As the two conversed, Hawke noted this was definitely the most civil conversation they'd managed thus far. Albiorix hadn't tried to curse him to smithereens. Hawke hadn't gone digging in the other's head for information. If anyone had told him two weeks ago that he would be sitting face to face with an unbound Death Eater without a brandished wand between them, he would have had them shipped off to St. Mungo's. And yet, here they were.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"Perhaps you're right. Maybe the Ministry can't do anything about her for now, but she can't continue to go unnoticed."</span>Hawke's eye followed the ring as Albiorix set it gently upon the chest.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"I admit I've never wanted anyone dead so badly."</span>Well that was a lie if he'd ever uttered one. During the Battle of Hogwarts both his fingers and his wand had itched to obliterate the bastards who'd murdered his mother. And he'd done just that.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"Err, figuratively speaking, of course." </span>But was it really murder if committed during a time of war?<i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">Of course not. </span></i>Granted his mother was still dead, thus vengeance seemed quite lackluster in the grand scheme of things.<i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">They had to die . . . </span></i><br/><br/>Hawke seemed just as lost within his own as head as Albiorix seemed to be lost in the silent callings of the ring, his own gaze moving from the flickering flames now warming the room, to Albiorix, then back again.<br/><br/>And he'd certainly noticed that the other man seemed greatly preoccupied as they spoke. In fact Hawke wondered if the other was even listening to him at all until he was met with an excited grin that he didn't like one bit.<i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"Bring us together,"</span></i>he scoffed, then frowned.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"Of course. It's the reason I wound up in your mother's hands to begin with." </span>He'd thought he'd gone to the burnt house on his own accord, but . . .<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"I set out to apparate to the Ministry. Instead at the last minute I decided to investigate the house in the photo. You know, the one-time home of the muggle you murdered."</span>He studied the other's reaction to those words, searching, maybe even hoping to see an ounce of remorse beneath that hood. However, Hawke's brow furrowed as he thought he'd have done the same in Albi's shoes.<i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000"> If that had been Mother hanging from those rafters . . . </span></i>He was at a loss, really. Torn on the true definition of justice in this situation.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"How many more?"</span>How many more murders would he be forced to turn a blind eye to?<i><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">The four you killed in vengeance were Death Eaters. It was different. </span></i><br/><br/>But was it really?<br/><br/>The subject stirred the beginnings of a headache between his temples. Or perhaps he was beginning to feel more side effects of the torture curse.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"It's inevitable,"</span>he accused as the other told spoke of Theo.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"You and I will butt heads. I'm an Auror. You were once a servant of the Dark Lord himself."</span>He spat the sentence as if he couldn't possibly understand the appeal, found disgusting why anyone would ever subject themselves to being a slave, a<i>henchman</i>. Especially someone as seemingly bright as Albi.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"You may think my threat is empty, that the worst I could do to you is cart you off to Azkaban because I work for the Ministry." </span>He recalled the terrible hexes and spells he'd used on the battlefield that night, often relived the nightmare in his dreams . . . except in those he was always on the receiving end of an Aspen wand instead. He suddenly worried what exactly the other had seen while he'd been unconscious.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000"> "Theo is where I draw that invisible line. I'd remember that if I were you."</span>His brother was the only family he had left. In fact, as Albiorix spoke of having no one alive in this world he cared about, it dawned on Hawke with horror that Theo was the only thing standing between Hawke and that same, sad existence.<br/><br/><span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"Powerless, you say?" </span>He eyed the ring, watching how the Death Eater kept glancing back to it.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"No offense, but I think I'd rather her have that ring to control you with than me."</span>He could understand the man's need to destroy it, but it didn't seem good for the two to be reunited. Whoever had given the thing to Albi had likely never meant for it to be corrupted in the first place. So where was the value in it anymore?<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000"><i>No value. Magic is holding him to it. </i>"That was only lie I could come up with to keep her from killing me on the spot,"</span>he grimaced, eyes moving to the fire as he suddenly found eye contact too awkward.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"I knew she was reading my thoughts somehow, must be the Veela blood in her. I just didn't realize your mother would be keen on attempting to use me as a useless bargaining chip. I found that bit quite entertaining. The last laugh as if were."</span>In truth, the ring was all Albiorix had wanted from this entire fiasco.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"I'm unsure what information she wanted from me so badly, not that I had any to give."</span>he raised a golden brow.<span class="fixed-color" style="color:#b30000">"In any case . . . if you want that ring destroyed, I think you'd best leave that to someone else. I know how powerful protection charms can be."</span>He waited, watching to gauge just how attached the Death Eater had become to a mere object.