Mitigation

July 1, 1976

Elana grabbed the satchel off the table and looked around at the barren house. She looked past her picture stripped room and through the window. The neighbors could hardly be seen from their distance and time of night. Elana took in a deep breath of the warm summer air and walked downstairs, where her father was waiting for her.

"Ready?" He asked gently. She nodded. He reached out to turn the doorknob but stopped, inches away. He became alert and tilted his head, listening. Elana sharpened her senses, and heard something as well. Footsteps.

They were here.

Elana's father pushed her to the side as she heard two explosions: one from above and one at the door. Her father handed her the prized Time-Turner that they had hidden from the rest of the world as he got out his wand. He gave her a look. She nodded and moved away from her dad, into a hiding place.

"Did you think you could hide from me?" A female voice, strong and confident rang out. Elana saw her father visibly stiffen and made a motion with his hands behind his back. Elana leaned into the small space behind the hatch.

Elana peeked behind her hiding place. A tall woman walked in, with regal red cape draping her shoulders. She had mauve hair and silver eyes. Elana couldn't help but feel a shiver run down her arm.

"Did you really think you could protect her from me?" the woman asked softly, though her voice was strong and clear. Elana's father said nothing.

"How much do you want to lose? You've already lost your old house, your friends, your wife. All for this girl?"

What is she talking about? Elana wondered.

"You've obviously never had a daughter," her father replied, his voice only trembling once. Her eyes looked furious, as if a fire had ignited in them, but the rest of her was as calm as a soft breeze.

"Give up," she ordered. "The house is surrounded. Now step out of the way," the girl looked toward where Elana was hiding. Elana pressed her back against the hatch which had provided this useful hiding space and pulled her wand out of her hair, making a mental note of some spells she could use against this woman and potential other attackers.

"Never," Elana heard her father say, strong and confidently.

"Fine then," she raised her hand, and clapped twice.

Elana heard crashing noises from the back of the house, and approaching footsteps in the front of the house. The footsteps were light and had a slight clicking noise. A woman, Elana was 92% sure.

Elana heard cracks above her and looked up at the moving ceiling. She scrambled from her place. The ceiling fell as Elana stifled a yelp and ran through a nearby door and down the hallway, running into the living room and scrambling behind the couch. Elana tuned in and tried to hear what the woman was saying.

"It was foolish to keep her here of all places. You know what happens to a wolf without a pack." Elana heard. "Find her."

"No!"

Elana faintly heard things crash and spells being yelled. Elana made a mental count of how many people were in the house and who she would have to face.

There had been a woman with the lady with the cape. Then there were two more crashes.

So two people to find me?