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Chapter Thirty One
Secret Combinations
Anguis was quite glad for the Hogsmeade weekend at the end of November. Once he had been informed of Mr. Creevey's sighting of both he and Veneficus as they ducked away to use the time-turner, the Sith Lord had increased the amount of training that Anguis was expected to complete, focusing heavily on stealth and secrecy. This left precious little time remaining in the majority of their future reruns of hours down in the Chamber for anything else, let alone Anguis long awaited reveal of his discovery about Lord Slytherin.
Finally he did get his chance, the day of the outing when Veneficus seemed to be more merciful on Anguis' workload. Beckoning his master into Slytherin's private library, Anguis hurriedly explained his long hours of work and slow progress with what few book had been merely magically sealed. Finally, he presented the first book he had successfully opened with the Dark Side, and watched the hungry look flash over his Master's eyes before it was replaced with a grim satisfaction.
"Well done Acolyte," Veneficus said, as he stroke through the shelves, caressing several books with his hands as he passed. "These will become a great asset to us during our remaining time in this castle."
Anguis felt the surge of pride well up in his chest. They were the words that the boy Draco had always wanted to hear, while ultimately desired to be heard from his father's mouth. It felt exactly as he had imagined, to be appreciated for a job successfully completed.
"I believe you have a Hogsmeade visit to get to," Veneficus continued, turning toward the entrance of the chamber, and motioning for Anguis to follow. Anguis' happiness grew somewhat, was he being rewarded with permission to depart. Or… his heart grew suspicious… or was Veneficus trying to send him away so that he could browse the library on his own and remove what he felt that Anguis shouldn't have access to.
"That's not necessary Master," Anguis started to protest, but Veneficus interrupted him.
"Nonsense, I believe we have both earned a good rest for this day, and where better than the village below. Quite the sight to see, or so I've been told…"
Anguis raised an eyebrow as Veneficus passed him through the staircase entrance of the secret tunnel up to the now completely vacated bathroom. "But I thought you were forbidden from going?" Anguis said uncertain.
Veneficus sobered, but continued to smile as he withdrew something from his pocket. "True, Acolyte, the Headmaster and others have deemed their wishes that I not going into the village as is my right, but seeing as I can do what I please, I think I will attend regardless of their desires."
Anguis furrowed his brow, perplexed at this very odd change in his Master, "How?"
Veneficus smiled, as he unfolded a piece of very old and yellowed parchment, "By means of the intriguing map I recovered." As they exited onto the second floor corridor, Anguis leaned over to get a good look at the map. His eyes widened as he saw the many secret passages and moving dots with attached names crawling over the surface.
As they entered the staircase, Veneficus indicated a place one floor higher than them. "Here," he said, pointing at the spot where a statue of a one-eyed witch stood. "This would be the best place to sneak under the school to the village."
The one problem was the two dots that were hovering around the same statue. Fred and George Weasley, the school pranksters, barely glanced at them as the pair of Darksiders approached the statue. Anguis was able to catch just a small selection of their whispered conversation as the twins were searching the statue.
"…can't believe you lost it Fred, two years of wondrous pranking hindered because of your oversight." The one twin, George probably, was saying angrily.
"My oversight! You had the map last time we saw it, it was probably you who left it behind who knows where…" Fred shot back.
Veneficus cleared his throat loudly to attract their attention, "Lose something gentlemen?" he said, smirking.
The Gryffindors glared at the two Slytherins, and silently began stalking away. At that moment, Veneficus glanced down at the parchment in his hands, before folding it and tucking it away in a pocket. Both twins froze, their eyes wide and staring at the pocket that the Sith Lord had placed the parchment.
"What?" Veneficus said innocently, still smirking at the pair of them.
"What was that," one of the twins said pointedly.
The Sith shrugged, "Just a spare bit of parchment I had some notes on. Nothing you two would be too interested in…" Anguis smirked as he realized exactly what was transpiring between the Gryffindor's and the Sith.
On the one hand, the twins were well feared throughout the school for their jokes, which could turn quite nasty if it was on something they wanted revenge on. On the other however, was Veneficus, whom nearly every student in the school who had a brain feared, because of his odd nature and rather sinister aura that he projected when even the slightest bit annoyed.
It was indeed a battle of wills between the most influential students in the school. The twins narrowed their eyes, while Veneficus merely looked bored, as if their attempts at menacing him were child's play. And they were, given what Anguis knew about the Sith's background.
"We'll be watching you, Potter," the first twin, George, said.
"I'll be waiting…" Veneficus replied as the pair stalked away, throwing glances back at the pair of Slytherins.
They waited until the Gryffindors had departed through a secret passage farther down the corridor, then Veneficus turned back to his objective.
"You had better join the rest of the children departing from the front gate. It would be rather remiss of us if you arrived some other way that the Professor do not know of…" Veneficus said with a smirk as he approached the statue and drew his wand.
Anguis nodded, and turned to dash back down to the entrance hall, only catching the sight of his master tapping the statue and opening up the hump of the witch before he turned the corner.
Racing down the join the rest of the third years, Anguis' mind wandered. The Christmas Holiday was approaching fast, and he was again expected to be present for the Malfoy Yuletide gala, which would see him trapped once again in the spacious manor with the many eyes of his parents and their servants preventing him from doing anything anywhere near to productive.
Thinking hard, Anguis strove to devise a way for him to be isolated for a prolonged time to at least work on the project Veneficus had set their group on. He had had next to no time to work on it thus far, and the holiday would be perfect for him to give it his undivided attention. Perhaps he would simply give in and ward his room off from the rest of the house. His parents had never denied him from using magic in the house, but Anguis knew that they would be very curious as to why their son was suddenly choosing to be secretive.
It would be a fine tightrope to walk around them, but it had the highest probability of success. With all that was bound to be going on, it was likely that anything he chose to do would go unnoticed. Given Lucius and Narcissa's drive to make sure that they looked like the perfect family in front of their fellow nobles.
It didn't take the group long to arrive at the village, where they were promptly dismissed to their own devices until dinner. Anguis wondered for a small while, where and when, Lord Veneficus would appear, and wandered the streets alone, glancing at the many varied shops in boredom. He had been to the village many times as a child, and was very acquainted with what they had to offer.
Just as he passed Honeydukes sweet shop, Anguis sensed his master approaching him from behind, and partially turned to casually glance in that direction. Seeing nothing, Anguis realized that his master was wearing his cloak of invisibility, which was confirmed when the Sith Lord placed a hand on his shoulder to indicate his arrival.
"I confess my lack of knowledge regarding this place," Veneficus said, keeping his voice low to prevent eavesdroppers listening in, "But I desire to see all that there is to see today, that I may know exactly what is worthy on my return in the future."
"As you wish my Lord," Anguis replied, bending his head forward to appear to any onlookers as to be mumbling to himself, and he led the invisible Sith around the village, pointing out and describing the various stores and buildings. Anguis knew that most were rather mundane to Veneficus, from his aura of neutral boredom in the Force, but there were a small few that perked the black haired boy's interest.
They ended with the Three Broomsticks, and Anguis opened the door to admit them both in for a refreshing tankard of Butterbeer each. They chose one of the more concealed tables, sitting near to the door but separated by a large Christmas tree from view of most of the tavern, and sat in relative silence as they partook of the delicious amber liquid.
The door to the snowy lane opened just then, admitting several of the Professors, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Hagrid, as well as Minister Cornelius Fudge. Anguis recognized him from several of the past Malfoy gatherings, of which Fudge was keen to make an appearance at.
"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" said the pub owner, Madam Rosmerta, as she arrived to serve the four their drinks.
The Sith Acolyte attempted to tune out the annoying voices and enjoy his drink, but the conversation from the next table over quickly plunged into a topic that he was keenly interested: Sirius Black. Granted, Anguis was only interested as far as it concerned his Master, as the man was out to kill him, and if he was able to provide some sort of advantage in capturing or killing the man, he could potentially be greatly rewarded.
Fudge had the tact to at least check for eavesdroppers before responding, not that it did much good in preventing the two Force users from hearing their table perfectly, amplifying their hearing as needed. "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school this Halloween?"
"I did hear a rumor," admitted the barmaid. Anguis rolled his eyes. Veneficus was clearly right about the traditionalists of the pure-blood society. Why were they only now registering and acting about Black when the event was almost two months ago?
"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" Rosmerta continued, taking a seat and leaning in to whisper to Fudge.
"I'm sure of it," the Minister responded shortly. Anguis mentally scoffed again, the fat little man was never sure of anything unless he had a dozen other people advise him on exactly what to do, according to Lucius.
The other various members at the table voiced their concerns about the Dementors and their doubts that Black lingered around the village, but Fudge was firm in his position, probably well-oiled in that direction by gold from a rich vault.
"All the same," Fudge said, dismissing their protests, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse… We all know what Black's capable of…"
An audible scoff sounded from where Veneficus sat.
"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," Rosmerta said. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought…"
"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," Fudge replied gruffly, seemingly annoyed at the course the conversation was steering toward. "The worst he did isn't widely known…" he added darkly.
"The worst?!" Rosmerta said, her voice bursting with concern and curiosity. ""Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"
Anguis sighed to himself. Most people thought very little about what Sirius Black was sent to Azkaban for, less still realized that he was sent away immediately, with no trial or any sort of formal conviction. Anguis only knew a minor amount from what was hinted at by Veneficus, and from what his father had gloated about whenever the subject of the Blacks was brought up.
The occupants of the next table continued for several minutes longer, bantering back and forth useless details about Black's school life with James Potter several others, namely a person named Peter Pettigrew.
"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" Flitwick added, having been silent for most of the conversation. "Inseparable!"
"Of course they were," Fudge said, but his voice betrayed how little he cared for that detail. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has very surely no idea of course, but I did feel it in the best interest for his safety that his guardian Lord Blackmoore be informed of the dire situation. It ought to be at his discretion whether the boy learns that fact after all."
"Because Black was in league with You-Know-Who?" Rosmerta whispered, fear evident in her Force aura.
"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge said, dropping his voice even lower. He was growing more willing to talk as they continued, apparently as he felt important to have people hanging on his every word. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies that tipped him off and he advised the Potters to go into hiding immediately. Their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."
Rosmerta looked confused at the name of the spell, and Flitwick quickly explained the basics of the powerful protective charm. Finally nodding when the tiny Professor had finished, she asked for clarification, "So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?"
"Naturally," McGonagall interjected. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would rather die than tell anyone where they were, and that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the secret keeper himself if the Potters would reconsider."
"He suspected Black?" Rosmerta gasped. Shaking his head, Anguis wondered how such a ditzy woman managed to singularly own and run the most popular wizarding tavern in Britain.
"Dumbledore was sure that somebody on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who." McGonagall replied darkly.
"But James Potter insisted on using Black," Fudge continued, taking command of the story again. "And then, barely a week after the charm had been performed…"
"Black betrayed them?" Rosmerta breathed, expressing a shard of intellect in being able to figure out the point the others were dancing around.
Anguis frowned in annoyance. He had hoped for something new about the mystery Black's escape had generated, but this was all information that he had overheard from Lord Millennial himself the previous summer. Draining his Butterbeer, Anguis sensed Veneficus' desire to depart as well, and stealthily made his way to the door, bypassing the table with the Professors and Minister with barely a glance.
Anguis felt the Sith Lord moving out towards the 'haunted' Shrieking Shack. A turmoil of emotions was roiling within Veneficus, so much so that even Anguis could sense it easily. It frightened him. If Veneficus was dangerous and unpredictable normally, then now was probably the worst time for anyone to be around the young Darksider.
Veneficus removed his invisibility cloak once they were secluded within a knot of bare trees off the side of the path. He stood, his fist shaking despite Veneficus visible trying to restrain himself.
Despite his desire to leave his master and not be the victim of the Sith Lords wrath should be turn violent, Anguis stepped toward him. "My Lord, are you well?"
"Of course I am, you fool," Veneficus snapped back, turning abruptly and stalking several steps away from Anguis, indicating that he was anything but. "What do I care about these doddering incompetent wizards and their impossible skill at ineptitude? What does it mean to me that because of their own weakness, the people who gave me life died at the hands of one they called a friend? I should be pleased, that chain of events set me on this path of great power, without their deaths I would possibly have never met my Master, have never know the raw anger that would fuel the Dark Side… I'd have never…"
Veneficus hesitated, reaching hand to his face abruptly, before snarling at himself more than Anguis. The blond boy staggered back when the Force suddenly erupted from Veneficus in a baleful torrent, before slowly settling back down with great effort on the Sith's part.
"My Lord?" Anguis asked again, not understanding why he had such a death wish as to potentially provoke a volatile tidal wave of power.
"It's nothing," Veneficus said, quickly seeming to regain control of himself and dismissing Anguis concern with a swipe of the hand. "They are dead, and weak for allowing it to be so. I survived, and that's all that matters in the end. Mercy and regret is a weakness, and must be purged for the full power of the Dark Side to wash over an individual. Remember that Anguis."
And without allowing him to respond, Veneficus snatched up his cloak and started back for the village. "Come, we must return to the school before someone decides to see if their precious ignorant hero is still there."
Anguis stumbled after his master, still wondering what such a conflict of emotion would mean for his Master in the future.
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Fae Coven had remained in her quarters for the majority of her time back at the Temple after her trip to Korriban. Many had checked in on her and asked where she had gone, but she would not reveal the dark truths she had learned from the forbidden world. She had not idly moped in despair however, but was working hard at ensuring the future of the Order, if the worst was to happen.
As Jedi Grand Master, Fae had several rights that could supersede the will of the High Council if warranted, and the copying of the greater part of the Jedi Archive was one of those items. She knew if the Sith were to take the Temple, they would stop at nothing to destroy as much of the Jedi history and culture as they could, and this would help give them a second chance at rebuilding should the heart of their Order fall.
She had yet to select a secretive enough planet to store the files on however, and the process was proving quite difficult. There were many good choices, but finding one that would go perfectly unnoticed by the Sith without sacrificing the hospitality to house a select group of Jedi Guardians was far scarcer.
Hoping that the Force would guide her, Fae was now meditating as she scrolled through planet after planet in the known Galaxy, waiting for one in particular to stand out. The screen flashed with planet after planet for hours on end, but she kept her vigil until she found the one that sang through the Force as the perfect place to secret away the valuable records.
Far in the Galactic south, well within the Outer Rim, and just a small jump away from the moderately trafficked Rimma Trade Route, this uncolonized planet was a mere speck in the eyes of the Galaxy, not even worthy of a universally recognized name. Teeming with life, it would be well shielded if Force users were to escape there for a long span of time.
Once the copy and download of the Archive was completed, all that was needed was for someone trusted to be selected to carry it to the planet. Master Coven had already selected her candidate, and summoned her via com-link immediately.
Mere minutes later, there came a knock on Fae's private room, and upon receiving an invitation, a Twi'lek Jedi knight entered, the light from the hallway shining off her Sea-blue face and lekku. "You summoned me, Master Coven," she said respectfully, and Fae smiled in return.
"Knight Laudara, I'm glad you've come." The Jennet Master said as she turned to recover the airtight preservation capsule that would soon contain the data cards that would preserve the priceless information that Jedi had collected for centuries. "I need you to take this to the Archive, and retrieve the special research that I requested from Master Quist, and then return it to me; I have a special assignment for you that will require that research."
"Oh course Master," the Twi'lek Jedi Knight replied with a bow, before taking the container and departed.
Fae smiled as the young Jedi left. Laudara was a very calm and trusting Jedi, never prone to disagreeing with the wisdom of her Masters. It was both a blessing, so long as she continued to listen to the correct sources of guidance. Inevitable however, she would need to learn to rely on her own experience and make her own choices.
For now, however, it was best that she not question what Master Coven was requesting, as the council would not be overly pleased that the Grand Master would circumvent their authority in such a matter, especially one that housed so much danger if the records were ever discovered.
But if word was to reach the council, Coven would defend her position unabashedly, and by the time they could learn of it, the deed would be done regardless of their wishes. Fae would defend the Jedi Order's existence, should the worst of her fears come to light.
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Veneficus knew that over the remaining days of the term Anguis watched him closely, fearing about the dramatic bout of emotion that had spurred up from learning the exact details of his birth parents' demise. He knew the boy thought he might be conflicted, possibly weak, but if Anguis tried anything, Veneficus would not hesitate to kill him.
There was no conflict; Veneficus' thoughts were in check. If his birth parents were so weak as to allow a jumped up dark wizard pretending to be a true power destroy them, then that was their fault and of no concern of the Sith Lord. He would avenge himself on 'lord' Voldemort, for his own reasons, and not for the destruction of his family and potential future that had been taken from him.
By extension, Black's only threat to him remained the same. The man knew too much about him, regardless of his status of his parent's betrayer, and would be removed as quickly as possible. The only thing that had changed was that he would not actively search out and eliminate the man if he had the opportunity to do so.
In the meantime, Veneficus threw himself into training, and research of many types of magical theory, continually searching out new pieces of information that could help the Sith establish themselves as the dominant power in the Galaxy once again. If he was to make a judgment call on how much he had learned and his connection to the Wild Force, he would have to assume that he was well past any student in their Sixth year at the school, thanks in no small part to his pre-established training in the Cosmic.
Naturally, he continued to keep as much of his power and learning to himself, but among those who were working for him on various projects, he was slightly more free to cast far closer to his full range of spells. None of the students had made much progress reworking magic into his designs for a star fighter as of yet, but Veneficus was patient. He knew that it would take the genius of Miss Granger to solve the riddle, and as she was preoccupied with her fruitless quest to take all the classes that the Sith Lord could. Once she realized that she did not need, or couldn't manage her work load, she would, of her own will, submit herself to being inferior to Veneficus, if not still superior to the rest of the student body.
Then, and only then, would real progress begin to move forward. With the brilliant mind of Hermione Granger, along with others to assist her in the creative process, Veneficus would be able to design weapons and other technology beyond the comprehension of this world, and perhaps the entire Galaxy.
The last day before the winter holiday, Veneficus packed what few objects he would require, and prepared to depart the school via the train back to London. Once there he expected to be quickly shuttled back to Blackmoore Manor and therefore be able to resume his training in great earnest, however Millennial seemed to have plans of his own.
Departing the train, Veneficus found neither his master nor the Neophytes there to collect him, but only Anguis' parents, wading through the crowd toward them both.
"Ah, Mr. Potter," Lucius said as they arrived, offering his hand in greeting to Veneficus, "Lord Blackmoore send his regards, but regretfully he is preoccupied and will not be able to house you over this holiday. We have graciously offered to take you in temporarily over Yule, and will see you safely returned here at the start of next term. I trust there are no objections?"
Veneficus simply smirked, "None at all, Lord Malfoy. I was hoping to have a bit more time with Draco over the holiday, and this, if far more than I had expected, is an excellent opportunity to do so. Thank you."
The man smiled smugly at that, and led Veneficus and his family to the closest available Floo, activating the magical transportation before whisking them away to the Malfoy Manor house, hidden away in Wiltshire, far from the prying eyes of the non-magical, non-Force using masses that the 'pure-blooded' wizards seemed to disdain above all else.
Not wishing to be inflicted with the aristocrat's presence longer than necessary, Veneficus convinced them quickly to allow Anguis to escort him to a guest room, unceremoniously dumping his things at the foot of the bed when they arrived. The room was adequate, if lacking in space due to the unnecessary grandeur of the furniture. But Veneficus cared little for his quarters, but was far more interested in the activities of his Acolyte the moment the door was shut and barred.
Anguis had retrieved his wand, and in an unusual act of initiative had begun casting privacy charms and ward around the perimeter of the room. Veneficus joined in almost instinctively, layering temporary spells over and around the ones the Malfoy heir was creating, which allowed his own magic a place to fixate upon the building's aura without rejection. It was intriguing, Veneficus mused, at how quickly young Anguis had shifted to being so readily secretive and outright cunning as to subvert some of his homes own defenses to provide his Sith Master with privacy.
When they finished, Anguis bent double, breathing slightly labored from the intense work of pouring magic into the wards of his home to deflect attention from his own father. "That will do for now, my Lord…" he wheezed, slowly regaining his breath and energy. "My Father will merely be able to know where you are when you are in here, but will be unable to spy on you or overhear anything said within our wards."
Veneficus nodded, pleased at his servants quick thinking and decisive action. "And what else have you planned for this little escapade of yours Lord Anguis?"
Anguis paused before smiling to himself as he answered, "Beginning the steps to separate myself from my parents hovering natures, and then, perhaps finding a place for us to train and practice in solitude."
"Then see to it, my Acolyte." Veneficus said dismissively as the blond boy made his way to the door. The Sith Lord caught the narrowed eyes and uncertain expression from Anguis, but did not react in any way, turning to his trunk to make himself more at home until the door softly shut.
Anguis was perhaps starting to think a bit too much for himself, but until he openly moved against Veneficus, the Sith would not discourage the boy. Anguis may not have had the rights and privileges of a full apprentice, but so long as Millennial or another of the Dark Side were nearby, Veneficus felt little cause to completely suppress his devious and quite inquisitive mind.
Anguis might have a dear surprise awaiting him on the day when the rest of the wizarding world sought to shower each other with pointless gifts. The one Veneficus had in mind however, while something Anguis had sought for previously would push the boy to his very limits if he truly desired to unravel its secrets completely.
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Having set aside time during the winter month of December for his excursion to Azkaban Fortress, Darth Millennial stood in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, idly wondering what strings had been pulled by Barty Crouch Sr. to ensure the Sith Lords transportation to the dreary island.
From the looks and murmuring from the Auror forces around him, it had been substantial enough for him to be recognized as a person of note. The Sith Lord had been waiting for nearly an hour in the small and very busy office space, when finally a square-jawed witch wearing a monocle emerged from the Head's office.
"Director Bones," Millennial said, offering his hand politely. The woman looked at him a calculating moment, as if sizing up an opponent, before taking the offered hand. She couldn't have been more right to do so. Millennial still found the irony delightful that this world's greatest foe stood in their midst undetected and even trusted. He had high hopes that it would be a tactic used by the Sith for generations to come, as it was always the last thing the followers of the Light suspected.
"Lord Blackmoore," she responded, her voice brisk and serious, "I trust you've come more than prepared for your intended destination."
Most of the nearby Aurors paused in their duties to overhear, knowing full well what brought the nobleman to their office.
"I am, Madam. Whenever you are ready," Millennial stated, maintaining his polite and unobtrusive atmosphere.
Bones nodded, beckoning the Sith Lord to follow her as she made her way into a back office. Once there she withdrew from her robes a dull bronze key, which she tapped with her wand while muttering, "Portus."
The object glowed blue for a fraction of a second, and Millennial cocked an eyebrow at the amount of Force energy that flowed into it. Watching the practitioners of the Wild Force was always a source of intrigue for the mutant, as the varied and at times random nature of their channeling was so fresh and novel as to make him feel more connected with the deepest mysteries that the great power offered.
"We are permitted only to portkey into Azkaban, after that you must depart by boat to the mainland before we can return via the Floo Network to the Ministry. You may spend as long as you can stand in that wretched place, afterward give this key to any of the wizard guards and they will prepare the boat for your departure." She said tersely, before offering him the key.
Gathering the Force around him in a small protective bubble, Millennial took the key, feeling its power activate and literally pull him through time and space to his destination. For the moment that he was between his point of origin and his destination, Millennial considered the marvelous tool that the Portkey provided. It's ability would be of much use not only for the war to conquer the Galaxy, but even to the most mundane of shipping and commerce. His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of rough waves, which instantly replaced the quite of the Ministry office as the Sith Lord landed heavily on the small outcropping of rock that held the tower-prison.
There was only one visible entrance, and no windows to be seen on any side of the smooth building. Millennial had to give credit to the architecture, it was built not only for function, but also to impress the hopelessness of the situation if one was to ever come here to stay.
Striding quickly to the door of the prison, Millennial felt the chill of grim fear settle over him. Glancing around, he spotted the dark cloaks of the wraiths that guarded the fortress. The Dementors were probably attracted to the spot whenever someone came, as the most common reason must have been a new addition to their home. Looking closely at the decrepit being, Millennial found something that was most unsettling about them.
Dementors drew the Force into themselves, becoming miniature black holes with no end on the universe around them. They were wounds in the very fabric of the Force itself. It was more than enough for the Sith Lord to wish his business a speedy resolution and to be away from these creatures long before they learned how to siphon the Cosmic Force from his being.
Gratefully, the only other adverse effect of the creatures was their aura of fear, which Millennial was quite immune to. Fear was his ally, a path to the power of the Dark side, and he felt himself grow temporarily stronger as underlying anger began to simmer under his tightly restrained mask of neutrality. If it were possible, these creatures could become great weapons against the forces of the Light, but Millennial was wise enough to know that such a venture would be risky beyond reckoning. The Dark Side knew no true loyalty, and these creatures were the embodiment of darkness, so much so that any light at all was lost forever within them. They would only follow another so long as their hunger was satisfied, and when the foes of one were defeated, they would turn on those who had sought to use them without remorse or pity.
If these were the same beings that were currently guarding the school where Veneficus was learning, then Millennial knew that the boy would have sensed it as well. He hoped that Veneficus would also realize the dangers present with trifling with such beings, and steer clear of them for as long as possible.
Passing the portal that separated the rocky land from the interior of Azkaban fortress, Millennial passed several wispy white creatures that seemed to emanate raw Light Side energy, battling the darkness that surrounded them via the presence of the Dementors. the feeling of anger and power departed Millennial the moment he entered their vicinity, and he felt sickened by their power.
The human guards looked haggard and tired from their long boring jobs of collecting and depositing prisoners, and they only briefly looked at Millennial before the man in charge approached.
"What brings you here?" he asked, his voice raspy from what seemed to be days of disuse.
"I am Lord Alaxandre Blackmoore-Ravenclaw, guardian of Harry Potter," Millennial said without preamble, and I am here to learn everything about Sirius Black's escape, to search for clues on how and where to find him, as well as look in on some of the others that would wish harm on the boy."
The guards perked up immediately on hearing the name of their precious 'Boy-Who-Lived.' "Are you really?" one asked in awe.
The leader looked the most stunned of them all. "Right away sir, we'll gather a small detachment to take you up to the high security prisoners immediately."
Quickly the available guards started to bicker about who would receive the apparently prestigious job of escorting Millennial through the bowels of the Fortress, until at last it fell to one of the younger and fresher-looking guards. The lad, who couldn't have been much older than Veneficus; perhaps nearing his twentieth year, was beaming at Millennial as he led the Sith Master up fight after flight of stairs, the light of his silver marmot piercing the darkness before and behind them.
The man talked nonstop, jabbering on about what an honor it was for Millennial to be visiting on behalf of 'The-Boy-Who-Lived' and how his family back in Britain would be so impressed that he got to personally meet the man who had raised and cared for their savior.
Millennial ignored the prattling fool, and marched on without comment, finally halting as they reached the topmost corridor of the citadel. The man, whose name Millennial had explicitly ignored, made to lead the way inside, but Millennial held out an arm. "I am content to proceed from here alone. You may wait back on the previous floor for me. I have nowhere to disappear too."
The man looked like he wanted to argue the point, but a rather sharp probe of the Force dominated the weak and impressionable mind with all ease, sending him trotting off back down below.
Finally alone, Millennial felt the cool darkness envelope him like a second skin, fueling his power and sharpening his mind to the task ahead. Once he felt that the guard was far enough away, Millennial withdrew his saber, and ignited the crimson blade to light his path, bathing the hall in red light.
The first prison he stopped in looked up haggardly from her sitting position. Having prepared by reading the records of all the inmates of this particular block, Millennial called her by name, "Bellatrix Black LeStrange…"