Snooping is Ill-advised [Aly]

[James Malcom MacDougal]

The feast was well on its way to being over when he spotted Aly standing and leaving the Hall. Overcome with curiosity, Jamie said goodbye to his friends and followed. She was navigating by that little bird, he saw. It was a fascinating little piece of magic. He blushed as he remembered the last time he had an encounter with the bird. 

Where was she going? She moved quickly into the darkening night, headed cross the school grounds. Toward the Forbidden Forest. The Forest was dangerous, especially at night! Why was a blind girl running off to the forest? Blast, but she moved fast. Jamie had to break into a jog to catch up with her.

"Aly!" he called. He was deeper in the Forest than he'd ever been before, and he'd lost her momentarily amongst the trees. "Aly!" he was relieved to see her as he entered a small clearing. "What are you doing out here, its dangerous!"

[Alyson Bludwyne]

Hogwarts hadn’t changed a bit. She’d thought that after 17 years, maybe something would be different, but it was almost as if she hadn’t left at all. Except of course, she knew no one which was both a blessing and a curse she supposed. For now, no one knew her complete inadequacy with a wand which meant she wasn’t being subjected to the inane teenage bullying that had plagued her previous years at school. But she missed the few people who had seen her true worth and none more so than Winston. She needed her right hand man back, but he was currently stuck in Azkaban, his habits having finally gotten him caught without her guidance to keep him safe. It was a situation she was going to have to rectify sooner rather than later.

But first, she needed to do some research and there was no better time to do it than when everyone was distracted by the joys of seeing friends after the long holidays combined with copious amounts of treats to put everyone into a food coma.

She finished a last mouthful of pumpkin pie, before quietly slipping out from her seat at the end of the table and out of the Great Hall. Little Shadow led the way, but they’d taken this route many times before and it wasn’t long before Alyson stood in the gloomy shadows of the Forbidden Forest. She paused for a second, taking the time to enjoy the darkness of it’s knarly trees and the cold air that flowed out from it’s depths before charging onwards. She wondered if the clearing would still be useable. It had to be or her plans would be pushed back again.

Little Shadow’s chirping signaled their arrival and as the magical bird described their surroundings, Alyson let out a sigh of relief. Everything was as it needed to be. She let the bag she had carried with her slip down her arm, opening it and removing the sharp knife inside. There was no hesitation as she pressed the tip to her arm, no pain even as blood welled from the cut, only the satisfaction that soon all would be right once again.

She was just about to start her work when a voice echoed to her right and she whirled in the direction, the knife falling to the ground, swearing as she recognized the aura. Bloody Jamie MacDougal. Just couldn’t leave her alone…

Alyson quickly put her bleeding arm behind her back, mask snapping down into place. "It's not dangerous. They just say that to keep the first years out. I just wanted some alone time. Bit overwhelmed and all that being back. It's just a bit too strange. I miss my friends." she said, smiling and hoping he'd get the point and fuck off. 

[James Malcom MacDougal]

Alyson quickly put her bleeding arm behind her back, mask snapping down into place. "It's not dangerous. They just say that to keep the first years out. I just wanted some alone time. Bit overwhelmed and all that being back. It's just a bit too strange. I miss my friends." she said, smiling and hoping he'd get the point and fuck off.

Jamie squinted in the low light. He'd gone and left his wand with his luggage on the train, after putting it in his bags for safe keeping he'd completely forgot about it until halfway through the sorting. He wished for it now, the forest was quite a bit dimmer than the grounds as the last of the sun went down. If only he could cast lumos! He supposed dark or not made no difference to Aly.

"There's a pack of Acromantula roaming the forest right now, they had a warning about it in the Prophet." Jamie looked around cautiously. He had no reason to like spiders, and spiders bigger than he was even less.

"I'm sorry about your friends, Aly." it must be hard, loosing 17 years of your life like that. Jamie wasn't even 17 years old! It was daunting. He cleared his throat, moving closer. "I'll be your friend, if you want?"

[Alyson Bludwyne]

"There's a pack of Acromantula roaming the forest right now, they had a warning about it in the Prophet." Jamie looked around cautiously.

Alyson shrugged. "They're just spiders Jamie." She didn't add that she was in the process of trying to get them to come to her. Animals, any animals usually stayed far away from her, able to sense her birthright far easier than any human ever could. But for the next step, she needed several, Acromantula being high on that list. The Prophet's warning had been like getting a large present for Christmas. 

And if Jamie would get the hint and leave, she could get on with trapping one. She gritted her teeth as her blood continued to drip down her arm and she swayed lightly with blood loss. Demon's balls but the boy had bad timing. 

"I'm sorry about your friends, Aly." He cleared his throat, moving closer. "I'll be your friend, if you want?"

Alyson had to use all her willpower to stop herself from throwing up in her mouth. Did people like this really exist? Was there even a Slytherin bone in his body? The sheer amount of Hufflepuff she was getting from him made her shudder. Her cheeks hurt from having to fake a smile around him so much.

"Hmm? Oh sure. That sounds good. But you know, if you're scared of spiders, maybe you should go. There's plenty of creepy crawlies in here. I just want a few more minutes alone and then I'll be right out behind you." She muttered, mind already racing as to how she was going to pull this off now she'd lost so much blood. And then suddenly she couldn't wait any longer or she'd faint and she took a deep breath in. The grass around her withered and died in an instant. It wasn't much, wasn't even close to enough but at least she was still upright. 

[James Malcom MacDougal]

Alyson shrugged. "They're just spiders Jamie."

Jamie remained unconvinced. Anything bigger than him... bigger than a horse! That talked and ate people... that was not "just a spider." His eyes were finally adjusting to the light, and he focused on Aly, noticing her start to sway. Was she alright?

"Hmm? Oh sure. That sounds good. But you know, if you're scared of spiders, maybe you should go. There's plenty of creepy crawlies in here. I just want a few more minutes alone and then I'll be right out behind you."

"I'm not scared of spiders." He said in a derisory tone. He wasn't. Arcomantula were not spiders, not according to his reckoning. And it was a healthy respect. Same as he'd have for anything that could and would eat him. He had no plans to die a young and tragic death. Suddenly something changed. The air felt different, something lost. All of a sudden he noticed the grass around him had shriveled. Around Aly. He looked at her, intrigued. Was she doing that? How could she do that?

[Alyson Bludwyne]

He wasn't leaving and Little Shadow was quickly whispering that her energy drain hadn't gone unnoticed. Damnit. Damnit it all to hell. She did not have time for this and the quick drain she had done wasn't going to last long. 

"Look Jamie, I have to do something really quick. Can you just wait there?" she said, feeling the shadow unfurl in her mind. If he ran... she might be forced to do something a little more drastic. She hoped that for once he might actually listen to her. She turned, ready to start the ritual when movement caught her eye and she smirked. Maybe she wouldn't have to do a summoning after all... seemed that Jamie was the perfect bait. She took a step back, her fingers dipping into her bloodied arm and tracing a quick rune into the air where it hung casting a dim red light. 

"Jamie..." Alyson said slowly even as she wrote another rune. "Can you come here please?"

[James Malcom MacDougal]

"Jamie..." Alyson said slowly even as she wrote another rune. "Can you come here please?"

Jamie had been busy staring at the glowing rune hanging in the air--was that blood?? What exactly was she doing? Jamie took an unknowing step backward when he heard noise behind him. He glanced back, suddenly leaping forward towards Aly. That was a bloody acromatula! He was too busy looking behind him that he blundered straight into the second rune. It was wet, ugh. He swiped at his face, taking a step backwards. "What the hell is that!"

[Alyson Bludwyne]

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Alyson cursed as Jamie ran right through the second rune ruining her attempts at capture. And then she didn't have much chance to do anything as the Acromantula rushed into the clearing after it's prey. It was a young one, not as large as Alyson would have liked but it explained why it was so hasty to chase Jamie and come close to her despite her aura. But it wouldn't be alone for long. 

Luckily, the spider did run through the first rune and it slowed dramatically as some of its energy was absorbed. Alyson crouched, dark eyes staring in the direction of the creature, it's dark pulsing aura a beacon for her Shadowed sight. She couldn't focus on Jamie right now if she had any chance to catch this bloody thing. Surely he could stay out of trouble for five minutes. Then again, he seemed to have an abnormal talent in getting in her way. And he'd definitely seen too much this evening. Alyson sighed as she thought about the amount of work ahead of her.

The Acromantula took advantage of her moment of exasperation and jumped towards the boy, it's fangs flashing dangerously in the moonlight. Before she could stop it, Alyson's hand flew out towards the spider and a dark flash followed. There was a loud thump as the body fell the the ground, motionless.

"Damnit! I needed it alive!" she said, striding towards Jamie. "This is your fault!" she hissed. 

[James Malcom MacDougal]

He was too busy wiping--ew--blood from his eyes to notice how close the Acromantula was until it was too late. He was instantly ashamed of the involuntary yelp that escaped him, his face burning red in the dark. Even as he jumped to get away, there was a dark flash and the spider fell. It wasn't as big as he'd thought. He looked at Aly, who was seething, his eyes wide.

"Damnit! I needed it alive!" she said, striding towards Jamie. "This is your fault!" she hissed.

"How did y-you do that?" A pause. His mind calculated. "Can you teach me?

[Alyson Bludwyne]

"How did y-you do that?" A pause. "Can you teach me?


The boy had no danger sense Alyson decided. She'd just killed a giant spider without breaking a sweat thanks to a certain Shadow's help, and Jamie was asking for lessons. At least he was finally showing some Slytherin mentality. She'd really been wondering how the Sorting Hat had made such a mistake. 

"Magic," she answered sarcastically, fury still running through her as she turned to kick the spider's corpse in anger. "And no, I can't." Could she teach him...? Alyson scoffed. Did she look like a teacher? It had taken her a decade of hard work and research to get her to this point and Jamie expected her to share all her hard kept secrets. She wondered if he'd still look at her the same way if he knew the whole truth. 

But speaking of secrets, she was going to have to deal with him. It wouldn't do to have all her hard work undone by a boy who couldn't keep his mouth shut. And yet, making him forget like she had that very first meeting hadn't stopped him popping up at the most inconvenient of times. This was going to have to go beyond a simple memory alteration. And she did need to rebuild her cause... 

"Actually..." she said, cocking her head to the side and staring at him with her dark eyes as if she could truly see him. "You owe me a Life Debt now..." She had just saved his life after all. Didn't matter that technically she was the reason he'd been in danger in the first place. "If you agree to an unbreakable vow, I'll show you things you've never even imagined possible." And if he didn't agree well she'd just make him. 

[James Malcom MacDougal]

The boy had no danger sense Alyson decided. She'd just killed a giant spider without breaking a sweat thanks to a certain Shadow's help, and Jamie was asking for lessons. At least he was finally showing some Slytherin mentality. She'd really been wondering how the Sorting Hat had made such a mistake.

"Magic," 

"No shit," he found himself replying automatically. But it was magic unlike any he'd ever seen before. It intrigued him, that power. And she hadn't used a wand. 

"Actually..." she said, cocking her head to the side and staring at him with her dark eyes as if she could truly see him. "You owe me a Life Debt now..." She had just saved his life after all. Didn't matter that technically she was the reason he'd been in danger in the first place. "If you agree to an unbreakable vow, I'll show you things you've never even imagined possible." And if he didn't agree well she'd just make him.

Jamie cleaned the blood off his face as he thought. She'd used blood, and runes, ones he'd never seen before. But it was just her own blood, so surely that was ok, right?  He nodded. "I'll do it." and then as an afterthought: "Thanks for saving my life." but what role had she had in that, really? She'd said she wanted the creature alive... Was he bait?

He put the thoughts aside to think on later. "What do I need to do?"

[Alyson Bludwyne]

Alyson stared at Jamie, her Dark sight examining his aura. It was too light, but there was a flicker of darkness in there. Potential. It was a risk, letting him remember this much, one she wouldn't have taken 17 years earlier, but there were too few of them left. Once she retrieved Winston from Azkaban, she'd discuss it further with him. His knowledge of the Shadow Lore surpassed even hers. She couldn't wait to have him back at her side, even though she wasn't particularly happy he'd gotten himself captured in the first place. They would have to talk about that too. 

"What do I need to do?"

"Just slice your palm like this," she said, retrieving her knife and cutting a long thin cut across her palm. Blood welled up quickly. She passed the knife to him, and waited for him or Little Shadow to confirm he had done as she asked. "Ok, press your hand against mine."

She held her hand out for him to do so, her own blood dripping down her wrist. Once she felt his skin against hers, her other hand swirled over their joined hands and a shadowy rope tied itself around their joined palms. When she spoke, her voice had deepened and it sounded like there was more than one person speaking.

" Apdabbiiarya qaekayabbi 

Rawabbi xnaetar 

Esaeu kiwa esaeunzahm qae za 

Esaeu lizz raeq xnaot qnued 

Aen zummabbi gaoy "

The dark rope around their hands glowed with a dark light, becoming hot, almost hot enough to burn, but it left no mark on their skin. "Repeat after me,"

"Viz la dnaeziza. Xaeuth xes xhaeaeg"

The rope disappeared and Alyson smiled in satisfaction as she stepped away from Jamie. She waved away the remains of her failed capture. She'd do it again another night. "All done. Fancy seeing if my old drinks stash survived 17 years of my absence?" she said before remembering his age. "Oh, too young. Never mind. We should probably head back to the dorm though." 

She turned on her heel, leaving the spider's body behind her. Something in this Forest would enjoy a free meal. "Coming?" she asked her over shoulder as she followed Little Shadow's directions back to the world of Aly and pretend innocence. 

---

*
Secrets shared,
Never spoken
You give yourself to me
You will not break trust
Or suffer punishment

This we promise. Bound by blood

[James Malcom MacDougal]

"Just slice your palm like this," she said, retrieving her knife and cutting a long thin cut across her palm. Blood welled up quickly. She passed the knife to him, and waited for him or Little Shadow to confirm he had done as she asked. "Ok, press your hand against mine."

 Jamie took the knife, it took a couple hesitant tries before he was able to cut his palm with a small sound of pain. It had been harder to press into his own flesh than he'd thought, but he managed it at last, and pressed his hand against Aly's. She chanted, and suddenly Jamie wondered the wisdom of his choices, but it was too late to back out now, he would move forward. Anyway, it was something new, of course he'd feel unsure. The multi-voice thing was creepy, though.

"Viz la dnaeziza. Xaeuth xes xhaeaeg"

He stumbled on the unfamiliar syllables, but was able to get through. The rope disappeared and Jamie took his hand back, unconsciously cradling it with his other.

"All done. Fancy seeing if my old drinks stash survived 17 years of my absence?" she said before remembering his age. "Oh, too young. Never mind. We should probably head back to the dorm though."

"What were you trying to do?" He asked, side-stepping the spider, ignoring the jab at his youth. He'd never seen much point in drinking anyway, whenever his mother did all it made her was sad.

[Alyson Bludwyne]

"What were you trying to do?"

"Potions ingredients," she replied without missing a beat. As they approached the castle, Aly slid on her mask with practiced ease. Gone was the dark and sinister truth to her personality, she was just a typical, if ambitious and resourceful Slytherin teenager. "Acromantula parts, fresh ones, are particularly potent. I always did it, before," she explained. "Capture one and take what I need when I need it. Helps keep my grades sufficient." She scowled at the thought of another year fighting every step of the way to get a Pass. Another year of Herbology killing every plant she touched, another year of Charms and the taunts that followed when she couldn't produce a Spell. Thank Morgana for Potions.

Just as they reached the main pathway up to castle doors, she turned to Jamie, Little Shadow at her shoulder, and grinned. "Ready for secret number one?" she asked, turning away from the usual path and walking along the walls, waiting for her mechanical companion to give her the signal. At the sharp whistle she stopped and pushed her hand against a stone in the wall. A door appeared and Aly stepped through. "The tunnel goes straight to the Dungeons. Great way to get in and out after curfew," she confided as she walked along the dusty corridor. 

They exited from behind a portrait of a snoozing rooster, the movement of the portrait swinging open and closed causing him to fall off his hay bale with a strangled squawk. Two minutes later and they were at the Slytherin common room. "I suppose this is goodnight," she said moving towards the female dorms. "Remember, it's our secret. See you round Jamie." And with that, she disappeared to bed.