The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Letting Go

Perhaps that would make the task she was preparing for easier. Her old wand was too pure, too righteous for such a task. But unfortunately, wands were hardly responsible for their actions. They were like dogs. They couldn't be good or evil; it was all up to the person behind them. 

Good and evil. Where was the line that separated one from the other? Where did her brother belong on that spectrum? Where did Merula? Where did she? Before this war had erupted, she would have thought it simple, but now, she knew there was nothing more complicated in the world.

She sensed movement in the distance and shot to her feet, the ash wand pointing in the direction of the noise. Diego heard it and raised his wand, too. 

Barnaby stepped out from among the tall brush, along with Elena and her brother. 

"Where have you been?" Sarah asked her, her wand pointing at Elena's chest. 

"Talking with my brother."

Sarah glanced at Aiden and recognized the easygoing, absent expression on his face, a sign of an amateur imperius curse. 

"Yeah? Been plotting how you're gonna bring the Death Eaters here to capture us again?"

Elena just glared at her. 

"Well, it looks like you've got what you came for. We've protected you long enough, so let Barnaby go and leave us be, alright?"

Elena gave Barnaby a biting look. "You told her?"

"Told her what?" asked Diego, his head swinging from Sarah's side of the clearing to Elena's in confusion. 

"I didn't tell her, tell her," said Barnaby. 

"It doesn't matter how I found out. Just let him go now, or I'll make you let him go!"

Sarah fought to keep the wand steady in her hand. 

"Sarah..." Barnaby warned, slowly raising his own wand. 

"Can someone please explain what's going on?" said Diego. 

"I'll tell you what's going on," said Elena, her voice rising. "She's the one who captured my brother in the first place! You two are the reason he went missing! If it hadn't been for you, I would have been able to leave with him before the Death Eaters twisted his mind! It's your fault he's like this!" 

Elena thrust her wand toward Sarah like a knife as she spoke. 

"What in the name of--" 

They all glanced to Jacob's tent to see Merula standing at the entrance, bleary-eyed. She frowned at them all for an instant before pulling out her own wand. "What's happening? Who do I need to curse?"

"You have your brother back," said Sarah, addressing Elena as calmly and masterfully as she could. "Now, Let. Barnaby. Go."

"I don't have him back!" Elena shouted. "Look at him! This is worse than when I thought he was rotting away in some prison, thanks to you! He's been brainwashed! You took my brother from me!"

"It's not my fault what you and your brother chose to become," said Sarah. "And it's not Barnaby's responsibility to clean up your mess. Release him now, or I swear, you won't make it out of these woods alive."

"Woah, Spellman. So wicked. I love it," said Merula, pointing her wand to Elena with glee. 

"Sarah, don't," said Barnaby, stepping in front of Elena. "Please..."

"Lee, what are you doing?" shouted Diego. He pointed his wand at Barnaby.

For a moment, there was complete stillness. Sarah's mind worked fast. Reason warred with her heart. Her wand hand twitched, itching for battle, and her eyes met Barnaby's, as they begged her not to do anything stupid.