"Welcome ladies and gentlemen to the Magical Mystery Tour. Hold on to your seats because you're about to be bowled over by the wonders I'm going to show you tonight!"
As Ted lay awake back in his hotel room, memories of light and music filling his head he had to conclude that tonight truly had been exciting.
He never thought that magic could be so entertaining when paired with an orchestra, flashy effects and a humorous announcer.
He and his friends, including Matt, had all had a pretty cool time and Matt even treated them out for ice cream when the show was over. They talked about mundane subjects like what they would do once school started and other things. Along the way Ted learned a lot about the older boy. He was nice; always calm and collected and he stood up for the important things like friends and family. And even with the age difference and employment status Matt didn't treat Ted and his friends any less than other kids his age.
Ted could see why others at school looked up to him. Ted himself liked him too.
But still, something at the back of his mind was nudging him.
"Didn't anyone tell you? My dad's a vampire."
Ted frowned. The whole time he'd met Mr. Jeevas and seen him on stage he certainly didn't seem like a vampire. More of an average man dressed up like one.
He'd never met a vampire before and that notion had left him somewhat excited and disappointed when Mr. Jeevas and Matt didn't turn into a bat and shy away from sunlight like people said they would.
Then again, surely vampires were just normal people as well right? Like werewolves and goblins and all sorts of magical beings. It wouldn't do Ted any good to start believing in Muggle fairy tales.
Instead he focused on something else. What would such a relationship mean? Being the kid of a werewolf Ted knew that having a dad with some sort of "condition" could be problematic. Ted knew his dad feared that he wouldn't love him anymore for who he was but Ted had always been stubborn like his mother anyways.
Ted didn't even know if Matt was vampire himself. Was it genetic? Was it transferable? Would Matt hate Mr. Jeevas for giving his condition to him? Would Ted if he'd been born a werewolf?
Ted shook his head and got off his bed. He knew he loved his dad but did Matt love his? He'd already met one person who couldn't stand his dad and quite frankly Ted didn't want to meet another.
"Dad's are supposed to be special. They're supposed to love you and encourage you and help you when you're down," Ted thought to himself. He'd believed that all his life and he knew how lucky he was already. His dad had a job and their family was still together after all these years. Was it the same for Matt? Surely it wasn't the same all over the world. He'd learned that by now.
And realizing that he really knew almost nothing about his new friend Ted's thirst for knowledge had him walking to the door of their hotel room, slipping his shoes back on and walking out into the hallway.
And there he stood for a few good minutes wondering whether or not to proceed with his half formed plan.
"He's awake. I know he is. You're not an insomniac if you're asleep. Unless you take those pills but he doesn't look like the kind of guy who does that often," Ted rambled to himself.
Ted glanced somewhat hesitantly to find no one in the halls and he rushed to the door beside his room.
He made a fist and was just about to knock gently when, as if on cue, the door swished open and Ted was left starting rather dumbly at the man before him.
Q looked just about ready to go out for a smoke as he had an unlit cigarette sticking out of his mouth and a lighter in one hand.
Ted quickly recovered from his shock and instead asked rather bluntly.
"Tell me what you know about vampires."
If Q was surprised he certainly didn't show it as he took his cigarette out of his mouth and ushered Ted back into the hallway.
"Thought your father was a teacher," Q observed quietly and Ted shrugged, "Yeah but we don't learn about vampires until like fifth year or something. Besides, he's not exactly here right now," he pointed out.
Q was silent as he turned to head down the hallway to the elevators
"What makes you think I know about vampires?" he asked, changing the question.
"Because you know everything," Ted replied as he hurried to catch up.
Q made a sound in the back of his throat in what Ted believed to be amusement.
The two were left in a rather comfortable silence as the elevator chimed its arrival and the two piled in.
"What do you want to know?" Q said at last, fiddling with his cigarette as the elevator reached the top floor of the hotel.
Ted for a second frowned before he decided to go with Helena's line: "Everything," he said with a nod as they left the elevator and mounted a small flight of stairs.
Ted didn't quite catch the look of amusement in the other man's eye but he had a feeling it had been there; small and fleeting, but there.
There was another small silence as Q fiddled with a door on the top floor before it opened and Ted was left staring at the roof of the hotel under the starry night sky.
For a second he couldn't help but stare in awe at the sight below them as he rushed to the fence surrounding the area and looked down to the cars and street lights below.
"Everything looks so small from here," Ted said mostly to himself and Q gave a quiet sound of agreement behind him.
As the duo stared in silence for a while Ted turned to find that Q had made himself comfortable on one of the benches nearby as he lay on his back with his arms pooled around his head and staring at the stars once more.
"So about vampires…." Ted repeated, moving away from the fence and sitting down next to the man.
Q's eyes moved to show Ted that he had his attention so Ted continued on.
"So um. Today I met someone. At the fair that is. He said his dad was a vampire," Ted mumbled awkwardly.
"Hrmm," was the only reply.
"And well. That got me thinking. We don't see a lot of vampires these days but I guess there have to be some out there right? Are they like what Muggles say they are? Like blood sucking and fangs and the undead and all that stuff?" Ted asked and he watched Q as a thoughtful look overtook his eyes.
"Vampires. Slightly younger than werewolves but faster race to die out," Q said, "Doubt that any pure vampires still exist," he added as an afterthought.
"Why not?" Ted asked and Q shrugged.
"Werewolves. Created by both genetics and infection. Vampires breed with own kind and still slim chance another vampire will be born. Over years. Many left magical roots. Not registered by your Ministry. Many do not know about magic and Muggles and what not. Go with their own codes and morals."
"So they're not the undead?" Ted asked before Q gave him a look that suggested that he was insane.
"Course not," the man muttered and Ted blushed in embarrassment. It was childish but Ted couldn't help but feel relief wash over him after he knew that vampires were born and not created.
"So when someone says they're a vampire now a days…."Ted started only for Q to interrupt.
"They are descendants of one. At best they show small characteristics."
"Like?"
Q shrugged, "Tiredness in natural sunlight, high immune system, high pain tolerance," Q paused at that with a frown, "Physical appearance. Reported as youthful even in old age and thin, sharp canines though not necessarily long…and some show desire for blood,"
"Desire for blood?" Ted said somewhat panicked at the notion and again Q shrugged. "More through upbringing than actual trait. Doubt English vampires still carry it."
"Why?" Ted asked.
"Don't know. Not my jurisdiction. Theory that English felt greater need to blend with society than those from other countries."
"So Mr. Jeevas is…." Ted started only for Q to interrupt.
"Normal. Just like your father."
"But how can you be sure? You've never met him," Ted said with a frown.
"Does he seem evil to you?" Q asked instead and Ted shook his head.
"No."
"Is he British?" Q asked again and Ted looked at the man confused."
"Yeah. I guess Jeevas is an English name. Why?"
"Then he's fine," Q went on much to Ted's confusion.
"Biggest traditional vampire families," Q continued, sticking up three fingers, "Bertinellis. Cassamentos. Leonellis," he listed, ticking them off as he went.
"They all sound Italian," Ted observed and a faint smile tugged at Q's lips.
"Bingo."
"Are they related?" Ted asked curiosity peaked only it seemed that Q had given enough answers for the night for he took out his cigarette and mumbled "In more ways than one."
Ted shrugged and figured it was his time to leave as Q settled down for a smoke. At least now he knew that Mr. Jeevas and his son weren't out for blood and that was all he really needed to know.
"Night Q. Thanks a lot," he said, stretching as he got out of his seat.
"And Helena's right. You shouldn't smoke so much," Ted called over his shoulder and he'd just managed to catch the amusingly bemused look the other man gave him before he turned to take the flight of stairs back down from the roof.
All in all it'd been a pretty good night.
I'm officially not going into science. Chem is ruining my life -_- Oh and computer science is probably not my thing either...
Anyways. I figured I needed to update SOMETHING or else people are going to start coming after me with pitchforks. You know it's bad when you actually get PMs begging you to update :P Sorry if you noticed grammar or spelling errors. It's either an update today or an update two weeks from now after I've finished fixing stuff (AKA. Right now, editing is a waste of time) :P
Cut this chapter short because the next one will be longer. You guys can enjoy this for a night while I put the finishing touches on the next chapter... and goes to study for my chem test...
Reviews appreciated!
