Give The Devil Her Due -- Nikolaj

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine was ready to place her first pawn at Hogwarts; Anise had been perfectly groomed to wash dishes, scrub floors, and listen to every single conversation going, writing detailed reports and sending them to Elaine. She truly believed that Elaine was her saviour from the torture she had endured for forty-eight hours after she had been kidnapped, which was exactly what she wanted. After Desirae's death, Elaine did not trust anyone, not fully. Someone had leaked Desi's whereabouts to the Ministry, that was the only explanation as to how those Aurors had tracked her down. While the main murderer Claire was in the Ministry, plenty of trainees were scattered about the village. If they were planning on discussing anything, Elaine wanted someone she could wholly trust on the inside.

She did not send Anise herself of course; she'd left the girl with a list of things to do around the house while Elaine ran 'a few errands'. As soon as she was out of sight, Elaine had transformed with the aid of the Polyjuice Potion into Anise, and Apparated to just outside Hogsmeade village. She made her way down the streets and into the Hogs Head, mentally keeping Anise's timid personality in mind; her own domineering persona would throw Nikolaj Lestrange off in a heartbeat. She'd reveal who she truly was in due time. "E-excuse me? I-I'm looking for the owner about a job?" she called out in her high voice, clutching the piece of paper in her hand.

@nikolaj

[Deleted]

Elaine Lyra Dupree or that weirdo anise

"E-excuse me? I-I'm looking for the owner about a job?" nik groaned. audibly as he heard the voice carry across the room to where he was behind the bar. he sighed as he took in the appearance of the girl who had said the words and he couldn't help but raise his brow. she didn't look like she could lift a bucket let alone work in the roughest bar in about a hundred miles. he shook his head and walked around the bar, motioning for the bartender to keep working and he crossed to where she was. "we're not hiring." he said as he pointed to the door behind her. "try the three broomsticks." he said as he turned to walk towards the back of the bar, where he had a small desk area carved out from some storage room. he had plans to change the bar, but things in the last few weeks had taken a dramatic turn. he'd found out that sarah had fathered a child of his and he had a son. that had been taking his attention, the improvements to the bar could wait a little while longer.

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Well that wouldn't do.  Elaine realized that Anise looked pretty weak, but the girl was stronger than she seemed.  If she was truly weak, she would have broken in a few hours and not two days.  "Wait!  Sir, please!" she called out, sounding panicked as she rushed after him, waving the paper she held clutched in her hand.  "Please, read this," she pleaded.  Before Nik could read anything though, Elaine glanced down at the paper and saw the words form on the parchment.

Tell your bartender to give you ten minutes.  Close the door.  Lock it.  Now.

Elaine knew that Nikolaj would recognize the handwriting as her own.  She waited patiently while he would come to the realization of who she really was.  "I do really think it explains everything, wouldn't you agree?" she asked him, looking at him with Anise's doe eyes.

@nikolaj

[Deleted]

Elaine Lyra Dupree or that weirdo anise

"Wait! Sir, please! Please, read this," he turned around on her and narrowed his eyes slightly. he didn't particularly like having someone chase him down when he had made himself clear. his eyes flashed dangerously at her as he looked at the paper that she had in her hands. elaine. it was elaine's writing. he looked up at the bar. "we'll be a few minutes. keep an eye on the place." he said as he motioned to the girl before him, pointing to the seat by his desk as he turned and locked the door behind them. "I do really think it explains everything, wouldn't you agree?" he raised a brow and folded his arms and looked at her. "actually, it explains very little, elaine. the note said ten minutes, you have five. i have a business to run." he said as he leaned his hip against his desk and waited.

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine tsked disapprovingly at Nikolaj's tone. "Come, come Nikolaj, you know you don't dictate the rules around here," she said sweetly. She reached up to take his chin in her hand before pushing him away, walking away before turning back around.  "You like the new guise?  She was a real down on her luck kind of girl, begging in the streets.  You would have gotten off on the screams that came from the room I kept her in."  Elaine couldn't help but laugh mirthlessly at the memory.  "Fortunately, she is now convinced that I am the person who saved her from her torture; she has no free will of her own and does everything I tell her to."

Elaine hopped up on the desk and crossed her legs, staring over at Nikolaj.  "Which brings me to why I'm here.  I need Anise to be working somewhere close to the castle, and the castle itself would be too obvious.  So she's going to work here.  I don't care what you make her do; she's good at scrubbing floors, she can carry more weight than she looks," she instructed, then grinned wickedly.  "I don't care if you want to take her back into your office and shag her.  But she needs to be here."  She hopped off the desk and wiped her hands.  "Understood?" she asked, a small hint of danger evident in her voice.

@nikolaj

[Deleted]

Elaine Lyra Dupree or that weirdo anise

"Come, come Nikolaj, you know you don't dictate the rules around here," he felt her touch his chin and he rolled his eyed slightly when she shoved it away. he brought his gaze back to her face and folded his arms over his chest. "actually here i do. i might not in your organisation, but in this bar. i call the shots. if you have a problem with that .. well that's your problem." he reminded her. the bar was his. not hers. he allowed it to be used as a go between for the people involved in the purifiers but that was about it. "You like the new guise? She was a real down on her luck kind of girl, begging in the streets. You would have gotten off on the screams that came from the room I kept her in. Fortunately, she is now convinced that I am the person who saved her from her torture; she has no free will of her own and does everything I tell her to." he probably would have enjoyed hearing her scream, there was something about it that he used to enjoy. though in saying that it had been a while since he'd done it to anyone and the more shocking part was since he had killed his parents by bringing their house down on them .. he didn't really feel the need to.

"Which brings me to why I'm here. I need Anise to be working somewhere close to the castle, and the castle itself would be too obvious. So she's going to work here. I don't care what you make her do; she's good at scrubbing floors, she can carry more weight than she looks," he raised a brow and countered her grin with a laugh of his own. "no." he said as he dropped his arms and listened to her continue speaking, as if furthering her order. "I don't care if you want to take her back into your office and shag her. But she needs to be here. Understood?" he shook his head slightly, he wasn't afraid of her. he had respected her when he'd first become part of the purifiers but there was no fear. "the three broomsticks. that's a heck of a lot closer to the school than this tavern. you want her close to the castle then put her somewhere the students, teachers and everyone connected to them actually go."

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

Elaine just laughed; Nikolaj could act all high and mighty because he disposed of the owner of the Hogs Head.  "That's sweet.  You think you're untouchable in this little pub of yours," she said.  Her wand was in her pocket, but Alastor had taught her well.  She glanced to her side and watched as a mug of pencils levitated on its own.  She glanced over at him, and smiled.  The pencil mug sat back down.   "Perhaps you'd feel more at ease if I was in my own form," she said smoothly.  She closed her eyes, and slowly transformed back into her true form.  She glanced at the door, and a series of clicks and locks werre heard as closures that were not even there entrapped them both in the office.  Just in case he got any ideas.

Elaine raised an eyebrow as he said no - the Three Broomsticks would be a better option.  "Perhaps, but Anise can move up in the world from this hovel.  I'm sure after a few weeks here you'd be more than happy to recommend her to a faster paced environment," she told him.  She took a few steps closer.  "That wasn't a request Nikolaj, it's an order.  As you mentioned, you have no power in my...organization, which you are still a part of.  You do as I say whether you like it or not."  She took another step closer, smiling.  "Don't take my lack of action as a sign of weakness Nikolaj.  I have eyes and ears all over the place.  The Ministry, Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley and ...Saint Mungos."  Another step closer.  "Which brings me to my other reason for being here today.  You were pretty badly injured were you not?  Along with your sister, Andromeda, right?  You were found in the ruins of your house...I know what spell was used to destroy that house Nikolaj, and I know it was your parents house.  You must have been awfully brave to stand up to your parents after all these years.  Yet..." she reached out and her hand lashed into his side.   "Are you so sure you can say no to me, Nikolaj Lestrange?"  She stepped back, uncorking the potion and swigging it, her eyes never leaving him as she transformed back into Anise.  Most people found the Polyjuice Potion transformation painful, but Elaine reveled in the pain.


@nikolaj

[Deleted]

Elaine Lyra Dupree or that weirdo anise

"That's sweet. You think you're untouchable in this little pub of yours," nik snorted a laugh. he wasn't afraid of her but he wasn't stupid enough to think he was invincible. "actually, i know i'm very touchable. it doesn't change the fact it's mine." he said as he caught sight of the mug lifting in the corner of his eye. well, that was impressive. she could use her powers to decorate a room. "Perhaps you'd feel more at ease if I was in my own form," he shrugged his shoulders and watched as she changed forms right in front of him. "Perhaps, but Anise can move up in the world from this hovel. I'm sure after a few weeks here you'd be more than happy to recommend her to a faster paced environment," he laughed. again. she thought that anise would have a chance somewhere else after working in this place? it was pretty much a last resort option for people who needed the money, not exactly a place people came to launch themselves into places of better employment. "i'm sure i wouldn't be. you think she'll get work anywhere else in this town after working here? she'd have to survive it here .. and if by some chance she ends up here, there wouldn't be anyone to keep her safe from the people who would try to eat her alive."

"That wasn't a request Nikolaj, it's an order. As you mentioned, you have no power in my...organization, which you are still a part of. You do as I say whether you like it or not. Don't take my lack of action as a sign of weakness Nikolaj. I have eyes and ears all over the place. The Ministry, Diagon Alley, Knockturn Alley and ...Saint Mungos." yes, he knew all of that. she had eyes and ears everywhere. "i do as you say there. if you want someone to say, yes sir, no sir and three bags full sir. go buy a lap dog." he pointed out as she continued. "Which brings me to my other reason for being here today. You were pretty badly injured were you not? Along with your sister, Andromeda, right? You were found in the ruins of your house...I know what spell was used to destroy that house Nikolaj, and I know it was your parents house. You must have been awfully brave to stand up to your parents after all these years. Yet..." he felt her hand lash into his side. she was hitting the wrong person if she thought he'd flinch. of course it was painful and it hurt him but he wasn't one to flinch. in fact he enjoyed it just a little. "lets just say they finally pushed a little too far." he quirked a brow at her slightly. "Are you so sure you can say no to me, Nikolaj Lestrange?" he was. he had never been one to blindly follow orders. in the history of his involvement of the purifiers had he had never been an obedient follower. he participated and he respected the woman in front of him, it didn't mean he had to follow without any questions. "it wouldn't be the first time." he said with as he smiled at her. "have a nice day elaine." he said as he turned quickly on the spot, apparating out of the room and into the upstairs of his bar so he could get back to work.

-- nik out.

[Elaine Lyra Dupree]

"Only because I let you have it," Elaine countered simply.  "And you shall continue to maintain ownership, with Anise as your new serving girl."  As he argued back, she just watched him. Perhaps to some it may seem strange, Elaine standing there not saying anything.  But only she knew what she was really doing.  Over the past few months, Elaine had perfected the Legilimens technique; while Nikolaj was going on about his previous insubordinations, she was flicking through varying images of his mind.  She got to see some of the destruction he and Andromeda had caused while resulting the death of their parents, that was interesting.  But...what was this?  A child, no more than two.  Nikolaj felt very deeply for this boy it seemed.  Another scene, ah Sarah, the werewolf she was finding to be very useful.  Oh.  Oho.  Well, it seemed Elaine found her trump card.

Elaine allowed him to Apparate out of the office; only she could break the locks on the door, which she did with a lazy wave of her hand.  She strode over to his desk, plucking out a pen and sitting down with a small sigh.  She scribbled out a note that she knew Nikolaj would find before standing and walking out the door, trying to look perky, like someone who had just gotten a job.

N,

Anise starts Monday.  She'll be here at 10am sharp.

PS - Sebastian is a lovely name for a son, don't you agree?

@nikolaj

END