In Her Darkest Hour ✞ Theseus Scamander

xii

It was almost 5 o'clock the following morning, Orla and her fiance Andrew had arrived at their department in the Ministry the hour before, leaving a giant note on their door for their workers to apparate themselves to Dartmoor cliffs where they were to take a portkey to Basel, Switzerland at exactly 5 A.M.

Orla and Andrew had met Theseus, Newt and Vaughan at the portkey sight, sitting on top of the cliff was a Swiss newspaper dated for today, as they gathered around they patiently anticipated the arrival of their colleagues.

Slowly, one by one, the aurors and hit wizards began to arrive. However, with 5 minutes until the portkey activates, 2 of Orla's hit wizards are missing, Orsino and Theo. Orla expected Orsino to be late, but Theo? That was the one person she thought would be here before anyone else. What pissed Orla off the most was that she told them both along with Astrix, Charlie and Robbie to meet them at Dartmoor the evening before.

Orla looked at her watch and began to pace in circles, everyone was focused on her, Andrew was stressing as he let out disapproving tuts every 5 seconds. Theseus and Newt tried to offer their support to Orla, but the closer the minute hand got to the number 5, the more Orla lost faith.

"There's no need to stress, professor," Astrix soothed her, "no doubt Kiddo refused to get out of bed and Theo went to get him, they'll be here, I promise."

Orla looked away from her watch and looked Astrix in his eyes, he certainly looked confident but Orla still wasn't sure. She looked back down at her watch, and as she did, it turned 5 o'clock.

The portkey began to activate and Andrew began to form his team in line. "We need to go, Orla," Andrew said, "they were told 5 A.M."

Orla nodded her head and looked over her shoulder, as she did, two men apparated. Orsino and Theo sprinted they're way to the group and Andrew grabbed a hold of the newspaper. Orla reached for Theo's hand and Theo took it grabbing onto Orsino, Orla moved Theo's hand onto the newspaper and Theo moved his and Orsino's, Theo looked back at Orla, "Orsino, was asleep five minutes ago," he said just as the portkey sucked them in.

Orsino, Charlie, Rowle and Parkinson as well as a few others from Andrew's auror team all begin the plummet to the ground, Charlie quickly pulls out his wand and casts, "arresto momentum!"Charlie's quick thinking stops the group of aurors and hit wizards in mid-air just before they hit the ground. Charlie released the spell and they all landed on the with a little thump on the grass.

Orsino, who is still half asleep despite the fact he nearly fell to his death, rolled over on his back and watched the rest of his teammates and the aurors gracefully walk down in the air. Once they reach the ground, Orla walks towards Orsino and stands over him, he can barely see through his half-closed eyes but sends a small, charming smile at Orla without any trouble. Orla rolls her eyes and tries to hold back her very obvious smile, and instead offers him a hand, which Orsino takes and Orla pulls him up.

"Am I muddy?" Orsino says through a yawn whilst turning his back on Orla. Orsino turns back around to face Orla who is shaking her head.

"No, but you are late!" Orla said sternly, "I told you last night you had to be in Dartmoor before 5 not on 5!"

Orsino yawned again, "hey!" he said, "I still made it, just we had a little compromise!"

Theo walked up behind Orsino and patted him on the shoulder, "there's no way you're getting yourself out of this one, bud."

Charlie came over to join them, brushing his hair back into place with the palm of his hand. "What's the plan then?" Charlie asked Orla, he squinted through his fringe that had grown out over the Christmas break, "maybe I need a haircut first."