2035 hours, Astronomy Classroom


It hadn't been long since their Astronomy lesson had drawn to an end. The usual suspects of students lingered behind to go over charts with Professor Trishna and Raine had slipped away, dropping down into Caracal form while hiding underneath the fourth floor stairwell until she was finally certain that her classmates had completely dissipated. 

Ever since the Task, she had become less careful about hiding her animagi abilities. People knew after all and so the Gryffindor generally took any excuse for practicing the transformation.

Silent paws scurried back up the stone stairs, ears pricked to the sounds of the castle. An undercurrent of voices and footsteps and warm laughter. Raine left behind this miscellany of noises as she climbed further up- extending into human stature only once she'd reached the landing.

"Professor Trishna?" The door had been left wide open but she knocked the frame politely. "A word?"

Although, considering the portents of her concerns for poor Schlawkward, a few words might not suffice.

The minor chaos after a class was always a slightly welcoming one, as he got the desks out of the way and grabbed papers, checked for forgotten personal effects and generally made the tower his own again. It was easy to focus on that, the routine being...well, rather routine. It was busywork, but the good sort, the kind he could hum along to.

Thus Tapendra was filing away the student's homework when Raine knocked, his gaze locked on his desk and humming softly. He jumped at the sound and the sight of her suddenly in his doorway, thankfully not dropping anything. He'd been pretty sure all the students had left - he'd have seen her, surely -

Ah. Yes. Cat animagus. That'd do it.

He relaxed. "Oh, it's you," he said, automatically. "What can I do for you, Almasy?" He asked, vaguely aware as he went back to the task of filing that a word with Almasy tended not to be academic in nature.

Raine smirked at the wizard's surprise and strolled in, nonchalantly closing the door behind her. Sounds carried well down the stairwell and this wasn't a conversation that Sasha would appreciate to have drifting through their castle corridors.

"It's about..." she halted, struggling to think of a way to bring up the subject without explaining everything. Trishna possibly knew more than she did but she hadn't gotten any direct indication of it. "It's about something I read."

Which was true.[1] There was something to be said of a good memory and she frowned now, trying to recall the most searing of lines from the letter she had perused.

"I like your style, Son." The prefect leaned against one of the chairs, hands behind her back. "Thank you dearly for..." she hesitated, uncertain of the phrasing. "... for staying by me, strange as I am."

Was that right? One could only remember so much. There was, however, one sentence that stood out above all others- and this she delivered in a quiet but self possessed voice.

"It is a beautiful thing, the birth of a King." Raine stopped here and looked to the professor, tilting her head enquiringly. "Don't you think?" she asked in less of a monotone.

1.	Raine was given opportunity to read one of the letters from Kronos.

Tapendra paused, the constant sound of the shuffling paper stilling. He was perfectly still for a long moment as she spoke, his gaze focused on the desk in front of him, eyes hidden from Raine. She knew. How she'd come to know, he didn't - had Sasha told her? He hoped Sasha had, and she hadn't found out on her own somehow. The second option indicated a leak, one with potentially disastrous potential.

There was a beat of silence when she finished, and he put the papers down abruptly and closed the drawer on his desk. When he looked up, he did so with both hands on his desk, his weight forward on his hands.

"I don't know if I'd call it beautiful. Sickening, maybe. Twisted." Tapendra's tone was blaise, matter-of-fact. The mood that had made him hum and smile to himself was gone; it had been a happy sort of mask, anyway. After the conversation with Landis and the following bizarre one with Demitria, the day had been as odd as they got - and that didn't even count the conversation with Sasha the night before.

"Where did you read this?" He asked, cautiously.

The professor's initial response told her all she needed to know.

At the mention of sickening and twisted, Raine breathed out in relief- she sunk into the chair like a puppet whose strings had loosened. While she knew that Trishna was aware of the letters, it was comforting to hear his disapproval spoken out loud. He was the only other person with whom she could really discuss this; Sasha himself being far too involved.

"Here, actually. In this room." The Gryffindor sat back and crossed her legs, grimacing. There was no point in being circuitous. "Sasha. He handed me a letter to read and I..." her jaw drew tight. "I read every word. Even the unwritten ones," she looked at the wizard pointedly.

Because there were meanings between the lines, ones that made her head turn with concern whenever she remembered that they were implied by Kronos Malvivicus.

"And you're right, it is twisted." Raine remembered the nausea though she felt none now, having folded it in with the preponderance of her composure. "It made me sick."

Raine sank into the chair across from him, but Tapendra remained standing. He still felt the wave of relaxation she did, though - he hoped what she said was true. Almasy was generally sensible and steady - if any student could probably be trusted with that sort of information, it was her.

"There are others. He gave me the rest of them a few nights ago." They were in his desk, but in one of the hidden compartments - a place he wasn't too keen to open in front of anyone, since half of the security relied on others not realizing it was there. "The unwritten words in those things could fill a novel-"

He shook his head. He was surprised Sasha would show her that, and had to wonder under what circumstances the boy had handed over such a thing. He sighed and then smiled, the smile a bit on the lifeless side.

"I'm glad you see them for what they are. Schlagenweit - he rationalizes all of it away. He took everything only at surface level, wrote it away as that's just how he talks, he doesn't actually mean it..."

Tapendra shook his head, finally sitting in his office chair with a heavy thud and a creak. "What did you tell him?"

There were more letters, as she expected, although it seemed that perhaps more than anticipated.

Raine considered the wizard as he sank into the seat across- it was news to him that Sasha would disclose such information to her. It had seemed like a spontaneous decision but... well, she rather hoped that her powers of persuasion would not always have to rely on spontaneity.

"What did you tell him?"

A pause- she drew her fiery brows together in an earnest expression. "Honestly?" the prefect appeared slightly contrite. "I walked out on him at first, because he realized that I... I didn't take well to the letter." Merlin, she didn't know anyone who would. Anyone who really cared for him at any rate.

Not wanting to give Trishna a heart attack (between Schlawkward and Gigi this was perfectly possible), she continued quickly.

"But we caught up. I told him that I didn't approve but promised not to talk him out of anything." Raine leaned forward here to meet her elder in the eye. "I made that promise because I knew that you or Stor--" No, she stopped short. That was with the other thing, the Necromancy thing. "Because I knew that you would be his voice of reason, Professor. I didn't want him to shut me out. He needs his friends."

Tapendra felt a momentary flit of panic at her words - aware far too keenly how such an action would undermine Sasha's confidence and the trust that Tapendra needed him to build, on so many levels. Therefore he was openly relieved when she said she'd caught up with him later, his shoulders slumping and the corners of his mouth twitching up in a brief but genuine smile.

"Yes," he said, sitting back in his chair, which made another loud creak. "He really does. He and I talked last night," he added, frowning. "And he really - he really seems to have the impression no one cares enough about him to care what happens to him. I don't think he realizes that consciously, but..."

He shook his head. "I can't say I'm happy he told you, per say. But I'm glad you know, and didn't abandon him. That's what he needs right now." And gods knew Tapendra could do with more sensible allies in this. 

Tapendra reached up and rubbed his temple. He couldn't convey all of last night's conversation, really, but - "He seems to have agreed that things need to change. I haven't - he hasn't actually agreed to work directly against Malvivicus, not yet. But he's - I think I got through to him that even if the affection in those letters is genuine that doesn't make it safe."

In a way, she could understand why he didn't quite enjoy the fact that Sasha had let on the letters. Secrets had a way of slithering loose the moment you began sharing them; even she had hardly been able to keep a tab on the animagus affair. One person becomes two, becomes three- and you let your guard down.

"I'd have done the same for anyone else," Raine shrugged. Any other friend, at any rate. "At least he knows that I'll be there when he needs me." Sometimes it was just enough know that somebody would catch you when you fell.

Hopefully before the fall in this case. Sitting up straight, the Gryffindor nodded to herself approvingly in hearing that her friend at least understood the necessity of change.

"If anything, the affection made that letter... more dangerous?" she posed with a frown.

It was like an enemy you kept close, as a friend. Beware the fangs behind the smile.

"Or something in that vein. I can only go with my instincts, I don't know anything about how crimelords think." Just that Kronos Malvivicus set her on edge. "And neither does Sasha, apparently."

Tapendra nodded. It was that assurance, above all, that he wanted Sasha to have. It was the same one that had kept him going when things had seemed darkest - he had friends, and he had people who'd stick their necks out for him...and who'd forgive him for  being stupid or saying things he regretted.

"Yes," he said, frowning. "Malvivicus seems the sort to be all the more angry if he feels genuinely betrayed, not just frustrated. And - well," He paused. "Even if it is genuine, that doesn't make it good. It's entirely possible for someone to love someone - or at least think they love someone - and still be terrible to them or try to get them to do terrible things."

He did smirk a bit at her comment. "He's hardly on the fast track for the Auror office, no. But Malvivicus is...different, I think. To some extent, anyway. You read the letter - the birth of a King bit? He believes all of that." He leaned forward on his elbows, hands going to his head - his bangs sticking up as he ran his fingers through them.

"The other letters are full of references to how he and Sasha are some special breed, and how he cannot be judged or comprehended by mere mortals. Malvivicus doesn't think he's evil, or considers what he does to be wrong - he doesn't think of himself as a Dark Wizard. He dehumanizes everyone. I suppose that makes it easier to kill them."

He sighed. "My wife was an Auror. I've got some experience with criminals, but - nothing like that."

"Even if it is genuine, that doesn't make it good," Professor Trishna explained. "It's entirely possible for someone to love someone - or at least think they love someone - and still be terrible to them or try to get them to do terrible things."

Raine suppressed a shudder at the thought, grimacing instead.

He was right. People weren't like animals- they didn't need to have consistently benevolent or malevolent feelings towards another person. They could shift at the turn of a shoulder. They could snap.

"Yes. It did sound like he was being serious about that in the letter," she wondered how Sasha felt about being branded a king. "I suppose you have to be a touch insane to put yourself on a pedestal like that." Except Malvivicus and his insanity only made him seem more dangerous, in her eyes.

Unpredictable. He wasn't a stupid man, she didn't need to read more than one letter to know it. Her eyes flickered back to Trishna at the following sentence and she felt a slight pang of guilt.

"I can understand that it's easier to dehumanise people who are..." Raine hesitated. "... who he considers to be disposable." And Merlin knew that it was easier for her to think that way about the likes of murders or criminals. "Perhaps that's how he looks at it. Why paint yourself the villain when you can be the hero, right?" she pressed her lips together tightly.

It was a frame of mind that disturbed her with its logical motions- and again she could feel the nausea but now it was familiar, now it didn't vex her.

"Not your average criminal then." Raine considered Professor Trishna's comment curiously. "Experience with criminals...?"

Again, Tapendra nodded his agreement. As much as the idea of anyone considering others disposable disgusted him, he...understood it, to some extent. "It's human," he admitted. "Dehumanizing disposable or other undesirables, I mean. It's how people cope with things - it's a lot easier to kill 'a Death Eater'," Naturally, he made air-quotes. "Than it is to kill another human being with hopes and dreams and kids waiting at home, and all."

His arms fell to the desk with a thud, and the curiosity in her remark made him smile, rather darkly. "Some, yes," he said, considering how to put it. Blunt and with as little detail as possible, he supposed. "I lived through the Second Wizarding War, if you'll recall. Heard of Snatchers? They tried to make off with one of my friends. Didn't end well for them." It had been an interesting day, but one that had upset him - he'd been stuck at home guarding the children while Judy went out and did what she had to do. He'd seen the bodies after, but being left behind had stung and still sort of did.

"And, well, the last time I ever spoke to my mum was while she was in a cell down at Level Two." He shrugged. He didn't intend to talk to her again, if he could help it. But...well, if visiting hours were allowed with the block she was in...

Maybe.

"I've a bit of experience, I'd say. But not a lot," he finished. It was easy enough to lie; habitual, at this point. "About as much as you've got," he added, a bit more kindly, but soberly. "Enough to know Malvivicus is nutters."

It was easy to forget that those wizards and witches who came to teach at Hogwarts were more than teachers. Professor Trishna wasn't only a diffident muggle-lover. He had a history, an impressive one at that.

Raine nodded once at the mention of Snatchers and then narrowed her gaze at the remainder of the explication. As far as stories went it was rather vague but she recognized the tone, one taken so often by adults with a need to censure. Everyone with something to hide.

"Level t--" the prefect appeared confused for a moment before her expression cleared. "Oh, right."[1] Raine remembered now, her elder's unfortunate relation. That article had caused a bit of a stir earlier in the year. It hadn't meant much to her at the time. Blood was blood and that was all.

The remark on her own experience with criminals was received with less incertitude- she smiled grimly. Somehow she felt that Trishna probably had much more history with the underbelly of wizarding society; not that it was any of her business.

"I'm not sure if my mad man measures up," Raine muttered in a wry voice. "I know what to do if I ever see him. Sasha can't say the same about Malvivicus..." she paused, shifting to sit forward with elbows against her knees. "Do you... what do you want him to do? What would you do in his place?"

Questions she asked herself sometimes, too.

1.	Daily Prophet, Azorma Hyskos Receives Life Sentence in Azkaban.

Tapendra laughed at her remark, shaking his head. In the world of 'whose criminal baggage is the worst' Sasha was a bit of an overachiever, wasn't he? Lemon and Hyskos (it was so much easier to speak of her as two separate people, wasn't it) seemed small fry in comparison.

But her question made him think - and not the sort of thinking he liked to do. He knew from experience how he'd react, and...well, perhaps it was best to say that. Just not too easily. He smiled, in a bemused fashion.

"Honestly?" He said, sitting back a bit. "I'd like to say in his place I wouldn't be so trusting, but...I don't know. At his age, I might have fallen for it, a bit." But not to the degree Sasha had, he was sure. It had been close, but...no, he wasn't that desperate.

"But - if I were Sasha?" He rubbed his chin. He'd do what he'd done in his own case, really. "Malvivicus wouldn't respond well to 'let me go' or that sort of thing, no. So - I'd play along. Listen, watch, record. Memorize faces, locations, facts. Listen for the words in between the lines. And once I had enough...enough either to effectively buy my freedom or to bring about his demise...I'd put it to use. Given what he wants with Sasha, I'd even use that, if he would let me. But above all I wouldn't believe anything he said."

Professor Trishna's earnest response was... engaging. Perhaps he had considered the notion before, of putting himself in Sasha's shoes, but she thought that there was a sort of depth and thoroughness to his answer- one she couldn't quite discern in full.

At any rate their feelings towards the situation were mutual. Clearly the mistake had been to trust Malvivicus at all.

"Yes. Although that sounds like it requires tenacity." Raine paused, bringing her fingers together and cracking them with a distracted look. "My aunt is always telling me that patience is pivotal to planning. I can understand that, I mean, I'd not have learned anything without patience but..." she pressed her lips together thoughtfully.

But to do nothing except wait and absorb and observe, that was a very different game to learning animagi or spells.

"Being in Sasha's position might have driven me insane." The Gryffindor sighed heavily before glancing across at her elder. "Either that or I would have gone along with it all, completely. I can't sit like he does," her brow cleared suddenly. "I'm glad he's staying with you for the holidays, Professor. He could use a break from all of this."

If he could get away from lessons and exams perhaps Sasha would allow himself to concentrate on truly important matters.