Enjoy!

How It Should've Been

Chapter 22: Denial

"We haven't heard from them in a month. Does that mean they really sided with them?" Hermione questioned. Sirius, Harry, Amelia and Hermione were in the command room at the home. Harry shook his head.

"I refuse to believe that." Harry denied.

-L&W Island Compound-

"They aren't breaking." Lily announced as she entered Jameson's office. She handed him the file. He read it and sighed.

"Pull them out." He directed. Lily's eyes snapped to him.

"What?" She question stunned.

"Pull them out. We can't control them this way. Time to resort to drastic measures."

"You don't mean? Surely.." Lily began. Jameson nodded.

"We'll see if they pass with it. If they don't, then you know what to do." Jameson closed the file and handed it back to Lily. She nodded and left the room.

It was eight o'clock when the door to Alex's room opened. Lily entered the room and injected Alex with the antidote and left. It was only minutes later that Alex woke. Pushing off of the bed, she stood and took a step out of the the room, peering left and right. It was only a second later when she spotted Hunter doing the same in at the door to the left of her own. When he spotted her, he came over to her.

"What's going on?" He asked. Alex shook her head and looked around. Their eyes darted around the hall. It was only Alex spotted something out of the corner of her eye did she nudge Hunter.

"End of hall, right corner." She whispered, lips barely moving. Hunter gave an inexplicable nod and glance at it in his sweep of looking down the hall. Only seconds after both of them were aware that it was there did Lily come walking around the corner.

"Follow." She directed as she walked past them. They shard a glance before following her. She led them through a maze of halls and eventually stopped in front of a room. She gestured to the room and reluctantly, the two entered the room.

Immediately on entering the room, they did a sweep, eyes darting around the room. It was an all white room, seemed to be a running theme in this place, and on the left side of the room, desks were lined on the wall with computers on them and people working on them. In the center of the room was a large research table covered in a map. Then in the right side of the room were bookshelves that were ceiling to floor. There was a door that separated the shelves in the center.

Lily led them over to the door and opened it, walking in and up a set of stairs. Following behind, Alex and Hunter were both going through a mental list of what they both thought could've been up there.

Entering the room at the top of the stairs revealed an attic style room. This room wasn't white but rather all dark oak wood paneling. There were bookshelves and desks that were littered in so many papers that they were falling to the ground. At two of the desks was woman, they were scrabbling quickly on paper. Lily stood by the door while Alex and Hunter further entered the room. They each approached one of the woman and looked at her and what she was drawing. It was roughly scribbled English.

It was when they switched and went to look at the woman that the other was observing when they noticed it. The women looked exactly the same. They went back and forth at least three times to be sure.

"Who are they?" Alex questioned trying to read the writing.

"Oracles?" Hunter guessed looking up and at Lily for an answer. She shrugged.

"Oracles, Seers, augurs, whatever you want to call them." Lily answered. Alex looked back down at the woman and then at the other one and then to the page of writing she was holding in her hand.

"This is how you knew everything that was happening. They saw it." Alex muttered the realization but it was loud enough for the other two to hear it.

"No that's not how Seers or even Oracles work." Hunter argued. "They give prophecies not see real-time events."

"Both of you are right." Lily announced. "These are our own creation of seers. Much more useful than the normal old hag type. They see the present and the future. All we have to do is sort through it. Well, now that you've seen how we knew everything and I have answered that question, follow me." Lily turned and left the room. Hunter glanced at Alex before following after Lily. Alex began to walk towards the door when she turned back around and picked up the page that had her attention since she realized what it was. Pocketing it, she followed the two out of the room and closed the door behind her.

It was when they reentered the room at the bottom of the stairs that Alex noticed it. A calendar.

"We were in that room for longer than one night, weren't we?" Alex stopped in her tracks and asked. Lily stopped and turned causing Hunter to stopped as well.

"I was waiting for that." Lily commented. "You were in that sleep for a month." She revealed. Alex and Hunter eyes shifted to the other in shock. Lily didn't let them think about the consequences of it for long before she turned and began walking again, leaving them with no choice but to follow her.

They were led out of the room and back into the hallways where they went through another five halls before Lily led them into another room. Jameson was standing in it looking at a map on the wall. It looked like an office.

"Lily." He greeted with a nod before turning to Hunter and Alex. "Hunter. Alex." He sent them nods as well but unlike Lily they didn't return it. "Not the greeting type. Well, have you told them?" He asked Lily. She shook her head. "Good."

"Tell us what? I mean aside from our month long nap." Hunter demanded. Jameson moved over to a desk and picked up a file opening it.

"What you will be doing here." He walked back over and threw the file on the table in front of them. Exchanging looks, they read it.

"Enforcers." Hunter read aloud before looking up at them. Jameson nodded.

"You mean we do your dirty work." Alex corrected drawing everyone's gaze.

"No, you're enforcers." Jameson corrected.

"Which means doing your dirty work." Alex pressed. Jameson went to correct her again when she cut him off before he could speak. "Oh come on, don't treat us like idiots. You've watched us long enough, you obviously know we aren't. Just admit it, enforcing, dirty work, same thing."

Lily covered her smile with her hand as Jameson eyebrows furrowed and he took a breathe. "Fine." He gave in. "Just go do it." He ordered.

"Now?" Hunter clarified confused. Jameson nodded.

"Yes now. Lily will be with you. Go." He directed again. They all left the room once again and directed back to there rooms to get ready. Hunter was already back in his room when Lily led Alex to hers. Lily was about to open the door when Alex grabbed her arm.

"Why were put to sleep for so long?" She questioned.

"Procedure." Lily answered simply. This didn't satisfy Alex.

"For what?" Alex's eyes narrowed.

"To break you." Lily yanked her arm from Alex's grasp when realization dawned on Alex and she stared at Lily in shock. "Now go." She opened the door.

"It didn't work did it?" Alex pushed.

"You don't remember?" Lily asked in surprise. Alex shook her head.

"Remember what?" This time it was Lily that shook her head.

"Nothing. Get ready." She directed and closed the door stopping any further conversation.

It was twenty minutes later that they were leaving the island through the portal they entered through. They were then brought to a small village in what looked like no where.

"Six." Lily announced. Alex and Hunter shared a confused look.

"Six?" Hunter questioned. Lily nodded.

"What?" Alex continued. Lily sighed.

"Six kills. Three each. Go." She answered.

"You're kidding right?" Hunter frowned.

"Not at all." Lily shook her head. "Don't care how you do it, just do it."

"Or what?" Alex countered as Lily raised an eyebrow.

"Or you won't have a choice in the matter." Lily warned vaguely.

"It's not happening." Hunter refused.

"Okay." Lily nodded and waved her wand. Only seconds later twenty wizards and witches apparated in and swarmed the village and Alex and Hunter could do nothing but watch, Lily had glued them in place. There were shouts and screaming as families ran only to be struck down with no mercy and cruelty. Homes burned and doors and windows were sealed shut leaving the people trapped inside to meet a fiery end.

They didn't stop until a once peaceful village with children running and playing was devastated and covered in roaring flames. There was not one survivor. It was only then that Alex and Hunter feet were unstuck from the ground.

"That is what happens when you don't corporate. It could've been six instead of an entire village. Next time, it may be worse." Lily grabbed onto both of them and apparated them back to the compound. They were left in their rooms for the rest of the day to think with only food.

The next they were led back to Jameson's office. "I heard about yesterday. Will it happen again?" Was his greeting. Alex and Hunter looked at each coming to a silent agreement before looking back at Jameson.

"No." They answered. Jameson nodded in approval.

"Good."

Three Days Later

"We've been running attacks and raids for three days. What's the point?" Alex question Lily as she was about to send them on another one. Lily didn't get the chance to answer when a woman came and whispered something to her. Lily nodded and answered.

"Change of plans." She directed at Alex and Hunter. "We're only hitting one village today. Let's go."

-Potter Home-

"These attacks started four days ago. At first it was only one on the first day but the entire village was decimated. The second day five villages were hit, six dead in each one. The third day, five more villages were hit with six dead in each one. And the fourth day, yesterday, five more were hit with six dead in each." Amelia explained to the group that were looking through the files.

"What's the pattern?" Harry questioned.

"Well it looks like it's going on a staggered line." Sirius observed and Amelia nodded.

"It is. And look at what the next village is." Amelia pointed.

"Ottery St Catchpole." Hermione breathed as the group all exchanged look.

When they arrived at the village of Ottery St Catchpole, people were already screaming. Sirius ran over to the nearest person.

"What happened?" He demanded.

"They-they showed up and k-killed f-fiveOf our own." The woman stammered. Sirius looked back at Amelia, Harry and Hermione.

"Five?" He clarified and the woman nodded shakily. Sirius thanked her and walked away and back over to them.

"Why only five?" Hermione wondered. It was only seconds later when Harry took off sprinting through the town. The other three were on his heels seconds later. They stopped when they arrived at a house outside of town. They heard shouting coming from the backyard and followed it.

There they spotted Luna pleading as Lily held her father at wand point. Alex and Hunter stood by watching. The group approached and Lily spotted them.

"Ah, I see you showed right on time!" Lily greeted. Harry looked to Alex with a betrayed look and Lily noticed. "Oh this isn't their faults. But they've already learned their lessons after the first day."

"Lily." Sirius held out his hand cautiously. "Don't do this." He cautioned.

"Oh I'm not. He is." Lily shoved Luna's father at Hunter who caught him and looked aghast at Lily, shaking his head vehemently.

"No. No I won't." He denied as Luna, Sirius, Amelia, Harry and Hermione could do nothing but look on.

"You either do it or you do it. Either way, it's happening."

"No." Hunter refused.

"How about you Alex?" Lily questioned only to receive the same answer.

"You know, there's a lot about Masters of Elements that isn't known." Lily address the group. "But one thing that is, is the fact that Chaos made them to be soldiers. And Chaos couldn't afford for them to fail, so Chaos made a failsafe. The one thing that can deter someone from their path is another person. Emotions. Feelings. Chaos knew that. So a precaution was made. If a Master seemed to have other obligations that consisted of emotions, Chaos would flip the switch." Lily explained as she walked around the group. "This switch was Chaos's precaution. Since they are immortal, and godly, they don't need humanity, thus a no humanity switch. To make the perfect fighter, someone with no obligations." She came back around and stood back where she had originally. "Hunter, Alex Ως κύριοι είστε απαλλαγμένοι από άλλες υποχρεώσεις." Lily announced.

It was like magic. It was magic. A wave of power rolled over the entire group as bonds were broken and it was released. Both of their eyes closed, and when they opened again, they were a shade darker yet at the same time, glowed. The glow faded and the waves of energy ceased. Lily grinned.

"Hunter, now that means nothing to you, surely you mind doing the honors?" Lily directed. Hunter looked at her before looking back at the man who was on his knees with a raised eyebrow. His eyes were cold as he reached out and grabbed the man's shoulder, hand flowing with electricity. He seized and cried out as his body convulsed with electricity before he fell forward lifeless.

"No!" Luna cried, rushing forward and skidding to a stop in front of her dad.

"Oh stop you're crying. Not like it was blood." Lily remarked and waved her hand. "Let this be a lesson. Don't try to stand in our way." She moves over to stand next to Alex and Hunter and the three disappeared into nothing leaving a sobbing Luna cradling Xeno. The rest of the group exchanged worried looks. This was not good. Not good at all.

Whatcha think? Honestly I got the switch idea from The Vampire Diaries but obviously I couldn't exactly incorporate it the same way, hope it's still good though. I like it and it will be vital obviously to the rest of the story.

Poor Luna too, right? I mean it's not her biological father but still he raised her, that would be heartbreaking.

Greek Translation – As Masters you are released from your otherworldly obligations.

Google translate was used so that may not be one hundred percent accurate but best I could do.

Hope you enjoyed! Thank you for all of the support! See ya next chapter! -DS