"What the devil are we stopping for?" Josiah asked loudly over the rain that battered the carriage window. "We are so very nearly back to the Ministry, as is!"
"So very nearly?" Sophia argued. She and Josiah had started bickering like siblings a week into the competition. "We are barley in France!"
Lizzy rubbed her eyes, having been rudely awakened from her nap by her companions. When a brilliant flash of light streaked across the sky, however, she became keenly aware of everything around her. "A storm," she breathed.
"Obviously," Josiah mocked.
"A lightning storm," Lizzy said as a slow grin spread across her features. She suddenly began scrambling about the confined space. "Where are my shoes? Josiah, did you hide them?"
"No, Lizzy, they are here," said Sophia, pulling Lizzy's shoes out from under the discarded outer layer of her robes. "Do you plan on going out in this mess?"
"Yes," Lizzy said emphatically as she jammed her feet into the shoes and tied them haphazardly.
"The potion," Darcy said, his face lighting up with understanding.
Lizzy nodded eagerly and pressed her face to the window as another streak of lightening made an appearance. The moment the carriage landed with a significant splash of mud, she tumbled out of the it and slid her way over to McGonagall just as the woman was descending her own equipage.
"What potion is so important as to warrant – Oh!" cried Sophia. She clapped her hands excitedly. "Lizzy shall be a true animagus, now! I confess I rather want to learn after seeing all those animagi from Africa! What do you think she'll be, Darcy?"
"A mule would be fitting, for she's as stubborn as one," Josiah jested.
Darcy paid neither of his companions any mind, but threw on his coat and hat, then stepped out of the carriage and made his way to Elizabeth and McGonagall. He listened intently as McGonagall shouted directions to Elizabeth over the sounds of the storm around them. Before Elizabeth could step away to consume her potion, he quickly reached out, drew her to him, and planted a kiss on her forehead. Such earned him a brilliant smile from his beloved, who then skipped away as best as she was able through the mud, and a stern glance from McGonagall.
Elizabeth drank the entirety of her potion, drew her wand, and did a few spells, but nothing happened. She looked toward McGonagall, utterly dejected. She dragged her feet when McGonagall beckoned her back.
"It is not always immediate," said McGonagall in surprisingly soothing tones. She set an arm around Elizabeth's shoulder, a rare display of affection. "Now that you've taken the potion, you will turn when everything is right for you to do so. I told you when we started this, Elizabeth, that it would be a long and difficult path. Don't tell me you're getting discouraged now!"
"No, Professor," said Elizabeth thickly.
"Cheer up, Bennet," McGonagall encouraged. "You'll get there."
It was a sullen, silent, and dripping wet Elizabeth that Darcy brought back to the carriage. He dried them both with his wand once they were back inside, but such did not improve Elizabeth's mood. She hid her face and pretended to sleep for most of the rest of the trip. Had it not been for Josiah and Sophia, Darcy would have held her in his arms to provide his beloved comfort.
"Now, Miss Bennet, you must promise to take care in Hertfordshire," McGonagall said concernedly. "There's still been hardly any news of Wickham, but it is believed he is still in the country."
"And what of Malfoy?" Darcy demanded. His face had fallen to fury at the mention of Wickham, and he spat Malfoy's name like a curse. He had not forgotten that it was likely one of them that was responsible for the deaths of nearly twenty of his tenants.
"Ursus Malfoy?" McGonagall clarified. She shook her head. "Rumor has it he tried to access his family vault some six weeks ago, but the goblins turned him away. Hasn't been seen since.
"An auror will check in with you every other day," McGonagall said, attention again directed to Elizabeth. "They won't draw attention to themselves or your situation, so don't worry on that account. But you must promise to do as they say."
"I promise," Elizabeth said grudgingly.
"Here is your documentation, citing you have permission to use your wand outside of Hogwarts, though you are underage," said Flitwick, offering Elizabeth a letter with the Ministry's seal. "Keep it on you, just in case. Also, remember that – "
"You managed to get the permission for the whole of the summer with the understanding I would only use magic for the competition, the animagus incantation, or an emergency," Elizabeth said in a monotone. "Yes, Professor."
"Well, Minerva, I think we have annoyed Miss Bennet and Mr. Darcy enough," said Flitwick cheerily to his colleague. "Shall we make our exit?"
"You will wait at the inn for your sister?" McGonagall asked of Elizabeth.
"I will not budge until Charles's carriage door is opened for me," Elizabeth answered.
Content with such assurances, McGonagall and Flitwick bid their students goodbye and disapparated.
"Felicia must be well pleased to be home," Darcy said after several minutes of silence between him and Elizabeth as they sat at an inn table, waiting for Jane and Bingley.
"I would imagine so," Elizabeth sighed. "She was unable to tend Sophia and me most mornings for being so ill. And I don't think the local cuisine made things any easier for her."
"That is an entirely reasonable assumption," said Darcy. It had taken him quite a while to adjust to the very different diet of the Indian people, though he now thought he would miss it a great deal. Perhaps he could hire an Indian cook. Such would certainly discourage guests to Pemberley, which was a very appealing idea to him.
"I assume you and Sophia will write to each other regularly?" Darcy ventured after a few more moments of Elizabeth's unusual silence.
"Of course," said Elizabeth. She ran her covered thumb over the back of her gloved hand in a pattern that had become exceedingly familiar to Darcy in the past weeks.
"It pains me to see you this way, Elizabeth," Darcy said lowly, leaning forward on the table. He internally cursed the Muggle proprieties that prevented him taking Elizabeth's hands in his own.
Elizabeth attempted a smile. "I will be well with some time," she said. "I am just so disappointed to leave the competition and all my friends. And then, with the storm…"
Darcy gripped the teacup in front of him with both his hands to prevent himself reaching out to his beloved. She had already been in low spirits the entire journey back to England, but had become truly melancholy after she did not take her animagus form upon consuming the potion.
"McGonagall said it isn't uncommon," Darcy said gently. "You'll manage before long, I am certain."
Elizabeth sighed heavily, then shook her head determinedly and fixed a smile on her face. "This is no way for me to behave," she declared. "My sister is to be married in a mere week!"
Darcy looked at Elizabeth skeptically but, at seeing a hint of pleading in her gaze, played along and pretended all was well. They chatted easily until Bingley bounced into the room.
"Ah, the intrepid traveler returns!" he cried.
Elizabeth smiled at Bingley and accepted his escort to his carriage, where she was quite delighted to be reunited with Jane.
"Lizzy, you look so tan!" Jane commented after the pair had squealed out most of the intensity of their excitement. "Did you meet a great many people? Tell me everything!"
Elizabeth happily obliged and took a great deal of joy in showing her sister the tattoos on her hands that had started to fade. "And I learned some of the most delightful braids from my friend Solveig," Elizabeth said as Jane gawked at the dye. "I can try some of them out on you tonight and if you like them you can have quite the unique hairstyle for your wedding. I daresay that, with your great beauty, you'll even start a new trend. By this time next year, all the finest ladies will get their personal attendants from Norway!"
Jane laughed at that and agreed to let Elizabeth experiment on her hair.
"You have not yet told you sister of your first great adventure," said Darcy with a mischievous gleam in his eyes.
"There is more?" Jane asked, aghast.
"So very much more!" Elizabeth answered. "I think Mr. Darcy has something very particular in mind, however. I will indulge him." She turned to the man in question. "Well, go on. You know the promise I gave Flitwick. Incantation or emergency, only."
Darcy smirked, drew his wand, flicked it a few times, then sat back to enjoy the scene that unfolded as Jane and Bingley saw Elizabeth's entirely permanent nose ring. Jane had mastered the variant of the concealment charm before she and Elizabeth disembarked at Longbourn.
"Not a word to Mrs. Bennet," said Lizzy conspiratorially to her sister.
Jane's eyes widened dramatically. "Heaven forbid she ever find out!" She suddenly stopped, turned anxious, and grabbed her sister's hand. "Lizzy, there has been a lot going on while you've been away. Please just keep calm. I will explain all to you as soon as I can."
With a growing feeling of unease, Lizzy entered the house in which she had grown up.
Mrs. Bennet greeted Lizzy as if there had never been an issue between them, declaring she was pleased to have all her daughters back home and demanding Lizzy begin work immediately to help prepare for Jane's wedding.
Kitty and Lydia ran past just as Mrs. Bennet finished her great speech.
"Lydia, it is mine, and you cannot have it!" Kitty whined.
"La, it is much better suited to me, Kitty! You can have the grey one!" said Lydia.
Lizzy looked worriedly to Jane, who nodded in understanding and then quickly distracted their mother.
"Kitty! Lydia!" Lizzy hissed, approaching her sisters with all the kindness of a tiger stalking its prey. "What is the meaning of this?"
"Welcome back, Lizzy!" said Lydia.
"Lydia has stolen the ribbon I was just preparing to add to my dress for Jane's wedding!" Kitty said with a frustrated stamp of her foot. "She used all her pin money on treats in Meryton last week, and so can't get anything new for herself!"
"Lydia…" Lizzy said warningly.
Lydia rolled her eyes. "Fine, Kitty. We shall split it."
"You most certainly will not," said Lizzy, holding her hand out expectantly. "This is not the kind of thing I want to deal with right now, Lydia! You know the rules and expectations I have for you. Just because we are back at Longbourn, rather than being at Hogwarts, does not give you license to begin behaving like a selfish hoyden again!"
With a very pronounced pout, Lydia pulled the ribbon from her pocket and handed it to Lizzy, then stormed away.
"As for you, Kitty," said Lizzy, giving her sister back her ribbon, "this is the last time I interfere on your behalf. You need to stand up for yourself more forcefully, or she will never respect you."
"Yes, Lizzy," said Kitty contritely. She left with much less noise than her younger sister.
Lizzy looked around quickly for Mr. Bennet and Mary, but upon spotting neither, went up to her room. She simply collapsed on her bed, entirely pleased to be able to stretch all her limbs to their fullest extent after so many days in a carriage.
At least half an hour passed before Jane slipped into the room.
"What sort of mess have I just walked into?" Lizzy asked flatly without removing her gaze from the ceiling.
"Well, we didn't want to send you word while you were so far away and could do nothing about it, but Mary's been keeping to her bed these past two weeks," Jane said heavily. When Lizzy snapped up and looked angrily at her, she continued, "She's had a slight, consistent fever, so it is not just the headaches keeping her down. Nothing I've tried has helped, and I'm at a loss of what to do."
Lizzy leapt off her bed, ripped open her door, and entered Mary's room without knocking.
"Lizzy!" said Mary tiredly, but with excitement. "I am glad you are safely returned. Do not be angry with Jane. I made her promise not to write you."
"Oh, Mary," Lizzy said sadly, sitting on the edge of her sister's bed and beginning to stroke her forehead. "What can I do for you?"
Mary smiled weakly. "Just open the curtain, then go unpack. Be sure to hide anything you don't want to disappear. Lydia has been in a fine form without you here and is likely to steal things."
"Is Mrs. Bennet giving you trouble?" Lizzy asked with great concern as she went to open the curtains, as requested.
"Thankfully not," Mary answered. "Whatever is ailing me has been interfering with my legilimancy, so I've had many blessed hours of quiet. Truly, Lizzy, do not worry for me."
"I will always worry for you, Mary," Lizzy said firmly. "Get some sleep now, yes?"
Mary promised she would and received a kiss to her forehead from Lizzy with a smile before closing her eyes.
"Two weeks?" Lizzy asked irritably upon returning to her own room, where Jane was still waiting. "Two weeks Mary has been abed and – "
"I told you, Lizzy that I have tried everything I could think to do!" Jane said somewhat waspishly. "I finally wrote to Madam Pomfrey two days ago, for Mary would not let me until then, but I have yet to hear back from her!"
Lizzy cowed considerably. "I'm sorry, Jane," she said contritely. "Of course you would do everything you can for Mary. I am just so very tired and irritable, but I will try to be better."
Jane softened, sat down on the bed, and patted the spot next to her. She continued after Lizzy had sat. "Mama has been entirely distracted with preparations for the wedding – so much so that she has forgotten to be furious with you, as I'm sure you noticed."
"That changes nothing," said Lizzy hardly.
"I did not expect it to," said Jane smoothly. "I have tried to keep Kitty and Lydia in check, but Mama has been dragging me all over Meryton for various things, and they've regressed considerably."
"I noticed that, as well," Lizzy said flatly.
"Mary kept them in line very well, before she fell ill," Jane sighed. "With her abed, my inconsistency in being home, and Papa always being out now for some business or other, they've been left to grow wild again."
"Papa is out?" asked Lizzy, perking up considerably.
"Almost from dawn to dark," said Jane sadly. "I truly think he is trying to atone for all his years of carelessness, Lizzy. When he is here in the evening, things are much different. He keeps Mama, Kitty, and Lydia all in line. He's been teaching Kitty chess and working with Lydia on debating as a reasonable human. There is not much to show in either of them yet, but I think he could be met with success if he stays consistent."
"And what of Mary? Does he attend her?"
"He sent for the apothecary when she first took to her bed, but did not do so again when I told him it would not be necessary," Jane answered. "He checks on her most nights, but she has been falling asleep very early."
Lizzy rubbed her temples as she considered the mess that was her family. After a moment of self indulgence, she straightened and smiled at her concerned elder sister. "Well, Jane, I will manage the home front. You just focus on preparations to become Mrs. Bingley!"
"Charles and I have been thinking of taking Kitty to Netherfield once we wed," said Jane. "It would make managing Lydia easier, I think."
"Don't worry about that now," Lizzy chided. "Is your dress done? You must show me!"
"…and Kitty simply lets Lydia walk all over her, just as she did before Hogwarts!" Elizabeth irritably finished her rant on her home affairs to Darcy when they met up for a walk.
"Perhaps I can call a healer here from St. Mungo's under Bingley's name for Mary, and – " Darcy started, but was quite definitively cut off.
"Jane has already written Pomfrey," Elizabeth said caustically.
"As for Lydia, if you are currently withholding the gift you br – "
"I do not want to speak anymore of Lydia!" Elizabeth burst.
Darcy pursed his lips in irritation. He had tried several times throughout Lizzy's spewing to offer solutions or advice, but she had turned each and every attempt aside with growing irritation. "What is it that you want, Elizabeth?" he finally asked with unconcealed annoyance.
"I want to go back to India and not have to deal with all this madness!" Elizabeth huffed.
Darcy looked around, making sure no one would see, then grabbed Elizabeth's hand and dragged her off the path to a pond he knew was hiding in the trees. There he drew his wand and reversed the concealment charm, revealing Elizabeth's nose ring, and sat her down by the edge of the pond.
"I cannot bring you back, at least not yet, but I can remind you of the time spent there," Darcy said as Elizabeth gazed at her reflection.
Elizabeth heaved a great sigh, then leaned her head on Darcy's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Darcy. You were trying to help me, and I snapped at you. Sometimes I just need someone to listen."
"Perhaps you might preface with that information in the future," Darcy suggested with an annoyed twitch of his lip.
Elizabeth laughed lightly. "I will try to remember that."
"Truly, is there anything I might do to make your current situation more tolerable?" Darcy asked after a few minutes of contented silence.
"Tell me what is happening at Netherfield," Elizabeth said. Darcy could tell from her tone of voice that she had closed her eyes and might very well fall asleep.
"I will do so gladly, provided we keep moving," said Darcy, rising and offering his hand to his beloved. She pouted adorably, but recognized the wisdom of the suggestion and allowed herself to be pulled up.
"You had best reinstall the charm, then," Elizabeth suggested in a defeated tone.
"I think not," said Darcy as he took Elizabeth's hand and put it in the crook of his arm so her left side was visible to him. "I like looking at that emerald very much and do not want to hide it away just yet."
Elizabeth smiled at the declaration. They headed back toward the road.
"Netherfield," Darcy said as they ambled leisurely. "Where to begin?"
"How is Mrs. Hurst?"
"Excessively uncomfortable and cross," said Darcy with good enough humor. He was pleased to make his beloved laugh with tales of how everyone in the house walked on eggshells around the woman. "She is now regularly demanding of the child that it make its exit, for she grows weary of carrying it."
"I can well believe it!" Elizabeth giggled. "I think it would be the funniest thing in the world if Mrs. Hurst and Jane were to be with child at the same time, for Jane will surely tolerate everything with her monstrous patience and be the complete antipathy of her sister-in-law!"
Darcy could not help but wonder what Elizabeth would be like as an expectant mother, but hurried to distract himself before getting carried away. "Caroline does not quite know what to do with herself."
Elizabeth's eyes sparked. "I should not want to hear of Caroline's suffering, but I confess I am quite eager to do so!"
Darcy laughed and obliged. "Caroline has always had an ally in her sister and has always been the center of attention. Now she has neither distinction."
"Have she and Mrs. Hurst not reconciled?" Elizabeth asked concernedly.
"They tolerate each other," Darcy said after a moment's consideration. "As Bingley tells it, Caroline and Mr. Hurst haven't said a single word to each other."
"Part of me feels sorry for Caroline," Elizabeth said. "How miserable her existence must be, even if that misery is her own making."
"I have no sympathy for her whatsoever," said Darcy decidedly. "She has made her bed, let her lie in it."
"Come now, Darcy," said Elizabeth with an impish grin. "We both know Caroline would never make her own bed!"
Three days before Jane's wedding saw Longbourn in complete and utter chaos. Mrs. Bennet shouted for something or other every thirty seconds, and her orders often conflicted with ones previously given. Jane tried to help keep things as orderly as best she could, but was often dragged away from completing a task by Mrs. Bennet. Managing the insanity fell largely to Lizzy.
"No, Milly, don't worry over refolding Jane's things," Lizzy told a very harassed looking maid.
"The Mistress said it must be done over," said Milly anxiously.
"I promise you Mrs. Bennet has already forgotten giving such an order and will likely tell you to pack the trunks exactly as they are now within the next twelve hours," Lizzy said exasperatedly. "Please, resume your usual duties."
Immediately after Milly had curtsied gratefully and scurried away, Lizzy went to Lydia's room. "Have you done your required reading today?" she demanded of her sister.
"Oh, I can't possibly read today," said Lydia with a disgusted wrinkle of her nose. "There are so many other things to be done! And I need to go to Meryton."
"We were just there two days ago!" Lizzy exclaimed.
"I know, but I've discovered a hole in my slipper and need to get supplies to mend it," said Lydia, holding up the offending shoe. "Mama saw fit to use all my things while I was away!"
"Mrs. Bennet saw fit to use 'your' supplies because she bought them with her money," said Lizzy with clear irritation. "What money do you plan to use, anyway? I thought you had spent all yours."
"You'll let me borrow some from you, will you not?" Lydia asked anxiously. "I plan to wear these for the wedding!"
"I will not lend you a single bit of money," said Lizzy without regret. "I will, however, buy myself supplies and allow you to use some under my strict supervision."
"Oh, very well," Lydia huffed. She suddenly brightened. "Did you bring me back anything from your travels?"
Lizzy looked down at her little sister unamusedly. "Tell me truly, Lydia, do you think you have behaved in a manner deserving of a gift since my return?"
Lydia sobered immediately.
"That is more like it," said Lizzy when Lydia seated herself with a book. "I've some other things I need to take care of first, but then I shall take you into Meryton."
"Thank you, Lizzy!" said Lydia brightly.
Lizzy rolled her eyes as she exited Lydia's room. She checked in on Mary, went down to the kitchens to sort out Mrs. Bennet's mess of instructions there, made sure Kitty had done the requested work on Jane's flower arrangements, and finally simply stood in a dark corner for a few moments of peace before gathering her things and her youngest sister and going out the door. An auror had stopped by only last night and said all was well, so she felt little guilt for going out without another person possessing full use of their wand. She had jumped through enough hoops for the day already.
"What did you read of today, Lydia?" Lizzy asked as they walked.
"Papa gave me at atlas to study last night, so I looked through that," said Lydia.
"That is not reading, Lydia," Lizzy chastised.
"Well, I was looking at a book, wasn't I?" Lydia retorted. "Besides, I learned plenty. You were in India, were you not? What city?"
"Mumbai," Lizzy answered reverently. "It might be labeled as Bombay in the atlas."
"It is," Lydia confirmed. "It is on the western coast of the country. Did you do any sea bathing?"
Lizzy was pleased to engage in somewhat sensible conversation with her sister and continually challenged Lydia's memory of the maps by asking where the country of one of her friends was.
"Oh, I don't remember where Norway is," said Lydia after hearing of Solveig and Bjorn. As they passed a turn in the road that took them into some thick trees, she suddenly brightened considerably. "I think I have something that will make up for it, though!"
Lizzy regarded her sister suspiciously. "What is it?"
"A friend of yours!" Lydia burst. "I met him at Aunt Philips's. He said you'd met at Hogsmeade a few times, but he hasn't been able to return. He was very disappointed not to have been able to take a proper leave of you, you know."
Lizzy felt the hair rise on the back of her neck. "Lydia, who is it?" she demanded. Anyone speaking to her very underage sister so casually was someone to be concerned over, but Lizzy was especially nervous at the mention of Hogsmeade.
"When I said that you were out of town, but coming back soon, he was so very delighted he might be able to renew the acquaintance!" Lydia continued to prattle on. "I knew you would not mind my agreeing to do so on your behalf, and invited him to call at Longbourn, but he suggested this would be much more fun, and he is completely right, of course! You know how I love a good surprise."
Lizzy stopped, gripped her gullible, excitable sister's shoulders tightly, and said very clearly, "Lydia, who is it?"
"George Wickham," Lydia answered, eyes having gone wide from shock at her sister's antics.
Lizzy felt her heartrate spike. "We have to go. Now."
"But Wickham is just – "
Lizzy did not let her sister finish, but instead clamped down on Lydia's arm and began dragging her away while calculating whether they were closer to Netherfield or Longbourn.
"Leaving so soon, Miss Bennet, Miss Lydia?"
"Wickham!" Lydia exclaimed, her face lighting up in a smile. "See, Lizzy, I told you he was here! Is not this a pleasant surprise?"
Lizzy was about to whip out her wand, but caught sight of a flash of horribly familiar blonde hair in her periphery and hesitated.
"Yes, Lizzy, dear, I brought company with me," said Wickham with a terrible smile. He held his arm out to Lydia in the perfect imitation of a gentleman. "Let us walk ahead, Miss Lydia! My friend will follow along behind with your sister."
"Don't you take a single step, Lydia!" Lizzy shouted in panic.
"Oh, Lizzy, what a foolish choice you've made," said Wickham with an exaggerated pout.
Lizzy made up her mind. She would risk taking on both Malfoy and Wickham. It would at least give Lydia the opportunity to run away. Her wand, however, slipped out of her hand the instant she began pulling it from her sleeve and sped in the direction where Malfoy was hiding behind a particularly large tree trunk.
"What is going on?" Lydia asked, looking between Wickham and her sister. "Why are you not happy, Lizzy? And you said nothing of bringing a friend, Wickham!"
"You are so delightfully stupid, Lydia," said Wickham affectionately, as if to a dog, "and it has simplified my life a great deal. Now, you can either take my arm and follow along like a good little girl, or I can throw you over my shoulder. Either way, I win."
Lydia looked to Lizzy with absolute horror in her eyes.
Lizzy breathed heavily through her nose as her fists clenched at her sides. "I'm going with her," she said firmly.
"You most certainly are going," said Wickham, "and, as long as you cooperate, your dear sister will be kept quite comfortable. Or you can fight us and I can arrange for her removal from this life. Perhaps she will be reincarnated as one of your Indian friend's pets."
Lizzy knew she was playing a very dangerous game, but chose to bet on the fact that Wickham and Malfoy knew she would be impossible to control if they did not have her sister to hold over her. She was contemplating how to present her gamble of convincing Wickham she did not really care about her youngest sister, thus hoping to show the entire endeavor was not worth the effort when Lydia, apparently determined to display the great depth of her idiocy, cried out loudly for help.
In the span of the blink of an eye, Lydia was unconscious and Wickham had flung her over his shoulder. At the same time, a deep, searing pain shot up Lizzy's leg and she collapsed on the ground. She felt blood gushing out of her leg and soaking the ground beneath her. Though she struggled to see straight, she began clawing her way through the dirt, pulling herself down the path after her sister with her arms as best she could. When someone stepped on her injured leg, she could not help but scream from agony.
"Told you I'd make you pay for your insolence, Mudblood," said the cruel voice of Ursus Malfoy.
Lizzy shrieked again and beat the ground from a combination of pain, frustration, and fear.
Author's Note
Ah, more drama! A pox upon you, Wickham! And you also, Malfoy!
I make no apologies for taking longer than usual to update - was occupied by the birth of my godchild. Now things are settled on that front, I will hopefully give you chapter 36 in a reasonable amount of time... especially since I left you with a bit of a cliffie here!
Be sure to review! I'm curious as to what you think might happen...