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New Year's Eve. The famous Lockwood annual party had begun. The downstairs and the garden of the Lockwood residence was packed with familiar wizarding faces, some that went to Hogwarts with Ophelia, and some that worked with George.
George and Lillian Lockwood were talking with David and Karen Oliphant about their children and their break up. Whereas their children sat in Ophelia's bedroom with their friends as they waited for Tom to arrive.
"Do you think he's even going to show up?" Abner asked.
"Doubting me is it Abner?" Tom walked into Ophelia's bedroom and looked around, "wow, Lockwood, I would have thought your room would have been pink and princess themed."
Adonis scoffed at Tom's remark on Ophelia's room whilst Nicole choked on her own spit as she tried to keep her laughter down. And Ophelia simply rolled her eyes, "first of all, happy birthday, second of all I'm not a princess person so, why would my bedroom be princess themed?"
"I don't know, Lockwood, you tell me," Tom shrugged, "but on the other hand thank you, seventeen as you can see helps me out by easily apparating in your street."
Ophelia smiled whilst the others mumbled out a few happy birthdays here and there, "Tom please don't stand by my door, sit down."
Tom scanned the bed and watched her brother move over so he could have a place to sit. He walked over and sat in between Ophelia and Adonis, nodding his head towards Adonis to thank him for moving.
"And what are we doing exactly?" Tom asked as he cocked an eyebrow up at the group.
"Going over the final plan, a plan that you don't even know about, and a plan me and Dove came up with on our own!" Ophelia smiled proudly as she looked over to Dove.
"You are lot more Welsh than usual," Tom let out.
There was an uproar in the group as they all agreed with Tom saying they've been telling her this for the past two hours.
"She's not even that Welsh!" Adonis sighed
"Ad, it's not worth it. Alright you lot, I sound more Welsh! Can we just tell Tom the plan and get Edvard out of Azkaban please?" Ophelia sighed.
"The more we wait, the longer he's there." It was barely audible, but Rune's nerves were now clear, and he was anxious and he wanted everything to be over and done with.
Dove kissed his hand and smiled at him, which caused Rune's breathing to somewhat go back to normal.
"Gross, I don't understand how you can be willing enough to show that much affection in front of your friends, but whatever floats your boat," Tom scoffed as he watched the young couple.
"Oh my Merlin, thank you, finally someone agrees with me!" Nicole exclaimed.
"Don't get cocky, Riddle, we all remember the night of the Halloween Ball and how you both were wrapped in each other's arms," Starr pointed a finger towards Tom and Ophelia.
"Wait, what?" Adonis asked.
"Haven't got the time to answer any of you questions, Ad," Ophelia rushed her speech, stress was beginning to set into place.
"To be fair, mate, you did walk into that one," Avery patted Tom on the back as he gave Starr and everyone else who was laughing his infamous deadly glare.
Before Ophelia could even open her mouth to carry on with what she was saying, her dad and Rune's mum walked into her room.
"We want to hear this plan, and help," George smiled, "Ophelia dear, you have some wild accusations but I know you wouldn't tell me unless you were absolutely one-hundred per cent sure about it, so in the back garden is the Minister of Magic, if you can confirm it was Clarissa we can get her arrested with the swish of a wand."
Ophelia looked up to her brother, a shocked expression written all over her face, by God she hoped her's and Dove's plan worked tonight. Adonis smiled down at her, and she knew instantly that he was involved in getting the Minister to her house.
"Ophelia, you don't understand how much this means to me, none of you do, you're all good friends of Rune and you're welcome to our house whenever," Rachel smiled.
"Ah, Tom my boy, how've you been?" George smiled as he reached his arms out.
"I've been good, Mr Lockwood, how have you and Lillian been?" Tom asked as he hugged George and then went in for a handshake.
"We're both good, of course, Lillian is shaken up about losing her uncle, as he was like a father to her but besides that everything else has been great. My, my, the last time I saw you, you were going into fourth year, my you've grown," George smiled as he engaged in a light conversation with Tom.
"Dad, Tom, I hope you don't mind but we've got a plan to tell you both, so hear this first and then you can go back to being boyfriends afterwards," Ophelia cocked her eyebrow up at the two.
"How do you cope with her bossiness at school?" George laughed.
"I don't," Tom laughed as he turned around and winked at Ophelia as he sat back down.
Ophelia was left with her mouth agape in shock at her dad and friend as they mocked her tendency to get on with things.
"Right, if you aren't to know, mum and George, Tom is gifted in the art of Legilimens, so he can dive back to Clarissa's childhood if he wanted too," Rune started.
"Yeah, so we're going to use this as our advantage as from what Ophelia has told us, Clarissa cannot block Tom from delving into her mind," Dove continued and George nodded in agreement.
"So, Tom is going to get it out of her to confirm that she did it, and then when Tom gives us the go-ahead that she killed uncle Maddox, we'll all aim our wands at her and force her to confess," Ophelia smiled up at her dad.
"And that's where you come in now, Mr Lockwood, seeing as you have the Minister of Magic, if you talk to him by the dining room window, you can bring him in and get him to hear the confession from there he can call for backup and get her arrested and he can sign the papers for Edvard's release and hopefully he'll home by tomorrow morning," Avery finished.
"That's a bloody good plan you've got there!" George smiled, "Ophelia, I'm so proud of you!"
"Dove too, dad, we worked together on it," Ophelia smiled as she reached out for Dove's hand, and the two witches smiled their brightest smiles at George Lockwood.
"Yes, well done, Dove, you've always had the brains, now just before I came up, Gethin and Clarissa were in the dining room, so we're already going to plan, Adonis, my boy, you get Gethin out and Rachel if you go out and speak to Dove's parents that'll be great, the kids can get on with their work," George added a few extra details to the plan.
The group all stood up and nerves began to fill them all, this was it, Rune had a huge smile plastered on his face and was ready to see his dad again.
Adonis reached out his hand towards his sister, Ophelia held both of his hands as they calmed themselves down.
"Ophelia, you're an absolute madwoman, throwing acquisitions here and there, but I'm one proud brother. And I hope to Merlin that you're right tonight and don't make a fool out of yourself, because I'll never let you live this down if you're wrong," Adonis joked.
"This proves my point that you were the trail-run sibling, as I'm usually right," Ophelia lightly slapped her brother on his cheek twice.
Adonis turned to his father, a look of horror written on his face. George held his arms up in defence, "don't come for me, I'm not agreeing nor am I disagreeing."
"I'm going to go before I get attacked further," Adonis said as he shook his head.
Adonis, George and Rachel left the room and headed down the stairs. When they reached the ground floor Adonis looked around to see if Gethin and Clarissa were still in the dining room.
Adonis locked eye-contact with his uncle who smiled and beckoned him over to where they were talking. Adonis slowly walked over and bid goodbye to his father and Rachel as she walked into the kitchen to head out into the garden via the back door.
"Adonis, my boy, how are you? I feel like I haven't seen you in ages," Gethin pulled Adonis into a hug.
"Uncle Geth, I'm good, yeah," Adonis said as he pulled out of Gethin's embrace, "yes, unfortunately, the last time I saw you was at Edvard's trail, such sad circumstance."
"Yes it is, you must talk some sense into your sister, still hanging around with his son, such a vile man. You know what they say, like father, like son. The next thing we'll know that horrible boy would've finished his father's work and bumped off your sister," Gethin shook his head in disgust, "Ophelia, she's so naive and vulnerable, you need to keep her in order."
"Ophelia is far from naive, uncle Gethin," Adonis protested, "she knows what she's doing. As for her friend, his name is Rune, and he is like his father, yes, but I think we both know that Edvard is innocent."
"And who do you suppose murdered your great uncle?" Gethin spat.
"Boys, calm down," Clarissa stepped in.
"I think he's standing in close proximity, wouldn't you think?" Adonis barked back.
Ophelia walked into the dining room with her friends, she stopped when she saw Adonis' clenched jaw and tense posture. She eyed her brother and then her uncle. She knew something was up, but she had to go through with the plan.
"Aunt Clarissa, do you mind helping us with our defence against the dark arts project?" Ophelia came into the dining room followed by the others as her aunt stood up ready to leave.
Clarissa was a glamorous woman, always wearing the top clothes and jewellery, as of right now she was wearing a long white, strapless dress with expensive white pearls, the only colour she was wearing was her strawberry blonde hair and blood-red lipstick.
Nicole muttered under her breath 'she won't be able to look that pretty in Azkaban', which earned a few laughs from the group.
"Of course, dear. Is professor Merrythought still teaching at Hogwarts?" Clarissa asked, her voice was high but relaxing, like when you finally get a hold of a cold drink on a hot summer's day.
"Yes, she teaches us all," Ophelia smiled as the group sat around the dining room.
"Go on boys, take your conversation outside," Clarissa turned to Adonis and Gethin, "no need to involve the children in ministry work."
Adonis looked back to Ophelia as he walked to the kitchen, he nodded his head to signify everything was okay, but his eyes were saying something different. Their secret signal. Something was wrong.
Clarissa turned back to the group, eyed Morgandy and cleared her throat, "Oh honey, those jeans and those boots do not go, and you're a girl wearing jeans?"
"Uh, yeah, they're comfortable," Morgandy looked shocked.
"Anyways, what do you need help with, dear?" Clarissa asked as she ignored Morgandy.
"Actually, its Tom," Ophelia smiled and pulled Tom to sit opposite Clarissa.
Clarissa looked up to Ophelia and nodded her head and winking. Ophelia once again had her mouth agape and Emory tensed up.
"Moving on, Clarissa, I need you to focus a second," Tom used his charming smile to get Clarissa to focus.
Within seconds Tom had delved into Clarissa's mind, the group watched in anticipation and Nicole walked into Ophelia's kitchen. She came back with one of George's famous burgers and down and watched as Tom tried to find out the truth.
Clarissa and Tom came back, and Clarissa shook her head and began to cry.
Tom stepped back, trying the grasp what he just saw. He looked from Ophelia to Clarissa to the window where Gethin, George, Adonis and the Minister of Magic was stood.
"It wasn't her," Tom looked back to where the Minster, George, Adonis and Gethin stood.
"Who was it?" Ophelia asked.
"Who framed my dad, Tom?" Rune began to yell.
Tom shook his head, struggling to get his words out. Ophelia began to worry. Was it her dad? Her brother? He wouldn't hesitate this much if it wasn't someone significant to her life.
Ophelia stepped forward, reaching out for Tom's hand, which he took, "oh my god," Ophelia gasped, "Adonis knew..."
"Knew what Ophelia?" Emory asked.
"It wasn't Clarissa..." Ophelia quietly let out. Clarissa fell to her knees and started begging to Ophelia to not say anything.
Ophelia looked to Tom. Tom looked back and cleared his throat, "it was Gethin."
Ophelia dropped his hand and looked down on Clarissa. She turned to Rune and they looked at each other, shock written across their face. They didn't have to say a word to one another to know what they needed to do next.
They ran into the kitchen, onto the mini porch and down the steps, closely followed by everyone else.
The sudden heard of children startled the guests outside. And when they began to raise their wands towards Ophelia's father, brother, uncle and the Minister. Even Clarissa raised her wand, an action which caused Ophelia to double look.
Everyone was watching and whispering as to why a bunch of teenagers had their wands raised to someone as important as Gethin, both the Minister and George were just as shocked as the guests.
Adonis stepped away from his father and joined Ophelia and her friends.
"Ophelia lower your wand this instant; this is the second time you've done this with the past two weeks!" Lillian, Ophelia's mother, gave a hushed yell to avoid the embarrassment from her guests.
"Mam," Adonis called out.
Lillian watched her son, his facial expression was empathetic, and she could tell there and then something wasn't right. Lillian broke down, she knew. She saw it in her son's eyes, she saw it in her brother's eyes. George rushed to his wife's side, catching her before she collapsed onto the floor.
Ophelia looked up to her brother, not for the first time that night, "you knew," she let out, "you knew all this time."
Adonis nodded his head, "I'm an auror, Ophelia, I had my own investigation going, that's why Robbie and Adam are here, but you lot beat us to it."
"Oh Jesus Christ, we beat a bunch of Aurors," Avery spoke up, "this is the best thing that'll ever happen to me, I just know it."
"Pretty sad life you're going to live then, Harlen," Robbie Brinkmann, Adonis' friend and co-worker, spoke up from behind the group, "I can see you're the opposite to your brother."
"What in the name of Merlin is going on here?" the minister asked.
"Mister Spencer-Moon, I'm so sorry you're caught in the middle of this kerfuffle, but Edvard Lufkin is innocent!" Ophelia exclaimed.
The whole back garden came to a standstill, hushed whispers arose between the guests as they grasped onto what Ophelia had just said.
"Miss Lockwood, your father has previously mentioned that you are quick to jump to a conclusion but, how can you be so sure?" Leonard Spencer-Moon questioned.
Ophelia was stuck, she couldn't expose Tom as a Legilimens, he would have to register with the ministry and could possibly face expulsion just for possessing the gift alone. She tried to think of the best answer, but it wasn't needed, for Adonis had already answered the question.
"Minister, Brinkmann, Mackey and I have been working on an investigation against Gethin Driscoll for the past year," Adonis announced, "we received tips from an insider of some dark business going on, and when we finally received a name we kept a close eye on Driscoll."
"You see, Minister, Gethin had planned this for ages, we just needed to find a way that we could have proved Mister Lufkin's innocence," Adam Mackey added.
Before the minister could ask any further questions, Gethin interrupted the conversation. "This is absurd, these acquisitions are coming from a sixteen-year-old who is blind to see how evil her friend's father is," Gethin spat, "I told you to watch your sister, Adonis, but I should have been watching the pair of you! You're both as bad as each other, I'll have your job for this, Adonis!"
"Give it a rest, Gethin!" Clarissa raised her voice, her tears had dried and she was clearly angry. She turned to the minster, "I can provide evidence that Gethin is, in fact, the true murderer of Taliesin Maddox, Minister Moon. I will gladly provide evidence in court that Gethin admitted to me that he murdered Maddox using the killing curse."
"Mr Driscoll, is this true?" Minister Spencer-Moon asked.
Gethin didn't respond, he only put his arms up in the arm in defence. His tongue was pressed firmly against his inner cheek, which provided a visible lump on the side of his face. Gethin stared hard at his wife, making Clarissa uncomfortable.
"Wow, really, you gave up that quick?" Abner asked as Brinkmann and Mackey swooped in and placed Gethin in handcuffs.
Lillian was left to cry as she watched her brother get taken away. Ophelia comforted her mother who was crying into her chest she looked over to Tom and mouthed out a 'thank you' to which Tom nodded his head.
George came over after he finished his conversation with the Minister, Ophelia let go of her mother as she went towards George and continued to sob into George's chest.
Clarissa was left heartbroken as she saw her daughter watch the scene unfolded through the kitchen door frame, Tirion fell to the floor as she began to cry. Clarissa's face full of glamorous make-up was now a mess and she looked like she had been splashed with water from the mascara running down her face and how her bright-red lipstick was now all smudged from she had been sucking back in the dribble of her sobs.
As he watched the scene unfold around him, Rune wondered if he had done the right thing. He was able to prove his father's innocence with the help of her friends and fix his broken family, but on the other hand, he tore up Tirion's family. Tirion's father was to have Edvard's life sentence, Rune knew that Clarissa could face time in prison also even if she was to testify against her husband.