Josie was very excited. She had someone to interview! She had interviewed people before. Even the current Minister. But she was interviewing a special person today. Or that night. Tristan Vaillancourt was a vampire. He was also gorgeous. But also dangerous. But also a Ministry consultant. He was lots of opposites. Josie looked forward to talking to him. They were meeting in the Demon's Head. It was open late. Josie had secured a table. They got drinks.

"Thank you for agreeing to the interview." Josie said. "I have some questions. But I just want to chat too. See what happens." She beamed. "Starters then. What are you drinking. And who are you wearing?"

For much of his life, Tristan shied away from attention in the papers - he often feared reflecting badly on the natural behaviour of his species. Assuming the role of a Consultant had changed that inclination. Now, more than ever, it was important to put himself forward in the eye of the public. To present an approachable facade that might put minds and hearts at ease, or even encourage friendly relations.

            "Starters then. What are you drinking. And who are you wearing?"

He glanced down at his drink, a highball glass with sparkling clear liquid and something deep red resting at the bottom. Flint had a good interviewing manner to set one at ease. "Blood sirop," Tristan replied before making a subtle gesture with his fingers - the thick syrup gently swirled into the water to form a muted pink.

"And I wear vintage Saint Laurent," he smiled at Josie, referring to his maroon velvet suit and matching trousers. The hem and sleeves were embroidered with golden thread, complimenting a rose brooch on the lapel. "Muggle designer, nineteen sixties. French. You approve?"

"I approve!" Josie said. She was enthusiastic. She looked up and down at Tristan's outfit. "Now when you say vintage..." Josie wiggled her quill. She smiled. "Do you mean you got it vintage. Or you got it then. And wear it now when it is vintage?" Of course he got it then. "You must have quite the wardrobe? True things come back into fashion."

He smiled, showing only the slightest glimpse of fangs.

"Oui, it is my own possession from that era. One of my first purchases when I came to London at the time." Tristan fondly remembered coming to Great Britain with his then-lover, who had helped found a society for the tolerance of his species. "It is very difficult for me to buy clothing. I must employ either a personal stylist or a magical mirror, you understand."

Catching her eye, he directed her gaze towards one of the dirty mirrors on the pub walls. It reflected the many patrons - but Josie appeared to only sit by herself, with two drinks for company.

"So it is in my interest to reach into a past wardrobe for what is... how do they say?" he laughed lightly. "Tried and tested. Much of everything I own is either vintage or antique. You must think me old fashioned."

Josie only saw herself. She had forgotten!
"Oh my God!" She said. She was a witch but magic still astounded her. She really loved it. "Maybe." She answered. "But old fashioned is hot damn." She winked at Tristan. "If you ever need a shopping partner by the way." Josie double thumb pointed at her chest. She had a massive grin.

"So you cannot go shopping because you cannot see your reflection. You cannot drink alcohol?" Josie listed. She pointed at his drink. "Sunlight is bad. Wow. So what is good about being a vampire Tristan?"

---

TY Nuri for polyvore x

It never ceased to amuse him, when humans forgot that his kind were not seen in reflections. A great and effective deterrent against integrating with muggle communities. Tristan smiled at her compliment, bowing his head to her generous offer. Josie was clear and pleasant in her admiration.

"Alcohol does not have the same effect on us it would on humans," he shrugged. "We derive heady satisfaction from our consumption of blood, as it is." Tristan did not mention that the sensation was especially heightened if taken directly from a live source.

Some things might lose interpretation in print.

            "Wow. So what is good about being a vampire Tristan?"

He laughed, fangs most certainly visible this time as he took another sip of his drink. The sharp tang of the blood syrup made his mouth water. "Our senses are heightened. We are hedonistic, in that sense." Tristan leaned back in his chair and made a thoughtful noise, considering the question more carefully.

"Our social bonds are strong, moreso within covens," he added before smiling a bit more broadly. "And we endure much longer than living beings. I have lived a century and a half, and I am not yet tired of this life."

"A century and a half?" Josie repeated. She gasped. "May I note you look incredible for your age?" The quill wrote it down. "Do you stay with the same friends for years? Is that what makes the bonds strong?" Josie questioned. "Do you not get on each other's nerves? Is it like being married to everyone?" She was not sure how covens worked. She had read about them. Josie came from Whitby. It was famous for Dracula. Muggles liked to write stuff about Vampires. Josie liked to ask primary sources. Like Tristan. They were better than books. Why read a book when she could ask someone. Josie did read many things even so.

He smiled at Josie, although quite immune to exclamations of surprise at his age.  It was old even by normal vampiric standards - many of his older kind had been hunted down in the past, or were recluses in desolate places such as the Black Forest. It was not unusual for them to want to retire from society.

            "Do you stay with the same friends for years? Is that what makes the bonds strong? Do you not get on each other's nerves? Is it like being married to everyone?"

"My!" Tristan laughed, sipping his drink with a raised eyebrow. "You are full of questions," he hinted that their interaction was wearing thin - her interest would make his community more digestible for wizarding society at large but they still bordered on the cusp of incivility. Much like children: but maybe all good reporters were like children in that sense.

Unafraid.

"Oui, strong bonds are a consequence of longevity. They are also natural to any minority group, non?" Tristan shrugged. "We must depend on one another or risk the unkindness of a majority. You might call it something like marriage, of an open and varied nature."

His own thoughts about the institution of marriage were complex and unsuitable for publication.

Josie was enthusiastic about the interview. Her subject was not. Her smiles went away. "I am sorry I ask too many questions." Josie said. "I just want to understand. I get the feeling you would prefer to be left alone by witches and wizards?"

            "... I get the feeling you would prefer to be left alone by witches and wizards?"

Tristan eyed this journalist a little sadly, as the sheen of her smiles wore off before his wary answers. She was full of curiosity and sometimes that came with its own double-ended sting. He finished his drink and tilted his head to the side, considering her serious question.

"Me, personally, or my kind?" he smiled with some indulgence. "I enjoy human company. We all do. In small doses." Tristan lifted his hand to indicate a tiny bit, pinching his fingers together. "It is easier to be around those who already understand... but therein is the conundrum, for to understand we must communicate in the first place."

The vampire pushed his chair back and stood gracefully, bowing a little before he extended a hand to Josie. "I think, perhaps, the answer is that we must be understanding on both sides, non?" he let his teeth show in the sheepish grin that followed. "Be patient with me, Miss Flint. I take my leave."

Josie was disappointed. But she was polite. She got up and bowed to Tristan.
"Thank you for your time. Write to me?" She let him go. She had tried. But she still had a lot to learn.

END