There Really Was A Cake...

[Antoinette Greenwood]

White made the nineteen year old look incredibly pale, but then again, she wasn't exactly lively and energetic. After all, she was looking after her soon-to-be husband, who acted rather childishly, as well as Araxfell, and the daughter she had given birth to, Sophie. Of course, there was Pippin as well, but Pippin was perhaps the most responsible of the family. Antoinette had been incredibly pleased that the boy should have gone to Hogwarts, though it had been a little harder to manage without him.

He was back, though, and sleeping peacefully, as was young Araxfell, as Sophie padded unsteadily about on her tiny feet, clinging on to her mother's hand. A hand that trembled slightly, though Antoinette kept up a brave face. Tomorrow, she and James were finally to marry, and while she was excited, she was also a little nervous. As most brides, no doubt, were. As for James? Well, she had no idea where he was, but as long as he would be there for the wedding and wasn't making too much of a nuisance of himself, it was okay. He wasn't supposed to see her before the wedding, right? Not that Antoinette really cared about tradition. She certainly wasn't a pure bride - the little blonde girl at her feet was the perfect proof of that.

Sighing, Antoinette slumped down on the bed, her golden hair fanning out around her. She loved James, she really did, but it didn't stop her from being scared. What if he hurt her, again? He hadn't since Araxfell, as far as she knew, but still...but it was no time to mope, not when tomorrow was bound to be a big day. Stripping out of her wedding dress (which, naturally, looked beautiful on her, even if she did look so pale), Antoinette threw on a jumper and pulled the little girl close to her. Tomorrow, Antoinette Greenwood, who should have been Antoinette Winters, would be Antoinette Dalton. She hoped this would all go off smoothly and without any major mishaps.

 

[James Dalton]

Normally, James returned home in a noisy fashion, waking up the children as he bellowed for Antoinette to give him attention. The poor woman never seemed to get a moment away from him. Well, she did when he had sought the attention of another. But those days were gone, weren't they? Yet, as the door gave a satisfying click, and James stepped over the threshold, he was silent. This was the first sign that James, was feeling guilty.

He walked to Araxfell's room, first, checking to see if the small boy was asleep, or not. Fortunately, he was. As was Pippin, whom he checked up on, next. Finally, James moved to the room that he could see light in; he knew Antoinette would be inside with their daughter. How could he face them, again? He reached up a hand, his fingers only centimeters from the door knob. But, he withdrew his hand. He'd got to think things over before he just walked on in there, he'd got to tell her something..

In the past, James would have not cared so much about hurting Antoinette's feelings, thinking that only he counted. Now, though, she had taught him love- something he had little understanding of. It was only now that he thought about it, standing outside the door, that he truly realized what a big mistake he had made. Did he come clean? Did he tell her exactly what he had done? James was twenty years old, yet he struggled to think for himself. He had only become a Death Eater because of others suggesting he do so. Antoinette was his brain, and he needed her right now. Foolishly, he decided that this was not the time, and twisted the door knob, stepping into the room and feigning a smile. A smile from the boy who had only started to learn wrong and right.