Sirius, I can now say for certain, is a man who possesses a great gentleness in his heart of hearts, despite his fierce exterior. I do not believe that he did, or would ever, harbor the will to do a true wrong.

He is not a Black of the family I knew, for perhaps if I had met any family member such as he, I would not have been so dour in Life.

Miraculously, he was able to console Dante, who's panicked and somewhat effeminate frenzy was unlike any I had seen, but even more miraculously, he was able to calm me long enough to get Dante the help he needed. I was afraid to use magic, technically being an 'underage' wizard, the Ministry could and would, no doubt, track me via my wand. I wouldn't have put it past them, anyhow.

Surgeons are difficult to come by, especially in the small hours of the morning, but this was what Dante was in dire need of. I found a sleepy Muggle Veterinarian, whom I was able to enchant long enough to stop the bleeding and fix him up enough for me to get him to Hogwarts.

Dante was reluctant to go with me alone, but Sirius talked him into it. I asked Sirius to come with us, but he only let out a barking laugh.

"I think I've visited Hogwarts enough this month." Was his only reply before waving us off on a stolen broomstick.

I was careful, bordering on paranoid, when traveling with Dante now. I didn't want the frail, muggle stitches to tear open, nor was I certain when I would lose control over myself again. It scared me. Especially when I thought of Anna.

What if I couldn't control myself? There were many times when we were together that her blood could be…

Riding with Dante, his blood so close and fresh, was maddening. I took every ounce of my patience and careful self-discipline to just be that close to him, let alone have him between my arms. It didn't help that the muggle anesthetic was making him sleepy and dim. He was everything a vampire looked fro in a victim…

I shook my head as Dante and I dropped lower to the mountains, the trees rising to meet us. Hogsmead was drawing close…as was a horrible looking snowstorm. I dropped the broom lower to prevent getting caught up in the clouds.

"It's cold here." Dante murmured, his soft voice slurred softly.

"Just a bit longer, I promise…Madame Pomfrey will fix you up good as new…" I said with a forced cheer.

The tops of the trees were now literally touching our feet, and I was forced to pull up into the thin wisps of the clouds.

I circled the cemetery, spotting three ministry wizards hiding behind one of the mausoleum's. I scoffed, redirecting my course to the Forbidden Forest.

I could hear the wolves howling below, the centaurs capering on their nightly hunt, and the presence of a dark familiarity as smooth and as dark as black velvet. I shuddered, swooping up towards the castle, it's jewel-colored windows irradiant with warm light. Dante withdrew against me as I circled the Owlry, spotting Dumbledore holding a large, great horned owl in his left hand.

"Ah, Integra!" he called as I lighted down on the parapet, propping Dante up as carefully as I could. "I am pleased to see you have made it back with your head still attached. This must be Signor Esposito."

"Si." Dante slurred darkly from beneath the collar of his dark velvet robes. "Signore Dumbllly-dorrre….assume." He offered the older man a hand in a manner befitting of a woman expecting a kiss. Dumbledore let out a deep laugh at this, his blue eyes sparkling in the dim light.

"There was a terrible…" I stopped. I had almost said accident. It was no accident…I had deliberately gone after his blood. "Something terrible has happened…"

"There will be time to talk later, my dear Integra, but I see Signor Esposito is in need of medical attention."

XxX

I sat quietly in Dumbledore's office, staring up at the innumerable paintings of wizards and witches, many whispering quietly behind their hands as they stared back down at me. On Dumbledore's desk sat a recent copy of the Daily Prophet. I sat back in the carved wooden chair I had seated myself in. As tempting as it was, I didn't want to read whatever sordid lies the Ministry was spreading…

I heard the door open behind me, Dumbledore coming in looking more tired and drawn than I had ever seen him. I stood when he entered, folding my hands out of habit.

"So, how much damage is done? What is your body count?"

"Directly at my hand, there is only one: Mrs. De Lombardi…but Mr. Esposito and I were assaulted on the border of France and Germany by Illuminati. I had you use one as a human shield. I did not expect his comrades to disregard his life in such a crude way."

Dumbledore made a sound, looking down at me, his eyebrows drawing together until they nearly met in the middle.

"And how many borders did you cross? Just Italy, France, and England?"

"No, I personally had to go into Germany to evade the Illuminati. I sent Dante ahead to Cheddar."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully, stoking his beard absently. "I see, I see…"

"How is Dante?"

"He's resting comfortably in the Hospital wing. I had to tell Madam Pomfrey what happened. She's concerned now."

"Are you concerned?"

Dumbledore stopped, looking at me patiently, resting a slender hand on my shoulder.

"Integra, I have known you for a very long time, and never have I assumed that you would be the sort to carry out a senseless attack such as this." He gripped my scarf now, pulling at the end. I winced as it moved across the raw flesh, the knit fabric coming off in Dumbledore's hands. "I do not believe that you intentionally injured our friend, Dante. But I have been wrong before." He added as an afterthought, tilting my head up and brushing stiff, black hair away from my wound.

He let out a sigh that seemed more sad than anything else. He handed the scarf back to me, sitting down at his desk. "I admit, it's not looking good for you, though."
There was a considerable silence, Dumbledore deep in thought as we both peered into the fire.

"It would seem that there is a rough road ahead of you, Integra. Dante has agreed to plead your case before the Ministry, as will I. You needn't worry about that, but I wonder…that bite on your neck, the International Community's willingness to get rid of vampires…to get rid of you…it makes me wonder if there is a missing piece to this puzzle."

"Albus, if you know something that I don't…" He held up his hand, a slight smile gracing his features.

"I am not saying that, but I am saying that there is something amiss, and something that does not seem quite right here, especially now that we have a Methuselah on our hands."

"Do you really think that it was a Methuselah?" I asked, a prickle running down my skin as he spoke the old Hebrew name.

"Possibly, in fact, more possible than I would like it to be. It is possible that it was a vampire that can no longer sustain itself on human or animal blood and is thus reduced to drinking the blood of other vampires…or…" His silvery eyebrows knit together. "There is only one other vampire that I know of who engaged in this behavior, and I would like to think that he would be considerably less cruel…"

"You are acting as if is someone I know?"

Dumbledore looked at me from over the top of his spectacles. "Tell me everything that happened within the clearing."

I sat back, crossing my knees as I recounted the tale, thinking deeply as I did so. Clearly, there was something within the tale that Dumbledore wanted me to see for myself. A heavy silence fell upon the room when I finished, my eyes falling on him. I knew now what impossible thing it was that he wanted me to see.

"I do not believe it was the Count."

"Vlad was the only vampire of which I am aware that could recover from what he went through, and drinking the blood of other vampires would certainly aid in his…"

I stood up, anger surging through my veins. "Listen here, Albus! It is simply impossible! Why would he have waited so long to return to me! Why would he keep me waiting, why would he victimize me in such a dire time! It cannot be! He would not do that!" My voice had risen with such passion that it left a ringing silence in it's wake.

Dumbledore was still patient, his eyes following me with sad kindness.

"It is something we cannot dismiss, though. As I said, I cannot imagine him being so cruel about it, not to you, anyway. He was a ruthless man and a bloodthirsty king, but he loved you, Integra. He would not be so cruel to you."

I stood there, my arms shaking as I felt tears well up in my eyes. I didn't want to cry, not here, and not now, anyway. Dumbledore's expression softened and he sat down.

"I occasionally forget that you are not so young and foolish anymore. Forgive me."
There was a heavy silence that fell, leaving only the murmur of the portraits and the whirr of innumerable brass instruments in it's wake. The fire popped, bringing me back to the present.

"How is Anna." I said softly.

A merry smile spread across Dumbledore's features at the change of subject.

"Ah, Miss Le Croux…I believe I have located her buried behind books over the course of the break…"

I nodded, placing my hands in the pockets of my tattered coat, looking down in hesitation.

"It is no sin, Integra, to feel the way you do. Annabelle is a charming young woman, her temper aside, there is very little about her that is not easy love."
I looked up sheepishly. "Is it so obvious."

Dumbledore's twinkle was back, shining behind his half-moon spectacles. "Hardly."

My eyes closed to him and I let out a habitual sigh. "What am I going to tell her?"

"The truth, I hope."

XxX

I walked quickly beside Dumbledore, struggling even as a vampire to match the tall man's long strides.

It seemed as if there was a new understanding between he and I, as if a new chapter of friendship had began. I was still a little emotionally raw form his bring up the Count, but I knew this would heal with time. For the time being, though, it seemed as though I was finally making the bonds I had never had as a living person. I found it disgustingly ironic, to say the least.

The door to the Infirmary opened and I saw naught but a blur before I felt something hard collide with my face, a light weight hitting my chest. I stumbled back in surprise, not expecting to be assaulted so weakly within the sanctuary of Hogwarts.

I looked up to see Anna's green eyes narrow dangerously like a cats, glasses agleam in the bright light. Her jaw was set in a manner htat drew her lips into a thin angry line, and her cheeks were blooming the palest shade of pink. Never had I seen such an expression of anger and love. With nothing better to do, I began to laugh, the pain in my neck surging despite my relief.

"You could have been killed!" Anna's cockney accent was becoming more and more prevalent as each syllable fell from her lips.

I brushed myself off, standing up and glancing over at Dumbledore, who's eyes were sparkling behind his spectacles.

"Anna, I have something very important to tell you." I said, shying away from her slightly. I didn't want to be around her, not because I didn't like her, obviously, but because I was afraid of another outburst from me…

"Like hell you do! This Italian bloke is prattling nonsense about you being a vampire!"

"I'd like to make certain Dante is okay before anything else…" I said, raising my hands to lower her voice.

Dumbledore put his hand on my shoulder. "Don't forget." he said sternly, unwrapping the heavy scarf around my neck.

Anna backed away in horror and Dumbledore's jaw set firmly.

"How in bloody hell did you get that!" Anna, having quite forgotten her manners, was now openly pointing at the wound in my neck.

"Like I said, I'll explain later. I just need…" I began quietly, glancing over at the sound of an opening door.

Madam Pomfrey was walking quickly towards us, her nurses uniform fluttering around her as she approached.

"What is all this commotion!" The older woman hissed, her eyes flashing dangerously. "First you bring me a half dead Italian, now he gets no rest?"

"My dear Integra is in need of some help."

Madam Pomfrey's jaw sat with scorn, looking at the wound in my neck. "I don't help Vampires."

"Vampire!" Anna hissed, her eyes flashing again as they fell on me.

"I just need blood, that's all…I'll be fine once I rest a little." I said dismissively. "there's a pretty good chunk missing, but…"

Anna was looking at me, my voice lost in my throat. This was not how I wanted to tell her. I had pictured it much different, and now…

"Madam Pomfrey, you are here to heal students of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Miss Black is in fact, a student of Hogwarts. You had no moral hesitation about healing Mr. Esposito, and he is, in fact, not a Hogwarts student…" Dumbledore said smoothly, helping me remove my coat. "It would be tragic if I had to re-examine your employment here…"

I could no longer look into Anna's eyes as Madam Pomfrey let out a sigh, leading me into the infirmary. I spotted Dante resting quietly on a bed in the far end of the wing, but Madam Pomfrey led me into her office, Anna and Dumbledore in tow.

Madam Pomfrey reluctantly fixed me up, supplying me with a packet of blood to suck on while she stitched up the gaping hole.

My eyes remained on the floor through the whole thing. I didn't want to look at Anna, I didn't want to think about our ensuing conversation, of the deep betrayal of friendship I was certain she felt…

"Are you okay?" Anna asked quietly after Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore had left to have a small talk about Dante.

Reluctantly, I raised my eyes, looking into her soft green ones. Her brow furrowed slightly, but I nodded, smiling fully to reveal my sharpened teeth. She didn't react.

"Quite. It's nothing I haven't endured before."

I felt her fist collide with my face again, my chair rocking backwards and tipping over on the floor. I stared up at the paneled ceiling in shock, just laying there, the blood packet crinkling in my hand, my coat askew.

"Who are you, really! What kind of bollocks have you been feeding me all long?"

I rolled over, sitting up.

"I haven't lied to you, at all. I wanted to protect you from the truth. I wanted to be your friend, and in case you haven't noticed, Vampires are not exactly welcome in the Wizarding world. I was afraid you wouldn't want to have anything to do with me if you knew."

Anna's eyebrow raised as I stood up, correcting the chair.

"Allow me to explain, please…I owe you that much, along with an apology."

"How long have you been a vampire?"

"Anna."

"How. Long. Have. You. Been. A. Vampire." Anna snarled tersely.

"Since 1943." I said softly, hanging my head. "it's not a new development…"

Anna stepped closer, her pale skin shining in the false light of madam Pomfrey's office. It was as if I saw her in a new perspective, each contour of her face now in vivid and beautiful detail, from the soft rose-pink tint of her lips to the pale brown freckles that faintly peppered her skin beneath her eyes.

There was rage and grace behind her eyes as she recovered from her anger, gathering control over herself once again.

"I have so many questions…I can't believe…my best friend is a vampire."

A/n: huh, hmm....I have nothing to say...