A/N: Thanks to everyone who's reviewed! Another longer chapter.

I've been listening to the "Colors" and "Decorate" by Yuna on repeat. Coincidentally, they both relate to the story I think. Also, she's a phenomenal singer-songwriter. You should go listen!

S38: So good to hear from you again! I'm so glad you're still reading! And yes, many things have changed sigh. But what will never change is my love for good old-fashioned UST hehe.

snuffles95: Thank you! I'm pretty excited about how Barty's character is going to play out. I've never heard of anyone else using him in such a way, so I'm pretty proud of myself tbh hehe. He's developing in an interesting way in my head. I can't wait for all of you to see his role play out.

WRITE ME A REVIEW P-P-PLEEEEEASE!

Disclaimer: I own nothing!

Chapter 26: Of Means to an End

Rowan and Carole wept for days after Richard's death, quietly mourning in the privacy of Delacroix Manor. His body had been badly burnt, though not to the same extent as Belby's. The Healers informed them that he'd died of the Killing Curse, not his burns, and Rowan was strangely grateful - perhaps he hadn't suffered too much before his death. They buried him quietly in Godric's Hollow next to John Potter. She thought that perhaps if she listened hard enough, she could hear the two reunited friends laughing from the next plane.

Richard's office had been burnt beyond recognition. The cypress furniture had been blackened and charred, though the spaces around his office had remained intact - he had set up protection spells around it to contain the damage, and Rowan realized bitterly that he had known his time was coming. She thought back to his gentle behavior the last time she'd seen him and knew that had been his final goodbye. She almost resented his faultless bravery, wished that he'd been able to swallow his pride and request help from the Order but knew that it was exactly how he'd want to die - fighting till the very end. She thought of the five Death Eaters who had perished in the fire along with him and mentally spat on their memories with great relish.

Rowan spent much of her time after in her father's study at home, going through his belongings and quietly cherishing every piece of him she could find. She found that he had kept every card, every silly drawing or memento that she'd given him as a child in an enchanted bottomless box within his desk. All of her report cards, letters from school, and photos of her throughout the years were bound neatly in the box. She cried over them, clutching each desperately. She wondered if her tears would reach the bottom of the box – would they find her father there?

After the funeral, Rowan didn't see her mother cry again. She took on a hard, determined look, often disappearing into the library or her bedroom for long periods of time. Rowan imagined that she needed time to grieve alone and didn't seek her out. Carole took care of all of Richard's final affairs without accepting help from her daughter, and Rowan wondered if this was her mother's way of holding onto her father. As she walked through the long halls of their home, she wondered if she would be able to eventually inherit it without bitterness.

Remus came and went frequently as he had when Belby had died, though he had taken on a new determination that Rowan had never seen in him. There was a fire there that had been absent before her father's death. She reasoned that he was probably just feeling more protective – after all, it wasn't unreasonable to think that the Death Eaters would pursue Richard's family next as their attack had actually been a great loss for them – but there was something else there, something she couldn't name. She wanted to ask him, but he hadn't pestered her to talk about her mourning, so she reasoned that if he wanted to discuss this new determination, he would.

But still, the days felt lonelier than ever now that Richard Delacroix was no longer in the world. She wondered if her mother cried as she lay in bed alone and knew that the older woman's loneliness was probably one thousand times heavier than her own. Her heart ached. She prayed silently that whomever was struck next wouldn't be taken with fire and smoke as well.

In her moments of mania, she'd begun moving her potion making equipment into the manor basement and ordering new ingredients. Carole and Alfred had encouraged her to finally restart her research there – the space was large and well-equipped already for fumigating and light adjustment, and the floors and walls were sturdy with protected stone so spilled liquids wouldn't do much damage. It all seemed like the perfect place – why hadn't she seen it before?

She'd finally organized the box of remaining research material that Fabian had saved from the fire. There was a good amount – amazing, really. She knew that it would take quite a bit of time to make up for what was lost, but she could remember most of the more important details. She was also eternally grateful that her mother's binder of notes remained in her flat. It was just a matter of going through the procedures again, finding the exact numbers and values. The fire in her began to burn again.

But the immediate issue pressing on Rowan's mind was her arrangement with Barty Crouch. Barty Jr. owled her a few days after speaking to him at her father's funeral reception about taking her out to lunch as he'd promised. She noted sadly that his handwriting was similar to Remus' – graceful and small - and wrote back in a false tone of cheeriness that she'd love to join him.

In her quiet solitude, she thought sadly of what her father would say if he were still alive. He'd definitely see through her ruse, she thought bitterly. She was beginning to see that she took after him much more than she'd thought - her scheming had finally reached a level comparable to his own. However, her stomach clenched painfully knowing that he was probably rolling in his grave - he wouldn't have wanted this. He would've done everything in his power to pull favors with Crouch himself so that she wouldn't have to get her own hands dirty. Her throat squeezed - but he wasn't here anymore, was he? I have to do this, Dad, she would pray silently. You understand, right?

Her mother had been shocked, to say the least, when she told her that she had agreed to go out with the younger Crouch. Carole eyed her warily, and Rowan had a sneaking suspicion that the older woman knew what she was up to, though she didn't say anything. She didn't give the tentative relationship her blessing, nor did she rebuff it, but it was apparent to Rowan that she wasn't pleased. It somewhat relieved her to know that her mother would probably step in and object to the relationship if things started getting out of hand for whatever reason.

Alfred definitely saw through her plans though. He'd slapped her on the back of the head roughly and yelled at her for a solid ten minutes. She hadn't had the nerve to fight back and sat on her bed silently with head bowed, accepting his anger with resignation. She pathetically felt like she was a small child again, caught red-handed in one of her little pranks. But this wasn't just a prank anymore, and Alfred's anger wasn't laced with amusement. She was a woman now, and her uncle-figure was very aware of the position she was placing herself in. As she apologized weakly with heaviness, he'd seemed to be overtaken with rage and stormed out of her room. He didn't speak to her for days after, and it hurt her deeply - he'd never been so angry with her before. When he began speaking to her again, he made no mention of their previous conversation, but she'd still catch him eyeing her warily with a mixture of grief and anger. Her stomach seemed to be in a constant state of tension.

James and Sirius' anger, however, had seemingly subsided, but they continued to grill her with questions about the details of her first date with Barty. She ignored their interrogations, feeding them blatant lies about where they were going or when, and they seemed to be on the verge of giving up, though she also caught them at various times scheming something. She was mildly worried about what they were up to.

Lily and Mina had been more tactful about approaching the subject with Rowan, working their way up to it and asking delicately about Barty. Rowan spoke kindly about the young man but steered the conversation away from him as quickly as she could. She could see Mina's rapidly growing frustration with her reticence and worried momentarily that she would blow up at her like James had, but Lily luckily kept their friend from pushing her any further. She felt grateful towards the redhead – she could always count on her to be polite.

Remus had been the most difficult to deal with, though he hadn't actually given her any reason to feel that way. He hadn't treated her any differently than before, but every now and then, she'd catch him staring at her with the most heartbreaking expression that she'd ever seen. On a few occasions, she'd had to excuse herself to get a grip on her bearings before coming back out to face him again. There were so many reasons she wanted to give him, so many things that he didn't understand, but she knew that if she told him, he'd get angry at her recklessness and demand that she put an end to her backhanded scheming. She mused darkly that perhaps she should have been the one put into Slytherin, not Barty.

As she looked at Remus with guilt, she reasoned that she had really arrived at this point because of her devotion to him. After all, she'd sought out Damocles Belby so that she could relieve Remus of his condition one day. And if it weren't for her loyalty to Belby, she wouldn't be in this situation to begin with. Shouldn't that relieve her a bit, knowing that she was in fact helping him by hurting him?

No, she thought bitterly. The only people who benefitted from this terrible scheme were herself and Barty Crouch Sr.

It was sunny and warm again, a beautiful mid-April afternoon. Rowan gazed at the sky as she walked slowly down the streets of Diagon Alley. There was a sour taste in her mouth. Why was it that the most beautiful of days always seemed to be marked with bitterness, recently?

As she approached the café that Barty had specified, she noted that she was a few minutes late. She hated tardiness, but there was something about this entire ordeal that had made her not want to leave her apartment until the very last moment. But she'd dragged herself out and into the sun in some girly dress that her mother had bought her once upon a time. She'd even gone so far as to put on a little makeup and a few styling charms on her hair. She felt utterly ridiculous.

She saw Barty's straw-colored hair as she approached, seated at an outside table beneath a large, charming umbrella. She noted that the entire setting was all very charming, and that she should feel charmed, but all she could find was resignation. It was nearly humorous, really. It all seemed like a cruel prank, like she'd lost some bet to James and this was her strange punishment. He certainly would enjoy mocking her by forcing her into a dress.

But as Barty turned towards her, she realized that she was no longer a child playing games with her best friend, and this terrible scheme could actually hurt people - people like Barty, like Remus. Her throat clenched, but she forced a smile across her face that even she had to admit was pretty damn convincing. He beamed at her and stood politely as she approached the table, and she quickly pushed back every feeling of dread or remorse. She prayed that she could at least make it past the first date without completely falling apart.

A group of four men carefully eyed the handsome couple at the outdoor table from inside the café, all with murderous expressions on their faces. James Potter and Sirius Black chomped on breadsticks furiously as they watched Barty stand to greet Rowan, kissing her chastely on the cheek, which she accepted gracefully.

"That fucking slimy git. If he doesn't quit touching her, I'm going to kill him," James seethed, mouth full of bread.

The pair talked amiably over the menus. Barty gestured to something, and she leaned forward. He also leaned forward, bringing their faces closer together as he pointed to an item on her menu. She smiled and nodded and touched his hand flirtatiously. Sirius choked slightly on his bread, coughing up a few pieces into Remus' face, who swatted them away with annoyance before looking back outside.

Someone suddenly stepped into their view, and they groaned loudly at the source of the obstruction. A frightened looking waitress stared back at them, unsure of how to proceed.

"Umm… Are you ready to order?" she squeaked, glancing carefully around the table. The three taller men seemed quite distracted, craning their necks desperately around her to see the couple outside.

Peter looked around at them. James and Sirius were on the edge of their seats, and Remus had a frigid look in his eyes that made Peter's blood freeze over. He was beginning to fear that they were going to do something severely stupid. He sighed with resignation.

"I think I'm just going to order for the whole table," he said to the young woman, looking at her apologetically. She nodded and smiled weakly before leaning down to hear the young man's order.

When he'd watched her and James argue at the Delacroix Manor, Remus had been nearly deaf. He'd seen the fire in her eyes, and despite all of her protests, he knew James was onto something. There was something terribly wrong about what had occurred between her and the Crouch men, and though he desperately wanted to know what she was planning, he forced himself to trust that she knew what she was doing. Hadn't she always wanted him to trust her, after all?

He had originally felt incredibly guilty when James and Sirius had declared that they should find out where Rowan was going on her first date with the young Crouch, but when Alfred had offered the information so willingly, it was hard to not go. But now that he saw them together, Remus was trying desperately hard to not storm outside and bash Barty Crouch's face into the table until it was bloody. It was taking all of his willpower to not listen to the dark voice roaring inside of his head, demanding that he show the newcomer exactly to whom Rowan belonged. He wanted to follow the skirt of that dress up and press himself against her, inside her, prove to her that she belonged with him and not this well-dressed man-boy.

He watched her smile and speak engagingly with the other man and felt a surge of raw jealousy racing through his blood. When she'd arrived, he could tell that her smiles had been forced, but as they had continued to talk, he saw sincerity there. When she reached forward to touch his hand, he saw red. It made him want to smash the table into pieces.

Had he been wrong? Had she been telling the truth when she said that she was interested in Barty Crouch? He was handsome in his own way, and if Remus thought about it objectively, they made an impressive couple. But he was too young, too inexperienced, Remus thought. He was still a boy, not nearly man enough to handle a woman like Rowan Delacroix. She was fire and electricity, and this boy was delicate hands and rich fabrics. What did he know about courting a woman like her?

He wanted to pull her away from this damned café, drag her to his apartment and take her until she was too sore to move and could think of nothing but him. He wanted her to forget that there was anyone else, that Barty Crouch even existed. And as he saw her smile at the other man, he wanted desperately to think that she was thinking of him instead.

Rowan had to admit that she was actually enjoying herself. Barty was an engaging conversationalist with a funny sense of wit and incredibly knowledgeable in many areas. Though he couldn't understand the more advanced concepts, he'd been able to keep up with her potions jargon when he'd asked about her research, and when she'd inquired about his Ministry work, he'd impressed her with his understanding of the judicial system. Though there wasn't much chemistry there, she could see herself being good friends with him. It was certainly much better than she'd prepared for.

He had nice brown eyes, she noted. He didn't have the same masculine jaw or chiseled cheekbones as Remus, but there was certainly something kind about him. She wished that she had more female friends that she could eventually set him up with after she ended their charade.

He, surprisingly, seemed to be on the same page.

"You know, I don't actually expect anything to come of this," he said suddenly.

Rowan choked slightly on her water and looked up at him, face reddening at her lack of poise.

He smiled sheepishly at her, and she looked at him with confusion. "I mean, I know that you're just dating me to get to Karkaroff, and I can't blame you. The man is filth," he said. He spat the last sentence so venomously that Rowan wondered if she'd misheard him.

"No, Barty-" she started, but he shook his head and interrupted her.

"No, it's all right," he said consolingly. "I completely understand. Honestly, the fact that I can get my father off my back about my love life is good enough for me. Really, you're doing me a favor," he said jokingly. He grinned at her, and she grimaced back apologetically.

"I'm really sorry, Barty," she admitted guiltily. "I do like you a lot, and I think maybe under different circumstances we could've maybe tried something, but-"

"But I'm not Lupin," he finished kindly.

Rowan felt her stomach twist at the thought of Remus. She was suddenly reminded of how wrong this entire situation was. His gaze softened.

"It's okay, Rowan," he said kindly. "I'd be an idiot to not to notice. I'm not bitter or anything."

Rowan frowned and held his gaze. She felt slightly confused as she sorted out her thoughts.

"But I have to warn you," he said more seriously. Rowan bristled at his tone. "My father isn't like yours - he doesn't care about honor or anything so virtuous. He'll listen to what you have to say, but that doesn't mean he'll go through with it. If he thinks making a deal with Karkaroff will get him good information, then he'll do it. I don't want you getting your hopes up only to see him go back on his word. You might not come out of this with anything to show for it."

Rowan grimaced. "Yeah, I know," she said sullenly, "but it's better than nothing, isn't it? At least this way I'll know that he's actually heard my concerns. It's better than just sitting around and waiting." He assessed her quietly and nodded.

"So where does that leave us then?" she asked carefully.

Barty shrugged and played with his teacup idly. "I don't mind continuing the act for now. It's suiting both of us well enough, and I genuinely enjoy your company. I also have to admit that there are certainly perks to having a beautiful woman on my arm as well," he said cheekily.

Rowan laughed heartily, feeling incredibly relieved. A weight was suddenly lifted, and she felt ten times lighter. She smiled at Barty gratefully, who grinned back.

"So do you want to go through this?" he asked warmly. He extended a hand. "Be my fake girlfriend?" he asked cheekily.

It all seemed too good to be true. She laughed again and grasped his hand in both of hers. "Yes, defini-"

Suddenly there was a loud crash of broken china and a flurry of limbs. Rowan and Barty's attention jerked towards the café, and, through the window, they saw a certain dark-haired man with coffee dripping over his head and a very panicked waitress rushing around him with napkins and wand waving, sputtering nervous apologies.

"You have to be kidding me," she breathed, feeling murderous.

There at an indoor table were seated the four Marauders, all gaping at her like deer in headlights. Sirius Black's hair and shirt were dripping with brown liquid. He looked mortified. Her anger surged forward, up her spine and into her throat. She felt herself move to stand with the fire shooting through her legs, but before she could, a hand covered hers. She looked across and saw Barty looking at her sympathetically.

"Why don't we go to the Leaky Cauldron instead? Your friends seem to need some explanations," he said softly. She felt her anger bubble still, but nodded her head before she could make a spectacle of herself. She turned on the four men inside with barely controlled rage.

"Come on, you shitheads!" she called angrily. "We're going to the Leaky Cauldron!"

The Marauders all stared disbelievingly at Rowan and Barty as they finished recounting their agreement. Rowan thought it would have been humorous under different circumstances, but she still felt angry with the four men for spying on her. She was particularly surprised at Remus, who had seemingly been very understanding. Seeing him with the other three proved that he had, in fact, still not trusted her. She wasn't sure if she should be angry at their blatant disrespect for her and Barty or flattered that they cared so much to go to the trouble.

"So… it's fake? All of this?" James said slowly.

Rowan groaned with exasperation and took an unladylike swig from her butterbeer to prevent herself from hitting him. How thick could he possibly be? She'd explained all of it very clearly, point by point. She couldn't understand how it was so difficult for him to understand. Her stomach growled. Damn the Marauders for interrupting her lunch date!

"I still don't really see how you're benefitting from all of this," Sirius bit out at Barty, glaring him down. Barty looked unperturbed, but Rowan felt angry on his behalf. "I mean, Rowan is getting her master's murderer into prison, but what do you get – less heckling from dear old daddy? Hardly seems fair," he said suspiciously.

Barty shook his head. "It's really much more than that. I mean, you're a Black – you know how much pressure it is for a pureblood lineage son to marry well. It's all my damn father ever talks about," he said bitterly. Rowan saw anger flit across his face and realized morosely that maybe they had more in common than she'd originally thought.

"I know it's hard to trust me because I was in Slytherin and all, but really, I couldn't care less about house reputations and the like," Barty continued. He smiled thinly.

"Also," he continued. His expression suddenly contorted, and Rowan was taken aback by the ferocity in his features. The rage there seemed unnatural, twisting his face strangely with anger. "If my stupid father does listen to Rowan, I'll get to see Karkaroff put into prison. If there's anything I detest, it's cowardly Death Eaters who try to get out of their just desserts by ratting out other Death Eaters. It makes me sick knowing that he could get out of a conviction."

As he spoke, Rowan could almost see the venom dripping from his lips and for a moment felt slightly afraid. He didn't look anything like the gentleman that she'd conversed with in the sunlight. His features suddenly looked quite menacing. It was dark and sinister. The cold fear she felt in the middle of the night crept up her spine.

But then suddenly it was gone, and her engaging companion was back. It was as though it had all been in her head. But she couldn't have imagined it… right?

But the Marauders didn't seem perturbed at all – James, Sirius, and Peter seemed quite convinced, actually. They were all nodding fiercely at his indignation towards Death Eaters in agreement. Rowan looked around at them. Had they not seen the darkness there?

She turned to Remus, and across his face was etched a frown. He seemed to be sizing up the other man, eyes scanning over his appearance with scrutiny. Finally, he noticed that Rowan was staring at him. She jerked slightly at being caught, but he smiled gently, a little sheepishly. She suddenly felt very safe and warm.

"Rowan," Barty called. She turned to see him looking at her with light concern and warmth. There was no sign of any of anger there – she must have just imagined it. "Do you still want to go through with this?" he asked.

She forced her gaze to remain on him, consciously making an effort to not look at Remus. "Yeah," she said smiling. "Sounds good to me."

As Rowan and the Marauders waved goodbye to Barty Crouch outside of the Leaky Cauldron, she watched him smile and Disapparate on the spot. She felt slightly comforted at the sight of his friendly face. When she knew that he was gone, she turned on the remaining four men and glowered. They cowered under her intensity.

"Don't think for a minute that I've forgiven you lot for this mess," she threatened quietly. "You nearly fucked up a golden opportunity for me. You are so fucking lucky that Barty was understanding about all of this, or I don't know if I'd ever be able to forgive you." Her anger was bubbling hotly again, but she willed it down.

"Winnie, we're really sorry, but you have to understand," Sirius reasoned weakly. "We were just worried about you! Please, you have to know that it's because we care about you!"

The rest nodded rapidly in agreement, and she felt her blood cool to a simmer, but she was still dangerously angry. She couldn't find the words to express her rage fully.

"Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind. I don't want to see any of your faces until our weekly, got me?" she commanded. Peter, James, and Sirius nodded quickly. She glared at them one more time before turning on her heel and quickly starting down the busy street in the direction of her flat.

She knew that Remus had followed, however, and knew with growing frustration that she wouldn't be able to shake him off until she heard him out. Finally, he caught up to her but remained silent for a few minutes, glancing at her from the corner of his eye.

"What?" she bit out at him, turning on him suddenly and stopping.

He flinched slightly at her tone and then looked at her apologetically. He didn't answer for a moment, and her anger rose to her throat again. She was about to storm off and leave him there when he finally spoke.

"I really am sorry, Winnie," he said quietly. "I just…" he trailed off, looking around him as if the words would appear out of thin air. He ran a hand through his hair anxiously. The sun glinted off of the strands of gray. He then looked at her with a pained look. It made her chest constrict.

"I still love you," he declared.

The bluntness of his statement knocked the wind out of her. She stared at him dumbly, and he grimaced. The sun suddenly felt much hotter.

"I can't help it," he said softly. "And I guess seeing you with someone else, even if it was an act… It was harder than I'd expected. And it made me realize that the next time it happens, it'll be real, and I fucking hate it," he said bitterly.

Rowan looked at him sadly, her breath catching in her chest. She wanted to reach out to him, but it felt inappropriate. They'd drawn a line that shouldn't be crossed. Hadn't today emphasized that?

"I know," Rowan said quietly. "I still love you too. I probably always will," she admitted. His grimace deepened with his despair.

"But I know why you can't be with me, and even if I think it's total rubbish, I realize now that there's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise," she said quietly. The ache still lingered, but she gathered her courage.

"A part of me get so angry," she said bitterly. "A part of me doesn't think you have the right to get jealous when you were the one who left me." His face contorted with guilt, and she felt bad momentarily, but it was the truth. "But I understand - at least as well as anyone can I guess.

"But I've decided that I can't wait for you forever," she said firmly.

She looked at him hard. It seemed as if would dissolve away at any moment with hurt, and though her chest twisted painfully, she willed herself to continue.

"I will never get over you – that much is clear to me. And you will always be my best friend and welcome to share in my life, but if I don't owe it to myself, I at least owe it to my father to try to be happy," she said. Her voice shook, and she hated herself for her weakness, but she stood strong and didn't break her gaze from his.

"I don't think I have it in me to try anytime soon," she admitted sadly. "But one day, I'll realize that I'm through with waiting for you to finally see that I'm worth taking a risk and that I need to move on, and even if my relationship with Barty is a farce, I think it'll help prepare me for that day."

Remus' face contorted with guilt and grief, lips twitching with effort, and she had to force herself to not regret her words. They were true, after all, and even if she hated that she'd been pushed to this point, she was determined to make the most out of her life, whether he wanted to be a part of it or not. Hadn't she been more than patient, more than understanding? Hadn't she been lonely and waiting long enough?

Finally, his expression settled into a sad smile. "I understand," he said quietly.

She felt a sharp pang of grief shoot through her. She knew it was the height of foolishness, but a part of her had still hoped that he'd object to her declaration of independence, that he'd realize that he couldn't stand the thought of her being with anyone else. But it was very clear now how set he was in his decision, and she had to force the stinging heat at the back of her throat down. She forced a weak smile and continued walking. He followed. They didn't speak for the rest of the way back to her flat.

When they arrived, she pulled out her key and looked at him hesitantly. She'd arrived home, but he still remained standing there with her. She didn't know what to do or say. Was he expecting to come in with her?

He was gazing down at her with furrowed brows and a twisted mouth, and she felt herself burn under his scrutiny.

Finally, he reached forward and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. The sensitive skin of her ear burned. He smiled gently.

"I know how much you hate it, but it was nice seeing you in a dress today," he said softly, teasingly.

She grimaced slightly. "Oh Merlin, I can't wait to take this bloody thing off and wipe the paint off my face," she groaned.

He grinned lightly at her reaction and looked at her fondly, and though her chest still ached painfully, she smiled up at him. They shared a moment of silence before he spoke again.

"Better get inside and change then. And be sure to let me know if you're planning on going out at night, okay?" he said softly.

Rowan nodded. "I will," she promised before opening the door. She opened it and moved inside but looked back again. He stood there still gazing at her warmly with a tinge of sadness, and she had to bite back the tears that suddenly threatened to emerge. She wanted to beat herself for being so emotional around him still.

"Well then… Bye, Remus," she said softly.

He nodded. "Goodbye, Winnie."

A large dark snake dragged slowly across a long ebony wood table within a dark hall – a red tongue poking from a thick tendril of smoke and ink. Her master sat at the head, white skin glowing in the faint light against the darkness of his robes. He gazed tenderly at his pet, eyes meeting hers. The sound of slow footsteps met the stillness of the room, matching their rhythm to the snake's slow pull.

As the snake approached the dark figure, he held out a long-fingered hand, and she slithered her way up his arm, wrapping her thick body around the back of the chair and over his shoulders.

"How was your day, my boy?"

The dark wizard's voice caressed the stillness smoothly. It secreted out in a high tone, almost saccharinely.

The footsteps stilled as the tall, slender young man approached his master. His straw-colored hair glimmered in the faint evening light that spilled in from the high windows. He smiled.

"Quite excellent, my Lord. I had a wonderful lunch date with a young woman this afternoon – the Delacroix girl," he said, grinning.

The pale wizard's eyes glinted. He smiled, a slow pull of pale lips across yellow teeth.

"Really?" he drawled with amusement. "Interesting... Quite the impressive family, the Delacroixs... Pity about her father. He was such a great man." He grinned leeringly. "Do you plan on seeing her again?" he inquired curiously.

"Oh yes," the young man answered cheerily. "We have a lot in common I think. I also had the good fortune of meeting some of her friends today. It had been a while since I'd last seen James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew," he listed carefully.

The yellow grin broadened.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Pettigrew. I've heard good things about him from a certain friend recently. I do so hope to meet him sometime in the near future. Will you be introducing me to your lady friend as well?" he asked.

"I do hope so," the young wizard answered, fire flickering in his brown eyes. "She's quite the spirited one. I think you'll like her."

He nodded and smiled wryly. "Be careful of beautiful women, my lad. They can be quite deceptive, you know," he said. The young man laughed.

The dark wizard brought his hands together thoughtfully, long fingers dancing amongst themselves. He smiled again.

"Well then, we'd better start planning. It would be so embarrassing to be ill-prepared as hosts," he said.

His servant smiled.

"Anything you desire, my Lord."