Calling All Troops
*****
Tina rubbed her temples in an effort to ease the headache she felt like she’d sported for the months she’d been in England…. Going over the mess of laws she was working on more in depth was proving far more frustrating and angering than she’d necessarily been prepared for. And with Graves more focused on correcting the appalling DADA education provided at that fucking school, she was doing it alone.
Every damned law. Every single one passed in at least the last sixty years. Since Dumbledore took an interest in the Wizengamot…
And she wasn’t done pulling records.
Every law had some prevision buried deep in the fine print restricting something or outlawing some spell.
It was a wonder anyone was allowed to do anything on British soil at this point.
And it was so subtly done, she had no doubt no one had noticed until they were arrested for some infraction of something.
Even her and Newt’s marriages were in question as legally binding in the damn country since they both married to wizards from another country not listed in the approved section of the law she’d found.
“Breathe, Teenie,” her sister urged as she wandered over, arms full of an elegant tea service with small plates of sandwiches and snacks.
“Queenie, don’t even try right now,” she muttered, pushing gently at her sister’s presence in her mind. “You’ll just make the headache worse.”
“How about some bread!” Jacob offered, following his wife and setting a steaming pile of fresh rolls on the desk in front of her, effectively covering the latest law she was reviewing with a find-toothed comb.
“The two of you are ridiculous,” she said with a sigh, leaning back in her desk chair with a soft smile.
“Well, we needed a distraction from the search and figured you needed a distraction from the mean old parchment,” Queenie said with a smile, easing the tray she held onto another pile of papers after quickly spelling the entire desk against spills and the heat.
“I think that’s a splendid plan,” Theseus said with a smile when he popped his head past the door of the office she’d been given in the Den.
“You are all conspiring poorly,” she muttered.
“Or we’re not trying,” her husband said with a chuckle as he made his way to his favorite chair, set just behind her.
“There’s that as well,” she said with a laugh.
They were halfway through their afternoon tea when a silverly wolf bounded through the wall that held dozens of law books. It bounced over and perched itself on the lid of the teapot, looking ridiculous on the elegant and flowery china.
“Message for Theseus Scamander,” Sirius’s voice echoed from the charm, adding to the funny sight. “To be delivered when he is surrounded by those he trusts. Do you confirm?”
Theseus shared a look with all of them and Tina prayed this wasn’t the message she feared. Granted, she approved of Sirius protecting his message, but that didn’t stop the sudden drop in her stomach or the way the delicious food she’d just eaten seemed to turn to lead in her stomach in dread.
“Yes, confirmed,” Theseus finally said softly.
“She’s been found. Stopped by Hogwarts to reassure Bambi but now in the Ward for the Goddess to tie her to a bed until she’s satisfied,” the patronus said with a smirk. Then all amusement faded as the wolf’s eyes flashed in anger. “Riddle had her and Blondie. It was not pleasant.”
Tina froze as she felt the previous dread turn to fury.
“Go,” Queenie ordered, turning to Theseus. “We’ll check in with the goblins to see what they need done and prepare information for the Aurors whenever we decide to involve them beyond what we’ve done with Azkaban.”
“I’m going to Diagon and Nocturn,” Tina said bluntly. “See if anyone’s seen anything or if anyone seems in a panic. There’s no way she was taken by that ass and no one there knew. I want to see if the public really is as oblivious as we all think.”
Theseus studied her for a moment but then nodded. “Report in two hours.”
She knew he wanted to give her time but didn’t want to be vague or he risked her disappearing to track down the bastard that had hurt her niece and nephew. Adopted or not, the Potter siblings were hers and Queenie’s family. And she felt a familiar anger swelling in her. This would not end well for the man or his followers.
They’d all been simmering in anger for months, as they researched the depths of Dumbledore’s depravity, but they were forced to wait for revenge against the man. Voldemort may not have meant to, but he’d just gained the undivided attention of the most protective and dangerous group of people he possibly could have. And in the worst possible way.
“I do agree, Teenie,” Queenie said with a quite frankly terrifying grin.
Tina made note to avoid having that grin ever turned towards her.
*****
Newt grumbled as he finally surfaced from the depths of Gringotts with the last of the creatures from the Aiaia vault. The small group of nifflers were last because it had simply taken so long to move their hoard. Apparently, the previous Lady had given them permission to raid her gold and jewels. Or they’d managed to sneak out of the creature area to raid the main vault. And one of the females had been so pregnant they’d decided to wait until she’d given birth before moving the lot instead of risking the health of the whole group. As one who’d handled the energetic creatures frequently and for a long time, he’d been deemed responsible to move the new mother and kits.
As much as he loved the creatures, he did not miss the mess kits could get into if left unsupervised for even a second. The runt had managed to get out and disappear into the empty zoo when he’d been securing the lot in his niffler specific transport crate. Before he’d gotten the escape-proof seal secured…
It had taken Bill, Charlie, his grumpy Percival, and him another two hours to track the little bugger down. And his mother had not been happy with being separated from her new kit. The cage would bear the gouges of her anger for years if he didn’t end up scraping it entirely.
But now the family was happily ensconced together, playing with the pile of glittery jewels and galleons Arianna had offered to the little creatures as a bribe while they transported them to the Sanctuary.
It was a familiar trip at this point, and Newt was beyond excited for the destination. Never before had anyone shown as much love and respect for creatures as Arianna was showing. Not that he had seen, beyond himself. Charlie was a close second, with his never-ending championship of dragons, but Charlie was more likely to forget that others needed his protection. Arianna was the first to build a sanctuary for all magical creatures and fill it with the intention of allowing the public to visit and be taught about the creatures. There were even some plans to add a practical portion to the sanctuary, where dedicated individuals could help with feedings or care of the creatures that would allow it, to provide a hands on approach to learning about them.
Granted, most of the creatures would need to be assessed for how well they handled others touching them or interacting beyond their handlers, but with most born and raised in captivity, he had little doubt the majority would be approved.
He was a little surprised his husband had decided to join them with the transport, as he was certain the man would be working to track Arianna down and hexing the dementated, snake-faced half-blood son of a witch that took her. Yet there he was, leaning against the cart wall and brooding at the quickly passing walls and hidden tunnels as they sped to the island chain in the Mediterranean.
“I needed time away from the search or I was going to kill someone,” Percival growled without Newt having to say anything. “It’s too much like what happened when she disappeared the first time.”
Newt winced at that, well aware of the panic they’d all been in before they’d had to admit it unlikely they’d find her. It had taken years for Percival to give up. He knew first hand what it felt like to give up hope of rescue, and it had taken a lot for him to go back to work, knowing Arianna was either dead or extremely well hidden from them. Newt had spent years subtly checking in with his smuggler friends to see if there was any news of a girl matching her description being moved or any information. It would not surprise him if Percival had done the same. And to have the impossible happen? To have her back? Only to lose her again? It was almost too hard to contemplate.
If he wasn’t distracted by transporting animals, he probably would be frantic.
The silvery form of a small wolf darted to the front of their cart, startling the goblin driving. The cart jerked, but the goblin got it under control quickly and Newt smiled.
“Nice catch, Driver Shattersword,” Newt complemented.
“Thank you, Mr. Scamander-Graves,” the goblin responded.
The patronus eyed them with some amusement before turning to Percival and flicking its tail.
“Message for Percival Graves,” the patronus said with Sirius’ familiar baritone. “To be delivered when he is surrounded by those he trusts. Do you confirm?”
Percival smiled and Newt knew it was because Sirius had warded his message in case Percival was in public. Smart.
“Confirmed,” Percival said, smiling at the suddenly tense back of the startled goblin.
“She’s been found. Stopped by Hogwarts to reassure Bambi but now in the Ward for the Goddess to tie her to a bed until she’s satisfied,” the patronus said with a smirk. Then all amusement faded as the wolf’s eyes flashed in anger. “Riddle had her and Blondie. It was not pleasant.”
Newt winced. He was glad they now had a name to use that was not tabooed, that wouldn’t alert the madman to their location whenever it was uttered, but it did not bode well for said madman when Arianna got her hands on him. He was already dead for what he’d done to Harry, but now that he’d gotten hold of Arianna for any length of time? He had little doubt the somewhat vicious woman their little Prongslette had grown into would now make his end slow. Slow and painful.
At least she was found.
“Go,” he ordered as soon as the silvery wolf nodded to indicate the end of the message and disappeared. Percival looked to him with a quirked eyebrow. “I can’t yet,” he explained. “I’ve got to get these ones settled and ensure everyone knows what they’re doing at the Sanctuary. Besides, you know I’m not good with people.”
Percival just rolled his eyes and threw an arm around his shoulders, pressing a kiss to his cheek.
“You’d think you’d accept you’ve gotten better after all this time…” he huffed. “But fine. Once the cart stops, I’ll arrange a port key back. It’ll take less time than the carts and I can’t apparate that far.”
“Give her my best,” Newt said softly. “And put a tracker on her so this doesn’t happen again…”
“I’m fairly certain she’s not going to escape without at least six and a Vow to make sure she has a guard at all times,” Percival said with a laugh.
“I wouldn’t be surprised,” the goblin grumbled. “We’ve arrived, Wizards.”
Newt thanked the goblin and departed, clutching the cage to him tightly and smiling as Percival only gave him a goodbye kiss and left to do as he’d promised.
“Now, my little mischief makers,” he said to the cage as he made his way through the now familiar paths. “Let’s get you settled with the others. You’ll love the habitat. Lots of shinies and friends to make messes with and no consequences as long as you stay in the habitat.”
He had little doubt they’d escape eventually.
*****
Once he was able to ensconce his charge within the domain of her healer where he was sure the protective gobliness wouldn’t let her leave until she was satisfied of her patient’s health, Artair MacGobhainn snapped orders to the two guards he’d brought along. They snapped to attention, unused to his anger after all the time they’d shared together, and quickly took up positions by the entrance to the healing Ward the goblins had gifted his Lady.
The cleansed people sleeping in the beds between them and their Lady would do well to stay in bed. Eir had easily spelled a magical wall separating the single path to the area she had Arianna in, but he would not allow his guards to ignore the potential dangers. However, he would accept that it was much more likely any potential threat would come from the doors and not within the Ward.
So he eyed the two for a moment, on either side of the large door, before he stormed off in search of the fastest way to the guard barracks in the Aiaia vault.
The goblins seemed to understand his destination, however, and he was quickly joined by a goblin he was fairly sure went by Griphook.
“This way, Knight,” the goblin said, gesturing to a tunnel he knew didn’t go where he wanted for quite a ways.
“I have no time for games,” he growled.
“And I have no need to play,” Griphook said, with a sneer.
Artair studied him a moment before nodding and stepping into the tunnel. Only to step immediately into the large cave that held the great doors of the Aiaia vault. The main doors had been shut after Arianna had unsealed the vault, but a smaller set of doors had appeared in the base of the large doors and allowed them to come and go with Arianna’s permission. Now, the smaller door was held opened by one of the goblin handlers.
He turned to Griphook with a raised eyebrow.
“And you couldn’t do that before?” he asked.
“It takes a great deal of power to shorten such a distance and it was deemed not necessary when most who have visited this vault seem to enjoy the cart ride.”
“Bloody Gryffindors,” he muttered.
“Agreed,” Griphook said with a smirk.
He shook his head but then stormed through the door, with a nod to the goblin holding it opened for him and went immediately to the barracks. A few quickly barked orders had others darting away to get the rest of the guards from the various places they were helping the audit while carefully avoiding the others in the vault. Especially the pair of Weasleys that were currently overseeing the move of the various foodstuffs and upkeep material for the creatures they were done moving. Newt had suggested it as a distraction from their own worry, and no one wanted to gain the wrath of the two. Artair had no doubt they’d been informed of her recovery and had been told to stay away from Eir’s domain until she said otherwise.
While he waited, he stood at the front of the room, arms crossed and blatantly ignoring any questions. When he was finally surrounded by the full contingent of guards deemed salvageable from the attempts on the vault, he huffed and studied them all.
None had done well with failing their duty to their Lady.
Many were obviously sleep deprived and yet others sported bruises from overly frustrated sparing. All looked to have lost weight, even the high elves that didn’t really have enough meat on their bones to lose, and he cursed himself for allowing his Lady’s guards to get to this state. They’d all waited long enough for their chance to earn their freedom and they’d done a spectacular job in the opposite direction.
“This will not happen again,” he barked.
“Yes, sir,” came the chorused response.
“She’s been recovered,” he said. He watched as they all breathed a sigh of relief. “Not uninjured, but alive.”
Several snarled in response to that and he grinned viciously. It was time to take their roles seriously, Merlin be damned the consequences. Arianna would just have to get over her dislike of visible guards and the shadow games she was playing.
“While many of you know that Albus Dumbledore is the very definition of insane, we have been forbidden from confronting him without permission from our Lady,” he started, smiling viciously at the various grumbles. “However, we now have a target that has no such protection. Ready yourselves, gentlemen. When we’re not guarding our Lady, we hunt for Voldemort and his Death Eaters. It’s time to protect our lady.”
The cheers echoed in the room, seeming to rouse the very stones.
It should have surprised no one that a dragon answered the sound with an enraged roar of his own.
*****
The seer giggled quietly from her perch on the bench next to her future mate. The redhead was being stubborn, but then again, they were only fourteen. She would be patient but she was ready to at least cuddle. Perhaps she would have to be even more obvious than sitting in her lap…
Then she full belly laughed at the rumble that filtered to her from the magic that gave her her visions.
Oh there was much hurt coming to those that deserved it.
The dragons and warriors were getting involved. Together.
She ignored the sudden wary looks she received, as she always did.