royofthegreengrass-blog

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

“I suppose those can be your resolutions but Marcus would probably stab my eye out if I supported your lofty ambitions so I’ll stick to not dancing instead.”

“Can your New Years resolution be to drink more? And have lots of fun and dancing? I think it’s lovely so you should come join me.”

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Roy listens to James defend himself and his strengths. There’s never been a doubt in the man’s mind that James is entirely capable of leading and fighting. Being a warrior. In a lot of ways, Potter reminds Roy of a younger Marcus McKinnon. Always ready to throw himself into the fire of a fight, especially when it concerned friends or family.

“A punishment?” Looking up over the foggy hills of Dover, their strides bringing them nearer to their destination with each step, Roy frowns. “I feel it’s less punishment and more of a reminder that being a warrior doesn’t help if you don’t have the right knowledge in your pocket. You weren’t taught Defence Against the Dark Arts so that you can go rushing in wand blazing without first knowing your enemy and their weaknesses. If you tried to hex a boggart the same way you would a blasted-end skrewt, you likely wouldn’t come out of it as well as you’d like.”

When he turns back to look at James, he adds, “Look some of the weaker Order members are getting trained to duel better and it wouldn’t be fair to them if their leader didn’t appear as well rounded as they’re being forced to be. Sometimes being a leader means taking the shit shifts.”

Roy lets his voice fall away as they reach the top of a particularly steep hill and spot the castle estate just ahead. Even from this distance the ocean at the cliffside can be heard crashing with the force of the breeze. The trouble with the damn fog was that while it gave them better cover, it also obscured good visibility even with omnioculars to zoom into the castle’s details and occupants. “I think we’re going to have to get closer than this before we can see anything of use.” Even still, Roy pulls out his pair of omnioculars and carefully edges down the hillside.

: : { Trigger } : : James + Roy   [war pair]

James didn’t like being stuck doing nothing but gathering intel. Intel wasn’t what he was good at. In fact, he was completely rubbish at it.  James could tell that Roy seemed like he had a lot on his mind, so he knew that he could either push him too far, or not push him. He wasn’t sure what he was going to do yet. James could be a right pain in the arse when he was told he had to behave. But for now, he was going to do what he was supposed to.

“And you forget I have leader roles in this thing and I don’t let anyone tell me what to do. That said, I agree. The last thing I want is for this to be another mission where someone gets hurts that shouldn’t.” James did understand that was important, so he would do what he was supposed to, for now anyway.

Too many people had already been lost and James didn’t want to be responsible for even more being lost.

He shrugged. “I much prefer to be fighting. I think that I’m a warrior and the intel should be left for the weaker links, like the women that don’t even know how to fight and some of the weaker members. I am a fighter and I would much rather be out there, even if I’m still getting over a previous instance. I will not be punished by Dumbledore and forced on fucking intel forever.” 

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Hearing that Marcus also feels the weight of Travers does do Roy some good. But it’s not lost on him that where he’s floundering with it, it’s nearly second nature to his best mate. Marcus has operated under vendettas and grudges much of his life. Roy hasn’t and it’s getting to him. But he nods his understanding as he lets out a heavy sigh. “Yeah you should focus on your family, mate. I’m not blaming you--just not something I’m used to carrying around.” Then he shrugs, glancing away as he answers his friend’s question. “She wasn’t specific. She needs to feel safe and lately she can’t get that here in the castle. Things are stressful for her and I think there’s some drama happening within her family. Her aunt and uncle were found dead after all--Emma Vanity’s parents.”

He then sighed. “We’ll handle Travers. We just have to give it time. I have to focus on other things in my life first, like the babies and Lyra. They matter more, but believe me, I am fucking with his head, figuring what makes him tick and eventually, I’ll rip him apart. I made it clear I am not his fucking bitch.” He stopped at his words. “And why the hell not?”

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

The warming charm he’d cast on himself begins to fade, signaled by the chill that seeps into his fingers and the realisation that it will be difficult to recast the spell in such a densely muggle space forces Roy to shove his hands into the pockets of his trousers and hope for the best. The man offers up a wry grin when Cecilia notices his concern and he sweeps his gaze around them for emphasis as he states, “Just a bit. I don’t know these parts so I’m rather--lost. Actually.”

The honk of an automobile sounds in the dusk of the evening and Roy’s head jerks around at the sound, eyes wide at the startling noise. When he looks back to Cecilia, his nose is beginning to redden as more of his body loses the spell’s strength.

“And well I am rather unprepared for the area and the cold. I can’t cast anything to stay warm given the area,” he adds with a frown. Roy has no issue with muggle areas but he’d never taken it upon himself to become more comfortable in them. Despite Adelaide having been a muggle studies professor, she was still born to a pure bloodline so even her knowledge had its limitations and they simply gravitated toward the areas most familiar to them. One hand slides free of his pocket as Roy rubs awkwardly at the back of his neck. “You seem to know where everything is. Mind showing me around? I was meant to be shopping for gifts anyway.”

Lost but Found : Roy + Cecilia

There was a lovely row of shops down near where Cecilia lived. They were full of new and interesting items, things that were just begging to be bought. The eldest Owen sibling certainly wouldn’t call herself frivolous, but sometimes, especially around Christmas, she couldn’t help but splash out.

So far, she’d bought her Mother a book on Costume Design, and her Father a tie. It was a rather boring tie. But, she admitted, her Father was a rather boring man. She couldn’t seem to find anything for Zelena, no matter how hard she looked. 

After another unsuccessful look-around, in another little shop, she walks outside, feeling discouraged about Christmas in general. Hearing her name, she raises her head, from where her gaze was firmly fixed on the ground, and meets the eyes of one Roy Greengrass. 

The last time she spoke to this man was quite a while ago, and she recalls something about Boggarts and children, but he looks extremely happy to see her, and she smiles at him. “Oh, hello, Roy,” Cecilia greets, as he gets within earshot. “If you don’t mind me saying, you look rather worried.”

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Lost but Found : Roy + Cecilia

The winter holidays had always been Roy’s favourite time of year growing up. Spending inordinate amounts of time and money on selecting the perfect gifts for his sisters and friends, always looking forward to the way their expressions flood with happiness when they unwrapped them. The camaraderie of spending time among friends drinking and laughing together. The bright lights and decorations that festoon shop fronts and music spilling out of open windows. Roy used to feel as if nothing could shatter the exuberant joy Christmas season brought out in him.

Now he feels as if everything is a little dimmer. Addie used to pour her own joy into the season, dragging him to different shops, pleading for extra whip cream on her hot chocolate. Now Roy stands at a street vendor, spotting so many things she would like but unable to purchase them. He doesn’t know where she chose to sequester herself and the thought of being unable to gift anything to her hurts more fiercely than he imagined.

Roy moves on and spots a vendor on the side alley of Diagon he traipses through that sports hand made jewellery he thinks Lyra might like. His fingers touch one in particular and seconds later his body is deposited into an alley, dingier and void of people. When he steps out of the alley, disoriented from sudden portkey travel, Roy looks around to find he’s in a muggle area.

Adelaide would have known how to navigate this part of London. Roy simply makes an aimless turn toward the right and begins to wander, slow and confused. The faces and automobiles, shops and songs sound foreign to him. Nothing familiar. That is, until a woman steps out of a shop he is near to passing.

“Cecilia!” Roy calls her name as he picks up the pace. A familiar face. Someone he teaches alongside at Hogwarts. The relief that floods his system is nearly palpable.

@ceciliaowen

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

It’s not his place to judge Ludo’s choice whether to eat supper. If anything, Roy understand the decision. Learning of Addie’s decision to remain distant and free herself from the castle and all the threats that lurk, mind plagued by what he knows about Juliette’s death and the looming danger Travers presents; the defence professor hasn’t had much of an appetite himself.

“We begin.” Roy waves his hand toward the space across from him. “Choose your distance, wand out. Don’t let it slip your mind that this is still detention. I’m not here to entertain you.”

The professor stands at one side of the cleared classroom. His own alder wand between his fingers. His tone is even, expression cool. “The aim here is to make you capable without allowing your emotions to get the better of you, Bagman.Aggression without control does very little for you except make you appear like a bully. I don’t think that’s what you want.”

Defending; Ludo + Roy

There was a time when Ludovic was looking forward to these detentions; they were set to begin after the Halloween Ball and Ludo felt that was too long to wait. But, now that he stands outside of the classroom, he dreads the moment. Detention, he was accustomed to by now. He spent most of his free time in one professor’s version of detention or another’s. But, none of them wanted to teach him, to duel him. And to duel the Professor of Defense Against Dark Arts was something entirely different. 

“Professor…” Ludo voiced as he entered the classroom, ensuring that he was at least on time. “I skipped supper.” He is not sure why he offered the information but he does, as he kicks aimlessly at the floor of the classroom. 

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Roy frowns heavy at the other boy’s words. How had he even heard about the fight? Leave it to Marcus to know about everything, even when it has nothing to do with him. With a sharp shake of his head, Roy keeps his bruised face in the shadow away from the glow of the fireplace and glares at his Transfiguration book.

“I’ll keep telling you to go away until you finally do it,” the dirty blonde haired boy mutters. “And I’m not showing you anything unless it’s how to write your essay. Whatever happen is over and done with. I’m not letting you make it all worse.”

Marcus has always seen it as his born right to be violent on other people’s behalf. Maybe it was appreciated when they were kids but they’re students now. Eleven. And that means they have responsibilities and their families to worry about. The Slytherins can think they’re above it all, think they can do whatever they want and nothing can touch them, but Roy doesn’t have the same freedom. His parents expect him to do what’s right. Keep his nose clean. Marcus will only make that ten times harder if he gets involved with the other pureblood Slytherins on his behalf.

Thicker Than Blood || Roy + Marcus [Flashback]

Marcus McKinnon was quite the ambitious child and always had been. He had been born ambitious, the eldest of his two siblings. He had always been the responsible one, the more serious one. He just had never seen the point to act like an idiot, even at 11 years old.  

He had heard what happened with Roy and the Slytherins. He wanted to punch those Slytherin morons for fucking with his friend and yes at 11 years old, he’d already started using the word fuck. He was very Gryffindor and he tended to do what he wanted, and he had already gotten Detention more than once for punching people that he shouldn’t have.  

He finally went and found his friend and he rolled his eyes at his tone. “Essays are stupid. I don’t want to do any of them, so I’m not doing them right now, and does it ever work when you tell me to go away? I don’t do that, you know. If you show me what they did, I can go punch them and then we’ll all be happy.”  

He needed to teach him how to punch idiots or at least do more than yell at them. While Marcus family was pretty normal, he knew the Greengrasses were complex. 

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

He should have snapped at the girl but she had come in challenging the mark he’d given her on the latest essay. Letting out a sigh, Roy presses clenched fists into the top of his lecture desk. “It’s just getting to me, mate. The stuff about that bastard, Travers. And then I received a letter from Addie. She’s not returning from her trip home. She’s not coming back. And it’s all a goddamn mess.”

Marcus was at Hogwarts to teach an Arithmancy class and he had decided to check in with Roy, and appeared in his classroom doorway.  Hearing his words, he raised an eyebrow. “I’d listen to him. That’s his mean face.” He then sighed as the sixth year girl left. “You definitely aren’t me. You didn’t swear enough.” He sighed. “Why are you pissed?” 

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Roy gives himself a firm shake of the head. He needs to clear is mind and get back on even ground. Looking at Lyra now, all he sees is a ghost of what could be if Travers’ did harm her. But he can’t tell her that. It’s not his place and she shouldn’t know it anyway. “Addie,” he answers with a sigh. “She’s left and--I’m just not handling it well.”

Lyra took a step closer to her friend and placed her hand on his arm, looking at him with worry filling her eyes. “Roy,” she sighed his name, “why are you on edge?” She asked, wondering what it was that could have put her best friend in such a mood. “What’s wrong?”

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Folding his arms across his chest, Roy gives the young woman a hard look. “Look, truth is I don’t know anything more than you do. It’s not like they inform us unless they think it’s strictly necessary. But--if you want to know, I’ll help you find out.”

“Then let them be inappropriate,” Kessler retorts. She’s unwilling to bend, having little else left but to reach out to the professors. No one knows why and it’s the one question she desperately needs. Kessler continues, “I rather hear insults than have another professor lie to me about Wren.”

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Even if he had an inkling as to what muggle lip things mattered to the young man, Roy wouldn’t question James. It’s small talk. And the interest Roy may have paid to it has failed to make an appearance now. Addie would have known what James meant. But she wasn’t here and that wasn’t something he could easily fix. So Roy looks over the foggy cold evening ground and holds his spine straight, shoulders back. Pride that his father would have wanted him to hold onto even as he did something that would likely be seen as unforgivable to his bloodline.

“You won’t be doing nothing, James.” That Roy can offer as he begins to walk toward the appointed manor barely visible on the horizon through the mist and fog that rolls in from the channel. “Without the intel, we can’t act. Without information--good information--we could end up losing more people than we save.”

Like Juliette. Like the Evans. Like the others who have gone missing or have come up dead in the past weeks. Not enough for the Ministry to truly show fear and mandate harsh rulings to keep people safe. Curfews only did so much. The enemy was playing it smart and they needed to be smarter.

Roy gives his partner a glance as he goes on to add, “I know you know what intel gathering entails. But understand that we are doing the best job we can be doing right now. We watch, we do what we can to listen, and we don’t get caught. Don’t draw attention to ourselves. And we confirm the targets, confirm that this place is a stronghold for them and collect details necessary to get our people inside to take them out before they can defend properly. Just as valuable as the action.”

: : { Trigger } : : James + Roy   [war pair]

James hated intel missions. He absolutely hated them. He saw no point in intel and just wished he could do something normal, that was not remotely intel related. He liked going in there and kicking arse, not just dealing with seeing what was going on.  His life wasn’t going awfully right now. He and Lily were in a great place and most importantly, they were living their lives as married people. They didn’t have to deal with living with anyone and could see their friends without living with them.

James had cringed a little bit, when he was sent to Dover, Kent. That was close to where he’d been before and he was pretty sure they were going possibly to the same place, and he could feel the tightening in his chest, but he always knew how to play it cool. He just needed to get in and get out.

He put his hands on his hips, when Roy looked over at him and he nodded. “It is. My lips are dry and I didn’t grab any of that muggle lip things to help with it.”  He then groaned. “Right. I suppose I could deal with it, but I don’t like doing nothing.” 

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Every tendon in Roy’s body thrums with the tension that seizes through him. Looking into the face of Sean Travers, suddenly the disconnect vanishes. The face, cocky and over-compensating for his true cowardice makes complete sense. Bright eyes don’t hold a lick of anything that the former housemate recognises. Roy questions the sanctity of allowing Travers to teach students, to be near minds so easily bent to the slick words and vulnerabilities in their fears. Who knows what he could be fostering in a student.

Hearing Marcus’ words echo through his skull, Roy’s narrowed gaze maps the planes of Travers’ face. This face stared into Juliette’s eyes without remorse. This face reveled in her suffering, when to extra lengths in order to make her scream. Travers stood over her body with the blood of precious Juliette marring his hands, that smug face, and took her life without hesitation.

That Irish sling to Travers’ speech coated the threats he made to Marcus. Gloated in what he’d done to Juliette to the man who loved her more than anyone else. He didn’t hesitate to challenge the life of Lyra and her children.

Travers’ isn’t just circling Marcus McKinnon’s family. He stands the enemy to Roy’s as well. Lyra and Marcus are his family. In some ways more than his own blood.

“The neutrality I offered you when we were housemates ends as of right now.” Roy’s fists tremble at his sides as he tells himself to remain in control. But each word bites like flint as they pass his teeth. “To put you in your place, you would have to deserve one. And you don’t. What you deserve is to buried in chains but even that sounds to merciful, even for a man so willing to offer mercy and the benefit of the doubt.”

Roy stalks forward till they stand only feet apart. “You have one chance to make the smart decision to back down from your petty feud with my mate. Touch a hair on Lyra or any of Marcus’ family, and you will regret every breathing the same air as them.”

Mad Sounds; Sean + Roy

Sean had been counting on a certain number of individuals to be let in on what he’d revealed to Marcus. The man had family and allies and couldn’t keep his mouth shut. But Travers figured it could work to his benefit if he was delicate in the way he handled his encounters with those people. Lyra and Roy had been stuck to Marcus since they were in school. And while Sean had never bothered much with one or the other, Roy did have a way of playing mediator between himself and Marcus back then. He doubted that would be the case any longer. And as far as the rest of the McKinnon brood, the Irishman had little worry for what they would do. All children, really.

In the greenhouses, where he spent an inordinate amount of time these days, he was focused on papers and documenting some things when he heard a voice. Unmistakable. Roy Greengrass. A subtle smile curled up the corners of Sean’s lips as he turned his gaze to the doorway where the man stood and spoke up to get his attention. “Was wonderin’ when I’d be seein’ the likes o’ ya, Greengrass. Come to play devil’s advocate still or ye jus’ tryin’ to put me in me place for once?” 

He may be wary, but he wasn’t about to let the situation get the better of him and silence his usual taunting of any who saw fit to bother him - about anything. Business as usual.

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

“I’d be more than happy to.” Roy thinks that at least spending some quality time with his baby sister and his niece will keep him from going off at random people. It’s neither the time or the place for such a poor taste in character to show itself. “Daphie, you excited to have a new baby sister of your own?” he asks the young girl with a kind grin.

Florence decided not to comment on her brother’s rash conversation with the man in front of them, and instead just shrugged her shoulders, her hand aimlessly moving through Daphne’s hair as she clutched onto her leg. “Astoria will hopefully be coming home soon so I was just out picking some stuff up. Want to come with us?”

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Defending; Ludo + Roy

Perhaps he’s readily accepting new responsibilities as a means of distracting himself. Roy still hasn’t heard word from Adelaide since she make herself scarce from the castle grounds and while Marcus and Lyra address the early welcome of the twins, the Defence professor is left to his own devices.

It’s with great appreciation and anticipation that Roy steps into the Defence classroom after evening supper and vanishes away the desk to allow for maximum space. Tonight he will hold detention with Ludovic Bagman and force the young man to better his attitude through dueling the right way. It’s no secret that he’s been under emotional strain since the deaths of his parents. But Roy knows better than most that without appropriate discipline, that mourning process will become disruptive and possibly dangerous to the person themselves and to those around him.

“Welcome,” Roy answers as he watched Ludo appear, on time as demanded. “I hope you didn’t eat too much at meal time because I don’t intend to make this easy.”

@ludovic-the-bagman

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

: : { Trigger } : : James + Roy   [war pair]

Intel. Observation and gathering. Roy can accept that, can use the observation skills he’s employed since he was a boy to aid in the efforts of the Order. More importantly, he welcomes a distraction. A goal to focus on. Something to take up time at the weekend when he’s least occupied by his teaching and more likely to ruminate too long on Adelaide’s whereabouts, the threats against Marcus and Lyra, and what he plans to do about everything.

Together with James Potter as partner in this mission, they were sent to outskirts of Dover, Kent. It was believed that a death eater stronghold was planted there in an abandoned manor right on the cliffs. The greatest concern being that a base for the enemy in that location meant they could easily gain access to the mainland. For all they knew, there could be newly recruited dark wizards and witches making their way across the channel to receive their marks and strengthen the resistance.

Roy tugs at his thick outer robes as he looks over at James. Standing at the edge of a copse of trees, they would have to walk the rest of the way to the bluffs. There were too many Pureblood families with anti-apparition wards in this area for them to risk jumping further. “Blasted freezing out here,” Roy comments as he charms a warming spell over himself. “You ready to sit and stare at old buildings with me for the next twenty four hours, Potter?”

@prongedstagpotter

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

Mad Sounds; Sean + Roy

Ever since Marcus let Roy in on what happened to Juliette, knowing who can be held responsible for her death, the man has carried a hissing torch of burning anger inside his chest. It’s unfamiliar to him, so used to having such an even keeled attitude in all situations no matter how dire. It had only ever been Marcus’ disappearing act that had sent him into an emotional overload. Now he’s discovering there’s still circumstances that can awaken the true intensity inside Royden Greengrass.

With Marcus tied up in Lyra’s impending delivery of the twins, Roy takes it upon himself to interact with Professor Travers. Part of him wants to discover if there’s any way to humanise the man, make it harder to want to see him hang for what was done to Juliette. But the overriding need is to know Sean to know how best to get to him.

So Roy strides across the grounds, spelled against the chill, and enters the greenhouse that also holds the herbology professor’s office. “Travers,” the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor greets as he leans in the open doorway to the other man’s office.

@deatheatertravers

[royofthegreengrass-blog]

He hadn’t really been conscious of just how much space the other occupant of the table had claimed when he sat down. Roy simply aimed to sit somewhere, disconnected from the goings on of the castle, some place his best mates are least likely to be. He’d even looked at the faces of the patrons before settling for this cafe when he first entered. The weight of his thoughts bear down on him and Royden Greengrass feels as if he’s reaching the end of his tether. “No problem, really,” he insists to the other man. Familiar by way of their common grounds as professors at Hogwarts but he knows very little of this man. He was new to the staff and with the demands of his friends, his absentee girlfriend, and the madness Marcus was preparing to unleash once his children were safely arrived, Roy hadn’t the time or the thought to make the man’s acquaintance. “I’m not interested in disturbing whatever it is you’ve got going on here.” Roy simply rubs at his face and closes his eyes, trying to take deep breaths.

The Introvert || Open

When someone sat at an empty space at his table, Bastian tore his attention away from the pages of a book he’d been engrossed in. “Sorry, I seem to have taken over this entire table.” Bas chuckled impishly. He’d spent the afternoon sitting in a small cafe to get some work done while occasionally indulging in a bit of reading for himself. Okay, more reading than work. He needed a change in atmosphere from his quiet and solitary office at the castle or confines of his home. He scooted his scattered pages and things more in front of him before thumbing to the next page to continue on.