Diagon Alley

'This one will face a fate worse than death.' He announced in a booming tone, half serious. 'There's  no space for mercy in my plans.' He handed the contract over to Crouch to demonstrate.

'Amaya. She owes me.'

His interest piqued at the gusto in his speech, "It's not very like you to be so invested in something." He started to unscroll the contract to see what he had to gain from it.

'She learned a lot of shit from me, and vice versa. She's a good asset.' He spoke the truth, knowing the contract entailed the mutual exchange of services between the pair. Amaya knew enough to get him killed, but it would also kill her in the process.

'Can't say i like to give up what benefits me.'

"Well if it's that important to you I'll refrain..."

'Good. We can paint the whole freaking sky red after we're done.' He stretched out his arms, barely suprresing the urge to just act, to make chaos. It sat just underneath his surface, simply waiting for a time to be freed.

"I don't have any obligations to wait... I can feel a change in the wind coming my friend..."

'Its been so long since I had a proper fight. Tooth for tooth, blood for blood. Probably before I was reborn as a kitsune.' He noted, rolling his shoulders now. 'I look forward to this.'

"Me too..." Crouch smiled a smile most unpleasant as he licked his lips as though he could already taste the blood splattering onto them.

'Want to begin now?' He drew his wand, flexing his fingers and scanning the crowds eagerly.

"I thought you'd never ask..." Crouch's dark passions ignited as he started to throw flame at the crowd.

And a long night of chaos proceeded...

OOC Roll the credits here? I'll need Crouch soon for the battle

Books piled at this late hour...
All of them are on one subject.
Magical stones.
 
Seated comfortably doing this late night reading on an otherwise mundane subject was Crouch, pouring through each book as though it were a sacred text…
 
“No, not that one…” He muttered as he scoured through a tome that lacked what he was looking for.
 
He looked up again to check on the half of the stone he ‘obtained’, checking the stone for any little detail that could help his search.
 
“MPPPHH!!” came a muffled scream from the front desk.
 
Crouch sat up and closed his book in irritation, “Ma’am…” He walked over to the desk, his ire clear on his face. On the floor, squirming was an unfortunate watchwomen who picked the wrong night to do her job. If any binds existed, the human eye couldn’t perceive them. She was imprisoned in her own body by Crouch’s magic, unable to get free, move or scream. “This is a library. Please be quiet…” Crouch mocked as he sends a short burst of the cruciatus curse at her.
 
“MMMMMMPPPPPHHH!!” She screamed in anguish but then she stayed silent out of fear of further retaliation.
 
“That’s better...” Crouch walked back to the desk to continue his research, “I won’t be here much longer, just until I find what I’m looking for. Sorry for keeping you so late…”
 
“Now where was I?” He returned to his books as he adjusted into his seat to get comfortable again. Then his reading continued…
 
And continued…
 
And continued…
 
His patience grew thinner as the stack of useless books grew taller. “Where are you?!” He threw the last book aside, knocking over the tower of literature.
 
Only a single book remained, a book of theoretic magic and research. Crouch’s doubts grew at the mere mention of ‘theory.’ But then again, what other leads did he have?
 
He read and read, passage after passage of theories…
 
Just as his twisted mind was beginning to consider killing the watchwomen to sate his impatience, he found what he wanted! At last! The picture unmistakably resembled the stone that sat on the desk.
 
“Nothing like a delayed search to make a promising reward…” Crouch muttered as he read the theory by one Department of Mysteries worker named Tremel.
 
‘…Colureye may yet have properties untapped. For many centuries’ wizards have squandered it’s potential, passing it off as a mere decoration. However I have cause to believe it has the potential to do many amazing things that could revolutionize the wizarding world. One such application could be the removal of magic from a subject, which would be incredibly useful for subduing extremely dangerous magical criminals…’
 
The new dark lord need not read further…
 
That was his sibling’s plan. She planned to remove his magic for good, a way to stop him without killing him. A very befitting means of disposal for her.
 
‘My son…’ spoke a familiar, cold voice in his head, “You are successful?”
 
“My lord… I have found her plans… “ Crouch told the air, “And I shall use it against her…”
 
“Excellent, well done my son… however that alone is not enough.”
 
“What more have I to do my lord?” Crouch asked as he felt a sense eagerness build in him to fulfill more of his ‘masters’ will.
 
“The threat must be quelled permanently my dear Crouch. It is the only way to ensure a complete victory…”
 
Crouch’s heart froze, as though the words he heard stabbed his insides with an icicle. He was being ordered to… kill River.
 
“… Yes, my lord. However more can be done with this information.”
 
“And what is that, my son?”
 
Crouch chuckled to himself, relieved to get off the subject as his usual smile returned to his face, “Oh my lord, you know I was never one to kill suspense… just watch the show” Crouch’s sinister head was churning with an idea, an idea that would shake the very wizarding world… no, and the entire globe to the core.
 
And it revolved around this stone on the desk. He packed it into his bag, along with the book of theories.
 
The watchwomen looked upon the scene in horror. She was at the mercy of a madman, a psychotic who spoke to himself. Who was this lord he was referring to?
 
She stared out the window, praying to see one bystander she could get help from… but this late at night?
 
It seemed that fortune had given her a blessing as a man stumbled past the window. This was her only chance to risk this nightmare!


“MPPPPPHHHH!!!!!!!!!” She yelled as loud as her restrained movements would allow. However, it was sadly not loud enough to make it to even the window.
 
Soon the man was out of sight, moving past the window on his stroll. She knew that the wrath of her captor surely awaited…
 
The new dark lord power walked over to her and started to curse her with killing curses as he yelled each word furiously,
“DIDN’T!”
“I!”
“TELL!”
“YOU!”
“WE’RE”
“IN”
“A”
“LIBRARY?!”
 
The hopeless watchwoman lay dead on the floor, a corpse from the first spell and excessively murdered by the other seven he sent in irrational rage. A terrified look would remain forever glued to her face, until she was committed to the ground.
 
Crouch grinned crazily over his successful mission. He learned his sister’s plan, how to use it to his advantage, and even killed someone in the process. Only one thing remained to put the candle on the cake…
 
“Accio ‘Easy Spells to Fool Muggles…’” The book flew into his hand. It was a book he used to enjoy reading as a boy, and he had some… edits to make the book more amusing for him now, “I kind of like this one, I’ll check it out.”
 
He walked in front of the desk where he performed his overkill and rung the bell, “Excuse me?” He looked around to see if anyone would serve him. This little bit of acting amused him mildly, just a small flutter of entertainment in his stomach at best, like a muffled laugh. “Oh there you are!” He walked behind the desk and set the dead women up in the chair, “Would you help me check out this book?” He asked her politely like an average, non-psychotic-murderer costumer would ask. He placed his acquisitions on the desk and paused as though she were talking to him.
 
His face became one of surprise; as though the woman had told him something baffling and shocking, “Just take them? And burn this whole place down? Are you sure? I just wouldn’t feel right about that!”
 

He put his hand on the corpses head and made it nod to his question. “Well if you say so…” Crouch told her reluctantly as he pointed his wand at the bookshelves and started an inferno, which sent him laughing hysterically into the night as he vanished from the spot…

It had been so long since Bryn had entered the realms of magic.

His step was hasty, reluctant even, as he stepped foot into Diagon Alley. Compared to the muggle world, the wizarding area seemed awash with colour, vibrancy, and over-stimulation of the senses. He couldn't help but feel how artificial the wizarding world was now, how everything could fall apart in a fraction of a second.

everything did fall apart..


He mentally shook himself, taking another, cautious step towards the remains of Florean's ice cream parlour, wondering how the alley had lost its hold and air of wonder since he'd been away. So much had changed that he felt just as lost as he first had when he'd discovered him and some of his siblings possessed magical power.

Teddy tried to not look down trodden as he walked through the deserted streets of Diagon Alley.

After months of trying, he couldn't seem to find a good shopping space to open up his repare shop. He'd been saving up both magical and muggle money for years in order to do just that, but now that he was looking, it all seemed way out of his reach.

Still, he kept a bounce in his step and stayed on his path. He would get there some day. He knew it!

He looked up and stopped in his tracks as he saw Bryn looking at what was left of the ice cream shop. His heart stopped briefly and then picked up double-time. "Bryn..." he said softly.

Even though he wasn't looking, he breathed in sharply, heart fluttering with anticipation. Barely able to peel his eyes away from the ruins, he turned to Teddy, placing a genuine smile on his slightly haggard face. It had been so long since he had seen his.. best friend? boyfriend? he didn't really know anymore, but he was incredibly glad to see a familiar face.

'Teddy!' He declared with as much confidence as he could, opening his arms to to the other man.  He had grown a lot taller, but the toll of working as a medic had had its effect on his previously broad stature. 

'How've you been?'

He didn't hesitate to run into the other man's arms. God, how he'd missed Bryn.

He buried his head into the familiar neck and just breathed, for what felt like the first time in months. "I've missed you," he mumbled into the skin. "Where have you been?"

He held onto him tightly, as if it'd been months since he'd been able to cling onto something dear. 'I've missed you...' he murmured, threading his fingers through his boyfriend's hair.

'Would you like to hear the truth, or a nicer version of it?' he tried to keep a frown from crossing his lips.

"The truth." He leaned back and looked Bryn in the eyes. "Never feel that you can't tell me the truth."

He could only hold Teddy's gaze for mere seconds, half wanting to hold onto him tighter, and half wanting to prise him away. He shifted uncomfortably on the spot, lips mouthing words as he silently stammered to himself.

'I... went to war. It was- It seemed like a good idea to go, but it was a mistake. Meredia, s-she came with me, and that was a mistake too. We went to Europe to take in casualties from the remains of the wizarding war, places where people had no idea Voldemort was dead. We tried to instigate peace - and it worked - but it was mistake going.'

He couldn't help but repeat himself, shaking his head in defeat.
'

He held Bryn tighter and returned his head to its previous position. "I'm sorry you went through that."

'It wasn't the war, it was just what it did to Mer. Somebody blinded her - completely - and because of the nature of the curse, she's unlikely to ever get her sight back, in any form at all.' 

Guilt exhausted his nerves more than participating in the war cleanup had, eyes constantly rimmed with shadows of his despair. 

'I can't forgive myself for making her go.'

i can't forgive myself for leaving you, either.

"Mer is tough. While it's saddening to hear that she won't get her sight back, I know that she won't let that stop her." He paused briefly to think about what he was going to say next.

"I'm more worried about you. You were traumatized. I can see it."

He immediately snorted, running a hand through his brown hair, as if he could brush off his problems through brushing his own hair.

'I've been through worse than this, i'll be fine.' He insisted, deciding not to pull away from Teddy. Bryn knew his family were survivors, and he was one of them too. He was their self-appointed leader, after all...

Teddy looked up at the beautiful man before him. "I know you have," he said with a sad smile. "Everyone has a breaking point though. I'll be there for you when you reach yours. That's all I'm saying."

'I'm just glad you're here now..' He murmured as he pressed a kiss to the young man's hair. 'I'm so sorry i never wrote, that i never even let you know where i was. It wasn't very responsible of me.' 

He did not admit that he was already beyond his breaking point, and he questioned if he could be put back together.

He smiled to himself when he felt the kiss. "I forgive you. You had a lot going on."

ooc Breddy fluff makes me so happy :3