✧ASKING FOR AID✧

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***

Rhea continued to pace back in forth in Orion's study, while he himself was still attempting to grasp what has happened.

"And where is he now?"

"Sitting in his study, if he opens his eyes on anyone it could be damaging to his mind. I'm hoping that it wears off when he cannot find anyone nearby." She claimed, continuing to bite her lip and shake—As the chills have not left her yet.

"And the Rookwoods?"

"I warned them to stay away, though I don't know how to inform the Nott family. I did say I'd do it within the hour but—Fuck. I cannot think straight!" It was at that moment that Walburga had come barging in as well, only her eyes peered towards Rhea in a manner that the Ravenclaw could only categorize as disgust.

"I know for a fact your mother taught you to wait for an elf's announcement to—"

"Not now, Walburga. Evelyn Rookwood gave Alphard a love potion." With the stakes now out in the open for the original Madam Lestrange to hear, things had made a drastic change.

"Rookwood?... A rather forgetful name."

"Will likely be forgotten once I figure out how to tarnish their reputation," Rhea mumbled under her breath, still pacing and indenting the carpet.

"Orion, go and check on Alphard. I'm sure the potion will wear off soon." Walburga offered, and Rhea shook her head. "I'm not sure which type of love potion it is, though I doubt Evelyn brewed it herself. Awful at potions, doubt she read the instructions right...Otherwise—" Orion had stopped Rhea from going further into the spiral of 'what ifs,' as Rhea needed to remain focused on the cusp of it all.

"Kreacher, set a kettle on the stove. Two cups." Had Rhea been in her right mind, she would've noticed that Walburga was setting up Orion's seating area for them to plot in.

Or that the invitation for tea has finally managed to happen, regardless of all the times Rhea offered or asked.

"I take it you handled Evelyn?" She asked, all too knowingly in regards to the familiar spasms in Rhea's hand. Clearly the effect of a curse having being casted.

"I brought her back to her parents and told them off."

"How?"

"I told them I'd speak with the Nott family." Walburga had waved her wand, summoning a parchment and quill before starting to scribble up a first draft.

"How did you find her?"

"About a second away from kissing my husband."

"What did she say following your attack?" Rhea stilled at the question and frowned, but Walburga only gestured to her hands. "Never cursed a soul in your life, have you?"

"Never needed to, but seeing her—She thought she deserves him!" It was a sight to see the young Mrs.Black so worked up. But for good reason.

And she would remain silent on the matter that eye contact wasn't necessarily needed. Touching and the scent of the other would possibly lead to artificial infatuation.

Though it left Walburga with a keen thought, that perhaps Alphard does love Rhea—And Rhea does love him back.

But Walburga was not versed well in the idea of love, she loved the idea of her family. The idea of their title and power, one of which was going to be quite useful in the next few hours.

"It is very good that you acted...She'll be—"

"She touched my husband." Rhea hissed, complete and utter fury still causing off her in waves. "Yes, and she will get her comeuppance, though perhaps now you understand how it feels to be—"

"Undermined?... That is what you were going to say, wasn't it? As if that has any reason in being compared. When will you understand that I will love Alphard until my dying breath? I was prepared to risk it all to get away from Dolohov. But I love Alphard. Or would it make more sense that I should just leave him, divorce him and take the millions?" She caught Walburga gritting her teeth, her beautiful script having buckled and caused an ink mark.

This was indeed a test of Rhea's loyalty, sure, but Walburga would remain as hateful until it wasn't able to be questioned.

After motioning to the offer of tea, Rhea had taken the end of the couch and tried to calm her breathing. While Walburga continued to seek out a solution.

And none of them were anything less than ruthless.

"I take it your morals are still in place, so I'll allow you to pick the severity of this."

"I promised her parents that she wouldn't be married in any lifetime, take that how you will." A small smile perked up on the elder witch, as it was a very fine threat to have made at the moment.

"Finish that cup, we have someplace to be."

"What?"

"Better to get to Nott before the Rookwoods muster up a better story than the truth." She claimed, going over the fine lines she's written and Rhea quickly dabbed her eyes with a napkin.

This entire day was already too much for her to handle, but as she watched Walburga stride through the Nott manor, even Rhea felt sick to her stomach.

Had she been so angry and pumped up on negative energy that she had found the strength to do this too?

"Mrs. Black, do what do we owe the pleasure?" Mrs.Nott, as Rhea had met on multiple occasions, was a kind witch. Though the Nott family was known for being stoic and calm in most situations.

But Rhea adored her friendship with Malia, so this news was coming to a shock as is.

"Unfortunately, Mrs.Nott, this isn't a pleasurable meaning. Is your husband and son about?... This is a family matter of the utmost importance." The mistress of the manor had looked between both Walburga and Rhea both before offering them the chance to sit as she went ahead to go and fetch them.

"What is your friend's name?"

"Malia, I don't think many of us were speaking with Evelyn that much lately anyhow. Convening wench."
"Ease. You can do that later, though I have a feeling Alphard will blame himself."
"Oh, he isn't completely innocent either. Nott tried to warn me that Evelyn was up to something with Alphard...I just didn't think he would hide all this behind my back." Walburga tutted, wondering just what his brother was up to.

Before the elder Black heir could even stop the feeling from forming, her heart started to feel out for the young witch beside her. Wondering if Alphard had already moved on and this was all a ruse.

That being the case, Walburga needed to secure Rhea's place—The last thing the Black family needed was a scandal or a divorce.

"Mother?... What's so urgent?" Both Malia and Theo had started to make their way into the hall, only for Rhea's eyes to speak every last damning thing.

One of the siblings knew quite well.

"I take it this isn't a friendly visit?"

"Not at all, Mr.Nott. Rhea has caught your fiancee in the act of attempting to commit adultery. One with a married man, who just so happens to be my brother. I am assuming you can paint this picture?" He nodded, his teeth-gritting, but Rhea wondered if there was any part of him that was relieved that he doesn't have to marry the bitch.

"She what?!" Malia shrieked, only for her mother to scold her for having acted so poorly. "Rhea, I'm so sorry...Had I known—"

"A rumor of her doing something isn't the same as seeing it happen in person," Rhea started, her eyes flickering from her friend back to Theo for a moment. As if this entire thing hadn't been prompted by his telling insight.

Perhaps she was doing him a favor in all this, perhaps in that, she had gained an alley and lost a connection to a bad seed.

"Well—This is certainly going to be a difficult clean-up. I want to apologize, Mrs.Black. The both of you, we cannot be any more disappointed in Ms.Rookwood. I'll speak with her parents—"

"I'm fairly certain her parents were in on all of this, elves as well." Now that certainly caught everyone's attention, and Walburga hand curled tighter around her grasp.
It would have been brilliant information beforehand, that was for sure.

After another few minutes of speaking, the two returned back to Grimmauld Place with a scowl. The marriage was off, of course, and the Nott family was prepared to back up their plot by destroying the Rookwood title.

Something that Walburga wasn't at all against, considering the entire family was getting a little too comfortable.

Even if the Nott family is not high on the list of Noble Houses, it was still respected. And Walburga respected her old friend too much to allow this to happen, there needed to be a balance.

And the Blacks needed to remain on top, even if that meant helping the young witch. Though she held her own very well.

Still, Walburga wasn't going to admit to anything aloud, still.

"Drink?" The mistress asked, and Rhea remained silent. Though that still constituted as a yes in Walburga's book, and thus the wine bottle had been popped open.

"I'll admit, dozens of witches still try to pursue Orion. Even my idiot brother, Cygnus..." Rhea tried to ignore the part where both Orion and Cygnus had approached her for the same thing.

Though Orion was a bit different, the man seemed to look for comfort, while Cygnus wanted a new witch in bed.

"There will always be witches who want to get in your position, though, I suppose it's a bonus that Alphard adores the ground you walk on."

"Even then it doesn't matter, because his good intentions of throwing me a birthday gave Evelyn the perfect opportunity." She hummed, but the option of wine was making her mouth water for it.

"For as a wonderful mind my brother has, he isn't the brightest."

"Is that why you hated me the moment you found out?"

"Partially," Walburga said, not diving into the conversation further and Rhea huffed.
"Partially? From what Orion told me, you urged him to get a ring on my finger. And now you've split down the middle of my having children or not. Yet you're helping me now—"

"I'm helping our title, not you. My brother sure, but I will not allow a faceless whore to try to step in when my brother is married. The scandal—" Rhea pushed up from her chair and placed her glass down.

"I knew you weren't being friendly in helping me, I realized that. And I'm not sure how I feel in seeing how proud you are that I cursed someone I thought as a friend for years."

"We are not friends, Rhea. The sooner you realize that, the better." She chuckled, feeling both the heavy guilt and selfishness that Orion had placed in asking what he had.

Even now she didn't know how the woman could give any comfort, her children—Let alone her husband.

"Thank you for the help, but I'll go. Goodnight." Rhea settled, fixing the buckle of her cloak, and yet Walburga hummed once again.

"Rather rude in leaving without being—"
"Dismissed? I've lived that life and don't plan on doing so again. Enjoy your wine." Rhea interrupted, glaring as she hurried to the floo and stepped fluently out of her manor's living room. Granted, it felt colder now than it ever did—Knowing that Alphard had artificial feelings to push Rhea out of his heart.

It hurt.
It hurt more than she ever thought it would.

For the first time in a while, the familiar walls felt cold. That if she hadn't managed to stop Evelyn, things could be different. Only Merlin knows what Evelyn would have sought to do first.

Transfer money.
File a divorce and start up her own wedding, which seems to be the very thing she was doing when she meant to be planning Rhea's birthday celebration.

Rhea didn't mean to snoop that Alphard was trying to do something of the same she had done for him, but there wasn't any backlash.

Not like this.

"Where is she?! Orion, tell me where she is!" Alphard's voice was hoarse, damning, and nearly caused Rhea to trip over herself. There were a few versions of her husband, and this was aggravated torture.
And Rhea didn't know if she wanted to stop so soon.

"It's not safe for Rhea to be near you, not with the potion still in your system. And it's as I said before, she's gone with Walburga to solve this. Starting with Rookwood and ending with Nott."

"Walburga?! You are siding with her? Tell me now, Orion, before I leave my conscious behind." Rhea had come through the now broken door and entryway, sadden that the beautiful wood was now ruined along with this day.

"Your conscious can stay, Alphard. I'm right here." The man spun around in need of seeing her, but clearly, he was still being heavily affected by the potion that darken circles had taken up the better part under his eyes.
Not to mention how red and hallow his gaze looked.

If anything, he looked drunk. Which is probably where the lore came from that a husband under this potion turned into a jealous and hormonal rage.

"...Rhea." He whispered, and she hadn't realized just how moved she'd be while he's under said potion. Goodness, it had nearly knocked her over—For a second time!

"How long has that meet-up been going on, Alphard?"

"Little goddess, it's me...It's Atlas—"

"No, you're Alphard. And I'm seriously considering taking the next portkey to Germany if all else fails. Now tell me what happened, now.

"Love—" Orion glanced between the both of them, not sure what Rhea was planning in coming into the room while he was still wildly on the potion. "—It was nothing, she was helping me in planning your birthday." His steps continued to walk forward and Rhea wanted to keep the distance, but it was harder to manage.

Only until she held the loveseat between them both with Orion and his wand out at the ready.

"It hurts, Rhea...When you cry, it hurts my soul."

"So did hearing that Evelyn's been coming to the manor unannounced, it makes me wonder what else you've been up to."

"Rhea—"

"No. I wanted transparency, and you knew how I needed it with everything that's happened before. How many times have I told you that Evenly's been acting out of sorts, and here's why!" Alphard's words didn't manage to form just one stance, but a few halves of many.

But his point was made, that he wanted Rhea.

As if they weren't married. As if they didn't share a bed every night and worked to better their relationship with every meal and social event they went to.

This was a man desperate for attention, and so when he offered up both his hands to hold her, she gave in and opted for one. And he instantly put his lips to her wrist, giving her a solid kiss as his eyes remained connected to hers.

"Let me apologies, properly." He deemed, only for Orion to clear his throat.

"I believe that is my cue to leave."

"We're waiting on Maverick, he should be coming soon—I said it was a potion emergency." That was one of the better moves of this afternoon, especially as he was catching a rather intimate moment between the two.

"I'll step outside, greet the man and warn him that my brother isn't in his right mind," Rhea smirked and watched as Orion left, though caught the small hint of his ears turning rather red.

Did Alphard's sensual touching cause him to turn embarrassed?

She never thought that Orion would act such a way, even now when—

"He's gone...Finally, we're alone now, love...And I've been thinking about you all day." He calls, his voice so gravely—And he knew damn well what he was doing, his hair undone from his low tie, and fuck, Rhea only had so much personal control.

"We're waiting for the healer, love...I'm not feeling too good after everything." That was enough to spark something in the wizard besides love, he ushered her to the couch and eased her down, allowing her to rest her head on his chest and soothe her.

As the lie of a stomach ache had managed to really distract him, considering he's very much under the impression that Rhea was too young to be feeling ill.

Though it was partially because he was worried she was pregnant the last time.

"Are you angry with me...?" He whispered, growing considerably drowsy after a few moments back on the couch. "Not completely, but you aren't completely off the hook. Evelyn and I's friendship has always been a bit bumpy, and I never thought she'd try something like this."

"Like what?"

"To steal you away from me, it killed me to see you and her so close to an embrace. You don't understand..."

"Oh but I do, I watched in pure agony you being miserable by Dolohov's side. At him silently taunting me and the rest of our circle that he has you, when I am the one who elects these thoughts." Rhea swallowed, wondering if this would ever wear off—

Thankfully Orion had opened the door and offered the room to Maverick, who looked rather panicked all things considering. "I'm sorry I'm late—Hard to get off of work without sharing my very illegal side job in caring for this dysfunctional family." He remarked, and Orion grumbled something of the sort as Rhea went along to greet him.

"Thank you, Mav. I really appreciate it—I don't know what exactly she put in his tea. But he's been—"

"He's a private man that's turned unprivate. Hopefully, this could be fixed with a potion of yours?" Orion reframed from going through the entire hour of what he's endured.
"Has he been...Aroused this entire time?" Maverick questioned, going to sort through the given vials of potion ingredients.

And Rhea was much too interested in the portable potion's kit to answer right away.

"Er...I'm not sure, I haven't been trying to continue this behavior. It's hard to stay mad at him when—"
"You're angry with me? Love." Maverick took one look at the master of the home and added another few leaves from his initial dosage.

"Well, it's much easier to fix this type of reaction. Rest assured he'll be better by morning." Rhea sighed in relief, though her eyes trailed down to the forming tent in her husband's trousers.
"Ah, I get what you mean now..." She said with a blush, and Orion grumbled once more.

"I can attest that it appeared when Rhea returned. Horny bastard." Maverick chuckled, though tried to hide it in hopes of not embarrassing Mrs.Black further. But that had long rung its course as the fellow was well under the influence and holding onto his wife as though his life depended on me.

"Why are you angry with me...Tell me? I'll make it better." Rhea rubbed his arm and hummed.

"Later, let's get you back to feeling like yourself." She leaned up to catch his smile, and if anything, he just seemed dazed.

The healer worked diligently as he stirred the potion into the mini cauldron, as it was made for one serving—Which made the brewing time cut in half. And sure Rhea was attempting to comfort Alphard, speaking with Orion about Walburga and what's to happen—But even then, she tried to gather as much as she could from what Maverick is doing out of a mere suitcase.

"C-could I ask a question?" Maverick grinned up to the witch and nodded, knowing that she was relatively shy, but her thirst for knowledge outwon the battle. "Do you have to excel at potions to become a healer?"

"No, and that's where most of our applicants have trouble with. Most believe they need to become a potions master, but really, I simply ask for a potion to be brewed...Then within the day I receive it from the floor. A background is always good to have for reference, like now—I've only aided a few love potions gone wrong, but I judge Mr.Black's affliction from others beforehand." She nodded eagerly, and their conversation started to pick up instantly following potions not being their favorite conversation.

"NEWT scores aren't held against you when it's been a decade and a half, who is going to care that I've gotten Exceeds Expectations when I've gained more about the subject every day." Rhea smile couldn't fail, and she hardly managed to stop the questions from forming.

Better yet, Orion caught just how angry his brother was getting that the attention was on the other wizard in the room.

Evidently, Maverick was everything that he was not.

Younger. Well-versed in the Medical field and without the pureblood tendencies that would appear here and there.

With the potion still swirling and making his thoughts clouded, as if Maverick had any intent in stealing Rhea from him. So his eyes remained watchful, but the healer never crossed the line. "We're nearly there...Mr.Black, does your head hurt at all?" The question remained unanswered as his attention remained strictly on Rhea.

"How is your head, darling?"

"I didn't have a drink, did I? It feels like I've taken to my whiskey early this day." Orion scoffed. "With what's happened, I wouldn't blame you, brother...Maverick will make all well soon." It was a near blessing to have connections to a healer such as Maverick.

Even when he would later send their appreciation—much like Alphard had when he healed Rhea at the celebration, the bloke had tried to send it all back.

That is how Alphard and Orion knew that he was a good man, a trustworthy one.

"Alright, that should do it...The potion will work, though depending on how much and how potent the effects were, it will take until morning." Rhea hummed, bringing the small vial to smell.

"Oh, that's awful." She said, biting back a grin as she held it up. "Could you take this for me, Alphard? It'll make me feel better from what's happened." He blinked, his gaze taking a good long look at the brown liquid.

"You won't be angry with me anymore?" He asked, a small pout playing on his lips. "That's right, and we'll have an early night. Maybe a game of chess if you're up to it." His eyes lightened up at the idea, and Orion turned away. Feeling as though it was inappropriate to look in on this conversation.

Merlin, he never expected his brother to be that much of a sap. But here he was, attempting to get a game of chess out of Rhea.

"Nasty mix you've created, Maverick. Remind me not to ask you to mix my drinks again." Alphard said, his tongue nearly sticking out as he wiped his beard. Droplets starting to catch there as well.

"It's been a while since I've served drinks. Owl me if he hasn't turned back to normal by late tomorrow morning." Rhea nodded, moving away from her husband and smiling up at Maverick.

And their whispers were causing Alphard's fists to curl once more.

"Have little to worry about, she wouldn't know flirting if it hit her upside the head," Orion muttered, but that still didn't give him any condolences for what was happening.

Never mind the blush creeping up Rhea's cheeks.

"Perhaps I stand corrected..." Orion frowned, a brow rose up and it nearly caused Alphard to draw out his wand.

Thankfully Rhea had moved away from the Healer, and bid him a good day before return back to her husband's side.

"Well, that was eventful. I'm sorry to do this, Orion, but Alphard's still in trouble on my end. Though I'm sure you don't want to head home. Would you like to stay for dinner?"

"And hear the bickering or the sly comments of what tonight might entail? I'll pass. Even if Walburga is in a mood." She hummed along before reaching for her in-law. "Just remember that there are a few guest rooms downstairs on this level that you're always welcomed to."

"With my luck, Walburga will assume that I'm up to no good—And that might reflect badly on you, dear Rhea. It's for the better." After walking him towards the study's door, the two were finally left alone.

Neither had known that this day was how it would end, and Rhea frowned as she turned to see the remains of the small get-together between her husband and Evelyn.

"I understand that you were trying to do something nice, but after everything I've said about Evelyn...I'd hope that it was obvious."

"What did you and Maverick speak about?" The question had taken her by surprise, and she turned back towards the door in confusion. Wondering how that correlated with what she was getting at.

"Oh! I was asking if we could have sexual intercourse while the potion takes effect." She claimed, and that nearly caused Alphard's final stance to break as he leaned to catch himself by the chair. "What?!"

"Well, your trousers are still...Indented. Er, it was more of asking if it would go down or if it was smart to relieve the...Tension." A smile had soon formed on Alphard's face, one that didn't suspect any wrongdoing had happened in front of him.

"But—You just took a potion on an empty stomach, so we'll have a light dinner and an early night. And if that continues to persist, then we'll get it sorted. Though remember, I'm still irked with you, Alphard." He pouted yet again, and allowed himself to be dragged away to their dining table.

Only to be pampered and hardly allowed to move an inch as Rhea was set in taking care of him.

"So you aren't angry with me?... You've had me worried, little Goddess. It hurts to know that you have ill feelings towards me."
 "Perhaps when you're healed, we'll talk about all that's happened to the full extent. But really, how can I stay angry with you now when you're the embodiment of Atlas? Did you see Orion's face, I thought he was going to puke!" The two shared a bit more laugh, though either stayed well away from the tea offered up by the elf serving them dinner.

There were moments that Alphard would seem to blink back into reality, only to sober up and return to a dazed smile. It was rather adorable to say the least, and Rhea did her best to minimize the heartache happening deep in her chest.

Just another moment alone and Evelyn could've—

It was growing increasingly difficult to stray from the general thoughts of how everything could have gone wrong. So after a relaxing evening of sending out multiple owls informing no work would get done for the rest of the night or tomorrow, Rhea could finally slip into a calming zone.

Or until Alphard had given up his intent and gone straight for gripping her arse when she least expected it.

"Alphard!" She shrieked, stumbling forward as she began to rub the stinging feeling. "It's calling to me, love...I'm sorry."

"Sorry? You're still grinning like you've gotten the house cup." She said, nudging him before hurrying away into the closet. "And here I thought I was going to dress up for bed!" She ushered, taking a much more covering option of the bunch.

"I'm not opposed to ripping things this night, Rhea!" He shouted, knowing that his voice would carry through the walls. And Rhea huffed, going to put on another layer just to urk him and his mood.

It didn't sit right with her to actually have sexual intercourse, so she was hoping that the effects of Maverick's potion would push sleep quicker than his cock would at the idea of sex.

Though as Rhea stepped back out into their room, she realized that his cock hadn't gotten the memo.

No, not at all.

"What did you say about ripping?" She said, a grin forming on her face.

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Date Posted: 04/09/2022

Time: 5:04

Words: 4688