Vampyre

Chapter Seven
Never Attempt to Corner One of the Living Dead


Harry and Ron, followed by Seamus and a quaking Neville, crept quietly downstairs. With only the occasional “lumos” to peer at the maurader’s map to track Snape’s supposed movement, it was entirely dark downstairs.

“I don’t like this, Harry,” Ron whispered nervously. “There’s something just not right here.”

“I agree with Ron. I vote we go back upstairs,” Neville whined.

“Hush,” Harry and Seamus whispered back simultaneously.

After a few minutes of walking and exploring the map, Harry scratched his head in confusion and frustration. The map clearly showed Snape, but he wasn’t to be seen.

“Maybe he owns and invisibility cape,” Seamus said.

“Doubtful. Snape was powerful enough not to need one,” Harry replied.

Ron had paused at the sound of footsteps for only a moment. When he turned back to the others, they were gone.

“Harry?”

Ron hurried a few steps and fumbled for his wand.

“L-lumos.”

This part of the dungeons was one he wasn’t familiar with. Such as it was, he was beginning to shake all over. He didn’t like the feeling running up his spine, and for once it didn’t have anything to do with spiders.

“Going somewhere, Weasley?”

The voice of Professor Snape came out of the darkness, soft as silk at the very moment Ron’s wand went out.

“P-P-P-Professor? B---b-b-b-but you’re dead.”

“Am I? Of course, if I weren’t in such a giving mood Weasley, I might give you a chance to find out what death is like.”

A glimpse of teeth too white for comfort made Ron press back against the wall.

“Now, look at me, Weasley.”

Ron didn’t want to look up at the Professor, but somehow he was not able to keep from staring up into the blackness ringed in red.

“You will not remember seeing me tonight. However, since you have seen me, then I shall use you for certain services that I need.”

The burning red was boring into Ron’s eyes, and his head was starting to spin. All he could hear was Snape’s voice which was insinuating itself into his brain.

“You will do as I bid you, and tonight I have a mission for you.”

“Yes?” Ron heard himself replying.

“You will go and check on Hermione Granger. You are to leave the door ajar where I can gain entrance. Then, you will leave. Understood?”

“Yes, Sir.”

“You are also to convince Potter and his other idiot friends that the map is wrong; that there is nothing to be found here. You will confiscate the map from Potter and you will bring it to me when I call for you.”

“Yes, Sir.”

“Go now, before I decide to inflict my own fate upon you.”

“Yes,” Ron replied, almost trance-like.

The Professor was gone as suddenly as he had appeared, and Ron woke from his trance, wondering why he was still standing alone in the hall.

He heard Harry and sprinted back up the hall, feeling his way along the wall.

“There you are, Ron. What did you stop for? I looked around and you were gone.”

“I looked around and you were gone,” Ron explained. “I didn’t see Snape. The map has to be wrong for once. Let’s check on Hermione and then go get some food.”

Harry folded the map in defeat. They’d searched most of the halls and come up with nothing.

Hermione heard tapping on the door and came to her feet, which had gotten cold sitting under the desk.

“Brrrrr,” she said, going to the door.

“Hermione? It’s just us,” Harry said. “Open up.”

“Harry?”

Hermione unwarded the door, happy to see Harry and the others. Ron came in last, saying nothing and staying close to the door.

“We just wanted to come down and check on you.”

“I’m perfectly fine. Why would anything be wrong?”

“We saw something on the map,” Seamus said.

Harry shushed him.

“We were off to the kitchens for a snack and just wanted to make sure you were okay down here,” Harry said.

Hermione frowned at Harry.

“What’s going on? And are you playing with the marauder’s map again? I thought Remus told you to stop doing that.”

The four boys looked guilty.

“As a member of staff now, I am going to ask you not to use that again. Otherwise, I am going to have to confiscate it. I don’t want any of you getting into trouble.”

“We’re not going to get in trouble, Hermione,” Seamus said. “It’s just that..”

Harry shot Seamus a look that clearly told him to shut his gob or else. Hermione did not need to know that Snape might still be lurking while he was considered dead.

“We’ll let you get some rest, Herm,” Harry said, grabbing Seamus by the arm. “We just wanted a snack ourselves. I promise I won’t use the map again.”

Ron reached for the door. As it opened, he felt a rush of air go by him which for some reason he forgot about as quickly as it happened. He was very hungry and felt a great need to leave this place.

“Just remember your promise, boys,” Hermione said as she saw them to the door. “And quit wandering around this late at night. Filch would love to catch you out.”

“He can’t, he’s still in his office,” Neville offered. Seamus cuffed him on the arm. “Ow.”

Hermione shook her head as she closed the door and warded it. She wrapped the shawl tighter about her shoulders and went into the bedroom to get in bed.

Salazar was back in his frame, and as Hermione came into the room, the bedroom door slammed behind her and she heard wards click into place.

She turned and tried the knob, only to find the door locked tight.

“Do not leave this room again tonight,” Salazar hissed. “You are in grave danger.”

“Are you going to start that again? I thought we had discussed the fact that you are to stay out of my business,” Hermione replied. “Now unward this door immediately.”

Abruptly, Salazar moved out of the portrait frame.

“Salazar! You come back here. You have a lot of explaining to do.”

Salazar did not return.

“Damn him,” Hermione grabbed her wand and began trying to break the wards. After nearly an hour, she gave up. Whatever Salazar had done, he’d done it well.

She growled grumpily to herself about how Salazar Slytherin was going into storage if she had anything to say about it as she crawled into the warm bed.

“Damned portraits,” Hermione turned onto her side and closed her eyes. It didn’t take long for sleep to claim her.

Severus stepped out of the dark shadows of the corner. Salazar had spotted him even with the invisibility charm he’d cast upon himself. That was why the founder of Slytherin had left so fast. He’d feared Severus’ wrath.

Quiet feet took him around the bed where he lay down carefully on his side, facing Hermione. He watched her as she slept, noticing for the first time the light sprinkling of freckles on her nose.

Severus was still trying to comprehend her feelings for him inside himself -- that is, the man that still remained was. The vampyre was all for possessing her and hang the consequences.

It was too early to say he loved her. Rather, she had managed to get his attention with her thoughts and the intensity of them. It was somewhat of a shock to realize that his former student, the know-it-all he’d once resented, was making him change his mind about her.

He raised a hand and very lightly let his fingers touch skin that reminded him of pink porcelain in the dim light. His calloused fingers were gentle and feather-light as he stroked from cheek to neck.

Her pulse beat strongly against his fingers when he reached her neck, which caused him to still his exploration.

Thump. Thump.

Severus ran his tongue over his teeth, feeling the fangs start to surface again. Feeding earlier had tempered his appetite, but the sound of her heartbeat in his ears was calling to the vampyre.

Hermione was going to be his. That was a given fact as far as Severus was concerned. He was going to make sure that she did not change her mind about him.

It was a good thing that Hermione was still sleeping soundly, for if she’d been awake, the deepening red of Severus’ eyes would have made her panic and try to flee. His long hair brushed against her skin as he bent over, sliding his lips along the flesh of her neck, letting his tongue dart out to sample the slightly salty taste of her.

He sighed quietly, clamping down on the violence in his soul that was threatening to abuse her. Arousal was starting in his loins and running in a warm path to his brain.

One bite; that’s all it would take and she would do as he bid regardless of circumstances. He needed her, needed to glut on her love, and needed her reassurance.

Severus kissed her neck. Hermione groaned in her sleep and shifted restlessly, her body unconsciously seeking that of the man next to her. He pierced the soft skin, his fangs sinking into her vein.

Her blood flowed into his body, causing a sudden dizzying sensation that started to drive him mad with a need to feast. Warm and salty, the blood from the breathing, living witch made Severus flush.

Severus forced himself to remove his fangs, licking the wound and whispering a concealment charm. By the time the charm wore off, the two tiny marks would be gone. He was breathing hard, nearly panting with the effort of leashing in any further feeding. His erection was harder than he could ever remember it being. He clenched his hands. He did not dare touch her again or she would be as he was come morning.

As much as he wanted to stay with her he did not dare, not at this moment, feeling the way that he did.

I will return to you, love.”

To Hermione, the words that echoed in her head were all just part of a dream as she groaned, stretched and turned over.

You are mine now. You will never belong to another.

“Yes,” Hermione mumbled in her sleep.

Severus turned to the empty portrait frame and glared as he removed himself from the bed.

“As for you, you traitor, mind your mouth, for there are ways that I will deal with you if you continue to protect her and try to prevent me from seeing her,” he hissed venomously.

The door to the bedroom opened automatically for him, his old wards still in place along with the ones that Salazar had set. Portraits of wizards and witches still maintained some vestige of their former powers, but in a weak form. Therefore Salazar was not as powerful as he might think he was.

A deep chuckle escaped Severus as he made his retreat back to the forest, his cape trailing after him. He would take care of anyone who got into his path, intentional or not.