"Ron!" Hermione called out over the spell she was hiding behind. She could hear the magic swirling around her. It was a familiar sound that left her shaking, reality tied to the feeling of aching guilt. "Please." she wasn't sure who this was, but maybe it really was her lost lover. She didn't know anymore.
"Hermione," Harry answered her "It's not Ron." and the cackle from Ron that followed that statement echoed through the classroom. Ron raised his wand again pointing it at Hermione and hummed.
"I wonder how many spells I need to toss before that shield fails." He seemed to muse and tossed several wordless curses towards his victim. Easily dodging the curses that Harry sent his direction as if he knew exactly what Harry was going to throw his way. The shield began to flicker and Harry and Malcolm exchanged a knowing look. Malcolm couldn't sustain this forever.
"Go," Harry yelled redoubling his efforts to catch Ron unaware, this time one of Harry's curses managed to hit and Ron turned his attention to Harry with a tisking sound.
"You know Harry, I didn't want to kill you." he sighed dramatically. Malcolm took the moment to reach for Hermione tugging her hand from the classroom. She was still frozen in place and didn't realize that Harry wasn't coming until she was outside the classroom doors.
"Harry, NO!" she sobbed. Malcolm grabbed her shoulders keeping her from running back into the room.
"Harry is fine Hermione. He is good at what he does. They want to kill you, not him. Harry will hold them off until more people can come. Come with me." and he tugged her arm towards the staircase. Hermione wanted to stay and help, but fear had her feet following Malcolm up the staircase. Her trembling limbs clinging to him.
Minerva chased Beth through the hallways of the Castle, only managing to raise her wand to her throat and speak. Her voice was echoing through the whole castle. "This is Minerva McGonagall. Lockdown is now in effect." She could almost feel it the moment the castle responded to her words, sealing the wards even more tightly. There had been a few changes to the castles magic since the war. Short of Azkaban itself, the castle was the most secure place in England. How could anyone have even gotten through the wards of the castle?
"Beth!" she called out again as she saw a figure in black disappear around a hallway. Damn her lover for having gone to this school in her youth and knowing it well. In a burst of speed, she managed to catch onto her arm. Minerva's breath was coming in hard pants, but Beth was still too afraid to even realize how fast she was running. It was only fear written in her gaze. "What the bloody hell!" Minerva exclaimed. She didn't have time for patience somewhere in this school someone had broken in. Without meaning to she shook Beth slightly taking her wand from her so she couldn't do anything stupid. "Tell me what is going on!"
"The letter is in Ila's handwriting," Beth answered and when Minerva gave her an annoyed look she continued. "Ila's dead," she said too softly. "She was Malcolm's sister." and Minerva sighed and ran a hand through her hair. She knew this, she should have put it together.
"Right, she was your sister in law." she sighed and Beth reached out snatching her wand back. The surprise of the action catching Minerva off guard, especially when Beth started marching towards the transfiguration room again. Her footsteps quick.
"Not when she died," Beth answered Minerva even as she cast a locator spell crying out in frustration when the wards of the castle blocked her spell. "I loved her. We talked about defying our families and getting married in the muggle world. Even if we had to break our wands and live as muggles she would have had her music and I could have gone to medical school." she reached out grabbing Minerva and pulling her along even as she continued. "Then she killed her father."
Minerva tried to keep up. Beth was like a woman possessed as she ran through the hallway. "Her mother took the blame. Ila's father was the worst dregs that the wizarding world had to offer. Former death eater who regularly beat Ila and her mother. He never touched Malcolm because they protected him. No one was sorry when he died, except Ila. Killing him almost broke her." She walked through the stairs and up towards the room. "She stopped playing music. Stopped existing really. I tried to help her Minerva." Beth paused for a moment swallowing hard and shook her head. "It was like everything she had gone through she was suddenly living all at once. Then she got a letter." She said softly. "It was signed from her Mother." she stopped to pull on a set of doors but they were locked tight by the wards. Turning her eyes to Minerva she pleaded with her to open them. Minerva didn't waste time, she cast the counterspell and un-warded the door letting them both through as Beth spoke. "It spoke about her guilt and how soon she would be free. Ila was sure Malcolm wrote it despite it being from in her Mother's hand. I begged her to leave that house, pureblood propriety be damned. She agreed, she just had to make sure her Mother was safe. She would go that night get her things and we would leave. She never came the next day. I got a call from Malcolm the next morning saying she was dead. He thought he was telling her best friend. No one ever knew who she was to me." Beth reached up to dash the tears from her eyes. Minerva was silent for a long time. Only the sound of their feet on the castle floor.
"Why didn't you tell the Aurors?" Minerva asked finally.
"I did," Beth said softly. "They didn't believe me. Everyone believed Malcolm's Mother had murdered Ila too. She was old and losing her mind, so instead of sending her to Azkaban Malcolm convinced the Wizengamot to allow her to be taken to Saint Mungo's."
"So, are you telling me that you married a man who you believe killed your lover?" Minerva asked Beth wondering if she was the insane one.
"They never found Ila's wand," Beth answered in a short burst. Her voice raw now from the effort of movement and talking but she wasn't slowing down. Minerva had never seen her like this. "No one would listen to me and...and well Malcolm seemed -seems- so lost after Ila died. I started to question it. Maybe I was wrong." she turned to Minerva. "But I was sure. I was SURE the proof was there. I just had to get to it. Marrying him allowed me to try and find proof and look after Margie at the same time." she paused in her wild steps for a moment "It was something people always expected. Our marriage seemed." she swallowed "Natural." Minerva stared at Beth as if she didn't know her at all. "But I needed, I NEEDED to find justice for Ila and the only way to do that was to find that wand. My lover was dead and whoever did it was getting away with it!" Her eyes holding her; she reached out and took her hand begging Minerva to understand.
"Beth," she said softly looking into her tear streaked gaze that were flying from her cheek. Beth had wiped them away in agitation. Who had Beth talked to about this? No one Minerva guessed. Not since the Aurors refused to listen to her. "There was nothing natural about you forcing yourself into that Marriage. Two years, two years you spent in that house." and Beth just shrugged her shoulders.
"Two years Minerva, and for a full year of it I didn't care. I thought I had died with Ila and my only purpose was to find her killer. I didn't care what happened to me until I met you. Then I woke up." She shifted in her spot again and sighed "Please Minerva. Whoever wrote this letter. They have Ila's wand." she said too softly. "Please. Please don't stop me." Minerva couldn't have said no even if she wanted to. She couldn't stand the depth of grief on her lovers face. Grief she had, until this moment, not even known existed. How could she have been so blind?
"I won't," she answered transfiguring her silk robe into a dress. "watch carefully." she said and showed Beth the spell to unlock the doors of the castle during the lockdown. taking Beth's hand she turned opening one of the castles many secret passages and both of them took off running again.
