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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 12, 2008 23:42:29 GMT
Mikael sat with his back propped up against a tree, one of many in a small glave on a remote area of the lawns of the school ground. In his hand was an historical book from the library, chronicling the life of the famous German wizard, Adolf Brandlewortt. He sat with his knees up, the book resting on them, and wore a plain cotton shirt and jeans, covered by his thin black hooded evening cloak. He wore the hood down, keeping it bunched up behind his neck and using it as a head-rest in harmony with the tree.
His eyes were becoming heavy-lidded as he flipped page-after-page on Adolf's adventures in Lithuania, and how he encountered a giant red-cap, five times the size of a human being. Mikael rolled his eyes at this nonsense, muttering to himself, "A great wizard with a flare for nonsensical tales...a true waste, and a shame to the fatherland.." he spoke through his thick German accent. Still, he read on, persistent to know all about the wizards and witches of his home country, the spells that had originated from it and the magickal history of the land in general. His hope, as ever, was to attain enough information to go back and create spells of his own, something he had largely been unsuccessful in thus far; though he had mastered a couple of new potions in his years at Hogwarts, keeping them secret in his journal.
On and on, Mikael read, heavy-lidded and bored by his book.
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Post by Polaris Stormwrath on Jan 13, 2008 0:06:09 GMT
Polaris was walking along the egde of the forest, gently running her fingers across the occasional thigh-high blade of grass at the base of a tree. Lifting her eyes to the horizon, she noticed that the sun was slowly setting and the time was nearing five. A light breeze caught her by surprise, sending the hood that was resting around her neck to blow up and shield her eyes and send a shiver up her spine due to the chill in the gust.
Stumbling for a moment, she felt around blindly for something stable to rest against. Finding that something, Polaris turned her back to the object, noting it was the thick trunk of an elder tree. Not a second later, she rested her back against the tree with her legs outstretched as she slid the hood of her cloak off and somewhat to the side to feel more comfortable.
Polaris blinked as she heard the sound of parchment turn a few times near her and turned her head, spotting Mikael sitting no more than a foot from her.
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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 13, 2008 0:32:16 GMT
Just as the girl came to rest at the base of the tree, Mikael reached the end of a chapter that boasted of Adolf's encounter with a pair of enchanted dice in a gambling den, and how they attacked him and nearly killed him when he uncovered the secret. Shaking his head, Mikael finished the chapter, made a mental note of where to pick up on later, and closed the book lightly, swinging his gaze to the newcomer only seconds after she took notice of him. He frowned. "Are you well, fellow student? You seem rather flustered...is it the...evening wind?" he asked curiously, lifting his nose and looking off into the distance, towards the lake, breathing in the gusty wind and cracking the slightest of arrogant grins.
"But it is wonderful, the evening. Would you not agree..." he trailed off, realizing he did not know this girl's name, worse, that he had never seen her before, in all his years at the school. She might have been a first year, but she looked far too old for that. Was she a transfer student?
In his thick German accent, he continued, "What is your name, and what year are you in?"
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Post by Polaris Stormwrath on Jan 13, 2008 0:53:15 GMT
Polaris raised an eyebrow at him before bringing her knees up to her chest, matching gazes with him. "Polaris Stormwrath, Sixth year of Ravenclaw." She replied somewhat shyly in her own accent. "And yourself?"
Lowering her gaze, a smile grew upon her lips at the reading of the title of the book he was holding. She had read that book, three times in fact! That sparked a sense of familiarity with Mikael, especially since he was german, she had a few friends back in her homeland that were german, although she hadn't talked to them in years..
"And ah.." She stuttered hesitantly for a moment and continued to speak softly. "No, the wind just caught me off guard. Guess I just spaced out.."
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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 13, 2008 1:01:10 GMT
"Ah, Polaris Stormwrath of sixth year. I have not seen you before, but I assure you, the pleasure is mine." Though his words were gentle and kind, and the soft look in his eyes spoke of a friendly fellow, not so much as a smile cracked in his expression.
Mikael caught Polaris' eyes darting to the book, and made a note of the expression on her face. "Ja, Adolf Brandlewortt. A grand fool, do you not think? I suppose I do not recognize you, for I am ever busy with my studies. Tell me, Polaris Stormwrath, do you aspire to become a great alchemist, or a lethal spellcaster? Or do you prefer to take the kindly aspect of magick, and use your abilities to help heal others, or aid those in need?" He searched her eyes for an answer, waiting.
"Ah, yes, as for my name. I am Mikael Handel, seventh year, of house Slytherin."
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Post by Polaris Stormwrath on Jan 13, 2008 1:43:20 GMT
Polaris laughed softly, a warm smile on her lips. "Please, just call me Polaris. And what do I aspire.." This question she was never asked before and it took her a while to find an answer. She did enjoying helping others, though most were idiots.. and she did seek to become the most powerful witch ever known, though the latter was less likely.
Running her fingers through the emerald tresses of grass and thinking of an answer to the germans question, Polaris remained silent for a good few minutes. She nodded to herself in reassurence as she spoke once more. "All of the above. I want to be all that I can, if possible. But.. I am lacking in certain subjects, no doubt. Also.. I'd like to do something with animals, if at all possible.." Her voice faded as she neared the end of the sentence, returning to silence, but not for long. "And.. you're a Slytherin. No doubt you're working towards being the most powerful you can be, right?"
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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 13, 2008 1:48:49 GMT
Mikael nodded. "The most powerful, perhaps...but what is 'power'? The measure of a wizard's capability to preform spells? To help others? His knowledge of the world? You ask a question that cannot be answered, in truth, Polaris. See, I do seek to attain great power, but to what end? The truth, of course, is that I seek to attain it to my own end. I do not wish to waste my powers on helping others, because 'others' do not deserve the power that stems from Mikael Handel. Unlike the Slytherin pure-bloods of old; I do not hate the half-bloods, or Muggles...I do not much care for them one way or another. No offense, if of course, you are half-blood..." he trailed off. By now, the sun was setting below the lake in the distance.
"You are a very pretty girl, Frau Stormwrath...will you walk back up to the castle with me?" Mikael did not wait for an answer, but instead, strode up to Polaris and motioned that he would follow her, politely.
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Post by Polaris Stormwrath on Jan 13, 2008 1:55:01 GMT
Polaris nodded and got to her feet, following him to the castle. "Oh.. and I am a pure blood, by the way." She piped in quietly while sliding her hands into her cloaks deep pockets.
Looking up to the dimming sky, her eyes shimmered slightly as she walked idly, pondering on the words Mikael spoke earlier. Her feet happened to drag slightly against the turf while she looked up, distracted.
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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 13, 2008 1:58:55 GMT
Mikael walked sidelong with Polaris up to the castle.
He stopped at the steps leading up to the courtyard, and turned to look at her. "Polaris, have you ever witnessed a ceremony to invoke one of the Ten Great Drakes of Hell?" he asked, a new wicked glint in his eyes, his mouth slightly upturned into a crooked grin.
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Post by Polaris Stormwrath on Jan 13, 2008 2:01:52 GMT
Polaris tilted her head in curiousity, a smirk of her own pulling at the corners of her lips. "No, but I do think you're about to show me, aye?" She asked coyly with an eyebrow raised. She knew this wouldn't end well. A drake within the castle? Those were huge! Gods know what would happen if they got caught...
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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 13, 2008 2:11:05 GMT
Dinner was being served in the great hall, the most likely time for Mikael to get away with summoning a fragment of the spirit of an infernal beast into the castle before infusing it with himself. Did he really want to show Polaris this? That he had found a way to merge small fragments of demonic souls into his own body? Would she even want to know such a horrible secret? And why now, after all these years, was he wasting his time with some girl of Ravenclaw, one that likely could care less about him? He shrugged these thoughts off, reminding himself that power for the sake of power was his current goal. One thing at a time.
...Yes, Mikael, one thing at a time. Do not forget, this will be the ninth of ten soul fragments to infuse within you, tonight is the drake of fire. Bring the flaming fragment of our kin to us, we grow tired of waiting. You know that we give your body and mind some of the powers it now posseses, so do not shun us this. If the girl wishes to witness this, allow it, but waste no more time...
Shaking slightly, Mikael pushed the voices of the Great Drakes from his mind. They were right, he needed to take in part of the ninth soul, and he already had an explanation planned for Polaris, to avert her from fear.
"Yes, I will show you, Polaris. Will you accompany me to the observation tower? It should be empty, and spacious enough at this time for me to conduct what is necessary."
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Post by Polaris Stormwrath on Jan 13, 2008 2:20:56 GMT
The soft sound of their steps echoed throughout the stoned walls of the castle as the setting shadows seeped down into every crack and crevasse of the corridor. Polaris' ears perked slightly as she heard the flutter of an owl's wings from up on the owlry. Quickly she returned her gaze to the shifting stairs and then to Mikael, smiling faintly.
"So.. do you usually come up here? Slytherins are often found in the dungeons, if out at all.."
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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 13, 2008 2:26:15 GMT
"The dungeons are all fine and good for the oily-haired first year students, sure. I myself require the vast night sky overhead for much of what I do. I do, however, tend to keep my alchemical experiments to the dungeons."
Coming upon an empty classroom that offered a great view of the night sky from its windows, he ushered Polaris in, then began moving desks aside, save for the professor's desk, which he strode behind. He then reached into his cloak and pulled out a large velvet pouch, a pouch that made soft clinking noises as he moved it. Opening the pouch, he procured, one after another, nine glass candles, with wicks that looked like glass as well. Each was taller than the last, spanning from the first candle at half an inch, to the ninth candle at around six inches. He set them up in order, and took out his wand, lighting flames on top of them in succession, but stopping before lighting the flame of the ninth candle. He looked up to Polaris.
"Are you certain you do not mind being present for such arcane practices, Polaris?" he asked, ready to stop if she wished to leave.
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Post by Polaris Stormwrath on Jan 13, 2008 2:36:39 GMT
Polaris took a seat in an abandoned chair near the parallel wall, keeping her eyes concentrated on his form, eyeing him cautiously. "I am positive, Mikael." She spoke confidently as she watched the candles light consecutively and brighten the darkened room.
Curious as to what he was going to do next, her head tilted to the side as her eyes narrowed.
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Post by Mikael Handel on Jan 13, 2008 2:44:03 GMT
Mikael solemnly nodded, pulling his cloak shut. It was black, with fine silver lining on the rims of it. He then pulled his hood over his head, shadowing his eyes, as he lit the final candle.
"I invoke the will of Fidduccius, Ninth Great Drake of the Abyss. Fidduccius, show yourself to me! ...and to my..." he hesitated, never having used the word before, "...friend, Polaris." He would let her slap him in the face, or laugh at him in front of her friends later; for now, he would finish the ritual.
The flame leapt from the ninth candle in a roar, then died down, and slowly moved and connected to the eighth candle, which in turn connected to the seventh, and so on. When all the candles were lit, a wall of fire blazed in the room, nearly touching the ceiling, and slowly, a great roar shook the tower as the head of a fire drake formed in above the wall, letting loose another tremor-inducing roar. Mikael bit his lip, knowing that the roar would arouse the suspicions of the professors, and that he needed to make the most of the next few minutes. The dragon first turned and faced Polaris, growling furiously at her. Sweat, induced by the wall of flames, dripped from Mikael's brow and ran over his puffy, pale cheeks, as the dragon regarded Polaris.
...AND WHO ARE YOU, GIRL?...
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