In The Shadow of Our Choices

Chapter 7 - Family Matters

Once again, Elizabeth was awoken early in the morning by the crack of an apparition. This time though, she only opened her eyes. She was much too exhausted to vault out of bed this morning. She rolled onto her side, intending to fall back asleep. There were two more loud cracks, and Elizabeth was sitting bolt upright, listening intently. Long moments passed. She started to relax, but then the soft wail of the Intruder Charm Ominis had placed around the house sounded.

"Damn it," Elizabeth cursed.

She flew from the bed.

"Up, up," she said, smacking the boys as she passed their beds. "Intruder alarm."

Ominis was awake in an instant, clambering out of bed. Sebastian was still sitting up groggily. He'd stayed up reading, and Elizabeth cursed him under her breath. She hadn't reached the door yet when it blew inward, flying off its hinges. Three figures strode over the threshold.

One of the figures, a wizard with lank hair, laughed.

"Glad we caught you, little brother," he said.

Elizabeth had her wand trained on the intruders. She glanced at Ominis. He had frozen. Her instinct was to attack first and ask questions later, if anyone survived. But this was a family matter. She knew they weren't good people, but it also wasn't her place... Elizabeth growled in frustration. She needed Ominis to do something, anything.

Sebastian was finally on his feet, wand trained on the figures as well.

"You're not welcome here," Sebastian said, "Leave."

The other wizard pouted mockingly.

"And who's going to make us?" He said, "Not your auror uncle."

The first wizard cackled. Elizabeth noticed the third figure as they shifted, and realized she recognized them - it was Honora Gamp. Sebastian ground his teeth loud enough Elizabeth heard it.

"Marvolo, Arius," Ominis said at last, a clear tremor in his voice. "I should have known Solomon was the only thing keeping you away."

The first wizard, Elizabeth thought he must be Marvolo, said, "You think we were scared of that blood traitor?"

The sentence was barely out when, with a roar, Sebastian lunged. His spell hit Marvolo squarely in the chest, sending him crashing into the wall. The other wizard, Arius, raised his own wand, and the glee on his face chilled Elizabeth to the bone.

"Cr-"

"Glacius!" Elizabeth got her spell out first.

It collided with Arius, who toppled backwards, covered in a sheen of ice. Honora shrieked and tried to catch him. Marvolo was already clambering to his feet, snarling. A hex from Ominis slammed into Marvolo's chest, sending him down again, a gash opening on his arm. Elizabeth looked at Ominis, startled. In that moment of distraction, Elizabeth knew she'd made a mistake. A spell from Honora slammed into her gut.

Pain burst to life as blood poured from a long slash. Elizabeth fell to her knees, gasping. Ominis reached for her, but another spell from Honor exploded against Ominis, he staggered as his nightclothes burst into flame. In the same moment, Elizabeth saw Sebastian tangling with Marvolo on the floor, wand forgotten as he plunged a fist towards the wizard, Marvolo's wand mirrored the movement, aiming for Sebastian's head.

"No." Elizabeth felt the word wash over her.

She raised her wand, letting the magic in her veins guide her. In a sweeping motion, she drew a light breeze across Ominis, whisking the flames away from him, then slashed the wind towards Marvolo. The fiery gust roared across the room and slammed into him, blasting him away from Sebastian. For a heartbeat, everyone froze, staring at the demonstration of ancient magic.