(no subject)
Date: 31st March 2002
Time: late morning
Location: Mousehole, Cornwall
Characters: Lucius Malfoy and Celeste Malfoy (NPC)
Rating: PG-13, a bit of blood.
Lucius made his way along the winding, steep streets. The twisting of this place reminded him of a maze, and though it's population was largely muggle, it's geography told a different tale.
It had been years since he had been to this place, his last visit to inform his aunt that his father was dead, though of course she had already known that.
His decision to come here had not been a light one.
He stopped at the bay, and for a moment looked out at the sea. The waves of the atlantic chopped against one another, a never ending battle that they were told one day, would erode the country into nothing. Even the muggles knew that.
Lucius continued his walk, until he reached the pub that noted he was close.
He soon came to the slim road, opposite a quaint row of cottages, thankfully empty of muggle holiday makers who were sensible enough not to favour the coast at this time of year. As he looked up at the buildings, a split forged between them, widening to be filled by a large house.
Lucius sighed.
His previous encounter with the werewolf had been unsuccesful in providing information on Greyback. He had racked his brains trying to think of another route of information, of any resource he might plunder. Ultimately, nothing had come. Seemingly all that remained was this route, as unpleasant as it might be...
His Aunt had married a pureblood wizard, a man he remembered little of, and moved to Cornwall many years ago. Despite the good marriage they had provided no children, and with her brother dead, she was Lucius' last blood relative apart from Draco. Her husband had died shortly after they had travelled South, though Celeste had never seemed to express a desire to return.
Lucius had never enjoyed her company. After moments with her, he felt as though his brain had been plundered for its every thought. It didn't help that she reminded him strongly of his father. Celeste had a gift for divination, though her talent brought to mind nothing in the ilk of tea leaves, or scrying through water. Her visions were always frightening, if enlightening.
His knuckles had barely touched the wooden door when it opened ahead of him. He was sure she did these things to put him on edge.
The inside of the house reminded him of his own home, as immaculately and ornately decorated. He passed a large portrait of his Grandparents, managing to pull his eyes away from it to look for her.
"Lucius."
He heard her call, and followed the noise, thankful not to have to seach the entire building.
Lucius found her in a sitting room, watching the doorway for his arrival. She must be at least sixty now, her hair beginning to fade from blond a similar shade to his own, into white. Still, she showed litle sign of frailty.
Celeste stood and tiptoed to kiss his cheek, at least a foot shorter than he was, "and how is my nephew?"
He had always viewed such questions as pointless, since she likely knew his answer. Perhaps it was to compare the thoughts in his mind with his words.
"You know why I am here, my son---"
Celeste made a small 'tsk' of disapproval, "I asked how you are, Lucius."
Lucius tried not to shift where he stood. He wasn't going to be made to feel uncomfortable by an old woman.
"I'm fine," he said quickly. His Aunt merely smiled at him, then walked past him and through the doorway.
Lucius thought it was best to follow her. In some respects, she reminded him of Bellatrix, though of course with a more Malfoy-like restraint. He walked along the hallway, following her into a dimly lit room.
"I learned of Draco's attack through the newspaper," she said without reprimand. Celeste no more wished involvement with the remainder of her family, than Lucius did to keep her company.
"You desire revenge, Lucius."
He looked at her without expression. He knew this, it was what he didn't know that he'd come to discover.
Lucius watched her move across the room, and dragged something from under its coverings. It was similar to a cauldron, though more orb-like and completley transparent.
"I also saw the picture of you and your family at the Ministry," she said, examining the object carefully for apparent flaws "the boy looks so alike my dear brother," Lucius said nothing, allowing her to continue her ramblings "but that isn't a point of pride for you, Lucius. Is it?"
He couldn't help narrowing his eyes, "You are beginning to sound like a fair-ground palm reader."
She smiled and dragged the object further into the room, "I may be able to help you, Lucius. But I need your son."
"He cannot travel," Lucius said tersely. She had read the paper, she must realise the extent of his injuries.
"Then I need something belonging to him..." she said distantly, picking potions from a shelf to pour into the orb. It gave a sharp bang, and began to spin.
Lucius thought for a moment. He didn't have anything belonging to Draco with him.
"I don't have---"
"Your blood runs in his veins, Lucius," she said with an air of mystery, interrupting him.
This entire encounter was becoming more enraging by the moment. He looked at her with undisguised irritability. He wondered if everyone was burdened with such tiresome and strange relatives.
"Your blood will serve as a link to your son," she explained eventually, after a lengthy peer into the orb. Without looking at him, she handed over a lengthy dagger.
Merlin.
"Very well," he said with a sigh, "how much do you require?"
"Oh, a small vein should be enough..." Celeste said thoughtfully, looking up at him with a smile.
He should have expected this. It was never going to simply be a case of 'drink this tea', or watching her gaze into a crystal ball. The Dark Arts and Divination were a mix and was bound to involve some degree of unpleasantry.
Lucius had barely rolled back his sleeve, when she gripped his arm, pulling him with strength that belied her small statute to stand over the orb. She took the dagger from his hand, and slid the length of it across his wrist. His eyes went wide as he watched the wound open, and her hand twist his arm so that a steady and thick trickle of blood descended into the orb.
She let go of her grip on his arm, and he snatched it back, clamping his hand over his wrist.
Celeste leaned over the orb, using her pale hands to spin it faster. Lucius watched the dark of his blood mixing with the potions, though saw nothing more than liquid.
Suddenly she began to speak.
"Your revenge will come at a price. Greyback attacks the father through the son. He will hold his promises to Narcissa...." a lengthy pause, "death comes swiftly to those crossing the path of this wolf. He no longer rests in these lands. He crosses the sea. The wolf no longer trusts men."
She swayed slightly, and Lucius wondered if she would faint. So Greyback was no longer in England, but that left the rest of the world to search for him. Experience told him that it was useless to ask questions.
"Your revenge comes at a price," she repeated, "the heir."
"What?" Lucius said, despite himself.
Celeste's gaze focused on Lucius looking at her intently. What did that mean? The price of revenge was the heir? He frowned, then turned away from her.
"Thank you," he said distantly.
Celeste watched him leave, smiling faintly. Lucius' visits were always so interesting.
Time: late morning
Location: Mousehole, Cornwall
Characters: Lucius Malfoy and Celeste Malfoy (NPC)
Rating: PG-13, a bit of blood.
Lucius made his way along the winding, steep streets. The twisting of this place reminded him of a maze, and though it's population was largely muggle, it's geography told a different tale.
It had been years since he had been to this place, his last visit to inform his aunt that his father was dead, though of course she had already known that.
His decision to come here had not been a light one.
He stopped at the bay, and for a moment looked out at the sea. The waves of the atlantic chopped against one another, a never ending battle that they were told one day, would erode the country into nothing. Even the muggles knew that.
Lucius continued his walk, until he reached the pub that noted he was close.
He soon came to the slim road, opposite a quaint row of cottages, thankfully empty of muggle holiday makers who were sensible enough not to favour the coast at this time of year. As he looked up at the buildings, a split forged between them, widening to be filled by a large house.
Lucius sighed.
His previous encounter with the werewolf had been unsuccesful in providing information on Greyback. He had racked his brains trying to think of another route of information, of any resource he might plunder. Ultimately, nothing had come. Seemingly all that remained was this route, as unpleasant as it might be...
His Aunt had married a pureblood wizard, a man he remembered little of, and moved to Cornwall many years ago. Despite the good marriage they had provided no children, and with her brother dead, she was Lucius' last blood relative apart from Draco. Her husband had died shortly after they had travelled South, though Celeste had never seemed to express a desire to return.
Lucius had never enjoyed her company. After moments with her, he felt as though his brain had been plundered for its every thought. It didn't help that she reminded him strongly of his father. Celeste had a gift for divination, though her talent brought to mind nothing in the ilk of tea leaves, or scrying through water. Her visions were always frightening, if enlightening.
His knuckles had barely touched the wooden door when it opened ahead of him. He was sure she did these things to put him on edge.
The inside of the house reminded him of his own home, as immaculately and ornately decorated. He passed a large portrait of his Grandparents, managing to pull his eyes away from it to look for her.
"Lucius."
He heard her call, and followed the noise, thankful not to have to seach the entire building.
Lucius found her in a sitting room, watching the doorway for his arrival. She must be at least sixty now, her hair beginning to fade from blond a similar shade to his own, into white. Still, she showed litle sign of frailty.
Celeste stood and tiptoed to kiss his cheek, at least a foot shorter than he was, "and how is my nephew?"
He had always viewed such questions as pointless, since she likely knew his answer. Perhaps it was to compare the thoughts in his mind with his words.
"You know why I am here, my son---"
Celeste made a small 'tsk' of disapproval, "I asked how you are, Lucius."
Lucius tried not to shift where he stood. He wasn't going to be made to feel uncomfortable by an old woman.
"I'm fine," he said quickly. His Aunt merely smiled at him, then walked past him and through the doorway.
Lucius thought it was best to follow her. In some respects, she reminded him of Bellatrix, though of course with a more Malfoy-like restraint. He walked along the hallway, following her into a dimly lit room.
"I learned of Draco's attack through the newspaper," she said without reprimand. Celeste no more wished involvement with the remainder of her family, than Lucius did to keep her company.
"You desire revenge, Lucius."
He looked at her without expression. He knew this, it was what he didn't know that he'd come to discover.
Lucius watched her move across the room, and dragged something from under its coverings. It was similar to a cauldron, though more orb-like and completley transparent.
"I also saw the picture of you and your family at the Ministry," she said, examining the object carefully for apparent flaws "the boy looks so alike my dear brother," Lucius said nothing, allowing her to continue her ramblings "but that isn't a point of pride for you, Lucius. Is it?"
He couldn't help narrowing his eyes, "You are beginning to sound like a fair-ground palm reader."
She smiled and dragged the object further into the room, "I may be able to help you, Lucius. But I need your son."
"He cannot travel," Lucius said tersely. She had read the paper, she must realise the extent of his injuries.
"Then I need something belonging to him..." she said distantly, picking potions from a shelf to pour into the orb. It gave a sharp bang, and began to spin.
Lucius thought for a moment. He didn't have anything belonging to Draco with him.
"I don't have---"
"Your blood runs in his veins, Lucius," she said with an air of mystery, interrupting him.
This entire encounter was becoming more enraging by the moment. He looked at her with undisguised irritability. He wondered if everyone was burdened with such tiresome and strange relatives.
"Your blood will serve as a link to your son," she explained eventually, after a lengthy peer into the orb. Without looking at him, she handed over a lengthy dagger.
Merlin.
"Very well," he said with a sigh, "how much do you require?"
"Oh, a small vein should be enough..." Celeste said thoughtfully, looking up at him with a smile.
He should have expected this. It was never going to simply be a case of 'drink this tea', or watching her gaze into a crystal ball. The Dark Arts and Divination were a mix and was bound to involve some degree of unpleasantry.
Lucius had barely rolled back his sleeve, when she gripped his arm, pulling him with strength that belied her small statute to stand over the orb. She took the dagger from his hand, and slid the length of it across his wrist. His eyes went wide as he watched the wound open, and her hand twist his arm so that a steady and thick trickle of blood descended into the orb.
She let go of her grip on his arm, and he snatched it back, clamping his hand over his wrist.
Celeste leaned over the orb, using her pale hands to spin it faster. Lucius watched the dark of his blood mixing with the potions, though saw nothing more than liquid.
Suddenly she began to speak.
"Your revenge will come at a price. Greyback attacks the father through the son. He will hold his promises to Narcissa...." a lengthy pause, "death comes swiftly to those crossing the path of this wolf. He no longer rests in these lands. He crosses the sea. The wolf no longer trusts men."
She swayed slightly, and Lucius wondered if she would faint. So Greyback was no longer in England, but that left the rest of the world to search for him. Experience told him that it was useless to ask questions.
"Your revenge comes at a price," she repeated, "the heir."
"What?" Lucius said, despite himself.
Celeste's gaze focused on Lucius looking at her intently. What did that mean? The price of revenge was the heir? He frowned, then turned away from her.
"Thank you," he said distantly.
Celeste watched him leave, smiling faintly. Lucius' visits were always so interesting.