The journey started along pleasantly enough, with the horses trotting along and Nicolas and I speaking. At some point, Nicolas asked about Snape, so I told him that Snape was the Hogwarts Potion Master.

"Oh, is he?" Nicolas said, delighted.

"Well, my boy," he called up and out the window. "If you could create any potion you want, what would it do?"

"Kill my enemies, I suppose," Snape said wryly.

"Oh, dear," Nicolas said, pulling himself back into the carriage.

"He's joking," I hastily reassured Nicolas. "I think."

"Sir," I said to Nicolas. "When you discovered the twelve uses of dragon's blood with Professor Dumbledore. What was he like? Dumbledore, I mean."

"Oh, Albus? Well, he's a genius, of course. He was a breath of fresh air for me after so many years of living. I mean, can you imagine? All the small talk in your young life that you've suffered through, and how many more times I've had to say the same meaningless words over and over again? But young Albus was different, right from the start. He never disappointed me. Never has, in fact."

"And you saw him fight Grindelwald, didn't you?" I asked.

Nicolas sighed, and then nodded. "Yes. Yes, I did."

"What was Dumbledore like then?"

Nicolas smiled at me. He saw through me in a heartbeat. "It's only natural for you to wonder, having just gone through a war yourself. But I cannot betray Dumbledore's trust by relying his experiences to you. After all, only he has the right to tell them."

I sat back, feeling a little ashamed of myself.

Nicolas leaned forward slightly. "But I'll tell you this- he was very, very human throughout all of it."

It happened suddenly.

A shrill, piercing shriek and then an immensely powerful figure barreled into our carriage. It's long arm with sharp, black fingers reached in and swiped at Nicolas' chest, where the Stone was. I pushed Nicolas back with my left hand and stretching out my right hand, yelled, "Confringo!"

The creature screamed as my Blasting Curse, though obviously weakened as it wandless, hit his arm. He withdrew his hand. But before I could grab my wand, the attacker reached back in and yanked me out of the carriage window. The attacker was so strong, I was easily pulled through the side of the carriage and as my body blasted through the sides of the window, I felt broken wood scrape against my shoulders. The creature caught me and held me by the neck. I looked into the face of my attacker and I saw exactly what I'd feared- a vampire. I saw it's cold, white face, with a facial structure as sharp as knives and eyes harsh as marble.

I realized that Snape was fending off another attacker and that the horses, wild with fright, were galloping as hard as they could down the path. If my attacker dropped me, the wheel would hit me, and I'd be done for, or at least suffer some severe injuries.

But instead, the creature began to squeeze my neck, to break it right off. I wanted to fight back, but its cold, long fingers around my neck triggered another reaction in me. My blood started to freeze. I could feel it rising in me- that petrifying coldness. The creature hissed, whether in surprise or victory, I couldn't tell. But it revealed sharp white fangs in its mouth.

I tried to fight back, but my body felt that familiar and nightmarish feeling of ice creeping in again. He began to squeeze his fingers.

"Incarcerous!"

Snape's spell caught my attacker right in the chest. His body was bound by thick, tight ropes and he fell sideways from the carriage. I managed to grab onto the side of the carriage.

"Splendid!" Nicolas called from the cage. "Terrific shot, my boy!"

Nicolas opened the carriage door for me and helped me inside.

"I'm all right! I'm all right," I assured him.

"Incoming!" Snape called from above. "To our left!"

"Stay behind me, Sir," I told Nicolas. I tried desperately to shake the iciness that seemed to be inching its way from my neck to my heart.

Boom!

The carriage rattled again.

Then there was a horrible wrenching sound and suddenly, our carriage tilted. Skreeeee- a horrible sound of metal on rock filled the air.

"The wheel!" Snape shouted. "Fix- Stupefy!- Fix the wheel!"

I guided Nicolas to a corner in front of me so that I could lean out of the window to do so, but there was somebody waiting to ambush me.

I barely ducked the person's attack in time. The attack hit behind me and changed the seat to ice- ice so cold it let out a cloud of smoke, and it was spreading.

Thank Merlin I made Sir Nicolas move, I thought.

Snape yelled from above, "I said fix the wheel!" Snape yelled.

He clearly couldn't see what was going on as he attempted to control the horses and fight off the attackers. Plus, my attacker was making sure that he wasn't being spotted by Snape.

Is he the leader? Is he a vampire? I can't see his hand because of his cloak! Is he holding a wand? Can vampires produce ice like that? I mean, it's consistent with their frozen nature, but…

"Kingsley, for Merlin's sake-!"

But there was another issue- the ice was closing in on us. Nicolas was coughing and I could hardly see in the carriage because of all of the smoke rolling off of the fast-spreading ice.

"I don't think the wheel's the problem!" I yelled back angrily. Suddenly, the side of the door broke in. Again, by spell or strength, I couldn't tell. But this was my opportunity! I aimed at the opening in the falling window.

"Reducto!" I shouted. The spell just managed to make it through the opening of the falling window and hit the attacker. The attacker screamed and fell off the side of the carriage.

I hastily waved my wand again. The ice disappeared and the smoke cleared.

Snape had also won whatever battle he had been fighting. Muttering, "Must I do everything myself?", Snape fixed the wheel with a simple repairing spell.

I bent down to check on Sir Nicolas. "Sir, are you all right?"

Nicolas nodded and coughed a few more times.

Our carriage continued rattling on ahead. At least the horses hadn't gotten hurt.

I cautiously peered out the side of the wide-open carriage.

I saw two fleeting shadows running after us, catching up to us.

Snape, who had just gotten the horses to calm, hadn't noticed.

I took aim. "Bombarda Maxima!"

A huge explosion occurred where I'd pointed the wand. The shadows were gone.

The horses neighed in fright and bolted again.

"Kingsley!" Snape yelled angrily.

But I didn't respond and continued to scan the countryside. I realized that Nicolas was shivering as the cold wind blew into our wide-open carriage. I hurriedly took off my cloak and covered him, though I felt anxiety for my own sake as the coldness took over me. But it didn't matter- I just needed a grip on my wand. I squeezed as hard as I could to keep hold of my wand. Keeping low and holding onto the edge of the carriage as well as I could, I continued to keep watch. Slowly, my chest began to feel numb. I could re-conjure the door to keep out the wind, but it had served as more of a liability when they ambushed us. My fingers were fast becoming numb and I feared I would drop my wand. My teeth started to chatter.

Finally, Snape yelled, "Out, we're here!"

"Sir, we're h-here," I said, my lips trembling.

"Dear girl," Nicolas said, catching sight of my face.

Snape came down and helped Sir Nicolas on his feet. Snape lit the Deluminator again and that small ball of blue light flickered out and began to lead us away. At the sight of the light, Nicolas smiled and seemed to gather strength.

We hurried, as much as we could. At some point, I managed to slip my wand in my pants pocket again. I couldn't trust myself to hold onto it for much longer. My breathing was become strenuous, but just then- the light stopped a few hundred yards away, meaning it was safe for us to Apparate there. We slowed. I bent over for a minute, gasping. Giving myself a few seconds as Snape and Nicolas walked ahead, I managed to conjure a small glass and through magic, lit bell-blue flames in it. I pressed it against my chest, trying to warm myself.

Just then, I heard Snape roar, "Kingsley!"

He shot a defensive spell that went just over my shoulder.

I turned just to see a massive figure slam into that shield.

The vampires were back- and so was that third figure.

"Run!" Snape shouted. Nicolas began to run the last couple hundred years as fast as he could, with Snape blocking him.

But the vampires were just so damn fast. Both were right on my tail, close to catching me. The third figure was barely keeping up with us, slowly falling behind. Nicolas was giving it everything he had, but he was quite an elderly man now, and our attackers were vampires- brutally strong and lithe beings.

We're not- we're not going to make it-

There was only a hundred yards left, but they were right on top of us. I didn't even have time to cast a spell. Even if I did, I couldn't trust my aim without my wand and I couldn't trust my numb fingers to hold my wand. Snape was having a hell of a time covering Flamel as the third figure repeatedly produced ice arrows to throw at them.

Desperate, I threw my jar of fire over my shoulder. It shattered on the ground and then exploded. The force of the explosion threw me forward and I landed beside Snape and Nicolas.

I managed to get on my feet to see the fire now licking the ground and rising hungrily.

Using all my concentration, I tried to direct it towards our attackers. The vampires screamed and turned into shadows to avoid being burnt, but I could still see them fluttering on the fringes of the fire. We weren't out of this yet- And then again, an attack of ice, shot through the flames and nearly hit Nicolas. Snape just managed to pull him aside.

How do we get out of this? I thought desperately. The only thing I could think of was-

"You have to separate with the stone! Sir, give me the stone!"

"Are you mad?" Snape yelled at me, clearly referring to the fact that the attacker was still around and could hear me.

But this was what I wanted.

"It'll save his life!" I shouted.

Another attack whistled out through the fire. It was keeping the attackers at bay, but it was also making it impossible to see where the attacks were coming from.

"I promise it'll be safe! I swear! But we need to separate, now!"

Nicolas looked solemn, but after a moment, he drew the Stone- a ruby-red thing the size of a duck's egg, from his cloak pocket.

"Cover us!" I told Snape, who, though hesitant, did throw up a defensive shield. An ice arrow smashed against the shield and shattered.

Nicolas put the stone in my grasp and then said with a seriousness that weighed on my heart, "I put my life in your hands. Do not fail me."

My fingers, warmed by the fire blazing all around us, grasped around the Stone. The firelight and light from the Stone glinted off onto Nicolas' eyes and for a minute, the man looked as though he were raging with power.

I nodded, and he let go.

I stepped forward, drawing my wand again. The ice within me was still solidifying, but the fire, which had just begun to die down, was warming my body.

Snape and Nicolas began to run as fast as they were able to away from me. I waited to see if the attacker would chase them, but there was no movement- until- a streak of fire came right at me.

"Protego!" I shouted, and managed to deflect the attack.

Good, so the attacker's staying on me. It's the Stone this person wants.

Behind me, I heard a resounding crack! Snape and Nicolas had reached the light and Apparated.

Almost at exactly the same moment, the fire died.

The Apparition point was less than thirty yards away. Holding the stone, I sprinted as hard as I could. I was so close when I felt a cold, strong hand grip my shoulder-

"Ah!" I leapt forward and then, still in the air, twisted in mid-air and thought hard- with every fiber of concentration- on Diagon Alley in that dark alleyway where I had been attacked before.


I flew through the air and landed hard onto a wet concrete alleyway. I opened my eyes to see drops of silver falling down on me. Just my luck- it was raining.

There was a stringing and sharp pain in my left shoulder. I turned my head and looked. A good chunk of flesh was missing. I had been Splinched, most likely because the vampire had been holding onto me there. I grit my teeth and sat up. Then I peered into my right hand, and with utter relief, saw the Stone still intact.

Ignoring the pain and vampiric effect of feeling like ice was creeping back into my veins at double speed in this freezing rain, I got onto my feet.

Then, I ran as fast as I could, ignoring people's strange looks and murmurs, though there weren't too many, as not many people were out and the few who were out were also running to get out of the rain. Finally, I came to the glistening marble steps of Gringotts.

I made my way inside. Just as I entered, a goblin said crisply, "We're closing now. Please come back another day."

"I can't," I said urgently. "I need your help now."

"I insist, no late customers-"

"I insist! Please, take a look."

I knelt down and showed the goblin what I was holding.

"It's the Sorcerer's Stone," I whispered. "From Sir Nicolas Flamel himself."

The goblin took one look and then stared up at me, shocked.

"If this is what you say it is-"

"It is, and there are people after it. I need you to keep it safe, until Flamel or Dumbledore can come back and collect it. Please!"

The goblin paused. "Wait here," he said. He went over to another goblin, seemingly older, one of the last ones still behind the counter.

The older goblin came before me. "Follow me," he said. To the younger goblin, he instructed, "Griphook, lock the doors."

"I am Bogrod," he introduced himself. He asked to see the Stone, wiped it clean, marveled at its gleam and worth, and then wrapped it in paper and string. Then, he said, "Come with me. I'll show you where it will be stored."

We entered a Gringotts cart, which I had never ridden before, as I had always simply exchanged Muggle money for Wizarding money as needed. The ride was complicated with many turns and twists and went on at a steep decline for miles at high speeds and worse than that- it was freezing cold. My shoulder was still throbbing and bleeding into my shirt and I felt like passing out. Bogrod did not seem to notice my injury as he was too fascinated by the treasure. Even as the wind whipped past us, he continued to comment on how fascinated he was with the Stone, though he took care never to express any personal interest in it.

Finally, we arrived.

"Yes. Vault 713. Stand back, now."

I simply leaned against the cart and prayed that my consciousness would pull through.

Bogrod stroked the door of the vault and it simply melted away.

"Please, put it inside."

Clutching the Stone hard with my quivering fingers, I managed to place the Stone inside.

"Good. Now, inform the Headmaster and Sir Nicolas that they must now come retrieve it themselves or send an explicit note bearing an Unchangeable seal. They will know what I speak of."

I nodded faintly.

As the cart rattled its way back up, I felt the ice hit my heart. I gasped. It was attacking my heart furiously, as though with a hundred needles of ice.

"Miss?" Bogrod said, looking back at me clutching feebly at my chest.

But then, something within my blood pushed back- something hot and angry and thrumming, thrumming like a werewolf's growl. It shoved the ice back from my heart.

"Miss?" Bogrod said again.

I just shook my head at him.

"Well, humans do often get sick on our ride. And you went all the way down to Vault 713, it's no wonder. But I have noticed- your shoulder-"

The cart jolted to a stop. The deep growling in my chest- that only I could hear- continued grumbling, forcing the ice to retreat.

"Thank you," I said feelingly to Bogrod, who nodded and unlocked the door for me.

I stepped out into the cold night. The rain had mostly stopped, though I was still soaked. A breeze was beginning to pick up. I closed my eyes and trembling violently from the cold, I thought of Hogwarts and turned once again into the vortex of Apparition. I prayed it would be my last time tonight.


McGonagall was waiting for me at the gates.

"Raylynx!" She rushed forward.

"Are they safe? Snape and Flamel? Have they arrived?" I asked.

"Yes," McGonagall said. I let out a sigh of relief.

McGonagall's eyes traveled to the blood seeping through my shirt. "Your shoulder!"

"Got Splinched," I grimaced. Now that the adrenaline was beginning to die down, the throbbing in my shoulder was getting worse.

"You must see Madam Pomfrey," McGonagall said, as we stepped back inside Hogwarts grounds. "I could heal a cut, but to properly restore a gash of that size-"

"I know," I said. "I- I feel faint, but Professor, I must see Dumbledore and Flamel."

McGonagall looked at me, shock in her face. "You didn't-?"

"The Stone is safe," I assured her. "But I took an unexpected detour and I must pass the message on."

As I requested, she led me to Dumbledore's office.

"Oh, and you have a visitor," McGonagall told me as we stepped onto the rising staircase.

As the staircase stopped rising, McGonagall pushed the door open and I followed after her.

"Raylynx!" Remus' worried voice pierced the air. He stood up from his chair. Behind him, Snape, Flamel, and Dumbledore were all sitting together there. Snape and Dumbledore were standing while Flamel was sitting in Dumbledore's chair. They all looked up at me. I nodded at them. Flamel closed his eyes. Snape let out a sigh of relief.

"Let me get Madam Pomfrey," McGonagall said, and rushed off.

Remus walked up to me. "Raylynx, your shoulder…"

"It's all right," I said. "Just a cut."

"Hardly," Remus said, grimacing.

"But that's not why I came," he whispered. "I felt…"

"I know," I reassured him, raising my good arm to put my hand on his arm. "I know you did."

"You're freezing." Remus frowned. "Your skin is like ice."

Dumbledore waved his wand and a purple squashy chair appeared behind me.

"Please, Ms. Kingsley, sit and save your energy," Dumbledore said.

"What happened?" Snape asked me.

Flamel coughed slightly.

Remus immediately got the message. "I'll wait outside," he said, and left.

"I took it to Gringotts," I informed them, once the door was shut. "It's safe, locked away in a high-security Gringotts vault."

"Excellent," Dumbledore said.

"Only Professor Dumbledore or Sir Flamel can remove it, although the goblin- Bogrod, I think- did say an authorized letter with Unchangeable Ink will suffice," I explained.

"That is good to hear. Though, I trust it will not be safe there long," Flamel said quietly.

"How could it be stolen from Gringotts?" Snape asked.

"Well, perhaps it won't be. But my mind would be more at peace if it was here, at Hogwarts," Flamel replied.

"If it is your wish, my friend, I will do so," Dumbledore said graciously.

"And the attacker?" Dumbledore asked, turning to me. "Nicolas and Severus said that they were vampires. Have you anything else to say, Raylynx?"

"I think… I think one of them might have been a witch or wizard," I said.

"You are speaking of that third figure," Flamel said knowingly. "The only who kept producing ice attacks."

"Yes." I nodded. "I can't be certain. I never saw his face. But I'd guess that those attacks were magical spells."

"However, we don't know what capabilities vampire leaders may have," Snape interjected. "They are one of the most powerful Dark Creatures to walk this earth. It would not surprise me if vampires were capable of such attacks."

There was a knock on the door.

"And that, I think, will conclude our meeting for present," Dumbledore said. He waved his hand in the air and his door opened. Poppy and McGonagall entered.

"Nick, I think Fawkes will have reached Perenelle and given her the message by now. I shall escort you tomorrow morning to your home," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, thank you," Nicolas replied. "And to my young protectors, I thank you also. You have, each of you, saved my lives tonight." Nicolas draped my cloak over the arm of my chair before he left with Dumbledore, who escorted him to the guest chambers.

McGonagall and Snape left the room as well. Snape, to rest and McGonagall, to patrol the corridors. There was double watch tonight.

Poppy started to clean my shoulder.

"Ow," I muttered. "Poppy, you're not as gentle as you used to be."

"And you're just as reckless as you used to be, child! Have the long years taught you nothing? How can you still be making a mess of your body at this age?" Poppy scolded. "And don't you dare tell me it's 'Quidditch' again!"

Behind her, Remus smiled a little, though it was constrained by the band of worry present in his creased brow. It was true that every injury Sirius, James, and I had ever had during one of our escapades was explained as "Quiditch" as though it were some menacing creature that had both the ability to cast duelling spells and also bite us at the same time.

"Remus, I'm all right," I assured him, glimpsing his face over Poppy's shoulder.

Just then, Poppy poured dittany onto my shoulder.

"Owwwww," I groaned. Spoke too soon, I thought to myself.

"Are you sure about that?" Remus said, his face screwed up a little as he watched my skin mending and me groaning.

"Yesssssss," I said, through gritted teeth.

"Hold still," Poppy warned. "We'll need another layer." She poured again.

"Merlin's beard," I said, and gritted my teeth.

"Raylynx-" Remus began.

"I said I'm fineeeeee." My voice rose as I felt my flesh mending itself at the edges.

"This girl's mad," Poppy said. "She doesn't even know what she's saying."

But a few minutes later, it was all over. She then gave me Anti-Soreness and Anti-Bruising Potions for my neck and bandaged the claw marks on my arm.

"Don't sleep on that shoulder, you hear me, girl?"

"Wouldn't dream of it," I said, and it was the truth, because it was still sorer than hell.

"And you, Remus," Poppy said, turning around to him. "You're still taking care of yourself, aren't you?"

Remus looked surprised. "Er-yes. Yes, I am. Of course."

"Good."

With that, Poppy bustled off.

Remus helped me up from the purple chair.

"I'll walk you back to your room before I go," Remus offered.

"Tell me why you came to Hogwarts tonight," I told Remus as we made our way down the stairs from Dumbledore's office. "I mean, I know why, but… How did you know to come?"

Remus answered, "I felt it in my veins. A sudden rush of coldness and then, this strange protectiveness arose within me. It was almost like a part of the w-wolf inside woke up within me. Like I was fiercely guarding something. And I figured something must have happened to you."

"It was me. A vampire got its hands on me," I admitted. "I'm sorry, Remus, for making you worry. I didn't expect vampires to be a part of the mission."

"Right. Why would vampires want to go after the Stone when they're already immortal?" Remus chuckled lightly.

I blinked.

"Oh, sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's just that when I saw Sir Nicolas, it was fairly obvious what was at stake…"

I smiled. "Of course it was. I'm sure it's fine that you know, anyways. We used to be mission partners, remember? I'm sure Dumbledore still trusts you just as much."
Remus hesitated and then he said, "Is Snape your mission partner now?"

"Oh, Merlin, I hope not," I replied. "I really hope not. I can't stand seeing his face."

"Really?" Remus asked. "That's strange. I felt that you were always the most tolerant of him and the other Slytherins."

"It was a mistake," I said flatly. "I don't mean to trust Slytherins again."

Remus didn't say anything, but I knew he was slightly disappointed in my immaturity.

But to be honest, I didn't even need Remus' reproach. Even as I spoke, an image of Regulus rose in my heart and I knew that I was simply being immature. I knew that I could not trust in my own words. I wished more than anything that I could split the world into black and white because it felt like all of the grey uncertainties were holding me back from moving on. But there was a reason for that, and even if it was too painful for me to acknowledge, in my heart of hearts, I knew they existed, and I could not deny that. That was perhaps why I struggled so hard against it now, because even though it was the truth, I resented myself for being caught and my utter inability to set things right.

We'd arrived at my room.

"Oh! I nearly forgot. I brought something back for you," I said. I stretched out my hand and Remus handed over my cloak, which he had been carrying. I reached into a pocket and pulled out a bag, which contained several vials of Wolfsbane Potion.

"I know the Potion's hard to make and the price of the ingredients has gone off the charts, recently, so…" I said.

"Thank you," Remus said fervently, and tucked the bag into his cloak.

"It's the least I can do," I replied. "I honestly think you saved my life tonight. If it hadn't been for you…" I shuddered a little as I remembered the feeling of the ice trying to pierce my heart again.

Remus rubbed my good shoulder lightly.

I recalled the night he'd carried me back up to Gryffindor Tower- how I'd held onto him and how his scent of Earl Grey tea and books and brisk morning air and chocolate had so comforted me.

"You're still cold," Remus said. "Get some rest. You'll feel better after you sleep."

"I'll send you another owl soon," I promised. "Get home safe."

After entering my room, I stumbled into the covers of my bed and tucking myself in quite deeply, as I still felt like I was freezing, I slept soundly- on my good shoulder, as I'd promised.


I thanked my lucky stars that it was Easter holiday because I still felt like I had some large ice shards lingering in my body and I was sore all over for more than a few days. But during all that rest, I had a lot of time to think.

What I thought about, mostly, was who the third attacker could be. She or he had relied on those ice attacks more than their strength, which raised my suspicions that the person wasn't actually a vampire, despite what Snape said. Vampires were fast enough that they had little need for long-range attacks. It had to have been a Dark Wizard. Could it have been Voldemort? I shivered. No, it can't have been. Voldemort's magic is of Dark Magic, not of ice. But perhaps- he was trying to disguise himself? No, it can't be. Dumbledore would have said something before- I mean, we would already know if Voldemort was truly back, wouldn't we?

And there was something else that made me believe that it was another Dark Wizard. That cloak… That reddish cloak with a purple tint. Why did it feel so familiar?

Think. Where have I seen it before? Think.

Suddenly, I bolted up.

"Ow, Merlin, ow, ow, ow," I said, as my neck throbbed with pain.

I got up more carefully and headed to my desk.

Drawing my robe around me, I passed my hand over my candle and a bright flame sprung up. I pulled out a quill and piece of parchment and I began to write:

Dear Sehtzer,

It's been many years since we met, but in the hopes that you remember me, I must ask: Have there been any strange happenings in your land? Vampires have been spotted as active in Poland.

"Spotted as active," I muttered to myself, massaging my aching neck. "Spotted up real damn close, that is!"

I wanted to ask him if he knew anything about the King's Wand, but my quill stuttered to a stop and any mention of the Wand froze my hand.

So, I stopped the letter short and signed off, with not only my name, but a drawing of the lotus protection rune he had drawn for me. I trekked down to the Owlery and sent the letter, wondering if my owl would succeed in finding Sehtzer, the King of a foreign land I'd never been to.


a/n: Constitution Chic, thanks for waiting. I'm really glad you're still here!