Posted: April 5, 2005
Chapter Twenty-one: Long Before Peace
As the sun was setting Goyle stepped into his home for the first time in days. "What are you doing here?" were the first words out his mouth as he saw Angelina lying on his couch. "What happened to Vincent?" he asked as he discarded his robe.
"I couldn't stay where he took me," she said honestly.
He lowered his head and scratched the back of it. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that. That was my call and it seems it was the wrong one." He moved closer.
"It's okay." She sat up to make room. "I'll admit it was good to see Fred again, but he only made me realize that I can't do without my husband." Goyle sat down next to her. "We needed to get Draco and my baby out."
Goyle shook his head as he rested it in his hands. "I've been racking my brain for days. I don't know what to do and I don't know how long Draco can last."
Angelina sat closer as she leaned on him, resting her head on his shoulder and rubbing her hand up and down his back. She realized that Goyle needed more comfort than she did at the moment. Because she had only been in love with Draco for a short time, whereas Goyle and Crabbe, had a connection with him that she couldn't even begin to imagine. "Why can't we just storm the castle?" she suggested.
Goyle didn't even look up. "Because then we would be giving the Dark Lord the advantage."
"Yes, but we have to do something, Gregory," she found herself whispering very softly. "You're an in-house, you know that castle," she told him. "And so do others who stand with Draco. Gather them. Together you can make a blueprint of the castle, figure out the schedules of the ones who stand against us, and know when the best time will be to strike."
Goyle turned his head towards her, now just realizing how close they were. "What makes you think it'll work?" he found himself whispering too.
"I don't, but we have to do something, because if we wait and do nothing, I fear I'll never see my husband again," she confessed.
"I won't let that happen," he told her as he slipped his arm around her back. And the two sat on the couch as they simply comforted one another. Goyle found it strange how they had developed a bond in such a short period of time. Sure they had known each other for years, but neither had ever had the opportunity to get to know the other before now.
Goyle had always thought that Pansy Parkinson would have been a better choice for his friend, but he now realized why Draco had always defended Angelina so blindly to him. She was a strong and unwavering woman, willing do anything for her family, but all behind a, 'I don't give a damn' sort of attitude just like Draco. Goyle smiled at the stubbornness of them both. They had both been so determined to have their separate lives, to be and love different people, only to end up being driven towards each other.
Draco had told Goyle everything that went on between him and Angelina. And as Goyle would listen, he couldn't understand, how every harsh word, every dirty look, and how every raised hand, lead them closer together. But then one day it clicked and he finally realized that there was only one explanation; the two of them were crazy, plain and simple.
Yet though Goyle knew about their problems he couldn't help but envy the two, because even though the couple had their ups and downs, and downs, and a few more downs, somehow they knew that eventually there would be another up and somehow that seemed to be more than enough.
OoOoO
"You want us to what! Are you out of your mind?" yelled Lough as he heard Goyle's plan.
"It'll work," Goyle simply said.
"Oh yeah, delivering ourselves on the Dark Lord's front porch is really brilliant," Lough said sarcastically.
"Look you're either in or you're out," Goyle said as Crabbe pointed his wand towards Lough. "Which means you're with us or you're dead. We will not risk you warning the Dark Lord."
"Get that piece of shit out my face." Lough smacked down Crabbe's wand. "I know what side I'm on, so don't threaten me."
"Good. Now like I was saying," he directed towards the fifth secret meeting he was having. Gathering everyone at the same time would have been too suspicious, if not impossible. So he gathered the key people, and they would discreetly inform the others on their side. "We storm at dawn. Us from the inside and of course the others from the outside."
"The battle will be far from easy," spoke Crabbe, some people were surprised by the sound of his voice, many didn't even know he knew how to speak. "But you must remember what we are fighting for. We are fighting for our loved ones. We are fighting for our brothers and for our sisters. We are fighting for our wives and for our children to come. So that they will not have to endure a world full of fear and hate as we have." He looked around the room. "Remember this day and those that are sure to follow, because we will defeat the Dark Lord and-"
"What about T.A.S.?" Lawson interrupted Crabbe. "How do we defeat something whose destruction has been lost with the ages?" The others hearing this question started murmuring amongst themselves and then turned to Goyle.
"We're working on it," Crabbe was the one to speak up looking nastily at Lawson for the interruption. "It should not be a concern the day of," he told him. Many looked unconvinced, but no one said anything as the meeting came to an end.
Goyle then turned to Crabbe. "You didn't need to lie."
"Yes, I did, because if we told them we had no way of defeating The Attachment of Solum, many would not have fought."
"How will we destroy the enchantment?" Goyle looked concerned for the first time.
Crabbe stood up from Goyle's dinning room table. "I'll find a way."
"That's impossible. A search like that could take years," Goyle explained. "And all we have are days."
"It seems that the two of you are in need of a bit of assistants." Crabbe and Goyle turned their heads towards the source of the voice. It was the infamous Lucius Malfoy. "I came as soon as I heard about my boy." He walked towards them, but there was something missing in his usual overconfident walk that neither Crabbe nor Goyle could place. "Just don't stand there," he ordered as he slammed an ancient book onto the table. "I've been looking for over two months. Destroying T.A.S. is in this book."
Crabbe opened the book and flipped through the pages. "It's blank."
"Yes, I've tried everything," Lucius shook his head, "but I can't get it to reveal its writings."
Just then Angelina entered into the dinning room. "Lucius?" He then turned to see his daughter-in-law. They stared at each other for what seemed like years, but in actuality it was only a few moments. Lucius then slowly closed his eyes as he bowed his head and slowly rose it back up as he once again looked upon Angelina. It was a small gesture, but it was enough for her and she smiled. "You're welcome Lucius."
Lucius hide a smile as he looked at the woman who had saved his life. "Alright enough with the foolishness girl," he told her. "We have work to do." He showed her the book.
"Of course." Angelina then examined the book and, like Crabbe, flipped through the blank pages. Her head snapped up. "I've seen something like this before."
"So have I," Lucius told her. "With Riddle's diary, it's not the same."
Angelina looked at him strangely, she didn't understand what what he was talking about. "Okay, but like I was saying, I've seen this before." She picked up the book and handed it to Crabbe. "Take it to Fred, Vincent. He and George used to have these notebooks that they were always writing in, but whenever anyone else looked into it, they were blank. It's old magic, if anyone can make the writings in the book appear it's Fred." Crabbe rolled his eyes, the last person he wanted to see was Fred, but he would do what needed to be done.
OoOoO
As Fred opened his front door to see a very pleased looking Crabbe, he wanted nothing more than to strike him down where he stood. Crabbe knew the conflict that would ensue if he brought Angelina to his home and he had done it anyway, but why, Fred wasn't quite sure.
"Look at this." Crabbe shoved the book into Fred's arms. "We need to know what it says before we attack the castle, it may be the key in bringing down the Dark Lord and his Queen," he explained.
"Fine," Fred tried to keep the sound of loathing from his voice that he was feeling towards Crabbe at the moment. Fred sat down on the couch and placed the book in front of him on the coffee table.
"So," Crabbe's smile grew wider as he took a seat and grew comfortable. "Where's the missus?"
Fred's headed snapped towards him. "Let's just stick to business today, okay?" Crabbe only looked at him and nodded when there came a knock at the door. "It's open!" Fred yelled.
The person slowly opened the door and stepped through. "I've come for the rest of my things." Fred looked at Faith sadly and simply dipped his head towards her and turned back towards the book, which he finally flipped through. Faith walked to the bedroom and closed the door behind her to pack in peace.
Crabbed looked to Fred. "You won't even fight for her will you?"
"What the hell does it matter to you?" Fred asked angrily.
"You'll run after another man's wife, but you can't go after the woman who supposedly still loves you?" Crabbe asked as he shook his head. "You are exactly the person, I always knew you were, Weasley." He stood up and walked out of Fred's line of sight. Fred, pushing Crabbe's comment aside went back to the matter at hand, so he didn't see Crabbe walk towards the bedroom and knock on the door before going inside.
As soon as the door closed behind him, Crabbe felt the force of a hand belt across his face. "Why did you bring her here? Didn't you think I had it bad enough with just the mere memory of her? But to have her in my home and have him chose her over me?" she asked heatedly before turning away from Crabbe and crossing her arms. She then questioned softly. "Did you really think I deserved that?"
"No, of course not," he told her. "I'll admit that I went about it the wrong way, but I was only trying to make you see, that he will always treat you like some runner-up, like some consolation prize."
"That's not what it was like," she said.
"Why are you lying to me or more importantly to yourself?" he inquired. "Faith, if you deserve anything, it's someone better than Weasley." He reached out for her, but she stepped away.
"And let me guess, you think that someone is you?"
"I would like to be," he responded. "Faith, you deserve someone who will love you as if you are his everything and not just because he's afraid of being alone like Weasley." Faith cast her eyes downward. "Why do you allow him your heart when all he does it break it?"
"I don't-" she stopped and then after a moment asked in a whisper. "Would you ever break it?"
"Never," he said hastily. "And if I did, it would be the day I died."
Faith shook her head and turned around so she could continue to gather her things. "But I still love Freddy."
Crabbe frowned at the sound of his name. "Then I'll wait," he began. "I'll wait for all of time, if that's what you want." His head then gradually dropped down towards the floor. "But if you don't, then I'll never bother you again." His eyes then rose to look at Faith. "Do you want me to wait?" His whole expression pleaded with her. "Because I will."
Faith looked up at the man that was standing across from her. She knew if she allowed herself to be with him, that he would never be the reason tears fell from her eyes. She knew she would never have to share his heart or his thoughts.
So why was she denying herself something she knew could be great? Because no man, including Fred, had ever shown her such unquestioning devotion before. But then she thought, how could she give up on Fred so quickly? She knew that their separation was only a temporary thing and that eventually they would find their way back to each other; sure they both had their faults, but they were only human, right?
Making her decision Faith leisurely made her way towards Crabbe and stood facing him. She slowly shook her head. "I don't want you to wait Vincent."
"Oh," he closed his eyes as he felt a sharp pain in his chest and he nodded his head. "Alright. I understand."
"No, you don't." Crabbe opened his eyes with shock as he felt Faith's hands on his chest. She then slid them up and locked her fingers behind his neck. She smiled softly, a little embarrassed by her actions, as Crabbe's aching heart eased and he once again closed his eyes and wrapped his arms around his Faith.
"What the hell?" Fred yelled as he opened the bedroom door.
Faith gasped with wide eyes and quickly pulled away. "Freddy, I-"
"You owe him no explanation," Crabbe cut her off and then looked to Fred. "Her business is no longer of your concern, Weasley." He then whispered to Faith, "Finish with your things love. We should be ready to go soon." Crabbe then walked pass Fred and went out the door. "Come Weasley," he ordered. "We don't have time to waste."
"You know I liked you a lot better, when you didn't speak," Fred retorted before turning to Faith. "You've made a ghastly mistake by choosing him."
Faith looked hurt by his comment, but then said, "Maybe the only ghastly mistake I've made, was not yielding to him sooner." Finding herself tired Faith pulled out her wand and her things soon began to pack themselves.
Fred scoffed before turning on his heels and heading back towards the living room. "This is amazing," he heard Crabbe say as he held the book in one hand and flipped through the pages with the other.
"Thank you," Fred said. "It was easy really, all I had to do was-" he was cut off.
"Did I ask you how you did it?" He looked up from the book. Crabbe was actually very impressed, Fred had done something in a few minutes, that Lucius couldn't seem to do with months of time, but of course he wasn't going to let Fred know that. He then pulled out his wand, shrunk the book, and put both items away. "You do not know how happy I will be, once this war is over and I no longer have to see your face."
"Same here," Fred said slowly.
"Vincent?" Faith called.
"Yes?"
"Are you ready?"
He looked over at her and smiled. "I am." He held out his hand and she shyly walked over to him and took it. "Let's go."
Before closing the front door behind her, Faith turned around to look at the man she had given nearly six years of her life to. "Good-bye, Freddy. I really do hope you find what you're looking for. I'm just sorry that it wasn't with me." And with that she was gone.
Fred stood and stared at the door he had just seen Crabbe and Faith leave out of. His brown eyes were a blazed with fire, full of hate as he narrowed them and snarled, "You haven't seen the last of me, that I promise you."
OoOoO
It was early morning as Goyle prepared breakfast for himself and his two house guests. "Morning." Angelina came through the kitchen door wearing a borrowed housecoat of Goyle's that he never wore.
"Morning," he said. The air was full of tension. "It's still early, I'm guessing you had a hard time sleeping too."
Angelina went and got a mug from an upper cabinet. "Something like that." She poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot Goyle had made. After placing the pot back she put both hands around her mug and just stared into it. "Tomorrow's a big day. A lot can happen." Goyle stopped what he was doing and looked at Angelina, whose back was to him. "I'm afraid, Gregory," she told him with a shaky voice.
"I don't think you would be human if you weren't." He fixed them both a plate and took them to the table. "Sit with me and eat, before it gets cold." Angelina turned around and made her way to the table. She picked up her fork and ate her food gingerly. "I'm not trying to poison you."
"What?" She looked up from her food.
"You're acting as if it's going to bite you back." He smiled. "I know I'm not the best cook, but I assure you it won't." His smiled faded. "Besides, you'll need your strength for tomorrow."
She sighed at his words. "I just want Draco and my Rosalina back."
"And we'll get them back." Goyle took a sip of his drink and then looked to Angelina. "So tell me, how much has Draco told you?" Angelina looked at him curiously. "You do know that tomorrow. . . that there is more at stake then what appears?"
Angelina looked back at her plate. "Do you think I'm a stupid woman, Gregory?" she asked.
"No, of course not," he told her honestly.
She sighed. "Look, I'll admit that there are still a lot of things about Draco that I don't know. He has kept me, for many years, in the dark." She picked at her food finally taking a bite. "Yet, no matter how one may love him, he is still nothing more, than the child I met back in school," she explained. "Draco just doesn't want to take down the Dark Lord, it's more like," she paused trying to find the right words. "It's like, he wants to be the next Dark Lord." She looked to Goyle who was making a gesture. "Don't try to deny it, because I know I'm right. I know because taking down the Dark Lord, without there being something to gain, isn't Draco."
Goyle studied her for a moment. "You know him better than you think, Angelina."
She shook her head. "No, but anyone with common sense can see Draco lives for two things: Control and Power."
"I think you mean three."
"Excuse me?"
"He lives for family too." Goyle smiled which made Angelina smile too.
"How touching," came a dull voice. Angelina looked up and Goyle turned around in his seat to see Lucius enter the kitchen. He went to the counter and grabbed the plate Goyle had fixed for him and then joined the others at the table. "So tell me girl, not counting the last of course, what do you think of my son's so-called cause?" Angelina only looked at him. "Well?" he grew impatient.
Angelina looked to Lucius without fear. "I don't care about his cause, he's my husband and I'll stand by him through anything." Lucius was a bit taken back by her statement, but he soon nodded and began his breakfast.
OoOoO
Later that day while Goyle was out, Lucius approached Angelina. "I have something for you." He told her and turned around towards the guest room he was residing in. Angelina looked strangely at his retreating form before she stopped what she was doing and followed him. When she entered the room to meet the waiting Lucius she noticed the box in his hands. "Take it."
Angelina took the rectangular box and sat on the bed to open it. She didn't understand what this was about until she saw the gift that Lucius had given her. She looked up at him. "These are mine?" He nodded. Angelina then reached into the box and pulled out her very own silver dagger with initials and all. She held it out and rotated it in her hand. "It's lighter than Draco's."
"For speed," he told her. "Draco's blade is heavier because with his fervor in battle he needs the durability. But if it makes you feel any better, my own blade is the same weight as yours."
"Do all Malfoy women receive blades?" she asked.
Lucius shook his head. "Only the worthiest, a true Malfoy."
Angelina took in the significance of his words. She smiled as she realized she finally had Lucius' approval. In his eyes she was now equal and deserving of the name Malfoy. "Thank you," she said softly.
"I pray you know how to use it," he asked.
"Actually no," she began as she lifted her leg and rolled up her pants to strap the holster below her calf. "But I'll know by tomorrow." Lucius smirked at her fortitude.
"There's something else," he told her as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out of it.
He then tossed it in Angelina's direction and she caught it. She looked at the small clear vial, which was not labeled and only half-full. "What is this?" She looked to Lucius curiously.
"There's a good chance that not all of us are going to see the end of tomorrow. And if I am one of them, I need you to follow my instructions," he explained. "I need you to take the contents of that vial every six months staring in June. The vial will then refill itself and then in another six months only take half. Understand?"
"Yeah," she said slowly.
"Good." He then started towards the bedroom door to leave.
"Lucius wait." She stood up and he turned back to her. "What is this?" She held up the vial.
Lucius smiled. "Come now girl, do you honestly think the child was a fluke? I've been slipping that to you for the passed three years," he explained. "Wasn't hard really, you always seemed to have a glass nearby." He then added as an afterthought, "You should really watch that."
"You sound like, Draco," she told him. "He always makes it sound like I have a problem." She then frowned as she looked back at the vial, not really sure what to think about Lucius slipping it to her and her never noticing. "So. . . what exactly is it?"
"It fixes the damage that was done to your reproductive organs when you went to South America." Angelina shivered; it was still something she didn't want to think about. "But its results are temporary, that's why you must take it twice a year. You must also keep it hidden. As you know, what you had done is greatly frown upon in the Wizarding World. So of course, the vial contents are illegal, even in the Dark Lord's eyes," he made clear. "I took great lengths and pulled many favors for it," he added.
Angelina nodded as the wheels in her head began to spin and then it clicked. "You bastard," she seethed slowly. "This is what has been making me sick."
"I'll admit, you seem to have grown a slight allergic reaction to it," he stated casually.
"Slight allergic reaction!" She looked at him in incredulity. "There have been days on end, where I can't keep down my food, there were fevers I couldn't break, and twice I almost fell down the stairs from fatigue." She threw the bottle back at him and he caught it with both hands at his waist. "And for what? To produce a male heir?" She shook her head from side to side. "Does my health mean nothing?"
"Girl, you are overreacting," he stated calmly. "You're not going to die for it or anything."
"Bloody hell! You could have fooled me." She then stormed passed him to leave the room.
But before she reached the door, Lucius' arm shot out and grabbed her forcefully. His face came very close to hers as he growled with impatience, "You may not like my methods, but you will obey them." He then shoved the bottle back into her hand. "And you will give my boy a son."
"Father-in-law or not," Angelina ripped herself from his grip. "Touch me again and you just may be the first to taste the steel of my new gift," she threatened before leaving the room, vial still in hand. Lucius smiled to himself. She was definitely a Malfoy.
To Be Continued. . .
Preview of Next Chapter:
"Draco," Crabbe called as he went to him. "You are not up to this," he told him. "You've been in confinement, without food or water, for over a week. You can not afford to push your body beyond it's limits." Crabbe explained worriedly to his pale and weaken friend.
"What I can't afford," Draco began angrily as he unsuccessfully tried to push Crabbe away. "Is to not to be able to protect my family."
A/N: I've then told by a reviewer, you know who you are, that this has become over-the-top and a bit unrealistic. . . my beta reader has told me the same thing, plus he used the word sappy. I would like to respond to both of your comments at the same time: yes.
Oh and just because there's a preview doesn't mean Ch.22 is done, but so you know I haven't gotten lazy, it's already ten pages long, so prepare for a good long read.