Thanks to everybody who reviewed so far! I was getting a bit lazy, and reread your comments and it got me all excited again. This chapter is all thanks to you. Lol.

"Talking"

"Thinking"

"Sounds"

"Text Book Reading"

Darren Shan Point of View

When I awoke the next day, I wasn't all that surprised to see a large group of people that appeared to be close to my age gathered around my metal prison. I cracked my eye open, but didn't move around too much. I decided it would probably be better if I just lie low for the moment. "Grabbing Harry probably wasn't the best move, after all…." I chided myself guiltily as I peered out at the nervous looking students. The big guy was urging them all to get closer, but only a few followed his gentle commands. Among these few was a girl who reminded me kind of…someone. I thought for a second, then realized that she kind of reminded me of that red haired boy; Ron. She was the one that seemed most eager to get close to my cage. That made me curious.

"Are you awake?" she hissed at me, eyes curious as she moved ever closer to my cage. Her fiery red hair fell across her shoulders, forming a curtain and making it impossible for me to see her face. I wished I could, so that it would be easier to guess at her intentions. I didn't stir or make a move to answer her, still acting like I was asleep.

"Ginny? Just what do ya think yer doin'?" the big teacher called out to her, although he didn't really sound upset. If anything, he sounded more pleased, or maybe proud. "Sorry, Professor!" the girl called back at him, turning away from me. She drew closer to her gathered peers, but I noticed the little glances she kept sending back towards me. Girls still confused me.

The class went on, students taking turns reading out of that ridiculous textbook of theirs. Many of the things were so far from the truth; I would actually start to laugh. I somehow always managed to cover it up just in time, though. Things quieted down for a few minutes when the professor had to run and get something from his cabin. As soon as he was out of sight, a steady buzz of chatter spread amongst the gathered students. Amongst them, I heard a light, airy voice. The only reason I could distinguish it clearly from the rest of the voices was because it was right next to my cage, practically speaking in my ear.

"Hello there. You must be the one that has caused such a ruckus amongst the Professors and students. I'm Luna Lovegood. Tell me; what is your name?"

I opened my eyes all the way, more from surprise than anything else. I was met with a girl's face, just outside the bars of the cage. She was smiling kindly, but her blue eyes seemed far away. She had a dreamy expression on her face, and her light blonde hair was framing falling around her, framing her face. The red haired girl from before appeared beside her, seemingly out of nowhere, but she didn't look quite as kind. I shrunk back slightly, feeling intimidated. "You're lucky Crepsley isn't here. He would be laughing his undead butt off if he could see you now. Scared by a couple of girls." Said a snide little voice in the back of my mind.

"Your name is Drake or something, isn't it?" the red head said, snapping me away from my thoughts. I stared at her for a moment before slowly shaking my head. Her green eyes narrowed a little. "Then what is it?"

"Yes, I would like to know as well. I was certainly hoping it wasn't Drake. That name attracts the Nargles, after all." Said the blonde, casting a glance to the area above my head. I looked up, but couldn't see anything there. "Although, I suppose I should have known it wasn't Drake. You don't seem to have attracted any Nargles at all." She continued with a faint smile. The red head cast a sideways glance at her.

"Loony-uh, I mean Luna- what are you talking about?"

"Hm…? Oh, don't worry about it for right now. You can learn more about the Nargles later. My father wrote a whole article on them."

"Oh…right. Anyways-" the girl turned back to me, her green eyes sparking "-so tell us; what is your name?"

"Why should I tell you?" I growled at her, lowering my voice so that the others in the clearing wouldn't be able to hear me.

"Because you told my brother and his friends." The girl shot back at me. "They seem to think that something is up, and if they are willing to help you, then so am I. I owe them that much, after all." The last part seemed to me to be more to herself than anything. She shook her head, clearing out whatever thoughts she had been lost in before turning back to me. "But I've learned my lesson; I'm not going to fall straight into something without knowing everything beforehand."

"Shouldn't we introduce ourselves? It is only fair, is it not?" said the blond beside her with a good natured smile.

The red head blinked in something like surprise, but nodded. "Yeah, you're right I guess. I'm Ginny Weasley. You met my brother, Ron, already, right?"

I nodded silently.

"And I've already introduced myself, but I'm Luna Lovegood." the blond said with that same airy voice as before. They both looked expectantly at me, one set of eyes shining and sharp, the other thoughtful and seemingly carefree. I felt a slight blush spread up my neck and towards my face.

"I'm…um…Darren." I said quietly, clearing my throat as I did so.

"Darren." Repeated Luna happily. "That is a truly lovely name." Ginny and I both stared at her for a long moment, but she seemed to either not notice or simply not care. "Why haven't you broken out yet? My father told me that vampires usually have incredible strength."

"Cursed bars." I answered bitterly. "They burn anyone who tries to set me free."

"Ah, I see. That's a stroke of bad luck. I wonder what kind of creature did that to you. I shall have to talk with my father to find out. Perhaps I could get you a charm to dispel the trouble maker…." Luna trailed off, obviously deep in thought.

"Why don't you just dig out? Sure, it might take a little time, but I'm sure that-" Ginny began, but stopped speaking when I held up my hands at eye level. "Oh! That's terrible." She gasped when she saw my hands. I had had a similar idea just last night when I had been unable to fall back asleep. The result had been bloody and broken fingernails, and absolutely no progress other than a few torn up areas of grass. I couldn't even make a small hole in the ground!

The two girls looked at me, a sad expression reflected in both their faces. All of a sudden, my stomach began to growl again, reminding me of the hunger than had temporarily been forgotten. Just as I opened my mouth to ask the girls if they would, by some miracle, happen to have any food with them, a loud voice interrupted.

"Ginny, Luna! Look at tha'! 'E seems to 'ave taken quite a shine to the two of ya. Be careful, though; 'E's still dangerous."

I made a face; I recognized that voice. "Oh, hello Professor Hagrid." Luna said, smiling up at him. "So this guy's name is Hagrid." I thought, wondering if maybe he had been the one to bring me to this place and lock me up in the stupid cage.

"Come on, you two. We still have some assignments we 'ave to do." Hagrid said, grinning hugely and beckoning the two to follow him. They did so, glancing back at me until they disappeared from sight along with the rest of the class who kept giving the two of them odd looks and questioning them about me.

I moaned and fell back as I watched my chance for some real food disappear, my stomach rumbling angrily at me. "Why me?" I questioned.

Harry Potter Point of View

"Hermione! Why are we here again? This is the fifth time today!" Ron complained. The threesome were in the library, once again reading up on anything they could find that mentioned vampires.

"This is only the third time, Ronald." Hermione responded, her nose buried in the book she was reading. Ron groaned and let his head fall to the desk in front of them, making a loud bang that earned him an angry glare from Madam Pince. He ignored her.

"Here, listen to this." Hermione said quietly after a moment of silence between the three friends. "It has been proven that vampires retain the intelligence level of an average human half the age of themselves at the time they are turned. As such, if a vampire were to be turned at the age of 20, then they would have the intelligence level of an average ten-year-old. It is theorized that this is the reason there are no turned children." Hermione looked up at the two boys she was with, a curious expression on her face.

"But Darren looks like he couldn't be much older than a second year." Harry pointed out, his brow creasing.

"You're right. According to this, he should be at the level of someone roughly about six-years-old." Hermione said, skimming over the paragraph again as she chewed on her bottom lip.

"He sure didn't act like he was six." Ron grumbled, his voice muffled by the book he was resting his face on.

"I know. Perhaps Darren is some sort of anomaly amongst vampires. According to everything we've read, he certainly isn't normal, and probably shouldn't even exist. The books say that there are no children, and yet he is one. They say that he shouldn't be at the current level of intelligence he is, and yet he is and perhaps a little more so. I just don't know what is going on!" she said, obviously frustrated by this fact.

"Maybe he just looks young." Ron suggested, staring forlornly at the door and wanting nothing more than to leave the library.

"I don't know. You could be correct, but something just tells me that that is not the case." Hermione sighed unhappily.

"Um…if we don't leave soon, we will be late for Defense Against the Dark Arts." Harry pointed out suddenly. Usually he wouldn't be all that eager to get to a class, but he was curious about the new Professor.

"Oh, you're right. Just let me check out a few of these books, and then we can be on our way." Hermione cried, scooping up an armload of dusty novels and autobiographies.

"What're those for? They can't all be about vampires, can they?" Ron asked, eyes bulging out of his head.

"Of course not. I do have other things I need to do research on, to write the essays about." The bushy haired witch said, sounding exasperated.

"Do you really think she needs that many books?" Ron whispered, turning to Harry. The black haired boy just shrugged and readjusted his glasses, eyeing his female friend uncertainly. Something told him the poor girl might just be biting off more than she could chew.

"Are you two ready?" she called to them as she headed for the door. The two boys shared a knowing glance and grinned, then raced after their friend and towards their first class with the new Professor.