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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 18:08:55 GMT -5
Augustus had waited a couple of days after the ceremonial dinner for Katie Lawrence before he appraoched Arachne... hell, before he even let her see him. She had made a mistake, and he wanted her to be nervous. He wanted her to fear for her job, as well as her life. He could very easily turn her over to Azkaban for the student she killed... she didn't know that he wouldn't.
With his sternest face, which was stern enough to make people lose eye contact, he knocked on her door.
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 12, 2008 18:36:10 GMT -5
Arachne had been considerably irritable since Augustus had whispered in her ear that night at the ceremony for more than one reason. The main of which was the threat of Azkaban looming over her head, but she was sure that she might easily be able to go into hiding if that occurred. The idea of killing off her boss had occurred to her as well but that would be too high profile of a death that she didn't want to chance. And she did remember seeing him in Knockturn Alley once which made her have some very small suspicions that he may not be all he seemed.. he at least seemed to have some dark associates in the cobwebs.
What got to her the most is why nothing had happened yet. He hadn't said anything since then, hadn't seen her since then... and she hadn't been turned over yet. She knew because the Aurors were still looking for the killer. Then she heard the knock. It could only be one of three people. Bellatrix, Augustus or even possibly Rabastan. Though the latter of which seemed the least likely. She'd even taken time to setup wards to her room just to be safe. She took down the enchantments guarding her door and opened it slowly.
There was Augustus with a look to crush a person and she was admittedly affected, but she did her best not to show it. And she didn't lower her eyes, she refused to show weakness to this man. She didn't say anything as she opened the door wide enough to let him him.
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 18:42:56 GMT -5
Augustus came in without a word, waiting for her to close the door before he said anything. She had a lot to answer for, and he intended to make her answer for every thing she had done.
He remained standing, refusing to give her any kind of physical or mental advantage over him.
When the door was closed, he said in a low, lethal voice, "Sit down."
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 12, 2008 19:01:07 GMT -5
Arachne did as told, but she took her time about it. She gracefully walked over to a chair and sat down, her eyes were dark and expressionless, her face a mask and closed off. She would do as told, she didn't want to upset the man further.. but the dynamic between them had shifted. The fact he knew what she'd done had changed everything. She didn't need to fake her friendliness, she knew he'd see through that now.
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 19:11:17 GMT -5
Still, he remained standing. In no way were they going to be on equal ground or anything of the sort.
"Tell me why you killed her," he said, no, commanded. "And do not lie to me, Ms. Weaver. I *will* know."
He had ways of knowing, even if she shut off access to her mind like he was so capable of doing. He had ways of knowing that she wouldn't like one bit.
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 12, 2008 19:23:47 GMT -5
Arachne's lips twitched with a smile that didn't appear, this was a side of him she hadn't seen before and she found it strangely attractive. "She saw something she shouldn't have and I couldn't let her jeopardize my assignment by telling anyone, now could I? I won't let some insipid little child get in my way just because she was too stupid to stay away from the Forest."
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 19:35:37 GMT -5
That was a perfect answer to use to test her, and he was grateful for it. He was paying special attention to her reactions, to the twitches at the corners of her lips and the look in her eyes.
"Tell me what she saw." He was also careful not to ask for anything. She was in trouble, and she should be smart enough to cooperate. He was still iffy on her... either she was exactly what he was looking for, or she was a loose cannon, and he needed to decide quickly which it was.
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 12, 2008 19:45:45 GMT -5
She seriously debating telling him the truth, and she took a long moment to decide her face serene as she thought about it. In the end it was the fact that he hadn't said anything in a few days to her and hadn't turned her in yet that decided her choice. She was going to take a gamble, after all her gamble with Bellatrix had paid off already. She didn't like exposing herself but she could tell she had little choice, either she told him and gambled at his response... or she lied and he turned her in. It was as simple as that and she knew it.
Arachne stood up and walked towards him, "this.." she said as she placed an arm on his shoulder and transformed into a black widow spider, neatly seated where her hand had been only a moment before.
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 21:18:29 GMT -5
if Augustus was surprised at all, he didn't show it, and instead gently picked the spider up and set it--her-- on the floor. "Change back," he told her, only a little less edge to his voice. He wasn't going to let her see what he thought of this.
She was obviousy unregistered, then. It explained a lot, actually, though he wondered what she could have been doing as a spider that would warrant killing the girl. Ah... but then, she was in the forbidden forest...
He waited patiently for her to come back.
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 12, 2008 22:32:57 GMT -5
Arachne quickly changed back and looked at him with the same darkness of a spiders eyes, waiting to see what he would say. She sat back down in the chair watching him, though he showed no reaction. At least he didn't show fear which was a good sign, but she knew that he could likely just hold it back. Though she doubted an itsy bitsy spider would frighten the man in the least, especially with the way he'd picked her up and set her on the floor. "Are you going to turn me in or fire me?" She said simply looking at him.
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 22:46:53 GMT -5
Augustus tilted his head ever so slightly. "Are you presuming to tell me that those are my options?" he asked.
This was the only thing he said. She needed to remember that he was her boss, and she had made a pretty major error. It was not her place to ask questions or do anything but try and convince him that she didn't deserve to be turned over to Azkaban.
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 12, 2008 23:00:20 GMT -5
"I would never presume, after all I know next to nothing about you or what you would do about it. I only hope it is not one of those two options. I can be an asset to you if you don't. I have three distinct skills at your disposal, despite my ability at prophecy. I knew someone would die you know. That night you were here, I knew it would happen before it did." She reminded him of the original reason he'd agreed to let her be an intern in the first place. She just hoped he would chose an option besides the two she'd worried about.
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 23:22:04 GMT -5
Augustus crossed his arms over his chest. "You're awfully close to begging. Don't beg. It's unbecoming."
From a victim, he relished the begs and cries and pleas. Not from someone he was strongly considering taking to the Dark Lord, if Bella hadn't already.
"That being said, tell me what these three assetts of yours are. You should realize... I have every reason to fire you and turn you over. Any good Ministry employee would."
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 12, 2008 23:29:09 GMT -5
Her eyes darkened with a flash of hard ice, "I would not beg, even to you Augustus." Her voice was very steady and calm despite her deadly cold eyes.
Her three fingers came up and with precision she ticked them off one by one each emphasized by a word. "Animagus. Ligilimens. Occlumens."
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 12, 2008 23:54:39 GMT -5
He wanted to make her feel like she wasn't actually that accomplished in anything.
"Right. You're a bug I could just as easily step on. And tell me, how much of my mind have you read?"
None of it was the answer. He was very good at keeping people out. So good, in fact, that it was second nature to him and he didn't even have to try anymore.
"I am not going to fire you. I should, but I won't. What were you doing in the forest?"
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 13, 2008 0:07:28 GMT -5
"You're as accomplished at occlumency as myself, so none unfortunately. And I was enjoying my evening hunting if you must know. I happen to be partially nocturnal and I enjoy hunting at night. Besides there are plenty of creatures in the forest who never look twice at a spider." She left out the part about Aragog and his cave, but it really wasn't pertinent information in her opinion.
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 13, 2008 1:23:11 GMT -5
"Hunting," he repeated, disappointed. That was something of a let down, actually. Unless she had been hunting that girl, which he doubted.
"You're unregistered, I take it?" he asked. "Why? Why are you hiding what you can do?"
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 13, 2008 1:41:31 GMT -5
Arachne noted the slight sound of disappointment he'd let slip in his voice. She wanted to smile at that, but she didn't. "Of course. As you say, a spider isn't exactly the type of thing you share. It can be used as a weakness against me. But when no one knows what you are it can be a strength. I normally kill anyone who knows. She found out and she died for it. As of right now, you're the only one who knows of it." She did not put any threats into her voice, she was merely stating a fact. "But it can provide useful when I need it as long as it's not known what I am. There is a large network of spiders around the castle and the forest, and I was hunting information. If it was known what I could do... it would become a weakness. I refuse to be a weakness." The ice was still in her tone, but she had nothing left to hide from Augustus and was awaiting his verdict still.
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Post by Augustus Rookwood on Oct 13, 2008 13:50:54 GMT -5
Augustus finally sat down in a chair facing her. This should have been her first clue that he had no malintent towards her.
"Bellatrix Black saw you as well. You left together... to get drinks, if I remember correctly. Did you have an interesting conversation with her?"
He was being careful how he breached this subject, and wondering if Bella already had.
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Post by Arachne Weaver on Oct 13, 2008 14:19:51 GMT -5
As she watched him sit, she noticed that he'd purposely given up the physical advantage he'd maintained standing over her only moments before. Which instantly fired a few connections in her brain, including the memory of seeing him in knockturn alley once. "As a matter of fact we did, she doesn't know how to block a Ligillimens either. But we discussed several things of interest. You did tell me to get close and keep an eye on her after all. We have.. a lot in common it seems." She kept her face unreadable, but she told the truth. As of right now she still had no reason to lie considering what she'd already told him these were the least of her crimes.
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