Chapter Twenty-Three

The Coin Toss

"And just who's brilliant idea was this…thing?"

Severus held up the black satin brocade dress robes he found in a box under the tree, holding them up distastefully by the tips of his thumbs and pointer fingers as if afraid to get any closer to them. Aurelius and Andrew sniggered audibly, as much because of his reaction as of the style.

"It wasn't me, Severus, I swear," Jennifer said, making a point of crossing her heart, trying very hard to keep a straight face. "Although, I do have to admit you really did need new dress robes…"

"Thank you, but I like the ones I have. This is only fit for the dustbin…"

"Oh, Severus, really, don't throw it out, even if you don't wear it! It looks expensive, and who knows whom you're offending!"

"Yes, it may be a trick. Perhaps it's cursed…"

"Now, you know perfectly well we go through all the presents when they arrive at midnight," Jennifer said. The faint irritation present in her voice was enough to cause Severus to sigh and put it aside. "Besides, it never hurts to have some spare dress robes for emergencies."

"There would never be that much of an emergency," Severus said, "but I suppose I can keep it, although I would like to know exactly who it is we're not supposed to offend, considering everyone close to us would know I wouldn't wear anything that flamboyant."

"Well, I like them," Jennifer decided as she picked it up and neatly refolded it. "Who's next?" All of them began to talk at once, looking at the waiting boxes in their hands when Severus put up a hand.

"I think your mother ought to be next," he said over their voices, the others immediately settling. "And I get to pick which one."

"The man won't wear brocade, but always insists to make us sit through his incredibly sentimental and sometimes sappy choices in gifts," Aurelius smirked.

"And you may keep that opinion to yourself for at least two more years until you're on your own, thank you," Severus said, searching under the tree thoughtfully.

"They will always be here for Christmas, though," Jennifer said fervently, "I hope?"

"Of course we will, Mum," Alex said sincerely.

"I call bracelets!" Andrew said out of the blue, then, and in a protest, Aurelius picked necklace and Alicia, left with no better options, chose rings.

"Hardly fair, Mum still won't get her ears pierced," Alex said. "Fine, I'll say a hair ornament."

"Do you really think I'm that predictable?" Severus scowled, finally drawing out a box. As all four of them began answering and nodding, Severus made a face and handed the box to Jennifer. "Fine, it's a hair ornament," he admitted irritably as she opened it. Alex looked smug, the other three grinning at her. "But it's not just from me, either."

"A Dragonscale haircomb! I've always wanted one of these! My mother had one when I was little that looked just like it. In fact, I got in trouble once for losing one of the pearls off of it," Jennifer said.

"So your father told me," Severus said. "But as you can see, it has since been repaired." Jennifer blinked and then gaped at him outright. "Apparently it was in Audacious Belle's vault. Your father recognized it and had me help him buy it back from the estate." Jennifer held it to her a moment and then hugged Severus outright, a round of sighs coming out from the children.

"See? Sentimental," Aurelius said.

"At least it was a Dragonscale item already in the country," Alex put in. "You can get in an awful lot of trouble from importing them with all the sanctions and all…"

"Alex, two summers interning at the Ministry does not make you an expert in Ministry law," Aurelius said bluntly.

"All right, that's enough, both of you," Severus warned them, Jennifer still leaning on him and holding her comb tightly. "Alicia, why don't you go next?"

"Paints," Aurelius barked out before anyone else could.

"Too small to be canvas…um…sketchbooks?" Andrew thought quickly.

"Fine, I call new brushes then," Alex said.

"Maybe our Christmases are getting rather predictable after all," Severus murmured in annoyance.

"Good! It's about time something in our lives is," Jennifer said contentedly before going back to watching the rest of the presents opened.

Alicia did end up as it turned out with the same number of art supplies, dresses (many of which, to her dismay, weren't black,) and token jewelry pieces that she did every year, but no one really knew that she privately felt like she was missing something…or, in fact, something from someone. Even a card would have sufficed, she thought, perhaps even hand-drawn, which she could add to her collection of Pyther originals. Perhaps he hadn't had time after he had gotten her card…or maybe he thought her idea of a gift was silly. She was just a student, after all, so the offer of doing a portrait of him was probably very bold. Of course, Alicia had always been bold about things; she was a Snape, after all.

Alicia heard her name called and looked at the time, reluctantly coming out of her room and down the stairs to join the others lined up looking either unusually bored or unusually serious, and perhaps a little of each.

"Jennifer, please, they are more than old enough to house-sit for one afternoon," Severus sighed.

"Honestly, Mum, what do you think we're going to do? Wait until you're gone and throw a wild party or something?" Alex said, getting a hard elbow from Aurelius. Jennifer frowned and looked between the two of them nervously, while Andrew and Alicia merely smirked.

"You are not to have anyone over while we're not at home… and that goes double for you, Alexandria," Severus said firmly, squinting at her. Alex folded her arms. "I don't want anything untoward going on in the presence of your other siblings."

"Severus!" Jennifer said in shock at what she read from his face.

"No guests," Severus said. "And if you do need to vacate, I'm sure you all know the drill."

"Harry's first, then Corey's, then the castle," Aurelius droned.

"And if all that fails, we can come to New York to find you, right?" Alex said brightly.

"I am beginning to like your idea of giving them Sleeping Potions, Severus," Jennifer said.

"We have to trust them sometime," Severus said with a sigh. "It's only for a few hours. We'll be back in time to spend Christmas dinner together, so I expect you get the living room in some sort of order by then and gifts neatly back under the tree to keep the Elves from attempting to pick through it to figure out what they're supposed to save and what gets thrown out."

"Hardly the House Elves' fault, Severus, they really ought to be more careful with their presents," Jennifer put in.

"We'll be all right, Father, just go have fun and relax for a few hours," Andrew insisted.

"And you make sure there's something left in the house to eat when we get back," Severus said dryly, Andrew grinning in response. "And as for you… no traveling in paintings short of an emergency." Alicia saluted him mockingly, causing Severus to roll his eyes. "Come along, Jennifer, I'm sure the Kinglers are waiting for us by now."

"I don't know, Severus, perhaps we really ought to stay home, after all it's Christmas…"

"We already promised them we would come visit them," Severus said. "They are very well capable of taking care of themselves. See you this evening," he added, nodding to the children. Alex walked behind them and closed the door, turning around with a look of pure relief.

"Thank God, they're actually gone!" Alex exclaimed.

"I'm surprised they didn't think of chaining us up somewhere in Azkaban for the duration," Alicia put in.

"Well, with everything going on with Ciardoth and all, it's not all that surprising they'd be nervous, is it?" Andrew said diplomatically.

"Andrew, even if there weren't ever any evil psycho killers or old Death Eaters or beings accidentally released from other worlds constantly trying to kill us, our parents would still treat us like we were two years old," Aurelius said. "For once, how about we stay put and give them a reason not to keep thinking it?"

"Actually, Rel, they didn't say anything about staying put," Alex pointed out. "All they said was no visitors and don't use the paintings. They didn't say we couldn't go anywhere. And on that note, I'm going to Ben's."

"Alicia, do want to go to Aviation Park with me to test out my new broom?" Andrew suggested.

"Hold it, hold it, hold it! Alex, I think that 'staying put' was an understood rule," Aurelius frowned.

"I am not going to spend my entire Christmas away from Ben. Besides, he says he has a gift for me. His note said he didn't want to send it with the delivery," she explained.

"Uh, oh, you know what that means. It means he probably has something he wants to ask you with it," Andrew said.

"Now, let's not get carried away," Alex said quickly. "I'm sure that's not it… I mean, we've only just gotten to know each other again, really, and… I gotta go," she said suddenly, bolting out the door. Aurelius shook his head, closing the door behind her.

"The older she gets the more air manages to seep in between her ears. I hope he knows what he's getting himself into," Aurelius said.

"I think he knows," Andrew smiled. "So, Rel, you want to go to the broom park with us? There's bound to be plenty from Hogwarts there today."

"Fine, but let's pick up around the tree first so we don't forget to do it," Aurelius said. "Come on, Alicia. Put down the sketchbook and get a bag for all this paper."

"You know, I think I might keep swatches of some of these. I rather like some of the prints," Alicia said more to herself than to the others.

"Just don't get carried away," Aurelius sighed, shaking out some of the larger wads to make sure no tiny pieces were in any of them. Andrew was especially careful; for he had quite a few tiny pieces in a kit Alex had gotten him for his miniatures.

"Hang on, there's an unopened card here under the window," Andrew said, peering up to see the window was partially open. "Must have come in late. Rather heavy."

"Careful with that, Andrew. It may not have been checked yet," Aurelius warned, coming over to him.

"Well, it has your name on it," Andrew said.

"All the more reason to be careful," Aurelius said. Andrew rolled his eyes and put the card down as Aurelius took out his wand and ran a few checks on it.

"This is really sad. I wonder how many other families out there feel like they have to run a test on Christmas presents," Alicia said with annoyance, but the other two ignored her as Aurelius curiously opened up the card. Something began to slide out of it and Aurelius had to act fast to catch it, feeling a strange tingle in his hand when he touched the heavy disk.

"I don't believe it!" Aurelius said in awe as he stared at the coin. It was nearly as heavy as a galleon, but the artwork was much more ornate. Greek characters ran along the outside of both the front and back. "This is it, I'm sure of it! Alicia, look!"

"That looks like the ancient ruins on Delphi, the center place of oracles in the ancient world! What's on the back?" she asked excitedly, and they turned it to see a skeletal figure covered in a shroud, standing in a boat.

"Charon," Aurelius said.

"Wow, no bones about it then," Andrew said, receiving dirty looks for the pun. "This is Hufflepuff's Obol."

"But how? Who gave it to you? And why did they give it to you? I was the one looking for it," Alicia said, slightly annoyed by that fact. "Can I see it closer?"

"Hang on a moment," Aurelius said, palming it as he took out a letter folded in the holiday card.

Aurelius- Stock and I have been talking a lot lately, and he happened to mention to me in the course of the conversations that you and the others were searching for an old coin. Well, let me back up…you know how there are all those sealed passages that used to lead to the common room? Well, I don't suppose you've ever had reason to go down them, but often some of the housemates take some of the girls there to actually get in a conversation without a jeering committee. Anyhow, near the one that should go to the far end of the dungeon is an old statue of Slytherin. Dad told me it was once rumored that his pointer finger showed where the Chamber of Secrets was until Potter bonked that theory. Well, as it so happened, about a year and a half ago just after the talent show, Eigil had helped set me up with this girl I wanted to see… it doesn't matter who, really, didn't work out. Anyhow, I was explaining the whole slight-of-hand thing that your sister had attempted and was using the statue as a sort of prop when I found this coin hidden in it.

I would be lying if I said I haven't tried using it, but I've found it was very unlucky for me, for I found out I was capable of doing a lot of things that I'm not proud of. Still, maybe it'll be lucky for you. It tells the future… at least, the future of whoever uses it. Just flip it, but be careful what you ask it, becauseI learned the hard way that you won't always like the answer. Sometimes it's just best not to know what's coming. But you always were the cautious sort, so I'm sure it'll be okay. And last of all, I want to say that I am giving it to you freely as a gift, although I will be the first to admit that I wouldn't mind having my old dorm room back. Sincerely- Hephaestus.

"Now how was it, I wonder, that Professor Dusthorn wasn't aware that Heph had the coin the entire time?" Aurelius said irritably. "There are paintings all over that castle."

"Maybe she did," Alicia agreed with a sigh. "Father did say that Dusthorn likes to manipulate people."

"She might have been worried about the coin being in Heph's hands. He's not exactly known for his common sense," Andrew said.

"Just flip it and be careful what to ask," Aurelius murmured, glancing at them thoughtfully.

"Go ahead, I'll cover," Andrew offered, getting out his wand.

"I suppose since it is a coin, it would give yes and no answers, right?" Alicia put in, getting out her own wand.

"That would make sense," Aurelius said. "Considering Charon represents death, I assume that's 'no' and Delphi Oracle is 'yes.' Let's start with something simple then. Do you suppose I ask first, or while it's in the air?"

"Probably while it's in the air," Andrew said with a nod.

"Alright, here it goes then," Aurelius said, flipping the coin in the air. But even as he took a breath to quickly spit out his question, he stopped in awe as he saw that the coin hovered in mid-air, spinning faster and faster while the astral face of a woman in an ornate mask drifted around it.

"Is this normal?" Andrew asked in a low voice. Alicia shrugged at him. "So? Ask it something?"

"Should we go to the park?" Aurelius said as clearly as he could. The coin began to fall then and Aurelius caught it in his hand, the other two gathering around as they saw it was the picture of the ruins. Just then, however, the ruins began to twist around on the surface of the coin and then cleared to show a picture. "It's North Broom," Aurelius said in amazement as the strange view panned around the park.

"But I wanted to go to Aviation," Alicia said in annoyance.

"Look, there's you, Alicia," Andrew said, as the view turned towards her. "You're moving your mouth but not saying anything. No wait, you just took off somewhere... where are you going?"

"How do you expect me to know? I don't even know what I said," Alicia said, "not that one can expect a coin to have sound…" but then Aurelius let out a gasp so uncharacteristic that the two of them peered in. "A giant!"

"A giant! A giant at North Broom?" Andrew said, as a very ferocious figure came into view. Andrew stared as he watched himself run into view with his wand in hand and ran towards the giant, the scene suddenly shaking strangely as the coin seemed to move towards the scene, finally fading away the three of them crying out in surprise at the abruptness.

"That's it? I want to know what happens next!" Alicia said, trying to take the coin.

"Stop, stop, stop! Let's think clearly here," Aurelius said. "Look, just because we saw that, it doesn't mean anything. First off, like Alicia said, she wanted to go to Aviation Park, right? So if we go there, it won't happen anyhow, so it doesn't matter, does it?" he said, putting the coin in his pocket. Andrew and Alicia looked at one another unsurely, sitting on the couch.

"North Broom wouldn't be all that busy today, would it? After all, it is Christmas," Alicia reasoned helplessly.

"It's also the warmest Christmas on record, so it just might be packed," Andrew said. "Still, I'm sure… I'm sure someone there can handle it, I mean… assuming what we saw was right."

"But what if we don't go?" Alicia asked. "What if by not going someone gets hurt that might not had we not interfered?"

"Suddenly I'm beginning to understand Heph's warning about this thing," Aurelius said darkly. "We don't have to go, not really. We do have a choice. Sort of," Aurelius said. The three gazed at each other silently for a moment.

"Well, you're the one who wants to be an Auror, Rel," Andrew said at last. "We would at least be going into the situation forewarned. What if that thing we saw does show up? Are we going to be able to live with ourselves after the fact if we found out someone else got hurt?"

"I don't like this," Aurelius sighed. "But I know you're right. We need to check it out, just to be safe."

"I wonder if we hadn't looked at the coin if we would be going to North Broom at all?" Alicia put in as they went to grab their coats. But neither of the boys seemed to have an answer for that either.

As Andrew had feared, quite a few students had come out testing their new brooms and other equipment. Several called their names out and waved to them, shouting out holiday greetings.

"Everything seems pretty normal," Alicia commented after they had walked around a few minutes, and then noticed a strange look cross Aurelius' face. "Is something wrong?"

"I don't know," Aurelius admitted. "But it does seem a lot like what we saw in the coin somehow."

"Well, let's go check near the four Pitches, because I believe I saw rings in the background," Andrew said. "Perhaps we should split up?"

"But in the coin we were close together…"
"I don't like the idea of attempting to duplicate what we saw," Aurelius said firmly. "In fact, let's make a point not to do it."

"Vell, vhat do ve have here?"

Startled, the three of them looked up to see Eigil hovering on a broom overhead, slowing descending to the ground.

"Eigil," Aurelius said. "Of course."

"Well, I feel like an idiot," Andrew murmured.

"I could have sworn it wasn't Eigil we saw," Alicia whispered back.

"There are no other giants here though, are there?" Andrew murmured.

"Have you come to play or to talk behind my back?" Eigil asked.

"I hardly expected you to be here. I merely came so that my brother could test out his new broom," Aurelius said evenly.

"Really?" Eigil said, looking at Andrew coolly. Andrew matched the gaze. "Vell, do you plan to do it on da ground or on da pitch?"

"Is that a challenge?" Alicia asked.

"Not for you. Men only," Eigil said. "It might get rough out dere. Ve have been playing by pro rules."

"You just don't want our little sister to show you up again," Andrew said.

"I can take whatever you throw at me," Alicia said, completely unconcerned.

"Very vell, I vill get my team together," Eigil said, and walked away, the three of them looking at each other.

"This isn't anything like the vision," Alicia said.

"No, but all the same, we don't know exactly when what we saw happened," Aurelius said. "Alicia, maybe you really ought to sit out. I don't mind Seeking…"

"No way, Rel. You may be a decent Seeker, but I'm better. I can handle it," Alicia said, taking out her broom.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Rel, let's just find the rest of our team," Andrew said.

"Look over there, I see Phoebe," Alicia said. "Shall I see if she wants to play?"

"I don't think we ought to. I'm not sure I trust whatever it is Eigil calls 'pro rules,'" Aurelius said, looking around. "I wonder if Heph's here, then."

"Looks like Eigil's already picked him up," Andrew said, looking at where he was gathering his team. "Wow, look at that woman sitting in the stands. Is that Eigil's mother?"

"Yeah, looks like it," Aurelius said thoughtfully.

"Well, if she's here watching, I doubt Eigil's going to get too nasty, and we do need four more players. Alicia, go ahead and invite Phoebe if you like," Andrew said. Alicia nodded, running over to the stands. "We're going to need another strong Beater, I think, otherwise we won't stand much of a chance between Eigil and Heph."

"I can do it," Aurelius said. "I suppose Phoebe can be Keeper, so let's look for some speed."

Being in three different houses helped them immensely when it came to gathering a team, for while Eigil had snatched up most of the older Slytherins that were there, Andrew and Alicia successfully rallied up Shelly Meadows and Phil Rich, while Alicia found Morfinn huddled in a corner and dragged him out.

"I'm simply here to take a walk and get some air! I can't possibly stay out here! It's too damp! And broom flying doesn't agree with me…" he protested.

"Oh, no, not him!" Aurelius scowled. "What are you doing here?"

"What else am I going to do today? Most of the shops in town are closed. Rather annoying really…"

"Never mind all that, just come play," Alicia said.

"Great, if we start losing we'll use him to make the other team all catch colds," Aurelius said, rolling his eyes.

"Please don't tease him about his allergies, Aurelius, it's not like he can help it any more than I can help my own," Shelly said.

"They're not real," Aurelius said.

"It's okay, I don't want to play anyhow."

"We are not playing a person short and that's that," Alicia said firmly. "Come on, you can do it, Morfinn, we need you." Morfinn sighed and nodded.

"All right. For your sake," he said.

"Brilliant," Aurelius said sarcastically, then went over to Eigil. "Fine, we have our team then."

"Dat is your team?" Eigil said. Several of the others sniggered, although Heph looked strangely solemn. "I have a feeling dis won't take long."

"Of course not, I'm playing," Alicia said.

"Yes, and so am I," Eigil said coolly. "Meyers, you take Beater. I am going to act as the other Seeker."

Andrew looked at Aurelius worriedly at that, but Aurelius merely nodded, refusing to look intimidated.

"Fine. Excuse me for a moment while I work out our own positions," he said, pulling them back and into a huddle. "Alicia…"

"I'm Seeking, Rel," she said stubbornly. Aurelius sighed.

"Look, it's obvious Eigil is up to something…"

"I can outrun anything they can throw at me. Honestly, it's safer if it's me," Alicia said.

"Fine, I'll agree, but only if you take the medallion," Aurelius said.

"What medallion?" Phoebe asked curiously, but Alicia nodded.

"Fine," Alicia said. Carefully Aurelius handed her the Aegis and she quickly put it on her neck and in her shirt out of sight, careful not to let the other team see it. "Feel better?"

"A little," Aurelius agreed, and then released everyone to take their positions.

As customary when there was no referee, the Seekers tipped off the Quaffle; although Eigil's height advantage paid off, able to veer the ball firmly towards his team's Chasers during the joint toss.

Alicia was far from worried as she hopped on her broom, for she knew it wouldn't matter if she could sight the Snitch quickly. Of course, by the time she had gotten back up into position, the Snitch had been in the air several minutes…but she knew her siblings, and in fact, most of her teammates could hold their own against Eigil and his cronies. Morfinn was the only one who seemed a bit off balance, uncertain if the exertion was good for his condition… however, Alicia also couldn't help but notice as he raced to keep up with the other Chasers that his sniffling and wheezing had mysteriously faded as he concentrated on the game. Phoebe had been ready for the other's teams Chasers when they came, successfully blocking and tipping the ball to Shelly who immediately looped around and through the surprised Chasers who had to quickly scramble to catch up.

But Alicia didn't have time to think about it as she found two Bludgers heading at her from different directions and she was forced to dive. Aurelius and Andrew both pulled up above her to smack them back towards the field of Chasers. It was just as well they weren't at Aviation considering the power behind those hits, Alicia decided, adjusting the medallion so it hung on her back. All the more reason for her to do what she could to concentrate on finding the Snitch instead of worry about the rest of the game.

As she began to hover around the Pitch with one eye on Eigil and the other looking out for the Snitch, she suddenly got a creepy feeling as if they were being watched. Of course they were being watched, she thought to herself, glancing at where Eigil's mother and several spectators looking to get on the next game waited on the stands. Shaking it off, Alicia tried a lower route, pausing a moment as she watched the Chasers nearing the rings and wincing when Phoebe had been put into a squeeze; two of Eigil's team blocking her from moving to the top ring as the third tossed it in. A mistake any new player could make, Alicia told herself, attempting to talk herself into not being to critical of her friend's bad play.

It was then that she saw Eigil make a move, and got in a better position to see if he was feigning or actually chasing something. It was the volley of Bludgers coming at her that truly clued her in to the fact that it wasn't a feint and leaned against the broom as one of them past within inches above her.

"Rel! Damn it, do your job! What do you think you are, a fourth Chaser?" Alicia barked at him furiously.

"Do my job? Go get the damn Snitch!" he barked back as he regained control of one of the Bludgers.

"This game is getting way too serious for a holiday broom test," Andrew said to himself just after he shied a Bludger in front of Eigil's path in attempt to distract him, giving Alicia time to catch up while Aurelius hit the other towards their Chasers who were nearing the rings again.

Just then Andrew saw something that made him bark out a warning, but had not come fast enough to stop a third Bludger from hitting the back of Eigil's shoulder so hard that he went spinning to the ground. Alicia had been traveling much too close and had to take evasive maneuvers, skidding to the ground and tumbling off her broom a few lengths ahead of him.

It was Morfinn who was the first broom down, racing to Eigil's side while Andrew quickly made it down to Alicia, who waved off his attempts to help her.

"What happened?" she shouted as the others landed. "Where did that third Bludger come from?"

"Maybe it's from one of the other pitches," Aurelius said, hurrying over to Eigil as well. "Eigil, let him take a look at it!"

"Stay away from me!" Eigil snarled angrily. "I'm okay!"

"I think it's dislocated," Morfinn said. "Eigil, try not to move."

"Someone ought to get some help," Alicia said. "I don't think he's anywhere close to being okay."

"Right, you better go," Aurelius agreed, Alicia immediately speeding off. He had been expecting to see Eigil's mother running out of the stands to come to her son's aid and began wondering where she was, when he heard her deep baritone shouting in a language he didn't understand.

"Great Craters," Andrew said, Aurelius staring at him in surprise before standing up to see Eigil's mother facing off a figure just over eight feet tall and looking ready to kill. As the voices got louder, Eigil shouted something back and tried to scramble to his feet, despite everyone's protests for him to stay still.

"Heph, help me!" Aurelius barked, trying to keep him down and still get a hand free to try and get to a translation potion. Immediately Heph came over, but even injured, Eigil was a force to be reckoned with.

"He's going to hurt her!" Eigil said, wincing in pain.

"I think he's right," Andrew said, taking out his wand and running over before Aurelius could stop him. Aurelius called out Andrew's name in vain and then cussed as well, chasing after him. Andrew was desperately waiting for his own potion to take hold, torn between knowing how dangerous it would be to interfere and the idea of even a woman the size of Eigil's mother being in obvious distress.

"…Had no right!" the half-giant snarled furiously as his voice began to clear in Andrew's ears.

"You lost your rights a long time ago, Kruger!" Eigil's mother snapped back. "And you have no right to come back now!"

Andrew didn't notice the Bludger bat in Kruger's hand until he had already brought it sweeping down against her. He cried out in dismay, immediately jumping between them with his wand drawn.

With a quick flick, the bat jumped out of the enraged giant's hand and began randomly hitting him, but it did nothing but further infuriate him. Kruger grabbed the bat out of the air and broke the spell by snapping the bat in two with his bare hands. Andrew stood paralyzed a moment as the giant turned towards him, for he had never seen anyone do that to a Bludger bat before. At the last minute, Aurelius jumped in front of him and began to cast a spell of his own, but the massive man tossed Aurelius aside like a rag doll and grabbed the wand straight out of Andrew's hands, his tightening fist turning it into toothpicks. Andrew immediately disappeared, leaving the angered giant swiping at the air a moment before he noticed his ex-wife trying to get up and turned his attention back to her.

"You will not get away with this! Everyone is seeing without a doubt the monster you really are now!" she said.

"They will not find me where I'm going, Poma. But first I am going to finish what I started. I should have taken a lot more than your finger that day. Maybe then you wouldn't have filled my son with your foolish human-bred values!"

"Leave her alone!" Everyone looked over in surprise at Eigil, standing white-lipped with a look in his eyes that no one had seen before, his left arm hanging limp at his side while the other was gripped tightly around his wand. "Touch her again, and I swear I'll kill you myself!" Kruger snorted at his son.

"There is nothing you can do to me. You have been nothing but a worthless ninny all of your life! Look at you, limping like a baby, just as much of a weakling as you always have been!"

"I may not be any match for your strength, but I am a wizard and I will not let you hurt us anymore."

"Well, you are certainly doing a good job," Kruger said sarcastically. "Wizards. You turn to magic because you haven't the balls for anything else! Or is it just wearing dresses you crave?"

Suddenly a Bludger seemed to come out of nowhere and Kruger barely ducked in time, whirling around to find his assailant. But Eigil used the distraction to his advantage, bellowing out a spell with such force that it echoed through the Pitch.

"Reducio!"

The full blast of the spell hit Kruger straight on, and he began to shrink, staring in surprise at his son with every intention of taking him on. But by the time Eigil reached him, he was already as small as Alicia and growing even smaller. Eigil dropped his wand and grabbed him, the fight immediately turning to Eigil's favor, his pain forgotten as the adrenaline took over and began beating him. Andrew suddenly came out of nowhere and tried to pull him off with no luck, until finally he heard a loud, "Stupefy!" coming from all around them.

Blasted from all ends, Andrew stood completely dazed as Alicia, Ginny, Harry, and several Enforcers ran over from the edge of the field. Harry quickly pulled Eigil off his father, a small chick with a pair of red feathers on its head looking out of one of his front robe pockets and criticizing the entire ordeal. Ginny checked on Poma before hurrying over to where Alicia and Heph were kneeling by Aurelius.

"I think my arm's broken," Aurelius admitted. "Although I'm lucky it wasn't my neck. I'd forgotten I gave you the shield, Alicia."

"Tried to get in the middle of things again, did you? What a mad thing to do, getting between half-giants like that!" Alicia scolded him.

"Well, it's too late to debate it now. Just hang tight, we'll get you all out of here as soon as we can," Ginny promised then hurried over to DeMille and Harry.

"Ms. Arild and Eigil are both hurt pretty bad. We need to get them to the hospital first, although it looks like Kruger Hauk's a close third," Ginny told them.

"If you ask me the bastard deserved it, but don't tell Eigil I said that," Harry said before walking over and releasing Andrew from the spell. "You alright?"

"Yes, fine, though I can't stay the same about my wand," Andrew admitted. "Why is there a bird in your pocket?"

"That can wait," Harry said. "You had better join Aurelius and the others until we get you to St. Mungo's."

"I guess that means Father and Mum is going to hear about this," Andrew said with a groan.

"I'd say that's a good guess," Harry said and then went to see how he could help Ginny.

By the time Andrew got over there, Aurelius was sitting up and Morfinn had somehow convinced Aurelius to let him tie his arm up, despite his protests.

"Ouch, you landed on your wand arm," Andrew winced.

"Tell me something I don't know," Aurelius grumbled. "I think it's shattered."

"That's nothing compared to what I'm sure Eigil did to his shoulder trying to fight him like he did, not that I blame him," Morfinn said.

"It's half-giants like Kruger that give all of them a bad name," Andrew said. "I hope Eigil and his Mum are going to be okay."

"Even after everything he put you through?" Alicia said.

"Yeah, well, we've always known his father was rotten," Andrew said with a shrug. "I just didn't realize how much."

"My father's rotten," Heph said. "His is insane. What are you three even doing here, anyhow? I thought you all were into the whole family time bit."

"Actually, that's your fault," Aurelius told him, but stopped when he saw Ginny and Harry walking over. "We'll tell you about it later."

"All right gang, you're next," Harry sighed, while Ginny looked over Morfinn's handiwork with an approving nod before helping him get to his feet. "Just how is it that every time there's some calamity in the world there's a Snape in the middle of it?"

"Well, you have no room to talk," Ginny teased him, the chick in his pocket making a warble as if it were agreeing with her.