Harry Potter and the Allied Forces

Body


Disclaimer, Warning, etc: please refer to part 1.

Worlds Collide

The vampire who had visited Severus did not return for nearly a week. When he did, the Potions Master found him in the Headmaster's office, seated in the chair and resting his heavy boots on his mahogany desk.

"Ah, Severus," purred the vampire, dropping his feet to the floor. "How lovely of you to join us. I was just explaining to your... er... boss- that you will be working with the Hellsing Organisation from now on."

"Who do you think you are!?" Severus roared. "It should be me who-!"

"Why did you not inform me of this, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, his face showing his disappointment all too clearly.

"He is not leaving your school to my knowledge, Sir," the vampire continued, turning back to the Headmaster. "He is merely... obligated to another, now."

Suddenly, Sir Integra Wingate Hellsing and her significance in his life struck Severus like a ton of bricks. He recalled Seras calling Arucard 'Master' before they'd even met. And how Arucard had called Integra the same. She was his master now, as well, he realised. And it didn't bother him as much as he expected it to.

The next time Severus spoke, his voice was even and his confidence back in place. "I'll be working with the Hellsing Organisation, Sir. Whenever they should call, I imagine. But... you must find a replacement for the next few weeks, I'm afraid." He sighed heavily and sat in the chair beside the other vampire. "I cannot teach Potions while I am away. The Dark Lord... is being looked into very seriously."

The Headmaster's eyebrows reached his receding hair-line. "I see," he muttered.

"I implore you not to mention this conversation to anyone else, Sir," Arucard added in.

"Of course," he assured them immediately. "If I might assist you in any way..."

Arucard smirked, then tilted his hat. "I believe Sir Integra will be in contact with you. Good evening." He stood and beckoned the other vampire to him.

As Severus stood, he cast a mischievious smile at Albus. "I'll keep in contact, Sir."

"Fare well, Severus. Fare well."

***

"First things first," Arucard stated as the two materialised on the Hellsing compound. "You need appropriate garments; those will not do. And that wand of yours should only be your secondary weapon in this battle."

"All due respect," Severus sneered, anything but respectful, "I believe you underestimate the power of magick. It is that very force thas les led Voldemort into existing in the first place; I suggest you not turn your nose up just yet."

The two remained in silence as Arucard led the way into the main building. They took the first door on their right, into a small office.

"Severus Snape's uniform, Madam. If you please," he hissed, turning the guard's blood to ice.

"Uh- of course, Sir. Just a moment, Sir," she stuttered, then hastily made her way into another room. She came back a moment later with a box and a garment-bag with a hanger. "You'll have to get the rest at the Armory," she said. "That's some very dangerous-"

"Thank you, Madam."

As was his style, Arucard stopped the interlude as quickly as it had begun and continued on with his business. He took the garment bag from Severus and threw it over a shoulder while they walked to the Armory.

"Use your wand as you will; you will still be thoroughly trained in the use of firearms, and you will be expected to carry at least one on your person at all times. It is the simplest way to silence a target."

"What makes you think the Dark Lord is like any target you've silenced before? What makes you so sure your god watches over him?"

The vampires stopped walking in the middle of a lawn. They had taken a short-cut, and were out in the open. "My god and your god and all of God is just that. Call it what you will, we are all of the same essence. However, in this world, there are some creatures who lack that redeemable spark."

"Impure souls of the living dead... tell me, Arucard, is your soul pure?"

A very low, very deep growl was rumbling from within Arucard's chest. Without even knowing he was doing it, his lips stretched over his teeth, baring them as he glared knives. "My soul is bound by another!" he hissed angrily. In a flash, he had his own weapon pointed at the other's head. "My soul asks nothing of absolution or damnation! My soul is prepared for defeat! How's yours?"

Severus swallowed. Hard.

With a click, Arucard detached the clip from his gun and put both back in his coat. "Your soul still has hope," he sighed, almost inaudible. "Your soul still feels passion. You are still too human, Severus Snape. That is the true reason Sir Integra does not silence you. Come. We must hurry to the Armory. Miss Victoria is likely to be waiting..."

***

As it turned out, Miss Victoria was not the only one waiting for them to arrive. A man who appeared to be in his late sixties, but in very good health, nonetheless, was waiting beside her, a half-mad smile on his face. His eyes gleamed and shone with interest that only the young posess as his weathered hands wrung themselves in his excitement.

"Ah, Walter..." purred Arucard, a rather bemused smile on his face. "I was not expecting to see you here so soon."

"I admit... I couldn't resist. When Sir Integra informed me that he had arrived..." the old man, called Walter, said in a rather hysterical voice. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance."

"Likewise, I'm sure," Severus answered rather quietly, as he was quite awestruck by the old man's demeanour. He extended his hand, and was further surprised at Walter's firm grip.

"I will be handling your training personally," Walter informed Severus, his attitude turning businesslike in an instant. "These weapons are to be a part of your normal attire; you must know how to use them. Lessons begin in two hours' time. We will meet at the shooting range."

And with that, Walter quickly departed.

"Don't mind him," Seras scoffed lightly. "He just takes his work rather seriously... Anyway... ah... Why don't we get you set up, huh?"

Arucard looked amused. "I shall leave you here, then. I've other matters to attend to and Miss Victoria knows the compound quite well. You will be rooming with her for the time being, as well."

Severus stole a glance at the woman-vampire out the corner of his eye. She seemed honest enough, and most certainly very earnest. He focused on Arucard and nodded once. "All right, then. Fare well."

"We're not parting company long," the other vampire sneered, though it wasn't an unnecessarily unpleasant sort of sneer.

"It's something we say to one another when our fates are uncertaiSeveSeverus said vaguely. "Other matters could mean anything."

"Fare well, then."

"Come on," Seras muttered as she turned towards the door. "You still need lots of things and we've got to go down to the basement, yet. That's where they keep us." She laughed a bit sadly. "Our quarters are really very nice, it's just that the only rooms that don't have any windows are cells or dungeons. Or both."

"That suits me just fine," Severus muttered under his breath.

***

"Is this really how I'm supposed to wear all this?" Severus asked Seras when he'd donned his prescribed uniform and looked at himself in the full-length mirror before him. The uniform was in several layers, the first layer being leather trousers and longsleeved shirt. They fit him snugly so that he felt rather self-conscious. On top of the shirt, he wore a chain-mail vest that he would never have managed as a mortal wizard. A cut, black waistcoat finished off his clothing. It fit him well with long sleeves that had large cuffs at the ends, a high Mandarin collar, and split at his lower back so that it fit his legs rather like chaps. His boots were black leather, and had about a dozen straps with buckles on each one.

"Yeah," she replied, rather impressed at how well the Hellsing's latest uniform looked on such a handsome vampire. "You look good, Sir."

Severus glanced at her over his shoulder, but found that he could not supress a small smile at the look on Seras' face. "Was the collar absolutely necessary, though?" he asked his reflection. That was the one part of the thing he couldn't understand. The rest of the ensemble all had its function, but the collar seemed justicroicrous.

"Master has a... er... rather sick sense of humour sometimes." She smiled sweetly up at the other vampire. "It really does look good, though, Sir. Really."

And he believed her. "Will you help me with these knives, Seras? I don't know quite how-"

Seras took the sash containing a variety of throwing knives and turned Severus around. "I can't believe you've never used knives and you've been in battle!" she sighed rather in awe.

"With magick, my dear, one rarely needs knives to cause pain or death," he replied as he checked that his wand was still strapped to the inside of his left thigh.

"Lets get along to the range, huh?" Seras said then in an effort to divert the conversation. The way her companion's voice had hardened as he spoke frightened her.

"Of course. Walter does not look the sort you'd want to leave waiting."

*****

Perhaps that's a lame place to cut this off, but I have the power so mwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! I'll... heh... gee nee next bit up as soon as I can. Fare well and strange dreams, everyone!
azrael