Disclaimer: I don't own anything to do with the Harry Potter universe. I do own Erica though. She is my own creation. I also own the plot...but that is all. I don't own any other characters, backstories, or plotlines. Anyway, on with the show.

It was another formal dinner at Hogwarts before the Christmas vacation. Students would be getting on the Hogwarts Express and going home in a week. Everyone was there, including the Potions Master Severus Snape. Snape absolutely despised the holidays. They were the worst time of year.

The good news was that Voldemort was being quiet at the present time. While that could be taken as good news, it could also be taken as bad. Snape knew that when Voldemort was quiet, he was usually planning something.

It was the "Golden Trio's" final year at Hogwarts. Unfortunately if Voldemort wasn't defeated soon Snape would have to spend even more time with them during the Order meetings that are sure to come up.

Remus Lupin was sitting next to Snape, highly enjoying the feast. He had returned as Defense against the Dark Arts professor, much to Potter's delight and Snape's discontent.

The year had been uneventful so far. Just a few problems here and there, but nothing too serious. Potter was enjoying his time with his friends, laughing and talking about Quidditch. It annoyed Snape to no end that the boy wasn't even preparing himself for the battle he was surely going to have to fight.

"Severus my boy, aren't you going to eat?" Dumbledore said. Snape glared at him before turning back to his food.

Snape kept his mind busy during dinner to avoid any conversation. He ran over his mental checklist and reminded himself to brew more Wolfsbane potion for Lupin.

Suddenly the doors to the Great Hall were slammed open. Filch was sliding across the floor like he was nothing.

He slammed into the steps in front of the staff table. Everyone looked up at the person who sent Filch flying like that.

Standing in the doorway of the Great Hall was a person in a black hooded cloak, black tight pants, and a tight black top. Whoever it was, they were obviously female, and had every teenage boy in that room staring at her cleavage, even though there wasn't a lot showing. The Great Hall was silent.

Her face couldn't be seen, nor her hair. She started up slowly toward the staff table. By this time Filch had regained consciousness and was pleading with the headmaster to forgive him for letting her in.

Dumbledore nodded and kept his eyes on the strange person walking up toward them. Filch took to hiding behind the staff table, behind Dumbledore.

Whoever this girl was, she wasn't a witch. She didn't carry a wand, although two daggers could be seen strapped to each thigh as her cloak billowed menacingly behind her. A sword could be seen on her back along with a large muggle gun hooked onto her back next to the sword. She was scary.

When she reached Harry she stopped and stared at him. Harry could feel her eyes boring into his eyes, even though he couldn't see them. She frightened him a little.

"Just like James," she said in a soft voice before continuing her way up to Dumbledore.

Harry turned to Hermione and Ron with a confused look on his face before looking up at the staff table.

Snape was watching this girl with scrutinizing eyes. The way she walked looked familiar, but he couldn't figure it out. Snape didn't like not knowing. He kept one hand on his wand just in case.

Lupin also thought the girl seemed familiar, but in a different way. Because his sense of smell was higher because he is a werewolf, she smelled familiar, but from where he couldn't be sure.

The girl climbed the steps to the staff table and stood directly in front of Dumbledore.

"How might we help you?" Dumbledore asked in a kind voice. The hooded figure looked at him.

"I believe we need to talk, and privacy would be better suited for such a conversation," the girl said. Both Snape and Lupin snapped to attention when she spoke. She sounded familiar.

Dumbledore nodded and stood. "Prefects, please take your students back to your houses. Dinner is dismissed. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley please remain behind."

The students filed out and Harry, Ron, Hermione made there way up to the staff table. They looked a little nervous, especially standing next to the strange woman with the weaponry.

Once the Great Hall was empty of students Dumbledore sat and addressed the visitor. "Now, what news was so great that it required my immediate attention?"

"He's coming," she said. Dumbledore nodded. "We are well aware of his intentions through our own methods."

"You mean through your spy?"

Silence graced the Great Hall once again as the woman's words sank in. She knew about Severus being a spy. What else could she know?

"Please explain," Dumbledore asked without the trademark twinkle in his eyes.

"He knows about Professor Snape, and he is coming. Not in a few months, not in a few years, but now."

"Now?" Harry asked, surprised.

"The Dark Lord will march on Hogwarts in three days time," she said. "You need to get the students out of here, and you need to do it as soon as possible."

Snape stood and walked around the table and up to the woman. "And why should we listen to you?" He asked.

In a flash she had a dagger at Snape's throat. He didn't move. His hands remained at his sides and his eyes impassive.

"I suggest, Professor, that you learn when to speak and when to not," the girl said without turning her head toward him.

"This isn't helping anyone," Dumbledore said coming to his feet. Snape backed away from her as she slowly lowered her dagger.

Once her dagger was properly sheathed did the conversation start again.

"There isn't any time for discussion. The children have to be moved out tonight before they move any closer."

Lupin stood and walked closer to the girl, but stayed behind Snape. He sniffed the air, even with Snape glaring at him, and then turned to the headmaster.

"She isn't human," he said. Everyone stared at the strange woman, who still had the hood up over her face.

"If you aren't human, then what the hell are you?" Snape said. The woman turned her head slightly and looked at Snape with the hood still up.

"You wouldn't be able to handle it Severus, so don't bother asking," she said.

Snape was fuming. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at her. While Harry and the others backed up, the woman just turned completely toward him.

"There is no need for violence," Dumbledore said. Snape started to lower his wand when she spoke again.

"It is alright Headmaster. Let him do it. He'll regret it afterwards anyway," she said. Snape snapped. He pointed his wand at the girl and shouted, "Expelliarmus"

The woman flew through the air and landed at the other end of the table. Her cloak flew up and covered her head. Her left hand suddenly shot out of from under the cloak.

"Petrificus Totalus," she yelled.

Snape was hit with a bright light and then hit the ground, unable to move. Lupin walked forward and removed the spell from him. Snape sat up and looked over at the girl. Lupin remained next to him.

The woman was standing with her back to them. Her hood was down now revealing long light brown hair.

"I warned you Severus," she said turning to them. Severus and Lupin both gasped at the same time.

She looked about seventeen, maybe eighteen. She had light brown eyes with a flash of green in a certain light. She was very beautiful, and pale. Her hair framed her face perfectly. Her full lips were set in a sneer that could rival Snape's. She was scarier without the hood up. She was scarier than Snape, if that was possible, but she was easier to look at.

"Erica?" Lupin said in surprise. Erica's eyes moved from Snape to Lupin. Her expression never changed. "Remus," she said in a cool voice. There was no emotion in it, just the word she said.

Lupin stood and started toward her, but stopped as he remembers what he smelled earlier.

"Your not human anymore," he said. Erica raised an eyebrow. "According to the papers I'm not alive," she said.

"But you obviously are," Lupin said. Erica smirked and shook her head. "No, I died twenty years ago. What I am now is dead." Everyone stared at her in confusion. "I'm a vampire now," she said.

Snape stood and pointed his wand at her. He stepped up close to her, but still and arms length away. "We can't trust the word of a vampire," he said. Erica shrugged.

"Fine, then kill me. Then in three days time you will die yourself trying to protect those students you say are important. He isn't after just muggleborns anymore. He is going to kill everyone in the castle. No one is safe. All the muggleborns will meet their deaths next to the half-bloods and the purebloods. Not a single person will be spared. Do you want that on your already tainted soul?"

Snape didn't move. He just stared at her with his wand pointed on her chest. She didn't move either. They entered into a stare-off, neither looking away.

"Severus," Dumbledore said with an edge to his voice. Snape sneered at her and lowered his wand. Erica kept eye contact with Severus until he looked away.

"Erica?" Dumbledore said. "Erica Kartake?"

Erica nodded at Dumbledore. "That's my name, at least it was before my family disowned me. Now I am just Erica."

"How did this happen? You graduated the same year and Severus and I. I don't understand," Lupin said.

Erica turned back to Lupin. "I was at home alone when the vampires attacked the village. The house was destroyed and I was forced out. They caught me outside and started to kill me, until they realized just how powerful I was. By that time it was either kill me or make me a vampire. They made me a vampire. Everyone believed I died in the fire, except my parents. When I caught up with them and they discovered who I was, they sent me on my way. That's how this happened."

Snape just sneered at the woman. "How can we trust someone who will kill us in our sleep?"

"I'll have you know that I have never killed anyone, except the vampires that destroyed my life," she said. Snape narrowed his eyes at her and walked closer to her, but still a good two feet away.

"Then how have you lived without blood?"

"This isn't helping us right now. It is getting late and Harry needs his sleep and I don't want to be here when the sun comes up," Erica said.

"Severus, this isn't what is important right now. What's important is the children," Dumbledore said. Severus turned away from Erica again and stood in front of Dumbledore.

"What do you suggest we do Headmaster?"

"We have no choice. Whether Erica is telling the truth or not, it will be safer to send the children back to their homes. At least they won't all be together that way."

Severus looked at Erica out of the corner of his eyes. She was expressionless.

"Once the children are out of the castle, we can formulate a plan. Severus, I need you to keep Erica in your guestroom in your chambers. We will talk again in the morning. Good night everyone."

Dumbledore stood and left the room before Snape could protest. McGonagall escorted Harry, Hermione, and Ron, who were standing there in silence, back to Gryffindor tower. Lupin left to his rooms along with the other professors, leaving Snape and Erica alone.

Snape was still standing there with his back to Erica. She just stared at his back before speaking.

"I need to be down in the dungeons before sunrise. Since I don't know the way to your rooms, I need you to lead the way," she said. Snape turned to her sharply and grabbed her upper arms tightly.

"Why the hell did you come back?" he said angrily. Erica glared at him. She was finally showing emotion, she was pissed.

"If you want to remain in one piece, I suggest you release me now."

"If you want to find my quarters before the sun rises you will answer my question."

Erica growled at him. "I came to inform Dumbledore of the Dark Lord's plan. I could not stand by and allow innocent children to die."

Snape just stared at her. Finally he released her and pushed past her, his robes billowing out behind him.

"Bloody bastard," she said before rushing after him.

They walked next to each other in silence all the way down to the dungeons. Not a word was spoken until they reached Snape's quarters.

"Dark Potions," he said. The door to his quarters opened and he stepped in with Erica. She noted how nice it looked. The sitting room had books all over the walls, a dark mahogany desk to the right, a fireplace straight ahead with two large emerald green armchairs and a dark green sofa with silver trim. The carpet was dark green as well. To the right of the fireplace was another door.

"That door leads to a hallway. The first door on the left is the bathroom, the second door on the left is my private lab that has a door that leads to my office, the door on the right is the guest quarters, and the door at the end of the hall is my room. With that I take my leave of you," he said.

Snape headed for the door and opened it. He was about to walk through when he heard her voice again.

"I'm sorry about the past Severus," she said. "Perhaps in time you will come to understand why I did what I did and stop hating me."

"I never hated you," he said before heading off to his room, leaving her alone.

Erica sighed and went to her room. She didn't even bother looking around. She removed her clothes and climbed into the bed naked. She was asleep in seconds.

Snape changed into silk pajama bottoms and climbed into his own bed. His thoughts wasn't on sleep, they were on the woman in the other room and how she had tortured his soul for twenty years. Now she's back. Maybe it will be different this time around.

He shook his head at that thought. Things would never be different between them. He ruined his friendship with her all those years ago, and there would never be anything between them ever again. She hasn't even changed in twenty years, but I guess that goes with the whole eternal life thing.

Snape sighed, closed his eyes and entered a restless sleep.