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!
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 24, 2019 21:57:51 GMT -8
Alessa was enjoying herself too much, all the while Diana was hidden away somewhere. The woman with his wife's face reached for his trousers as if the hand on her throat was meant to be pleasurable. Christian's grip tightened. The knowledge that Diana had to be alive if Christian was still breathing was the impostor's only saving grace. Burke was, presumably, still managing to figure his way into the inn, and until there was confirmation of Diana's whereabouts, Christian couldn't kill her. But he could hurt her.
With all of his force, Christian flung the look-a-like backwards into the barstools behind her. "I want to know where my fucking wife is, you cunt." Wand at the ready, Christian was prepared to bring Alessa to her knees if she didn't give up Diana's location.
Post by Diana Marie Ward on Jul 24, 2019 22:36:38 GMT -8
Alessa was still enjoying herself - though she may have fractured something being thrust so hard against the bar stools; she took a moment to regain her balance.
Still confident after Christian's temper tantrum, she released a dark chuckle. "I didn't really think you'd buy it...but I'm curious what gave me away?"
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 25, 2019 11:21:04 GMT -8
The amount of inaccuracies in Alessa's performance were staggering, though putting them all into words was a feat much more challenging. It didn't matter, Christian had no intention of giving the enemy pointers, not that she would have another opportunity to use them. "Where's Diana?" he growled, wand trained on the imposter, ignoring her question. He would be asking the questions for the remainder of this interaction, and the length of it, along with the final duration of her life, would be determined by how well she responded.
Post by Diana Marie Ward on Jul 25, 2019 13:56:40 GMT -8
"Safe" Alessa answered, though sensing his impatience she added, "For now."
Her brow arched in challenge,"How long she remains so depends on you."
She was disappointed, he certainly seemed to carry some intense feeling for his wife, which didn't bode well for Alessa's plans. Still she couldn't be certain if his concern was for Diana herself, or the lifebond they shared. Alessa would also be quite flustered if she had a life bond with someone in captivity.
"You can kill me, but then you'll never find your wife...or your son."
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 25, 2019 20:16:35 GMT -8
Christian did not like not being in charge. Alessa had the upper hand and she knew it. It only made Christian angrier as she mentioned his son. Liam. He was due to be born soon and he damned well wasn't going to be born a prisoner of psychotic bitch. The only psycho in Liam's life was going to be Diana, the real Diana. Not this impostor cunt. "What the fuck do you want? Money?"
Post by Diana Marie Ward on Jul 25, 2019 20:55:09 GMT -8
"Answers." she barked back.
The mood changed suddenly, the amusement that laced her words since Christian grabbed her had vanished and in it's place was the hardened mistress who outsmarted every obstacle thus far. She was not someone to be taken lightly, no matter what Christian believed.
She kept her brow arched then gestured to his wand. If he wasn't going to play nice then she wasn't going to share.
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 25, 2019 21:18:15 GMT -8
The mood shifted instantly and were Christian the sort to dabble in poetic adjectives he might have described the room as suddenly cold. It was a testament to the clear shift in Alessa's presentation that Christian noticed such a thing, especially when he was in such a volatile state. Eyes narrowing, Christian weighed his choices. He could hex her, use the Cruciatus curse and toy with her until she gave in - if she gave in, or he could let think she was winning. He lowered his wand slowly, and waited.
Post by Diana Marie Ward on Jul 25, 2019 21:49:26 GMT -8
"Brilliant. Let's get started then shall we?" she asked returning to her drink and picking her cigarette back up. After a quick shot and a slow draw she continued to assess her niece's husband.
She let the moment linger silently, indulging in her slow perusal of Christian's purpose, but before more words could be spoken she took the reins. Her voice was clear and decisive, there were no more games, " Diana is safe for the moment as is your heir. I don't want your money or anything else that belongs to you. I only want what's mine. What was taken from me. Crawford industries never should have passed to Diana, but leave it to Marcus to grow a conscience and spite me from the afterlife."
She kept her eyes glued on him as she spoke, for all appearances she was completely at ease, but there was a timbre of confidence in her voice that demanded attention.
"You know initially I thought I'd be doing Diana a favor. The girl never was the same after the accident - practically comatose even the mental hospital didn't help. Always such a sad little thing. Pathetic really, who would have known she'd survive this long? And reunite with her long lost lover at that. People are full of surprises I suppose."
Her gaze turned sharp and her eyes narrowed, "Take you for instance. You're much more clever than you let on. I'm not surprised you didn't buy my impersonation, but that you jumped so quickly to violence makes me wonder what your motivations are. Unfortunately I don't have time to peel back layers one by one, so we'll have to be more direct in our communication. Considering Diana's maternal concerns, you don't have much time either - so why don't we be honest when we answer questions? Fair?"
She gave him no time to reply, "Good. Now then tell me Christian, do you love your wife?"
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 26, 2019 10:18:34 GMT -8
Her motive was quite clear but Christian had known this from the very beginning. Since reacquainting himself with Diana, he had worked with her to eliminate the threats to her life and to that of their daughter whom neither of them had yet met. It was always about the company, the fortune that came along with being the majority shareholder and head of an international organization. The lengths wealthy people would go to throw a few extra gold coins in their vault. It was pathetic. Christian sneered as Alessa rambled on, her identity the only thing he had not been able to ascertain throughout this whole ordeal. Why would he have ever assumed the mysterious final board member to be Diana's aunt? She was supposed to have been dead. Of course, there was no better time to correct that error.
The impostor's question was quite frank and the answer obvious to anyone who had spent any amount of time with the couple. Their relationship was volatile, explosive, and psychotic on their best days but for as intense as their fights could be they countered it with ferocious affection for each other. Alessa, however, had invited Christian under the guise of becoming allies and professing his undying love for the woman she clearly wanted dead was not going to do him any favors. "I love her cunt," he answered unflinchingly, "but the bitch drugged me and used me to do her dirty work for her. Still, I can't let you kill her. I rather like living and I'm sure you've figured out by now that if one falls, so goes the other."
Post by Diana Marie Ward on Jul 26, 2019 12:34:47 GMT -8
"I may have heard something about it." she answered coyly as though she weren't at all interested in his situation. In actuality, she had tortured Diana for days before getting any information, and that had been a stroke of luck. The whole reason behind this staged affair was to figure out where Christian stood.
He had told her his feelings on the matter, but Alessa wasn't entirely convinced. He sounded bitter enough, but there was something about the way he asked about Diana that gave her pause. Still if she could get rid of her niece without having to deal with Christian's rather powerful connections, that would be infinitely preferable.
"Love potions." Alessa sneered, "Nasty business if you ask me. How you were duped into the entire affair is actually rather shocking. Though I suppose my niece can be rather resourceful at times."
Alessa shrugged accepting Christian's statement. He had been drugged and forced into a lifebond, it would stand to reason that he would want out.
"What if I told you I knew the secret to breaking a life bond?"
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 26, 2019 14:22:45 GMT -8
Burke had been right in his assumption about the true intent of this arrangement. Were Christian any other man he might have recognized in that moment, or perhaps any of those that followed, that Derek was owed an apology for the asshatery he'd been put through by the older man. No apology was coming though. Christian was still sour that the man hadn't yet made himself known and that either meant he was primed to attack Alessa as soon as they discovered Diana's whereabouts, or he had yet to break the security enchantments that had barred him from entering the inn in the first place. Christian had a sickening feeling that it was the latter.
At the mention of an antidote to the lifebond, Christian stepped closer. He already knew the solution and it was one he would not be electing to use, but he indulged the psychotic witch. He gave her a dark smile, his voice low and deep. "Then perhaps we can make a deal, so long as my son remains unharmed." Fuck, Derek had better have been close, Christian could practically smell the tension in the air.
Post by Diana Marie Ward on Jul 26, 2019 22:27:14 GMT -8
As Christian stepped closer Alessa resisted the urge to step back. She wouldn't display any kind of weakness, but Christian was indeed a dangerous man. Alessa had poked a rather large bear and if she wasn't careful she would be mauled to death.
His smile was more sinister than trustworthy, and there was something about this voice that caused her skin to prickle. Was it possible to be aroused and terrified at the same time? She didn't have much time to give it thought before an alarm was tripped and Alessa tensed.
"Perhaps we can." she agreed, "But not tonight. It's time for you to leave Mr. Ward. I'll be in touch."
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 26, 2019 22:52:44 GMT -8
Christian watched the woman with his wife's face intently, trying to read her reaction to his amenable response. She held the same physical features as Diana, but she used them completely different. Still, he could tell what she was thinking and he was prepared to play along had an alarm not sounded. Fuck! Derek had managed to cock it up somehow, he just knew it.
Alessa tried to blow him off, but he wasn't going anywhere. Not yet. They were so close. "I need some assurance," he barked. The alarm was deafening but it didn't stop Christian. He wasn't leaving now, not without Diana. After all this time, he refused to leave empty handed. "How do I know you won't change your mind?"
Post by Diana Marie Ward on Jul 26, 2019 23:07:58 GMT -8
"Because I need you alive." she replied moments before grabbing his neck and forcing her mouth to his. She wasn't the least bit put off by his seeming distaste for her. She didn't know if that distaste was for his wife's face that Alessa happened to share or if it was Alessa herself. It might have even stemmed from being toyed with. Perhaps Christian was secretly gay - it didn't really matter. Alessa was turned on by having the upper hand. There was nothing more thrilling than outsmarting your opponent and having dominance over them. The more powerful the opponent the sweeter the victory and she considered meeting her nephew in law quite the victory indeed.
"You also don't have a choice. What is that phrase? A bell cannot be unrung? If I don't get back to your darling wife soon...I'm not sure how much longer my men will wait before carrying out my orders."
Post by Christian Anthony Ward on Jul 27, 2019 10:48:48 GMT -8
She stated the fact bluntly but what caught Christian off-guard was the sudden kiss he found himself in. Alessa was swift with her actions and Christian didn't have much of a say in the matter. He did, however, have enough time to wrap his arms around her waist and pluck a stray hair from the back of her dress. He had no immediate plans for it, but the opportunity was made available and Christian acted without hesitation.
Her next words were painful to hear and made Christian clench his fists, barely resisting the urge to hit something. He snarled as she threatened Diana's life, knowing she was also threatening his. "Until next time, then." His tone was threatening but he had ultimately been defeated. At least for the moment. Diana wasn't at the inn and he was forced to believe armed men were in fact guarding her. He'd put armed men on Diana himself when he'd locked her away in his house. She was dangerous, even while pregnant, and it would have been blindingly stupid to leave her alone. Alessa seemed to know what she was doing, and Christian trusted that her words, at least ones, were truthful. Pointing his wand at his aunt-in-law yet again, he gave a simple yet threatening warning. "I expect to hear from you shortly, Alessa."
He quickly turned and disapparated from the room, re-appearing some distance away, though still in Knockturn Alley, just between a tattoo parlor and Slug & Jiggers. Furious at the lack of success he'd achieved in locating Diana, Christian kicked a nearby rubbish bin, sending the metal canister toppling to the ground, spilling refuse along the cobblestone as the bin rolled down the tiny alleyway away from him.