Book I: Birth of the Order
Chapter VIII - Forrestor
Music Theme: Aerosmith - Dream On
Durmstrang Institue: 1974...
Durmstrang Institute always was covered in clouds, but not on graduation day. On this particular spring day though, one boy in the owlery sat discontent and as miserable as if his world was grey.
"Dennis?" A voice called up the steps. "Den, it's me."
"You should be out celebrating, Maximus." Young Dennis Forrestor called back. "You're done with school now. You should go see the world."
Max made it to the top of the steps and nearly tripped over five dead owls at his feet. He looked up and saw his younger brother twirling his wand in his hand as he sat on the window sill of the tower. "They wouldn't stop hooting," he muttered in refrence tot he owls.
"Yea. They do that," Max sighed and kicked the dead birds to the side before walking over to his brother. "You don't have to stay, Den. You can drop out now and come with me. Karkaroff is considering it."
"Because he only has one year left. I have two. If I have any hope of being able to serve the Dark Lord, I need to know more skills than a 6th year wizard."
"Ugh, The Dark Lord," Max rolled his eyes and leaned against the wall.
"That's why Igor wants to drop out. So he can serve the Dark Lord now. But we've been talking. We don't think it's time yet. Even if he stays one more year and graduates though, I'll be left here for one more alone while you two are out there changing the world."
"Change the world? I want to just be left alone, Dennis." His brother scoffed. "Why would I leave this place, full of headmasters, just to go find another master to tell me what to do?"
"It's not just about serving him, Max!" Dennis looked at him. " Igor was telling me all about it. There is no 'good'. There is no 'evil' in this world. Igor says there is only power."
"Power?" Max stood upright, his interest peaked.
"I think there is more than that though," He looked at his older brother. "Muggles don't know how to manage power, only Wizards do. We have to restore balance to that power. We have to do what is right, and ensure power is in the hands of those who know how to use it. We have to preserve a clean, pure world for our children."
Max grinned at his brother, lighting up with passion about this. "You're crazy, Den. But I'd be crazier if I lost you." He rested his hand on the sandy blond hair atop his brother's head and grinned. It was true, Dennis' crazy side was sheer passion, but Max was nothing but chaos. Dennis grounded him. He didn't know how he'd be able to spend the next couple of years waiting for him to graduate. "What if," he said after a moment thinking. "What if I arrange a little meeting with this, Dark Lord? I could pave the way for you a bit. I'm sure I can make some connections over the next two years. When you're out, I'm sure you'll be ready to join. We will restore balance to this world together."
"You mean it?" Dennis sprung up.
"Of course. We'll be unstoppable." He grinned and his brother embraced him.
"Can't wait," He said as an owl flew overhead hooting. Dennis flicked his wand at it and it fell to the ground lifeless.
Paris 1979...
Dennis..." Tabitha stepped back from him and slowly moved her hand back toward her pocket.
"Don't do that," he pointed to her arm. "I know you use your left hand for your wand, read all about it in your little book."
"What do you want with that? What do you want with me?"
"I have worked too damn hard, befriending stupid muggles and playing tourist just to get close to you only for you to skip off to that pathetic Albus Dumbledore now." He pulled out his wand. "I was supposed to join Voldemorts ranks as a recruiter. It was going to be my job to bring the best and brightest wizards and witches of our generation to the light - to the realization that what Voldemort is doing is the only clear path. That's what my brother does. But you know what I was tasked with instead? Go on, take a guess."
Tabitha thought through all the murders of muggleborns and squibs that had happened in recent weeks nearby. They all started after Dennis joined them. "You're an assasin. Sent to kill those with blood impurity. That family at the Louvre... it was you?"
"Mhmm. Not just mudbloods, but blood traitors as well. And you-" He aimed at her with the tip of his wand. "Were my next target. Your filthy blood traitor parents went into hiding instead of joining our ranks, so we came for you to send them a message. But then I found your book. Found out that you could be of use to our cause. I thought maybe if I could convince you, show you the light, bring you and your family to the truth... I would finally have a seat beside my brother at the table. I could be a recruiter like him and not just someone who takes out the bloody trash!"
"You leave my family alone."
"That's a laugh," He chuckled. "Acting like you care. Don't forget, I know you Tabby. We've had a few beers together these last weeks. Gotten to know each other. You abandoned them! I'm your chance at redemption. Come with me and you can save them. You can save everyone! Nobody is beyond help yet. Your friends can still see that Voldemort IS the future."
"He wants my friends dead!"
"No. No. He just wants balance restored. We have a seat for almost all of you."
"Except the muggleborns, you mean?" She sneered at him.
"Well.. I did say 'almost everyone' after all." He shrugged. "Come on, Tabby. What's it going to be?"
"You and your Dark Lord... can get bent." She spit at him
"Wrong choice," He lifted his wand and she reached for hers but suddenly she heard Marlene's voice from outside the door yell, "Bombarda!" and it flew open and hit Dennis, sending him across the room.
"Marley!"
"Run!" She shouted and Tabitha started towards her but stopped and saw Dennis' bag on one of the bunks. She raced to it and started looking through it. "What are you doing?!" Marlene shouted. "The muggles will have heard that. Lets go!"
"I have to get that damn book. It has too much information in it Voldemort can use."
"And this bloke has probably already shared it by now."
"Found it!" Tabitha yanked the book out. "Lets go."
The two of them raced down the steps and Tabitha pointed to the back kitchen door. "Go that way so we can aparate from the back alley. Godric, that was close."
"I was wondering what was taking so long and when I got up there I heard some bloke talking about Voldemort that he was meant to kill you? Don't tell me that was one of your friends."
" 'Was' being the operative word," Tabitha scoffed. The two girls dashed in and out of the common room area so fast they nearly rammed into other guests trying to have evening coffees. French curses were shouted at them for the disturbance but they kept running until the bolted through the door and into the dark alley. "Thank Godric you showed up, Marley. He was being a real-"
"Shit." Marlene said, but she wasn't trying to finish Tabitha's sentence. The girls looked against the alley wall and leaning there in the dark was Regulus Black.
Meanwhile in London...
"So what is the plan, Moony?" Sirius asked ask they hurried through the dark London streets. "I don't like that we are walking through the front door."
"You just don't like being close to your old home," Peter suggested.
"Don't be rediculous, Pete. That pile of bricks is my past. Crouch Hill is my future,"
"You got a flat on Crouch Hill?" Remus asked, looking over his shoulder at the two. "Not as metropolitain as I thought for you."
"Well I wasn't going to squander my uncle's money on a home in Belgravia," He insisted. It was true, his one bedroom flat was on the corner of a building so old it almost looked condemned. Crouch Hill was a quaint Muggle suburb in London, not too far from the main part of the city. Sirius' cousin and uncle helped pave his way to escape the house of Black and the legacy of their dark deeds. That little rickety flat was his own, and he loved it. "Speaking of, I'd like to pop by the prophet office. I have a few facts to set straight regarding Andromeda."
"You can't take slander personally, Sirius," Peter advised.
"And if someone in that office is spreading lies about pure-bloods who defy Voldemort," Remus added, "Then you know they are probably working for him. We have to keep a low profile. Dumbledores gave us our orders. We don't stray from that."
"Who even will be there this late?" Peter asks
"They keep a skeleton crew in some departments these days, with everything going on. Mostly just aurors work around the clock," Remus said, "Here we are now," he nodded ahead to the phonebooth and checked to ensure Muggles weren't looking. "Everybody in."
"We won't all fit," Sirius said.
"You're the one who didn't want to take the toilets," Remus said.
"And deal with a bad hair day for the next week? No thanks."
"Well the floo is too public, so this is the best way. So come on then." The three of them piled into the booth. Sirius smirked as he stood face-to-face against Remus who quickly clocked it and said, "No creepy jokes, Padfoot."
"I wasn't going to say anything," He shrugged as Remus leaned forward to grab the phone behind Sirius' back. "Oooo," Sirius groaned, "Moony, are you wearing new aftershave?"
Remus jabbed him in the side to try to push him away and dial the number on the rotary.
"Seriously, Moony, if you wanted to get close to me you just had to ask," Sirius continued with a chuckle
"Oh shut it," Remus snapped as the hung up the phone and the lift began to descend.
Once downstairs they stepped into the lobby. "Alright lads, Remus said as he brushes off his coat. There is no reason we can't be here."
"Maybe Padfoot should have waited outside... well his family you know," Peter suggested.
"I'm not my family, Peter," Sirius insisted. "Like Moony said, we are just here to visit his friend. Nobody has any reason to stop us." Just as he said it though he felt a hand grab his shoulder.
"Oi!" A tall old man said behind them. "Do you have an appointment with someone?"
"W-we do," Sirius replied without missing a beat. "Who wants to know?"
The older man didn't look ammused but said, "The ministry now requires escorts for all guests and most departments rarely accept guests at this hour. Employees only during night-shifts."
"We aren't guests sir," Remus said, "My father is Lyall Lupin. I'm here to interview for his old position with his former assistant Ms. Bones."
"An interview? It's nearly 1 in the morning," The man grunted.
"His current job is at the Hogsmede Owlery. We work a double day shift until 10pm. This was the only time that worked," Sirius said then smacked Remus on the arm to chime in.
"Ms. Bones was nice enough to stay late to meet with me," Remus added casually.
The man looked to Peter who hadn't said anything yet and the plump boy nodded and said, "Oh... and we are moral support. First job interview, you know."
The man just sighed, "Next bloody generation so weak. Has to have an entourage to help him through an interview. Has to make the employer accommodate his schedule." He rolls his eyes and sees Sirius again. "You're one fo those Blacks."
"Oh!" Sirius holds his hands up, "Thank heavens you told me. For a moment I had forgotten who-" He stopped when Remus cleared his throat to stop him. Sirius dropped his hands and simply said, "I am."
"A handful of your lot is on the list of undesirables," the man said with a keen eye and a raised eyebrow.
"Uncle's side of the family," He shrugged. "Don't we all have some crazies in our families? But as we said, we have his appointment with Ms. Bones so we must be going. We already are late. We were supposed to be here at 12 to meet with her."
The older man just chuckled. He just nodded up the hall at them and tucked his hands in his pockets, watching them depart. Sirius gave a mocking bow to him before turning and following Remus and Peter. Once out of earshot, Peter said "He didn't believe us."
"How can you tell?" Sirius asked.
"Don't be naive, Padfoot," Remus said. "We are bloody good liars and even I didn't believe us."
"The fact he didn't throw us out means he's probably going to check our story and kick us out," Peter squeaked in a worried tone.
"Well we can't have anyone find out what we are up to. If he's on the wrong side of things, Ms. Bones will be in trouble. Pete, Wormtail better keep watch," Remus said as they rounded the corner, out of view.
"Right," Peter nodded. "Give me a whistle when you are ready." He stepped back into the shadows. Moments later he emerged again, not as himself, but as a small rat. The little thing itched it's nose and straightened it's tail before looking up at his two friends. The motioned him off and the small Wormtail scurried up the hall.
"Ok then, Padfoot. This way," Remus motioned up the abandoned hall and past the closed departments toward Lyall Lupin's old office.
Back in Paris...
"Regulus," Marlene said to the boy standing across from them. "Why are you always turning up exactly where you aren't wanted."
Tabitha felt a hand grab her shoulder but reacted quickly and pulled away. She spun around and aimed her wand at Dennis who had emerged, panting from running, from the hostel. Tabitha stood back to back with Marlene who was kept her eyes locked on Regulus.
"Good Work, kid," Dennis said to Regulus, "Not only do we have one, but two pureblood witches ready to join our ranks,"
"We would never-"
"Never say 'never', Tabby," Dennis cut Tabitha off and glanced down at her wand. "Beautiful isn't it? So much history in that little twig of yours." He pointed to her aged hand-me-down wand. "And such a burden too."
"Tabs, what is going on back there?" Marlene asked.
Regulus stepped forward, "You'd know about burdens wouldn't you, Marlene? At least Tabitha's family had the decency to show themselves for what they are by hiding, cowards. Your idiot family is a public disgrace. It's too late for them, but it doesn't have to be for you."
"Your one to talk about family disgrace, Black," Said Marlene back to him.
"Look at you two," Dennis sighed. "Two sides of the same coin. Think of what you two represent. Not only are you part of two of the oldest pure blood families in our world, but in your country... or would we call it countries?"
"Leave that out of this," Marlene snapped.
"It's true," Dennis said cooly. "You two come from north and south Ireland during a hard time in its history, but you stand here today united while those pathetic muggles in Ireland fight in the streets. And why? Because you see the bigger picture, you have a common goal and a purpose. That is the same thing we want to offer you!" His tone was so forceful and yet so inviting, the true sign of a sociopath. His deep blue eyes peirced so hard into Tabitha's that she felt as though he looked right through her and into Marlene behind her. "There is no right or wrong... there is only power. Come with us and learn to wield it... or Regulus will kill you both."
"What?" Regulus was stunned. "Me?"
"Why do you think Bellatrix sent you with me?" Dennis asked. "If I'm going to move into my new role as a recruiter for Voldemort's cause, they will need an asassin to take my place. This is your first task to prove yourself." He looked back to the girls. "So what will it be?"
"Regulus," Marlene said calmly. "You're better than this."
"Interesting you say that, McKinnon," Regulus said. "You and your brother always paraded around school like you were better than anyone. The elite McKinnon Clan of Ireland. And now, when your life is in my hands you say I'm worth something?"
"No... I say it because it's always been true," Marlene says.
"Listen to her Regulus," Tabitha said and pivots a bit beside Marlene so he can see them both.
Regulus just shook his head. He felt as though the alley walls around him were closing in. All his life, he'd done what he was told. He never knew where the fear of falling out of line came from. Would it be so bad if he did what he wanted instead of what he was told. Does he even know what he wants? Looking down at his wand in his hand he asked himself, Do I even want this? Glancing back up he saw Dennis take advantage of Tabitha facing away and started to move closer to her. He nodded to Regulus and mouthed, "Do it." Regulus just shook his head, "No. I don't have to listen to anybody. I'm not a child anymore. And nobody is going to going to tell me otherwise!" He aimed his wand in Tabitha's direction and shouted "Avada Kedavra!"
"No!" Marlene shouted as she tackled her friend to the ground. The two girls hit the dirt with a thud, Marlene's eyes tightly squeezed shut yet she could sill see a tint of green through her eyelids. She heard the spell leave the wand. It sounded like a quick flash of lighting. The world was quiet for what felt like the longest moment of her life until she peeked her eyes open and saw Tabitha, face still in shock but still alive, blinking up at her. "Mar... you-" The two of them heard a thud and looked to the side of them. The spell had flown by them and hit Dennis who fell to the ground dead. Tabitha and Marlene, still clinging to one another looked at Regulus who towered over them. He was staring at his wand, his face pale. He stumbled back a few steps and looked at the two girls. The boy was right... it wasn't a child any more. That spell had taken the last shred of innocence from him. Tabitha nudged Marlene a bit to get off her and she complied slowly. The two girls stood and tried to move toward him. "No!" He shouted. "You two... stay away from me." Then he ran down the opposite end of the alley and vanished.