AN. I Do NOT own Harry Potter...
A Split in the Core
"Divellere Essentia" The words echoed off the stone walls in a bare whisper and felt laced with magic. As the words floated through the area, a trace of soft blue trailed around the room and lifted the dark locks of the figure who casted the spell in an invisible breeze.
This...
This Desiray didn't mind...
Her attention was completely focused on the subject at hand with experienced eyes taking in every small change in detail.
Desiray stood in the middle of the area behind a thick wooden desk; her slim hands gliding slowly above the small piece of jewelry Albus had given her some time ago. Strands of dark magic stretched weakly from the destroyed ring and followed the gentle curves of her fingers.
She toyed with the dead essence, pulling and distorting it with the spell she had just cast and always being sure to keep it away from physical contact with her skin. Though the feeling was faint, Desiray could tell the cursed ring sought to draw life energy from whatever it came into contact with.
Desiray canceled the spell with a quick wave of her hand that caused the dark strands to snap back to the host item. It took an impressively powerful spell to remain attached to its source after all the things she had done to it.
This ring, no matter how inanimate it looked, contained such a lifelike presence that Desiray was surprised the thing wasn't spurting blood everywhere in its dissected state.
Dumbledore mentioned how he had destroyed the ring with the Sword of Gryphindor; a weapon that absorbed any substance that made it stronger. After hearing such a thing, Desiray instantly felt a pang of longing for the blade, but was instantly dismissed of all hopes when the words 'Only a true Gryffindor can really obtain it for themselves' left the man's mouth.
From what the woman could tell, her personality was far from matching the loyal and chivalrous standards of that house.
But that sword...
Did this ring have an allergy to its magic?
Was there a limited group of methods that could weaken and damage it's true form?
Hmm...
Desiray picked up her quill and began scribbling down line after line of notes, the ink only somewhat legible due to its seemingly random placement on the pages, some of them even written in different languages. The woman had the strangest nagging feeling of familiarity in her head with this object though. As if she had seen such a thing in use before, but no matter how much she raked her brain for an answer, everything that came up was blank.
Her back was turned and there was no knock at her door, but Desiray was aware of the entrance of someone new; his trained footsteps were still heard by her ears and that obvious human aroma could never escape her most powerful sense.
"A bit late for you to be out stalking the corridors, don't you think Professor Snape?" Desiray commented as she continued to lean over the table, taking notes, "Or are you just here to give me some company?"
She could feel his hot glare on her back as she held back a grin.
"Are you already marking everyone's scent within the vicinity vampire." he said with plenty of scorn.
Desiray shrugged, "Possibly...or maybe just yours. It's quite bold you know, I wouldn't be able to ignore it if I tried."
By now he had managed to reach the center of the room where Desiray stood, "It would be best if you did not plan on being a nuisance."
Desiray abandoned her note taking to focus on the male and studied his stiff form. Snape's jaw was clinched tightly in impatience and a muscle under his left brow twitched involuntarily.
"I don't think you came here to talk about my attitude Professor."
He glanced over the tables that held stacks of numerous books, most of them being open and filled with notes written in vivid red ink. The ring, on the other hand, sat in the center of the mess, in a decent sized gap between it and any other object.
"The Headmaster requests your presence.", he answered in a dry monotone.
Desiray crossed her arms and leaned back on the cluttered desk, "Oh? So you're his messenger too?" She chuckled, "Albus sure does have this way of getting people on his side doesn't he?"
"I am not his messenger."
"So you're here under your own decision? For some reason, I have a hard time believing you."
"Do not presume that you know me vampire. I am not the one who's reputation as a parasite proceeds them." The man snarled out.
The comment did not sit well with the vampire and her eyes narrowed with irritation while her lips curved into a thin grin, "No, I suppose I should brand myself with another person's magic before I deem it necessary to kill again."
That obviously infuriated the man along with causing a shocked look to cross his face. He stepped toward the woman; probably planning on grabbing her, but then he paused when he thought better of it.
"How do you know? The Headmaster said he did not say anything to you." He sneered down at her , "I knew you were listening in to our conversation that night."
"I honestly don't care about your trivial wizard discussions nor would I waste my time committing them to memory. " She paused and glanced at his left arm, "Now that smell that clings on to you..."
That intoxicating scent.
"Bitter like wine yet undeniably sweet in a way that's impossible to fully describe,"
Thick with dark magic when it rolled across the tongue.
"Now that's a hard thing for me to simply forget."
He scowled at her with a disgusted frown on his lips, "I will forever fail to understand why the Headmaster places such trust within the likes of you."
Desiray grinned in a way that showed the very tips of those classic fangs, "Neither will I since there are plenty more tame than I am. Actually my father would have been more qualified seeing as my own morals tend to change with the passing seasons." The vampires grin widened, her tongue toying with her partly extended fangs tauntingly as she replied slowly, "Perhaps I'm more like those nasty demons youdeal with in your...area of work."
Snape tensed, "I would not be surprised if that were true. If the thought of harming the students even crosses your mind-"
Desiray rolled her eyes dramatically at how serious he was taking her obvious baiting. He was so quick on the hook that the catch wasn't even worth it. Her eyes no longer sparked with a devious light as her mood turned to one of irritation.
"That's what you want isn't it?" She interrupted, "For me to slip up so you can prove to the school that I'm more distasteful than you are." Her eyes narrowed , "Save your petty revelries for someone that cares or perhaps just a later time when the headmasters life doesn't depend on the one you're arguing with."
With that, she left the room, leaving the Potions Master to scowl after her furiously.
Hopefully the man wouldn't mess with her notes...
-TFP-
Desiray caught a couple children out of bed as she walked down the dark hallways. It was probably a bit unfair for them, even if her hearing was lesser than many vampires it still surpassed a humans by a high margin. If she focused, the vampire could determine the exact positioning of a single footstep step and easily calculate the gender and age of a distant heartbeat.
Of course that was only if she concentrated, but her sense of smell picked up on the rest. She could follow a scent trail from a mile away like a blood hound on the hunt and these children reeked of fresh meat at times. Spewing their youthful hormones with no signs of learning control.
Gross...
When Desiray reached the Headmasters rooms she saw the doors were already open and she seemed to be interrupting something.
Albus and Potter stood over a stone bowl that held some kind of misty liquid. Their bodies were frozen in a form of magical hiatus while their minds wandered someplace else.
What was that artifact called? Ponder... Pensare...Pensive.
Penesive.
That sounded like the right word.
Blue strands of light seemed to envelope their bodies and an invisible shield could be felt around their position.
When Desiray attempted to peak into their minds she was instantly cast out. The force behind the action actually causing her to stumble backwards. She placed a shocked hand on her head before chuckling.
Albus... He always thought of everything and his magic was strong enough to do just about anything. There was no use in pushing her curiosity now, so she simply leaned against the door frame and crossed her arms; waiting for the duo to return to their minds.
She didn't have to wait long before their bodies stirred and the two brought their faces out of the Penesive with a gasp.
Potters eyes were wide when he returned to reality with a look of shock and understanding clear in his actions.
The two spoke of Voldemort, Tom Riddle and broken memories all while Desiray remained concealed in her dark corner. She would have left if Dumbledore had instructed her to, but he simplify gave the woman a look as if signifying that he knew she was there and he wanted to finish the talk with Potter before continuing with her.
Apparently Voldemort was a troubled child with a pitiful orphan past where he lived in a world where no one understood him. He was also friendless, terrified of death and; although he had an obsessive belief in blood purity; a half blood.
If Tom Riddle's life was a drama show, the director would be swimming in lakes of gold by the first episode. Mix in a bit of rated M smut for the kinky viewers and the writers might as well be shitting gold bricks.
She barely resisted the urge to laugh at her own musings.
When the Potter child left he still hadn't noticed the woman's presence even when he walked within touching distance near the stairs. It stroked the woman's ego to know that her rouge like skills remained sharp and impeccable, but she could admit that the thoughts running through his head would manage to distract anyone.
The headmaster finally turned his attention to the woman after the boys footsteps had faded. He looked tired and worn with a hint of renewed sadness visible in those normally vibrant blue eyes.
Dumbledore moved behind his desk to sit heavily in a chair and gestured for Desiray to do the same.
"What was that all about?" Desiray asked after following the man slowly.
"It was necessary for me to show dear Harry an old memory of mine. Have I ever told you of the day I first met Tom Riddle?"
Desiray cast her eyes upwards in thought, " I don't believe so, but we haven't spoken outside of business since the early 1940' 's a time gap that I am starting to regret," She grinned at him boldly, "I can say I've missed your witty conversations, Headmaster."
His eyes seemed to brighten more at her comment, "Call me Albus, we have known each other long enough to avoid the formalities don't you think?"
Albus said this somewhat cautiously, knowing that the exchange of names had a much heavier weight in the immortal community. Or at least that's how it was when he last heard of it.
"Only if you agree to call me Desiray," The woman stretched into a more relaxed position with legs crossed and fingers toying with a strand of long hair, "Name status has been dead since the Night diVision fell in 1953 and oh what a glorious battle it was."
"I can agree to that, Desiray."
"Excellent, Albus."
The two chuckled shortly.
"So why is it so important to teach Mr. Potter about Tom Riddle?" Desiray questioned to break the ice.
"Tom Riddle is Voldemort's given name. I met him back in an orphanage when he was but a child." Albus' eyes dulled, "If only I had known the potential he possessed for the future."
"Yes... We never know the consequences until after we make our mistakes" Her eyes took on a gloomy light, "The future is an unpredictable force and even if someone can see it, the path to get there is still just as clouded."
Albus looked down at his clasped hands, the cursed skin of one barley having the strength to twitch anymore.
"I found that ring inside the Gaunt house that Tom despised so much, inside it was something invaluable and... I was foolish." The old man shook his head and looked up at her, "I'm almost certain that I know what it is but...it would be unwise to get my hopes up just yet."
Desiray raised an eyebrow as she began to piece together the situation, "And Slughorn? You have a reason for bringing him here don't you?"
The man nodded, "Right... Slughorn would know more than anybody what a talented student would have been up to in his time."
That much was certainly true, the man had managed to seek out her family through utter nosiness and didn't get himself killed through sheer luck. Protos Asulon is histories most successful vampire establishment with a healthy line of successors and here she was stuck with a fame addicted man running amuck in the school.
What luck...
"I need to ask you not to pressure him, especially now that I gave you this information. His is already nervous with you being a vampire, the last thing we need is him thinking someone has rummaged through his mind. I cannot express how critical this point is." Albus' voice was stern as he explained.
Desiray placed her hands onto the lap of her crossed legs, "As you wish, Albus.", she replied. Though in all truth, she was more than a little bit curious.
The Headmasters shoulders seemed to relax at her response and the room was filled with an easy silence. They lapsed into a casual conversation, sometimes dropping a comment about present matters that brought the mood down a level and caused Desiray to muse over Tom Riddles existence.
This Dark Lord was addicted to power and in the wizarding world, dark magic was the root of ultimate power.
Most people submitted to the curiosity.
Many of them became addicted.
The weak ones lost control..., but Desiray wasn't bragging or judging any individual. She had been one of the weak ones many times, perhaps more than she should openly admit, but what was knowledge without personal experience?
An opinion.
"Professor Slughorn mentioned a man that delivered a letter to you while on chaperone duty." The Headmasters voice snapped Desiray out of her internal musing.
Of course he did, Desiray thought to herself, that man couldn't keep his mouth shut for five seconds.
Desiray rolled her eyes, "Did he now?"
"I am merely curious as to why you do not send owls to and fro.", though in honesty, he was probably more curious about what was inside the letter.
"Well, owls tend to be quite terrified of my presence. The only one that isn't is an Eurasian eagle owl named Navi that my brother specifically bred to irritate me to no end." It was the truth...the birds constant squawking made Desiray want to burn her ears off at times.
Albus made a noise of understanding and nodded, "And the letter?"
"I always get mail, it's one of the many down sides to my position. As a heir to Ramiel Salvatore's throne it is necessary to communicate with allies and maintain our contracts between other beings. This insures a long lasting and faithful companionship between respected groups and their members. ", Desiray droned in a voice that sounded as if she quoted it a hundred times before."As for the man, Felix, he is a trusted member of the family and carries out most of our more important notices. He is normally tame unless I tell him otherwise.", She ended with a nonchalant shrug.
The man raised an eyebrow, "It seems to me like you gained a few ranks since the last time we spoke. I believe you were a...Viscount last time we talked. Am I correct?"
Desiray scoffed quietly at the old word, "Well if we are going by those terms I would technically be the rank of Sovereign at the moment, but a lot of positive changes were made when Ramiel laid claim to the throne. Plenty of changes that I won't mind telling you some other time.", The woman yawned widely a second later.
The Headmaster was the only person she knew who was immune to the 'contagious yawn syndrome'. He just looked at her and said a cheery, "Oh by all means don't let me disturb your sleeping habits.",before hastily ushering the woman out of his office.
Desiray simply rolled her eyes and mumbled something about a 'bipolar old man' under her breath. When heading back to her rooms she purposefully avoided any path that smelled of young adventurous children.
Snape's rounds had started 30mins ago after all... he could deal with them.
-TFP-
AN. So we are exploring a bit more on Desiray's past now... Also her and Snape don't get along so great do they? huh... Excellent! :D
Up Next - Desiray is fat and potions are evil.