Once we are in front of the school the professors and students are waiting outside for us. But when a couple proffers notice the bodies that are being carried, they tell the students to go to their dorms. I see Dumbledore and Snape exchange a few words before we go inside.
"Take them to Madame Promfrey." Dumbledore said referring to the bodies of my siblings and a couple three other students. "In the meantime follow me into the Great Hall." And so we all follow Dumbledore into the castle.
We all walk passed the doors and into the Great Hall. But before I can go ahead and sit at my table, Dumbledore pulls me away from the crowd. We walk up near the podium and follow him into a small meeting room. "Dear I know this is hard but you did the right thing. I'm really proud of you." Dumbledore hugged me and I hugged him back but not because I was happy. But because I felt completely shattered.
He sits me down in a seat and I put my elbows on the table and cover my eyes with my hands and just let myself have another breakdown. Dumbledore places his hand on my shoulder, "let it all out." He said cooingly. All you could hear is me sobbing and breathing heavily. "We will be waiting outside for you, whenever your ready." and he walked out of the room.
I yell out in anger and knock down a chair in front of me. So then that's how my rage began, I knocked the other chairs in the room. I pulled out box from the shelves and throw them across the room. With my sleeve I scrub off the kiss my father planted on my forehead as it were something so disgusting to have on.
I lean on the wall and slide down, "I'm so sorry." I kept looking up to the ceiling thinking both Jackson and Andrew would hear from up above. But I never got a response and I cried even more. My head is throbbing, my heart hurts and I'm just one completely mess. I'm physically and emotionally hurting.
Once I got control of my breathing I still felt like everything I did to save my siblings was not enough because I failed them. My stomach kept twisting and the tears wouldn't stop running down my face.
I get up and start putting everything back in its place and I think for a moment if I will ever be able to put myself back into one piece or will I remain broken forever.
I walk up to the mirror and clean my tear stains but it was of no use once my eyes landed on my short black hair. The last thing Jackson did was change my hair from white to black.
I put my hands on the table so I could lean. It should've been me. They both didn't deserve it, they both should be here planning to bury me. It should've been me.
I look down at the watch and see that I've been inside this room for an hour and a half. I clean the last few tears that are rolling down my cheeks and opened the door to join the rest.
The beaming lights of the great hall made my eyes sting. I see the society sitting at the tables eating, I see the trio talking to Dumbledore, the Professors talking amongst themselves, Theodore talking to Cornelius and my siblings isolating themselves from everyone else.
Nobody has noticed my presence and so I take a step down to walk towards my siblings but then the room goes completely quiet. I stop dead in my tracks but didn't look up to see them. Afraid I would have another break down.
Theodore walks up to me and I'm taken back to the room, a couple other people make their way in too. There's too many people that we were all kinda squished.
Inside the room are the same people that placed their hands on me to walked down with my tonight. I see Matteo in the crowd with his group of people covered up in bandannas. I take a seat on the chair and wait for Theodore to begin talking. "Liam has the girls." But the voice didn't belong to Theodore.
I look up at Matteo and then look around until they landed back on Theodore. "I suppose you have a plan already, one that doesn't involve someone dying ." My voice gave a bit of anger towards him but I didn't mean for it to sound that way. Theodore said nothing. "I'll take your silence as a no."
I lean back on the chair, "Why don't you go and ask your father to see if he has any ideas." Theodore's face went completely red. Matteo and his group looked at Theodore as if they've all been caught red handed. "Your very lucky I'm not telling the rest of the group or the ministry. So here's the deal you have until tomorrow night at 8 precisely, to tell me where Liam is."
Theodore looked at me trying to figure out if I was joking around. But he knew that in these moment I'm going through there's no time for jokes. "Then what?."
I cocked an eye brow. "You'll see for yourself." I head myself towards the door but before I can fully open it I turn around and look at Theodore once again. "Thank your father for me once he gives you the information." Matteo's group and Theodore walked out and mine followed behind. Leaving me behind Matteo with me.
Matteo takes a step towards me and cups my face and I don't know if because of how broken I am I couldn't feel the warmth of his touch. The boy pressed his forehead on mine and looked at each other in silence for a couple seconds before he walked out. I placed my head back on the door wishing he could've made me feel at least something that wasn't pain.
I walk out and close the door behind me to see Dumbledore giving out a speech needing volunteers to clean up Hogsmed tomorrow morning. Dumbledore looks over at me, "I believe Ashley wants to say some words." My stomach dropped because I really didn't have anything to say.
I walked up to the podium and whispered to Dumbledores ear, "I really don't have anything to say right now."
"My child these people in the room need to know they can count on their future leader even when going through hard times like these." Dumbledore said and his eyes landed on my forehead. "Don't be too hard on yourself." His fingers pressed my forehead lightly and I think he noticed how red my forehead was from scrubbing off the kiss of my father. By then everyone from school starts walking inside the hall and try to squeeze in anywhere they can.
I sigh and stand up straight. "I- i." I back up and take a moment to think what I'm about to say. I look back at Dumbledore and handed me a note, he nodded for me to proceed. I look back at the crowd. "I want to thank those who fought tonight very bravely. Tomorrow morning we will honor our fallen illusion member and those who attend Hogwarts: Jackson Grindelwald a proud Slytherin and an illusion member." I look and see that all the members from the illusion stood up and chanted his name proudly. It felt strange but I had to get use to their society's way.
I look at my siblings who are listening attentively. "Andrew Grindelwald a courageous Gryffindor." I look over at the Gryffindor and see that the spot were Andrew always sat is left open purposely by his classmates.
I look over to the Ravenclaw table, "Maddison Brich a kind hearted Ravenclaw." I didn't know her but I was only ready off what Dumbledore had to say about her.
I look at the note card to read the other name and I for a moment I felt my heart build back up and shattered once again. I look over at Catherine, her face is red, watery eyes and just looks completely shattered as well. "Noah Vesper, a Slytherin and an illusion member." Once again the members chanted his name. My eyes never left Catherine who was sobbing.
I felt a rush of anger and frustration. Once the hall was silent again I looked over at Theodore. "As you all know my sisters were taken by Liam. So I've given Theodore until tomorrow night to give me information of where he is." I grab the note, fold it and place it in my back pocket. I look at Dumbledore who looks at me very dumbfound but don't give it too much importance just yet.
I look back at the crowd, "To the illusion society, I just want to say that we are now at war with Liam and his acolytes. We won't stop until we bring down each and every single one of them!." The member cheered for this sudden news. Except for Serenity and Owen who was slowly shaking their head in disagreement.
In that instant Cornelius and his men, Dumbledore and Theodore stood up in disbelief. The rest of the Hogwarts students and teachers looked in disbelief as well. "And those who just joined us tomorrow morning Dumbledore would like some volunteers to help out at Hogsmed."
I walk away but I'm held back by Cornelius. "What do you think your doing?." He said very angry.
I pull my arm away, "I'm doing what is right and what they need."
"And you think revenge is what everyone needs?." He looked at me very stern.
I look at him in the eyes and then turn my head towards Theodore, "I think it's also what you need as well Cornelius." I look back at Cornelius. "If I were you be careful who you trust." The man looked perplexed and looked over at Theodore.
"I'll see you tomorrow morning Mrs. Grindelwald." I nodded and walked away. All the students started heading out as well with the Professors.
I walk up to the the corner of the hall where my siblings are standing. We wait until everyone leaves and take a seat at the Ravenclaw table.
August takes a seat next to me and rub his back, I know this has been really hard for all of us but it's him who's affected him the most. "We need to plan for tomorrow." I look at the boys and each exchange looks.
Alexander clears his throat, "We gotta do things right, so I say we wait once we get the girls back."
I tilt my head, "we?."
Alexander leans in. "Yes, WE decided to go to war with you."
I shake my head, "Not happening." I start tapping my fingers on the table. "I agree we should wait on the girls but you guys will not go war with me. But in the meantime we should plan out their funeral." It's hard to even say their names now.
I feel a hand in my shoulder and see Catherine, "I'll wait for the funeral as well."
"Are you sure?." I asked concerned. "Yes."
"Fine then we should go to sleep, we have to wake up early to go volunteer." I look over at the boys. "Will you guys go? ." The shrugged their shoulders and walked out of the hall.
"I don't think it's a good idea for you to go." Catherine stated. "Your a Grindelwald remember." I felt offended by what she said but she also has a point.
We walk into the Slytherin common room and see that the Parksions sisters, Zabini brothers, Draco and Sebastian talking to each other. I turn to Catherine, "I'm going up to my room." I hugged her and walked up the stairs.
"Ash..?." I stop and look down at Draco. "I- im sorry for your loss." So this is what it took for him to finally say some words to me. I looked away and kept walking up the stairs and walked inside the room.
I grab a pair of clean clothes and head in to shower. I look at myself in the mirror and see that my face is covered in dirt and my hair is a total mess. I open the hot water and another breakdown begins.
A couple hours later...
I get out of bed and put on some jeans and a black long sleeve shirt. I slip on my white shoes and brush my hair. I got into the bathroom to wash my face and brush my teeth. I walk out and see that the Parkinson sisters are waking up, "Good morning girls." They all start getting ready. I grab a bag that had my clothes from last night and head out.
I walk down to the fireplace and throw the bag inside, I look at the things burn slowly. I turn around and see Owen, Sebastian, Blasie, Lucas, Draco and Asher wear black. My friends group is only missing two people Jackson and Noah. The Parkinson sisters, Serenity and Catherine walk down the stairs altogether wearing black as well.
"We've postponed the funeral until we get my sisters back. So in the meantime there will only be one for Maddison, the Ravenclaw girl." After what I said I walked out to see that student were off to help at Hogsmed and others were heading the the girls funeral.
I walk inside the hall and see that the ceremony had already started. I thought it's best if I stayed in the back of the room. I see the girls family members crying for her. It was too much for me to handle and I walked out. I decided to go to Hogsmed and help out.
I walk around and see building have fallen and people are injured. I spot the twins and Ron, "Do you guys need help with anything?!."
The three boys looked at me surprised. "What are you doing here?!."
I gave them a strange look, "I came here to help."
Ron grabs a newspaper off the table and hands it to me and on the front page it says: "The girl who betrayed." The picture is me handing over the elder wand to my father. "They got it all wrong." The boy gave me a sympathetic smile.
"We now Ash but these people don't believe that. So you need to leave before this becomes a bigger problem." Fred said while taking the newspaper away from me. "It's for the best Ash." George added.
"We know who you really are but they think your just like your father." Ron gave me his sweater and covered me up from being recognized by anyone else. "Just leave Ash we got it from here." I was surprise Ron is being nice to me.
But I didn't argue with anymore, "fine."
I walk into owelry tower and write a quick letter. My brothers owl comes flying down and the owl grabs it with its claws. The owl hoots and flys out of the tower.
After an hour and a half of waiting the own returns with another note. I give the owl a treat and quickly open the letter.
I'll see you tonight and I'll hand over the girls if you bring what I'm asking for.
~ Liam Grindelwald
Now it's time to get him what's he wants and in the mean time I gotta get ready.
I waited in my room the entire time until finally the clock strikes 8. I walk out and head to Dumbledores office. As I make my way up I see the members of the illusion waiting to head out. I walk between the crowd and when I push the door open to go inside the office there stands Theodore, the Zabini brother and the Parkinson sisters.
I close the door behind me, "I believe you have what I asked for since everyone is outside waiting."
Theodore cleared his throat. " The Highgate Cemetery."
I shook my head and chuckled, "couldn't of been more obvious."
Dumbledore rose from his seat, "my dear just come back with your sisters and let go of this revenge because it will be the death of you."
I got up to Dumbledore and hug him, "I can't make any promises." The rest of us walked out and joined the crowd.
We walked out of the castle and walked down onto the bridge the night is cold so I put on my cape. One we reach the hill I look back and see Dumbledore with a couple other students watching us leave. We apperated to the Highgate Cemetery.
Once I appeared I look around and see my brothers, it wasn't easy convincing them to not show up. Serenity is holding Ethans arm and I give them a warm smile. It's obvious she was scared but not for herself or any of us, she's scared for my brother.
I try to walk towards them but I'm pushed away by the crowd and end up just standing where I stopped to see Theodore give information before anything happens.
Some warm hands intertwine with mine and I look up to see Matteo. But off to the side I see Sebastian looking directly at us and I quickly pull away. "Why do you keep showing up where your not being called?." I whispered shouted to him.
Matteo chuckles, "why are you scared of what my brother thinks of us." I rolled my eyes and tried to listen to Theodore.
The crowd huddled together even closer, which caused Matteo to be pushed into me. He places his hands on my waist to try and create some space for the both of us. "Theodore is that way." He said point behind me. With one swift movement he spins me so I could face Theodore. I tried to pay as much attention as I could but his hands on my waist were a distraction.
Theodore is cut off when an explosion is heard from across us. Matteo pulls me behind him in a very protecting manor and draws his wand. Everyone else pulls out their wands and wait until the smoke comes down to see who's on the other side.
Liam's acolytes appeared on the other side and the my group started running towards them. But this was all a trick, when the got to the other side and saw that there's nothing I backed away from the group.
Matteo noticed my absence and turns around to look at me back up. "I cant risk losing more people and I have to finish this alone." I said before apperating to my manor.
Once I appeared in front of my manor I see that Liam has the whole place surrounded. I walk pass the bridge and I'm being stared down at. One of the acolytes opens the door and I walk inside the manor.
Inside the living room I see the girls tied up and Liam is right behind them. The girls start yelling for me but two acolytes walk up to the girls and stuff their mouth to muffle their yelling. "Well very good so far you've done what I told you. Came alone check." Liam said in a very sarcastic tone. "And you brought what I asked you for, yourself. Double check!."
Liam claps, "Damn someone is one fire today!."
"Here ya go you can have the girls now." He extended his arms out towards the girls.
I walk up slowly to the girls and kneel down in front of them. I take away the cloth that's in their mouths and whip their tears away, "shh everything is going to be fine." I hugged them and from behind Liam I see under the table Lisa with her parents nodding at me. I look up at Liam to see him smirking.
I start to untie the ropes but Liam pushes me back hard onto the floor, "Woah you didn't think it would be that easy."
"Let them go!." I bark at him.
Liam walks up to me and and pulls my up by my cape. But drops me when a case behind him shatters in the floor. There behind him stood Lisa and her father trying to untie the girls. More off to the side is Lisa's mother who caused the vase to fall by accident. "What the hell!." Liam raises his wand and I quickly launch myself towards him.
The spell never hit anyone and inside comes flying Zeus distracting the other two acolytes, trying to buy us some time. "Lisa get the girls to Hogwarts now!." I said while fighting Liam on the ground.
Liam turns me over and smashes a vase on my back nearly missing my head. The girls try to stop and help me but Lisa and her parents push them out the room.
"I told you to come alone!." Liam grabs a hole of me and slams me on the table. I roll off the table and reach for my pocket for my wand. But before I can I'm kicked and thrown off to the side.
I go on all fours and slowly get up, "it doesn't matter, you asked for me and I asked for the girls back. We both got what we asked for." I breath heavily before launching myself towards him. I'm able to throw a couple punches at him but the majority was blocked.
Liam was trying to get me tired and when he finally did he threw off to the corner. Zeus took away Liam's wand before he could even cast a spell but at the same time Liam was quickly enough to stab poor Zeus. This made Zeus fly out the window leaving me.
"You betrayed father and for that you'll pay." I roll ove quickly and hear the noise of the blade being stabbed into the floor.
"I did it for our siblings!." I get up quickly and leaned on the stone by the fire place. "They never asked for any of this! I never asked for any of this."
Liam anger rose even more and I pushed my self off the stone before Liam could reach me. "You and those bastard will pay for it. You'll never be good enough to lead the acolytes!."
I laughed, "what makes you think you'll be any better!." Liam launched toward me but trips and falls over me. I pull out my blade just in time.
A heat quickly rushes to my abdomen and quickly push Liam off of me. I look down to see that I've been stabbed. I was completely out of energy from being thrown and kicked around, but this made me feel even more drained out than before. Liam is on the floor breathing heavily trying to even his breath, he's tried of all the fighting we put up.
I kick the blade away from him and pick him up making my side hurt. Without thinking I grab my blade and stab him. "If I go down, your going down with me." Liam grunts and I feel the red liquid on my hands.
We fall onto the ground, "Liam you want to know something." Liam groans and tried to get up but I pull him back down. "Your going to die the same way your mother did." I chuckled lowly but not enough because my side is hurting me.
"Fuck of Ash." Liam grunted. "But say hello to your mother in the after life." Liam gets up and try's to walk himself out.
I reach other my wand and point it at the fire place and see the fire dancing around. I close my eyes preparing myself for what's coming, "Engorgio!." I see the flames rise and fill up the whole room. Now there's no escape for him and I now that this place will burned down.
~~Ethans POV~~
I walk up to Matteo and grab him by his collar. "Where did she go!." My brother kept trying to pull me away from him. Matteo kept pushing me back trying to free himself.
"I don't know!. Once second she was here and the other she is gone!." Matteo launched himself towards me and we bagan to throw a couple punches.
Theodore had to come in between us to stop us. "Enough! We've been tricked cant you see." I look back at the boys.
"Come let's go!." Everyone came back and started walking away.
"Where are we going?!." I yell out toward Theodore.
"Hogwarts! Where else." Before I could argue any further with him he apperated and so did everyone else.
Once I got to hogwarts I pushed through the crowd and got ahold of Theodore. "Your going to tell me where Ashley is right now!." This man really thinks Im that stupid to not know things. But before Theodore could speak up I hear familiar voices calling out mine and Alexander's name.
I let go of Theodore when I see the girls running towards us. Alexander and I run up to them and hug them. "Cara your safe now." I kiss my sisters forehead and pull her back to see if there's any signs she's been hurt. I look over to see that Keva is just as fine as Cara.
From behind I see Lisa and her parents but I don't see anyone walking behind them. "Where Ashley?."
Cara pulls on my shirt, "she's back at the manor with Liam we gotta go now!." I look back to see Theodore and the rest apperated quickly to the Rosier manor.
"Lisa take the girls to Dumbledore please." I pull up Alexander and we apperate to the manor.
When we got there I see that there was the acolytes and the members of the illusion were already fighting. Matteo runs up to me, "other have spotted Ashley inside with Liam but we aren't able to reach them. There too many acolytes."
I look at Alexander, "Matteo clear the way, we're going in."
But before we could take another step the manor blows up. Everyone freezes and looks at what just happened. "Let's go!." one of the acolytes yells out and once by one the acolytes apperate.
I make a run for it but I'm held back by Alexander and Matteo. "Let me go!." I try to pull my arms to free my sled but nothing works.
August and Axel run over and they all push me down. "Fuckin let me go!." I yell out but nobody listens to me. Then the part of the manor that belong to the living room comes crashing down.
Alexander places a hand on my shoulder, "she's gone."I see the member look in disbelief.
Serenity runs up to me and hugs me and I can't do absolutely nothing. For once in my life I felt completely useless. I watched how the manor went up in flames. "Hold on I see someone." I take off Serenity's arms that are wrapped around me and slowly get up.
But to my surprise it wasn't Ashley who walked out but Liam. "What did you do to her!." Matteo yells out and starts running but is stopped by Theodore and Owen.
I couldn't do anything, my legs didn't allow me to move but watch my brother come out alive instead of my sister. Matteo kept yelling at Liam and I just fell on my knees and tears fell down my face. "Where is she!."
Liam look toward me and I saw him take out a blade from his stomach. "The irony of her name is what became of her.. nothing but ash."and he vanished. Now I'm supposed to go home and bury three of my siblings and my sisters friend.