the angels come too late.

The wards they had put in place demonstrated their youth well enough. Child’s play, truly. It had taken little more than a dismissive wave of his wand to bring them down. It would have taken far more to restrain Alecto and Amycus, who had been baying for blood since before they had even left England’s shores. He let them go now, did nothing but watch as they broke through the doors, hunters on the trail of a scent. Cassius following behind, the calmer water in their wake. He watched still and did nothing as the Carrows made quick work of the insides, Alecto’s wandwork furiously flying across the room. Her binding charm attacked with ferocity, red chains of magic tightening around both of the girls. It threw them to the floor of the kitchen, the violence of the aftermath shaking the whole room. Cassius stepped inside, running his hand along the island as he went. “You’re home. Good,” he began, tonelessly. He picked up the book resting on the counter, flicking through the pages idly. At the glimmer of movement in his peripherals, he rolled his eyes, knowing what was going to come the second he heard Alecto hiss. She spat at Dani’s feet, her wand pointing at her relative. 

“Now, now, settle down,” Cassius said scoldingly, stepping in between them, having dismissively tossed the book back aside. He assumed the genial tone he’d used not so long ago, a guest in Dani’s home, then. too. Well, her old home, he now supposed. Too bad that measure of freedom hadn’t been enough for her. She’d never again come even that much as close. Cassius smiled at her, knowing, a baring of teeth that said he was conscious of all that was to come. “This doesn’t have to be so unpleasant. Now you see why I had to come, to play mediator. I’m afraid you’ve both made your families very angry, girls. In fact, you’ve made everyone very angry. But we are not without mercy. Perhaps you were only misguided.” His voice dropped an octave. Calm, controlled. The still waters. They could turn deadly, too. “Or perhaps you haven’t yet learnt where you belong.” He paused, as if considering, before turning to the Carrows instead. “Go ahead. Show them. The Cruciatus, I think, will be enough for now.” He looked down, shaking his head at Dani as each Carrow chose a target. His voice was full of disappointment, eyes cold but without regret. “You made this necessary.” Cassius’ eyes travelled along the line from her to Val, staring at the place where the red strands of magic interlocked, a brutal line that linked them together. He wondered if that would make it easier - to share a cage. “You brought this on each other.”  

Dani has always been an excellent liar. Fooling those around her with sparkling smiles and starry eyes and cleverly fabricated lies. But it’s perhaps herself who she has fooled most, all this time. Drowning herself in lies to make the world easily to swallow, to make her feel a semblance of safety in a world that wants to devour her, if she doesn’t devour it. It all crumbles so easily. The crash of a door. Her cousins’ fury. The way they fall to the floor, restrained in more way than one. Terror, terror is what truly restricts Dani, and the constant echoing of stupid girl stupid girl stupid girl in her head. She stares at Alecto’s wand, with wide eyes, her gaze only wavering from the pointed weapon when Cassius steps in front of it. Something cracks –– it’s disillusion, it’s years of lies to herself to keep herself from slipping into a dark hole that will swallow her whole. They all fall away and it’s like Dani looks at her life objectively for the first time. All she can feel is an endless hopelessness. Stupid stupid stupid.

It’s him she appeals to, and not her cousins. Danielle Goyle knows, after all, that sharing blood with someone does not mean they will not harm you. But Cassius, Cassius was always a breath of fresh air in the confinements of Appleby, a person in her childhood memories who did not taint them like her parents did. Something like safety, perhaps, in a youth built on fear. Just another lie, as it turns out. Another way she painted the world prettier than it is. “Cassius –– please.” And then, she thinks of Val, next to her, and she wishes to outstretch her fingers to touch hers, but even that she cannot do. “It was my idea,” she croaks, because if someone has to be punished, should it not be her? She sent that text, she dragged Val with her to France, she dragged Val into her world of lies. She has never been good at loving, she thinks. “It was mine, and I’m sorry –– we’ll come with, there’s no need for this Cassius, we’ll come and we’ll listen but –– please, please, you’ve known me all my life, you don’t have to do this.”

She is resigned, perhaps. Something in her has given up now that the world has slipped from beneath her feet. Just kill us, a part of her wishes, and let our bodies teach our friends to do better than us. The unforgivable that hits her is not the killing curse, though, but the cruciatus in stead, Alecto’s sadistic face smiling. So much for mercy. Her body writhes, the restraints pushing against her skin, and she and Val’s screams mix together, singing in painful harmony.

... 

you  see  ,  there’s  a  number  of  warning  signs .     things  that  should  have  given  them  a  second  to  grab  their  wands  ,  or  even  a  beat  to  avoid  being  backed  into  a  corner  this  way .     the  final  signal  ,  the  one  that  goes  unheard  under  their  conversation  ,  is  a  creak  on  the  porch .     this  is  something  that  val  had  picked  up  on  over  the  past  ten  or  so  days :     there’s  a  wooden  board  outside  that  has  a  tendency  to  creak  like  something  out  of  an  old  gothic  novel .     it’s  a  moan  like  something  yawning  awake  from  a  long  nap  ,  and  the  final  step  one  takes  before  opening  the  front  door .     but  there’s  no  time .     no  moment  to  act .     just  the  door  opening  ,  and  with  it  ,  alecto  and  amycus  carrow  riding  in  on  the  unfriendly  ,  gelid  bise .     for  a  few  blinding  seconds  ,  everything  is  red .

later  ,  she’ll  think  of  every  other  ward  they  could  have  used .     every  other  precaution  that  could  have  protected  them .     if  you’re  so  fucking  keen  ,  valeria  ,  how  come  you  couldn’t  protect  this  place ?     what  good  is  this  brain  of  yours  and  all  those  experiences  breaking  down  wards  and  curses  and  protective  spells  ,  if  you  can’t  turn  around  and  use  them  to  your  advantage ?     you  can’t  protect  her .     (   i  didn’t  raise  a  fool  for  a  daughter  ,  says  the  eidolon  approximation  of  her  mother  behind  her  shoulder .     you  knew  this  wouldn’t  last .     time  to  come  home  ,  dear .   )

she  watches  cassius  ,  the  man  moving  like  predator  circling  prey .     or  a  child  playing  god  with  his  toys .     valeria  wonders  if  he’ll  be  the  one  to  deliver  the  blow  ,  if  he’ll  even  dare  to  get  his  hands  that  dirty .

val’s  anger  has  always  been  a  simmering  ,  quiet  thing .     perhaps  she  and  cassius  are  alike  in  this  way   --   they’re  the  calm  surface  of  a  seas  while  beneath  the  waters  churn  to  power  a  tempest .     in  the  darks  of  his  eyes  ,  she  sees  her  reflection .     she  hears  dani  pleading  ,  and  it’s  like  splinters  under  her  skin ;    her  voice  fractured  with  fear  and  the  slightest  bit  of  hope  ,  even  now .     dani’s  so  close  ,  and  perhaps  val’s  hand  flexes  behind  her  ,  a  phantom  reach  for  the  other .     she’s  never  been  good  at  comforting  ,  never  been  gentle  enough  for  something  as  bright  and  warm  as  the  girl  next  to  her  ,  but  she  wants  to  try .     but  val  can’t  reach  her  hand  bound  like  this  ,  and  she  refuses  to  give  them  so  much  as  that  either .     as  she  appraises  the  unyielding  set  of  cassius’  face  ,  she  hears  what  he  hears  ,  and  knows  that  there’s  little  either  of  them  could  say  to  make  a  difference .     

there’s  no  pity  ,  no  so - called  mercy ,  when  the  world  lights  red  again .     just  a  point  to  be  made .     that’s  all  they  are :     an  example .     they’re  not  necessary  ,  or  wanted  ,  they’re  just  a  reminder  to  any  others  that  the  only  choice  is  to  stay .     these  bodies  aren’t  your  own  any  more .

where – some muggle house in france. who – @cursewrought​

After she closes the back door behind her, Dani leans against it, exhaling a long breath, eyes closed. A breath of relief. She gives herself a few moments, then turns around and works on putting the wards back up. And then, when she is sure things are secure again, she moves into the small kitchen. “I got chocolate croissants,” she says as she moves over to Valeria sitting at the counter, and places a kiss on her cheek. “My French is getting better every day, I swear. I barely stumbled!” 

She places the bag of groceries on the kitchen counter, but then finds herself gravitating to her girlfriend again. Her girlfriend. Dani loops an arm around her, rests her head in the nook of Val’s neck. “Everything was okay, by the way. Just a ton of French people, as per.” It’s always with them, the risk of getting caught, of being found, but there’s so much good too –– sharing a bed, unafraid kisses, learning to get to know the other in a different, deeper way. Their world has shrunk, and Dani is learning to be okay with silence. It chokes her still, sometimes, but less so. Maybe this is what healing his. She presses another kiss on Val’s cheek. “Did you make coffee?”

...

tell  me  about  the  dream  where  we  pull  the  bodies  out  of  the  lake  ,  reads  the  book  cracked  open  before  val  on  the  island .     it’s  a  thing  nicked  from  the  bookshelf  next  to  a  fireplace  where  flames  crackle  ,  pop  ,  in  the  sitting  room .     their  makeshift  holiday  lingers  near  it   --   yellow - toned  fairy  lights  from  the  past  holiday  still  twinkle  around  the  archway  between  val  and  the  creaking  front  door  ,  while  blankets  and  empty  mugs  sit  forgotten  on  the  floor .     she  prefers  this  ,  she  thinks  ,  prefers  this  house  they’ve  commandeered  as  their  own .     (   do  you  enjoy  this ?     a  voice  that  doesn’t  sound  like  her  own  questions .     playing  house ?     don’t  be  stupid  ,  valeria .     the  paranoia  is  an  ugly  thing  ,  but  it’s  the  companion  that  keeps  her  argus - eyed .   )     she  feels  a  touch  more  at  ease  when  dani  enters  ,  strengthens  the  wards  ,  and  brandishes  their  breakfast .

he  braces  himself   for  some  serious  scolding  .  since  the  battle,  neville’s  done  little  for  himself  in  terms  of  easing  the  healing  process          —          pushing  himself  further  than  he  should  .  he’s  been  steering  clear  of  st  .  mungo’s  since  being  discharged,  but  it  seems  his  health  has  taken  another  hit  since  then  .  it’s  impossible  for  him  to  sit  out,  to  succumb  to  his  injuries,  but  he’s  human  .  and  despite  his  attempt  at  being  above  it  all,  he  too  has  his  breaking  points  . 

neville’s  expression  reads  like  a  guilt  ridden  child  once  she  enters  the  hospital  room  .  it  seems,  since  his  departure,  that  he’s  done  everything  but  obey  her  simple  order          :          to  rest  .          “          i  am  feeling  much  better  .          ”          he  lies,  struggling  to  sit  up  straight  in  greeting  .          “          truly  .           ”’

          (          @cursewrought​          )

“  that  so ?  ”     she’s  flipping  through  his  folder  as  she  crosses  the  threshold  into  the  room  he’s  been  waiting  in .     the  soft  curves  of  her  features  are  schooled  into  reasonable  doubt  ,  the  arch  of  a  brow  a  challenge  as  she  finally  shut  the  file  and  looks  up  to  him .     “  i’d  love  to  believe  you  neville  ,  but  i’m  sure  you  understand  why  when  i  tell  you  that  i  think  that’s  bullshit .  ”     the  papers  drop  onto  a  counter  with  a  gentle  crack  as  she  leans  against  the  edge .     lips  twist  into  a  half - smile  ,  then .     “  parent - to - parent  ,  i’m  positive  we  both  know  how  to  catch  someone  in  a  lie .     is  this  where  i  give  the  i’m  not  mad  ,  just  disappointed  spiel ?     it  does  wonders  at  home .  ”     one  hand  falls  to  rest  at  her  hip  ,  while  her  right  gestures  toward  him .