The Last Drop |Tom Riddle|

Chapter Twenty Two: The Fire Returns

"The Bloodiest Weekend In Wizarding History in Nearly a Decade"

The newspaper hit the podium, it's thud resounding through the microphone. The silence in its wake was loud, mournful reporters not even able to move their pens or snap the button on their cameras. In all of its glory, the Ministry halls seemed darker than usual, and every soul that awaited Wilhelmina Tufts statement was torn to the core.

"That's what the headlines have said. That's what they will continue to say, each day growing more bloody than the last if this nonsense pursues." said Wilhelmina, hardly able to look up from the papers before her.

The flames that engulfed the home began to wrap their way around the old dilapidated brick buildings, bringing a new light this abandoned street has not seen in ages.

There would be no rest until every inch of gravel was covered in fire and Colin was found.

"James Everett Parkinson. Colin Ludwick. Anna and Feeney Ferrel. These are the names of those we have lost in wake of recent events, whether they have parted from our world or parted in spirit, we have lost good souls to this treacherous movement against the corruption in our world. You may wonder, why do I name those who have caused us harm, betrayal, and worse?"

Eleanor clawed her way out of Tom's grip, running down the street towards the old bar that  was now nothing but ash. The few remaining on Ruby's side that tried to run from her were immediately victim to her rage.

The sounds of pens scribbling across paper and cameras flashing returned as the Minister spoke.

"James Parkinson was an innocent casualty in this mess, but the others were merely pawns in a bigger problem we must acknowledge; extremity. The Ministry, I admit, is corrupt in its treatments with the Half Bloods of the wizarding community and in its wake we were met with a force who resorted to terrorism. Both sides have their faults. Both sides have committed acts to horrible degrees. But this stops now."

Questions were being thrown at the Minister, and Eleanor, who had been hiding in the back of the crowd had decided to tune out and turn around towards the elevator systems, keeping her head down as she pushed through the dozens upon dozens of wizards who had come to hear the Minister.

It had been a week since James had passed and Colin had disappeared. Eleanor has never been so quiet in her life. Perhaps it was the years of grief she endured so young, but she was fine. She mourned and she lived and there was nothing left to do but finish the job.

The Minister demanded she take time off, and that's what she did, not having to come back to the office for a few days but now she had a new office to return to and she decided she would tidy up the new office she had been appointed to; Colin's old office. She was the new head of the Auror Department. All of her boxes had been moved over, courtesy of Julius, however she wanted to start unpacking.

She was able to overlook the rows of desks that belonged to her Aurors now, wishing that she could have stayed there with them. They were empty, everyone being at the Minister's press conference, and that brought her some relief knowing she could unpack in total piece.

The office was bigger, bookshelves bordering the black walls and a chandelier hanging above the entrance. Two burgundy chairs were seated in front of her desk that was void of nothing but boxes that she wanted to start with. She had filled her bookshelves with her books from Hogwarts and new ones purchased on history and all the sorts. Half of them she never read. When it came to the personal belongings she would sit on her desk though, she was almost scared to open them.

Someone had preemptively left her a vase of tulips on her desk but their red petals seemed to grow closer to darkening and wilting when she looked at them under the light. She flipped on the lamp and opened the first box, being greeted with a charmed little calendar and a few other trinkets to keep her mind at ease. But she reached a frame with a photo of her, her parents, James, and Evelyn from her first day at Hogwarts.