Judgement Day (Hogwarts Mystery Year 7 Retell)

Chapter 25: The Journey Home.

"I believe in exploration, and I will miss being on the front lines of that endeavor. On one hand, I look forward to going home, but it's something that's been a big part of my life, and I'm going to miss it." - Scott Kelly.

Ethan felt himself kicking off of sand. He and his friends were back in the Mexican Desert. And he never thought he'd be so happy to be back in the desert and away from the jungle. He got up and ran up to Penny.

"You okay, Penny?" Ethan asked.

"Yeah." Penny answered. "Never tried apparating before is all. I'm fine." That was when they noticed Jacob curling on the ground.

"Jacob!" Ethan ran up to his brother.

"You okay?" Tulip asked as she and the others got up as well.

"Yeah..." Jacob wheezed. "Just... never really apparated over a distance with so many people like that before." 

"Well you landed us in the middle of the Mexican Desert. So I'd say you did a good job all things considered." Rath commented.

"We got Penny back too, and that's what matters." Diego agreed.

Penny smiled. She was happy to be among her friends again. And away from the chains and cage. "Thanks for rescuing me, guys. Even though I'm no one special, I owe you all big time."

"Don't be silly, Penny. You're special to me." Ethan replied making Penny blush. Until Ethan felt the stinging on his face.

"Maybe we should make camp." Jacob suggested. "We're all exhausted and I need to take a look at that face." He looked at Ethan as he said that.

"Yeah, sure." Ethan mumbled. "That sounds nice."

That night. Diego cooked the food for everyone while Jacob tended to Ethan's face, treating it with Potions. And Penny ate the food like a wolf. And let it go without saying that Penny would never take food for granted again.

"Penny, you're not going to throw up like you did on the Hogwarts Express are you?" Tulip asked.

Penny shoved a sandwich down her throat. "Tulip. I have been chained, caged, gagged, and I haven't eaten anything but scraps and gruel for a full month. Please let me enjoy this while I still can." She insisted.

"Okay." Tulip replied a little nervously. She decided to check on Ethan. "How's he doing?" She asked Jacob.

"Well, the infection and the burning have stopped." Jacob answered. "But that face scar is going to stay."

"There were worse things to lose." Ethan interrupted. He then looked at Jacob. "I lost the Runestone, Jacob. I had to give it up for Penny."

"Wasn't your fault, E." Jacob assured. "Trotsky was ready for us. He had every move planned out." 

 "I took his ear off by the way. Slayton." Ethan told his brother. Which earned a smile from Jacob. 

"Good." Penny praised. "Too bad you couldn't slash his face."

"It was a blind strike." Ethan pointed out.

"Well a hit is still a hit." Rath commented. "And Slayton is going to be half deaf for the rest of his life." She noticed that Penny flinched when that name was mentioned. "He hurt you, didn't he?" She asked.

Penny nodded. "What he did. What he threatened to do to me..." She stuttered. "He snapped my wand. He mocked me. Called me, Princess and not in a good way. Shoved some scraps down my throat. And..." Penny was starting to cry. "I thought he killed Ethan."