InsaneJournal

Tweak says, "Let's be bad guys"

Varin Dmitrov (varin_dmitrov) wrote in beyondthepages,
@ 2010-05-27 07:05:00

Entry tags:

2023 10, gellert grindelwald, varin dmitrov

RP: What will the night bring?
Characters: Varin, open
Time/Date: Early afternoon, October 27
Location: Diagon Alley shop
Warnings/Rating: Narrative swears
Summary: Varin ponders while tending customers and making wands
Status: Open, ongoing

Varin wondered as he always did what the wolves were going to get up to. He knew nothing, of course, because it was safer that way ... but he'd provided Sterling with several vials of Wolfsbane. Enough for most of his current pack, if he wasn't mistaken in regard to the size of it. If Fenrir wanted them all to be coherent tonight, Varin could only wonder what they'd get up to. He imagined he'd read about it in the papers as soon as it was discovered.

Unless it was something they were doing to deliberately be discovered. A little smile flit briefly over his lips at that thought. He knew, too, that things were in the works for Halloween, though the details of that were just as sketchy. He liked knowing things like this though; it gave him something to look forward to, and simply knowing things was beneficial when bargaining with new contacts.

Settled behind the counter, fine-tuning the carvings around the handle of a slender, longer birch wand, Varin kept an ear on the door so he could be ready to help customers as needed. His thoughts were straying back to earlier in the week when he'd sold the little Dumbledore girl her wand. He'd been nothing but professional, and very careful with his conversation with Albus. He hadn't been able to determine if the man was in possession of the wand again, but it was a path he wished to pursue as soon as he could devise a way of doing so without arousing inordinate suspicion. It was natural for a wandmaker to be curious about legendary wands though, but it wasn't as though he could owl the man asking if he had it. That was rude. Amateur.

No, he'd have to find out from someone else. Maybe the girl would know, or someone in the castle. One of the professors. One of the house elves. He was aware that Sterling had (or used, or could get access to) an elf that could get into the castle, though how the hell that had come about, he had no idea. But he could wait. There were things that one simply didn't want to fuck up, and this was one of them.

There was a way, and in time, it would come to him.

Pressing his thumb to the base of the wand, he dragged the blade carefully over the carving, smoothing and refining the lines to finish the design. He had a feeling, just a feeling, that this was going to be a very, very interesting few days.

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griindelwald
2010-05-30 09:26 pm UTC (link)

Gellert had arrived in England near the end of the week, and was starting to establish himself and his research. It was quite clear that the world had changed since he'd last been there. Many changes. Many years Gellert hadn't even been aware of.

But the one thing Gellert knew he had to take care of was, he needed to get a wand. A temporary wand until he could meet up with Albus once again. He was sure his old companion had no idea he was even in the country. It would make for a pleasant surprise. If Gellert could make it to Hogwarts that was, since he was sure that's where the man had kept himself.

But until he could get his hands back on the Elder Wand, he needed a replacement. He made his way through Diagon Alley and made his way towards a local wand shop. He read the sign of the establishment, and opened the to step inside. Gellert quietly took in the details as he came up to the counter and looked to see if the owner of the shop was around. "Excuse me?"

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varin_dmitrov
2010-05-30 09:35 pm UTC (link)

Varin had glanced up when he'd heard the door open, hazel eyes surreptitiously tracking the wizard on his journey toward the counter. He offered a polite, shopkeeper's smile to the man as he took in his appearance.

He didn't recognize him as anyone he'd seen before, which meant little. Older wizards could break their wands as easily as younger ones, and he looked old enough to have purchased his original from Ollivander. Still, there was a vague sort of familiarity to him; perhaps he'd seen a picture of him?

Setting his work in progress aside, Varin dipped his chin in a nod. "Good afternoon. Something I can help you with?" His Bulgarian accent was present though not prominent; he'd been in England long enough to lose most of it save when he was upset or extremely distracted.

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griindelwald
2010-05-30 09:44 pm UTC (link)

Gellert did notice the accent in the man's voice. He'd been very familiar with the Bulgarians, though Gellert had always retained his Swiss accent. The storekeeper seemed polite at least, and he did have that bit of familiarity that would make things easier to do business with.

"Yes, I'm looking for a new wand. The last one was..." Gellert said thinking of a way to explain it. Stolen? Taken? "I lost it, unfortunately," he explained. "I am still hoping to reclaim it, but I do need another wand until then."

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varin_dmitrov
2010-05-30 09:49 pm UTC (link)

"It happens," he agreed. It was a story he heard often enough at any rate; he reasoned people would rather admit to losing a wand than breaking one, though he didn't see why. Either way, accidents happened - more in certain fields than in others. He was on very familiar terms with most of the Hit Wizards and a fair portion of the Aurors because of that.

Though ... hoping to reclaim it was interesting. It implied he knew where it was - or who had it.

"What was your last wand? Wood and core type. It will give me a better place to start. I would not wish to display a selection of oak and birch if your wand was mahogany, for instance, or present you with a unicorn's hair wand if you run toward the stronger cores."

He wondered too if the wizard would want to set up an account here, or if he'd simply be paying cash for the transaction. He'd address that later, though. Sliding off the stool behind the counter, he put the birch wand behind it along with his carving tools.

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griindelwald
2010-05-30 10:08 pm UTC (link)

Gellert nodded when the storekeeper seemed to agree with him. That didn't really matter if the man believed him or not, he just needed to be sold a new wand. And he was sure the man would be happy with a sale.

"Oh, my former wand was of rarer quality. Very unconventional matters for a wand I was told. I don't expect to find it's equal. But it was powerful," Gellert said without wanting to give too much details. He wasn't about to go bragging around about the Elder wand. Especially to a wand maker who would probably just mock him about how is didn't exist, when Gellert was very sure it did since he'd held it in his hand himself.

"Though it was my second wand. My first had a dragon heart string core. It has been a long time though, so I don't quite recall the wood of it," Gellert explained. His first wand had ceased to be important to him when he got the one he really wanted.

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varin_dmitrov
2010-05-30 10:24 pm UTC (link)

Well, he had to admit that was intriguing, and his brows lifted slightly in an expression of interest. Unconventional? Rare? He was curious who would create a wand like that if it wasn't one of his. Perhaps some small-town wandmaker who was not known. Perhaps foreign. All the same, Varin was curious to meet the maker of an unconventional, rare wand.

"I have a few unconventional and rare wands myself," he said. He didn't consider it to be bragging; it was simple statement of fact. "I have been experimenting with dual cores for the past ... twenty or so years. It is always a work in progress, but it is a profitable experiment."

He did nod to the statement regarding the core, and he hadn't missed that the gentlemen was clearly interested in powerful wands. "Then we shall start with dragon cores," he agreed. Moving away from the counter, he crossed to the door leading into the storage room to select the wands he wished to display.

Returning to the customer, Varin set the half-dozen boxes on the counter, opening the first three. "This is blackwood," he said with a gesture to the first. "With the core of a black dragon's heart string paired with ashwinder egg ash to supplement it. It is one of the stronger wands I have made.

"This one is oak with a Chinese Fireball's heart string. Not as powerful, but it tends to be more reliable with a touch of luck as well."

The first two wands were relatively plain, but the third was decorated with carvings of ivy and had thin vines wrapped around the handle. "Birch," he said. "With shavings of a tooth of a basilisk. A bit unconventional and I have found it to be a little moody, but ... wands that are not designed for me tend to react that way. Perhaps you will have luck with it."

He gestured for the wizard to try the wands to see if there was a fit. If not, he'd open up the other three.

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griindelwald
2010-05-30 10:55 pm UTC (link)

"I would be interested in seeing them then," Gellert said grinning when the man seemed to have wands that could be close to being equal to his former wand. It would certainly be interesting purchasing a from a wand maker again. Especially considering that he stole the Elder Wand from a wand maker.

Gellert listened carefully as he described all the different wands he had, all the cores and the woods. "The dual cores do sound interesting," he said as he eyed the blackwood wand out with the heart string and egg ash core. That was did perk Gellert's interest.

"How powerful is the third one supposed to be?" he asked when he pulled out the third which was not as plain as the first too. But Gellert was interested in the blackwood or the birch. He decided to pick up the first wand first of all to test and see if it was the one.

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varin_dmitrov
2010-05-30 11:03 pm UTC (link)

"I could not say for certain," Varin admitted to the question about the birch wand. "I do not feel it is reacting as well to me, to my magic, as it might in someone else's hand. It has potential to be immensely powerful if wielded by a wizard with the personality and strength of magic to equal it."

It sounded a bit like he was admitting to not being a powerful wizard, but power came in many forms. He was a strong wizard, but he would never make the top twenty list of most powerful wizards. What he lacked in out right magic, he made up for in connections and knowledge; he had power in the people he knew and the items he could provide for the right price.

"As I said, it was moody with me, but it did not fit me. Perhaps if you are interested, you may see if it is more accepting of you." While he did not subscribe to the wand choosing the wizard theories that Ollivander had spouted, he did notice distinct differences in how wands reacted to people. How some were stronger in certain hands than in others.

He watched the wizard as he tried the wands, curious to see how these were going to fit the man.

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griindelwald
2010-06-04 05:33 am UTC (link)

"I suppose you're right. Wands can be temperamental, depending on who wields them," Gellert said. And if they'd been won over properly and had the power behind it to match it.

When Gellert had lifted the first wand, the blackwood and he gave it a test wave, it didn't feel favourable to him. It felt wrong. And not even just wrong because Gellert wanted the Elder Wand. It's aura and power wasn't matching his own.

"Maybe moody is what I need," Gellert said setting the blackwood down and picking up the third wand he was shown. This one was much better. He felt the power in his arm. A flexible power to suit Gellert's own changes in mood. "I think this is the one."

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varin_dmitrov
2010-06-04 02:19 pm UTC (link)

Varin nodded, offering the man a light smile before he began to put away the other wands, neatly stacking the boxes. "Do you have an account, or would you like to set one up here? We do of course accept coin in payment." Generally, it was only the sorts who would be in frequently for wands that bothered with accounts ... but there was always his side business that had invisible accounts with him.

One never knew when one might find a customer for a side business, and he smirked faintly as he regarded the wizard.

Writing up a receipt while they discussed payment, Varin quoted him the price of the wand. In this day and age, 25 galleons was still a little on the expensive side, but as the saying went, you get what you pay for. Varin considered his wands well worth the investment, especially for a one-time purchase - in theory.

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griindelwald
2010-06-07 10:27 pm UTC (link)

"I don't think an account will be necessary," Gellert said. He was only planning on buying the one wand. And it was really only needed until a time where he could reclaim his own wand. So he was grateful that he could just pay with coin. It would be incredibly inconvenient for him to leave his name after all.

The price at least told Gellert that it was a good quality wand. He had more than enough to afford it. And if the wand did prove to be powerful and useful later on... it wouldn't be a problem for Gellert to possess two wands to accomplish his goal. He handed the money over, and Gellert even gave a grin, quite pleased.

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varin_dmitrov
2010-06-07 11:32 pm UTC (link)

Varin wasn't at all surprised at the man's method of payment. Several of his clients paid in cash ... though they tended to be the sorts who didn't want to leave a paper trail.

Studying the other wizard curiously during the exchange of coin, Varin attempted to commit the man's face to memory. Perhaps later he'd go perusing through some books to see if he could find a match ... because there was something decidedly familiar about the man's face.

He simply couldn't pinpoint what it was.

"Do have a good day," he murmured as he tucked the money into the till beneath the counter. "And enjoy your wand," he added. "Should you have any ...questions ... you are welcome to return."

It was subtle - perhaps too subtle - but if the man recalled him later, Varin did so want to be up on any new goings on in town. Information, after all, was an invaluable asset.

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