Chapter 9:
Remus Lupin sat in the café, in his worn-out robes, very well aware that he could not really afford to be there and that this job offer would likely come to nought. Who'd want someone like him near their children. He was only here because Sirius had kept going on about how it was a chance to show people that he wasn't the monster, deep down he knew himself to be. When Sirius had seen Remus staring forlornly at the advertisement looking for a tutor for a young boy, he'd applied on Remus' behalf and after a brief letter correspondence had arranged to meet a Mr V Count at this café at five o'clock he was half an hour late and the sun had just gone down. According to the letters the family lived above a muggle school, which was why Remus assumed he was being considered for the job, not long out of school and no real experience, most wizards avoided muggles like they had the plague and those that didn't were usually ostracized by those that did. He mused no self-respecting tutor would take the job for fear of losing out on future jobs with their wealthier pure-blood clients. Plus, wizards who were known muggle sympathisers had a nasty habit of ending up dead these days.
Remus had just decided to leave, he'd grown tired of the looks of pity and suspicion that his appearance garnered from the other occupants of the café, the serving witch kept checking to make sure he wasn't stealing the cutlery. When a new customer walked through the door of the café. He was young, looking no older than 16, which was odd as this was a wizard café and a boy that age should have still been at school. The boy was also dressed as a muggle in a black jacket and trousers which drew the attention of everyone in the café. The further he came into the establishment the clearer Remus could make out his appearance, he was dark-haired and pale skinned and when he passed one of the decorative mirrors on the walls, he had no reflection. A vampire. Most of the others in the café turned away in disgust and began muttering, some even got up and left outright. It would probably have been a similar reaction if they knew what Remus was. The vampire continued walking into the café until he spotted Remus and made his way over to where he was sat. Remus tensed up, ready for a fight, his hand gripping his wand under the table. Relations between werewolves and vampires had historically never been that great, with fights over territory, victims and just general hatred of each other. The vampire spoke first "You are Mr Lupin" It wasn't a question but a statement of fact. "From your letters I wasn't sure you were the right person for the job" he spoke in calm manner.
"You are Mr Count?" Remus asked incredulously
"Well yes and no, I am Vladimir Dracula, Count is simply a pseudonym for when I conduct business with mortals, my name is a bit distinctive I find"
"I assume you know what I am and yet you haven't left or tried to kill me" Remus said with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
"Why would I want to do either of those things, I want to hire you"
"You want to hire me, what need would a vampire have of a tutor?"
"You would be tutoring my little brother; he is a werewolf like yourself," the vampire said softly.
"How can the brother of a vampire be a werewolf?" Remus asked in disbelief
"He is a half werewolf half vampire, he is young, and he appears to be succumbing to the animal within, we feel he requires discipline and an education. I'll be honest I had little hope that this meeting would go anywhere and end up being a failure like all the others for you see a child as special as he requires a special teacher but now, I've met you I think you would be perfect for the job" the vampire said
Remus thought about that for a moment. When the vampire spoke again "And I have no intention of being rude but you clearly are in need of the money so I can assume you want the job"
Remus had a resigned nod, he did want the job, he'd always wanted to be a teacher, and as a prefect, he was always willing to help out the other students in his house and he did need a job it shamed him to his very core that he had to survive off handouts from James. "that's wonderful, you have our address" another nod "when can you start?"
Remus thought about that was he really going to do this, work for a vampire, "It may take a few days for me to gather supplies and to create a suitable curriculum" he was unsure of how he was going to afford teaching supplies. "of course, the first payment will be in advance so if you will provide your banking details I will arrange payment, that is acceptable yes" the vampire said as if reading Remus' mind "I bank with Gringrotts" the goblins had always treated him better than most wizards "yes of course there are no stauncher guardians of wealth than goblins" he said thoughtfully "well I think our business is concluded for the moment" he stood and outstretched his hand which Remus shook and the ice cold hand was a strong reminder of who his new employer was. The vampire turned and walked out of the café with all eyes on him, those soon turned on Remus so he hurriedly paid his bill and left as well.
Malik was not having a good night, he'd been jumped by a gang of slayers that had started by blowing the tyres of his motorbike out from under him, he really liked that bike. They had then proceeded to chase him through the suburbs of Paris. He had managed to lose them by by leading them into a nest of ferals and in the resulting chaos slip into the sewers and escape. So now he was sat in the back of a breather pub nursing a drink which he had only managed to get through hypnotism because he was currently skint. This was the lowest he had been in over a century the only upside he could think of was the AB- barmaid, his favourite blood type, he was planning to bite. Fresh blood always cheered him up.
The barmaid had just gone outside and Malik was about to follow when a voice spoke "Look how the mighty have fallen" Malik shot up looking at the smirking form of his half-sister Ingrid, panicking he made for the exit only to find it blocked by another vampire, a half-fang going by the scar on his neck, he turned back to Ingrid hissing through his fangs, she flashed her own fangs and thunder boomed "alright, alright you've got me, if you're here to dust me make it quick" he said in a resigned voice. All the while his mind whirring for a possible escape. "Relax I've … ugh you smell like a sewer," Ingrid said wrinkling her nose
"Well, I had to use them to escape a group of very tenacious rogue slayers," Malik said in a defensive tone. "Slayers are you sure" Ingrid said.
"You think I can't recognise a slayer when I see one, chased me half across the city they did before I managed to give them the slip, so any way to what do I owe this pleasure sister" Malik said. Ingrid gestured back towards where he was sitting "Can't I visit my estranged, murderous traitor of a brother" she said in a faux sweet tone.
"No," he said in no mood for games "What do you want?" he demanded
"I'll be honest" Ingrid began
"That'd be first" he muttered
she continued "I am in need of a co-conspirator for some delicate schemes"
He was curious though "What sort of schemes and why should I help you, what's in it for me?" Malik asked
"what's in it for you why power of course that which motivates us all, as for the nature of these schemes they will be revealed in the fullness of time" she said smirking
"What type of power?"
"Why as much power as either of us is likely to get, and a great deal more besides" she laughed
"Alright I'm listening"
"In the broad sense, the endgame is taking control of the High Council," Ingrid said
"I notice one massive flaw in your plan, the elephant that is not in this room, our goody goody two shoes of a brother, I doubt Vlad is just going to allow me and you to usurp control of the High Council," Malik said
"Oh, don't worry too much about our little brother, he's much too busy embroiled in the affairs of wizards and his new found blood-lust," Ingrid said dismissively
"Wizards bunch of self-entitled blood bags I always try to avoid them" Malik sneered "And blood-lust Vlad? Really?"
"Oh yes it seems he's finally developed a taste for fresh blood, he's particularly partial to the blood of criminals," Ingrid said
"Criminals?"
"Yes, it seems the blood of the innocent isn't good enough for our little brother," Ingrid said mockingly
"So, he likes the blood of the guilty" Malik laughed "he can't fully rid himself of his precious morality then" shaking his head.
"Not yet no" Ingrid agreed.
"Alright I suppose it couldn't hurt to humour you for a while and Paris has lost its charms while London has a certain appeal" Malik conceded
"Well, I have an appointment with councillor Hack so I'd best get going" Ingrid said standing up to leave. "Oh, one last thing all future contact will be arranged through Mack over there" she said nodding in the direction of the half-fang before speeding out.
"It's Mike" Malik heard the half-fang mutter.
"And I have an appointment with 8 pints of AB-" Malik said with a wistful expression thinking of that bar maid he should still be able to hunt down.