Vampyre

Chapter Six
Troubles


Hermione was so tired that she decided she would not uncover Salazar. Despite her earlier dream she slept fitfully, comforted by the smell of the comforter she wrapped up in.

It wasn’t until she left for breakfast that she uncovered Salazar with a flip of her wand as she went out the door. The portrait stared after her, in a foul mood since Hermione refused to listen to him.

“Stupid Gryffindor fails to realize that those of the House of Slytherin rarely offer advice to those below them. I am the founder of Slytherin and she rejects me as if I were an insignificant bug. For one so intelligent she is not being very bright. Perhaps I should see that the Weasley boy stays away from her. It feels as if his stupidity is starting to rub off,” he said to Crookshanks, who meowed back.

“He is closer, cat. I could feel him. It’s a damned shame there isn’t a portrait out in the corridor where I could go and warn him away from her. But now I fear that it is too late. He can smell her, and the need to mate with her is going to be too much for him to deal with.”

Crookshanks tilted his head and continued to listen.

“He is vampyre now, thanks to Lucius and the others. At one time I would have enjoyed all this but I think that peace is the best thing. Voldemort must stay at rest permanently, and I do not like Severus used as a pawn. He will turn her into a vampyress if she is not careful.”

A series of worried meows responded.

“Yes, she will be weak where he is concerned. Foolish girl doesn’t know that she loves him to begin with. I am going to have my hands full trying to prevent this. As bad as I hate it, I am going to visit Godric and see if we can put a stop to all this foolishness. Perhaps Lupin could destroy Lucius.” Salazar pulled at his lower lip in thought. While he was not fond of the werewolf, Lupin was one of the least foolish of the Gryffindors. “Keep an eye on your Mistress, cat. Do not let her go near the tomb again.”

Salazar walked out of the frame, and going from portrait to portrait, headed up towards Gryffindor house.

Crookshanks, smart cat that he was, waited for one of the house elves to appear for the mornings cleaning before meowing plaintively.

“Poor wee kitty,” the house elf said. “I let’s you go out.”

The elf opened the door into the hall and Crookshanks ran out, sniffing. It didn’t take long for him to pick up Hermione’s scent. The cat thought that Salazar was right, and he would do as he was asked, unlike his stubborn mistress.

~*~*~

Remus Lupin had finished his preparation for the new arrivals on Monday, so he took advantage of free time to sneak down to the tomb of Severus Snape himself. He’d noticed how preoccupied Hermione had been, and when he had questioned Minerva about it, he’d been told that Hermione was taking the death of Severus hard and visiting his grave on a regular basis.

Remus didn’t like this at all. It was odd that Poppy had not been unable to determine the cause of death, nor had she found any marks on the body. He himself had examined Severus and found nothing. Remus had been watchful, suspecting that dark forces were at work. It wouldn’t surprise him to find the body of Severus Snape missing.

It had taken him a full hour to get Minerva to produce a key to the padlock on the tomb. She had questioned him closely as to his reasons for wanting it. Remus had managed to distract her by pointing out that somehow Hermione was getting in without a key. This perplexed the Headmistress so much that she reluctantly gave him the key with a stern warning that she expected the key back shortly, and she also did not want the coffin disturbed.

Remus had no intention of disturbing the coffin. He only intended to open it and look inside to reassure himself that Severus was truly dead and not somewhere else entirely.

He cursed aloud when the key refused to open the padlock. It turned as it was supposed to, but the padlock would not budge. It took a half hour and several spells before Remus could get it to open.

He shut the door behind him, noting the blooming flowers that Hermione had placed there.

“I don’t know what you are up to, Severus,” Remus said aloud, “But I am going to find out.”

He lifted the lid of the coffin, almost certain that Severus would not be there. He was disappointed, for the body of Severus Snape lay in the same position it had been in when Remus had closed the lid at the funeral. He touched the skin of one hand, finding it cold to the touch.

Remus closed the lid and frowned. This was not what he had expected, not at all. He would return at dusk, when the vampire would arise from sleep. In the meantime he would prepare his defense.

He was careful to leave the lock turned so it appeared closed, but he did not put the pieces together. He’d best give Minerva the key back to avoid any further questioning. A vampyre was not going to be roaming Hogwarts if he had anything to do with it. His own Werewolf problem was trouble enough.

~*~*~

Crookshanks had curled up on one of the student tables in the potions classroom after surprising Hermione with his presence. He was purring in his sleep when Minerva entered the room.

“Hermione, I need to speak with you.”

“Hello, Minerva. If you’re worried about my lesson plans, I just finished them. I’ve also reorganized the class rosters, and separated out a few students that may need extra help with their projects. You see, I…”

Minerva held up a hand.

“It is not that,” she said as she motioned a chair over and sat down next to the desk where Hermione was busily writing. “I wish it were that easy. I have come to speak to you about Severus.”

“I’m doing better with that,” Hermione said. “Nothing is going to bring him back, but I promised him I would keep visiting him.”

“That is just it. You have to cease visiting the tomb so much. It isn’t healthy, and it worries me that you have been there several times and Severus had hardly been dead a week.”

Hermione put down her quill and looked at Minerva solemnly.

“Dear, letting go of someone isn’t easy. I should know since Albus was the love of my life for years. I am afraid if you continue to stay around that tomb something bad will happen to you.”

“What sort of thing?” Minerva was sounding like Salazar now.

“We do not know what the cause of his death was, Hermione. It’s possible that whatever killed him could also kill others.”

“No one has died yet. Both Poppy and Remus handled the body and they are up and about.”

“I am sure they took precautions.” Minerva did not want to mention to Hermione that Remus had given her cause to be suspicious that something more was going on here. “I would also like to ask you how you have gained entrance to the tomb when I possess the only key.”

Hermione blushed.

“I know that you and your friends have been in places before that were off limits, and I do not underestimate your abilities. However, the lock has a number of wards on it that would be nearly impossible to break.”

“The lock was open,” Hermione said after much silence. “I’m not sure why, but it opened on its own.”

“There you have it,” Minerva said triumphantly. “The lock should not open without a key. I want your word right now, that you will not visit that tomb ever again unless I myself accompany you.”

“I can’t promise you that, Minerva.”

“You can, and you will. I do not like to force people, Hermione, but as Headmistress of the school I am responsible for the staff here. I love you as if you were my own child, and I will not see you harmed. So, from this moment on, I am banning you from the tomb. You may consider it to be permanently off limits.”

“I don’t want Severus to be forgotten.”

“He will not be. As I promised, I will accompany you to the tomb if you wish. But what I said goes. You may not visit the tomb unaccompanied. Do you understand?”

“Yes.” Hermione did not look pleased.

“Good.” Minerva smiled encouragingly. “And don’t worry about Severus. He’s better off than the rest of us are.”

~*~*~

Remus Lupin had forgotten one important thing. Tonight was the night of the full moon, and he could already feel his transformation into Werewolf taking place. Minerva had suggested to him that Hermione could attempt to finish the potion that Severus had begun working on to hold his transformations at bay, but until then he would have to make do. He staggered a little as he made his way to the room of requirement, which would contain him from doing harm until the full moon waned again.

Hermione was so distraught that she didn’t eat dinner that evening. She sat in the study of her rooms and buried herself in some of the books she found in Severus’ private library. Salazar was gone from his frame when she’d returned from her work, and it was a relief.

Minerva had upset her greatly by imposing a ban on her visits to the tomb. It made Hermione feel like her heart was breaking in two. A tear or two seeped out of the corner of her eyes, but she wiped them away, resolving not to cry again.

Strangely enough, Crookshanks had been following her everywhere and was seated on a corner of the desk, licking a paw and lifting his head at every creak of the wind. It was chilly in the dungeons, and Hermione had thrown a woolen shawl about her shoulders, over her nightgown. The mood she was in, she didn’t think she was going to get much sleep tonight.

Severus awoke at dusk and rose up out of the coffin. His fangs were long and the need to feed was clutching at him. The chill that encompassed his body throughout the day was rapidly dissipating. He wished that he’d been able to sink his fangs into that fool Lupin.

Severus had been aware of the werewolf’s presence and been able to read his thoughts. One thing that he would make sure of, and that was Remus Lupin would not interfere with his possession of Hermione Granger. He emerged from the tomb, looking in the direction of Hogwarts longingly. He did not dare go there at the moment. Hungry as he was, he would drain Hermione of her blood. It was not his intention to transform her as he was, not if he could help it. He would feed first, and then he would slip into Hogwarts undetected and wait for the opportunity to gain entrance to his old rooms.

He walked through the forbidden forest to the cave that would take him underground. He had made a comfortable lair for himself where he could store the blood he’d stolen. It was one of these bags that he sank his fangs into and drank deeply from. The tingling, hot sensation of blood entering his starved body made him burn on a nearly sensual level. When he’d finished the bag, his fangs receded and his flesh had taken on a healthier cast than he’d ever had in life. Contrary to mortal beliefs, he could see his reflection in the mirror hanging on the wall. The only other difference he could spot was the red in his eyes.

It didn’t take but a few moments after feeding for his thoughts to turn back to Hermione. She had not visited him today, and he did not like that. He missed the warmth of her palms on the lid of the coffin, and the sound of her voice. It was this need of his that drew him back towards the school as he took flight in the form of a bat. Because of the many hidden entrances to the school, he was able to gain entrance to the dungeons. Minerva had forgotten to remove the wards that allowed him as a teacher to enter.

Severus’ hearing had been magnified since his transformation to a vampyre, and he could hear students moving about upstairs for many levels. He scowled at the unwanted noise, but it did not deter him from materializing into his true form and quietly moving down the hallways.

“The worst thing that could happen was to lose Uncle Severus,” Draco Malfoy was saying as he walked with Crabbe and Goyle. “I just hope they don’t make Granger head of Slytherin. She’s still a Gryffindor.”

Severus stepped back into a little used corridor where the blackness concealed him as the boys passed.

“Father was attacked by a vampyre, and I just wonder if he got to Uncle Severus.”

“Indeed,” Severus whispered to himself. “How little he knows. Perhaps one day I shall enlighten him.”

~*~*~

Upstairs, Ron and Harry were hungry. School was not officially in session and McGonagall had not forbidden them to get snacks from the kitchens. However, Filch and Mrs. Norris saw no reason to relax rules.

“Crikey Harry, let’s get the map and see where they are,” Ron said as his stomach growled.

“You ate enough at tea,” Seamus said from his bed, where he and Neville were playing a game of Wizard’s chess and Neville was losing badly. “I didn’t think you were going to leave any for the rest of us.”

Harry removed the marauder’s map from his trunk and unfolded it before tapping it with his wand.

“I am solemnly up to no good,” he said.

Footsteps appeared. Ron peered over his shoulder, looking for Filch and Mrs. Norris. They were located in Filch’s office.

“Good,” Ron breathed a sigh of relief. “We can get food without being bothered.”

“Hey, look at this, guys,” Harry said, pointing. “This can’t be right.”

A pair of footsteps labeled Severus Snape were walking down one of the halls in the dungeons.

“What kind of trick is that, Harry? Quit pulling my leg,” Ron said.

“What?” Neville said.

“There are some footsteps that say “Severus Snape” which is impossible,” Harry explained.

“The map has never been wrong before,” Ron mused.

“I say we go investigate,” Seamus said. “Come on, Neville.”

Neville was shaking. A dead Severus Snape was worse than the one that had been living in his opinion.

“No way,” he said. “You can go if you want, but I’m staying here where it’s safe.”

“Don’t worry, Neville,” Harry said. “There’s probably a reasonable explanation for all this and we just want to find out what it is. I doubt Snape is down there.”

“Absolutely not.”

“Suit yourself then,” Harry said. Ron was still sitting on the bed, looking scared himself. “Are you coming, Ron?”

“Not if you’re going to the dungeons. I don’t want to see Snape ever again.”

“Hermione is down there, and I want to make sure she’s okay.”

“Oi, Harry. All right, I’ll go, but only for Hermione’s sake.

“Good, shall we go, gentlemen?” Harry teased.