Crepuscolo [T.R.]

II

HIM

Mist still enveloped the bushes of the courtyard when I met up with my followers.

Hands entwined behind my back and gazing towards the horizon as Malfoy and Rosier told me about the life of Anima Littelton.

A Welsh family, pureblood. Her relatives were blurred figures in a picture in which she was the absolute protagonist. Several hospitalisations in various institutions for Muggle disorders. Poor anger management, lack of empathy and no hint of remorse.

The Muggles called it Sociopathy. I liked the way it sounded, the slight hiss of the s gently heralding the meeting of the lips on the p followed by the tongue and its stopping on the palate -th- y. More like a blessing than a disease.

But her life was not limited to that. Oh no, not at all. Her record of existence was overflowing with red ink. Too many incidents, too many coincidences and no answers.

Despite evidence everywhere she remained, legally, clean. Curious and useful.

I contemplated the possibility of using her, an inconvenient dirty job that I had no intention of leaving in the hands of fools. Unfortunately, her lack of control made her more prone to failure than success.

He saw potential in her but wasn't sure it was enough for what he had in mind. Too much madness was coursing through her veins to ensure his victory.

"Lestrange you are strangely quiet this morning."

Rabastan straightened his back at my call. -His lord's call, as it should be- "Forgive me, my lord. I am just... curious."

Curiosity was running wild these days, an innocent but annoying sin. Curiosity leads to trouble if not dosed carefully. Too much curiosity leads you where you shouldn't be, leads you to ask questions that you don't deserve the answer to.

I tilted my head as I turned to look at his face. I waved him on, what harm could it do to delude them into thinking they had some important role in my ranks? To deceive them that I was listening.

"I thought the plan had already been tested, why the sudden change?"

"Do you doubt my choices, Rabastan?

"absolutely not my lord, forgive me. I didn't mean it," the boy's trembling figure stiffened as my firm grip wrapped around his shoulder. Devastating pleasure enveloped my mind, -tremble before me pathetic mortal, it's the only thing you're allowed to do in my presence-.

"'I have my reasons for wanting to change my plan Lestrange. Unless you want to volunteer" I smiled broadly at him. A smile that never reached my eyes.

He shook his head lustily -painfully- and took a step back when I released him. He kept his head bowed until the end of the meeting and when I dismissed them he was the first to head to breakfast.

"Malfoy get me her schedule."

"Yes, sir."

I stood in the courtyard watching the clouds chase each other. Anima Littelton had nothing to lose. She was alone and feared, sometimes hated. It would have been extremely easy to convince her to do some dirty work for me.

If I saw a chance, I'd grab it without a second thought. I exploited it to the limit and came out on top.

Always.

I smiled at the image of her blood-soaked figure. I thought it looked good on her.

*

In the afternoon, after class, I walked across the garden straight to the Quidditch pitch.