February 24, 1998

There was a sort of sickness in the air- a kind of unspoken dread and tension as word continued to spread about the arrest of Valencia and the growing rumors of three dead foreigners, growing wilder with each telling. The three dead were actually British and rebelling against the Ministry. The three dead killed themselves, for how could the Ministry commit murder? Suddenly, the story took a more horrific, realistic angle.

They were a rebel fraction- posing as foreigners to destabilize the Ministry.

The supposed dead were actually agents of MACUSA, stopped and killed before they could do harm to this new world that was being constructed here of pureblood superiority.

Most horrific of all- they were just civilians.

I did not know what to believe, but my hope was that it was all a wild story told by some insecure Death Eater who wanted more acclaim than merely arresting Valencia, he wanted to be a truly bloodied hero, not just an instrument of a greater conflict.

It did not take long for my hopes to be dashed, like a grand ship upon a rocky shore.

My day began peacefully, the confirmation of my fears had left me hollow, cold and terrified, ripped apart in silent ways. I did not know the identities of the dead, what would the Death Eaters care of American lives if they were associating with Valencia Talbot? What would Death Eaters know of those who were surely, good, brave people? What would they know of their humanity?

The ease of my ability to bury my thoughts through occlumency should have frightened me, but it was such an easy, natural place to be for me now. Secure in the privacy of my own mind where I could deal with my dread in peace.

The aimless murmured chatter around me helped add to my sense of isolation. I was tolerated here - not wanted.

I moved the documents, sipped the coffee I had brought into the office with me and made myself comfortable at the desk I had borrowed from a woman who was out sick. Sick meaning, she had been cornered by Yaxley for some offense and I doubted she would return.

Yaxley prowled around the room, glaring and barking at those he perceived to be frightened of him, I knew his ilk too well and refused to engage. I would allow myself that bit of dignity. I held myself to that when I felt his hard stare upon my person. It was an easy thing to nurture part of myself.

The clock struck the top of the hour.

My lunch was quiet, lonely aside from Jasmine's company, she seemed to be staying closer these days. It was an unspoken agreement to not be alone if we could help it. While this warped world was almost comfortable now, there were unspoken rules and things that neither of us cared to be caught on the backfoot about. We spoke of stupid topics, safe matters of magazines and fashion that I pretended to know about and Jasmine pretended to understand the reasoning for. We discussed the lack of goblin made jewelry on the market, even as new pieces appeared in the appropriate adverts.

Returning to the office was so rhythmic I barely noticed the prowling form of Yaxley snarling and snapping, somehow without words as the office faded to the sound of scratching quills and turning pages.

BANG!

The office jumped in frightened unison.

The main door had swung open with such force that the handle left an indent in the wall.

"YAXLEY!"

I knew that voice.

I turned to find Elihu Weathers in the doorway. His clothes were rumpled, as if he had worn them for days. There were dark shadows under his eyes. It was unsettling and unaligned with the image I had of my mentor. I felt my mind try to make sense of the image before me and fail miserably to connect the dots that did not exist.

At his flank were three American Aurors in their War-Masks, white masks with thin etchings or colored lines to give the masks the appearance of animals. On each mask, there were dark holes where the holes were supposed to be. They were chilling. Cold. Blank. Meant to hide the wearers' identity in special, secret operations. It made it more difficult for enemies to form personal grudges to hurt the families of active Aurors.

The three with Elihu were a white owl, a boar and an osprey, all of the details crafted in subtle lines. The owl in particular had the feathers outlined in a bit of silver contrasting the dark lines of the osprey mask. The boar had thin lines that looked vaguely like hair and some realistic looking tusks. All were clad in black with hoods drawn, they reminded me of the pictures I had seen of Death Eaters over the last two years with their horrible skull masks.

Most of the office scattered, finding other places to be and fleeing the office entirely through side doors- those who were frozen to their place ducked behind desks and cabinets. One woman tried to dive under her desk to hide, believing the American Aurors to be Death Eaters. I grabbed her by the back of her robes and shoved her out the door with the fleeing administrators. Elihu was usually far more sensitive about imagery, but this latest incident seemed to have rendered him beyond care.

I moved to press my back to the nearby wall and took a deep breath, calculating all the places I could hide when the reinforcements arrived to Yaxley's aid. Under the desk, out that side door with the others... I needed to see this play out. I slipped down to the floor and stayed next to the desk, my wand vibrating and humming a warning that I could not heed as it grew warm and comforting in my hands.

The dust settled in the office, I saw someone pull their foot under the desk they had thrown themselves under as the air of unease settled over the room. Dread and despair rising from the floor as the Dementors moved in agitation, sensing something amiss beyond their sight.

Yaxley raised an eyebrow, seemingly bored by this display of force inside the Ministry he practically ran. "Weathers. Explain."

There was no hesitation in Elihu, "You took an American citizen prisoner without trial! Three more are dead under the eyes of your false government! We don't like that."

By the Twelve!

The breath stopped in my chest, an icy terror rising inside of me.

Yaxley rolled his eyes, "I believe this discussion is best had with the Minister."

Elihu snorted, "You mean Thicknesse or your Dark Lord? It's the same thing and you speak for both."

How does Elihu go through life the way he does? I guess Merlin does look out for loons!

I needed to get out of here, but I was rooted to the spot, not out of fear, but out of sheer horror at everything I was seeing and hearing.

Elihu had lost his fucking mind.

Some part of me had refused to fully believe that Valencia had been arrested in the bloodbath until Elihu said it was true.

"You can't just come here and make demands," Yaxley's hand moved to his wand, the threat unspoken, but clearly stated.

The Osprey conjured a scythe and I knew exactly who was behind that mask. Quincy looked like a grim reaper and it filled me with a kind of dread that made me understand why MACUSA Aurors were so feared. There was nothing of Quincy's kind eyes and bright smile, this was Auror Graves and he had consumed my cousin- burying the boy to leave only the man with his duty and obligations in his wake.

Yaxley drew his wand and I could only hope the desk would keep me hidden.

"Graves won't stand for this!" Elihu stepped forward, a fire in his eyes and quiet, powerful fury in his voice like the growl of an animal or the the rumble of wind through the mountains. I could see a man who could rival my father in the political arena – someone who was more than bluster. A lion among sheep and a man who composed himself like a warrior king. "Return Valencia Talbot and MACUSA doesn't turn Britain into a colony!"

"A foreign agent?" Yaxley scoffed, as a fuss began at the door. Voices and horrified whispers creeping into the room.

The boar summoned a matching patronus, a massive creature, all fur and muscle who shoved its way to the door as the Owl moved closer to Elihu- clearly taking position as a line of defense.

Yaxley's voice drew me back from watching the Aurors. "No. You do not have the power to make demands of me."

"I beg to differ."

With those words from Elihu, Quincy leapt forward his scythe leaving his hands to fly independently of Quincy's input. It moved for Yaxley's neck, forcing him to the back foot as Quincy followed up on the initial assault, the movement of his wand in a circle opening a fiery portal that unleashed three hounds of hell, their fur burning and their coal black eyes searching for the target of their master's ire before breaking off. Two hounds to the door to chase back those nosy enough, or desperate enough to escape the dementors I could feel moving towards the commotion. They joined the boar patronus and its caster at the door, snapping and snarling.

The third hound was harassing Yaxley, nipping at his heels and baying death calls as it avoided Yaxley's kicks at the creature.

"MACUSA Aurors are worth ten of your Death Eaters," Elihu's anger cut through the room like a knife. "Do you want them to come and offer more clarity? We're good at killing Dark Wizards and we'd love a shot at yours."

Right, the Citizen Soldier Militias. We could call more wix to war if we felt it necessary, but the militias were generally volunteers. This would energize the people who were already committed to battle and defense of their home if MACUSA could focus them properly.

"However many there are," I could recognize the southern cadence of Quincy's voice, but it was heavily modified by the mask and the spellwork laid upon it.

There was a sudden noise from the door, a rush of light and fire from the wand of the boar - cutting through the gathered assembly beyond. The owl glanced over quickly, reassessing the danger to Elihu who just stared ahead with a look of unrestrained hatred on his face.

Yaxley found his stride, killed the summoned hound with a blasting curse that shook the room, returning the hound to embers before firing off a spell at Quincy, who conjured a shield to deflect the assault before lobbing it at Yaxley, who ducked down and fired a cruciatus curse at my cousin. Quincy stepped aside, avoiding the spell and created an iron circle in the air – a golden hand flew out of the circle to snatch at Yaxley who avoided it with a curse. Clearly confused and shocked at what had just tried to grab him.

I was a bit confused too, that looked like something Quincy learned from his mother - different from the hounds, which I was also unfamiliar with. Hm, Aunt Araminta would share her magical secrets with her danger seeking son.

Suddenly, Yaxley glanced over in my direction to find me peeking out from behind the desk and I barely had time to react

I was forced off my feet with the force of a torture curse so powerful I flew across the room, my skin burning on the carpet from the speed. I did not remember screaming, but I did not have to remember to know what I did. I only knew that I was in pain and I had not started my journey at the wall I was now laying against.

The other workers who had dove behind their desks took this opportunity to leave, running past me without a glance as they did so. I could not say I blamed them. I was known to be a particular target of Yaxley's.

I had been through this before.

Just stay calm and-

I was suddenly flying across the room. My leg hit a desk as I flew past it, I hit the ground to be dragged across the carpet. There were going to be rug burns on my arms from where they had moved up to protect my face and head.

When I stopped, I was at Yaxley's feet and understood that my curiosity had put me in a position of bargaining chip and victim.

Staying calm was the best thing I could do. I was being used to threaten and intimidate. Fall in line – act scared but keep thinking ahead. Focus on other things.

I have done this before.

I survived.

I will do it again.

My eyes came back into focus and I could see Quincy caressing the scythe that was back in his hands and looking half-frozen and tense with suppressed energy as he stared at me, a birdish tilt to his head.

I don't know why he came. Did he ask? Did he come to drag me out of here? A cousin would have more leeway to do so than Elihu would as a diplomat. Who would come with Quincy for that? My eyes drifted over to the other two Aurors, the smaller one in the boar mask... That had to be Cassandra. She would never let Quincy do something like this alone. Then the owl... Auror Mankiller! He's fond of Cassandra and Quincy, Auror Hanlon would be back at the Embassy preparing in case everything went out of hand or leading a second party somewhere else.

That made perfect sense.

"Miss Graves," Yaxley's voice was low and dangerous. His appearance was bedraggled and scruffy from the duel with my cousin. "How curious to find you here."

I kept my face impassive and tried not to look at Elihu or the Aurors, who I knew were frozen at this sudden shift in power dynamics.

"Yaxley…" I staggered to my knees, only to have Yaxley press the tip of his wand to my neck. When I instinctively recoiled, Yaxley grabbed my hair and held me in place, pressing the wand deeper into my neck.

Steady, Audrey.

"How about you tell your father's men how effective the Ministry is without the Mudbloods? How much safer the President's daughter is?"

By the Twelve, I was going to make this as uncomfortable for Yaxley as I could manage.

I could feel myself panicking quietly, shaking uncontrollably as Yaxley yanked me back by hair and shoved me forward, keeping me unbalanced by treating me like a yo-yo, yanking me back and forth by my hair.

"Come now, Miss Graves, surely you want your father to know you're safe."

By the Twelve, I was going to make this as uncomfortable for Yaxley as I could manage.

"I'm far from safe right now."

The next casting of the cruciatus curse was almost worth it.

Quincy lurched forward as I twitched on the floor, tears running down my face and my throat raw and pained from my screams. The noise must have echoed through the floor because I could hear people being shooed away behind the Aurors at the open door they came through. I could see a flash of red hair pulling someone away from the door. I didn't think it was Percy...

"You must be Quinton Graves."

Quincy turned away from me slightly to silently face Yaxley, his mask hiding his expression. This was the sort of situation my cousin's false surname had been created for, but that protection was clearly gone.

"I've heard many stories about your family." Yaxley started, his arrogance coming through at all of the weaknesses being displayed before him when he had been so powerless before. "Ruthless hunters of the Dark Arts," I heard the smile in Yaxley's voice. "How many have died in that pursuit?"

"Not as many as we killed," Quincy's voice was low, a contralto of danger and implicit, unspoken promises as he moved to shield me from Yaxley's sight. "We're very good at it."

I could see Cassandra moving forward slightly from the door, she was tense like a cat and ready to pounce as her boar patronus guarded the door with heavy footfalls and several tosses of its head, the dark cloth of a dementor scaring away any remaining lurking employees. Mankiller had shifted slightly, his wand held loosely at his hip ready to snipe Yaxley if given a chance. Elihu stared at this scene with an unreadable expression.

"See, here's how I see it." Yaxley started, his voice low, threatening and commanding control of the room. "President Graves has more to lose than I do, a daughter, a nephew, I'm sure the son is still running around somewhere."

My chest grew cold in dread.

"I have no reason to let you all live if Graves decides to come pay a visit- if he does, I can return the daughter in one piece, several, or a drooling, mad mess like the Longbottoms. That all depends on how this entourage leaves today."

Elihu inhaled slowly as he faced Yaxley, his eyes moved over to me- quietly seeking my opinion, permission for what to do next.

"Graves will never stand for this, Yaxley. MACUSA will come one way or another and there will be blood for this."

I wanted to tell Elihu to kill him. Let MACUSA come, let my father avenge the horrors with the might of wizards who stood a chance in fighting this tyranny. Let the Thames run red with the blood of purists and the monsters who aided them to power.

But Valencia would die. She would just be another number for the Azkaban guards, lesser for a lack of value on the political stage. I would not allow her to become a sacrifice for Magical America's bloodlust. My death would motivate Jack. Valencia's death would push the people further, but her imprisonment made her a symbol, a martyr, and would buy time to plan an assault and her rescue.

Instead, I shook my head.

Surrender. Leave. Fight another day.

Elihu made a noise, gesturing with his hand for the Americans to stand down.

The Ministry Aurors swarmed the room- Cassandra must have been acting as a deterrent.

Elihu began cursing in Yiddish as the Ministry Aurors grabbed him, shoving him and his entourage out the door. Quincy and Elihu were struggling, trying to get to me. To bring me with them to someplace safer than the Ministry and the watchful eye of Yaxley.

My vision grew fuzzy and the last thing I saw before I fainted was Elihu's arm reaching back through the door, shoving past the Aurors and past Yaxley who were forcing him out the shattered door as he tried to come back through the door to get to me one last time. Yaxley punched Elihu in the nose, blood coating the white carpet and spraying onto the door frame.

The darkness washed over me- empty and cold.

I awoke to Percy hovering over me in the empty office, his hands on my face and muttering to himself as he rattled his way through healing spells.

"...Hurts."

"Yes, I know." Percy breathed, squeezing my hand as one Amelia Waldrope entered the room. She was breathless and sweaty from her rush across the Ministry at the word of what had happened. "We're going to take you home."

"Sounds nice..." The jaw pain was new, I filed that away as an interesting side effect to ponder later.

"There's not many people left in the Ministry," Amelia said quietly as Percy worked his arm under my shoulders to help me sit up. I put my arm over his shoulders for better support, wincing and whimpering as I did so from the burning in my muscles.

"...How long was… I…?" I was not sure anyone heard me, the words so quiet I was surprised I could hear them myself.

I was having a hard time focusing on Percy's face, he looked scared and being the cause of that tore at the part of my mind that was still in the present. The furrow of his brow and the way his freckles popped off his skin as he had paled with horror. I must look a fright.

"I should think not!" Percy retorted, ignoring my vague uttering before turning back to me to croon in my ear. "I've got you, love. You'll be alright."

I allowed my head to rest against his neck and shoulder. A quiet kind of apology for getting Percy caught up in this and sheer inability to hold my head up much longer.

"You don't understand," Amelia's voice dropped even lower. "It's Weathers..."

That brought me back, "Wha'?"

Amelia bit her lip. "They ambushed the MACUSA Diplomat once he got out of the Ministry."

"No..."

Assassins.

Oo0Oo0

Author's Note: The Auror Animal Masks are generally used for covert operations for highly trained individuals in official capacities, they do have another mask which is blank for more solumn occasions. The aurors can see out as if they are not wearing a mask, but no one can see past the mask when it's on. The owl is Onacona Mankiller, the Boar is Cassandra Barebone and Quincy is the Osprey. It's a callback to animal totem ideas of North America, many Aurors have a preference for the form their patronus takes, if they can cast one, others use a favorite animal or one that is not represented in the squad.