The Crossroads of Fate

Chapter 19: The Battle of West End

"Last time, we agreed that we would keep the fight against the Arsenal up," Albus said to the Hogwarts Guard. It was the second time that month they had met and everyone's faces were serious, including Riley who kept fidgeting and casting nervous glances at the door which Albus knew Incommodo could not enter. Nonetheless, the more they talked, the more time passed and they were already short on time as it was. The students were meeting with Incommodo on the Astronomy tower. Albus had Neil look at the Marauder's Map with Sierra to alert them to when they would go. If needed, they would take a shortcut through the portrait and head Incommodo off as he walked into Hogsmeade with the dozen students.

"Five of our number need us," Roxanne agreed.

"But how do we do it?" Sierra challenged. "We can't just fight him."

Albus watched as Seth asked Melvin something in a low voice. Melvin stared at Seth like he was crazy but nodded all the same. Albus wondered what Seth had wanted from him when Alex was the next to speak, "Think strategically. Don't go direct, go indirect. In a way he would not expect."

Alpha was also thinking hard on this, smiling slightly as he whispered to Proxima something. Proxima lit up and spoke, "We're not generally allowed in Hogsmeade unless it's a weekend. But some of us are."

"Exactly," Alpha said with a grin. "Some of us are supposed to be living there because we're expelled. What if… what if we allowed the Headmaster to catch sight of them? Alexander, Lorcan, Lysander, Rosie, Seth, Sierra…"

"He might find it suspicious that he sees all of us," Rose told him.

"It should just be some," Lorcan agreed. "I for one think Lysander is the best placed to meet Incommodo."

"Lysander took over the Headmasters' office," Alexis reminded him. "Incommodo has every reason to kill him."

"No," Lysander said casually and mistily. "See, Incommodo has the office and it's useless to him. It's useless when his Pensieve and the portraits and all those instruments Headmasters use are useless to him and since I know where they are, he can't afford to kill me."

"It doesn't matter, think smartly," Alex insisted. "At best, he'll torture you for information and I don't think any of us want that."

"But if- if Lysander or I show Incommodo the writing he's done against the Reservation, Incommodo might flout the Quibbler around the school to show he's doing a good job and have copies distributed," Lorcan explained. "The Quibbler is exclusively anti-Reservation right now and playing up Incommodo's efforts for now. So, if he is pleased with what he reads, it'll ensure readership for when we do spill his secret. I could go with him and act as the distributor and he can't possibly complain."

"And what about Rosie?" Hugo asked. "He knows Rosie was taken there, she's just not seen there. So any story can be given. We just need a way for us to sneak there and get them to the bungalow once he's gone."

"I can take care of that," Rose said breathlessly. She looked odd sitting in the corner as usual. Ever since she was expelled, Rose had secluded herself a great deal. "I visit the Burrow often anyway so grandmother can claim I'm with her. That way he can stop thinking we're even here and go a little easier on finding us."

"It won't be that easy," Aries said. "Ever since Incommodo tortured Apollo, he'll keep an eye on any child in his grasp. The older you are, the better."

"Which is why we're gonna take a leaf out of the New Roots' book," Seth said suddenly. "Melvin."

Melvin Ollivander reached in his robe pockets for something before pulling out what looked like a wand. He did not speak at first. He examined the wand, as if his eyes alone could tell if it was the right core or not. Melvin stuffed it back in his robes and pulled from a small pocket at the back another wand. He examined that one too. This time, he set it down and said, "I have one wand that has a Demiguise core. The hair of a Demiguise as a core enhances invisibility spells but nothing else. It is very bad at performing any other spell."

The room was silent, not everyone getting it. "Your point?" Cherry asked.

Melvin went red and Morpheus' hair color went red as the younger sibling sighed and said, "They should teach wandlore in this school."

"The three best cores are Phoenix feather, Dragon heartstring, and Unicorn tail hair," Melvin explained. "Any other core works but not as well as the three I mentioned because they are the most magical beasts in our world. Other cores work with a specific spell. Demiguise fur enhances invisibility spells, Kelpie mane enhances transfiguration spells, dragon scale sliver enhances defensive spells, and I think Fire crab pincer claw actually enhances the uses of fire but most of them disallow you from using any other type of spell beyond what the animal exists for. It's a very delicate balance. That's why grandfather uses only three cores."

Albus, who heard this lecture the year before, said, "So, you'll cast Demiguise Invisibility spells on us and let us get there unseen?"

"Only if you leave me out of it," Melvin said conditionally. "Don't implicate me if you're caught. I had nothing to do with this. I want to live."

"Fine," Alex rolled his eyes as Mark muttered 'coward.'

"Guys," Cherry said hopefully as they started dividing themselves. The entire Guard could not go at once or they'd definitely be caught.

"We need someone good with tough spellwork. To create a diversion," Alexis said to Alpha who hoped to get involved.

"That would be me," Sierra said. "And Seth. We'll cause enough damage to create a diversion. And we're already wanted anyway so if he catches us ("big if," Seth muttered), no one else is implicated."

"We need someone good at defensive spells too," Alpha suggested.

"Me," Aries said, fingering her amulet. "And Mark."

"And I can distract them," Morpheus volunteered. "I can appear as another boy and have another one bully me."

"I can do that," Lancet suggested, leaning against a corner like Rose was. "I run a stall so we can argue about prices. And I could ask for Cherry while I'm there so they can hand her to me and get us back to Hogwarts quicker."

"I… don't think that's a good idea," Riley said uncertainly. "We still don't know what your condition is. If Incommodo catches something off about you"-

Lancet rolled his eyes and sat down glumly, not saying anything. Albus felt sorry for him, he was about to lose his second sibling in a year if this did not go well. "Ok, are you ready?" Albus asked as Melvin performed a Disillusionment Charm on Seth first as he was not only expelled but wanted. Sierra was next.

"If you rescue my sister, I'll do anything," Lancet offered desperately. "Ok? I'll pay you back somehow, just don't leave her alone in Hogsmeade."

"We'll save her," Albus assured him as Melvin performed the spell on Mark and Aries next.

As if timed just right, Neil said, "He's taking them," from behind the map.

"Ok, let's go," Aries said. "Shortcut through the portrait. No fails, ok?"

"We won't," Mark said quietly. "We've done more than this. We'll be fine."

Albus watched as Mark, Aries, Seth, Sierra, Morpheus, and the Scamander twins left through the portrait. It was the first time the Guard waited in a single room for news and the wait was quite irritating. Anything could happen and it was yet another time when Albus was waiting for news rather than the one in the center of it. He had been the one to rescue Alexander and Rose, and he had even rescued Seth and Sierra. The twins rescued themselves but Albus was still the one who gave the general idea of how expelled students could remain in Hogwarts. This time, he was waiting with everyone else, all his friends, new and old friends, children and teenagers, even adults for the seventh years, sitting and waiting for the same thing.

Eventually, the students would return and announce their failure or success. If they did not return, Albus would have to go himself and see what the matter was. With the wait came tension. Incommodo was not a forgiving person. If he caught anyone, they would not simply be forgiven or expelled, they'd be killed. He had shown himself perfectly capable of murder when he killed Walter, he even tried killing Phoenix and the duel ended up killing Molly. He did not care who got in his way, just that his will would be done. Seth was right. The man was Herpo, not Mortimer Ink. That boy was long dead and if Albus was going to defeat Incommodo, he would be too.

Light conversation was being made. The remains of the Guard muttered amongst themselves. It was when Nate casually asked Albus if he had any updates himself when Albus explained the memories he saw of Incommodo to the Hogwarts Guard, explaining the history of Albatross Potter and how Incommodo, Ink, would not be killed even by destruction of the body. It was terrible. Neil just looked more hopeless and Scorpius muttered to Lucy something, who nodded and fell into thought. They promised to pass the history on to the others who were still not back.

Neil continued gazing at the map, muttering to himself. "Your brother took me here," he said quietly. "And here," he added, pointing to a point behind the greenhouses and an unused Charms classroom on the first floor. "He talked a lot, told me what he did to you with his own underage magic. I- I'm really sorry he died."

"So am I," Albus sighed. Talking to Neil had become very saddening, the boy was so stressed out and his stress had forced him into silence, so he barely talked. He had only recently begun talking to Albus.

"Why do people die?" Neil asked, and he tried asking so silently, Albus was half surprised Alex had heard and answered.

"Because there's something we need to fight for," Alex said simply from beside Roxanne, who fiddled silently with a threadbare rug, staring at him curiously. "Take it from me, Eric and I are becoming Aurors when we leave. If we leave. And there's every chance we end up dead on the job."

"In our ideal world, the job will be significantly easier," Roxanne said positively. "So, don't count Er- you and Eric out just yet."

"My point is, when someone comes up and wants to ruin your livelihood, you can submit, or you can decide you want nothing to do with that new world and go down fighting. That's why Walter died, and that's why people around us are dying."

"Magic is dangerous," Neil said quietly, wiping the map blank and handing it to Albus.

"It was never safe," Alexis said smartly. "James did something to Al, you say? Well, look at Alexander, and I assure you that everything wrong there is with him, is my fault and it was also underage magic. Witches and wizards live in a dangerous world. Look at Hogwarts. We call it the safest in the world but it's still an accident waiting to happen. One trip on the moving staircases, trick doors, a raving Poltergeist I sometimes think wants to commit murder, a forbidden forest and Hogsmeade trips during a war… I don't know how they thought the tragedy of fifth year would not happen in the middle of a war."

"We'll be fine, guys," Roxanne said quietly. "I lost my father, my brother is still fighting out there, and both of them have managed what many others couldn't do. Ottery St. Catchpole was saved, the ship was actually destroyed when father died, and we know the Reservation's weakness. We just need to exploit it and that's Potter's job. The Arsenal is for us to handle."

Her words turned out to be the last said. The wait carried on, silent and tense. Neil fell asleep, curled up in a ball with his eyes tightly closed, like he was still, even unconsciously, trying to escape the cruel life he lived. It was not until late in the evening, as night fell, when the first of them popped up through the portrait. It was Lysander. He looked only half there without his twin but he seemed very easy, "It worked. Somewhat."

"Somewhat?"

"I showed Incommodo my articles, like the one where I said that the Reservation would be beaten because the Muggles are fighting them. He looked very pleased and handed the expelled students to some Arsenal members guarding the path to the countryside and they fought. Aries was brilliant. I think it was Aries because the spellwork was brilliant and she defended a lot of the students and they were all invisible. Anyways, Lorcan is trying to talk to the Head- acting Headmaster about selling more in Hogwarts. I think we have him convinced that we're not in Hogwarts."

"Until the Arsenal was attacked," Rose scoffed.

"Actually," Gabriel sighed, jumping from the portrait beside Nate and Lorcan. Cherry arrived next to receive a hug from Lancet and the last to arrive was Eric. "That was blamed on the Reservation or their sympathizers because invisible spell casting is their style. Not ours."

With the wait finally over, the Guard cheered their victory. And better yet, the Quibbler was set to be distributed in Hogwarts. Even Incommodo could not argue against raising the morale of the Wizarding world, especially its main populace in Hogwarts, by showing how strong the nearly non-existent Ministry was.

Only one person seemed on edge these days. That person was Simon Far. Him and his sister were both silent as the grave, neither saying much of anything. Simon only gave a small smile when Proxima offered to revise his Transfiguration essay and Sophie was fixated on the gates of the Hogwarts grounds from a tower window. Albus did not know what was going through their heads until Seth nonchalantly stated that Simon was probably sore because his old boarding school was in the line of fire. "He did have a few friends there and his cousins go there too."

Still, no one thought much of it. Proxima actually scoffed and rolled her eyes when Alpha told her how Simon was feeling. At least Simon did not leave the school. At least, until an article announced an assault against West End. The Slytherin Common room was empty of his presence. Albus began getting a bad feeling. With Seth and Simon not exactly friends, nobody really knew that Simon was now missing from the Marauder's Map. A week later, Albus and Neil poured over it in search of his dot but it was not there. No Simon. No Sophie either. They were gone, disappeared from the school. They were not even expelled and yet they'd gone. And Albus had a bad feeling he knew where. In spite of the agreement, Simon had abandoned all pretense and left. Like an idiot.

Albus got up, leaving the map with Neil. He dove into his pockets for the keys as he strode for Proxima in the Room of Requirement. Despite expulsion, she was still studying beside her brother, who pointed to a page in a Transfiguration book as Albus went up, "Proxima."

"Can't you see we're studying?" she asked snidely.

"Your home was in West End, right?" Albus asked.

"Yes, close to Simon's old school," Proxima said cautiously. "Why?"

"It's being attacked and- and I can't find Simon anywhere," Albus said to Proxima's confusion. "He- I think he left and I dunno how to find him. Which keys are the Greengrass keys?"

"The- wait- what?" Proxima gaped. "No, no, even Simon isn't that stupid. He's simply by the lake or"-

"Actually, Proxy, you always complain about how stupid he is," Alpha noted, looking more serious than Proxima. The girl, at least, now seemed to consider the possibility. The more they thought about it, the more likely it seemed. Simon had been bothered, he'd been worried about his old school, he was defensive of his Muggle heritage, now he disappeared upon discovering his old home was truly attacked. Simon was indeed self destructive. In fact, Albus was beginning to wonder how the boy had previously not made Gryffindor due to the insane recklessness he was displaying if he truly left. Just like that, Proxima bolted for Seth, "Seth, where's Simon!" Proxima demanded, making Seth raise his eyebrows.

"Haven't talked to him in ages," Seth shrugged. "You know more than I do."

"And you call yourself his friend?" she snapped.

"No," Seth scoffed.

Then, she left. Proxima bolted for the portrait and disappeared. Albus gaped with Alpha on her heels. Great, three self-destructive idiots. "We think he left to his old boarding school. He's not in Hogwarts." At first, Seth looked like he would just remain impassive as Sierra looked at him warily. For a few seconds, his eyes remained the same, maybe a little curious as if wondering why he was supposed to care. Then, it hit him and he cursed out so loud, he got looks from Nate and Cherry. Seth bolted next. Great, four! Five! Sierra left too, following her brother so loyally, so recklessly, Albus sighed, considering it. He asked for them stay but it did not seem they would. He made for the portrait next.

Thankfully, they were not far ahead. They rushed through the dark tunnel. They continued following the portrait until they jumped out into the dimly lit bungalow. Proxima was the first there, fiddling with her keys, muttering curses to herself, so colorful Albus found it difficult to believe she was only thirteen. She took out a brown key and shoved it into the door, turned it once, and leapt out. One step in and they arrived in what looked like a large home. They shut the door behind them, knowing they were still in a house magically protected from attacks due to the Fideleus Charm common between all DA members' homes.

"Even our house," Proxima muttered as she tore upstairs. "Why did mum have to- there!"

Standing next to the window, overlooking the street filled with what looked like rich, high-class houses was Simon and beside him, his little sister Sophie. Alpha sighed in relief and Proxima made for him but Seth got there first, "YOU IDIOT!"

Simon jumped and Sophie's lip trembled. Simon turned and faced Seth, red-faced. "Stay away from me."

"Simon"-

Simon and Sophie looked determined, facing Albus, Seth, Sierra, Alpha and Proxima. "We're safe here," Simon said lowly. "This house is invisible, therefore untouchable. I'm not leaping out there, I'm just watching."

Seth gaped at him, like he had just then realized what an idiot his friend was. Sierra and Sophie looked from Seth to Simon curiously, watching the two have a stare-off. Alpha was silent, not really wanting to be there, even taking care to looking around at his own home. Proxima on the other hand was red-faced and angry, folding her arms, opening her mouth and closing it, as if not really sure how to approach Simon. She forced herself to be calm and asked, with a trembling and gritted teeth, "And… what exactly do you want to watch Simon? Your Muggle army get obliterated?"

"Shut… up," Simon said with a short growl.

"What do you expect to gain?" Albus asked him, trying to stay calm too. He felt more than ever like an observer.

"My father was a Colonel," Simon muttered, a hand on Sophie's shoulder. She was silent but seemed to agree whole-heartedly with her brother. "When he died, he fought back. If he lived, he would've been here, in this spot, overseeing everything, making sure everything went according to plan, probably would be out there himself. He never backed down and he never wanted me to back down. That's how I was raised. At least I'm being smart. At least I'm only overseeing all of this. My father would definitely want this."

"Simon…" Seth said in response. "I'm sorry."

Albus and Alpha were confused. Only Proxima and Sierra seemed to know what was happening. Both took their wands out as Simon blinked, "What for?"

"For this, Crucio!"

Albus, Proxima, Alpha, and Sophie whipped their wands out and fired spells at Seth as Simon collapsed, writhing in pain. He screamed as Seth kept the torture curse on him for a while longer. Albus fired another spell but all the spells fired were blocked readily by Sierra, who did some very quick wand work and parried them all, no matter the distance she was from the caster. Proxima screamed for Seth to stop, threatened to kill him if he did not stop. Alpha and Albus stopped at the death threat and Seth lifted the curse. He looked completely remorseless but not emotionless. He looked furious. "You're an idiot."

"You're… a psychopath!" Simon muttered. Sophie looked horrified and hurt, tears streaming down her face as Seth eyed his friend.

"That's how losing will feel!" Seth said shakily. "Worse than that cause you'll be dead. You might not care about your own life but I do. You're electing to give it up cause- what- your father would? Your father would want you to live! Your father wouldn't want you to go get yourself killed!"

"Actually," Sophie said shakily, facing Seth with timid eyes. "He would. Our father always taught us to be ready- to die for our own ideals. It doesn't matter how young we are. We were drafted into this the second we were attacked. Do you know how vicious they are? I know, I've seen it. I barely escaped and I only escaped because they practically let me. They'll come after me and my brother later, so it's only dying a little sooner. If they win, we die. If we win, we might live. So we might as well fight back. We might as well do our dad justice. He would want this."

Sophie's speech seemed to have moved nothing in Seth, Proxima and Alpha seemed unaffected too. Albus on the other hand simply did not understand how this could even be happening. Was Sophie serious was she reading her father wrong? Albus doubted their dad would really want them to die. Not like this. But what did he know?

"You promised- our fight is with the Arse"-

"I promised nothing!" Simon yelled at Albus with tear-strained eyes. "They promised. The other Guard members! I'm not letting the Reservation take my heritage away. I'm defending my home!"

"WHAT HOME?" Seth screamed. It was the first time in a while Albus saw the usually calm and lax Seth screaming and yelling, and the very first time he yelled at Simon, regardless of their separation.

"What do you care?" Simon yelled back. "You care about me? What about the Muggles? What about innocent people who are losing their lives to people like you? People run by your grandfather, in the name of the exact kind of creed you've preached enough times! You and Proxima!"

Proxima looked at him with folded arms but she did not look angry but amused. "You stole into my house all for some self-destructive errand? You want to die, don't you?"

"Yes…" Simon looked about ready to cry. "I do… but what I want doesn't matter," Simon muttered angrily. "What we need is more important. I kept saying I was worried, that my old school might be attacked, that the reason for every kid's existence is on the line. If Incommodo got anything right it's the importance of education and we're just- letting it die. For Muggles. We sacrifice theirs for ours? What kind of people are we?"

"You're a Wizard, act like one!" Proxima yelled.

"I don't want to live in this world," Simon said firmly with Sophie whole-heartedly with him. Albus was shocked how- frankly- suicidal Simon was acting. What the actual-

"Simon- look, please, just"-

Seth started trying to make a plea but Simon ignored him. He walked downstairs and they followed him. Sophie looked more uncertain now they were there but Albus was not giving it up. "A school is nothing without its students, is it? No one is there. It's empty. Just… think about it rationally. We're needed at Hogwarts, to fight a group that will take over when this war ends."

"Al," Simon said, folding his arms. "By all means, go back to Hogwarts. Fight the Arsenal. But the Arsenal is not my enemy, the Reservation are. They're the ones who killed my parents and I'm not resting until they face justice."

"So, me putting Dubium down wasn't enough for you?" Seth asked incredulously.

"Is Dubium still down?" Simon asked loudly.

"Sim"-

A loud bang interrupted them. Simon looked out a small window to their right from what seemed like a dusty kitchen. Simon took no heed after that. He turned tail and ran and Albus followed. If there was going to be a fight, Albus would have to fight too. He could not allow a kid like Simon to die on his watch. Simon kicked the back door down and burst out, Proxima exclaiming in irritation but it was soon interrupted by another bang. A large shadow loomed over them. The ship was overhead and it was targeting their area. Seth pulled Simon back from a severe blast that they were spared from just because they remained in the confines of the Charm protecting it. The rubble just seemed to land just outside the zone against all odds.

Seth whipped out his Serpentine Staff and from its head burst three giant snakes. Sophie gaped as he cast Charms on them. What these Charms were meant to do became clear once the snakes extended wings and took flight. They were being enhanced by his staff. The snakes went straight for the ship and at the same time, Seth summoned a burst of very hot, darkened fire and sent it at the ship as well. Still, the snakes and Fiendfyre together was not enough to put a dent through the magical protections the ship had. The ship moved on through the skies, spells not getting through its invisible shields yet other natural objects managing. Branches almost ripped its mast and the hull alone knocked trees down. Anything else could get in, but no person or magic could enter.

A blast of a fiery cannon erupted from the ship at the house but the explosion happened just above. It was like magic itself was inexplicably diverting it. It meant hitting other homes too. No one ran out though. The place was deserted, now Albus thought of it. All of the street, maybe the entire city, was evacuated. Probably the DA, the Muggle government, or both. No one was left.

On cue, Seth summoned another snake, this one bigger and with larger wings. He hopped on and the snake used its tail to get Simon, Sophie, Sierra, Proxima, and Albus up on it. It took flight and away from the safe zone. Their appearance certainly distracted the ship. Seth's snakes were still maneuvering around the ship, sending blasts of fire at it but not putting any dent in the protection. Albus took his wand out and yelled, "Contego Effrego!"

The spell had no effect and Seth took his own wand out next to his staff and muttered, "Protego Effrego!"

This time, the spell seemed to have an effect, being designed for broader types of shields. The effect was minimal however, and the dent caused in the ship was very small and insignificant. Simon pointed to what looked like a large, two-floor school. The grounds were fairly large, bigger than the grounds of Albus' home, and housed a playground, a swing set, and a main building. Seth landed them there, casting Charms and Jinxes all over the place as Sierra sent a jet of green light at the ship after Proxima dented another spell through the shield.

Albus was not sure if her Curse hit but Simon looked worried, "We lured them over here!"

"That's the plan," Seth said with a sigh. "Lure them over, defend the school from aerial attacks so they're forced to use ground forces. That's where we take them by surprise. Just hold still, I have an idea."

"It's our sch"-

"It's just a SCHOOL!" Seth and Proxima yelled at once, shutting Simon up. "And there's no one here!"

Seth cast a Charm on everyone there. The quietest one there seemed to be a shaking Sophie who seemed to regret being there now. Once Seth had a cast a Charm on them, he sighed, "Ok, wherever we step, the shield charm extends to that area too. It remains only for ten minutes once we leave the area so make it count. Now let's get inside!"

Albus led the way inside as the ship pursued them. Seth was at the back, summoning more and more snakes, charming more of them to have wings, fire breath, and even horns and laser eyes. The air was filled with them, Albus was sure they could consider wizards exposed to whoever was watching the battle. When would the Muggle army arrive?

"What is this place?" Alpha asked as they arrived inside.

It did look very different to the schools Albus was used to, that being Hogwarts. It had only two floors other than the ground floor but there was a large cafeteria taking up half the ground floor, a backdoor to the playground, and a staircase to the top floors. The first floor above the ground floor had halls of classrooms, most of which looked like it was meant for small children. Sophie actually cried when she saw what Simon said was her old classroom. She was accepted in one year before their abduction. Seth did not seem emotionally attached but he did send Charms outside to add to the defenses holding the ship off. Proxima kept firing shield breakers up which allowed tiny dents to be made in the ship if a snake got lucky enough to fire through in time.

"The- the play area, Seth, where we met," Simon said calmly, calmed by the intensity of the battle. "Where you spied Sophie and I playing. She used to visit before she was accepted. Back when- when you were the best person I ever met."

Seth did not respond openly, he just fixed the outside park with a look of- was that longing- and sighed. It must have been a memory of something long ago that no longer mattered. "We wouldn't be here if you weren't so reckless"-

"What did you study here?" Proxima asked as she stared at phials. "Potions?"

"No, that's Chemistry," Simon sighed. "Muggle Potions."

"And why do you have letters on the wall?"

"The alphabet," Simon answered, seemingly distracted by her questions. "So if we forget a letter, it's always there in front of us. Helped us remember."

Proxima took interest in the plywood desks, their chairs, forgotten pencils which she picked up in interest and Sophie actually took it from her and drew on a forgotten piece of white parchment, something Albus understood to be paper. Simon stood beside her, erasing it just to show Proxima how easily erased their ink could be. Then, "Guys!" Seth yelled from the window beside Sierra. "Are we admiring Muggle schooling and writing utensils or are we fighting the Reservation like- I recall- Simon wanted to do?"

Another bang went off and Albus joined Seth and Sierra at the window. The ship was just level with them, its attacks apparently proving to be useless, either taken by Seth's infinite snakes or else parried by Shield Charms.

"Guys, count of three," Albus yelled as Proxima joined them. Simon and Sophie had their wands ready too and Alpha aimed it for a white-robed person on the ship. "Shield breakers. Four at once should put a bigger dent. One… two… three! Protego Effrego!"

The effect was much better. The ship shuddered and more fire burst from Seth's staff, this time causing a bigger hole. It did not look as significant or as damaging as Albus hoped but it was grounded. Seth sighed in relief and said, "Sierra, the smokescreen! I'll fire the curses."

Sierra did as told and through the smokescreen, Seth fired off indiscriminately at the ship, "Avada Kedavra! Avada Kedavra!"

They could only hope someone on the ship died but the movements downstairs told them they were leaving their ship and looking for their attackers in the school. Simon stood at the window, sizing the distance between it and the ship and then… "Ascendio!"

Simon was propelled through the air up, across and landed on the ship. He disappeared in a burst of smoke Sierra made for him from the window as Seth yelled in exasperation and worry. Alpha yelled, "It's ok!" as an explosion rocked the place.

The party left, including Sophie who fired disarmers at whoever appeared, down the stairs to head the Reservation off. They came in through the front and back doors, surrounding the place effectively. Seth destroyed the staircase to delay them and led them back upstairs. Seth leapt across to the ship too and Sierra followed. They seemed to really be involved now the battle had started. Albus and Sophie stayed behind with Proxima and Alpha, all of whom pointed their wands readily at the entrance to the hallway, ready to hold them off. The hall was narrow so it would be easier to hold them off since they couldn't swarm in, Albus thought. It happened.

"Stupefy!" Alpha yelled.

"Semper: Demersus Afflictus!"

The spell smashed through any shields and hit its mark, giving the same effect it gave Herald the year before. One last explosive spell from both Albus and Alpha kept them off for longer. Then, and Albus could not believe it, Goblins started attacking. "Lubricus!"

Some of them slipped but still they screamed for the destruction of Wizardkind. Proxima took the head and fired off very complex spells. "Maledictus Quattor Bracchia Obiecti! Maledictus Tres Crus Obiecti!"

The effects were too gruesome. Put simply, those who stepped in the hallway collapsed, growing a third leg and two extra arms. The manner of the growth made Albus shut his eyes though and even Sophie just hid behind them. Only Alpha faced it, firing Stunning spells before a flare appeared from the corner and the Goblins fell. At first, Albus thought it might've been Seth and Sierra with Simon but the one who turned it was worse. Alpha gasped and Proxima fixed him with a hateful glare. It was Rojer Selwyn, their father. How he dared to show up when he was with Incommodo…

"Ah, the infamous group Potter founded," Rojer said calmly. "Time to see it fall, I think."

"Stay back!" Proxima yelled as Alpha started shaking. "Stay back or die!" she yelled dramatically.

"Threatening your father?" Rojer said. "Stand aside. It is Potter and the insignificant speck of a brother you possess that I want."

Albus remembered Lily saying Alpha had been verbally abused as a child by Rojer. Alpha hid himself further, now looking very meek, indeed just as Rojer had described him, his words destroying him inside. Slowly, Rojer flicked his wand and the walls of the hall started closing in. In danger, Albus forced the others back into the classroom they'd been in. Proxima desperately started casting the same dark spells on the entrance but Rojer parried them easily. Albus seized Alpha and prepared to propel them both over to the ship but the window was closed shut by a Charm and locked. No spell seemed able to break it open. They were stuck.

There was nothing else for it. They had to duel. "Stupefy!"

Rojer parried it wordlessly as Proxima sent a spell at the ground to try swallowing the man. She yelled for Alpha to cast a Stunner but his spell did not work. Albus was forced to cover for him with a Rotation Curse Soto had taught them. Rojer parried that one too as he avoided Proxima's curse. The air started heating up as Rojer continued waving his wand. Slowly, fire started igniting in the air and Proxima and Albus both conjured water at the same time to extinguish it. The water seemed to be useless as most of it evaporated. Albus raised his wand, "Unda Imperium!"

The water increased in quantity and went under Albus' full control. The continuous burst of water on the fire seemed to hold it off somewhat but darkened steam came out. Steam Proxima Charmed into a ball which made for her father. Rojer was engulfed and Proxima pushed both her brother and Albus aside as she raced for him, "Crucio!"

Proxima was truly very vicious when fighting. Albus knew Seth to be tough, perhaps more powerful than Proxima, but never did he show such viciousness unless he was truly provoked. Proxima on the other hand seemed to have no issues using the most gruesome of curses on anyone in her way. Rojer's screams of pain signaled he'd been taken down and Proxima started screaming, "APOLOGIZE! APOLOGIZE TO MY BROTHER YOU TWO-FACED BASTARD!"

She lifted the curse but Rojer just fixed Alpha with a stare. "Listen, you worthless speck! Buying your way in with your pleasantries will work you nothing! You'll die weak and alone with nobody beside you unless you avenge our family honor and renounce the traitorous clan it has produced!"

Alpha looked so close to tears, Albus pointed his wand at Rojer, who rolled to the side from a further spell. "Don't sink on it, Alpha!" Albus yelled, firing another Stunning spell. Rojer had already regained his footing and parried all of Proxima's mad spells. Then, he flicked his wand easily, using a swift wand motion that made Albus copy it, holding off the curse he tried inflicting. It might have resulted in Proxima's death if Albus had not held it off. Soot had taught them about it, it would take apart someone's mind from the inside, tearing it to shreds and would need rest and relaxation to recover, none of which existed there, without which they would simply die.

This allowed Rojer to raise a lightning bolt object, the infamed shield breaker Harry talked about, in the air, destroying any protections on the room. He pointed his wand at Proxima and with her distracted by Alpha's shaking knees, Rojer blasted her out of the way. "Legilimens Expulso!"

Rojer dove right into the boy's weakened mind and dove right out. One second inside had collapsed the boy, leaving him in a state of despair which Rojer proceeded to make worse, "Semper: Demsersus Afflictus!"

Alpha curled up in fetal position, like his very soul had been sucked out. He seemed to be sobbing, the once happy boy, the one who had kissed Lily to declare his love, cried when he had gone too far, nonetheless kept a happy, upbeat demeanor despite all misfortune, was now a shadow of his former self. Proxima raised her wand, "Avada"-

Rojer Charmed the blackboard to take the blast while he seized Alpha and leapt out of the window he forced open with his own spells. Proxima yelled but just as Rojer leapt out, Seth and Sierra leapt back in from the ship, bashing into Rojer and Alpha, their sudden weight forcing him back into the classroom before he was too far outside. Alpha's body rolled over and stared up, seemingly sightless but Alpha could not tell if he was alive. Proxima rushed for him as Simon and Sophie arrived next. "Avada"-

Another bang sounded more arrivals. A man with a tuft of red hair stopped as the others held their wands up, "Stop! Hold your fire!"

Everyone stopped, including Rojer. Sierra finished off by Stunning him as the red-haired Reservation member stopped and dozens of members came in next. Seth stared impassively but Albus was shaking and so, he could see, was Simon. The tension in the room was unmistakable. A member was addressing Seth, more came in and they were outnumbered. One word, one plea, perhaps one offer and Seth could turn on them and kill them all. Could he? With Simon there, could he? No, Albus convinced himself. Seth proved he still cared for Simon, that was the whole reason he was there in the first place.

"Second Praetor," the red-haired man spoke. "We've fulfilled your first command. Our first Praetor will extinct us all." Seth regarded them all, either oblivious to the tension in the room or simply careless. Those behind the red-haired Reservation member actually went on bended knee but Seth did not seem to care. The man continued, "The school governors are dead, just as you commanded." At this, Albus, Simon, Sophie, even Proxima and Sierra stared at Seth in shock and disbelief. What? He was the reason their only sanctuary had nearly closed. What the hell could his reasoning be that time? A part of Albus actually refused to believe it, refused to accept that Seth would easily betray the school he claimed loyalty to. "We await the next orders, an order to slay the madness."

"Yeah, I have an order," Seth said, fixing them with a beady blue eye. "You're all bound to the Praetor correct?"

"We have two and so we are bound to both," a woman said.

The way the Reservation members talked, they sounded like robots, emotionless beings just following orders. It was almost sad. It seemed to take every fiber in Simon's body not to leap at Seth and fight him. He was awaiting an explanation just like Albus was. Seth's confirmation of having an order held the vibe in his voice that there would be a catch. Those members would not be happy with the order. The Reservation members were bound to the orders of any one Praetor. Failure to follow the orders was automatic death by means of a massive Unbreakable Vow. With two Praetors, Albus was not sure how it worked, but he was sure that if two orders contradicted each other, it would still mean death. Albus could almost guess what he would ask them to do. Almost.

"Don't tell anyone what I tell you here. Wait for me in the Unseen Lands, the second I send an owl, you act," Seth said simply. "And you will act because failure to disobey the massive vow holding you is very obvious to us all. When I give the orders…" they waited with bated breath. "You will turn on the Reservation and kill as many members as possible before they kill you. Your target is whoever you can find, indiscriminate, no going back."

The dozens of members eyeing him were terrified. It was clear Seth's plan was working. There was nothing they could do. The red-haired actually looked uncertainly, almost pleadingly, "We- sir, we'll… well, we'll"-

"Die? That's sort of the point," Seth shrugged. "Your attack will be a surprise, it will be quick, done only with Killing curses, do your best not to miss, and please die assured that Wizardkind has just taken measures to protect themselves from the madness you started to begin with." They stood rooted to the spot with fear, Albus was actually feeling a little better about this all. Whatever Seth's reasons were for killing the school governors, he certainly pulled through when making sure about one third of the Reservation would go down in minutes. "Now get out of my sight, and make sure to lure the other members, Goblins and Necram in here. Tell them we're waiting."

The dozens of members, all of them weak in the knees, walked out silently, reeling from the drastic order given. Albus wanted so badly to question him but they were really short on time. Seth seized a piece of rubble and tapped it "Portus."

"We touch this, it'll get us back to the Greengrass home," he said quietly. He raised his wand and blew a hole through the ceiling, and then with another spell, he sent what looked like a red flare up, red smoke rising high in the sky. Sophie moaned "Wow," as Proxima looked questioningly.

"Flare signal," Simon said. "The army will be here soon. And if I know the strategy, the first thing they'll do is send the Royal Air Force and bomb this area now the citizens fled. Mum and dad would be so proud."

"Yeah, see, I know how to avoid casualties," Seth said impassively. "Leave your brother," he added to Proxima. "He's dead."

"I'm not leaving my brother, and he's not dead," Proxima said sourly as they gathered around the portkey. "But if you keep showing how little you care, you are. Which reminds me… Simon, shut your eyes if you want to avoid any disturbing flashbacks later in life."

"Wha"-

She made for the Stunned Rojer, eyed him with fury and loathing and raised her wand. Just before she could utter anything, Rojer's eyes snapped open and reached for an object. He disappeared in a heartbeat to Proxima's yell of fury.

Proxima seized her brother, who Albus was pleased to see was at least breathing and stirring, even if his eyes were half open and probably sightless as the moment.

Albus heard the arrival of Muggle jets just as they touched the Portkey. Their arrival in the Greengrass home, which still remained whole and untarnished, yet dusty and seemingly unused, was marked by a loud explosion from close by, earthshaking bangs marked the bombing run of the Air force. They had left just in time, and whatever Reservation members and Necram and Goblins were there were certainly decimated. Their stay there would be noted eventually, however, and Proxima levitated her brother over to the front door which Albus opened, allowing them inside before closing it and locking it, landing them once more in some no-space zone closer to Hogsmeade.

From there, they were able to get across back to the Room of Requirement with minimal casualties. Minimal but nonetheless drastic, Albus thought with a sad look at Alpha's feebly stirring body.