"- and I would like to apply for the position." In front of Analiza's desk, Landis had stated his case clearly and simply (he knew his former boss- no need to honeycoat anything) and now came to his conclusion. "I find it deplorable that my former House has no one to guide it. I'd be willing to take up the Head of House duties immediately, if you find me an acceptable choice for the position." He paused to hear her answer, or her questions, whichever she had, and his mind was calculating his chances under a face as blank of expression as a porcelain mask.

There was no need to add anything else. "I know I'm young," or "Although I'm not a professor- " no, none of that. Another fortunate twist of going from working for Analiza as an Unspeakable to working for her here was that she knew what he was capable of already. It was refreshing, really. Although Landis was looking forward to countering any arguments that came his way as a sort of personal challenge, he couldn't have gone anywhere without the Headmistress's approval.

And he was confident enough to think that he already had it. His former employer, and a Slytherin herself- already biased, and she knew his work ethic was faultless. He wouldn't have gotten the job of Librarian if she hadn't known that.

Outfit

"- and I would like to apply for the position. I find it deplorable that my former House has no one to guide it. I'd be willing to take up the Head of House duties immediately, if you find me an acceptable choice for the position."

"Mhmm..." Ana murmured as Landis presented his case, a small smirk threatening to rise to the surface as she looked over his fastidiously constructed resume. It was cute that he felt the need to be so formal. After all, she had hired him for a very specific reason despite his opinion that he was chosen for his exemplary career history. It was for that reason that she had every intention to give him the Head of House job. After all, his intelligence and skill was wasted on sorting dusty old books and chasing down lovers hiding in the back rows of the library.

"Cut the shit Morgan, we both know that you have the job..." She chuckled, sliding his papers back into the file marked with his name. Tossing it to the side, she interlaced her fingers and rested her chin on her hands. "... We need a head of house with the Slytherins best intentions in mind, something that none of the current professors can truly provide aside from the two of us... Your lack of experience and age have little to do in my decision since, in all intents and purposes, a head of house is really nothing more then a glorified Nanny..."

Standing, she walked past him to the door of her office and pulled out her wand. Carefully she placed a curse here and there to make the doorway sound proof before she turned back to him. "...But I am going to cut to the chase... I don't want you to only have the children's best interest in mind, I want you to have mine as well... In fact... the best interest of the entire wizarding world..." Sitting on the edge of her desk, she crossed her long legs and gazed down at him "... Can I trust you for that, Landis? Can I trust you to work for me for the good of the wizarding world as we know it?"

Ah, his old boss. Still as subtle and as straight-to-the-point as a knife in the back. It made Landis smile. He'd always enjoyed Analiza Snark's particular brand of brutal honesty- it felt something like camaraderie.

"Your lack of experience and age have little to do in my decision since, in all intents and purposes, a head of house is really nothing more then a glorified Nanny."

"And I babysit so well," he said, quite deadpan. A withering look of scorn worked for most children's complaints, he'd found. Yes, he was very nurturing. Still, if it was as she said and Snark and he were the only ones in the school with Slytherin's interests in mind- and Landis had no trouble believing this- Snark still wasn't too likely to be kissing skinned knees and providing hot cocoa either. They were both really more of the "curse your enemies until you feel better" school of thought.

And he would have assumed that was the last of it, if Snark hadn't risen and walked past him to spell the door silent. Wasn't the headmistress' office already warded sound-proof? Landis' eyes narrowed in disdain. What an oversight on the part of the last centuries-worth of headmasters and headmistresses. Were all protective measures so half-haphazardly done, as well...? Landis took a completely understandable moment to calculate one's chances of being able to withstand an attack from here, or to break in. But his attention snapped back to Analiza when she began talking. To warrant a silencing spell, it had to be important. And, because this was the two of them, Landis was also expecting this to be of a less-than-morally-white issue. If Analiza Snark was talking of the good of the wizarding world, she sure as hell didn't mean the part that was muggleborn.

Dispassionately, unaffectedly, his eyes flicked over Snark's crossed legs, then away. "You have my personal loyalty, at the least," he said dryly. "But I'd like to hear more about your plans for the good of the wizarding world before I pledge myself to them."

"You have my personal loyalty, at the least, But I'd like to hear more about your plans for the good of the wizarding world before I pledge myself to them."

"Smart boy." Analiza quipped, her smirk widening as he declared his undying loyalty to her, or something akin to it. She always questioned, as she was wont to do, any other Slytherins loyalty. They were as slippery to hold on to as the houses mascot. It would seem that Landis shared her distrust, since his loyalty came at a price that he waited for with patient disinterest.

"All in good time, My dear, all in good time. I have an old... friend... coming by soon to discuss this very topic. So please... Make yourself comfortable." She hopped off her desk and took her place behind it, relaxing back into the worn leather of the chair. Steepling her fingers, Analiza locked on Landis with a scrutinizing stare, as though she were assessing his worth to her. This drug on for at least a few awkward minutes of silence before Analiza was unable to keep her mouth shut any longer.

Picking up her wand, she begin to clean her nails obsessively, but it didn't appease her need to hear her own voice. She hated awkward silences and was determined to destroy them with all means she had at her disposal. Trying to appear nonchalant about it, Analiza adopted her own disaffected tone and said off handedly, "So, Landis, have you ever wondered what it would be like to.. um.. well... lose your magic?"

( Ah Ana, not the epitome of subtlety is she? Dante can show up any time at this point, so it is between you two who posts next )

((Guess I'll go ahead...))

He had managed to avoid Hogwarts for the last ten years and half...until today.  He had made his way across the grounds at a pace slightly quicker then normal, his eyes focused on the main entrance.  If his eyes wandered from that point towards the lake he knew the image that would flash in his mind.  It would be difficult enough tonight when he attempted sleep to push away the memory of the two lifeless bodies laying next to each other near the shore that was permanently etched into his mind from his thoughts.

She wanted to see him, and he had a fairly good idea what this was about.  Her project had peaked his interest when she was his superior, but not even her on again off again romance with the Minister could secure the funding for it.  Whether she would admit it or not he was quite certain that had been a bit of a blow for her, along with the fact that shortly after Annwyl took up with his little mediwitch.

As far as whether or not he supported her idea was still a bit of an uncertainty in Dante's mind.  In the darker moments when the memories overtook him before he could carefully lock them away again, he longed to throw his support behind what she was trying to create.  Something like that ten years ago could have spared many, and spared him from having to be called upon to give an identification for the lifeless bodies of his father and sister.

Once inside the memories were easier to push away and he took the familiar route to what would now be her office.  Providing the password she had been kind enough to give him he soon found himself at the closed door.  It was there he took a moment to collect himself.  They had run hot and cold in the past, and he wasn't entirely sure which it would be that evening.  Knowing he shouldn't dally he raised his hand, knocking firmly on the door and waited for a response.

"Smart boy," Snark said, red lips smirking at him, and Landis raised an eyebrow as if to respond, "Of course." He knew what was good for him, after all.

He only nodded when she mentioned a "friend" who would be stopping by. He relaxed into the silence as though he could have sat there all day, holding up Analiza's scrutiny with a blank pretty smile and a steadier gaze. One of them was eventually going to break the hush, and it sure as hell wasn't going to be him. Not that he had any particular affection for staring contests, but to seem uncomfortable, to break the quiet with hasty, space-filling words, well, that would be surrendering to her stare. Admitting weakness. Landis wouldn't do that with Analiza. Even if it hadn't been for his pride, he thought she'd prefer him to lean back in his chair and stare rather than look away. Perhaps she thought it proved something, about the kind of people she hired or the house they both came from- and maybe it did. He was satisfied when she turned her scrutiny to her nails instead.

When she spoke, however, he lost any edge he'd gained, his eyes widening and darting up at her in surprise. "No," he said after a short moment, but there was a sharp rapping on the door just as he said it, and his answer was drowned out. He rose as Analiza did, automatically, turning towards the door  but making no move to open it. This wasn't his office, and that wasn't his door. Or his visitor.

"No."

Before Analiza could retort, a sharp knock sounded at the door "Ah that must be Dante..." She fluidly rolled to her feet and started towards the door, ushering Landis back towards his seat as she did so. "Please, relax, we have a lot to speak of." Opening the door with a flourish, she gave Dante an almost playful smile, though anyone who knew Analiza knew that her playful smiles were similar to the look on a cat's face when playing with a mouse. "Come in, come in... Landis and I were just talking about why I called you both here... You remember Landis I presume. If not, Dante... Landis... Landis... Dante..." She gave neither of them really a chance to say whether they knew each other, since she was sure they did, considering the three of them had been employed at the Ministry together.

Taking her seat, Analiza pulled out her wand and summoned some tumblers and a dusty bottle of brandy. As the bottle filled the glasses, Analiza relaxed and smiled at both of them. "Now..." She started, ushering two of the glasses towards them before taking a small sip of her own "... Dante, I was just asking Landis here if he had ever thought about what it would be like to lose his magic and naturally his answer was an emphatic no... Which is exactly what I expected..." She giggled against the rim of the glass, obviously pleased and proud with the answer. "... After all, in this world we rely so much on magic that we never consider whether or not it has a source or if it would ever run out... It is something so ingrained in us that without our wands and our abilities, many of us would be as helpless as new born babes...."

Suddenly her face got very serious and she carefully placed the tumbler back on the desk. Leaning forward, she laced her fingers together and gave both of them a stern look "... Which made me start thinking... What, exactly, would happen if we could take that away..." There was a gleam in her golden eyes as she uttered this. A gleam that spoke of ambitions beyond anything she had ever had before... a gleam that spoke of trouble by the volumes. Needless to say, someone was going to need to gird their loins.

His expression remained neutral as she opened the door, that familiar smile playing at her lips.  She was indeed up to something, and she looked a bit like the cat that swallowed the canary.  After all, she had managed to lure him to Hogwarts, a feat unto itself even if very few people knew that.  She was indeed the hunter and for now he seemed to be the prey being enticed into her trap.

He gave a slight nod to Landis as he entered the room and unnecessary introductions were made.  He didn’t know much about the younger man, but they had all worked together for a time.  He had never had an overwhelming urge to put any real trust in Landis, but it seemed Analiza did and so he would humor them both for the sake of finding out exactly what she had come up with.  He was curious, and he also had his own reasons for wanting to see what he thought she might be trying to do come to fruition.

He accepted the brandy as she spoke, taking in what she was saying.  He had known a bit about the project, but he was surprised at the magnitude of what she wished to create.  He took a sip of his drink, digesting what she was saying.  In the wrong hands what she was trying to create could spell catastrophe for the Wizarding Community.

Before he spoke he noticed the change in her expression and that familiar gleam.  He had always thought of her as trouble, the sort of woman that most men couldn’t handle.  Yet, the urge to make progress or create something new was one he deeply understood after all his years at the Department of Mysteries.  The lines of morality tended to blur very quickly for those who sought employment there, and he had been no exception.

“I’m curious how it is you plan to start finding out and were exactly we fit in,” he stated, his eyes meeting hers.

Analiza ushered him back towards his seat, but Landis remained standing. It would be rude to greet whoever this guest was otherwise. But when the door opened, Landis had to smile, just slightly. Dante Ward. What an interesting little reunion this was to be. He didn't think for an instant Analiza hadn't planned it this way.

He nodded to the other man before sitting again, accepting the brandy Analiza levitated their way but not yet drinking. He was too intent on what Analiza what saying; his sharp eyes never lifted from her face as she spoke, vaguely outlining a situation that would mean destruction of the Wizarding world.

It was a very interesting proposition, if she was suggesting what he thought she was- and a terrifying one. Landis couldn't help the instinctive thrill of fear that went through him at the thought of losing his magic. What a horrible idea. What a wicked possibility. What an absolutely wonderful way to control somebody...

But he was suspicious. Dante summed up his thoughts perfectly, and Landis finally took a sip of his drink- the good stuff, of course, he hadn't expected anything less from Analiza. He continued to watch the Headmistress over the top of his glass as he did so, and after Dante had spoken he added, "And how far you plan on taking this, Analiza. To what end, and for what purpose?"  Because we can wasn't really a very good reason to start something. Because it gives us the power was a better one, but difficult to sugarcoat. Landis could see how it would be an advantageous partnership for the Ministry- for the Aurors- which was why Dante was here, of course, but why was Analiza the one suggesting it? And why did she need him for this? It didn't take long for him to come to a conclusion once he'd started pondering his own role in this. His eyes rose again to hers, startled, as it hit him. Of course. The children.

“I’m curious how it is you plan to start finding out and were exactly we fit in,”

"And how far you plan on taking this, Analiza. To what end, and for what purpose?"

Analiza couldn't help the pouty sigh that escaped her lips when they both started asking sensible questions. Where was the excitement and the intense curiosity that tampering with the very fabric of magic entailed? Then she remembered that they were unspeakables and that Level 9 had a habit of sucking you dry of any childlike enthusiasm over the mysterious workings of the universe. They just ceased to be mysterious and aweinspiring after a while. Hell, the only reason she was excited was because this was her idea. Otherwise, she would be sitting in the same seats as they were, asking the same boring questions.

"Fine fine... The boring things first..." She said, sitting back in her seat with a slight huff of irritation. "Dante, the reason I am including you in this is because one, you are knowledgeable and two, you took my place as Head of the DoM, which gives you access to resources that I don't have here. Landis has been hired to assist me in my project as well as watch my back. There are far too many out for my blood in this school. Far too many." For dramatics, Analiza spun her chair and stared out the window for a moment, pondering on the fact she just presented. It was lucky for her professors that firing them without due cause would likely get the Ministry sniffing around her door, otherwise she would have canned the lot of them. Specifically Mainwaring, Nagde and Reid. Those three were thorns that she would eagerly pluck the moment the Ministry's back was turned.

"To answer your question, Landis..." She said after a moment of plotting evilly, turning back to the men "... I plan on taking this all the way. This will be a break through. For thousands of years, all wizards have done is research ways to make our magic stronger, never weaker. We have, as a society, let ourselves become so dependant on our abilities that breaking our wands  would leave us as defenseless as a blind baby crup..." She smiled coldly at Landis, adding a bit ominously "... Which I think answers your second question." The kid was smart. She was sure he could figure out what she meant by that.

Dante sat back slightly in his chair as she answered the questions, his expression giving away as little as possible.  That was a game he had gotten quite good at over the years, and had served him well whenever had had been faced with a decision and was not entirely sure where he stood.  For the time being he preferred to keep her guessing as to what it was her might think of her idea and the possibility of his involvement.  The longer he could, the longer he felt like he might have the upper hand despite being wary of a power struggle with Analiza.

Her answer in regards to his presence was exactly what he had expected.  He had access to things as the Head of the DoM that few others would ever even dream of having at their fingertips.  She needed that access and the years of experience he could offer.  Of course there was the small matter of what she intended to offer him in return, but that could wait for the time being.

He was starting to piece more and more together as she spoke.  There would be experimentation, research needed to be done theories needed to be tested.  All of it leading to a way to weaken and possibly completely strip a Witch or Wizard of their powers.  It was then that it dawned on him that it was quite possible she already had her test subjects picked out and she had positioned herself in such a way at Hogwarts that it would not be difficult for her to carry this out. 

“Let’s say hypothetically for the sake of conversation and to assuage my curiosity I agree to this,” he said.  “What else would I need to know at this phase of…development?”

So. The children, a vast subject pool already at hand. He turned the idea of it over in his head, the possibilities, the precautions that would have to be taken, all of that. It was very plausible. Clever Analiza. Landis wondered how long she'd been planning this, whether she'd had it in mind before she was hired or if it was an idea that'd come to her one night while looking out over the full tables in the Great Hall.

"Dante, the reason I am including you in this is because one, you are knowledgeable and two, you took my place as Head of the DoM, which gives you access to resources that I don't have here. Landis has been hired to assist me in my project as well as watch my back. There are far too many out for my blood in this school. Far too many."

He only nodded, sipping at his drink. There was nothing there he hadn't expected, for either of them. Dante spoke, and Landis glanced over at him; what a picture they must be making for Analiza. Dante Ward, whose expression was as blank and hard as rock with nothing in his steady voice to give away his emotions or opinions. Then himself, whose own body language and tone Landis liked to think were just as unreadable, but in a much more casual and relaxed manner. Both perfectly evocative of their professions- the head of one of the most powerful organizations on the one hand, and then on the other... but what was Landis? Spy? Criminal? Shaper of young minds? Labels didn't really matter, he supposed.

Of course, they had their own picture to contemplate. Analiza Snark in front of them, proffering brandy and grand plans and all in all the portrait of a coy, powerful business woman. It wasn't unpleasant imagery. And yes, he knew exactly what she meant by that smile and her description of exactly where all the years of wizarding power-seeking had placed them.

“Let’s say hypothetically for the sake of conversation and to assuage my curiosity I agree to this. What else would I need to know at this phase of…development?”

Ah, yes. The man knew exactly which questions to ask. It was pleasantly surprising to Landis that he did approve of Dante, considering both that Ward'd been a Gryffindor in school and that he was no pureblood. He was also, as far as Landis had been able to find out, completely unbribable. But then, efficiency was always an admirable trait. Of course, the answers to his questions were hardly applicable to Landis' own situation. The blond was well aware that Analiza had hired him with this in mind, and that she wouldn't have if she hadn't expected him to agree. There were all the formalities to observe first; he had to make the token protests, not for the headmistress' sake, but for Dante Ward's, of whose morals Landis was still uncertain. But in the end, Analiza was right, and Landis would agree. There was simply no other option that would benefit him.

"I assume you have some very clever way of recruiting... volunteers. And then of keeping them from sharing information." A brief pause. She'd answered his earlier questions, yes, but not the extent Landis would have liked. Never let anyone say he did anything without a prediction of the end result. "If I were to agree to assist you in this, upon relative completion of all experiments and goals that you may have in mind, what then? Is this merely an experiment of, let's say, curiosity - " He smiled at Analiza, just a little, to show what he really meant by that. " - or would you plan on sharing the knowledge gained? In the wrong hands, that would be quite a threat."

It was as polite and careful way to ask whether she planned on selling the information out as he could reasonably proffer. It seemed more like Analiza's way to withhold it for her own personal weapon, but it was an important thing to ask.

“Let’s say hypothetically for the sake of conversation and to assuage my curiosity I agree to this, What else would I need to know at this phase of…development?”

"No. The less you know the better. That goes for both of you..." Analiza glanced from Dante's stoney face to Landis's unreadable one. They were acting uninterested, but she knew they were excited. How could they not be? This would be a huge breakthrough for the wizarding world. She hoped they understood why she had to protect it "... If you know too much, then you are a liability if you are caught. This way you can't give away too much information if they decide to torture you." She left the 'they' up to interpretation. It could be about anyone at this point. Everyone wanted the upperhand. Analiza was pleased when neither questioned her judgement.

"I assume you have some very clever way of recruiting... volunteers. And then of keeping them from sharing information."

Analiza waited for a 'but' to follow the brief pause and was pleasantly surprised when all he did was ask a simple question. She should have known the Landis understood what he was getting into and why she had hired him in particular.

"If I were to agree to assist you in this, upon relative completion of all experiments and goals that you may have in mind, what then? Is this merely an experiment of, let's say, curiosity -- or would you plan on sharing the knowledge gained? In the wrong hands, that would be quite a threat."

"That is an excellent question, Morgan, and I am glad you asked it..." Analiza said with a warm smile bordering on pride. Such a sharp little tack he was. "... I worried about that myself. Afterall, governments, even our own, are not well known for using diplomacy or tact when dealing with opposition. Simply giving any of them the weapon would be a bad choice on our part since we would then face opposition and lose control. It is so easy for a government to lock you up as a traitor once they got what they wanted out of you..."

Grabbing her brandy, Analiza took a long languishing sip before continuing "... Which is why I haven't told either of you the entire plan... and why I have only included the two of you in it. The two of you will be my brain trust-- or my council if you prefer -- and only the three of us will know and be in control of the weapon. If something goes wrong and the weapon is needed, then we shall be the ones to end it. We shall be the peacekeepers." Turning away from them, she added ominously "It's a great deal of pressure, being the peacekeeper... Do you think that you can do it? You need to tell me right now if you are going to be able to handle it. Otherwise..."She motioned towards the entry " The door is over there."

He knew the risks of signing on to help Analiza and he was still trying to discern if he was willing to take it.  The prospect intrigued him more then most of the projects his department was currently working on, and of course the ghosts to the past led him to believe this was something he needed to be a part of.  He had never been one to back down because of the possibility it might put him in some sort of danger, so her threat that ‘they’ might torture him for information did little to frighten him.  However, if she wanted his help she was still going to have to do prove to him that this was truly work the risk to him personally and, more importantly to him, professionally.

He took a sip of his drink as she spoke.  He wasn’t entirely surprised as her little speech drew to a close that she made the statement that either they were in now or they walked.  She had always managed to drive a hard bargain, and he smirked ever so slightly behind his glass as he took another sip.  He couldn’t walk out the door and back across the grounds having to look at that spot by the lake where he had identified the bodies of his sister and father and know that he had a chance to prevent something like that from ever happening again.

“You know I’ve never been one to crack under pressure, Analiza,” he said, his tone sounding almost bored as was normal for him.  “Being branded a traitor in the name of peacekeeping has never frightened me.”  Part of him resented however the vague statements and circles she was talking in.  He wasn’t walking out the door, but he hadn’t agreed to anything yet either.

So it would only be the three of them- no government control or knowledge. That was good. Landis preferred the government not to know what he was doing in all things, much less a grandiose experiment such as this. Lofty ideals or not, there was another reason Analiza could only tell the two of them, the biggest unspoken reason of all, which was that people tended to protest when children were used for experimentation purposes. Most especially when the children didn't know they were being tested on, or for what purpose. After all, Landis hardly thought Analiza was going to round up volunteers.

And yes, she hadn't told them the entire plan- yet. But now Landis was assured that she would, as soon as she was sure of Dante's decision. He would not have wanted to get involved in this if he knew there was the possibility of Analiza holding something important back. Of course, she might still hold something back, but she'd claimed otherwise, so if any retained information was discovered Landis and Dante would have the right to demand it.

Analiza went on to call them peacekeepers, and it was all he could do to prevent his eyebrows from rising. Peacekeepers. How... quaint. She wasn't really pinning such moral standards on them, was she? Analiza Snark? No, surely not. But if they had to take a lovely little name to sound righteous instead of power-seeking, well, Landis was okay with that.

Like Dante, Landis had no fear of being tortured. He'd never actually experienced torture, but he felt it was something he could probably handle. Vague threats of second-party persons were a bit flashy, really, but it was all a part of her bargain. A psychological tactic, this sudden all-or-nothing, but it worked; both the men stayed.

Landis stayed because he knew he'd say yes, but Ward's reply to her was ambiguous, no certain "aye" or "nay," which gave him away completely as seriously considering it. The fact that he was still here was proof enough. While Landis knew he, personally, was in, and presumably Analiza knew it too, perhaps it was time to make his own position clear to Ward.

"If it's in the name of peace," Landis said, "How could I say no?"