Shadow of the Day[Alucard]

[Headmaster Millhouse]

Leonardo walked through the large house that housed his family silently muttering spells to insure the house was shady enough for Alucard to be in comfort. He had done this a few times before, but it had been a while since they had both been abroad searching for help against the new Dark Age that Morbius had created. The two thoughts of Morbius and the reason why he was having to darken the house made strong feelings of regret fill Leonardo. It reminded him of one of his closest friends who was also a vampire, but not by choice. The memory flashed once more before Leonardo's eyes. It was dark and Kakashi had been leaving after having a talk with Leonardo about various topics mostly concerning Order work. It was as soon as he had pasted the threshold of the door and had gone only a few feet when the demon had appeared and attacked Kakashi mistaking it for Leonardo leaving in the night. It was then that Morbius inflicted Kakashi with the curse he would never be able to rid.

Leonardo snapped himself out of the flashback and busied himself once more with proofing the house.After making sure the house was acceptable for Alucard, Leonardo went down into the kitchen to grab a couple of drinks. He grabbed a few butterbeers and then a few stronger drinks. They had had quite an adventure while abroad and they both deserved this afternoon to relax, even with danger at bay. He took the drinks to the living room and sat them down on the table and then sat down as well waiting for Alucard to arrive.

[Alucard Integra]

Alucard walked silently through the door. He had spent a rather grueling time in The Underworld after returning from his travels with Leon. Stupid werewolf run joints. he thought as he spoke quietly addressing Leon, "Hey." His mind occupied many spaces at once all miles away. Thinking about bars, friends, the coven, and Citrine. He longed for her, oh how he longed. He hadn't seen her in ages.

Trying to jerk himself back to reality he shut the door loudly. The small slam awakened his senses. He realized he'd never been in Leon's house ever. "You wanted to see me didn't you?" Alucard asked still slightly unsure of his surroundings; he moved closer to a seat any seat really. He didn't care if he sat on the floor much less a cushioned seat. He choose the later hoping it seemed more natural. He let his blood red eyes wander the room then let them settle on the man he had come to see.

[Headmaster Millhouse]

As Leon began to relax for the first time in months he heard his front door quietly open. He knew it wasn't an intruder simply because of the many enchantments set on the house ever since that fateful night. Alucards greeting was the last bit f confirmation. "Hello Alucard" he said in a tired voice. It seemed the two of them both hadn't had much of a break since they'd returned and the trip was that relaxing itself. When the door suddenly slammed it startled Leonardo and he was glad that Luna had taken Zak with her for the day.

Leon watched as Alucard awkwardly looked for a place to sit down in the new environment for him. "I hope it's dark enough for you. I think I got a good idea of it while we were abroad and not to mention a vampire lives here time to time, bt I haven't seen him recently." He gave a light chuckle and listened as Alucard asked if he had really called upon him to talk. "Well I did ask you to come here,not exactly to talk business though. I have the afternoon free and well after our journey I figured it would be nice to get together and relax and talk about what we found and what has happened around here since we left. Mainly though this is to relax we've been on high alert and of course we both know relaxing and justchatting does well every once and a while." He answered lightly and then took one of the several butterbeers on the table and took a swig. "Oh please help yourself and if you'd rather have something more to your taste just let me know." He noted and took a look at the young looking vampire.

[Alucard Integra]

Alucard calming his undead nerves tried to make himself feel at home. "It is fitting. How has your time back been? Very different isn't it?" he asked then continued, "This place seems so unreal after our absence. It feels strange being back." He didn't know if it was just his opinion or if it was shared, but even if you leave your life or whatever your existence should be called others keep moving ever changing as if the mass of existence was a meandering river. Even after you stop floating and exit the river that doesn't mean it stops flowing.

Alucard chuckled at the mention of relaxing. No one could ever relax if Morbius was still lose on the world. The only thing anyone could care for was an illusion of safety put there by the people in power, Big Brother if you will. "I don't know about relaxing but a short reprieve from reality wouldn't be wasted," Alucard laughed. This war is so annoying. It ruins attempts at nuetrality whilest the blood letting of a battle is almost heaven. Couldn't anything be black and white like it used too? he thought, Then again when things were black and white my kind was evil and hunted.He grabbed on of the drinks and downed it. It didn't matter intoxication was nearly impossible for a child of darkness.

He continued on with small talk, "Hows your family? Luna and Jak is it?" Awkwardly leaving his attempt at small talk he awaited an answer hoping that Leon would carry on. Even if they had been on business for a while social interactions he thought were still awkward. [/size][/font]

[Headmaster Millhouse]

Leonardo was glad Alucard had begun to try and go with the small talk. He had gotten a good idea that this sort of social interaction was not his thing. "Well my time back hasn't been that bad. Luna and I have spent a good amount of time together of course. Although, I have also had to get back to that 'protector of good' duty and sorts, which is very stressful at times." He sighed thinking of all time it consumed. Trying to save the world, or at least protect it wasn't a job you could just set aside and this got to Leonardo many times. As a matter of fact it was one that never quit no matter what you worried about what could be happening. It consumed you. "I know it is a bit odd to be back. The world has gone on without us and now we have to try and catch up with what we missed. Not to mention it was a little more relaxed abroad than here..knowing that the immediate threat is here." He sorta missed being abroad at least knowing that he could think a little easier, but then again the nagging though of what could be happening back in England never allowed his mind to rest.

As Alucard remarkedto his comment on relaxing he too chuckled. He knew exactly how the old and analytical mind was thinking. There was no true way to relax. Even Leonardo had known this when he had said the statement, but Alucard had put it perfectly. "Yes, a reprieve from reality is better put and is well in order...for as long as this hectic world will allow, or should I say Morbius. Things were fine until he came along." His voice trailed off remembering the easy peaceful world that had been enjoyed for so long. Then Morbius had to show up. Leonardo looked up and watched as Alucard downed a bottle of butterbeer and laughed. "Don't worry I have plenty more and much stronger when needed, all you need to do is ask." He grinned and took a few more swigs of butterbeer. He smiled as Alucard questioned about how his family was doing. "Yeah Luna and little Zak are doing great. It's amazing to see them really. You never know how much you miss someone until you see them again. You have anyone like that? I know it's a personal question..you don't have to answer." Even though the two had spent quite some time together now he still hadn't learned much about the vampire.

[Alucard Integra]

He wished for something more suited to his taste. BLOOD! He had only taken minmal amounts of the red nectar on their travels to avoid raising suspecions. BLOOD! A twitch at the corner of his left eye happened for a moment as he struggled for thoughts to block his sudden craving. BLOOD! The craving stiffled itself at mention of someone he missed on his travels.

Alucard listened intently to Leon's words it would be rude not to pay attention but underneath there was another reason. Leon's last question had awakened it. After that simple farely easygoing question had been asked Alucard's mind raced with images of Citrine. He had yet to see her after returning. He was only making his issues worse be prolonging the inevitable.

"I do actually I haven't seen her yet." He answered the question even if Leon said it was optional. He wasn't going to mention her name if he didn't have too.

[Headmaster Millhouse]

Leonardo noticed that Alucard suddenly seemed distracted. He noticed that his eye was twitching and his eyes seemed distant, but them he regained control it seemed and focused once more on thier conversation. At the mentioned of someone he had missed he once mor seemed distracted. Leonardo figured he was thinking of whomever it was. When Alucard finally answered his questions he was only reassured of this assumption. Leonardo debated questioning who it was but figured he had gotten an answer to tha question and it was enough.

"Could you excuse me for a moment I forgot something." Leonardo suddenly asked after a moment of silence after Alucard had answered his question. Leonardo excused himself before ALucard could really answer. He thought that he might have known the answer to why his visitor was distracted the first time. He had just what would solve the problem as well. He walked through the house until he was at the entrance to the cellar and went downstairs to retrieve the elixir that would help Alucard relax. He flicked his wand and two hearty pitchers came to him. They were crystal and the liquid inside was a rich crimson. The wine of the vampires. Quickly, Leonardo returned upstairs and charmed the two pitchers to float before him as he retrieved a crystal goblet for Alucard to drink from. Then he and the pitchers returned to the room.

"I think this might be something you've been craving for a while. I know you didn't feed often while we were abroad. So help yourself." He put the pitchers on the table and sat the goblet in front of Alucard and sat back down.

[Alucard Integra]

As Leon began to return from the cellar a scent, a beautiful wondrous scent, reached his nose. Alucard was about to go frenzy at the scent but he wouldn't let himself. Watch yourself Alucard your over two-hundred years old act your age. He scolded himself as he waited for the wondrous crimson liquid. Leon finally sat back down the crystalline pitchers before them both.

"Thank you," Alucard said politely, "I have been craving this for sometime." He wasn't going to lose his manners just because he hungered for the nectar of life. He was above that. He would not drop down to the level of humans. The greedy and violent creatures though, at times, there were some gems in the rough.

He poured himself some blood in the goblet. In all honesty he would have rather drank directly from the pitcher or even better a still living body of some poor hapless moronic animal. This however would suffice. He drank deepy from the goblet. The liquid quickly wetting his parched throat, a primal strengh returning to his limbs, and the clarity of mind his undead form gave him. Every miniscle thing returning to its natural and supernatural state. Alucard thanked Leon again. Even greater than before.

[Headmaster Millhouse]

As soon as he had entered the room Leon had seen the vampires eyes on fire with the desire to drink the precious liquid that leon had brough him. He was impressed with how well he held himself together, but then again he had many years of practice to aquire such self control. As Alucard thanked him he nodded acknowledging his graitude. "I know it's not the best, but I figured it was better than nothing. I"ve charmed those pitchers just for holding blood. It should taste fresh or close to it and should also be pretty warm around body temperature. I hope it is good enough. I'm sure you have a very particular palette for blood so I hope it is decent enough for you. I know you contained yourself during our time abroad, why I could only wonder." He look inquisitively at him with his last remark and watched as Alucard drank the wonderful red liquid.

Once more he thank Leonardo this time it seemed more influential. He concluded that the blood had given him his full mental and bodily capacity which improved his mood greatly."So why did you hold yourself back while we were abroad? If anything it would have been easier to hunt human since we were constantly on the move.."

[Alucard Integra]

"The blood is fine," Alucard said plainly. He took another sip. The logic behind his scarce feedings was simple so he would explain. "I didn't wish to cause any trouble when we were abroad. Being chased wasn't on the top of my priority list." Alucard explained. "No matter what we would do a pattern would always form. Moving would cause a trail and and staying in one place to long would most likely cause some other pattern. The only true way would to have fed in towns separated by hundreds of miles to form what would be looked at as isolated incidents. Then again i could have just fed on animals... I guess we all have twenty-twenty hind sight."

He drank from his goblet again. I should go find the others i left behind including my little hell spawn, he thought. The events that took place on the bridge flooded back to him. His first ever "blood" relative. It was strange to think he had created her. As he after that saw her as an equal.

[Headmaster Millhouse]

Leonardo listened to Alucards explanation thoughtfully. He could most definitely understand his logic. He seemed to be very careful with the curse or gift he had been given, which made Leonardo very respectful of Alucard. There had been plenty of vampires Leon had known or heard about that had used thier abilities irresponsibly. One of the biggest being his greatest enemy which was now torturing the wizarding world. Thinking of this lead Leonardo to wonder how it had ever even happened to Alucard. How did it come to be that he became a vampire. It wouldn't hurt to ask..or he hoped.

"That makes complete sense as to why you didn't hunt. Very smart, but that's not surprising it being you." he paused for a moment wondering if he should ask. Minds well he thought. "So I know it is a bit random but how did you even become a vampire?" Sometimes the histories could be brutal and others not so, but with someone like Alucard he could only wonder.

[Alucard Integra]

Alucard stopped mid drink at the question. "I would rather leave that which is past in the past." He said. His upbringing had been bloodier than most. Even he didn't want to think about it. A man or rather vampire that revels in the blood of battle and loves a good fight couldn't bring himself to remember his origins. He wasn't even sure how old he was. Whatever had happened it must have been beyond evil in ways that would rival Morbious.

"What about you? What brought you to your ever so righteous battle against evil?" He asked hoping to get a reaction that would mimic his. The only way for a person to get how a person is feeing is to feel it themselves. Whatever happened in his past that put Leon on his path of righteousness it would have to painfull to remember. Alucard rationalized.

[Headmaster Millhouse]

Leonardo watched the vampires reaction to the question. He hoped he hadn't struck a nerve because that was the last thing he needed; an angry vampire. Luckily, he had only wished not to answer the question. "I understand. I know the history of many transformations are not always the prettiest and are sometimes difficult to recall, as far as guilt and so forth. I"m sorry to of asked." He finished off his first bottle of butter beer and summoned a glass. He looked at the vampire who seemed to e thinking once more. If anything Leonardo could say he had definitely got Alucard to think while he was here. Whether that was a good thing or not he couldn't decide.

Leonardo was surprisingly caught off guard by the return question. He should have thought her would return it. He laughed when he replied, "I don't know what you mean by righteous." Then he took the glass he had summoned and poured a healthy portion of fire whiskey and took a sip. He then looked up and noticed the vampire was still waiting for a response. "Well, I guess it's all to do about family. I mean honestly, I don't have to do what I do. It is a choice I have made. Although, my grandfather does have quite a bit to do with it. You see.." he paused knowing this would seem far fetched, but he knew it to be the truth. "You see my grandfather was Albus Dumbledore. The very one who was murder by Lord Voldemort. When I was younger my grandfather started to teach me what he knew, only because I asked..but it seemed he was planning to anyways. I guess that's really what brought me to this point. I guess it's in my blood to protect the innocent, plus with my knowledge it would be a sin not to help the world." He took another sip of fire whiskey and looked up waiting for the response.

[Alucard Integra]

"Ah, so a death of a man I take was close to you. A sin not to help the world?" Alucard asked, "The world is already circling the drain as we speak because of mindless humans using what is around to there advantage. Taking it for granted." This was a position he would hold his ground on. Humans were a scourge of this earth.

However any vampire that didn't want humans was a foolish one. They march around the world like happy meals with legs. The wonders one human could provide to a vampire were countless as they gave life to the undead.

"So...," He said realizing again that Small talk wasn't his forte he stoped. He hoped his indecisive small so would lead him to start something that would give life too their now dieing conversation.Thanks to his sudden outburst of hatred towards a majority of humans.

[Headmaster Millhouse]

"Yes," he agreed."My grandfather was indeed very close to me." He waited before explaining his idea of not helping being a sin. He knew from the way Alucard had asked that he was looking at the situation pessimistically."Yes, a sin. I was always taught to look for the hope in humanity and to defend the safety of that hope. I would feel ashamed if I hadn't taken up where my grandfather left off." He finished firmly with his point, one that he was sure he would have to defend many more times to come once times got, as unbelievable as it was, worse. Although in the moment this was not what bothered Leon the most, but the vampire's next statement.

It had always struck Leon oddly that Vampires put themselves so far apart from the kind that they fed off of. It was not uncommon to hear the vampires putting down or talking disgracefully about the human kind. Of course, this bothered Leon as a human, but also because they too were once the same. "You know Alucard I think you forget that, except for very few of your new kind, you were once too just a human being and must take that into account. No matter how long it has been since then, you must always keep that in mind. Also, not many humans can realize and understand what the longer living can. Maybe, if you see that the humans are heading down stream you should try and help turn things around, or you should stop thinking so because well you are the few that have the knowledge to do anything. As I have said before you have a gift and curse upon you and only you choose what it may be. It may not only reflect to the lifestyle that you must take on, but how you choose to use your new knowledge to change the world you live in."
Leonardo had not meant to go on so long, but couldn't help himself. He hoped that Alucard would take this as a different side to look at and not as a lecture and insult. He never had intentions of doing such to anyone that helped him. He only hoped to inspire a new way to look at the situation.