Fandom The Gathering of Death Eater Children

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn looked a little annoyed at the young Japanese man who greeted Alastair.

I do not understand what he is saying, but he sounds a little to cheerful...Can't he tone it down a bit, can he?

She raised her eyebrow questioningly when she noticed the look he gave her and a flash of embarrassment in Alastair's eyes. Now now.... what is that this Japanese man find so funny that he is laughing but Alastair is keeping his face so expressionless? ...He has been looking at me the entire time, gibbering and laughing about something, ugh I wish I understood Japanese...anyway, I will ask Alastair to explain for me later....

She stood still with an expressionless face as Alastair introduced her to the young man. When she took Reji's hand which he held for shaking it with her, he did not only shake it, but was about to kiss it when Alastair pulled out her hand from his. I wonder what it all was about... She thought half amused.

"He likes to joke that I'm...never mind." Alastair said, shaking his head as they followed him, as if he was disturbed about something Reiji had been hinting at.

She raised her eyebrow at this but did not comment anything. Reji seems to like to joke too much to the extent that it annoys Alastair...

Aislinn watched calmly, with an expressionless face, as the pictures flashed on a screen, revealing a Chinese villain with the name Mao Li, who was tormenting, torturing and killing innocent women, whilst Alastair translated for her. Her first thought was if this Chinese villain knew magic or not. Her brain started to calculate things, what not or what to do, if Mr. Li was a wizard or a muggle. This agency is only for witches and wizards. A magical person cannot easily be killed by a muggle; hence this Mr. Li must be a wizard, mustn't he? But, if you do not watch your back, a muggle could strike you all of sudden. I must not underestimate muggles, even if they seem to be less powerful without magic... Her second thought was to give the blood of this villain as a gift to her family members.

"I am coming with you," She said firmly. Her face showed no hints if she was scared. On the contrary she looked calm and cold. She had faced worse in her past, Bellatrix Lestrange awakened from the death, a werewolf, Aaron Glass and an evil sinned vampire. I chose to join Alastair in his missions and coming with him now is my own choice as well. I am not a coward to back out from things I have agreed on...

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Alastair nodded to Aislynn, understanding that there was no changing her mind now.

"Kekko...Kanojo wa watashi ni kakarimasu. (Very well...She will be joining me.)" Alastair said to Reiji.

"Kanojo wa motto miwaku-tekina fukusō ga hitsuyō ni naru darou. (She's going to need more seductive attire.)" Reiji sighed in an obvious 'I'd love to be the one to pick it out for her' sort of way whilst imagining all of the clothing options he'd like to try. He wasn't perverted about it; more excited about the clothing.

"Īe, watashi wa sore o shimasu.(No, I'll handle her.)" Alastair said firmly, already starting to walk away from Reiji. "Sayonara (Goodbye). " he said firmly without looking at Reiji.

"Ma, sayonara! (Well, goodbye!)" Reiji called, as they had already left the room. "Oboete imasu. Anata wa osokare hayakare kanojo ni deawa nakereba naranai deshou! (Remember; you'll have to tell her sooner or later!)"

"Sayonara! (Goodbye!)" Alastair repeated in a 'don't say more!' way. In his anger he had forgotten that Aislynn could not understand Japanese.

"We already have everything we need for the mission; Raven will take us to Beijing; the capital city of China, in less than ten minutes." Alastair explained once they were in the elevator again. "I am asking her to meet us at the entrance here immediately." he said as he sent a patronus message to Raven in between his explanation. "You will act as bait, with no worries-" he assured her firmly "-as I will be tailing you closely yet discreetly. All you need to do is get him to take you to his home, and then I will help you from there. The reason we need to know the location of his house is that there may be other victims who are still alive who are hidden there. " Alastair shuddered at what they might be going through. "I am certain you aren't very enthusiastic about being placed intentionally in this situation...." he sighed apologetically. "Although I thank you for your assistance, as it is a crucial part."

By the time he had said all this, they were out in front of the agency with Raven before them, holding the carriage door open with her head bowed.

Once inside, Alastair pulled out three black dressed for Aislynn to try on.

"Choose whichever you think fits the part." he sighed as if he genuinely felt bad for her. "I asked Raven to prepare some...choices." he said, unsure of the perfect word.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn listened as Alastair explained the first part of the plan to her, once they were back in the elevator. Meanwhile she wondered what Reji had said that had angered Alastair.
Did he tell too many inappropriate jokes?

When they got back to the carriage, she was about go to her bedroom to change to her normal and usual clothing when Alastair suddenly surprised her by giving her three dresses which were neatly folded.

"Choose whichever you think fits the part." he sighed as if he genuinely felt bad for her. "I asked Raven to prepare some... choices." he said, unsure of the perfect word.

Aislinn glanced at the dresses and then gave Alastair a long look. Her facial expression did not reveal anything but was blank and cold like the surface of a stone. She picked up the dresses and went to her bedroom without any word. She did not slam the door behind her but closed it with the air of that she had nearly been provoked.

He told me that I could wear whatever I wished for the missions, I guess he rather meant that he will pick clothes for me to choose from... She thought sarcastically whilst unfolding and putting the three dresses on her bed to have a good look at them

What are these?!!!.......the bloody hell... what the bloody hell... She thought with aghast as she viewed them with such disgust which she could not explain. Never in my life......I would never wear such dresses, not even in my wildest fantasies.... not even for Alastair...

She undressed unwillingly and tried the first dress. It was a black very tight-fitting dress, that slimmed her body in a way which clearly was for seducing a man. The dress was not to short, but long enough to cover her thighs and only leave her knees and calves bare. It had long tight-fitting sleeves, which were feeling so tight on her arms that the seams threatened to burst any second. The neckline was V-shaped and plunged so deep that it did not only reveal her both tattoos but also revealed too much than she had been expecting when she had looked at it before trying it. The neckline ended just below the line of her lingerie top. She grimaced at her own reflection in the floor length mirror, not understanding the main point of wearing such a dress. She tore it off with a roar, luckily without destroying the dress because it was made of an elastic fabric that seemed to be hard to tear. She tossed it on the floor and picked up the second dress.

The second dress was also black but was weirdly shaped. At the first glance, Aislinn did not had a clue what was back respectively front of the dress. The fabric seemed to be transparent on some parts and nontransparent on other parts. The dress also had one shoulder strap, but she did not understand it, because the way the strap was divided and shared into two parts, it gave her the illusion of a dress with two shoulder straps rather than with one shoulder strap. One side of the dress had much more covered parts than the other side, which seemed to have wide open holes. Hence, she took a wild guess that the latter one must be the back of the dress. She tried it on, but by trying to wear it as if it had two shoulder straps and not only one. She became very uncomfortable and could not help but groan and whine as she fought with the dress. She nearly screamed as she tore it off and tossed it on the floor. I am not going to wear it anyway; I am not a slut to wear such a dress... She thought with dismay.

She had got so short-winded, breathing heavily and fast, and also sweating, as if she had been running. She looked horrified at the third dress, also black, and which seemed to look like an innocent tank dress. She picked it up, feeling so mortified, that she had to go through this dressing process once more. She tried the dress on. It was also a tight-fitting dress whose length reached to her knees and only left her calves bare. It had shoulder straps just like her own tank top, but the difference here was the neckline. The dress had to deep neckline that was close to show the lines of where her lingerie top started.

She grimaced and frowned at the same time as she tried to think of a plan. No one could ever make her to wear any of these dresses, not even Alastair. She took a hold of her both straps and pulled the dress up. "Aaaaaaaaahhhh!!" She thought aloud when she suddenly got an idea. She pulled the dress up by its straps so much that it covered her chest more and only left her tattoos visible. She magically tied the both straps into clumsy bows by holding one strap by time whilst pointing at it with her wand. When she was done, she noticed that the dress had become shorter that it now showed of her knees and ten inches of her thighs as well. When she was done, she looked satisfied at her own reflection, but she felt that something was missing. "Aaaahaaaa!!" She thought aloud, louder this time. She put on her trousers and folded the legs up. But because they were not wide but slim fitting, she only managed to fold them halfway up her calves. She groaned as she unfolded them and took of her trousers. She sighed audible as she looked thoughtfully at them, which she had laid down on the floor. She suddenly got an idea.

"Diffendio!" She exclaimed as she waved her wand against her trousers. She cut them off so short that they covered half her thighs when she put them on. "Perfect!" She thought aloud as she folded up her dress to her waist, filled her pockets with all her vials of potions and tucked her wand just under one of the legs of her trousers which now had become shorts, and folded down her dress so that it completely covered and hid her newly made shorts. She put on her ankle boots instead for her usual ones and put on her pendant. She quickly brushed her hair with her fingers.

When Aislinn walked out from her bedroom, she had a wild look in her eyes and almost slammed the door behind her. Her hair was a little messy as if she had been flying on a broom on a windy day. Her cheeks glowed red of exhaustion and her facial expression advised anyone to avoid asking her what the matter was. She sank down in one of the chairs and tried to look as innocent as possible, though she could not conceal the hint of embarrassment and anger that flashed in her eyes for a second. It was clearly visible on her face that she hated the dresses which Alastair had given her. She took a deep breath to calm herself down a bit and then looked straight into Alastair's eyes. Her facial expression was calm, and her eyes showed no hint of anger or disappointment.

"May I know what mister Reji found so funny, whilst he was looking at me and laughing?" She demanded, keeping a polite tone in her voice.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

As soon as Aislynn had vanished into her room, Alastair sat on the couch with his face in his hands, both frustrated and disappointed. If I were her... he thought, trying his best to put himself in Aislynn's situation. He imagined her trying the dresses on with a disgusted face in front of a full-length mirror, looking at her reflection, and gagging. I hate Alastair for making me do such an unacceptable thing! I would never wear any of these dresses, even if my life depended on it! How dare he even suggest- Alastair's thoughts were interrupted when Raven entered the room to tell him that they had landed safely. "How could you? Those dresses are-" he began, disappointment and anger on his face.

"I only did what I thought what necessary." Raven said calmly.

"That was not necessary; it was out of the question! I would rather dress myself seductively than see her do so!" he said, meaning every word. "I relied on you for some better options than her kimono, which would be completely out of place in a Beijing casino!" He wasn't yelling, but his words were emotionally charged as he spoke in his normal voice. Alastair gestured for Raven to leave while he resumed his position on the couch, his right hand on the arm-rest, his hand supporting his forehead with his eyes closed as he thought about how best to solve their current predicament. I cannot allow her to...But I myself cannot...Perhaps...perhaps...There must be another way.... When Aislynn left her room, Alastair was in such a deep state of thought that he didn't hear her until she nearly slammed the door. He opened his eyes and straightened his posture to see her messy hair and exhausted facial features, and the anger brimming underneath them. Alastair said nothing, and avoided eye-contact as for once he was out of words. He was still thinking of how to fix the dressing issue, as he didn't think that her current attire was suitable enough, when Aislynn took a deep breath.

Alastair looked at Aislynn, who was looking straight into his eyes as she spoke, he noticed, with much effort to remain calm. "May I know what mister Reji found so funny, whilst he was looking at me and laughing?" She demanded, keeping a polite tone in her voice.

"I..." Alastair began, his face emotionless for a moment. Then, in a single second, his face was consumed with shame, as if there was something secret he wanted to avoid telling her that had been bothering him for so long. "...Reiji was making very inappropriate jokes about you and I." he said briefly, carefully trying to avoid explaining his secret. "I dislike those sorts of jokes..." he explained, although he wasn't entirely convincing.

"I cannot tell you..." he said, a cold look in his eyes. The coldness was not toward Aislynn, but toward a memory he usually thought of when his secret surfaced from the back of his mind; he usually tried to keep it there. "...For it is a point of deep shame that comes from when I was very young. I do not wish to share it with you, for I do not know you well enough to feel...comfortable enough so as to share it." he said quietly. "It has nothing to do with you; Luna does not even know." he explained, trying to assure her that the trust problem was him and not her. "Now, this simply will not work." he said, eyeing her dress. "Raven will try again...And again and again, until you feel comfortable. I am deeply disappointed in her choices, so she will fix her mistake." he said firmly, expressing that he felt as flustered by her shortcomings as Aislynn did. Offering her a hand to help her up, he hoped she wouldn't be upset with him about not sharing his secret with her. Grandmother...I despise you for this... he thought bitterly.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"What is it?" Aislinn asked since his reply had not been convincing. As if there's something he does not wish to tell.

"I cannot tell you..." he said, a cold look in his eyes. "...For it is a point of deep shame that comes from when I was very young. I do not wish to share it with you, for I do not know you well enough to feel...comfortable enough so as to share it." he said quietly. "It has nothing to do with you; Luna does not even know." he explained.

"I understand." she replied calmly. Well, I should not peek into his secrets if it makes him feel uncomfortable. It was in his past anyway; he does not need to tell me if he does not wish so. I just wanted to know why Reji was laughing and looking at me. First, I thought I looked funny in my attire, but it turned out that the pervert was making jokes about other things...

"Now, this simply will not work." Alastair said, eyeing her dress. "Raven will try again...And again and again, until you feel comfortable. I am deeply disappointed in her choices, so she will fix her mistake." he said firmly, expressing that he felt as flustered by her shortcomings as Aislinn did.

"Well, then I shall explain for Raven what I need," She said with relief, taking his hand. "She won't fail this time." She assured Alastair. I destroyed my own trousers unnecessarily, well it does not matter, I have a couple of them, and I could simply buy a pair at any muggle clothing store...
"Ehmm...may you summon her please?" Her face went red like tomato. She could have picked up her wand from where she had hidden it, but she did not have the courage to fold up her tank dress and show of her to short shorts in front of him.

"Now, listen carefully," Aislinn smiled towards Raven. "Get me a pair of slim fitted leather pants, with some pockets and decorated zippers, a pair of high leather boots with twelve centimeters heels and five centimeters platform ....and a uhmm...." I need a suitable top...."..a top that will match....a top of Chinese style....." She paused as she wondered how on earth a Chinese top would look like. Well I have no clue, I just trusted my instincts on that...and now let's hope it will look good "Well, beside that I also need a comb, hair pins, black eye liner, red lipstick and Chinese earrings, " She added with a nervous laugh, trusting her instincts once more that the Chinese earrings would look as good as the top. "Be quick, please."

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Alastair's became more and more surprised with every request Aislynn put in, so that when she was done he was quite relieved indeed.

Raven took precisely ten minutes to have everything prepared for Aislynn, using her hands to perform a three-step process with every item. Firstly, she would conjure the material (s) used to make the piece. Then, she would take a good look at Aislynn, then shape the item. Finally, she would put on any finishing touches, such as the zippers on the pants, or the platforms and heels on the boots.

"Here you are." Raven said, handing everything to Aislynn. The make-up had taken the longest, for they required several ingredients to become effective. "They disappear at midnight." Raven warned seriously. "Only joking!" she laughed a moment later.

Her ability to come up with a dressing plan within seconds was astonishing! From now on, before every mission, Raven will assist her! What originality! Combining those boots and pants with that shirt! I grow excited wondering what she will look like once she has applied her makeup...A true professional at this; something I didn't expect. And Raven's ability to make those clothes in mere minutes! How impressive...

When Aislynn came out of her room, Alastair thought that she looked much better than he had expected. "You definitely look the part." he said, circling around her once to take in the effect of the outfit. "What to do with your hair...." he wondered aloud, eyeing her wild-looking hair.

"I can fix it for you, if you like." Raven offered. "Maybe like...a bun with chopsticks in it like the Geisha in books?" she suggested. "Too elaborate..." she turned her own idea down quickly.

"Perhaps I could help." Alastair said, an idea in his mind. "I did Luna's hair on her graduation day."

 

[Hikari Chan]

"They disappear at midnight." Raven warned seriously and Aislinn looked alarmed at her, since it was only some hours left to midnight. "Only joking!" Raven laughed a moment later. Aislinn breathed out as she went to change her clothes. It only took her ten minutes to get ready. When she had put a silencing charm and a balancing charm on her heels, she tried to fix her hair, using the hair pins, but all she managed to do was a mess. She gave up with a sigh. Perhaps Raven could help me... She thought as she tucked her wand inside her boot. All her vials were resting in her pockets, while she wore her pedant under her shirt.

"You definitely look the part." Alastair said when Aislinn came out from her bedroom. "What to do with your hair...." he wondered aloud, eyeing her wild-looking hair.

"Well..." She laughed.

"I can fix it for you, if you like." Raven offered. "Maybe like...a bun with chopsticks in it like the Geisha in books?" she suggested.

Chopsticks in my hair?? And what is a geisha? Aislinn thought confused as she gave Raven a funny look.

"Too elaborate..." she turned her own idea down quickly.

"Perhaps I could help." Alastair said, an idea in his mind. "I did Luna's hair on her graduation day."

"Alright," Aislinn smiled, curious about how he would fix her hair. She took out the pins from her hair and put them together with the comb in his hands. "I want my bangs to be down, while the rest of my hair to made into an up-do, if it is possible, I do not know with my hair that just reach my shoulders..." She laughed.

She sat down on a chair, so that Alastair wouldn't tire his arms when he made her hair, because her boots had made her so tall that she reached the same length as him.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Very well." Alastair nodded as she sat down. He gestured for Raven to come nearer. "Ravenna; please lengthen Aislynn's hair a bit; until it reaches here." he pointed to the spot just below her shoulder blades.

Raven nodded, and gave Aislynn's hair an ever-so-gentle tug. As she pulled softly, her hair grew about an inch or so. She did this until it had reached right where Alastair had asked.

"That is perfect." he praised once Raven had finished, switching places with Raven.

For the next five minutes, Alastair worked quickly with Aislynn's hair, without the use of his wand. Every minute, he asked Raven for an accessory without looking at her, like a doctor asking for tools. "Hairpin; black...Small hair clip, black...Small burets, also black..." By the time he was done, Aislynn's hair looked lovely. What made it perfect were her bangs, which many Asian ladies wore in her straight-cut style. "What do you think? " he smiled, after she had walked over to the mirror in her room. It was an elegant yet simple bun, twisting in curls at the back in a rather artistic way. The way he had positioned the clips, you could barely tell that he had used any.

"Perfect." he smiled, preparing to leave the carriage. Halfway to the door, he stopped, and turned to his bedroom. "These clothes are not exactly discreet." he said, not knowing how he had forgotten his own attire which would stand out obviously. "I will only be a moment." he said, closing the door.

Raven giggled quietly about Alastair's forgetfulness, then turned to Aislynn. "Don't you think it's humorous that he didn't need magic to do your hair? Or that he was able to do your hair at all?"

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn sat perfectly still and patiently as Alastair fixed her hair. She was feeling both excited and curious about how he was doing it. I can't wait till I can view it in the mirror...

When he was done, she almost run -though she tried to walk calmly- to her bedroom, Alastair following her.

She looked at her reflection, twisting and turning on her head to get a good view of her hair from behind. "So neat and beautiful," She said gratefully.

When they were about to leave, Alastair just remembered his own attire and went to change.

"Don't you think it's humorous that he didn't need magic to do your hair? Or that he was able to do your hair at all?" Raven asked.

"I do not think it is humorous that a man is able to fix hairstyles. Not only women, but also men work in that hair parlor which I use to visit in Diagon Alley-" For a second, Aislinn suddenly sensed a weird feeling that she was very far away from London. She could not grasp it and the feeling was gone the same second. "-I was more surprised that he was able to do my hair, I did not expect it........he is so perfect," She sighed lovingly. "He knows how to cook delicious meals, has such great knowledge in so many languages and he can even do my hair... He surprised me with knowing how to use a muggle device such as laptop the other day, I have no doubt that he can use any muggle item by ease and without magic. I was thinking for a second that he perhaps could not pick clothes for a woman, but he did not do a bad choice when he picked certain clothes with perfect sizes for me for the interview. He even knows how I should wear a kimono..." I do not believe that there's anything he cannot do...or is there? Well with time I will get to know him better. It would be interesting if I know something that he does not know..." By the way, what did he tell you when he asked you to bring me three dresses to choose from for this certain mission?" Aislinn asked Raven curiously and amusingly.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Raven walked forward, placing a finger on Aislynn's shoulder. In only her ears, Aislynn heard Alastair's voice; a sort of play-back from the message he had sent earlier, during which Alastair had spoken very fast. "I have neither the time nor the funds at the moment to visit a clothing store. Aislynn is in need of a fresh change of clothes. We are traveling to a casino in Beijing to catch the eye of a certain male target. Please prepare some options for her. Something alluring yet suitable for a lady; nothing too tight or revealing, please." he specified pointedly. I myself will be needing an all-black business suit with matching shoes. Everything must look expensive, for we will be entering a revered casino. When Aislynn was done listening, Raven backed away to her previous position four feet away. "Sorry for not understanding what he wanted." she shrugged as if it could have been anyone's fault. Hmm...I found it funny that he could do hair...I wonder how she will react when her vision of perfection for him goes to the dust when she sees his past? His ability to-

"I am ready." Alastair said, emerging in a normal business suit with a black tie. "You will enter on your own. Ten minutes later, I shall enter as well. Did you take a good look at his picture? Sometimes, Japanese or Chinese people can look startlingly alike." he warned.

"Don't worry; I shall be either near you, or watching you the entire time," he assured. "Here. " he said, gently pinning one of the Agency pins to her shirt. "Finger this, and I will hear everything you need me to. They work on intention; meaning that, if you intend for me to only hear your voice, than that is all I shall hear. If you mean for me to hear substantial conversation between you and someone else, I shall hear that. However, you needn't ever make it look as though you are talking to a third person; me." he said seriously. "As this will be our only form of communication during this, and all other missions."

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Sorry for not understanding what he wanted." Raven shrugged as if it could have been anyone's fault.

"It is not your fault but his," Aislinn laughed. "He did not specify exactly for you..." Alluring and suitable for a lady, not too revealing or too tight. And it must catch a man's eye. He only described the attire with adjectives whilst missed to picture the exact garments in words. Perhaps he imagined how the clothes would look like but could not put it into better words? After all, everyone has different views and perspectives of describing anything with adjectives. Luna would certainly understand Alastair's description of clothes differently than Raven did. Or perhaps it is difficult for a man to pick out certain garments for a woman. A man, after all, could just pick a suit for himself because a man has nothing else to wear than a suit while a woman have so many styles and various of clothes to choose from for a special occasion....Perhaps it takes less time to choose something for an event if you just need to pick a suit rather than if you are trying to choose a dress.....but it must be boring to just have suits in your closet...

"I am ready." Alastair said, emerging in a normal business suit with a black tie. "You will enter on your own. Ten minutes later, I shall enter as well. Did you take a good look at his picture? Sometimes, Japanese or Chinese people can look startlingly alike." he warned.

She almost dropped her jaw, panicking at the thought that she will enter a casino alone. And what is a casino? Why do we not walk in together? I do remember how that villain looked like, as if his image is imprinted in my mind, so clear and vivid.... his malicious smile.... but... but what is a casino...? How does it look like…? She was about to ask Alastair what a casino is, when he just spoke:

"Don't worry; I shall be either near you, or watching you the entire time," he assured. "Here." he said, gently pinning one of the Agency pins to her shirt. "Finger this, and I will hear everything you need me to. They work on intention; meaning that, if you intend for me to only hear your voice, then that is all I shall hear. If you mean for me to hear substantial conversation between you and someone else, I shall hear that. However, you needn't ever make it look as though you are talking to a third person.; me." he said seriously. "As this will be our only form of communication during this, and all other missions."

She frowned at this way of communication. She remembered him using it with his previous partner, Sheila, in his memories. I would never be able to speak to him directly in public, if this pin only allows us to speak, but not sharing thoughts to each other… But there must be a way to share thoughts with each other, mustn't it? I shall suggest that to him after this mission is over....

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"It disgusts me..." Alastair said as he escorted Aislynn from the carriage while Raven held open the door. "...how people can gamble money away on a nightly basis...What money they don't spend on gambling, they use for drinks or..." he shuddered, thinking that just a street from where they were, a building stood tall, the insides of which were dirty with 'women of the night' as his mother used to call them.

They came out to a tall rooftop, admiring the view for a brief moment before apparating t the streets below. Alastair bowed, bidding her a quiet "I shall see you momentarily." rather than his usual farewell, as he thought she may need a reminder that it wouldn't be long since he joined her. "To make certain, have Mr. Li to introduce himself before we waste our time targeting the wrong man." Alastair sighed, though it looked as if he would rather say 'I don't wish to part from you, although our circumstance requires that we must'. "The casino is over there; don't mind the guards. If you walk by with the air that you are someone important, they will allow you entrance. People that aren't supposed to be there usually look nervous." he advised, gesturing with his hand to the location of the building. I cannot be associated with you for this mission, as it will ruin my ability to remain discreet. He thought as he turned away and walked into a store that sold expensive suits and ties across the busy street.

Two buildings down, the casino stood tall and bright, the largest building around. It was a square-shaped building, several stories tall. It looked as though only the ground floor was a casino, and the remaining fifty stories were a hotel. The entrance was grand, with ten stair steps that went from the large glass double-doors at the front to the sidewalk. The step closest to the sidewalk was long and curved in a u-shape. Each step after that became smaller and smaller, so that the last step at the entrance was only two feet long. A bright sign lit by many small electrical lights flashed two messages, which alternated every five seconds: Beijing Casino. The second message was in Chinese; most likely the English message translated.

When Aislynn passed the guards at the entrance, they issued two greetings as they bowed forward respectfully; one in Chinese, and the other in their heavy accents "Welcome to the Beijing Casino. Please enjoy your visit."

Once inside, it was a sea of flashing lights and fast-moving roulette tables and card-games. Laughter could be heard at any time from one table or another, while once every five minutes someone would cry out in anger at having lost. Everyone was dressed expensively, and at first it was confusing to tell one thing from another, as there was vivid color everywhere. Finally, Mao Li was spotted by a roulette table surrounded by young ladies, all of them in their twenties. Between rounds Mr. Li would stop his regimented betting and make jokes to the girls as they laughed in a hollow way. Oddly enough, he spoke in English, and had barely any trace of an accent. He had an air of someone who was successful and loved to parade his riches wherever he went. He was wearing an all-white tuxedo, except that his shoes and bow-tie were black. On his head was a white fedora with a black ribbon fastened around it.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Alright..." Aislinn winked at Alastair assuring him that she would be fine. I am a witch after all, I know dark magic and I shall not forget my Animagus. Besides who was my mother? Of course, Isabelle Gaunt, second cousin to Luna Lestrange. That makes me to a distant relative to Lord Voldemort. What would he have done if he had been alive, entering that casino? Of course, wiping of everyone there...And let's not forget that I am related to vampires on my father's side. What would Vincent had done if he had discovered a lot of humans inside a casino and brought his family members and friends to that place? Of course, slaughtering them... Aislinn thought, trying to boost her self-confidence up as she walked towards the square shaped building. The Beijing Casino... She read silently for herself as she looked up at the bright sign. She mentally counted, what she thought to be Chinese letters and concluded that it was four letters. She sudden realized that the Chinese letters looked the same as Japanese letters. Is it my own imagination or is it a coincidence that the both languages have same letters as Chinese and Japanese people look like each other? She thought with bewilderment.

When she passed the guards at the entrance, they issued two greetings as they bowed forward respectfully, first greeting her in Chinese: "Huānyíng lái dào běijīng dǔchǎng. Qǐng xiǎngshòu nín de guānglín" and then in greeting her in English with a heavy accent: "Welcome to the Beijing Casino. Please enjoy your visit"

Merlin's beard, is that how Chinese language sound? They don't even know how to pronounce English correctly... She tried to keep her face as straight as possible as she entered. Whatever you do, do not laugh for bloody hell... She thought as she felt the laughter bubbling inside her. Her laughter which threatened to burst out, died out when she was met by flashing lights and tables where people were playing games. The vivid colors hurt Aislinn's eyes. This is so horrible... She had to fight her urge from rubbing her eyes or she would destroy her eye-winged make up.

She tried emerging herself with the guests of casino, so that no one would suspect her as a tenderfoot or see her as a stranger. I wonder if they sell any drinks here... She was in need of firewhiskey to calm down her nerves. ...but oh, I do not have Chinese money.... She pinched her right hand to remind herself that she was actually at this weird place to target a certain villain. When her eyes adjusted to the lights and surroundings, she spotted him, recognizing him from the pictures Reji had been showing her and Alastair a while ago. Mao-Li…

Hmm...I cannot just walk up to that table and say: 'Hello, you must be Mao-Li, mustn't you?' …it would be so weird, and he would suspect me the very instant... no I must have him to introduce himself to me... I need to attract his attention....

Suddenly, Aislinn got an idea. An insane idea indeed. A smirk played at her lips as she made herself towards a close table and emerged herself with the small crowd of both women and men who were playing cards. There was a free chair between two players, and she took the liberty to occupy that chair. A small heap of money, which she took a wild guess to be Chinese money, was placed in the middle of the table. Three men and two women were playing and Aislinn made the third woman by that table. The men were dressed in suits, one of them smoking heavily, while the women were dressed in tight dresses, one was wearing sparkling and strapless, which in Aislinn's view looked like as if the woman was wearing a towel, and the other one was wearing a shoulder strap dress with plunging neckline which revealed that she was not wearing any top underwear at all. How disgusting... Aislinn thought for herself as she watched them playing. When they finished their card game they ended with a tie.

During that moment, she had studied them sufficiently in silence to conclude that they were muggles. Which will make it easier for me to fool them... She thought with malice. When they had just ended their game, they discovered Aislinn. The heavy smoker eyed her sickly from top till toe. She smiled invitingly as she held up a galleon.

"English gold, worth one thousand dollars" She said, and they were all like: "Ohh..." She did not know why she had said like that. She did not know what a dollar looked like, but she had heard rumors about the American money and how popular it was in the muggle world.

She tossed the galleon and it landed above the small heap of the money which they had been gambling about earlier. Thus, she had invited herself into a game of gambling, wondering if she ever would succeed and if it was worth to sacrifice her galleon. Just follow your instincts and listen to your pendant... A sudden thought crossed her mind how Alastair had showed his disliking to the casino before they parted. Merlin's beard, what will Alastair think of me if he saw me playing games here? But I have no other choice to draw the attention of Mao-Li... this is the only way... One of the men mixed the cards and distributed them between six instead five players this time.

Aislinn did not know how to play cards. She had watched when Elias used to play cards with his friends when they all were students at Hogwarts. But back then it had been magical cards and a different game far away from gambling. With her seven cards in her hand, she focused on her pendant. The game ended quickly. After five minutes, Aislinn, to her surprise and triumph, was introduced as the winner. She smirked as haled all the money towards her. This time she bet five galleons and the others scraped every ounce of money they had from their pockets. She won again. They all screamed and cried out because of their loss and Aislinn, with the bundle of the folding money in her hand, walked away with a smirk to another table, closer to Mao-Li's table. She could hear him clearly now, speaking English with such perfect accent that if she had not seen his face, she would had hardly believed him to be Chinese. At the table, which she invited herself to, she acted the exact same way to invite herself to a game as she did at the previous table. She held up one galleon and introduced it as English gold worth one thousand dollars. And the players believed her of course. This time they were not playing cards but with a round plate spinning around at the table. The game was based on number sequences which were visible to the players. I have never seen this kind of game before... Aislinn thought as she tried not to stare at the spinning plate. Just do as you did with the cards and you'll win....hopefully it will be enough to draw Mao Li's attention..

When Aislinn had won two games in a row with the roulette, she stood there with the bundle of folded money, the bundle grown thicker for each time she had won, counting her money.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Mao Li didn't notice Aislynn much until she claimed that a galleon cost one thousand dollars. How original...A witch who thinks she can outwit a Muggle by theft. If exchanged into Muggle money, one galleon is approximately sixty dollars in Hong Kong....Is she aware that it is a very serious crime to steal from a casino? He thought with a sly smile.

While she bet, he placed only a few chips of the lowest value he had on bets. He wondered if her winning was the result of her using magic on the roulette wheel, or the man who was spinning it. Either way, he admired her daring attitude and confidence. By the time she had won two games, he had noticed many small details about her. The pendant she wears must certainly be the cause of her winning streak...Ladies and their magical luck charms these days; I've seen it many times. She has no strategy for betting on the numbers and colors; perhaps she is betting for fun rather than gain. Such a lady that has nothing more to do with her free time than spend it in a game? Her pin and hair look both simple and expensive...She must be from a well-off family to be spending her money this way. It is almost guaranteed, considering that no lady her age would have such a successful career to be able to afford even a few minutes at a place like this with her gaming style this evening...

As she stood there counting her money, he thought of how best to make an impression on her. I put on a rich show, but I know that my accounts dwindle every day...It is all I can do to keep trying here...I meet these ladies hoping that they have come here with fortunes that I may take advantage of...They are here for the same reason as I...To become richer...but my gambling problem has my accounts on the verge of bankruptcy.

 

[Hikari Chan]

As Aislinn counted her money, she wondered how much time had passed since she had entered the casino. It must have passed ten minutes at least, mustn't it? I did not start to play immediately when I entered this place... let's see how much I got here.... I counted up to seven hundred and forty-five folding moneys.... I wonder how much galleons these amount of money can give me... When she had finished counting her money, she pretended to be brushing away some dust from her shirt to touch her pin. Is it possible for Alastair to hear my thoughts? I wonder where he is......has he entered the casino? Aislinn sat in a chair, one leg above other, her chin resting in her palm, her elbow against the armchair and her other hand in her lap, clutching the bundle of money in her hand. She was watching an ongoing gambling game amusingly. She avoided to look around for Alastair because she did not want Mao-Li, if he had discovered her, to suspect anything. Shall I join another gambling game? I have no doubt that I will win. As long as I lure the dumb muggles with my trick and win, I'll be fine, because I will win all the money and my galleons back. It is not that I am exchanging galleons with dollars. But if I lose my galleons to a muggle and that muggle tries to convert one galleon into one thousand dollars later, it would be a little complicated... One of the men who was standing close and also watching the gambling game, offered her a cigarette before he took one for himself and she accepted the offer without any hesitation. She even allowed him to light it for her. Just play around and be like one in the crowd... She thought as she blew out smoke. In normal circumstances I would never set my foot here, the place itself gives me bad vibes. The women who are barely wearing anything than clothes that reveals too much. The ones who are losing all their money seem to have completely lost their lives...

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Alastair stood near a wall at the far side of the casino. He was facing Aislynn, but with the distance between them, no one would have guessed that they were together. He stood with a drink in one hand, which he held elegantly and sipped every minute or so; it looked exactly like a beer, but in reality it was water enchanted to look like one. He pretended to talk to a lady who kept making advances on him, as if they knew each other intimately, although she was only an illusion that he had conjured to have a good excuse to remain at the casino but avoid gambling. "Are you doing well, my lady?" Alastair asked via his pendant.

"Lovely. " he laughed in reply "I'm north-west of your current location. That way, you can 'use the restroom' if anything goes wrong. You'll pass me on the way." he explained.

Meanwhile, Mr. Li had grown more and more distracted while watching Aislynn that he could no longer remain at the roulette table. A minute later, he excused himself from his free-loading 'harem' and walked over to Aislynn, picking up two drinks as he went. "Good evening, fine lady." he smiled softly, bowing shallowly so as not to spill the drinks. "May I offer you a drink on this lovely night?" His tone was charming, but nothing compared to Alastair's. Mr. Li's had an obvious hollowness to it that seemed as if it would die away if he didn't get what he wanted.

Both drinks were Firewhiskey, and he smiled once Aislynn took one. "A charming young witch you are." he complimented. "I love the taste of Firewhiskey." he sighed once he had taken a sip "It gives me a thrill to drink; I get the same thrill from playing roulettes or cards." he laughed. "As, I am sure you do."

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn noticed in the corner of her eye how Mao-Li finally approached her. Did it take him so long to notice me, I am sure he must have had his eyes on me since I started to play at the table close to his...

"Good evening, fine lady." Mao-Li smiled softly, bowing shallowly so as not to spill the drinks. "May I offer you a drink on this lovely night?"

At the same time, she heard Alastair's voice: "Are you doing well, my lady?"

"Good evening, sir. Why, thank you," Aislinn replied modestly, with the intention that he would hear the conversation between her and Mr. Li. She took one glass of firewhiskey without any hesitation just like when she accepted the offer of smoke earlier.

"Lovely." Alastair laughed "I'm north-west of your current location. That way, you can 'use the restroom' if anything goes wrong. You'll pass me on the way." he explained.

Great...

Mao-Li's tone was charming, but nothing compared to Alastair's. Mr. Li's had an obvious hollowness which did not skip Aislinn's ears. She was about to pretend to be a muggle and that she never had firewhiskey before, when he suddenly surprised her by saying:

"A charming young witch you are." he complimented and Aislinn cracked a smile. "I love the taste of firewhiskey." he sighed once he had taken a sip "It gives me a thrill to drink; I get the same thrill from playing roulettes or cards." he laughed. "As I am sure you do."

He must be a wizard then...and he knows I am a witch, but how? I did not use any magic during the entire time.....Is it a coincidence that he chose firewhiskey or he is able to read minds.....if the latter reason turns out to be true then I am as good as dead...

"I absolutely agree," She smiled, not showing a slightly of her surprise or fright. Do not forget who you are.... Her instincts told her that the drink was safe. Of course, he cannot do any harm inside this place and I rather believe that he would commit any crime discreetly... She thought as she did not only take one sip but devoured all the drink at once. "May I inquire the name of my winsome guest this beautiful night?" She asked politely with equal charm as she flashed another smile.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

All of the Firewhiskey in one shot...She must be accustomed to such a burn; which only confirms that she is a witch. "Of course. I am Mr. Li... Mao Li." he announced dashingly, as if he was imitating James Bond's introduction. "And you are?" he smiled, offering her his hand to help her down from the chair in a 'let us continue this chat elsewhere' way.

"It is a lovely night; a walk would suit us well." he breathed, pointedly looking at a man near them who was smoking.

"I knew you were a witch, as you had a galleon with you...No normal person would be foolish enough to assume a piece of gold that small was worth that much, when in reality a galleon is worth sixty dollars in Hong Kong's currency." he laughed at her courage, as if he were praising her deviancy. She is as charming as she is courageous...

To Vincent D'Arcy.

A black envelope was labeled in luminescent green ink. Inside was a letter in Luna's ornate handwriting, on the same sort of black paper, written in the same sort of green ink. . .

Dear Mr. D'Arcy,

I wish to meet with you the next time you are available. I have some questions regarding vampires that I would like answered. If you accept my request, please send me a reply containing any date, time, and location you choose for our meeting.

I will assume you have declined my offer if I have not received a reply within one week.

~Luna Lestrange

 

[Hikari Chan]

Did you hear that Alastair? This is no other than Mao Li... Aislinn thought as she took Mr. Li's hand naturally when he offered it to help her down from the chair.

"Miss Aislinn Monroe..." She smiled as she introduced herself. Is he sensitive to smoke? She thought for a second but then remembered his victims who had burn marks. Perhaps he does that with magic...?

"Why do you think I am a witch?" She laughed.

"I knew you were a witch, as you had a galleon with you... No normal person would be foolish enough to assume a piece of gold that small was worth that much, when in reality a galleon is worth sixty dollars in Hong Kong's currency." he laughed at her courage, as if he were praising her deviancy.

"Oh, I see..." She laughed. So, my plan to draw his attention had worked heheh... "Are you a wizard as well?" She asked casually. "Or are you a non-magical person with great knowledge about everything? You look so wise, Mr. Li, that I assume you know a lot about both the wizarding and non-wizarding world," She praised him as she noticed that he was leading the way out from the casino.

Of course, I had the feeling that he would do this. Talking to me, flattering me, pretending that he needs fresh air so that he can take me outside and then lead me to his place...

She did not look left or right, but kept her eyes forward. She already knew to prior secret message where Alastair was standing without looking around. And she assumed him to tail her and Mr. Li as soon as they set their feet outside the casino.

Vincent read the letter twice with a bored look. Does she not know anything? At Transylvania Academy I learned some things about humans. Do not humans learn about us in their schools? Or are they just ignorant creatures... he thought as he remembered his first encounter with his second cousin.

He opened a drawer and took out a piece of yellowish parchment, a quill with black shabby feather and a small bottle of which was supposed to contain ink but instead its content was blood.

He twirled his quill when he sat by his desk to write a response. Hmm......I have asked Adela to come and see me....and Luna also wants to see me....what if Rosaleya also wishes to see me...and soon every girl in town wishes to see me...He threw his head backwards as he burst out in laughter.

When he had calmed down, he bent over his parchment and scribbled a reply. His handwriting did not tilt. On the contrary, it was straight. The letters were tall and looked like if they had been written with a trembling hand, as if a ghost had written the message. As Vincent wrote, moving his hand back and forth, lifting his hand upwards as he was pondering for seconds what to write, blood dropped leaving some bloodstains here and there on the parchment.

Dear Miss Lestrange,

You are quite an interesting human who wish to know more about my kind. Meet me at the churchyard outside Knockturn Alley, at midnight, June 5th, two minutes before the clock struck twelve...

Sincerely,

Vincent D'Arcy

When he was done, he let his letter to get dry as he looked for an envelope. In the same drawer, which its contents were a mess, he found one envelope which had worn edges and was yellowish. He folded his letter four times before tucking it inside the envelope. He sealed it with a stamp of blood and wrote the name of his recipient with blood as well.

Hmmm....is she customized to receive letters with a bat? He thought as he looked at the lifeless owl which was laying on the carpeted floor. First and last time I ever try to drink from winged creatures.... He thought with disgust as he made a grimace over the bitter and nasty taste of feathers which still lingered in his tongue. He picked the dead owl up from his floor and walked out with it to the backyard garden where he dumped it behind some wild growing bushes.

A bat fluttered towards Vincent as soon as he whistled his command. He attached the envelope to one if its legs and instructed it to deliver the letter to Miss Luna Lestrange.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Are you a wizard as well?" She asked casually. "Or are you a non-magical person with great knowledge about everything? You look so wise, Mr. Li, that I assume you know a lot about both the Wizarding and non Wizarding world," She praised him.

"Why thank you." he smiled, before continuing. "I am a wizard." he said with pride.

At the entrance, a well-dressed chauffeur stood waiting diligently in front of a white limousine.

"After you." Mr. Li smiled as the chauffeur wordlessly held the door open for them.


When Luna received Vincent's letter, she was quite pleased.

How lovely...I don't have to wait long to meet him...I didn't think he would turn down my invitation, yet I did expect him to choose a date further from tomorrow. I should visit this churchyard beforehand, so that if I become lost it won't be on our meeting day, since I have never been there before...Before that, I'll rehearse my questions to him once more... she thought with a smile as she rose from her seat. Why I am fond of vampires, I do not know...I do laugh inwardly at the fact that he considers me interesting...

 

[Hikari Chan]

Well that explains everything as why the agent from the Shiki Agency had been killed when she found out about his whereabouts and crimes. Of course, a muggle won't have chance against a magician. If Mr. Li had been a muggle, I would have easily finished him, but since he is a wizard, I need to use a different strategy...

"Oh are you taking me to a sightseeing in a wizarding car?!" Aislinn exclaimed excitingly.

"Ooooohhhhh..." She was baffled by the interior of the limousine. It was different from a usual car and almost looked like a small living room with sofas, couches and a small bar.

"You do not drive?" She asked as soon as she had taken her seat in front of Mr. Li. "I know how to drive a motorcycle and a car," She smiled proudly. Alastair shortly explained for me how to handle a car, so I bet that counts even if I have not driven one yet...

"By the way, I am very impressed that you speak so good English, I have not meet any other Chinese that can speak my language so great. You must have been visiting England, haven't you?
I find learning other languages to be very difficult, but I shall not complain but be proud that I am a parcel tongue hehehe..."

"Well you see, Salazar Slytherin is my ancestor," She laughed. "And parcel tongue is only inherited by him and his offspring. It is very rare to speak to serpents and we are few who are able to speak it and mostly unknown to the world, but Lord Voldemort, a parcel tongue as well, was so famous during his time. I bet you must have known him, haven't you? He was my mother's cousin..."

Actually, Lord Voldemort was cousin to my maternal grandfather. My mother was second cousin to Luna, but there's no use to explain this....cousins are cousins...my purpose is to see the reaction of Mr. Li, when I mention Salazar Slytherin and Lord Voldemort...then I'll wait and see what he will ask next...sooner or later he will learn about my other odd relations, soon he will learn what an unusual witch I am.....I do not tell everyone everything about me, but when I do, it is either because that I want to be feared or because that I wish to gain trust....If Mr. Li does not believe a word of what I am saying, I can always prove it....hopefully I'll be able to buy some time with my plan...

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Oh are you taking me to a sightseeing in a Wizarding car?!" Aislinn exclaimed excitingly.

"Yes." Mr. Li replied as he got in and the chauffeur closed the door after them. "One of my favorite parks, which was built specifically for walking, has such lovely scenery at night...Not your average park." he said in a 'you won't find any annoying children there' way.

"Ooooohhhhh..."

As Aislynn was voicing her surprise, Mr. Li sat back proudly, as if she was praising him and not the car.

"You do not drive?" She asked. "I know how to drive a motorcycle and a car," She smiled proudly.

"I can drive, I just prefer not to." he flashed another prideful smile. He was clearly the spoilt type of rich person who preferred to have people do everything for him.

"By the way, I am very impressed that you speak so good English, I have not met any other Chinese that can speak my language so great. You must have been visiting England, haven't you?"

"No, I learned English in the Americas, when I was very young. My mother wished for me to speak English fluently, and without an accent. I understand why now, since English is the most-used language in the world."

"I find learning other languages to be very difficult, but I shall not complain but be proud that I am a parcel tongue hehehe..."

"A parcel-tongue? I am not familiar with the term." Mr. Li said, wondering if she was toying with him by making up a language.

"Well you see, Salazar Slytherin is my ancestor," She laughed. "And parcel tongue is only inherited by him and his offspring. It is very rare to speak to serpents and we are few who are able to speak it and mostly unknown to the world, but Lord Voldemort, a parcel tongue as well, was so famous during his time. I bet you must have known him, haven't you? He was my mother's cousin..."

"Sadly, I have no knowledge of the history of other countries besides China and the Americas...Your ability does sound so charming." he tried to make up for his lack of knowledge by flattering her again. Related to a so-called Lord? She must be well-off...

"Can you speak to any other animals?" he asked, pretending to be interested. Snakes, let alone any animals at all, had never interested him in the least. It must be a very rare ability, for someone who has travelled a lot and never heard of it, I must assume so...If it is, wouldn't she wish to be more private about it? Why is she being so open? Perhaps it is simply the way young ladies talk these days...Throwing themselves at men by being surprisingly open about their secrets...That means that she is fond of me... he concluded contentedly.



While Aislynn was leaving with Mr. Li, Alastair had entered the men's bathroom in the casino, and had apparated from there to the bathroom in the suit shop that he had visited earlier. While he had been waiting earlier, he had planned this escape route. He quickly made his way to a quieter street to the right of the suit shop, enlarged his car, and came around the corner just as Mr. Li's car had reached the end of the street and was turning left. Alastair quickly caught up with them, and he kept a certain distance between the two cars from there, ensuring that he remained discreet.

"Are you doing alright, my lady?" Alastair asked, fingering his pin. "Very well; lovely job thus far." he praised.

Meanwhile, Raven was following Aislynn in case Alastair somehow lost her. She was floating high on a dark cloud which blended perfectly with the night sky. She lay on her stomach with her head propped up on her folded hands. Hmm...I wonder how fun it would be to sign up at the Agency myself? I could probably complete a mission...perhaps several missions, while I am helping Alastair and Aislynn...I don't need the money, so perhaps I could give my earnings to Alastair? I am certain that would please him...Perhaps even make him smile for me the way he does for her... she thought dreamily as her cloud turned right with the limousine.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Sadly, I have no knowledge of the history of other countries besides China and the Americas...Your ability does sound so charming. Can you speak to any other animals?" Mr. Li asked.

Huuhh? Is he really a wizard? From what I have learned in History of Magic during my time at Hogwarts, Lord Voldemort was an infamous and known dark wizard and I do not think that any other wizarding countries were unaware about the wizarding wars that took place in United Kingdom. The stories must have spread worldwide....

"That's a pity, because history of United Kingdom is very interesting. If you like to read books, I recommend some History of Magic about my country," She spoke gleefully, her eyes glittering of excitement. "You see, United Kingdom is somehow connected with America. Salazar Slytherin is one of the four founders of Hogwarts, the wizarding school in Scotland. One of his offspring immigrated to America, where she founded the Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." If he does not know anything about Ilvermorny, then he is a rascal... "And no, I do not speak to any other animals, but to snakes. I have not heard of anyone to be able to speak to other kinds of animals, but it is possible to speak to other kinds of creatures such as goblins, giants and merpeople. For a time, I wondered if vampires also had their own unique language like other creatures. Since my father is a dhampir, I thought it would be interesting to know how to speak like them...." She did not know why, but a weird feeling had suddenly crossed her mind and had told her to use presence instead for past whilst speaking about her father. That weird sentiment was gone in the matter of a second and when she was trying to grasp it, she heard Alastair's voice:

"Are you doing alright, my lady?"

"Well.... actually, vampires share the same languages with the humans..." She finished, pronouncing humans as if she was not a human at all. She watched Mr. Li, smiling excitingly towards him, to see how he would take in the news about her vampire relations.

"Very well; lovely job thus far."

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"That's a pity, because history of United Kingdom is very interesting. If you like to read books, I recommend some History of Magic about my country," She spoke gleefully, her eyes glittering of excitement.

I am not that fond of reading, especially History books... Mr. Li thought boredly. "Ah yes...such pleasant memories there." he smiled at the mention of Ilvermony. Remembering his schooling there "It was a pleasant time." he sighed. "That was where I learned most of my English." As Aislynn went on, his mind wandered, not really paying attention to her words at all. I wonder if she is a virgin...She must be, going on this way about her family and history...She's boring all of the passion out of me... his thought pattern kept going along these lines before his mind caught the word vampire and he mentally returned to the conversation, rewinding it a few sentences to avoid any awkwardness.

"... share the same languages with the humans..." She finished, pronouncing humans as if she was not a human at all. She watched Mr. Li, smiling excitingly towards him.

"How unusual...I have never met a vampire before...Being related to them in that way, do you have any of their powers or cravings?" He asked. He wasn't interested in vampires very much, either, but he pretended to be, seeing as how Aislynn seemed excited to share this information with him.

"Hmm...Do you ever wish you had some of their powers?" He asked, wondering how he could shift the conversation to something that interested him.

Meanwhile

Luna sat at the church ruins just outside Knockturn Alley, perched elegantly on one of the tall pillars that still stood. From her viewpoint, she could see the beginning of Knockturn Alley in the distance to her northwest, and a charmingly hilly horizon to her northeast. Directly north of her were the remains of a church, made mostly of white stone. It was ever so comical that he sent his letter with a bat, and even more so that it was written in blood. She smiled, laughing inwardly. What a serene place...I cannot wait to see it with a glowing moon above...I imagine a full moon as he flutters down, disguised as a bat before transforming just as he touches the ground. With a grand bow, his cape swishing behind him, he greets me. I return his greeting...What am I doing? Here I am imagining about a scene from a vampire book I've read and I know the reality is nothing like that... she thought, abruptly stopping her fantasy to shake herself. She apparated down, and made her way back slowly, preferring to walk at the time because she wanted to think for a moment.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"How unusual...I have never met a vampire before...Being related to them in that way, do you have any of their powers or cravings?" Mr. Li asked.

"No, I do not have anything of that sort," Aislinn replied modestly. "Though my father has since he is a dhampir, you see, a dhampir inherit all the powers by its vampire parent. He has fangs but he only carves for blood once a week and can live on human diet as well..." I do not know why I am speaking this way about my father; I do not know anything about him, but there's a weird feeling I cannot put my finger on, my instincts are just telling me what to say. I wonder if my father had some kind of powers as a dhampir...From what I know a dhampir can be much more powerful and stronger, having all the powers and not any weaknesses inherited by its vampire father......but my paternal grandfather was a human... "There is fifty percent a chance that a child of a dhampir can become a dhampir as well. I am the one kind who has become a normal human instead, because I neither feel any carvings for blood nor do I have fangs..." The only thing which distinguish me from a normal human is my disgust towards garlic...

"Hmm...Do you ever wish you had some of their powers?" he asked.

"Why?" She laughed amusingly. "I have the power of a witch, which I believe makes me more powerful than a vampire..."