Chapter 47, Clearing The Air

Greybo belted out Star Of The County Down while Flitwick spun his wife in a dance in the center of the floor of the Hog's Head. Hydra played her piano and swayed to the beat, smiling fondly at two of her favorite former professors. It was only when the song ended that Hydra glanced around at everyone else. Her eyes lit first on Ballan and she gave him a warm smile when their gazes met. He smiled back, before dropping his gaze in clear discomfort. She felt a stab of guilt for playing when she'd intended to remain at his side for the entire evening to assuage his social discomforts as much as possible. She had not been made aware that they were playing tonight, and hadn't even had a moment to complain to the rest of the band about that fact. Normally, she would never need them to check in to see if she was down for a gig, even at her graduation party, but Ballan made things different. "Let's take a break," she called out to the others.

"Sounds great," Greybo said. "I need a drink. Come on, Glimmer! Let's get you too drunk to play them drums properly," he said, dragging the elf toward the bar by one arm.

"Someone bring the eighties music back then," Graven called. "We were dancing."

Mag nodded and flicked her wand toward the ceiling before placing her fiddle in its case and going to join Severus at the bar. Hydra approached Ballan, an apology for accidentally abandoning him on her lips when he leaned close to speak into her ear.

"So should we ask Greok's sister what her issue is now that we actually have her hear?"

"Oh!" Hydra's hand flew to her mouth as she realized that she'd completely forgotten to do that what with so much going on. There was everything with the Elf Woods, then preparing for her N.E.W.T.s and graduation. "Yes, let's," she said quickly. Taking Ballan's hand, she hurried toward Graven and Wulfric, who were dancing beside the bar to a song about partying all the time. "Graven? We were wondering... I mean I was..." Clearly Hydra was not exactly certain how to start this conversation."Could we perhaps talk outside?" The last thing she wanted was for the Daddies to over hear and have their feelings hurt if Graven had some deep hatred for vampires that they were completely unaware of.

Graven sighed and shrugged. "Sure. Whatever." Taking Wulfric's hand she led the way outside. The four stopped just outside the Hog's Head with the closed door to the bar at their backs. "What's this about," Graven asked.

"Um... Vampires I suppose," Hydra said. This was difficult because she liked Graven, and was truly taken aback at hearing that she had issues with Greok becoming a vampire. "I thought you liked my parents." The words just came spilling out, and of course she sounded stupid or childish or naive or perhaps all of it! Swearing mentally in self disgust was all she could do about it, though, as said words were out now.

"What?" Graven gave her a genuinely surprised stare. "I like them fine. In fact I like them finer than most other adults. What's this about?"

"Greok," Hydra said. "Ballan mentioned that you have issues with him for becoming a vampire and I was shocked because I thought you were fine with my parents."

"Yeah, well that's different. Your parents have nothing to do with my issue with Greok. Having a vampire in the family is completely different from having vampire adults in my life helping with shit or whatever. I don't think badly of your parents, but they're not personal to me. The fact they drink blood and shit is whatever, because neither of them is my big brother." As she spoke, Graven's voice rose until she was nearly shouting at the end.

"He just did that without talking to me. He changed everything for the entire family!" She was really shouting now, but Hydra knew that she was not shouting at them so it was not upsetting in the same way as if Graven had gotten angry that she'd asked. It was sad that Graven's family had this issue, though. Rather than interrupting even to be comforting, Hydra just allowed Graven to speak as she obviously had a lot to say. A quick glance at Wulfric's impassive expression told her that he'd heard this before so it was no surprise to him.

Ballan only looked mildly curious. The family dynamic was likely a novelty to him. It brought to mind starkly for Hydra what a different world he came from. "It's so fucking weird on the holidays now, knowing he can't eat his favorite food anymore and that it probably even seems disgusting to him now! He's not even the same, because he can't do normal things anymore. He can't be about during the day, and he drinks blood and he can't even have children. He was supposed to do that and if our family line is to continue in any way now, I'm stuck doing it." Graven glared ahead of herself, not meeting any of their eyes as she angrily ranted.

"I don't mind having kids eventually," Wulfric told her.

"I know, but now it's a thing we have to do, and that makes it different," Graven said. "Besides, that's not it mostly. It's mostly everything else." She had stopped yelling and her tone was more sullen. Hydra found herself wondering how she would feel if Loughness were to become a vampire. Especially if their parents weren't. She wouldn't know much about vampires or what to expect, and it would be odd. "I get it," she said. "If I hadn't grown up with vampires in the family, it would probably be weird if Loughness became one."

"It's nice that Greok cares so much about helping to make things more equal for goblins, which was why he chose to do it, but it's just weird," Graven said.

"He is still the same, though," Ballan told her. "He may see things differently and experience some things differently, but he is still the same brother you knew. People change. Not always by becoming vampires. Sometimes it is by living and learning. I bet you did not think you would ever date a human, for example. Just from what I know of goblins, it does not seem like something that would be in your plans." Ballan was clearly trying not to smile. Hydra refrained from chuckling, so as not to ruin his efforts.

Graven laughed, lifting her hands in mock surrender. "That is very true. I didn't even like this human at first. He was annoying." She grinned over at Wulfric. "He refused to fuck off no matter how many times I demanded that he do so. He kept rocking my high by threatening to take me to a healer."

"Because she wouldn't get up off the sofa at Durmstrang, and I worried she'd taken too much of whatever she'd taken."

"You know it's always my pain killing potion that I use to get high!" Graven shot back.

"Yes, but I did not know that at the time." Wulfric countered. "For all I knew, you could've overdosed, and I couldn't just leave you to it. You weren't very happy at Durmstrang."

Graven huffed. "I hated playing spy for the rebellion and you know it. Even if I am down with the concept, I am not the girl to do anything that requires a people person sort of personality. I hated being stuck at a stupid wizard school, even if it was for Dark magic. Goblins have better Dark magic anyway." So I stayed high to quell my rage at the fact I was unfairly stuck there in that bullshit," she told Ballan.

"My friend Galia wanted to go to fucking Hogwarts so bad for some reason. I never understood that. But it should've been her picked for that shit, not me when I didn't even want it." She made a face. "Griphook said that's why I'd be better for the job because I didn't want it so I wouldn't be trying too hard in a way that would get me caught out." She sighed."If he was smart, he'd have worried about me fucking some annoying human prat up while I was forced to pretend to be one of them."

"Daddy Kreacher was the one who transfigured her to look human," Hydra explained. "I just thought it would be weird if you hated him for being a vampire and we never knew," she told Graven quietly. "So I had to ask. I get it now, though. Sorry about all that with your brother."

Graven shrugged, but nodded, giving Hydra what could almost pass for a smile. "I have gotten to know him a bit due to him living with Ballan, though, and he seems quite nice," Hydra continued carefully.

Graven shrugged again. "Good. I'm glad he's not trying to tear your throat out."

Hydra chuckled. "Not at all."

Graven flicked a look to Ballan. "He wasn't a killer. Not like you. He never indicated a desire to be, and... And I want to dislike you and say you changed him, but you can't do that. I know it's the vampirism that did that." Her tone was flat and tired. "I actually never had an issue with you, even if you aren't the sort of best friend I ever pictured my older brother having. He was serious and quiet before you. He'd laugh and joke sometimes, but... But he wasn't a killer and did not have the violence in him that I do."

Ballan's lips gave a slight twitch. "Are you a killer, then? I did not notice that aspect of you."

Graven made a disgusted sound. "I've only been tempted when extremely enraged, and then I suppose I might have lost a little control. Normally shit just isn't worth it."

Ballan nodded, looking satisfied. "I thought so."

"The time she is referring to happened at Durmstrang. Some fifth year bloke annoyed her and she nearly strangled him to death with a tree branch before I interceded," Wulfric said, clearly trying not to look amused. "I should've done sooner, but I was frankly fascinated by the goblin control over nature magic. She controlled that tree without even touching it, and I couldn't even tell what spell she was doing."

Graven grinned as she leaned into Wulfric's side. "I think your magic is hot too, Dumbledore," she said softly.

Wulfric blushed, grinning. "Thank you. I mean I'm not my dad, so that's always pleasant to hear."

"Greok was the one who insisted on the friendship," Ballan told Graven, bringing the topic back to the subject that had brought them all outside into the chilly night air. "And he is your brother. What ever the reasons you think you're angry, he has the same feelings inside when it comes to humans, goblins, the state of the world. Likely to a lesser degree, but it is there."

He grinned indolently over at her. "But mostly, he kills for practice, and yes it was my suggestion, but he was smart enough to see the wisdom in my way of thinking. We became vampires for the mental and physical improvements. We shall not gain those improvements without practicing. As we must eat, hunting allows us the practice we need. Learning to manipulate the minds of humans while we sustain ourselves brings it all together."

Graven sighed, nodding grudgingly. "Alright. I get it when you put it like that."

"He may have put it thusly himself had you bothered to talk to him," Ballan pointed out a bit sharply.

"Well I'm not into that expressing feelings and unnecessary communication shit, in case you didn't notice," Graven retorted with equal or greater sharpness.

"A thing I could admire did it not hurt my friend," Ballan said.

Graven chuckled. "Good. I am glad you are loyal to Greok, because he deserves it. And I just might talk to him when I calm down in a year or so thanks to you. So thanks. Now I am going back inside before I sober up too much." Taking Wulfric's hand, she turned and headed back into the Hog's Head. As the door opened, the sound of eighties dance music floated out into the night. Wulfric gave Hydra and Ballan a pleased smile over one shoulder as if he believed them to have just done something good.

Hydra smiled back, relieved that everything had gone so well and that Graven did not harbor a secret hatred or disgust for The Daddies. When the door shut behind Wulfric and Graven, Hydra turned to Ballan and threw her arms around him. "You did wonderfully! You single-handedly worked things out for Graven and Greok. Now she understands more about why he may have seemed to have changed in a way she can properly process all because of you."

Ballan sighed. "It must have been the drink that made me more talkative. I usually drink alone, or rather I drank alone. I haven't had a drink in nearly two years. I only needed one when things got really bad with my former master, and that only once the bastard was asleep or he'd have done me in for it." As he spoke, he seemed to shrink in on himself, and Hydra found herself suddenly having to fight against the urge to tear said former master apart with her literal hands.

The level of violence that she had inside for that man shook her to the core, because until that moment, she truly did not know she had such in her. It was tempest causing earthquake level violent rage! It was a little frightening. "Well you do well when you drink with others," she said, forcing the words out to shift her own mental gears.

The bastard wasn't here for her to kill, after all, and the rage level he inspired was literally becoming a discomfort. That and she meant what she said. Drinking seemed to help Ballan socially, at least in small groups. Sober, he may not have cared to bother addressing Graven on the matter of Greok unless she'd said something way out of line. Ballan shrugged, expression doubtful. "If you say so. Shall we go back inside? I mean I'd completely prefer to just be alone with you, but I understand that this is one of those social things that matter to everyone but me."

Hydra smiled. "It hasn't been that bad, has it?"

He shrugged. "It could have been worse."

"Well let's just go back in for a little, then you and I can go," she promised, more than willing to have alone time with Ballan sooner than later. "I have missed you, after all," she said. She was unable to resist stepping closer and slipping her arms around him, kissing him soundly. He responded with a hunger that caused a fire to start up in her lower belly. "We could just go now," she managed when she had to come up for air.

"I am sure we can stick it out a little longer to please the masses," he replied gruffly before taking her hand and gently tugging her toward the door of the Hog's Head.