Dueling for Salem

The investigator paced the room, throwing questions at Thea. "You are Athena McFarland. You tell people you work for the government."

"I do work for the government."

"Doing what?"

"Education."

"And you're part of this group, the 'wizards.'" Thea assumed the leak had escalated into a full exposure on the national news, but she couldn't get any more information out of Aurelius, who had disappeared. She didn't even trust him if he were around. There was no way he had been forced to take part in her apprehension, and he wasn't very supportive of non-magic people, so she didn't see why he was cooperating with them. He should have been at the school, especially if it was in danger.

"Who are these people? What do you do?" He was shouting, but she didn't know what to say. How much had already been released? Who else was being held in custody? What was going on at the school?

"You are not the leader of this group?"

"No."

"But they call you the most powerful wizard in America. What does that mean?"

"Who told you that?"

Thea tried to remember anything about the non-magical legal system. All she could remember was a comment from television she had seen years ago when she and Clive were dating. "Don't I get a phone call?"

"No."

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Myra took a minute to leave the seventh graders and pull JP off her feet. The two of them approached the staff to talk to Jared. "They have her," he said quietly.

"What do we do?"

"We can't do anything."

"We have to," JP insisted.

"Call dad," Jared ordered. "Tell him not to go home."

JP tried for a few minutes, leaving several messages. "He's not picking up. He must be in class." She looked between her siblings. "Seriously, we have to do something. I can't sit here all day."

"Joan, how are we going to get out? Then when we do, where are we going to go? You have no wands, so we can't break her out of jail. We don't even know which jail she's in. We don't know why they have her. And we don't know anyone who could help. I think all of the major wizards are in jail or being watched."

"Uncle Filius," JP said.

"What about Uncle Filius?"

Myra spoke up. "Uncle Filius would know. He knows everything about Mom, even the stuff she doesn't tell us."

"And Uncle Filius is in England." JP was becoming excited, ready to go. "He'll at least have wands."

"How would we get out of here, then?"

"The tunnels."

Professor Strauss interrupted their circle. "No. Don't risk exposing the tunnel system. It worked for Clarence, so I want to have it on hand. I have a way to get you out of the building. Jared, you have a wand?"

Strauss set about making the students gather their things and line up, while Jared dialed JP's phone. "Troy, it's Jared. I need your help."

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Aurelius came into the interrogation room, sitting down next to Thea and leaning in close to her. "How's it going? What did you tell them?"

She had been in the same room for hours, forced into jailhouse orange clothes with her hands cuffed behind her back. Clive hadn't answered his phone, and the police had not allowed her any more calls. "I haven't said very much. What are you doing here?"

"I'm a liaison for the investigation."

"You're cooperating with them? Why?"

"We have no other choice, Athena. Octavius thought it was the best solution."

"Why is he involved?"

"Our cover was already compromised." Aurelius glanced around the room before turning back to her. "Athena, we need to pretend to cooperate with these people. Once they know who we are and what we can do, we can take a position of power."

She stared at him for a moment. "You're setting them up? You turned me in. I'm the one who tried to help the non-magic people, so I look bad from both angles. You and Octavius are planning on taking over, and the wizarding world will be exactly as you two like it."

"Athena, you're making this too complicated. Nothing will happen to you if you agree to help us. I hate to admit it, but we could use your skill."

"Don't insult me. What about the school? Why did you betray them?"

"They won't be hurt. We'll have them back in no time."

"I can't believe this. You betrayed them. You betrayed all of us. Secrecy was all we needed. We don't need to take over the country." The two wizards sat at the interrogation table for a while, not speaking to each other. "Leave, Aurelius," Thea said. "I don't need you." She thought of all of the history between them, wondering whether Aurelius' personal grudges against her had returned. Their years at Salem together didn't seem to mean anything.

"Good luck, Athena. They'll be transferring you soon."

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Clytemnestra Strauss walked out of the building with several members of the staff, while Jared, Myra, and JP stood beside her under a disillusionment charm. Constance was on her other side to act as Muggle translator.

"Are you sure it's fine if we leave?" Jared whispered.

"You do what you have to do," Clytemnestra said. "Aurors! I have a request."

"What is it sweetheart?" It was the original Auror from her classroom, who was now leaning against a police car with several Muggle officers.

"We would like to move our students."

"Why?"

"So they can eat and sleep," she said sardonically.

"If you're going to be smart with me, you get nothing."

Clytemnestra was seething. "How long are you planning on being here? You can just as easily surround us from the dormitories."

Constance interrupted her tirade. "Please, officer. These are children. We would like them to be more comfortable. You may guard us, but we would like to move."

The Auror nodded. "Gentlemen, draw your weapons." He was clearly enjoying himself. Clytemnestra waved the students forward, bringing up the rear with the chief Auror, who walked uncomfortably close to her. The guards left Jared, Myra, and JP under the spell, which was beginning to wear off. "Run," Jared whispered, and the three ran toward the end of the school grounds.

They were completely visible by the time they reached the edge of campus. "Come on," Jared shouted, tearing through a street of magical Salem.

"Where are we going?" Myra could barely keep up with the other two.

"Accio! We can't apparate to England."

They reached the bar and swung inside, hoping the whole area hadn't already been taken over. The wizards were acting normally, probably not realizing the takeover. "Can I help you?" the barman asked.

"Floo."

"The fireplace. Everything alright?"

"They have the school," Jared said. "Muggles and Aurors. We're completely compromised. Get away from here and all magical places." As he said it, the door was kicked open, and several Aurors and police came inside.

"Go," the barman ordered the McFarlands, drawing his wand to fight the Aurors.

"Where is Filius' school?" Jared asked, taking a fistful of Floo Powder and throwing it on the fire.

"Hogsmead, Scotland," JP shouted.

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"And what does this tell us about the U.S.'s relationship with England?" Clive asked his class. Students weren't paying attention; they would rather talk about the wizarding scandal, and they all seemed to know more about it than anyone in the wizarding world. At a knock on the door, Clive stepped into the hallway to see a young man looking him over nervously.

"Dr. McFarland? My name's Troy Henry. I'm a friend of Jared's. I also go to school here."

"How do you know Jared?" Clive had learned to be suspicious with anything that concerned wizards.

"Well...we're...we're dating."

"What?" After Clive thought about it, it did make sense. Jared had been secretive about his personal life all year. Clive surveyed the boy, but didn't have time to think about his involvement with Jared.

"Yes. I know he works for the magic school. He just called me."

"What's going on?"

"They arrested your wife, and they've surrounded the school. Jared asked me to tell you not to go home. And that he and his sisters had to go to England."

"Why?"

"To ask their uncle for help."

Clive pulled him around a corner. "How do you know all this?"

"Jared told me."

"And you believed him? He told you he works for a magical school and his magical mother is in prison and you have to tell his father to be careful, and you believed him?"

"All of that is on the news. And once I saw one of Jared's books, and the pictures moved."

"Okay." Clive breathed deeply. Thea was in jail, and probably had no idea what to do. "What should I do?" He didn't even know this kid, but was asking his advice.

"Get out of here."

Clive leaned back into his classroom. "Class dismissed." He turned back to the boy. "What's your name again?"

"Troy."

"Well, Troy. Thank you for your help." He walked quickly down the hall. It was a moment before he realized that Troy was following him.

"You shouldn't take your car. Jared said that. Come with me."

"I can't just hide. I need to get Thea out of jail. I should get her a lawyer." He tried to think of someone to call and how to find out what exactly the charges were. He didn't hear Troy talking for a while. "What did you say?"

"I said I work for a law office. And one of the lawyers there - his books move too."