A low cats mew gently graced his ear, his footsteps barely audible against the cobblestone street as Algernon walked slowly down the alleyway's vermiculated road. He was dressed in a long, hole riddled cloak which waved easily with his every step, the fabric's hood resting over his white hair as an alabaster mask, depicting a stoic human face rested atop his face, hiding his features effectively.

He had come to Knockturn alley for a reason; information given to him from an unnamed individual had lead him to believe that his search for the Neo Death Eaters would have some merit here. It wasn't a positively accurate piece of information, but it would have to do for now. It was all he had, after all.

The streets of this particular alley were milling with the darker beings of the Wizarding World, and though he felt as if he blended in well, an odd feeling of uncertainty also crept up his spine. Though there was nothing to fear in terms of his life being endangered, he hadn't had human contact for some time. It was as if he was a child again, forced to give a speech for his peers at Hogwarts. It made him feel uneasy, and it was a very human part of him which wormed it's way to the surface of his psyche. To reassure himself, he reached within the confines of his robes and griped his wand tightly with a vice like grip.

You still remember that feeling, don't you Joseph?

Keep quiet Algernon.

"Do you have any change to spare?" A phlegm filled cough penetrated his paranoia insinuated bubble as he beheld the man which had torn his attention away from his own thoughts. He looked down at the man from beneath his disguise with pity, and disgust. "No, leave me be." The homeless man's facial expression twisted into a frown as he halfheartedly walked away from Algernon. He didn't have money to spare anyways, material things were useless to him anymore.

Ignoring the incident, he neared the corner of a small building before halting his pace, and resting his backside against the store's cracked stone walls. He was sure his acquaintance would revel themselves soon enough, and when the moment presented itself to him, he would make himself known to his, or their presence. There was no need to be hasty, good things did come with time.

"Now the waiting game begins."

Riath stood for a moment at the entrance to knockturn alley. He was no longer afraid of this place, or its inhabitants. As long as he didnt go looking for a fight, he had no reason to worry. He could vaguely recall his fear of the dark arts when he was younger, but those days were over. He had abandoned that fear close to the end of this fifth year. Now the dark arts were just another aspect of magic he wished to know about.

Stepping quietly through the street, he glanced all around him. He took into notice all of the shady people here, and all of the shops, displaying more unfavorable merchandise. Although he was no longer afraid, a slight chill of apprehension ran down his spine, and he gripped his wand in his pocket reassuringly.

Dressed in a pair of blue-jeans, and a white long sleeve tee-shirt, he looked oddly out of place among the crowd of wizards and witches that occupied the streets dressed mainly in cloaks and robes. More then a few people stopped to glance at him questioningly.

'what are you looking for?' He asked himself quietly, even though he knew he was just browsing. He couldnt blame the people who avoided this part of the alley, most of the things here for sale were either grim, or grisly, or dangerous.

Riath looked up watching a man ask another for any change, and saw how the one man openly and a bit harshly denied the other. Riath reached into his pockets and pulled out two Galleons, and hurried forward.

"Excuse me, sir?" He approached the homeless man who was previously denied spare change. "Here you are, This should by you some food." And he handed him the two Galleons, and smiled as he saw the man's face turn to a grateful smile, and welcomed him for his thanks.

Riath paused for a moment, then turned to the other who was resting his back on the wall.

"Was it really that big of a deal to give the man some spare change so he can eat for the day?" Riath asked him in a low voice.

Wearily, Algernon turned to face the young boy which questioned him in a discourteous manner. "He will survive. I didn't act, and you did in my place." Reading the boy with his unanimated eyes, a smirk slithered it's way upon his lips, exposing his chromatic teeth. It still felt peculiar to speak to a human, besides the young vampiric girl, it had been all too long. It sent a numbing sensation up his spine and made him shake apprehensively.

There is something else, standing in this boys place. He hungers for something more. Take him.

"Brace yourself, something is among us." Lifting his head tiredly, he peered off defiantly into the distance. Then, there in the background, he saw it, a short man harboring a gray outfit hastily made his way towards Algernon and his new found company. "Move." He spoke sharply to the boy, his hand quickly rocketing to the side as he poured a small amount of telekinetic energy into his swipe. It would most likely force the boy to be thrown backwards by the invisible force, and give Algernon the layaway towards the quarry which steadfastly approached the two of them.

Tardily, he then walked forward, a limp slightly visible in his step, his hand reaching into the confines of his robes. Then, he quickly drew out his wand, raising the pinnacle point of the wooden device towards their pursuer, his lifeless iris' watching as the quickly approaching man now spoke.

"Woodsman, you have sinned too long to escape unharmed, surrender now. I am not alone, you will be punished." The person spoke, causing a small crowd of people within Knockturn Alley to turn and look curiously at what he was screaming about.

Seemingly disregarding the mans warnings completely, and without uttering a word, a torrent of fire abruptly erupted violently from the cement ground before his quarry, it would most likely do no damage, but would impede his immediate path towards himself long enough for Algernon to reattain his grip on the current situation.

"Wait for me boy, I am not finished with you child." Keeping focused before him, on the man behind the pillars of superheated flames, he then quickly turned his attention to his rear as the visage of yet another wizard apparated into his eye shot. This one was much shorter, dressed in a nondescript brown business suit, his small wand already raised into the air, pointed at Algernon. He knew what was to come next, but he couldn't react fast enough to incapacitate him, he would have to go on the defensive.

"Stupefy" The spell echoed from his attacker's lips, a lambent white light forming at the tip of his wand as it was then ushered out forwards towards Algernon.

"Enough, I will no longer listen to the babbling of ignorant children." Swishing his wand forcefully to his right, invisible tendrils of magic pulled a nearby item stand almost immediately in front of himself, causing the Stupefy spell to slam into the wooden stands surface. Splinters of wood fell from a small hole the spell had made on contact, and dropped to the ground below.

Time to react.

Gritting his yellow teeth, he then raised his wand in response to them man's Stupefy spell, and countered with his own. Without uttering a single incantation, a lambent green energy emitted from the ancient wizard's wand, churning violently from it's wooden tip in a spiraling line before slamming directly into the wizard's chest, his body responding by instantly dropping dead onto the pavement below. He was breathing heavily, and anxiously looked around at the people which had witnessed what he had done. It would only be too soon until someone would react to his accursed spell, there was no time to stand around and wait for anything.

"We have to get out of here young one, you may be confused as you only asked me a simple question, but I am in need of you." Already people were coming out from their stores, looking to see what the commotion was as the pillar of flame which formerly held the other man at bay, dissipated into the air.

Taking a deep breath, Algernon's hand darted to the side, coiling their thin fingers around the boy's hand before vanishing in a collage of debris which lay dormant upon the street below.

"Brace yourself, something is among us."

The words hit Riath before he could respond to the man's comment. "wha..." before Riath could finish the word, he felt a shoving sensation against his entire body, and fell backwards onto the ground.

Looking upwards briefly, he watched two men approach his company. Riath felt his hand dive into his pocket to grab his wand and scrambled to his feet. He raised his wand, but hesitated. The man was obviously experienced, and had control as he waged battle with his attackers. All Riath could do was watch as he killed the other wizard with a jet of the deadly green light. the death curse.

Riath lowered his wand just slightly as the other turned his attention to him. What was he talking about? He was in need of him? questions exploded into Riath's mind. Still, something in the back of this mind told him to be patient. Answers would come. And he was in no immediate danger. He knew that was confirmed as a hand grabbed his hand, and they disappeared.

The cloudburst dissolved into the surrounding air as a haze of black mist, exposing Algernon and Riath to their new environment. They emerged within the center of a large room, composed of bedraggled wood. Various furniture lined the surface of the walls, chairs, tables and trinkets alike. It was desolate, and not a soul lingered within the structure.

"Forgive me for the surprise earlier." Algernon's voice, muffled from beneath the alabaster mask upon his face echoed throughout the immense room. "This room holds a lot of memories." Re sheathing his wand at his side, beneath the fabric of his dark robes, he began to pace back and forth, his heavy footsteps sounding as he did so. "This is a retreat I used, long ago when I ventured into this more... Populated realm."

Raising his arm, he placed his pointer finger, and thumb within the eye holes of his mask and drew it off from his head slowly, placing it on a nearby table, caked with dust. He new exposed his facial features towards his new accomplice, his long, white hair flowing outwards down his back as he also removed his hood soon after his mask.

"My name is Algernon. The reason I have taken you with me may seem cloudy to yourself at first. But I assure you it is all for your benefit." Walking forward, he seated himself down on one of the numerous chairs which lined the room's walls. "I saw something in you, not just today, but from my home in the woods outside of your school. It echoes from beneath your skin. You hunger for more than they teach you at Hogwarts... Don't you, Riath?" Gripping the arm rests of the chair in which he sat, he gesticulated before him towards yet another chair. "Have a seat."

"Normally, I was disregard most things, but there is something else lurking within you. It is an ambition, something I had in abundance in my youth. Right now Riath, you are weak, nothing more than a fragile being, I can show you so much more if you would listen."

Riath blinked rapidly, shrugging off the slight dizziness and looked around, observing his new surroundings. Where was this place? And why did he bring him here?

Cautiously, Riath lowered his wand, and stowed it away once more in his pocket. Looking up as the man removed the white mask, and revealed his face to him, Riath couldnt help but notice there was something dark, almost sickly in the stranger's appearance, the stranger who called himself Algernon.

"What is this?" Riath asked slowly. "Where are we? Who are you? Have you been watching me?" He could no longer hide his questions. Although they may seem rude, he could not help himself. He had to know what was going on. "Who were those men?"

Images of what had happened flashed through his mind. Algernon had killed someone. Right in the middle of a crowded street. That alone was enough to earn him a life sentence in Azkaban. But strangely, Algernon seemed not to even care or be bothered by it.

"Look, i appreciate you pulling me out of there, but, this is all a little out of my league. How did you know so much about me? Who are you?" Then it dawned on him. "You...your that man, in the woods, the forbidden forest. I heard some of the older kids talking about you, when i was still a first year, but i thought they were just stories to scare me..." His voice faded slightly. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, Riath took a seat in an empty chair.

"Oh, they talk about me, do they? I wasn't aware I even existed to the outside world.." Staying seated, Algernon's lifeless pits continued to stay focused upon Riath. "This Riath, is my home.. My old home." Nostalgically, he looked around again, letting his surroundings sink into his mind, remembering the memories which this house held. It was too many too count, and some were darker than others. "It has been boarded up, and forgotten, like everything else I held dear... Including myself."

Licking his lips slightly, his grip among the chair remained unwavering. "I need you Riath, you're a student, still young, and so much full of life." Pointing in his direction with his wand, gesticulating towards him as he spoke, he stood from his chair and began to pace yet again, back and forth before the chair which Riath was seated. "You thirst for knowledge, yes? I can give you that knowledge Riath, I hold many answers. I can teach you to become more than just a wizard from Hogwarts. But not without cost."

He coughed within the back of his hand, and batted away a few protesting particles of dust. "I need you to do something for me. I need you to speak to the headmaster with me. Do what you can to get the headmaster's attention, but know this. Do not reveal me to him, you will act as my messenger."

Reaching forth in mid air, seemingly grabbing for nothing, a letter, sitting idly upon an oaken table a few feet away from Algernon's empty palm suddenly flew forward, until it was in his grasp. "Give this letter to him, do not betray me or the consequences will be harsh. Do as I say, and you will be rewarded. I will give you what you thirst for."

"There is a dark group, formed. Their intention alludes me for now, but I can say for certain that their motives endanger Hogwarts. That is precisely what is in this note." Slowly walking forward, he placed the paper into Riath's lap. "Now go to class, and I will call upon you after you have done what I say. I have other matters to attend to. For now."

"Do not let this letter leave your possession, or I fear that I will be targeted, as well as you, and all you hold dear."