Hiding in the Hospital Wing

"Yes, right, very good," Damon said, fed up with this meatbag. "I've been one for several centuries now, thank you. I have noticed it."

"And I have also been outside fighting off Death Eaters, but that's not nearly as interesting as being a vampire, apparently. Oh, no, everyone just get out the pitchforks."

He threw himself down on a recently vacated bed.

"Well? What are you waiting for?" he asked the students. "Haven't you heard I'm a dangerous animal? Best do as they say and run up to the Room of Requirement before I eat you all."

Selene frowned. He did NOT look like a monster at all.. in fact she had seen him several times.. he wasn't a monster.. He didn't.. LOOK like a monster.. "I will stay 'ere..." She said softly. "I need to make sure zat other students get zere safely.. we will keep zem 'ere.. and.. and.. someone must come back to 'elp zem zere.. like.. every so often.. so zat.. zey can get out in case zey are waiting.. I will wait 'ere." She said softly and sat down on a bed again, nodding lightly. She felt bad for the professor also. It wasn't his fault he was a vampire, and obviously he was just trying to help them.. That other man.. well.. she didn't know...He said he was good, even knew her name.. but.. that only scared her more.. he knew her name.. she had no idea who he was.. that was scary..

So Selene sat down, watching some of the students get up and start to get ready to leave the room, heading for safety. They were so young.. they shouldn't be going through this right now... none of them should, but it wasn't anything they could do.. they had to just deal... and work through it.. and Selene had to help people wait it out here.. or at least be here to be helped by the winner of the battle downstairs.

Renny reappeared, breathless. Piper had already organized a group of children and she began ushering them out. Renny ran over to her and hugged her. She faintly heard Piper say, "Geroff me, Renny! Seriously!" Renny held her out at arm's length, eyes wide. "Be careful. There's two men on the other side- Reid and Calvin. They're good men. Also, be on the look out for Nerissa Hatts. She's a fifth year Ravenclaw."

Piper nodded. "Okay. I'll be back soon, Renny."

Renny turned around and announced, "Has anyone seen a small Ravenclaw girl named Nerissa Hatts? About this tall-" she motioned with her hand, "Very small. I think she likes plants-"

"Hey I just got in from outside. Some girl was crying or something over by th whomping willow."

"Oh, I saw that too! That's Nerissa alright."

Renny bit her lip and looked at Selene. "I'll be right back. Tell Piper." And she jogged out of the hospital wing.

Though Rafael had taken Charms, he hadn’t known that his Professor had been a Vampire. It was that kind of magic – the Dark Magic that created those creatures – that truly terrified Rafael. He could feel his hand straying to his wand even as he stood there, allowing Mira to grasp him for dear life. He kissed her temple before she pulled away and Rafael turned his back, returning his attention to the sniffling Gryffindors that weren’t quite as emotionally ready for battle as some people in the room were. Rafael didn’t of course include himself in that classification. He could barely grasp the fact that magic existed (despite practicing it for nigh on seven years) and so he wasn’t one for magic-based battles. When he heard the term ‘war’ then he imagined great big camo tanks, the chatter of machine gun fire and the smell of death. Well, although the first two weren’t present...the last was. Death. It was everywhere. He could even smell it on himself – as if it were some sort of foreboding message.

Rafael didn’t necessarily believe what the new entrant ‘James Mason’ was insinuating. The Vampire was a Professor and therefore he had a duty to keep the students safe. He wasn’t going to compromise their safety necessarily – or at least, Rafael didn’t think he would. The talk of a tunnel interested Rafael though. He wanted the small Gryffindors out of the castle. Hogsmeade wasn’t necessarily safe but it was much safer than the school was. Rafael didn’t want to take any more chances. They didn’t deserve to be stuck a minute more in this place. He’d have to contact their parents somehow. He didn’t know if he could access a fireplace wherever they would end up but being away from the school was his first objective for them. He’d deal with the parents after he made sure the children were safe.

So, Rafael picked up the little girl he’d been holding before and gestured for his little band to get up. They did so almost immediately, the third years drawing their wands once more. Rafael smiled and motioned with his hand the wand movements for Stupefy just in case they’d forgotten. They all nodded and Rafael turned to Mira who’d been given directions to the ‘Room of Requirement’ as they called it. He cocked his head towards the door, motioning as to where he was heading, and took off towards the door. The students followed close behind and it wasn’t until he got out into the corridor that he found more students. These, however, were being led by that dressmaker that spent his week-ends in Gladrags instead of in someone’s bed like many students did – not Rafael, though.

“Macmillan!” Rafael called to the dark-head of the boy. The Ravenclaw turned and looked visibly relieved to see Rafael. “Who’ve you got there?” Rafael gestured to the group of students behind him.

“Slytherins mostly!” Trowa replied. “I’ve got an assortment from other houses though. Where’re you heading?”

“The Room of Requirement. There’s a passage to Hogsmeade. C’mon, we need to get them out of here.”

Rafael took off again and he heard Trowa’s call of “Right behind you mate!” Rafael glanced behind him to see Trowa, as promised, behind him and he managed a smile as they began to climb the staircases towards their escape.