Episode One Hundred and Two
In all of the terrifying visions Gwen had witnessed intertwined with the mundane she had not seen the battlefield, covered in wizards and witches, wands lay broken, crushed under the weight of trampling foes. The earth was scarred and broken, torn up in giant pieces as the fighting waged on, turning the snowy landscape into mud. The wizarding world hadn't seen this kind of all out fighting for centuries.
While Gwen had a talent and a taste for incapacitating dark wizards the splendor of the thing disappeared when it was on such a huge stage. She stood with her back to the wall of the castle, her arms wrapped around her chest, her wand curled tightly in her fist. The war was becoming brutal and she wanted no part of that.
She was surprised to hear a voice she recognized very close to her ear. "And it wages on."
"Graves?" She asked quietly into the void, watching as her breath turned into mist on the chilly air.
"Yes. Incognito again. And I was just starting to get used to being without this old cloak."
"Where's Ann?"
"Still in France. We heard the news and I came here immediately. I'm relieved to see you're not in too much trouble."
"Not currently. But this has been going on for days." She shivered slightly.
Could she have seen his face she might have noticed the pain and disregarded his callous tone. "They asked for brutal, that's what they'll get."
"I wish I could see it that way." She said softly. She squeezed her wand tighter in her grip and weak sparks shot out of the tip. She noticed and half-smiled, amused that the inner flame was still kicking, even while she was fighting to maintain control of it. She feared that if she entered the fray now that the flame would consume her, take control and obliterate anything that stood in her way.
She felt for the first time in her life that this had been her purpose all along.
"Shall we go inside?" Graves suggested.
"Sure." She replied, giving one last heave of breath and a glance at the battle torn grounds of Hogwarts.
Inside was a different feeling, one of stifling and weariness. This is where the good wizards and witches came to rest and tend to wounds, those that had not fallen at least. The Great Hall had been transformed, filled with sleeping cots and white linen curtain dividers to set apart the beds of the injured and ill.
A boy rushed past Gwen and bumped into Graves hidden under his cloak, but he did not seem to notice in his hurry that he had run into something that was not there. He ran straight over to Minerva McGonagall who was standing in the entrance to the Great Hall. He spoke even more hurriedly than he had run to her and was soon running back out, seeking someone on the battlefield.
Minerva pursed her lips at Gwen's entrance. "You shouldn't be out there." She said in a stiff tone. She worried whenever her god-daughter ventured out of the castle these days.
"I'm ok." Gwen replied. "What was that all about?"
"Some intelligence as to the whereabouts of a certain individual that we've all been seeking."
"Dumbledore?"
"They haven't found him yet, but they think they may know where he's been."
"Why would he disappear at a time like this?" Graves said.
Minerva jumped back and looked wildly around for the source of the new voice.
"It's Corwin." Gwen said softly.
"Sorry ma'am." He said. "I can't exactly make my presence known to everyone here."
"No, you can't exactly." Minerva replied, her nerves raw and taut.
"So, where do they think he's been?" Gwen asked changing the subject.
Minerva drew a deep breath, trying to draw some courage from the air and finding that there was none to be drawn. "He was seen momentarily in the Forbidden Forest last night by one of our scouts. He may be searching for You-Know-Who. What better place for him to hide?"
Graves nearly laughed. "With all the other beasties and ghoulies."
"The fey are there too." Gwen said. She looked between her god-mother and the empty space she presumed to be Graves. "Maybe they know something."
"I don't think it would be a good idea for you to go wandering around the forest alone, Guenivere." Minerva said sourly.
"I won't be alone." Gwen said and threw her most hopeful glance to Graves' invisible form.
"No, she won't be." He added. "But we're not leaving until first light tomorrow."
