A/N Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews and all the hits on my story. When I first published, I guessed this would go about 13 to 18 chapters. Sorry, it is looking more like 37. Hope you don't mind!

Chapter 18: Prejudice in reverse

"Son of a bitch!" Theo threw the parchment he was reading on the desk. When the soft landing of paper on the hard wood wasn't satisfying enough, he picked up the autographed football he kept, and threw it against the wall. It hit a framed jersey he got from the Chicago Blackhawks, knocking it down, the glass shattering everywhere. "Damn, it!" Theo knelt over the mess and started picking up the glass.

Daphne came running into his study, "What happened?"

Theo didn't look up but kept gathering pieces of glass into a pile on the floor. "I threw my football, sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"Why would you throw that? You get mad when people touch it." Daphne got on her knees to help him. One wave of her wand, and it all would be cleaned up. But Theo didn't use his magic for things like this, and she wasn't about to push.

Theo picked up the jersey, looking it over to make sure it hadn't been damaged. Frames could be replaced; the jersey would be a little more difficult. Thankfully though, the jersey was fine. "I got a letter this morning from Jasper Brown. The Muggle school we send supplies to, never got them. When he questioned the ministry to find out what happened with the port key, he was told everything went according to plan, the supplies should be there." He folded the jersey up and stood to place it on his desk. "But they aren't there." He growled the last, through gritted teeth.

Daphne picked the football up off the floor and stood. "Well, they have to be somewhere. Maybe there was a portkey mix up."

"That is what I thought, so I sent a message first thing to the ministry. They wrote back just now, confirming there was no mix up, and the fault must lay with Nott Factories." Theo went back to his mess, and gathered all the frame pieces, setting them on the coffee table.

Daphne handed Theo the football, "Mr. Brown is sure they went out?"

"Yes, he triple checked. The school headmaster has checked twice, nothing arrived." Theo looked over the football, then placed it back on its stand. "I just got angry, sorry."

"So, the ministry is wrong, there was obviously a mix up." Daphne pulled out her wand, and gestured to the glass on the floor, "May I?"

Theo nodded yes, then sat at the desk. "Since the ministry insists there was no mix up, I think it would be best if I went down there. Spoke to the Portkey office directly."

"Might I suggest, you change first." Daphne flicked her wand at the glass, and it disappeared, then she sat on the corner of his desk.

Theo looked up at Daphne from the papers he had gathered in his hands, "Change what?"

"Your clothes, Theo." She leaned in giving him a kiss, tender but possessive.

Theo kissed her back as possessively, then smiled with their lips still touching, "Are you wanting to help me change?"

Daphne pulled back, "Perhaps when you get back. It is already noon. Salazar only knows, how long they will leave you sitting in the waiting room, before someone can see you." She jumped down off the desk. "I will go make you a plate and bring it up to the room. You can eat your lunch while you change."

"Daph, you know I hate suits. Why can't I just go in what I am wearing?" Theo asked, as she headed for the door.

She turned, "You need to look like a businessman, who cares about his business Theo." Daphne winked, "Besides, I like the way you clean up."

Theo stood up from the desk and headed up to his room to change. He stopped in the hallway, and hollered toward the kitchen, "Which suit should I wear?"

Daphne poked her head out of the kitchen doorway, "Your plain navy blue one, it's simple and professional." She went back in the room. Theo started up the stairs, when he heard her holler after him, "No green or silver!" Theo chuckled to himself. He never wears green or silver anymore. Those are two colors he abandoned at the end of seventh year. If either color were in his house, it was because one of the staff had picked it or it was in something else, like the signed pennate he got from one of the Beaters of the Irish Quidditch team. He didn't choose green as one of the team colors, they had.

Theo went into the master suite in east wing, to get ready. The master suite on the main wing was larger, more elaborate, but was the one his father had used, and he didn't want to sleep in the same room his father had. His childhood room only had one closet and a bathroom for one person. Besides, it also held memories he wasn't so keen on thinking about. So, Daphne, and he would live, and raise their family in the east wing. As far as Theo was concerned, if they had a son later on, he and his wife could have the main wing. His kids would never know the horrors that went on in Nott Manor. Theo had already decided, the cycle stopped with him. His kids would only know the good things about their grandfather. Oh, there were good things. He just had to think really hard sometimes, to remember them. So, until then, the main and west wings would stay unused. He hoped one day the manor could be a happy place with the sounds of family, and kids who love each other, and enjoy spending time together: not hiding and scared.

Daphne was setting his lunch on the small table they had in the room, where they would eat breakfast once in a while, when he came out of the closet with the suit, he was sure she had meant. Theo laid it on the bed, "Which tie?" He held two up to her, the dark blue one Anna had gotten him a few months ago, and a grey one with navy strips.

Daphne took them both and went into his closet. She came out with a white shirt, and plain navy tie, "I hope they can figure out what happened, and recover the products. You really don't need to cover the costs of another missing shipment."

"I am not worried about the money, Daph. The factories make enough to cover it. Plus, it wouldn't even be noticed, if I had to cover it with gold from the Nott Vault. Besides, you have to pay for insurance when shipping by portkey, so the ministry will be covering the cost of the missing products. It's really better for them to not give me the run around and figure out what happened. What I don't need is the bad press." Theo took off his t-shirt, and tossed it like a basketball into the hamper, Daphne kept in the room beside her vanity.

Daphne cut his sandwich in half, then sat in one of the two chairs, and picked hers up to take a bite. "They can't really try and say this is your fault, somehow."

"Yes, they can, and by 'they', I mean Pansy. You had to have read the last article. She went on and on about my family being Death Eaters. By the end of her article, even I wondered whether the loss of product intended for the Muggle Health Care Department, and my family being Death Eaters, weren't related somehow." Theo walked over and picked up his sandwich to start eating.

Daphne set her sandwich down, wiping her hands on her napkin. "That was just Pansy, being Pansy. You know she is bitter. Has been, ever since Draco dumped her, from what I understand. Pansy always did find a way to blame her problems on everyone else. People can't possibly think you did anything on purpose, because of supposed Death Eater connections."

Theo finished the bite he was working on, "Why not? The wizarding world has yet to really forgive those who were on the wrong side. I may have not served the Death Eater's Daph, but I never really openly joined Potter's side, either. I couldn't, my father would have killed me. Anything I did for the right side, I had to do in secret. As far as many are concerned, not joining Potter was just as bad as serving Voldemort."

"I don't think you're giving most people enough credit." Daphne took a drink of her iced tea, something Theo had learned to love in Texas, and shared with her.

Theo stood up and went to finish changing. "Daph, I see the looks I get when I go out in public. People stare at me, same as they stare at Blaise. They can't keep from looking at my left arm, wondering what I might be hiding under my sleeve. I just don't get hexed or rude comments like Draco, because the ministry didn't list me as a Death Eater. So instead, they silently judge, and give me a wide berth."

Daphne looked at her plate. "I did that, didn't I?" She looked up at him, tears threating to fall. "When you and I ran into each other at the café. I stared at your arm, and silently judged." She got up and walked over to him but couldn't look him in the eye. "Please, forgive me for that. I didn't mean to be rude. My father had done nothing but talk about how sure he was you would follow your father. I guess I wanted, maybe needed to know, he wasn't right."

Theo lifted Daphne's chin with his finger, so she was looking at him and not the floor. "You have nothing to apologize for, Baby. You already did, that day. I forgave you then." Theo pressed a soft kiss to her lips. "I knew you needed to know, why wouldn't you?"

"I hope people eventually stop doing that, and let it go." Daphne got on her tip toes to kiss him, then went back to her lunch so he could finish changing.

Theo looked at her for a moment in disbelief, at how lucky he was she was back in his life, then finished getting dressed. Once all he had left was the tie and suitcoat, he sat down to finish his lunch. "You really should come with me." He told her before taking a bite.

"Why? I have nothing to do with Nott Factories." Daphne took the last bite of her lunch.

"It wouldn't hurt for you to know what is going on with them. But I don't like the idea of leaving you alone, until we have dealt with Flint properly. I still haven't heard from your father. Every time I owl him and ask to meet, he never responds." Theo finished his sandwich, stood, and grabbed his tie.

"Theo, Marcus can't get past your wards. Besides, he wouldn't dare try." Daphne stood to tie his tie for him.

Theo stood still until she was finished. He looked down at her. "Ok, I love you. Keep the phone I gave you, with you. Call if anything happens." He kissed her passionately, grabbed the suitcoat, and headed out the door.

Daphne walked to the doorway, and watched Theo head down the hall until he turned left and was out of sight. She really did like the way he looked in a suit. She bit her bottom lip, thinking about whether she liked his butt in a suit or his jeans better. Daphne decided, she liked his butt with nothing on it the best. Then blushed slightly at her silent thought.

Once Theo got to his study, he grabbed some floo powder and went over to his fireplace. He rarely traveled this way, but he was technically Lord Nott now, so he would be able to enter the ministry through the floo network without having to use an outside entrance. The only change to the old system, the new Ministry had made was who was considered an elder. It used to be the oldest member of each wizarding family. Now, it was an elected group of members only twenty-eight strong. There had been people such as Lucius Malfoy, Christopher Flint, Dalton Greengrass, and Fredrick Macmillan, who the ministry had grandfathered in to save face and keep balance, but the rest were elected. No surprise, the only former Death Eater in the group was Malfoy and that Arthur Weasley had received the largest number of votes. There had been talk of stripping the Pure-Bloods of their titles, but the Muggle Prime Minister had said doing so would cause concern with the Muggle population, who thought of those families as Nobility. So, the titles had been left in place, along with most of the privileges they carried. He stepped in, threw the powder, and was off.

xXXx

Two o'clock came and went. Three o'clock was in the past. The time was approaching four, and Theo was getting very irritated still sitting in the waiting room of the Auror's Department. He had already been to the Magical Transportation Office, and argued for an hour with a fat man, who constantly stroked his mustache, about the missing shipment. The fat man had insisted there had been no mix up. According to the file on record, Theo had purchased the portkey and the insurance on June seventh, but on June seventeenth for some reason, he had come in and changed the location of the shipment's destination. The address given was an address to literally, nowhere. Which means the products disappeared and never reappeared. It might be possible to get a curse breaker to find a way to redo the spell, possibly retrieving the goods, but the chances were small and would be costly.

Theo had argued with the man, trying to get him to see reason. The notion of him sending his factories goods nowhere, was insane. The man continued to tell him, that it is no concern of his how people like Theo choose to do business. Theo had asked the man 'What do you mean, 'People like me?'' The man had chuckled, and shrugged saying 'Oh, you know.' Theo had finally lost his temper, when the man told him, since the portkey had worked as intended according to the contract, the Transportation Department would not be covering the cost of his lost goods, insurance or not. Theo had punched the man's wall, putting his fist through it, and stormed out. He knew he would be receiving a fine for the hole but didn't care. Theo had gone straight to the department of Magical Law Enforcement, and was now waiting to speak with Auror Ronald Weasley, who had been assigned his case in the first place back in May, when the first shipment disappeared.

Theo was getting the impression the red haired Auror was purposely ignoring him. He had watched Ron come out of his office, go into another one, and return, three times now. Twice, they had made eye contact with each other. Ron would look away quickly, almost like the only reason he had looked toward the waiting room, was to see if Theo was still there. Just as Theo went up to the reception desk for the fourth time to complain, Ron finally came out of his office, and called him in.

Ron walked around his messy desk and sat down. "Please Nott, take a seat."

Theo didn't like Ron's tone of voice, but tried to remind himself, the man was most likely busy, and to cut him some slack. That was what Daphne had texted him, about an hour ago. She was always positive, he loved that about her. So instead of snapping at Ron, he took a seat saying, "Thank you."

"What exactly are you hoping my department can do for you?" Ron asked, while trying to organize the mess on his desk.

"I am hoping you will find whoever is responsible for this and put a stop to it." Theo looked at Weasley, and once again reminded himself to take a deep breath.

"The head of the Magical Transportation Department says you put a hole through his wall earlier, is that true?" Ron set his neatly stacked papers to one corner of his desk.

Theo ran his hand through his hair, "Yes, I am afraid that is true. I will pay for the damages and have already apologized to the man. You must understand my frustration though. Why on earth would I change the location of my shipment, so I lose thousands of galleons worth of product?"

"Well, I am sure I don't know, but that is what the contract says, isn't it?" Ron opened a desk drawer and pulled out a form.

"I don't care what the contract he has says. I only have the original one from June seventh. I tell you; I made no change to it." Theo placed the contract on Ron's desk.

Ron took the contract and gave it a glance. "Can anyone verify your where-abouts on June seventeenth?"

Theo gave Ron a scathing look, "I am sure my staff can account for most of my day, if not them, then my girlfriend can. Why?"

"Because Nott, you have no proof you didn't make the changes. The signatures are exactly the same." Ron handed the document back to Theo, along with a copy of the new one from the fat man downstairs.

Theo looked again at the signatures; it was scary how much they looked alike. If he didn't know any better, he would think he had signed it also. "I am telling you; I didn't sign this. It is utterly ridiculous to think I would want to sabotage my own business."

Ron took the paper back, as Theo passed it across his desk. "I can have someone look into it, in the next day or so, when some time opens up." Ron said it in a way, that meant he was ending the conversation. He pushed his chair back to stand.

"Not good enough Weasley."

Ron looked at Theo, surprised. "I beg your pardon?"

Theo moved to the edge of his seat, "I said, that is not good enough. You told me back in May, if something else happened, you would look into it yourself. You told me then, there was nothing for me to do, but hope it was an isolated incident. Well, it wasn't! Now I have had two shipments stolen from me, causing my factories to lose more money than I think you want to know about. Not to mention, the second shipment happened with a portkey, which means in some fashion, the ministry allowed it to happen."

"So, you want me to put aside all the other cases I am working on and focus on yours only." Ron scoffed and pulled himself back up to his desk.

"Yes, it is what you promised in May. Nott Factories employs a lot of people. Whoever did this didn't just steal from me, they stole from all those people." Theo kept wringing his hands together to keep them from forming fists.

Ron pushed a form across and set a quill on top of it. "You may fill out a formal request for help, but there is simply not enough to go on, and we are undermanned, and overworked."

"I put in a formal request back in May!" Theo stood up, he could feel his blood boiling, "That was when you got assigned the case."

"Well, put in another one! Our resources are limited, Nott. I currently have seven cases I am working on. I do not have the time to take on another one." Ron stood up as well, Theo was much taller than he was, but he wasn't going to have Nott looking down on him while he sat.

Theo shoved his hands in his pockets, "My case should already be one of the seven you are working on. It was never solved."

"Well, if you count yours than I have eight. Everyone wants results, not just you. I must conduct my investigations based on the order of the cases importance." Ron picked up the stack of folders indicating the caseload he had.

Theo took a deep breath, "Are you saying my case is not important?"

"Not as important as you might think it is. You have no power anymore, Nott." Ron crossed his arms across his chest.

"Power? Just what the bloody hell is that supposed to mean?" Theo truly hoped Ron wasn't about to make this about his father.

Ron smiled at him; he liked putting Slytherins in their place. "I mean, you might have been able to command people around before, but you can't now. I will get to your case when I can. If that is not soon enough for you, maybe you should use some of your money to hire a private investigator."

Theo had once told Daphne he hated Ron Weasley; she had convinced him he was only jealous of him. Right now, at this moment, he decided he did in fact, hate Ron Weasley. "How dare you. Hiring a private investigator does nothing for me, if the person doing it cannot be stopped. A private investigator cannot stop them, for that, I need these offices help."

"Oh, how does it feel to need something and not be able to get it?" Ron sat back down, "You may leave now Nott. Submit your request, and I will add it to my list. Until then, I have more deserving clients who need my help."

Theo slammed his fist on Ron's desk, "I deserve your help as much as anyone, Weasley. I will not let you bully me out of your office, because you can't get past your own childish prejudice."

Ron looked up at Theo, "Bully? You think I am bullying you? Nott, you have no idea what being bullied is like. But then again, why would you? You were always on the same side as the bullies."

Theo almost lost it. Who the hell did Ron think he was? Sure, Theo had seen Ron and his family get bullied while at school. Some of it was downright nasty. Theo may not know what being bullied was like. But he had endured abuse for nineteen years. He couldn't begin to list the broken bones, and hexs he had suffered. Besides, Ron wasn't worth his time.

"Mr. Weasley, I expect you do your job. I will fill out the request once again, as you have asked. However, my factories cannot afford to continue taking loses of this amount. It cuts into the mainstream of our entire way of life. Look around your office, almost everything in this room, Nott Factories supplied. I am asking for help, not just for me, but for my employees, who will have to work overtime and harder, to make up for this loss."

"I understand the need to stop whoever is behind this. As I have tried to explain, the department is busy. Your case will get the attention it deserves." Ron stood again, and walked over to his office door, opening it.

Theo ran his hand through his hair, "That means you intend to do nothing, doesn't it?"

"No, I intend to work on your case. I just said it will get the attention it deserves," Ron smiled, before continuing, "as much attention as a Death Eater deserves." Ron motioned to the open door. "I will let you know when I have something. Good day Nott."

There they were, the tightly made fists. Theo had to take several deep breaths to stop from knocking Ron down. When he finally spoke, it was through gritted teeth. "Lord Nott!"

"What?" Ron asked, confused.

"My title is Lord. You will address me as Lord Nott." Theo stepped closer to Ron, but not close enough to touch him. "I expect you to look into my case with the same vigor you just used in insulting me. If you do not give me results quickly, I will go to the department head, no the Minister himself and let him know what a waste of office space you are!"

Theo stormed out of Ron's office, he needed to get as far away from the man as he could. Once back at the manor, he walked right past Daphne as she asked him how the meeting went. He went to their room, changed his clothes not speaking, grabbed his helmet, and leather jacket, and went out to the garage. Daphne had seen the look on his face and knew things hadn't gone well. She followed him out to the garage and watched him get on his bike. Theo put on his helmet, but before he fired his V-rod up, he noticed her standing in the doorway.

Theo got off the bike and walked over to Daphne. "I need to ride; it didn't go well. I will tell you when I get back."

Daphne nodded. "Okay, I will keep dinner warm for you."

Theo kissed Daphne on the cheek. "Thank you." He turned and walked back to his bike.

Daphne knew not to push, he would be more affectionate later, once he rode for a while. So, instead of pouting because the kiss was short, she smiled and hollered over the roar of the engine. "I love you, Theodore Nott."

Theo smile at her, flipped his visor down, and took off. Daphne inhaled sharply at how fast he rode. She had thought many times of asking him to take her on another ride, it just hadn't come up. Maybe, this weekend she would pack a picnic, and ask him to take her back to their park.

xXXx

Pansy sat in the fanciest restaurant in Wizarding London. She had decided to wear stockings, thinking men Arthur's age liked that sort of thing, but now she was rethinking it. They itched and were hot. She wanted to go to the bathroom and take them off. Stocking were something Pansy had only worn with other men, when she didn't plan to wear them for very long. She had notice Arthur check out her legs when he picked her up for their dinner date, so perhaps it was worth it.

She had him meet her at the Leaky Cauldron, she hadn't wanted him coming to the family estates to pick her up. Meeting him at her family home would have meant, him meeting her father, who would not have approved of her going on a date with someone twice her age. Ever since Draco had dumped her in their sixth year, her mother had been trying to find a suitable replacement for the Slytherin 'Prince'. She had convinced her mother, she could do it on her own, so for the remaining eighteen months of school, Pansy had tried to do just that. She had approached Theo with no luck. Blaise had shot her down. Adrian made it very clear he was not interested. Vincent was out of the question, and even if she did want Greg, he was too wrapped up with Millie to notice anyone else. Pansy had attempted, during her seventh year to throw herself at the sixth-year boys, but they were all too scared of what was going on to be interested in a girl, at least for more than sex. She had no problems finding guys willing to satisfy her and take her mind off what was going on, because it took their minds off it also, and helped them sleep.

When everyone she had tried fell through, Pansy had desperately tried to get Draco back, but that was an utter disaster. Once the ashes had settled after the war, and she had been cleared of any silly charges the Ministry tried to pin on her, her mother went on a spree, of tiring to match make. She had sent her on dates with the sons from eight different families: Avery, Carrow, Fawley, Gaunt, Lestrange, Selwyn, Shafiq, and Traver.

Most of them, were at least five years older than her. Traver was two years younger, and Fawley four years younger, both still in school. Neither of them interested her in the slightest. Lestrange, and Carrow thought they could control her, turning her into their obedient puppet. Not going to happen. Avery had been boring, and only wanted to talk about work. Shafiq was in love with another woman, and had only agreed to the date, so his parents would finally give in and let him have the woman he wanted. Too bad, out of all of them, he was the only one worth seeing again. Gaunt had been almost mute, for the entire dinner, she had to tell him what to do. Normally, Pansy liked a man she could control, but wanted one who knew when to take charge, that was not Gaunt. Selwyn and she fought the entire meal but ended up in bed. She still met up with him, at least once a week if not more, for a roll in the sack. She like the way he pulled her hair, and told her to take it, while she begged for him to go harder.

Pansy had decided she was not interested in marrying a member of the sacred twenty-eight. There weren't many of them left she hadn't dated anyway. Besides, all the ones from her year in school, where spoken for. Including Longbottom. Pansy had made the decision she would find a Pure-Blood, or at least someone well off on her own. Arthur fit that bill nicely. Pure-Blood as far as anyone could tell, had plenty of money, and connections. The house was big enough for her. She didn't plan on giving him any children, so once his silly plan fell through and he was in Azkaban, the house and all his money would be hers. She would also get her inheritance. Her parents couldn't keep that from her. As long as she wed, she got another third. All she needed now, was Arthur to marry her before Nott found out who was behind the missing shipments and had him locked up.

Pansy looked at Arthur realizing she had no idea what he was talking about, while she had been off daydreaming. This was their fifth date; they all went about the same. He would meet her somewhere, take her to dinner, then attempt something romantic like a walk, which always ended with them back at his house in bed.

"I don't want dessert, Arthur." Pansy said, when there was a lull in his story.

Arthur looked up at her, "I thought you said, you liked the chocolate cake they have here?"

Pansy slowly slid her skirt up, until one of the garters holding her stockings up was showing. She slipped one finger under it, giving it a small tug, then let it snap back onto her thigh. She smiled as Arthur watched, breathing heavily and dropped his fork, when the elastic made the snapping noise on her skin. "What I want is not on the menu."

Arthur quickly waved the waiter over and asked the man for the check. "I will get us back to my place as quickly as possible, my pet."

Pansy smiled slyly while taking a sip of her wine, when she noticed the bulge in his pants already. She had to admit, she liked what he had to offer. Being with an older man, at first had turned her off slightly, but once she experienced it, she realized he had more control than men her age and learned to love it. Arthur could last as long as she needed him to, so she could be sufficiently satisfied before he flipped her over, getting on top, and showing her who was really in charge.

"I do hope the waiter hurries." Pansy licked her lips, "I am already so wet."

Pansy loved getting to him. If the waiter hadn't been on his way to the table that very moment with the check, she was certain Arthur would have taken he right there on the table. How fun would it be she wondered, to see just what it would take to get him so lustful he had to take her in public. As it was, he paid the check then stood, offered her his hand, and they left the restaurant. They had a fifteen-floor lift ride back down to the lobby. She figured she was close to meeting her goal already, by the way he pushed her up against the wall and stuck his tongue in her mouth forcefully. Arthur fondled her breast with his right hand, sliding his left up her skirt, pushing her panties out of the way, and sticking his fingers in-between her folds.

"Merlin, you are wet for me, aren't you?" Arthur was almost out of breath, when the lift bell rang letting them know the next floor was the lobby.

Pansy straightened her skirt and blouse, but not before rewarding him with a firm rub of his hard cock through his pants. Just a little, to let him know she wanted him. As they stood waiting for the doors to open, she started a conversation, to give him a moment, so he could walk. "You know my article will hit the papers in the morning. Front page."

Arthur smiled, and was thankful for the distraction, "Yes, I know. I only wish I could see his face when he reads it. Merlin, I wish I could have seen his face today when the shipment never arrived."

"You're certain the portkey worked, and the products didn't go to the originally intended location?" Pansy asked as she looped her arm in his.

Arthur took her left hand with his and held it on his right forearm as they walked outside to apparate back to his house. "Of course, I am. I doubled checked with the school headmaster, pretending I was still an employee of Nott Factories. He confirmed the shipment did not arrive."

Pansy kissed his cheek; always the little things to keep him on the hook. "Good, then when the article does hit in the morning, it will be that much better."

Pansy just really hoped it stung Draco, as much as it would sting Theo. Unfortunately, it would also hit Blaise and Greg as badly. Blaise was used to tabloids trying to tear his mother down, but this would be the first time one tried to tear him down, since the end of the war. No doubt she would be hearing from Lady Zabini's lawyer first thing in the morning. Greg was the collateral damage. He had done his time, paid for the things he did or, at least for the things his father had done, and he had been powerless to stop. He didn't really deserve to have his name run through the mud, but that was the thing about war, sometimes you had collateral damage. Nothing could be done about it. Perhaps, she should have taken Millie out to lunch before all of this; one last gesture of good will to the old classmate. The only one, who didn't abandon her. At least not until twenty months ago, when Greg got out of Azkaban and Millie became Mrs. Goyle. Yes, sometimes you had collateral damage.

xXXx

Rain tapped lightly on the balcony table. Millicent Goyle loved that sound, it was calming, soothing, almost hypnotic. Mornings like this, the ones after her husband hadn't slept well because of the nightmares, she liked to sit on the balcony of their spacious flat in Muggle London and watch the sunrise while having a cup of tea. Greg would still be sleeping. She always made sure he got back to sleep, then she would stay up, waiting for the next nightmare to hit. Another one always did. He either had multiple, or none at all. Today she sat just inside with the doors open, so she could smell the rain and feel the fresh air, but not get wet. She was leaning up against the door frame, with her tea in her hand, and Greg's head on her lap. He had stirred in the bed when she first opened the doors, because of the rain. When she went to close them, saying she was sorry for waking him, he had gotten up telling her it was fine. Once she sat down to enjoy the rain and her tea, he laid on the floor and put his head on her lap. She stroked his hair and sipped her tea, until his breathing had slowed and became even, telling her he was asleep again.

Millie looked down at Greg and couldn't believe the things the two of them had been through. They had been brought together because of lack of anyone else to talk to; simply tolerating one another during their first two years of school. Slowly, somewhere between second and third year, that tolerance had turned to a snarky, jabbing type of friendship. He would make teasing remarks about her weight, knowing his wasn't much better. She would tease him about his grades, while she struggled with her own. He would make comments about her acne, while using her acne potion, hoping to clear up his. She would give him crap about following Draco everywhere he went, while following Pansy like a puppy.

Somewhere between their fourth and fifth years, they both grew much taller and lost much of their weight. During their fifth year he had dared her to kiss him, so they both could get their first kiss out of the way. She took him up on it. Why not? What did she have to lose? That kiss turned into a dare for a second kiss and so on, until they were finding places to hide, and kiss without the need of a dare. Millie didn't know exactly when she fell in love with Greg Goyle, but she had. She didn't tell him of course, until he told her he loved her first. That didn't happen until sometime in their sixth year after he had a nightmare, while napping one Saturday in the common room, because Draco had kept him up really late the night before. She had held him, much like she was now, and he had told her he loved her.

The owl with the morning paper arrived, pulling Millie out of her daydream. Just as Millie untied the paper from the bird's foot, she heard a sharp knock on the front door of the flat. Millie summoned a pillow from the bed. She could only do simple summoning charms wandlessly, but that was enough for her. She placed the pillow under Greg's head and stood up. When she made it to the front door and looked out, she was surprised to see Blaise standing there, soaking wet.

She opened the door. "Blaise, what in the name of Merlin? You're soaked to the bone. Come in."

"You guys could have found a place closer to Diagon Alley, you know." Blaise told her as he stepped in on the mat and started to use his wand to dry himself off.

Millie handed him a towel for his hair. "Greg wanted to get as far away from Wizards as possible. Muggles don't hate him."

"I know that, Millie. It's just always a longer walk then I remember it being." Blaise dried his hair with the towel and handed it back. "Is Greg awake?'

"No, he had a bad night. I finally got him back to sleep a little bit ago. Why?" She moved over to the counter to make more tea.

Blaise indicated to the paper she had tossed on the table. "Have you read that yet?"

Millie turned around, and looked at the paper, "No, it just arrived."

"Greg needs to see it." Blaise said, as he sat down at the table.

"What do I need see?" Greg asked from the kitchen doorway.

Blaise and Millie looked at the man standing in the doorway. The man, who had once been short and chubby, with a haircut that looked like he was entering military school. Now over six foot two, and well built. He still kept a high and tight haircut however, that didn't hide the salt and pepper look he now had. Greg hated that he was grey at twenty-two, but Millie said it made him look mature and handsome. His round face, that had once looked innocent when he smiled, was now chiseled and lined from years of stress and fear.

Millie walked over to her husband and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Sorry, I woke you, my love."

"You didn't. The rain did." Greg went over to the table and took a seat by Blaise. "Is there coffee?"

"No, I will make you some right now. Blaise would you like a cup of coffee?" Mille went over to the counter and started making coffee.

Blaise picked up the paper to unfold it, "Yes, please. Thank you." He handed the paper to Greg. "You need to read this mate."

Greg took the paper and set it on the table, "Millie, honey, have seen my glasses?"

"You left them in the bathroom." Mille answered, while making the coffee.

Greg got up and left the room to get his glasses and a shirt.

Millie turned, and set the coffee down on the table, along with two cups. "Where is Tracey? The two of you have been inseparable lately."

Blaise picked up the coffee, pouring a cup. "She is off on a bachelorette weekend with Sally."

"That's right, the wedding is next week. I must make sure my dress still fits. I am afraid I may have put back on a pound or two." Millie patted her tummy, while Blaise shook his head.

"Millie, you look fine. In fact, I don't think I have ever seen you look so vibrant. You almost glow lately." Blaise gave Millie a wink and took a sip of his coffee.

Greg walked back in the room, "I think she looks great." He sat at the table, picked up the paper and began reading.

The Headline on the paper said: ARE THE BAD BOYS BACK?

Greg looked at the headline, then back at Blaise and raised his eyes brows. Blaise only nodded and motioned with his hand as if to say, 'Go on, read it.'

"Well, I think I am going to get dressed." Millie kissed Greg on the forehead while he read and left the room.

After a few minutes, Blaise began pacing around the kitchen. He forgot how much slower Greg read, than he did. Greg had a knack for running his clubs; he had always thrown the best parties in the common room. However, he had always brought the paperwork, and legal forms to Blaise, until Millie had picked up on how to run the books. He had become a very successful businessman, but still needed help with numbers and documents. No matter how hard Greg tried, he just wasn't the smartest man.

The article started out, 'It is interesting, isn't it, how no Muggles or Muggle borns were attacked until twenty months ago. The same time Greg Goyle was released from Azkaban.'

Only a few people had reported attacks, and there had been no proof it was Death Eater related. But Pansy didn't mention that.

The article then went on to say, 'Although, Zabini and Nott hadn't officially taken up with the Dark Lord according to the ministry, neither had they officially taken up with Potter.'

She failed to mention, the fact that both Theo and Blaise fought for Potter during the battle of Hogwarts, and that both had secretly passed information on to Neville Longbottom, while at school. The war was so fresh still and the wounds not yet healed, it was easy for people to forget about the good done by the those being accused of Death Eater activity.

Pansy suggested, Draco masterminded a scheme to open the Muggle Night Clubs under Greg's name, to throw people off and then get all four of the Bad Boys to invest.

She posed the question, 'Now, what do three of the wealthiest wizards in Britain need with more money? More so, why not take that money, and put it to good use helping people devastated by the war? Instead, Zabini, Nott, and Malfoy, have taken their profits from the ventures and put it in separate accounts, aside from personal and family ones.'

Pansy's claim the three had set up new accounts, wasn't untrue she just didn't mention the real reasons. Blaise had set up a new vault so he could start forming his own business. He had always lived off his mother's fame and wanted something of his own. Draco had set up a new vault trying to distance himself from his father. Theo, closed his father's personal vault, adding it contents to the family one then had set up a new vault intending to turn it over one day to the son he hoped Daphne and he would have. Not unlike what every other Pure-Blood man did as far back as people could remember. Most did so once they had a son, however. Theo was just being optimistic.

Pansy suggested in her article, 'Are the Bad Boys using the new vaults as a way of hiding the money and funding a 'New Death Eater Movement?''

The article asked the question, 'Was setting up the clubs in Muggle London, a way to supply them with endless amounts of unknowing patrons, who could also double as victims, if a new movement is their plan?'

To get her point across she reminded people of how easily, the five Slytherin seventh year males had cursed, and hexed students during that terrible year at Hogwarts. All the upper classmen, fifth years and up, were expected to practice the dark arts. Some refused, others were unable to do it. Many did but found ways to control the damage. Theo, Blaise, and Draco had been among those able to control the curses, making it so they did barely any damage. Vincent had enjoyed what they were doing and didn't care if he hurt people.

Greg had become good at it, but not because he wanted to. He had been driven by fear. Fear of what would happen to him, or Millie if he refused. The summer before his seventh year, Greg and Theo both had been taken to the Dark Lord to get the mark, Theo had been strong enough to hold out for a while, but Greg had broken easily. Greg was physically strong, but never the best wizard, or that strong mentally. It hadn't taken much to break him. He had spent the first few months of his seventh year being hexed and cursed himself, because he couldn't perform a curse. Once he finally got one right, he had an even harder time controlling it. He had unwittingly become one of the most feared seventh years, by the younger students. Had anyone known how he broke down in Millie's arms every night from the grief of the things he had done, they might have had more sympathy for him.

Pansy reminded everyone of what lay beneath the well-tailored sleeves of both Draco and Greg, suggesting that Theo had just been better at hiding it. She also made sure to mention that although, both Goyle and Malfoy had promised to change their ways and have more tolerance, Greg had married a Pure-Blood from the sacred twenty-eight two days after his release. Draco was poised to marry one, the Wizarding world was just waiting on the engagement announcement.

'Not really changing their ways or moving on, is it?' Pansy had asked.

She also reminded her readers of the article from a few weeks ago about Nott, 'Guess he isn't really changing from his father's ways either, is he? Has he willingly sabotaged his own business for the cause, with not one, but two shipments intended to help Muggles, gone missing? Must be why he fired Arthur Prince as soon as he took over. Everyone knows Prince had supported Potter during the war.' You could almost hear Pansy laughing, while reading the words.

Finally, Greg set the paper down and took his glasses off. He looked like he was going to throw up. "She is going to ruin me, Blaise. What the hell did I ever do to Pansy?"

Blaise sat back down, "I don't think you are the target. I think Theo and Draco are. You and I just got caught in the crosshairs."

"She claims there were attacks on Muggles around the same time I got out of Azkaban. I haven't attacked anyone. Quite the other way around, actually." Greg ran his hands through his hair.

"It doesn't help that you hide away from everyone, Greg. Since no one has seen you, no one can disclaim Pansy's accusations." Blaise moved the paper closer to him and started looking back over the article. "It really doesn't help that all of this is rubbish, unprovable rubbish."

"I can't have this, not now." Greg stood up, bracing himself on the table, still feeling sick. "Millie can't have the stress right now. She's pregnant."

Blaise looked at his friend and smiled. "That is great news Greg. Congratulations."

"Thank you, mate. She is really excited about starting our family. Of course, that means she will have to take a step back from helping out at the clubs."

Blaise started tapping his fingers on the table, thinking. "My mother's lawyer will take care of my part in the article, he is already working on a lawsuit against Pansy unless she retracts what she said."

"Good, at least she will have to eat her words about one of us. That might help people realize the truth about the rest." Greg finally, felt well enough to sit back down.

"You could release the financial records from the clubs to the prophet, at least showing what you're earning, and where it is going. Millie being pregnant, brings me to something I have been wanting to talk to you about." Blaise took a sip of his coffee.

Greg finally poured a cup for himself. "What's that?"

"I would like to pool my profits with yours and go into business with you. I would like to be partners. That way, you could expand to Italy, maybe other places, too. I could also do the books for Millie when she needs to rest." Blaise set his cup down, waiting for Greg to respond. "I could ask the lawyer to include my business partner in the lawsuit."

Greg smiled brightly, "I would love to. Wait, are you finally ready to settle down?"

"Something like that." Blaise took a sip of his coffee and gave Greg a sly smile.