain herself. Blindly she pulled out her pills and took double her usual dose.

The arrival at Hogwarts was somewhat different from the previous year, but Mina was so consumed with her thoughts that she showed little interest in the supposed "horseless" carriages. In fact, she followed the masses silently using subconscious awareness of Remus to get where she needed to be. She was so unaware that she nearly followed him to the Gryffindor table. Remus, realizing that Mina wasn't all there scanned Slytherin table and steered her out of the great hall, meeting Severus' gaze just before the doors closed.

The second years moved out of the immediate area and Remus forced Mina to look at him. "Mina." Mutely, Mina lifted her eyes to his and he sighed. "You have to snap out of this Mina, you can't sit at my table with me." He shook her gently and slowly sanity slipped back to her. Abruptly, Mina pulled back form him shaking her head. She took a deep breath and forced her mind to clear. "I'm Sorry Remus. That's the first time I've ever smelled human blood so undiluted." Remus studied her. "Meaning?" Mina blushed a bit but shifted back from him again. "Drago likes to feed in front of me sometimes but it's always a scent mixed with his own."

The doors to the great hall opened and Severus slipped through. Mina forced a smiled and slipped around her werewolf friend. "Really, Remus I'll be fine, we should get to the tables before the first years come in. As she drew level with Severus she smiled. "Hey Sev did you need something?" Severus quirked an eyebrow but shook his head following her back into the great Hall. The three friends resumed their seats right as the doors opened for the younger years to be sorted. The meal progressed and it wasn't long before Mina was entering the Slytherin Common room. Feeling eyes on her she shifted until her eyes met Rabstan's.

He stood gracefully and crossed the room to her, flicking an irritated gaze at Severus. "Leave us, I need to talk to her." Severus met her gaze and Mina dropped her eyes from his in regretful dismissal. When her young friend moved away Rabstan linked his arm with her and drew her across the room to a darkened corner. Mina fought the instinct to run knowing that if she did she would lose face with the rest of her house. She sat where Rabstan gestured and then he took a seat across from her.

"I know what you are and I have friends that will help you." Mina's eyes jerked up to his. "Do you?" He smiled in a smug sort of way. "Scabior is a thrall to another coven, and he is willing to supply you with what you need, provided you meet with his master upon graduation." Mina narrowed her slowly silvering eyes at him and abruptly her darker nature surfaced, the fuller huskier cadence rushing up Rabstan's spine and causing the older boy to shiver when she spoke. "I am perfectly capable of finding my own supply, I am not going to be used by some other vampire because he thinks he can lord it over me after sharing his little pet." Mina smiled sensing his fear and got elegantly to her feet as she continued. "You do not know me young Lestrange, you only think you do."

She shifted closer to him her hands slipping over his shoulders as she stepped sensuously between his legs. Rabstan's eyes widened as she leaned closer to him her breath caressing the shell of his ear. Rabstan fought the urge to slip his hands around the young vampires waist as desire slipped suddenly through him. She chuckled darkly and continued. "Do you see Rabstan, I don't need some half-vampires pet when I can take what I want so easily." She lightly flicked her tongue against his neck and he visibly stiffened as she whispered in his ear. "If I wanted, you are already dead. Give my regards to Lucius, won't you?" She leaned back and caught his gaze with her own silver orbs and he nodded, transfixed by her darkness. Her hands slid from his shoulders and he closed his eyes in a blink. When he opened his eyes, Mina was gone.

The days that followed fell into a typical pattern of classes and schoolwork. Mina, Severus, Lily, and Remus grew closer, often arguing in the library about their assignments. It wasn't long before the winter holiday was right around the corner. Mina was busy scribbling on a potions essay with Lily across from her and Remus beside her. The three were focused on their work and only lifted their heads when Severus slipped into the chair across from Remus. "Sorry I'm late, I had a run in with Potter and Black." Remus stiffened and Lily scoffed. Mina carefully schooled her features and lifted violet eyes to her friend. "Are you ok?" He nodded and pulled out his own potions essay. "It's nothing I couldn't handle. Though you might want to talk to Black, Mina, he wanted me to stay away from you, apparently you are 'his girl'."

Mina fought not to react and dropped her eyes back to her essay. "I belong to no one. Especially not Sirius Black." Remus rolled his eyes and Lily smiled sympathetically. "Those boys think they can stake a claim and it suddenly becomes fact." Mina nodded "I thought they hated Slytherins, It's why I asked the sorting hat to go there." Remus choked. "You asked to go to Slytherin?" Mina looked up at her werewolf friend. "It seemed like a good idea, I thought Black would leave me alone. You know? Rival house and all that." Severus laughed. "I don't think that helped you much Mina." Mina's eyes shifted to his black ones. "So it would appear. "I'll talk to him after the holiday. He's bound to be going home and I'm staying this year.

Remus chuckled. "Actually Peter is the only one going home from our year, his mom is sick." Mina stiffened and swung horror filled eyes to him. "He can't stay, this was supposed to be my break from them." Remus shook his head and shrugged. "I'll tell him to leave you alone but I doubt it will be much good." Mina sighed and returned to her work. "Severus, Lily are you staying?" Lily giggled. "Sorry Mina, I'm homeward bound and Severus was invited to holiday with me." Mina nodded as they continued to work. "Well then I'll talk to him over the holiday and then hide with Remus the rest of the time." Remus laughed and slipped an arm around her shoulders in a quick hug. "Don't worry Mina, I protect you from the Black Scion." Mina leaned against him slightly before straightening up and continuing to write. "See that you do, otherwise I wont be held accountable for my actions."

A/N: Reviews warm my heart and hasten this version of shadowed dreams. As a side note, I apologize for the lateness of this chapter. It took awhile to finish because I was lacking inspiration, which seems to be an ongoing issue for me, as far as this story is concerned. I will finish it, it's just taking longer then i would prefer.

-DJR