No turning back (Open; Death intended)

[Gregory Greenwich]

Having taken cover behind a broad trunked tree whilst the ferocious duel continued, Greg grumbled under his breath as his hastily fired disarming spell flew past metres from McNiven; completely harmlessly, when would his aim improve? He couldn't help but wonder, though deep down he knew the answer; when he managed to hold himself together in a difficult situation; nerves blasted his concentration completely, give him a still target and he'd hit score nine times out of ten, but out in the field of duty was another matter entirely.

Ducking out from behind the tree Greg advanced cautiously, shoulders hunched in nervousness. Completely unnerved and confused by what took place, he couldn't believe his eyes as the hapless reporter stirred; such a perfectly executed spell should have kept him down out for the night.

Stumbling foward coming further out of cover Greg spied his chance, McNiven was otherwise preoccupied, raising his arm trying vainly to control the shaking his eyes narrowed in concentration, until a resounding splintering of wood and a gigantic explosion propelled him forwards as shards from the blasted tree dug into his shoulder blades, Greg cried out girlishly in pain, landing awkwardly upon the damp ground. Eyes completely loosing focus Greg remained thoroughlyy dazed a moment; until his vigorous training kicked in. Wincing in pain he rolled into a crouch, peering eagerly for his assailent. Trying to ignore the pain and focus, Greg eventually spied the newcomer, who had clearly shielded himself from their eyes somehow, thankfully the spell was wearing thin upon him. "Stupefy," shouted Greg in a hoarse voice, his pastey face growing paler due to the digging shards of shattered wood that prickled his flesh.

[Fitz Hargreaves]

Darkness finally receeded, startling blue grey eyes slowly opening he looked around dazedly, he'd been having such a pleasant dream, but the reality soon came crashing back to him, mainly due to the searing pain in the small of his back, it felt very much like a sharp knife in the back.
"God," he murmured, "I was having such a nice dream," gingerly touching his head he half expected a splitting headache, but was surprised when he found himself relatively intact.

Groaning he pushed himself onto his knees, only ahlf listening to the tell-tale voice of Elijah, followed closely by the cool, commanding tones of McNiven, wonderful just who he wanted to awaken to. Scrambling to hsi feet Fitz quickly dusted himself off whilst finding his wand; deep within a secret pocket of the pale blue robes he wore. As McNiven's words drifted lazily into his mind, one stood out and alerted him completely; girl. Eyes widening in surprise and consternation he gaped at McNiven.
"Sorry," he exclaimed loudly, "you want me to fight Quinn? Are you out of your mind?" He asked indignantly knowing he stood no chance against her, but the ruthless tone suggested McNiven didn't particularly care what he thought. Rolling his eyes as he literally stumbled aside as a spell tore through the undergrowth Fitz roughly shook himself. "Come on then Quinn," he taunted setting a striking pose; he'd been known for a decent poise and agility whilst duelling, but actually defeating his oppenent rarely occured, especially not a seasoned Magical Law Enforcement Officer.

Persuading himself that he really had nothing to lose; as Quinn couldn't possibly kill her old friend, he smirked, skipping quickly from tree to bush. Quick on his feet he remained upon the balls of his toes and fired off a disarming spell to keep her preoccupied. Winking at his opposition Fitz stopped abruptly settling into position; left arm outstretched beckoning her onwards the other lifted over his head in a quite unique duelling pose.
"Reducto," he exclaimed whilst grinning wildly.

[Thom Moen]

Thom cried out as his eyes suddenly throbbed, his vision becoming muddy with soft, yellow-white puss. The more he tried to rub his eyes the worse they became, and blinded - spells thundering and flashing around him - Thom fell on his side, ready to give up.

Yesterday he had been taking notes in a plush office, completely bored and wishing for a bit of action - and now that he finally he had it he realised he was no where near cut out for it! Gregory and Quinn would know how to hold their ground, but the most Thom had learned to do since joining the ministry was conjur texts in other languages and duplicate gold for his superiors... he couldn't do this.

'I - I'm International Magical Cooperation, not an Auror!' He shouted, fiddling around for his wand in the wet earth. 'I'm not trained to do this!' His fingers found his wand, and he quickly pointed it at his eyes, clearing himself of the afliction. 'We know who you are now, McNevin - you could've just stood down... I probably would've let you go.'

Thom pointed his wand at the man, his face full of humilation and anger. 'Run now and you'll be a wanted man. I have friends in high places - I'll make it happen!' He bellowed. 'Incendio!'

[Nicholas McNiven]

McNiven stood in front of the boy as he fell to the floor rubbing his eyes, he was almost feeling sorry for him. It was a terrible curse to use and rather painful but it was mainly to give himself chance to help dismiss the others and leave. Showing some kind of sympathy was something McNiven did very rarely but after he stuttered that he was not an Auror he could not help but feel lightly sorry.

Turning his back he continued to listen to the shouts the boy was making, simple threats that could easily be avoided if he was by himself, however if this boy was telling the truth and he did have connections it could ruin everything. The whole system of the Red Rose league could fail, his true identity would be exposed. There was no way out of it, something drastic was going to have to happen. McNiven for a moment contemplated the extreme. He had killed before why would this be any different.

Suddenly he felt hot, and his skin began to prickle. Looking over his shoulder he noticed that his cloak was on fire. The red and orange glow was getting bigger and bigger. Panic stuck he fumbled with the clasp and threw the burning garment to the ground. Suddenly the forest floor around caught fire and it spread like wild fire. Shielding himself from the heat McNiven stumbled closer to the boy. They were blocked off from the others, no chance of assistance. The smell of burning flesh reached his nose only to notice that the fire was still burning on his back and into his skin.

Patting it out McNiven ignored the deathly pain of freshly torn skin reviled to the air. Turning to face Moan with a face like thunder McNiven pointed his wand directly at the boys heart. The light from the ragging fire around them played off the his face, it seemed more menacing then normal as it highlighted every wrinkle and scar on the older mans face.

“You foolish child. That was my favourite cloak. Avada Kedavra!”

McNiven put all of his hatred and pain into the curse. The idea that his cloak was in flames, the pain from his burns, the look of smugness on the boys face when they first met, the duel with the other members of the ministry. This boy would pay for there mistake, all he hoped was that he suffered and that it was painful.
The flash of green light overpowered all the other from the fire and reflected in the Scottish mans eyes, highlighting the gleam of enjoyment. As the light faded away he saw the boys limp body slump to the floor, his face pale and eyes lifeless. If that was not a statement to the ministry that the Red Rose League was ready to fight, McNiven did not know what was.

[Quinn Locksley]

Quinn stared at Greenwich for a moment, both impressed and glad to see he was finally doing something. Thom was still frozen but he was as much help as her apprentice was. She appreciated the sentiment nevertheless. A flicker of a smile gleamed her mouth but she quickly turned back to the fry, impassive as ever.

Her hand was still on her bleeding side and she was beginning to feel the blood loss. Her head was beginning to spin but she did not let it show. Her expressionless face was hard as stone; she could not afford to fall apart right now. She was beginning to understand that this man meant more then he was letting on and Quinn was becoming anxious about it.

Her's and Greenwich's spells flew towards the treacherous man but never hit but flew away as though shielded by something. McNiven hadn't conjured the shield, she would have seen; there was someone else with him. Fitz began to stir. There must be someone else there. Quinn's quick, sharp eyes darted here and there, searching for whoever was there. She didn't see anyone, though a flicker very near McNiven kept catching her eye. "Give it up, McNiven," she called, and her head gave a nasty throb.

She stumbled back, closed her eyes, and raised her hand with her wand in it to her head. Her face clenched, giving away her state of being. Then several things happened all at once: Fitz got to his feet, singling her out; McNiven went after Thom and pulled him away from everyone else; and a loud splintering snap echoed over her head as the tree just behind her shattered in half. Quinn was flung to her hands and knees, scrapping the heal of her hands as she was showered by splinters. She quickly pushed herself up and glared to where the spell had originated from but she was pulled away by Fitz's voice.

She slowly turned her neck to face him. She was in no mood for his games. Her side was bleeding profusely; her palms were covered in dirt, grim and blood, her cloths, though dark, were bloodied and dirty, cuts covering her coat. Her face had a few streaks of dirt on her cheeks and nose. Her hair, though usually pristinely fastened back, had strands sticking out here and there, one hanging in front of her face. "You going to try me again, Fitz?" she asked with much doubt.

She turned and took a step towards Fitz. "You never have been able to pick your battle well," she said, her face once again stone, "you should have gone with the apprentice and kept out of my way." All of a sudden, Fitz shot a spell at her. Outraged, Quinn quickly said, "Protego," and the spell was deflected, striking a tree and it shattered like glass, showering everyone with splinters and twigs. She watched them fall for a moment and noticed Thom and McNiven were cut off from the rest of them by a vicious fire.

She took a step towards them, unsure of what McNiven would do to Thom. She quickly remembered Fitz and was about to fire another spell at him when the unthinkable happened: McNiven killed Thom Moen. Quinn stared, mouth slightly open, as Thom's lifeless body hit the floor. A single tear rolled down her pale face. Quickly, she whirled around, holding her wand up, "Incarcerous ." The ropes shot from her wand and wrapped themselves tightly around Fitz. Facing the fire again, she ran towards it. "Aguamenti ," she cried and a heavy stream of water jetted from it's end and put out the fire in her path.

She rushed to Thom's side and grasped his shoulders. "Thom," she cried, all guise gone, "Thom!" She shook him, then dropped him as though he had burnt her. She stood up and faced McNiven, arms at her sides. She quickly lifted her wand and yelled with all the fury she possessed, "Petrificus Totalus."

[Elijah Ellerby]

Elijah yelled, diving onto his side and rolling away as a great plume of fire was sent in McNevin's direction, the dry dead leaves coating the forest floor igniting furiously. Elijah could feel the skin on his cheeks peeling, and he buried his face in his arm as he stood up and stumbled backwards.

'Avada Kedavra!'

The Gryffindor dived out of the way, fully expecting the sudden bright green flash of light to come hurtling at him. But it didn't. The woman began to yell, and Elijah watched as she fell onto her knees next to the second ministry man, her face stricken with shock. McNevin was walking away with a face like thunder, but his eyes were full of cold indifference. 'Why - why did you do that?' Elijah shouted, lifting the concealment charm and making himself known.

It was at that moment the woman rose to her feet, a single tear running down her cheek. 'Look out!' Elijah ran into McNevin, pushing him hard into the ground at her spell flew over their heads, a limp tree becoming taunt. On the ground their faces were close, and Elijah glared into the man's eyes, searching for any sign of remorse or realisation that he had just killed a young man over nothing - someone whose job wasn't to fight, who had just been trying to get some answers.

'He was a year older than me.' Elijah said simply.

Pushing himself up, he moved away from McNevin now, unable to look at the body he'd moments ago recognised to be Thom Moen, a boy who had once sold him the best Sneakscope he had ever had.

The woman was still looking from McNevin to Thom, and Elijah swept his wand over himself, rendering his body invisible once more. 'Let's scatter!' He called out, uncaring if any of them actually listened before he slipped out of the trees and back towards the school, his head spinning with what had just happened.

[Nicholas McNiven]

McNiven stood and watched for a moment as the women ran to the side of the boy, with a slight frown at the lifeless body McNiven walked through the smouldering remains of the fire and towards the other members of the Red Rose League. He could tell by the sudden look on all of their faces that he was not going to just be able to walk away. Indeed that was not the case considering he was rugby tackled to the ground by Elijah.

At first he thought the boy was actually going to start fighting him after the wild shout he made, but gladly McNiven noticed that he was actually saving him once again. With dirt now entering the cuts ion his back McNiven grimaced slightly at the pain and slowly sat up. He could tell the boy studying his face, he did not understand why McNiven had killed. The innocence of youth was always such a sad thing, not willing to open their minds to the truth.

Elijah continued to seem unable to comprehend why such actions had taken place and seemed to want to stress the point about the boy’s age. McNiven knew he was not old, other wise he would refer to him as ‘man’ but still it made no difference. He was not a student of the school and was a member of the ministry. If he was not meant to be in the forest why was he even trying to arrest him, looking for glory when no was to be had. Standing up and brushing himself down McNiven felt a small sting of pity for the lads parents, they would have to suffer the grief.

Losing sight of where Elijah was, and not really caring McNiven kept his wand close and his eyes fixed on the Ministry officials. If they were going to try anything he was ready, and not afraid to do the same to them as he did the boy. Slowly walking to the side of the tied up Fitz McNiven lowed his wand for a second and the ropes vanished.

“I advice you to run, you will be no more use, although send the message around. I want people to met at HQ in 1 hour. ”

[Fitz Hargreaves]

Exasperated and annoyed as Quinn easily deflected his spell, Fitz grimaced; how on earth was he supposed to defeat her? She was completely indefatigable, only a huge dose of lucky potion would allow him to defeat the damned woman. She'd always been so ruthlessly efficient at duelling; quite probably the best in the business, her reaction time seemed as swift as lightening to the inexperienced reporter. Of course being so quick and scathing with his tongue Fitz had brought upon himself many a little rucus, and he'd survived them unscathed, escaping Quinn wasn't going to happen so easily, yet he was a determined man, especially after the taunting words she spat his way.

Glaring copiously at his wily opponent, Fitz danced away thinking up a spell; until his thought was shattered by the fateful unforgiveable curse. The terrible words rang out as clear as day, silence echoed long after them; time seemed to slow as Fitz's attention snapped around to the toppling body of the hapless lad, startled eyes widening in shock, his shocked gaze flickered between McNiven and the body slumped unnaturally in the dirt. His spell never leaving his lips Fitz's eyes narrowed suspiciously at McNiven, wondering if death had been strictly necessary. So horrified by the terrible scene was Fitz that he simply ignored the ropes tightening around him, toppling him uncermoniously onto the leave stricken ground. Wand slipping from his grasp as he fell Fitz cursed silently his face contorting in anger, how the hell was he to escape now? Quinn would somehow blame him for the poor lad's death, doubtless his fellow Red Roses had already fled the scene and he would be left to take the entirity of the blame. Furious not only at McNiven and Quinn in particular but also himself for agreeing to the ludicrous notion of meeting in the Ministry crawling forest, he lay face down in a muddy puddle, from the downpours that had continually fell for the past few days. "A little help please," pleaded Fitz, his voice feeling the strain of emotion.

His plea was belatedly heard scrambling unsteadily to his feet, Fitz swiftly grabbed his wand and rubbed at his wrists that were red raw from the pressure upon them by the biting ropes. "That changes nothing McNiven," grated Fitz as he immediately backed away, "stupefy," He cried fixing his aim upon the apprentice; hopefully he wouldn't have such quick reaction times as his teacher. Retreating quickly as he saw Quinn and McNiven square off for the final time, Fitz turned tail and fled; he wasn't going to be caught upon the scene of that crime. Not again.

[Quinn Locksley]

Quinn was a little shell shocked by the evenings going-ons and a little dizzy and light-headed. She could no longer hide the fact that her streaming side was getting the better of her. She stumbled backwards, clutching her side with her bloodied hand and her head with her wand hand. She tripped over Thom's body and landed hard on her back, the wind knocked out of her.

She lay on the ground, legs over Thom, gasping for air. What am I doing? she asked herself furiously, you're lying about while there's a killer to be caught. Quinn swung her legs high in the air and over her head, rolling onto her feet. She stood up, composure almost as good as usual. The third to join them seemed to have disappeared. "No honour amongst thieves," Quinn called to McNiven, stepping over Thom and walking towards McNiven slowly, "or shall I say murderers." Her eyes were cold and glimmered empty in the scarce light that filtered through the canopy.

Quinn was about to jinx McNiven but her head throbbed, blinding her for a moment, and she felt as though she was falling from the Astronomy Tower. She fell onto her hands and knees, eyes tightly shut, sweat running down her cold neck. She would need to either get rid of these fools quickly or run for help. Quinn never ran so she had to finish the job. Carefully she pushed herself up, brushing dirt and twigs off her knees and hands. She looked ahead in time to see Fitz running off. "Protego," she said pointing her wand at Greenwich. "That's it," she called to Fitz as he ran, "run away. You were never worth the fight in any case."

Slowly, so as to keep herself steady, Quinn turned to face McNiven, all humour gone from her face. She could scarcely stomach the sight of him. "How would you like to precede, Mr McNiven?" she asked. "I can either arrest you or we and duel or you do the manly thing and run." She hoped he ran, that always made the chase more fun. But she knew he wouldn't run, he was more likely to opt for the duelling and Quinn was in no fit state to do that. Still she left it to him to decide. After all, even if he lacked, Quinn had morals and was well-mannered that way.

[Erich Aubry]

when friends from high places

"As you can see the desire to protect ourselves from harm is one of the most potent and long-standing instincts inside each of us. Look at how Thom struggles! He will use every ounce of physical strength to repel this attack." Rainer stirs in his sleep briefly and Erich turns toward him for a moment before continuing, louder now to overcome the sound of Novella's snarls and Thom's cries. "Even Rainer whom I have known all my life will not have me. His will is such that he will never die, he resists even the passing of time and natural death." *

***

So sad, sly Thom had finally gotten in with the action he'd been looking for all along. Erich isn't a body yet, he's drifting together in pieces, but there's enough of him to stand over the slack, pale body. Didn't I teach you anything? and so what that they all can hear him, now after so long an absence, and only for poor Thom who would never hear again. Erich kneels beside him, peering in to Thom's ruined eyes and brings his own face close to meet them. But you knew, of course. You were finally, truly, in over your head. Being so close to him now, the wet debris falls away, disentangled and purely liquid. His gaze is clear and stares back at Erich. So you followed them in to the forest and here, where we first met, lead yourself back to die, finally outclassed and alone. How I detest politics. Erich is quiet. Then more softly, very carefully, It's been a very long year, Thom, hasn't it? But no one answers and maybe he's only speaking to the body, or from the other side of the continent, or soundless, useless again. Erich extends one solid hand toward the boy, faltering mid-air for the briefest moment before wiping brusquely at the thick dirt that had caked across his face. And what of Thom's solitary, undying goldfish, snatched from certain harm the last time he had managed to escape it? Erich wonders and quickly rises, unused to using a body at all. He turns again toward the school, toward Quinn's strong, wiry back in front of him and his palms thick with mud and dark with something richer. After a long moment beside Thom, Erich decides to walk away.

***

Erich appears besides Thom and Novella, kneeling to look in to Moen's eyes. "But you don't need to be afraid," he says, ignoring Novella's gnashing teeth. "If you want to be safe you can be made safe." Erich tests the leaking boundaries of Thom's mind, the edges of him fluttering as if there was only a curtain between himself and everything else. "You are not helpless; you can decide how strong you will be." Novella bites down harder on the flat of Thom's hand, throwing her weight down and on to him. "Think about the space between you getting thicker and thicker...make a wall there, make it hot..." *

*Excerpted from Term 2, Charms Lesson 2

[Illyana Deitrich]

With a distinct Crack Illyana Deitrich apparated in the middle of the battle scene that had errupted in the Forbidden Forest. The magic preventing Apparation or Disapparation on Hogwarts grounds was nothing compared to the magic posessed by the Minister for Magic. Each day Illyana spent in her new secret role she felt stronger, ready to take on the world.

The corpse of the young man did not phase Madam Deitrich. She had seen many corpses in her life. She had been responsible for most of them. What did worry Illyana, if ony slightly, was that she had not forseen this little scuffle. She spent so much of her time looking at the Hogwarts grounds from afar and reading reports from her employees but nothing even hinted at the possibility of a battle at this time.

Illyana was not put off however. She relished the opertunity to leave the Ministry and use a little magic.

"May I ask..." Illyana cooed softly. "What on earth is going on here?"

"I find it rather odd that there is a young man here lying dead and no one quite thought to let me know. Not that I expect you to tell me Mr..."

Illyana looked directly at McNiven hoping he would introduce himself.

[rhaeder]

Rhaeder was hidden between some trees, her pearlescent glow not clearly visible at the present unless purposely searched for.
She had been having a comfortable stroll, well....floating..drifting lets say in the grounds when she first saw the hooded figure walk head down into the grounds, followed by more people,Rhaeder had never liked the forbidden forest as a student many years ago but as a ghost it had not affected her, though she knew that for people of any age to walk in at such a time and with no company that they knew of was surely dangerous.
When she had witnessed the death of the young man Rhaeders soul sank, Rhaeder saw the young minisry worker try and confront the murderer then an older woman appeared, she saw the corpse and was not at all phased, at all!....Rhaeder was screaming inside with anger, her own life had been snatched away and now that another had been she could not let such a tradgedy go about and seem like it was a trivail event! Rhaeder rushed forward out of the trees and circled the body she glared at the woman
"Is this what death is to you, a JOKE" she screamed pointing at the body,
"do you think his death is MENIAL!" she floated towards the woman and the murderer and looked at both of them with as much venom as possible
"look at me, LOOK AT ME!" she screamed, "i died older than him and my life was cut short, HIS HAD NOT EVEN BEGUN, YOU HEARD HIS OWN WORDS THAT HE WAS NOT AN AURA AND YOU KILL HIM" she was looking at the man now
"should you find yourself a ghost as i expect many of your victims are, then maybe you will understand why we cannot see life wasted and thought of as menial and of no value" Rhaeder looked at the younger woman and shook her head as If to say "do not be afraid of him, this murderer"

[Illyana Deitrich]

"Impedimenta phantasm!" Illyana hissed calmly freezing the ghost into silence.

"Did no one teach you respect? Or is that the reason you are dead?" Illyana chucked at the frozen ghost. "I would ask that in the future you do not interupt the Minister for Enlightenment when she is speaking, I find it terribly rude and I cannot stand rudeness... there is rarely call for it."

"I know of the carnage here and I do not discard it." Illyana explained calmly. "I simply find it irrelevent. I cannot waste time on what has passed, who has died. I am here for answers and I am sure I will get them."

Illyana smiled and once again looked at McNiven. "Your name Sir? What is it? Or will I be forced to torture it out of you and your companions."

[rhaeder]

Rhaeder was staring venom into the woman, If she could speak she would have told her she could try and control the living but the dead were a whole different ball game, she stared unblinking into the womans eyes and if the woman had raised her eyes to look at Rhaeder It would be not wholly surprosing if the words "MURDERER" would be burnt into the womans skull.
Respect she knew all about it but death was not trivial once you experienced it, she wondered how the woman would feel if she were dead,then the situation would be much different.
Rhaeder surveyed her and saw her cruel face, she seemed to think she had the ultimate advantage over everything, over the dead? she thought not.
Could she kill people?, certainly, could she bring them back? No..could she control the dead?..No...
Rhaeder laughed although not audibly, she was hoping someone would be kind enough to reverse the spel, but she laughed none the less and shook her head, this woman was pathetic, she looked at her thinking that she knew a lot less than she thought and portrayed she did.