Greg stole a quick glance at the clock, noting that it was already 8:30 pm. The Aurors had just departed, leaving behind a wave of relief. He hadn't been apprehended, and Lena remained safely by his side. He understood why the Aurors had sided with his wife. After all, two of them were her trusted friends, and once the muggle marriage certificate was officially registered with the Ministry, he could assert his position as head of the house at Gringotts. The claim of paperwork filed with a solicitor didn't matter; if that was their sole basis for judgment, Lena would have been forcibly taken away, and he would be on his way to Azkaban.

The fact that he had broken down and wept in front of Hermione was still hard for him to believe, but she had provided comfort without scolding or ridiculing him. It was clear that she genuinely cared.

"Greg," Lena interjected, her gaze shifting between Greg and Hermione, "did you two really get married? Can I really stay with you?" Her voice carried a hopeful tone.

The two adults exchanged a meaningful look. "Yes, we are married, or we will be first thing tomorrow," Hermione replied, a smile gracing her face. "Everything will be alright. You are safe."

Overwhelmed with relief, Lena burst into tears. Greg scooped her up into his arms, holding her tightly. He noticed Hermione stepping away, allowing the siblings a moment alone.

A few minutes later, she returned and asked, "Who's hungry? How about pizza? I don't feel like cooking after all of that."

Curious, Lena lifted her head from her brother's shoulder and inquired, "What's pizza?"

Hermione explained, "Pizza is a popular muggle food. It's made of soft bread, tangy tomato sauce, melted cheese, and yummy toppings. It's baked in a hot oven and served in triangular slices. It's a special treat that people really enjoy. The best part is, I can call and have it delivered. We don't have to go anywhere. We can stay here, watch a movie, and the pizza will come to us."

"Sounds good to me," Greg responded, even though he didn't fully grasp everything she had explained. He was determined to do his best in learning about the muggle world and its customs for the sake of Lena and now Hermione.

The remainder of the evening unfolded smoothly. They savored the meat combination pizza, and the Goyle siblings had their first taste of a fizzy drink alongside the pizza. Greg found the beverage, which Hermione called Coke, to his liking, but Lena didn't share the same sentiment. However, she thoroughly enjoyed the pizza and embraced the experience of eating with her hands.

They settled in to watch a children's animated movie called Beauty and the Beast. Greg and Lena were entranced by the captivating animation, and Greg couldn't help but gather a list of

questions in his mind to later ask Hermione about how the muggles accomplished such an incredible creation. He noticed Hermione occasionally mouthing the words of the movie, revealing her familiarity with it. When she realized she had been caught, she blushed with embarrassment.

Lena had drifted off to sleep by the time the end credits rolled. Greg tenderly scooped her up in his arms and carried her to their shared room. Returning to the living area, he offered to help with the clean-up, only to find that it had already been taken care of. They stood facing each other, a hint of uncertainty lingering in the air.

"Well, we'll need to wake up early and be at the Ministry when it opens," Hermione spoke swiftly, revealing her nervousness. "I'll send a patronus to Sally; she's my manager's wife and a witch. I'll ask her to have Sam to open the shop, and I can relieve him in the afternoon."

"Hermione," Greg began, "you don't have to do this. You can still change your mind. I appreciate everything, but you said I shouldn't rush into marriage, and..."

Interrupting him, Hermione smiled and said, "Yes, well, I made a promise to Lena just now that I would keep her safe. And when the Aurors showed up, it made me realize that marrying you truly was the only option. Greg, you've changed. You're a kind and compassionate man who deeply cares for those you love. If I can help you, I will."

Greg ran a hand through his hair, contemplating his words. "This isn't something we can do for a few months or a year and then get divorced. The only reason my father was able to divorce my mother was because of Lena. She gave birth to a squib, which made her an unfit wife in the eyes of the wizarding world. It wasn't official until her acceptance letter didn't come, but we knew. I don't really understand how squibs or muggle-borns come to be, but I don't believe it was my mother's fault. She may have many flaws, but intentionally producing a non-magical child wasn't one of them. Not that producing a non-magical child is a bad thing. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that if we file that muggle marriage certificate, it's practically permanent. I don't deserve you. I'm not smart enough, and I haven't always been a good person. You're beautiful and... well, I come from troll blood," he chuckled self-deprecatingly.

"Kids can be cruel, and that rumor about you and Crabbe was absolutely dreadful. I am certain that there isn't any troll blood in your DNA," Hermione reassured him.

"DNA?" Greg questioned.

Hermione clarified, "It's about genetics. I have a theory about why muggle-borns and squibs exist, but I'll explain it another time." She approached him, enveloping him in an embrace, resting her head against his chest. "You deserve happiness, Greg. I genuinely care about you, and perhaps, with time, our marriage could become something real. We can take it slow and get to know each other. Apparently, we have around 150 more years to figure it out."

Greg couldn't find the words to respond. He simply held Hermione tightly, his arms encircling her delicate form, cherishing the comfort and solace she offered.

The next morning, Gregory, Hermione, and Lena made their way into the Ministry of Magic late. About two hours after it opened its doors to the public. They were all exhausted and had slept in. As they entered, they were taken aback by an unexpected scene. Harry, Robards, and Kingsley Shacklebolt stood waiting for them.

"Hermione, Mr. Goyle, I hear congratulations are in order," Kingsley said with a smile, extending his hand for Gregory to shake.

"Yes, Minister, thank you. We were actually coming in to file our muggle certificate with the Ministry. Is there a problem, sir?" Greg asked, a tinge of concern in his voice.

Hermione, curious about the situation, approached and briefly embraced her long-time friend and fellow Order member. "What's happening, Kings?"

"It appears that your custody petition was processed first thing this morning, and an owl was promptly sent to the other parties involved. Let's just say they're not taking it well."

"They entered the Aurors office in quite an agitated state. Well, the woman did. The man seemed to be trying to calm her down and reason with her, but I couldn't understand what he was saying. I don't speak German," Harry explained.

Greg's complexion grew visibly ashen. They stood at the precipice of obtaining their long-awaited freedom, mere steps away from breaking free from their mother's grasp. Greg had found solace in the knowledge that any future attempts by her to cause harm would come with dire consequences, especially when he assumed the mantle of the Goyle family's head. But could she still take that from them?

"Rest assured, we have already contacted your solicitor, and I am confident that we can efficiently and confidentially settle this issue today in my office," Kingsley reassured them. "We will convene in my office within the next hour, allowing you sufficient time to submit the necessary paperwork to the ministry. Harry, could you kindly accompany them to the family records department so they don't waste any time searching for it?"

"Of course, sir," Harry replied.

Navigating through the corridors, with Harry as their guide they arrived at the department responsible for family records.

Behind the front counter stood a wizard who bore a striking resemblance to Percy Weasley, although this man had blonde hair instead of red. He greeted them with a friendly smile, asking, "How can I assist you today?"

Stepping forward, Greg handed the clerk the muggle marriage certificate and stated, "We would like to officially register our marriage with the Ministry."

The clerk accepted the document and examined it closely. As his eyes fell upon the names written on it, they widened, and he glanced up at the couple. A mix of surprise and curiosity flickered across his face before he hastily composed himself. He lowered his gaze back to the document, double-checking its authenticity. After a brief moment, he spoke, "Please allow me a few minutes to gather the necessary paperwork for you and your wife to complete." With that, he scurried off through a nearby door.

The four of them patiently waited, and soon enough, the clerk returned with a stack of parchment and a quill. He handed them to Greg and Hermione, saying, "Here you are, Mr. and Mrs. Goyle. Please fill out these forms, and once you return them to me, I'll have your official ministry certificate ready."

Harry stood off to the side with Lena to give them privacy as the couple settled down at a table to complete the paperwork. Hermione expressed her thoughts, saying, "I have a feeling our marriage will make it into tomorrow's edition of the Daily Prophet."

Curiosity piqued, Greg inquired, "Why do you think so?"

"He had that unmistakable look of someone who stumbled upon a delightful secret. I can almost see him spreading the news among his colleagues, and eventually, some nosy reporter, probably that bothersome Rita Skeeter, will catch wind of it and write an article," Hermione replied, her disdain evident in her voice. She muttered to herself, "Perhaps I should pay a visit to the Prophet and bring along a glass jar for her." With that, she began filling in her share of the required information on the forms.

After a brief moment, Hermione glanced over at Greg and noticed that he hadn't started filling out his paperwork. His head was in his hands and he looked anxious. Without questioning, she simply took his stack of forms and placed it beneath hers. Once she had completed her own half, she began working on Greg's section.

"What's your middle name and birthdate?" she asked.

"I don't have a middle name. It's the second of November 1979," Greg replied.

"Occupation?" Hermione inquired.

"Um..."

"Spoiled rich pureblood. Got it. Is this your first marriage?" Hermione asked, her tone serious.

"What the hell?" Greg exclaimed.

Hermione burst into laughter. "I don't mind if you don't have a job at the moment. I'll just put 'Head of House Goyle'.'"

Greg rolled his eyes. "Yes, it's my first marriage."

They continued filling out the forms, making jokes trying to ease the tension while also learning more about each other. Once they had finished, Hermione returned the completed paperwork to the wizard at the front desk.

"All done? Everything seems to be in order," the wizard said with a smile. "Here is your official Ministry certificate, and we've included your muggle certificate as well, in case you need it in the muggle world. I wish you both a happy life together."

"Thank you," Hermione replied, and they left the department, heading towards the Minister's office. Before the door closed behind them, Greg took a quick glance back. As Hermione had expected, the wizard had joined another clerk and was animatedly discussing the couple he had just assisted.

Hermione caught up with Harry, who was walking a few steps ahead. "Hey," she greeted him.

"Hey. Started my day off with an enraged woman. How's your morning been?" Harry asked, a playful smirk on his face.

"Not the first time that's happened, I'm sure."

"Usually, I get to finish my coffee before dealing with irate civilians."

Hermione chuckled briefly but soon her expression turned serious. "It's not too late, is it, Harry? I never anticipated this side of Gregory Goyle, but in the past 48 hours, I've discovered so much about him. He's kind, compassionate, and family means the world to him. He's fully aware of his parents' terrible behavior, but I think it's only recently that he's truly confronted the harsh reality of their actions. It's affecting him deeply. I can see how much he cares for Lena, and it would devastate him if they were torn apart. He's so close to gaining control over the situation. Losing his sister would absolutely break him."

"Kingsley is well aware of the situation. He had a brief meeting with Mr. Goldstein before your arrival," Harry assured her. "He's granted you the necessary time to ensure your marriage is legally recognized in the wizarding world. I can't guarantee the outcome, but I have full confidence that Kingsley will do everything within his power to support you."