Judgement Day (Hogwarts Mystery Year 7 Retell)

Chapter 23: Mexican Standoff.

"Barnaby... where did you get that mallet?" Diego asked knowing he was going to regret that.

"Found it." Barnaby answered. "On the ground."

"Who leaves mallets on the ground?" Ethan asked.

"It's probably best we don't think about it too much." Jacob suggested.

And with that the group split up. Ethan and Jacob walked through the busy streets. Which almost reminded them of the busy streets of London whenever they visited the streets with their parents. 

"Seems like old times, doesn't it?" Ethan asked.

"Which ones?" Jacob asked.

"The time we walked through London and you convinced yourself a guy in suit was James Bond in disguise." Ethan offered.

"Oh yeah, that." Jacob remembered now. "Or what about that time we saw what looked like a walrus of a man?" 

"The guy with the low neck and what looked like a weird mustache even for a muggle?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah. That guy." Jacob answered. "He called us dirty beggars or something like that. Thought we were a charity or something like that." 

Ethan groaned. "It's people like that that give Muggles a bad name." He said.

"Tell me about it." Jacob replied. It almost made him wonder if people like that would be the first people to fall if Trotsky did succeed. Almost being the operative word there. 

"Jacob?" Ethan asked stopping.

"Yeah?" Jacob asked looking at his brother again.

"There's something about Trotsky. What if we find him here? And I see Penny?" Ethan began. "Her being locked up in a cage like an animal."

"Ethan..." Jacob put a hand on Ethan's shoulder. "You can't think like that. Think on the positives. We'll get her back."

"But just in case..." Ethan held out the Runestone. "If Trotsky demands this Runestone from me, and he gives me Penny in exchange. Should I make the trade?" He asked.

"What?" Jacob asked confused.

"If the worst should happen, If Trotsky demands that I give him the Runestone or else, he's already stated what he's wanted. What should I do?" Ethan asked.

"I'd say that as a Wizard, that would be a stupid thing to do. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few. And that Runestone represents the needs of the many." Jacob answered making Ethan feel down. "But as your brother. I'd say you need to do whatever you feel is right." He continued. 

"But Dad told us..." Ethan got cut off.

"Dad said to do in our hearts what was right." Jacob interrupted. "I did what I thought was right when I went after the Cursed Vaults to prevent Trotsky from getting it. I did what I thought was right when I left home to continue what I started. Tough choices don't keep you warm at night. And there's going to be a lot of sacrifices. Let's make sure we don't get to that point." He explained. "You want my opinion should the worst happen? Fight for love. The World will take care of itself. Always has." 

And Ethan nodded. He would make sure that event that Jacob spoke of never happened. That was when they noticed a crowd of people by one square.

"What's going on over there?" Ethan asked.

"Trouble." Jacob answered.

Meanwhile, Tulip and Barnaby went down one road.