Chapter 20: Tears of a Vampire 

"She's discovered it, My Lord!" Kingston said worriedly as he paced in the vast room. 

"Don't be a fool Kingston, she's far too weak to destroy me." Zuc replied, as calm as ever. 

"But she knows she has to destroy you. She knows that now, she can't have the help from Snape or the Worthing...she has to do this alone." 

"She might know, but she can't. She's far too weak, we both know that." 

"But we know she's training..."

"Yes, she might be training but it won't necessarily make her strong." 

"She might find out soon though!" 

"Yes, and she might not. We'll have to wait and see what happens, won't we?" 

*      *      * 

"Lucy, it's time to go," Snape said as he shook her awake. "Come on, get up."

"What?" Lucy asked, still half asleep. 

"I said it's time to go, we're at King's cross." 

"Oh..." Lucy muttered. She stood up and grabbed her trunk, slipped the sword in her bag and slung it over her shoulder then picked up Angus' cage and everyone got off the train. 

"Severus!" Jessica shouted as she ran towards him. "Severus! Wait!" 

"Leave us alone!" Snape growled. "We've already told you that we don't want your help!" 

"But you need my help!" 

Snape and Lucy got off the train and Jessica grabbed hold of Snape's arm. "Get off of me!" 

"You need my protection!" 

Snape grabbed Lucy's hand and pulled her through the barrier, they ran out of King's cross and he apparated instantly, leaving Jessica standing by the entrance of King's cross breathless. 

"We don't need her help, we don't need her. She's trying to sell us to Zuc and Kingston." Snape snarled as he jammed the keys in the lock of the front door. 

"Dad — " Lucy began but he cut her off as he furiously turned the keys, it looked as if he was trying to take the door off of his hinges, rather than using a key to unlock it. 

"She thinks she can win our trust back! She tried to get the orb in your third year! She has lost all my trust and she's never going to hurt us again!" 

"Dad — !" 

"Especially you! If she ever dare lay a finger on you, I'll kill her! I'll rip her to pieces! I'LL KILL HER ON THE SPOT!" Snape yelled and pulled the keys out of the door, he'd given up trying to open it. Lucy shivered as it began to snow, making the tense moment somewhat calm. 

"Dad..." Lucy whispered putting her hand on his arm. "Calm down...please. I hate when you're angry."

"I'm sorry." Snape huffed, a misty cloud erupted from his mouth. It disappeared into the surroundings, Lucy copied him with a sigh.

"Look," Lucy said calmly. "You just need to calm down a little. I know you absolutely hate Jessica but can't we be happy now? We're away from her and it's Christmas. It's going to be a perfect Christmas as long as you're calm." 

"Yes, I know." He nodded. 

"Just be happy that it's us two in the holidays, nothing more. I'll even attempt to make one of those fancy Christmas cakes if it makes you happy." 

"We can forget everything and just enjoy the holidays..." Snape nodded. 

"But I know why you're upset," Lucy whispered suddenly. "It's not just because Jessica attempted to steal the orb and kill you. It's because you loved her and you thought that she loved you too." 

"Lucy — " Snape protested, trying to cut her off. 

"You wanted her to love you back. That's what you wanted. But you've found that the two women that you loved, never truly loved you back...and that first woman was mum. You couldn't stand that she loved James Potter and not you. You wanted James Potter to suffer and he did, except mum went down with him. " 

Snape looked at Lucy. He looked like he was going to hit her there and then. He was angry at sad all at the same time and he had to keep his temper under control but he was struggling. He could never understand why Lily had loved James more than him. Snape had tried to do everything for Lily and James had been a pest then got exactly what he wanted. 

"It's just a shame the nicest people get the rottenest luck." Lucy finished and gave him a sad smile. "The nicest people always get it worse." 

"Yes, they do." Snape nodded. He stared at Lucy and wished he could fight her battle for her, he wished he could make Zuc and Kingston disappear. 

"Shall we go inside? It's awfully cold out here." Lucy took the keys off of Snape and gently slotted the key in the lock. She turned the key a couple of times slowly before a faint click could be heard and the door opened. 

Lucy stepped inside, slipped her shoes off and began lighting a few candles with some matches. Snape lit the rest of them with his wand as Lucy sat down in her usual seat. 

"But she knows she has to destroy you. She knows that now, she can't have the help from Snape or the Worthing...she has to do this alone." Kingston's voice rang through Lucy's head as Snape stepped into the kitchen and began making tea. 

"She might know, but she can't. She's far too weak, we both know that." Zuc's voice followed Kingston's in an eerie echo. It made Lucy shiver, a shiver that could in no way be caused by the cold. 

"What is she?" Kingston asked, this was a new conversation. This was leading on from the one that Lucy had heard in her dream on the train. 

"I dare not speak of it," Lucy could practically hear the sneer in Zuc's voice. "I don't wish to say it." 

"Is it terrible, My Mighty?" 

"Oh yes, so terrible...very terrible." 

Lucy realised a second later that she had a cup of tea in her hands. Snape was stood in front of her and was trying to get her attention. 

"You are quite useless sometimes..." Snape muttered. "Can you not hold a cup of tea correctly? Focus a little bit more..." Snape took out his wand and began clearing the spilt tea on her hands and off the floor. Lucy suddenly registered the searing pain in her hands and winced. "Pay attention more often." 

"I'm sorry, what happened?" Lucy wondered as she set her tea down on the side and focused on what was going on in front of her. 

"I gave you your tea and you spilt it as soon as I handed it to you," Snape rolled his eyes. 

"Oh...well at least it warmed me up." Lucy laughed slightly but Snape didn't smile in the slightest as he sat down with his own cup in his chair. 

"What's on your mind then?" He asked. "Zuc and Kingston been talking to you?" 

"Yes." Lucy nodded and took a sip of her tea. "They have." 

"What about?" 

"Zuc's been saying to Kingston that I'm something. They say it as though I'm vermin. Zuc didn't mention it, he was too repulsed." 

"So you're 'something'," Snape repeated, a little amused at her words. 

"They were saying it as though I'm not human." 

"You're definitely human, Zuc's probably made up a name for you." 

"It won't be the first nickname I've had." 

Snape nodded and set down his tea then looked out the window behind Lucy, it was snowing more heavily now and everything was being coated in a white blanket that got thicker by the minute. 

"I'm going out." Lucy announced as she stood up and set her tea down. 

"So you're leaving me?" Snape frowned. "I thought you wanted to spend Christmas together?" 

"I do, but I want some space to think. I'll be back in half an hour." 

"Put your coat on, it's cold out there." 

"Yes, dad, I will." 

Lucy walked into the entrance hall, slipped on her shoes and stepped out of the house. She didn't bother putting her coat on and decided to walk straight out. As soon as she stepped out her face started turning pink as the wind nipped at her face fiercely. 

She walked faster, leaving a trail of footprints behind her. The neighbours peaked out of their windows and stared at the strange Snape girl who they thought was as peculiar as her father. Some even had their noses pressed against the window, staring at her as though she was an intruder. Lucy ignored them. 

"Such an easy target." The wind seemed to whistle in her ears, it sounded like Zuc. 

Lucy shivered uncontrollably and broke into a run in attempts to warm herself up. Just being in a long sleeved shirt, a skirt, thin tights and shoes was not enough to keep her body warm but she didn't care. She wanted to be alone. 

She ran towards Spinners end park and as soon as she made it she stood in the centre of the place and looked around. Her long hair acted as a scarf as the wind blew and she shakily brushed it back. 

"You're a fool, Miss Snape. Look at what you're doing to yourself." Zuc whispered. "You allow me to take control over you and you in no way fight me off." 

"Go away, Zuc," Lucy muttered. 

"You can't get rid of me, Lucy Snape." Zuc laughed, suddenly a strong force brought Lucy's left hand up and she was forced to stare at the back of it. "Look at our previous conversation, you even wrote it down! How...touching." 

"Unitentially." 

"You're not strong enough." 

"Yes I am." 

"It'll do a great deal of training to get you up to the standards that would be enough to do as little as fight me." 

"I've fought you once, I can do it again." 

"Fool." 

"I'm not a fool." 

"Yes, you are. You only have logic, it won't get you far when I'm slicing you into little pieces. You can't fight me off. You can't even fight me off now." 

"Leave me alone!" 

"How about we fight each other mentally now, I'll start and you can fight me off." 

"No!" 

A searing pain shot through Lucy's body and she was forced to look at images of James Potters' half brother beating her. She cried and though her tears were going to freeze on her face as James Potters' half brother turned into Snape. 

"Fight me off," the voice of Zuc came from the lips of Snape in her mind. "Fight me off." 

Lucy tried her hardest but she couldn't fight Zuc off, like her body her mind was frozen. It was un-able to think straight, her strength was being dissolved by the cold and the next thing she could just recall was her passing out. 

*      *      * 

"You need to stop letting her out!" 

"She's allowed to have freedom!" 

"Not when Zuc can tear her apart mentally like this. This is why I'm here!" 

"You're not meant to be here! I won't allow you to be here! Leave!" 

"I am head of the resistance whether you like it or not! I'm here to protect you! IF IT WASN'T FOR ME YOUR DAUGHTER WOULD BE DEAD!" 

Lucy tried desperately to block out the screams coming from...where were they coming from? Lucy couldn't tell. She didn't dare open her eyes, especially when the door opened and in the next second someone's hand was on her forehead. 

Lucy groaned and wanted so desperately to warm up but she couldn't, she was still frozen. Whoever's hand was on her forehead felt so warm but so heavy all at the same time. Whoever it was, she wished they didn't remove their hand. 

"Get away from her!" A new voice said and in the next moment there was a crash and someone had fallen backwards. 

"How dare you! I'm trying to look after her!" 

"You're trying to look after her? She's my daughter! Not yours!" 

Lucy wanted to tell whoever was fighting to stop as she began to get a headache. The loud voices echoed in her brain and she wanted so desperately for them to stop, but they wouldn't. So, she decided to just try and fall asleep even though it was somewhat impossible with the loud voices. Yet, she managed it. 

When she awoke again, she felt a lot warmer and she could feel the precense of someone sitting next to her. This time, however, she was brave enough to open her eyes. She was expecting to see her dad but instead she saw Jessica. 

"How are you feeling, Lucy?" Jessica asked as she reached over and tried to put a hand on Lucy's forehead. Lucy flinched away slightly and Jessica instantly stopped. "I'm sorry." 

"No it's OK," Lucy apologised quickly and Jessica put her hand on Lucy's forehead. 

"You're definitely warmer...but what were you thinking, going out in the cold!" Jessica shook her head and reached next to her and grabbed a metal bowl and a flannel. She dipped the flannel in the water which was presumably warm because of the steam rising above it. She then wrung the flannel out and placed it on her forehead. 

"I was scared." 

"About what?" 

"About Zuc, I knew he was trying to talk to me again and I wanted to try and get away from him. But obviously running doesn't help..." 

"Especially not out in the cold, it's just lucky I found you! Otherwise you'd die of hypothermia!" 

"Uh-huh..." Lucy nodded as Jessica took the flannel away and dipped it in the warm water again. "Where's dad?" 

"He's gone to Diagon alley to do a bit of shopping, he left me strict instructions to look after you. He really hates me." 

"He does but, no offense, it's understandable." 

"Yes, yes it is. I know exactly where you're coming from. I shouldn't have obeyed Kingston in your third year, I shouldn't have bitten your father and done such terrible things." 

"You had to, otherwise you would have been dead." 

"Kingston would have killed me but I still think that I should have made the right decision of not biting your father." 

Lucy nodded as Jessica put a blanket around her shoulders and took the flannel away from her forehead. 

"Jessica?" Lucy asked suddenly. "How exactly did you become a vampire?" 

Jessica smiled. "I wondered when one of the gifted was going to ask me that." Jessica took a deep breath and then faced Lucy. "I can't quite remember when it happened but it happened a long while ago, I was ten years old at the time — " 

"Ten!" Lucy gasped. 

"Yes, I know, I was young. I got out of school that day and my friend and I had decided that we were going to take a short cut to my house. We didn't normally take this route as you have to walk through a forest and some say it was strange...anyway, we headed through the forest, it was just us two. We were in the middle of the forest when a man in a cloak with a hood grabbed me and bit my neck, injecting a lot of venom, so much so that my body couldn't cope. The only way I could live was to become a vampire and that's what my body did with the venom in order to survive." 

"What happened then?" 

"My friend ran away as soon as the man grabbed hold of me, she ran as quick as she could to her house. When the man finally let go of me, I cried and ran. I didn't go back to my parents house, I couldn't see them while I was a monster. I lived on my own for a while until one day when I was sixteen and Kingston found me. He sent me to the medieval islands, met Zuc  and I lived there for a long while. I then took on Zuc's task because he trusted me which then took me to Hogwarts." 

"Did you ever see your parents again?" 

"No, Lucy, I didn't. They're dead now." 

"I'm sorry..." 

"Don't be, it's not your fault." 

"Apart from my dad, have you ever gone out with anyone? I don't mean to touch on a personal subject but, have you ever wanted to go out with another vampire?" 

"Well, yes, but there was only me, Ryan and Kingston on the islands as vampires then it was myself and Kingston. Kingston is most certainly not my type." 

Lucy laughed slightly. "I guess not anymore." 

"Never has been, never will be." 

Suddenly, Lucy's door swung open and there stood Snape. His face was full of disapproval as he studied Jessica, he was trying to figure out if she hurt Lucy in any way. But apparently she hadn't, Jessica stood up and moved out the way so Snape could stand by the side of Lucy's bed. 

"Are you feeling any better?" Snape asked. 

"Yes, I am." Lucy nodded and she looked at Jessica, suddenly Lucy felt grateful towards Jessica. It was as though she was finally accepting her help properly. 

"Thank goodness you're alive though..." Snape said, he pointed to the door and glared at Jessica. "Out." 

Jessica obeyed his command and ran out of the room, she closed the door behind her as Snape sat on the edge of Lucy's bed. 

"Did she say anything to you?" Snape asked, his voice full of concern. 

"No, she didn't. She didn't touch me, I promise. Jessica just wants to look after me that's all." 

"Yes, she does. She carried you back here." Snape's eyes turned to slits as he tried to dismiss Jessica's kindness towards Lucy. 

"I think Jessica has changed, dad." 

"No she hasn't." 

"But I think she has, the way she acts. She seems to understand us and wants to protect us, she wants to protect us from Zuc." 

"She can't, I'll be the one protecting you." 

"Can't you accept that she wants to help us?" 

"No." 

"You must, though. She's doing everything she can. She wants to win our trust back." (Snape rolled his eyes.) "I know you're unwilling to trust her but if it wasn't for her, I'd be dead..." 

"I'd be dead too." Snape hissed. "She tried to eat me." 

"Like I said, she's changed." 

"Don't try and get me to like her again, because I won't." 

"Did I say you have to like her? Just accept she's head of the resistance and is trying to protect her." Lucy sighed suddenly. "And even though it sounds strange, she's the closest I've ever had to a mother." 

Snape stared at her in shock but she just kissed him on the cheek, laid down and fell asleep. Outside Lucy's door, was where Jessica stood. Jessica's hand was pressed against the door as well as her ear. 

She had a small smile on her face and a single happy tear rolled down her face as Lucy's last comment rang in her ears and made her the happiest she had been in a long time.