c. dearborn & l. d’eath

the vampire & the curse-breaker / jess, she/her, mumu / main acc: @jessromanoff / tracking lorcan.jess & caradoc.jess

[silenthauntings]

ABOUT THE BLOG !

i currently play caradoc dearborn and lorcan d’eath, who are both canon characters. ooc wise, i go by jess (or jill on discord). i’m 18yo and my pronouns are she/her. my messages and asks are always open to anyone who wants to write together or just chat and be friends!

more character information under the cut.

CARADOC DEARBORN . . .

24yo Curse-Breaker at the Ministry of Magic, who is also a devoted member of the Order of the Phoenix. His birthday is June 20th and there are rumors flying around about a certain connection between him and Regulus Black. He graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a proud Gryffindor, and played as Keeper on the Quidditch Team. Sadly, before the war ends, Caradoc will mysteriously disappear. The Order of the Phoenix will tell his family that he is most likely dead, but his body will never be found.

(#caradoc.jess, #caradoc.rps)

LORCAN D’EATH . . .

21yo up-and-coming singer, who has not pledged for a side in the war. He knows deep down that what Voldemort is doing is wrong, and he does support the Order, but is scared to say something due to his vampiric family. They are being sought after by the Death Eaters and are quite interested in what Voldemort is offering them. Lorcan’s birthday is November 16th and he graduated from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as a Slytherin. He is a lone wolf-type, as being a half-vampire always made him feel different, but he hopes to bring light to these dark times with his music.

(#lorcan.jess, #lorcan.rps)

[silenthauntings]

Even before Caradoc had joined the Order of the Phoenix, he’d always been a bit wary of Rabastan Lestrange. He couldn’t help it, something was just bugging him about the guy. Call it a gut feeling. Now, the line for ice cream at the party was fairly long, and Caradoc had been zoning out while he waited. He startled a bit when Rabastan came up to him, not expecting the reaction.

“Oh, hey,” he greeted, deciding to just remain polite. He didn’t want any trouble. “Well, ice cream is ice cream, no matter the season. Besides, not sure there’s much else to do.” He laughed, casting a glance around. Perhaps he was being a bit harsh, but parties in the middle of the cold winter wasn’t exactly his thing.

[r-lestrcnge]

Rabastan was highly principled. He viewed the world in black and white. His boundaries were strict and immovable. But he could also be an exquisite hypocrite. Dearborn was a muggleborn, his blood denoting that he should be remitted to the dregs of society. But he was also skilled and - as far as Rabastan could yet tell - he remained neutral in the war. Rabastan valued magical prowess and knowledge, upholding a respect for their craft almost as highly as his respect for the ancient bloodlines. As long as Dearborn remained polite and didn't stand in the way of the cause, he had no reason to openly oppose him.

"Perhaps you've been walking on the wrong side of the Alley." Raising and lowering an eyebrow, a laugh left his lips almost indiscernibly. "I've passed many entertainments so far. Though, perhaps a queue is a moment of peace and calm." Stepping forward as the line moved, he leaned against a wall and set his stare more firmly on the other wizard. "How's life at the Ministry? You should ditch it, you know. Come to Gringotts. The goblins are much more fun, comparably speaking." Arguably, they were not very fun at all. But Rabastan valued the freedom. As long as he retrieved gold, they didn't seem to care where he'd been or what he'd done to get it.

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc hadn’t been spending a whole lot of time here, nor was he paying much attention, as he was eager to go and spend some time with Regulus. There was a very good possibility that he had passed by the other entertainments and didn’t notice, too deep into his own thoughts. “Oh,” he said, a little embarrassed when Rabastan corrected him on how much there was going on here. He laughed a bit awkwardly.

Caradoc tried not to think too much as Rabastan’s gaze on him became more firm. There was no reason to be scared and he wasn’t in any danger, he reminded himself. Nothing was going to happen in the middle of public . . . Right?

“Uhh, the Ministry’s alright. A bit depressing these days with everything going on, if I’m honest. A lotta people are tense, though I suppose they have reason to be. I thought about Gringrotts when I first was looking into Curse-Breaking. I don’t have anything against it, just . . . Doesn’t seem to be the right fit for me,” Caradoc answered. “I’m glad it works well for you, though.”

[pandoraxnott]

where: Cobb and Webb's shop who: Lorcan D'eath ( @silenthauntings ) when: 10th of january

Most days allowed for Pandora to sit behind the desk and study cursed dark magic items, but not today. She was busy doing inventory, parchment in hand and a quill, moving around the shop to check off what was there. It wasn't her favourite thing to do, but it had to be done.

Her attention was pulled in another direction when the door chimes went, and she glanced around a shelf to find a stranger standing there.

"Welcome to Cobb and Webb's, how can I help you?"

[silenthauntings]

Despite the dark magic that surrounded Knockturn Alley, Lorcan had always felt somewhat safer here. No one was going to bother to hide their judgement of him if they had any, and he was sure many people had plenty. Lorcan was a half-vampire, after all. Vampires weren’t very popular among the Wizarding community. Still, he wasn’t particularly thrilled about being here today.

“Uhh, I know you guys sell a ton of things, right?” Lorcan said as he walked inside, suddenly feeling a bit out of place. “I was kinda wondering if I could sell you something? Obviously you’d be able to sell it off to someone else. I just kinda wanna get it out of my hands, you know?”

Lorcan fished out a locket necklace from his pocket, waiting to show it to her.

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc laughed, surprised that Frank even knew about the concept of ‘pinky promises’. He supposed muggles weren’t the only ones to do that. He leaned towards his friend and hooked their pinkies together, indulging in the silliness.

“I didn’t take Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, since it’d be a pretty easy class for me to pass, but I did hear about critiques of the Professor. If I had to give Hogwarts one fault, it’d be that. They should have a competent Muggle Studies professor. Muggles are an integral part of our world, even if not everyone notices or cares about that. We especially need it in these times . . . With all the hate,” he said, frowning. He tried not to think much about how much risk he and his family were in, but it was always there, lingering.

Caradoc did smile as Frank mused about the idea of twins. “Yes. Twins did test my parents a lot. Tested me, too. But we came out on the other side of it and if you and Alice had twins, you would as well,” he assured his friend, having no doubt about it.

[franklongbottom-fm]

One of his cousins had loved pinky promises it had been the only way to make any significant promise. It felt fitting to have one here with Caradoc. A family tradition from both sides, spanning the gap, joining the families.

"You're not wrong. It's hardly as though wix can stick our heads in the sand forever, and how are we supposed to blend in if we don't even know what we're trying to blend in with? Never really understood the reasoning behind it." Frank admitted. He knew he was preaching to the choir here with Caradoc but that didn't make it any less important. They all shared the same world. It was time wix started acting like it.

"At least I've got a tried and true twin survivor in my corner." He only half-joked. Merlin he wished Caradoc could see his siblings again. Would it be hard for him, if Ally did end up having twins in the future? Frank would hate for his family to cause Caradoc to remember something painful. "I'm very lucky I've got you in my corner, Doc."

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc leaned forward, his elbows on his knees, as he listened to his friend and nodded along. “Exactly! We’re all taught to act perfectly normal around muggles and then you have so many people who don’t know anything about it! I know we have a functioning wizarding world, but there’s so much out there in the muggle world. Did you know—in the United States, wix can’t be friends with or marry any muggles! They call them ‘no-majs’ over there. Reducing muggles to just be people without magic,” he said, shaking his head. He always got passionate when it came to muggle and muggle-born issues.

Caradoc smiled and patted Frank on the shoulder. “Hey, if anything, I’m lucky that I’ve got you, mate,” he said. Frank did have him, but he also had Alice. Caradoc couldn’t help but be a little jealous of their relationship, that they could be open about it. Caradoc couldn’t tell anyone about his relationship with Regulus. If he could, Frank would be the first person he’d tell. Maybe—hopefully—one day.

[silenthauntings]

“I’m afraid I haven’t met a ton of people who are into the whole vampire thing recently,” Lorcan answered honestly, but neglecting to add a serious tone because he wanted to keep things lighthearted. The way he said it was almost more self-deprecating. “Though I have a feeling that will change when my new music releases.” He winked at her as they reached the bar. “That’s not public knowledge though, so I’d appreciate it if you could keep that to yourself.”

He looked to the bartender, ordering himself the drink that he usually got at this place, then waited for Marlene to give her answer. “I know you said you’d paid but really, what gentleman lets a lady like you pay? I’ve got it covered,” he said charmingly.

[mkmarlene]

Her family had raised her to be all sorts of wonderful things, but mostly, they'd taught her to be kind and accepting, which she most definitely was. An ongoing war where people were making it their personal purpose to eradicate all those who were different, the brunette could only imagine what it was like to be in the shoes of those targetted, not because of their stance but simply because of who they were. "I could definitely be into the vampire thing." She admitted, quite a flirty tone as she opened herself to the possibilities. The fact that he was a vampire didn't change anything for her this night. Turning her head to look at him, curiousity taken over her features, the witch nodded her head slowly in approval. "Swear to Merlin I'll keep the secret, but that sounds like you're coming up with a couple of hits there, my friend."

As they arrived to the bar, Marlene ordered herself a glass of firewhisky, the usual whenever she wasn't drinking muggle beverages. A grin forming on her lips, she batted her eyelashes at her companion, settling comfortably in the bar stool, teasingly replying to his offer. "What kind of pretty girl would I be if I denied you the chance to buy me a drink?"

[silenthauntings]

Lorcan grinned. “Exactly my thinking. Let me spoil you for a night, yeah?” He flirted back, becoming more relaxed the longer that they talked. He also ordered a firewhiskey, thanking the bartender as well the guy started to make their drinks. “Glad to hear that you don’t mind the vampire thing. I will give you a disclaimer, I’m not a full vampire, as you might’ve guessed. Sunlight doesn’t bother me and I’m not allergic to garlic. Though you might be able to see fangs.” He flashed her a pearly white smile.

The bartender returned with their drinks and Lorcan thanked him, taking his firewhiskey and raising it to clink with hers. “A toast to good company,” he said, taking a generous sip of the drink. Afterwards, he leaned back with his elbows resting on the bar. “So, what brings you here tonight? You got my answer, I wanna hear yours.”

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc squeezed his eyes shut. If Regulus’ cover was blown because of him . . . He could already feel the waves of guilt hitting him. That was more painful than any injury inflicted on him could be. “Only if you must. Only if my life is in danger. If it’s anything else, you need to stay with your cover. I can handle being hurt by them, or being interrogated. What I cannot handle is you suffering in an effort to save me.”

He opened his eyes again, grasping his boyfriend’s hands. There were probably a couple more healing spells he needed, but they could wait. He just wanted to spend time with Regulus and relax. Caradoc patted the space next to him. “Please?” He said. “I don’t want to think about the mission anymore.” Caradoc sighed, leaning back against the cushions. “Merlin, if my parents knew . . .” He laughed out loud. “I cannot imagine what they’d think.”

[battle-scvrs]

"Hey, look at me," Reg's voice was gentle as he reached to put his hand on Caradoc's cheek, stroking his thumb across his cheekbones. "Being interrogated may put your life in danger if they find out about us, so we need to prevent that. I will fight with you. Don't feel guilt about that, please...this is my choice. I knew the risks when I realised we were on opposing sides and we carried on anyways, and I know the risks even more now that I'm defecting. I might be a pretty poor Death Eater, but I can still hold my own in a fight. I don't want you worrying about me, or feeling guilty. We'll do this together, okay?" Reg said, knowing that Caradoc would continue to feel guilt but hoping to offset it somehow. He just hoped that Caradoc still felt their relationship was worth the added risk.

Shifting up onto the couch, Reg cast another quick diagnostic spell to ensure he hadn't missed anything drastic before he set his wand down on the side. He tucked his feet underneath himself, leaning his head gingerly against Caradoc's shoulder. "It's so strange to me that your parents have chosen ignorance over all of this. That they would rather be blind to the war, than take precautions. Muggle behaviours are....odd."

[silenthauntings]

With Regulus now sitting on the couch next to him, Caradoc wrapped his arms around his boyfriend and snuggled into his side. He hoped that he wasn’t going to be a burden on Regulus if he stayed here tonight. The thought of going back to his flat . . . He was already so tired, he almost wanted to fall asleep right here.

“I don’t love the idea of you having to handle yourself in a fight,” he admitted, as just the idea itself made his stomach churn. “I’m always going to worry but, I suppose it’s fair for us to do it together.” He wanted to have their lives intertwined forever. Hopefully they could think about marriage when this war was over.

“Magic has never made sense to my parents. They’re scientists, they’ve built their lives around it. They probably think that if they ignore it, they can pretend that this war doesn’t exist. They didn’t want me to be in the Order, and I wasn’t going to give that up, so . . . That was it,” Caradoc explained. He had never opened up about his family a whole lot but with Regulus, he felt like he could.

[r-lestrcnge]

Starter for: Caradoc Dearborn @silenthauntings Where: Diagon Alley NYE Street Party When: after 22:00

Having declined the Selwyns' invitation to their New Year's Eve party, Rabastan had been expecting a quiet night at home. He'd been thrilled about it. Lazy evenings were few and far between these days, but his wife had other ideas. Uncomfortable and hot, she had been unwilling to sit around for too long. So they'd decided to see what was happening in Diagon Alley, and that was where he now stood, fetching three cones of ice cream from Fortescue's: one for Alecto and two for himself (one of which Alecto would surely take). How she desired the cold beverage in the midst of winter, he did not know. But who was he to judge a pregnant witch.

"Hello, Dearborn." Joining the line, he greeted the other Curse-Breaker. They'd encountered each other plenty over the years. While not friends, he didn't mind the other wizard, not yet knowing that he was part of the Order. "Long time no see. Much like this queue. Never have I seen so much demand for ice-cream in December. There had better be something interesting at the front."

[silenthauntings]

Even before Caradoc had joined the Order of the Phoenix, he’d always been a bit wary of Rabastan Lestrange. He couldn’t help it, something was just bugging him about the guy. Call it a gut feeling. Now, the line for ice cream at the party was fairly long, and Caradoc had been zoning out while he waited. He startled a bit when Rabastan came up to him, not expecting the reaction.

“Oh, hey,” he greeted, deciding to just remain polite. He didn’t want any trouble. “Well, ice cream is ice cream, no matter the season. Besides, not sure there’s much else to do.” He laughed, casting a glance around. Perhaps he was being a bit harsh, but parties in the middle of the cold winter wasn’t exactly his thing.

[silenthauntings]

Tonight, Lorcan had come to The White Wyvern for the same reason that he’d go any other night: the drinks and the crowd. There was a certain charm about this place, in his opinion, that let a man with a shockingly pale complexion and fangs just blend in with all the other people. Here, he was a normal wizard. No one seemed to know him for his family or even for his singing (the latter of which stung a bit, but he was a fairly new artist) and no one judged him either. He could simply be, exist, and float.

Until, of course, Marlene walked up to him. She was one of the kinder folks that he had met before, recognizing her from their time at Hogwarts. Their paths didn’t cross too much, but still, she was a familiar face, but not familiar enough to be one of students who had bullied him.

“Hey,” he said, smiling. She was pretty and straightforward with what she wanted, and he liked that. “A drink sounds great. Your treat?” He was only teasing, happy to pay for it himself (though he wouldn’t object if she paid). He pushed through the crowd, towards the bar.

[mkmarlene]

They hadn't had much chance to interact before, their paths not crossing after Hogwarts up until this point. However, this was exactly what the witch was looking for, uncomplicated and fun. He looked like fun, different from the faces that usually roamed around the white wyvern, one that wouldn't judge her all too much. Pleased to see him smiling back at her, the brunette raised her brows playfully. "I'll pay for the drinks, long as you´re up for a good time." She offered, following him to the bar. "What brings you here tonight all by yourself?"

[silenthauntings]

“I’m afraid I haven’t met a ton of people who are into the whole vampire thing recently,” Lorcan answered honestly, but neglecting to add a serious tone because he wanted to keep things lighthearted. The way he said it was almost more self-deprecating. “Though I have a feeling that will change when my new music releases.” He winked at her as they reached the bar. “That’s not public knowledge though, so I’d appreciate it if you could keep that to yourself.”

He looked to the bartender, ordering himself the drink that he usually got at this place, then waited for Marlene to give her answer. “I know you said you’d paid but really, what gentleman lets a lady like you pay? I’ve got it covered,” he said charmingly.

[silenthauntings]

“Hey, if you ever need help with the baby, I’ll be there as fast as I can apparate. I mean it. Parents rarely get sleep in the first few months,” Caradoc said, making sure that Frank knew that he was serious about the offer. “People often say that it takes a village to raise a kid, you know?”

“I can definitely teach you all you’ll need to know about the Muggle world,” Caradoc continued, sitting up a bit in his armchair. “But I agree, their happiness and safety are the most important things. With parents like you and Alice, I have no doubt you’ll provide that for them. You have any idea what you think it is? I mean - a boy or a girl? Or twins, even? Do twins run in yours or Alice’s family?” He had to admit, the thought of Frank having twins was a little funny, just because of how surprising it would be.

[franklongbottom-fm]

"Pinky promise?" He asked, holding out his pinky. Caradoc seemed serious and Frank rarely doubted his friend's sincerity, but he knew babies could be a lot. Frank would never expect Caradoc to give more than he could offer.

"Honestly it could be handy to know regardless. Muggle Studies wasn't nearly as helpful as I wanted it to be." The teacher had been bloody boring, too. "Merlin, I have no idea. Some day I'd love one of both, a son and a daughter. I don't really care which one comes first. As far as I know twins aren't common in either family. Merlin can you imagine? What a handful."

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc laughed, surprised that Frank even knew about the concept of ‘pinky promises’. He supposed muggles weren’t the only ones to do that. He leaned towards his friend and hooked their pinkies together, indulging in the silliness.

“I didn’t take Muggle Studies at Hogwarts, since it’d be a pretty easy class for me to pass, but I did hear about critiques of the Professor. If I had to give Hogwarts one fault, it’d be that. They should have a competent Muggle Studies professor. Muggles are an integral part of our world, even if not everyone notices or cares about that. We especially need it in these times . . . With all the hate,” he said, frowning. He tried not to think much about how much risk he and his family were in, but it was always there, lingering.

Caradoc did smile as Frank mused about the idea of twins. “Yes. Twins did test my parents a lot. Tested me, too. But we came out on the other side of it and if you and Alice had twins, you would as well,” he assured his friend, having no doubt about it.

[edgarebones]

where: the order headquarters when: first of januaray who: @silenthauntings (Caradoc Dearborn)

He was asked to meet, though he had heard about a death eater mishap that had happened, and it thought he would check in with the one involved. Edgar didn't want to make any assumptions until he had a chance to speak with them.

The wizard waited in the main seating room, looking over parchments of other missions and potential ones, he glanced up when he heard footsteps.

"Come in and sit down. I thought we could debrief."

[silenthauntings]

Nervous was an understatement. Caradoc was downright terrified, ready for anything to happen in this meeting. Still, he put one step in front of the other and when Edgar spoke, he sat down at the table, a few seats away from his boss.

Caradoc took a deep breath, unsure of where to start. “I didn’t mean to do it,” he blurted out. “I-I didn’t use the killing curse. I was just . . . There were spells flying everywhere and I heard him start to say ‘Avada Kedavra’ and I . . . I reacted. I blasted him back with a knock back jinx. He tried to apparate, I stopped him, we fought, and he got the upper hand. He was pounding on me but when I managed to roll away, I went to use Diffindo. He leapt for me, grabbed my arm, and it changed my aim. Instead of hitting him in the arm, it . . . He bled out . . .” He explained. “I tried to help him but he cast bombarda and it knocked me out.”

[silenthauntings]

“This is war.”

For some reason, those words of Regulus’s rang in his ears. Memories of his father teaching him about all of Britain’s wars, but mainly World War I and World War II, in the hot summer air, flashed through his mind. Stories of fallen soldiers, the looks on his parents faces when he solemnly told them about the war in the Wizarding World and the danger muggle-borns and muggles were in. Instead of understanding him, accepting him like he thought they finally might, they just held Caradoc’s younger siblings tighter and told him that if he wasn’t going to give up a life of magic, he could leave. They didn’t express any concern at all for their eldest son or the position he was in.

“I killed a Death Eater,” he repeated, a little louder this time as he had to repeat it to believe it. “The Death Eaters will find out and they will want to know who did it. He—he has a daughter, I think. I don’t know if she’s aligned with the Death Eaters or not. I should look into that . . . Somehow, I’m in even more danger than before. Reg, you have to promise me you won’t do anything risky. If you try to protect me, they’ll know you’ve betrayed them.” He looked at his boyfriend with pleading eyes. “I can’t lose you.”

[battle-scvrs]

Much of the war was still being conducted in shadow. The Dark Lord had not made a grand claim for power yet, he hadn't grasped at the ministry - those things would come. The fact that the Dark Lord wanted to keep his true plans hidden for now didn't change the fact that people were being cut down on battlefields, that people had life changing injuries, and families were being shattered in the process. It was war in every way, and it was growing worse with each passing day. As Caradoc fell silent, Regulus picked his wand up again and continued patching up his boyfriend as best as he could. He wasn't an outstanding healer, but it would do for now.

"You did what you had to in the heat of battle. When faced with opponents who will use the killing curse without thought, sometimes stunners simply won't work. They may not be able to find out. He does have a daughter," Reg nodded in confirmation. "But if there weren't witnesses, they may not be able to figure it out." He froze at Caradoc's pleading, and he was torn. He wanted to protect Caradoc, but he knew that it was putting himself at unnecessary risk. "...I promise," he said after a beat of silence. "But if they come for you, I will fight on your side. I want you to know that. If it means breaking my cover early...we'll just have to deal with it."

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc squeezed his eyes shut. If Regulus’ cover was blown because of him . . . He could already feel the waves of guilt hitting him. That was more painful than any injury inflicted on him could be. “Only if you must. Only if my life is in danger. If it’s anything else, you need to stay with your cover. I can handle being hurt by them, or being interrogated. What I cannot handle is you suffering in an effort to save me.”

He opened his eyes again, grasping his boyfriend’s hands. There were probably a couple more healing spells he needed, but they could wait. He just wanted to spend time with Regulus and relax. Caradoc patted the space next to him. “Please?” He said. “I don’t want to think about the mission anymore.” Caradoc sighed, leaning back against the cushions. “Merlin, if my parents knew . . .” He laughed out loud. “I cannot imagine what they’d think.”

[mkmarlene]

where: the white wyvern who: @silenthauntings

Could anyone really blame her for pushing the limits, risking more than she had or should? Marlene had nothing to lose and nothing to prove, the world simultaneously pitied her and turned the blind eye. She played the perfect act, allowing no light into her darkest cornerns, but she did wonder how people failed to see through the cracks. She was coming undone for everyone to see, but they refused to have an actual look, perhaps scared of what they might find. The ongoing war was hard on them all, each and every single person she knew faced struggle upon struggle, all too busy trying not to lose the people around them or their sanity-- Marlene had already lost both.

A fact she'd already accepted, the witch felt thankful to have no eyes following her as she rushed through the doors of the White Wyvern, hoping for a distraction-- whatever the way. The brunette had taken her fair share of drinks before hitting the bar, though she carried herself as she was sober as a judge. Her eyes scanned the crowd until they settled on a familiar face, the right choice for a fun and uncomplicated night. "Hey." She greeted the wizard as she came to his side. "Can we share a drink, love?"

[silenthauntings]

Tonight, Lorcan had come to The White Wyvern for the same reason that he’d go any other night: the drinks and the crowd. There was a certain charm about this place, in his opinion, that let a man with a shockingly pale complexion and fangs just blend in with all the other people. Here, he was a normal wizard. No one seemed to know him for his family or even for his singing (the latter of which stung a bit, but he was a fairly new artist) and no one judged him either. He could simply be, exist, and float.

Until, of course, Marlene walked up to him. She was one of the kinder folks that he had met before, recognizing her from their time at Hogwarts. Their paths didn’t cross too much, but still, she was a familiar face, but not familiar enough to be one of students who had bullied him.

“Hey,” he said, smiling. She was pretty and straightforward with what she wanted, and he liked that. “A drink sounds great. Your treat?” He was only teasing, happy to pay for it himself (though he wouldn’t object if she paid). He pushed through the crowd, towards the bar.

[silenthauntings]

Lorcan sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. “I cannot speak for all vampires, what might get through to some might not get through to others. I would advise to appear as least threatening as possible, as calm. Perhaps even dress casually . . . Not in the Auror robes, y’know? As for them challenging the Ministry . . . Protests, violence, even, if they’re pushed to that point. Just resistance, being uncooperative—” he paused to shrug. “—it could really be anything.”

He thought a little more about Ted’s next question. “I-I don’t know, honestly. It’s not that I want to be neutral. I believe in your cause, I support what you Aurors are doing in the war . . . I’ll consider it, but . . . If I spoke to a vampire and word got back to my parents that I was in the Ministry . . . I know it sounds selfish, it is selfish, but I don’t know if I can risk that. The vampire community is small, tight knit. There’s hardly a vampire or half-vampire that I haven’t heard of and that hasn’t heard of me. Especially with my father marrying a witch . . . Usually vampires stick with other vampires.

[tonks-ted]

As Ted had expected, Lorcan's answers were as wide-sweeping as his questions. Vampires were a complex species, as deep and nuanced as any other beings. Though they were a small community, each individual was different so there could be no single approach. It made this work more difficult in some ways. But in others, it made it simpler. He'd had no intention of treating them as anything other than equals - Lorcan's words only supported his aim. A mass approach would do no good. "That's useful, thank you," he said in response, and that was where he'd leave it. Further questioning would go nowhere at this stage.

Lorcan didn't need to tell Ted about familial fears. He knew the gut-wrenching guilt that came with even remotely considering going against a fixed regime - by proxy, through Andromeda, but he knew it nonetheless. There was a look that crossed her expression whenever she thought of it, whenever something reminded her. He doubted she was even aware of it. But he was. Her pain - he felt it keenly.

"You must act as your conscience tells you," he told Lorcan. Was it the correct attitude for an Auror? Absolutely. Ted fought for the side of good, for the integrity of their laws. That also meant that he wouldn't use forceful manipulation, even if this choice did not help his work. "You must be at peace with your choices. I would just ask that you think about it, and if you learn of anything that might help, you contact me. Would that be alright?"

[silenthauntings]

Lorcan took a bit of time to think through the older man’s words and finally, he nodded. “That seems quite fair,” he agreed, casting his gaze over their surroundings before he realized that there was nothing much else to say now. It seemed that his meeting with the Auror was coming to an end. “I appreciate that our time together has been one free of judgement. I don’t usually get that a lot with other people I meet.” Especially Ministry people, but Lorcan neglected to add that.

He wasn’t sure where Ted was planning to go, so Lorcan took it upon himself to stand up. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Tonks. If I think of anything that could help, I will get in contact,” he said. Then, to lighten up the air around him, he smiled and dug into his pockets, grabbing a ticket to one of his next gigs that he’d sing at. “For you. Or someone you know. If you’d like.” He passed it over to the Auror, then started to make his leave, waving goodbye as he went to find a discrete place to apparate.

FIN.

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc inhaled sharply at the feeling of the sting from the essence, watching Regulus work on handling the wound. He had other wounds, yes, but he wasn’t really thinking about any of it. The pain was there, but it was nothing compared to what was haunting his mind. Something had happened tonight that would change his life forever. What if the Ministry found out?

“I killed Edward Avery,” he said, knowing that Regulus would recognize the name as a Death Eater. “I-I didn’t mean to . . . He was attacking us, he was going to kill us, I didn’t . . . Reg, I . . .”

He trembled, partly from the pain, partly out of despair. He had never dreamt that this would happen, even though he had been trained for it. Caradoc thought Regulus might hate him. “And everything fell down around us and I couldn’t move and I didn’t know what to do, Reggie.”

[battle-scvrs]

Reg put the stopper back in the bottle of dittany, watching as Caradoc's skin started to knit itself back together and the wound looked several days old rather than fresh. With the most immediate issue dealt with, Reg cast a few cleansing charms over his boyfriend before casting a general diagnostic charm. With his magic indicating Caradoc's other wounds, Regulus was about to start healing again when Caradoc's words made him freeze.

From his position on the floor, Reg let his wand drop into his lap. He reached to take Caradoc's trembling hands, his gaze resting intently on the other man's face. "This is war, Caradoc. It's life or death, you had to do what you did to stay alive. He would have killed you without thought, and he wouldn't have gone home and felt a single scrap of guilt. I'm glad it was him and not you. And I'm glad you came straight here."

Biting down on his lip for a moment, Regulus was silent for a moment. "Did anyone see Edward die? Anyone that might identify you, that might retaliate?" Regulus might have started feeding the Order information, but to protect Caradoc he would fall back on his arsenal of dark magic and he would feel no guilt about it.

[silenthauntings]

“This is war.”

For some reason, those words of Regulus’s rang in his ears. Memories of his father teaching him about all of Britain’s wars, but mainly World War I and World War II, in the hot summer air, flashed through his mind. Stories of fallen soldiers, the looks on his parents faces when he solemnly told them about the war in the Wizarding World and the danger muggle-borns and muggles were in. Instead of understanding him, accepting him like he thought they finally might, they just held Caradoc’s younger siblings tighter and told him that if he wasn’t going to give up a life of magic, he could leave. They didn’t express any concern at all for their eldest son or the position he was in.

“I killed a Death Eater,” he repeated, a little louder this time as he had to repeat it to believe it. “The Death Eaters will find out and they will want to know who did it. He—he has a daughter, I think. I don’t know if she’s aligned with the Death Eaters or not. I should look into that . . . Somehow, I’m in even more danger than before. Reg, you have to promise me you won’t do anything risky. If you try to protect me, they’ll know you’ve betrayed them.” He looked at his boyfriend with pleading eyes. “I can’t lose you.”

[silenthauntings]

Caradoc smiled, unable to help thinking a little bit more about his younger twin siblings. He really, really missed them. Sometimes he felt like he had betrayed them when he decided to lead a magical life instead of a Muggle one. He sighed, trying to focus on Frank. His friend deserved it, with such good news. “I think fatherhood’s gonna come naturally to you. Once you set your eyes on the kid . . . You’ll just know everything. Well, maybe not at first, but everything you need to take care of the kid will be inside you, and with Alice. And you’ve got me and all your friends,” he said.

“If I could give you any advice . . . It’d be to know that things might not look how you imagine. You could have a magical child, or your child could be a squib. Either way, I know you and Alice will love them the same but . . . Kids know when they’re different. And if their parents treat them differently, they notice. I . . . I noticed. And again, I know you wouldn’t treat your kid differently on purpose, but it can come out in accidental ways,” he said.

Unsure if he said too much, Caradoc decided to end his little speech there. He smiled at Frank. His friend was going to make an excellent father.

[franklongbottom-fm]

"You better keep that speech handy for when I'm crying because the baby won't sleep." Frank only kind of joked. He knew babies got fussy and could only understand so much. This was going to be a long and very amazing next 18 years of his life. "I'll probably make you give it to me at least 10 more times."

When Caradoc gave him advice, Frank listened. He nodded to show he understood. Honestly, Frank didn't care if his kid had magic. He'd probably had to take a crash course in Muggle schools from some of his friends, and learn whatever it is they got taught there, but what he really wanted more than anything was just a happy kid. "All I really want is for them to happy. If they've got magic, cool. If they don't, I'll probably need some crash courses in Muggle culture. As long as they're happy, y'know? That's a whole little person coming into this world, I want them to enjoy it."

[silenthauntings]

“Hey, if you ever need help with the baby, I’ll be there as fast as I can apparate. I mean it. Parents rarely get sleep in the first few months,” Caradoc said, making sure that Frank knew that he was serious about the offer. “People often say that it takes a village to raise a kid, you know?”

“I can definitely teach you all you’ll need to know about the Muggle world,” Caradoc continued, sitting up a bit in his armchair. “But I agree, their happiness and safety are the most important things. With parents like you and Alice, I have no doubt you’ll provide that for them. You have any idea what you think it is? I mean - a boy or a girl? Or twins, even? Do twins run in yours or Alice’s family?” He had to admit, the thought of Frank having twins was a little funny, just because of how surprising it would be.

[silenthauntings]

What Maddy said actually gave Caradoc an idea to get out of lunch tomorrow with his parents . . . Was it a smart idea? No. Did he care? Also, no. “I’d love another firewhiskey,” he said after he finished his own. “And I have a request for you . . . It’s stupid, but hear me out. Tomorrow, I’m supposed to go to a dreadful lunch with my parents. A witch and a Vampire - not fun. You think you know any spells that might . . . Damage my voice? Temporarily, of course! And not right now. But if tomorrow I could write a letter to my parents saying, ‘sorry, can’t have lunch, my voice is gone’ that’d be a really good excuse.”

He had a silly grin on his face, more relaxed now and getting into the party atmosphere of the night. The server brought them more firewhiskeys and Lorcan eagerly took his. “And to your question, most of it’s about the music. The other part of it is to get out there. You’re one of the few people who don’t mind being friendly with a part-Vampire. I want to show the world . . . The wizarding world at least . . . That we’re not all that bad. Plus, it’d be nice to stick it to the people who bullied me at Hogwarts for being part-vampire,” he explained to her.

[xmaddyscamanderx]

"Two firewhiskies over here!" Madhuri happily yelled over the music. "A request? Anything!" she said before hearing said request. She listened to Lorcan and had a confused look on her face. "I'm sure I could come up with something but if you're writing a letter couldn't you just ...lie? It wouldn't risk your incredible vocals and you could still get out of it." She wasn't one to lie but if it was something to get out of a bad situation then she couldn't blame him. "Are your parents just shite parents or do they fight because of the witch and vampire thing?" The drinks arrived and Madhuri took them handing one to Lorcan before taking a large sip of hers.

She nodded as he spoke, listening intently to words she never expected to hear. She had never given the slightest bit of thought to the fact that Lorcan was half-vampire. He was perfection and if perfection came with a half-vampire so be it. "The world is insane," she cocked her head to the side. "You should be fighting people off with a stick. I mean, it's lucky for me that I get to be sitting here with you chatting away but for anyone to be so prejudiced is ...stupid." She couldn't think of another word but the word also encapsulated what she wanted to say. The thought was stupid. And stupidity was ruining the magical world as they spoke. She leaned in. "You are showing them. You are getting out there -- kicking ass and taking names. You are showing those idiots at Hogwarts that anyone can make it no matter their make up.

Madhuri lifted her glass. "This time we toast to saying 'fuck you!' to the morons in our world!"

[silenthauntings]

“I appreciate your vote of confidence,” Lorcan said with a happy smile, drinking more of his firewhiskey until the glass was half-empty. He was definitely feeling the alcohol hit him now, but not in a bad way. It was refreshing to be around someone who was so nice. “I really wish I knew you at Hogwarts. Most of the people there were not kind to me . . . Even my own house.” He shrugged. He had tried to put his Hogwarts days behind himself, but the memories lingered.

“My parents were . . . Happy once upon a time, which is why they got married and decided to have a kid. But I don’t think my mum really knew what she was getting into by marrying a Vampire, and my Dad’s family never forgave him for marrying a Witch. They got bitter at each other and were more concerned with arguing and being right than about paying attention to me,” he said, not realizing that he was rambling until he had stopped talking. “Sorry, that was too much.”

Trying to change the subject, Lorcan asked, “I’m curious, how did you get into my music?”

[silenthauntings]

Lorcan mulled over the idea of a Ministry envoy, pondering over what the most realistic outcome would be amongst the vampire community. “I think some may be more open to cooperate because they fear the Ministry, and others will be resistant because they do not like the Ministry. However, the one common thing within all vampires is that none of us trust easily, and none of us really trust the Ministry of Magic. An envoy is a good start, but whoever you choose will be challenged, and they will have to prove themselves to earn the community’s trust. Even then, you’ll never get everyone on your side, especially those already poached by the Death Eaters. But, for people like my parents who haven’t fully committed, I’d like to believe that they can be shown the truth,” Lorcan said, choosing his words carefully to explain all his thoughts on the matter.

He leaned back against the bench, straightening his posture. “I appreciate that. Of course, my love for songwriting and performing has driven my want to be a singer . . . But I’m also hoping to be a sort of bridge between the vampire community and regular wizard folk. Especially because I’m not a full vampire, I’m half. So I’m apart of both worlds — both species, you could say. I’d like to unite us, show everyone that our differences don’t mean that we have to be kept apart, or fear or dislike each other,” he said.

[tonks-ted]

Ted found Lorcan's response to be detailed and honest. He appreciated it despite the negativity. It hardly threw him, these days. There was so much strife in the air that it had become commonplace. But that didn't mean he'd stop doing his job or striving to ensure what was right. He'd pursue this course as though his life depended on it - and perhaps it did. "How would you expect them to challenge the Ministry? And how could we prove ourselves trustworthy?" Perhaps these questions were too broad to be answered effectively, but they were worth asking nonetheless. "And what about you? Do you wish to remain neutral or would you consider accompanying one of us to meet with the vampires? Surely your presence would help." It was Lorcan's choice completely. Ted would never force his agenda onto another person, no matter the seriousness of the situation. He believed in free will and democracy. He himself had chosen to remain neutral for his own reasons.

"I like those goals," he said more naturally - less professionally, though by no means without remaining aware of why they were meeting. "I'm a muggle-born, you know. It's in my interest to follow the same ideas, though that's not why I do it. Not just for myself. For everyone. All species."

[silenthauntings]

Lorcan sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. “I cannot speak for all vampires, what might get through to some might not get through to others. I would advise to appear as least threatening as possible, as calm. Perhaps even dress casually . . . Not in the Auror robes, y’know? As for them challenging the Ministry . . . Protests, violence, even, if they’re pushed to that point. Just resistance, being uncooperative—” he paused to shrug. “—it could really be anything.”

He thought a little more about Ted’s next question. “I-I don’t know, honestly. It’s not that I want to be neutral. I believe in your cause, I support what you Aurors are doing in the war . . . I’ll consider it, but . . . If I spoke to a vampire and word got back to my parents that I was in the Ministry . . . I know it sounds selfish, it is selfish, but I don’t know if I can risk that. The vampire community is small, tight knit. There’s hardly a vampire or half-vampire that I haven’t heard of and that hasn’t heard of me. Especially with my father marrying a witch . . . Usually vampires stick with other vampires.