burning star.

      thought gasoline was on my clothes. i knew that something would always rule me and i knew the scent was mine a l o n e.

[alicenthightower]

It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia S12E03

[lstrvnges-blog]

charity !

she’d never met him — harry potter, that is. or perhaps she had, seeing as her name was still branded on the office door ( though she had yet to run into her future self … ). but no matter what her relationship may or may not have been to this student, his DEVASTATING loss clearly took a toll on the entire campus. he was a student, a friend, an adversary, a son, a father ?, a lover, & a SYMBOL — that was clear enough to the professor. & symbols, especially those of hope & valor, were necessary in times like these. 

so she left her door open for anyone who wanted to speak, or not speak. she had no clue of her relation to the students of this era ( or ANY of her fate ), but as a professor she always made a point to be there, & perhaps one person might find comfort from that. if anyone did, that would be enough. so she sat quietly, reading a new muggle book she’d just gotten her hands on ( a PERK of being dropped in a new era ) & waited. 

when he first arrived, she had been one of the first he read about. he wanted to know if she LIVED and a wave of relief took over after learning she made it through the first war. but then came her profession: muggle studies professor. and suddenly all he felt was BETRAYAL. in his eyes, she became the unthinkable. a muggle sympathizer. he could clearly remember how he felt discovering the news. how his blood  B O I L E D  with ( unspeakable ) rage. 

all he felt for her now was anger. hideous anger. he wanted to confront her, but each and every time he reached within a foot of her classroom doors, he stopped. he didn’t quite know why his feet wouldn’t continue        why a part of him refused to let him see her. every other day, he made it a few steps away and every other day he turned on his heel and walked straight away. so what made TODAY any different ? the sudden bright outlook on the future for the death eaters was one. but he supposed his curiosity finally got the best of him, finally beat out the logical part in him that screamed to pretend she NEVER existed.

the second he crossed the threshold, he stopped. his eyes were glued to the book in her hands, a muggle one he gathered and suddenly he felt his adrenaline rushing. RAGE was racing through his veins. but the second his eyes lifted up, he couldn’t  m o v e. his brain seemed to have lost motor control. she looked nearly the same, a bit older but that IS the effect of time. and just like that anger wasn’t the only thing he felt. was that a hint of dejection he detected ? NO ! that could not be true. rodolphus lestrange was never... SAD.

[lstrvnges-blog]

albus !

eyes rolled, obviously unimpressed with what the other seemed to consider a skill. it was, in all actuality, quite impressive, but he had wasted how much of the day on a never-ending goose chase through the school ?? moments when he could have been doing something important, learning something important. “ m’glad you like hearing it, because if i ever have to spend as long looking for you as i just did, i’m getting you a bell or something. “ huffed, obviously empty threats would have no effect on the other, that he already knew —— but he still wanted him to know just how disgruntled he was over the ordeal. 

hearing his name slip from rodolphus’s mouth was strange. he had heard it an incalculable amount of time, in just as many tones, but never like that. his name was something that others scoffed at, were left befuddled by, or just plain amused. rodolphus was none of those things. the way it fell from his tongue left albus feeling, as though for once in his life, someone was fond of it. he wasn’t sure what to make of that.  “ i guess that just leaves the details then, yeah ?? the whens and wheres of the matters ?? m’not so picky about that. might be best for you to decide. “ he was willingly giving the other control. it wasn’t a feeling he enjoyed, but he supposed there would have to be some amount of understanding never trust between them if this would go smoothly. he hoped if he allowed rodolphus to remain comfortable in his position, that his say in these matters would be more openly received. he doubted it. 

“ merlin, s’alot easier when guys just ask me for drugs or a blowjob or money, “ albus muttered, absentmindedly running a hand through his hair. this was much more of a complex deal, one that would waver and blur at times. one that left him unsure of just what it entailed. he was torn between apprehension and morbid curiosity over the matter. still, the fact that he had assured him that he himself wouldn’t harm his family was more than he expected; now if only he could  get the rest of the lot to treat them with the same regard. nails dug into the palms of his hand, and teeth were dangerously close from biting through the skin of his lip as he nodded once, solemnly, to seal the deal. they always did say drinking from the devil’s cup tasted sweet. 

“ so, would it be best to start this now ?? discuss fine details ?? or d’you want me to go on my way ?? “ there was a rush, undeniable exhilaration at the fact that he was doing this. he’d experience firsthand what the most restricted, most coveted spells amongst the dark wizards were. he’d be learning them. he was sure the grin he had been trying so hard to bite ( the first genuine one since his father’s death ) back was written plainly on his face. no matter how this ended, it would be a helluva ride.

he didn’t respond to the other’s remark, finding amusement in his frustration. perhaps their first lesson should be on how to track a target down. but he could see the fire in his eyes and knew it’d have to be something BIGGER. the tacit consent to his terms made him feel some sort of relief, even if he knew it wouldn’t necessarily hold. “ you’re incredibly eager, you know that ? but it’ll do you well. we can start now. i believe the forbidden forest is the best place to learn at the moment. ” he turned on his heels and headed for the castle doors, not checking to see if the slytherin was following.

who knew having a prodigy would make him feel this good ? if he had known earlier, then he would have began sooner. and soon enough the only thoughts in his mind were filled with dark spells and objects. the amount of things he could teach were endless. oh, how he would love to pass on his knowledge of necromancy once he had properly mastered it. there were a few issues here and there. it took him nearly a year to conjure inferi but he had managed it. 

as little as he really cared about his parents, he had to admit that his father’s collection in the manor’s study was more than enough for him. in fact, it inspired the hit wizard to achieve a level of greatness. after reading all the books, catching up with the events that unfolded in the past years he found his loyalty to the dark lord wavering in the slightest. how could an heir to salazar slytherin,  the greatest dark wizard to ever be known fail to kill a BOY ? he found himself thinking that he could further the cause himself, focus on the matter at hand. but that sort of belief was dangerous, reckless even. 

the walk to the forest had been shorter than he anticipated for in a matter of minutes, they stood in a small clearing deep within. “ we’ll start with the unforgivable curses. fairly simply and quite basic. the cruciatus curse is what we’ll begin with. ” it was the one he had supposedly used on alice and frank longbottom. “ now remember, you have to MEAN it. let the anger you feel bubble up, let it come out and control you for once. ” the sight of a small bunny appeared not five feet from them when rodolphus whipped out his wand. “ crucio. ” the word only needed to be a mere mumble for him and it was an almost immediate effect. lowering his wand, he faced albus. “ your turn. ” 

[lstrvnges-blog]

draco !

damn it, why did he had to be so bloody sensitive when it came to approval from his family members? it was a weakness, one of his main ones, that he long knew of. it had started with wanting to be the best at everything because that was what his parents expected. and joining the dark lord of course had everything to do with saving his parents, but maybe a little bit with getting his father’s approval ( okay, and love and attention ) as well. was it genuine? no idea, but he appreciated it all the same. “thank you,” was all he said. “pretty sure it’s not complete and i’m not sure if everyone on that list is actually still alive, but it’s a good list.”  of course. some people had celebrated. he hadn’t done much of anything, to be honest; he didn’t celebrate, he didn’t grief, he just was, one of the many advantages of occlumency. “technically he jumped off the tower,” he reminded the other with a shrug of his shoulders. “hate to say this, but it surprised me how easy it was. bella taught me well in that respect, i guess.” a little grin played with his lips then; he looked in front of himself momentarily, considering his words. not to overshare was still the trick here. “i forgot how fun it is to torture people.” yea, it was for the better everyone seemed to have lunch currently, because that was exactly the type of remark that would be reason to have him arrested again ( draco was pretty sure he had been watched by the ministry until the time travel incident; now they had their hands full with that and he could do whatever he wanted ). he leaned back on his chair, the grin on his face growing slowly. it had almost been a relief to be able to use legilimency, even if it was on someone so predictable as potter. 

" then i’ll check it. anyone wandering in this castle or outside of it, will be dealt with. ” he studied his nephew. there were some things to be answered. “ but was he pushed ? coerced into doing so ? or completely of his own volition ? each are as probably as the next. because what reason would he have for jumping off, abandoning his friends and family when he had done nothing of the sort before. as happy as i am about the situation, the pattern’s been  d i s r u p t e d. ” he had always believed that studying the moves and actions of his enemies would set him at an advantage. everyone was predictable in one way or another, even himself. 

“ of course she did. your aunt does have a knack for those sorts of things. ” rodolphus’ smile only GREW. “ and how’d you do it ? verbally or physically ? i’d love to hear everything. ” he felt a sense of pride in knowing that his nephew was the reason a wizard, who the dark lord could not kill, was dead. “ when he’s back, draco. you’ll be part of the inner circle. i have no doubt. i’d vouch for you. bella would as well. can you imagine ? when this is over, we’ll be free of those mudblood and muggle sympathizers. we’ll be considered heroes for saving the wizarding world from being further infested with scum. instead of these piss poor books in the library, there will be text on all of us. of how we fought bravely, how we refused to stand down. we’ll be celebrated and respected. but most of all, mudbloods would CEASE to exist. ” it didn’t seem probable to expect the extinction of them. but he had a simple solution in mind, and that was to rid the world of squibs. that was how muggleborns were created, wasn’t it ?

[lstrvnges-blog]

alice !

                 why she was still sitting in his presence truly was a mystery. one that she couldn’t outright solve and that was perhaps the most infuriating aspect of their entire interaction. she didn’t like what she FELT it was foreign to her unwelcome and most importantly unwanted. ‘ anger and outrage all mixed in with disbelief. ‘ what good would that do her now? not when she knew and perhaps that’s what concerned her most of all because the news of her fate had only made her more determined in her cause, the cause the order believed in. it had done nothing to make her want to walk away. not that it would be surprising to others, hiding had never been her style. but even she had to admit that she was surprising herself and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. 

“ an auror is meant to capture a criminal not punish them. it’s in the very definition of it ‘ dark wizard catcher. ‘ no where does it state that someone in such a profession should play ‘ judge, jury and executioner. ‘  it’s what the law is for and what the ministry of magic is supposed to do. “ taking the law into her own hands? at least in the way that she presumed rodolphus meant wasn’t what she had in mind when she decided what she wanted to do with her life a small sigh slipped alice’s lips her hands still nervously gripping each other in an attempt to maintain her composure. “ besides i firmly believe that even that those who are considered the ‘ vilest ‘ among us are deserving of some sort of mercy. having none and losing our compassion would make us no different than they are. “ of course she knew that aurors killed, but she wanted to see it as a necessary evil rather than a choice. one that she felt she would be ready to make if it was required of her. 

“ nobility by definition implies a strong character and a high moral compass. not everyone is in possession of such a virtue. so no mr. lestrange, i do not believe that the concept can be or should be applied to all things. “ his name was like something bitter in her mouth and she wanted nothing more than to never say it again. and that is when the tone of the conversation completely changed his words were enough to send an ice cold chill down her spine and she felt right down terror as chestnut colored eyes saw themselves reflected in the icy blue of his. 

“ i’ll fated or not good has won TWICE. “ leaning forward she placed her hands on the table between them she was far too close for comfort but she’d be damned if she were intimidated by someone like him. “ light always finds a way. “ she confidently stated as a heavy sigh slipped her lips, she had understood what he meant and she very much took it as a the threat it was meant to be which only made her drop one of her hands she was seconds away from pulling out her wand, it would give her some peace of mind. “ and you’re more than welcome to watch such an event happen again this time around. surprising really you’d think that you lot would have enough pride to know when it’s time to GIVE UP.  guess you aren’t as intelligent as you’ve always believed you are.“

“ but they did         punish the criminals that is. in the late 1970s, the very era we come from. there were auror’s who used unforgivable curses on those they suspected. not all, of course. some still had a HEART, i suppose. ” he raised an eyebrow. did she really believe that the ministry of magic could be trusted when it came to anything ? surely, she wasn’t as dumb as she seemed. no one ever was. “ but wouldn’t showing them mercy only encourage them to continue on ? you’re giving them a hope that each and every time you capture one, they won’t feel the full wrath they could. ” 

he rested one hand on the book he had spent five minutes searching for. a book he could have done without but he was glad he searched for it, as this interaction never would have occurred without it. “ what makes you a good judge of character, miss fortescue ? why is it that you’re capable of determining whether someone is virtuous or not ? ” he LIKED the sound of his name on her tongue. it sounded wrong, vile even and it only edged him on. the corners of his lips tugged when she leaned forward. a true gryffindor. “ pride is harder to crush than you’d think. when you’re secure in who you are        what you are, nothing can really stop you. i guess what they say is right: confidence is key ! but we are a group that puts emphasis on self-preservation. we are survivors, first and foremost. i suppose you could say we’re.... RESILIENT. ” he couldn’t prevent the soft chuckle to escape his lips this time. a comparison of himself to her, now that was humorous. “ you see, we’d like to survive. we would like our lineage and traditions to survive as well. we’re a determined group; stubborn, if you will. ”

he leaned back in his seat. she wasn’t a part of the new order, but apparently her son was. how sweet and family oriented  it would be for the entire longbottom family to meet the same fate at the time. but that wasn’t incredibly high on his to-do list. it seemed more of a side job, a little break from all the tasks he had assigned himself. but he refused to hand them off to someone else. he wanted the satisfaction of putting a family to ruins by himself.

[connotativewords]

After I met you, I started dreaming in colors. And that’s saying a lot for someone who’s only known what it feels like to live in the dark.

(via gasolinaofrp)

[lstrvnges-blog]

albus !

@lstrvnge

one might call the way he had spent his day avidly pursuing a certain death-eater nothing short of obsessive. he fancied it more as a interest he would prefer to quell or delve into sooner than later. ‘intellectual curiosity,’ or whatnot, really. at this point, he was certain he must of explored the castle several times over - where was the damn map when he needed him - and either rodolphus was an adept player at hide-and-seek, or he was refusing to stay put for too long. he was half-tempted to see if he could just accio the man.  he had heard of people preferring to observe, like shadows amongst men, but this was fucking ridiculous.

finally spotting a retreating form, eyes widened as he began to quicken his pace in an attempt to catch up. he wasn’t sure whether he cared more to kiss the man for being attainable at last, or hex him into oblivion for being so fucking hard to find in the first place. he did neither. instead, a hand reached out in front of him, very carefully pulling on the man’s wrist. not too rough, very loose —- he didn’t need the man severing, or burning or biting, or doing whatever his twisted little mind could imagine to his hand. “ fuck’s sake, rodolphus. “ he muttered, taking a few large steps to keep up with the other man. “ anyone ever tell you you’re fucking impossible to find ?? “ 

inhaling for the first time since he had seen the man, he came to a halt, expecting hoping the other would follow suit. “ m’just gonna reckon you’re clever enough to have figured out who i am, and hope you aren’t feeling dauntless enough to off me in an open corridor. “ eyes looked up to try and find another pair. he had always been taught when looking for emotions, search the eyes…..unless you knew they were a legilimens. “ what i want to know is if in spite of that, your offer still stands, and just what you’d want in return. “ at last letting go of the older man’s wrist, he bit his lip in thought. “ can’t give you my soul, m’afraid. that fucked off a long time ago. no friend or familial sacrifices either……. besides that, i think m’pretty much down for whatever. “ 

eyes looked up expectant, though of what he wasn’t sure. he supposed he should just hope not to be dragged away and hexed, but it was the farthest thing from his mind in that moment. if it did come, well, he’d just deal with the blows as they were dealt. he was instead intensely focused on what he could gain from this arrangement. practice of course, but now, it was more than that. a means to an end. a silent vow to himself. power.  this wasn’t the moral way to go about it, the potter way to go about it, but it was his way. if rodolphus wouldn’t help him along, he’d find someone who would. 

“ you in ?? “

when rodolphus lestrange didn’t want to be found, he was nearly impossible to track down. the key was to never stay in one place for too long, yet he couldn’t change positions too often. it was an ART he discovered during his fourth year at hogwarts. none of his memories from the time he was a student were looked at fondly. none of them were terrible but, unlike many others, he didn’t see the castle as a second home. 

out of the corner of his eye, he saw him. the seventh year slytherin who claimed to be alexander bones. after their encounter, rodolphus had done some digging. if the individual was anything like a younger version of the hit wizard, then nothing he spoke would have proven to be true. and he was right. but imagine his surprise, discovering that the student he found lurking with a book about the dark arts was a son of HARRY POTTER. the name was even more so. albus severus potter. he had been glad to learn of the slytherin’s true identity but it did make things more difficult. rodolphus was after the wizard’s father. he was after everyone the boy associated with. but that made it all the more interesting. he never was one to back out of a challenge. 

so when he felt a grip on his wrist, he turned around slowly. “ i do like to hear it on a regular basis. ” his feet were planted into the ground as he pulled his arm back the second the grip was released. the only noticeable emotion flashing behind his eyes was amusement. he had hoped albus would seek him out, though he wouldn’t have made a bet on it. “ albus severus potter. ” it was the FIRST time he spoke the name out loud and how marvelous it sounded. “ of course my offer still stands. ” he quirked an eyebrow. family was always a tricky thing. never in a million years would he harm his brother but when it came to others, he couldn’t care LESS about who they loved or felt obligated to. his compassion was limited in that sense. 

“ what i hope to gain, in return. is an ALLY. you won’t use anything i’ll teach you on me and you’ll support me when i need you to. that’s all i ask. fairly simple, really. you won’t need to lay a finger on your family or friends and i give you my word that i will not either. ” but he couldn’t make any promises on behalf of anyone else he worked with. rodolphus still wasn’t entirely sure whether or not he could trust a son of the boy who lived, but he never planned on doing so. he needed someone who could PROPERLY learn, who could actually benefit from doing so. and if they ended up on opposite sides of the battle field, how interesting would it be.

[lstrvnges-blog]

alice !

                  did he know? she really couldn’t tell but the feeling was the same nonetheless it was ODD. which the best way she knew how to describe the entire set of circumstances she and everyone she knew were currently in. stuck in a different era, the son of one of her best friend’s had just been murdered and she had a son ; one that she hadn’t had the COURAGE to approach yet. would she do so now? she still didn’t know she didn’t want to upset him not any more that is. she’d read about neville as much as she could find and she was proud what weighed on her? it was the fact that she and frank had had so little time with him before… that. and the man standing in front of her had been one of the people responsible. 

she’d never felt hatred, dislike perhaps but hating someone? she’d never been one for such a feeling but she imagined that it felt like what she was feeling now and she didn’t like it. negative feelings, impulses of wanting to hurt someone that wasn’t who she was. she couldn’t run fast enough no matter how hard she tried because it seemed like things would catch up to her anyway. “ perhaps, but one might argue that some punishments aren’t enough. “ she replied with a shrug of her shoulders as she listened to him speak before nodding. “ no. it isn’t. however the actions that came before me shouldn’t and won’t define who i chose to be as an AUROR. “ she replied firmly and it was true, no matter what she had promised herself that unforgivable curses wouldn’t come into play not if she had a choice in the matter. 

was he really disturbed by such a fact? that was laughable he’d used such a curse himself, her future was a shining example of that. which only made her blood boil, taking a seat once again she sighed. “ every aspect in our world holds some darkness to it, but i don’t believe that it takes away from the nobility of the profession. “ she stated with a tilt of her head her hands neatly folded on her lap, as she squeezed them tightly if only to bring herself some sense of comfort. “ and considering what i’ve read the ministry has come a long way since then. not without mistakes of course but that’s only natural we are an imperfect kind. have you read about the wizarding wars? two of them, isn’t it remarkable two wars later and muggle borns and those who stand up for them are still here. resilience is such a beautiful concept don’t you think? “

" is that so ? ” he leaned back in his seat. finding himself more interested in her than he had in the past year or two. the order had always deemed themselves ‘ the good ones ’ but he didn’t see it that way. there were no good people in war, just the ENEMY. they were just as willing as he to use unforgivable curses, to take lives. now what made them different aside from the cause they chose to fight for ? NOTHING. he just found it so... humorous that they placed themselves on a pedestal and were praised for what they had done. “ so if you finally become an auror. do you believe you are fit to judge what punishment a criminal deserves ? because i can guarantee someone else will  d i s a g r e e. ”

a head tilt was the only thing he wanted to offer. every aspect held darkness. that much he believed. “ i agree with you there, miss fortescue. truly, i do. there isn’t a single person or thing that is only light. but if you believe that... nobility, as you say, can still be maintained. shouldn’t that be true for all things ? ” who would have thought he’d have such an interesting and enjoyable time picking at the brain of a gryffindor ? his head nodded. “ indeed the ministry has made mistakes, many mistakes. i blame those holding office. some of them simply have no clue what they’re doing or what they’re tasked with. i’ve always believed we ought to purge the ministry, bring in some newer, more competent wizards and witches. don’t you agree ? ”

and there it was. a little jab at his... other profession ? his head nodded, deciding that she knew. she HAD to know with the words she emitted. “ resilience is beautiful. stunning, really. ” rodolphus leaned forward, elbows resting beside a stack of books. “ you know what else is fascinating about resilience ? you’ll still meet the same fate as everyone else. it simply means you’ll suffer more and longer. how poetic would it be for someone to be so RESILIENT that when the time comes for them to rest, they don’t even realize it’s happening ? after everything they’ve been through. you see, the longer you survive, the faster you die. for when it really happens, you’ll be L O N G gone. ” the curving of his lips was into a mix of malice, amusement, and c r u e l t y. he knew what her fate was and he’d be damned if it were altered. 

[lstrvnges-blog]

pansy !

Pansy’s brain whirled for moment in panic as the cold voice cut through the silence. She’d been keeping half an eye on him, Bellatrix, Lucius, and Alecto, being careful to not say anything incriminating where someone might hear. She’d even taken care to not be seen talking to anyone she shouldn’t (Ginny, particularly, only, her exception). The small measure of freedom (the ability to focus solely on her studies, to talk to anyone she wished to) she’d won with the Dark Lord’s death had been ripped away again. Pansy had only ever wanted to live her own life-free of parents, free of expectation, free of some hideous snake-faced man’s rule. 

All her early caution would be for naught if she ruined it now, like a drunk plebeian. Why hadn’t she gotten someone to cast a sobering charm (because you like the feeling of intoxication too much)? Pansy wasn’t a Slytherin for nothing though. She kept her body relaxed, boneless, as she stepped out of the shadows, exaggerating her wobble just the slightest. The alcohol would do most of the work for her; she was sure she reeked of Firewhiskey. 

“Yes, Pansy Parkinson. My parents are Claudia and Peverell,” she said proudly (fake, fake, fake), ending with a drunken giggle. At least, if he actually had known her parents at all he wouldn’t be expecting any intelligence. “Sorry, Mr. Lestrange, some of us were,” she glanced around and lowered her voice, “celebrating. I may have overindulged. It’s an honor to meet you though.” There that sounded as pitiful and insipid as her parents.    

pansy parkinson. he couldn’t remember reading anything MEMORABLE about her in the books but he wasn’t entirely surprised. the books were filled with what some deemed as heroes but who he saw as burdens. but he had never been extremely close to the parkinson family, so he could never hand his trust over the way he had with draco. no, he had to remain cautious. the halls were filled with traitors, that much he learned and it was time to sniff them out. 

“ of COURSE you were. ” his shoulders relaxed but only for appearances. “ and your friends just let you wander the halls like this ? i wouldn’t think headmistress mcgonagall would be happy to see one of her students intoxicated. ” he looked around the corridor, knowing full well that it’d be empty. “ why don’t i walk you back ? you know, make sure nothing bad happens. ” rodolphus extended an arm, indicating that they should move. now there was a question to be answered         what did rodolphus lestrange want with pansy parkinson ? truthfully ? HE wasn’t even sure. though there was a voice chiming in. connections were important, they were beneficial even if he prided himself on his independence. there was something screaming at him to keep her in mind for any future tasks that need to be taken care of.

                    “ tell me, miss parkinson. have you seen your parents anywhere ? ”

[lstrvnges-blog]

marcus !

   There was wariness about the man before him that Marcus approved of, something noted in the way that his eyes flicked towards the dark line of the Forbidden Forest. There was nothing to detect from his gaze otherwise, though that bit of caution revealed much. A man to be watched, he thought, taking that as his final conclusion for the moment, sharply aware that it might be a good thing his guard was rarely down fully, all things considered. “Welcome to the new age,” he said, inhaling another lungful of smoke. “The landscape’s changed a bit, but you might find other traditions still hold true.” The level of bullshit, for example, may have fluctuated, but it’s still alive and well. Whatever helps people sleep at night. He didn’t voice the thought, instead opting to answer the question posed to him.

   “No, I’m not. Present day. Not sure of the protocol for this, really, either.” Given that there were no others present and no prior acquaintances around, the usual tradition of the stranger declaring themselves first couldn’t be applied, since they were both strangers in this situation. “I’m Marcus Flint.” He didn’t offer any further information just yet, but he wasn’t afraid of anyone knowing his name as a general rule. While the Flint bloodline was hardly lily-white in background (not by any stretch of the imagination), they retained a level of respectability because no one could ever prove what they had or hadn’t done in public. Those were secrets that stayed within the walls of the family’s homestead and never strayed beyond.

his nostrils flared, finding no amusement in the changes and progressions of the late 90′s. “ i can’t seem to find a single tradition since i’ve stepped foot here, that represents anything of the past. ” jokes were always a hit or a miss when it came to him. he either had no interest in taking part, whether it be the joker or the audience. it seems some things do remain constant. though his disposition had clearly shown more interest in the individual after learning his name. “ flint. a family that has earned the right to call themselves a part of the sacred twenty eight. ” 

there were secrets involved with every respectable pureblood family, and many of them were never meant to see the light of day. though rodolphus rather ENJOYED that part of family. it was the secret and lies that bothered him. he liked knowing that nothing was being kept from him but he knew it was impossible to know everything that happened within each family. the older the lineage, the deeper the troubles ran. that was simply how it was. “ and how are you doing on this fine evening ? ”

[lstrvnges-blog]

astoria !

astoria wiped away a tear, as the fatigue wearing down her body, forced her to take a break. she hadn’t slept at all and leaned back at the cold wall of the castle , closing her eyes as she recalled the very moment when mcgonagall was standing in front of the crowd of students , announcing harry potter’s death. since then, astoria could only recall snippets of the past hours. she knew she was passing by a crowd of grieving and shouting people. – calm and collected and  feeling absolutely nothing. the only thing she knew was that she had to find her sister. and she had looked for her. until now. – now she was just alone, forced to deal with a plethora of feelings , even she couldn’t articulate herself. she was angry and shocked and sad and with all that a certain hopelessness had descended on her. but with no one to talk to except for her sister, ( who was nowhere to be found ), astoria was left alone with a bundle of useless feelings. and she had almost given up.  but  her eyes fluttered open again, of a e swift breeze passing over her.  ❛ hey !  ❜ she shouted, following the other and grabbing them by their arm.  ❛ please help me find my sister . ❜ she pleaded, her voice coloured with desperation.

his steps were heavy thuds, echoing in the corridor. he was walking with a purpose. the announcement made by current headmistress mcgonagall was the best thing he heard in weeks but it meant he was about to be incredibly busy. things were going well until someone laid a hand on him. flipping around, he pulled his wand to the witch’s throat. his voice was low, threatening as some may describe it. “ NEVER touch me, again. i don’t know who your sister is nor do i give a shit about her whereabouts. you find her yourself. ” he yanked his arm away and slowly pulled his wand away. she had caught him off guard and he hated that. rodolphus was never meant to get distracted, never meant to be surprised but there he was. 

[lstrvnges-blog]

draco !

@lstrvnge - starter call. 

it had been over a week since he last talked to rodolphus. the other had been around, probably because of his job requirements ( or so draco assumed ), but draco hadn’t been. since all classes were cancelled for a good week now, he usually spent his days far away from most other students, usually in abandoned classrooms, in the dormitory he shared with blaise and theo or at marcus’ living quarters, places were most couldn’t find him. the school and the wizarding world were busy mourning potter’s dead, which was a week ago today, draco, quite frankly, had been sick about it as well. the savior, the only one that many believed could save them from another disastrous reign of the dark lord, was dead. jumped from the astronomy tower. after nine days, he went looking for rodolphus. he found the other in the library, presumably looking for information about the past two wars. he moved to sit down next to the other and opened his astronomy book. “i got the list you asked for,” he said. while he double-checked if anyone was around ( it was around lunchtime and no one was within fifty feet of the two of them ) his words were spoken softly; he would prefer not to draw any attention to them. he had tried to stay under the radar for a reason. the reason he was referring to was, of course, the list of members from the second order as far as draco knew them. “and the other news - well, if you missed it you must have been asleep the past nine days.”

he looked up, ready to force whoever had sat down to LEAVE until he realized it was his nephew. a piece of parchment was slid to him and he carefully concealed it on top of one of the history books he was browsing though. his eyes scanned the list for anyone he had already had the misfortune of meeting. “ good job, draco. ” his smile seemed GENUINE. “ the dark lord would be  p r o u d, as am i. ” sliding the piece of parchment into his robes, he felt good to have a list of targets in his pocket. it made him feel much more like a hit wizard. 

“ i hard heard and i celebrated. i expect you did as well. ” he rested his elbows on the wooden surface of the table. a mischievous grin wouldn’t leave. “ did you do it ? did you have anything to do with it ? ” a part of him was hoping that the slytherin was the cause of harry potter’s death, but at the same time he knew it couldn’t be good. after reading and reading all the books, he realized one constant. the death eaters never once took a hit out on the boy. now why was that ? it would have been so SIMPLE for a group of dark wizards to kill a teenager and yet, none of them ever hurt the boy. that was when he realized the dark lord must have made a request. whoever killed the gryffindor would find themselves in hot water when voldemort returned. but rodolphus believed more in the cause than in his leader and whoever killed the boy who lived was a SAVIOR.

[lstrvnges-blog]

alice !

              ‘ run the other way alice. ‘ oddly enough the voice inside her head sounded like draco malfoy, the first person who’d warned her about her future. perhaps making an excuse to leave would be a smart idea but there was a curiosity present in her now which felt a bit morbid and unlike anything she’d ever known before but the feeling kept her exactly where she was. if there was one thing she’d never be it was a coward no matter what the situation, hiding from something difficult had never been her style. nor had it been what she’d been taught, ‘ fight for what you believe in. ‘ and that in itself is what gave her comfort she’d been fighting for a cause she truly believed in one that she had committed her entire heart to. 

“ that would be correct, rodolphus i presume? i’ve seen you at the ministry. “ the lion replied, taking a moment to swallow once again tiny hands curling into soft fists if only to keep herself from reaching inside her robes and pulling out her wand. she didn’t want to seem like she was on edge because she didn’t want to be the one that brought up the ‘ future ‘ not when there were far more important topics to discuss. she was standing near a confirmed death eater, someone she would eventually see across a battlefield someone she HAD seen and that alone was enough to want to be defiant. “ quite well, i’ve been told i have a natural talent for the profession and training with frank has given me an edge. “ having frank as a teacher had helped her improve drastically and it was because of him that she’d become a much more formidable foe than before. she could hold her own and duel with the best of them, of that she had no worries. 

quirking an eyebrow at his observation she shook her head. “ don’t think there’s much of a thrill in killing. “ she bluntly stated doe eyes finding his. “ protecting others however? that is as you put it ‘ exciting. ‘ and a reward in and of itself. “ she sounded far more confident than she felt which she figured was a good thing, a very good thing. show them no fear, because he deserved none and that was a reminder that she constantly had to repeat to herself in order to keep her current demeanor. “ but we all have our calling yea? so agree to disagree i suppose. “

“ yes. i believe that’s where i’ve also seen you. ” his head tilted slightly as he continued to watch her actions. any sign of fear would only confirm his belief that a part of her knew. surely she was curious enough to learn about her future if she had been browsing through the same books he had. but if she did know.. well, the reaction he was receiving proved DISAPPOINTING. 

“ and who said anything about murder ? ” he leaned forward with a hint of a smile still dancing on his lips. “ i can assure you, miss fortescue. that we normally just arrest the criminals. some of them don’t have the luxury of simply dying. the punishment should fit the crime, don’t you agree ? ” was he still speaking of the dangerous wizards and witches he was tasked to seek or was he speaking of another group of people ? “ and, if i recall correctly. the aurors began using unforgivable curses on criminals in the late 1970s. they killed and tortured, and they were allowed to. that’s not very protecting is that ? it sent chills down my spine just reading about it. ” he pretended to shiver, making a fuss about it. but never once did the smile waver. employees of the ministry using the unforgivable curses on those they suspected, not even necessarily confirmed. what a marvelous time he missed. he wished he could go back. he wished he could be on the battlefield once again. though it was probably the best he couldn’t. knowing that he made it out of the first war would mean he’d be reckless with the idea of invincibility circulating through his head. but remaining cautious was the only way he could ever survive for long.

aurors had focused on dark wizards and witches and how BORING that was to him. just because someone had a bit of intellectual curiosity, didn’t mean they were meant to be persecuted. he didn’t even understand why it was frowned upon to seek knowledge in that field. it’d do nothing but make someone stronger, smarter, more equipped to survive. dark magic simple fascinating. perhaps that’s why he spent so much time and effort for his defense against the dark arts courses in hogwarts. if rodolphus knew the ways people could use to defend themselves, then he could ways around it. he could create something that held no promise of  h o p e. 

[lstrvnges-blog]

alice !

              the young gryffindor had spent most of her time browsing through library books in particular history books, trying to learn everything she could about the time period she was in if only to stay ahead of the curve. she and the rest of her year needed to figure out the reason as to why they were HERE, the more time she spent dwelling on it the more she realized that their arrival in 1998 had been anything but an accident. she’d heard the news, harry potter ‘ the boy who lived. ‘ had been found dead and if that wasn’t a sign that things were about to go from bad to worse she wasn’t sure what would be. however her thoughts were forgotten as she looked around, the halls carried a heavy sadness and she could see it in most of the students and most importantly in her house mates. 

she’d read as much as she could about harry and the second wizarding war and because of that her heart shattered, someone who was such a symbol of hope for others gone? in their time it would be like losing dumbledore. he was their symbol, someone they looked to and it wasn’t difficult to tell that harry potter had been that person for this GENERATION. running a hand through her mess of curls the raven haired girl shut the book she had been reading and shoved back in her book bag her thoughts racing about a million miles a second she’d purposefully skipped the part where her own history was mentioned at least she had attempted to. 

the prophecy that had been made her son being involved that was as far as she could stomach. the names bellatrix and rodolphus and rabastan lestrange bringing a sour taste in her mouth. she should have gone further but realizing that she’d spend the rest of her life in st.mungo’s hadn’t been easy. it was something happened, something that WOULD happen right? and that frightened her more than she could really say, placing the books she’d been reading back in their shelves alice pulled her book bag over her shoulder with every intention of leaving the library, however looking up she noticed him standing a few feet away and what did she do? she stared if only for a second, clearing her throat as if to grab his attention the gryffindor swallowed in an attempt to find something to say. “ part of two of the book your holding, happens to be checked out. “ she politely replied as she folded her arms across her chest. “ i’ve been looking for it myself. “

@lstrvnge !

rodolphus had expected his trips to the library to be much less frequent but he discovered the opposite to be true. the boy who lived was finally DEAD but who knew what would happen next ? he felt the need        nay, the responsibility to ensure the success of the death eaters the second time around. he was not willing to overlook anything after discovering what had happened. now was his chance to rewrite history and he planned on writing a novel. 

he slowly dragged his eyes to the brunette before him. now that was a face he remembered. alice fortescue. several years younger than he was and one of the order members ( the original one ). though his reading on all the wizards and witches from the first war had been slim as his focus had been centered on their current era. “ i’ll get it later then. ” his eyes squinted, observing the gryffindor. when he first met the witch, it had been at the ministry. something to do with frank longbottom, yet another member. how interesting it was now, to know the fate of those so early on. especially, when it involved him. rodolphus, rabastan, and bellatrix lestrange. those were the names mentioned when discussing the ill fortune of alice and frank longbottom. he felt a sense of PRIDE, reading about it. he had the capability of  b r e a k i n g  someone. as if it were a reflex, the corner of his lip quirked up into a half smile. 

“ alice. isn’t it ? and how is your process of becoming an auror going along ? ” the rest of his body turned to face the brunette. did she know ? did she know what he was going to do to her ? he certainly hoped she did. how unfortunate would it be to have someone suffer so intensely but not necessarily remember the ones who caused it. he ought not to risk it, conversing with her when he could be creating a new plan, a perfect plan. but his ego refused to let his feet move and suddenly he found himself taking a seat. “ i have to say. i always preferred the idea of being a hit wizard than an auror, myself. it’s much more... exciting, if you will. ”

[lstrvnges-blog]

pansy !

Pansy stayed in her room throughout the day. She didn’t feel up to arranging her face into whatever emotion people expected her to be wearing and figured most would find something wrong with it no matter what. She would an easy person for people to take their anger, their grief, out on today. She could understand that but it didn’t mean she was going to let it happen. No matter what (however much she might deserve it) she’d never allow herself to be a victim. 

She caught up on all her homework, read three chapters ahead into their Charms’ book, painted her nails, organized her trunk, made her bed thrice over, wrote a letter to her parents, burned the letter, and when there was nothing left to busy herself with she sat on her floor and drunk the entire bottle of Firewhiskey she’d been saving for a special occasion. Special, indeed (the last gulp she used to toast Harry and everyone who’d loved him). She spent another hour flat on her back, watching the ceiling tilt, delirious, some yawning, empty thing inside her screaming. Why couldn’t they ever seem to catch a break?

Finally, she stumbled up to her feet, deciding that the emptiness in her wasn’t emotional but rather that she’d yet to eat anything. It was late enough that she likely wouldn’t run into anyone at this point. A good thing since she was even less prepared to handle anyone in her current state. 

As expected the halls were quiet and dark. She made it very nearly to the kitchens, before seeing anyone else. She’d only a moment’s warning to clumsily try to hide herself in the shadows before they came around corner.  

the news of harry potter’s death was MUSIC to his ears. the most important threat, according to everything he had read and heard, to the dark lord was NO longer an issue. now there was nothing that could stop the dark lord except, perhaps, the new order. but there was no doubt in rodolphus’ mind that it could be resolved in a matter of days. the death eaters were terminators, returning to rid all the rodents and that’s exactly what they were going to do. it was a night to rejoice, to  c e l e b r a t e. though his plans were cut short at the sound of footsteps. 

the culprit looked familiar and his mind raced to think of whose next of kin she could belong to. suddenly, it was like a light bulb burst above his head. “ a parkinson, i take it ? ” arms crossed in front of his chest. another sacred family with anti-muggle sentiment seeping through their veins. but she didn’t seem as enthusiastic about the sudden news as he was. it wasn’t possible that such a family could be compromised. right ?

[the-sereinus]

AND THEY DO.

[lstrvnges-blog]

bellatrix !

Kind to few and forgiving to even fewer, Bellatrix Black was a being made of ice and malice who rarely ever showed enough raw emotion to be deemed the status of ‘normal’. It was something that some found intriguing while others found unsettling- still the whispers that trailed after her were practically inaudible, her arrogant ego drowning them out. Before she could leap across the table and follow through with her unusual, yet still unethical, threat, a familiar hand practically forced her hand downwards. Bellatrix allowed the tarnished spoon to follow from her fingers and clatter to the smooth surface of the bar top. Her eyes, which were dark as her hair but just as oddly beautiful, darted towards the face of Rodolphus Lestrange as a humored smirk pulled at the corners of her thin lips. “Is that so?” she mused, her voice almost cat-like by the disinterest and insincerity it held. “And what are these things that we must so urgently… discuss, dearest?” Bella questioned, drawing at the last word dramatically before biting the bottom of her lip to stop a dry laugh from escaping. Grimacing as he bit into her food, biting back the insult she so wished to throw at him, she instead asked, “Wouldn’t you like to catch up a bit? So much has changed, though you’re still just as handsome.” Her long, thin index finger lifted and dragged lightly along his jawline as she spoke only to drop back on her lap. The young woman’s coo’s and a syrupy words held no real meaning, nor had they ever. 

how BEAUTIFUL but deadly was the witch before him. the witch he was ( f a t e d ) to call his wife. rodolphus, unlike several others, understood what marriage entailed. it had NOTHING to do with love but everything to do with pride. some deemed it a business transaction, but he saw it as more of a security precaution        to ensure that their lineage remained pure. so when news had broke about the betrothal of rodolphus lestrange and bellatrix black, he felt... indifferent. though the blacks were incredibly well respected, he saw the eldest daughter to be the biggest handful. there was no love. there was no like. perhaps respect, but that would have been IT. 

he clenched his jaw as he felt her finger on his skin. it felt cold and not the kind that predicted a blanket of snow, but the kind that suggested  d e a t h. “ i’m sure you’ve realized we aren’t in the right era. ” his eyes remained on her’s. “ i spoke to your nephew, looks like a perfect mix of lucius and narcissa if you ask me. he CLAIMS that we’ve lost. that a boy named harry potter managed to kill our lord. his mark was burning again when we started appearing here. which means we need to find him. we need to find him and we need to kill the newly formed order before everything goes to shit !  ” the words were forced through his teeth as he started to realize the importance of their arrival in 1999. the entire wizarding world was at stake and as unstable as he found the brunette witch to be, he knew he could TRUST her when it came to this. “ and he’s right. i checked the papers. battle of hogwarts, they call it. they force us into hiding, put us on trial, and lock us up. and for what ? caring about our reputation as a community ? you see, bella. we’ve a new duty, a new task. ”