Chapter XXXIV

They couldn't believe it and were not sure what to really say. It was James who broke the silences as he turn to his two friends, "Blimey, well this is, um…I guess that makes you guys sorta distance related or something huh Padfoot, Moony?"

Sirius was thinking 'or something' was definitely on the mark while Remus was examining the painting more closely. The resemblance was astounding, like looking at an older version of them in say ten, twenty years from now. It was so uncanny and made him shudder inside while Moony couldn't help voice it out to him, even perhaps smiling with what he thought to him.

See it's destiny I tell you, you were made to be a Lycan. Even your mate looks like the queen herself!

He couldn't deny what Moony said with the proof right in front of him and not sure if he would have been able to make a reasonable excuse to deny his claim. His eyes were drawn to the Queen and again noticing how much she bears a remarkable likeness to Hermione and thinking back to what Tanis had said.

Could it be true then? Then that would make Hermione and Keller…but that couldn't be possible, could it? So many questions left answer and didn't know where to begin even while half the proof was right in front of them.

"So what happened?" Hermione asked, having a feeling there was more to the story than what Tanis said. Was there nothing else to tell about them, did they all perished in the end then like Tanis said?

The historian shook his head as there was nothing much to add to it beside what he knew, "No but few believe that the Vampire Queen and her lover were able to escape and were never heard from again, most likely dead but some still believe she's out there. But there were some other stories, a few say they hoard a secret treasure and were waiting for their successors to come find it.

"Of course some have tried but none ever came across it. Neither did they ever return."

He shut the book and then as he was turning around, "Now then if you don't mind, I'd like for you to—"

But before he could finish that, Keller, use the butt of her gun and hitting him right on the forehead, knocking him out so hard, that would have let him out cold for hours, perhaps days. They saw his body hit the table then falling down to the ground with a 'plop', books and papers falling as well over him. Keller turn and saw everyone gawking and she nonchalantly shrugged her shoulder as if to say, 'what, was going to anyway…' while putting her gun away.

She then checks the time on her watch, "We better get moving. Sunrise is in another few hours and better make this quick. Mione, you and Remus gather all the books you can, Sirius and James you help them and I'll care of this." She pulled out her wand and pointed at Tanis, "Obliviate!"

They watched him moaned as he lay there and Keller pocket her wand again. "He'll have no memory of us or what happened in the last few hours. I'll see to it that he had a little too much to drink and have one hell of a hangover when I'm done. Better hurry we can't waste time dilly-dallying." Everyone agreed and went to do as Keller told them and hurrying as fast they could.

When everyone met by the entrance, Remus and Hermione carrying a satchel pack with all the books they could find while heading back to where Orion and another Threstal were waiting for them.

"So you guys followed us here." It was pretty obvious and Hermione having guess this might happen. Sirius nodded, after he and James helped her with the bodies back in the tunnel. They weren't too sure if Tanis would buy it as Keller had made the women look to be mauled to dead while their guns having killed off one or two of the lycans and hoping that he would see it like that and when she finished join the othersThey hoped it seem believable of what occurred while he was 'drunk'. Sirius stood by Keller as she look to him waiting for what he had to say.

"We saw you guys acting odd and decided to check the map to see where you were going and taking James's cloak followed you and borrowed one of the Threstal. By the time we got here we saw Hermione being attack by one of them."

Remus looked over to Hermione, she didn't dare look to his eyes in case he might recall what she did before to that other Lycan. He moved to touch her hand and linked it with hers, giving it a small reassuring squeeze and seeing her look up, her brown eyes on him and was glad she was ok and not hurt at all. He would have been worried sick if he and the others hadn't followed and probably go mad if he thought she might've gotten attack or worse.

I'd follow her to the end of the earth if I have to just to keep her safe from harm. The group decided to split in two, Hermione and Remus on Orion while James and Sirius took the other Threstal as Keller extended her wings once more and took off to the sky.

They made it back to the school at around one o'clock in the morning. Orion and the other Threstal were return to their stalls and Hermione and Keller joined under the cloak with the boys to walk back up the castle. They made it to the portrait, whispering the password loudly, "Lionheart." And step in to the common room and made to split.

"Remus, do you think you can take these books and hide them somewhere safe?" Keller asked and Remus nodded, "Of course." Hermione handed the other satchel to him as he made to exit the room and said goodnight and left. Sirius and James went to the boy's stair and the girl's to theirs. "Keller, so what did you think of that? The story Tanis said of the two queens that is?"

Keller shrug, "To be honest I'm not sure but anything's possible and maybe there's more and Tanis might not have say but could be inside those books you know. Anyways most stories don't usually cover a lot but somehow in my gut tells me I have a feeling that we're going to find out and hopefully soon."

"Are you sure it's just not a bad stomachache?" Hermione teased but saw the way her cousin looked at her, "Trust me, my mom always told me to trust my instincts, they have never lead me wrong before." And went to bed asleep.

The next few days went by, in class and after as she, Keller, James, Remus and Sirius were reading all the books that were in Remus's Head boy room where they looked for any clue or hint as to the true origin of the two mistresses.

"For all we know anything possible." Hermione had finish one book, describing the differences between the two girls and boys from the story.

She found that the twin boys were almost the same except that one was a wolf only by day and then at night a man until the dark queen found a way for him to transform completely whenever he pleased unlike his brother. Remus sighed as he closed the other book. He had no better luck finding out anything from the books he had read either.

"Did you girls recall anything from those visions, anything that could be possibly helpful?"

Keller thought about it, trying to remember something back in the dark queen's chamber before they had tried to leave due to not wanting to stay in there.

"It's hard to say I mean we only been there twice and not sure how, it just does it random." She said catching everyone's attention, "It's not easy remembering when we only been there for what five to ten minutes last time."

"Yeah and I remember that back in the room where they had been discussing with Alexander, the other queen was wearing a pendant exactly like mine only hers was slightly different."

James shut his book and turn to them. "Ok so if you two can only find out if there's anything else there than we might be able to figure it out."

"Well that would be easy if we knew how and beside these happen at random so we don't know when to expect them?" Keller said, "You don't think that if we could we might have already done it by now." She rubbed her temple, "This had only happened twice and we're not sure if it will again."

"But what if you guys were to I don't know, try and dream it yourselves? Visualize it inside your mind or something?" Everyone looked to Lily who came into the room, she was well up to speed and inform of everything they had done before with visiting Tanis and returning with the books.

"You know that just might work if you both concentrate hard enough maybe, that's what I at least think. I read in a couple books that wizards or witches who concentrate and focus on that dream they'll be able to get there and possible get something out of them."

"Just like Nancy Thompson was able to pull a hat off Freddy Kruger from hers." Everyone now turn to Keller not sure what she was referring to, "It's a horror movie where this crazy killer who kills in people's dreams and oh never mind…"

"Right…ok so if you girls concentrate on the same dream just like your mind links it might work."

"I suppose it's worth a shot, don't you agree?" Hermione asked and Keller shrug seeing what else did they have to lose. "Why not." Both concentrated on the image of the castle to where they saw the dark queen's chamber and the other room. Nothing.

"Ok, well that didn't work."

"Maybe you need to be asleep in order to try it." James pulled out a pocket watch and held them in front of it, "Ok hypnotize might do the trick." The watch started moving sideways, "You are getting sleepy, sleepy, you're eyelids are getting heavy, heavier, weigh down by rocks. You will fall in a deep sleep, falling into a deep slumber and let your self unfold…"

Keller couldn't help but snort, this is ridiculous how is this suppose to help us I mean come on…

Come on Keller at least he's trying…

Keller sighed and closed her eyes for one second and then said, "Ok James it didn't work so let's try and—" She opened them and saw herself not in the room with James or the others but in some place underground.

"Oh my, Hermione we made it, we got to the…Mione? Mione?" She looked by her side to see no sight of Hermione anywhere, Mione!

Hermione had been thinking the same thing, along the lines where she and Keller would have to figure some other way, maybe ask Dumbledore for help.

"Well it was a good try James but maybe we should—" She opened her eyes and looked around, blinking and rubbing her eyes, wide with disbelief. "Ok, now I think you owe James an apology." She said turning to look to Keller but was not there by her side anymore.

Ok so she was alone, great. She felt in her pocket for her wand, pulled it out and said, "Lumos!" Well it seem to have work now the only thing was where exactly was she and where's Keller?!

Keller walked down the grimsly tunnel, hearing the sound of scurrying rats and droplets of water falling from the ceiling. "Great, I'm in some place that I have no clue where I am, Hermione's gone and I can't mind link with her and above all I'm having to try and figure out where I'm going. What's next another trap door opening under me?"

She took another step and then felt the floor slide from under her feet. Not this time! She jump back and grabbed onto the ledge, holding on for dear life. She took a peek around her shoulder, seeing the pikes below with skeleton bodies hanging there and could've been her on one of those poles. She pulled herself back up and looked back down thinking that was close.

"Sorry old chaps but I prefer to keep myself from getting stake thank you!" She was walking away from the trap before feeling another open and didn't have the chance to avoid and falling through it this time.

NOT AGAIN!

Hermione thought she was in some lair as the tip of her wand illuminated the room. There were some furniture, broken or scratch apart with claws and teeth. She saw a bloody paw on the ground.

"Must have been a werewolf's." She said looking to the paw print on the ground and kept moving forward. Shredded tapestries hung on the wall, a pack of wolves and a white moon hanging in the sky.

There was a tapestry of a wolf and a woman who could've passed herself off as Diana, the Greek goddess of the hunt and moon but it was the same woman Hermione had seen.

The queen of the moon and the wolf beside her had to be her Lycan lover. She saw there was something under the cloth that was cover in dirt and hard to read the fading words but Hermione grabbed the edge of her sleeve and wipe the dirt of gently.

"By day a woman and by light of the moon a wolf. Let the wolfs bane by their mistress side and pray not to the man of God, let them find what they seek behind her secret to the world beyond."

"The world beyond…oh the underworld that must what it means!" But she's dead but wait what if it means the room where she's buried, a crypt! Of course, it has to be a hidden chamber that's got to be it. Ok one thing so far but how to find it. Let the wolfs bane, that's not even proper grammar, it's suppose to be wolves if plural…wolfs bane…wolfsbane! "That's it!"

She looked about the room, trying to find wolfsbane but found the monkshood, "Pray not to the man of God." She grabbed the plant and wonder what she was suppose to do with them. She looked back to the inscription. There was a little faded writing on the last part.

"Mixed in blood and behold the way to the world of the wolf." Ok, mix the plant with her blood, she found a small ceramic bowl, and using a small severing spell, made a small cut to her wrist and pour it on top of the plant. She watched as the blood caused the plant to shrivel and smoke while smelling like acidic as she tried to cover her mouth.

Merlin what was she suppose to do now, the whole room was being covered and smelling disgusting. It was almost like fog and the only thing she could see was the moon on one of the tapestry with the forest, soon that moon seem to glow and the forest seem to become bigger from it small captivity.

Could that be the way, she walked towards where the forest was and stepping out of the room where the smoke continue to cover the whole place. She hope she was heading in the right direction.

Keller felt like she was sliding down a long and narrow slide, too slick and no edges to grab onto before she landed on the ground with a smack.

"God, oww son of a—!" She got up and looked around while rubbing her sore bum. Ok now where am I? She walked down a walkway where it was almost too dark to see anything but saw up ahead some sort of door with a symbol to it.

Ok, a door but a door to what exactly? Better to be extra careful because it could be more of those goddamn booby traps. She edge carefully in case there was another set of them before making to the door.

"Ok made it, but what's behind door number one?" She carefully crack the door open and looked inside. She couldn't see anything in there but thought there was nothing.

Yes but appearance can be deceiving. She opened the door more and walked in.

Hermione was now walking in a forest, it was as she could smell the pine and feel the wet earth beneath her feet. She thought she heard noises but being careful as she walked further on and on until she saw a light up ahead.

Where was it coming from? She was about to go after it but remember that this might not be wise without knowing what it was.

For all I know, I could be following something to a trap. She walked carefully, peering through tree branches, seeing she was getting close to somewhere. Then she saw a cave, and as she got closer, the forest becoming less dense and more dry and firm like walking on cobblestone and then heading down a spiral staircase.

Wherever this is going it better not be a trap. I hope Keller's doing all right?

Keller step into the room, it was bare and empty. "Well either this was emptied out long before I got here or I'm in one of those rooms where they try to trick those tomb robbers like what they did in Egypt for the pharaohs."

She scan the room, feeling the ground under her before feeling something that did not match the smooth floor.

Ok, what is it? She found her fingers fitting into some holes that with her strength turn the hatch and activated a mechanism from under her. She listen to the grinding of metal and the hatch splitting apart as she wait with abate breath seeing a stone slab rise from the floor right in front of her.

A stone casket stood in front of her and she slowly grabbed the hinges of the door and open it.

Hermione thought these stairs would never end until she reached the bottom. God how far down was this going to go? She saw up ahead a narrow hall with torches lighting as she walked past them. She saw carving of wolves, men half transform and completely on them, etched in the structure with fierce anger and baying towards the moon. She walked further, having the feeling someone was watching her.

Ok, Mione relax you can do this no one is behind you. She quicken her pace just in case but didn't allow her fear to get the best of her. The murals were still a bit unnerving as she finally made it to the end and saw a mound of some sort with a tomb on top. Walking slowly, she went up the stairs and peered inside the box.

Keller pulled back as she stared at the figure before her, suppressing a gasp as she step toward the bier.

A supine figure was laid out in the slab, a skeletal figure that looked like a dry withered, lifeless mummy, nothing but fragile bones shrink-wrapped in papery brown skin. The closed eyes were so sunken in that they looked to have been only empty sockets. The lips pulled back, revealing yellow fangs locked in a death-head's grin. Keller shuddered thinking this must be what it's like to sleep over many centuries, if she hadn't known better she would have thought this was a dead corpse not a once living breathing vampire.

But not just any vampire, it was the queen of vampires. "The dark queen of the night."

She stared at the figure, seeing all the hollowed drawn features on the once beautiful face, the thin jerky body that had been once touched and made love to by her lover. Keller saw that there was something embedded in her chest. She edge closer and saw it was what she had been looking for.

It was the key, the one that she had seen inside the queen's jewelry box, the one that had an exact image to the pendant around her neck. She touched her own and then pressed her fingers over the other across from her. A wave of energy washed over her, like a powerful surge and drew back and the feeling disappeared.

"Ok this will be tricky." She said as she saw the thing was stuck to her wither chest. Keller took a deep breath, putting her fingers around the key and pried it off. At first it wouldn't come out, and had to pull harder with all her hybrid strength until she heard the flesh squishing and then come right off. Bits of dead skin and dry blood stuck to it but Keller held it in her hand. She had a suddenly headache and then heard voices. Two voices were inside her head talking.

My queen are you sure of this? There must be another way! It was a male who spoke, the lover!

The other voice, the queen, sound drawn and tired. Immortality can be wearing and with my sister and your brother dead, I feel I can no longer sustain in a world where our own children dare to turn and kill us.

Please reconsider this…there has to be another way. I can't afford to lose you my love…

I'm afraid I have already decided. When the time comes, you know what to do. Farewell my beloved, I will only hope to see you again in the other world when it's time…

Then the voices stopped and she stared at the queen in front of her. What did she mean, 'You will know what to do when the time comes?' As Keller was pondering this she did not sense the soft padding of footstep but heard the growling as she turn around and saw it lung at her.

Hermione couldn't believe her eyes after she pushed the heavy lid off. There were two bodies inside but she knew who one of them was. It was she, the Queen of the Moon and her lover, side by side, pale and still.

But I thought Tanis said that the only two survive was the other queen and her lover. She made to touch the Lycan's sunken face but then felt something in her mind and saw images whirling.

A fire was blazing, bright and burning. The shrilled scream of their falling brethren he heard as he tried to stand up. The wound to his side burns like acid even as he moved, the poison silver; the villain had used silver on him and his queen!

He turn to see her lying in a pool of blood, her once beautiful eyes glazed over and her lips red with her own lifeblood. He had to get them out of here, he had to find the other queen and his brother. She might be able to save her!

Staggering up to his feet, he moved to her side and slowly picked up her body, feeling the slow weigh of her death carry on her as he tried to race for the exit. The bodies of many of his fallen comrades and while some scattering burning around him, he did his best to avoid them before moving to one of the huge-glass stain windows were and race through it.

The glass rain down on him as he fell to the ground, holding his beloved close to him and still running to the safety of the forest and only looking once behind to where their home, their castle was slowly burn away to the sky.

Oh my love, I had failed my duties to protect you…He turned his eyes away the castle to the hidden trap that was leading to their secret passage to the crypt. He walked down tunnel leading up to the cave where his mistress and him gone multiple times alone for their own privacy from the others in the castle. He enter the dismal room where he laid her body on the bier.

I know what must be done my love…and set about, setting her hands over her heart, the key lying on top her bosom, covering the wound that the scoundrel had puncture with his sword. He cup her face in his hand and trace her lips with the blood, wiping it away before whispering, 'I will see you soon in the other world with this poison I have that your sister made long ago with her magic.'

A black vial in his hand, 'Nightshade, mixed with other deadly poison of which I shall drink and lie beside you." He put the vial to his lips and swallowed, feeling the poison enter his body and make short work as it course through his veins and feeling it do its' magic. He had not much time left as he pressed one last kiss to her and lays by her side and closed his eyes the final time.

Hermione blinked confused and stared back down at them. She could not believe it. The lover had been alive and had taken his beloved here for the two to be buried together. Looking to where the key lying on her chest, she muster the strength to grab the key without breaking their position.

"Got it!" She held it in her hand before stuffing it in her pocket and was going to leave when something grabbed her arm out of nowhere in a vise-like grip. She turned around and stare in horror then screamed.

Keller could have sworn she heard Hermione but was not one to dally long as her adversary was trying to chomp down on her throat. Her wings came out and were flying up to the ceiling and landing on a ledge, safe and look down at him as he growled at her from below.

Ok, there's a guard dog guarding her room, should have seen this coming! She watched as the massive werewolf moved to the pillars, using his claws to grip them as he moved up and up.

"Ok should have that as well!" She dove down as she rushed to the door and where the Lycan lunge at her but she escape and closed the door. The door rattled but she held it tight and this time really heard Hermione screaming.

"Mione, where are you?!" She yelled desperately while holding down the door, wishing for something to block it.

Hermione, Keller! Wake up! Wake up! Hermione was hearing someone calling her name as she struggled against the hand that was on her throat threatening to cut off her oxygen. She was staring at those sunken pale blue glazed eyes of the dead Lycan that had somehow reached up and grabbed her. She saw it baring its teeth, ready to take a bite from her but was listening to the other voice to wake up. Com'n wake up, wake up!

"Diffindo!" She point at him and watched as the arm separated from the body, whatever little flesh holding it together fell apart and falling back and then saw a bright light appeared and before she knew it was being taken in by it.

Keller found herself lying on the floor in the room and finding Sirius and James by her side.

"What happened? One minute you seem here but then you were—" Lily screamed and everyone including Keller saw Hermione struggling with a skeletal hand around her throat. Sirius and James quickly help unlatched it while Remus went to her side, checking if she was all right as she gasped for air.

"I'm fine, really I am." She watched as the two were struggling with the still convulsing hand before James open one of the drawers and Sirius threw it in and quickly shut it. The two held it down as it rattled inside its' locked compartment before it stopped. Everyone was still as James slides the drawer open and stare inside and a look of relief came over his face.

"No worries now, it's dead, I think." Sirius peer in and then pulled back, holding his hand over his nose, "Yeah and phew it stinks! Lily I think you're going to have to disinfect it later cause it's going to reek in there for a while."

"Whatever, I don't want to have that attack Hermione or anyone else it feels like grabbing on." Sirius nodded as he joined over to Keller's side to check if she was all right seeing she wasn't bruised up or anything but was shaken a little, "I think we'll ask you guys about that later…"

"Yeah, good thing you got us back, otherwise I would be maul by a huge ass Lycan by now…"

"Or choked to death by a dead one." Hermione said, rubbing her neck and then turn to Keller, "So you found it?"

"Yeah you?" Hermione rummaged in her pocket and pulled it out. "Same here." Keller showed the other key in her hand. James looked smug and turn towards Remus and elbow him jovial, "See I told you that hypnotizes thing would work."