Playing With Fire(Open)

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine hated polyjuice potions, she always felt out of sorts and uncomfortable in the different skin but the disguise was absolutely necessary.

If it ever got back to her family that she was in such a disreputable place she'd never hear the end of it. Not that it would have been the first time, Christine was notorious for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, getting into one screape after another, often doing things she shouldn't have been doing. It alway sseemed the more reckless she was the more entertaining her stories, but she wasn't looking to entertain, not anymore. In the past this reckless streak was usually to appease her curiousity but she for all her scrapes and brush ins with dangerous things had never really dabbled with anything dark before, dangerous yes, dark no.

She couldn't help it though...she had never felt more helpless and that was something a Montgomery couldn't tolerate, so she found herself here at one of the most notorious, if you knew who to ask, shops in all England.

She steeled herself for resolve and then pushed toward a corner of the store, not that she knew what she was looking for, but books seemed to be the most likely place. One book in particular caught her eye and she was about to reach for it when she felt the hairs on her neck rise up, someone was watching her...

[Trevor King]

Trevor often came here to sell something that he'd picked up through one of his scams. It was also a good place to check for new pieces, rare jewels with magical powers or curses that he could use in future scams or to bestow on Celia as gifts. Today he had a cursed bracelet that granted wishes--in the worst possible way. Every wish came at a price, the kind that made more trouble for the wearer than they'd been in before making the wish. If one wished for money, they'd find some--from a recent bank robbery and would wind up in prison, suspected of stealing it.

While it was tempting to hold onto such an item to give as a "gift" to someone he was trying to scam, it was entirely too dangerous to have around. It was shocking how many times the phrase "I wish" could be spoken in the course of a day. So, with the bracelet sealed up in a box, Trevor made his way to Borgin and Burke's to see what kind of deal he could get for it.

What he hadn't expected was to see the girl hiding in the corner, looking furtively over her shoulder as though she were afraid of getting caught. She intrigued him, and he couldn't help walking up to her with a slight smile on his face.

"Looking for something in particular?" he asked.

[Christine Montgomery]

She grabbed the book in front of her with confidence, "I have it. Thank you." there was no reason to act nervous. Nervous people attracted attention and led people to believe you weren't where you were supposed to be, or you weren't doing what you were supposed to do.

The book in her hand was an old one and obscure to be sure. Someone taking it either had done immense research and had the first two volumes, or they had no clue what they were getting into. The intrigue would be in finding out which category Christine fell into.

[Trevor King]

Trevor didn't move but to lean his back against the bookcase and fold his arms over his chest as he looked at her. It didn't usually take him long to figure out everything he needed to know about a person. He looked at life as if it were a poker game, and the people merely players. He could spot their tells, and he knew a bluff when he saw it. She was nervous, but trying her damnedest to act as though she wasn't. She was young, maybe still in school, and she was brave. Brave but troubled. She looked as though she carried the very weight of the world on her young shoulders. But she also wasn't the type to just sit back and wallow in her misery or complain about her situation. She was proud, and she believed she could take care of herself. He liked her instantly. She reminded him of Celia.

"That's part of a set, you know," he pointed out. "You must have the other two volumes, then?"

[Christine Montgomery]

She raised a brow at him, he was challenging her and normally not one to rise the bait this time she took it, "Both the Latin and the translated versions." a small corner of her lip quivered against a smile, "First editions." she let the smile loose. That confidence was going to take her down one day, she remembered the day that all her confidence and skill hadn't been able to do anything, that feeling of fear was still a living breathing disease inside of her and reminded her of her purpose, she wasn't going to be helpless ever again.

[Trevor King]

At this, Trevor threw back his head and laughed. She was bold, he had to hand her that. And though she might be nervous, she was not going to allow herself to be intimidated. He admired that.

"Ah, my mistake," he replied cheerfully. "I thought I was dealing with an amateur, but I see now that I was wrong. Clearly, you know exactly what you're getting into."

He was still quite willing to bet that she had no real experience with dark magic... but she was curious. And perhaps a bit more than curious. She had serious intentions, but he could also sense that her intent was not for evil.

[Christine Montgomery]

When he laughed at first she was annoyed then she softened and laughed herself, "I most assuredly know absolutely nothing, ergo..." she referenced the book in her hands, "The best way to learn is to dive head first...or so I've been told."

She was a quick study that was for certain and she knew which books would be of the most use to her, but at the same time what she was studying wasn't something she could openly practice, she'd have to keep this a secret from her family, and that was going to be difficult, Montgomeries were notorious for getting to the bottom of things.

[Trevor King]

Trevor's lips twitched with the ghost of a smile. This was better than he'd hoped. He had wanted to find someone like her, someone innocent who really had no clue what they were getting into. Maybe someone who'd been hurt or damaged and was consequently filled with anger. Someone who didn't know the addictive nature of dark magic and the power it held.

She was perfect. But he still had to approach her carefully.

He stood silent for a moment, carefully considering his fingernails so as to appear that he was bored, not in deep thought. Finally, he looked up at her and spoke.

"You know, it isn't a good idea to go it alone with that sort of thing, if you have no prior experience. I can help."

[Christine Montgomery]

Her humor left her, it was one thing to chat with some handsome stranger while in disguise yourself. In this case it was a passing acquaintance, she would chat with him, buy her book and never see him again. His offer to help her would cross a line. She didn't know him at all and what she watned to study wasn't exactly baking lessons. Putting that smile back on her face she teased, "Sorry my parents taught me not to take candy or help from strangers, even handsome ones."

[Trevor King]

Trevor smiled lightly at the compliment, but he didn't back down. His demeanor remained serious, but casual. "I promise, this isn't a come on," he said. "And I'm not planning to invite you to my flat for 'private lessons' or anything dodgy like that. I run a group for others like you."

He glanced around for a moment, as i making sure no one was around to overhear him, then lowered his voice. "People are scared. Terrible things are happening to good people, and they want to learn how to defend themselves. I've started an... organization to help teach people about the Dark Arts. It needn't be something to fear, you know. Used correctly, it can be a powerful weapon."

[Christine Montgomery]

In spite of herself and her well honeds gut instincts that said strange men in strange places shouldn't be trusted, found herself leaning just a littl ebit closer to Trevor as he went on about the dark arts. It was as if he could see inside her and read her thoughts and that unnerved her a great deal, but at the same time a part of her yearned for his experience. She was in way over her head, she knew that, but at the same time she couldn't help herself.

"What you're saying is likely true, but I'm sorry, I don't even know you...why should I trust you?"

[Trevor King]

Trevor's expression grew serious, but he was hiding a smile. He knew that he had said the right words. He was reaching her... she was scared, but tempted. He could work with that.

"I'm not really asking you to trust me," he replied casually, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at her. "In fact, you probably shouldn't. You can't trust anybody these days. But look at it this way, I'm admitting it up front. I'm not pretending to be anything that I'm not... which is more than you can say for most people these days." He gave her a meaningful look as if to say, "including you."

He reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a small white business card, holding it out to her. "It's a dark magic club. We meet in a public location... it's perfectly safe. I'll change the location and meeting times from time to time, and the information will appear on that card."

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine's hand itched to take the card. Her breaths were coming quicker and more shallow, sometimes fate handed you exactly what you needed, but with the true Montgomery blood running through her veins she was naturally cautious. A part of her wanted to shake her head no and leave the store, but a bigger part desperately wanted that card and all the promises Trevor was offering.

Indecisive she played the way she knew her cousin would have, with a nonchalant shrug of the shoulder she took his card and slipped it into her book. "Perhaps then we will meet again."

[Trevor King]

Trevor wasn't fooled by her feigned casualness. If she wasn't interested, she wouldn't have taken the card at all... she would have told him "no thanks" and simply walked away. But she didn't do that, and as far as Trevor was concerned, that meant "yes." He'd definitely be seeing her again.

"Perhaps we shall," he simply agreed, bowing to her. "I certainly hope so."

Deciding that it would be counter-productive now to continue, he tipped an imaginary hat to her, then turned to go. The ball was in her court now, and it was her choice what to do with it. Either she wanted to come or not... Trevor had no intention of pushing her.

[Christine Montgomery]

Christine's heart was pounding she stood there for a good minute after he left, her finger lightly tracing the card. She would have stood there longer but she could feel the effects of the polyjuice potion beginning to waver, she really hated being out of her own skin.

Swiftly walking to the front she paid for her book and made a hasty exit bringing the hood of her cloak over her head as she entered the street and disappeared herself into the darkness with a whole lot more on her mind than she had when she had entered the store.