Dueling for Salem

Jared, Myra, and JP stepped out of the fireplace, letting go of each other. They looked around the small pub. "Where are we?" JP asked.

Most of the people in the pub were looking at them. The owner glanced up from behind the bar. "You're in Hogsmead, of course."

Jared sighed loudly. "Thank God."

"You need anything, dears? A Butterbeer, perhaps."

"No, thank you. We need to get to the school."

"To Hogwarts?"

"Yes," JP said, since she was the one who knew the most about the school. "Our uncle works there."

"It's just up the road. If you'd like, I'll let the headmistress know you're coming."

"Yes, thank you," Jared called as they ran out the door.

It took a few minutes to reach Hogwarts, and everyone gasped as the castle came into view. "Wow," JP said. "I'm transferring. Why doesn't our school look like this?" It was rather impressive, a tall, towering castle as opposed to Salem's four brick buildings. Myra and Jared ignored her, quickening their strides as they approached the stone stairs in front of the building.

The front door swung open as they reached the top of the stairs. "Good evening." They looked up to see an older witch staring at them, unamused by their intrusion. "Madam Rosmerta informed me you were on your way. Who exactly are you?"

JP gulped. With her green robes and hair in a bun, the headmistress looked like an older version of Professor Strauss.

"We're looking for Filius Flitwick," Jared answered for the group.

"Why?"

"He's our uncle. I mean, he's actually our mother's uncle. He's family, and we need his help. Our mother's in jail and our school's been taken over. You've probably heard-"

The witch raised a hand to cut him off. "You're Athena Gault's children?"

"Athena McFarland, yes."

"I am Minerva McGonagall. Do come in."

They looked at each other and followed her into the castle, JP looking around excitedly.

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"Ms. McFarland, your attorney." Thea looked up as a young man came into her interrogation room. She had still not been moved and was starting to panic. Aurelius kept coming in to see if he could encourage her to join him in the eventual fight for magic power. She had heard no news about the fate of the schools or of magic people in general.

Her lawyer sat down and placed a briefcase of the desk. "Professor McFarland, I'm James Holt." He waited until the officer had left the room before continuing. "Your husband called me. He's in the hallway. Troy is with him."

Thea sighed with relief to know where Clive was. "Is he alright?...Who's Troy?" She hoped he wasn't an Auror.

"My intern, Troy Henry. I thought you knew him. Apparently, he's involved with your son?"

Thea stared at him for a minute. "My son?"

"Jared, if I'm correct. You didn't know? I'm very sorry."

"Mr. Holt, I have bigger problems right now than who my son sleeps with."

"Very well. You are being charged with conspiracy against the United States government. Clearly an unfair charge. They are trying to make an example of you, since you are obviously a controversial figure right now. Someone turned you in to save himself, though I'm not quite sure who. Why is Octavius Armistead cooperating with the Muggles when he has always expressed nothing but wizarding, even pure-blood pride?"

"Wait." Thea looked him over for a minute. "They're using all those terms on the news?"

"No." He leaned closer. "I'm one of you." He pushed back his suit coat to show his wand tucked into his belt. "I'm posing as a lawyer. I'm in your program. You placed me."

"I'm sorry. I didn't remember."

"That's fine. I didn't attend Salem. I went to Northridge, out in Oregon. Please explain anything you know. What's actually going on? Is your program really at fault for all of this?"

"Maybe partly, but I don't think so. It did give them a perfect opportunity. Octavius Armistead wants to expose us. He's only pretending to cooperate with the non-magic authorities, then when we have the world's attention, he can take over. That's what I've gathered in any case. And Aurelius Exeter is with him."

"The principal of Salem?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"The combination of wizard pride and personal hatred, I think."

"He hates you?"

"I believe so."

"Why?"

"A variety of reasons. We go back thirty years."

"Alright." The lawyer breathed deeply. "Did they read you the charges and your rights when they arrested you?"

"What?"

"You know, 'You have a right to remain silent, anything you say can be used against you?' Does that sound familiar?"

"No."

"That's a direct violation. They seem to be making no effort to make this a fair trial. Are they going to book you?"

"They mentioned a transfer."

"Oh God. They could be sending you anywhere. I hate to say this, but you need to escape."

"Escape?"

Holt looked around, then motioned for her to speak quietly. "Yes. They'll make an example of you, especially if everything you said about Armistead is true; I don't doubt that it is. I've been suspicious of him since Edison Constantine's murder. It all fits together. You need to get out of here and hide. I know it's illegal, but if you're as powerful as I hear you are, we'll need you if it comes down to a fight. I want you to take my wand, and as soon as I'm out of here, apparate."

"Keep your wand. I can get another."

"No you can't. They have the wandmakers. I have another at home."

"I can apparate without a wand."

"Then what will you do? Take it." He waved it to unfasten her handcuffs, then slid it to her under the table. "I'm going to walk out the door and tell your husband to get into the car in the front of the building. Wait two minutes, apparate, become invisible, and run."

She simply nodded, having really nothing to say. "Thank you, Mr. Holt."

He stood to leave.

"Wait, I just have to ask you. Do you like the program?"

"Yes, I do. I love my life."

"Do you find that you're helping?"

"I suppose I am, yes. I don't do much magic, but I've learned a lot working without magic. It's very rewarding. Remember, wait two minutes." He disappeared through the door.

Thea watched the clock for two minutes exactly, then gripped Holt's wand, and with a loud crack, disappeared.

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Professor McGonagall had led them to her office and offered them dinner, which JP had accepted without thought. Then she had sent a young professor to find Filius and bring her a newspaper called The Evening Prophet as soon as it arrived. "Tell me what happened at the school," she ordered, directing her questions at Jared.

"We were taken over by Aurors and Muggle...non-magic police."

"We have already heard this. Why did they wish to take over a school?"

"I don't know. We think it involves our mother, and the Non-Magic Placement. Two wizards exposed themselves."

The professor came back, carrying a newspaper. "Professor Flitwick is on his way."

"Thank you, Longbottom."

He nodded and removed himself while McGonagall spread the paper on the desk in front of her. She read for a few moments. "Your mother has just escaped."

"Escaped?"

"Apparently. All of the American schools are still surrounded, and the Aurors plan on staying there overnight. What good could that do?" No one answered her inserted commentary, but let her continue. "Octavius Armistead is cooperating with the investigation, as is Aurelius Exeter. Merlin," she muttered. "They have a plan. Independently, those men are dangerous. If they're plotting anything, it cannot be good."

"What are they plotting?"

"I don't know. What would they gain from compromising our entire world to the Muggles?"

Filius entered as she asked the question. He was dressed in official-looking robes, and looked generally confused to see Jared, Myra, and JP, but sat down next to them anyway. "Power," he said simply. "They can gain power. Once the Muggles put their trust in these men as good wizards who will protect them from the evil wizards, they are in the perfect place to make a stand. Revenge may also be a factor."

"Revenge for what?" Myra asked.

"You three come with me. Minerva, I think we should contact the ministry."

"I have done so already today, Filius. Kingsley has spoken with the Prime Minister, who has agreed to deny that such a group exists in the United Kingdom. He will restrict it to an American problem."

"Very good." Filius stood and motioned for them to follow. He looked much more serious than usual as he led them through the castle, up several flights of moving stairs, leading them to the seventh floor. JP could hardly contain herself, but made herself remember that they had a mission. As Filius opened the door to his private quarters, a small set of rooms furnished for a small man, he said, "Armistead is after the power he believes he deserves as one of the last pure bloods in America, but he couldn't have persuaded Exeter to join him without the possibility of revenge."

"Against who?" Myra asked again.

"Athena."

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Clive climbed into the passenger side of the car he had been riding in for several hours. Troy started the engine, looking nervous. "How will I know?" he asked quietly, as if magic would allow everyone to hear his every word.

"You'll know." Clive was impressed with the man's ability to be part of this, even though he knew nothing about magic other than what he had learned on the news in the past few days, almost all of which was inaccurate.

A loud crack sounded on the jailhouse stairs, then a thud came inside the car. "Drive," Thea's voice shouted. Troy pulled slowly away from the curb. "Don't draw attention to yourself. They don't know I'm gone yet."

They drove slowly through Boston, winding along back roads. Clive turned around to see if they were being followed, but no suspicious cars were anywhere around. The streets were very empty; people were probably afraid to be outside. "I'm driving to my place," Troy said. "No one even knows who I am."

Thea pulled the disillusionment charm off herself and leaned between the seats. "I'm Athena McFarland," she said.

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Troy Henry."

"Troy's dating Jared," Clive offered to save the kid the embarrassment.

"My lawyer told me. How did you know James Holt was magic? I didn't even know."

"His books," Troy offered as explanation.

"Are the kids okay?" she asked Clive. "Has anyone said anything about the school? I think non-magic people know more than we do at this point."

"They're in England."

"Why are the kids in England? How would they even get there?"

"I don't know how they got there, but Jared said they were looking for Filius."

"Oh, God."

Troy pulled into a parking space outside his apartment. "Can you be invisible again?" he asked. "I have clothes you can wear inside, but you still have the orange jumpsuit on. That would look suspicious."

Thea waved the wand over herself. She didn't like it as well as her own, but she blended in with the seat of the car. "Okay, let's see what they're saying on the news."