Hellsing Fan Fiction ❯ Veneficus, Draconis, et Fetialis ❯ Judas ( Chapter 6 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

It had been another long, tedious night spent watching over the aurors sent to replace Alucard and Seras, and Sir Integral Hellsing was absolutely thrilled that nothing had gone awry in all of England's human population that required the assistance of her Organization. The idiots would have been too amazed by the technology used by their enemies that they would have allowed themselves to be shot, or worse, bitten.

Thankfully, another day approached, and with the rising of the sun it was time to complete the final rounds before retiring to her personal quarters. Besides the aurors questioning everyone from the cleaning staff to the troops about their jobs and lives, nothing was out of the ordinary.

She was almost ready to leave her post for another day when her eyes fell upon a cream colored envelope, addressed to "Sir Integral Hellsing, Hellsing Manor, London".

It did not even take her a moment to realize such a letter had to be from the wizards, and quickly she tore it open, hoping not to find terrible news about her vampires inside.

Icy eyes scanned the letter, growing wide as she continued farther down the page.

"Ghouls? Iscariot would never employ such creatures. . . . ."

~*~*~*~*~

"I swear that the children were attacked by ghouls!" Seras dug her fingers in to the arms of the chair, tearing grooves in the wood as her anger rose. "I do know what a ghoul is, even if you don't!"

"Listen, vampire," Severus Snape leaned down to glare in to her eyes, a snarl plastered across his lips. "If the creatures you described are really `ghouls', as you call them, not zombies like both Professor Pembroke and I agree, how did they get here?"

Elliana Pembroke leaned against the far desk in Snape's dark office, arms folded across her chest, surveying the two other occupants. Once again the vampire stated she just didn't know how the creatures even came into existence, let alone how they came so close to harming Hogwarts students, and once again the professor asked how the ghouls came to be.

"Severus," She smiled, brown hair pushed from her face with a hand as she stepped toward Seras, "she's just a young vampire so she's most likely ignorant of most intricacies of her kind. Besides, she's terrified of you."

"As she should be." He growled, eyes darting to his colleague before focusing on Seras once again.

"Miss Victoria, how are ghouls created?"

Silence gripped the office, both witch and wizard staring down at the vampire, arms folded across their chests.

They knew more about ghouls than their feigned ignorance had led her to believe, which could only mean they already knew the answer to their question- they just wanted her to condemn herself and her master.

"Ghouls are creatures created when a vampire feeds on one that has lost his or her virginity."

Severus smirked. The interrogation could proceed. "So tell me Seras, are there any more of your kind around Hogwarts? In all of England?"

"Well, my master-"

"Are there any others besides your master nearby?"

"N-no. . ."

With a rustle of black fabric, porcelain hands were tossed toward the ceiling as a wand found the way to its summoner's grasp, pointing directly between Seras's eyes after the grand flourish had ended. "Your master, that damned Alucard, is to blame for this! The headmaster heard him make threats directed toward the students last night! So unless you'd like me to turn your demonic heart to pure silver, I would suggest you come with us to the dungeons."

"But Master would never-"

"You heard the Commander of your Master." Another wand was now pointed at her, and Seras could do nothing but follow orders. She had no idea if the wizards could actually turn her heart to pure silver thus killing her, but she really did not want to tempt fate this night.

Together, the three headed toward the dungeons, wands directed at the young vampire.

~*~*~*~*~

"Are you feeling any better Filius?" Yumiko Takagi smiled as she placed a cup of tea on the nightstand next to the bed where the professor lay. "You fainted when my colleague brought you here."

Filius Flitwick, despite his small stature, lay sprawled across most of the single bed as he peeked through partially closed eyes at the nun seated nearby. Such strange dress these muggles wore.

"Does your head hurt?"

Shifting his weight, Filius now lay flat on his back, staring at the whitewashed ceiling. "A little, yes. And if I may ask, where am I?"

Dipping a cloth in to a basin of cool water before wringing most of the moisture from the fabric, she leaned over the professor, placing the now cool cloth on his forehead. "You are in a sanctuary for those who are lost." Stepping away, she smiled yet again, adjusting her glasses. "Please try to rest. Father Anderson will soon be in to check on your progress."

Remaining just outside the door, Father Anderson listened to the conversation between Yumiko and the wizard. The small man did seem to fit the description the book had given him- he was polite, kind, and in no way terrified of what Yumiko could do to him now that he had been stripped of his wand and removed from the magical lands of which he was so accustomed.

But then again, hardly a soul alive would expect Sister Takagi to be anything but kind.

A smile crept upon his lips as the conversation continued. The wizard was now asking how he had been found by a muggle when he could only last remember sitting in his office checking student records.

It was now time to make his presence known.

"Good Mornin', Mr. Flitwick."
Sister Takagi smiled as she stood from her vigil, placing the cloth back in the basin of cool water, then stepping toward the door to leave Father Anderson alone with the wizard, but a large hand upon her shoulder stopped the nun before she could proceed from the room.

"So how are ye doin', Professor?"

Turning the chair around in order to lean his arms upon the back, Anderson seated himself near the bed, looking down upon the man who did not even appear that he would come past the Father's knees.

"I'm a little tired, thank you. I'm also a bit hungry."

Standing near the doorway, Yumiko fidgeted with the rosary attached to her belt, fingers feeling the beads as prayers raced through her mind. She was afraid of what Father Anderson could do, nearly as much as she was afraid of Yumie's wrath. "He just woke up, Father."

"I understand that, Yumiko. Please go t' the kitchen and prepare something for our friend, would ye?" Leaning forward in the seat, smiling sincerely as he removed his glasses, Alexander Anderson removed the wand he confiscated the previous night from his prisoner, showing it to the man, holding it in reverence. "I was just wonderin' if the Professor would like t' teach me a few things about magic- teach all of us, actually."

"But you don't have the aura of a mage. . . ."

Anderson's features hardened, his jovial and caring personality destroyed in an instant, revealing the predator within. "Aye, I don't have the aura of one of YOUR mages, but I DO possess the spiritual magic given t' me through the kindness and grace of the Lord, my God. You will teach me t' strengthen my magic, and you will introduce my associates to the way of the Paladin, do you understand, Professor Flitwick?"

The small man squeaked in fear, bringing his legs to his chest in a pitiful defense, wide eyes staring up at the man leaning over the bed. "Don't use the wand! Please! I'll do anything you want!"

The feral grin widened. Iscariot would become unstoppable in just a few days time.

~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hallo? Father Maxwell, this is Sister Wolfe. I haf some information you might want to hear."

Enrico Maxwell stopped in the street as he listened to the voice coming from his mobile phone. The people of Rome would barely notice a clergy member standing near a café having a conversation, so he was quite safe to continue.

"Yes, Sister. Have you finished the assignment?"

"Nein. Ve haf not succeeded yet, but I haf been studying the target more than Father Anderson or Yumiko. Ghouls attacked some students yesterday. One of Hellsing's vampires saved them."

The silver haired man pursed his lips, eyes rolling upward as he contemplated the situation.

"How far are you from completion of the mission?"

"Ve are not done, and ve are novhere near completed. I am afraid that ve haf been fooled by whoever gives you this assignment. Ve don't need it." He could hear her breathe; she was obviously trying to find the correct English words for her thoughts. "The ghouls vere not right. If ve vere dealing with strictly magical creatures, ve would haf had zombies, but these were ghouls, I am certain. Can you haf one of the other investigation Sections see vhy?"

"Sister, it is not your duty to question your orders, but to follow the will of God. God has shown me a vision of a modern Holy Crusade against these abominations, and it is through the hand of Iscariot that His Will be done! Do you understand Wolfe?"

Heinkel sighed over the connection, her voice dropping when she spoke again. "God forgive us."