Truly Fantastic

Chapter 23

Emily couldn't sleep. 

Thoughts, ideas, and schemes were whizzing through her head and invading her time to rest. Sighing aggravatedly, she leaned over the side of her bed to pick up her wand and a book from underneath her bed. 

Pulling the covers over her head, Emily quietly whispered the wand lighting charm and opened up her book. 

It was a story about a wizard who would create the most magnificent creatures with only a few dabs of his secret elixir and a wave of his enchanted ring. It was, of course, only a fictional story. For no wizard or witch in history had ever been known to do such thing. 

The story on the other hand, seemed like the right one to read after what had gone on that year. 

As Emily began to read the part in the book where the wizard, Simone, goes out looking for treats to keep the sweet toothed pixies from making a mess in search for food, she found herself licking her lips in hunger and looked down at her stomach as it let out a low rumble of desire. 

Frowning, she sighed and reluctantly slid out of bed and snuck her way out of the dormitories to find a snack. 

As she crept down the corridor towards the kitchen, Emily heard voices. In a panic, she quickly pointed her wand towards her torso and whispered a quick and handy jinx that would make her blend in with her surroundings making the first year completely invisible. 

She watched silently as Professor Kettleburn and Madam Pomfrey came into sight. "Horrible quite horrible. The entire left side of the building you say?" the Care of Magical Creatures Professor was remarking nervously to the other witch. "Indeed. I just can't believe it... and attack on the Ministry of Magic!"

Emily's breath hitched, didn't mum say she and dad were going to attend a Ministry Gala in their last letter? 

Oh Merlin please say it wasn't today please say it wasn't today-

"And during the Ministry's yearly Gala too... how many people did the papers say were attending? Over 200 000?"

Her hand was shaking uncontrollably. 

An attack on the ministry.... Her parents were at the ministry! And so was the rest of her family... her aunt Queenie and Clara... Uncle Jacob and Theseus... her grandparents... what would happen if they all died? 

Would she and her cousins be homeless? 

Would they be sent into foster care? 

What about the creatures? 

Without Newt how could they go on?

"Does Albus know?"

"Yes, I've sent a message. But he's nowhere to be found."

"No!"

"The students... should we awaken them?"

"....No... no let's leave it to morning. In the meantime I'm heading out there. St Mungos could use all the help they can get."

Emily didn't notice their departure until they were far away from the shaking hidden girl. As the charm wore off, Emily sat down on the cold stone paved floor and buried her head in her hands. 

If what she heard was true, that there was a hostile takeover at the Ministry, then it seemed there was nothing she could do but wait to see if her family would come out of the whole thing alive, or dead. 

She bit her lip anxiously, of course her mother would fight. And her father would take part in the battle too. Would they be able to survive it? Would anyone be able to survive it?