Thanks for the comments everyone! I always found the fact that there was a vampire at the party in the book slightly amusing haha. I'll admit I haven't read this one in a little while so I bit rusty, but I'm pretty sure there was either a vampire at Slughorn's party of the Ghost Nick's birthday party...can't quite remember but I thought it would be amusing to add in!

Putting on the best nonchalant face that I could muster I merely gave Slughorn a little shrug of the shoulders and a smile to show that it was nothing. Meanwhile the intense thought of blood kept running through the back of my thoughts, getting softer and softer the farther we moved away from Frank.

"So, are you enjoying the party?" Slughorn asked excitedly.

"Oh, it's great Professor," I said with a smile.

"I'm quite glad. I figured it would be nice for you to have something relaxing to go to, what will all that business with Snape."

I wasn't sure why the fact that Professor Slughorn was aware of the incident took me off guard, considering the fact that he was one of the professors that helped Snape to the hospital wing, but for some reason the fact that he was addressing it out loud made my face turn grim.

"Not to bring up a sour and trying moment of course," Slughorn said, realizing the change in my facial expression.

"No, it's alright," I managed to get out although the words were quite strained.

"I just have to admit that your magic fascinates me. I mean, trained wizards are capable of doing magic without removing their wands from their holsters, but the strength of your magic without holding one is just impeccable!"

I kept walking in the circle that he was leading me around but I had no comments for his remark. After all impeccable wasn't really the word I would have used to explain my demonstration of power. If anything I thought this unwanted burst of power was going to cause me to become a murderer instead of a talented and unique witch.

"Eh, it's alright to be modest child, but really it's nothing to be ashamed of. There are so few witches and wizards in our long and extensive history that possess the gift you have, and there's certainly nothing to be ashamed in that!"

At this last comment I had to stop the circle that we were walking in and stare at Slughorn dead on. "Will all do respect Professor Slughorn impeccable is certainly not the word I would use to describe what I can do, and ashamed is definitely something I would use to describe my feelings towards my ability. I am sure from your outside perspective it must seem amazing what I am capable of doing but what you don't seem to understand is that this magic seems to possess a mind of its own, and instead of making me feel like I am a person that should be marked down in history books it makes me wish I was off in a cabin in the middle of the woods, alone, where no one could risk being hurt whenever my so called "impeccable magic" decides to show up," I said, my words sounding slightly cutting towards the end.

I could tell that I had completely taken Professor Slughorn off guard, and after the words came out I felt slightly bad about it. However, I consoled myself by realizing that Slughorn and everyone other person who viewed my bizarre form of magic as something to be envied needed to be corrected and put in their place. This was not a gift and I certainly was not going to let people go around thinking I felt it was.

"Why, of course you feel that now dear," Slughorn finally managed to respond once the shock wore off. "But this is just temporary. You are new to your powers and it is just going to take some time to get used to them."

I looked at him for a moment, remembering that I was talking to a man who made his position in life based off of how many famous and popular people he knew, and decided to just let it be. I gave a small nod, feeling a bit of relief when Harry came up to us, a slightly bemused expression of his face.

"Ahh, Harry, there you are! Hope you don't mind I stole your good friend here to have a bit of a chat. I'm afraid the vampire Frank was getting just a tad bit too friendly if you catch my drift!"

Harry raised his eyebrows slightly at concern but I gave my head a subtle shake that went over the notice of Slughorn who had just spotted a woman in a very deep purple dress heading towards a table near by. "If you'll just excuse me. I am afraid I must go speak with that woman before she leaves!"

Before Harry or I even had a chance to acknowledge his words he was off and swooning over the woman who had a slightly cautious look on her face.

"So there's a vampire here?" Harry asked, clearing his throat slightly.

"Yes...and he was admiring my level of self-control at not lunging after your blood."

Harry couldn't help but chuckle, realizing what I was implying by the words. "I know you are pale Abby but I certainly don't think that anyone believes you're a vampire."

"He could sense that I was different though," I said, accepting the drink that Harry handed to me.

"How so?"

"He said my blood was different..."

Harry let out a little huh sound before leading me over to the table of desserts that was behind us. I was able to reach out and take a chocolate covered cherry when I suddenly felt someone standing a bit too close to me. If this was Frank I was going to need to be firm. I turned to look at the person but to my surprise found that it was Cormac.

"Tell me where your friend has slipped off to," he said, shooting me a heart warming smile that I am sure would have made any other girl in the room swoon.

"Last I checked she was with you," I responded with a level of coldness.

"She told me she was coming to find you....huh...well I guess she likes a bit of hide and seek. Adds to the thrill."

I couldn't stop the look of disgust from appearing on my face, and upon shooting Harry a glance I could tell he was sporting a similar one with just slightly more anger in it.

"Ahh well...off I go. She is around here somewhere."

With that he was gone, me shaking my head and Harry seriously considering following him.

"Maybe we should..."

"She's lost him already which means she is handling herself just fine," I said with a smile before Harry had time to finish his sentence.

"Good point."

I was about to respond when over Harry's shoulder I noticed Professor Snape heading towards us. My facial expression had apparently changed enough that Harry put his hand on my arm, spotting Snape as he turned to see what I was looking at.

"Miss Carson. Mr. Potter," Snape said in his usual drawl. "I have a message for you. Headmaster Dumbledore had to leave unexpectedly on some business, meaning the meeting he had scheduled with you both on Monday is cancelled."

"Where did he go?" Harry asked.

"I do not know, but I am sure Mr. Potter if he wanted you to know he would have told me to pass the information along, and he did not."

I could tell that Harry was struggling to not retort back, and I appreciated the effort. After all since I had nearly killed the man in front of us, I figured I owed him the kindness of at least not picking fights when they could be avoided.

"Mr. Potter I do believe that Neville Longbottom was inquiring about your whereabouts. Perhaps you ought to go and find him."

Harry turned to look at me, knowing that this was a ruse to get Snape and I alone, and I gave him a little nod that it was alright. We were in a rather public and crowded place after all, and Snape knew to watch his step around me. Once Harry was gone Snape turned towards the table, so that only I would be able to hear his words.

"I realize Miss Carson we haven't gotten a chance to speak since our little incident and I would like to give you my apologies."

The words took me so off guard I had to grab the edge of the table for support. "You what?" I practically yelled out.

Thankfully everyone was too engaged with their own business to notice.

"I realize that given the rather vast expansion in your powers that you received in such a short period of time, it was wrong of me to put you in a situation where you felt cornered," Snape responded, saying the last word slowly like he wasn't sure if that was the right term.

"Um...thank you," I managed to respond with much more composure. "I offer my apologies for...well...you know," I said, feeling myself starting to get slightly uncomfortable.

"It is alright. As such, I would like to meet with you and try and figure out why it is that your mother can get into your head like that. I'm not sure if you're aware that as you were...you know...you were muttering to yourself and the voice coming out was definitely not your own."

I was silent. I hadn't know...I had only thought her voice was in my head. In the moment I had no idea why I decided that I could trust Snape and ask him such a personal question, but I did.

"Can my mother control me?"

Snape was quiet for a moment, looking out the window behind the table.

"I do not know."