(no subject)
The attack on Potter Watch had occurred a month ago, and he was looking for ways to find them and to take them down. Draco was in school, and thus unobtainable. So were Draco's talents as an Animagus.
Animagus.
Yes. That was what he'd learn. Time he didn't have, but he felt that, if he were willing and stubborn enough, he could manage it.
What he needed was the help of an ally of the Dark Lord he knew well enough to trust without grassing on him.
Lykos Mulciber, Sr.
He pulled out a quill and a sheet of parchment, and began to write:
"Lykos,
I need your assistance in a matter.
I will not tell you here; rather I will tell you when I get there.
I will be at your house in a week.
R. Lestrange."
Three days later, his reply came:
"Rodolphus,
What is it that you'd want me to teach you that you can't possibly tell me in a letter?
L. Mulciber, Sr."
Annoyed, he wrote the following response:
"Lykos,
I told you I'd tell you when I got there.
R. Lestrange."
Pacing the length of the Mulciber home, he swore. Sometimes under his breath, but more often than not, aloud.
Rodolphus Lestrange was not a man to wait, and being made to wait made him ... edgy.
Mulciber where the fuck are you? he cursed silently. We need to talk. Now.
He was about to slam his fist into the drawing room door, when it opened. At last.
"Come in Lestrange," the familiar old voice said. Mulciber Sr. A laugh from within the room said that Lykos Jr. was also present.
"Why does that son of yours have to be here?" Rodolphus snarled. "He's of no use to us!"
"He is one of the Dark Lord's men and has a right to be here. Also, it is my house Lestrange, and if I wish Lykos to be here he will be here."
The younger Mulciber just laughed at Rodolphus, while the black cat Althea hopped up onto his lap. Where she proceeded to stare at Rodolphus with an assessive look.
"Why is your son here?" he asked.
"It's none of your business!" sneered Lykos Jr. "Is it father?"
Senior ignored his son. "You wrote to me a week ago asking me for help with something?"
"Yes. I want you to teach me how to become an Animagus." Straight to the point.
Senior looked concerned, while Junior looked eager. "Even father never taught me that, and he taught me everything!"
"It's highly complicated and your Transfiguration grades were too poor for me to teach you such complicated magic as that," Senior said, patiently. Unlike his son, he was one of the best at Transfiguration yet. And learning the Animagus skill was almost absurdly easy. For him.
This skill Rodolphus wanted Lykos Senior to teach him, even though he was no better at it than Lykos' son was.
"Rodolphus it takes years to learn. It took me two years to master it. What makes you think you'll master it within a couple months?"
"Determination," Rodolphus said without hesitation. "What one lacks in skill determination will make up."
"It can't make up for your lack, Lestrange," Senior pointed out, much to Rodolphus' annoyance. "You were never very good at Transfiguration, or so your parents told me. And determined you might be, but you still won't learn it in time. If you learn it at all."
The urge to grab something-ANYTHING-and throw it at Lykos Sr passed through his mind. If Lykos wouldn't help he'd just find someone else to do it.
"However, there are charms that can work in much the same way as the Animagus transformation," Senior said, as though aware of Rodolphus' thoughts. "Complicated but doable."
"What sorts of charms?" Rodolphus asked, anger replaced with eagerness.
"Something akin to the Homorphus Charm. It will turn a man into an animal for a short time, if he desires to become one. It is limited. Not just in duration but in how many times it can be used once the charm is cast. Three times, and then if the man desires to change again he must ask to have the charm reapplied."
"Tell me more."
"It's the best one can do with limited time. But I have to ask you, why do you even want to learn? You dislike animals. The idea of becoming an animal is something you hate. Why would you want to become an animal now?"
"I have my reasons Mulciber."
"I'd like to know them, because few people in the Magical World know this charm, and fewer would be willing to apply it on you."
"Our Lord's work. That's all you need to know."
"I heard you went after Potter Watch not too long ago."
"How?"
"I have my sources. You went after them and failed. Now you want another go at them."
"What?"
"Potter Watch is proving to be an annoyance. I think for that I should help you. Neither of us has a task assigned us so why should we not go after them? Meet me in a week and I'll have the charm placed upon you."
"Really." No longer angry he was elated. This time he'd go after them again, and this time he'd make them pay messily for their defiance.
"I'll be here."
"Very good. Tea?"
Animagus.
Yes. That was what he'd learn. Time he didn't have, but he felt that, if he were willing and stubborn enough, he could manage it.
What he needed was the help of an ally of the Dark Lord he knew well enough to trust without grassing on him.
Lykos Mulciber, Sr.
He pulled out a quill and a sheet of parchment, and began to write:
"Lykos,
I need your assistance in a matter.
I will not tell you here; rather I will tell you when I get there.
I will be at your house in a week.
R. Lestrange."
Three days later, his reply came:
"Rodolphus,
What is it that you'd want me to teach you that you can't possibly tell me in a letter?
L. Mulciber, Sr."
Annoyed, he wrote the following response:
"Lykos,
I told you I'd tell you when I got there.
R. Lestrange."
Pacing the length of the Mulciber home, he swore. Sometimes under his breath, but more often than not, aloud.
Rodolphus Lestrange was not a man to wait, and being made to wait made him ... edgy.
Mulciber where the fuck are you? he cursed silently. We need to talk. Now.
He was about to slam his fist into the drawing room door, when it opened. At last.
"Come in Lestrange," the familiar old voice said. Mulciber Sr. A laugh from within the room said that Lykos Jr. was also present.
"Why does that son of yours have to be here?" Rodolphus snarled. "He's of no use to us!"
"He is one of the Dark Lord's men and has a right to be here. Also, it is my house Lestrange, and if I wish Lykos to be here he will be here."
The younger Mulciber just laughed at Rodolphus, while the black cat Althea hopped up onto his lap. Where she proceeded to stare at Rodolphus with an assessive look.
"Why is your son here?" he asked.
"It's none of your business!" sneered Lykos Jr. "Is it father?"
Senior ignored his son. "You wrote to me a week ago asking me for help with something?"
"Yes. I want you to teach me how to become an Animagus." Straight to the point.
Senior looked concerned, while Junior looked eager. "Even father never taught me that, and he taught me everything!"
"It's highly complicated and your Transfiguration grades were too poor for me to teach you such complicated magic as that," Senior said, patiently. Unlike his son, he was one of the best at Transfiguration yet. And learning the Animagus skill was almost absurdly easy. For him.
This skill Rodolphus wanted Lykos Senior to teach him, even though he was no better at it than Lykos' son was.
"Rodolphus it takes years to learn. It took me two years to master it. What makes you think you'll master it within a couple months?"
"Determination," Rodolphus said without hesitation. "What one lacks in skill determination will make up."
"It can't make up for your lack, Lestrange," Senior pointed out, much to Rodolphus' annoyance. "You were never very good at Transfiguration, or so your parents told me. And determined you might be, but you still won't learn it in time. If you learn it at all."
The urge to grab something-ANYTHING-and throw it at Lykos Sr passed through his mind. If Lykos wouldn't help he'd just find someone else to do it.
"However, there are charms that can work in much the same way as the Animagus transformation," Senior said, as though aware of Rodolphus' thoughts. "Complicated but doable."
"What sorts of charms?" Rodolphus asked, anger replaced with eagerness.
"Something akin to the Homorphus Charm. It will turn a man into an animal for a short time, if he desires to become one. It is limited. Not just in duration but in how many times it can be used once the charm is cast. Three times, and then if the man desires to change again he must ask to have the charm reapplied."
"Tell me more."
"It's the best one can do with limited time. But I have to ask you, why do you even want to learn? You dislike animals. The idea of becoming an animal is something you hate. Why would you want to become an animal now?"
"I have my reasons Mulciber."
"I'd like to know them, because few people in the Magical World know this charm, and fewer would be willing to apply it on you."
"Our Lord's work. That's all you need to know."
"I heard you went after Potter Watch not too long ago."
"How?"
"I have my sources. You went after them and failed. Now you want another go at them."
"What?"
"Potter Watch is proving to be an annoyance. I think for that I should help you. Neither of us has a task assigned us so why should we not go after them? Meet me in a week and I'll have the charm placed upon you."
"Really." No longer angry he was elated. This time he'd go after them again, and this time he'd make them pay messily for their defiance.
"I'll be here."
"Very good. Tea?"