Timeless II: Minutes of Tranquility [ATEEZ Hogwarts AU]

Wednesday, January 4th

Headmistress Park narrowed her eyes at them. "That is because all of my applicants have mysteriously cancelled on short notice."

Kowalski showed the same irritating grin as her companion. "Well, you are in luck, then. We have someone perfectly suitable for the job. He is of course one of us." She gestured toward the parchment.

Headmistress Park didn't budge. "I already told you. I'm not doing this anymore. Covering up Jung Wooyoung's disappearance almost cost me my position. You won't catch me risking it again. Now get out of my office."

Burton tsked once more, his expression hardening. "You should know by now that it's not that simple." His casual façade had been replaced by one that was far more serious, threatening even. As if someone had turned a switch, the room temperature had dropped abruptly.

"No, I've done enough. I refuse to sign this, and I will no longer be a mindless puppet for your... your cult!" Headmistress Park grabbed the parchment and ripped it into pieces. She'd had enough of these people ordering her around.

Burton regarded the small pile of pieces and shook his head. A sly smirk played across his lips. "How naïve of you, Yoonjeong. I didn't think you'd throw away your son's life this easily."

Headmistress Park's eyes widened. "...What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that if you don't want your son to meet the same unfortunate fate as your husband, you'd better keep doing as you're told. You're in no position to call the shots anymore."

The room was spinning. This was all too familiar, like a dreadful deja vu. Panic began to flare up inside her bloodstream. "No... you can't do that..."

Burton calmly put the document pieces back together with a flick of his wand. It evened itself out in front of her.

"Face it, Yoonjeong. You have no choice. You never did." He stepped closer to her desk, so close that she could even pick up the acrid smell of blood surrounding him. His hauntingly green eyes bore into hers as he spoke. "You're nothing but a meaningless tool in the greater scheme of the Cleanse."

You disgust me, is what she would've said if her throat hadn't closed up in terror.

His smell lingered even after he had retreated to put an arm around Kowalski's shoulders.

"Vassily trusts you get this signed and on his desk by sunset tomorrow," Kowalski added. "The new professor will arrive on Saturday."

"Until we meet again," said Burton before he threw the handful of Floo Powder he had gotten out of his chest pocket into the fireplace. He and Kowalski stepped back into the fire and disappeared in the high emerald green flames. The fire died down again, leaving Headmistress Park alone in her dark office once again.

Anxiety burned through her veins as she ran a hand through her dark hair. Her thoughts ran wild. It was happening again. Everything she'd feared was happening again. With shaky hands, she opened the top drawer to her right and reached for the picture frame inside of it. She let her trembling fingers graze the moving family picture.

Just for a moment, her eyes lingered on the younger version of herself leaning into her husband's side and putting a hand on her beautiful son's shoulder. Both of them were waving and smiling with such happiness it caused her eyes to water. His smile resembled his father's so much.

"Seonghwa..." she breathed.

How could things have gone so wrong? Was this ever going to end? How much longer was she going to have to lie? How far were those people going to force her to go in order to keep him safe?