Change in Traditions

Lorcan had seen the last meeting go down in apathy. Sad, really. It seemed the DE's had fallen into a bit of a rut. He had hoped things would go better. But--there was still purpose for them. Not every thing the over-sociaized Order wanted made sense in the Wizarding world. It had not survived for thousands of years by innovation. It had survived by some degree of decorum and tradition.

He had taken it upon himself to call a meeting. Lucius Malfoy had never developed a spine. And it had taken a change in almost every way in order to try to kick them out of the complacency and into taking some sort of a stand again.

He sent the signal across the night sky, and then joined Zada in the meeting room. She was dressed in slinky black, and she had stopped at the sideboard for a glass of Russian vodka.

"Would you like one?" he heard her ask.

"Scotch, please," he said. She poured it and brought it to him as he took a seat at the head of the table. She took the seat to his right. And then they waited.

Aaron appeared outside of the manor and continued his stride like he had not apparated at all. It was funny how apparating had once been such a task to accomplish, and now he did it so effortlessly it was almost shocking to him. He pocketed his wand and he reached up to put his tie back into place. The potions he had been receiving from Lorcan had cleared up the green fungus, at least in the areas that were visible, and had lowered the symptoms to a point to where he barely even noticed he was sick.

The trademark smirk was played across his face as he strode into the manor, an air of confidence was played across him, even more so than usual. He could not help but grin because there was going to be a change.... a change that a few people might not agree with but he did not care about what they thought, no, from now on they would do what he wanted them to and think like he wanted them too.

He first spotted Lorcan and then Zada. Lorcan was one of few men that Aaron could trust, and it was only because he had to trust him, if he did not then the cure might never be found and he would be stuck with this sickness for the rest of his life. Also he held the medicine that Aaron needed, and without it, Aaron would not be as sprite as he wanted to be.

"Lorcan D'Eath," Aaron said louder than usual while placing his hand on his shoulder. He grinned before continuing "So nice to see you again." He was sure Lorcan could sense the over done introduction, but it was genuine in a sense. He respected Lorcan, but Aaron was not sure if the respect was returned, but he would earn it whether or not Lorcan thought so. "And Zada, always a pleasure." He said with a smirk and giving a slight bow to her.

"I am sure that we will have a reasonable and lovely meeting tonight, as always?" The sarcasm would not go unnoticed. He he seen how unorganized things had become around the Death Eaters during their meetings, that would change, very soon.

"Well, well," Lorcan smiled. "My good friend. Welcome to the manor. I presume this shall be a very interesting meeting indeed. I presume you have agenda items, and I have one or two of my own. You're welcome to help yourself to the sideboard, or I can have the house elf bring something perhaps a bit less spirited for you if you prefer."

The sideboard had been pressed into service as a bar. There was a sterling silver ice bucket with a crystal liner, filled with ice. There were lead crystal bar glasses, and just about any spirit that anyone might want. He had not provided food, but then again, with a full staff of house elves that really wouldn't be an issue. He had not known the Death Eaters to pursue food at the meetings. Booze, yes. Food, not so much.

"Welcome," Zada said to Aaron. "I look forward to this. It is high time we stopped sitting back and doing nothing. I will not ask if you have thought about that. Lorcan tells me you are not afraid of a challenge. I like that."

It was a poetic kind of name, Beatrice supposed. Eaters of Death; they were just being honest. Human beings had always fed off of one another's downfalls.

Hair all atumble, wearing a baby blue dress edged all in tattered lace, today was one of those days when Bea's mind fluttered like the wind; her appearance the least of her worries. Still, she swept in as though bedecked in Slytherin's mother's own finery.

"Good Evening, Dearest Allies," she giggled. "Has anything interesting happened yet? I say! We ought to place a wager on who'll be cursed the most times before anybody else arrives to spoil the fun."

It was anticlimatic really.

Usually, each Death Eater came in- having been stopped in thr middle of either a very nefarious activity, or a very mundane one- looking impressive, making some snide or sarcastic or backhanded remark, before slowly settling into a chair like they were descending upon a throne.

Naomi was done with these games.

The blond werewolf walked into the room, said nothing, and flopped into a chair, glaring at Lorcan.

"I have quite a few items for the, eh, agenda." He smiled and he walked over to the head of the table. He stared at it and he ran his hand along the chair as he continued speaking. "There are going to be a few changes around here, that much I can assure you." He hated all the constant bickering and back talking to one another, that was going to be changed first and foremost. There would be respect in the room and it would be given to those who deserved it.

A woman came in as he was hovering around his chair. He recognized her as a newer member, but she was not to be trifled with. He had heard the way she talked and some of the things that she did were rather.... strange. No matter, he enjoyed it, and he would have a few uses for her, if she could get into the habit of following orders. "With the news of Thaor's death I am hoping most of the bickering ceases. Great wizard but he took an air of deceit with him every where he went."

Aaron was not upset about the old wizards death. He was old news and the fact that he was gone did not mean anything to Aaron. He did not think long on the subject as Naomi came in looking gloomy and angry as always. The young werewolf had an attitude and spunk but she was going to have to learn to control it. ""You walk in looking like you want to kill all of us and then you sit down without even saying hello to anyone?" He smirked and he slowly walked in her direction. He was not sure if the news of him becoming the new leader had spread yet, but it would soon enough. "Very rude indeed miss Greyback."

Sofie gently approached the meeting, having already dispatched Boris, her borzoi puppy, to remain in the yard for her. She entered to see Aaron directing some scorn towards one of the women. The woman responded, "Not everyone, just anyone who likes to put on airs of authority. I take orders from our leader. I am sick of everyone wanting to be Simon in this Simon Says game." She paused and grinned. "But I can say hello to you. Good evening, Simon. I apologize if I offended you."

Sofie took this in and realized- oh. So, Aaron was the new leader now? Sofie was rather ostracized as a Death Eater. No one really spoke to her, either because she was new or seemed harmless. Sofie was unlike the others though. She wasn't interested in, excuse the phrase, a pissing contest. She would not mind holding her talents under the radar unless needed.

Sofie hovered where she was, watching the blonde woman. Why were they all so bent on oozing danger and sex? Every single Death Eater woman seemed geared to do that, leaving Sofie feeling rather the opposite.

Lorcan watched the relatively catty behavior of some of the women. So typical. All vying for position. He looked over at Zada. She was relaxed. She hadn't said a word since the others had started to arrive. She was clearly relaxed, unthreatened, not trying to be a threat. Not needing to be. She took a sip of her vodka slowly, just watching.

Things were about to change, but they had no clue how much. The infighting was not Lorcan's cup of tea. His many children, even with all their sibling rivalry knew how to behave in a famiy meeting, and they surely knew how to behave out in public most of the time. Lorcan was glad he was not the father of this motley crew. He had a visual of not being able to take them out of the house.

But then again, the visual of having them all trapped in the same house was far worse. His own children had to be grounded inside the house when it happened. He was beginning to think these people needed to be grounded outside of the house instead.

"It seems they left their manners at home tonight, Mr. Marcheti," Lorcan said quietly, leaning back in his chair.

"Manners!" Beatrice exclaimed suddenly, rocked back into the real world by the comment. "What manners?"

"We are the flies on our enemies corpses, do you think flies have manners?" she laughed again, though this laugh was at least more sane than the last one.

Sobering up a little, Beatrice pulled herself together enough to give her opinion.

"You must think of each man and woman in your faction as a fly, Mister Marcheti, Mister D'Eath. For in their own way, flies are perfectly just, feeding from every corpse. But each individual fly wants as much of the corpse for himself as he can eat, and this you must keep in mind when dealing with your Death Eaters."

"And when your Death Eaters are stubborn, or will not work together, even though they must for the good of all, you must think on why that is, and surely it will come to you that they pull against your leadership because they are like flies on the dung heap, trying to get at the most dung."

She sighed emphatically.

"Which is why they are unmannerly, of course."

Alder apparated outside of Malfoy Manor and continued walking with his hands in his pocket. This meeting was definitely going to be interesting. He was the new one and they had only met him once before. With a swish of his wand, the gates opened and and he pocketed it again.

One of the house elves had opened the door for him and he glared at it until it started to cry. He waited outside the door for a few seconds before entering. He walked over to a chair and sat down without talking to anyone. He wanted as little to do with these cretins as possible.