Bellatrix is a brandy-stealing mouth-breather.

So sayeth death, the world is mine.
I have prepared a tomb for all mankind
So sayeth death, the world is mine.
( Read more... )

[ Death Eaters ]

None of you got frustrated with Regulus and killed him, did you? Pansy or not He is still the Black heir.

[ Regulus ]

Regulus, your mother is sending me Howlers demanding that she know your whereabouts. Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, entertaining as though it may be, go home. Even your father knew to come home at night.

[ Private ]

Much as I know that the Auror Office is to blame for what happened and it has been months since Evan was under my tutelage, I cannot help but wonder what I did not teach him. Where I went wrong in my lessons. That perhaps, if we had focused more on reflexes and dodging or if I had taught him just the right spell, we would now have two dead Aurors rather than two dead servants of the Dark Lord.

Did I fail him? And in failing him, did I fail the Dark Lord? I wish that I could have been there, at least to have seen what went wrong, so that I could prevent it from happening again with Regulus.

And much as I try to be encouraging, I know that Regulus will never be the protege that Evan was. Much as, since he is a Black, I may love Regulus more, he does not have the natural gifts that Evan did.

I have never before felt so acutely what it means to sacrifice for Him.

Rodolphus remains catatonic and closed off as always. Insisting that they are taking everything from us before they come for us. I do not have enough strength to support both of us right now. And who else am I to turn to?

[ Uncle Greg ]

Uncle, you know that you have my deepest sympathies. Evan's loss is not one that can precisely been put into words.

I do not wish to trouble you with my own selfish worries, but if you are having the same troubled thoughts I am, I thought that perhaps I would ease some of the burden by letting you know I share it.

Do you wonder what more you could have done to prevent this?

I cannot help but wonder how it is that we have come to this

[ Death Eaters ]

Locations and statuses. Now.

[ Inner Circle + Rodolphus ]

I confess that I am at a loss for what to do about Regulus.

He seemed to be bolstered by the attack on his father, but our Muggle baiting was not as successful as I would have liked. He managed to perform a decent Cruciatus Curse twice, but was put off by the Muggle woman's screams and couldn't carry on. He also attempted the Killing Curse and produced no more than a nose bleed.

The latter I am not surprised by, seeing as he hasn't practiced on anything larger than a mouse. I thought perhaps that because he was angry he would do better, but I was wrong.

In truth, I have never had a student so squeamish before. In the past, those I have tutored have overcome whatever disgust they may feel when they find how satisfying it is to wield the power of the Dark Arts. But Regulus is softer than I had anticipated. His mother has always coddled him and protected him.

He has so much talent and potential, but I have no idea how to handle this. My normal tactics will likely only discourage him, but this is taking far longer than I would like. He risks becoming an embar Do any of you have suggestions?

[ Inner Circle ]

Honestly, why was it that I was the one tasked with pouring over the minds of two nineteen year old boys? I know so, so many details about Elliot Avery's dalliances with Charlotte Burke that I never wanted to.

And Xander can't even keep it to one particular lady. In his mind, at least. I think he most often dallies with Right Hand and Left Ha

They tip cows over for fun.

[ Death Eaters ]

Apparently, the Order of the Phoenix has been compiling a list of those of us who they suspect, which the Auror Office now has. This begs the question -- why do we not have a similar list of the Order of the Phoenix members? I want you to give forward all those you suspect of being a member of the Order of the Phoenix, and why.

Obviously, Gideon and Fabian Prewett were known members, as was Dorcas Meadowes. Who else?

[ Regulus ]

Regulus, you may have noted that I did not send you a gift for your birthday. Please trust that I have not forgotten about you. In fact, I would like to see you and present your gift in person. Are you amenable?

[ Rodolphus ]

I believe that I have already mentioned this to you, but I am taking Regulus Muggle baiting for his birthday.

To be honest, I think that he needs to develop a stronger stomach.

[ Elliot and Xander ]

I want each of you to write me an account of which emotions you find most difficult to clear from your mind before each night's rest. I think that more progress can be made with both of you if you let go of your preoccupations.

Keep in mind that these emotions are also the easiest to exploit in you, so controlling them has a benefit outside of Occlumency.

I am beginning to think that all of these "ward failings" are really the result of bad wizards. Somehow, it seems much more likely to me that there are many mediocre wizards than that there is some kind of consistent problem.

[ Death Eaters ]

Charlemagne, I require your assistance. I will be Apparating to your home post-haste.

Elliot, Leonidas, I expect you to keep us abreast of developments in the DMLE.

[ Death Eaters ]

I think that everyone's favourite mongrel werewolf has finally demonstrated his usefulness, and that we can put this little game with the Muggle beasts to use against Scrimgeour. Ever since he saw fit to defy the Dark Lord publicly, in what was clearly an attempt to mock him, I have felt that Scrimgeour needs to be finished. He also tried to kill my hus While we're dealing with Aurors, we may as well take out Brimstone as well.

Leaving the Auror Office without its leadership would be a huge boon to us. For Scrimgeour, this is personal. We might as well ask him and Brimstone to come, alone, and I think a Portkey to take them away from the scene of the house will eliminate any others they may bring along.

[ Elliot ]

I hear that you require training in Occlumency. Before I agree to spend my time on this intensive and obscure process, I need to know how much your father taught you, and what you know to have been the extent of his knowledge. I don't want to waste time retreading old ground.

Were you prompted in training in this area of magic because someone in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement has mentioned using Legilimency, or because your father thought it important?

So you are aware, I intend to speak to the Dark Lord about the matter of your Occlumency training, as protecting the secrets of one of our most vulnerable Death Eaters is, of course, important.

[ Xander ]

If I begin instructing your friend Avery in Occlumency, would this be a pursuit you have interest in as well, Xander? I can find time for both of you, if need be. Practicing controlling your emotions and emptying your mind may be a worthy pursuit for you.

[ Rodolphus ]

I think our rose bush is dead. I apologise if that is my fault.

Elliot Avery may well be spending some time at the house soon, you are warned. I also will be requesting an audience with the Dark Lord soon. Do you have any matters you wish to discuss with him? I do not see why it cannot be the both of us, if he is amenable.

[ Death Eaters ]

Someone please explain this to me. Three of our number were sent to take care of the Prewetts, all of whom I know very well to be capable of dispatching with scum. Three. To take care of two young men who, although they may be purebloods, never gave the impression of being terribly powerful wizards. We're not talking about trained Aurors here, but an Obliviator and a member of the Invisibility Task Force, of all things.

This is not an attempt to berate anyone for failure, as this is not once but twice that these pieces of filth have evaded some of our most talented members. And I want to know how. What are they doing that makes them so difficult to kill? The only thing exceptional about them is their ginger hair. Do they swallow Felix Felicis every morning with their coffee? Frankly, I do not want to have to try more than once to kill anyone else the Dark Lord wants dead, and if they are doing something special, it would be wise to find out what it is.

Once again, I open my morning copy of the Daily Prophet to find that more innocent purebloods have been murdered. Now, it seems, that we must not only worry about the Death Eaters murdering us if we aren't true enough to their cause, but "extremist anti-pureblood vigilantes" as well? It makes me fear for my very life!

I am not pregnant nor do I ever intend to be. Please cease asking me about it.

[ Death Eaters ]

I know that we have lost McTavish, but what else has the DMLE been doing. Are they in disarray? Do they have any leads on any of our identities? Apparently, that mudblood, Dorcas Meadowes, discovered my husband's identity. Rumour has it that she is dead. Has this been confirmed by the Aurors? For those of us still on our feet, now may be the opportune timing for Muggle hunting, but frankly, I am too exhausted.

[ Leonidas, Tristan, Evan, Greg (AKA Team Rosier) ]

Leonidas, did you fight for us or for the DMLE? I understand that keeping your cover is of paramount importance, so if you duelled one of us that is perfectly acceptable. I am merely trying to wrap my mind around some numbers.

The rest of you, what did you learn from this experience, and on what do you need to improve?

[ Benedict and Elliot ]

There is no way in hell that Rodolphus can make it to Vivianne's damned party for Edwina tonight. Is there any way in which I can beg off as well, or will she be too upset?

[ Aurelia and Lettie ]

Your presence is required at the Travers home post haste, and I think you will both understand the need for discretion.

[ Death Eaters ]

I know that you all find it so incredibly amusing that the Minister is now caught up in multiple sex scandals, and has a burgeoning reputation for being a lecherous rake, and it was amusing, to an extent, but after the outburst on the WWN, I am really quite tired of this treatment of women, even if it is pursuant to our orders. Particularly pureblooded women dedicated the Cause.

Let us find a new way to humiliate the man, shall we? And if we are going to make others victim to Flint's downfall, there are plenty of mudbloods available for that.

My abject horror at what occurred on the wireless this afternoon. And people wonder why we are concerned about the degradation of wizarding values!

[ Uncle Orion ]

I have it on good authority that 12 Grimmauld Place may well be subject of a Ministry raid soon. Apparently, some in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement are under the utterly misguided impression that the Dark Lord would accept a philandering lush like you into his ranks. Honestly.

(And I mean no offence, of course, uncle. I am fond of you because you are a philandering lush.)

The severest of consequences are at hand for those who passed this information on to me, so do please at least act surprised when the Ministry comes calling.

[ Rodolphus ]

Darling, you're going to need to do something about those cursed skulls you brought back from Iceland.

[ Married Women (Except Druella and Walburga) ]

How, exactly, does one go about injecting more spontaneity into one's marriage?

Not that I have an issue with this myself, but I am curious.

[ Rodolphus ]

I think I am going to be very busy this weekend. Junia Meliflua has requested that I teach her how to duel.

This on top of my duties to Evan.