Three hours after setting off on brooms, the Graves family found themselves walking in through their front door. Sophia threw her broom into the corner by the hat stand, before collapsing onto the sofa.
"Why do we have to do that journey in such a way? Why not use the Floo network?"
"Because it's good to spend time travelling together." Credence said. "And it helps Adam as it's practice for flying on his broom. Without the journey, he'd go a long time without flying which wouldn't be good for his spot on the quidditch team."
Sophia rolled her eyes. "I think Adam will be fine without his broom for a couple of weeks, Dad."
"In the same way that you'll be fine without your wand?" Credence shot back. "What were you playing at, Sophia? What possessed you to do something so stupid as to forget to give it in. If you had managed to take it home I'm almost certain that you would've been expelled!"
"Credence, please stop your worrying." Percival cut in as gently as he could. "From what I can tell, there is more to the story than what appears to be the case."
Credence and Sophia both turned to the man, blinking in equal amounts of confusion.
"Am I right, Sophia?" Percival asked.
"Yes... But how would you know that?"
"Because Jasper slipped this into my hand when he shook it." Percival held up a folded piece of paper. "It appears to be a letter. But before I read it, I want your side of the story."
"Well." Sophia began. "I was told to give Jasper my wand, but when I tried to in the common room he just shook his head."
"Meaning that he obviously wanted a reason to be able to see us before we left." Percival finished for her. "He must of been planning to give this to us for a while. It must be important."
Percival unfolded the paper and read what was written there.
Mr Graves this may come as a shock and surprise but I have had to find an odd way of getting this to you. It's rare for me to ever be allowed out of the Wampus common room and Professor Blackrose monitors any owl that I might send from the school.
I feel like it is time that some barriers of communication are broken down and some truths are shown into the light. But no matter what I write here, you must make sure that you do not act any differently, as your children and myself will surely be punished.
There are three main things that I am able to consider to share with you. I have very little time to write this, so I will apologise in advance if I forget anything, but hopefully this information will at least somewhat help.
1) Those days you and your husband came to the school at the beginning of term to hold that assembly, Miss Graves at least tried to see you that last morning before you left. I saw her return fairly quickly, and she seemed upset. I assumed that you had fallen out with her, or something along those lines, but I later overheard a conversation she had with Mr Scamander explaining what had actually happened. Another student had prevented her from seeing you, claiming that you had already left the school when she met him on the way. While you may have been upset that she didn't come to see you, she was upset that you had apparently left without saying goodbye. From what I gathered, neither party explained what had actually happened that night to each other through fear of it appearing that the other had offended them.
2) After Halloween, Miss Graves and Mr Scamander received a detention from Professor Blackrose. On the surface, it was a detention for being out of bed late that night. In truth, it was because they interfered by summoning and helping you that evening. Professor Blackrose didn't want you knowing about what happened that night, and he least of all wanted your daughter to get involved. Professor Blackrose's story about what happened during that detention is that your daughter attacked him and he acted out in self defence. However, having seen many generations through this school, I have reason to believe that this might not be the case, although Miss Graves may fear for her or others' safety if she were to tell the truth. Whatever happened that night, the truth of the matter is that Professor Blackrose left it with a broken nose, and Miss Graves ended up unconscious in the hospital wing.
3) Mr Scamander and Miss Graves have spent their past few evenings burning a fairly large amount of something in the common room. They have been trying to keep it secret, but they underestimate the extent of the knowledge I possess which relates to what happens in my common room. Yet again, I fear that this activity may be important to what you are trying to achieve, but they fear sharing their information due to the threat of potential danger.
If I am wrong about any of this, then I am most deeply sorry. But hopefully now that I have brought certain things to your attention, you can work together on finding out what is the truth and what is important.
Yours in desperation,
Jasper.
Percival looked up in horror when he had finished reading, and Sophia looked back at him with a growing sense of dread and unease.
"Is this true?" Percival asked her, his voice shaking slightly.
Sophia clear her throat. "Err... Is what true?"
"Did he hurt you?"
A deadly silence fell over them all as Adam and Sophia shot each other awkward glances, while Credence looked on, confused, and anger seemed to be boiling behind Percival's eyes.
A lack of an answer confirmed Percival's fears.
"I'm gonna kill him!" The man roared. "I'm going to go back there right now and murder him."
"No!" Sophia cried, flinging herself at her Father, stopping him from reaching the fireplace. "Adam, help me explain!" She cried.
Adam, too, flung himself at Percival, causing the man to crash to the floor under the weight of his two children. Sophia sat on his back and Adam sat on his legs. Credence looked very pale.
"We will let you up if you calm down." Sophia bargained, a little out of breath. "I have to explain everything first, before you try and act on it."
- - - - - - - - - -
Another chapter done! We're well over halfway through this story now, if anyone is interested in knowing.
So, please comment, vote, follow me if you want to, it would mean the world.
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Innocence
Fanfiction'Percival carefully took Credence's hands in his. "My darling." He said softly. "Hatred is a foul creature born initially from fear. But like a fire, as it spreads it becomes all-consuming and destructive. In time, the hatred may be quenched but fro...
