Fandom My Husband, The Dark Lord (defenderofberk & Gossip)

[Gossip]

defenderofberk

One sunny afternoon, exactly a week after one Elizabeth Greengrass' graduation from the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the summer home of one Lord Greengrass found itself in chaos by the simple arrival of a deceptively innocuous owl written in high-quality but completely ordinary black ink upon creamy and well crafted yet otherwise plain parchment. The owl was a rather simple letter written in an elegant yet sober hand, the words polite and nearly deferent if not for their demand; the hand of the only child of one Abroynn Greengrass - the future Lady Greengrass.

Delivered promptly and without fanfare, the bird responsible for the letter landed silently yet gracefully upon the windowsill of the family tearoom and stretched out its clawed foot to be freed of its important duty and be on its way back to its master. The bird of prey was a beautiful bird of downy, nearly silvery grey feather and piercing golden eyes with a single, emerald-encrusted seal handing upon its claw with a sturdy rope of viridian silk that had been used to tie the letter securely on the raptor's foot. That seal hadn't been seen in quite a while, due to its family's disgrace and eventual fall into obscurity due to their unwillingness to 'taint' their noble bloodline; the sigil on the small silver plaque was the Gaunts' seal and that would be a subject in gossip in itself, nevermind when paired with a sudden marriage proposal!

After the venomous green waxen seal was broken, and the parchment unwound from its tightly wound state, the words it contained could finally be seen:

To His Lordship, Lord Abroynn Greengrass.

You may not know me, for due to my time aboard since my graduation I had no time to meet you in person. I am deeply chagrined by the lateness of my request, for I would not even hint at your daughter's pure character in my failure to properly show myself until now, but here I am; My name is Thomas Marvolo Gaunt, and I have been courting your daughter Elizabeth for a year now. While I assure you that your fair daughter did not intend to hide a suitor from you, I had been forced to stay my hand due to the previous state of my family, the Gaunt's, affairs.

Those matters now resolved I can now offer to be a husband worthy of someone as beautiful and noble as your Elizabeth; I have now numerous contacts both in Britain and aboard, and can now boast numerous well-placed investments all over the magical world, making me wealthy enough to support Elizabeth and any children she may deign to grace me with in the future - should you, yourself, decide that I am worthy of your brilliant daughter's hand. Moreover, I am to become the Aide to the Minister of International Affairs next year, and will also be able to prove my worth in the Ministry and beyond on the political scene.

The most important point of my worth, however, is my love for your daughter; I promise to cherish, protect and guide her for the rest of my life, and give her anything she may desire: that these desires be material or otherwise. With that oath, I hope to be worthy of being called your son-in-lay in the foreseeable future and invite you to summon me to your home or elsewhere at your convenience.

Cordially,
Thomas M. Gaunt, Lord of Gaunt.

 

[defenderofberk]

Elizabeth couldn't help but subtly beam as she walked through the grounds with her mother, the perfectly cut grass interspersed with flowerbeds of all different colours. Thankfully they were taking about little of substance which made disguising her emotions far easier, but she knew her mother could tell something was up with her only child. It was strange; part of her wanted to tell her mother so she could share her excitement, but she was too worried about her reaction. It'd be better to wait a little, but by then they might pick someone else out for her. She knew the younger Nott child was interested in her but frankly she found him insufferable regardless of how prestigious his status might've been.

"Lady, Heiress." A male servant said, interrupting the calm silence between them. Turning around, they found him waiting a meter away, not wanting to encroach on their personal space. Asking him if something was wrong, he nodded politely before answering.

"Master Abroynn would like to see you both in the drawing room urgently." He answered and they glanced at each other, Elizabeth trying to hide her concern with a confused grimace. What if he'd found out? Her best friend knew about Thomas (mainly because she'd needed her to keep providing an alibi for her when she snuck out of Hogwarts to visit him) and had always been dead jealous - what if she had told him? The gravel crunched beneath her feet as she walked back inside, her mother musing about what he could be so important.

"I don't know mother." She lied, swallowing nervously even as they approached the open door. She didn't like lying to her parents (especially to her father as he slightly scared her) but it was probably about her grandparents, as her grandfather had been quite ill recently. Feeling a pang of guilt as she wished for it to be news about him and not Thomas, she gave her silver haired relative a tenative smile that he didn't return.

"Close the door lovely." Abroynn said to her mother even as his silver eyes blazed with barely repressed anger. Pursing her lips as she sat down, she took a saucer of tea and took a sip, the fruity flavours dancing on her tongue. A tense silence fell over the large room, the sun shinning though the window to provide natural light that suited the white and cream decor.

"I just received a very interesting letter Elizabeth. Would you like to tell me who it was from?" He asked, lightly frowning at his daughter. She felt her mother looking at her as her blue eyes discovered the pretty green silk that Thomas was so keen on and her heartbeat quickened, the cup shaking slightly as she put it down. Fleetingly looking up at him before looking back at the table, she opened her mouth to try and explain herself.

"Well, father, I... I would guess it would be from Thomas Gaunt." She answered shakily, her hands twisting over themselves in her lap. Acknowledging her statement with a sharp hum, her mother sighed through her nose and attempted to intervene. While Elizabeth was much too indimidated by her father to stand up to him, her mother had no such reservations even if he often disregarded her words. He was a firm believer that women, like children, should speak only when spoken to but she sometimes managed to get him to change his mind, or at least get him to calm down.

"What is this about Abroynn? There's no need to drag this out just to spite her." Anna argued, sitting up fully as she glared at her husband. The two didn't particularly get on but they had decided to get married for political reasons and thus they had to at least put up with each other, but they usually spent their days apart. During the holidays Elizabeth liked to spend the majority of her time with her mother or at parties which suited her father just fine, as he'd never really had any interest in child-rearing.

"Lord Gaunt has written to me asking for our daughters hand in marriage. Apparently they've been courting for the last year." He drawled, bile dripping from his voice, especially as he spoke of his title. Shock crossed her mothers face followed by mild hurt, but it hardened after several moments. Asking to read the letter, an amused smirk appeared as she did so, pointing out that he was at least literate. After an empty response from her partner, she sighed and put the letter down.

"Look, he's a wealthy pureblood with connections in the ministry. Won't you at least meet with him?" She pleaded on her daughters behalf, upset by her betrayal but understanding it nevertheless. She had secretly dated a half-blood from Ravenclaw before being married off so she was thankful that he was at least someone from their circle, not that it was making her husband act any more reasonable.

"You aren't angry that she's been lying to us for the last year? Heavens knows what else she's been lying about; maybe we should have her examined." He replied spitefully, Elizabeth staring at the immaculate floor amidst her fathers outburst. After several breaths in the quiet she realised they were waiting for her to answer, so she told them the truth.

"I haven't done anything like that, father. He's just been taking me out for lunch." She looked at him then, almost crumbling at the disgust she found there. He glowered at the young woman in front of him and stood up, walking to the two large doors before pausing.

"I will meet him Elizabeth. I'd like to know who this Lord thinks he is."

 

[Gossip]

While Tom had been pleasantly surprised to find an owl waiting at his windowsill the following morning, he had been far less so by the disdain easily discernable in its contents. As it was, when Lord Greengrass summoned the brunet to his manor the following week, he had all but broadcasted his intent to take him down a peg or two. Ridiculous, Tom had made his research; the man could barely be called a 'Lord'; managing to live to the age of 80 and coming from a pureblooded wizarding family were the only things worth writing home about that old codger! How could that weak-willed, uninspired artifact of times better-forgotten dare to look down on Lord Voldemort?!

His dark eyes flashing the colour of blood in his rage, Tom flung the offending parchment back on the dining room's table, upsetting his morning cup of tea in the process. Pushing his chair back from what should have been a pleasant breakfast, the young half-blood scowled darkly, crimson orbs finding the poor house elf waiting at his side as he spoke in a sharp, dismissive tone.

"I don't feel hungry anymore. Send 'Lord Greengrass' a confirmation of my presence in his home next week and don't disturb me until dinner; I have things to do and will have lunch outside." While the pitiful creature squeaked in submission, Tom stormed back to his private quarters, indoors robes flowing behind him like they were in a storm under the influx of his furious magic.

Once he made his way to the master bedroom with no less than half a dozen elves fleeing from his warpath, Tom closed the heavy oak door with a small burst of magic. A few strides to open his mahogany dresser, and he set out to dress properly for an outing in the wizarding world. His mood as it was, he ended up being dressed nearly entirely in black; the finely embroidered snakes and roses in silver threads running down his sleeves and the hem of his silken robe and the brilliantly cut emerald pinned to his cream-coloured cravat being the only bright elements to his attire.

Now dressed, the dark wizard took his moneybag, put an elegant felt bowler hat to cover his impeccably coiffed black locks and stashed his beloved yew wand in its custom-made holster on his right forearm. Checking himself in his full-length magical mirror and receiving its assurance that he looked as perfect and handsome as always, Tom set out to the edge of his property and disapparated with a quiet 'pop'.

His first stop was to Diagon Alley, where he brought a dozen of Elizabeth's favourite flowers along with some sweet words expressing that he was looking forward to meeting her next week. While he had started this courtship as a way to gain access to a preeminent pureblooded family, Tom had to admit that he had become somewhat fond of his would-be fiancee in the last year or so he'd known her. She was young, clever, sensible and while he did not intend to have more than the necessary heir with her, her beauty and blood would be inherited by any child she may bear him in turn. While it was certainly not true love, it was still enough for a hopefully tolerable marriage; as long as he kept buttering her up, that is.

After his legitimate business in Diagon Alley was finished, Tom cast a strong parselmagic glamour on his person in an out of the way alley then set out to Knockturn: It was time to make sure that Abroynn Greengrass was punished for his sheer audacity. After all, Tom did tell the fool that he had many connections; it was not his fault that the idiot didn't account for the possibility that some of them were with the magical underworld, wasn't it?

As it was, there were a few blackmailers and a less-than-reputable woman he could 'convince' to turn the old bastard into the farce of Wizarding Britain for a week or two...

 

[defenderofberk]

"Elizabeth? May I come in?"

Her mothers voice came through the door after a soft knock and startled the young woman inside, breaking her from her thoughts about her father and Thomas. She was worried about where this might lead, as although she had no doubt he would rub the floor with her relative, she didn't want to see either of them to be injured. Even if she didn't know her fathers true age she knew he was old and becoming frailer with each passing year and this year had been one of the worse yet. With her grandfather being almost a century they were all expecting him to die soon, but she'd never thought she might lose one of her parents before she turned twenty. Regardless of his condition, her father was still capable of controlling her through fear and shame even if he'd been relying on it a lot more of late.

"Of course Mother. Is something wrong?"

Her father had refused to speak to her since Thomas's letter yesterday, instead locking himself in his study in front of a large roaring fire. He often did that regardless of whether his family was currently annoying him but it made her slightly upset regardless. She wanted her father to be proud of her, or at least pretend to be anyways.

"Thomas has written back to your father. He's agreed to come here in a week's time." Her mother told her as she padded in, the lush carpet masking the sound of her steps. Although the idea seeing Thomas made her heart swell with emotion, it was dampened by the thought of him coming here. Her father still held considerable control over her so what if his opinion changed to think she was still a child, especially as he was clearly in his mid-twenties at least. Giving her a weak smile as she confirmed her statement, her mother sat down on the comfortable bed, checking her daughter's head with the back of her hand.

"Hmm, you seem a little peaky. Jeeves! Make Elizabeth a chicken and dumpling stew; she'll have it here in her room."

She called to one of the house elves, the small creature bowing before its mistress. In truth, Elizabeth was quite hungry and it wasn't often she could refuse dumplings, as they were most certainly a guilty pleasure of hers. Just like Thomas really, although the idea of eating him made her flush red with embarrassment. Although she had never seen a real man fully naked aside from a biology diagram, her friends had once smuggled some topless sports star magazines into their dormitory during their fifth year. Her mother had once told her it was rather disappointing for most women though, so she wasn't sure what to really take from that.

"Mother, I'm fine, honestly. I'm just concerned about him and father." Elizabeth replied once the house elf was gone, looking at her mother once more. Unlike her father, she had aged beautifully and it was clear who Elizabeth had gotten most of her appearance from. Even before her father's decline into old age he'd had a head of thin copper hair, grey eyes and an obnoxiously long nose that he liked to use to look down on people, traits of which his daughter didn't share. Instead, she had inherited her mother's blonde hair and blue eyes, although thankfully she didn't have the light dusting of freckles in her youth like her mother.

"Well," Her mother murmured after several moments, before slyly smiling "it's hard to give you a response without knowing more about this Thomas of yours." She suggested, her well manicured brows lifting upwards. Elizabeth couldn't help but chuckle at her mother's mischievous behaviour, although she likely wouldn't of chuckled if she knew what her parent was actually up to.

"He's handsome; you'd like him." She started off, a light smile on her face "I'd say he's very controlled and confident, but it's not a brash arrogance, more like an inner security or trust in himself. He's very intellectual, also has a great sense of style. Mary couldn't believe it when we agreed to meet up again." She finished, a clear sense of excitement and joy having entered her tone. Elizabeth could talk about him all day if her mother wanted to (she had certainly chewed Mary's ear enough with it) but she seemed satisfied aside from asking how many times had she seen him.

"Once a fortnight for the past year. School security is far more lax if you're head girl." She said with a slight hint of shame, obviously embarrassed at having exploited her position to sneak out for dates. It wasn't like she'd be the first or the last teenage girl to do that, but didn't make it right.

"I can see why you've hid him; your father would've banned it out of pure spite." Anna finally answered, pleased that her daughter looked so happy even if she had her doubts. He sounded considerably older than her and she couldn't help but wonder if her daughter had fallen for a well designed honey trap. Still, she'd get to meet him herself soon enough, so she'd likely decide then.

"Anyways, you've only got a short time to get ready. What are you going to wear?" She asked, not wanting to upset her daughter by expressing her true thoughts. Laughing as she saw Elizabeths eyes widen in mild panic, it wasn't long before the week was up and Thomas was due to arrive.

 

[Gossip]

Once the week was up, Tom was pleased to say that his revenge was one well-played, what with Abroynn Greengrass having been caught in a scandal involving a Knockturn whore, illicit use of polyjuice and something involving a puffskein of all thing - Tom didn't want to know more, but the results were outstanding and he was very satisfied with his accomplices' schemes: The old bastard was not to be seen anywhere in public since the 'news' got spread all over the Daily Prophet three days ago, and Tom was pleased to say that he had made quite a profit from the blackmail of more illegal activities his men had found, besides.

As it was, at six o'clock in the evening sharp was found one young and handsome 'Lord Gaunt' stepping out of the Greengrass Manor's floo, expertly spelling away any remaining ash from his exquisitely tailored charcoal grey formal robes. The outer robes were made of nearly gauzy acromantula silk to account for the late June weather, and his more sturdy but no less expensive inner robes were made of the finest Egyptian cotton available in wizarding Britain, with enough protective and cooling charms sewn in to keep him fresh and unharmed from anything besides the breath of a Hungarian Horntail. His usual delicate embroidery of snakes and various flora was once more to be found on his sleeves, thorns and ivies crawling up his slender but well-toned arms as his robes laid open artfully to show the hint of a cream waistcoat and a forest green cravat, also in acromantula silk, with a flawless diamond sitting on a bed of sterling silver at its center, catching the low torchlight in the reception salon of the manor in a dizzying shine only accentuating the perfect paleness of his skin and the deep darkness of his hair and eyes.

Barely sparing a glance at the house elves awaiting his entrance, the wizard deftly removed his outer robes, carefully folded them on their length only to carelessly throw them at one of the pitifully squeaking creatures. Now in only his inner robes and perfectly crafted dragonhide dress shoes, Tom took out an antique pocket watch from the depths of his robes in a long-practiced, seemingly effortless movement and opened it to show that he was exactly on time, as it should be. Closing the contraption with a soft click, long, elegant fingers put the priceless object back into his breast pocket and finally all but skewered one unfortunate elf with his cold, piercing gaze.

"What are you waiting for? Go announce that Lord Thomas Gaunt has arrived to see your master, do not delay." He said, voice low and dismissive as a faint sneer made its way on his handsome face. As the poor creature complied and disappeared with a 'pop', Tom took out something from yet another pocket of his robes and wandlessly unshrunk it; it was a long box that, once opened, held a bouquet of flowers, their heady scent soon filling the room in a pleasant fragrance of roses and lavender.

Soon enough, the door leading out into the manor proper opened at last, Tom turned to face it with a charming smile on his lips.

 

[defenderofberk]

"What is this?" Anna spat angrily, slamming a copy of The Daily Prophet on the table of his office as she stood before him. Abroynn was sat in his usual space by the fire, a dark scowl on his face as his dull eyes scanned the page to locate what could've upset his wife this time. He preferred her when she was younger as at least then she was more obedient, but with her increasing age and his failing health she had become combative, challenging his authority more and more. Clenching his hands into fists, the paper shook slightly as his skin turned a shade whiter.

"Who could've done this?" He yelled, although his voice wasn't what it once was and was now more suited to making snide remarks and mean commentary. Chucking the paper into the fire that still failed to warm his bones properly despite the room being almost insufferably hot, his wife scowled.

"I told you I didn't care if you had affairs. Sleep with every woman from here to Spain if you want; but don't let it damage this family. And that's exactly what you've gone and done." She sneered, her blue eyes narrowed as she put her hands on the desk to lean forward, towering over her husband. He wasn't quite willing to capitulate to his wife completely yet however, as he still had a few tricks up his sleeve.

"Funny. I don't see you having this conversation with Elizabeth." He replied, his small eyes glinting with cruelty. He knew he could use their daughter as a way of controlling his wife, but unfortunately that was beginning to unravel. If their daughter was truly as afraid of him as she she once was she would never have dared to date someone behind his back, even if he was apparently a Lord of a family. A family that had ties to bankruptcy, marrying their own cousins and dark magic; something that his wife was either unaware of or conveniently ignoring.

"Elizabeth being courted by some Lord isn't a scandal, although you very made it one by trying to force her to date the Nott boy at the same time. This... this is a disaster." She said, although his comment had hit it's mark and made her tone her anger back. Shacking her head as she wondered why she ever agreed to marry this awful excuse of a man, she turned and paused at the door.

"If Thomas still arrives and wants anything to do with our daughter, I will meet him as the head of our family. I don't think Elizabeth will forgive either of us if you mess this up for her, as regardless of his intentions she clearly believes he loves her." She finished, Abroynn opening his mouth to protest but it fell on deaf ears.

A few days later, Elizabeth stood in front of her mother, her red lips pursed together as she awaited Thomas's arrival. She'd had the outfit specifically designed and although it suited her, she couldn't help but feel inadequate for him with this sudden news about her father. The pearly white dress reached the end of her knees at the back and stopped just before them at the front, resulting in a oval shape that was both tasteful yet slightly more sexual than the dresses she had worn for him before. The top was close hugging to her figure and as such extenuated her small waist and and general slenderness, the skirt of the dress smoothly flared out just above the hips to maximize the effect and elongate her feminine legs. A lush ribbon of deep green made a striking addition to the otherwise rather plain item, matching the narrow emerald drops that fell from both her ears.

"You look fine Elizabeth. Stop panicking." Her mother scolded sharply, wearing a feminine suit that was similar to her daughter's in shade, even if hers was decorated with a deep blue that brought out her eyes magnificently. She had never had to wear a suit before so had been practicing for the last few days, as although Abroynn was in his study nearby, she had made it abundantly clear to him that she didn't trust him to not be vindictive towards the suitor. Elizabeths gloved hand reached for her glass of white wine as she gave no response, sipping it to steady her nerves as her eyes watched the clock on the mantle piece of the room. Despite it being evening her outfit left her fair lower legs exposed and only covered most of her arms with long dinner gloves that didn't provide much defense from the cold, but the house and indeed the gardens were warm enough for it to not matter.

"Ladies?" A house elf appeared, its face as polite as ever despite Thomas's curt response only a few moments before. "Lord Gaunt is waiting in the lobby. Would you like me to send him through?"

"I'll meet him in there; Elizabeth, why don't you wait in the conservatory, it is always best at this time." Anna instructed and although her daughter was surprised, she did what she was told without question, her dark green ballerina like shoes silently padding on the polished marble floor. The conservatory was usually only for their close friends and family so she was expecting them to all be in one of the halls, but she supposed she couldn't complain. It was her favourite room in the house after all, but the choice just seemed a little odd, as if her mother was only doing it to get back at her father, who had been noticeably absent all day. Of course that was nothing unusual and she was used to him hiding away for days or even weeks at a time, but to not find time for this was strange, even unsettling.

As Anna opened the doors to finally meet Elizabeths suitor, she instantly realised she had been right about two things; he was older than Elizabeth by quite a margin and distractingly handsome. What she hadn't been expecting though, is how his presence seemed to fill the room with confidence and authority just like the scent of the flowers he'd bought; subtle yet distinctively noticeable, as if she was stood in his house and was at his mercy. No wonder Elizabeth was amazed by him, but she couldn't help but wonder what sort of partner it'd make him for her. Still, he hadn't actually spoke yet, so it felt harsh to judge him too quickly.

"Good evening Thomas." She spoke politely, walking towards him until they stood less than a meter apart. "I'm Anna Greengrass, Lady of the House. It's a pleasure to meet you, although I suppose it would be presumptuous to think the delightful flowers are for me?" She jibed lightly, smiling as she waved him fully into her home with a simple but effective gesture after offering him her hand to kiss. Anna knew Elizabeth would love the flowers and would likely order the servants to try and cultivate them in the gardens, but it would take more than an immaculate suit and some flowers to convince her they were right for each other. After all, she knew first hand how a badly paired marriage can result in hurt and many different affairs.

"My husband has plans to join us after a meal in our conservatory, but I'm afraid his health has taken a toll on him of late. I do apologize, especially as he was quite keen to meet you." She informed him as they began walking through the manor, before asking him what had attracted him to Elizabeth in the first place. She wanted to see if she could tell whether he was lying and how his behaviour would change depending on who was watching him, but she was also genuinely curious to speak to her potential son-in-law.