I am SOOOOOOO sorry that it has taken me this long to update. My life has been super crazy with work, writing, and balancing hobbies and time with family.
I promise that it will not take this long next time and I appreciate all those who have stayed with me this long!
"Okay, so how do we do this correctly?" Tom asks turning to face Michael.
"Well for starters, we are going to need to remain calm and call for backup" Michael says rearranging papers on his desk.
"Backup? Why do we need backup?" Tom's eyebrows fall in confusion.
"Do you really expect the three of us to go against hundreds of these guys alone?" Michael states looking back up at Tom as if to say "are you serious?"
"Well, I guess not if you put it that way" Tom says backing away from the two men and going to sit down on one of the couches.
As preparations started between Oliver and Michael, Tom is left to his thoughts and they always seem to stray back to Mikayla. How could he let this happen? How could he have not known that she would be back at the one place that they truly felt safe from the world? Would she blame him for what had happened and her being kidnapped?
As the thoughts race through Tom's head, somewhere in the hideout, a door opens and a group of people file in. The group consists of dozens of men and women from every race, age, and blood status, some already armed with wands and bottles of potions. They all stop in front of Michael waiting for him to speak. Michael turns from the group towards Tom and explains the situation to them. A man with white blonde hair steps forward and bows to Tom.
"I speak for the whole group in saying that we are here to help you in any way"
"Thank you" Tom says looking at all the people in front of him. "It means a lot that you are willing to help me recover my sister."
The group nods their head and looks to Michael for the plan. The next couple hours are spent going over the ways into the castle that won't attract any attention. They finally decide on a plan and the group disperses. Tom sits on a couch with his head in his hands thinking over everything that has transpired and the role that he has to play in their plan, when a presence sits next to him on the couch. From the smell of their perfume, Tom realizes that it's a female and slowly picks up his head.
"Hi I'm Evangeline" The girl says smiling.
"Tom" Tom says shaking her hand.
"I know who you are, I have been watching you for a while"
"Well that's not creepy" Tom says chuckling slightly.
"Yeah that came out wrong" Evangeline says blushing "Anyway, ready to do this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be, I guess" Tom says getting up from the couch and getting his stuff together so that they could go.
The next couple of days were spent preparing for the rescue mission and finding a way to execute their mission without being found out. The group decides to execute their plan during their school year at Hogwarts. They are to arrive at school and go on as if nothing is wrong and when the allotted time that had been discussed, they were to find and rescue Mikayla. The last two weeks before school fly by and before Tom knows it, he is on the train with his friends heading to school. To not arise any suspicions, Oliver and Michael don't make contact with Tom before or during the ride to school. Things go on as normal with Tom talking with his friends about Quidditch that year and how they are going to win the cup that year. Tom tries to stay interested in what is being said but unfortunately his thoughts continually jump to where Mikayla could possibly be hidden in Hogwarts and how are they going to get her out of there once they found her. Tom is so wrapped up in his thoughts that he misses what his friend Daniel says and realizes that everyone has stopped talking and are all staring at him.
"Sorry guys" Tom apologizes "I guess with Mikayla gone, I haven't been myself"
"Really?! We hadn't noticed." Daniel said sarcastically.
The whole compartment laughs and Daniel re-asks if Tom has anything special that he wants to accomplish this year at school. Tom tells him that he doesn't know just yet and the conversation ends with an awkward silence.
Soon the train stops at the station and everyone gets off. The first years are called away and the rest of the students find their way to the carriages. Tom and his group of friends file into a carriage and they set off towards the castle. As the scenery passed by, Tom looks for anything unusual. Everything seems fine but looks can be deceiving. Too soon the carriage arrives at the castle and everyone walks into the Great Hall. Tom and his friends head straight to the Slytherin table and sit down. People from all different houses are milling around and talking until the Headmaster silences them all and begins the sorting hat ceremony. The ceremony goes by in a blur for Tom and soon the Headmaster is back up introducing new teachers and welcoming back the students who have returned. Soon the plates in front of Tom are filled and he eats his fill of chicken and potatoes. Despite missing Mikayla, Tom begins to feel more like himself during the feast. Once all the food has been cleared away, the Headmaster bids them all good night, Tom walks the path down into the dungeons and goes straight to bed.
Rumbling overhead grows louder and louder as whatever it is grows closer until it is right overhead. The sound is so loud that Mikayla has to cover her ears. "What could that sound be?" She wonders as the sound persists for what seems like forever. "They sound like hooves" Soon the sound fades and she is once again left in silence. Her body protests as she tries to stand. Mikayla's once healthy figure has been reduced to skin and bones. They feed her once a day and even then it's only water and bread. If she is lucky, they would throw a half rotten piece of fruit at her that, most of the time, spatters on the wall and she is left to pick up the piece off the filthy rat infested ground. Mikayla looks around at her room, for weeks she has been stuck in this room with nothing more than a mattress, a thread bare blanket, and a toilet. Her only visitors are the man who brings her her food and the rat that scurries in and out of the hole in the wall. Many times she has considered giving up hope that anyone would find her and many times her captors would tell her that no one was coming for her. No matter what they say to her, she knows the truth. Tom is out there looking for her and when he finds her, her captors will regret it.
The next morning, Tom awakes to a sound at his window. Tom sits up and looks over. An owl is perched on the window sill waiting to be let in. Tom opens the window and the owl flies in and drops its letter on the bed before flying back out the window. Tom picks up the letter and reads it. Tom reads a few lines before he drops it and races out the door. The discarded letter on his bed simply reads:
The clock is ticking and you are running out of time Tom.
I'm tired of warning you; make a move before I do.
As soon as Tom was far enough away from the Slytherin common room, Tom texts Michael to meet him on the third floor. Tom races down the hallways until he reaches the one place that he knows that no one can overhear them. The Room of Requirement. As soon as Tom arrives, Michael is waiting for him and they both enter the room and close the door.
"What is so important that I had to come right now?" Michael asks trying to flatten his hair which was sticking up wildly.
"He has contacted me again" Tom says pacing.
"Wait, what?!" Michael stops mid flattening looking at Tom with wide eyes.
"The guy who has been contacting me through all summer sent me a letter this morning telling me that he is tired of waiting and that we need to make a move before he does"
"This changes our plans dramatically, doesn't it?" Michael says frantically scrolling through his phone.
"Yeah, just a little bit."
Michael dials his phone and says to the person on the other end
"Plans have changed, we act tonight."
Next chapter will include the rescue mission. I am super excited to write it and hopefully I can do it justice!
Happy Reading!