If I survive tonight, I wouldn't change a thing -- June 1998

Lincoln Matthews wrote:I looked over at Pansy.  "Because I love her," I said so quietly I was not sure if Pansy had even heard me.  I had never admitted that aloud to anyone or even myself until just now.  But how else could I convince Pansy of me being here?

I was startled slightly by that answer and looked at Lincoln, a smile coming to my lips.  "I know you do," I said to him.  "I'm not sure if she realizes that or if Draco even does -- they have a hard time accepting love or even seeing it."  I wanted to try to explain things to him, though I was sure he already knew.

I nodded.  "I understand that completely," I said, sighing.  "But it's a challenge we've both accepted it looks like."

I stepped forward, not letting Juniper take the fall.  "Enough, Juniper," I said to her, knowing that it would not be enough anyways.  "Don't touch her again," I added, threatening my aunt who was looking like hse was going to harm my twin.  "You wanted the set, so take us.  Take us both.  But you will not put another hand on my sister."  My voice was shaking, not out of fear, but out of pure anger.  I knew what they had been doing and it worked.  Father wanted to cause me pain, he succeeded.  I hated seeing Juniper become a Death Eater.  It was not her price she had to pay -- it was mine.

I went to lash out at my niece when Lucius stopped me as soon as Draco spoke up.  How disappointing.  I looked at the Dark Lord as he approached my nephew.  This was going to be absolutely wonderful.

I looked over at Lincoln.  "And would you have chosen any different?" I asked, knowing the answer to that already.  "It's just something that seemed to be predetermined for us."

I looked over at Pansy and took a drink before responding to Pansy.  "We both know the answer to that," I said to her, meeting her eyes.  I wanted to get off of this topic as best as we can.  "Are you feeling alright wiht all this stress?" I asked.  Okay, not the best way to change topics since it was still somewhat related, but it was better than talking about my feelings towards Juniper.

I held out my arm for the Dark Lord to brand it.  He grabbed it roughly and with his red eyes he looked into my eyes.  With my practiced Occlumens, I made sure he got nothing out of me.  I was not sure what he was looking for, but I would not give him a damn thing.  Without warning, I had dropped to the floor writhing with pain.  I heard Juniper start to freak out and a yell escaped my lips.

Laughter filled my ears as the pain ebbed away.  "I knew you would become mine," the voice hissed.  The Dark Lord was taunting me because I refused this the previous year.  He grabbed my arm again and I felt the burning, searing pain as the Mark was branded onto my skin.

"Draco!" I cried when I saw him hold out his arm. I was ready to run up to him, grab his arm and get both of us away from here when one of the other Death Eaters grabbed me to stop me. I fought him off as best as I could. I saw Draco collapse to the floor. "Let me go! You're hurting him!" I squirmed, hoping he wouldn't be able to keep his grip on me, but he was good. "Let me go!" He threw me to the floor and I looked back at him, seeing his wand pointed at my brother. At least one of the Death Eaters knew enough that I would listen if they were threatening Draco. I glared at the Death Eater until Draco had the Mark and they didn't have to worry about me getting him away. I ran up to my twin and collapsed to the ground next to him. I wrapped my arms around him and tried to help him stand, despite how weak I was feeling. I turned to the Death Eaters, fixing them all with an ice glare. I saw the satisfied smiles they all had, as if they knew it had only been a matter of time before we took the Mark. "You've had your fun with us. We're leaving. Now."

I rather enjoyed seeing the twins finally take the Mark that they should have taken awhile ago.  I stayed by the Dark Lord while Juniper tried to act tough -- she was definitely failing at it.

<< Sorry, I'm not feeling super evil... so Bella's responses are kind of lame >>

Lincoln Matthews wrote:I looked over at Pansy and took a drink before responding to Pansy.  "We both know the answer to that," I said to her, meeting her eyes.  I wanted to get off of this topic as best as we can.  "Are you feeling alright wiht all this stress?" I asked.  Okay, not the best way to change topics since it was still somewhat related, but it was better than talking about my feelings towards Juniper.

I nodded.  "Yes, thank you," I said, knowing that he was thinking of hte babies.  "It's hard being here, isn't it?  It doesn't look like you've been back here... since you had to leave."  I was sure that he was not wanting to talk about it, but who knew?  Maybe there were things to get off his chest.

I
I shook my head at Pansy.  "No, I haven't," I said to her.  We finished eating and I looked at her.  "That other room that was cleaned up... you think it'll be alright for you?  If not... there are bedrooms upstairs.  The beds might need cleaned up, but it's better than a couch."  I was not going to be able to go upstairs.  I had a hard time being here in general.  I wanted to at least go to one room -- the last room I saw my father alive.

I gently got out of Juniper's arms.  I was not going to be walking out of there with the indignity of having to use my sister as a crutch.  They were all about power and I was not going to give them everything.  I took a deep breath and looked at the three standing before me -- the Dark Lord, Aunt Bella, and Father.  "We are done here," I agreed with Juniper.  I looked at my twin and nodded slightly.  We would be leaving now.  We would go back to my flat until we knew everything was going to be safe before going and getting Lincoln and Pansy.  I held out my hand to Juniper.  We could leave united, but not having to support each other.  That would happen once we were out of their piercing stare.

<<That's okay >>

I reluctantly let Draco go, knowing it was best for him. I glared at Aunt Bellatrix, the Dark
Lord and Father before I turned to my brother and nodded back at him. I put my hand in his and squeezed it gently. "Let's go." I agreeded.

I took a step forward to stop them, but the Dark Lord shook his head slightly.  We won this battle for today.  We would succeed in winning the war now that we could get people like my niece and nephew to cave.

Lincoln Matthews wrote:I
I shook my head at Pansy.  "No, I haven't," I said to her.  We finished eating and I looked at her.  "That other room that was cleaned up... you think it'll be alright for you?  If not... there are bedrooms upstairs.  The beds might need cleaned up, but it's better than a couch."  I was not going to be able to go upstairs.  I had a hard time being here in general.  I wanted to at least go to one room -- the last room I saw my father alive.

I smiled the best I could at Lincoln.  "The couch is fine," I assured him.  I did not want to overstep my boundaries while here.  I had already seen enough in the two rooms we had been inside.  I realized who his mother was -- a Carrow.  That made my blood run cold because I knew how the Carrow family was -- almost worse than the Malfoys.  The Purebloods enjoyed getting together... and since the Parkinsons was part of the 'sacred twenty-six', I had gone to some of these functions.  Lincoln had never been to a gathering, but his mother had been. 

I had felt a new sense of understanding for what Lincoln went through as a child before the Lupins.  She and her two younger siblings -- Amycus and Alecto -- were horribly, terrifying people.  Okay, Alecto had not been that bad before... but she changed.  I never realized that was who Lincoln was related to -- his mother always went by Carrow at the gatherings.