Alecto's shuffling betrayed her discomfort, regardless of the lack of expression on her face. Fenrir was no fan of the woman in front of him, but he wasn't entirely heartless and he didn't want to see a heavily pregnant woman sit in discomfort in his home. "The couch is softer if you want to swap. Or I have some duck feather cushions that I can offer you," he said, offering them as a truce between them. "You won't find it to be necessary, Carrow. Yes, we can be done with that topic."
Fenrir tried not to get involved with the Scottish werewolves where possible. Managing his own pack was enough work without being dragged into the internal politics of another pack - never mind that when two werewolf alphas in the same room usually led to vicious fights. But to hear that Angus had wandering hands...Fenrir wanted to apparate to Scotland and rip those hands off. It was unthinkable to him that the leader of a pack should behave in such a way. "If you were to want to depose Angus in the future, or if you wanted to teach him a lesson...I would offer my assistance," Fenrir said carefully. "I will save that favour for the future."
"Mmm, I just can't stand normal. You intrigue me...and therefore, here we are," he said with a brief wink in Pandora's direction. This arrangement was mutually beneficial, but the moment it ceased to be so Fenrir would simply move on. He was under no false pretences about the other witch - she would marry a pureblood, someone acceptable. Smirking at her affirmation that it was a command, Fenrir stepped closer. "Well then, it appears I have no other choice. I am yours for as long as you need," Fenrir said, looking down at the other witch.
A hand reached out to brush a stray piece of hair behind her ear, and he leaned in to press a teasing kiss to the soft skin of her neck. "I'll try and behave myself for now, but I make no promises," he murmured, knowing it wouldn't be long until they tumbled into his bed. "I don't trust easily, Dora. You know this, darling," his tone held a warning note, but he looked curiously at the clock she'd been working on. He fell silent as she explained the spell, considering his options. Pandora knew he was a wild beast, and it was becoming even more common knowledge amongst the Death Eaters and their allies that Fenrir was building an army for himself. "How long will I be paralysed for? Just until the secret is shared?"
"And it appears you have a thing for odd witches." Pandora retorts softly, her attention remaining on the clock in front of her, though a cheeky grin forms on her lips that he can easily see. It only takes her a second to decide which one she is choosing at his first question. "A command." Said with certainty and confidence, a slight dig at trying to tame the beast that overshadowed her.
"Both." Lately, when they did end up seeing each other, it always did end in pleasure and if Magnus was away for the night. Pandora turns to face Fenrir. "I need you to trust me." Famous last words. "I need to know that what I tied together works." What she was about to ask him, he could easily refuse and she would accept it, or he could help her see if this time, her spell would work. "I need you to pick the clock up, but I'll warn you, it's a paralysing spell and it will also get you to share with me your darkest secret."
Regulus was not built for crowds. Well, that was partially a lie - he could cope with crowds at pureblooded society events, where he only had to show his face for a small while before he could retreat into a quieter room with a book. Navigating festive crowds including people who would simply stop in the middle of the road and cut his stride short? Very different.
He was hoping the apothecary would be a little quieter, given they weren't known for selling gifts, but there were people who were stocking up amongst their other shopping. Having carved out a space in front of a shelf, Regulus was determined to remain unmoved even as a woman stumbled into him. His hand shot out to help steady her, even as his lips curled with disapproval. "That's okay," he muttered, hoping the woman would leave him alone now.
Clearly, his face didn't look nearly as unwelcoming as he hoped and he frowned. "This one?" Reaching for the bottle, Regulus eyed the contents curiously. "If you were to add a handful of Gurdyroot to this I think it would make the potion a bit stronger."
You could certainly tell that the festive period was fast approaching, she had never seen so many people crowding together down the small alley way. She had only to quickly go into the Apothecary before heading home. This was always one of the busiest times at the bakery, people wanting orders ready for their own festive activates. She had managed to slip in with ease, though the shop it self, was also busy. Many stocking up, ready to tackle those winter illnesses that always seemed to come.
"Shit" she mumbled, seeing the exact bottle that she needed. Elbows of others forcing him to stumble into the man next to her. "Sorry, lost my footing." she apologised.
"Though, any chance you could simply past the purple bottle over there. That is all i need to sort this headache of mine, and It seems as always, I am too short to reach the damn thing."
It wasn't often that Fenrir bought work home, but there were occasions were the location was just too perfect. He'd shipped Magnus off to a trusted member of the pack because Nancy was busy, but he didn't want his son in the house while Fenrir tortured a man outside. He was free of all responsibility for the evening, they were guaranteed to be undisturbed, and his focus had narrowed solely onto the man in front of him. "Mm...he's lowly enough not to have known anything of note, but still, the Dark Lord cannot have traitors amidst the ranks," Fenrir said, his claws still in the man's cheek as he used the leverage to turn the man's head and look into his eyes. Staring back at him were pools of terror, and another weak 'please' bubbled out of the man's lips. There was no forgiveness here.
Fenrir's smile as he looked down at the man was bright, which should have been a warning sign in and of itself, but the man was clearly an imbecile. "I'm full of grace and of mercy. It's your lucky day! Evelyn and I have other matters to attend to, so if you can run fast enough..." Fenrir trailed off, eyebrows raised expectantly as Evelyn started counting. As the man raced away, Fenrir could still hear his heavy thudding footsteps amidst the foliage. "He won't get far at all. He's barely gone 100 meters," he said, head tilted slightly as he used his heightened senses to focus in on the path that he was taking. "Oh, I'll keep him alive for you, dear. I enjoy working with you too much," he said with a wink, before stowing his wand in his holster. He'd promised no magic, but Fenrir didn't need magic - just his preternatural senses, and his sadism.
"I think we could even give him fifteen seconds, don't you? Just to let him think he's won."
Evelyn had to appreciate the benefits of Fenrir’s home near the woods. Out here no one would be looking for them, no one would hear the man’s screams as they carried out their work. They had all the time in the world to draw this out and have their fun. She stood back, giving Fenrir the opportunity to have his turn even as a pleased laugh slipped from her lips. “Oh I don’t know that he’s much a danger.” Her lips curled in distaste at the thought that he was some threat to their cause. “Certainly a weak link that must be dealt with appropriately.” Her smile grew as she watched him dig his claws into the man’s cheek, delighted at the sight. There had never been any question when it had come to choosing sides in this war. There was something so intoxicating about the power it provided her. The thrill of being able to bring people to their knees like this as they begged for forgiveness. There was nothing like it.
Her lips curled into a delighted smile as he slung his arm around her shoulder, winking at him before she returned her attention to the man curled into himself on the ground. “Oh I suppose.” She agreed. “He does look rather sorry after all.” There was no missing the sarcasm in her voice. She watched him pull the man off the ground, avoiding the urge to clap in delight at the offer Fenrir gave him, knowing exactly how it would end. “Isn’t he just so gracious? We’re giving you a chance, you should consider yourself lucky.” She reminded the man as she stepped towards him, tapping him on the nose with her wand. “One…two…” Realization seemed to dawn on the man as he finally took a stumbling step back and turned, racing into the trees. She watched, a laugh slipping from her lips. “Three…” she called loudly before returning her attention to Fenrir. “It’s almost a shame, he likely won’t get very far before you find him.” The amused smile said it was anything but a shame. “Try not to kill him before I get there? I’d hate to miss out on all the fun.”
The business between himself and Lupin was private between the two of them, or so he had thought. Given the way that Remus reacted so viciously about his condition as he called it, Fenrir was surprised that this woman even knew about his lycanthropy. Smirking back at the woman, Fenrir shrugged his shoulders casually. "If little Lupin's not careful, his family and friends will end up just like him as well...werewolves aren't made to be solitary creatures. He will turn one of you - and then how will he live with the guilt?" Fenrir mused. "You can join Mr Lupin if you are oh so concerned about his wellbeing," he said, running his tongue along the underneath of his canines.
If Aurora had it her way, she would make it difficult for the one in front of her, make him feel an ounce of pain that Remus went through. The way he broke him. She turned abruptly, eyes narrowing in his direction, a deathly glare coming from them. "He is better where he is, with friends and family that care about him." Her words sharp, holding truth. "Or what, please tell me what you will do to me?" She challenged him, standing firmly in her place.
Awaiting Thorfinn's appearance, Fenrir had begun sizing up the cottage in the distance. If he had to guess, he would say the place was heavily warded, though it didn't appear to have been made unplottable. At the crack of apparition, Fenrir turned to face Thorfinn and he didn't have to ask for further information before the other man offered it freely. "Witness protection," he snorted, twisting his wand in between his fingers. "What good has witness protection ever done anyone?"
"I'm always ready for fun," he said, starting to edge his way a little closer to the cottage though he stayed hidden in the tree line. "You've watched the patrols?" he asked, turning his wand on himself to cast a disillusionment charm over himself. "I don't know why we can't just kill the patrols...we can deal with whatever reinforcements they send."
Thorfinn finished his drink, watching the other come out from the back, changed and ready to go. There was nothing like having a good hunt and extracting some information. That seemed to be the go to for them. The more information they had, the better it would be for them. "See you there."
With a small twist, he popped from the white wyvern, coming out in a small clearing where a cottage stood off in the distance. He turned to find Fenrir standing there. "Corey Adler. He worked for the Minister of Magic, and was put under witness protection, and I wonder why." The last week, he had learned when patrol switch off happened and found a way to break the wards. "You ready to have a little fun. In five minutes we'll have enough time to break through and enter without anyone seeing us."
The streets of Hogsmeade would always make Cassandra feel warm and nostalgic, no matter how many years passed since she had left Hogwarts. She'd spent a small fortune in Honeydukes before heading into the Three Broomsticks where she'd settled herself in a corner near the fire with a butterbeer. Her nose was buried into a book detailing the latest in runic magic when she spotted someone approaching her from the corner of her eye. "I'm not working at the moment. If you need healing, could you speak to someone else please?" she asked without looking up.
Deciding that by now neither of them was going to leave in a fury, Regulus finally threw himself back down into the chair he'd occupied before James' entrance. Reaching for the bottle again, Regulus took one last swig before he banished the bottle. With narrowed eyes, Reg pointed his wand at James' head before letting harmless sparks flash from the end. "If I obliviated you, Sirius would kill me. I don't need to give another relative a reason to murder me," he muttered, falling back on his brother as if that was the only reason why he didn't want to physically harm James Potter - even after everything. With curious gaze, Regulus saw the way that his words seemed to land and he cursed his big mouth for speaking before he'd thought it through. Still, it hurt. The situation was a nightmare, and no amount of Regulus pulling his punches would change that. "I reckon its my Uncle Alphard. He would think this was bloody funny," Regulus chose not to acknowledge James saying he deserved it. Maybe he did...but hadn't he suffered enough already?
Regulus crossed his arms to hide the shaking of his hands, shrinking back into the chair further. "You know who I'm disappointing James. You...you took my brother in when he left us, and it was me that was left to pick up the pieces, me that was left with the violent fall out, me that had to shoulder the responsibilities - the last male heir to the Ancient and Noble House of Black. I think it will be worse this time, when it all comes out. Sirius and Andromeda was bad enough, shameful even, but for them to lose me when they had me marked and fighting for their side? It's unforgivable. They're my family, and I love them. I still love them, I will love every single one of them until the day that this war kills me. This choice will kill me, it's just a matter of...I don't know, trying to give your Order an edge before it does. I don't hold any false pretences about a life after the war is over...I'm not even sure I'll make it to the end of the war."
Taking a deep breath as James spoke, Regulus couldn't hold his gaze as he spoke of courage and bravery. Reg wasn't sure he had a single ounce of bravery in his body, not really. He was tired of his whole life feeling like a struggle. "I'm tired, James. I'm tired of feeling like I'm never enough, that I'm not good enough for anything, that I don't live up to expectations. This war has broken me in half, and I'm not sure there's much left to piece back together. But I will do my best, for as long as I can. And if by some miracle I'm still alive when the war ends...well, I'll figure out how to live, I suppose," he breathed. "I'll let you. It's easier, I suppose, having someone who knows how I can be. Less awkward than someone new trying to figure me out."
James knew instinctively what he meant. He understood that this was his way of having some sort of control in a situation that was spinning out of it right in front of them, and he nodded. Nobody did like wet socks. Just like nobody wanted to be protected by their... whatever they had been to each other. "I'm not normally a gambling man, but with you, I'll take my chances. Fire away," he shrugged indifferently. In the current climate, it was hard to be sure of much, but one thing James Potter did feel sure of was that Regulus Black wouldn't hurt him. Not like that, anyway. Words were something else entirely, and he'd felt all of them acutely as they landed in his chest, piercing new holes where previous ones had been starting to heal. "He's outdone himself," he agreed. "I s'pose someone's up there's laughing down at us. Thinks this is all some big joke. I think I deserve it, really, after all the pranks I've pulled. You probably deserve it, too, Reg. No offence."
Compassion filled him as he listened to Regulus speak, and James visibly softened. "I don't think I'm the hero here, unfortunately. I was asked to do this." This must be so difficult for him. It was almost like looking in Sirius' eyes when they were sixteen, though he didn't dare say this aloud. "Who could you possibly be disappointing,” James frowned, voice gentle, “by doing the right thing?" It was a rhetorical question; they both knew the answer. At long last, he sat down on one of the chairs with a sigh. "I don't want to be let out of it. Unless you want me gone, which I would understand. I can speak to Edgar to say I can't do it." His gaze, which had been fixated on his hands on the table in front of him, now went to meet Regulus'. "When I was asked to protect you – well, the double agent – I thought… Damn. Whoever it is must be so brave. It'd be an honour to protect someone like that. You may have ended up as far as you did because that was what was expected of you, but this choice that you've made... your conscience winning, despite everything you've been told your whole life, takes so much courage. I still stand by what I said. It'd be an honour, and I'll do it gladly, if you'll let me." He felt as if there was no air left in his lungs, as if it’d been punched out of him.
"I don't have cheese fondue nearly as often as I want to. Unfortunately I haven't convinced my five year old son that cheese fondue is delicious yet, so my recipes at home have shrunk down to kid friendly meals...which mostly means chicken nuggets," Fenrir said with a snort. "Grilled peaches and goats cheese sounds incredible. I feel like that would be good with some spice to cut through the sweetness of the peaches, some fresh chili on top perhaps. Yes, I'll owl it across to you later once my shift finishes. No point you trying to make an imitation, I don't mind sharing my recipe."
"It is one of my favorite cheeses. I always use it when I make fondue. Oh, goat's cheese is lovely, I prefer it paired with fruits or vegetables in a cold dish, rather than a main, if I'm honest. It is more of a summer cheese for me, I made a good salad with grilled peaches and goats cheese in my book that I've heard good reviews about from people that have tried it." Balsamic vinegar, leeks and goats cheese worked well together, she could see the recipe it come together in her head when he described it. "Really? Oh please, that would be lovely."
“You will always be a monster - there is no turning back from it. But what kind of monster you become is entirely up to you.”
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