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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Dec 14, 2015 19:26:34 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2015 19:26:34 GMT -7
This had gone on long enough.
Ever since seeing Royal at the Broomsticks, Victoire couldn't get him off of her mind. She had needed him so much as a teenager, and then drifted away, pushing him aside, along with every else. Odette was the only one who she really kept a connection with, but it was still long distance. Odette was plenty busy as well which helped her to be understanding of Victoires situation.
Royal had been her best friend though, bar none. He had laughed with her, cried with her and gone on so many crazy adventures that she had lost count. He had been there for her when she broke up with Teddy seventh year and he had rejoiced with her when she got into the Auror training program, and then again when she got the job in the Ministers office under his father.
She apparated just outside the borders of his home. It was April second, the day after the kidnappings had wracked the halls of Hogwarts. She had a lot of work to do and a lot of worry was circulating around the office but she couldn't hold this off any longer. If she was going to get those students back, she needed her best friend on her side. If she was going to live through being Minister, at least on an emotional level, she needed her best friend.
She needed Royal.
Heavy rain was pouring down on her, a classic case of April showers as she approached the door and knocked on it, the rain soaking her hair and robes completely within seconds.
@royal
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Dec 14, 2015 20:25:31 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2015 20:25:31 GMT -7
and i don't need anyone, not the way i need you
Rain had been pouring down since three o'clock in the morning. Royal knew this because he had been awake since that same time, thinking. His Patronus was still troubling him. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about it since the silvery feline had stared up at him from his bedroom floor, unaware of the pain that had lanced through his heart to see it. He had, for ten seconds, been looking into the past. He had seen his father, happy and alive, and somehow it still killed him.
The knock on the door shocked Royal out of his reverie. People didn't normally come around to his house - few people knew of its exact location, as a privacy measure. As he ran through the mental list of who it could be, Royal couldn't seem to find anyone who would be visiting at this time of day. Abigail and Adelaide were in classes, his mother didn't need to knock, and...well, really that was everyone who he could think would be visiting at all, let alone at noon on a weekday. He scooped his wand up from his bedside table and walked carefully down the stairs. He was alone - his mother was out in Diagon Alley buying new ink and parchment - and something about the whole situation was unnerving. He needed to be careful.
Royal put his hand on the doorknob, and pulled open the door quickly, levelling his wand at the forehead of the person at the door. Oh. It was just Victoire. But - why was she there? More importantly, why was she alone? Was it actually even her at all? Not lowering his wand, Royal tried to summon some of the calm that his father was known for. "What did you tell me the morning of the day my father died?" He asked slowly. Better safe than sorry. Even if this wasn't a safety precaution, Royal still wanted to know if she remembered. If she cared. It was eating away at him, her words and his words and all the space between them.
@victoire
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Dec 14, 2015 20:57:16 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 14, 2015 20:57:16 GMT -7
Victoire wasn't the least bit surprised that a wand was pointed to her head. She stayed upright and calm as Royal as his question.
In this light, in this setting, she wanted nothing more than to burst into tears and fall into his arms, begging him for forgiveness for what she'd done, who she'd been. But she understood the need for procedure more than most-- the need for safety. Heck, his own sister was taken at Hogwarts last night and there was nothing either of them could do about it. So, she answered the question.
"I said not to worry," she started, a lump catching in her throat, "and that we'd see you for dinner and you'd better make extra cookies," her nose immediately felt warm and stinging as the warmth from the inside of the house wafted out, contrasting the rain outside. It didn't help that she new the tears were coming, tears that she hadn't showed anyone for more than three years.
@royal
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Dec 15, 2015 18:36:21 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 15, 2015 18:36:21 GMT -7
and i don't need anyone, not the way i need you
There was nothing more that he could do to keep her from coming in; she had answered the question correctly. It was surprisingly easy to separate himself from the events of that day, to watch it as a spectator, on the outside looking in. He remembered what she said with stunning clarity. Royal lowered his wand and took a step backwards, and then another, to make sure the nonverbal invitation was clear. He had no idea what Victoire was doing or why she was at his house, but he didn’t want to get into trouble with the new Minister of Magic. Respect was paramount; this wasn’t a friendship anymore. It was politics, and that was what he knew best.
“It’s good to see you.” He began, more out of politeness than any comment on his actual opinion of seeing her. In truth, he would rather wrap himself up in a thousand blankets and curl up in bed and stay that way until he figured out why his life had changed so much. He wanted to talk to his father. Perhaps Victoire was the next best thing.
@victoire
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Dec 26, 2015 19:12:48 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2015 19:12:48 GMT -7
They weren't going to make ground easily, that much was certain. As he lowered his wand, she waited for him to step aside before walking past him and into the house. She hadn't been there since that day... and her heart sped up as she stepped in deeper, turning to face him when she stopped. She knew the difference between politics and emotion. He clearly didn't mean it, at last no in the way she wanted him to.
She had two choices here. Follow with his charade, act like she was only here on business and try to have a civil conversation. Or...
"Listen," she said, taking another step toward him. All propriety and business like nature was wiped from her as she continued, "I'm here to apologize. I'm here because I want my best friend back. I'm here because I want to be that for you. I want us to figure this out. I don't want this-this-whatever this is between us. This bitterness, this animosity, this pain," she took a step toward him, "people are dying, Royal. Students have been kidnapped, the world is in shambles and this" she gestured to herself and then him, "this needs to stop. I take the blame Royal. I-" she fell to her knees in front of him, reaching both hands up to take one of his, if he'd allow it, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Begging was always a good tactic, right?
@royal
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Jan 6, 2016 17:41:15 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jan 6, 2016 17:41:15 GMT -7
and i don't need anyone, not the way i need you
Royal stepped backwards when Victoire took a step towards him. He wasn’t sure how close they could before he either punched her in the face or crushed her ribcage when he hugged her. She began speaking, and each word was a punch in the stomach, a kick to the chest. They wanted the same thing, but it still hurt. It hurt that his last truly happy memory of her was sullied by his father’s death. He had given so much time, given so much energy, to being bitter. To hating her for not coming to him when he needed her most. It hurt to give that part of himself up, to recognize that he was holding on tome something long gone. In that moment, it hurt even to breathe.
Carefully, he lowed himself onto his knees so he was eye-to-eye with Victoire. “I know that people are dying, Vic. My father was not the first, and he was not the last.” He blinked once, breathed once. “I know students have been kidnapped. My sister was there.” He blinked again, forgot to breathe. “I know the world is in shambles. I watched it fall apart.” Royal wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. He knew what he wanted to say, but his words always seemed to get tangled someplace between his brain and his mouth. “I’m sorry, too. I’m sorry that my heart is harder now than it was before. I’m sorry that I can’t forgive you. Maybe someday, but not today.” He stood, attempting to lift her with him. “I’m so sorry.”
@victoire
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Jan 8, 2016 20:07:04 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jan 8, 2016 20:07:04 GMT -7
Vic was slightly surprised when Royal lowered himself onto his knees to be at level with her. She felt guilty for mentioning Adelaide and the kidnapped students. She felt guilty for the death. For taking his fathers place after the two people before her. As he said he couldn't forgive her, not today, she nodded once, letting him lit her to standing. She bit her lip, staring at him with big eyes for a moment of silence. She understood exactly what he was saying, exactly where he was coming from. This was what she deserved. She didn't expect anything more than this, really. If anything this was more than she expected.
But now she didn't know what to do. She took a deep breath, bringing her arms back to her sides and leaving them there. "I would feel the same way. I... I'll leave you now," she muttered, but she didn't move just yet. She just stood there, looking pathetic. Looking nothing like the youngest Minister of Magic in history, nothing like the ball busting blonde that she made herself out to be, nothing like the one who broke Teddy's heart.
Her lip quivered and her eyes got misty again. She had never felt so bare, so transparent so... vulnerable. "I..."
@royal
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Jan 16, 2016 15:43:37 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jan 16, 2016 15:43:37 GMT -7
and i don't need anyone, not the way i need you
He wished his head and his heart were in agreement. His heart wanted nothing more than to take back his words, tell her that he would forgive her, today and every day afterwards, but his head was screaming that he could not be hurt, and he could not hurt her. It was a sad day, Royal thought, when he wanted to push someone away to keep them safe. It was such a Gryffindor thing to do. He loved Gryffindors – well, he loved his sister – but their tendency to self-sacrifice was infuriating. He was an adult, but goddamn if he didn’t understand his own emotions.
“Can I tell you something, before you go?” He didn’t wait for an answer. “Last weekend Abigail came home and showed me her Patronus. And I showed her mine, and I don’t know how to feel, because he should have had more time, more time, more time…” He stuck on the words like a broken record before he could swallow them down. “My Patronus is a lynx and I still don’t know how to feel and then you came and I’m confused, Victoire. I’m confused and it still hurts but it shouldn’t and I am done with grieving, but I’m not. And I needed you but now I think it’s too late, because I have all these awful scars and I am trying so hard to wait to heal, but I’m running out of time.” He was rambling again, and it was strange to feel so much. He was too used, Royal thought, to being numb. Now, standing barely three feet away from his best friend in the world with tears staining both of their cheeks, the only thing he could do was hold out his hand and hope that, even though he was a monster, she would forgive him.
@victoire
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Jan 18, 2016 13:39:56 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2016 13:39:56 GMT -7
Victoire nodded once as he asked if he could tell her something. She listened intently, surprised that he even wanted to share something with her. She felt her eyes mist over again as he seemed broken on the words 'more time' but she kept quiet, letting him finish. As soon as the word Lynx came out of his mouth she felt her heart catch in her throat. He continued, talking about confusion and hurt and grieving. It's too late. The scars, the healing the running out of time. She understood everything, and she understood his need to say all of these words.
Suddenly he was holding out his hand. Well, it seemed sudden to her because she was so wrapped up in his eyes and words that she didn't notice the rest of the world around them. She caught site of the extended hand, then looked back into his eyes. She took a step toward him again and lifting her own arm to clasp her hand into his. "If anyone can make it through this, it's you," she said. Her tone was confident, steady and oddly laced with a hint of humor almost. Not so much humor as something... brighter, something pure.
@royal
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Feb 11, 2016 17:43:31 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 11, 2016 17:43:31 GMT -7
and i don't need anyone, not the way i need you
Royal wished that he could believe Victoire. He wanted it almost as badly as he wanted his father to be alive again. Being without her had been an ache in his gut that he had grown used to, a pain that was just as constant as the shards of glass in his heart. He focused on her breathing, the steady rhythm of the breaths pounding against the humid air. She was living, and the thought sent a strange feeling trembling through his head all the way down to his toes. It was illogical, but Royal was just now realizing how alive everyone was. When his father had died, Royal had assumed that everyone else had died a bit, too. Maybe they had, or maybe that was just him.
Royal took a breath in time with Victoire, and he believed her. He believed that he would make it through this. He would survive. But he didn’t want to survive. He wanted to live, and he couldn’t do that without her. Her hand was cool and comforting. Clearing his throat nervously, trying to forget the fact that he had rejected her offer not five minutes ago, Royal extended an olive branch. “If you still want those extra cookies, the offer’s on the table.” It was a small step, but it was small steps that began the journey to healing.
@victoire
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Feb 12, 2016 15:56:52 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 12, 2016 15:56:52 GMT -7
As he cleared his throat, Vic pulled her hand away. At his next words, she raised an eyebrow at him. "A cookie offering? Are you saying you have some now?" she folded her arms over her chest, glancing past him toward the door to the kitchen. She hadn't been in this house since that day, and the thought continued to make her feel sick so she tried to push it aside. "I mean, I'd love one anytime," well, anytime was a figure of speech, obviously. She was an incredibly busy person but... she would make time for this. She wanted to make time for this. No, she had to make time for this. Otherwise she wasn't sure she could make it through this... this life thing.
@royal
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Feb 13, 2016 12:08:21 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 13, 2016 12:08:21 GMT -7
and i don't need anyone, not the way i need you
He hadn’t really thought about whether or not there were cookies available when he had made his offer, and Royal frowned. “Actually, I don’t know. But I am a fully functioning adult capable of working an oven, if you have the time to spare.” Royal paused. “Actually, an oven isn’t entire necessarily to enjoy cookie dough. I mean, salmonella, but also, cookie dough.” He smiled at Victoire. Royal loved cookie dough. And salmonella was overrated, anyways. It wasn’t like he had ever gotten it before, and neither had anyone else who had eaten cookie dough in their lives. “If you have to go, though…” His eyes flickered to hers, and then to the floor. She was the Minister of Magic now, and Royal knew that as much as his father would have wanted to do some things, they weren’t always possible because of his schedule. Victoire was probably no different.
@victoire
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Feb 15, 2016 12:03:42 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2016 12:03:42 GMT -7
She found her smile growing a little more as he went on to say that he could make cookies if there weren't any which would give them a chance to eat cookie dough. Then he went on to doubt whether or not she had to go. She bit lip for a moment as he looked down at the ground and then spoke, "Salmonella isn't worth worrying about. It's cookie dough," she then walked right past him toward the kitchen door. She could stay, even if the world was falling apart outside of these walls, and in them in a way. The students were gone and the Ministry was running rampant trying to figure out where they were taken. But Seb was there. Harry, Ron, Hermione... they were all there and taking care of things. They could last a few hours without her, right? Plus, if anything came up from the Order a message would be sent straight here to tell both her and Royal and they would be able to leave if needed. But for now... all of that was set aside. It was still there, still real, still watching just like Kingsleys death looming over them now.
@royal
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Feb 17, 2016 13:16:16 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2016 13:16:16 GMT -7
and i don't need anyone, not the way i need you
It had been a long time since anyone had agreed with Royal about the risk of salmonella in cookie dough. His mother, ever the practical one, had always insisted that he bake the cookies first. “That’s always been my opinion, too.” He said with a winning smile. Victoire probably knew that already. He ducked past her into the kitchen, scurrying to gather all the ingredients. “There’s only one question left to answer.” Royal announced grandly. That wasn’t true, and they both knew it, but it was easier to pretend that it was. “Do you want to do it with magic, or the old fashioned way?” The latter would certainly be quicker, and for someone as busy as the Minister, it might be the preferred method, but there was always something slightly off when magic got involved with cooking. It was still brilliant, but not as personal. Not as warm.
“Actually, I lied. I have another question.” Royal said as he fished out a mixing bowl from the cabinets. “We need to switch our identification phrase, because the one we used earlier is lame and sad.” Besides, he was always reminded of his father when he saw Victoire, with or without the verbal recognition of it. “So what do you want it to be?”
@victoire
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last online May 4, 2024 1:18:37 GMT -7
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Feb 22, 2016 16:59:04 GMT -7
Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2016 16:59:04 GMT -7
There was that smile, and she felt her heart melt into a place of warmth again, for a moment. She followed him into the kitchen, feeling strangely giddy and suppressing a giggle or two as he rummaged for ingredients. At his question, she found herself turning her back to the counter and lifting herself up onto it, onto a place where she had sat many times when they were younger. "Hmm.. old fashioned. It's messier that way," she said, taking her wand out and setting it on the counter beside her, sort of as a 'surrendering' it gesture.
Then he asked about the second thing, about a new verbal identification question. Her eyes widened, "I... I'll have to think about it," she answered. That meant they'd have to sift through old memories and find something worth using, something secret to them, something that would be precious. That would make all of this harder... and easier at the same time.
@royal
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