Greetings, and unless you're a bloody idiot, you know that J.K. Rowling's wonderful creations belong to her, and I am Tamaska and not J.K. Rowling.
The name 'Aisling' is pronounced 'Ashling." I know, it confused me at first, too.
I am hoping that this will be a novel length fic, but we'll see how things go.
I hope you can figure out the significance of the title. Cupcakes and PopRocks to those who figure it out and can report back to me.
Enough babbling, and on with the show!
-- TDV --
The Dreaming Viper
Chapter One: Genesis
The Dark Lord sat on his plinth and regarded the man below. He was American, but of a caliber that not many Americans possessed.
"What is your will, my Lord?" The man's voice was slightly muffled, due to the burnoose wrapped tightly around his head. His voice was not unpleasant, deeply resonant, with an accent just different enough to be intriguing, but one that would make him distinguishable among the hordes of Death Eaters he had under his command.
His family knelt behind him. A wife, brunette and petite. Two sons, several years apart, one blonde and the other brunette, well built. A daughter. A rare beauty.
His eyes lingered over her. Her eyes were cast down, but he could see delicate features cast in a delicate shade of ivory with thick folds of black hair hanging over her shoulders. A glint of silver gleamed on her nose and eyebrow and on the little bit of her ears he could see. She wore black well, as if accustomed to it, and she would wear a Death Eater's mask well.
Perhaps.
"Your daughter, Blake. How old?"
"Sixteen, my Lord."
Excellent.
"And her name?"
"Aisling."
"Do you have any objection to sending her to school?" The question was a formality, all present knew that his word was law.
"None, my Lord. Does this mean you accept our service?"
The Dark Lord paused. He had to admit, the proposal was intriguing. Rather intriguing. His eyes rested on Aisling again. Her red lip was clutched in her teeth, showing either anxiety or anger. He probed her mind, but was met with a forest of resistance. She'd been taught Occlumency. Most excellent.
Her eyes darted up to meet his for an instant and the corner of her mouth turned upward. Intriguing.
"I believe so, Mr. Blake. You and your wife may approach." He withdrew his wand from the folds of his robe and held it before them. Mason's wife eyed it in mild trepidation, but Mason touched her wrist lightly. She relaxed.
"You know what this means. You now belong to me. I find that you have betrayed me, I will kill you and your family. You serve me well, you will be rewarded. Your family serves me well, your star will join the Dark Mark in the sky."
Both Blake and his wife nodded.
"Death before dishonor. Remember that."
A lengthy incantation was spoken and the Mark was branded indelibly on both their arms. They were his. His eyes rested on Aisling once again. Her face was a mask, but her eyes blazed. They were remarkably similar to Lucius and Draco's eyes. A little darker, perhaps, with more secrets concealed behind them.
"Aisling Blake. I have a task for you. Do you accept?" His eyes held a challenge. She could read that declination meant death, whereas acceptance meant either success or failure, but failure also meant death. Not much of a choice.
"I don't believe I have another option." She spoke candidly. He liked that.
"I don't believe you do," he almost chuckled. How unlike him. "Well, then. You will attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your only duty is to succeed well. You will, however, serve as a support to my agent there, Draco Malfoy, who is some months your elder, if I am correct."
She nodded.
He probed her mind again, leaves and branches obscuring her thoughts and will. It was an unusual technique, this distraction instead of resistance. Every other mind he had invaded had some sort of resistance, be it a dense fog or a brick wall. Aisling employed a different tactic, making no attempt to dissuade intruders from entering, but not allowing them control. The forest was a fascinating distraction, intricate and detailed, many things to draw the attention of the invader and keep them from their goal. On one hand, it would be less draining because a resistance took great energy to maintain, but on the other hand, it would be quite tiresome to sustain because of the detail. He would have to look into this.
Thoughts whirled around his head as he regard Aisling. He'd have to warn Draco to keep his hands off her, it would not do to have his agents in the school distracted by each other. Although it would be easier to keep them in line, threaten one to keep the other in check.
"Lucius." A robed man behind the throne stepped forward. "Summon your son. Miss Blake and Draco must meet and become accustomed to each other if they are to work together with any semblance of success."
Lucius nodded and strode from the room. We would see.