**Chapter 1: Ravenous**
February 4th 2000 A.D.
Fort Alyinnis Castle; Cluj- Napoca –
30 mi N of Transylvania; Romania
“What is this all about now?” the visitor asked haughtily. The man had a tall frame with a lean build from two years of military training, muscles in his jaw working in irritation as his boots repeated against the rough interlocked stone. Striding into the ancient castle’s dungeon with airs of rather being somewhere else, he pulled his travelling cloak higher around his neck against the damp draft seeping into the dimly lit room. At the far end of the room were two people, their shadows throwing an eerie silhouette on the dank stone walls. Careful to avoid the work benches and suspicious puddles of liquid on the floor he made his way across various paraphernalia towards the pair. Only one turned to greet him as he entered an area obviously reserved for live experiments. He did not want to be here, especially so close to the clan that sole purpose was to hunt him down.
“Draco, funny seeing you here,” Luna smiled sweetly at him. He gave her a baleful glare, not deeming it necessary to remind her that she penned the letter herself summoning him. “Care for tea?” she offered, waving her arm in the general direction of a dainty tea set looking incongruously perched between ancient curse making cauldrons and a glass bowl of what appeared to be pickled brain matter.
“No.”
“Ah pity, then,” sighed Luna, looking at him in a way that made Draco initially think that she was trying to seduce him into changing his mind. Or it could be that she was just not focusing on his face but more his left nostril, he didn’t know, and didn’t care.
“Lestrange, what is it?” asked Draco, focusing on the man further in, hunched over a workbench.
“You’re not going to believe this. You really aren’t,” said Rodulphus Lestrange eagerly. He seemed to be quivering with excitement. Carefully, he laid his hands on the table and let go a deep breath. Curiosity piqued, Draco came to stand next to him , looking at the token guinea pig laying dead on the table.
“Is this another of your failed experiments?” Draco sneered, unimpressed. Rodulphus chuckled.
“Just watch, you aren’t going to believe it.”
A few seconds passed and Draco felt like a fool just standing there. Rodulphus flicked a finger towards another cage in the corner and a hatch clicked open. Sure enough, another small rodent scampered across the table, somehow drawn in by its dead comrade. After a few probing sniffs, the dead specimen came to life with viciousness and attacked, efficiently biting through the neck of the other.
“The inferi curse,” Draco intoned blandly. “Is this what you called me for?”
“Oh but it’s just more than that. Patience, my young friend, patience.” Rodulphus nodded again. After it had mopped up the fresh blood leaking on the strained table the inferi rodent was once again docile, calmly sniffing about looking for scraps of food. A few seconds later the dead rodent twitched. Then, as if awaking up from a light nap, it rolled over and then began to run around in a circle as if trying to bite its own tail. Its attacker turned, sniffing the air cautiously, watching the other.
“Whats happening now?”
“My new invention, Drakey. Who knows what he’ll be-“ Rodulphus eyebrows bounced twice in glee. He focused on the erratic movements the rat was demonstrating “Ah , yep, tick off another F on the chart Lun,” Rodulphus smiled. “Success.”
