Team: Wimbourne Wasps
Prompts: (dialogue) "Three, two, one. Ready or not, here I come!"; (song) Stand by Me - Ben E. King; (word) estranged
Player: Chaser 2
September: Madame Chang, Hermione Granger, Garrick Ollivander, Quirinus Quirrell.
Word count: 1006 ( Excluding Author's Note, but including entire Entry and Title)
Warning: This is an AU (Alternate Universe) piece where Madam Chang is being hunted down by Death Eaters.
Characters: Madam Chang; OC
Summary: They arrived unannounced, and now they want to hunt her down and torture her. Madam Chang fights for her life, while envisioning the once glorious world that was taken from them.
Author's Note: Just a quick piece! Hope y'all like it.
As always, enjoy
-Carolare Scarletus
The Sun will Rise Again
The Atrium was abnormally silent that morning. Among the first to arrive, Madam Chang took notice of the strange calmness of the largely decorated centre of the underground governing system, which was truly a magnificent sight to behold when the splendor of dawn was fast approaching, so much so that Madam Chang expressed the same amazement each time is work brought her to the vast network of connecting tunnels, soaring bird-like papers, the golden fountain, occupied Witches and Wizards, and offices. She allowed her eyes to land upon of the towering buildings that seemed to have been sculpted by the earth itself. Soon, the polished black and white stoned tunnel would flow with a tsunami of Witches and Wizard, and the reception hall of the Ministry of Magic will fill with the sweet hums of another promising day of business deals and propositions.
Only that… the Atrium wasn't like it had been.
Dangerous night cloaked every corner and gloom seemed to be the prevailing theme of the once thriving heart of the Magical World. Madam Chang could feel it in her veins, since/as it was cold as ice and pierced her like a thousand knives. In the middle of the Atrium was the statue of the Death Eater's disgrace; the large stone structure sat on what looked to be people escaping the pits of Hell. Their estranged looks of horror marred their faces, which became illuminated by the enchanted moon as it hung precariously in the middle of the Atrium. She'd come for sanctuary, which she hoped to find in this trialing of times. The Madam could hear their cries as if she was standing on the battlefield with them. Somewhere out there, her daughter was being tortured. She could remember the first day they came to the Ministry.
They arrived without a word, emerging from the flickering flames of one of the dozens of fireplaces located in the hidden citadel underneath London. Complete silence encompassed them. Coldness welcomed them as an odd friend. There was something strangely wrong about the piercing coldness. As they walked down the black, wooden floors of the reception hall, a faint glow of emerald cast upon them provided from the soft murmurings of the fires. When they reached the end of the massive, curved tunnel of burnished black stone, they stopped, momentarily enraptured by the splendid hall of the Ministry of Magic. High above them, the peacock night twinkled like diamonds above them on the heavenly cloud. Clothed in dark robes and insidious masks, the Death Eaters marched through Madam Chang's division with the dark intention to find their target. The estranged aura of their presence whipped around like them like violent waves of forbidden magic, and Madam Chang had to hold her breath to stop the gasp from slipping past her lips at the memory.
Now, she was fighting for her life.
"Three, two one. Ready or not, here I come!"
Beside her, Claudine Waters whimpered silently at the deathly silence. Madam Chang stood by her, patting her back and whispering soothing words. She couldn't afford to be afraid. The piercing structure of their world trembled.
Madame Chang was a woman to be reckoned with in her midnight blue robes, her rough expression, and bleeding heart. Over the years, she subjected herself to strict rulings, never once allowing those beneath her to rule over her priorities or get under her thickened skin with their ideologies and cries of anguish. She was no fool to human emotion, and if the lack of judgment thereof was the result of closing herself off and sheltering herself from others, then she didn't want anything to do with the Muggle World. She'd lived too long and seen too much to know no good could come from doing so. But,
"We know you're out there!" One of the Death Eaters rang out in a sing-song voice. "And, when we catch you… We'll torture you into where the others are hiding."
Madam Chang looked around, taking in as much as the grand level as she could. Another memory surfaced. A magnificent golden fountain once stood before them, glittering even in the faint glow of the fireplaces. A woman wearing flowing robes stood proudly, clenching the book tucked comfortably in her left hand. The woman appeared to be addressing the majestic creature of the woods, a centaur who was in the process of striking her its front hooves stood suspended it stunned motion. A small, little creature stood at her feet, his head raised to take in the beautiful Witch before him. Another individual stood by her side, a wizard who's eyes remained fixated on the centaur.
It was an outstanding display of acceptance and companionship, one that everyone should've appreciated before it was taken away.
"We have to move," she told her colleague, an estranged look on her face. Claudine looked at her with wide eyes. "Do not look at me like that! It is the only choice we have. Now, follow me."
"T-the flow network! They haven't cut it off yet."
"Can you Apparate?"
Claudine shook her head, too frightened to give her an answer without alerting the attention of the Death Eaters.
The pair quietly made their way across the Reception Hall, Madam Chang's thoughts brought her back to the masked intruders. Immured by the daunting thoughts and recess of her mind, she guided her friend through the winding trenches of the Ministry, hoping to find solitude before assistance arrived. In the distance, he could scarcely make out the faint contours of what looked like another office. Behind the quaint, misshapen shadows dawn was slowly approaching; a thin, very deceiving line of glowing light lined the horizon, giving birth to a new and long-awaited day. She hoped that a new day brought comfort to those who needed it the most. As she stared, she hardly noticed the shift in the atmosphere. The cold had become her friend, numbing all other sensations during its brief, transient welcome.