Magical Shenanigans – Day 7 – 9 and Beyond – Duochanfan – Complete

Reading Time:
76 Minutes

Day Seven

Buck yawned. It had been a long shift after his grandparents and the kids had gone home. Molly and Bobby had exchanged addresses, since Molly still preferred to write, and it wans’t like she had a phone to call someone. Both ahd been writing down several recipes for the other to try. Buck was looking forward to seeing Bobby’s take on some of them. Eddie got out of the truck. Christopher had already been taken to school by Carla, who had come back to find two children in the house instead of one, and two people she hadn’t met before.

It had taken a little explaining of what was going on, but Lucius and Narcissa had handed Christopher over to her to take to school, already knowing about the kind woman.

“Come on,” Eddie said as he looked at Buck.

“Yeah, yeah,” he huffed, getting out. “You think my grandparents are still here?” he asked.

“Lucius and Narcissa said that they’re going to be staying a little longer; they’re helping MACUSA still. Over a hundred children have been found so far,” he said, having been informed by the two while they were at the station yesterday.

“Fucking hell,” he cursed under his breath. “She really did that to all those kids.”

“Buck, there are nineteen that are dead, she’s a fucking serial killer,” he said, “What the hell did I see in her?”

“Fuck if I know, she looked and acted nice and kind, until you weren’t around, then she was a fucking hell beast,” he shrugged as he went to the house and unlocked it.

Eddie huffed and then followed him. “Why the fuck didn’t you tell me?”

“Because Chris refused to let me. He said that you had to figure shit out yourself. and that’s a fucking quote. He owes money to the swear jar.” Buck snorted as he walked into the living room and saw Lucius sitting there reading. “Grand-pere,” he smiled.

“Abraxas,” he looked up and smiled, “Narcissa is keeping breakfast warm for both of you, and then off to bed. Molly and Arthur are heading home later on, and they’d like to see you outside of work. Harry is with them for a bit as well. They’ll be coming by here for dinner.”

Buck smiled, “Yeah, I’d like that too. And no shenanigans,” he warned his grandfather.

“Honestly, child, you spoil our fun. We’re old and going grey, we should be able to have fun now and then,” he rolled his eyes, but nodded.

“As long as you keep it civil,” Buck reminded him before yawning.

“Go and eat, both of you. We’re going to head out for a bit ourselves. MACUSA needs us again; they have found one. They are on the cusp of a magical overload. It will kill them. They are at the moment winging their way here the mundane way,” Lucius said, standing up and ushering them to the kitchen.

Breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and scrambled eggs waited for them, along with a chamomile tea that wouldn’t keep them awake before sleep. Lucius told them both about the case and how things were moving along with Ramon and Helena Diaz. As they had been the ones to deal with the bindings on Christopher.

“You mean he’d done this before?” Eddie said, eyes going wide. “Are you fucking serious?”

Narcissa nodded, “Yes, we spoke with Isabel as well. Ramon bound his brother’s magic. You’re ungest uncle.”

“Uncle Luis,” he shook his head, “Why would he?”

“From what we can gather from the things both of them have said. Ramon and Helena believe that only certain people should have access to their magic. Your Uncle Luis was not the one, like Christopher. You would have had your magic bound as well if Isabel hadn’t been checking each time you came to her. She never thought that Christopher would be bound, but that’s more because Shannon was Mundane, and the chance of a mundane child was high. She is… upset as you can imagine. Ramon and Helena only got a slap on the wrist last time, since your grandmother was quick to realize what had happened.”

“Uncle Luis is only 10 years older than me,” Eddie explained, “This would have been before Adriana was born.”

“Yes. Helena favors the girls. Thinks they are better to have magic than the boys,” Narcissa said, shaking her head.

“Bastards,” Eddie hissed, “This is just Helena’s typical bullshit, and I can’t call them Mom and Dad anymore, I refuse to.”

“I understand,” Narcissa said. She had felt the same with her own parents after the way that she and her sisters had both been treated. Belatrix’s insanity didn’t start when she joined Voldemort, but when she was young and protecting her youngest sister from their parents’ wrath after Andromida left the family.

Eddie sighed as he put his head in his hands. He leaned on his elbows, “I don’t. Abeula.”

“Is a strong woman and wasn’t that surprised to find out. She is berating herself for not checking and making sure years ago, with the few chances she had of checking on her great-grandson,” Lucius informed him, “Now, there is nothing you can do for now. I suggest that you finish breakfast and get some sleep. You’ll be able to see everyone later, talk with Isabel, then, if you must. She is upset, but more for what’s happened to you and especially to Christopher.”

“She has nothing to… It’s not on her at all. This is all them, always been them and their idiocy and their beliefs that no one else can be right,” he said, sighing and pushing away his plate. His appetite had quickly gone the way of the dodo. Thankfully, he’d already eaten most of it before they had told him what they had found out about his parents.

“Let’s get some sleep and go and see Abuela when we wake,” Buck suggested as he got up. “Thanks for breakfast, Grand-mere,” he said, hugging her tightly before he grabbed Eddie’s hand and started to pull him toward their bedroom.

XxXxX

Eddie and Buck were just parking up after having run a few errands, and after seeing Isabel for an hour. She was doing alright, disapointed and hurt by her eldest son. She had hoped for better from him, but with Helena leading him around by the short and curlies, and she had done so since the two had met.

“Carla has taken Chris to his appointment; he should be back in about an hour and a half to two,” Eddie said as he took off his seat belt and got out of the truck.

“My grandparents should already be inside. They did say that they brought Harry back, and Grand-pere sent a message saying they were coming back after helping with MACUSA,” Buck added, getting out himself and slamming the door shut. Locking it, he turned to the house and then stopped as something caught his attention out of the corner of his eye.

“Buck?” Eddie frowned. As he turned, he’d already opened the front door, about to walk in when he felt Buck stop.

“Maddie’s here,” he muttered. “Fuck, she’s brought her parents as well. When did they arrive in LA?” he questioned, knowing he wouldn’t be able to get an answer at all. 

“Maddie… parents?” Eddie frowned.

“You mean Margaret and Phillip are here?” came a growl from inside as Narcissa stepped out to see what was taking them so long to come inside.

“Yeah,” Buck said.

“They can get lost,” Lucius snapped as he walked out of the house and moved toward the three as Maddie and her parents headed to them. “Leave,” he commanded as he stared at Phillip and Margaret.

“Evan’s a Buckley,” Maddie said, sneering at her uncle. “He needs to stop with the drama and telling people lies about us.”

“What lies?” Lucius stared at her, giving her a look he hadn’t used since he was last in his sister’s presence.

“He’s telling Howie that I’m abusive, he’s telling everyone that our parents are.”

“Well, they are, and the evidence of that is now with the Hershay Police. We’ve been in contact with them for several years. Though honestly, we’ve been in touch since the moment we had to take Abraxas from Margaret and Phillips’ abusive care,” Lucius told her, “I’m sick of you always trying to force everyone to listen to what you want. You did it when you were a young child. When I first met you, you were an entitled little brat. Thinking you owned the world. Even when Daniel was dying, you were the same and hated it when your parents paid your little brother attention. Always causing problems for them so they would look back at you,” Lucius snapped at her, shaking his head. He was now standing in front of the group that was starting to gather outside the house. Molly and Arhtur had joined them. Harry was in Molly’s arms, and all of them were glaring at the three Buckleys.

“He’s telling lies to Howie, he has to sort that out, he’s now worried about how I’ll be around my own child!” Maddie yelled as she glared at Buck, wanting to take a step toward him and show him how angry she really was.

“Maddie, I was four when you broke my arm on purpose,” Buck said, “You hurt me constantly all the time when I was little. One of my first memories is of you hitting me. You always blamed me for it, saying that I did something stupid, jumping off furniture, falling down stairs. And you’re right, I did tell Chimney that I feared for the safety of your child. Why the hell wouldn’t I?” he snorted at her, “I am scared that you’re going to harm that little baby, why the fuck do you think I tried to remain close. Just in case you did something.”

“I would never hurt my own child!” Maddie protested, huffing at her brother.

“I don’t believe you,” he repeated. Lucius looked at his grandson, realizing that the young man had something planned and there was a reason why he was repeating himself.

“I wouldn’t!” she screamed it this time.

“Then swear it,” he hissed at her, feeling magic bubbling under the surface, “Swear on your life that you will never willingly harm your own child?” he said, goading her into swearing an oath. The magic was right there, ready for her to say the words. “Say that you swear on your own life that you will never willingly harm your own child?”

Maddie sneered at him, “Fine, you little bastard. I swear on my life I will never wiling harm my daughter!” she yelled out. Those who were magical could feel the oath taking hold. If Maddie did anything to hurt her child on purpose, she would drop dead within seconds.

“Maddie!” Margaret said, eyes wide in horror as she knew exactly what had happened. She knew a magical oath when she heard one.

Maddie turned to her mother, “What?” she asked, frowning, “Nothing is going to happen, no matter what I do.”

“Oh, Maddie,” she cried, knowing that her daughter could be in danger should she do anything. “Just… be careful.”

“Mom, I’m not going to hurt my daughter,” she rolled her eyes, “Now, will you stop spreading lies to Howie?” she demanded.

“No,” Buck said, “I’m not lying to protect you anymore. I’m done doing that for you. I had hoped that you’d changed from the spirited teenager I remember, but you really haven’t changed at all, have you?”

“I’ll say you haven’t,” Lucius said, rolling his eyes. “I remember coming to visit, while Daniel was ill,” he said, “The only time my sister decided to reach out, hoping that we had a solution for what was wrong. We didn’t; we tried a few things, but nothing worked. While I was there, do you remember what you were like?” he asked her.

“I didn’t do anything,” Maddie said, glaring at her uncle.

“I take it she did?” Buck asked his grand-pere.

“Oh yes, a lot. First, she tried to get her parents to pay attention to her as Daniel had just thrown up. When that didn’t work, I saw her as soon as he parents’ backs were turned, hitting him several times. Each time they paid attention to Daniel, as soon as they weren’t around, she would do something to punish him. Do you remember on my second visit, he wasn’t in his bed but in the bathroom in the bathtub, almost drowning?” he asked.

“Yes,” Margaret said as she put a hand to her mouth, “Are you… she wouldn’t. She loved Daniel.”

“How can a Narcassist love anyone but themselves?” Narcassia said, shaking her head.

“My dear wife is correct, Maddie doesn’t care about anyone as long as she gets her way. If she doesn’t, she lashes out. And Daniel was in her way, so she tried to kill him.”

Maddie seethed as her mother and father looked at her in horror. “So what!” she yelled, “I did that because they were always with him, they were never with me. And then that little bastard came along, and I had to take care of the fucking thing!” she continued as she glared at everyone. “Daniel was getting better, and I knew, I knew that they would always be paying attention to him,” she snapped, “I hated it, I hated him so fucking much I had to do something. He was always in the way, and we could never do anything fun. So I made him go, I made hi-“

“YOU KILLED HIM!” Margaret screamed at her daughter.

“I fucking did and I would do it again and again, to make sure that little bastard knew who was boss. He tried to call out for you, but I made sure he would never be able to do that again,” she said, sounding smug.

“You!” Margaret yelled, tears running down her face as she backhanded her daughter hard enough across the face to send her stumbling back. “You little bitch. You… you…” she said, as she burst into tears and sought out her husband.

“You… knew this?” Phillip couldn’t help but ask Lucius.

“No, I knew she’d harmed him in the past. But you wrote to me to tell me that the transplant was working, that he was starting to improve. That you were even bringing him home. Then you said he was dead,” Lucius answered, staring at Maddie as she stood there, open-mouthed, a hand on her cheek.

“I had to, I had to, he was going to take everything from me, and I should have done the same to that little bastard, but he did what I wanted, and he was punished when he did,” Maddie said, sounding broken.

“You’re nothing but a waste of space,” Philip told her, his words, his tone full of emotion. “We gave you so much, and you did this… to Daniel, he loved you, we loved you, and you… There are no words for what you are.”

“Arrested is what she’ll be,” Buck said, “I’ve already called the cops.”

“You can’t do that, there’s no proof of it,” Maddie turned, smirking, “No proof at all. And just because I’ve said anything, it’s all hearsay.”

“You see, that’s where you’re wrong,” Eddie said as he gestured to his doorbell, “That’s a Ring doorbell, one that records video and sound, and as you can see right there, is a notice that you’re on camera. You’ve been here several times in the past. You know it’s there, hell, you were there when Chimney installed it for us,” he reminded her.

Maddie went pale as she stared at it. “The cops should be here soon, and they’ll take you away,” Buck said as he tucked his phone away. “I always knew you were an abusive, violent bitch. Should have realized it wasn’t your first time killing when you did not react when you killed Doug.”

Maddie sneered at him. There was something about her that just seemed off in that moment.

“That… wasn’t Doug?” he asked, getting no answer. “Margaret, Phillip, do you know what Doug looked like?” he asked them.

Margaret frowned as Phillip reached for his phone. “This,” he said as he showed a picture.

Buck frowned as he glanced at Eddie. “That’s not the man who kidnapped Maddie.”

Eddie walked over; they’d all seen the picture of Doug Kendall, or rather the man who had kidnapped Maddie and killed the clerk. “It’s not of the man that I saw a picture of,” he frowned, “Who the hell did we-“

“Hang on, let me message Athena, she should still be able to get a picture of the man,” Buck said, pulling his phone out again and quickly messaging Athena.

“I don’t have to stand around and listen to your lies!” Maddie yelled out as she began to leave.

“Why?” Eddie said, eyes narrowing, “I think we should ask the police to come here as well.”

“Yeah,” Buck added, “I don’t… trust her,” he said, as he glanced at Lucius.

Lucius gave a subtle nod, and he put a tracking spell on Maddie, just in case she did leave. They would be able to find her before she did anything. “I believe you should remain,” he told his niece. “Wouldn’t it be better to clear things up?”

“I want to know who it was that kidnapped her,” Eddie said.

“Same,” Buck said as he looked up, “Athena is on her way, and she’d like to speak with the three of you. She’s bringing photos of the one who kidnapped her. Maybe you can shed some light on who it is.”

“I’m leaving, are you coming, Mom, Dad?” Maddie snapped as she began to head back to the car.

Phillip grabbed his daughter, “You’re not going anywhere, you killed your brother,” he snapped at her, pulling the woman back to their side, “I’m not letting you get away with that, you might have been a minor at the time, but I won’t… You killed Daniel. I agree with Evan, you’re a danger to that child, and I don’t think you should be alone at all, there’s no telling what you’d do to them,” he added, keeping hold of her.

“I am, I’m not going to li-“

Margaret went over and slapped her hard, “You will be answering for what you’ve done,” she hissed at her.

Maddie stared at her mother, twice now she had been slapped across the face. “Don’t do that again!” Maddie hissed at her, eyes narrowing as she held her face.

“Or what, you’ll kill me as well, Murderer!!” Margaret screamed in her face.

“I wi-“

“You’ll be doing nothing,” Eddie told her. “Shut up, stay where you are, the cops should be here shortly,” he said as he could hear the alarms faintly in the background getting closer.

Maddie went to leave again, only to be pulled back. This time she was made to sit on the ground. It didn’t matter that she was seven months pregnant. She was a danger to the baby as far as all of those gathered there were concerned. Phillip stood over her as two cop cars pulled up. Athena got out of one of them and headed straight toward Buck, while the two that got out of the other car walked behind her, wondering what they should do.

“Buck,” Athena said, “What’s going on?”

“We’ve just been shown a picture of Doug Kendall, and he looks nothing like the one that took Maddie,” Buck told her, “It’s why I asked if you still had a picture. I’m wondering if Phillip and Margaret might recognise him.”

“I see, and Maddie?” she asked, seeing that she was being kept where she was.

“She confessed to murdering her younger brother, Daniel Buckley, when he was eight years old, and she was eleven. We have that confession on Ring doorbell,” Buck answered her, gesturing to Eddie, “He’s got the passcodes for it. You can see the whole thing in a moment. We also believe she might be a danger to her unborn baby,” he added. 

“I see, Frank, Derek, take Mrs Kendall into custody for now, take her down and have her monitored, she is a danger to herself and her unborn,” Athena said, believing the man. She knew Buck wouldn’t lie about something like this. “I’d like that footage as soon as Eddie,” she added, glancing at the other man.

“I’m on it,” Eddie nodded, beginning to tap on his phone.

No one but the magical ones in the area noticed the subtle charms that Lucius used on Maddie to make sure she wouldn’t be able to harm herself or the baby she carried. Buck glanced at him from the corner of his eye and nodded slightly before turning his attention back to Athena.

“Right,” Athena said as she brought out her phone, “This is an autopsy photo of Doug Kendall, or who we were led to believe was Doug Kendall,” she said as she walked over to Phillip and Margaret, who were now crying in her husband’s arms as their daughter was taken away. Maddie was yelling and protesting, but not fighting them.

Margaret turned to look as Phillip was doing the same.

“He looks like…” Phillip trailed off.

“He does,” Margaret said, “Maddie’s best friend wasn’t a girl. It was a boy, Alexander Hilltop. Same age as her, this picture looks like him. But we… stopped them from going near each other…” She trailed off, turning away.

“Maddie has a sealed juvenile record, two incidents that happened, one when she was ten, and then another when she was fourteen. Alexander was with her for both. They were thick as thieves, always in trouble. Cops brought them home several times. No charges pressed, but those two main ones were recorded,” Phillip said. “We…”

“What were they? Do we need to have them unsealed?” Athena asked.

“Yes,” Margaret said, “Yo… you will. She… she harmed others, with him. They were told to keep away from each other, or they would have been charged and sent to Juvi.”

“And they kept apart?” Buck couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes, we think so. Or at least they did for a while before she became an adult. Then her record was sealed, and it was like it was never there,” Phillip answered him.

Athena nodded, “I’ll start looking into Hilltop guy,” she said, “And thanks for sending me the footage,” she added glancing at Eddie.

Eddie nodded, “Welcome.”

“Right, I’m going to head after them and start looking into things. I don’t need to be here?” she asked, glancing at Phillip and Margaret. Both of them were holding each other, as Margaret hid her face away, quiet sobs could be heard from her.

“No, we’re alright, thank you for coming as quickly as you did,” Buck said, “I think at the moment the main instigator of things has left.”

Athena nodded and glared at the Buckley parents before leaving.

“Lucius,” Margaret said, “We know, we did wrong with Evan.”

“Abraxas,” Buck said, “That’s my name,” he told her, “I’ve not been Evan since they took me away from you.”

Margaret looked at him and then at her brother and nodded, “He was named for Father?” she asked.

“Yes,” Lucius said, “I don’t know why you’re still here; you will find no sympathy for you here.”

“We know,” Phillip said, “We understand that. We also know that Abraxas had a soft spot for Maddie, and to learn… to know what she was actually doing in that time… it…”

“What did she do when she was younger, Phillip?” Narcissa asked him, her words sharp, “We know you and your wife beat Buck several times, including almost beating him to death. You never told us why you did it, and we know you know about magic,” she added.

Phillip nodded, “Daniel was magical,” he said softly. “We were going to talk with you about it, but then he started getting sick. We didn’t know what it was for a long time. Then we found out, Juvenile Leukemia, a mundane illness. And we were turned away constantly when we tried to talk with anyone magical for help. We didn’t know what to do. The mundane doctors were doing what they could to help him. We reached out and found out that you couldn’t do anything either. In the end, we had Abraxas; it was our last desperate hope.”

“But it didn’t work,” Buck said, shaking his head.

“It was a desperate hope; we understood that there was little chance of it working, but we had to try. Abraxas, you… When you were born, Daniel was so happy to have a little brother. He and Maddie never got along. She was… jealous of any attention he got. But when you and Daniel were together, he was smiling and happy. Even if it didn’t work, we were… happy you were there, a little piece of him, his Evan, he named you that, Evan David Buckley. Not us. The birthmark you have, he had one on his back, on the back of his shoulder. It’s why we never wanted to get rid of it,” she told him, “But then you started to show magic after Daniel died. And I couldn’t. I couldn’t let you be part of a world that didn’t care about those without Magic. That would toss us aside. Lucius, the healer you sent to us to try and help Daniel, told us to just kill him. Like Daniel meant nothing. Even though he had magic, they didn’t care because his parents weren’t magic. He didn’t like us, didn’t like Daniel, sneered at him, and treated him horribly. I would not let a member of my family be part of that world again. I would rather they be dead!” she screamed.

“You tried to beat the magic out of him,” Harry said, his words like ice.

Margaret nodded, “I then found out about binding magic, and found someone who would do it. They did, and I…” she turned away, beginning to sob, “I was losing both my sons because of Magic.”

“He was dying because you had beaten him, and the binding was killing him just as much as that was!” Lucius snapped.

“No, no, the binding was supposed to get rid of his magic, so he could lead a mundane life, without magic, without that evil in him,” she said as she turned wide-eyed at Lucius. “his magic was fighting anyone that came near him, apart from us. We beat him to stop it, so the bastard wizard could bind his magic. That… that’s what we wanted for Evan, that was what we needed to make sure he was safe from that world.”

“You did what she did. She beat me so much that I could have died over and over again. And they wouldn’t have cared. But in their twisted way, they did. Beating me, hoping to drive the magic away, would keep me from the wizarding world that had killed my parents. That had killed my Aunt’s sister,” Harry said, his words still icy, but there was some understanding in it. It had taken a long talk with his Aunt after the war to learn her reasoning, even if it was twisted and horrible. He understood her. She was scared of a world that wasn’t hers. Margaret had grown up in it, shunned because she didn’t have Magic, and while family still loved her, the children she had grown up with at first bullied and teased her, until she felt the best thing for her was to leave and cut off her family.

“It still doesn’t make it right,” Lucius said, “Please leave, and don’t come back near Abraxas again.”

Margaret looked at Buck and nodded, “Be safe in that world. Don’t… don’t let them look down on you like they did Daniel and me,” she told him before looking at Phillip, “Take us home, please.”

Phillip nodded, glad that they had hired a rental. They got in and drove away.

“They were too much like Aunt Petunia and her bastard of a husband,” Harry huffed from Molly’s arms.

“Yes,” Lucius nodded, agreeing with him. “Abraxas, Eddie, come on inside,” he said, “There are too many nosy neighbours that are looking at us. Thankfully, I used a charm to make sure they didn’t hear anything,” he huffed.

“Good thing you practice wandless magic,” Arthur said as he was the first to enter the house.

They headed back inside, Eddie taking hold of Buck’s hand as they walked. Buck had learned a few things about Daniel that he didn’t know, and the revelations about Maddie were a shock, but also weren’t to the young man.

“Are you okay?” Eddie asked as he pulled Buck toward the bedroom to give themselves a little privacy.

“I think I remember Alexander. I didn’t know his name. And when I saw Doug… or Alexander, after Maddie was taken. I just thought that it had been Doug hanging around. But Doug’s… alive?”

“Sounds like it. Athena will find out, and if she can, she’ll be able to tell us,” Eddie said as he pulled Buck into his arms and held him.

“I always knew she was violent. She was the one who always tattled on me to Margaret and Phillip. Getting me in trouble. They would hit me, berate me, and send me to my room. It wasn’t… until my magic really started coming in that they hit me more. Maddie didn’t know about magic, and they wanted to keep it that way. I think… I know why now.”

“It’s because she would have found a way to use what’s available in that world to do what she wanted,” Eddie said.

Buck nodded, “Yeah, I think she would… would have been a lot worse with potions, charmed and enchanted items.” He shuddered at the very thought.

“I just hope that Chimney is prepared to be a single father,” Eddie said, his words quiet.

“He might end up being a single dad, but he’s got people around him to help with that,” Buck nodded a few times. “We’d best get back out there. Carla should be bringing Chris back soon.”

“Yeah, we should head out for a meal, all of us together, I think. It would be a nice treat. I don’t feel like cooking, do you?” he asked.

“Not a chance,” Buck snorted.

Eddie grinned at him as they headed back out. Both of them put what they had learned about Maddie and Daniel out of their minds as they made plans for the rest of the day.

 

Day Eight

Buck and Eddie dropped Christopher off without any drama, worried that he would want to stay home while Lucius and Narcissa spent one last day in LA with them before heading back home to the UK. Molly and Arthur had left not long after dinner out last night. There had been promises made for them to go to the UK for a small holiday, and since they were magical and had a place to stay, it would be easier to do that if they were actually Mundane.

Helena and Ramon Diaz had been charged, and true serum had been used on them. The Diaz family as a whole was turning its back on the two as they learned what they had done. Eddie’s sisters had reached out early that morning, before they had even had a chance at a morning coffee. Both wanted to come and see him and talk with him. Eddie was hesitant, since the two of them had been against Eddie keeping Christopher, trying to get him to give up custody so he could have magical children, with a witch of their choice. He was willing to see and talk to them, but was not sure if he wanted them to see Christopher. They had also turned their back on Quetzalcoatl, which Eddie hadn’t done. He was also going to start teaching Christopher everything he could during the next holidays they had coming.

Ana Flores was charged with multiple counts of Binding, murder, attempted murder, and more. Eddie knew he was going to have to testify in the trial, and so was Buck. Lucius and Narcissa would be coming back for that, since they were the experts on Binding and how to break them. Thankfully, all the children had been found, since Veritasirum had been used on her to make sure. Narcissa and Lucius had worked hard to make sure they had all been taken care of before they planned to leave.

“Well, so what’s the plan for today?” Eddie asked Buck as they arrived back at the Diaz house.

“Athena wants to talk to the two of us. She’s been working through most of the night from what Bobby said this morning,” Buck answered him. “He’s coming over with her and plans to cook lunch with me for us all. So she can tell us what she found. She’s been given leave to tell us. Maddie is still in lock up, don’t know if she’s being charged with anything. But her record is being released. Phillip contacted Grand-pere and told him everything, and I’ll tell you and Athena when she arrives. For now, I think we should just relax,” he said as they got out and headed into the house.

The two took to doing chores as a thestral patronus turned up. Telling them that Lucius and Narcissa would be coming for dinner to say goodbye properly before they headed home. Buck started making plans on what he wanted to cook for them all. Harry was with them for a few hours, the two had collected him just before they ahd taken Christopher to school. He was still a kid, but they were hoping that would change in the next few days.

“Pere said that Dad should be back to normal in a day or two,” Buck said as he made them both a drink to sit down with until Bobby and Athena arrived.

“That’s good. What else did he say? I know he sent you a letter,” Eddie said. “Thanks,” he smiled as he took the mug from his boyfriend.

“Yeah, well, the case is done. They’ve found out who did it, and they’re being charged. I have no idea how this is going to shake down, though,” he snorted. “Trying to de-age someone permanently, it’s… kind of looked at like a death. Since they are erasing someone’s current life.”

“I would think so. I know that they botched it, but… also, who the fuck did it?” he asked.

“Delores Umbridge,” Buck said, “A war criminal that escaped not long before her trial. She was trying to get back at Dad for what she said he’d done against her. She was going to take him and drop him at the worst place she could and let him go through unloved and unwanted. Not like that didn’t happen the first fucking time,” he growled a little at the thought of the woman.

“Hmm,” Eddie frowned, “I think we learned about her in school. How she was the Undersecretary for the then Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.”

“Yep, that one,” Buck nodded, “She was a right piece of work. Hated anyone who wasn’t magical with a very large magical lineage. People like my Family are perfect in her eyes. But those like my Dad, and my grandmother, his mother, wouldn’t be, because they have a mundane heritage.”

“Right, well, at least they got her now,” he said.

“Yeah, Harry almost blew his top when he found out, it’s why he’s with my grandparents,” he reminded him.

“The magical outburst. I wouldn’t have thought it,” he frowned slightly, “I’m worried Christopher might have a few.”

“It’s alright, Chris is a lot calmer than dad,” he smiled, “Not only that but Dad has a lot of magical power. He’s one of the most powerful wizards at the moment in the World.”

Eddie nodded, “I knew that about him, but I didn’t think he would have problems with magical outbursts. I know his body is that of a child, but still…”

“Dads always had problems. His magic kinda bubbles over most of the ti-” he stopped as there was a sharp knock on the door. “Athena,” he smiled as he stood up.

Buck went and answered the door, and sure enough, Athena was there, with Bobby standing behind her with a bag of groceries. “Come on in,” he said as he stepped aside.

“Thanks, Buck,” Bobby said, “I’ve got a few things for a good stirfry, even some day-old rice so we can have some egg fried rice with it,” he said as he followed Buck inside.

Athena shook her head fondly at the two before going to join Eddie after saying hello to Buck and hugging him before he and her husband got lost in the kitchen. Athena and Eddie talked about anything but the case against Maddie for a while before they sat down to eat. It was only after lunch, and the cleanup had been done, that Athena finally talked to them.

“Right, Maddie is being detained, and the autopsy for Daniel is being reviewed. From what we’ve been able to determine, and from talking to doctors and viewing medical records. Daniel was healing; it was slow, but it was starting. He was getting strong. He was strong enough that he was allowed home. It was three days after arriving home that he passed away. From medical records, he should have been fine if weakened for a while. We have no way of determining what actually killed him, but looking into Maddie’s sealed records.”

“You were able to find out that she liked to torture other kids with her friend Alexander,” Buck said quietly.

“Yes, but also methods of killing people, it was one of the things they liked to find out about. The records from what happened when she was fourteen, she almost killed a sixteen-year-old. We believe that what she did there was a repeat of what she did to Daniel. If that’s the case, then we should be able to find traces of the poison she used to kill Daniel on his body. There should be a small trace of it still, even after all these decades. It’s extremely rare to find. It’s a snake poison, but we’re unsure of the species that has it. There is no cure for it. I’ve only seen it used once before, about four years after I started with the LAPD. My mentor at the time told me it was the first time he saw it being used, but he knew of it. We’ve asked for an exhumation order for Daniel Buckley’s body to be tested before being laid to rest. Margaret and Phillip Buckley have already agreed over the phone, but we need to get the judge in Hershey to sign off on it as well. Might take a few days.”

Buck went quiet, “I know what type of snake we’ve come across before. It’s usually a constrictor, but it can also use venom. There was a reason why on that call I beheaded the snake. It’s venomous, but only appears to be a constrictor unless you know what you’re looking at. Not only that, but it was determined to kill that woman and would have spat venom at us to do so. I wish there had been a way to save it, but it was too far gone in the blood lust,” he said softly. He hated killing snakes. There were many around the Manor that he and his dad would talk to as he grew up. But that one was lost to him; no matter what he hissed, the snake just wasn’t listening. And it being a magical snake, there was nothing he could do without exposing the magical world.

“I see,” Athena nodded slowly, “Easy to get?”

“Not really. It costs a bit, and hard to come by. I have no idea how they would have been able to find it. But it’s the only one that I know that could linger like that. Especially so long after death,” he answered. There were a couple more that could do the same thing, but most wouldn’t come across it in the mundane world at all.

“How did Maddie’s victim survive?” Eddie couldn’t help but ask.

“He was able to knock the bottle of it away from him, and it all spilled. He was able to get free and call for help. The contents were found and analyzed, but it went no further than that,” she answered, sighing as she held the coffee Bobby had made for them. He had practically taken over the kitchen while he and Buck had cooked together, and even during cleanup.

“So what happens now with Maddie?” Buck asked, “And with the baby?”

“She’s going to be monitored for now at the county lock-up. She’s been denied bail at this point. She’s been charged with the Murder of Alexander Hilltop. We’ve confirmed that Doug Kendall is alive and well. Ransone has spoken to him over video. He had no idea he’d been declared dead for the last almost two years. He had been living in Boston until three years ago. They split up eight years ago,” Athena told him, sipping her coffee and settling against Bobby, who smiled down at her a little before drinking his tea.

“But that’s… longer than what she said…” Buck trailed off, “She came to me wanting to hide from Doug, saying that I couldn’t contact anyone from Hershey at all, he frowned. “That they had ignored the abuse that Doug piled on her.”

“He hadn’t abused her; they split because she was having an affair with one Alexander Hilltop. He divorced her, took everything, and left Hershey not a month after the divorce was finalized. We found out the reason why she came to LA. That was because she was a suspect in a murder. So was Hilltop. The two of them were still dating when she came here. They were engaged,” Athena began to explain what they had been able to learn, now that they knew that the man who had been killed wasn’t Doug Kendall.

“So why the fuck was she dating Chimney?” Buck leaned back, looking at Athena and hoping she had all the answers to the many questions in his head.

“Chimney is easily manipulated by the women in his life. Especially dating,” Bobby said softly.

“Maddie took advantage of that when she realized that Eddie wasn’t going to be easy,” Athena stated. “She was going to go for Eddie, but during her move, she met and got to know him. And knowing he had a kid, she was easily brushed off by Eddie.”

Eddie snorted, “The moving day was one where I started my dislike of her,” he said, glancing at Buck, “She was flirting badly, and I just pretended I didn’t notice, and when she got a little too close, I told her I don’t date, and she had better luck elsewhere.”

“So Chimney was another victim of her,” Buck slumped against Eddie, who wrapped an arm around him.

“Yes. We’ve found emails between Maddie and Hilltop, talking about how she was dating him to throw you off. To make sure she remained close to you,” she said, “I think she was planning on harming you.”

“That explains why she was pissed to find out she wasn’t my medical proxy. She could have ruined everything for me. She was trying to stop the treatments that I needed after the bombing. And was trying to get the hospital to agree to stop letting anyone but her see me. Didn’t work, but she tried,” he sighed. “I just-“

“Thought she was actually being overprotective and being scared after what happened,” Eddie nodded, knowing where Buck was coming from. he didn’t see it like that at all, but he knew Buck always wanted to see the good in people, even someone as horrible as Maddie Buckley.

Buck nodded and looked back at Athena, “So what was the kidnapping all about?”

“Hilltop had been trying to lay a trail for it to go back to Doug Kendall. They didn’t know at the time of the kidnapping that he was out of the country with Doctors Without Borders. He’s still not in the US at the moment. But he will be in a few more months. So when it was checked to see if Kendall was still working in Hershey, it appeared he had gone to ground to find Maddie,” Athena sighed at the detective who had been in charge of the case.

“So, Doug wasn’t…” Buck rubbed at his face, his coffee forgotten beside him. 

“No, he wasn’t abusing her; he kept an eye on her, as he had found out about her record and what she had done. He told Detective Ransone that she seemed to calm down after a while, and he kept tabs on her more before they headed to Boston. He loosened it by then, and when they came back to Hershey, she wanted to be with her parents. So they moved back; really, it was for Hilltop. They started to get together, the affair started not long after they returned to Hershey, and Kendall was forthcoming about everything about his relationship with Maddie. Maddie and Hilltop remained in Hershey for a while before a young man went missing; his body was found a month before Maddie appeared here. She became a suspect, but then it fizzled out, and she left, coming to you and stating that she didn’t want anyone from her past to know about her because Doug could find her.”

“Okay, I get all that,” Buck nodded a few times, “But why the kidnapping?”

Athena shook her head, “Genius or insane is what I call it. Chimney was to die, simple as that. With him dead, and the only one able to know what ‘Fake Doug’ looked like. The two were free to start a new life, with new names. Hilltop was the one doing all that. Then they find out that Chimney survived. Maddie knew you would end up searching as would I. So they planned on leaving a trail and then going to Big Sur to pretend a murder suicide with no bodies. The cabin was already prepared for them both to use to incinerate the place. No remains would have been found, nothing if that place had blown up like it was set up,” she sighed, “We believe Maddie changed the plan when she heard us in the area. Firing the gun and then fighting with Hilltop when he was trying to stick to things. She killed him to keep the story going. Since you’d never met him, we all believed her when she said that he was Doug. Alexander Hilltop just disappeared. No one searched for him. His family had washed their hands of him a long time ago. He didn’t work either. So no one that would… miss him.”

“So it was planned for them to kill Chim, pretend it was murder suicide, and then start a new fucking life after they blew my friends and family here up?” Buck summed up, looking horrified at the thought.

“Basically,” Athena sighed, “This is… a lot of what was in the emails and messages. Maddie kept all Hilltop’s things at her apartment. We searched her and Chimney’s apartments, in case she was hiding something there. Chimney has been told about what’s going on. But he’s not answering mine or Bobby’s messages at the moment. I’ve told Hen to go and see him, but even she said that he’s not answering her and is not at home.”

“Fuck,” Buck said as he grabbed his phone, shooting a message to Chimney asking him to stop by. “I’ve told him to come here, hopefully he listens, but I… Maddie’s my sister in a sense still, and he’s… gonna be feeling resentful toward me for bringing her into his life.”

“We have no idea until we see him and talk with him,” Eddie said, tightening his hold around Buck for a moment.

“I’m going to be having you and Chimney on leave for a few weeks. To make sure your head is on straight after this, Buck. Take it and just process,” Bobby told him. “The LAFD has been made aware of some of this, but not everything.”

Buck nodded, “Yeah, yeah, okay,” he agreed easily. He knew he wouldn’t be in the right headspace to be on the job for a bit. Though he didn’t think it would take a few weeks, maybe a week or two. He knew Maddie was violent, but a killer, he hadn’t known that, or believed that she had been capable of it.

XxXxX

Athena and Bobby stayed for another hour after that. They left with a reminder that, should Chimney turn up to make sure they should inform everyone that he was okay, or that he was at least safe. It was nearing dinner time when there was a hesitant knock at the door. Christopher was happily playing in his room with Harry. Lucius and Narcissa had gone out for a bit to get some last-minute gifts for people back home. They should be back by the time dinner was done.

“I’ll get it,” Buck said as he headed from the kitchen to the front door.

“Okay!” Eddie called over his shoulder as he put the mac’n’cheese into the oven, ready to start baking it. He would do it as soon as Buck was done at the door.

“It’s Chim,” Buck said as he walked to the kitchen and popped his head around the door. “I’m silencing the room so we can talk without Chris overhearing.”

“I’ll tell him to remain in his room for now,” Eddie said, preserving everything before going to tell Christopher just that.

Buck walked back into the living room where Chimney was seated on the couch, hands in his lap, clenched together. “Chimney, want a dirnk?” he asked.

“No, unless it’s something that will help me forget everything that I’ve been told,” he said as he looked up. His eyes were red, bloodshot.

“Fuck Chim,” Buck said as he went to the couch and sat down, “I wish.”

“No good for wishing, Buck,” he said, rubbing his face a little, “I just… don’t know what I’m to do. She’s pregnant with my kid, but she wanted me fufcfkign dead, Buck. How the hell do I deal with all that shit?!” he exclaimed in a whisper.

Eddie walked in, “Chris and Harry are in their room and staying there,” he said as he took the chair across from the two of them.

“Thanks,” Buck said as he turned his attention back to Chimney. “One day at a time. One day at a time,” he repeated, because he needed to do the same thing.

“Why me?”

Buck and Eddie shot each other a look, wondering if they should tell the truth. Chimney saw the look between them.

“What the fuck do you know?” he demanded to know, though there was no anger in his voice, just resignation.

“Women manipulate you, easily. Maddie latched onto that. She needed to see her ‘Death’ by her aweful, abusive ex-husband. In the divorce, Doug took everything; she was the one cheating, and Maddie had nothing left. She tried with Eddie first,” Buck began, keeping his words soft.

“I was still married to Shannon at the time, and even though we were separated, I took those vows seriously. I wouldn’t cheat. So not an easy target. She needed someone who would do what she wanted, on her timetable. Dating you…” Eddie trailed off, looking at Buck.

“She had someone who would be in communication with a man who was unknown to us. In your phone, we would have found Jason, and the phone was in the name of Doug Kendall. Everything would point to Doug being the one to kill you and kidnap Maddie. The plan was to blow the cabin they were in, but you surviving and me coming on the scene as I did wasn’t in the cards for them. Plan changed a little, and in the end Maddie wasn’t going to go to prison for what she had done, so she-“

“Killed that man and hurt herself, very Scream,” he said, shaking his head and snorting an almost hysterical laugh.

“Don’t know that one,” he frowned.

“Horror movie, two killers, pretended to kill each other kinda thing,” he said, “They… were killers.”

“Yeah, Buck nodded, “Chim, I can’t say everything is going to be fine. But we’re here for you.”

Chimney nodded, “What about the kid? What do I do? I’m not cut out for the single dad life. I just-“

“Neither was I, but I learned that it takes a village to help raise a kid. I’ve got Buck, my family. You and the others at the 118. You’ve got us as well,” Eddie pointed out to him, “You’ll get through it, and that kid won’t want for anything in life, we all of us around. I know… It’s not what you wanted. But this is what’s going to happen. I know Lucius is going to go to bat for you to make sure you’ve got the kid. He’ll be this kid’s great uncle after all.”

“Yeah, he’s planning to help you with that. Even if you don’t want anything to do with Grand-pere. He still wants to make sure you get your daughter, your kid,” Buck added.

Chimney nodded, “I just… hate this.”

“Don’t go out drinking,” Eddie warned, “That’s not what you need. So why don’t you stay here?” he suggested, getting a nod of agreement from Buck.

Chimney looked at them and shook his head, “Thanks, but I’m going to… go see the Lee’s, they’ve been parents to me since I was a teen, since my mother became Ill. I think I need to talk and be with them for a bit,” he said as he got up, “Thanks, for talking to me, and telling the truth about myself. I never…”

“You didn’t think you were. Tatiana did it, Maddie did it. Though you convinced yourself that lying was the best way to keep Tatiana, it wasn’t; it wasn’t you. With Maddie… you were more you. But you became her mouthpiece when she wanted it.”

“Women are just bad luck for me,” Chimney said as he got up.

“Maybe when you’re ready, try dating a bloke instead,” Eddie suggested as he and Buck stood up to escort Chimney out.

“Yeah, maybe, but that won’t be for a long time,” he stated. “Bobby’s message said we have a few weeks. I’ll be on parental leave in about two months. Or when the baby is born. I don’t know how that works.”

“Maddie is going to be classed as a danger to her child; she won’t keep her in prison with her at all. They won’t let her. She’s too high of a risk considering her past,” Buck told him, “Chances are, she’s going to be a few hours old to a couple of days old by the time you get custody. But my grand-pere will be in touch to help with all that.”

“Thanks, Buck,” he nodded and left.

Buck slumped against Eddie as the door closed. “Fucking hell, this is a damn nightmare,” he stated.

“I know,” Eddie nodded, “come on, let’s put dinner in, Lucius and Narcissa will be arriving back soon,” he said as he guided Buck to the living room and got him to sit down before heading into the kitchen to start dinner.

XxXxX

Lucius and Narcissa had gone home. Harry was sleeping along with Christopher. Eddie was feeling nervous; his sisters would both be apparating into the kitchen in about ten minutes. He still wasn’t sure if he should have let them come. He relaxed a little as he felt Buck’s arms go around him. He leaned back against the strong chest and closed his eyes. “Thanks for staying here, Buck.”

“You know there is nowhere else I would rather be,” Buck told him, moving his head around and kissing Eddie’s cheek. “Now, you said that they always took your parents’ side on things?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Eddie said, “When I started learning the rituals, blessings, and that for Quetzalcoatl, they refused. They… teased me, belittled me for believing in such things. They don’t have the gift of parsletougue, though they did at one point. They went against the family magics, so it was taken from them. Like Ramon went against magic, it was taken from him. They resent me for still having it. None of their children has it either, since none of them follow Quetzalcoatl.”

“So, they’re family but also a little separate from it,” Buck nodded.

“Yeah,” he sighed heavily. He almost jumped when he heard the twin pops of his sisters arriving in the kitchen. He waited in the living room, getting Buck to let him go. Though he was reluctant about that.

“Eddie,” Adriana said as she walked into the living room. Seeing her brother, and then frowning when she saw someone else standing there. “And this is?” she asked, not looking happy that the man was there.

Buck almost growled at the dismissive tone of her voice as Sophia walked into the room as well. “You know who I am, we were introduced at Shannon’s Funeral and then again at Eddie’s shield ceremony,” he told her, “Don’t play dumb.”

“I’ll say,” Eddie said, “I know I’ve talked to you about him, from the few times we’ve talked. Then again, you’ve always been disinterested in my life unless Helena and Ramon complain about it.”

“Why is he here?” Sophia asked, before the eldest and youngest of the family could get into things again. Eddie was the baby of the family and the only boy. He’d followed their father’s family, while they had followed their mother and father instead.

“Because he’s staying here, and he’s my partner, in all ways,” he added, looking at the two. “So why do you want to talk?” he asked, “You’ve not had much to say to me since the last time you started in on me not giving in to Helena and Ramon.”

“Mom and Dad were just trying to help you,” Adriana said, standing stiffly before her youngest sibling.

“You mean when they bound Christopher’s magic?” he asked, “Do you really think that’s right? Binding someone’s magic to a point where it fucking stopped them from developing normally? Stopped them from having a life like ours? With magic, with full mobility. Without having to go through fucking surgeries because I didn’t know he was magical and that was a fucking option! They ruined a possible future for my son. For your fucking nephew, and you have the fucking audacity to dare say that they were trying to help me?” Eddie was seething at his sister’s response.

“They were trying to make sure you stopped the nonsense with that false idol they worshiped,” Sophia said, defending the choices that their parents had made.

Eddie shook his head, “I knew it was a mistake agreeing to talk with either of you. You have your heads shoved so far up Helena and Ramon’s asses that you can’t smell the shit they’ve been shoveling. Neither of you can talk to serpents anymore. Your children don’t carry the gift either. And I wish I had the power to make sure that no one in either of your family lines will ever carry the gift unless Quetzalcoatl approves them, and they’ve proved to be one with the magic that Quetzalcoatl gifted our family line.”

Sophia and Adriana looked horrified. “You would wish them not to be a-“

“Why the hell should they be able to speak a language that they will never fully understand the gift of?” Eddie demanded to know. “The gift is given to us as those blessed by Quetzalcoatl, and you haven’t been. Chris has, I have, Abuela, and everyone else in the family has, except you two, and your children. So, of course, they won’t get the gift. We are born with it, but if we do not get the blessing, then we lose it. You chose not to. Your children carry your refusal, just as their entire line will. Until they change. But then again, they know nothing of Quetzalcoatl or the traditions that are part of their divine community. We are blessed by the Feathered Serpent. We continue to have the gift as we care for those like Quetzalcoatl. You’re trying to tell me that turning my back on all that I’ve been taught, all I believe, to fit some nasty desire by you and them to control me. Well, it isn’t going to happen. I will never be part of you lot, ever again. I want nothing to do with you, since you both agree with binding Christophers’ magic to a point of injury, and permanent injury at that. Christopher will never heal from what they fucking did to him. Christopher’s magic is so damn strong, and you all tried to deny him that.”

“You disgust me,” came a voice from behind the two women. Everyone turned to see an effegy encased in a glowing orb. It was a small serpent, no bigger than a cat. Scales and feathers mixed in hues of red, greens, and blues. Clawed legs dangled below the body, as feathered wings flapped lazily.

“Quetzalcoatl,” Eddie said, bowing low.

“Rise, Edmundo Javier Diaz,” Quetzalcoatl told him, “You have long been a devoted man to my powers. You have shown well that you are of my flock. I thank you for bringing another child under my wings. He will always find protection. He will be the one to take over from Shaman Lucia,” he added, “He will take the path when he is older, much as Lucia did when she reached an age she felt was right for her. She will come to teach him when he is a little older. The bindings that the insidious ones used stopped me from helping and making things right.”

“I…” Eddie said, eyes going wide. “He will take over?” he frowned.

“Yes, the day Christopher was born, I knew he would be next in line. Lucia has served me faithfully for thirty years already. She will serve ten more before she begins his training. He will take over when he has finished that training to Lucia’s satisfaction.”

“Well, she’s a perfectionist, so it could take another decade or two for that,” Eddie said.

“You really believe that Christopher could do something like that!” Adriana snapped, “He-“

“Shut up, Adriana Rosa Ramerez,” Quetzalcoatl intoned as he turned to look at the sisters. “Adriana Rosa Ramerez, Sophia Lianna Garcia, you have both shown disregard for the life of your nephew. You have gone against magic itself, and she is not pleased. Entiher am I. Your lines will lose the gift of strong magic, your magic will never be as strong as it was. You, your children, and your children’s children, and generations later. Until remorse for what has happened here, for what was done against a child, innocent in all, has been shown, and Magic deems them worthy, they will start regaining the magical strength again.”

“You can do that!” Sophia said, eyes going wide.

“And why should Magic not do so?” Quetzalcoatl asked them, floating in front of them in turn, before heading to Eddie and Buck.

“We’ve done-” the two protested as they stared at Quetzalcoatl.

“With your inaction, knowing what your parents had done, you have shown that you’ve done something. You could have said something, and Christopher Irvine Diaz would have been saved. His body was left undamaged from the binding. For my own sanction on you both. Never again with the grace of Pasletounge bless either of your lines. Never will you find comfort or joy from Serpants flighted and grounded. Never again will you be welcomed into the Serpent’s Nest. Or under my Wings for protection and sanctuary,” he said to the two of them and then vanished.

Adriana and Sophia shuddered as their magic felt off, in more than just strength. “What did it do to us?” Sophia asked, eyes wide.

“Just as Quetzalcoatl said, you no longer find joy and warmth with the serpents, and since both Buck and I speak the tongue, you’ll no longer find us open to you. No longer are we family; we are nothing to each other. From this moment on, you’ll never find a home with me. You agreed to hurt my son because of your own prejudices. Reap what you’ve sown, and now your children and theirs will be suffering for it.”

Adriana and Sophia were about to say something when they popped out of the room.

“What the hell?” Eddie said.

“Sorry, thought it would be best to get rid of them. They need a dip in reality, so I sent them to the bay,” Harry grinned, though this time, it wasn’t a toddler-sized Harry, but a fully grown, forty-something.

“Dad,” Buck grinned, rushing over to hug him. Harry laughed and hugged his son.

“I’m back to normal, finally. Fucking Umbitch, pity the Centurs didn’t want to keep her around for target practice,” Harry muttered as he let his son go and turned to Eddie.

“In the bay?” Eddie frowned.

“Yep, thought they could do with a good dip,” he grinned, “I could always do it again,” he added, “I’ve always been good at this type of thing. Ron ended up in the black lake several times when Draco and I came out to him. Hermione would moan about it, but well, she got used to using the drying charms when he apparated back,” he laughed.

“Right,” Eddie snorted, “Well, I’m done with them and that side of the family, I think.”

“You’re better off cutting out the toxic,” Harry nodded. “Right, I need to get some sleep. So I’m going to sleep out here, rather not scare Chris in the morning. He’s a damn good kid, and magically strong too. I can see why Quetzalcoatl says he will be his next Shaman,” he said, smiling softly.

“You heard all that?” Eddie asked.

“I did, I changed back just as they arrived. And trust me, I kinda of wanted to send them right from the start, but I could feel Mother Magic at work. She doesn’t like to be interrupted,” he added, as he yawned, “You don’t mind if I transfigure your couch into a bed, for being a wizard, you don’t really think of a good cushioning charm, do you?”

“I’ve basically lived as a mundane since Chris was around one,” Eddie shrugged, “Never really thought of it.”

Harry smiled and nodded, “I don’t sometimes. But I’ve had decades to get used to magic. Right, I’m turning in, unless you want to do anything else, like TV or anything.”

“Nah,” Buck said, “It’s later, and while we’re not at work, we’ve got to get Chris up for school still. Carla won’t be around until this afternoon. She’ll be joining him for one of his classes.”

“Right, I’ll see you both in the morning. I’ve sent a message to Draco; he should be getting here tomorrow morning. Or I told him to.”

“We all know that Pere might not wait that long. He hates being without you.”

“True,” Harry said, a fond smile on his face as they heard a pop right behind Harry. “Speak of the devil, and he shall appear.”

“I’m no devil unless you think I am in bed,” Draco purred behind Harry as he wrapped his arms around him, turning him so they were face to face, “Now that’s a face I’ve missed,” he said, bringing Harry close and kissing him.

“KID IN ROOM!” Buck called out, rolling his eyes and turning to Eddie as the two men ignored him and continued to make out. “Bedroom, I am not going to watch that crap, they were so fucking bad when I was growing up,” he said, huffing as his parents pulled apart and laughed at him. Draco transfigured the couch and set it up for the two of them while Buck almost dragged Eddie toward the bedroom.

Eddie laughed but followed. They should get some sleep while they could. He had no doubt his Abuela would be asking questions about Adriana and Sophia, but he could deal with that another day.

 

Day Nine and Beyond

The next morning, Christopher woke them all up with a yell of surprise when he went into the living room to try and sneak in some early morning cartoons. Christopher had asked them as many questions as he could before Eddie and Buck took him to school. Returning home, Buck spent time with his parents. Enjoying having them around, even if it wasn’t going to be for long. Eddie had gone to talk with Isabel about what had happened with his sisters. She hadn’t been pleased with them, as they had turned up on their doorstep in the early hours. Isabel had the whole house warded from anyone trying to get in through apparition.

Harry and Draco promised to stick around for a little while longer. Having some time away from the UK while things settled down with Umbridge and what she had done. Since it had quickly become public knowledge that Harry had been de-aged. Eddie returned to work, and Harry had ended up calling in Ron and Hermione to visit Buck.

“Okay, you sure this is fine?” Hermione asked, looking a little worried that they were going to be a problem just turning up at the station.

“It’s going to be fine, Aunt Hermione,” Buck said, rolling his eyes as he parked the truck in the parking lot of the 118. Christopher was spending the day with his Abuela, so for now. Buck was heading to the station to see everyone, since he’d gotten at least two weeks off. Chimney had more, but he was also going to visit the station. Neither of them wanted to keep away from the place. It was their home away from home.

“Are you sure?” she asked again.

“Hermione, he’s sure,” Ron said, huffing as they got out of the truck and glanced around. “This is a nice city.”

“It can be,” Buck said, “And other times it shows you the worst in humanity. But it’s the same anywhere in this world.”

“So like your father,” Harry muttered.

“It’s good to have a foot in reality than fantasy,” Draco said with a snort.

“Really,” Hermione said, rolling her eyes before looking at Draco, “We have magic, we live in fantasy,” she muttered as she walked past him.

“We live in reality,” he replied, rolling his eyes, “Hermione, we might have magic, but that doesn’t mean we live in a time of magic, swords-“

“We had to have Gryffindor’s sword at the end,” Harry reminded him with a smirk.

Draco huffed as Ron laughed, “Just give in, Dray,” Ron said, patting his back. “We’ve had this argument for years, and it’s never going to end. For us, this is the norm; for them, it still isn’t.” 

“It should be by now,” Draco grumbled as they followed Buck into the station.

“Buck!” Eddie grinned as he looked at him.

“Chimney’s just parking up and will be joining us soon,” Buck said, as Eddie rushed over and they shared a hug and a kiss.

“Well,” Hen grinned as she stood with Bobby at the railing above them, “Nice to see some confirmation.”

Buck and Eddie looked up. “Come on, Hen,” Eddie said, rolling his eyes.

“Like you didn’t already know,” Buck finished as the two separated. “I brought my family to come and say hello. Little Harry has finally gone home; his parents came for him, and my family decided to come by and stay for a few days.”

“Well, bring them on up,” Bobby said, smiling down at him.

Eddie grinned and took Buck’s hand. He was missing having his partner at work. “Cap’s made his five cheese mac’n’cheese,” he said, “I know that’s one of your favs,” he added, as they headed up the stairs.

“Come on,” Buck called behind him to his family.

Draco and Harry shared a look and smiled as they followed. Hermione was a little nervous, but Ron just shook his head, grabbed her hand, and practically dragged her up the stairs.

“Hey,” Buck said as they reached the top and joined the others.

“So, who is everyone?” Hen asked as she spotted Chimney and waved him up.

Chimney was quick to rush up the stairs. He was more subdued, but there was still a small smile on his face.

“Chimney,” Draco and Harry greeted him, having met the man the day before when he came by the house to talk with Harry.

“Draco, Harry,” he nodded at the two, “Cap, Hen,” he said, and nodded at everyone else.

“Cap, Hen, this is my Dad, Harry, and my Pere, Draco. My Aunt Hermione and my Uncle Ron,” Buck said, introducing everyone as he went through those of the 118.

“Nice to meet you all,” Bobby said. “Please, sit down,” he added, gesturing to the table. “Lunch will be out soon,” he finished as he went to the kitchen area and began to get the dishes out with the mac’n’cheese in.

Buck went over to help as Hen and Eddie grabbed drinks for everyone. 

“So, what was Buck like when he was a kid?” Hen asked, as Chimney smiled at the question.

“He was quiet at first,” Harry began, as he looked at Buck, getting a slight nod. “Some of you may know we rescued him from a bad situation. He took a while to heal. But he loved to read, and I do mean read, the Manor has a library, and I swear he was working his way through the books there and went through most of them before he finished school.”

“We made a list,” Hermione smiled at Buck.

“Of course you made a list,” Ron rolled his eyes, “You always make lists.”

“Lists can be very helpful,” both Hermione and Buck said as they looked at Ron.

Harry laughed as Eddie nodded, “So that’s where he gets that clipboard Buck from.”

“He does that with you guys?” Ron asked, “Makes a list and then tells you to say ‘check’ if you have it?”

“Yeah, he does when we do inventory,” Eddie smiled at him.

“Hermione’s been doing the same thing since we went to school together. She got Buck doing the same thing at home. It helped, though,” Harry said as he looked at his son.

“Making lists, checking them off,” Buck began, “It was a way to cope with how everything changed for me in a matter of minutes. Within a day of being rescued, I was in England, in a hospital bed, being treated for everything Margaret and Phillip and even Maddie had put me through over the years. That wasn’t just medical, but therapy. So much therapy.”

“PTSD,” Draco said.

“That’s what they diagnosed me with, at nine years old. From all the shit they put me through. When Maddie first turned up, I panicked. I didn’t know if I wanted her back in my life. But… she appeared to have changed at first. Things were… good, I was getting to know her again, but then she started going back to her old habits of hitting me, and I-” Buck sighed. “I tried to get her to stop.”

“She was always a bully,” Draco said, “We’re around the same age. I met her when she was young, and we were both young then. She tried to bully me, didn’t work.”

“What went and told Father?” Ron rolled his eyes.

“No, I told mother,” Draco smirked. “Father isn’t the scary man most think he is. It’s my mother you need to watch out for. She is a Black after all.”

“You know, I always forget that, she doesn’t look anything like Andromeda,” Ron said, shaking his head.

“Yeah,” Harry nodded in agreement.

“Considering all three of you have some of the Black blood in you,” Hermione began.

“What?” Chimney said, looking up in surprise.

“Okay, this is going to get really, really fucking confusing. And I had the fucking family tree to read it,” Harry snorted. “Right. So my grandmother was a Black. She is the Aunt of Narcissa’s father. My godfather is their cousin. Their father and Sirius’ mother were siblings… but…” he drawled out, “Sirius’ father was cousin to Sirius’ mother. Yeah, that was a thing with some blue-blood families. Ron’s grandmother was a cousin of my grandmother.”

“Huh?!” many around the table said, looking and sounding confused.

“Just know that most of the families we know are related in some way,” Ron said, “It’s easier. Though my grandmother Cedrella, was disowned by her family for marrying my Grandfather, Septimus.”

“My Godfather, they tried to disown, but his grandfather didn’t allow it,” Harry added, grinning. “Since I’m the adopted son of Sirius, there was a whole scandal when that broke,” he laughed.

“Some of the family were upset,” Hermione giggled behind a hand.

“It’s really confusing,” Buck agreed, “And this I had to learn, to know who was acceptable to marry, if I remained in the UK.”

“Thank fuck you didn’t,” Hermione exclaimed.

“Oh, swearing!” Ron said, eyes wide, “Duck and COVER!” he yelled as four people ducked under the table.

“I’m not going to do anything here!” Hermione said, sounding pissed off.

Ron peeked out from under the table at her, “Hermione, my love, my light, and my very damn life. You swear, and the world almost ends.”

“I swear this happens all too often,” Draco said, huffing, still under the table, and still somehow looking refined while doing so.

“Buck?” Eddie said as he saw his boyfriend under the table.

“Aunt Hermione’s temper is… legendary,” he whispered.

“Hush up, Abraxas,” Hermione said, growling lightly.

Buck raised an eyebrow as he looked at Eddie, as though to say, ‘See!!!’.

Eddie snorted, “Come on out. I doubt your aunt is going to blow the place up.”

“Don’t jinx us!” Hen and Chimney called out, “The EMS gods might hear you and plant another fucking bomb around here!”

“Too soon,” Bobby said, shaking his head at them all.

“It’s been almost two years, Bobby,” Buck said as he slowly came from under the table, glancing at his Aunt, who spared him a quick glare before she reached under the table with both hands and pulled Ron and Harry from under it.

“We’re out!” Ron and Harry called out as they were dragged.

“Draco save me!” Harry called his husband.

“Honestly,” Hermione huffed, as she glared at Draco, “Out or I’ll make what happened when we were thirteen feel like a love tap,” she said.

Draco hurried out from under the table, and with dignity, he sat back down as though he hadn’t just been hiding under the table.

“This is what you grew up with?” Chimney asked, as he and the others had watched a little wide-eyed.

“Oh, yeah,” Buck nodded, “Now add in the rest of Uncle Ron’s family. That’s four brothers and a sister. Their spouses and children. Then bring in my grandparents on both sides, who don’t always get along. And family gatherings can get a little explosive. Some form of pick-me-up game usually happens, and they can get really competitive.”

“I still say Draco cheated last time,” Ron grumbled.

“I did no such thing,” the man replied, “Not my fault that Potter was scared,” he said with a little smirk.

“You wish, Malfoy, and I wasn’t scared, more… turned on. You were-” he began, only to stop when both Hermione and Draco slapped a hand over his mouth.

“Something I really don’t want to know about you, mate,” Ron said, as he gave Harry the stink eye.

Harry moved the hands covering his mouth to speak, “Well, Draco-“

“Draco nothing, love, stop it, you’re going to traumatize our poor son… again,” Draco said, gesturing to Buck.

Buck had his hands over his ears and eyes closed, much to the amusement of those around him. Eddie tapped him on the arm. “Have they stopped this weird sexual dance they do?” he asked, looking hopeful.

“They have,” Hermione was the one to answer, “Sorry about that, they can get a little out of hand.”

“We can see,” Hen said, “How do you cope with them all?” she had to ask.

Hermione smiled, “I have them well trained. I met them all in school, I was-“

“A total bookworm, nerd, and all the good things,” Ron began, only to change at the end when Hermione glared at him. “Honestly, she’s a nightmare.”

“You said that back in our first year,” Harry pointed out as he looked around Hermione.

“Hasn’t damn well changed either,” Ron said before jumping and squealing as his wife poked him in his side.

“Buck was a dream when he joined the family,” Hermione said. “He loved to babysit his cousins, Rose and Hugo, when they were born,” she added, looking at Buck. “It wasn’t until they went to school that I figured out just where they got their ideas for pranks from,” she added, giving him a little disapproving look. “But then again, with those around them, I’m not surprised.”

“Of course, I was going to teach them. I wanted them to match their uncles at school for the amount of chaos they could cause. No one would expect it of Rose; she’s too much like you, Aunt Hermione,” Buck said as he carried on eating.

“No, they really don’t. I’m still getting letters home from McGonagall about her,” Hermione said, shaking her head. She needs to start concentrating on her exams now. Hugo settled in easily.”

“Most of the Weasleys did,” Draco pointed out, “Not one of you has had trouble from your children, or rather not as much as you all caused when you were there.”

“I’ll write to Rose and make sure that she knows to have fun on that schedule of hers,” Buck said.

“Fun… schedule,” Chimney said, “You can’t really plan for that, you know.”

“Trust us, Rose, Hermione, and Buck can,” Harry said, “They’ve always done it that way.”

“Each of them had a schedule for their last year at school. Buck made sure fun was on it. Hermione really didn’t, but then again, we were a year older when our exams took place, but that was because of an incident that happened at the school that led to nearly everyone repeating a year, anyway,” Ron said, “They had schedules, Hermoine’s didn’t have fun, she was harried and a beast when she was interrupted. WE all had to follow it; if we didn’t, we were chased down and dragged to join in with her insanity. Rose is really following in her footsteps. So, having Rex tell her to make sure will help in the insanity,” he explained, “The kids all look up to their older cousin a lot. Since a lot of the time, he would babysit and watch them when it was time for the kids to be out in the yard and playing during any family get-together. He’d often be out there with them, either joining in or reading a book to the younger ones.”

“Well,” Bobby said, nodding, he’d learned a lot about one of his youngest firefighters in the last hour as they ate lunch together.

“Yeah,” Hen nodded, smiling at Buck, “Why did you never speak of them?” he asked.

“Becaues by the time I felt comfortable doing so, Maddie had arrived and was flinging out a narrative where she had been the one to raise me,” Buck said, “I was… when she came she acted so damn scared, like someone was going to come after her, that I let her do what she wanted, to make sure she stayed. Now I know it was all a damn ploy to-” he took a breath, “I was fooled by her.”

“We all were,” Hen said as she glanced at Chimney.

“Yeah,” Chimney snorted, “Oh, Draco, can you thank your dad? The lawyer he got for me has been brilliant.”

Draco smiled at him, “I’m glad to hear of it. I’ll pass the message along. With this child, you are family after all.”

“Family is important,” Ron nodded.

“W-” Bobby began, only for the alarm to sound, “Right, let’s get moving. Buck, Chimney, would you be able to?” he said, gesturing to the table.

“Sure,” Buck nodded, “We’ll stay until you’re back.”

“Only if it’s not a long call. If it is I-“

“It’ll be fine Cap, I can stay behind,” Chimney stated, “It’s not like I’ve really got anywhere else to be at the moment,” he added as he and Buck got up as the rest of the 118 ate another bite or two before rushing to the trucks and ambulance as Bobby began calling out what the emergency was.

Buck and Chimney began to clean up the last of the food, putting away leftovers into tubs, writing names on most of it, since a number of them had gone for seconds. The rest was packed away, ready to be claimed by the first person to come across it.

“Do they always have to leave like this?” Ron asked, glancing around, seeing the place was now so empty.

Buck looked at his uncle and nodded, “Yeah, the alarm goes and we head out straight away. Sometimes someone would be left behind, to keep an eye on the place. But since Chim and I are here, we can do that for them. We know the routine,” he shrugged, “We might not be on the clock, but it beats doing nothing when they’re out there risking their lives to save someone.”

Hermione stood at the counter and watched them, “I would have thought they would have left someone else behind, since you two aren’t actually at work.”

“Normally they would,” Chimney agreed, “But the 118 is down two of its normal crew. The floaters they have, I don’t think have worked with anyone here before?” he guessed as he glanced at Buck.

“No, they haven’t,” Buck nodded, “I recognize most of those in the floater pool, but they’re new to it.”

“Floater pool?” Ron asked. Sounding a little confused at the term.

Buck quickly explained, smiling at his uncle as he and his aunt asked a few more questions.

“So, they take them with them, because they don’t know what they’re going to need. They will sometimes close the station down fully. Shutters down and everything off inside. Doesn’t happen as often as you think. Usually when there is a high casualty event, or a three or more alarm fire,” Buck finished the answer, before explaining the fire level system they used to them.

They settled down with some tea and biscuits while waiting for the 118 to come back.

XxXxX

It was two months after Harry had transformed back that the trial for Helena and Ramon Diaz happened. Buck and Eddie held each other’s hands as they watched it unfold. Eddie said Adriana and Sophia both tried to get his attention, but he had ignored them. He wasn’t going to speak with them, not again, not after what they had said during their visit. Even Isabel was doing the same beside him. It was with relief that the two were sentenced to fifteen years each in prison for what they had done to Christopher.

“Please!” Adriana called out to Eddie as he began to walk past them after Helena and Ramon had been taken away and the court dismissed.

“What is there to say?” Eddie asked her, “Nothing, because you now mean as little to me as Christopher’s life did to you.”

“He’s my nephew, of course, we love him!” Adriana snapped at him, tears in her eyes.

“No, you don’t. You didn’t care that the binding could have killed your nephew. You didn’t care because that was what they wanted. So fuck you, Adriana. I want nothing to do with you or her,” he said, as he glared at Sophia, who was crying.

“You’re our brother-“

“I have no sisters,” Eddie growled at them, “You both make me so fucking sick,” he told them as he walked away.

Buck stood there looking at them, “You reap what you sow. And you showed him that you had no care for his son, or his son’s life and future, as long as your parents got their way. Now they’re in prison, and you’ve had your magic cut by Mother Magic herself, for your actions. You’re nothing to him now, and I very much doubt that will ever change in this life.”

Isabel stared at her granddaughters, “I have never been so ashamed and disapointed as I am in the two of you. I understood when you didn’t want to follow family tradition, and I understood when you didn’t wish to educate your children in it. I can’t understand or forgive the blatant hatred you both carry for your younger brother and his son. You are no longer part of this family. Magical CPS is going to be monitoring you both and your children.”

“What, why?!” Sophia exclaimed, eyes wide.

“Because you both agreed that binding my bisneito was the way to go. I fear for the safety of your children since you have no care or concern for an innocent child,” she said as she then turned away and joined Buck and Eddie as they left the two standing there.

“I wish they were better,” she said softly, as she looked at her grandson, “You deserve better than what they gave you.”

“I had you at least, and the rest of the family here. It’s over now, and I never have to think about them again,” he said as he leaned down a little to hug his grandmother. “I wish they were… better than they are.”

“I do as well, neito,” she murmured, holding him tightly for a moment before gently letting him go, “Come, let’s go home.”

Eddie nodded, taking Buck’s hand and keeping hold of his Abuela as they headed to the apparition point so they could go home.

XxXxX

The Ana Flores trial was something to witness. There were so many families that had been affected that the courtroom had to have several expansions to it, and even a few side rooms were opened for victims’ families to be there to watch. In the end, the woman had killed over thirty children with her actions, and almost three hundred mundane-born as well as magical-born children had their magic bound. It was one of the largest cases that they had come across. Durrand had almost fifty children who had been bound. The parents were now getting together in support groups. Eddie and Buck went to one such group, talking with other parents; many were grateful that they had been able to expose what was happening. Three children in Durrand were on the verge of a magical shutdown, which would have killed them within months of the binding being found.

The magical judge sat there staring at Ana Flores as she stood proud and tall, even after all she had done. “Ana Flores, you have been found guilty on all counts. Normally, I would not be wishing death on anyone. But you are an exception to that rule. You’ve shown little care or concern for the children that you were teaching. So many children have been taken from their parents because of your callous actions, and you have shown no remorse, not a single bit of it. Do you have anything to say in your defence?” he asked her.

Flores remained silent for a moment before saying. “I stand by my actions to make sure that the world we live in will be cleansed of anything that could and would cause it problems.”

“I see, then your sentence has been decided. You will be put to death. The actions you have taken have caused harm to so many and to our country. You are a danger to all those around you, especially children. The manner of your death will be taken to the Death Cell. Seers will be contacted to show you some of the futures you tried to kill. May Mother Magic have mercy on your soul and your afterlife, So Mote It Be,” he intoned as a pulse of magic went through the courtroom. Magic has accepted the sentence for Ana Flores and found it just. Within one month, the sentence would be carried out.

“No, this isn’t-” Flores began as she was taken away. To wait for her sentence to be carried out.

“To the families, you have been failed in a way that no family should. Your children were in danger from a woman who had a vision as evil as a Dark Lord. I do not doubt that one day, she would have turned into such. All help will be available to the families of the victims and the victims themselves. This court is over,” he said as he stood.

Buck glanced at Eddie, “I didn’t think he would seek the death penalty,” he murmured.

“I don’t think any of us did,” Eddie answered as he saw a few of the other parents nodding along.

“It makes sense,” one of them whispers. “She killed so many and could have killed even more with what she’d done,” she finished as she looked at the two.

“My daughter almost died. I know one family that lost one child and almost lost a second because of her,” her husband said as he took hold of his wife’s hand. “Let’s go, I don’t want to spend another moment thinking about her.”

“Yeah,” she said as the two walked away.

“It’s cruel punishment,” another said as they walked past, “A horrible one, we should… petition them to change it. To be killed… like that.”

“Mavis, she deserves it, you aren’t one of the people that affected by this. She could have killed more children than what she did. I say she deserves it and no doubt many others do as well,” her friend said as she shook her head.

“I’m still going to do it, we ahven’t… we haven’t used the Death Cell in the US in decades,” she pointed out.

“So?” she said, “That… that doesn’t mean anything. The Death Cell is there for the most henous of cases. And this is one of them.”

Eddie and Buck shared a look and headed out as well, wondering what the woman, Mavis would end up doing. Lucius and Narcissa met them, as they had been in another part since their expertise had been used to save so many of the children.

“Abraxas,” Narcissa said as she enveloped first Buck and then Eddie into a hug, “Eddie,” she smiled a little, “Well, that’s over with.”

“Yeah,” Eddie said, “I never want to think of her again,” he added quietly as they headed toward the apparition point.

“I know, now, are you ready to come and stay with us over the holidays?” Lucius asked as he walked beside them.

“Bobby’s cleared it, so we’ve got two weeks,” Eddie said, smiling slightly, “it’ll be nice to see where Buck grew up.”

Narcissa smiled, “We have so many pictures to show you of him, he was such an adorable child, and when he reached his teen years, he was a heartbreaker, he really was.”

“I look forward to it,” Eddie said with a smile, as Buck groaned.

“Grand-mere, please,” Buck begged as they reached the point, stepping in line to leave.

Ten minutes later, they were back home. The two trials had taken place less than a month apart. The Flores trial had taken three weeks, and would have been longer if they had brought in everyone who wanted to try and testify.

“Chimney is going to be stopping by tomorrow,” Buck said, “He wants to make sure that Lillian knows her family,” he smiled. The baby girl was almost a month old now. Maddie was still waiting for a trial for what she had done. She had murdered Alexander Hilltop, and she was also being charged with Daniel Buckley’s death. Though she was a minor when that happened, so not much was going to happen to her if she were found guilty.

“Good, it’ll be nice to see her,” Narcissa smiled, “How is Chimney doing being a single dad? He doesn’t need anything, does he?” she asked.

“He’s doing really well. He’s got another two months of leave left before he’ll be coming back. He’s looking into a babysitting service for when he comes back.”

“We might be able to help him find someone and make sure that they will be qualified,” Lucius said as he went to sit down. They were going to be staying at Buck’s loft for the night to meet with Chimney and Lillian the next day before heading home.

“I’ll let him know you’re willing to help. He might want to do it himself. He has the Lee’s who are helping him when he needs a couple of hours, and the rest of us if we can help him,” Eddie said as he went to the kitchen to make them something to drink.

“That’s fine, just make sure he knows we’re here to help if he needs or wants it,” Narcissa said, sitting next to her husband.

Buck sat down and waited for Eddie to come back with drinks floating behind him.

“We’ve been talking to MACUSA the last few days about Maddie,” Lucius began, “We’re thinking that it might be an idea to have her obliviate from some of the things, especially about you, and her daughter, to protect them. They believe that it might be the right course of action. And we’ve talked with Margaret and Phillip, and they are thinking the same thing. They worry that should she ever be released, she will go after Lillian and you again.”

Buck was stiff as Eddie reached out and took his hand in support. “You really think it’s going to be necessary?” he asked, not sure how he felt about her being obliviated from all the memories of himself and her daughter.

“She’s been… making threats about you both. Finding you and getting rid of you. That it will make what’s going on disappear, that she’ll have the life she always wanted back. It is the main reason why she’s been denied bail. She is a danger to you both. As soon as she starts to harm Lillian, it will cause her death, thanks to the vow you got out of her. That isn’t the case with you. I believe that a small accident is going to happen where she is being held so that the MACUSA agent will be able to get to her and do it,” Lucius informed him.

“If… you and the others think it best. Then you should do it,” he said quietly, “Just hope that… we never get to see her again. I don’t know what Chimney should be told, though.”

“He’ll be told that she had an accident and has lost her memory of her daughter and you. That it would be best for him to forget about her, and just enjoy being with his daughter,” Narcissa said, as she had been part of the talks.

Buck drank his coffee, “What about Chim… aren’t they going to obliviate the memory of him?”

“No, because he’s part of the trial. She’ll know she had a child, just nothing more than that. Nothing that will lead her to come after her, and the same with you. Two brothers, and the youngest wants nothing to do with her. She’s remembered everything else. But the memories of you will be dull, almost non-existent. There’ll be no feeling about you from them. It’s a complicated one, but one that will help protect you should she ever be released. Chances are, she’ll be a lot older and her daughter fully grown with a family of her own by the time that happens.”

“Good,” Eddie said, “As long as she’s not a threat to us, or anyone else again.”

“She won’t be,” Lucius said, “We’ll be making sure of it, since this is also part of MACUSA problem. Should she harm anyone else that is magical, she’ll be finding out about the magical world and be persecuted by it for her actions,” he added, his voice low.

“Thanks for informing me,” Buck said as he then changed the subject to their visit to the UK. Not wanting to talk about them anymore.

XxXxX

Three months later, they were in England, Christopher zipping around on a broom as Harry flew beside him. Maddie had been convicted, and the obliviate had been used. Chimney had been torn, but was also relieved that Maddie no longer knew about her daughter. Flores’ sentence had been carried out within two weeks of her sentencing. Someone had started a petition, but it barely got a dozen signatures until someone shut it down. The victim’s parents had complained that it was not even an option for Flores, that the sentence should be upheld and carried out. Harry and Draco’s good friend Luna had made the journey to submit her own Visions of Buck, Eddie, and Christopher’s future together. Several other Seers had put their visions into the pool for Flores to watch as she was lowered into the death potion.

Buck shook off those thoughts as Eddie wrapped an arm around him, as they watched their son fly stunts that had their heart in their throats, and Draco yelling at Harry to be careful with their grandson.