To Go to a Ball

Dominique looked around the crowded living room at the Woods' country house. She wasn't sure why Teddy insisted they meet there, but there they were. Chris and Tori were standing near the window while Oliver was in his usual armchair and the triplets somehow managed to fit on the sofa. Daisy and Wills were standing behind them while Toby and Molly were standing next to her. They all had mugs of tea in hand. Iris walked in with her own mug, chatting with Tessa, who was following her.

"Teddy and the others still not here?" she asked, looking around.

"Who else is coming?" Molly asked.

"He's supposed to be here with Harry and Hermione," Iris said with a shrug. "Seemed quite secretive about it. Made me open up the floo for them."

At that moment, Teddy stepped out of the fireplace and quickly stepped aside.

"Good, you're all here," he said brightly. Immediately following him, Harry and then Hermione stepped out.

"I take it this means you have some news," Iris said.

"Er, well…" Teddy started. Before he could speak Witt and Richards stepped out of the fireplace and looked around the room. Dominique immediately glared.

"What are they doing here?" she nearly shouted.

"Calm down, Dom. This is why we're meeting here and not at the Ministry," Teddy said. She looked over at Chris and Tori, who didn't seem surprised to see the two MACUSA aurors.

"What's going on?" Daisy demanded. "Why are these two pricks here?"

"Daisy Nymphadora!" Iris said sternly.

"Come on, Mum. They crashed the bachelorette party!" she shouted.

"And they have an explanation for that," Harry said sternly. Daisy went quiet, frowning at her cousin. It wasn't often that he spoke that way to her. "Witt and Richards are not working for the Network. And they are not up to anything nefarious."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Remus asked.

"It means… they've been acting on the MACUSA president's orders. They believe someone is leaking information to the Network and Madam President had requested that they look into it quietly while also providing secondary security for the Woods," Hermione said firmly. "Now, I would have rather been let in on this from the get-go, but I understand why they acted as they did."

Everyone looked at Richards and Witt.

"I don't believe you," Daisy said immediately, gripping her mug tightly.

"Daisy, let's hear them out," Iris said calmly.

"No! All I've heard is how they were sneaking around and spying on us. On me. I don't believe that they were doing for our benefit," she shouted, glaring at the two.

"Pix, listen to your mum," Wills said softly.

"No, it's fine. I get it," Richards said. "I understand why you don't trust us, but it is true. We came into some evidence that made us believe there were leaks. That the Network is getting information from somewhere, either the Ministry or someone close to you. We had to keep it close to the vest until we knew who it was."

"And do you? Know who is leaking information?" Daisy asked.

"Not yet, but since Chris and Tori found our safe room, we had no choice but to fill in Hermione, Harry and you all," Richards said with a heavy sigh. The room looked over at the two.

"Do you believe them?" Remus asked. Chris nodded.

"We do," he said.

"And so do we," Hermione added.

"So… someone is leaking information on us to the Network. And you have no clue who it is," Oliver said, looking at the two MACUSA aurors.

"Obviously we know that it's no one in this room," Witt said.

"But we did find a connection between Hardwick and Magnus," Richards said.

"I knew it," Daisy said. She looked around the room. "I told you all. He's meeting with someone connected to the Network and they are concealing themselves in his memories."

"Magnus' grandparents were old Hogwarts friends with Hardwick's grandparents. His grandfather is still alive and we believe may be an original member of the Network," Richards said. "However, they are good at covering their tracks and so far we've yet to find solid evidence that he's involved."

"Are you going to take him in for questioning?" Oliver asked. "Hardwick or his grandfather?"

"No. We don't have enough," Richards said. "But we're watching them and as soon as we get something, we'll bring them in."

"I assure you, he won't get close to Daisy," Harry said solemnly.

"You're damn right, he won't," Oliver said firmly. "In fact, I don't even think Pix should go to the ball."

"Dad!" Daisy shouted.

"I don't think we need to go quite that far, Oliver," Harry said, glancing at Daisy. "We're already working on security for that. Everyone will be safe - Daisy included."

"You just heard him! Hardwick could be involved!" Oliver said. "I'll not have her in danger!"

"You can't make me miss the ball, Dad!" Daisy shouted. "If I'm at risk, so are Jamie, Remus and Alan."

"They'll not go for them - Magnus is obsessed with you! You're the one they'll go after. So no, you're not going this year, Pix," Oliver said, turning his stormy gaze to his daughter. Daisy's eyes flashed red.

"Really, Oliver. I think that's going a bit far. Harry assured us they can provide enough security. Things were fine at the Halloween party," Iris said, trying to soothe him.

"But what if it's a trap!" Oliver shouted, looking at Iris.

"I'M NOT SKIPPING THE ONE BLOODY THING I'VE BEEN LOOKING FORWARD TO ALL YEAR BECAUSE OF YOUR PARANOIA!" Daisy shouted, her hair starting to flare up. Tori started backing up from the group as Richards and Witt's eyes widened. Everyone else was more than used to Daisy's outbursts - especially those aimed at her father.

Oliver jumped to his feet.

"Do you not understand the danger you're in, Daisy?" he asked. "They've already gotten to you once."

"Yea, and I'll be damn sure they won't do it again," she shouted back at him. "When are you going to learn that I'm not a child! I can take care of myself. And I'm going to the ball."

"No, you're not! You'll be a sitting duck!" Oliver roared.

"I think, this is best left for another time," Iris said, raising her voice as she looked back and forth between the two.

"I agree. You know where I am if you need me," Daisy said, taking Wills' hand and then disappearing. The room shifted awkwardly.

"Harry's right. There's no reason that she should have to sit it out. We'll have it covered," Richards said. Oliver spun around to face him.

"I'll be decidin' what she'll be doing, thank you. She's my daughter - not yours," he growled.

"And she's an adult, Oliver," Iris said, exasperated. "Merlin, how many times do we have to have this argument?" Oliver scowled at her and then sat back down in the chair. He motioned to Harry and Hermione.

"You can continue with whatever this meeting is," he said. Richards and Witt looked at Harry and Hermione, who just sighed and shook their heads.

"Right then…" Teddy started stepping up. "Just a few more things you should know…"


"Who does he bloody think he is?" Daisy roared as she and Wills appeared in the kitchen. She made for the liquor cabinet and angrily grabbed a bottle of firewhisky, wrenching the cork out. "Haven't I bloody proven by now that I can take care of myself?!"

"We know, Pix," Wills said following her into the living room. She was pouring out the firewhisky, clanking the glasses as she did. "Careful, those were expensive." She glared at him.

"Don't tell me you agree with him," she said. Wills held his hands up.

"I'm on your side. I want you there with me as my date," he said. Daisy sighed and returned her attention to the glasses.

"I just don't understand why he's got to treat me like a child," she grumbled.

"Those outbursts of yours aren't helping," Wills added. Daisy glared at him again. "Come on, Pix. You know it only riles him up more." She shook her head and picked up the glasses, walking over to Wills with one held out to him.

"I can't help it. He just… gets under my skin," she said. "Probably always will. I'll be in my 50s and still getting into shouting matches with my dad."

"And he'll still hate me," Wills said glumly.

"He'll come around eventually. He has to," she said, furrowing her brow.

"You're not going to the ball!" Oliver shouted from the kitchen. Both Wills and Daisy spun around, watching as Oliver and Iris walked into the living room.

"That is not what we discussed, Oliver!" Iris shouted.

"I don't care, Red. I'm not gonna let her!" he said, looking at her. She rolled her eyes.

"I brought you here so you could apologize!" Iris shouted.

"You have to agree with me on this, Red! It's not safe!" he shouted back.

"I highly doubt the Network is going to try and kidnap Daisy or any of us during the New Year's Ball. There's already a large amount of security there," Iris scoffed.

"Can you both stop arguing about me as if I'm not here?!" Daisy shouted. They both stopped and looked at her. "You're infuriatin' me!" She then stomped passed them, through the living room and kitchen and then out the front door.

"Where is she going? She can't leave this building!" Oliver shouted, looking at Wills.

"She's going up to the roof," he said.

"Go talk to her. And do not yell," Iris ordered, pointing towards the door. Oliver huffed and walked to the door.

"Should we… go to make sure they don't kill each other?" Wills asked. Iris looked at him and smiled slightly.

"Why don't you pour me up some firewhisky and we wait here," she said. Wills nodded.


Daisy was already seated at the large wrought iron table when she heard the door to the rooftop garden open and shut. She looked over, watching her frowning father walk over.

"Christ, dad. Can you give me a minute of peace?" she groaned, leaning back in her chair. Oliver stopped a few feet away and studied her a few moments.

"We don't know what they're planning, Pix," he said softly.

"I know. But I also don't want to give up my life just because there's a chance he could come after me again. What's next? You make me stop quidditch? I've already given up enough, haven't I?" she asked.

"I know this is difficult," Oliver started. Daisy laughed darkly.

"Oh, that's rich. Comin' from the man who can still come and go as he pleases," she said.

"I'm under the same guard you are," he said firmly.

"And I'm sure you're still going to the ball," Daisy said. Oliver sighed heavily. "It's only fair. And I can take care of myself, Dad. He's not getting me again." Oliver walked over and sat in the chair next to her.

"Can you blame me for worrying?" he asked. "We're all worried. Even your mum, though she's better at hiding it."

"We can't let this stop us from living our lives," Daisy said firmly. "That would be letting them win."

"But I can't let them take you again," Oliver said.

"They won't. We know to look for them," Daisy said.

"But do we? They know that we know. They could be planning something bigger," he said.

"And then we'll stop them," Daisy said. "You've got to have a bit of faith in me." Oliver studied his daughter again.

"I can't believe that you're 21," he said finally. Daisy frowned.

"Dad… I've been an adult for a while now," she said.

"I know. But I still can't help but see you as my little pixie," he said.

"And we both know how much trouble that's caused," she replied. "When are you gonna learn?"

"Possibly never," he admitted, a small smile on his face. Daisy sighed.

"I'll be fine. The aurors will be there. Harry's not gonna let anything happen," she said. "Christ, even Teddy's going to keep an eye on us. Plus, you know Wills would walk through fire to protect me."

"I know," Oliver said.

"Besides all that, I can take care of myself," she said, leaning towards him. "Have you seen what I can do? I'm in control of myself. I know what I'm doing. No one is going to take me again." Oliver took another deep breath and slowly let it out.

"Do you remember when you were 15 and you tried to convince me you could learn to do a flip off your broom?" he said. Daisy frowned.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Daisy asked.

"You were doing backflips off your broom into the pool one afternoon. It was entertaining. But then the next day when Ashley came over, I was watching from the stands when I saw you stand on your broom. I knew immediately what you were gonna do," he said.

"How could I forget that day? You ran over shouting at me," Daisy said.

"I thought you were going to break your neck," he said.

"Nearly did because you broke my concentration… Granted the cushioning charms wouldn't have let me," she scoffed.

"I know. But all I could see was you plummeting to the ground and never getting up again," he said. "But after I stopped you, you started yelling something fierce. Telling me that you knew you could do it."

"And I did eventually get it down. It's one of my staple tricks," Daisy said.

"Yes, yes. I know that now. But it just took me some time," he said, still gazing at her. "What I'm trying to say is… give me a bit of time, Pix."

"The ball is in a bit over a month, Dad. How much time do you need?" she asked.

"I… you're right about that. It's silly of me to insist you don't go," he said.

"I'd just sneak out and go anyway," she said.

"Your mum said something similar," Oliver muttered.

"I'm not a teenager anymore, Dad. I'm 21. You can't tell me what I can and can't do anymore," she said.

"I know, but you can't blame me for wanting to keep you safe," he said.

"I will be safe," she said. Oliver sighed.

"So, when's Louis coming over with dresses?" he asked.

"Next week," Daisy said. He nodded slowly.

"Suppose I'll talk to Harry and Teddy a bit about the security measures. That should ease my mind a bit," he said. Daisy smiled and reached over grabbing his hand.

"I'll be fine, Dad," she said. He nodded.

"I know."


"You don't think they're silently killing each other up there?" Wills asked, looking up at the ceiling. Iris chuckled.

"If those two are killing each other, we'd hear it. They don't do anything quietly," she said before sipping her whisky.

"That's the truth," he muttered. Iris sighed.

"I know Daisy and Oliver have a… sometimes volatile relationship. But he only wants to keep her safe," she said.

"We all do," Wills said. "And I'm sure she'll be safe at the ball."

"I know. Just as I know that she'd go regardless of whatever Oliver says," she said. "She is an adult."

"And she's always done whatever she sets her mind to," Wills said. "Usually I'm on Oliver's side with these things, but I don't think anything will happen at the ball. And I know that she wants… some sort of semblance of a normal life right now."

"If anyone knows how frustrated she is right now, it's me," Iris said. "I can see into her mind."

"I don't need that to know… even when she's not ranting about it, I can feel it pulsating it off her. Quidditch is the only thing holding her together at the moment," Wills said. Iris nodded.

"I know how much she needs this," she said. "Just like she needed the Halloween party. And to keep playing." She looked over at Wills, smiling. "I'm glad she has you."

Wills blushed slightly, looking down at his hands.

"Wish Coach would get on board with that," he said, lifting the glass to his lips.

"He will. Just give him time. He is reasonable… for the most part. Just when it comes to Daisy, he goes a bit mad," she said. Wills chuckled.

"If I've learned anything over the past decade, it's that," he said.

"It'll be fine," Iris said. "It'll work out." Wills nodded.

"Thanks," he said. Iris smiled at him.

"I, for one, am happy you've found each other," she said. Before Wills could answer, they heard laughter from the hall. The door to the flat opened and Daisy and Oliver walked in.

"I can't believe you didn't know! When Prof. Longbottom told me at the wedding that he knew about it, I was sure he had told you and Mum," she said.

"I have to admit, it's a bit brilliant," Oliver replied. "I can't but be impressed. The fact that you and Teddy hoodwinked even Professor McGonagall, well, Pix. What can I say? And you were only, what? Second year?"

"Yea," she replied. The two stopped and looked at Iris and Wills. Wills seemed stunned, while Iris looked as though she was expecting it. Daisy looked at her dad. "Would you care for a glass of firewhisky, Dad?"

Oliver shifted on his feet a bit, looking down at Daisy, then over at Wills - who was starting to look hopeful - and then over to Iris.

"You owe her at least an hour of civility with Wills," she said. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Daisy started to smile smugly. He sighed.

"Sounds good, Pix."


Aleka looked around the empty room, kicking at a broken chair with her heavy boot. It was dark and dingy with the wallpaper falling off the walls and the furniture in various stages of destruction.

"It seems they moved just yesterday," Alekos said from the other side of the room where he was staring at the wall, his fingers running across it as his dark eyes scanned around, seeing things that were invisible to the naked eye.

"We missed them again," she said looking over at him, her dark ponytail swinging behind her. "They could not have been here long. It would have taken time to move to Belgium from Norway."

"They moved quickly. Got a bit more careless this time. It shouldn't take nearly as long to track their next location from here," Alekos said.

"What about the locations this Keenan gave up?" Aleka asked.

"We can assume that they will be abandoned. Someone is leaking information to them so they most likely know that those locations are no longer safe and seek out new ones," Alekos said. Aleka nodded looking around the room.

"This must have been their war room. You can see where they tacked things to the wall," she said, her eyes glowing softly. She moved around the room, slowly glancing around, searching for anything that could hint at where they could have moved to next. "I think we should go to Greece."Alekos looked over at her.

"You really think so?" he asked. She looked over at him and nodded.

"Everything seems to be pointing there. We have always thought there are cells of this Network there, researching us and our magic. With everything that we have found so far, it all points to Magnus being there," she said. Alekos sighed and nodded, glancing around the room again.

"I was thinking the same," he said. "Come, let us go back to the hotel. I should have heard back from my contacts in Greece by now."

"Agreed," Aleka said. She started towards the door but stopped as the fireplace caught her attention. She walked over to it, crouching down and sifting through the ashes and pieces of wood.

"What is it?" Alekos asked, stepping up behind her.

"Just… perhaps they got sloppy this time," she murmured as she saw a few scraps of parchment that hadn't completely burned. Smiling, she reached into her pocket and pulled out a plastic ziplock bag. She waved her hand and watching as the pieces floated into the air and into the bag, catching snatches of writing.

"Do you think those could be useful?" he asked. Aleka stood, looking at the pieces.

"Could be. One would think if they were trying to burn them, they could have contained something of use," she said, smiling at her twin. "Let's get back. I feel like I need a shower after this place." Alekos nodded.

"Once we are there, I will send word to Nikos. He will inform the others of our update," he said. The two walked out of the room and through the dingy halls until they walked out of the building and into the sunlight. The two silently disappeared and then reappeared in an alley off a busy street. Aleka smiled as they stepped out onto the sidewalk, joining the crowds heading home from the office.

"These Network people… they are smarter than I thought," Aleka said. She glanced over at her brother and grinned. "But it is nice to have a challenge, no?" Alekos chuckled.

"That it is," he said.

"And soon, we will find them and take them down," Aleka said, her grin turning a touch evil.

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Alekos said. "We cannot take them down ourselves."

"I know. We will call in our brothers and sisters," Aleka said.

"And the aurors," Alekos reminded her. Aleka sighed.

"Yes, and them," she said. "And we will kill this Magnus."

"No… we will let the Ministry take him," Alekos replied, sounding almost bored. This wasn't the first time they had had this conversation.

"It is best to just get him out of the way. Our kind have seen too much of this throughout the millennia. The only thing that will stop them is death," she said, scanning the crowd. Alekos nodded and glanced over at her.

"Just… don't get too far ahead," he said. Aleka smiled.

"I won't. We both know that you will catch up to me."


So, bit of everything here... Richards and Witt fully confess their roles to the group. Some Daisy-Oliver fight. And then some of the twins. I've got more from them coming in the near future. Just because I felt the story needed something from their perspective.

As always, thanks for following, reading and reviewing!