Pureblood Muggle

Chapter 14, Darkness Protector

   It was mid summer by the time you got an owl from Fig, they had found something in Rookwood's castle that could be of help and needed you and the twins to come to the Ministry.
The curse breakers had been working since Rookwood died to disenchant the house and couldn't leave the Ministry thanks to all the other bobbles Rookwood had that were covered in them.
After explaining things to your mom, she saw you off to the train, but not before she scolded you to keep her informed.
She almost wanted you to make an unbreakable vow after Sebastian mentioned it and when you swore you'd keep her involved from now on, she only took Ominis's word that he'd make sure you would or he'd send his own.
So, the four of you were sitting on the train back to London, though Anne kept getting pain. You decided that the four of you moved to a compartment with less people.
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" Sebastian asked, rubbing his sister's back as he glared at you.
"Because you'd reacted like this," you admitted gently. "And if you haven't noticed, Anne gets pain when around bad emotions. Besides that, you were rebuilding your sibling-ship, I didn't want your temper ruining that."
"Uncle Solomon never told anyone?" Anne whispered between groans.
"Fig said he was told you were sick, nothing more."
"But why? Why would he do that?"
Guilt built up in your throat at her pained voice. "I honestly don't know."
"After the Ministry, I want to go to Feldcroft," Sebastian said harshly, making Anne sigh.
"No." He glared, but you held it and glanced at Anne. "She needs you more than your anger needs to be on the loose. If this means that much, I will go to Feldcroft while you help your sister."
"I don't want you going alone. There are still ashwinders who will be hunting you for Rookwood's death," Anne mentioned, half curled into herself.
"She won't be."
Anne seemed to calm down at Ominis's decision, closely followed by Sebastian.
"At least tell me the truth about what you find."
He relaxed further when you nodded. "Alright, we'll get you to the Ministry and then head to Feldcroft using the floo network."

       Fig gave a friendly goodbye, not questioning where you were going as he lead Anne and Sebastian further into the Ministry.
You sent them off with a smile, but you hoped you didn't find anything to make their view of Solomon worse, if that were possible.
It felt like it hadn't changed a bit and for a moment, memories flooded your vision as you arrived in Feldcroft.
It was why you didn't want Sebastian coming back. Better to keep him far away from the memories of the forbidden curses.
You were jarred out of your thoughts by warmth swallowing your hand.
"We're going to be okay," Ominis whispered, slipping his fingers between yours.
You took a breath, before moving down the road, the rythimic pulsing of Ominis's wand kept your mind from traveling too far.
Nobody even paid either of you mind as you walked into the dusty house.
"In hindsight, maybe me coming to help look was a bad idea."
Chuckling, you squeezed his hand before letting go. "You only signed up as a bodyguard, remember?"
He smiled as you walked into the section that had a desk. "Fair point. I'll just keep an ear out for anyone coming then."
Sifting through all of Solomon's belongings and notes, left you with a growing dislike for the man.
Moving on from scrawled notes, you slipped into the desk, knocking your head against the wall.
"Are you okay?"
Pressing your hand to your forehead, you nodded. "I'm alright, just slipped on a stupid feather."
You could hear Ominis chuckle from the other room as you noticed something popped underneath the desk.
Reaching down into the cupboard, you felt a book hidden inside. Tugging it free, you saw it was unmarked, but worn down and the pages yellowed with age.
It seemed to have been Solomon's journal.
In detail it spoke of the bitter resentment Solomon had for his brother, who he perceived got everything he ever wanted, a beautiful home, family and wife. A wife who used to be his friend before she even met his older brother and was obsessed with.
He was fired as an auror for losing evidence that would have put Victor Rookwood behind bars. Just another thing he felt he couldn't do right.
After their deaths and the twins came to live with him, he started to notice Sebastian looked and acted exactly like his brother. Anne however was the spitting image of her mother. Not personality wise, but Sebastian was blamed for it.
Then, when Anne was cursed, she told Solomon what she heard and he knew instantly who did it. He couldn't put him in jail, so he felt he failed again. He was determined to save Anne, by himself, to prove he wasn't a failure, even going so far as to prevent Sebastian's attempts. When he learned he was using dark magic, that bitterness and resentment stirred up in him alongside Sebastian's unwillingness to let him have the moment to be a hero. To be anything but the "useless dull brother", even going so far as to convince Anne she was going to die to make his miraculous cure be a shining moment. One Sebastian would be jealous over and she would be greatful to HIM for.
When Anne told him about Sebastian in the catacombs, he decided before he even left that he was going to kill him and you, if you were there. He didn't care, neither of you would take this from him.
You closed the book and shivered in disgust.
"Did you find a mouse or something?" Ominis teased as he walked in.
"Or something. Solomon was twisted, sick and twisted."
Arching a brow he made his way over and sat in the desk chair. "What do you mean?"
Meeting his eyes, knowing this would hurt him as much as the twins, you wanted to hide it.
Instead, you told him everything the journal said and by the end, he looked green.

    You sat in silence for a while before you heard someone knock on the door.
Both of you had your wands out before you could make it to your feet, but they just knocked again.
You moved to open the door, feeling Ominis just behind you, but instead of ashwinders, you came face to face with Professor Fig.
Letting out the biggest sigh, you lowered your wand. "Professor Fig-"
Ominis dragged you back, knocking you into him as he created distance. "That's not professor Fig, unless he's decided to start wearing lady's perfume."
The person smiled as they stepped in and closed the door behind them, not even attempting to grab their wand.
"Very perceptive nose you have Mr. Gaunt. But my business is with my daughter. She wouldn't talk to me if she knew who I really was. I've watched long enough to know you're fond of Eleazar."
"I'm not going back with you," you clarified, drawing eyes so familiar, but emotionless.
"I don't want you to come back. I've spent too long covering my tracks, keeping what magic you casted as a child a secret. I was grateful your Hogwarts letter didn't arrive when you were eleven."
It took you a moment to process what she said, but it only made your thoughts jumble worse.
"You? The last thing I remember about you was saying "good riddance" to the family squib. If you knew I had magic, why didn't you just say so?"
"For the same reason I made sure you ended up with a squib. To protect you from living a life bound by pure blood psychos, having to sneer when I came across a muggle," she answered calmly as she started to pace in front of the door. "I was married to your father due to an arrangement. I used to be friends with muggleborns. Sara, was a squib relative of my friend. When he and the Gaunts decided they were going to do the same thing to you two, I wasn't going to sit by and watch it happen all over again. I saw what it did to my mother, to me, I wasn't going to let your father do the same to you." 
"That night at Sara's house, you were there," Ominis mentioned, his hand faultering before he lowered his wand. "Watching us, I smelled your perfume."
She nodded, her expression melting into exhaustion. "I told Sharp about what your parents were going to do. It's why he showed up to catch them. Just like I made sure your father was caught too. You no longer have anything to fear from us."
The door opened and two official looking people came in. "Times up Elizabeth."
She nodded as a tear racing down her cheeks while she looked back at you. "I was forced to do a lot of things I wasn't proud of, but it's worth it seeing you fight against people like me or your father. Even if you don't love me, please remember me."
Binds wrapped around her as her form changed back, but she just gave a wobbly smile as one led her back out of the house.
"Where are you taking her?" Ominis asked after briefly glancing at you.
"Depending on the value of her information, she'll be going to Azkaban."
They apparated away, making you shake your head sharply. "What the hell just happened?"
Everything was jumbled now, but you weren't sure you could take her at her word. You knew that better than anyone that it's easier to tell a lie than the truth, but what if she was?
"It seems family secrets are coming out into the light today."