Magic of the Night (Harry Potter/Twilight Crossover)

Chapter Six:

CHAPTER SIX:

Seattle, Washington: Bree Tanner

I looked around for Diego and found him sitting at one of the café tables, studying the backs of his new CDs. I paused, then joined him.

This felt strange because it was familiar in a haunting, uncomfortable way. I had sat like this before- across a table from someone. I'd chatted casually with that person, thinking about things that were not life and death or thirst and blood. But that had been in a different, blurry lifetime.

The last time I'd sat at a table with someone, that someone had been Riley. It was hard to remember that night for a lot of reasons.

"So how come I never notice you around the house?" Diego asked abruptly. "Where do you hide?" I laughed and grimaced at the same time.

"I usually kick it behind wherever Freaky Fred is hanging out." His nose wrinkled.

"Seriously? How do you stand that?"

"You get used to it. It's not so bad behind him as it is in front. Anyway, it's the best hiding place I've found. Nobody gets close to Fred." Diego nodded, still looking kind of grossed out.

"That's true. It's a way to stay alive." I shrugged. "Did you know that Fred is one of Riley's favorites?" Diego asked.

"Really? How?" No one could stand Freaky Fred. I was the only one who tried, and that was solely out of self-preservation. Diego leaned toward me conspiratorially. I was already so used to his strange way that I didn't even flinch.

"I heard him on the phone with her." I shuddered. "I know," he said, sounding sympathetic again. Of course, it wasn't weird that we could sympathize with each other when it came to her. "This was a few months back. Anyway, Riley was talking about Fred, all excited. From what they were saying, I guess that some vampires can do things. More than what normal vampires can do, I mean. And that's good- something she's looking for. Vampires with skilzzz." He pulled the Z sound out, so I could hear how he was spelling it in his head.

"What kinds of skills?"

"All kinds of stuff, it sounds like. Mind reading and tracking and even seeing the future."

"Get out."

"I'm not kidding. I guess Fred can sort of repel people on purpose. It's all in our heads, though. He makes us repulsed at the thought of being near him."

I frowned. "How is that a good thing?"

"Keeps him alive, doesn't it? Guess it keeps you alive, too." I nodded.

"Guess so. Did he say anything about anyone else?" I tried to think of anything strange I'd seen or felt, but Fred was one of a kind.

"He talked about Raoul," Diego said, the corner of his mouth twisting down.

"What skill does Raoul have? Super-stupidity?" Diego snorted.

"Definitely that. But Riley thinks he's got some kind of magnetism- people are drawn to him, they follow him."

"Only the mentally challenged."

"Yeah, Riley mentioned that. Didn't seem to be effective on the" - he broke out a decent impression of Riley's voice - "'tamer kids.'"

"Tame?"

"I inferred that he meant people like us, who are able to think occasionally."