Is This The World We Created
Chapter 24
The group remained in MACUSA for the majority of the day, as all of them listened in on the plans, and actually offered up suggestions in their stead. No matter how young they were, how ridiculous it sounded, they were listened to, information hashed out amongst the warriors – they had fought for their world, they were warriors even Noah – and given its fair shake to see if it was plausible. It wasn't easy attempting such a worldwide plan – with different times – and different lightening, whether it was the dead of the night or early morning or even in the afternoon.
Naturally everyone noticed that it was truly the youngest of them all that offered up suggestions – even taking into account his real age – Stiles was still the youngest of everyone. A lot of Stiles suggestions were used, the passion he evoked while defending his decision spoke volumes.
Stiles had had to defend his choices tooth and claw for a long time for it to be so ingrained. He hadn't even given anyone a chance to agree with him before he was off on a tirade. Even when the majority agreed, he looked a little stunned, dazed, and they couldn't help but wonder what the young man had been through. It wasn't as if Stiles was stubborn and bore any refusal to see anyone's ideas were better than his own because that simply wasn't true. He was enthusiastic about the ideas not his own, and was quick to add his agreement to those ideas too.
Out of them all, Derek spoke the least, but when he did speak? He was curt, straight to the point and didn't speak more than he had to. Sebastian and Jasper noticed, naturally, and it was a very confusing and disheartening time for them. Derek had always been such a vocal pup, he had to be with a demanding and overbearing big sister and an even more vocal youngest sister who felt she had to shout to be heard. Bastian had always been very quiet; they didn't know if it was because he was their human child – and he couldn't hear as well as everyone else – or if it was just his natural personality. After Paige, Derek had become withdrawn and quiet, and Bastian and he seemed to get closer at that.
If they hadn't been werewolves, they would have had tough time tracking the pair down.
Then Derek had pulled away entirely, and now they knew why.
"How do we find Kate Argent? She's gone to ground." Peter pointed out, "She won't be as easy to find as the others, as much as I hate to admit it, the Argents are very good at covering their tracks. They've got the money to see to that." It was why he'd in another timeline had to lure her back, even if he'd used a PI, she wouldn't have been found, they were just that good. "Are there any spells to find her?"
Christopher Argent blanched as every single wizard and witch, turned to face him, faces entirely impassive. He couldn't read any of their thoughts, good or bad. "What?" his voice becoming a little croaked, it was intimidating, especially considering he had a good idea just what exactly all these people could do to him. Yet he didn't have a hope of defending himself, he was here without a single goddamned weapon. "I genuinely don't know where she is, where they are." He swore, and it was the truth, he'd been content to run his business, raise his daughter, only going hunting a few times a year, if need be. He wanted his daughter to have some stability. No that it had worked, he had failed in that regard too. His father and Kate were nomads, they were constantly on the move. They had no fixed abode.
There was clear hesitation on their faces, as they glanced at each other it made Chris very defensive, "I'm not lying," assuming they were thinking the worst of him.
"We don't think you are, Chris," Harry confessed, rubbing his chin, "There is a way to find someone, it's usually used to find war criminals back in the forties. It hadn't really been used since, because the use of blood magic was outlawed. It became illegal as more and more rituals were created using a wizard or witch's blood. You aren't magical, and thus you don't really fall under the purview."
"Which means we will be able to find any of your immediate family, if you'd agree to it." added Daisy, none of the wizards or witches there looked comfortable with what they were asking and so openly too.
Peter didn't glance at Harry, he'd lived in a world where there was no society, no laws, no consequences of using those sorts of magic. Harry had entire books filled with various new spells and rituals, he'd created new magic at the end of the world. He wondered if things would change or if the world would remain the same even after this. He was curious to know whether Harry would publish them, burn them or just keep them a secret.
Chris licked his lips, for the first time they were actually letting him choose, there was no subtle warning, no aggression. They truly were letting him decide. If he said no, they would find something else, if he said yes, it would be treated with the same amount of respect as if he'd said no. Closing his eyes, he recalled what his father and sister had done to his daughter, they'd very nearly destroyed her, turned her into someone he didn't recognize.
Then his mind went to his young innocent – not in the know – daughter he had right now.
"I'll do it," he couldn't risk them both coming to him and putting his daughter at risk. If they found out what he'd done…he and Ally would be killed.
"Are you sure?" even the president was observing him seriously, this was a massive, massive deal he realized.
Chris inclined his head, yes, he was sure. If it helped win him brownie points with the group, then all the better. He needed them to like him, to see that he was genuine, that he wanted to help. He didn't want to die; he also did not want to see the world reduced to what it had been in his past. The horror that had been wrought upon the world by his father was…harrowing. He wasn't sure what his father had been thinking, whether it had just gotten out of hand…or if it was something else entirely, he honestly didn't know and didn't want to know what he'd been planning.
"I'll do it," Harry stated, before anyone could get themselves worked up, barely refraining from rolling his eyes in exasperation.
"Later," Peter murmured to both his brother-in-law and father seeing their looks of utter bafflement. They could smell Harry was frustrated – for reasons that weren't readily apparent – and the others were apprehensive, bordering on uncomfortable actually.
It wouldn't be the first time the magical world would confuse them, but they'd become a little more understanding as time went on. It would take a long time to get used to being aware of another community, and being aware of your own limitations. The law would soon apply to them too, but they were determined to make their own laws, wizards couldn't and wouldn't make the laws for werewolves and not understand. They wouldn't allow it; Jasper was determined to make his stand that was for sure.
Jasper inclined his head, acknowledging his Alpha's orders, didn't matter if he was his son, the Alpha's words were law. He'd never questioned Talia, and he absolutely refused to question Peters. At least Peter couldn't do anywhere near as bad as Talia had, the shame of it made him want to disappear into the floor never to be seen again.
He had not raised Talia to end up like that.
"Sir, do you want dinner ordered again this evening?" young Clark asked, the red head rushing towards the president, entering the room, which was locked down with the exception of a few people. The undersecretary to the president stared at the wizard in question waiting patiently for an answer.
"No, the countdown ends in forty-five minutes," the president informed the young wizard with firm sternness but no actual bite or anger. A quick glance at the countdown happening on the wall, with the digits counting ever downward. The red numbers in all different denominations. "We will be working through the night; the cafeteria will have to do upon their return." Not that there was anything wrong with the cafeteria food.
Jasper and Sebastian glanced up, feeling like they were the only ones, they'd been curious about the numbers. They had been there since they returned, and they hadn't had a single clue as to what they were. They hadn't thought to ask, not even Harry come to that. Now they had an answer, it was the countdown to the beginning of the attack.
"Will they find out where the Argent's are before then?" Jasper asked, claws emerging, the knowledge that she was out there after what she'd tried to do to his pack caused him to seethe in fury. The fact they were separated at a time like this didn't sit well with him either. Yet he absolutely refused to let Peter have to do this himself, they would stand in solidary with him. "If they get a hint of this, they'll go so far underground…what if they can't be found?" not truly understanding the concept of blood tracking. He assumed it acted something of a bloodhound. Merely something that got to a certain radius of where they were hiding.
That and he would confess himself entirely curious and didn't want to miss out on anything.
"There is nowhere they can go that they can hide," Harry explained to Jasper, approaching him and squeezing his shoulder in reassurance. "You'll get your revenge." He knew just how to settle the werewolves; he'd been doing it for years in a post-apocalyptic world. everyone here was just a little more polite…but no less feral – their pack was just attacked and it was still lingering like a puss infected sore – they wanted to destroy the one that threatened them.
Jasper found himself unconsciously beginning to bare his throat to Harry, before he stilled entirely coming back to himself. reeling over that feeling, over the fact he'd been so ready and willing to bare his throat to a boy – to him Harry was a boy, as was son Peter Alpha or not – he barely knew. It made him feel vulnerable, or more vulnerable than he did already, he'd almost died, along with the rest of his pack because his daughter had been neglecting her duties. The fact his brown hair was up in a tight ponytail did nothing to somewhat hide what happened.
Harry despite surely having noticed what had happened, was already walking around the long circular table. Which was finally free of any paper or parchment. He would speak to Jasper alone, or with Peter at a later date, this wasn't for everyone's eyes, pack came first and Harry would put them first. "Place a drop of your blood on the parchment." Handing over a small ornate dagger – that looked more like it was for decoration not use – for Chris to spill his blood. He couldn't use a spell after all, he was a No-Maj and he wasn't entirely comfortable around magic for Harry to use magic, given everything he was doing to prove he changed…Harry would give him some reprieve.
The wizards and witches attempted to exude an unbothered attitude, but it failed spectacularly. Especially the way Chris carelessly cut his hand, and smacked the bloody hand onto the parchment.
"Well, that was slightly more than we needed…dramatic much?" Harry murmured, pressing his wand against the parchment which began to react like the marauder map. Spreading ink everywhere, instead of revealing Hogwarts, it began to show the surroundings of each Argent. "I can heal that if you like?"
Chris shook his head, "It's fine," and it was, he had hurt himself worse shaving.
Harry didn't ask again or heal it without his consent, Chris was an adult he knew his own mind.
Harry moved over to Peter, and not the president of MACUSA.
"You always told me your mother was dead," Peter said, his voice deceptively mild, staring at Chris, one word away from feeling betrayed and angry. He was, however, giving Chris a chance to explain. For surely, Chris has to believe that if he could lie to a werewolf for years.
Chris blinked, utterly bewildered by Peter's statement, "She is," swallowing thickly, she was the reason he had turned out half decent. A few years after Kate was born, she'd died on a hunt, his father had gone mental and decimated anything supernatural in the area. He had helped, grieving the loss of his mother seriously. Blinking tears from his eyes, he'd never gotten over it.
Harry stared impassively, "What exactly is CrestHill Hospital?" there was more writing but it was impossible to decipher, much too small. He'd need a magnifying glass.
Chris flinched, and blinked rapidly, "That's, that's a hospital for, um…the criminally insane." His voice raspy, hands clenched into fists, praying they weren't telling him what he thought they were. Judging by the sadness coming from Peter it was very true and very real. One of the worst ones in America as a matter of fact, honestly, he'd rather kill any bastard than let them be put in there.
"There's no record of Joan Argent being in any hospital, No-Maj or not," the president's tone was placid but anger was brewing beneath the surface. "She's still alive, and imprisoned clearly against the law." His eyes were blazing, whether he liked the Argents or not, this wasn't sanctioned.
Chris lurched to his feet, "You can't possibly have any more need for me…I need to go," he needed to see if the others would take care of his daughter, and see if there was a way to infiltrate the damn prison masquerading as a hospital.
"Sit down," the president commanded, and Chris didn't even think for a second before sitting again, he knew he wasn't going to be able to get out of here without their help.
"Erin retrieve Grayce and Floyd, you will go with Mr. Argent and you'll do a full sweep of the prison," the president then commanded of his subordinates.
Chris almost swayed in relief, but he had more composure than that. He was very grateful to the President for his kindness. He didn't need to do that, especially not for one No-Maj but he was doing it. He was pulling others from their carefully laid plans.
"Just the three of us, Sir?" slightly alarmed, "Aren't there hundreds of people in those sorts of places?"
"They're in cells, they are no threat to you," Harry told the witch, a new Auror, thank Merlin Grayce and Floyd were accompanying her. "Plus, you'll be using mass sleeping spells, right?" a mist that would send everyone to sleep, she'd probably not used it yet.
Erin relaxed fully, "Right away, Sir," she commented, Grayce and Floyd were meant to be on normal duty, while everyone else oversaw this. Just because they were doing this, didn't mean normal crimes and criminals had stopped. This operation was so big, so immense they had pulled in even those who hadn't been legally sworn in – vowed in – to be Auror's.
"Kevin Cooper will take your place," the president continued on, despite changing plans, he knew they were all the better for it, Erin was much too green to be trusted, not with another young Auror. Those red numbers continued ever downward.
"She's not left Beacon Hills," Peter said, claws unsheathing, ripping the parchment, before grimacing, "Sorry," he muttered his apology. "Is she…at the vault?" Stiles asked sticking his face in the map, his voice squawking in indignation at the mere thought of her being anywhere near the Hale vault. "But…it requires Hale claws…" he glanced at Derek, praying that he hadn't actually gifted her with a pair of his family's claws.
"No need," Harry murmured, flicking his wand, the parchment was repaired and as good as new.
"She can't be," Derek shook his head, "Unless…she stole a pair when we were…" swallowing thickly, he'd shown her the family vaults, shown her how to kill his family, the shame of it choked him. "No, she needed me before, its why she made me young again." Unless, somewhere down the line she'd discarded them having succeeded in her job.
Stiles gripped Derek's shoulders, staring him face to face, "We're going to get her, and we're going to make her pay so she can't hurt anyone else. We stopped it Derek, it didn't happen," wishing more than anything he could dull the memories so that Derek could find peace, true peace here where his family actually survived. Maybe the wizarding world had something.
"Noah Stilinski?" a healer called out at the door, a clipboard in hand. "If you would follow me?" she asked.
"Good luck, you'll be fine," Daisy said, squeezing Noah's shoulder with a smile.
"Let's go," Stiles said, tugging Derek in the direction of his father.
"Mr. Stilinski will be going alone," the healer stated sharply, "You may wait outside the room if you're so determined. This is delicate work, any interruption on your part may have severe consequences." Mind magic was very, very delicate work, and she refused to allow him to distract her.
A/N – alright so this will be a worldwide effort, naturally I'm only going to focus on maybe 6 people, will the fire inspector be one of them? Will Peter be able to forgive him for something he hasn't done yet? Who else? Is there anyone in particular you want to see brought down? Kate is a given…will she be savagely killed by Jasper, Sebastian and Peter? I mean I've written every single possible outcome for her except for life imprisonment I think…I honestly have forgotten lol oops 😉 then Gerard do you want to see Joan Argent's rescue or will it just be mentioned? R&R please!
There's nothing in the document suggesting I've made much of a background on the Argents for this story so hopefully I've not screwed up! :)