More Than a Solution [S. Sallow x Reader]

Chapter 1

"Come on, darling! We won't be here for too long!" Father beckoned, with his hand tightly holding onto his daughter's. "Just a little bit more business for work and then we'll be on our way to visit your grandmother."

The tip of his wand glowed brightly, offering little solace toward the looming cave walls. Dark shadows ebbed with each step, but something curled in the pit of the little girl's stomach. She may have related it to a bad feeling of what would come, but after being brought into so many of these caves, she chalked it up to the same nerves she felt each time.

Her mother smiled in her direction, pointing the same charmed light of her wand soothingly close to the girl. "Just another ancient magic relic to collect." She huffed. "We wouldn't be down here so often if others could see what we could."

"Now, now. We can't be too upset about it when this is what we've dreamed of since we were Hogwarts students," Father said. Swinging the hand that held his daughter's hand around, he added, "If it weren't for this, we wouldn't be able to provide for our wonderful little angel right here!"

"Do you think she'll see ancient magic like we can?"

"She's yet to show any signs of magic at all, even though she's hit the proper age. Let's not give up hope, though. After all-"

Rumbling spread under the couple's feet. Dark apparition clouds surrounded them and an armored goblin stepped out of the shadows of an alcove with many of his followers in tow. The leader's sinister smile gleamed off the light protruding from their wands.

"Incendio!" One of the dark wizards shouted, aiming his wand at the torches on the wall.

Father slowly bent down to hoist his daughter into his arms. Wands kept ready, the couple dropped their lumos charms to prepare for further attack.

"What do you want, Ranrok?" Father dared to ask.

Ranrok threw his arms out wide. "Why, the same reason you are here, Fitzgerald. You and your wife seem to know how to find something I want."

The girl gasped lightly as she felt the grip holding her to her father's chest tightened.

"Why would we ever help you?" Mother asked venomously.

Some of the dark wizards laughed at their bravery considering the odds.

"You brought a lil' friend today, didn't ya?" One spoke up tauntingly.

Another decided to join in. "The odds are clear. Either help or face the consequences."

The taunts thundered around them. The girl dipped her head further into her father's chest, hoping the noise would lessen. She couldn't understand anything they were saying. Why would anyone have problems with mum and dad?

Her parents eyed each other carefully. They knew they couldn't apparate- not with the number of possible interferences that could injure any of them. They weren't going to aid Ranrok either. Surveying the crowd, they only shared one more knowing glance before jumping into action.

"Depulso!" They both cried.

Their knock-back charm slammed their enemies into the cave walls and each other. Using the surprise to their advantage, they fired off continuous rounds of spells to keep the dark wizards and goblins off the ground.

The girl shivered in her father's arms, not used to being surrounded by such chaos. It was loud enough with the spell-casting, but everything seemed to reverberate twice as loud off the cave walls.

Father dipped his head to check on his daughter sensing her distress.

"Honey!" Mother cried, switching the direction of her attacks toward the goblin who tried to take advantage of her husband's good nature.