Mysteries: Death Chamber

[sweetpinkpixie]

A bit like an amphitheatre, the Death Chamber is rectangular, symmetrical and stone. The immediate walking surface is actually the first step of many toward the sunken center of the room. In keeping with the Greco-Roman arrangement of the space, marble is used throughout including the dais at the center of the sunken space upon which sits an old looking arch that looks as if it could crumble at any moment. Hanging loosely from the arch is a veil tattered and so worn that it's black colour appeared shades of bone, green and blue at times. Voices of those passed into the great beyond can sometimes be heard in faint whispers by those to whom they were close in their corruptible states....but impossible to properly converse with.

For a room that boasts such a grim field of study, there are actually not a great deal of things in the sparsely decorated room that could cause severe damage to a person. There is only one but it happens to be one that no one comes back from.

[sweetpinkpixie]

Huffing and puffing but lacking any real lung capacity to to blow anything down, Airey patted his enchanted breast pocket urgently and pulled at the seam to peek inside. His movements were jagged and his arm terribly, taking him entirely too long to manage to slip his fingers into the pocket and then his entire hand. Even more clumsily still, his hand swatted around until it felt the small phial Jane had given him last year and by some miracle (he still did not believe in those!) he had managed to fight off the influence to pour it out. If there was one thing he had done right these past years, it was in sparing this elixir and not giving in to the barbaric methods of these people while they had him trapped in that mirror prison.

Sweet SOLSTICE being able to think as himself was liberating!

Nearly dropping the phial in his attempt to uncork it, Airey pressed the rim to his lips and drowned its entire contents into his mouth. It was not the most pleasant of flavors, but he had hardly expected otherwise considering the potency this brew promised. The bags under his eyes lightened slightly and his skin almost seemed to liven up as well, less worn and dry, and as the department head looked at his hand...it too began to still. Limbs feeling deceptively limber, Airey was able to push himself up from the ground - though not without a bit of additional support in a hand on Adam's shoulder for balance. This was the first time since he had been taken that...he was standing by his own accord and it was truly foreign.

"...I need...to get to Hogwarts..." he said decidedly, his vibrant and clear blue eyes focused on both Unspeakbles. "One of you...find Jane. Tell her her solution works and that...when all this is over...I would like to have a chat with her." There simply was NO time to go into all the details with both of them at the moment. "Alphonsine...she must be incapacitated at the moment. Struck by potent magic I imagine. Simone and her are working together. There was another but they killed him...I..." He paused to rub his forehead a bit, the memories both foggy and clear as day at the same time. It was harder to piece things together while trapped in that mirror prison and kept in that man's pocket. The man who had polyjuiced as him before Alphonsine had placed him under the Imperius Curse. "I'll explain it all later. There is no time now. What you must know is that they, the Neo Alliance, have the Elder Wand. They took it from the Chamber of Codes..." He paused again and glanced apologetically at Mr. Truebridge, at David. He...would explain all this to the boy later as well. What he could recall, at least. "They have to be stopped. Get the entire department on red alert. Lock down all research. Make sure nothing else is missing."

If they got their hands on that book...they would be in even worse shape...

He glanced at his sundial watch and then at the exit to the Chamber.

"Live long and prosper and Heghlu'meH QaQ jajvam."

And then the department head was on the move, leaving the Chamber to alert any Unspeakable that he met along the way that they were on red alert.

Hogwarts...he had to get to Hogwarts...

[Krel Ansell]

Go....find....Jane.

Ha! He was joking right?

Adam's head swiveled blindly between Airey and David for a moment as if trying to decide if Airey had lost his mind.

He still wasn't sure if Airey had all his faculties, especially considering the gibberish he was spouting as he yanked on Adam's shoulder. But before Adam could decided, Airey was hurrying out of the door like he hadn't just lost his mind and collapsed. Blue eyes stared unseeingly after Airey before they turned towards David. "I zink," he said having decided that whatever was going on, it was likely important. He didn't need to fully understand all of what had been said it all to sense it's importance. "You schould go find Chane." Because of the two of them, David was more likely to find the woman. Adam was more likely to kill himself trying by walking into a wall or falling down a lift. Beside, as the senior Unspeakable here, Adam knew the Department of Mysteries pretty well. He might have faced death here more than once, but at least he knew his way around.

He started out of the Death Chamber, planning on heading to the Time Chamber next. Best to make sure all the time turners were in their places. His last stop would be the entry chamber, hopefully with a few more unspeakables in tow to help make sure no one came in or out.

[MadAlice]

Jane had gone to Hogwarts, arriving at the end of the battle, found her former pupil and made sure of her safety, and, surprisingly, had a fairly civil conversation with her erstwhile employer, Ignatius Blackthorne. She did what little she could there, and then had returned to the Ministry.

Now she was here in the Death Chamber, because she had one last thing to do. She had been here a year, but never yet ventured onto the platform and stood next to the notorious curtain. She'd been afraid of what, or who, she might hear.

Now she sat there right next to it, just close enough. From her small bag, she took a thermos of tea, which she poured into a small, collapsible teacup. She raised it toward the curtain in a salute, took a sip, then leaned in toward the curtain, listening intently to the soft noises, like whisperings, that came from beyond. If you listened very closely, you might hear her murmur, "Doctor?...Are you there somewhere?...you wouldn't believe what's been going on....."

[Helios Sunrider]

Tap. Tap tap. Tap tap tap.

"Wow! I've heard the stories, but...Wow!"

Stepping into the dim light was a younger wizard with a simple wooden cane that he kept close to his right. Adjusting his glasses, Damian noticed someone down near the veil. The card in his pocket was Death reveresed.

Tap

"Hi!"

Tap

"I'm.."

Tap

"Damian.."

Tap

"Nice to...meet you.." Damian teetered at a step nearly halfway down, balancing on his good foot, while his cane hovered above the next step down.

Tap. "The acoustics in here are amazing!" Finding purchase on the next step, he gestured with his arms open wide. So stricken with this legendary place, Damian was unaware that Jane may have been trying to speak with someone.

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

Stepping into the dim light was a younger wizard with a simple wooden cane that he kept close to his right. Adjusting his glasses, Damian noticed someone down near the veil. The card in his pocket was Death reveresed.

Tap

"Hi!"

Tap

"I'm.."

Tap

"Damian.."

Tap

"Nice to...meet you.." Damian teetered at a step nearly halfway down, balancing on his good foot, while his cane hovered above the next step down.

Tap. "The acoustics in here are amazing!" Finding purchase on the next step, he gestured with his arms open wide. So stricken with this legendary place, Damian was unaware that Jane may have been trying to speak with someone.

Jane had been lost in the sea of whispers and impressions coming from the Veil, when suddenly she was interrupted by the unexpected arrival of a young man--well, not terribly young, but after Dr. Nykto, anyone would seem young; why, Nero had made Jane herself feel almost girlish at times!

Peering through the dim light, she noticed the man--Damian, had he said his name was?--walked with a cane. "Be careful," she called out, "the steps are narrower as you reach the bottom." She straightened up to watch his downward progress, ready to spring up should he take a tumble, because he seemed to be so caught up in the acoustics of the room, as he called them, that he might not be paying enough attention to where he was going.

[Helios Sunrider]

"Ha!" Tap

"Imagine me breaking my neck when I finally made it here." Tap tap

Irony almost caught him when Damian staggered down the last couple steps, leaving the thirty five year old to gather himself in front of the older woman. With a grin, he momentarily tipped his glasses a little further down his nose, so he could take a look at Jane with his blue eyes before pushing them back, wondering if she would have really tried to catch him if he fell. "I charmed and bought my way into every haunted house, every cursed, forbidden place on Earth. But the chamber of Death at the Ministry of Magic? I had to work hard, very hard, to get here."

After smoothing out the expensive looking robes that he obviously looked uncomfortable in, Damian extended his left hand, palm turned slightly upwards. "I'm sorry, Ms. Howard. I'm Damian Pendragon. The new, uh, mortemist." His family name was one of legend, but he much preferred to be known for his own successes.

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

Irony almost caught him when Damian staggered down the last couple steps, leaving the thirty five year old to gather himself in front of the older woman. With a grin, he momentarily tipped his glasses a little further down his nose, so he could take a look at Jane with his blue eyes before pushing them back, wondering if she would have really tried to catch him if he fell. "I charmed and bought my way into every haunted house, every cursed, forbidden place on Earth. But the chamber of Death at the Ministry of Magic? I had to work hard, very hard, to get here."

After smoothing out the expensive looking robes that he obviously looked uncomfortable in, Damian extended his left hand, palm turned slightly upwards. "I'm sorry, Ms. Howard. I'm Damian Pendragon. The new, uh, mortemist." ...

Even after her warning, the strange man nearly stumbled down the stairs and Jane nearly put out an arm to catch him, but fortunately he managed to straighten himself out on his own. Jane really didn't want to keep reverting back to habits picked up while serving as governess to a heedless young girl, not here in the Ministry where she was finally re-establishing herself as an alchemist.

She briskly reached out a hand to take the one he proferred to her and gave it one firm (but not too firm) shake, and then his words penetrated her brain. The new mortemist...so he was Dr. Nykto's replacement. Of course there would be one. But having just been thinking about Nero, she could not help but be struck by the contrast between her former colleague and this new, slightly younger man.

"I suppose everyone in the Department of Mysteries has worked hard to get here. I felt it was rather a dream job when I got my letter of offer." Only two years ago it was, too--somehow it seemed much longer, but then, a lot had happened.

[Helios Sunrider]

"Dream job?" Damian said, a brow slightly arched. "I never dreamed of work. I was a musician." He added, his eyes looking past Jane to the room around them. She looked professional through and through, and the former rock star knew he had a lot to learn about the life of a bureaucrat.

"I get it though.." Taking a couple steps closer to the veil, his left hand giving a small wave, brushing away any thoughts of his past. "This is a very cool gig, eh? MLE? Bunch of cops. But, Mysteries? We're like the secret agents of the ministry. Death, love, space, time. All the big, abstract stuff, beyond the scope of the average witch or wizard."

Taking another step forward, Damian pivoted on his cane, turning to face Jane once more. "And you! Order of the Phoenix, huh?" He punctuated this by pointing a finger at her, thumb up. "You're like Jane Bond. Coolest of the cool. That has to be pretty awesome, right?"

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

"Dream job?" Damian said, a brow slightly arched. "I never dreamed of work. I was a musician."

"I get it though.." Taking a couple steps closer to the veil, his left hand giving a small wave, brushing away any thoughts of his past. "This is a very cool gig, eh? MLE? Bunch of cops. But, Mysteries? We're like the secret agents of the ministry. Death, love, space, time. All the big, abstract stuff, beyond the scope of the average witch or wizard."

Taking another step forward, Damian pivoted on his cane, turning to face Jane once more. "And you! Order of the Phoenix, huh?" He punctuated this by pointing a finger at her, thumb up. "You're like Jane Bond. Coolest of the cool. That has to be pretty awesome, right?"

Jane just stood still staring at this man--she did not quite know what to make of him. Yet. But...a musician? She wondered why he had stopped, and what he was doing working here as a mortemist. As she wondered this, her attention was caught by the words Order of the Phoenix and was taken aback. She had not realized her involvement in that group--or anyone's involvement, for that matter--was public now, and she was not sure this was a good thing. And Jane Howard thought herself capable of many things, many of them quite wonderful, but being 'cool' had never been one of them. "I'm not sure how 'cool' I am. What I mainly am is an alchemist."

She decided to turn the topic of conversation back onto her new colleague. She wanted to ask what sort of musical instrument he had played and why he gave that up, but her instinct, which she had learned to listen to, warned her away from that subject, at least just yet. So she focused on work, and a question that she had always wanted to ask Dr. Nykto--"And now you're a mortemist? What exactly does that involve, anyway? I've always wanted to know."

[Helios Sunrider]

Jane was cool to him. Ice cold even. Not a smile or laugh at his charming humor. Dropping his finger gun, Damian relented. And now she was asking about his job? Was she just testing him to see if he knew the duties his job entailed?

"Mortemist? Yeah? Kind of like your job, but the opposite. Killing curses, ghosts, dementors. If it involves death, it's under my purview." Cracks were beginning to show in his demeanor. Leaning his back against the dais, Damian rubbed one of his eyes with a knuckle. "Ugh..There is supposed to be a balance between life and death, but the war really tipped things in my direction."

Letting his cane stand on it's own as he rested against the dais, Damian adjusted his glasses before speaking again. "By day, I've been drowning in paper work. And, at night, I'm chasing ghosts throughout the United Kingdom. Ghosts, poltergeists, phantasms...They're at their highest point in over a hundred years. So many spirits crossing over, let some slip back the other way." Allowing himself to let a small sigh slip out, the man took back hold of his cane, standing fully upright once again.

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

"Mortemist? Yeah? Kind of like your job, but the opposite. Killing curses, ghosts, dementors. If it involves death, it's under my purview."

Like her job? Jane wondered if he really knew what that was. Then again, few people did who were not involved in the Work.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

Cracks were beginning to show in his demeanor. Leaning his back against the dais, Damian rubbed one of his eyes with a knuckle. "Ugh..There is supposed to be a balance between life and death, but the war really tipped things in my direction... So many spirits crossing over, let some slip back the other way." Allowing himself to let a small sigh slip out, the man took back hold of his cane, standing fully upright once again.

Jane nodded sympathetically. Many had been stressed by recent events, herself included. And though he seemed to be trying to hide it, this man was obviously hurt by them in some way. "Yes, the war and the events leading up to it disturbed the balance of a great many things. Even the elements themselves showed signs of disorder." She thought again of the sinking feeling of horror she'd felt the first time she saw that manifesting in her experiments.

"Well, this is pretty much our domain," she went on, sweeping her arm around the room and ending by gesturing toward the dias with its Veil. The...atmosphere here can be rather disturbing if you spend too much time in it, but, though it can seem mysterious at first, there is a great deal you can learn about life and death once you learn to quiet yourself and...listen, as it were." Not really listening, though, more like perceiving, with all your senses at once.

[Helios Sunrider]

Damian had something witty to say at his disposal, but when he opened his mouth, no sound came out. Instead, he took Jane's advice, and listened for once. "Ah." His blue eyes fell closed, letting a hush fall over the chamber.

Not hearing any particular voice, but a chorus of the dead, the indistinct whispers of those who passed beyond. Could Jane hear this? Was he actually hearing this? With a small gasp, Damian's eyes shot back open, looking to the woman in front of him. "That!...That was a little intense.."

Taking a step away from the dais, Damian gathered himself, finding his smile again. "I'm used to dealing with unruly spirits, and deadly curses and creatures. There's a peace, a balance, here. It's a new era, and maybe we should stop treating life and death like opposite ends of a coin. Even the other chambers on this level. We could all learn a thing or two from each other." Metaphorically, he could see the strings connecting everything. A mysterious symphony waiting to be composed.

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

With a small gasp, Damian's eyes shot back open, looking to the woman in front of him. "That!...That was a little intense.."

Taking a step away from the dais, Damian gathered himself, finding his smile again. "I'm used to dealing with unruly spirits, and deadly curses and creatures. There's a peace, a balance, here. It's a new era, and maybe we should stop treating life and death like opposite ends of a coin. Even the other chambers on this level. We could all learn a thing or two from each other." Metaphorically, he could see the strings connecting everything. A mysterious symphony waiting to be composed.

Jane smiled as she watched the man's reaction to the Chamber, once he finally stopped talking, that is. And his remarks--now he was showing signs of sense and understanding; it was even rather poetic. She rather thought he would work out after all.

"Yes, the Chamber can get a bit intense--most people limit the amount of time they spend here for just that reason. But there really is no better place to get a sense of what's really real, what's important." Jane stopped a moment to get a final sense of the Chamber. She had wondered, and was still wondering, if trying to work here in a more regular fashion would be a mistake.

"And it's true, the different areas of the Department tend to keep to themselves. Some of them discourage visitors, though one can usually arrange to visit. The Love Chamber, for example, has areas for brewing which I've been using up until now. Now that's a very interesting atmosphere."

[Helios Sunrider]

"The Love Chamber, Ms. Howard? But we just met." Even his weak jokes, Damian delivered with a similar gusto. "Love is the one magic more powerful than death. I've experienced it a few times myself, but they say you can't tame a wild thestral." With a hand over his heart, the other was out stretched at his side. And with her attention on his heart, a card appeared in the hand out to his side with a snap.

"Death Reversed. The war might be over, but there is something stopping us from really moving forward." Damian said, holding the card out to Jane between two fingers. "I, uh, started messing with the cards as a fun party trick back in my more care free days. Now they seem a bit more serious." Cartomancy wasn't a very precise or reliable magic, but it sure could send a message.

Letting the cards slip down his sleeve, Damian paused, giving Jane a moment to speak her mind.

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

"The Love Chamber, Ms. Howard? But we just met." Even his weak jokes, Damian delivered with a similar gusto. "Love is the one magic more powerful than death. I've experienced it a few times myself, but they say you can't tame a wild thestral." With a hand over his heart, the other was out stretched at his side. And with her attention on his heart, a card appeared in the hand out to his side with a snap.

Jane winced inwardly at Damian's joke about the Love Chamber--she really hoped he was not going to be doing this all the time. She only mentioned the Love Chamber in case he needed a workspace, so he wouldn't have to waste as much time as she had doing so. And she was not looking at his heart, but into his eyes, trying to gauge how serious he actually was.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

"Death Reversed. The war might be over, but there is something stopping us from really moving forward." Damian said, holding the card out to Jane between two fingers. "I, uh, started messing with the cards as a fun party trick back in my more care free days. Now they seem a bit more serious."...

Jane looked down at the proferred card and frowned slightly. Tarot cards! Jane had never been much for Divination, and the Tarot had always seemed to her a sort of glorified parlour trick--even more so when delivered in the flamboyant manner her new colleague was attempting. Then she thought of Nero and his mysterious pronouncements, and decided that it must be her fate in this place to function as the unwilling straight man to her colleagues.

So, then, she would be straight with him. "I don't believe the war is really over, Mr. Pendragon."

[Helios Sunrider]

"Right.." Straightening up a bit, the card disappeared from his hand before speaking again. "Right. I never took much stock in soothsaying or prognostication, but reactions to the cards can be telling.." Damian said, sort of trailing off at the end. He was feeling a little embarrassed now.

"It was never going to be that easy, was it?" He said in a softer voice, while also gripping his cane a little tighter. "They infiltrated the ministry at every level. I guess we don't know how many more of them are out there still." Damian wasn't one for subtlety or subterfuge.

"Are there any leads? We've already lost so much already." Meeting Jane's gaze, he was now trying to show that he wasn't some goofy young punk like he used to be. As much as he liked to have fun, he wanted to be taken seriously for once in his life.

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

"It was never going to be that easy, was it?" He said in a softer voice, while also gripping his cane a little tighter. "They infiltrated the ministry at every level. I guess we don't know how many more of them are out there still." Damian wasn't one for subtlety or subterfuge.

"Are there any leads? We've already lost so much already."

Jane lowered her voice instinctively as well. "I don't really know that much about what's been going on in the Ministry, post-war, she began. "But there are some disturbing reports...I studied and worked in Europe in the past, and I've had some messages from my old colleagues indicating that the Neo-Alliance influence has spread beyond Great Britain. I've been wondering if I should try to go over there to check on some things...but I have obligations here, too."

[Helios Sunrider]

"Hm.." There was a brief pause as Damian considered his future climb back up the stairs. "Go where you feel you can do the most good." He said warmly, devoid of his usual bombast. "The Neo Alliance has a home wherever hate can be found in someone's heart."

Tap

The unspeakable began his slow ascent. "I'm sure InCo (International Cooperation), and Transportation will give you whatever clearances, and portkeys, you might need."

Tap tap

Looking back at Jane, he didn't really know what he was getting himself into. "Unless you are trying to do something a little more clandestine.."

[MadAlice]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Helios Sunrider

Tap

The unspeakable began his slow ascent. "I'm sure InCo (International Cooperation), and Transportation will give you whatever clearances, and portkeys, you might need."

Tap tap

Looking back at Jane, he didn't really know what he was getting himself into. "Unless you are trying to do something a little more clandestine.."

Jane watched her new colleague as he slowly made his way up all those stairs. Really, there must be some magical way to deal with that--working here was going to be very troublesome for him otherwise. Though the use of magic in the Death Chamber was always problematic--one didn't know what forces might be disturbed by an unwise spell.

And...Clandestine? Jane was not sure yet if she was ready for something like that, and it had occurred to her that perhaps Gerda's absence might be a clandestine move on the part of her old mentor, one which Jane would not want to draw attention to. She would gather information first, and then decide. Still...she was rather pleased that Damian thought her capable of clandestine activities; she'd been getting the impression that he thought her rigid and conventional. Which she liked to think she was not, however conservative her outward appearance might be.

"Thanks. And good luck with your work here," she called after him, feeling she ought to put in an encouraging word, now that she was the 'old hand' and not the novice. Though she'd only been here two years and didn't feel much like a senior colleague.

Jane was still not sure of how the pecking order in the Dept. worked. Except for the fact that Airey Flamsteed was the head of it and therefore their boss, everyone seemed to be working on their own as they pleased. Certainly no one had ever supervised Jane. Which was how she liked it.

Jane made sure she had all her things and prepared to follow Damian up. In a little bit--she didn't want to pass him by and make him feel self-conscious about his cane. No, she would take a few more moments to take in the Chamber's atmosphere and think, and then she would check on her potion in the Love Chamber.