The Years of Riddle

Chapter Forty-Four | England, March 1975

Chapter Forty-Four

England, March 1975

There was a light shining in the parlour window, shadows flitting behind the curtains. It was a small house, on a quiet country road; it belonged to a witch and her Muggle husband – supposed blood traitors. The trees moved in the wind, sprinkling the nights rain onto their shoulders. There was no moon to light their way, only fast moving clouds racing across the inky sky. A cold wind hit their backs, slipping down their collars.

Silas stood in the underbrush, the Prewett brothers by his side. The three of them had become good partners over the past four years, leading raids and rescue missions all over the United Kingdom. Tonight was a rescue mission, Silas' least favourite thing – there was always the possibility of innocent lives being ended.

Silas thought of his daughters, asleep in their beds at home, safe and warm.

"We're wasting time," whispered Fabian. "They've already begun torturing them."

Silas nodded. A scream could be heard, muffled by the house. "Let's go."

The three crept across the lawn, slipping through the front door, still ajar from when the Death Eaters entered only minutes before. The Order had been hot on their trail, knowing they would attack somewhere in the area that night. Fabian, Gideon and Silas had been the closest.

The house was dark, besides the fire and a few lamps in the parlour. They moved through the entry hall, passing photos of a family of five. "Kids." Muttered Silas.

Gideon peeked around the corner. "Not in the parlour. Just parents."

"Ready?" Silas looked at the brothers, who nodded. "Go."

They jumped into the parlour, feet landing on soft rugs. "Impedimentia!" they shouted, each at a different Death Eater. The men slowed, their masks shifting as they turned their wands on the newcomers. The woman screamed, scuttling back to the wall.

"Flipendo!" Silas shouted as a Death Eater went for Fabian. Jinxes were flying left and right as Silas dragged the couple behind a couch, shooting spells as he went. There were five Death Eaters and only three of them, and his heart sank.

"Cassie!" the woman gasped, struggling to her feet.

Silas spotted the girl the moment one of the Death Eaters did too. He leapt from behind the couch, aiming for the doorway where the girl stood, mouth open to scream, and eyes wide. The Death Eater shouted a spell Silas had never heard, and as he grabbed the girl and crashed to the ground, he felt his skin rip. There was a crash, a whip of robes in wind – and the Death Eaters were gone.

"Silas – hey, hey you okay?" Fabian rolled Silas onto his back, and he let out a gasp of pain. "Merlin." Breathed Fabian.

Silas' eyes were open, but he could barely see through the pain. He felt the cushiony rug beneath him, heard the little girl whimper beside him. With shock, he noticed she was covered in blood – his own, he quickly realized.

"What the fuck did he hit you with?" muttered Fabian as the little girl was whisked upstairs. Gideon was instructing the mother where she could find safety.

"Just get me home." Hissed Silas as Fabian lifted him up.

The portkey wasn't far, and the brothers practically half dragged, half carried Silas there. Soon they were back at Silas' home. Inesa had obviously been waiting, as she burst out the door the moment they landed with the portkey.

"What happened?" she grasped Silas' face in her hands, but pulled away with a cry. "Your face." Her hand was covered in blood.

They spread sheets over the couch and lay him down as he moaned; they soon discovered there were three, deep slashes – like a whip – across his chest, back and face. Inesa cut off his shirt with a knife, and sent the brothers to retrieve various potions and ointments.

"You're okay," she whispered, stroking his hair back. "Everything is going to be fine."

He grabbed her hand, feeling them shake. Pressing them to his lips, he breathed her in. This is what he had feared in those first moments of being hit, that he wouldn't make it home to kiss Inesa, to make his children breakfast in the morning. His girls were asleep upstairs, oblivious.

Once Inesa had treated and bandaged his wounds, she walked the Prewett brothers to the door. They thought Silas was asleep.

"That is dark, dark magic." He heard Inesa whisper. "I've never seen..." she became choked up.

"We look after him Inesa," Fabian said. "He made a rash decision tonight, but he saved a little girl's life."

Inesa sniffed, said goodbye. Shut the door.

He opened his eyes in time to see her come back in, exhausted and irate. "Hey." He coughed, reaching out.

She didn't take his hands, just stood in the living room, arms heavy at her side. "Fabian said you saved a little girl's life."

"I did what I had to."

"He said it was a rash decision."

"That little girl would have been killed. I did what I had to."

Inesa's face expression was torn. "What about your girls, Silas?" she said finally. "Estelle and Anthea couldn't sleep properly for hours again, not knowing when you'd be home." Tears streamed down her cheeks, and she crossed her arms, hugging herself. "Saving others is wonderful and heroic, but you've got girls right here who need their Papa to be heroic at home."

Silas' heart sank, just as it had when he'd seen the photos of the children earlier that night. "I'm sorry Ness," he said softly, and she let out a sob. "I'm doing this for them, to keep them safe – you know I am."

She kneeled by him, resting her head on his shoulder. "I just want you here, at home, with us. Where you're meant to be."

"I do too, it's just – I feel as if I'm not out there, fighting to even have a home, I'm afraid...that one day I won't have a home to come to, not with these dangerous people terrorizing us." He caressed her cheek, lifted her chin so she would look him in the eyes. "I love you, I love our girls, and if you want me to quit I will quit."

Inesa looked him the eyes, reading him, as she had always been able to. "Don't quit." She said finally. "Do what you need to do."

"Thank you." He kissed her temple, and sighed as the pain-reducing potion she had given him began to work, making him drowsy.

Silas did not tell Inesa that he was also fighting for Gwyn, in his own way – every Death Eater he captured, person he saved, he was avenging her. For every day Tom Riddle had made her feel worthless, Silas would fight. He would fight for his wife, daughter, sister and father – and he would fight for Gwyn. Tom Riddle would be taken down, whether it was Silas or not. Someone would end the era of suffering Tom Riddle had created.

A/N: So you get some real action there, yikes!

Question: thoughts on the rescue mission? And Silas has another daughter! Little Anthea!

I'm going to try and keep updating once a week (at least) but I really don't know with my schedule and work load. We'll see! Usually I write to procrastinate sooooooo...

Rose