Nothing like a nice brandy next to the fire.

[rodolphus_lestrange]

Who: Rodolphus and Open (to baddies)
What: Thinking. ... Its more dangerous than it sounds.
Where: Wouldn't you like to know? ...his study.
When: December 2nd, 1 AM
Rating: PG-13 For possibly twisted thoughts
Status: Incomplete

He had heard about her. The girl who was poisoned, that is. Such an evil word, poisoned. The way the papers made it sound, someone purposely slipped something in the girls food to 'poison' her. Which implied that it wasn't an accident.

He sure as hell hoped not.

The leather chair that Rodolphus sat in formed comfortably around his body, and the smell of burning wood from his fireplace filled the room with a heavy glow of warmth, the heat illuminating the glass of brandy that he so casually held in his hand. His eyes were on the glass window pane, watching the world slip by in its silence so early in the morning. Or late in the night. It brought a smooth smile to his lips... even the world outside seemed to unaware of what this meant, let alone the idiotic people that flooded it.

It meant that Rodolphus was not alone, and that his followers were prepared to take action against the filthy, soiled bloods of their age. The time was now, after all. No one expected danger. Voldemort was gone, a brilliant man, but weak in the end when it came to control. After all, what kind of grown man couldn't kill a little boy? Rodolphus could kill that little boy.

In fact, he planned to.

But back to the girl, ordered his thoughts. Yes, the girl. The dirty, disgusting excuse of a human being that was the girl. She was still alive. Harmed greatly, yes, but alive, nonetheless. That would have to be fixed, also. They would all have to be fixed. For a moment, just a brief second, Rodolphus allowed himself to think what it would be like if she had died. If they had found a way to eradicate the filth from the planet. He shivered at the thought, excitement dripping down his spine... he sipped his brandy to warm himself. Yes.. he wanted that.  He wanted to walk down the streets knowing that all of the mudbloods and muggles and, why stop there? Bloodtraitors, too... that they were all dead, their bodies piled and burned because, of course, a proper burial was something saved for human beings. Proper wizards. Not for those with dirt in their veins.

He smirked and sipped his brandy again, staring outside... out at HIS world. Not yet... but it would be his. Just in a matter of time.

Comments

[lamalfoy]

The sound of the door opening only to shut interrupted the silence. "Been busy, brother-in-law?"

He didn't wait for an introduction; the cool etiquette in his voice heralded his arrival regardless of introductions. The sound of clinking glass and cold liquid leaving the decanter as he poured himself a bit of the brandy that Rodolphus was enjoying himself.

"I didn't foresee you, my good man, enjoying the same mistakes as your predecessor. Has your wife's death brought you so much grief that you've lost control of your senses?"

He brought the glass to his lips and took an investigatory drink--quite a good brand. "We're on the tail-end of a lost war, and you want to begin anew? Don't you think time would grant us anonymity?"

[rodolphus_lestrange]

Rodolphus hadn't bothered to move as his brother in law stepped into the room. Lucius was always that way... Educated, with a hint of etiquette, but still impossibly rude when it came to knocking. The thought brought a small smile to Rodolphus' lips was he stared at Lucius' reflection in the blackened window.

The harsh words seemed to roll off of Rodolphus' shoulders, and he tilted his head to the side before he finally spoke, his calmed voice filling the room with an odd sense of chill.

"Yes, of course Lucius, your ways would work so much better than my own. How long have you been trying to become Minister, by the way? Perhaps you should leave me the same few years that you have been trying before speaking so hastily. It would only be fair, after all." His eyes smoothly moved to the brandy in his hand and he sipped it idly, his head finally turning in a lazy fashion to face the other man in the room.

"I think time is something that should not be wasted, my dear brother in law. If we have those who are eager to dirty their hands, then let them, I say. Causing order among the chaos that has erupted could certainly prove useful to us, at the expense of others." He finished his brandy before continuing.

"Unless you want to wait another eleven years like the Dark Lord had, to let them gather their bearings all over again and face us with waving wands and battle cries. These aren't the same people who feared him. He's dead now, and if they're left to mull that for too long, I'm afraid they'll begin to think they're invincible, and strengthen in power and numbers. THAT would just make things FAR too messy, don't you agree?"

[lamalfoy]

The smell of the brandy alone could make him intoxicated, but as Rodolphus spoke, he felt an unmistakable soberness pass over him. "You're giving them a target." He moved toward him and watched him with a hint of disbelief. "You realize, brother-in-law, that the reason the Dark Lord was so successful at first--stemmed in part from the fact that they never saw it coming. You are giving them alarm. Only now will they decide to give pause and grow a backbone. If you wait and let them feel they've won? Well, it would be akin to taking candy from a baby. And pardon me, but that sounds much more preferable to losing a battle of this magnitude." He took another sip of the brandy. He appeared quite calm even though he spoke of death, misfortune, and war.

[rodolphus_lestrange]

"Don't be foolish, dear brother, the Dark Lord had never been SUCCESSFUL in his triumphs until much after the old fool and his followers knew he was coming. What had he done beforehand, play Quirrel as a puppet? He hardly did any damage then, and when he finally took his place at the Tournament it was almost four years since he had already risen."

Rodolphus rose to his feet, heavily walking over to his brandy with a step that echoed through the mahogany office and bounced from the decorated walls. He poured himself another glass.

"This isn't going to be easy, Lucius, and to base anything off of the element of surprise would be wishful thinking. The world is different now and people are ready to take action." His dark eyes moved to Lucius' face as he continued calmly, "We need to make them take haste. Throw up their defenses in panic instead of planning, if we strike quickly, they have less time to fortify themselves against us. Or have you forgotten how long it took us to finally get into Hogwarts? I rather not wait a year to gather my people where I need them, only to loose everything after one battle."

He nodded at his own wording, his eyes on the golden glow in his glass as if he was looking at something of great interest. "We act now. Make them know we are here, make them concentrate on poison control, and while they're busy we can hit them from the side. And the back. Soon they'll be on the verge of war with an unseen attacker, and that, when they are panicking, is when we will plant the seed of doubt in the ministry and watch it grow." He returned to his seat to look at Lucius.

"Frame the Minister and have him taken from power, and well do that to whomever takes his place. We promise protection to all others who are employed, seeing as fear makes people stupid, and they'll no doubt believe the rumors that we spread, and finally, I take my place at the head of the Ministry. They wouldn't be able to touch me, not with the people I have on my side. After that it will be like nothing for us to take over as we intended.

"That's why the Dark Lord failed, Lucius." Rodolphus shook his head, his eyes returning to the darkened window to study his own reflection staring back. "He thought only of the power, not how he was going to grasp it. He tried to fight the wrong people... We must CONTROL those people... Not fight them."

[lamalfoy]

This would be the first time Lucius found himself feeling a particular way. Nevertheless, he would lift the glass of brandy towards him. "Then to your success, brother-in-law. I wish you victory in your pursuits." He drank the rest of the brandy from the glass and set it down. A new set smile across his face before he turned his back towards him. Perhaps a moment spent clutching the head of his cane. The smile did not leave his lips. "Just make sure you know which are the right sort to trust. It would be a pity if all this was for nothing." The sound of his door opening and falling shut could be heard afterwards.

[graham_montague]

Even though he was traveling internationally, Graham had to be careful. The disapparation border patrol recognised him, asking him for autographs and photographs and the usual fare, though luckily they didn't inquire as to why he was leaving the country.

The outskirts of Moscow. He had his destination in mind for a visit to an old, exiled family friend, who had been residing there. Rodolphus Lestrange. His house elf was able to communicate with Rodolphus' so that he had the exact address. Graham's winter cloak wasn't nearly warm enough; his boots crunched above the snow as he trudged up to the front door, his hood drawn over his head for warmth and anonymity.

Finally, he reached the large oak doors and pounded his fist three times against them, anxiously waiting. He had not seen Rodolphus Lestrange since he was a young boy, but the man was close with his father; if rumours were true, Rodolphus may be interested in his latest accomplishment.

[rodolphus_lestrange]

It only took moments for a small house elf to work its way to the doorway, opening the large oak doors to welcome Graham inside. It's head bobbed excitedly as it welcomed him in, and it closed the door swiftly to keep out the cold air. It had already known his name... probably because it had been speaking to his house elf so frequently, and it didn't hesitate to lead Graham through the labyrinth of halls... it had paused only to knock on the correct door before it scurried away, allowing Graham to enter when he was welcomed to.

After Lucius had left Rodolphus went on to ponder the things he was going to have to accomplish in the next few months... and he only felt a slight tinge of annoyance at the rapt sound coming from his door. His eyes moved over, undeniably curious... he wasn't expecting company this late... and he spoke.

"It is open, come in."

[graham_montague]

Graham's boots, still wet from the snow, squeaked against the marble flooring of the entrance hall. He was sure the house-elf would be mopping that up straight away once he led him to the room with the crackling fire.

Graham was instantly warmer in that room, removing his hood as he stood by the door that closed behind him. He hesitated, staring at the back of a regal armchair, able to see the top of a man's head and his arm hanging over the side, clutching a glass of what appeared to be liquor. The tip of a black boot was also visible, and Graham, usually up on the highest wizarding fashion, recognised it as fresh dragonhide.

He cleared his throat, feeling his heart hammering a bit faster. Aside for one brief, vague conversation with Theo Nott, he hadn't spoken of his potion to anyone, and he only hoped that the rumours were true-- that he didn't make this trip for nothing.

"Good evening, Master Lestrange... We met well over a decade ago, when I was just a boy. You knew my father well. Sigmund Montague. I do hope you don't mind me paying you an unexpected visit at this late hour."

[rodolphus_lestrange]

Rodolphus glanced his way out the window, staring at the reflection of the door slowly opening... his eyes studying the form of a young man that stepped into his study. His eyes looked somewhat familiar, as did the strong structure of his jaw, but Rodolphus couldn't recall where he had seen the boy before. Or, for that matter, how he was found.

But after Graham spoke it all fell into place. Rodolphus immediately recognized the familiar characteristics as those of Grahams father, and he smiled widely before he stood and turned to face his new visitor.

"My my, Graham Montague.... it certainly has been a while, how you have grown! And no, not a problem at all, dear boy, come in, come in! You're old enough for a brandy, aren't you? Of course you are." he grinned wider... Rodolphus hardly had interesting company these days, so his hand found Grahams shoulder and easily led him into the room towards a large chair beside the one he himself was sitting in.

"Sit boy, come, what a wonderful surprise. I was a fond man of your father, brilliant wizard, really." He rambled a bit, pouring two more glasses before he handed Graham one and he sat across from the boy.

"And to what do I owe this wonderfully unexpected visit?"