WILD & WICKED / © yllwjckts
001 ⸻ A Deal with the Devil

August 26th, 1977 ✦ Forest of Dean

Fulk Ingelger & Lux Erzsebet,

I hope this letter finds you two well. I will spare you any more false pleasantries, and get straight to the point, as I know I appreciate as well.

I know what you are, and where you reside. I've been researching the pair of you for a while now, the legends that surround the almighty vampire Fulk, and his new trusty sidekick. Many would kill for the information I possess about your location. The Coven, for example.

I am not writing this letter to threaten you. No, I am writing to inform you of what will occur if you do not heed my bidding. It is not much that I request of you two, in fact, it is just a simple meeting I desire.

Knockturn Alley seems to be the perfect place for two deadly vampires, wouldn't you say? Under the cloud of darkness, you will fit right in.

I have a proposition for you, one I wish to speak to you about in person. Letters can be misinterpreted. Manipulated. The last thing I want is a misunderstanding between us.

Meet me at The Devil's Horn pub in Knockturn Alley on the 29th of August, under cover of the night sky. If you refuse, if you do not show up, I will tell the Coven exactly where you reside. Please consider this. You may be able to run from them for a while longer, but sooner or later they will catch up to you.

Do not misunderstand me, I do not desire to do this. I wish for nothing but an alliance between the three of us.

Kindest regards,

A.P.W.B. Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

"Fuck," Lux muttered a curse as she read the letter over and over, paper creasing as her long nails dug into the letters, leaving indents in the fragile parchment. "Fuck," she repeated, a bit louder this time, causing Fulk to snort from his position next to her, his head peering over her shoulder to read it himself.

"I take it you are not happy with this...invitation?"

"Are you?" She responded with the cock of her eyebrow, and though her outer demeanor radiated arrogance, deep inside her, anxiety was pooling in her stomach.

He shook his head, a smirk still on his lips, as though amused by the threat the headmaster of Hogwarts had just presented to them. "I haven't a single desire to speak to Albus Dumbledore. Never have. He's as contrived as they come."

"Nor do I," she scoffed, handing him the letter, which he accepted with a swipe, eyeing it himself as though expecting to see something different than the first time he'd poured over it. "Though it doesn't seem like we have a choice."

"We always have a choice, Lux," Fulk tutted, turning his back to her and towards the window. Though the sun had long since set, the curtains remained drawn, concealing them from the view of the forest they resided in. "It's up to you."

"Up to me?" She frowned, taking a step so she was positioned next to him. "Since when do you let me make the decisions around here?"

The corners of his lips perked up ever so slightly. "After all these years, do you really doubt the trust I have for you? Besides, it's your neck on the line, not my own. The Coven might spare me."

"Only if you agreed to join them," she spat bitterly, folding her arms over her chest.

Though the moment he scoffed, shaking his head, she felt all the anger that had begun to grow melt away. "They wish."

Their eyes met, a mutual understanding flickering between them, as it so often did.

Then, Lux barked a laugh, cold and dry and brittle, but a laugh nonetheless. "Albus Dumbledore hasn't got a clue who he's dealing with, does he?"

Fulk's eyebrows jumped up. "Oh?"

"We'll go to this meeting," she concluded, stretching her arms out in front of her until she felt her joints crack. "See what he wants. And if it isn't worth our while, well..." her shoulders lifted in an apathetic shrug. "It'll be the last mistake he ever makes."

"You truly think we can best Dumbledore?" He asked, voice thick with amusement, entertained by what he must have presumed was her naivety.

Silly, she thought to herself, shaking her head. That was the last thing she was, and Fulk should have known as much. Naive was the girl who spent three hundred years in the arms of a monster, praying to a God that was not there to listen for a death she could never meet. Naive was gone, burned and buried and replaced by something so vile, so rotten, no one would stand a chance against it. Even Death itself would take one look at the festering beneath Lux's skin and run in the other direction.

"No," Lux answered simply. "I know we can."

August 27th, 1977 ✦ Knockturn Alley

It was a rare occasion indeed when Lux and Fulk left the forest their trailer was buried in. They never had a need to, everything they required to survive resided in the trees - animals for blood, water in the nearby stream for bathing. The water pipes had long since gone out, rusted away with time, so they used buckets and fire to fill their bath. Fulk would occasionally leave to get necessities in the local town - soap, clothes, the occasional book, but she never went with.

"I knew you'd come," he said in greeting as they approached him, hoods hiked up and covering their faces from anyone who might recognize them.

The Coven knew better than to show their faces in Knockturn Alley, but Lux supposed that under Adelais's authority, perhaps things had changed.

"Please, have a seat," Dumbledore continued when the pair said nothing. "Fulk, how long has it been?"

"Not long enough," he answered, though did as the headmaster requested, pulling out a chair and taking a seat. Lux hesitated, before doing the same, biting on her lip as she adjusted her hood, making sure it cast a perfect shadow upon her face.

Dumbledore didn't take offense to this - Lux doubted he was the kind of man who was hurt by measly words, as he grinned, turning his attention towards her. "And Lux Erzsebet. A pleasure to meet you, truly. I've heard so much about you."

She said nothing, simply stiffened her posture.

"Get on with it, old man," Fulk urged, never one for patience.

His eyebrows jumped up ever so slightly, amusement dancing in his blue eyes. "That is the pot calling the kettle black, I fear. Both of you are far older than I. Do tell, what are your exact ages again? It seems to have slipped my mind."

"It's rude to inquire on a woman's age, Albus," Fulk chided when Lux remained silent.

"Of course, of course, you'll forgive me. I'm simply curious," his eyes shifted between the two, as though not quite sure which of them to focus on. Of the two, Fulk was older, wiser, held more authority, but Lux was the one who seemed to draw Dumbledore's attention more, as he eventually settled on her. "I suppose I must get on with it."

"Please," Fulk's icy blue eyes rolled.

"There is a war on the horizon," Dumbledore said simply. "Though, I'm sure you're aware of that."

"Refresh our memories," Though it came off cocky, Lux could tell Fulk was confused as he spoke. She, too, hadn't a clue what he was speaking about, but attempted to feign indifference, picking at her nails.

"A man, who calls himself Lord Voldemort, is gathering followers at an alarming rate. His goal is eliminate the muggle race, and establish a solely pureblood society."

"Funny name," Lux spoke for the first time, amusement tugging at the sides of her lips. The Headmaster seemed surprised at her words, eyes widening ever so slightly, as she continued, "But I've never heard of this Voldemort person. If you're here to question our involvement with him, I can assure you, we have nothing to do with him. Not to mention, if he's a blood supremacist, my lineage would not please him."

"You're muggleborn, then?"

She cocked her head to the side, the hood cloaking her face shifting slightly. "Did you not do your research on us beforehand?"

"The information on you is limited at best," Dumbledore admitted. "Both of you, actually. I suppose Hogwarts did not keep as thorough records at the time of your attendance as we do now. That, or they were lost to time."

"I never went to your school," Fulk's nose twitched. "Nor do I have any connection with...what was his name again?"

"Voldemort."

"Yes, him. Never heard the name, actually. So, I'm afraid you've wasted both of our times with this...gathering."

"I did not mean to suggest you had ties to him, Fulk," Dumbledore said. "But the same cannot be said for the Coven Lux hails from."

She felt her throat go dry.

But it was not her who spoke, but Fulk, as he barked a laugh. "The Coven is involved with a blood supremacist? How would that even work? Not a single one of those bastards are anything close to pureblood, last I checked."

His eyes flickered towards Lux for confirmation, who nodded, swallowing as she frantically worked to revive her aura of confidence. Even so, when she spoke, she could feel the edge in her voice, and the array of scars on her back burn.

"The majority of them are halfbloods at best. If there are any purebloods among them, they don't care enough to flaunt it. Blood status means nothing to vampires."

"Perhaps that's the one virtue of the Coven," Dumbledore shook his head, sighing. "I fear Voldemort does not care about the blood status of vampires, as long as he has them on his side. He's allying with all sorts of magical creatures - vampires, werewolves, trolls, goblins, it matters not if they have muggle or magical blood. As long as they can serve him."

"And why would they join him? What does this Voldemort man offer them in return for their service?" Fulk pressed.

"I cannot say for certain," he admitted. "I don't even know if they've accepted his offer. But I am positive he is pursuing them."

"They wouldn't accept," Lux let out a breath, mentally relaxing the moment she felt Fulk's hand press against the small of her back. It took everything in her to maintain her hardened exterior, to keep herself from melting into his touch, the one thing that could soothe her.

"With all due respect, Lux, what makes you so certain of that?"

She allowed herself a second to glance at Fulk, to meet his gaze and watch as he nodded, urging her to continue.

"Adelais is not the type to submit to any authority. Now that she has control, she won't yield it."

"She submitted to Philip for long enough," Dumbledore pointed out, the mention of his name causing Lux to recoil into Fulk's touch. "Was she not his second in command before he was killed?"

"Lux resided with the Coven for three hundred years. Do not deign to think your knowledge of them runs deeper than hers."

She expected Dumbledore to argue with this, but he did not, instead bowing his head. "You're right. My apologies, Lux."

"Now, are we here to discuss the inner workings of the Coven, or is there something you want from us?" Fulk snapped. "The sun will rise in only hours. If you have something to say, spit it out before we need to leave."

"Of course, of course," he folded his hands together once again. "I have a deal I wish to propose to you both, if you're willing to hear me out."

"Albus Dumbledore, wheeling and dealing with a pair of vampires," the size of Fulk's smirk increased, as the hand he had atop Lux's back returned to his side.

"It is funny, how these things turn out," Dumbledore said. "I wish for you pair to attend Hogwarts in this coming term. Lux, as a student, and Fulk, as a professor. There is once again a vacancy in the Defense Against the Dark Arts position, which I believe would suit you perfectly."

"You wish for me to teach?" Fulk didn't bother attempting to mask his surprise, the typical veil he wore to conceal his emotions falling with the gust of wind that was Dumbledore's strange request. "You wish for two vampires to invade your castle, a place with walking blood bags? Are you mad?"

"Perhaps," he admitted with a casual shrug. "But I know you, Fulk. You wouldn't hurt a child. You may be a vampire, but a fragment of your human morals still remain. Otherwise, I doubt your dear Lux would still be alive."

The moment his eyes traveled to meet hers, she shifted in her position, shoulders caving in as she hunched over ever so slightly, once again adjusting her hood. "Why would I agree? I've already attended Hogwarts once."

"Alas, our curriculum has been drastically altered since...when was it that you attended?"

"Sixteen twenty eight."

"Right, right," he nodded slowly. "You never completed your final year. The remaining records we have of of you disappear at the end of your sixth year."

"Something came up," she practically snarled, heat rising in her cheeks.

"Why do you wish for us to attend your school, Albus?" Fulk redirected the conversation, giving Lux a warning glance in the process. "And what does this have to do with Voldemort?"

"You have been on the run from the Coven for two decades now, and sooner or later, you will no longer be able to outrun them. If you attend Hogwarts for the year, you will be safe under my protection. All I ask in that in return, when Voldemort comes knocking on your door, and trust me, he will, you turn him down. No matter what he offers you, fame or glory or riches, you refuse. You fight with us instead."

Something like fire slid across Lux's expression, followed by desperation as she swiftly confirmed, "You can protect us from the Coven?"

His lips curled upwards in an unsettling sort of smile, the kind many mistake for kind, but after everything she had seen, had been through, she knew it meant something else entirely. "As long as you are under Hogwarts' roof, you will be safe from them. Vampires cannot enter the castle without being invited in by the owner - me. All I ask in return is your loyalty, when push comes to shove."

Lux was inclined to accept without another word, but when she turned to look at Fulk for his reaction, she found his expression alight with amusement.

"And you expect us to interact with the school, how? Or do you plan on banishing the sun?"

It was Dumbledore's turn to laugh, ever so softly shaking his head as he reached into his pocket. "Clever boy, always on top of everything. Don't you worry, Fulk, I have just the thing for your little...predicament," he began to dig into the pocket of his purple robe, pulling out two identical rings and setting them atop the wooden table separating him from the vampires. Each ring had a small red gemstone that seemed to shine under the glimpse of moonlight that slipped through the window of the pub.

"Have you come to propose to he, Headmaster?" Fulk raised his eyebrows. "Or is it my dear Lux you desire the hand of?"

Her shoulders caved in, eyes fixed on the jewelry.

Once again, Dumbledore chuckled. "Truly a joy, Fulk. No, I have not come to ask for your hand in marriage. I prefer my partners diets to be solid foods, as opposed to blood."

Lux bared her teeth.

"These rings," he continued, either not noticing the anger that shot through her, or ignoring it, "will allow you to walk in the daylight."

Not even Fulk could mask his surprise, eyes growing wide as Lux nearly gasped.

"A daylight ring," she breathed, and he nodded. "How?"

"Magic is a beautiful thing, Lux," he moved his hand to slide the rings across the table. "Would you like to try them on?"

The younger vampire was many things, but stupid was not one of them. It so easily could've been a trap. For all she knew, the moment the ring slid onto her finger, she could burst into a fall of flames and collapse into a pile of ash. For all she knew, Albus Dumbledore's motives were not to get them on his side in the so called upcoming war, but to eliminate vampires.

"I'll do it," Fulk interjected, his shoulder brushing against hers as he moved to grab one of the rings from off the table. Lux watched, anxiety bubbling in her stomach, as he hesitantly slid the ring onto his middle finger, as if suspecting the same outcome she had imagined.

She braced herself, preparing for an attack. Preparing for the worst. If something happened to Fulk, she was more than ready to take Dumbledore down on her own, dig her fangs into his neck and bleed him out.

But she didn't have to.

The moment the ring was secured atop his finger, Fulk paused, allowing several seconds of silence to pass.

"Is it-" Lux began, breath hitching as she observed him.

"It's safe," he confirmed, the rarest of smiles sliding onto his lips as their gazes met, only to melt away the moment his eyes flickered back to the passively observing Dumbledore.

The moment Fulk's expression returned to stone cold apathy, did Lux reach across the table for her own ring, and gently pushed it onto her middle finger.

"If you're lying to us, Albus, I needn't warn you what you'll face in vengeance," Fulk mused as he observed his ring, twisting it around his finger with his thumb.

"Of course. Don't you worry, I wouldn't dare cross you," Dumbledore was not looking at Fulk, but at Lux as he spoke, something sparkling in his eye. "I know all about you vampires and your revenge."