Return of the Sethogriff
I found Vane in the kitchen. She was, true to character, verbally berating two teenage boys who looked like they were going to wet themselves at any moment with terror.
I didn't blame them; Eve Vane was a force to be reckoned with.
"Why do you insist on making me deal with this incompetence? Do you think this is a game? You may be used to exams or Quidditch being your most pressing concern, but I assure you both, this is something entirely different. We cannot afford to have you bumbling around London. When you are told to stay here, you are to follow orders. Is that clear?"
The taller of the two, a gangly boy with dark olive skin, nodded sheepishly. "Yes, Auror Vane," he said, sounding contrite. He elbowed his companion, who looked like he was going to faint at any moment, and the second boy nodded furiously.
"Dismissed," Vane sniffed, and the two boys ran from the room, sending several of the wooden chairs skidding across the tiled floor.
"Why aren't you with the healers?" Vane asked, wheeling towards me.
"I have a message for Kingsley," I said. "For everyone, really. Where is the Minister?"
"The Minister is right here."
I whirled, banging my hip against the kitchen countertop, and stared at the tall man staring grimly at me. Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt smiled thinly, touching his violet cap in greeting.
"Adela Lancaster," he said, his dark eyes unreadable. "What news do you have?"
I stared at the man who had sent us to the giants. Why, I wondered, had he lied about our destination?
We have been betrayed far too many times.
I felt Vane's curious gaze, and I swallowed thickly. Vane was the most suspicious person I knew; if she believed Shacklebolt to be on our side, I would trust her judgment.
"The giants march towards London. They'll attack at dawn tomorrow," I said. Kingsley's forehead creased, his mouth grim.
"Auror Vane," he said, still studying me intently.
"Yes, Minister?"
"Call everyone to the dining room," Kingsley said. "Immediately."
Vane pulled her black communications device and exited the room, muttering a stream of seemingly nonsensical words - "Bird flight to burrow, calling owls and thunder."
Once she'd left, Kingsley strode forward and gripped me firmly by the arms. His purple robes billowed around his shoulders and, at this close distance, I could see the tired lines that creased his face.
"I need you to listen very carefully, Adela Lancaster. I am sorry I could not send anyone to your rescue. When you and Auror Potter did not return, I feared the worst. You must understand...these are dark days, Ms. Lancaster. I had to make a very difficult decision," he said.
Understanding, bitter and begrudging, dawned on Numberita. "You left us for dead," I breathed. "At what point were you going to inform the others - at what point were you going to let his parents know? What about Seth? Merlin, Minister, surely you must see how lying about our whereabouts could only -"
"I had no choice," he thundered, his hands digging painfully into the flesh my forearms. He winced, letting out a deep, shuddering breath, and stepped away. I resisted the urge to rub at my smarting arms, instead staring woodenly at the Minister of Magic.
"No choice?" I repeated.
Kingsley slid his cap from his bald head and, turning the fabric over and over between his hands, nodded stiffly. I watched as his shoulders slumped, unease and pity settling deep. He led a side that, from the looks of the ravaged streets, was losing everyday. How much pressure must he be under? How many people had, like me, blamed him for their troubles?
Then, his jaw setting firmly, Kingsley levitated the cap to its rightful place. "If I told the others what I suspected - that you and Auror Potter had been killed by the giants and that our worst fears were true - all hope would be lost. And hope, Ms. Lancaster, is the only thing that keeps us alive. The Ministry is woefully unprepared to face a joint attack from the goblins and werewolves - that, I will admit freely. We never expected these groups to revolt, and we are far outnumbered. I send good men and women out everyday with full knowledge that half, at best, will return alive. The other half dies or faces a fate worse than death at the hands of those cursed werewolves."
Hope. Such a simple word, yet that emotion alone held the power to sustain a whole population.
"Understood," I said, and Kingsley smiled grimly.
He placed a heavy hand on my shoulder. "Thank you, Ms. Lancaster. I am glad to see you have returned safely."
"Bearing bad news, I'm afraid."
His expression darkened. "Yes, but such is the nature of this war."
"Do you believe this is war then, Minister?" I asked. Previously, I'd managed to avoid labeling these conflicts as 'war,' thinking - foolishly, perhaps - that we faced a series of grievances or skirmishes. Now, I wasn't so sure.
He sighed again, directing me towards the dining room, where I could hear the dim murmur of conversation. "I fear we have been entrenched in war for years, Ms. Lancaster. We were just too foolish to see it for what it was."
With that cheerful proclamation, we entered the warmly lit dining room. Four, maybe five dozen witches and wizards, all looking like they hadn't seen a good night's sleep in weeks, crowded around the large wooden table placed in the center of the room. A large, roasted pheasant was displayed at the table's center, and the room echoed with laughter. At the center of it all, I spotted Al. He had changed into a maroon jumper and was laughing with Scorpius and a witch I didn't recognise. The witch, who looked like she had only just graduated from Hogwarts, grinned as Al reached forward to tug lightly on her black curls.
Al laughed again, and the sight sent another painful pang through my chest. Merlin, when was the last time he'd looked so happy? He took a swig from a covered goblet he held close to his side, waving away an offered flask of pumpkin juice.
Before I could identify my reaction to that, a sizable wizard came barreling from the crowd. He tackled me, knocking me back two paces, and ensnared me in a bear hug.
My eyes watered as I returned the gesture. I would recognise this man anywhere.
"Hi, Sethogriff," I choked out, my voice trembling partly from emotion and partly from the fact that I was currently being strangled in front of fifty-five people.
"Shh, less talking," I heard my twin brother scold.
I smiled into the folds of his wool jumper, reaching up awkwardly to pat his blonde hair.
"I missed you," I said quietly.
"Me, too," Seth said. "I am pretty great, after all."
…
I pushed my brother away, rolling my eyes as he grinned eagerly at me, clearly expecting some praise for that brilliant quip.
"Yes, yes, you're hilarious," I said dryly.
He beamed and, unable to resist any longer, I wrapped my arm around his. Yup, that was it. I was never leaving my twin's side, and he would just have to deal with it. Weeks spent in captivity had taught me to treasure my existing relationships, and I wasn't about to let Seth go again.
"Attention!" Kingsley boomed, pressing his wand against his throat to amplify his voice. The room quieted immediately, all faces turning to stare at the Minister of Magic.
Kingsley Shacklebolt's eyes roved across the crowd, his chin inclining slightly when he met my gaze. I returned the gesture, and the Minister smiled slightly before turning to face the crowd once more.
"While I am glad to celebrate the return of two of our own, I have a confession to make. Adela Lancaster and Albus Potter were not sent to America."
The crowd erupted into loud chatter, and Harry Potter pushed forward, his dark brows furrowed in an expression I'd seen on his son countless times.
"What are you saying, Kingsley?" he demanded, his voice tight.
Kingsley looked solemnly at the Boy Who Lived. "I sent Adela Lancaster and Albus Potter to the giants," he said, and the room erupted into chatter once more.
"The giants? Are they revolting, too?" said the black-haired witch who'd sat so closely to Al. She looked terrified at the thought, and I felt a pang of pity. She was so young - she ought to be worrying about classes and her first job, not a potential giant uprising.
I separated from Seth, giving my twin a soft smile, and leaped (okay, climbed) onto the table.
"Oi!" I shouted. When no one quieted, I scowled and lifted my wand to my throat, casting the same voice amplification spell Kingsley had used.
"OI!" I bellowed, and everyone let out a large cry of surprise. The walls shook, plates and glasses rattling loudly as my voice boomed.
Right, note to self: yelling is unnecessary if you're already magically amplifying your voice.
"Yes, Al and I were sent to the giants to secure their support. We were, unfortunately, unsuccessful."
I looked at the crowd of witches and wizards, noting that their expressions ranged from sheer terror to grim acceptance.
"They captured us. Through our imprisonment, I found that Xavier King had joined forces with Ragnuk."
Someone let out a stifled cry at that, and I traced the sound to a pretty, dark-skinned woman. Kate pressed her hands to her mouth, looking like she was about to vomit, and I hurriedly continued, "Xavier, however, proved to be an invaluable friend. He showed me the extent of the giants' forces and helped us escape. It is because of his help that I can reveal to you their plan: the giants are currently amassing outside of the Ministry and St. Mungo's. They plan to attack both at dawn tomorrow."
Even Kingsley couldn't quiet the room after that.
"We're doomed!"
"How can we trust him?"
"How can we trust her? She was with the giants - she said so herself!"
At that, Scorpius wheeled angrily towards the speaker - one of the two teenage boys from earlier - and sent a wave of harmless (but loud) silver magic careening through the room.
He leaped (not climbed) onto the table and, glaring angrily at the crowd, said coldly, "Adela has just returned from weeks of imprisonment. If I hear another word against her, there will be consequences. Adela Lancaster," he said, reaching to grip my hand firmly, "has saved my arse - all of our arses - too many times to count. If she says the giants are planning an attack, then the giants are planning an attack."
There was a slight scuffle as Rose, followed soon by Seth, jumped onto the table. Rose grabbed my other hand and, flashing me a smile, turned to shout, "We don't have time to bicker amongst ourselves! We have to ready our defenses. If the giants get the Ministry building or St. Mungo's, we are lost."
Silence. Then -
"We don't have enough forces to defend both," Harry Potter said, his voice rough with frustration. "I hate to admit it, but with the MLE decimated and half of my Aurors gone…"
"So we face an impossible decision," Vane said, her voice sharp. The crowds parted somewhat, allowing the Auror to step forward. The Auror stood tall, her sharp chin raised as all eyes turned towards her. "Defend the Ministry or defend the ill?" She looked meaningfully at Kingsley at the last part, and I frowned, remembering Aleksandra. Was she still housed in St. Mungo's?
The room erupted once more into chaos as everyone shouted.
"There are children in St. Mungo's! We can't let them die!"
"Are you mad? If the goblins get hold of the magical artifacts housed in the Ministry's vaults, let alone the Department of Mysteries, we'll all be lost anyway!"
"My son is in St. Mungo's! Don't be a heartless prat-"
"SILENCE!" Kingsley thundered, his purple robes billowing behind him.
Once we'd quieted, he surveyed the room, his lips pressed thin. "We have, as Auror Vane put it, an impossible decision to make. We will make a civilised decision, for this is what sets us apart from the criminals threatening to sow chaos into our very society."
"Civilised? How the bloody hell can you claim to be civilised? We are not gods. We cannot decide who lives and who dies!" A burly-looking man stepped forward, his muscled arms folded tightly over his barrel chest.
"If we do not vote, all will die!" Kingsley said sharply. "Do you not think I would try to defend both if at all possible? Here, at least, we have the chance to save some."
The protester glowered but quieted, and the Minister of Magic pressed a weary hand to his temples.
"We will vote, and I expect everyone - everyone - to support fully whatever vote wins. Is that clear?"
The remaining forces of the wizarding world nodded. I bit my lip, Numberita struggling to come up with the better choice -
There was no winning - not with this decision. Either we defended St. Mungo's - and Aleksandra - from capture, which meant the loss of the countless dangerous and priceless artifacts housed in the Department of Mysteries, or we defended the Ministry building, which was arguably the choice better suited for the greater good but also entailed the certain death of thousands.
Either way, we lost.
"Good," Kingsley said. "All in favor of defending St. Mungo's?"
Twenty-three people raised their voice in support.
"All in favor of defending the Ministry building?"
Twenty-six people showed their support.
"Alright," Kingsley said, and I could see the voters - even those who had voted for the Ministry - shift uncomfortably as the weight of their decision set home. With one vote, we had just condemned thousands of helpless innocents to death. "We defend the Ministry building at sundown." He turned to the same burly man who'd protested the vote and said, "Bates. I want you to send a covert message to our contacts at St. Mungo's - I want as many patients evacuated as possible without notice. Our only advantage is our knowledge of the attack. If the goblins find out what we know, all is lost."
The man nodded and strode away.
That left us only twelve hours and twenty-six minutes to prepare for what could be the largest fight this generation had ever seen. I swallowed, feeling faint, and felt a warm hand squeeze my shoulder reassuringly.
"We're in this together, Adela," Seth said, his blue eyes intent.
I smiled, feeling a wave of affection for my brother.
"Together," I echoed.
11:53:59
"You notice it too, don't you?"
I half-turned, glancing at Vane as she came to stand beside me. All around us, clumps of witches and wizards huddled together, furiously making arrangements for the coming attack. The Auror stared grimly at Al. I followed her gaze, frowning when I saw him murmuring something to the same witch from before. I felt another pang of something entirely unpleasant and hurriedly squashed the emotion down, choosing instead to take a long gulp of my pumpkin juice. This, of course, ended poorly, but at least the Auror politely ignored my ensuing splutters (and the drool), for which I was eternally grateful. Merlin, you'd think I, as a functioning (okay, semi-functioning) adult, would know how to drink pumpkin juice without spilling it everywhere.
"He's different," Vane said scornfully.
"He was unconscious for several weeks," I offered feebly, but even I knew the excuse was flimsy at best. From the looks of Vane's answering glare, she agreed.
"Since when does unconsciousness drastically alter one's personality? Adela, in all the time I have known him, I have never known him to be swayed by a pretty face."
We watched as Harry Potter approached Al and, smiling broadly, wrapped him into a tight hug. The sight made me bit my lip; how could we accuse Al of - of what, I wasn't sure exactly - when his father looked so happy to have him back? My eyes strayed back towards Seth, who, feeling my gaze, grinned at me.
"Something's off, Adela, and we are the only ones who can see it. It is our responsibility to see this through," Vane said, following my gaze. Her voice softened somewhat when she saw Seth, and I felt a burst of curiousity. Note to self: investigate Vane-Seth relations at a later, less potentially lethal, date.
"You mentioned past betrayals. What happened?"
Vane stiffened. "An Auror turned - turns out his parents were Squibs and had raised him to hate the wizarding world. He single-handedly decimated the MLE - a whole squadron of good men and women, gone," she said.
Merlin.
Vane turned to me, her eyes bright. "We cannot let this happen again," she hissed.
I bit my lip, looking towards Al. I didn't want to admit it, but he was different. Could he be under an Imperius spell?
"Auror Vane. Ms. Lancaster."
The Minister's dark eyes were grave. "I'm sending you both to Gringotts. It's past time we learn more about who we're up against."