#ilop1

[soldier-meadoe]

What You Deserve // drabble

Two weeks. Fourteen days. In the middle of a war, it could change everything. For the upcoming two weeks, Dorcas wouldn’t be able or allowed to set a foot in the Ministry, to work in any way. To help things move. To act. She was so terrified of staying still and not doing anything ; now it was the Ministry itself forcing her to. How had her life come to this ? She was supposed to be a good guy, fighting the good fight. But what she was becoming was so terrifying that her superiors were wondering whether she shouldn’t stop fighting altogether. 

For once in her life, anger only came second. She was, before anything else, burning with unadulterated shame. And self-hatred, another thing she wasn’t used to. Her anger was usually directed at the whole world, at everyone else who was always too stupid or judgmental to undersand her. But this time it was the opposite. This time the whole world was reminding her that she was completely out of bounds, that she had gone way too far.

Dorcas was leaning against the door outside of Head Chang’s office, her breathing irregular and difficult. For the first time in her life she had got out of a superior’s office in silence, without having contested something she’d been told. Mostly it was because she had been too stunned to do anything upon hearing her sentence. 

The massive arrest operation organized by the Ministry had happened two weeks before already, and to be honest she’d been starting to think that she was off the hook. Apparently she hadn’t been. Because people talked, of course people would talk of something like that. She didn’t exactly know who had ratted on her but she had a few ideas. It sure wasn’t anyone from Law Enforcement ; however both Carrows knowing her identity, they sure had enough weapons to do a lot of harm. They had the connexions necessary for her behaviour to get to Chang’s ears. 

Two weeks ago, Dorcas had snapped. Bad. She'd been in charge, with her team, to arrest Alecto Carrow at her house. The witch had resisted, so they had fought very violently -- and both got a bit carried away in their mutual hatred. Until Carrow had surrendered. But Dorcas hadn’t stopped punching. She couldn’t even remember what had happened after that, and could only base herself on what she’d been told by Hubert later on, who was covering for her in a way she knew she didn’t deserve. 

The muggleborn witch wanted to punch herself for being so stupid. Carrow had seen her face, and then Dorcas herself had bragged to her twin about having his sister’s blood on her knuckes. What was she thinking ? She knew they didn’t have enough evidence to send them to Azkaban, and probably wouldn’t get any confessions. She should have known that they would get out and the word about her slip up would spread. Stupid, stupid, stupid girl.

She didn’t even have the heart to find out who the “very trustworthy source” that had informed Head Chang of her behaviour was, because she knew that she deserved it and in the end, it did not matter. Any other day, in any other situation, that would have been the first thing she would have done. Revenge. I’m going to get the bastard who sold me out. But not today, because today what she had just received was revenge for what she had done. 

All she had to do now was to... Go home, probably. Would she tell anyone ? She would have to. What would she do, all alone ? Maybe she should take some vacations ; but she didn’t have a lot of money saved. She looked down at her hands, lost -- what to do with them now ? Very slowly, she started walking back towards her office, almost completely numb. She took her bag, her most personal items, and headed towards the elevator. She heard her name being called but didn’t answer, didn’t even turn around. 

Two weeks of suspension would be the end of her -- and yet that was much less than what she deserved for turning into a cold-blooded monster. 

[purest-of-pure-blog]

Caged Animals║Alecto and Rabastan║October 4th 1979

“This is fucking unbelievable.” In anger and frustration, Rabastan banged his hand against the bars, resulting in a metallic twang.  “They have nothing and they know it.  The fuckers just want to say they’ve gotten someone and we’re the poor bastards to take the fall.”  

[raucous-rooks]

Conflict of Interest║October 4th, 1979║Drabble

With a shaky hand, Isabella picked up the small, flimsy piece of parchment for the third time in half an hour.  Even though her eyes had scanned and read the same words over and over again, they were still just letters, jumbling up in a mess in her mind.  She couldn’t understand.  What did they want?  Why wouldn’t anyone just let her live in peace?  Again she read the script on the parchment, her eyes moving over every single green spiral that the calligrapher’s quill had followed.

Ms. Isabella Rookwood,

Please report to the Ministry of Magic at your earliest convenience.  You are wanted for questioning regarding the activities of the alleged vigilante group known as “The Phoenix”.  Our offices are located on the second floor; someone will arrive to escort you.

It was like a bad joke, the idea of her knowing anything about the group.  Sirius and James never told her where they went, what they did - if this group existed at all.  More worrying was that Isabella did know a few members of another group, one that was surely more sinister in purpose.  Though she still knew little about that, she knew it was nothing good... but it was family.  

She took a deep breath, trying to fight the lump that formed in her stomach and throat, running a hand through her hair.  She never took well to authority figures, to being ordered around.  If she had forgotten in the past year why, all the anxiety it caused came rushing back to her.

What if she said the wrong thing?  What if she ended up in jail?  What if Alecto, or worse still, Aug hated her for saying anything at all? What if, what if, what if...  Isabella’s thoughts ran around and around themselves.  She had half a mind to pack up and leave, to forget everything and run.  But again, her family.  Her makeshift, stupid, tight-knit mixed family.  Sirius and James and Remus... Alecto and little Thea, everyone.  She couldn’t leave them; even if she could, she would never be able to run far enough.

With an angry scream, she pushed everything off of the table.  She had no other choice.  She would have to go.  It was go to the Ministry or run.  Isabella swallowed deeply, as if that would get rid of the lump in her throat, before she grabbed her jacket and left for the ministry.

[purest-of-pure-blog]

Loves to Romance Them, Reckless Abandon ║ October 4th, 1979 ║ Drabble

    October 4th, 1979:   4:10 AM Lestrange London Townhouse

The night before, there was nothing unusual, nothing to indicate that when Rabastan woke next, it would be to a crowd of shouting Aurors, to the acrid smell of hexes and spells flying through the air.  There was nothing to indicate that his home would be violated, nothing that would otherwise tell him that there was evidence against him.  No whispers, no small gestures, no uncomfortable silences.  No, the only indication that Rabastan Lestrange received that night was only given moments before the raid.  

Rabastan twitched in his sleep as the wards he had so carefully and painstakingly put into place twisted and warped.  Finally, he snapped awake as they gave way, reaching quickly for his wand on his bedside table, blearily running through scenarios in his head.  He had a few moments at best before the remaining wards fell.  Fighting after realizing their presence would only further incriminate himself.  Not doing anything would be foolhardy. Apparating away would make him look guilty.  Quickly, he glamoured the Mark before murmuring an Eradication Spell under his breath.  He had no idea if it would work on his own wand, but if Priori Incantatum was performed, then he would really be in trouble.

Rabastan lay back down and waited.  He could get a few spells out with a good excuse (”I was surpised, the way they came bursting in.  There is a war on, you know.”) but that space would be limited

The sounds of voices drifted up as all of the downstairs rooms were cleared and whispers and muffled steps grew louder as they came closer and closer to the closed bedroom door... which soon crashed open.  Immediately, without looking to see who was where, Rabastan threw the covers off of himself and grabbed his wand in a single fluid motion before firing of several successive Stunning spells (”How could I be one of them?  I never fired an Unforgivable.  Don’t their lot have no qualms about doing it?  How was I supposed to know it was the Ministry?”).  

He had no idea if they ever made contact with anyone, though, as he suddenly felt his entire body run cold and found himself entirely incapable of moving.  There was a weight on his back - presumably someone’s knee - as his hands were secured with tight ropes that wound themselves around his wrists.  He shuddered as he watched someone pick up his fallen wand.  It was his, his wand. No one else was suited to touch it.  As he was pulled up, he came face to face with Alastor Moody.  Rabastan kept his face impassive as he was ushered out his own bedroom, suddenly wishing that he had worn a shirt to bed instead of just a pair of pants.

 There were no questions.  As wordlessly as this whole thing had happened, that was how it continued as he was pushed into a cold, dark cell.  He couldn’t even see all the way to the back of it.  He shivered as bare feet contacted with the dirty, cold stone and the dampness of the cell only made the air colder.  Now he really wished he had worn a shirt to bed.

After the door slammed shut with a metallic tang behind him, Rabastan stood silently, staring out of the bars.  The Minsitry couldn’t have had anything.  There was nothing to indicate that he was anything but an upstanding if not occasionally inappropriate Ministry employee.  So why was he here?

“Well, there’s naught to do but wait,” he sighed quietly.

[siriusblackisabadass]

Wanted For Questioning || ILOP1

Mr. Black,

You are wanted for questioning about an alleged vigilante group known as “the Phoenix” by the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Please attend at your earliest convenience.

Sighing slightly, Sirius dropped the note back onto the table, trying to ignore the knot in his stomach and concentrating on eating his breakfast. That was the third time he’d read it since it had arrived about ten minutes earlier, and the words still hadn’t changed. He couldn’t detect any of his friends’ usual tells, either, which meant this wasn’t a forgery -- this was the real thing.

It wasn’t like he had anything to be worried about -- clearly, the Ministry didn’t know anything about them, not even their actual name. He’d go in, feign ignorance, act every bit the spoiled rich kid living off his uncle’s inheritance they expected him to, and be out again soon enough. No problem.

Except…what if he was kept in until evening? Worse, what if he was kept in overnight? What if they didn’t let him out for a couple of days? He couldn’t do that to his friend. He had to be there, tomorrow of all nights. He had to be there. It was like this entire thing had been planned against them. Of course Sirius knew that Remus would have James and Peter with him through the night, if the worst came to the worst and they kept him in a couple of days for questioning, but it was better when the four of them were together. It always had been, and he would do anything he could to get out of the Ministry as soon as possible.

Checking the note once more in a half-hearted hope that maybe it was just a really, really good forgery, Sirius quickly finished his breakfast, grabbed his jacket and headed out.

[the-better-brother]

lost and found // carblack

Regulus had woken up to an empty and cold bed this morning, no note to be found anywhere. Of course his mind had instantly jumped to the only explanation possible ; Amycus didn’t want him anymore and he was giving him some time to clear the flat. He’d dressed as quickly as possible and called for Kreacher to gather everything that was his in the flat and send it back to Grimmauld Place. He’d refused to let himself cry over it or act like a broken-hearted baby ; after all, he’d known it would happen. But it sill hurt like a bitch. 

It was now two hours later, and Regulus was wandering along the Ministry’s holding cells corridors. He had no right to be there, of course. Yet he was, and so was Scarlette, and so was... Amycus. One of these cells held Amycus. His pace quickened. There was no thought of break-up or broken heart anymore ; just terror, and rage, like he’d never felt it. After long minutes he finally caught sight of him. “Amycus,” he said, out of breath and trying to take in all of his body to see if he’d been hurt.

@purebloodcarrow

[itsmarlmckinnon]

*she slams the paper down* Someone needs to tell me what the eff is going on! 

[the-better-brother]

“Can anyone tell me what this fucking means ? Why didn’t we know about it ?!  WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN, TAKEN IN FOR QUESTIONING ? Where are they ?! Where the fuck did you put them ?!”