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+------ Thread: Harewood House | a spider's web's woven threads ~ Lev (/showthread.php?tid=1289)
Harewood House | a spider's web's woven threads ~ Lev - Oleg Zdravkova - 09-12-2026
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Friday, 13 April 1923
~ 11:15 am ~
Oleg's Office
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Friday, 13 April 1923
~ 11:15 am ~
Oleg's Office
◣━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━◢
Though the past year had left Lev bloody and Oleg disappointed, his son had ultimately done well in dealing with the aftermath of Ruslana’s death, and Oleg was willing to give his son another opportunity to further prove his competence.
The healers and nurses had been silenced, the paperwork corrected, and the Zdravkova now possessed access to information and influence within St. Mungo’s should they ever need it. Oleg had to admit, as much trouble as his late wife had caused him, her death had at least provided him with a foot through the door.
He had always known she could be useful.
His son had proved useful in the months since, too.
Working harder and longer, Lev had used every chance to claw his way back into Oleg’s good graces. Oleg had watched it all with quiet satisfaction. Whatever hump the boy had gotten stuck on last November, the correction had evidently pushed him past it. The girl, too, finally seemed to understand her place.
Order was returning to Harewood House. Business continued to flourish. Opportunities continued to open.
One such opportunity, Oleg had seized by the throat only two days ago. Now it was time to see how much his son truly understood about cultivating influence and power from the shadows.
The usual knock on his office door came precisely on the minute, and Oleg called his son in.
Leaning back in his chair, he rested his elbows against the armrests and steepled his fingers with easy contentment. “Son,” he said, smiling pleasantly. He gestured to one of the chairs across from him. “Sit. We have business to discuss.”
Oleg waited for his son to oblige. He allowed a beat of silence to settle between them, continuing to regard Lev with that same faint, pleasant smile. At last, he shifted, folding his hands loosely over his stomach.
“How much do you know about Seraphina Ashcroft?”
RE: Harewood House | a spider's web's woven threads ~ Lev - Lev Zdravkova - 09-17-2026
Lev wasn't one to sit and brood on the unfairness of his father's wrath, nor what the implications of his temporary 'defiance' had meant in relation to Oleg Zdravkova all those months ago.
It had been a difficult time. That went without saying. The tension that had risen between Lev and his father had culminated into an explosion of violence that saw the son broken on the floor, but it had only pushed the young man harder. In many ways, Oleg's methods, as barbaric as some may have seen them, worked, especially on his eldest. Harsh words and harsher fists had always driven Lev to rise above them, to be worthy of manhood in his father's eyes.
While he still disagreed that he'd ever defied his father intentionally, he'd worked, night and day, tooth and nail, to prove to his father that he was still useful, that he was still capable. That he was Zdravkova, first and foremost before anything else, willing to sacrifice self for the greater good of the family.
Bones healed. Cuts sutured. Bruises faded.
Egos grew.
“Son."
"Father." Lev's usual stoicism in place, his expression revealed neither pleasantry or dismay. In truth, he felt neither at being called to his father's office. Taking the seat opposite Oleg, Lev leaned back into the chair, elbows resting on the arms while his fingers entwined. Waiting, for whatever came next.
“How much do you know about Seraphina Ashcroft?”
The name was only vaguely familiar, but in truth, Lev knew next to nothing about the woman. He'd never had a reason to, nor did he recall being asked to investigate anything regarding her or the surname. "Little," Lev answered truthfully. "I may have seen her once but aside from that, nothing." He waited a beat, knowing there was a reason his father asked.
"Do you need me to look into her?"
RE: Harewood House | a spider's web's woven threads ~ Lev - Oleg Zdravkova - 09-22-2026
Oleg hummed quietly and nodded once. For a moment, his gaze drifted away from Lev, sweeping over the room.
It wasn’t surprising that his son knew little about the woman. After her betrayal, there had been barely any business with the Ashcrofts, and whatever personal relations the two families had once enjoyed had all but withered away. Only occasional professional contact had remained, when necessity demanded it.
Seraphina had been irrelevant to the Zdravkova.
Until now.
"Do you need me to look into her?”
Oleg’s eyes snapped back to Lev. His lips curled faintly.
“No. There is no need.” He had already done so after their encounter at the Election Gala, and their meeting at Argentum Memoriae had provided the rest. More than that, to be precise.
A brief silence passed. Oleg drew a measured breath, leaning back into his chair.
“Seraphina Ashcroft,” he began, “was supposed to become my wife almost twenty years ago. A few years after your mother’s death. She would have been your stepmother instead of Ruslana, but she ran.” His fingers drummed once against the back of his other hand. There was no bitterness in the words, only fact.
“Afterwards, our relationship with the Ashcrofts grew cold in most respects. We kept an eye on them, as they did on us, but her betrayal created too wide a fracture to justify continued business. Trust had been broken. I haven’t seen her since.”
Oleg’s gaze sharpened slightly as it lingered on Lev.
“Until the Election Gala. I had my suspicions about why she showed up then and there, but ultimately, she revealed more than she intended. She came to Britain for personal business. That much became clear.” He paused. “And two days ago, it became considerably clearer when she appeared for a meeting she had requested with me at Argentum. She was desperate.” A faint smile touched his lips.
“She came asking for my assistance with a man named Thatcher Ravenstone. You should be familiar with him and his business. He has two daughters, one by the name of Alice. Seventeen, still at Hogwarts, arranged to marry after graduation. She just so happens to be Seraphina’s bastard daughter.”
The smile curling at his lips sharpened.
“She was conceived during Seraphina’s run from duty, and was left with Ravenstone. And now Seraphina wants her back. Ravenstone has no intention of simply giving her up, though.” Oleg opened his hands before resting them on the arms of his chair. “Seraphina believes this girl is in danger and wants the man removed from society.”
Another pause.
“In exchange for something, of course,” he added with a sly grin. “She swore an Unbreakable Vow, giving me complete discretion in how to achieve Ravenstone’s ruin. She will not interfere, she will not act without my knowledge, and when I decide what I want from her, she will provide.” He allowed the information to settle.
After a moment, Oleg shifted in his seat. “Now. The other daughter, Everleigh, is currently in therapy with Liliya and Nadežda. I will speak to them as well. The girl’s mind may hold valuable information we can use. From what Seraphina indicated, Ravenstone might have had something to do with the state of her health.”
And how devastating that would be.
Oleg’s gaze settled more firmly upon Lev.
“In the meantime, I want you to look into Ravenstone Flightworks. Everything. Finances, dealings, contacts, competitors, clients, associates—anything that could be used against him. I want you to find it." His fingers steepled once more. "And bring it to me.”
RE: Harewood House | a spider's web's woven threads ~ Lev - Lev Zdravkova - 10-01-2026
Lev hadn’t anticipated a family history lesson when he’d sat down in his father’s office, but here he was.
Apparently this Ashcroft woman was at one time meant to be his step-mother. Lev was neither here nor there about the women his father chose to bring into the family over the years. Ruslana had been as good as Lev expected she could be. She’d provided his father more children, and while she’d never taken on any sort of mothering role to Lev and Danika, she’d done her duty well enough. Vices aside, her children spoke to her ability as a Zdravkova wife.
Without knowing anything about Seraphina, he couldn’t say whether she’d have done the same, nor did he really care. To his credit, his father didn’t seem to care either, but that was of little surprise. What didn’t strike directly at his father’s pride or wallet rarely made a dent in his demeanor.
“She came asking for my assistance with a man named Thatcher Ravenstone. You should be familiar with him and his business. He has two daughters, one by the name of Alice. Seventeen, still at Hogwarts, arranged to marry after graduation. She just so happens to be Seraphina’s bastard daughter.”
The young man listened quietly. He didn’t see what business or leverage the family had in caring about this woman and her illegitimate child, but if Oleg had one, then it was already settled. His father sometimes moved in ways Lev didn’t always understand or agree with, but more often than not, things always panned out favorably. Lev crossed his arms over his chest lightly, leaning back into his chair as he listened.
The girl needed to be removed. From what? The only family she has ever known? This Seraphina had abandoned her child and now wanted to return like some heroic mother figure? The whole thing sounded ludicrous to Lev. If one of the Zdravkova girls had left behind a child and fucked off for seventeen years, it’d be a cold day in Hell before Lev would let that woman get her fingers around that child again.
Even if Ravenstone were terrible, what the fuck did that have to do with them?
“She swore an Unbreakable Vow, giving me complete discretion in how to achieve Ravenstone’s ruin. She will not interfere, she will not act without my knowledge, and when I decide what I want from her, she will provide.”
There was always a motive, and Lev was glad to hear this circumstance was no different. Not one to question his father, Lev remained silent for a moment. The decision had already been made, and as before, he knew Oleg never wanted councilors. Still, clarity was allowed, as long as insolence wasn’t accompanying it. “Are we sure this Ashcroft woman has something that can benefit you, Father?” He studied Oleg for a moment, before giving a casual wave on his fingers. “If she has been on the run all these years, do we know her family will help her pay your demands?”
An Unbreakable Vow was certain, but if the woman had nothing to give, it made the vow irrelevant. Blood couldn’t be drawn from a log.
Liliya was working the mind of the other daughter. Memories could be helpful, but only if they were unbroken.
“In the meantime, I want you to look into Ravenstone Flightworks. Everything. Finances, dealings, contacts, competitors, clients, associates—anything that could be used against him. I want you to find it. And bring it to me.”
“The Nordstroms,” Lev said quietly, remembering the families were connected. “Matilda’s grandfather - he’s connected to the Ravenstones.” He mulled it over for a moment. “Would it not be beneficial, Father, to have Drago work his betrothed for information as well? Surely she knows something.” He paused a moment. “If we remove this Alice, are we not playing with fire with the Nordstroms?”
He was sure his father had already thought of everything, but he preferred to know what he was dealing with ahead of time if he could.
RE: Harewood House | a spider's web's woven threads ~ Lev - Oleg Zdravkova - 10-05-2026
“Are we sure this Ashcroft woman has something that can benefit you, Father? If she has been on the run all these years, do we know her family will help her pay your demands?”
Oleg almost grinned. A smug smile curved his lips, somehow making his eyes look colder.
Hadn’t he taught him well? Profit before cost. Always the first variable to consider in business. Before the risks, before the logistics, before the potential complications. First determine what could be gained. And Lev’s question confirmed that his lessons hadn’t been in vain after all.
He had always been apt. It was quite satisfying when it showed.
“Her family won’t help,” Oleg said simply. “They don’t have to.” He paused for a beat. The Ashcrofts’ reaction to their daughter’s latest foolishly chosen fate would be interesting to watch. Delicate. But manageable if handled correctly. Intertwining his fingers, Oleg continued. “Seraphina is one of the most powerful Legilimens in the business. Born, not trained. Rare. She’s a highly skilled and exceptionally valuable asset to her family. And soon she will be one to ours.”
It was explanation enough to quench his son’s thirst to understand. The finer details were irrelevant. Lev didn’t need to know precisely how Oleg intended to conduct this arrangement. He only needed to understand that there was value to be extracted.
To his credit, however, Lev raised an interesting point.
Oleg leaned back in his chair, gaze drifting briefly across the room as he considered it.
The Nordstrom girl. It was no stupid idea. Ravenstone was her uncle, after all, and as far as Oleg knew, the two families maintained close relations. Close enough to assume that Matilda might know something of interest. And even if she knew nothing about Ravenstone’s affairs directly, she was positioned close enough to him to potentially uncover information neither Oleg nor Lev could easily reach themselves. It was worth testing. Matilda already understood what happened when she failed to obey. Oleg had little concern whether she would cooperate.
His gaze returned to Lev.
“You will talk to the girl. Leave Dragomir out of it for now. He is too smitten.” Those last words sounded colder than any of the ones said before. Dragomir’s attachment was precisely the problem. Oleg had no intention of allowing his son’s feelings for his betrothed to interfere with business. “This needs to be handled more firmly. The boy would be too soft with her. Matilda needs to understand the stakes.”
Surely, by now, Lev understood how such things were handled.
“And don’t concern yourself with the Nordstroms,” Oleg added. “They won’t know. We will make sure of that one way or another.”
RE: Harewood House | a spider's web's woven threads ~ Lev - Lev Zdravkova - 10-08-2026
“Her family won’t help,” Oleg said simply. “They don’t have to. Seraphina is one of the most powerful Legilimens in the business. Born, not trained. Rare. She’s a highly skilled and exceptionally valuable asset to her family. And soon she will be one to ours.”
Fuck.
Just like that, Lev could see the writing on the wall. He didn't react, but there was an instant chill that ran through him, a sickening squelch in his stomach that made him realize this was going far deeper than he cared it to. His father was going to find a way to bring Seraphina and this bastard daughter into the family somehow. Marriage was most likely, but an arrangement otherwise was also an option. Serik was of age to be betrothed, and if this daughter was promised to him, the Legilimens was as good as theirs.
Lev didn't know which idea sickened him more. The thought of his younger brother being betrothed to an illegitimate girl - whose blood they couldn't even be sure of - was almost repulsive.
The thought of another stepmother was even less desirable, but at least he wasn't a small boy anymore, anxious for a mother's love.
“You will talk to the girl. Leave Dragomir out of it for now. He is too smitten. This needs to be handled more firmly. The boy would be too soft with her. Matilda needs to understand the stakes.”
"Understood." Lev knew exactly what to do, and while he didn't necessarily agree with his father that Drago couldn't be trusted to get the same results from the Nordstrom girl, he knew better than to voice it. If his father saw it fit to send Lev, he'd go. As little interest as the young man had in talking to the insolent, loud-mouthed girl, he'd do as he was instructed.
She'd know the stakes before their meeting was concluded.
“And don’t concern yourself with the Nordstroms. They won’t know. We will make sure of that one way or another.”
Lev nodded. If his father insisted, then there was nothing to be concerned about. Oleg knew how to navigate murky waters better than anyone he'd known. "I am ready when you require my help with that as well." Lev stood, back straight, shoulders still, before he bowed, waiting to be excused.
He had work to begin.