"What are you smiling for?"
"Just happy. Something finally went right, for once."
"I'd hardly call that mess, 'right,'" scoffed Jacob.
He was in a crabby mood. He'd been woken from his sleep by his traveling companions fighting like schoolchildren in the courtyard. Not only had the spell he'd cast to get their attention sapped all the energy he'd recovered since the life-draining spell, but apparating to a new location to make sure the Andrels couldn't follow them had all but killed him.
Yet, there his sister sat, grinning like an idiot. It was evening, and they were sat around the fire once more, full of bowls of some kind of spicy lentil soup Diego had whipped up. Sarah took a swig of tea from her mug and sighed with content, hunching closer to the fire. It was nearing October, and the evenings had become chilly.
No, Jacob realized, Sarah didn't look like an idiot. She looked beautiful. He hadn't seen her smile like that since she was a child. She had little reason to since he'd disappeared. He still felt the shock that had first risen from his stomach when she'd rescued him from the buried vault. All that time, he'd been been picturing a little girl with bright eyes that stared up at him in adoration. Instead, he'd been met with a teenager, a kid who'd had to grow up too fast. Now, he looked across the flames at a young woman. Blimey, how old did that make him now?
He hid his eyes from her, unwilling to examine the memories her face conjured, happy or otherwise. Instead he looked at Merula. She was also beautiful, but in an infinitely different way. The fire made her eyes glint with purple light as she scowled into the flames.
"It would have gone differently if I'd had a wand that worked," she spat. "I'd have had those Andrels begging me for mercy."
"Of course you would have," said Jacob, doing his best to keep any condescension from his voice. He must have managed it, because she cut him a dirty look, but said nothing.
"We all need to get new wands," said Sarah, "but I don't know where we'd get them from, now that Ollivander is gone."
"There are other wandmakers," said Jacob. "But, Ollivander was the best. I suppose it makes sense that the Dark Lord took him."
"Well, anything's better than this rubbish," said Merula, brandishing her wand as if she'd like nothing better than to toss it in the fire. "I can barely cast a decent levitation charm with this."
"I thought you were the most powerful witch at wandless magic," said Sarah, her smile lighting up her face once more as the mocked her old rival.
Diego, freshly trousered, snorted. "Is that what they call 'beating someone to a pulp' these days?"
"Watch it Caplan, or I'll let you see how powerful my fists can be as well."
Diego smiled, but not really. Not like Sarah. He'd been quiet ever since the...battle, for lack of a better word. Jacob supposed, like himself, Diego could sense what was coming.
Jacob shifted in his stiff, wooden chair, his bones creaking like those of a much older man, to look at Lee. Jacob had never liked him. Perhaps that was because when they'd first met, he'd been his little sister's boyfriend. But there was also the matter of his last name. He didn't want to be as judgmental as his parents but, well, the Lees had earned their reputation. When Jacob first met him, he assumed the absurd brainlessness and softheartedness for his friends and creatures was an act. Nobody could be that blissfully naïve.
No, Lee was dangerous. Jacob had always known that. He would lead Sarah to her downfall one day, whether because of his dark past or because of his complete inability to make a smart decision. And now, there was his connection with the Andrels to worry about.
Jacob leaned back, telling himself he'd only put this conversation off until now because he'd been so weak. But he knew, if he let himself see through his own lies, that this wasn't true. He couldn't decide if he liked or hated himself for the actual reason. Sarah's smile.
"Alright," he said," grabbing Lee's eye with his. "Now, we need to decide what to do with you."
"What are you talking about?" asked Sarah, the smile slipping instantly.
"We know for a fact that both the Andrels can see into your mind," he said to Lee, "which means we're not safe no matter where we go, as long as you're with us. Death Eaters could be watching us through your eyes right now."
"I haven't felt either of them since they left," said Barnaby. He rubbed his head as if to make sure. "Its like they were never in there to begin with, and I can't see into Elena's mind at all anymore. I've tried."
His eyes darted around to the others as his mouth clamped shut. He obviously thought he shouldn't have told them that last part.
"Does that mean they're dead?" asked Diego.
Merula scoffed. "When have we ever been that lucky?"
"They're probably just using Occlumency to block you out, which makes them even more dangerous," Jacob explained. "If they become good enough at legilimency and occlumency, they'll be able to spy on you without you having any idea, or even put false memories and visions in your head. It's too risky to let you travel with us."
Barnaby opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again, nodding slowly.
Sarah shot to her feet. "No," she said, loud enough that a nearby owl in a tree gave an indignant hoot and flew off. "If that's true, we can't just abandon you and let the Death Eaters find you again."
"I guess I could go back to Romania..." said Barnaby. "Maybe they wouldn't bother to follow me there."
"No!" said Sarah again. "That's where you were when this whole mess got started!"
"Of course, the simplest answer would be for us to kill you," said Merlua. The only sign that she she joking was the half smile that snuck onto her face. Even then, it was still hard to tell.
Jacob sighed. He privately agreed with her. A couple of years ago, he'd probably have done it. Once you killed once, it got easier and easier. He would have weighed the risks and decided that Barnaby was too dangerous alive, and anyway what harm could one less Lee do to the world? But now, he didn't know what to do, and he wasn't sure why. Something in him seemed to have changed from the bitter, despairing husk he'd been after his death, but he couldn't quite explain what it was.
"I'll train him," said Sarah. "I'll teach him occlumency. Andrel isn't the only one who learned his craft from Snape. I'll work with Barnaby everyday, for as long as it takes until we know for sure they can't get inside his head."
Barnaby glanced at Sarah gratefully, but no one else was put much at ease.
"He's not coming with me," said Jacob at last, throwing a twig in the fire. Embers flew up from the pile, illuminating his sister's determined glare. She reminded him of a dragon guarding her eggs. "My plans are too important. I can't risk any Death Eater getting a whiff of what I'm doing. Either Lee goes, or I do."
All eyes shifted to Sarah.
"I'm staying with him."
"Alright." Jacob stood. "I'll pack up my things and be on my way."
It would take him less than a minute to pack up his entire tent, but he pretended to be finishing things up inside as he waited for Merula.
A few years ago, Sarah would have followed him anywhere at a moment's notice. Back when R was after her, her obsession to find him and protect him had nearly got her killed on numerous occasions. He'd seen the love and admiration for him pour out of her, stronger than any magical spell.
But that was years ago. So much had changed. He was a different person than the brother she'd lost, and she was different, too. He understood that, and he wasn't surprised at her answer. So, why did it hurt so much?
"Hey," came Merula's voice from behind him.
Jacob braced himself for a second dose of the pain.
"You're staying with them," he said, without turning around.
"I have little choice. I know you can take care of yourself, but Spellman and her lot will need a powerful witch with them if they're to survive this war."
Jacob smirked, then turned to face her.
"Don't tell me you're admitting to caring about Sarah's well-being."
They didn't talk about Sarah much--it was an unspoken rule of their relationship never to mention families--but he knew Merula and Sarah had a complicated history.
Merula rolled her eyes. He'd never tell her how adorable he found her when she did that. She'd hex him.
"No, but you know her as well as I do. She'll be around when the Dark Lord shows his ugly face, and I want to be there when he does. Harry Potter might be the only one who can kill You-Know-Who, but I'm gonna take my chances with him first."
Jacob nodded. He knew there was nothing he could say to change her mind, not when her eyes had gone hard. She was like Sarah. Like him.
"I supposed this is goodbye, then."
He stepped forward, and was almost surprised when she let herself be caught in his embrace. She was so tiny that he had to crane his neck to kiss the top of her head.
"See you soon," she said.
She reached up on her tip toes and he lowered himself down until their lips met. He lifted her off her feet and kissed her more hungrily, attempting to tide himself over until he saw her again. Like that could ever happen. He would never--could never--get enough of Merula.
********************
"Will you at least go outside if you insist on pacing back and forth like a deranged diricawl?" Merula barked, kicking her foot out so Diego stumbled over it the next time he passed by.
There was a tense atmosphere in Sarah's tent. Merula had turned crabby as soon as Jacob had disappeared, and Diego's stomach was in knots as he paced back and forth, forcing himself not to tear down the divide Sarah and Barnaby were hidden behind and demand to know exactly what was going on.
Sarah had decided that Jacob had been right about Barnaby being dangerous, so she'd taken to training him right away. She'd put up the divide, insisting Barnaby would need to have total concentration and no distractions, and they two of them hadn't appeared for over an hour.
"Shhhh!"
Diego didn't want Sarah to hear Merula's words. He didn't want her to think he was just outside pacing and worrying, though of course, he was. He wanted her to know he trusted her, which of course he did. So, he continued to pace, this time out reach of Merula's legs, and he continued to worry, but he shoved down any excuses he came up with for barging in on the two of them. And that was something, right?
"I mean, I guess I can't blame you for being nervous," Merula began, her bullying nature shining through as it always did when she was peevish.
"Why didn't you go with Jacob?" Diego interrupted, so Sarah couldn't hear whatever came out of her mouth next. "Surely, you would have enjoyed his company more."
"Somebody's gotta make sure you all stay alive," she said with a shrug. She swung her legs back onto the bunk she'd taken, the one Sarah usually slept in.
"Well, we're all really grateful," he said, then cringed at the sound of Sarah's giggling coming from the other side of the divide.
How long was this occlumency thing going to take? He didn't think he could stand much more of this. He wasn't sure what was worse, Sarah being alone with her ex-boyfriend, or him being alone with Merula.
Diego stopped short as the lights in the tent were extinguished.
"Get some sleep, Caplan," said Merula. "You've got a long day of pining ahead of you tomorrow."