Late Evening, February 28th, 1890 — Goyle Home, Swallowbury

As though thisv day needed to become more stressful than it already was,"it was still prowling the lengths of her backyard, causing Maggie to jump with every pass closer to the house. Years had passed since she last had to deal with any unruly beast, and the last time she had Edmund had been the one to deal with it. Briefly, she considered searching for her old Hogwart's textbooks, but such research would take hours - if not days. Besides, it made very little difference what type of beast it was, at least to her. All Maggie cared about was forcing it far from her home.

Victoria had noticed Maggie's panicked look as soon as she and Addy came back inside, and quickly herded the children upstairs. It was a relief to know that should the beast somehow come tearing through her house her kids had another line of defense. Victoria would sooner throw herself between the beast and youngsters than let any harm befall them. All Maggie had to do was remain perched on the cabinet nearest the kitchen window watching the thing. All she had to do was wait for Percy or dawn, whichever came first.

The decision to write to Percy was as instantaneous as Victoria's. Her (former? Maggie still wasn't sure if she could consider him a friend after he shared so little of himself with her) friend dealt with this for a living. Surely, if Percy couldn't handle the hollering beast outside her door he would know someone who could. Maggie only hoped he saw her letter sooner than later. Who knew what his nightly routine currently consisted of? Or if he would even be home this evening?

Another loud holler nearly caused her to fall from the counter. Merlin. If Percy didn't arrive soon Maggie was going to take everyone to her parents' for the night.

  

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He was a fool, a complete and utter fool. He’d known it the moment he had set down his pen, decision made. Maggie needed his help, not the kind that came from letters, but the actual real life kind. The kind he had trained his whole career for. Percy wasn’t the type to drop everything and charge in to help, yet here he was throwing a handful of floo powder into his fireplace and reticing the address that Cat had given him as if he were Fletcher Langley or another of Maggie’s gryffindor friends.

It had taken Percy more than ten years to get over Maggie, to pretend that she hadn’t been such a big part of his life. But in the span of one month it seemed as if none of that matted. Maggie needed his help.

The emerald flames wrapped around his legs before his body was spinning and twisting to a home he had never wished to visit and would have been content to continue pretending did not exist at all. Instead he arrived and stepped out of the kitchen place fireplace to notice Maggie, staring out the window, face pale.

The very sight of her, the realization of what he had done was warming his cheeks, but they turned red as her name escaped his lips, “Maggie?” Attempting to remedy this rather big overstep, something would be rethinking altogether if not for the look on her face, he added, “You needed help?”

  

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Despite her silent prayers that Percy would soon arrive, his sudden appearance still startled her enough that she shrieked and fell from the countertop. Maggie landed with a loud thud on her back before moaning both at the embarrassment and the shock of pain. "Hi Percy." She mumbled from her spot on the ground. Were Victoria present Maggie knew she would never live this down. As it was, her sister was likely cackling at the commotion from her safe position upstairs.

Once having stood and smoothed out her skirts, Maggie faced Percy with a fierce blush on her face. "Thank you for coming." She said as the beast outside began another round of hollering. "It's been doing that for the better part of two hours. I'm amazed my neighbors haven't reported it as well." Truly, how was she the only one to have heard the beast's growing aggression these last few days? Surely Mrs. Applebaum two houses over had heard the grunts? Maggie quickly glanced out the window. The thing did exist, right?! She hadn't fallen so far into her paranoia that her imagination was capable of these horrors! No, Victoria wouldn't have scurried away with the youngsters if this was all in her head.

Nervously, Maggie turned her attentions back to Percy. The letters passed between them this past month were easily a highlight of her day, though she wasn't confident he felt the same. If Witch Weekly were to be believed, he had grown to love another woman who too spurned his affections. Such a stark reminder of her own refusal had to cause him some level of pain (it certainly had led to some tears on Maggie's end). And now, to have him standing in the kitchen she once envisioned sharing with him served only as another cruel reminder of what ought to have been.

She shouldn't have written to him. A nondescript letter to the ministry would've served equally as well. There had to be some emergency division within his department that she ought to have known of. Something — anything other than the burning shame of requiring his assistance. He, who had already done so much for her, didn't deserve her waving her married life in his face.

"Sebastian is burning with curiosity. Victoria has him upstairs with her and the others... I'm just fearful he'll somehow slip our supervision and contend with the thing." Maggie explained in a breathless ramble. The sooner it was dealt with, the sooner they could return to their lives. Though, now Maggie too knew the letters would have to stop. It wasn't fair to him when he was still trying to build a family of his own.

  

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As if Percy could feel any more foolish than he already did Maggie shrieked, quite literally, as if he were the creature himself. This had definitely been a mistake. Percy’s face was bright red and the only thing that distracted him from his complete mortification at overstepping the multitude of boundaries between them was his concern for Maggie. She startled from her position and fell on the floor. “Are you alright?” Percy started forward, the words escaping before he could really consider them. But Maggie stood without his help and he stopped his path, hand still outreached to assist her.

Maggie’s echoed his own. The pink that bloomed on her cheeks made Percy terribly sorry for the role he had played thus far. But he tried to focus on her words instead. Outside he heard the hollering that had required too many questions on paper to understand. Determined to make this as professional as he could, Percy nodded and then asked what he would have back when he’d been sent into the field. “Did you catch a glimpse of it?”

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   Margaret Goyle

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A deep bruise was already likely forming from where she landed, and would likely require some sort of tending to upon his departure. Her pride, however, was the more obvious wound. She shouldn't have been perched on the counter like her children so often tried to. That was yet another mistake of the evening. "I'm okay, thank you." She answered with her cheeks still flushed.

Then, Percy snapped back into the cool, aloof professional he'd been in the elevator, which only solidified her belief that writing to him tonight was a mistake. Best get rid of the beast and allow him to continue on with his life. "Only a few passing glimpses. It looks big." Maggie turned towards the window where the beast was still out of sight. "It seems to be running a loop around the yard...it passes by every so often."

  

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At her admission that she was alright Percy felt a small trickle of relief, surprising him. It appeared that no matter what he did he still worried for his old friend. He had begun to suspect such a thing over their letters, but now he was almost certain of it. But Maggie was recently widowed. She’d loved her husband and had children to look after now. Percy was in no position to act the fool yet again. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t be friends, that he couldn’t have some small trickle of concern over a friend. He didn’t linger on the fact that that too felt a lie.

Instead he focused on the situation at hand. “When it did last pass by?” He asked, his gaze flicking to the window she had been perched out. Better to have a glimpse at it before diving into a situation. Parts of Irvingly were still wild enough to attract any number of unwanted wild creatures.

  

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It occurred to her belatedly that Percy was going to have to contend with this beast. The shrieking, hollering, grunting beast. The same beast Maggie knew would drag her into the surrounding woods and feast upon her at first opportunity. She turned to look at him wide eyed and hurriedly said, "you can't go out there alone." Even if it were she who went alongside him, Percy couldn't risk his life for her and her family.

  

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Was that fear in her eyes? It startled Percy for a moment, but then he shook off her concerns. "It's my job, Maggie." He assured her, her Christian name slipping over his lips before he could stop it. "I'll be fine." Before she could object further, Percy opened the door he hoped led from the kitchen to the backyard, rewarded by the dark night and outdoors. At least he didn't look a fool, as much as he felt like one.

  

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She reached for him, her hand just missing his wrist as he slipped out the door. Every instinct in her screamed to chase after him, to aid him however able. But, her children would be orphaned without her. Should this beast claim Percy's life Maggie couldn't be left defenseless. Someone needed to remain to call for help and protect her family.

She raced over to the window, perched herself on the counter once more, and silently prayed for his survival.
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An eternity went by as she waited. Outside, the beast grunted and, presumably, charged at Percy. Maggie kept her hands folded over her heart as she strained to see any motion outside. He had to be alright, for she would never survive in a world he didn't exist within.

Eventually, the door opened. Before he could even say a word Maggie rushed towards him, her arms wrapping tight around his neck.

  

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Thank Merlin it had been nothing more than a hinkypunk, Percy had easily dispatched it, used to calls of them tormenting the edges of Hogsmeade. A fairly standard procedure when all was said and done. Trap it in a corner, make sure it couldn’t send fireballs at you, then stun it till it evaporated into smoke. The deed done, Percy returned to Maggie’s kitchen, determined to keep this as professional and normal as possible.

A bit of sweat rolled off his brow and a smudge or two of smoke and dirt was on his face and clothes, but other than that no harm had been done. Even his cane had done little to hinder him. But one would have thought he’d saved someone from a troll again with the way Maggie came barreling into him.

The force of her body, the warmth of her arms around him, shocked Percy into forgetting more than a decade had passed between them and he froze. For a moment it was just Maggie and himself, nothing beyond them. Wanting only to comfort her, his arms wrapped around her and he held her close. “It’s okay, Maggie, everything is okay. It’s gone now.” He murmured gently into her hair trying to reassure her.

  

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They had never embraced like this, not even when they were children. There were playful nudges and their dance at the ball, but little else. Such touch were inappropriate anywhere outside of familial or marital relationships. Despite this, Maggie remained still with her arms unmoving around him. For several long minutes, she thought him dead for sure. A lingering hug was forgivable.

"You're not supposed to be the brave one." She was the Gryffindor, after all. She ought to have dealt with the beast on her own and not have bothered him. Who knew what she had tore him away from this evening.

Maggie reluctantly released him and stepped back only slightly. Her hands hung uselessly at her sides. "Thank you. I didn't know what to do."

  

“I’m not?” Percy teased, his voice quiet against her, a small teasing smile on his lips. They were no longer defined by their houses, and he supposed he’d found some boldness in his work. But he didn’t consider it bravery, simply doing his job. Like the troll.

Maggie stepped away and cool air rushed to embrace Percy instead. He knew he should feel embarrassed, but the lingering of their friendship, the closeness they had once felt - surely she felt it too? - stayed with Percy. “You did the right thing, Maggie.” Percy found himself assuring her, even if he wasn’t sure it was for his own sake. It felt as if the past decade had never even happened, he stepped forward taking her hands in his own and giving them each a small reassuring squeeze, if only to keep himself from brushing the wayward strand of hair that had fallen from her bun out of her face. It had been a terrible idea to come here. But here he was again, making more of a fool of himself - again - all for the love of a woman… a woman he had not thought loved him. But that hug… there had been more in that embrace to give him hope that Percy could even frame into coherent thoughts, just a feeling that perhaps his foolishness was not a fool's errand as he had thought.

  

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"No, you're not." The stressful evening did little for her already frayed nerves. Maggie held his hands tight in her own, her palms clammy against his. She knew this was likely not his first foray with dangerous beast (he'd taken down a troll, after all) but it was the first time he placed himself in danger for her. Recovering from his death — from the guilt of causing it — was a wound she would never close.

Before she could think better of it, Maggie released one of his hands to wipe the soot from his cheek. Her touch was gentle — far softer than required to fully remove the dirt. "I need you alive. Save the bravery for others." She stated quietly, her eyes locked on his.

  

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It had been moments like these, the small gestures she had once given, that had led Percy on his first foolish trip to her house. As her hand reached up and gently brushed his face Percy realized that. Realized her words. How he would have longed to hear them years ago, longed to know she cared. The years between them stretched in front of him as he remembered accidental hand brushes, dances practiced in class, smiles and gifts that had once pass between them. All the times he had felt there was something more between them. All the hopes he had kept close to his heart until he could support her. Then that fateful day, that fool’s errand when he had learned the actual truth. Percy stiffened under her touch. Feeling the anger and resentment of the past decade, tempered with the truth that she was in mourning, that she missed her husband, that her words were selfish.

With a swallow Percy stepped backward, letting her hand go, his jaw tightening in frustration - no anger - not even disappointment, he’d long since dealt with that particular feeling. This wasn’t right. She didn’t need him. She never had. Everything he had once thought to be true about her had been a lie. Why would it be different now? That was the thing. It wasn’t different. He couldn’t deny he still had feelings for her, but she never had. He would not be her last resort, would not allow this to become another fool’s errand. He had known it was a bad idea to write her back these past few weeks, to come here today. Yet he had. What a fool he truly was.

  

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Despite the decade between them, Maggie knew his expressions better than she knew her children most days. The tense jaw and sharp swallow, the hardening of his features...his anger was obvious even without her intimate knowledge of him. Maggie's hands fell heavily back to her sides as though they were suddenly made of lead. She shouldn't have embraced him, and she shouldn't have touched his cheek. It was just...the moment. The horrific fear of losing him. The stress of not knowing the outcome.

She bit her lip, her own expression falling into one of sadness. It was likely her actions had just ruined whatever fragile peace was buidling between them, whatever semblance of peace they could now manage. A desperation she hadn't felt since asking him to appear at her wedding clawed at her heart. Maggie couldn't live another decade without him in her life in whatever capacity. She couldn't.

"Can I offer you tea? And a cloth to wash up?" She asked hurriedly. The longer the silence stretched between them the more likely he was to disappear again.

  

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Seeming to realize the change in Percy's demeanor Maggie quickly changed the subject. Percy shook his head at her suggestion though, "I think I should be going." He started, finding himself eager to be gone from this situation. The sooner he left the sooner he could start trying to forget how foolish he had been. He stepped toward the fireplace, cane in hand, when he realized he should probably let her know the creature was gone. "I took care of the hinkypunk, it won't be back to bother you."

  

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