'Not really,' said Sirius. 'I don?t like the uniform, your general attitude or the fact that you seem to be on buddy terms with Slytherin. Whats happened to you?'
'What hasn?t happened to me?' Draco replied sharply.
'And you smell like alcohol. Have you been drinking? You should know better.'
'I should know better? What about you? What are you doing here and why the hell haven?t you rescued Harry and left? Everything here is about to come crashing down. Do you even know where Harry is? Have you found him?'
Sirius held up a hand. 'No. Not yet. Remus — '
'Hes here? Hurrah for the big reunion. Did we leave anyone at home, or did everyone come to the lets-get- killed party?'
'Draco-'
Dracos voice shot up an octave. 'Harry could be dead already for all you know.'
'Not true.' Sirius held out his arm, showing Draco the bracelet with its darkly glowing stone. 'Vivicus charm,' he said briefly.
A little of the tension went out of Dracos shoulders. 'How did you get into the castle?'
Sirius explained, as briefly as possible. Dracos eyes crinkled in confusion. 'A vampire?'
He echoed. 'But the Test — '
'Yes. I heard there was a Test,' said Sirius. 'Raven wanted me to meet with you first.'
Draco swore, at length. Sirius was impressed. He had quite a range and fluency for someone his age, not to mention a deft hand with imagery.
'That sounds like it would really hurt,' he said gently, when Draco was done. 'Assuming you could even get it to stretch that far.'
'Shut up, Sirius. Let me think.'
'I pretty much have to do whatever you want, don?t I, considering you?re pointing a pike at me. Is that really necessary?'
'Yes. Did you say you had Harrys Key?'
'I did.'
'Give me the Key.' Draco held out his hand. 'Quickly.'
'You know,' said Sirius conversationally, 'if I really wanted to, I could take that pike away from you, and break your arm.'
Draco went a little paler, but kept his hand out. 'I know that.'
'Maybe you might want to tell me what you want with the Key, then.'
Draco opened his mouth to reply — and stopped. Sirius heard the click as the door behind him began to open. And Draco swung the pike around — so quickly that Siriuseye barely followed its movement — and jabbed the end of it into his arm. Sirius watched in astonishment as the blood sprang up and drenched Dracos sleeve.
And Sirius stared in bewilderment, Draco, now smiling a tense and very unpleasant smile, flipped the pike around in his hand, and threw it blunt-end-first at Sirius.
Who caught it. And stood there, staring, as Raven, coming into the room at that moment, inhaled a shocked breath and scrambled for her wand. 'Whats going on here?'
Draco clapped a hand over his bleeding arm, and assumed a furious and injured look. 'Raven,' he said, pointing at Sirius. 'This vampire just tried to attack me.'
'Attack you?' echoed Raven (now holding Sirius at wandpoint) and Sirius, in unison.
'Yes. He lunged at me with that pike.' Draco pointed at it, and Raven, looking ashen, Summoned it to her quickly. 'It is against the Law to lay hands upon Slytherin, or by extension his Heir. Such an act is punishable by death, of course.' Draco raised his chin. The light from the torches turned his hair to a rather ironic silvery halo.
Sirius just stared at him. His eyes said trust me, but his actions said something else again.
'It could be blood sickness,' Raven interrupted, looking concerned.
'Vampires do get that sometimes. Makes them behave quite oddly.'
'Thats what I was thinking,' Draco agreed smoothly. 'Since there are no other vampires here we could consult, I suggest you take him down to the dungeons and keep him contained there until the sickness passes.'
Dracos wince was almost imperceptible, but he ignored him.
'I?ll have to take his wand from him,' said Raven, her eyes bright on Sirius. 'And search him.'
'Do what you have to,' said Draco. 'Only — don?t harm him.'
'Of course not,' said Raven. 'I would leave that to you, Master.'
'Thank you,' said Draco, and there was a sort of desperate hysteria in his voice, although none at all in his eyes as they met Siriusacross the room. He turned his back then, and Sirius couldn?t see his face as he said, 'You?d better take him now, Raven. I have work to attend to.'
'Of course,' said the banshee smoothly, and laid her hand on Siriusarm. He followed her without protest.
The door shut behind Lupin with the metallic clang of a portcullis crashing down. He coughed, and looked
