Ch 16 – Flowers When It's Over

It had been Scabior who'd erased my memories, and now we were walking to the middle of the forest.

"I know everything" I told him.

"Too bad, it doesn't matter" Scabior said.

"You should know, the Order is coming" I stated.

"Keep telling that to yourself, Peri" Scabior said.

"I did love you at one point –" Scabior glanced at me. "But that disappeared, after I merely became a tool of pleasure. Something you'd come back to, only if you had spare time" I snapped.

Scabior turned away & we continued walking.

I stood in the middle of the forest, at a clearing; and looked Scabior directly in the eyes.

"Leave me here, and do not return" I demanded of him.

Scabior looked into my once brown eyes, which were now more of a crimson color.

"Why ever would I do that" asked Scabior.

"We could always just take her, we've done it once against her will...what would be the difference in doing it twice" questioned Greyback into Scabior's ear.

"The dark lord would not be pleased if we returned without her" said Peri Malfoy.

"We'll give you moment alone, and then we shall return" said Greyback turning around, and then walking away followed by Peri Malfoy.

"It wasn't easy for me either Peri"said Scabior.

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have made it seem as though it was...you could have said something, anything in his defense" I said.

"I can not argue with that logic...risk my life, for a boy that will never been my son" said Scabior sarcastically.

"I believe I was permitted a moment alone" I said.

"What is it you wish" asked Scabior.

"For you to follow the others, and not to return until my moment has left me" I said.

Scabior bowed, his head to me; which then, he kissed my hand and turned and hurried off to the others. I felt remorse for all the things I had done, and longed for them to be forgotten or taken away. Draco Malfoy had been killed this morning, when defending himself against the dark lord...he'd voiced his opinions against what they were doing.

I'd thought he'd been brave, but was shamed to hear when the dark lord had spoken; that "If you would prefer to die, that can be arranged". Scabior had not stood in the way, for the reason of jealousy; a jealousy directed at Draco, for being able to make me smile when others could not.

Scabior returned, before my moment was up, and I glared towards him.

"You lied about everything, you killed Draco out of spite" I stated.

"You wish to join your lover then" Scabior retorted, approaching me angrily; but an invisible barrier shocked him, and he stood back.

"No closer Scabior" I heard a familiar voice say.

Scabior was shocked, and he growled.

"You didn't really think, I'd allow you to kill him" I stated.

"Avada Kedvra" I heard Argo's voice sound, and Scabior fell to the ground.

Fenrir went to attack as well, but as he passed through the barrier...he reduced to bones. Argo stood beside me, and I felt a hand hold my mine on the other side of me.

"Draco" I said, and hugged him tightly.

"I've never played dead before" Draco told me.

"You did quite a fine job at it" I replied.

I could hear the rest of the Order members following close behind, they ran past us, and around us. Going through the gates, and Voldemort once again...disappearing. He wouldn't be coming back this time, there would be no one left.

*2 Months later, Draco & Rose (Peri Scabior) married, raising their son, Aldous. Aldous' hair & eyes are identical to Draco's own, however, Aldous' hair is a more dirty blonde.

*All girls were freed from the Manor, and all Death Eaters were incarcerated. (Severus & Argo, were the only two who were not incarcerated).

* Peri Malfoy, never recovered...she serving a fifteen year sentence in a Ministry Mind Disorder prison, and is expected to be released in the 2000s.

*Severus died two days after the Raiding of the Manor

*Argo married a woman who worked on the Daily Prophet, he also wrote a book about the Arcans

*Mistress Aura Fawkes was incarcerated, having been caught for falsifying evidence. Only two months of serving under the dark lord, was she under the imperious.

*The 'Peri System' (as it became known), was outlawed, and is no longer practiced. It was under practice for approximately a year and 2 months.