devil's snare;;

Alecto was frustrating.  It wasn’t that the younger girl knew how to push all of her buttons – although, that was absolutely true.  It was more the fact that she was so hot and cold.  One minute she wanted company, she wanted to be friends, and the next minute she was pushing everyone away.  But she was wrong if she thought Freya had any real need to stay and put up with the disrespect.  They were friends but that certainly didn’t mean she was a doormat.  “Adorable,” she scoffed, but there was no weight behind it.  She was adorable, and she liked it that way.

“Okay,” she shrugged, not one to impose her presence on anyone.  She thought about taking the cookies, but she truly had baked them for Alecto.  There was no point.  “Which one do you want me to do?  Sure, we can practice some potions if you’d like, but if you want me to go that’s fine too.  There are other people I can visit with.”

...

Alecto watched the other girl--someone Alecto begrudgingly called a friend--grow annoyed with her. As far as Alecto was concerned, it was part of their friendship. It wasn’t like they hadn’t thrown a curse or two at one another ‘accidentally,’ so she wasn’t surprised at Freya not reading her mood properly. They were both willful, though Alecto felt she probably edged Freya out in that department.

if severus regretted using such hostility towards his friend, he did a good job of hiding it, as he simply rolled his eyes before pushing his glasses up his nose. “good morning, alecto,” he greeted her with a smile, a rare sight coming from him. “coming up,” he responded, flicking his wand, causing the small parcel to float through the air and straight into alecto’s hands as he reached for the vial. “where did you get this?” he breathed, his eyes widening as he turned the vial over in his hands. “acromantula- i’ve never, seen it in person.”

Dirk hoped Alecto was having fun. He might have got a little caught up in the excitement of being able to afford and access tickets to the final to the point where he hadn’t particularly considered whether she was up for it, health-wise.

“I’m a little offended that I was on the team at Hogwarts for five years and you still don’t know anything about the game. Well, four years of you being there, too.” His laugh, however, implied he was bothered very little by it. Sports weren’t Alecto’s thing, he understood that. He would be the same if someone tried to engage him in Art or Astronomy or Herbology – he would show interest for the sake of a friend but nothing would make him an expert on the topics. “The Bats, but we don’t really mind as long as it’s exciting. Which it will be, because it’s the final.”

“Isn’t it enough I knew you were on the team? We’re not even in the same bloody house,” she said. “And I’m here with you today, despite the pounding head.” She laughed, a wheeze that indicated she wasn’t that sorry to be there. Or that she was, but that he still had a couple of chances to make it up to her. 

“There are four balls? Five balls on the field? And the teeny one is the best, right?” Alecto spoke irritably, looping her hand through his elbow and walking towards the makeshift bar. She would definitely need a glass or two to sit through the next few hours.

“I’m not but…” Damocles paused. He was worried that the woman in front of her felt like she owed him back for lending just a few sickles. But he also didn’t want to imply that there’s a favor owed in the first place. She seemed genuinely interested in some company too so he guessed it was okay to agree. “Sure,” he nodded. “I wouldn’t mind some company. Just let me uhm - oh.” 

To his surprise, the person behind the bar already had his order ready. They already started slowly making it when they saw him enter the door. It’s not like it was difficult to guess. From that shop in particular, Damocles never changes his order. It wasn’t the first time too that they finished preparing it even before he reached the counter. But every time, Damocles finds himself surprised. “Thank you,” he muttered. All he had to do was pay for it. With his order in hand, Damocles turned back to the woman and nodded. “All right, lead the way then.” 

...

Alecto was almost giddy with the opportunity to talk to Damocles Belby himself. She’d read his book multiple times, trying to understand his methodology in an attempt to figure out how to save herself. But lycanthropy had many desperate victims willing to submit themselves for testing. Alecto was alone. Her heartbeat was pounding in her ears. "Lovely,” she said faintly, keeping her excitement at bay. It wouldn’t do to drive him off. “You seem familiar somehow, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.” 

She led him to a space she’d seen open earlier on, only to find someone had already taken the spot. Wandlessly, she used a summoning spell on to knock it out of their hands and onto the ground. They left in a huff to order another one, muttering about their carelessness. Alecto shot Damocles what she considered a winning grin. “Here seems to be fine.”

Amos wasn’t at the point of being worried sick for Cedric who seemed to have a fever. Not yet, at least. Even so, he asked to have a couple of days off to attend to his son. As much as he knew that his mother would have gladly taken care of his little boy, Amos wanted to be the one to nurse his son back to health. He remembers his mother nursing him back to health whenever he was sick as a child. He wanted Cedric to have similar memories of him when he grows up to be a fine young man.

Amos briefly left Cedric with a baby sitter watching to buy some medicine at the apothecary to reduce the boy’s temperature. Clearly, he interrupted something when he entered through the door. He sensed it in the tension in the air. “Is this a bad time?” he found himself asking. He raised his eyebrow, sensing the terror in one of the men.

...

“That’s more like it.” Alecto smiled, all teeth. “I need all the ingredients for a pepper-up and some boomslang skin.” The first attendant nodded, immediately moving to the back room to get her ingredients. When the chimes at the entrance clinked, Alecto kept her eyes on the cashier, her eyebrows raised. 

The other one came back. “We’re all out of boomslang,” he said, dully. The cashier blanched, sweat visible at his temple. Alecto had never been particularly rude at the Apothecary. Must have been her tosser of a father bullying him. Unfortunately, she was his spitting image, hence the fear.

Alecto turned her head to answer, “Not a bad time at all.” She sighed, rolling her eyes and looking back at the shop attendant. “I didn’t realize I was so ugly. You look like you’re listening to a mandrake cover Celestina Warbeck. Let me tell you, that’s way worse than pretty little me.”

“can i help you?” severus asked, allowing a loud sigh to escape from his lips as he reluctantly lifted his head to greet his newest customer. in terms of customer service- he’d be winning no awards, but he didn’t care. people came to slug and jiggers when they needed something they couldn’t by elsewhere, they weren’t coming for respect. “we’re closing in five minutes,” he added, not bothering to look at the clock, “so i’d advise making it quick,” he finished by making a big show of closing his book before standing up. 

...

Never Refuse Treatment | CLOSED

“Another one for you, Mare,” a voice called out. Mary looked up, nodding her head. “Okay, cheers, Freddie,” she replied and started setting up a fresh and sterile workstation. That involved fresh equipment, and spells to cleanse the places that came into contact with patients. Just as she cast her last spell, the door opened, revealing her next patient.

Alecto.

Mary knew when she chose this career that she would get every kind of person in her room; even those who at school tormented her, even those who didn’t believe she should be allowed in the magical world, because her parents were not witches and wizards, even those who didn’t want her help. She’d promised herself that she’d never refuse treatment and care. Alecto, however, was a little different. Although an entirely capable and impressive witch, she had always been sickly. A sickness Mary didn’t know all that much about, but whisperings at school has suggested years of inbreeding were to blame. Mary had never wanted to assume anything. Mary had never had any issues with Alecto; not unlike she had with her peers…Freya for one.

“Take a seat,” she said professionally. Mary exhaled inaudibly. “Tell me how I can help,” she spoke.

@erxnyes​

Alecto never forgot a face. It was a useful habit to have when you needed to take stock of the benefits and costs of interacting with someone---you never knew whether the kid across you at a pureblood function would come in handy someday. It’s why she stayed away from mudbloods: with her condition, there was likely little they could offer her besides friendship and happiness, neither of which was really on the menu for Alecto.

All she wanted was to live.

Today seemed hell-bent on denying her even that, her light headache turning into the equivalent of monkeys playing her head like a bongo drum. Alecto had to excuse herself, closing her eyes and staggering to the medic area. She considered apparating out of there, but in this state she was worried where she (or her parts) would end up. Through blurry vision she spotted Macdonald, Mary, one of the mudbloods from Gryffindor. Just her luck. “Healer Macdonald,” Alecto said, grimacing. “An absolute pleasure.” She sighed, composing her face to be a bit more believably well. “If you could hand me a pepper-up so I could be on my merry way...”

“You know I do not normally…” she started, but as she turned the sweet over in her hand she considered it. She wasn’t working and it was clear now that she wouldn’t be around Theo again until after they went home, at which point it would no doubt be his bedtime anyway and Fauna would probably sort him out so if for today she was neither Healer nor mother then what was stopping her from a bit of experimentation? Except for the nudge in the back of her mind that it was not good for the brain, of course. “I have work tomorrow,” she finally said, putting the sweet back in Alecto’s hand. “Alcohol probably will not help,” she pointed out, reaching out for her champagne glass again. It might not help Alecto but it was definitely helping her get through this awful date. “And I do but not with me. You can come to mine at the end of the match, if you would like, to pick some up. Or I can send an owl with a package.”

.

“...Indulge,” Alecto said, completing Laina’s thought. “Hufflepuffs,” she added, popping the sweet into her mouth before giving Laina’s hair a small tug. The effects were, unfortunately, not as strong on her because she’d taken some near-rancid concoction she and Laina had certified safe. Back in their 7th year. But it was all she had left. Damned quidditch cup had people thinking  they were all great potioneers, here to bring the fun drugs in. If they really wanted a high, they should take a page from the muggle book. Those mudbloods may be dirty, but they sure did make clean hits. 

“Or maybe alcohol could. Though you’re the potioneer, so you ought to know.” She tipped her head back, looking over at Laina. “The last few days have been an absolute pleasure,” Alecto said, wincing. She felt like hell. But it wouldn’t help to talk about it, so she cast a noise-cancelling spell bubble around the two of them, the crowd’s noise dwindling to coffee-shop chatter. She had another sweet, before asking, “How’ve you been?”

She pursed her lips, biting back a smile.  It was difficult to pretend around Alecto – her friend had seen her through some of her truest moments; she could always seen beyond who Freya pretended to be.  “To be fair,” she struggled not to laugh.  “I didn’t realize he was quite as allergic as he was.  I wasn’t trying to kill him, just teach him a lesson.”  She paused.  What had he even done?  “Not that I remember what that lesson was exactly.”

“Okay sure,” she waved her hand in Alecto’s direction.  It was almost endearing, how desperately she pushed people away.  It wasn’t supposed to be sweet, but she thought that it was.  “Well, now that I’m here what are we going to do, because I’m bored.”

.

“Teach him a lesson.” Alecto mimicked Freya with a scoff. She attempted a girlish giggle, one that fit well and easy in Freya’s repertoire, but only came up with a wheeze. Alecto’s laughter very much a harpy’s cackle, heavy and harsh: but that’s how it had always been. Her mouth shut, refusing to admit shame. “Teach him not to take cookies from adorable strangers? how kind of you.” 

Alecto coughed again at the mention of affection on her part. None of it in her house, she thought, waving the notion away. “You can leave, then,” she said irritably. “Or maybe we can practice poisons. You’ve always been better at it.” Admission after admission of Freya’s superiority. Alecto turned away, unwilling to face her.

closed event starter for @erxnyes​

Melaina’s expression relaxed into a smile when she saw Alecto. Finally, someone she didn’t feel like she had to be false around or act like she cared one jot about Quidditch. “Tell me,” she said, sidling up to her, “that you have some belladonna or something with you so I can end my suffering now before another person yells at me over whatever is going on there.” She waved a dismissive hand towards the Quidditch players flying over the pitch. The only one she could even name was Sebastian. She didn’t care about the rest. A flute of champagne was in her hand and she had lost count of how many she had gone through now — a worrying fact given how much of a lightweight she was but she felt perfectly fine, thank you very much.

.

Alecto picked the champagne out of Melaina’s hand, disapproving. She exchanged it for a sweet instead, one of the recipes they made together. She’d tested it on mudbloods and they’d disappointingly said it just reminded them of ‘acid.’ “Have one of these, princess.” Alecto smirked. “Seeing the fairies might make this more bearable.” 

She winced as her head started to hurt more. “You have anything for me? It’s the usual acting up.” Alecto stubbornly took the alcohol. It wasn’t her preferred poison, but the sweet champagne was at least slightly soothing to her dry throat. She thumbed at her lips, wiping the bubbly left at the corner of her lips. “Or are you out of it already?”

closed event starter for @erxnyes​

Dirk hadn’t been to a lot of professional Quidditch games. It hadn’t even been a possibility until after he left Hogwarts, and since he had been focusing on staying frugal with his money and building up a career. The game he had played through school had taken a backseat in comparison so when he saw the opportunity to get tickets for the Cup Final he jumped at it. He bought a ticket for Alecto without even asking her if she wanted to go and only then set about trying to persuade her. The Arrows not getting into the Final had been a minor disappointment but Dirk didn’t really care all that much about that in comparison to the atmosphere and excitement of being at such a big game. “See, isn’t this fun. Aren’t you glad you came?” he said, nudging Alecto.

.

Alecto hadn’t been feeling very well the last few days. She’d caught a cold on the job, and pepper-up potions hadn’t been available to her since she started on the unholy concoctions she and her potioneer contacts had come up with to stave away most of the pain. But she grit her teeth and went to the Quidditch game anyway because Dirk had seemed so excited. If only his affection for her weren’t in direct opposition to a passable, if boring day in bed.

“Sure it’s fun, Dorky Dirk,” she said, rolling her eyes. Alecto looped her arm through his to dodge his nudging, not ready to bruise. “My knowledge of Quidditch is at subzero, so you’ll have to walk me through this shit. Whose messy victory are we rooting for?” 

The day had been far too long. It felt like Alecto had been navigating the world alone. Amycus was in hiding, and Alecto felt reluctant to contact him, not wanting to jeopardize his safety. Work had been hell lately, too many idiot muggles near the perimeters of wizarding spaces.  She needed to let off steam, to do something uncomplicated and pleasurable. With heavier security surrounding the latest events, she couldn’t torture any of the muggles she was meant to obliviate.

She sat in the flat, toying with her wand and wiping at the dust on her face. Sighing deeply, Alecto cast an embroidery charm on the handkerchief on the boudoir, the signal she used to contact Ariadne. Jonquils, for desire. Alecto stared at the upper right corner, waiting for Ariadne’s response. 

It wasn’t often Travers bothered with such menial tasks like a trip to the apothecary. Those idiotic elves would fetch him what he needed, or he would have it ordered in. But he was just so…bored lately. Ever since Easter, there had been no progress, no updates. Nothing of interest to keep his attention occupied. That’s how he found himself wandering Knockturn Alley to find the little shop, entering it with a gentle chime of a bell.

“Carrow,” he greeted, the name lacking the usual disgust Travers gave in tone when speaking to her twin. That moron, kidnapped and now dead - allegedly. That cockroach was probably hiding out somewhere, his cowardice keeping him from facing the Death Eaters. “Frightening the staff again, are we?” Although, from the looks of it, the cashier wasn’t all too comfortable in Travers’ company either.

.

“Hullo, Jonas,” she said. Alecto remembered the venom with which he normally said her last name, addressed to her twin. The thought was sobering, as Amycus was holed up somewhere and unable to go out. “Not more than usual.” Alecto blinked before flashing him a polite smile. “Maybe you can help him out: what would you need for a quick cold remedy?” 

The original attendant seemed adamant. “If you want a pepper-up potion, miss, you’d best just purchase that instead of raw ing--” He was elbowed by the cashier, who quickly asked Alecto, “how many people are you brewing for, Miss Carrow?” 

“And what are you here for, Jonas?” she said, ignoring both the attendants. It was too early in the day to be contradicted, and by pitiful staff, no less.

“Yes,” she confirmed, popping open the tin of cookies on her lap.  “Yes, I think that just a few tablespoons of chopped walnut really do make all the difference when it comes to making the perfect chocolate chip cookie batter.” 

She turned to look at the person next to her, tilting her head so they could see her small smile, and passed the brightly colored tin in their direction.  “Of course you should take one.  Take three.  I made them to share.  Here –” she took one out and took a large bite, chewing it slowly.  “I know the world is a bit confusing right now, so see.  No poison.”  Poison wasn’t her style anyway.  It was far too easy to trace unless you were an expert.  “Now, do you want to tell me what I’m doing here, love?”  She asked, not unkindly.

.

“Chopped walnut chocolate chip cookies,” Alecto repeated, smirking. “I remember when you served these to that visiting diplomat’s highly allergic son.” 

Alecto took a cookie and split it in half, flicking the crumbs into her own tea. You could never be too careful with Freya’s gifts, even if she did eat them herself. She tilted her head as she watched the crumbs, noting how none of them fully dissolved. Probably safe. She took a bite and looked elsewhere, anywhere but at Freya. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. You invited yourself over,” she said. It wasn’t her style to admit affection for anyone, and Freya was no exception.