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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Sept 24, 2008 13:04:09 GMT -5
Surpringly, or probably not so surprisingly if you think about it, thee were alot of rooms in Riddle Manor that were never touched. It wasn't locked doors that were the cause, in fact most of the doors were just closed. Nobody it seemed dared venture around the old house of Riddle without a guide. Or written permission from Voldemort himself.
The rooms which were in use served as lodgings for Death Eaters, rooms where prisoners were kept until they became of use, places where Death Eaters would do research or meet. Very rarely were they used for anything else. Voldemort had his eyes and ears everywhere, like he had some sixth sense as to which rooms were occupied and by whom.
He'd taken to wandering at night through the corridors of the manor house, looking in the rooms with unlocked doors and passing those which seemed forbidden. Even though this house was Muggle, it did seem to have its own mind, its own rules. Alohamora didn't work on some rooms. On others it did, but they proved to be dull and empty of anything interesting.
One on occasion at dusk, Jack was simply strolling the second floor; his mind as elsewhere and his feet seemed to be taking him where they wanted. The sun was low in the sky, the pinks and reds bleeing up in to the blue beyond. Jack barely noticed as he passed by the windows, not paying much attention to anything but the floor. But he paused. Glancing to his right, one of the heavy oak doors seemed to be tempting him. With a quick look down the corridor, as if he was half expecting to be followed before resting his hand on the bronze doorknob. It twisted easily in his palm, squeeking only a little. It wasn't locked, but the door was stuck; with a hard shoulder shove the door gave and Jack found himself almost falling into the room.
Upon reflection, it wasn't very exciting at all. The wallpaper was peeling, no window but an ancient looking light hung from the ceiling, painted in cobwebs. The entire room was dull but it wasn't the room itself that caught Jack's attention. The size was great considering the only object in it. A grand piano and stool stood center, the mahogony polished wood top was down but just by first glance DeBlanc could tell it was of the finest quality. Curious and delighted, he took the few short steps towards the instrument and lightly ran his fingers through the dust that had gathered on the top. With a small smile, he lifted the top before sitting on the stool and lifting the seonc lid to reveal the row of black and white keys. Ebony and ivory. The finest quality. Jack couldn't help but grin.
He cracked his knuckles. With the amount of time it must have spent in the room, abandoned, Jack expected it to be in serious need of tuning, but when he played a single chord it seemed to be in perfect order. Low with a beautiful resinating sound that bounced off every wall; the room was empty of all but the piano for the acoustics he realised. How amazing. An entire room dedicated to sound. He played another chord, then another before he stopped. This was too good. Without another moment of hesitation, he started to play; Beathovan. His fingers moved over the keys with a skill and precision he barely remembered he had; when he was a child he used to play everyday for two hours while his cousin sang or danced. His parents would smile proudly and encourage him.
Jack played for several minutes, his mind too absorbed by the music to even notice that he had left the door open and that the sound was tavelling down the corridor. It was likely that most of the current residents of the manor could hear the music, but right now Jack didn't care. He was in his element.
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Post by Ava Vogel on Sept 25, 2008 21:57:44 GMT -5
Today had been a boring day. Ava hadn't wanted to return home to Italy so soon, she quite enjoyed her summer spent here in Britain. She was relaxed.
Since she didn't really have anything to do today, she had decided to sit in one of the lodging rooms of the Riddle Mansion with a book. It wasn't uncommon for her, her Dark Lord hadn't had much for her to do lately. Unfortunately. She'd been trying to get into Hogwarts as a teacher, to help Ryan, but it was only two weeks until Hogwarts students returned to school, and she still hadn't heard anything. Oh well.
The book she was reading was rather boring; it was just a random novel she had picked up and an odd little bookstore. The plot was bland and she couldn't get into it. She had to keep herself awake to even read it, determined to find some good to the story.
Suddenly piano music began pouring through her open door; Ava's eyes and ears perked up. Was there a piano in Riddle Manner? Ava closed her book and got off the bed, walking to the doorway. She paused there, listening to where the music was coming from, and headed in that direction. It began to get louder, not like a crescendo loud, but as if she was getting closer. Ava was so interested.
She saw the doorway where it was coming from and quickened her pace. She stepped in the room and saw Jack Deblanc, her Lord's unMarked seer, playing Beethoven in a very fluid fashion. She watched him play until the song's end.
"Excellent playing," Ava remarked in the sudden silence.
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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Sept 26, 2008 11:35:34 GMT -5
Although slightly startled by the voice, Jack didn't move, didn't show that with any sudden jerk of movement. He paused a moment, looking at the black and white keys of the piano before slowly turning to look at his unexpected visitor over his shoulder.
"Thanks.." He said, his tone neutral as always though with the slightest hint of a smile trying to get out. He shifted on the stool, twisting so that he could face the doorway properly and see Ava. Now, truth be told he didn't remember much about her. Death Eaters were all Death Eaters with purpose, but he couldn't think what Voldmeort had said he'd wanted Ava to do. Something along the lines of teaching at Howgarts or seduction in the Ministry. Most females got the undercover type work. Not that Jack disagreed, he thought that any man would fall prey to the magic and feminine charms of Ava, or possibly even Bellatrix, if she tried not to kill something for five minutes. Jack however wasn't interested; he could see why a man would be blinded by lust. They were indeed attractive women, darkly so. That was a fact, and temptation was always a toxin in a man's blood. In honsty though, Jack simply pushhed all that out of his mind.
"I wasn't disturbing you, was I?"
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Post by Ava Vogel on Sept 29, 2008 15:13:30 GMT -5
"Not at all."
She didn't move, instead choosing to remain there. Sometimes, it was as if she were made of stone. Ava didn't need to be sitting or moving to be comfortable, standing upright was just natural to her. No idea why, but it was.
"How did you find this?" she asked, not sure if this was even legal in the Riddle manor. If it wasn't, she wanted no part of it. This was not the type of situation she would prefer to be in, but naturally her curiosity had spiked and that is what brought her here.
She didn't know much about Jack, to be quite honest. He was a Seer, that much she knew, and he was unMarked. Ava, like many Death Eaters, wasn't happy about that. Didn't trust him because of that. Why wouldn't he be Marked? But her Lord had His reasons, and so she accepted him. Doesn't mean she had to like him.
Even still, Ava wouldn't be unfairly cruel. Being unMarked was his only fault, in her eyes, at least so far. He hadn't said or done anything to her knowledge that would be deceiving. Granted, Ava had barely spoken two words to him ever.
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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Sept 29, 2008 17:33:23 GMT -5
Mos tht etime, Jack had time to do whatever he wanted. He walked around the manor alot, worked and read and made all manner of potions. That was how he spent his days when he wasnt off looking through the manor for rooms with exciting treasures. Okay, so a piano didnt seem like much, but it was a homely thing. Something Jack missed.
"I was just taking a break from work. Needed to stretch my legs." He said simply in answer to her question, running a hand idily through his hair. He'd spent all that day trying to read ancient runes that he'd seen in one of his visions. Finding only half the symbols after ten hours, he found he needed to rest his eyes and move around. Though his room was quite spacious, there was only three places he could sit. The bed, the desk chair or on the floor. And after a while all three became uncomfortable.
The runes themselves that he'd seen were drawn onto the back of his palm with a muggle pen so he'd remember. In all Jack had ten markings on his palm, and he'd discovered the meaning for six. The number itself also had meaning, ten being the symbolic number for power. The entire thing made his head dizzy.
"I dont mean to be rude, but you're staring" Jack stated, noting how she was.. well.. staring. Her eyes, like the rest of her, dint seem to move at all and he wondered for a moment if she was trying Legamins. Course he'd feel if she was and automatically his barriers would be up.
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Post by Ava Vogel on Sept 29, 2008 18:30:40 GMT -5
"Oh, sorry," she said, and moved a few steps over, breaking her gaze. Ava didn't normally stare, but the piano was so great and unlike anything she would imagine be in the Riddle house. She would have figured that her Lord had discarded of all the Muggle furniture. Again, though, Ava could not doubt His reasons. Who was she to do such a thing?
Instead of gazing at the intstrument, she turned her eyes to survey the room. It was average sized, looking like many other rooms just more barren. "I have never been in here ever," she mumbled. That seemed strange to her, because she spent a decent amount of time here. She felt familiar with the manor, but apparently wasn't.
"Who created the music you were playing?" she asked, still looking about the room, moving only in small steps in a ovular shape.
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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Sept 30, 2008 13:35:48 GMT -5
OOC: Excuse bad typos + shortnes. I have two broken fingers and have them straqpped. Typing with entirely one hand - not happy.
BIC: Jack gave a small smile. It did seem rather strange that he just happened to stumble upon a piano. But e had, and he was glad for it. He already knew that he would be spending more time here and tat if the piano disappeared anytime soon, he would be most disapointed.
Jack's eyes followed her for a moment before he turned back to face the keys, his fingers idily restin upon them before he played a chord witht is left. "That song was one of Beathoven's. He's a great composer, but not as good as Mozart. Im a bit of a classical fan." The young man said, playing part of a melody with his right han, moving it with a fluidity that seemed erfectly natural. Just another of the many random and unsuual things that Jack seemed to hve passion for. Music, Seeing, reading literature, walking around graveyards. Some may have considered him.. Unusual, were it not for the fact as he was surrounded by death eaters and power thirsty wizards all the time...
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Post by Ava Vogel on Sept 30, 2008 16:16:11 GMT -5
Ava nodded, despite the fact of never hearing of them. She assumed they were Muggles, because there weren't any magical classic pianists that she was aware of. Either way, it didn't matter.
She continued to look around for a few more minutes and then sat against a wall, facing Jack Deblanc. She supposed she could just be normal for a bit, not the usual comfortable-even-while-standing person people usually found creepy.
"So, you're quite the mystery around here," she said idly. It wasn't a question, or anything to pry. It was a statement; her tone implied fact. It was as if Ava were saying, "So, I'm a Death Eater," except she was talking about Deblanc.
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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Oct 1, 2008 11:03:10 GMT -5
The young man stopped playing again, looking as Ava sat herself down against the wall and watched him. He gave a small smile at her comment about him. Jack gave a shrug, which could have been an agreement but it was non-commital.
"It keeps things easier I guess. Easier for me at least." He said, resting his hands on top of the wooden casing of the piano for a moment. "The less people know about me, the less risk there is for me. I'm in a dangerous position." He stated; well since it was a state the obvious competition, he might as well be blunt. Everybody who knew where Jack was now knew how risky it was for him. Unmarked meant that the Death Eaters didnt eally trust him, but if anybody from the Order or Ministry found out, he'd be locked up in Azkaban for sure. Probably even sentenced to the Dementors kiss, which is why Jack had kept his whereabouts a mystery. His cousin probably presumed him dead.
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Post by Ava Vogel on Oct 1, 2008 17:13:33 GMT -5
She watched him with careful, scanning eyes through his little speech. It was what she expected him to say. He was usually straightforward but hiding, and Ava couldn't blame him. She had been born and raised to be the same way. Never reveal too much to the wrong people. Don't trust anyone you can't Legillimins, except your Dark Lord. These were the lessons in the Vogel home.
She had her questions, of course, spiking from natural curiosity. Who didn't? But of course, she restrained herself from asking the serious questions right away. Instead, she asked, "Why are you so inclined to play Muggle music? Assuming that the Beethoven and Mozart you mentioned are Muggles, that is." Her tone was stiff, not accusing but it couldn't exactly be called friendly. It showed indifference mixed with minor curiosity. Ava was good.
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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Oct 2, 2008 16:26:25 GMT -5
Jack for a moment was slightly unsure by her tone. Ava seemed curious, but with her lack of a smile and her voice seeming quite cool, Jack didnt know if this was some sort of twisted test in her mind. He shrugged.
"I like it." Was all he said for a moment, his voice light and casual. "And why not? Its just music, which in itself can have similar effects as magic.. It capitvates, it seduces, it triggers emotion."
Jack paused, fell quiet again and looked at his fingernails for a moment befoe looking back uo at Ava to see her reaction to his little revelation to his opinin of music. Art is art is art, somebody had once said. Elizabeth LeCompte if he was correct. Though bugger knew what she actually meant. Jack just took it as art was a thin not to be final, but to cause debate and for people to create their own opinions.
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Post by Ava Vogel on Oct 9, 2008 11:59:45 GMT -5
She shot him a long glance, wondering. "Just music?" she mused, thinking it over. It was Muggle music. "Sure, if you looked at it that way." Ava didn't look at it that way.
In truth, there were blurry lines between Muggles and the wizarding world. Ava noticed them in things such as music, etc. But you could set lines.
"It's pretty, but we have good music too," was all she said.
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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Oct 9, 2008 15:37:49 GMT -5
"Alrihgt, name one decent Wizard composer. Or one witch pianist. Classical music is a thing Muggles came up with on their own. They practially invented chamber music all on their own.." He said as his only response before he tilted his head to one side. While he may have seemed quite the odd creature round here, he was certainly known to stand for his own beliefs, whther they were similar or opposite of the Death Eaters. He'd also been known to tell Voldemort what he personally thought; something that Death Eaters seemed terrified to do.
Jack paused, lookin at Ava for a moment before shrugging. "There arent any boundaries in the real world. Just whre you yourself draw the lines."
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Post by Ava Vogel on Oct 17, 2008 11:38:59 GMT -5
Ava grinned at him. Of course he would say what he felt, which was rare for pariahs to do. Of course the Death Eaters considered him a pariah; he helped but refused to be Marked. It was only natural that most didn't want him around, no matter how helpful he was. They tolerated him mostly.
"Sometimes you have to draw lines," Ava said thoughtfully. "People draw lines for others all of the time. The Ministry, for one. They draw lines telling people how to use their magic, how to keep it safe from the Muggles fearing, stupid minds. They mollycoddle the silly Muggles. We have to draw lines too. Just different ones. New ones. Revised, better ones if you will," she smirked. Yes. Better lines. Better laws. Domination. That is what was needed.
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Post by Jack DeBlanc on Oct 18, 2008 10:41:20 GMT -5
"Are you saying that your moral ideals go beyond social rules, that they are able to break the normal laws?" He asked, though he knew full well the answer. In their eyes, the death eaters were doing what was 'for the greater good' or what was best for them. Half of them probably belived, wholeheartedly, that they werent doing anything wrong when they killed Mugles or tortured Muggleborns.
"While you may think you're doing a good thing, purifying the magical lines, dont you think that it will eventually have its consequences? What happens when we all die out?" Jack asked, his dark eyes watching her with a stillness about the rest of him. "And what of the magical folk born of Muggle stock? If they dont learn to control their magic, they can do terrible things.. True, I dont agree with the Ministry on alot of things, but I understand that they're trying to keep us hidden. Do you really want our world revealed to everybody and their problems?"
He fell quiet again, awaiting her thoughts on the questions he had just posed toher, wondering if she would see his response as challenging or as supportive but less extreme. Because no, he didnt want people killed or the Ministry overthrown, he wanted change but not death. And Jack certainly didnt like the idea of everyone knowing exactly what he was and what he was capable of. He'd never find peace.
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