𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐆𝐈𝐑𝐋 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐖𝐀𝐑

brilliant white

"I didn't fall in love with you.
I walked into love with you,
eyes wide open, choosing
every step of the way."

•

IT WAS TIME, and Skylar had never been more prepared in her life; except for the war obviously. Still, in that case she wasn't much prepared to be kidnapped. But nonetheless, November 15th was the most awaited day of her life. Hannah had backed out from the Mission and was replaced by Tonks, much to all of their liking, and they were all stationed a little beyond the Forest of Dean; so much for discreet. Skylar's utility belt had her wand, extra gloves and of course, her revolver, which she didn't have my time to use or fetch during the War. She was stationed behind a large bush, sleekly dressed in her Auror uniform: a tight, yet flexible black leather jacket over a cotton tank top, with had silver buttons keeping it all together, with a pair of equally snug pants and thestral leather boots. Her hair was tied back in a plait and her magic shimmered sightlessly around her. Out of the corner of the eye, she saw Harry atop a tree, Ron on top of another, Tonks a little father ahead behind a tree and Cormac few feet to her left behind a miss strewn log. The weather was chilly but their uniform, with the Stark 'A' written on it had Heating Charms to keep them warm.

Skylar heard the rustling of leaves before anyone else; well, maybe except Tonks. The two girls turned to the direction immediately, wands lifted, curse blowing out immediately. Nothing happened, just a few leaves blew back to an otherwise empty space. False alarm—Cormac fell, attacked by a bodybinding charm; something was here. Sleekly, Ron's wand pointed towards Cormac and a silent reverse spell unbound him. Cormac sputtered back to his feet, crouching low, muttering silent apologies to Skylar who was nearest.

"Stupefy!"

Harry's wand emanated a loud bang towards a direction a little beyond Tonks, and a man fell— Pettigrew. Skylar could identify his mousey, grimy appearance anywhere. She jumped from behind the bush at the same time as Harry jumped down the tree and they broke out in a run. Out of Skylar's peripheral vision, as she ran, she noticed an unfamiliar shadow behind another nearby boulder and her wand acted naturally, "Reducto!" The boulder crashed to bits and the man behind—Scabior, another person she could identify anywhere—flew a few feet back, his wand clattering away from his grip. Skylar changed course and ran towards him before he could get up and attack again. With one jump over the crashed boulder, she landed with her feet on either side of the fowl man, her wand digging into his chin. "We meet again!"

He groaned at the wand digging into his skin but his eyes looked too terrified to come up with a response. He whimpered just as Skylar heard Peter Pettigrew's incoherent squeaks. "Incarcerous."

It was good work, Skylar felt, as the two tied up prisoners were held captive against an antibreaking binding spell, until of course—

"Let them go!"

Harry, Skylar and Tonks, nearest to the Death Eaters, turned immediately to see Rosier, the most dangerous, most notorious one, standing where Cormac was his wand pointed at his head and a menacing gleam in his eyes. "Let them go or he dies—"

"Lower your wands," Tonks said as Rosier grabbed a fistful of Cormac's hair and dug his wand to his head.

"But—"

"Lower it Weasley!"

So they did. All four of them lowered their wands at the sight of Cormac McLaggen taken hostage. "Let them go!"

"Is it loyalty?" Skylar said casually, her wand now in the ground in front of her, her mind reeling around the time of War when she had to lie and feign innocence to buy time and stay alive. Rosier sneered. "You're surrounded—or did you forget—" Rosier's wand vibrated against his hand and within the next second, it flew through the air towards them and Harry caught it with his seeker skills. "That I can do magic without a wand?"