DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter or any associated characters, objects, places, events, etc. They belong to J.K. Rowling. Nolan (and any other OCs that may or may not pop up) is the only person I can lay claim to.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This is not an entirely new concept of mine. Over a year ago (I had originally intended to release this on the one year mark, but never got around to it), I wrote a brief, Mary Sue-ish one shot called In Tall Order. It featured Voldemort's most loyal and trusted follower, an unnamed female Death Eater of my invention. She was an animagus who turned into a giraffe and was based off of a conversation I had with a friend of mine.

So why revisit this concept? I'm not particularly pleased with the original, for one. It just wasn't well planned. People familiar with my other stories know that I tend to do a lot of research to keep things as canon as my alterations will allow. One thing I found out in during some Harry Potter related web browsing was that one doesn't choose their animagus form. It makes sense if you think about. Why would you want to turn into a rat (I'm looking at you Peter Pettigrew)? Wouldn't you wanna be something badass? So a person's animagus form represents their inner being. That being said, in order for someone to become a giraffe they'd have to be giraffe-ish. That's how Nolan was born.

Firstly, some basics on giraffes:

1. Super tall (duh)

2. Fairly quiet. (Can you tell me off the top of your head what sound they make?)

3. Spend a lot of time keeping watch for predators

I also found a personality test that characterizes people as animals and found some interesting traits for people considered giraffes.

1. Again, tall

2. Graceful, confident, and elegant

3. Somewhat self-conscious about their height, but never ashamed of it

4. Aloof in nature, a sort of by-product of their height that only draws more attention to it

5. Not overly intelligent, since they've never needed to use their intelligence to get ahead in life, but can display a sharp wit when necessary

So in a nutshell, Nolan's character design incorporates traits from both actual giraffes and human "giraffes." Another thing that anyone familiar with my work also knows that I'm all about slash…so naturally Nolan's gay. Interestingly enough, there's a study showing that up to 94% of observed giraffe mountings were male on male, making Nolan's sexual orientation a possible contributing factor to his animagus form. Alright, that's enough background stuff.

In Taller Order

Chapter 1: First Encounter

"Nolan?" Lucius Malfoy inquired as he entered Riddle House.

The tall man he'd addressed turned, his wavy strawberry blonde swinging against his shoulders as he moved. A smile lit up his face at the sight of the blonde aristocrat.

"It is you," Lucius exclaimed, pulling Nolan into a friendly embrace. "I'll be damned! I'd heard a new member was joining our ranks, but I never would have guessed."

Lucius had been a second year when Nolan Blackwell had begun his Hogwarts career. He was quiet and aloof in manner, towering over his peers even at eleven. Upon being sorted into Slytherin, he and Lucius had become fast friends.

"How are you?" Lucius said.

"I'm well, Lucius," Nolan replied with a polite nod.

Lucius smiled, admiring his old friend. The young man looked well indeed. He was as tall as ever, standing a good head above Lucius. He was well-dressed and clean-shaven. His strawberry blonde locks fell in glossy waves just below his shoulders and his deep green eyes sparkled. He was a handsome man, one whom women died to be close to, but Nolan had never shared their admiration. At the age of fifteen, he'd come out as gay to Lucius and their first year companion, Severus Snape. The two barely batted an eyelash at Nolan's proclamation. The two of them, Lucius in particular, had suspected so for some time.

"I'm glad you've decided to join us," Lucius said with a smile.

"Why wouldn't I?" Nolan replied with a smirk.

It had taken him a bit longer to in the ranks of the up-and-coming dark wizard Voldemort than Lucius, but that was due to a family tragedy. He'd intended to join right after school, as Lucius had, but his mother had become sick, passing away recently. The Blackwells, much like the Malfoys, were a wealthy wizard family that took great pride in their pure blood status. Nolan's father had died in Azkaban years ago, imprisoned for torturing and killing Muggles.

"The Dark Lord will see you now."

Bellatrix Lestrange entered the atrium of the manor, fixing Nolan with a distasteful look. She didn't approve of Nolan's choice in sexual partners. As the only child of a noble Pureblood family, he was destroying the potent magical bloodline by choosing not to reproduce, at least in her eyes. With the exception of a handful of older witches and wizards, most people didn't share her thoughts.

"I'm surprised he'll even take you," she sneered up at him. "Does he know what you are?"

"I'm sure it will be of no great concern to him," Nolan retorted. "As far as I know, he's not recruiting followers based on sexual orientation."

Bellatrix snorted and left the manor, her head held high. Lucius chuckled as the pair headed down the hall in the direction Bellatrix had come from.

"If she wasn't Narcissa's sister, I would have nothing to do with the woman," he said. "She's absolutely mad."

"How is Narcissa?" Nolan asked.

"Very well," Lucius replied with a smile. "We are to be married sometime next year."

"Congratulations, my friend," Nolan said.

The pair stopped outside a door. Nolan swallowed and took a deep breath.

"You'll be fine," Lucius reassured. "Just be sure to mind your manners."

Nolan nodded and entered the room. Most of the room was dark, the only light coming from the large fireplace.

"You must be Nolan," the Dark Lord said, his body hidden by the back of the winged armchair he sat in, facing the fire.

"Yes, sir," Nolan confirmed, trying to keep his voice from shaking.

The presence of this man, even though he wasn't visible, was making Nolan more nervous than he'd ever been in his life. Just that voice alone did something to him that he couldn't explain. Nolan could fell the power that radiated from the man in the armchair. He'd never encountered a stronger magical signature, except maybe from Albus Dumbledore.

"Come," Voldemort invited, extending a pale, long-fingered hand toward the other chair. "Sit. Let us talk."

Nolan slowly approached the fire, his heart hammering behind his ribs as he tried to prepare himself to come face to face with the man in the chair. He sat down, crossing his long legs, and turned to Voldemort. He'd heard that the man was nearly fifty, but he looked much younger. His bloodshot blue eyes were the only thing that betrayed his age, gleaming with knowledge and wisdom that far surpassed Nolan's. His pale skin was delicate looking and nearly transparent, the superficial veins near his temples visible beneath it. His dark hair was neatly parted to the side and just brushed the tops of his ears.

"Nolan Blackwell," Voldemort said, slowly pronouncing each syllable in an almost seductive manner that made Nolan even more nervous. "I'm familiar with your father. He was a great man."

"Indeed he was, sir," Nolan agreed, the praise of his father putting him at ease. "He would have no doubt been a supporter of you were he still alive."

"Yes," Voldemort agreed. "Such a shame that he died the way he did, imprisoned for such a noble cause. I imagine he'd be very proud to know that you've decided to join our ranks."

"Yes, I suppose he would," Nolan said. "Mum was. She died knowing I would go on to do great things for the advancement of our race."

"Well, you mustn't disappoint her," Voldemort replied with a smirk. "Now you and Lucius have been friends since you were young?"

"Yes, sir," Nolan answered. "Ever since my first day at Hogwarts. He's a year older than me."

"Excellent," Voldemort said. "Lucius has great potential. The Malfoys are a powerful family, as are the Blackwells."

Nolan nodded in agreement.

"He also tells me you have a special talent. What is it it?"

"Oh that!" Nolan exclaimed after a moment of confusion. "I'm an Animagus."

Nolan had begun the process at thirteen, soon after learning about them in class. He'd struggled for several years, finally able to complete it during his six year.

"Really?" Voldemort said with genuine interest. "Show me."

"We'd have to go outside," he replied. "The ceilings aren't high enough."

"Very well," said Voldemort.

He stood and Nolan realized that the Dark Lord was also rather tall, just a few inches shorter than Nolan himself. They headed out the back door into the darkened gardens. Nolan took a few steps back before changing. Nolan looked down at the Dark Lord from his new altitude of about nineteen feet. A brief laugh escaped Voldemort's lips, genuine delight and amusement showing on his face as he looked up at the giraffe that stood before him.

"Not horribly practical," he chuckled. "But an interesting creature nonetheless."

Nolan walked towards Voldemort, lowering his head to the Dark Lord's level. Voldemort reached out a hand and gently stroked Nolan between his large green eyes, a striking color against the reddish splotched tawny fur.

"You're an interesting man, Nolan Blackwell," Voldemort said, removing his hand as Nolan changed back. "I'd like to offer you a place in my army."

"I'd be honored to have it," Nolan said with a slight bow.

"Excellent," Voldemort smirked. "Give me your arm."

Nolan extended his left forearm, pulling back his sleeve as he did. Voldemort took hold of it with one hand and held his wand to the flesh with his other. Nolan hissed at the burning sensation and watched as the skull and snake blossomed around the wand's tip.

"Welcome aboard," Voldemort said, releasing Nolan's arm.

"Thank you," Nolan replied with a smile.

"So how'd it go?" Lucius asked as they arrived at Malfoy Manor later that night.

"Very well," Nolan said. "He told me I was interesting."

"A complement from the Dark Lord?" Lucius exclaimed, his eyes widening. "That's a rare gift, my friend. You must have left one hell of an impression."

"I suppose so," Nolan said.