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escapewriter · 3 years

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until we meet again

request : prince!seungkwan x thief!reader where the king is neglecting the kingdom so reader and atz/skz members form a crew that reader is the leader of that steals unnecessary stuff from the palace so food and stuff can be bought from other kingdoms and y’all are basically keeping the kingdom alive. but reader gets caught by seungkwan one night and almost gets executed cuz he doesn’t believe reader abt the state the kingdom is in, but opens his eyes later. angst and fluff pls! tyty

pairing : prince!seungkwan x thief!reader

genre : fluff, humor, slight angst

type : oneshot

wc : 3.1k (3100)

warnings : stealing, mentions of execution

main masterlist || svt written masterlist

requests are closed

a/n : this is me killing two birds with one stone. i finish a request along with participating in the royal themed writing event for ficscafe. i hope you all enjoy this, i really liked writing this!

You wait silently behind a bush, keeping an eye out for the signal. Watching carriages and wagons pass by and into the gates of the palace, you hear a crunch behind you. You turn your head, watching Jisung munch on an apple, the savory juice trickling down his chin as he hums in content. “Where the hell did you get that?”

He looks at you, shifting in his squatting position before holding the apple out towards you. “Want a bite?”

Your eyes shifted to the market behind him, seeing a display of apples before narrowing your focus back on Jisung. “I can not believe you stole food from them, do you know how hard it is to make money?” Watching him shrug you turn back around to wait for the signal.

“Okay, but we take from the palace all the time, it’s not like this is any different.” You rolled your eyes, spotting Wooyoung a few feet down the dirt road with his wagon.

“Yeah, but the palace has riches that they keep to themselves. Out here, on the other side of these gates, everyone is trying to survive.” You see Hongjoong peak out of the bush on the other side of the dirt road, blanket in his hand. “Jisung, get ready.”

You both get in a better position, bags secured tightly around your shoulder. Wooyoung arrives at the first checkpoint before the gates. He patiently answers the guards questions before they check the items hidden under the tarp. He looks at Hongjoong, giving him the cue. Hongjoong stands up, walking to a campfire close by, and lets the blanket catch on fire. He yells, running up to the guards, distracting them from checking the wagon as he screams for water and help.

Woonyoung pushes the wagon forward and sends you the signal. You grab Jisung, tugging him along as the tarp on top of the wagon opens for you both. “Welcome!” You smack Hyunjin’s head, telling him to be quiet as the three of you wait for Wooyoung’s next signal.

＊＊＊

The wagon came to an abrupt stop. All bags were full of treasures from the palace that were to be sold to other kingdoms for the sake of restoring the kingdom the King has been neglecting. Crops and other resources that were used to survive have not been shipped to the kingdom for half a year, which is what led to the formation of you, Jisung, Wooyoung, Hyunjin, and Hongjoong. The five of you sneak into the palace, taking various items that seem worth hundreds so you could sell them to gain money to pay for the shipment of cloth, pottery, and crops. It wouldn’t have been this way if the King simply looked after his kingdom.

You stepped out of the wagon and into the hut you shared with the other four. Placing all three bags on the table, you watch Hongjoong sort out all the jewels into separate piles. Wooyoung emerged from the doorway, sitting at the table Hongjoong was at. “You know the three of you almost got caught, right?” You rolled your eyes, a small smile making its way onto your face.

“Yeah, but we didn’t. Plus it was worth it,” you picked up a ring, “if I didn’t take the risk, I wouldn’t have gotten this precious jewel.” You examined the ring, deciding to keep it as a souvenir for the adventures you’ve made with your friends.

“Yeah, but Wooyoung’s right,” you look down at Hyunjin who sat on the floor next to the table as he played with a golden tablecloth, “it was really risky with how far you went.” You sighed, not being able to defend yourself before Hongjoong spoke.

“How far did they go?”

“The Princes’ room.” You smack Jisung on the arm for ratting you out, only receiving a wince then a shrug in return.

Hongjoong said your name in a warning tone, “you better watch yourself. You go too far, you may not come out and we won’t be able to save you.”

“I know Hongjoong, I’m the one that enforced these precautions.”

***

Clearly, you should have listened to those precautions more because here you were, hiding in the closet of the kingdom’s Prince.

Your breathing was staggered as you cupped your hand over your mouth. The rest of the guys should be gone by now, but since it was Hongjoong leading the mission that week, he would be too stubborn to leave. You bite your lower lip in hopes that the prince doesn’t enter the room. Unfortunately, luck wasn’t on your side as you heard the stomps of multiple feet enter the room.

“Vernon, you have to help me find it,” your eyes widened, the hand covering your mouth attempting to muffle any that could potentially escape, “I swear, the last time I saw it was on my dresser.”

“Seungkwan, I promise you that it’s okay if you lost your ring, we can always buy a replacement.” You swallowed, mind racing back to the ring that was currently sitting on your table back at home.

“A replacement isn’t the same, I need to find it. You gonna help me or do you have other things?” The floor began to creak, the weight walking past the closet before a sigh was heard. “Where the hell could I have put it?”

“I’ll help you later, my mom needs my help in the kitchen. Let me know if you find it.” You heard footsteps leave the room and the door close. You don’t know what the ring is worth and why it’s so important to this Seungkwan guy, but if you got home, maybe you can find out.

Or not because the second the doors to the closet opened and yours eyes connected, you immediately jumped up, trying to cover the mouth of the man in front of you as you tackled him to the floor. In attempts to calm him down, your mind failed to think that this guy is the Prince and probably knows how to defend himself.

He quickly locks both your left arm and leg and immediately flips you over so he’s on top. Your eyes full of fear as he pins your arms to the sides of your body. He narrows his eyes, staring deeply into yours before turning into a sharp glare. “Who are you?” You don’t answer, but instead look to the side, trying to think of some way to escape. “Are you not going to answer me?”

“Well you can probably guess what I do.”

“Sarcastic one, aren’t you. Trust me, you do not want to be on my bad side.”

You don’t know what took over you at that moment, but you just became a new person. “Believe me then, your highness, you’re already on my bad side.”

＊＊＊

You woke up strapped to a chair in a cold room. The small window with the moon shining through was your only form of light. You don’t even remember how you ended up there after telling the Prince that he was on your bad side. And honestly, he should know that the whole kingdom is growing more hatred towards the royal family.

The screeching noise of the metal door took you away from your thoughts as you saw the Prince come into the room with a small candle. He sets it down on the table, eyes trained on you, waiting for any movement as if you weren’t chained on the chair. “So, thief, are you going to tell me why you were in the castle?”

“I’m a thief, why else would I be there?”

He scoffs, leaning against the wall. “You do realize that I can have you executed, right?” You thought for a moment, a little fear rising but pushed it to the back of your head. You shrugged at him. “You’re not scared?”

You shifted in your seat, thinking about what to say, or maybe what any of the guys would say if they were in this situation. Jisung would probably cry, Hyunjin would look away out of nervousness, and both Wooyoung and Hongjoong would be stubborn and refuse to speak. But what would you say? “No not really.”

Clever.

“Well, you should be! I can have you killed at any moment!”

You looked around the cell you were in, the unimpressed look clearly evident on your face, “Yeah,” you humed, waiting for any sign of death machine, but you had this feeling that he could never kill you and you don’t know why, “you’re not gonna kill me, are you?”

“You have my ring! I know you do!” He whined, catching you by surprise as he stomped his foot. “You’re not leaving here until you tell me where you put it.” He furrowed his eyebrows, sitting on the chair next to the table. Your lips formed a straight line. What’s the deal with this ring anyway?

“I won’t tell you where your ring is until you tell your dad that the entire kingdom is dying.” His eyebrows shot up, a disbelief scoff escaping his mouth.

“Our kingdom isn’t dying.” He folds his arms and looks away from you, frustration evident in his actions as he clenches his jaw.

“Dude, any tools, cloth, crops, and other necessities needed haven't been shipped here for half a year,” you look down, trying to contain your emotions as you thought about how everyone has been struggling to just get out of bed in the morning, “why do you think I steal from the palace? Because then I can sell it just to use the money to pay for the shipment of the things that your kingdom needs. I shouldn’t be the one to do it.”

He sighs loudly, slowly turning around and clapping his hands. “I applaud you. That was some acting and a great lie. Our kingdom is perfectly fine,” he walks closer to you and leans down, face inches away from yours, “you have no idea what you’re talking about.” He stands up and laughs, picking up the candle from the desk before heading towards the door.

“Then I guess you’ll never get your precious ring back.” He stops momentarily in hesitation, but ignores you and continues to exit the cell.

＊＊＊

Seungkwan sat on his bed, his mind racing on whether or not the information you’ve told him was true. It couldn’t be because if the castle got supplies, shouldn’t the rest of the kingdom get supplies too? He rubbed his temples as he fell back on his back, groaning in frustration. The door to his room opened with a creak, standing at the doorway was Vernon.

“What’s up with you?” Vernon walks in, taking a seat next to his best friend. “Still can’t find your ring? I’m telling you, the guys won’t care if you get it replaced, I mean, this castle is huge and it’s easy to lose things here.”

“It’s not that this time,” Seungkwan sat up, “it’s just,” he pauses, debating on whether or not he can ask Vernon, “what if I’m not a good King?” He watches Vernon scoff and look away.

“No offense to your dad or anything, but trust me, you’ll be a way better King than him.” Seungkwan tilts his head, confused as to what his friend was talking about. “You don’t know?” Vernon looks into his eyes, surprised that his friend doesn’t know what has been going on. “Your dad is a selfish coward. The people in his kingdom are dying because he won’t pay the shipment of the crops they need to survive.” Seungkwan looks down at his hands and plays with his fingers, you were right. “The payment increased by a few pieces of gold, but the man is greedy, as if he doesn’t have a whole castle.”

“How do you know about this Vernon?”

Vernon places a hand on Seungkwan’s shoulder, a small smile on his lips. “We may be best friends and have grown up together, but I’m still a peasant and in the lower class that works for your family. I have to go out the gates to get resources for my family because we’re not allowed to eat the food in the kitchen,” he pauses, patting Seungkwan’s back as a form of comfort, “if you went out there, you’d see how bad it is.

＊＊＊

Seungkwan stood in front of the gate to the castle, watching all the people scurry by and the wagons pass by. He looks around, seeing markets have a low supply of food, children who have barely any coverage of clothing, and some huts falling apart as men try to repair them. His heart feels heavy at the sight, his emotions going crazy as he thought about how the people are feeling. Is he on their bad side just like how he is with you?

“Sir! Sir!” He watches a young man walk pass a market, dark circles evident under his eyes as he turns around to face the owner. “Do you know when the next shipment will come in? You and your group have been doing so much for everyone, but we haven’t gotten any new supplies in a few weeks”

The man looks down, sorrow and regret on his face. “Unfortunately, Mister, we don’t have enough money yet. It’s been hard as we have lost a member, but please, try to wait a little longer.”

Lost a member? You? Seungkwan’s feet took him towards the man who was walking away. He placed his hand on his shoulder. “Excuse me,” the man turns to look at him, his eyes scanning Seungkwan who has covered his whole face besides his eyes, “I can help with the rest of the payment.”

＊＊＊

Your head lolled to the side, a sigh escaping your mouth as you tried to sleep in the uncomfortable position. Your eyes shot open as a man cleared his throat. You slowly moved your head up as you watched the silhouette open the door. “So I’m guessing you’re the reason Seungkwan has gone out the gates of the palace?” You didn’t know what to say, mainly because you had no idea what this man was talking about. “Or maybe I encouraged him a bit, but it was unintentional at least.”

He walks up to you, a clunking noise coming from his hand, “I’m Vernon by the way,” he lifts up a string of keys and begins to unlock you from your chair, “if you have his ring, please give it back,” he holds his hand up with the same exact ring on his pinky, “it’s a friendship ring we have with some of our other friends.”

You nod your head, ignoring what he said and rubbed your wrists once they were free. “Why did he go out there?”

Vernon shrugged, looking out the small window of the cell, “to see for himself.” He holds his hand out, helping you stand. “Seungkwan has got to pick a better place than the wine cellar, he knows I go in here.” He stops you from leaving, “I’ll let you go after you eat. Mom always told me to feed visitors.”

＊＊＊

You opened the door to the small hut, a breath of relief escaping your lips as you saw your four best friends together at the table. Immediately, you were surrounded and engulfed into a big group hug. It was nice, the feeling of home and back to the way things were. The only difference was that everything won’t be back to where they were because the Prince will freak out now that you have been set free. Part of you wants to go back and maybe talk him into making some change, but you couldn’t focus on that.

“Now that you’re back safe, we have some news.” You sat on the chair, looking at Wooyoung, who signaled to Hongjoong.

“Earlier today, I was approached by a man who said he could help pay for the shipment. We told him what we do, which I know was probably a bad idea, but he gave us payment that would last probably two years.” Part of you wanted to believe it was Seungkwan because no man living in the kingdom had that much money unless they lived behind the gates, so you just thought it was a traveler.

“That’s great news!”

Jisung took his seat next to you, “We thought they…” You snorted, thinking back to the night before and Seungkwan’s paranoia.

“They couldn’t even if they tried.” You look to your room, excitement bubbling in your chest as you couldn’t wait to sleep on your bed. However, your conscience echoed Vernon’s words in your head. “I’ll be back, I have to return something.”

You heard the boys calling for you, telling you to not go as you went to your room to retrieve the ring. “Gosh, shouldn’t you have learned your lesson by now?”

You grinned at Hyunjin, “you know I never do.”

＊＊＊

You went through the back of the garden where Vernon escorted you out. There weren’t any guards there, for no one had known about this area of the palace. Hopping the gate, you walked to the door of the kitchen and peaked through the window. The lights were turned off, the full moon as the only source that illuminates the room. You heard someone clear their throat behind you, deja vu hitting once again. Turning around, you were met with Seungkwan, behind him was Vernon smirking and walking away.

“I can’t believe he let you leave— no, I can’t believe he fed you and let you leave.” He glared hard at you, to which you rolled your eyes.

“Well you’re not the best host,” you took a step forward, eyes focusing on him, “but I wasn’t the best guest either.” You played with the ring in your pocket as you looked at his hands that were missing a ring. “I forgot to bring my gift before entering your home,” you cautiously walked up to him, took his hand in yours and placed the ring on his pinky finger.

His eye scanned yours, the moonlight capturing your features perfectly. He never looked at you like this, nor has he ever seen you in this light. You’re astonishing.

Smiling softly, you let go of his hand, “thank you for paying for the shipment,” you took a step back, bowing, “your highness.” He looked at you with a hint of guilt in his eyes, but before he could say anything, you were walking away. You turned your head as you were about to hop the gate, “until we meet again!”

#ficscafe royalty drabble event #newskynet #caratwritersclub #seventeen #seventeen imagines #seventeen scenarios #seventeen oneshot #seungkwan #boo seungkwan #seungkwan imagines #seungkwan oneshot #svt seungkwan #seventeen seungkwan #svt #escapewriter.request

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thewidowsghost · 3 years

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The Unknown Muggleborn - Chapter 8

3rd Person POV

Later that night, (Y/n) crawls under her covers to go to sleep; Marvel lies her small head on (Y/n)'s chest.

"'Night, girl," (Y/n) murmurs, drowsily scratching behind the cat's ears.

. . .

A few hours later, Marvel lifts her head, nuzzling (Y/n)'s face to try to wake her up. She lets out a whimper, pawing (Y/n)'s face.

The girl was sweating and her neck was resting at an awkward angle. Her breath had quickened and her eyes were moving rapidly under her closed eyelids.

Marvel jumps off the bed and streaks into Hermione's room. Hermione had always been a light sleeper, so when the cat jumped onto her bed, she wakes.

Marvel meows, and Hermione's head tilts in concern.

"What's wrong, Marvel?" Hermione asks and the black-and-white feline paws at Hermione's hand and jumps off the bed, stopping at the door, then looking back at the brunette.

What a peculiar cat, Hermione thinks, throwing back the covers and following the cat across the hall to her sister's room.

Marvel streaks over and onto the bed, her green eyes wide as she tries to nudge her companion awake again.

Realization and fear dawn in Hermione's eyes and she walks across the room and switches on (Y/n)'s bedside slight before placing a hand on her sister's shoulder, shaking it roughly.

"Come on," Hermione murmurs. "You've got to wake up."

(Y/n)'s eyes flash open, and she sits up in her bed, her eyes closed, head leaning against the headboard, her hands trembling.

Hermione sits down on the edge of (Y/n)'s bed, and takes her sister's hands in her own.

(Y/n) looks up, her eyes wide with shock - and a bright silver.

Hermione looks at her sister and (Y/n) subconsciously moves over and Hermione slides under the covers, her back leaning against the other half of (Y/n)'s pillow.

(Y/n) leans against Hermione's shoulder; Hermione, used to these nightmares, remains silent.

After a few minutes, she reaches over and turns off the bedside light.

(Y/n) turns on her side, her head resting on the pillow, and Hermione does the same.

. . .

(Y/n) and Hermione don't talk about the nightmare the night before as the two go about the rest of the break leading up until Christmas.

After breakfast Christmas morning, (Y/n), Hermione, and their parents walk into the living room.

"You girls want to pass out gifts?" Mrs. Granger asks and (Y/n) and Hermione nod.

After passing out the gifts, (Y/n) settles back down at her place in front of the couch. (Y/n) pulls the wrapping paper off one from Fred, and sitting on top was a card. It said:

(Y/n), Somebody got this picture of your first Quidditch match, I thought you'd like it.

- Fred

Lifting up the card, (Y/n) smiles seeing a picture in a frame. It was a picture of Fred and George lifting her up onto their shoulders after her first Quidditch match.

(Y/n) sets the picture and card beside her before picking up a gift from Harry. She smiles when she sees a Advanced Charms book and a book on Magical Creatures.

(Y/n) looks over at Hermione as the brunette at her side opens her gift. (Y/n) had given her sister a copy of Hogwarts: A History.

"I have a copy already," Hermione says, turning to (Y/n).

"There's a charm on it," (Y/n) explains. "Whenever something important in Hogwarts' history, it get's copied down in here. Look," (Y/n) says, opening a page. It says, October 31, 1991 - Hermione Granger, (Y/n) (L/n), Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, defeated a mountain troll in a girls toilet.

Hermione stares down at the book and a smile slowly spreads across her face. "This is really cool! I love it! But that's not how that went," Hermione says.

"Ah, but it's better than what actually happened," (Y/n) argues. "That was not my best birthday."

(Y/n) grabs another gift, pulls the paper off, and finds a box of chocolate frogs from Harry, and she sets them aside, promising to have one later.

One of (Y/n)'s last gifts is a package wrapped in glossy blue paper with wolves printed on it.

(Y/n),

Happy Christmas! I'm very proud of what you have accomplished at Hogwarts in such a short amount of time.

-Love,

Uncle Remus

(Y/n) gazes down at the card, a small smile on her face. Then she sets the card at her side and looks at the contents of the box. Inside was a small stuffed wolf with a tag on it's ear that read - (Y/n)'s first stuffed animal, a gift from Uncle Remus. Under that was a new stack of photos that (Y/n) promises herself to look at later.

(Y/n) opens a package and finds a red sweater with a silver (First Initial) on it. Under the sweater was a large box of homemade fudge and a letter.

(Y/n), My sons Ron, Fred, and George have told me a lot about you. My husband, Arthur, and I wish to meet you soon. Happy Christmas! -Molly Weasley

Grinning, (Y/n) pulls the sweater over her head and the four finishing opening all their gifts, both (Y/n) and Hermione take all their things upstairs.

3rd Person POV - with Harry - A few hours earlier

On Christmas Eve, Harry goes to bed looking forward for the next day for the food and the fun, but not expecting any presents at all. When he wakes early in the morning, however, the first thing he sees is a small pile of packages at the foot of his bed.

"Merry Christmas," says Ron sleepily as Harry scrambles out of bed and pulls on his bathrobe.

"You, too," says Harry. "Will you look at this? I've got some presents!"

"What did you expect, turnips?" says Ron, turning to his own pile, which is a lot bigger than Harry's.

Harry picks up the top parcel. It is wrapped in thick brown paper and and scrawled across it was to Harry, from Hagrid. Inside is a roughly cut wooden flute. Hagrid had obviously whittled it himself; Harry blows it - it sounded a bit like an owl.

A second, very small parcel contains a note. We received your message and enclose your Christmas present. From Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Taped to the note is a fifty-pence piece.

"That's friendly," says Harry.

Ron seems fascinated by the fifty pence, "Weird!" he exclaims. "What a shape! This is money!"

"You can keep it," says Harry, laughing at how pleased Ron is. "Hagrid and my aunt and uncle - so who sent these?"

"I think I know who that one's from," says Ron, turning a bit pink and pointing to a very lumpy parcel. "My mom. I told her you didn't expect any presents and - oh, no," he groans, "she's made you a Weasley sweater."

Harry had torn open the parcel to find a thick, hand-knitted sweater in emerald green and a large box of homemade fudge.

"Every year she makes us a sweater," says Ron, unwrapping his own, "and mine's always maroon."

"That's really nice of her," says Harry, trying the fudge, which was very tasty.

Harry's next present also contains candy - a large box of Chocolate Frogs from Hermione which Harry thought was kind of funny because he had gotten (Y/n) the same thing.

Harry's next parcel was from (Y/n). Opening it, he sees a small box. Feeling curious, Harry opens the box to see a couple of photos. One was of a raven haired man with amber eyes, Harry's father, and a red haired women with emerald green eyes, his mother. The two are standing with a (M/H/C) haired women, (Y/n)'s mum; all three were smiling.

Harry looks at another picture of two kids, probably about a year old. One was a boy with raven hair and emerald eyes, the other was a girl with (H/C) and green eyes - Harry himself and (Y/n).

Then, Harry sees a piece of paper sitting in the box.

Hey Harry,

I found these pictures in the box my godfather left me and I made a few copies. I figured you'd want them.

-Love,

(Y/n)

Harry smiles and picks up the final present. He picks it up and feels it. It's very light, he thinks, and he unwraps it.

Something fluid and silvery gray goes slithering to the floor where it lies in gleaming folds and Ron gasps.

"What is it?"

Harry picks up the shining, silvery cloth off the floor. It's strange to the touch, like water woven into material.

"It's an Invisibility Cloak," says Ron, a look of awe on his face. "I'm sure it is - try it on."

Harry throws the cloak around his shoulders and Ron gives a yell.

"It is! Look down!"

Harry looks down at his feet, but they are gone. He dashes to the mirror. Sure enough, his reflection looks back at him, just his head suspended in midair, his body completely invisible. He pulls the cloak over his head and his reflection vanishes completely.

"There's a note!" says Ron suddenly. "A note fell out of it!"

Harry pulls off the cloak ans seizes the letter. Written in narrow, loopy writing he had never seen before were the following words:

Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you.

Use it well

A very Merry Christmas to you

There is no signature; Harry stares at the note, while Ron is admiring the cloak.

"I'd give anything for one of these," Ron says. "Anything. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," says Harry. He fells very strange. Who had sent the cloak? Had it really once belonged to his father? he thinks.

Before he can say - or think - of anything else, but the dormitory door is flung open and Fred and George Weasley bounds in. Harry stuffs the cloak quickly out of sight. He doesn't fell like sharing it with anyone else yet.

"Merry Christmas!"

"Hey, look — Harry's got a Weasley sweater, too!"

Fred and George are wearing blue sweaters, one with a large yellow F on it,the other a G.

"Harry's is better than ours, though," says Fred, holding up Harry's sweater. "She obviously makes more of an effort if you're not family."

"Why aren't you wearing yours, Ron?" George demands. "Come on, get it on, they're lovely and warm."

"I hate maroon," Ron moans halfheartedly as he pulls it over his head.

"You haven't got a letter on yours," George observes. "I suppose she thinks you don't forget your name. But we're not stupid — we know we're called Gred and Forge."

"What's all this noise?"

Percy Weasley sticks his head through the door, looking disapproving. He had clearly gotten halfway through unwrapping his presents as he, too, carries a lumpy sweater over his arm, which Fred seizes.

"P for prefect! Get it on, Percy, come on, we're all wearing ours, even Harry got one."

"I — don't — want —" says Percy thickly, as the twins force the sweater over his head, knocking his glasses askew.

"And you're not sitting with the prefects today, either," demands George."Christmas is a time for family."

They frog-march Percy from the room, his arms pinned to his side by his sweater.

Harry had never in all his life had such a Christmas dinner. A hundred fat, roast turkeys; mountains of roast and boiled potatoes; platters of chipolatas;tureens of buttered peas, silver boats of thick, rich gravy and cranberry sauce —and stacks of wizard crackers every few feet along the table. These fantastic party favors were nothing like the feeble Muggle ones the Dursleys usually bought, with their little plastic toys and their flimsy paper hats inside. Harry pulls a wizard cracker with Fred and it didn't just bang, it went off with a blast like a cannon and engulfed them all in a cloud of blue smoke, while from the inside exploded a rear admiral's hat and several live, white mice. Up at the High Table, Dumbledore had swapped his pointed wizard's hat for a flowered bonnet,and is chuckling merrily at a joke Professor Flitwick had just read him.

Flaming Christmas puddings follow the turkey. Percy nearly breaks his teeth on a silver Sickle embedded in his slice. Harry watches Hagrid getting redder and redder in the face as he calls for more wine, finally kissing Professor McGonagall on the cheek, who, to Harry's amazement, giggles and blushes, her top hat lopsided.

When Harry finally leaves the table, he is laden down with a stack of things out of the crackers, including a pack of non-explodable, luminous balloons, a Grow Your-Own-Warts kit, and his own new wizard chess set. The white mice had disappeared and Harry has a nasty feeling they were going to end up as Mrs.Norris's Christmas dinner.

Harry and the Weasleys spent a happy afternoon having a furious snowball fight on the grounds. Then, cold, wet, and gasping for breath, they return to the fire in the Gryffindor common room, where Harry breaks in his new chess set by losing spectacularly to Ron. Harry suspects he wouldn't have lost so badly if Percy hadn't tried to help him so much.

After a meal of turkey sandwiches, crumpets, trifle, and Christmas cake, everyone feels too full and sleepy to do much before bed except sit and watch Percy chase Fred and George all over Gryffindor Tower because they'd stolen his prefect badge.

It had been Harry's best Christmas day ever. Yet something had been nagging at the back of his mind all day. Not until he climbs into bed is he free to think about it: the Invisibility Cloak and whoever had sent it.

Harry leans over the side of his own bed and pulls the cloak out from under it. His father's ... this had been his father's. He lets the material flow over his hands, smoother than silk, light as air. Use it well, the note had said.He has to try it, now. He slips out of bed and wrapped the cloak around himself. Looking down at his legs, he sees only moonlight and shadows. It's a very funny feeling.Use it well.Suddenly, Harry feels wide-awake. The whole of Hogwarts is open to him in this cloak. Excitement floods through him as he stands there in the dark and silence. He can go anywhere in this, anywhere, and Filch would never know.

Ron grunts in his sleep. Should Harry wake him? Something holds him back— his father's cloak — he felt that this time — the first time — he wants to use it alone. Harry creeps out of the dormitory, down the stairs, across the common room, and climbs through the portrait hole.

"Who's there?" squawks the Fat Lady. Harry says nothing. He walks quickly down the corridor.

Harry, his heart racing, and thought. And then it came to him. The Restricted Section in the library. He'd be able to read as long as he liked, as long as it took to find out who Flamel was. He sets off, drawing the Invisibility Cloak tight around him as he walked.The library is pitch-black and very eerie. Harry lights a lamp to see his way along the rows of books. The lamp looks as if it was floating along in midair,and even though Harry can feel his arm supporting it, the sight gives him the creeps.

The Restricted Section is right at the back of the library. Stepping carefully over the rope that separates these books from the rest of the library, he held up his lamp to read the titles. They didn't tell him much. Their peeling, faded gold letters spelled words in languages Harry couldn't understand. Some had no title at all. One book has a dark stain on it that looked horribly like blood. The hairs on the back of Harry's neck prickled. Maybe he was imagining it, maybe not, but he thought a faint whispering was coming from the books, as though they knew someone was there who shouldn't be. Harry had to start somewhere. Setting the lamp down carefully on the floor, he looked along the bottom shelf for an interesting-looking book. A large black and silver volume caught his eye. He pulls it out with difficulty, because it was very heavy, and, balancing it on his knee, lets it fall open.

A piercing, bloodcurdling shriek splits the silence — the book is screaming! Harry snaps it shut, but the shriek goes on and on, one high, unbroken, earsplitting note. He stumbles backward and knocks over his lamp, which went out at once. Panicking, he heard footsteps coming down the corridor outside —stuffing the shrieking book back on the shelf, he runs for it. He passes Filch in the doorway; Filch's pale, wild eyes looked straight through him, and Harry slips under Filch's outstretched arm and streaks off up the corridor, the book's shrieks still ringing in his ears.

Harry comes to a sudden halt in front of a tall suit of armor. He has been so busy getting away from the library, he hadn't paid attention to where he was going.Perhaps because it's dark, he didn't recognize where he was at all. There is a suit of armor near the kitchens, he knew, but he must be five floors above there.

"You asked me to come directly to you, Professor, if anyone was wandering around at night, and somebody's been in the library — Restricted Section."

Harry feels the blood drain out of his face. Wherever he is, Filch must know a shortcut, because his soft, greasy voice is getting nearer, and to his horror, it's Snape who replies, "The Restricted Section? Well, they can't be far, we'll catch them."

Harry stands rooted to the spot as Filch and Snape come around the corner ahead. They can't see him, of course, but it is a narrow corridor and if they come much nearer, they'd knock into him - the cloak didn't stop him from being solid.

Harry backs away as quickly as he can. A door stands ajar to his left. It's my only hope, Harry thinks. He squeezes through it, holding his breath, trying to to move it, and to his relief, he manages to get inside the room without their noticing anything. They walk straight past, and Harry leans against the wall, breathing deeply, listening to their footsteps dying away. They had been close, very close, It is a few seconds before he notices anything about the room he his hidden in.

It looks like an unused classroom. The dark shapes of desks and chairs are piled against the walls, and there is an upturned wastepaper basket — but propped against the wall facing him was something that didn't look as if it belonged there, something that looked as if someone had just put it there to keep it out of the way.

It is a magnificent mirror, as high as the ceiling, with an ornate gold frame,standing on two clawed feet. There is an inscription carved around the top: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi.

His panic fading now that there is no sound of Filch and Snape, Harry moves nearer to the mirror, wanting to look at himself but see no reflection again; he steps in front of it.

He has to clap his hands to his mouth to stop himself from screaming. He whirls around, his heart pounding far more furiously than when the book had screamed - for he had not seen only himself in the mirror, but a whole crowd of people standing right behind him.

But the room is empty. Breathing very fast, he turns slowly back to the mirror.

There he is, reflected in it, white ans scared-looking, and there, reflected behind him, are at least ten others. Harry looks over his shoulder - but still, no one is there. Or are they invisible, too? Is his, in fact, in a room full of invisible people and this mirrors trick is that it reflects them, invisible or not?

Harry looks in the mirror again. A woman is standing right behind his reflection is smiling at him and waving. He reaches out a hand and feels the air behind him. If she is really there, he would touch her, their reflections are so close together, but he only feels air - she and the others exist only in the mirror.

She is a very pretty woman. Dark red hair and her eyes, emerald green eyes. Harry edges closer to the to the glass. Bright green - exactly the same shape as Harry's, but then he notices that she is crying; smiling, but crying at the same time. The tall, thin, black-haired man standing next to her put his arm around her. He wears glasses and his hair is very untidy. It sticks up at the back, just as Harry's does.

Harry is so close to the mirror that his nose is nearly touching that of his reflection.

"Mom?" he whispers. "Dad?"

They just look at him, smiling. And slowly, Harry looks into the faces of the other people in the mirror, and sees other pairs of green eyes like his, other noses like his, even a little old man, who looks as though he as Harry's knobbly knees - he is looking at his entire family for the first time in his life.

The Potters smile and wave at Harry and he stares hungrily hack at them, his hands pressed flat against the glass as though he is hopping to fall right through it and reach them. He has a powerful kind of ache inside him, half joy, half terrible sadness.

How long he stands there, he doesn't know. The reflections do not fade and he looks and looks until a distant noise brings him back to his senses. He can't stay here, he has to find a way back to his bed. He tears his eyes away from his mother's face, whispers, "I'll come back," and hurries from the room.

Harry does for the next two nights and Dumbledore had found Harry the last night. Dumbledore had told Harry the purpose of the mirror, to show the deepest desire of their hearts.

Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the Invisibility Cloak stays folded at the bottom of his trunk. Harry wishes he could forget what he'd seen in the mirror as easily, but he can't He starts having nightmares. Over and over a again he dreams of his parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice crackles with laughter. What Harry didn't know, was that (Y/n) was having the same dreams. Repetition from the one on Christmas Eve night.

"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," says Ron, when Harry tells them about these dreams.

Word Count: 3759 words

#hermione granger x sister reader

14 notes · View notes

blankdblank · 3 years

Text

Brother Dearest Pt 68

State vs Lewis Patzer

“October 31, 1947. Mr Barnham’s mansion, while he threw a costume party in another of his properties and upon a search that several priceless gold statues along with gem accented decorations were taken along with a solid ruby/ivory/ebony piano and a variety of black market paintings and marbles. Almost all of the black market pieces were returned to the museums and exhibits they were stolen from. The gem based goods are still missing. All the portraits and statues were replaced by ones modeled around cats.” The student playing the suspect fought a chuckle while you listened to the rest of the opening statement of the Prosecution Antonio Speltzer in a ploy to paint this absurdly rich person as a victim who was heinously victimized.

Mr Patzer’s Lawyer Vernon Dorman stood and took his on turn to bring up how this whole trial was twisted to fulfill a personal grudge against Mr Patzer while there are other suspects who actually could have done this, including his twin Dennis Patzer. And with the conclusion of the opening statements that case was paused to allow the student teams to swap places with the Divorce Case while in the chair you lifted your feet to cross your legs and sit up straighter when one of the girls started to press into your spine to guide them more forward into your belly.

Schmidt vs Schmidt

For the husband Emil Mr Felton stood to call up the first character witness for their case to try and sway your impression of the two people who hoped to gain what the wanted and needed in this division of assets and custody.

Ray Schwartz – Age 32 atop the stand sat and as best friend to the husband made his loyalty known in a slew of statements as for what he had heard and supposedly witnessed upon her failure as both wife and mother. Compared fully to the elder Mrs Schmidt and how she was the pinnacle role model mother and wife for the husband to aim for in a wife for himself.

Dan Vallier – Age 42, the former boss of Mrs Schmidt in the gallery she once was employed while you made a few pretend notes to the student playing up his testimony that she couldn’t keep up with the job. Of course you could hear from the details that it was her focus on her son’s activities and health that had kept her from jumping to the Boss’ every beck and call that landed her out of his employment. Which had the male student for the husband smirk in believe that the male pretend wife had been made openly a pitiful financial provider for their young son.

Lee Hogue in the excuse of Mr Vallier began his own call for the first two character witnesses for the pretend Mrs Schmidt. Irene Moses – Age 23 was called up and delved amusingly into several tales of how in her former relationship with Mr Schmidt who dumped her for an even younger woman with whom he was to be soon hopefully wedded. From broken property, his outbursts and continued possessive letters that she is still receiving years after their break up.

Leslie Welch – Age 24, former driver to her and their child shared a trio of tales when he witnessed the husband degrading his wife and being lost into a deep dependence upon alcohol that has drawn a new side out of Mr Schmidt that is rather despicable and cruel to those around him who do not control his paycheck. As he shared that around fellow employees or bosses he can put on a calm exterior and paint himself with a friendlier brush.

A couple exams and an open Saturday granted you some work on a new part for your tv you made that in the middle of the next page of the translation you moved onto next to keep from using too much energy you drifted off and woke up to a lunch under a blanket in a nest of pillows the guys had nestled around you. Talks of the house next door came up with Gina and her husband who talked with Eddie on more plans through the meal you struggled to focus on at the lack of a comfortable position to be found. Sharp and clear the drop of your fork to the plate turned heads to you and brought James back from the kitchen without the refill on your drink he’d gone to fetch. His hand right over your back while your hands folded around the arms of your chair in a pained inch back in your seat, “Breathe out Bunny,” Gina said in a pop up to take your free side and gently laid a hand over your still supple belly. “Just breathe out, nice and slow.”

Slow and steady you exhaled and James said, “That wasn’t labor.”

Gina shook his head and said, “No, belly’s not hard.” Shakily you inhaled through the receding wave of pain that had radiated from your hips and said in a lock of your eyes on his, “Just your first Braxton Hicks. Just a check of your muscles.”

Sharply you exhaled and said, “You know if it feels like this why don’t all the girls do this? So much fun,” you said making her chuckle and reach up to fix your bangs that fell in your face.

“I’m going to get you some more pickles, baby corn and beets. Mine always relaxed when I snacked extra.”

Sharply you exhaled again to James’ next stroke of your back while you somehow suddenly came upon a comfortable sort of hunch forward and lifted your fork again saying, “You were saying, about the green tile.” Tentatively attention went back to the house and when he had confirmed Victor would watch you in the few moments away James did fetch your drink and remained fixed at your side to ensure your comfort for the rest of the day.

All through your return to the nest to do more translations until up in bed you laid out after a few more gentle pecks from your worried husband who in his trip to turn off the light turned to eye you on the bed in a soft huff. Hastily he flipped the switch and came back to bed and eased up on it behind you asking, “Are you in pain?”

“I’m an inch too low,” you sighed and he chuckled and leaned in to curl a hand below your thighs to glide you just a bit higher inside your nest that had you settle in more comfortably. “Thank you.”

“You are welcome.” And sweetly behind you he cuddled close, pleased that your extra metal insulation in the walls had kept the house cool in this humid spring so that he could cuddle up to you still without causing you to warm up too much and send him away. Under your stolen shirt from his supply he slid his hand to stroke your belly in the close of his eyes to confirm for himself with all his focus that his babies were not coming out early and would wait the few more weeks left to the finish line for a private birth in your home your family would fix up the final details upon your return.

“I suppose Herc will be interested to know about my pain earlier. Finally have something more than a bruise to question him about.”

A bit more he wiggled his forehead to rest fully into your hair against the back of your head to the kick against his palm, “I doubt he has been bored in seeing to you and our girls.”

“I just mean, 48 weeks pregnant, and nine weeks left finally something to get his blood pumping.”

That had him chuckle, “You didn’t see him pop in the middle of our house to share you’d been scared by an owl when ever we got tingles something happened after the Twins gave the all clear on danger. Plenty of blood pumping moments.”

You sighed again and asked, “What happens if I keep having triplets? One set after the other?”

“We’ll have to build another wing onto the house. But however our babies come in whatever groups they choose to arrive in I will do all I can to help you. I wish I could do more.”

“You’re amazing,” you sighed again and said to the pull of your leg up that lifted his head.

“Foot cramp again?” You nodded and after a gentle press of his lips to your cheek he sat up and slid down taking the covers with him to rest your foot on his lap to cradle it and massage the odd cramp in your foot that had been on and off since your false contraction earlier. “At least Herc will be by after Mass.” Again you sighed making him grin at the sight of you with brows furrowed to the cramp that had him start to hum to you while he massaged your foot and lower leg gradually lulling you to sleep.

It almost seemed to have come full circle, at the uncertain beginning when there was no idea three babies were growing inside of your belly now with almost five pound babies safely growing stronger by the day again naps and sleep were paramount in this stressful town. And he knew that much like over the Winter when you magnificently had begun to show and they had grown impressively in that peaceful free time he knew could change the back end of this pregnancy for you. Not just free from the eyes of the press but well within the chance to have your parents there to fill those gaps of support he and the others couldn’t fill while Herc was available to come up and stay for daily checks if needed. And when he felt your legs were at ease he settled down again around your back to slip into his own dreams of what was coming.

Spare inches on the now oddly shinier belly you stood in front of the mirror in the bathroom with your head tilted through a turn from side to side. The impressive bubble shape a bit less pointed from the stretched area where your babies began to stretch out more had you tell James in his step to your side from the toilet nook he turned away from after having flushed a moth he found in your closet. “I look like someone coated me in butter.”

Softly he chuckled and said after a kiss of your temple, “You look fantastic.” Still smiling from a candid photograph he had taken earlier when you were changing out of his stolen clothes to add to the collection. Back from your side he collected the pants you wanted to wear he helped you step into after you’d changed your underwear and added some padding to your bra in case of some leaking of the milk you started to dribble. A blouse was next to add and be settled underneath the straps of your pants. “Only means the babies are growing and you with them.”

“From the side I look like a snake that ate a beaver.” Unable to help it he chucked and leaned in to kiss you on his lips sweetly and then bent to add your socks and your sneakers.

“You do not.” Up again he stood and guided you to the bathroom where he helped to comb out your braid he helped to work the top half of your hair back into a clip so your hat would sit nicely while the rest of your curls hung loosely down your back. Rain sounds grew louder on the way down and after a light breakfast in the cars you drove off to the Mass lit by candlelight followed by another meeting with Herc.

This time it was a great deal more focused upon checks of your hips and pelvis, these done in one of the spare rooms for more room for use of a new device that cut out another worrisome intrusive internal exam. Checks of blood pressure with a bulb activated pump were followed by a prick of your finger for a drop of blood to be added to a solution in a small vial he settled inside a lemon sized cube device.

Over that a full readout of the results were projected and you asked to his focused expression, “Is that good?”

“Oh yes, I would suggest some more pickles though. Your girls are using a good bit of your iron.”

Eddie popped up, “Pickles, on it,” and hurried to the kitchen.

Herc said with a grin, “Again, the tests are all good, your pelvic floor as well is growing more elastic which is a good sign at this stage. The hips as well, nice and cushioned for when they shift in labor.”

You nodded and asked at the still projected results, “What is all that?” Spreading his grin to shift the projection so you could read it properly while he explained it all and how it showed your progress and the girls’. You nodded and asked timidly, “You um, so you don’t have to do any, internal exams?”

Kindly he gave you a grin to James’ pat on your back, “No, thankfully with our kin we require that usually only on the day of labor to gauge progress or to shift the position of the babies. I understand that first exam was quite unsettling to you when that Nurse examined your ovaries.” You nodded and he gently patted your hand rested on the bed beside you, “I will not cross that boundary of your comfort until necessary and only with your permission and full disclosure of the reasoning. I do understand there is quite the common notion that your body is no longer your own in pregnancy,” he nodded as you did in a fight against tears that misted into your eyes. “This is your body and I will always respect that. There is always time to explain things even in emergencies, a great deal of Doctors forget that compassion when treating patients these days when we see things so pragmatically in search of diagnosis or cure of ailments.” You nodded again and smiled to Eddie in his lowering a full try of snacks to the bed he eased off of to rest beside you, “For now, leg and foot exam while you snack and I will check your levels again in a bit.”

A couple of contractions when your exam was through had Herc shift his focus to her and her baby girl who through him made it clear that she was ready to come out in the next few days that allowed the brood to plan accordingly for the sudden arrival. The family dinner that followed granted you a chance to hand over a gift to her just in case she went into labor while you were at school, a crank fed mobile that played a lullaby like the one she had been pining over for years when she had a baby girl of her own. Tearfully she gave you a hug and confirmed that you hadn’t spent the ridiculous sum that the magazine she’d seen it in listed it for and squealed excitedly as her husband promised to install it when they got home over the crib to have it ready.

State vs Lewis Patzer

Antonio Speltzer stood across from the Detective Nathaniel Madison, Age 43, who delved into the whole process of the investigation of the case and then delved into the identification of Mr Patzer as the suspect who was behind the robbery.

And when Mr Speltzer sat down and representation for the Defense Vernon Dorman stood and adjusted his jacket buttons and asked his first few questions and then finished off with what he hoped to be his zinger. “Detective Madison, is it not true that Jacob Shea, who you credit the naming of Mr Patzer as the prime suspect, named him in the process of negotiating a plea deal on his own pending felony charges?”

Detective Madison cleared his throat and said, “Yes, we were discussing his plea deal when he brought it to our attentions.”

Vernon Dorman answered, “No further questions, Your Honor.”

Cecilia Marsh – Age 39 came next with the Prosecution who displayed a variety of blown up copies of several art pieces that she priced and named. A few which you corrected the dates in the notes and made a few people in the crowds smirk at your unknown mouthing of the proper dates, including the author, Clifford Adler, of the case who made note to check those dates later to correct in the notes for the case. And had to smirk at the pictures of the replacement pieces of artwork all themed after cats.

Vernon Dorman at the end of the initial questioning stood to say, “No questions, Your Honor.” And he sat again for the next witness to be led up as the prosecution gathered up the pictures and Officer Graham left the easel for the blueprint of the Mansion brought out for the next witness.

Jimmie Feigel – Age 28. Head security guard in charge of that property was asked several questions on his usual tasks and pattern of patrol and then questions of the discovery of the theft came next which the Defense expanded on by clarifying that even in the absence of goods there was no sign of who might have committed the crime or even how they had gotten in or out.

Jacob Shea – Age 43. A Mobster who testifies in deal for pending case that he’d seen one of the twins at a bar planning the heist and at a pool hall gaining a crew to pull it off. Hinting coercion of identification by the Defense digging more into the details of how the identity of the suspect was brought up eventually bringing to light there was a supply of pictures laid out for him to choose from when the Detective swayed the questioning from his own Felony charges to the robbery. An admission that had the crowd buzzing all through the switch over for the next case.

Schmidt vs Schmidt

Ben Lynch – Age 51, a licensed Psychiatrist. Atop the stand was halfway through his statement of how he was approached in the planned testimony that Mr Schmidt had approached him and shared about his wife to see what sort of mental problems she might be suffering from to solidify his grounds that she was unstable.

“Mr Lynch,” to the cease of the silent taps of your pen atop your notepad you felt his eyes shift to land on you with brows raised and you asked, “Did you just say that Mr Schmidt approached you and filled you into this whole situation?”

“Yes, Your Honor,” he answered and you tapped your pen on the notepad again.

“Have you ever spoken to Mrs Schmidt?”

“No, Your Honor,” he said and stole a glance at Billie Bretz, the author of the case over the shoulder of the pretend concerned Mr Schmidt’s shoulder.

“Have you ever met Mrs Schmidt?”

“No, Your Honor.”

“Alright, then I’m going to have to excuse you.”

“Okay,” he said and stood to return to follow Officer McTavish who smirked guiding him back out to the hall before the next witness would be brought in.

Mr Schmidt’s Lawyer Mr Felton asked, “Your Honor?”

“I will not accept any diagnosis from any Medical Professional who has not personally consulted the supposed afflicted party. And had Mrs Schmidt spoken to him without the grounds of a criminal mental inquiry said testimony would be inadmissible in court as well even with the permission of the Husband to share her confidential information shared with Mr Lynch unless she had threatened to harm someone or herself. And then that would be heard in grounds of a criminal case not a Divorce Hearing.”

“Fair enough,” Mr Felton said that had his pretend client shift his hands in a ‘what the hell’ motion he could only shake his head at while the judges of the case made note of your decision and reasoning.

Estelle Warner – Age 21. Assistant who says she demands gifts and is bad with and is after money came next and had you pretending to take notes to keep from rolling your eyes through the fruitless testimony.

Where you had to keep from rolling your eyes you had to keep from laughing when the next student came up to represent the 20 year old current mistress, Wilhelmina Adler. Who was called in favor of the current Mrs Schmidt who ends up admitting in the line of questioning by Lee Hogue in favor of his client that brought out her pattern of dating well off men. Ending with a glaring statement that she has the impression that Mr Schmidt’s son Daniel could ruin things between the both of them and their happiness.

Leonard Frisbe – Age 39. Tutor for young Daniel came with a share on both environments the child was residing in, and while the father’s home was more spacious his mother’s home came with a parent who took part in the studies of the child to help him understand topics that came difficult for the tutor to get him to understand.

With a nod you flashed him a smile and said, “Thank you Mr Frisbe, you are excused.” He nodded and strolled out and you called the case for the day to meet again in two days for the next step in the process.

More exams and handwritten essay prompts filled your Tuesday while you sat to the side in separate desks while your Professors ensured that more of the final assignments were crossed off their grade books to finalize your credits before the month was up. Jointly along with a note from the Dean of Barnard and Columbia they stated that the first week of April was the solidified date that you would be graduating this semester as a sort of firm support of you and this next step of your pregnancy to grant some highly required rest from all of the public press. All around the dinner table at least that letter gave a solid date to be spread through the family to plan accordingly.

State vs Lewis Patzer

Vernon Dorman for Mr Patzer’s defense called up the first witness and began with Matilda Patzer – Age 54, his grandmother who was with him and his Grandfather as well as the night when the goods were returned. While you hoped to throw out the case a few details were a bit too shaky for you to do so when the Prosecution cross examined her.

Charity Patzer – Age 22 was next and also was a hair away from being worthy of throwing out the case when she stood as his alibi for Halloween night.

Ralph Adler – Age 27 was next and while the Prosecution used the fact that there are identical twins involved was used to fight the alibis was used against the Prosecution’s case with a doubled down attack that the Detective had a deep seeded grudge against Lewis Patzer since he did not return the affections the Detective’s daughter had for him. Buzz worthy testimony the Prosecution could not shake that gave way to the final witness before the closing statements.

Lawrence Barnham – Age 45, the victim of the case was called next and took the stand to play what the files had him as a living airhead of an heir to a fortune with little to offer the world beyond his pocketbook withdrawals. All of which brought little sympathy from anyone when his ploy to state he had lost dear things to him, and while it made a tiny dent in his overall fortune did not leave him any worse for wear aside from hurt feelings.

Schmidt vs Schmidt

Once everyone took their seats after a bathroom break for you to the group you flashed a quick grin and said, “I realize the both of you are hoping that after all of the character witness testimonies that I could decide everything for you and wrap it up in a nice bow for you. However I have a few more questions and information I need from the both of you.” Both sides nodded and you asked, “Mr Schmidt, how many hours do you work?” he answered the question and then shifted in his seat as you asked, “And while you work when you have custody of your son who watches him?”

“I have a nanny.”

You nodded and made a tick mark next to that question on the list you had noted to ask later and asked, “And in or out of your custody how many school events do you go to?”

“Um,” he said and wet his lips, “I go to the occasional game when I can with my job.”

“Fair enough,” you said and made a tick mark on the list and asked, “And how much savings do you have set away for Daniel for schooling or emergencies?”

Your eyes landed on him in the draw of his pretend smug attitude in saying to a nudge of his elbow into his lawyer’s, “I make more than enough with my job to not need savings. And the boy isn’t anywhere near old enough to think on college yet.”

Blankly at him you stared a moment and made him inch back in his seat before you asked the same questions to the male student acting as the wife who while she had basic funds compared to his to draw from she spent more quality time with the boy and never missed a chance to be with him during his school events she assured he made it to.

You nodded and said “I would like to speak to Daniel,” and Officer Browen grinned as you said, “Officer Browen would you escort him in?”

To the hall he went and heads turned to watch the anxious preteen who was the stand in nine year old son that smiled and poked is brother’s arm on the way to the stand where he made sure to flash you a glimpse of the Venom and Battle Bunny comic in his hand. To your smile he settled into his seat and listened as you said, “Now, Daniel, I know this is a bit confusing but I just have a few questions for you to make sure that I have all the details and perspectives.”

He nodded and into his schooling and clubs he shared the memorized details and those he stole glances at his script of his life tucked inside the comic book to answer your questions. Sharing fully that he loved school and his clubs and was an active and happy child who seemed to be adjusting well to the two new household situation even though he might wish his dad would be around more. “What do you think of the new two home situation? Do you feel happier?”

The preteen after a glance at his sheet said, “My parents fight less, and even though Dad doesn’t come to many of my games or meets when he’s not around his new girlfriend he does spend more time with me.” Then he added, “I would like to spend more time with my mom though, usually I spend most of the time with a nanny at dad’s visits when he works.”

You nodded and said, “Well thank you for answering my questions, and if you don’t mind following Officer Browen again your parents should be out in a little bit.” He nodded and smiled in his pop up for a relieved sort of bounce to the hall past his grinning brother who was proud of his baby brother’s successful role in this trial.

And in his absence when the Officer Browen went back to his spot you adjusted yourself to face the parents and said, “As far as the primary custody is concerned I am awarding that to Mrs Schmidt.” Jaws dropped in the crowd and the students at the tables inched up in amused shock as you clarified, “Parenthood is more than money and for all of the houses and hired staff to watch after your son Mr Schmidt he is a kind hearted bubbly boy with big dreams and solitude and distance can only crush that without proper guidance and reinforcement. I will leave the aspect of dates to decide visitation between your Lawyers, however I have a list of information that I will sort through to the details of your assets to ascertain the proper financial support to be granted as child support.”

After a pause you stated, “And amongst the division of dates for visitation I would like the both of you to draft up your wills.” That had their lips part and you said, “We will continue this hearing on Friday.” And you brought down the gavel casting the courtroom in an amused and stunned moment of confusion in your rise and stroll out with the amused General behind you.

Assets present/future

Property/Bank information

Child’s activities and school records

Prenup or postnup

Husband’s work habits

Wife’s possible income, former assets

Possible child support and alimony

All from the evidence boxes were compiled at home and would be consulted later when you got home to mark up the financial settlement while the pretend divided couple would spend the next class they had off to work out with their pretend Lawyers to mark up dates to spilt monthly with holidays divided or agreed to be celebrated together. The wills confusingly were drafted up by means of a textbook they got from the library to know how to write it up with details filled in from the evidence given and typed up for a less shoddy version to be brought into the final hearing on Friday when they hoped the case was to be closed.

“You asked them to make wills?” was whispered through the halls and they continued on excitedly to gossip and guess on your plans to see if they will be right about them when Friday rolled around. The same question that was echoed when you returned home and sat with the notes to compile them all as you used the guys as sounding boards for what you had decided.

Just two weeks were until your trip and through the home small bits were being tucked away in trunks and suitcases to be driven back to Canada to simplify the final tings to grab the day of the move. Absolute neutrality was an odd mood that washed over you and across the main floor you paced and did a few odd stretches along the way that had the guys peer between doorways more than a bit confused by their tries to hint they had your usual nesting spots ready for you that had failed.

Reinforcements sent in the form of a pouting toddler with a ball in hand had you settled down on a cushion on the floor to play with Teddy until dinner was called for. A meal he tottered off to and with an adorable tilt of your head backwards to glance at Victor with a chuckle he squatted to take hold of your upper thighs on your legs you unfolded and planted to help you up once your hands had settled behind his neck. James’ hand extended to claim yours for the walk to eat after having set down the camera to capture that moment and gladly after you had eaten your fill a bath and early night in let them relax.

Closing arguments and the send off of the Jury to deliberate bled to the Divorce Case that had you hand over two copies of the decided arrangements that both sides read along with you while the author of the case smirked taking note of the decisions in the payment plans and custody agreement. Including their decided dates that you signed off on and shared tasks in case of emergency to renegotiate days to skip if one of them was suddenly unavailable to have custody that day.

After that you said, “And I just have one final thing to say before I close this case to you Mr Schmidt. You have no right not to protect your family from the worst case scenario. I know all too well what happens to a mother who loses their spouse and father to their child and now has to adjust accordingly to raise her children alone. And while you might consider nine a huge leap from eighteen if you dropped dead tomorrow your child would be left without any means of support at all. That was the reason for my order to have you write your will, and if you do marry your current flame then I highly suggest re-writing that will to include her and any possible children you might conceive from that union. I would also advise speaking with a financial consultant to begin a savings plan and possible trust for your son that could be set aside for his schooling and remain protected should the worst befall you. Sunny skies today do not negate storm clouds tomorrow. Buy an umbrella and some boots for your son.” You said to the slam of the gavel that had some in the crowd chuckle and begin to clap as you turned to head to the office to simply get out of that room and chair that your body didn’t want to remain fixed upon any longer to final notes being taken by the Judges who collected the copies of your drafted plans for the couple.

For Psychology at least you were able to stand for a bit off to the side of your desk against the wall out of view of mostly everyone but the understanding Professor who calmed on threats of labor when you finally felt relaxed enough to lower into your seat for the rest of the class. Literature however had you arrive to an empty classroom where you read the note that a family emergency had the Professor gone but the TA there with a grin and a special exam in hand to have you complete for a final major credit for the semester for his class. To your usual seat you strolled and accepted the packet to complete then turn in for a short break to browse through one of the courtyards until the Photography club would meet.

Up to the tree where you found the owl from before you peered locked in place only to turn and smile at the Twins who guided you to the club room and would wait to meet you again after to show you to James’ car. And by the time you got home the reason for your discomfort was clear as Ambrose woke the family in the middle of the night when she went into labor and by Saturday morning had a bouncing baby girl to have the family boast about at mass the following day while she got about a week to rest.

Not Guilty would be the words that echoed through the halls while you focused on the course list that you had sent for from the same Alberta Community College that Columbia and Barnard would accept credits for through your summer break to get ahead on your degrees. Some that you would have to attend on campus but others the school at the tolerable distance allowed for weekly visits from a tutor for check ins on your understanding and bi-weekly exams in a program that was meant to aid new mothers specifically in continuing their credits. Quite proudly they meant to welcome the second of the sibling set to grace their campus to take up the courses they had to offer.

And by the time you got to the meeting of the paper your booklet on the Canadian College drew more than a few gazes and Portia smiled asking, “They finally sent the book for your summer classes?”

You nodded calming the young women in the room as you answered, “They’re letting me take a whole chunk of my credits at home, out of the twelve they let me sign up for I have to go on campus for five of them. The rest they’ll send a tutor out to make sure I’m on track and to monitor tests twice a month at the house.”

Portia, “Oh that’s wonderful news. Have you with those Bachelor Degrees in no time.”

Amber asked, “And you’ll be back in September?”

You nodded, “Yes, they’re compact courses in a program for new mothers they are picking up. I think it should go well.”

Another of the young women asked, “And you’ll have time for the birth?”

“Oh ya, I don’t start the at home classes until the end of May and the back half of June I start the on campus classes, so there’s time for me to give birth and get my feet back before I have to head out to the campus, and even that is twice a week.”

The news calmed the group and while you left the room silent smiles behind you were traded in the plan for the first meeting next week to give you an amazing send off to the semester. Schedules to keep over the summer seemed to help and calls from the University had confirmed the best would be chosen and given a non-disclosure contract to not share anything that they would learn about yourself, your family or so much as what color your soap trays were. An odd addition in hopes to have you calmed that the press situation from New York wouldn’t happen in Canada and you would be given a semblance of privacy and heaps of respect in this difficult time of transition. And all you had to pull from the conversation with your moment of corvid brain was to discuss with the family on what type of soap dishes you all wanted for the numerous bathrooms within the spacious manor.

Pt 69

All –

@sherala007, @mariannetora, @jesgisborne, @knitastically, @catthefearless, @theincaprincess, ggbbhehe4455, @lilith15000, @alishlieb,

Not nsfw(smut) - @otakumultimuse-hiddlewhore

X Marvel-Cast - @himoverflowers, @theincaprincess, @changlingkhat

Brother Dearest - @thorinanddwalinsdwarrowdam, @swoopswishsward

#Mock Trials End #School #Time with family #New Baby Brock #James Howlett x OC #Victor Creed x Norma Jeane #Eddie Brock x OC #Venom

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eternaljouska · 5 years

Text

Bear Hug - Hansol Vernon Chwe

Pairing: Idol!Vernon x Reader (The idol-ness doesn’t really show, though)

Genre: Fluff

Warning: nonexistent

Word Count: 1611

Note: The format is slightly different. I was planning to change it, but my friend said it’s better to keep it this way, so... yeah.

Also, @jookyunhoevercoupshoe here you go, i’m sorry, i promised to upload this yesterday, but you know what happened (?) Hope this is enough, even if the moment is too short. DON’T READ THIS WITH TOO MUCH EXPECTATION, PLEASE. THIS IS JUST A FEW SECONDS INTERACTION--5 MINUTES MAX. (Tell me if this is way below your expectation, tho, i’ll try to write something better in the future 🤧 i feel so insecure about this one, ugh)

Yes, he knows. Vernon knows it is very uncharacteristic of him to dress up like this. His fashion taste may fall into a questionable category, but that’s the way he is—free-minded, free-spirited, unbound to the lines the society draws around him. If someone knows him at all, they should be able to tell if the clothes strewn randomly on the bed are his or not, he would bet anything on that.

Or not. Surely, if he cares enough about his wellbeing, he would not involve himself in any more misleading pursuit such as that, moreover if it is initiated by the one and only Yoon Jeonghan. Just like how everything is, the bet started as something harmless, bordering foolish really, and then, the older man whined and raised the stake to make things a little more interesting. And here Vernon is: dressing up as a Teddy Bear in the middle of the crowded Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as a consequence to his tough luck. He’s supposed to put his costume as soon as he passes through the immigration process. And mind you, it is not even a Teddy Bear onesie. It’s a full-blown mascot costume with the sponge or who knows what it is in its belly. It’s hot and heavy. And fortunately, Vernon speaks English fluently, which allows him the additional task of coming up to at least seventeen kids and giving each of them a balloon and a hug before joining his other members in their lounge.

Vernon is cautious. He asks the airport officials a few times to ascertain that it is completely okay to do what he’s about to do. He’s praying with all of his heart that it’s not, but the words that they told him were much looser than a no. Oh, good God, he’s already traumatized, and he hasn’t even exited the restroom. This is just so not him. He could see Seungkwan in it—Soonyoung or Seokmin, too, or any other member for that matter—but not him. How should he approach unknowing kids with a balloon and a hug and just leave immediately after? What if their parents question him? Oh, how he hopes he’s more than a mass of awkwardness starting to melt inside his burning costume.

“Hi! Hi? Hi,” he says and repeats several times, trying out his various friendly tones in front of the mirror of the deserted restroom. “Okay, you can do this. Hi, want a balloon and a hug? Perfect. Okay. Let’s get it, Vern.”

“Hi!” he lets out in a tone way too high for his liking, which is met with what could be a horrendous scream of an unsuspecting boy if only he’d spared him a glance on his run to the stall. “Want a—oh, right, yes, you need to go to the restroom, aha, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

Yes, Vernon, great first attempt. Proud of you, yeah, haha.

His second attempt is better, and his next few ones are decent.

There’s a girl walking timidly behind her father, her short arms clutching around her father’s leg. The wetness under her eyes is still visible. When they arrive in front of Vernon, her father mouths to him that Riley, his daughter, is scared, but she wants the balloon. Vernon nods his giant head a few times and walks slowly towards the girl. “It’s okay, Riley. Teddy bear doesn’t bite. Here, have a balloon.”

The girl looks up at her father who in turn urges her forward to pick her balloon of choice. Blue. She chooses a blue balloon. “Thank you, Mr. Bear,” she whispers before hiding behind her father’s leg once again.

For a while, Vernon just strolls around the airport, past the gift shops and nearing the gate where a little girl runs towards him and squeals in all excitement, “Can I get the pink one? Can I get the pink one?”

Vernon tries to kneel down to match the girl height, but that proves difficult with the compact belly he’s supporting. “Mia,” the girl’s mother chides from several feet away, causing the girl, Mia, to drop her smile and stop bouncing on her feet.

“I’m sorry. Can I get a pink balloon, please?” she asks again, peeking from underneath her bangs. And Vernon’s heart melts at that sight, in a rate quicker than his costume makes his body does.

“Of course! Here you go. Do you care for a hug? You can get a free balloon and a free hug!”

“I love hugs!” The girl jumps into Vernon’s hug, bumping his pillowy belly, with chuckles that help him come into term with his punishment. Well, this is a lot more fun than I expected. “Bye-bye,” Mia intones as she skips back to where her mother’s standing, a wide smile showing her neat teeth still placated on her face.

After Mia, there’s a big family seemingly on their way to their vacation. There are at least four children from that family alone, Vernon has lost count, for then there are a few others coming out of nowhere and circling him, creating quite the commotion of shouts of color. And with the last yellow balloon given to a kid named Jerry—or the way he adorably pronounced it, Jewwy—Vernon’s task is completed.

Vernon sighs, pretty content about what he’s done and given for the kids, but tired nonetheless. He drags his padded soles to the restroom where he first began his mission. He knows that there are other restrooms, obviously, but for sentimental purposes, he wants to use the same one. The restroom’s sign’s starting to get clearer as he gets closer to his destination when he feels someone poking on his back.

“It’s unfair that only kids get free balloons and hugs like that, you know.”

Vernon turns around only to face a young woman of his age standing with both hands folded in front of her, looking at him with half a pout on her lips. Vernon opens his mouth to say something, but words fail him. He’s lucky his huge bear head can hide his gaping mouth.

“I know you ran out of balloons, but can I at least get the hug?” she inquires. Vernon notices her fingers that are actively pinching the skin of her elbow. She’s adopted a tough appearance—expression, tone, and stance—when she first spoke up, but now, Vernon would say that she’s almost sheepish. “Well, I mean, it’s okay if—“

Without thinking further, Vernon finds himself opening his arms widely, welcoming the young woman in front of him. Seeing that it’s Vernon who initiates the hug, he didn’t imagine he’d be surprised when she dives into his embrace, but he does. Vernon takes an involuntary step back from the impact. The young woman’s hold on him is so tight that he can still feel the squeeze despite his thick costume.

The words are you okay? are hanging on the tip of his tongue, his heart goes erratic with growing worries, but the young woman beats him to it. “I’m sorry. I just need this.”

Vernon realizes at that point that his arms are still wide open, so he brings his hands together, closing in on her. “It’s okay. As long as you are, too. Okay, I mean.”

She laughs, but Vernon catches the hint of tears in her melodic chuckle. “Hey, what’s wrong?” he says, placing his hands on her shoulder to break the hug and allow him to see her face. She has her head ducked down, too occupied with the nudging show her boot has with Vernon’s big fluffy bear foot.

Understanding that she won’t do it on her own accord, Vernon moves his hand to cup her cheeks to raise her head, which somehow erases the frown on his forehead and frees his own laughter. Her cheeks—almost her whole face—is drowning between Vernon’s paw, and it makes her look too adorable for him to handle. And she, still with her pouty lips, struggles to bat away Vernon’s paw. When Vernon lets her cheeks go, she wipes her tears away and goes on to chastise him. “What are you laughing about, huh?”

“You,” Vernon answers shortly, half-aware that his word’s going to irritate her furthermore.

“What? That’s plain cruel, Mr. Teddy Bear! You’re supposed to be a Teddy Bear, not a Baddy Bear.” She blinks several times at the end of her sentence, probably noticing how weird that sounded.

Vernon scoffs, “W-what?”

A split second after that, the two young adults laugh uncontrollably, and Vernon’s thought flies to the timid girl earlier, Riley. She had called him Mr. Bear; she’s afraid of him and called him Mr. Bear. He wonders, is that her way of showing her ambivalence between Mr. Teddy Bear and Mr. Baddy Bear?

“Can I have one last hug?” she begins after their laughter died down. “I can’t visit the airport whenever I need a free hug, you know?”

“Sure.” Vernon’s head is emptied of any coherent thoughts as he wraps her in another tight hug. This is it. She’s going to walk away from him, and soon he’ll change into his normal clothing and everything stays in their memory, awaiting the time when memory blurs and reality dissolves into the dark of forgetfulness.

“Thank you,” she whispers, very much as Riley did, and starts walking backward.

“Actually,” he half-shouts, too deep in his previous consideration to notice, “Would you like my nu—no, um, my company, yeah, my company’s contact. You know, for business inquiries.”

She chuckles, the trace of tears has long since gone away. “Sure, I’ll take that.”

Note: Leo @leojov , this is why I lowkey freaked out when you mentioned me and started talking about teddy bear.

#vernon fluff #hansol fluff #seventeen fluff #chwe hansol fluff #vernon scenarios #vernon imagines #hansol vernon chwe #hansol imagines #hansol scenarios #seventeen scenarios #seventeen imagines

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blankdblank · 5 years

Text

Anaticula Pt 18

Pt 1 - Pt 2 - Pt 3 - Pt 4 - Pt 5 - Pt 6 - Pt 7 - Pt 8 - Pt 9 - Pt 10 - Pt 11 - Pt 12 - Pt 13 - Pt 14 - Pt 15 - Pt 16 - Pt 17 -

“Why do I have to go?” Harry again protested as you all shifted to the left on the Knight bus in its racing path towards Privet Drive.

“Harry, you know the rules, two weeks at the Dursley’s.”

“But they’ll only be worse now that I’ve gone to my ‘school of crackpot magic tricks’.”

You rolled your eyes, “They’ll get over it, and if they give you a hard time you let me know and I’ll send over some puking candies.” Making him chuckle and reluctantly stand and shift his mokeskin bag in his hand carrying his trunk and owl cage he had no clue how to fit in his room below the stairs. A problem solved by his entering the door to the home filled with the chatter of Dudley to his friends.

Petunia eyed him from her place fixing treats in the kitchen saying lowly in her approach to him making him freeze, “We needed the space for our new vacuum you no longer sleep under the stairs.” A hint of regret in her forcibly stoic expression making Harry nod wondering if Vernon had finally made good on his threat to move him into the garden shed. “Up the stairs second on the right. We moved Dudley into the larger spare to fit his things.” She turned to the kitchen again after adding, “Vernon is working late and Dudley is having friends over so keep quiet.”

Harry nodded, “Yes aunt Petunia.” He stole a glance back at her seeing her return to the counter peering over at what clearly was another of your letters beside a notepad covered in what appeared to be a drafted response. Anxiously he crept up the stairs eyeing the blue carpet with purple swirls on it and then followed the simple directions until he was in the ten by seven foot room complete with a simple bed, desk and cupboard for his clothes. A weak grin eased onto his face finding his knight toys lined up across the desk clearly dusted in his time away before he looked out over the window he drew Hedgwig out to set her cage in front of it and then turn to place his trunk on the floor by his cupboard.

Deeply he sighed and opened his trunk and found the bound gift from Hagrid he had been gifted as he left for the train. With care he undid the ribbon and eased back the brown paper revealing an album topped with a picture of him in his parents arms as they waved his arm at the camera. Grinning to himself he sat on his bed and opened the book finding first a picture of James and Lily dancing around a fountain, each page after with various pictures captured through their school years, more than a few including the Marauders and his aunt Jewelia, who stunned him completely at how much you looked like her.

Special awards and events, mainly circling Quidditch games, were included with descriptions Hagrid had included until the few scattered pictures of his year with his parents came to and end. From the image of him floating on a tiny broom between Lily and James and your shifting into a fox circling him as he first earned to crawl he felt his lip quivering as it jumped ahead to his first day. From a stolen picture of him under the Sorting hat to his first Quidditch practice the pages flooded with his newfound family around him up until a simple note “Family will always be here with us, just like Hogwarts, we never leave, not really.”

Closing the book he moved to set it on the desk turning again to his trunk he pulled a book on spells gone wrong you had gifted him in hopes of aiding in his studies while away. Flipping to his bookmark he eased the book open and scooted back against the wall smirking as he reread the last story softly chuckling to himself.

…

“America?” Your eyes rose from the copy of your wand permit you had been handed from Regulus upon returning from your swim in the lake with the twins and Opal at her saying the Platypus living there had laid eggs near hatching. Easing a wet strand of your hair behind your ear you locked your eyes with his asking, “Why are we heading to America?”

In the corner of your vision you caught Remus and Sirius tensing through their tea as he answered, “Apparently some traveling muggle circus found a Runespoor and Horned Serpents and sold them to a zoo only for them to break their cages and, well they didn’t bite anyone, just threw some people around. A few Aurors managed to secure them in an auditorium down at the Ministry until we can get there.”

“They can’t manage them?”

He chuckled saying, “Apparently their Auror system is congested and their Magical Creatures head is locked up in some scuffle with an Erumpent herd. Some sort of mischief in their secrecy got botched and now a creature dealer is headlining in a massive trial for selling to muggles. Plus, they heard I am something of a snake expert, so, yes you and I are headed to New York.” He looked to the twins, “I am sorry, I would have to fill out extra minor guardianship papers that would take weeks to authorize for cross oceanic trips.”

They nodded hugging you saying, “Lets get you changed and packed!”

With a giggle you joined them hurrying up to your room as your father said, “Best hop to it Pumpkin, plane leaves in an hour.”

Eyeing your closet after you had dried off and pulled on a long dark green velvet vest top hanging to your upper thighs over your grey jeans. Tapering off over the tops of your tall heeled boots Minerva had gifted you on your birthday you had started to break in on the final couple weeks in school after the final quidditch practice had ended. Slowly the twins kept creeping taller and until you could have the awaited growth spurt fated for you by your parents’ height jumps when they were your age. Lastly after your worn leather jacket you added your hat to help keep your eyes from being noticed that sat over your long braid hanging over your back in a deep maroon shade.

The trip to the muggle airport went easily enough and following Regulus you kept hold of his hand in walking through the crowded airport reminding yourself not to change your hair or eyes from your decided purple shade. Past the ticket counter you passed through the baggage check, for the simple expected two day trip you had the clothes chosen for the trip rolled up beside your toiletries pouch in your messenger bag along with a charmed book and set of journals to muggle proof them. A flashed grin and you were on your way towards your gate where you took your place in line to file into your seats towards the middle of the plane.

Eleven hours later and you were back in another airport claiming his hand once again on the path to the arrivals gate. Passing over your passport and travel papers you locked eyes with the brooding man behind the counter that looked between you and your picture, “Business or pleasure?”

After a pause you replied, “Short holiday, so, pleasure?”

Once again he inspected your face as you flashed another quick smile ignoring his stare at the scarred half of your face under your side swept bangs. Blankly he flipped the page and moved his arm from the ink pad to the page with his hand folded around a black plastic cylinder stamping the first page he closed the small book that he slid back to you. With a nod of his head he said, “Enjoy your time in New York.”

You grinned at him claiming the book you added to your bag and followed after Regulus to the side freeing up the counters where he claimed your hand and guided you out to the exiting gate where you eyed the tall teen with wide eyes looking you over in your approach in the early morning light through the glass walls. The sign with ‘Mr Black’ that he kept aimed towards the floor making Regulus smirk and mumble to you, “Bet that’s our ride.”

Giggling softly you leaned against his arm shifting your bag to avoid hitting the silver planter on your right joining him for the final few feet up to the teen where Regulus reached out tilting the sign up to read his name then said with a grin, “Hope you brought something sporty.”

The teen blinked then said, “Um, just have my Volkswagon Corrado. It’s got a racing stripe on it.”

Regulus chuckled saying, “Should do nicely.” Grinning at you as you followed the fumbling teen hurrying outside to unlock the car door and ease the seat forward for you to climb in the back.

Easing into the car you sat down resting your bag on your lap while Regulus climbed into the seat in front of you and closed the door resting his at his feet. The gangly teen rushed around and climbed inside to start the drive taking you through the city off towards the distant Ministry. Buildings whizzed by with oddly orange vans with men and women in matching striped bright red suits with matching hats, all of them more glum than the last as the trench coat clad group around them watching them intently turning your head as you passed.

“Hey, what’s with that van?”

The teen shook his head after a deep scoff, “Should just shove that lot out to sea.”

“Why?”

Shaking his head again he just turned up the music mumbling to himself stirring an eerie sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach as you dropped the subject. Through an odd patch of green you watched it grow in your view until it switched back to the city again you were parked and climbed out after Regulus did. Straight for the Woolworth building you walked adjusting the strap of your bag still wondering about that group in your step closer to Regulus’ side softly asking, “Did you see that van?”

Regulus sighed saying as he leaned in to whisper in latin, “When we turned 16 we flew out here and, well it’s a bit of a long story. I’ll explain in the hotel okay?” His eyes locked on yours and he added, “Technically I almost couldn’t come, got a ten year ban while Remus, James and your Dad got lifetime bans for the ruckus we pulled up over that lot in the van.”

“Why do I have a feeling this isn’t going to end well?”

Regulus eased his arm around your back leading you closer to the front entrance locked for the next few hours where another group of trench coat clad men and women waiting there staring you both down as if you had already been deemed a waste of time.

The closer you drew your eyes sank to the tallest man with sunglasses he was removing, his tie coated in snakes in bowties and wearing propeller hats. His brown eyes looking you over at Regulus’ side who he asked, “Mr Black, I was not aware you were bringing a date.”

Regulus scoffed, “This is my niece, Jaqi. Trust me, when I have a snake problem she is necessary.”

He looked you over again inching up his brow at your color changing eyes in looking over the brunette woman and blonde male around him who turned with a joined sigh as he said, “Come this way then and Miss, kindly remove your hat. I trust your niece has had the knowledge to fill out a wand permit application.” Reaching up you removed it and gave it a wave at your side activating your charm on it turning it to a string tied around your index finger. Anxiously your eyes raised and you ruffled your bangs and slicked your fingers along your braid resting over your shoulder in your usual self calming way noticing the danger wheel aimed at Level 4 Danger, Level 2 Moderate Danger which switched up to Level 3 High Alert as the two smaller hands moved to Exposures and Obliviations.

Regulus, “Oh I filled it out for her, by post. Just got out of school day before yesterday.”

That made the group glance back to look at you making you say, “I have it if you need to see it.” Turning around they quietly spoke amongst themselves as you glanced up at Regulus who leaned in to kiss your forehead.

Past a wand polishing House Elf you looked to the short redheaded woman who gasped and hurried over, her heels clicking at her eager steps as her slightly nasally voice rang out echoing in the halls, “Jewels! Regi!”

Leaning in Regulus whispered, “Bernadette Claude, she performed with your Mother.” His eyes inched back up to her with a grin on his face accepting her crashing hug into his side, “Bernadette.”

The group ahead of you paused to watch as she then hugged you widening your eyes in her quick tugging hug then release you forced a grin back onto your face for as she said, “Oh it’s been so long! I know you’re busy so I will catch you later.” Just as quickly as she had appeared she seemed to vanish down a hall freeing you to continue onwards behind the group.

Down a series of marble steps you eyed the varied professionally clad people passing by eyeing you both in return before you caught another flash of bright colored suits with thick black stripes as you were led to an opening elevator. Once inside you turned seeing a group of young teenagers staring up at you seemingly embarrassed to even catch your eye, the eldest girl bearing a strong dark brow matching that of her father’s, who was in a matching suit with a familiar claw mark across his cheek.

The doors of the large elevator closed and the House Elf turned the gear to the proper location as you glanced up at Regulus wondering why the trench coat clad group around the family had refused to let them inside the elevator with you. His eyes were already on you silently confirming your suspicion as to why they were being segregated. Looking forward again you drew in a steady breath struggling to fight your looming tears as you forced down the rising sea of insults and curses just biting and snarling to burst free.

A series of halls later and shouts could be heard of charms to renew the barriers around the auditorium behind oddly pale blue marble walls and doors coated in paisley tapestries. Approaching the doors those with wands raised stepped back eyeing the pair of you as you left your bags by the wall and Regulus rested his hand on the doorknob at your asking, “Why is it so cold?”

The dark eyed man that led you answered, “It is 85 degrees.”

You turned your head to look up at him, “No wonder they’re furious, they must be freezing.” Regulus opened the door and you eyed the Runespoor raised up to nearly ten feet with its body coiled up reaching what you assumed to be near thirty feet. Its eyes shifting colors in your first step into the room saying in Parseltongue as Regulus raised his hand casting a wandless heating spell, “No wonder you are so upset.” From behind a row of seats you saw the three Horned Serpents you guessed to be nearly twenty feet long each staring at you while you continued for the open mouthed Aurors behind you to watch in awe at the calming snakes. “It is so cold in here.”

The Runespoor’s heads tilted as the one on the right spoke, “The little one speaks to us.”

The far left replied, “Yes, it does. What little fangs it has.” Making you giggle and smile up at the middle head as it hummed out, “Whimsical dreams weighted with sorrow. What a painful creature.”

The middle Horned Serpent spoke out, “What could have called this little one so far from home?” Starting to slither over the seat to circle you with his brothers who all shifted closer to Regulus as they passed him at the spreading warmth from him.

Another said, “All these men and they send a child?”

Peering at the second you answered through the third sniffing you with a flick of his tongue, “They did not send for me. They asked for my Uncle.”

The third paused saying, “This smell on you.” The trio sniffed you as the Runespoor leaned closer to do the same only to pull back stunned eyeing you all muttering, “The King!”

Nodding your head you answered, “I do protect a Basilisk. These men, they will take you to a proper home far from where they found you.”

In conference they continued to circle you while Regulus continued to warm the room stealing smirking glances at the group watching from the hall as the conference ended and they all looked to you nodding their heads in unison, “We will trust you.” The middle Horned Serpent added, “But keep that one away from us.”

Your head turned to the dark eyed man again with the hideous tie before your eyes darted to a familiar voice coming through the halls, “Ah! Lovely, just in time!” Newt Scamander arrived fixing his collar as he grinned at you before looking to the dark eyed man with a twisting expression, “Why would you wear that tie?!”

His brow inched up and you added, “You need to change it.”

He looked to you, “That is what they said? They hate my tie?!”

“No. I hate your tie. Snakes with bow ties and propeller hats, just offensive.”

Dark eyed Auror, “Then what did they say to you?”

“They will agree to be transported. But not by you. They don’t like you.”

You looked to Newt and then grinned as he clapped his hands smoothing his palms together, “See now, just what I said. Snake experts. Perfect for the task.” His head turned and he peered up at the snakes still circling you eyeing him curiously, “Marvelous, twice the size of my own Runespoor. Curious how the Muggles managed it right my dear?”

You nodded saying to the snakes, “This is my friend, Newt.” They nodded and leaned in to sniff him.

Newt, “I’m off to the wild reserves after this, made a stop in South America when I heard. Right out mess they made with the Erumpents.

Extending his palm he measured the horns on one of the Horned Serpents circling you spreading his grin, “He is going to take you to your new homes.”

Behind the Wizard his suitcase floated closer and opened signaling you to step out of the coiling circle freezing the trio who eyed your approach to the open suitcase as Newt said, “Warmth and food,” motioning his hand in his step aside hoping they would follow you.

One tilted its head then dropped lower following you towards the suitcase it peered into curiously before slithering down the steps after you with another right behind him. The three eyed the set up habitats until their scales shimmered at the warm lake they hurried to you were tossing a buckets worth of food into. At the dip of the Runespoor into the suitcase you came into its sights and motioned her in towards another habitat next to the trio’s filled with trees where you grabbed the bucket of live prey you dumped out into the trees urging its rush past you to hunt and eat, thanking you along the way.

Up again you climbed out accepting Newt’s hand for the last step, after which the suitcase snapped shut and locked itself. Patting your hand he grinned saying, “Masterfully done.”

You giggled then eyed Regulus giving you an agreeing nod before you looked to the Aurors again, a new one had arrived saying coldly, “Since you seem to be so, adept, at snake charming perhaps you could aid us in collecting some venoms.”

Tilting your head you answered, “Why not.”

Newt chuckled guiding you both to the door where you shouldered your bags again, “I never get to see their collection.” With a hop to his step he folded his hand around his floating briefcase handle and you all followed the group through a series of empty halls until you were in another lifeless holding area with hovering paralyzed snakes floating in containment shields parting your lips. “What is wrong with you?”

Your question turned the group to you as Newt looked just as shocked as you, the dark eyed Auror turned saying, “Excuse me?”

Locking your eyes on his you pointed at the snakes, “What the hell?! How could you do this? They’re not tubs of ice cream!”

He rolled his eyes, “These are puppets, used to aid in capturing those who sell deadly snakes to Muggles, containing memories of the transactions for the trials. We are not this stupid to keep snakes like this.”

Turning again they led you on into another room with glass cages making you scoff lowly replying in latin, “Apparently you are.” He glanced back at you and each pitiful habitat you guided the teams through alongside Regulus and Newt to collect the samples with ease as well as sharing the snakes’ complaints.

Nearly to nightfall you finally were headed back to the front entrance after a sandwich break that Newt had brought in, halfway expecting to be detained as always since his first trip to New York. The number of colored suits in the main lobby had grown into dozens being urged ahead by air shields from the wands of the Aurors escorting them making you ask, “Why are they doing that?”

The dark eyed Auror curtly replied, “Butt out of it. It does not concern you.”

You scoffed making him stop through Newt’s sharp inhale seeing one of the Aurors urge another man ahead with a burst of air from his wand forcing the man into another group of already agitated men who had been already on edge from their antagonizing guards. A sudden tear of fabric had the women and children being ushered aside by the calmer males, with the exception of a young girl being shoved by another Auror waving his wand between two males mid transformation in a frantic pant. Rushing forward you reached into your pocket drawing out a trio of your enchanted bracelets you flung at the changing males.

The metal chains soared and latched around their wrists folding over their hands making their eyes gloss over and droop as the hibernation enchantment kicked in slowly lowering them to the ground. Around the now sleeping men the fellow bright suit clad men eyed them in their frenzy to remain calm before looking to you. The Aurors, all having missed the yellow wafting dust dripping down their bodies eyed the ones they were circling while you dropped to a knee in front of the girl.

Flinching from your touch she panted eyeing you carefully as you inched closer to her, softly saying, “It’s ok.” Her eyes darted to the Aurors Regulus and Newt were keeping at bay with a bubble charm. “Look at me.”

Her panting quickened through squeaking breaths as you said easing a beaded charm from your bracelet seeing a patch of fur spreading over her cheek, “This will help. Just breathe. I’m not going to hurt you.” Her eyes followed your hand as you stole a glimpse at her mother wringing her hands afraid to approach you watching with the others as you hooked the bracelet into place. The shift was almost instant making her sit up and start patting her face and shifting her sleeves inspecting her wrists. “See,” her eyes met yours and you asked, “I’m Jaqi, what’s your name?”

Wetting her lips she looked you over replying, “Lynn, from the Lycan housing district across the bay.”

“Lycan district…?” Raising your eyes you looked over the still agitated men then you helped Lynn to her feet as you heard more Aurors flooding into the hall. Wetting your lips you moved closer to the men waving your hand summoning more bracelets from your office approaching the men saying, “I have more, it will help calm you down.”

Timidly they accepted them, easing them around their wrists to instantly feel relief before their eyes rose to the tall man glaring at you harshly with full black attire under a long leather trench coat with a tall black headdress marking him as the President of MACUSA, Serano Picquery.

Inhaling deeply he eyed you three as you turned to him fully with a glare of your own in the shifting of your eyes and hair to a deep midnight blue. His voice booming through the hall in a deep tone, “Just what is the meaning of this?!”

Harshly you shouted back, “This is how you treat your citizens?!”

His eyes narrowed as he bellowed back, “We are protecting our citizens-!”

“From who?! Because the only people I see harming your citizens is you!”

Serano’s nostrils flared and he bellowed, “Break that shield now!”

The Aurors closest around you fired spell after spell only to lower their wands at the sea of feathers from the confused ducks they were summoning. “You do know it wasn’t too long ago segregation was abolished by the Muggles! Forcing specific wardrobes, housing and barriers,”

Your eyes locked on his as the ducks settled between the furious Aurors, “With all these red and black clothes around it sure hits a few blaring warning signs that should remind you of something that the Muggles you’re so afraid of might refer to as the fighting forces that triggered a friendly little tiff called WORLD WAR II! How thick could you possibly get?! You’re even worse than they are!”

Serano, “Now-!”

“Now nothing! You’ve said enough! It’s time for you to listen for once! You cowards,” his brow twitched up and his fists clenched as he inhaled again, “have done nothing but get to spout your propaganda for centuries against innocent people! Sure there are those maliciously attacking others but for the vast majority this disease is spread through innocents, men, women and children that had nothing to do with harming anyone!

And what have you done?! Locked them away forcing them to feel less than worthy enough to share an elevator with someone without the disease. I bet if you tested the people in these suits more than half would be symptom or disease free, and you treat them like some monster! Back in the twenties when Newt first came here he had to force you to see your fear does nothing but cause more damage than if you actually tried treating other people and beings with some dignity and respect!

You treat them like monsters! You lock them away! Well you wanted monsters and that’s just what you’re creating for yourself. Go ahead, keep jabbing at the beast, go ahead, make it easier for them to lash out. You think they want to change? You think they want to tear in half into some vicious creature detached from their control! Innocent people forced through that, confused and hurt and what do you do?!”

His shoulders started to droop seeing the teary eyed suited group watching someone finally speaking up for them. “You decide in your infinite wisdom that each and every one of them has to remain silent and obedient letting you control each and every aspect of their life! That they can have some semblance of a life if they just hand over every ounce of freedom and dignity they have! What were you thinking? Who gave you that right?! They get no rights while you get the freedom to walk around able to drop buildings on people, disintegrate people to dust with no one to keep watch over you, and just because they have a disease they have absolutely no control over they get limited to next to nothing!”

Exhaling lowly you replied a bit calmer, “If you do nothing to help them you are only drowning everyone with untamable fear. Last time that happened in New York an Obscurial almost tore your precious statute of secrecy to shreds. I believe your Grandmother could share a bit on that with you if you have any doubts on what damage fear can do.”

Inhaling deeply again he stated, “You will lower this shield!”

“Make me.” His eyes narrowed, “No, your Aurors are so pepped up to harm innocent children, I’m only 14, come on, take your best shot. You want a monster I’ll give you one! Or you can sit down with all of these people here apologizing for how they have been marginalized by you and all the Aurors you command for probably their entire lives. And then when that’s done I can give you a better way to handle this head on.”

Serano, “And just what would a child have to offer us in means of protecting ourselves?! Hmm? You, tell me that!”

His cocky smirk dropped at Lynn walking to your side raising her arm exposing the bracelet to say, “I was starting to shift and Jaqi gave me this. It stopped my shift. It itches, but it reversed my shift and I’m calmer.” More of the men behind you stepped forward showing theirs as well while the Aurors looked to the men unconscious, slowly shifting back to their natural forms with charm bracelets fully exposed.

Serano snarked back, “So you would have us kill this disease with charm bracelets and kindness?”

Your eyes narrowed, “If you have seen one tenth the cruelty I have it would be no joke to be kind. Do not mistake my kindness for weakness. Trust me when I say it is taking everything in me not to return every ounce of, kindness, I have seen shown to your citizens back onto you.”

Stepping closer to the barrier he replied, “You come to my country, my Ministry headquarters and start shouting about how I keep my citizens safe, and all you offer is charm bracelets! How am I supposed to make my people feel safe from them?!”

Tilting your head mockingly you replied, “By making them feel safe from you for starters.” A growling breath left him and you added, “There are potions-!”

“YES! And to brew those potions and enforce them on all inflicted by the disease would cost billions! In just one year! We cannot afford to brew, let alone distribute the Wolfsbane potion!”

“The old one, yes.”

His brow inched up and his voice dropped calmer in confusion, “Old one?”

Waving your fingers you produced one of your cards for the Werewolf products, “There’s a new potion for barely a fourth of the price to produce. Way more affordable to the masses. Now if only people would stop running in fear from the slightest sign of lycanthropy we could actually get people the help they need!”

Serano, “You will give me this recipe.”

You shook your head, “Not gonna happen. Ever. I will distribute the cards, I will sell the bracelets, and you will apologize for how you have treated everyone in those lycan districts.”

Serano, “I doubt your Minister of Magic will enforce that decision.”

You smirked at him, “Go ahead. Ask him. See what he says.”

He huffed and said, “Then I will be needing your name, Miss-,”

“Jaqiearae Suzsieanne Anistasiea Pluto Black.” His lips parted as you brushed your bangs from your face exposing your signature scar, “Would you like me to spell it for you?”

Serano looked you over asking, “Black,” he cleared his throat glancing at Regulus, who held a beaming idiotic grin when he got looked at, then back to you, “Not any relation to, Sirius Black?”

You nodded, “My Father.”

Serano inhaled then replied, “You will drop this shield and will aid you in distributing your cards and you will share the financial aspects of these potions and bracelets of yours so they can be spread through the districts. I will run an investigation as to how the laws pertaining lycans can be shifted. Is your visit for long?”

You answered, “We have tickets for a flight back tomorrow night.”

Serano, “Good. Ensure you are on it.”

With a smirk you dropped the shield and the group inched closer to you, Regulus and Newt only to eye Serano in his approach to you offering Lynn his hand first beginning the line of apologies he ordered each of his Aurors to give as well until the last was given. Most half hearted at first until they started hearing stories of how they had been treated for their lives or since contracting the disease. With each of those already spoken to they grouped around you asking question after question about your new potion, and bracelets.

“In the onset of the shift, the enchanted silver burns them when it forces their change to stop, more than just on their skin. When out of the full moon week there’s no pain at all, during it, constant tingling, the day of, just searing pain unless you take the stronger potion exactly on schedule.” Your hair and eyes returned to their former shades.

Repeating your answer for the question of the differences between the potions you caught President Serano peering over the crowds at you listening, “The new one halts the shift completely, and is a fourth of the price-. But there is a taste metal all day and under direct moonlight the bodies ache everywhere and will experience numbness in the feet and lower legs. Though if you eat pineapple every morning the metal taste is tolerable and the aching lulls after five hours with the second dose. We are working on the side effects but past those the irritability paired with the week wanes over continued use.”

Wetting your lips you continued, “We still are adjusting the recipe and trying to find a way to strengthen it. Since they are forced into hiding back home it was not likely if advertised for sale in public would sell well, but we’ve placed a few ads since the second potion in a few anon group meetings for secret deliveries. Only had a few requests to try it so far.”

Lynn, “Secret deliveries?”

“When we get an order request and enchanted safe is sent to them, they slide the coins into the slot on it and it opens releasing their supply. They collect it and it zaps back to us, discrete and safe for them.” In a reach into your pocket you pulled out a set of cards you sent out to each of the lycans around you, “The summoning chant for the safe is on these. They will be distributed through the districts. We did have a supply for a few hundred before I left but I can cut the supply from five months for each person to one and we can have five times as many until will be back home and can focus on brewing more. Then we can offer the usual five month supply when our stocks have refilled.”

Serano, “How many of the bracelets do you have in stock?”

“Few dozen. I am certain we could get the ones that struggle with it the most first and craft more quite quickly. This isn’t going to be a new bright red suit. It is powerful magic, not a band aid, they have to be given to those who need them. Plus, they can help you blend into the Muggle world as well. Instead of the blaring matching outfits, they’re just popular beaded or charm bracelets. A fad to the mortals.”

A female in the lycan groups asked, “How much are these potions a month?”

“Ten galleons a month.” The amount dropping their jaws as the old potion that usually runs for hundreds of galleons for a full month supply.

The next few hours as the next wave of lycans arrived for their mandatory evaluations and ration booklet pick up for the month. All more than eager to hear from those leaving from theirs what you had said and offered to them while their President continued to speak to each arriving hearing about Aurors mistreating them and all of their complaints.

Groggily you made your way to the front entrance with Newt as he patted your hand that was resting in the crook of his arm giving you a comforting grin, “Marvelous, My Dear. I hate that they took my idea for a registry and turned it into that, bastardized monstrosity of registering criminals, not their victims.”

Regulus chuckled only to fall silent as you spotted the same woman from earlier wading through the sea of reporters stealing pictures of you three to add to the story they had fully wrote up, complete with memories from a few willing Aurors to confirm each word and gesture. In a surprising rush she grinned at you saying, “Oh you just look so, what is your secret?” she leaned in, “Using that morphing skill of yours to hide the wrinkles isn’t fair you know.” She turned her head to look up to Regulus, “I mean, Regi, Merlin’s beard you’ve aged!”

Regulus chuckled patting his hand on your shoulder, “Why thank you, I’ve been busy raising this one.” Her lips parted looking you over as he continued, “We lost Jewels back in ’81, with the Potters. This is Jaqi.”

Bernadette gasped and stepped forward pulling you into a tight hug, “Oh, I am so sorry! I just-,” she pulled back with tears in her eyes, “I just saw you, and, hoped it hadn’t happened. I am so sorry, and you look, so much like her. Any time you want to talk about her,” she looked down patting her pockets then drew out a card she passed to you, “Here, my home address and seeing stone rune connection.” She shifted her eyes to a witch waving to her and she said, “I do have to head back in, but I am due in London in a few weeks. We can get together for a coffee and spill it all!” She nodded then hugged Regulus again before darting off.

Alone again you three walked through the door and out onto the street following Newt to a small crack in the wall diner nearby he loved and frequented with his wife Tina when his ban on travel to the states was up. After the meal his ride showed up and as you saw another sunrise you strolled under Regulus’ arm through the streets to your Wizard hotel where you spotted the Aurors tailing you in assurance you would make your flight to switch with a new pair to watch outside until you left again. One long nap and another late lunch later you were back in the streets again off to a simple set of shops before catching the same teen driver pulling up to drive you to the airport.

For a second time he anxiously eyed you both in the silent ride to the airport while your mind raced eyeing the bustling streets until the gateway home again appeared and you were both let out again. In the busy entrance you joined the lines of Muggles to wait on the ticket counter leaning against Regulus’ arm hearing him chuckle once again.

“It’s not funny.” You stated in latin, “I just got a lifetime ban from the states.”

Regulus chuckled again, “Chip off the old block.” You glanced up at him and he said, “When the guys were 16, I was just a year younger barely, summer break we tried to fly to the states, we got all the way there and then Remus’ name popped up in their system. Failed the pretest before the flights, back when they were first starting the districts.”

“No.”

He nodded, “He was being turned around when we tried to sign into our hotel, put back on a plane and sent home. Bunch of Aurors in trench coats just like today. We went ballistic. Course the guys said they pushed me into it since I was younger, so over their lifetime ban I got a ten year ban and we switched our plans to explore Europe. Just a hair past a decade now, hence my being able to bring you to help them out. Though they reluctantly allowed me back, but no doubt now I will be joining the family tradition.” Giggling to yourself you took the few steps forward closer to the ticket counter feeling your tears fighting back again.

“How can they be so casually cruel?”

Sighing again he replied, “I don’t know. But you spoke up, and shouted and silently slung charms disarming them and finally got someone to listen. We just blasted everything in sight. Your words made a difference. You made a difference.”

Pt 19

#Dursleys #Petunia #Dudley #Harry Potter #Regulus #Remus #Sirius #Newt Scamander #MACUSA #Werewolves #Segregation #Discrimination #Trip to America #Banned for Life #Runespoor #Horned Serpents #Parsletongue #Flight Home

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