Chapter 25. The Yule Ball
The rest of the afternoon passed pleasantly. Many of the parents left when the younger students boarded their carriages, leaving the school at about a quarter of its usual population. Presently Willa and her roommates met their escorts by the back stairwell to go down for the Yule Ball. All four boys looked dashing in their dress robes. Bertok and Xabier both dressed specific to their countries' customs. Xabi's elaborate gold and white complemented Penelope's deep red dress well, whereas Bertok's vivid yellow and black robes clashed somewhat with Willa's deep purple gown. She did not mind however, because Septimus promised to wear something that would complement her gown. Braxton and Patrice were more conventionally dressed in black dress robes of a modern cut, which suited Hélène's bosom-bearing gold gown and Elnath's more modest sapphire blue one.
The group exchanged praises for each other's appearances and proceeded to the banquet hall. The hall was transformed into a splendor of ice, holly and ivy, barely recognizable other than its checkered marble floor. All eyes turned to the eight of them and Willa immediately found Septimus in the crowd. He stood beside Artemisia and Vincent, Octavia having chosen to stand elsewhere with her brother, Catherine, and Bastien Saint-Claude who did not appear to have a date. Septimus wore tailored black dress robes with accents of gold silk and Willa smiled as she recognized together they would look like royalty.
For the moment however, she was paired with Bertok. The music for a minuet began and the three Champions and Penelope began the entry to the showy dance. It was not one that found popularity in England, however the Americas took to it a few years ago. Based on his confidence, Willa surmised Bertok knew it well, and her assumption was rewarded as he took her hand in the dance's most intimate and complicated portion and they began to gracefully glide across the floor in perfect time.
"Thank you for coming with me." He said with a warm smile.
"Thank you for coming with me." She laughed.
For not having practiced together, they partnered quite well and did not lose time once as they completed the minuet's first segment. Headmistress Lestrange and Headmaster Kolvargson began to dance, signaling that others now could join for the final segments of the dance. Several pairs entered the dance floor, and Willa and Bertok both relaxed, the pressure of an audience no longer so daunting.
Finally the music came to a close and everyone applauded. There was an intentional break between songs so Headmistress Lestrange could formally welcome everyone to the Yule Ball and thank them for attending. Then she gave the musicians a look and they started up an allemande. A delighted noise came from the crowd as everyone recognized the mid-century song. A dash of people entered the dancefloor and Willa was about to ask Bertok if he wished to dance again when she saw his eyes were on someone behind her. She turned to find Septimus had approached.
"Forgive me, Mr. Grindelwald," Septimus said with a pleasant formality. "It is customary for the Ministry official to entertain the Hogwarts Champion as appropriate. Since this is a ball, I must ask Miss Gamp if she wishes to dance with me."
"Not to worry, Mr. Malfoy," Bertok said in English. "Miss Gamp and I are here as friends, for we both have attachments to someone elsewhere."
"Ah, yes, this makes sense." Septimus nodded and smiled at Willa, extending his hand as he asked, "Miss Gamp, may I have this dance?"
Willa smiled and took his hand, "You may, sir."
Bertok bowed to them both and left the dancefloor. Septimus cast praeligo and moved them further into the floor, to one of the many sets that had formed. They took their places in the set and the musicians repeated the first part of the song again so the many newcomers could start on time.
"This song reminds me of my parents." Septimus laughed as they began to dance.
"It is rather old." Willa smirked.
"What is it you once told me… music is the great equalizer?"
"In its measured symmetry." Willa said.
His lips curved into an intimate smile, one he never had used with her in public before, and Willa's heart raced.
They spun together as the dance required and when their bodies were as close as they would get he said softly, "You are more beautiful than music, Willa. You exude the essence of an empress tonight."
"And you present as my equal." She replied with adoration.
They danced the remainder in a contented silence, their bodies and eyes conveying their emotions better than words ever could. As the final notes played out, they stood looking into each other and Willa willed the music not to end.
"I wish I could kiss you now." She said.
"Yes, me too." He smiled.
"Ask me to dance again tonight, please." Willa said as Septimus began to lead her off the floor.
"It will be my privilege." He grinned. "Though I would dance every number with you if I could."
"As would I." Willa said.
Septimus undid the Dampening spell before he deposited her next to Bertok. He masked all his reluctance to release her from his grasp as he thanked the Hungarian boy for allowing him a dance with her. He then turned to Willa to formally close out their interaction.
"Thank you for the dance, Miss Gamp." He said with a polite nod.
"Not at all, sir. It was a pleasure."
"Enjoy your evenings." He nodded to them and left the pair of Champions.
Once he was gone, Bertok said, "I need a drink. Would you like anything?"
"Please," Willa nodded, letting out a long breath to release the flutter of nerves Septimus still managed to give her with just a look.
She went with him in search of a drink waiter, watching the dancefloor crowd again for the next song. Their friends were all dancing and Willa noticed Octavia danced with Bastien. She knew he would be at Hogwarts due to his lack of pureblood status and laughed to herself that Hélène would have some competition. Not that she thought Octavia interested in girls.
They found some champagne and watched another few dances before deciding to dance again themselves. After that, Bertok asked if she wanted more to drink and she said yes, their recent dance of the highly spirited passacaille having left her parched.
Once Bertok left to fetch them more champagne, Willa felt someone approach her from behind with a familiarity. He leaned near her ear to softly say, "I hardly recognized you."
A chill crept down her spine as she recognized it to be her father's voice. Septimus came into view across the room from her and their eyes met in a cold understanding as Ardan continued into her ear, "It seems everything about you has changed in the mere months we have been apart."
Willa put on the charming smile he taught her and turned to face him, "Perhaps, father, you simply never truly looked at me before?"
The two bowed their heads to one another as Ardan's face drew into the same charming smile.
When he said nothing further, she pressed for more information, "What a surprise that you are here! Has my mother come, too?"
"No, she continued on to Dublin with our things." He said.
"You are moving back to Ireland? Have you received work there?" Willa asked in an even, polite tone. Inside she panicked. Why would they move back to Ireland now? What did this have to do with her statements at the French Ministry? How much did they know about her and Septimus?
Ardan stared into Willa a long moment unable to make his legilimency work on her now. She had grown too strong. Finally he abandoned his efforts and his false smile brightened to a real one as he said, "An opportunity presented itself, so I decided to seize it."
"I see." Willa nodded, uncertain how to read into the statement.
"I do not understand why you would be surprised I am here, however, as all the students' parents were invited. I did think we might see Castor Black or Reginald Avery. I noticed Septimus Malfoy managed to attend in support of his son." Ardan continued with ease, as if Septimus had not banished him from England.
"Yes, Mr. Malfoy and Mrs. Lufkin are in France to represent the British Ministry." Willa replied with the same ease. "I am surprised she has not come to find you yet. She is quite fond of you."
"I imagine she is, seeing as I built her career." He replied, weighing the flattery for its intention after he responded. "I am curious, of course, which of the two convinced you to say what you did at the French Ministry?"
"Mrs. Lufkin, of course." Willa smiled fully this time for effect. "She snuck me into the Muggle's National Convention to show me what the political situation of Muggle France truly is, and it was very convincing. I felt compelled to speak to what I witnessed in the Americas. With all your efforts in the Americas, I felt confident you would understand."
"I see." Ardan said. Clearly not agreeing with any of it deep down, he added, "I understand completely."
"I should go find my escort for the ball." Willa said with a polite curtsy.
"Ah, but here he comes now." Ardan said easily before giving her a challenging smirk.
Willa turned to find Septimus approached them. She could not stifle her laugh, despite her best efforts, and Septimus flashed her a winning smile.
She turned back to her father and asked, "Why should you allude that Mr. Malfoy is my escort?"
"Oh, I think you and your snow basilisk know why, my dear child." Ardan said, a saccharine smile in place as he braced for Septimus' arrival.
Willa swallowed. He had been there all day then, watching her. Her hatred for him built more than ever before and she dropped her false smile as she said, "I am seventeen now, father. No longer a child."
As she said it, she could feel the warmth of Septimus' body heat as he arrived and stood rather close to her.
"Good evening, Miss Gamp." he said, ignoring every social protocol of Britain, France, and America that required him to approach her father first. She turned to face him.
"Good evening, Mr. Malfoy." Willa replied, her fingers reaching into her sleeve to release the catch holding her wand in place. It slid into her palm and she waited for the men to make their next move before she did anything brash.
"Might I have the next dance?" Septimus asked her, extending his hand for her to take.
Ardan moved himself between them and looked at Willa harshly as he whispered, "We forbade you."
"As I stated before, I am no longer a child." Willa replied in an even tone.
"Ah yes, no longer my responsibility then." Ardan said, falling back into a smile, but not budging an inch except to lean quite close to her face and say, "Good luck making your way in this world without my money."
Willa smiled at him and moved closer to his face, speaking into his ear at a volume Septimus could hear, "The interesting thing about Goblins is that they only honor contracts executed by legally capable wizards within the country their bank is located. Seeing as you lack legal standing in England, father, even if you manage to reenter the country without dying, it will be quite impossible for you to execute a change to your living will and estate."
She kissed him lightly on the cheek and stepped around him to take Septimus' hand. Her wand pressed into his palm, as she had no time to return it to the catch, but he made no visible reaction.
"Yes, you may have the next dance." She said, meeting his pale blues eyes with a willing smile.
Ardan turned to face them before they could leave his presence and said, "Enjoy yourselves tonight. Time is ever fleeting."
"Oh, Ardan, do not worry yourself." Septimus said before looking down to Willa, who continued to smile back at him as he said, "We will."
He led Willa to the center of the ballroom floor and cast praeligo. The couples were clearly prepared for a waltz. The choice of this Austrian folk dance after so many noble dances was less shocking given how many Muggle-born students remained from Austrian lands, where the Muggle warfare continued.
"Is your wand back in place?" Septimus asked as he turned to face her so they could assume the start position of the waltz.
"Yes," Willa said as she clicked it into the catch.
"I would never attack him here. You must know that?" Septimus said as he took her right hand into his left and placed his right hand on her back more tenderly than most partners would.
"I am not worried about you attacking him." Willa said. "You have never used an Unforgiveable Curse on me, and he has freely used two."
Their eyes met and she could see he felt guilt for allowing Ardan to live and thus torture her and her family.
"Do not pity me tonight. I need you alert." She said with haste.
Septimus nodded and then the music began.
"He says he and my mother are moving back to Ireland. That an opportunity presented itself." Willa explained.
"That sounds…" Septimus trailed off, unable to identify the right word. There was no attractive opening in Ireland that he knew of at the moment.
"Ominous?" Willa suggested.
"Possibly, yes."
"I am worried for you. I think you should leave." Willa said.
"I will not run from Ardan Gamp. It is he who should run from me." Septimus said.
Willa stopped dancing to look at him and say harshly, "And if your pride gets you killed, where does that leave me?"
"He will not try anything here." Septimus said. His voice wavered though.
"You are uncertain, even now. It is not worth the risk." Willa said.
"I brought Vincent with me. Besides, I will not leave you unprotected." Septimus replied, forcing her into the next step of the dance so they would not continue to call attention to themselves.
"I can protect myself."
"You know I mean no insult, but no, you are not powerful enough to defend yourself against Ardan." Septimus said.
"I know him better than anyone. The things he has made me do…" Willa trailed off, unable to finish the sentence due to its memories.
Septimus had no response for this. They danced in silence until Willa noticed Ardan was dancing with Artemisia.
"You will need to check on her after this dance." She noted.
Septimus nodded but said, "I should never have convinced her to come."
"Stop. Neither of us could have expected he would show up."
"Still, I wish I was better at predicting his behavior after all this time." Septimus sighed.
"And I wish we could be alone, away from all of this." Willa said wistfully.
"You speak of paradise." Septimus smiled.
He spun her around, Willa finishing out close to him as this final move required. She whispered out, "I love you."
"I love you." Septimus whispered as well.
He led her from the floor and removed the Dampening charm before they reached Bertok, who stood alone with two glasses of champagne in hand. She thanked Septimus for the dance, and he left to warn Vincent about Ardan's presence and clear knowledge of his and Willa's relationship before seeking out Artemisia.
Once he was gone, Bertok handed Willa one of the champagne flutes and said, "Is Mr. Malfoy all right? He looks much more rattled than earlier, as though he has seen a ghost."
Willa sipped some champagne and said, "I suppose in a way he has. Someone from his past has turned up here unexpectedly."
"An enemy?" Bertok asked.
"Something like that." Willa laughed humorously and drank more champagne.
As the bubbles hit her throat, Hélène and Braxton approached them, physically very close to one another.
"Mr. Malfoy seems quite keen on you. Two dances already? Your lunch date must have gone well." Hélène joked to Willa, who wished she had said nothing of the sort as Braxton's body language turned very cold at the remark. The last thing she needed to deal with tonight was Braxton's emotions.
"He is trying to woo me away from Artemisia Lufkin politically." Willa said with a bored tone and motioned to the dance floor. "I advised him to spend his charms on her instead."
Hélène and Braxton turned to see Septimus now danced with Artemisia.
"How are you two enjoying the evening?" Bertok asked brightly.
"Rather well so far." Hélène smiled at Braxton who leaned down to kiss her with such gusto Willa had to look away. Thankfully Bertok was equally uncomfortable with this display of affection and the two shared a laugh.
"We can leave you alone." Bertok said after the kiss went on longer than a few seconds.
This prompted Braxton to pull away and apologize, adding, "It is just so hard not to kiss the person you love for all the world to see."
"On the contrary, if Hildegard were here, I would not put her on such display and risk her reputation." Bertok said.
Hélène laughed, "Are you saying mine and Braxton's reputations are rather risqué?"
"Yes, from what we hear most nights." Bertok said and shared a playful look with Willa.
Willa grinned and drank some champagne.
"Who is that man speaking with your cousin? He is the same one who was with you earlier, yes?" Bertok asked Willa after a moment.
She followed his gaze to find her father speaking animatedly with Elnath and Patrice. Penelope and Xabi were beside them laughing along at Ardan's story.
"Oh, that is my father, Elnath's uncle." Willa said simply.
"Your father is here?" Braxton asked with alarm.
"Ardan Gamp is here?" Hélène gushed.
Willa drank more champagne and nodded to Hélène with a forced smile. The girl spun to look for him, her deep brown eyes wide.
While she was turned away, Braxton looked at Willa with concern.
"I must meet him. You must introduce me!" Hélène urged.
Willa wanted to not speak to Ardan for the remainder of the night; the remainder of her life, if truth be told, but there was no logical reason to deny Hélène an introduction. Plus she wished to save her cousin from his schemes, whatever they might be. To see Willa could not be the reason he was there.
"Yes, I know how you dote on him. Come on." Willa said.
The four of them reached the other group and Elnath gave her cousin a meaningful look, moving to take her hands into her own as she arrived.
"I am glad to see you!" Elnath said brightly, clearly grateful to be saved from her uncle she barely knew, but no longer trusted based on Willa's accounts of his treatment of Ciaran.
"Yes, Hélène wished to meet my father." Willa replied, then looked to Ardan and said, "Father, may I present my roommate here, Mlle. Hélène Lestrange."
When Ardan turned to their group to greet Hélène, his expression changed abruptly and he lost most of the color in his face.
"Braxton?" Ardan managed through his suddenly dry throat.
No one said a word, all too shocked that Mr. Gamp knew Braxton's name. Then Ardan did something Willa never would have expected him to do. He reached out to touch one of Braxton's curls, pulling the lock through his fingers until it straightened. Braxton stepped backwards from him with haste.
There were several silent seconds before Ardan seemed to come back into himself, shaking his head and smiling as he said, "I am so sorry, of course you would not remember me. You were too young. I doubt Willa remembers meeting your family either. We came for your sister's birth. You both must have been three then."
"Why would you know my family?" Braxton asked, his voice strained as he looked between Ardan and Willa. She shook her head, equally confused.
"I know your mother, Miranda Borgin, er, Bagshot." He said, smiling at his mistaken use of her maiden name. "Forgive me, you look so exceptionally like her, it took me off guard."
"How do you know my mother?"
"From Hogwarts, of course. She and I were friends, just as Mrs. Gamp and your father were friends." Ardan said simply. His expression grew grim as he added, "What happened to your family was an absolute tragedy."
"Father, not here." Willa urged. No one except the Hogwarts delegates knew about this, which she knew was something Braxton prized.
"No, you will not interrupt me about this, ungrateful child." Ardan said harshly to Willa, his black eyes bore into her and she shrank, letting out a shaky breath as she braced for a Cruciatus Curse that never came. Then she noticed something in his eyes that typically was not there—pain. Her father felt pain. She did not know this was possible.
He looked back to Braxton and continued in the grim tone he spoke in before yelling at Willa, "Braxton, I need you to know that if I had not been in America, your sister Bethany would still be alive."
Braxton was beginning to shake. This topic had not come up publicly in two full months and he had lost his ability to handle it calmly. He wanted to punch Mr. Gamp in the throat to shut him up, but then Ardan continued and what he said changed Braxton's opinion of the man entirely.
"And I promise you, son, if I had been the one to defend your mother in court and not that incompetent waste of human being, Septimus Malfoy," Ardan's voice had risen at this point, calling attention from several nearby groups of students. He took notice and lowered his voice down to tightened, angry hiss as he finished, "Then Miranda would be free right now just as my Wilhelmina is after I defended her in MACUSA's court."
Braxton's body language relaxed, glad to finally hear someone in power agree with him. Willa looked at the ceiling's floating crystal chandeliers, fighting tears of frustration. She wanted to scream out the truth. Ardan Gamp murdered innumerable Muggles. Murdered them for fun. Murdered Minister Crowdy. Braxton knew her father tortured her and forced her to torture her own mother, and still he sided with him now. It was incomprehensible.
"Cousin, come and get a refill with me." Elnath said softly, grasping Willa's elbow and yanking her away from the group. She led her through the glass doors onto the marble patio that opened out into the gardens and Flamel Fountain. A charm kept this small area warm as if they were indoors and not the icy night.
"Why did he come here? Why would Braxton side with him?" Willa said.
"I do not know." Elnath shook her head, then looked at Willa and asked in a quiet, tentative voice, "You once told me that he would hurt Ciaran. Did you not tell me the entire truth then? Did he hurt you as well?"
Willa pressed her lips together, tears beginning to fall freely from her eyes. She nodded.
"Oh Willa," Elnath breathed, pulling her into a tight hug.
Quintus came onto the patio a few moments later, but only Willa could see him as Elnath faced away. He looked uncertain if he should speak or not, but then his expression changed to fear. He appeared to be straining to hear something, but there was no noise other than Flamel Fountain's soft gushing and the rumble of chatter from the ballroom.
"We need to get inside, right now." Quintus said, his face hard.
For how much Willa knew Elnath to still hate Quintus, she apparently trusted him in equal parts, because she gripped onto Willa and hurried them inside after him. They wondered what Quintus had been worried about, the ballroom looked identical to when they had left it except that more people were dancing as a new song had begun. Xabi danced with Penelope of course, Bertok danced with a Beauxbatons girl, Catherine with Vincent, and, most peculiarly, Hélène danced with Ardan.
"There is Patrice." Elnath said, and Willa looked to find Patrice stood with Braxton watching the dancefloor.
It was as soon as Elnath started towards him that the gale rushed into the ballroom, slamming shut the doors that led to the patio where they had just stood. The glass shattered from the doors and matching windows, showering down in shards over the crowd. Screams went up and people ran to avoid it.
"Reducio!" Quintus cast directly overhead himself and the two cousins as the three ducked instinctively.
His spell shrunk the glass shards to sand.
"Protego!" Willa cast to shield them.
She and Quintus looked at each other with a nod of gratitude while Patrice ran towards them crying, "Elnath!"
Another gale began inside the room though this was impossible. It continued ferociously gathering into something akin to a tornado as the room went into a full panic.
"Everyone to the carriages now!" Headmistress Lestrange boomed out over the roar with the aid of the Sonorous charm.
Patrice lifted Elnath off the ground and began to run with her in his arms. Quintus was pulling Willa to her feet, saying, "Get to the carriages!"
But Willa was searching for Septimus.
"Get to the carriages!" Quintus repeated, shoving her towards the exit. In the next breath he yelled, "Father, please, go! I will find Octavia."
Willa followed his shouting to find Septimus on the far side of the room being backed into a corner by two twisters converging on him, as if they were being controlled and he was their target. Willa lost her breath as she spun around to look for her father, who surely was the source of this. The visibility was poor among the flying debris, but no one who looked like Ardan remained. In fact, most people were gone from the ballroom entirely. She looked back to Septimus, still being cornered by the now large, single tornado, and saw he did not have his wand.
"Get out of here!" Septimus yelled, and Willa could not tell if it was meant for her or Quintus. She could not leave him in such a situation however and changed her direction towards the worst of the indoor storm. She cast a Shield charm on Septimus then concentrated her mind on elemental magic to calm the winds. Nothing she tried seemed to be working, and she realized the tornados were a result of dark magic. The only way to stop them would be to stop the caster.
"Quintus!" a voice screamed from behind her. Catherine. There was a pop and she turned to find neither Catherine nor Quintus was there. Willa knew they must have disapparated, but could not understand how that was possible on school grounds. Had the protection been lifted for the Yule Ball? It seemed unwise.
Braxton was calling, "Hélène! Hélène!" through the noise and Willa turned to find he was right behind her. His face lit up when he saw her, a face he recognized and trusted. "Have you seen Hélène?"
"No, she was with my father and he is gone." Willa yelled.
"We have to go!" he then yelled, grabbing onto Willa and attempting to move her towards the exit.
"I cannot leave him!" Willa jerked her head towards Septimus.
He was about to say something to her when the ballroom turned pitch black and the wind ceased. Everything went eerily silent.
"Do not let go of me." Willa whispered coarsely, shaking in fear.
"I will not." Braxton said, pulling her closer to his own trembling body.
The light returned to the room, even brighter than it had been before the chaos had begun. Willa and Braxton blinked into it to find the ballroom in shambles. Large chunks of debris littered the ground. Water pooled from melting ice sculptures and the festive greenery lay scattered in filthy heaps. They turned to see a masked wizard now stood before Septimus with Octavia in hand, a wand pressed to her temple.
Willa immediately drew her wand as did Braxton. They glanced at one another long enough to enter each other's minds, so they could communicate without speaking.
Search to your right. Willa thought to him and searched to her left. No one was there.
No one to the right either. Braxton thought.
They focused back on the scene at hand as Septimus slowly walked towards the masked wizard and Octavia, his hands out to show he did not hold his wand.
"Let the girl go." He said calmly in French.
Willa and Braxton started to move in on the masked wizard from behind, slow and steady, wands at the ready. Septimus continued towards Octavia, one step at a time, talking to try and keep the wizard focused away from Willa and Braxton.
"Your quarrel is with me. Release her and take me instead." Septimus said, giving a soothing smile to the masked man.
"Septimus Malfoy, you still think you are in charge here. Here in France, where you do not belong." the masked wizard cooed in French. They all recognized the man's voice as M. Droit.
"I am leaving France tonight, Purcell. The Ministry requires me back in England." Septimus said.
"You will not be leaving France tonight, Septimus." M. Droit said simply.
Willa and Braxton mentally readied to disarm him.
"Look at your daughter." M. Droit continued, pulling the mask from his face. "Tell her that she will be all right. Lie to her, please. Tell her you will save her like you tell everyone else you claim to love."
Braxton's thoughts darkened towards Septimus at this comment, and Willa mentally reminded him to remain focused. Octavia was shaking, unable to speak. As Septimus looked at her his features softened.
"I will not lie to you, my daughter." He said and then finally looked at Willa.
"Expelliarmus!" Willa and Braxton cast at the same time.
Purcell spun to face them, wordlessly countering their spell in a red stream of light. Their wands combined streams as their unicorn mane cores began to bond. Willa had never felt power like this, not even on the Quidditch pitch in September when they last saved Octavia's life. She was so overcome with it that she did not notice the other masked wizards apparate into the hall.
"Confringo!" was the last thing she heard before flying across the room. The Blasting curse had hit the ground in front of her and Braxton, but the power was enough to send them some ten meters backwards.
Her vision went black, but she could still hear every sound. There were more pops of apparation and then a woman asked in French, "Should we finish her off? The boy appears dead."
"NO!" Septimus cried. Willa's heart raced as she realized the woman had been speaking about her and Braxton.
"As much as I would love to see Malfoy suffer more than he is going to, our orders were specific." M. Droit said. She wondered who was giving him orders since M. Droit was the Anti-Moldus leader.
"We can deposit Lufkin by them when we leave." Another person suggested.
"What about his son?" someone else said.
"That half-breed Saint-Just got him out." The woman from before growled.
"When we are done here, we will find Quintus Malfoy and finish the job. You all have your tasks. See to them." M. Droit said, then cursed, "Imperio!"
A moment later, Willa's vision finally returned. She saw Braxton was next to her and did indeed look dead. She subtly checked his pulse and breathed a sigh of relief when she found one.
The number of masked wizards had grown to at least thirty. She realized it was safer to stay on the ground and not call attention to herself. She slowly angled herself so she could see Septimus, who had been forced to his knees by two masked wizards.
Octavia stood before him, her expression placid due to the Imperius Curse M. Droit had just put on her.
"Your father murdered your brother and attacked the school to get rid of the evidence." M. Droit said to her softly in English. He handed Octavia her wand and ordered, "Kill him."
Septimus looked up at her and Willa could tell he was using legilimency to try and fight for control of her mind. Octavia's hand trembled violently as she pointed her wand at him. Whatever Septimus was trying to do, Willa could see in his eyes that it was not working. She noticed her own wand on the floor and summoned it to herself silently. She stayed on the ground, aiming at M. Droit. Her father's words from childhood raced through her head, "It is unforgivable because you have to mean it for it to work." She imagined Septimus dead; cold in her arms with his eyes open.
"Avada Kedavra!" she cursed.
A rush of green light shot from her wand and hit M. Droit square on the chest. He fell dead and Octavia blinked, dropping her wand in horror. In the room's resulting shock, Septimus was able to shake off the two wizards long enough to grab the wand and Octavia's hand, whisper something, and disapparate with her.
The group of wizards now approached Willa and she reached out to grab Braxton's arm and disapparated them to the gazebo beside Flamel Fountain, out of sight of the ballroom, to buy herself a minute to think. Her entire wand arm reeled in pain from the dark magic, pressing into her chest like a stranglehold, but she had to focus.
What did he whisper?
Then it hit her, the password to his hôtel particuleur.
She looked down at Braxton and found the snow around him grew steadily red with his blood. He was seriously injured. Next to his body, though, was a figure. Willa gasped and quickly grabbed Braxton, ready to disapparate when she realized it was Artemisia.
She stared at Willa with a terrified expression on her tear-streamed face, and Willa noticed she clutched tightly to a wand as if she had been commanded to do so. It was Septimus' wand.
"Help me." Artemisia whispered.
"Hold onto me."
Artemisia did, and still holding Braxton, Willa whispered, "Moroun rouge."
The next moment she, Braxton and Artemisia were on the floor of Septimus' Paris dressing room, Octavia's loud sobs filling the air.