“You’re obsessing over this stupid painting for nothing, Octavius,” his best mate warned him as the boy practiced his fencing.

KLING went the sound of rapiers slapping.

“I’m not obsessing over anything. The painting is important. I know it is. You-know-who had an interest in it and therefore …”

SHING.

“We have an interest in it. I understand that; the old fool had interests in a lot of things, but you never tell us what they are or why.” Adam hinted at his fellow Death Stalker‘s distaste with the whole enterprise.

GRING.

“All you need to know is that I want it because he wanted it or perhaps he once had it. It may contain powerful magic or it might be something more … important,” Octavius alluded, smirking, as if he knew something he didn’t want anyone else to know.

“You mean like a horcrux or something?” Octavius' friend threw out.

Octavius did not lose his cool; he pretended not to know what his friend was talking about and continued with the fight. The poor house elf he was battling was losing badly, because he had not the advantage of either size or position, being that he served his master and to beat him in a fight would have meant a flogging or worse.

No one could be trusted, Octavius thought, not even his best mate and how the devil had that little secret been leaked out? Or had it been leaked? Knowing a word and knowing the true definition of the word were entirely different things.

SHING. The house elf’s sword went flying in the air and Octavius kicked the poor creature in the chest knocking him down, then put his foot at his throat and the point of the rapier at his heart.

“Horux? What are you talking about?” Octavius feigned ignorance as he turned to eye his friend.

“Horus, the Egyptian god,” the boy feigned as well.

If Octavius was going to play the fool he would play an even bigger one. Still, Adam knew now that his friend Octavius would be more cautious now for his slip.

♥

‘Life was funny’ so the saying went that Ottery constantly threw at them. What wasn’t funny was Seamus and Dean standing in the Cairo safe house and finding it completely abandoned. No traces of anything except paper and scorched spell marks all over the walls as if a battle had taken place there.

“This can’t be good, mate,” Seamus said.

“Tell me about it,” Dean added.

“Cluck, Pa Kaaaaaaaaw!” Clucky, the plucky hen said.

“Seriously Seamus, did we have to … ?” Dean asked sighing. He didn’t finish the sentence watching his friend dropping some feed on the ground for Clucky. Dean had drawn the line at Lenin the pig. He was not going to bring the whole animal farm.

♥

Of course you are missed when you're not here Xavier,

Ally, I'm glad you liked them ... here's some suspense for you and I'll be back with even more suspense later or some romance ... I haven't decided yet.

Connie it's not supposed to be sad ... it's supposed to be funny

Kellybear everything I do is epic ... My baby is epic.

dangrlforever I love your siggy and strawberry ice cream is love ♥ as cold as it is, I could go for some now *sighs* I'm glad you lurved it. More laterz promise.

REQUEST: Could someone PLEASE go vote on Human Nature ... I don't care if you read it, get a friend to vote pay your little brother to get an account just so he can vote. IDC. It's just that it's been at 19 votes since forever and it's bugging the carp out of me. Please, please, please? I hate to think I couldn't even break 20 I know, I'm sad ... but it really bothers me ...