Slytherin Table 4/11

[Aurora Stone]

New Day people

[Melaine Ravenheart]

Melaine Ravenheart was a little bit annoyed. All this was meaning her plans have to be adjusted. Over and over and over and over. It was rather frustration. Melaine also now knew who had not been in bed last night. It had been easy enough to check. Some Slytherins talked to much especially when hypnotized. Really that muggle trick worked awfully well. She used it on a pair of nosy first years. Eyes and ears that didn't even know they reported everything to her willing or no.

Cassandra Stone was dead, that complicated matters more. Or maybe they simplified them? The Griffindor-Slytherin war as heating up and this was a bucket of ice cold water. It was also evidence that Lucius could not protect even that simple girl. How useful. A slytherin dead was in a way the best news that she could have gotten this morning. It would change things a lot. Maybe even enough.

Melaine put on a suitable mourning face, she even managed to make it sincere. Her mind was ticking over under this mask. Augustus Rookwood. The great unknown factor. The missing gap. How. How could she make him hers? Make him work for her? How? He was her greatest threat right now. He was also wounded from battle. Which meant she could work quickly to either take over, neutralize or to make an ally of him. It was a time of action. It was like this dead was the gun shot at the start of a race. The Griffindors would stall to a halt gather around their Aurora and comfort her. The Slytherins would race ahead to change the ranks quickly. It would be quiet and it would be merciless. It would not just be her this time. Everyone would want a piece of the action. She might be able to raise an army? No that was not the plan. The plan was subtler. It was invisible.

[Athanasius_Morpheus_Blake]

Seven years. Seven years in this school. They often told him it was dangerous, his family. But it was only the night before they were proven right. Another Slytherin had been killed.

And he was sure that more would follow. It was not the first death this school had seen, and it wouldn't be the last.

That was the least of his worries. Things were beginning to change. Dynamics were shifting in Slytherin, falling from Lucius, the blond "Prince" of Slytherin, his cousin, to another. Melaine Ravenheart, a bookish girl who had never seemed interested in the political games that seethed in Slytherin.

Athanasius walked into the hall, his blue eyes spotting a space next to the dark haired female, the rising star, as it were, of Slytherin. It was time to start shifting his eggs from one basket to another. He sat next to the female, projecting a concerned aura, "I heard you were involved in the events of the night before. That another girl died. And that you helped heal the students."

"That was very noble of you." His voice was tinged with a thread of teasing, or was that sarcasm? "Quite unexpected, from someone who looks to be above it all. Above caring for the games of the others, and above from caring."

He reached for a thick slice of bread to butter, then added a few rashers of bacon to the bread as he waited for her reply, slipping bacon to his snake Asclepius as well.

[Melaine Ravenheart]

Melaine turned to look at the upstart who had plonked himself down next to her and started yapping away.

"Above it all? Is any man above his fellows? Only blood can tell" Melaine said with a sages wisdom and perhaps a drop of condescending nature.
"I would not say it was noble of me. What ever games that they play among themselves concerns me not. When someone strikes out against Slytherin from outside our ranks? Mmm that require thought. I healed them as would any senior. Any competent leader who cares for his people" She muttered slyly and sipped her tea delicately her face a polite mask.

"You share blood with Malfoy. Cousins are you not?" Melaine asked him polite and conversational. Very unlike her normal self, her self from six months ago would have politely disengaged the conversation as soon as possible and left. Her other self though was neatly stored away ready to be slipped back in place.
"I have to admit. Lucius calling all out war did seem rash. However the girls death was another matter. You could ask Professor Killermen... if you dare. She seems cranky this morning" Melaine was making an understatement. Killermen looked tired and beyond cranky. It was probably only her tiredness stopping the professor from exploding at not getting her way.

"What do you really want" Melaine muttered direct for a change.

[Athanasius_Morpheus_Blake]

His smile grew as she mentioned the word 'competent'.

"Indeed, my mother was his father's younger sister." His voice took on a purring tone, "I must say the relation makes my life easier in this school, and I am able to live as I will because of him."

He finished feeding his snake and his eyes were cold as she mentioned the declaration of war, "It was not recklessness. It was foolishness, pure and simple. Lucius is an idiot, and he will pay the price for it sooner or later."

"My, my, you're being blunt." He said lazily, running fingers over the snake's head. "I'm a very simple person, Melaine. I want to maintain my position in the hierarchy. That's all. Of course, I wouldn't mind going up a rung or two, but I'm contented to just be where I am now. Near enough to the top that no one will question me."

[Melaine Ravenheart]

"Blunt? Maybe, I guess I am in shock from the loss of my dear friend young Cassandra" Melaine muttered inside she was smiling. This guy was a flirt and intelligent as well. Not a common mix.
"Climb? Hierarchy?" Melaine looked at him and lowered her lashes like a flattered lady.
"You mistake me for someone who deals in such things. I am a simple student, I wish to study my books and let the world pass me by. And maybe give Lucius a black eye for getting some people hurt. Only that is an idle wish by someone like me" She said and smiled at him sweetly. She leaned across him probably closer than was strictly necessary to grab the jar of jam.

She leaned back to her seat and spread some jam on the tiny shred of toast that she had left on her plate.
"Now Good sir. Tell me are you related to that fine young Griffindor over there?" Melaine pointed to Johnathon Blake. Her eyes contained the tiniest hint of mischief at suggesting such a noted blood line might be connected to that irritating Griffindor.

[Athanasius_Morpheus_Blake]

"Maybe, maybe not. But my instincts haven't failed me so far, regarding intra-house political games." He murmured.

He laughed when he heard her mention giving Lucius a black eye, then said in a mischievous manner, "Oh you never know, I might suddenly need Lucius' bodyguards for a day, and you might score a hit in. But it's not a very Slytherin way to do things, don't you think? If it were me, I'd put some potion in his shampoo to leave him permanently bald, that vain peacock."

"Related? That's almost an insult, my dear." He looked over at the Gryffindor, shaking his head. "My family relocated to Greece centuries back, and we've been there since. I might consider moving things back to England, but they don't want to be in direct competition with Ollivander's. He's so established here that they'd never get a foot in edgewise."

"Besides, do you notice any resemblance with me and Johnathon Blake?"

[Melaine Ravenheart]

"You mean aside from the over eager puppy like state? The talkative nature? The foolish air of knowing things others do not and having 'powers untold'" Melaine had a wicked little smile on her face. She let it fade away as she looked at him properly.

"Switching sides could get you in a world of pain and strife. Every Slytherin knows that. What makes you think Lucius will spare you if things go awry?" Melaine asked him curious now. She sipped at her tea again, she was tempted to use a spell on him to get some truth from the matter. Only that was not well advised, he was alert and intelligent. He was also a member of her own house, he would suspect her within moments.

"Although I do have to say that the griffindors have over stepped things lately. Snape could hardly stand straight, beaten so thoroughly its a wonder that the ones responsible aren't in Slytherin." Melaine said with a hint of humour, she was watching the hall and this pert young man alternatively. She was reminded of Faust a bit, but only briefly. She had nipped that out in the bud, put it away for a rainy day a long time from now. She looked at him properly. Blake might just be a good ally to have around. Maybe

[Athanasius_Morpheus_Blake]

"Powers untold indeed. Sounds scary, oh my. Maybe I should write my mother and tell her to transfer me to Durmstrang." He drawled out lazily. "Johnathon is a sneak and a brat, and soon enough, someone will teach him a lesson."

He smiled at her in a manner that was so soft and sweet, one would think he was a Gryffindor or a Hufflepuff, then said, "I don't make leaps based on faith and luck like those Gryffindors. I'm well prepared for the consequences of my actions. Besides, it's easy to get in Lucius' good graces. That, and my mother being the younger favorite sister pf his father would help. Besides, I think half the school would rise against him if he did anything to me. I am the kind, approachable one of the Slytherins after all."

"That's all they can do. Resort to brute force and paltry pranks." He glanced down the table at Snape. "It's Severus' own fault that he doesn't know when to hide, or how to hide. He's weak too, physically. A prime target for those brutes. If he wasn't so unpleasant sometimes, I'd take him under my wing for this period of time. The Gryffindors would kill him if this carries on."

"Gryffindors are the reaction, the ham handed return of our intricate plans. If I could, I would talk to them and tell them to tone it down with Severus, but with the climate as it is, even going near the table would get me lynched."

[Melaine Ravenheart]

"Snape can hold his own in the brains department." Melaine said thinking about potions. He was very very skilled. Almost enough to work her out, then again maybe not. He did jump to conclusions.

"wrong dear Mr Blake. Right now is the time. The war is over, the death of one of our own makes us the target of sympathy pats. Of forgiveness and leeway. Now everyone will be embracing of our house in our time of loss. The ranks are changing now. Watch them move and shift and yet everyone else sees grief" Melaine said breaking it down as if he were simple. His smile was annoying. He could easily be a Griffindor with such mannerisms. A nice mask. Still if he had played his cards right he would be a Griffindor. Working as a slytherin on the inside. It was a neat thing really, the way he acted. Tidy and perfect... trained.

"So tell me Mr Blake, what is your price. Assuming I am in the market as it were"

[Athanasius_Morpheus_Blake]

"Then maybe he should poison them all and save us the trouble." He smirked and stroked the spine of his snake, as it slithered around his arm.

He made a soft sound of agreement, then said, "I don't really feel that Gryffindor will be quite so forgiving. They'd probably say it was divine punishment upon a group of sinners."

"Cutting to the chase again?" He said, amused more than annoyed. "One might think you were eager for me to be on your side. Lets see how it goes before we discuss price, my dear. I don't want to be trapped upon a boat when it sinks, and you'll probably feel the same as well."

[Melaine Ravenheart]

Melaine looked at him amused at the idea of poisonings and unforgiving Griffindors.
"They are not fanatics" she muttered with semi-conviction.

"Eager?" Melaine turned the thought over in her mind "Perhaps I am just a spy for Lucius, here to weed out the malcontent?" She said letting the notion hang in the air, she sipped her tea again looked at him over the rim of the cup.
"I like to know where each man stands and whether he is likely to change with the seasons or only the disasters. Although I have to say you seem rather like willow. Bending every direction. The only question remains, where is the end of the willow planted? In whose yard are you growing? Malfoy's have a lot to offer. Standing, wealth, power" Melaine looked into the tea rather than drink it.

"It would be foolish to battle against such a thing. Spies are much more common than revolutionary leaders" Melaine said with idle care. She was growing tired of the number of games she played with people.

[Athanasius_Morpheus_Blake]

He laughed, a low melodious sound, then said, "Look at the Marauders and tell me that."

He shook his head, then said with a hand running through his hair, "Lucius trusts family more than anything else. If I told him James Potter and Sirius Black were shagging, he'd probably believe it more than if you told him I was turning traitor."

He smiled slowly, "Funny you should mention willow. My wand has two woods, an outer layer of yew, and a inner sheath of willow. The core of my wand, however, is my own business. I am a willow planted in my own courtyard, but my branches overhangs into everyone else's, always connected to everyone else."

"I'm not looking for standing, wealth, nor power. My family holds a fair bit of it back in Greece, and we have enough people in England that our name is not forgotten. I am looking for change, for excitement, to stir things up."

"It is true that spies are more common than revolutionary leaders, but I'm not blind. I do take notice of the movements of the different people who make up this house, and you are discrediting Lucius and assisting the lower years. I'd say you were trying to garner support." His smile disappeared, as well as the teasing air about him. His eyes were serious and hard, glittering like sapphires, "Lucius has had his time. I don't see any improvement in this house, so I'm going to root for change and see what it brings. If you don't work out either, I'd be more than happy to rip out the rug from under you and take control myself."

He picked up his bacon and eggs sandwich and took a bite, then continued after he swallowed his food, "But my lifestyle is honestly more suited as an observer of events, rather than a king on a throne. It is those who are not in the spotlight who are able to get things done surreptitiously after all."

[Melaine Ravenheart]

"There will be no bid for leadership from me. No revolt. No grand battle" Melaine said very softly. Her eyes were half lidded as she kept her focus on the tea up in her hands. She added a lump of sugar despite the cup being half empty at this point. Stirring it in with a tiny flick of her wand and a silent spell. The tea turned perfectly clear. She upended it on the saucer. It was now a swirling and almost solid block of water, it held its shape but internally it shifted and changed.

"Surfaces are important" she said and poked the swirling mass that fell apart into a watery mess in the saucer.
"Break the only surface structure holding something together and you have lost what ever structure or patterns there was below. I am no catalyst for huge reactions, I have no intention of outing Lucius. None at all" she said and stood picking up her bag.
"I believe I shall walk around the lake. Its too nice a day to be cooped up inside."

[Athanasius_Morpheus_Blake]

His blue eyes watched closely, "You say no grand battle. Most internal wars aren't won by brute force and outward confrontation. They are won by political maneuvers and sabotage."

"Of course surfaces are important. We are all actors on a stage, after all, and how can be perform if our costumes are not ready and make up is not done? You don't need big reactions to make things work, and you know that. Small, but significant changes will do well enough."

His snake hissed at the display she made with the tea and slithered further up to coil loosely around his neck. Athanasius stood a few moments after her, saying, "I have to go outside as well. Asclepius is growing restless, and I have no want for him to bite me."

He looked down at the large snake and murmured affectionately to it, "Isn't that so, my beautiful serpent?"