As the days go on and life around Hogwarts nearly return to as close a normal as possible in these times, it seems like everything in the universe is intent on disrupting that normalcy. It’s been a rough month for many, students and faculty alike, and this past weekend proved that we cannot allow ourselves to fall into a sense of complacency.
Friday afternoon started out with the usual autumn weather around the castle, but things change all too quickly. The air grew colder as the arrival of three guests made their way onto our castle grounds – guests that many of us feel uneasy about.
Despoina, Emmaline and Lucille, at least three members to the committee from the Ministry’s Vampire Society , have been invited to stay to help us with our ‘situation’. They claim they are here not to get in our way, but they will be here watching, observing and judging. They further went on to say they will be working with the faculty to protect ourselves from whatever lingers in these halls.
They were very quick to cut to the point and said blood would be spilled, as that is the nature of a vampire. They sounded sure they would handle it, promising to put an end to it.
But how true really are their words?
It was less than 48 hours later that the dreadful screams tore through the halls again. Two more students were attacked with a third barely avoiding injury herself in the second floor corridor. Hannah Wiggins of Ravenclaw and Liam Atmore of Hufflepuff were both attacked Sunday afternoon. The third person was Talula Shippe, a first year Hufflepuff who with Liam at the time of the attack. She spoke up, explaining how Liam bravely pushed her out of the way to keep her safe. The being intended to come after her directly after attacking Hannah, saying “Nobody escapes” in what she described was a terrible voice.
It was the arrival of a couple of other students and our very own Professor Blackwell that scared the being off, which very well saved the trio from what could have turned deadly in moments.
This brings the total amount of victims to nine since the beginning of the month, five of them belonging to Hufflepuff: Danica Priaulx, the Hufflepuff Head of House was the first to be directly attacked with the banshee-spirit’s rage. Then there was Otter Glaus, Archibald Colquhoun, Aisling Jones, Jinyoung-So, Quinn Lowry, and Dottinous Foul all in one day from this vampire-like being. All three were taken to the ward and are expected to recover fully – physically, at least. Rumour has it Liam is already back to cracking vampire jokes while he recovers.
I had followed Professor Dracheblume to the wing as the events unfolded, and when the question of more diary entries came up I offered to run back to the hallway to check. Upon arriving I found not just one but two diary pages left behind, bringing us a total of four so far.
One can’t help but wonder – just how much help are our (unwelcome) guests truly?
It seems that our Deputy Headmistress may be wondering the same. Sunday’s lunch was punctuated with a formal assembly by the Minister of Magic herself along with our Deputy Headmistress, assuring us that the committee was here to help and we are to treat them with respect and courtesy. Yes, that means refraining from throwing bulbs of garlic at them despite temptation.
More protection has been arranged per the former Headmistress, now Minister of Magic’s orders. The once lifeless statues have been ordered to protect our castle and ourselves at any cost and now stand guard among many places. The hole to the cave has been sealed and repaired for good. However, we are told we must remain alert and use our brains.
Advice? Don’t go wandering the halls alone. Stick to open areas as much as possible, and always try to walk with a group of people. Make use of the garlic around us, weave it into necklaces and carry it on you.
It is important to remember that killing a vampire is illegal and will be enforced heavily. No one is to try and get revenge if they wind up face to face with the being. However, I strongly suggest everybody to brush up on their mobility impairing spells, per Professor Strix’s advice. Vampires are power, grace and speed so fast you often cannot think fast enough to stop them, but if you have even a brief second then getting as much distance between you two may be the only thing to save you.
The diary entries have been copied below for your information. We can only hope that these will be the last of the victims, and that Hogwarts will return back to its usual once more. But then again, is life here ever truly normal?
Diary Entry #3:
It’s days like today that I am reminded of how Elliott was in those later years – after I provided him with medicine. Like I said, I did everything needed to obtain his medicine.
Elliott grew, we both did. We both seemed to have put the past behind us. Perhaps it was easier for Elliott – he didn’t seem to remember the days with our mother. Though if I’m honest it is difficult to discern much about Elliott. He was terribly quiet and didn’t easily make friends. That’s not to say that there were many people for him to make friends with. However we did now travel into town. I picked up odd jobs at various shops and blacksmiths, anything to help us get by. Elliott would take to playing with the children after school. Though other children seemed to fear Elliott, something that I would never understand. On his medicine he looked and behaved like any other child – aside from his quiet nature.
He asked me what is it I’m writing. I told him that I’m writing a story about us. – Why? He asked me. Because Elliott, I want people to understand.
He laughed. People will never understand us, Miles. I watched as he debated something in his mind, like a slow turning wheel, his thoughts were twisted and grinded within. Then he flashed me a grin – especially me, he said.
Yes Elliott, especially you.
——-
Diary Entry #4:
Elliott is wailing in pain today. I watch as he writhes on the ground before me, his eyes glazed over and his mouth dripping with saliva. I sit here and I watch my brother struggle. There is nothing that I can do. I can’t help him and so I just watch.
Working in the town had its advantages. I was able to provide myself and Elliott with clothing and food. Mind you, our clothes were barely a step up from burlap sacks and our meals mostly consisted of stale bread and cabbage. But it was better than nothing and for that we were thankful.
Now let’s talk about the disadvantages that came with working in the town. Disadvantages that led to an incident that would change the course of mine and Elliott’s life forever. – Being as desperate as we were, I was willing to work far cheaper than most. This took many jobs from the other townsfolk. They saw me as a begger, a pest… Something that needed ridding. I had just finished up a days work and was heading back to the small church that currently provided a home for myself and Elliott. Summer was fresh upon the air, the days had grown longer and there was plenty of light to see me back. I had decided to cut through one of the back alleys and stop by the shop where I usually bought my bread. The shadows of the alley had just swept over my shoulders when I heard them cry out.
Three large boys – years older than myself were standing opposite to me. Their hands were filled with dirt clods and they were coming towards me – I was smart enough to run. But I wasn’t fast enough.
I don’t know how long that I was out. I woke to the flavor of mixed blood and sweat between my teeth. The sun was blazing in the sky and my head buzzed, it hurt to lift it. I somehow staggered to my feet with only one thing on my mind – Elliott. How long had he been left alone? How long he been without his medicine? The thought sent a cold chill coursing down my spine despite the Summers heat that had my shirt plastered to my back. I surged forward, but what awaited me in that church was not my brother.
