Symphony of the Night [open]

[Deleted]

It was very rare that one would find the young vampire sitting in the Three Broomsticks as it was a place that he normally avoided for it seemed as though drunken mortals and having the allure of a vampire did not mix. How many times in the past had he had to fight off the advances of a stubbornly drunk human as they tried to get him into their beds for the night? How many times had he been subjected to angry glares and been challenged to bar fights by the vain and jealous men who wanted to be him?

Needless to say, Aleksandr was not overly fond of bars, pubs and the like nor was he fond of the foolish behavior that often came hand in hand with said environment.

Yet here he was, sitting quietly amongst the loud patrons that inhabited the bar, a single gloved finger running absent mindedly along the very rim of his untouched glass of bourbon as his eyes drifted from person to person boredly. His nose stung from the mixed scent of sweat and the stench of alcohol and in that moment he was almost tempted to leave the pub in order to escape the horrid atmosphere and yet he also knew that he could not. He was at the pub for a reason and he knew that he could not leave until he was sure that the monster would not prey on anyone tonight.

Merlin, he really was starting to hate Nikolai with all of his heart.

Growling and cursing underneath his breath in his mother tongue, he brought the cup of liquid amber up to his nose and inhaled, the scent of the expensive liquor filling his senses and calming him down for a moment before he lowered the glass back down to the table for the time being as he waited for the devil to show up.

Or at least for someone interesting to come and distract him from the horror that was this wretched place until he knew that he could go home for the night.

[Josef Monroe]

It was not a full night for the Serbian born vampire unless the students were doing something that required him to actually pay attention. Merlin know how bored Josef got when he was at the school for days at a time without leaving. The tournament was going to be drawing to a close soon, and honestly, he was shocked to see how powerful some of the students were from their appointed schools. He would have guessed that the Hogwarts champion would be skilled, but he didn't expect him to keep up with the Durmstrang lad nearly so well.

It was a pleasant shock.

As the male moved from the school grounds, the moonlight making his white hair glow welcomingly in near angelic aura. He had to be careful while on the school grounds, as his veela blood intoxicated so many and made him slightly uncomfortable, save for one student. The cocky nature of the blonde Ravenclaw boy made him grin and watching him try so hard to resist his pull was so enticing.

Normlly, he wouldn't enter the bar at night because of the amount of people that were already under the influence. People had a hard enough time resisting him when they were sober, but when they were drunk, he often found himself running from the facility. The smell of liquor and sweat was unpleasant as he went into the bar.

Blue eyes cast over the patrons, many stopping to look at him a moment before his eyes averted. Do not make eye contact. Do not do it.

He moved through the bar and toward the back of a robed patron, slipping onto the stool beside him and uttering his drink order before looking over at the person beside him, almost shocked to see a fellow Auror, much less one that he knew!

"Aleksandr? Merlin's sakes, when did you get into town?!"

The Veela vamp was entirely too happy to see a familiar face in this rat's nest.

[Deleted]

He had been about to give up and leave the pub when he heard the loudness that had previously filled the bar suddenly fade to whispers and soft murmurs as someone new entered the bar. His eyes rolled and a quiet growl left his lips as that was always the reaction that the people held when his evil cousin entered the bar and he cursed quietly knowing that he was now stuck here until his cousin decided that he wanted to go back to the castle for the night and he knew that Nikolai liked to take as long as possible in order to just spite him.

" ублюдок." [Bastard] He seethed quietly, his grip on his glass tightening as hard as it could without him breaking it. Just the mere presence of the other male was enough to have him on edge, was enough to put him in a bad mood. He had a large number of other things that he would rather be doing than babysitting a vampire that didn't know how to behave or control himself. He was cursing underneath his breath for a couple of moments before he heard the sound of a pair of footsteps approaching him slowly. His body tensed up, waiting for the man to slip on by him as he always did, only for his body to tense up in shock when the person slipped into the seat next to him!

His eyes narrowed dangerously and his face formed into a dark snarl as he turned to tell off the person that he hated the most, stopping when he heard that familiar voice and when his eyes caught sight of the person who had slipped next to him.

It wasn't Nikolai.

It was Josef Monroe, a fellow auror and a friend of his from a while back. He had had no idea that he was in town for the tournament! His dangerous expression gave way to a small smile as he greeted his friend sheepishly. " Josef! Long time no see! Vhen did I get into town?! My friend, I have been here since the very beginning of the tournament. I've been patrolling Hogsmeade and the dark forest to ensure that nothing attacks, but never mind me. Vhen did you get into town? Vhat have you been up to lately? "

[Josef Monroe]

Josef laughed, a sound laden with sheer magic and it drew a few stares in his direction and he quickly stifled the sound, covering his mouth until his muscles relaxed enough to hide the vampiric fangs from view once more before his hand slid away and he smiled at his friend.

"I am stationed at the school for the tournament, plus, I am also under contract to watch one of the students and keep someone away from her that her family thinks would tarnish their name. Normally, I would not be bothered with something so trivial, but considering who it is, I could not turn down his offer."

Plus, the reward was substantial and with it, that cold and smirking Ravenclaw would be driven to seek him out to find out where he got it. Such a power hungry little one, it was something unbearably endearing.

Sweet little vampire.

The bartender slid him a small glass of a strong smelling amber liquid dripping over ice. Rum. The sweet smell hit his senses and he used long, painted fingernails to draw an ice cube from the glass and place the cold object between his lips and drew the sweet and burning liquid off of it. In that gesture, he felt eyes upon him again and growled softly.

"Humans have no willpower."

The ice fell back in the glass with a loud clink and the glass was gripped within his pale hand and brought up to his mouth, the amber liquid being drained faster than he really antcipated and the glass came down with a soft clink as blue eyes fluttered due to the burn. They had some strong stuff!

"So, you're watching the forest, and the village. I feel the need to warn you. Two of the students are werewolves this year. The one I am concerned about is a seventh year. He seems more aggressive than the other and I've heard from sources that he might try get into the forest to go to the local pack. I don't know what he's trying to do, but he's the one I'm trying to watch. These kids are so much stronger than the kids I grew up around. Then again, the veela are not entirely...can I help you?"

One of the patrons of the bar was gazing at him with glossed over eyes, that sick love-struck look over her features.

"You're so beautiful..."

Sef looked over at Aleksandr and shook his head.

"Didn't I just get done saying that these people have no will power?"

[Deleted]

A single brow had risen in question the second that he had heard that Josef had allowed himself to be contracted. Since when did his friend allowed himself to be hired for such simple and mundane tasks? It did not sound not something that would normally happen and yet as he heard the answer that he had been given it all began to make sense. " I vas about to say, you vere vorrying me for a second there my friend. Normally you vould not allow for such things to happen. It is something that entirely is beneath you. I figured that he either must have been someone who is very important or he must have offered you one hell of a reward in order to get you to change your mind on something like this, if not both of them."

He watched as the bartender slid a small glass of rum towards the Veela and vampire mix, the strong scent assaulting his senses as well. Watching as his friend drew out an ice cube and sucked off the burning and sweet liquid off of it. He could feel the eyes staring at both him and his friend at the gesture, snickering coldly when his friend seemed to grow even more annoyed, a soft growl of irritation followed by the statement that humans had no willpower.

" Now, now Josef. Surely not all humans are as desperate as these drunken fools are, and besides you to them are very much like what catnip is to a cat. They simply cannot help themselves, though I do agree vith you in that it does get tiring after a vhile." Both Vampires and Veela tended to have a sort of alluring air around them that helped them draw in the mortals that they were both supposed to prey on. His poor friend was both a Veela and a vampire giving him a double dose of the charm which led to him being nearly an addictive drug to mortals.

" If it makes you feel any better, I have already chased off the vorst ones vhen they tried something on me earlier." He watched as Josef downed the small glass of rum in one shot, almost laughing again when he noticed his eyes fluttering from the strength of the liquid. Perhaps he should have warned him about how strong the alcohol was? Oh well. Too late now.

He listened as Josef gave him a warning about the two werewolves that were currently attending the school.

" I vas not aware that there vere two verevolves at the school. The last time I checked my report, I vas sure that there vas only one mentioned. If I am not mistaken, there are also two half vampires and three Metamorphmagi correct? At any rate, thank you for the varning. I vill be sure to keep my eyes out for any funny business vithin the forest. I feel that I should varn you that my cousin, Nikolai is now a professor at Hogwarts. I reccomend keeping an eye out and vatching your back. My cousin is very dangerous and is very good at hiding just vhat it is that he is planning. I am doing my best to keep an eye on him, but he is very sneaky and has vays of getting past me. "

He listened as Josef spoke about the students getting stronger before getting interupted by a woman who was staring at Josef with a love struck stare that most got when subjected to his friend's charms. " Yes. Yes you just did not even a moment ago and now I am more inclined to believe that statement too."

[Josef Monroe]

Josef chuckled, shaking his head slowly and the curtain of white hair flowed with the movements. Oh, he had no idea how right he was. Maybe after the whole thing was over, he might elaborate on the whole thing. It was a sordid mess! However, a deal was a deal and the reward was enough to make him do this well.

Forgive him for wanting to entice the hunter.

"It's a hell of a combination of both. I need to keep it on the very down low because if little wolfy figured out I was following him, he would likely rip my limbs off. Though, if the girl finds out I am following her, I am in less danger."

People, people. There were times that he hated mortality with a complete passion. He had never succumbed to mortality and it seemed more like a plague to him than anything else. Such weak senses, such weak mental fortitude. Granted, when he did go out and sing, it was that very thing that charged his senses and caused him to perform with a greater gusto.

"In order to effectively chase them away...I have to get all beak-y and feather-y and start flinging fireballs, so...I'd rather not. That ugly angry side needs to stay well out of range of liquor. Besides, I don't make a very pretty harpy."

Fainted fingernails dragged along the length of platinum hair in a slightly vain preen. He always had a sort of cockiness about his appeal to others, but it was hardly annoying, often coming off as seriously amusing. The charisma, the charm, and his vanity was a lethal combination in terms of handling him, but over the years, Aleksandr had found ways to knock him off his high horse and leave him scrambling to get back on.

It was fun, anyway, and he had an over abundance of time on his hands.

As Aleksander listed what he knew of the gifted members of the staff and students, he tried to confirm with what he knew.

"Two half vampires, them I know. And let me tell you, the male...delicious. His arrogance is endearing. The girl, no threat. Two werewolves, the older is the aggressive sort, but he's also a tormented teen. Aren't they all in a sense? The younger is just a jerk. I think that runs in those genes. Wait, three Metamorphmagi? I was only aware of the sixth year twins. Who is the third one?"

He was honestly confused, how did a Metamorphmagus slip under his radar?

Then, he spoke of Nikolai and Josef visablly shuddered. There was enough about that man to competely creep him out, and admitting such was difficult to do. He was never one to admit that he was afraid of someone, but Merlin's breath...Nikolai made his blood run cold.

"I remember your cousin. Always with the ability to make even my blood run cold. Mm...what in the world were they thinking, hiring him? Well, he is very good at what he does. But, isn't he a danger to the students? Not...as if the werewolf students aren't. However, they knowingly hired a magical creature like him, and the students were only burdened with their own fate."

[Deleted]

He had figured as much and yet his suspicions were confirmed when Josef said that he needed to keep his contract quiet for the time being and yet Josef had revealed as much information as he needed in order to get a somewhat clear image of just what it was that he had to do. It seemed as though he would have to " protect " a girl from a werewolf, as a werewolf was one of the only things that could manage to rip apart a vampire [ that and the fact that he had oh so endearingly called the boy "Wolfy" truly didn't help him keep it a secret.] Aleksandr raised his cup of alcohol to his mouth in order to hide his forming smirk, pretending to take a sip of it before setting it down again. " I truly hope that vhatever you are getting out of this is vorth it. Messing vith the life of and stalking "Volfy" is a very dangerous thing. I'm sure that you already know this as vell, but keep your guard up around the girl as vell. It vould be very easy for her to ask the volf to dispose of you for her and on top of that, if she is related to someone important I'm sure that she has some surprising skills or something like that. Do not get cocky."

He knew that asking his friend not to get cocky was like asking him to stop breathing, but he truly did not feel like having to retrieve the scattered remains of his friend because he was too confident in his skills and got careless. That and he would probably be the one sent to deal with said wolf by the Ministry after all of this was said and done and dealing with a pissed off werewolf was something that did not strike him as fun.

When Josef started talking about just what it was that he needed to do in order to scare off the humans that bothered him, Aleksandr could not help but laugh. " Vhile I do not think that there is such a thing as a pretty harpy, though I do agree that you yourself vould make an especially unattractive one my friend." His tone was laced with good humor, signifying that he was teasing his friend and yet as he saw his latest actions he couldn't stop his eyes from rolling slightly with that amused smile on his face.

His attention was drawn when Josef began speaking of the students and he listened quietly before speaking again. " My my, it sounds as though someone has a new infatuation? Good luck vith that. Dully noted about the girl." He had no worries about the two half vampires, for the chances were that he would not interact with either of them too much anyways. " Yes, I knew about the older wolf but not about the younger one. I vill be keeping my eyes on the both of them to make sure that are not up to anything. Yes there are three Metamorphmagi. Luna and Artemis Demetriou sixth year in the Ravenclaw house and then there is a miss Ashlynn N. Silver-Moon who is a fifth year in the Slytherin house."

When the conversation changed to Nikolai, he could see the way Josef shuddered and a frown made it's way on his face. He knew that Josef was creeped out by the vampire and as much as he hated bringing the other vampire up, he knew that it was nessacary. " I do not not know vhat it is that the headmistress vas thinking in giving him a job here despite the fact that he is skilled. He must have gotten better at manipulation over the time that I last saw him. I do not know if he is truly a danger to all of the students, though I am vorried about the twin Metamorphs. He's been far too interested in the girl as of late for me not to be. However that is another part of the reason vhy I am here. I am supposed to be vatching Nikolai and making sure that he stays vithin line. If he doesn't then I am supposed to kill him. I do not think that it is fair to throw in the volves vith Nikolai. They have no choice in vhat they do underneath the full moon. Nikolai alvays has a choice, he just choses to be the vay that he is."

[Josef Monroe]

A pale, gloved palm landed squarely to his forehead. Silver-Moon. How could he have missed that one? As far as women went, she was one he had to watch his blood around, especially with the aggression that boy she was always aroud had. What was with the bitterly angry, brooding teenagers lately?

"I can't believe I missed that one. She is the more obvious one of the group of them. The Demetriou's don't often change their form, so I tend to forget they have the gift, but I'm watching them from inside the school. They are safe as can be within the school."

The glove ended mid finger and a painted fingernail ran over the edge of the glass before him as he gazed at it in a bit of a daze. That little Ravenclaw vampire male was fogging his judgement. That needed to be remedied! Quickly!

"Always with my infatuations. It comes with this blood concoction and certainly has its flaws. What about you, Mister 'Always Searching'? Any new infatuations?"

The pair of them always seemed in a viscious circle of finding themselves lost on a person that never quite held up to expectations. Him moreso than Aleksandr, but that veela blood made it impossible to discern the charm from actual love. Such was life, and he was used to such things. It had taken the better part of a century, but he was used to it.

"As for Nikolai, I have noticed his attention to the girl, but it has remained professional from what I can tell. I will inform you the instant I see otherwise. I can take on some other things aside from babysitting the wolf. It makes the days in that drama cesspool a little more interesting at least."

[Deleted]

" Da. It is a bit of a challenge to remember the Demetriou twins at times. They are not a pair that I am all that vorried about. The girl Ashlyn however, seems to be a bit...Aggressive? Definately more sly than either of the twins. She seems like she vould be the one to cause trouble out of the three of them from what I have seen and heard. Nonetheless, it is good to hear that they are in good care. I know that if anyone can keep them safe then it is you." He would trust his friend with his own life, never mind the hundreds of lives that were within the castle walls.

Then the conversation took an interesting turn, talking this time about infatuations. He noted the dazed and distracted expression on his friend's face and his smile softened. It had been a while since he had seen that look on his friend's face.

" Josef you need simply to stay positive and be patient my friend. You can tease me all you vant, but I have said it before and I vill say it again, every one has a destined partner, sometimes it just takes longer for some people to find theirs. As for your question, yes I have found someone who interests me. He is the new healer at Hogwarts. Very strange for a mortal. He likes Shakespeare just as I do and he has the same feelings about love as I do. It is strange. but I almost feel as though I vant to know him better. I haven't felt that vay since I met my favorite blood doner."

The last part was muttered so only Josef could hear his words with his enhanced senses.

" Thank you my friend. I am sorry to trouble you but i really vould like to know if that girl is in any danger. Nikolai is my responsibility and I need to know if he is endangering the life of a human period. Especially if it is a student and a Metamorphmagi at that. The ministry vould have my head on a platter if they lost one of them to a vampire."