Back In The Saddle Again -- Ondina

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

It had been nearly two months since the death of Desirae Rousseau.  Two months since the last person on this world Elaine felt she could let her guard down a tiny bit with took her last breath.  At first, Elaine had been fumingly mad; she had destroyed the wooden dining table in her safe house while screaming with rage.  Of course, she had protective spells guarding the house so nobody had heard her except her servants, but all the same they had cowered in hiding.  Quickly, eerily quickly though, Elaine had switched gears.  Throwing a hissy fit wasn't the way to get back on track.  It had been months since the Kings Cross attack; now Alastor was under her control and such foolishly brash attacks were no longer permitted.  No, they lay in wait; the Wizarding World held its' breath for Elaine Duprees' next move, all while she quietly infiltrated from the inside.  One of the newest members of her group had hand selected Isolde for Elaine; just four days with the mandrake root and the woman had broken, brainwashed and loyal only to Elaine.

Today though, Elaine had taken up the guise of Anise, a meek little serving girl who she'd found living homeless on the streets.  She'd broken in just under 48 hours but her brainwashing had been more for this purprose after all.  Anise was pretty enough, but very innocent and doe-eyed.  She'd get the girl a job at the Hogs Head as soon as she had a chat with Nikolaj, but today was all about Hogwarts.  In particular, Ondina Weasley, whom she was expecting a report.  Polyjuiced up as Anise, Elaine made her way down the lanes of Hogsmeade, donning a roughspun wool blue cloak.  Soon, she spotted the blonde and gently wrapped her fingers around the girls wrist.  "Have you seen the new strawberry chocolates at Honeydukes, girl?" she asked, her voice high and sweet.  Ondina would know how to answer if it was safe to talk.


Ondina Nell Weasley

[Deleted]

How Elaine planned on meeting today was beyond Ondina. Elaine was wanted fugitive. With an outstanding warrant out for her arrest. Every citizen in Hogsmeade, at Hogwarts.. No in the entire Wizarding community would recognize the older girl on sight. But, Ondina knew Elaine wasn't stupid. Somehow they'd make this work. The letter had only said that Elaine would find her, and she'd make her presence known.

Ondina was not expecting that sign to be in the form of a meek street rat who latched onto her wrist. She almost pulled away, until she heard the words spoken. Ah, of course. Ondina recognized the witch. She'd seen her around Hogsmeade. Clever of Elaine to use someone that residents would recognize but mostly avoid. So, Ondina flashed a charming smile. "I have not, but I was just on my way there to try some." Ondina's answer would be very different if she'd been with anyone. It was safe to talk. So, lowering her voice to barely a whisper Ondina spoke again. "You're looking quite blonde."

Elaine Lyra Dupree

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine just smirked a little, satisfied with the answer.  It meant that Ondina was on her own and could talk, which was promising as they had plenty to talk about.  "Then we shall be on our way," she said perkily, then lowered her voice so that they would not be overheard; silently she cast the Muffliato spell, just to be safe.  "Blonde is more your color," she told her wryly.  They walked in silence, Elaine's hand still on Ondina's wrist.  "Well, what do you have for me?  Was it successful?" she finally asked, looking over at the younger girl.  Elaine had given Ondina a task at the end of the last meeting the Purifiers had had, before Desirae had died.  Had it really been so long since she had been able to gather her followers in one place?  Perhaps it was better that way - after all, there was a mole in their ranks, otherwise Desirae would not be dead.  Besides, she knew that keeping the wizarding world in this unduling state of not knowing her next move was creating paranoia and fear, which was exactly what she wanted.  Ondina's task however, had been something she'd been curious to test for awhile, and she needed to know how successful the girl was, and for how long.


Ondina Nell Weasley

[Deleted]

Ondina smirked and nodded at that energetic response, Elaine still pretending to be the face she wore. Elaine must have done something to it's owner, but Ondina really didn't care. The witch was a nobody, a street rat. No one cared. Why should she? Elaine hadn't released Ondina's wrist yet, but she shrugged as Elaine commented that blonde was more her color. "It does suit me, doesn't it." She commented vainly, not even attempting to be humble about it. Ondina personally loved her blonde hair and how she'd taken after her mother and not the Weaselys. She'd look horrible with red hair. At the request for an update, Ondina slowly pulled her wrist free.

"To a point." She started to explain as she reached into a pocket of her shoulder bag to pull out a small folded up piece of parchment and held it out to Elaine. Written in her neat handwriting inside was measurements and next to each measurement was her observations. "It was easily treated once someone with half a brain gave him an antidote. They caught on while I was experimenting with the dosage. But no on suspects why I did it, or where I got the potion. They all think it was one of my uncle's products." She smirked at that. How horribly naive of them... "It'd be most effective at a fourth of a dose, he seemed almost entirely himself then, but still malleable and open to suggestion."

Elaine Lyra Dupree

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine released Ondina’s wrist as she pulled it away; if anyone was to witness this exchange, she wanted it to appear that she was trying to ask the Slytherin for something like money, and not a report on how the love potion experiment went. Elaine’s free time had her experimenting, first with the mandrake roots and then the love potion she had sent Ondina disguised as perfume. The caretaker would never have been able to know the difference; instead of smelling like the three things you yearned for most, it smelled just of jasmine. Elaine was very proud of the tweak, and even more so when Ondina reported that the potion had worked. She discreetly stowed away the parchment in her pocket; she would not unfold it here out in the open lest anyone question what they were doing. Of course, if anyone got suspicious, Elaine could easily take care of them, but that could get messy and then her Anise disguise would be ruined. She’d have to find a replacement and repeat the mandrake torture all over again, and Elaine preferred to grow her number rather than replace.

“Excellent work, it would be easy to suspect the potion as a byproduct of your family shop. While expected, it gladdens me to hear that they fell for that explanation. Have you noticed the person who gave him the antidote watching you more carefully, or anyone else for that matter? Apart from him of course; his scrutiny is expected,” she questioned her. She knew that Grey Slater would be wary of Ondina from now on, but as long as it was just him and everyone else was a passing suspicion, they could continue on with their work.

Ondina Nell Weasley

[Deleted]

Ondina wasn't positive who had figured out he was under the potions effects and given him and antidote. There were several possible suspects. Obviously one of the sixth or seventh years since they didn't cover love potions and their antidotes until NEWT level. But even then they had to be familiar with Grey and potions. They would have to recognize the symptoms, and Grey's own regular behavior. Most likely it was one of the seventh year Gryffindors. "Im still looking into who helped him, but I've narrowed it down to only a few possibilities." she answered slowly, pausing for a moment. "As for them believing where it came from, i didn't have to say anything. They practically convinced themselves it was true. All I had to do was not correct them." she smiled sweetly. It was so much easier to believe a lie when you were the one that came up with it. Let them convince themselves.

Was she being watched more carefull? "Not more than I expected but I've also been lying low. After all, I'm supposed to be 'torn up' and heart broken that he figured it out." Ondina donned a pitiful look to match her comment, her Lowe lip stuck out just a little to tie the whole look.

Elaine Lyra Dupree

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine frowned, thinking of the other Gryffindors that were the year below her.  Two Weasleys, a Thomas, Cecelia, Slater himself, and a Krum.  "Irina Krum was rather good at Potions, was she not?" she asked quietly.  If she was not mistaken, the Krum girl had been a Potions Club co-captain during her last year at Hogwarts.  Elaine had known of the Krum family obviously; their great-grandfather had been murdered for foolishly standing up to Grindlewald.  Gellert Grindlewald was certainly a man that Elaine had studied over the years.  While he had had the right idea, in the end he let Albus Dumbledore get the better of him.  "I am glad to hear that they've convinced themselves that it was a Weasley product; the less they question the better.  Wait until Valentines Day to try this dosage on whomever you wish," she told her, pressing a perfume bottle into Ondinas' hands with lighting fast reflexes.  The dosage she had just given her was quite a bit more potent than the last dose, with a little bit of a surprise side-effect that she thought Ondina would find rather amusing.  Best to keep that bit to herself for now.


Ondina Nell Weasley

[Deleted]

Irina Krum was definitely on Ondina's list. Right up at the top. "Yes she is. And captain of the Potions club. But Ondina hadn't known Irina was close with Grey. If anything, Irina had been totally obsessed with her boy toy in recent months. But they were year and house mates. It was very possible that they were closer then Ondina knew. "If it was her... She has at least two obvious weak spots we can use to prevent future interference." Tweedledee and Tweedledum.

So Elaine had another potion for Ondina to test on a poor sap. Listening carefully to the instructions, Ondina posted the perfume bottle immediately and discretely. While the perfume wouldn't raise any alarms if found on her, seeing her get it from a street urchin would. "Whomever? Have any favorites in particular?" Ondina had chosen the Grey boy because of his involvement with Theodosia. She'd been killing two birds with one stone- testing the potion and teaching him a lesson for standing up to them. At the moment, she couldn't think of any obvious choices, but she'd have a month to mull it over. Valentine's Day, such an iconic day for love. No one would be the wiser if there was another love sick idiot in the mix.

Elaine Lyra Dupree

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine raised an eyebrow. Captain of the Potions Club, was she? Anyone who made captain of that particular club was certainly capable of catching the signs of the Love Potion and concocting the antidote. Well, if Irina was called to the next victims’ rescue again, she’d be in for a nasty surprise at some of the tweaks she made to potion in the tiny perfume bottle she had just pressed into Ondina’s hands. “Well, I certainly hope she gets begged to make the antidote again for whomever comes next. Let’s just say she’ll have more trouble on her hands than she’ll expect,” she said lightly, the smirk playing on her lips for just a brief moment before disappearing. She reached into her pocket and took a quick swig of the Polyjuice Potion she had in her flask; her hour as Anise was almost up and she had no intention of reverting to her true form in the middle of Hogsmeade where students and adults alike could plainly see.

“Pick your poison Ondina; Muggleborns, Aurors, anyone related or friends with the Slaters. I’d be happy to see the effects of this tweaked concoction on any one of those,” she told the girl as she was careful not to say ‘Mudblood’ out in the open, then stopped walking. “Just not on any of the loyal ones. If I ever need to test their loyalty, I will do so myself,” she instructed. She highly doubted that Ondina would pick someone like Lucy Weasley or Theodosia Washington to test the potion out on, but just to have all of her bases covered. “There should be enough for four doses for one person...or two doses for two people,” she added, smiling slyly at the underlying suggestion. Why potion just one when you could take down two anyway?

Ondina Nell Weasley

[Deleted]

Both Ondina's eyebrows rose with curiosity. Elaine wasn't worried about anyone finding out about this new potion, or attempting to cure it's affects. Ondina's knowledge in potions was, to be honest, extremely lacking. Shed dropped the class as soon as she was permitted. But considering Ondina's medical conditions it was understandable. Potion making had proven to be a volatile mix with her asthma. Maybe that was why Ondina was the logical choice for testing potions such as this, because no one would suspect her. She'd never be able to create them without assistance. What she lacked in potion making skills though she made up for in transfigurations. She was the captain of that club for a very good reason. " Any surprises I should be aware of?" She asked. In many ways it was better that Elaine not tell her everything the potion would do, so that if she was ever questioned she'd be much more believeable.

Elaine was definitely giving Ondina quite a few options. Thankfully she'd also given Ondina plenty of time to make a decision. Valentine's day. That would give her a month. Ondina slowly nodded. "As you wish." A month to decide not just who the best options would be, but also who would suspect her the least. And as Elaine suggested splitting the potion between two... Ondina smirked. "How frequently should the doses be given?" Some potions, from her understanding, could take days to wear off while others an hour or less.

Elaine Lyra Dupree

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine waved off Ondina's slight concern with a flip of her hand. "Oh nobody is going to die. But if they try and shove a run of the mill love potion antidote on them, they'll find there's a failsafe in the potion.  I'm sure you're familiar with fairy tales such as Sleeping Beauty and Snow White?" she said, sniggering lightly.  It might have sounded strange for Elaine Dupree to know of Muggle fairy tales, but she drew some inspiration for her tweaks with different and, in her words, exciting potions.  For example, this particular love potion would need the much more complicated antidote for a rare deep sleeping potion, which would prove a challenge even for that brat of a Potions captain, Irina Krum.

"No, but there are no real side effects, except they might burst out in song declaring their love for their intended every once in awhile," Elaine added, not helping the smile on her face.  Oh what she would give to see someone like Scorpius Malfoy be hit with a love potion and sing about someone like....oh, she didn't know, perhaps Rose Weasley?  Though she doubted Ondina would be giving her ex-boyfriend any love potions any time soon.  "Every seventy-two hours with breakfast for the best results I've discovered," she instructed.  They had reached the Hogs Head and Elaine stopped; it was the perfect time to bid farewell for one of her promising Purifiers.  "If you can select your target for a start on Valentines' Day I think that would be ideal," she told her cryptically.  Theodosia Washingtons plan was to be set in motion before the silly Muggle holiday, and on it people would think it was a flimsy love potion some idiot girl gave whoever Ondina selected.  "I must be back to the Hogs Head, I will be missed," she said, nodding once at Ondina before leaving the girl and disappearing into the pub.

ELAINE OUT Ondina Nell Weasley