Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Veneficus, Draconis, et Fetialis ❯ Diagon Alley ( Chapter 2 )

CHAPTER 2:

More thanks than a disclaimer or authors note…this chapter could NOT have been written without http://www.hp-lexicon.org/, the Harry Potter lexicon, particularly the map of Diagon Alley (It's ages since I read HP) Even with this sight's help I'm probably guilty of at least a few horrific blunders on the HP areas…Please forgive me if Madame Malkin already has a first name for example, I just made that up.

The underground carriage was packed, the enclosed space filled with swaying bodies and uncomfortable silence. One corner, however, seemed to be somehow more clear, as if some subconscious instinct was making the passengers avoid standing too close to the blonde haired young woman in the pink jacket and blue flared jeans. For once, however, she did not mind their distance. It made it less hard to conceal the photograph she was gazing at with a rapt, wide eyed expression. The photograph had been handed to her by her master, Alucard. 'These wizards have funny ways' he'd said, 'you'll need some new clothes'. So, things had been arranged. She had then been told to go to a pub called the 'Leaky Cauldron', a place she had never heard of, and meet the man in the photograph, which had the directions to the pub on the back. The man in the photograph was odd, certainly. He was a giant, tall, broad, hugely bearded, but that was not what had her staring. No, she stared, because the photograph was moving. The man in it was smiling jovially, waving at the camera, occasionally chuckling to himself or turning aside to say something to some-one out of the picture. When Alucard had given the photograph, her jaw had nearly hit the floor, her fanged mouth agape at the animated picture. The elder vampire had merely shrugged and said something about 'Some foolish magic' when she had questioned him on it. She rotated the picture slowly in her hands, always being careful to keep it from the other passengers. Questions filled her mind. Was the little moving man in the picture alive? Did he think…could he see her? Were his movements repetitive, like a looping film? She watched carefully to see whether there was any pattern, but she couldn't see any…suddenly, she jerked upright, her enhanced senses easily catching the muffled announcement of the next stop. She tucked the photograph away into an inside pocket before exiting the train and heading up the escalators to the evening world above, the address of the pub running like a mantra through her brain. When she finally found it, she could hardly believe it: it looked small, shabby…hardly a haunt of magicians, a gateway to some secret world…then, she noticed how the passing people's gazes seemed to slip over it, how no-one in the rush hour crowd would even look at it, let alone enter it. She nodded slightly. This was the place.

She felt eyes on her as she entered. People turned in their seats. She heard a stifled gasp…and no wonder. The people in here were…odd to say the least. All manner of strange dress and appearance was at this pub. She supposed her relative normality came as a shock.

"Erm…" she stammered, trying to get back her confidence, "I'm looking for a Mr. Hagrid."

"Hagrid ain't no mister." Said a voice from behind the bar. "He's gone to the loo." She walked over to investigate, and saw the bar-man, sitting in the shadows slowly rubbing a glass and staring at her intently. She sat down nervously on a bar stool and gave him a little smile.

"Can, I, erm, get something to drink?" She asked, nervously.

The barman put his glass down. "We don't serve what you drink." She gave a little gasp as she said it, her hand clutching at the bar surface, fingernails leaving little scratch marks in the wood. Oh goodness! These people knew she was a vampire. No wonder they were looking funnily at her. She felt herself cringe under the combined gazes, her eyes darting fearfully at the grim looking barman.

"Now, Tom." Said a deep voice from behind her, "Don't go scaring the poor thing. She's a young 'un, and never killed from what I hear. She's on our side." She turned, and saw the man from the picture walking towards her across the room. He seemed to have become the focus for the various gazes.

"Good evening, Miss Victoria." He said, bowing his head slightly. She bowed her head to him as well, flinching at his massive presence.

The big man laughed. "Ho, ho! You scared of me, that's a good 'un!" He laughed.

"Come on with you, let's get you kitted out like a witch then." The man didn't stop chuckling as he led them out to the back, Seras hunching down in her jacket collar to avoid those eyes, with their mixture of fear and revulsion, a mixture she knew all too well from the glances thrown to her by her fellow Hellsing officers. The look that a man gives a monster.

"Good grief," Hagrid laughed, as he led them to a blank brick wall, "You're an odd one. I thought all you vampires were supposed to be ruthless bloodthirsty predators, but you seem…well, timid, quite frankly." He laughed again as he began to count bricks up and along the wall, "Not what I'd expect from something that could rip even my throat soon as look at me. Aha!" He had obviously found what he was looking for. "Hold on a second…" He rummaged in his huge coat, before withdrawing a tattered pink umbrella. He tapped a brick with it, and suddenly there was a harsh grating sound as bricks moved aside, sliding over each other before Seras astonished eyes to form an archway, through which the two stepped into a panoply of wonders. Seras felt her eyes almost popping out of their sockets as they walked down the street. They passed shops full of strange herbs and spices, a shop selling cauldrons, and another with a window full of broomsticks. She craned her neck to look at the sign, no longer really caring about the dark looks the robed figures about her were casting when they caught sight of her red eyes or pale skin.

"What's Quidditch?" she asked, as she tried to work out what the prices on the various broomsticks in the window were supposed to mean.

"Erm…it's complicated…I can tell you later if you want…" the big man said, obviously feeling a bit self conscious at dragging a muggle-clad midian through the streets, "Come on," he led them past what appeared to be a stationery shop "ah…this is the place."

Seras looked up at the sign "Madame Malkin's robes for all occasions…a clothes shop?" This could be fun…she loved shopping for clothes, it was one of the few pleasures in her unlife that didn't make her feel revolted about herself, as drinking blood and entering battle rage still did. Hagrid entered, stooping slightly through the doorframe. Seras saw a short woman in long mauve robes appear from between a rack of extravagant-looking clothing.

"Ah Hagrid, so good to see you again…" she said beaming, then her face faltered as she saw Seras walk in after him. Her eyes darted from Seras blood red eyes to the black ribbon she wore round her neck to hide her bite marks and blade scar, to her gloved hands, to her pale skin. The little woman swallowed slightly.

"Florence" Said Hagrid, "This young woman needs dome proper witches robes."

"Young woman, eh?" Said the mauve-clad witch, her eyes narrowing with that familiar look, "This is another crack-pot scheme of Dumbledore's isn't it? First that Werewolf, now this! I won't…"

Hagrid raised a hand. "She works for Hellsing. I'm sure you've heard of them?"

Madame Malkin gulped again and wrung her hands together. "Worse than the Death-Eaters themselves, some say…" she said in a half-whisper that Seras inhuman hearing could pick up perfectly.

Hagrid snorted. "Hellsing fights evil, they're on our side!"

"If they fight evil than why is that…"

"That's quite enough!" Said Hagrid, more sharply than he had spoken before. "She's as much a person as you or me, Flo, and she's for us. She ain't never killed a man for his blood, and she isn't planning too soon, are ye miss Victoria?"

She shook her head vigorously. "No…never drunk it…warm." She looked away, unwilling to face the small woman.

Madame Malkin looked at Seras bewildered. "I thought…" she said, slowly, "I mean, in school, they said they were arrogant…and well…" She halted. Seras' cheeks had flushed ever so slightly, the vampire equivalent of turning bright crimson.

The little woman swallowed. Hagrid was looking at her sternly. "That's what I've been trying to say! She ain't evil or cruel or anything, so why are you being mean to her, eh? Your as bad as them brutes from the ministry over poor Buckbeak…ought to be ashamed of yourself."

She looked sheepish, "I'm, er, sorry, Miss Victoria, was it?"

Seras beamed back at her, closing her lips slightly when she saw the woman wince from her fanged grin, and shook her head. "That's quite alright, Madame Malkin, I'm getting used to it." Her smile waned slightly as she smelt the scent of fear from the witch. Oh well, she supposed that was unavoidable…

"So," Said Hagrid, with a sort of forced joviality, "Let's find some robes for Miss Victoria, shall we?"

"Oh please, call me Seras," said Seras as she reached forward to examine a long sleeved garment of sky blue.

It took Seras about a quarter of an hour to pick something she liked. She personally thought all the robes looked a bit ridiculous, like something from a fancy-dress party. Her normal choice in colours, light pinks and blues, were frankly absurd for such clothing, so she decided to go for something darker. Black had never been her colour, as well as being very stereotypical, in her opinion. Eventually, she decided on a plain wine red robe that reached down to her ankles and a set of red lace-up boots. Madam Malkin nervously said that they 'matched her eyes' before falling silent again. Seras smiled and gave herself a twirl in the mirror, once again thankful for the falsity of some of Stokers myths. At least now she looked like she could almost blend in with that crowd. She ordered several, filling up a couple of shopping bags. Hagrid looked her over appraisingly. "Hmmm…You haven't got anything to cover your eyes, have you? They're what most people notice, I dare say…"

"I have my day glasses…"Said Seras uncertainly, slotting her hand into the robes to the normal clothing she still wore underneath. She rummaged for a few moments than brought out a pair of big mirrored sunglasses that wrapped wound the side of her face, completely sealing her eyes off from the sun. She put them on and looked at herself in the mirror. Her appearance was odd, certainly…but then again, looking outside the window at the people passing by, odd seemed to be the way they did things here.

"So," Said Hagrid, as they left the shop, "Will you stay at the Cauldron tonight or what?"

Seras smiled. "I slept from six o'clock this morning to five o'clock this afternoon. I'm fine for sleep…"

"Hagrid!"

Seras turned round, to see three breathless teenagers, who couldn't on reflection be that much younger than she was, standing in the street. One of them, a dark haired boy with round glasses and a strange scar on his forehead, stepped forward. "Tom told us you were here…he seemed a little worried over something though, kept muttering about 'monsters and whatnot' "

Another, a girl with frizzy hair, broke in. "You haven't been buying dragons eggs or anything again have you Hagrid…" She trailed off, her gaze suddenly averted to Seras. She was put aback by the close scrutiny, eyes boring in her…then she nearly winced as she saw the girls eyes widen slightly as she came to some sort of realisation. She could guess what the realisation was. Damn. All that work, and she still was so obvious.

"Of course not!" Said Hagrid, laughing jovially, perhaps ever so slightly forced. "I've got more sense than that, not with all the other troubles going on…"

"That's what we wanted to talk about!" Said the third youth, a ginger-haired boy, "What's this we've heard about Hogsmeade…there are all sorts of terrible rumours going around..."

Hagrid looked grave. "I'm afraid the worst of the rumours were true, children. There is no such place as Hogsmeade anymore…it was destroyed."

The three teenagers gasped. "What, how on earth…I thought not even Voldemort would…?"

"It wasn't Voldemort." Said Hagrid, grimly, "It was someone far more dangerous."

"Who?" Asked the black haired boy, "Who could possibly be more dangerous than Voldemort?"

"Well kids, you know I'm not supposed to say anything but…"

At this point Seras coughed loudly. "As I said," continued Hagrid, "I'm not supposed to say anything."

"Who's that, Hagrid?" asked the ginger haired one.

"Oh, where are my manners. Children, this is Miss Victoria, she'll be at Hogwarts this term, she's an expert on the new threat. Miss Victoria. This is Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger."

"How do you do." Said Harry, the black haired one, stepping forward and stretching out a hand. Seras took it, hoping that her gloves prevented at least some of the grave-like chill of her flesh from seeping through. Not quite, she thought. She could see the boy look surprised as she took his hand, shocked at the coldness of her touch. That was what she hated most of all…no more warmth or hugs for Seras Victoria…

"As well as could be expected." She answered, somewhat cryptically, then turned to Hagrid, "I think I'll go walking back out in the streets of London. Where do I have to be for the train?"

"Platform nine and three quarters at Kings Cross."

"Ok…" she turned, "I'll be there…and I suppose I'll see you children again then, or maybe not…" Then she walked off into the crowd, which seemed to part for her of it's own accord, as if people were subconsciously making an effort to avoid her path.

Hagrid turned back to the three, "Aye, I'd better be going too…Don't want to be giving away secret information or anything…besides I've got a few errands to run while I'm here…see you up at the castle, eh?" and then he too turned, heading off in the opposite direction, away further down the alley, towards Gringotts.

"There was something a bit odd about that woman with Hagrid…" Said Ron uncertainly, eyes straining to catch her in the throng.

"Yes," Agreed Harry, "Did you see how pale she looked? She seemed very cold as well. Maybe she was ill?"

"Oh, I don't know how you two ever passed your exams!" Blurted out Hermione.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Asked Harry, turning a funny look at her.

"Oh, I'll leave you to figure it out for yourselves, though it's painfully obvious.

Now come on, we have to get back to Grimauld place before it gets too late or we'll have the whole order out looking for us…"

This had to be some sort of sick joke.

Seras sighed out of frustration as she stood between Platforms Nine and Ten at King's Cross Station. There was no such thing as Platform Nine-And-Three-Quarters, and she had spent most of the night standing here like a common idiot, waiting for this nonexistent train to arrive at a nonexistent platform so she could travel to the school.

Perhaps she should have asked Alucard to teach her how to travel as he did, then she wouldn't be in this mess. . . . .

The passers-by thought of her as a common teen caught up in the act of trying to wear gothic fashions, and she casually accepted the stares of the mortals, even flashing a fanged smile to them, knowing they would surely return home and laugh about the odd girl they saw near the train. If only they knew…

Let them laugh. She hadn't changed from her robes that she purchased with Hagrid, and she still held a shopping bag full of other robes which she needed for other daily wear.

Besides, if this Platform Nine-And-Three-Quarters existed, someone would recognize her for what she was and direct her to the train she needed to catch.

She just wished that whoever was going to find her did so soon...the sun was well over the horizon, and even the shadow of this pillar was uncomfortable...she needed darkness, the sunlight was draining her.

"Come on Hermione. Tell us why that girl with Hagrid was so special?" The red haired teen she had seen earlier the previous evening chuckled, pushing a luggage cart that was overflowing with trunks, boxes, suitcases…and an owl?

The frizzy haired girl- Hermione, Seras noted- only rolled her eyes in response. "Seriously. I don't know how you passed your OWLS Ron."

Well, now was a good time as any to ask somewhat familiar faces about which train she should be taking. If these kids had been in Diagon Alley, they should know how something about Hogwarts.

"Excuse me," Seras smiled, falling in step with the three, right next to the black haired teen with the scar on his forehead, "but how do you get to Platform Nine-And-Three-Quarters?"

Harry Potter turned to glance over her before smiling, albeit half-heartedly. "Just follow us. We're going to run straight in to that pillar over there." He stated, pointing at a perfectly centred red brick pillar between the two platforms. "You're Miss Victoria, right?"

"Yeah. Just please, call me Seras. I don't like the formality."

"See ya on the other side, mate." The one with the cart smiled, running straight at the pillar, not slowing down as he neared it, and was immediately gone.

"How-?"

"You haven't been around much magic, have you?" Hermione glanced over at the vampire. "Don't worry. Just hold on to my arm and run with me."

Seras obliged, making sure not to press too hardly on the girl's shoulder, and stayed in perfect stride with her as they were engulfed in a bright white light and soon were standing at a bustling train station, filled with people wearing robes and other garish clothing that signified this must be a magic only area.

The black haired teen was soon through the pillar, sighing as he looked between Ron, Hermione, and Seras. "Well, do you want to share a compartment with us? We'll have less chance of sitting with Luna or some first years that think I'm some grand celebrity or absolute lunatic, right?" With a chuckle, he headed for the train, with the other three following close behind.

The train was one of those old fashioned ones Seras had only ever seen in films, with long corridors and separate compartments, each seating about four. They hurried along till they found an empty one, and Seras and the three teenage wizards bundled in, the other three bustling to put all of their luggage on the racks whilst Seras sat down and pulled down the blinds. Much better…

"What are you doing?" Asked the black haired one, she thought he was called Harry, looking at her bemusedly.

"Shutting out that dammed bright light." She said, settling down in the seat next to the window, and gathering her new robe around her. "Sorry…But…" She had suddenly remembered. They didn't know. Curse her! She was so used to being around the fearful but knowledgeable Hellsing officers or more recently the equally fearful and knowledgeable adult wizards that she had forgotten that these children didn't know her for what she was, didn't fear her, except maybe the girl…and she had just gone and blown that hadn't she? Silly fool Seras. You'll ride up alone. Who wants to share their railway compartment with a monster?

"Why would you want to shut out the light?" Asked the red haired one, Ron? "It's not that bright anyway…" he reached a hand for the blind, tweaking it open slightly. She hissed involuntarily and slapped his arm away, as lightly as she could under the circumstances. He cried out and held his arm. "Ow!…there was no need to hit me so hard…" he sat down opposite her. She looked down, averting her eyes from him. She felt ashamed.

"What's going on here?" Said Harry, sitting next to her. "Who are you anyway?"

Hermione sighed. "You still haven't figured it out?" She sat down too, flicking a watchful glance at Seras, "After all the signs you've seen? Didn't you pay attention to any of your defence against the dark arts lessons?"

"How would that tell us…" Ron began. Hermione cut him off. "Pale skin, cold to the touch, aversion to sunlight…" she ticked the points off on her fingers.

"I still don't…"

"Gah!" Exclaimed Hermione. She turned to Seras. "Do you want to reveal yourself, or shall I?"

Seras cringed at the words.

"Please…" she murmured, "I just want to be left in peace…"

"Fine." Said Hermione, "Let's find another compartment…" She stood up, only to sit down again as the train began to move off.

"It's started," Said Ron, "All the compartments will be full."

"What is it about her anyway…" Asked Harry, looking across at Seras, who had hid her face in her hands.

Hermione almost exploded. "She's a vampire!"

"What?" Asked the other two, incredulously, looking at her.

"It's true." Said Seras, looking up, "A genuine night-walking, blood-drinking monster." She spoke sadly, knowing the impact her words would cause. "I can't blame you, dear." She said, looking at Hermione. "Who'd want to share space with such a hideous thing?"

Hermione looked pained. "No, that wasn't what I meant, What I was saying was…"

"It doesn't matter what you were saying." Said Seras, darkly. "It was what you were thinking. Your mouth sprouts kindnesses but your mind screams 'Monster! Monster!' How could anyone want to be with something that sleeps in a coffin and revives itself every evening with a pint of medical blood?" She was on the verge of tears. Oh, how she hated this. She was meant to be alone, why couldn't they just go…

She saw Hermione sit down. "You're still a person." She said, smiling slightly.

"What?" Asked Seras, jerking her head up in surprise.

"Look," Said Harry, smiling, "I don't know about everyone else you've ever been around, but me, Ron and Hermione here have seen lots of weird things. We've seen enough of Voldemort and his henchmen to know what evil is…and I'm pretty sure you're not it. I've made plenty of mistakes before, but this one I'm pretty sure about. What do you think Ron?"

"You're a vampire?" Asked the red haired boy.

"Yes" She nodded.

"Cool! I know this guy called Lupin who's a werewolf!"

"Really…" What on earth…she had never got this reaction before,

ever…where was their fear, their loathing of the dreadful thing she was. "I mean," Said Harry, "You said medical blood, so you don't kill people, do you?"

"We don't need to kill people actually…just a bite will do…we only really need one or two pints a night, more if we've been injured or have used our vampiric powers a lot…anything else is just greed, a victory for your inner demon."

"Inner demon…" Hermione murmured.

"Yes…" Said Seras, "Demon." She paused slightly, then yawned. She smelt the tiniest tang of fear as they saw her teeth.

"Look, I'm tired. I've been up for hours and the sunlight's drained me. You won't disturb me, will you? I sleep very deeply, so you can talk, just don't touch me, or I'll probably have my teeth clamped round your throat before I realise what's happening."

"Erm…okay." Said Harry, backing away from her ever so slightly. Seras actually had no idea about what her reaction to a sudden awakening would be, but she wanted a peaceful days rest, and it was better safe than sorry anyway. She plumped her bag of spare robes up as a pillow and placed it behind her head, then removed her glasses, showing them her red eyes for a few moments before she closed them, and lay back, subconsciously folding her arms as if she were still in her coffin. The rattling of the train soon sent her to sleep, and she did not awake until the train arrived that evening at the partly ruined Hogsmeade station.