Chapter Thirteen

Casualties of a Battle Lost

Before Jennifer knew it, Friday October the thirtieth loomed before them, and soon Jennifer found herself pulling out some of her best robes… the ones she had often worn when she was still serving in the Council. She sighed heavily, sorting through her jewelry box as Severus came in wearing robes so black that he could have been going to a funeral.

"About ready? Corey will be waiting," he reminded her as she took out an ornate barrette and placed it above her hair bun. "We're not flying there, you know," he teased lightly, reminding her of the charm upon the barrette.

"All the same, I feel better knowing that I'm in no danger of falling," Jennifer said somberly, pinning on her brooch. "I suppose I'm ready." She turned around to see him looking at her thoughtfully. "What is it?"

"I am thinking back to when this all started. As I recall, I walked in to find a Muggle admiring my children after you had conveniently forgotten to mention that they had seen the house."

"Something that I never do anymore," Jennifer protested. "I'll never again take memory for granted."

"I suppose you remember that I was a tad cross at the notion."

"A tad? Severus, you wanted to make us move, all of us," Jennifer said, grabbing her coat with a sigh. "Perhaps you were right. Perhaps we should have."

"No," Severus said, helping her on with her coat. "No, if there's one thing that I have realized over the years, it is exactly how much the entire family has benefited from living there and interacting with the entire community… not having to worry if our children are flying their brooms too high or changing into a disguise every time we had to run to town for something. Not to mention how much it helped the town recover after the Voldemort attack, and it helped Corey and Essie deal with the loss of their parents. You were right, fighting to stay. And nothing that happens tonight will change the fact that you were right."

Jennifer hugged him tightly, closing her eyes and letting him hold her a moment, trying to keep down the grief threatening to bubble to the surface. Gently he walked her to the door offering an arm that Jennifer clung tightly to, ignoring the curious looks of the students as they walked out of the castle.

The Council Chamber was already full when they arrived. In fact, Jennifer saw many wizards and witches whose seats had been empty nearly every other time they called an assembly. But it only took a glance to figure out why, since many of them belonged to old Dark families; their faces were coarse, sharp, and pronounced after having had a few too many generations of closely related marriages. The looks of disdain were unmistakable, although Jennifer couldn't help but wonder about it. Not all of them could have been Voldemort supporters, and the Craws once would have stood beside them. But wasn't one friendly face that could she spot in that group, and soon she knew why as they turned their attention to someone approaching from the floor level. It was Lucius Malfoy.

"I suppose I know how that corner is going to vote," Jennifer murmured.

"It is not them I am concerned with," Severus answered in a low voice. "It is the fact that the rest of Council isn't looking in our direction that worries me."

As the two of them greeted Corey and took their places beside him, Jennifer glanced up almost casually and found that it was true; quite a number of people she knew from the Ministry or had some idea who they were seemed to be intentionally avoiding her gaze. She looked over towards Dumbledore, and near him stood Arthur and Bill Weasley, Rhys Brown, and curiously enough, Draco Malfoy and Ederick Thurspire, rounding out their strange support group with Muse stepping over to speak to them. Essie and Doug went to join Jennifer's group, hugging Corey before taking their places behind them. Finally, Arthur nodded and glanced at the time, heading up to the front and smiling as warmly as he could manage before he stepped up onto the center dais.

"Well! We have a long agenda for the evening so we'd best get started. Shall we begin with the minutes?"

Lucius Malfoy tapped his fingers impatiently on his cane while beside him Rummert was still going through his notes. Even board meetings weren't this tedious. As they went over old news and that night's agenda, Lucius wondered if it would go on for hours. It was almost his moment and he could feel it… he could feel walls crumbling and doors shutting in his mind… tasted it in fact; and because of that, his patience was much more limited than on other occasions. Even so, he projected to those watching him the image of poise and dignity, his face deceptively calm as they began voting on what Lucius couldn't help but think were the most trivial matters imaginable.

It seemed, in fact, that they were pulling out every minute issue they could think of; from werewolf rights to whether or not to fund Ministry renovations to new appointments to staff and Council, every single one seemed as petty as the next. Malfoy sighed in annoyance, nodding or shaking his head to Rummert appropriately. Rummert then voted as Lucius indicated, as did the rest of his corner of the room, effectively blocking a majority of position appointments that annoyed him. He glanced at his watch. How many more of these could they possibly have left, he wondered, glancing over at where Jennifer and Severus sat, their faces dark and unreadable. But beside them, Doug Brim yawned, his wife elbowing him in response. Lucius sneered slightly. They were not faring any better than he was over the delay. Finally, Lucius tapped Rummert, his patience worn thin.

"Really, Minister, it is getting late. Can't some of these matters wait until out next meeting? You know quite well that this is hardly what we came here to vote on," Rummert said.

"Well, there is one other matter I really wanted addressed tonight," Arthur said.

"Then let's get on with it, shall we?" Rummert sighed.

"All right. Then the next matter is whether or not community service and how well prisoners carry out community service should play a factor in parole hearings. Right now there are no considerations for such, and both the Wardens of Tower and Azkaban believe there should be. Any movement to debate the issue?"

"Can we just get to the vote?" Rummert said when he got hit in the foot with a cane.

"Fine," Arthur said evenly. "All in favor?" Rummert glanced back, but Malfoy waved his hand, not caring one way or the other. Rummert nodded and so did the others in that corner, the movement passing with a slight margin.

"Now, I suppose we should look into the court's recommendation about Haven's Bluff. Counselor Rummert, I believe you requested a debate on this issue? Would you care to come make your point?" Arthur asked with a thin smile.

Jennifer looked over at the counselor dubiously as he came up to the dais. Nobody on her side had missed the exchange between he and Malfoy. There could be little doubt who was pulling the strings this time.

"It is the deepest of concerns," Rummert began, gazing at the Council somberly, "That brings me to stand before you tonight. I speak about the fate of the Muggle town of which we all know as Haven's Bluff. Yes, a Muggle town, which ten years ago this Council voted for a charter that allowed its eventual corruption. But it was far from the first time that the town has been exposed to our world. It began, in fact, when a very respectable witch of some renown and fame took interest in a local Muggle boy that she not only allowed into her home but then decided to teach him magic," he said, the Council breaking out in a murmur.

"It was discovered, of course, as any of you who have taken the time to look up her record has noted. Had he not been later chosen to go to Hogwarts, it probably would have meant the end of the matter there and then, for both Haven's Bluff and her teaching career. But, to his credit, Mr. Willowby did graduate second in his class, but with something irreplaceable missing from his life: his parents and his brother. I need not remind you, Council, of what it was like living under the terror of the Dark Lord, or the Christmas Eve that he and his followers attacked several Muggle towns. But those towns had not been picked at random. They had been picked, Council, because the Death Eaters knew that their enemies lurked within them. It was Charles, Charles Jr., and Freda Willowby who paid the ultimate price for having a witch next door, and nothing can completely erase the fact that they are gone to those who were a part of their lives. And perhaps it was our pity, or our guilt for not acting sooner, that led to the Council's decision four years later to allow this town to exist burdened with the knowledge of magic.

"Perhaps that idea worked for a little while, as risky as it was," Rummert mused. "But then, a couple of years later, Mr. Willowby fresh out of school decided to open an apothecary completely visible to the locals who frequented there. His sister, who owned the modest sheep farm down the road, followed suit by turning it into a Slumber Sheep farm, without consideration to what might happen if a group of outsiders came in and happened to stumble onto them. In fact, Mr. Willowby even added a tearoom to his establishment so that Muggles might come and chat, forcing our general public to have to pass them with magical potions and very dangerous components in hand. It was, as you can imagine, only a matter of time before something went wrong. In fact, four years ago in last August, a Muggle drinking tea there had been 'accidentally' potioned into having tails and wings. Even though the injured party was a local who took it rather well, it did occur, and it could have been anyone.

"This year, not only were the locals temporarily turned into dogs, but a number of innocent, unsuspecting Muggles were turned into nearly everything imaginable after a Muggle managed to steal potions out of Mr. Willowby's shop. What would have happened, I wonder, had they picked up one of the poisonous herbs or concoctions instead? Would we have been then looking at a full Muggle massacre? Had those Slumber Sheep followed the shoreline and come across swimmers, would they have drowned because we failed to do something about this? We, the Council of Wizards, cannot possibly allow a situation where countless Muggle lives are at stake. The Muggles living in Haven's Bluff have already seen more tragedy in their lives than many of us have ever experienced. It is time we acknowledge that we made a mistake allowing this to happen. And together, we must correct it by restoring the town that we allowed to be corrupted. Haven's Bluff must be completely eradicated of all magic inhabitants, and all properties that have been magically altered must be destroyed."

"Destroyed?" Essie said, standing up in surprise. "But that was my father's farm!"

"Then, my dear, you should have considered that before you contaminated it with magic," Rummert said in an unforgiving tone as Doug gently coaxed her to sit back down. "I urge you, Council, to consider not only the safety of the Muggles in Haven's Bluff, but of all Muggles who might venture in, and also the welfare of those of our kind living there. Surely it is only a matter of time before their tampering with Muggle lives endangers all of us. It is just as much for our safety as theirs, for as I'm sure you've all read in the papers, the events have hardly gone unnoticed by the Muggle public," he concluded. Then he bowed slightly to Arthur, who nodded slowly in return as he stepped up to take his place.

"Thank you, Counselor. Now I ask you to bear with me, for I have decided to address the defense for this issue myself, since as I'm sure most of you are aware, it was I who asked for the charter which you are now considering to destroy," Arthur said, gazing up at them. "Perhaps there is some truth to the fact that many of this Council voted out of sympathy, but it was the right thing to do. Never was I so proud of the Ministry or the Council than I was at that moment. It was the first town of its kind in modern history for our country, as well as in Europe. It has been ten years since we voted on the charter for Haven's Bluff, ten very peaceful, golden years. Most of those years passed without any incident at all. Perhaps that's why it is so shocking to me that a series of events... events that have been marked by the Ministries of Law Enforcement and Accidental Magic as being 'highly suspect' I might add… have manipulated us into a situation where that charter has come into question.

"Councilors, most of us live side by side with Muggle neighbors, whether it's the next farm or the next townhouse or flat in London. We pass them every day. There is always a chance that one might happen by at the wrong moment or pick up something one of us has dropped or see something that they shouldn't. But we don't pick up and move because someone saw something they shouldn't, nor should we force this on them. Yes, these are Muggles that know what they are. But it isn't as if there are no Muggles anywhere that don't know about us. We allow, for example, the Muggle families of Wizards and Witches to know our activities. We allow them into the Alley to help their children prepare for school, and they see our houses and move among us. As far as Mr. Willowby and Mrs. Brim are concerned, their friends in Haven's Bluff are very much family. This truly is a case, Councilors, of throwing the baby out with the bath water. We should be looking for ways to protect Haven's Bluff, not destroy it."

"And how exactly do you propose to that?" Rummert asked.

"The same way we protect our normal residences. We make a few changes to the roads and enchantments to the town so that it isn't seen by strangers," Arthur replied.

"And may I remind you that quite a number of the 'accidents' involved the townsfolk itself? Don't they too deserve our protection?"

"They deserve our respect," Arthur snapped. "They deserve the right to decide for themselves what is best. And they do not want to throw in the towel just because some unknown wizard is trying to sabotage them!"

"Ah yes, the Ministry's claim that this was all 'highly suspect,'" Rummert nodded. "That is a great part of the argument, isn't it? But if one looks at the facts, one realizes it's hardly an argument at all. First off, because by their own admission, the Ministry has no evidence that anything took place other than a Muggle break in… one, by the way, which has not been apprehended yet. The second incident was caused by a freak storm. Granted, it is the Ministry of Law Enforcement's job to be suspicious," he said with a polite nod to Thurspire and Brown, both of them eyeing him with extreme dislike. "But even if we did suppose that someone was behind it, does it change the fact that any of these events could have happened on their own? No, dear Council, it does not. At any time, any Muggle could have come in and walked straight past their little 'Muggle tearoom' and gotten a hold of something that would not only end their lives but out us for all to see forever more. It is the very foundation of our world that is at stake here!"

"I couldn't agree more that there is a lot at stake," Arthur said. "But what's at stake is greater than you might realize, greater than shutting out one town. It is about shutting ourselves out, and I would be very leery of what you're shutting in with you. We have worked too hard to undo the evil that was done when the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters roamed free. Do not take a step back from everything we've done. Stand by your decisions ten years ago, and let this town decide for itself what is best."

"Well, Minister, if that is your final word, perhaps we ought to call a vote?" Rummert asked.

"Very well, Counselor," Arthur said, gazing up at the others. "I only hope that you all vote with your conscience and not your fear, and do what's right. Will all those in favor of Rummert and the court's proposal please stand now?"

As an overwhelming majority of the Council stood, Jennifer closed her eyes for a moment, forcing her emotions in check. Beside her, she could hear Essie sobbing softly. Doug and Corey put their arms around her, trying to comfort her. Severus had taken on that stony appearance that he often took when struck with a blow, although his face also showed no surprise.

But it was Arthur's face that startled Jennifer the most when she opened her eyes again. There she saw a disappointment stemmed in more than just the vote itself. He shook his head as he felt in his pockets and drew out the contents into his hand. And although no one else could make out what it was, Arthur saw more in the yarn needle, clay smiley-faced doll, and handful of unpleasantly flavored Bertibott's beans than anyone could have guessed.

"You know, something strange just happened," Arthur said, his voice sounding a little odd. "It happened as I saw you stand… it registered to me exactly what this Council once stood for compared to what it now stands for… forgive me, all opposed?" he added, immediately looking over at the small collection of wizards standing solemnly near Dumbledore; his son Bill, Harry, and his good friends Rhys and Arnie. Nearby were Muse and Thurspire who had abstained, but still showed support by their presence. "Anyhow, it just occurred to me that my heart's not in this job anymore. I miss the time I once had… I miss the time I haven't spent with the grandchildren. And despite the fact that I have felt that it was time for a change for some years now, I felt obligated to stay. All of the sudden I don't feel that obligation anymore, which is a good thing, because it was getting in the way of me seeing things clearly. In fact, I believe that I'm see things clearer at this moment than I have in a long time. I cannot support a Council or a system that would allow things such as this to happen to good people. And therefore, I think it's in everyone's best interests if I just step down," he said. He took off his coat and badge of office and set it on the podium as a murmur rumbled through the crowd. "I officially resign as Minister of Magic."

Arthur stepped off the dais as the Council stood, some in support and others in surprise. It was Dumbledore who stepped up to him first, and for a moment, Arthur was worried that he might have tried to talk him out of it. Instead, Dumbledore merely nodded and clapped his shoulder, never leaving his side as others began to swarm over to them.

Only Lucius didn't move, a smile of complete and sheer triumph on his face at the unexpected ending to what would have already been a perfect victory. There could be little doubt who had won the battle. So little doubt, in fact, that he relished admitting it with a simple nod in Severus' direction, who was eyeing him from across the Assembly Hall, knowing quite well that Severus would have no idea whatsoever how the victory was his to claim.

The next day was perhaps one of the hardest in Jennifer's life as they said goodbye to their neighbors and the family packed up the rest of their things. The coffee machine she had gotten last year had been confiscated, but the rest of their items were packed. Andrew had gone over to help Corey, and Alicia and Aurelius had been sent to Essie's to help there. Alex went to Ben's house, and the two of them sat on the fence near the road.

"I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe we're moving, and they're taking our home away," Alex said.

"I'll still be allowed to write you, won't I? At school?" Ben asked softly.

"Sure, just use the Muggle post address I gave you, it'll get there," Alexandria assured him.

"Most of the town is really upset you have to leave. And they're really mad about the farm. Pachem said the Ministry's going to sell the lots to someone to build new houses. They'll probably will fill them with dull, boring, neighbors who aren't interested in anything except who has been seen with who and which one has the best yard," Ben said glumly.

"Well, I'm sure you also won't have to worry about them turning you into a dog, either," Alex sighed. "I wonder what's going to happen to us now?"

"I'm sure it'll be for the best. At least, for everyone but me," Ben said. "The magic's going out of my life now. But more because you're not going to be in it rather than because of any old spells," he admitted.

"Oh, Ben," Alex sighed. "No matter what happens, I'll always consider you my best friend."

"Yeah. I know," Ben said quietly, then smiled slightly. "Just don't forget us, huh?"

"I'll do my best not to," Alex promised, and then heard her name called. Anna was standing near her car by the edge of the road, waving her over. "Goodbye, Ben."

"Alex, I…" Ben hesitated as she turned to look at him again, realizing perhaps it would have been an unkind thing to do, telling her now when there were no chances left. He shook his head. "You take care of yourself," he said at last.

"You too," she smiled, then turned and ran towards the car, gazing at her aunt. The others were already inside. "Are we leaving now?"

"I promised your parents I'd get you back to the school," Anna said, glancing back at farmhouse. "While things are still all right."

"Nothing's ever going to be right again," Alicia said miserably.

"Oh, get over it, it's just a house," Aurelius said irritably.

"It's not just a house!" Alicia barked, but Andrew put an arm around her.

"No, in a way he's right. As long as we're together, that's all that matters. Besides, all of our things are coming with us," Andrew said.

"Except that stupid coffee pot," Aurelius said.

"And the tree," Alex put in, getting in the front seat.

"And our ocean view," Alicia sighed.

"At least we don't have to leave our parents behind," Andrew murmured as they drove past the church.

Essie and Corey stood side by side in the graveyard. It had taken some time for them to explain this to their parents, putting flowers on their graves. Corey even defiantly added some freshly made sparkling alchemist's roses. At last they turned and walked over to where Pachem was standing talking to Doug. Pachem grasped both of their hands when they came over.

"So where will you be heading now?" Pachem asked.

"Glasgow, I've family there," Doug said. "I've got an Enchanting job at Wizomatic and Essie's going to do weather predictions for the Daily Prophet."

"Actually, I suppose it'll be nice to have extra money for a change," Essie said. "We barely broke even with the farm."

"Perhaps it's not necessarily a bad change then," Pachem said. "Your parents would have wanted you to follow some of your own ambitions and not just live theirs."

"Maybe in a few months I'll agree with you. Right now I just feel like the world is ending," Essie said, letting Doug draw her into his arms.

"And you, Corey?" Pachem asked.

"Hogsmeade," Corey sighed. "I want to live somewhere I don't have to hide. They need an alchemist badly there, and the Ministry agreed to allow me to keep my license, although the fines pretty much destroyed what savings I had. Hopefully I can find a shop somewhere cheap to rent."

"Hogsmeade?" Pachem asked thoughtfully.

"It's a town of all wizards up north near the school," Corey explained. "I have a lot of friends up there too, and my friend Taylor is helping me find a shop. But I won't have to hide my business from everyone there or be anyone other than who I am, so that's where I want to be."

"It sounds wonderful. Perhaps you'll meet a girl who can actually keep up with you there, hmm?" Pachem smiled at him.

It was obvious that Corey was feeling quite alone right now. Pachem knew that Corey's parents, as well as Doug and Essie, had each other to lean on. But Corey had always relied on his neighbors for support.

"At least we live close, Corey. Hogsmeade is just a quick pop from where we'll be living," Essie reassured her brother.

"Tell me, Corey, do you have an address for regular post yet?" Pachem inquired as they walked down the road, eagerly waiting for Corey to pen it out for him.

It was not long after Anna had left that the teams arrived. Jennifer stood next to the tree with Severus beside her, watching as they went inside to make sure everything was out of the cottage before taking out a tiny box and setting it just inside the door. A rumble went over the ground as the team stepped out, then a quick jolt, and then a rumble and another jolt as the basements beneath the cliff collapsed and filled with sandy clay and dirt as if they had never been there at all. Then the second story appeared, visible for the first time since it was built, before it collapsed into a shower of dust. At last the cottage and garden wall began to crumble until all that was left was rocky, empty terrain and the sound of the sea. The team of wizards walked away, not looking at either of them as they passed, which suited Jennifer just as well. Her eyes were threatening to water as she stared in disbelief at the patch of ground where her house once stood.

"Come, Jennifer, let's go home," Severus said after they had stood there for some time. "Our real home." Jennifer gazed up at him to see a very firm and sincere expression, an intense anger lying beneath the surface. "The one that they can't ever and will never truly take away from us."

"The board can always try to make us resign," Jennifer pointed out softly, but Severus only snorted.

"If the board hasn't been able to get rid of me yet, they never will… and not for lack of trying, trust me," Severus said dryly.

"The school just wouldn't be the same without you, Severus," Jennifer whispered with a strained smile.

"Yes, that's true," Severus agreed, gesturing for her to follow as he Disapparated.

The sudden silence after he left was striking… it was almost as if Jennifer could still hear the echo from her heart shattering like glass. She took a breath as she gazed at the maple tree, its long shadow looming over nothing but grass now, and she wondered if she would ever want to pick up the pieces of her heart again.