#code one

[darkestdawnhq]

BELLATRIX BLACK is a 30 year old PUREBLOOD, a former SLYTHERIN, and an AUROR who is a DEATH EATER and uses SHE/HER pronouns. They are categorized as CODE ONE. They are currently CLOSED.

A red smile | Haphazardly thrown curses | They say love is strongest, they haven’t seen the end of your wand | An eagerness and thirst that can’t be sated | Strolling down dark alleys guided by the moonlight | A lion waiting in ambush | High pitched laughter bubbles from your mouth as the tang of blood fills the air.

HISTORY.

From a young age, Bellatrix knew her strengths did not lie in elegance and deceit, but in cruelty and wrath. The warmth and affection of her mother and sisters a distraction while the approval of her father proved to be survival. She was an eager student, and it was a surprise to many when Cygnus took interest in her upbringing. It had been a long time since someone could match her father step for step but she was determined and unafraid. Failure was no longer an option and it was with a strange relief that she slipped from her mother’s grasp into her father’s teachings. Bellatrix was not built to be a rose, pricking with thorns where you least expected it. She would instead be the viper poised to strike. 

Her arrival at Hogwarts only cemented her path. Childhood friendships fell away and new connections were quickly made. Man’s world or not, being a Black meant something. She met snide remarks with sharp retorts and when witty words weren’t enough she made sure they heard her through the sting of her wand. Her ruthless nature earned their respect or their fear, whichever it was she didn’t particularly care. Bellatrix’s professors thought her a bitter bully in the beginning but nonetheless bright, and it was only as she grew older and more pointed did they see the monster in the making. By the time of her graduation plenty in the castle were happy to see her go but the monsters on the outside were eager to welcome her. 

Life outside of school proved Cygnus a worthy mentor. Bellatrix settled quickly into the ranks of the Death Eaters and rose even faster, much to the chagrin of the men around her. A women’s place, they would mutter, was at home raising the children; it was to be submissive and quiet to their husband. Bellatrix had neither and seemed unlikely ever to. It was apparent the one man she would swear loyalty to was the Dark Lord. She matched his cruelty and could often be found suggesting particularly spiteful, horrible treatment for those unfortunate enough to be on her mind. His approval could be marked by the echo of her chilling laugh bouncing down the hall. 

The question of Bellatrix’s sanity has become almost a joke amongst the ranks, though it would surprise no one if any of the rumors turned out to be true. The Dark Lord may have been known for Nagini but the new shadow at his feet was getting more and more notice. She was quick to lash out, harsh in both words and way, and unafraid to be violent with her hands should her wand be missing. There was something so satisfying to drawing blood with her hands and not just the cruel twist of a wand. A satisfaction in not only relying on magic, the heft of a dagger, the sound of a knife perfectly flung. Answers could be drawn out so sweetly, the shake of a body in pain, the smell of blood thick in the air, the sheen of sweat and tears on skin. Impulsive or not, Bellatrix got the desired results. She was reliable and eager and while patience did not come easy to her the promise of a delicious payoff was usually all that was needed to keep her in place.

CONNECTIONS.

RODOLPHUS LESTRANGE: Friend. Bellatrix has always had a hard time finding equals. Not in blood or status but in mind. While Bellatrix has always been close with her father and even sometimes her sisters, there's something about the oldest Lestrange boy that is like looking in a mirror. It's a thought that for the first time in her life frightens her. Beneath the manic laughter is a mind that she can talk to without any filter. To him her ‘crazy’ ideas are met with interest instead of the fanatic disregardance you receive from others. He doesn’t underestimate her, but instead sees her value.

AMELIA BONES: Ex-Childhood Friend. Bellatrix became acquainted with the Bones children at the limited occasions that they crossed paths at. During Bellatrix’ more innocent days, the two girls got along well. Amelia could even subdue Bella’s fire at times. However, all ties were seemingly cut when Bellatrix became more entranced in the dark arts just as Amelia’s sympathies towards muggleborns grew.  These days you wouldn’t imagine that the two had ever been friends. Bellatrix despises the fact that they were ever friendly, so she’s taken it upon herself to be extra nasty to her, as if she needs to prove that there has been no love lost between them.

LILY POTTER: Prey.  She slipped away right from her fingers. Bellatrix yearns to be the one who finds her. She’s already promised the Dark Lord that she would and you don’t just break promises to the most powerful of wizards. The face of the redheaded witch fills your waking moments and much of your dreams. You already know what you’ll do to her when you find her. You may not be allowed to end her life right away, but there are certainly other ways you can amuse yourself in the meantime. 

EMMELINE VANCE: Toy. She had always had a smart mouth, and not in the good way. Emmeline had the misfortune of trying to stand up for others, putting herself in Bellatrix’s way one too many times until the latter began to recognize her and that obnoxious tilt of her chin. As time went on, Bellatrix began to enjoy their little games. It was always a bit more fun when a mouse was harder to catch, harder to break. Emmeline seemed to think of it as a sort of rivalry through school, unaware that Bellatrix had made it clear she’d be keeping this mouse for herself, and she would be the one to snap her when the time came. 

Currently portrayed by ASTRID BERGÈ-FRISBEY

[darkestdawnhq]

NARCISSA BLACK is a 26 year old PUREBLOOD, a former SLYTHERIN, and a SOCIALITE who is a CIVILIAN and uses SHE/HER pronouns. They are categorized as CODE ONE. They are currently OPEN.

Gowns of the most expensive materials | Trapped in a gilded cage with no escape | Champagne in crystal goblets | Family is the only blood that matters | White kittens with satin bows | Laying in a field of wildflowers in expensive lace and diamonds | Too scared of the unknown to run | Gold, marble and glossy finishes

HISTORY.

Narcissa, for better or for worse, has allowed expectations to rule her life. From infancy, her mother trained her to be the shining star of the Black family tree. The importance of placing the family above all else was laced into everything her mother said and taught her. Narcissa understood that her parents’ love would always be conditional on her loyalty to the Blacks. Should she falter or fail, their support would lapse. For a while, Narcissa believed in the plan they had for her life. She bought into it through her formative years, and only as she neared her Hogwarts graduation date and the real start of her life did she realize just how restricting her gilded cage is.

Hogwarts bought the time away from her parents Narcissa needed to begin to think for herself. She’d always felt a bit trapped, dismayed and unenthusiastic about the life her parents had planned for her. As she neared her seventh year, Narcissa started to panic. She felt as if she didn’t know who she was under all her labels and expectations. In her mind, she had never existed just as herself, but always as something else. She was a sister, daughter, potential match, heiress, “the hope for our family” (according to her father). She knew she was all those things, and more, but who is she to herself?

Narcissa rarely acted out or broke rules. The most she had ever done was sneak out after curfew with her friends to get some air at night, or skip a class here or there. Fear of sullying her reputation kept her in line. However, her identity crisis shifted something inside of her, and she started to seek out small, private rebellions. She begged Andromeda to sneak her muggle books. Andromeda would, and Narcissa would fashion book covers to conceal their titles. Books became her refuge, and in those plots she found plenty of women like herself – trapped in cages waiting for a man to snatch them up and trap them in another cage. Books gifted her something that no one else could: the realization that she will always be free in her mind, and no one will cage her thoughts.

The realization brought an unexpected freedom for Narcissa. She stopped correcting herself when she thought unkind things, and she allowed herself to stop seeing the best in everyone. Narcissa quickly found that her blind belief that everyone had good in them was naive and privileged. She often felt almost disgusted with how easily she had let herself be manipulated by people who wanted to get close to her family and her money. Narcissa, who had been friendly to most in Slytherin, gradually became far more selective with who she chose to spend time with. Rarely was she seen with anyone other than one of her sisters or Rabastan. She let the three get close, truly close, and kept everyone else at arm’s length. While she was never cruel or unkind, Narcissa kept conversation surface level, keeping her thoughts and opinions closely guarded secrets.

As her time at Hogwarts came to an end, Narcissa knew that the clock on her being untethered to a man was running out. She pleaded with her father for a small flat in central London, wanting to have some semblance of independence before someone whisked her away to a lonely manor somewhere. Ultimately, it was her mother that convinced him to agree. As the war began to explode around her, Narcissa used her flat as a refuge. In the comforts of her home, she could curl up with her secret muggle books and reread tales that took her to a fantasy land far away from the expectations suffocating her.

With the war now won, Narcissa’s escape has become an even more private affair. She’s only kept a few of her collection of muggle books, throwing the rest out in the bin. Paranoid of invasive parents and the expansive network of spies, Narcissa has rebound the three books she’s chosen to keep. The books are without title pages, bound in fabric covers, and hidden away in the back corner on the top shelf of her closet. Anyone snooping is more likely to see them as old diaries rather than the illegal material that they are.

The advances of Lucius Malfoy make Narcissa nervous. Her time is running out, and she fears that she’ll have to throw away her books if they marry. As beloved as they are to her, she wouldn’t risk her life or reputation by attempting to smuggle contraband into the house of one of the Dark Lord’s most trusted. Her life in this post-war world is rather unremarkable. She has her hobbies – drawing, painting, reading, and writing an advice column in her favorite witches’ magazine – but aside from that, her life is quiet. Narcissa goes to all the important events and parties. She shows her face when it needs to be seen, and despite her preference for solitude, she fosters the relationships that could one day help her.

Still, as she considers her life, she can’t help but think of one of her muggle books that’s off rotting in a landfill somewhere. In The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath remarks that, “I felt very still and empty, the way the eye of a tornado must feel, moving dully along in the middle of the surrounding hullabaloo.” Narcissa understands this sentiment. She often feels as if she’s in the center of it all, calm in the peace she’s created for herself. She watches from the safety of her cage as the world happens around her and she wonders when it’ll be her turn to be tossed into the hullabaloo.

CONNECTIONS.

ANDROMEDA BLACK: Sister. Narcissa loves both of her sisters more than anyone else in this world. They were there for each other when their parents never were. They all showed each other a soft side no one else was privy to. However, she always felt a bit closer to Andromeda because she respected her independent views. The day Andromeda started to pull away from them though was one of the hardest she went through. Andromeda may edging into dangerous territories, but Narcissa only wants her sister to be safe and will do anything to keep her so and in her life.

RABASTAN LESTRANGE: Friend. The youngest siblings of each family may have been separated by a few years, but they were always together as children at those endless pureblood society events. Their friendship grew slowly, always together in the same room and finding solace and company in the other. They understand so much of how the other feels, their situations similar. They are the youngest, the spare, and they both feel trapped by the gilded world. It has only gotten worse with the Death Eaters taking over and she's seen a change in him since Regulus died. Narcissa has always preferred the younger Lestrange and needs his friendship now more than ever to keep herself together.

LUCIUS MALFOY: Potential Match.  She may not know the man very well, but she is fully aware of what his intentions are. Narcissa may have felt trapped before, but she's even more terrified by the potential of a marriage arranged for her. She's seen her parents marriage as an entirely loveless one and she doesn't want to enter into it. However, she feels trapped with no other option but to continue with what is planned for her. Lucius is practically a stranger to her, despite them having been in the same house and all the same parties. He's a stranger who she can't escape.

LUDO BAGMAN: Something New. Narcissa had seen him plenty of times growing up. They’re only a year apart. She remembers spotting him in the common room and on the Quidditch field, rough and rugged in a way she always preferred to distance herself from. Now, Narcissa isn’t so sure what to think of him. He’s not always at the parties, but she sees him there sometimes. He runs with the Death Eaters despite being a halfblood, and while nothing could ever happen between them, that doesn’t stop her from being intrigued. They’ve hardly spoken to each other, but Narcissa has resolved to change that the next time she spots him. She tells herself it’s because she wants a different perspective on life – one not tainted by growing up a purist. Her social circle feels suffocating, and she’s beginning to feel miserable and desperate for a change of pace – regardless of what form it takes. 

Currently portrayed by LUCY BOYNTON

[darkestdawnhq]

ANTONIN DOLOHOV is a 26 year old PUREBLOOD, a former SLYTHERIN, and a HITWIZARD who is a DEATH EATER and uses HE/HIM pronouns. They are categorized as CODE ONE. They are currently CLOSED.

The Earth shook when you were born | Bared teeth and clenched fists, you took on the world head first | Underground fighting pits and eyes hollowed by a war that seems like it never ended | Not for you anyway.

HISTORY.

His mother was alone when he was born, his father busy ruling over the magical bratva. He had stared up at the young woman who held him in her arms, as she’d whispered about the greatness that he would wield. Volchonok, she’d said, her wolf cub.

Antonin was born not far from Moscow. Naturally, Antonin was sent to Durmstrang where he was practically royalty. The professors feared him and the wrath of his father, whilst his peers all but worshipped him. For everyone knew his father and what he could do. Adrik Dolohov, The Pakhan, the boss of the magical Soviet underworld. A cesspool for corruption, too far entwined with politics to be touchable and as a result, Antonin was much of the same. It was in his 5th year that his father deemed it necessary to send his only son to Hogwarts. He’d been initiated the Summer previously, beat to almost a pulp, tortured to see how much the heir could withstand. The move to England would be a tactical one, for there were whispers of dark activity stirring in the United kingdom and Dolohov senior hoped that in having his son closer to all the action, he would have all the necessary intel at his fingertips. Antonin was naturally sorted into Slytherin where his ambition was fed and prospered. Initially the young heir did not take the change to Hogwarts well. While he had always had a temper, it was positively volatile in this foreign land. It took him a complete year before he stopped requesting his mother send him his favourite Russian sweets and another 6 months before he realised that he truly did enjoy leek pie. However, it wasn’t simply the English food that kept him in the country, but a man named Tom Riddle and his cause.

Antonin’s father agreed to allow him to stay past his schooling years, seeing that it would indeed benefit them both. While it’s expected that Antonin is to one day return home to take over his father’s role as Pakhan, Antonin is becoming more and more accustomed to life in London. Antonin would rather be in the thick of the action rather than sit in meetings all day and watch as others fought in his place.

Like a lit fuse it’s only a matter of time before Antonin ‘loses it’ at something or someone. If he’s in a particularly foul mood it may just serve your best interests to stay clear of the man if you want to escape with all your limbs intact. First, there’s the quiet brooding anger that simmers beneath the surface. It only takes an instant for it to turn into a full blown display of cursed words and flying furniture. He’s mostly able to let off most of his steam at work, but even hit wizards have slow days. It’s the muggle underground fist fighting clubs of London where Antonin truly lets himself go. But don’t expect him to explain where he gets his fresh cuts and bruises from.

Russian, Antonin’s mother tongue. Perfectly his, the sharp timbre of a tiger meeting the sweet curves of a Tchaikovsky piece. There’s a beauty to Russian which Antonin believes is absent in English. Words that don’t have the same meaning, lost in a river niceties and harsh consonants. Still, Antonin learnt English well enough, his parents telling him that it would be useful. He still occasionally struggles with some phrases and pronunciations but for the most part he is fluent in both languages.

Antonin is a man of very few words and when he does speak it is hardly ever about himself. Often the gossip surrounding him is wild and scarcely credible. But Antonin doesn’t mind being spoken about, the more insane and crazy the rumours, the better. Let him be feared for there is nothing more powerful than fear.

CONNECTIONS.

WENDY SLINKHARD: Tracking. Ever since the half blood was assigned to Antonin, he’s been her shadow. The witch is smart, careful to never slip, almost too careful. There’s something about her that both infuriates and intrigues Antonin. An all too familiar fighting spirit that sometimes even makes Antonin pause. He doesn’t know how long he’ll keep watching her quietly, he didn’t get his nickname ‘terrible Antonin’ from simply watching his enemies. Because someone like Wendy has to be hiding something. He briefly remembers her from Hogwarts, he had to admit she almost always gave it back to those who taunted her. At school, Antonin had always been an observer first, maybe he let her off easy then but he wont be so forgiving this time around.

RODOLPHUS LESTRANGE: Best friend. They were the first person Antonin met when he first arrived at Hogwarts. Rodolphus recognised his power and Antonin was quick to return the sentiment. One more terrible than the other. Brothers in blood, but even Antonin has begun to notice the mad glint he sometimes gets in his eyes. Rodolphus, who had always been trying to get Antonin to ‘loosen up’ and ‘relax’, is now the more uptight and unwilling to compromise. Rodolphus has a new sort of hunger, which Antonin suspects is linked to the more time he’s been spending with the eldest Black girl, that seems like it can never be satiated. Antonin worries that even with the war over he loses his humanity by the day.

MIKHAIL VULCHANOV: Childhood friend. They were toddlers when they first met. Mikhail is the calm waters to Antonin’s brewing fire, always holding him back by the shirt as Antonin’s feet dig into the earth beneath him. The hardest part about transferring to Hogwarts had been leaving Mikhail behind at Durmstrang. Antonin’s glad that Mikhail’s here now, somehow Antonin’s always felt most like himself in Mikhail’s presence. Their normality a breath of fresh air that lacks any need for pretence, something that is so rarely found in the rest of his relationships.

ANUSHKA DOLOHOV: Sister. His baby sister. At first he didn’t want her to come to London; he’s only worried about her safety here even though the war is supposedly over. Back home she has their father and his men to protect her, here it’s just him. She’s definitely grown up since they were both children running through the hallways of their Moscow mansion. Antonin knows she worries about him too. After all Antonin’s kept Anushka at arm’s length for years so that they don’t learn from him. He always hoped that she would at least turn out better than he did, but after all, she is also your father’s daughter.

Currently portrayed by MICHELE MORRONE 

[darkestdawnhq]

WALBURGA BLACK is a 56 year old PUREBLOOD, a former SLYTHERIN, and an OCCUPATION UTP who is a DEATH EATER and uses SHE/HER pronouns. They are categorized as CODE ONE. They are currently OPEN.

Behind every great man there is an even greater woman | Chipped red nails speak of the work that you’ve done | The clicking of heels on wood | Screaming matches whilst hurling vases | Hair lightly curling from walking in the rain | The touch of fur

HISTORY.

Classified.

CONNECTIONS.

ORION BLACK: Husband. Orion may be a Black, but Walburga’s always known that he’s not made of the same stuff as her and Cygnus. He’s an idealist and can be cruel when he wants to be, a good leader. But not a great one. Still, Walburga has his ear and will not hesitate to tell him exactly what she thinks. Their relationship is an odd one, a powerful one. Their fights are legendary and have only given them a deeper connection of understanding. They’ve barely spoken about their defected children. One now dead at Walburga’s own wand and she knows she won’t hesitate to do the same to the other should their paths cross. Orion was always less heavy handed than she with them, it can only explain why they became so soft.

CYGNUS BLACK: Brother. They were siblings who weren’t raised close. Walburga was just starting at Hogwarts when Cygnus was learning to spell words. They barely grew up together but they were raised the same. It certainly hasn’t stopped them from growing close in their adult years for it doesn’t take a genius to work out just how like minded they are. Walburga knows that Cygnus supports her fully, he would act with the same ruthlessness that she has. Sometimes Walburga wonders if Cygnus would have made a better Minister of magic than her own husband. 

BARTY CROUCH SNR: Disappointed In/Trying To Recruit. There’s no denying that Barty Crouch Snr is a great wizard. However, while his son has his head screwed on the right way, his father is adamant that they should all meddle with the filth. Such disgusting ideals of complacency is something that Walburga needs to rectify. She’s disappointed in the elder Crouch, and isn’t shamed from being rather vocal to him regarding just what she thinks of his ‘ideals’.

CONNECTION FOUR: Role Title. Classified.

Currently portrayed by MICHELLE PFEIFlFER 

[darkestdawnhq]

WILLIAM MULCIBER is a 26 year old PUREBLOOD, a former SLYTHERIN, and an AUROR who is a DEATH EATER and uses HE/HIM pronouns. They are categorized as CODE ONE. They are currently CLOSED.

The sound of bones snapping | Loving this war because it gives you a chance to explore your bloodlust | The shiver that goes up your spine | Having a hard time understanding the blood purity, but loving the chaos | Dark eyes glinting from a stoic face | Feeling eyes on you all the time

HISTORY.

TW: Abuse, Alcoholism

When Elizabeth and Maxwell Mulciber brought a child into the world, it was due to obligation, not out of love for one another.  Purebloods were expected to continue their family lineage, and both happy with a son, an heir to pass along the family name, had no further children.  William grew up feeling like a nuisance and a bother, even feeling unwanted.  His parents fought constantly behind closed doors, though to the outside eye, they appeared to be a happy little family.  Though William always received love from his mother, his father bullied both of them from the time William was born, eventually turning violent and belligerent, often turning to alcohol and going on drawn out violent rages.  William was made to feel like he was never man enough, and thus a true chauvinist was born.  His own internalized misogyny doesn’t always slip out, though, and he’s careful with who he lets his true self be shown.

Understanding what it was like to be on the receiving end of a power imbalance, William vowed two things to himself.  1) He would do whatever it took to be in power, and 2) He would learn to understand people so that he could take the time to manipulate them.  When he took off to Hogwarts, in all of his macho bravado, even at 11, he took the time to charm both his fellow students and his teachers.  It didn’t take him long to figure out who were his inferiors, and it took him even less time to start bullying them.  As soon as he got his first taste of power, he knew that he never wanted to give it up.

As he got older, his power hungry nature turned to outright bloodlust.  William revels in pain, torture, chaos, and will always jump at the chance to hold power over another living being.  He realized how easy it was to take power over others, the same that his father did to him, particularly targeting a Muggleborn named Mary MacDonald.  His parents never enforced blood purity on him, and he doesn’t understand why some of the other death eaters practically froth at the mouth when it comes to Muggleborns.  However, he does appreciate the hierarchy that they’ve created, and realized that he doesn’t need to understand it to lord someone’s blood status over their head.  He took any chance he got to do the Dark Lord’s bidding, never being quite in the inner circle, but always lusting for it as it seems just out of reach.

Let loose to run wild during the war, William felt himself turning to more crude methods, throwing away his wand because he enjoys the mutual pain of throwing a punch.  Already bored with the war ending and civilization starting to rebuild, William took on the job of an Auror, particularly wanting to track down little Mary MacDonald so that he can finish what he started.

There is no love lost between William and his father, only ever interacting with each other when obligation calls for it.  William blames his mother for not being strong enough to face off against his father, and has all but fallen out of touch with her, too.  Cruel, calculated, and callous, William can be incredibly charming when he wants to be.  As much as he leans into his bloodlust, he’s very emotionally intelligent, and understands people well.  From all the years of walking on eggshells around his father, he understands what makes people tick, and enjoys playing power games for the long haul.  William tends to be cool, calm, and collected, but it’s only a matter of time before his bloodlust turns him maniacal, especially since he can’t exercise it the same way that he could during the war.

CONNECTIONS.

MARY MACDONALD: Prey. What better target than little Mary? The first time he attacked her, they had both been in school. He’d had some new curses he’d wanted to try out and little mudblood Mary had practically walked right into his trap. He’d charmed her at first, made her trust him, because he’d cared, he’d stand up for her. Wrong. It’s driving him practically insane now that she’s lost, in hiding. Her wanted posters taunting him at his every turn. William longs for his little lamb to torture, he’s learnt so much more since he’s been in school, he has much he wants to show her. He wants to be the one to find her. 

CASTOR AVERY: Annoyance. Castor looks down at William, thinks he’s smarter than everyone else which only infuriates William even more. William finds him terribly boring whenever he opens his mouth to speak, he’s all careful tactics and strategies while Will is more concerned about the practical aspects of warfare. Castor tries to ignore William’s barely concealed eyerolls when he speaks and it’s only a matter of time before William has an outburst at the passive wizard.

BELLATRIX BLACK: Wannabe Mentor. It’s Bellatrix who William thinks they should be more like. The older which is something of an enigma to William. He has modelled much of his approach off of her. She’s quick to draw her wand, doesn’t spend too much time talking or faffing around. She rarely hesitates. William would love it if she were to pay him a little more attention, teach him a thing or two, help him perfect some of the more complex curses he’s seen her wield almost effortlessly. He has plans on asking her to help him, he’s just worried she’ll say no. 

WALBURGA BLACK: Admires.  Since joining the Death Eaters, William has always admired Walburga Black from afar.  She is a strong and powerful female figure, such the opposite of his own mother, who he harbors an intense resentment for.  Walburga has shown that she will do whatever it takes, including sacrificing her own children, and William admires that characteristic in her.  Family is nothing more than a name, in William’s opinion, and he’s glad that there’s somebody else who seems to think the same way that he does.

Currently portrayed by AVAN JOGIA

[code-of-the-clans]

“It'll be fine. Everycat knows that Emberstar's closest friend is Thistletail, in ThunderClan. If any cat understands that friendships don't stop at the border of a territory, it's Emberstar.”

thistletail.

[yeetearth]