The Ties that Bind the Soul (unedited)

by TheL0sts0uls

Feeling empty in the aftermath of the War and seeing the hypocrisy of the survivors of the OotP, Harry vanishes from the world. Years later, as old and new dangers surface, many still search for him, including Gabrielle Delacour, who tries to find her own path in the world, all the while a figure tries to live a peaceful life in the French countryside. Trans Harry Potter.

5. Chapter 42-51

Chapter 42: For Home and Country

"Keep those bastards back! Damn it, where are my wardmasters! What's the situation with the wards?" One of the Goblins approached the Viceroy as he peaked over the desks that separated the patrons of the bank from its tellers. He imagined that the Neo Death Eaters, or whatever they called themselves, were quite surprised to find that the wooden desks were taking quite a beating from their curses with little damage to show for it. While most Gringotts Districts were more concerned about the possible outbreak of rebellions, none were under the illusion that there weren't any threats to the lives of Goblins from outside of the Bank itself. It was why the massive steel doors and the wooden desks were all crafted to be exceedingly spell resistant. Unfortunately, the Death Eaters had managed to disable the wards and the locking mechanism for the doors. The doors themselves were designed to be heavy enough that no natural force could move them, and resistant enough that no wandwavers would ever be able to open them via spells. Sadly, since the attack caught them all by surprise, the doors weren't able to be closed before the attacks occurred, and the Goblins were having a hard time pushing out towards the front where the mechanical gears were located that could seal the doors manually. The bastards in black cloaks and skull masks had managed to set up their own defences just inside the bank, and were attempting to break through, though their attempts had so far failed, at the cost of a few brave Goblins.

The young Goblin that was acting as a messenger spoke to his Viceroy as soon as he was safely below the edge of the desk. "They are working on the wards, but they are having a hard time establishing control over the repeaters, particularly those along the door." Ragnar grumbled. "I have a sneaking suspicion that this difficulty is intentional. Very well, tell them to continue working on it." A Goblin shouted. "Down!" A spell shot past the diminutive creatures as they all dropped onto the ground and covered themselves as magic raced past the desks and struck the marble relief, raining stone fragments on the heads of those that had been in range of the blast. The sight of the ruined marble carving only further infuriated the Goblins, as that had gained greater value and, by extension, pride, as it had only been possible to carve it from a single solid slab of marble thanks to their beloved Champion. As the fighting grew more fierce as Goblins returned the NDEs spells with thrown spears, crossbow bolts and knives, while the guards tried to move forward with their shields raised in formation, only to struggle with the heavier blasts of Magic, Ragnar knew that his forces were unlikely to turn the tide without backup. He had sent out a distress message to the other districts, but even he knew that it took time to prepare an assault force capable of withstanding a heavy magical bombardment. Goblins were capable mages themselves, but their lack of access to foci meant that most of their magic was limited to short range spells or even contact based ones.

As he was about to call out his guards to reconfigure into a heavier formation, he caught a light out of the corner of his eye, as the portkey relay point flaired to life, only to reveal a tall slab of black metal with angles designed to redirect attacks away from the center. A few of the cloaked figures aimed their wands at it and lit it up with curses and spells, only for the metal to seemingly dispel or absorb all of them. A smile grew on Ragnar's face. He knew of only one person who could have commissioned a shield with said magical attributes. Her voice was like stepping into a warm bath after a long day at work. "Champion Peverell here in response to your distress message. Gringotts Paris is preparing to send reinforcements. Have your forces take up a defensive position, Viceroy Ragnar. I will deal with these intruders quickly." As soon as she finished speaking, Ragnar and the other Goblins watched as the black shield launched itself across the bank, passing through the opened double doors and into the lobby, smashing into a Neo Death Eater who had stepped out of cover, sending him flying out of the bank's main entrance and likely tumbling down the front stairs. The other cloaked figures soon found themselves right on the front line as Elysia took visible form, the witch having launched herself with the shield into the attacking force, her blade turning with her body and decapitating the closest enemy, all in a single action.

As the Goblins reorganized, Elysia watched as several more Neo Death Eaters entered the bank through the main entrance, as she sensed a battle on the other side, probably involving the Aurors considering how valuable Diagon Alley was. Knowing that she needed to end this quickly, Elysia swung her body around towards the mechanical lever, blocking every spell aimed at her with her shield, her three companions cackling in her head at how arrogant the enemies of their Mistress were to think that she could be felled so easily. Every spell that struck the shield did more than just dissipate as was expected of the curses that were designed to hit non-living tissue. With the shield connected to her magic, Elysia could literally capture the spells as they came in contact with it and absorb the remaining magic, adding it to her own. With one heavy swing of her blade, she unleashed a cutter designed to rend flesh and cloth, drawing screams of pain from every cloaked figure between her and her target. Having successfully disabled everyone in her path, Elysia reached the manual valve for the doors, throwing her sword at a Death Eater that peaked over from behind a pillar and impaling them, taking a brief moment to remove her glove, carve a thin line across her palm with her dagger, before gripping the control valve. Having more than enough practice controlling her sword, Elysia was able to use her blood as a conduit between her and the valve, forcing it to turn even as she stepped away from it, summoning her sword back into her now free and healed, glove-covered hand as she took a defensive position.

With the doors closing, the smarter Neo Death Eaters tried to escape, only to quickly realize how bad of an idea it was for them to get into an exposed position within sight of the Goblin Nation's champion. Drawing Macha with her left hand, as the shield was attached to her forearm, Elysia unleashed a stream of piercers and cutters, tearing through everyone foolish enough to think that Gringotts would give them the opportunity to flee. In her initial attack, Elysia had seen the corpses of her fellow citizens, all mangled and resting on pools of blood all along the lobby floor. Whatever chance of offering mercy had evaporated from Elysia's mind, as she would etch it into the very lives and deaths of the Neo Death Eaters that Gringotts and all Goblins were not to be targeted, unless you were willing to die for it. As the cloaked figures that remained inside realized that the exit had become a death trap as the massive doors slowly drew closed, Elysia placed herself with the door at her back, bating a curse that had been cast from the outside away, before unleashing a Bombarda at the position where she felt the Death Eaters were all grouped together, scattering them onto the steps of the bank for the Aurors to deal with. When the doors slammed shut, Elysia looked at the rabble of cloaked figures that remained. "As tempting as it might be to simply cut you all down, I will adhere to the rules of honor and warfare and offer you all the chance to surrender."

One of the Death Eaters uttered a familiar set of two words as a green curse raced towards her face, though all Elysia had to do was intercept it with a swing of her sword. With barely a flicker of her blade, a cutting curse sailed across the distance back at the idiot that tried to kill her, lobbing off his head with relative ease. A few took notice of the display and tossed their wands away before lying down on the ground with their hands held behind their heads. The others that hesitated soon found Elysia right in their faces, her sword either impaled through their hearts, or cutting through their necks. The last group wisely dropped to the ground with expediency, their wands clattering across the damaged marble floor. After casting a few piercers at some cheeky Neo Death Eaters who had being hiding behind pillars or desks, Elysia called over the Goblin Guards, who were not at all gentle as they strapped suppression cuffs on the survivors and practically dragged them away towards the portkey relay point so they could be deposited in the prison sector. Taking a second to clean up her sword and knife and storing them away, Elysia strapped her shield onto her back and began pulling vials out of her belt's pockets, going from body to body, hoping to save any survivors. When she neared one Goblin body, however, her heart felt as if it was made from lead. "No, no, no, no. Dredhook, don't you die on me."

The grievously injured Goblin opened his eyes as some of his vitality was restored with the blood restorative potion she dumped into his mouth. He offered his former student a weak smile. "I had a feeling… that I would be seeing you… again… one last time." Elysia shook her head as tears threatened to escape her eyes. "This can't be the last. Come on, old man, you still have plenty of trainees to prepare. Please, don't you die on me!" As Elysia dumped healing potions onto the wounds, she noticed that they had little effect, realizing that they were created by a curse. She screamed. "Healers! I need a Healer Here now. I am losing him!" She found her trembling hand gripped by her mentor, his smile never leaving his body. "Elysia… Thank you… for everything that you did… you brought glory and pride to Londinium… and restored honor to me and my clan." She watched as his eyes grew dull, his words growing faint. "I go… to the Great Earth Mother… feeling that I can stand… proud with my forefathers. For that… and so much more… Thank you… my friend…" What strength the Goblin had faded as his hand slipped onto the ground, just as the Healer reached his side. The Goblin in the white and red coat shook his head. "I am sorry, Champion Peverell. He was too far gone." For a few seconds the entire lobby of Gringotts London was silent, before everyone present felt as if a weight was sudden placed on their very souls, the air filled with a magic so dense that some even struggled to breath, until the feeling passed… and the stillness was broken by the screams of a woman who had just lost another life she held dear.

Ragnar watched on, his hand on his heart, as did all of the other Goblins that could stand and were not attending to the other wounded, after receiving word that the wardmasters would soon have the wards restored. Dredhook had never been a popular Goblin amongst their ranks, though he was well regarded as a capable soldier and warrior. When the crimes Griphook perpetrated became widely known, the warrior had felt the dishonor weigh upon his heart and had taken on his brother's sins upon himself, working the mines to pay back what was owed to their community. That he had been assigned to watch over Harry Potter had been done in hopes that together they could atone for the same sins. It surprised all when Harry decided to pursue training in the art of armed combat, choosing his roommate over the District's Battlemaster. Still, the decision clearly served both well, as Harry grew as a warrior and Dredhook was able to return to his roots as a soldier. His heroics in the rebellion earned Dredhook the commutation of his own punishment… and the achievements of his student earned him the respect and adoration of his fellow Goblins. It had taken years, but he had finally distinguished himself as a loyal Goblin and capable warrior. Now, in the wake of another attack against the sovereignty of the Goblin Nation, the Goblin that had known dishonor had found his end, though even Ragnar knew that he had probably held on until he was certain that Gringotts Londinium was safe. As Elysia mourned the loss of her friend, the Goblins swore to afford him all the honors befitting a warrior of his caliber. Nothing less would do.

"Careful Minister. We still haven't repaired the damage as we are still gathering all the evidence on scene." Kingsley nodded as he walked along with Head Auror Podmore as they made their way through the damaged streets of Diagon Alley. The place reminded the former Auror of the damaged remnants of Hogwarts during the final battle of the last war, with most of the buildings sporting damaged façades. Of all the areas in Wizarding Britain, Diagonal Alley had been one that the Ministry had focused on restoring to its previous glory in the aftermath of Voldemort's Second Wizarding War, as the place had been relatively abandoned and wrecked in the interim years, with shops like Ollivanders and Madam Malkins having suffered the most damage. Immediately after the war, funds had been provided to get the businesses up and running again. Ollivanders, unfortunately, took quite a few years to open again, as the Death Eaters had stolen all of the wands that the wandmaker family had been stockpiling for centuries, many of which were destroyed in the conflict. The elder wandmaker had apparently retreated to his old family home, using most of the provided funds to purchase wand making supplies, before dedicating his time to training his son, Gerald, who would be his heir and replacement upon his death. According to the old Wandmaker, half of the wands in his store had been made by his son, who had taken over the management of the business whilst Ollivander completed his instruction on how to match a wand to a witch or wizard.

Said storefront had its glass shattered and its desk blackened, though it seemed as if the damage was minimal as the two Ollivanders were busy cleaning it up, though the use of curses would mean they would have to replace some wooden panels with new ones. Whilst Malkins opened far more quickly, since she kept a decent supply of textiles and excess clothes at a warehouse elsewhere, the first few years had been really brutal for her business, as there were very few families who were willing to trust sending their students to Hogwarts. Flourish and Blotts, Eeylops Owl Emporium, Magical Menagerie and Florence Fortescue's Ice Cream all struggled to get back on their feet as many families elected to homeschool their students. Ironically, this resulted in an even spread of what students went to Hogwarts, most being Muggleborns as they would lose the ability to perform magic if they didn't get a proper education, with the Ministry not being able you afford getting them all private tutors, or the children from prominent magical families, as these believed that not sending their students to Hogwarts would tarnish their reputation. McGonagall had been complaining that the tension between the students had been ramping up again so soon after the war, as many were the late born children of those who survived the first conflict. As he neared his destination, walking past corpses that lay covered under black cloths as the Aurors interviewed the witnesses or next of kin, Kingsley noticed one of the shops that had a better time recovering.

Next to the Apothecary, Magical Clinics and Quality Quidditch Supplies, the latter of which had been propped up by the heightened popularity of the Quidditch League games after the war, the only other business that had been booming was Weasley's Wizard Wheezes. The joke shop managed by George Weasley had fared well as an owl delivery service during the war and had been able to re-establish itself in the Alley with relative ease, a place where wizards and witches of all ages could go to find supplies for any occasion that could use a laugh. The proprietor was currently outside with his wife as they talked to one of the Aurors, his shop façade having taken a far more brutal beating compared to the others, which wasn't surprising considering his previous affiliations to Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. Receiving a nod from the tall redhead, Kingsley nodded back, as he listened to Sturgis' report. "First Senior Auror on the scene was Susan Bones, who had been just outside of the Leaky Cauldron before the attack took place. She managed to direct the civilians into the Cauldron by keeping the Death Eaters on the other end of the Alley, before Finnigan, Davis and Pucey arrived to back her up. The rest of the Aurors came up from Knockturn Alley and the two groups were able to pin the NDEs against Gringotts, which Bones believed had been the primary target all along. Bones!"

Susan looked up from her notes before taking the dicta quill and parchment and thanking the witness she had been interviewing. She walked over to Kingsley. "Minister. Sorry we haven't gotten the street cleaned up. We got reports of NDEs doing indiscriminate attacks on a few tighter knit communities across the island and had to deploy a few more Aurors to look into them and chase any NDEs back into their holes." Shacklebolt nodded. "Understandable. Sturgis' tells me you believe they're real target was Gringotts. Can you tell me why you believe that and what happened at the bank?" Susan gestured at the bodies lying just outside of the Bank. "While reports of the NDEs attacking started coming in from the entire Alley, the area around the bank had the highest casualty rates on both civilians and attackers alike. The NDEs had managed to get the doors of Gringotts to remain open for longer than was expected and we believe there was a protracted battle in the lobby, before the doors were sealed up tight. We still haven't heard from the Goblins and have been waiting for you to arrive. I am sure that the Bank staff would be willing to open up for you… assuming they are still in control." Kingsley chuckled. "If the NDEs had control of the bank, they would be making demands to the Ministry, and so far we have heard nothing." Susan nodded. "That was my deduction, but I didn't want to dismiss the worst possible outcome. We did see a blasting curse strike the group of NDEs that had been standing outside of the Bank before the doors closed and the NDEs all fled after that, so we are leaning more towards a Gringotts victory."

The group made their way up the stairs towards the door, before they used the large metal knockers to see if anyone would respond. They waited for a few minutes, with Susan noticing Goblins peering at them from windows on the second floor, before the massive iron doors were pulled open, with two very heavily armed full plate guards standing at either side. "Identify yourselves." After providing their identification, a runner was sent to fetch the Director of the Bank, who walked up to them, allowing the small group to pass through the doors, which then were closed behind them, to Susan's silent concern. Inspecting the interior, it was clear that the Goblins hadn't begun cleaning up the damage, though there was a distinct lack of Goblin bodies, with the only corpses visible being a haphazard stack of cloaked figures. The director gave them a brief, very brief, summary of what had occurred at the bank, saying that after extraordinary effort, the citizens of Gringotts locked the entrance and captured all the survivors. Kingsley gestured at the bodies. "The DMLE will take back the corpses and the prisoners." Ragnar gestured at the corpses with disgust. "Those you can take without issue in due time, after we have identified them as part of our own investigation, as they paid for their crimes with their lives. The prisoners, however, attacked and killed Goblins on sovereign territory and were arrested within our walls. They will be judged and sentenced by our laws." Kingsley sighed. "Director Ragnar, I understand that you wish to punish those that attacked you, but they are not Goblins. They should be judged by Wizarding Law."

The Director stared at the Minister. "What will be the Ministry's response to this vile act of terrorism?" Kingsley gestured at his Aurors. "The DMLE has its best Aurors on the case and we promise to Gringotts that we will bring those responsible to justice." The diminutive creature grumbled. "So more of the same hollow words. This we expected. Your request to have the prisoners surrendered into your custody is denied. You will make any further requests under the treaty guidelines, though all exchanges will hinge on the elimination of this threat to the stability of this region. Failure to comply will not be tolerated." Podmore began to reach for his wand, but Susan stilled his hand. "Look around you, you moron. They just got attacked. Did you think they aren't ready to turn you into a pin cushion?" Seeing the rows of Guards who had suddenly lowered their spears and Halbert into thrusting stances, the wizard wisely lowered his hand. The redhead then turned to the Director and bowed her head. "My apologies for my colleague's action. He is a bit too overconfident to recognize your command of the situation." Her words made the Goblin smirk. "Apology accepted, Auror Bones. Your Aunt seems to have guided you well." The Goblin Guards returned their polearm weapons to attention, their eyes staring at Podmore with barely contained anger. Kingsley nodded at Susan in thanks for defusing the situation, before turning to look at Ragnar. "Director, you need to understand that the Ministry is seriously understaffed at the moment. We don't have the means to locate the NDEs, let alone contain them."

A man's voice with a New York accent was heard by those present. "Well, it's a good thing we are here then, Minister. Since you aren't willing to handle the situation… we will just have to do it ourselves." As the group turned to look at the new arrivals that came from within the Bank, Kingsley frowned. "Jacob King. I believe I already made it clear that we will not be authorizing the ICW Aurors to interfere in an internal matter." The man wearing a white and blue robe smiled at the Minister, before handing him a letter. "Which is why we looked elsewhere. On behalf of the Prime Minister and Her Majesty the Queen, the Ministry of Magic's authority to govern over the British Magical Community is hereby rescinded and my forces have been granted permission to conduct its investigation and intervention in regards to the Neo Death Eater threat." Kingsley took the letter and read through it. "This… this impossible. They can't strip us of our authority!" Jacob shrugged. "I am afraid that they can. Your Ministry and the Wizengamot exist and govern on behalf of the Crown and its ruling council, which is the Parliament in this day and age. Without their support, you have no means to enforce your authority. Now, we don't really need you to step down, as there are tasks that the Ministry needs to perform so that the common citizen's lives are unaffected, so you are permitted to maintain the bureaucratic apparatus, but as of this moment, the DMLE falls under our authority."

Jacob looked over at the Aurors that were accompanying the Minister. "We will be paying a visit to your department as soon as we are situated and reviewing your personnel files. Those who can be trusted will take part in leading the intervention against the NDEs, while those who refuse to cooperate or have divided loyalties will be focusing on maintaining security. Make sure you inform your fellow Aurors when you return to your offices." Jacob turned to Director Ragnar and placed his hand over his heart and bowed his head. "The ICW would like to offer its apologies for being unable to resolve this crisis prior to the Goblin Nation's suffering at the hands of these terrorists. My arrival here came with the authorization of your fellow Viceroy. With your authorization, we would like to be able to use your network as a resource supply base and personnel transport. We have sent the necessary requests to your Sovereign and await a response." Ragnar looked around as he noticed the Goblins awaiting his words. He sighed. "While I will defer to the Sovereign's judgment, it is my wish to see the organization responsible for the deaths and injuries of my kin to be brought to justice… or to face our vengeance. If you can assist us in this, Gringotts London will provide you with the necessary support to see it done."

Giving Kingsley a brief glare and growl, the Viceroy of Londinium turned and walked away from the human, stopping beside one of the Guards. "As soon as ICW Auror King dismisses the Ministry delegation, please escort them out of the premises." He then turned to the Minister one last time. "Please inform the general public that Gringotts will be closed for several days. If individuals need access to their funds, direct them to visit a Londinium National Bank in the non-magical world. They will be informed and able to handle some minor monetary withdrawals." Kingsley looked away from the goblin and focused on Jacob. "I will speak to the Minister and the Queen. This… outrage will not stand." Jacob chuckled. "I am sure it will, but do go ahead and make a greater fool of yourself. Meanwhile, we will be doing what you should have done nearly a decade ago." Turning, Kingsley gestured for his Aurors to follow, with the Goblins pulling open the door before closing it shut. Podmore walked up closer to the Minister. "What would you like us to do?" Shacklebolt stopped and looked at the streets before him, before sighing. "Just… carry out your duties as usual while I try to get this revocation rescinded. Bones, I want you working the case and getting the official events mapped out before we brief the community. Do not publish nor mention anything regarding this… situation… to anyone. Understand?" Susan nodded, but made sure to not say a word. After all, words had magic of their own, so if she wanted to avoid any repercussions while breaking Kingsley's order… Well, it was better safe than sorry.

With a sponge filled with soap and water, Elysia carefully washed away the blood and grime from her trainer's skin under the supervision of his family and the embalmers. The death of a warrior of the Goblin Nation was not followed by a quick placement in a casket and sealed away in the mausoleum. For one who lived and died honorably, special care was taken to ensure that his body was well prepared prior to burial. While the sight of her friend laying unmoving on a stone altar caused Elysia great pain, she wanted to honour him as was expected of someone who had studied or served under another in Goblin customs. As the healers had been preparing to take his body down to the morgue that sat just outside of the Londinium Mausoleum, Elysia had asked to accompany the corpse to its destination and for Ragnar to contact the hook Clan and ask permission to attend to the teacher's body. The hook Clan and Elysia had usually stayed apart, as they somewhat blamed Harry Potter for giving Griphook the motivation to dishonor himself, though the honor she helped to bring to Dredhook had been enough to establish some measure of cordiality between them, so they agreed to her request. At the cleansing chamber, Elysia and Dredhook's squad members removed his damaged equipment and clothes, with the others taking care of washing his lower body, as Elysia washed his face and shoulders. His family would step forward after they were done to wash his abdomen, while the embalmer handled the physical wounds, as these were required to stay visible, though cleaned out and closed as was possible.

As the embalmers moved the body to the next chamber to process it prior to burial so as to guarantee a slow and delicate decomposition, Elysia joined the squad mates as they cleaned his equipment. While Dredhook did own a set of full plate armour, it was customary for a warrior to be buried in the same armour that they died in, meaning he would be wearing a lighter set that was appropriate for supervisors who were in charge of observing customers for any signs of foul play, the equipment meant to be hidden under a Goblin's typical business suit clothes. As Dredhook wasn't an accountant or a bank employee, he would only be wearing the armour that he had worn underneath. Treating and cleaning the blood from leather wasn't a novel experience for Elysia, though it did make her think of Gabrielle. She could imagine that her girlfriend was probably worried about her, particularly since she had been required to return to Britain to assist with the defence of Londinium. Elysia would have to call her and let her know as soon as she was free to ease her mind. For now, though, she had a role to complete, as she took Dredhook's sword and gave it a simple clean, before approaching a sharpening wheel kept in the chamber for just these occasions. While being in the grace of the Great Earth Mother was believe to portend a peaceful afterlife, there was a saying amongst the Goblins that no soldier or guard should ever be without their blades sharpened, just in case the Great Earth Mother saw fit for the warrior to serve her in their capacity against some threat she deemed worthy.

Once the blade was sharpened to the level Dredhook had taught her, Elysia then proceeded to clean the blade far more thoroughly, before carrying out a similar inspection of the scabbard. Once all the metal details were polished to perfection, she sheathed the blade and placed it next to the cleaned armour, before waiting for the embalmer to finish. Usually when waiting for the body to be ready for final dressing and presentation in its casket, the parties involved in the process would enter the Mausoleum and pray to the sculpture of the Great Earth Mother, which the others were now doing. As she was not an adherent of the faith, Elysia decided that the only way she could be respectful was if she meditated, so she conjured herself a pillow to kneel upon before bowing her head as she entered into a meditative state similar to what Dredhook had helped her achieve before. In this frame of mind she could feel the other families around her gathered in similar chambers as they prepared and mourned the loss of their loved ones as well. The attack on the Gringotts entrance and lobby had resulted in the loss of the two guards that stood outside of the entrance doors, those that stood inside, the secretaries that directed the customers, a section of the tellers and the guards that came to their rescue. All in all, over twenty Goblins had perished, with several more injured in the Medical Wing, though they were at the very least recovering. She could feel that there was some lingering anger in the people around her, but thankfully Ragnar's words in the lobby had satisfied their call for blood. Gringotts London would have its revenge.

For now, though, it was a time of mourning for those involved. As Elysia thought about how deeply she would miss Dredhook, Anand whispered in her mind, offering to raise him from the dead for her to commune with. Though it had been tempting for all of a second, Elysia declined. She knew that the process of raising the spirits of the dead to speak with was a painful one for the spirits themselves. Using Anand's power might have been possible and Elysia had considered it many times to summon her parents, Sirius or anyone else, but deep inside she knew that in order for her to move past her pain and loss, she needed to accept the fact that all those people were gone and that she would have to blaze her own path through life, all on her own. She might be willing and happy to raise the dead of enemies to gain some strategic benefit, as well as to force upon them a measure of punishment, but she would never use her power on the ones she loved. Anand, as expected, was disappointed, though Elysia did get her to feel better after she offered to raise the spirits of the dead Neo Death Eaters, in order to see what information the deceased could provide Gringotts, whether they were willing or not. Eventually, after several hours, the body of Dredhook was brought back to the altar, where Elysia and the others dressed him up in his armour, before the body was then led in procession through the Mausoleum.

While Elysia would have loved to be one of the bearers for Dredhook, the fact that she towered over the others would have made it an awkward procession. So, whilst the squad members carried their fallen leader on an exposed platform, Elysia walked in the front holding one of the many crystals that the bereaved carried as the body was led to its position amongst the section reserved for warriors of the Goblin Nation. His body was lowered into one of the many solid marble caskets that rested flush against the mausoleum's wall, where it would lay in wake until the last of the bereaved would pay their respects, before it would be slid into its position on the wall, one more body of a soldier who perished in battle among countless others. In a show of respect to every Goblin that died in the attack, Elysia would stand in mourning before every open casket for the next few hours, before ultimately ending her vigil with Dredhook, his sword resting in his hands across his stomach and over his legs. She remained perfectly still, even as the presence of one of her friends came closer. "Your prompt arrival saved a lot of lives today." Elysia felt that her mouth was dry, and even her eyes ached after crying so much. "Has His Majesty made a decision?" Golstrud walked to her side, his hands clasped at his waist. "He has. You have been authorized to engage the enemy until their organization lies in ruins. Who lives and who dies… will be at your discretion." Elysia stared at the body of her friend lying before her. The Death Eaters had gone on for years committing their acts of terror without facing any consequences. Harry had left the island to its own fate. Now… Elysia wouldn't leave until everything was set right.

"Get those Blood Replenishing Potions here now! We have wounded." The Neo Death Eaters scattered within their base of operations, those involved in the attacks on Diagon Alley and Gringotts tossing their cloaks and masks everywhere, as they tended to their injured, while those who hadn't been involved moved about, bringing over potions for every type of injury they may have suffered. Unlike with a standard group of Magical combatants, the Neo Death Death Eaters lacked any properly trained Healers, just like their predecessors. This wasn't a surprise, as those who understood magic recognized that the primary personality trait needed for a magic user to be a Healer was empathy, and that emotion was in short supply amongst their numbers. As such they were forced to rely on Potions for any sort of injuries acquired during combat. This presented some issues whenever they came across enemies that didn't hesitate to use curses against them, as any curses that inhibited the natural healing of a witch or wizard would also inhibit the effects of potions. Ever since the NBO began to fight back with curses, the NDEs had been struggling to handle the damage caused upon themselves, having to rely on Healers sympathetic to their cause when it came to their more seriously injured. At first that hadn't been an issue, but with the changing behavior of the British Magical populace, even going to a Healer was now practically impossible.

As vials were passed around and emptied into the mouths of the wounded, one of the cloaked figures that hadn't taken part in the attack walked along the injured, looking around. "What happened at Gringotts? Did anyone make it back?" One of the Death Eaters responded to the woman's query. "Over here! We have one who was in the Bank." The female Death Eater made her way to them, noticing that one of the Death Eaters was holding his arm as if it was broken, his breaths labored, as the other Death Eater waved his wand over him. "His arm is shattered in two pieces, his ribs are cracked and broken as well, and I am seeing damage to his skull and back." One of the others grunted. "Not surprising, considering what he went through. The man was launched right out of the bank and landed on the steps leading down to the Alley. We all thought he was dead until he started screaming in pain." The wizard with his wand out turned to look at the cloaked witch. "If you're going to ask him questions, do it now, otherwise he will be drowning in potions to stabilize his condition." The witch leaned over. "What happened in there?" After a few labored breaths, the man responded. "We managed to sabotage the wards, but it didn't go exactly to plan. There must have been… a mechanism or something that was triggered that locked all the other entrances. Thankfully we managed to keep the front doors open and had gotten a foothold in the bank. The Goblins tried to repel us constantly but we held out."

He then grunted. "Then something happened in the back. A bright light. We slammed it with curses but we couldn't see if we landed any hits. The next thing I know is that there was this… black metal object heading straight for me. Smashed right into me without me being able to do anything. I… think that was how I was launched out of the Bank. After that, I can't remember much." The Death Eater was given potions to alleviate his pain as another that was close to him spoke up. "After he was launched out, a few of us surged towards the doors, but we didn't see much of what was happening inside. Then the doors started closing again. Those of us that had been holding the Aurors back in the Alley noticed some spells cutting down our people as they tried to flee before a black cloaked figure stood with their back turned to the doors. We sent a curse their way but nothing happened. We then got blasted by a powerful Bombarda. By the time we were picking ourselves up and activating the portkeys, the doors had already been sealed shut. We have no idea if there were any survivors inside, though with the amount of dead we saw taken down just inside of the doors towards the end… there wouldn't have been many that lived." The witch grumbled. "So what you are saying is that not only did we flee, but we lost every Death Eater that went into the bank except for one?" The Death Eaters nodded, with the witch muttering under her breath as she turned around, leaving the foyer where the wounded were still being tended to.

Another cloaked figure walked up to her. "What's our plan now? If what they said is correct, then we just lost any hopes of securing Gringotts. They will fix the gap in their wards and we are now fewer in number. Maybe… maybe we should hunker down. Disperse, like our predecessors did after the first war." The hooded witch whirled onto the other, grabbing him by the neck and pinning him against the wall, her wand pressed against his neck. "And then what? Wait another ten years to pick up where we left off, maybe twenty? You do realize that we are on the clock this time, right? Shacklebolt won't be able to hold power for much longer, and if the Wizengamot meets now, with all the Blood Traitors having abandoned us, we will see the DMLE strengthened! They will have more than enough time to train new Aurors and we will not be able to recover our numbers to match. Without the resources of Sangroyal, the pathetic response of the Bagnold and Fudge administrations', and our own stockpile of funds, we have no chance of repeating what the Death Eaters accomplished after that cursed Halloween night." She released the man and stepped back, keeping her wand at the ready. "No, there is no sneaking back into the shadows and biding our time. Either we win now or we make the Ministry, the Mudbloods and the Blood Traitors suffer such a loss that it won't matter if we end up losing. See to it that as many people are ready as soon as possible. After tonight, we will make sure to bleed our enemies dry!"

Being very careful with the medical pincers, Gabrielle managed to snag the lead pellet that she had found in the bird's thigh, before taking up her wand and checking to see if there were any more left. Finding one last one a bit further up the chest, she was forced to cut the feathers of the large bird and cut a small incision on its skin, before prying the flesh open. Under magnification and a bright light, Gabrielle spotted the metallic pellet and pulled it out as well, before her final scan confirmed that the Eagle Owl was now free of any foreign bodies, before beginning the process of applying healing potions, muscle repair or even bone repair to the injuries, until all that was left was to seal up the incisions she made. With medical dressings lathered in healing potions and gauze held up by a sticky spell, her work on the last patient of the evening was finally done. With a fully awake and grateful bird in hand, Gabrielle walked out of the room and smiled at the owner. "There. He is all patched up. He will be just fine as soon as the gauze falls off on its own. I also have a potion to help with the regrowing of feathers after that." After hearing the instructions, the wizard caressed his companion before looking at the young Veela. "Thank you so much, Mademoiselle. I was beside myself with worry after those bastards took a shot at him." Gabrielle nodded. "Believe me, I understand. Just avoid the areas where non-magicals tend to hunt and you should be fine."

The man soon left with a potion vial and a medical receipt in hand, as Gabrielle went through the process of sterilizing her equipment, her thoughts finally turning to her girlfriend. Apparently, while Hermione had been busy at the Embassy, Elysia had received a notification that Gringotts London was under attack. Ida had been waiting for Gabrielle to return home when Hermione arrived first with the authorization that the ICW needed to operate within Britain freely, the Ministry of Magic be damned, when Ida informed her what was happening. The former Gryffindor knew that Gabrielle could have spent the entire evening unaware of what was happening, so she retrieved Marrat from her family's home, Floo traveled with him back to the Peverell Estate, before sending him out with a letter addressed to Gabrielle, as Hermione still had her own duties to fulfill in Paris and couldn't wait to get authorized to enter Beauxbatons, particularly now as the school was still at high alert after the recent incidents. Once she was done with everything pertaining to several animal patients she attended today, Gabrielle slipped into her coat and made her way to the departure point, thanking the guard as he opened the gate for her, with Seraphina landing on her shoulder during her walk through the Gardens, whilst Marat rested on her arm. With the portkey in hand, Gabrielle made her way back to the Peverell Estate, finding the place feeling oddly… empty. Something about the magic in the air felt wrong to the young Veela, though she thought it probably had to do with how far Elysia was from the property.

Ida appeared quickly and reiterated what Elysia had ordered for her, before she returned to the kitchen, though even Gabrielle could see that the elf was troubled by these events. Curious to see if she could reach out to her housemate, the blonde pulled out her scrying mirror and attuned it to the one that Elysia had been keeping on her person, before activating the runes. The mirror turned black as the mirrors remained unconnected, until the screen switched into something more akin to glass. On the small screen, she could see her lover's face, her eyes red and almost sunken. Gabrielle had felt the shift of emotions through the bond, but hadn't been able to understand what they meant until she received Hermione's letter. "Elysia… what happened?" Those beautiful green eyes grew unfocused for a moment as her lover's voice reached her ears. "Dredhook, the Goblin warrior who trained me into the warrior I became… he was killed in the attack at Gringotts London." The young Veela closed her eyes. While Elysia wasn't fond of retelling all of the things she did while at Londinium, she never hesitated to regale her with stories of her rooming with Dredhook, how the two came together as friends, learning from each other as Dredhook taught Elysia the ways of the Goblins and swordsmanship. "I am so sorry." Elysia visibly swallowed. "I just finished… helping with his burial. Goblins don't spend much time leaving the dead unattended and I… requested to be part of the funerary customs."

Gabrielle nodded, unsure what else to say. "Hermione sent me a letter telling me what had happened since she was the first to return to the Estate." Elysia looked to her left. "I know. The ICW Aurors have been arriving through the Gringotts transit network all day, and Hermione was with them. She's probably with the Commander, King I think, in an in-person meeting with the Prime Minister. I think Shacklebolt was either there or trying to get into the meeting with the PM as well. I imagine the news out of Britain will be quite sensational for the next few days." Gabrielle shook her head at that. "Not as if they haven't been already." Elysia shrugged, before her eyes focused on Gabrielle's, perhaps sensing where her thoughts were. "His Majesty Gringott ordered that Londinium offer logistical aid to the ICW Aurors, but no Goblins will be deploying out to attack the Neo Death Eaters." Gabrielle listened to her lover's words and noticed how… specific they were. "And you?" Elysia lowered her eyes. "His Majesty left the choice up to me." The two were silent for a moment, before Elysia continued. "You have no idea how badly I want to return home to you right now and leave this island to its fate. I want my involvement in this wretched place to be over. But… I owe it to Londinium and to Dredhook to do something about the Death Eaters, to put an end to this conflict once and for all. So… I will be staying out here until the last of the psychopaths are either dead or awaiting trial."

The young Veela could see the emotions warring on Elysia's face, how badly she wanted to just leave it all behind, whilst also wanting to bring some measure of protection to those she still deeply cared for. "Do you want me to come with you?" The question snapped Elysia out of her thoughts, before she took it into consideration. "As comforting as it would be to have you here, Gabrielle, it would be wrong of me to ask. You may be a passable Healer, but the ICW has their own division for that and Helstrud has had plenty of practice patching me up that her staff won't have any issues handling the injured. Also… if you were on the island, I think I would be too distracted with your safety to focus on the task at hand. Believe me, if there was any other reason, I would have you by my side, but I can't be greedy. You have your own responsibilities as an MCH in training. Focus on that, take care of Ida and wait for me. I promise I will try and come back as soon as I physically can." Gabrielle saw the truth in Elysia's eyes and nodded. "Alright, but I want you to call me at any moment you feel you might need to confer with me, for anything at all." Elysia smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I will. Tell your sister that I will make sure Hermione is safe out here. She will probably take longer to return since she will have to help with the aftermath, but I am sure she will want to get back to her lover as soon as possible. Take care Gabrielle." For a brief second the blonde witch wanted to say "I love you," until she realized that it would just pressure Elysia to respond in kind. Not wishing to make her lover feel uncomfortable, she just smiled back. "You too."

The familiar pop of an elf apparition disturbed the silence after she closed her scrying mirror. "Will Mistress Gabrielle be needing anything?" Said witch took a moment to think, before checking the time, noticing it was nearly dinner. Thinking about her family, Gabrielle looked over at Ida and shook her head. "Not at this moment. I need to head out and see my family and let them know what's happening and the decision Elysia made. I will probably have dinner with them. Could you prepare a late night snack and have it ready for when I return. I… don't think I will be falling asleep as easily in the next few days." Ida gave her an understanding look, not once complaining about not being able to serve dinner tonight. "Very well. Please remember to change out of your clothes when you return, Miss Gabrielle. I will have them clean by morning." Nodding, Gabrielle called Marat over, sensing that Seraphina wanted to stay at the Estate tonight, before taking the Floo chimney with her family's Owl back to her family's home. When she arrived, she noticed Fleur was seated with Victoire in her arms, while her father came up to her to ask if everything was alright. After assuring him she was well, Gabrielle told Fleur about Elysia and Hermione, which did seem to have some effect on the witch, as she had been worrying over her girlfriend's safety. The family dinner tonight was very subdued as the two empty chairs at the table made it very clear that they were incomplete. Gabrielle had a feeling that the Delacour family would be feeling incomplete for longer than anyone would like.

Chapter 43: The Lines are Drawn

Stepping into a non-magical bar, Susan scanned the crowd until she saw a familiar witch waving back at her, though the witch seated next to her wasn't one she recognized, despite wearing what looked like a dragonhide jacket that was very common among Aurors. Still, Hermione seemed her cheerful self and the other witch seemed more interested in her drink than in her surroundings, so Susan suspected there wasn't any danger. Taking off her own jacket, the former Hufflepuff found herself the recipient of one of Hermione's famous hugs, which the witch learned to enjoy, before kissing her ex-girlfriend on the cheek, the interaction carefully observed by the other girl seated in the stall. "It's so good to see you, Hermione. A year away seems to have done you wonders. I hardly see the frown lines. Oh wait, no, their back." Giving the redhead a punch on the shoulder, the scowling witch returned to a more cheerful full state. "I won't deny and say that this year has definitely been one of the best since school for me and my family. Please, sit. I had a soda served for you and had it under stasis while we waited." Susan sat down, feeling the charm based wards wrapping around her as she took the ice cold drink into her hand and took a few gulps through the straw, before making her enjoyment audibly clear. "Gods Hermione, you know you spoiled me for drink options. Ever since I had a soda, I haven't been able to enjoy pumpkin juice anymore."

Said witch did look a bit apologetic, before she whispered at her companion. Whilst Hermione was busy talking to the witch, Susan took a moment to inspect the unknown witch closely. She was relatively pale, though not deathly as was common among British Magicals, her dark brown hair looking a bit dull in the light as it was pulled back into a ponytail that was lazily draped over of on her shoulders, with Susan finding herself under the scrutiny of a pair of bluish green eyes, a color that she hadn't seen that often. What was very confusing to her was the ease which Hermione seemed to have around her, feeling both safe and confident, and even a bit open. The witch that Susan dated had always been very reserved and quiet, except when she had a very strong opinion regarding something, like elf rights, but was otherwise quite reserved in how physically close she was to others. Susan had seen and met Fleur Delacour in the past and unless she was under the effects of a Polyjuice Potion, Susan doubted this was the Veela witch that Hermione had been crushing on. Which made her wonder who they were. They certainly seemed adept at charm based wards, even without a visible wand, as the server brought over a plate of appetizers that had previously been ordered, before taking their order, the wards snapping back into place as soon as the waiter left the vicinity, all without looking with her eyes. It was impressive… and terrifying.

Hermione seemed to pick up on Susan's worry, before gesturing at the witch next to her. "Sorry, I know I mentioned a one on one meeting but after the whole situation at the Bank and the Ministry, some people decided that I needed twenty four hour security." Said brunette gave a slight glare at her companion, but the unknown witch just shrugged, her accent an odd mix of British, French and… was that Goblin? "Sorry, but after you decided not to take the easy desk job that was offered to you, I was pressured into being your security. Besides, I thought you preferred this arrangement, rather than having me going out on my own and doing some demolition work on some centuries old buildings, with a bit of cleaning up if there happened to be anyone living there." Hermione sighed, before looking at Susan. "Sorry, my colleague here is a citizen of the Goblin Nation and is… understandably angered by the losses the Branch at London suffered." Susan gave the witch another look over, before focusing her eyes on Hermione. "Do you trust her?" Hermione didn't even hesitate. "With my life." The speed with which Hermione responded sent Susan's mind into her analytical mode, something Davis loved to tease her for as she tended to drown out all other distractions until she reached a conclusion. Familiarity, with ease in physical closeness, though not romantic, high levels of trust that speak of a relationship that had to be longer than a year for it to have been established so instinctually… Susan knew that the amount of people Hermione trusted, particularly after her potions regime was detected, was near zero, with there being less than a handful of people she still felt attachment and loyalty towards.

The person next to her wasn't Luna, as Susan didn't feel the raw, seemingly endless optimism that usually radiated off of the former Ravenclaw, and said witch was unlikely to have changed so much physically in the last few years. If it was Fleur, there would be the telltale signs of a Veela's Allure, and though Susan felt a heaviness in the air, it didn't feel like what the Veela's made her experience at the World Cup, let alone at Hogwarts. While Susan didn't have much of an understanding of the Non-magical world until Hermione started to open her eyes, Auntie Amelia had seen fit to raise her niece reading non-magical literature. One of Susan's favorites had been Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books, as well as the other detective novels or short stories, which her Aunt also loved to read to Susan when she was younger. What was that only saying? Once you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, no matter how improbable, must be the truth. The moment that Susan settled in her deduction, the witch in front of her grumbled. "You gave away too much, Mione." Said brunette blinked, unsure what her companion meant, as Susan stared at the person in front of her. "Did you read my mind?" Said witch shook her head. "No, but your facial expressions gave you away. Might want to work on that." Susan nodded, before she gave her ex a cheeky grin, "So, how hard was it to get him… her…" The witch grumbled a "her," which Susan appreciated, "... her to return to Britain?"

Hermione stared at Susan. "But… how? I mean, they look nothing alike!" Susan smirked. "If I saw her in Diagon Alley, I wouldn't think twice about her other than thinking she was a fine looking witch." The comment did make the subject of the appraisal blush, as Susan continued. "But next to you? Hermione, there are only so many people you are close to and unless she was a certain Veela, there would only be one person in the entire world you wouldn't hesitate to be in their personal space, let alone trust with your life." Hermione looked at her companion, who shrugged. "She's not wrong. If Amelia had the same deductive skills, I can see why she became the DMLE Director. Britain suffered a great loss that day." Susan lowered her gaze, pain and pride mixed in her eyes. "Thank you. Coming from you, that means a lot. So, what do I call you?" The former Gryffindor boy leaned back. "Elysia Peverell, though I would prefer if there were no records of my being here. I am willing to trust you because Hermione does and I am sure she learned a valuable lesson after the potions were detected in her system. If you need to address me as something, just label me as Gringotts' Representative. I will be the eyes and ears of the Goblin Nation in the field." Susan leaned forward. "How much field work are you willing to do against the NDEs?" Elysia sighed. "The bare minimum. I am still of the opinion that the DMLE and the ICW should be the parties responsible for eliminating this threat. My role will be to keep this one safe and to carry out subtle interventions that reduce the risks to the Aurors on the field. Anything more will be at my discretion."

Susan sat back and nodded. "I can agree to that. Are you planning on letting anyone else know?" Elysia frowned. "Planning on it? No. I would rather everyone believe that I am either dead or living my life as far away from Britain as possible." Sighing, she gestured at Hermione. "If, however, we have no choice or, like with you, someone arrives at the conclusion, we will request discretion." Elysia looked at Susan. "I really do believe that this crisis must be settled by the people of Great Britain, though the ICW and the Goblin Nation will give aid where possible. This is the third time the country has been brought into a bloody conflict in almost sixty years. It's time that the people living here recognize their responsibility in preventing any more wars. On that note, what's your opinion about the NBOs and if they will try and take advantage of the ICW interfering?" The conversation paused as the waiter came with their meals, before Elysia swept the table for anything suspicious as she raised the wards back up. Susan took a few bites of the burger she had ordered, before responding. "I suppose it depends on the end goal of the ICW. If the ICW is only interested in sweeping the NDEs away and leaving the Ministry as is, I don't think they will be all that happy. The New Blood Order wants genuine change, not just a brief moment of peace, and they don't feel that Shacklebolt or the Wizengamot is capable of giving that to them. They might not interfere with the operation against the Neo Death Eaters, but they might become the next insurgency if things are left as they are."

Hermione had gone quiet as soon as Susan mentioned the NBOs objective, something the two women at the table noticed, but neither commented on it. Eventually, Hermione sighed. "I will speak to King about that, as well as with the PM and the Queen. It's possible that we can establish a new framework for a British Ministry of Magic, but it will need to be supported by the general public and the powers that be. It will probably mean that the ICW might get bogged down in Britain for longer than they might be willing to, so Jacob needs to inform his superiors and see if they would be willing to help in the building of a new Magical government for Britain." The natural brunette of the trio looked to her friend across from her. "What about the DMLE? What's their position on all this?" Susan shrugged. "The old timers like Sturgis support Kingsley as he was one of their own, but the younger generation like myself are all for an effective solution to the NDEs, and most would like to see the NBOs just cease being active, though not necessarily imprisoned. All of us remember the previous war and believe in the populace being able to defend themselves, so for the most part there is begrudgingly support for them, as long as they don't go on the offensive." Again, something flashed across Hermione's face before she nodded. "Alright, I will check with Jacob and see how we can integrate the DMLE into our forces." Susan raised her glass. "Good. I can't wait to finally get to put some of those bastards in their place." Hermione gave a brief glance at Elysia, worried that her friend might be more interested in the NDEs being six feet under, rather than in a cell in Azkaban. Maybe keeping her as a bodyguard was the right choice after all.

As she made her way back up to the Headmistress' office, the elderly Scotswoman felt deeply troubled about the news she heard as the owls arrived in the Great Hall over the last few days. Certainly, the resurgence of a new Death Eater movement had been weighing on her mind since the very first attack took place, reminding her of the first few incidents that occurred prior to the onset of the first Wizarding War. Even Kingsley's decision to treat them as nothing more than a nuisance reminded her of the Ministry's many mistakes during the beginning of Voldemort's reign of terror. Of course, she could understand why Shacklebolt wasn't being as aggressive as so many people thought he should be. Unlike before, there was no Voldemort leading the Death Eaters. For all of his failings, Tom Riddle had been an exceptional leader to the Death Eaters during the first war, carrying out attacks that left entire Magical Families dead, devastating the Ministry's ability to respond to any crisis, and maneuvering his supporters into positions of power. Had it not been for his untimely defeat at Godric's Hollow, Wizarding Britain might have fallen that same year. His defeat had galvanized the Ministry into action, sentencing the Death Eaters who had been too public with their support of You-Know-Who, while those who had barely been seen were able to hide behind the Imperius defence.

Though, if Minerva was honest, she had a feeling that part of the Ministry's decision to even allow such a defence to occur was them wishing to possibly put the war behind them, hoping that the mercy they showed to the families that supported the Death Eaters would earn them some good will in return. It took until the outbreak of the second war for McGonagall and everyone else to recognize that the decision might have been a mistake. Whether it was a mistake for the Ministry to repeat that act of blind faith now… She wasn't exactly sure. Thankfully, that wasn't something she had to deal with on a general basis while at Hogwarts. After the school was repaired at the end of the previous war, Minerva had dedicated almost her entire life to restoring the place to some semblance of normality. Of course, it hadn't been easy to get everything in working order. Even with Voldemort gone and the supposed curse along with him, there were no applicants for the position of Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, forcing her to accept Kingsley's suggestion of having a rotating staff of Senior Aurors from the Academy fill in. It worked in the sense that the students were actually getting the education they deserved in the course, but it was a nightmare to have to look for willing participants. Then, of course, there was the absence of a Transfiguration Master capable of replacing her, meaning she was still teaching all the students of the school.

Filius had been unwilling to take up the position of Deputy Head, so the post eventually fell to Pomona Sprout, who had been fortunate enough to find a person to handle the Herbology classes up to fifth year, with her teaching the Newt Courses. And while Horace had been willing to stay at Hogwarts for a few years as Minerva searched for a new Potions Master, he hadn't been thrilled when the replacement was found to be subpar, only being able to teach up to the fifth year course of Potions. Slughorn had been forced to remain as the Head of Slytherin House and manage the NEWT Potions courses as he tried to teach the young man how to manage the more advanced potions, a process that was still ongoing. As she neared the Astronomy Tower, she looked over at the one where the students of Gryffindor house still resided. At the end of the war, she had hoped that the students that she had been responsible for would have returned to complete their studies. She had been pleasantly surprised and touched that Hermione Granger had elected to complete her NEWT education after everything she went through while being on the run from the Death Eaters and Snatchers, though that had been eclipsed by the sudden disappearance of Harry Potter. The entirety of Gryffindor house had felt his absence as everyone had hoped that he would have followed after Miss Granger. When she too left only part way through the school year, Minerva had wondered what was wrong. The answer she received from Hermione had shaken her to her foundations.

That the brightest witch of her generation had been under the effect of several mind altering potions whilst as a student at Hogwarts had been a shock, but that she believed that Harry had also been under similar effects and that the persons responsible for both of their predicaments were likely to be Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore… that she didn't even know how to even begin to internalize. McGonagall had questioned the portraits that had been made of the two Headmasters, and Severus had at least looked suitably guilty of the part he played, but Dumbledore had shown little remorse. "Minerva, believe me when I say that if there had been any other option, I would have taken it. But Harry Potter was connected to a prophecy that needed to be carried out to its completion for the threat of Voldemort to finally be removed from our world. When I discovered that his upbringing had almost mirrored Riddle's, I realized that there was the danger of replacing one Dark Lord with another. That and his behavior during his fifth year, when he was not being affected by the potions, was anything but comforting. For the Greater Good of Wizarding Britain, we had no choice but to make sure that Harry behaved the way he needed to. And, if what you have told me about the end of the war is true, then I genuinely believe that the choice I made was the correct one." Minerva had felt what respect she had for the man all but vanished that night.

While she couldn't make any grand changes to prevent such despicable acts from being repeated, she had been able to require all students to undergo a thorough check by Poppy Pomfrey upon their arrival at the school both in September and in January, in hopes of at least catching any traces of anything unusual. Thankfully, she had yet to contact the Ministry regarding someone being exposed to a potion against their will or for being cursed. Sadly, despite her best efforts at restoring Hogwarts, the community had lost what faith it had in the Castle, with the only students signing up being those from long standing families that saw educating their children at the Castle as a necessary part of a child's growth into their culture, or muggleborns, as the law mandated they be instructed, if they didn't wish to suffer having their magic bound and their memories modified. The fact she had heard of several cases of parents actually choosing to have their children's magic bound rather than sending them into a world that seemed so dangerous broke her heart. She wanted Hogwarts to be the premier school it once was. But until the world itself moved towards a more peaceful state, there was nothing more she could but keep the students under her care looked after. That was why she was heading to her office now, to see if there was anything else she should know about. Taking a fistful of Floo powder, she tossed it into the chimney of the Headmistress office. "Ministry of Magic, Minister's office."

After a brief pause, a voice finally came from the green flames. "Minister Shacklebolt's office. May I ask who is calling?" Minerva placed her hands on her stomach. "Minerva McGonagall from Hogwarts. I would like to know if the Minister can spare a moment to speak to me." The secretary responded. "He's been rather busy these last few days but I will let him know you called and see if he is willing to give you a few minutes. One moment please." A few minutes of silence ended when a familiar deep voice came from the flames. "Good afternoon Minerva. What can I do for you?" The Scotswoman sighed. "Good afternoon, Kingsley. I saw the news about the attack at Diagon Alley and wanted to know if you believe Hogwarts should take extra precautions." Kingsley was quiet for a moment. "A bit of extra caution may be warranted, though unfortunately I cannot send any Aurors to increase the security of the Castle at this very moment. I would suggest you speak with your fellow staff members, have the Prefects be more attentive and make sure that the wards are operating accordingly." Minerva frowned. "I will do what we can, though I am sure you are aware that the Spring Recess will soon be upon us. I fear the students may not be safe taking the Express back home." Kingsley hummed to himself. "Many of the suspected Neo Death Eaters have relatives currently studying at Hogwarts. I seriously doubt they would attack the train or the station with their children being in the line of fire. I will see if I can increase security at the station regardless, but I doubt the school will be targeted for now."

After a few brief words, Shacklebolt excused himself, leaving McGonagall with her own churning thoughts. Kingsley was right in that the Neo Death Eaters would likely not endanger their own children, so the School was an unlikely target, particularly without Voldemort's power, as the only way they previously broke through the wards had been after he had blasted it to splinters. Still, she needed to be cautious. She would inform her fellow staff members about the discussion with Kingsley and have them organize better patrols to make certain that the Castle remained secure. After all, even with Shacklebolt's assurance, Minerva couldn't shake the feeling that something was going terribly wrong. She wasn't sure what made her feel this way or how it might manifest, but she was certain that these Neo Death Eaters might not be as strong as Voldemort, they could very well be a thousand times more desperate. She spared a look at the portraits of her last two predecessors but elected not to consult them. Albus had too much faith in Kingsley's government and Severus had too little, though the later headmaster still continued to defer to his predecessor. As much as Minerva wanted to trust Albus and Kingsley, she had seen the consequences first hand of what that trust amounted to. Her faith had resulted in two of her cubs being toyed with by the man she trusted the most, both being moved around like chess pieces. She had no intention of letting history repeat itself. She would do the best she could to protect her students, the Ministry and the Neo Death Eaters be damned.

"Mon Ange? Are you here?" Gabrielle looked up from her book, having been enjoying a cool yet sunny day outside in the Peverell Gardens. Adeline had been by in the last few days, inspecting her work, and making sure that all the plants were growing properly, removing any weeds and pruning away any buds that were growing out of place. For now the flowerbeds were a jumble of green leaves and stems, far from the fully grown flowers that many would buy at a store, but Gabrielle knew that one had to wait to enjoy the finer things in life. It was a lesson she learned the hard way, as both Harry's bonded, and as Elysia's lover. It had almost been a week since her girlfriend went to Britain to safeguard the Goblin District of Londinium and, thankfully, they had been able to talk through the scrying mirrors most nights. In some way the interactions reminded Gabrielle of the early stages of their friendship, as they were just talking about everyday things, with Gabrielle trying a few times to tease her lover, before letting it go. Their separation after a year and a half of almost always being around each other was having an effect on each other, with the Young Veela struggling to sleep at night. Elysia had a similar struggle, though she had already developed a way to get herself to sleep… training herself to physical exhaustion. Gabrielle had laughed at that, which did make Elysia smile, something that Gabrielle took as a win.

Taking inspiration from the last of the Peverells work ethic, Gabrielle tried to do the same, in her own way. She was definitely exercising more in the gym, her leg muscles aching every day, and even trying a few arm workouts that had the benefit of her not being bothered by the weight of books as much, but whilst Elysia pushed herself physically, the blonde witch was more interested in pushing herself mentally. In a few months she would be having her next test as an MCH in training, with her final examination before licensing being in just a single year after that. She wanted to study as much as possible whilst her days were filled with little to do but wait for the sun to set and hope that Elysia and Hermione would be safe. The late night calls were definitely helping, which was probably why Elysia was doing them, though every time she saw her girlfriend's hair, Gabrielle was reminded that Elysia didn't want to be there. Not that the dark brown dye that Hermione applied was bad, it did look good on her, but Gabrielle had come to adore the black glossy look that Elysia's hair always had… even if it was an eternal mess, particularly in the mornings. She had also seen her wearing the contacts that shifted her eye color from green to greenish blue, though she would always take them off before sleep, as she found them irritating. While all these changes could be achieved via magic, Elysia had wanted to magically register as unchanged, so that people would just look at her and move on.

Still, Gabrielle hated that Elysia clearly didn't want to be in Britain, let alone be recognized. That one person already managed it was troubling, though Elysia and Hermione both agreed that she was probably the only person with the deductive skills to figure the truth out so quickly, with Elysia adjusting her mannerisms a bit more and Hermione… having to learn how to stay out of the personal space of a person she was supposed to be unfamiliar with. So far, Susan Bones could just be considered a fluke, but Elysia wasn't taking it for granted. She wanted people to just ignore her wherever she was, because the alternative could result in her having to uproot her life in France, something that Gabrielle herself wasn't fond of contemplating. She herself had grown very fond of the Peverell Estate, as well as the village of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, the people there always being very supportive and welcoming to her and her family. Speaking of family, Gabrielle smiled as she saw her mother stepping through the entrance to the Gardens. "Maman! What brings you here?" Apolline smiled at her as she held a wicker basket in her hand. "Your father is busy in the courts today and I felt like I needed to see you. Would you like some snacks?" Closing her book after setting a bookmark, Gabrielle gestured at the available seat on the patio table, which Apolline gladly took, as Ida appeared to ask them for any preferences in beverages.

"How are you holding up here on your own?" Gabrielle shrugged. "It could be worse. Elysia and I speak every night through the mirrors, and I have Ida and Sera to keep me company when I am not out on errands. Though… I have to admit, the house does feel… empty without Elysia or her familiars. I keep waiting to hear a crash somewhere in the house, seeing Macha attached to Anand's back or to find Badb just watching me out of the corner of my eye. Walking into the potions lab and seeing the experiments and specimens missing since Elysia had Gringotts retrieve them with the stocked supplies to continue the research in her absence doesn't help either. I can't imagine… what this place must have felt like to Elysia those first few months on her own. Sure, she had her familiars, and she and Ida kept busy… but I can see why she needed to leave every week or so just to feel… something different." Apolline gave her a knowing look. "Your father and I went through something very similar after you went to Beauxbatons. With Fleur and Victoire in Britain and you at school, it became a habit that we would each bury ourselves in our work… only for the loneliness to eat away at us as our decision drove a wedge between us. It wasn't until I sat him down one day, feeling particularly abandoned, that François saw the damage we had done to each other and we have always tried to never let ourselves become so engrossed in our careers that we forget that we made a vow to each other." Gabrielle lowered her eyes. "Elysia and I haven't made any such vows, mother."

Apolline nodded after eating a slice of cheese with cold cuts of meat. "No, perhaps not, but the desire to do more is there, isn't it? To grow closer to her, in spite of the distance." Gabrielle nodded, as Apolline reached into the bottom of her basket, pulling out a book. Frowning, Gabrielle opened the hardcover and looked for the book's title, her eyes surprised with what she found. "The Journals of Cateline Peverell née Brocéliande. Have they decided to publish it?" Apolline shook her head. "After your grandmother and Elder Ligia helped with the translation, so far only Elysia and the Council of Elders have read it, as did the publishers that will be working it into print, though I did skim through it. It would seem Cateline was exceedingly cautious, revealing no true family secrets, though her thoughts and observations of the times are… strangely relevant, even today. As the only romantic partner of a Peverell, we all agreed you deserved to be the next person to read it in full." Gabrielle looked up at her mother after she reached over and rested her hand on her-daughter's knee. "I understand that you wish to carry onward with your choice but there is nothing wrong with taking the time and listening to the past for guidance. While Elysia wasn't raised as a Peverell, nor was she raised well by anyone other than the Goblins, the parallels that I found in these pages were both comforting… and haunting."

The conversation turned to lighter subjects, like Fleur spending more time with the Grangers along with Victoire, a choice that seemed to have been the right one, as Emma loved reading stories to Victoire and Dan seemed delighted to see the little girl playing in the backyard. These interactions helped to ease Fleur's own worries, and the warmth that the Grangers showed her, despite everything, had made the Delacour women certain that Fleur had finally found the right partner. After a few minutes talking and enjoying the sun, Apolline left the Estate, leaving Gabrielle alone. She tried to focus on her studies, but the youngest of the Delacour sisters kept seeing the journal just on the edge of her vision, her mother's words echoing in her head. Still, she powered through her curiosity and finished her reading material, writing a few notes down on a small book that she now kept with her at all times, where she wrote the more uncommon medical ailments of creatures, just in case her application of common remedies proved in effective, as the uncommon ones were easier to forget and the symptoms and telltale signs were harder to spot. After enjoying dinner with Ida and taking a shower, Gabrielle found herself in Elysia's bedroom wearing her bathrobe, her hair partly dried as she reached out to her lover through the mirror, smiling at the sight of her and telling her about her day. Getting permission from her, Gabrielle eventually placed the book in her lap and turned to the first page.

"Anyone else getting a sense of deja vu?" Hermione couldn't disagree with Elysia as they walked through the mostly deserted streets of Diagon Alley. While the Ministry had finished doing the repairs, meaning that the shops and cobblestone paths looked cleaner than usual, the fact remained that the population no longer felt safe walking the streets of the economic artery of the British Magical Community. There were as many Aurors patrolling the streets as there were residents, though the clothes worn by the Aurors weren't the usual burgundy robes of the Ministry, but the white and blue of the ICW. While the international group had robes or clothes that were more strategic, these were primarily used in its offensive operations. When the Aurors needed to operate in the general public, they usually wore the more vibrant uniform, as a show of strength and confidence. Sadly, it didn't seem that the locals embraced the same confidence as the few that walked the streets moved towards their destination quickly, getting indoors as swiftly as possible. Even the front entrance of Weasleys Wizard Wheezes was more barren than usual, as Susan and Hermione spotted right in front of it. Elysia, still with her hair dyed and her contact lenses concealing her natural eyes, gestured at the store front. "I will stay out here and keep an eye out." The two women nodded, with Hermione understanding Elysia's concern. Susan had already discovered her identity, she didn't want the Weasleys to do so as well.

The Bones Matriarch had been quite respectful of Elysia, not bombarding her with questions as Hermione had done the moment they were reunited, their conversations being mostly focused on the task at hand, which the brunette could tell was something her friend really appreciated. Other than for meeting up with Susan, Elysia had been just been staying at in Gringotts, either speaking with its populace away from the eyes of the ICW presence, working in the Potions Lab, or up in the suite that was designed just for her, with Hermione being given the room next to it so that they didn't need to walk far. She couldn't even begin to grasp the monumental shift that the Goblins exhibited in their behaviors when Elysia was in sight of them, the bank employees instantly feeling comfortable and chatty, the guards speaking to her with reverence and familiarity. It had taken the bright witch all of a second to realize that Elysia had probably been in this very bank during the five years she was apparently fulfilling her debt to the Goblin Nation, meaning that she knew these people very well and vice versa. It also meant that Harry had literally been just a short distance away from everyone that had been desperately looking for him in the first five years of his disappearance and no one had even considered the possibility that he had turned himself over to the Goblins willingly, not that they would have confirmed his location had anyone asked. Still… It was obvious that Elysia didn't want anything else to do with the British Magical Community, so Hermione was willing to accommodate her.

Entering the mostly empty store, the sight of the products on the shelves did remind the former Grinfindor witch of the missing Twin. This store had been the dream of both Fred and George Weasley and it had been a source of great pride for the two of them after they left Hogwarts during their seventh year, refusing to complete their NEWTs, even after Umbridge had been removed from her position at the school. While it had caused some friction within the Weasley family, that conflict evaporated after Fred died at Hogwarts. Molly simply couldn't bring herself to ask George to leave the shop that he and his twin had built and since it was still a successful business, the Weasley Matriarch just focused her attention on the rest of her family. While Hermione would have preferred never having any interactions with any of the Weasleys, she at least understood that George was unlikely to have been aware of what was being done to Harry and to herself, as neither he nor his brother would have been supportive, particularly after Harry gave them the funds to start the business. She was certain of this because she had confronted the redheaded man after she had returned to Britain from Australia. Appearing as if summoned by her thoughts, George took one look at her and froze. "Well… I'll be damned. Hermione Granger! I certainly didn't expect to see you here again. Damn, you are looking quite well." Hermione waved at him. "You are looking fine yourself. Has Angelina been keeping the ladies at bay?"

George grumbled. "More like I am keeping all the fanboys away from her. When she became Vice-Captain of the Holyhead Harpies, every creep from all over the island had been hounding her, though she could handle the attention well enough. Oh? Is that Susan? I thought you two weren't together anymore." Susan shook her head as she pulled out her badge. "We're not. Sorry to bother you George, but we are here on official business. You have an office where we can chat away from prying ears?" Gesturing at the two to follow, the tall redhead led the women up the stairs to his office, though the presence of a second desk made it clear that he still saw it as belonging to him and his deceased brother. Once the wards came up, George crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back on his desk. "So, what can I help you with? I already gave my report regarding the attack from the other day." Susan sighed. "We are not here concerning the attack. We are here to speak to a member of the New Blood Order on behalf of the ICW Aurors." George narrowed his eyes but seeing that the two witches weren't taking any action against him, he sighed. "I had a feeling you were going to come with something like that. So, what does the ICW want with us?" Hermione raised her hand in an appeasing gesture. "It's nothing like what Kingsley wants, I can assure you. The ICW have been reviewing the cases that the Ministry has brought against the NBO and as far as they are concerned, most of the activities of the group fall under self-defence. Their concern is for the times that the NBO carried out attacks against others."

Susan noticed the odd look George gave Hermione but decided to continue the conversation herself. "They have come to the decision that the New Blood Order can be given pardons for their activities… on the condition that the membership properly identify themselves, cease any further acts of aggression and understand that they will be barred from serving in any public posting for a set amount of time. The time period is the only negotiable element in this offer." George looked between the two before rubbing the back of his head. "I can't tell you how the rest will take it but I can pass the offer along. Just one thing. I understand that the ICW doesn't want a bunch of vigilantes mucking up their investigations and interventions, but if the members of the NBO happen to find themselves under attack or are in a position to help protect others from being attacked, they won't be getting into any trouble with the ICW?" Hermione looked at Susan who shook her head, before she looked back at George. "We can ask them for clarification but I doubt they would be against the NBO defending themselves or others. They just want to be sure that the New Blood Order doesn't become another insurgency movement they have to deal with." George nodded. "Yeah, that tracks. Guess we should have listened to you, huh?" Susan blinked at the look that was shared by the two. "Is there something I should know?"

After sparing a look at Hermione, who sighed but otherwise didn't seem interested in stopping him, George elaborated. "The New Blood Order had initially been created as a purely defensive organization. Sure, we would try and gather intel, but we weren't supposed to launch any attacks. Unfortunately… as the Neo Death Eaters grew bolder, the members grew more frustrated with the leadership that advocated patience… and overruled her. She left us that very same night." Susan frowned until everything clicked into place as she looked at Hermione. "You? You were in the New Blood Order?" George raised a finger. "To be fair, she started the group after it became clear that the Ministry was back to its old games, and it was before you left the Academy. She placed very strict rules on us to keep us from becoming the next Order of the Phoenix. No attacks, no hidden operations… and no attempts to get DMLE operatives as part of the organization. Unlike Dumbledore, she felt that the Aurors didn't need to have their loyalties divided. And before you get mad at her, you were still in the Academy when the group was formed, and you had just gotten your badge a few weeks after she left." Hermione rubbed her arm as she looked at Susan. "When you asked me to not pass anything to the NBO, I meant it when I said I wouldn't. This is the first time I have been talking to a member since I resigned. I didn't want to be a part of a group that would be putting innocents in danger just to score points against the Death Eaters."

Susan rubbed her hair. "And when were you planning to tell me?" Hermione gestured at George. "If the NBO agreed to the terms, I was going to submit my name as part of the list, along with my memories." George stood up straight. "Now hold on, that wouldn't be fair to you. The NBOs only crimes came about after you left. You shouldn't be punished for the things we did. The Ministry needs you, Hermione. If things finally settle down, you would be on the short list for Minister for Magic or Chief Witch!" Hermione looked from George to Susan, seeing that even her ex seemed to agree with his statement, and if she was honest with herself she found the support very flattering. Sometime in the past she would have even welcomed the offer in the first place. As she looked away from Susan, she caught sight of Elysia standing guard outside through the shop's window, before she closed her eyes. She saw images of her parents finally living freely once more, both smiling as she walked through the door of their new home, as well as images of Victoire pulling her by the hand to show Hermione her latest drawings. She then saw Fleur, smiling at her, as they laid in bed next to each other after being intimate, her cheeks flushed red, hair disheveled. The person that started the New Blood Order or that one day hoped to become Minister for Magic… That wasn't her anymore. She, like Elysia before her, had found what she wanted more than anything in her life and it wasn't being the head of a Magical Government or the trailblazer for first generation Witches. She wanted to enjoy the life she had with the people that meant the world to her.

Turning to look at her friends, she gave them an apologetic smile. "Thank you or the vote of confidence, but I am not planning to stay in Britain after the war. I came here to settle matters once and for all, to leave the community in a better state than how I found it all those years ago… but I am not doing it for me anymore. I found what I was looking for in my life and I realize that a political posting isn't what I see myself doing anymore. I will leave it to the ICW to determine if I will be barred from public service for my part in the inception of the Order, but whatever happens, when this intervention ends, I will be leaving Great Britain … probably for the last time. What comes after for the island … will be in your hands." Susan saw the determination in her friend's face and sighed, before nodding. "For what it's worth… I understand." She then turned to George. "Give the other members the offer and see what your answer is. If the Order won't agree fully, we can take in members individually, and have the rest be handled by the Aurors if they perform any more illegal activities." George nodded. "I will let them know. Oh, if you need anything from the shop, just call out to me. With the way things are right now, I can afford to give you two some decent discounts." The two witches left George's office and met up with the third member of their group as they left, before walking towards Gringotts, as what came next was out of their hands.

"Oh… wow. You are certainly living it up." Elysia looked up from her book as Susan entered the Champion Suite, having been allowed her entry. She returned her attention to her book. "If you're looking for Hermione, she's out in the non-magical side of London talking to her parents. She will probably be back in a few minutes." Susan nodded, spending some time looking around the room, before the raven haired watching her sighed. "You can ask, just know that I might not answer." Susan looked over at the former Gryffindor, before lowering her eyes. "I don't even know where to start. I am not going to ask about why you're a girl now, as it's not my place to question it. It's just… I suppose we all had our own image of who you were and who you are now certainly doesn't match that." Elysia hummed to herself, her eyes still fixed on the book infront of her. "Did Hermione tell you about the potions she was exposed to?" Susan sighed but nodded. "Yeah. I… actually went up to Headmistress McGonagall to ask her about that." Elysia looked over at the redhead. "And?" Susan shook her head. "She wasn't involved. Dumbledore and Snape hid that information from her. I do know that I saw her glaring at their portraits in the Headmaster's Office, so she was probably very angry with the two of them. Of course, Hermione made it clear that she suspected you had been dosed too and… I think that really weighed heavily on McGonagall's mind. You two were among her favorite students and somehow she missed something so egregious. She became a lot more conscious about the students' health and safety after that."

Elysia shrugged. "Better late than never, I guess. Anyways, who I am was being heavily affected by the potions I was under, not to mention the stress of being targeted by Death Eaters and Voldemort all the time, so I am very certain that you all had an image that never matched with who I was, let alone who I wanted to be." Susan looked over at the raven haired witch. "And is this who you wanted to be?" Elysia looked back at the former Hufflepuff. "I don't think everyone ever gets to be exactly who they want to be. For that you would need nearly ideal conditions and the freedom to make the choices yourself. Even as I am now… I am both what I wanted to become… and what I needed to be in order to have the freedom to make the choices for myself." Susan frowned. "And… Nothing that you were a part of before means anything to you? Not Hogwarts, the DA or Britain?" Elysia sighed, closing the book in her hand and placing it on the table, before turning to look at Susan directly. "In the case of Britain, I have no attachment to the island or its people. In a lot of ways, the magical and non-magical communities both failed me. My relatives treated me poorly, the schools failed to pick up on the signs of abuse, and I was never treated fairly or with kindness. On the Magical side, how many times did the opinions of the masses swing to extremes when they were referring to me? First they celebrated the day my parents were killed, congratulating me for something my mother died for, all the while ignoring the fact that I was an orphan. Then, when they wanted to hide their heads in the sand, they preferred to believe I was a liar rather than consider the possibility that a madman was back on the loose."

Recalling the Castle, Elysia continued on. "Then there is Hogwarts, a place that should have been my sanctuary, a place that, considering my upbringing, was the closest thing I knew to a home. The students shared the same shifting public opinion the rest of the community had and the professors… the very people that should have been looking after my best interests, were at best negligent in their duties to me and at worst complicit in the crimes that were being perpetuated against me, all the while people, even students, were trying to kill me. I had no attachment to anyone or anything in this world. With the facts I just highlighted, could you honestly say that I should have any sort of fondness for either the British Magical Community or Hogwarts?" Susan lowered her head, knowing that she too had been complicit in ostracizing Harry, both during their second year and the Heir of Slytherin accusations, and during the Triwizard Tournament. She might have apologized during their time training in the Room of Requirement, but it wouldn't have been enough to change his mind. "No… no, you're right. You have every right to not want anything to do with either the school or the community." She looked up after wiping the tears from her eyes. "What about the DA? Aren't you interested in hearing about your other schoolmates? Or at least reaching out to them?" Elysia shook her head. "As much as I enjoyed teaching the students in the DA, that was more Hermione's idea. I wasn't particularly fond of getting so many people involved in the madness that was my life. After the war ended and I had made the decision to just fade away, I felt that parting ways with everyone was the best choice. That said…"

Elysia peered over at the window that overlooked a side street of Diagon Alley. "I knew that my choice was going to hurt a lot of people, particularly those that I really cared about. With Luna… I tried to keep an eye on her but Gringotts had very few interactions with her and we lost track of her movements. Hermione… was easier to check on and I could see that she was finally pushing herself towards the life she had always wanted, even though she was always in danger because of who she was. I wanted to help but I knew that my coming back as Harry wouldn't have helped at all, let alone if I suddenly turned up as a woman. Everyone else in the DA… You all deserved to be free to decide your own fate without my being involved in any of it. You all did great during that failure of a seventh year without me. I was certain you would all be fine. Though… I suppose old habits are hard to shake, seeing as Hermione and George went and founded a new vigilante group. Aside from those that went into the DMLE, or are too busy at Hogwarts, I have a feeling many of the DA joined the New Blood Order." Susan chuckled. "Probably. For what it's worth… I think being part of the DA with you helped out a lot of us, and I am not talking about those who decided to take the law into their own hands again." Susan raised her hand to her chest. "If it hadn't been for you, bravely fighting against the Death Eaters and Voldemort, being so brave in the face of seemingly certain death… I don't think I would have become an Auror."

Looking up, Susan found those familiar green eyes staring back at her, as she had heard that the contacts, while mostly benign, were still a bit uncomfortable for Elysia to wear, so she only wore them when leaving the Bank. "You all give me too much credit… and not enough for yourselves." She leaned back into her backrest and crossed her legs. "I don't consider myself all that brave. Bravery should be a conscious choice by those who see danger before them. I was never conscious of the decisions I was carrying out. At first I did what I thought was right, believing that at the very least I needed to behave myself in a way that would be beyond reproach. Fat lot of good that did in the years I was at Hogwarts. As for being brave in the face of Voldemort and the Death Eaters… What was my alternative? To kneel down and let them kill me? Torture me? I didn't really have a lot of options. My only alternative had been Sirius… and he was taken from me." Elysia clenched her fist as the pain of that loss still weighed heavy on her heart, particularly here, being so close to the place where it occurred. Taking a deep, calming breath, Elysia shook her head, before looking at Susan. "In a lot of ways… I think we all really showed who we truly were after the war was over. I saw the way things were heading and left to find some real meaning in my life. But you and Hermione… You two are the bravest people I know. She pushed on, despite the dangers she continued to face. And you…"

Elysia gave Susan a bittersweet smile. "You and I were like mirror images, not that dissimilar from Neville. The three of us lost our families, our homes and innocence way too soon. I couldn't stand to continue living in this place, but you? You planted your feet, refused to give in and took on the career that you believed in, knowing fully well the dangers that awaited you. I think if you asked the Hat right now, you might discover that you are more of Gryffindor than you realize… Though from what Hermione has said, you are still every bit the hard working Hufflepuff." Susan blushed under the praise. "Coming from you… that means a lot. But I still think you were a brave person, Elysia. And that you still are." Elysia chuckled. "The Goblins would agree but I think I learned to temper my bravery with knowledge and wisdom… And at the very least the Goblin Healer that took care of me for five years has been quite happy to find that I am no longer a constant resident of her Medical Wing. Pretty sure I matched my visits to Pomfrey's Hospital Wing while I lived here." Susan chuckled back. "Now that I think about it, you did spend a lot of time in the Hospital, though if what you say is true, I don't think you can blame Malfoy or the Slytherins anymore for it." Elysia shook her head. "Please, I imagine he has been just as much trouble for you as a civilian as he was for me as a student." Susan frowned. "Not really. Ever since he has been working as Professor of Potions under Slughorn at Hogwarts, he's been pretty well behaved." Susan's words drove an ice cold dagger into Elysia's heart, with Hermione entering the room as Elysia responded to the news. "What?"

Chapter 44: Facing Demons

"I can't believe those Traitors! How dare they side with the ICW over their own Ministry!" Shacklebolt sighed, as he sat in his office at the Ministry of Magic, though the fact he was still able to enter it was a small mercy provided by the ICW, as the Aurors were more interested in hunting down the Neo Death Eaters than actually running the government. For now, at least. He was under no illusion that if the crisis was concluded, they would turn their attention to him and his government and interfere there as well. He didn't want to give them any more reasons to expand their authority. "Enough. I understand your feelings, Podmore, but there is nothing we can do about it. The ICW went through the trouble to get an ironclad reason for their intervention. Until they leave, or the Prime Minister restores us to our proper position as the Head of British Magical Community, we will just have to accept the fact that the many of our own Aurors will not be acting on our orders. Now, aside from those that left the DMLE, do you have any actual news for me?" Sturgis cleared his throat. "Well, since the rest of the Aurors that refused to join the ICW initiative were placed in charge of the security of The Ministry and Azkaban, the ICW Aurors were in charge of security at King's Cross for when the students returned for the Easter Recess. According to them, there were no incidents of note, and no signs of anything suspicious. As of right now, there have been no arrests nor any confrontations, which makes me believe that the NDEs are nervous about encountering the ICW Aurors. There have been whispers of brief skirmishes Between the NBO and the NDEs, but nothing definitive. There is a rumor that the NBO were contacted about possible amnesty, though we have no knowledge on the specifics."

Kingsley nodded. "I am not surprised if they were contacted, though I am glad things have been quiet of late. What about the Alley and Gringotts? Any changes there?" Podmore looked over his notes. "So far, everything has been quiet, with the presence of the ICW Aurors having a calming effect on the population. Many more people have been willing to step into the Alley in the last few days, though a small change was noticed when the Auror Security presence seemed to have been reduced in number, only to be sublimated by armed Goblins in full plate armor. The two groups seem to be coordinating security and carrying out inspections, though no incidents of note have been reported, other than Representative Granger being seen coming and going from the bank, usually with an unknown escort." Kingsley pursed his lips. While he had been fond of Hermione Granger, as she was an excellent witch and a talented member of his staff, he had always been wary of her and her ideas. Like Harry Potter before her, she had always been pushing to change the established laws and norms of Wizarding Britain, whether it was the treatment and exchange of House Elves, the disadvantages of the muggleborns or the current representation of the community in the Wizengamot. He had humored her in the sense that he allowed her to write up the proposals for all the changes, but had left them aside, knowing that they would never pass the Wizengamot, particularly since he was not convening it.

The fact that she had returned didn't surprise him all that much. He understood her sense of responsibility and wasn't surprised in the least that she had attempted to secure ICW intervention into British territory. For the most part he had been able to delay such actions, until the Prime Minister and the Queen overruled him, dismissing the Ministry's Authority. In fact, he wouldn't be surprised if Hermione Granger was the Interim Representative of Wizarding Britain, the posting simply going unannounced as she wouldn't be able to currently take command of the Ministry, hence why Kingsley had been left in his post. He listened as Podmore reported that Gringotts was back to being open for business, though all arrivals were undergoing far more extensive security measures to get past the main entrance. A knock on the door revealed the presence of Percy Weasley. While he had been previously part of the Fudge, Scrimgeour and Pius Thicknesse administrations, his continued employment had been questioned due to his actions under the last of said administrations due to it being a puppet government for Voldemort. His eventual decision to turn against the Death Eater backed Ministry and participation at the Battle of Hogwarts had earned him a pardon for any of his past activities, and while he had been focused on getting a license as a solicitor, he was still employed at the Ministry, his experience being invaluable in keeping it running, despite the Wizengamot not being called to session.

"Here are the arrangements for the next few days, including the Quidditch Game on Friday. The ICW apparently delegated the security of the event to the Aurors that left the DMLE. The public portkeys are in place for anyone that needs them and the Knight Bus will be on site to ferry anyone too drunk to make it home safely after the game." Podmore received the papers as Kingsley thanked Percy, before the redhead left the office. Sturgis looked through the documents. "It would seem they will be having another full house." Shacklebolt chuckled. "Not surprising, since it's the Harpies playing against the Cannons. The latter may be known for losing, but they always make for exciting plays. The fact that no games have been targeted so far probably also gives the people a sense of security, though recent events don't really lend much confidence that the NDEs will behave themselves." Podmore looked up from the documents in his hands. "Speaking of security… I was thinking that we may have a means of not only dealing a blow to the Neo Death Eaters, but also to the ICW." Shacklebolt turned to his former Head Auror. "What do you have in mind? It's not like we can send the Aurors who elected to remain loyal out as soon as an attack occurs." Sturgis shook his head. "Of course not, they would be quite busy running security. That said… we do have the Dementors under our employ." Kingsley narrowed his eyes. "Sturgis, Cornelius already tried this game before with Black and the escaped Death Eaters. It didn't end well."

Podmore raised his hand in an appeasing gesture. "I am not suggesting sending them after specific targets. I was thinking that if we hear rumors of an attack or if one is in progress, we could order the Dementors to the area and have them deal with the NDEs." Shacklebolt shook his head. "You know they can't distinguish between friend or foe. Releasing them would put Aurors and civilians in danger." Podmore raised his finger. "The ICW and our traitorous staffers would put the safety of civilians first, while you and I both know that our DMLE Aurors are probably the only ones who have the skills to cast a Patronus. That would reduce collateral damage mostly to the NDEs and the ICW Aurors, since there aren't Dementors outside of Britain. Think about it. Any civilian losses would be the fault of the ICW failing at their job, our staffers would look like heroes and the NDEs would suffer some losses. It would be enough to get the Prime Minister to rescind his stupid order and get the ICW out of our island. Best of all, we could blame the Dementors' presence on the Neo Death Eaters, leaving us in the clear." Kingsley stared at Sturgis, not liking the plan, but not seeing anything wrong with the logic. The DMLE were specifically trained to be able to use the Patronus Charm, with Potter's former DA and the Order being able to use it as well. They could focus on keeping the civilians safe, while the Neo Death Eaters were forced to wrangle with the Dementors. While the dreadful creatures had only acted on behalf of the Death Eaters because of Voldemort's power in the past, it didn't mean that they wouldn't act out in the present. Maybe this could work.

Sighing Kingsley waved his hand. "Write up a standing order for the Dementors for the guards to deliver. As soon as a large-scale attack occurs, have them head to the designated area, but make sure you put a time for them to return. We don't want them running loose through the countryside." Sturgis nodded. "I will get to it. Just one more thing… It would be wise if we sent all of them, making it look like they defected to the NDEs in mass. If we send a few in number, it will look like what Umbridge did against Potter, rather than an unforeseen circumstance." After getting Shacklebolt's approval, Sturgis began to pen the order outside of the Minister's office, as Kingsley looked to the side of his desk, where a photograph sat framed, revealing the second iteration of the Order of the Phoenix. He was pretty certain that many of his fellow order members wouldn't approve of his decision, and as such he wouldn't tell them of the plan. What he planned to do, however, was inform them as soon as the Dementors left Azkaban so that they too could add their strength and skill with the Patronus to help defend the civilians. This was the only way he could ensure that civilian casualties would remain as low as possible while also ensuring that ICW would look completely out of their depth. Once he had control over the Ministry in its entirety again, he could then try and focus on dealing with the NDEs and the NBO, so that there would be no further challenges to his authority before he could get Wizarding Britain back to working order, however long that might take.

"I swear… this is like the Triwizard Tournament all over again. Who the fuck thought it was a good idea to have a large public event during heightened terrorist activity?" Susan scratched her cheek. "To be fair… games are usually planned ahead of time, so this wasn't something that just sprung up on the schedule, not to mention the organizers would have to offer refunds, reschedule a new game and probably take a loss…" Elysia's glare made Susan's explanation end. "Right, it's such an inconvenience to the Ministry and the organizers. You know what's a greater inconvenience? Having players, spectators and security personnel dying because a bunch of paper pushers were too lazy and greedy to actually put the safety of the people above their own interests! You asked me why I left Britain? This is why!" Elysia continued to mumble curses under her breath, some sounding decidedly Goblin in origin as Hermione rubbed the back of her head, sharing some of Elysia's exasperation. The ICW intervention force had left Minister Shacklebolt in control of the day to day operations of the Ministry so as to avoid derailing the bureaucracy that the population depended on while the group focused on the NDEs. Apparently, they had miscalculated, as they had hoped to avoid stretching out their personnel too thin, only for the scheduled Quidditch game to catch them by surprise.

Both Jacob and Susan had agreed that the game presented a serious security risk to the population, but because the populace had seen almost every game being ignored as a target of NDEs activities, even the threat of a cancelation wasn't enough to scare them away, particularly since the organizers and the players themselves were being stubborn, refusing to postpone the event, with the ICW force hesitant to arrest the lot of them for endangering public security during a state of emergency. The only concession they secured was that all further games would be canceled and postponed until after the crisis was over and that the Ministry would run any future public events through the ICW before approval was issued. In exchange, the ICW would post a joint group of its own Aurors and those from the DMLE that chose to cooperate with them to the game to ensure that it was safe. Elysia had no plans to attend or to take part, leaving Susan to do her job as the provisional Head Auror of the DMLE force, with Hermione and Jacob being busy targeting the Estates of the NDEs that had been identified through an internal audit of Gringotts' London's accounts and the intel they were able to get from Sangroyal. To no one's surprise, the names that appeared on the list were those who had either been active supporters of the Death Eaters while at Hogwarts, if not passively complicit.

With Gregory Goyle currently imprisoned in France, the remaining people on the list were other former Slytherin students, like Graham Montague, Cassius Warrington and Marcus Flint. Not that everyone that was in Slytherin shared their ideals, as was obvious with Daphne Greengrass, Tracey Davis and Adrian Pucey. Even Theodore Nott, whose father and grandfather had both pledged themselves to Voldemort, had stayed clear of any involvement with either the NDE movement or its financiers, becoming an Unspeakable for the Department of Mysteries. The Carrow Twins had been even more drastic in their opposition to their parent's ideals, uprooting their entire lives to move out to MACUSA, where Jacob assured them the two women were living peaceful, though very… exciting lives. The names that Elysia had been more interested in, however, were those of the Malfoy family. After Harry surrendered Regency over the House of Black, Castle Black and what was left of the family's Vaults fell into Draco Malfoy's hands, though based on what Gringotts could find, they hadn't been able to do much with it other than the family moving there, leaving the Malfoy Estate. Lucius Malfoy had apparently died while serving his sentence in Azkaban, leaving Narcissa a widow, though he lived long enough to hear about Draco's marriage to Pansy Parkinson. The two had yet to produce a child.

Hearing that Draco had taken up his Godfather's post at Hogwarts had deeply troubled Elysia, though Hermione felt it could have been motivated by some lingering resentment she still harbored for Severus Snape. Apparently, the position for Professor of Potions had been pursued by two people, one being Draco, the other being Earnie McMillan. Both had the qualifications, though Earnie seemed to have obtained better grades in his NEWT scores and had been doing well in his Mastery certification, but Shacklebolt overruled McGonagall's choice, saying that the only way forward was for the sins of the past to be forgiven. Since Draco hadn't actually killed Dumbledore, and his actions in letting the Death Eaters into the Castle during the end of his sixth year were technically under duress, he was only charged with being partly complicit in the actions of the organization. With him leaving the Battle of Hogwarts and not taking a side, it was decided that he would only pay a fine, that he would take up his father's position as Head of the Malfoy Family and would be allowed to pursue a career so long as he wasn't employed at the Ministry itself. As far as Hermione knew, he was behaving himself at Hogwarts, and none of the Death Eaters or Sangroyal loyalists arrested singled him out as a part of the NDEs, and his finances showed little changes. Elysia, however, didn't agree and was certain that he had a part in the recent events and was concerned over Hogwarts itself. She had sent instructions back to Gringotts Parision that even her best friend wasn't privy to.

Still, when the match started, everything seemed to have been going well at the Quidditch stadium, the wards being in place and the spectators enjoying the event. Only for the wards to close down and cut everyone off, leaving the situation inside of the Arena unknown as the Aurors that had been outside of the wards called back to Gringotts London to request assistance, hence why Elysia and Hermione had arrived, finding Susan talking to one of the ICW Aurors just outside of the wards. "Well? Anything?" The ICW warding expert that had been checking the wards looked at the group and answered Susan's query. "The wards are still up, despite them being usually quite frail for such an event. The NDEs might have gotten them reinforced prior to the attack to trap the spectators in and keep reinforcements out. We are seeing signs of curses and spells being cast so we think the Aurors inside are still putting up a fight." Elysia looked up at the wards. "What are the conditions for entry or exit?" The expert shook his head. "None as far as I can tell. I suppose owls could go through, since the NDEs would want to be able to make demands with the hostages, but I am very certain that Elves can't." He gestured at the figures outside of the wards, pacing nervously, which troubled Elysia greatly. Clearly, the Neo Death Eaters had planned this attack well. She wondered if this was something they had been working towards… or if they had intended to use these wards on Gringotts. The thought of the latter made her blood boil, until an uncommonly cold breeze tugged at her hair.

Looking up at the sky, and seeing the clouds moving in against the wind, a cold lump settled into her stomach. "Check the wards again. Are there any indications that they were made to impede entry to Dementors?" As the man looked at the sky, his complexion paled, before he started waving his wand before him as Susan and Hermione both began to realize what was happening, as dozens, if not hundreds of dark cloaked figures streamed towards the Quidditch Stadium, the latter speaking up. "But… the Dementors are under the control of the Ministry!" Susan cursed under her breath. "Sturgis. I swear, if he did this…" Hermione looked between Susan and Elysia. "The… The NDEs surely warded against them, right? They know the Dementors aren't on their side anymore." Elysia lowered her eyes and looked at the ever more panicked ICW Auror in charge of the wards. "Not if they are just copying an old ward scheme, probably the one they had built for Hogwarts, or didn't you think it odd that the Elves were unable to get the children out of the Castle before and during the Battle? They must have designed the wards to entrap everyone… except themselves and their Allies. If they can't leave their own ward then it's probably because it was designed to permit access only to those using the Dark Mark, which doesn't exist any more. Without a real Wardmaster, all they can do is copy what others had made before them." The Auror turned around. "Dementors have a unique magical signature. I can't be certain but I am not seeing it being blocked. If they get in there in those numbers… Hell, even if they don't, we aren't as well trained with the Patronus charm. The best we can do are shields!"

Elysia could feel Hermione staring at the back of her head. She knew how powerful Harry's Patronus used to be. She had seen it at its full strength in their third year when Harry rescued Sirius. Drawing her wand, Elysia ran her fingers over the wood, feeling Macha as their thoughts were shared. The feline seemed to vibrate with barely controlled glee. Looking around her surroundings, Elysia spotted a hill nearby that had several odd objects thrown all over the place, meaning it was the Portkey arrival point. That would do. "Susan, Hermione, have the Aurors keep working on the wards and talk to the Elves. Tell them to get their families out as quickly as possible when the wards come down and ask if they would be willing to rescue anyone else they could, people they know that their families wouldn't want to see hurt. I'll handle the Dementors, though I think you will need to talk to the PM and the Obliviators after tonight. This will be hard to explain away." Hermione narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Elysia…" The raven haired witch smiled at the brunette. "Sorry I won't be asking permission for this, nor will I apologize. This is just something I have to do. You wanted me here to help? Well, you are getting my help, but it will be on my own terms." Apparating the short distance away from the edge of the Stadium to the Portkey arrival point, Elysia looked up at the sky as it turned nearly as black as night, the Dementors barely visible against the clouds.

"You ready?" She could practically feel Macha rolling her eyes at her, with the other two giggling in her head, the sensation making her smile briefly. "Yeah, I know, but I still had to ask. Badb, Anand… could you try and reduce the feedback on Gabrielle… I don't want her to feel the full brunt of what I am about to do." The two aspects agreed and Elysia could feel the bond between her and her girlfriend feeling heavy, all emotions being dampened. Closing her eyes, she thought back to the Peverell journals and what they revealed of her family over a thousand years ago. At a time when the Council of Wizards was still but a distant dream, the Isles of Albion had played host to a most vial Wizard: Herpo the Foul. Already quite insane, the Dark Wizard used his Mastery of Magic and Curses to create the ritual for the raising of Inferi, as well as warping the dangerous Cockatrice into the deadly Basilisk. But those acts of depravity hadn't been enough for him. He wasn't satisfied with warping corpses or living creatures, he wanted to go further. After appearing before the various Kingdoms of the Isle of Albion and offering himself as a jailor and torturer for their vilest prisoners, he took those wretched souls and tore them away from their flesh and bones, before twisting them into true abominations, empty husks of a creature eternally hungry for the very thing that they once were. With the birth of the Dementors, Herpo had set out on a campaign of terror that engulfed most of the northern territories.

Whilst those that could fled to Hogwarts for safety, many non-magicals died, their soulless bodies expanding Herpo's armies of Inferi, and it seemed as if his madness would have consumed everything. Except… there were enough brave souls left that fought back. An alliance of the various magical families and their retainers took up arms against him, with the Peverells being focused heavily on defeating the Dementors. The Patronus Charm worked as a shield, but they wanted something more. So they dedicated years of research to it, even after the armies of Herpo had been destroyed and the Dementors were isolated in their birthplace of Azkaban. They had offered to rid the world of these accursed creatures once and for all, but like always, the greed and laziness of the governing powers won out. They didn't want to get rid of a valuable deterrent, as well as a cheap security force for their worst offenders. For centuries the monsters endured, long after their Master was hunted down and eliminated permanently. For centuries they turned on the Ministry whenever a new Dark Lord arose, only to return to Azkaban and be allowed to endure. No more. With her wand in hand, Elysia pointed it up at the sky above her head as she closed her eyes. She dug deep, looking past her Occlumency defences and sank into a place she never wanted to be in. Into a black pit filled with every painful memory, ever dark thought… every moment when she contemplated death.

From the beatings by the bullies after school, to the hunger pangs that were Harry's constant companion in the cupboard under the stairs. From the bruises left by Vernon whenever he was furious, to the burns he had suffered from the hot oil in Petunia's kitchen. From the pain of the Basilisk's venom to the feeling of Tom's Cruciatus Curse. But, worst of all, from the pain of seeing the memory of her mother dying before his eyes, to seeing the same scene repeated again and again with Cedric, Sirius, Dumbledore and even Dobby. At every step of the way, Harry had endured unbelievable pain and anguish, despair sitting just beneath the surface, never truly being allowed to manifest, either by his own strength of will or by the cruelty of Dumbledore's machinations. Here and now, however, Elysia would allow all those feelings to take root in her heart and fill her soul completely. "Omnes Meum Dolorem." Drawing from the darkness that now festered in her heart, the spell unleashed a blackened orb into the sky, the air filled with the silent screams of Harry's painful life. Elysia could imagine that Hermione and Susan were getting an echo of what she was enduring, but they weren't the target. Like flies to a carcass, the Dementors that had been heading towards the Arena turned towards her and began swarming around the large mass of Magic, feeding from the pain and despair. Elysia could feel her strength failing her slightly as the spell drained her concentration heavily as she awaited for every Dementor to be in range.

As soon as all of the abominations were swirling in a floating mass of black cloaks, Elysia lowered her left hand and opened her palm, letting the magic crackle over her skin. "Laqueus Tenebrarum." She panted as magic pooled out of her and surged upwards, black tendrils climbing high into the sky, surrounding the Dementors completely before they closed in on each other, the cage-like spell becoming a solid black orb in the sky. Breathing heavily as she dropped the first spell and focused on maintaining the cage, Elysia tried to bury her painful memories back… but, despite her best efforts, she found herself getting dragged back into them, seeing herself once more in the cupboard, staring out through the thin bars into the dinning room where the Dursleys enjoyed their carefree lives, before finding herself once more in the graveyard, the body of Cedric Diggory laying on the ground just a few feet away, standing in the Death Chamber once more, gazing at the Archway that had taken Sirius away from her. Trapped in the memories, she was slowly reaching out to the ethereal curtain that existed between the stone pillars, wishing to follow her Godfather into whatever fate awaited her on the other side, before a woman's face flashed across her mind, the smile on her lips breaking Elysia out of her despair. "I love you." Those words echoed in Elysia's head as tears began to race down her cheeks. While she had told Gabrielle the truth that she had been struggling to understand what love was, she had neglected to tell her the other reason that the words had shaken her so deeply.

Before Gabrielle had uttered those words, Elysia was certain no one else had said them to her. At least not that she could remember. Sirius, for all of his warmth and kindness, hadn't really said the words to him, though Elysia was certain that his actions proved that he had loved Harry in his own way. Harry had also known that Lily and James Potter had loved him, but that love was a distant memory, a faint trace of a life that never was. Even their spirits, as he walked to his death at Voldemort's hands, couldn't bring themselves to speak the words. That was why hearing those words from Gabrielle's lips had meant so much to her. To hear them spoken for the first time, to feel the truth in them in her heart… that was something she had never experienced in her life. And it had terrified her, as Elysia couldn't be sure she could even begin to match the feelings in Gabrielle's heart with her own, that the love she gave back wouldn't be enough. Even now, as she felt the memory of her lover's hands on her own, as the bond between them flew open, she was afraid it would never be enough. But… even though she felt herself unworthy… even if… she felt that she could never reciprocate Gabrielle's feelings completely… She didn't want to just give up… she didn't want to lose her… not now… not ever. Recalling every moment they spent together, from that first day walking the streets of Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, to their first shared breakfast together. From their first kiss in the Yuletide to every moment they fell into each other's arms.

At every step of the way, every instance they were together, Elysia had felt her feelings growing deeper and deeper, the very idea of the future she had envisioned at the start of her new life, one spent alone as she attempted to build a life for herself, hoping that may… someday… she would find someone that would truly love her… and … perhaps… she would be able to love them back. Now… it wasn't a dream… it was real. Gabrielle loved her and Elysia… wanted to… Filling her mind with every single memory of the last two years, from the intimate to the mundane, memories spent together with the Delacours, the Charbonneaus, the Grangers…Hermione, Luna, but most importantly… memories of Gabrielle and her beautiful smile and the words she uttered that were Elysia's alone, the raven haired witch allowed the last few years of her life to chase away the darkness within her, burying it back into the recesses of her mind, where the memories would hopefully remain, as her heart and magic swelled with renewed strength and power. With her eyes closed, as the wind swirled around her, Elysia muttered three words under her breath, before she felt it. It was as if a dam in her heart had finally broken down as she felt her skin grow warm, her body coming alive once again. Her three companions began to sing a song as old as time itself, the words foreign yet familiar to her mind.

Opening her eyes briefly and seeing the black mass above her head, she channeled her entire being into Macha, as she closed her eyes again, the final spell slipping out of her lips. "Lumen Meae Animae!" With her hand still gripping the trapping spell, the first thing that she heard were the screams of agony that came from the Dementors within the black mass, as cracks began to form along the surface of the cage, until, finally, the black orb was shattered by the magic that was emanating from within. In the blink of an eye the entire vicinity was bathed in a bright white light, several times brighter than the sun, as the last vestiges of Herpo's madness burned away, consumed by a light they could never hope to devour. As the world once again grew dim and the light faded into nothingness, the skies above Elysia were left clear, a ring of clouds rippling outwards, before they were torn apart by the natural winds. Falling to her knees, Elysia could feel her companions in her head, Macha being beyond pleased with herself, with Anand and Badb both joyous in their own right, as Gabrielle's emotions began to filter in through the bond. There was a part of Elysia that wanted to use the scrying mirror to speak to Gabrielle now, but she resisted. The Aurors may yet need some assistance. Ultimately though, she wanted to wait until her feelings were settled. She had a few words she wanted to share with Gabrielle, but Elysia felt that her Veela girlfriend deserved to hear them in person, not over a mirror.

"The wards are collapsing!" Tracey heard the shout as clear as day, even as all her attention was fixed upon the cloaked figure before her as they traded spells and curses on the Quidditch Pitch. While she wasn't stupid enough to think that the Neo Death Eaters would just leave such a tempting target as the Harpies and Cannons Quidditch alone, particularly after their disastrous attempt to capture Gringotts, there had been the vain hope that she and her fellow Aurors could just stand watch over the game, enjoy the plays and clock out as soon as their shift was over. It had been a nice dream… that came crashing down as soon as she felt the wards shift. The raggedy looking stadiums for the Quidditch games weren't considered the most well guarded places in Britain, let alone the best built. Hell, a few looked even more decrepit than the Shrieking Shack, and that place had been abandoned for decades to the elements without any magic to sustain it. The Quidditch League Stadiums usually looked like a smaller version of the Arena that had been built for the Final of the World Cup, though a few teams had better constructed facilities. While the one they were currently in, belonging to the Holyhead Harpies, was among these, everyone knew that the wards it had were usually just designed for keeping Muggles out and none the wiser, with the barest of effort placed for security. She had heard that the local staff had sat out to improve the security after the ICW Aurors had sounded the alarm. Apparently, they went to the wrong people.

The wards slammed shut just as dozens of cloaked Neo Death Eaters in their masks appeared into the Quidditch Field, before they unleashed curses at where the Aurors stood guard, with a few more having appeared from within the stands, preventing the Aurors from performing an encirclement. Tracey wasn't surprised, however, when her name and Adrian's were yelled out as several Death Eaters focused on their positions. As former Slytherin students, they had been constantly harassed by Draco and his cronies to toe the line of Pureblood Supremacy and support the Death Eaters. Pucey was lucky, graduating the same year that Voldemort was officially recognized by the Ministry as being alive, so he didn't endure the worst years that a Slytherin had to go through if you didn't support Snake Face and his blonde peacock. Both Daphne and Tracey endured quite a lot of peer pressure and bullying, with their families suffering similar threats, though Daphne was treated better as her father was more inclined to agree with the Death Eaters, so they didn't antagonize her as much. The Davis family, however, wanted to remain neutral to the bitter end and Tracey had suffered through endless harassment by her peers, particularly those that wanted to force her into a betrothal contract. Obviously she declined and while she wasn't able to help during the Battle of Hogwarts, she had been there to help in the reconstruction and joined the Auror Academy after taking her remedial seventh year. Pucey had signed up for the academy the year prior and had been a mentor and a friend the entire time, as he felt that entering the Quidditch League wasn't worth his time.

Sadly, as the curses started flying, Tracey could admit to herself that she wasn't at the same level as her fellow Aurors. There was a reason Susan was a Senior Auror, despite being younger than Pucey, and that even Finnigan, with his wand tending to blow shit up at the most inappropriate times, was still a force to be reckoned with in the department. There was no denying that many of the students that had been in Dumbledore's Army, that stupid study group started by Potter in their fifth year, were just better trained that even those who progressed through the Academy, their skills with a wand matched only by their ferocity, with Susan being the undisputed best in the DMLE. While Daphne and Tracey had both trained together to better protect themselves, even Tracey could admit she wasn't the best Duelist. The only reason she had signed up for the Aurors had been because she felt that was the only way she could ever feel safe, by having the training and the backing of the DMLE. She knew she was making herself a target, but that wasn't new to her. She had always been a target of the Death Eaters. At least this way, she could fight back and knew she had friends and colleagues who would be there for her when she needed them. Thankfully, her fellow Aurors started taking defensive positions as the spectators either ducked under the seats and benches or attempted to flee the Stadium on foot, her opponents began to dwindle in number. After launching one Death Eater back with a Banisher, she was about to hit the next, when she felt her forearm getting struck by a cutting curse.

She grunted as the curse tore through her flesh, her grip on her wand arm growing slack as she fell to her knees. The one responsible walked up to her and chuckled. "You really should have listened to us from the start, Blood Traitor. If you had, you wouldn't be kneeling down, holding your useless arm against your chest, about to die." Tracey looked up, recognizing that voice, despite the mask. She spat at the witch's feet. "Right, because I would have either been kneeling down, kissing the feet of a mass murder, or letting some old fart take me from behind while I tried to continue their filthy bloodline. Sadly, it sounds like you can't quite do the last part yourself, right, Pansy? For a Pureblood broodmare, you don't seem to be measuring up. Or maybe it's Draco who can't perform. Astoria really lucked out, didn't she?" The witch growled. "Crucio!" Funny enough, this wasn't Tracey's first time under the Cruciatus Curse, often being targeted by the Carrows whilst she had been at Hogwarts. Coming from Pansy, the pain really didn't measure up, though it did have the benefit of making her head clear up after losing so much blood. After dropping the Torture Curse, Pansy lifted her wand up. "I would love to spend more time showing you just how pathetic you really are, Davis, but I have better things to do. Your corpse will hopefully get your friend Greengrass to see the error of her way. Av-" Her spell was interrupted as a bright light blinded everyone in the stadium. Well, almost everyone, as Tracey had been fortunate to have a cloaked figure between her and the source of the light.

Raising her wand quickly, she focused on a spell that she had seen Viktor Krum use during his Task against the dragon. If it worked on a dragon, a human wouldn't fare any better. "Tumidos Oculos!" Swiping with her wand, Tracey grinned as she watched the curse land right across the mask that Pansey was wearing, knowing that even a mask wouldn't protect her, as it was a spell that was transmitted via visible light. Pansy screamed as the Conjunctivitis Curse left her momentarily blinded, unable to see anything at all. Knowing what was coming next, Tracey dove into a roll, as curses rained down upon her last position as Pansy struck blindly whilst she screamed. Then one of the Death Eaters called out the situation with the wards, before all of the Death Eaters suddenly vanished, probably being pulled away via portkeys. Tracey could hear the commotion around her far more loudly now, even as her eyesight began to waver. In what felt far too long, her senses seemed to recover, though what she heard wasn't exactly pleasant at all. "I can't seem to stabilize her! Spells, counterspells and potions aren't working!" She heard Susan quite close by. "Don't we have anyone versed in cursed injuries?" The person next to her, whom she assumed was a Healer, responded. "I am one, but I just don't know the curse that was used…" Another voice, that of a woman, joined the conversation. "Let me have a look." Tracey winced as her arm was lifted, magic pulsing over it briefly. "It seems like Snape couldn't keep the curse to himself. I have what I think is a counter potion, but it needs a Cleansing Ritual to work." After hearing a few words muttered and feeling a surge of magic rise within her, Tracey finally slipped into a restful sleep.

Hermione looked at the devastation around her, trying to find some comfort in the fact that it could have been far worse. The Aurors that had been assigned to the event faced the threat head on, and suffered for it, with half a dozen being sent to St Mungos for further treatment or observation… and four others having died in the altercation. Not that they were the only casualties either. Several dozen civilians were also injured and almost a dozen died at the hand of the Death Eaters whilst the ICW did their best to dismantle the wards. To her surprise, quite a few witches and Wizards raised their wands to protect the others, their names being very familiar to her. Obviously, since it was a game involving the Holyhead Harpies, George had been in attendance to watch his wife, Angelina Weasley née Johnson playing as the vice captain, whilst Ginerva was Seeker. At the first sign of trouble, the ever noble Gryffindor went to his wife's defence, the two of them doing a good job of keeping the Neo Death Eaters off balance. Ginerva and the other Harpies did their best to distract the attackers, but they weren't as effective as the Aurors or the NBO members that happened to be in the crowd. Of course, the entire thing could have been a thousand times worse had the Dementors entered the Arena. Sure, the Death Eaters may have perished… but the collateral deaths would have been far greater. A detachment of ICW Aurors that had been training to take down a Family Estate was sent to Azkaban to get to the bottom of what happened, though Susan and Hermione had a good idea who was behind the Dementors fiasco.

At the very least… they wouldn't have to worry about the Dementors ever again. Hermione had no idea what sort of spells Elysia had used, but it was obvious that her old friend had been considering the possibility of encountering the foul creatures in her current life and had planned accordingly. The death of the Guards of Azkaban would have consequences that Hermione was probably going to have to deal with, but at the same time she couldn't fault Elysia for the choice she made. She had already made a brief call to the PM to ask him to… handle the "official" response to the massive ball of light that was seen in the skies over Britain tonight, suspecting it would be categorized as a meteor burning up in the atmosphere. Thankfully, that light had helped to distract the NDEs before the wards were finally brought down, saving a few people in the process, including Tracey Davis, who had been transported to St Mungos to speed up her recovery after the Field Healers had struggled to stabilize her. Elysia, being far more prepared now than Hermione ever recalled, had been able to lend a hand by having her bag filled with potions on hand. Apparently, she was keeping busy at Gringotts London brewing every potion she felt might be necessary, including the curse residue cleansing potion she had with her. The only caveat with the potion was that it needed a Healer to perform a ritual, though thankfully the ICW staff were capable of carrying them out.

Hermione had been curious as to why Elysia still wasn't able to perform a ritual, particularly considering her connection to magic that could be traced to some divine power. Elysia had looked away from her before answering. "Just because you have a sense that there are greater powers at play, doesn't mean that you have a stronger faith in them. If anything… I am a lot more likely to believe in others than in the divine, as the minds of sentiments are far easier to grasp… than the thoughts of an unknowable god." Hermione couldn't really fault her friend's logic. After assisting with the Healers by performing as an on-site Apothecary, Elysia was the first to leave the Arena and for once… Hermione really wanted to follow her lead. Particularly when a certain person spoke up as she approached one of the groups of people still on the pitch. "Hermione? What are you doing out here? Finally decided to come and watch me play?" The brunette sighed before giving a certain redhead what she knew was a terrible smile. "Not at all, Ronald. I am here to help with the situation and get an on-site report. Now, if you would excuse me, I have others I need to talk to." Turning away from Ron, she looked over at Angelina and George, both covered in cuts and bandages. "You two and the others did a lot of goodwork today, helping to keep the Neo Death Eaters at bay." George shrugged. "I was already here to watch my wife play, so it's not like it was a stretch for me to lend a hand where I could. Particularly when the other players started trying to act as distractions."

The tall redhead glared at his wife and former colleagues, as both Alicia Spinet and Katie Bell had followed Angelina to the team, replacing most of the aging witches, with Captain Gwenog Jones still holding on, though now as the Team's Keeper, with Ginerva taking her former position. They all looked to be equally as frazzled by the events, though Angelina certainly sported the most injuries. Hermione shook her head. "Still, on behalf of the ICW force, thank you all for your help… and I hope you don't complain much when the next games are postponed until the crisis is over." Gwenog, sporting Some grey highlights in her auburn hair, shrugged. "To be fair, we could all use the break. I know some of these girls are itching to finish their certifications so they will probably be hitting the books." Alicia and Katie both blushed, though Ginny was the next to speak. "Heard that you left the Islands for over a year. Did you come across any rumours about Harry?" Whilst Hermione knew that Ginny was asking out of habit, as she still felt slighted by her ex-boyfriend leaving without saying a word, she could see that the other former Gryffindors, including George, were listening intently. She sighed, having discussed this very question with Elysia at length the last few days. "Look, I asked around, but all I got was that Harry finished paying his debts to Gringotts and vanished off the face of the world. No one has seen him anywhere and I am pretty sure… we will never see him again."

A certain redheaded ponce decided to open his mouth. "Thought as much. Who knew the bloody Boy-Who-Lived was such a coward. Didn't really stick around to help with anything other than Hogwarts and then he just up and left, whilst we were left behind to deal with the Death Eaters." Hermione felt her eye twitch. "Ronald, Harry gave it his all for years while under terrible conditions and somehow managed to kill Voldemort…" She noticed a few people around her flinch, making her roll her eyes. "...and then tried to actually get the Ministry and the Wizengamot to make some lasting change, before Kingsley and his staff stopped him. Harry didn't fail us, we failed him. We failed when the lot of us tried to pick up the pieces without actually trying to fix the underlying problems, and he was tired of all the shit he had to deal with. He left because he had no real reason to stay." Ginny pointedly herself. "He had me! He should have stayed for us, for what we could have been." Hermione closed her eyes, not really wanting to get into this topic. "Clearly it wasn't enough, hence why he left. Now, George, any word from your friends?" As Ginny muttered to herself, not that dissimilar from what Molly was known to do, George looked at his wife, who nodded at him, before he looked at the brunette. "That depends, what's going to happen to Kingsley and the Ministry? Some of the Aurors have been talking about something happening with the Dementors."

Hermione sighed. "Someone sent all the Dementors out of Azkaban, with this stadium having been their intended destination." The sudden look of terror on everyone's faces made Hermione raise her hands. "Easy, they're gone now. As in permanently gone. A Gringotts Magical Creature Specialist had been assigned to the ICW force, just in case something like this were to happen. They used some questionable and unknown spells but they managed to eliminate all of the Dementors before they could do anyone any harm." George frowned. "Was that what made that bright light in the sky?" Seeing Hermione nod, George whistled. "Nice. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving group. Still, those things didn't leave Azkaban without orders. Will the ICW do something about Shacklebolt if he was found to have been complicit?" Hermione crossed her arms. "They are working on getting the evidence first, not to mention finding Ministry staffers who might be able to operate the government without having a Minister at the helm. It will probably take a while, but I can assure you that the current leaders of the Administration won't be keeping their posts."

George looked around at the people that had been within hearing distance, many being either members of the New Blood Order, or quiet supporters. He watched as they all nodded, not seeing anyone shaking their head, before he turned to Hermione. "My friends say they will do it. The list will be in your hands in a few days. Just… try to see if you can do what Harry tried to do in the past and actually fix things for the better. Many of us are quite young but we have seen the damage these wars have done to our friends and families and we are just tired of nothing changing. So please, try and get this right…" Hermione nodded back, before surreptitiously looking around her, having a good idea who might still be a member or who would probably have signed up after she left. They hadn't come to the game to work as security but they hadn't hesitated coming to the aid of their fellow spectators either. Whilst the Order of the Phoenix had done its fair share of good, it had always been a small organization, its power never amounting to much against the Death Eaters. The people around her weren't as well trained as Dumbledore's force had been, but it hadn't mattered to them. They had seen enough bloodshed and war to last them several lifetimes. What they had lacked in skill, they made it up in numbers and passion. Hermione decided then and there that she would have to talk to Jacob into adjusting the terms for the pardons a little bit. These people were the future of Magical Britain. They would be needed in order to make sure that tragedies like today… would never be repeated ever again.

"Lady Malfoy! We have several more people incoming! Those ICW bastards just raided the Montague Estate!" Pansy gestured with her hand to the stairs. "The rooms on the second floor are cleared for use, though you will have to conjure your own furniture. The previous Regent Black did a number on this place and didn't leave much of the old furniture for us to use. If the rooms get overcrowded, we can move the rest of our people to the third floor, though the fourth floor is off-limits. Understand?" The Neo Death Eaters bowed their heads and headed towards the portkey arrival point as more cloaked figures arrived, many sporting torn robes, bruises or severe injuries. Most of the first floor of the Estate had essentially become the NDE movement's Medical Ward, as the last few days saw an influx of many injured Death Eaters. The scenes in front of her eyes were, sadly, nothing new to Pansy. Ever since her failed attack on the Quidditch Game, the ICW had gone on the offensive, taking out Estate after Estate, the first being the one belonging to her birth family, the Parkinsons. Her parents hadn't been Death Eaters in the previous war simply because they lacked the skills with a wand to perform adequately. Instead, they had been financial backers of the movements since the Seventies, with Voldemort's initial rise to power, though they couldn't match the financial or political power of either the Blacks or the Malfoys.

When the first war ended with the Dark Lord's apparent defeat, her family wisely distanced themselves from the more violent Death Eaters as they were rounded up and sent to Azkaban, latching onto Lucius Malfoy's group and their Imperius defence, though thankfully they themselves never needed it. Sure, they were suspected of being Death Eaters, but no one had any evidence against them other than they just being a minor House of the Dark faction of the Wizengamot. As Pansy entered Hogwarts with Draco, she had been asked to befriend him and keep an ear out for any news that may benefit the Parkinsons. When the Triwizard Tournament ended and the Dark Lord returned, her family were among the first to resume supporting Voldemort's return, helping in supplying him with potions materials that would be central to the recovery of the Death Eaters that were being held in Azkaban. Under Umbridge's tenure at Hogwarts, she and Draco had helped to uncover Harry Potter's illegal Defence Club and she had later helped the Malfoy Heir with alibis as he sought to kill Albus Dumbledore on Voldemort's orders. While he failed to kill the Headmaster, Draco had still been instrumental in his death at Snape's hands and everything looked to be on track for the final victory her family had dreamed of.

Not only had the Ministry been under the control of the Dark Lord, but Hogwarts itself was under the management of Death Eaters. Under the Carrows, Pansy had finally been able to learn what it was to cast curses and she got really good at them, particularly the Cruciatus Curse, which she loved to practice on the Gryffindors and other Blood Traitors still at the Castle, whilst Potter and his sycophants were hunted down like dogs. At every step, things looked to indicate that the Dark Lord would finally bring about the future that the Purebloods had dreamed of, the extermination of all the Mudbloods that were stealing the magic of the world for themselves, destroying the traditions of the Sacred 28 by refusing to integrate themselves into their world, and forcing all the Blood Traitors to pay the price for the part they played in the downfall of Wizarding Britain. And then… Harry Potter reappeared at Hogwarts with the remnants of Dumbledore's Order, chased out the Death Eaters that had been inside the Castle and then fought in the battle that left countless of good witches and wizards either dead or captured. How he defeated the greatest wizard in the history of the country Pansy would never truly understand, but Harry Potter had stolen the future that the Parkinsons had been working towards yet again. Now, nearlynineyears since that very same battle took place and the Neo Death Eaters had been so close to being seen as the rightful successors of Voldemort's cause, only for the ICW to not only intervene, but to do so in a way that was pushing them to the brink once more.

Watching as the last of the Death Eaters appeared at the Portkey Relay point, looking ragged and injured, she broke the circle from their end to prevent the Aurors from getting through. While the Vanishing Cabinets were a more portable version that was easier to conceal, the Portkey Relay Points favored by Sangroyal had proven very useful for the transport of people and personnel from one side of the channel to the other without the Ministry being the wiser. When Sangroyal started to fall, the first thing the Neo Death Eaters had to do was destroy any evidence of the relays existing, which kept the DMLE unaware of just how well they could move anywhere in the country, without the use of Floo Terminals. Unfortunately, even their more recent advantage had reached its limits, as the ICW became aware of the relays and was actively trying to disable them to capture as many Death Eaters as possible. With Montague's Estate now under their control… they didn't have many safe locations left for the NDEs to use. Whilst their current location wouldn't be easy for the Aurors to locate, let alone breach, Pansy knew better than to assume they were safe. No, it was better if they prepared for the worst. "Get everyone who is injured back to fighting shape as soon as possible. Dip into the reserves if you have to! We need everyone to be ready at a moment's notice."

As the Death Eaters followed her instruction and tended to their wounded with potions, Pansy went towards the war room and the communication mirror that was in it. It took a few minutes for a figure to appear on the full length mirror, but eventually she heard the voice from the other end. "What is it?" Pansy sighed. "Montague's Estate has fallen and the survivors are with me now receiving attention. We will have to accelerate our plans. How many people do you have on your end?" The figure on the other side cursed. "We only have about two dozen." Pansy started to sweat. "We have a bit more, but they still need to be treated for injuries. The ICW aren't as squeamish as the DMLE in the use of curses. I could have most of them ready to go before the agreed upon date." The cloaked Death Eater was silent for a moment before shaking his head. "We can't waste so many of our forces on this operation. Send me ten or so but no more. I want the rest to keep you and the Castle safe." Pansy stared at the person in the mirror. "Are you sure?" The figure nodded. "I have no illusions about what's going to happen here. It's better if we give both of us the best chance to succeed. If the ICW comes for you first, hold out as long as you can." Pansy sighed but nodded. "We will do our best… and so should you. For the future of our world."

Chapter 45: In Ancient Halls

"That's everything we have so far from the raid from the Bulstrode Residence." Jacob nodded as he finished looking over the list provided to him by the local Department of Mysteries Curse Division. Unlike much of the British Ministry of Magic, the Department of Mysteries always operated in concert with the ICW as part of the Magical Mysteries Treaties. Sure, the local government carried out recruitment and staffed the Department, but the oaths that the Unspeakables were bound to were passed down from the ICW itself and after a few incidents of staffers breaking Department policy and the secrecy of their work, such as was done by Augustus Rockwood during the First British Wizarding War, the applications of oaths became a mandate in all the DoMs. Thankfully, the current head of the British DoM, Saul Croaker, was well respected both within his own department and in the wider community and he made sure his people were beyond reproach. Which was why Jacob had no problem with handing the cursed objects collected from the various raids his Aurors were carrying out to the local DoM Unspeakables. They would be better acquainted with the sort of Magic that went into them anyways, compared to what a more internationally trained set of specialists would usually deal with. King had initially been surprised that the Unspeakable in charge of the cursed objects was the son of two generations of Death Eaters, but apparently Theodore Nott had cast aside his family's prejudices and was currently repaying back the debt they incurred against the British Magical Community by studying and undoing all the curses he could get from the Death Eaters.

With the aid of a lovely young woman of Indian descent, Unspeakable Patil, the two demonstrated exceptional situational awareness when handling the cursed objects, identifying a few by scan alone, before storing them all in isolation containers, many being lent to the DoM by Gringotts due to the sheer amounts of objects they were acquiring. After the attack on the Quidditch game, the ICW hadn't taken things lightly. With Minister Shacklebolt under house arrest while his subordinates were questioned and detained if they were found to have aided in the release of the Dementors from Azkaban, the Aurors that had been preparing to raid the suspected Neo Death Eater properties were given the green light. Estate after Estate fell, the fact that the ICW had control over the Ministry helping in cutting off the Floo Terminals as a means of escape, while their encirclement wards prevented them from apparating away. In fact, their only means of escape so far had been their portkey relays, the very same they had been using to illegally transport goods in and out of the country with the help of Sangroyal. These relays would only be cut off after the original wards were disabled, at which point the relay would be detected and Aurors would be sent to its location to destroy it, meaning the Death Eaters had a short window of escape from the moment they became aware they were under attack to the moment the ICW manually disabled the relays.

Thankfully, these very relays were instrumental in locating and targeting other Neo Death Eater supporters, as while relays could bypass the anti-portkey wards and sensors, they could only do so by having fixed locations built into the arrays, meaning that the very first relay the ICW captured gave them the evidence they needed to target the next property, and the next and so on. Handing the paper back to the Unspeakables, Jacob dismissed them, before walking into the War Room that his force had set up within the Ministry of Magic's DMLE. He nodded at Head Auror Bones and Representative Granger, before walking towards the central table, tossing the file on the coordinates taken from the final relay they had captured, before searching for them on the map. "We have the location for the last group of escapees from the Montague Estate. Based on them, we believe the property lies here." Jacob tapped on a section of the map on a piece of land in the county of Norfolk. Susan looked over and frowned. "I don't remember any of the Magical Families having a property there." A voice from the farm side of the room. "I do." The dark skinned man looked over at Gringotts Representative, Elysia Peverell, as she remained in a position far in the room with her back against the wall, usually with a small book in her hand.

Jacob wasn't sure what to make of the witch. She was powerful, no one could deny that after the stunt she pulled next to the Quidditch Stadium, eliminating hundreds of Dementors with a series of spells that his subordinates believed would have winded all of them when only casting one, let alone all three. What these spells were a mystery the witch refused to share with them, as Peverell believed they were unnecessary at the moment. No one could really refute that, considering the Dementors were now officially extinct, so spells designed to lure, trap and kill them were now essentially obsolete. Jacob could also understand her weariness about sharing any information, as the Dementors had been artificially created. If the means of their destruction was well known, the next Dark Lord who tried to emulate Herpo the Foul could try and build an immunity to said spells. His superiors at the ICW agreed on that as well, hence why they were willing amtrust the witch. Still, he knew very little about the brunette in front of him other than that she was vouched for by François Delacour and was the Representative of Gringotts when they were at the banks dealing with the Viceroys. His superiors were very curious about how a witch became someone the Goblins would trust to handle diplomatic affairs, at least in regards to the current crisis in Britain. That she knew something even the local Aurors didn't made her even more puzzling to him. "Who does the property belong to?"

Elysia sighed to herself. "That is the location of Castle Black, the ancestral fortress of the Black Family." Hermione looked over at Susan whose face became all the more stormy. "Malfoy." Elysia nodded. "That would be my guess. When Harry Potter ceded his position of Regent over the House of Black, the Ancestral Home would have fallen into the hands of the next designated Heir. With Sirius Black dead, as well as Regulus, the property would then have gone to their closest kin by order of age. With Bellatrix dead as well, and Andromeda Tonks disowned by the family, the last inheritors would have been Narcissa Black and her son, Draco. Since Pansy Malfoy was confirmed as a Neo Death Eater who took part in the attack on the Quidditch game, it only made sense that she would be operating out of the old property." Jacob turned to Head Auror Bones. "Did you check with Hogwarts as to the location of Draco Malfoy?" The redhead nodded back. "I did. Unfortunately, Headmistress McGonagall confirmed that he left Hogwarts at the start of the Recess and hasn't heard from him since." Jacob raised his hand to his chin. "We still need to decide what to do with Hogwarts and the returning students. You are still against letting them return?" Hermione nodded. "I am. I doubt the ones who have escaped the raids will want to return to school while their families are being detained, and there is the danger that the Express represents if it were sent off with students. Transporting the students through the Floo network to the Three Broomsticks would be an option, but until we have the remaining Death Eaters in custody, opening the Castle's gates again would present a danger to everyone already inside."

Jacob looked back towards the table. "Understood. That would just leave us with Castle Black. Any idea on what we would be looking at in terms of terrain and defences?" Elysia started digging into her coat for something. "Ever since Auror Davis confirmed the presence of Pansy Malfoy at the attack, I had Gringotts grant us access to any properties the Malfoys had access to. Here. This is a map of the grounds and a building schematic." Jacob frowned as he looked at the plans as the scroll was spread open before him. "These are quite new looking for plans belonging to an Ancestral Home of an Ancient family." Elysia shrugged. "It seemed that Harry Potter was concerned about Castle Black falling into the hands of Death Eaters and being used as a base. Had Voldemort had access to it during his reign, he probably would have preferred it over the Malfoy Estate as his headquarters. As such, Potter made sure to empty it out of all magical or cursed objects with the exception of a few innocuous family heirlooms, had every inch of the place mapped out, including the secret passage ways, and made sure that Gringotts had access to them incase the DMLE came knocking." Jacob's face was pensive. "Well, I am grateful for Mr Potter's foresight. Still… this looks like a well built fortress and I can imagine how strong the wards are going to be." Elysia crossed her arms as she looked at the plans. "You can focus on a plan for assaulting the property and capturing the inhabitants. Gringotts will handle the wards."

As the Portkey relay point within Gringotts lit up, indicating an arrival, Elysia wiped her sweaty hands-on her pants, as the figure of a mature woman appeared. The visage of said witch would never not make Elysia's instincts act up, as she looked very much like her sister, minus the madness that always seemed present on Bellatrix's face. Whilst Andromeda had once looked a lot more jovial, it was clear that the destruction of her family had left its mark on the woman, what softness she once carried all but replaced with a weariness that Elysia was certain reached deep into her soul. She could imagine that her grandson was the only reason that Andromeda held onto life. The woman searched the chamber, her eyes landing on Elysia for a brief second before doing a double take. Unlike with the others, Elysia had elected to forgo her usual disguise, as she felt that with what she was about to ask of one of the two remaining Black Sisters merited some honesty on her part. She raised her hand and waved at the Tonks matriarch. "It's been a while, Andromeda. I… hope things have been well for you and your grandson." The woman searched Elysia's face before her lips fell open. "Harry?" Raising her finger up to her lips, Elysia motioned for Andromeda to follow her, leading her up to her Champion Suite, before locking the door and allowing Andromeda to perform a few scans with her own wand, before responding. "I imagine you have a lot of questions."

The dark haired witch with quite a few gray hairs shook her head. "Not as many as you might think. I did raise Nymphadora after all. She had her rebellious phase where she took on the appearance of a young man for a very long summer. She almost successfully got me to change her name, until at the end she felt that it would have been… improper if she tricked me into it if she intended to return to a female form later on. With you, on the other hand, I doubt it's just a phase." Elysia smiled at her as she gestured at the table which had a tray of sandwiches and tea all set for them. "You would be right. I go by Elysia now. Please, have a seat… I still think we have a lot to talk about." After Andromeda took a sip from her cup and relaxed, Elysia searched her face. "How have you been? Gringotts could only tell me so much, other than your work towards establishing an Irish Magical Academy." Andromeda nodded. "It's still a work in progress but we finally secured a location and a group of investors beyond just the government. Aside from construction, we are looking for possible staff members to come and teach, with Ilvermorny being very interested in sending some of their graduates to us. As for myself… the Academy planning keeps me busy, and the Mind Healer sessions have really helped, though I… still miss… them… terribly, particularly with Teddy. I see so much of Ted and Nymphadora in him." Elysia gave her a sorrowful smile. "I can imagine. I am sorry I wasn't able to do more. I am sure you would have preferred someone helping out with Teddy but I was… indisposed, paying off my debts to Gringotts."

Andromeda raised an eyebrow as she looked around. "It would seem you did more than just pay off your debts." Elysia chuckled nervously. "I did… but it still took up five years of my life spent in isolation, with the last few spent… getting used to… well… me." Andromeda gave her an understanding look. "Then it would seem you made the right choice, not taking up the Godfather's oath. Still… I know it was you who established the Vaults for my medical needs and Teddy's so… Thank you for that. They were very much needed." Elysia lowered her eyes. "How is Teddy? I… know he was registered as a werewolf. Is he doing well?" Andromeda sighed. "At first it wasn't easy. His father's curse appeared in him early and even a child understood that the original Wolfsbane Potion wasn't all that pleasant to take. Still, he took it and then took the others in the morning after and it eased his symptoms. Once the enhanced potion entered the market, however, he has certainly been better, not needing any other potions at all. I was initially worried he would have to join a pack to suppress his more violent instincts, but Teddy says he feels fine now, being fully in control of the wolf." Elysia smiled to herself. "I am glad. I spent so much time refining that potion, hoping beyond hope that it would be effective in reducing the curse into just a nuisance without any dangers for anyone involved. I wanted to make sure that Teddy, at the very least, had a chance at a better life." Those brown eyes searched Elysia's face as her mouth opened.

"Elysia… Peverell? It was you? You made the potion?" The raven haired witch nodded. "I was already working towards a Potions Mastery when the Bank informed me of Teddy's registration as a werewolf. Giving him a better life was my motivation in developing the enhanced Wolfsbane potion." She shrugged, her face still sporting a smile. "After that I just… kept on going, making more potions to help others out in every corner of the world." Andromeda lowered her empty cup of tea onto the saucer. "Then I am doubly in your debt. Not only did you secure our family's financial needs, but you gave my grandson his future back. If there is anything you need from me, just ask." Elysia sighed. "I wish I didn't have to collect on it ever, but I am afraid that I didn't just call you here to check up on you, though I fully intend to make an evening out of it." Elysia blushed. "I can't say that I will ever be able to be Teddy's godmother and I have no right to it, but I wouldn't be opposed to meeting him from time to time." Andromeda smiled at her. "Neither would I and I am sure that Teddy would love to get to know you, even if only as an acquaintance. So, what do you need from me?" Sitting back, Elysia stared at the thin layer of tea in her cup. "The Malfoys have gotten involved with the Neo Death Eaters, probably since the beginning. The ICW has raided every other property and captured or killed many of the NDEs, but the latest raid resulted in them detecting the escaping Death Eaters fleeing into Castle Black."

Andromeda frowned. "The wards on the Castle will not be easy to break. They are easily almost two thousand years old and have been refined over the centuries. I don't know much about the place itself, as the Castle tended to be the domain of the Head of the family when he elected to appoint the Heir as his Proxy. When I was a child, Sirius, not your Godfather but his grandfather, was the one inhabiting it with Arcturus staying at Grimmauld. When Sirius died, Arcturus eventually retreated there with Melania whilst Orion and Walburga managed the London townhouse. Then everything went to hell. I was disowned, Sirius fled to the Potters, Walburga became obsessed with training Regulus as the next Heir and… well, you know the rest. I am not sure how much help I can be, as I never visited the place." Elysia shook her head. "You don't have to worry about the Castle, as I had Gringotts map the whole place while I was Regent. Those maps have been provided to the ICW." Andromeda, after serving herself more tea, raised her cup in salute. "How very Slytherin of you. Your great aunt Dorea would have approved. So, if you have that, what do you need from me?" Elysia smiled. "Well… while the Family Tree at Grimmauld had your branch burned off from the tapestry, the same could not be said of the original Tapestry at the Castle. Gringotts were able to obtain the blood vial that was incorporated into the Tree's source after your birth to trace any potential heirs back to you… and used it to make a backdoor protocol to the Castle's wards, one that would never register as being present even if the Malfoys resetted them. So, are you willing to help us evict some squatters from your family's property?"

The former Black stared at Elysia for a few seconds before she started giggling, which then turned to cackling, reminding the raven haired witch that even if she had been disowned, the Black Madness was probably still alive and well within Andromeda Tonks. After she finally controlled her fit of laughter and cleaned up her eyes, she gave the former Potter a massive smile. "My dear, while the entire Black Family would curse the day you were born, none of them could ever doubt just how brilliant of a move that was. You really should have been sorted into Slytherin." Elysia took her refilled cup of tea and shrugged. "Had I been properly introduced to the magical world by someone not being manipulated by Dumbledore, I probably would have. Then again, I doubt I would have survived the house… or vice versa. Still, while I don't consider myself any less noble or brave, I have learned the values of the other principles the other House's held most dear, including the importance of knowing how to stack the odds in one's own favor. Draco and Narcissa might have been more understanding towards the end of the second war… but old habits die hard and bad company never makes for good decisions." Andromeda nodded, her face growing weary again at the mention of her sister. After briefly discussing a few matters, the conversation turned to more pleasant things, including the presents sent by her and Teddy to Victoire, with Elysia hoping to arrange a visit between the distant cousins in far more pleasant times.

There was something unnaturally eerie about the nights spent at Castle Black. From the battlements and windows, all one could see were flatlands stretching in every direction, with the coastline to the northeast showing some signs of lights from either roads, towns or even boats as they sailed along the shores of Norfolk. Pansy had heard from Narcissa that the Castle was constructed over centuries, with the original fortifications dating back to the Roman occupation. The region had belonged to the Iceni, a local tribe that once aligned itself with the Roman Empire, only to enter into open rebellion as their Allies behaved more as overlords and their way of life was threatened. In response to Boudica's rebellion and the sacking of Londinium, a Roman Commander subjugating nearby territories took his forces and successfully defeated the Iceni, with Boudica's death following soon after. After the loss of Londinium and the uprising, the powers in Rome felt a stronger military presence was needed in the British Isle and sent even more soldiers. Amongst the new occupying force were the earliest members of the Black Family to ever stand on British soil, the mages already well known in the Italian Peninsula as vicious and powerful. Taking a plot of land some distance from all the populated centers, the Blacks built up their fortress, first in service of Rome, then the Angles and eventually as part of Britain, the family obtaining several properties all along the island the centuries they spent there.

Sadly, by the time Draco and his mother inherited the Black title, all that was left was the Castle, as Sirius Black hadn't only transferred much of the wealth belonging to the family to his own private Vaults and that of his Allies, but the bastard had named Harry Potter as his Heir and Regent. What little had been left of the Black Family was sold off to the highest bidder, with the Malfoys only managing to purchase some of the items, most being of sentimental value, as Potter saw fit to remove or destroy anything that could have been used in another war, leaving behind a mostly empty Castle and a meager Vault of galleons for the successors of the once proud bloodline. Pansy had sworn that she would avenge her new family and see them restored to glory. Sadly, her marriage to Draco had yet to produce an Heir, despite their best efforts, with Draco spending much time and thought into collecting mistresses that could help in the restoration of the Black Family. Pansy hated the fact that Draco still yearned to collect Astoria Greengrass as a Mistress, despite her sister dissolving the marriage contract that existed between the Malfoys and Greengrasses. The witch showed no interest in her man, despite his best efforts, and Pansy wasn't certain which angered her more; that Draco still pinned for a woman that would never be his… or that the witch dared to reject her husband's very generous advances.

Unfortunately, the silence of the Castle didn't help Pansy to avoid dwelling on thoughts she desperately wanted to ignore. The ICW had been unexpectedly ruthless in their attacks on the Neo Death Eaters, leading to dozens of raids, resulting in most of their forces being captured or killed. The fact that the Dementors were gone did give some of the survivors a silver lining, as it meant that their family members wouldn't be subjected to the horrid beasts anymore, but that was a sentiment that quickly disappeared from everyone's minds as they began to realize that they were no match for the ICW Aurors as they devastated their meager forces. While Pansy didn't want to consider it, it was possible that the Death Eaters in the previous two wars had been lucky that the Ministries at the time had been unwilling to submit themselves to the humiliation that was asking the ICW for assistance in silencing an internal crisis. With Shacklebolt's hands tied and the ICW Aurors on the warpath, all the Neo Death Eaters could hope for was that they weren't located at all and that their last, desperate measure to cleanse the island of all the filth proved to be successful. Walking along one of the Castle's hallways that had windows that looked over the battlements and onto the countryside beyond, Pansy tried to find some comfort in the darkness beyond until she saw movement on the Castle walls. Knowing how many people were currently on her property, the sight of unknowns did briefly surprise her, as Pansy went to check her connection to the wards-

Surprise turned to horror as she realized she was no longer connected to the wards at all, if they were even up to begin with. Whoever was standing on the battlements seemed to have noticed her too, her shadow cast by the lights along the hallway, as they raised their wands towards her. Pansy barely yelled "We under atta-" when the windows and stonework were blown up, launching onto the ground, her ears ringing from the explosion. Drawing her wand, she unleashed a wave of fire towards the window, catching the rug underneath her feet alight as she tried to delay the attacking forces. As if the blast had been some sort of signal, shouts began to be heard in the air, orders to surrender mixing in with spells and curses. Taking a brief moment to check if she could apparate out, Pansy found herself unable to do so. Realizing that her only hope of escape was the final portkey relay point, she started running full speed towards the lower floors, feeling the Castle shake all around her, dust falling from the stone and wooden supports above her head. Rushing down the stairs, she heard as men and women ordered her to surrender as red stunners flew towards her. Barely blocking them with her shield, she felt a spell striking behind her, the particulates blinding her, though thankfully not as badly as what witch Tracey had done. It had taken her a full, painful night of her eyes being covered in potion drenched bandages for her to recover.

Rushing down the stairs as quickly as she could, she briefly caught side of the Neo Death Eaters, many not wearing their cloaks or masks, trading spells with the attackers that had entered through the ground floor windows or the main entrance, the massive metal and wooden doors hanging off their hinges, probably shattered by a siege engine spell. No longer caring if anyone else made it out except for her, Pansy tried to quietly slip past the conflagration, running towards the room with the portkey relay point, when her feet suddenly failed her, causing her to come crashing face first onto the ground, the thin rug not being very effective in breaking her fall. She then heard a familiar voice call out to her. "Sorry to say, Pansy, but you won't be going anywhere. If it hadn't been for a generous Potions Master who happened to have a Potion to remove that curse you gave me, I might not have been here to see just how far you had fallen. You should count your blessings though…" Tracey's voice took on a hardened edge. "Had I actually become a Death Eater like you, I wouldn't have used the leg locking spell to knock you down, and my curse to your face from before would have left you blind permanently. Daphne would have done it for sure, but I am not her and I am not you. I do hope you enjoyed your time out under the sun though… you probably won't be seeing it for a very long time." Pansy tried to turn around and cast a curse but a disarming spell sent her wand flying, followed by a stunner. The next time she awoke would be in a detention cell.

Elysia could honestly say that she very much enjoyed watching the ICW take down the Death Eaters at Castle Black. Watching being the appropriate word, as all she did was look on from her position high up in the air on her Firebolt right above the structure. The only thing she had done in service of the ICW raid was wait for Andromeda to announce that the wards came down, flying through where they should have been to confirm they were inoperative, before remaining under cloak as the ICW wards closed up around her, preventing anyone else from escaping. Unlike with the fall of the wards at the Sangroyal Headquarters, since the ones over Castle Black were disabled by Andromeda as their owner, the occupants wouldn't have felt a thing until it was all too late. The Aurors had actually done a good job sneaking in, moving through the sections designed to bottleneck invading forces and taking positions to commence the raid, at which point they removed their Disillusionment spells from over their heads. Elysia understood why they did that. In a firefight, it was important to see where your allies were and where your enemies stood. One poor soul standing invisible during an exchange of spells or curses would just as likely fall to friendly fire as to the enemy's counter attack. It was better that they could be seen and identified on sight, hence why they wore white robes with dark blue vests, the latter being heavily spell resistant, so any attackers taking advantage of the obvious target at the center would find themselves sorely disappointed. Sadly, a killing curse would still be a lethal bow, though the ICW Aurors were quite well trained to counter said curse.

After the ones on the ramparts shot at a moving target seen on the window, the rest decided that it was time to cease being sneaky and unleashed the full force of their repertoire onto the Castle's ground floor. Elysia briefly wondered if the siege engine spells they used would work on a fortress like Hogwarts, though she doubted it. While Castle Black sat on a convergence of two leylines, giving it the same natural access to ambient magic that Hogwarts had, it didn't have the natural saturation of magic that the school enjoyed. Just like her home back in France, a building filled with magicals would over time absorb their excess magic. Castle Black might have been quite powerful in the early years of the Black's time in Britain, but when the Castle became the sole domain of the Head of the Most Ancient and Noble Family, the amount of magic that the Castle was exposed to on a daily basis diminished to nearly nothing. Without the wards, it was nothing more than a stone edifice with some resistance to magic, but nothing that an overpowered spell couldn't deal with. The battle for the Castle itself was a short lived one, as the explosions soon ceased. Slipping into her enhanced sight, Elysia noticed as most of the magical signatures were on the ground floor, most beginning to disappear as they were portkeyed away to holding cells, St Mungos for the injured… or the morgue for the unlucky. Considering the way some lights had flickered in her vision, she was sure there were a few unlucky souls, though thankfully they had been on the defending side.

Spotting two signatures high in the Castle's keep, Elysia descended with her broom, landing on one of the battlements next to some of the Auror guards. Removing her hood insight of them, Elysia kept her hands up and identified herself. Once the Aurors confirmed she was the Gringotts Representative, she gestured up to the upper floors. "I am reading two magical signatures up there. I have a good idea who they are and believe them to be non-combatants. Mind if I bring them in? You can send Aurors with me but I would like a chance to confer with them first." After the Aurors called back to their Field Commander using the new scrying mirrors Elysia had been helping to finance, they agreed and one came along with her as they ascended the stairs, the Auror calling each one out as cleared after casting Revelios on every floor, before identifying one signature on the top floor. Elysia could see the question on his lips. "I said two magical signatures. You registered only the witch, whilst I can see the house elf attending to her." Nodding in understanding, the two walked along the hallway, stopping at a room just short of what Elysia knew to be the Master bedroom. The Auror raised an eyebrow as she knocked on the door, before a voice spoke from inside. "You may enter. I left my wand on the table next to the doors." After handing said wand to the Auror for safekeeping and waiting until he verified that no other wands were in the room, Elysia walked inside and approached the witch from behind.

The elder elf stood beside the woman, looking between them, clearly unsure what to do. Said woman was seated next to an ornate vanity desk, a large mirror reflecting much of the room for the witch to see, with Elysia being clearly visible in her disguised appearance. Narcissa Malfoy remained seated, staring out the window that sat next to the desk. "My family will be rolling in their graves, knowing just how easily the pride of the House of Black fell to invaders. So… what fate awaits me now…" Elysia shrugged. "That would depend on you. If you were an active part of the Neo Death Eater movement, you may suffer the same fate as your husband did during the previous war, minus the Dementors serving as guards. If you did nothing… then the only charges that could be levied against you would be conspiracy to conceal a crime, as you could have informed the DMLE about the activities of your son and daughter in law and yet did nothing. I am told that would usually earn you a light prison sentence." Narcissa sighed, but nodded. "I understand." Kreacher looked between his mistress and the witch, with every look he gave at Elysia making him even more confused. Elysia raised her hand at the elf. "I mean no harm to Narcissa Malfoy née Black. You can be sure of that, Kreacher, servant of the Noble House of Black." The elf heard the truth in her words and bowed his head as Narcissa looked at Elysia more closely. "You do not intend to detain me?"

Elysia sighed. "Temporarily? Probably. I came up here myself to inform you that if you took no part in the Neo Death Eaters or their activities, particularly if you were compelled to cease all communications with those who were close to you, that if you cooperate fully with the ICW Aurors, the interim government is willing to grant you amnesty… in exchange for placing you under the supervision of another. Any breaches of your agreements or renewed criminal activities would result in the charges being levied against you once again." Narcissa lowered her eyes. "So I am to choose between one prison or another." Elysia shrugged. "I supposed that would depend on how you see things. Your "jailor" has already agreed to be your custodian as it were. In fact, she's the reason why I am here. Or did you think Castle Black could fall so easily if your last remaining sibling didn't lend us a hand?" Narcissa's eyes shot up as she turned around on her chair. "Andy?" Elysia gave her a warm smile. "Miss Tonks has already submitted all the paperwork for you, all that we need is your cooperation and in a few weeks you could be in Northern Ireland, in your sister's home… helping her out with her soon to be nine year old grandson." Narcissa searched Elysia's face as tears began to fill her eyes. "After everything that's happened… I am not sure I deserve to be a sister or a great aunt. I had given up my chance at those long ago."

Walking up to Narcissa, Elysia dug into her coat before pulling out an envelope. "So I was told. You could have been an Aunt to Nymphadora Tonks and shown Andromeda the love she deserved, yet you chose your husband and his side. That choice has now resulted in the loss of your man, the detainment of your daughter-in-law and whatever fate may await Draco Malfoy in the coming days. Your choices now are to return to your sister, having lost everything, and perhaps finding forgiveness and a welcoming home… or to embrace the same fate as your husband. The House of Malfoy is dying, a death brought about by their own hands and poor decisions. The House of Black may yet live. Are you really going to give up on everything that has ever mattered to you, for nothing in return?" Narcissa lowered her eyes. "I tried to stop Draco. I warned him that if he and his wife took this path, it would mean the end of the Malfoy family. They didn't listen to me. With Potter gone and the Ministry behaving as they were… they thought they had a chance. When I failed to convince them… I thought that all that was left for me was to live in this Castle and wither away." Elysia nodded. "I understand. But you don't have to do that anymore. There's a future still left for you to claim. It might not be the one your family hoped for when they joined Voldemort's side decades ago, but it's the only one you have left." Narcissa stood up and presented her wrists. "And I intend to take it. I will cooperate however I can."

After the Auror stepped forward and read Narcissa her rights as she was bound with suppression cuffs, before leading her out of the room, Elysia looked over at Kreacher. Kneeling down to see him eye to eye, struggling for a moment to remove her contact lenses, she watched as Kreacher's eyes grew in recognition. "It's good to see you again, Kreacher, servant of the House of Black. Your current Mistress will be delayed for a moment, but another awaits your presence, if you would wish to serve the last two ladies born to the House of Black. Their descendants may not carry the name, nor is there a guarantee that the House of Black may ever recover, but if you still wish to be of service to the family that Regulus gave his life to protect, the same choice is left to you. Will you abandon the dying House of Malfoy to serve Andromeda Tonks née Black, as she watches over her grandson and sister?" Kreacher searched Elysia's eyes. "The one who fulfilled Master Regulus' last wish has changed, yet not. Kreacher hears the words of the former Regent of House Black. Kreacher will care for Andromeda and Narcissa Black." Elysia nodded. "Good. Find Andromeda and make sure you reveal to her your oaths, all your oaths, before she accepts you as the elf of her family. Narcissa will be with her shortly." Kreacher bowed. "Death's Shadow speaks and Kreacher hears. Kreacher bids former Regent farewell." As the elf popped away, Elysia was left in the room, frowning at the words uttered by the creature. She would have to ask Ida what those words meant when she got home.

Walking through the ground floor of Castle Black, Susan and Hermione checked on the Aurors still there, happy to hear that there were no fatalities today. The Neo Death Eaters had been too afraid to even consider casting Fiendfyre, so that threat never materialized, and since the raid occurred late in the evening without any warning and with the wards taken down silently, what resistance they were able to raise was nothing an experienced force of Aurors hadn't dealt with before. Those who had suffered injuries or were enduring cursed residue had already been transported back to St Mungos for treatment. One of the things that the last few days had revealed to Hermione was just how much Elysia had thought ahead regarding the possibility of renewed hostilities in Britain while she had been Harry. Not only had she mapped out Castle Black in case the Malfoys used it as a base of operations, and not only had she left behind a backdoor protocol to get control of the Castle's wards to Andromeda, but she had also been designing potions to assist with the curse residue that the Death Eaters would usually leave behind on their victims. While Hermione had been horrified when she had heard that Harry had used a cutting curse on Draco in their sixth year, and was glad that he had never used the curse in her presence ever, it now dawned on her how important it had been for Elysia to have learned the curse in the first place.

Sure, according to the Members of the Order of the Phoenix, Snape's cutting curse had a counter-curse that, if applied quickly, could prevent scarring or death. At the same time, very few people knew the counter-curse itself. Hermione certainly hadn't learned it, and neither had Harry. So, as Elysia had been researching the curse removal potion for the Cursed Beast incident, she had also been tinkering with the ingredients, combining aspects of a Healing Potion with a blood Replenishing Potion, as well as determining functional rituals that could trigger the potion to its full potency in a mater of seconds, whilst also cleansing any cursed residue in the body. This Curse Cleansing Potion wasn't registered nor was it clinically tested, mostly because the only way such a potion could be tested would be to inflict the wounds on the clinical subjects themselves. Elysia had no issues using curses to test her work on lab mice, but on humans? That was something neither she nor the Healers at any clinic would dare do. She had, however, kept a fresh stock of the potion on her person, just in case someone ended up afflicted, having at least tested that the potion itself wasn't toxic nor dangerous. When Susan had heard that Tracey had been cursed and the Healers couldn't treat it, Elysia had been able to diagnose the curse, provided the potion to the Healer and the man had been able to perform an adequate cleansing ritual, healing Tracey completely.

Needless to say, the ICW Aurors and their Field Healers had demanded the Potion Master have more of said potion on hand, and she was able to supply several to every Field Healer deployed for the raids. Whilst the potion had been designed to counter Sectumsempra, it had also proved effective against other curses that were inflicted through piercing or cutting blows, so the potion did see use. Hermione had a feeling that Elysia would be registering a new batch of potions with the ICW as soon as she got home, the first being the base one everyone was using and, with how Hermione knew Elysia, the next few would be local variations based on the original. Even here, as the Aurors began to gather the evidence on the scene, taking photographs, identifying the spells from the residues on the walls, and inspecting supply crates that were coming up from the basement, it was clear that the Aurors were in really good spirits, as those injured would be recovering soon. Seeing Susan run up to Tracey, who assured everyone she was well enough to participate in the raid after a few days of bed rest, made it clear that the recovery times for their friends and colleagues would be negligible. As Jacob checked with the Field Commanders, Hermione briefly noticed as Narcissa descended the stairs, cuffed by an Auror, before she was led away, with Elysia appearing from the same stairs not long after. The smile on her friend's face made Hermione feel a bit better.

"Commander King, we have a situation." The Auror witch at the end of the long hallway had called out their boss and Hermione had followed, along with Elysia and Susan. When they stepped inside the room, it was obvious that it was the Portkey Relay Point, the same type as the one they had been encountering at the other facilities. The witch gestured at it. "When we took the room, we found a few Death Eaters inside attempting to activate it to flee, but the relays didn't function, leaving them trapped here. They didn't end up destroying anything, so we are certain that we have the destination coordinates intact, but we are just confused as to why the system wasn't operational." As Jacob looked at the emblems that sat on a platform, which helped guide and connect the endpoints for the Portkey relay, Elysia walked the room, stopping before the full-length mirror that sat in the corner. "I would guess it was because unlike the others, this one was a closed system, one that needed to be opened manually at the destination for it to activate. This mirror might not work for scrying, but it could have been enchanted and bound to another. The spell was known to the Blacks." The group looked towards the mirror as Jacob rubbed his chin. "But why would this one be a closed system type?" Elysia turned around and looked at the sigil on the ground. "Probably because their destination needed to be secure. The Neo Death Eaters would always close the systems as soon as we took their properties and redirect them elsewhere to escape. Maybe this next destination wasn't so much a safehouse… as it was a target."

Jacob turned to the Aurors inspecting the control sigil on the raised platform. "Decipher those coordinates quickly. If the Death Eaters are planning one final desperate attack, we need to know where it's going to happen." Hermione watched as Elysia paced, at times pulling out her scrying mirror, only to close it again. The brunette knew her friend was very anxious about speaking to Gabrielle again, as Elysia had confided that she wanted to return to France and see Gabrielle in person, but was refraining from doing so because the moment she left Britain, it would probably be the last time she stood on British soil in years to come. The two lovers had spoken in the days since the attack on the Quidditch match, though Hermione could tell it wasn't having the same calming effect on Elysia as the calls had before. Something was really weighing on her friend's mind, as was obvious by her inability to stand still. Thankfully, the wait wasn't long as the Enchanter managed to find the destination coordinates on the array, before they pulled out a map. "Got it. Let's see… if these coordinates are correct, the destination is somewhere in Scotland. The Highlands, along the shore of the Black… Lake." The room went silent as everyone realized exactly what that meant, as Elysia spoke their suspicions aloud. "Hogwarts."

Chapter 46: A Home No More

"Any word from the School?" Susan shook her head as she entered the war room in the DMLE before responding to Hermione's question. "Nothing. I tried to see if anyone had tried to contact the Castle during the day, but other than the fact that the morning mail owls passed through without issue, there was no other contact with the Castle by anyone. I even checked with the Floo Network Authority and they couldn't confirm any Floo activity to and from Hogwarts for over a day." Hermione looked around the room, which was filled more with the DMLE Aurors than the ICW's, as Hogwarts was important to them. A few like Tracey had family there, children they thought were safer at the school than back home. The irony wasn't lost on any of them. The former Slytherin looked over at Jacob. "Were you able to get a list of the students and staff still at Hogwarts? I know that quite a few left for the Easter Recess." Jacob lifted a sheet and handed it to her. "It was confirmed by Headmistress McGonagall to the DMLE whilst Shacklebolt had been in nominal control over local security concerns. As expected, most of the students that returned home were from the families affiliated with the Death Eaters." Tracey grumbled. "Those bastards couldn't even stomach having their own kids in the line of fire and had them come home before attacking the Castle. Cowards." Susan reached over and rubbed Tracey's back, as Adrian Pucey scratched his chin. "If they got their people out, what does that say about their plans for the remaining students? Most of the students there would be muggleborns-"

The hairs on Pucey's and everyone else's necks went up for a second, with most turning to look at Elysia, a few swearing they heard a growl but not being certain of it, particularly because of how inhuman it sounded. Jacob coughed into the silence, aware about the… issues that some of the British expatriates had with the naming conventions and classifications used by their former compatriots. "Right, most of the students would be first generation witches and wizards, though a good chunk of them belonged to families of mixed heritages, most unaligned with the Pureblood movement, meaning the Death Eaters aren't going to have any qualms about killing them. The question is if they have already perished, or if the situation inside the Castle is far more complicated. Any thoughts?" Tracey swallowed nervously. "I doubt they will turn this into a hostage situation. Their predecessors did it with us in the previous war and it blew up in their faces. If they do claim as such, my money is on it being a ploy. They gain nothing by claiming to be keeping the children of their enemies alive. Their resources and support are all gone now. They have nothing left to fight for." Adrian sighed. "I agree with Davis. If they claim to negotiate, it will not be in good faith." As the table was quiet in thought, Elysia spoke up from her corner of the room, her arms crossed over her chest.

"If the attack took place around the time of our raid on Castle Black, which is a possibility considering that Draco Malfoy might have felt his control over the wards slip from his grasp, then there is a good chance that the students would have been safely secured in their dorms. Anyone can tell you that those Dorms are hard to breach, not only because of the security measures for most, but because of how narrow the entrances are. The only way they could bypass them was if the Professors weren't there to hold the line." Susan snorted. "Not bloody likely. Pomona might not be as strong as the others but she would be dead before anyone got past the Hufflepuff common room. Flitwick too. That man could probably deal with most of the Death Eaters… though only if they didn't crowd him. The only reason they won't get up Ravenclaw Tower is the same reason they haven't been routed out yet." Adrian looked at Tracey. "Any idea about how Slughorn would protect the Slytherins?" Tracey went silent for a moment. "Slughorn did his best to protect us, even if it meant some of us got struck by curses every other moment. We were never really safe, but the Death Eaters never had any of us alone for any period of time, so they didn't get away with anything obscene. In this situation, however, he probably has the Slytherin Dorms secured tightly. Particularly since the last few years has seen the entrance of the first mu- first generation magicals to be admitted to Slytherin in almost a century. He knows the Death Eaters will kill them on sight and will keep them safe."

Finnigan shook his head. "Things have really started to change, huh? As for Gryffindor Tower, Neville will not be willing to let any of the Lions get hurt. He will keep the attackers at bay or die trying." Hermione frowned. "Any idea if the staff would try and use the hidden passageways to get the students out of Hogwarts?" Susan sighed. "They can't. After the last war, all of them were sealed, including the one to the Boar's Head. They might have tried something with the Room of Requirement but…" Hermione briefly glanced at Elysia. "Draco was well aware of the room and its configurations, not to mention he knew how it was used during the previous occupation. The Death Eaters would have sealed it or prevented access to it, even before the students left for the Easter Recess, so that's probably not an option. At this rate, the situation will turn into a full siege, with the students having the worst of the situation, particularly if the Elves can't help them out with food or help them escape. They won't be helping the NDEs either, so it's a question who can outlast who, particularly if we try to breach the wards. How did they get control of them anyways?" Jacob sighed. "The Headmistress and the Board of Governors requested a review of the wards in January, after the attack on the Greengrass Estate. The people involved turned up on our list of collaborators. We captured the head of the family, but the Heir wasn't there. He was probably with this group, waiting for deployment, to then strip the Headmistress of her control of the wards."

Susan looked around the table. "So… our only option is to lay siege and hope the students survive by the time we get through one of the most powerful wards in the Continent?" Jacob gave her a sympathetic look. "I understand your frustration but for now, that will have to be our plan. Let's at least set up some shifts for the Aurors that will be watching the Castle while I reach out to my contacts to see if anyone can help with this disaster waiting to happen." Hermione watched as everyone scattered, most trying to keep busy to distract themselves from their current feelings of being incapable of helping with the situation, before she gestured for Elysia to follow her. They exited the Ministry and the former Gryffindor waited until they were well within the wards of Gringotts before she spoke. "You have it with you?" Elysia shook her head in mirth. "I had a feeling you would remember. I do have the map, but I didn't bring it up for obvious reasons." Hermione nodded, before she stopped moving. "Gabrielle and François told me about you being able to bypass wards… can you do that again? Can you break into Hogwarts without anyone noticing?" Elysia turned to her and sighed. "I don't know. I can probably get into the grounds easily enough, but the Castle? I wouldn't be able to navigate myself there as easily as anywhere else. The stones are probably too saturated with magic. I would have to do things the old fashioned way."

Hermione nodded, recognizing that if Elysia felt this was a difficult task, then she probably was underselling it. "Still, the map should help you deal with the trespassers easily enough." Having reached her room, Elysia took a seat before looking at Hermione. "It will help to a degree… but I took a look at it earlier and saw that the students were mostly in their Dorms, with the Neo Death Eaters guarding the entrances. Yet… I haven't seen any sign that they are trying to get at students themselves. That has me very worried, Hermione. If I go in… I might not be able to be as… restricted in my actions." Hermione sighed but nodded as Elysia summoned her bag from the side of her bed and dug out the map. "Then there is this. We could lie easily enough and say that Harry Potter left plans in case the Black Ancestral Home became a headquarters for extremists, that's easy enough to explain by Gringotts. However, an unknown combatant entering Hogwarts, successfully defeating the Death Eaters whilst they technically have control over the Castle's wards? That's going to be a lot harder to sell." Hermione looked at Elysia. "I understand. It's just… they need you." Elysia closed her eyes. "I know. I have an idea, as a way of satisfying the curiosity of the ICW and closing any potential ties back to Harry Potter… but it comes at a cost."

Holding up the map, Elysia explained. "Before I left Britain, I was advised to leave a single Vault behind. One Vault. In it I placed an enchanted chest with several items, a bunch of rolls of parchment and ink wells, a pouch with galleons, some memorabilia from Hogwarts and the Order of the Phoenix. The Vault had conditions set for who could access it. Either I had to die, or an emergency situation would have to be declared by Gringotts and access would be granted to three people: Neville, Luna… or you. Now… the emergency situation is easy enough to confirm after the Bank was attacked, you have been here long enough for Gringotts to inform you and I can write up some notes with the old parchment to make it look like the plans for the failsafe at Castle Black were already there. As for the Marauders' Map, the items in the chest were never cataloged, so you could say that you retrieved the map from it and we can go down to the Vault to make sure that you could give the explanation as truthfully as possible while under Veritaserum." Hermione frowned. "All that sounds perfect. What's the catch?" Elysia lowered the map on the table and closed her eyes. "If you access the Vault, that will have to be the end of Harry Potter's contributions to Britain. There can be no other assistance from the grave, no more Vaults, no more contingency plans. We do this… it will have to be the end."

Hermione was quiet for a moment. She could see the logic in Elysia's words. If the ICW reported that Harry had developed the countermeasures for Castle Black, and that the recapture of Hogwarts was made possible by him, it would only serve to grow his legend amongst the populace. The next time a crisis were to happen, they would again await for Harry's involvement. And again and again. They would never let the legend of Harry Potter die. What Elysia was suggesting would ensure that everyone understood that there would be no more expectations. Harry Potter would have left behind his contingency plans and the instruments for the defeat of the Neo Death Eaters, but it would come with the announcement that he would never return. There would be no more miracles from the Boy-Who-Lived. Hermione nodded to herself. "Then we do this. We save the students and put an end to the Death Eater threat, as Harry Potter's last act for Britain." She looked over at Elysia. "You have already given more than enough to this country. When this is over, you can go home to Gabrielle. I will tie up any loose ends here before returning to France." Elysia smiled at her friend, the weight on her shoulders feeling just a bit lighter. She looked at the map in her hands and opened it. "Very well. One last time. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

"Find her! She can't have gotten far." As the cloaked figures moved about one of the many intersections of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a small shadow remained low to the ground, her eyes taking in every movement, her ears picking up every noise and her nose catching every scent. This wasn't necessarily a new experience for Minerva McGonagall. She had been an Animagus ever since her seventh year at Hogwarts, her form not having changed much in the decades since. While she could easily pass for any other feline in any corner of the world, right now there weren't any cats milling about the school. Well… not exactly. "Found- gah! Damn it to hell and back! It was another one of her Transfigurations!" The old witch grinned in her mind. Knowing that she would stand out like a sore thumb, Minerva had elected to keep the riff raff occupied with a few Transfigured cats designed to look just like her. The felines would behave no differently than she was currently, feeling highly alert and awaiting any possible attack, taking cover in as many hidden locations as possible. Since the Death Eaters tended to run into them before her, it gave her plenty of warning when it came to concealing herself in a dark corner or just waiting for the patrols to pass her by.

This certainly wasn't the sort of day she had expected to have when she had gone to sleep the previous night. She, like much of the school, hadn't sensed anything as she lost control of the wards. Thankfully, the Castle had its fair share of security measures, including the ghosts. The moment they saw the Death Eaters coming up to the entrances, the spectral residents of the Castle rushed to the side of the Professors and warned them as to what was happening. Minerva only managed to send a few Patronus messages out to the Heads of the Hogwarts Houses to tell them to barricade themselves with the students in the Dorms, while sending a few of the ghosts to check on the other staff members. She had refrained from using the Patronus again after the Neo Death Eaters arrived at the location she had cast the last one from rather quickly, meaning their control of the wards informed them when powerful magic was being cast, and whilst the Patronus could be made to be nowhere near as powerful as it had to be to defend one's self from a Dementor, it still registered as powerful magic. Thankfully, her Animagus ability barely registered, as did the Transfigurations, so Minerva had been able to sneak around the school for much of the day, so much so that the sun had set once more. Not sensing any movement nearby, she swiftly darted across the corridor, turning and making her way towards the nearest spiral staircase, hoping to reach the kitchens. She hadn't been able to eat all day and the strain was already affecting her body and magic. She needed to eat or drink something soon, and she really didn't want to resort to toilet water if she found herself unable to revert back to human form.

Having reached the landing on the ground floor, she had stealthily looked around to see if she spotted anyone, before preparing to turn towards the stairs that led to the dungeons, when a pair of hands grabbed her by her torso. She was about to put up a fight, when she felt herself pulled under an Invisibility Cloak as a soft female voice spoke in her ear. "Easy Professor. I came here to help you and the students. Just wait a moment and I will get you something to fill your stomach." Those words stilled Minerva's protests as she was pulled into a more comfortable position against a cold piece of metal. As the invisible witch deftly walked past Death Eaters patrolling the hallways, and moved into a section of the Castle that was favored more by the ghosts, Minerva took a moment to catch the scent of her would-be rescuer. The smell of metal was very overpowering, as were the faint traces of blood and other smells that Minerva couldn't quite make out, but underneath it all she felt she caught the smell of potions and… Goblins? Still, as they moved further into the Castle, there was a scent that was a lot more along the lines of what she expected to find from a person and, to her surprise, it elicited several memories in her mind. In a quiet part of the Castle, Minerva found herself being gently set on the floor, the cloak vanishing from around the figure that carried her as they dug out a vial of something from a belt pocket.

The witch held the vial to her. "It's a Nutrition Potion. Should stabilize your condition and fill up your stomach easily enough." It wasn't fine dining, but under the circumstances, Minerva wasn't going to refuse. As she reverted to her human form, still wearing her dark green robes minus her usual hat, she took the vial and briefly looked over at her saviour. "The current colors of your hair and eyes do not suit you, Mr Potter." The witch in front of her finished setting up a sound ward before she blinked in surprise until her eyes went wide. "Wait, you remember me by scent?" After downing the surprisingly tasteful concoction, Minerva felt her strength slowly returning. "It was not an easy thing to do. Your current outfit has a lot of scents that mask yours quite well, but I am very certain that you are carrying something that belonged to your father and was also in the possession of a set of redheaded twins. I believe it to be a certain map?" Elysia grumbled as she pulled out the parchment and began to scan it. "Yeah, that probably helped you pin my identity down. Still, as you can guess, I would prefer it if you didn't use my birth name. I don't go by it any more, hence the disguise. My hair is dyed, though I had to leave behind my contacts for safety reasons, so I had my eye color transfigured. By the way, you can call me Elysia. Now, what can you tell me about what has been going on in the castle? Particularly the wards. When I went through them, they didn't feel right."

It was Minerva's turn to look surprised. "You… went through the wards? Just like that?" Elysia gave her a crooked grin. "There is more to it than that, but it's not so hard of a thing for me to do. Walking through the Castle is a lot more of a hassle though. It's really a pain to my eyes." McGonagall frowned at her words but elected to focus on helping the students. "The Death Eaters have been patrolling much of the Castle, I imagine looking for myself and the other professors. I believe that the Dorms are secure, but I can't be certain. I can't access the wards anymore." Elysia walked up next to her and showed her the map. "The students seem to be safe for the most part, and from what I can see, the rest of the Professors are holding out in one of the staff quarters. Hagrid is somewhere in the forested section that exists in the wards… and none of the Death Eaters are searching for him." Minerva noticed the look on Elysia's face. "Is that not a good thing?" Those blue green eyes focused on her, a light glow emanating from them. "It would be fine, but ever since the ICW Aurors became aware that Hogwarts had been locked up, I have been checking the map. They haven't been trying to get to the children either. So far, the only things I have noticed is them moving in and out of the Room of Requirement and their search for you. That's not normal behavior for a group that could be taking the school's inhabitants as hostages."

Looking at the map again, the dark haired witch ran her fingers on it. "Since the Marauders never found it, could you point out where the Ward Chamber is?" Minerva sighed before moving the pages until it revealed the old armoury and trophy room on the second floor. "It would be here, behind this wall. I avoided it since I heard the Death Eaters were guarding it." Elysia frowned. "They have been stationed at it the entire time. That could be why they have been hunting for you. Maybe they were only able to disconnect you temporarily. If you were to gain access to the Ward Chamber, you could regain control of the wards. The question is… what are they really planning to do? Why haven't they tried capturing any of the occupants? What's so important about the wards and the Room of Require…ment." Elysia looked at the map for a moment and searched for any stragglers, spotting one sole target not far from their position. If her hunch was right… no, she needed to be sure. She looked over at Minerva before pulling off her coat, which then took the form of a familiar Cloak. "You stay here and wait for me. I will be back in a moment." Minerva wasn't fond of being told what to do, but she trusted that the former Mr Potter would be safe. A few minutes later, however, she was very glad that the sound wards were up. "Mr Potter, what did you-" A sharp black finger was raised up, as those eyes latched onto her. "We can talk about morality never, so just forget about it. I needed to get some info and I am not skilled in Legilimency. Now then… Anand, it's time to raise this one. You can be a bit rough with him."

A faint glow emanated from Elysia's chest before the same eerie green light appeared on the hand she had stretched over the body. In a few moments the hand was lifted up, as a translucent version of the Death Eater rose from his corpse. Elysia didn't bother to wait for Minerva to recover her faculties. "What is the endgame for the attack on Hogwarts?" Minerva had been horrified by the sort of magic Elysia just did, not to mention that she had killed a man, until the Death Eater plans for the school started to tumble out of the man's ethereal lips. After Elysia was done interrogating him, she lowered down his spirit back into its body, before looking over at the Headmistress. "I imagine by the look on your face that their plan has merit?" McGonagall swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat. "Bathsheda would be better capable of saying as much, but wards have been used before to cast a spell over the entirety of the area that is being contained. It has worked for Charms, Transfigurations and even Conjurations, not to mention certain nasty curses that the Dark Families would attach to their wards for their Ancestral Homes… But to use the wards to cast a Killing Curse on every corner of the entire school?" Elysia sighed. "It explains their actions. They aren't worried about anyone other than you interfering with the wards, and are eagerly awaiting for the ICW to start trying to breach the wards to lure them in to take out as many people as possible, whilst they hide in the apparent safety of the Room of Requirement."

Standing up, Elysia dusted off her knees before checking the map again. "Ok, assuming a worst case scenario, where we have no way of stopping the curse from activating, we need to get everyone from the four Dorms into the Room of Requirement. After that we need to get you in contact with the Ward Chamber and see if we can disable the building curse before it gets cast across the entire Castle." Elysia looked over at McGonagall. "You will have to reach the Professors that are barricaded together and tell them what's happening. I will clear the path for you before eliminating the Death Eater threat. Once they are dealt with, you and the Professors need to get the students into the Room of Requirement as soon as you can. We don't know how long we have until the curse triggers." Minerva searched Elysia's eyes. "Mr- Elysia. I can see that you aren't as… squeamish as Dumbledore was about killing the Death Eaters, but in your attempt to clear a path for the students, as it were… Could you perhaps try and not kill everyone you encounter?" Elysia chuckled. "You have no idea how many times I have been asked to restrain myself of late." Gesturing at the body, she continued. "Look, I will try my best, but we are on a ticking clock, so I am going to put the lives of the students first. If that means some masked morons get to suffer the fate they wished on others… then I am not going to lose sleep over it… and neither should you." Minerva sighed but nodded. "Your best will have to be enough. Lead the way."

Walking through the empty halls of Hogwarts Castle, Draco Malfoy was enduring some very conflicting feelings. When the previous war had come to an end with the death of the Dark Lord, he had felt a small measure of relief. He and his family had fled during the final battle, hoping to put some distance between themselves and the war. Sadly, his father Lucius had been too visible as a servant of the Dark Lord in the final stages of the war, so when the DMLE cornered them, he was shipped off to Azkaban, dying there after years of exposure to the Dementors. His mother had been given a reprieve thanks to some testimony provided by Harry Potter, with Draco also getting a reprieve, though the Malfoy Estate suffered greatly under fines that were levied against them by the Ministry. Of course, while the fines were heavy, they weren't exactly devastating… except, no matter who they went to, none of the Magical Families that had been unaligned wanted anything to do with the Malfoys. Even the Greengrasses, who had belatedly supported the Death Eater cause and had agreed to a marriage contract between Draco and Astoria, turned their back on the previous agreements as soon as Daphne took control. Any chance at rehabilitating his image began to disappear, though the Ministry had been willing to offer him his godfather's post at Hogwarts in the hopes of seeing a change in the society.

Sadly, that change didn't come soon enough. Feeling despondent and without a comfort in sight, Draco turned to Pansy Parkinson, who had long sought his hand during their time at Hogwarts. She wasn't as pretty as Astoria and her family had been unapologetic supporters of the Dark Lord, but at least she was able to chase away the loneliness in his heart. That they had yet to conceive a child was a stress that was really eating away at his wife, particularly after they inherited Castle Black. In order for the families of Malfoy, Black and Parkinson to continue on, they needed to produce an Heir, and yet, despite the use of fertility potions and being active on days of magical significance, Pansy never conceived. Draco often wondered if the plan to slaughter the mudblood students of Hogwarts had been born out of jealousy from her at the sight of so many children born to people she deemed unworthy, but he didn't have the heart to ask. While a part of him would have liked to have set all of his connections to the Death Eaters aside, it had simply been impossible to do, as Pansy was still a firm believer and his inability to negotiate with the unaligned families prevented him from ever doing business with anyone who hadn't been either with the Death Eaters or in support of them. And that wasn't just limited to Britain either.

At a time when he and the family had been in dire straits due to the realization that the expected Black Inheritance came up short of all expectations, a French associate of his father came up to him with an offer. He would help supply the Neo Death Eaters with the resources they needed and act as a broker between the Malfoys and legitimate businesses, if the NDEs cooperated with Sangroyal. At first it hadn't been a bad deal. Hitting a few import businesses forced their foreign investors to look elsewhere, with Sangroyal and its associates picking up the slack. The local families who owned these businesses hadn't been supporters of the Death Eaters, so attacking them didn't draw any attention to their actions either, with the NDEs being free to target other people that had higher profiles as supporters of Dumbledore during the wars, or having slandered the Dark Families through the Daily Prophet. Attacking the investors of the newspaper helped shift public opinion away from Shacklebolt's Ministry and things were slowly shifting in the NDEs favor. Unfortunately, they had one great, final problem. Harry Potter. No matter where they went on the blasted island, the specter of the Boy-Who-Lived was never far behind. The populace still believed that their savior would come to their aid, while those who had fought at his side, except for that witless fool Ron Weasley, continued to either push back against the Purebloods in the public sphere, or actively engaged them in secret.

No matter how badly the Death Eaters wanted to dispel the myth of the man who conquered the Dark Lord, there was nothing they could do. He was gone. Not that he vanished without having left behind an impact. The diminishment of the House of Black had been his fault entirely, the funds having been transferred to who knew where, whilst the possible counter claimants to the House disappeared, meaning that the Malfoys had to live constantly under the fear that someone could challenge their claim to the Ancient House. The more time passed, the more the image of that black haired, green eyed wizard became a source of hatred in the mind of Draco Malfoy. His family, his wealth, his future had all been stolen from him by Harry Potter. It was this anger that allowed him to accept the plan to slaughter the children of Hogwarts. With Potter gone, and their contacts in place, it had been quite easy to get the wards sabotaged to such a degree that they could strip them away from the Headmistress whilst the killing curse array that would kill everyone within the wards would prevent them from ever having to risk their own lives. Their only worries had been the Headmistress regaining control before the magic was beyond stopping, and the possibility that the Room of Requirement could protect whoever was inside of it. Thankfully, they had prepared for those eventualities. Soon the array would be beyond stopping and the Death Eaters would wait until the ICW was raiding the Castle to come to the children's rescue, when they would hide in the Room of Requirement and unleash death upon everyone that was alive in the rest of the Castle. They might not win the war for Wizarding Britain, but neither would their enemies. It would have to be enough.

As the Neo Death Eaters began to make their way to the seventh floor, the torches around them were suddenly extinguished, reducing the light to what was produced from their wands or the moon outside from the windows. Holding their wands at the ready, the NDEs prepared themselves to face the Professors of the school, certain they could win, when a familiar voice suddenly was heard all around them. "You know… I really did expect better from you all, particularly you, Draco. I never saw you as the type to invite first generation witches or wizards into your home for a friendly meal that would end with all parties leaving safe and sound, but at the very least… I thought you would be just a tad bit smarter than your father. Then again, you were stupid enough to allow yourself to be branded by a halfblood who had every intention of running every single Pureblood family into the ground so that he could stand supreme, so I suppose even back then you were just as dim witted." Draco ground his teeth together. "Potter! I don't know how you got in here, but how about you come say all that to my face. I believe you still owed me a duel from our first year, after all." The voice of his most hated enemy began to reverberate everywhere as the former Gryffindor launched himself silly. "Right, it really does seem that Slytherins thought that courage and stupidity went hand in hand. First of all, you never intended to honor a proper duel, not then and certainly not now. Secondly… Well, I am not really at the Castle. You see, when it became clear that you and your less than stellar wife were using Castle Black as a staging point for your masquerades, the Vault I had left in Gringotts to deal with your lot was opened. Not only has Castle Black fallen like it was a house of cards, but I was informed as to everything that was going on."

Draco could hear the people around him murmuring behind him, as a cold sweat ran down his back. That blasted voice, however, didn't seem to have finished as the Death Eaters finally realized where it was coming from: the school's communications system. "Now, ordinarily I wouldn't have bothered getting in touch with the Headmistress to make this little call happen, but I honestly couldn't help myself when I heard you, of all people, were leading the third generation of idiots into attacking Hogwarts. I mean, I could bitch and complain to Kingsley about employing a saboteur who had already led Death Eaters into the school before, but there is a reason I washed my hands clean from all of you. That's why I made this call happen, Ferret. To let you all know that you are beneath me. I have no interest in claiming any further glory or being a hero again. No, unlike you, I am calling to make it clear that I'm parting ways with you, Hogwarts and Great Britain… for good. So, I hope you had fun at playing terrorist, Draco, because the consequences of your actions will be catching up with you now. And unlike last time, the people that will come for you will have no name, no face and no claim to fame. You, the last of the Malfoys, supposed Heir to the House of Black, will fall to a nameless foe, just as your fathers and theirs should have done decades ago. And to everyone else who yet lives in Hogwarts Castle. This is Harry James Potter. From here on out the fate of your school, your lives and your blasted country lie solely in your hands. Make of them what you will, for you will never hear from me ever again. Several years ago I walked to my death willingly for all of you and got nothing in return, so from here on out consider Harry Potter to be well and truly dead."

The group of Neo Death Eaters whirled around in the direction of the Room of Requirement as the sound of the voice was then replaced by heavy footsteps echoing down the hallway. Looking down the corridor, they watched as a figure in full plate mail armour carrying a tall shield reached the center of the corridor, before turning towards them in an almost mechanical fashion. The Death Eaters around Malfoy started to laugh. "Come on out, you filthy half-blood witch. Your little stunts with Potter's voice and the suits of armour don't scare us." As everyone searched the walls, looking for any sign of Minerva McGonagall, few noticed the armoured figure placing themselves behind the shield, before it launched itself at them. Draco was lucky that he dodged out of the way, but the Death Eater behind him took the full blow of the hit, getting launched down the hall and into the wall with a sickening crunch, a black stain marking the wall as the body slumped down into the ground. All the Death Eaters, however, were far more focused on the figure that now stood dead center of the group, its heavy shield held on its left hand as a blackened sword now sat in its right. An unholy and unnatural voice was heard by all, sending shivers down their spines. "Now then… who wants to be the next person to die?"

Elysia would never want to admit it, but there was something deeply satisfying about defeating these Neo Death Eaters. For one, there were very few amongst them who could really present a challenge to her, particularly amongst this group. Then again, these had been the same people who devised a plan where they wouldn't have to do a damn thing to prove themselves the better wizards or witches, choosing instead to kill children without getting their hands dirty. Safe to say, she hardly had given much thought to sparing such cowardly people. She did try to adhere to Minerva's request as she led her to the rest of the staff, with her distinct lack of wanded magic meaning that the Death Eaters had no idea she was in the castle at all. When Bathsheda confirmed that the Death Eaters' plan could work and that, at a certain point, the magic that was being charged into the curse would be beyond anyone's ability to stop, the group had to work up a plan for how to get themselves and the students to safety. Knowing that the best way to get access to the Room of Requirement was to wait until the Death Eaters were on their way there to seek refuge, Elysia knew that she would have to distract the Death Eaters that were still in the Castle while she cleared out the ones guarding the room. At the same time, there was the concern that the curse would trigger early, so they needed a way to figure out how much time they had left. It was then that Minerva came up with an unusual idea.

This idea resulted in Elysia and the Headmistress making their way up to the Astronomy Tower, with Elysia easily dispatching the guards to the Headmistress' office, before they were able to get inside, once a few ward based traps were disabled. Elysia did her best to ignore the portraits of two of the three men responsible for ruining Harry's life, wandlessly deafening all the portraits in the room as Minerva covered them all with black cloths to blind them, before focusing on the oldest magical object currently at the school. "You come with an unusual companion, Headmistress McGonagall." Minerva bowed her head respectfully at the Sorting Hat. "These have sadly been a few less than usual days. Now, of all the objects in the school, you yourself are bound to the wards in ways that no one can possibly understand. Can you tell us how far along the curse that has been attached to the wards is?" The old leather hat bowed its tip. "I can. Sadly, even if you gained control of the wards now, you would be unable to disperse the magic safely. As it sits now it will not trigger accidentally, but if it were to be discharged, I couldn't tell you how many of those in the Castle would perish." Minerva bowed her head. "Then our only chance is the Room of Requirement." Elysia nodded. "It would seem that way. Now, the question is how we can manage to distract them at the moment the doors open to let the other Death Eaters in?" Minerva looked at the witch. "Are you able to revert to your previous form? The voice of Harry Potter through the loud speakers would definitely distract them all."

Elysia shook her head. "Unlike Tonks, my change is permanent. Even if I took the potion I originally used to change my body, it would have no effect. This is my ideal self. Nothing can change that." The hat turned its attention to the fully armoured witch. "Ah, I knew you felt familiar. I see you have at last found your true self. Tell me, do you finally accept that you might have been better off in Slytherin?" Elysia glared at the hat. "In some ways I might have been safer and might have even learned about myself sooner, but I do not regret following in Godric's footsteps. In some ways I went further down the same path as the old fool than any other of his Lions." She looked back at Minerva. "Still, how would we have even been able to spread my voice for the Death Eaters to be distracted by them in the first place?" Minerva gestured at the hat. "Without my control of the wards, the only one who has superseding access would be him. He could have projected your voice through the speakers." The hat chuckled. "In fact, your idea may yet work, Headmistress. Unlike the mechanism in the Headmaster's desk, I would be able to project the thoughts of a person directly, even allowing for you to hear a recipient's voice within the Castle itself. You may not be able to speak in your old voice currently, but you still remember your voice in your mind, yes? Slip me onto your head and let us see what we can do to save the students."

Seeing as they would have to wait regardless, Elysia saw no reason as to delay things any further. She took the hat and slipped it onto her head. My, you certainly have some striking mental defences now. Would you mind lowering them? Sighing to herself, Elysia slowly undid the Occlumency defences that she had raised in her mind. Minerva watched the silent interaction with concern, until the hat cackled and laughed himself silly whilst atop Elysia's head. "My dear, I take back everything I ever said about you doing better in Slytherin. You are truly Godric's most worthy successor. He would have died gladly had he seen your accomplishments in his final moments. In fact… I think I have a few other ideas about how to resolve this situation safely, if you are willing to listen." The two shared a few quiet thoughts, with Elysia and Ric, because of course Godric named the hat after himself despite it being the culmination of the Magical knowledge of all four founders, informing McGonagall of some of their plans. As they waited, Elysia did send out Badb with a written message for Hagrid so that he could get himself into the Castle for safety as soon as he heard a familiar voice over the loudspeakers. He would help the students from the lower floors make their way up to the seventh as soon as the Death Eaters had fallen for the trap, with the Hogwarts Ghosts, who appeared after Anand chased them down, informing the Heads of Hogwarts Houses, the other professors and the elves of the plan.

Sensing that all of the Neo Death Eaters were finally heading towards the seventh floor, Elysia told the Headmistress to wait in her office before vanishing under Badb's power. Having waited silently just outside the wall before the door appeared, the Death Eaters who had been standing guard within it had no warning as Elysia sliced through their arms with her blade superheated to cauterize the wounds, before knocking them out, all the while Ric transmitted her thoughts throughout the school, the sound of her old voice almost jarring in her ears. Still, the plan worked as the Death Eaters had been far too distracted to rush towards the Seventh Floor and reseal the room. Not being able to summon the house Elves to secure it, Elysia decided to leave Macha and Anand behind to… take care of anyone that tried to sneak in behind her, with Badb actively guiding the students and professors once the corridors were safe, Ric grumbling in annoyance as Elysia placed the hat on a mannequin head within the Room of Requirement. While taking on a bunch of Dark Wizards and Witches without her companions seemed odd to Elysia, none held it against her as they all believed her more than capable of defeating these vermin, their words not hers, on her own. The first fool fell rather quickly, his head bashed against a wall with great force, though he didn't seem to have died just yet, as Elysia, now wearing her helm, turned to look at the others that stood around her. "Now then… who wants to be the next person to die?"

The stupidity of the Neo Death Eaters was on full display as many unleashed curses whilst their comrades stood right behind her. A simple step to the side and a poor idiot took a spurt of acid to their face as her blackened sword sliced right through the witch's hand and wand, before using her shield to bat away another curse, the solid steel smashing straight into the disarmed witch's mask-covered face. She crumpled to the ground as Elysia swung her blade upwards, cutting through another hand and wand before she kicked the newly incapacitated wizard into the wall, deflecting a blood boiling curse right at his chest with her shield. As the fight dragged on, more Death Eaters rounded the corner and joined the fray, as the walls and floors of the hallway were soon covered in injured, disabled or dying magicals. For Elysia, however, it only brought up bitter sweet memories of Dredhook's training, the situation being very reminiscent of all the sessions she had against the Soldiers and Guard of Londinium. She hoped that her performance today against the very people that had sought to bring harm to the citizens of Londinium made the old soldier proud in the afterlife, as she made sure that her every action held no wasted movement. Eventually, with a few idiots running past her thinking the Room of Requirement was any safer than the warrior in a full set of plated armor, all that remained in front of her were three terrified souls, including a certain blonde ferret.

"Avada Kedavra!" The three sent Killing Curses straight at Elysia, who simply raised her shield and absorbed the curses into it, the magic leaving small vein-like traces of green light on its surface before they faded into the pitch black metal. Before the three could formulate a response, Elysia threw her shield at one of them, the thing charged with a weight charm and a heightened momentum spell, the impact of it launching the fool into the wall with a sickening crunch, her heavy metal boot being as equally as enhanced kicking the second target on the chest, knocking the wind out of them if not outright crushing their ribcage, before she focused on the last pathetic excuse for a Death Eater. Without her shield, the idiot tried to kill her again, the sickly green curse heading straight for her… only for her outstretched left hand to catch it, the curse being absorbed into the metal and the magic into her very being. Draco was now trembling in fear as the wand slipped out of his hands, the man utterly defeated as he crumbled to the ground. His blue eyes searched the dark helm for any sign, anything at all that could give him some hope of surviving. He found none. With a trembling voice, he asked the question that had been on his mind since the skirmish began. "Who… What… are you?!" Elysia responded in her altered voice, her answer being the last thing he knew before darkness took him. "Nobody."

"That's it. All the students, elves, familiars and staff are now within the Room of Requirement." Elysia, wearing Ric on her head while gazing over the edge of the Astronomy Tower that overlooked much of Hogwarts, turned towards the person that was standing behind her. "Everyone but you, Professor. You should really make your way to the seventh floor. The curse can wait a few more minutes." Minerva, now wearing her own hat, shook her head. "Thank you for the offer, Elysia, but I have fulfilled my duties to those students. I haven't, however, repented for my failures when it came to you. Had I not allowed my faith in Dumbledore to blind me, I would have looked after you as your parents would have expected of me. Standing here now, with you, as you risk your life once more to save this Castle and its students, is the least I could do." Elysia turned and looked away from her. Whilst they could have allowed the curse to trigger on its own and hunker down in the Room of Requirement, Ric had pointed out that the Room's defences might not be enough to protect those within from the curse as it was unleashed by the wards. The Room might not be directly connected to the wards, but it was still a part of Hogwarts and some of the curse could still slip past its defences, particularly with how much magic it was siphoning from the Leylines. It might not kill everyone in the Room, but unless something was done, the risk of failure remained. That something that could be done was one of the topics that Elysia and Ric had discussed before she went out to deal with the Death Eaters. As she took a deep breath, she reached through her connection to Ric, a familiar silver sword with red gems in hand acting as a magical key, as she took control of the Hogwarts wards.

While ordinarily it would be impossible for the Sorting Hat to grant anyone control to the wards, as the best he could do was give access to whoever wore it, there had been one exception that had been built into him by the Founders. As expected, any of the Heirs of the Founders could have gained control of the wards via their blood claims to the Castle, but with Helena of Ravenclaw dying at a young age, and the Heirs of Slytherin and Hufflepuff dying out centuries later, those with blood ties with the founders were now a rare thing. Godric Gryffindor had also placed an exception for his blood relations, but with his House dissolved, there was no means for an Heir to claim their part of Hogwarts. However, he had left one final exception in place. If a Champion of the Arena were to ask at a time of great need, temporary control over the wards could be given to them. Ric had been absolutely over joined when he saw that Elysia had matched, if not surpassed, Godric's accomplishments with the Goblins, and, upon seeing what she could do as the last of the Peverells, believed that they had the means to ensure the safety of everyone at Hogwarts. Of course, this solution came at great risk, particularly for Elysia and her three companions, all of them being in their material form on her person, with Badb having taken on the form of a robe this time around. Elysia focused her attention on the three permanent presences in her mind. "Are you sure you want to do this? You know what's at stake… what we stand to lose…"

The Hallows sent calming thoughts to Elysia, all saying that they had anticipated that this day would come, one way or another. They were more than content to do what was being asked of them, the thought eliciting a tear from Elysia's eye. As she rubbed it away, she closed her eyes and breathed deeply, before touching the curse that had been building up in the wards. Arcs of green light began to race up along the dome like wards of Hogwarts Castle, reaching a point just above The Astronomy Tower as the magic began to build up in the air as an amorphous blob. Ordinarily the magic would have remained dispersed throughout the entire ward scheme, along every wall, every floor, every roof of the Castle. But, in order to keep everyone safe, the magic needed to be pooled away. The problem, however, was dispersing it harmlessly. Elysia could do that with most spells sent her way. Magic was energy after all, and with her countless battles in the Arena, she had learned to not only see the magic of the world around her… but to command it, to absorb it within herself and make it harmless. However, that had always been what little magic a life could produce on their own, maybe several people all at once. This? This was magic that had been gathered for the better part of a few days, if not longer, as McGonagall had noticed some background noise since the wards had been "serviced" in January. This was pure magic that had been warped into becoming a curse, not by the will of a man, but by a ward scheme on a convergence of leylines. It was more magic than any one single being could ever hold within themselves.

At least… for any single being that was still an ordinary magical. Elysia, however, had the three Hallows in her possession and had their allegiance. In the years since the final battle against Voldemort, her magical abilities had been growing exponentially. She could do things no other creature could dream of… but she was still just a witch. She was still human. Even the Peverells that had once possessed the great power of the family in a singular being were still humans themselves, and that was before they had split up the power into three objects. The Hallows may be powerful artefacts, but that power was still rooted in the world, in magics both old and new, rules that were known… and some that were forgotten. What she was about to do could potentially allow her to protect everyone at Hogwarts, even if she happened to fail. But as much as Elysia cared for others, as much as she wanted to see the innocent children live and grow… there were three beings that she had come to care for, worry about… and even love… and she was about to put their very existence at risk for a bunch of strangers. She asked again. "Are you sure you want to do this?" The answer she got was the clearest she ever heard from the three Hallows. "Whatever happens, we will be with you… always." Tears ran down Elysia's cheeks as her heart sang just as it was crushed by a pain she had dreaded for years.

Looking up into the green ball of energy, Elysia drew upon the powers of her companions like never before, demanding from them everything. And, with a feeling of acceptance and joy that had taken years to build between them, the Hallows responded in kind. The cloak around Elysia's body faded to nothingness, the chain around her neck suddenly feeling weightless, as the wand, the object that Elysia had been holding in her right hand the entire time, turned to blackened mist as it coiled itself up her arm and into Elysia's very essence. Macha, Anand and Badb, the three beings that had guided, protected and lightened every moment of Harry and Elysia's lives, gave out one final thought. "We are a part of you… and so… we will never truly be lost." Then their voices fell silent, their power no longer an extension of Elysia's, but a part of her every being, as the wind picked up around her, the wails of the dead filling up her ears as her skin crackled with unnatural power. She stared at the mass of energy, recognizing that this wasn't the first time she had faced death. In a way, she had never not been in the presence of death. From before her birth, her life had been threatened by Voldemort because of a bloody prophecy, her first memory being of Harry as Voldemort killed Lily Potter before his eyes before he too was struck by a Killing Curse, with their last moments on this earth as adversaries ending just as it began: a killing curse determining who lived and who died.

At every step of the way, Death had been there to challenge Harry and Elysia, to push them into heights and lows no other person had yet endured. From the loss of everything she should have had in life, to the achievement of bringing about a new age for the people of Britain and the Goblin Nation. It had taken years for Elysia to find her way to the sort of life that everyone was familiar with. A life where every moment one didn't need to live in fear, where every meal wasn't tainted with the thought that it could be her last, with the comfort in knowing that the person that sat across from her at the table would be there with her for the next day, and the one after. Where every step, every breath, every sight didn't revolve around Death. That had been Harry's dream from the moment he realized that the scar on his forehead was no different than a death sentence, one that had been delayed for over sixteen years. She thought that when it was all over that she would never have to worry about dying again. She thought the same when she stood before the Goblins whilst facing one of the most dangerous beasts they could throw against her. But, in the end, Death was never far away. Perhaps that was what Voldemort, Du Plessis and so many others had gotten wrong. It was never about defeating Death or cheating it. It was in living a life where, even with death standing beside you at every moment, you learned to live it without thinking that the next moment could be your last. To learn to live with the fear of death… and to live every moment fully in spite of it.

Here, as Elysia stared into this massive ball of Magic that had no other purpose than to kill, the fear that had been with Harry for all his life didn't come. Instead, all Elysia found was a quiet contentment. Images of her everyday life with the Hallows, the Goblins, Dredhook, Ida, the Grangers, Delacours and the Charbonneaus flashed across her mind, with the last image being that of Gabrielle, as beautiful as she ever was, smiling at her in the morning as they woke up in the same bed. Elysia smiled back at the memories. It might have been a few short years, but for Elysia they had been the happiest she had ever felt. Whatever was to come, she now knew what it was to live a good life. To know the fruits of a long day's hard work, to eat food that she earned with every moment she dedicated to her craft. To live in a house that she not only inherited but made her own, breathing life into a place that had grown empty over centuries without tears, worry, joy or even laughter. To now know a life with warmth, companionship, friendship and even… love. Elysia had found her life beyond the end of Harry Potter's story. So now, as she stared at Death once more, she was no longer afraid. There was no reason to be afraid. It might have been a short life… but it had been a life. The final words in the Peverell family Grimoire came up in her mind and she uttered them under her breath as the ball of deadly magic was discharged right on top of her, her figure vanishing within the blinding light. "At the end of all things… I am not afraid… of the darkness that lies ahead."

Chapter 47: On Swift Wings

Goblin Nation Capital Arena, April 2003

As he approached his exit into the Arena, Harry could feel just how different this Task was to him. And it wasn't just the creature he was facing. He could hear the Goblins in the stands shouting excitedly as the metal grates were lifted up to grant him entry, all of them cheering his name with great anticipation. For Harry, this Task represented almost five years of struggles against the dangers of the Arena, as well as with himself and his own sense of identity. For the Goblins, though, if he was victorious, it would herald the appointment of a new Champion by the King, the first in centuries. Of course, word had reached the Goblins of the Capital about Harry's time in Londinium, not just about his skills, but also about his treatment of the other Goblins, his respect for their beliefs and the part he played in defending Goblin lives in a rebellion. In a lot of ways, it reminded Harry of his reception at Hogwarts or Diagon Alley when he was eleven years old. Except, this time, the achievements were truly of his own making, his every action representing who he believed he needed to be. As such, the cheers actually reached his heart as pride, both his own and that of his companions, surged within him. Taking up his full plate mail armour, a heavy shield he had been training with of late, and holding his fully refined blackened blade in his right hand, the raven haired wizard took one final deep breath before stepping into the light of the field before him.

Like all the others, this arena had been configured specifically for the task ahead, made to represent a more arid environment, the ground soft with a thin layer of sand mixed with sections of dry dirt and rocks. For cover, the Arena had several large boulders of reddish stone, with Harry taking a swing at the closest, watching as the stone crumbled under the strike, meaning that any protection it afforded would be temporary, the desiccated and dead trees not offering much of an alternative either. While the Arena gave him some options, they were clearly designed to be limited. This Trial was to test him to his limits and the Arena was designed to give him as little help as possible. Harry could work with that. Walking carefully around the enclosure, he eyed every rock suspiciously, but no creature came at him, no tremors could be felt. He almost wondered if the Handlers were having trouble releasing the beast when he spotted a section of the Arena that looked to be artificially constructed, rather than the simulated natural ambience, chiseled stone blocks made a flat square, with a tall stone on the opposite end mirroring some type of ancient ruin with its archway. Before the archway, however, sat a massive sigil carved into the ground, surrounding a stone pedestal with a red stone glowing on top. Something must have triggered the sigil as the magical array lit up, arcs of red light striking the reddish stone, until it started to levitate off the pedestal. Harry felt his companion tense up, as if recalling something traumatic, as the field before him was suddenly filled with a bright light.

Having shielded his eyes behind the shield, Harry peered over it as soon as the light dissipated, swallowing the lump that suddenly appeared in his throat. He had heard that the creature was artificially created, but he had just assumed that the Goblins would have captured it alive. That they had to create it at the very moment he took on the final challenge told him everything he needed to know about this beast. It was too dangerous to even consider sparing. Seeing it before his eyes really made his skin break out in goosebumps. While it was like the Chimera in that the body was that of a Lion, the rest was completely different, sporting a tail like that of a scorpion that was currently held over its body, it's claws and teeth being larger and more pronounced than seemed biologically possible, though the part that really trouble Harry was the head. The ancient scholars hadn't been kidding when they described the face as a facsimile of a human, though it was far more elongated, as if the skin from a human's face was molded on top of a lion's skull. Still, its eyes were very unlike those of the Chimera. There was the clear killing intent that earned the creature's ancient name of "Maneater", but it possessed an intelligence that almost reminded Harry of Voldemort. It was violence made flesh, with the only reason it wasn't attacking him right now was probably because it was sizing him up, determining how much of a threat Harry was. When two large pairs of dragon wings appeared on its back, Harry cursed at the alchemists that created the beast. Apparently, they had to keep "refining" their work to make it the most dangerous creature possible, save for the creatures that qualified as natural disasters themselves.

Dodging out of the way as the sharp barbs of the creature's stinger struck the stones behind him, Harry raised his shield and kept it partly over his back, the metal creating loud noises as stingers struck it at great speed whilst the creature flew across the Arena's open sky. Disappearing under his invisibility, Harry made sure to conceal his scent, as the creature flew over head, before cursing again as it bombarded his exact position with stingers, the beast having a nearly endless supply for them as it just regenerated them. Seeing that it had tracked Harry's location thanks to the footprints he had left on the ground, Harry jumped onto one of the rocks and drew Macha, sendling a blasting curse at the beast, causing it to growl as the spell struck its face. Not really curious as to how little damage the blast did, Harry re-concealed himself and proceeded to jump from rock to rock, as the beast now truly lost sight of him. As he looked at the Manticore as it flew circles above his head, striking at the rocks with his stingers, Harry had to give it to the Goblins. The beast was a true culmination of all the Trials wrapped into a single monster. From the Wyrms that could track his movements on the earth, the Nundu and its dangerous thorns, a Dragon's ability to fly, the ferocity of so many of the creatures, spell resistant skin and a regeneration ability designed to surpass that of even a Chimera's, it truly was the closest thing to death in monstrous form. Add a human level intellect, and one had a beast that was a danger to everything else on the Earth.

Dodging the stingers sent his way by jumping on more rocks, Harry noticed that the other ones were probably a bit dangerous to jump to, as the stingers that dotted them made it more likely for him to trip. Not wanting to waste his margin of error, Harry made his way back to the ancient ruins' terrain and reappeared, Macha in his hand as he channeled his magic through her. The lightning strike caused the creature a great deal of pain as it howled, the beast turning around as soon as the spell concluded, flying closer to the ground now, clearly having learned its lesson that high altitude was no promise of safety. As it surged over the rocks from a different angle, Harry was able to track it with his enhanced vision, before throwing the same set of spells he used on the Dragon, catching the beast's wings and forcing it to crash land. As the wizard surged towards the creature, he was stunned to see it pull on its wings hard enough to tear them off, before it turned its attention to his attacker, that tail launching stingers at Harry at a higher pace, his Goblin steel shield taking a beating as it now sported dents all along its surface. Taking a step back as the beast had tried to close the distance to use its own paws to bat the shield away, Harry soon found his attention back on the Manticore's back, as it was regrowing the wings it had ripped off moments earlier. Briefly considering using Fiendfyre, Harry elected not to try it, as it could possibly spill out of control, as the Arena itself was covered in magic. He might kill the beast, but it would place every spectator's life on the line. He couldn't do that.

Trying a variant of fire anyways, Harry doused the beast's back in flames, causing it roar in agony as it struck the still regenerating wings. Sadly, Harry noticed they still continued to grow, looking macabre as the flesh was now peeled off by the fires, before they recovered that too. Avoiding another series of strikes, Harry unleashed a torrent of cutting curses at the creature, watching as it carved off chunks of the Manticore's mane of hair, carved open gashes on it's face and body, tore at the thin membranes of the wings, but completely bounced of the abomination's scorpion-like tail, the exoskeleton offering impressive protection. Remembering the Wyrms, Harry decided to try another spell at the tail, adjusting its casting and incantation to make it a cutter, rather than a piercer. "Cimex Sempra!" The spell worked as it struck the tail, carving right through it, causing the Manticore scream in unholy rage. It rushed at him with renewed fury, swiping at him with its claws, the impact from them almost tearing the shield right off Harry's hand and forearm. As he found himself face to face with the beast, its stinger still regenerating and its paws some distance away from striking again, Harry was about to blast at the creature's face with a spell when it opened its maw. Switching to a shield spell, Harry suddenly found himself on the receiving end of a blast of flames, though it wasn't as strong as the Dragon's. Again, Harry cursed the alchemist's who created this abomination. They clearly decided that the original variant was just too simplistic.

Seeing the tail reconstituted, Harry switched over to his physical shield, overlapping it with his magical one as he was under the dual barrage of stingers and flames. As he tried to figure out what the next viable strategy was, he briefly felt the energy around him, recognizing that trace of magic in the flames. As they died down, Harry again unleashed his new set of spells against the beast, though the Manticore was far more careful about exposing its tail or wings. Jumping into the air with the enhanced momentum spell affecting his body, Harry managed to reinjure both the tail and the wings, again grounding the beast and forcing it to use its claws or flames as it regenerated. As the flames were blocked by the shield, Harry sensed the magic from the creature's fire again. Grasping it in his mind, he tugged on it, feeling the creature growl in pain as the flames dissipated before it surged to attack him physically with all its might. Surprised by the Manticore's reaction, he recalled his interactions with the Tarasque and the Dragon, how their life-force felt against his mind. He tried to see if he could feel that with the Manticore, searching past its luminous form, before finding that raw magical core and focusing his attention on it, the beast becoming even more enraged and almost desperate in its attacks. Then, with his mind focused on the magic that he now had control over, Harry launched the beast back with a banisher, before stretching out his now empty right hand.

The spectators in the Arena watched as the beast was suddenly frozen in place as a bright red light appeared on its chest, before it slowly hovered towards Harry, where it sat on the palm of his hand, the young man's eyes fixed on the raw ball of Magic, even as the audience watched as the Manticore's body disintegrated into an ash like dust. The entire Arena remained deathly silent as Harry looked at the magic in the palm of his hand, tears escaping his eyes as he realized what it was that he held. A soul. He had brushed up against the Manticore's magic and reached into it, grasping its soul and ripping it out of its body. Slowly, almost mechanically, he looked across where the beast had been, seeing the pile of ash on the ground, a singular stone sitting at the center of the pile, the color of it as black as onyx, with no trace of Magic left within it. Just like that, Harry had defeated the Manticore, one of the most dangerous creatures the world had ever known, the great pride of alchemists that dabbled with creating artificial life. With but a single moment of focus and his willpower alone… he had killed it, no different than had he blown on a lit candle. Tears now rushed down his cheeks as he looked at the soul in his hand before it too vanished, its existence being as transient as the Manticore's body, as it had been designed to be. Sure, it had been an artificial soul, something that should not exist, but that didn't matter. Not to Harry, who realized why the sensation felt so familiar as he sensed the silence of his three companions, all recognizing the truths that were revealed in that moment.

A booming voice filled the air, snapping everyone back to reality. "I, Gringott the Twelth, hereby declare Harry James Potter as the victor in this twelfth and final trial of the Arena. The ceremony for his official recognition as Champion of the Goblin Nation will be declared at a later time. By my decree, however, I order all Goblins who have bore witness to this task to silence regarding the conclusion of it. You may speak of Harry Potter's masterful displays of magical talent, and his skill with his shield, let alone the strength of his body, but you may not speak of the final moments and what he appeared to have accomplished. This decree is extended to everyone's families and to all written records. I ask this, not only as a matter of National Security… but also in deference to our future Champion. Please, respect this order for the rest of your lives." The Goblins remained silent but all understood their Sovereign's words as they watched Harry fall to his knees, tears falling uncontrollably from his eyes. Sure, he was the Champion of the Arena now, the power to choose how to live his life soon being in his own hands. He had done something only Godric Gryffindor had achieved in known history. He had done it all on his own, with his skill, his power and his mastery of magic… but none of that seemed to matter to him right now, as a new question had reared its ugly head in his mind, the thought repeated over and over again as his companions tried to sooth his shattered heart. "What… am I?"

Present Day

As Elysia's eyes adjusted to the bright light, she looked around her surroundings, frowning at what her eyes showed her. It was the Reception Hall of the Peverell Estate. But, unlike her home, the place looked to be bathed in light, as if the shadows themselves were made of it, the air covered in a thin layer of mist that seemed to conceal the edges of the world around her. It all looked familiar too, very much like the empty, ethereal version of King's Cross that she had seen as Harry when Voldemort struck him down with his second Killing Curse. As she walked further in, even her steps echoed as if the place she was currently in wasn't a building, but some massive empty space that existed beyond what her eyes told her. "How things have changed since the last time you were here, wouldn't you agree?" Turning towards the source of the voice, she saw the form of Albus Dumbledore standing beside the chimney of the Hall, the fire lit, the light coming from the flames being the only one casting any shadows. The smile on the old man wasn't any different than the last time she had seen it in her vision of King's Cross. Except that now she knew better. "You don't need to hide by using that form anymore. I know what you are." The old man's face took on an even wider smile. "Of course, but I wanted there to be no confusion left between us. Now, as to what form I should take… hmmm… how about this one?" As the being's form shifted, the figure became shorter, taking on softer, younger features, the white hair growing black, short and messy, the beard disappearing entirely, and the blue eyes taking on a familiar shade of green.

"Would you mind if I used this form?" Elysia shrugged. "It's a form I doubt I will ever find myself in ever again, so if anything it's your to do as you wish. Though please, if you are going to visit someone looking like that, make sure you take them with you. I don't want to hear tales about how Harry Potter has become Death itself." The entity in the form of Harry wearing a dark suit fit for a funeral service, minus the lighting bolt scar, chuckled at her. "Yes, I can imagine the stories that would come from that. It might be worth sparing a soul or two just to hear the tales spread." Seeing that Elysia was unamused, the being gestured at the two comfortable looking recliners that sat next to the fire. "Would you join me? Your little brush with so much Death magic has given us a few minutes to chat and I would love the chance to speak to you without any… complications." Elysia looked around, her voice turning mournful. "They aren't here, are they?" The entity stared at Elysia before giving her an understanding look. "You don't want to lose them?" Elysia shook her head. "Even if they were nothing more than a part of me, artificial souls created by my ancestors, or just something left behind for centuries to bring about the resurrection of the Peverell magic in later generations, I don't wish for them to cease to exist." Death walked up to Elysia, his hands in his pockets, before he reached over with an outstretched finger and touched her heart. "Then don't let them. The power that I had left in human hands was never supposed to become sentient, let alone take three distinct personalities. But, that power, in a way, no longer belongs to me. It is yours now. If you don't want to lose them, then call them back to you."

Elysia looked at the figure of the man in front of her before closing her eyes, the magic within her very being unrolling itself from her soul. Said magic began to coalesce, both within her mind and around her, as she tried to pool together three distinct and familiar entities. Tears ran down her cheeks as she heard the familiar thoughts and calls in her mind, as Badb now once again stood on her shoulder, Macha in her arms after crawling up her leg and Anand at her feet, her bushy black tail wagging in joy, all brought forth from her magic as if it was their own. She closed her eyes as she held Macha to her chest. "Thank you." Death shook his finger at her. "Like I said, I did nothing. This power might have come from me millennia ago, but what the Peverells did when they took it and separated it into three made something new of it." Following him, Elysia took her seat on the chair, as the being looked around, a smile on his face. "Now this place is more like it. Not that there aren't those who would find themselves at other crossroads in a variety of forms, but many of them had lived their entire lives on the road. You, however, had yet to live much when you first graced my presence and what a shit show of a life it was. Whilst usually I wouldn't be able to much about sending a soul back from the dead, you my dear, were fortunate to have these three looking after you. They made sure that your last visit gave you a path towards life once more." Elysia rubbed Macha's chin, all three of her companions feeling her gratitude. "And now?" Death chuckled. "Now? Now that power, the power to choose, rests within you. You are more than just a witch now, more than just another Peverell."

Elysia nodded, an old ache returning to her heart. "I thought as much. From the moment I killed the Manticore, I knew that I had exceeded anything an ordinary witch could do, let alone an extraordinary one. So… what happens now?" Death smiled as he leaned back in his seat. "Nothing." At her confused look, Death raised his hand. "What, did you think I would bind you into my service now? Force you to become my agent in the physical world?" Elysia frowned. "But that's what the Peverells were, right? Your insurance that the magicals never cheated their way into immortality." Death nodded. "Indeed… at a time when it was a lot easier for magicals to do that. You have no idea the unholy abominable acts mages committed unto others to live forever. Mothers devouring the souls of their daughters, fathers implanting their souls in order to possess the body of their sons. Bloodlines raised for no other purpose than to ensure the survival of just a single errant soul. Entire cities laid waste as a king sought to become a god. The Golden Age of Magic was a nightmare of epic proportions and Authorities like myself needed our avatars on Earth to clean up after humanity. Now, though, things are quieter. The two fools who fractured their souls in proximity to you within the last century are now either in my hands or awaiting my visit. In a way, you had already been performing your "duties" to me. As such, I see no reason as to why I need to get more hands on. If you promise to keep an eye out and take care of a few idiots from time to time, you can live your life as you see fit." Elysia stared at Death. "That's it? You only want a promise from me?"

The entity sat back, a knowing smile on his face. "Coming from you, a promise is as good as a binding magical contract." Elysia smiled at that. "You are not wrong. Still… What does all this make me? What… am I, truly?" Death shrugged. "That depends on those around you. Angel, Demon, Reaper, Demigod, Avatar. These names are all just labels humans give to things they cannot begin to understand. In your case… well… you are yourself. A being that transcends the limits of the body, the mind and even the soul. You are a part of the world, and yet you stand apart from it. What you make of what you are… is up to you… Morrígan." Elysia blushed, hearing the name given to her by the Goblins coming from Death's lips making her far more self-conscious than she previously thought was possible. The entity must have noticed as she found him standing next to her, his hand outstretched. "The three that came before each had an authority they answered to on their own. The Celts learned to fear and respect them, but as they faded from the world, their histories grew entwined into one legend, one story. There have been, and will be, many Morgans and Morrigans, but, in my eyes, you are truly The Morrígan, the one who is many, a being where life, magic and death finds new meaning. I personally look forward to seeing what legends are born from your actions in a thousand years from now." Elysia took his hand as she pulled herself onto her feet up, standing face to face with her former appearance. "Whatever may happen, I will live my life the way I see fit. I won't let anyone else define my choices." Death smiled at her as the world began to turn back into a field of white light. "I would expect nothing less from you. Farewell, Morrígan and remember… if you need me, you know how to find me."

It took a moment for Minerva McGonagall to realize that she was still very much alive, despite the greenish light that had blinded her as it struck the armoured body of the person who had once been Harry Potter. Said light only now began to dim, which finally allowed her to open her eyes, though her ears were the first to tell her that Elysia was still alive as well. "... I know. Though I hope you don't mind if I take my time." Eventually, the light faded away. At least, for the most part, as Minerva was finally able to get a good look at the woman before her, gasping at what she saw. When there had once been a woman in a blackened set of full plate armour, now stood the same person, except there was an eerie green light sparking its way all over her body, the skin on her face looking as if the light was inside of her, threatening to break out at any moment. What had stunned her the most, however, were the two massive black wings that now sat on Elysia's back, the same green energy seemingly highling every feather on them. The witch seemed to finally become aware of her surroundings, looking around her noticing her former professor, before spotting the wings at the edge of her vision. "Oh… that feels… weird." She seemed lost in thought for a moment again before she reached up to her head. "Still there Ric?"

The hat audibly chuckled. "I am indeed, Lady Peverell. Or do you prefer Morrígan?" Elysia groaned. "I swear, if you spread a word of what just happened to anyone, I will figure out how to attach a soul to you before ripping it out and feeding it to Anand." The hat seemed amused by the threat. "Yes, I believe you would be quite capable of that, but you have my word. Your secrets are safe with me. Now, I believe you should be discharging the abundance of Magic you have within you into the Castle safely. Your body is holding out for now, but best not to tempt fate. Well, not more than you usually do." Grumbling to herself, Elysia turned around and took a deep breath as she focused on the Death Magic that permeated her entire being. Separating it from herself was proving difficult, so she instead focused on absorbing it into herself, trying to reshape the cursed aspect into raw magic. Over a few minutes, the light that had been leaking through her armour and skin shifted in tone from green to white, before she lowered her left hand on the stone floor of the Astronomy Tower. As if a dam's spillway was opened, the magic within her began to leak into the stone, reaching deep into the Castle itself. With Ric on her head still, she was able to see it passing harmlessly around the Room of Requirement, as well as the unconscious Death Eaters she had left in the hallways. Sensing their essence through the magic, however, she stopped for a moment, before a smile broke out across her face. Ric mumbled to himself in her head. "I see you also inherited Godric's vindictiveness."

Elysia shrugged. "It's only vindictive if it's undeserved, and these people deserve far worse. As far as I am concerned… this is their rightful punishment… and a warning to all who might dare to try this again." After taking a few moments of concentration to affect all the still living Death Eaters in the Castle, she continued to feel the wards themselves, until her consciousness reached the wardroom, where she sensed that the curse array was rebuilding its pool of Magic. Not wanting to risk having to do this again, she used her connection to the wards and began to disrupt the flow of Magic into the wardroom, with Ric giving her some pointers in isolating and successfully cutting off the array from the rest of the wards. Someone else would have to fix the wards in person, but at least the curse wouldn't start trying to kill everyone again in a few hours. Sending the remaining magic on its way through the stone walls, it eventually reached the earth underneath, where it harmlessly rejoined the natural magic of the leylines. Fiddling with the hat on her head, Elysia walked up to Minerva. "It's done, though considering who currently has control of the wards, you and Batshida should head to the Ward Chamber and regain control of them before I hand Ric back to you. I will wait in your office until you're back." Minerva raised her eyebrow. "And would all of the portraits be as they are currently when I return?" Seeing Elysia nod, McGonagall pointed at her own head. "You may wish to reapply some charms to yourself as well. Your… appearance is now very recognizable."

After helping Elysia with magically dying her hair and changing the color of her eyes, McGonagall left the Astronomy Tower on her way to the Room of Requirement. For a moment, Elysia stood overlooking the Castle, as she had done so many times in the past when she had been a student, focusing on the wings on her back, as well as the three different beings in her head. It was clear that the connection between the four of them was deeper now, as she could hear them all more clearly. Thinking about the wings on her back, she found that they would indeed react and feel like any other appendage, though trying to fly with them would be left for another day. After some concentration, the wings reshaped themselves into Badb's usual form as a coat. Searching her body for any other inconsistencies, she noticed that her canine teeth felt a bit sharper, which made Macha giggle in her head, whilst her whole body felt stronger, and even lighter than normal. Elysia sighed. "I am going to have to figure out what my physical limits are again, aren't I?" The peanut gallery playfully laughed at her, before she felt a deep sense of contentment fill up her mind. Elysia smiled as she made her way to the Headmistress' office, glad that drawing on the full power of her inheritance didn't come at the cost of her friends. They may not have been the intention of the beings that designed them, but Elysia didn't care. Anand, Macha and Badb were a part of her she had no intention of abandoning… even if the result was that she would cease being just another witch. For them, being something else… was worth it.

Entering the room that had once been Dumbledore's office, Elysia briefly stopped, as she realized that all the portraits were now visible, meaning the surge of magic must have washed away the lightly cast spells and wards, before closing the door once more. She sighed as she pressed her head against the door, with Ric reading through her thoughts. "It's never an easy life for those touched by fate. Godric suffered greatly after the loss of the Coven that raised him, as you yourself know. They used him just as they used so many other men, but in their own twisted way, they loved him… and he loved them back." Elysia sighed deeply as she applied a sound ward on the door and around herself. "I know. I expect those two to say a lot of things about what they did, and Snape might even be capable of apologizing, but it wouldn't matter. Because of them and Voldemort, my childhood… even my free will was taken from me. What good came of it is tainted by the things they did. All I can do is make sure that every choice I make now belongs to me. Now, since I expect McGonagall to take a while, do you think you can fill me in on the other Founders? Godric's journals didn't cover his time at Hogwarts, since it was after he completed his trials." Ric's folds took on the form of a smile. "Well, considering the wealth of stories I acquired from your mind, it seems only fair. Now, you might not think it but Godric was very jealous of Salazar. Getting married to two lovely women while all Godric could get were one night stands? The indignation was unbearable. Of course, Salazar couldn't help but rub it in his face. Though not literally, of course." Elysia laughed as she crossed her legs and sat on the ground as Ric carried on, the night growing darker even as the Castle slowly came back to life.

"Please stay behind the line. The students will be coming out shortly after the Aurors check them over, but all reports from the Castle confirm that the only casualties were on the invading force's side. They will be out shortly." Susan watched as the worried families seemed to calm down at her words, though she was certain that if the non-magical families could have gotten to Hogsmeade, it would have been even more chaotic than it was currently. They had all been relieved when Professor McGonagall's Patronus arrived late in the evening, assuring everyone that the attacking force was contained, the students were safe and the wards were once again back under her control. There was no mention of Elysia's involvement, but that wasn't a surprise, as said witch had sent a brief message to Hermione explaining the situation from her perspective and suggesting that she visit Ragnar in the morning as she sent a far more detailed report to him regarding what occurred, including what "story" they would have to spin. Susan wasn't overly fond of Elysia trying to rewrite certain events to erase her involvement as much as possible, but she had to give it to the witch: the official reports didn't really lie about what happened, they just made sure to get enough details wrong to make it look like Harry Potter's involvement ended years ago. Susan couldn't really fault her wanting to create as much distance between herself and her past life.

Still, whilst the ICW was glad that the crisis at Hogwarts was over, there was some concern about how the situation was resolved whilst the wards had been up. She could imagine that the official report would have quite a few omissions regarding the events from last night. Still, it was worth it. The students, all the students, were safe and sound, as was evident by the crowd's reaction as several groups of kids started walking down the path from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade, with the Aurors and Healers checking their health and wellbeing in full view of the families. Once they were all cleared, the children rushed down the last bit of space and jumped into the arms of the waiting family members, with Tracey even picking up and hugging her niece, before the little girl was passed along to her parents. Letting her friend look after the arriving children, Susan made her way up the path leading up to Hogwarts, finding Finnigan and Jacob speaking to Hagrid, getting his side of the story, whilst Filch and Mrs Norris checked who was leaving the Castle. Due to the Crisis, the students with magical families who would come to retrieve them were free to leave with their parents from Hogsmeade, while the first generation magicals would be sent back via the Hogwarts Express once all of their families were contacted and were able to agree on a date to pick them up. The school would remain closed whilst the wards underwent an extensive overhaul.

Seeing her come up, Jacob called her over. "I have a few Healers and Aurors ready to enter the Castle to retrieve the Neo Death Eaters. Would you mind accompanying them to identify the suspects?" At Susan's nod, the group formed around her and were led through the Castle by Madam Pince, as all the Hogwarts Heads of Houses were busy managing the students staying at the Castle. According to the Hogwarts Staff member, the Headmistress confirmed that most of the bodies belonging to the Neo Death Eaters were left where they died, with the survivors being stashed into an unused classroom close to where they fell unconscious. Susan would send the Aurors to fetch the corpses as soon as the Unspeakables arrived to help in the collection of evidence. It took a bit of walking, but the group made it up to the seventh floor, the hallway on the path to the Room of Requirement looking like a mess of blood streaks, bodies and appendages, with quite a few damaged wands littering the ground. "Well… I have a feeling I know who did this. The damage is very consistent with the slaughter at the Laborde Estate in France, or at least I believe it to be. Gringotts really likes their unconventional approach to taking out Dark Witches and Wizards." Susan didn't comment about Jacob's observations as Pince unlocked a door, with the Aurors walking in, finding several cloaked but unmasked magicals unconscious.

The Healers moved up first, checking them for injuries, many sporting cuts, bruises, some amputations and broken bones. As one of the Healers waved his wand over the unconscious form of Draco Malfoy, they frowned. "That… doesn't seem right." Asking a fellow Healer for a second opinion, whatever the result ended up being didn't seem to alleviate their concerns, as they checked everyone else. The Healer stared at the Death Eaters, his face an equal measure of shock and horror. "They… lost their magic." Susan snapped her neck around to look at the man. "What?" He gestured at the survivors. "All of them. I don't know how, but every single one of them registers as a non-magical. They all lost their magic completely." Susan looked at the unconscious people before them. She, like everyone else, had heard of people losing their magic. Unlike having their magic bound or a wand snapped, there was no specific method known for stripping a person of their magic completely, save one. A person could only lose their magic if they broke a binding magical contract, and that was if the contract didn't outright kill you first. It was part of the reasons so many people were fearful of using binding magical contracts for Ministry work, and why the practice was discontinued for everyone except the Unspeakables. There was no way the Neo Death Eaters, whose parents had lobbied for the elimination of said contracts in Ministry positions, would have signed any such documents themselves.

"What should we do with them?" Snapping back to reality, Susan sighed. "With or without magic, these people intended to kill all the students and staff members in the school. We will send them back for processing at the DMLE before pretrial detention at Azkaban. Without the Dementors there, they will have very little to complain about." The Aurors got to work placing cuffs on the prisoners, before waking them up. That the group was hysterical was an understatement, many demanding to see their solicitors, though a few begged to be taken away from the Castle. All flinched at the sight of the suits of armours as they were led back down to the ground floor, with many claiming that they had almost been killed by one. As Susan stepped out into the courtyard as the last of the Neo Death Eaters were escorted down to be transported to the Ministry via Portkey, Jacob came up to her. "Counting the dead and the survivors, everyone identified as being part of the organization has been detained or killed. Today marks the end for the Neo Death Eaters." Susan watched as the cloaked figures walked down the steps to the edge of the wards. "For now. Unless the laws of this land change, there will always be a chance that more will spring up. Hell, if France is any indication, they may spring up regardless of what progress is made." Jacob nodded. "True, but what matters is that when all is set and done, the DMLE, or whatever name it happens to go with after reorganization, has the means and the ability to handle such threats on their own. And even if you don't, we will just be a few calls away from lending a helping hand."

Susan nodded back. "I suppose that will have to be enough." Thanking Jacob, she made certain that all of the Death Eater casualties were thoroughly identified, checked for any dangerous artifacts with help from the DoM, with Padma Patil being their on-sight expert, before they were stuffed away in body bags and sent to the DMLE's morgue, to await the uncertain fate if any of their family members would be able, let alone willing, to come and retrieve them. Once everything at the school was settled and her shift replacement was on site, Susan walked into Hogsmeade and aparated away. But, rather than returning to the Ministry or her undisclosed home, she apparated at the edge of the Greengrass property and knocked on the main gate. In a few minutes the young witch she came to see walked up to the gates, her hair a bit unkempt and her arms holding her robes closed. Susan took notice of the time, having spent much of the day at Hogwarts, not having realized that it was past most people's time to sleep. "Ah, sorry Daphne. I just walked off my shift and… wanted to see you." The dirty blonde witch smiled at the redhead as she pulled the gate open for her. "It's alright. I have been getting letters from my associates over the last few days, so I can imagine just how exhausted you must be. Why don't you come in? I can get you something to eat and then you can spend the night. I promise to behave myself." Susan raised an eyebrow as she walked through the gate. "And if I don't want you to behave?" A smile grew wider on Daphne's face. "Then I won't." It might have taken her a few more hours to get some rest, but Susan was certain that that night had been the most restful of her entire career as an Auror.

"Well, it's been a pleasure to meet you, Potions Master Peverell. Please don't be a stranger. I would love to have correspondence with the most influential witch in the world of Potions in the last century." Elysia gave Slughorn what she hoped was a respectful smile. "I will see if I can. Have a good day, Professor." As Horace left through the door of the Staff's meeting room, the only people left in it were Elysia, McGonagall and Professor Flitwick. The meeting itself had started late in the night, whilst the students were kept in the Room of Requirement to rest until the morning, the staff being busy checking every corner of the school, identifying the areas that would need to be checked by the DMLE, or were otherwise occupied with the wards. Bathsheda Babbling had spent much of the evening with the Headmistress, doing her leveled best to undo the mess the Neo Death Eaters had made of the Wards Chamber. Permanently disabling the Killing Curse array had been easy enough to do, though the Runes Professor had been forced to document all her work so as to render a factual account of what modifications had been made by the attackers, and which were her own. Getting Minerva to reclaim control over the Wards hadn't been all that difficult, though the Professor had noticed that the wards were seriously compromised, so much so that the ICW might have actually been able to break through them with some ease had they tried.

Minerva had wondered if that was done intentionally to lure them into the death trap, but would leave such dreadful thoughts for the DMLE to handle. With the wards back under her control, the Elves were once again able to freely move about the Castle, bringing fresh food for the students come morning whilst Minerva sent many letters to the parents of those who couldn't be picked up from Hogwarts to inform them that she would be closing the school until the wards were adequately fixed and better security measures put in place. On her way to her office to write said letters, she had stumbled upon Elysia waiting just outside the door, having conversations with the Sorting Hat that Minerva was certain would scandalize Binns and every other historian in Great Britain. With the portraits covered and deafened again, the young witch entered the office with her and the two discussed the security of the Castle. Elysia, to Minerva's surprise, agreed to remain at the Castle until the DMLE retrieved the bodies and a security force from Gringotts was dispatched, along with a team of Wardmasters who would hopefully get the Castle back into working order on a timely schedule. The Headmistress had been hesitant to employ the Goblins due to the expense it would come with, but Elysia assured her that Gringotts would put the cost on a tab for the Ministry to pay later, with the expenses being covered by Elysia herself in the meantime.

As the magical students had been collected by their parents, and the DMLE finished their work in the Castle, Minerva convened a staff meeting to inform everyone as to what would be happening in the coming days. She might have… not mentioned that the meeting was taking place to Elysia, hence why said witch gave her a glare when she found the Professors seated together. Minerva didn't introduce her as the Black Knight, which was the name the Death Eaters had coined to the Aurors as they were being led away, as Elysia had switched out of her combat clothes into a very non-magical attire of black jeans, boots, a white turtleneck shirt, though at least her brown dragonhide jacket made her seem a bit more normal in magical circles. Thankfully, the witch had agreed to be addressed by her real name and profession, with Slughorn almost having a heart attack as soon as he realized who she was, though she had also mentioned that she was there as a representative for Gringotts and was waiting for her replacement to arrive before she took her leave. To Minerva's surprise, she and Neville got along well, with Elysia not betraying any familiarity with the man. Then again, Neville Longbottom had come a long way from his stuttering and shy days as a student. As the Herbology Professor, he had certainly made Pomona proud as he was well liked by the students, though he found the advances from the seventh year girls very unpleasant. The handsome man was happily married to Hannah Abbott and made sure to stress that with every new class of students who came of age.

The other professors were very cordial with Elysia, though Poppy Pomfrey showed the Potions Master a lot more respect than the rest, as her contributions had greatly helped her in securing her medical supplies and she was enjoying the refresher work she received from the ICW regarding the changes to the Healer Kits and International Potion labels. There was some tension with Hagrid, though Elysia broke it easily by saying that she was glad to hear that the Thestrals were doing well, as she had a fondness for the odd looking creatures. When Slughorn had finally exhausted himself and left the meeting room, the only person who had yet to speak to Elysia had been Flitwick. The diminutive professor looked at Elysia with curiosity. "It is very rare for a witch to represent Gringotts, even in official business. Sure, they employ a variety of races to the bank, but Goblins usually leave any official acts to other Goblins." Elysia nodded. "I am aware, though as I am a citizen of the Goblin Nation, an exception was made." Filius frowned. "I haven't spoken to my kin in sometime, but I would certainly have expected to be informed if something so momentous as a witch being made a citizen had occurred." Elysia raised her finger to her lips in a silencing gesture. "As a point of pride to Londinium, they may have indeed told you, but I believe that the wick clan was told to keep such matters secret by the Viceroy. The name of a Champion of the Arena is not something that outsiders should know without an expectation of prudence. I am sure you understand?"

The man's eyes grew wide with recognition. "The Black Knight the Death Eaters mentioned?" Elysia nodded again. "Best to keep that between yourself and the Headmistress and speak of it only with the highest of precautions for secrecy." Flitwick bowed his head to her. "I understand. You have my sincere gratitude for what you did for the School and its students, Miss Peverell. We were fortunate to have someone of your skills come to our aid." Minerva smiled as the conversation between the two turned to less dreadful things, being surprised as the two compared notes on their understanding of Goblin culture through the eyes of a descendant and an outsider, before her friend noticed the clock on the wall. "My how time flies. It has been a pleasure to speak to you, Miss Peverell. I hope that we may have other opportunities for polite conversation." Elysia shook his hand. "I hope so too. I will let the wick clan and the Viceroy know of our conversation. Have a restful evening, Flitwick." The man smiled at her knowingly, before leaving with a spring in his step, much to Minerva's surprise. "Goblin naming conventions are very different from our own. The name of the clan and the person are indivisible, and no other name can be given. While legally his name is Filius Flitwick, in Goblin culture, he would simply be Flitwick, of the wick clan. If you wish to respect his heritage, as odd as it may seem, call him by his legal surname."

Minerva gave Elysia a short bow of her head. "I will keep that in mind. And thank you. Thank you for humoring my request to stay and speak to them. Having you here representing Gringotts gave them some measure of reassurance, if not outright distraction." Elysia chuckled. "With Slughorn, it was definitely the latter. And it was alright. It was good seeing everyone again and speaking to them without the baggage that was with me for every day of my time as a student here." Nicholas, the Grifindor ghost, arrived through the door and bowed to McGonagall. "The Goblins from Gringotts have arrived, Headmistress." He looked over at Elysia, blinking a bit before he bowed to her silently. Minerva raised an eyebrow at the witch after the ghost left. "Anything I should know?" Elysia grumbled. "For your sanity and my sense of self, best to forget about that. So, shall we?" After a few minutes of pointed conversation, the two of them arrived at the Great Hall, where Hagrid had delivered the Gringotts delegation. Elysia was the first to walk up to them, bowing her head to her friend. "Thank you for taking time off your busy schedule, Golstrud. The Headmistress could certainly use someone of your management skills to resolve the matter of the "adequate" security of the Castle in as short a time as possible." Golstrud nodded in return before he presented her with something. "It seemed the right thing to do as word has reached us that the conflict with the NDEs has been concluded. Our Viceroy eagerly awaits your return to report on the situation so that he may inform the Sovereign."

Receiving the Portkey gracefully, Elysia turned to look at the Headmistress, probably for the last time in quite a while. "In my time with Gringotts, I have come to call many amongst the population of the Goblin Nation my friends and they have extended that same honor to me. I leave you now with my dear friend Golstrud, who will do his best to ensure that the Castle no longer needs external security support in the next few years." Minerva bowed her head to the Goblin, who responded in kind, before she looked at Elysia. "I know it will never be the same as it once was, but know that as long as I am Headmistress, you will always be welcomed at Hogwarts." Elysia gave her a melancholic smile. "I appreciate the sentiment, but I have a home I can call my own now, where I intend to be as soon as possible. May you all have fruitful and respectful business negotiations." Elysia found herself being escorted by Hagrid as they left, with the half-giant thanking her, though Elysia was careful to keep her face expressionless when he mentioned that Dumbledore would have liked to have met her. "Perhaps that might be true, but even if we had met on fine terms, not everyone can get along. My family's history and my own ideals, sadly, would have clashed with his." No more was said between them as Elysia arrived at the edge of the wards, taking one long look at the Castle, its windows once more alive with lights, the sight not that dissimilar from when she had first seen it so many years ago. Back then she thought the place could have become her home. Now she had a home of her own, so she vanished from the spot, fully intending on seeing her girlfriend as soon as possible. Her presence in Britain was no longer needed.

Chapter 48: Excerpts From a Different Era

The Journal of Cateline Peverell du Brocéliande

I had intended to start this journal from the moment that I received it, yet I find myself unable to do so, for the person that I am now is a product of what I was before. There is little for me to say about my life in Borcéliande, as what time I spent there is lost in my memories, only recalling faint echoes of my mother and family, a few of the traditions regarding our faith staying with me though more because of my desperate nature, than of an actual adherence to our faith. Of my former life, the most "memorable" day was of my family traveling to another Conclave when our caravan fell under attack and I and several other Veela were taken captive. What I remember of my captivity is the darkness of my cell, the uncomfortable bed I was made to lie in, the cold baths I was forced to endure before I was brought up to the master's presence… and the pain that my body endured as the man and his close associates used me as a plaything. In that dark cell, I had forgotten what life was like before my captivity, the feel of a cool breeze blowing through the trees, the songs of the birds beyond where our eyes could perceive, or even the joy of laughter that wasn't tainted by madness or sorrow. I had forgotten what it was like to live a single day of my life without suffering hunger, or my body aching in pain, or what it was like… to live without a collar strapped to my neck at every moment, the skin underneath torn, or the pain from when my jailors threw alcohol onto it to cleanse it of illness or smell. I had forgotten all of that… until one day, when the darkness that had all but devoured me was chased away.

At first it was merely the earth shaking beneath my feet, a fact that I considered to be a hallucination from my part. I had suffered many in the past you see, particularly when the pigs fed me some potions that would make me more… attentive, as I had long lost any interest in pleasing my masters. I had been more than willing to welcome death to free me from this accursed life, so the threats of the masters and the pain of my flesh no longer held any fear for me. Yet on that day the earth did shake, as did the stones above my head. Shouts could be heard as men fought beyond what my narrow cell door could let me see. I had considered the possibility that I would die here, killed by these attackers, or be forced into becoming the slave of another. I was preparing myself to act in such a way that my death would be preferable to those who would try and steal me, so when someone darkened the entrance to my cell, I threw myself at the person that opened the door. Yet I found no blade piercing my side, no hand tugging at the chain attached to my neck. Instead, I felt something slip between the skin of my neck and collar and heard the metal snap, the chains falling to the ground beside me, the noise startling me. I felt the figure beneath me pulling me up and, before I knew it, I was in his arms, cradled like a baby, or a bride on their wedding night. Rather than disgust or desire, I found myself looking into greenish blue eyes that held only warmth and concern for me. "What's your name?"

It took me a while to answer him as I struggled to recall it. It had been so long that I heard it that it had slipped my mind completely, as I was always addressed as girl, plaything, Veela or just… freak. So I told him I had no name. His next words seemed to awaken my long dead heart. "A beautiful woman such as yourself can't go on without a name. How about… Cateline?" Hearing him utter what would become my name for the first time was an experience that I will never forget, for it felt as if all the darkness that had clouded every moment of my life had suddenly lifted. I didn't mind much that he found me beautiful or that he addressed me as a woman, though as a Veela it should have, but in that moment, hearing someone giving me a name that was itself beautiful was… everything to me. I was told later that I spent much of the day crying, though I hardly remember it, as the warriors in black armour carried me out of the dungeons of the castle I had been in, though I recall one moment above all others, as I was brought before a man with unruly black hair tied back with a string, his piercing green eyes taking me in for a moment as the other Veela were removed from the structure. He then turned to the Castle, his arm stretched before him as a small stick was held in his fingers, before the earth began to shake once more. There, before my eyes, the Castle that had been my prison and the source of all my torment, was brought down in but an instant. The man turned to me and spoke in a soft voice. "That den of evil now lies in ruins. Do not let the evil of its people taint your life any further. You are free now, child of Song and Fire. Free to find happiness once more."

I am told that I broke down in tears once more as the man who held me in his arms cradled me against his chest, the metal he wore not once registering as painful against my skin. In time, after being fed more food than what I usually had in a single month over the span of several days, being attended by Witches who healed my skin and cleansed me of diseases, I found myself in another castle. In this one, however, I was a guest, able to sleep in comfortable beds, eat my fill, and walk the Halls, only barred from descending into the lowest level, where the survivors of my savior's attacks were kept to be interrogated or punished. My hosts didn't want me to see the horrors they inflicted on the guilty, though a sick part of me wanted to. In time I learned that my liberators were a family of mages from an island across the northern sea, having arrived onto our shores not that far from Borcéliande. They first heard of the attacks against my kin from the Conclave and, having offered no treaty or promise, ensured that any Veela rescued from the strongholds they raided were returned to the conclaves safely. I was given the chance to go home but there was something in my heart that told me that I would no longer find what I needed in the place of my ancestors. I was met by an Elder who spoke to me and agreed for me to my staying with the mages, on the condition that I learned the languages of the Veela and act as a bridge between our people and theirs. I readily agreed. It took me years to remaster the dialect of my race, but today and henceforth, I will try to put into writing what became of my life amongst these most extraordinary mages, so that the people who saved my life, when I myself had given up on it, are never forgotten by the Veela Conclaves. This is the story of my time with the Peverell family, the people that rescued me from a living death… and who gave me a life worth celebrating.

It was not easy getting used to my new life. The Peverells didn't mind my learning or reading their scrolls and books. In their eyes, most knowledge was to be freely shared, with only the family secrets, the skills of one's trade and the private thoughts in one's mind deserving of secrecy. Hence why I often found myself studying in the library along with the children and teens. It was an odd thing for me, after years being paraded as a trophy by my captors, to be able to sit next to young men and not see in their eyes neither the effect of the Allure nor the desire to inflict me harm. Everyone was polite to me, caring even, the younger children coming to me at times to ask me to play or to show them how to draw. It didn't matter to them that my drawings were no better than their own, they simply enjoyed my presence and the adults didn't mind it. Even the women, who had often looked at me with jealousy or disgust in my captivity, treated me as one of their own amongst the Peverells. I suppose in a way I was as it was rare for the Peverell line to give birth to girls, it was said, and so most of the women were those who either married into the family or wished to become the brides of the men. I did find it odd that the children were much fewer than the amount of people who lived at the Castle, but I decided to leave such thoughts behind.

As my time with them grew, so too did my desire to be more helpful. I detested the feeling of being simply another helpless woman awaiting news from the men as they sought out an enemy they would not name, as if the name itself had some power. What I do know was that the Peverells were relentless in their hunt, traveling vast distances from their home, laying waste to all who stood in their way, before returning home, dissatisfied as their hunt proved fruitless. It was during one of these breaks in the hunt that I approached the head of the family, a man of great power and yet great compassion for others, though most who faced him saw only his wrath and conviction. The man listened to me attentively as I expressed my desire to aid them in the field in whatever way was possible and he, to his credit, listened and agreed, on the condition that I was to be evaluated. If I was found to have certain talents that were inline with my desire to help, they would let me accompany the warriors. Obviously, the first evaluation was to determine my skills with a blade. No one laughed as one of the sons of the family bested me with relative ease every time we spared, and he always instructed me on how to improve. Sadly, I lacked the skills with a blade that a warrior needed, though the Peverells felt I was more capable with a knife in hand. I was given several and practiced with them daily.

As an aide to the Healers, I was found to be more useful. Outside of the Castle, my magic was able to breathe freely and the Healers found it helped to calm the injured as they underwent treatment, and at the very least it gave the dying a peace they otherwise would not have had. For my efforts, and my studies amongst the Healers themselves, I became a common sight in the caravans that set forward from the Castle into deeper and further lands. Even as I learned to clean the linens, forage for food and tend to the animals, it was in the healing of the injured that I found my calling and the Peverells allowed me to travel far and wide, all confident in my skills and care. I sought never to disappoint them. As we spent longer periods of time on the roads, however, I grew closer to the man that had held me in his arms when I was rescued, one of the Head's younger brothers. He was kind and funny, never hesitant to speak his mind, whether it was to wax poetry or to poke fun at others. I am very certain that he was the first to get me to laugh in decades and through him I learned of things that couldn't be learned from any books of the Peverells or Veela. One of the things that had interested me was the faith of these warriors. They never seemed to stop and listen to mass, there were no spiritual leaders and they held no feasts aside from those that marked the seasons.

I had been raised to believe in our people's goddess, but decades of suffering with my prayers going unanswered robbed me of any faith in the divine, or that they actually cared about mortals if they indeed existed. When I asked the youngest brother about their faith, he gestured at my heart. "What we believe is that every life is precious, as is every moment. We do not ask for assistance, or guidance, offering only gratitude. Gratitude that every day we yet live, that we see the ones we love, learn more of this world and its wonders and ever strive to improve ourselves and others. We do not attempt to understand the great powers of the world, for surely they are beyond human comprehension, nor do we try and grasp their intent nor elicit their aid. We can only trust in ourselves, though we do so knowing that something, somewhere, is responsible for the spark that exists within us all. We do not need to know their name, nor do we need to raise altars to them. We have souls because some great power made them so we are grateful every day for the lives we have to the one who gave us this opportunity. Our actions, or efforts, our struggles. If you wish to believe that we pray, then those are our prayers to the nameless powers." Those words have stayed with me every day since I heard them.

These warriors that spend every day fighting do so out of a sense of duty, but not faith. They act of their own freewill, never cursing others for the beliefs they hold, nor attempting to force their own beliefs onto others. They respect all life, and yet hunt and kill, because these are aspects of the world, and that the lives they take, whether of a beast or a speaker, need to be honored, by guaranteeing that nothing is wasted. No soldier that dies goes unburied, their story inscribed in the annals of the family, no animal hunted is wasted, all the pieces made to serve a purpose, no matter how unlikely they may be. Everything to them has purpose and reason. Hence why, to them, those who dedicate their lives to spreading pain and suffering without reason, nor purpose, nor even for self advancement, are the lowest of the low. They aren't worth taking pity on, as the greatest service the Peverells could do for the betterment of the world is to send them into the Void as soon as possible. The campaigns on the Continent were long and hard and seemingly endless, until, finally, the prey they hunted was found. Unfortunately… it was well prepared for their arrival. I cannot begin to describe the abominations that rose to face the warriors of the House of Peverell. From the corpses of the dead turned into puppets of madness and violence, to dark shadows to sucked the life out of the world itself, the great battle that the Peverells pursued was unlike any horror I had ever dreamed of. At least now I understood why they were relentless in the hunt. Had they not been, the enemy would have been better prepared and the battle would not have ended in a victory, even though the price that was paid would be high. For the sake of the world, the greatest warriors I ever knew went off to victory and, sadly, many never returned.

The days after the great battle were dark for the entire family. So many of the warriors of the House had fallen, including the Head and his eldest. The power of the family fell on the shoulders of one too young to have been properly trained and he had yet to receive instruction on what it all meant. Fearing for their safety, the new Head ordered the family to return to their island home, to heal and mend their wounds and hopefully recover. As the family prepared to leave, the man that had been my savior, who had suffered injuries to his body in the defeat of the great prey, dedicated almost every moment to me, asking me of my plans, checking that I had sufficient clothes or potions. By the time the family was ready to set sail, he looked at me and took my hand before kissing the top of it. "It has been my privilege to have known you. Whether you accompany us or return to your people, the choice is entirely yours now, Cateline." Hearing my name on his lips never failed to bring a smile to my face. That was why, when I said I wanted to travel with the Peverells to their home, I asked for more than that. I asked to do so as his wife. I will never forget the look of surprise on his face, followed by the joy he radiated. His very chest felt warm, despite the armor that he usually wore.

Of course, our union had more than its fair share of troubles. I had suffered much at the hands of my captors and despite the instincts all a Veela are born with, seeking to be physically intimate had become a torture. Thankfully, my husband was never discouraged by my inability to sleep in his bed or to feel his touch on my bare skin. Like the family itself, my wounds had yet to fully heal, but we worked hard at it. In that time, I learned more about Britain and its people, how the old tribes had warred against each other for centuries but had finally been bound to a single throne, though it was a… tenuous grasp. Like with all kings, the one on the island favored going to war to secure greater glory or wealth, at the expense of lives. The Peverells, thankfully, stayed clear of the political ploys of the Monarchy and its representatives, particularly the so called Council of Wizards that they were a part of. Whilst the other families saw the arrangement as a means of government, the Peverells saw it as a safety measure, a place to gather when great enemies were found and needed to be challenged. Apparently that had been the original intention, but as the Crown took form and power, so too did the families seek to enshrine their own. As the others followed the King to the cities, the Peverells retreated to their fortress and sought little contact with others, though they had enough pull to offer me a place to study at a Castle built by Allies of the family.

Respectfully, I declined. Whilst I had no problem learning more about magic, I wanted to dedicate myself to the family, particularly to my relationship with my husband, in hopes that one day we could lay together without my irrational fear that he would harm me. It took us years, but we did achieve it. At the same time, however, the young Head of the family sought something himself, feeling inadequate after the untimely death of his predecessor and that he lacked the strength to carry the family forward on his own. Even marriage and fatherhood didn't seem to lift the man's spirits or instill in him confidence in his position. If anything, it made it worse. Soon, as the family continued to mend in its own ways, the Head withdrew deeper and deeper into his workshop and his studies. From the crafting of tools of Magic to the ancient rituals of the Celts that had all but vanished from their island, no subject was too mundane or extreme for the man, and few understood what was driving him. My husband was worried about the Head's decision to bury himself in his work while ignoring the growing unrest in the wider island as regions continued to rise up against the ruling houses. Even the far flung Crusades in the Mediterranean weren't enough to distract the local ruling families from tearing at each other. Sadly, this animosity also extended to the Magical Families, as old grievances and struggles for power consumed the many representatives of the Council of Wizards, including allies of the Peverells.

For me, though, all these matters flew over my head. I wasn't born on this land and my people had no affiliation with anyone but the Peverells, unless one counted the animosity between us and the Merfolk that lived along the shores of this place. Still, whilst I was no longer a Healer for warriors, I made sure to continue my practice for all those that needed it. With all the internal squabbles, there were quite a few innocent souls that needed the care of a decent Healer, though a few had come from the School in the North that were of similar Mastery, though many felt that my presence was more effective in calming the more difficult patients. Sadly… The same prejudices that my people endured on the Continent followed me here, as the locals either sought to "acquire" me or chase me out because, in their eyes, I wasn't human enough. I learned my lessons and ignored the regions that were unfair to me and favored the ones where I felt safe, with my husband chasing away anyone that would consider using force. He may not have been chosen as the Head of the family, but his power and skill were more than a match for anyone else. His temper matched it too, as I have come to notice that those celebrated as true Peverells were always uncommonly kind and soft spoken, until someone else dared to anger them. In that moment, the kindness that I loved seeing every day vanished, leaving behind only detached fury. It never ceased to amaze me that despite seeing violence for so many years of my life… the violence that lingered under my husband's skin never once made me weary. I knew, deep in my soul, that I would always be safe by his side.

I held my husband's hand as the last body of the Heirs to the Head of the family was buried in a grave far from the Peverell Estate. A few decades prior, something had happened that resulted in the favored Heir dying, followed soon after by the second in line, the first to murder and the second to suicide. The rest of the family had been stunned, but they had been hoping that the third son would inherit his father's position and all would be well. Except, that didn't happen. Though he was closer in temperament to his grandfather, the man seemed incapable of calling forward the powers that all Peverell Heads possessed. Still, rather than bemoaning his fate, like his father did before, he did his best to guide the family towards a better future, with securing marriages for the youngest generation of Peverells, many of which were with partners they actively loved, unlike the practices of the other families, who seemed to only grow with pride and avarice. The fear that they once held of the Peverells had been waning under the last head of the family, and with his passing and the last Heir failing to live up to their expectations, there had been a growing concern that the Peverells would soon see their last sunrise. With the last Heir dead and his bloodline tied to another, with no others capable of inheriting the power or the name, the Peverell family was one short generation away from fading into obscurity.

The honor… and unwanted duty to see to the end of the Peverell family, now fell upon my husband, his hair now grey with age, his strength lessened, though his eyes were just as sharp as ever, not to mention his love for me, even if the passion between us was diminished. As Regent, it fell to him to set all of the affairs of our family in order, awarding dowries to those who were lucky to gain the extremely rare daughters of the House of Peverell as wives, whilst he sought of the Goblins to ensure that what legacy was left that could be saved would endure the ages. Despite the apparent loss of all traces of the main bloodline, despite the belief by his now deceased cousins and siblings that the power was lost, my husband believed otherwise. He believed that the last recognized Head of the family dared to meddle with things beyond his understanding and brought misfortune upon the house and his own sons. Sadly, the misfortune was not limited to the family, as the island seemed fit to burst into a civil war, despite my husband's best efforts to avoid that catastrophe. Unfortunately, every other family had long since abandoned any semblance of nobility or honor, all interested in increasing their wealth and power, no matter the cost. I had seen these same struggles on the Continent and had hoped that Britain would have been better. It wasn't. No matter where one went, human nature always seemed to spiral down towards one's baser, more violent instincts.

The situation was bad enough that my husband was making preparations to send me back to France, should the worse come to pass. I told him that I didn't want to be separated from him and he agreed, but he felt that he still needed to make certain that if he should die early, my fate was secure. He didn't wish to see me fall into the hands of those who would only seek to inflict me harm. He was a stubborn and a noble fool… but goddess did I love him for that. Love. That was a word that became more common between us, even as the passion of our youth faded. I may not have been able to give him children capable of inheriting the Peverell name and magic, but he never once held that against me. As the years passed and I was forced to use my talents as a Healer to ease his growing weariness, he never once complained nor bemoaned his fate, let alone that of his family. He was still thankful every day for the time we spent together, either talking about the beauty of the gardens I tended to or reminiscing about the landscapes of France, not to mention the weather. I had suggested to him that he would be welcomed to return with me, that the Conclaves would offer him refuge in his final days, but he refused. "The Peverells were born on this island, and it was here that our legacy was made manifest. If I am to be the last Peverell, then I will do it here, on British soil."

That said, he never truly believed he would be the last of the family. The Peverell name would vanish but the blood would endure, safely hidden from the enemies that they had hunted and eliminated. "Even if it were to take a thousand years, I am certain that my family will return. I have seen it in my dreams. The power that was lost will find its way into the hands of our descendants and they will be found worthy. Whether here or on the Continent, the Peverell name will return, better than ever, and the world will be shaped by it once again." I held my husband's hand tightly after that, not wishing to deny his words, particularly since they sounded true to my ears. Whatever fate had brought down the House of Peverell, I was certain they would return, and the world would seem brighter for it. After all, they were the family that brought me out of my own darkness, saving countless lives and restoring order to Central Europe. It was possible that fate had decreed that they were no longer needed in the coming years, that change needed to occur and so they were lost as Britain spiraled towards another war. Sadly, if you who is reading this is the next generation of Peverell, then I offer you my apologies. For if a great cataclysm brought about the extinction of the once great and noble house, then I fear it will take another cataclysm to bring them back. Please, do not look poorly upon us who once dreamed of our family being restored if it comes at a grave price. For there is always a price, even in magic, to be paid.

Now, truly, the light is all but gone from my world. I could not bring myself to write on these pages so soon after my husband's passing, as I was beyond consolation or reason. In fact, I had fought off a madness that dared me to toss this book into the fire and to see all my memories vanish. It seemed fitting. Even now I struggle with that desire as I press ink into parchment. But I resist. I must be strong, for my husband and the family I married into. As per my husband's preparations, passage has been made available to me to return to the Conclaves, where I will be allowed to live out the rest of my days in peace. Despite the failure in Britain, the Conclaves were able to secure protection from the French Crown, thanks to the treaties that the Peverells left behind. I heard that even the Vampire Courts gained favor with them, because of the agreements brokered, as did the Goblins. Sure, I expect turbulent times to return to France, as no peace will last forever, but if I am to spend my final days away from the graves and homes of my family, living in a peace of their making will be a worthy end for me. Particularly as the old families have fallen upon the Peverells like vultures, seeking to steal or destroy anything of value. The Goblins, at least, would ensure that certain agreements would hold, unless the fools desired a new enemy to face. Even the greedy fools of the so called noble families knew better than to trigger another Goblin War.

Sadly, there was little to be done about the items left behind by the family that had not been secured before my husband's passing. Those would be claimed by others in their search for a power they could never truly understand. They would waste their lives seeking what would never be theirs and in that I took great pleasure. I pray that one day the legacy of the family will find itself into worthy hands, wherever they may be. So now I stand here, in the home of my husband, looking out the window, memorizing every nook and cranny of the house, every scene from the windows that looked out into the wilds beyond. I have made numerous visits to the graves of all those I knew in life, each visit imposing upon me a terrible dread. Decades ago I, a lonely little soul with barely a name to me, was rescued by a family of heroes, warriors the likes of which the world no longer seemed to nurture nor demand. Nobility of body, mind and spirit has been traded away for greater wealth and power at whatever the cost. Deceit, violence, treachery, underhanded deals. That was the legacy of all the sacrifices made by the greatest generation. It sickens me to think, and it plays a part in the reason why I must leave this island. I can no longer bear to think that the sacrifices of so many noble warriors, leaders and educators were for nothing. At least in France their legacy, even if it's divorced from their name, will endure. And I will bear witness to that till my last days on this earth.

For I feel that this was the last task that fell upon me, the last to carry my husband's family name. To be a witness. For I have seen the family at their greatest. When the fields were covered in corpses, they would walk amongst them, praying for the dead and mourning the loss, but not succumbing to grief or madness. When the skies were filled with abominations of darkness and cloth, lights incalculable would illuminate the world, forcing back the evil behind their own walls, the stars daring to break through the darkness once more. And wherever evil hid, their strength would thunder upon the defences until all that was left was mortar and dust. The Peverells lived a dangerous life, but it had a purpose that went beyond their name, wealth or power. Everywhere they went, life returned to normal as villages breathed the free air again, unafraid of their loved ones being raised from the dead, their elder found lifeless as horror was frozen on their faces, or their children stolen to be used in some barbaric rituals to beings that neither deserve worship nor recollection. Even when they are gone from the world, for every life they save, a dozen or more will be born from them, and their place in the world would not exist were it not for the sacrifices of those who came before.

And now, as I write these, my final words in this journal, I beseech you who read this. Carry on my legacy. Let not the memories that I have ingrained here be lost again to the darkness of the void. So much of my people's history from the moment we were separated from the Sirens has been lost. Were we loved, feared, hated, by those whose blood was more divine? We do not know, because the records have been lost to us. Did we worship Aphrodite? Hecate? Perhaps even the other moon goddesses? We do not know, for the goddess we worship now is the one we have come to believe in at a time later in life, when the old faiths have been lost to time, war and Mysteries. Even now I cannot share with you the full truth of the Peverells, for they too held oaths of Mysteries so that no one could learn of the dangers that they saved so many from. With my death, those secrets will be gone, never to be repeated again. And that saddens me. That is why I write, even as my heart bleeds from the loss of who was the love of my life. I cannot write everything that I have witnessed but I can write that which you have read up to this moment. So, as you have now heard of a family of warriors that still lived as farmers and Healers, as you have now read tales of a faith preserved in action and not words, I ask that you share these words with others. in the vain hope that the legacy of my family… my legacy… as Cateline Peverell du Borcéliande… is not forgotten. Carry on the weight of the sacrifices and lives that I have witnessed and make of it what you will, so long as it endures until the end of time. Should that come to pass… then my final duty will have been fulfilled… and whatever fate awaits me on familiar shores will be one worth enduring. And to you, Last of the Peverells that reads this… be strong and noble of heart, even if it seems unwise. Trust yourself and your instincts… for they are what make you who you are and know that I, likely all who came before, will be by your side until Death claims you. You are never alone.

Chapter 49: Picking up the Pieces

Closing the book in her lap, Gabrielle took a moment to wipe the tears off her cheeks. The story of Cateline Peverell was a long one, filled with events that would have made anyone give up on life or sanity several times over. But her husband and the family she married into supported her the entire way, teaching her more about herself than most Veela Conclaves could achieve. In a way, that truth was also present in Gabrielle, as her experiences with Elysia had shown her that what every Veela took for granted or even feared about themselves could mean so much more if they simply had someone who could help them relearn what it meant to be a Veela. In the last year, Gabrielle had not only learned that she didn't need to hide her Avian side, but that she could feel love and intimacy while in that form, not mention that her Allure, a trait all Veela are taught to restrain and inadvertently fear, can be used to help others find hidden truths about themselves, as well as calm creatures that ordinarily would be considered beyond saving. InWith the right training, Gabrielle was certain that Veela could become some of the best Healers, of either the mind or the body, as well as Handlers and Carers of animals. And, obviously, her mother was a constant reminder that even a career in politics wasn't impossible and that one could excel at it, without appearing to take advantage of the weak minds of others. For the first time in a long time, Gabrielle chastised herself for not having pushed herself to do more at Beauxbatons. Then again… had she been that type of person, she might not have lived the sort of life that landed her with the most wonderful girlfriend in the world.

As she ran her hand over the leather bound book in her lap, whilst she sat in the Peverell Estate Reception Hall, the Floo Terminal lit up. Not having heard much from Elysia the last few days, she thought it was probably going to be Fleur or her mother stepping through, only for her heart to jump into her throat as the air itself felt heavy with magic again. There, wearing her usual mix of magical and non-magical clothing, with her long messy hair in a loose ponytail, was Elysia giving Gabrielle a smile that she couldn't quite place, though it was certainly a joyous one. "I'm home." Leaving the book on the sofa, the witch surged towards her lover, who allowed her heavy bag to hit the floor so that she could wrap her arms around her girlfriend. The two held each other in a tight embrace, as if their hearts were listening to each other's heart, before they finally pulled themselves apart, with Gabrielle noticing Elysia's eyes searching her face. "What?" The raven haired witch simply took Gabrielle's hands into her own and looked into her eyes. "I love you." The words weren't spoken loudly, nor with the amount of passion Gabrielle had dreamed at times, but they were filled with a certainty and conviction that struck her far more deeply. Tears began to escape her eyes again, before Elysia prevented her from clearing them away. With her cheeks sporting tears tracks, the last of the Peverells moved in and claimed her lover's lips, the sensation making the Veela's knees go weak.

Pressing her lover into the couch she had just vacated, Elysia deepened the kiss, not speaking the words again, at least not aloud, though they were being repeated in her mind, the bond between them having been left open as Gabrielle felt herself overwhelmed with the amount of affection she was receiving. Breathing heavily as soon as the kiss came to an end, Gabrielle searched those beautiful green eyes. "I take it you won't be going back anymore?" Elysia pressed her forehead against her girlfriend's. "Not to Britain as a whole, though Londinium has extended an invitation for us to visit at times. I… would like to bring you before Dredhook's grave to introduce you to him, one day." Gabrielle nodded. "I wouldn't be opposed to that. Still, I am so glad that you are back. Will Hermione be joining us soon?" Elysia shook her head. "She will be heading the interim government and managing the transition into the next. When all of that is done, then she will be coming back, though I think it will be for good, so your sister has nothing to worry about… well, other than figuring out where to spend her nights." Gabrielle chuckled. "You have already volunteered your home for them." Elysia shrugged. "It's one thing to offer, and it's another for them to accept. Besides, I think Victoire deserves a vote as well."

Sitting herself up properly, Gabrielle found Elysia inspecting her lips. "I didn't cut you, did I? My canines are a bit sharper than they were before." She watched as the witch's eyes went unfocused before she grumbled. "No, I am not blaming you. Now, would you please take physical form again? You have been teasing me relentlessly for the past day and a half." Gabrielle saw as the shadows around Elysia's feet grew dark, from which Anand and Macha stepped out of, with Badb flying into the air, greeting Sera, who had been napping on the bird stand, enjoying the warm, dry air next to the chimney. The young Veela raised an eyebrow at her lover as she sat herself up. "I take it things got a bit complicated between you and these three?" Elysia took Gabrielle's hand and nodded. "It did. I… was afraid I almost lost them when I was forced to draw on all of their power. Thankfully, they were able to remain unchanged. I, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky. I am pretty sure my previous physical and magical limits have been extended greatly, those three are even more interconnected with me and… I might be more deserving of a certain title than I was ever comfortable with." Frowning, Gabrielle was about to ask what she meant, when Badb landed on Elysia's shoulder and vanished, before two large black wings appeared on her lover's back. The raven haired watched Gabrielle's face as the sight surprised her, before she chuckled.

Elysia rubbed girlfriend's hands. "You aren't bothered by them, right? Or by the fact that I seem to be a bit more than just a witch now?" Gabrielle shook her head as she leaned closer to Elysia, caressing her cheeks. "No, my love. They don't bother me at all. It would be hypocritical of me to complain, particularly now, as you seem to resemble more the very thing everyone here could see was your true self. You're an angel, Elysia. You may not be like the idealized angels that so many people believe in, but you are the closest thing. It seems fitting, really. Have you tested them out to see if they work?" Elysia shook her head in return. "Not yet. The last thing Britain needed after the supposed final reappearance of Harry Potter was to see an angel flying, if not crashing, its way through the English countryside." The two remained in the reception hall as Elysia filled Gabrielle in on everything that had happened and the "official" story that would be released, with Badb having flown off to follow after her siblings who elected to inspect the home they had been absent from over some days. When Elysia was done, Gabrielle leaned forward and kissed Elysia on her forehead. "I think you did the right thing. The people there needed to hear that there would be no more miracles from Harry Potter. Now they can plan and rebuild their lives, looking after their own future through their own actions."

Elysia smiled before she picked up Gabrielle in arms in a bridal carry, the blonde squealing and laughing in delight. "Speaking about futures, I have a strong desire to practice for the day when we try and have children. Ida." The diminutive creature popped in next to her Mistress, smiling, clearly having been aware of her return. "Ida welcomes back Mistress Peverell. Will Lady Elysia be needing anything?" Gabrielle found herself the focus of a very passionate set of green eyes. "A small meal of sandwiches, fruits and cold cuts please, as well as some wine. You can set a table next to our bed and the wine bottles in an ice bucket. I have been far from home for too long and I have my lover in my arms. I intend to etch my feelings into her body, mind and heart in the next few hours and we will be needing sufficient nourishment." The elf smiled as Gabrielle's face went bright red. "The food will be served soon, my Lady." With Ida in the kitchen, Gabrielle found herself apparated into the Master bedroom, before being pressed into the bed. The last of the Peverells whispered into her ear. "I am going to freshen up after I take my potion. The form you wish to be in will be up to you. Of course, if tonight is not a good tim-" Gabrielle pressed her finger on Elysia's lips. "You have nothing to worry about, my love. I welcome your advances tonight for as long as you wish to entertain me." Gabrielle would only slightly regret her words as her body certainly ached in the morning, though at least her heart felt as full of love as she had ever known. As far as she was concerned, everything was right with the world.

As the first of the invited parties entered the room that had been provided by Gringotts, Hermione raised an eyebrow at how close Susan and Daphne physically were. As she had become the unofficial head of the conservative opposition in the Wizengamot, it had been necessary to summon her to what would essentially be the ICW sponsored brainstorming session for the reorganization of the British Magical Government. At Hermione's side was an aide to the Prime Minister, an old colleague from when she had been assigned to the PM's office. The man had some passing knowledge of Wizards and Witches thanks to him being born from a poor soul who was magically impaired. The PM's office and the Crown tended to keep an eye on those with this sort of knowledge who entered public service, as they were indispensable when it came to providing their government a more critical view of the Magical World. Thankfully, her former colleague was also well versed on British Laws, Treaties and the functions of the government, so he would be indispensable in the days and weeks ahead as well. Susan, of course, would represent the law enforcement aspect and her particular experiences in handling government bureaucracy under Kingsley would help in hopefully establishing a more efficient framework for the Aurors to be able to work without the Minister interfering in their ability to enforce the laws. The fact that she looked particularly well rested, however, made Hermione smile.

"Looks like someone finally got a good night's worth of sleep." Susan blushed but gave her ex a look of "not now," and while Daphne was a master of hiding her thoughts and emotions, Hermione did see a small look of pride cross her face. The redhead was the first to speak, though she pulled back two seats first, one for her and one for Daphne. "What can I say, not having to worry about getting a call in the night about another attack has its perks. So, what's today's agenda?" Hermione gestured at the gentleman next to her. "This is Marcus Black, aide to the Prime Minister. He's here to highlight all the laws that the British Government would like the new Ministry to incorporate into its governing body. He is well versed in both British Common Law and Magical Law, so he will be highlighting what the government saw as laws that worked, which didn't work, and which need to be adjusted as the world's technologies are advancing in such a way that the old means of maintaining the Statute of Secrecy are becoming obsolete." Daphne raised her hands and rested them clasped on the table. "Black?" The gentleman with dark brown hair and grey eyes smiled. "My grandfather was Marius Black, an unfortunate soul who got removed from the family tree due to him not being able to use magic. Thankfully, Arcturus made sure that he received a proper education and worked as a Solicitor. I followed in his footsteps but was scouted by the PM's office. Now then…"

Placing a binder in front of him, he opened it and began to read. "The PM would like to see the following changes. The Wizengamot must be adjusted to include a majority of elected members, but may retain a minority of inherited seats. The Assembly itself must then vote on several candidates from among those already selected to be nominated to the positions of Minister, Chief Mage, Representative to Parliament and ICW Delegates. These nominees must then be presented to the general population, who then elects who will perform these duties. I also have a list of anti-corruption laws that we would like to be part of the Ministry's and Wizengamot's laws. Finally, the DMLE, or whatever name the Law Enforcement department takes, must have its Director elected by the Wizengamot, but the candidates must be at least of Senior Auror status and have undergone an internal nomination by their fellow Aurors. There will be a minimum budget for the Department that cannot be altered for anything other than inflation or austerity reasons, unless an emergency is declared in order to secure more funding. The emergency declaration is to be voted on by the Aurors and submitted by the Director to the Minister and the PM, where only one signature will be required as a minimum to put it into effect. Whichever signs the declaration will then have to make the financial contribution, though funds can be provided by both governments if the emergency merits it."

Taking out a paper, Marcus passed it to Susan. "Since you are the current Interim Head Auror, the government would like to know your thoughts on these suggestions for a more integrated law enforcement response. Better communication between the police and the Aurors, particularly with the crisis management teams and the Obliviators, would be the best approach to reduce the footprint of magic on the general population." Susan looked at the paper and nodded. "I agree with implementing the use of cell phones and radios for Aurors and instructing them on how to use them will be crucial in the years to come. However, the part about firearms training will be a bit harder. I personally attempted it myself but the training tends to interfere with the training we had as magicals. Rather than having all Aurors trained with firearms, perhaps a specialized force, such as the Hit Wizards and Witches, who would be able to balance out both disciplines. They could then be tasked with the missions that could involve contact with the non-magical police." Marcus nodded back. "That's a practical counteroffer that I believe the PM can sign off on." Marcus then took out another thicker set of papers and handed it to Daphne, who leafed through it, her expression growing less pleased.

The gentleman leaned back in his seat. "I take it you don't approve of the PM's positions regarding the laws we would like to see put in place?" Daphne sighed. "It's not so much whether I approve of them or not. It's what the faction that I represent will think of them. They stand to lose a lot from this and the Wizengamot's reformation." Marcus gestured with his hand. "It's understandable, but you must understand that the days of an Aristocracy ruling over the masses have passed. Even our current Queen serves more of a symbolic and ceremonial role, rather than a truly political one. She has some power, but if she were to use or abuse that power, it could result in the Monarchy becoming even less relevant and eventually… unnecessary. Our own House of Lords is just as restricted in its power over the government considering how many sit there via inherited seats. That said, since we didn't want to reduce the old and noble families of Britain to purely a ceremonial title, we were willing to allow you to have a stake in the Wizengamot, even if it is in the minority. The elimination of the privileges and protections is also to ensure that the law is applied equally to everyone, whether you are a person on the street, a criminal or the Minister himself. The economic restrictions and anti-corruption laws are more to ensure that the Houses don't attempt to use their capital to become an oligarchy hiding behind the veneer of democracy. We see that all too often on the international stage and do not want to see it on our shores."

Daphne rested an elbow upon the table and placed a hand on her forehead as she continued to read through the papers. "I suppose this is what we deserve, after having a century to adjust our way of life and failing miserably. I will try and do my best to sell this to my contacts but they will be quite irate and may try to boycott the new Ministry." Marcus shrugged. "They have the right to protest all they like, as long as they adhere to the laws of the land." Susan gave her girlfriend a few subtle touches in support, but she understood why Daphne was so affected. She had been trying so hard to work out a solution for the betterment of the British Magical Community within the framework of the old system, only to realize that she had been far too late and that the old system was about to become obsolete. Still, she clearly seemed interested in a few sections of the document as she began to read through it with more interest. She raised her gaze. "You will allow the old practices to be performed and protected both privately and publicly?" Marcus chuckled. "As… zealous as some members of the population are and despite the Queen's position as Head of the Church of England, the days of religious persecutions and forced assimilation are over. Though we will not tolerate you forcing your beliefs onto others, particularly the first generation magicals, we will not prevent you from practicing your faiths and traditions as long as these are not harmful to the citizenry or advocate for disobedience of the law. Civil protest is permitted, but not violent uprisings. In a few moments we will be discussing a few changes in the curriculum of Hogwarts where we will include proposals for Law and Culture Studies courses to be introduced."

The blonde witch nodded, before she discussed other matters, but Hermione stated that many of those will have to be taken up with the ICW representatives as they dealt more with the rules governing how the new Ministry would be interacting with the international magical community. After some time, Minerva McGonagall and representatives from the ICW and Gringotts were allowed to join the discussions, as matters shifted from politics and law enforcement to international matters, private security, education and the treatment of non-magical families of magical children. To everyone's surprise, Gringotts was willing to help with lending support to the non-magical families as part of their new security arrangements, which normally would include the wards necessary for the general safety of a family with an untrained magical child but which could be enhanced to a more robust security arrangement should the situation spiral out of control again. For her part, Minerva was receptive to altering the curriculum of Hogwarts to better match ICW standards, as well as help restore courses that had been discontinued by Dumbledore's administration of the school. As the talks for the day went into recess for a meal, Minerva approached her former Prefect. "Will you be following after Elysia once all these changes are implemented?"

Hermione nodded at the older witch, being aware that her former Headmistress knew of Elysia's previous name. "I am unsure what position I will have in the Ministry, if any, but I have no intention of returning to Britain full-time. I am sure Elysia told you, but there are just… too many bad memories for us here, not to mention bad blood. France isn't perfect, not by a long shot, but they are also going to be rebuilding things, hopefully for the better, and I want to be there, not just for my parents… but for the people I love as well. Unlike Elysia though, I will be far more open to coming over for visits… Just… not for a while." Minerva nodded, understanding why her student felt as such. "Very well. I just hope you won't begrudge me trading a few letters with you." Hermione gave McGonagall a smile. "Never, though I will need to get a bird of my own. Elysia's Badb would probably snap at my fingers for even suggesting it, Gabrielle's Seraphina would refuse to ever deliver a letter again if I sent her to an even colder place and Marrat… would probably forget what I sent him to do whilst chasing after a few female owls and François would be quite annoyed with me if he had to come to Britain in search of his owl." Minerva smiled softly. "You may have left your home country, but it seems you found yourself a home." Hermione rubbed her thumb against one of her fingers right along the edge of the palm. "A home? Not just yet. But a family? Yes, I believe I have."

"You have a visitor." Draco looked up at the guard whilst wearing fatigues he found quite unpleasant with their yellow and green colors. Whilst he was glad to avoid the previous standard of black and white striped clothes, he had quickly grown to dislike the bright yellow clothes. Though thankfully he didn't also have to deal with the Dementors. Whilst they weren't part of the NDEs plan against the stadium filled with people, most of the Death Eaters would have cheered the beasts on as they feasted on the spectators. Sadly, they never made it and word was it that the beasts had been permanently destroyed. Couldn't have happened to a more deserving group. Still, whilst his fellow NDEs preferred Azkaban without its spooky jailors, they had hoped their absence would have made the facility a bit less secure. From what he heard from the other inmates painted a different picture. As soon as the NDEs were all arrested, the ICW apparently sent a bunch of experts to the island and began the process of enhancing its security, cell block by cell block, making the cells a bit more comfortable and humane, but several times more secure. The guards themselves now were better protected and they could move and transfer prisoners from the blocks to the common areas and the prison's central space without much issue. He heard a few idiots trying to forge impromptu weapons and getting caught, before earning themselves a few long days in solitary confinement.

Thankfully, he and Pansy were behaving themselves and had been permitted to be next to each other, though not in the same cell. Hoping that this visitor was the Malfoy family solicitor, he was pleasantly surprised to see his mother, though the look on her face didn't give him comfort. "Where's our solicitor?" Narcissa shrugged. "I wouldn't know, though as the Ministry and the Wizengamot are being restructured, they are probably only going to allow them to come over once the new laws are in place." Draco frowned. "New laws? But then… what's going to happen to all of us? Are we losing our privileges as Heads of an Ancient and Noble family?" Narcissa nodded. "You will, and so will everyone else if the news coming from the Ministry are to be believed. As far as the new government will be concerned, the old titles will be ceremonial only. Eventually, you will have a trial for the crimes you were involved in and memories and Veritaserum will be required. The days of the slaps on the wrists that your father so desperately enjoyed are now over." Pansy, who could hear from her cell nearby, lowered her head. "So we lost everything." Narcissa looked over at her. "You did. I warned you and my son of the dangers of trying to reclaim the past glories. I warned you that the next government might not be so accommodating as Shacklebolt had been. You didn't listen and so now this is what's left of the Malfoy family. A pair of convicts separated by bars, facing lifetime sentences."

As Pansy hung her head, Draco looked at Narcissa. "Isn't there anything you can do from the outside to help? Maybe… get us a reduced sentence? Exile? There has to be some way to get us out of here!" Narcissa shook her head. "I am afraid I cannot help you. I was also detained and only just got released on probation. I will be under a supervised watch for the rest of my sentence, with barely any access to what funds were left to our family." Draco stared at Narcissa before he slammed his hand onto the table next to him. "Potter! This is all Potter' fault! First he completely ruined the Black Family's wealth, leaving us with nothing but an empty castle to the name, and then the Castle was taken from us with no effort at all. If he hadn't intervened, we would have had a chance!" Narcissa sighed, having heard this argument before in the last nine years. "Potter left me a letter that was delivered to me after Castle Black fell. It was dated five years ago, when much of the Black Family fortune was spent and the items sold. As Regent, he did indeed reduce the family's wealth to a fraction of what it once was… With the intent to make sure you never financed another war ever again. The funds that had been left had been just enough to keep us alive for a year, had we not used them to buy back some of the items sold at auction. Looking back on everything now, I can say that while Potter engineered it so that we would be defeated if we became Death Eaters again, he did give us a chance. A chance to live our lives in peace. Had you just taken the job at Hogwarts and worked as a Professor, had you two dedicated your lives to actually living rather than trying to spread the anger and hate you still carried in you… you would have had a better life. We all would."

Draco surged from his position in the cell and reached towards his mother, being prevented from touching but for the metal bars. "Did they tell you what they also took from me? Did they? I don't have magic any more mother! I might as well be squib! Did I deserve that too?!" Narcissa, who hadn't reacted at her son's outburst even as the guards around her drew their wands, sighed deeply. "Yes… You did." When she raised her eyes she looked straight into her son's. "You went after children, Draco. Children. Not once in your life, but twice. I had never wanted you to be part of the Dark Lord's scheme, but you were so proud to volunteer. And now… you tried it again, fully intending to kill everyone at the school, leaving a full generation of children dead. That you lost your magic… was probably done to strip you of the very thing that caused you to do these things in the first place. Pride. Your pride as a Pureblood, as a Death Eater and as a Malfoy. Now… Your pride has cost you everything. Your freedom, your magic… and your family." Narcissa gestured at the guards, who opened the cell block's gate for her, before she looked once more at her son, probably the last time she would see him in quite some time. "As my crimes were simply not turning the two of you in for the crimes you were committing, I was given clemency. I wish I could say that you deserved some, because at one point in your life you did… but not anymore. I will be formally renouncing my position as a Malfoy and will be living with my own penance for the rest of my days. What becomes of the Malfoy family is now on your hands alone. Goodbye Draco."

Hearing him scream at her, calling her names that she had heard repeated by so many Death Eaters over the decades only further broke her heart as the guards guided her through the prison, before she was portkeyed away to the Ministry building, where she was transferred over to an Irish Auror and Parole Officer. After they read her the agreement that had been negotiated, they presented her with a binding magical contract, which she signed as Narcissa Black, having renounced her name before the Goblins in the morning, before she visited her son. After another set of portkey rides, Narcissa found herself looking at a quaint two story house surrounded by lush green fields and a few patches of woodland. She felt her eyes water as her sister, looking far older than Narcissa remembered, stepped out of her home, with the Irish Parole Officer handing Andromeda a clipboard. She signed the documents, with the man gesturing at Narcissa. "She's in your hands, Miss Tonks. I will be checking in for the next seven years to make sure she is adhering to her probation." Andromeda held her hands together before her waist. "I understand. Thank you." Narcissa remained rooted at the spot as she heard the officer apparate away, feeling her sister's eyes over her form. "These last few years have not been kind to either of us, Cissy." The youngest of the sisters swallowed the lump in her throat but didn't dare clear out her eyes. "No… they haven't been… Andi. I… wish I could have done more for you. After all that's happened…"

Andromeda searched her face before nodding. "I wish I could have been more helpful to you too. The last few years have been… well, they haven't been easy, until recently, particularly raising my grandson all on my own. Thankfully, we had our finances well managed, since Harry made sure of it. That's where much of the Black Family funds went to, if you were curious, Cissy. To our everyday needs, our home, our medical bills and a bit on the side to invest in. Harry could have been Teddy's godfather but recognized that he wouldn't be able to, so he made sure to help us in the only way he could." Narcissa felt that some of the weight on her soul was lifted, as if a doubt that had been nagging at her had vanished. "He was a good man… Like your husband and son-in-law." Andromeda gave her a soft smile. "Yes, they were all very good men. Now, Teddy is inside studying before dinner. Would you help me get everything ready? Whilst we are in the kitchen I can fill you in on the school I am helping to found. In a few years, after your probation is up and if you decide to continue some form of professional studies, maybe you could join me there as a staff member." Narcissa blinked in surprise before smiling as tears rushed down her cheeks, her hand reaching out and taking the one offered to her by her sister. "It would be my pleasure."

Goblin Nation's Capital, Late April 2003

"Second thoughts?" Harry turned to look at the source of the voice, his heavier armor held up on a stand before him, all the damage done to it from the Final Task now mended. He was surprised to see the King here, though this was the smithy at the Royal Palace. As the Challenger of the Arena and now Champion, he was essentially entitled to special treatment by the Sovereign, such as having a chamber in the Royal Palace being reserved for him and a Suite made available at every Gringotts District. While he had yet to take the mantle officially as Champion, the King had already extended him every courtesy. The odd thing was that Harry found his conversations with Gringott to be quite pleasant. The Goblin was powerful, more so than any he had encountered as of yet, the magic radiating off of him like the heat from a smith's furnace. For the most part it was a pleasant sensation, though he had seen the King flare up in anger when one of his attendants spoke ill of Harry within earshot whilst they were having a luncheon. His Majesty must have read the expression on his face, before his anger exploded, demanding the Goblin explain why they shouldn't honor a warrior that not only proved himself capable in the arena, but had taken the time to learn the customs and language of their people. Harry didn't see the attendant again, but was assured that they weren't physically harmed.

Of course, Harry understood that some of this was the King "performing" for him and eventually said as much, with Gringott looking at him and smiling. "Would you prefer that I not perform in front of you?" Those words had made Harry pause in thought before he sighed. "At your discretion, of course. I understand that as Sovereign, you have a reputation to maintain before your citizens, myself included." Gringott smiled at Harry before physically relaxing, his mask slipping away. "At my discretion then. Still, I hope you will not begrudge me the opportunity. I have to maintain the mask of Sovereign with almost everyone, except for my personal attendant and my family. It is… taxing." The next few conversations, with said personal attendant being the only other Goblin there, were a lot more honest, everyone speaking their mind and listening attentively, with Harry learning that one needed to measure one's words very carefully, with His Majesty appreciating that he was following his example. In Goblin cultures and others, words had power, and to speak without meaning the words, without actually having an alternative purpose in mind like playing devil's advocate, was considered very insincere. In a culture where contracts were verbal or written, the spoken or written word needed to have weight, and so those who were found to lie excessively had little standing, where the most honest were rewarded for the trouble they go through. Harry appreciated such a view of the world and sought to live by it himself.

Eventually, however, the conversation turned to Harry taking the Transition Potion followed up by the Binding Potion, and what would come from it. To his surprise, Gringott provided Harry with the opportunity to speak to many experts on the condition of anonymity, whilst he was already under the effects of the Transition potion. Many told him what he already knew, that in the non-magical world, women had yet to be properly recognized as equals in many regions of the world, with cultures varying greatly even along neighboring countries, or within their own borders, and that a man that transitions into a woman was even more likely to face harassment or discrimination. In the magical world, the Transition potion offered many Transients the opportunity to go through the change with little impact to their daily lives, outside from the familial interactions, as few people question what another person looks like, though as always there were exceptions. Even the Goblins had similar difficulties, with Gringott having looked very weary when the topic came up. "Goblin culture has never been very… liberal or progressive. We are a long lived people and so we tend to despise change unless it's in our favor. We, like the world, struggled with those whose body, mind and soul were not what they appeared on a surface glance and it has taken… too long for our opinions to shift. We still adhere to certain societal gender dynamics, as you have seen, but we are learning… to be less strict with them."

He then looked at Harry and raised his cup. "If you go through with this, however, it may help matters along. Your position as Champion will demonstrate to all that Transient lifeforms are just as capable of greatness, as they are of respecting traditions or gently shifting expectations. Of course, whether you go through the process at all should be a choice based on your own desires, not the pressures that any or all societies may seek to enforce." Harry had taken those words to heart and today had made his way down to the smithy to check on his armour, inspecting it, before His Majesty entered the room. Harry turned to look back at the chest plate, running his hand over the darkened metal, the coloration being at his request. Now that he was a Champion, he wanted his armour not to be too ostentatious and to focus more on practicality. Besides, there was something… appealing of the Dark Knights in myths and legends, these lordless warriors who either fought to the highest bidder, or who lived in accordance to their own codes of conduct. The change, however, did make him realize that in a few short days… said armour wouldn't fit him anymore. "When I was thinking that the smiths would need to be constantly adjusting this gear over the next few years as I retrained myself in my new form, it suddenly dawned on me. Nothing would be quite the same after I take the potion one last time. Not my body, not my way of life… not even my name. I already had a taste of it back in Londinium when I took the NEWTs, but this time… there will be no going back."

Gringott walked closer, inspecting the metal. "Our smiths can get some help from the Healers regarding the possible changes to your physique under the effects of physical training and make an armour that should fit you properly in a few years. In fact, I think they will welcome the challenge of making a few different sets in a way that any major adjustments will seem like minor issues. As for you, well, you can certainly take the time to test out this new form of yours before you settle on a final decision. I can arrange for a few portkeys for you to spend hours of the day walking in magical cities all over the world, so you can get used to the way people look at you as well. My tailors are actually very interested in testing out some designs on you, as they hardly ever get to make clothes for witches." Harry smiled at the kind offer. "I think I will take you up on those. For the first time in my life, I have the choice to decide something for myself, the consequences falling squarely on my shoulders. I thought it was terrifying, carrying the weight of other people's lives, but it can be just as terrifying knowing that the consequences of the choices I make today… will be with me until the day I die." Gringott nodded. "In a way, I understand that. When I married my wife, there were a great many things to consider, but in the end, the thought that I kept returning to was that I would be with this female till the end of my days, and that she would be the mother of my children. It was a terrifying thought, though it was made all the more easier when the woman in question proved to be indispensable to me. At that moment I knew… that asking for her hand was the right choice."

The Sovereign turned to Harry. "I am sure that in the next few days, you will have such a moment yourself, when you realize that whichever path you choose to take will make you happy for the rest of your days as well, however long they may be. When that time comes… the choice will seem far more trivial." Harry nodded, letting his hand fall free from the armour, before following Gringott through the hallways of the Royal Palace, the lighting as soft and low as the Goblin tunnels of Londinium. As he walked silently, Harry asked his companions for their thoughts, with all three giving a few odd views on his forms, with Macha enjoying his female form the most, Anand preferring his male form and Badb, ever the thoughtful one, making it clear that either form would do. In the end, however, all three agreed that the physical form was just that, a lump of meat that contained a soul and its magic. They themselves might have forms as the Hallows, but they didn't feel defined by them. Instead, it was Harry who defined them, by not only giving them names, but treating them as a part of himself. In their eyes, him becoming a Transient witch mattered little to them. They were all part of one single whole, so whatever that form was… was irrelevant. Harry thought about their words greatly later in the week, as he held the first of what would be many doses of Transition potions in his hand. The Hallows were right. Whatever his physical form ended up being would be immaterial to them, but that didn't mean that he could just ignore it either. It would, after all, be the method by which he interacted with the material world. Harry needed to make sure… that he would be comfortable doing that as Elysia. He uncorked the vial and drank it, awaiting the change before taking up Gringott on his offer and stepping out into the wider world, too see what it would feel like for Elysia Peverell… to walk amongst everyone else.

Present Day

"I am surprised to see you two here. I thought that the ICW was holding the vote on whether to recognize the new British Ministry for Magic's charter and that you wanted to accompany Interim Minister Granger to the Assembly in Luxembourg." Apolline shook her head as she and her husband had stumbled upon Minister Béranguer on their way into the Magical Convention's Assembly building. "The draft is still being revised. Apparently, after having to deal with decades of monopolistic practices by the local companies, several ICW representatives from other countries have demanded that they explicitly write protections to prevent such practices from being repeated again. The Middle Eastern representatives are particularly insistent on lifting the flying carpet bans. Minister Granger has been receptive and has asked for a review of the trade provisions, though she was clear that she wanted to establish a system to evaluate and authorize what was and what wasn't up to quality specifications, so as to avoid any incidents with carpets falling out of the sky with their occupants. Having to essentially rebuild an entire inspection and quality control Department that adequately communicates with its ICW counterpart is taking longer than expected." Brion raised an eyebrow. "I imagine that the resentment from the locals isn't helping."

Apolline shrugged, but François knew that things were very complicated in Britain right now. When the latest draft of the British Ministry of Magic charter was published, it drew a great variety of responses. The Old and Noble Families were obviously incensed that their privileges were being stripped and that they would be reduced to a political minority in the new Wizengamot, as did the financiers and business owners. Because of the monopolistic practices employed by the Ministry over centuries, foreign products were hard to obtain within British soil, with a few exceptions on brooms, cauldrons and crafting materials. These practices had kept the local prices far higher than what was available on the international market, which ensured that the businesses earned more than what was expected in returns for their work. With the new charter lifting many of these restrictions and the ICW representatives demanding greater access to the local market, there was obviously discontent among the businesses, as quite a few would suffer if they had to compete against cheaper products. A few businesses did seem interested in benefiting from these changes, such as Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes and Ollivanders, with the former looking forward to expanding their sales into Continental Europe, and the latter being open to the possibility of contracting with other wandmaking shops to have them stock and attempt to sell their products. From what François knew, Cosme Acajor's shop was actually very interested in an arrangement where his wands could also be sold in Britain.

To few people's surprise, the overall community was very receptive to the new charter, as it would finally do away with the old system that completely ignored the wishes of the populace, opening the way for greater protections for the population, demanding greater transparency and journalistic integrity from its news organizations and tightening anti-corruption laws to ensure that the crimes of the Fudge Ministry were never repeated. On the bright side, a large enough group of the Old and Noble Families had given their support to the charter, the faction being led by Daphne Greengrass. While they weren't fans of their diminished political power, the faction was supportive of the other measures, particularly the religious and cultural integrity laws which guaranteed the populace's rights to practice their faiths publicly and privately regardless of what they were so long as any practices that were more… mature were done by those of age, and any practices that involved the harming or killing sentiments being banned. Hogwarts itself would establish a local and international curriculum on magical customs and practices, so long as all were presented fairly and accurately with no favoritism. The real problem for Hermione, as Interim Minister, was dealing with the fractured nature of the employees of the previous administration.

Apolline herself brought it up as she talked to Brion. "More like the resentment from the Ministry's current workforce. The security provisions such as building new magical contracts for government work are obviously unpopular with a population that was taught to be distrusting of them, as well as having to deal with a few employees that refuse to recognize her authority or the authority of the future Wizengamot. I am told that a few were sacked after they expressed their loyalty to Shacklebolt." Brion frowned. "I was under the impression he was unpopular." François grumbled. "He is. The problem is that he was seen as Dumbledore's appointed successor. Those who were loyal to Dumbledore or to his Order find Granger's actions to be a betrayal of her deceased Headmaster's trust. That's part of the reason a few… articles were published regarding the actions of Albus Dumbledore while at Hogwarts, which included the medical reports of Hermione Granger, Harry Potter, and several other children, almost all of them first generation magicals. The loyalists are still denying the accusations, despite Headmistress McGonagall's corroborating statements, though the wider population seems to have taken the news better." Brion nodded. He had read those articles himself as they were published in the local newspaper.

The investigation by the interim administration revealed that quite a sizable amount of the first generation children had been exposed to potions designed to alter their behaviour, making them more trusting of the Headmaster and the Hogwarts staff and more distrustful of the Ministry. While these potions had diminished in effectiveness after so many years, the memories of their time at Hogwarts did play a part in the decision making of these former students, so many of those who had been affected did seek medical attention after their bodies showed signs of exposure. What had stunned everyone the most were the dual medical files that were posted, those being of Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. While certain parts had been redacted for privacy reasons, the medical files revealed the potions that they were exposed to, the approximate timeline of exposure and the effects these had on their bodies. Director Bashir had even passed a department wide directive aimed at verifying that similar abuses were not being perpetuated on French citizens. Apparently, a check on the students at Beauxbatons revealed that a few had been exposed to illegal potions, many being the children of Sangroyal members, whose parents apparently wanted to keep their progeny from getting too close to undesirables. These students were receiving medical care at the school, which partly happened to be the subject of today's Assembly.

"Well, let's just hope everything works out for Minister Granger with the ICW reviews. Now, I believe today's session was going to focus on reviewing the studies done by the Ministry regarding the new Mind Healer protocols for the students at Beauxbatons. Julian was going to be presenting the results before turning the expense reports over to the Finance and Budget Committee." Apolline smiled as she held up a file. "I am aware. I had a look through the redacted reports myself. While the current expenses are inflated due to the nature of the recent events and their effects on the student body, I think the expenses should be seen as a viable standard. A full cost analysis based on every student receiving proper Mind Healer reviews and treatment will hopefully give us a similar looking number to work with." Brion shook his head. "Of course you came prepared." Apolline shrugged. "It helped that the donation for the school was made after Mademoiselle Peverell consulted me, so I had an idea on what would be going on. So, shall we, Minister?" Nodding, Brion followed Apolline and her husband as they entered the Assembly, each taking their prospective seats before the Convention was called to order. The first order of business ended up being the current status of the Sangroyal trials, with François going over the timetables for the expected conclusions of the major trials, most occurring sometime in the summer, but that the security measures at the prisons were being reviewed and enhanced to accommodate the expected increase in population of inmates.

This was then followed by Julian regarding the impact the arrests had on the family members of the organization, from the spouses and extended families that had no idea about the illegal activities of their flesh and blood, to the children of said families having to deal with the stress and pressures that came from being associated to suspected criminals who were currently on trial. "While Headmistress Maxime had proposed that Mind Healers attend the students while they were at school, the budget for Beauxbatons simply didn't cover the expenses, nor did the tuition fees. Thankfully, as this failure on the part of the Beauxbatons budget negotiations was resolved thanks to a massive donation that was specifically denoted for the mental health of the students, we have seen improvement on the behavior of the student body and on the affected individuals. While the contents of the medical appointments are privileged information, the expense reports were provided and paint a picture of the sort of funds necessary to ensure the mental wellbeing of our students. I present the files to the Finance and Budget Community in the hopes they make sure that the sort of funds needed become a permanent fixture of the Academy's yearly budget allocation." The Assembly, which had seen its membership shift due to a rash of special elections, clapped loudly at the end of Bashir's report, with Brion smiling as Apolline stood to speak. If the response of the current assembly was any indicator, he had a feeling that this measure would see overwhelming support, despite the financial costs. As far as he was concerned, the funds were well worth it if it helped give their people greater peace of mind. They could all use it after the last few years they all had endured.

Chapter 50: Planting Roots

"These were the scans of the bats prior to exposure to the potion, and these are of the bats after they were fed, the scans being taken every day for several weeks." Elysia handed the reports to Viscount Moriéve and the vampire medical expert that had accompanied him to Gringotts Paris, as Elysia was presenting the culmination of her recent research into a Blood Alternative for Vampire consumption. The doctor looked at the results of the studies she had done on the bats of various types, looking ever more surprised as he reviewed the findings. "Incredible. Most vampire bats need to consume over half their body weight in blood per meal and can't go more than two days without feeding, and yet here you have bats of the cursed and uncursed varieties feeding on these potions and going over a week without any signs of biological deterioration." Elysia nodded. "I had hoped to push the duration further, but at this stage in the research, it's hard to be certain how further changes to the recipe can improve the effects on a Vampire. I have tried several alternative potion recipes, but aside from those that didn't provide the expected results, the variations all ended up giving similar results on the test subjects. I have a few alternative recipes left, but these require a potion ingredient to undergo a long term suspension in other ingredients before starting the brewing process. I am hoping to get this other potion variant to have effects lasting for a month, though a two week duration would probably be acceptable."

Bernard Moriéve looked over the reports, shaking his head. "Most of our kind can only go two, maybe three days without a drop of blood. If your potion has a similar effect on us as your specimens and can provide a week of sustenance, that alone would be an incredible accomplishment." Elysia blushed, before she reached over to the case she brought with her, producing various vials, before presenting the men first with the potions supplies that were causing the biggest headaches for her. "These are the tree sap samples that are being used for the potions. They all have a limited range in the current population of the plants and are nowhere near the levels needed to supply the population if the potions become the primary source of nourishment for Vampires. Now, it's possible to establish groweries for these, but that requires capital. Viceroy?" Fueruk gestured at his attendant, who began to report on the current low production groweries that Gringotts had established to get the necessary supplies for the research and clinical trial. "Based on the sample sizes we used with the Weres, we believe we will be able to supply a group of vampires undergoing clinical trials for a whole year in order to check the effectiveness of the potions, as well as identify any possible drawbacks. However, these groweries on their own won't be able to sustain full production once the trials are concluded. Of the three identified tree sap ingredients, the one from Central America has the best chance at seeing wide spread production, but the locals are already using it for most of their potions, so they will have to expand their production or investments will have to be made to create more of the product via alternate suppliers."

Receiving the information from the Goblin attendant, Moriéve looked over the supply situation. "And the other two variants?" The attendant shrugged. "The Indonesian variant seems to be manageable as a resource. Unfortunately, Gringotts has very little influence in the region. A sizable investment will be needed to get an industry centered on the product, though we believe the local governments will be receptive. The other variant is a lot more complicated. The only known source of the tree sap is on an isolated island archipelago off the coast of Yemen. Local politics make the procurement of the ingredient… difficult, and investment opportunities are unlikely. The tree in question has also been identified as vulnerable. It's possible that the trees could be planted elsewhere where the political situation is far more agreeable, but the process of growing these trees is very extensive. We tried to determine if other trees could match the effectiveness of these three and while a variant from Morocco and the Canaries has similar attributes, the sap isn't as effective as a potions ingredient." Bernard nodded. "Understood. As these ingredients could become an indispensable resource to our people, I will try to see what influence we can exert on the other Courts to present a united response. I can't say how far we will be willing to invest until after the clinical trials start demonstrating the potions' effectiveness." He looked over at Elysia and the Goblins. "When will clinical trials be able to begin?"

Elysia gestured at her friends. "Gringotts has already filled the necessary paperwork to get the potions approved for clinical trials with the ICW, after which we will begin administering them to volunteers at the various sponsored clinics. The ICW will be reviewing our current test results and have been provided with samples of the potion to perform their own evaluation, so hopefully we will see a start to clinical trials by the summer." Bernard rubbed his chin. "And once the trials are concluded? What are Gringotts or Mademoiselle Peverell's intentions with the recipe?" Elysia was quiet for a moment. "I do not intend to patent it and hold the recipe as a ransom. We will issue a license just like with the Wolfsbane formula and have the recipe available to the world's Potioneers. If you invest in the production and harvesting of the trees that provide the saps, that will get you better control over the prices of the potion, not to mention guaranteeing the supply to your own people, but I feel that the ability to brew the potion should be widespread. This should ensure that any vampire unassociated with the Courts doesn't starve or is forced to feed on humans. As for a date as to when we will see the potion and the recipe made widely available? I would say that it would be best for the recipe to be released as soon as your people are able to get a sufficient supply of the source ingredients, in order to prevent exhausting the existing supplies and potentially damage the natural resources. The potion should be cleared in a year or two, but supply wise, that will essentially be in your hands and how long it takes for the trees to be planted and grown to the required age to begin harvesting the sap."

Moriéve smiled to himself. "You have no idea how satisfying it is to hear about your willingness to make the recipe available to the world so openly and in such an expedient time frame. François had mentioned that you were very accommodating and it seems he was quite right. I will reach out to the other Courts and have them agree to look for volunteers. After we see the results of the clinical trials, I will make sure to pressure the Courts to invest heavily on establishing the groweries that will be integral in maintaining a stable world supply for our people. Lastly, will it be alright if the vampires aren't all from the same cursed bloodline?" Elysia frowned. "I did my research to make the potion as inclusive as possible, accounting for the dietary and magical aspects of drinking blood. If my research is correct, the potion should work for everyone. Having a wide array of vampiric bloodlines taking the trials could help with determining the effectiveness of the potion overall, but it could bring up some unknown variables. If the initial trials show too much of a variance between the effects of the potions on the volunteers, we may need to request a sample group from one specific bloodline to determine if the source of the Vampirism affects the results of the trials." Bernard nodded. "I understand. I will speak to my counterparts and let them know, though I suspect you will not have any shortage of volunteers."

Once all of the final notices were passed around, Bernard waited alone as Elysia took off her lab coat and was getting ready to leave. "Could you spare a moment, Mademoiselle Peverell?" Not sensing anything troubling, Elysia nodded and thanked the Goblins in the Gringotts Paris Potions Lab for hosting the meeting. Once out in the hallway, Bernard spoke up. "On behalf of my people, thank you for taking on such an undertaking. I imagine that after your latest accomplishments in the field of Potioneering, you would have probably preferred to take some much needed rest. And that's not even accounting for your… other activities." Elysia shrugged as they walked down the corridor. "Personally, I rather enjoy the research process for designing a potion, though I am not overly fond of the initial animal trials. I can stomach it just fine, but I take no pleasure in it. Though I am looking forward to taking a breather after handing over the work to the Clinics and just focus completely on the potions. As for my… other activities, I have no intention of making a habit of involving myself in the petty squabbles of other people. I am first and foremost a Potions Master and a citizen of Gringotts. I will help where I can, so long as it's from the comfort of my own potions lab." Bernard smiled softly. "I had heard from my predecessors about the… talents of the Peverells and have personally seen your capabilities from the night at the du Plessis Estate. You take no pleasure from that either?"

Elysia shook her head. "No, I don't. My training is focused purely for guaranteeing the safety of myself, my compatriots and my family, whether they are of my blood or not." Bernard nodded. "A fine sentiment. I was asking because I would be willing to… lend you some assistance with regards to your training. My family retained quite the number of Treatises regarding swordsmanship and unarmed combat. My own daughter, after seeing your performance, has expressed an interest in improving her own skills and I was wondering if you would like the opportunity to join her for the training." Elysia stopped herself from declining on instinct alone. Vampires were excellent unarmed combatants and they obviously had centuries of knowledge and experience accumulated. The Goblin Nation's Battlemasters had all suggested she take her training back up to a higher degree, and having the option to do that against opponents that were physically her betters did make it a lot more interesting of a proposition. That and François had personally vouched for the character of both Moriéve and his daughter, who was an Auror. Still, there was one thing that bugged her. "And aside from helping your daughter train, what is the rest of your motivation for such a generous offer?" Bernard chuckled softly. "I expected as much. In all honesty… you have given my people a chance at finally breaking away from our violent tendencies and embracing a future of cooperation and coexistence. This offer… is the least I can do for the latest Peverell to offer our people a path towards a better future."

Seeing the truth in his eyes, Elysia sighed to herself. "Very well. Send me a schedule you would be comfortable with and I will be willing to adjust my own, if not we can negotiate on a few changes on both sides. That said, I do have a significant other waiting for me at home, so I will need to speak to her to get her own approval regarding this matter." Moriéve nodded as he reached the Gringotts Paris lobby. "Of course. Thank you for the presentation and I look forward to our future encounters, Mademoiselle." After a short bow of his head, Bernard thanked the Goblins who escorted them before stepping outside into the late spring air, with Elysia stopping as soon as she stepped outside. It always astounded her just how much the seasons could change in a few short days. Weeks prior it had been early spring, though winter had seemed uninterested in releasing its cold grip over France and Britain. Now, a few weeks back in France as the last days of April approached, the sky was a beautiful blue color, the clouds white and scarce as the air felt comfortable, though at times a bit warm. The people in Place Cachée walked around without a care in the world, the scare created by Sangroyal in the previous year having passed as quickly as a winter storm. Whilst the trials were still the biggest source of news from Magical France, the MSF's response and their willingness to seek assistance from the ICW has renewed confidence in the Ministry from the general population, in stark contrast to the mismanagement and failings in Britain.

Of course, the world wasn't as peaceful as the streets before her eyes would lead one to believe. The Middle East was still dealing with the quagmire of war, several countries were undergoing civil wars, terrorist activities and foreign interventions. The promise at the dawn of the 21st century of an era born in peace had died and there was no fixing that. Still, despite all that, one still had to enjoy the peace that one could find. Right now Magical France has entered into an unexpected period of peace. Sure, Dark Wizards and Witches still preyed on the innocent and the vulnerable, but the criminals didn't get to enjoy their petty victories for long. The MSF and the Ministry had just weathered its greatest crisis since the Second World War. And, perhaps most importantly, they did it all without heroes. There was no Dumbledore who claimed victory over Europe's most dangerous Dark Lord in centuries, there was no boy hero that the masses worship despite the losses he unknowingly suffered. Sure, some people were applauding François Delacour and the Minister for their management of the crisis, but there was no blind idolatry. Even in Britain, where whispers of Harry Potter's final message circulated and Hermione Granger's tenure as Interim Minister was applauded or vilified, the signs of the past dependence on heroes were waning. The days of the renowned heroes of the people… were finally coming to an end. For Elysia, as she headed towards the nearest apparition point, this was all she ever wanted. Well… almost everything.

"You sure we can't convince you to stay a bit longer?" Hermione shook her head as she stashed away the last of her personal documents into her shoulder bag, before stepping out of the Minister for Magic's office, with Susan not far behind. It had already been a long two and a half months since she had been designated as Interim Minister by the Prime Minister and the Queen. Two long months of meetings, negotiations, debates and even more meetings, all of which gave Hermione migraines that required her to constantly take a potion every night just to get a restful night of sleep before having to wake up and do it all over again in the morning. It was beyond exhausting and she had been desperately looking forward to the day she could just clock out from work and head back to France. Unfortunately, the mess that was the previous state of the Ministry of Magic necessitated her undivided attention for those two full months. First came the binding magical contracts for all of the employees at the Ministry, all of them worked on and ratified by the Department of Mysteries, as they had been employing the use of such contracts for centuries. Aside from the adjustments needed to make every contract specific to every department and their official activities, there was the obvious distrust of said contracts by the original workforce, with many of the staffers quitting after refusing to sign the contracts. This meant that every department had to go on a hiring spree, and these were aimed at a very limited pool of candidates.

After all, most of those who resigned were Shacklebolt or, more accurately, Dumbledore loyalists, people who trusted in Kingsley as Dumbledore's right hand man in the Order. In their eyes, a Ministry that wasn't managed by Kingsley or his chosen successor was illegitimate. Not that Kingsley was in a position to designate a successor. After he was ousted from office and detained, he and his staffers were charged with willful dereliction of duty, willful endangerment of the population and the unlawful release of dangerous creatures with the intent to cause harm to others. While some of his people, like Sturgis Podmore and Percival Weasley, refused to plead guilty or to even admit that they endangered civilian lives by their management of the Ministry in the years of the entire administration, Kingsley Shacklebolt had surprised Hermione by actually pleading guilty, testifying as to what occurred and admitting to the role he played in the release of the Dementors. While Hermione would have loved to charge him with dereliction of duty for the entire time he was Minister, she had a feeling the charges would never stick, so she settled with him being found guilty and imprisoned for the next ten years, without possibility of parole, his testimony nailing Sturgis as the mastermind behind the scheme, which earned him a full twenty five years imprisonment. Weasley, while not originally part of the scheme, had been the person who willingly handed the orders to the guards of Azkaban and then attempted to conceal all Ministry involvement with the order. For his troubles, he received the same sentence as Sturgis, with a few other Guards and administrators receiving lighter sentences for the part they played that night and the attempted cover up.

Kingsley's confession also had the added benefit of destroying his image amongst those who, while not members of the Order, nor Dumbledore sycophants, still tended to trust in the man's integrity. That confession and guilty plea, followed by the articles detailing Dumbledore's crimes against Harry Potter and the first generation witches and wizards, as corroborated by McGonagall, who even secured a compelled confession from the Headmaster's portrait, destroyed Dumbledore's public image with anyone but his staunchest supporters. After these news articles hit the presses one after another, the prospective pool of employees grew and the Ministry was able to hire staff again, though many would be on an apprenticeship program, receiving on the job training by the senior members of their departments. This led to many delays that first month, not to mention many complaints by the general population over the lack of professionalism by the staffers, but eventually the employees learned the ins and outs of the jobs, with the complaints ceasing soon after, with the exception of the slow process times. After securing the Ministry's ability to function, the next hurtle became the new charter. It took months to iron out specifics for every major change that was requested by the ICW, the British Government, the local population and the former Wizengamot members, the biggest issue being the specifics regarding trade, commerce, business and anti-corruption laws.

Negotiating these was like pulling teeth, as no one wanted to legislate rules that would inhibit their ability to exert influence over others, but Hermione made it clear that these laws were necessary and that regardless of what method was used, the anti-corruption and bribery laws would be passed. A similar issue came up when the discussion went to electing the Wizengamot members. For those from the Old and Noble Families, they would essentially have rotating blocks of members from several families being candidates for a seat, meaning they wouldn't have lifetime appointments, nor could they force a select group of supporters to get them the votes they needed to guarantee an election by their peers. The remaining candidates were barred from seeking election by the general population and, with the Ministry itself assigning fixed equal funds for every candidate that sought election, there would be no outside financial influences permitted. Even the news media would be barred from running pieces favoring one candidate over another, as they would have to report on their platforms, beliefs, histories and political views accurately. The population would then be free to make up their own mind, with the Ministry allowed to keep an eye out for illegal attempts at voter manipulation or influence. Hermione knew it would be a tough process for the populace to get used to electing its representatives in the Wizengamot and she knew that even that wasn't a guarantee of them voting the right people into office… but the safety measures were the best they could hope for.

In the last few weeks, said election system was put to the test, as the British Magical Community went to the polls for the first time to elect the members of the Wizengamot. A few were known quantities, with Daphne getting a legacy seat, as did Hannah Abbott and Amus Diggory. The years since the death of his son had not been kind on the aging man, but he had been a difficult person for Hermione to deal with, as while he was a principled person and was willing to help manage the DRCMC under Shacklebolt, the fact that Dumbledore had been one of the few people who supported him in the aftermath of Cedric Diggory's death had resulted in the man having a strong loyalty to Kingsley over her. Thankfully, the other seats were filled with a great mix of people, from the Chang Family matriarch, the father of the Patils, and even Madam Malkin's husband, all of whom were eager to get started on running the Wizengamot the right way. The first thing on the agenda of the new government was the sentencing of the Neo Death Eaters, as the Interim government, with ICW judges and an anonymous grand jury, having already dealt with Kingsley's group first. The people who hadn't been elected, for now, were the former members of the New Blood Order. They had been given a five year ban from public office, though they could be employed at the Ministry, so long as they signed the contracts and adhered to the new rules. Hermione had been glad that they had managed to reduce the ban to five years, meaning that by the next election cycle, the former NBO members would be free to run for the seats in the Wizengamot.

Thankfully, Hermione wouldn't have to deal with any more Wizengamot politics ever again, as her last day of work had finally come. After almost two months of work, the Wizengamot had finally been elected and a new Minister would be taking her place as the head of the government, this being Hannah Abbott, as her family's well known reputation as being principled, hardworking and law abiding was able to secure her position, even as a Legacy Seat occupant. According to McGonagall, Neville had been very proud of his wife's election to the Legacy Seats and had been cheering her on in her attempt to be elected Minister for Magic, despite stiff opposition from Daphne. The vote between them had been very close, though Daphne had managed to get elected as the Chief Witch, so there was no bad blood between them and the two seemed willing to work together for a better future. As the last of the votes by the Wizengamot members were cast and the position of ICW Representatives were filled, the role of the Interim Minister for Magic had come to and end, with Hermione having gone up to retrieve her belongings from the office, though most had just been extra bits of parchment, notebooks and a few picture frames. She wasn't the least bit surprised to find the newly elected leaders waiting for her outside of the office door, including Susan, who had been elected as the DMLE's Director, thanks to the overwhelming support of her fellow Aurors.

Shaking her head, Hermione started walking down the corridor, with the ladies accompanying her. "Sorry, but as much as the ICW was willing to pardon me for my role in giving birth to the New Blood Order, I still think it's better if I step away from public service for the next few years. These last few years have been exhausting, never mind the last two months. I am more than ready to take a much needed vacation." Susan gave her a knowing look. "I am sure you will be enjoying those stress free nights in the company of your girlfriend." Hermione blushed. "I won't be the only one, seeing as you and Daphne can't seem to go anywhere alone." Susan blushed in return, though Daphne just shrugged. "What can I say, she makes all the mundane tasks entertaining. Still, Susan is right. You don't have to resign fully. You could take up your post as an aide to the PM again. If not, you could just stay as the Representative to France." Hermione shook her head again. "Not interested in the former, though the latter… would depend on a lot of things." Hannah hummed. "Good, then I will keep you listed as our current representative, though I will mark you as being on unpaid leave for the moment… after making sure you get a sizable bonus for all the work you have done over the last few months." Once at the nearest lifts the group of witches ascended to the main atrium, with Daphne asking a question that had Hermione sweating. "So… Do you think the message that Harry Potter left for everyone at Hogwarts was the truth? Will we never see or hear from him again?"

Hermione drew her wand and placed a privacy ward around them before they stepped out of the elevator, the ward traveling with her. "I do believe that to be the case. If it hadn't been for that last Vault that he had left at Gringotts, I don't think we would have even heard his voice again. He has no reason to come back here, even if things change for the better." Daphne nodded, before looking at Hermione more closely. "Will you be able to speak to him privately at least? There are a few of us… who were never able to give our thanks to him." Hermione spared a glance at Susan, who shook her head slightly, meaning she hadn't shared the secret. Whether Daphne would be informed at some point would probably depend on how her relationship with Susan matures, as well as to what role she will play in the future of the Wizengamot. Thinking carefully, Hermione responded. "I am afraid that the Vault was Harry's last tether to Britain. He probably left it behind, fearing that our world would slip back into the same madness that claimed his life and that of his parents. Without it, there is no other tether to draw him back. If he ever crosses my path, I will let him know, but I think the world will never see another trace of Harry Potter anywhere else. He is gone now, to live the life that he wishes. If you want to thank him, make sure that everything that has occurred in the last two months was worth it. If Britain never sees another tragedy like his repeated again… then I think your gratitude will finally be able to reach him."

Daphne searched Hermione's face before nodding. "We promise to do our best. So, what about you? Are we going to lose track of you too?" Hermione shook her head. "I don't think so. I won't be telegraphing where I will be staying, but I intend to get an owl so we can keep in touch, though any invitations to visit me will have to be delayed until I have a place of my own." Susan hummed as they approached the international portkey Terminals, with Hermione handing over her ticket and ID and having it be approved. She could have taken the emergency portkey that Elysia gave her, something that had been passed on to everyone of Elysia's closest friends, and though using it wouldn't cause an international incident, Hermione decided to avoid drawing attention to where she was going and to just set a good example. "So you are planning to get a home of your own. Will your lovely lady be joining you?" Hermione smiled at her friend, though she did punch her lightly on the shoulder. "If she agrees, though like I said, it's all still some time away. Right now… I just want to put everything from the last nine years of my life behind me and just take a much needed vacation." Receiving a hug from all the ladies, Hermione gave Susan a brief kiss on the cheek while whispering "good luck with her," before doing the same to a glaring Daphne, telling her "She's yours now. Just don't hurt her." Waving at her friends and colleagues, Hermione took the portkey rope and eventually felt the magic pull her away. For her, this chapter in her life was now officially over.

"Cheers!" Everyone at the table raised their glasses and cheered on as Gabrielle blushed, as her friends and family had gathered together in the Peverell Estate to celebrate her and Adeline passing their latest examinations. The end of their second term as interns at Beauxbatons had been relatively peaceful, though that wasn't very surprising, considering that the Dark Wizards and Witches of Magical France had just seen the bulk of Sangroyal being found guilty of conspiracy, bribery and corruption charges, resulting in most of them being sentenced to twenty years of imprisonment at the Île de la Malédiction, or the Cursed Island, a hidden prison fortress on an island som distance from the Frioul Archipelago, where the famous Chateau d'If once held its own prisoners. Unlike the prison turned tourist attraction, the Cursed Island remained a closely guarded secret of the French Crown until the Revolution, when it was emptied out and then filled with the loyalists mages who were too dangerous to leave free, but not guilty of sufficient crimes to be executed. The French Ministry of Magic would continue to use the island to store its more dangerous criminals, and the judge felt that the bulk of Sangroyal deserved the "honour" of being treated just like the loyalists they claimed to be. Unlike Azkaban, the island itself wasn't home to anything more dangerous than the Matagots that ensured that the criminals did not escape, so the stay was brutal, but not inhumane.

Among those criminals happened to be the head of the organization, Jeanne du Plessis, after Gringotts Paris released him into French custody. Only François and a few others knew that the reason he was given a life sentence was due to the creation of a Horcrux, though his time in the Goblin Prison seemed to have been effective in changing his mind about a great many things. He confessed to the murder of Marie Douanes, as well as several other non-magical women, while also naming during ICW briefings the individuals he did illegal business with on the international side of things, giving the ICW the evidence they needed to intervene in several countries around the world. Though not every kidnapping and human trafficking victim of Sangroyal was found, some had and were safely returned to either their families or were receiving government assistance to find a stable home of their own, with plenty of government funded mental health appointments. For his "cooperation," du Plessis was allowed to leave the Goblin prison and was incarcerated at the Cursed Island prison, though the medics that admitted him noticed that he, like the Death Eaters at Hogwarts, had been left without magic, bound only by magical contracts to keep certain information from ever being revealed, including any attempts to plan to have it revealed after his death. What knowledge he had about soul containers and a certain witch would never be shared with anyone ever again.

Said witch had been in an especially good mood in the months leading up to Gabrielle's latest examination. Not only was she freed from the research and development aspect of her Blood Alternative Potion, but she had been taking it easy, relaxing a lot more with everyone that was currently using her residence as a home. Having taken up her offer, Adeline had moved into the Estate and had been working extensively in the greenhouses, studying new plants that had been found in the latest Guiana expedition, determining which were adapting well to a controlled environment, which were showing potential as Potions ingredients, and which could be raised as decorative plants with no danger to humans, animals or local plant life. When she wasn't busy in the greenhouses, studying in the library, or just relaxing in the baths, Adeline would make time to spend with her mom, the two having grown more comfortable with the idea of the youngest Charbonneau no longer living at home, though still having time for each other. Though both Elysia and Gabrielle had noticed that Adeline was sending letters directed to Gringotts to have them transported to Hobart, with her receiving replies almost weekly. Gabrielle was certainly enjoying teasing her former roommate, who didn't try to hide her feelings as much anymore.

The other tenant at the Estate was Hermione, though she did have a room of her own at her parent's house. Hermione had explained to them that it was time for all of them to get more comfortable with the idea of her not living at her parent's home, and so far that seemed to be going well, with Hermione often going over to check on them during the weekends, usually with Fleur and Victoire in tow. Elysia had teased her oldest friend about the amount of times that Fleur was staying at the Estate, questioning whether she should be charging the two for rent, if not laundry service. Hermione had gotten quite red in the face, though she understood that Elysia would never actually charge her or Fleur money for staying in her home, though that had brought up the question as to when Gabrielle intended to stop her payments and officially move in. So far, her response was simple. She would cease her payments after her certification as an MCH, and Elysia had accepted that. This new normal for the Peverell Estate had been something that everyone seemed particularly happy with, as Fleur and Hermione were able to have their privacy respected, Adeline was able to indulge her career interest and hobbies at her leisure, and Elysia was able to get comfortable with all of them, to the point that Gabrielle had found her sister with Hermione and Elysia reminiscing about their interactions in Britain. The sight had made her smile, as she saw that the wounds that all three carried were finally healing over.

So, it wasn't a surprise that the end of the examination for the second year turned into a general get together, with even Luna arriving, having completed her own work in Guiana early. As the appetizers were passed around and everyone returned to their seats, Gabrielle looked over at Elysia, who had been chatting with Apolline for a moment before she turned to look at her. "What?" Gabrielle smiled before leaning over and kissing her on the edge of her lips. "Nothing. I just like seeing you so relaxed. It suits you." Elysia reached over and lifted Gabrielle's hand, before planting a kiss on it, the smile never leaving her face, through her eyes seemed to glow with barely restrained passion. "As do I, love. Though if you insist I try some of the fish filets, that might change." Gabrielle smiled back. "I know, but one day it will be worth it." The blonde witch tried her best to calm down the butterflies in her stomach, something that was a lot more common now every time Elysia called her "love." Ever since her confession, the raven haired witch had been using the word a bit more often, though not excessively. Gabrielle was certain some of it was done in teasing, though at all times she meant the words wholeheartedly, which left her feeling flushed and overjoyed. She hoped these feelings would never fade away.

"Victoire, come over so I can reapply the spells and check on how your skin is doing." The now eight year old girl responded quickly to Hermione's request, as Fleur watched on, returning from the beach cottage their group was currently renting. Unlike the last time they had a large vacation planned, they were able to arrange for everyone, including Luna Lovegood, to arrive at the exclusive island resort. Surprisingly enough, both Luna and Adeline requested the opportunity to set up a wizarding tent in a section of the island that was left mostly untouched. Considering that both had experience camping in the outdoors and that the Conclaves had been able to verify Luna's career as a Magizoologist with extensive support and recognition, they had no trouble granting the request, particularly since it wasn't exactly a new thing when it came to vacationers to the island, the section they would be in being considered a beautiful place for camping and outdoors activities if one wanted a different experience. The elder Grangers had also been given clearance, though both elected to rent their own private beach house… with Hermione being a bit embarrassed that they chose the clothing optional section of the island. She wasn't completely alien to the idea, having traveled with her parents to such beaches in the past, but it was still a bit embarrassing to think that they were in a much more amorous mood. Fleur had commented that they might be trying to give her a sibling, though Hermione knew that both had been operated to prevent that from happening.

As Hermione reapplied to the sun protection spell on Victoire, Fleur couldn't stop thinking about the changes that had occurred with her lover upon her return. While she was still shy, hence her one piece swimsuit, the brunette had become a lot more proactive. Whilst in the past she had been more passive about Victoire's wellbeing, leaving any decisions to Fleur, Hermione was a lot more active in how she looked after the girl, giving her advice and calling her over to play far more readily. Even with her interactions with Fleur, she had changed as well, being more forward and amorous, initiating physical contact and even taking a more passionate and commanding role in the bedroom. Fleur had been caught off guard by the change, but she didn't dislike it. In fact, she was enjoying every moment, though she had to ask Elysia if her Allure was having any unintended effects on Hermione, though the raven haired witch confirmed that it wasn't. In fact, Fleur and Elysia had been having several discussions regarding the Allure and how she seemed to be able to control it. Elysia explained that her control of the Allure extended from an ability she had to literally control magic within range of her, from the passive effects of the Allure to a fully cast Killing Curse. She recognized that no other person could do what she did, though that thought had made her pensive for a moment, before she explained that while she doubted anyone else could replicate the control she had on other people's magic, it was possible for a person to exert that level of control over their own.

The two had gone over Fleur's charm and enchantment books, focusing on the arrays that made magical suppression cuffs, as well as wards, and had been testing a variety of them to see which combinations could be the one Fleur was looking for, though for the moment there had been no successes. It was in this downer of a mood that Apolline had surprised everyone with the beach vacation and Fleur couldn't have thanked her mother enough, as this was the break she needed from work to relax properly. With Victoire properly protected again, the little girl rushed back into the sea, followed closely by Anand. Unlike last time, Elysia had brought her companions fully along, with Anand having fun as Victoire's companion and essentially acting as her guard dog, letting the girl experience a greater degree of autonomy, with her family certain that she was quite safe. Macha, however, was probably curled up into a ball somewhere inside the cottage, while Badb and Sera took turns flying in the air or looking after Poleon, though the addition of a third bird definitely helped in that regard. Apparently, Hermione had befriended an Osprey when they had come over a year earlier, and the locals found that the bird had remained behind, nesting near the cottage, before it flew down and landed next to the witch upon her return visit. After feeding it some raw fish and finding the bird was indeed responding to her commands and feelings, Hermione agreed to accept him as her familiar, calling him Odysseus, due to his nature as a traveler and his unparalleled patience.

After an impromptu familiar bonding ritual, Odysseus had certainly fit right in with the others, with Badb and Sera often challenging him to races, with the non-magical bird displaying its impressive speeds, while also being decently protectful of Poleon, even delivering him some fish it hunted and snatched right out of the water, before digging into the prey himself. With three pairs of eyes in the sky, several magical and non-magical family members nearby and Victoire's own careful nature, no one was particularly worried about her safety. The fact that Elysia and Gabrielle were both in the water not that far from the little girl was enough to put Fleur at ease, before focusing on her girlfriend, handing her a cool drink filled with ice. Hermione, who had been under an umbrella with a book on her lap, took it gladly. "Thanks." After taking a sip from her own drink and placing it on the table next to the two beach chairs they were using, Fleur reached over and looked at the book, raising an eyebrow. "Magical History?" Hermione nodded as she placed her own drink on her lap. "You know how bad our History course at Hogwarts was, and I have always liked to study History, so I wanted to check a wider perspective. I was actually thinking of applying for an internship at Beauxbatons to get a History Mastery, while self-studying for International Magical Law." Fleur returned the book to Hermione. "I take it you aren't planning to stay as the British Representative to France?"

Hermione shook her head. "I thought about it over the last few months while exchanging letters with Susan, Hannah and Daphne. I… there was a time when the very idea of becoming a Minister for Magic appealed to me, having the ability to change how certain laws benefited one group, while abusing another and so on, turning the Ministry into a more equitable system, but after seeing the disaster that was Kingsley's Administration and then having to reconfigure the Ministry… it became clear that you can't just fix a system and leave it running. Hell, despite the fact that the new Wizengamot was composed mostly of magicals with little to no connection to the great magical families, they still ended up voting in people like Daphne and Hannah, which shows that there is a definite gap between being able to function and being able to know how to make the right decision. Not that Daphne was a bad decision by any regards, but the fact that there was no one from the majority of the Wizengamot who could challenge her for Chief Witch makes it clear that some changes are still needed." She looked over at Fleur and raised her hand. "Look, I have no intention of going back there and fixing the situation further. In fact, I don't think it can be fixed purely from a political perspective. I think it's a change that needs to come from education and knowing one's history is important in avoiding the mistakes of the past. So, I think I am going to take a page out of Elysia's book, metaphorically speaking of course, and try to fix things by getting to understand the underlying problem and giving others the tools to fix it themselves."

Having heard her lover's explanation made Fleur a bit less concerned. "That is a better approach, one that won't leave me and Victoire worrying about you." Hermione lowered her eyes. When she had returned, Victoire had practically been inconsolable, having been worried sick about Hermione, particularly in the early days of her absence. Whilst she had called through the scrying mirrors and over the phone during her time as Interim Minister, and the strawberry blonde had put up a brave front in those days, when she was confronted with Hermione being back, all the anxiety from the previous months came out in full force. The few nights that Fleur and Hermione had to restrain their needs had been because Victoire had come with them to the Estate. Being understanding of her best friend's desires, Elysia had discussed changing the room situation at the Estate, resulting in Hermione being moved into a room that had two bedrooms on the same wing as the Library, so that Victoire could sleep in her own room, though she had been sneaking into Hermione and Fleur's beds a few times, resulting in the two having to remember not to sleep in the nude. The bond between the three of them had grown and it was something Fleur was particularly worried about, as Hermione meant the world to Victoire. The brunette with short hair nodded. "I know. I have no intention of putting you two through anything like that again. It's why I feel better about resigning from my post, though I will hold on long enough to complete my Post-NEWT education. Besides, it will give Brion and Hannah a chance at relaxing around each other as the cross channel relations finally thaw with me acting as a point of contact."

Fleur nodded, before the two took over from Elysia and Gabrielle, who were coming up to help François and Daniel with lunch. As the sun began to set on the horizon and Victoire was fully showered and tucked into bed out of sheer exhaustion, Fleur found Hermione with Odysseus, the two getting used to the familiar bond, as well as how Odysseus would respond to her verbal and non-verbal instructions, with Hermione having a few slices of raw fish ready to feed the osprey as a reward. Feeding him the last bit of fish resulted in the bird landing on the beach house's railing, with Elysia having mentioned that they would need a larger perch for him to use when they got home, as he was far larger than Badb and definitely heavier than Sera. "Are you ready to come in?" Hermione looked at the sun setting on the horizon, before shaking her head. "Not just yet. I… have something I wanted to give you." Fleur noticed the small red box that Hermione had on the table, which the brunette presented to her girlfriend. Lifting the lid, Fleur felt her breath catch at the sight of a matching pair of bracelets, made of gold with two small charms dangling, one being an open book, the other being a flower, the latter that of a cherry blossom, being Fleur's favorite. The blonde Veela looked at Hermione, her heart beating wildly in her chest. "Hermione… they're lovely, but I don't know if I can accept one."

Hermione's face became blushed. "I know, Fleur. I know what bracelets mean for Veela. Apolline and Gabrielle were very thorough in their explanation. Despite knowing that… I still wanted to give them to you." Fleur looked at the bracelets again. Veela weddings were slightly different from that of other cultures, with the involved parties having a golden thread woven over their clasped hands as a representation of their oath of marriage. Gifting two matching pairs of bracelets was essentially asking a Veela for their hand in marriage. That Hermione had made the decision whilst being conscious of the significance of it made Fleur reconsider. The two had known each other for years, with Hermione practically raising Victoire with her back in Britain. While they had only been dating for a year, there was no question that their connection went deeper than most people at the same point in their romantic relationship. So it fell to Fleur to decide if she was willing to accept the gesture. And the thing was… aside from Hermione not knowing what the bracelets meant, there had been no other reason for Fleur to reject them. She loved Hermione and it was clear that they belonged together as a family unit with Victoire. What slight fear arose from her past relationship was forcibly squashed down. Hermione wasn't Bill. She had gone to Britain to put an end to her past involvement in the wars. After which she came back and had been with the two for almost every waking moment, taking her feelings and responsibilities to both of them seriously.

Knowing all that, Fleur realized that there was no other answer she could give. She reached into the box and took one of the bracelets, before taking Hermione's hand and slipping it over her wrist, the metal band adjusting itself magically as soon as the clasp was closed. Hermione did the same for Fleur with the other, before the two held hands and looked at each other. "I won't ask you to marry me if you would prefer for us to wait longer… but I wanted you to know that I have made up my mind. You and Victoire mean everything to me and I don't see a life for myself without you in it… or more precisely… I don't want to imagine one without you two in it. With these… I just wanted you to understand that." Fleur nodded, pulling her girlfriend, and fiance by Veela tradition, towards her, their lips just inches away from each other. "I won't rush you either, Hermione, but I want you to know…that this means the world for me too. I don't want to live in a world where you aren't by my side anymore. I don't mind if your work or studies make you travel away from us… because unlike with him, I can see that you do want to come back as soon as possible. That's enough for me.'' The two kissed deeply in the orange glow of the setting sun, before breaking apart once they were out of breath. A little voice made their hearts beat just a tad faster. "Do I get to call her Maman Hermie now?" Hermione groaned as she pressed her face into Fleur's chest, who just smiled as she patted her fiance's hair. She had a feeling the rest of the family would know of the gesture all too soon.

"Tonight really is a beautiful night for a walk." Gabrielle nodded as she and her girlfriend walked barefoot on the beach, the soft waves crashing around their ankles, washing away the footprints they were leaving behind, the light of the full moon bathing everything in its soft glow. The two had decided to accompany Adeline and Luna back to their side of the island to enjoy the moonlit walk, though their two friends had run up ahead as Luna had spotted a rare, and supposedly extinct for the region, hippocampus. They had all been watching as a pod of dolphins hunted in the shallows, before a larger body shot out of the water, membrane like wings extending away from it's form, allowing it to glide in the air briefly, it's long fish-like body contrasted with it's horse-like upper body, though one could see that the beast was made of scales and fins rather than mane and fur, before it dove back down into the water, catching its unaware prey by its razor sharp teeth. Having seen the majestic beast, Luna had dug into the pouch she kept around her neck and pulled out a set of binoculars that Elysia knew had been modified to record the things seen through it, before she and Adeline stepped on more solid ground, attempting to get closer to it over a bunch of rocks in a less than pleasant section of the island, leaving the two lovers behind, who were in no hurry to go after them. Besides, both of them understood the rule that the less observers were present making noise, the less likely that the creature would become aware that it was being watched.

So, leaving the pair to their observations, Elysia had directed them into another section of the beach, closer to the campground where Adeline's tent was set up, where the two looked out over the horizon. At a section that had calmer waters, Elysia grasped Gabrielle from behind before kissing her neck, making the blonde sigh in content. "Were you surprised by Hermione's gesture?" Elysia shook her head. "Not really. The end of the war had forced Hermione into her old bad habits, but underneath it all she was still a thoughtful and direct witch. Once she came back from Britain, I had an inkling that she was going to propose, though it was a toss up between the rings or the bracelets." Gabrielle placed her hand over the arm that Elysia had wrapped around her bare waist, the two wearing a mix of their bikini bathing suits though with shirts placed over their tops to keep out the cold. Gabrielle, however, was less interested in Elysia's bare skin and more on the bracelet she had on her left wrist. "I wonder who gave her the idea…" Elysia chuckled before kissing just beneath Gabrielle's ear. Since Elysia had been able to return prior to Gabrielle's birthday, the raven haired witch had been able to plan for it extensively. The same invitations from the previous year had been sent out but, unlike before where the party was held in the Reception Hall, this time it was in the Gardens. Gabrielle had to give it to Adeline, she made an already lovely space truly beautiful.

Whilst Gabrielle had been in the garden several times during the period leading up to her 20th birthday, the flowers that had bloomed had been few and far in between, though the space had now a great many green shrubs and hedges that gave the space a feeling of being alive. Apparently, Adeline had been playing with the temperatures in the greenhouses, keeping the nearly flowering plants secret, until a few days before Gabrielle's birthday, when she, Jeanne, Elysia and Victoire had been busy planting them, while Gabrielle had conveniently been summoned to Beauxbatons to do a few inspections of the animals being prepared for the Care final examinations. She had been too exhausted to do much of anything the night before so she hadn't seen the work in the garden until she was led to it at lunch time, as Elysia had insisted on a breakfast in bed with the windows being closed or fogged over. Gabrielle had suspected there was something special planned then, though Elysia's "attention" at breakfast had left her mind a mushed mess of pleasure and contentment. When she eventually stepped into the gardens at lunch time, she had felt the air leave her lungs as her eyes were bombarded in color. From a mix of honesty and golden wallflowers lining up the flower beds, to the tulips and peonies that filled out large stone flower pots. There were even bleeding hearts that had been grown into pre-made arches that crossed over the hedges. The gardens had been made into a scene out of a fairytale and Gabrielle loved it.

With the main table replaced with smaller tables and large ones along the walls for the aperitifs, the guests had been very comfortable in the garden space, enjoying the floral scents and Ida's wonderful cooking, with Elysia even having a taste of some of Gabrielle's salmon, though the Veela could tell her lover just wasn't fond of the texture or the flavor. The afternoon had been absolutely perfect and Gabrielle had already been feeling quite satisfied… until Elysia brought her before the fountain at the center of the garden and presented her with a box, the contents of which had made Gabrielle's heartbeat run rampant. "I know that golden bracelets are the norm, but I wanted to give you something truly special. So I had these commissioned. They are made of black and white gold." Gabrielle took one bracelet in her hand and noticed that what had seemed one solid piece was actually composed of two metal bands interwoven together into the bracelet. When she looked into Elysia's eyes, she saw the warmth that was within them. "I know what my magic looks and feels like, as well as yours, so I felt that a bracelet set that showed the two together was more significant than just plain old gold bands. I… also know what they signify, so the choice is yours." Gabrielle didn't even waste a second, saying "Yes," before slipping the band on Elysia's left hand and then on her own right hand. She had then proceeded to kiss her lover feverishly until both tumbled into the fountain, laughing in joy, as the guests watched on.

Running her fingers over the black and white metal bracelet on her lover's arm, Gabrielle looked back towards where the beach house was. "Are you and Hermione going to be planning a joint wedding?" Elysia shook her head. "I have already intruded plenty into her life. This was and will remain a choice for the two of them to make themselves. As for our own wedding, that I will leave up to you. There is nothing wrong with having a long engagement after all. You don't even have to take on my family name, if you don't want to." Gabrielle smiled before kissing Elysia's briefly on the lips after she had turned around slightly. "No, there isn't a reason we can't wait. Though I feel like there has been something you have been wanting to tell me of late, but you never do. Something about the Peverells, I believe." Gabrielle felt her lover grow still before remaining silent for a few minutes. Thinking she wouldn't answer, Gabrielle was about to tell her she didn't have to, but Elysia spoke first, though only after raising security and privacy wards around both of them. "In Britain… I may have had a run in with a certain… Divine Authority. The same one that the Three Brothers are rumored to have dealt with." Gabrielle felt her body grow still for a moment. "Ah. You remember when we cleansed that wolf of its curse? For a split second I saw a cloaked figure behind you. I never brought it up because you never seemed to consider Death as anything other than a concept." Elysia squeezed her girlfriend tighter, though not painfully so.

"When I… took a Killing Curse to the face nine years ago, I had what I initially thought was either a vision or a hallucination of Dumbledore giving me the option to return to life. It took me some time and a clear head to realize that it couldn't have been Dumbledore. The old man would have wanted me to pass on, to become the martyr his cause needed. Thinking over it, I realized that the entity I encountered might have taken on his form to get their message through my addled mind. And it worked. Then… a few months ago, I had to absorb and dissipate a Leyline charged Killing Curse attached to the Hogwarts' wards. When I took the curse… I ran into the entity again, and this time we had a more coherent conversation. About myself… and my connection to it." Gabrielle looked into her eyes. "Does Death expect something from you?" Elysia shook her head. "Not exactly. They have no need for a true agent of their will, but they wanted to be sure that I kept an ear open to any wannabe dark lords who happen to try and cheat Death. That was the reason my family came to France almost a thousand years ago. They were hunting the wraith of a Dark Lord that had escaped them from Britain." Gabrielle went over her knowledge of history. There weren't any Dark Lords in that particular time frame, but there had been one a few centuries prior. "Herpo the Foul?" Elysia nodded. "They followed the wraith, trying to capture it, or Herpo if he had taken physical form, as they could only locate the Horcrux with the soul acting as a guide to its location. It took them centuries, but they succeeded… at the price of the Head of the Family dying before he could adequately train his replacement."

Gabrielle lowered her eyes as Elysia continued. "Based on the journals I found, I think the Lord Peverell that succeeded his father was looking for a way to pass on the power to others, either to lift the restrictions on the family, as it was noted that only the main bloodline could have children, or to transfer the power to someone that the Lord felt was worthy of it, without having to die themselves. The result ended up being the creation of the Hallows and the untimely death of two of the three brothers. I think my ancestor, Ignotus, might have been the one who was worthy to succeed his father, but because the power was split in three and one was lost, the power never passed onto him… nor anyone else. The family was free to have as many children as they wanted… but no one could ever claim dominion over the house or its magic until the three Hallows were reunited by a worthy master. Essentially, a Ritual of Ascension was created and left incomplete, until I came along, and Anand, Mach and Badb found me worthy." Gabrielle thought about everything Elysia just told her. "That's why you don't want me to take up the name. You're worried that the burden will pass from you to me and to our children if we call ourselves Peverell." Elysia lifted Gabrielle's chin so they could look eye to eye. "I am not turning this burden over to you."

Her eyes did dim for a moment. "At the same time… I can't run the risk that the same misfortune that began the downfall of my family is repeated again. Any child born to me will have to be prepared to carry the burden… even though I will carry it myself for however long I can. I was just… unsure when it would be the right time to tell you, but since you asked…" Gabrielle reached out and caressed Elysia's cheek before smiling. "I understand. It's not a burden I would ever ask any of our children to bear… But you're right. It's better that they be prepared to carry it, than to be caught unprepared and end up making a decision they will regret for the rest of their lives. Thank you… for being honest with me." Leaning up, Gabrielle gave her lover a deep kiss before pulling back, with Elysia pressing their heads together. "That's why I want to leave the day of the wedding up to you. I already have my life in order and our home is as it should be. And… you are there with me. I already have everything I could ever want. You, however, are still building yourself up to take on your career. Adding on the responsibilities of a wedding or motherhood will not be easy for you right at the start. So, I don't mind waiting… until we are both ready." Gabrielle searched Elysia's eyes before nodding. "Then leave it to me. For now… let us just enjoy our lives, one day at a time."

Leaving their spot, the two eventually made their way up to the Wizard's Tent, where Luna was in the process of retrieving the memory of what the binoculars recorded into a memory cristal, the contraption regarded as far more respected in magizoology circles than memory vials due to the possibility of illusion or even mental affliction impacting a witnesses' mind, the binoculars being completely unaffected by these. When they arrived, Adeline described what they saw with Gabrielle as the two started preparing some hot chocolate to enjoy while out under the night sky, with Elysia looking over the equipment from her friend. "It will all work out." Elysia nodded at Luna's comment. She was already used to her friend's enigmatic awareness of everything that goes on around her. "I know, but being open seemed like the right idea." Luna smiled. "It was. That's why it will all work out." Elysia looked from Luna to Adeline. "And with you two?" The blonde's eyes took on a dreamy look. "I think it will work out as well, though like you, things will take time." Wrapping her arm around Luna's waist and pulling her in for a hug, Elysia kissed her on her head. "Good. Now, any idea how you would like to plan your trips?" Luna tapped her chin, before looking at Adeline, smiling. "I can adjust them better in a year, though a few expeditions won't be as flexible." Elysia smiled. "You will make it work and, for the ones you can't change, just remember that you don't have to go all on your own anymore." Luna smiled widely. "No… no I don't."

Chapter 51: Sunny Days

"This way please. The Elder is waiting for you." Elysia followed the Veela Priestess into the depths of what she now knew was the the Dumont Conclave's Temple Residential District, a u-shaped building that wrapped around the back of the main complex's gardens, where the trainees, priestess and elders all resided throughout much of the year. Elysia hadn't exactly planned to return to Dumont without the Delacours but she had felt the need to see Elder Ligia today. Gabrielle had been fine with Elysia heading to the Conclave on her own, though she did leave her with a request, one that Elysia had no problem relating to the Elder in person. After passing a few of the other priestesses and trainees along the hallways, her guide in the purple robes opened a door and led her into the room. Like the other chamber she had met with the Elder, this one was sparsely furnished, with all the furniture that did exist being crafted with rounded edges, for the safety of the resident. The Priestess asked Elysia her preference in drink, with Elysia agreeing to tea, before she was allowed into the room with the elder. The sight of the old Veela reading a braille book through her fingertips tugged at Elysia's heart, with the Elder turning her head towards her, her white hair hanging loose over her shoulders. "Ah, Mademoiselle Peverell. I wasn't expecting to see you so soon. I hear congratulations are in order for you and your friend."

Taking the available pillow set before the Elder, Elysia sat on her knees. "Word travels fast." Ligia chuckled. "You were at a Veela vacation spot with the two sisters visibly being seen wearing matching bracelets with their significant others. As they are the children of our Representative, the news, understandably, spread like forest wildfires in the dry season." Elysia sighed, conceding the point. "Your congratulations are appreciated, and that is partly why I am here." After thanking the attendant for the cup of tea and taking a small sip from it, Elysia waited for Ligia to do the same. "But before we get into that, there has been something that has been bothering me of late. You see, I spoke with Helia about the Cateline Peverell Journal and she was very delighted to read such a personal point of view regarding the failings of the Veela Conclaves of the era and the strong connection that existed between the Peverells and the Conclaves. However, something she said struck me as odd. When I asked how many years Veela were expected to live, she mentioned that you and your predecessors were anomalies, and that most of your line had suffered a similar effect of blindness, though you possessed the ability to "see" by other means. When Helia confirmed that no other Veela could do the same, I remembered something you said to me before. "I can feel you, Lady Peverell, just as you feel me.""

Not seeing Ligia react, Elysia continued. "So I reread the journal and found an interesting passage. "I may not have been able to give him children capable of inheriting the Peverell name and magic, but he never once held that against me." The phrasing seemed oddly specific. Sitting in front of you now, though, it all makes sense to me. The way your magic behaves, your knowledge of my family, as limited as it was, and that understanding you had of Gabrielle's bond and the darkness at the other side. You suspected what I was long before Gabrielle told you my name, didn't you… Ligia du Brocéliande." The old Veela gave her a wide smile. "It's good to hear the old name again. Like the others, I have been called Paimpont for some time, but few remember the old name still applies." Elysia ran the numbers in her head. "Your Cateline's granddaughter, aren't you?" Ligia nodded. "I am. And you are right. When I saw the darkness that Gabrielle was connected to, I recalled my Grandmother's tales of her husband and the Peverells. How their magic felt both comforting and terrifying at the same time. When I saw it connected to Gabrielle, I realized that a person worthy of the Peverell name had finally been born." Elysia watched as Ligia brushed off some tears from her cheeks. "You have no idea… how long my family had been waiting to see someone reclaim the name. It was the reason we held out for so long…"

Elysia stared at Ligia in astonishment. "Wait… the reason your family has been living so long… has been because you were waiting for a Peverell to be reborn?" Ligia nodded. "You need to understand… Cateline didn't know all the secrets of the family she married into. Her husband wasn't allowed to share them. But he had made one thing perfectly clear. The Peverells needed to return one day, even if it took a thousand years. So my family has been keeping watch, desperately hoping to see the Peverells return… while also keeping the bloodline alive through us, just in case. After all, we had developed some magical traits that were part of those who married into or were born of the Peverell blood. If no Peverells were born because the other bloodlines ended, then it would be up to us to restore the family. Unfortunately… I am the last of the Borcéliande Peverell line. None of my sister's children ever developed any of the magic that I possessed and I… was never blessed with any children of my own. I had been holding on for so long, praying that I would see my grandmother's dream come true… and then you arrive, a Peverell, as if born from a medieval legend, or from the stories my grandmother once told me in her final years." Ligia was briefly surprised when her hands were cupped by Elysia's, before she felt the magic between them surge, as strength returned to her tired old bones.

She felt, not so much heard, Elysia's next words. "I am sorry it took us so long to come back, and knowing the truth now only makes me feel guilty for asking this of you, but Gabrielle and I… we want you to be the one to preside over our wedding. You were there when Gabrielle needed you the most and have been there for her every step of the way. Would it be too much to…" Ligia smiled, as she shook her head, her body feeling better than it had in years. "I would be delighted to officiate your wedding. I know that you two wish to take your time, but I think I can make the divine wait a bit longer." Elysia smiled before the two continued to enjoy the tea together, with Elysia explaining to Ligia the training that she underwent to master her ability to see magic, as well as the control that came with it, the latter being something that Ligia herself could not do. As they talked about what a Veela wedding ceremony was like, Elysia briefly looked out the window of the room, catching a glimpse of something, though it wasn't the cloaked figure that Gabrielle had confessed to seeing, nor the visage of Death Elysia herself had seen. She did sense the echoes of a powerful magic in the air, though it felt… content, making Elysia think that her easing Ligia's pain from her extended age wasn't seen as her overstepping her bounds. Whilst she had no intention of becoming a faith Healer to all those nearing death, there was no denying that the fact she could make the dead and dying more at ease, or at least lessening the burden Ligia now seemed to carry, was something she wasn't necessarily against. Small favors and all.

Goblin Nation Capital, June 2003

Ragnar opened the door leading into the Champion's dressing room before smiling. "That garb suits you, Lady Peverell." Elysia looked at him via the reflection in the mirror, her face a mixture of irritation and embarrassment. "I feel like I am wearing clothes meant for three people." Ragnar hummed as he approached her, looking over her attire. "Perhaps in the sense that you have always worn a few articles of clothing, but as far as I can see, you look to be wearing exactly what would be expected of a woman of your station. Speaking of… how are you feeling? I heard it's been only a few days since you took the binding potion." Elysia sighed, running her hands down her side and waist. "I had about a month getting acclimated to the feeling using the longer duration variants that I worked up, whilst walking around in public spaces. His Majesty was right that the decision would get easier after I spent more time in my new form. Walking down the streets, talking to strangers who had no idea who I was, being addressed as a woman and being treated as such… it was… comfortable. Well, except when I was being solicited by the men. I might prefer being addressed as a woman, but my… preferences in romantic partners haven't changed much, if at all. Though I will say… this may be a lot of clothing, but certainly feels very comfortable. Though I am not sure what to think about the corset." Ragnar chuckled. "I am not surprised about the last part, though as a Goblin who has gotten used to wearing vests, I can assure you that the extra support in maintaining your figure helps out, as long as it's done correctly."

As the female Goblins that had been helping get dressed checked her over one last time, Elysia had to admit that the change was getting easier to just accept. Sure, she had to wear special underwear for her private area, but other than that, she felt mostly comfortable in her own skin. Even her own name gave her a pleasure that Harry never did, having selected it after reading "The Odyssey" and about the Elysium Fields that existed within the realm of Hades. In a way, that was how she felt about the last five years, as if she had ventured into an otherworld and finally found her way into that divine realm reserved for heroes that had already proven themselves, though unlike those same heroes, Elysia didn't feel as strong as she had a month ago, the Transition literally undoing five years worth of physical training. She had been in talks with Physical Therapists, Trainers and her friends from Londinium about what was the right way to retrain her body without pushing it too hard, particularly since she wouldn't have a Healer looking after her well being every day. Sure, she would probably be checking with a Healer regardless, but she needed to understand her limits and the right approach to push past them safely. A knock came to the door. "Lady Peverell, the ceremony is about to begin. You should make your way towards the Capital's Main Gate. We have been sent here to escort you."

Ragnar looked up at Elysia before offering her his hand. Wearing her gloves, as was part of the Goblin tradition, Elysia shook his hand, as he smiled at her. "Well, I look forward to speaking to you again at the Viceroy Council meeting later tonight so that I may introduce you to the others, particularly Fueruk, if you still intend to move to the French property. Until then, enjoy your day amongst the masses. Remember, my friend, this is a title and a recognition that you have earned through blood, sweat and tears, not happenstance. You are the Champion of the Arena. The populace's reverence is well deserved." Excusing himself, Elysia took her sword and attached it to her belt, while also making sure that Badb, Macha and Anand were comfortable in their new places. Whilst the clothes she was wearing were for ceremonial purposes, that didn't mean she didn't request special attachments for them, including a bag that would be attached to her belt around the back of her waist, where Badb could be kept safely but within easy reach, a wand holster that was far more comfortable to have Macha enter and leave it, particularly on her own, as well as a chain where Anand could be placed as a pendant, kept close to her at all times. Sensing that her three companions were very satisfied with their new arrangements and were particularly happy about her concern, Elysia exited the room, following the guard as she was led down a long series of passageways before being brought out at the Main Entrance to the Capital.

Whilst all the Goblin districts were built tightly together to conceal them from possible incursions and make invasions impossible, that was not the case for the Royal Capital. The entrances from the outside world were very much the same as the security measures of the other districts, but the primary living area was very different in the capital. Existing within a large cavern deep beneath the earth, surrounded by a large underground lake with water running down in waterfalls at several locations on and around the capital, the very city stood open for all to see, the buildings painstakingly carved from a multitude of stones, each growing lighter and lighter as they neared the Palace, which was made in solid marble, though that was only the outer layer. All the structures had been reinforced with stronger stones underneath, the outer layer being purely cosmetic. While Elysia knew that most of the streets were winding and labyrinthine, the main road was a straight line from the entrance to the courtyard before the Royal Palace, a massive structure covered in white stone, as well as gold and silver panels, reminding Harry of descriptions of the pyramids of Egypt in their pristine form. And, all along this main road, were the inhabitants of the Royal Capital, holding flower petals as they welcomed her to the city, throwing the petals on the bricked road before her, a sign of great respect as flowers were a rare commodity for the subterranean beings of the world.

Elysia smiled, waving her hand at the onlookers, struggling between moving quickly or taking her time, as one would be seen as being rude, whilst the other would betray a desire for indulging her pride. Asking her guards to set the pace, the Goblins in full plate armor smiled at her, fully grasping the reason for her request. Still, it seemed like the right choice as they made their way through the city's streets, with Elysia resisting the urge of extending her hand to touch the onlookers, aware of the social customs, as well as how unfair it would be for her to shake the hands of a few but not the rest. Retaining a polite, but genuine, smile, the procession through the capital felt long but tolerable as they finally reached the entrance into the Royal Palace's courtyard. To her surprise, the King and his Viceroys, as well as the people she assumed were his family and advisors, all stood at the top of the cresting road, well within view of everyone. Gringott gestured for Elysia to kneel before him and Elysia did, before his voice echoed across the entire city, perhaps the entire cave system. "To every citizen of the Goblin Nation, whether here in the Capital or in the many Districts scattered across the world who are listening in on this momentous occasion. I, Gringott the Twelfth, King of the Goblin Nation, am honored today to welcome a new citizen to our Nation, one who has dedicated themselves to completing the Twelve Tasks of the Arena, all the while honoring us and our ways, embracing the use of weapons, perfecting their use of Magic, and mastering their own unique abilities."

Looking over the masses, Gringott continued. "I am sure some of you are curious as to why the person kneeling before me doesn't resemble the warrior that we saw rise through the trials of the Arena, and the answer to that is simple. The two are one in the same, the same warrior spirit living on in this new form, one they took as it matched their heart and soul better than the last, which was sustained these last three years purely because they didn't wish to restart their training anew. Now that their trials have ended, their crimes against our nation washed clean by their blood and sweat within the Arena and the years of exemplary service in the mines of Londinium, even acting in defence of our wounded kin at a time of rebellion, the person that kneels before us has found what has been denied to them for their whole live: freedom. They have struggled much, endured trials that matched, if not surpassed what we could bring upon them and yet they stand before us all today, not only triumphant, but also… whole. For not only did our Champion face the Trials and succeed, but many Tasks ended with the lives of the Beasts spared, the compassion and kindness of their noble soul never once diminished in the face of certain death. And yet, when faced with an enemy that knew not fear nor pity, this warrior demonstrated the resolute heart needed to bring about that very fate to those that would not yield their baser instincts."

Looking down at Elysia, Gringott presented his open hand, with the witch understanding his silent request, gently and slowly drawing her sword before presenting it to the king, who received it with reverence, before he continued speaking. "For her bravery, skill and honor, I hereby recognize Elysia Peverell as Champion of the Arena and welcome her amongst our people as an equal of all Viceroys. May her strength serve her and our people in defence against our most hated enemies, may her skill and magic serve to build our Nation to greater heights… and may her wisdom and kind heart guide us all down a path worthy of our Great Earth Mother's favor." Taping Elysia on the shoulders, before placing the blade onto her head, he concluded. "And, as King of the Goblin Nation, I hearby bequeath our Champion a name worthy of her talents. By my power, I name Elysia Peverell "The Morrígan," the one who is many, a being that recognizes the importance of life, magic and death in all things. May our Champion live a long and honorable life by the blessings of our Great Earth Mother." As Gringott offered the sword back, Elysia gave the king a slight glare, which he responded to with a smile, as he had refrained from telling her what name he would bequeath her, just as the Goblins had given the name of Gryffindor to Godric for his accomplishments.

Still, as the name was repeated by everyone around her, Elysia swallowed the lump in her throat as she carefully sheathed her blade, before turning to the cheering masses, her face taking on a smile as she held her hand up and waved, the air around her becoming filled with flower petals. While she would never enjoy the adulation of others directed her way… she couldn't deny that this time was different. Where Harry Potter had initially been revered as the survivor of a deadly attack and the "apparent" vanquisher of Lord Voldemort, he had never truly accepted that truth, recognizing that his mother at the very least deserved to be remembered as the architect of Voldemort's demise. Then, in the wake of the Battle of Hogwarts, Harry had once again been revered as the Man-Who-Conquered, a title that he had partly earned after a year long struggle to defeat Voldemort once and for all, though even then it had felt like a hollow victory, considering how much had been lost and the actions Harry had to take to bring the Battle to an end. Here and now, however, he wasn't being cheered by the populace because of things that occurred beyond his control or with the aid of others. Sure, Elysia would never downplay the help she received from Dredhook and the Goblins of Londinium, but it had always been just her within the confines of the Arena when facing the beasts. This accomplishment, the titles and privileges that came with them, were all earned by her after five long years. Just for today, she would let herself feel a measure of pride.

Present Day

"Let's get this meeting started. Croaker, what do you have to report?" The head of the British Department of Mysteries stood up in the dimly lit chamber of the ICW that was specifically maintained by the organization's own DoM division, a place where the directors of the various DoMs could gather and share information or research with each other freely, in order to guarantee that certain information was determined to be safe for public consumption… or if it needed to be buried forever. While not every DoM Director needed to attend these meetings, there was a rule that a certain quorum needed to be available so that any votes would be binding and that the threshold for said votes needed to surpass the total votes in opposition, as well as all the absent members, so that there was no doubt that the resolutions would have passed regardless of who was present and who wasn't. As such, the chamber wasn't filled to capacity, though Helene Chatelain noticed that there was more than the bare minimum required today. The notice from Saul Croaker seemed to have gotten plenty of people intrigued enough to merit this much attention. The aging man stood from his seat and spoke, his voice amplified to be heard by the entire chamber.

"As you are all aware, there was an anomaly in the DoM's investigation into the attack on Hogwarts performed by the now defunct Neo Death Eater group. In the aftermath of the incident, all NDEs that had been present within the school that survived were found to have lost their magic completely. While our department had no intention of seeking a way to restore these terrorists' access to magic, we were interested in determining how they lost it in the first place. Firstly, we determined that none of the afflicted parties had sworn any magically binding contracts or oaths, nor was there any sign that such a contract was broken. We also determined that these individuals didn't simply have their magic bound nor were they suddenly magically impaired. For all intents and purposes, the NDEs had simply been turned into non-magicals, possessing only the bare minimum of Magic expected from a non-magical human. The only results demonstrated by our scans on these people was momentary exposure to raw magic, and nothing else, barring those who were hit by curses cast by their fellow terrorists. This "Dark Knight" never once used any magic directly against their enemies, though the eyewitness testimony of the being absorbing curses has certainly piqued our interest. That said, seeing as there is nothing on the Hogwarts Charter, nor anything from the staff, we believe this Dark Knight had to have been responsible for their loss of Magic, to some degree."

Saul then looked towards Helene. "Now, based on the reports out of France, we believe this figure must be the same being responsible for the massacre at the Laborde Estate and that Gringotts has something to do with them, considering that both incidents nominally involved Gringotts sending in a professional to rescue the hostages. I believe Helene also identified that there was another individual who lost their magic, this being Jean du Plessis, the head of the Sangroyal group. It is my professional opinion that the source of the loss of Magic is either a person or an object that a person can carry, and that said power currently lies in the hands of the Goblins. What we should do about it I now leave open to discussion." As the people who were gathered started talking amongst themselves, debating the sort of Magic involved, the Chief Unspeakable, who tended to be a former Director from one of the many nations that had renounced his position to oversee the ICW Magical Mystery Treaties were enforced, looked towards the French Director. "Helene, I believe you had something to add to this discussion." The redhead stood up, and raised her voice. "As it just so happens, I was approached by a representative of Gringotts prior to the scheduling of this meeting and their intention was to clarify the situation with us so as to avoid any… hasty actions. Said representative is currently waiting outside to speak at this meeting, but they will only provide information if those present sign a binding non-disclosure agreement. I have submitted the original to the Chief Unspeakable so he may have copies distributed so that everyone could review the text. I myself went over it with my Legal Department and they saw nothing suspicious."

The Unspeakables gathered together read through the document, and while a few complained at not being able to comment on the matter to any of their subordinates except in the case of a transfer of power to a successor, most agreed and walked down to the center of the chamber to sign the document. With the signatures of those present confirmed, the Chief Unspeakable requested that the representative be allowed to enter. The Goblin walked over to review the agreement before he too signed it, causing it to go into effect, before he turned to look at those gathered, his legs held steady by a cane. "Greetings, Unspeakables. I am Fueruk of Gringotts Paris and have been named as a Representative regarding this matter by the Goblin King. My Sovereign was made aware of the situation involving the wandwavers who found themselves without magic and felt that the direct approach would be best to avoid any unpleasant situation in the future." Croaker stood up from his seat. "Please send our regards to his Majesty for his prompt actions. Now that the signatures have taken effect, what can you tell us about this unusual power you have in your possession?" Fueruk hummed to himself. "I will start by saying the following. While his Majesty authorized me to speak, I also received permission from the individual in question. Now, I want to be clear that this "Dark Knight'' as you have called them does indeed have the power to strip the magic from a being completely. This is a power they do not take lightly and would have preferred to never reveal, except that the situation called for it."

Fueruk gestured with his hand. "As you all are aware, the recent crisis in Britain was neither the first nor the second. Three separate times, people calling themselves Death Eaters sought to purge their community of so-called undesirables, including innocent children still at Hogwarts. During the initial stages of the first conflict, these attacks were far more specific, with children being coerced, bullied or even threatened for the circumstances of their birth or their allegiances. In the second conflict, these same behaviors continued and the situation became more dangerous as the school itself fell under attack and then Death Eater occupation. It took a massive battle by the wandwavers in opposition to the Death Eaters to dislodge the enemy, at the cost of many innocent lives. This third time around, the same people who either took part in or bore witness to the last confrontation tried again, the intent this time being the eradication of the students, staff members and the ICW and DMLE Aurors who were coming to their rescue. The individual that had been charged with seeing to the destruction of the group responsible for the attack on Gringotts London felt that if the enemy was willing to carry out attacks against innocents with such impunity, even a prison sentence or threat of execution would not be enough to discourage such behavior again. As such, they determined that a more permanent solution would have a more lasting effect, hence why the Death Eaters were stripped of their magic. Since no one outside of this room would know the cause, anyone looking to make Hogwarts a target would now be aware of the possibility of ending up just as those fools. These people may not have feared a government response, but the humiliation of becoming the very thing they called inferior… That they would not be able to stand."

The Directors talked amongst themselves, agreeing that the measure would definitely serve as a very powerful deterrent so long as the cause was never known. Croaker himself nodded. "An interesting and effective idea. That said, what is to stop this same power from being misused by this Dark Knight? What's to stop them from stripping the power away from innocents themselves?" The Goblin Viceroy chuckled. "In the sense of what could prevent this hypothetical from occurring? Nothing could. Except, perhaps, the fact that the individual in question has a moral compass that would put many to shame. They only utilized this ability against the NDEs as a final act, after having seen just how willing they were in killing the future of Britain out of spite. As for du Plessis, the punishment was used upon him to ensure that, regardless of all the binding contracts he signed, there would simply be no way for him to attempt a repeat of the crime he was charged with by the Goblin Nation. In all honesty, we would have been satisfied if he had been executed, but this punishment was deemed acceptable, particularly since he would no longer be at the mercy of our Prison system." Croaker and a few others looked at Helene, before continuing. "So you have no guarantees for us?" Fueruk sighed. "The only thing I can offer as a sort of safety measure for you is the name of the person in question, under the condition that the DoMs of the ICW respect their right to privacy and freedom of travel. Should the ICW or any member nation act against this individual without any justification, the entire Goblin Nation will perceive this as an act of war."

Those words took everyone by surprise. Whilst it was clear that Gringotts was protective of its people, to put their entire nation's military power to the protection of a singular being aside from the Sovereign was unheard of. One of the others spoke up. "Your King would endanger your entire race to protect just one person?" Fueruk stared at the Unspeakable who raised his voice. "You misunderstand. This is not a declaration of His Majesty. This is a declaration of every citizen of the Goblin Nation. We will bring hell upon the world if the person in question is denied their right to a free and peaceful life. The fact they are human, unfortunately, prevents them from simply seeking to live their life within our borders, hence why we will do everything to guarantee their happiness." Those present discussed amongst themselves, before the Chief Unspeakable called for a vote. Clearly, the matter was divisive as the assembled directors chose to discuss the situation amongst themselves extensively. Many were against the proposition at first, but they were swayed after they were made to consider the effects of a global war against the Goblins, one that could destroy any nation, both economically, as well as militarily. Even a coordinated effort could result in losses too great to even consider. As much as they might want to not have their hands tied, they knew better than to put the fate of the world beneath that of their own interests. These were the Directors of the Departments that constantly monitored matters that could endanger the world at any moment. Such decisions were expected of them.

In this case, it was no different as the vote resulted in a unanimous decision. "The motion passes. The individual in question will have their rights guaranteed, so long as they don't themselves violate any laws whilst within our own territories. Now, would you be willing to identify them?" Fueruk walked over to the Chief Unspeakable, handing him a file, with the man placing it on a Recess in the desk so that copies would appear before all those who were present. Two people in particular looked at the documents before them, recognizing the names, with Croaker speaking first. "Harry Potter? He was the Dark Knight that helped to liberate Hogwarts?" Fueruk shook his head. "Yes and no. Harry Potter was our Champion's previous identity. They now go by the name Elysia Peverell, a name I believe many of you are well acquainted with. Isn't that right, Director Chatelain?" Helene nodded as she read the file. "I knew that my scan showed that the witch was actually a Transient, but to think that they were once Mr Potter… Is there a reason you wanted to give us access to their full file?" Fueruk rested his weight on the cane. "There is. Lady Peverell did not wish to have to deal with concealing her identity from the DoMs of the world at all times. She was also concerned that you would fear that this power was something that could easily be replicated. We can assure you that it cannot. Lady Peverell is only able to do it because of the legacy left to her from nearly a thousand years prior. A legacy that has manifested itself in a unique way. Please look at the studies done on the leylines across Europe. Notice anything different over the years?" Those gathered turned to the mentioned pages, with a witch speaking up. "Wait… they grew stronger? Unless there was a line being siphoned or blocked, that should be impossible."

Fueruk chuckled. "I can assure you, the Leylines are the same as they were. The only difference is the fact that Lady Peverell established her residence upon a dying leyline, which suddenly became revitalized. Magic then began to flow into the intersecting leylines, strengthening them all in the region. Can anyone guess as to what this might mean?" As a few people discussed amongst themselves, one of the Unspeakables spoke up, their accent being Chinese. "That's… not possible. Are you suggesting she is a font of magic?" Fueruk smiled. "Unlike the others that are physical locations on the Earth, we believe that to be the case. Elysia has proven herself to possess magic to a degree that surpasses all expectations. What wards she raises are as strong as if they had existed for centuries, what plants and magical creatures that exist around her seem to grow stronger in her presence, and the very regions she visits become infused with magic. These are not coincidences. What power she inherited has made her a living font of Magic, meaning that nothing, truly nothing, can contain her, as anything designed to inhibit magic would be incapable of stemming back the tide that exists within her. That being said, she isn't interested in breaking into Vaults, high security facilities or the offices of world leaders. Lady Peverell, in fact, would prefer to be left alone at her home in peace to continue her profession as a Potions Master. The Goblin Nation is more than willing to grant that wish… and we are not the only ones interested in guaranteeing it."

The Unspeakables looked back at the documents, coming across the final pages, many feeling increasingly nervous. Fueruk couldn't help but smile. "As you can see, Lady Peverell's talents as a Potions Master have earned her a great deal of goodwill. Not only will the Goblin Nation secure her protection, but so will the Werewolf Packs of the world, as they owe their new found freedoms and livelihoods to her kindness and ingenuity. The Vampire Courts are very interested in seeing similar progress in their own livelihoods as the clinical trials for the Blood Alternative Potions are soon to begin, and we have already approached the Hags with Elysia's desire to attempt to improve their own condition by developing a potion that will allow them to ingest other types of meat that isn't human flesh without the drawbacks. She won't begin researching that potion in the next few months because of personal matters, but she intends to follow through on her offer and the Hag Covens are eager to be treated fairly by the ICW. They have all recognized Elysia Peverell as a friend and ally and will protect her zealously. I am sure everyone here would like to avoid angering all the parties involved, yes?" The silence that followed was unmistakable. "Good. Under the Secrets and Mysteries Treaties established between our nations, His Majesty requests that the full file you are all reading be classified as Tier 1 security clearance, meaning that only those with Director status can have access to it, while the individual identification file of Elysia Peverell that was submitted to the ICW will remain as is."

Listening to the Directors as they discussed the contents of the file, Fueruk felt his heart a bit heavy. There had been a great debate within the Viceroy Council as to how much information should be given to the Directors of the DoMs of the world about Elysia. The moment that she admitted to stripping the magic from the Neo Death Eaters at Hogwarts, everyone present knew that the very act would draw the attention of London's Department of Mysteries and it was believed that they would not rest until they uncovered the secret as to how it was done. The Champion apologized vehemently for making the decision on her own, but his Majesty had agreed that a fitting punishment needed to be made to dissuade further attacks. It had been Gringott that suggested stripping the magic away from Jean du Plessis, as a way to draw the attention of the Unspeakables to Gringotts and Elysia, at least secretly, so as to cause the Directors to call a meeting. When it came to what would be shared, Elysia had surprised the Council by volunteering the information about her past as Harry Potter, feeling that if they knew, they would be in a better position to safeguard the secret themselves. The Goblin Viceroys all agreed with that assessment. After all, Unspeakables were in the business of keeping secrets. The moment the information was shared, it lost its value. As such, if they knew who she was, they would safeguard the information far more readily, particularly from those that Elysia feared would use said knowledge for the perpetuation of harm.

What was determined that needed to be… omitted, was Elysia's admission about her interaction with what she believed was a manifestation of Death itself. If the Unspeakables were made aware of that, they would be hounding her indefinitely about Death's role and the properties of its magic. There was a reason all Department of Mysteries researched Death, despite the dangers. It was simply a field that was too… mysterious for them to ignore. Instead, Elysia wisely suggested they reveal the research that both Londinium and Parision had done on the effects that her presence had on the environment and the leylines, as both had detected surges in power within proximity to her, the amount of Magic leaking out growing slowly over the years. The leyline next to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie had almost fully recovered to its full strength, and that was Elysia only being there for four years, with the intersecting leylines also showing an improvement. That was to say nothing of the forest around the Estate, as it grew in size, height and population, the Fae creatures flocking to the raw magic like bees to a garden. Revealing that truth would be enough to catch their interest, but not encourage an excess of intrusive questions. It even helped to explain her ability to strip magic away as it was hypothesized in the documents, were it was suggested that her control over the raw flow of magic leaking out of her gave her an understanding of how magic flowed from the souls of others, allowing her the ability to strip or block the power in a way that no one could replicate. It might not have been the full truth, but it was determined to be enough.

As the debates amongst the Unspeakables waned and Fueruk was asked a few follow up questions, which included a request from the Goblin Nation for the London DoM to assist laying down a paper trail that would place Elysia Peverell as a distant relation of Harry Potter that attempted to attend Hogwarts, even getting Sorted into Gryffindor House within the privacy of the Deputy Headmistress' office, before her chronic medical conditions prevented her from physically attending, resulting in her essentially being homeschooled up to her NEWT years, when the collapse of the Ministry of Magic forced her into hiding due to her close familial ties to the Potters and to her status as what essentially amounted to a first generation witch. Croaker admitted it wouldn't be a difficult paperwork trail to create and no one would look too closely at it. Even Fueruk knew that the health condition excuse would work as Elysia's height, deep focus on medicinal potion brewing and her own physical body would attest to someone who might have struggled with illness in their youth and had surmounted the illness through sheer willpower. That and no one would bat an eye at the idea that Elysia Peverell would have fallen into debt with Gringotts because of her health problems, as the non-magical government's policies towards medical care didn't apply to non-magicals. With Headmistress McGonagall being receptive to the security measures, the trail would be practically ironclad, distinguishing Elysia Peverell from Harry Potter as only distant relations who never ran into each other in life.

One final question came up, regarding Elysia's willingness to cooperate with the DoMs. Fueruk looked over at Helene Chatelain. "Lady Peverell is not opposed to assisting the DoM with any research, whether it's related to potions or to the effect her presence has on environmental magic, so long as the request is made directly to His Majesty and that the subject of the study isn't herself or her capabilities. In those cases, information regarding the study and her ability to assist in it can be designated as Tier 2 or lower, so long as her identity remains hidden to those with lower clearance levels at all times. Of course, it will alway be at her discretion so be… respectful, and she has requested that any such studies be limited to the French Department of Mysteries, as she has very little interest in traveling the world or returning to Britain. I believe this is acceptable?" Helene felt the eyes of every Director in the Chamber fall on her, knowing exactly what they wanted her to say. "Of course, we will be very happy to respect her wishes in order to secure the cooperation of such a… remarkable individual." Eventually, the Directors voted and agreed to the classification of the file before them to Tier 1, meaning it would never leave the confines of the ICW's Department of Mysteries in a section restricted to Directors only, whilst the identification document they were delivered would be reviewed and have all the information validated so that there would be no inconsistencies, a task that would mainly fall on Croaker's Department in London.

As soon as the doors were closed, a general sigh of relief escaped from everyone present, with Helene already formulating plans to observe and secure the lands around the Peverell Estate, just in case some idiots placed the entire world in danger, whilst the rest agreed to table the discussion about the topic they had all gathered for, now that their curiosity was sated, before they began to wholehearted discuss the importance that a living font of Magic could have on the world and the need to prevent access to Elysia from ever being lost to them, many suggesting ways to, at least, guarantee her freedom of movements to all ICW member nations. The meeting then developed into an academic discussion about the possibilities that such a surge in magic could have, not only on animals and wildlife, but also on humans, as they developed a study plan to determine if a surge of first generation witches and wizards was detected in the areas near to the Peverell Estate and to its adjacent and intersecting leylines. As the discussion continued, Fueruk entered the Gringotts Liaison office in Luxembourg after having left the ICW's main building, before pausing for a moment, until the person next to him became visible. "Was that satisfactory?" Elysia, wearing her light armour, nodded. "It was. As much as I would have preferred otherwise, their assistance was necessary to secure our secrets. Their reception to the information, at the very least, was encouraging."

Fueruk smirked. "Indeed, as was the fact that they could not detect your presence at all whilst being in the chamber with them." Elysia shrugged. "It seemed like a good gamble to take." Fueruk nodded. "It was. Though are you certain about assisting the Unspeakables with researching your effects on the world around you? You will find your mail will be quite full with such requests." Elysia looked towards the ICW building. "Like any good deal, there needed to be something in it for them aside from keeping the information secret. Telling them about the magic that's constantly leaking out of me and offering them the chance to study it, in exchange for respecting my freedoms and securing my identity, seemed like a fair trade. And while I trust that the Goblin Nation has exceptional scholars at work trying to understand the impact I am having on the world around me, they still lack the resources that the ICW gives to the Departments of Mysteries. With the treaties guaranteeing the flow of restricted information between them and the Goblin Nation, we could even see a full collaboration take place, which will only help everyone in the long term." Fueruk gestured towards the relay platform that would be transporting the two of them back to Parision. "You still wish to see our worlds enter into better relations." Elysia smiled at him. "I belong to both worlds, and neither, if Death is to be believed. Regardless, I still believe that we should make the world, or at the very least ourselves, better. That will never change." After she was standing in the array, Fueruk joined her, as the Goblins activated it. "Speaking of bettering one's self… about your request…"

"Keep your distance from them and focus!" Gabrielle, wearing a bright white set of armour, took a deep breath as she concentrated on her magic once more as Elysia remained focused on keeping the deadly creatures at bay. When Elysia had suggested that they could use the Arena so that Gabrielle could practice controlling her Allure and magic better, the young Veela certainly had expected a few private sessions, under the supervision of the Creature Handlers, Healers and Guards, what one would expect when you released wild magical creatures in an environment with a pair of witches sharing space. What she hadn't really expected was that the Arena stands would actually be filled with Goblins, all of whom were cheering loudly as the beasts struggled to get anywhere near the pair of witches. It hadn't dawned on her that they would be spectators for all of her excursions into the Arena, even as the Goblins had been busy measuring and crafting several suits of armour just for her, using the same designs as Elysia, just with a white and silver motif, rather than pitch black. It certainly made identifying who was being more active in the Arena for those watching, though it wasn't a surprise to anyone that Elysia had the situation well in hand, despite the pair of dangerous creatures that shared the Arena with them.

Elysia had insisted that Gabrielle experience the Arena's beasts in order, which certainly made the MCH in training understand Elysia's attitudes towards certain magical creatures a lot better. The Wyrms were absolutely terrifying beasts that seemed to not only be immune to Gabrielle's use of her Allure as means of calming them down, but it even seemed as if the beasts were able to track her movements with greater ease because of it. Elysia's ability to take care of the creatures with her sword certainly made Gabrielle understand why Elysia favored the bladed weapon so much as well, particularly when she heard that the Goblins would be auctioning off the meat that was gathered from the corpses. The young Veela wisely avoided any Goblin made meals or drinks that weren't tailored for human consumption, despite Elysia taking a potion to join in with the celebrations at times. When the Lavellans were introduced, Gabrielle found that her magic was actually very effective on the rodents, pacifying them as Elysia established wards around the cursed creatures, before eliminating them in a swift and painless manner by using a potion that when released turned into a gas that she had on hand. Gabrielle felt a little sorry for the rats, with Elysia promising that she could try and find a way to purge the Lavellan curse, though she was certain that a cleansing like what they did with the wolves would only be so effective, as the rats could simply be cursed again by others. Without an actual vaccine or immunity to the curse, the Lavellan infestations would always resume, no matter what she did.

Their next encounter was with a Hiishi and Gabrielle could see that this was a bit different as the Hiishi seemed to have a personal grudge towards Elysia. This had the dual effect of keeping Gabrielle safe as the creature was singularly focused on her lover, though it made her attempts to placate the creature nigh on impossible. After a prolonged encounter in a swamp-like environment with no success in placating the Hiishi during combat, Elysia did something that seemed to paralyze the creature in place. She then directed Gabrielle to try using her Allure to affect the beast's mind, but even this seemingly had no effect, resulting in Elysia simply incapacitating the creature by forcing it to swallow a potion. To Gabrielle's surprise, the Goblin Handlers seemed very satisfied with the results, with Elysia later explaining that Hiishi were used to guard Vaults in the northern Districts, hence why they were actually happy to see her Allure and magic having no effect on them. The next creature, though, certainly had Elysia deeply concerned for Gabrielle's safety, having gotten her a full plate mail armour set to keep her Veela girlfriend safe. The blonde witch realized how serious the situation was when the Nundu was forced out of hiding by Elysia, who had made a massive clearing within the tropical environment with a wide wave of her hand, forcing the beast out of its cover.

As the Nundu tried to charge at them, Elysia simply used her shield and deflected all the spikes sent their way, as the feline approached, before slamming her shield into the beast, launching it back and leaving it momentarily stunned, as the last of the Peverells conjured chains and stones to pin the Nundu down. The encounter was all over in a matter of minutes, but Gabrielle could feel the strength and power radiating off from Elysia, before she was reminded that she was there for a reason. Safe from any danger, Gabrielle knelt down and focused her Allure and magic onto the feline, feeling its emotions far more clearly than the other beasts. To everyone's surprise, the well known wizard killer relaxed and even allowed himself to be petted, as Elysia vanished her conjurations, the air still charged with her own magic ready to spring into action should the Nundu get aggressive. It never did and Gabrielle, with the presence of the Nundu's Handlers and under Elysia's watchful eyes, was not only able to heal the feline of the minor fractures it received, but diagnosed the fact that it was suffering from weakening of it's bones, which was causing it severe pain, hence its ill temper. It had been a delight to actually check up on the Nundu for the next week after feeding it a bone strengthening potion, which improved its mood, not that it was ever misbehaving in Gabrielle's presence. The experience had apparently made her famous amongst the Nundu Handlers and Estous had already booked her several appointments in the next few months to do proper diagnostic checks on many of the creatures that were currently in captivity for one reason or another.

For reasons beyond the Goblin's control, the planned Arena encounter against Wyverns was delayed, but they had managed to get the next set of creatures, with Elysia actually looking and feeling a little nervous. And to be fair, when Gabrielle found out that they would up against a pair of mated Griffins, even she got nervous. Nonetheless, her girlfriend insisted and Gabrielle agreed to try out her Allure on them. At the first sight, she tried applying the magic instantly, only to feel it slip over the beasts without much effect. It was then that, for the first time, Gabrielle was able to witness the full extent of Elysia's capabilities as a Champion of the Arena, and she could finally appreciate why the Goblins loved to watch her fight. As the Griffins charged at them, Elysia was able to first cast wind magic, creating a powerful tornado surrounding the two witches, which forced the creatures to put some distance, as crossing strong winds could force them to crash into the ground or rocks violently. One of the creatures tried and nearly succeeded, only for Elysia to reveal that the tornado was a distraction, catching said Griffin off guard after having carved a massive slab of stone from the ground and hurling it straight at the creature, knocking it to the ground. Sensing its mate was in danger, the other creature threw caution to the wind and dove right at the witches, with Elysia intercepting its clawed strike with her shield, before blinding the Griffin with flames.

Using the same stone slab to disorientate the second Griffin, after giving the first one a stunning bow, Elysia then proceeded to bind both of them with chains to the ground, though Gabrielle could see the strain on her face as she needed to concentrate to keep the conjurations intact against the magically resistant feathers. Hearing Elysia's order, Gabrielle focused her magic and the Allure again, getting more of a reaction from the magic as it interacted with the beasts. The one that felt like a male rejected her attempts to appease it and tried to struggle harder against the chains, Elysia dividing her attention again to levitate and smash another stone slab into the Griffins head, the noise it made making Gabrielle feel remorseful for forcing this confrontation. Not wanting for the creatures to be in pain, she focused her attention on the female Griffin, sensing her worry over her young and feeling its rage at the two witches for being in what they believed was their territory. Failing to get the beast to calm down, Gabrielle tried instead to reassure her that they meant no harm to the Griffins or their young, and that they weren't in the Arena. Still feeling resistance, the young Veela decided to follow through with a suggestion Elysia had made a few visits to the Arena ago. Releasing her grip on her form, Gabrielle's features turned Avian, her body feeling tightly constrained within the plate mail, but the shift allowed her to use the full extent of her magic.

Whether it was the extra magic or the fact that she now smelt or felt familiar enough to the Griffins, the female seemed to finally calm down, with the male following her lead, enough for Elysia to slacken the chains to allow them to stand on all fours. As Gabrielle approached them, she felt the overwhelming magic of her lover envelope the two Griffins, both looking at said witch with terror leaking through the connection Gabrielle currently had with them, but the deathly essence remained hovering over them, not actively suppressing their will nor containing their movements. Said presence seemed to retreat slowly as Gabrielle tended to the Griffins, apologizing for the injuries as she nursed them back to full health. The two half-birds, half-lions nudged at her playfully, before Gabrielle guided them to the cage, promising that their young would be waiting for them soon on the other side. As the Goblins cheered at the incredible displays of power and animal handling, Gabrielle slowly returned to her human form, standing next to Elysia as she watched the Handlers lock the transport cage shut. "These were the same Griffins I encountered several years ago in Londinium. At the time I was rather… arrogant and entered the Arena certain of my victory, only to end up leaving it on a stretcher, having just barely survived and completed the task, without killing either of them." Gabrielle looked on as the Arena's gate came down, interrupting their view of the Griffins.

"Was this encounter your way of making up for your previous failure?" Elysia sighed. "Yes and no. We are still organizing these to get you attuned to how the minds of these creatures work so you can better influence them and calm them down. At the same time, the same situations as we are experiencing here could be repeated in the outside world. If the animals are in an enclosure, you will be able to attend to them safely and easily, with your Allure giving you the edge you need. When it comes to a beast out in the wild, what you're seeing now will probably be the norm. I will happily pin them down for you long enough for you to work your magic. But I won't deny… there was something very satisfying about successfully incapacitating those two this time around, without having more of my blood on the ground than in my body." That mental image made Gabrielle's heartache, with Elysia looking over at her. "Sorry, didn't mean to make you feel that." Gabrielle shook her head. "It's alright. I just need to get used to the fact that your past will always include near death experiences. Seeing you take down all these creatures these last few months, however, has helped in easing some of my worries. Though, at this rate, maybe I too could be named as champion. So, what's next?" Elysia looked over at Gabrielle before shaking her head, a half smile on her face. "As proud as I would be in hearing you named as Champion, believe me, there are creatures you would never be able to influence, let alone kill. The last two… are beyond reason. And that's not even mentioning the Cockatrice or the Nuckelavee."

As they stood on the lift as it ascended, Gabrielle adjusted the way her armour gripped her neck. "A shame then. Still… despite having these poor creatures suffer some blunt force trauma, thank you for letting me encounter them like this." Elysia smiled. "My pleasure. As for what's next, considering it will soon be December, I think you need to prepare for the examinations. After the New Years, then we can talk about the next creatures, which could either be the Wyverns or a Tarasque. Though if you do manage to best the latter behemoth with your magic alone, you could either be proving that Saint Martha was a Veela, or she was definitely using some form of magic." The blonde witch smiled. "Who knows, maybe I can be called a Saint too." Looking down at her armour, she added. "And I do like the way white garments look on me." A particular white set of clothes flashed across Elysia's mind, the emotions powerful enough to make Gabrielle look up at her, her mouth hanging open as her cheeks grew red. "Oh." She lowered her eyes even as she smiled to herself. "Well, if that's the case, I suppose I will need to speak to Alex and have her work on a dress design." Elysia blushed. "There is no hurry." Slipping her hand in Elysia's and squeezing it, Gabrielle nodded. "I know… but feeling how much that mental image impacted you makes it clear that when the day comes along, the wait will be worth it." Elysia squeezed Gabrielle's hand back as the lift came to a stop. "I know it will be."

"And that's it for this year. Well done, Gabrielle. I must say, you have really stepped up with your work these last few months. Attending to Nundus and even Griffins. You're about to get a lot more busy if you keep this up." The two finished going over her latest MCH case with Estous that would serve as the basis for her end of year examination, meaning she was only six months away from receiving her certification. Wearing a long white coat that Elysia had bought for her as an early Christmas present, the material being of a light but extremely durable cloth that was heavily enchanted for her protection and its integrity, with only the barest of enchantments for keeping it clean as Elysia wisely felt that having a coat that got dirty would ensure she washed it to make sure it was hygienic, she had arrived at her Professor's classroom after completing her written exams. She was surprised to see more questions geared towards the care for more dangerous creatures, but as she had been focusing her studies on that, those questions didn't present a problem. When she had arrived at her Professor's and mentioned the questions, Estous explained that MCH certificates had different ratings, which would establish if a person was better suited for the care of low risk creatures or if they were certified for beasts that were known wizard killers and man eaters.

Storing away her now empty folder back into her bag, Gabrielle sighed. "I know but… after encountering the Ironbelly… I don't know, I just wanted to make sure that I could lend assistance to as many animals as possible, not just the ones people tend to have as familiars." Estous, having finished writing his own notes on the document that Gabrielle submitted, placed it on a stack of documents he would be submitting to the ICW department that handled MCH certification in the next few days. "Reading your report on the female dragon and receiving Mikhail's follow up letter certainly made it very clear. Originally I would have said that you should specialize, but a recent increase in interest in the MCH program would suggest that demand will be diminishing in the next few years after your graduation." Gabrielle blinked. "Increase in interest?" Estous smiled at Gabrielle. "Apparently, Handlers, Carers and even Care students have been hearing about your actions and achievements, particularly over the last six months, and have been submitting requests to enter into the internship program. The ICW and Beauxbatons are currently negotiating getting an actual MCH educator to be employed by the Academy to run the program in the next school year, to manage all of the local interest." Gabrielle looked at Professor d'Este. "But, what changed?"

Estous chuckled. "Visibility. You remember how you had no idea the course was even an option? Well, the same was true for everyone else. However, as you have been active these last two and a half years, visibility for the program skyrocketed, particularly since you are the daughter of a pair of well known political figures in our world. You might not realize it, but people have been talking about you just as much as they have been talking about Elysia. Even after your previous appearance at the End of Term Staff celebration and the following du Plessis gala, where you discussed the program with fellow academics and influential people, made everyone take notice of not just you but your work. If at least half of the internship requests result in certifications, the magical creatures of Europe will see quite the improvement in care. That's why I am not telling you not to pursue a specialty for the more exotic creatures, as I am sure a great many of the internship requests will focus on the companion creatures, while a few others will specialize in livestock. If the market changes as expected, your current path will ensure you continue to have clients requesting your services. Speaking of that, how is the progress on getting a business license?"

Gabrielle smiled. "Well, having my sister and girlfriend as part of Grjngotts has its benefits. The arrangement so far is that a Goblin will be taking up the position of secretary and managing the calls and requests for service, before bringing them to my attention, after which we will attend to them based on the severity of the medical emergency. With so many clinics being managed by Gringotts associates, they may even get me access to a room where I can see patients, particularly if on-site care would be unadvised. If you're certain that so many MCHs might be entering the market in three years or more, maybe we can get ahead of the situation and establish a guild or association through Gringotts. It would certainly guarantee that all the MCHs have access to clean medical spaces, the appropriate potions and the managerial staff needed to keep everything running smoothly." Estous nodded. "That would be a good idea and it would certainly incentivize the applicants, as they will have an idea of the sort of career they will have ahead of them. When the MCH educator gets selected, I will introduce you to them so that they can speak to your manager and get the interns a better grasp of matters. Though I can't deny that this approach will also be helping your girlfriend maintain her position as an MCH's potions supplier. Hell, I have been receiving her potions for my Care course as well."

Hearing that Elysia's specialized potions for animal care had made it to Beauxbatons made Gabrielle feel very proud of her girlfriend. Sure, she still supplied Jeanne Charbonneau's Apothecary shop, as well as maintaining Gringotts Paris, since they have a lesser need for human centric potions, but she had recently been selling the excess potions that she had been making for Gabrielle's career. The fact that an MCH Guild would require her to continue supplying said potions wasn't a bad thing, though Gabrielle could see someone else eventually getting hired to produce said specialized potions themselves as soon as the amount of MCHs made the demand for the potions skyrocket. If anything, knowing Elysia, Gabrielle had a feeling that she would be keeping an eye on how many MCH interns apply for the program and how they manage through the three year training, so that the prices on said potion don't suddenly skyrocket as soon as the demand for them goes up. Looking at Estous, Gabrielle shrugged. "I can't help it if my girlfriend is the most supportive partner I could have ever asked for." D'Este gave her a knowing look. "And I am going to guess she is the reason you have been getting access to all these… exotic creatures. Nundus, Griffins and even a study on Lavellan physiology. What's next on your list, another Dragon?" Gabrielle shook her head. "For now, nothing like that. We are planning for a more tame new year ahead of us."

Nodding in understanding, Estous stood up and offered his hand to Gabrielle, who shook it after standing up herself. "Well, on that note, may the two of you have a happy Yuletide and New Year." Gabrielle waved her hand as she stepped out of the office. "Same to you, Professor. See you in late January." Wrapping her Beauxbatons blue scarf around her neck and closing her coat fully, Gabrielle made her way to the exit of the Academy, passing by a few other students along the way, before finding a familiar face waiting for her at the entrance, all wrapped up to leave. "I hope I didn't make you wait too long." Adeline turned to her and smiled. "Not at all. How was your last meeting of the term?" As Gabrielle slipped on her gloves and the two exited the building into the snow covered grounds on their way to the front gates, the blonde filled in her friend on everything before asking about her own work, with Adeline's cheeks growing a bit dark. "I was able to get clearance for another trip to Guiana. It won't be the same since I will be going there a second time, so my focus will be less on field work and more on the long term study of a full habitat, but it still sounds like fun." Gabrielle nodded. "It does, though I think you're more interested in the company you will be keeping." Adeline didn't hide her smile. "What can I say… I like spending time with Luna. Has Elysia mentioned when she will be dropping by?"

Gabrielle hummed to herself. "I was talking to her myself just a few days ago, and she mentioned she would probably be back here in a week. She is still busy tending to a few matters in New Zealand. Apparently, the Magical Community is doing what it can to preserve a few animals that have been declared extinct or are in rapid decline and are trying to reverse the damage, so they tend to ask for help from Hobart every term, and Luna is still there finishing up." Adeline nodded. "I understand. I know how much her work means to her and can wait for her to get back." The blonde witch looked at her former roommate. "Are you going to ask her?" Adeline bit her lip. "No. I think it's best to leave it until we are coming back from Guiana. That way if she says no, it doesn't make our six months together too awkward." Presenting their IDs and getting checked by the guard before given permission to leave, Gabrielle pulled out her portkey. "For what it's worth, I don't think she will say no, though you should probably ask Elysia since she knows her better." Adeline rubbed the back of her head as the bitter cold winds of the Pyrenees in winter battered their coats once outside of the wards of the Academy. "Yeah, I will ask her as soon as we have a moment in private. Ready to go?" Gabrielle held out her hand, thinking about the year behind them. After so much danger and confusion, their families were finally in a state of peace and quiet. She prayed that the years ahead were more of the same, for everyone involved, as the portkey took them back to the place she now called home.

After Adeline admired her work in the front of the house that now sported several pines that were currently decorated for Christmas, the pair opened the door, finding the reception hall warm and cozy, the snow enchantments disabled as there was real snow coming down outside, the hall looking almost immaculate with all of the Christmas trees lit as Elysia, Hermione and Fleur were all chatting on the sofas and armchairs as Victoire played with Anand on the rug, laughing herself silly. Gabrielle felt her face breakout into a smile. The last few years had been a mix of meeting up with old friends and running into new problems, from the incident at Beauxbatons, the kidnappings, the attempted murders and the clashes with two terrorist organizations. At the same time, Elysia's words from last Christmas echoed in her head, and probably everyone else's. No matter what happened beyond the confines of the Peverell Estate, all those considered family or friends would find sanctuary here. And it was a sanctuary. Whilst the world outside shifted and turned, the Estate and the people living inside of it had found the inner peace that they had so longed for in life, with Hermione being able to pursue her own studies into Magical History and Law, Fleur being knee deep in Charms work and research, Victoire having the time of her life not having to worry about if the people that love her will be coming home for the holidays. And, at the center of it all, was Elysia.

Those green eyes swiveled towards Gabrielle as if summoned by her thoughts, the smile from her face being genuine and heartfelt. Even as she waited for the rest of the invited guests that would be attending the Christmas Eve gathering at the Peverell Estate, Gabrielle could see how much the season had an effect on her. True, she was shy and hated crowds, but deep inside Elysia yearned for the company of others, her shyness born from the years of mistreatment by so many of the people in her past. Amongst her friends and family, however, Elysia's shyness was finally dissipating, becoming far more involved in discussions, with her and Hermione often talking about the histories she was studying and how one side of the world affected the other and vice versa. She was a lot more open with Fleur too, not only in volunteering to look after Victoire, who adored her Tante Elysia, but in helping her out in her research projects on magic. Gabrielle knew that come January, some of Elysia's new found confidence would fade away as soon as everyone returned home after the New Years celebrations, but the young Veela had a feeling that in time she would be a lot more open to stepping out into the wider world as her fame as a Potions Master was demanding some involvement from her in the academic fields, with every magical academic institution inviting her for lectures as a speaker or even as a guest professor. Elysia might be refusing for a bit but Gabrielle could see that some of these invitations were tempting for her and she knew that, in time, the reclusive head of the Peverell family would step out of her comfort zone again. For now, though, there was no need for that. In this sanctuary beyond the reaches of the world, they all had everything they ever needed in the coming days. For now, it was all that mattered.