On the run from her own mistakes, the headstrong vampire Lux Erzsebet has been drawn out of her seclusion through a promise from Albus Dumbledore. He dangles before her an offer of safety and freedom from the dangerous vampires who seek vengeance on...
The sound of sharp pounding on wood jolted Lux out of her slumber, so loud and sudden that she nearly fell out of the wooden chair she was lounged upon. All of her bones ached, her stomach clenched with hunger and her eyes struggled to adjust to the bright light that peaked through the window, a signal that the morning sun was upon them.
"What is it?" Lux groaned, pushing herself onto her feet and finding herself thankful she didn't fall over in the way she expected she might, considering the wavering in her legs. She wasn't sure exactly the period of time she'd been asleep for, but her body felt as though it hadn't been used for months, limbs screaming in agony as she stretched them out.
Fulk, who was at his desk, rose to his feet the moment he saw she was walking. But he didn't tell her to take it easy as she expected, instead, he shoved past her and opened the door before she could get to it.
She peered around Fulk, frowning as she spotted Sirius, Remus, James and Peter all hovering behind the now open door, each of them wearing a different expression. Sirius was hopeful, Remus was annoyed, James was apprehensive, and Peter appeared to be all three at the same time, wringing his hands together and staring down at the ground.
"Luxie!" Sirius cried out when his eyes settled on her, practically shoving Fulk to the side as he rushed up to her. His arms found their place around her waist, and she was pulled into a tight embrace before she could comprehend what was occurring.
"What-" She began, but he cut her off by squeezing down on her.
"We thought you were dead!" He cried.
"No one thought you were dead," Remus corrected from behind him, shifting his weight.
"James did," Peter said, then winced when James elbowed him in the side. "He and Sirius were going to hold a funeral for you."
"You've known me for a week," Lux wheezed as Sirius let go, struggling for breath. "Why would you mourn?"
"Why wouldn't we?" Sirius gasped, holding a hand to his heart. "You're an honorary Marauder, my dear Luxie."
"She is not," Remus cut in with a protest, but no one paid him any mind.
"If you had left this earthly realm before your time-" Sirius began, causing a snort from Fulk, who was watching the event go down with passive amusement, "-we would mourn for the rest of our lives. First, we would begin with a mandatory forty five day period of all black clothes-"
