Dueling for Salem

Thea McFarland had spent weeks fighting with reporters. Yes, she supported Edison Constantine. No, she knew nothing of his death beside what was covered in the papers. No, she did not believe a dark wizard was rising. Yes, her husband was non-magic. Yes, the Non-Magic Placement Program was continuing. No, she did not believe she had made serious enemies.

The last point may have been a lie. She worried constantly about enemies of the non-magic program, but they couldn't really be connected to the death of the Secretary of Magic. Other than Aurelius Exeter, who was an opponent in theory only, the Armistead family was in vocal opposition. They were unspoken suspects in the case, since they had always opposed Constantine's tolerance toward non-magic peoples and non-magic born wizards. However, they, like more old families, gave enough money to be ignored.

At the office, she again defended her program. "We have no indication that the Non-Magic Placement has anything to do with this murder," she shouted to one of the Aurors. "Just because this has been a controversial issue for the Department does not mean that anyone wanted the Secretary dead because of it. He supported it, yes, and others didn't. But we need to investigate his personal life, his past. Someone may have wanted him dead for other reasons."

The Auror took slow notes. "You're not a suspect," he said quietly, as if he would be reprimanded for informing her. "We know the two of you were on the same side, so that would be ridiculous. But if you keep protesting this investigation, we may start to look into you. We're not looking to take away your funding or shut you down."

Thea didn't argue, but her funding had already been 'temporarily discontinued' pending the investigation. When she left the office that night, three hours later than usual, she apparated home angrily, stumbling as she appeared in the living room. Clive was at the kitchen table as he always was when she came home, reading over papers from his class. "Long day?"

She collapsed into a chair next to him. "Very."

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing. The investigation."

"Do they know anything?"

"No. Don't worry about it."

Clive looked back down at his papers.

"Any word from the kids?"

"No."

"I just wonder how things are going at that school."

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

"And the Goblin Rebellion of 1854 marks one of the biggest interracial challenges of the wizarding community. This conflict started-" Jared looked up from his notes to see two of the freshman girls standing in the aisle. "What's going on?"

"You have no idea!"

"Your father is a murderer. So is your whole family. My parents know. What, are you going to kill me now?"

"Don't talk about my family. We're real wizards. We don't need to kill anyone to prove it." She pulled out her wand.

"Girls," Jared shouted. "Sit down and stop this."

"You think you're the only real wizards?" The other student pulled her wand from her robes.

"Stop," Jared ordered, pulling his wand out and pointing it toward them. "Expelliarmus." Both wands flew toward him. He caught them as the two girls flew at each other, throwing punches. Jared didn't know how to stop them without stunning them or hitting any other students by accident.

"Girl fight!" one of the boys yelled, and the other students stood and began yelling.

"Silence," Jared shouted.

There was a loud crack at the door, a sound like a canon. Jared looked away from the fight. Clytemnestra aimed her wand between the girls and threw them apart, sending them both flying across the room. "Both of you, detention. With me." All of the other students were back in their seats, staring at their desks and not saying a word. "Professor McFarland, a word."

Jared, ashamed, followed her into the hallway. "What was that?"' She demanded.

"I think it had something to do with the murder."

"Of course it did. That was Olivia Carnegie. She's one of the Armisteads."

"Really? Her name..."

"Her mother was Octavius Armistead's oldest daughter, Constance's sister. The whole family is suspect, being just about the only pure blood wizards left in this country. They hate Muggles. You'd be well-advised to remember that. There are conflicts in this school, McFarland. They're always below the surface, it just takes something like this to bring them out. Be aware."

"Thank you."

"Oh, that? It was just a fight. You'll get used to those. I've been here five years, that's at least twenty fights."

"In any case, thank you."

Jared took a moment to breathe, and Clytemnestra didn't leave him. Aurelius sprinted down the hall, skidding to a halt when he saw them. "Professors, we have a problem."

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Clive arrived at his first class early enough to hear the students as they assembled, taking out their books and going over their weekend plans. He was giving a quiz to his only 101 class, and he didn't know what to expect in terms of grades. For one of the first times in his long career as a professor, he didn't really care. It was Harvard. They would be fine. He thought about the wizarding world, the world he had married into and still didn't understand. Jared, just like him, was holding down a class just like this, but his world was completely different. Clive didn't understand the politics behind the Secretary's murder, and he didn't see how his wife was involved. He couldn't get her to reveal anything, so he wondered if she was safe, if she knew what to do now.

"So then the cop starts twitching. It's so creepy."

"What did the guy do?"

"He said some weird words. They were analyzing the tape. They think it was 'Crucio.'"

Clive looked up sharply. That was a word he knew, and he was hearing it in the wrong context. "What are you talking about?"

"Didn't you see it on the news? This car chase in Nebraska. The man gets out of the car, and he's holding this wooden stick and he says Crucio, and the cop starts twitching on the ground. He said it really hurt. Then this other cop points his gun and says something else, and the twitching just stops, then he says something and the perp falls down and can't move at all. It's all on tape."

"How did that happen?"

"I don't know. It's like magic."

Clive waited until the end of class so as not to look suspicious, then drove as quickly as he could across town, praying that Thea had not left the house yet. When he crashed in the door, dropping his briefcase, he found her taking Floo Powder out of the jar near the fireplace. "Stop," he shouted.

"Clive?"

"Did you hear?"

"Two of my Placements revealed themselves. I need to get to the office."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. We have to figure it out. The witnesses have already had their memories modified."

"It doesn't matter. They have it on tape. It's on the news."

"What?"

Clive turned on the TV, searching for a 24 hour news station. "Of course, this is the main story of the day. A police officer and a suspect for possession of cocaine ended a car chase by screaming seemingly nonsense words at each other. This would seem like an everyday instance of mental instability, except these words seemed to have effect. And what's even more strange is that none of the witnesses captured on film remember the events. Experts are being called in to see if this is all an elaborate hoax."

"Let's hope they say yes." Before Clive could stop her, Thea threw Floo Powder into the fire. "Department of Magic."

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

At lunch, Exeter pulled all of the teachers into one of the empty classrooms. "We are in serious trouble. Our entire world is compromised, and we have no Secretary of Magic to make an executive judgment. I am going to the Department to see what action, if any, we need to take. Until then, do not say anything to the students. I'm sure they'll be hearing about it by mail tonight, so I will announce it at dinner. All of you need to stay calm. Take extra precautions. Do not hold class outside today. I will be back in time for dinner, and I will require another of these meetings. Any questions?"

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

Thea ran down the Education Department's hallway, crashing into her office and rifling through her files. She located the document she was looking for, her files on the Placed wizards. She pulled out the two files on the subjects in question - the police officer and the suspect in the car chase, who turned out to be a physician placed in Kansas City, who had fled state lines under the influence of one of the non-magical medicines found in his office. Both were being held for questioning in Nebraska, but they were in a non-magic jail, and it was only a matter of time before they could escape.

Thea's door opened without anyone knocking. She quickly vanished the rest of the files and turned toward the two men, both of whom were staring solemnly at her. "Athena," Aurelius Exeter said. "I believe you know Mr. Armistead." Thea did know Octavius Armistead; everyone did. He was the richest wizard in America. "The council has approved of him as the new Secretary of Magic." Thea tried to contain the shudder. The council had probably not gone through the usual scrutiny needed to replace the Secretary mid-term, but chose the loudest voice during a time of crisis.

"Pleased to meet you." Armistead walked slowly through her office, examining everything. "I'm sure this is a difficult time for you."

"For all of us."

Armistead snorted. "Ms. McFarland, you know why we're here. We need the information on the remaining wizards. Everyone who is out there pretending to be a Muggle. We're calling them all back. This program, while a valiant effort, is ultimately a risk."

"The memories have been modified."

"Not without cost. This has been a difficult situation to clear up."

"But you have cleared it up."

"Yes. The entire Midwestern Auror force had to be sent to modify memories. And we can't obliviate all of the Muggles who watched it on television. I've spoken with the local police in Lincoln, Nebraska." He paused to let Aurelius laugh. "Really, confunded them. The two men in question are to confess to creating a hoax in order to become famous. Then they will be transferred to another prison, whereupon we will take custody of them and try them for use of magic in the presence of Muggles."

"They have confessed?"

"They will." He smiled. "Now all we need are the names of the other wizards. Turn them over or be in contempt yourself."

Thea looked at the two men, who looked smug and pleased with themselves. She had to admit that their plan worked, but she didn't think that recalling the wizards and undoing all of her work on the program was necessary. "I am not comfortable turning over their names so they can be persecuted. I would rather contact the individuals and warn them of the danger. No doubt they are aware."

Aurelius advanced on her. "You don't understand, do you Athena? You would rather help the damn Muggles than make sure we're safe. We have an obligation to ourselves. We cannot let Muggles take control of us."

"We have magic." Armistead was beginning to raise his voice. "Why hide it among Muggles as if we are ashamed? Why not use it?"

"I will not have this argument. You have no right to demand my files."

"You forget that I am the Secretary of Magic."

"Even the Secretary of Magic has proper avenues to follow. Bring the proper forms, and I will disclose the information."

Aurelius and Armistead looked at each other and, as if for effect, disappeared with two loud cracks.

888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888

JP read the story that night in the paper after hearing the basics from Professor Exeter. By the time they heard the news, the memories had all been modified and the two men had covered their tracks and confessed to making a joke. Everything seemed fine, and JP and her friends ate dinner without worrying about anything or feeling the need to talk politics.

Myra and her friends discussed it, naturally. "I think it seems fine now," she said while Sadie and Jackson nodded along with her.

"I don't know," Abby said. "If I've analyzed the situation correctly, I think your mom might be in trouble."

"Yeah," Wesley said, "Weren't these her people? What did she say about it?"

"I haven't heard from her. I think she's fine."

"Yeah. It's not like it's her fault. You can never predict what people are going to do."

"Thanks Jackson." She smiled at him to reinforce it, then quickly changed the subject.

The staff table didn't discuss the actual situation, but rather, Octavius Armistead's ascent to Secretary of Magic. "No," Constance breathed when she read it in the newspaper.

"What's the matter?" Jared asked.

"My father. He hates non-magic people. Is your mother alright?"

Jared didn't actually know. "Of course. Don't worry about it."

Constance still didn't eat dinner, but read through the article several more times. "This can't be good. I didn't even know he wanted to be Secretary. I'm really worried about this. I'll feel terrible if..."

"I wouldn't worry about it."

"Honey." Clarence Nelson leaned across the table, placing his hand on top of hers. "We all have that relative we're embarrassed of. We won't hold him against you."

Constance nodded and laughed weakly. "I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid."