Interview With A Vampire

[Padril Crennent]

Padril followed Satin inside the Leaky Cauldron, quickly securing a bench that had no light except for a single candle. Padril's eyes kept slipping in and out of focus as he sat down, calling for a waiter.

"So, how do you know Newton?" he asked inquisitively. He intended to milk this vampiress out of all the knowledge she had, all the experiences she must of had over her likely considerable life. Fifty would be enough for him.

[satin]

Satin wasn't as old as that but you could never tell with vampires just how old they were. Now able to unbutton her day cloak and remove it she did just that to reveal an outfit which was very suitable for the oven like day they had to deal with. A strappy red vest with a black and white mini-kilt and the black tall boots. He could now see the dagger holster on her left boot and the long straight hunting knife she used as a self defence tool.

Add in shoulder length blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and snow white skin and you had the full picture. Satin was of average height and weight and she had developed quite nicely before she was turned.

"I used to be a muggle and went to secondary school. At least until it was time to sit my GCSE's. Science was one of the things I liked about it" she gently replied as she made herself comfortable in the booth.

[Padril Crennent]

Padril's interest in Satin fell when he saw the daggers. He understood weapons, knew they were needed in war, but he disapproved of them and generally hated them. Then she said she went to 'secondary school'.

"Oh," Padril said dishearteningly, suddenly losing interest. She couldn't tell me anything that he didn't already know, but he supposed he had to be polite now. "If it isn't too personal, how were you turned?"

[satin]

Some vampires embraced their past and some didn't. Satin was able to answer how she was turned quite easily. It was when her better life had begun after all.

"It happened in London when I'd fallen as far as I could without hitting the gutter. Its also when life really began for me. What happened before that dosen't count anymore and my old name died with me" she replied as she continued to size up the wizard she was talking too. She hadn't fallen as far as being one of the legion of homeless street people you'd find but being a working girl wasn't that much higher up the ladder.

It was too bad if the sight of a single long boot dagger put him off because this was essential equipment to her. As defensive a tool as his wand was since she couldn't cast magic to defend her honour.

His body language seemed a bit off since she'd started to talk but likewise she'd be polite. She wasn't about to apologise now for how she'd lived her unlife and never would as this confidence showed in the way she handled herself.

[Padril Crennent]

The vagueness of her story meant a couple of possibilities, she honestly thought her muggle life had no significance (unlikely), she didn't remember (also unlikely) or she was lying (very likely).

"Is life as a vampire especially difficult? Do you think it could be made easier by efforts of the Ministry?" He was remembering everything now. He had no doubt, if she proved interesting enough, that he would write a story for a Prophet on it using her quotes.

[satin]

Satin had no reason to have even a slither of trust in Padril so a vague story would be all he would get. Only Revan Haine and her lover Belle really knew much about her as a result and she'd like things to stay that way.

"We have being status but that hasn't dealt with centuries of bigotry and discrimation. Perhaps if the ministry took these issues seriously people might have more confidence in them but if they can't keep Death Eaters locked up in Azkaban what chance do you really think they have of changing that?" was Satin's reply. This was no idle chat but what he thought of her didn't count to this vampiress.

Then the waitress came over and Satin ordered a neat firewhiskey. Just what she needed to handle the day she was having.

"Put yourself in a vampires or a non-humans shoes and you'll see how difficult it is?" she simply added knowing only too well the problems she even had getting a job when she arrived back in Britain.

[Padril Crennent]

"I don't mean on a wider political scale, but on your day to day life. How is being a vampire more difficult, how do people treat you, and is the Ministry catering to your needs?" He felt like she was saying a recorded message, and recorded messages didn't make news.

[satin]

Satin leaned forward looking at Padril. While she had given a broad outline of vampires difficulties it was also true.

"Lets see Mr Crennent. Being status goes hand in hand with being branded as dark creatures. So you don't have a great reputation to start with regardless of how you live your unlife. That is also the source of much of the prejudice we face on a daly basis and in everyday things.

Having to look even harder to find a landlord who won't rip you off in regards to your rent even if they want to accept you as tennent, trying to find a job, getting the same level of customer service as a human since some shops won't even serve you and the ministry?

If the ministry cared about us there would have been some kind of blood programme available to us. It took a private initiative to set it up and they weren't even involved in it. Then Death Eater attacks put paid to the scheme.

All vampires can really count on is their own kind and other people who feel disadvantaged. Sad but true."

Then she had something else to add.

"We're bound by the same secrecy laws as you are and have hunters who would try and kill us for our fangs and the ash when our bodies disintergrate. Do you see them being tried for murder if they kill one of our number?

Yet we don't have representation in the circles of government. No magical creatures do and how can we have being status and still lack equality and rights you would take for granted?"