Chapter One: Photo on a String
Severus Snape was running late. He knocked into a woman in his haste, growling as her voice rose in anger behind him, speaking in a language he didn't even understand. If he had taken the time bother with a translation charm he would have heard only irate accusations...Surely not worth his time. He was thankful for the late hour and unpleasant weather. It was easier to scan the shop fronts without trying to maneuver around a crowd. He soon found the sign bearing a half-naked mermaid and the faded lettering that spelled out characters he recognized, but could not read.
He scanned the nearly empty, rain-swept street before crossing and ducking into the establishment. The lighting inside was dim and faded, the paint peeling slowly off of the walls. Small, round tables were scattered across the dusty floor, accompanied by tiny leather-topped stools. Only two of the tables were occupied. One contained a group of surly-looking middle-aged Muggles, obviously dock-workers. The other, a lone hooded figure. He pulled his own hood closer around his face before starting toward the latter.
Severus swept his cloak back before taking a seat next to the stranger, positioning his right hand inches away from his wand.
"You are late," the man's voice was deep and resonate, rumbling in his chest.
"I had prior engagements. You should feel privileged my master even entertained your suggestion on such short notice," Severus sneered.
"I feel confidant that your master is not an imbecile. Time will only tell if the same holds true for you. What I offer is not, and should not, be taken as a mere suggestion. I am dropping a great prize into your lap to present to your master," the man replied.
"The Dark Lord will take whatever is not given to him freely," Severus said, his eyes narrowing within the depths of his hood.
The man gave a heaving sigh before pulling back his own hood, revealing a man of middle years with dark features and olive-toned skin, before saying,
"It will cut his effort and time in half, to merely except what I am offering freely."
"Nothing in this world is free. What strings do you dangle this offer upon?" Severus asked, waving aside the barmaid that had started toward him.
She gave an affronted frown before straightening her back and turning away, muttering to herself. Severus looked back at the man, catching a smile at the corner of his lips.
"Ah. strings...This world is played with strings, would not function without them, and those that pull and tug at them to do their own bidding. I'm sure your Dark Lord carries many of those strings in his own two hands," he said, his murky eyes growing intense.
"Indeed, and what string do you attempt to play him by?" Severus asked shortly, sounding bored.
"I merely wish to present my own string, so that it may continue to play, and not be cut short. For your master is just as good at cutting those strings as he is at playing them," the man responded.
Severus looked at him for a long moment, searching the man's face.
"Your name is Lysander Therius. You are the Draft Master at Magikos Akademia, the local institution of magic. What could you possibly have to offer the most powerful wizard of all time?" He asked, finally.
The man twitched his lips higher up into his full cheeks, flashing white teeth in his grin.
"Your master searches for a mate...A woman. I have heard such things."
Severus kept his face immobile, even as he felt his heart skip a beat.
How could this man possibly know this? The Dark Lord had just recently asked his most dependable followers to find him a woman for him. A mate...as this man had said. Yes, a mate...Severus was sure that Voldemort had bigger plans than mere lust, desire, or even comfort. Voldemort had always sought immortality, a way to live on forever. He had succeeded in more ways than one, obviously...but there were still other, dark ways...
Still, how had this man known? Severus watched him closely as these thoughts flew through his mind within the space of two blinks.
"You are well-informed, Therius," he said, narrowing his eyes.
Therius smiled, his dark eyes flashing.
"Yes, I am," he said.
Severus continued to watch his flashing eyes, seeing something stir within them, something dark and twisted; he knew too many people with eyes such as those.
"Do you have one in mind...A woman, I mean. For my Lord," Severus said, taking a chance.
"Yes, I do," Therius replied, with his self-assured smile and twisted eyes.
Severus heaved a sigh and sat back, crossing his arms over his chest. He gently prodded the man's unguarded mind as he waited, finding nothing to alarm him. This man offered up all of his thoughts and memories willingly. Still, Severus would not offer anymore. This stranger must make the next move, and it had better be good, or he would be dead.
Therius sat up, reaching into an inner pocket of his robes. Severus had his wand out before he realized the man was only taking out a sheet of paper. Therius grinned even wider.
"You are quick," he said, turning the paper over, revealing it as a photograph.
Severus pulled it toward him, looking down at a pair of girls lounging beside a brook. One was obviously not human, but humanoid, with pastel pink hair, but the other, the girl on the left, was the one that drew his eyes. His heart began to beat instantly faster, his breath growing too hot for his chest to contain.
To describe the girl as beautiful was a colossal understatement. She was the most spectacular creature he'd ever laid his eyes upon. She sat at the streams' edge, her bare feet kicking in the shallow water. Shimmering droplets clung to her sun-kissed skin...so soft! That honey-hued skin looked so unbelievably soft...She wore close-fitting, thin blue robes over a simple white linen dress, both were pulled up past her knees so she could dangle her feet, revealing enticing inches of shapely muscle and glistening skin. Full hips dipped into a slim waist before flowing into a full bosom. Her robes were unbuttoned to reveal more impossibly silky skin stretched over a shadow of cleavage. A mass of glorious black curls tumbled down the front of her robes, the slanting sunlight glinting off of it with an ethereal blue sheen.
She was smiling and laughing, tossing her curls about. Straight white teeth flashed between full, pouting lips. Her features were a creation of elegant bone-structure; graceful jawline giving way to fluid, high cheekbones; slightly wide-set eyes flowing along the delicate line of her straight, small nose and smooth brow line. Oh, and those eyes! Merlin, those eyes...They were wide, yet exquisitely shaped and filled to the brim with the most remarkable color. A rich, lustrous violet hue shaded with streaks of silver and blue.
"Who..." Severus found that his tongue was sticking to the roof of his mouth.
Therius smiled, turning the picture over. There was scrawling handwriting that Severus squinted to make out.
"Her name is Kalista Karakinos. She is a resident of this island and an attending student at Magikos Akademia. She is currently fifteen-years-old, she is pure in both Greek and magical blood, although she has no close living relatives. A few scattered cousins here and there, a distant aunt, nothing more substantial. Her father is unknown to her, perhaps dead. Her mother dead of draft poisoning. No siblings, her nanny controls her estate in her name until she comes of age. Her grandfather was Sebastian Vasilis, famed dragon tamer and owner of the local dragon crystal mines, now deceased."
Severus longed to turn the picture around, to gaze upon her again as he listened. He resisted the urge, instead saying,
"She is incomprehensibly beautiful, pure of blood, wealthy...and very, very alone."
Therius nodded, turning the picture over again and sitting back.
"That is not all...Have you ever traced the bloodlines of the Vasilis family? The Karakinos?" He asked.
Severus shook his head shortly, his eyes drawn to the photo that lay between them.
"My masters' interests have not yet reached these lands. My interests are his," he said, his hungry eyes tracing along the girls slender collarbone.
"I am sure that will change once has seen this one. I have traced her bloodlines, sir. I am confidant to say she may possess Ancient Magick, for those lines flow to many of the Ancient Magicians of Greece," Therius' deep voice rumbled around him, churning his already spinning mind.
He felt as though his senses were overpowered by elegant contours, silken skin, lustrous hair and consuming silver-tinted purple eyes.
"Which ones?" He heard his own voice asking, barely managing to tuck the picture out of sight in his pocket.
"Zeus, Aries, Cronus, Hades, Dione, Adonis...Aphrodite, many more even. You know how the Ancient Ones intermingled. Her blood is very pure. Her family has owned their estate on Crete for generations, and they do not mingle their blood. Although the views of bloodlines differ here in Greece, money begets money. Money is drawn to money. Purebloods here are often linked to the wealthiest families, that wealth more often than not gained through magical means. We do not see Muggleborns' as less efficient in manners of magic, but they are often of rougher stock...And, naturally, lower in society. It is a sense of propriety," Therius replied.
Severus nodded shortly again, feeling the photograph burn in his pocket. Looking out the window, he didn't think that he would make it back tonight. The Ministry was prohibiting Apparition after midnight, and it would be too dark to fly in the storm. Still, the photo burned...itched...throbbed, like a wound needing to be tended to.
"Magikos Akademia has been shut down, in light of your masters' return to power. There was a curse sent to the schools' Head Master, and several more sent to other Masters' and the Academy Senate; all of whom died, all of which can be traced easily to your Dark Lord," Therius' voice resounded, weary and resigned.
Severus managed to contain the smile that tickled at the corner of his mouth.
"The same has been said to happen at several other academies around the world. All magical institutions, all suffering losses in magnitudes that frighten the entire communities. Children would not be able to attend their schools, even if they were open," Therius' continued.
His dark eyes looked hard at Severus before he added,
"It seems your master seeks to make an impression on the entire world, this time around."
"It seems," was all Severus gave.
"He may very well succeed; I have heard rumor of his great army...of how it grows each and every day. His ranks swell with wizard and creature alike," Therius said
"It is true, so very true," Severus said, finally allowing his smile to come forth.
"This is why I put myself forward, and anything I can give to help your Lord," Therius held himself very still, watching Severus with his dark eyes.
Severus nodded in time, saying,
"I will put this bit of information before my master, and let him know from whence it came. Most especially, from whom."
Therius nodded too, looking relieved.
"Several students from the closed institutions have applied for transfer to Hogwarts, which is one of few schools to remain open in these times; for the governors have been disbanded and the staff and students are quite untouchable. Britain has learned better ways to defend itself against the Dark Lord, Dumbledore anticipates his moves-"
"Dumbledore is an old fool, as is anyone who believes otherwise!" Severus interjected in a hissing voice.
Therius inclined his head in submission.
"Nonetheless, Hogwarts remains under his control and out of harms way. A safe haven for determined students to study and advance. And you remain employed there as a staff member. Our Kalista is one of those determined students, very determined...Right now, as we speak, she seeks entry into your domain. She seeks, of her own accord, to be closer to your Lord's grasp..." he continued.
Severus narrowed his eyes, continuing to feel the photo burn and itch within his pocket.
"You are very well-informed, Mister Therius," he said in a growling voice, standing to leave.
Therius stood as well, giving a sweeping bow as he replied,
"I am."
Severus gave one last curt nod before exiting the mangy bar in a flourish of black robes.