Video (backdated to Sunday Night)

[king]

[ Arthur's hands are shaking, and therefore, so is the Forge. But it's obvious, even in the dim light, that he's blood-spattered. But underneath the gore sluiced across his face, his jaw is firmed, his breathing slow and deliberate. ]

I'm so sorry. If I'd realized, I never would have —

[ No, he needs to start earlier than that. ]

If — someone who knows Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks could collect their bodies from the ruins...

[ No, that's not the place either. He swallows, hard, guilt shadowing his eyes. ]

[ Filter: Priscilla, Byakuya. ]

I have done — a terrible thing. I'll be stepping down from my position as Vice Commander, of course. And I would like to turn myself in to be judged at Themis.

Someone will have to be assigned to bring in Bellatrix. She fled into the Mist. I honestly thought she was no longer a threat to anybody, but I was wrong.

I've been wrong in a lot of things.

Comments

[video]

[calamitousnaiad]

What have you done?

[And she pauses a moment, re-examines his original message, and looks at him, afraid, hoping the conclusions she's drawn aren't the truth.]

You didn't.

[It is more request than assertion.]

[video]

[king]

I didn't mean to.

[ Another rub across his face, smearing nearly-dried blood. ]

[video]

[calamitousnaiad]

... How?

[And she pauses, torn somewhere between panic and sorrow, and thinks to clarify.]

I don't mean how, but... how did you come to it?

[video]

[king]

You are aware Remus Lupin is a werewolf?

He was attacking Bellatrix.

[ Whether or not he recognized Lupin before he ran the sword through him is not entirely clear in his mind. It had seemed like a rush of adrenaline and forward momentum, seeing a monster attacking a woman and taking the most obvious course of action without stopping to think. ]

[video]

[calamitousnaiad]

I wasn't... aware.

[But she is now. A bit too late, perhaps.]

What will you do?