Chapter Text
“Pray tell,” Sebastian talks in between bites of toast, his hair still ruffled from sleep, “how you convinced Matilda to let you take a class of rambunctious children- “
“Third years!” Amanda throws out, her mind occupied with a poorly written report by a 6th year that has taken over the corner of their kitchen table.
“Yes, I already said rambunctious children.”
She glares at him from the top of the parchment, though the steeliness she thrives for is missing, knowing what he says is true. Giving up the jig, he abandons his plate to rub his hands along the tense shoulders of his wife, knowing how the year long employment has drained her immensely.
What was supposed to be Amanda stepping into the Beasts Professor position for a month long stint in the fall was quickly extended when Professor Howle’s initial report on the population of the Peruvian Vipertooth Dragon reflected their dangerously low numbers leading her to be recruited to the repopulation efforts.
Now well into spring, Amanda has schemed up a fun field trip for her third years, albeit more so for herself than for their educational benefit, to visit a nesting Common Welsh Dragon via port key.
Helping her gather her things, Sebastian gives his wife a quick peck on the cheek as he escorts her to the door, promising he will polish up the kitchen before going to work himself. “Enjoy the dragon my Love. Just make sure you keep your students alive.”
Her sigh shakes her figure, finding the long year of teaching much less rewarding than breeding beasts and releasing them to the wild and having to deal with the rare remaining poacher. “That was Matilda’s request as well.”
— —
Shepherding the students around the designated port key, a large oak barrel, Amanda reminds them to be quiet on the hike to the nesting dragon, not wanting to disturb the creature. Surprisingly excited yet respectful, the students nod as she also places a hand on the container, the tug of magic whisking them to the hills of the highlands.
The students handle the harsh transportation method well, the hike beginning without incident. Yet with each step, Amanda’s gut twists, a foreboding sign.
The uncoordinated students trekking over the landscape cover the yelling of spells, but the rumbling of the ground has her quickening her pace until through the thick brush clears enough for her to see the barrage of magic aimed directly for the dragon high above them.
Without a second thought, she takes off at a sprint. Not as fit as she was years ago, the stitch in her side hits quickly but she carries on with branches tearing at her clothes until the indistinguishable shouts come though clearly. Through the thicket, flashes of magic whizz by, damaging the trees as they aim for the nesting dragon. Amanda’s bones rattle as the beast roars in pain and slap’s its large claws against the cliffside, attempting to scare the poachers away rather than to abandon its nesting site. The deep woods makes navigating to the instigators difficult, each path lined with thorny bushes and narrow edges from the valley. The thrum of ancient magic spurs her faster, the lack of recent use making her run even more erratically as it seeks to control her.
The only force strong enough to stop her is the pitchy voice of Andrew Sage, a third year Ravenclaw. His voice halts her immediately, the dust cloud covering her cloak as a result.
“Professor Sallow! This isn’t safe!” He insists, his thoughts echoed by his fellow students with ferocious head shaking. “We must return to Hogwarts!”
Another array of spells shooting at the dragon reminds her of the danger surrounding them, her priorities being forced to change.
“Gather ‘round then!” She insists, barely assuring that all her students are together before apparating them all back to school grounds, the charms against it specifically lifted for their field trip that morning. Thankfully not landing in the compost pile, the group finds their footing, the worst injury from the outing being torn uniforms from running. A quick glance over the class confirms she’s no longer needed on grounds and free to rescue the dragon.
“Class dismissed!” Amanda calls over her shoulder while heading to the nearby shed, hoping to find some old gear she had brought in for a lesson the previous term. Her professor garb lacks the enchantments and protections she’ll need for her return to the battle. Only finding a rugged overcoat with fire protection, she apparates back to the hillside and takes off at a sprint towards the closest clearing.
The group of poachers is much smaller than anticipated and only recognizable by their actions, not their clothes. All lacking bandanas and skull masks, their attention switches to Amanda, out of breath and wide eyed. The dragon’s roar is the starting bell, reflexes from both sides skilled but out of practice.
“Glacius! Diffendo! Protego! Stupefy!” The spells shoot off with uncontrolled power at the enemies, only some succeeding in dodging them. Painful jolts of ancient magic race under her skin, eager to work. Her wand heats quickly, adrenaline keeping her from feeling the burns threatening to blister.
A flipendo sends Amanda into the dirt, the blindness only making her spells more dangerous. With an aggressive roar of magic, her yell earns her a throat full of dust, the assailants apparating away under the cover of chaos. A nearby tree cracks and falls apart, the victim of her ancient magic cast.
Twitching slightly, she pulls her feet underneath her. Her sharp eyes spot a herd of simple canvas tents ahead. Like a drunk given a command to run, her pace is erratic as she travels there, magic shoving her along and thoughts out of her mind. The large wings of the dragon makes the trees dance and scream as she flaps her wings, warning any other intruders away.
It’s a basic camp. Very unlike the whole encampments that herself and Poppy use to take down. Lacking cages, chests fill empty spaces next to the tents, filled with bags of an unfamiliar pointed but petite strips of hair. Chewing her lip, she lets the lid slam shut, the findings making her hair stand along her neck. She throws her jacket to the side as she enters the tent in the middle of the camp. Even the largest tent is simple, a large bed accompanied by a small desk. The accompanying letters and photos are disorganized, one note, signed by an Angus, lays on the floor. A textbook on arachnids sits on the bed, a silver ribbon lays on top of it, the golden initials VS thrown carelessly on top of it.
Outside and closest to the smoldering fire, she lets her fingers drag over glass vials left standing on a wooden table. Spoons and other tools lay peacefully nearby, the table clearly a major part of their organization. But without any potion ingredients nearby, any explanation as to what plans the group has escapes. Dried drops of a burgundy liquid sit in the dirt along with discarded husks similar to what was found in the chests. A locked wood crate sits at the end of the table.
Above Amanda, the clear sky swirls with apparating wizards, all heading towards the camp. The dark tunnels surround her, revealing more poachers in unfamiliar garb that get struck by overpowered bursts of ancient magic seconds after the smoke clears. Skin sizzling like a dragon aiming at her directly, sweat beads down her forehead, exhaustion racing in as more poachers apparate around her.
Two in particular, a man and a woman, stand back, letting their cronies attack her in small groups. It’s a tame fight, the attackers accepting her confringo and only giving her a descendo in return. The tents become a brief victim to her magic, others rushing to put out the fires yet continuing to ignore her. Others pack away belongings and break down tents, clearly bored of the fighting.
The destruction of their property seems to anger one of the duelists, who summons two bags from a nearby chest before sending the contents her way.
The stabbing pain makes her shout as the thousands of hairs scrape along her skin, hives breaking out immediately. The skin threatens to slough off if hit too harshly. The cuts, superficial but covering her, sting with each pulse of her heart. Some drip with a rich wine colored liquid from them.
A toxin. Amanda knows as her knees thud into the pillowy grass, the only explanation for the overly intense pain and the slowness of her thoughts.
Around her, the group snickers and celebrates, happy to see their unique weapon be so effective.
“Pack it up.” The woman demands while approaching Amanda, her tall structure showing her unquestionable authority while her soft eyes are filled with what she considers to be motherly concern. The man follows as well, seeming annoyed with the woman’s tender respect for Amanda.
Crouching down to her level, she grabs Amanda’s arm gingerly, examining the damage caused and checking her pulse, seeing if the venom has slowed her pulse yet. Surprised it's still racing as fast as it is, she makes a mistake in turning away to grab something from her cloak, Amanda’s other hand coming up quickly to slap her away moments before she finds one last morsel of strength to cast magic too.
“Bombar-”
“Expelliarmus!”
Wandless and drained from shoving the woman away, the fist approaches her in slow motion from the man, but the pain hits as fast as lightning upon contact, her jaw rattling as she falls backward.
“Angus!” The woman scolds, putting herself in between Amanda and him. She fights to get back to her knees, refusing to die flat on the ground with her captors above her. “That was not necessary!”
“Why do we need her Violet?” He argues, clearly content with murdering Amanda at that moment. “Should we make her bait?”
Despite the aggressiveness of both of them, they are clearly a married couple. Annoyed with a decision and still wanting to change their spouses minds, yet respecting it all the same based on Angus’s silence as Violet scowls at him, ending the argument.
“You’re so much like her. I see why you two are such close friends.” She says, not elaborating who she means despite Amanda’s puzzle face. Pulling a potion from a cloak, Violet offers it to Amanda, insisting it’s safe. “It’ll push out the Acromantula venom. We coat its hairs in it after it’s death, we learned the technique while in Egypt.”
After a moment, she takes it, hoping her painfilled body and sluggish mind isn’t entirely fucked. The cuts are soothed and begin to heal quickly, small fires being extinguished as the dark purple fluid is pushed out, carefully wiped away by Violet. She doesn’t rush Amanda either in her recovery, letting her catch her breath and even retrieving her wand for her as well despite Angus’s disagreements.
Even as the toxin that slowed her mind is pushed from her wounds, Amanda’s mind refuses to connect the information in front of her, desperately wanting to believe it’s not true. Defeated and shaking her head, she starts speaking, she braces for the world to shatter. “What do you want with her?”
“We want our daughter back of course! Poppy was an immature and confused child when she ran off. But you!” Violet reaches out to her, but this time Amanda recoils back, refusing to accept her false kindness. “You’ll convince her to join us.”
The toxins still affecting her slightly, her anger falls flat as she tries to yell at them. “You’re mad! Poppy would never agree to that. She stands against all the damage and harm you cause!”
Violet moves quicker than Amanda this time, grabbing her arm hard enough to make the cuts bleed again. Her sweet motherly tone gone, “If you do not have her meet us here in a weeks time then we will kill every wild beast in this region. Starting with that dragon.” She warns.
“Poppy and I won’t let that happen.”
Amanda stares at her, not seeing the venom filled pincer in Violet’s hand until she stabs it into her thigh, inches above her knee. Her teeth tear her bottom lip as she suppresses her howls of pain but her tear filled eyes give away her weakness as she tries to glare at them, like her anger filled eyes could melt them.
“Then every creature will feel the pain you feel now.” Violet promises as she joins her husband a few feet back, preparing to apparate. “See you and Poppy here in a week.”
With the wind, Angus and Violet Sweeting apparate away along with the tents and all of their cronies, leaving Amanda to curl into the grass, the blood curdling scream she lets out alarming the dragon again, bullets of fire peeking out through the treeline below the mountain.
— —
“Amanda! Amanda!”
Stirring slightly, Amanda pulls her elbows underneath her, leaving her bleeding leg extended out into the grass, the pincer staunching the blood. The voice is familiar, but her exhausted mind keeps her vocal chords still, only able to mouth out cries for help. Sending a red simple cast into the air, the shouts of her names become louder, and pounding footsteps killing shrubbery helps her pinpoint her rescuer as he comes out of the forest.
Garreth, still in his professor robes, looks like a cauldron had just exploded on him, leaving dirt and branches inhabiting his clothes and hair as he makes a beeline towards her. Seeing her weak condition, he stuffs potions at her. Catching her breath, Amanda begins to examine her own leg, planning to use her coat as bandage once she removes the pincer, afraid it could still be leaking venom into her.
“You’re lucky your students are obnoxiously loud as they walk through the hallways Amanda. I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for them talking about your field trip.”
Yanking the pincer from her thigh, she hisses out to Garreth to make sure they don’t lose that as she applies pressure with her coat, her leg now throbbing painfully.
“We need to get you back to Hogwarts. Get that leg looked at first.”
“No. We need to go to my house and gather the others. We have enough supplies for you there.”
“You’re insane.” Garreth answers, knowing there’s no changing her mind.
Taking his extended arm, Amanda leans her weight onto him, her anxiety of the news she has to break to Poppy making it easy to stand in comparison.
— —
Adrenaline gone, Amanda’s drooping head is lifted by Sebastian’s hands the second he arrives at the house, Anne on his tail. His thumbs gently brush across her cheeks, keeping her conscious as Garreth pours potions onto her leg, the venom having begun to erode the skin in the short time.
“My love, stay awake.” Sebastian insists, his tone gentle before turning to Garreth, anger at whoever caused this coming out, “What happened?”
“Something about Poppy’s parents showing up near the site of the dragon. It was an acromantula fang.” Garreth answers. Sebastian who quickly turns back to his wife, kissing her and reassuring her all will be well.
Anne, of more stable mind, sees Garreth’s fear of his skills and what may happen in the coming week. “When will Poppy be here?”
“Soon.” Amanda replies, Sebastian’s lips on her cheek giving her strength
“Sebastian, I’ll return to work and fetch Nicholas Green. He has experience in acromantulas in Borneo. He may be able to help us prepare for whatever comes our way.”
“Thank you Anne.” The other three set off in unison, all beginning to realize the seriousness of the events.
— —
The door squeals from Poppy’s arrival, the wooden floor lamenting with it too. Skidding to a stop by Amanda’s chair, Sebastian gives them space, the thought of having to see his close friend destroyed by the return of her parents creates a pinch in his throat. Garreth hides his pain expression behind the smoke of a cauldron.
“What happened Amanda? Garreth’s note only said you were attacked in the highlands!”
“The dragon is fine Poppy. I swear!”
Sister like, Poppy plucks a stray leaf from Amanda’s hair, before soothing the hair back into place. “We could rescue the dragon together! It’s the fact that someone did this to you at all that has me concerned. Who were they?”
“Poppy-” The lump in Amanda’s throat is merciful, giving Poppy a few more seconds of peace before shattering her life. “It was your parents. They want you to join them. They threatened to harm the creatures here if you don’t.”
There’s a moment of deafness, before the roar of rage ignites her into action. Pulse racing, Poppy’s lips twist into a snarl. Already reaching for her wand, she stands up, ready to fight for her freedom and safety of the creatures. “We’ll stop them then.”
The words hide her insecurity that try to dampen the fire. But do nothing to stop the tears that fill her eyes.
“I’m sorry Poppy.”
“No!” A knife is taken to her words, chopping them into bits. “It’s my fault they did this to you.”
“They’re dangerous Poppy. And I’ll be well soon enough! We will stop them.”
Poppy nods her head subtly, yet maintains her offensive position. They give her time in silence, all reflecting on their own families. Sebastian sits next to Amanda, tending to the still leaking stab wound. Garreth sits across from them, the page turning of his potion book the only noise except for the bubbling cauldron. After what feels like an eternity, Poppy sits as well, her long hair, so much like her mother’s, drags her head down, her only company becoming the spider in the corner of the room, slowly spinning a web to rest in.
— —
“It’s Anne and Nicholas?” Garreth says, Sebastian confirming the stranger's name with a head nod.
“Anne and I have worked with him several times now. His knowledge of beasts is impeccable. Along with an array of knowledge on potion making.” Sebastian explains, opening the door for their arrivals. “You two will get along swell Poppy. I do wish these introductions were under better circumstances.”
“Don’t we all?” Her brightness severely dampened as she turns towards the door.
“Good to see you Nicholas.” Sebastian extends the welcome as his coworker walks through the door, not even flinching as Poppy pulls her wand.
“Bombarda!”
Reactively, Amanda attacks too, both spells blocked by Sebastian’s quick reflexes.
“This is madness!” He insists, his confusion not shared by his twin, Anne having dug her wand tip into Nicholas’s throat after bounding his hands. “Amanda you must sit!”
Blood oozing down her leg, she chews on her lip while aiming directly towards the enemy’s chest, the not yet casted confringo making her wand smoke. Sebastian attempts to guide her down, her locked joints overpowering him.
“You dare to hide in the ministry and let my parents run amok!” The unnatural rage makes Poppy shake, her knees nearly buckling with each enunciated curse.
Nicholas holds her eye contact but doesn’t match the intensity. His shoulders slump with each insult but his admiration for her makes his lips twitch upwards. The woman before him is recognizable as the childhood friend that he still fondly remembers but distinctly better. Louder and more confident.
“Poppy.” His green eyes light up at saying her name, the joy slapping her. Her name rolls out of his mouth easily even if it's been unsaid for a decade. From baby cheeked in pigtails to laugh lines over her mature face and an elaborate braid leaning over her shoulder, Silas can’t help but want to leap back into the friendship they had.
“You’re a filthy traitor Silas!”
The weight of a castle on her chest makes her voice frail, the insult unlocks the memories of summers spent next to a fire pit and nights spent telling stories as cries of creatures kept them awake.
Anne and Sebastian share a look of confusion, this confrontation going much deeper than their knowledge of their friends and coworkers' upbringings.
“I can explain everything. Please let me Poppy.” He pleads, his voice coming out even weaker than hers. He finally drops the eye contact, the truth of her words and the guilt of his past actions still not outweighing the good he has done since leaving poaching behind.
Charmed strings of magic shoot across the room, Anne and him both flinching. “No!”
Beside her, Amanda lets a gasp escape her pinched lips, blood flooding from the bandage again. Her vision spotty and body weak as Sebastian forces her to sit down, his worry blocking the chaos around him. Garreth, having stayed in the background at this point, rushes forward with more supplies.
Stumbling forward, Silas catches himself on the table, Anne’s wand jabbing into his spine. “She needs mandrake leaves and aconite flowers. I swear it.”
Charming the magical binds away, Poppy steps aside and lets him approach Garreth’s potion table. Her sparking wand zaps his hand before he gathers ingredients, having him retreat away from the others, her voice low. “If you harm her, you're dead.”
“I understand.” His eyes meet hers for only a second before he ducks his head down again, like a horse whose reins were yanked back, it keeps him from embracing her, never thinking he would have the chance to do it again.
Content with his respect for her promise, she lets him start creating a new potion. With a trembling voice, he explains to them what his research in Romania taught him on counteracting the volatile venom, the tremor escalating each time Poppy glares at him. Sebastian soothes Amanda while Anne writes nearby, already scheming up battle plans for what little they know about the Sweeting poaching group. Poppy avoids eye contact with the others, even Amanda’s friendly but questioning glances are ignored.
Even though it’s been over a decade since Poppy left her parents and therefore the practice of poaching, it’s only been Amanda who she has told the truth to. The others only know her grandmother took her in due to her parents being neglectful, though not entirely false, poaching being in her blood is a fact that she has tried hard to keep hidden from everyone. Even today, she feigned shock that her parents are now poachers and they want her to join them.
And then Silas walks in like a knife ripping through the book she so carefully published. She risks a glance at him, praying this is a nightmare she will soon wake from but also praising the gods above for bringing him back to her. Discreetly pressing her hand against her chest, she reminds herself she’s safe, that the worst days of her life are long long gone. But the pleasant jitters in her stomach stay, having her first friend back bringing up memories that she shut away to not regret her decision of running away to her grandmother.
The color returns to Amanda’s face as the sun tips over the halfway point, early flickers of orange on the horizon. There’s a shared exhale among the group with the improvement. No one dares to shatter it. All politely sipping tea while waving away the heavy air that starts to settle in, both Silas and Poppy feeling more and more isolated even as Amit and Ominis arrive to support everyone.
It’s Silas that cracks first, having done too well of a job at healing Amanda’s wound that all the attention has settled on him. As he clears his throat, Poppy stares off into the corner again, the walls collapsing on the life she built by herself.
“We” He gestures towards his old friend but keeps his eyes casted away “Poppy and I grew up in a poachers camp together.” He discreetly slides his palms over his pants legs, the shakiness refusing to be swept away.
The boyish voice Poppy remembers is gone, replaced by the hollow and traumatized man who sits before them. Hunched shoulders and filled with pain. Sinisterly, she hides a smile, even as her life is ruined, he is destroyed by having to face his own actions. Outside of Amanda, the others share looks of shock as Poppy stares off into the distance, the million questions taking up space in the house, suppressing all of their abilities to breathe deeply as they shift to better listen to Silas.
His green eyes find Poppy’s and demand attention, only to immediately soften when given it, pleading that they will show his sincerity. “I left only three years ago but Poppy left when we were kids- a decision that I so desperately wish I had made for myself as well.” Her eyes stay hard, but her heart eases, the frantic pounding turning to a more comfortable pace. The vein easing along her neck gives away the first sign of forgiveness, Silas’s hands going steady with it. They stay that way for only seconds before going back to staring through walls. But despite their coldness, their shuffling feet unconsciously pivot towards each other.
Anne clutches her wand, knuckles pinched white until Amit reaches over, firmly loosening each finger until he is able to take it from her. Ominis ignores Garreth’s concern look while gnawing on his lip, wishing he could shield Poppy from having to remember the darkness of her childhood.
“I’ve been with the ministry for over a year now under Nicholas Green, desperately trying to undo some of the harm I’ve caused to magical beasts here and abroad. I am unfortunately very familiar with what you will be facing.” He winces as he remembers the horrible things he’s done, physically unable to hide the reaction.
Forever the one to trust and forgive at a moment's notice, Amanda clears her throat, her exhaustion slowing her speech but not her ability to put others at ease. “What do we do now Nicholas?”
“I can tell you everything I know about them. I live east of the northern ford bog, come by tomorrow and I can tell you more then.”
The appointment set, the group disperses for the night, Nicholas’s departure invites a further sense of confusion into the group. Anne and Sebastian speak privately, the ability of someone to sneak into the ministry with such ease as Nicholas did weighing on them in spite of their unbroken trust in him. Garreth tends to the potion making mess with Ominis and Amit, making the Sallow household presentable again.
“Poppy, it’ll be alright in the end. We both know it.”
“I never thought I would see Silas ever again Amanda.” Her eyes sting but tears never come. “And now my parents have come to destroy me.”
Amanda leans over, giving Poppy’s shoulder a soft squeeze, “We will stop them.”
“But at what cost to me?”