Brunettes in arms:Initiation
Hello readers.
Do not threat, my OC story Magicless will continue. I will post for that when I figure out where I want to go with it. In the meantime, to make sure you guys are entertained during the short break, I am uploading a new story for you peeps to read and enjoy.
Like I said in the summary this is the first of three stories to come in the Brunettes In Arms trilogy. You might not be used to this style, and neither am I writing in it, but for effect this trilogy will be present tense. Interesting huh? There is gonna be very few authors notes in this story so PM me any queries or review with them.
This is an accumulation of previous OC characters I created in my other stories as well as original characters I have made for my film ideas and screenplays on my uni course. This is slightly canon. Harry defeated Voldemort in second year, destroying his horcrux. That one however was his only one so he doesn't come back in forth year.
I should have really improved in my writing ability and creativity since I have been analysing screenplays and am currently being mentored by a brilliant book by Syd Field. If it still sucks, then I suck OK.
Disclaimer: all OC characters belong to me but all other characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling. Any film quotes belong to Warner Bros.
Chapter 1: Funeral of the fallen
A vase is placed on the window. Four roses are inside. Three are luscious and vibrant but the water droplets on the petals make the buds droop. One rose is not luscious and vibrant. One rose has withered and wilted, and the other flowers encircle it. Almost as if they are still embracing and comforting the poor rose that is inevitably dying. One woman sees the rose and takes it out. She takes the vase and leaves the dying one on the windowsill. The rose is left on the windowsill of a very lonely looking room. The clouds and the rain outside makes the whole place lifeless. Looking outside the window, a crowd of black moves from the house and out onto the path and lawn. Sniffles and sobs are heard amongst the huddle.
Three girls step out from the crowd, their chins touch their chest and mascara lines streak down their cheeks.
The girl on the left is the most emotional. She is shaking with sobs, clutching at her heart like it was jarring violently. Her long brown hair is pulled into a loose bun; hair that normally flows straight down her spine, reaching to the end of her shoulder blades. Her dark chocolate eyes are shut tightly, not looking at anything in case more black-stained tears leak down her face. Pink lipstick, a sharp contrast to the black, tributing the fallen girl. This girl is the picture of a lover grieving and the definition of the word heart-broken. An emotionally malleable girl subdued and demoralised. A girl in which emotions are instinct and logic is neglected, now without the spirit to even move.
Her name is Alexis Moon.
The girl on the right is the most active. Her chin length brown hair is swaying to and fro with the slow rocking from side to side. Her glossy lips are muttering a quiet prayer along with her small pale hands clasped together, clutching a crucifix. Her lime green eyes are staring at the small religious symbol. Sadness is in them but so too is happiness of knowing the fallen girl is at peace. The girl is a bringer of condolence. The girl that always makes any low-spirited situation bearable at the least. A seemingly harmless girl not to be underestimated. She however had a lot of anger, sorrow and guilt deep inside that threatened to be unleashed. Not on this day. She owed it to the other two and the fallen girl to be the girl she always is.
Her name is Jessie Helmsworth.
And the girl in the centre is the most collected. Her sleek brown hair pulled into a tight ponytail stood rigid. Her smoky grey eyes staring at the ground, unmoving. Her cream lips drawn into a straight line. Her honey-skinned hands cupped and held in front of her by her abdomen. She was like a soldier. The girl is a born leader. A brilliant mind for strategy and with an instinctual tactical intuition. She was arguably hit most by the death of the fallen girl. The team she vowed to lead, defend, stand by and connect to was ripped apart at the seams. If you were to take them down, then the foe HAD to take them ALL down. Taking any less left the team weakened, broken and vulnerable. "Business" beside, the three girls had lost a friend today. Lost a sister. Four seventeen year old girls who started of as scared thirteen year olds soon became the deadliest force against evil since Arthur and his knights of the round table and Robin Hood and his band of merry men. This was a team of brilliant fighters and heroines, taking the power into their hands against the forces of darkness. The team had not suffered a single casualty, barely even a scratch in injury. Until a few weeks prior. The four years of dominant good over evil came to a shuddering halt. They all knew their lives were on the line each time they fought but they never fully comprehended it, neither would they ever be ready for the first to fall. The first had fallen and the responsibility came upon the head of the leader and close friend. It was her team, and each person was equal. So taking one out made them uneven. Her master told her the most important part of the team was making sure you NEVER fought without four. Soon she would have to look for a person to fill the void left by the fallen girl, or disband the team entirely which was the inevitable end of good versus evil. But that was for later. "Mourning the fallen must come before introducing the ascension" were the words of their master. She had no problem with that.
This girl is Ashley Milanski.
The three girls look up upon seeing the casket, encased in a soft and sleek black sheet. On the sheet are moving photos of the fallen girl. Some with her family during Christmas time, birthdays, graduations, new year's eve. Some of her school friends and class photos. Some of the many brilliant moments shared between the four brunettes, at times where the jovial mood meant more when they were shared during dangerous times. Some of the photos are of her and her girlfriend, cuddling up sharing sweet kisses or tickling and laughing with each other; all of which has Alexis swallowing and sniffling more when she saw the eyes of herself and the fallen girl looking lovingly at the camera and back at each other. But most of the pictures depict just the fallen girl smiling at the camera shyly.
All three brunette's watch the casket float by them. The mother of the fallen girl is bawling into the jacket of the father, a sad face leading his wife forward behind the casket bravely. Then as they pass, the brunettes take their formation behind them. The whole crowd then follow and the casket leads the large human convoy to the cemetery. The casket is hung sturdily over the open grave and the grieving take their positions around it.
The service is short so that the grieved can speak of the fallen freely. To the people present the words of a man the Muggles call God, and the wizards call the spirit of Merlin, were like a narration of someone else's story. Not the story of the girl in the coffin. So when the time comes for those closest to speak, the girl's true story could be told. Her parents, Angela and Martin, stand up. Angela more shakily but both equally devastated. Martin, being the composed man he was, volunteers to speak on behalf of him and his wife. He speaks of the first time they held the innocent child in their arms, her first word, her first step, her first day at school, the day she came out, her first kiss, her first girlfriend. A regular life with the usual rollercoaster ride. Falling in love, meeting friends, grinding through school, break-ups, fallouts, fun girly nights talking about how yucky the boys were.
That rollercoaster however suddenly flew of the tracks. The rollercoaster became a fighter jet and she found herself battling to survive. Normally when a student does exceptionally well at school they get rewarded; house points, privileges that sort of thing. But when you a knack for something far greater than your peers in school, you get punished. Or rewarded, depending on your way of thinking. You see being extra bright gets you recognised not just inside the school but outside. The Minister administers regular inspections, naturally for improvements and evaluations of the education that Hogwarts provides. But the over-achieving students get relayed to the Ministry to be recorded. This is because if there is a significant change between one record and another the officials can investigate why the standards have improved or fallen, and therefore take action or commend the progress.
That was until a man named Dominic Van Baar decided the world needed a new revolution.
For years he saw crime rising in the magical world: some followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named after the Wizarding war, Jewel thieves in Egypt, Pirates, Pure-blood activists and the growing realisation that the world is getting easier to abuse. He was formerly the head of the DMLE, also thought to be the man who trained Mad-eye Moody himself but that rumour hasn't been confirmed by either of them. He was pressured into an early retirement because of a family-destroying case that to this day never speaks of. After a few years of depression he finally started to find confidence to avenge his losses and this new idea was first constructed. It took him a while but he finally managed to sell his idea to the Head DMLE auror of the time, the Wizengamot and the Minister himself.
His idea was pretty straightforward and simple to commence. He started supervising the Hogwarts inspections, concentrating solely on the top student records. He took the top ten percent of the school body and personally wrote to each individual pupil, encouraging them to participate in the then upcoming Tri-wizard Tournament. The one who became the Hogwarts champion was...Alexis Moon.
She trounced the competition and impressively made Hogwarts the winning school by quite a margin. On the same day that she won the cup she was offered a meeting that would be what Dominic called the "Fourth test".
He planned a fake kidnap attempt with over thirteen opponents, to strike when she would be wandless and seemingly defenceless. She held her own, but that was not the most surprising thing. The surprise was her fellow friends who fought, wandless too, to assist her.
The aurors deemed this a failed plan and were about to pull the plug on the girl. Dominic stopped him. He saw insurmountable chemistry between the four girls; as well as loyalty, intelligence and skill. His original idea transformed from a pretty buttercup to a gorgeous vase of roses. He had found the more than perfect formula and then was born...
The BIA (Brunette's In Arms)
Ashley Skye Milanski
Jessie Laurel Helmsworth
Alexis Melina Moon
And...
Mackenzie Olivia Johnson
1975-1994
Daughter, Lover and Close Friend.
" there is no bad, not if you just smile "
The other three girls knew this one was; any smile today would be faked. The crowds are whittled down to five people. The parents and the remaining three brunette's. The fresh grave has been sealed, the final resting place for the chink in all their armour, safe and free six feet below the turf. Leaving just one question that lingered on their tongues and swam around their minds.
Was it worth it?
Martin is the first to look away from the grave, albeit hesitantly. He looks at the trio of girls on the opposite side and asks "Would any of you girls like to say a few words? We've said our part and we would love to hear yours."
Ashley acknowledges him. "We do indeed. We felt the honour should go to Kenzie's sweetheart-" turning to her right "-Ali, on behalf of herself and her dear friends."
Alexis jumps at this and cries a few more tears, despite anticipating this moment. She shakily withdraws a piece of parchment from her trouser pocket, holding it by her stomach in front of her. She reads and receives it like a line from a play, or a citation. Not of something she had come up with, explaining the impact of the loss of a loving friend, partner and soulmate.
She looks at it dejectedly. The words weren't right. Not enough. Nothing she could write, say or do was enough. Even if she did have the words, what's the point? This shouldn't happen to the people you love. People you love don't get killed by some lucky son of a whatsit in a raid. They shouldn't die at all, especially before their time has even flourished. She should be alive right now, they should be at home together. Not in a cemetery. They were now forced to live without their longtime friend, without her favourite girl kissing her with a matched intensity. Who's fault was this? Dom's, the BIA, the effing squib gang but solely theirs. The decision to accept this cursed new life when they had a free and worthwhile life staring them in the face.
"I can't do this" Alexis whimpers, tearing the parchment into pieces before running.
The two remaining brunettes sigh simultaneously. "We should make sure she is OK, then give her some space" Ashley says. Jessie nods in response. They both give the grieving parents an apologetic look, returned by a dismissive empathetic look. The girls rush off after her.
The bedroom door crashes open, revealing a hysterical Alexis. She paces angrily with sharp intakes of breath. Occasionally she kicks stuff, knocks something over and cries until she flops face first onto the bed which muffles her sobs. Two pairs of hurried feet are heard on the stairwell and the other two girls appear at the door. They stare at Alexis' crying form and cautiously enter the room.
"Ali? We understand how you must be feeling, so we will leave you here in peace. Make sure you-" Ashley begins. Alexis pops her head up and cuts her off.
"Really? You understand? So you feel angry right?"
"Yes somewhat"
"Angry of what?"
"The lack of justice"
"By whom?"
"The gang"
"Who else?"
"Myself."
"That's it?"
"Those are the ones that spring to mind"
"Jess?
Jessie speaks for the first time, naturally shy but even shier than usual. " Erm. Yeah, the gang and myself likewise."
"WRONG!"
The sudden outburst scares them and they jump. Alexis violently whips up and faces them both. "You are both wrong! Why does your list stop huh? Where is my name? All of our names? Dom's name? The whole flaming BIA idea! The men behind it! The decisions we made!" Alexis gets up and does circuits of the room. "This whole screwed up thing! I survived a bloody perilous competition that is enough excitement for a lifetime! I not only survive it but I win it, comprehensively! I do that to be fooled into a fake kidnapping that apparently determines me into some sort of non-muggle, real-life superhero! And all because some megalomaniac guy has an idea! A messed up idea! Then, like an absolute moron, I agree! We agreed! Then we save a thousand lives, kick a thousand man and woman arse and fight crime like no one has ever fought it before! And for what?!"
"Come on Ali, you know what we stand for. Me, you, Jess AND Kenz all believed in us saving real lives and making the world a better place." Ashley tries to reason.
"That is my point! We saved lives, we made it a better place! Or did we?! If we did what have we really got from it?! A dead member and a weakened team! All we get from Mad Max is a commiserations and a three month holiday! He doesn't care for US, he cares about the team! The only reason we have this holiday is so he can research a recruitment we have never met before! The Master is nothing more than a puppeteer! We are his puppets! We are disposable!"
Ashley looks affronted. Jessie conflicted.
"What sort of world is this?! A world that offers schoolchildren an 'opportunity' to live a life of heroism! Schoolchildren! Our government openly sacrifice four young students so some big bad men can get their butts kicked! Yes, it was fun but putting children in harms way cos the adults can't take the heat! It's pathetic! We are nothing more than celebrities! One of us dies in battle and her face in the Daily Prophet! We get commiserations from strangers! But do they really care?! When this 'recruitment' is selected THAT will be the headline news! What happens to Kenz?! She is forgotten, an answer to a pub quiz question! We mean nothing to them if we aren't saving their arses so they don't bother to care what really happens to us, as long as they still have an US! It is wrong!"
Alexis kicks a chair so violently the leg snaps off of it. Jessie slowly approaches the damage and begins to clear it up. Alexis ignores it and rants on.
"And that...Merlin help me, the meatheaded, foul, psychopathic creeps. Oh Merlin, how I hate them." She says with a menacing tone. "They will rot in their cells like the dogs they are, glad that I can't reach any of them. If they saw me again it will be the LAST thing they saw. Believe me."
Ashley thinks that Alexis is calming down slightly so she edges her way towards her friend. Alexis snaps round and the intensity is back, sending Ashley into a retreat.
"I hate you for your lack of instinct!" She jabs Ashley in the chest with her index finger."You have never failed to have it before so why didn't you have it this time! The one time you don't and the world collapses!" Now pointing at Jessie. "I hate you for your lack of action! You were right there watching Kenzie throw up blood and you were like a statue! Maybe moving sooner and getting her arse out of there may have given us time to save her!" Jessie hangs her head as she picks up some splintered wood from the floor. "I hate myself! For all the broken promises I gave her! The life I promised her that I failed to keep! And I hate all of us more so for agreeing to this nightmarish charade! Were we not content with Friday night flirting?! With dates on Saturday, parties on Sunday and hungover Mondays?! We had girls and boys chasing us way before this came up! Before the Tournament even! I preferred dreaming of fame than becoming the fame! Not this sort of fame anyway! We were given peace or conflict! Fame or freedom! Life or death! What were we thinking when we agreed to this!"
Ashley attempts to argue but neither of the two girls on the end of the verbal assault have the heart to, or the words to. In fact, a lot of what Alexis is saying has valid points.
"What I wouldn't give to go back and choose differently. I didn't sign up for this. This is not who I am or what I want to be". Alexis finishes, fresh tears spilling down her face.
The other two brunettes take this as a cue to move in. They embrace the crying girl into a three-way hug. She hugs them back and they are silent bar the occasional sob or sniffle.
Unbeknownst to the girls; a man in a black cape, top hat on his head and cane in hand, sits upon the chest of drawers. The twitch in his face making his thin moustache quiver and the left corner of his mouth curl upwards every few seconds. A ten centimetre long goatee beard stretches down from his chin. He looks like a stereotypical Muggles conception of a wizard. His overcoat fractionally hides his old-fashioned clothing. He looks like a cross between Jack the Ripper and the Wizard of Oz the girls look up and jump at seeing him.
"Do forgive me for my intrusion my young apprentices, I can honestly say this heartwarming scene is indeed very touching. Miss Johnson would be smiling like always at the sight of you three". He says with a smooth voice that jumps slightly when his twitch kicks in.
"You dare speak of her! You foul pig!" Alexis rages, trying to squirm herself free of the restraining arms of her friends.
"Miss Moon, I apologize for my tardiness. I see your hostility towards me therefore I also apologize for any misdeed I have done to you or Miss Johnson."
"It's not good enough! How long have you been sitting there anyway? I never saw you come in!"
"I have quietly been convalescing for about an hour now. I was expecting some tears and anticipated your flee, so here I waited." He responds.
Alexis realises he was disillusioned the whole time. "You creep! You spied on me in my moment of weakness!"
"Spy? I would not describe it that way myself but it is open for interpretation I suppose. But I tell you one thing, what you showed there was not weakness. It was bravery and closure. A person who quotes from the heart is the bravest of souls and the real seeker of truth. You did not disappoint me my dear, you impressed me."
"Oh goody" she replies sarcastically "now go drone on somewhere else."
"I'm afraid this discussion will have to be held without you Miss Moon, you are far too emotional. Miss Helmsworth, please escort Miss Moon to the bedroom across the hall. She needs some rest and time to settle her emotions".
" Yes Master " Jessie tugs on Alexis' sleeve. Alexis glares at the man one last time before vacating the room with Jessie.
Ashley now stood to attention in respect.
"No need for formal body language Miss Milanski, this is a casual gathering." The Master tells her, unseating himself from the chest of drawers. Ashley relaxes but stays where she is. "You know your brief Miss Milanski?"
"Yes sir. Team BIA are on temporary hiatus until September, crimes and incidents will temporarily all be reported to the DMLE. Team BIA are advised to seek refuge overseas or to non-trepidous places. All Press is prohibited until further notice."
"Good, you three best stick to that brief. I am however obliged to give you news of any development on a potential recruitment." The Master addresses.
"Question sir?"
"You may ask."
"I respect the idea to restore BIA to its standard four member basis, however I don't understand why it's necessary?"
The Master raises his eyebrow curiously. "I sense you wish to say more. Don't hold back, speak your mind."
"Well, the only reason BIA was a team of four was because you saw strong chemistry and unity within us that could help to restore dominance over evil. Initially it was Alexis to be chosen so the blueprint of this idea held no significance to how many were involved. So why can't the BIA stick as a trio? Four is theoretically stronger than three, but I believe it isn't in this case. By adding a recruitment with no connection to us whatsoever, it does not increase unity or chemistry. It may even further reduce the chemistry and unity. I would personally rather be a member down than fight along someone I don't trust."
"You make valid points Miss Milanski. Indeed, numbers are not important and your analysis of the impact of recruitment is very impressive. However you misinterpret WHY I am seeking recruitment for BIA. Take nothing away from you three, you are all talented fighters and skilled individuals. With the loss of Miss Johnson, BIA has lost its ability to gather intel. Miss Johnson was the spy, researcher and informant. So when I say you need recruitment it is not because of a loss of numbers, it's a loss of resource. Can you explain to me Miss Milanski why gathering intel is important, what skills you require to do so and why the responsibility can only be a one person job?"
Ashley thinks deeply and begins reciting. "Intel is important because all criminal factions; big or small, strong or weak, secret or public knowledge; they all withhold some form of information. Without reliable sources gathering intelligence and without undercover work, you are left with nothing to work with to strategize plans of action. Any action you do take with low intel is more than likely gonna fail. Gathering intel is in three methods: Infiltration, liaison and research. A faction may need requirements to join, and they can be physical, emotional and personal so a spy needs to fit the requirements which in some cases mean you create a completely different persona and background. This requires acting skills, fast-thinking and toughness under pressure. To liaise with a mole inside a faction you need subtlety, diverse knowledge of location and surrounding, and confidentiality. And to research you need a long attention span and knowledgeable instinct of what to look for. In a team only one person can bear this responsibility, if other members takeover and/or interfere (without the requirements and skills needed) then missions can be jeopardised before action has even taken place". Ashley looks relieved to have finished.
"Indeed. You three have your roles, to put this responsibility on the shoulders of people unable to utilise skills to complete them is suicide. You need a fourth member Miss Milanski, and I believe my search is making progress. Do you know what big event is scheduled to commence later this year?"
"The Tri-wizard Tournament sir."
"Precisely. Think of it as the resurrection. A person who can bypass the Tournaments tasks, deja vu at it's best."
"But Master, that doesn't prove trust." Ashley implores. "I can't make my team fight beside someone we don't know."
"That is why Miss Milanski, I won't be choosing the recruitment, you three will. You have a second brief Miss Milanski. Your objective is to go to Hogwarts, scout potential recruitment options and report them to me. Examine the skills and strengths of every student in their fourth year and above." He sees a question on Ashley's lips. "You may ask."
"Fourth year? I thought the tournament was only for sixth years in their seventeens and seventh years?"
"That is true, it took me a while but I have successfully encouraged Mister Fudge, Crouch Sr. and Bagman to leave a loophole in the binding contract, that states 'should an underage applicant apply via persuasion of BIA, then the age limit will be made null and void'. For obvious reasons I couldn't go any younger than fifteen. That's not to say you have to try and scout a student aged under the limit, it just widens the search. When you have reported a candidate, if I give my approval, you can then persuade them to place their name in the goblet."
"Why not just choose a candidate out of the applicants, or better yet choose the chosen champion?"
"Because you need to properly scout a student BEFORE they apply, hence why you start in September. If you do your objectives well enough, the champion will be your candidate. The goblet will undoubtedly be judging the applicants on their worth and ability, you must make the goblet's mind up for it. Choosing a candidate is not to be overlooked, you cannot rush the decision. Look out for every hint of skill, don't scout until you find a student with ten skills in their arsenal. Once you commence scouting do NOT alert them to you yet. Wait for my report to come back approved before you confront them. You are not allowed to teach, train or advise the candidate in any way; you must inform them of the requirements and update them of proceedings, that is all. There will be strict consequences. Do not manipulate the goblet either, the decision must be fair not just for legal reasons but for yourselves. Forcing a decision will be counter-productive. The candidate can be male or female. Basically no one is off-limits, it's your choice after all so the appearance requirements will be left for you to decide. Don't dwell on appearance though, this not a beauty contest" The Master chuckles humourously. "Are we clear Miss Milanski?"
"Yes Master"
"Superb. Enlighten the other two in due course. And Miss Milanski..." Ashley indicates her attention. "...do relax, won't you?"
Ashley smiles politely. "I will try sir."
Without a word of farewell he tips his top hat to cover his eyes and smiles dashingly. He taps the chest of drawers behind him with his cane and he slowly dissolves into thin air.
Seeing the non-verbal dismissal, Ashley leaves the room to check on the others. Finding them in the bedroom across, she enters quietly. Jessie is comforting a sleeping Alexis on the bed. She looks up "The Master, is he gone?"
"Yes Jess, he is gone"
"She is really bad Ash"
"I know but the three months off will do us some good."
"I could use some time off. She is right, I just watched her die Ash."
"If we blame ourselves we will never get over this. No more blaming, it's time to heal...and we will heal."
"I hope so."
"We have a new mission. I will tell you both when she is feeling better. For now let her sleep."
Jessie removes herself from the bed and silently leaves. Ashley attempts to follow her but the flower on the windowsill catches her eye. She approaches it and examines the shrivelled petals. She kisses it lightly. "For you Kenz, we fight on."
Chapter End
Next chapter: The Ten Skills.