War is Over

18.

"I like the dark one, you know, the one I picked out." I told Reg as I sat in a dining room chair while we shopped. He sighed.

"I'm sorry." He told me.

"You want everything to be perfect, I get it." I replied.

"Your table is perfect." He admitted. I smiled.

"I know."

"It matches the chairs."

"It surely does." He kissed my head and grabbed my hand to help me up.

"Let's go get the table." I bumped his side as we walked to the checkout.

🗡️🗡️🗡️

"Evan!" I hollered, he slid into the hall in just his jeans. "Put on a nice shirt."

"I was going to."

"A button down." I told him as he turned back around to walk back into the guest room. He groaned.

"Yes, mum."

"I mean it!"

"Okay!" Reg laughed as I walked back into our room.

"What?" I asked him as I fastened the back to my earring.

"I've just never heard Rosier have a mum, it's cute." I laughed.

"I want everyone to look nice." He draped my necklace that I'd gotten from dad our first Christmas together around my neck.

"Everyone will. Let up the reins." I gave him a look in the mirror.

"You sound like me."

"Only because you sound like me." Vega began to bark as a knock echoed through the house.

"I've got it!" Barty yelled as he slid down the hallway. Reggie caught him by the collar outside our room.

"No you don't, I'll get it. You're being introduced back into society in small doses tonight. People still want you dead." He told him. Barty nodded.

"I forgot about that." He admitted. Reg nodded and walked downstairs. Barty sat on the edge of my bed.

"Green looks good on you." He told me as I adjusted the black ribbon I tied in my hair. I smiled at him in the mirror before I looked at the strappy, flowy, emerald green dress that hit my mid-thigh.

"Thank you." I pointed to the floor beside him. "Hand me my heels?" He picked up the strappy black heels and examined them.

"Do these hurt?" He asked as he handed them over. I chuckled.

"Not anymore. Used to." I examined his face as I wrapped the laces around my ankles. "Nervous?"

"People want me dead, Potter."

"That's nothing new, Crouch." He smiled.

"I guess you're right." I sat next to him on the bed.

"It's my parents, and Minnie. Some of the most trusting people I've ever met."

"Evans doesn't even trust me."

"Lily is not one of the most trusting people I've ever met. Plus you used to call her slurs."

"I've apologized!"

"She doesn't want an apology. She wants change."

"I've changed!"

"Prove it." I challenged. He smiled.

"You're good, Nova Potter."

"You've always underestimated me, Barty Crouch."