Fandom The Gathering of Death Eater Children

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Yes. Of course, my lady." Alastair said, and he stood, then offered Aislynn his hand. Once Aislynn had taken it, he looked to where his goblet had been, so that he may finish his drink before they left. Seeing that it wasn't there, he looked to the kitchen area and saw that it was being washed magically. And then his eyes fell on Diana, who caught his glance before turning away. Her eyes fell on the stone Reign had forgotten, and they widened considerably.

"Oh my!" she breathed, picking it up as if it were very delicate. "If Reign finds it missing..." she looked back at Alastair apologetically "I have to get it back to him before he gets worried. Forgive me, Lord DiVilliers, but I can't...."

"That's quite alright." Alastair said elegantly, beginning to walk with Aislynn to the door. "Make haste; he'll tear the whole place apart if he finds it missing. We'd be glad to have your company in the future. As you know, there will be more than one tour." he assured her, looking at her as he walked.

"Thank you, Lord." Diana bowed, before running past him to hold the door open for him.

They all got into the elevator together, and Diana pressed the button.

When the doors had opened and they had left the elevator, Alastair turned to Aislynn. "One moment, please. Simply stay right here." he said, then he turned to Diana, who had begun to walk away. "Excuse me." he said, catching up with her. "What happened to the remainder of my drink?" he asked plainly.

"Oh; I thought I had taken my goblet with me when I left the counter..." she said, realizing that she had made a mistake "...I...I..." she stuttered apologetically.

Alastair placed a very firm had on her shoulder, looking into her eyes with the same unintentionally commanding look he had given Aislynn on more than one occasion. "Was it really an accident?" he asked quietly.

"...I...I..." Diana tried not to answer, but ended up closing her eyes tightly and shaking her head quickly, as if she was afraid of the answer.

"I thought not. Do not repeat that mistake again." he said, letting go and turning to walk away.

"I'm sorry." she said quickly, fearing his anger.

Alastair stopped in his tracks, and turned around. "Don't apologize." he said with a very dark look in his eyes. "Refrain from doing such things in my presence. "

And as quickly as he had left, he was back at Aislynn's side. "There are many different things to do here." he explained as he quickly linked arms with her and began walking as if there had been no interruption at all. They were still walking on a street in a residential area, so they passed more unique homes as they walked. "Lots of us play various games. There are survival games, where there is a situation where many of us meet in a place, and the last pair standing wins a prize...We don't really die, but the visual effects are quite convincing, which makes it entertaining. Or, there are games to test a pair's trust, or love...There are obstacles, and the object is to remain, or end up together by the end of the game. " He laughed quietly. "And there are creativity games, where everyone goes into a separate room, and they have to create something spectacular within the allotted time. The rooms usually run off of our imaginations, so they are only as limited as we want them to be. Of course, out all of these games, my favorite is usually-"

"Lord Alastair!" a young boy's voice called excitedly from somewhere behind them, interrupting Alastair.

Alastair turned to look behind him, and the boy's voice sounded again, this time from in front of them.

He looked straight ahead to see a young boy bowing to him. "Good evening, Lord." When he stood, they saw that looked exactly like Alastair when he was a child. The black hair and brown eyes...even his facial structure. He looked to be about ten years of age, perhaps eleven, and he wore a butler's costume. Then he bowed in Aislynn's direction. "Good evening, Lady." he said elegantly.

"Eric...What have you done to your appearance?" Alastair remarked in disapproval. "You must change back immediately."

"Oh please, don't make me do that..." he pleaded. "...I spent all morning getting to look like this, and now that I'm done I don't want to change back!" he said quietly, yet insistently. "Besides, I already told you; want to be just like you. But I-"

Up until that point, Alastair had been listening with an open mind. But now he interrupted, speaking logically. "Eric, listen to me; you don't want to be like me. You're much more handsome and charming when you're you." There was a genuine look in his eyes as he stressed the last word meaningfully, looking straight into Eric's eyes. "Now, promise me that you'll change back by tomorrow morning." he said, as if it was non-negotiable. He wishes to emulate me...But what he does not know...I would prefer it if he was himself, instead of trying to be what he thinks I am...

"I understand." Eric said after a few seconds, a reluctant look in his eyes as he hung his head. "...Tomorrow morning." he repeated. "I apologize!" he said suddenly, looking up at Aislynn. "I neglected to introduce myself, Lady. I am Eric." he announced. He was clearly trying to speak with the same elegance Alastair used. However, he fell short because it looked like he was trying, whilst Alastair's elegance was second-nature to him. "May I inquire your name?"

"Here...I...You forgot this..." Diana said in between deep breaths; it looked as if she had strained herself trying to reach him quickly.

Reign took the stone from her extended hand, and looked at the stone closely for a second before replying gratefully. "Thank you. I forget things easily." And then he turned to begin walking up the front steps of his house.

"Bye; I hope you have a nice day." Diana called cheerfully as she walked away.

"And you as well." Reign said politely, not raising his voice at all.

 

[Hikari Chan]

...I am glad that I did not touch that mysterious stone... Aislinn thought relieved. …Merlin knows what would have happened if I had put my hands on it...tear up an entire place for that stone? Merlin's hairy beard, it must be something magical for a demon...perhaps a charm or an amulet...but is it a coincidence that I am going to be with Alastair without Diana and Reign accompanying us? I wonder why the latter one left in first place...

Aislinn waited patiently as Alastair talked with Diana when they left the elevator. Aislinn was astonished that Diana had dared to take away Alastair's goblet when he had not finished his drink. …Merlin's beard...so impolite...

Aislinn smiled towards Alastair when he returned to her. She listened to his story with great interest and surprise, because she never expected to hear that the adult demons played games for pleasure and enjoyment. She nearly grinned, biting her lower lip of excitement, when he reached to the part when he was about to tell her his favorite game. But her smile almost faltered when they were interrupted by a child. She felt the sting of annoyance and impatience deep inside her, like a shuddering flame which was on the edge to explode. Though she remained calm. She had no patience for children, especially babies who cried helplessly and wanted all attention from their mothers. And even if this boy was old enough not to cry for attention. ...hopefully… he still seemed to be an attention seeker though by trying to be, act and look like Alastair. ... Merlin's beard....

Aislinn nodded politely when Eric apologized and introduced himself to her. Then he inquired her name. She pondered for a few seconds, thinking about the best way to reply a child. According to her opinions, an adult is superior to a child, where parents give love and care for their children and in return the children show their respect. She was never brought up by her parents but by the old lady, the one who took care of children at the orphanage, and later by professor Quinn at Hogwarts. She couldn't recall that she ever called her superiors by their first names, hence Aislinn replied:

"I'm miss Monroe..."

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"I am very pleased to meet you, Ms. Monroe." Eric held out his hand to shake.

After an awkward moment or two, Alastair spoke up. "What was it that you wanted in the first place?" he asked kindly.

"I..." Eric tried to remember, because he had clearly been distracted by Aislynn. "Oh...Asmodeus wanted me to relay a message to you; he wants to invite you to another one of his games later today. Do you accept?" he eagerly waited for a reply.

Alastair thought for a moment..."Asmodeus said that? He hasn't hosted a game in....Well, yes, do tell him that I will be there. "

Eric nodded and was about to run off, when Alastair reached for his arm firmly, yet gently. "What time, Eric?" he said politely, reminding him that he had forgotten a crucial part of his message.

"Eight-forty, D.S.T." Eric said, blushing in embarrassment. "Demons' Standard Time." he clarified, looking helpfully to Aislynn.

"Very well; thank you for kindly relaying the message. Do have a pleasant day."

Alastair let go of his hand, Eric bowed to them both once more, and then sped off at double the speed of a bullet.

"A kind boy..." Alastair said thoughtfully as they continued walking. "He moves very quickly, is more often not hopelessly forgetful, " he pointed out "...and emulates what he sees in me. " He finished quietly. "He visits me ever so often in the Human World, but he-"

"Lord DiVilliers!" Eric said again, having sped back to them and was now bowing before them. "I forgot that I also wanted to-" he stood from his bow and handed him an envelope "-give you this."

Alastair took the envelope silently, and opened it while Eric's eager eyes followed his every move. It was a lottery ticket, standard looking for the human world.

He looked at Eric questioningly, and Eric replied proudly, "I went to the Human World yesterday, and guess what I did?"

"You played the lottery?" Alastair said, piecing it together. It looked like he didn't like where it was headed.

"I played the lottery!" Eric agreed. "And guess who won?"

"You?"

"Now, you! It's yours!" Eric said, gesturing grandly to the ticket.

"Eric, I couldn't possibly-" Alastair began firmly, handing both the envelope and the ticket back quickly.

"Yes, you can! You're my favorite, and I want to make you really happy! I saw you at the bank the other day; your face went pale when you looked at the numbers!" Alastair was looking away from Eric with annoyance; he had been trying to keep it a secret from Aislynn. . . Trying so hard..."And if you try to give it back-" Eric took the ticket from him only to place it in Alastair's breast pocket "-I'll just keep giving it back; I don't need it. So you see, it's pointless." he smiled to Alastair as if he was the most perfect person he had ever met, and then he sped off again. He sighed, fearing Aislynn's anger. Such a sweet boy...yet equally oblivious...He saw me at the Human bank...And yet he also saw me trying desperately to conceal my rather...impecunious...state from Aislynn. Why Eric...why?

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn shook hand with Eric. ...polite children are cute indeed... She thought amused. Then she waited impatiently on a sign from Alastair that they could continue their walk, though it turned out that Eric wanted to speak with Alastair about something.

...oh, a game...between two demons I assume...I am curious what kind of game they will play... She thought with excitement, hoping that Alastair would accept the invite which he, to her excitement, did, because she was assuming and expecting that he would take her with him to the game. ...Eight-forty, D.S.T.....Demons' Standard Time... She smiled towards Eric, like she would smile to cute and exciting children who did not make that much annoying noises. …is it evening, day or morning? How is time defined in this realm...I have so many questions that I cannot wait to ask Alastair...I will ask him as soon as Eric leaves...

When Eric ran away, Aislinn thought she now had time to speak with Alastair. She let him speak first and waited till he would finish his sentence, but he had hardly done that when they were interrupted by Eric again. She could not help but sigh audibly and smile at the same time. ...Merlin's beard...what did Eric forget now…?

She watched curiously as Eric handed an envelope to Alastair. It turned out to be a lottery ticket from the mortal realm. ...So, demons visit the mortal realms...and I thought that Alastair and his father were the only ones living in the mortal realm. And I walk past muggles, squibs, wizards and witches everyday but it never cross my mind that there demons are among the humans...well lucky Eric who won the lottery, I have never luck with it that I preferably avoid the lotteries both in the muggle and in the wizarding worlds. The only time I was lucky was at the casino in China...She smirked amusingly when she recalled her first mission with Alastair.

When Eric ran off again, Aislinn turned towards Alastair with a smile. She decided not to question him about his economic status because she did not want to put him in an awkward and uncomfortable situation. ...if he has not chosen to speak with me about it, then I won't question him anything about it...unless if he wishes to speak about it....

"…well, shall we?" She asked, meaning if they could continue their walk or not, as she romantically clung to his arm. She hoped that Eric would not disturb them again. "I have so many questions to ask you..." She confessed. "My first question is, how is time defined here? How do you differ between morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night here? How many hours is it during a day, how many days during a week...or month…a year? What happens with the demons who die, like your late father? Do such demons return to this realm or to a different place?" She did not realize how fast she spoke. She blushed deeply when she realized that she had asked to many questions at once. "...ehm…I am sorry...I got too excited..." She apologized, looking down at her feet.

"Pegah? Are you alright?" Lily looked at her friend with concern, wondering what ailed her. Since the exams had been over, Lily had been celebrating with her friends in the Slytherin common room.
But Pegah had become quieter and gloomier for every day that had passed since the last exam. Lily was now sitting with her friends in the common room, playing a game of cards with them. Pegah was the only who was sitting for herself in the corner of a couch.

"Do not tell me you are sad because you have finished school and is about to graduate next Friday?" Clarissa chuckled.

"…Actually I am..." Pegah sighed heavily.

"Merlin's beard! Are you joking with me? I cannot believe that I do not need to study anymore while you are sad because you are about to leave Hogwarts for good. But why are you just sitting and doing nothing now, if you love studying then you can spend all your remaining time in the library-" Clarissa laughed heartily. Summer and Rhaine could not help but join her in her laughter. Lily was only smiling, feeling unsure if she should laugh or not.

"It is not that!" Pegah said curtly, cutting of their laughter. Their smiles faltered and they looked bemused and inquiringly at their friend. An awkward silence filled in and the girls seemed to forget about their card game as they lowered their hands in their laps.

"My parents are planning to marry me this summer…" Pegah said after a moment. "They talked to me about it the previous summer, telling me that they will find me a suitable man and marry me when I graduate from Hogwarts. And I do not wish to get married yet, I do not feel ready and absolutely not ready for an arranged marriage. If it happens...I will only meet the suitor on my wedding day, and I am obliged to marry him. I cannot say no."

"…And…and have they found you suitor?" Lily asked breathlessly, looking shockingly at Pegah.

"..No-"

"Then you do not need to worry, really relax-"

"But they have arranged it already, they said they will find me a suitor this summer and as soon as they have done that they will alert me about it and marry me regardless my own desires-"

"But can you not tell them that you are still young and not ready for marriage?"

"No, because I am finishing school for good, they think it is the best to marry me. I have no choice."

"Hmm..." Lily looked at Clarissa, Rhaine and Summer. "...Do you have any ideas…?" The twins shrugged, looking mortified at Pegah and then exchanged looks with each other as they were imagining how horrible an arranged marriage would be.

"You could take extra classes?" Clarissa suggested tentatively.

"I have taken all the possible classes throughout the seven years, using the time-turner to get time with every class since my third year. Besides I have A+ in every subject and I already know that I have passed the exams with top grades because most of the professors have been smiling very proudly at me these past days-"

Clarissa and Lily dropped their jaws and stared wide-eyed at Pegah. They had not taken all the subjects, only the mandatory ones and a few extra ones and they have been struggling with their grades. Clarissa had a mixture of A, B and C grades, mostly C while Lily had straight B in every subject.

"Oh, I know!" Rhaine burst out, throwing away the cards she had been holding on the sofa table. "Why don't you become a professor? Professor Persephone Pyrites is currently teaching two subjects, Divination and MagiPsychology, you could become professor in MagiPsychology and thus stay at Hogwarts!" She rose up violently, nearly knocking over the table, grabbing Pegah's hand and dragging her with her towards the entrance of the common room. "Let's hurry to Professor Quinn and talk with her about this!"

"Hey! Wait for me!" Lily called out, she threw away her cards on the floor and rushed after her two friends. Summer and Clarissa followed her as well. The remaining students in the common room glanced oddly and bemused at the girls who had made such a noise all of sudden.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"..well, shall we?" She asked, meaning if they could continue their walk or not, as she romantically clung to his arm.

Alastair nodded, surprised that she chose to ignore everything and move on. Odd...I expected her to at least argue about why I didn't tell her before...It's nice that she chose this instead...

"I have so many questions to ask you..." She confessed.

"And I, so many answers to give." he smiled, and they continued walking.

"My first question is, how is time defined here? How do you differ between morning, noon, afternoon, evening and night here? How many hours is it during a day, how many days during a week...or month...a year? What happens with the demons who die, like your late father? Do such demons return to this realm or to a different place?" She did not realize how fast she spoke. She blushed deeply when she realized that she had asked too many question at once. "...ehm...I am sorry...I got too excited..." She apologized, looking down at her feet.

"That's quite alright...Simply give me a moment to ponder how best to answer you." he said politely. Comical; every time I was about to even begin thinking of an answer she would ask another question...

"Firstly-" he said a minute later "-time here works similarly to the Human World, in that there are 365 days in a year, twelve months, fifty-two weeks, seven days in a week, twenty-four hours in a day, and sixty minutes per hour." he explained quickly. "The sky remains like this for most of the year, and the weather gets neither cold nor hot; it remains like this. But the sky changes according to the season, and there are two seasons here. Night and Day, we call them." he laughed, because it was so very different from the human world. "We are currently in the Day season, so it will remain like this until January, during which you will witness the most..." he paused with a romantic look in his eyes "...beautiful night sky you will ever see. " and then he returned to his explanatory voice. "The sky remains dark until the first of June, where the suns come out." he gestured to the lovely sky above them. "Now, time is calculated using clocks, which work on the Demon Standard Time. My pocket watch is charmed to adjust itself to wherever I am, so I will always know what time it is." he smiled, in a way that said he would tell Aislynn what time it was in the Demon World whenever she wished. "Hours in this world are mere moments in the Human World, so don't bother trying to convert them, you'll only tire yourself. Now, about the death of a demon..."

He went quiet for a full two minutes, thinking...trying to put it into words.

"My father was buried in the Human World like a mere mortal." he ended up laughing. "But if the demon in question is a revered demon, then he will be buried here. We have a place for that...It's on another island like this one; a serene temple for the bodies of demons who have not disgraced themselves in any way while they were living. As for their souls, they end up here as well; they walk around like you and I, but they can never return to the Human World. However-" he said quickly, with a calming smile that told her not to worry "-my Father isn't roaming freely."

He stopped walking and spoke quietly into Aislynn's ear, once he had looked around discreetly to prevent eavesdropping. "I told you that the wicked are tortured here...So I received his soul, as well as my mother's, for compensation for my suffering...They aren't allowed to roam freely, especially my father. It was decided by majority vote, as most things are here...I dislike Totalitarian governing, so I chose for most things to be handled that way when I came to be the next sovereign..." My Mother committed the crimes, but my father knew and did nothing. I believe that they are equally vile.

"Now." he continued walking again with a dark smile on his face They deserve everything I send their way....Eternal torture makes me smile when I think of them, right now...And the fact that I can visit them whenever I want and... "I am certain that you would also like to know who Asmodeus is, correct?" he asked helpfully.

"Asmodeus is my father's brother; my uncle. Now-" he warned her "-don't be alarmed. Just as Valetta and I are related by blood but are completely different...." he said, giving her a look that said she should never even think of comparing Asmodeus to Lucifer. "Now, just as I do, the man has a few faults, but we all do, really. He can take jokes too far sometimes..." he thought back to a few incidents in the past "...and he's just as good an actor as I, so he can be very convincing. But in all seriousness-" he looked at Aislynn genuinely, "-he is so...Any words of praise would do him no justice at all." he said after a moment. "I wish he had been my father." he finished quietly. "You'll see....Would you like to come with me to his game tonight? We could spend the remaining time getting ready; perhaps you could even play with us. It's not what you think-" he laughed softly "-games are very serious here. Much to the point that they have a completely different meaning than in the Human World...Ah-" he got the perfect idea of how to explain it "-the Triwizard Tournament is taken very seriously at Hogwarts." he stated. "That would be merely a game here, and it would be fun." he laughed. "But ours aren't dangerous...Most of them aren't." he added mysteriously.

 

[Hikari Chan]

…it seems to be almost the same as the human world but the seasons and the huge time difference. Night and Day...where the day season is longer than the night season... So, the demons never experience rain, snow or thunderstorms if they do not visit the mortal realm…? Aislinn thought bewildered as she listened to Alastair's story with great interest. She was so engulfed in what he was telling her that she hardly noticed the surroundings. What confused her the most was the afterlife of a demon. Merlin's hairy beard! She looked around with wide eyes and slightly open mouth, wondering if there were souls of demons walking among the living ones and how she possible could distinguish between them. Then something which suddenly crossed her mind made her shudder. ...does this mean that his father-

"-my Father isn't roaming freely." Alastair said as if he had read Aislinn's mind. Then he stopped walking and spoke quietly into her ear: "I told you that the wicked are tortured here...So I received his soul, as well as my mother's, for compensation for my suffering...They aren't allowed to roam freely, especially my father. It was decided by majority vote, as most things are here...I dislike Totalitarian governing, so I chose for most things to be handled that way when I came to be the next sovereign..."

...oh...so a demons' souls can literarily be put behind the bars and be controlled and punished in eternity...how interesting.. She thought amazed. Everything which Alastair had told her until now had given her more questions. She was about to ask him her questions when he changed the subject and started to tell her about the demon who had invited him for a game.

"Of course, I would love to come with you tonight!" Aislinn exclaimed delighted. The rest of Alastair's story had made her more curious about the games in the demon realm and she was so eager about meeting his uncle that she had almost forgotten about Alastair's castle. "But I still have more questions," She said when he had finished his tale. "As far from what I have understood...the sun can only be seen during the day season thus I assume the moon shows up during the night season, doesn't it? And since it is neither hot nor cold here, I have been wondering if you ever experience any rain here? And how do you distinguish between the living and dead here since the souls can return to this realm and how do you keep the souls of your parents imprisoned? Will you also show me that, please?" She had become excited again, her cheeks glowing red and her eyes glittering of excitement, that she spoke so fast that she hardly realized it herself.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Of course I would love to come with you tonight!" Aislinn exclaimed delighted.

Alastair smiled warmly, and was about to suggest that he help her select her attire and assist her with her hair when her questions continued. Her curiosity seems to be boundless...And I find it a charming quality... "It neither rains here nor snows." he explained. "Now, we can usually tell who is alive or deceased by..." he paused for a moment, "We usually hear about it when or after it happens by demons close to the demon in question, of from the demon himself. We have a burial for them at the temple, and their souls roam around here...It's odd, because even as we stand here together, our bodies are still in the Human World. I am holding you in my arms as we fly through the sky, on our way to the carriage. And my parents...why would you want to see them?" he asked suddenly, his tone slightly defensive. There was an uneasy look in his eyes; he clearly didn't like the idea of Aislynn seeing them. Why are you so excited? You look like you're talking about going to a party, not this. They're mine, all mine, to do with what I please. I wouldn't want you to see what I do to them; I would worry that your opinion of me would change for the worse...I don't hold back...And that is...so wonderful...for me. He nearly sighed audibly with delight.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"What?!" Aislinn laughed. "Wait no, I do not want to meet your parents," She shuddered at the thought. "I am more curious about how you possible can held two souls captivate. I would like to see that without them seeing me. But besides that, I thought my body was here?!" She looked confused at Alastair. "How can you possibly still be flying while you actually are here? In other words, this realm only contains souls of demons and all of their living bodies are in the mortal realm at the same time? Then the human world, its inhabitants unaware of it, is swarming of demons. Then I won't know if the demon I meet here is alive or dead, because no matter his or her status, he or she can still roam this realm. Merlin's beard! This does not make sense at all," She shook her head and laughed. "I thought there would be a difference between the living and deceased demons, like the difference between humans and ghosts in the wizarding world."

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Wait no, I do not want to meet your parents," She shuddered at the thought.

That should have been your initial reaction...Much better... He sighed.

"I am more curious about how you possible can hold two souls captive. I like to see that without them seeing me. "

I'd like to avoid that.

"But besides that I thought my body was here?!" She looked confused at Alastair.

I...I explained it logically! How-

"How can you possibly still be flying while you actually are here? In other words...this realm only contains souls of demons and all of their living bodies are in the mortal realm at the same time? Then the human world, its inhabitants unaware of it, is swarming of demons. Then I won't know if the demon I meet here is alive or dead, because no matter his or her status, he or she can still roam this realm. Merlin's beard! This does not make sense at all," She shook her head and laughed. "I thought there would be a difference between the living and deceased demons, like the difference between humans and ghosts in the Wizarding world."

"Yes, there are many demons in the Human World, just as there are many vampires and werewolves...And many other creatures." he said, not wishing to list them all. "They all need sustenance...When I came to rule, I specifically ordered them not to devour the souls of wizards or witches, even if they were Muggle borns or squibs. So, they devour Muggle souls, which isn't a problem, is it? ". He remarked nonchalantly. "Now, don't think too much about it." he insisted, referencing her confusion "It would be like trying to explain how magic works; it doesn't make sense, we've just accepted it. Soon, you'll stop trying to understand every little detail." he assured her. "Now, it is-" he held up his pocket watch "'six-forty, D.S.T." he returned it to his pocket. "May I please assist you in selecting your attire for the evening, and fix your hair? It is a formal event." he smiled, using his free hand to hold a strand of her hair between his fingers. Excitement and warmth shown in his eyes.

 

[Hikari Chan]

…so...so before Alastair came to rule...the...the demons devoured souls of witches and wizards…? Aislinn shuddered at her thought but did not mention about it to Alastair. She just nodded smilingly to show him that she did not care what happened with muggle souls.

“Now, don't think too much about it." he insisted, referencing her confusion "It would be like trying to explain how magic works; it doesn't make sense, we've just accepted it. Soon, you'll stop trying to understand every little detail." he assured her.

"Of course," She laughed, understanding what he meant.

"Now, it is-" he held up his pocket watch "'six-forty, D.S.T." he returned it to his pocket. "May I please assist you in selecting your attire for the evening, and fix your hair? It is a formal event." he smiled, using his free hand to hold a strand of her hair between his fingers. Excitement and warmth shown in his eyes.

She blushed deeply, feeling how hot her face become and her heart raced in beats.

"Ehm...eh..." She stammered shyly, becoming speechless for a couple of minutes before she managed to say breathlessly: "Sure..." She looked down at her feet, her cheeks glowing red and burning hot as if she had been put under direct African sunlight.

His sudden suggestion about selecting her an attire and fixing her hair had made her forget to remind him that she really wished to see how he held his parents captivate and nearly forgetting everything else. She nearly forgot about the time and place, that she was actually in a different realm than the mortal realm, that only her soul existed in the demon realm while her body was still in the human world. She was imagining how they would go together to a clothing store and how he would wait outside the fitting room and take a look at her for every gown she tried on. She suddenly started to laugh out aloud nervously at her own imagination and then she remembered that she was not alone and bit her tongue hard to silence her laugh. She tried to keep her thoughts straight, feeling embarrassed about them and that she had suddenly laughed.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Alastair watched her with an affectionate gaze in his eyes as she stared downward, her cheeks blushing red. Now where would be the best place to take her? He smiled when she laughed out loud, suspecting that she had thought of something rather humorous. "I know the perfect place, my lady. Let us return to the boat; the shop isn't within walking distance." he explained. " You can ask me more questions on the way." he promised, changing their direction and quickening their pace firmly yet gently. They walked together for less than ten minutes to the dock, and Alastair gently assisted her as she entered the boat. He stepped inside, and began rowing again. They left the dock, and steered right, whereas they had docked from the left side.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Oh, alright," Aislinn nodded, still blushing. She easily followed as Alastair changed the direction of their walk and quickened the pace. At the moment she did not have any question. She felt like she had asked enough for the meantime and that new questions would probably turn up when she encountered something strange or new.

They walked back to the same place where they had arrived a while ago Alastair gently assisted Aislinn as she entered the boat. He stepped inside and began rowing again. She was feeling excited, wondering how a shop in generally looked like in the demon realm. She looked up at him with a happy grin, almost biting her lower lip of excitement.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

Silence...Her curiosity is temporarily set aside... Alastair thought with an adoring smile.

Their journey passed in silence, and in time they came upon another dock, but this one was much larger, and had many more boats docked there. Beyond the dock was a charming entrance, which looked to be more suited to a park than somewhere to shop.

After Alastair secured the boat, assisted Aislynn, and a moment later they had linked arms and were passing through the gates of the entrance.

There were neither carriages nor horses by the entrance. Trees of different kinds lined the perimeters of the grounds. There were willows, strong oaks, et cetera, and all of them looked so large, as if they had been growing for years. There was also a pleasant variety of flowers. There was a large, ornate fountain spouting crystal-clear water. Many demons, of all ages, filled the place. Some sat by the fountain, some played in the grass, or ran around laughing. Some were eating, and some were talking, but unlike most public Muggle places, there were no children left unattended, and no litter to be seen. At the entrance to the building, demons went in talking excitedly, and emerging with their wares, satisfied. Everything was pristine and beautiful and peaceful, and everyone seemed so happy and calm.

Alastair and Aislynn walked along a path that lead to the large building that looked much too lavish to be a shopping center, but rather an heir or heiress' estate. "You know how Muggles have shopping malls?" Alastair commented. "This is what a shopping mall in the Demon Realm is...but we don't call it that. " he paused, looking smilingly at a pair of children who were sitting serenely in a tree, talking together. They sat securely on a thick branch, and their mother, pretending not to be watching, kept looking discreetly above her book to make sure they were alright. "We usually call them plazas. For instance, we call this the Asmodeus Plaza, because my uncle built it. He owns many things in the Demon Realm, and he is quite the sagacious business man..." he remarked, complimenting his uncle. Like father...He was always working, and we always had everything we needed, and an abundance of everything else...

Up close, the building was much larger, and much grander. It was so elegant with its polished windows and precise structure. Inside, it was like a marvelous ballroom, yet larger than the largest ballroom in the Human World. The ceiling was very high, and had a painted scene of the sky at night, with many different coloured stars. Four different moons hung high above the crowd like chandeliers; one a bluish white, one pure white, one yellowish-white, and one that didn't look like the moon at all, but more like the planet Neptune. Each moon was in a different place, evenly spaced out so that you could see at least one no matter where you stood. The floor was even more spectacular. It was made of a black marble, which was enchanted to look like the waters of Venice at night; full of stars and all four moons reflected in it. The place was filled with many white orbs of light, hovering in all of the necessary places, providing plenty of light to see everything clearly. Along the sides of the room were various paintings, through which many demons walked in and out of, like they were open entryways. Each painting had a portrait of a handsome man and woman, wearing a different style of clothing, from an elegant Victorian style, to casual, every day wear. There was a portrait for every single style, and they were depicted in a way that made them immediately recognisable. There was every sort of style imaginable. Nothing needed an explanation, for each portrait made it clear right away the sorts of clothes that lay behind them. Except for a portrait which was located at the very, very end of the hall, covered with a black curtain so that you could not see the illustration. It had a large, white sign in front of it with bold black letters.

It seemed that no one seemed to go in or out of that portrait...It was as if they did not to see it at all. But it was located at the very end of the hall, and was discreetly placed in a way that you wouldn't see it if you weren't looking for it specifically, and already knew it was there. It was the same sort of magical charm which the Order of the Phoenix had used on Grimmauld Place to protect it from Death Eaters many years ago; if you didn't know where the place was exactly, you wouldn't be able to see it.

And in the center of it all was a hexagon-shaped marble platform, on which several demons were playing instruments, making up an entire orchestra. They played lively fantasy music which made the scene even more enchanting, and it wasn't too loud yet it could be heard above the chatter. And the best part was, the chatter wasn't as loud as in Muggle malls; it was as if the usual noise had been reduced to the politely quiet talk of an elegant restaurant.

"What do you think, dearest lady?" Alastair asked smilingly. I thought that she would love it; my uncle's sense of style is drastically different from my parents' styles. Where father's was more ostentatious, mother's was more...well, she often decorated places on a whim, putting all of her favorite things in one place and insisting to herself that it looked...Well, my uncle looks like he gets his ideas from some fantastic fictional world that exists in his mind....Her reaction when she sees his home will be... he laughed quietly.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn tried to take as much of the view as she could. She was amazed by the beautiful view when they reached the dock. She was not surprised by seeing an entrance, which seemed to lead to a park though amazed by its beautiful appearance, because after having being accustomed to see odd things in the demon realm she expected to see different things from the human world

...such difference from a muggle or wizarding park... She thought when she had passed the gate with Alastair. ...no loud, crying or unattended children...no rubbish thrown on the sides of the pavements...

She saw the grand and elegant building rising majestically further away from the path which she was walking on. She became more curious about Alastair's uncle and wondered what kind of taste in decorations he had. She had seen the gaudy taste of Alastair's mother in the Mexican villa and his father's boastful taste in his memories.

"It is a charming building..." Aislinn complimented as she hoped that the indoors would be as charming as well.

She nearly dropped her jaw when she entered the building. She first thought that she had entered a ballroom because her eyes immediately fell on the orchestra playing in the center of the grand room. The black marbled floor which reflected the tremendous ceiling like a dark sea during a starry night, the orbs casting their lights and the paintings on the wall gave her more a feeling of a ball rather than a shopping place.

"Please dance with me," She blushed smilingly as she turned towards Alastair. She did not care that she was wearing a turtle neck top with a pair of high waist trousers or if it was a shopping place or not. ...if we danced in the cafe where we ate desserts in Rouen once, we can dance here as well... She thought dreamily.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Please dance with me," She blushed smilingly as she turned towards Alastair.

Alastair smiled, and bowed, his hand extended for her to take, recalling that time at Antique in Rouen.

Several demons looked their way, although they had the good sense not to stop and gawk. It was unheard of, for a ruler to bow to someone else. And a stranger to all of them, at that.

They began dancing together, a charming waltz. The orchestra seemed to see their ruler's intentions, their music changing to match their dance; a perfect waltz music.

Demons walking by made way, politely retreating to the sides of the room to watch, or else nonchalantly continuing their shopping by disappearing behind paintings.

"Is she an angel?" a boy whispered, a bit too loudly, to his mother. "Or else why would he-"

"Hold your tongue." the mother warned, in a quieter whisper. "We wouldn't want to show any disrespect."


Alastair danced wonderfully, paying the crowd no mind, only having eyes for Aislynn. He made her feel that anyone or anything else at the present time was unimportant; it was only them, in their delightful waltz, sharing that moment together.

My uncle...This is his taste... Alastair smiled. Fantastic and wonderful, yet elegant and expensive at the same time...The perfect mix of whatever my father and mother thought they had. Curse every mortal who says that Asmodeus is the demon of lust...How disgusting.

When their first dance was over, the demons that had remained in the room applauded softly, in a way that complimented both Aislynn and Alastair's elegance.

"Do you wish to begin another dance?" Alastair asked, his eyes suggesting that he was fine with continuing their spontaneous ball, or ceasing their waltz to prepare for Asmodeus's game. "We have plenty of time to dance again, and again if you so wish it." he added charmingly, fearing that her decision may be influenced by the idea of arriving late.

If she if this pleased with this place...She may never wish to leave his home... he thought, toying with the idea of Aislynn quarreling with him, begging him not to take her away from the marvel that was his uncle's home. "Dance with me all night, please!" He imagined her pleading, smiling outwardly at his own silly thoughts. "Isn't there any way we can stay here tomorrow as well? And the day after? Perhaps-"

"What an curious book...It must be such a marvelous one, for you to have not stopped reading it since you set eyes on the first page. I see that you've reached chapter seven, and you're planning to read on till you retire for the night? A curious book indeed." Nagini remarked.

"Yes, it is." Luna agreed, turning another page in Wuthering Heights as she looked at Nagini. "I am unbelievably grateful that he lent it to me...I have not read such a lovely thing in so long; and I have become completely immersed in the events, and the characters...The writing style is so very elegant and charming, and I love the descriptions and the words used. I want to write him a letter to express my gratitude this very moment, but I know that I shall meet him tomorrow, so it would be of little use to take the time out when I could be-" she looked back to the book, and then became lost in it again. Catherine has been turned into a lady...And I do wonder; will her poisonous friendship continue? Will she slip back into her old ways of filth and ill-conduct? I couldn't believe what that boy did to the family, after that man was so kind as to bring him in and treat him so well...And how did she end up dead? It is as if I must know...this curiosity is...so rare...I am enjoying the suspense. She thought pleasantly.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn sighed happily when the dance was over. It had been a special moment which she could not describe with simple words. A moment of where only she and Alastair existed in the world.

...if this had been a ball...I would have danced with Alastair again...and again...until midnight… She thought dreamily.

"Thank you..." She smiled happily, still blushing. "Though, I'd like to do some shopping now..." She giggled of excitement. She was curious how shopping would take place in the demon realm. She did not see any doors leading anywhere other than the entrance and she noticed that some demons vanished behind the paintings at the surrounding walls. It was not a surprise to her to see that happening since she had been used to walk through a wall to get to the nine three quarter platform during seven years of her time as student at Hogwarts, yet she was very curious about what was behind the paintings.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Of course, my lady." Alastair replied.

The musicians reverted to playing the music they had been playing before, and everyone else continued about their business.

They walked to the portrait of a man and a lady in costumes. Not the usual kind. The well-made, expensive-looking kind, similar to the ones found at the Theatre of Game in Venice.

"Would this suit your tastes for this evening?" he asked charmingly. "It would be fun." he smiled, in a way that suggested his uncle's house would be decorated similarly.

The inside had the same flooring, and the ceiling was a painted masterpiece of swirling stars, moons, and planets. The room was complete with the same white orbs as outside, and every sort of costume imaginable. There were elegant dresses that looked like they would suit marvelous enchantresses, and robes that could clothe only the finest warlocks. Medieval gowns that would suit the finest maidens, and pirate costumes that would make for the most charming of seafarers. The clothes were categorized by the theme, and then by colour.

"Try on as many as you wish." Alastair said kindly, meaning that he didn't mind if she took her time.

"Lord DiVilliers." one of the workers said, bowing. "What a pleasant surprise seeing you here...I am honored." she said genuinely. She was dressed like Madam Red from Black Butler, and the look suited her slim form incredibly well. She was also wearing a wig, and a hat, and carrying a fan. She turned to Aislynn and asked her, with wide eyes, "May I assist you, miss?", as if she were just as important as Alastair.

"That won't be necessary, thank you." Alastair said kindly, and she bowed again before walking away to whisper to another worker who was dressed as Grell before he had revealed himself as a Grim Reaper.

"Hand me everything you wish to try on." Alastair told her, not offering, but rather, insisting.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn looked interestingly at the portrait which Alastair had led her to. She glanced quickly at the others which were close and noticed other different styles.

"Yes, it looks charming," She smiled. ...it is best that Alastair choose something for me...since I have no idea what attire is most suitable when visiting his uncle... She thought reasonably.

"Try on as many as you wish." Alastair said kindly once they had entered. Aislinn blushed deeply, feeling embarrassed at the thought of delaying him by trying out every kind of garment. ...even if he does not mind me taking a lot of time...

She half glanced at some gowns and half glanced curiously at the lady dressed in red who greeted Alastair. She got speechless and surprised when the lady turned towards her and spoke to her.

"May I assist you, miss?"

"...Eh..."

"That won't be necessary, thank you." Alastair said kindly, and she bowed again before walking away to whisper to another worker. Aislinn glanced discreetly at them, finding their attires somehow familiar though she could not recall from where she had seen them.

"Hand me everything you wish to try on." Alastair told her, not offering, but rather, insisting.

"...well...ehe I... I try alone..." She stammered and blushed deeply. "...I eeh...put it on first and then you can look..." She tried to explain, still blushing, without looking at him. She turned around and tried to focus on the gowns and find every piece of garment charming and marvelous, though the one which caught her attention the most was this:

"I'd love to have this one," Aislinn said, gesturing towards the attire which had caught her attention. "...or you may choose something for me..." She added quickly.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Very well, my lady." Alastair said, taking a step back from her. He merely watched her from a few feet away, trying to decide what his attire would be. He decided quickly that he would wait to see what Aislynn chose, so that they could match.

"That looks perfectly mysterious." Alastair remarked pleasantly when Aislynn suggested the costume. "I'm certain it would look marvelous on you." he smiled. "The fitting rooms are at the back; you'll be pleased to see that they are quite spacious." he added positively. "You look miraculous; dark yet flattering. " he said charmingly. "Is it comfortable?"

"Perfect. Why don't you change back and choose a costume for me, hmm?" he asked with a smile. "I am curious to see what you like to see me wear." he added when it seemed that she was uncertain. She loved to dress me all the time; picking everything out...Are all ladies like that? More importantly, is Aislynn like that? Or perhaps she is and she doesn't want to admit it...Perhaps she thinks that it would make her look foolish or too controlling to choose my costume as well as hers?

 

[Hikari Chan]

"I hope it will look good at me," Aislinn smiled and walked over to the fitting rooms, which were grand just as Alastair had described them. She entered alone and changed her clothes to the attire she had chosen and then she walked out from the fitting room to show for Alastair.

"You look miraculous; dark yet flattering." he said charmingly. "Is it comfortable?"

She blushed deeply and nodded in response. Both the fabric and the fitting were comfortable.

"Perfect. Why don't you change back and choose a costume for me, hmm?" he asked with a smile. "I am curious to see what you like to see me wear." he added when it seemed that she was uncertain.

She looked hesitatingly at him for a couple of seconds, wondering if he was serious.
"…Well..." She said slowly, feeling uncertain about it. "…As you wish..."

...I will just pick something what I think would look charming on him...and let's see if he likes it... She thought as she went inside the fitting room to change back to her usual clothes.

A couple of minutes later Aislinn walked out from the fitting room with her chosen attire in her arm. She looked around at the clothes which were suitable for men and she found it very difficult to choose. She stood lingering at one certain attire, but she could not decide if she should suggest it to Alastair or not, because she was feeling uncertain if he would like it or not.

Merlin's beard...this is so difficult... She thought, taking another walk around the clothes. ...what if he expects something from me which I cannot fulfill.... She tried not to start to panic and thought that she would just choose something for him to match her attire. She returned back to the certain attire which she had been pondering about and gestured towards it.

"..Well...eh...what do you think about this one?" Aislinn suggested tentatively and uncertainly. She looked nervously at Alastair, wondering what he would think about her choice for him.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"...Well...eh...what do you think about this one?" Aislinn suggested tentatively and uncertainly. She looked nervously at Alastair, who smiled obligingly.

"I shall try it on, and then the decision will be made." he said plainly, taking the garment and walking to the fitting rooms in silence. Once he had put it on, he looked into the mirror, glancing at every detail. He opened the fitting room door, and asked "What is your opinion of the costume?" And neither his face, nor his eyes, shown any hint of his opinion.

When Aislynn inquired about his opinion of the attire, he replied "I would like to hear your genuine opinion first, lest I influence you with mine." he explained politely. His eyes did not leave hers as he awaited his answer.

 

[Hikari Chan]

Aislinn waited nervously outside the fitting room whilst Alastair was trying the clothes on. She wondered why on earth he had asked her to choose something for him. She had thought it would have been an easy task, but it had been harder than she had expected.

He opened the fitting room door, and asked "What is your opinion of the costume?"

And neither his face, nor his eyes, shown any hint of his opinion.

Aislinn hesitated a moment. ...does he not have an opinion of his own…? She thought nervously. "…But-"

"I would like to hear your genuine opinion first, lest I influence you with mine." he explained politely. His eyes did not leave hers as he awaited his answer.

She took a deep breath before answering, taking a careful consideration about what to tell him.

"...Well...in my opinion it is a charming and elegant attire for a man," She replied honestly and smiled. "...It looks great on you..." ...hopefully it is comfortable as well...anyway, the decision is his after all... "What do you think?" She asked nervously.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"I believe that you said it best." Alastair said elegantly, before closing the fitting room door to change back. He came out a moment later with his costume folded neatly in his hands. "Here-" he said, extending his hand "-let me have yours as well. Was there anything else here that you saw...that you wish to purchase as well?" he asked, wishing to confirm before they approached the cash register.

"Very well." He walked to the counter, and put their costumes down.

The lady behind the counter was dressed as a female version of Frankenstein. Her makeup was astonishing, for it truly looked like her skin was a pale-green, and sewn in many different places, including over her left eye from her forehead to her lower cheek. Her eyes were a pale blue. She looked at Alastair, then, registering that it was him, to the clothes. She wrote something down on a piece of paper, looked back at Alastair, then looked away to put their clothes in an elegant black shopping bag. It had a full moon surrounded by slowly moving fluffy clouds. A quiet scene that looked both eerie and serene.

Alastair nodded appreciatively to her, then offered Aislynn his arm. "My uncle insists that I pay nothing for coming here." he explained once they left; the portrait was painted the same way on both the entrance and exit to the store. "Are there any other stores that intrigue you?" he asked.

 

[Hikari Chan]

"Thank you, but no. I am content with my choice," Aislinn replied with a smile whilst handing over her costume to Alastair.

…Another time...if I can take my costume with me to the human world...then I will shop some more another time... She thought.

She watched as he put the clothes down on the counter and she tried not to stare at the lady who stood behind it. Though Aislinn could not but staring the odd-looking lady as she waited to see how money looked like in the demon realm. She was surprised to see him paying nothing.

"You did not pay anything?" Aislinn asked, feeling stupid. ...Are things for free here?

"My uncle insists that I pay nothing for coming here." he explained once they left, walking out through the portrait.

..oh that explains...

"Are there any other stores that intrigue you?" he asked.

"Well...there are so many stores..." She seemed to speak more to herself as her eyes wandered over the other portraits. "Another time please," She smiled towards Alastair.

 

[Junko Natsumizaka]

"Another time." he nodded, making it a promise with the kind look in his eyes. "Shall we begin our preparations, then?"Hmm...Where to go...Diana is out, so we couldn't visit her house...My castle is out of the question...Reign's house...well, I wouldn't want to bother him. He'd let me, but only because he prefers to be passive, rather than argue, when it comes to me, at least...

They left, walking back the same way they had come, while Alastair pondered the matter in silence. Just as they were reaching the gate, he caught sight of Reign, who seemed to have been waiting for them. He stood near the left side of the gate, and had been gazing into the sky, before he turned his attention directly to Alastair.

"My house will do." he said quietly, his eyes seeming to know Alastair's thoughts.

"...How kind of you." Alastair said after a moment, as if he had remembered something secret between them.

They shared a look, and then they proceeded to Alastair's boat, Reign walking behind Alastair and Aislynn. He made no sound at all when he walked, so it was difficult to remember that he was there at all.

When Alastair helped Aislynn into the boat and lowered his gaze to the oar, he discovered that Reign had taken hold of it pointedly, not saying a word, but gazing into the water. Reluctantly, Alastair took a seat beside Aislynn, and Reign entered the boat. They glided smoothly across the waters, and Alastair gave Aislynn a furtive glance. I wonder what she is thinking right now...What does she assume Reign's power is? Does she know that we all have one? Should I explain it now, or wait for her to inquire about it? Does she think that he is odd and too quiet, or does she see that he is truly polite and serene?