A/N: Before you get excited, I am going to apologise. This chapter is taken from Escape. I've gone through it to make it more Percy/Audrey centric but essentially it's very close to the version in Escape. I couldn't miss it out because Audrey needed to meet all these people and be told what was going on. I will get the next chapter up as quickly as I can, and I shall hope that the speed the last three went up make up for this not being altogether new content.
19th February 1998
Audrey had come over to Percy's to stay the night. She had a late start in the morning, so it made sense for her to come to him rather than for Percy to travel the extra distance to her flat. Not that distance was a problem for Percy, but she found the habit was ingrained. It had only been seven days since she had found out, so she didn't let the slips in memory worry her. Now that she knew, Percy was a lot more relaxed than she'd seen him. He was still stressed about work, but he did try not to bring it home to her which she appreciated.
Percy hadn't really used much more magic around her. He acquiesced to her point about doing the dishes. It would hurt neither of them if Percy let the housework charm take care of them and it wasn't that much different than if either of them had a dishwasher installed. She had also seen Percy's work wear. The outer robe which looked to Audrey more like a long frock coat over his suit wasn't terribly odd. He had changed the robe to what he had said was a more traditional closed fronted robe to show her the difference. The closed fronted one reminded her of a monk's habit, and she expressed a preference for the open fronted one. At least that she could identify as taking root from more recent fashions if you had to consider Regency as recent.
They had split a fish and chip supper then to her delight Percy had cast an air freshening charm to get rid of the lingering aroma. Audrey was pouring the wine to take through when a loud hammering came from the front door.
Percy scowled at the intrusion and went to find out what the issue was. The door opened to reveal Fred and George on the doorstep. "What on earth-" he started to say, but his brothers pushed him none too gently back into the hall, shutting the door behind them. The scowl melted off Percy's face to be replaced by a look of pinched concern.
"Percy," one of the twins said. "Percy you've got to come with us." They herded him back into the living room coats and shoes still on. Percy frowned down at their feet, but they ignored him. "Percy please, now is not the time. We'll clean the damn carpets later. You've got to come now, pack a bag."
Audrey came into the room, a glass of wine in each hand, a puzzled frown on her face. "Fred, George. Why does Percy have to leave?" She came and stood next to Percy, and his arm went around her.
"Audrey, love! George." George greeted her and introduced himself quickly, the warmth of the greeting and the smile on his lips not managing to replace the pinched worry of his eyes. "It's great to see you, in fact, you've saved us a trip."
"What?" Percy said. "What do you mean?" He pulled Audrey closer to him as if to shield her from whatever the twins were saying.
"Percy, mate, you've got to come, Audrey too. We've got somewhere, a safe house for you to go. It's got excellent wards."
"Wards that Bill would give his eye teeth for ten minutes with."
"They won't find you, either of you."
"But," Percy said his frown deepening.
"Percy, it's tomorrow. You can't go back to the Ministry, and they know where you live. You do not want to be here." George said pleadingly. He glanced at Audrey. "Err Percy? Does Audrey…?"
"Does Audrey know about magic and the apparent existence of an entirely separate world running parallel to the one she lives in?" Audrey's voice was tart but amused. "Why yes, she does. Does she also happen to know that you two are also wizards? Why yes, she does. Does she understand totally what that means and why you two are so desperate for us to leave? No, no she does not."
Percy closed his eyes, hiding from his brothers questioning glances. "I told her, not everything obviously, but enough."
"Umm, Percy, the law?"
Percy took the wine glass out of Audrey's left hand and held it up so the twins could see.
"Right," George said. "Doesn't quite cover you but we're not in a position to complain about bending the rules. Welcome to the family Audrey! We're delighted! Now, how do you feel about a weekend or maybe longer away in Scotland?"
"We are not going to the castle!" Percy said instantly.
"No, we weren't suggesting that. I think we used the term 'safe house' not 'safe castle'."
Fred dropped a kiss on Audrey's cheek. "Congratulations," he said. "We really are pleased." He slipped around her, heading for the bedroom.
Audrey turned to watch Fred pulled his wand from somewhere about his person, her curiosity won out, and she crossed the room to see. Whatever he did made Percy's clothes fly out of their respective places and fold themselves neatly on the bed. "I've not seen much magic," she said to him as he turned and caught sight of her. "Percy doesn't use it around me. I think he doesn't want to frighten me. How much danger are we in?" Audrey asked as she watched as a bag came out of the wardrobe and everything filed into it. The bag he then shrank and shoved into his pocket, Audrey's eyes widened as the large bag disappeared.
"Shrinking charm, extension charm and wizard tailoring," Fred explained walking back to her. He took her arm guiding her back to where Percy was obstinately shaking his head at George. "And enough that we'd like to move you elsewhere. It might not come to anything; it might be bad."
"But, I don't understand," she said.
George turned to her and in a calm tone, explained. "Percy works for the Ministry, the Government, a separate system to the one that governs you, but your Prime Minister is aware of what happens in our world. Percy's boss, he's not a good man, and he's mixed up in some shady deals and with bad people. The people he made those deals with put him in power and are directing him, but they are about to make a move to remove one of the few individuals who can rally support against them. A 'hit' if you will. They are a bit like a mob family crossed with a terrorist group."
"Percy's family work openly against them. We do too, only it's slightly more convoluted where it comes to us. We know the coup is going to happen tomorrow, so we want to get you and Percy away." Fred added.
Audrey took the wine glass Percy had taken from her back from him, putting it and the other one she was holding down on the coffee table. Then she turned back to him and took both his hands in hers looking up at him earnestly. "Do you trust them?"
"Yes," he said looking at her his face a mixture of fear and worry.
"Then let's go. If it's just a couple of days, I can tell my boss you proposed and whisked me away for a long weekend, it's only one Friday. I don't suppose you'll need to tell your boss anything." She looked at Fred and George. "Have we time to swing by my place and collect some things?"
"No," Fred said. "But we'll send someone to get them."
She nodded and with one last squeeze of Percy's hands moved away. Walking calmly to the hall to put her coat and shoes on, she brought Percy's back to him. He was still stood frozen in the middle of the room, he accepted them, and it seemed to snap him out of his stupor.
"How are we getting there?" he asked as he sat down to pull his shoes on.
"We'll take you to the flat, and you can go through the floo," George answered.
Percy shrugged on his coat, and George took Audrey's arm. "You'll need to come with me. Percy, Fred will take you in, we closed the wards."
Percy nodded, and Fred grasped his arm and vanished. Audrey stared at the spot they had stood in then looked up at George for an explanation. She didn't know if she could teleport as well, she had no magic.
"It's called apparition. I'm going to take you in what's called a side along. It's mostly horribly uncomfortable, and you might be sick when we land. Don't worry its normal."
"I'm not looking forward to this," she muttered but nodded her permission. George grasped her firmly and twisted them away. Audrey dropped to her knees as they landed. Her stomach heaved, but she didn't throw up. Percy was instantly by her side.
"Are you ok? You're not splinched?"
"Splinched?" she asked. Percy stopped and bit his lip realising that the explanation might not be all that reassuring.
"We'll explain when we're there," Fred said stepping in. "Now, this time you can travel with Percy if you like."
"Travel how?" Audrey asked staggering to her feet. Fred threw a pinch of floo powder into the fire, and the flames flared green. "You have got to be kidding me," Audrey said looking between all three men. "Through the fireplace?"
"Well more through the flames actually," George said.
"Do you have any normal methods of travel?" she asked hopefully.
"Flying brooms and a magic bus," George said smiling ruefully. "But brooms would take hours to get to Scotland, and it's a cold, uncomfortable way to go that much distance. The bus is well, it's all kinds of awful, to be frank, and it's public."
"Right," Audrey said shaking her head. "Well then, by all means, lead on."
Fred stepped forward to the hearth. "I'll go first. They do know we're coming, but better safe than sorry." He stepped into the flames and called for McGonagall Lodge.
Percy's eyes widened at hearing the address.
"Percy, you've got questions, Audrey's got questions, and we'll answer as many as we can. But not here." George pointed at the fireplace. "Please, Percy."
Percy nodded and took a pinch of floo powder, drawing Audrey close to him he called out the address and was gone.
Percy and Audrey stepped out onto the hearth. "Well that was marginally better than apparition," Audrey said as she staggered only slightly. Fred pointed to a chair, and she walked on wobbly feet over to it. George came out of the fireplace next, and Folly reappeared to vanish the soot from him as well.
"They are on their way down. I have a room made up for your guests," Folly informed Fred, then she vanished again.
"Where are we?" Percy asked abruptly.
"Minerva McGonagall's family home. It's been in her family for generations. It's as safe as we're going to get. No one knows where it is and yes, we have permission to be here. The wards will keep you safe."
"What are wards?" Audrey asked from her chair. "You keep mentioning them."
"Err," George said. "I'm not sure of the muggle comparison but I know someone who will, and they are going to be here any second."
Percy whirled as the door to the study opened, and a blonde woman came into the room. She looked vaguely familiar to him.
"Percy! How lovely to meet you properly at last, and you must be Audrey. I'm Helen Granger." Helen held out her hand to Percy who shook it automatically.
"Granger?" Percy said. "As in Hermione Granger?"
"The one and the same. I'm her mother." Helen let go of Percy's hand and moved to greet Audrey offering her hand to the woman.
Percy drew himself up and glared at his brothers. "I think there are some explanations due."
"Yes," Helen said. "There probably are." She smiled warmly at Audrey. "Don't worry, we're muggles too, Dentists if you can believe. When we found out Hermione was magical, it was a bit of a shock, but you adapt quite quickly."
The door opened again, this time admitting a tall man with unmistakable curly brown hair followed by Hermione herself with Harry bringing up the rear.
"You've been here? All this time you've been hiding in Professor McGonagall's house and no one knew?" Percy spluttered at the sight of them.
"Hello Percy, Audrey. And no, we haven't been here all the time, we got here a few weeks ago." Hermione said in an amused voice. Harry smiled and waved standing next to her.
"Hello Percy, Audrey," he said genially.
John walked up to Percy and held out his hand. "I'm John, Hermione's father. Pleased to meet you." Percy shook the hand reflexively and looked around him bewildered. "I, I don't think I understand."
"No, that's fair. Come through to the library. Have you eaten? Folly will bring some food if you're hungry. We can explain and answer your questions there. I'm sure Audrey has more than one or two." Helen said.
"Closer to four or five," Audrey replied coming to stand by Percy, feeling more like herself after her first experiences of wizarding travel.
Helen shepherded them all out of the room, as they moved, Audrey turned her head back over her shoulder. "Have you done the apparition thing? Or the fire travel? Is it always terrible?"
Helen smiled. "We don't travel by floo very often, that's what they call the travelling by fire and as for the apparition? No, it doesn't get any better, you simply get used to it. Although we've found that elf apparition is less awful. Though only by degrees. You don't feel like you're going to lose the contents of your stomach when you land at least."
Audrey looked thoughtful for a moment. "That isn't that encouraging," she said.
Helen smiled. "No, I suppose not, but our flying carpet is lovely. Though not very practical for long distances."
"You've got a flying carpet? They are real?" Audrey stopped in shock, dragging Percy to a halt beside her. "Can I see it?"
"Yes, they are real. Of course, you can see it, and if we can find a space big enough, you can have a go if you like. It's simple enough to drive."
"But you're muggle, aren't you? Like me? I thought we couldn't use magic?" Audrey said confused as she started walking again.
"You can't," Percy said, looking at Helen with puzzled curiosity.
"That's true, we can't use wands to channel magic through ourselves. But there are such things as squibs, non-magical people born into magical families. Not all countries treat squibs as poorly as England. Our carpet is useable by squibs, and as a consequence useable by muggles, us."
"I think my number of questions just jumped to double figures," Audrey said ruefully.
Helen patted her arm comfortingly. "We have time, and anything John and I can't answer, Fred and George, or Hermione and Harry probably can. Anything they can't answer Minerva probably can, and anything she can't answer, Severus probably has a cutting remark about."
They arrived into the sitting room as she was speaking and when she finished a smooth baritone drawled. "Madam, if you so insist on disparaging me, why would you expect civility?"
"Oh, Severus, I didn't know you were here." Helen arranged her face into feigned shock that an intelligent five-year-old wouldn't believe.
"I find that highly doubtful," he replied glancing up from his book. Helen grinned wickedly at him. His face stayed in its blank mask, but the corners of his eyes crinkled upwards.
He stood and moved over towards Percy and Audrey who had remained standing by Helen. Severus held out his hand to Percy. "Mr Weasley, it is good to see you have come to no harm for your endeavours."
Percy shook the hand. "Thank you, Professor Snape, sir," he paused briefly and remembered his manners. "Allow me to introduce my fiancée Audrey Stone. Audrey, this is Professor Snape, my former Potions Master."
Severus took her hand gently and bowed over it. "Miss Stone, it is a pleasure to meet you."
"And you," Audrey murmured back politely.
"Minerva will be joining us after dinner at the school. Kingsley may or may not drop in. Can I suggest that your business associate is made aware if he intends to join us downstairs?" Severus addressed the twins.
George nodded and vanished through the door.
"Business associate?" Percy asked
"Garrett Ollivander," Fred supplied.
"The wands smith?" Percy asked.
"Yes," Fred said.
"But he's dead!"
"Evidently not," Severus murmured as he returned to his chair, picking up his book and for all intents and purposes ignoring everyone in the room.
"Well you see this is where it gets convoluted," Fred said.
"And involved breaking any number of laws" Severus added helpfully from his seat, his eyes never leaving his book. Percy turned to look at his brother, a silence falling around the group.
George re-entered the room during the pause. "He's going to stay upstairs; crowds are a bit much still." Noticing the silence, he looked around. "What did I miss?"
"Is he alright?" Audrey asked. "I mean it's not because of us, is it?"
"No, no, he's a bit of an odd duck, and what happened to him hasn't helped. He likes company but in small doses. He is happiest when he can sit and make wands." George said. Audrey smiled at him, but it was small and uncertain.
"I think there's quite a bit to explain. Shall we sit and we can give you the Cliff Notes version?" Helen said leading the group over to a grouping of sofas and chairs. Percy and Audrey settled on the small sofa, and everyone else spread out around them.
"So," Helen said taking control. "Is there anything, in particular, you want to know or questions you would like answering?"
"Well," Audrey said. "I'm not very clear on who you all are, and how you all know each other. Could we start there?"
Helen nodded. "Hermione is our daughter. When she turned eleven, we were told all the odd things that happened to her were due to her being magical. Since she had turned eleven, she would be allowed to go to Hogwarts to study magic and learn how to control her own. Percy, Fred and George are brothers which you obviously know, they have one younger brother called Ron. He, Harry and Hermione started Hogwarts at the same time. Hogwarts is the magical boarding school that most magical English children go to, all the Weasley children went. Severus is the Potions Master there and has for the last two years taught Defence Against the Dark Arts. Which is sort of like how to defend yourself against creatures and magic that might harm you. This house belongs to Minerva McGonagall who is the Deputy Headmistress of the school. She teaches Transfiguration, which is basically turning one thing into another."
"I'm sure she'll be delighted to know you have boiled down years of rigorous study and training into five simple words" Severus drawled.
"You haven't heard me describe potions yet," Helen shot back.
"Please do," he said still not looking up. "I'm sure I would find it utterly fascinating to hear."
Helen turned back to Audrey. "Basically, Potions is the art of chucking a load of improbable, random things, that you would never think would do anything at all, together into a cauldron of hot water and giving it a stir."
The former students of Severus Snape snorted with laughter. The man himself slowly raised his head from his book to stare at Helen. "It is a wonder, Madam, that your child turned out as well as she did. Truly the art of brewing potions is a science, full of subtly and exactness. Not just any blithering idiot can achieve the correct results, and fewer still can excel in the field."
"So, you all went to school together?" Audrey said indicating the younger people in the group and interrupting the interplay between Helen and Severus.
"Yes," Helen nodded.
"But Percy said you were in hiding?"
"This is where it gets a little more complicated," Helen said slowly.
"Is this to do with Percy's boss?" Audrey asked trying to link what little information she had together.
"Yes and no," Helen said. "There isn't an easy way to explain, and it's a long story. But you should probably be told what's going on since you are here. Twenty years or so ago a wizard called Tom Riddle decided that he wanted power. In the way it usually goes, he wasn't too bothered how he got it as long as he did, and he could keep it.
To finance his rise to power, he played on the fears of those with the money and standing to give him what he wanted. These people were from old families. Those that had long lineages of only magical people. These people feared that those born to non-magical parents would dilute the bloodlines and thus reduce the magical community over time. The magical community is about a hundred years or so behind the muggle one. Not just in their technology and science but in their social attitude. Women are still possessions, children are to be seen and not heard, that sort of thing. It's not everyone," Helen reassured a horrified looking Audrey.
"Some families are more accepting. The muggle-born, however, were being born and raised for the first eleven years of their lives in the muggle world where the attitudes are significantly different. Respect to the landed gentry was wiped out generations ago, but it is how the magical society still operates. No muggle born would know about the customs of the magical world because they weren't raised in it, they were probably causing offence left and right and wouldn't know any better. Those coming in weren't showing, I presume, the expected amount of deference to those in power.
Tom used this, used this fear of diluting bloodlines, of social superiority, and he set them against each other, and while they were distracted fighting each other, rose above them all. There were some that fought back that didn't believe what he was peddling. Harry's parents were part of that resistance group called the Order of the Phoenix. Tom, however, decided that Harry was a threat to his plans through some information he gained, so he killed Harry's parents and tried to kill Harry. But, because Harry's mother put herself between Tom and Harry when he killed her and then tried to kill Harry something happened. Nobody knows what, nobody understands how Harry survived the killing curse only that his mother's sacrifice was something to do with it."
"That's awful, so this Tom is dead?" Audrey asked her eyes as round as marbles, glancing between Harry, Helen and Percy.
"No," Helen said. "Before he died he had made sure that he had a way to come back, to live again. It took him fourteen years, but he managed it. He came back to life, called his followers and picked up from where he left off."
"So, you've been hiding from him?" Audrey said.
Helen's smile was sad. "No, we've been hiding from the Ministry of Magic. Tom has infiltrated them, and because Harry is lauded as having defeated him, and prophesied to be the only person that can, he's still trying to kill Harry. As an attempt to get to Harry, Tom's followers pushed through a law. The law required all muggle-born witches to marry into pureblood or half-blood families. Hermione is a year older than Harry, she came of age before him. Fred and George both offered for her, but the proposals were blocked at the Ministry. They wanted her married off to one of Tom's followers so she could be used against Harry."
"That's, that's appalling!" Audrey cried. "How could that even happen?"
"There is a social stigma for being muggle-born," Helen said gently. "They are just… less. Half-blood is acceptable, but muggle born to many, are inferior. No ancestry, no lineage. Upstarts I suppose."
Percy squeezed Audrey's hand gently drawing her attention. "Nearly half the Ministry is under his control. It only affected the muggle-born witches so relatively few people. The individuals in power thought that being able to control the women who would bear the children that would dilute the bloodlines, would be the best way to manage the problem they perceived. I'm not proud of everything this government has done Audrey, but there was nothing I could have done, nothing any of us could have done." Percy looked down at his lap, unable to meet Audrey's eyes.
"Last time it was bad, people were afraid, they were being attacked, people were dying. The government had been rendered impotent." Helen explained.
Percy nodded. "It was like a sickness, a malaise that swept through and settled on everyone. Nobody smiled, nobody laughed. Mum and Dad, they used to hide the paper. Bill and Charlie would find it, of course, I think because it had been hidden. I'd have to put it back later so they wouldn't be found out. Mum and Dad, they tried, they did, but you could see it, the fear. The smiles that fell away. They told me to be good, to look after the twins, to stay out of trouble. So, I did, I thought that if I did as they said they'd come back. They'd stay safe, they'd be happy." He closed his eyes as the pain and confusion of his younger self washed over his face, his eyes were dry though and his tone expressionless,
"You were good," Audrey said clutching hard at him, reassuring him. "You kept them safe, Percy you did."
He opened his eyes and looked at her, raw, desperate emotion in his face. At that moment there were just the two of them, everyone else melted away. Audrey understood more now than she had before. Percy's face begged for her forgiveness, and she could not withhold it. Audrey felt the tears rise and didn't stop them instead she leant against him forcing his arm to come around her so she could embrace him. Percy leant into her for a moment before he stiffened his shoulders again pulling a crisp, clean handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. Wordlessly she took it and wiped her tears, getting herself back under control.
"You went into hiding?" Audrey said to Helen bringing the conversation back on track away from Percy.
"We sold up, the house, the practice, everything and left. Hermione asked Harry if he wanted to come and he said yes."
"But your family?" Audrey said turning to Harry. "Didn't they protest?"
"My Aunt and Uncle are probably euphoric never to see me again. They didn't like me, I was a freak to them and, well, it wasn't a happy home." Harry said keeping his tone flat.
"So why are you back then?"
"The things that Tom was using to stay alive have all but been destroyed. We have an opportunity to move against him to destroy the last of his horcruxes and stop him. So that's what we are going to do." Helen said firmly.
"Just you?" Audrey asked looking around the small group. "But there's nine of you! And you and John are muggles, what can you do?"
"There's a few more than nine," Helen said. "But yes, it's a small number. As for what we're going to do were going to do what it takes. This man, if you can call him that, has to be stopped. Until he is no one is safe. He won't stop with Britain; he'll solidify his power and move to the next country until he can't be stopped."
"My God," Audrey said. "Percy only told me magic was a, a thing, a week ago. Now you're saying that there is a war on?"
"I'm sorry," Percy murmured. "For dragging you into this."
"Don't be daft," Audrey snapped back. "It's a lot, but I'm hardly some fainting damsel. I just need a minute, or maybe five." She shook her hair out of her face and straightened her shoulders and spine. "OK, Magical war, Corrupt government, anything else I need to know?"
"Dragons and Unicorns are real," Harry offered with a smile from his place by Hermione. "Wizards don't know what the metric system is, so their currency makes no sense what so ever and you'll quickly develop an appreciation for biros."
Audrey looked at him unsure if he was pulling her leg.
"Oh no," Hermione said catching the look. "He's right about the biros. Quills!" she said throwing her hands up. "I mean honestly, just why?"
"I'm wounded Granger that you would besmirch the fine institution of proper calligraphy. It's a subtle art, perhaps some could call it a science. Not just any blithering fool can pick up a quill and create a masterpiece of lettering." George said casting his gaze dramatically to the ceiling in mock despair.
"While of course, the unicorn and dragon are available in your average Forbidden Forest. For the escaping lovers, there is nothing better than a winged Pegasus." Fred joined in.
"But romantic moonlight flights across lakes should only be done on the back of a noble hippogriff," Harry added winking at Hermione. She rolled her eyes at him and nudged him in the ribs with her elbow.
"So all those things are real?" Audrey asked unsure if they had just wished to lighten the tone of the conversation which had grown heavy.
"Yes," Percy said. "Although I'm fairly sure there's a story behind everything they just mentioned."
"Do you have zoos or something?" she asked Percy then glanced around the room at everyone else.
"Actually, that's a good question," Helen said. "Do you?"
"No," Percy replied. "We don't, not like you do. There are the dragon reserves of course and some enclaves of the larger magical species where those interested go and study, but not in the way that you do."
"Mum," Hermione said. "Did we bring the encyclopaedia?"
"Oh, I'm not sure," Helen replied.
"Encyclopaedia?" Audrey asked.
Hermione nodded. "You must be eleven on the first of September to attend Hogwarts. I had to wait a year, so we bought an encyclopaedia about magic, so we could learn about it in the meantime. If you like, you can have a look through it."
"That would be quite helpful," Audrey said. "Why are they sniggering?" she asked pointing at George and Fred.
"Because," Hermione said with a sniff, a toss of her hair and a smile. "I happen to like reading books and studying, and those two think that the only way you can learn anything is by making it explode."
"Hermione, saying you like reading books is possibly the understatement of the year. It's like saying Tom is slightly interested in my life ambitions," Harry said.
"How are you so calm about it?" Audrey asked.
Harry shrugged. "You get used to it. Since I was eleven, I've had some crazy adventure every year until the last one when we were in hiding. Honestly, you have to let it go, or it drives you insane. Also, I'm young and stupid enough to secretly think it's a bit exciting." Harry and the twins burst out laughing at the different expressions of horror that appeared on the faces of the others at Harry's pronouncement. "I'm joking!" Harry said holding his hands up, trying to get his face into some sort of serious expression. "It's terrible, awful, very dangerous. I'm completely focused."
"Right," Audrey said. "Even I'm not convinced by that, and I've not known you very long."
"Well you're with Percy, so presumably you're quite smart," Harry replied with a shrug.
"Stop it," Hermione said to Harry as Audrey looked at him warily. "She'll think we're all mad."
"I thought all the best people were," Audrey replied automatically with a smile at Hermione.
Hermione laughed. "Yes, that's true."
"So now what?" Audrey said. "What do we do?"
"The hardest part I'm afraid," Helen admitted. "We wait. Our plans are laid, the people who need to be informed are informed, and until tomorrow there's nothing we can do. So, I propose dinner?"