Destiny Approaches...

[Courtney Amyca Dolohov]

Courtney stood upon the High Road that led from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade the wizard village. Her sweet face held such a dark blackness in its eyes that many passersby found themselves subconciously hurrying by her like mice scattering before the wind. Her thoughts were only focused on one thing: the destruction of that accursed school. "One day Hogwarts...you and everything else will be ours." She whispered. With that she pivoted on the balls of her feet as she were still on the runway before she began to walk into town towards the Hogs Head. A little bit louder she said to herself "And not even the great Albus Dumbledore will be able to do anything about it this time around..."

[Altera Neco]

Altera stood in the shadow of the Hogs Head with the hood of his robe casting darker shadows over the features of his face, except for the glint of his twisted smile.

"Ahh, there is Ms. Dolohov," Altera whispered under his breath, "finally she makes her appearance."

Altera stepped out of the shadows and made his way toward Courtney as she approached the Hogs Head.

[Courtney Amyca Dolohov]

Courtney was closing in on the door of the pub when she felt the presence of someone following her. It was a skill bred into her from birth of the many that had enabled her survive the life style that her parents had led and that she had decidedly chosen to follow. She opened the door of the pub and made her way to a back corner seat as if she had not suspected a thing. It took her only a moment to come to the realization of who was so brave (and so foolish). A slow, cruel smile parted her lovely lips. "Aww. Neco. How wonderful it is to be among you again. Ever since our little tromp in Transylvania, you've been somewhat...inactive. I didn't think it would only take a little prissy vampiress to keep one of your caliber out of the loop for so long...." She said before sitting down and facing him. Courtney did things her way and in her own time. She rushed for no man, woman, or beast unless it was the Dark Lord himself. She conjured a glass and took a flask from her robes. She poured a generous amount of an amber-colored liquid into it before topping it off again and putting it back where she got it. "The dishes here are always filthy and the service reprehensible. I'm sure you understand. Now please take a seat and tell me of what you've really been up to. I don't believe this nonsense of a....sick leave. If that blood-sucking monstrosity had done any real damage then you'd be dead. I still owe her from my battle." Courtney mused as she again remembered one of her most hated and despised foes. While to other ears this may have sounded as though she were wandering, smart listeners knew that the real intention was information. Taking Courtney for granted at a moment like this when she wanted something was not only unwise...but fatal.

[Altera Neco]

“Good to see you too, Ms. Dolohov." Neco said as he sat down and removed his hood, revealing his face. His black hair fell over his face in wild strands and dark circles under his bloodshot eyes stood out in contrast to his pale white skin. Thin trails of dried blood that seemed to originate from his eyes patterned his face like ancient runes as they etched their way through the thin layer of dirt that coated his face. He clasped his hands on the table and his sleeves fell down on his arm revealing scar tissue that formed runes all the way from his wrists to his elbows. As he hurriedly replaced his sleeves he looked up stonily at Courtney.
"As you can see, I've had better days." he said as a grin spread his lips to reveal his vampiric teeth that shone in the dim light of the bar. He couldn't help it as a wicked laugh escaped his lungs when he saw Courtney's impassive expression.
"Same attitude since last time we meet it seems, eh, Ms. Dolohov?"

[Courtney Amyca Dolohov]

"Some things never change Neco....never." Courtney responded. She took her time sipping from her glass as she surveyed the man in front of her. From his dirtied face and hands to the awkward blood stains covering his figure and even to the bags beneath his tired eyes, Altera looked worse than a giant with rabies. Courtney took one more sip of her drink before placing the glass back on the table. She leaned back in her chair and rested her chin on one of her hands as her piercing eyes stared directly into Altera's. "But apparently there are those things that do. The teeth don't become you at all. But now...the question is...where have you been? And what have you been up to?" Courtney was truly unrelenting, so she wasn't going to let him off so easily, but her patience was wearing thin.

[Altera Neco]

"The usual." Altera replied with a grin. "A little bit of chaos, death, blood. Mostly though, I have been out hunting pittiful muggles and traveling the great distance between Transilvania and here by night, seeing as how my appearance would turn more than a few heads." He waved his hand in the air in a dismissive gesture, revealing the odd runes on his arm.
"More importantly, what have you and the other Death Eaters been up to in my extended hiatus?" Altera questioned, his grin dissappearing and his red eyes stared straight ahead at Courtney.

[Courtney Amyca Dolohov]

Courtney nodded though she still didn't believe that was all that Neco had been doing in the time he'd been away. But she acted as if that answer suited her and leaned back forward again in her chair into a conversational position. She'd learn what she wanted to know another time, in another place....she always did. "To be quite frank, I only just arrived a few days before you. It seems that nothing much has happened in our absence and that the goals are still the same. Kill Harry Potter, kill Albus Dumbledore, kill the Minister of Magic, and take over the Ministry. Simple enough if you ask me, but unfortunately our beloved Dark Lord is currently surrounded by incompetence. You and I may have to gather a few worthy souls of our own and show this miserable lot what it means to be Death Eaters..." As she spoke these final words, Courtney's mouth twisted into a malicious grin. "...and I think we'll enjoy the murderous way that we do it...don't you?"

[Altera Neco]

Altera liked his lips and grinned widely at the thought of causing death. "I could turn a few people and maybe have a nice feast of blood while I'm at it." He thought aloud as he thought of what he could do to murder his victims.
"I'm in. So what is your plan, Ms. Dolohov?" Altera said as he bit his lip, causing blood to well at the corner of his mouth. "I will help you in every way necessary to achieve our desired goals." He said as he got up and did a simple bow to show his fealty to the cause.

[Courtney Amyca Dolohov]

It always did Courtney's cold heart good to see someone who knew their place. Showing obeisance was always a good way to make sure you weren't on her wrong side. Not that she really had a good side to get on. "It's rather very simple. Lure out our targets one by one and kill them. You know how easily swayed they are. All we must do is openly kill a few victims here and there near the school. Turn a few vampires since we know that human-turned vampires degenerate into mindless bloodsucking beasts if they don't drink the blood of who turned them. Then we take a few students knowing full well that Dumbledore will come running to their rescue if we hold them ransom. With him out of the way, it's only a matter of time until Potter comes within our grasp as well. But this is the wrong place to discuss this further. We can work out specifics and logistics back at headquarters or better yet...where are you roosting at the moment dearest Neco?" While the thought of a vampire's hideaway wouldn't appeal to others, Courtney had specific reasons for wanting to know where Altera was keeping himself. It might prove fruitful to her later.

[Altera Neco]

"I have a temporary abode set out in the mountain, if you really must know." Altera said skeptically. "Why do you ask?" Ha made eye contact with Courtney and searched them for any hint of her thoughts, though none presented themselves, he did not break the contact. "Meet me at midnight at the front gates of the school." Altera said as he got up from his seat and turned toward the door. "Be late, and I'm afraid that you may miss the bloodbath." Altera said with a wild grin plastered on his face and a small laugh escaped his lungs and with a loud crack, he dissapirated leaving Courtney all alone.

[Courtney Amyca Dolohov]

Courtney had not flinched nor been surprised by Altera's sudden leave, and she had left his question unanswered. She stood from her seat and snapped causing the glass she had been using to disappear. She pulled her hood over head and made her way towards the door of the pub. As she walked down the street her mind flowed to the plans she was about to implement that night and how everything thus far was going exactly according to her wishes, as most things did. Her cruel smile placed itself across a flawless face as she thought to herself "Oh dear Neco....if only you knew. Tonight will indeed be bathed in blood....and yours will be among that which is shed."[/i]