Waist Deep (OPEN)

Richard was standing in the calm waters of the enchanted lake, naked from the waist up despite only bellow his waist being bellow the water level and, therefore, wet. His eyes were closed and his breathing was measured. Slowly, trying to make as few ripples in the water as possible, Richard reached up and began to trace his fingers along the few scars along his upper body. He stopped for a few seconds when his fingers found the heavy burn on his left side. Opening his eyes a little he glanced down at the oddly shaped burn before sighing and dunking his entire body under the water, bursting out of it with a smile as the cold air hit him.

Aspen apparated to his favourite tree by the lake landing so he was sitting on the branch. He began to listen until the sound of moving water came from beside him, he paused and turned one eyebrow raising as he spotted that wolf guy. He smirked licking his fang before apparating to end up sat at the lake end his feet submerged in the water.

"Sup wolfy? How's life treating you?" He asked spinning a knife around in his hand.

Richard looked over at Aspen with a raised eyebrow before waving a casual hello,

"Nice to see you again too." he smiled a little as he sniffed the air, "I trust Arsen is well. The kid deserves some rest after what happened with Charlotte..."

He sighed a little before wading out of the water to the bank beside Aspen,

"Not that I'm complaining but wouldn't me being a member of the Order of Burnt Chickens mean you have to try and kill me?"

He nodded. "He's staying with the hunter. I like his family." He smirked. "They're... unusual but at least they will keep him safe whilst i take care of you." He said absent mindedly. "And take his mind off things that kid reminds me of my brother. Useless at spell work but could kill someone with ease."

He gave the area a quick scan before bringing his fingers to his lips to whistle. Seconds later his hellhound disguished as a giant wolf came running straight towards him. "Controllare il perimetro, ragazzo" He said then turned back to look at Rich.

He pouted. "Don't remind me wolf i'm surprised i haven't killed you yet but i do my job properly and that apprentice of yours pays good money." He frowned. "Which is a shame."

Richard raised an eyebrow while he dried himself with a towel,

"Hunter huh?" he shrugged, "As long as he's safe that's cool with me. The kid has a lot to learn yet."

His eyebrow remained raised at the emergence of the hellhound but he smiled a little,

"Cute puppy." he joked, "Must ruin your slippers and paper every morning."

He sighed a little as he sat down beside Aspen,

"So he's paid you not to kill me?" his shoulders sagged a little, "Now where am I going to go for a good fight?"

"They will probably end up teaching him their ways so at least he will return to you being able to hunt some sort of prey." He smiled. "But if he comes back with tattoo's i give you permission to kill them if you can." He said glancing down to his new tattoo's on his wrist. "If he comes back with a German accent i will kill them myself."

"Speaking of tattoo's you destroyed my knives the last time we met. But they've been replaced with better and stronger ones no spell can break these... But don't think that get's you off the hook because i don't forgive." He said remembering the pain he went through to get them repaired.

He laughed. "No during the day he's well trained doesn't ruin or break anything. During the night... well that's a different story. He's good when he's not trying to tear me to pieces and break all my bones." He smirked looking across the lake as Cerberus ran past.

"Yup he paid me a lot." He confirmed then shrugged. "Well we could fight i just couldn't harm any part of you which would ruin my fun... unless... no you'll never have enough. Hmm, well... i have no idea but if you ever need target practise im your guy no one catches me." He smirked. "Even if you did you'd have to find my weak spot to hurt me but since i dont have one you'll be waiting a whilst." He said itching his arm. He was loving life now after his little trip to the river Styx.

Richard scoffed,

"You and I both know the only prey worth hunting is human." he replied with a roll of his eyes, "Tattoos? Skin-art in general or do they have some sort of weird tradition with tattoos? Well if he gets a German accent I'll probably be more than a bit disturbed. He hasn't got one from me because mine is mild so it would be weird to hear it from him."

He raised an eyebrow,

"How are knives and tattoos related?" he asked with a small smirk before shrugging, "As a person who enjoys a good knife I appologise. But you do realise that I'm a transfiguration master right? I don't need to destroy them. I can just reshape them."

Richard laughed a little,

"You see... this is why I'm a cat person." he joked before shaking his head, "Who'd you piss off to get that doggy on your back every night?"

He raised an eyebrow again,

"I'll never have enough what?" he asked with a small smile, "Sorry but I don't hunt for fun. I go for a kill or nothing. As for actually fighting... well I doubt my wife would appreciate me coming home with more scar tissue than regular skin."

He nodded. "True although a giant attack is fun they are so tempermental." He smirked pulling a twig out his hair. "I don't know it does some weird... thing. They all have them even their kid. Down the side of their neck." He explained.

He raised an eyebrow. "Wow." He smirked. "You should know Arsen has a habit of learning other peoples accents. He would make an excellent impressionist. I'm surprised he has tried to fool you yet, he has everyone else." He smirked. "I think it's fair to say he wont try it again around me."

"That is between me and the dead. I'd have to kill you if you found out... CERBERUS NO!" He shouted jumping to the other side of the lake where the hell hound was digging up the ground. After a few silent words the hound disappear and Aspen returned to his spot at the edge of the lake. "He likes to dig up the dead." He shrugged. "I guess i'll have to accept that... for Arsen's sake. How are you with transfiguring people?" He asked flicking his wrist so his knife on a chain flew into his hand.

He laughed. "You really don't wanna know, he is enough to make even the toughest man's hair curl. I made a mistake and now i'm paying for it." He frowned for a second before his smile reappeared. "Cat's? What fun are cat's? They eat, sleep then eat again. Dog's are so much better, make better company too."

"You'll never have enough money to out pay Arsen. That kid is mental. I do both. I hunt for fun but i never leave without a kill. Why don't you join us again? I can see you would love to get back into it and who knows maybe one day you'll kill the wrong person and someone will put a hit on your head, you might just get your fight yet." He said. "Either that or Arsen starts to hate you and calls the whole thing off either way i don't care. I'm not going anywhere in a hurry."

"Ar love... such a dangerous emotion." He said shaking his head.

Richard raised an eyebrow,

"Giants huh? I wonder if Briony will let me go hunting for one? " he paused for thought before shaking his head lightly, "Well at least it's a healthier tradition than my family's. If it doesn't help him though I'll be lifting the skin off while doing the same thing with a charm."

Thinking about it, Richard chuckled,

"You know come to think of it, he did try it on me once. In class he tried to impersonate Hades because I was pretending to be asleep." he rolled his eyes, "He got it mostly down but the air of superiority, along with more than a bit of distain for me personality, has to be taught from birth."

He smiled a little,

"Sounds kinda 'secret agent'. I guess I'd best not ask. Don't want to leave Briony a widower." he watched curiously as the hellhound was told off for trying to dig up a body, "Now that habit would track mud all over the place. For Arsen's sake. As for how good I am at Transfiguring people?"

Smiling widely he turned his hand to steel before cycling it through various elements without any visible display of effort,

"I'm pretty good." he scoffed, "Hell it's my second greatest skill."

Richard grinned,

"Sounds like a debt collector I used to know." he joked before shaking his head, holding his hands apart, "Not small cats... Big cats! I'm talking about Lions and Tigers! Especially Tigers... I love my Tigers."

He shrugged,

"I've got enough money to try but I don't think I will." he chuckled lightly, "I won't deny a part of me would love to do it again. My master had a saying. He said 'A man never feels more alive than when he's taking the life of another'. True isn't it? Makes it hard to walk away from it. I've seen people get addicted to it in the past and I'm not willing to take that chance when I'm trying to be a family man. No, I'm taking one more life and then I'm going to relax a whole lot on the killing."

Richard looked up at the sky with a small smile,

"A force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature." he nodded, "Love."

He nodded before chuckling. "Man she's got you whipped. She obviously wears the trousers in your relationship but i'll give you a little tip." He said leaning in closer to whisper. "What she doesn;t know can't hurt her." He smiled with a little wink. "I was with someone for three years and she had no idea i was an assassin. It just depends on how good you can hide the truth."

"Lifting the skin?" He nodded. "Good plan." He reaching into his overcoat and pulled out a cigar and his bloody cigar cutter. He cut the end of the cigar off and stuck it in his mouth ready to light.

"Ar thought he would. He's spent most of his life perfecting it. I guess it was his way of passing the time. Pretty inventive for a 4 year old." He smirked nodding. "Hades has always spoken like that." He agrred.

He shook his head. "I'm definitely no secret agent. Everyone know's who i am, so the secret part's gone out the window." He smirked. "But that is a wise decision because im not against breaking up families if i need to."

He nodded. "That's all good but how about transfiguring other people? That's not as easy." He smiled lighting the cigar and taking a long drag.

"Second? What's your first?" He asked blowing smoke rings into the air. "Oh where are my manors? You'll have to forgive me im not used to having company." He chuckled hold out a new cigar for him to take. "Would you like one?"

"A debt collevtor? I wish. No this man is far worse. He's above all men. Everyone fears him even if they don't know it." He said recieving a laugh of satisfaction at the back of his mind. "Seems he likes that. Big cat? Hmm now those are fun. If i didn't have old cerberus here i would definitely get me one of those."

"You do? Oh well if you ever need a job doing im your man." He smirked. "That is definitely true it's an amazing feeling and im addicted to it. But there is no danger of me falling in love it's simply impossible so it doesn't make any difference for me."

He raised an eyebrow. "One more kill? Do i know this person? I would want to be stepping on your toes now would i?"

"Yeah you are definitely whipped. I've never heard of it explained like that before."

Richard grinned,

"Hey, if she's got me whipped that information doesn't leave the bedroom." he joked before shrugging, "I suppose I could keep it a secret from her but I'd really hate to do that. I'm a good liar but the eventual blowing of the cover makes the details so much worse than just saying them... my god I sound like a Gryffindor."

He shrugged a little,

"It'll let him keep the pattern." he smirked, "In scar tissue but he'll keep the pattern for the sake of the pattern."

Richard raised an eyebrow,

"From the age of 4 huh? That's a pretty inventive passtime for a 4 year old. Mine consisted of trying to catch the wild cats around my house." he smiled a little, "It was taught to me as well but my Master drilled it out of me."

He smiled a little,

"Well I'm sure at least this family would make you work to break it up." he chuckled, "No matter how pissed at me she may get over something, I know Briony will always be willing to try and get me out of trouble."

Richard tilted his head to the side slightly,

"Is it?" he frowned, "I wouldn't know. Transfiguration came very naturally to me, and in a different way to how most others use it. With that in mind transfiguring other living creatures is about the same really. Of course moving targets and targets with good magical control are harder than others but it distracts them long enough to slide a knife between their ribs most of the time."

He tapped the side of his nose with a grin,

"It's a trade secret my friend." he teased before waving his hand a little, "No thanks, Briony's really on my case about smoking at the moment in case I start smoking around the house. Says it's bad for the baby and I agree."

Smiling slowly, Richard nodded,

"I get it... he who is above men while bellow them." he pointed down before grinning, "As for big cats... beautiful creatures. Killing machines wrapped in cuddly fur."

Richard nodded a little,

"I'm sure there's a story behind the complete certainty about being able to love but it's not my place to ask." he decided aloud before shaking his head, "Don't worry, my target is someone you won't want to kill. He's beneath your notice."

He snorted,

"Potter released it as a quote from that old man, Dumbledore. It's complete bullshit of course. Everyone knows the worst part of the Department of Mysteries is their human labs."

He laughed. "Good let's make sure it does. I'd hate to pull my stories out." He smirked not too sure how he would react to the fact he slept with demons as well as humans. He shrugged. "That's your choice mate. If you wanna live a dull boring life then go ahead be my guest." He smiled blowing out more smoke. "You sound like a gyffindor we used to hate. Goes by the name Achilles Silver, seems he is quite popular with the puppets now a days too."

"What if the pattern isn't even that good? I'd rip it out myself but i'd end up killing him. I'm sure you will have a lot more control than my teeth. Even if killing him does sound appealing i know i shouldn't. So i'll leave it to you." He said poking one of his fangs.

He shrugged. "Well he never got the chance to be a kid he was always locked in his room with nothing but a bible and a bed. So he had to be inventive or die of borderm. I think if i was in his position i'd have killed myself. Obviously i tried to help him as much as i could but my way of life is not something a kid should experience."

He nodded. "Of course that's what makes it more fun. But i love to fight those that want to die, it's so nice to hear them beg whilst you cause them as much pain as possible whilst making sure you keep them alive. My brother is so good at that." He smirked then raised an eyebrow. "Even if it meant that she could hurt your baby?" He asked.

"So i've been told i never really use transfiguration it's not my thing. I can however transfigure myself quite well." He said flicking his wrist so one of his knives shot out into his hand. He flicked it once so that it turned into a hammer. "See easy." He smirked turning it back and letting it go so it sprung back up his sleeve.

"I guess thats me out. I'm both of those things. I'm powerful and fast which makes me a great hunter, because im near impossible to hunt back." He smirked. "I get away with a lot."

"Oh i already know about that nose of yours. I like to do my homework on people and since you're taking on my nephew as an apprentice you went straight to the top of the list. I had to make sure you would teach him the right stuff didn't i?" He shrugged. "Suit yourself."

He laughed shaking his head as he felt the familiar burn on all his tattoos. "Wow you're smart not many people click on to who that is and he does not like that. He likes to stay under the radar." He smirked rubbing the tattoo on his knuckles.

"You are right i'd think he'd kill me if i let anymore information out. Not that that is a bad thing but im not done having just yet i need to fill my 7th chain first." He smiled lifting the only chain with room for more fingers from his neck to show him. "Not long left now."

"Hmm im not sure anyone is beneath my notice. I will kill anyone for the right price unless there is a perfectly good reason as to why i shouldn't. Like Arsen i will never kill him no matter the price. Unless he was better off dead in that case i'm make an exception."

"Oh you mean the boy who lived yet died at someone else's hands. Yeah he was an idiot. Love is not the most powerful kind of magic. It weakens you if anything." He said. "Ugh the ministry have been after me for years. They would just love to know how i never get hurt. Want to work it out so they can make their aurors invinsible." He laughed.

Richard chuckled a little,

"Well we've all heard the legends on how accommodating the man downstairs can be. Succubus indeed." he smirked a little, "I doubt my life will ever be boring. As for Achilles... apart from being a tool of a decadent and wasteful government I have no beef with him. He was the priest at my wedding after all."

He shrugged a little,

"To be honest I hope the pattern is god awful. Let him remember his foolishness for the rest of his life." he smiled a little, "Well knives tend to be a little better than teeth. That's just my experience though."

Richard frowned a little before shrugging,

"Sounds boring as hell. I'd probably point flaws in Christainity using the Bible." he decided with a small frown still in place, "He did well to come out of it without any major disorders. But if he uses it as an excuse I'll put the boy on his ass with a broken nose. Baggage should be left at home."

He stiffed a little before visibly relaxing. Smiling a little he turned to Aspen, the picture of calm,

"So much as speak about my unborn child again and I will rip your spine out before you can blink." he warned with a friendly tone, "I'll make Cobalt's work look like natural causes if you so much as look at Briony's belly with malice."

Richard watched Aspen do the transfiguration,

"It's not perfect but it's near enough." he noted clinically, "A small central part of the sledgehammer was hollow. But not enough to compromise it's integrity."

He gave Aspen an unreadable look,

"The hunter with the most kills is often the easiest the kill. You stop innovating if you find something that works. And you've found something that works."

Richard chuckled a little,

"Oh it's not the nose." he frowned a little as he thought, "I don't even put the nose on the list really... it's kinda more of an extension of my body now. I've grown too used to it."

"People can choose whether or not to believe he exists. I think me figuring it out isn't that big a deal. After all, I'm one soul. What's one soul compared to the millions of clueless people? He's still got the ignorant masses."

Richard raised his right index finger,

"You want one?" he asked with a grin, "I can kinda make a new one. But yeah, don't tell me if it leaves Arsen without you. He's fond of you for reasons that escape me most of the time but are beginning to make a little sense now."

"Oh well I think this person might be on your radar then." he shrugged, "Pretty big radar after all."

"The rumours that Draco killed him? Exaggerated in my opinion. Once a coward, always a coward. And Draco Malfoy is a coward who signed up to be a soldier. The worst kind of man." he responded with a scowl before sighing, "My master's new apprentice escaped from one of their labs. Good kid, lots of potential. He can't feel pain so they tested it with the cruiatus curse. A lot."

"Oh i beg to differ. Your life is already boring and i think i remember Arsen telling me that. He loved being best man." He smirked. "Wouldn't shut up about it for days. So i thank you for the ear ache I'm not used to conversations." He said brushing down his jacket.

"Actually i think it's a snake wrapped around a sword if i remember correctly... I know it's something like that. So he will probably like it. He just loves anything that ties him with Salazar, i think being able to talk to snakes was the best thing that happened to him when he was younger." He smirked. "I personally love them both but knifes keep things much tidier. It's such a shame teeth can be so much more fun since you need to be more up close and personal. Not many people like that." He chuckled.

"Yeah but they drilled it into his head. So he actually believed in all that shit." He said yawning, he could not the remember the last time he slept. "Yeah thanks to me and that Jaeger kid. Best thing i ever did was sending him to Durmstrang. He came out of his shell so much that year and Fang taught him his gift wasn't such a bad thing, somewhere i failed. Oh he wont he hates to talking about it. Those memories serve now only as a reminder of how weak he can be." He said staring off into space as his next kill was issued. "Hmm interesting that one should be fun." He muttered to himself.

"Always so violent." He smiled shaking his head. "You better take care of him because if i find your not I promise i'll be haunting your arse dead or alive. I will make your like not worth living... great now that's out the way, i can relax." He said leaning back on one arm as he blew out more smoke.

He raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Hey! You can join the cue, there are plenty of people out there that would kill to see me dead." He smirked. "It just wouldn't be fair for you to get first shots now would it? Of course you'd have to train yourself up. It's very hard to catch something that doesn't stop moving. Even Hades would have a hard time catching me because i don't think before i act." He laughed. "I have that many thoughts in my head at one time it's hard to decide which one i will act on."

"I love what he did with the Atrium, it gives the place a nicer feel. Makes me feel more welcome." He said. "Oh i expect i'll be seeing Briony soon. I'll say hi to the baby, it's only polite." He nodded.

"Really?" He asked examining the hammer. "I will work on that. Thanks for the tip." He smiled.

"Now if that was true would i be sat here now?" He asked opening one arm towards Rich. "But the times change as do people and animals. If you don't change with them then you will die. You need to learn other people tricks as well as getting your own to survive. And that's is why im the best because im good at it. I'm constantly changing." He smirked. "I've found many things that work. I like to experiment, see what's the best way to kill. There's a kill for every occassion. When i'm bored it tends to get more messy. When im in a rush it will be simple and mainly clean. When i'm feeling create it will be more fun and arty." He explained. "I have many moods but most of them you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side off."

"Oh i'm sure i can find it out. I've met your master." He smirked. "Ace Volkov is a very good friend of mine which helps now he's highmaster of Durmstrang of course. I think i'll have a little chat with this Dominic fella. Find out what he's about, what makes him tick."

"No it's not. What is a big deal though is finding out who his men are. That he does not like. Oh but you are one soul he would love to collect. You are in for a rough time mate. Once he has his claws in you there's no escaping trust me." He explained wiping his cigar cutter and thinking about buying himself a new one.

"You'd give me a finger? You do realise you are offering me your life?" He smirked looking down at all the fingers. "All these are the fingers of the dead and i remember every single detail of every kill. Their faces, how they died, the reason they were killed, how they fought back if they did fight back at all. Everything single detail."

He shook his head. "Oh don't worry he's still needs me on this earth. I'm not going anywhere for a while. Turns out people like me are hard to come by." He chuckled. "Of course he's fond of me. I'm the best uncle ever. Well there's that and the fact i saved him from certain mental problems. Which he would have gotten if i hadn't of 'kidnapped' him." He smirked making quotations with his fingers.

"Oh damn and i work so hard to confuse and not make sense. I think im losing my touch." He smiled punching the air in mock annoyance. He nodded. "Yes only the biggest remember that. The next time you kill. You could be stepping into my patch."

He laughed. "Maybe... but true. I don't know if you've figured this out but the Malfoys are VERY protective of their family. Threaten one and they will take you out. No matter who you are." He explained. "He killed him to protect his family, coward or no coward he wont be threatened."

"He can't feel pain? Wow now that is something i need to see. I'm felt pain so much i've become immune to it. I still feel it, it just doesn't matter so much anymore, but there is one pain that will never cease to hurt and that's not something i like."

"My life isn't boring just yet." he grinned a little and cast Aspen a side-ways glance, "When the last guy trying to kill me dies with his blood on my hands, as I choke his last breath out from him, that's when my life will start getting boring. So I'll be having an eventful life for awhile yet."

"Snakes? Why is it always snakes? I'm glad he used it to cope well though." he shook his head with a small smile, "For most people a knife is up close enough."

Richard paused for a moment before laughing out loud,

"So he was forced to believe in the Devil? And God? Well then they became just that little bit more real." he shook his head a little before grinning, "Durmstrang is a great school. I'd probably be teaching there now if it wasn't for Briony and the fact that some of the older years would try to kill me for killing some of their family."

"I'll train Arsen in a kinder way than my master taught me. He'll still have the will to live by the end of the second year." he grinned a little, "Glad the mandatory threat is out of the way."

"I guess I'll just take my number. Or I could kill everyone else on the list. I'd like to have your undivided attention." he relaxed a little more, "You act on instinct. Good for combat, but not much else."

Richard chuckled,

"Be sure to tell Cobie that. He might add some lights to the atrium to make it even more noticable." he shrugged a little, "As long as it's friendly. If Briony likes you enough you might end up Godfather or something. I don't know, I'm not really bothered about your interactions at your order meetings."

"Don't thank me." he shrugged a little, "When you reach my level you blurt these things out. Kinda a personal failing that I help improve the weapons of the enemy."

"Well I'm happy to say you don't know all my tricks just yet. No one alive does." he grinned a little and patted Aspen on the back, "Well you keep experimenting man. I'll do that same. After all, I'm an alchemist, we never stop experimenting."

Richard raised an eyebrow,

"Now you're assuming he taught me the rest of my tricks." he winked, "I've developed most of them on my own. But feel free to visit the guy. He's nice once you get to know him and he stops trying to kill you as a test."

"If he gets his claws into me that is." he shrugged a little, "Who knows, maybe I've been a good boy. Maybe I get to go to the big day spa in the sky."

Richard frowned a little bit before shrugging,

"Well then no finger to you until I'm a grandfather." he stuck his tongue out, "Or until we meet again on the battlefield and you beat me. But that's not likely."

"Best uncle ever?" he chuckled, "Have you ever torn out his kidney? If the answer is no you're better than my uncle."

"Well let's hope so. The world's population could boom while you train yourself back up. But then we'd have a flood of stupid people..." he shrugged again, "I doubt it. I don't think you'd have immediate plans to kill this guy."

"I'm not going to talk about Draco Malfoy again." he decided, "Not now. It gets me too riled up. If I get too riled I'll probably end up doing something rash like killing him and pinning his internal organs each to a different door in the ministry. And this is a new shirt."

"Well it's more like he chooses if he wants to." he smirked, "Thankfully he shows no signs of becoming an emo so I think he'll stick to the no pain thing."

"That's what you think. The minute you decide to stop killing your life becomes boring." he replied lazily as he looked around, "No when the last guy dies, that's when you might as well be dead. After that you know all the fun is gone."

"Well it might be because of Slytherin... but it might just because they look good on tattoos." he snorted a little and flashed his teeth, "I'm not most people. Teeth is up close, knife is mid-range."

"That's a weird thing to say. Especially seeing as I know he's real." he burned a little and growled, "He already knows boss. He's just trying to piss you off. But yeah, Durmstrang is quite good. I still like Hogwarts but it's better for real magic."

"Arsen's too tough to want to die. The kid could handle the full training." he narrowed his eyes at Richard a little, "You're going to give Arsen the whole training. Because if you don't you get another promise, not a threat."

"Take the number. Your wife's got you on too short a leash for you to spend years killing everyone in the line." he quipped with a tooth-filled grin, "Instinct is all you really need. But I can use strategy too. I just choose not to most of the time."

"No no, lights would make it look like a christmas tree. Just force people to look at it every now and then." he explained with a grin before blinking a few times, "Yeah... I don't think that's likely. But Arsen might be offended if you don't offer it to him."

"Oh." he hit Richard round the back of the head, "Bad boy. Stop blurting things out."

"So dead people do? I'll talk to my boss about talking to some of them." he decided with a feral grin, "You can trust me when I say I will be experimenting more than you. I have one going right now. How long do you think a muggle can live without hands or feet?"

"Oh that'll be the day." he snorted, "You're not pure. You're going downstairs with all the fun people."

"He tries to kill people as a test?" he frowned a second before nodding with a grin, "Sounds like fun."

"Grandfather? A long time." he growled, showing his teeth, "Don't count on living if we fight again Romain."

"Mmm... do you think he'd mind?" he asked absently, "I mean a kidney isn't really needed. Not like he'd really need it either..."

"See? I preform a public service. I keep the number of stupid people down." he shrugged, "I have plans to kill everyone I meet."

"Huh." he shrugged a little, "I doesn't really matter to me if you did that, mainly because it sounds like something I'd do, but Hades is kinda fond of the guy. So no you shouldn't do that."

"Good. If Arsen ever becomes an emo I think I'll kill him myself. Save my ears from his whining."

"Oh and I suppose there's absolutely no other way to have fun?" he scoffed, "Killing isn't the be all and end all that you're making it out to be. It's something that is required. That's all."

"Huh... still not sure why everyone automatically assumes snakes are evil because one snake-talker went a little medieval on some muggles hundreds of years ago." he shrugged a little, "Yes well we both know you're not most people. Most people tend to shy away from dealings with Luci."

"Ah yes but is he real because he's always existed or is he real because the belief of countless stupid people gives him form and power? Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large groups!" he chuckled a little, "Some things about Hogwarts I never really got. Like the houses. What is the point in making school children hate each other even more than puberty already makes them?"

"I'm not giving Arsen the full training." he told Arsen firmly but without any indication of emotion, "He is still too pure for it to work and not send him into some sort of depression cycle."

"Ouch... is it that obvious I'm not the one holding the leash?" he teased with a grin, "Strategy puts you in battles that you think you can win. Instinct is what makes you win those battles. One without the other is meaningless and the balance must be perfect."

"Mmm... lights at christmass then? He's got charms to keep it from rotting too much, just enough to smell ripe." he shrugged a little, "I'll offer it to him but it's partly Briony's choice too."

"Ow..." he gave Aspen a mock glare, "That's the last time I admit a mistake around you."

"Good luck with that search. I'd imagine there's quite a few." he thoughts for a moment, "Depends on the size of the muggle. The smaller the size, the shorter the time. An adult male? I'd estimate around six hours at the very most. One for a child bellow the age of ten."

"I thought the 'good book' said you didn't have to be sorry?" he grinned, "God forgives all sins if you truly repent."

"It's really funny to watch." he grinned, "He booby traps his doors all the time. Great fun to watch someone's clothes disappear instantly when they try to open his door without his permission, the split second is enough for him to assess whether or not he should kill them."

"Oh please Aspen, I thought we were past the death threats." he gestured at the lake, "We were having a nice, peaceful, conversation before you brought that up again."

"Mmm... I think he might mind." he nodded absently, "Yes people tend to be attached to even mostly worthless organs for some reason."

"That's a valuable public service my friend." he grinned, "But I think you've missed a couple billion."

"Bah!" he waved a hand with a grin, "What is it with people being attached to their fathers? They're all over-rated anyway."

"Arsen as an emo would be weird..." he laughed a little, "He'd let his flames burn him rather than cut himself though."

He laughed. "Of course there is. Killing is just the sponge of the cake you still need the icing and filling to make it complete. Of course they consist of women, demon and human alike... and well not much else since everyone has turned boring now a days. What happened to the days when people were fun huh? Oh i love hide and seek, but no one plays it anymore." He frowned. "There is nothing more fun than the chase. The looks on their faces when you find their hidy places." He laughed. "Priceless."

"Or maybe it's because we are the only house likely to become evil. Ever consider that? What other house is going to do it? The Gryffindorks are all trying to be the hero, the ravens wont pull their head out of a book long enough to anything and the puffles... well everyone knows the puffles are useless." He smirked. "So that leaves just the one house. Good old Slytherin. Or maybe it's because we have always been seen bad since Salazar left the other founders. We've always been outsiders."

He chuckled. "I'm the only one still stupid enough to like the deal." He shrugged. "I have no idea the only time i hear from him is when he wants something. Even then it's all played out in here." He said tapping the side of his head. "But he has many forms according to my brother who's seen him, but no one knows what his real form is. He probably doesn't even know himself." He smirked.

"Or just stupid people in general. Ar now that is all to do with the founders. Are you familiar with their story? If not it's boring anyway and im not going to sit here telling you it. I'd bore myself to death and i'd rather die in battle." He sighed. "You know if we all lived in your world it would be a very dull place. House rivalry makes school more fun. Did you never look forward to tripping a gryff? Or stealing a ravens book? Or hurting a puffles friend to make them cry? It's what schools all about. Who wants to be friends with everyone? It's boring."

He laughed. "Give the boy some credit. He's seen people being killed and tortured, he know's what it looks like. He's a lot stronger than you think you know. He can also with stand a lot more pain than we can." He smirked winking. "But i didn't tell you that. Fire is a wonderful thing but doesn't come without a cost as he very well knows."

"Well duh! You've stopped killing so you can... settle down... ugh i never did understand the appeal of it? What makes it so appealing to you? So appealing you'd give your life up for it." He asked honestly curious to what his answer could be. "No stupidity puts you in battles you think you can win. Not strategies. I never think before i enter a battle i just act on instinct alone. I seem to get on better that way. Thinking slows you down. It's a fools tool, thoughts." He said. "Thinking around me will only shorten your life. I'm too fast for you to think."

"Good boy." He smiled. "You don't admit your mistakes, people can counter them." He said shaking his head.

"It shouldn't be too hard. Just mention i want to kill you then im sure a whole lot of them will come running to me." He smirked. "Hmm i shall let you know, then i've found out the answer. This guy here..." He said showing Rich a finger bone. "... he took four hours and he was about 5ft6ish. Not bad, very fun to watch. But it takes unbelieveable control not to just eat him especially with all that blood. Ar i'm hungry." He frowned. "I haven't eaten in days. If you will excuse me." He smiled and nodded his head as he jumped to muggle london.

A few minutes later he returned with a muggle police woman. "Looky what i found." He smiled. "Take a seat love i'll deal with you in a second." He said polietly to the confused woman as he returned to sit back by the lake.

"If you repent you would have lost all my respect. We could have so much fun down there you know." He smirked. "Teach Arsen to be the best and i may even get you one of the nicer rooms." He smirked before turning to look around at the screaming woman. "Grr why do they always have to scream? Will you shut up woman, you're giving me a headache." He said jumping so he landed right in front of her snapped her neck. "Ar silence." He smiled dragging his kill over towards the lake so he could sit back down.

"Are you sure that's not just a reason to get people naked? I bet they live if they are fit don't they? Don't pass the inspections you die." He smirked. "Not a bad idea really if it only works on women, i'm not keen on seeing men naked. It mighht be his thing but it certainly isn't mine." He said dragging the woman onto his lap she he could reach her neck easily. He tutted brushing her hair away from her neck. "Such a waste of a pretty face... oh well." He shrugged exposing his fangs as they sink into her neck.

He pulled back licking the blood off his lips whilst he pretended to think for a second. "Hmm no i don't remember ever saying that." He said shaking his head. "Nope i never did. Death threats are a part of life get over it.

He shook his head. "Nah i haven't missed them i just haven't had time to kill those yet. Their time will come believe me. This one here is just the start." He smiled leaing forwards again to finish her off.

He smiled pushing the empty shell off him before he let out a whistle. "You know what i have no idea. My father was a fucking dick, he was just like my brother Argos. Father like son. He never did like Arsen just as my father didn't like me." He smirked. "Soon regretted it though believe me. They hated it when i came back and repaid them for what they did." He laughed remembering how scared they were. "Yeah these were the best fingers i earned." He smirked holding up two finger bones. "But it means something to Arsen i would bet all the money i have earned that he will forgive Hades sooner or later."

"He practically is an emo. He's always wearing black, he's constantly dying or watching people around him die and he hurts himself. He can't use fire without feeling pain, he just doesn't feel it like we do." He shrugged. "All he needs to do now is start talking about how he want's to die and he's a complete emo."