The next day, a plan was in motion.

James had agreed to work with Scorpius as long as he proved to him that he was on our side. This entailed a minor truth potion and twenty minutes of questions from James, all of which were answered to his satisfaction. We then gathered in the Room of Requirement (password was "a place to save our cousin") and got ready to plot exactly how to get our cousin back.

We had twelve people on the raid, including myself. Teddy and Victorie were coming back via apparition into the Shrieking Shack and then coming up the passage, waiting for James and his invisibility cloak to escort them up to the school. There was no way Victorie was going to miss this. As she said, brandishing a knife in one hand and her wand in the other, "Mess with my sister, you have hell and your private parts to pay" (the boys gave her a respectful distance after that). Scorpius, Lily, Hugo, Fred, and Albus were obviously on board, as were the Scamander twins (Lorcan and Lysander, twins in their seventh year, sons of our "Auntie" Luna). I made twelve, though James argued that I shouldn't go because I was exhausted. In response, I sent him a jelly-legs jinx that made him okay with my going.

Within the day, we had the supplies we needed. Teddy, Victorie, and James were all of-age and thus could side-along apparate us to the location and back. From there, we had emergency portkies that would take us back to the Shrieking Shack if things went sour. Each was in the shape of a muggle poker chip, and when the center was pressed, it would activate. McGonagall promised (off the record, of course) that she would send teachers after us if we weren't home by four in the morning. Other than that, we were on our own.

It was midnight when Scorpius came to get me from the Ravenclaw common room. I wore the most practical clothing I could, enchanting it black and giving it a few more concealing properties. Circe rode on my back, claws dug into the thicker areas of the shirt. Knocker bid us good luck and a warning that if we died, we would never going to hear the end of it. Soon, the two of us were tapping the witches hump (dissendium) and descending into the darkness.

We were the third group out of four to arrive, Lorcan and Lysander still missing from our ranks. They stumbled down the passage a few minutes later, cursing Peeves with every footfall and covered in glitter. I smiled and cast a cleansing spell as we walked just outside of the school's enchantment boundary. We were still under the earth, and could see the faint glow of the Honeyduke's trapdoor ahead of us, but we stopped. We connected hands with our designated travel-buddies (Teddy was taking Lily, Fred, and Hugo, Victorie was taking Albus, Lorcan, and Lysander, and Scorpius and I were traveling alongside James) and with a pop, arrived in locations around the house. We formed a triangle, two groups flanking either side of the front and one group in the back. The front two groups had their pockets filled with Weasley products like Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder and various noisemakers. These were to draw out whomever was guard with minimum casualties. Slowly, James, Scorpius and I approached the back of the house and peeked inside. Two figures were there, one male, the other female. Their wands were drawn and they were still, frozen around four chairs. One held Dominique. Another held the town boy. The other two held a pair of twins, one boy, one girl. Their eyes were the same green-grey and their hair was black. The girl's was still in pony tails. They couldn't be more than five. The guards were like statues. They didn't move, even as the children struggled. Something's off. I waved my hand at the boys to stop and get down and pulled a piece of parchment from my pocket. As I scratched words on paper, I felt Circe dismount and perch on the window ledge. The guards didn't move.

There's something wrong about this. They don't seem to be moving. They're either decoys or cursed or something, but we don't do anything until we figure out what it is. –R

The message bled onto the papers that Victorie and Teddy were holding, and soon responses appeared.

Very well, write off a signal when you're ready. –V

If we hear a scuffle, we'll attack. Other than that, signal, yeah. –T

I glanced at the other two and showed them the note. James's face scrunched up and Scorpius gestured for the paper. I handed it to him, as well as the muggle pen I used for convenience.

How can you tell? –S

I gestured for him to hand the paper back.

Decoy = not solid or disappears when touched. Doesn't respond to most senses correctly. Cursed = you can tell by the eyes. –R

Don't forget the Imperius Curse is the easiest to spot when relaxed but the hardest to spot when tense. –V

Also, look at the skin! –T

Everyone stay calm. Unless you hear spells, DO NOT TAKE ACTION. –R

Slowly, I moved up a bit and pointed my wand at the ceiling. It was an old building, so I wouldn't be suspicious if-

A piece of mortar crumbled from the corner of the room, clattering to the ground. Two faces turned, and I stared them down. Blank, cloudy eyes, always tense. They didn't speak. Their skin had a very sickly pale to it, and I tensed as I recognized the faces. I bent down again.

Scorpius, you need to head home. –R

What? –S

You use your Portkey now, I'm not having you- I cut myself off as a puzzle piece fit together. Never mind. Scorpius, I need you to stay calm. Poor boy was so confused now. Scorpius, promise me you'll stay calm. I saw James look up at the still frozen faces and crouched down again, understanding exactly what was wrong.

I'll be calm. –S

I made sure that he couldn't read as I wrote, then turned the paper so that he could read it all at once.

Scorpius, your parents are under the Imperius Curse- and they're the guards. –R

All in all, he took it rather well. His breathing quickened, his already pale skin somehow still whitened, and he nearly toppled over. He kept himself upright, though, and visibly tried to calm himself.

Scorpius, you should go home. I'm not going to ask you to potentially injure your own parents when they're like this and this can be traumatizing. –V

I handed the frozen boy the paper and he glanced at it. Slowly, he lifted the pen again.

So they're not doing this out of their own free will. –S

No, they aren't. –T

Then I'm staying. –S I saw his hands shake as he wrote and took the paper from him.

It's okay, Scorpius. They're okay. We just have to snap them out of it and get them back to the Shrieking Shack. Then we can get McGonagall to figure it out. –R He nodded gratefully. It was time to take action.

Okay, action in seven! No exceptionally harmful curses, try for mainly Stunning and Body-Bind! THE PERSON CONTROLLING THEM WILL BE OUT TO KILL. BE CAREFUL AND WATCH EACH OTHER'S BACKS. Be careful, love and luck to all. –R

Got it. Luck to you all, dears. (And thank you Scorpius, for staying to help us get my sister back) –V

Good luck, everybody! See you at the Shack! –T

James rubbed his face nervously and fingered the portkies in his jacket pocket. I froze. "We don't have enough portkies for four kids," I whispered in his ear. He stiffened, too.

"Can you and Scorpius stick together and use the same one? I can take one of them in side-along, but any more than that in a rush and I'll splinch. If you give up one, we'll have three and then the three can get to the shack." I nodded and handed him mine. Slowly, I whispered the plan to Scorpius and checked my watch. Four 'till. He nodded and glanced at James. Then, to my surprise, James extended his hand. They shook.

And right about then, the first noise-makers exploded.