True to her word Susan had owled Anthony Goldstein about Greg's situation. Later that same afternoon he received an owl from Anthony inviting him down to his father's law office. There was an opening for the last appointment of the day.
As Greg made his way to the Goldstein's office in Diagon Alley, Greg couldn't shake the feeling of hopelessness that settled over him. He had always known that his father was a cruel man. Not only was he neglectful towards his own family, his father openly enjoyed torturing muggles with his fellow Death Eaters, and yet, the thought of taking his life was out of the question. The very idea of killing his father made him feel sick to his stomach.
He was only 19 years old.
And marriage? Who could he possibly find in such a short time?
When he arrived at the Goldsteins' office, Greg was greeted warmly by Anthony and his father, who invited him in for tea. He explained the situation to the Goldsteins, who listened carefully and asked many questions. After some discussion, Mr. Goldstein looked concerned.
"Mr. Goyle, I must be frank with you. Regrettably, the existing laws do not provide strong support in your sister's case due to her squib status. Following the conclusion of the war, there has been a concerted effort to revoke the oppressive legislation enacted during Voldemort's regime. Surprisingly, this has proven to be a challenging task. While a majority of our population did not desire the darkness and terror he brought, there are still several influential old wizarding families who shared his belief in blood purity. As such, there are still laws on the books that deem muggles, muggleborns, and squibs as secondary citizens in their envisioned New World. However, I must emphasize that significant progress has been made over the past year under the leadership of Minister Shacklebolt, with a focus on promoting true equality. Having two powerful families such as the Potters and the Longbottoms take their seat on the Wizengamot has helped our efforts tremendously.
"In your sister's case, the majority of the Wizengamot is likely to acknowledge the rights of your mother's family regarding the second-born child, and they may permit her to take custody of the girl without much consideration, especially considering the absence of intervention from the head of the Goyle family. Additionally, it is unfortunate that the abuse allegations might be overlooked since the mother does not intend to retain physical custody of the child herself.
"However, Mr. Goyle, it is important to note that just last week we achieved a significant victory in a case that we would have not won under previous conditions. We successfully secured custody for a close muggle relative of a muggle-born child, despite the unfortunate circumstance of the child being bitten by a werewolf during the Battle of Hogwarts, where the child should not have been present in the first place. As you may be aware, there has been a history of anti-werewolf sentiment in previous years, and concerns were raised about the safety of the muggle relatives. However, we argued that the child posed a danger only one night a month and demonstrated that proper provisions, such as a secure location for transformation and the use
of wolfsbane potion, mitigated any potential harm. Considering the tragic loss of the child's parents at the hands of Death Eaters, we emphasized the importance of allowing the child to remain with their loving family if they were willing to provide care.
"I am prepared to advocate fiercely for your sister to remain under your care, or at the very least, to ensure that you have unrestricted access to her whenever you desire to ensure she is being properly cared for and to maintain the family bond."
Greg felt a glimmer of hope for the first time in days. It wasn't a surefire solution, but it was better than nothing. They decided to proceed with the legal challenge, and Mr. Goldstein promised to do everything in his power to help them.
He walked down the corridor from the office towards the reception area and the exit.
Lost in the depths of his contemplations, Greg was oblivious to the approaching figure hurrying towards him. Suddenly, they collided, the impact jolting them both. Startled, they stumbled backward, each taking a step to regain their balance.
"Oh, I'm so sorry!" A woman exclaimed, her voice filled with genuine concern as she regained her composure. She looked up at the figure she had ran into, her eyes widening in recognition. "Goyle?"
His expression a mix of surprise and confusion, nodded slowly. "Uh, yeah, that's me, Granger."
Granger's face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and familiarity. "Yes, that's right. We went to school together at Hogwarts."
A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Greg's lips. "Yeah, I remember. You were always the clever one. Still running around in a hurry, I see."
Her embarrassment deepened, but she managed a sheepish smile. "Some things never change, I suppose. I apologize again for bumping into you. I should have been more attentive."
Greg shrugged, a surprising warmth in his eyes. "No harm done. I've had worse collisions, believe me. Just be careful next time, Granger."
"I will, thank you," she replied, "Well, I must be on my way. Take care, Goyle."
With a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, Greg watched as she scurried away. Shaking his head, he stooped down to collect the scattered papers that had slipped from his grasp during their collision. Amidst his own documents, he discovered an unfamiliar yellow sheet of paper, marked with peculiar lines. This wasn't the familiar parchment paper he was accustomed to, and the ink appeared to be of a different origin than the typical quill and ink he used. Intrigued, he read its contents.
-A Little Princess 1905
-The Secret Garden 1911
-Winnie-the-Pooh 1926
The list extended further, leaving Greg puzzled about its purpose. However, he deduced that the unfamiliar paper and ink were likely of Muggle origin, suggesting that it belonged to Granger. Placing it alongside his stack of legal documents, he made a mental note to send it to her through an owl later that evening.
As Greg arrived home, he was taken aback by the scene that greeted him in the entrance hall. Poppy, his sister's elf, sat in the center, clutching her ears and weeping silently. Concerned, Greg hurried over to her, dropping to his knees to meet her at eye level.
"Poppy," Greg spoke gently, careful not to startle the distressed creature. However, the elf remained oblivious to her master's presence as tremours wracked her small frame. Sensing the urgency of the situation, Greg raised his voice slightly, adopting a commanding tone. "Poppy!" he called out, hoping to break through her anguish.
Suddenly, the elf let out a piercing wail, and she flung herself into Greg's arms. "I sorry , Master Greg. I sorry. It's Miss Lena," Poppy sobbed.
As these words escaped the elf's lips, a sense of terror gripped his heart. However, he recognised that reacting with anger and hostility towards the creature would only exacerbate the situation. Instead, he mustered an air of gentle authority. "What happened, Poppy? Where is Lena?"
"Mistress I–Irma was here." Poppy dissolved into tears and could say no more.
