XxX

Springs thaw had come and gone from Hogsmead, the green grass of spring having given way to early summer's merciless heat. The Semester at Hogwarts was long over, the student's having gone home to holiday with their families and friends.

I emerged from the shadows of the forest on a warm night in mid June, covered in dirt and considerably more wild-looking than I had ever intended, but substantially stronger. However, I was more reckless than before, now having no bonds and needing no one.

The memory of the boy still haunted me, and I found myself stealing newspapers for any word of him. There it was, June 1st: car accident near Northallerton, DUI. No survivors.

I sat back against the trees, wiping my forehead. I had been stupid to save him.

It was this news the prepared me for battle, and to battle, I had to re-emerge into the Wizarding world.

I began my re-emergence with a visit to Dumbledore's office, appearing in the form of mist before slowly recomposing myself in the chair in front of his desk. My time in the forest had certainly not been a waste. On the contrary, a hunt, a truly wild, purely instinctual hunt was the best sort of training a vampire could obtain.

"My apologies for not sending word of my arrival beforehand." I said, as he looked at me patiently from over his half-moon spectacles, waiting for me to finish recomposing. "I was indisposed."

"That's quite all right, Integra, I knew this day would come eventually." He said, opening a drawer. "I took the liberty to alert the ministry to your tragic, accidental death. I have to say; well played."

I sat across from him in my tattered, soil-stained clothes, my hands folded patiently on my lap as I repressed a smile. His eyes sparkled, though his lips remained as straight as they ever were as he passed my gun and wand across the desk to me.

"Let's see how long that lasts." I sighed, leaning back in a pose reminiscent of The Count. "The question is, does Anna know, and what of Dante? How are they?" I immediately cursed myself for the question. I had told myself repeatedly I did not require their companionship…

"Dante is still in the care of Dr. Van der Zanden, though he seems to be doing perfectly well. Augustijn moved his wife and son here from Holland last month due to a strange occurrence after your disappearance."

My interest immediately peaked. "Did it have to do with another vampire?"

Dumbledore looked surprised, but nodded sagely. "Yes, indeed it did…how on earth did you guess?"

I sighed, leaning back. "It was just a dream."

"Dreams still hold powerful sway over people, even the undead."

I immediately felt a tinge of shame, though I bit it back. "Yes, unfortunately…I was worried over Dante at the time. I didn't deem it important enough to tell anyone."
Dumbledore looked upset, but said nothing to confirm that he was. "Tell me about the dream."

"I don't recall much of it, save for it was...a dream of a nightmare of the Count." Reluctantly, I recounted most of the details as Dumbledore's face grew stern, his eyes taking on a hard edge.

"This is troubling, Integra…very troubling. You should have told me what you knew a long time ago."

"I know I should have, but I didn't, and there nothing that can be done now." I said, my tone more harsh than intended.

"And Anna? What about Anna?"

The office was silent, a soft halo of dust falling from the wide, sunlit windows. Dumbledore shifted, his eyes falling from a smiling gaze.

"She stopped attending class after you left and dropped out. The last I heard of her, she was talking about Romania."

"Romania?"

"Yes, I don't know what she's planning on doing there, but I can assure you that it has something to do with this…" He reached back into the drawer and retrieved a familiar looking black-bound book, passing it across the table. Gold letters were stamped across the binding, glaring back at me through the sunlight as I reached a trembling hand for the book.

'Dracula' by Bram Stoker.

I had seen her with it when I had first brought Dante in: she had been using it as a reference book on how to prevent vampirism.

"After you disappeared she spent all of her time in the library or with Dr. Van der Zanden, who begged her not to go. She's a strong willed girl, that one…"

"Romania is dangerous…she doesn't know what she's getting in to."

"I think she does. She spent a lot of time with Professor…former Professor Lupin…"

"Former? What happened?"

"We'll just say some parents found out that there was a werewolf teaching at Hogwarts, and they weren't entirely happy about it."

"Lycanthropes have even less rights than Vampires…"

Dumbledore nodded and I stood up, taking the book and tucking it under my arm with my gun and my wand. Something seemed off, as if Anna was leaving a trail of clues for me…

"Well, I suppose I should go stop Anna."

"Be careful, Integra. She's dangerous now. That mind and that spirit, you were right to choose her, but her temper…"

"I'll be fine." I said dismissively, waving my hand politely and smiling. What was the worst she could do?

"That reminds me." Dumbledore said, his eyes aglow with amusement. "Madame Trelawney took a liking to Dante and decided to read his fortune. I think you'll be amused by it."

He handed me a piece of parchment. I took it, slightly annoyed that that hippie would pry into Dante's life in such a way.

"A dreadful tale of nameless fame;
A man, a woman, and a vampire's dame,
One, A Harbinger of Heaven, the darkest flame,
The second went mad from the foul game,
And the last the King of Hell became"

I looked down at the piece of paper, a chill running down my body. I wanted to laugh it away, but there was a ring of possability to it. I folded it gently, tucking it inside the novel that Anna had left.

"Is that all, sir?" I asked, rising to my feet. He nodded, folding his hands and looking at me.

"You know this will most likely be the last time we see each other alive." He said plainly from behind his gently folded hands. Reluctantly, I looked up at him.

"Let's just hope it isn't."

XxX

Dumbledore had miraculously kept most of my things, and after bathing and changing my clothes, I set out to find Dr. Van der Zanden, in the hopes of finding out a little more about Anna's plan of action.

Hogsmead was a big risk for me, but thankfully I was able to keep to the back alleys, ducking only into the seediest establishments to ask for directions in regards to the Van der Zanden household.

I felt it growing dark by the time I found a man who knew only vaguely of whom I spoke, referring to Dr. Van der Zanden as 'that Dutch bloke'. We exchanged a few words before he sent me out of town to a small orchard.

The Van dr Zanden's house wasn't difficult to find. It was sizeable, not ridiculously huge, but not horribly cramped like many of the houses in London. The scene was very nearly pastoral in appearance, and there was something incredibly enjoyable about this modest house, surrounded by a blossoming orchard in the dying sunlight.
Within I could smell a woman, cooking over an open fire as many women in the wizarding world do. Dr. Van der Zanden was upstairs somewhere, but there was no sign of Dante or Anna, though both of their scents lingered in this place.

I opened the whitewashed gate, stopping just shy of the tulips that flanked the open kitchen door.

I looked up at the house, it's windows lit golden in the sunset, a chill running down my spine. Another vampire was near, just in the trees…watching me like a great predator. It was female, more powerful than the Count…could it have been Lillith? I shook my head. No, there was no reason for her to be here…
There was a quiet feeling of despair surrounding the small cottage, and perhaps that is what made it so attractive to me.

"Doctor! Herr Van der Zanden!" I called to the open window. I saw a face appear, pulling the curtain back for a second before I heard a commotion in the kitchen.

"Miss Black! Get in here!" Dr. Van der Zanden came out to meet me, grasping my shoulder with an iron grip and practically dragging me inside. He seemed older than I recalled, his face more sunken and harried and his hair peppered with a bit more grey. Perhaps it was the firelight, but his features seemed much more rugged and angular than before.

"Sit down, please." he pulled a chair out for me as his wife turned from the fire, casting me an apprising look from behind her sea-grey eyes. Dr. Van der Zanden seemed nervous, almost jumpy, his pulse was up, his blood was rushing.

"You should have told me we would be having a dinner guest, Augustijn." Mrs. Van der Zanden said, straightening up and smoothing out the lines in her apron, brushing a cloud of flour from the bleached muslin folds.

"No, no." I said raising me hands and declining as politely as I could muster. "I just came for a few moments to discuss something with Dr. Van der Zanden."

Mrs. Van der Zanden nodded, her full mouth twitching at the edges. Something was bothering her, as well.

"Mein dear Uta…" Dr. Van der Zanden muttered, pulling up a chair beside mine and addressing his wife adoringly. "This is Integra Black…the vampire I told you about."
I didn't know how I felt about this, but Mrs. Van der Zanden looked somewhat relieved. I felt uncomfortable in their house, but I felt a great deal safer than I had been outside.

"Doctor, you know I don't like to waste time." he cut me off before I could finish.

"I am happy you chose tonight to finally re-emerge."

I blinked. "Why?"

"Miss. Anna left this morning…but I doubt that has much to do with the problem at hand…"

"What is it?"

"Hans, my son, went out on errand and hasn't returned. Dante went out after him an hour ago. I was readying to go after them myself when you came…Miss Integra, I know we have not seen eye to eye in the past, but your clan is needing you now, and I as well."

I winced slightly at him calling us a 'clan', a wave of guilt sweeping over me as the full selfishness of my act hit me. I had been a bad vampire, I had abandoned my 'clan' when they needed me the most…

"Please come help me look for him, I fear something horrible is afoot here…"

I nodded, standing up. "Dumbledore told me of a female visitor…"

Dr. Van der Zanden nodded, standing and grabbing his coat from a hook on the door. "Yes, a powerful female Nosferatu. I though by description she was you, but Miss. Anna and I encountered her on the road one night. She was nothing like you. I have reason to believe she is older and more powerful than Dracula…" He stopped, glancing around the kitchen before his eyes fell on his wife. "Uta, I needn't instruct you…"

Uta nodded, reaching into her apron pocket and pulling out a rather impressive, sleek looking gun. It looked as though it was a repeating arm, similar in principal to mine, though a great deal newer and a much higher caliber. She loaded a clip into it with mind numbing ease, her face taking on a grim sort of toughness.

"Always ready, Augustijn." she said with a sad, beleaguered smile, her lips curved upwards at the edges and the folds about her eyes deepened. She was obviously full of fire and spunk, despite her composed demeanor beside the crackling fire. Not someone I would want on my bad side.

"Come, then, Integra, I would advise readying your gun."

XxX

A/n: ...I really shouldn't write poetry. It makes me look bad.