A/N: Okay, before I begin this next chapter, I think I've put off the individual thing long enough. This goes out to everyone who has reviewed chapter ten and above as of posting time. If I missed you, a million apologies.
~~~
Inca - I agree with you about Stalin, and I think that in many ways he was worse than Hitler. I did find it difficult to write him as nice as he seemed. I'm trying to keep things how our characters would have seen things, and after all, Grindelwald seemed like a nice guy, too... Anyway, thanks for bringing that up. That's a great point, and I probably should have said something earlier.
Dot dot dot - Thanks for bringing up another good point. I do have a few comments to make in my defense, though. First of all, this is 1945. Making scandelous comments back then was not as socially acceptable as it is now. Secondly, Delacour is married - and married to a veela at that - and he's hitting on a woman he just met. I think that more than qualifies him as a jerk, especially once you think about the implications of his comment. Dumbledore, Churchill, and Eisenhower were reluctant to tell Minerva what he said because they probably didn't want to piss her off - personally, if a man I'd just met said something like that to me, he wouldn't wake up the following morning... but that's me. Anyway, to each his own, and thanks for reading.
MK - Yeah, they're all pricks, except for Albus, Armando (the poor guy...) and a handful of other random male characters that really haven't played much of a role yet. And the body really was Grindelwald. It will be explained, but not in this chapter. Next one. ^_^
Lemon_Drops - *blushes* Aw, shucks... thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the new chapter.
Child-of-the-Dawn - You know, for a while, I thought Quinn was falling for her, too, and I considered making them kiss or something, but as you can see, I decided against it. Glad you liked Eisenhower and Roosevelt. I enjoyed writing them, especially Eisenhower. Thanks for reading.
Isis Malfoy - Yeah, poor Rachel. I can't decide who is the more tragic figure in this story, her or Armando. Wonderfully suspenseful, you say? Thank you. I try. ^_^
insaneflautist - Thank you. Cliffhangers are how I keep people reading my otherwise idiotic stories. ^_^
Xela - See translation in previous chapter. Hey, where are you, by the way? You haven't updated your stuff in a while. I may start having withdrawals soon.
Blank - Yes, Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, but we're not there yet. ^_^
Moonlight Destiny - Thanks.
Sanguine Quill - Yeah, Riddle's a jerk. So is Grindelwald. His mystery will be unravelled soon.
Weed - Hee hee... I got a lot of comments on the hanging from the ceiling thing. I thought a little comic relief was in order. This story is a lot darker than I originally thought it was going to be.
Gem - Thank you. Yeah, Quinn is an idiot, but he's also an evil twisted genius, and when idiot meets evil twisted genius... I'm working really, really hard on him. Hope you keep reading!
Robin - Yep, something huge is coming... and it's still coming... I thought Minerva conspiring with the students was a little out of character, but people liked it, so... I guess everyone's got to do something unexpected every once in a while. ^_^ Oh, and according to the Harry Potter Lexicon, Dumbledore didn't actually become headmaster until 1971 - don't worry, you'll see how I make that fit. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews!
Lama - Thank you, and I hope you keep reading.
LinZE - Ending's coming soon. Bear with me. ^_^ Thanks for reading.
And last, but CERTAINLY not least...
Aeryn Alexander - There's a quote by Winston Churchill about prepositions? Nice! Send that to me if you find it! Thanks for all your reviews. Yeah, Quinn is up to something. I've worked hard on him, and I'm glad you think he's a complex character. Glad you liked the ball. I had fun writing that chapter, especially the Humphrey Bogart cameo. (I saw the opportunity and had to take it! ^_^) Eisenhower and Delacour were fun, too. Okay, moving on to your next review. The Quinn/Rachel hug was just slightly more than platonic; I think he or she or both of them might have had a thing for the other at some point, but seeing as he's evil and ends up destroying her life... yeah. Anyway, thanks for reading. I'm honored to have your reviews. Oh, and there will be a character appearance in the next chapter that I think will make you happy. ^_^
And now... chapter fifteen. It won't be as long as some of the other chapters because for the most part, it's a transition between Grindelwald's "death" (oh, come on, you all know he's not really dead) and Rachel's imprisonment to the next major part of the story. Oh, and I bet you can guess which line of Dumbledore's I wrote while watching 'Hamlet'! Anyway, on with the show.
~~~
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SOMEHOW
~~~
Albus Dumbledore's feet felt like they were made of bricks as he trudged up the stairs to the entrance hall after returning to Hogwarts after the trial late that night. Even heavier than his feet, though, was his heart. Guilty. Rachel Revueltas, the sweet, loyal, unassuming head of Ravenclaw house and deputy headmistress of Hogwarts was now branded as a bloodthirsty murderer. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, she poisoned Quinn Grindelwald and made mincemeat of Armando Dippet. He still had no idea how, but deep down inside, he knew she was innocent. But how could he prove it?
His morale lifted slightly when he saw Minerva McGonagall and Warrick Larios waiting for him at the top of the stairs, but sank again when he realized that he would have to tell them what happened. They seemed to have figured it out already, though. "Guilty?" Larios asked, asking more for confirmation of his thoughts than a question.
Dumbledore nodded. "Guilty."
Larios closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and slowly nodded his head.
"What happens now?" asked Minerva.
"She's going to Azkaban," Dumbledore answered, "for life."
Minerva peered closely at him and said, "You still believe she's innocent, don't you?" She didn't want to accept the idea that Rachel was a murderer, but Minerva had always been one to act on logic and not instinct, and logic pointed its finger at Rachel.
Dumbledore sighed, rubbed his eyes, and shook his head. "I don't know what to think anymore. Hogwarts has not seen such dark times since the days from which circumstances inspired its founding. Two are slain by the hand of one, and yet I cannot help but wonder if an innocent is to be condemned to a fate worse than death for murder and treachery that were not hers."
Larios opened his eyes. "Did you just now come up with that, or did you read it somewhere?" "It was me."
"Ever thought about being a poet?"
"Such thoughts have never crossed my mind." Just then, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye, and turned his head to look. It was Natalie Cypher, half walking, half stumbling toward them. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was clutching a letter in her hand. "Natalie," Dumbledore said as she came closer, "what's wrong?"
Natalie looked even worse up close. Her hair was matted and stuck to her face where tears had left their wet trails on her skin. Her eyes were red from crying, and her entire body was trembling. "M-m-m-y b-brother," she choked, and her shaking hand held the letter out to him. "H-h-e's - he's..." She was unable to finish the thought, and covered her face with her hands.
Dumbledore took the letter, and Minerva drew Natalie into a comforting embrace. Natalie reacted much more strongly than Minerva expected, and held on to her so tightly that the younger woman could barely breathe.
"Is he... dead?" Larios asked.
Dumbledore shook his head. "No. According to this, he was in France after returning from Venezuela just after the first of the year, and was captured by Nazis in a raid. He's been taken to a prison camp." The letter was from Natalie's parents, who had received the word from one of Benjamin's friends who had escaped the raid. According to them, the friend followed the Nazis and found out where they were taking him.
"They'll kill him!" Natalie cried. "As soon as they find out he's a British spy, they'll shoot his head off!"
Dumbledore wished there was something they could do, but even if there was, he didn't see any way to do it. Benjamin Cypher was a Muggle invovled in a Muggle war, and being captured by the enemy was a painful, but true part of war. The wizards were trying to stay out of it, and they could not afford to get involved for the sake of one life. Besides, they already had a life to save - Rachel's. Until they caught the real murderer, Rachel could not be proven innocent.
"Natalie," Dumbledore said, "I am sorry. I truly am."
"I have to help him! He'll die there if they find out who he is, or what I am..."
He hadn't even thought of that. She had a point with that one. If the Nazis knew they were holding a prisoner whose sister was a witch, that would all but clear a path for them to attack the wizarding world. But they had to be realistic. The odds that they would find out were slim to none, but there was still that chance, that one in a million...
"There's still hope, Natalie," Minerva assured her distraught friend. "They might not find out, and they might not kill him, either. You make it seem like he's already dead."
"He's as good as dead there, Minerva," Natalie sobbed. "What am I going to do? I can't just stand around and wait for another letter telling me that he's dead! I can't! I won't!"
She broke free of Minerva's hold and began running toward the stairs leading down to the main entrance, but didn't get very far. Natalie had forgotten about Minerva's cat-like reflexes, and Minerva caught her again almost as soon as she lost her grip. "You can't go, Natalie!" Minerva said. "It's too dangerous! You can't risk your life as well!"
Almost all of Natalie's strength had left her, and she sank to her knees. Minerva knelt down next to her, and hugged her tightly as Natalie cried her eyes out. She looked at Dumbledore and Larios and said, "I'll watch her. You two get some rest, especially you, Albus."
"Let me know when she calms down," Dumbledore said.
Minerva nodded. "I will."
~~~
It was almost an hour before Natalie fell into an exhausted sleep. After helping her to bed, Minerva headed over to Dumbledore's chambers to check in as he asked. She expected him to be asleep, which he was not. He was sitting in a chair by the window with a dictionary in hand. "What word are you on now?" she asked after he told her to come in.
"Galaxy: any of many independent systems of stars, gas, dust, etc., held together by gravitational attraction," he answered. He set the dictionary down and walked over to her. "How's Natalie?"
Minerva sighed. "She's been better."
"I think we all have."
That was true. Life had been much better for all of them. Two people murdered at the hands of someone you trusted was enough to destroy anyone's morale, and seeing a close friend suffer with not knowing if she would ever see her brother again... yes, life was definitely at a low point.
Dumbledore stroked her cheek with his hand and said, "How are you feeling?"
She kissed the tips of his fingers as they ran over her lips. "Confused," she answered, "and... and a little scared." That was an understatement. She was terrified. If Dumbledore was right, and Rachel was not the killer, then that meant the real one was still out there, and if the current pattern continued, he would be the next one to die or be framed for murder. Either way, his life was in danger.
"Everything will be all right," he assured her. "I don't know at this point, but I promise, these crimes will not go unavenged. I know Rachel is innocent, and somehow, I'll prove it."
"I will help you in any way that I can."
They hugged each other, and Minerva said, "I wish there was something we could do for Natalie. It breaks my heart to see her like this."
"I will speak to Prime Minister Churchill," Dumbledore said. "Perhaps he could give us some options."
"Thank you. I'm sure Natalie will be grateful."
"You're trembling."
"No, I'm not," she insisted, even though she was.
"Yes, you are. What are you not telling me?"
What was the use in denying it? He could obviously see right through her. "I'm worried about you," she said. "If you're right about Rachel, then the real killer is still on the loose. At this rate, you're the next one to die."
How could he respond to that one? He could always say that he wasn't going to die, but that was what Quinn Grindelwald said, and look what happened to him. So instead, he said, "I will do my best to stay alive."
"You had better," she said, and kissed him on the cheek. "And while you're at it, get some rest. It's been a long day."
"We've had a lot of those lately," Dumbledore commented as he walked her to the door.
Minerva nodded. "Indeed. Good night, Albus."
"Good night, Minerva," he returned, and after one last kiss, they parted ways.
~~~
Far away from Hogwarts, a thunderstorm was raging over forgotten corner of the French countryside. There wasn't a single sign of human activity for miles in any direction, save for a muddy rode that led up to the iron gates of a prison camp standing on a small hill. At first glance, the prison camp would appear to be deserted, but one's eyes were good enough to see through the storm, one could discern an artificial light trying desperately to cast its beam on the courtyard below.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard was a young man of perhaps twenty-five years. His face would have been handsome had it not been covered with cuts, bruises, blood, and mud, and he was dressed in a tattered, muddy robe. His feet were bare, and he shivered as he stood in the freezing mud as water from the sky came pouring down and thunder roared overhead. His name was Benjamin Cypher, and he was not just a prisoner of war - he was bait.
Two uniformed soldiers holding high-powered weapons stood on either side of Ben to make sure he wasn't going to try to escape. He'd escaped once before, about two weeks ago, but hadn't gotten very far, and since that incident, he had at least two armed guards watching him every second of the day. Had he not been so valuable to them, he would have been dead long ago. Although none of them showed any sign of fear on the outside, all three were terrified, and the guards even more so than Ben. A visitor was scheduled to arrive any minute, a man who possessed power too great and terrible to imagine, and rumor had it he was going to use a young British spy by the name of Ben Cypher to turn the tables in this war.
The creaking sound of a halfway rusted iron gate being pushed open was barely heard over the roar of the storm, but Ben heard it. He had been staring at his feet, but at the sound of the gate, lifted his head to see who was coming. A figure wearing a long black cloak was walking toward them. Ben assumed it was a man from the height. His footsteps made soft squishing sounds in the mud. When he reached the other three men, he looked at the guards and said, "Leave us."
"But-" one of the guards protested.
"I said," the man said, raising the volume of his voice, "leave us."
The guards did as they were told without further protest and sought shelter under a canopy on the other side of the courtyard.
"Who are you?" Ben asked.
He removed his hood. Rain soon made his dark blonde hair look nearly brown, and his hazel eyes were cold and piercing, like the steel blade of a dagger. "You don't know me," he hissed, "but I know you. I know what you are and what your sister is."
Ben's heart jumped. He clenched his fists and said, "If you lay a finger on Natalie, I swear I will-"
"You will do nothing, Benjamin Cypher," the man interrupted. "There is nothing you can do to save her or yourself. Any attempt would be futile."
"Then why don't you kill me now?" Ben asked, almost daringly.
The man lifted his arm and struck Ben across the face. He fell to the ground, and got a mouthful of mud in the process. "Because you're no use to me dead. And if your noble sister decides not to come for you, you will be eliminated just the same. Enjoy the time you have left. Any way you look at it, you'll be dead within a week." He waved the guards over, and then turned around and began walking out the way he came in.
The guards jerked Ben to his feet and took him to his cell, a small wooden pen with an iron gate that did little to protect him from the elements. One opened the gate, and the other shoved him inside. He was unable to keep his balance, and fell to the muddy ground. He coughed twice, sending mud and blood out his mouth both times. Who was this man? How did he know who he was? What did he want with Natalie?
Natalie... his sister's name ran through his mind over and over. Natalie had powers he didn't understand and would never have. Would she stand a chance against these people? Would she know it was a trap? Somehow, he had to reach her...
"Natalie..." he said in a hoarse whisper, "stay away... It's a trap, Natalie... it's a trap..."
~~~
Hundreds of miles away, Natalie Cypher awoke with a start. The sun was just beginning to slip over the eastern horizon, signalling the coming of day. She was thankful for that. She wouldn't have been able to go back to sleep after the images that had just run through her mind, and nobody else in the castle would have, either.
She got out of her bed and quickly changed into her day robes. Once she was dressed, she left her chambers and half walked, half ran in the direction of the headmaster's office. Natalie was not seeking counsel. She was going to give Dumbledore an ultimatum, and one that he would most likely advise against, but she didn't care. She knew what she had to do, and nothing was going to stop her.
On her way to Dumbledore's office, Natalie passed Minerva. Both women were equally surprised to see the other awake at such an early hour. "Is everything all right?" Minerva asked.
Natalie shook her head. "I need to see Professor Dumbledore. It's an emergency."
"I don't think he's awake yet," Minerva said.
"No, he's awake," came a voice from behind, "and he's standing right here."
The two women turned around and saw Dumbledore emerging from around a corner. Natalie cleared her throat and looked at the headmaster. "I saw my brother," she said. "He's in pain, and they're going to kill him soon. It comes to this. I am going after him."
"Natalie, you must understand that we won't-" Dumbledore began.
"I am going to do this with or without your consent, Albus," Natalie interrupted. "Ben needs me, and I am going to help him."
"You didn't let me finish." A twinkle appeared in Dumbledore's eye. Minerva caught the look, and a feeling that consisted of an equal combination of admiration and foreboding washed over her. They made eye contact for a moment, and he nodded. He then turned his eyes back to Natalie and continued. "What I was going to say is we won't let you do this alone."
~~~
Inca - I agree with you about Stalin, and I think that in many ways he was worse than Hitler. I did find it difficult to write him as nice as he seemed. I'm trying to keep things how our characters would have seen things, and after all, Grindelwald seemed like a nice guy, too... Anyway, thanks for bringing that up. That's a great point, and I probably should have said something earlier.
Dot dot dot - Thanks for bringing up another good point. I do have a few comments to make in my defense, though. First of all, this is 1945. Making scandelous comments back then was not as socially acceptable as it is now. Secondly, Delacour is married - and married to a veela at that - and he's hitting on a woman he just met. I think that more than qualifies him as a jerk, especially once you think about the implications of his comment. Dumbledore, Churchill, and Eisenhower were reluctant to tell Minerva what he said because they probably didn't want to piss her off - personally, if a man I'd just met said something like that to me, he wouldn't wake up the following morning... but that's me. Anyway, to each his own, and thanks for reading.
MK - Yeah, they're all pricks, except for Albus, Armando (the poor guy...) and a handful of other random male characters that really haven't played much of a role yet. And the body really was Grindelwald. It will be explained, but not in this chapter. Next one. ^_^
Lemon_Drops - *blushes* Aw, shucks... thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy the new chapter.
Child-of-the-Dawn - You know, for a while, I thought Quinn was falling for her, too, and I considered making them kiss or something, but as you can see, I decided against it. Glad you liked Eisenhower and Roosevelt. I enjoyed writing them, especially Eisenhower. Thanks for reading.
Isis Malfoy - Yeah, poor Rachel. I can't decide who is the more tragic figure in this story, her or Armando. Wonderfully suspenseful, you say? Thank you. I try. ^_^
insaneflautist - Thank you. Cliffhangers are how I keep people reading my otherwise idiotic stories. ^_^
Xela - See translation in previous chapter. Hey, where are you, by the way? You haven't updated your stuff in a while. I may start having withdrawals soon.
Blank - Yes, Dumbledore defeated Grindelwald, but we're not there yet. ^_^
Moonlight Destiny - Thanks.
Sanguine Quill - Yeah, Riddle's a jerk. So is Grindelwald. His mystery will be unravelled soon.
Weed - Hee hee... I got a lot of comments on the hanging from the ceiling thing. I thought a little comic relief was in order. This story is a lot darker than I originally thought it was going to be.
Gem - Thank you. Yeah, Quinn is an idiot, but he's also an evil twisted genius, and when idiot meets evil twisted genius... I'm working really, really hard on him. Hope you keep reading!
Robin - Yep, something huge is coming... and it's still coming... I thought Minerva conspiring with the students was a little out of character, but people liked it, so... I guess everyone's got to do something unexpected every once in a while. ^_^ Oh, and according to the Harry Potter Lexicon, Dumbledore didn't actually become headmaster until 1971 - don't worry, you'll see how I make that fit. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews!
Lama - Thank you, and I hope you keep reading.
LinZE - Ending's coming soon. Bear with me. ^_^ Thanks for reading.
And last, but CERTAINLY not least...
Aeryn Alexander - There's a quote by Winston Churchill about prepositions? Nice! Send that to me if you find it! Thanks for all your reviews. Yeah, Quinn is up to something. I've worked hard on him, and I'm glad you think he's a complex character. Glad you liked the ball. I had fun writing that chapter, especially the Humphrey Bogart cameo. (I saw the opportunity and had to take it! ^_^) Eisenhower and Delacour were fun, too. Okay, moving on to your next review. The Quinn/Rachel hug was just slightly more than platonic; I think he or she or both of them might have had a thing for the other at some point, but seeing as he's evil and ends up destroying her life... yeah. Anyway, thanks for reading. I'm honored to have your reviews. Oh, and there will be a character appearance in the next chapter that I think will make you happy. ^_^
And now... chapter fifteen. It won't be as long as some of the other chapters because for the most part, it's a transition between Grindelwald's "death" (oh, come on, you all know he's not really dead) and Rachel's imprisonment to the next major part of the story. Oh, and I bet you can guess which line of Dumbledore's I wrote while watching 'Hamlet'! Anyway, on with the show.
~~~
CHAPTER FIFTEEN: SOMEHOW
~~~
Albus Dumbledore's feet felt like they were made of bricks as he trudged up the stairs to the entrance hall after returning to Hogwarts after the trial late that night. Even heavier than his feet, though, was his heart. Guilty. Rachel Revueltas, the sweet, loyal, unassuming head of Ravenclaw house and deputy headmistress of Hogwarts was now branded as a bloodthirsty murderer. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, she poisoned Quinn Grindelwald and made mincemeat of Armando Dippet. He still had no idea how, but deep down inside, he knew she was innocent. But how could he prove it?
His morale lifted slightly when he saw Minerva McGonagall and Warrick Larios waiting for him at the top of the stairs, but sank again when he realized that he would have to tell them what happened. They seemed to have figured it out already, though. "Guilty?" Larios asked, asking more for confirmation of his thoughts than a question.
Dumbledore nodded. "Guilty."
Larios closed his eyes, gritted his teeth, and slowly nodded his head.
"What happens now?" asked Minerva.
"She's going to Azkaban," Dumbledore answered, "for life."
Minerva peered closely at him and said, "You still believe she's innocent, don't you?" She didn't want to accept the idea that Rachel was a murderer, but Minerva had always been one to act on logic and not instinct, and logic pointed its finger at Rachel.
Dumbledore sighed, rubbed his eyes, and shook his head. "I don't know what to think anymore. Hogwarts has not seen such dark times since the days from which circumstances inspired its founding. Two are slain by the hand of one, and yet I cannot help but wonder if an innocent is to be condemned to a fate worse than death for murder and treachery that were not hers."
Larios opened his eyes. "Did you just now come up with that, or did you read it somewhere?" "It was me."
"Ever thought about being a poet?"
"Such thoughts have never crossed my mind." Just then, he spotted something out of the corner of his eye, and turned his head to look. It was Natalie Cypher, half walking, half stumbling toward them. Tears were streaming down her face, and she was clutching a letter in her hand. "Natalie," Dumbledore said as she came closer, "what's wrong?"
Natalie looked even worse up close. Her hair was matted and stuck to her face where tears had left their wet trails on her skin. Her eyes were red from crying, and her entire body was trembling. "M-m-m-y b-brother," she choked, and her shaking hand held the letter out to him. "H-h-e's - he's..." She was unable to finish the thought, and covered her face with her hands.
Dumbledore took the letter, and Minerva drew Natalie into a comforting embrace. Natalie reacted much more strongly than Minerva expected, and held on to her so tightly that the younger woman could barely breathe.
"Is he... dead?" Larios asked.
Dumbledore shook his head. "No. According to this, he was in France after returning from Venezuela just after the first of the year, and was captured by Nazis in a raid. He's been taken to a prison camp." The letter was from Natalie's parents, who had received the word from one of Benjamin's friends who had escaped the raid. According to them, the friend followed the Nazis and found out where they were taking him.
"They'll kill him!" Natalie cried. "As soon as they find out he's a British spy, they'll shoot his head off!"
Dumbledore wished there was something they could do, but even if there was, he didn't see any way to do it. Benjamin Cypher was a Muggle invovled in a Muggle war, and being captured by the enemy was a painful, but true part of war. The wizards were trying to stay out of it, and they could not afford to get involved for the sake of one life. Besides, they already had a life to save - Rachel's. Until they caught the real murderer, Rachel could not be proven innocent.
"Natalie," Dumbledore said, "I am sorry. I truly am."
"I have to help him! He'll die there if they find out who he is, or what I am..."
He hadn't even thought of that. She had a point with that one. If the Nazis knew they were holding a prisoner whose sister was a witch, that would all but clear a path for them to attack the wizarding world. But they had to be realistic. The odds that they would find out were slim to none, but there was still that chance, that one in a million...
"There's still hope, Natalie," Minerva assured her distraught friend. "They might not find out, and they might not kill him, either. You make it seem like he's already dead."
"He's as good as dead there, Minerva," Natalie sobbed. "What am I going to do? I can't just stand around and wait for another letter telling me that he's dead! I can't! I won't!"
She broke free of Minerva's hold and began running toward the stairs leading down to the main entrance, but didn't get very far. Natalie had forgotten about Minerva's cat-like reflexes, and Minerva caught her again almost as soon as she lost her grip. "You can't go, Natalie!" Minerva said. "It's too dangerous! You can't risk your life as well!"
Almost all of Natalie's strength had left her, and she sank to her knees. Minerva knelt down next to her, and hugged her tightly as Natalie cried her eyes out. She looked at Dumbledore and Larios and said, "I'll watch her. You two get some rest, especially you, Albus."
"Let me know when she calms down," Dumbledore said.
Minerva nodded. "I will."
~~~
It was almost an hour before Natalie fell into an exhausted sleep. After helping her to bed, Minerva headed over to Dumbledore's chambers to check in as he asked. She expected him to be asleep, which he was not. He was sitting in a chair by the window with a dictionary in hand. "What word are you on now?" she asked after he told her to come in.
"Galaxy: any of many independent systems of stars, gas, dust, etc., held together by gravitational attraction," he answered. He set the dictionary down and walked over to her. "How's Natalie?"
Minerva sighed. "She's been better."
"I think we all have."
That was true. Life had been much better for all of them. Two people murdered at the hands of someone you trusted was enough to destroy anyone's morale, and seeing a close friend suffer with not knowing if she would ever see her brother again... yes, life was definitely at a low point.
Dumbledore stroked her cheek with his hand and said, "How are you feeling?"
She kissed the tips of his fingers as they ran over her lips. "Confused," she answered, "and... and a little scared." That was an understatement. She was terrified. If Dumbledore was right, and Rachel was not the killer, then that meant the real one was still out there, and if the current pattern continued, he would be the next one to die or be framed for murder. Either way, his life was in danger.
"Everything will be all right," he assured her. "I don't know at this point, but I promise, these crimes will not go unavenged. I know Rachel is innocent, and somehow, I'll prove it."
"I will help you in any way that I can."
They hugged each other, and Minerva said, "I wish there was something we could do for Natalie. It breaks my heart to see her like this."
"I will speak to Prime Minister Churchill," Dumbledore said. "Perhaps he could give us some options."
"Thank you. I'm sure Natalie will be grateful."
"You're trembling."
"No, I'm not," she insisted, even though she was.
"Yes, you are. What are you not telling me?"
What was the use in denying it? He could obviously see right through her. "I'm worried about you," she said. "If you're right about Rachel, then the real killer is still on the loose. At this rate, you're the next one to die."
How could he respond to that one? He could always say that he wasn't going to die, but that was what Quinn Grindelwald said, and look what happened to him. So instead, he said, "I will do my best to stay alive."
"You had better," she said, and kissed him on the cheek. "And while you're at it, get some rest. It's been a long day."
"We've had a lot of those lately," Dumbledore commented as he walked her to the door.
Minerva nodded. "Indeed. Good night, Albus."
"Good night, Minerva," he returned, and after one last kiss, they parted ways.
~~~
Far away from Hogwarts, a thunderstorm was raging over forgotten corner of the French countryside. There wasn't a single sign of human activity for miles in any direction, save for a muddy rode that led up to the iron gates of a prison camp standing on a small hill. At first glance, the prison camp would appear to be deserted, but one's eyes were good enough to see through the storm, one could discern an artificial light trying desperately to cast its beam on the courtyard below.
Standing in the middle of the courtyard was a young man of perhaps twenty-five years. His face would have been handsome had it not been covered with cuts, bruises, blood, and mud, and he was dressed in a tattered, muddy robe. His feet were bare, and he shivered as he stood in the freezing mud as water from the sky came pouring down and thunder roared overhead. His name was Benjamin Cypher, and he was not just a prisoner of war - he was bait.
Two uniformed soldiers holding high-powered weapons stood on either side of Ben to make sure he wasn't going to try to escape. He'd escaped once before, about two weeks ago, but hadn't gotten very far, and since that incident, he had at least two armed guards watching him every second of the day. Had he not been so valuable to them, he would have been dead long ago. Although none of them showed any sign of fear on the outside, all three were terrified, and the guards even more so than Ben. A visitor was scheduled to arrive any minute, a man who possessed power too great and terrible to imagine, and rumor had it he was going to use a young British spy by the name of Ben Cypher to turn the tables in this war.
The creaking sound of a halfway rusted iron gate being pushed open was barely heard over the roar of the storm, but Ben heard it. He had been staring at his feet, but at the sound of the gate, lifted his head to see who was coming. A figure wearing a long black cloak was walking toward them. Ben assumed it was a man from the height. His footsteps made soft squishing sounds in the mud. When he reached the other three men, he looked at the guards and said, "Leave us."
"But-" one of the guards protested.
"I said," the man said, raising the volume of his voice, "leave us."
The guards did as they were told without further protest and sought shelter under a canopy on the other side of the courtyard.
"Who are you?" Ben asked.
He removed his hood. Rain soon made his dark blonde hair look nearly brown, and his hazel eyes were cold and piercing, like the steel blade of a dagger. "You don't know me," he hissed, "but I know you. I know what you are and what your sister is."
Ben's heart jumped. He clenched his fists and said, "If you lay a finger on Natalie, I swear I will-"
"You will do nothing, Benjamin Cypher," the man interrupted. "There is nothing you can do to save her or yourself. Any attempt would be futile."
"Then why don't you kill me now?" Ben asked, almost daringly.
The man lifted his arm and struck Ben across the face. He fell to the ground, and got a mouthful of mud in the process. "Because you're no use to me dead. And if your noble sister decides not to come for you, you will be eliminated just the same. Enjoy the time you have left. Any way you look at it, you'll be dead within a week." He waved the guards over, and then turned around and began walking out the way he came in.
The guards jerked Ben to his feet and took him to his cell, a small wooden pen with an iron gate that did little to protect him from the elements. One opened the gate, and the other shoved him inside. He was unable to keep his balance, and fell to the muddy ground. He coughed twice, sending mud and blood out his mouth both times. Who was this man? How did he know who he was? What did he want with Natalie?
Natalie... his sister's name ran through his mind over and over. Natalie had powers he didn't understand and would never have. Would she stand a chance against these people? Would she know it was a trap? Somehow, he had to reach her...
"Natalie..." he said in a hoarse whisper, "stay away... It's a trap, Natalie... it's a trap..."
~~~
Hundreds of miles away, Natalie Cypher awoke with a start. The sun was just beginning to slip over the eastern horizon, signalling the coming of day. She was thankful for that. She wouldn't have been able to go back to sleep after the images that had just run through her mind, and nobody else in the castle would have, either.
She got out of her bed and quickly changed into her day robes. Once she was dressed, she left her chambers and half walked, half ran in the direction of the headmaster's office. Natalie was not seeking counsel. She was going to give Dumbledore an ultimatum, and one that he would most likely advise against, but she didn't care. She knew what she had to do, and nothing was going to stop her.
On her way to Dumbledore's office, Natalie passed Minerva. Both women were equally surprised to see the other awake at such an early hour. "Is everything all right?" Minerva asked.
Natalie shook her head. "I need to see Professor Dumbledore. It's an emergency."
"I don't think he's awake yet," Minerva said.
"No, he's awake," came a voice from behind, "and he's standing right here."
The two women turned around and saw Dumbledore emerging from around a corner. Natalie cleared her throat and looked at the headmaster. "I saw my brother," she said. "He's in pain, and they're going to kill him soon. It comes to this. I am going after him."
"Natalie, you must understand that we won't-" Dumbledore began.
"I am going to do this with or without your consent, Albus," Natalie interrupted. "Ben needs me, and I am going to help him."
"You didn't let me finish." A twinkle appeared in Dumbledore's eye. Minerva caught the look, and a feeling that consisted of an equal combination of admiration and foreboding washed over her. They made eye contact for a moment, and he nodded. He then turned his eyes back to Natalie and continued. "What I was going to say is we won't let you do this alone."
