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Bows of Innocence

She had always liked her damn cats. He hated the blasted creatures. They were vile, dirty, sneaky—you couldn't trust the one of them. But she tied them with the pink bows of innocence. She deluded herself into thinking all they wanted was a ball of string and a bowl of warm milk.

She wouldn't let him get rid of them, no matter how he tried to get her to listen to reason. There were a whole five of them in their house. They stared at him, their yellow eyes glowing as they plotted against him.

"Alaster! There is something wrong with Mrs. Sweetpea!" screamed Dolores.

"You don't say?" said Alaster calmly.

"Alaster! What did you do to her?" demanded Dolores.

"Nothing that she didn't have coming," was the even response.

"That is it! If this is how things are going to be, I am leaving!"

"You choose them over me?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes."

-Many years later-

She couldn't say it wasn't hard to hear about his death. She couldn't dwell on it though, there were more important things to do than to mourn someone who had died in a broom crash. She supposed he had become addled through the years. The "Mad-Eye" nickname, as distasteful as it was, told a lot about him.

"Mrs. Umbridge?" came a voice from her office door.

"Yes, Lindy, do come in," said Dolores sweetly.

"The Department of Distribution and Finance sent this for you," said Lindy, placing a small box on her desk.

"Thank you, Lindy," said Dolores. Lindy stood, looking at the box curiously. "Thank you, Lindy," repeated Dolores again, a cold bite to her once sweet words. Lindy's eyes widened as he scurried out the door stammering apologies.

Dolores observed the box before she opened it. It was a deep purple, with the name Alaster Moody written in silver letters across the top. And accompanying letter informed her that the Department of Distribution and Finance sent their greatest sympathies. Dolores put the letter aside and opened the box.

Inside the box was a single object—an eye. The eye, electric blue, stared at her intently. Dolores didn't flinch as she stared back. This was all she had left of her husband. She picked up the eye, examining it further. Well, she thought, she might as well put it to good use.