Twice Bitten ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 7 ~ The Initial Examination

Hermione sent off several owls with explanations and a number of sympathy cards to which she signed her, Harry’s and Ron’s names. It wasn’t much and some people might not take it well, but it was the best she could come up with. As an afterthought, she disillusioned herself, walked back through the Common Room to the portrait entrance and opened it, holding it securely as she pulled out her wand.

The Fat Lady saw the shimmer.

”What’s going on her…” she began then fell silent as Hermione cast an Obliviate spell on the painting. She wasn’t sure if she could Obliviate a portrait, but by the dazed look in the Fat Lady’s eyes, she could.

Hermione hurried back inside. She had been afraid the portrait would tell someone she was in the tower. She couldn’t afford that. Hermione returned to Harry’s room, stripped down to her underthings and climbed into bed. She was tired and had been through a lot tonight.

Snape was a vampire and had turned Harry and Ron into vampires too, though technically Harry had done Ron in. As she lay there waiting for sleep to come, she thought about the things she had read about vampires. Not the wealth of information that the Professor had gathered, just the basics she already knew. Or thought she knew.

Vampires drank blood. Sunlight would kill them. Crosses would hold them off. Holy water would burn them. They didn’t have reflections. They could mesmerize humans. They couldn’t cross moving water. Driving a stake through their hearts would kill them. They were cold . . .

Hermione knew for a fact Professor Snape wasn’t at all cold. His hands and body were warm. She could feel his heat through his robes when he carried her.

Vampires were not supposed to have souls.

Hermione wasn’t sure how she could verify if Snape and the rest of them had souls, but she assumed they did because they could still do magic, and magic was supposedly bound to a person’s soul.

And if they had souls, then they weren’t really dead. Snape appeared to be dead when they left the Shrieking Shack, but death was actually a process. A person didn’t just die. They would lose consciousness but it took time for the body to shut down, time for the brain, cells and organs to die. It took a little while for a body to become totally dead.

Hermione lay thinking about this. Snape was obviously dying in the Pensieve before he put the Bezoar stone into his mouth. Bezoars fought poisons. Maybe he stopped the poisoning, but what actually turned him into a vampire wasn’t really a poison. Vampires were still a life-form after all. Maybe there was something else that was supposed to take over his body as it was weak and dying. Something like a parasite, that changed the body to make it suitable for its own survival. Possibly, if the body wasn’t poisoned and near death, it couldn’t take it over. Maybe the thing that changed it went dormant, waiting for the body to fall into that state of approaching death again before trying to take hold.

That scenario would explain a lot. It was a good theory to begin with, though it didn’t quite fit with what people believed about vampires. Then again, there were all kinds of vampires. Many more than she would have believed possible judging by what the Professor had collected. Hermione had noticed something else too. When Harry and Ron spoke, she could see their fangs, though Ron’s looked shorter now than when they were on the grounds and he wanted to bite her. But Snape didn’t look as if he had fangs at all. She was going to have to examine all their teeth.

In fact, she was going to have to test a lot of the claims about vampires’ strengths and weaknesses.

As far as the research went, it would make sense to focus only on the kinds of vampires that were found in the region the Professor was in when he was bitten. After she found out all she could about what Snape, Harry and Ron could and couldn’t do, then she could do some comparisons with what was known about the vampires of Ancient Babylon as well as any later species found in that area.

Hermione was really tempted to get out of bed, resize all the books and parchments and do some studying, but knew she had to get her rest. More than likely in the next few days her sleeping habits would change and she’d have to sleep during the day so she could work with Professor Snape, Harry and Ron during the night hours.

The witch sighed and settled in, waiting for sleep to come, her mind constantly turning the situation over and over in her head.

She hoped she could help them, or she was going to lose both her best friends.

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Hermione was awakening by the sound of voices approaching Harry’s room. She hadn’t thought to ward the door. She scrambled under the bed just as the door was thrown open. Her robes were draped over a chair. Clad only in her bra and knickers, she peered at the robes and run over shoes she could see from her vantage point. She held her breath.

”Imagine those three, running off that like,” said Minerva McGonagall in a perfect temper. “You’d think after all they’d been through, they’d settle down and let others know what’s going on. Why do they have to run off all the time and not accept other people’s help?”

”I say they should all be set to the screws,” Filch said, his rheumy eyes shifting around the room. He pointed.

“There’s Potter’s glasses, over on the nightstand.”

Hermione watched as Minerva swept over to the night stand. The hem of her robes made a small breeze that lifted up the dust under Harry’s bed, and Hermione got a snootful of it. She covered her mouth and nose as her eyes watered, trying her best not to sneeze.

”Well, if Harry left his glasses, then he’s definitely not cavorting about,” Minerva said, “He can’t see without them and you can’t just conjure glasses. They have a prescription. Well, they’re not at Hogwarts, Argus. We’ll just have to wait until they return. I really wish school were in session. I’d give them all enough detention to last the year.”

”I still say the thumbscrews would be better,” Filch said, following Minerva out and closing the door.

”Are you going to Tonks and Remus’ funeral today?” Hermione heard the Headmistress ask the squib as they walked away.

Hermione held it as long as she could, then sneezed a high, snorting sneeze and falling still, terrified Filch had heard it. He might be a crotchety old bastard but he could hear very well. No one returned, and Hermione scrambled out from under the bed, her entire front covered with dust and little bits of parchment.

Hermione walked over to her robes and pulled out her wand, scourgifying herself. As she dressed, she made her plans for the day. First she would go to the library and get a basic book on vampires and the facts about them. Then she would have to leave Hogwarts and go to London and acquire a couple of things. She’d have to sneak into her parent’s flat. They would both be at work. She was going to raid her father’s little military collection. Her father liked to collect all things military. He had dead grenades, a gas mask, old bullets, plating off old tanks, things like that. But he also had a pair of infra-red night goggles.

Hermione would be damned if she were the only one who couldn’t see in the dark.

As she disillusioned herself, Hermione got a little hitch in her heart as she thought about Remus’ funeral. She really would like to go and pay her respects. She had always liked the werewolf. And Tonks. She imagined they would be buried side by side.

But she couldn’t go, particularly after sending out those owls and cards. There’d be too many questions about Harry and Ron. No. She’d just glamour herself and get about getting what she needed then getting back to Hogwarts.

The Professor would be waiting.

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Snape occupied his day polishing his potions utensils and doing some unnecessary brewing, just to keep busy and focus on something else other than his situation and recurring attraction Miss Granger. He was glad he didn’t sleep. He had no doubt the witch would have come to him in his dreams. He didn’t need that.

Ron and Harry had slipped out the night before and procured a Wizarding Chess set, Gobstones, a Wizarding Wireless and some playing cards. They did have a deck of Exploding Snap cards, but Snape billowed in and blasted the cards to bits because of the noise. So they were reduced to playing two-man poker and other quieter games.

At nine o’clock sharp, a Disillusioned Hermione stood near the niche. Her robes pockets were bulging and she had a bag and a black satchel. She waited for the wall to open, looking up the hall furtively, hoping Filch wasn’t wandering around the castle out of habit. Madam Pince had been injured in the Final Battle and was currently being treated at St. Mungo’s, so Hermione had the library to herself after she got back from London.

The wall slid open and she was unceremoniously yanked inside.

”Did you find out anything?” a Disillusioned Snape hissed at her.

The two shimmers stood on the stairwell, rippling.

”I need to do some tests,” she said.

”Tests? What kind of tests?” Snape asked her, frowning, though she couldn’t see his expression.

”I want to rule out the myths vs. the facts concerning what vampires can do and what affects them. And I need to check some physical aspects. I do have a theory, but I want to get all that before I tell you anything else,” she said.

Suddenly she let out a little shriek as the Professor swung her into his arms and zipped away with her, flying down the stairs and entering his chambers in mere seconds. He put Hermione down and removed his Disillusionment spell. Hermione did likewise. She looked around.

”Where’s Ron and Harry,” she asked him, fearing they were out hunting.

Snape was over by the lab table, setting out a very large bucket.

”They are in their chambers, probably playing Gobstones,” he said to her, “I couldn’t keep them in my chambers without their continued existence being put in jeopardy.”

”Well, I need them,” Hermione said, “I have to test them too. There seem to be marked differences between you and them, Professor.”

”Yes. As in I have a brain and they don’t,” the wizard agreed. “But first I would like to generate more blood, Miss Granger. Without their presence. We don’t want a repeat of last night.”

Yes, last night had been awful. Hermione decided she wouldn’t say anything to Ron about it. Apparently once a vampire’s mind cleared, he or she remembered everything. Ron had been completely out of control. It had to be both frightening and embarrassing for him to lick blood off the floor.

”No, we don’t,” she agreed, walking over and rolling up her sleeve.

Snape stood quite close to her as she tapped her wand to her vein, then to the bowl. She only added a small amount. A few drops.

”That’s enough, Miss Granger,” the wizard said to her softly. Hermione looked up into his dark eyes.

”Are you sure, Professor. I can give you more . . . all you need,” she breathed.

”I believe you could, witch,” the wizard said to her, “but I don’t require that kind of sacrifice from you. A few drops are enough. If you do this each night, we should be fine.”

Hermione watched as the Professor uncapped a bottle of Replenishing potion and carefully added four drops to her blood. Immediately the bucket filled with blood until there was about six liters worth.

“This might be a bit much, but better overfed than underfed,” the wizard said, wondering if vampires put on weight if they imbibed too much blood. He filled three large tankards using his wand, then walked to the door of the chambers.

Hermione began to take objects out of the bag and satchel, placing them on the table. She then transfigured the chair into a stool.

”You imbeciles get in here!” Snape bellowed down the dark passageway.

Harry and Ron instantly appeared.

”Hi Hermione!” Harry said to the witch happily, his fangs showing as he smiled at her.

It was a bit frightening. Hermione noticed at that moment, Harry’s eyes were black. She looked at Ron, who seemed a bit withdrawn, not willing to look at her as he greeted her. She could see his eyes were black too.

Hm.

“Come over here and drink,” Snape ordered the youngsters as he tilted his own tankard to his lips. It wasn’t as sweet as drinking from the source, but filling. It would suffice.

Harry and Ron walked over and picked up their tankards, eyeing them. Ron looked particularly reluctant.

”Drink you fool,” Snape hissed at him, “Unless you want to go through a repeat of what happened to you last night.”

Ron couldn’t color, but looked embarrassed, his eyes cutting to Hermione who looked sympathetic.

”Go ahead, Ron. You need it,” she said softly.

Ron looked at Hermione, then gulped the blood down. Harry did likewise then looked at his tankard consideringly.

”It doesn’t taste as good as . . .” he began, then stopped as he looked at Hermione.

“It’s viable, and that’s what counts,” Snape said, putting his own tankard back on the counter. “Now, Miss Granger has some tests and questions for us. I expect your full cooperation.”

”Tests? I hope they aren’t written,” Ron said, looking at Hermione, “I’m not up on my vampire lore.”

“Of course it’s not written, Ron,” Hermione snapped at him. “Now both you and Harry sit down on the bed and wait your turns. Professor, I need you to sit on this stool.”

Snape hadn’t noticed the stool, but sat down compliantly, looking at the witch as she pulled on a pair of thin latex gloves then picked up her wand and a strange looking instrument. It looked like a round mirror on a thin, slightly bent metal rod.

”This is my dad’s. He uses it to examine teeth. He and my mother are dentists. Now I need you to tilt your head back and open your mouth, Professor. I want to cheek your dental work.”

”What do you hope to find?” he asked her.

”I don’t know, but I want to look anyway,” Hermione said.

Snape opened his mouth, revealing ordinary, rather crooked teeth. Hermione blinked at him.

”You don’t have fangs, Professor,” she said.

Suddenly he did. Very long and wicked looking eyeteeth.

”Better?” he asked her, his eyes glinting as Hermione blanched at the frightening display. So he could make them elongate when he wanted to.

”I don’t know about better, but at least I can examine them. Lumos,” she said lighting her wand and bringing it close to his mouth.

”This mirror gives a magnified image,” the witch said as she brought it beneath a fang. She could see it was hollow, as was the other. Hermione inserted the mirror into the wizard’s mouth, her brow furrowed as she looked at the top of the fangs. There were two small openings that let the blood fill the mouth. His fangs worked like twin straws. She looked a little closer.

”You have what look like venom sacks on either side of these,” she said.

”That figures. He’s pure poison,” Ron whispered to Harry. Snape scowled because he heard him, but couldn’t respond because he had to hold his mouth open.

”Hold on,” Hermione said, walking over to her satchel and removing a slender tongue depressor. Snape took the opportunity to close his mouth for a moment. She returned and he opened it again, tilting his head back. Adjusting the mirror and wand in one hand, Hermione reinserted the mirror, and using the reflection, she reached in with the tongue depressor and gently pressed one of the glands. A thick yellow liquid dripped out of a fang.

Hermione drew back, looking thoughtful.

”I think that is how you convert someone to a vampire, Professor. You inject whatever is in those glands into the person you bite and it creates another vampire. Is Harry the only one you’ve bitten?”

Snape shook his head.

”I purposely injected Mr. Weasley to turn him, otherwise he would have died. And there was one more. He didn’t survive. I didn’t turn him,” the Potions master said. “He was my first feeding.”

“So, it is a voluntary decision on your part whether or not to create another vampire,” Hermione asked him for clarification.

”Apparently so,” Snape replied.

”So we can assume that the vampire who bit you wanted to turn you as well. It was a conscious act,” the witch stated. “You can close your mouth now, Professor. Tilt your head forward. I want to look at your eyes.”

Snape did as she asked, his fangs disappearing. Hermione shined her wand in his eyes and studied them. The Professor had black eyes to start with, but as she studied them, she saw no pupils. His eyes were completely dilated.

”Professor, describe your vision to me,” she said to him.

”I see as well as I normally do, though at night my vision is much more powerful. I can see in the dark and focus on living creatures through obstacles. There are forms and heat signatures. They glow and pulse,” he said. “I can also hear heartbeats from quite a distance away and use them as a guide.”

Harry, Ron can you see in the dark as well?

”I haven’t had a chance to try out any powers,” Ron said.

”I can see in the dark all right, but not through things. I can hear heartbeats, but I have to be close,” Harry told the witch.

“Professor, I want to take a look at Harry now,” Hermione said.

The Potions master got up and Harry replaced him. Hermione looked into his mouth. His fangs were apparent, but shorter than Snape's, though still hollow. He also had glands on either side of his fangs, but they were much smaller than Snape's and the liquid, thinner and less yellow.

”There’s a difference in your venom,” Hermione said, “Harry’s seems more diluted. His teeth are not as long as yours either, and he can’t retract them Professor. I’d have to say you are a superior vampire as far as this goes.”

Snape arched an eyebrow. That he was superior to these buffoons was no surprise.

”What else can you do that they can’t?” she asked him.

”Move faster. Much faster,” Harry said, frowning at the Potions master, “And control people. He can control me and Ron. I can’t hear as well as he can either.”

”He can control me too,” Hermione said softly, looking at the wizard who stood there with his arms folded, saying nothing.

Hermione then looked at Harry’s eyes. Yes, she was right. The pupil was greatly dilated. She could just make out a rim of green around the edge of his iris. She called Ron over and similarly checked him. The results were the same as with Harry, his eyes blue-rimmed.

“All right,” she said looking at Harry. “Harry try to make me come to you by will alone. I’m going to do my best to resist you.”

Ron looked at Hermione rather hotly. If he could make her do stuff . . .

”Come to me, Hermione,” Harry said dramatically, raising his hand and beckoning her as if he were in some old horror movie. Snape shook his head.

Hermione stood there. She swayed slightly but didn’t move.

”Cooooome to me, Hermione! You are under my power!” Harry pressed.

Still nothing happened other than a slight sway.

Finally Hermione spoke.

”I feel a bit drawn to you, Harry, but not enough to obey you if I really don’t want to,” she said. “Now you try Ron.”

Ron gave it his best shot, beckoning Hermione and using all manner of spooky tones. Again, nothing happened.

Hermione then turned to Snape.

”Now you call me, Professor,” she said to him.

”Come here, Miss Granger,” the wizard said.

Hermione walked to him without any hesitation. The wizard smirked as both Ron and Harry glowered.

”Go sit down!” Snape snapped at them, just to be a bastard and order them about. They both walked back to the bed and sat down on it, scowling. Snape looked at Hermione, who was staring up at him with a dreamy expression on her face.

”Continue your examination,” the wizard said to her softly.

Hermione snapped out of it.

”Well, it’s clear you are much stronger than Harry and Ron, Professor. The only conclusion I can reasonably draw from that is that vampires that are created from other vampires are degraded somewhat,” Hermione reasoned.

”Degraded?” Ron said indignantly.

”Yes. You have lesser powers. Since you and Harry both have glands, you can probably create vampires too, but they will have even less powers than you. Because your glands are so small, they might not even develop glands at all."

”I’m bigger,” Snape said with a smirk.

As Ron and Harry both visibly swelled at this comment, Hermione couldn’t help but think about that monstrous tool Snape had hidden beneath his robes. He certainly was bigger and by several inches she was sure although she had never seen Harry's goods. She had felt Ron's erection once when he snogged her and tried to convince her unsuccessfully to shag him. He had some size, but nothing like what she witnessed in that Pensieve. The wizard felt her heart rate increase and looked at her soberly.

”Is there more, Miss Granger?” he asked the witch.

”Oh. Oh yes,” she said hurriedly, walking over to her bag.

”We have to test the myths vs. the facts now,” she said, removing a mirror, garlic, a crucifix and several other items from her bag and a parchment from her pocket. Hermione pulled a clove off the garlic bulb, peeled it, then faced Snape, Harry and Ron.

”Who’s first?” she asked as the wizards stared back at her.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.