Innocence

Chapter Forty Four

Percival was pacing the room, feeling conflicted and frustrated.

"You do know what this means, don't you?" Blackrose asked, smiling. Before Percival had a chance to respond, he answered his own question. "It means that you can't remove me from the school unless you remove everyone who had anything to do with what happened this year."

"But that's not fair." Percival came to a halt and slammed his fist on the table. "We have no ability to tell between those who were serious and those who weren't. Some kids just treated it as a joke, albeit a terrible one, and many of them were threatened into doing it."

"How can you be so sure?" Blackrose asked smiling. "Go on, Percival. I dare you. Go and banish me from Ilvermorny, but take out half the student population with me. See how those children grow up to detest the laws set down by MACUSA. Watch how they turn their backs on what they are told is right, all because a nasty man sent from the government too ktheir education away from them."

"It wouldn't be as bad as that..." Percival murmured.

"Go and risk it if you want." Blackrose smirked. "But I know you won't do it, you want to know why?"

Percival remained silent and just stared up at the man, hating him.

Blackrose lowered his voice. "Because if you did, your precious son would be one of the first to go."

Percival's face fell. "No." He whimpered. "Adam... He just..."

"You made quite the scene when you barged into school that day, embarrassing the poor kid. The whole school was laughing about the situation for quite a while. I don't care what excuse he gave you eventually but the rules stand as they are. There's evidence he participated in anti No-Maj activities this year, he has to go." Blackrose paused. "Unless, of course... You let me stay."

Percival ran a shaking hand over his face in defeat. However, he began to compose himself after a few seconds. He nodded, more to himself than to the other man, making up his mind.

"Alright." He said. "You can stay."

Blackrose began to smile but Percival continued.

"But you're not staying as Headmaster. I'm officially demoting you. You can remain here as a teacher if you want, or you can resign on your own accord."

Blackrose seemed taken aback. "You can't do that." He stuttered. "The board of governors-"

"The board of governors say I can't remove you from the school without also removing the students. They said nothing about your position as Headmaster. These are my terms, Blackrose. If you have to stay, you aren't staying at the top. MACUSA will find someone else to take your position next year."

- - - - -

Sophia woke on the last day of term feeling energised. Bounding up the stairs into the common room, she found a large group of students surrounding the notice board. When they noticed her presence, however, all of them were soon turned towards her.

"You must know what this about." One of them said.

"Go on, tell us!" Another said when all Sophia did was stare at them, confused.

She cleared her throat. "I literally have no idea what you're on about."

The small crowd all started to talk at once, and although she was unable to pick out specific pieces of dialogue, Sophia could tell that they weren't happy with her answer.

"If she says she doesn't know, then I believe her." A voice called sternly from behind Sophia.

She turned, and was relieved to see that it was David. She smiled at him and was thankful when he gently took her hand and pulled her away to their usual corner by the fireplace.

"Your Father is holding another assembly this afternoon." He explained.

Sophia frowned. "He didn't mention anything about it to me."

David smiled softly. "I'm sure it's going to be alright. I think we're so used to being in a state of anxiety that we have forgotten what it feels like to just be normal for once."

- - - - -

So that afternoon, Sophia found herself in a similar situation to what she was in at the beginning of the school year. Having beckoned Daniel to come and sit with her and David, she caught sight of Adam a few seats behind her. Her Father stood at the front of the assembled crowd, hands clasped together in front of him and head down, as if deep in thought. When everyone had found their seats and the assembled crowd finally settled down in their own time, Percival seemed to come to life and began to speak.

He spoke slowly at first, as if questioning what he was saying and finding it difficult to piece his thoughts together, but soon became more confident and spoke more freely.

"What happened this year shouldn't have happened. Most of you will know exactly what I am talking about, and I want to make something clear. I should have been better at stopping what was going on. I should have been quicker. A child was nearly killed this year due to discrimination towards their parents and I want to publicly apologise to that student."

Daniel sank low in his chair between Sophia and David. Percival continued.

"To those in here who participated in these anti No-Maj sentiments that I am talking about, I want you to know that we cannot prove that you did it of your own free will or not. Those of you who did any of this because they wanted to... I am disgusted by you. I promise to try and keep this school safe, though I cannot promise that I will be perfect. We will strive for a better future. Together."

- - - - -

"Looking forward to next year?" Sophia asked, standing outside the school, belongings in hand. She had to raise her voice in order to be heard above the other students scattered across the lawns around them.

"I am now that I know my cousin will be returning with me." David said, giving a rare smile.

Sophia glanced over her shoulder, towards where her parents were stood, helping Adam check that he had everything.

"Did you remember to give in your wand?" She asked.

"Of course. I wasn't the one who forgot to at Christmas." Her friend said.

Sophia smiled sadly. "You think we did a good thing this year?"

David's smile dropped. "Yes." He said certainly. "But you know what Daniel said. Only the three of us, plus Adam, can ever know the truth behind John's arrest."

"I know." Sophia muttered. "Hopefully the school will be safer now."

"I know it will." Came the confident reply.

- - - - - - - - - -

And there you go! That's the end of Innocence!

Please please tell me what you thought now that it is all over. I spent so long on it, and for a solid two years wondered if I would ever even finish it.

But now that I have please tell me what you think? Did you like it? (Did you hate it? 😬) And most importantly... What are your opinions on a sequel? A waste of time? Or something you might actually want?