𝔸𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝔸𝕟𝕥𝕒𝕣𝕖𝕤 𝔹𝕝𝕒𝕔𝕜 || T.M.R

VIII

A man gazing through his office window in Serpent Manor prior Riddle Manor; once a muggle home for a aristocracy muggle family, now renovated into the residence of one of the most infamous figures.

Lord Voldemort had always had a plan for those he deemed worthy of his mark.

Asterope Black was one phenomenon unlike her younger twin. The ravenclaw was said to be favored and personally trained by the head of The House of Black, Lord Arcturus Black. He could see why, the girl was powerful, he could feel her delicious magic tingling in the air whist they grace the ballroom.

The image of her features burned itself into his memory that even obliviate could not remove. With his witch, he would have the Lord of House of Black close within his ranks not just his children and grandchildren.

But firstly like the gentleman he is, he'll bestow her the pleasure of getting courted by him. And showing every single one of those hormone filled adolescent witch and wizards that she is his and his only.

A ring, a simple ring that has been in his family for centuries. A obsidian gemstone accompanied by silver. Such an innocent looking piece of jewelry, the lengths where the teenage dark lord went to acquire it however, not so innocent indeed.

"Enter." A velvety voice rang out matching the eerie silence of the manor; when his wards felt his summoned follower arrive.

Entered a dark haired witch in her mid-twenties known for her derange episodes and her family name before marriage. "My lord," The witch bowed down on one knee.

"Deliver this," The crimson eyed man held out a hand-sized box wrapped in emerald green parchment. "The contents within shall only be viewed by her, if she wishes to reveal afterwards, she shall."

"Yes, my lord." Bellatrix Lestrange née Black complied to the command.

-

Night had befallen in the highlands of Scotland where the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry lay on. Most students had fallen asleep, some are studying in their dorms or causing ruckus with their acquaintances, you can only be a teenager once.

But Asterope on the other hand, had just completed her prefect rounds for the night and is retiring to her personal prefect quarters in the Ravenclaw tower. What she had found in front of her dorm door is an odd occurrence. It seems to be a gift wrapped adequately in fine parchment, she's sure is from one of the more opulent witch or wizard in the castle.

The gift itself isn't the odd part, more of how it's there. You see, one of the most prominent Ravenclaw traits Asterope possesses is her thirst for knowledge. In having so, she read almost everything book in the Black libraries, especially Black Castle, where her Grandfather and Grandmother resides.

Lord and Lady Black, often had Asterope over, more then her cousins and brothers. You could say, no it's certain that the young witch sees them more as paternal figures in her adolescent youth then Orion and Walburga.

Arcturus Black also taught the young curious witch anything she asked (which was everything) as long as it wasn't a harm. Having that, Asterope excels in many aspects of magic.

One of them is warding. She had warded the hidden entrance to the corridor that leads to her dorm. She allows only a select few besides the professors smooth entrance. There isn't any students that recently admitted in the infirmary nor is there blood or a body bounded student stuck on the floor.

But the wax seal on the small gift is unfamiliar to her, an unknown person shouldn't be able to come this far and leave unharmed. The young dark haired witch is slightly agitated of her incompetence. The bloody wards has never failed.

Taking a calming breath, she entered her dorm with the wrapped up box in hand.

The tired Black heiress sat on the edge of her bed and gently remove the outer parchment revealing a small navy blue velvet jewelry box along with a note, the Ravenclaw read the note first.

====

It'd be my pleasure to be within your
presence once again in the near future. But
I suppose having the knowledge that this
ring resides on your finger will suffice. I know
it'll be safe in your possession for it is quite
precious to me.

-M

====

M, Marvolo. The dark lord had given gift, a ring, a bloody ring nonetheless. Asterope is no stranger to courting gifts and pureblood customs. She herself receive plenty but non had caught her eye enough to openly acknowledge, until now.

She slowly open the box, the soft velvet outer layer soft underneath her fingertips. The ring itself was a silver ring inset with a obsidian gemstone with a small engraving in the middle that Asterope could not make out what it means.

As she went to pick up the ring her brows furrowed, it was enchanted, but the feeling was mystifying even in magical standards. One could insert a small amount of their magic in an item or land for protection or many other purposes, it's not an unusual feeling.

But the ring, Asterope thought it felt familiar, like him. There was a trance of sort, the ring was somehow calling to her, giving her a sense of familiarity.

And having it on.... feels right to her, like it's where it's supposed to be.