Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor am I making any profit from this fanfiction. Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, who thankfully allows others to play in her universe.


Chapter 29 Going Home

It turned out the police chief had been detained by a junior officer's question.

They all settled back into the office, and the chief said, "who's going next?"

"I am," Sevastian said.

"Saving the best for last I see," the chief said smiling at Roxanne. She felt herself go red as she hurriedly shook her head.

Sevastian rolled his eyes and jumped right into the story. He was a really good storyteller. He made it seem like everything they went through was an adventure, from hiding under the beds to breaking into the science building. She even forgot a few times that when Sevastian said Roxanne that he meant her.

Unlike with Mandy's story the chief's questions just disrupted the flow. He asked about why the kitchen door was unlocked and how many people knew about it. If only the staff knew, how had Sevastian known? Sevastian was unusually patient and very careful when answering questions. Especially about how they moved around campus.

Sevastian was to the point when he had left to try his idea. "I wasn't needed, Roxanne had the radio sorted. She's good at that Science stuff. It was just a matter of some listening and she'd get through, but if no one was on... I had to try. So I took the airplanes."

He described how he had decided to throw the airplanes from the Fibonacci building. "I had been in it only once on the endless tour first week of school. But on the tour we were told the building was so old it still had an observation tower. Because in the old days counting stars was considered maths. So it seemed perfect. If I could get to the observatory. If I could open the window. And if the tower was on the right side, not to mention the dangers of crossing campus without being seen. Not that I let any of that stop me. It was a relatively easy journey, I only saw two terrorists patrols. The building may have been old, but the doors were not. I couldn't get in any of them. But in walking around the building I learned that the observatory was on the right side, so I had to get in. I found a window that was open. The only problem, it was on the second floor. There were no drainpipes to climb and the brick was too smooth." Sevastian paused to take a drink.

"Was there a tree?" Mandy asked.

Sevastian shook his head, "not even a decent sized bush. I thought about trying to find some rope, or ladder. I was leaning against the wall kicking the corner as I thought. The windows were set in from the building by almost two the windows weren't too wide I could easily touch the bricks on either side." Sevastian held his hands out to either side to show the distance. "I put one hand and each side and pushed up enough to jump my feet up. I then grip with my feet and move my hands up and repeated. It was easy, probably the easiest thing I'd done all night. Getting through the window was trickier, I grab the windowsill and sort of dove into the room. I may have hit a desk but besides that it was a perfect landing. The observatory door was unlocked, and it is a cool room. Half the ceiling is glass and the other was these panels that could slide apart so the room could be open to the sky. I didn't open the panels because it would be too noticeable and plus you needed a key to get to the switch. Lucky for me there was a window high up looking out on the fence. I had to stack a chair onto a desk to reach it. So now I'm ready to send my messages via paper airplane over the fence and into a field. The odds were not good someone would see it. But if they found the three planes they would have all the information Roxanne and I had overheard. Also map of the school where I'd marked the old gym and where I'd seen the terrorists patrols. Plus sketches of the terrorists and their guns. After checking the Fieldspark side of the fence for patrols, I aimed and let the first airplane fly." Sevastian demonstrated how he thrown the airplane. "It flew straight and true, but it was losing altitude fast. It wasn't going to go over the fence but with luck it could still go through." He paused again, supposedly to take a drink of his hot chocolate. But Roxanne suspected he was enjoying himself and wanted to prolong the ending.

"Did it make it through?" Roxanne asked, unable to keep still any longer.

Sevastian smiled slyly. "Just barely it ricocheted off one of the bars so it was right next the fence. The next paper airplane I aimed higher, and it caught the wind and sailed far into the field. The third airplane landed between the first two."

"Wow! You got all three over," Mandy said, the appreciation clear in her voice.

"Congratulations," Roxanne said. She knew from all her test flights how unpredictable paper airplanes could be.

"What can I say, I have skills." Sevastian said, basking in their awe and appreciation.

"It was very well done," the chief said looking at his notes not Sevastian. He clearly didn't remember what it was like to throw a paper airplane. Roxanne looked at her parents and Uncle Harry. They also couldn't fully appreciate the skill needed to do what Sevastian had done. The police chief cleared his voice. "What happened next?"

Sevastian, Mandy, and Roxanne shared a look of annoyance at being under appreciated.

Then Sevastian went on, "nothing happened for a really long time. The patrols didn't go by and no one came to investigate the bits of white you could see in the field. I was debating going back to see if Roxanne had made contact when I thought I saw something move in the field. It was so low to the ground I thought it must be an animal, but I kept watching. Then it got closer, it was a man his, face blackened, army crawling across the field. As he got closer I noticed more men behind him. Then the man in front saw my middle paper airplane and he crawled right to it and unfolded it. It was like he knew it was important. After they found the other planes and looked the information over a bunch of the men hurried off. But a group of five stayed where I could see them. They took out this super stealthy electric saw and cut through the metal bars of the fence as easily as cutting butter. In they came and a few ran off down the fence line and two came to the Fibonacci building.

I ran downstairs to the window I'd come in and opened it. I figured I could save them trouble of checking the doors. But then I heard this huge crash from downstairs. I raced to the stairs and found two machine guns pointed at me. It made my blood run cold, knowing that if they shot I would die and there was nothing I could do to stop it. "Hands in the air," a voice called. Just like in the movies. But before I got them to shoulder height the other man said, "its the paper airplane kid, you're Sevastian right?" Then the guns weren't pointed at me, and a bright light was shining in my face, I squinted and said, "yes." "And you're alone, there's no one else in the building?" "Not that I know of," I told him. Because in the movies if you say I'm alone it usually turns out that the bad guy is hiding just out of sight. I wanted to go find Roxanne, but they wouldn't let me. They finally gave in enough to let me send a message. So I folded another paper airplane and wrote my message. I told them Roxanne would know it was from me even before reading it. Then they brought me here." Sevastian shrugged and reached for his hot chocolate. He looked disappointed his story was over.

Roxanne felt that sense of panic, when she realized she was next. The chief tried to get her to tell the whole thing. But after the first painful 20 minutes of Roxanne getting quieter until he could not hear her. He gave in and said, "just tell me about anything I haven't already heard." Even with less to tell it took Roxanne over an hour to get all the words out so they could be understood.

By the time she finished Mandy had fallen asleep. "All right, if all the kids have been checked out by a nurse one of the deputies will assist you in checking out Roxanne. And will make sure the other two get to the hotel until their parents can collect them. If you'll excuse me, I have a lot of work to do."

Roxanne looked at Sevastian and saw he was also surprised at being split up so quickly.

They left the office, Dad carrying the still sleeping Mandy, when Roxanne said, "can't we take them too?"

Uncle Harry shook his head, Dad nodded, and Mum said, "we can ask, if that would be all right." So they found a deputy who was checking out students. Most of the students had already gone to the hotel but a few were waiting for parents to come pick them up.

Even though the deputy had probably been working for hours he smiled when he saw them, "The heroes of the hour. What can I do to help you?"

"We'd like to take Roxanne home and were hoping it would be possible to take the other two. With their guardian's permission of course," Mum said.

He nodded. "Roxanne is free to go with you, once you sign this form. Unfortunately Mandy's caseworker has already requested she be sent to the hotel. Until a foster home can be found."

"A foster home?" Roxanne said.

"In case the school doesn't reopen after spring break."

Sevastian's head jerked up. "Fieldspark is closing?"

"Yes, for at least the break. To get the police a chance to do a complete sweep of the school, and for the security upgrade. Then there will be a hearing for the board to decide if the school should be reopened."

"Why wouldn't it? No one got hurt," Sevastian said angrily.

"This incident scared a lot of people, many parents have already pulled their children out. A school can't exist without students."

"This sucks," Sevastian kicked the desk, "it's like what we did doesn't matter."

Roxanne grabbed Sevastian's arm, both to comfort and restrain him.

"Sevastian," Dad said. Mandy stirred in his arms but didn't wake up. "No matter what happens, what you did saved lives. You are a hero, don't ever believe otherwise."

Sevastian glared at the floor.

"And it might not close." Roxanne looked at the deputy, "right?"

"That's right, and the more kids like you that will be coming back the more reason to keep the school open."

"Roxanne won't be coming back," Dad said.

Roxanne was about to argue that of course she was coming back, but stopped. She had been wanting all year to leave the Muggle World. To be able to go back to the Wizarding World, to go back home. Why did that suddenly seem like such a bad thing?

"Sevastian, why don't you give your parents a call and see where you get to go?" The deputy said gesturing to a phone on the table behind him.

Sevastian went over and started dialing, he spoke softly to someone on the other line for a few minutes.

Roxanne watched him but wasn't seeing him. Her brain was scrambling much like it did when people were staring at her. But no one was staring at her now, she had checked.

It wasn't until Sevastian was right in front of her speaking, did Roxanne focus again. "My Mum wants me to go to the hotel, her and Dad will come and get me tomorrow."

"I'd be happy to take you home, if that would be easier?" Uncle Harry said.

Sevastian shook his head. "No thank you. I'll go to the hotel with Mandy."

"Right, I'll see who's whose free to take you two," the deputy said, picking up one of the phones on the desk in front of him.

"Roxanne, honey you should say goodbye, you may not see your friends for a while." Dad said, gently shaking Mandy awake.

"What's going on," Mandy said sleepily, "am I late for dance?"

Roxanne smiled. "No, I have to go home with my parents now." Roxanne pause and then went on, "and the school..."

"The school is sending us to hotel to sleep," Sevastian cut in. "I'll fill you in on everything you've missed tomorrow, or is it today? After we sleep."

Mandy nodded eyes still half closed, "sounds good." Then she hugged Roxanne, "say hi to your family for me, and have a good visit."

Roxanne nodded she didn't trust herself to speak around the lump in her throat.

"Your ride is here," the deputy said, "please follow Officer Morgan." Mandy waved at everyone as she followed Officer Morgan.

Sevastian hung back. "Well bye," he said he held out his hand Roxanne.

She ignored it and hugged him, surprising them both.

After the very brief hug, Sevastian turned to go but immediately turned back. "I'll understand, no matter what you decide."

Roxanne nodded, he did understand the choice she now faced.

"Let's get you home," Dad said, picking her up.

Mum reached out to stroked her hair, "I'm so glad you're okay."

"You had use all worried," Uncle Harry said.