#9 years later and new peeps are being initiated into the fire

[tilliwriteapine]

Good GOD -

I need a drink, and need to know when I can fucking meet Taliesin Jaffe in person, thank you and good night.

[magicalforcesau]

Dancing With Ghosts in Your Garden~ Chapter 9- Year 1: April

(ao3 link)

It was a dreadfully maudlin morning when it was revealed that Anakin Skywalker was missing. Aurors and other specialized authorities were once again on Hogwarts property in regards to the boy. This time, in hopes of finding him. Obi-Wan had been a mess when the news was given to him and he spent the early morning searching outside with Qui-Gon and Satine, despite how long the quest drew out. Nobody questioned their involvement despite being students and roaming the grounds so precariously.

Satine had been grateful they didn’t find him in the Forbidden Forest in any fashion, because if one was found there, it was rarely all in one piece. Obi-Wan had been painstakingly quiet, guilt eating away at him the longer they looked.

It pained both prefects to have to stop the search, but the logical parts of them understood it was doing little good acting like walking zombies. However, they also knew with sickly clarity that the longer he was gone, the farther he could be.

Several ghosts claimed he left the castle doors on his own authority, jumping from a secret entryway nearby and leaving with purpose. That really should have comforted all of them to a degree, but Anakin didn’t know how to apparate and he could only go as far as his legs could carry him.

All of the professors treated it like a kidnapping case, which was for the best. They weren’t necessarily on total lockdown procedures, but were encouraged to travel in packs throughout the castle and were only allowed in and out for classes. All meals were eaten in the common rooms. 

Cody had said that Gryffindor house was uncharacteristically quiet.

Unsurprisingly, Obi-Wan wasn’t destined to get a wink of sleep after returning, no matter how much Qui-Gon insisted he should. Satine knew it was pointless, but didn’t question the professor as she and Obi-Wan went back to Ravenclaw house with slumped shoulders. 

She didn’t have the proper words for him.

This isn’t your fault.

He’s going to be okay.

We’ll find him.

All of it seemed to ring inauthentic even to her own internal thought process. She wanted to tell him everything would be alright and she wanted more than anything, to mean it. She knew it was impossible to wipe the agony he was putting himself through beneath the cool exterior he held together. However, that didn’t change how badly she wanted to.

“We’ll keep looking.” She said numbly and unfortunately, the words seemed to fail her.

“Until when?” He asked quietly.

She sucked in a breath and placed what she hoped to be a reassuring hand on his shoulder to give it a good squeeze, “Until we find him.”

He met her eyes and stared at her for a moment. Even now, he seemed so calculative and contemplative of what would come next. He seemed to have an ongoing debate with himself whether he should refute what she said or not. 

Instead, he nodded sharply and ducked his head down to move past her. She paused before following him towards the stairs to Ravenclaw tower. The riddle had been exceptionally easy whether by luck or intent to spare both of them from unnecessary stress. She would have found it insulting if she wasn’t so tired.

“What has to be broken before you can use it?”

“An egg.” Obi-Wan mumbled at the same time she thought of it. 

Her heart currently felt like lead despite the equal weight of her eyes that were begging for sleep. She knew this was not going to be a peaceful slumber and until Anakin was found and was confirmed to be safe, she wasn’t sure when she’d sleep well.

Finally, as if sensing her absence, he turned to look at her with the full weight of exhaustion that seemed to overtake him. She moved to follow, but stopped abruptly in her tracks when her eyes caught a crumpled piece of parchment beside the stairwell.

She bent over and gently picked it up. Obi-Wan’s eyes followed her with mild curiosity that was dulled by the hard frown line wrinkling his forehead. She ignored his gaze and unwrinkled it, smoothing it over her knee before holding it up to the mid-afternoon sun that peeped through the large windows. 

“What is it?” He asked finally.

“It looks like homework.” She said around a yawn that got trapped in her throat when she skimmed the top of the page in shock, “Wait.”

He whirled around her, almost knocking her over in a desperate attempt to read over her shoulder. He was so impatient that he took it from her hands without asking and she couldn’t find it in her to be offended as he noticed what she did.

“This is from this morning.” He said. “For a test for tomorrow.”

Another test key? Now? Who could think like this?

“The handwriting is different.” She commented.

“Well, the copycat quill is out of commission.” He fired back eagerly, “This isn’t Anakin’s handwriting either.”

“Anakin couldn’t very well write it if he’s been missing.” She added.

“No one knew he was gone this morning.” He added and she didn’t comment how his voice caught a bit when he said “gone”. 

The writing was quite smudged and difficult to tell exactly who it belonged to and seemed to have been covered in some sort of beverage that smeared it. Still, the two prefects looked to each other in renewed vigor.

“He didn’t do it.” Obi-Wan released a breath that Satine couldn’t tell was from relief or exasperation, “And I… I doubted him.”

“Ben…” She offered lamely, once again angered that she couldn’t deduce a better thing to say in a time like this. 

“He told the truth and no one believed him.” He said with more fire to his tone. He crumpled the parchment in one hand around a fist. His eyes were burning and seemed to be glazed over, “And it might cost him his life.”

“Don’t talk like that.” She said as she gently pried his fingers one-by-one off the paper. She wouldn’t say it, but they needed to analyze this later. Much later. There were bigger priorities at stake at the moment regardless of whether Anakin was innocent or not.

It was looking to be the former more and more, of course, which didn’t ease Satine’s own guilt that had been tingling at her skin for the past week or so. This was damning proof of that. 

Obi-Wan moved up the stairs, letting the heels of his loafers hit the stairs with added purpose as he climbed and Satine had to hastily hurry behind him to catch up. She could understand why he was so upset, but really, Obi-Wan had believed him for as long as reason allowed. Someone was clearly out to get the kid.

She winced at the thought of harm befalling him at their own faults for not believing him.

“I’m guessing you’re not going to sleep, are you?” She called.

“How can I sleep when he’s out there?” He hissed as they reached the top, each leaning against the railing and facing each other.

“Because you’re not going to be much good to him if you’re dead tired.” She said, “At least try.”

He looked away, clearly not keen on doing that even if he had to acknowledge that it was for the best.

“This can wait.” She said as she gestured to the letter.

“No, it can’t!” He said, “It could all be connected.”

“Connected or not, finding him is the first priority.” She said.

“He’s out there cold and alone and thinking no one believes him!” He gritted, “And it’s all my fault.”

“No it isn’t.” She felt it was hers, in a way. What if she’d allowed Ben to go after him as he’d initially intended? That was clearly what had tipped him over the edge. Her heart hammered in her chest over the thought. 

“I failed him.” He finally said with a heavy swallow, “You don’t understand how that feels.”

“You didn’t.” She insisted. “You chose him when no one else did- when no one else would because you saw something in him, right?”

“Satine.” He sighed.

“And you continued to choose him despite what anyone else said.” She winced, “Despite what I said.”

“When he admitted to doing the prank I thought-”

“-I’m not going to pretend you weren’t wrong.” She said, “I was too and so were the professors and most of the student body. That being said, Anakin didn’t help his case by crying wolf a bit.”

“What?”

She shook her head, “Muggle-saying. What I mean is: whoever took advantage of him knew he would be an easy target because of his mischievous tendencies.”

“He thought I didn’t want him as my mentee! That I was stuck with him!”

“But I know that isn’t true.” She said, “And you’ll get your chance to prove him wrong when we find him and bring whoever did this to justice.”

“How can you be so sure?” He finally asked.

“Because I’m usually right.” She said logically, “And because I know you and that you are going to do right by him for this.”

He nodded again, “Alright.”

“So, you’ll try and rest?”

“I’ll try.” The ghost of a smile hinted at the corners of his mouth, “I’d tease you for trying to mother me but-”

“-I’m nothing like your mother.” She gave him a slight shove, “Now, off to bed with you.”

“I hope he’s okay.” He said gently.

Her own levity fell to the floor hard, “Me too.”

***

A long dark hallway.

Anakin had guessed it would have been the Zillo Beast’s prison, but the walls and floor were smooth as glass. There was someone watching him, but he couldn’t see them. No matter how far he moved down the hallway the feeling remained just the same. He tried a few doors as he passed by, but none of them opened and when he knocked, it was like sound no longer existed. Even if there had been people in those rooms who could help him, tell him where he was, they would not hear him.

He’d tried to call for help, called out for his mum, Obi-Wan, and Qui-Gon, but it was like his voice wasn’t working. At the very end of the hall was a door cracked open and it seemed to be his only possible chance of escape. It was calling to him like a siren song.

“Vader,” It hissed, “He’s coming,” It repeated like a chant.

He felt if he could only get to that door that he’d have a chance against his stalker. Right as his hand outstretched for the door, it slammed shut, the whole hallway shook like an earthquake and Anakin felt himself falling. He reached his hand out, searching for a broom that wasn’t there or hoping for his wand to fall into his hand, but neither happened.

He landed on a sturdy slab of concrete. It hadn’t hurt as bad as he thought it should have. He could deal with a little bruising, but as he tried to stand, dark red glowing chains fastened themselves around his wrists and his ankles. He struggled frantically to get away, but with each thrash the chains just pulled themselves tighter. He was forced to still or else he’d soon be ripped apart.

Shoes clicked across the floor. A painfully slow pace and out of sight. What would become of him, Anakin wasn’t sure, but he felt fear like he’d never known. He desperately wanted anyone to come and save him, but he was too afraid to try his voice again.

“Through victory,” A voice whispered, far too close to him, “He will rise.”

A sword glinted above him, familiar and silver with inlaid gems. It was only then that Anakin tried his voice again, but as if he’d been silenced by magic his scream disappeared from his lips. The hooded figure had finally come into view enough for Anakin to see teeth bared in a snarl as the sword fell towards his heart.

***

Anakin woke up with a gasp and tried to sit up; only for him to realize that he wasn’t in the Gryffindor dormitories. In fact he wasn’t in a bed at all, but a cage. It was uncomfortable and too small for even Anakin to stretch out. He could sit up straight, but his head brushed the bars on top. He immediately looked around for his belongings. He’d learned alohomora for just such an occasion, but saw his school bag resting much too far away at the bottom of a tree. Thinking of only one possible way out of this, he opens his mouth to scream.

“Screaming would be useless,” It sounded like it was whispered and spoken at the same time, unrecognizable. Anakin managed to turn around and saw the cloaked figure standing in the shadows a few feet away, “I have already put a silencing charm around us.”

“What do you want from me?” His voice shook, much as he would hate to admit it, “If you’re planning to kill me, just do it already!”

“No need to rush into things,” The man stepped forward, now that he was standing in the weak light of dawn, Anakin could inspect him better, though he didn’t like what he saw. They were clearly Mace Windu’s robes, though they must have been an older pair as they fit a little oddly in places. Still, there was no mistaking that he had been right all along.

“They’ll find me,” Anakin tried, “Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. And Yoda. They’ll see that I’m gone and they’ll come to find me!”

“You think so?” The figure considered, “We could be anywhere, or nowhere. They won’t find us unless I want them too,” And the figure pulled out his wand very slowly from the inside of his robe, “And I don’t think I do. Not when you have something I want.”

“And what’s that?” Anakin’s eyes flicked towards his bag, he wasn’t sure what he could want, all he had to his name were a couple robes and some worn clothes.

“I won’t so carelessly spoil the surprise,” The man walked forward, his face still cloaked in darkness, “Petrificus Totalus,” He murmured the spell, dancing his wand elegantly through the air and Anakin felt his body lock up so that he could no longer move not even his pinkie. Cruelly, just his eyes were able to move, so he could witness a needle, rather large, being pulled from inside a cloak pocket. The man stuck him with it and Anakin could do nothing, but unlike any doctor's appointment, he wasn’t injecting anything, rather he extracted Anakin’s blood, transferring it neatly in a vial before going for more.

Anakin had assumed that Windu would have preferred to use the sword from his dreams, not a death as slow as draining his blood like a vampire. Anakin focused hard on trying to move, to shove the gloved hands away, but he could do nothing. He tried to remember Qui-Gon’s reminder that magic was not just in a wand, but inside a person and in the air. He tried to call on any of it at all, a desperate plea, but the only relief he was given was the man finally stepping away from him.

“No need for tears, boy,” The man scoffed. Anakin could barely even feel the tracks his tears were making down his face, “The jinx will wear off eventually,” And he set to work, building a small fire, before disappearing back into the woods.

Dawn slowly creeped towards noon before Anakin could finally move properly again. The man had not yet returned, but Anakin took the opportunity to wipe his tears and investigate his surroundings. The fire was still going, but the smoke seemed to not ever rise above the treeline, likely spelled not to give away their location. The cage was locked firmly. Anakin tried to break it open with force, but was unsuccessful. He even tried to use wandless magic again, but it yielded difficult to control and all he managed to do was cause the leaves to swirl around him for, but a moment.

In the end he could really do nothing, but curl up and sleep. Heart full of fear.

***

Yoda’s greatest fears had come true. The darkness that constantly loomed over the horizon and teased Hogwarts for so long was at last on their doorstep and in its midst, was a student- a small child- who did not deserve to be there. Should something happen to the boy, that blood was on their hands and unlike before when students had unfortunately lost their lives to unforeseen accidents or endangerments (which came with the territory of going to an ancient magical school), this was from continuous negligence. 

What was he missing? Clearly, this evil was coming from home. Someone on their faculty was not only lying about who they were, but actively hunting out children. And for what? The only explanation that held water was Qui-Gon’s prophetic leanings and bother Windu as it might, there was something to say about the clairvoyance of the ancients. 

So, in a moment of desperation, Yoda decided it was high time they utilize all of their resources.

“Professor Sifo-Dyas, glad I am that you could meet at such a late hour.” Yoda said quietly, even if no part of him felt very glad. As long as one of his students hurt, he too, felt that pain.

Sifo-Dyas was an odd man by the merit of most wizards in the community and was often brought into question at school board meetings when discussing the benefit of each professor. Many didn’t see divination as a worthwhile means of spending time. Many students felt this too, but there were the lot that loved the subject and saw its merits. Qui-Gon Jinn was one of those students years ago and Dooku even longer before that. 

“Given what’s going on, I suspect all of us must always be ready to be on high alert, Headmaster.” Sifo-Dyas said. Today, he wore his dark black hair in a bun on the top of his head as he normally did, with two long strays that fell at the front, framing his bronze cheekbones. 

“Indeed,” Yoda agreed, “A favor, I must ask of you.”

“Anything you need, Headmaster.” Sifo-Dyas sat criss-cross in the seat offered to him. It was not lost on Yoda that the man was not wearing any shoes or socks or that he’d taken to picking his toenails as he sat.

He shook his head of the distraction and sighed, “Try to look into Skywalker’s mind, I need you to. Ensure that he is alright, you must.”

***

Anakin woke up with a gasp, needles and swords and dark tunnels dancing behind his eyes in great clarity. He felt stiff from sleeping in a small space and he was hungry. The sky had darkened as they approached evening, and his captor was back sitting at the fire, likely waiting for him. He twisted a ring around his finger, but stopped once Anakin’s eyes laid on him.

“Enjoyed your nap?” The man asked, but clearly didn’t expect an answer. Anakin sat up and eyed him. He was still wearing the same robes, which wasn’t uncommon. Anakin was pretty sure Windu didn’t know how to do laundry.

“Some teacher you are,” Anakin spat hugging his knees to his chest, “You know they’ll find you out one of these days.”

“I’m no teacher,” The man poked at the fire, but he was watching Anakin, even though he still couldn’t see his face, he could tell.

“Yeah right,” Anakin continued, “As if I haven’t been right this whole year. No one but a teacher could have been at the school so much. I know who you are, Professor Windu!” He seemed surprised by Anakin’s knowledge, sitting up straighter. Still he laughed, a chilling sound as his voice was still being altered, whispered laughs echoing alongside louder ones.

“Clever,” He shook his head in disbelief, “How long have you known?”

“I’ve always known,” Anakin growled, “Maybe if you’d been any good at acting I wouldn’t have guessed it so easily!”

“Careful,” He warned, “A remark like that isn’t likely going to earn you dinner,” He moved to showcase a small plate, a piece of bread, cheese, and a glass of water sat atop it. Anakin moved towards it automatically, hunger driving him to try reaching through the bars towards it, but the Professor just set it out of reach.

“I thought you wanted me alive,” Anakin kept his voice steady as he tried desperately to reach the plate.

“For now,” He inspected the ring on his fingers as he ignored Anakin’s struggles, “You know a human could live for a few days without water, or even more without food,” Anakin felt panic bubble up inside his chest. Would his professor seriously let him starve, would he be so cruel?

“Alas,” He continued with tilt to the head, “I didn’t bring this here to torture you,” He pulled out his wand, muttering a spell that Anakin hadn’t yet learned and a dark red chain, like those that now haunted his dreams, wove it’s way through the air and fastened itself around Anakin’s neck. 

The door to the cage creaked open and Anakin wasted no time crawling out. It felt wonderful to stand and he did so as he tore into the bread. His eyes scanned the clearing, he still saw nothing familiar, but his bag was still sitting at the base of the tree. Maybe, just maybe he could find a way to get to it.

“Can I change?” Anakin asked, his captor just wrapped and unwrapped the chain around his hands.

“I suppose I could allow you to,” Anakin’s heart picked up in his chest, “If you’re quick about it.”

Anakin took it as a yes and walked swiftly towards his bag, opening it up carefully as to not draw attention. He shoved his hand deep inside. He felt clothes, plenty of them, but nothing to help him, not even one magical relic. Suddenly he wished he’d been a little less anti-magic when he’d run from the castle. There was a tug on his neck and he looked behind him.

“Hurry up,” He was commanded and he nodded before turning back towards his bag with shaky hands. Where was his wand? He knew he’d packed it. He’d been using it to light up his path so he hadn’t forgotten it. He pulled out a clean shirt and set it on the ground next to him. He had a sinking feeling suddenly. His wand was nowhere to be found, if he’d been holding it, then it likely wasn’t going to save him. Quietly he changed shirts, the fabric going through the ghostly chain in a way he couldn’t, but wished for all the same. A sock slipped out of his bag as he was jamming everything back inside and he had an idea. He rolled it up and tucked it under a tree root. If they’d move then there would be a sign that he had been there. He just hoped it would be enough to tip someone off if they were even out here looking.

Anakin walked back over to the robed man and sat next to him staring into the fire. As the flames licked close to his hands, he was reminded of the Gryffindor common room. He and Rex would occasionally sit by the fire when they could steal that spot from the older students. It reminded him of the warmth he felt when Padmé walked past him, of the reckless matches he played in Quidditch, of the courage of his best friend. Somewhere in his heart was that bravery, that fearlessness, or else that hat would have put him somewhere else. He wasn’t sure what would happen to him, but he would try to be brave.

***

“He’s alive.” Sifo-Dyas breathed, sweat gathering profusely on his face as he tried to center himself. He’d fallen to the floor during his efforts to channel Anakin and while he managed to derive some vague images: swords, dark cloaks, red chains, and the face of each of Anakin’s friends and mother, there was not much described on his location.

Strangely enough, Sifo-Dyas kept being drawn to the image of a sock. 

“Counts for something, that must.” Yoda said gravely, “For how long, we do not know?”

“I couldn’t see the kidnapper.” He said sadly but shuttered, “There’s something very familiar about the man, though, headmaster.”

“Works here, he does.” Yoda said and tapped his fingers to his desk before turning, “Go off to meet with the Minister of Magic, I must.”

“And what will he do?”

“If found, Anakin is not. Removed, I will be.” He said, “Care for that, I do not. The life of a child, the main priority is.”

“I’m coming with you.” Mace Windu’s voice boomed from the entryway, “If anyone should take the blame for Skywalker’s desire to leave the school, I’d say it’s most appropriate that it’s me.”

***

Obi-Wan was supposed to be in class. He’d already skipped his first and Dooku wasn’t the type to let something like a skipped class slide, but Obi-Wan couldn’t focus on something as trivial as school work when Anakin was missing. Spread out on the table before him, similar to every moment he was not actively searching the school or the grounds were documents, snippets of Anakin’s recent homework assignments, he had a couple of his textbooks, and perhaps most usefully, a map. He drew the map from memory and it was an exact scale replica of Anakins, with the exception that it hadn’t been enchanted with castle knowledge as such a thing wasn’t an easy task.

When he’d seen the map Anakin had been in class and it had been well over a month ago, so it wasn’t like it had any bearings to his current whereabouts. The tunnels however provided more useful. Many of them, he couldn’t tell how they opened, but he could tell where they led and he’d checked every last one of the entrances and exits for any clues. He couldn’t say it was all hopeless though, he’d been trying to figure out how to get into a few hidden rooms in case Anakin had just hidden away.

He moved to flip through Anakin’s charms textbook again. It had several notes shoved into it though many were pretty useless. There were a few crude drawings of Mace Windu with a silly face and one or two notes that clearly had been passed back and forth between him and Rex during class, but none of these held much investigative substance.

The clock tower rang out and he jumped at the sudden noise, snapping the book shut. So he was officially skipping his second class of the day. Satine would surely argue with him later, but she’d also likely share her notes so Obi-Wan shuffled his research together and shoved it into his school bag. If he was already planning on missing out, he supposed he may as well search the grounds again.

Leaving Ravenclaw tower, he wondered if it would have been more convenient to live closer to the ground floor like Hufflepuff and Slytherin. Though, he supposed he didn’t like the idea of living in the cold dark dungeons, as much as he had as a young child. His shoes clicked as he continued his march through the halls. He found walking with an air of confidence allowed him to be left alone by any stray professors or fellow prefects.

He passed by Bail Organa with a sharp nod and his friend simply smiled back, though it seemed sad and Obi-Wan moved swiftly on as to not dwell on it. He’d nearly managed to make it out the front doors when someone cleared their throat from behind him.

“Need I remind you that students are to be in their classes?” Qui-Gon stood tall, as always and Obi-Wan tried to match his stature even though he doubted he’d ever be eye to eye with his mentor.

“I’m a prefect,” Obi-Wan reminded him, “I’m investigating.”

“And when has either of those things exempt you from class?” Qui-Gon lectured, “A good prefect should be a shining example.”

“Anakin is missing,” Obi-Wan reminded him, gesturing through the open doors to the grounds, “He could be lost or injured or… Or worse,” He felt his voice catch, but he ignored it. He didn’t want to be upset in front of Qui-Gon, not when the professor was still mad at him, “A good prefect would keep everyone safe,” He didn’t say that he felt he’d failed at such a task.

“Well,” Qui-Gon did seem to hesitate, “I suppose you’re right. All that truly matters is Anakin’s safety,” Obi-Wan let his hands drop to his sides.

“Then can I go?” He asked, wanting to be out doing something that wasn’t being lectured at in the entryway. Though he couldn’t help how his heart sank at Qui-Gon’s words, was Anakin really the only important thing to his mentor? Then again, Anakin would need someone better than him when they returned.

“I’ll go with you,” Qui-Gon decided, “I don’t have a class at the moment anyways,” Obi-Wan felt himself bristle, if he wanted someone around he’d have asked Satine to come with him.

“If you insist, professor,” Obi-Wan gave him a stiff nod and turned exiting onto the grounds knowing Qui-Gon would follow.

There were Auror’s standing at the entrance, discussing something, but Obi-Wan tried not to spare them a glance, lest he seemed too interested. They on the other hand, watched him with scrutiny until they saw Qui-Gon following. Obi-Wan supposed he, too, would find a student loose on the grounds during class to be suspicious. Perhaps, it wasn’t as unfortunate as he thought it would be having Qui-Gon around.

“Well, where should we start,” Qui-Gon asked and Obi-Wan looked up at him through the corner of his eye. Yes indeed, where should they start? The grounds had been covered probably a thousand times, and he doubted Qui-Gon would let him venture into the forbidden forest, though that had also been sweeped and cleared. The Auror’s likely swept every possible location in the area, had he been an Auror with no other responsibilities, he’d likely have done the same already.

There hadn’t been a sign of a struggle, not that it was completely ruled out. Anakin had been dejected prior to his disappearance. If he hadn’t been taken, perhaps the thought to leave had been placed in his mind already. He looked up at the castle, tall like a fortress. He couldn’t quite see Ravenclaw’s tower from this spot. Gryffindor tower however…

“Is that the Gryffindor dorms?” Obi-Wan asked Qui-Gon for clarification, Qui-Gon joined him in squinting up at the windows, though he looked rather confused about the question.

“I believe so,” He turned to Obi-Wan with a frown, “I haven’t spent much time there, myself.”

“Neither have I,” Obi-Wan tried to recall his last excursion to Gryffindor. Their windows were always covered and it was hard to say what you could see from the common room. Anakin’s dormitory had been a little brighter, and Anakin had been looking out the window when they were searching his things.

“And windows are important, how exactly?” Qui-Gon asked and Obi-Wan turned to him.

“Anakin’s not-” Obi-Wan hesitated, “Well I don’t mean to say that he’s not a bright boy, but he’s young and thinks fairly straight forward. It’s why he has such a hard time writing essays,” Qui-Gon blinked in surprise, but let him continue, “He was looking out the window in his dormitory. If it was looking over the grounds and not the courtyard then he’d be looking at the gate,” He didn’t wait for Qui-Gon to respond before he started walking, sweeping the grounds fiercely as he did so.

“I’m impressed,” Qui-Gon admitted as he caught up to him, “You’ve really grown into mentoring Anakin,” Obi-Wan looked at Qui-Gon sharply.

“Did you expect me to fail?” Obi-Wan asked, “Though I suppose I have failed. I’ve failed myself, Anakin, and you.” He turned his head away quickly moving back to searching the ground.

“Obi-Wan...” Qui-Gon had stopped walking, but Obi-Wan picked up the pace.

He didn’t want to be reminded of his failures, not when he was actively trying to help. He hurried along, outpacing Qui-Gon until he paused at the gates. They were closed, and Qui-Gon grabbed him by the shoulder.

“Obi-Wan, you-”

“-Can you open this?” Obi-Wan interrupted. Qui-Gon didn’t move towards his wand so he moved towards his instead, “Then at least can I?”

“I- of course,” Whether he’d stunned his professor into the answer or not, he waved his wand and unlocked the great gates, then moved again to spell them open.

He felt odd stepping off of school property and he wasn’t sure he’d have done it if he didn’t have a second pair of eyes with him, but he moved forwards anyways. The grass was fairly trampled, clearly the Aurors and professor had come through to check this path as well. He tried to put himself in the mindset of Anakin.

“Obi-Wan!” Qui-Gon caught him by the shoulder again and this time Obi-Wan didn’t have a reason to interrupt, “You don’t honestly think you’ve failed do you?”

“This is not the discussion I want to be having right now,” Obi-Wan gestured to the path with his wand, “We have bigger problems. Like you said, the only thing that matters is Anakin,” And though they clearly both meant the sentiment, Qui-Gon flinched.

“Obi-Wan, you haven’t failed. You’ve been an excellent mentor to Anakin,” Obi-Wan rolled his eyes, childish, but he didn’t feel he had to put on a mask.

“Yes some mentor I was, accused my mentee of a crime he didn’t commit and now he’s lost or been taken,” He argued, shaking off Qui-Gon’s hand, though it was quickly replaced with a hand on each of his shoulders. He was locked in place.

“You were doing your duty as a prefect,” Qui-Gon winced as he said it, “If anyone’s failed, perhaps it is I. I made you feel like you did something wrong when all you ever do is the right thing,” He sighed, “I’ve never been much for following the books to the letter, but I shouldn’t have expected you to mirror me in that regard. So I-” He’d been about to seal his apology, but Obi-Wan gasped, stooping down to further inspect a bush.

Had they not stopped here, he wouldn’t have noticed it. It blended in like a fallen stick, but as he pulled it out, it was so clearly a wand, Anakin’s wand that he must have dropped in shock.

“He’s without a wand then,” Obi-Wan took a sharp breath before gathering it up into his hands.

“So he was here,” Qui-Gon was suddenly on high alert. He pulled out his own wand. He was casting a handful of spells, only a few Obi-Wan could recall having learned thus far, but he perked up as he realized he was searching traces of a spell being cast.

The air seemed charged with magical imagery as if the air itself was recalling what had transpired. Ghosts of a lumos charm hung in the air at several places, but one spell, red and angry, appeared right in front of his nose.

“Stupify,” Obi-Wan glanced around as if he too would be the next victim, “He was attacked!”

“So he left school, on his own volition,” Qui-Gon mused.

“Do you think they apperated away?” Obi-Wan stroked his chin as he stared through the trees.

“It’s too risky,” Qui-Gon explained, “To apparate with another person who could come too at any moment? Not if they didn’t want to accidentally decapitate him,” The thought made Obi-Wan’s stomach flip.

“I hope you’re right then,” He glanced around, “He wouldn’t have gone towards the forbidden forest. That’s suicide,” Obi-Wan pointed towards Hogsmeade, “There’s plenty of forest at the end of the village.”

“We haven’t checked there yet,” Qui-Gon was already jogging as he said it and Obi-Wan chased after him.

The town was quiet, only a few local patrons around today. None of them expected a Hogwarts professor followed by a young student to come barrelling down the street. Obi-Wan barely managed to duck under a serving tray as he ran a bit too close to The Three Broomsticks.

“Do you think they’re still going to be so close to the school?” Obi-Wan called over.

“If they are, I’m going to be very suspicious of my colleagues,” Qui-Gon admitted. They both slowed down at the edge of the forest. Obi-Wan felt like he’d just run a race against Cody, but he tried to look less run down as Qui-Gon waved them forward.

“Oh, look here,” Obi-Wan pointed towards a rather large stick that looked like it had been broken in half, “It doesn’t seem to match up to where it fell from, that’s odd right?”

“Good eye,” Qui-Gon nodded, “Anything’s useful in an investigation, remember that.”

“Yes sir,” Obi-Wan acknowledged as he tightened his grip on his wand.

They moved farther in until they got to a clearing. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but Qui-Gon stopped.

“I’m going to check the area, stay sharp,” He instructed, repeating the last set of spells. Obi-Wan muttered a spell of his own, a low level wind spell that swept debris out of the way wherever he pointed his wand. He swept around the perimeter, but wasn’t finding much except sticks. Obi-Wan knelt down and picked up one of the sticks, there wasn’t anything particularly exciting about it, but one end of it was a little charred which made his heart leap with both worry and excitement. He turned his head to yell to Qui-Gon when a flash of red caught his eye.

He scrambled over to the splash of color and his heart nearly beat out of his chest at the sight. Fabric, definitely not native to the woods. When he pulled it out he waved it like a flag to Qui-Gon, hardly needing to look at it to recognize who its owner was.

“He was here!” He called and Qui-Gon dropped his spell immediately to run over, “I wouldn’t have seen it if I hadn’t been knelt down,” He rambled breathlessly, “And this too,” He showed him the stick.

“I couldn’t get any spells to reveal themselves,” Qui-Gon’s eyes flashed with hope, “They must have been here recently if the wards are still fresh,” They both stood looking around.

“All we have to do is figure out which way they went and they’re as good as found!” Obi-Wan grinned, extending his arm, “I do believe all those charms books we read may come in handy yet.”

***

Rex couldn’t care less about charms right now. In fact, he couldn’t care less for any subject or any minute detail at this school that wasn’t figuring out where Anakin had gone off to. It was vastly approaching two days since he’d gone missing and despite accounts from ghosts saying Anakin left on his own accord, the fact that the Aurors couldn’t find a trace of him didn’t speak much confidence to his intended plan of freedom.

Anger coiled in his stomach in a manner that couldn’t be released. If he did, he might do something he’d later regret, like punch the smarmy grin off of Sebulba’s ugly face. Well, he wouldn’t regret that, but he knew none of his emotional impulses would bring Anakin back. 

Did that stop him from how mind-numbingly frustrated he grew when he remembered how unhappy Anakin was and how he’d essentially been driven to this point by everyone he was supposed to trust. Even Rex, who never doubted Anakin in the first place, felt he didn’t do quite enough to make Hogwarts feel enough like home for him. 

Not enough to stay, anyway.

He forced any self pity to roll off his shoulders, knowing he didn’t deserve it and that it wouldn’t do anyone any good at the end of the day. 

Today was a bit easier to breathe through without having to look at Windu’s unassumingly stoic features for a class period. He feared that if he did, Rex would spend the entire period mentally trying to uncrack whatever spell Windu placed on everyone to make him so believably innocent. Rex had his doubts when Anakin brought it up, but now that Windu was “sick” while Anakin just so happened to be missing, he knew with fire in his bones that this was the lead they needed, that Anakin was right and all the evil they needed was right there in Hogwarts.

He tried to reason with the Aurors when interviewed, but they all tried to strip away bias in order to look at facts and hunches based on those facts. To them, Windu didn’t seem like a possible threat for reasons they didn’t and wouldn’t explain to a 12 year old.

He rested his chin upon his forearms, watching as Ki-Adi Mundi took a crack at teaching the subject. Typically, Yoda would have been the natural substitute, since many moons ago he was the charms professor, but the headmaster was also conveniently indisposed. If it was possible, Rex was angriest with him for allowing his school to be dictated by such blind hypocrites. More than anything- more than the anger and the guilt and the dread for what was to come, Rex really just wanted his best friend back.

***

“As many of you have likely already gathered, this will be the last class period dedicated entirely to learning new content. For beyond this day, we will proceed in dedicating in-class time to strictly O.W.L. 's preparation.” Professor Dooku’s profoundly deep voice echoed off the classroom walls as each fifth year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw alike regarded him with their sincere attention. The only of whom staring straight through him was none other than Satine Kryze.

And she knew it.

Despite her greatest efforts to remain focused, she couldn’t bring herself to drag her mind away from the glaringly empty seat beside her. It was a pity too, because as usual, Professor Dooku commanded the floor like a general going into battle and everyone seemed hung on his every last word.

“Homenum Revelio. What does that mean to you?” He asked, hands clasped behind him as they usually were and he fixed his fierce gaze on the class.

Bail Organa raised his hand from in front of her, “The latin translation is “to reveal the human”, right?”

“That is correct, Mr. Organa.” He nodded crisply, “And what do you believe it does?”

Bail seemed to think about that as he paused, biting down on his lip before bringing his uncertain dark eyes from his book back up to meet Dooku’s, “Could it possibly mean to reveal one’s true intentions? Or someone’s truest self should they be deceiving anyone?”

Dooku considered him, the beginnings of a smirk cracking at the corner of his mouth and lifting up ever-so-slightly in what could only be assumed as amusement, “You mistake this class for Professor Jinn’s again. You know I am not nearly as metaphorical.”

The class chuckled in good spirit, everyone knowing how Qui-Gon tended to speak in metaphors and philosophies that most did not comprehend in full. 

“As is it were, the true meaning is right there in the name.” Dooku said and turned to write on the chalkboard at the front of the room, “To reveal any human presence in the area.”

Satine fiddled with her quill, knowing that this was likely only going to get more interesting as time went on, but that her mind was only going to continue going faster than she could keep up. The least she could do was take avid notes for him. She knew why the chair was vacant, of course, but her nerves still rattled nearly enough to make her teeth chatter. Ben never skipped class in her entire time of knowing him. 

Hell, even when he was sick it was like pulling teeth to get him to properly take care of himself by taking the day. Of course, she was the exact same way and knew that now more than ever, they needed to be vigilant with their studies.

It hardly seemed fair, of course, to expect students to carry on as normal with a whole classmate missing and Aurors snooping around the school. The fact that it was Anakin and that Ben certainly held himself unreasonably accountable did not help matters in the slightest.

She was still cursing herself for being completely inept at providing any sense of comfort on the subject too, but that had everything to do with how unnerving the situation was. If something bad didn’t happen to him, why was he not found yet? The thought of little Anakin being kidnapped or worse made her feel ill, let alone what Ben was going through.

She knew he had to be looking for him. It’s what she would do for Viz. In fact, had Ben asked her, she would have assisted him too. As Satine shook her knee impatiently for time to proceed faster so she could hastily regroup with her friend and scold him for giving her the heart attack and leaving her out of the loop, she also debated what speech she would undoubtedly have to give Dooku after class in order for him to forgo Ben’s absence. 

After all, to pretend like everything was usual business felt unreasonably heartless when considering Ben’s proximity to the present circumstances. Surely, someone as wise and experienced as Dooku would understand. At least, she hoped so. Otherwise, she’d likely score both of them detention if executed improperly.

Before given the opportunity to mentally unpack her arguments for Ben’s case, class and subsequently, her thought process, was interrupted by an unexpected intrusion from the one and only, Asajj Ventress.

Dooku had been facing the board still, broad back taut and firm as he noticed the sound of an additional audience member. Without even bothering to turn, he sighed, “Ventress? I should hope if you would like for Slytherin house to remain in the running for the house cup that you’d have a decent excuse for interrupting my class.”

There were always rumors about some professors having eyes on the back of their heads, which was a phrase Satine had been amused came over from muggle linguistics, but Dooku was the primary target of most theories and for good reason. It seemed as though his Auror training had fine-tuned him into noticing any minutia of sound or change, making it impossible to sneak up on him. 

Ventress stuck her chin up and avoided the gaze from all the curious classmates as she dared to narrow her eyes with her vain brand of disinterest and glowered at the professor, “I just came to give you this note from Professor Palpatine.”

“Last I checked you were in Herbology.” He straightened.

“I got into a… Bit of a scuffle in the hallway.” She shrugged, “Do you want the note or not?”

Satine had never heard someone speak so brazenly to Dooku, let alone a student, and like everyone else in the room, wondered if he was going to retaliate in a way they knew him capable of.

He turned and looked at her with a scrutiny that Satine wished more people gave to Ventress and finally approached her to accept the note. Everyone eyed the exchange cautiously, as though their ex-Auror defense against the dark arts professor hadn’t faced worse than a 16 year old girl in his life.  

He unfolded the neat parchment and while the elderly professor rarely emoted beyond mild irritation or mute interest, anyone could make out the concern on his features.

“Class, read amongst yourselves. It appears the mandrakes have been engorged yet again.” He cleared his throat and practically ran out of the room.

Before he could entirely escape, Ventress stopped him, “And what of me?”

“Do stay out of trouble.” He said and strangely, Satine could have sworn she felt his gaze flicker to where she sat for the briefest of moments. It passed before she could sweat about it and was instead flooded with relief over having to explain Ben’s absence. Perhaps, she could be grateful to Ventress for the interruption just this once. 

***

Palpatine had been instructing his first year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws on how to use a pensive when he, himself, was reminded of its potential use. While it could not analyze the present, it could no doubt observe the remnants of a dream.

He extracted the memory from his head and carefully deposited the silvery blurb into the pool of memories that currently encapsulated a very specific and professional aspect of Palpatine’s life. No one would find anything else but that of which was school appropriate here. Anything from his private life existed only in his mind’s eye.

“I’m sure you’re all quite aware that one of your classmates, Anakin Skywalker, is currently missing.” He said, forlorn, “And that everyone is doing their utmost to bring him back to us. To do that, I’m going to try something and it might be a bit dark and a tad frightening, but not long ago, I assisted young Skywalker in navigating his nightmares. This, I hope, may prove useful.”

“But Professor,” A young Rodian named Lolo frowned, “I thought dreams didn’t hold any legitimate property.”

“They are not law, but with wizards, they can definitely mean something and hold properties of their own.”

That, and Professor Palpatine had skills most were not privy to. If he were to tap into some of his own knowledge as well, no one would be any the wiser. 

So, they watched as Anakin was surrounded by trees where the roots closed in on him and seemed to strangle him into a cage that was especially made to shove the boy to the dirt. Darkness surrounded him as he cried out in desperation, but with a growing paleness that was unusual to his bright features. The eyes of the Zillo Beast glowed behind him before fading back into obscurity as though just an overlay and even Anakin, himself, did not appear to take notice. And then, just before the darkness and life seemed to take Anakin Skywalker entirely, there was a beam of light from the upper righthand corner. The sense of familiarity and warmth filled the scene as well as the distinct sound of Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon calling out his name.

“Anakin! Anakin!” 

However, Anakin didn’t stir, but the voices drew closer and closer.

In the background, there was a brief flicker he wished he could pause over, in the top right corner through the trees, where he could make out the top of the castle. 

Could they truly be that close?

“Pardon me, class.” He grabbed for his wand and nearly dropped it into the pensive, “I must seek out Professor Dooku.”

Palpatine was relieved he’d run into that troublesome Ventress girl in the hallway when he did. He was in a rush and didn’t have time to consider his errand-runner too deeply. She’d been nosy, of course, but he enchanted the letter to only be readable from Dooku as insurance that she wouldn’t try and involve herself in any unnecessary danger. 

Time was of the essence and whoever took Anakin Skywalker would need to be dealt with.

***

Anakin found that the worst part of being captured was the waiting. Sleeping was difficult on the hard and lumpy ground beneath him in the cage forged specifically by his attacker. Eating was never hard, though his mouth always felt a bit like he was inhaling sand along with the food and hated how unsure he was for another meal. Maintaining remnants of his dignity was growing harder as time did or didn’t pass. He couldn’t even tell the time of day from the bubble Windu had created for them.

And worst of all? He wasn’t quite sure what it was he was even waiting for. Sure, he definitely waited for his next meal or to allow the day to pass him by with more sleep. But despite how his kidnapper’s plans were clearly not bright for Anakin’s future, he still couldn’t quite tamper out the hope that bubbled inside of him every now and then. Surely, someone had to look for him, right?

At the very least, Rex would ask, right?

Though Anakin feared he might have burned that bridge by failing to say goodbye. Despite his previous insistence to desert Hogwarts and run home, he yearned to be back within the safety of the castle walls and with his friends again. All of his problems suddenly felt exponentially small in comparison to this.

But Obi-Wan would still look for him. Yes, even if he had been upset with Anakin and Anakin had been upset with him, Obi-Wan was the most law-abiding and noble young wizard at their school. He would never let a student fall through the cracks if he could help it. And he would try.

Anakin believed that.

He did wonder how much time had passed since he’d been gone. The lack of proper lighting made it impossible to tell when the days and nights began and ended. He hadn’t even seen his kidnapper all day to bother him with such questions, though last time he’d asked he received an answer about how disillusionment was good for him. Anakin didn’t know what that meant, but was wise for not providing further questioning. It was far from the time for any of that.

He supposed it could be worse. The only physical harm done to him was when his blood was taken and that still only made him feel a bit sleepy more than anything. It was scarier in the moment, but frankly, Anakin never quite liked shots to begin with. He did drink the warm tea provided to him twice, which if he had to guess, meant it happened at night. He never took Windu as an Early Grey sort of man in terms of tea, but it was definitely one of the miniscule surprises offered to him.

The first of which was how long it took him to fear for his mum. Was she out there looking for him? Was she terrified? Did she even know he was gone? He didn’t know what he quite preferred. On one hand, he knew she would want to know, even if it was the worst of news. On the other, the image of her frantic and crying in his little bedroom at home made his heart sag so heavy that he laid down.

Even if it was a promise he couldn’t keep, he silently vowed to return to her again, to see things through. This was only but a test for him somehow. For them, regardless of how unfair that was.

He would apologize to Obi-Wan for ever giving him reason to doubt him. 

He would prove Windu guilty so that nothing like this ever happened to anyone else. 

He would grow to become the strongest wizard who ever lived. 

It was these motivating goals that didn’t make him feel like he was at risk of melting into the ground and submitting to whatever else Windu had lined up for him. It still irked him beyond measure that he didn’t even know what the plan was. Weren’t villains supposed to monologue? That was how he remembered it on his Saturday morning cartoons, anyway. Clearly, it had something to do with his blood since the creep couldn’t seem to get enough of that.

Then, Anakin gasped, surprising even himself with his own voice for the first time that day,

What if Mace Windu was a vampire?

Surely, such creatures existed in the magical world too. Windu had alluded to werewolves before in the form of animagi and what if he’d been discreetly describing his own species? What if Anakin was a specific blood type that he required and this was to be his century-lasting “feeding”? 

Would Anakin become a vampire?

That question never received an answer when a beam of red light ricocheted off of an unseen barrier and exploded into the disarming display of shattering glass- each previously picturesque view of the spooky wood splintering and falling to the wet grass beneath it.  

A blinding flash emerged from where the centrifugal force of power had previously burst out, eclipsing his view of the two figures that faced one another- looking nothing more like hazy shadows. One dominated over the other in height, but that didn’t seem to delude the smaller figure’s determination.

Between them, red met purple in an ugly spider-web of magical disagreement- one going for the kill and the other, fighting for Anakin’s life.  

Anakin didn’t allow himself to feel excitement just yet, still recovering from the simultaneous burning and warming sensation from sun-exposure and debating if this was all some theatrical dream.  

“I believe you have something that doesn’t belong to you.” A kind, familiar voice spoke and it evoked the feeling of safety for the first time since this nightmare began, “Or shall I say, someone.”

“That would be a matter of perspective.” Windu, donned heavily in robes that billowed in a wind that was only created by the clash of the two wizard’s streams of power that erupted from their wands. His voice, despite being in a whispered tone, still could be heard as they struggled for dominance. 

As the sun became bearable to handle once again and the shorter figure’s gentle yet steadfast face came into focus when positioned directly in front of the sun, Anakin could no longer prevent his heart from exploring hope and resolve.

“Professor Palpatine!” He chirped.

“My my, Anakin, someone never told this one to pick on someone their own size, hm?” Palpatine winked at him without breaking his focus on deflecting the purple current of electricity zigzagging his way. It reminded Anakin acutely of the lightning bolts that were used on the Zillo Beast. He shuddered to think what they might have felt like.

Anakin decided not to remind Palpatine that he was also substantially shorter than Windu, even if Anakin was also positive Windu made himself a bit taller in this dark persona.

“The boy must die.” He hissed and began to strain under Palpatine’s sheer power.

Despite holding out strong, the potions professor also appeared to be whittling down as the duel endured. He shook his head slowly and took a deep breath.

“You know nothing.” Palpatine assured, “He will grow good and strong and embrace his own destiny… Not whatever perversion you’ve concocted.”

Anakin felt as though his soul was singing at the sound of that. He’d thought about it and pledged to see it through, but it was a whole other concept hearing it from someone he looked up to. 

He felt seen. He’d never felt that before. 

“Says who?” He hissed. “You grow weak, old man.”

“Says us.” Another resolute voice boomed and Anakin had to strain his head from inside the cage to turn towards the voice, but was once again bombarded with an array of blue and green light hurdling this time, towards him. The cage shattered and Anakin stood, stretching his legs and arms for the first time in what felt like years.

“Anakin! Hide!” Qui-Gon’s voice shouted this time and he took his place next to Palpatine, who together, in a combined effort, overpowered the sinister phantom, who was quivering in retaliation to their onslaught. 

Anakin did as he was told and jumped behind a nearby rock, but still allowed himself a proper view of the unfolding battle before him. A hand settled on Anakin’s shoulder and he flinched, but quickly relaxed when he turned to a familiar set of worried blue eyes that were currently trying to assess him for any physical damage.

“We’ve got to get you out of here.” Obi-Wan said.

“Not without them!” Anakin insisted.

“Anakin, look!” Slowly, but surely, the green and red magic consumed the purple and the cloaked figure was sent spiraling backwards against the tree behind him. As soon as he slumped, Obi-Wan yanked on Anakin’s arm to tug him in the direction out of the woods and for something beyond reason, Anakin felt his weight go dead. He should want to flee, to escape, to be free again. However, he was inexplicably drawn to what brought him here and wanted to look his attacker in the light of day.

Maybe that was the Gryffindor in him.

Palpatine lowered his wand and nodded at Qui-Gon, “That should show him to trifle with our students- AGH!”

The burst of sporadic purple lightning happened quicker than Anakin could even blink or process his newfound freedom or the fact that Obi-Wan’s hold on him had evolved to essentially throwing him over his shoulder and tumbling them through the clearing, ignoring Anakin’s screams as they ripped through the otherwise tranquil spring afternoon. 

The last thing Anakin saw inside the clearing was the grandiose exit of the black ghost- leaving nothing but a sharp bolt of electricity following them in his wake.

They hit the ground and rolled for a second before Obi-Wan stabilized him and once again looked for any immediate wounds. When he seemed satisfied with this, he sagged back in relief. The powerful outburst scorched the ground a meter or so away, proving to show just how narrow their escape had been.

Yet Anakin could not revel in it just yet. 

Anakin struggled to his feet, nearly toppling over from the adrenaline that was coming in waves that piqued and crescendoed in the most unsettling manner of unpredictability. He was centered only by Obi-Wan, who placed two firm hands on his shoulders and in the broader daylight, looked more disheveled than Anakin had ever seen him all year. 

“We have to go back for Palpatine! He’s hurt!”

Obi-Wan opened his mouth, surely to argue, since it was one of the things he was best at, but was cut short by the burst of smoke that seeped instantly from the clearing and more prominently, an emerging Qui-Gon and Palpatine, the ladder of which had an arm slung around the former. 

“Professor!” Anakin cried and was waved weakly at.

“No worries, it’s just a scratch.” His smile faded, “I’m more concerned about you.”

“I’m not hurt.” Anakin answered.

“That’s not the only part I’m concerned about.” Qui-Gon said.

Obi-Wan rushed forward and took the other arm for added support.

Palpatine winced, “Thank you, Mr. Kenobi, though I’m really not worth the fuss.”

“On the contrary, Professor Palpatine, that wound looks nasty. We’ll need to get you looked at by Madame Nema pronto.” Qui-Gon said, but cast his shining gaze over to Anakin, “I think we would all like to get back to Hogwarts.”

***

It wasn’t until they were safely within the castle walls again that Anakin really allowed himself to breathe properly. He knew he was safe with Qui-Gon and Palpatine in theory, but it was unsettling to know that the phantom Windu had gotten away. 

Nobody said anything about “I told you so” or gave any scathing lectures on leaving school grounds. Nobody blamed Anakin for what happened to Palpatine nor did they grill him for details on the phantom man. For a while, nobody really spoke at all, which was fine by Anakin, seeing as he felt he might slump over into a long sleep at any moment.

Still, it felt prudent that they know just what their sacrifice meant to him. 

“Thank you all for saving me.” He said quietly, when he felt they were alone enough for it to not draw too much attention. Though, he didn’t miss how when they drifted through the halls all the curious and relieved glances that came to light when they saw him. Even Sebulba looked happy to have his favorite little victim back in the castle- not that Anakin would ever allow himself to be his victim. 

“Don’t mention it, Anakin, my boy.” Palpatine chuckled from his hospital cot, “We are just happy to have you back.”

“I’ll say,” Obi-Wan squeezed his shoulder and was looking at him as though if he didn’t maintain focus, Anakin would float away, “We were worried sick.”

“I didn’t mean to be a bother.” He said and looked down. “I’m sorry I-”

“I am so sorry.” Obi-Wan cut him off and then his eyes grew wide, “You’re sorry? Anakin, I should have believed you were telling the truth.”

“I didn’t give you much reason to.”

“But I should know you better.” Obi-Wan amended and poked him in the chest. “Because I do believe in you and not from some misplaced obligation, but because I just do, even if I struggle sometimes with the irrationality of that. I just let my perceived duties cloud my judgment.”

“And he’s not just saying that because I suggested you two pair up.” Qui-Gon added with a warm and knowing smile, “I suggested you pair up, because I knew you would be a dynamic fit that could grow from one another. And judging by Obi-Wan’s relentlessness at finding you and how he’d single-handedly succeeded in doing so-”

“-I wouldn’t say single-handedly.” Obi-Wan flushed and scratched the back of his neck.

“-You wouldn’t, but you should.” Qui-Gon added enthusiastically, “Seeing as you found every clue that even the Aurors could not and pieced together where Anakin could be by wit and guile alone.”

“I agree.” Palpatine smiled weakly, but began to fade from the drowsy potion Madame Nema had given him to sleep off his wounds, “But what matters, is that young Skywalker is safe.”

“And wanted here.” Obi-Wan said gently before reaching into his robe, “Which reminds me, I think you dropped this… If you’ll still have it.”

Anakin gaped as Obi-Wan outstretched his wand to him carefully and despite the theatrics of the first time he held it being a memory that he felt would always be intrinsic to how he connected to magic, this felt just as meaningful. Immediately after grasping it, he lunged into Obi-Wan’s arms, who hesitated before patting Anakin on the back awkwardly. Anakin didn’t mind though. He really didn’t take Obi-Wan for a hugger in the first place.

***

Everyone could breathe a little easier since Anakin had been miraculously saved by the brave endeavors of Professor Palpatine. It only took about a week’s time for things to start gradually returning to normal. While Anakin’s detentions had been lifted, they had been replaced with wellness checks to ensure that emotionally, the boy was recovering from his traumatic experience. 

How, something of that magnitude could be measured, Satine was unsure, but she supposed the sentiment was of the right mindset. Wizards seemed less keen on properly addressing or acknowledging mental health than muggles, which was saying something, but even they could not deny the possible long term effects a kidnapping could have on a young child.

That being said, Anakin seemed to be as bouncy and spirited as ever- certainly better off than before he was taken. He and Obi-Wan had made up, which repaired both of their moods tremendously. It was obvious they were conspiring on figuring out how to bring Anakin’s kidnapper to justice and were very tight-lipped about the whole ordeal, which Satine didn’t mind. It left her to her own devices and her own burgeoning questions.

Like, who has been cheating this entire damn time if not Anakin?

It honestly hadn’t poked at her mind until the week after the incident (which was how the student body had taken to referencing Anakin’s kidnapping). However, it did rightfully take a back seat to the insidious villain that lurked in the shadows and kidnapped little boys in the dead of the night. 

Hogwarts was really building its own volume of horror stories this year, alone.

But this person was still working and despite how long this had gone on, they were losing their touch. 

No, this cheating prank was indubitably committed by a child. While seemingly brilliant in a mastermind sort of way, the mistake of continuing the ruse even after Anakin had been caught was foolish and with the pompousness of someone who felt they were too good to be had.

As though despite the chaos that had been distracting most, that someone wouldn’t be watching. 

How had this person eluded all of the prefects? Hondo has insisted on multiple occasions that he was able to bribe some of them, but not all. 

Well, Anakin had eluded the prefects for his Sebulba prank, so she felt it best to go to a familiar source.

“Am I in trouble?” Rex asked as he joined her in Obi-Wan’s usual seat across from her. His eyes flickered to Vizsla in curiosity, who was taking notes for Satine at her right. His arm healed up the week before, which was certainly to her advantage. She hadn’t even needed to approach him about assisting with the investigation. He’d just appeared at her side, determined to help. She admired that about him.

“Of course not.” Satine said gently, “I want to figure out who is actually responsible for the cheating scandal.”

Rex leaned forward on his forearms in a way that inadvertently mimicked Cody perfectly. Were it not for the bleached hair, he could have been Cody’s twin from when he was in first year. 

“Honestly, I was afraid everyone had forgotten all about that.” He said.

“I haven’t.” She said tactly, “I found an essay template this afternoon.”

Rex’s eyes widened, “Wait, they’re still happening? Even after Anakin was supposedly caught.”

“I was surprised too.” She said, “But I feel this person deems themselves untouchable and has gotten a little… Sloppy.”

“Or, there’s a copycat running amuck.” Viz offered, “That could explain the multiple robes found from different houses.”

Satine paused and looked at him, “I… Hadn’t considered that.”

“It is possible.” Rex mused, “But it requires passage through the tunnels to work, since that’s how the answers are getting stolen, right?”

“Indeed.” Satine said and uncrinkled the piece of parchment she and Obi-Wan had found the day Anakin went missing, “But once that was discovered, professors began enchanting the answer keys to only appear with the use of their wands. Whereas before, they’d only cast security spells on their physical classrooms. So now, these answer keys are imperfect and have errors.”

“Really? I bet people don’t like that.” Rex answered. 

“Whether or not they do is not my problem,” Satine said, “But you know the tunnels well enough, correct?”

“Well,” Rex shifted, “Are you sure I’m not in trouble?”

“You’re not in trouble, Rex.” She said calmly, “I just need to know one thing: is there a tunnel that goes through Ravenclaw tower?”

Rex frowned and paused to think before shaking his head, “No, actually. Anakin said it’s the one common room we can’t access since the tunnel would have to go directly vertical. Said something about there needing to be a secret escalator? Whatever that is.”

“Well, don’t I feel safer from your mischievous pranks.” She snorted.

Rex smiled in spite of himself, “I don’t think he’d dare try and prank you, to be fair.”

“Good.” She smiled and crossed her arms and looked over at Viz, “You’re getting this, right?”

“Trying to get it in writing that Anakin Skywalker will never sneak into Ravenclaw tower?” He asked with a smirk.

“Something like that.” She crossed her arms, “Trying to prove the point that no one can simply sneak into Ravenclaw tower.”

***

Late at night, if she couldn’t sleep, Satine always found the best course of action was exercising her mind until she exhausted herself. Whether or not this was a proper means of falling asleep, she couldn’t say, but it always worked for her. She felt as though her thoughts were racing too far ahead to keep up and needed an outlet for them.

So, she pulled out the cheat sheets that she’d found and compared them to one she’d pieced together months ago. The handwriting of the first could be explained as written by the copycat quill. It was generic and lacked any real personality. However, the newest addition was very calculated and familiar. It was trying incredibly hard to be neutral, which gave it identity. 

She crawled out of bed and drifted down the common room for better lighting and to avoid waking any of her peers. 

She was surprised to find Obi-Wan, who’d promised hours ago that he was going to bed and wouldn’t be burning the candle at both ends studying all night. She knew it wasn’t the truth when he’d said it, but hardly expected to find him passed out on the couch, still dressed in his uniform. 

His head was cushioned over the top of the couch, tilted slightly to the side with one cheek a bit squashed from his positioning. It was one of those moments that she desperately wished she had a camera, though nothing about the scene was funny, per say, just… Charming?

When he abruptly snuffled and muttered something incoherent, she resisted the urge to laugh. Okay, perhaps it was a little funny. Upon closer inspection, he had a bit of drool at the corner of his mouth.

Instead of waking him, she opted to sit next to him as though intending on looping him into her spontaneous investigation. She sat pretzel-legged beside him and pulled out the newest answer key. There was something incredibly familiar about it now that she was looking at it under more scrutiny in broader lighting. 

Or was that because she was staring at it hard enough to burn a whole through the page?

The page was smudged as though someone was dragging their hand as they wrote, making it clear to Satine that the person was writing left-handed. Could it really have just been another copycat?

Then, Satine jolted up and realized, with dawning alertness, that the handwriting on the new answer key matched another critical piece of evidence: the robe.

Anakin Skywalker’s name had been written on “his” robe in a way that Obi-Wan had previously insisted was not his handwriting. It was much too neat and even. They’d saved the tag at Headmaster Yoda’s approval for future reference and she was glad they did. 

Low and behold, it was a clear match. This was the same person the entire time. True to her suspicions, the handwriting only changed because of the copycat quill. Of course, this individual wouldn’t use the quill on Anakin’s cloak, because that was likely done in a quick attempt to “helpfully” suggest his guilt.  

The displeasure in Satine’s gut settled heavy and she contemplated what this may mean. Well, it seemed clear to her that the only way to confirm her already nagging suspicions was to finally catch this cheater in the act. 

She peered her head at Obi-Wan’s wrist to catch a glimpse of his watch. She certainly couldn’t do it now. It was well past 1 in the morning and she really should have been asleep long before. Her eyes lingered briefly on his sleeping figure and a small smile crept to her face. She gently removed the textbook that lay on his lap and placed it on the floor. She resisted the sudden desire to brush the hair away from his forehead and felt her cheeks glow at the intruding thought. 

Her mind was racing and she was positive she wouldn’t be able to properly sleep, but still slouched beside him on the couch and tried to mentally craft her plan. Somewhere, in this process, she must have drifted, because when she awoke in the morning to the sounds of giggling students that passed by, she was on her side, cheek on the armrest, but with a heavy presence on her back.

She turned her head and noticed Obi-Wan’s head rested in the center of her back, an arm strewn loosely over the both of them.

She gave the passing students her best glare and tried to desperately stomp down the fluttering in her chest. It was too early for this nonsense. 

Besides, she had a cheater to catch. 

*** 

It was in potions that Satine was finally able to reconvene with Obi-Wan. Albeit, they couldn’t just simply have a chat in the middle of Professor Palpatine’s lecture on Everlasting Elixirs and the properties behind their longevity. Both were thoroughly versed on the source material thanks in part to their competitive desire to read ahead of the class, but a professor’s context was always useful.

It didn’t stop her from the childish act of passing notes.

Or more useful: vanishing text. 

If Obi-Wan appeared annoyed by her disturbance, he didn’t give any indication. Last she checked, the small smile that tugged on the corner of his mouth was more of a sign of amusement rather than the contrary.

“How do you feel about setting a trap for our cheater?” She scrawled.

The smile on his face, to the outside observer, seemed almost completely neutral and focused, as though he was purely invested in the lesson plan that the professor had detailed for the day. He didn’t even look down at the parchment as he responded.

“I could use a study break.”

This was absolutely fair, considering it felt that all of their time that wasn’t delegated to prefect duties was spent burying their noses into just about every book related to their core subjects. Obi-Wan seemed set on settling for no less than straight O’s and she, herself, was hoping for a similar result. She’d always prided herself on being well-rounded after all. 

“It’s a date.” She wrote without thinking much of it, but from the corners of her eyes did take private satisfaction in how bright his ears got.

Maybe, she’d prove some of her other theories in the near future.

***

In reality, the plan she and Obi-Wan had devised was the farthest thing from a date. Not that Satine would have anything to compare it to, but she was fairly certain that dates didn’t typically involve dragging along your 11 year old mentees on evening patrol. Particularly, when one of those mentees wouldn’t stop trying to burp the alphabet the entire walk through the school.

“I almost had it that time!” Anakin chirped excitedly. “Did you hear? I got all the way to V!” 

“Oh yes, the epitome of true talent.” Vizsla muttered under his breath.

Despite the unpleasantness of that situation, she really didn’t mind considering her thoughts were busied by each intricate step of their plan. She tried her best not to seem unsettled. After all, this was far from the most pressing investigation at play. Every now and then, she’d catch Obi-Wan’s glance, which while she never wanted him to be unhappy, there was something comforting about shared reluctance in a situation such as these. 

“You’ve yet to really detail the plan.” Viz broke her thoughts by holding back to walk in tandem with Satine. He seemed slightly frustrated that Anakin followed suit. 

“Of course,” She said, “I’m sure you’re both wondering why you are here.”

“I’ve sort of learned to stop questioning this kind of thing.” Anakin said casually, “Worst case scenario has basically already happened to me.”

“Still, it will be useful for us to know what to do.” He offered, “Especially should we come in contact with the cheater.”

Pulling all of them aside, Obi-Wan placed a placating hand on both of the first year’s shoulders. His face was firm but not without warmth as he considered them patiently. She didn’t say it, but Satine couldn’t help but admire how good he was with younger children, especially for someone who never had any younger siblings.

She felt that had been somewhat of a hindrance for her in the end.

“You are both very important for this operation.” He said in a low tone, “Unsurprisingly, no cheater in their right mind would believe that Satine or myself would ever be soliciting test information.”

“Because you’re prefects!” Viz answered at the same time Anakin enthusiastically said “Because you’re big geeks!” and Obi-Wan’s mouth twitched in something that was caught between a smile and a frown.

“Whichever you prefer.” Satine drawled with a shrug, “It is much more convincing that first years like yourselves would be invested in this information.”

“Hm,” Her mentee tapped his chin doubtfully, “But I’m not sure they’d believe that I would be doing such a thing. Seeing as you are my mentor and you’d never allow such a lapse in character.”

“And yet the school believed Anakin was capable.” Obi-Wan offered with a shrug and Anakin nodded in agreement, “Never underestimate the presumptions of the masses.” 

“Exactly,” Satine said, “Plus, having Rex and Anakin together would be a bit too obvious that the two were planning something.”

“True, we usually are.” Anakin flashed her a grin and smacked Viz on the back, making the thinner boy grimace at the rough contact, “Come on, Vizzy, we’ve got this!”

He looked at Satine as if unsure, but she nodded encouragingly, so he took that as a sign that this plan was something she’d given a lot of consideration. Besides, they wouldn’t be too far away in case anything got out of control. To prove this, Satine handed Anakin the first half of an extendable ear and took the earpiece. 

“Gross!” He said excitedly as he played with the floppy ear, “Feels real too.”

“Please don’t put it in plain sight,” Obi-Wan sighed. “It’s not the most discrete tool.”

“Thankfully they had wireless models.” Satine commented as she waved the little earbud around. It wasn’t something she had an extensive amount of experience with, but figured it wouldn’t be that different to a music player.

They hadn’t had much time to test the range of the ear, so she held the earpiece close as they walked as far as they could while also able to listen to Anakin’s idle chatter about Quidditch. The farthest they were able to traverse was a broom closet just outside of the library, which was the perfect spot.

***

Anakin really didn’t understand this plan. Then again, he supposed it wasn’t shocking that the prefects’ plans were “safer” in comparison to what he would have conjured up. In fact, he wasn’t entirely sure they were being told all of it. It seemed a little simple to try and use them to lure in the cheater when Vizsla had a good point. Both were mentees to some of the most fearsome prefects in the school. And, Anakin had just been proven innocent of such a task, which the cheater likely did not enjoy. Surely, they’d lay low, right?

Viz also didn’t seem keen that this would work. He did a better job appearing busier than Anakin did, likely because of how used to being in the library he was. He just flipped through his book and kept his eyes down.

“You’re being obvious.” He muttered, breath ghosting hotly over the pages in front of him.

Anakin rolled his eyes, “And you’re not? Nobody reads that close to the page unless they can’t see.”

“I’m far-sighted.” Viz bit back.

“Oh.” Anakin scratched the back of his neck, “Tough break there, mate.”

“I’m not your mate.” He grumbled. 

“Yeah, why is that?”

“Because you’re one of the most annoying people I’ve ever met.” Viz answered quickly, “Any other questions?”

Anakin shrugged, “Sure, why are you such a stick in the mud?”

“Some of us are here to learn.” He said. 

He shook his head and kept reading while Anakin took that as his cue to continue scanning the crowd for someone to approach them. He couldn’t help but feel a little antsy. He trusted that Obi-Wan wouldn’t put him in harm’s way and knew this was completely different from when he’d been held captive, but being bait was still a bit unsettling even on a small scale. 

Still, he wanted to figure this out too. After all, this person had been the reason he’d been suspended from the Quidditch team, which ultimately resulted in his ill-fated attempt at running away from school.

“Why are you so into solving this, anyway?” Anakin asked. “Even I’m not taking notes on who it could be.”

Realizing that they were not going to just sit in silence, he sighed and ran a hand over his blond hair, which was shaved on the sides and had a slight curled swoop at the front. It looked significantly more manicured than it had at the beginning of the year, which Anakin guessed had to do with Viz’s rise in popularity. 

“Maybe because I exercise critical thinking more than you do?” 

“Or because I’ve been busy almost being killed.” Anakin fired back.

The other boy relented at that, “I’m sorry that happened to you.”

“Oh, so you don’t totally hate me.” He leaned forward.

“Not enough to see you dead.” Viz said plainly, “Hating you would be caring a bit too much than what it’s worth.”

“I can’t believe I tried being friends with you.” Anakin huffed and leaned back, feeling as though he’d really gotten him for a moment,

“You weren’t trying to be my friend!” He snapped, “You were using me, because I’m smart. You had no interest in me until I could help you.”

That wounded Anakin, because well, it had been true. He hadn’t realized it then, but he really didn’t think to invite Vizsla along until he’d thought up his plan to possibly explore the tunnels. He just didn’t expect to be seen so quickly.

“I’m sorry.” He said genuinely.

“Let’s just get this over with.” Viz said.

“I don’t think they’re going to show.” Anakin said with a sigh, “Which means all this waiting is going to be for nothing.”

He fixed Anakin with an exasperated stare, “We’ve been here for 10 minutes.”

Anakin just wasn’t sure when enough was enough. That was, of course, until none other than Sebulba came stalking over and he didn’t look pleased.

***

Obi-Wan and Satine sat shoulder-to-shoulder in the broom closet, listening to their mentees bicker back and forth periodically. Only one earpiece came with the set, so she had no choice but to hold it closely between them. If she made any sudden movements at the same time he did, it could create a very awkward situation.

“I had no idea Vizsla felt so strongly against Anakin.” Satine whispered.

“Me neither.” Obi-Wan said, “Perhaps he was trying to be a good sport for you.”

“Maybe.” She said, but it still disappointed her that their mentees didn’t get along. Kids could obviously befriend whoever they so pleased, but it was tough to ignore the undercurrent of disdain in either boys’ voice. It felt a bit like two best friends whose kids grew up and disliked each other.

“You really think this will work?” He asked in a hushed tone that brushed against her ear.

Truthfully, she didn’t know, and moreover, had the nagging feeling that it wasn’t going to go well if it did. 

“Are you doubting my capabilities of drawing a plan?” She deflected easily, but even without being able to see the hard lines of his scowl that she’d memorized perfectly, she knew it was still there.

“Of course not, but we are weighing a lot on the boys.” He said.

“I know,” She said a bit too harshly and sighed, “Hopefully, they prove themselves capable.”

“Doesn’t change that it’s a bit dull from this position.” He muttered and she elbowed him in the ribs.

“Hey!”

“If you don’t hush up, we’re going to be caught.” She hissed.

Admittedly, it was quite boring sitting in the dark for a while. She knew either of them could use their wands to light up the room, but didn’t want anyone to notice they were just sitting in the closet. They’d caught two excitable sixth years playing tonsil hockey; both of which seemed intent on scoring a goal by coming into the closet themselves. Quickly, Satine turned down the volume of the extendable ear. 

Upon seeing the two prefects sitting on the floor, the girl scowled.

“This closet’s taken.” She grumbled.

Satine felt Obi-Wan shift away from her a bit uncomfortably, but the glow of sunlight from behind them showed that his face was stern. She hoped she looked as calm at the offhand comment.

The boy looked much more uneasy, seeing as he knew they were prefects and not just two lovebirds trying to escape for a quick snog. 

“Uh, Obi-Wan, Satine…” He winced.

“Dengar. Aurra Sing.” Satine frowned, unimpressed.

“And what of it?” The Palliduvan girl bristled at the disrespect from a younger student, still not realizing that she was leering down at someone with the power to get them into trouble. Even with minimal lighting, the girl’s skin was the color of bones and her eyes sharp as glass. Her hair was piled on the top of her head, giving the impression that she had no hair on the remainder of her scalp. Dengar, always wrapped in a white turban, while usually characterized as a randy brute, seemed to recognize that this would not end well for them should they continue.

“Detention, maybe.” Obi-Wan offered evenly while gesturing to his and Satine’s prefect buttons.

“Yeah, that’s not going to work for me.” Dengar said.

“And what are you going to do about it?” Aurra asked in a low voice that was surely meant to be seductive. Seeing as she looked more like a praying mantis going in for the kill, Satine didn’t see how. The Slytherin reminded her of Ventress, actually.

“Nothing.” He shrugged, “No broad is worth a howler from mum.” 

Aurra rolled her eyes and pushed the shorter man back with a long pointed finger that looked meant to jab right through him.

“You’re a damn scrub, Dengar.” She shoved him the rest of the way back and disappeared into the hall. He didn’t seem to care enough to chase after her and gave Obi-Wan and Satine a lazy smile.

“Have fun, kids.” He shrugged and the Hufflepuff walked in the opposite direction, likely to find an easier conquest.

After the door was closed and they were entrenched in darkness once again, Obi-Wan found the words to speak.

“Well, that was awkward.” He said.

She flared, “How do you figure? We weren’t the ones trying to play hanky panky in the closet!”

“I didn’t- Not about- I- ugh.” He scowled, “I just meant it’s never comfortable walking in on couples, especially when they’re older.”

“Oh.” She eased back, “To be fair, they sort of walked in on themselves.”

“You know what I mean,” He snorted, “I’m sure we’ll get an earful later.”

“The ear!” She gasped and hastily fumbled to turn up the volume again.

On the other end, all that could be heard was rumpled static, which at first made her wonder if they’d somehow gotten crosswired with another set. However, when she listened more intently, it was clear that Anakin’s high-pitched and desperate voice yelped in the background.

“Stop it, Sebulba!”

***

Logically, it made sense that it was Sebulba, at least to Anakin. He’d never had anything but trouble with the Dug since he arrived at Hogwarts. To be frank, Anakin had also retaliated with his own brand of trouble in response, but that was only because fair was fair. He was a slimy little weasel, who was quite smug when Anakin had been originally punished as the leader of the cheating ring.

But when Sebulba came around the corner with fire in his beady little eyes and a snarl on his long brown snout, which exposed razor sharp teeth, he didn’t go for Anakin. With a swift movement only capable of someone whose feet also could operate as arms, Sebulba snatched Pre Vizsla by the shirt and tossed him across the room into the bookshelf, sending books everywhere.

Despite their previous bickering, Anakin decided immediately that his dislike for Sebulba vastly outweighed any quarrel with Viz. So, he leapt to his feet and jumped between them.

“Move it, Skytalker.” He shoved him aside, which knocked Anakin to the ground. 

“Stop it, Sebulba!” He cried, “It’s me you want, not him.”

He didn’t dignify that with a response and went right back for Vizsla, who was still very flustered from being flung as though he were weightless. He came to when a clawed hand grasped him from the front of the shirt again and held him so they were nose to nose. Fear filled in the young Ravenclaw’s eyes as he took in Sebulba’s seething anger from up close. 

“You promised results!” He tightened his grip a little more. “And you failed.”

“Well,” Vizsla swallowed heavily, “Technically, we failed.”

“What?” Anakin interjected.

“Shut-up.” He spat at him and Viz winced and blinked a few times to try and get the salty goop out of his eye.

“I’m sorry!” He insisted. “I didn’t have access to the keys after you requested a-”

“-Sorry doesn’t fix the fact that I might have to repeat Charms over the summer!” Sebulba growled. “You will pay.” 

He pressed him against the bookshelf and held him there for a moment, “With interest.”

“Wait a minute,” Anakin’s eyes widened as he looked at Sebulba with shock, “You’re not the cheater?”

“You told him I was cheating?” Sebulba hissed with venom in his voice. “That’s a mistake you will not forget. I broke your arm once. I’ll just have to break something else.”

“No! Of course not! It was me! It was all me!” Viz whimpered. 

“Viz!” Anakin’s jaw dropped, “How could you?”

“Tell him, Pissla. Tell him all about your little schemes and all the money you were supposed to make me.”

“I think we’ve heard enough, thank you, Sebulba.” Came the calm and clipped tone of Obi-Wan Kenobi, who when Anakin whirled around, had his wand outstretched and pointed directly at Sebulba with purpose. Satine stood beside him, steel in her eyes as she kept her focus on the Dug and didn’t dare glance at her mentee. Both seemed to be catching their breaths as though they were just running.”

Still, Sebulba’s poisonous rage didn’t deplete and he kept his hold on the first year Ravenclaw without so much as looking back at them.

“I’d hardly call this worth the trouble, Sebulba.” Obi-Wan said sternly. “Put him down.”

“Yeah, you were probably going to fail anyway, right?” Anakin tried, which earned him a glare of his own.

“Stop helping, Anakin.” Obi-Wan sighed, but never lowered his wand.

Finally, as if weighing the true consequences of killing a student in front of two prefects, Sebulba finally relented and carefully dropped Pre Vizsla to his feet and took a few careful steps backwards to separate himself from the issue.

“As promised, you will receive immunity for purchasing a test key.” Obi-Wan said, “Though I cannot overlook the way you manhandled the boy.” 

“I got into character.” He barked.

“Anger management counseling. And detention.” He said stiffly, “For the rest of term.”

Anakin was once again very happy he no longer had detention any longer. That being said, the reminder of why he had detention originally sparked him as he twisted around to look at the shaken Viz, who simultaneously looked as though he was about to be sick or bite someone’s head off. Anakin was a bit too close for comfort for either reaction, but it didn’t stop his own brand of anger.

“You framed me!” He shouted, not caring they were in a library and drawing attention. Neither prefect stopped him either. 

“You were an easy target.” He snapped and gone was any show of remorse or quiet concern that he put on for the grownups. “I should have gotten away with it.”

“But you didn’t.” Satine’s voice startled Anakin, namely because of the uncompromising nature at which her entire demeanor seemed set on piercing straight through Vizsla. There was hurt there, yes, but most prominently was fury and disappointment through her ice blue eyes. He did notice that she didn’t seem surprised.

Viz, however, was surprised, “You set me up.”  

“You got greedy.” She said as she stalked forward, chin held high and seeming inexplicably tall with confidence and disapproval. “Not to mention careless.”

He knew Satine was a stickler for the rules, but if Anakin didn’t know better, it sounded like she was more upset by how Vizsla had fallen into her trap vs. the actual deed that had been done. She hadn’t yet looked towards Anakin, but he really didn’t want her to in this state of mood.

“Careful enough to fool you into believing I was some dull and quiet pacifist with no ambition or ability to take care of myself!” He fired, but it was futile, because he looked like he was at risk of being sucked up by Satine’s orbit of acrimony.

“You’re right.” She said plainly and for a moment, didn’t blink, “However, the truth always manages a way to come out and expose deceivers. Even if it does take a minute.”

Uncomfortable with being seen so thoroughly, he shifted, “What gave it away?”

Obi-Wan stepped beside Satine, “What? Taking notes for next time?”

“Had you quit after the copycat quill was confiscated, you might have gotten away with it.” She offered, “However, that didn’t change the crucial mistake you made early on.”

“And what’s that?” He asked with crossed arms.

“The robe.” Obi-Wan finished with knowing eyes that weren’t as fiery as Satine’s at the moment. “The handwriting on the robe was different.”

“And it wasn’t mine!” Anakin said proudly, “Mine is… What did you say about it, Obi-Wan?”

“Barely legible.” He offered.

“Exactly!” He bragged.

Vizsla rolled his eyes and Satine continued, “Not to mention the detail that both Slytherin and Gryffindor robes were found in the secret tunnel system.”

“Meaning it would need to be someone not in those houses.” Obi-Wan said. “How did you gain access to the tunnels in the first place if not by Anakin?”

Anakin’s eyes widened and snapped his fingers before Viz could come up with a retort, “You were the one who stole the map from me on Halloween! I knew I dropped it when I fell through the trap door.”

“There’s no tunnel leading to Ravenclaw tower.” Satine said firmly and finally looked to Anakin for confirmation.

“No, there isn’t.” He said, “Which is a shame, because I really had a good idea for a pra- And this is not the time.”

If Satine was frustrated by that comment, she didn’t give any indication of it. Obi-Wan seemed a bit withered by it, but still didn’t say much, both prefects only had time to admonish one first year at the moment. 

“So, when the piece of a test key was found on the floor of the tower, that meant the individual at question would have to be in Ravenclaw.”

“Or the person who purchased it was a Ravenclaw.” He argued boldly, but Anakin could see it was clearly a front.

“Maybe so.” She said stiffly, “But that does not change the fact that you broke your right arm not long ago and were unable to write with it. I remember I was impressed at how easily you took up writing with your left hand. However, you’d been practicing for quite some time, evidently.”

She held up two papers. One was a copy of homework that clearly belonged to Viz and the other was a wrinkled answer key. There were some differences that were made purposefully for stylistic choices and to throw someone off, but upon closer look, there were obvious similarities that could not be avoided.

“I analyze ancient handwriting in my spare time.” Obi-Wan said with a casual shrug. “And there are no doubts that this was written with your hand.”

“And,” Satine added tactly, as though that were not enough, “Had you not placed the robe in the tunnel near Gryffindor common room, you never would have known of it.”

Viz paled at that and said nothing, only staring at his mentor with a confusing combination of indignation mixed with the draining sensation of being caught. Anakin knew it well, but it was nice for his own integrity to gain a boost at this moment.

“It is with great disappointment that I say that Pre Vizsla, we’ve no choice but to escort you straight to the Headmaster’s office.”

“Satine!” He gritted, “I-”

“-As Obi-Wan said earlier, I’ve heard enough.” She snapped and looked away from him, turning on her heels to lead the way.

Obi-Wan gave Anakin a slight nod after stopping Vizsla from following. “I think you owe someone an apology.”

The boy looked set on puking at the thought, but after a sharper look from Ravenclaw’s fifth year prefect boy, he sighed and turned.

“I’m sorry.” He muttered before moving around Obi-Wan to follow Satine.

“Oh, don’t mention it, you cheating little snake.” He said with the wave of a hand. “But you might want to get rid of that goofy haircut.”

“Anakin,” Obi-Wan shook his head, a smile playing at his lips even though he was trying to relay disapproval at such a comment, “I’m also sorry.”

“It’s okay.” He grinned, relieved that finally, it was over. 

***

“We really must stop meeting like this.” Cody quipped as he slipped next to Satine. Before she could answer, Obi-Wan appeared on the other side of her. They leaned their forearms on the wet stone railing in front of them, allowing each to extend forward to enjoy the view the clock tower allotted.

“If I wanted to be found, I would have elected to hide in the astronomy tower again.” She replied without sparing either of them a glance.

“Funny, because I’m certain there isn’t a spot in this castle we wouldn’t look.” Obi-Wan said and slipped his own robe onto her shoulders, reminding her with the warmth of the gesture that she’d been standing near the chilled rain for quite some time.

“The girl’s bathroom.” She still countered after a moment’s thought.

“Okay, fine, but should you ever become moody enough to hide there, we’ll simply send Aayla and Stass in after you.” Cody said and placed a placating hand on her shoulder, “You know how this works. We talk, you feel better, friends stuff!”

She rolled her eyes, “I don’t think I deserve that this time.”

Obi-Wan frowned, “Why not?”

“Because I’ve been a bloody fool all year!” She boiled over as she looked at him and his eternally kind and understanding eyes that currently matched the ambiguous gray sky, “I was too busy on my high horse to take notice of what was going on right in front of me. I mean, of course Vizsla is behind it all! He was able to operate perfectly with a daft know-it-all such as myself as his mentor.”

“You are anything but daft.” Cody shook his head, “The kid played all of us, Satine.”

“But he shouldn’t have been able to play me.” She asserted. “I should have known.”

“And how would you have?” Obi-Wan asked.

“You said something months ago!” She shrieked.

“Sure, but that was merely a shot in the dark!” He said. “I wasn’t being serious. I was just upset you were accusing Anakin. I had no real idea of Vizsla’s involvement.”

“Thank you for reminding me!” She said sardonically, “Because that is quite possibly number one on my list of foolishness and cruelty.”

“No, number one is the way you’re beating yourself up.” Cody said with a nudge, “You Ravenclaws are so intense. Aren’t you ever allowed to make a mistake and move on?”

“Maybe when that mistake didn’t lead to Anakin running away and almost getting himself killed!” She cried, almost pleading with her two best friends to just agree with her on this. She was wrong and she deserved to wallow in it.

“When that happened, you assured me that it wasn’t my fault, that I couldn’t have known about the culprit.” Obi-Wan said severely, now placing two hands on her shoulders to steady her and force her to focus on him, “Surely, you can heed to your own words.”

She deflated at that, “That’s different.”

“How so?” Cody asked.

“It just… Is.” She sighed and shrugged, “I just feel so stupid.”

“We’re all a little stupid some- ow!” He complained as Obi-Wan gave him a swift smack on the arm and a glare to match. 

“You were too close to the issue.” Obi-Wan said kindly as he turned back to her, “And in the end, you were the one to set things right. That’s got to count for something.”

She swallowed, ��Yes, well, I still probably deserve the failing grade that will come my way for this failed mentorship.”

“It’s extra credit, Satine.” Obi-Wan said.

“And it’s still an edge.” She pointed out, “One that someone like myself could have needed.”

Even though both boys looked at her like she was mad, they didn’t understand and she didn’t expect them too. Purebloods, even the best of them, did not and would not grasp the biases that stretched against muggle-borns even nowadays. She was too exhausted to explain the intricacies and frankly, she didn’t deserve the edge.

“Nothing of what Vizsla has done is a reflection of you.” Obi-Wan insisted instead of questioning her, “He made his own choices in spite of everything you taught him, not because of them.”

“Really? Because I’m not the best with younger children.” She said, “I mean, just look at my sister.”

“Eh, that doesn’t count.” Cody said with the wave of a hand, “You’ve seen my little brothers.”

“They’re good boys.” She said.

“Yeah and no thanks to our oldest brother, Boba.” He said with a huff and the roll of his eyes, “I’ve always been on the nature as opposed to nurture side of the argument.”

Satine wasn’t so sure how much of that she believed. Sure, Vizsla and Bo were very different people, but if Satine had been better, the results would have been different, right?

“It was out of your control, Satine.” Obi-Wan said gently, reeling her back into the real world with his kind voice. “No one in their right mind would fault you for that.”

“Yeah, if Headmaster Yoda tries to dock you in any way for the little creep, he’s going to have to go through me.” Cody added and slung an arm around her shoulders. “Besides, I didn’t even know I could get extra credit for helping my own brother.”

“Should he pass yours and his finals, and yes, you just might.” 

“Well, ask Vizsla how he managed the OWLS answers and we’ll talk.” Cody said.

She sighed, “His parents are high-ranking politicians. While a muggle-born, they already had magical connections. You might want to talk to them, if they even let him see the light of day ever again.”

“Wizards would never consider that muggles were essentially helping him cheat.” Obi-Wan said.

“Wizards don’t even know how to use a phone, so yeah, I’d say it’s not difficult for him to figure out a way to hack himself into the system.”

“Phone?” Cody and Obi-Wan asked dumbfounded at the same time.

She snorted and rolled her eyes, “Nevermind.”

“I think that was a laugh, Kenobi.” Cody nudged Obi-Wan, who also shared his wry grin.

“Yes, I think that was.” He said. “Perhaps, we are getting to her after all.”

“And we didn’t even have to bust into the girl’s room to do it!”

“You two are idiots!” She laughed fully this time, but looked at them both with a warmth that fought off the storm that lingered in the distance, “But… You’re my idiots.”

“We wouldn’t want to be anyone else’s, my dear.” Obi-Wan said coyly.

***

Obi-Wan stood patiently as the spiral staircase formed to lead him to Yoda’s office. He was here to make a decision and although the person he was at any point earlier in his life would have been nervous he really only felt calm. He was assured in this being the right decision, it was something he was doing for himself, which was an odd concept as he so often was trying to live up to a bigger picture he could never fully see.

He climbed the staircase.

Each step only made him more determined for the next, winding his way up into the Headmaster’s office. Yoda wasn’t yet in the room and Obi-Wan watched the portraits of the former headmasters blink awake and watch him with curiosity. He regarded them with a nod as he instead made his way further into the room to inspect a curious set of magical instruments shelved on the far wall. He was often called a know-it-all, but really there was always so much he found he didn’t know. Thinking about all he could learn in the future gave him more of a thrill than even racing through the castle halls in pursuit of the Zillo Beast.

“Come to see me, have you?” The headmaster’s voice had him turning back around. Yoda slowly descended the stairs from what Obi-Wan could only assume was his private quarters.

“Yes, Headmaster,” Obi-Wan took a seat in one of the chairs across from the rather tall and intimidating one that Yoda made his way towards.

“About you, this is, for once,” Obi-Wan blinked, he hadn’t expected the headmaster as one to joke around much, but Yoda chuckled as he settled himself in his chair, “Yes. Noticed your selflessness, I have. On your shoulders an imaginary weight, there is,” Obi-Wan opened his mouth to dispute such a notion, but Yoda smacked his cane on the desk, “Careful. A wrong answer, you don’t want to give.”

“Well,” Obi-Wan wasn’t sure what to say, but luckily he didn’t seem to need too.

“A request, you have?” Yoda prompted, pulling out a yellowed stack of parchments.

“I-” And this was the moment, suddenly he felt unable to say it. He was sure, this is what he wanted. The constant feeling of a looming presence hovering above his life gave him pause. If he did this he’d surely face more obstacles.

He thought back through the year, truly one filled with all sorts of trials. He’d helped take down a monstrous creature, he’d help catch a common criminal, and he’d been able to keep his mentor alive despite how much the boy got into all sorts of dire straits. He’d been able to find Anakin, when many had not.

“I’d like to make a few changes to my upcoming schedule,” He found himself saying, voice filled with determination. Yes, he certainly could deal with a few more obstacles, “I’ve decided to become an Auror.”

[soundcheckentertainment]

For many of us the May long weekend signifies the unofficial beginning of summer. Summer – with its warm days and long nights, gathering with family and friends to enjoy good eats, fine weather and the great outdoors.

Q the music…

CBC Music and Live Nation had a recipe for success when they teamed up at Ontario Place’s RBC Echo Beach in Toronto on Saturday May 27th, to kick off the start of summer (and Festival season) with the CBC Music Festival.

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

This 1 day festival was packed with land and water activities (SUP, kayak), food and beverage vendors, a VR tent, a scavenger hunt and showcased 20 Canadian artists performing across 4 stages for 9 solid hours.

And perform they did, for large and small crowds alike – including an impromptu gig by Scott Hellman in the commons with an intimate gathering of lucky fans. There really was something for everyone to enjoy, as was proven by the number of families in attendance. The fact that kids under 12 were admitted for free wasn’t just a brilliant marketing maneuver.

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

The Kid Zone had a wide range of activities for the little people, including a Rock N’ Roll Hair Salon and Tattoo Parlour (of the washable variety), an instrument petting zoo, as well as their own stage shows – hosted by CBC Studio K’s ‘Cottonball’. The area in front of the Kid’s stage became very crowded in the hour before Walk Off The Earth swung by to hang out for a Q&A session. Many in attendance wondering “What kind of instruments do you play?” “What’s your favourite song?” and “Who’s your favourite Super Hero?” to which each member of this down to earth group took turns answering. Before leaving the stage, they left their indelible mark on one tiny fan when they all agreed to sign her ukulele.

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

The first act to grace the Main Stage was an all-girl indie rock band called The Beaches, appropriately named for the Toronto neighbourhood they hail from. The smallish crowd that had gathered against the security fence surrounding the stage started growing from their very first electrified notes. Don’t let the idea of girl band confuse you, this wasn’t a Spice Girls performance; their sound was more Blondie meets The Runaways. Comprised of vocalist & bassist Jordan Miller, guitarist Kylie Miller, keyboardist Leandra Earl and Eliza Enman-McDaniel on the drums, these chicks know how to Rock N’ Roll and they brought it loud and hard! Performing a couple cover songs in between their own hits like “Little Pieces” and “Give it Up”, which is gaining radio play. This quartet quickly set the bar high for the rest of the day, and I’m sure gained more than a few new fans, myself included.

A wander past the food trucks and assorted market vendors was up next. It was a good thing too, because you couldn’t get near them later in the day. A sampling of pulpo, duck tacos, and curry fries filled the gap, washed down with a refreshing sudsy beverage. One nice thing about Echo Beach is that that the entire grounds are licensed, so attendees could wander from stage to stage with a can in hand, able to enjoy the music in person instead of relegated to far corner tent.

Needs sated, I detected a rhythmic hum filling the air, seeming to beckon me closer and drawing me in. It worked as I found myself standing outside the Tent Stage, catching a part of the Birds of Bellwoods set. These four young men from Toronto know how to bend the strings! Chris Blades on the electric guitar, Adrian Morningstar on the acoustic guitar, Steve Joffe on the Mandolin and Kintaro Akiyama on the upright bass (think cello). Their harmonies were smooth and I found myself wishing that I’d caught more than their last few songs. Definitely watch out for these up and coming talented musicians!

CBC Music Fest: William Prince. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

Back at the Main Stage we were treated to the stylings of William Prince. A phenomenal singer, songwriter, and storyteller, there’s a reason he was nominated for Aboriginal Artist of the year and won Juno for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year in 2017. His thought provoking lyrics and soft baritone voice were hauntingly beautiful. As people lounged on blankets around the stage soaking in the folk-country musical tales that were being sung, it seemed metaphorical of the ease with which William interacted with the gathered crowd, relating history and personal stories between songs. It’s hard to understand how we’ve not heard more from this Winnipeg native, but there is no doubt that we will be treated to future performances. In fact you can catch him for free at the NAC in Ottawa on July 13th at 6pm. Head to their website to secure free tickets.

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

I didn’t want to miss BROS over on the Q Stage, and arrived just in time to catch their introduction. You may know them from a little group called The Sheepdogs, however if that’s what you were hoping to hear, then you might have been disappointed…. but not really. Ewan and Shamus Currie added a brass ensemble to their keyboard and guitar and turned the funk WAY UP. An initial gathering of mainly classic rock fans exploded into an all ages dance-athon. From the tiny toddler wigglin’ his way into inadvertent splits, to the would-be Willie Nelson, and every type of stripe in-between, BROS got the crowd moving, grooving and loving what they were offering up. And when they broke news of the passing of Gregg Allman and dedicated a song, it only put pause on the festive spirit out of reverential respect.

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

Heading back to the Main Stage where I would ultimately end up the rest of the evening; the upcoming entertainers being part of the draw, the massive growing crowd being the other. Staking out a spot close to the stage would have required a lawn chair, a bottomless bladder and an unwillingness to enjoy any other artist since The Beaches took the stage hours before. Scott Helman was up next, and the squeals of teen and tween girls rose as he began his set with a little ‘PDA’. Relegated to standing on a small strip of pavement leaning against the VIP area, we were entertained by many of Scott’s familiar radio tunes, including: ‘That Sweater’, ‘Kinda Komplicated’ and ‘21 days’ – my personal fave, but that’s likely more a result of it being a song about zombies, and love, or maybe zombie love… but I digress. Whether he’s of the school of thought that “no press is bad press”, or he was experiencing overwhelming excitement, the crowd responded with amusement when he strangely exclaimed “Keep stealing my music!” Then realization set in, and he recovered with …. “or pay for it, if you want!” Scott’s genuine love and appreciation of his family was particularly evident when he enthusiastically exclaimed “That’s my Grandpa!” as one of many video cameras covering the event panned to a shot of a very proud looking patriarch grinning ear to ear, projected upon the side stage big screens. Scott ended his set with the catchy tune ‘Bungalow’ which brought more than half of the attendees to their feet, dancing and applauding.

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

I made the unfortunate decision to get food before Ruth B took the stage. However as mentioned previously this would become a futile exercise which resulted in missing most of her set. Hungry and dejected I gave up my quest and returned just in time to catch her original song ‘Lost Boy’ which was thoroughly enjoyable.

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

Up next was the day’s first headliner, Walk Off The Earth. By this point the sun had started its descent in the western sky and Echo Beach lived up to its name. The crowd’s thunderous greeting of the band’s arrival on stage was only the beginning of one of the best live shows I’ve ever seen. Gathered with Whirley Tubes, and bells (and a back-up band) they opened the set with a recognizable YouTube cover of Adele’s ‘Hello’. They had the entire park on their feet from the moment they stepped on stage. Gianni, Sarah, Marshall, Joel and Mike Taylor aka Beard Guy, brought high energy and familiar tunes, of both original songs and covers, and were flawless in harmony and execution. Covering Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of you’ and Pharrell Williams ‘Happy’, the audience certainly was as we moved and danced along. They also delighted with a number of originals such as ‘Gang of Rhythm’, ‘Fire in my Soul’ and ‘Home we’ll go’ – a song written while on the road about missing Canada.

When the band asked for a song suggestion someone in the crowd yelled out ‘Queen’, to which Beard Guy agreed to play Bohemian Rhapsody on the piano as long as the audience sang along. It’s a good minute and a half into the song before I realized the other band members have disappeared from the stage, as myself and the other karaoke Kings and Queens in attendance belt out the lyrics. The rest of the band returned in time for the head banging guitar solo, and we all continued to jam out like it was one big backyard party. The night wouldn’t have been complete without a 5 peeps 1 (modified) guitar setup, and again the group delivered, playing Goyte’s ‘Someone that I used to know’, and morphing into snippets of a variety of familiar covers, including ‘Twist & Shout’. With beach balls flying through the air, the palpable feeling of inclusion, the pyro and glitter, the on stage Ninja fight during the ‘Tae kwon do’ song, the entire show was brilliant from beginning to end. As fireworks exploded overhead signifying the end of the set, WOTE walked off the stage and into the hearts of all in attendance.

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

Most of the families with young children headed out before the final act, but a couple of young girls camped out next to me told me they had waited all day to see their idol. Six time Juno award winner Serena Ryder took the stage and owned it for the remainder of the night. Opening with Stompa and like an implanted suggestion, the crowd got moving. The stage filled with lights and smoke, three guitarists including herself, drums, keyboard and two backup singers, she engaged the audience with her jazzy pop hit Electric Love. We were also treated to a song from her brand new Album ‘Utopia’ released just the day before. She returned to more familiar tunes such as ‘What I wouldn’t do’ before slowing the pace a little with a few songs like ‘Baby Come Back’ and ‘All for love’, which had the crowd swaying in unison. An intimate acoustic setting was created on a portion of the Main stage, complete with side table and night lamp, for which she asks the audience’s permission to continue. (Yes please! Do we mind?!) Serena’s song writing prowess speaks for itself, but to combine her powerful voice which conveys such emotion with gut wrenching lyrics can actually make one ‘Weak in the knees’; the performance of which had the crowd serenading her. Every phone in park swaying high overhead in her honour.

All in all the end of the night came too soon. So many Juno and various other award winners, many new up and coming acts, what an amazing way to showcase Canadian talent in a setting that is family friendly and that invites inclusion and participation. There were many other artists I didn’t get a chance to check out, but that gives me an excuse to return next year. I was blown away by the whole experience and would urge anyone that has any interest in music to check out the show. In fact you can catch highlights from the day, in a 1 hour special broadcast on CBC on Canada Day. For more information visit CBC Music Festival online

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CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Long War. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: William Prince. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Long War. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Sarah Slean. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Bobby Bazini. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Bobby Bazini. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Long War. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Long War. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Long War. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: William Prince. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Bobby Bazini. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Bobby Bazini. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Long War. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Iskwe. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Iskwe. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Iskwe. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Sarah Slean. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Sarah Slean. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: The Beaches. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Sarah Slean. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Iskwe. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Ruth B. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Sarah Slean. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Iskwe. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Bobby Bazini. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Walk Off The Earth. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: BROS. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Scott Helman. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: Serena Ryder. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

CBC Music Fest: William Prince. May 2017. Photo by Dale Sinclair

Reviewed and Written by: Leann Kennedy Photos by: Dale Sinclair | @dalesinclairphoto

CBC Music Fest: A Tale of Four Stages For many of us the May long weekend signifies the unofficial beginning of summer. Summer – with its warm days and long nights, gathering with family and friends to enjoy good eats, fine weather and the great outdoors.

[womenofcolor15]

Woman Rolls Up On Cop Who Was Released On Bail After George Floyd’s Killing + NYPD Claims No Crime Was Committed After Officers Drove SUVs Into Protesters

A woman spotted one of the police officers who were brought up on charges for the killing of George Floyd. And she went IN. Deets on her interaction, plus find out how the NYPD is backing their officers who drove their SUVs into protesters inside…

A woman recognized a man in the grocery store to be one of the cops who were involved in the killing of George Floyd – the black Minneapolis man who was killed after a white police officer kneeled into the back of his neck for nearly 9 minutes. At one point while George was being detained, there were three officers who kneeled their body weight onto him.

A video of a woman confronting one of the ex-Minneapolis police officers charged in the death of George Floyd has gone viral. The woman rolled up on 26-year-old J. Alexander Kueng, who was one of the four officers fired from the Minneapolis Police Department and criminally charged after Floyd's death, after she recognized him in the gorcery store. He's one of three officers charged with aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter for their roles in helping pin George down before he died on Memorial Day.

Turns out, J. Alexander was on his third day on the job on May 25th when his fellow police officer, Derek Chauvin, pressed his knee into Floyd's neck for almost 9-minutes, killing him. J. Alexander Kueng was released from the Hennepin County Jail shortly before 7:30 p.m. Friday (June 19th) after posting bail that was set at $750,000, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

After his release, he went to a grocery store and a woman recognized him. Soon as she did, she turned her camera on to record her encounter.

"Oh. Yeah, that's me," J. Alexander responded to the woman who recognized him in the grocery store.

Once he confirmed his identity the woman was very vocal about J. Alexander being "out of prison, comfortably shopping in Cub Foods, as if you didn't do anything," Kueng responded, "I wouldn't call it 'comfortably.' I would just say getting necessities — or helping."

"I don't think you should have that right. I don't think you should even be out on bail," the woman said.

"I can understand that," Kueng responded. "I'm sorry you feel that way."

Sis wasn't having it. Check it:

Cop who killed George Floyd Caught Lackin At Grocery Store pic.twitter.com/VdhssWO8cW

— Kollege Kidd (@KollegeKidd) June 21, 2020

  Cop who killed George Floyd Caught Lackin At Grocery Store pic.twitter.com/gdxGkwcNNi

— Don Jordan (@Born44473274) June 22, 2020

  The person who originally posted the video has since changed the settings on his account to be private.J. Alexander was released after he coughed up the cash on a $750,000 bail. Former officer Tou Thao, is still being held in jail on $750,000 bail. Derek Chauvin is also still jailed, facing second-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter with his bail set at $1.25 million.

And get this....

According to reports, several officers filed complaints with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights, saying that the superintendent of the Ramsey County jail in St. Paul kept them from bringing Derek Chauvin to his cell. In fact, the black officers weren't allowed to be on the same floor as him — last month, solely because of their race, according to them. The NY Times reports:

The officers, half of whom are black and all of whom are people of color, said the orders from the superintendent, Steve Lydon, who is white, amounted to segregation and indicated that he thought they could not be trusted to do their jobs because they are not white.

After initially denying that officers’ contact with Mr. Chauvin had been determined by race, a spokesman for the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office acknowledged the move this weekend and said Mr. Lydon had been temporarily removed from the superintendent role as the sheriff investigates the officers’ claims.

Roy Magnuson, the spokesman, provided a statement that he said Mr. Lydon gave to investigators. In it, Mr. Lydon said he had decided to keep nonwhite employees away from Mr. Chauvin because he believed having people of color interact with him could have “heightened ongoing trauma.” He said he had only done so on short notice and for 45 minutes before realizing that he had made a mistake, after which he reversed the order and apologized. Officers said it had lasted longer — affecting one shift two days later — and that not enough had been done in response.

Womp.

In other police news...

  New angle of an NYPD SUV driving into protesters Saturday.

New York Mayor Bill de Blasio defended the New York City Police Department saying, "if a police officer is in that situation, they have to get out of that situation.” pic.twitter.com/tlPvkVQAmh

— Austin Kellerman (@AustinKellerman) May 31, 2020

  The NYPD said two officers didn't do anything wrong when they ran over protesters. NYPD officers in two marked SUVs plowied through a crowd of protesters who were blocking their path. Peep the video above and below:

  Here is the overhead... pic.twitter.com/US6Qqhkz3O

— Rob Bennett (@rob_bennett) May 31, 2020

  The NYPD said the officers did nothing wrong. Yahoo! reports:

NYPD commissioner Dermot Shea would like to assure everyone that the officers didn't violate any department policies when they accelerated into people. On Monday, Shea appeared before New York attorney general Letitia James in an online public hearing in an ongoing investigation into NYPD's responses to the anti-police brutality protests, and Shea unequivocally defended the officers' actions.

When James asked about the incident, "Was that in violation of your use of force policy?" Shea replied simply, "No." He continued, "Our internal affairs bureau investigated this information and preliminarily we have an accounting of that incident where we have officers in a situation where they’re essentially being penned in by protesters."

So, James asked, would Shea consider it "an appropriate use of force?"

Shea replied, "I’m not saying that the police car was used as a use of force. The officers were set upon and attacked, and thankfully they were able to get out of that situation with, to my knowledge, no injuries to anyone."

Backing the vehicles up apparently was impossible in Shea's telling of events, but equally troubling is the technical jargon he's relying on to minimize the severity and brutality of the officers under him: hitting people with a car is only a "use of force" if the NYPD fails to find a way to justify it after the fact.

Do you think the officers in the videos above are wrong, regardless of the alleged "law" that wasn't broken?

Photo: @salahalmulla74 Screenshot

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2020/06/24/woman-rolls-up-on-cop-who-was-released-on-bail-after-george-floyd%E2%80%99s-killing-nypd-claims-n