A Few Drinks

Aaron smirked and decided he knew of a place. He had not been there in years, mostly because he had never thought to take anyone there once he had graduated. He used to take friends he made while shopping for supplies at Diagon to the place. He used to call it the secret spot.

"I know a place where you can see all of Diagon." He smiled and then stood up. He motioned for her to follow him and he tipped his head to the few people who made eye contact with him on the way out. "I wasn't always the Dark Lord of a group of evil people you know." He smirked at the idea. It was easy to think that Aaron had always been a hard working and quiet man, but he enjoyed doing things as much as the next person.

He walked towards Gringotts, the spot was on the roof, but one would have to climb to get to it. He walked towards an alley that went around to the back of Gringotts and quickly pulled out his wand. He pointed it at a ladder that lead to the roof and it came rolling down quickly. "Ladies first."

She stood with him and fell into pace with him, her toes matched to his heels so she could properly follow him where he led her. He had spoken of some spot where all of the alley was visible,and she found that her interest was piqued. She followed carefully and glanced up at him as he suddenly made an amusing observation. She smiled and said, "Good not to assume anything then."

He led her to an alley and she followed, trusting his judgement. A latter fell for them and she thanked the fact that she had spandex under her dress. She quickly ascended the ladder, deftly making use of the muscles the odd fencing lesson had given her. She reached the top and she stood, glancing over the view.

"Oh my," was all she was able to say.

Aaron followed her up the ladder, making sure not to look up her dress. Though, he was a man, and he was tempted to. He kept his head straight as he was climbing and he only looked up when he knew she had reached the top. He followed up the ladder quickly and found himself on the roof. He followed her over to the edge of the roof and he propped himself against it, looking out over Diagon at night.

"Oh my indeed," He said with a smirk. The wizarding world still impressed him sometimes. He could remember the first time he had ever seen Diagon and how excited he had been to discover that he was a wizard. He was pretty certain he would be, but there was always a chance he wouldn't, and that had been enough to worry him. "I discovered this place when I was young, maybe eleven or twelve, and I used to come up here to get away from everyone and just watch Diagon and the people in it."

Whoopsie!

Sofie's large blue eyes flicked from building to building, taking in each shop and restaurant in with curiosity. Her attention turned to the landmarks- benches, little trees, vendor carts, a statue here or there. And then the people- they were not high enough to diminish them to nothing, but they were smaller. They were all children from this height, and they all looked helpless and as though they moved because some other force propelled them to do their business. They were wind up soldiers.

Aaron joined her in looking out across the landscape. It was amazing to Sofie that all of this was hidden to the muggle world. Even a pureblood could sometimes find the right times to marvel at everything that magic made possible. The ways their world fit so neatly under the radar of the muggles' world had always been on interest to Sofie. Aaron spoke and she responded, "How fortunate to find so precious a treasure at so early an age. It is absolutely marvelous. I can see what my mother loved about this country."

Aaron did not respond to her when she talked about how lucky he was to find such a place. He agreed with her, it was a nice place to know about, but it had been awhile since he visited it. It seemed like when he was young doing things like this was all he could think about. He spent entire days trying to find even the smallest amounts of joy in seemingly the smallest of things, and there was no need to worry about tomorrow. Yet, now, that was all he did. He constantly thought of the future and how to get there as fast as he could.

"Soon," He started, for the first time really letting his ambition shine. He spoke in an almost menacing voice, and he did not look at Sophie as he spoke. "Soon, all of this will be mine." He smirked under the cover of the darkness that was settling over the streets now. "Some people look out and wonder where they fit in down there... but me... I fit in up here. I want to look down on the world and know that it is mine." He paused, staring out at the land below and realizing that his goals were coming to fruition, albeit slowly.

"They will look up and beg for mercy from their lord. But, just as I was given none, they will receive none either."

Sofie listened placidly, for her father had spoken of such things over dinners back in Russia. Ambitions of domination were not strange to her, but they reassured her, made her feel more at home, to know that she was where she had been in Russia- immediately beside the most powerful of the Death Eaters. Currently, anyway. She was not frightened by Aaron, but comforted.

His last statement gave her cause to pause, however, for something had been revealed. He had already set down the way personal questions worked- if she asked something that she had no right to know, she was not given an answer, and she accepted that. But he had not chided her for her curiosity thus far.

"Who would be short-sighted enough not to give you mercy?" she asked, her eyes turned to him. "I do not pity them." No, she did not. They had made a powerful enemy.

Aaron had never spoken about it with anyone before. The death of his best friend had been what changed him forever. All through school they were together, Aaron the smart one, and he the outgoing one. He was a Gryffindor and Aaron was a Slytherin. He was the first person to defend Aaron and they became friends despite what the other kids thought. He taught Aaron everything he knew about how to make friends and be outgoing, and he was the first person that Aaron ever really cared for.

"Not who, but what," He let out a sigh and he kept staring out at the city. "Life is the cruelest thing I know. I only wanted one thing and it refused to let me have it. So the only thing I was left given to do was to wallow in self pity and let my life sink away, or I could get up and get back at the world." He paused for a moment before continuing.

"The only way I can think of to get my revenge is to burn the world down. No matter how long it takes."

Sofie listened patiently, wondering how often Aaron disclosed information such as this. She did not want to flatter herself, but she also could not imagine Aaron speaking so freely to some of the other members. Perhaps the d'Eaths- but she had seen no real signs of trust there, only obligatory respect. So she really doubted this information he was giving her was common knowledge.

"I suppose I have lived a very blessed life then," Sofie said. "I have only ever lost my father. But I am sure, had the opportunity risen, more could have been taken from me." He continued on and she nodded. Then, with a small smile, she said, "I can only hope I am at a vantage point above the flames."

Aaron stood silently for a few moments after she spoke. She wanted to be above the flames, but Aaron could not promise her that, if she got in the way of progress she would fall just like the rest. He had put to much into his plan to make any promises that could hinder it. Sure, she was better off than most people, but she was expendable. Aaron found her valuable now, but a time may come when her services are no longer needed, and he could not hesitate to get her out of the way.

"If you want to stay above the flames, continue to be of value to me." It seemed a bit harsh, but he had to be truthful, letting his heart run the show would get him nowhere. He glanced over at her, wanting to promise that he could protect her, but he wouldn't. "You said I just don't want to feel anything earlier," He paused and he glanced back out at Diagon. "You cannot feel anything when you want the things that I do."