Meeting At The Wicked Wand (Cordana, Morgaine)

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Vincent Veltrino, clad in his usual black suit, stepped out of his office and onto the floor of the casino he and his wife Cordana owned, along with the hotel attached to it of course.  The Wicked Wand was one of the most luxurious hotels in the wizarding part of Europe, a drawing place for elite from magical celebrities to Ministry officials... and of course others who saw the world as Vincent did.  Beside Vincent was a reporter from the Daily Prophet's society page.  Vincent was concluding an interview with her, a cocky smile on his face.

"No, my dear, I'm not saying that money is everything," he said.  "The things you can buy with that money are important too."  He gave a slight laugh at that.  "But in all seriousness, assure your readers that all proceeds from this month's charity gala New Year's Ball held at the hotel will be going toward the National Young Pureblood Society Fund.  I feel it is my obligation to help ensure that the brightest and best of our youths today have the opportunity to potentially become as successful as those like myself have."  The reporter thanked him and Vincent raised his hand.  "Nonsense, my dear.  The pleasure has been all mine.  Now, may I suggest you take a moment's respite from your Prophet duties and enjoy your time at my casino with a five hundred galleon credit courtesy of the Wicked Wand."

After he parted from the reporter, his smile lowered as he motioned for a waitress to bring him is usual drink- a stiff Mystic Martini.  Taking the drink, he sipped it and sat at his private table.

"Think that nosy reporter bought it, Mr. V?" asked  man who stood nearby, and served as one of Vincent's bodyguards.

"Of course, Bentley," said Vincent.  "The press are among the easiest to manipulate, as are the fools who read their articles.  If only they knew where half the money from these charity balls really went."

CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO @morgaine

[CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO]

Cordana had been spending the past few hours primping. She had to look her best always, but especially for a public event at the hotel and casino she owned with her husband. So finally she felt she was ready enough to be seen and made her way to the main floor where she stood and watched as her husband gave an interview about a charity and money not being everything. She smiled as he walked away from them and talked to his bodyguard about manipulating the press.

She walked over to the table and sat down, leaning forward to place her hand on her husband's free hand and then leaning in close enough to kiss his cheek before sitting back in her chair and ordering a glass of red wine. She turned to her husband. "Hello darling." she said with a smile. "Seems I have missed the swarming of the imbecils that write the Daily Prophet." she scoffed. "You must be careful darling, I have heard that foolishness is quite contagious." She said with a smile.

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Vincent wondered if he still loved his significantly younger wife. He had no intention of divorcing her of course. She was beautiful, brilliant, heartless, and together they had made a successful business out of the Wicked Wand. Did it matter than they loved one another? Well, it wasn't something Vincent was overly concerned with.

Accepted the hand and the kiss as his wife sat down, he listened to her disdain for the press.

"Foolishness is only contagious to those who have not built an immunity to it, so let it spread," he said. "The more of the ignorant to buy into a well-thought charade, the better."

He sipped his drink and then motioned his free hand for Bently to step away while he conversed with his wife. The loyal brute did so without hesitation.

"I do enjoy the charity balls though," he said. "The strong turn-out reminds me of just who remains in our pockets. Given the recent setback among our dark friend regarding Headmistress McGonagall, such influence among the elite has become more of a necessity. If only that mockery of a Minister, Malfoy, knew who was attending. His hair would certainly go back to being white again."

CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO

[Deleted]

Once Morgaine's father had sent an owl of introduction along to the Wicked Wand, she wasted no time in presenting herself. After the sparks had flown between her and Cora, she was cautious about approaching Vincent and Cordana, but her father had assured her that Cora's particular strain of madness was rare. She was dressed in her usual dark grey and shiny royal green corsets and skirts. She presented her card to a security wizard and was shown in.

"Mr and Mrs. Veltrino. Good afternoon. I am Morgaine Deluna; I believe you've had dealings with my father, Julius, in the past. He sent a letter of introduction by owl, yesterday. I have some news you might find... interesting." In most company, Morgaine was tall an imposing, no matter her physical stature, but in this company she didn't feel like she ruled the room. It felt almost like being amongst... equals.

@vincentveltrino CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO

[CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO]

Cordy chuckled at Vince's response to her saying foolishness was contagious. "Quite right." she said in agreement that the more foolish people there were the more to buy into the well-thought out charade. "I suppose a little foolishness never hurt those who are immune to it." she said as she took a sip of her wine.

Cordana rolled her eyes at the mention of Headmistress McGonagall and then at Malfoy. "I still don't understand how that little rodent managed to weasel his way into the Minister position." she said.

She looked up hearing an unfamiliar voice talking to them. Cordana smiled and stood up to walk over to Morgaine. She walked up to her. "Pleasure to meet you Morgaine, please. Call me Cordy." she said in a friendly voice, after all, you caught more flies with honey.

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Vincent smirked at Cordana's wonder of how Draco had become Minister of Magic.

"Money... power... influence," he said. "I could almost respect him for that, but one must add in his pathetic redemption story, how he changed his ways after the Battle of Hogwarts. Shame... he could have grown to be a tremendous asset to our cause."

Vincent rose with his wife to meet Morgaine. He vaguely remembered her as the last time he saw her, she was a great deal younger. However, he knew Julius well, and thought highly of the man.

"Of course, Ms. Deluna, how could I forget you?" he said once Cordana had finished her introduction. He was of course lying a bit, but since when was he innocent of that? "I trust Julius has been well. Please join us. I am quite anxious to hear this news." He motioned to the table and then stood beside his wife as he stepped over to their table as well. "Drink, Ms. Deluna? On the house of course."

@morgaine CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO

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Morgaine smiled graciously at the introductions. "The pleasure is all mine," she replied, taking the offered seat. "Thank you."

When the waiter came over to ask about a drink for her, she ordered a small Screaming Frenzy, the equivalent of a gin and tonic, and sat back to wait. Her father had assured her they would view her as either an ally, or not worth bothering with, which was a lovely blast from the past. Aside from her relationship with Dathan, she was quite firmly of her own generation, give or take a few details. She thought Cordana might be close to her age, but reflecting on it, it was more likely the woman was simply a natural beauty. She was, for the most part, happy to cede authority to those who had wielded it longer, so she followed Vincent's lead.

"I am the business partner of Dathan Burke, of Knockturn Alley," not that anyone in these circles needed reminding of that, but it was polite. "And, on a recent shopping trip to Diagon Alley, I believe I may have found someone you've lost, someone very dear to you."

"At first, I couldn't believe she would be so brazen, working right there, just around the corner from the mentor she ran away from and disgraced not so many years ago. And yet, when I went into the shop, her every action confirmed it. I met her, once, when she lived with Dathan all those years ago, and time will change any face, but the soul still knows who it is." She smiled wickedly, remembering the girl's flustered attempts to deflect her. If she had had any sense, she would at least have learned enough from Dathan to survive properly, instead of winding up the quivering wreck she had been when Morgaine had left the shop. And Morgaine had barely scratched the surface of her own conniving.

Her drink arrived, and she took it politely and sipped. "She even had her real name on her name tag, another silly lapse, but it was right there, for all to see. I suppose she must have changed her last name, but maybe she didn't have the heart to change her first name. Vanessa. I suppose it's just as sentimental as running away from Mr Burke for no discernible reason, though." She took another sip of her drink casually, smiling. If the Veltrinos wanted the location, she would of course give it to them, but she could also understand if they had no interest in it. After all, it was not just Burke that Vanessa had shamed when she did a flit. Her parents must have felt that particular sting for quite some time. Morgaine knew her own parents had been on the verge of having Nimue hunted down like an animal when she seemed to run.

@vincentveltrino CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO

[CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO]

After introductions Cordana returned back to her seat and picked up her wine glass to take another sip. She looked up and listened as Morgaine talked about someone they had lost, someone very dear to them. Immediately her daughter flashed in her mind. She kept her composure though and simply said "Oh? Who could that be?" she asked.

As she talked, calling the particular lost person a 'she' Cordana found herself listening closer to what the girl had to say, though she continued to act as if she was simply listening as a gesture of a good hostess.

Then the girl finally said the name...'Vanessa'. She looked up at the girl, her good hostess interest turning to actual interest. "So you're saying our dear sweet daughter Vanessa has been found?" she said feigning motherly concern. "And where is dear daughter?" she asked her.

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Vincent cracked a small smile at Morgaine's mention of Dathan's name.

"How interesting," he said. "I spoke to Burke just recently, following the... incident." He knew Morgaine would know what he was referring to, the rescue of McGonagall. He let Morgaine go on and leaned in when she began to speak of finding someone close to him. Before she even said this person's name, Vincent knew who it was from the first part of her story. His Vanessa, his prodigal daughter, who was destined for greatness in the world of dark magic and fled her destiny... or tried to. He had not seen her in ten years, and now to discover she was now working in Diagon Alley.

After Cordana asked where exactly she was, Vincent echoed the question.

"Yes, where is our Vanessa?" he asked, his voice showing mock concern. Was it his daughter he wanted back or the power he knew she possessed? The power he had sent her to Burke to mold and shape. "I have longed to have a firm father/daughter chat with her."

CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO @morgaine

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Morgaine sipped her drink again and smiled. "She is right there in Diagon Alley, working in the Magical Menagerie. She seems... well, seemed quite happy. She may be a tad more skittish now; I don't think she expected to be recognised, not after all these years." She surveyed Vincent and Cordana over the rim of her glass. "I do hope this is good news for you both. I do so love to see a family reunited." She grinned.

"Perhaps I could arrange a chance meeting for you? She may not be too happy to see me again, but no doubt when her beloved long-lost parents swoop in she will be much relieved. An honourable daughter like her might even feel that she owed said parents a debt, of sorts. Well, another one on top of the years lost."

Morgaine fancied herself as quite the tactical engineer, and, although this was technically a personal matter, she could see the pieces lining up prettily. She would return to ask about more ointments or somesuch, much to the distress of Vanessa, and it would seem as though the game of cat and mouse was heating up uncomfortably for the animal lover. Then, just before things got serious, Vincent or Cordana or both would come in and 'save' Vanessa. It was somewhat transparent, but if everybody played their part right, well... Vanessa would be in a very tight spot indeed. She almost wished she had an absentee child to bring back into the fold with such a ploy.


@vincentveltrino CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO

[CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO]

"Yes darling, perhaps we should sit down together with our dear daughter, make sure she knows we care and all that." she said with a smile as she wanted to be there to make sure their daughter wasn't getting away from them this time, to fulfil her place in the black army.

Cordana took a sip of her drink as she listened to Morgaine talking of her meeting with Vanessa. "Poor dear must be frightened." she said putting on a frown, though she was thinking if Vanessa would just do as she was told there would be no reason to hide and be skittish. "Of course darling, This news is incredibly good news. Reuniting with our dear prodigal daughter." she said smiling.

"Ms. Deluna you would be doing this family a great honor reuniting us with our Vanessa." she said agreeing to the arranged chance meeting between the 3.

"Let us know what you need to make that happen dear." she said before taking another drink from her wine.

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Morgaine was like a dark angel sent to them, the key to finding their daughter and allowing her to claim her place and potentially one of the most powerful dark witches of all time, there with The Dark Lady and Victoria Veltrino herself.

"A wise plan indeed, Ms. Deluna... Morgaine," he said, indicating that Morgaine was worthy to know the two on a more casual basis now. "You and others can find out more about her, maker her life a living Tartarus, and give her no other choice but to return to the safety of our family. Cordana and I will of course then step in and play our respective roles of her beloved parents." He sipped his own drink and looked at Morgaine. "You must be fatigued after your journey here. The top floor of our hotel is strictly reserved for... special friends. Please accept our hospitality tonight. It's the least we can do."

By special friends, he of course meant the Black Army.

CORDANA RAINE VELTRINO @morgaine