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phoenixresistance · 1 year
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Over the Brink of War, Chapter One: A Historic Fall
A/N: The first chapter is finally after months gatekeeping it out of laziness lol. This series is in the same universe and timeline as @kathrynalicemc​ ‘s The Phoenix Resistance. The og cast belongs to her. Also, check out The Phoenix Archives for more BTS work with new and old characters! 
Summary: Elodie receives an offer she’s been waiting to receive… for 40 years 
Featuring..: Elodie Dubois, Sebastian Dubois, James Dubois, Kaari Arcano, Devon Marlowe ( both belonging to @kathrynalicemc​ ) Lyubomir Vulchanov ( @magicallymalted​ ) 
Word Count: 2.2k 
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Bill and Fleur’s wedding, 17:40
Elodie watched her son dance with his wife, as well as her grandson dance with his own. They all smiled and danced away, no worries or concerns between them. Suddenly, her stomach turned. She thought it was her illness yet again, until something inside her told her “Something’s about to happen. Something bad. Terrible, even.” Instinctively, she grabbed her great-granddaughter, who happily fussed with her shirt and pearl necklace and told her family to pick up their things.
The feeling was growing stronger, and worse. She felt it’d happen at any moment. Baby Lucille started fussing, noticing her great-grandmother’s queasiness and she rocked her, trying to calm her down, but it was helpless. Something was about to happen, and it’d happen at any moment. James kept pressing why they were leaving. She just told them to trust her on this one.
She could hear a girl shriek “YOU’RE CHEATING ON ME?!”
Before he could even open his mouth, Kingsley’s Patronus announced the Ministry of Magic’s fall, and death eaters came in, plunging into chaos. “James, get your wife and daughter into safety. We’ll deal with them.”
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phoenixresistance · 1 year
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The Phoenix Archives
Entry 1 - Silent Night
Semele belongs to @endlessly-cursed 💕
London, England - December 17th, 1997
She watched as the snow fell gently outside the living room window in the darkness of the evening. It was completely silent, the only sounds that could be heard was the resonant ticking of a grandfather clock on the opposite side of the room and her own quiet breaths.
She had white hair and her face was wrinkled from the passage of time, over eighty years in fact. The woman currently rocked back and forth in her rocking chair. Her eyes wandered around the room taking in the familiar sights of her house. The Christmas tree was the only source of light in the darkened room, its warm lights throwing a dim halo of light onto the nearby cold and empty fireplace. Dozens of picture frames were strewn across the mantle above it, the smiling faces of the woman’s children and grandchildren looking down at her. Her eyes then darted towards the front door, a gleaming golden wreath peeking back at her through the frosted glass.
The woman was alone in the house tonight as her family were away on holiday. She would normally be in bed at this time. However, tonight was different. Tonight she sat and waited.
The time passed slowly and silently. The rhythmic ticking of the clock and the dancing flurry of the snow lulled her. The clock read ten minutes past nine when the woman’s breaths slowed and her eyes drooped. The darkness took hold for what felt like forever and also no time at all. Before long, the grandfather clock chimed the new hour. The deep echoes stirred her from her sleep, her eyes flicking open and closed repeatedly as she roused.
It was a few seconds before she noticed the change within the dark room. A shadowed figure now stood in front of the fireplace, his back to the woman as he inspected the pictures.
Not even the darkest shadows could conceal the identity of this man from the woman. His long white hair shone through the darkness, mirroring her own.
“Hello, my daughter,” his deep voice finally broke the peaceful silence of the evening seconds before he turned around to face her.
A chill ran down her spine as her fathers cold eyes met hers. His face was sharp and handsome and had none of the wrinkles hers had. The last time she saw him was nearly fifty years ago and yet he was identical. It was like looking at a memory of the past.
“I knew you were coming,” Esmee Amaranthine’s voice was hoarse as she spoke to her father.
Eme answered with a deep chuckle, his hand raising up in the air as his eyes scanned the photo he currently held.
“Cute family. A shame you didn’t invite me to the wedding.”
“I would have, but you were too busy that day being locked up in Azkaban. And every day since.”
A chuckle escaped Eme’s lips, or was it a hiss? His mouth curled into a smirk but there was a hint of annoyance and anger behind his usually indifferent eyes.
“When I finally arrested you and threw you in there, I always knew it wouldn’t hold you forever.”
“It was a worthy attempt. You even went so far as to recruit your children and grandchildren to your cause. I recognized them instantly when they would come for inspections.”
“I guess fighting you runs in the family. Aunt Eleanor would agree,” Esmee replied flatly.
A silence stretched out again, the ticking of the clock taking over the room. Esmee took in her fathers face, her mind predicting what he would say next.
“They are far away from here. Don’t even think you could find them, I hid them well.”
“I guess we’ll see about that,” he shrugged coolly and placed the frame back on the mantle.
“You don’t scare me, you know. You never did. I knew you were coming for me. I’ve had fifty years to make peace with it,” Esmee stated, her eyes trailing one last time around her house. The Christmas decorations twinkled brightly, giving her comfort. Her eyes lingered for just a few seconds on the pictures behind Eme. “If you are going to do it, then do it.”
“Oh, you don’t get to rush this,” Eme grinned as he walked forward, his hand reaching into his coat.
The North Sea - Twelve Hours Earlier, December 17th
Eleanor watched Azkaban disappear into the horizon from her position on the deck of the Jörmungandr as they raced away. She didn’t know where they were going, but she almost wished she was still in there.
“What’s wrong? I thought you would be glad to be away from that hellhole,” Kaari called out from his spot at the bow of the ship.
“You have no idea what you have done,” she muttered, her hoarse voice almost lost over the crashing of the waves.
“What do you mean?”
“My brother. They will release him and he will come after me.”
“He will have to find us first.”
Eleanor could tell there was fear in his eyes that he tried to hide with a smile. She was good at reading people.
The ride was quiet after that, Kaari taking occasional worried glances at his passenger. It wasn’t until a few hours had passed that Eleanor’s tormented and confused mind started to remember the events before her capture.
“Wait! Do you know anyone named Esmee by any chance?”
“Esmee? I don’t believe I know her. Unless you are talking about that gorgeous redhead I met in a pub once,” Kaari grinned before seeing the scowl on Eleanor’s face. “But I doubt you are.”
“No, she would be around eighty or so. I don’t even know if she is still alive, but if she is you need to find her immediately. She needs protection.”
“What, why? Who is she?”
“It doesn’t matter. Just make sure she’s safe. Eme would want to kill her when he gets out.”
“Alright. Once we get to Skalafell I’ll contact the Resistance and get someone to find her.”
However, Eleanor didn’t look convinced. She hardly knew this man and put no trust in this Resistance. She owed them nothing for breaking her out so who’s to say he would keep his word?
Skalafell, Norway - December 17th, 1997, 6:38 PM
The wooden floorboards creaked under his boots as Kaari Arcano quickly dashed towards the fireplace in the kitchen of the Arcano house. With a flourish of his hand and a wave of his wand in the other, floo powder hit the stones and ignited. The flames roared from green into a scarlet red as the magic from Kaari’s wand activated a spell. Only a few seconds passed before the flames shifted and formed a face he knew all too well.
The beautiful face of Semele Thorne stared back at him through the blaze. He had to admit, she was twice as attractive when her lips and eyes were made of crimson fire.
“Calling me back so soon, Arcano? Once wasn’t enough for you? I thought you only did flings. I must have really made an impact on you,” she teased with a playful smile.
“This is strictly business, Ms Thorne. I have a job for you.”
Semele’s eyebrows shot up at the formal address, “Is that right? Why come to me?”
“Let’s just say I trust in your skill set. You are one of the most skilled people in combat and information gathering I’ve ever met. Well, besides me of course,” he added with a smirk at the end, dropping the formality and giving in to her charm so he could flirt for just a second.
“You flatter me, Arcano,” she replied with a sarcastic swoon.
“I should warn you, there is a chance you might run into a very dangerous individual. Do not engage with him under any circumstances. This is strictly a locate and retrieve mission.”
“Got it.”
“In fact, you don’t have to take the mission if you don’t feel comfortable with it. This man should not be underestimated. You will die if you fight him,” Kaari’s face suddenly became serious.
“I’m in,” Semele didn’t hesitate. “So who’s the priority?”
Esmee’s House, London, England - December 17th, 1997, 10:15 PM
The house was dark as Semele Thorne waited in the shadows across the street. Her sharp eyes narrowed and scanned her regular scouting pattern. There were no lights or signs of movement inside, nor anything similar on the nearby houses. The front door was closed and so were the windows. There was no obvious damage to any part of the house. No people walked along the street. Now was her chance.
She slipped out from her hiding place and briskly crossed the street, her head down and hands in her pockets as she tried to remain discreet. She would jump the fence and loop around to the back of the house and enter from there.
A few seconds later, after deftly unlocking the window with a wave of her wand, she found herself standing in a darkened kitchen. Semele waited and listened for any sounds of movement within the house but all she heard was silence. So she decided to enter the next room.
“Fuck,” she breathed, barely a whisper to break the silence.
A figure sat slumped in the rocking chair on the far side of the living room. Even from this distance and in low light, Semele’s deft eyes could still see the trails of blood down the woman’s face.
Immediately, her wand came out and she scanned the room top to bottom and left to right. Once she was certain she was truly alone, she quietly crept closer to the woman.
This was indeed Esmee Amaranthine. She was too late to save her. Blood dripped from her eyes, nose, and ears but there was no other obvious sign of injury. Semele knew this was indicative of the cruciatus curse. She was tortured with extreme pain until the stress on her system killed her. The blood itself was still bright red and fresh, so she must have just missed it.
Semele sighed deeply, shaking her head and hanging it remorsefully. What a terrible way to go. Kaari was right, the man who did this was dangerous.
She stood up and looked around the room again, this time taking in the small details of the woman’s personal life. The elegant grandfather clock ticked away as Semele looked upon the faces in the photos. Esmee had a wonderful and full life by the looks of it.
A thought struck her and Semele grabbed a picture frame, the same Eme once held only minutes ago. She flipped it over in her hand and undid the back, pulling the photo from its frame. She smiled as she found the names of the people within the photograph inscribed upon the back in loopy cursive handwriting.
Semele put the frame back down and tucked the picture safely into her coat pocket. She would report Esmee’s fate to the Resistance and then try to locate her family. They deserved to know.
Then, as quickly and quietly as she arrived, Semele Thorne left the house and disappeared into the cold winter night.
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phoenixresistance · 1 year
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Reblog because im working my way through book 1 doing some minor edits to the spacing and past tenses cuz yikes. Will be doing this for all chapters of book 1
The Phoenix Resistance - Chapter 2
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London, England - August 8th, 1997
Over the past week, Devon and Henry had managed to buy a little tavern in Whitechapel. Devon also managed to get in contact with the Silversmith brothers. Edgar and Alaric Silversmith were happy to join her and they chipped into the tavern as well. Edgar was a skilled Archivist and his brother was an equally skilled Auror.
The Lone Star was a small rustic medieval style tavern. Wrought iron barred windows looked out into the street and glowed faintly from the light within. The interior consisted of large rough wooden tables, a high polished bar, and a huge roaring fireplace. In addition, there also were dozens of cardboard boxes scattered on the floor and tables. They were currently in the process of moving in.
Henry was sweeping the floor when Devon suddenly apparated, Eiffel Tower miniature in hand.
“Hey I’m back.” She greeted him with a wave of her hands. “Where’s Edgar and Alaric?”
“They are in the cellar working on the enchantments on the barrel door.” He replied, putting his broom down and wandering over to give her a kiss. “So how are Charlie and Asri getting on?”
“It’s like Charlie never left. They already have it up and running. Asri is excited to live in Paris because he was a baby when we moved away.” She smiled as she signed but then it faded and she signed more hesitantly, “I just hope the war doesn’t reach them.”
Henry quickly wrapped his arms around her, smiling gently as the residual smell of yeast and sugar reached his nose. “I can’t promise you they will be ok. However I can promise you I will try my best to protect them, including you. I love you.”
Sniffing and wiping away tears that have gathered in her eyes she smiled back, “Not if I protect you first. I love you too.”
Devon perked up suddenly, “I have something to show you. You’ll need your coat.”
Paris, France - 11:30 AM
After getting his coat and changing the time on the portkey, they apparated into the store room of the bakery, the smell of bread hitting them immediately.
“Meet me out in the car. We are taking Charlie’s, here’s the keys. There’s something I have to grab first.” She signed and handed him the keys before disappearing in the back.
Five minutes later Devon reappeared, exiting the bakery and shoving something in the trunk of the car and then jumping into the passenger seat.
“So where are we off to? Or is that a surprise?”
“You bet. Turn left up there” She replied with a wink, pointing down the street.
Following Devon’s occasional directions, Henry drove down Paris streets until finally coming to the edge of the city, the high urban buildings being replaced by more and more trees. Eventually Devon told him to pull over in front of a small cottage overgrown with vines and foliage.
“This was our house. When my mom was still alive.” She signed as she got out of the car, answering Henry’s question before he could make it.
“Come on, we aren’t there yet!” She added as she grabbed his hand after retrieving a large basket from the trunk.
The two of them walked around the house towards the back and then entered the dense forest. Bright green leaves gently rustled in the wind. Only Henry heard the cracking of sticks beneath their feet and the chirp of birds above.
Within minutes they emerged into a clearing. In the center laid a huge flat rock next to a small stream that slowly flowed over mossy stones. Upon the rock was a knit blanket made of deep red, orange, and brown.
Henry laughed brightly as they walked over and sat down on the blanket, Devon producing containers of food from the basket and laying them out. The last thing she pulled out was a large cardboard box which she instead handed to Henry. Opening it up, his eyes met an elegantly frosted cake topped with a mixture of fruits, obviously a product of the Marlowe Bakery.
“Happy Birthday, my love”
The hours passed by as they drank champagne and enjoyed a picnic under the noon day sun of Paris.
I hope you like it! @thatravenpuffwitch
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phoenixresistance · 1 year
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I posted 40 times in 2022
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I tagged 36 of my posts in 2022
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My Top Posts in 2022:
#5
Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 11
Lone Star Tavern, Whitechapel, London - March 16th, 1998, 2:03 PM
There was a heavy clunk as a tankard was slammed down onto the wooden table where Eleanor sat. Kaari Arcano slumped down into the chair next to her.
“You don’t strike me as someone who blindly obeys orders,” he stated, looking her up and down for a moment, sipping his ale.
“Well spotted. Get to the point.”
“So you wouldn’t mind doing something dangerous and explicitly against Devon’s orders?” He inquired but then reluctantly added, his eyes cast downwards, “I-uh, I need help.”
Eleanor seemed to think for a moment, her expression impossible to read, all emotion gone from her eyes.
“Alright. Where to?”
“Just like that? You’re Devon’s important secret weapon. You wouldn’t want to jeopardize your relationship with her, would you?”
“I didn’t ask to be pulled from that prison. In fact, you should have left me there to die.”
“But you can’t die.”
“Exactly,” she muttered as she stood up and made her way to the door. “Well, are you coming or not?”
Wilson Manor, London - March 16th, 1998, 2:35 PM
They stood in the street looking towards the ivy covered house with tiny white and yellow flower buds peeking out of the browns and greens of the flower beds. Kaari quickly scanned the area and found a wrought iron gate to the side of the house that led towards the garden in the back.
“You haven’t scouted this house once yet, have you?” Eleanor remarked, her arms crossed.
“Of course I have,” he lied confidently.
“It’s also broad daylight,” she pointed out.
“I don’t care.”
“This isn’t like you. I mean, you are a reckless idiot but this is stupid even for you.”
“Let’s go,” he brushed her off and made a dash for the side gate, not bothering to unlock it and instead vaulted over it in one quick movement, Eleanor reluctantly following.
They crouched to keep out of sight of the windows, occasionally peeking up to look through a window. They almost reached the last window before Kaari stopped, suddenly having found what he was looking for.
Flipping out a dagger from the back of his belt, he jammed it into the windowsill and worked it around, trying to pop it open. His movements slowed as his gaze was drawn upwards. Inside was a rustic kitchen, copper pots hanging from racks, jars full of herbs and plants, and a large stew pot gently bubbling away on the stove.
What really got his attention, however, was the tiny form laying in a pile of bunched up discarded rags and cloth as a makeshift nest. The baby had grayish pink skin, large doe eyes, and long floppy ears that came to a point. Kaari had never seen a half house elf before, but she definitely had more human features than regular house elves.
According to Mirai, the girl was around eight months old by now but she was impossibly small for her age. His own niece, Dafne, was fourteen months old, only six months older. However, Kiri looked as if she was the size of a newborn.
Kaari’s grip tightened on the hilt of his dagger as he took in Kiri’s situation. The rags she laid on were stained and ripped. The clothes on her weren’t more than a pillowcase and strips of fabric wrapped around her arms and legs for extra warmth. His blood boiled as he imagined his own nieces treated like this. Left to sleep on a dirty kitchen floor.
With a pop, the window gently opened, but Kaari hesitated. His mind wandered back to that day in the office. Devon’s face was burned into his memory. There was a burning fierceness in her eyes and he couldn’t shake it. He’s had a deep respect for Devon ever since they became friends at Hogwarts. She was wildly intelligent and loyal. Kaari loved her constant search for knowledge and demand to be heard, despite being mute. People listened to her without her having to speak a word.
However, he also knew just how much she had to fight and work for that. They were deep enough friends for him to know that she was really struggling with all this pressure and responsibility upon her. She wanted to save lives but that meant having to carry all that responsibility, almost like Atlas holding up the sky. He finally understood. She couldn’t possibly save them all, and sometimes you have to drop one or two to save the rest.
Eleanor was right, he was in too much of a blind rush and didn’t scout the Manor at all. He had no idea just how many people were inside. He expected Neira and Roland but they could have many guards he didn’t know about. Then again, he did have the service of a lightning dragon and an immortal warrior with him. It would be easy really, just in and out in seconds. They could just grab her and run.
“Mama mama! Come look at this bug!” Came the cry of a toddler from the back garden. A second later came the voice of what he expected to be Neira.
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13 notes - Posted March 16, 2022
#4
The Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 9
St. Mungos, London - March 7th, 1998, 12:16 PM
“Patient name: Antoinette Yaxley (née Avery)”
“Date Admitted: June 23rd, 1981”
Eloise sighed as her eyes cast downwards to the chart on the table. She stood at the foot of the bed, replacing the vase’s wilted red roses with fresh ones. A middle aged woman laid in the bed, her eyes closed in a deep sleep and her long dark hair splayed across the pillow.
She crossed the room and sat in a familiar armchair on the side of the bed, one she has spent many nights in. Glancing around the room, Eloise realized this room felt more like home than the Yaxley manor. She had memorized every little detail about it over the years of visits and countless hours of staring at the walls, alone with her thoughts. Those particular thoughts were suddenly interrupted as a healer walked into the room.
He was a tall and stocky man with a bald head and a reddish blonde beard. Eloise had known this man for most of her life. Graham McClarnon had been the head healer for her mother as long as she could remember.
“Back again?” He remarked as he took the vitals of the woman and then grabbed the chart and hastily wrote down the results.
“Where else would I be?” She muttered quietly.
“I don’t know. But I’ve known you since you were eight years old, coming here all by yourself. You shouldn’t be in here, wasting your life away. She wouldn’t want that.” Graham motioned to the bed.
“I do have a life.”
“Mmm,” he murmured, his gaze flicking downwards to the dark inked skull on her forearm peeking out from Eloise’s sleeve.
“How’s your son? Henry, right?” Eloise switched subjects, tugging her sleeve back down.
“He’s fine, but I think you know that already,” he smiled knowingly.
Did Henry tell him that they work together? If so, he must know that she was secretly a spy. Eloise wondered if he really trusted her. Almost everyone she used to know assumes she’s a real Death Eater. She sacrificed the trust and friendships of so many people to secure her place with the Death Eaters and keep suspicion away. Only a handful of people know where her true loyalties lie. Deep down, she knew even they probably expected her to eventually betray them.
“It’s been seventeen years, Lou. How long are you going to keep this up?” He interjected bluntly, catching Eloise off guard.
Eloise didn’t have an answer. She just twirled her rose necklace in her fingers and watched her mother sleep infinitely, her chest rising up and down with breath. Seeing this moment, Graham quietly left without another word, closing the door with a soft click behind him.
She got up and instead wandered over and sat on the edge of the bed. Eloise brushed her mother’s hair aside and traced the subtle lines of age upon her face. It was quite ironic, honestly. She’s spent the majority of her life watching her own mother age when it should have been her mother watching Eloise age and grow up.
For a second, Eloise almost wondered what her mother would say if she could see her now, but quickly shut the thought out of her head. She wasn’t so sure her mother would be proud of what she has become.
Her mind instead wandered back to her spywork. She would never actually give her service to the Death Eaters, of course. Her father tried his hardest to mold her into one by teaching her what he believed in. What he didn’t know was that Antoinette was always there to supplant those ideologies. Until she wasn’t.
When her mother was attacked by Death Eaters during the first Wizarding War and placed in a coma, the only thing her father told her was that her mother was a traitor because she was helping people who stole their magic. He never did go to visit her once. Eloise always had to sneak out of the house by herself, usually taking the Knight Bus. St Mungos wasn’t the only place she went when she snuck out. The Yaxley Manor was as unfamiliar to her as she could manage.
Looking at her mother’s face, Eloise saw herself. With Eloise’s once platinum blonde hair now dyed a similar dark ebony black, the two of them were almost identical. It has been many years since she’s seen her mother’s eyes open, however under her eyelids rested the same seafoam green pupils.
Her mother was her greatest inspiration. She would do anything she could to make her proud. That was her main reason for joining the Resistance. Rebelling against her cruel father was just a bonus.
Eloise leaned in close and whispered in her mother’s ear, barely audible.
“I’ll continue your fight. One day, you’ll be proud of me. That’s a promise.”
Then she got up and left, Graham shouting a goodbye to her quickly retreating figure down the hallway.
Yaxley Manor, Kent, England - March 7th, 1998, 3:47 PM
Muffled thumps echoed off the Manor and the surrounding Kent countryside, only to be muted by the heavy downpour of rain. Eloise stood in the courtyard behind the Manor, her hands wrapped and taped, as she sparred with a punching bag.
The cold wind and rain of early spring pelted her frame, soaking her to the bone and plastering her chin length hair against her head. She didn’t mind, however. Anything was preferable to being in that house with her father.
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13 notes - Posted March 7, 2022
#3
The Phoenix Resistance- Book 2 Chapter 28 FINALE!
A/N: Well... here we are on the last page. Nine months all lead up to this. This is the ending for now but make sure to stick around for the character epilogues in the next few weeks for more endings!! As always: Mina belongs to @lifeofkaze and also Ava in mention. Artemis in mention belongs to @the-al-chemist and both Henry and Ellie belong to @thatravenpuffwitch. Enjoy!
Ministry of Magic, Atrium, London - May 2nd, 1998, 6:13 AM
A few hours went by as they waited. The atrium was completely silent for all of them but Devon. As much as she tried to push out the thoughts of her friends, they kept sneaking in. Each one of them were scared, some more than others.
Many of them paced back and forth, occasionally glancing down the dark rows of fireplaces when they thought they heard something, forms stiffening and the grip on their wands tightening only to relax when nothing came out of the darkness. Devon stood directly behind the barricade, never taking her eyes off the entrances. Her legs were stiff after hours of standing and the pain in her ribs was steadily getting worse but she refused to sit down, even after multiple suggestions from Henry. Dried blood that wasn’t hers caked her pants and hands.
It was just after sunrise that finally they saw exactly what they were dreading. A green light flickered and flashed deep within the darkness and they heard the roar of flames as a figure emerged from the floo network.
Mina and Eloise stood up from their places by the statue and they all approached the barricade as a group with their wands pointed forwards.
“Hey, stop right there!” Kaari called out loudly to the figure that got closer and closer.
The tension in the room relaxed as out from the shadows stepped a man with dark skin and rich purple robes. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt. Everyone’s wands dropped to their sides, except Devon who remained in place, her wand shaking slightly.
“If it’s really you, tell me your favorite type of bread,” Devon sent into Kingsley’s mind silently.
“Cinnamon raisin, of course,” she heard him reply back into her own mind.
“So, did we win?” Kaari inquired.
“Yes. Harry Potter has defeated Voldemort once and for all,” Kingsley’s deep voice filled the empty silence.
What followed was shouts of joy and exclamations of relief. Devon stood staring forward in shock before her knees finally gave out and she collapsed to the floor. All the adrenaline in her system crashed and the weight of the entire war came crumbing down upon her shoulders, like Atlas holding up the sky. Everyone was safe. Nobody else was going to die under her command.
“Dev! Oh Merlin, are you ok?” Henry immediately rushed to her side and scooped her up.
“Yea, I’m fine. I just need to rest for a second,” she signed.
Kingsley had climbed over the barricade and now crouched down next to them, his hand outstretched towards Devon who shook it gladly.
“Thanks for holding down the fort, Marlowe. I’ll take it from here,” he smiled gently.
“There’s one more thing I need to do, if you would allow me? In fact, I could really use your help, Kingsley,” Devon signed and pushed herself to her feet, Henry supporting her from one side.
...
With Kingsley’s help, the Phoenix Resistance wrote and printed one last newspaper together. This one, however, had no enchantments placed upon it to obscure the words.
Witches and wizards all around England watched as papers appeared with a flash from their floo networks and fell gently from the sky, a dark winged shadow accompanying it. The gold fiery Phoenix symbol blazed at the top of the paper, now visible to all.
Headlined right at the top with large letters said “Harry Potter Defeats The Dark Lord!”
The paper also went into great detail debunking the false muggleborn propaganda that was spread during the war. It included some damning evidence against many Death Eaters, calling them out by name. The puppet government was also revealed to the public. Pius Thicknesse had been under the imperius curse and Voldemort was the true leader during the war.
With that, the Phoenix flew one last time. However, this time it didn’t fly under the cover of night and it wasn’t exchanged by the hushed whispers of people in taverns. It also wouldn’t erupt into fire and burn away. This time it was persistent and loud.
At the bottom of the paper, where usually there was a blank space, now was filled with words.
“By Devon Marlowe”
The author of the Phoenix Paper was finally revealed.
As for what was to follow in the next few months after, Devon Marlowe would work under Kingsley as one of the head lawyers for the Death Eater Trials. The information she presented from the notebook she kept during the war was instrumental in the arrests and trials that followed.
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14 notes - Posted May 2, 2022
#2
Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 12
St Botolph's Church, Algate, London - March 22nd, 1998, 12:38 PM
The brown and green grass of spring crumpled beneath Eleanor’s boots as she walked among the weathered gravestones of St Botolph’s Church. Many graves were new and practically sparkled in the daylight. The rest were broken and slowly being consumed by moss. Time had reclaimed them and erased their names and dates from history.
She barely spared a glance at them, however. The grave she was looking for would not be here. No stone recorded the death of whom she sought.
Eleanor found a somewhat sturdy large headstone and sat upon it, hoping the occupant wouldn’t mind. Sighing, she looked around the graveyard and then up towards the church spire that towered into the murky gray sky.
It had been years, centuries even, and yet she could still hear it, like ghosts from the past. The sounds of the bells ringing in the streets as the wagons collected the dead. She could even see the houses locked up, red crosses hung with signs that read “Lord Have Mercy Upon Us”.
She hadn’t thought about them in over a hundred years. It had been three hundred and thirty two years since they had died. The one thing Azkaban allowed her was to spend endless time exploring her memories and recalling things once lost, as that was all she had in that dark and hopeless cell. Most of it was faint, as time had worn it from her mind, like a grave eroded by the rain.
Their names and faces were lost to her, but Eleanor knew they existed once. Her husband and children were buried somewhere under the earth nearby. During the Great Plague of London in 1665, thousands died and were buried in mass graves near the church in Aldgate. Eleanor would have joined them, if it weren’t for her immortality.
It was after their deaths that she swore never to get close to anyone else again, or to have children. If there was one thing she was grateful for, it was that her curse wasn’t passed down. She would never want anyone to experience this hell. Everything around her dies and she continues on, taking the slow path through the centuries.
A gentle rain started to fall, the drops breaking on the gravestones with a splash and soaking the new spring grass. Eleanor blinked hard and a water drop of her own rolled down her face and fell upon the stones, mixing with the rain. What kind of mother couldn’t remember her own children’s names?
She thought about her brother, Eme. Had he ever lost a loved one to the inevitable turn of the earth? She honestly doubted that he could experience love anymore. Eleanor almost envied his indifference to emotions. Without them, maybe she too would revel in immortality the way he did.
No. She would never want to be a monster like him. Maybe love is what saves people.
Lone Star Tavern, Whitechapel, London - March 22nd, 1998, 1:15 PM
The rain was coming down in heavy sheets by the time Eleanor walked in, soaked to the bone. She wandered over and slumped into a chair by the roaring fire where Kaari already sat.
“Did you fall in the Thames or something?” Kaari commented, eyeing her current state.
“I had children once.”
Kaari choked into his tankard of ale. “Come again?”
“The other day you asked me what I would know about being a parent. It was hundreds of years ago but I was a parent once.”
“Why are you telling me this? I’m an asshole and you are a badass who doesn’t give a fuck about us,” Kaari joked.
Eleanor’s face was suddenly soft, her eyes stared wistfully into the dancing flames. Kaari sat up, seeing her suddenly serious. It was the first time he had seen her guard dropped and he was curious to know more about her so he decided to shut up.
“It’s been a hell of a long time since I had anyone around me I could trust my secrets to. There’s no record of them anywhere, except in my head. But that too is deteriorating. I don’t remember any of their names,” she admitted.
“I just wanted them to exist in someone else’s head. They deserve that.”
The tavern was silent for a few moments, only the crackling of the fire and the pouring rain hitting the windows could be heard.
“I’m curious. Feel free to punch me in the face if you don’t want to answer, but have you ever gone looking for possible ways to end your immortality?”
Eleanor cocked her eyebrow and then reached for Kaari’s tankard, downing the last of the drink in one go, the liquid burning all the way down to settle into a warmth in her stomach.
“Of course. I searched for centuries.”
“And you haven’t found anything?”
“There was a moment in Azkaban. While a dementor was having their fill of the infinite bad memories I have, I almost felt like I would fade away and never come back. My body can regrow and heal from anything, but I’m not too sure if my soul could.”
The door of the tavern burst open, the loud downpour of rain disrupting their quiet moment. A courier for the Resistance dashed inside and didn’t spare a glance to the table as they made a beeline for the cellar. The look on their face gave Eleanor and Kaari a sinking feeling in their chest.
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14 notes - Posted March 22, 2022
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Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 14
Malfoy Manor, Wiltshire, England - March 28th, 1998, 5:58 PM
Eloise stared at her reflection in the large windows that overlooked the grand Malfoy Manor garden. Her chin length ebony hair was slicked back with gel and she wore a deep emerald velvet dress. It had a deep plunging neck and an open back. A long slit ran down her left leg, leaving her thigh holster for her wand visible to everyone.
If Eloise had her way, she would be wearing a suit. Her father, however, insisted that she wore a dress, something more appropriate for a young lady. With a grimace, she admitted that the dress was probably for the best. She knew just how many old men would appreciate her for it, and would gladly spill some secrets to her with their guard down.
“Dinner is served,” a posh voice rang out, calling all the party guests to start migrating to the large pompous dining room.
Marble columns held up the high ceiling and lined the walls. One wall consisted almost entirely of an open faced fireplace that roared and crackled. The dining table itself was a deep brown black wood that was polished and shone in the light of the hanging chandeliers above. It was so long that it could comfortably seat ten people on both sides.
Eloise took a seat next to her father Corban and a few chairs down from the head of the table where Lucius Malfoy currently sat. His wife Narcissa and son Draco sat to the side of him. Also nearby was Bellatrix Lestrange, sister to Narcissa. A few other people she knew took their places along the table, Neira and Roland Wilson among them. Leaning forward, Eloise could just see the opposite end of the table. A shiver ran down her exposed back as she saw the long white hair and sharp features of Eme Amaranthine staring back at her.
Her attention was caught as the heavy wooden chair to the right of her was pulled out and a man with chiseled cheekbones and piercing eyes sat down. He glanced at Eloise out of the corner of his eye as he unfolded a napkin and placed it neatly upon his lap, his eyes lingering on her legs for just a second longer than required.
“I do not believe we’ve had the honor of meeting. Alphard Farrier,” he announced suddenly, turning in his chair and holding a hand out.
“Eloise Yaxley,” she countered back in her best friendly voice, a polite smile on her face.
She was keenly aware of who he was. He worked in the Ministry for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. In fact, he was just below her father in rank. Clearly this was a play for power. He was aiming to get nice and friendly with his boss’s daughter. That was something she could arrange as he was the closest person next to her father that she could weasel some information out of.
“Oh yes, how could I have not known. My father talks all about you!” Eloise raved, turning in her chair to face him. “He said you were indispensable to him these past few months with the investigation into the missing Azkaban prisoners.
“Is that so?” Alphard mused proudly, twirling his wine around in his glass before taking a sip.
“I’m curious, did you ever catch them?” She leaned forwards so that he was in range of her perfume. It was her own special Amortentia perfume. Eloise wondered what he could smell.
“Not yet, but we have a good idea about how they’ve managed to do it. The apparition point is being monitored so the next time they try it we will have them,” he replied after breathing deeply.
“Delightful. You’ll have to let me know when you do so we can share a glass of champagne in celebration,” Eloise smiled and gently placed a hand upon his shoulder before turning back in her chair, their conversation coming to an end.
Her attention was drawn to some nearby conversations as she turned back to her dinner. She heard some talk about the inadequacy of the Gringotts goblins and boasts of children’s accomplishments at Hogwarts under the new Headmaster.
Further down the table the Malfoy’s falling from grace were discussed at great length while at the opposite head of the table, where Eme Amaranthine was sitting, no one seemed to be talking much at all.
“Bellatrix and Narcissa must be relieved to hear about the death of Ted Tonks. It was such a disgrace that their sister tainted the family's pure blood with muggle blood,” Roland Wilson muttered quietly to the people next to him.
“I still don’t know why they insisted on bringing the rest of his group here as prisoners. They would have been better off dead along with Tonks and Cresswell,” his wife Neira chimed in with a sneer.
“Lord and Lady Wilson, how’s your family?” Eloise interrupted, her knife dancing around her fingers playfully and a smile upon her face that didn’t quite reach her eyes.
“You have two young sons, I believe? I hope they are in good health,” she mused, cutting a piece of steak and bringing it up to her mouth using her knife instead of her fork.
“They are quite fine, thank you,” Roland answered apprehensively but with a smile upon his face nonetheless.
“I apologize but I can’t help but wonder, Lord Wilson. I’ve heard a rumor going around about your own sister Mirai mingling about with your own house elf and producing a child. That wouldn’t happen to be true, would it?”
A few guests nearby gasped and whispers started to cascade down the table like dominoes. Panic flashed in Roland’s eyes but his smile remained.
“I’m sure I don’t know what you are talking about. Whoever you heard that preposterous rumor from was clearly mistaken and needs to be informed otherwise,” he rambled, turning to those nearest to him to quell the rush of gossip.
His wife Neira gave Eloise a burning glare of hatred before joining her husband in the efforts to repair their reputation.
The rest of the dinner passed in a rush of gossip and political debates that Eloise had no interest in. Her father’s mood, along with most of the guests, started to deflate when they decided that the Dark Lord himself would not be attending after all. She rolled her eyes at how hopeful her father was to have a chance to suck up to the “greatest wizard to ever exist”, in his own words.
Before she knew it, it was nearing 8 pm and the dance had started. Couples were waltzing in the ballroom, the long gowns sweeping across the black marble floors.
Eloise was walking around the edge of the dance floor as suddenly she was met with a wall of white. It was Eme Amaranthine, his long hair cascading like a waterfall down his dark red-purple velvet suit. His eyes narrowed down at her and his mouth cracked into a smirk upwards.
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14 notes - Posted March 28, 2022
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance Statistics
Today marks the one year anniversary of chapter 1 of the PR! To celebrate this, I have reread the entire fic and compiled some fun stats. Spoilers obviously. Also there could be a few errors in counting lol.
My Chapters: 24.5
@lifeofkaze Chapters: 11
@the-al-chemist Chapters: 9
@thatravenpuffwitch Chapters: 3.5
@ellie-e-marcovitz Chapters: 1
POV Chapters
Devon: 14
Artemis: 9
Ava: 7
Kaari: 5
Eloise: 5
Mina: 5
Henry: 3
Eleanor: 2
Ellie M: 1
Ellie H: 1
Mirai: 1
Aimee: 1
MISC
Number of Locations: 39
Total Character Deaths: 4
Elle Deaths: 6 (9 including dream deaths)
Eme Deaths: 3
Buildings Burnt: 4
Raids: 4
Tavern Chapters: 17
Eiffel Tower Portkey Uses: 5
Devon Headaches: 3
Devry Moments: 12
Kaari Flirts/winks/smirks: 21
Kaari Almost Stabbed by Women: 2
Nym Is Cute: 11
Ryoko Is Scary: 9
Lou Badass: 11
Corban Is A Bad Father: 6
Mina Scared Of Dragons: 6
Mention of Roses: 4
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance - Epilogue: Devon Marlowe
A/N: Here we are! My last chapter. There might be more epilogues from other people? But if not, this is the last PR chapter 😭. It might be the shortest I’ve ever written but that’s cuz it’s mainly all exposition and lore drop. Henry belongs to @thatravenpuffwitch
What came next was months of hard work as the Death Eater Trials commenced. Kingsley appointed Devon Marlowe as one of the head lawyers. The information she presented from the notebook she saved during the war was instrumental in the arrests and trials that followed.
Corban Yaxley was found guilty of willfully supporting Lord Voldemort. He was also charged for his use of the imperius curse upon Pius Thicknesse, which was an unforgivable curse after all. His own daughter Eloise Yaxley, who Devon made sure to exonerate, testified against him and sealed his fate. For his crimes, he would be imprisoned within Azkaban.
Justice was served when Devon also discovered the identity of the man in the forest from her childhood. His name was Finn Pryce. He was charged for the crimes he committed during the second war, which included the torture of Devon herself. He was also charged for the murder of an Auror during the first war. Devon took to the stand to testify against him herself, having been a victim and witness for both crimes respectively.
However, where there was justice, there also was failure. The hardest part of the Death Eater trials were the numerous cases of the use of Imperio. Some were genuine, in which case Devon made sure their names were cleared. Unfortunately, many cases were hard to prove otherwise.
One such case gave Devon a lot of trouble. Roland Wilson had died at the Battle of Hogwarts, leaving his wife Neira to claim that she was under the curse and that it broke when he had died. Devon worked tirelessly on this case but ultimately couldn’t prove that she wasn’t. Neira Wilson returned to her manor where she kept Lenwin and Kiri under her service. They were her legal property, Devon couldn’t do anything to save them.
All of this work came immediately after the war ended. Devon threw herself into the work without a break to distract herself from the memories. Eventually, the exhaustion and mental weight she bore from the war took its toll. Luckily, she had Henry by her side to help her out of her deep pit of depression and trauma.
Once all her work on the trials were done and she had made sure every muggleborn refugee she had smuggled to Paris had found their families again, she decided to leave the Ministry. What she chose to do instead was to work for the Daily Prophet.
She had of course worked for them as a journalist before the war but this time she practically ran it herself. The muggleborn propaganda and lack of knowledge the public had was one of the biggest weapons the Death Eaters had possessed.
Media, Devon knew, could be terrible. But she also knew just how important it could be. Devon swore she would turn the Daily Prophet into a reliable source of information. This meant no more frivolous articles gossiping about Harry Potter’s love life.
On a lighter note, the entire Phoenix Resistance was awarded the Order of Merlin for their tireless effort to save so many muggleborns. Upon their request, a few members of the Resistance were struck from the records of ever being involved, not wanting the attention. Kaari was not one of them. He wore his medal proudly and playfully boasted to anyone he met.
As always, life continued on for the living. The Phoenix Resistance disbanded and its remaining members scattered to their own separate businesses. Time passed and the horrors of the Second Wizarding War faded for most. However, for the brave few who stood on the front lines or those who had lost loved ones, those horrors would never fade entirely. But maybe that’s for the best. Afterall, history has a habit of repeating itself when its lessons are forgotten.
McClarnon Cottage, Hogsmeade, Scotland - August 1st, 2007, 6:12 AM
Ten years after the first day of the war, the bright golden rays of the morning fell through the window and landed upon the bed as Devon opened her eyes. The sun illuminated his face as he slept and shone against his long dark hair sprawled upon the pillow. She could feel his heartbeat under her hand that rested upon his chest as it gently rose and fell with each breath he took. She laid there for what felt like forever, lost in the perfect moment until his eyes finally opened.
“Good morning, love,” Henry murmured and kissed Devon’s forehead, his words entering her mind.
“Morning,” she replied in sign and then stretched her arms in the air with a yawn.
“Oh no,” she heard Henry suddenly exclaim in her mind and a shock of panic caused her to sit upright.
“What is it? Are you ok?” Devon started to sign.
“We have incoming,” he answered back a second before the door to their bedroom burst open.
What entered the room was not Death Eaters, but instead two small children, a girl roughly seven years old and a boy around five.
“Mom! Dad! Wake up!”
They both ran and jumped upon the bed, landing hard on their parents. Renée and Rhys’s laughs and shouts of joy didn’t reach Devon’s ears, but she heard them just as loud in her mind, her laugh joining theirs as they are both tackled in hugs.
They all had a busy day ahead of them, but none of them cared to get out of bed and ruin this perfect moment of peace. The four of them wasted away the early morning together on the bed talking about everything and nothing at all.
The August morning sun stretched up the wall and shone off the two Order of Merlin medals, sending prisms and orbs of light dancing across the entire bedroom. Beside it on the wall, a wrinkled and slightly torn piece of paper within a picture frame shone in gold. On it were the words Devon once wrote on this exact day ten years ago, the goodbye note she would never need again.
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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Ah shit forgot to post this on this blog and not my main one agdjdhdjdh. I was just excited cuz I love the Arcanos so much 😂
The Phoenix Resistance - Epilogue: Kaari Arcano
Skalafell, Norway - December 21st, 2008, 4:45 PM
A flash of fire lit up the dark kitchen as Kaari Arcano stepped out of the fireplace, returning home from Fossan where he worked. He looked around at the various pots bubbling away over the stove but found nobody tending to them. However, his eye did catch the fresh pie cooling by the open window. Tiptoeing over, he stuck a finger into it and then into his mouth.
“Kaari Arcano, you get your dirty hands out of that pie!” came the sudden voice of his mother Else from behind him.
His shoulders tensed up and he gave a quiet curse under his breath. Of course she would walk in at that exact moment. He couldn’t get away with anything. At least he found out that it was an apple pie and, like everything his mother made, was delicious.
“That pie is for the Yuletide feast tonight,” Else hit a dishrag against Kaari’s shoulder to shoo him away.
“Aren’t you going to ask me how my day was?” he teased, recoiling from her attacks.
“Sorry, min kjære. How was your day?”
“It was fine, Ma,” he chuckled, squeezing her to his side in a quick hug.
“Where is everyone? Usually the house is swarming with screaming Vikings.”
“Dafne brought some friends home with her for Christmas break. They are all out back playing knattleikr.”
“Mmmm,” Kaari murmured. “I bet they are,” he said sarcastically, knowing well enough that Dafne hated to play such a rough and dangerous game.
Pulling his fur cloak tighter, he stepped out of the door and into the deep snow as he made his way to the clearing behind the Arcano house. As he got closer he could hear the yells of combat. It seemed they had ditched knattleikr, the balls and sticks thrown aside into a snowbank, and now were in favor of glíma.
Dayamanti, the oldest of his nieces at fourteen years old, threw Siv’s small eight year old form down into the snow and pinned her down, a small wooden practice dagger poised above the girl’s neck.
“Ha! I won again, Siv!” Dayamanti taunted downward, her long dark hair cascaded down and the white ends of it brushed Siv’s face.
“No fair!” Siv, Kaari’s own daughter, cried back indignantly.
“What did you expect, Siv? Da outweighs you twice over,” Dafne, his second niece, called out annoyed from her seat on a fallen log to the side.
“UNCLE KAARI!” “DADDY!” came the cries of Dielle, his youngest niece, and his own son Mikael as they saw him approach. They were the same age as they were both six years old.
“Hey kiddos! Have you won any games yet?”
“Nah, Da says we are too young to play glíma,” Dielle pouted.
“I wanted to play quidditch,” said Mikael, also joining the pout.
“Well that’s no fun!” Kaari winked. “How about we get a game going tonight at the feast?”
“YEAA!” Dielle and Mikael both cheered and then ran off together, most likely to go find some brooms.
The wrestling match had stopped by the time Kaari approached, Siv and Dayamanti now sitting on a second log. On the first log next to Dafne sat two of her new friends, both catching Kaari off guard.
One of them was incredibly tall and lanky, so much so that he thought she might not be in first year after all. The girl's skin was a sort of tanned olive while her long tangled hair was a vibrant sea green.
The second girl, however, was almost the opposite. She was even smaller than Mikael and Dielle. Kaari wondered how she was old enough to attend Hogwarts. It wasn’t until he saw her long droopy elvish ears that a shock of recognition traveled up his spine.
It had been ten years since he looked into that kitchen window and saw that small elf baby sleeping in a pile of rags. He remembered the frustration and anger on Devon’s face when she had lost the trial on Neira Wilson. After that, neither of them had any contact with Lenwin or his daughter. They never knew what happened to them. Looking at the girl, Kaari couldn’t help but smile. It had to be fate that Dafne would bring her home. He’d have to send Devon an owl later. She would be happy to know about this.
“What do we have here?” Kaari mused as he stopped in front of them.
Dafne rolled her eyes in annoyance while the small elf girl turned a deep red and shrunk down, embarrassed at the sudden attention brought to her. However, the green haired girl didn’t share that sentiment and instantly jumped up, extending her hand with a large pointed toothed smile.
“Hi! I’m Nessi Lucerne! Who are you?” she asked bluntly.
“I’m Kaari, Dafne’s totally awesome and fun uncle,” he joked with a wink at Dafne who returned a scolding glare back at him.
“And you. You’re Kiri Wilson, right?”
The girl's head shot up at the mention of her name, her eyes peeking out from between her fingers. She looked around at all the people who were now staring at her and burst into tears, running off into the forest behind them.
“Ah, sorry about that. Kiri is really shy and hates being put on the spot. Especially with strangers,” Dafne grimaced.
“Why don’t you kids go to the Longhouse? The feast will be starting soon. I’ll go find her. She really shouldn’t be in the forest alone, especially since she could freeze out there,” Kaari offered.
The girls agreed and started to make their way down the pathway to the village. Kaari approached the edge of the forest, the pines covered in thick snow. Luckily, he was very skilled in the art of tracking thanks to his father Alatar. With a combination of footsteps in the snow and the faint distant sounds of sniffling, he spotted the small frame of Kiri half hidden behind the trunk of a tree.
“Hey, I’m sorry I scared you,” he spoke as gently as he could.
A few seconds passed but she didn’t respond. Only the quiet sobs permeated the air. Suddenly, he got an idea.
“Do you want to see something cool?” Kaari asked, reaching into his coat pocket.
The sobs stopped and a tiny hand and eye peeked out from around the tree, watching Kaari curiously.
“This is one of my best friends,” he said as a bright blue dragon resting in his palms yawned and blinked sleepily, having just been woken up. “His name is Nym and he’s very friendly.”
Nym’s head cocked to the side and his tongue lolled out of his mouth as he looked at the small elf girl now slowly approaching, her hands tucked up to her chest nervously. She hesitated for a moment but then kept going, stopping right in front of Kaari who was now crouching down low.
Nym’s tongue flicked up and licked his eyeball, scanning the girl for treats. When he didn’t find any in her hands, he gave a small chirp. Kiri’s mouth pulled upwards in a smile.
“Go ahead, you can pet him. He won’t bite.”
Her small hand shook slightly as she slowly reached out towards Nym. As soon as it got close enough, Nym stretched upwards and nuzzled his head against her hand, giving out even more excited chirps. Kaari smiled as a laugh erupted from Kiri.
“Here, you can hold him,” Kaari chuckled and carefully placed the dragon in her arms.
Kiri’s hands were too small to hold him in her palms so she cradled him in her arms. Holding him tight to her chest, she gave him a kiss on the top of his head.
“Wilson isn’t my name,” Kiri suddenly spoke up, her voice quiet and soft. “It was my mother’s name.”
“You can’t use it?”
“House elves can’t have last names.”
“Who told you they can’t have last names?”
“My aunt.”
“Well she’s an arse,” he replied instinctively but then winced, “Don’t tell anyone I said that.”
“I won’t,” Kiri giggled.
“You know, I knew your mother. We were good friends. She was one of the kindest and most selfless people I’ve ever known.”
Kiri was quiet for a moment. “My dad has told me about her. I wish I could have known her.”
“I was there when she died. She sacrificed herself to save so many people. I hope you know she loved you more than anything in the world. She never wanted to leave you.”
Tears started to well up in Kiri’s large eyes as she hugged Nym tight.
“You have her hair,” Kaari remarked, “and her smile. You should use it more, it suits you.”
“T-thank you,” Kiri managed to stutter between sobs as she cried again, this time not out of embarrassment or fear.
“C’mon, we should be getting back. The feast has probably started and you’ll catch your death out here in the cold.”
“Can I play with Nym more?” Kiri asked, wiping away tears.
“Whenever you like, kiddo,” Kaari answered and playfully mussed her hair as they made their way out of the forest and down to the Longhouse where a large bonfire and hot cider greeted them warmly.
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance - Epilogue
Hope
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A/N: Two years after the end of the war, Artemis attempts to make her own kind of peace. Warnings: discussion of war, violence and moral greyness. Kaari Arcano (in mention) belongs to @kathrynalicemc. Chapter written as part of the @phoenixresistance project.
Lady Diana Memorial Playground, Kensington Gardens, London, England - 2nd July 2000, 10.15am
The playground was a recent addition to the park, and it apparently was a welcome one, judging by the laughter and squeals of delight coming from the Muggle children who were running around it. At Artemis’ side, Kingsley Shacklebolt let out a low, warm chuckle.
“If only this had been here twenty years ago,” he said, his eyes fixed on the large wooden climbing frame that had been crafted to look like a pirate ship. “Just imagine the trouble you could have gotten into here.”
“Do you really want to imagine that?” Artemis asked him.
“No, but I cannot help it. You might have to bring your new niece here one day.”
“Depends which niece you mean, Kingsley. The blood relative or the one I’ve actually met,” Artemis raised her eyebrows knowingly, before grinning. “But I might do. It’s a good ship, after all.”
“I prefer a longboat myself.”
“You sound like Kaari bloody Arcano.”
“Ah. How is our favourite Norseman?”
“As infuriating to work with as ever,” said Artemis, with a wry smile. “But we are nearly done closing down on the smuggling ring.”
“And then?”
“Onto the next thing, I suppose.”
“Of course,” Kingsley inclined his head. “Artemis Hexley: saving the world, one creature at a time.”
“There are worse ways to spend my time. I mean, it beats being an Auror.”
“Or a politician?”
“Exactly,” Artemis half-laughed, and although Kingsley also chuckled, Artemis could see that his attention had drifted from their conversation. He was watching a young woman around her own age leading a toddler towards a swing. Artemis frowned. “That’s her?”
“That’s her.”
“Right,” Artemis swallowed. “And she knows I’m coming, doesn’t she?”
“She does,” Kingsley raised an eyebrow at her. “Perhaps you should not keep her waiting.”
“No. No, you’re right. Thank you for coming with me, Kingsley.”
“I would go with you anywhere, you know that. Now, go. Talk to her.”
Artemis took a deep breath before walking away from Kingsley and towards the woman, who was now pushing her dark-haired child on the swing. Now that she was closer, Artemis found that she recognised the woman from some of the many court proceedings she had attended in the year following the end of the war. She cleared her throat, and the woman looked at her.
“Mrs Briarwood?”
“Yes,” said the woman, a reserved look in her brown eyes. “Mrs Hexley?”
“No. Well, yes. But it’s Miss Hexley. Artemis.”
“María.”
“Thank you for agreeing to meet me, María.”
“You’re very welcome,” María said, her voice carrying a gentle accent that Artemis immediately recognised as being from the south of Spain. “Though I do not know why you wanted to meet me.”
“Well, I just wanted to apologise,” Artemis told her. “For… Well, you know what I did.” María nodded, and Artemis looked her in the eye and said, “I’m sorry.”
María frowned. “Why?”
“What?”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Because of your husband.”
“My husband,” María laughed quietly and coolly. “The Death Eater. I was at the trials, I know what he did. I know the circumstances in which you killed him. He was not a good person.”
“But you loved him,” said Artemis, not realising until she’d said the words out loud that it was not a question. María sighed.
“Yes. I loved him,” she said, with a sad sort of smile. “I did not realise, of course, that he was not such a good person. I knew what sort of reputation he had, but it was just a reputation. Or so I thought, anyway. After we were married, I started to see how he… And then, the war broke it, and the Death Eaters were there, in the shop and the house. Cain said it was just business at first, but as time went on, he became one of them. By then it was too late, we were married, and I was pregnant, and scared.”
“Scared of what? Of him?”
“Yes, but not in the way you think. Cain was never violent, not with me, anyway. He loved me. I believed it then, and I believe it now. That is what scared me, losing that belief. Not just for my own sake, but for his, too. I still am scared of that for his sake.”
At first, Artemis assumed that María was still talking about her late husband, but the woman’s eyes were fixed on the child in the swing. A little boy, barely a toddler, with dark curls and round hazel eyes that were fixed unwaveringly on Artemis.
Artemis looked from the little boy to his mother, and told her, “Look, María. I really want to help you.”
“Help me?”
“Yeah. Give you some money and stuff.”
“I don’t need your money.”
“I thought you’d say that. But it’s my fault that-”
“I don’t want your money.”
“Yes, I know, but listen,” Artemis’ eyes widened, and she spoke quickly so that María couldn’t interrupt her again. “I know what it is like, having family who’ve done bad things. I know what it’s like having that reputation hanging over you, because I’ve been through it. And I’ve seen what it’s like for families who are poor, and how much harder everything is, and knowing that I’m the reason that someone might go through that…” She sighed before continuing, “If it weren’t for me, you’d still have a husband and your child would still have a father. And you might have two lots of money coming in, at least.”
“Or I would have a husband in prison.”
“Maybe. Yeah, probably. But that’s not the point, is it? Cain wasn’t a good person, but that’s not your fault. You shouldn’t have to be punished for the things he thought or did, and neither should…” Artemis’ eyes settled on the little boy in the swing once more. “Um, what’s his name?”
“Dante.”
“Oh. That’s a nice name,” said Artemis, not sure what other response she could give. She pulled an envelope from her pocket and pushed it into María’s hand. “I know you don’t want charity, but that’s not what this is. It’s just… I’m trying to do the right thing, to make things right. That’s all. So, just take my address, and think about it. The offer is there whenever you change your mind. If you change your mind.”
María’s expression was still sceptical, but she pocketed the envelope. Artemis nodded at both her and little Dante before backing away and returning to Kingsley, still waiting for her outside the playground.
“And?” he asked her. “How did it go?”
“About as well as I’d expected.”
“Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”
“It’s neither, really,” Artemis shrugged. “It’s just one of those things, I guess.”
“And what did she say to your offer?”
“She wasn’t too interested.”
“That does not surprise me.”
“No, me neither. But I’ve let her know where to write to if she does reconsider it.”
“She might not, you know.”
“I do know. But it was still worth trying. And maybe she will. Hopefully she will.”
Kingsley bowed his head. “Hopefully.”
He and Artemis turned away from the playground and towards the Serpentine lake, where the sunlight reflected on the still water and white feathers of the swans preening themselves on the banks. Before they were out of sight completely, Artemis cast one final look back over her shoulder at the widow and her son. The little boy was now being held on his mother’s hip, her arms embracing him and their faces close together as they spoke to one another, loving smiles playing on their lips and crinkling the corners of their eyes. The very sight of it made Artemis smile herself.
Somehow, she knew that there was still hope yet.
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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Happy Birthday Mina!!
The Phoenix Resistance - Book 2, Epilogue
Legacy
To my dear hysterical, germaphobic, stuck-up, stress-cleaning potion whiz: You were never meant to be, then you were meant to fill a role you didn't want, and in the end you completely made your own path and turned out to be just as badass (if not more) than the rest. Happy Birthday, Mina gal 💚💚💚
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A/N: This chapter was written as part of the @phoenixresistance project. Kaari Arcano and the Amaranthine twins (latter in mention) belong to @kathrynalicemc. Ellie Hopper (in mention) belongs to @thatravenpuffwitch. Thank you to everybody who has read this (and my contributions to) this amazing story, as well as @kathrynalicemc for coming up with the idea in the first place. What a ride!
  Pendle Forest, Lancashire - June 1998, 10.00 am 
Despite the Wizarding world having turned upside down with the defeat of Lord Voldemort and the overthrowing of his regime, summer had come to the UK as if nothing had changed. 
Mina stopped at the border of her family’s grounds in the middle of the rolling hills of Pendle Forest, breathing in the scent of grass and field flowers. Frequent showers of rain alternating with sunny periods had turned the trees and meadows to a lush green beneath a bright blue, cloudless sky. Her eyes lingered on the shape of Pendle Hill dominating the view of the valley she’d grown up in, like generations of Pendletons had before her. She had to think about Eleanor and Eme, the immortal twins who had finally found their peace. 
Shaking the sudden feeling of melancholy, Mina passed the magical barrier and made her way up the gravelled driveway to the Pendleton Estate. Her parents and grandparents would undoubtedly be making the most of the weather and enjoy the shade somewhere in the spacious gardens, but the one she actually wanted to see Mina found in the conversatory, just like she had expected. 
Carolyn Pendleton was sitting in a cushioned wicker chair by the open glass doors, looking at the sunny gardens outside. A single lock of her hair - once as blonde Mina’s but now greyed by age - had fallen from her otherwise immaculate updo and was stirring gently in the summer breeze. When she heard Mina approach, a brief smile flickered over her face.
“Welcome, child,” she said and extended her hand, indicating for Mina to sit down in the chair facing her. “You’ve come home, at last.”
Mina sat across from her great-grandmother, wringing her hands in her lap in silence. Carolyn raised an inquisitive eyebrow; like always, she didn’t care to waste time on pleasantries.
“What is it that you want to tell me?” 
Her voice wasn’t sharp by any means, but Mina startled nonetheless. Sensing her distress, Carolyn’s demeanour softened. “Don’t be frightened, älskling. Speak your mind.”
Mina swallowed and took a deep breath. “It’s about the apothecary,” she said miserably and hung her head, “it got burned down. It’s all gone.”
“But I know that,” Carolyn said with mild impatience in her voice. “It was in the Daily Prophet weeks ago. You didn’t need to come here and tell me.”
“No, of course,” Mina hurried to say, “but I figured I should tell you personally. That I’m sorry, I mean. I’m sorry I let it happen and that I couldn’t stop it and that I just vanished instead of having the guts to come here and tell you and…” 
When Mina saw her great-grandmother’s eyebrows rise higher and higher at her gush of words, she immediately fell silent. “What I want to say is, I’m sorry,” she repeated in a very small voice.
Carolyn looked at Mina for a long moment before she turned her head to the side. Mina followed her gaze to the red-and-white amaryllis flower sitting on the side table next to Carolyn’s chair. She had to think about Ava but quickly pushed the thought aside as Carolyn extended her hand and gently touched the soft petals. 
“Worth isn’t defined by size or impact,” she said softly and laid her hand beneath the blossom, raising it slightly so that the sunlight was shining down on it, “it’s defined by what it means to the ones remembering it. What it leaves behind.”
Her words were meant to comfort Mina, but instead they made her conscience even heavier. “The shop was what you’re been leaving behind but because of me it’s gone. Everything is burned to ash, all your work, your recipes, everything. You trusted me to keep them safe and I didn’t. You must be so disappointed in me.”
Carolyn frowned, making Mina sink deeper into her seat. “What are you talking about? They were just some ancient scraps of parchment, nothing more.” She tapped her finger against her temple and smirked. “They’re all still up here. If you really think I have forgotten them, I would indeed be disappointed in you.”
Confused, Mina blinked. “But the shop… it was your legacy.”
Carolyn dismissed her with an impatient flick of her hand. “The shop was the bane of your great-grandfather’s life until we tore it down and built it anew. Don’t you see it, älskling?” she added and the wrinkles around her eyes deepened as she smiled at Mina. “The shop has never been my legacy. You are.” 
Mina froze and stared at the woman she had admired her entire life. 
“Me?” she whispered with a shaky voice.
“None of my children ever matched my talent. Some came close, but you were the first to understand what it truly means to be a potioneer. That’s why I put my trust in you.” Carolyn reached out and covered Mina’s hand with hers, the emerald ring she always wore on her left hand flashing in the sunflight. “My path has led to you. And now it is time for you to go and follow your own.”
Diagon Alley, London - July 1998, 1.00 pm
Slowly but surely, normality had begun to creep back into everyone’s lives and the streets of Diagon Alley were as crowded as they always were during the summer break. There were still building sites and abandoned shops, but their number was growing less with every passing day.
The latest business to reopen had been the new ice cream shop on the main street.  Every seat inside and outside of Madam Isabella’s Ice Cream Emporium was filled and the queue lining up for a sweet refreshment was the longest Mina had ever seen. She walked past it, however; she had no time to stop for a treat. 
Amongst the people enjoying the warm weather were the familiar faces of Ellie Hopper and her husband. When they spotted her, the three of them shared a brief nod of recognition. None of them was quite ready to deal with everything that had happened just yet; Mina wasn’t sure, if she ever would be. 
She left the bustling main street and walked down the alley towards the ruins of her old home; only that they weren’t ruins anymore. The charred remains of Pendleton’s Potions & Apothecary had been removed and a new building was standing in its place - shiny, clean and ready for a new occupant. The first pieces of equipment were arriving today and Mina watched as they were being carried into the new shop.
“You have a strange taste in furniture,” the familiar voice of Kaari Arcano suddenly sounded behind her. Mina turned and saw him leaning casually against a wrought-iron lantern post. He walked over to her and inspected a particularly large cage that was being levitated inside with an amused gleam in his eyes. “Or is there something I ought to know about you?”
Mina rolled her eyes at him. “You could do with being locked up for a week or two. But obviously this stuff isn’t for me. It’s for the new shop.”
Kaari raised his eyebrows. “Strange decor for a potions shop.”
“I never said it was going to be my shop,” Mina smiled. “A magical menagerie is moving in,” she clarified when she saw Kaari’s astounded look.
“You’re not reopening then?”
“No,” Mina said and shook her head, the ends of her hair brushing over her bare shoulders; she’d let it grow out since the end of the war. “I don’t think that’s a life I can go back to. It’s time to leave the beaten paths.”
“What are you going to do then?”
Mina shrugged. “I don’t know yet. See where the road will take me.” A smile played around her lips as she watched the new shop sign being hoisted up above the entrance. “There’s more to life than living other people’s dreams. Somewhere out there is my own calling, I just need to go and find it.”
“Well, if your calling should happen to take you to the most superior part of Scandinavia, let me know,” Kaari grinned and tried to nudge her with his elbow, but Mina sidestepped him with a laugh.
“What would you be doing in Sweden?” 
Kaari chuckled. “I mean it. If you’re ever around Fossan or Skalafell, just say the word. You’re always going to have a place in my home.”
“Are you going to clean beforehand?”
“Maybe superficially.”
“That’s as good as it gets, I guess.” 
Mina let Kaari draw her into a tight hug before he stepped back, raising a hand in goodbye and walking away. She looked up to the sky and smiled to herself as she saw the almost invisible shape of Ryoko glide across the sky until he, too, was gone.
The North Sea - August 1998, 6.30 am
Standing on the prow of the ship, Mina gripped the railing tightly as it ploughed through the dark waves of the North Sea. Ahead of her the first rays of a new day were painting the rocks and wooden houses of the Swedish coast in a fiery golden colour that made her heart beat faster in her chest. 
Shortly after she had said goodbye to Kaari, Mina had left first London and then England behind. Saying goodbye to her family for an indefinite amount of time had been difficult, but deep inside, Mina knew it had been the right thing to do. 
Considering that Ava had almost met her demise during the Battle of Hogwarts, leaving her had been the hardest choice for Mina to make. She was far from being recovered - mentally and physically - and Mina had offered to stay more than one time, but Ava hadn’t wanted her to. Both of them had to find a place of their own in this shining new world. 
Six months ago she would never have dreamed that she’d be standing on a ship, the spray in her face and the wind whipping at her hair, her heart fluttering at the thought of everything that was lying ahead of her. She had been caged by the rigid and uneventful life she had made herself believe she’d wanted. But if the war had taught her anything, it was that nothing was certain. When death was coming to take you, it didn’t ask whether or not there were still things left to be done. 
There was more to life than what she’d known and now she was on her way to a bright, new future all of her own. 
She was more than an heiress to her name. More than potions. More than traditions.
She was more. 
And somewhere out there her future was waiting, and the path that was meant for her. 
Mina could feel it in her bones.
This was where her road had led. Where she was supposed to be, right here, right now.
On the way to forge her legacy. 
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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Book 2 by @the-al-chemist @thatravenpuffwitch @lifeofkaze and me
A Midwinter Night’s Dream - January 1st, 1998
Stockpiling & Sanctuary - January 5th, 1998 (thatravenpuffwitch)
New Allies & Old Friends - January 22nd, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
Briarwood’s Brew & Bewitchery - January 30th, 1998
Be My Paris Valentine - February 14th, 1998 (Me & thatravenpuffwitch)
Pendletons Potions & Apothecary - February 16th, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
A Grave Proposal - February 19th, 1998 (that-al-chemist)
Traitor - February 27th, 1998
Red Roses - March 7th, 1998
What Do You Fight For? - March 13th, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
Gone Rogue - March 16th, 1998
Lord Have Mercy Upon Us - March 22nd, 1998
The Snatchers - March 26th, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
A Dance With The Devil - March 28th, 1998
Cracks - March 29th, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
A Warning From A Friend - March 30th, 1998 (the-al-chemist)
Lost and Found - April 11th, 1998 (the-al-chemist)
Who Falls Behind Gets Left Behind - April 12th, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
A Cat With Claws - April 15th, 1998 (the-al-chemist)
Fire & Flames - April 19th, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
The Phoenix Falls - April 23rd, 1998
Resistance Reborn - April 24th, 1998 (thatravenpuffwitch)
The Rescue Mission - April 25th, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
Mayday - May 1st, 1998 (the-al-chemist)
The Ministry of Magic - May 1st, 1998
From The Rubble - May 2nd, 1998 (lifeofkaze)
Immortal Souls - May 2nd, 1998
Ashes - May 2nd, 1998
The End
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance- Book 2 Chapter 28 FINALE!
A/N: Well... here we are on the last page. Nine months all lead up to this. This is the ending for now but make sure to stick around for the character epilogues in the next few weeks for more endings!! As always: Mina belongs to @lifeofkaze and also Ava in mention. Artemis in mention belongs to @the-al-chemist and both Henry and Ellie belong to @thatravenpuffwitch. Enjoy!
Ministry of Magic, Atrium, London - May 2nd, 1998, 6:13 AM
A few hours went by as they waited. The atrium was completely silent for all of them but Devon. As much as she tried to push out the thoughts of her friends, they kept sneaking in. Each one of them were scared, some more than others.
Many of them paced back and forth, occasionally glancing down the dark rows of fireplaces when they thought they heard something, forms stiffening and the grip on their wands tightening only to relax when nothing came out of the darkness. Devon stood directly behind the barricade, never taking her eyes off the entrances. Her legs were stiff after hours of standing and the pain in her ribs was steadily getting worse but she refused to sit down, even after multiple suggestions from Henry. Dried blood that wasn’t hers caked her pants and hands.
It was just after sunrise that finally they saw exactly what they were dreading. A green light flickered and flashed deep within the darkness and they heard the roar of flames as a figure emerged from the floo network.
Mina and Eloise stood up from their places by the statue and they all approached the barricade as a group with their wands pointed forwards.
“Hey, stop right there!” Kaari called out loudly to the figure that got closer and closer.
The tension in the room relaxed as out from the shadows stepped a man with dark skin and rich purple robes. It was Kingsley Shacklebolt. Everyone’s wands dropped to their sides, except Devon who remained in place, her wand shaking slightly.
“If it’s really you, tell me your favorite type of bread,” Devon sent into Kingsley’s mind silently.
“Cinnamon raisin, of course,” she heard him reply back into her own mind.
“So, did we win?” Kaari inquired.
“Yes. Harry Potter has defeated Voldemort once and for all,” Kingsley’s deep voice filled the empty silence.
What followed was shouts of joy and exclamations of relief. Devon stood staring forward in shock before her knees finally gave out and she collapsed to the floor. All the adrenaline in her system crashed and the weight of the entire war came crumbing down upon her shoulders, like Atlas holding up the sky. Everyone was safe. Nobody else was going to die under her command.
“Dev! Oh Merlin, are you ok?” Henry immediately rushed to her side and scooped her up.
“Yea, I’m fine. I just need to rest for a second,” she signed.
Kingsley had climbed over the barricade and now crouched down next to them, his hand outstretched towards Devon who shook it gladly.
“Thanks for holding down the fort, Marlowe. I’ll take it from here,” he smiled gently.
“There’s one more thing I need to do, if you would allow me? In fact, I could really use your help, Kingsley,” Devon signed and pushed herself to her feet, Henry supporting her from one side.
...
With Kingsley’s help, the Phoenix Resistance wrote and printed one last newspaper together. This one, however, had no enchantments placed upon it to obscure the words.
Witches and wizards all around England watched as papers appeared with a flash from their floo networks and fell gently from the sky, a dark winged shadow accompanying it. The gold fiery Phoenix symbol blazed at the top of the paper, now visible to all.
Headlined right at the top with large letters said “Harry Potter Defeats The Dark Lord!”
The paper also went into great detail debunking the false muggleborn propaganda that was spread during the war. It included some damning evidence against many Death Eaters, calling them out by name. The puppet government was also revealed to the public. Pius Thicknesse had been under the imperius curse and Voldemort was the true leader during the war.
With that, the Phoenix flew one last time. However, this time it didn’t fly under the cover of night and it wasn’t exchanged by the hushed whispers of people in taverns. It also wouldn’t erupt into fire and burn away. This time it was persistent and loud.
At the bottom of the paper, where usually there was a blank space, now was filled with words.
“By Devon Marlowe”
The author of the Phoenix Paper was finally revealed.
As for what was to follow in the next few months after, Devon Marlowe would work under Kingsley as one of the head lawyers for the Death Eater Trials. The information she presented from the notebook she kept during the war was instrumental in the arrests and trials that followed.
The Leaky Cauldron, Diagon Alley, London - May 6th, 1998, 5:04 PM
The next few days passed in a blur for most of them. Kaari was more drunk than he was sober as he had a celebratory drink with anyone he came across. Devon on the other hand had buried herself in her work.
Tonight, however, Henry had managed to tear her away for a moment. The two of them held hands as they entered the Leaky Cauldron. Heads turned and hushed voices whispered as they made their way to a small table in the corner that already had many figures crowded around it.
“Hey, is that her? The former leader of the Phoenix Resistance?”
“No way.”
“Look at her scars. Of course it’s her.”
“Then those people at the table.. are they-“
“There she is! The woman of the hour!” Kaari loudly exclaimed, raising his tankard high in the air. Clearly he had started drinking early.
“C’mon, grab a seat!”
“What seat? You guys couldn’t find a larger table?” Henry laughed, pulling up a few more chairs from a nearby empty table.
It looked like they were the last ones to arrive. Along with Kaari Arcano, the table was surrounded by Mina Pendleton, Ellie Hopper, and even Eloise Yaxley. It was a shame that Ava Campbell and Artemis Hexley weren’t here, but Devon knew they were here in spirit.
Once everyone got settled, Kaari ordered a round for everyone. They spent the next little while in idle conversation. Each of them took turns talking about their day and what they had gotten up to in the last few days. Devon found herself laughing often, something she rarely did the last ten months. They were finally free from the darkness.
A bittersweet sadness sat in Devon’s chest as she couldn’t help but compare this to one of the first drinks she had in the Lone Star. Back then, it was just her, Henry, and Kaari. Their family had certainly grown since then. However, they had also lost family.
Immediately after they had sent out the last Phoenix Paper, the five of them left after their coup on the Ministry to deal with their fallen friends.
Mirai Wilson was cremated, matching their other fallen companion who was already ash. It was easy enough for Kaari to sneak into the back garden of the Wilson Manor, as he had done it once before. There, he watched as her ashes were picked up by the spring breeze and scattered through the grass and flowers. As long as Lenwin and Kiri stayed there, they would be close to her. Even if they didn’t know it. Lenwin would discover a piece of parchment jammed into the kitchen window, telling him of her passing in the line of duty. Her life was given so that many others would live.
Eleanor and Eme’s ashes were somewhat mixed and intertwined as they laid upon the Ministry floor. The Resistance combined them and after some discussion, they decided to take a trip to Pendle Hill together. Four hundred and two years after they were born, the twins finally returned home to rest.
The Resistance stood side by side and watched as the ashes blew up into the slowly darkening sky as the sun set over Pendle Hill. After a while, they all said their goodbyes and parted ways. Not forever, of course. They would always be friends.
It was now only a few short days later and they had reunited once again to have one last drink for the ones that they had lost. It was then that Devon stood up.
“To Mirai and Eleanor,” she signed before hoisting her tankard up high.
“To the Resistance,” Kaari added after translating for Devon.
The others stood up and joined her in her toast, their glasses lifting high into the air. They were surprised when their voices were joined with many others, echoing out around the entire tavern, their glasses raised in solemn recognition.
“To the Resistance!”
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 27
A/N: Even more blood, violence, and death! 😌 Mina belongs to @lifeofkaze, Henry to @thatravenpuffwitch
Ministry of Magic, Atrium, London - May 2nd, 1998, 3:30 AM
Devon, Henry, and Eloise broke into a run as they made their way down the hallway towards the atrium. The explosion a few minutes earlier had been heard levels away. Obviously, they had company and Devon had an idea of who it could be. Rounding a corner, the three of them collided with two blurred figures.
“Dammit, Arcano! I nearly stunned your ass!” Henry exclaimed, his wand inches from Kaari’s smirking face.
“I wouldn’t be too sure of that, McClarnon,” he teased, his gaze flicking downwards to the small knife he had concealed in his hand that now rested the same distance away from Henry’s stomach.
“Yea yea, we get it boys. You’re packing. Now can we please go?” Eloise scoffed and rolled her eyes, walking right past them as they continued on, “By the way, you two look like shit. What happened?”
“Oh nothing much. We just had a lovely tea party with some dementors.”
“Great. Put it on the list, but right now we’ve got bigger problems,” Henry retorted as they rounded the last corner and entered into the large atrium.
Right in the center of the large room was a fury of white and red as the Amaranthine twins were locked in combat, blood flowing openly from multiple locations on their body. Their equally long hair was thrown around as they dodged each other’s spells.
The group dashed in and took cover where they could. Devon found a spot behind the now ruined statue while the others ventured even closer to the fray. She wasn’t much of a fighter in the first place, but her injuries from last week still prevented her from giving it her all, much to her annoyance.
Henry and Mina stayed relatively close by, hiding behind upturned tables or large pieces of rubble. However, Kaari and Eloise dared to go further.
“AGH!” A thunderous roar from Eme accompanied a large shockwave blast that emanated from his body. The black wave struck Eleanor and flung her backwards into the air. Her body hit the wall with a sickening crack, causing cracks to spider web out from the point of impact and she fell motionless to the floor.
“Why don’t you all just DIE!” Eme snarled as he saw them approach.
This was her opening. Eloise ran straight for Eme, dropping to the floor and sliding right between his legs. In one fluid motion she sprang back up to her feet, her wand connecting with the side of his neck. The metal spike on the end embedded itself into his flesh and seemingly made contact with his artery as a spurt of blood shot out when Eloise withdrew it.
Eme collapsed to his knees, holding his neck with his hand. The veins on the side of his neck and face pulsed and turned a sickly black. He coughed and sputtered as the poison Eloise had applied to her weapon coursed through his system.
“I’ve wanted to do that from the moment I first saw you,” Eloise hissed.
Eme’s bone chilling deep laugh escaped his mouth. As he laughed, blood dripped from his mouth and covered his teeth in red. “So, the scorpion has finally revealed its true nature. You’re good. I suspected you were a traitor, but you really are hard to read.”
“It's a shame, really. I haven’t had a plaything in a long time, but you would have been perfect,” Eme mused as he got back to his feet, the blood now a trickle and the black veins receding.
“I’m nobody’s pet!” Eloise roared and elbowed him across the face and then followed it up with a leg sweep, knocking Eme back down to the floor.
Without hesitation, she immediately threw everything she had at him. Hit after hit her fists collided with the bones in his face. Just like her punching bag, dull thuds reverberated into the air. With every punch, more blood started to leak from Eme’s nose and mouth. But he was just smiling up at her.
“Sick bastard,” Kaari called out and pointed his wand, conjuring a length of rope that shot across the distance towards Eme.
With barely a side glance, Eme brought up his wand and deflected it, sending it scattering across the tiles. With each spell Kaari cast, he took a step closer. Likewise, each spell was subsequently blocked. Eloise was nothing more than an annoying fly to him as he shielded himself from Kaari’s attacks and entirely ignored her. The blows didn’t even make him flinch.
Henry and Mina joined in next, sending spells from a distance whenever they had a clean shot. With Eloise engaged in hand to hand combat, it was hard to not hit her instead.
“Alright, I’m sick of your pathetic games. Why don’t you just stay down and die with what dignity you have left,” he sighed, growing bored of dodging and deflecting the barrage of spells.
Another swirl of black energy encircled Eme and exploded outwards, sending both Eloise and Kaari into the air. They hit the floor, coming down hard and sliding to a stop.
Kaari winced and propped himself up on one arm, the other cradled to his chest. “What dignity?” he taunted back, but Eme had already changed focus to Eleanor who had gotten back up.
“Still breathing over there?” he muttered to the side where Eloise lay.
“More like wheezing, but yes. Unfortunately,” she answered between coughs, a trickle of blood from her forehead running down to obscure her eyes.
With a flick of Eme’s wand, the ground between the twins and the rest of the group erupted into a fiery wall of flames. Only two dark figures with streaks of white could be seen between the flames as they flickered and danced about, obscuring their battle.
From her place behind the statue, Devon took in her surroundings. Suddenly, she noticed someone was missing. Scanning the room, she quickly found her. Mirai was sitting with her back to an office door. From this distance, Devon could just make out the hints of red staining her blouse.
Before Devon could run over to help, however, suddenly a deep coldness struck her heart like a dagger. Her breath caught as the tiles beneath her froze and a cloud of frozen air escaped her mouth. A darkness grew behind them from the way they had come.
Out of the void materialized dozens of figures in black tattered robes, their mouths open and a raspy sucking sound coming from within. The dementors had arrived.
Drawn by the presence of two immortal beings with many lifetimes worth of memories, the swarm of dementors drifted across the atrium, ignoring everyone else and making a beeline to the twins. As they glided over the wall of fire, the cold air reduced the flames as if sucking the life from them.
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!”
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!”
Two very similar voices called out in unison as soon as the dementors circled them. A brilliant blue light filled the open space and then came together to form not one but two phoenix patronuses.
The two identical phoenix circled each other and whirled around in the air, keeping the swarm of dementors at bay. For the first time in centuries, the twins stood back to back, fighting together instead of each other.
This is how it should have been from the start, the two of them against the world. But somewhere along the way, Eme had given in to the darkness. He was no longer her brother. He hadn’t been for hundreds of years. This eternal battle of theirs would never end. People around them will continue to get hurt and die because of it. It had to end here.
Eleanor took a deep breath. Her patronus flickered and faded into nothing as she whirled around and shot her wand at her brother. His own wand flew from his hands and clattered to the floor a few feet away as his own patronus faded as well, surprised at the sneak attack.
With a feral leap, she pounced on Eme and restrained his arms. He snarled and tried to pull away, his form much larger and stronger than Eleanor. She knew that it was only a matter of time before he broke free and she had to do something.
Eleanor took a chance and let go with one hand, reaching instead to her dagger. With that, Eme threw Eleanor to the ground where she instantly rolled between his legs, slashing across the back of both of his knees. Eme instantly crumpled to the ground with her and she dove again, grappling him once more.
At this point, the dementors had closed in again. They each took turns swooping down to start their feast upon their souls. The deep coldness of fear in her chest grew once more and she shook as the strain of holding Eme down increased.
Screams pierced the cold air, but they were only heard by Eleanor. She didn’t know who they belonged to, but they felt familiar like a memory long lost to time. Her vision darkened for a second and she saw a roaring flame and the shapes of a crowd beyond it. This was the same memory she had nightmares about often. It was the day her parents were burned as witches, her brother and herself included. Over three hundred years had passed and that memory still followed her everywhere she went. Her life should have ended there and then. But life, it seems, carries on.
Eme thrashed and screamed with rage. Another dementor swooped and Eme wriggled one arm free as Eleanor flinched at another memory, one of thousands she had acquired in her walk through history. He clawed furiously at Eleanor’s face, scratching at her eyes as blood started to pour onto the dark black marble titles. But Eleanor held on.
“NO, STOP!!” Eme wailed, his deep smooth voice now sharp and raspy with anger, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!”
“What, scared of a few dementors?” Eleanor hissed back.
The panic in his voice was all the answer she needed. He also must have felt it in Azkaban. Their bodies could heal and come back from anything. But the soul couldn’t.
“We could be Gods together, sister! The whole world, in the palm of our hands. For eternity!”
“I fucking hate eternity!” Eleanor howled.
Eme hissed and struggled against Eleanor but she kept holding on. If they were to finally go, they would go together.
More and more dementors crowded around their tangled forms, their black robes suffocating the area in darkness. Two of them came face to face with Eleanor and Eme, their blackened open mouths sucking and rasping. Eme screamed, but not an angry one. This time it was higher and lighter, almost like a frightened child.
Eleanor didn’t scream. She felt the intense cold terror within her, but it wasn’t anything compared to the feeling within Eme. Instead, she almost felt a spark of warmth somewhere within. Unlike her brother, her greatest fear wasn’t death, after all. She had already been living her greatest fear for centuries.
As her vision started to blur and darken, Eleanor took one last look at her brother, eternally still the teenager she once grew up with. His features were twisted with rage and malice, but he still looked like a sixteen year old boy. Those memories were long gone, yet the love she had for him had remained.
Once long forgotten to time, the memory of the two of them splashing around in a pond together as kids resurfaced, like a light in the dark. She wondered then, what the two of them could have been without this curse. And then it was dark.
Muscles relaxing, the two of them no longer grappled each other and instead they laid side by side, faces towards the ceiling as two small glowing white orbs rose from their mouths. Their souls gently floated upwards until they disappeared into the waiting dementors mouths.
A smile lingered upon Eleanor’s face as their bodies rapidly aged and then decomposed. In a matter of seconds, the only thing that remained of the Amaranthine twins was piles of ash that drifted into the air and then settled. Their time upon this world was finally up.
The rest of the Resistance watched dumbfounded at the piles of ash, now motionless. They almost expected them to reform and the twins' eternal battle to continue on once more. But it was silent except for the rasping breaths of the dementors that now swirled upon them.
“EXPECTO PATRONUM!” multiple voices yelled out in unison again.
The dark black void of the atrium was filled once again with the blue glowing forms of patronuses. Devon’s owl and Henry’s thunderbird danced in the air together and then glided past Kaari’s polecat. Eloise’s small Pitohui bird chirped in the face of a dementor. Mina’s patronus joined in too, however, it was incorporeal. Together, the patronuses formed a shield around the remaining group and kept the dementors at bay.
Suddenly, the dementors seemed to give up and one by one they exited the atrium into the darkened hallways from where they came. Perhaps they weren’t very hungry after eating two souls with hundreds of years of memories, Devon remarked.
As the last dementor faded away in the distance, Devon immediately dropped her spell and dashed over to Mirai’s form up against the door, the danger now passed.
“Hey, are you ok?” she sent into Mirai’s mind as she pressed her hand to the wound in her stomach to stop the blood flow.
Devon’s other hand cupped Mirai’s chin and brought it up to meet hers. The eyes that looked back at her were unfocused and unmoving. They stared off distantly as Devon gently shook her. No answer came. She was gone. They were too late.
A strangled sob escaped Devon and she collapsed against Mirai’s body, still holding her wound closed in desperation. Her shoulders shook as Devon watched the pool of blood underneath them slowly soak into her jeans as she sat there beside her.
A strong arm wrapped around her and the familiar scent of Henry mixed with the smell of blood as he embraced her, quietly shushing her in her mind. They sat there in silence for what seemed like an eternity.
“What do we do now?” Kaari finally asked, his voice choked and barely a whisper.
Devon furiously wiped her tears with her sleeve which was now a crimson red and got to her feet, wincing slightly from her still broken ribs. Everyone had gathered around them and now stared down at Mirai’s body, their faces contorted with grief.
“We get ready to fight,” she signed, “Any second now an army of Death Eaters could pour out of the fireplaces. We are the last line of defense.”
“I know I don’t need to tell you this but if they do, we will all die. This is your last chance. You could walk away right now, I wouldn’t blame you. In fact, I suggest you do. At least someone should make it out alive today,” she signed while glancing down at the body at her feet and then across the room to where the remains of the twins sat.
The thoughts of her friends cascaded into her head, various statements of “are you crazy?” and “like hell I will”. Devon knew that they would all stay by her side to face whatever fate awaited them and, at the same time, the others knew they didn’t have to say anything out loud when they saw a smile upon Devon’s face. The decision was made.
They immediately got to work pushing desks and benches into the atrium to form a barricade. If they were going to die, they would put up one hell of a fight. Some makeshift protective enchantments were cast and the defenses were done. All they had to do now was wait.
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance- Book 2, Chapter 26
From the Rubble
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A/N: This chapter was written as part of the @phoenixresistance project. Kaari Arcano, Devon Marlowe, Lou Yaxley, Mirai Wilson and Eleanor Amaranthine (everyone except Kaari only in mention) belong to @kathrynalicemc. Henry McClarnon (in mention) belongs to @thatravenpuffwitch. A thousand thanks and hugs to @samshogwarts for helping me with the amazing header picture. Love youuuu 💛
Ministry of Magic, London - 2nd May 1998, 3.05 am
After Devon had explained her plan to them, the members of the Phoenix Resistance split into three groups to cover more terrain. Devon, Henry and Lou - a Death Eater spy Mina hadn’t known before - went to search the Auror offices while Mina and Kaari were assigned the offices of the Muggle-Born Registration Commission. Mirai and Eleanor were staying in the atrium to keep watch. 
Like with the rest of the Ministry, the hallways and most of the offices were deserted. Mina and Kaari were searching quickly and efficiently, but due to the sheer number of documents the Death Eaters had compiled it took them several hours to progress. 
The few witches and wizards they did encounter they quickly took care of; not sparing the magically muffled and bound men and women another glance, Mina had no qualms in stepping over them and breaking open their filing cabinets. Kaari watched her get to work in stunned silence. Noticing his eyes on her back, Mina glanced up from the documents she was rifling through. 
“What?”
A smug grin broke on Kaari’s face as he shook his head and reclined in the armchair he was lounging in. “Nothing.”
Mina turned and stemmed her hands into her hips. “What is it?”
“If someone had told you a month ago that you’d be breaking into the Ministry of Magic and taking out one Death Eater after the other to cold-bloodedly steal their secrets you'd have gotten hysterical. Now look at you. Who would have thought you’d be so ruthless?”
Instead of answering him, Mina rolled her eyes and continued looking through the cabinet. Kaari joined her a moment later.
“I mean it,” he continued in a conversational tone while using the tip of his dagger to pry another drawer open. “If I’m completely honest, I didn’t think you’d have it in you to fight. That was the only reason I promised Ava to look after you, because I didn’t think you’d make it.” Another sideways glance, another smirk. “But if you continue like this, you’ll be looking out for me before long.” 
“Am I not already?” Mina muttered, but a moment later, she turned serious. “Ava was right, both of you were. It was time to wake up.”
Kaari looked at her curiously. “If you had the chance to go back and forget about everything… would you?”
“What kind of question is this?”
Kaari shrugged. “A good one.”
Mina thought about it for a moment. There were potions and spells to erase memories. A few weeks ago, she wouldn’t have needed to think twice to answer Kaari’s question. And she didn’t need to think twice about her answer now. She shook her head.
“No, I wouldn’t.”
“Good,” Kaari laughed and nudged her in the side with his elbow. He used a little too much force and Mina almost staggered away from the cabinet. “I like you much better as a ruthless rebel than as a picky potions girl. See, even Nym agrees.”
Like so often, the small dragon had wiggled free of Kaari’s pocket and was flapping around the office. He made to land on Mina’s head, but she ducked out of his way, making him collide with Kaari’s face instead. 
“That feeling is not mutual,” she said flatly, but had to suppress a grin at the muffled sounds Kaari was making.
“Still scared?” Kaari asked, plucking Nym off his face and holding the miniature dragon out to her. Mina grimaced and took a step back.
“No, I just don’t want dragon slobber all over my face.” 
“And for a minute I thought you’d removed the broomstick from your butt,” Kaari laughed and ducked as Mina threw a file after him. 
They were still bickering when they left the office again and continued on their way. Eventually, both of them fell silent. Something seemed to have changed; with every step along the increasingly dark hallway, Mina felt the tension inside her growing. Where before she had been able to see the end of the corridor opening into a wider space, now all she could see in the flickering lights was darkness. It had grown colder as well, and Mina shivered inadvertently.
“Something’s wrong,” she muttered, her breath showing as a cloud in front of her face. “Maybe we should turn back.” 
“So much for not being scared,” Kaari replied but he was lacking his usual carefree tone. “But maybe we should. This doesn’t feel right.” 
Now feeling cold to the bone, they stopped and turned around to walk back the way they had come. Mina had never in her life been so cold before, but what she saw at the end of the hallway was making her blood freeze. 
Back at the beginning of the corridor, where no light was reaching anymore, the shadows seemed to be moving. A churning sea of dark shapes was advancing on them and every second the air was growing colder, and the despair inside Mina’s heart bigger. Next to Mina, Kaari cursed underneath his breath.
“Dementors,” he snarled and now Mina could see them too - hooded figures emerging from the dark, the hems of their tattered robes barely touching the ground. They were gliding in their direction, along with a thin layer of ice spreading on the walls and floor. The air was so cold that it hurt as Mina inhaled sharply. 
Kaari drew his wand and pointed it in the direction of the Dementors. “Expecto Patronum!”
From his wand burst a brilliant silver light. It formed into the small, lithe shape of a polecat and Mina instantly felt a little of the cold weight that was compressing her heart lighten. The polecat sped off into the direction of the Dementors, and the warm feeling subsided, but the Dementors paused as the silver animal crouched in front of them, its glowing tail raised in warning. 
Kaari and Mina turned and ran, away from the Dementors and into the darkness up ahead. As the distance between themselves and Kaari’s polecat Patronus increased, its silver light grew weaker and, one after the other, the Dementors began to slip past it. 
Kaari cursed and cast a second Patronus spell over his shoulder. The polecat reappeared and bounded towards the Dementors. Mina could already hear their rattling breaths, the only sound aside from their own ragged breathing and slapping footsteps on the floor. 
Mina wished she could do something to help Kaari fight off the Dementors, but she wasn’t able to produce a corporeal Patronus. It would take more than a cloud of mist to keep them contained. An idea struck her; if she couldn’t contain them magically, maybe she could do so physically. 
Mina drew her wand and, mid-running, pointed it over her shoulder and above. A jet of light burst from it and hit the ceiling, lighting up the heaving sea of billowing robes and skeletal hands rushing towards them. Losing no time, Mina shot a few more spells towards different parts of the walls. For a moment, she was afraid that it hadn’t worked; then, a deep rumble went through the corridor, making the ground beneath their feet tremble.
“Kaari, run!” Mina screamed and sped up. 
The first parts of the ceiling were caving in, quickly followed by big chunks of the walls tumbling to the floor. The falling rubble seemed to follow them as they sprinted towards the open space at the end of the hallway. Mina couldn’t see it through the darkness but she hoped it wasn’t too far away anymore; the walls were coming down quicker than she had anticipated and while they would keep the Dementors at bay, that wouldn’t help them much if they got buried beneath the falling stones.
Mina was quickly running out of breath and her sides were stinging painfully. Kaari had overtaken her and her own spell was threatening to do the same - instead of behind her, the debris was now raining down around her. Mina was dodging the rubble as best as she could but with only their wands to light the way, she didn’t see the big chunk of ceiling on the floor. 
She stumbled, the light of her wand dancing over the broken walls in erratic motions, but before she hit the ground, she felt Kaari’s hand closing around her arm. He pulled her to the side and only a second later, a big part of a decorative pillar hit the ground in the exact spot Mina had been in a moment before. 
Kaari didn’t let go of her, half pushing, half dragging her along with him. When Mina thought she couldn’t possibly take another step and the glowing tips of their wands began to stretch and warp in front of her eyes, the two of them stumbled through the archway and into the open space beyond. The rumbling of the collapsing corridor stopped and Mina and Kaari sank to the ground, covered in dust and gasping for breath. 
“So much… for… looking out for… yourself,” Kaari panted, gulping down air between words. “You’re still… the damsel in… distress.”
“Shut… up,” Mina said weakly, still as out of breath as Kaari was. “Just make… some light.”
Taking another moment to recover, Kaari conjured a big ball of light to illuminate the room. Coming to her feet, Mina cast a look around. The room was round and seemed to be some sort of atrium. Several archways like the one they had stumbled through were branching off from it. All of them were lying in darkness. 
Her eyes wandered towards the corridor they had come through. It had completely collapsed and filled the archway with broken pieces of rubble. The wall above the archway had cracked as well, the fissures spreading up and further into the room. Dipping her head back, Mina  followed them with her eyes. They continued into the centre of the ceiling, where a big, golden M was inlaid into the stone. It was split right in the middle and Mina quickly moved out from underneath it. 
Kaari had gone to look at what seemed to be a floorplan stuck to the wall. Wiggling out of his coat pocket, Nym flew after Mina as she went to take a look around the room herself. The ball of light Kaari had conjured made Nym’s shadow appear gigantic but after escaping an army of Dementors, Mina wasn’t too fazed by the thought of it. 
“I wouldn’t have crumbled on your floor had I known you could do that,” Kaari called over to Mina after glancing at the blocked archway.
Despite herself, the corners of her mouth twitched. “Consider yourself warned.” She cast a wary look at the other passages. “Where are we going now?”
Kaari shrugged. “Let’s just pick one.” 
Mina was about to tell him why she thought that might have been the worst idea he’d ever had, when somewhere in the distance a sound like an explosion could be heard. She turned to Kaari, who was suddenly looking worried. 
Before either of them had the chance to say anything, however, the ground beneath Mina’s feet began to shake. She stumbled and came crashing to the ground, a sharp pain shooting through her knees as they made contact with the floor. She held her breath as another sound could be heard, lighter, sharper, and distinctly nearer.
Her eyes flew to the golden M, which was now right above her head. To her horror she saw the cracks were widening. Fine dust and small pieces of stone were coming loose and raining down on her head. The explosion had made the already fragile static of the room give way and it had begun to collapse. 
“Mina! Nym! Come here!” Kaari, who had taken shelter beneath the nearest archway,  called out. Mina needn’t be told twice; scrambling to her feet, she hurried in Kaari’s direction. 
She had almost made it when a big chunk of the ceiling came crashing down in the middle of the room. It almost hit Nym, who was doing his best to follow Mina as quickly as he could. Kaari put two fingers to his mouth and whistled sharply, spurring the tiny dragon on, but Nym still had more than half of the room to cross. As he reached the centre of the atrium, the golden M split apart and the pieces of stone and inlaid gold began to fall.
Kaari cried out and made to run back into the collapsing room but Mina was quicker. She dashed forward and sprinted across the atrium. She extended her hand towards Nym, who came rushing towards her with a frightened, high-pitched sound, and then, with another rumble, the world went black.
When the dust had settled, Kaari emerged from the archway. He coughed as his eyes frantically swept the ruins, looking for any sign of Mina or Nym. His eyes fell on the giant heap of rubble in the centre of the room and he hastened over to it as quickly as he could. 
“Mina? Nym?” 
His voice was hoarse from coughing and the dust was making his eyes water. He circled the debris once, twice, but saw no sign of either of his friends. Fighting down the panic rising in his chest, Kaari frantically started digging, flinging pieces of stone aside until his hands were bleeding, his wand lying forgotten on the shattered floor. 
After moving a particularly big stone with some considerable effort, he finally caught a glimpse of Mina’s pale blonde hair, now covered in dust and blood. Quickly moving the rest of the rubble aside, he knelt down beside her. Her body was curled to a ball and her eyes closed; the light was too dim to see if she was still breathing. 
With a bitter taste in his mouth, Kaari bent down until his face was close to Mina’s; he shuddered with relief as he felt her breath against his cheek. It was weak but it was there. He laid his hand against the side of her face and patted it several times.
“Come on, princess,” he muttered, “it’s time to wake up.”
After putting maybe a little too much force behind it, a familiar frown appeared on Mina’s face and her eyes fluttered open. 
“Hit me in the face one more time and I promise you’ll regret it.” 
Her voice was shaky and her face pale beneath the grime and blood oozing from a wound on her temple, but Kaari had never been so glad to see her glaring at him. 
“You did choose an awful place to have a nap,” he joked to mask the constricted feeling in his throat and helped Mina into a sitting position. He cast a look around for any sign of Nym, but when he saw nothing, Kaari’s heart sank. Mina had been right next to him when the ceiling had come down. He had to be here somewhere. He had to be.
Kaari turned back to the rubble and started digging again. With every stone he turned and every crack he shone the light of his wand into his despair grew, but there was still  no sign of Nym to be seen. 
“Kaari,” Mina said quietly but Kaari wasn’t listening. He was still searching, fighting the panic. He would find Nym any moment, unscathed and unhurt, lolling his tongue and making funny little noises.
“Kaari,” Mina said again, more urgent this time.
When he didn’t turn around, she raised her voice. “Kaari!”
A coughing fit immediately followed suit, but at least, Kaari had noticed her now. He turned to her, his face ashen. 
“He’s not here,” he said with a choked voice, and Mina thought there might be tears shining in his eyes. “Why is he not here?” 
“Kaari, it’s alright…”
“No, it’s not! I need to find him!” 
“Nym is fine, trust me. See?” 
With that, Mina carefully opened her hands, which up to this point she had kept cradled against her chest. There, sitting in the palm of her hands, looking battered and scared but otherwise unharmed, was Nym. 
With a sound close to a sob Kaari rushed in and gently took the tiny dragon from Mina’s hands, cradling him against his own chest now and mumbling something in Norwegian that was so soft that Mina couldn’t understand it. But she didn’t need to; the look on Kaari’s face as he drew her into a crushing embrace was saying more than words in any language ever could.
“Thank you,” he muttered against her hair, his voice shaking with gratitude. “You saved Nym’s life. How can I ever thank you ?”
“How about not choking me?” Mina managed to rasp out. Kaari’s hold on her was tight and made her ribs hurt so badly that she thought he would break them if he didn’t let go. 
“Yeah, sure. Sorry,” Kaari muttered and quickly let go of her. He looked a little flustered as he gently let Nym slide into his pocket, where, for once, the tiny dragon curled up and stayed firmly put. 
“Don’t worry,” Mina replied and grimaced as she put her hand to her temple and it came away red with her own blood, “I’d say we’re even now.”
“We are,” Kaari confirmed. Coming back to his senses, he took a closer look at Mina’s head wound, bending her head to the side to see it better. The movement was making her dizzy but the feeling quickly subsided when Kaari put the sleeve of his dusty coat over his hand and brought it to her head again. Even though she had to concentrate, Mina hurried to take a step back.
“What in Godric’s name are you doing?”
“Cleaning the wound. You look like the Bloody Baron’s little sister.”
“You’re not cleaning anything - let alone my face - and especially not with that sleeve of yours.”
“What’s wrong with my sleeve?”
“It’s covered in dirt!”
“So?”
“Do you want to kill me?”
“You’re doing a great job on that front on your own, princess.”
Mina snorted. “There’s running into a collapsing room and there’s begging for a sepsis. Go away with that,” she added threateningly when Kaari tried to wipe her blood away a second time. He rolled his eyes.
“And there was me thinking you had changed.”
“As if you’d want it any other way.” 
A grin had appeared on both of their faces as they looked at each other. After another moment, Kaari audibly cleared his throat. 
“Right, enough of the sentimentalities. Let’s find a way out of here and get back to the others. They need to know about the Dementors.”
He set off in the direction of a random archway, but stopped when he realised Mina was walking into a different direction. “Where are you going?”
Mina pointed at an askew hanging sign indicating there was a bathroom down the hallway she was aiming for. “Getting myself cleaned up. I’m not overthrowing a government looking like I crawled out of a Red Cap’s hole.”
Staring after her in disbelief, all Kaari could do was shake his head. 
“Can you believe her?” he muttered to Nym, who had poked his head out of Kaari’s pocket again. “She needs to sort out her priorities.” 
Mina pointed at an askew hanging sign indicating there was a bathroom down the hallway she was aiming for. “Getting myself cleaned up. I’m not overthrowing a government looking like I crawled out of a Red Cap’s hole.”
Staring after her in disbelief, all Kaari could do was shake his head. 
“Can you believe her?” he muttered to Nym, who had poked his head out of Kaari’s pocket again. “She needs to sort out her priorities.” 
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance - Book 2 Chapter 25
A/N: Warnings: Blood, Violence, Death, all that fun stuff 😌. Henry belongs to @thatravenpuffwitch, Mina belongs to @lifeofkaze
The Ministry of Magic, Atrium, London - May 1st, 1998, 11:44 PM
Hours later, and with some help from Eloise Yaxley, the Phoenix Resistance found themselves in the atrium of the Ministry. The huge black marbled entryway was desolate and empty. At this hour, most of the regular employees would be at home. However, even with the war raging at Hogwarts, a few Death Eaters remained as guards. The handful that guarded the Atrium were already stunned and bound by Eloise before they entered.
“Alright, let’s split up. Kaari and Mina, you two go search the Muggleborn Registration offices. Eleanor and Mirai, you two stay here and guard the prisoners. If anyone enters, arrest them,” Devon signed.
“Where are you going?” Henry asked after translating for the others.
“I’m going to check the Auror offices. From what Lou told me, her father is one of the highest ranking Death Eaters and is responsible for keeping the puppet Minister under an Imperius curse. I’m going to ransack his office for anything I can use against them.”
“Not without me you’re not,” Henry protested, “In fact, you should stay here with Mirai. You’re in no shape to fight, it’s only been a few days.”
“Henry McClarnon, stop worrying about me. I’m coming and you can’t stop me,” she signed stubbornly, causing Kaari to chuckle quietly.
“You’re right, I can’t. Fine, lead the way Lou,” Henry relented with an amused smile.
The three of them broke off from the rest, Kaari giving Devon a friendly but concerned smile before disappearing around a corner. They took the lift in silence to the second level and made their way down the halls, Eloise and Henry walking in front of Devon with their wands out. Finally, they reached the door to Yaxley’s office.
“Eloise? What are you doing here?” Corban remarked as the door opened.
He stood in the middle of his office looking disheveled and out of breath. His usually neat braid was falling out and he had a few cuts across his face. It looked like he was in the middle of packing his things to run.
“I could ask you the same thing, father,” Eloise replied with a disdainful hiss on the last word, “I’m here to make sure you never see the light of day again.”
The words she’s been wanting to say her entire life finally came tumbling out of her mouth. She didn’t have to pretend anymore, and she never would again. She had chosen her side and it was time to come out of hiding.
“And by the looks of it, you’re here because you ran from the battle like a coward. Your precious Dark Lord won’t take too kindly to that, I imagine.”
Corban’s face twisted with malice at the words his daughter spoke to him, “So these are your true feelings after all? Antoinette managed to brainwash you to her disgusting muggleborn ideals. I should have gotten rid of her earlier than I did.”
“...what did you say?” Eloise whispered as her heartbeat started to pound in her head and a cold chill enveloped her heart.
“I caught your traitorous mother helping muggleborns during the First Wizarding War. It would have ruined my reputation and standing with the Dark Lord, so I dealt with her. All it took was a hit to the head. A shame, really.”
Not so much as a second went by before Eloise had crossed the room and elbowed her father hard across the face, a terrible cracking noise echoing across the office. He dropped like a sack of potatoes to the hard ground, his now broken nose pouring blood.
“Eloise, wait! What are you doing? Please, stop!” Corban pleaded, holding his broken nose as Eloise crouched down and held the sharp metal spike at the pommel of her wand to his neck.
“I should have killed you years ago. You’ve taken everything from me! My whole life I’ve been molded into who you want me to be. I’m just a tool you use to get yourself praise and then discard when I’m no longer your obedient little girl,” Eloise hissed, the spike pressing deeper into his skin with every word causing more blood to spill down his neck.
“Eloise, think about this,” a directionless voice entered her mind.
“Get out of my head, Marlowe!” She screamed and shook her head, pushing Devon out.
This was her moment. She had killed many people before as an assassin. This time won’t be any different. She withdrew her wand and raised it high above her head, the spike pointed down straight for his heart.
“I’ll continue your fight. One day, you’ll be proud of me. That’s a promise,” the words she once whispered to her mother echoed in her mind.
The silent office suddenly exploded as Eloise screamed, all the anger and fury tore from her chest. The scream pierced into Devon’s mind and she had to recoil, holding her head with her hand. With one swift movement, Eloise plunged the wand down and it clattered to the dark tiles beside Corban.
Eloise breathed deeply, her body shaking with anger as her head slumped downwards. After a minute she rose to her feet, her eyes cast down to her father who laid cowering and bloody on the floor. She grabbed his arm and started to drag him across the office before throwing him at Devon’s feet.
“Death is too good for you. You will answer for your crimes and watch as your reputation falls to ruin. It’s not worth staining my hands with your blood,” Eloise declared.
“He’s all yours, Marlowe.”
Without a second glance, Eloise retrieved her wand and walked past them, dumping everything in her father’s bag onto the desk to search. Corban Yaxley would join the others they had stunned and handcuffed on their way through the Ministry. Henry quickly delivered him to Mirai waiting in the Atrium, so she could tend to his broken nose, and then returned to help. They had many files and documents to pour over.
It took them a few hours, but the three of them managed to search every filing cabinet and folder along with a few more neighboring offices of high ranking Death Eaters. All documents that Devon deemed as useful evidence were shoved into a bag with an undetectable extension charm. Anything else was left in scattered piles around the office.
They were on their way back to the atrium to meet back up when Devon took a different turn.
“I’ve got one last stop to make. This one is personal,” Devon explained.
They followed her until they entered a large chamber filled with rows of desks. Upon them sat huge stacks of posters with large fonts printed across them.
“Mudbloods & The Dangers They Pose To A Perfect Pureblood Society”
Pulling out her wand, Devon pointed it at the nearest desk and it erupted into flames. She stood there for a second watching it burn before turning to the next desk and doing the same.
“Well, what are you two waiting for?” She signed.
Ministry of Magic, Atrium, London - May 2nd, 1998, 3:14 AM
Mirai crouched next to the group of Death Eaters they had bound and gagged on the Atrium floor next to the statue. Corban Yaxley’s nose was healed now, but he still glared at her. She turned away and glanced up towards Eleanor’s figure a few feet away. She stood unwavering with her wand in her hand, never keeping an eye away from the various floo fireplaces that lined the walls.
“Why are you here?” Eleanor murmured to Mirai as she walked up next to her.
“I’m here to help,” Mirai frowned.
“But you’ve got a family. Your daughter needs you. Why are you risking your life with the rest of us? You’re not a fighter.”
“No I’m not. But I am a healer. God knows you guys need me,” Mirai chuckled, elbowing Eleanor playfully, “Well, maybe not you.”
They were quiet for a few moments before she spoke again, “I will always help those in need, even Death Eaters.”
A flicker of green flames lit up the darkness ahead of them and Eleanor stiffened.
“Get back, Mirai,” she motioned as a figure emerged from the shadows, one with long white hair and that sickening smile she knew. This time however, his snow white hair was matted with streaks of red.
Mirai slowly backed away towards the statue. Her heart sank into her chest. Whose blood was that? If he was coming from the battle currently happening at Hogwarts…
With a flick of his wrist, a small red bead shot out of Eme’s wand. Eleanor barely had time to tuck and roll out of the way before it struck the statue. A huge ball of fire erupted and lit up the entire room, the light reflecting off the tiled walls and floor.
Pieces of white stone rained down upon Mirai and the Death Eater captives. Mirai managed to conjure a small shield for herself but the others weren’t so lucky. A few particularly large fragments impacted them causing one to be knocked out and another’s leg to be trapped.
Mirai dashed over to the figure unconscious on the floor. Producing some bandages with her wand, she hastily wrapped his bleeding head and casted a few minor healing charms to stabilize him.
An errant spell from Eleanor and Eme’s battle nearby shot across her vision and smashed the tiles just shy of another captive. They couldn’t stay here. More will be injured or even die. She also couldn’t let them go, however.
Mirai switched patients and ran over to the man with the trapped leg. It only took a few severing spells to cut it into small enough pieces that she could safely remove it. The leg was clearly broken but she couldn’t fix it right now. It wasn’t life threatening but all the spells of combat nearby were.
Taking a second to scan the atrium, and shielding herself from the debris of another spell smashing into the statue, Mirai noticed a small office close by with the door open. All she had to do was drag them into it and they would be safe.
Meanwhile, Eleanor was trying her best to keep Eme from advancing while also trying to limit the damage she caused. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Mirai dragging the Death Eaters away one by one. Hopefully the rest of the team heard the explosion and were on their way. She just had to wait for backup.
Eme was getting closer and the spells coming at her were fast. It was a shame they were underground as she really did enjoy the help of a dragon. Ryoko was something neither of them expected to ever have to fight, which made him useful against Eme. She would just have to find some other way to best him.
Eme relented, clearly noticing he wasn’t getting anywhere. He considered for a moment and then his wand lit up again with another spell, but this time it was a sickly green. It also wasn’t headed towards Eleanor.
She ran and dove to put herself in front of it, the green bolt barely striking her shoulder. She was dead before her body hit the tiles with a dull thud.
“Well well. What do we have here?” Eme wondered out loud, casually stepping over his sister's body as he made his way towards the office door.
Mirai stood in front of the now closed and locked door, having just finished moving the captives inside.
“Stand aside, girl.”
“Why? What do you want with them?” Mirai stuttered as she tried to keep her legs from shaking.
“I’m going to kill them, of course. We can’t have them spilling secrets to the enemy,” he replied coolly, pulling a knife from his belt and flipping it in his fingers.
“Aren’t you going to free them? Why do they have to die?”
“Only the weak get captured. They don’t deserve to live. Now get out of my way.”
“I will kill you if you touch them!”
Eme’s hollow laugh echoed off the walls of the atrium. He was now close enough to reach out and touch. Mirai could almost smell the scent of blood and death on him.
“You mortals are so naive. You couldn’t kill me if you tried for hundreds of years. Ask my dear sister, she knows better than anyone,” he gestured to Eleanor lying on the floor behind him.
“Why don’t you just run away like the rest of your friends? I’ll even give you a head start. A count to ten, perhaps?” He mused.
“10, 9, 8,” his deep voice started to count, the words multiplying by the echo.
Mirai stood frozen in fear with her back up to the door. Her wand was still in her hand, yet she couldn’t will herself to fight.
“7, 6, 5”
It was pointless anyway. All she needed to do was hold her ground. Any moment now, Eleanor would heal and come save her.
“4, 3, 2, 1”
“Still here are you? What a pity,” Eme mused with his head cocked to the side.
Mirai gasped as a sharp pain pierced her abdomen. Glancing down, she watched as Eme withdrew the knife and a waterfall of red poured down her shirt and pants and gathered in a pool around her shoes.
“NO!” Eleanor screamed as she came to and pushed herself up from the floor, “Fight me, you coward!” she screamed and shot a few spells, drawing his attention as he snarled.
Eme and Eleanor resumed their fight in the center of the atrium as Mirai slid down against the door to the floor, holding her stomach and failing to keep the blood in her body.
It worked, she had saved them. Nobody was going to get into that room as long as she guarded it. Soon she will be back home again with her daughter in her arms. It was only a matter of time.
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance Main Cast Profiles
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Devon Marlowe & Henry McClarnon @thatravenpuffwitch
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Kaari Arcano & Eloise Yaxley
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Artemis Hexley @the-al-chemist & Ava Campbell @lifeofkaze
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Mina Pendleton @lifeofkaze & Mirai Wilson
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Eleanor Amaranthine & Eme Amaranthine
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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The Phoenix Resistance Book 2 Chapter 24
Mayday
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A/N: it’s not the happiest of birthday stories for Artemis, but as least she’s got herself a party… Warnings: mentions of alcohol, war, and death. Kaari Arcano, Devon Marlowe, Mirai Wilson and Eleanor Amaranthine belong to @kathrynalicemc, Mina Pendleton and Ava Campbell belong to @lifeofkaze, and Ellie Hopper and Henry McClarnon belong to @thatravenpuffwitch. Chapter written as part of the @phoenixresistance project.
Shell Cottage,Tinworth, Cornwall, England - 1st May 1998, 9.30pm
Though Artemis had not really wanted a birthday party, she was grateful to be reunited with so many people she cared about after the events of the previous few months. There had been several times - the majority of the time, in fact - where she had thought that she might never see Rosmerta, Kingsley, Tonks, Bill, or any of Bill’s family again, but here she was, and here they were - or, at least, some of them were.
Rosmerta hadn’t been able to stay at the surprise party for long, concerned that her absence from the Three Broomsticks might raise suspicions among the Death Eaters, Tonks and Remus had left early to return to their new baby, and Mr and Mrs Weasley had taken Ginny and her somewhat peculiar friend back to Bill’s Aunt Muriel’s as soon as Fred had pulled a bottle of tequila from the lining of his jacket.
Now, it was just Artemis, Kingsley, Bill, Fleur, and the twins, and though the guests were small in number, Bill and Fleur’s cottage was nonetheless filled with noise and sound, the twins noisily dealing out a pack of cards and pouring out shot glasses full of clear liquid under Fleur’s sceptical eye whilst Bill and Kingsley chatted by the gramophone, still playing the records Kingsley had brought over from Artemis’ old house.
Bill left the scene after there was a knock at the door, and returned into the living room with more guests.
“I heard there was a party,” said a voice with a now all-too-familiar Norwegian accent, and Bill stepped aside to reveal the grinning face of Kaari Arcano. “I hope you don’t mind my bringing friends.”
“Not at all, Arcano,” George Weasley called out, not even looking up from the playing cards. “We’re just about to really get this party started.”
Kaari led his friends into the room, a collection of witches and wizards who Artemis recognised from her time in Skalafell: they were the Phoenix Resistance. There was Devon, the leader of the resistance, and her partner Henry, a curse-breaker who Artemis had worked with in Egypt five years previously. Then there was Eleanor, the petite blonde woman Artemis had helped to rescue from Azkaban back in December; Mirai, the Healer Artemis had met for the first time in Norway; and a blonde girl Artemis had known from school - Mina, Kaari introduced her as - but had until now not realised was a part of the resistance at all. Bringing up the rear was Ellie Hopper, who smiled shyly at Artemis before hugging her.
“How is-”
“He’s okay,” Ellie whispered. “Thank you for asking.”
Ellie left to greet Kingsley, leaving Artemis with Kaari.
“It’s good to see you… alive,” Kaari smirked. “We thought that curiosity might really have killed the cat.”
“Just as well cats have nine lives,” replied Artemis. “Any word from Ava?”
“Mina is Ava’s cousin. She received a blank postcard from Bucharest a couple of weeks ago.”
Artemis nodded. At least Ava seemed to have gotten herself to safety. There was one more thing playing on her mind, however.
“Kaari,” she said, quieter than before. “You heard how I escaped, right?”
“Why do I feel like you aren’t about to thank me for the knife I gave you at Yuletide?”
“So you do know, then.”
“I do, yes,” Kaari nodded. “Good job I gave you that knife. Even better job I taught you how to use it.”
“Do you know who he was? The wizard?”
Kaari frowned. “He was a Death-Eater.”
“I know, but his name…”
“Briarwood. Cain Briarwood. Nasty piece of work. We destroyed his potions shop a few months ago. Now, what is it you English call it? A good riddance?”
Artemis swallowed.
“Yeah,” she said, though she wasn’t sure how much she agreed. A life was still a life, wasn’t it? “A good riddance.”
“Now, what’s this?” the deep, melodious voice of Kingsley Shacklebolt reverberated across the living room, and Artemis turned to see him cocking a single eyebrow at the Weasley twins, who had stopped pouring drinks and were conducting what looked like a furtive and fairly serious conversation. “I hope you two aren’t plotting anything with those cards.”
“We aren’t,” said George, his face grim. “It’s these.”
Both he and Fred held out a Galleon each. Artemis frowned, not really sure of their significance.
“We had them made when we were in Dumbledore’s Army at school. All of us had them,” Fred explained. “Whenever a new meeting was arranged, they’d burn hot and the date and time of the meeting would show on the coin.”
“They’ve just burned for the first time since we left school.”
Kingsley nodded his head, his own expression sombre. “And when are you being called to a meeting?”
“Now.”
“Turn off the gramophone. Put the radio on.”
Bill immediately did as Kingsley instructed, and fiddled with the dials of the wireless until it played a single voice, frantic and breathless:
“Lightning has struck! I repeat, lightning has struck!”
The room fell silent.
“What does that mean?” Artemis asked quietly, though her heart sank as if she already knew the answer.
“It means that Harry Potter is at Hogwarts. It means that it’s starting. The battle,” said Kingsley. He took a breath, and when he spoke again, his voice was loud and authoritative. “Fred and George, you go to your family, make sure they know, then find this army of yours and get them to wherever it is we need to go. Bill and Fleur, get the word out to our allies overseas. Ellie, you and I will alert the rest of the Order. Devon, make sure the resistance is ready. We are going to need all the help we can get.”
The silence gave way to a cacophony of sound and movement, of patronuses being cast, and plans being made, and the loud cracks of Fred and George Weasley apparating away to find the rest of the Weasleys.
As she watched the surge of action around her, Artemis felt a strange dizzy sensation settle over her, and she slipped out into the garden outside, where the air was cooler and the sound of the waves could be heard lapping against the shore. It was time to fight, to bring about an end, one way or another. At least she would get to see the sea one more time before she set off towards her uncertain future.
“Artemis?”
She looked over her shoulder and saw Kaari Arcano standing behind her, wand already in hand. He grinned.
“So, this is it, huh?” he asked, and Artemis hummed in response. “So, Devon has come up with a plan.”
“What’s that?”
“We are staging one last raid.”
Artemis wrinkled her nose. “Now?”
“Now.”
“But, the battle… You heard Kingsley, we need everyone that we’ve got!”
“Yes, but so will the other side. The Death Eaters will be at the battle, too.”
“So, you’re going to just rob their houses while they’re out?”
“Not their houses, no,” said Kaari. “We’re going to take back the Ministry of Magic.” Artemis stared at him incredulously, and he continued, “They took it over with a coup. We are going to do the same. Besides, the Ministry is full of evidence, it’s proof of the crimes the Death Eaters and their supporters have committed. If we win this fight at Hogwarts, you can bet that evidence will be destroyed. We won’t get justice.”
“I guess, but what if we don’t win?”
“Then we will give them a whole other fight when they get back,” Kaari told Artemis. “So, are you coming with us? You are one of us now, after all. Do you want to fight alongside your comrades?”
He raised his eyebrows at her expectantly, but Artemis shook her head.
“No,” she said definitely, casting a look at the window of the house, through which both Kingsley’s and Bill’s patronuses could be seen. “I want to fight alongside my family.”
If Kaari was disappointed, he didn’t show it. Instead, he merely withdrew his wand and extended his hand to Artemis.
“I can understand that,” he said, as Artemis took his proffered hand and shook it. “Until we meet again, Artemis Hexley.”
“Until we meet again, Kaari Arcano.”
With that, Kaari was gone, disapparating with a loud crack. A few moments later, the shadow of something large and winged flew through the sky over Artemis’ head. She waved to it, before taking a deep breath of the sea-salted air and steeling herself.
It really was time to get the party started.
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phoenixresistance · 2 years
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Really quick i forgot to mention in the last post!!! I am planning sometime during May to do my own reread of TPR and I’m going to do maybe a few chapters at a time (maybe like 5?) and I’ll post some screenshots of certain moments.
I’ll talk about:
Favorite moments
Things I would change if I could
Headcanons
Behind the scenes events that happen offscreen I didn’t mention
Any other dumb Easter egg shit
So that will be every so often in May whenever I have the energy along with epilogues. Can’t promise I’ll do every chapter as there’s like ~40 and after 9 months of writing I need a huge break 😂
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