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[amissafide]

SHADOW AND BONE | 2.03 “Like Calls to Like”

[amissafide]

The aura behind the door was filled with the magic of the curses placed within the room. Emmeline almost struggled to pull her hand back from the delicate looking yet overly sturdy wood underneath her fingertips. If blood could be replaced with the adrenaline nor cursing through her veins, surely none of the crimson liquid would have been left as she turned toward Rabastan and equally stepped away from the door to allow for other to open it. "After you." The young witch's voice was barely above a whisper, the smirk so evident within her tone at the same time. "Let's see what magic hides behind door number one, hm?"

Emmeline allowed her eyes to roam, to scan the world around her as she waited. Every detail seemed to matter as she first glanced at him, then the door. "I don't doubt that whatever awaits us in there is strong. No curse that strong is going to let the one intruding walk without the harm that comes with the territory. We both know that. I just want to know the answer, want to crack the riddle," She paused, chuckling slightly, "and admire the work. Is that foolish of me? Then again, perhaps this line of work is foolish." And once again it was the tone of her voice that gave away the lack of worries within. In fact, Emmeline couldn't wait to see the inside of the chamber in front of them. Whatever cursed object lay within, it was powerful enough to penetrate the walls. The creaking of the door sent a shiver down her spine. The answer was so close yet so far. - @rxxlestrange

Equally eager to begin, Rabastan joined Emmeline beside the door. He gave her space, observing as she examined the ornately carved wood that stood between them and the yet unseen object. Knowing the witch's instincts and techniques was as valuable as examining the item itself. They were about to enter a volatile environment. It was wise to proceed with caution, so he was not disappointed by Emmeline's first approach. But it was the glimmer of adrenaline in her expression that truly pleased him. He had no respect for colleagues who did not revere the magic they sought to unravel. Dark magic was raw and pure. It should be venerated.

"I know only what I've told you so far." He stepped forward, pressing a finger against the door before flattening his palm to the surface. The faint sizzle intensified, spreading through his skin like a living presence yearning to devour. It excited him. He lifted his hand and the sensation disappeared. "It is very much contained to the room." Turning to Emmeline, he considered their next steps. "I believe the air will affect us poorly. I feel its hostility. Perhaps that's why there are two of us, so that one may rest while the other works. But since we don't know how quickly one can recover, I suggest we work on it simultaneously." He tested the door handle, trailing his fingertips over the cool metal before gripping it. "Shall we?"

[amissafide]

✉ | char ⇄ emmeline

Char: I'd really urge you to reconsider. Char: By keeping magical children ignorant about muggle society we're teaching them to be prejudiced. Considering we just finished dealing with a fascist attempting total muggle/muggleborn genocide I think it's a pretty relevant thing we should be looking to change. Char: He had followers. It's horrifying. Emms: I am aware of that, Char. I saw his followers up close. Emms: That doesn't mean I'll ever be supporting the idea of forcing people to to study what they do not wish to study. Emms: There's a reason it's called elective classes. It should remain that way.

@charxdays

[amissafide]

✉ | Emmeline ⇄ Dahlia

Dahlia: If the beginning could have been changed we wouldn't be in the situation in which we find ourselves. Dahlia: BUT if the universe had gotten it right and kept everything clean and pure from the beginning and no one fraternized with the enemy we wouldn't be in this situation either. Dahlia: It's all so complicated, isn't it? Dahlia: Unfortunately education doesn't equal knowledge. Emms: Doesn't that make for the perfect thing to change then? Emms: Well, education is certainly a place to start. Without it the ears will remain deaf to the obvious, eyes blind to the best path. Emms: I suppose that's how life goes. Too complicated to ever be fully understood. The question why doesn't appear to be answered, does it?

@dahliaxgreengrass

[amissafide]

Many things could be found floating around her head; so very many thoughts present when it came to the other. As picky as she had been with her company, fitting in with only certain types, Severus certainly had managed to be among the few Emmeline had been herself around. While she was ever so used to her mask, all those years and it was still ever so present. Perhaps the type of mask and the things it let through had changed but at the end of the day she was still the Slytherin, the one willing never to let anyone truly see her. Shadows had been a companion. Severus had taken over where said shadows may have failed her.

"Not this. That much I can tell you. I don't see you much as one to work under other people. Perhaps a curse breaker, freelance or a potioneer." She chuckled. "We both know you could be the greatest potioneer to ever live if you just put your mind to it." For a moment she let her eyes wander, scanning the other. Just where would she have pictured him? "I suppose I've never actually thought about it. But you have a talent for potions and if I recall correctly a sense for the dark arts that might just rival that of an person drifting off into insanity. Make of that what you will." The witch had no doubt he'd know she meant well.

There was curiosity within her eyes just as well as finally she allowed herself to slip into the chair. Although she'd have much rather sat in a flat or bar, or really anywhere other than a professor's office. He made the exception. "Where did you see me end up?" It was an obvious question given the conversation and their history. Once upon a time her feet may have carried her down another path. So many years had passed since and by now she was ready to set foot into her father's manor; something she'd have avoided for years. - @s-sn4ps

Severus was caught up grading papers - something he’d usually be done with by now but Dumbledore had put him on detention the night before and the second years were incredibly slow at scraping out the bottoms of the cauldrons. Or, perhaps, he had saved the particularly nasty ones for them…. who was to know? Still, he had just pulled his last stack toward him as the door opened.

He couldn’t stop the rare, small smile that touched his lips as he heard Emmeline’s voice - not that he tried to. Hers was some of the only company that was truly appreciated, even - dare he say it - enjoyed. “That is fine by me.” Severus agreed coolly, glancing up at her and sighing as he relaxed slightly. He spared a second look at the stack of papers, before deciding they could wait. How hard would it be to write a D on top of all of them, after all? 

“That makes two of us.” He chuckled once, shaking his head as he stood and stretched lightly. Not once when he had been young, had ‘professor’ been on his ‘what you want to be when you grow up’ list. Severus titled his head in curiosity at her words, raising an eyebrow. “Oh?” He asked, trying not to focus too much on the part where she’d said he looked good. “And what did you have pictured for me, then?”

[amissafide]

It wasn't the first time nor did she think it would be the last that she'd find herself outside the ministry. Working for someone other than the aurors held certain appeal, an independence known only when one's work was guided by one's own hand entirely. At the same time working with someone like Rabastan came with a whole other world of advantages. Anyone dedicated to their craft would have known the other was well versed in the art of curse breaking. A part of her couldn't help but wonder just how much of the expertise came from an interest in the dark arts themselves.

"Let's not waste any time then." The witch moved toward the door, not opening yet allowing her finger tips to move over the door frame. It was the most she allowed herself to do without detection spells. There was no benefit in cursing a door frame. Despite that she could feel the sizzle underneath her fingertips. "You can feel it through the door." The former Slytherin turned around to face him, smirk on her face. Emmeline had never been one able to deny the fascination that came with such cases.

Rabastan clearly had arrived before her. Was it too much to think he'd already gathered most of the information? "How much do you know about this already? You seem like the early bird." There was curiosity, no denying as it lit up her eyes like stars. Another riddle waiting to be solved. "It's powerful." That much was clear. Wand hand as she twirled, intend on listening rather than act rashly. - @rxxlestrange

Rabastan had also arrived early. He was rarely late for appointments and disliked wasting time. Therefore, he'd apparated to the location swiftly and had examined the building's exterior and then the occupant with quite some interest; a foreign wizard, it seemed, and not one whose name Rabastan knew. They were clearly wealthy; hiring curse-breakers did not come cheap. So Rabastan assumed the name was false, and he didn't care enough to trouble with the truth.

By the time Emmeline arrived, he'd learned that the object was a family heirloom; a large box, containing something that they wanted to retrieve. It brought ill-health to those who remained in close proximity for more than a few hours. It was impossible to touch. It deflected simple counter-curses and behaved precisely as he'd expect a cursed object to behave. He had tried to question the object's origin, but that line of questioning went nowhere; the wizard either didn't know or didn't want to divulge.

As Emmeline entered, he stood. "Of course," he replied placidly. "And good morning to you, too." He recognised her, vaguely. It hardly mattered from where, but he assumed they'd encountered each other in this work before. "The object's through there," he said, gesturing to a door on the other side of the room, before informing her of everything he'd learned so far.

[amissafide]

who: @s-sn4ps where: Hogwarts, Office of Severus Snape

If there was something Emmeline Vance would have put on the list of things she'd have paid galleons for to be able to avoid for the rest of her life, walking the halls of Hogwarts certainly would have been among them. The idea of finding herself in the office of a professor on top of that just seemed too bizarre. Add to that the factor that it was in fact someone she considered a friend, things became all together far too weird.

"I'll have you know, next time I'm avoiding the school." Perhaps it had to do with the fact that among the students, within the halls there was no option to slip in the shadows the way she normally did. Back at school, dressed in the uniform all others had shared and the time after graduation, shadows had seemed like yet another companion of the former Slytherin. Things changed when no matter the dress code one stuck out far more than one was comfortable with.

The witch removed her scarf as she stood and observed the other. "I'll be honest, I don't think this," she paused, gesturing toward the office, "is ever going to be something I'll get used to. Honestly. It does look good on you, but it's rather far from where I'd pictured you." Truthfully, Emmeline wasn't sure where she'd have seen Severus had one actually asked her. This just wasn't it.

[amissafide]

✉ | Emmeline ⇄ Dahlia

Dahlia: You looked past the question, Emms. What would you change? I'm very curious. Dahlia: Haven't they gotten education in one way or another? It hasn't made a bit of difference. We're in a rough spot here. Emms: If I could change anything, anything at all, it would be the beginning. Emms: A different beginning and things may have gone in a very different way. And just like that none of that would exist. Emms: Does that answer your question? Emms: Everyone has gotten eductation, does not meant they learned how to use the knowledge given to them.

@dahliaxgreengrass

[amissafide]

✉ | Emmeline ⇄ Dahlia

Dahlia: Things are a right mess at the moment. Dahlia: If you could change *anything* what would it be? How do you think the peasants could be eradicated? Emms: Anything? Good question. Emms: As for your peasant problem, i think education may help. not sure that would be something they'd like all that much.

@dahliaxgreengrass

[amissafide]

It was neither a surprise nor shock that overcame her at the sight of Greyback. A huff was the only thing to escape her, like a puff of air barely audible to those not able to hear better than most. The witch neither cared nor worried about it. There was no point in covering up a sound from someone like him. "How interesting." Eyes raised as she scanned him. Perhaps it was the fact that for the longest time the young woman had spent her life walking a line that one shouldn't walk, at times taking a walk on the other side entirely before pulling back, to cause her not to see danger. Quick steps were taken before she stood in front of him. "I see no issues with what you are. Any smart person wouldn't. As far as I'm concerned there is no one here requiring a dog catcher to come fetch them or anyone else for that matter."

Emmeline couldn't help the amusement that settled in her eyes as she turned away from the other, walking toward the stairs she'd originally planned to walk up. "Fine. Come along. I don't much fancy the establishments around here. You're not the only one who's denied a welcome in some of these places." The war and her chosen side had certainly put her in a type of spotlight she did not care to be in. If he wanted to talk business then she wasn't going to be doing that out in Knockturn Alley. - @wolfruled

Hm. It was the response he expected from people like her—not bold or brash or stupid, more like to deride him outright but certainly not welcome to the idea of his presence. Who would be? He glowed tonight not by moonlight but with a hatred that boiled so bone-deep it had made itself manifest in his flesh. There was no one or the other anymore; He and Hatred occupied the same space. It was all that he saw in the world, and all that he reflected out into it. But business reflected the society he saw around him. If they would be snakes, so too would he trade out claws for scales. "They've run out of dog catchers to come and fetch me see." Greyback's lip curled, but up or down or friendly or ferocious was impossible to discern. Even he didn't know, just yet. "Oh, well. Guess I'll have to stick around a little longer. Why don't the two of us not waste time over a drink? I've got a proposition for you—a business opportunity. Believe me, you'll like it better than anything else you'd get up to down here."

[amissafide]

𝕾𝖍𝖆𝖉𝖔𝖜 𝖆𝖓𝖉 𝕭𝖔𝖓𝖊 ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ 2 ʀᴇᴡᴀᴛᴄʜ #82                                                   ↳ 𝟸.𝟶𝟹: 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚌𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎

[amissafide]

who: @rxxlestrange where: a client's home

How long had it been since Emmeline had last worked outside the ministry? What must have been weeks, if not months, suddenly felt like years that had gone by within the blink of an eye. It was almost refreshing to work in a setting other than the cases assigned by the auror department. It certainly allowed for a different path to walk along occasionally.

The witch had arrived early, wanting to make sure enough time could be spend getting up to speed on the case, acclimatizing herself with the area she'd be working in and with. While there'd been mention of another curse-breaker joining her on the venture, nothing much had been said about just who the former Slytherin would be facing. No matter the case, Emmeline was determined to live up to reputation. Not but excellent would do.

It wasn't until she stepped through the door into the room assigned for their work that she found out just who and what that would entail. "Well," The raven-haired glanced over at the other. "I assume we can make this work?" If nothing else, surely that. Hardly the first time encountering other curse-breakers, Emmeline was going to try hard. Determination left room for nothing else.

[amissafide]

Dahlia: They could never mess with my perception. Dahlia: It's just a shame that the masses have proven how ignorant they actually are. Dahlia: At least I know who the smart ones are. Dahlia: Feeling lucky, yet? Emms: Of course they couldn't. Emms: Well, no surprise there. Hardly a revelation considering how things are going. Emms: Lucky? I don't consider not being a fool a thing based on luck. Should I?

[amissafide]

Remus: the usual shenanigans. Remus: also yes, please. Remus: you have me craving ice cream now Emmeline: No surprises there. Nothing set on fire, right? Emmeline: I'm only offering the chocolate. I'm not bringing any ice cream.

[amissafide]

✉ | char ⇄ emmeline Char: Next Sunday at the Ministry. I'm petitioning the school board for a meeting and i'll need as many signatures as I can get. Char: I'm trying to propose the idea of making muggle studies a required course. Emms: Right. Don't get me wrong, I am all for education being pushed onto a path of improvement. Emms: Muggle studies is just not something I could see becoming mandatory. That should be up to each individual.

[amissafide]

who: @wolfruled where: Knockturn Alley

It felt almost like a lifetime ago that she'd last considered the alley her home. Despite the fact that she still very much lived within the apartment above the shop, Emmeline Vance had left that life behind the moment she made her choice; the day the war ended had merely sealed what had been a truth known to her by then. Yet, despite the feeling of moving on she had yet to move out. Two things, same coin but different sides.

The whole back and forth forced her to find herself within Knockturn alley every now and then. Until things were settled the witch would be drifting between the new and the old. Occasionally she'd notice the odd stare here and there. No, she was no longer a face unknown around these parts; no longer the shadow slipping by without another glance. "Can I help you?"

The blonde's feet stopped, but she did not bother turning around quite yet. From the corner of her eye she could see a shadow lurking, nothing new in these times. "I don't have time to waste, so speak." Finally her body shifted, ready to face whoever's steps had stopped hers. "Hm." Interesting. "You. Didn't expect that."

[amissafide]

✉ | Emmeline ⇄ Dahlia

Dahlia: A customer just tried to tell me that all potions have been discovered. Peasants. Emms: Don't let the limits of others mess with your perception. Emms: in other words, screw them.