Chapter Text
It was a lovely dream, where she sat beside him under the gnarled dead tree staring out at the endless scape of his kingdom, his domain, which he ruled with absolute power. The magic was pulsing around her rather peacefully as she sat there, it was comforting, and familiar. Her familiarity with this place was well beyond her time spent her when she was fifteen, she had revisited regularly since that night. He was settled soundlessly beside her; his heavy cloak was draped over her as they both sat there in silence. His feathery blond hair was tugged lightly on the breeze, tickling her cheek as she pressed herself against his side. It was just comforting now.
A loud bang had her jolting awake as she sat up in her bed in her small flat, which had her sighing as she fell back on her pillow. She didn’t think about her tall, blond, lean dance partner, instead she pushed herself up and got out of the bed with care. Her body was still sore, and her hands were still bandaged, though rather lightly in comparison to last week. Hobbling out of her bed she winced a little as the cold numbed her bare feet. Leaving her suite, she saw her brother standing in the solar, a little banged up but healing and a tray of food flat on the ground.
“What are you doing Toby?” she yawned as she carefully rubbed her eyes, her face was still a bit bruised and sore.
“Um… I was getting you breakfast,” he answered uncertainly.
“Thank you, but you could’ve just woken me up,” she admitted as she limped over and helped him pick up the mess of food before they sat at the small table near the narrow window. All she wanted was a hot cup of coffee with a splash of cream, but she would have some breakfast. The food disappeared and reappeared orderly and fresh on new plates which had her frowning but accepting the food as she saw a mug of coffee present.
“What has you awake at this hour?” she yawned as she picked up her coffee and poured some cream into it, mixing it up carefully before taking a sip.
Her little brother sat there, rather forlorn with a small shrug as he nibbled on his bacon.
“You can tell me,” she promised.
“Just a dream… not a nightmare though,” he muttered.
She nodded, his Islander’s jersey hung off his shoulder lopsidedly and his hair was spiked wildly because sleep. “I have dreams too,” she pointed out.
“About what?” Toby asked.
“Well, it depends,” she admitted. “Sometimes they’re nightmarish, sometimes they’re delightful, sometimes they’re adventurous and other times they’re comforting, it entirely depends.”
“I dreamed of before… you know, before magic, and…” Toby shuddered.
“Yes, I know,” she murmured. “It wasn’t your fault Toby, no matter what anyone says it was not your fault,” she promised him.
“Headmaster Dumbledore said…” he started again.
“I don’t give a fuck what that man says, you are ten almost eleven years old, you are a child,” Sarah stated firmly.
“But he said…” he tried again.
"Listen to me right now Toby!" she firmly cut off. "What happened to Irene and Dad, that is not your fault. And anyone who tells you differently can argue it with me. You are Ten Years Old. Ten. What happened to our parents, happened because bad people decided to do bad things. Hell, you can even argue it was my fault because I lost control of the car trying not to hit the idiot who materialized in the middle of the road! You could argue it was the tree, the weather, or any number of things, but you are ten, you are a child, in our care, you were not driving the car, you were not the one in the road, you weren't even the one to set the car on fire! This Is Not Your Fault!" she snapped. "And if Mr. Dumbledore should attempt to ever tell you that this is your fault, he will be answering to me."
"If I didn't have Magic…"
"Then it could have been something, anything else! Hell, it could've been gremlins! Toby this isn't your fault!" she snapped. "And I am so happy you survived it, and I miss Irene and Dad, more than I can tell you, but I am damn happy you are here, and alive, and we will figure this out."
"How?"
"Well, we're in a magic castle?" she offered with a weak smile as she set down her coffee. "There's supposedly a magic school here, so if you have Magic, maybe we stay here for now, you learn magic and I'll… I'll keep writing and work as Keeper of the Library."
"But…"
"Toby, we're going to figure this out," she promised. "One day at a time."
"I don't want you to hate me," he whispered.
"Never, kiddo, I could never hate you, I'd fight the King of Kings to keep you safe if I had to," she assured him with a smile. "I don't hate you, what happened, it's not your fault, so you will not think it was. Now, breakfast, and then we will speak with Mr. Dumbledore," she said firmly. An envelope materialized at the table which had her sighing at the sight of Jareth’s ostentatious handwriting.
"Sarah, who's writing you?" he asked.
"Don't worry about it, Toby," she ordered tiredly as she plucked the envelope up and tucked it under her leg. Nearly ten years of Jareth’s antics and she was accustomed to his strangeness, this letter would not be an exception, especially since she had learned last night that it was his bloody castle they were being cared for in right now.
“But…”
“It’s my new employer, nothing more,” she assured him with a smile. “It’s going to be alright, kiddo, trust me,” she pleaded.
“I trust you Sarah,” he decided.
“Good, then we’ll sort this all out,” she promised.
“But… Mom and Dad…” he started.
“They would’ve wanted you safe, and alive, and we’ll figure it out,” she promised.
“You don’t hate me because I have Magic?” he whispered uncertainly.
“Tobias Jude Williams, I could never hate you, ever, for any reason,” she assured him firmly. “You’re my baby brother.”
“You sure you don’t hate me?” he murmured.
“Never,” she assured him as she got up and came around the table. “Never,” she promised as she hugged her baby brother tightly.
William ‘Bill’ Weasley sat in the Grimmuald Place’s dingy kitchen at the table, a newspaper in hand as he looked at last week’s headline. Apparently, Sirius Black wasn’t up on his Daily Prophet subscription, so all the news provided was a bit old. Which was still newer than anything he had been receiving in Egypt. Sipping his tea his mother bustled around; cleaning and caring for the neglected home of the Black’s while his siblings were reorganizing themselves.
He looked up when his father sat across from him then.
“It’s good to have you home, my boy!” Arthur declared happily.
“It’s… nice to be in London again,” he lied. He had only accepted this desk job because of Dumbledore wanting an inside man to monitor and track the Death Eater’s fund being moved inside of Gringotts. No one had ever infiltrated Gringotts, the goblins were notoriously untrusting of outsiders, and they did not trust wizards. Dumbledore had asked him, because of his good relationships with his goblin superiors to transfer to the desk job at Gringotts that would give him in hopes of gathering intel.
“You can tell the truth,” Arthur prompted.
“I am going to do what’s best for the Order, including taking the job, Dad,” he promised with a wry smile. Being out of Egypt would be a change, and after his last mission it would probably be for the best that he got out of Egypt before he had the muggle archeologists asking him more questions about what he was doing in Egyptian tombs. He was a bit surprised how often he had to contact or work with Doctor Evelyn O’Connell about Egyptology. She was a leading doctor in the field, both because of and in spite of her age. Despite being an old, widowed muggle who Bill had interacted with a lot, he didn’t doubt she could figure out he was a liar and a wizard if he wasn’t careful. There was only so long though that he could claim he was nothing more than a Cambridge graduate student (whatever that was) before they would stop believing him; so, it was a good thing he was being transferred.
“Good man,” Arthur nodded.
Bill smiled dryly. “Only doing what I was raised to do,” he omitted. He knew his parents and how brave they were when they were younger than him, they were fighting a war.
“I know this isn’t what you wanted,” Arthur said.
“I liked being a Curse Breaker,” he admitted. “But this is what I’m meant to do.”
Sarah was careful about getting dressed, pulling on a favorite pair of jeans she had as well as a loose shirt which wouldn’t irritate her abrasions and then a loose sweater to keep herself warm. Once she had her hair pulled into a ponytail, she sat down to read the letter Jareth had dropped off for her. Part of her dreaded this but she hadn’t had much tome to actually discuss with him what it meant for her to be in his Above section of the Labyrinth since apparently that was a thing. Jareth’s elegant, ostentatious handwriting was rather demanding and bold just to look upon, sighing she pulled open the heavy parchment letter.
'Lady Sarah,
'As Master of the Labyrinth, King of Goblins, High Prince of the Seelie Court and High Prince to the Unseelie Court, I, King Jareth, hereby employ you to the 'Hogwarts' (why the hell did they name my Castle something so hideous! It is a disgrace!) Castle Keeper of the Library and Lady of my Castle.
'You will accompany Mister Tobias to Diagon Alley where you will be taken to Gringotts Bank (a proper goblin name for my business, magic mortal parasites have no respect for names!) where you will be taken to meet with Griphook, as Champion of the Labyrinth you will be given a vault, permit no parasite to accompany you. Even Mister Tobias cannot go to the vault until such a time you have properly educated him about the Underground. The vault you will be accessing is number 13, my personal vault, as it is the right of the Champion to lay claim to their spoils, this is a part of it, and you have earned this.
'Tell no one of the Underground, merely hand the second piece of parchment within this envelope to the Headmaster and Minister of Magic. (HA! Even they cannot revoke my decree for the Castle is MINE.) If you should need anything call for Mopsy, if she is unavailable one of the other House Elves in my employment will attend to you, merely ask (yes, the parasites foolishly believe they have enslaved my subjects, but they are employed by me). The Castle is a part of my Labyrinth and an extension of my will, as you are its Champion it will listen to you, do not be afraid to ask it to take you to where you need to go. If you should need access to the Underground the Castle will supply a route.
'I advise you to permit Mister Tobias to attend school here, it is a fine education for his kind of magic. If at any point you or he are in danger the Labyrinth will bring you both to the Underground, in that regard you are protected.
'A list of extra supplies you will need for Mister Tobias are on the third bit of parchment. These supplies will not be listed on the needed school supplies, but after reading over that dismal list I insist you buy them. (Also, do not bother with the owl, if you should need to send post, I will handle it personally, Above parasites have a habit of sticking their noses where they do not belong, and they will be investigating you and Mister Tobias or search for a connection to the Underground which will simply not do).
'The fourth piece of parchment within this envelope will be containing a list of things you should look into buying, if you cannot find something on this list, go to Gringotts and ask Griphook. The goblins are eager to serve their Champion, and Lady, as such please secure what I have listed for yourself. It is not only for your protection but your education. Wizards are notorious for attempting to shun 'muggles', the items listed are things to aid you.
'I will be making travel arrangements for you and Mister Tobias to be Inverness from my Castle to claim your parents’ bodies, all legal matters and matters of the funeral will be simple enough to arrange, if you are in need of aid use the crystal on the dresser (you should remember how they work as you've caused me to shatter many of them!). If there complications of any sort do not hesitate to ask for aid, there is Above conflicts brewing that will create complications unnecessarily. If you must return to New York I will make arrangements, and aid in such matters as needed.
'Finally, as you will now be residing in my Castle to remain close to your brother, I demand a weekly game of challenge in person, not the dreams; as I have had no worthy opponents since well before you and have not had any after; I am bored! The High King's court is dull, and if I do not have a worthy opponent soon, I might implode, there will be weekly games, no I will not make you run the bloody Labyrinth again. You, my precious, have somehow cheated and the Labyrinth will bow to your will as needed, it's very vexing, but eliminates that game. However, I am partial to a game of chess. And yes, you will do this as you reside in my Castle now, and therefore are subjected to my rule, not my will but this is a royal decree so therefore, my rule!
'The fifth piece of parchment contained within this envelope is for you to give to Griphook when you go to Gringotts by the way, it is merely a formality but please provide it. Above goblins are peculiar about proper paperwork.
'-Jareth,
-King of Goblins, Master of the Labyrinth, High Prince of the Seelie Courts and High Prince of the Unseelie Courts, etc. (I am not writing out all my formal titles! I've done that enough for the last year!)
'P.S. Do not share with anyone information about the existence of the Underground, or my own existence, do not share my name, and do not mention anything about my titles. There are many here relying on your discretion about our existence for our survival, not including your friends. Also, your friends have agreed to seeing you Above in my Castle, but the arrangements will have to be made carefully, I will discuss those with you in person at a later date.'
Sarah scowled at his letter and wanted to go track his Tightness down to kick his leather clad ass for declaring that she was to play a game with him weekly. However, he had used please, more than once in the letter. Sighing she rubbed her brow as she sat down before the tray offered to her. The orb he had spoken of was resting right on the center of the dresser in her room, which was something she wanted to throw it at the wall but refrained because she knew she wasn’t mad at Jareth or what he was doing, but rather at the situation she found herself in with Toby. A sigh escaped her as she sat there. She would need to contact her grandfather, and probably her great-grandparents to; and her mother; that thought had her cringing and banishing her family from her mind to focus on
She did wonder about the Lady of the Castle bit, because in most literature that was a title for the wife of the king or something, but he mostly addressed her as the Champion of the Labyrinth which had her wondering what exactly that should entail. Setting the letter to the side she looked through the other four pieces of parchment in her hand.
The second was very formal, written in clear, elegant script, with what appeared to be an official seal and signed by the Master of the Castle. She was going to guess that there were some strange relations between the Underground and Above with how he had signed this and with how he wrote of the Above in his letter. But she was pleased this bit of parchment was formally addressed and letter of employment, complete with wages and her legal name. It was a bit disturbing that Jareth had her legal name, and it was more disturbing to see it written fully in his hand, but it was formal enough to feel intimidating.
The third piece of parchment was as he said a list of supplies as well as reasons for her to get them for Toby which she was surprised at. He must have sensed her reluctance about trusting him because this list was much more… personalized as he seemed to have mastered sarcasm on paper to guilt her about her suspicions.
The fourth piece of parchment as written in a terribly similar manner for her, which had her rolling her eyes; especially at the bottom of the page when he wrote in all caps 'Don't roll your eyes at me!'
The fifth piece of parchment was an official document supplying information about the vault in question, she read this over as she accepted the floating coffee much and frowned. This was a detailed record of the account, talking of deposits, withdrawals, loans, and the credit work, it was also going over the details and sums within the vault. It appeared that Jareth was highly organized with his money, though she wondered what the niffler charge was. Her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when she read the sum total set aside for the Champion of the Labyrinth; he hadn't just set her aside a handsome sum, he had set her aside a bloody fortune! She nearly dropped the coffee mug as she stared at the total on the paper.
“Sarah! There’s someone at the door!” Toby called.
“Coming,” she called out as she stood up carefully, hissing in pain at her jarred shoulder. Getting to the solar she brushed past an anxious Toby who was wearing their father’s old Mets’ hoodie. Opening the heavy door that was the entrance of the solar to be greeted by a tall, dark, sardonic looking man with a large, hooked nose glaring pointedly down at her.
"Can I help you?" she asked.
"I am Professor Snape, I am to bring you, Miss Williams to Headmaster Dumbledore."
"Let Toby and I freshen up a bit," she dismissed as she shut the door in his face. "Toby, go wash your face and comb your hair," she ordered. The house elf who had been attending to her quarters appeared when her brother when to his room to do as she told him.
“Kingy thought Lady should need new shoes,” Mopsy smiled.
“Thank you Mopsy,” she nodded. There was a snap and suddenly the shoes were on her feet. Sarah’s lips twitched in a small smile as she looked at the stylish boots in her preferred style and how comfortable they felt on her feet.
“Of course, Lady!” the house elf giggled as she disappeared.
“Who were you talking to?” Toby asked her when he reappeared with his shoes on now and his darkening hair at least in some semblance of order. She riffled through the thick envelope of her letters from Jareth for the official one of employment with his seal on it.
“The house elf, come on, we need to go,” she said pulling out the paper before she reached over to open the door. Stuffing the rest of the letter in her back pocket she turned to look at the Professor she had shut out moments earlier.
“The Headmaster only wishes to speak to you,” the Professor declared with a calm, tempered, even, cold tone in his deep voice.
“I only go if I have Toby with me,” she stated firmly, drawing herself up to her full height. She wasn’t as tall as the man, not even close but she wasn’t a short woman either.
“Very well,” he replied through gritted teeth before he made a sweeping gesture as he turned to lead them along. Toby gripped her hand tightly, pressing himself closely to her side as she walked alone; hiding her limp. Her knee and ankle were throbbing violently and reminding her she wasn’t completely healed but she didn’t submit to the pain, it was a simple problem of mind over matter. She didn’t mind and it didn’t matter. Professor Snape came to a swishing stop as he turned on her, glaring fiercely which had her tilting her head up and keeping her shoulders back. Sarah refused to be cowed by this man, she refused to submit to his bullying presence; she had gone toe to toe with the King of Goblins, this man did not intimidate or scare her despite his size and dramatics.
“Mister Williams will remain here." Professor Snape declared.
"My brother will be accompanying me, or I will not be going," she stated as she glared up at the wizard.
"This meeting is between you and the Headmaster alone."
"And considering the treatment of my brother prior to my finding him in this office was dismal at best, I will not leave him alone with the likes of a pompous ass posturing like a gothic peacock," she retorted.
Snape's eyes narrowed as he took a step towards her which had her tilting her chin up daringly.
"The Headmaster will not…" Snape started
"He will have to understand," she stated.
The griffon leapt elegantly out of the way as two of Jareth’s goblins materialized in spikey armor and sharp weapons in hand. They both barely came up to her knees, but she was not fooled having been tormented by goblins as a young teen.
“We’s were sent by Kingy to escort Lady! No ones sees us!” the one on the left declared.
She nodded slightly to them as she brushed past the professor and walked up the narrow staircase, Toby’s hand firmly clasped in her own. Admittedly, she missed the confused look of Professor Snape as she walked by because she was getting into a fury the closer, she got to the Headmaster. They both reached the office; she squeezed her brother’s hand tightly as she gave him a tight smile before the door was sprung open by her goblin escorts. The office was rather large, and the old man sat imposingly behind a desk, she could see his grandfatherly look faltering when she entered with Toby before he kept it in place.
"Ah, Miss Williams!" Dumbledore exclaimed happily.
"Toby, stay here," she whispered. "Just sit on the sofa."
"Can I read a book?"
"Yes," Dumbledore answered. "I find this one very good for young children!" Dumbledore exclaimed as he presented as book. Sarah looked at it before handing it to Toby and walking towards Dumbledore's desk.
"Miss Williams first…"
"This is for you," she stated and handed him the second bit of parchment Jareth had given her. The bemused look on Dumbledore's face faded into one of disbelief as he read over the parchment she had handed him.
"You cannot expect…" he started.
"I think you'll find I can," she replied primly. "The Master of the Castle is employing me and if Toby is to attend school here I will be remaining, he's just lost his parents in a violent way, and was informed that because he possessed Magic that his family was killed. Which simply is not true," she said levelly.
"I did not mean to offend," he started.
"No, you traumatized, but what I cannot figure out is why," Sarah retorted levelly. There was a flash in Dumbledore's eyes as she kept her face impassive. "I will need more information on the school for my brother and we will be going to Inverness within the week to deal with our family's affairs."
"Miss Williams, I am the Master of this Castle," Dumbledore started as he began to rise.
"No, I believe that you are the Headmaster of Hogwarts," she stated as she stood up straight. "I will take the information now, and a full list of school supplies."
"I will provide the materials as needed."
"You will provide all the materials I have asked for, and if you do not I will ask the Master of the Castle; as he is an old friend of sorts, of mine and he will be more than happy to provide them for me. Feel free to send the contract of employment to whomever you need, I believe they will find it impeccable," she stated.
"Miss Williams, you should be cautious going forward," he warned lowly.
"Professor Dumbledore," she cut him off. "I have no quarrel with you, but I do not trust people who blame ten-year-olds for the actions of adults. I might not know the conflict my brother and I have fallen into, but I need no warning from the likes of you."
She turned and walked to Toby before smiling at him. "Come on kiddo, lets go explore a bit," she offered.
"I must insist you be escorted by a professor."
"Fair enough," she decided as Toby tossed aside the book before they were walking out of the room.
"Sarah?"
"Yes?"
"Who's the Master of the Castle?" he asked her.
"An adversarial friend of mine," she murmured. "Do not worry about it Toby, if you attend school here then I will be here too," she promised. He relaxed as he took her hand and leaned on her while they walked.
Jareth was humming to himself as he juggled a few crystals out of boredom while he waited for Mopsy's report, the House Elf was already thoroughly besotted with Sarah. He had been rather audacious and made the first moves to secure Sarah and Toby in the Labyrinth's safety, he knew it would probably have her furious with him, but he would rather her be furious than reckless. It was also the first in person contact he’d had with Sarah in about ten years, he was stunned she hadn’t banished him on sight when she had woken up from her injuries. Injuries he wanted to remove but she had declined to let him heal.
There was a crack in the air which had him disappearing all his crystals as he turned to Mopsy who was smiling happily.
"Lady very good, King, beautiful and kind and very patient," Mopsy declared as she bowed to him and skipped over to him.
"What happened?" he demanded.
"Lady was summoned to Headmaster's office, she thwarted him and kept her position, I is eager to serve such a Lady!" Mopsy reverently informed him.
He nodded and dismissed her. He could feel her moving through the castle, the Labyrinth was humming with pleasure at her return which was a bit of an annoyance. The moment she had taken a bite of the peach she had become a part of his Labyrinth, the moment he had sung to her his song, and danced his dance with her she had become a part of him though and it was unsettling. It was unsettling to feel her again, especially after she had declared he had no power over her. Foolish girl had torn his kingdom asunder, which had been infuriating and impressive, it was only recently that the kingdom had started to feel whole again, though he had hidden this blow from both his parents' Courts.
Jareth shuddered to think what would happen if his father or mother discovered Sarah.
Jareth was looking forward to rematches with Sarah though being held in person rather than in their normal dream liaisons. She was only generous enough to engage him when she was in command of her dreams and invited him, which had initially been frustrating but now it was rather entertaining. Still, it had been unbearably long since he had last possessed a worthy opponent, in wit, repartee, and will. It would be interesting to play against his greatest adversary again.
He wondered though how Sarah had gotten herself entangled with the Magic that remained Above and what the parasites wanted her for. He knew they despised non-magical beings on principle, though Sarah wasn’t exactly non-magical given her relationship with his Labyrinth, she wasn’t like the parasites and he knew that would scare them. He would wait until tonight to see her though, in person, she was residing in his Above residence so he would see her, if only to find out what the bloody hell happened. She had been safe, untouched, unharmed for nearly a decade and in a single night she had been battered, and bruised and returned to his Labyrinth bloody, the merely knowledge offended and infuriated him, simultaneously.
Jareth would have to ensure the care and safety of his Lady and her brother; he didn’t mind that because he was doing that anyways. But then he had turned her from his sights for a moment and this happened, he wanted to know why.
He would have to gather intel from above, rubbing his temple he walked to his study and pulled a registry of the twenty-eight families he knew served him which resided Above and started sifting through the bloodlines to find them.
Hermione watched with a heavy heart as she sent her parents off believing they were Monica and Wendell Wilkins from Bunbury, in Western Australia. A small, strangled sob was buried in her chest as she grabbed her Hogwarts Trunk and walked to the fireplace. Gathering up the floo powder she looked once more at her childhood home, which she had completely erased herself from. Her breath hitched as she closed her eyes.
“Number 12 Grimmauld Place,” she called out clearly just as the family who had bought her home from her pulled up with their moving van.
Hermione disappeared in the green flames and rematerialized in the home of the Black family where the Weasleys were residing currently.
Bill Weasley was the one sitting by the kitchen hearth, where she had entered the house.
“Hullo,” he greeted as he twisted around to see her.
“Hi,” she shyly greeted the eldest Weasley. She had never really had much interaction with him, only having met him last year at the Quidditch World Cup when the Weasleys had invited her to go with them.
“Hermione,” he guessed.
“Yes,” she smiled weakly. “Is Ron here?” she asked.
“Yes, Ron and Gin are helping mum with a spot of cleaning upstairs,” he answered.
“I’ll go… what’s that?” she asked pausing at the table to see his file laid out.
“Hm, oh, that, don’t rightly know, I was working on it back in Egypt,” he answered. “I’m copying my notes to send off to the next Curse Breaker to study it,” he admitted. “You can see how strange it is though, it’s Celtic in design, see these marks and runes, these are what you see around here, but there’s also something else, I can’t figure it out.” He admitted. “We dated it to be about to Second Dynasty of Egypt, but we haven’t really figured out what it was doing there or what it is, it’s a powerful artifact though. Analyses also tells us that it’s from the same stone as the Stonehenge, though why it was a crystal orb I don’t know; I’d think it was a prophecy from the hall of mysteries if it weren’t so bloody ancient.” he explained. “Anyways, I don’t know what it is so I’m compiling my professional notes and making copies for my successor and myself.”
“Interesting,” she admitted.
“Bloody infuriating,” he muttered as he shoved a pencil behind his ear. “I have no bloody clue why it was in Egypt or where it’s gone now, disappeared earlier this year, just vanished from where we had it contained.” He explained as he showed her the old photos.
“So, it’s… stolen?” she asked.
“I bloody wish, thing just… poofed out of my vault,” he clarified.
Hermione nodded but left him be, she was too emotionally drained right now to want anything to do with the mysteries of the magical world. Making her way through the tiny town house she found a room where Ginny was bunking, and obviously waiting for her as there was another cot pulled out for her.
Dropping her trunk, she fell onto the bed and buried her face in the pillow, so she didn’t break down sobbing. All of her research had lead to her getting away with the most illegal of acts, practicing underage magic as well as erasing her from her family so Voldemort wouldn’t find them. And it broke her heart.