Albus wasn't much of a drinker. He did so on occasion, a little something at the Three Broomsticks, a little wine or champagne at the Ministry parties that were open to the employee's families, and now and then at the Magical Mayhem when he was home. But after the day he had, he needed more than a "little something". Today it felt like the weight of the world had been placed on his shoulders and he was hit in the face more than ever with the title of "Harry Potter's son."

The disappearance of Ollivander had made a lot of people paranoid. The Ministry was trying to calm everyone down by saying it was an isolated incident that would be resolved as quickly as possible, and Albus wanted to go with that line of thinking. But so many believed this incident was the start of worse things to come. And since Albus was now the oldest Potter at Hogwarts, he was wanted to take charge and be an example for all the students, possibly lead them against some potential attack. In other words... be Harry Potter's son.

Albus didn't want that. He wanted to be a normal young man following his own ambitions. He didn't want to be told he had to do certain things because his father and older brother had done them at one time. Granted, he played Quidditch, but he did that because he genuinely enjoyed it and had loved Quidditch since he was a boy. He was also a good student regarding most of his subjects. But couldn't he be JUST a good student and a Quidditch Player at Hogwarts? Why did he have to be some great hero leading his peers into war?

Albus had thought about all these things as he sat in the Hog's Head and drank a particularly strong drink called a Devil's Cauldron. He needed such a drink and the Hog's Head was the only place in Hogsmeade that provided it.

KATALINA ROSA DE LA VEGA

It hadn't even been a week yet that Katalina was back at school. Being around so many blood-filled bodies after a whole summer in what you could practically call isolation, she was having a bit of an uncomfortable transition into not eating the entire student body. She also knew that the best way to combat that issue was an abundance of human food and even more alcohol. Unfortunately, being in school, the list of places that she could easily get her hands on something like that was drastically shortened. There was one place that she knew without a doubt, she would be able to get ahold of the good stuff that could ease her transition. There was just one thing she needed to do before she left.

Kat made sure that no one was coming, even though she would be able to hear if someone was headed her way. Then she waved her wand over the footlocker at the end of her bed. The spell she placed on it before she got there allowed her to create a false bottom that had been extended with a charm. It was like a portable wine cellar for blood bags and bottles and other containers. Ruffling through it, the vampire grabbed a bag of AB positive. Her face pinched, eyes glazed over red, and her fangs popped out. She bit the plug off the end, and basically inhaled the contents. Once the bag was completely drained, she passed her tongue across her fangs and lips to clean any droplets that she may have missed. Then she incinerated the evidence. Now, she was ready to go.

After tucking her wand in her pocket, she was able to calmly walk passed the people in the common room, the straglers in the dungeon, the few people in the corridors, and then she was home free. Once she exited the doors in front of the Great Hall, and her feet hit the grass of the lawns, Kat became nothing more than a blur. Keeping to the shadows, even though no one would be able to see her anyway, she landed in front of the doors at the Hog's Head. Yeah, it was really dingy, but desperate times called for desperate measures. Kat picked out a seat at the bar, next to a rather attractive guy, and ordered the first thing on the menu that had the words alcoholic next to it. Once she got the glass, she downed it in one gulp, and tapped the glass for another. That was when she really felt the presence of the person next to her. “Sorry. It's been a long day.”

@albus
outfit

Albus was already getting a good buzz going off the drink, and considering what was in it and the huge sips he took, who could blame him? Albus was used to sitting in the lounge at the Magical Mayhem and sipping firewhiskey a bit at a time and very gradually becoming relaxed by the alcohol. But that was when he was in a far better mood. He wasn't feeling that great that evening, and the alcohol was more to make him forget the stress of all that had been going on altogether... at least for a few hours anyway. He knew his dad, Grimp, and whoever else wasn't going to just walk away after one "no."

Albus picked up the presence of the girl beside him (and the sweet scent of her perfume). He looked over and saw Katalina De La Vega. He knew the girl had arrived at Hogwarts the year before, but never really talked to her. Albus was the quiet type. Not shy, but not one to say a lot to most people. That's not to say that he never noticed Katalina when she was in the same room. The girl was beautiful after all... extremely beautiful. In fact, there was something about her that was VERY alluring. Albus couldn't figure out what it was.

Now Katalina was there beside him, having a drink herself... and seemed to be in the mood for a few more. He wondered if she knew who he was, and if he began a conversation with her, would she go on and on about who Albus' dad was. Albus had gotten that from so many girls, even the ones he dated from time to time.

"No judgment from me," he said. "Haven't had the best of days myself." He turned and gave her a smile. "Katalina, right? I'm Albus. I'm in your year... and House." He gave a light chuckle at that.

KATALINA ROSA DE LA VEGA

The bartender brought over the bottle of whatever he had given her, and filled up her glass again. Then he bent under the bar and grabbed a few ice cubes to put in her glass too. Katalina gave him an appreciative smile. Then something in mirror behind the bartender caught her eye. She was already aware of the guy sitting one stool away from her, but she hadn't gotten a good look at who it was. His hair was just the right length of shaggy where you just wanted to run your fingers through it. Then there were his eyes, and they were hypnotizing. Though, despite all of the features she was noticing, she couldn't help but feel like he was very familiar. She had to know him from somewhere.

He assured her that there was no judgement coming from him that day. She turned to look back at him, and returned his smile. “Well isn't that a damn shame.” Okay, so maybe that was a bit of shameless flirting, but with the day she had, she totally deserved it. Then he mentioned her name. So they did know each other! He gave her his name, then he told her exactly why she thought he was so familiar. He was in her house and year. She must have seen him in some of her classes last year. “Oh. Albus. Right. I knew I knew you from somewhere.” She took a sip from her new glass. Then she giggled when something hit her. “Hmm. Albus. Funny name. It sounds familiar though.”

“Wasn't that the name of the old headmaster or something?” Then she shrugged it off. Whatever it was, she figured it wasn't that important. “Yeah, my name is Katalina, but please, call me Kat.” She held her hand out for him to shake it, and her other hand was reaching for her glass to take another sip.

@albus
outfit

Albus watched as Katalina's drink was filled. Well, he was more focused on Katalina herself. How had he never bothered to talk to this girl before? She was gorgeous enough from a distance in the Common Room or one of the classrooms, but up close... she was... well damn near perfect.

Albus chuckled a bit as she said it was a damn shame.

"Yeah, it really is," he said. "But most bad days are, aren't they?" He watched her reaction as he said her name. He supposed it must have been odd that he would know that given the two never talked before. But he had heard her name in his classes, and a beautiful name like Katalina stuck with someone.

Albus was about to tell her they shared some classes, but froze a bit when she said his name sounded familiar. He hoped she wouldn't go on about his father as many other girls did. He could already tell this girl was amazing.

Albus blew a sign of relief when Katalina made a reference to Dumbledore.

"Yes," he said with a relieved chuckle. "I was named after Albus Dumbledore. My fath... my family was quite fond of him when they attended school here. Guess I was the lucky one to get the name."

Albus shook her hand and smiled when she asked him to call her Kat.

"Well, to be honest, I think Katalina is a very pretty name, but if you prefer Kat, who am I to argue?" he said.

While to many, Albus could be a bit quiet at times, there were some people he felt he could open up around. For some reason, he felt he could about Kat. Perhaps it was because he was so intrigued by her.

"So... I didn't see you here prior to last year," he said. "Did you move here from abroad?"

KATALINA ROSA DE LA VEGA

Kat blinked once at the sound of his pause when she mentioned his name. He seemed very on edge, and he nearly choked on the word father. She shrugged mentally, because she could totally relate to that. Obviously, he had some issue with his father, or maybe even both of his parents. That was something she could understand, because it was her own parents that led to her death. Well, they led to her first death. So it went without saying that she was glad they were dead. If it were anything else, she wouldn't have let up until he told her everything about that little pause of his, however she wasn't going to press that button because she didn't want him to press her's. “Well, it sounds more like a burden to me, but.. more power to you I guess. C'est la vie.” She raised her glass and toasted to him, then took a gulp.

Then she really took a double take, when he said he liked Katalina. Most people thought her name was too long, and that's why they called her Kat. It was an old fashioned thing, that the names were long. She supposed that people nowadays just couldn't be bothered with saying her whole name. “Oh, well, if you want to call me Katalina instead of Kat, that is completely up to you.” Actually, she might prefer to be called by her full name, because it was more classic that way. That was one thing she missed from her old life. The romance of life had completely died in modern times.

Then another sensitive subject was brought up within the first few minutes of meeting. If she didn't want to draw attention to all of the things she didn't want to talk about, she would have joked about how they were already passed the third date questions. But she didn't say anything, and kept her wit to herself. “Uhh.. actually. I guess I did. I had just gotten back from Italy. No, I mean France. Well, actually it may have been Spain. Whatever, it was all a blur for a few months after I got here from the United States.” Well that was embarassing. Not only did she reveal just how much she moved around, she showed herself how easy it would be for her secret to come out. She had to smooth this over.


outfit

Albus couldn't help but smile when Katalina mentioned how the name was a burden. In a way, she was right. All three of his names were burdens of a sort. Albus Dumbledore was one of the most powerful and noble wizards in history. Severus Snape was one of the bravest Slytherins who ever lived. And finally there was the Potter of course, and everything that went with being the son of a bloody legend. All three of those names told the world that from birth Albus had a lot to live up to. However, here and now was this girl who seemed to understand what he was going through. It was clear now. He wanted to be around Katalina more.

"C'est la vie," he repeated as he toasted her.

When Katalina told Albus that it was up to him if he wanted to call her by her full name, he smirked a bit.

"I would very much like to call you Katalina, so yes I think I will," he said. "As I said, a beautiful name for an incredibly beautiful lady." Albus was no coward to begin with, but it seemed what he was drinking was giving him a tab bit of "added courage."

When Albus asked about her coming from abroad, she seemed a bit awkward when she answered him, as if she didn't want to discuss it. Perhaps something bad had happened to her. The last thing he wanted to do was make this girl feel awkward. He really liked hanging around Katalina after all.

"Sounds like you've traveled a lot in your life," he said. "Well, I certainly hope you plan to stay here for a while, at least for the rest of this school year." Albus sighed and decided he could try being a bit more straight-forward with her. "To be honest, it would be bloody nice to have more mates who seemed to want to talk to me about something more than who my father is."

KATALINA ROSA DE LA VEGA

It was a pleasant surprise from him that he actually agreed to call her Katalina instead of Kat. Albus was definitely very different from most of the male population that she had encountered at school. It was refreshing, and she found herself wanted to spend more time around people like that. Well, it was really just people like her. Maybe he wasn't the old soul she was (if she even had a soul), figuratively or literally speaking, but she had given up on finding people like that in that modern age. It had become clear that she had given up a bit too fast.

Her eyes snapped to his face when he called her beautiful. Of course, she had heard that before. Her mother was a Veela, so she had been born a half-veela, and she had heard those things her whole life. While she didn't have those powers anymore, she discovered, she was still born beautiful. But, though she heard it many times before, she felt her dead heart pump her blood a little faster, as it rose into her cheeks. The vampire was blushing. Kat didn't know what to do now that she was blushing. She hadn't done that in years. All she could do was stammer out some kind of reply. “Well, thank you very much. I'm flattered.” She took another drink just to shut herself up.

All she did was nod at him mentioned she traveled a lot in her life. She really didn't trust her voice coming out of her mouth without it sounded blabbery. The Slytherin was just about to say that she would be graduating from Hogwarts, so she would definitely be here to the end of the school year ta least, but he cut her off with a sigh, and some honesty. “Well, I don't know who your father is, so I guess that'll be good for when I stay here for the rest of the year.” Not only would she be staying at Hogwarts until graduation, but after graduation she would only be an apparation away. Maybe even a broom ride because there was a nice little island that she was eying, and planned on building her house there.


@albus
outfit

Albus could see Katalina blush, and it ended up making him blush a bit as well. He smiled at her when she said she was flattered at the compliment. Albus wasn't really one to flirt, but when he felt a beautiful girl was worthy of being told she was beautiful, he was going to do so, and Katalina just seemed like that kind of girl. He knew a lot of beautiful girls of course, and again had dated a few of them in his time at Hogwarts. But Katalina... he didn't know exactly what it was, but she was special.

"You're very welcome," he said. "And really I'm flattered that you want to spend time with me. I mean, outside of my sister and a few of my cousins, normally ladies like you with a good head on her shoulders tend to avoid me. I end up with girls who are... well... a bit more on the nutty side." Albus chuckled at that a bit. But it was true. Outside of his sister Lily or his Slytherin cousins Alietta and Lucy, he hadn't really sat and talked with a girl that actually had a personality in some time.

She didn't know who her father was, and really Albus felt at this point, she had well established that she wasn't one of those girls who would squee and go, "Oooooh, HE'S your dad?" So why not tell her?

"My father is none other than the 'legendary' Harry Potter... and to most people I'm... 'Harry Potter's son'," he said. "Don't get me wrong, I love and respect my father, but living in his shadow seems to take its toll on me more and more." He then decided to sound a bit more cheerful. He really didn't want to be a wet cloth around this girl. "Anyway, I'm glad to know you're staying. Listen, if you'd like to do something some time... I mean besides sitting here and listening to me mope and grumble... I'd be honored to take you out."

KATALINA ROSA DE LA VEGA

She saw him blush, and suddenly she didn't feel so bad about it herself. He said how he was usually surrounded by girls who were a little crazy, and it made her laugh. Maybe it was the drink she was drinking, or maybe she really thought the comment sort of ironic, but her laugh came out loud and full of enjoyment. The poor boy had no idea who he was dealing with. “How do you know I'm not the nuttiest of them all luv?” She winked at him, and took a drink. Now she didn't know the other girls well, but she could honestly say it didn't matter. No matter how nutty they were, at least they were all alive.

Kat looked back at him, and didn't expect him to tell her who his father was. But he did. He appeared to be the son of Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived. At first she didn't know how to react to information like that. It was sort of a large bomb to drop. Especially considering, if she ever met his father, there would be a very good chance she would be hated because of what she was. After all, in the Wizarding Wars that Harry was the star of, the vampires were on the losing side. That probably wouldn't go too well. The blond just had to cover that up. “Oh I remember him.” She didn't realize what she said until after it had already left her lips. “I mean. I remember hearing about him. That must be an awfully large shadow to live under at times.” Not only was she going to have to watch what she said, but she wanted to help him. He just needed to step out from the shadow and make a name for himself.

Albus was a very surprising person apparently, because he completely took her off guard with his proposition. Now Kat had been asked out a lot in her time, but it usually always ended badly. Hell, the first time she was attached to someone, she killed him. But, she really shouldn't get ahead of herself. He was just her friend. He was just asking her out to a friendly get together. It would be fine. The Slytherin gave him a big, glittering smile. “You know what? I would love too. Not that I'm not enjoying this sparkling conversation.” She calmed herself down knowing that she wouldn't even think to consider it a date with the way people dated nowadays. What would be the harm in it?

@albus
outfit

When Katalina asked him how he knew she wasn't a great deal nutty herself, Albus smiled and shook his head.

"Well, to begin, the fact that you actually just said that," said Albus. "Most girls I've talked to who are nutters don't even really realize they are nutters. But if you mean you're just a bit on the crazy side, well I can relate to that. I think everyone in Slytherin's a tad on the mad side. That's probably why many in the other Houses always think we're a bit off and try to avoid us. But regardless, Katalina, you certainly seem to be a great deal more mature than those girls." Albus almost wanted to tell her that so far he thought she was damn near close to perfect, but he didn't want to over-do it.

Albus didn't pick up on Katalina's mistake when she said she knew his father. He figured she meant that she knew OF him. Who didn't after all? Albus sighed when Katalina said he was living under a large shadow, though he was relieved that she felt that way and wasn't now swooning over him because of who he said he was.

"The largest," he said. "And now it's gotten worse. He wants me to be some kind of leader at the school because of what happened to Ollivander. He thinks just because my brother James turned out to be a great son and my sister Lily is making him so proud that I have to fit right into that. I want to go here and play Quidditch and hang around with my friends... and be what the bloody hell I want to be." Albus calmed himself and finished the second half of his drink with a huge gulp.

Things looked up when Katalina accepted his invitation to take her out.

"Excellent, my dear Katalina," he said. "Let us celebrate then." He then turned to the bartender. "Another Devil's Cauldron and place whatever the good lady is having on my tab."

One good thing about being Harry's son... Albus certainly didn't hurt for money.

KATALINA ROSA DE LA VEGA

He was just adorable. His strong jaw, sparkling eyes, and perfectly messy hair were all very classically attractive qulities. They were also the qualities that you would expect on someone who was sort of slow on the uptake. Not that she thought he was dumb, but that's what she expected. Even though she felt that he wasn't just a body, he was clearly missing the dangerous tint that surrounded her. Most people, after they got to know her, eventually told her that when they first met there was something about her that seemed a little scary. Maybe that was because killing hundreds and hundreds of people left its mark on a person. For normal people, they person would be the worst kind of deranged psycho killer, but for her, a body count that high was normal. Then again, he definitely wasn't wrong about her being more mature than the other girls. “Well, you are not wrong on that front my dear. You could say I have an.. old soul.” At least a century old, if she even had a soul that is.

One other thing Katalina could relate to was having parents with too big of expectations. When she was human, the pressure was so much, that she offed herself. “I know exactly what you mean dear. If you need any help with that, I would totally be up for it. Maybe you could handle it better than I did. All I did was do something incredibly drastic and then rebel for a while.” Maybe that was what he needed, but maybe he just needed a name for himself. Either way, she was going to help him through it because she knew what it was like in his situation.

So now they had a date to some undisclosed place at a yet undetermined time, and she couldn't be happier about that. Her eyebrow quirked when he told the bartender to put whatever she was having on him. It was a small gesture but it was impressive. She could only imagine what they next time they met would be like. “Actually, I think that'll be it for me.” She got up from her bar stool, and downed the rest of her drink in one gulp. “It seems I have an upcoming date with a mysterious but totally hot guy, who seems to have a lot of baggage, so I guess I should save some of my secrets for later.” She passed by him, and her hand brushed across his shoulders. “Let me know when and where. I will see you back at the common room.” She spoke as she walked over to the door, and then turned around to give him a wink.

@albus
outfit

Albus smiled at Katalina. He had no issues with a girl being old fashioned, her style and personality reverting back to a more classical era. And really that's what Albus saw in Katalina... a classic beauty with a classic vibe about her.

"I'm beginning to believe that you were meant to be born in another time and place, a far more civilized time anyway," he said. "But I'm certainly glad you were born in this time. Who knows who would be listening to my drunken ramblings right now." Albus chuckled at this, and yes he was starting to get a bit drunk.

When Katalina offered assistance, Albus felt a bit better. The rant about his father had boiled him up a bit. Katalina calmed him though. He didn't know if he would ever get to date this girl, as she was one who he imagined was approached by a lot of boys, but right now he really needed as many true friends as possible, and she could be one of those.

"I appreciate that," he said. He then gave her a questioning look. "What exactly happened to you?" He really did want to learn more about Katalina in general. Something about her seemed... so mysterious after all.

Katalina then said that she had decided to leave. True, he would see her soon anyway, and now he could easily walk over and talk with her, but he hated seeing her depart so soon. He wanted to go after her, follow her out, but so far they had a good thing going and he didn't want to ruin it by acting like a bloody creeper. So he would save his questions for next time then.

"I will relay the information," he chuckled when she asked about the where and when. When she turned to wink at him, he toasted her good night. He then drank down half his new Devil's Cauldron before falling to the floor and passing out. When he was to wake up, he could discover why the drink had such an intense name.

KATALINA ROSA DE LA VEGA