Innocence

Chapter Thirty Eight

"I believe it's time you went home, isn't it?" Professor Blackrose asked, when Percival walked into the room.

"Hardly." Percival said in disbelief. "I was actually coming here to tell you that the quarters you have leant to me will be mine until this whole situation is dealt with."

Blackrose put the papers he had been studying down in disbelief. "Graves, have you lost your mind?" He cried.

"No. But I'm beginning to think that you might have."

"When I asked you here to deal with our little... Situation, I thought that it was mutually known that we were only doing so to make it appear that we were doing something. Just so that parents wouldn't be up in arms."

Percival blinked in alarm, not even knowing where to start. "I mean... What about Jacob Kowalski? He is now a parent up in arms about the situation. How can you say such things after what happened to his son?"

Blackrose shrugged. "Accidents happen."

Percival growled, losing his temper and stepping closer to the man. "You mean like the accident that happened to involve my daughter?"

Blackrose scoffed. "Did you see what that child did to my nose? That was no accident. It will never be the same again. You are lucky I didn't expel her."

Percival drew back, knowing that he was leading the conversation down a path that he wouldn't win. "Daniel Kowalski could've been killed the other day." He put simply.

Blackrose rolled his eyes. "Hardly. The boy has no lasting damage."

"How can you be like this? After all, you're own parents are No-Majes-"

Blackrose stood up quickly and slammed his fist down on the table. "Don't bring my family into this."

Percival cocked his head to the side. "I'm not letting this go, Blackrose. I will be staying here until I solve this."

"What gives you the right to invade my school? Surely you have more important things to deal with."

"This is important! This is the second oldest school of magic in the world. It must have standards. And as for having other work, the President agrees with me that this is my number one priority. Like it or not, Blackrose, I'm here to stay."

- - - - -

April soon bled into May as tensions heightened around the school for multiple reasons. While anti No-Maj born sentiments grew, the Fifth and Seventh year students soon found themselves sitting their exams. Luckily for Daniel, this meant that the three children could spend time with each other around the school without worrying about running into John, and danger within the Horned Serpents' common room seemed to decrease for him.

Sophia, feeling completely responsible for what happened to Daniel, entirely accepted the boy as her friend, to the delight of David. Daniel, in return, had taken up the habit of collecting and destroying posters.

This continued until yet again there was an unexpected change in the situation resulting in it becoming harder for them to deal with.

"Try again." Sophia hissed.

"I have. Multiple times. You've stood there watching me try." David replied. "If you think it's so easy, why don't you try yourself?"

Sophia shifted her weight uncertainly. "Okay, sure. Move out the way, then." She said, stepping around David and putting her hand on the wall so that her fingers grasped the top of the poster. She then tugged with all her strength. "Okay, I see what you mean. It's impossible."

"That's what I've been trying to say this entire time!" David huffed.

Sophia sighed and ran a hand over her face. "We have to go and talk to my Father about this." She decided at last.

And so ten minutes later, the two of them found themselves standing in the same spot, only this time accompanied by Percival, who they had collected from his room, and Daniel, who they had happened to bump into along the way.

Percival felt like punching the wall. "I am losing the will to live. Now we can't even take the posters down. It reminds me of the pieces of paper from the start of the year. Credence and I still haven't found a way to destroy them. And even when we think about doing so, there is this feeling at the back of our minds, luring us away from such a thing. Powerful magic, this is." He said at last. "It's confusing though. After all, you'd think that the Seventh year students were too busy sitting their NEWTs to try and do all of this." He scrunched up his nose.

"Maybe... You've been away from Dad for too long?" Sophia asked tentatively. "I just mean that he's always been the one to make sure that you keep your head in times of trouble." She said quickly when Percival turned to look at her, eyebrow raised.

Percival nodded slowly. "I was going to send an owl to ask Tina to join me. I should maybe ask Credence to come along as well."

"My Mother?" David asked in disbelief.

Percival nodded. "You don't have an issue with that, do you?"

David scuffed his shoes on the stone floor. "I guess not." He grumbled. "As long as she is here purely for work reasons. The last thing I want or need is her becoming too involved in my school life." He scrunched up his nose in disgust.

"Your Mother is a good woman, David. When I retire I'll be looking to put her name forward to take my place." He smiled to himself. "I can only see myself willing to settle down in life knowing that she is out there, protecting the magical world."

Sophia tutted. "Father, you will enjoy retirement as long as you have Dad by your side."

Percival laughed. "Ah, I'm sure you're right."

Sophia thought for a second. "At some point, someone has to slip up." She said. "By doing more, it creates a bigger problem for us to solve, but makes it harder for them to do so perfectly."

David hummed. "It makes it easier for things to slip through the cracks."

Daniel flinched at the words, and Sophia looked at him in concern.

"Are you okay?" She asked uncertainly.

"I'm sorry." Daniel said as he began to walk backwards down the hall. "But you've just given me an idea. I know keeping quiet has kept us safe, but I think we are coming to the end of this whole situation now. And not just because we have to be." He then dashed away without further explanation.

- - - - - - - - - -

Only six chapters left! I can't believe I've nearly managed to put the whole of this out there. I know by no means that this is liked anywhere close to my other works but I'm proud of it. There was a long time when I thought that this would never become a thing.

Anyway, keep safe out there. Stay inside. Protect each other and the NHS.