Chapter 20: Unsavory Business

Inside the Parkinson's storage area, the sound of a door being shut suddenly had both Bill and Tonks jumping to hide. This resulted in Bill pushing Tonks against the wall, covering her with his body protectively. Nymph looked annoyed, and she would have rolled her eyes, but she was focused on listening for any footsteps that indicated they were not alone. Still, his aftershave found its way to her nostrils. How… inconvenient. She noticed something else. Since the incident with Remus, she was a bit overprotective of her personal space and preferred for men to stay at a distance. However, perhaps it was because she knew Bill from way back that she felt safe in his presence. After a few seconds of silence, they nodded at each other. Apparently, the door was from the business next to the liquor store. Bill looked apologetic and stepped away from Tonks. He was about to whisper something, but she brought her glove-covered finger to his lips and shook her head.

They opened their kits quietly and set to work. Anyone seeing them would have thought that they had been working together for years. Slight nods, hand gestures, and pointed glances were all they needed to communicate. Fifty minutes and a couple of scares later, they were able to add the powdered iron to at least 70 barrels. This was quite fortunate as the potion had just ten more minutes of effect left, and Tonks hold on her transformation was starting to tire her. With a few lumos maxima, inside an empty barrel that served as a barrier, so sunlight didn't escape, they had also managed to damage about two hundred bottles of high-end and mid-range bourbon.

They shook hands with a slight smile and got out stealthily, making sure there was no trace of them ever being there. They disinfected all areas their gloves had touched and left the back of the business through the door that led to the back alley. William looked away for a second while he put everything away inside his backpack when he heard a door opening, and without a word, he was pushed against the brick wall, and Tonks was kissing him for all he was worth. She felt her body start to change back, so she turned them around. Bill couldn't even think straight, and the change in positions was welcome because as he was pressed against the wall, he could feel most of her. For a few seconds, he forgot all about the mission. Damn! Who knew Tonks was such a great kisser? Those Auror robes should be illegal just for not showing off this magnificent goddess, he thought. Just as he was starting to lose any sense of where he was, as fast as she had pulled him in, she pushed him away.

A male voice yelling, "Oi! Get a room! Will ya'?" broke his haze.

Bill moved his hidden arm and quickly placed a decoy ring on Tonks' hand and, using his deepest voice, said. "Sorry, mate! Newlyweds!" He raised her hand and showed the ring.

"Ah! I remember those days…." The man said with a toothless smile.

"We're dreadfully sorry. We'll get out of your hair," Tonks said hurriedly with a thick Scottish accent.

The ´newlyweds' went away as fast as their feet carried them without breaking into a run. Their hour was almost up. They went into Knockturn Alley and disillusioned themselves while their bodies morphed back. Bill took Tonks' hand and pulled her close. He noticed her hand's shape change in his, and he placed the invisibility cloak over her. Tonks frowned. Was he being gentlemanly just because, or did he feel he owed her? Men!

She arranged the cloak and left behind him. She needed a Grand Pepper Up sooner rather than later. They got to Severus and Narcissa's apothecary, Black Prince, and let out a nervous breath. Narcissa hugged Nymph.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes. It was a success," Nymph smiled.

Narcissa had her potion ready and uncapped. Tonks drank it greedily and sighed as she started feeling better right away.

Bill handed Snape the empty potion vials, and the professor cleaned them and placed them in the back with all the other empty vials. Charlus pulled the young man into a strong hug and thanked him for his help. Bill smiled and said it was no trouble.

"Where's Daniel?"

As they shared a worried look, Dr. Granger and all his prosthetics and props came stumbling through the door. Narcissa placed the 'closed' sign and shut the blinders. She then began to help Daniel out of his prosthetics. He kicked off his high heel boots, threw his cane down, and ripped off his balding 'hair' and bottle-bottom glasses as he tried to stay up. He stumbled over, and Charlus caught him.

"What happened to you?" Charlus asked.

"They liked m-me and offffffered me a taaaste test since I o-ordered one of their most expensive casks…." Daniel said in between hiccoughs as Narcissa took off his fake beard.

"I see. But it all went well? No suspicions?"

Snape handed him a vial. "Sobering up potion. It stinks, but it's great for you."

Daniel smiled. "Thank you, Sev," he downed it in a gulp with an expression of distaste. "No. I paid gold in advance and gave them the address we agreed upon."

"They didn't realize it was Leprechaun gold, did they?" Charlus smiled his best shit-eating grin.

Daniel chuckled, "Nope."

"You didn't!?" Snape gaped.

"My dear, Severus, you didn't seriously think that my James got his most amusing qualities from my dear wife, did you?"

Severus blushed and shook his head.

Charlus turned to Daniel, "So we are all clear?"

"Crystal. Now, I have to get going. I am on diaper duty tonight," Daniel nodded, shook hands with Bill, and kissed Nymph's forehead. "Thanks, Cissa. I can finish changing at home."

"I must get going. Ianthe is waiting for a report," Charlus said, shaking Severus' hand and kissing Narcissa's cheek. A hand on his shoulder stopped his departure.

"Lord Potter?"

"Yes, William?"

"What happens now?"

"Now we wait, son," Charlus smiled and handed him an envelope. He took off through the floo, and as he left, he said, "Mischief managed!" winked, and the flames swallowed him.

Bill repeatedly blinked after the man left. Mischief Managed? What does that mean? Was it about the mission or about the letter? William sat down in case he was in for a shock. He was. The envelope contained a small contract. It was a proposal to include William personally into The Alliance. It included none of his brothers but mentioned that they could be eligible if they proved themselves worthy.

Ginevra was not included in the offer, fortunately. As much as he felt obligated to care since they were technically related, the more he lived with her alone, the spookier he found her. Sometimes she would read something in The Prophet and stare off into the fire, and this distorted, bizarre smile would creep up her face. She had been getting letters too. Bill had been concerned at first, but one night he waited until she was sleeping soundly and read who they were from. Apparently, Ginevra was corresponding with Luna Lovegood. Perhaps the Lovegoods had moved. He didn't think much of it. Except that once the week was up, she would burn all the letters. She enjoyed burning things a little too much. If she found insects, she would throw them in the fireplace instead of simply stepping on them.

Bill could barely wait until she would only come home for Yule and for vacations at times where the other brothers could entertain her and perhaps… placate her. She would also look at him weirdly. Bill felt horrible for recognizing her looks like he did, but they had a predatory nature. He had decided to no longer ever be shirtless in front of her. Bill would sleep with just underwear when he lived alone, but he had purchased actual pajamas. When she stared at him up and down, the last time he had been shirtless in front of her, he felt naked and very grossed out at her feral smile.

Bill started to get dress in his bathroom and to lock his door at night. Something was wrong with her. He had decided as well to limit all physical contact with her. William would pat her on the head like once a week. Sometimes she would lean on him when he was reading or writing, and she would squeeze his arm or rest her head on his broad shoulders. It gave him the heebie-jeebies in the worst way. She wasn't even a teen yet. He dreaded to think what would happen when she… developed. Bill had full-body chills. Gross.

Nymph went back to her normal appearance entirely in the bathroom of the apothecary. She changed her clothes and shoes and stopped for a moment. She took a calming breath as her adrenaline was going back down to normal. Her lips were tingling. Stupid Bill Weasley and his perfect lips. Ugh. No. Any further inner debate was stopped by a light knock.

"Nymph, honey, are you okay?" Narcissa asked.

"Yes, auntie. I'll be right out," Tonks took out her favorite red lipstick and put it on. There was something about red lipstick that was a confidence boost, and she didn't need anyone noticing the state of her slightly swollen lips. She powdered her face to make sure nothing looked out of place, applied some mascara, sealed her makeup, and put on her usual Auror robe.

Narcissa was waiting outside for her with a conspiratory smile. Oh, no, Nymph thought.

"What happened with Bill?" Narcissa asked in a sing-songy voice.

"Nothing," she replied a bit too quickly. "Why?"

"He was staring at you a lot…."

"Well, I am a freak of nature, am I not?" Tonks shrugged and looked away, trying to hide her blush.

Narcissa frowned. "Nymph… did he do anything untoward?"

"What?! Um, no, not at all!" Tonks replied in a haste. She felt her face growing warm.

"Why are you blushing?"

"Because I was the untoward one, okay? But I had no choice!"

Narcissa's eyebrows disappeared into her fringe, "Huh?"

Tonks explained what happened quickly. She sighed. "And now I don't know how to even look at him!"

"Oh, dear… I suggest you apologize… But wait, did he kiss you back?" Cissa wiggled her brows.

"Auntie!" Tonks was mortified.

"Oooh! He totally did… And it was a good kiss, right!?" the older witch smiled teasingly.

"I'm out of here!" Tonks exclaimed without answering.

"Oh, it totally was! I can't wait to tell Andi!" Narcissa laughed.

Nymph groaned, "Don't take advantage of the fact that you are pregnant!"

"I must! Otherwise, heaven knows what would have happened to me by now!" Narcissa yelled after her.

Tonks rushed out of the hall towards the front of the store and breathed out with relief when she found that only Severus was left. "Control your wife, will you?" she said over her shoulder to the confused Potion Master, who looked at her questioningly. "Argh, forget it! You're whipped!" She pulled up her cloak over her now wavy, mid-length, burgundy hair and took off towards the Three Broomsticks. The next alleyway she passed, someone tried to pull her in by covering her mouth. She bit as hard as she could and hit the person behind her with her elbow.

"Ouch! Fuck! It's me! Merlin!" Bill grunted as he tried to regain his breathing.

"What were you thinking trying to pull me into a dark alley!? I could have killed you!" she admonished him with a frown.

"I am trying not to take this personally, but first, you sexually assault me, and now you want to kill me?"

Tonks colored and spluttered, "Sexually assault-" She threw her hands up. "It was my only choice! He had already seen us!"

"Just admit that you wanted to kiss me. I won't tell a soul," Bill said with a teasing smile.

A couple of people had noticed their conversation, so Bill did a silencing ward. Tonks opened and closed her mouth several times in frustration.

"UGH! You are such a man! That's why I prefer missions with women! At least, when we have to kiss, they don't try to make their tongue tango with my tonsils!" she turned to leave angrily.

"Whoa! Relax, woman! I was joking!" He grabbed her forearm gently.

"Was your tongue in on the joke!?" she pulled her arm out of his grip in one fluid motion.

He took her other forearm gently, "No, my hormones were controlling my tongue," he replied, looking down in embarrassment.

"Ewwwww! Bill!" she ripped her arm from his grip and grimaced.

"Okay… that is the first time anyone has said that about kissing me in ever… Ouch," William looked offended.

"As if you don't find me unappealing…" she said this and placed her hands on her hips which emphasized her small waist.

"Wherever did you get that idea?" Bill seemed truly shocked.

"You are no lady," she mimicked his deeper voice with difficulty.

"I apologized for that, Nymph!" he complained.

"You were just saving face, I get it," she chuckled. "Thanks for coming, anyway." Tonks sidestepped him to leave.

"Wait! I think you have hearing problems… I already told you that my hormones were in control of my tongue," William said. Tonks rolled her eyes hard. "I know, I know. I am not proud of that lapse of judgment, but… Fuck, Tonks. You are stunning, and I am a straight man, okay?"

Tonks tried to keep her angry façade, but his tortured expression made her laughter bubble up. Bill looked at her strangely. While she thought he found her laughing unappealing, he was too enthralled by her red lipstick, which was making her lips look like a delicious target. Tonks took a deep breath. "Sorry, I just… You looked like a toddler when someone takes their favorite toy away."

"Kinda felt like that when you pushed me away, too," he blushed when he realized he said it out loud.

Tonks's eyes widened, and she looked torn between being offended and amused at his slip-up.

"Not that you are a toy… or mine… I just… Bloody hell! You make me nervous."

"Listen, we are going to be teaching together. Whatever this is," Tonks waved a finger back and forth in between them, "It's a really bad idea."

Bill sighed and closed his eyes. "Trust me, I know. That's okay… I just don't want you to think things that just aren't true. You could have any man you wanted, Nymph."

She lifted a brow in challenge.

"Or any woman, of course," he added with a playful smile. "Hell, some goblins may be interested too."

Nymph grimaced at his last suggestion. "Ugh, you were doing so well... Come on! I'll buy you a pint. You need to cool your hormones down," she said in a teasing tone.

"How about this? I buy you a pint, and you tell me more about kissing other female Aurors?" He elbowed her gently.

"You are unbelievable!"

"Now that is something I have heard more often," he wiggled his brows.

"Ewww!" She pushed him away.

At the Three Broomsticks, the two Defense professors sat in a booth and placed silencing wards. In case they mentioned anything telling about today. More than that, though, Bill needed to ask Tonks the important questions. She said something about her being stuck with some features for a while, and William took his chance.

"Actually, about that… Can you morph into things you have never seen?"

"Ah! You mean if I know your deepest, darkest, smallest secrets?" she sniggered. She knew that it was eating at him since the day he introduced her to the class.

"You little miscreant! You did that on purpose!" he exclaimed. "How did you know what I meant?"

"Well, because you are that type of man," she laughed.

"What does that even mean?" he frowned.

"You are a vain dude. I remember how you used to preen through the grounds at Hogwarts like a peacock in search of a mate!" she laughed harder.

"I DID NOT!" he replied with a scandalized expression.

"Oh, you totally did! The undone tie, the top two buttons undone, the ridiculous guitar pick necklace and the dog tags, the tousled bed hair that made it look like you just got some…."

Bill opened and closed his mouth a few times in exasperation, but then his eyes narrowed, and he got closer to her. "And just how is it that you can remember in such detail? Huh? Couldn't stop staring, could you?" He winked.

She got closer in challenge to see if he backed up. He refused to concede. She lifted a brow and got hairs away from his ear and whispered in a throaty voice, "Oh, you would love that! All those girls, practically lining up to get in broom closets with you-" she brought her hand closest to his head up. Nymph began to finger-comb his shoulder-length hair back, scratching her nails against his scalp slowly and deliberately, almost lazily. "You would like to drag me into a broom closet now, I am sure," she blew air softly towards his ear, and his skin exploded in goosebumps. Can't fake that, can you? she thought with an amused smile. Men like William were used to being the ones in control, but Nymph fully intended to teach him that when it came to these types of games, women always had the upper hand. William knew he was in big trouble and had to bite his lip not to moan when she mentioned taking her into a broom closet. This woman was too good at this game. And as intensely and quickly as she got all close and personal with him, she was suddenly on the opposite booth with a poker face, and he almost fell towards where she had been.

"But no, I wasn't one of your insipid fangirls. You know, come to think of it… I believe you were the only non-Quidditch player Head Boy who had fangirls," she chuckled and took a long sip of her beer. She then licked the foam off her top lip.

Bill had to look away. Hot damn! He was in over his head.

"Then how do you know all that? Pardon my frankness, but you were an awkward, shy nerd," he said, trying to get her off balance. Instead, she just chuckled.

"Yeah, you try being social when people call you Piggie," Tonks said darkly.

"I forgot about that! Oh, that was glorious!" he laughed, thanking his lucky stars that he had taken the bait, and he could feel the temperature dropping a bit.

"Mhmm, for you maybe, Mr. Washboard abs," she moved quickly and jabbed his side. "Oh, but you've gone soft with age, huh?"

William swallowed thickly. If only she knew… He shook his head. He would start his core work tomorrow at daybreak. "I'll get them back for you," he winked.

"For me? You wish!" she smirked. Bill had to make an effort not to nod with enthusiasm. "As for what you really want to know, when I morph into a dude, I usually go generic or go without… Unless I have seen it…. Or unless it matters for the mission."

"Oh, okay… So it was definitely generic," Bill said in a questioning tone. He needed the reassurance.

Tonks took another sip and bit her lower lip, "Wouldn't you like to know!" she smirked.

"W-What?!" Bill blushed furiously. "No way! You and I never have-! I would remember that!"

"Oh, you absolutely would remember. But no, I didn't need to get in bed with you," Nymph ate the last chip on their shared plate.

"Then how do you know? Do I need to kill Charlie?!" he asked with sudden fear.

"No. Charlie is an angel. You are forgetting something very basic. Girls talk too… and we are quite descriptive. We can paint a picture if you know what I mean," Tonks said with a winning wink that Sirius would have been proud of. Nymph moved forward across the table, getting a couple of inches away from his face. She pulled out a small pouch from between her breasts slowly, which made him look down for half a second, but Tonks noticed. She smiled triumphantly and placed the whole amount of the bill on his robe's chest pocket, patted it, and walked away without another word. By the time Bill had managed to calm down and wrap his mind around their whole conversation, she was long gone with a self-satisfied grin. That saucy minx will be the death of me! He thought.

A few days later, and as he did each month, Horatio went by the family business to taste a sip of a few barrels. He had too many things on his mind, and he didn't even look at the cup, let alone smelled it before he sipped it. His eyes widened in shock. He spit, had a coughing fit, threw up, and washed his mouth repeatedly. His sisters-in-law were attracted by the noise.

"What's wrong?" sister 1 said.

"What the bloody hell happened here!?" he opened the spigot once more, and what dripped to his glass was a black liquid. The sisters gasped. "What is this travesty!?"

"I have no idea. What does it taste like?"

"Death!" Horatio growled.

The sisters-in-law took a step back in fear.

"It tastes like death! This barrel alone costs over 30 000 galleons! How many did you allow to get damaged like this?!" he was red with rage.

"We didn't allow anything! We never come back here unless it is to take out bottles," sister 2 said.

"See? All the bottles are covered, and no one has come back here!"

"This is sabotage! Bourbon doesn't go black and bitter on its own. The covered-up bottles prove noth-"

He pulled the covers up and cursed a string of flamboyant expletives when he noticed the color of the liquid was going black. He hastily summoned a bottle and opened it in a rush. The smell made him gag. "They are all ruined! Do you hear me? RUINED! Get out of here, both of you! You are FIRED!"

"Our husbands own a third of this business! You can't fire us!" They replied in unison.

"And you have just lost most of that value of your thirds in DAMAGES!" Horatio roared. "OUT!"

The sisters-in-law almost ran to the floo.

Daphne was having a good day. She hadn't got lost at all in that monstrosity of a castle. The elves served her favorite breakfast, French toast, and she finally received a new letter from Martin. Daphne had been sad to see him leave so soon. Martin had asked her to relay good news to the Potters, and while she was going to write a letter to Lord Potter, she wanted to tell Harry herself. As she walked down the castle searching for the boy, she ran into Neville, who was still sour. As he had thought, Seamus was now sure Neville was gay based on Harry's defense of the shy kid.

"What's up, Nev?" Daphne plopped down next to him. She could almost feel his sorrow.

"Hi, Daph," he didn't look at her. He had a potted plant with an exotic multi-colored flower that seemed to sparkle on his lap.

"What's that?"

"A mutant, I think," the boy shrugged.

Daphne had taken the plant and brought her close but put it at a distance at his words. "How so? Will it bite me or poison me or something?"

The boy smiled slightly. Daphne seemed actually interested. He replied, "No. It's just pretty."

"What?"

"Well, some plants are edible, others have magical properties, some are carnivorous… this one is just pretty and smells good," he shrugged.

"Can I smell it?"

"Um… Sure. I really like it, but I don't know much about smells," Nev shrugged again.

Daphne got even closer and smelled the flower. Her eyelids shut slowly, and her smile grew.

"Neville! Mon Dieu! This smells like… like- Oh, I have no idea, but I love it! C'est magnifique!" Daphne sighed and inhaled again.

"Really?" his eyes shone.

"Absolutely. If you bottle this up, you'll become a famous parfumeur! What is this called?"

"I mixed different varieties of the Ambrosia flowers in different colors, and this came up," he smiled with a blush.

"Wait, you made this?!" Daphne was pleasantly surprised.

"It's no big deal…."

"No big deal? Neville! Girls will be lining up to buy this if you bottle it up!"

He sighed. "Nah… Girls will never line up for anything that has to do with me, Daph. Thanks, though. I am glad you like it."

Daphne's big sister radar pinged. She frowned and handed him back the plant. "Okay, what gives? Who do I need to beat up?"

"Huh?"

"No one messes with my kids without regretting it!" Daphne smiled in a wicked fashion. "Ask Parkinson," she smirked at the younger boy.

"It's okay… You don't have to do anything."

"I'll be the judge of that! Spill!" she commanded gently.

After he told her about Seamus, he expected she would laugh and think him ridiculous for making such a big deal out of the situation. He didn't even want to look at her. "I know it's dumb, but I don't want to be the gay kid for six more years."

"You know, I love Harry, but sometimes he's a big clutz. Nevy, this is not dumb. That Finnigan boy is a creep. I heard that the girls' stairwell has thrown him out once already. I think this calls for some acting… and some mischief," she smiled.

"Acting?"

"Yes…"

"Um…"

"On a scale of 1 to 10, how pretty do you think I am?" Daphne asked, her expression serious.

Neville immediately blushed and looked away. "I am not going to rate you like you are an animal!" he exclaimed, indignant.

Daphne smiled at the boy, "Oh, you wouldn't hurt my feelings. You can be honest. It's okay."

"It's disrespectful and objectifying!" Neville complained.

"Your family raised you right," Daphne looked proud. "But look, I am only asking because if you don't find me attractive, I can ask a friend to help us out. If you do, I can help you out myself."

"What are you thinking?"

She relayed the plan. He would bring the flower to her at dinner when Seamus could see them. She would fuss, thank him profusely, extol his virtues, and kiss him.

"You are not serious!" Neville was as red as the flower's filaments.

"Would you rather have your first kiss with someone who has no clue what they are doing?" she wiggled her brows to tease him.

"I-I…. You… What!?" Neville stammered.

She burst out laughing, "Mon amie! I was joking. I am not going to make out with you… Not until you are much older," she smirked.

"WHAT?!" Neville went pale.

Daphne kept her poker face for a couple more seconds and then laughed so hard her sides hurt. "Oh, dear! You are far too easy to tease, Nevy! You are a child! I would never make out with a child..."

"Oh, you are evil!" he sighed in relief.

"You can't live without me, and you know it! Okay, we will start with the flower plot, and then in a couple of weeks, I will drag you to a broom closet and make you look like I've snogged the living daylights out of you!"

"Snogged?!"

"Yeah! I'll make sure Finnigan and a few others see you come out of the broom closet. I will come after you looking… the part. Then, we will let the gossip take over the school," she smiled.

"How on Earth are you going to achieve that look without… you know?"

"Without getting down and dirty with you for real?"

"Daphne!"

She laughed. "Don't worry. I know you are saving your first kiss for Luna, probably," she smirked. He went red all over the face. She chuckled. "I will make your lips look a bit swollen, mess your hair up, pull your tie loose…. That kind of thing."

"You are a very bad influence…" he whispered, holding back his laughter.

"Au contraire, mon chéri… I am a very good influence for all things morally questionable and mischief-inducing, which are the best things in life," she smirked, kissed his red cheek, and got up. "I think we should do the flower thing tomorrow. Should I call you baby or-?"

"Daphne…" Neville said in a warning tone.

"Nevy, then. Have you seen Harry and the kids? I have to talk to him…."

"They are having a celebratory tea with uncle Sev and aunt Cissa. She's pregnant."

"Oh, that's wonderful! Let's go join them!" she tried to pull him up in vain.

"I don't feel like celebrating…."

"If I actually do drag you to the broom closet, you will…" she wiggled her brows. "What do you say? Make a choice. Fake it til you make it having tea or your first broom closet escapade?"

"Fake it til I make it!" he replied, panicked.

She laughed, "Come on, lover boy! Let's see if they still have some cake left."

Antigone Parkinson had been brought up with all the superior manners of a posh family. She wasn't proud of listening behind closed doors, but when she was informed Lucius was in her home, she couldn't risk not knowing what was going on. It had taken years to get over her trauma from what that brute did to her. When she heard that he wanted her daughters, she snapped. Their living room was almost entirely destroyed by her bout of angry magic. Now they had to deal with the Greengrass family and with this sick, twisted arse. When her husband returned from his talk with Grindelwald, he poured her a double shot of bourbon and did the same for himself. She put the glass down on the table and didn't touch it again.

"So?" she asked.

"He will write to Malfoy. His contacts in the Ministry are no longer viable."

"I could try to talk to Marietta, but she is not high up enough to manage something like this."

"I don't care. We have to exhaust every resource. Is the goblin done with our plan B?"

"Yes, he has purchased a secluded island, and if push comes to shove, I will relocate with the girls while you get rid of Malfoy."

"I can't do that! We have a life debt! If I try to kill him, I will die!"

"Maybe you deserve that! You are the one that got us into this mess! You allowed Lucius to rape me, and now he wants to do the same to one of our daughters for the rest of their lives, and you are doing nothing to stop it!" Antigone slapped him.

Horatio bit the inside of his cheek not to respond. He deserved that. He took a deep breath, "I can't keep apologizing forever. I have told you I am sorry ad nauseam. I can't go back in time and undo what I did or what was done to you. Instead of fighting amongst ourselves, we have to think. Who do we know that is powerful enough and has the contacts necessary to pull this off?"

Deafening silence stretched out for a few minutes.

"Lord Potter may-"

"NO!"

"It's our daughters!" she exclaimed in outrage.

"I will not bend a knee to Charlus Motherfucking Potter!"

"You may not, but I certainly will do what I must do to save our children!" Antigone yelled.

"He is an ally of that bitch Ianthe Greengrass!"

"I will lick the sole of her filthy boots if I have to do so to protect my daughters!" she apparated on the spot. "That's the difference between a coward like you and a mother like me!

The only thing he could do, for the second time in a week, was yell a loud "Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuck!"

Ianthe had just closed another big deal. Coming back to England was proving quite profitable. Charlus' report, especially the Leprechaun gold part, made her day. She grabbed the small pile of letters on her desk. Martin still hadn't replied. She was a bit concerned. Perhaps she should call him. His goodbye had been so cold and strange. He didn't even give her a hug… Not that she was expecting one. However, him waving at her but squeezing her daughters was a bit painful. The worse part was that she had no idea what she did wrong. He had just changed like a light switch that is moved. Ianthe got up to let Jonsy know it was time to go home when a knock on the front door stopped her.

Jonsy opened the door and immediately jumped back in front of his mistress, stretching his arms to cover her. Ianthe tapped her necklace and got in a defensive position. Still, she wasn't ready to see Antigone Parkinson darkening her threshold.

"You better have a goddamned good reason to show yourself here in violation of my terms!" Ianthe exclaimed.

Antigone looked at war with herself and tortured for a few seconds. Her eyes filled with tears, she blushed. She then threw her wand down to the floor of the elf in front of Lady Greengrass.

"I beg you for mercy! Not for me, but for my daughters!" Antigone knelt.

Ianthe was surprised and angry, "You dare to beg for mercy when you wanted my family's remains to fuel one of your twisted little rituals!?"

"Please! You know him! You can't possibly think it's okay for him to marry them!" Antigone tried to approach Ianthe on her knees.

"Stay back!" Jonsy yelled. His hands were ready to attack the woman. His foot kicked her wand away.

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"We owe Lucius Malfoy a life debt! Now he's using that and the marriage contract penned between our Houses to force us to marry one of our daughters off to him!" Antigone yelled in desperation.

Ianthe wasn't expecting any of this. "You mean to tell me that your absolute idiot of a husband signed a marriage contract as a way to pay a life debt to sycophant extraordinaire Lucius bloody Malfoy!?"

"Yes! Pansy is eleven! Cicely is barely sixteen! Please, you have daughters too!"

Ianthe threw up in her mouth a little at the mental picture. "I-" but she could say no more since the phone rang. Keeping her wand trained on the woman, she picked up the phone. "Hello?"

"Ianthe?" Martin's voice made her heart calm a bit.

"It's so good to hear you, Martin."

"You too…. I-I called to apologize," he began.

"Lady Greengrass, please!" Antigone begged. Tears fell freely down her face. "This is a time-sensitive issue!"

Ianthe looked at the woman, narrowing her eyes. "Martin, dear. I can't speak to you right now. I am in a middle of an emergency. I will call you back,"

"What?! Are you okay? The girls? Do I need to send anyone?" he asked in fast desperation.

"No, we are all fine. I gotta go. I will call you back as soon as I solve this," Ianthe said with a small smile, trying not to sound rude. Martin never had much money, and international calls were expensive.

"Please. I will be praying for you."

"Thanks."

Ianthe hung up the phone. "Look, Lady Parkinson, as a mother, I can understand your plight. However, your House is not on good standing with mine precisely because one of those daughters attacked scioness Dagworth Granger, and my daughter was forced to defend her. Your daughter then spoke ill of my husband, a man she has never met, which leads me to believe that you have been telling lies to your children."

"I haven't! It's my husband. He always held a grudge against Lord Greengrass. Pansy overheard us talking once."

Ianthe felt an entire body shudder, and her core went hot as lava. She grabbed the other woman by the hair, pulling her head back, and pressed up her wand deep against Antigone's throat. "Was it your husband?!"

"What?!"

"Did your husband murder Tobias!?"

Antigone struggled against the other woman's hold to no avail. "No! He didn't! I swear!"

"Give me an oath on your magic NOW!" Ianthe demanded in a fury.

"I c-can't!"

"What!?"

Antigone cried louder, "I am p-pregnant! I can't swear an oath that will bind my baby to you for life!"

"Jonsy! Verify her pregnancy!"

The elf did as he was told. Antigone was indeed pregnant. "Call your husband. I want him to come here immediately and give me that oath!"

"Will you h-help us?! Will y-you help our g-girls?" Antigone sobbed, no longer resisting.

"If he didn't kill my husband, I will consider it. You have to agree with my terms first, though," Ianthe said with a frown. "Jonsy, set up a floo call."

"Gorgeous, we are here to pick you up!" Sirius exclaimed from outside the door. Charlus and Moody were with him.

"Floo call him how! Jonsy, go out and explain."

"Mistress, I cannot leave you alone with her!" Jonsy protested.

"That was an order, Jonsy!"

Ianthe's command had Moody blasting the door off its hinges.

Sirius came in with a limp. "Are you alright? Who's-" his voice died as he saw Antigone Parkinson knelt in front of the fireplace.

"Bloody hell!"

"What is happening here?" Charlus asked, pointing his wand at the woman on the floor. Sirius and Moody did the same.

Antigone looked at Lord Potter and rushed to him on her knees. "I am unarmed! Lord Potter! I throw myself at your mercy! You are a father! You have to help my daughters!"

The woman held on to Charlus' knees as if her life depended on it. Lord Potter looked at Ianthe in a questioning manner. Moody had a curse at the tip of his tongue, and Sirius was trying to keep the wolf at bay. Lady Parkinson was bawling like a small child. Charlus raised his wandless hand in a clear halt sign. "Lady Parkinson, I do not believe we have met before."

Charlus helped her up and sat her on a chair in the waiting area. "Jonsy, a calming draught, please."

Jonsy immediately brought a vial. Charlus uncapped it and handed it to Antigone, who was shaking like a leaf. "Better?"

"T-Thank you, sir."

"Alright. You are unarmed. Is your husband coming after you?" Charlus asked, motioning for everyone else to sit.

"He better be!" Ianthe spat.

"Ianthe, my dear, please tell us what is going on."

Lady Greengrass kept her wand on Antigone and quickly retold what had occurred.

"I see."

"Lord Potter, please! Help my daughters! I'd do anything for them! He'd rape them every day until they conceive, and then they would be expendable like his ex-wife!"

"You wash your mouth before speaking ill of my cousin!" Sirius growled, his grip on his wand tightening.

"I'm sorry, Lord Black… I am truly desperate! I don't know what to do!"

Moody grunted. "I do! We have to kill that bastard!"

"Not that I would ever object to seeing that blonde manwhore getting his due, but how the fuck are we supposed to find him!?" Sirius asked.

"Every time we have tried to track him down, he vanishes! He's a slippery turd!" Moody exclaimed, hitting the coffee table.

"No, sir. You don't understand. I don't want you to help me find him. I want you to keep my daughters safe!" Antigone begged.

"Listen, Lady, we are not a nanny!" Moody complained.

"No, sir. I know that! I need help forging a marriage contract that precedes his visit to our house to collect the debt. A Marriage Contract between Scion Wood and our daughter Cicely!" Lady Parkinson began crying anew.

Ianthe's anger made a mirror above the fireplace shatter. "What about Pansy!? Or are you planning on sacrificing her?"

"She was supposed to marry Draco…." Antigone whispered.

"Supposed to-?" Sirius was incensed. "This isn't the 1800s! What if they were incompatible? What if they hated each other?"

"I know! My husband set it up! I thought there were names in that contract, but apparently, he worded it as join our two Houses by marriage!" Antigone cried with her face in her hands.

"You are telling me that Horatio Parkinson willingly signed that travesty!?" Charlus exclaimed in frustration for the girls.

"Yes."

"Let me see if I get this straight. You want us to somehow manage to get a forged contract into the records of the Department of Records and make it look like the contract was signed a long time ago, and you want us to find you a groom for your other daughter?" Moody asked.

"No! I have been thinking, and perhaps Lady Goyle can be persuaded to sign a marriage contract with us… for Pansy," Antigone offered.

"Perhaps?! This is the level of energy you have to save your daughters from Malfoy!?" Ianthe's hair began to lift in the air.

Sirius got up and hugged her tightly against her will. "I know, doll, but calm down."

"Do not tell me to calm down! If it wasn't for two kids being in the middle of this, I would tell her that they have made their bed and should lie in it!" Ianthe growled into Sirius' hug, trying to break free. The windows rattled. Charlus nodded at Sirius, so he walked holding Ianthe still, went into her office, and closed the door. He pushed his wolf down so his senses wouldn't take over and make him notice the very beautiful and wonderfully smelling woman in his arms. No. Bad wolf. Very bad very married wolf! Behave!

Charlus silenced the office from outside.

"Ianthe, breathe. Your core is too unstable with anger. Focus on the kids. They are close in age to your daughters. Imagine them instead. Imagine a psycho like Malfoy is in a position to force you to make one of them marry him… Think like a mom…. Breathe, doll. Come on, hug me back. You know you want to. You have been through a lot. You deserve to let it out."

"Argh!" Ianthe exclaimed. She lifted her arms, and instead of hugging Sirius back, she started punching his sides and back as harshly as she could. Considering he was a powerful werewolf and significantly larger than her, he was surprised to painfully realize she could punch better than many men would have in this exact position. After about a minute, she collapsed against him and finally hugged him back.

"That's it," he caressed her hair with one hand and her upper back with another. "I knew I was still irresistible," Sirius said, trying to lighten the mood.

"Oh, shut it! You just play dirty… using my own daughters against me…."

"It worked," he smirked.

"Sirius… I-I think Horatio killed my Toby…." Ianthe mumbled against Sirius' chest. He smelled divine.

"WHAT?!" he pushed her away from him. "Are you sure?"

"No. Let's go to her. I demanded an oath, but she's pregnant, so I want an oath from him. I was going to make her floo call him so he could take the oath himself. If he had anything to do with, I cannot help them," Ianthe explained. "I will not prevent Lord Potter or you from helping them, but I simply cannot. Do you understand?"

"Absolutely, doll. Don't you worry. I got this one. I will growl at him and put the fear of the Lord in his bones," Sirius bared his teeth, and Ianthe marveled at how the man was able to push his fangs and make them longer, then pull them in at will.

"Neat trick," Ianthe smiled. "Come on."

In the waiting area after Sirius took Ianthe away, Charlus floo called Lord Parkinson.

"You! Where's my wife? What did you do to her?"

"Nothing. Lady Parkinson has thrown herself at my and Lady Greengrass' mercy."

"No way! She wouldn't stoop so low," Horatio exclaimed.

"You have a lot of nerve to judge others when your stupidity is costing your daughters greatly. Come here and face me like a man. It is reprehensible that you have the Lady of your House desperate enough to reach out to us because you are as a mediocre Head of House!" Charlus roared the last part.

"I will not go to enemy territories and breach Lady Greengrass's terms. I may be mediocre, but I am not stupid!"

"You exchanged a life debt for a wedding contract that you didn't even read!"

The floo was closed suddenly after that and Charlus had a coughing fit as some ash came into his mouth.

"Alright, that does it!" Moody stood quickly and sent out a Patronus.

"Who are you calling?" Charlus said I between coughs.

Ianthe and Sirius came out and they rushed to get Charlus a glass of water.

"Alliance meeting ASAP. You!" he pointed at Antigone with his staff. "Start writing those marriage contract proposals. Make sure they are doable because, as you very well know, that reprobate of a husband of yours will need to sign them as your Head of House."

The woman nodded and scampered to Jonsy's desk. She grabbed some parchment and a feather pen and began writing.

Harry was over the moon. His forehead housing such dark energy meant that he was now sensitive to other dark energy sources, but there was none left on him. Unbeknownst to Harry, Draco had colluded with Martin and dabbed a whole container of holy water on his head, and placed a crucifix over his almost invisible scar but nothing had happened. Draco read the prayers that would get a response, used the rosary beads as intended, and nothing happened. Father Martin told Daphne his research found that many people who had been exorcised reported hyper-alertness to dark objects and spiritual entities after the fact. Hermione was jubilant. That was great news!

After the tea party, Harry excused himself to go see the headmistress. She was about to leave for an urgent meeting.

"Harry, I really have to go. Is this urgent?" Minerva asked as she put on a warm cloak.

"Kind of. I was going to do horrible begging and had a whole speech planned, but I just want to know if I can bring my parents' portrait to Hogwarts. They said they feel like background characters in my life and I don't want that…" he sighed and pouted.

"Oh! Of course, I don't see why not. We could place it here if you'd like. If you were to have it in your room, you need to be sure that it would be safe with your classmates."

"How?"

"Have Hermione help you draft a contract and I will call you all to meet with me tomorrow, alright?" Minerva grabbed floo powder but before she could throw it, Harry hugged her for all she was worth.

"Thanks, Aunt Minnie! You are the best! I love you soooo much!"

"I love you too, my little Lion," Minerva peeled the child off her and left in a swirl of flames.

A/N: Two updates in two days!? What!? I know… :D But the muses gifted me with an extended visit and I really wanted to post this bit. Don't get used to it, though. I have bills to pay and this doesn't cover them at all. Thanks for reading, for the favorites, for the follows, and for the kind comments. Don't be traumatized for me regarding the snake! It was alright. I am fine and so is my dog. :) Snakes are common where I live. Usually not inside houses, lol, but common still. I was only sad that it got hurt when it fell from the ceiling. Let me know if you want me to post one-shots in a separate "story" I have a few and it may be a while until the next upload to ToG. Now I am off to rest my back and my eyes -Lux-