Hogwarts in Ruins

Orders had been given to him. He had listened carefully when he was told strictly, to be careful with this woman. She could be pretty dangerous for what he and his few superiors knew. Also; He was well prepared for a curse like the one that had hit Auron. Dominic had taken a long black coat over his fine jacket and a hat which belonged to the coat covered the top of his face. The rest was covered by shadows and a charm that made sure nobody would be able to see under the hat without removing it.

Dominic had been stalking her for quite a few hours now, and he had to admit it; Debbie was pretty good at her job. His wand was still unshethed when he followed her towards a large building. He was only a couple of metres behind her, and was still so far behind that his footsteps would probably be unheard. He was smiling. Smiling because he knew that he would finally have some fun.

Darkness had rushed upon the town much faster than Debbie had expected. The cool afternoon air which had been pleasant and easy to deal with earlier had twisted into something much nastier as darkness came. The wind whipped across the town and tore through her hair and uniform, sending a deathly chill through the small woman's frame. She couldn't wait to get back to the castle and back in her warm bed away from all of this for another day.

The supply check-up's were nearly done and the patrol had been very uneventful. Since hearing about the possibilities of a spy inside the Alliance, Debbie had personally taken it upon herself to check each of the surrounding towns and fish out any rats lurking about.

Two towns had produced a handful of dark wizard supporters but with no more than a few odd and end black listed items. A few cursed objects, one that she immediately quarantined and sent off to the Mysterious Department for it's volatile nature. The rest weren't much of a threat and sent off in turn with the suspects for questioning.

Now the end of her day came near in this town and all that was left would be to run a check list of the supplies, get the proper documents signed and round up her crew. Her boots clacked quietly against the cobble stone path leading to the back of a large barn-like building. The livestock needed a quick run through considering she was in a much smaller area where farming was their main source of food and clothing.

And that was when she noticed it. The livestock behind the barn were eerily quiet, even the wind. Debbie could barely make out the sound of villager's walking to their homes at the front pathway nor the soft tapping of her team following behind. Even the hair's on the back of the woman's neck felt as if they were lifting straight into the air. "...Who's there?" Debbie's hand was on her wand in an instant. Clutching the familiar wooden material tightly to her side.

When he had her behind the barn, Dominic waited for her to start questioning the silence of the livestock. He had noticed it, yes. Even though he was metres away. When he heard her voice he simply went out from where he'd hided and walked towards the woman. She was pretty, certainly she was.
"Just me and you, hmm?" He said with his charming voice.

He was in front of her, when the smile on his lips widened. He examined her from within the hat and could see it was her. He'd seen her before and she hadn't really changed. "May I ask.. What is your name, lady?" He asked with etiquettish manners. But if you were good at scrutinising other peoples voices, you'd be able to hear the exitement and maybe creepiness in his voice. He did not try to hide it, but still did naturally.

Where the hell were her men at? Debbie's mind seemed to kick back into a whirlwind at the sound of a voice, a very unfamiliar voice surrounding the area and sending her senses on high alert. Her feet were planted firmly in the ground and Debbie's wand had surely left an imprint on the palm of her chilled hand but she didn't move, not yet. Not until she knew where the voice was coming from or to whom it belonged.

And she didn't have to wait for long. The moment Dominic moved in front of her, Debbie found herself taking several steps backward to put as much distance as possible between the two, namely between him and her wand.

"Who are you?" The sound of Debbie's voice cut like a knife through better in the cold wind whipping through the two. She wasn't in the mood for games and whoever this person was had that thought in mind, obviously. He wasn't someone she had taken direct notice of in the town. Nor was he a person she expected to find, there was something..off about his nature. Something she very well didn't like. Those sharp hazel eyes narrowed down on the man and refused to give her own name, something told her it wouldn't matter.

Something said he already knew exactly who she was. He wasn't a towner here and he certainly was hiding something, a fact apparent that she couldn't see his face at all. "Last I checked, curfew for this town hit nearly thirty minutes ago." She spoke icely and kept her ground, waiting to see his next move. Was she over-analyzing? Debbie didn't think so, she rarely thought so.

Dominic could almost feel her mood turning cold and maybe nervous. He couldn't really tell for sure and it didn't affect his own mood either. He was still all happy-go-lucky. He watched her backing away and he now smiled so widely that his teeth were shown. If his face hadn't been covered, she would know it in an instant. This person was not sane at all.
"Wow, you seem to be pretty nervous around and about, don't you?" He asked curiously as he stepped forward. The range between them was long and he could accept it that way. It would be easier for him to get her down if she would attack with this lenght.
But he was far too happy not to be close to the woman.

"Last I checked, curfew for this town hit nearly thirty minutes ago." He heard Debbie say. He didn't mind her mentioning it. Actually he was nearly laughing. "Curfew? Sounds quite like you should be indoors then, doesn't it? Or is it because you have a better excuse to be outside than I have?" His voice was beginning to sound happy now and soon he started to laugh insanely. He still stepped forwards, forcing her backwards unless she stopped moving herself and let him get closer to her.

In less than a few seconds without replying, Debbie backed up several more paces and brandished her wand dead level at the man's chest, "Stand your ground." She hissed through gritted teeth. He knew who she was and what her purpose was, Debbie was only clad from head to foot in official Alliance clothing. Even a fool civillian could spot her coming from a mile away.

Despite the fact Debbie had herself been hunting dark wizards all week long, there was something about this one that set her severely off ease. He was cocky, cocky that he would approach the Head Auror like this in such a wide, populated place. And he was bold, attempting to turn her questions around to make the woman feel like nothing more than a simple child. He was pschologically fighting with her and barely trying.

The erratic sound of Dominic's laughter however, was what really sent the tense chill through her spine. "..are you mad?" It was a question that shouldn't have been asked but slipped out none the less. He sounded completely off his rocker, laughing like some derranged mental patient escaped from Azkaban. And for all she knew that's exactly where this nutter came from.

Her stance was set and ready to fire any second. Debbie didn't appreciate practicing on civillians or just simple minded wizards who thought to push her judgement to the limit, yet this man didn't come across as such. He came across as dangerous, too pushy and too...frightening. Yes, that was what he was and admitting it made her feel even further on alert. Being in her position brought Debbie across a wide range of characters, mainly some of the freaks Daquarius' army had to offer, and this one wasn't disappointing.

They were never pleasant to meet and always followed with a horrible sense of foreboading for even the most seasoned and intense of fights. How could they not be when most walked a line every day that crossed the border of reality and hell?

"I won't ask you again." Finally Debbie snapped out of her reverie and narrowed her eyes, ready for a fight if he was ready to give her one, "What, is your name and purpose."

The fact that the woman's wand rasied up on level of his chest and that question she asked him, made him start laughing even more. Suddenly he stopped and looked completely serious. "Why do you ask? Can't you laugh around here without being marked as a mad-man? I'm just being happy that's all," He said seriously. He didn't care about the threat that came from her wand. He knew what she could do and he knew he was going to be defensive if his words frightened her too much.

Dominic was having one of his good days. A day full of action... And fun! He started laughing again but he'd stopped walking towards her. She was too nervous and all he wanted right at that moment was to chat a little. And scare a little.

"Now.. Why would I give you my name and my purpose, when you haven't given mine yours? Oh! Is it because you really know I'm a mad-man. Well, then let's say I am a mad-man and that I know your name.. Debbie Branko. Branko's little wife you are. I also know that you two have a beautiful little baby-boy. Is that right, Debbie? Am I right again? Tell me... Have you ever seen the looks in a scared baby's eyes when a stranger comes taking it away from you? I don't think so, Debbie. I really don't think so," His voice was a sweet-sounding one and once his speech had ended, he tried once more. He took one step, prepared for anything.

A hot wave of anger flushed through Debbie's cheeks from Dominic's words. How dare he speak to her so familiarly! She tried to push down the distinct feeling of fear any normal person felt when something so close to them was exposed by a stranger. But of course he could know, everyone knew now she and Josef were married and had Kristof. That was no longer common knowledge and at the moment, Debbie wasn't ready to let it get to her.

On top of that, he had never met her son. Josef threatened thunder, blood and death while Kristof settled in his arms with the sunniest smile and giggles any baby could have. Still, she was furious he would bring something so private up to taunt the woman.

"I'm not sure." She finally answered in question, raising her wand a bit higher and cocking her head full of blond hair to the side, "Have you ever seen the pain in a fool's eyes who asks too many questions?" she spat in the wind. The moment Dominic made another step in her direction though was the last straw. Her wand snapped to the side and left a blackened burn in the ground just a few inches to the right of his foot. "Or ones that don't follow orders." she threatened further. He was testing her patience. Debbie wasn't known for her angelic temper any longer.

Dominic got quite a shock when the woman sent off a curse which hit only a few centimetres from his left foot. At first he stared down at it. Then up at Debbie. His smile was gone. "Hmm... Yes.. I've looked into a fool's eyes and I enjoyed watching them pop out when he died.. It was a tasteful event indeed.." He said thoughtfully. He didn't step forward anymore but his hand clutched the wand of his tightly. Because of the anger from the burn-mark. Dominic had thought it as an insult.

"Oh, and by the way. Maybe you think I ask too many questions. But it's only due to my own curiousity. You see, I've never really questioned anybody else. I just killed them without hesitation. I'd rather ask them how they'd want to die, but it seemed like they thought they wouldn't. So I put an end to their stupidity. And I know that even though you're one of the Alliance bastards, you aren't one of the ignorant ones. Take it as a compliment. Tell me... If I happen to want to kill you... How would you like to die then? I have loads of methods but right now I merely want to talk about it," Dominic wasn't silent for once. Even though he knew that this was maybe crossing the edge of the woman's temper he liked it. And if she'd get pissed he could just use his skills against hers.

"Tasteful? You really are a sick f--- aren't you?" She mused. Debbie rarely took the time to answer an obvious enemies questions or delay the inevitable, but as it stood she really didn't know her odds. She had no idea how many others could be surrounding her or watching, where her auror's had decidedly stepped off to. A mistake the two who were with her would be paying for dearly later. This wasn't the time for a smoke break.

Right now, it would be best to delay his intentions and find out as much information as he was willing to give her. Even if it was deliriously derranged. "Personally I have no intentions of dying, therefore any creative thoughts on the matter are currently unknown to me." Debbie's voice was contemplative yet taunting, a smile curving on the edges of her plump lips.

Despite what he had just said, she clearly wasn't going to stand here and accept talk of her own death that wouldn't be happening. This one didn't have a clue of who he was dealing with.

"This is very entertaining and all, but you seem to be dancing around my questions almost as well as I've danced around yours. And I daresay, I'm clearly at a knowedgable disadvantage." she quipped. "Let me guess, poor abused child? Daddy didn't love you enough? It's all the same story." Now she was getting defensive, her smirk turning into something far more malicious. If there was one thing she learned from her father, it was how to dish back verbal abuse. He was one of them after all.

"You have no thoughts of that? That's stupidity at it's best," Dominic answered, very amused by her silly thoughts. He knew that most people wouldn't even get the chance to turn 30 before dying in this world but he also knew that when you were strong then you'd be able to survive. Maybe the woman wasn't that lame.

"Ha! Yes, my father didn't didn't love me. I can't say loved him either. Actually.. I hope he's dead. Maybe I should've killed him back then?" He asked, now laughing out loud like she'd just told him one of the best jokes in the world. "I could cut him into small pieces, cook them and eat them? Or I could hang him up right here? Or just leave him to rotten up? Hmm... Tough questions, hm? Isn't it you not being loved quite enough? It's alwas the Alliance people. Their stories are more the same than the ones you're talking about. Poor poor Alliance and their pityful little slaves. Tell me.. What words of comfort do you say to your little men. 'soldiers'. Surely you must mourn them their death when you send them to us," He said playfully. He didn't care if she'd expected his answers to be what he'd said. He was playing his own game right now. And he very much liked it.

"You have no thoughts of that? That's stupidity at it's best,"

"Perhaps." Was Debbie's simple answer to such a simple statement. One that she would only allow to roll off her shoulders and ignored. "Perhaps I haven't found anyone worthy of giving me a glorious death yet. So far the uncreative maggots being sent haven't been able to strike my imagination." Debbie's eyes moved slowly around the shadowed man's face and back over his body. There was something decidedly elegant in his posture and stance.

It made her think of those old pure bloods who spent their time whiling away under Daquarius' orders and moaning about how unfair the world was. Really, if the muggles were the worst of their problems then Debbie felt she should have a hellacious existance.

The talk of his father though was what made Debbie's stomach churn. What kind of person could describe doing those sort of things to a human being, let alone your own father and feel okay about it? It made the woman's mouth twist into an unhappy frown of disgust. "Really, I think you're just pissed off that he never cared about your pitiful existance. Maybe you should have killed him. Either way, he's obviously fairing much better now." Her words were harsh but Debbie wasn't looking to be nice.

Silly words of turn over a new leaf or there's still time to save yourself!! never worked with his type. It just made them crazier, made them angry. Debbie gave them exactly what they were, their true self each time they looked into the mirror.

"And actually, handling soldier deaths isn't part of my department. My part is sending them out to exterminate the fodder Daquarius sends my way. Really, were you the best he could do? I'm unimpressed." she quipped. And Debbie had finally called him on it. Even though he had not given a name or purpose, Debbie knew his type. They attracted to the self proclaimed 'Dark Lord' like flies. Completely insane, disgustingly disturbing and licking at his heels like the whipped dogs they were. She could spot one from a mile away.

Judging by the nearly regal way he moved, Debbie could guess pure blood just as she assume earlier. It wasn't so hard to point it out. It all just made her wonder exactly how far up in the food chain he was. He must have been at some authority or Daquarius would have never sent him out to taunt her of all people. "So tell me, what's he up to now? Why send you to toss pretty words and empty threats knowing it would be useless?"

"A glorious death is not a death which the Alliance can claim," Dominic simply answered with a small laugh. He didn't know why, but this woman made him go all happy and at the same time very aggressive. He hadn't felt this aggressive for years but it felt good.
"And do you know what? You're absolutely right. I'm pissed, so I think I'm going to find him, kill him and send his rotten body to some family perhaps. you don't know how scared a pretty little girl can become when she sees a mutilated body lying on the ground in front of her front door. Especially not when the nasty smell reaches her nose. She'll be marked for life and I'll laugh at her misfortune,"

Dominic was about to start off other threats when Debbie broke off his starting sentence.
"And actually, handling soldier deaths isn't part of my department. My part is sending them out to exterminate the fodder Daquarius sends my way. Really, were you the best he could do? I'm unimpressed."

Dominic started laughing again. The best? He knew exactly how the Dark Lord sent out his executioners to do what they were told, and he didn't really know anyone else in the AOTS. But he was pretty sure he was one the best. "You are? You don't know how unimpressed I am of your presence, do you? I know your type. Thinking you affect me with your moral judgements and statements aren't going to change anything," He answered without emotions.

"So tell me, what's he up to now? Why send you to toss pretty words and empty threats knowing it would be useless?" Her voice then sounded. Dominic's laugh was now at the point of 'no return'. He wanted to prove to this woman that his threats weren't empty and that he was the best. He wanted to show her how unimportant she was and how important it was that she died even though she was unimportant. She was a commander after all.
"Why would I tell you what my lord is up to? It's no good for me," He said with a wide smile on his lips. He raised his wand and started to think of a good nasty curse when it simply popped up in his mind. He used it non-verbally and suddenly a purple light left his wand finiding it's way towards Debbie.

Despite her rigid posture and narrowed eyes, Debbie appeared very nearly bored. Those hazel depths were empty of emotion and her grin slightly slack with laziness. She was ignoring his words, letting them roll off of her and instead of countering them with more nastiness of her own degree, Debbie chose to let the subject pass on by.

There were times when she dealt with these types and processed all they said, only to toss back those quips given just as effectively. Yet there were times, if only to perserve her own fragile sanity, that Debbie couldn't bare to take in anything they said. Dominic was proving to be one of those types, but one that went above and beyond the call of duty. His mind was truly twisted, truly derranged and enjoying the images he produced with such colorful words.

She couldn't bare to give them any credit or any more depth than having to listen. "I am very sure you are highly unimpressed, friend. I suppose that's why you've traveled so very far out, seaking out a small little unimpressive girl with which to bide your time. I must be so very unimportant to waste your time on. Why, it's a shame you find me worthy enough to taunt." She was baiting him now. Being fully sarcastic and toying with his words. If he held no sense of impressiveness what so ever, he wouldn't be here. Daquarius wouldn't have sent such a person who thought they were the cream of the crop to dispose or threaten her if there wasn't some sense of urgency in the matter.

She knew, oh how well did she know. Daquarius had wanted her insides blackened and cooked on a silver platter for some time now. The hundreds of his best wizards and witches that she herself had placed within Azkaban's walls or sentenced to a fruitless death in the dirt.

Debbie signed those death warrants, Debbie organized the rogue bounty hunters and gave them the means and clues to track each and every one down. She knew all too well what that twisted old man had in store for her. A quick trip to hell that would last for eternity. Yet just as Dominic said exactly what she wanted to hear, Debbie's senses rang on high alert and her body seemed to act of it's own accord. A blinding white light filled the black surroundings of the area, countering the curse meant to devastate her organs.

"Like I said." she said breathily, her flowery pink lips curving into a taunting smile, "Why send a nobody to do what their own Head Executioner couldn't?" She laughed. Debbie laughed loudly, the piercing sound echoing in the breeze and ringing out over their head. She had played with Aduro, played with fire and lived to tell the tale. And lived to see him finally put out of his misery at the ends of her fingertips.

Daquarius' Head Executioner versus Branko's Head Auror, a battle to end all battles as they always did. Debbie had taken those times and learned, learned the way their eyes were empty and hallow all but for the maddness lurking inside. There was nothing but blood, chaos and blind following reflecting in their hearts, if they ever had one. They were mad, each and every one she had escorted to Azkahban. "I know what the depths of hell looks like, boy. And no one too afraid to show their face is going to intimidate me now."

Dominic became even more aggressive when Debbie started turning his own words against him. Yet he could still hear the sarcasm in her voice and he merely started grinning once more. "Yes, that's right. I haven't found out yet myself. Oh why would I be sent to you? Why would I be sent to a bloody Head Auror who is also Branko's little wife? I really don't know, Debbie," He said without feelings in his voice.

"Why send a nobody to do what their own Head Executioner couldn't?" He heard her say. This time he laughed loudly, almost causing his stomach to ache. That was the stupidest thing for her to say right at the very moment. "A nobody? What makes you think I'm a nobody?" He didn't wait for her to answer. He didn't care about her reaction to this.

What she then said maid Dominic want to show his face. He knew that there would be a chance for him to be hunted down. But then again; If he wasn't in this town after this little meeting, every single bounty hunter, soldier, or auror sent after after him would get a good chance to die. Golems weren't really easy to fight after all. With his wand, Dominic lifted the spell which hid a part of his face and took off his cloak. The wide smile was still on his lips and his eyes were fixed on Debbie's. "Little woman. I can tell you right now, I'm not just a nobody. A nobody wouldn't face your challenges," He said with true sadism in his voice. Now that his cloak was gone, a very well known sword was visible. Many had seen it before and died afterwards. An Euthanasia Blade wasn't to be miss-judged.

Debbie's eyes were slightly hollow. As she had expected, the man was fool enough to actually show his face, a fact she began memorizing immediately. The curve of his eyebrows, the color of his hair, even any little decearning mark was etched into Debbie's memory like a photograph. He might have been psychotic and a member of the Executioner Squad as she now saw, but even he had fallen on the small wits end.

She had never been stupid enough to send her best members out to die a needless death when hunting down those particular members. No, they were only to scout the location. Find them for her. Her eyes seemed to twinkle then, yet Debbie's face still void of a smile.

There was a predicament here. Where she had been attempting to send him into a rage, duel her or flee, Debbie had made a grave error in her calculations. If this one was indeed a member of the opposite of her own status, he carried that blade. She had no defense against it nor could she out maneuver a man. There was always something decidedly sobering about facing down an elite member of Daquarius' army that relied too heavily on muggle weaponry.

Yet that was why the petite woman was the Auror Commander and not just any run of the mill wizard. In status, she out-ranked the man standing before her. And in that regard was why Debbie had achieved that ranking; she could hold her own against the best.

Now she was faced with two options: apparate away and take the information she had back to Josef. The problem with that however, would be leaving him to this town. Would he hurt anyone? She doubted it, there were Auror's still posted throughout. Even one man wouldn't be full enough to take on a place where they were unsure of how many or where the enemies were. Second and the most likely option, would be to duel. Yet she prefered talking her way out of this one. There was something, something too animalistic about his actions that made her worry.

If he tried to approach, if he held her off enough to get in close or apparate, she wouldn't be able to take him down. Debbie didn't trust this one had any honor. Even Daquarius in all of his frightening persona bent to the old ways of dueling. But this one, this one was young. She could see the chaos in his eyes, she could see him ready to snap. And for that reason, she took another step back. "That's all quite interesting, but" she began, turning her body slightly to the side incase she needed to apparate, "You still haven't given me your name. You know mine, I'm a bit at a disadvantage don't you think?" She was buying for time now.

Dominic laughed at her question. Is was a request he would gladly accept, but sometimes doing such would just ruin one's chance of staying alive. "You really want my name? I have none. My name doesn't matter when people call me what they call me. And they tend to call me The Butcher. Of course, there are various other names but what makes you think I'll tell give you them?" He asked with a sick smile on his lips. The muscles around his hand was almost starting to react when a twisted plan came in view. He let the wand stay down and didn't attack.

"People also tend to ask why that's my name. You see, I like.... Butching people. Not that they voluntarily do it. They really scream, especially if you start off with their feet. I'm sure it's hurt quite a lot. Some of them die when you get to the stomach. Then again, there are tougher ones. But they always die. And I like when they die," He said with a grin. He started examining her face, trying to see if she was starting to get scared, but as always, it was pretty hard to do so.

Debbie was horrified, purely horrified at the things coming from this man's mouth. It all sounded like some cliche story from a myster novel. The sick killer talking about things that didn't sound so bad in a book but hearing them actually spoken, made her skin crawl. Debbie outwardly showed her disgust then, small bow of a mouth curving down into a deep frown that wrinkled her forehead.

What to do, what to do. That was the question of the hour now wasn't it?

She had never allowed herself to actually be intimidated by any of the filth crawling from Daquarius' cave but this one, this one was different. His mind disturbed her on a level she couldn't and didn't want to grasp. He un-nerved her, felt that he wouldn't fight fairly in a way she could handle. Debbie felt he realized full well her small frame wasn't capable of holding off someone like him if he came too close.

Her stomach twisted violently and somehow she felt the want to retch even though nothing had been so vile just yet. Her head was spinning and she was confused, it was too cold and his eyes too dark. They were horribly dark.

"I want you to leave this village." she finally said after finding her voice, proud that it was straight forward and unwavering. She hardened her eyes and glared at the man but stood her ground. Debbie had never given the offer for a dark wizard to leave, it was against her orders and against her code but something was wrong and she wasn't going to push it. Debbie didn't trust that this fight would come out in her favor, somehow she could feel that down to her veins.

Dominic wasn't really aware of how she reacted to his words. She didn't look afraid, but she had that too well-known expression of disgust, and he liked it. He didn't care whether it was disgust of him, his words, or something else. As long as she wasn't glad or pleased it was perfectly fine for him. He wanted her to feel bad, feel like noone would help her, wanted her to start crying like a little girl who'd just lost her mummy.

Her request made him laugh out loud. If she thought such a 'gesture' would make him, she'd been terribly wrong. His smile was somehow wider but he didn't get aggressive yet. "But why? I like it here? Only about four deaths per day? Usually it's many more!" He burst out, still laughing like a mad-man. Hopefully he'd provoce into attacking. Still he wouldn't be defensive for long.