Meetings
The room was cold, dark and dank. It reeked of misery. A kind of scent that made any normal person gag, sickly, creeping and slimy. Lucius Malfoy raised his eyes around his surroundings and suppressed the urge to shudder.
A long, dry, scaly python curled tantalizingly around his ankles, hissing softly. There was little light. A blue tinted flame glowed in the grate but no link to the outside light could be found. The floor was dusty and had foot and slither marks cut into it.
The black throne like chair seemed out of place in such a dowdy place. In it sat his master. The black hooded shape seemed to fill the room with its presence, but he could only see his eyes. Those fear inspiring, blood- curdling, merciless red eyes.
When he finally spoke, his voice was raspy as though a great weight was pressing upon his throat.
"You want to know, Lucius." He stated - there was no question about it.
"Yes, my lord." Malfoy replied, dipping his head slightly. Even though Voldemort was half-hidden, Lucius felt as exposed as ever.
"Then you should know," The snake tightened slightly. "That they are back, Lucius. The daughter is on a little job for me."
"A job, my lord?" Malfoy asked tentatively.
The light in the eyes went out for a moment, as though he had closed his lidless eyes.
"Indeed." Came the voice again. "Speak to her, give her what she needs, Lucius."
Lucius was uncertain what he meant but he knew, by the finality in his master's voice, that it was time to go.
************************
The treetops of the Forbidden Forest were silhouetted against the evening sky, creating great palisades of foliage. Chilly air brushed against her ivory skin. She crossed her arms around her chest, attempting to block out some of the bite.
She strained her eyes against the darkness, an ideal cover for their plans, but she could see nothing. The wind whipped around her too, blocking out all sounds. This was annoying, she thought to herself, dragging her out here into the cold and then not showing up. Typical.
Then she felt it. On her shoulder, a short, sharp pain.
She wheeled around and found her eyes fusing with harsh pewter ones.
"Jesus!" She swore out loud though the gusts of wind carried her voice away.
"What?" Lucius Malfoy frowned, trying to comprehend what had been said. His silver staff in his out stretched hand.
Rowan sighed. "Silencium vendrida." She called and at once her voice became audible.
"What did you do that for?" She said to Lucius Malfoy, who was still taking in the appearance of the new addition. He could just make out the silver and green stripes of her tie, underneath her black cloak.
"Pardon?" He asked in a confused manner.
"Creep up on me." Rowan replied still feeling annoyed. "You could have, oh I don't know. Just don't do it again. Ok?"
He raised his eyebrows at her, his arrogant nature showing through. But instead of arguing or retaliating he simply said. "If you wish."
Rowan softened slightly at his response, looking down for the first time.
They proceeded to walk around the outer borders of the darkened forest, speaking in low tones as to not disturb any of the beasts that dwelt within.
"Why did you not attend?" Lucius was talking about their master's rebirth, last summer.
Rowan paused, wondering how to phrase her answer. "It was not right. No. It could have jeopardized my work this year."
"How?" He asked curiously. The youngest of the Lennox family intrigued him more than he would care to admit. She slid her dark, penetrating blue eyes into his, giving him a look of hidden depths. "That would be telling." She said teasingly.
They continued to discuss things for another fifteen minutes, the sky deepened to yet another shade of purple. At last Rowan looked at her silver watch.
"I'd better go." She said dreamily. "Draco, will be getting jealous." Smiling wickedly at Lucius she turned and started to head up towards the main castle.
He looked thoughtfully at the ground his hand finding its way back to his chin. "Wait." He called back to the fifth year student. "How much should I say?"
Rowan looked back over her cloaked shoulder and said softly. "However much you believe will entice him. Night, Lucius." With that she disappeared into the folds of the night.
************************
Feeling even more vexed than Rowan, Draco Malfoy entered his dormitory. The abstractly shaped room took on the form of a serpent. His bed was at the tip. Passing the snores of Crabbe and Goyle he reached it and drew back the heavy hangings.
To his surprise there was a scroll of parchment waiting for him on his feather filled pillow. He frowned and looked at it from both sides just to make sure it was nothing suspicious. Having quenched his fears, Draco unrolled it and proceeded to read its contents.
// Draco,
I have been held up and cannot reach Hogwarts tonight. However the news of Lennox's arrival is very interesting.
She is part of a family that left for Albania just before the Dark Lord's demise. I would warn you Draco not to advertise the fact that I have written to you. She could be damaging to the new reputation that I have built up. Do not do anything I would regret.
I warn you, Draco, there is nothing more dangerous than those whose true loyalties are well hidden. Be careful.
Lucius. //
Draco put down the letter with an indignant huff. "Be careful." He mimicked. "What does he think she's going to do?"
He put the letter into his bedside cabinet and got changed into his nightclothes. As he pulled shut the hangings and settled down for the night, he vowed to find out what this Lennox girl was all about.
"I'll find out..I'll do it.." He said sleepily as the world of dreams enclosed him for another night.
%% Thanks for all your reviews! Please keep reading and reviewing because it really does make it worth writing. %%
The room was cold, dark and dank. It reeked of misery. A kind of scent that made any normal person gag, sickly, creeping and slimy. Lucius Malfoy raised his eyes around his surroundings and suppressed the urge to shudder.
A long, dry, scaly python curled tantalizingly around his ankles, hissing softly. There was little light. A blue tinted flame glowed in the grate but no link to the outside light could be found. The floor was dusty and had foot and slither marks cut into it.
The black throne like chair seemed out of place in such a dowdy place. In it sat his master. The black hooded shape seemed to fill the room with its presence, but he could only see his eyes. Those fear inspiring, blood- curdling, merciless red eyes.
When he finally spoke, his voice was raspy as though a great weight was pressing upon his throat.
"You want to know, Lucius." He stated - there was no question about it.
"Yes, my lord." Malfoy replied, dipping his head slightly. Even though Voldemort was half-hidden, Lucius felt as exposed as ever.
"Then you should know," The snake tightened slightly. "That they are back, Lucius. The daughter is on a little job for me."
"A job, my lord?" Malfoy asked tentatively.
The light in the eyes went out for a moment, as though he had closed his lidless eyes.
"Indeed." Came the voice again. "Speak to her, give her what she needs, Lucius."
Lucius was uncertain what he meant but he knew, by the finality in his master's voice, that it was time to go.
************************
The treetops of the Forbidden Forest were silhouetted against the evening sky, creating great palisades of foliage. Chilly air brushed against her ivory skin. She crossed her arms around her chest, attempting to block out some of the bite.
She strained her eyes against the darkness, an ideal cover for their plans, but she could see nothing. The wind whipped around her too, blocking out all sounds. This was annoying, she thought to herself, dragging her out here into the cold and then not showing up. Typical.
Then she felt it. On her shoulder, a short, sharp pain.
She wheeled around and found her eyes fusing with harsh pewter ones.
"Jesus!" She swore out loud though the gusts of wind carried her voice away.
"What?" Lucius Malfoy frowned, trying to comprehend what had been said. His silver staff in his out stretched hand.
Rowan sighed. "Silencium vendrida." She called and at once her voice became audible.
"What did you do that for?" She said to Lucius Malfoy, who was still taking in the appearance of the new addition. He could just make out the silver and green stripes of her tie, underneath her black cloak.
"Pardon?" He asked in a confused manner.
"Creep up on me." Rowan replied still feeling annoyed. "You could have, oh I don't know. Just don't do it again. Ok?"
He raised his eyebrows at her, his arrogant nature showing through. But instead of arguing or retaliating he simply said. "If you wish."
Rowan softened slightly at his response, looking down for the first time.
They proceeded to walk around the outer borders of the darkened forest, speaking in low tones as to not disturb any of the beasts that dwelt within.
"Why did you not attend?" Lucius was talking about their master's rebirth, last summer.
Rowan paused, wondering how to phrase her answer. "It was not right. No. It could have jeopardized my work this year."
"How?" He asked curiously. The youngest of the Lennox family intrigued him more than he would care to admit. She slid her dark, penetrating blue eyes into his, giving him a look of hidden depths. "That would be telling." She said teasingly.
They continued to discuss things for another fifteen minutes, the sky deepened to yet another shade of purple. At last Rowan looked at her silver watch.
"I'd better go." She said dreamily. "Draco, will be getting jealous." Smiling wickedly at Lucius she turned and started to head up towards the main castle.
He looked thoughtfully at the ground his hand finding its way back to his chin. "Wait." He called back to the fifth year student. "How much should I say?"
Rowan looked back over her cloaked shoulder and said softly. "However much you believe will entice him. Night, Lucius." With that she disappeared into the folds of the night.
************************
Feeling even more vexed than Rowan, Draco Malfoy entered his dormitory. The abstractly shaped room took on the form of a serpent. His bed was at the tip. Passing the snores of Crabbe and Goyle he reached it and drew back the heavy hangings.
To his surprise there was a scroll of parchment waiting for him on his feather filled pillow. He frowned and looked at it from both sides just to make sure it was nothing suspicious. Having quenched his fears, Draco unrolled it and proceeded to read its contents.
// Draco,
I have been held up and cannot reach Hogwarts tonight. However the news of Lennox's arrival is very interesting.
She is part of a family that left for Albania just before the Dark Lord's demise. I would warn you Draco not to advertise the fact that I have written to you. She could be damaging to the new reputation that I have built up. Do not do anything I would regret.
I warn you, Draco, there is nothing more dangerous than those whose true loyalties are well hidden. Be careful.
Lucius. //
Draco put down the letter with an indignant huff. "Be careful." He mimicked. "What does he think she's going to do?"
He put the letter into his bedside cabinet and got changed into his nightclothes. As he pulled shut the hangings and settled down for the night, he vowed to find out what this Lennox girl was all about.
"I'll find out..I'll do it.." He said sleepily as the world of dreams enclosed him for another night.
%% Thanks for all your reviews! Please keep reading and reviewing because it really does make it worth writing. %%