Vampyre

Chapter Eight
Servant of the Dark


Harry continued to discuss the mysterious appearance of Snape on the marauder's map with Seamus. Only Ron and Neville were silent; Neville because he was scared senseless with the idea of Snape still being alive, and Ron because he was strangely disinterested.

I want that map.

Ron clearly heard Snape's voice in his head.

You will bring it to me tomorrow at dusk.

"Yes," he whispered.

"Did you say something, Ron?" Harry asked.

"No."

"I could've sworn you said something."

"You were just imagining things." Ron stuffed his mouth full of strawberry tart to avoid answering any more questions.

Harry looked keenly at Ron, and then exchanged looks with a mystified Seamus. Ron had been awfully quiet since they'd returned from the dungeons, a vacant look dominating his face.

Harry removed the marauder's map from the pocket of his robes and carefully put it away in his trunk, under some of his quidditch magazines. Ron watched him out of the corner of his eye, making a note of exactly where Harry hid it.

It would be difficult, but he would get the map as he'd been told to do.

~*~*~

Hermione woke up the next morning feeling rested. She'd dreamed about Severus and it had been a wonderful dream. She could almost feel his mouth on her skin. Of course, that was impossible since he was dead.

She sat on the edge of the bed and giggled a little as she scratched Crookshanks behind the ears. He'd been curled up on the bed when Hermione had returned last night and hadn't stirred all night. Salazar had returned to his frame and was glaring at her mightily, his face like a thundercloud.

"I am not going to ask you why you are glaring at me," Hermione said. "Primarily because I don't care and I am not going to let you ruin the first good mood that I've been in since Severus passed away."

She began humming as she went into the bathroom to shower.

"Stupid chit," Salazar growled roughly. "She has no idea that she is under his spell." He looked at Crookshanks, who stretched lazily and began licking a paw.
"And as for you, cat, you betrayed me. Why didn't you do something about Severus getting in?"

Crooks looked up at Salazar through slit eyes and purred.

"I should have realized...damn my own foolishness. You are going to be useless in protecting your mistress where Severus is concerned. His black magic is more powerful now that he is one of the living dead."

Salazar paced back and forth in the frame, torn between his inability to help Hermione further and the fact that he himself was a Slytherin and should have been enjoying the evilness afoot. Merlin, but he must have been growing soft in the years since his death. His resolve had probably been deteriorating faster than his human body.

"She is going to die, you know that don't you? Severus will not be able to help himself. Not only will he have sexual relations with a Gryffindor, but he will make her his vampyress."

Crooks jerked his head up in alarm, leaving his wet paw.

"Ah, I knew that would get your attention. Perhaps I should consult with that old fool, Albus. I hate to include him in this since he is so nosy, but Godric has agreed with me that there is little we can do since we do not have magic."

Salazar looked thoughtful.

"I could always attempt to speak to Minerva, but I have little respect for her. She will sound the alarm from one end to another, and attempt to destroy Severus. It is not his fault that he is what he is currently. It is Lucius that needs to be destroyed."

Crooks meowed loudly.

"Silly cat, its common knowledge that if a vampyre attacks a wizard and makes him one of the living dead the wizard can have at least partial life restored if the vampyre who bit him is destroyed in a reasonable amount of time after he is bitten. Perhaps, that is the answer to all this. The question is who shall do it? Lucius was powerful enough in life, and I do not know what he is like in death. If he is as strong as I suspect he is, he may be impossible to destroy."

"I suppose I might speak to Lupin, but he is too weak. Severus, I think, is my only choice. I am not certain that he will listen to me."

Crooks switched his tail sharply and appeared to be considering what Salazar was saying. The half-kneazle had never forgotten how Hermione had rescued him from a boring life with the witch at the pet store, and he owed her a debt. He didn't want to see her killed.

"Meooowwww!"

"I thought you would agree with that," Salazar said. "The problem is going to be getting to Severus without Hermione around. Whilst I am permitted to move around in the building from frame-to-frame, I have no way of leaving Hogarts."

"Meow?"

"No, I cannot write a note since I was painted without quill and parchment." The dark eyes of Salazar Slytherin lit up as he snapped his fingers on one hand. "That's it, cat. I will go to the portrait of Pomona Pomfrey's ancestress that is hanging on the wall in the hospital wing. She was painted at her desk with quill and parchment. I can dictate the note to her, and then you can take the note to Severus for me."

Crooks turned in circles, not exactly happy with having to face the former potions master. In life Severus had been bad enough, but in death he was worse.

"Oh don't worry. Vampyres do not attack cats. They are low on the list when it comes to sustenance."

Crookshanks was looking insulted when Hermione emerged from the bathroom, her hair bushy and curling.

"Salazar, quit irritating my cat. All I've heard him do is meow since I went into the bathroom. If you don't quit going on about everything, I'm going to be forced to cover you up again or put you in storage."

"For your information, young lady, I am one the few portraits attached permanently to the wall and cannot be removed. As the founder of Slytherin House I am due certain respects and this was one of them. However, I find it to be degrading to my soul to be shown such an insult as being covered up when I am only trying to help you."

"You're just trying to discourage me from visiting Severus' grave."

"Madame, I would not care if you set up permanent camp in that drafty tomb. The object of your obvious affections is not really dead and is a danger to you unless you relish having your blood removed from your body."

Hermione had flounced in a huff over to the dressing table where she was in the process of applying a straightening charm to her hair. She stopped in mid-charm as Salazar's words sunk in. The entire rosy colour drained from her face as she turned around and stared.

"Finally. I have managed to capture your attention."

"What do you mean, he's not dead? I saw him taken there with my own two eyes."

"He is one of the undead. Vampyre."

Hermione sat numbly down.

"Vampyre?" As in Dracula?"

Salazar snorted.

"The tome to which you refer is a silly notion by a muggle writer in an attempt to scare other muggles. Yes, Severus is one of the living dead, and you must beware of him."

"If he is a vampyre he has done me no harm," Hermione said, more to herself than to Salazar.

"He was in here last evening."

"I never saw anyone," Hermione mused. "But I did...have a dream about him."

"I was not present, so I do not know what occurred. I do know that you must protect yourself from him."

Did she want to be protected was the question Hermione asked herself. In spite of the shock of learning that Severus Snape was now a vampyre if Salazar were to be believed, she had to be honest and admit that a part of her was relieved that he still lived.

"Get those romantic notions out of your head, Hermione," Salazar said sternly. "This is not a romantic rendezvous. You are in danger of becoming one of them. Are you not afraid of becoming a vampyress?"

Hermione looked up at Salazar with eyes gone soft.

"If it meant he would accept me and that we could be together, then no, I would not be afraid. Oh, my poor Severus."

"Poor my arse. He is a dangerous creature of the night and will live in danger of being destroyed for every breath that he takes."

"I don't think he would hurt me. Regardless of what everyone always said about him, I never thought that he was evil."

"You are hopelessly in love with him, and I don't enjoy saying that," Salazar replied. "How could you?"

"How could I what?"

"Fall in love with Severus Snape, the ex-head of Slytherin. You are a Gryffindor."

"It doesn't matter what house you are in, and I am not sure why I love him; I just do. I have to go to him."

"No!" Salazar boomed. "YOU ARE TO STAY AWAY FROM HIM AND ALL THE DOORS ARE TO STAY WARDED. Do not leave the building. I am serious, Hermione. You are relatively safe as long as you take care to protect yourself. If you leave and go to him, you might as well ask him to take you and make you into what he is."

"No one asked your opinion," Hermione replied, putting on her robe. "At least I don't have to put up with you all day. Ta."

Hermione walked out, firmly slamming the door behind her and leaving Salazar to grumble:

"No wonder I never wanted to be a Gryffindor. Self-Righteous lot, all of them."

~*~*~

Much to Harry's consternation, Ron had been acting strangely. Harry had seen him staring off into the distance with a vacant look in his eyes much of the morning. Any attempt to question him had been ignored. The existing members of Gryffindor's quidditch team had assembled on the field and started to practice for the games they hoped would be forthcoming this year.

Draco Malfoy, whom had forged a tentative friendship with Harry, had watched Ron nearly fall from his broom several times in one morning. Only quick thinking by Harry had kept him from being hurt.

After the last near miss, Ron excused himself and Harry sat down next to Draco in the stands for a short break.

"Wonder what's up with Weasley?"

"I'm not sure, Draco. Something's up with him, but he's not talking," Harry replied.

"Do you even care?"

"Ron's my best friend, and yes, I do care. He's been acting oddly since last night."

"What happened last night?"

Harry told Draco an abbreviated account of being in the dungeons while leaving out the existence of the marauder's map and the fact there had been a set of footsteps labeled "Severus Snape" on it.

"After we came out of Hermione's rooms Ron seemed to be detached and distracted. He has been acting weird since."

"Maybe he came across something that scared him," Draco said. "You know that he's always been a pushover to scare. I ought to know since I've spent years tormenting him."

Harry laughed.

"It just doesn't seem right, and I know I need to find out what's up with him."

"Don't worry about it, Harry. He's just being a Weasley. He'll straighten up on his own. He has to, or Hermione will get on his case."

~*~*~

After tea that night, Ron slipped away while Harry and the others were piled on the beds, talking. Earlier that day he'd removed the marauder's map from its hiding place and secreted it inside his shirt.

Ron approached the tomb without the usual fright that anything connected with death caused in him. At his approach, the lock popped open and after removing the chain, Ron entered the tomb.

"Excellent," Severus said. He'd been waiting for the idiot since dusk had fallen. "Next time you are not to be late. You will be punished if you are."

"Sorry, Sir. I could not excuse myself."

Severus took the map and examined it. It appeared to be a normal piece of old parchment. An old memory surfaced from four years ago when he'd caught Potter in the hall with this same piece of ragged parchment.

"How does this work?"

"You tap it with your wand, and say: I am solemnly up to no good. The map will appear and show you where everyone is and the secret exits from Hogwarts. When you are done, you tap it again, and say: mischief managed."

"I should have known," Severus hissed softly to himself. "I knew that magic was involved."

Ron said nothing, his mind fuzzy and half-focused.

"You may go, Weasley. I will call you when I need you."

"Yes, Sir."

After Ron left, Severus realized that he did not have his wand. He tapped the map with a forefinger.

"I am solemnly up to no good."

The map did not respond, and Severus folded it up, putting it inside one of the hidden pockets of his cape. Wandless magic was useless with it. He must locate his wand, which was probably somewhere in his old rooms. For a moment Severus debated on whether it would be prudent to go and fetch it himself.

He decided against it mainly because of his urgent need to feed. He would avail himself of his blood supply, and then he would have Hermione bring the wand to him. That would be perfect.

~*~*~

Hermione was picking at her food, and her mind was wandering as it had been all day. She felt as if Severus were alive again and inhabiting her mind. The same feeling she’d had upon seeing the Professor each day in his black bat glory was back again.

Chills ran down her spine and she shivered, pulling her shawl closer. The dungeons were taking some getting used to.

“Hermione.”

A pause.

“Come to me, Hermione.”

Hermione’s eyes widened and the shawl dropped to the floor unheeded as she stood up.

“Hermione.”

“Severus,” his name came out of her mouth in one breath as his hold on Hermione deepened.

“Yes, it is I. Bring me my wand, Hermione.”

“Where are you?” Hermione blinked, trying to focus but finding focus elusive for the moment.

“You know where I am. Get my wand and come to me. Now.”

“Yes, my love,” she whispered.


Authors note:
What a wicked place to leave a cliffhanger! I can't wait to see what happens myself. This is a fic that seems to be writing itself and I have to admit that when I sit down to write I don't have a clue as to the happenings.
I do want to thank ALL my cool reviewers. I never say much, but reviews are appreciated, and tend to make me write or at least feel guilty about not writing!
Snapesflower