(a/n: of all of my eighteen chapters that I have posted for this story, my last has given the greatest number of unsatisfactory reviews. I'm mixed between upset and scathingly amused. I guess I could even call one of them a "flame". Usually, I take into serious account what my reviewers suggest. This is harder to do when they're too afraid to tell me who they are. I take all reviews (anonymous and signed in) alike because I'm aware some people just don't have accounts, and their criticism is just as welcome. But I don't really trust anonymous flames. That tells me that someone's too scared to tell me who he or she is. Especially when they don't leave an e-mail or an actual name in place of being signed in... some way I can contact them in turn.
(The second one was from a while ago in the story, actually. Chapter two, I believe. QuickSilver Knight was apparently abject to me using the word "warlock" in reference to a spell caster. I have the urge to answer this reviewer. If you're not interested in reading, you're of course welcome to skip to the story.
(First off, I would never address anyone as a "warlock" in real life. This is a story. I would also not address anyone as a witch or wizard in real life, as people would probably be offended at those titles, and I didn't see you mention them. On account of your "you should look the meaning of a word up before you use it" dispute, I just want you to know that I have looked up the word warlock, and it's dictionary definition reads as such. "war-lock: n. a male witch, sorcerer, wizard, or demon. 2. a male witch or demon".
(I don't go into the historical account of every word I use. That's just stupid. The way we understand words have changed so much over time that if I attempted to go back and see what every word we use meant when it originated I'd never get so much as a sentence written. Overall, I'm sure you were just attempting to help me, but I was instead rather insulted, hence my long-ass answer. . Please don't think I'm trying to be rude, I'm just trying to explain why I used the language I used in my story. Pardoning the fact that Buffy the Vampire Slayer has, in fact, mentioned warlocks previously.)
Chapter Eighteen of Unexpected Losses.
After some argument from the accompanying Weasleys, everyone was situated in Muggle clothing. They had eventually come to decide upon a course of action. They would Floo to Arthur Weasley's office in the Ministry of Magic. After getting to the streets, they would take public Muggle transportation to the Tower of London. Willow had begun to practice her magic, making sure that she could mask the presence of so many people all at once. Everyone seemed vaguely surprised that Willow was able to do the spell. Even Giles, who hadn't realized just how far Willow's talents had progressed.
The pair had taken a few moments aside with one another to discuss where, exactly, they thought Xander would be, and in what condition he would be. Alive wasn't even a question. Giles couldn't face the possibility, and Willow would know if he wasn't alive. Or so, at least, she told Giles. Partially because she believed it to be the truth, but partially because she was terrified beyond belief that it wasn't the truth.
It wasn't too long until they were situated to go, though, and Willow braced herself for another Floo journey. Giles grimaced for a moment but was the first to go through. Harry followed without comment, and Willow grumpily went after.
Once more shaking, Willow found herself being held upright by Harry. She was led from the fireplace entrance as the Weasleys and Lupin followed them. Apparently there was supposed to be someone there because Charlie took a few minutes to look for someone before shrugging and leading the group into the hall. A few moments later Charlie had them well and almost freed from the maze of the Ministry building.
Harry dove behind Lupin at one point, and Charlie and Fred immediately moved to flank him. Willow and Giles understood the obvious and the unspoken, and they kept up a quiet conversation while moving smoothly behind Harry, sufficiently hiding him from all view. Fred glared darkly at a well-dressed, short man as they passed one another. Willow shivered when he walked passed her, a cold feeling settling where her spine has previously resided. Though she was unaware of it, Giles took a protective step towards her and smothered a Ripper-like sneer.
Once they were outside and surprisingly via telephone book (Willow might have made a Clark Kent comment, but the thought reminded her so strongly of Xander that she had to pause and swallow a lump from her throat), everyone seemed to relax. No one wanted to really comment on the fact that they were going into a rescue mission and they were more relaxed than they had been in what should've been an extremely safe place for them to be. Despite the discomfort, Willow couldn't wait for more than a few moments before speaking.
"Uh…who was that?"
There was no need to ask for clarification of the individual she indicated. "That," Harry answered after a moment, "Was the most pompous idiot you will ever have the displeasure of seeing."
"Cornelius Fudge." Giles expanded at her silent look. "The Minister of Magic. Idiot if there ever has been one." The last was spoke so scathingly, Willow suppressed a grin.
"Gotcha. Snyder-esque." Willow surprised a laugh from the Watcher before she turned and led them easily to a bus stop. She paused for a moment before glancing at her bare wrist. Spotting Harry's watch, she borrowed his arm before glancing at the fact of the instrument. "We're just a few minutes early."
"Excellent, Willow," Lupin commented with an honest, though weary, smile.
"It will take us close enough to join the next tour. Once they start, I'll cast the charm and we can sneak away." Willow instructed them calmly, beaming with pleasure at Lupin's applause. Everyone nodded in understanding and quieted as a double-decker bus drew near. They boarded wordlessly, Giles paying for all of their tickets once they had. Willow surmised that they probably made an odd-looking bunch, but no more odd than any other tourists running about the city.
Fred and Charlie made a spectacle of themselves, pointing out the most odd things. Willow smothered her amusement that everyone seemed unsure whether or not they were faking their rather obvious accents or their intrigue. Most of the things they seemed to exclaim over most were everyday aspects of life in London. The bus ride passed quickly as nerves slowly built up the further they traveled. By the time they reached their stop, even Fred and Charlie had become tight-lipped and drawn.
Willow, in her seat next to Harry noticed that moment-by-moment he grew tenser. Every muscles seemed to coil tightly the closer they became. Reaching out slowly, Willow rested her hand on his knee, surprising him from his thoughts. Immediately, he relaxed, and he jerked up and smiled softly when he caught sight of her nervous glance. Willow desperately wanted to tell him not to make the encounter a battle, but she knew it was no point in doing so and that it wasn't the place to do so even if there was a point to it.
She blushed horribly when she felt Harry's hand cover hers, having forgot that she had even put it there because of her runaway thoughts. The bus came to a stop, though, and Harry jumped to his feet, releasing Willow quickly. She more slowly climbed to her feet and the pair of them followed Lupin and Giles off of the bus.
It was only a few minutes later that they found themselves before the imposing building that was the Tower of London. A pretty woman greeted them cheerfully and instructed them to join a nearby group, walking them there, asking practiced questions. Giles answered them politely, and the woman scuttled away once they were situated. Staying to themselves, it was a few never-ending moments until another guile - this one a young man- greeted them.
As soon as they started off, the tour guide introduced himself and began to lead them off. Every few minutes, they would stop and hear about the specifics of the room. Charlie Weasley had a look of intent thought for several minutes. It was Giles who first noticed it. Gently jabbing the redhead in the ribs, he raised an eyebrow in obvious curiosity.
"I know him." Charlie answered softly to the older man.
"What?"
"I know him. He was in my year at school," Charlie answered in the same whisper. "He was a Ravenclaw."
"Do you think he could be a Death Eater?" Giles whispered back quietly, sending the chipper young guide a curious stare. It seemed unlikely that someone so chipper and welcoming could be working for a Dark Lord.
"It would explain how Voldemort is able to hide here." Lupin reasoned from the other side of Charlie. It was obvious that he'd been listening to the pair talk. "They could more easily keep the Muggles in safer areas in the castle without raising any suspicion."
"Indeed it does make sense," Giles agreed, following the group without paying any attention whatsoever to their surroundings.
It wasn't much longer before Harry indicated that they should stop and pull away from the group. They were heading up a spiral staircase, and it would take even the most attentive tour guide a few moments to notice their disappearance, and by then they wouldn't be there. Willow cast a glance among the group before muttering the proper chant and casting the spell.
Feeling altogether like a pair of floating eyeballs, Willow stumbled forward, crashing almost immediately into someone else. "This isn't going to work." Willow reported, annoyed that she hadn't thought o the current complication. Whoever it was before her nodded in agreement and stepped back a few steps until Fred's voice rang out with a very clear "Ow!"
Something brushed against her waist and then fumbled about until it caught her hand. Willow realized after only a second that it was, in turn, another hand. "Sorry." Harry's voice from beside her announced at the hand's fumble.
"S'okay." Willow answered, glad for the invisibility at her accompanying blush. "All right. Now we need to get to the Bloody Tower, and we need to get there quickly and quietly."
"Oh. I can tell this is going to be loads of fun." Fred muttered sarcastically. Apparently, Giles didn't appreciate the remark as he reached out and whapped Fred on the back of the head. Or attempted to, if Lupin's grunt was any indication of Giles' aim.
"Enough." Harry snapped. "We have to find Hermione now. Does anyone even know where we're supposed to be going."
"No clue on how to get there.' Willow admitted. "Do you think we should just follow the guide or make our way down on our own?"
Despite the fact that the question was directed towards Harry, Giles spoke up in response. "Perhaps it would be wise to go our separate ways. Willow, Charlie, and I can follow the group. The rest can go their own way."
"What about Willow's spell?" Fred asked. "What if we need to become visible again?"
"Good question," Giles muttered in response.
"You three stay invisible. We'll be heading away from the tour, so we should be okay," Harry answered after a moment of consideration. Willow quickly whispered the counter spell to their invisibility. Harry squeezed the still-invisible hand he held before dropping it and stepping away with an easy motion.
"Good luck you guys." Willow said, grinning, and she reached out until her hand hit an invisible, warm source. A barked laugh indicated that it was Charlie, and that he was ticklish. "Sorry," she added further, but not feeling very apologetic. Merely amused.
"Willow," Giles spoke, and Willow reached in the voice's direction. Apparently, the Watcher had the same idea, as her hand brushed his arm mid-air.
"Alright, you two. Bloody Tower tour-bound for us." Willow muttered and dragged Charlie by the front of his shirt and Giles' by his sleeve as she hurried after the tour.
Harry, Lupin, and Fred exchanged glances and then headed off, turning down a new hallway as they attempted to find their target.
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"And that means exactly what?" Xander questioned, offering Hermione a confused glance.
"It means He has found a way to hide in plain sight," Hermione said, before rolling her eyes at his confused glance. "It's very, very bad." She muttered.
"I'm not stupid, I just don't get the big deal." Xander snipped defensively. "If there's lots of people here, shouldn't it be easy to, you know, leave?" Hermione paused at the statement, chewing thoughtfully on her lower lip. She reflected for a moment on Xander's statement before agreeing with the general sense of it. "Okay. So, where do we go? We can't just stumble around until we get caught, because your Voldie guy is seriously bad news." Xander muttered, drawing Hermione from her thoughts.
"That's true." Hermione agreed. "We should probably backtrack to the last staircase going down and head that way until we hit ground level. Maybe we'll run into someone who can help us. People who work here?"
"So long as we go somewhere. Just sitting around here is giving the me the major wiggins." Xander agreed and started walking away, leaving Hermione behind.
"Wiggins?" She mouthed at his back before hurrying to catch up. Getting separated could only be a bad thing for the moment.
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"Okay, this is getting us nowhere, Herm." Xander reported shortly, knowing that they were perfectly loss, and knowing that Hermione knew it just as well. She sighed, nodding in agreement. They had stared out backtracking, but had lost their own trail and ended up with absolutely no clue where they were at the present moment.
"Don't call me Herm." Hermione muttered in response, wishing desperately for some clue as to their location.
"What's with you people and nicknames?" Xander muttered aloud, thinking of Giles and the dreaded "G-man" title. Hermione looked ready to respond, and didn't seem to notice an approaching shadow until Xander launched himself at her. He pulled her to a wall, covering her mouth with his hand to smother any comments that she seemed ready to make. She froze instantly when she saw Bellatrix Lestrange.
Tears pooled in her eyes when she realized what the woman was doing. She was walking slowly down the hallway, muttering under her breath. She still held Ron's wand, and it was poised in the air for reasons Hermione couldn't understand for a few moments. Until Bellatrix passed them. Behind her floated a still form, and Hermione's heart skipped several beats upon recognizing it. She fell back weakly against Xander, who cursed so quietly, Hermione wasn't sure he even spoke. The inert form of Ron floated behind Bellatrix as she walked.
Hermione struggled against Xander's grasp, wanting to get to Ron no matter the danger. Xander wouldn't budge an inch, though, and Bellatrix disappeared around the corner after a moment. Hermione crumpled, misery flooding through her in a way that paralyzed any tears that she might have had left. Xander pulled her to her feet and slowly began creeping after the woman. Hermione couldn't figure out anything to say to him, and couldn't work out the ability.
"Let's get him." Xander whispered softly to her. "We shouldn't leave him here."
Hermione finally managed to find her feet and followed the American teenager down after Lestrange. Their journey took less time than it felt to either of them. They managed to track the witch by hovering around corners behind her until she turned the next. After a while, they found themselves in another area of cells. These were darker and danker than where Hermione, Ron, and Xander had all begun. Both shivered as they sneaked in. Once more, Xander pulled Hermione against a wall and behind a door as Lestrange left, this time without Ron.
"He's in here." Hermione whispered brokenly. She ran forward, breaking easily through Xander's weak hold. Hermione flung herself down the hallway. Xander followed the footsteps until they stopped. He found Hermione kneeling next to the still body of what could only have been Ron. Xander wanted to throw up when he laid eyes on the boy. The redhead's skin was nearly gray, and dark wounds stood darkly against his flesh. He lay on his own awkwardly positioned arm. It was obvious that it was broken beneath him.
"Ron." Hermione whispered to him, trying to smother her emotion.
"Herm. We still have to get out of here." Xander glanced around, and he spotted something that instilled within him a degree of hope. "Isn't that that stick she had?"
"Ron's wand?" Hermione asked hopefully.
Indeed, thrown haphazardly against the wall was Ron's wand. Upon closer inspection, though, the Unicorn hair was missing. Hermione wilted as quickly as she'd bloomed when she realized it. "I can't leave him."
"Okay." Xander said simply. He walked to the redhead's other side, and scooped up the dead weight. For a moment he nearly toppled over, but apparently, the necessity gave him the strength he needed for the moment. Hermione sniffled once more, and turned on her heel, unable to look at the body any longer.
A painful moment of silence later, and Hermione began leading Xander once more. They had to get out.
There was no other option.
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(a/n: my laptop is broken, hence the forever it took up to update. I hope that you enjoyed the chapter. I'm not sure when I'll get the next one up because I have to use the family computer, and my chances to do that are like…yeah, nonexistent? So, woo. Thanks, everyone, for your comments!)