Welcome to Until The End. We are a moderate Harry Potter role-playing site set in the Marauder's Era. Our plot is generally derived from details in the book, but as an AU site we do take liberties most anywhere we like. Those who died in the books can have a second chance at living, and those who lived are always at risk.
Tom Marvolo Riddle has long since disappeared and in his stead Lord Voldemort has risen, bringing a small army with him. The Ministry of Magic has thus far ignored the growing menace that is the Death Eaters and Albus Dumbledore has taken it upon himself to defend the wizarding community from an evil he knows is building. War is coming. Pick a side!
School's Out For Summer
The Hogwart's Express has pulled up to the station in King's Cross station and the summer holidays have officially begun. What mischeif will you get into in the warm summer sun?
*Coming Soon* - Summer Solstice Carnival
Travel by portkey to the biggest summer celebration in wizard society - The Summer Solstice Carnival! There will be food, games, prizes, fun and more!
Saw the Darkest Hearts of Men and I saw Myself Staring Back Again
D
erek didn't know what else to do, where else to look, what else to say. Every lead had come up empty, and they were growing desperate. It had been two weeks since Christian regained his memories, a little under a month since Diana had been kidnapped. She was due to deliver soon, and could theoretically go into labor at any moment.
Derek was wise to keep those thoughts to himself, Christian was only too aware that time was slipping away from them - the distinct collection of empty scotch bottles was proof enough. Derek was almost certain that the man was solely being sustained by alcohol, he couldn't remember the last time Christian ate or slept but he never saw the man without a drink in hand. Derek couldn't blame him.
He entered the flat as he normally did, a solemn look on his face. He didn't have much new news and that was almost as crushing to deliver as it was to receive.
He dropped the file on the table and went to the bar to help himself to a gin and tonic - he had stocked the gin himself so Christian couldn't bitch at him.
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 24, 2018 15:32:30 GMT -8
Everything was shite. For more than half a year Christian and Diana, along with Burke most times, had made remarkably steady progress in eliminating Diana’s enemies. Between the two men and their gang of hired informants, they had easily tracked down powerful men, each wealthy enough to pay hordes of trained men to protect them and smuggle them out of the country on a whim. It had all been so simple and had this whole debacle with Diana discovering Christian’s contract with Copperbottom not panned out, they could have been through the remainder of the list in no time. Killing Copperbottom when he had, had been a rushed decision. A compulsive reaction to things not going as he had planned, and to the momentary and gut-wrenching fear that he would lose Diana. If that slimy twat was still alive, Christian would have had some insight into the identity and location of the last remaining board member, but instead he sat helpless in his study poring over the same sodding files he’d read over five times already. There was nothing of note here. They had exhausted every lead to no avail. Christian felt empty as his eyes scanned the words and pictures in front of him, seeing only hopelessness.
His mum had been by earlier in the day and tidied up the house and the collection of glasses and empty bottles that had been scattered around the home. The bin on the front curb was spilling over with evidence of Christian’s drinking problem. Roselyn felt for her son. She empathized with him and reminded him that he was a skilled wizard who hadn’t yet failed in taking down his mark. She assured her son that he would find his wife, that their child would be safe, and they would all be a happy family at home very soon, but Christian was not a fool and he knew his mother’s words were hollow. After some back and forth, Roselyn left, scolding her son in that loving way only a mother could get away with, and leaving Christian to fret about his home alone.
Had Roselyn not stopped by, there would have been no clean glasses for Burke to help himself to upon arrival, entering the home unannounced and with a casual ease that could only be garnered by Christian fully trusting the man. The doors to his office were pulled open, leading into the sitting room where their planning sessions typically occurred. There was room enough for he, Derek, and Diana to assess the information comfortably, and while the change of working collaboratively in such a manner had been a difficult one at first, Christian found the setting more relaxing now. It was familiar and reminded him, subconsciously, of all of the success they had shared in their endeavors thus far.
Standing form his seat and whipping around the desk like a bat out of hell, Christian moved swiftly and determinedly into the lounge, reaching the pathetically slender file only a few seconds after Derek had set it down. He didn’t even hesitate to greet his friend in the process. There was no time. He flipped open the file and reviewed the contents, sinking into the arm chair in front of the window. His heart sank as well. “There has to be more,” he demanded, his eyes still locked on the contents of the file. “Where the fuck is the bloody intel, Burke!?” Christian slammed his fist into the arm of the chair, his angered expression barely managing to cover the despair he felt.
Saw the Darkest Hearts of Men and I saw Myself Staring Back Again
I
f Derek had more intel he would have happily offered it up. The brief period of time where he considered Christian his rival was long gone and there were no secrets now - at least not where the dangerous brunette was concerned. But there had been a time when Derek was a bit more stingy with his information.
Derek had been working with Diana for almost two years before Christian entered the picture, and fully delusional, he thought he had been making progress. Derek wasn't a Cassanova - he had plenty of affairs - but it was never about the "hunt" to him. Instead he appreciated women, he loved them, and they loved him in return, but not Diana. Yes, she loved him in her own way. And perhaps more importantly, she trusted him. But there had always been a wall he simply couldn't get past. He might have given up if Diana hadn't been the hottest woman he had ever met. She was both dangerous and vulnerable, beautiful and gritty, strong and broken. He was mesmerized and frustrated. Finally he convinced himself that no one would be able to get past her self defense mechanisms, but she proved him wrong the day she brought Christian into the mix. It was then he realized he never stood a chance. Not because Christian was in some way better than him, no the man was a prat, but because Diana had been head over ass in love with the man for over twenty years.
There were many times and many reasons Derek doubted Christian's worthiness of such devotion and love, but now looking at the man and the utter heartbreak emanating from every drunken fiber of the six foot giant he almost wished Christian didn't love Diana so much. It made the lack of intel even more disheartening. What if they didn't find her? What if they did find her and she was even more broken than before? She was alive, but that didn't mean she was okay.
He sighed returning to the present, he opened his mouth to give Christian another empty promise that they would figure something out when he heard a determined tapping against the window and turned his attention to the owl hammering insistently on the glass.
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 31, 2018 20:52:50 GMT -8
As the days pressed on, too slow to feel productive with their meager progress in locating Diana yet simultaneously too fast to retain any semblance of hope that she and their son would make it out of this ordeal intact, the knowledge that Diana was still alive simply because Christian was still alive became less and less reassuring. Diana was already broken when she found Christian. So bloody broken. Their love hadn’t healed the deep mental wounds that caused her to distrust anyone around her, herself included. Whatever purpose she was being kept alive for now, it wouldn’t help the matter any. Whatever state Diana returned to Christian in, it would most certainly be worse than it was when she was taken. She couldn’t even know that Christian loved her, or remembered that he loved her, because he had still been lacking his memories the last time he had seen her.
Thinking on their last moments together only made Christian ache more. He had been cruel to her in his ignorance and misinformed assumptions about his wife. He had insinuated he would kill her and was only keeping her alive until his child was born. Then he had locked her away and seemingly forgotten about her. Those were the final memories Diana had left with her, wherever she was now. It was torture not having her with him. It was torture knowing she thought he hated her. It was torture being apart from the woman he loved.
His expression, angry and hopeless, shifted only slightly as the familiar sound of beak on glass drew both men’s attention. A long-eared owl tapped insistently on the window and the sight, though common in the wizarding world, was so unexpected that it took Christian a moment to recognize what was happening. He stood, dropping the meager file onto the coffee table as he moved around his chair towards the window. He turned the latch and pulled the window open. The owl flew into the house and set itself comfortably on the fireplace mantle near Derek. It shook its head as if it was shaking off a chill.
Saw the Darkest Hearts of Men and I saw Myself Staring Back Again
N
ot for the first time that week did Derek internally moan, "Something's gotta give." - but with the incessant pecking he was too stunned to move. Somehow he knew. He didn't recognize the owl, nor did he need to see the letter that fell from the bird's beak, but he fucking knew. His breath hitched as he caught Christian's eyes and shared his own hopes that this was it; this is what they had been waiting for.
It had to be. Christian wouldn't live through the heartbreak - at least his liver wouldn't - and Derek was too invested to lose the pair he oddly considered his closest friends.
His hand itched to open the envelope, but he waited for Christian to make the first move as his fingers dug into the chair he had thrown himself into.
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Aug 18, 2018 22:12:18 GMT -8
A shared glance between the men caused the owl to hoot, noting its annoyance at not being relieved of its duty immediately. A chill ran over Christian’s spine, his skin tightened, he reached for the envelope. Something thick was tucked inside. The envelope protruded with the size of something small but non-pliable. Reddish brown ink stained the cream parchment where the object was, but Christian had seen enough action in the field to know it wasn’t ink. He tore open the envelope and tipped it on its end, letting the object inside fall into his opened palm. His stomach dropped. His chest ached. His breath caught in his throat. Resting in his hand, covered in dried blood, was the emerald ring Christian had given Diana as a wedding ring.
From out of nowhere a primal growl of rage erupted from the man as he turned and swung at the owl, literally attacking the messenger. The bird screeched and flapped its wings, dragging its talons across Christian’s forearm before flying swiftly out of the still opened window. The creature’s departure wasn’t enough to settle his rage, however, as he began to smash anything within reach. Picture frames, antique vases, nicknacks his mum had given him over the years, all obliterated in a matter of seconds. Christian’s hand had gone through the nearest wall leaving chunks of plaster on the floor, but that wasn’t the end to his rage. He picked up a lamp and through it at the opposite wall, screaming furiously as he did so, then turning again and slamming his now bloodied fist into the wall yet again. A string of obscenities flew through the air, a creative assortment of insults directed at no one and everyone, himself included.
When the dust settled Christian’s sitting room looked much the same as it did when they had first found Diana missing – though sadly with a severe lack of dead bodies lying around. He wanted to kill whomever it was that had taken his wife, and bathe in their blood for any harm they had caused Diana. He would proudly display their head on a pike in his front garden for all the world to see, wizards and muggles alike. A warning to never harm his family. But first, he would need to find the fucking bastards who had taken her. Snarling and breathing heavily, Christian’s arm shook as he looked again at the bloodied ring held tightly in his right hand, the shape imprinted onto his palm from being held so tightly as he destroyed his home. On the floor among the debris of his tantrum, laid the envelope and the message that had yet to be read.
Saw the Darkest Hearts of Men and I saw Myself Staring Back Again
D
erek, the calmer of the two men in the room, kept his eye on the envelope as his companion proceeded to tear everything apart. He had only caught a glimpse of a green and gold shimmer before the chaos began and his reaction had been the opposite. He couldn't move.
Despite the danger of remaining still while a six foot plus man-beast swung wildly at inanimate objects, Derek was mentally preparing for what the contents of the letter meant - what the unread letter would lead to.
Contrary to Christian's less than favorable opinion of him in the early stages of their odd relationship, Derek was quite capable. Not that he blamed the man for his misconceptions. Even Derek's family severely underestimated him - until he returned from obscurity wealthier and more respected than the lot.
His family couldn't explain it. They had expected him to return humbled and ready to take on the family business after failing in the outside world, but he was a much better strategist than anyone had ever given him credit for - except perhaps Diana. She saw through his lazy laissez-faire nonchalance immediately, and in that way she was the first person to ever see him - the real Derek Burke. Perhaps that was the reason he fell for her, perhaps that was the reason he kept fighting for her.
Not to win her away from Christian, if such a thing were even possible, but because of the way she looked at him. The small knowing, almost conspiratorial, smile she gave when someone else underestimated him. Derek felt a cold fear grip him when he thought that her smile could disappear forever, that the only person who truly knew him would disappear forever. He couldn't allow that to happen.
But nor could he let the person Diana loved walk into a trap - and that is what the letter was.
It was true they needed a break, but this was not of their own making. Their opponent had sought them out, that meant their opponent was ready and they were not. If Christian answered whatever call was being made, their opponent would know that they were desperate - and that was the absolute worst way to walk into a situation.
He reached for the letter as Christian continued to spiral, but to his eternal frustration the parchment was blank. He waited a few more moments attempting to reveal the message before his companion regained his senses, but it was no use. The letter was meant for Christian and only Christian would be able to read it.
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jan 21, 2019 22:06:49 GMT -8
Knuckles stinging as blood began to pool from the open wounds where the plaster wall had pulled away the flesh, Christian stood in fury and surveilled the mess he had made. It wasn't enough. It could never be enough. Nothing but slaughtering the bastards who had taken Diana would ever be enough to sate his rage. At least one of them had sense enough to look at the letter that had accompanied the bloodied wedding ring Christian had clasped tightly in his right hand. Breathing heavily, an almost animalistic growl in place of normal sounds of exhausted panting, Christian stared at Derek who was looking upon the letter with no readable expression on his face. Seconds ticked by, though they felt like hours as Christian waited for the news he simultaneously desired and loathed, but knew was coming nonetheless. But it never came. Derek stood silent, unreadable, his eyes not giving any inclination as to Diana's fate. Christian couldn't wait any longer. "What the fuck does it say, Burke!?" he snapped, pulling the parchment from Derek's grip and looking at what appeared to be nothing more than a blank piece of paper. "What the fuck is thi-"
No sooner had the words left his mouth had writing appeared on the page. A tidy script, the handwriting of a woman he suspected, in shimmering black ink slowly came into sight. Christian's jaw clenched as he read the words, his fists tightening around the edges of the letter.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend, but the friend of my enemy is my enemy. Which are you? We have matters yet to be resolved, but trust comes difficult for one such as myself. It is with great care and greater caution I extend this invitation. I'll be waiting.
The paper crumpled easily in his hands and he was barely self-aware enough not to rip the damned thing to shreds. Trust. This cocksucker is wanting Christian's trust, wants to trust that Christian will do something for them in exchange for Diana. His wife and unborn son were a bargaining chip and her wedding ring was the sodding invitation to the casino. But where was the card game he was supposed to join? The letter gave no inclination, none that could be read with the eye. Instead, the words on the paper began to glow red and then disappeared, and at the exact same moment an overwhelming pain pulsed through Christian's head comparable only to the hangover the morning after his and Diana's drug-induced wedding on the cruise ship, though thankfully this was much shorter. In the haze of the blinding pain, Christian saw the Hollow Tree Inn, in Knockturn Alley. The image was clear as day and the feeling that accompanied the image was one of relief and happiness. It was the spot where Diana had re-entered his life, nearly a year ago, and where they had spent several nights together before moving their base of operations to his home.
Christian looked up at Derek, not sure when he had fallen to his knees though it had clearly been a result of the painful mental image cast upon him from some enchantment in the letter. "She's at the Hollow Tree." A determined look had already set upon his face and there would be no talking him out of walking headfirst into what was clearly a trap.
Saw the Darkest Hearts of Men and I saw Myself Staring Back Again
D
erek had only the slightest hesitation in mind when Christian reached for the letter, but he offered no objection as the man took it from him.
His theory proved correct as Christian's eyes scanned the message that had been invisible before.
Derek observed silently. Clearly the message was meant for one pair of eyes only and they didn't belong to Derek. Sometimes he felt he was more observer than anything else. He cared - more than he thought possible - for Diana and Christian, but all too often he was a bystander in their great love affair.
He took Christian's information with the same certainty that Christian meant to follow the letter, and even more certainty that there was nothing Derek could do to stop the man.
Still he had to try, "We don't know that." he objected.
"And now is not the time to rush in half cocked and barely leashed."
Derek gestured around the room as though to make his point and stave off any objection. Christian was a loose cannon and they both knew it, but if there was any chance of getting Diana back they would have to play this smart and steady.
Christian's particular brand of shoot first and beat questions out of dead men later wouldn't work.
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jan 21, 2019 22:53:27 GMT -8
Pulling himself to his feet, he was not surprised by Derek's line of questioning. The man had to always question every one of Christian's decisions, he had that in common with Diana, but nine out of ten times it was Christian's plan put into action. The second degree only postponed things and Christian didn't want to wait. "What the fuck does that matter? We know she's there and its the only useful bit of information we've had in weeks. The rest of the letter was just fucking dribble anyway, building trust and some sodding shite like that. Diana is in Knockturn Alley and we're going." Derek could gesture to the decimated sitting room all he wanted, it wouldn't change Christian's mind, though it did still him enough to decide to put a plan together, rushed as it may be.
Tossing the rumpled letter onto the coffee table, Christian strode confidently into his office and grabbed a clean sheet of parchment, not wanting to taint their plans in case the letter had additional charms placed on it besides the vision-inducing migraine. He returned with parchment and a self-inking quill and began to draw out a rough floorplan of the Hollow Tree Inn. Alessa had unknowingly stumbled into Christian's territory when she planned their rendezvous for the Hollow Tree. Christian had long ago set up a bank of rooms on the third floor as his unofficial offices for the "security" business he ran, with the inn keeper looking the other way in the case of any illegal activities in exchange for security for the inn who hadn't been raided by the MLE since Christian moved in. With great ease, Christian detailed all of the entrances and exits, the secret passages and backdoors and decoy rooms the building had to offer. They would devise a plan of attack with Christian in plain site and Derek and a few chosen men hidden in key positions. Christian was almost mad with the excitement of finally having a step closer to the reunion he so desperately desired.
Saw the Darkest Hearts of Men and I saw Myself Staring Back Again
I
f Derek was second guessing Christian's plan, it didn't show on his face. He understood what this bread crumb had meant to the man, and he wasn't about to snatch it away. He just wanted to make sure it wasn't poisoned first.
Listening carefully to what Christian was saying, he nodded and offered input where helpful. He had no difficulties keeping up with the madman's plan and was rather impressed with the schematics. The fact that Christian practically had a base of operations at the Hollow Tree Inn was a fortuitous coincidence.
When the excitement died down and nothing was left but a quiet burning intensity Derek nodded his approval - not that it was needed.
He hoped more than he believed this was the end. That Christian's maddened and passionate need for Diana would somehow manifest in the couple's happy reunion. But he was too seasoned in this game to believe anything could be that simple.
Derek glanced at the clock, it had been fifteen minutes since the letter came, they were running out of time.
"Well then..." he paused knowing they were very well walking into a trap with nothing but brains and brawn between them - a wicked smile formed on his lips, "Let's go rescue the damsel." Diana would survive long enough to kill him for that remark alone.
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jan 30, 2019 22:27:09 GMT -8
Damsel was hardly the appropriate word to use in reference to Diana, though she was in no position to acrobatically and erotically tear through an army of men on her own as she once had been. She was heavy with child, Liam was due very soon now. A clock was hanging over them, counting down to utter doom with every moment they wasted, and they had already wasted weeks searching for a needle in a haystack. Very aware that this was some kind of a trap, Christian walked headfirst into unknown danger for his wife and unborn child. There wasn’t another moment to spare.