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Early January 1982
Bartemius Crouch Junior was not a man who was easily anxious. He took stress in stride. When he was in Hogwarts and got 12 OWLs, when he got his dark mark, when he went on raids, at the Longbottom's, hell, even the trials after the dark lord fell, and he watched people he knew his whole life get sent off to Azkaban. Right here, though, standing in front of the tall spiral, almost tower-like house in the middle of a field, he felt his heart pounding.
How many years has it been since the last time he spoke to Pandora? Really talked. It was probably when she saw his mark when they were 16. Even at Evan's funeral last year, they hadn't exchanged a single word, staying with her parents, accompanied by her husband and infant daughter. They made eye contact, and Barty tried to approach her, but it was clear that Pandora Lovegood didn't want anything to do with her former friend at the time.
Things were different now; they were the only members of their friend group left alive. Audrey died last month, Regulus was missing and presumed dead, Evan was killed by Aurors, and Dorcas by The Dark Lord. Plus, if he was being honest, he missed Dora. He missed reading with her in their common room, having fake food fights during breakfast, and staying up late reading books they snagged from the Forbin section of the library. She was the first person he told about his crush on her twin, and she supported him, saying she would love for him to join her family. Now, he could only hope that offer still stands.
The Dark Lord is dead, and his followers have either been killed or sent off to Azkaban. No one suspected him; after all, his father was Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and he was the perfect, albeit reckless, son. With the war over (for now), it's time to set things right with his friend. Being stuck at home with his father has shown him that he's been living with him since he moved out of his and his boyfriend's apartment. However, he was starting to have second thoughts now that he was here. She must hate me. He thought to himself, and I wasn't able to protect Reg, Cas or Ev; she must blame me for their deaths.
Taking a deep breath, he decided to get it over with and knocked on the door. Stomping could be heard from behind the door before it was swung open so wildly that one would think someone was pulling it off the hinges. "FOR THE LAST TIME, MOODY, I TOLD YOU I HAVE NOTHING TOO-oh." Pandora stood at the door, holding her 11-month-old daughter, who bore a striking resemblance to her. For what could have been seconds or hours, neither of them knew; they stood there, each on a different side of the door, staring at each other in silence.
"H-hi, Dora," His voice was meek, and he looked as if trying to shrug into himself, eyes cast down and hands in his pockets. Before he could say anything else, Pandora raced forward and engulfed him with a hug, or as best she could, while holding a baby.
"Thank Merlin, you're safe," she mumbled into his shoulder, tears falling down her eyes. Barty hugged her back without thinking, careful not to squeeze her daughter. "I was so worried, with Aurors like Moody going after people- and the trials." She was sobbing at this point. "I wanted to follow the trials on the prophet, but the Aurors were tracking my movement, and I didn't want them to be suspicious of you."
"I'm fine, Dora; no one suspects the son of the man sending death eaters to Azkaban to be one." He reassured her, tears falling down his face, too. Stepping back, Pandora wiped tears away from her eyes before she started reprimanding him.
"YOU ARE AN IDIOT BARTY CROUCH, JR!?!? What were you thinking about joining that maniac!? How could you stand with him?" Shame rose in Barty's chest, listening to Pandora; her heart was utterly broken, and it hurt him to see her like this. Hearing his wife's distress, Xenophilius came running to the entrance. Upon seeing who it was, though, he took his daughter from her mother's arms and carried her away, giving the two friends some privacy. "How could you, Barty!?"
"I—" he swallowed, getting choked up. "I didn't want to leave Regulus and Even alone," he confessed. There was more to it: being respected, wanting to get back at his father, his love and devotion to his boyfriend, wanting more power, his ego. There was a lot to unpack and now wasn't the time. "Your's and Reggie's parents, they were putting so much pressure on them, and I thought, maybe if someone who wasn't being forced to join showed them support, then-"
"For someone so smart, you can be a real idiot sometimes!" Pandora snaps, but her anger has softened.
"I'm so sorry, Pandora," Barty's voice trembles with the weight of his confession. His eyes are filled with regret and remorse as he reaches out, taking the blond witch's hand, "I thought I could protect them. We would look out for each other-keep each other safe. But I was an idiot. And by the time we realized what he was, it was too late."
She squeezed back his hand, tears falling down her face, and the two of them stood there, sharing a deeply emotional moment. "Would you like some tea?" She asks, inviting him in.
"I would, thank you." He steps inside. The warmth of the home envelops him, and he can't help but feel a sense of peace. It's homey, eccentric, and colourful. It screams Pandora Rosier-well Pandora Lovegood now. Inside these walls is a home where children will grow up loved and free to be whoever they want to be. Children will know their parents will love them unconditionally and never truly be disappointed in them. It's a place that feels like a sanctuary, a place where healing and forgiveness can begin.
He sits on the old couch and dips in a little, but his body instantly relaxes. Xenophilius sits across from him with baby Luna on his lap, reaching for his neckless. They nod to acknowledge each other. Barty always thought the man was a little too bizarre. Every time he talked to him, it was a guaranteed headache, but he made Pandora happy, and he seemed like a good husband and father, so Barty held back on his judgment.
Pandora returns with two cups of tea and a sippy cup filled with some purple drink for Luna. The tea was warm and sweet and could effortlessly put you in a state of calmness.
"Have you heard from Felix?" Barty asks, trying to start some small talk on a neural ground
"I have written to him, but he doesn't reply much," Pandora says, telling him about her little brother. "Mother says he decided to spend break at Hogwarts this year; I can't say I blame him."
"We offered to host him, but he didn't seem interested," Xenophilius adds. "Maybe we'll have more luck with Easter break if he still doesn't want to go home."
Barty doesn't think he'll take them up on the offer. Dora loves her youngest little brother. Still, because of the age gap, she was much closer with Evan growing up, leaving a rift between the twins and the youngest, Rosier. He didn't know Felix well, but he suspected it hard for him, his brother dead, sister estranged, and he is now the new heir to his family's lordship; he can only imagine the stress the kid is under, and he is not even 13 yet. Barty didn't voice this, not wanting to put a damper in their mood, but by the look Pandora had on her face, she knew this, too.
Luna stared at him quizzically with her pale, silvery eyes as if he were a puzzle her little mind was trying to solve. He stared back at the baby before sticking his tongue out at her, and she laughed. Her laughter was like the sound of bells, a little sharp but beautiful and full of innocence. Barty couldn't help but laugh with the girl.
"Seems like Luna likes you," Xenophilius says, bouncing the girl on his lap.
"What can I say, no one can resist my charm." Barty chuckles with a slight smirk.
"I see your ego has gotten even bigger after all these years," Pandora said dryly, but there was a smile on her face.
They sat there the rest of the day, reminiscing over old times over tea. Barty learned that Xenophilius recently got promoted at his job for the Quibbler. Pandora has been studying some form of ancient magic, showing him the new book she got: The Study of Lost Magic by Leanor Whispers. Barty told them about how his father had been dragging him along the Ministry and using his family for his campaign. They laughed, cried, and bantered, quickly falling into the same old routine.
Eventually, the sunset, Luna was put to bed, and Batry and Pandora were sitting in her kitchen, drinking some fire whiskey.
"Do you remember when Regulus and Dorcas coordinated for the Slytherin quidditch team to sneak out after curfew to get more practice?" Barty was laughing drunk.
"Black and Potter were pissed," Dora laughed, "Gryffindor kept losing and had no clue why. I think they started pulling their hair out."
"We quickly learned to never doubt a Slytherin's ambition." He held his whisky out, and she clinked hers to his. It was bittersweet, talking about their dead friends. They had many joyful memories together, and it hurt that they were no longer together. Despite the pain they felt, it was important for them to keep their friends memory alive.
"Tell me about it. Regulus would drag us all to the kitchen to talk to the house elves and see if they needed help with anything." He remembers that: Six first years, sneaking down into the kitchens to talk with the elves, the curly-haired boy taking the lead, introducing all of them to the tiny creatures. Barty thinks of Whinky, his family elf, and how appalled Regulus would be if he knew how she was treated.
"You know, I still know all the elves' names," Pandora confesses with a sad smile, "Reggie would tell me all about them, and they always got so happy when we addressed them as equals"
"He had a good heart" It's true; Regulus Arcturus Black was the best of them. He loved fiercely and wanted what was best for everyone, even when he was hurting. It's hard to say who was smarter, Dorcas or Pandora. Cas decided to join the order, disgusted by the boy's willingness to join the cause, but she ended up dying after the Dark Lord killed her girlfriend and the girlfriend's whole family. On the other hand, Pandora stayed out of the fight entirely, just waiting for the war to end. But she was hurting, too; her friends and family were dying around her, and she was ostracized by the people she loved and was always treated with suspicion; no one knew what side she was on. Audrey also stayed out of the war, focusing on her household, but couldn't remain neutral, as her husband was part of the dark lord's inner circle; in the end, his sins caught up to her. "I miss them,"
Pandora reaches for his hand and squeezes it. The night is silent. Crickets are chirping, and a small fire on the stove crackles, but other than that, Barty feels like he can be engulfed in the silence. There is this pain he feels from a lack of closure. Drocas is the only one whose fate is known to him; the dark lord killed her after she went on a rampage. He still doesn't know who killed Evan; he's sure the Rosiers know; after all, the Ministry had to send them his body, but it's too soon to ask Pandora. And no one knows what happened to Regulus. They were still in Hogwarts when he disappeared. He told us he was going on a secret mission for the dark lord, and he was gone.
"I miss them too, every day," she tells him. "...for weeks, I had nightmares about Regulus...drowning. Weeks before he disappeared, I was so scared, but I didn't know if they were visions or stress. I tried to tell him, but he told me I was worrying over nothing...and I couldn't help but wonder, what-what if that's how he...how he" Tears were running down her face, hiccups preventing her from finishing her sentence. It was Bartys turn to comfort his friend.
"Dora, it's not your fault. None of us could have seen this coming-"
"I should have! I am a seer, and I saw him drowning, I should have reached out more-"
"Pandora, we don't even know if that's how he died. And if it is, you warned him, told him about your visions. You did all you could, but at the end of the day, it was Reggie's choice of what to do with that information."
"I wish I didn't cut you all off, that I could have helped you" " she expresses, wiping her tears from her eyes.
"You made the right choice," he assures her. You would have just been dragged into the war and wouldn't have all of this." He gestures to the home around him: "This home, your loving husband, your beautiful girl. We would have just ruined it all." He hands her his handkerchief, which she uses to wipe away her tears.
"I should get going, my mother. I do not want to keep my mother waiting, and Father says he wants us for some publicity stunt tomorrow." Barty tells Pandora, hugging her goodnight.
"It was nice talking to you. You should come again soon. Luna would love to spend time with her uncle Barty."
He smirked at her, "Uncle Barty, huh, I like that sound."
Saying goodnight to Xeno philius , Barty leaves and apparates at his parents' house, thinking to himself that he really needs to start looking for his own place and a job.
Hours pass in the Lovegood household, and it's soon to be midnight. Pandora is in her study, poring over her books reading.
"Panda, love, it's getting late. You should really get some sleep, love," Xenophilius tells his wife in a sleepy voice, kissing her head.
"I know, but I'm almost done with this Chapter Xeno. Go to bed. I'll be there shortly."
"Are you sure you don't want any help?"
"Yes, I'm sure I have it all under control." With a final kiss goodnight, the Wizard leaves his wife to her own devices. Once she is alone, she opens a locked door and casts a silent levitating spell to lift up what's inside it: A gold locket with a green snake in the middle. She hasn't been completely honest with Barty; she knows somewhat what happened to Regulus. Kreacher wasn't able to tell her much, but she does know that Regulus died stealing this locket and that his instructions were for Kreacher to give it to her and to find a way to destroy it. 'If anyone can figure it out, it's Pandora Rosier, ' he said.
Once she knows she can trust Barty with this information, she will ask for his help. Until then, she is on her own, and she will not fail Regulus again.