We're all mad here

[Kailey Harrington]

Kailey was in the village far too early. Her and Demitris had agreed to meet each other at the Three Broomsticks at noon that day yet Kailey had found herself lying in bed at Six in the morning unable to sleep any longer. She had bided her time in the castle for a while, having breakfast and getting some homework finished she had been putting off. But by Eight that morning she found herself up in the tower with little to do. So how did she decide to bide her time until then? Read a book of course, She had spent the next hour and a half reading Alice in Wonderland, which explained her odd choice of clothing. But not long after that she remembered she still hadn't gotten Demitris' Christmas present! Oh it would take her forever to decide on something and she now had about two hours. Sure Christmas was still a few weeks away but it was just so much easier to buy something in Brightstone and stash it at the school before she spent the day with him like she had done the year before.

This is why she was wandering the now half empty streets of Brightstone village that warm December morning. Not to mention she had a few things she really needed to pick up for herself. She was running dangerously low on ink and wanted to halfway empty Honeydukes of their sweets again. She also needed to pick up some Cat food for the three remaining Cats in her dorm, Oh damn, why Didn't I come down here earlier? she thought. Darting into the nearby pet store first she picked up three medium sized bags of food, casting a feather light charm on them as she put them into a bag. Before then going on down the road to Scribbulus and getting a few bottles of ink as well as some more parchment. All of this had taken about a half hour and it was now Ten thirty. Honeydukes could wait, now it was time to find her fiance a present. But what could top the mirrors from last year? Especially considering the man had just about everything she could think of. This was going to be difficult.

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades had spent a while researching the newly added people to the family tree. He had to admit, he did not know many of them, and he wanted that to change. The newest one that he wanted to research on was none other than Kailey Paramore. She was a distant relation, only by engagement. Hades had received a little bit of information from the tree, and found out, she was still in school. Hogwarts New Zealand. Hades got some information on when the next break was for the students to be released on holiday in Brightstone. This was all thanks to his student relatives. Now, for the real chase.

This is what brought Hades to the roofs of some buildings in Brightstone. He had the image from the tree in his mind, and he watched from above. Hades seemed a bit darker than before, but this all mattered to him not. Hades wore his usual attire and he narrowed his eyes upon the people. Then, one in particular looked just like the girl on the tree. That was none other than Kailey Paramore herself. She was alone too, and that was perfect. Hades smirked slightly, and he jumped from the building. Hades landed on his feet without harm, thanks to magic. Hades stood somewhat behind the walking girl, and he towered over her. Hades smirked a bit and he placed a hand on her shoulder, but for a split second. Just long enough for her to stop and turn around. "Greetings, Kailey Paramore." Because she was engaged to Demitris, surely she would receive how much they looked alike. Hades just looked far more creepy, skin whiter and hair darker. He appeared to look more like a dead form of the man but taller and much more...evil so to speak.

 

[Kailey Harrington]

Kailey didn't sense anything out of the ordinary. Normally she could feel when someone was watching her but that wasn't the case today. Maybe it was the distance between Hades's parch and the ground, or maybe her mind was just occupied with Christmas shopping. Either way she walked on, looking in window after window and even going into a few shops. Including the one he was on top of, all she could really see well was a bit of the trench coat he wore, even that was out of the corner of her eye, and thought it was a rather large crow. But she paid it no mind as she went about her day, finding a few things she thought he'd like. Making a small list with a little pad of lined muggle paper and an ballpoint pen.

She was about to head into yet another shop when she felt someone lay a hand on her shoulder. She turned around expecting it to be one of her friends attempting quite poorly to startle her. But before she had even looked at the face of the person behind her she knew it wasn't anyone who went to Hogwarts. He spoke and a chill went down her spine as she felt her blood run cold. It was a voice laced with death, she looked up at the man who was a good half foot taller than her and took a step back. He looked startlingly similar to the man she loved so dearly. But what was different about him was extremely so, His eyes were not the emeralds with a layer of ice that melted when they were together. But steely gray orbs that would make a cats hair stand up on end. He was significantly paler than Demitris and his hair was much harsher looking. But aside from that the similarities were unmistakable. Maybe they were related somehow? Either way the aura around this man was rather unsettling. As well as how he knew her name, Demitris may have told him if they were indeed related but still, It was odd. "Hello." she started hesitantly, After a pause she added "Erm... Sorry, But do I know you?" she asked, trying to be polite.

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades' lips melted into a sly smirk. The usual "do I know you?" routine. It had become natural to Hades to respond to this question, with an even creepier answer. "No, but I know you." Hades' expression of nothing but a sly smirk did not falter as he introduced himself, "Hades Lutrov. Guardian of the family you are about to enter. You are engaged to my cousin, Demitris. I am sure you know Jaken Styx, from acquaintance. I'm his older brother, just so you know." Hades bowed his head a bit out of respect to the young Ravenclaw. Hades had no intentions of harming Demitris or Kailey. His only target was Jaken and his family. Nothing more. "I won't harm you, so there is no need to be afraid." But little did she know, Hades was a Death Eater, in training. He could easily hurt her if he wanted to. And his expression and body could scream it out.

 

[Kailey Harrington]

At Hades's response Kailey couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. That's not creepy at all! she thought sarcastically. "Okay then..." she said, her voice low. This guy was creeping her out big time. She remained silent as he went on, surprisingly enough he introduced himself and explained just how he knew her, well... Knew of her anyways. She was still on edge but for the time being she pushed it far enough back to speak to him without a suspicious edge in her voice, though her posture was still tense. She nodded her head back, not wanting to seem any ruder than she probably already did. "Nice to meet you Hades," she lied, not really knowing what else to say. So this man Hades Lutrov, was a future In-Law? This made Kailey wonder who else she would be in contact with or at least be related to in some way shape or from after this was through. Kailey and Demitris hadn't really ever gotten around to the whole 'Meet the family' thing, They were already engaged when Kailey's mom met him. Aside from a few cousins she hadn't had much to do with his family either, but if they were all like Hades here... Something told Kailey she didn't really want to. At least not all at once anyways.

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades watched Kailey’s reactions carefully. She was an interesting one. As an observer, he had countered most personalities and strange beings. Yet, there was something off about Kailey. Hades decided to dismiss it. Hades failed to do much research on Kailey and her actions. It was very hard to haunt someone while they were at school. Perhaps being a little too intelligent, Hades spoke once more, “I assume you are going Christmas shopping for your beloved Demitris, are you not.” Hades folded his arms across his chest. Truth be told, Demitris and Hades had never personally spoken before, but Hades knew much more of him than he did of Hades. Hades knew that there was not much Zhefarovich blood pumping through his veins. He was more of a Harrington. That was no bother to Hades really. It would turn out quite interesting when he were to see Kailey meet the other members of Demitris’ family, including Asparuh Zhefarovich III himself.

 

[Kailey Harrington]

Kailey looked back to Hades and she could almost feel herself being dissected. Like the frogs they had been allowed to dissect in her seventh grade level science class the year before she had started at Hogwarts New Zealand. Of course wasn't being pinned down and literally sliced open but it was an odd feeling just the same. Kailey decided to ignore it, why would this man want to know enough about her to require such observation? She was merely his cousins fiance, that alone wasn't enough to warrant too much. She supposed it was just all of her mothers chastising of 'Don't talk to strangers' from when she was younger kicking in. At his next question she started to relax a bit, normal conversation. She nodded in answer before adding "And failing quite horribly. The man already has nearly everything I can think of.", her voice was light as she said it, her now quite faint southern accent ringing through.

 

[Hades Styx]

“Perhaps just your presence would do him. I have been to his house, in Russia that is after he moved out, and I am not surprised that you haven’t found anything yet. You can never go wrong though, with a book.” Hades wondered if Kailey knew that Demitris was often a reader. He may not appear that way, but it was a special trait of Hades to know. “Get him a book about the ancient Greeks. If I can recall, Demitris has a thing for the Greek Gods.” Hades wondered if he was thinking of the right person. Actually, he was sure of it. Hades shrugged and he muttered, “Or you can seek out his friend Dietrich Metzger. He’d know what Demitris would like more than I would.” Hades caught her fair accent. She was from the America’s somewhere. He didn’t know where, but at least he know knew where she had come from.

 

[Kailey Harrington]

When Hades put his two cents in as to what Kailey could get him it dawned on her so fast her head nearly spun. Of course! How could she have forgotten? She supposed she had been so focused on getting something to top the mirrors that she hadn't realized that perhaps something simple but within his interests would be just as good, most people didn't know how much of a reader he was, let alone what his favorite topics were. She looked up at the still creepy but very helpful Hades Lutrov and gave him a small smile of gratitude, "Thank you, I don't know how I let that slip my mind." she said lightly, blaming her crummy memory yet again. When he mentioned maybe asking Dietrich she nodded, "That he would know what I could get him. But I think I'm going to go with your idea." she decided, not that she didn't to talk to Dietrich, the two had gotten on well enough in the past and would be on the same Quidditch team next year, both chasers. But the owl to owl thing would take more time then she had to spare.

 

[Hades Styx]

Hades bowed slightly and he said in a low, creepy yet seductive voice, "It is my pleasure to assist you." Hades did not know who this Dietrich was in person, but it was not one of those people Hades would want to stalk from what he heard. Dietrich had a boyfriend... which is not good. Hades did not want to be hit on by some boy. He glanced down toward a book store and he motioned toward it, "There would be a good place to find it." Then, Hades made his leave, which was apparation.