The rain fell in sheets. The paths and roads were becoming waterlogged. The autumn leaves flew down their dangerous churning waters. Fleets of ships they were, doomed to take on water and sink or follow where the water took them to the gaping, gurgling mouth of the drain.

The Baron strode down the side street, watching the mortals whether muggles or of the magical community flit from the small shelter of shop roofs.  The rain had drenched him through. He strode down the middle of the road. He saw little point seeking shelter now; he could not get any wetter. Strands of loose hair had come away from his ponytail and were plastered to the side of his face. He walked with his shoulders rounded stooping slightly against the sheets of rain the wind blew at him.

“ Baron! Baron Magpyr, Sir!”

Someone was calling him. The man ran through the rain towards him pursued by men in robes. Ministry wizards perhaps. The street still had muggles in. They were taking a risk. The Baron stood where he was and let the man come to him. It was Wilbur. Wilbur came to a halt in front of him and bent over double to catch his breath. The ministry wizards slowed down, they knew Wilbur would run no more. They were more concerned with the looming figure behind Wilbur. They approached with caution. The Baron smiled and reached out a hand and patted Wilbur on the shoulder.

“Rise Vilbur. Nov you have caught your breath.”

His voice carried and the ministry wizards halted in front of the Baron and Wilbur, they were still a respectable distance of a couple of feet from the Baron and Wilbur. groups of people began to gather and watched from the shelters of shop porches. The ministry were going to have fun tidying this up if it ended messy.

“Wilbur, Mr Armitage. A word if you please”

A wet, irritable man with glasses called across to them. The Baron placed a hand on Wilbur’s shoulder. He felt Wilbur shudder as his cold, marble hand made contact with a bit of exposed skin of Wilbur’s shoulder. Wilbur said nothing and the ministry wizard continued.

“My name is Mr Holt. I’m from the international department of experimental charms. We have reason to believe you are illegally importing certain artefacts and experimenting without a licence.”

The wind became more ferocious and the sheets of rain more heavy. The winds howl was a perfect cover for Vladimir.

“You have done vot this man accuses you of?”  The Baron muttered.

“No. Well not really”  Wilbur replied

“Sir if you will come with us!” The ministry worker shouted across to them.

“Please Baron Magpyr, I will go to Azkaban, this is the fifth time they’ve caught me! I was only doing a job for Mr Lockhart –“

“Lockhart? Gilderoy Lockhart?”

“Yes Baron”

“Sir there is no need for standing about in all this rain. Come with us quietly and we shall all be where we belong and dry in minutes”

The Baron took two steps forward and slightly to the left so he was close behind Wilbur and in the throw of the light, which came from a street lamp. He saw the ministry wizards take an involuntary step back, one let out a gasp. The Baron smiled grimly he knew what he must look like. Travel worn, stained cavalier dress, minus the hat. It looked very out of place. The tunic and breeches clung to his body, wet and moulding to his shape. His height was impressive to say the least he stood at 6,4 and loomed over Wilbur as a demon conjured to save and ruin the damned. His cold grey eyes gleamed. The orange glow of the street lamp reflected off his white skin and caught and played on his white canine teeth he let protrude over his bottom lip. His black hair peppered with grey whipped about him in soggy rat-tails. His goatee was plastered to his throat by the wind and rain.

“Thiss man”        

The Baron said slowly hissing in a natural way for him.

“isss in my service. Any qvualms about thisss man and you vill deal vith me.”

“A vampire! It’s a Vampire!”

Squealed the ministry wizard who had gasped. Mr Holt pulled out his wand and trained it on the Baron. The other wizards followed suit.

"Come on boys there's only one of him"

" remind me to add the study of non-human creatures to the syllabus" came a muttering from one of the others.

“Nov, Nov ve are all adults”

The Baron said in a soft reassuring voice. He covered the distance between them. He looked in their eyes. He felt their will become his.

“Let us put avay those vands neither party vishes the other any harm.”

The wizards complied under the Barons hypnotic gaze and the sound of his voice.

“Nov you vill go avay and not be pressink charges against vilbur. Leave usss be. Go.”

They turned and left without a word. Vladimir put his hand under Wilbur’s arm and steered him away quickly ducking into a narrow street. They turned the corner so quickly that Vladimir walked straight into a woman, almost knocking her over. His quick reflexes shot out an arm and caught her stopping her overbalancing. The Baron looked at the lady to apologise. Her brown ringlets fell out from underneath her hat and she turned her eyes up at him.

“Marianne?”

He had meant to say sorry.

“Get off me!”

She pulled out of his grip. Two men came to her aid and pulled her away from him.

“Who’s Marianne?”

Asked Wilbur.