A/N: Just to be clear, lord Gregory is Goyle's father. So it's about the same generation as Narcissa and Lucius. Have fun reading!


Title: colour and light

Summary: Arianna is faced with the horrible truth. Their family is broke. But then again, there's always the Pureblood way of earning money. Through marriage.

Word count: 2,130

Genres: Angst

Characters: Goyle Sr., OC


The wall is grey. The vanity is grey. She is grey in the mirror. It's funny how there used to be colour, but now it's gone. First it faded and blurred slowly, losing its brightness, before it disappeared completely. Now it's just another colour in a world of white and black.

She's wearing a grey dress. She faintly remembers it being green in another lifetime, green like the smooth leaves on the magnolia by her window in the Spring. Now, it's grey like the branch of the magnolia in the winter.

There's a knock at her door. She doesn't even bother turning around, and watches her mother appear in her mirror. She has awry smile, a worried look, bags under her eyes. She knows she would look exactly the same if her face wasn't buried under layers of makeup meant to give her an expression of beauty.

"Come, Arianna. Our guests have arrived."

She wordlessly slips out of the door. Arianna remains motionless for a few moments before willing herself up and out of her chair. She then wades through the grey and down the stairs into the landing, where the guests have indeed arrived.

It's the summer holidays. Finally. Hogwarts is over, seven years slaving away over books and parchment to finally get the best NEWTs possible, making parents proud, flirting then giggling with friends. Arianna has made plans for the entirety of summer and most of the year. Her Potions apprenticeship only starts in January, so she has some time to enjoy being legally an adult and out of school.

Actually getting a degree in anything is unusual for a Pureblood girl, but Arianna's family is rather well off. Not too rich, so her father does work in investment, even though she knows there is quite a consequent inheritance to sustain them. Not part of the Sacred 28, so it doesn't shock too much if she goes off to get a degree, even though her mother is constantly hosting tea parties to make connections with higher ranking Purebloods.

Her parents mainly let her do whatever she wants, within the limits of reasonable. Therefore, she's a free young adult, doing all the stupid things you can do before reality comes crashing.

So that evening, when her mother stops her as she's about to go to a party with a couple of friends, her face gaunt with worry, she's not exactly expecting it.

Sure enough, Lord and Lady Goyle are there, with Gregory Goyle Junior. (They're all named Gregory in that family, it's just a line of Gregories, piled one atop the other). She's oddly calm considering the situation. Grey and calm go together, she thinks. Whoever said white was relaxing is wrong. Grey beats it every time. It's unnervingly easy to be this calm, not to let any emotion transpire. Just like the colour won't transpire.

"My Lady." Goyle Junior takes her hand and places kiss upon it.

He's a brute of a man. Arianna's barely 19, and he already looks far over 25. He's fat, greasy and looks like there isn't much in his brain apart from a lust of violence. It's like a carbon copy of his father. His mother, on the other hand, looks like a frail little thing, much like Arianna. There is nothing from her in him. Seems like the Goyle genes are predominant.

She smiles but doesn't say anything. Calm. The awkwardness is palpable.

"Darling, we need to tell you something," her mother says, "Maybe you'd like to take a seat."

Arianna is confused. Both her parents look bone tired. Her father is sat at his usual chair, but his thoughts are elsewhere, set on a worry she can't make it out. Her mother is pacing in front of the fireplace. There is no fire lit, after all, they're in the middle of August. The cool marble of their house keeps the heat away and yet it's stifling. She sits primly on the edge of the sofa.

She hopes this won't take too long; she doesn't want to let her friends down by being late. She's dressed her best, in a fabulous red dress. The colours tonight will be bright and strong. One must look the flashiest to stand out. But not too flashy either, they've all seen the horrors the Muggles are wearing at the moment and had their shares of laughs.

"Oh Merlin, how do I say this?" Her mother wrings her hand. "We're- we're…"

"Goodness, just say the word, woman," her father lets out roughly, as if stepping out of his trance. The harsh tone of his voice is surprising. Her parents don't always get along all that well, but never has his expression seemed so hard.

"We're broke," she splutters.

"What?" Arianna asks.

"The money, it's gone," her mother says before burrowing her face in her hands.

"Oh." It's a surprise. She hadn't been aware of their financial condition. Growing up in a life of wealth, she always thought the money was going to be there forever. But now it's gone. She realises the implications of what her mother has said.

Okay, they're going to have to move houses. Arianna always thought the house was too big for just the three of them. Maybe her mother will have to get a job too, and Arianna will have to start her apprenticeship a little sooner. The clothes will probably have to go too, that saddens her a bit, but truly not too much.

Maybe her friends won't like her anymore. They are awfully attached to money, after all. That's slightly more problematic. But hopefully she'll be able to convince them that she's still the same with or without her money. She wonders what she's going to tell them, tonight, if she ever manages to go. Besides, Arianna's always been a relatively complacent girl, she'll do whatever her parents want her to do.

Her mother is disappointed by her reaction. She was clearly expecting more. It's true that this whole money issue will affect her more. She probably doesn't want to work. And won't dare hold those tea parties of hers in anything that didn't scream 'mansion' and 'wealth'.

"But," her mother adds, a small smile on her face, "There's been an offer."

"You're looking as good as ever, Maximilian," Lord Goyle tells him as he slaps her father on the back. Father has weakened a lot over the last couple of months, and he winces. Arianna knows she should wince with him, but there is no emotion, not for any of them.

He just nods in response. It's so uncomfortable. Her mother motions for them all to sit down around a ridiculously laden table. There are far too many decorations, candles and glitter. It's all over the top, but Lady Goyle pays them a compliment anyway, out of courtesy.

Her mother smiles and gives a little curtsy or something equally cringeworthy. She's stressed; she desperately wants this to go well. She's been lecturing Arianna on how to behave for the past week. Arianna couldn't possibly care about how this is going to go.

Their parents slip into conversation while the house-elf begins to serve the entrée. Lord Gregory turns to her. A small part of her wants to escape, not to have to talk to him, but there's etiquette, and she's steeled herself with a wall of indifference, only with a cool, calm composure before her.

"How are you tonight, Lady Arianna?" he offers as a started.

"Quite well, thank you," she replies, "And you?"

"I must say I find myself in lovely company." He cracks a disturbing smile. No wonder he thinks he's in lovely company, he's been leering at her décolleté since the beginning of the evening. But she ignores it.

"I am flattered, sir. I hope you are enjoying the meal so far?"

"It's good," he replies before fishing into his jacket for something. Finally, he finds purchase and brings whatever it is before her. "I have a little gift for you, my lady." He presents before her a bracelet.

Arianna just looks at it. It's grey, too. Not shiny or anything though she suspects it's some kind of precious metal. It seems like it's studded with diamonds too. She doesn't feel anything when she sees it, but knows the appropriate reaction would be excitement, so she forces it onto her face. More than anything, it's disgust she feels at the flaunting display of wealth. Always good to be reminded where one stands.

"Oh, my! How absolutely exquisite!" she says in a rapturous tone.

Her mother's eyes latch onto the jewel and Arianna reads the envy in them.

"Oh my! Lord Gregory! What an absolutely marvellous present! It's far too much for our dear Arianna!" She's lying. Of course, it isn't too much. She's only hoping it had been presented to her and not her daughter.

"I see Gregory has shown you this little trinket," Lord Goyle says, turning to them. "He saw it in a shop the other day and immediately thought it would be appropriate for such a lovely flower as Arianna.

As her mother continues to exclaim and sigh, lord Gregory grabs hold of her hand, and begins to try and fasten the bracelet around her wrist. He is clumsy, and his touch groping. She almost feels violated, just from this touch of her arm. But still, smile on her face. Calm.

"An offer?" echoes Arianna. An offer to get their money back? Sure, if it makes her mother happy. She can be quite insufferable when she's crossed. And well, it'll probably make Arianna happy, when you've been used to money your whole life, losing it is always painful.

"An offer for marriage," her mother replies.

"What do you mean? Who's getting married?" she asks. Her mother couldn't possibly be re-marrying, she's still her father's wife!

She wrings her hands again. "Well, you are, Arianna. The young Lord Goyle has made an offer for your hand."

"I can imagine it's come as quite the shock," she hears her mother continue in the background, "But, as I've always said in every situation, I'm the one most hurt by this." But Arianna can't hear her. She's still processing the information.

She's to be… married? An arranged marriage? She knows some of the Sacred 28 still do it, getting more and more crossbreed with every generation but for her? It had always seemed to her that love would be something she would pick. Her parents had never forced any relationship on her, but now this marriage. And to some man she doesn't even know.

The name Goyle rings a bell. Sacred 28, of course. But more importantly, she's heard rumours about his family. Brutish and stupid, but with more money than what they know what to do with.

She's glad she's sitting down.

Her mother is still rambling.

"You see, if you get married, Lord Goyle has offered quite a lot of money, and you'll become Sacred 28! Just imagine the honour. But so much money, it will be wonderful!"

Arianna cuts in; "Is it the only way?"

Her mother looks confused at her interjection. "What do you mean, only way?"

"To get the money back." Her voice is small. The air in her chest is sparse.

Her mother looks absolutely hopeless, her fake enthusiasm fading. "Yes," she whispers.

A sudden rage fills her. "So you're sacrificing me to some man so you can get your money back?" Her voice is rising.

"Now, Arianna don't get angry."

"Is that the only thing you care about, your money?" she's almost shouting.

"We never thought we could lose it all!" her mother looks close to tears.

"I refuse to pay for your mistakes!" she screams, and the tears start to flow freely.

"Paying!" her father growls. "That's just the thing. Even if you didn't marry, who do you think would pay for your Potions internship? For your dresses? For all your outings."

Arianna sniffled. "Please, it's not like I'm ever going to do that internship."

"Darling," her mother tries to bring her into her arms, "I didn't mean to ruin your life."

Arianna shrugs her off and wipes her eyes. The mascara she was wearing is all smudged. "I suppose you've already said yes."

Her mother looks slightly guilty. "You always have a choice, darling."

She scoffs. The choice has already been made.

"It's invaluable, if you must know," Lord Gregory tells her.

Buying his way into marrying someone? Clearly no one else would want him.

"Simply delightful," she tells him.

"And look what's written on the inside," he adds with almost childish glee. "haec est semper. This is forever."

This is always, she mentally corrects.

"Promise me that this is forever," he tells her.

Arianna just smiles. Calm.


FOR HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY

House: Ravenclaw

For gobstones club: Brown stone – sacrifice – 19) grey – 5) dress – 13) – invaluable

For writing club; record collection: 24k magic – 6) "just say the word"

For writing club; show time: 4) A dinner party

For writing club; elizabeth's empire: 17) "We never quite thought we could lose it all."

For writing club; lizzy's loves: 13) marriage arrangement

For writing club; scamander's case: 28) making a difficult choice

For writing club; film festival: 23) "I didn't mean to ruin your life."

For writing club; lyric alley: 6) "Another colour in a world of white and black."

For writing club; forecast: 5th) "I can imagine it's come as quite the shock."

For writing club; entitled: 16) write about someone finding out a horrible truth

For founder says: Helga says 1) "Promise me that this is forever."

For pick a wick: 21) calm

For like a skyscraper: Floor 2 – 4) bracelet

For raking leaves: 26) calm