I'm so glad I got a good response to the last chapter! I was really worried that people wouldn't like it. *sigh of relief* Well, my younger sister pointed out to me that there are no pairings, nor do I have any in mind. She was…rather upset. So that made me curious; are there any pairings you all, my most beloved and faithful readers, want to see? Please tell me if there are! Thanks, and I hope you enjoy.
Disclaimer-Honestly, should I even bother to include one?
"Speaking"
"Thinking"
"Sounds"
"Text Book"
Harry Potter Point of View
The news of what had happened with the Boggart and the vampire spread through the school like a bad case of the flu. Like the flu, it got worse and worse with each person it was passed on to. Soon enough, the story ended with the Vampire reaching through the bars and attempting to kill the people the Boggart was impersonating himself. Neville became a hero for just narrowly escaping certain death at the hands of the Vampire and then forcing him back into the cage. Of course, Neville denied these claims and attempted (futilely) to tell what really happened. On the whole, the poor boy was just ignored.
"That's absolutely disgusting!" Hermione shrieked as a new version of the story got around to her. The girl looked furious and disgusted at once, and the first year who had told her the story wisely decided that he should make himself scarce, and quickly.
"Calm down, 'Mione." Ron said as he paused in his consumption to take a breath. It was breakfast, two days later. So far, all the students had been kept away from Darren. But, in spite of his words, she did the opposite.
"That's it! We have to go to Professor Dumbledore and tell him what's really going on. We have to convince him to let Darren go." She declared, standing from her seat and pulling her two best friends with her, both of whom were protesting and staring longingly back at the delicious food. (They had been having trouble keeping much of anything down since seeing the grotesque scene. They weren't the only ones, of course. That didn't mean they weren't hungry, though!) In the end, they lost and allowed themselves to be dragged along by their female companion.
They proceeded through the halls until they reached the large stone gargoyle that guarded the entry way to the headmaster's office. "Caramel toffee." Hermione told it confidently. The creature immediately jumped aside and the three friends stepped forward onto the rotating staircase, the two boys marveling and wondering at how it was their friend knew the password. Hermione tromped angrily up the stairs, Ron and Harry following close behind. They reached the Headmaster's door, and just as Hermione raised her fist to knock, she paused and instead opted for raising a finger to her lips to tell the others to keep quiet. As one, the three friends leaned forward to listen more closely to what was being said.
"-understand, Albus. Why would you allow such a thing?" said a woman.
"That's Professor McGonagall." Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron, who both nodded even though they already were already aware.
"It was necessary, Minerva. The Ministry ordered-"Snape's voice began, making Harry and Ron scowl.
"I must say that, in this matter, I don't care what the Ministry has to say about anything. They made that deal with Hagrid under the expectations of his failure." The deputy headmistress hissed back, cutting the potions teacher off.
"If I may, what 'deal' are you speaking of?" inquired a tired and sad sounding voice.
"Is that Professor Lupin?" Harry questioned, feeling a bit surprised. His friends nodded but didn't make a sound or movement otherwise, their attention focused entirely on the conversation.
"Oh, yes. I had forgotten that you had yet to be filled in on all the details, Remus." Professor Dumbledore's kind voice said. "You see, recently reports have been filtering into the Ministry about a certain magical creature."
"Vampires." Snape said snidely, as if the other Professor wouldn't have been able to figure it out otherwise. At that moment, Harry wanted nothing more than to wipe the smirk that he knew would be there off of the hook-nosed professor's face, but he didn't move to do so.
"Yes, precisely. The Ministry was curious and apprehensive, of course. From my understanding, they went to many Witches and Wizards to ask them to apprehend a specimen for them. They were unsuccessful, as you may have been able to guess. After a while, they came to Hagrid to ask the same. I am not sure whether it was a simple gesture or if they actually had some hope that he would have any success, but they made a deal with him; if he were to capture a Vampire alive, they would allow it to be held here until the school year came to a close." The Headmaster told him.
"But…why? Why would they allow such a valuable find be held at a school of all things?" Lupin asked, sounding a bit overwhelmed.
"They claimed it would be beneficial to the minds of our youth." Professor McGonagall sighed in a voice that obviously conveyed she didn't believe any of it.
There was a long lull in conversation, everyone lost in their own thoughts. That was when Hermione decided would be the best time to knock on the door.
"You may come in." came the curt reply to her sharp rap. The Golden Trio entered the circular office, feeling suddenly nervous. "Ah, Ms. Granger, Misters Weasley and Potter, how nice of you to come visit." Dumbledore greeted them warmly, a familiar twinkle in his blue eyes.
"Hello, Professors." Hermione said, nodding at all present. Then she turned back to Dumbledore, a determined look in her eye. "Professor Dumbledore, we have something that needs to come to your attention, and we-"
"Ah, yes, of course. But before that, I would like to ask the three of you a very important question." The white haired man inturupted, holding up a hand to signal silence.
"Oh, um…yes, sir?"
"I understand that you three were witnesses to the Boggart incident, is that correct?"
"Yes sir! That's actually what we were here to talk to you about." Hermione said excitedly, pulling Harry and Ron forward to stand beside her.
"I have heard some rather…gruesome and fantastic stories of what happened. Would you have any idea as to what truly happened between our residential vampire child and the Boggart?" Dumbledore asked gently, gazing intently at his three students over his half moon spectacles.
Quickly, barely pausing for breaths, Hermione relayed the story and of their own conversations and experiences with Darren. Harry and Ron would add in their own thoughts and sometimes something that the other would leave out or forget. Soon enough, they were done. They looked at the gathered adults expectantly, waiting for some kind of reaction or comments. To their surprise, they received none. Dumbledore looked thoughtful, Snape just sneered in their direction, and both McGonagall and Lupin looked slightly sick.
After what felt like ages, Professor Dumbledore finally spoke. "It seems as though you all had quite the exciting experience, just as Professor Lupin said."
The three students stared at him, looking dumb founded. To everyone's shock, it was Ron who broke it first.
"Is that all you have to say?" he demanded, looking shocked and then angry. "We just told you that you're keeping a little kid-who might not even be a vampire in the first place- in a cage, and all you can say is that we've had an interesting experience? What the bloody hell?"
All in the room turned to Ron, more than a little surprised at his outburst. All but Dumbledore, who simply smiled sadly, the twinkle gone from his eyes.
"I understand your frustration, but at this point there is really nothing I can do. Whether young Darren is innocent or not, he is under the supervision of the Ministry of Magic, and I cannot act against them."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at him for a long time, a slight and unexpected feeling coiling through their stomachs.
"I understand, Professor." Hermione whispered, her head hanging. Harry could feel his own despair at the news.
"Do not despair, though." Dumbledore comforted them. "Things such as these have a way of…working themselves out. Everything will be alright in the end." He said mysteriously. The three stared over at him, confused by his words. But then they were dismissed, and hurried out the door by a scowling Snape. As the door slammed behind them, the trio shared a meaningful look before, on Ron's insistent pleas, scurrying to get back to the Great Hall with any hopes of finishing their meal.
Darren Shan Point of View
It was cold.
I was hungry, and my only escape was sleep. But even that evaded me, taunting me and making me shut my eyes, only to see flashes of those terrible things again. As I lay, staring up at the ceiling of my metal prison, I could hear the big man coming up to my cage again. He had a rabbit with him this time. I could smell it, but just barely. My powers were weakening; I was slowly starving to death. Somehow though, I was okay with that. I deserved it.
"C'mon now! You got 'ter eat somethin'." The man exclaimed worriedly, staring at the untouched carcasses that had collected by the cold metal of my cage. I ignored him.
My mind and instincts were telling me to take the blood from those lifeless creatures, and yet my body refused to move.
"Please, now little feller. You've gone nearly a month in there, and havn' eaten anythin'. It's nearly Halloween; that's a reason fer celebrating, aren't it?" his pleas fell on deaf ears.
After a while longer, he finally gave up and left. He left the rabbit carcass behind, still hoping that I would take from it, no doubt. I ignored it, and instead tried to close my eyes, wishing and praying to whatever God there may be out there that I wouldn't be forced to see those terrible, frightening images dancing and flickering behind my eyelids.
Of course, my prayers went unanswered.